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Jordan’s nuclear and uranium programmes not economically viable

lawmakers and activists cast doubt over the economic feasibility of the nuclear drive, accusing the JAEC of deliberately underestimating reactor construction costs to “mislead public opinion”.

Participants also called into question the country’s uranium mining ambitions, claiming that the feasibility studies carried out by French firm AREVA, which is currently carrying out an exploration of uranium deposits in the central region, have revealed that the Kingdom’s
reserves are “commercially unviable”.

Nuclear programme ‘in violation of parliamentary motion’ [Jordan Times, Amman] By Taylor Luck,   July 10–AMMAN– Lawmakers and activists have called on the government to suspend the country’s nuclear programme, accusing officials of violating a parliamentary motion calling for halting the project. Continue reading

July 11, 2012 Posted by | Jordan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Tri-Valley Care fights the good fight to save Livermore valley from plutonium wastes

Tri-Valley CAREs has had many successes throughout the years…. the first group in the western US to receive an EPA grant to monitor the Superfund cleanup at Lawrence Livermore National Lab and the first community-based group in the country to win a recognition award from EPA for its effectiveness

For decades, a toxic groundwater plume has flowed westward from Lawrence Livermore National Lab in the Livermore community aquifer towards Dublin. 


Living with the Legacy of the Nuclear Stockpile Next Door in Livermore, CA 
http://www.arounddublinblog.com/2012/07/livermore-ca-nuclear-stockpile-next-door/ by Around Dublin Team Tri-Valley CAREs  was founded in 1983 in Livermore, CA by concerned neighbors living around Lawrence Livermore National Lab , one of two locations where all US nuclear weapons are designed. This grassroots organization works to strengthen global security by stopping the development of new nuclear weapons in the US and by promoting the elimination of nuclear weapons globally.

It monitors nuclear weapons and environmental clean-up activities throughout the US nuclear
weapons complex, with a special focus on Lawrence Livermore National Lab and the surrounding Tri-Valley communities. Continue reading

July 7, 2012 Posted by | - plutonium, opposition to nuclear, Reference, USA | 1 Comment

“Neighbourly” campaign by Japan’s anti nuclear activists

they decided to open Yanaka no Iie (“Yanaka house”)–more precisely the home of member Naoko Nishimura–to monthly screenings followed by issue-related discussions over wine and coffee.

Anti-nuclear activists turn to home movie screenings http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/people/AJ201207060081, July 06, 2012 By LOUIS TEMPLADO/ AJW Staff Writer Protests take on many forms. Some chant in front of the seats of power; others march. But another way to protest is to invite people into your living room to watch movies. Continue reading

July 7, 2012 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

The fight to shut down San Onofre nuclear power plant goes mainstream

 it’s not just Helen Caldicott and the local no-nukes activists. They have now been joined by powerful mainstream voices, including the Los Angeles Times editorial page

Leading the fight to shut down San Clemente have been locals Gary Headrick of San Clemente Green, Gene Stone of Residents Organized for a Safe Environment and Donna Gilmore of San Onofre Safety, along with Dan Hirsch of the Committee to Bridge the Gap. They’ve gotten help from Arnie Gundersen and Friends of the Earth and of course Helen Caldicott. Activists have held rallies, spoken at official meetings and petitioned the NRC and Congress.

It’s hard to disagree with the conclusion of LA Times editorial: “Now is the perfect time for Edison, and the state as a whole, to begin the planning for a non-nuclear future.”

Shut Down San Onofre’: The New Front Line in the Fight Against Nuclear Power  http://www.thenation.com/blog/168746/shut-down-san-onofre-new-front-line-fight-against-nuclear-power#  Jon Wiener on July 5, 2012  Not long after the meltdown at Fukushima, workers at the San Onofre nuclear power plant, north of San Diego, discovered radioactive steam leaking into the air. Hundreds of steam tubes had been banging together and vibrating, until one of them sprung a leak, investigators said. And the tubes had been installed less than two years ago. Continue reading

July 6, 2012 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, USA | Leave a comment

Majority of Iranians willing to stop uranium enrichment

Survey: 62% of Iranians willing to stop uranium enrichment  YNet News 4 July 12,  Iranian TV publishes two online surveys showing 60% of Iranians are willing to halt enrichment efforts; 89% opposed plan to close Strait of Hormuz. Poll quickly removed from station’s website Dudi Cohen
Two surveys about Iran’s nuclear program published a day ago on the Internet site of Islamic Republic‘s state-run television broadcaster, Khabar, were quickly taken offline after the responses failed to back up the government’s line.

The first survey asked Iranians how the nation should deal with the “unilateral sanctions imposed by the West?” Sixty-two percent responded that Iran should stop enriching uranium in return for the gradual removal of the sanctions. Another 21% responded that they would support “a response by Iran, in which the Strait of Hormuz was closed” and the rest responded “opposing sanctions to preserve Iran’s rights on the nuclear issue.”

This was the first time the Iranian broadcasting authority, considered a mouthpiece for the regime, posted its own poll that included a “stop uranium enrichment” response…… http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4251134,00.html

July 5, 2012 Posted by | Iran, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Nuclear Free Future Award to Dr Katsumi Furitsu

CBUW Science Team member wins Nuclear Free Future Award  http://www.bandepleteduranium.org/en/icbuw-science-team-member-wins-nuclear-free-future  International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons.    ICBUW’s Dr Katsumi Furitsu is among the five winners of 2012’s Nuclear Free Future Awards for her work on publicising the impact of the Fukushima disaster. 4 July 2012 – ICBUW Continue reading

July 5, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, opposition to nuclear, Uranium | Leave a comment

Anti nuclear protests grow as Japan restarts 2 nuclear reactors

“We are against the restart,” protestors chanted to the beat of drums as they faced a line of riot police.

On Friday, tens of thousands of people gathered on streets outside the premier’s residence in central Tokyo with organisers estimating the turnout at up to 180,000.

Protesters try to block Japan nuclear switch-onRadio Australia 1 July 2012, Engineers in Japan have begun refiring an atomic reactor, despite growing public protests in the aftermath of meltdowns at Fukushima.

Local media reported that the process to restart Unit No. 3 at Oi in western Japan began around 9:00 pm (1200 GMT).
It had earlier been reported that control rods that have prevented an atomic reaction would be removed and fission would begin. The reactor was expected to reach criticality early Monday morning.

A noisy demonstration near the power station that had begun earlier in the day was continuing, live streamed footage showed. Continue reading

July 2, 2012 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

100,000 Japanese rally against restart of nuclear power

Huge Tokyo Rally Protests Nuclear Restart By MITSURU OBE And ELEANOR WARNOCK, WSJ, June 29, 2012, TOKYOTens of thousands of people protested against the nation’s first nuclear reactor restarts at the Japanese prime minister’s residence Friday, in one of the largest demonstrations since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant last year set off wide opposition to nuclear power.

The massive demonstration was called to protest a government decision to restart Sunday two reactors at the Oi plant in western Japan. It was the 14th demonstration organized by a coalition of anti-nuclear groups outside the premier’s residence since March 29. Organizers estimated the number of participants to be more than 100,000. The National Police Agency, which also releases estimates, was unavailable for comment. The looming restart of the two Oi reactors, a decision
made by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s administration amid power-shortage concerns, seems to have galvanized support for Friday’s demonstration.

The sidewalks in front of the prime minister’s office and near the Parliament were overflowing with protesters. Some participants carried handwritten signs, while others held aloft elaborate placards reading ”No Restarts.” For more than two hours the crowd kept up a rhythmic cheer of “Against the restarts, against the restarts, against the restarts.”….
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303649504577496802810864704.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

June 30, 2012 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Thousands protest in Japan and beyond, against restart of nuclear reactors

Protests in Japan Over Nuclear Plant Restarts, By Jack Phillips Epoch Times 24 June 12, Tens of thousands of Japanese people took to the streets over the weekend in Tokyo and Osaka to protest the government’s plan to restart two reactors in Fukui Prefecture—the first restarts since all nuclear facilities were shut for inspection after last year’s tsunami-triggered and nuclear disaster.

“The government’s decision (to reactivate the Oi reactors) is folly. We should not leave it to the next generation to solve the energy issue,” a 42-year-old woman from the city of Kofu told the Japan Times, and was joined by 45,000 other people at a rally in Tokyo Friday…..

“They are trying to scare us by saying power supplies may run out even if the reactors are restarted,” one protester was quoted as saying….. There were also protests at Japanese consulates on Pacific Coast and in the U.S. cities of San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon .http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/protests-in-japan-over-nuclear-plant-restarts-256329.html

June 25, 2012 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

20,000 anti-nuclear protestors rally outside Japanese PM’s home

Japan protest over nuclear restart (Google News, 23 June 12, AFP)  TOKYO About 20,000 people gathered in front of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s residence in Tokyo late Friday to protest his decision to restart two nuclear reactors.
“No to the restart!” shouted the protestors, who were led by investigative journalist Satoshi Kamata and Nobel Prize-winning author Kenzaburo Oe, who started an anti-nuclear petition that has so far gathered more than 7.5 million signatures… Japan protest over nuclear restart

June 23, 2012 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Majority of Japanese oppose restart of 2 Oi nuclear reactors

Opinion polls consistently show more than half of Japanese are opposed to nuclear power,

In the communities surrounding Oi, only 38% of residents support the restart of the reactors, the NHK survey found…..

Nuclear-Restart Plans Divide Japan Tokyo Aims to Get Economy Back on Track, but Local Leaders, Some Residents Oppose Atomic Power, WSJ.  By MITSURU OBE And CHESTER DAWSON, June 17, 2012,  TOKYO—Japan ordered a pair of reactors back online for the first time since last year’s nuclear accident, but the chaos and confusion surrounding the decision highlight how unready the country may still be to restart its atomic-energy engine….

..  the restart decision comes a month ahead of deliberations over a new energy plan, which could call for scrapping nuclear power for good. And the restarts would come a few months before the setup of a new Japanese nuclear regulator, which will craft new safety guidelines and is expected to take a harder line on vetting reactors. Continue reading

June 20, 2012 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

International protest at decision to restart 2 Japanese nuclear reactors

Oi decision draws international outcry http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120617a4.html#.T9-KwxfZ7D8 Reactor restarts hit by protests from Europe, America, Asia By ERIC JOHNSTON, OSAKA — The decision to restart two reactors at the Oi nuclear plant has sparked international concern, with antinuclear activists and politicians in many countries sending letters of protest and holding rallies outside Japanese embassies and consulates over the past week. Politicians from green parties in Australia and Europe, as well as doctors, activists, and labor unions, have all formally opposed the restart, citing the Fukushima disaster. Continue reading

June 20, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

public Interest petition against Jaitapur nuclear plant withdrawn, for now.

PIL against Jaitapur plant withdrawn http://www.hindustantimes.com/India news/Mumbai/PIL-against-Jaitapur-plant-withdrawn/Article1-873162.aspx
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times Mumbai, June 16, 2012 Noting that petitioners should do in-depth research before filing petitions regarding the cause and effect of projects, the Bombay high court on Friday permitted an activist to withdraw his petition against the proposed Jaitapur nuclear plant. The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Hemant Patil, activist and president of Rashtriya Brashtachar Virodhi Janshakti, raising concern over the safety of the proposed Jaitapur nuclear power plant project initiated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India along with French company Areva.

The petitioner urged the court to appoint an independent commission and a court commissioner to investigate the impact of the project and its effect on nearby villagers, animals and agriculture. “One should do an in-depth study of the issue before raising objections,” a division bench of justice DD Sinha and justice VK Tahilramani noted.

June 20, 2012 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Opposition to Japan’s nuclear power restart, from 73 Japanese Mayors

n Saturday, thousands of demonstrators in Tokyo and other cities and towns voiced their criticism of the prime minister’s declaration that the Ohi plant is safe.

Earlier this month, about 1,300 people from Fukushima Prefecture filed a criminal complaint against Tokyo Electric Power Co. Chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata and 32 other… accusing them of professional negligence resulting in death and injury.

Japanese Mayors Protest Restart of Nuclear Power Plant, TOKYO, Japan, June 17, 2012 (ENS) – A group of Japanese local government elected officials is protesting the decision of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s government to restart a nuclear power plant…

… Under the banner Mayors for a Nuclear Power Free Japan, the group of 73 serving and retired mayors held a news conference Sunday to protest the plan to put the Ohi plant back online. Continue reading

June 18, 2012 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Indian villages fight against uranium mining plan for Mahbubnagar district.

Locals dig in heels against uranium mining plan, Sribala Vadlapatla, TNN | Jun 14, 2012,  HYDERABAD: The dust on the controversy over uranium mining in Nalgonda district is still to settle and already the government has begun efforts to mine the resource in Mahbubnagar district.

Despite opposition from locals, authorities are going ahead with plans to hold a gram sabha at
Urumilla village in Amrabad mandal, in the Nallamala forest area, on June 14…… Presence of uranium in these villages, about 140km southeast of Hyderabad, was established 10 years back but strong opposition from locals saw the Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL)
dropping the plan to mine the area…. Padara village has a population of roughly 8,000 people while Urumilla village is 1,500 residents strong.

“We will oppose any move by the authorities to carry out mining in these small villages,” TRS leader Nasarayya said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Locals-dig-in-heels-against-uranium-mining-plan/articleshow/14106609.cms

June 14, 2012 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear, Uranium | 2 Comments