nuclear-news

Climate and nuclear news – week to May 1st

On climate change – where to start? Dahr Jamail– covers the world-wide impacts that are already happening. It seems that only the very young, Greta Thunberg, and the very old, David Attenborough, are able to get the message across. So many different impacts – the latest big one is another cyclone, followed by flooding, in Mozambique.

On nuclear issues, also, where to start?   With the stalemate in nuclear weapons negotiations, in several countries, and India and Pakistan on the tightrope? Or with the nuclear financial messes in USA and UK?

Perhaps it’s best to find a note of optimism. Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, spoke convincingly, in Tokyo, about improving prospects for progress in nuclear disarmament.

$70 trillion cost predicted, as Arctic permafrost thaws.

Across the world, Extinction Rebellion climate activists stage “die-in“.  Secretive Fossil Fuel Lobby Group, “Global Climate Coalition”, Manipulated UN Climate Programs.

UN assesses world environment in new report – it’s a grim story.

Reviewing the state of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. New report warns that world is dangerously close to increased use of nuclear weapons.  Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear Weapons Command and Control.

UKRAINE. 33rd anniversary of Chernobyl, the biggest nuclear plant disaster in history.

JAPAN. Exploitation of foreign workers in Japan’s Fukushima nuclear clean-up. As Tokyo Olympics approach, Japan’s futile push to repopulate cleaned-up parts of radioactive areas of Fukushima.  Despite World Trade Association ruling, Japan still asks S. Korea to lift ban on Fukushima seafood.  All Japan’s nuclear reactors may shutdown, as regulator is firm on safety measures. Japan’s nuclear regulators not impressed by nuclear facilities’ flimsy excuses about safety.

UK.

• Political leaders in Britain are not strong enough to tackle the climate change crisis- Lord Stern. UK Labour aims to declare a national climate emergency. “Climate Emergency Independents” emerge from Extinction Rebellion to stand for UK Parliament.  London’s Extinction Rebellion climate protestors made an impact, and they’re keeping on.
• Anglican church angry about ‘Thanksgiving’ service for nuclear weapons at Westminster Abbey. Rocketing costs of Britain’s nuclear weapons projects.
• Britain’s costly nuclear submarines – dead but not buried.
• Europe’s oldest nuclear reactors: safety problem at Hunterston B. Wastes from other nuclear stations could be dumped at Hinkley Point A.
• British govt about to give nuclear power a massive state-funded financial boost.

USA.

• Climate change poses huge flooding risk to USA’s nuclear stations, but this is ignored by Trump  administration.
• Lawmakers and media are being conned, as nuclear industry manipulates climate change rules.
• In USA most men support nuclear power, but most women do not.
• The cost of pretending that nuclear power is “clean”.  Subsidies to nuclear industry – legislation “anti-competitive” and “anti-consumer.” Opposition to nuclear subsidies in Pennsylvania.
• How a nuclear apocalypse could be launched: how a president’s power to do this could be restrained.   The Truth-Teller: From the Pentagon Papers to the Doomsday Machine.
• USA’s Dept of Energy fails to provide adequate funding for Hanford nuclear clean-up.
• More evidence that US may seek to prosecute Julian Asssange under the Espionage Act . Chelsea Manning is denied bail, by U.S. appeals court.

RUSSIA. Russia Wants Serious Talks on New Nuclear Deals With US. Russia wants to know details of Trump’s nuclear arms-control initiative. Russia’s President Putin supports North Korea, seeks multilateral talks on decnuclearising the Korean Peninsula.

NORTH KOREA. Kim Jong Un’s round of summits: the latest with Vladimir Putin.

NORWAY. Final closure of nuclear research reactors in Norway.

INDIA. Constant military posturing from both Pakistan and India. Narendra Modi using threat of nuclear bombing Pakistan, as an election campaign tactic.  Report on Modi’s remark on nuclear weapons sent to EC, says election official in Barmer.

PAKISTAN. Pakistan warns India against mentioning its nuclear power lightly.

TAIWAN. No to nuclear power: Taiwan’s president reaffirms anti-nuclear stance.

TURKEY. Turkish nuclear power project looks like being shelved.

IRAN. End of nuclear cooperation waivers could quietly kill Iran deal.

AUSTRALIA. Maralinga nuclear bomb test survivor reveals truth of what happened in the SA desert.

April 30, 2019 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes