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Underhand planning by Indian Government to dump nuclear wastes in Kolar Gold Mnes

Kolar should not become nuclear dumpyard: Activists
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2012/11/23/379–Kolar-should-not-become-nuclear-dumpyard-Activists-,   Chennai, Nov 23 (IANS) People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) Friday said dumping spent nuclear fuel in Kolar gold mines could lead to disastrous health consequences.

“When all the national roads transport deadly nuclear cargo to Kolar (Kolar gold mines), millions and millions of our people in Karnataka, Andhra (Pradesh) and Tamil Nadu will be exposed to all kinds of threats and dangers. Nuclear waste management is much more expensive and dangerous than nuclear power plants and even most developed
countries such as the United States and Germany are not able to handle the waste effectively,” PMANE said in a statement.

“The Indian government should not go against the anti?nuclear trend of the world to promote the interests of the United States, Russia and France and expose the people of our country to nuclear dangers in Kudankulam, or Kolar or anywhere else,” the statement said. According to the PMANE, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) had not shared any basic information on storing the spent fuel of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) at Kolar in Karnataka.

“The ad?hoc nature of the DAE’s decision?making and the short shrift given to science and public opinion are so glaring and, in fact, very disturbing,” PMANE said.

November 25, 2012 Posted by | India, secrets,lies and civil liberties, wastes | Leave a comment

16 years in prison, perhaps, for anti nuclear nun?

Rice, an 82-year old vowed sister of the Society of the Holy Child of Jesus, was much calmer than the average person facing up to 16 years in federal prison for pulling off what has been dubbed by some legal experts as the biggest security breach in the history of the nation’s atomic complex.

A decision on both the dismissal and the admission of evidence will be made by Judge Shirley within the next 30 days. A trial in the U.S. District Court is scheduled for late February 2013.

82 year old nun ready to go to prison for nuclear breach  (uncludes video)  By Jo Piazza / current.com , 22 Nov 12, With her fingers pointed in a steeple supporting her chin, Sister Megan Rice made a small but formidable presence in the East Tennessee District Court this week.

Clad in a lavender hoodie and navy sweatpants, her steel-colored hair cut into a sturdy pixie, the diminutive Catholic nun was nearly dwarfed by the large wooden defendant’s table. Rice, an 82-year old vowed sister of the Society of the Holy Child of Jesus, was much calmer than the average person facing up to 16 years in federal prison for pulling off what has been dubbed by some legal experts as the biggest security breach in the history of the nation’s atomic complex. Continue reading →

November 22, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

Secret Presidential directive – could it permit military action within USA?

EPIC filed a FOIA request to find out if the policy directive could mean military deployment within the United States

it allows the Pentagon to pursue actions against adversaries within a vaguely described terrain known only as “cyberspace.”

Exceptionally grave damage: NSA refuses to declassify Obama’s cybersecurity directive http://rt.com/usa/news/nsa-directive-epic-foia-192/   21 November, 2012, Reuters / Adrees Latif The National Security Agency has shot down a Freedom of Information Act request for details about an elusive presidential order that may allow the government to deploy the military within the United States for the supposed sake of cybersecurity.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) reports on Tuesday that their recent FOIA request for information about a top-secret memosigned last month by US President Barack Obama has been rejected
Continue reading →

November 22, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

South Korea’s nuclear industry scandal widens

Eight companies submitted 60 false certificates to cover more than 7,000 parts used in the two reactors between 2003 and 2012, and Economy Minister Hong Suk-woo told parliament that most of the documents, which purported to come from certifying body UCI, were
forgeries

South Korea widens nuclear lapses probe; KEPCO chief resigns By Meeyoung Cho and Somang Yang SEOUL   Nov 7, 2012  (Reuters) – South Korea widened a probe into how thousands of parts for its nuclear reactors were supplied using forged safety documents, with regulators set to inspect all 23 of the country’s facilities – a move that could test public support for the industry and threaten billions of dollars worth of exports.

Two reactors remained shut on Wednesday, and five others are closed for maintenance, or through other glitches, raising the prospect of winter power shortages…..
Kim Joong-kyum, president and CEO of power utility Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO), which owns the operator of the nation’s nuclear plants, tendered his resignation for what KEPCO officials said were “personal reasons”. Continue reading →

November 9, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, South Korea | Leave a comment

South Korea’s tarnished nuclear reputation with 60 forged safety certificates

KHNP, fully owned by state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO), reported eight firms that supplied parts had forged 60 certificates to cover 7,682 items between 2003 and 2012, the ministry and the company officials said.

South Korea widens nuclear investigation, risks power cuts By Meeyoung Cho SEOUL   Nov 6, 2012 (Reuters) – South Korea’s main nuclear power supervisor extended an investigation into forged safety certificates for reactor components to three more facilities on Tuesday, a day after shutting down two reactors……
in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, there were concerns the discovery could tarnish the image of the country’s nuclear program. Continue reading →

November 7, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, South Korea | Leave a comment

Democracy eroding in India

ID please, keep it ready for all reserved rail trips after Dec 1 Hindu Business Line, MAMUNI DAS NEW DELHI, NOV 1: From December1, you require an original identity proof to travel in any reserved services of the Indian Railways. Those without identity proof will be treated as travelling without ticket and attract a penalty equivalent to the ticket fare….
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/id-please-keep-it-ready-for-all-reserved-rail-trips-after-dec-1/article4054531.ece?homepage=true

November 3, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, India | Leave a comment

UK govt sneaking subsidy into new nuclear industry?

“A subsidy is still a subsidy, even if it is given to others.”

New nuclear reactors could be eligible for subsidies, says minister. John Hayes says there will be no market support ‘unless similar support is also made available to other types of generation’ Juliette Jowit, political correspondent guardian.co.uk,  1 November 2012  The nuclear industry could get subsidies from the taxpayer to build new reactors, the new energy minister has said, despite opposition in the coalition agreement and repeated assurances to the contrary. Continue reading →

November 2, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | Leave a comment

Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s careful censorship of the facts

America’s nuclear safety under scrutiny after Oyster Creek’s Sandy alert US nuclear regulators model risk from seismic activity or flooding based on past history. That’s leaving way too much to luck Richard Schiffman guardian.co.uk, 1 November 2012 “…..The Huffington Post reported earlier this month that:

“According to the NRC’s own calculations … the odds of the dam near the Oconee plant [operated by Duke Energy in South Carolina] failing at some point over the next 22 years are far higher than were the odds of an earthquake-induced tsunami causing a meltdown at the Fukushima plant.”

This alarming news, however, was blacked out of the NRC’s public report. It was leaked by the lead author, Richard H Perkins, who said that his work had been censored because it revealed that:

“The NRC has been in possession of relevant, notable, and derogatory safety information for an extended period but failed to properly act on it.”

In another section of the report, about the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant in Nebraska, NRC redactors removed information indicating that the failure of the Oahe or Fort Randall dams could result in levels of rampaging water higher than the plant’s flood protection walls. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission evidently believes that it is better to hide the facts about nuclear risks than to fix the problem.

Critics allege that not only does the NRC withhold critical information, but also fails in many cases to enforce regulations that are already on the books. David Lochbaum warns:

“I’m most concerned about the NRC’s practice of allowing unsafe reactors to operate. UCS’s Nuclear Power Information Tracker shows 47 reactors that NRC knows to violate fire protection regulations and 27 reactors with seismic protection known to be less than the seismic hazards they face. These pre-existing vulnerabilities mean that the American public is protected more by luck than by skill.”

And if superstorm Sandy, and the increasing frequency of other extreme weather events in recent years is any evidence, America’s luck may be running out. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/nov/01/nuclear-safety-oyster-creek-sandy-alert?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038

November 2, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

Corruption in Pacific rim countries means that nuclear power safety is unlikely

Karamoskos points to an international transparency-and-corruption scale compiled by Transparency International (partially supported by AusAID) as a reasonable indicator of whether countries can take on the complex safety responsibilities of nuclear power. Indonesia doesn’t rate highly on this scale, coming in at 100 of 183 countries on the Corruption Perception Index; Vietnam and Bangladesh are worse, at 112 and 120 respectively. India ranks 95th.
“That’s my first and foremost concern — do these countries have the underlying principles … to foster a robust safety culture?”

Asia’s Nuclear Feeding Frenzy Global Mail By  Clare Blumer October 30, 2012
How safe is the Pacific rim, where 100 reactors in 10 years are planned, some in earthquake-prone, developing nations? Ask the fish.

“You can’t decontaminate that forest,” says Australian radiologist Dr Peter Karamoskos about Fukushima, the region of Japan hardest hit by last year’s deadly earthquake and tsunami.
“The stuff is on the ground — in the leaves, in the trees,” he says, referring to the radioactive matter that has blanketed the region since the disaster. Inside the 20 kilometre exclusion zone, radiation from the earth — known as “ground shine’’ — is so bad people are still not allowed to enter. Continue reading →

November 1, 2012 Posted by | ASIA, safety, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

India: more arrests of peaceful protestors in Tamil nadu

KOODANKULAM: 71 Activists Arrested on Way to Protests in Chennai Planned on 29th October http://www.dianuke.org/koodankulam-71-activists-arrested-on-way-to-protests-in-chennai-planned-on-29th-october/ Nityanand Jayaraman October 28th  About 29 activists from different organizations lending support to the people of Koodankulam against the KKNPP have been taken under preventive detention by Tamilnad police. This comes at a time when PMANE along with solidarity movements from across the state, had decided to hold peaceful & democratic protest demonstration in front of the Tamilnadu State Legislature on the 29th of October (when the assembly session begins). In an attempt to sabotage the plan and to prevent the people from voicing their views against KKNPP, the Tamilnadu police have resorted to the undemocratic practice of preventive detention.

We have information that 25 members of Tamizhaga Vazurimai Iyyakam from Salem (including the district secretary), 2 members of Dalit Viduthalai Katchi from Avinashi, and 1 member each from MDMK and Nam Tamilar Iyyakam from Tirupur are presently under preventive detention. The Police have maintained that they are only being detained and will not be arrested but the status remains unclear at the time of sending out this report.

Another 42 members of Pengal Munnani have been detained by the police at Kulithalai Railway Station and taken to Kulithalai police station. The police have said that they will get the signatures of the people and let them leave after 11 pm.

October 29, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, India | Leave a comment

Tepco will make all 100,000 employees work at Fukushima annually

Report: 100,000 Tepco employees being sent to Fukushima in 2013  http://enenews.com/100000-tepco-employees-expected-to-go-to-fukushima-in-2013-all-of-companys-workers-to-be-sent
Report: 100,000 Tepco employees being sent to Fukushima in 2013
October 27th, 2012
Oct. 27 ,2012 report in Nikkei with summary translation by Fukushima Diary:

In the mid-term administration plan, Tepco decided to send all of their employees to Fukushima for decontamination from 2013.
They are sent to Fukushima for 2~3 times a year, about 100,000 people in total will go to Fukushima annually.
This is not volunteer, this is obligation.
Google translation of an excerpt from the Nikkei report:

October 29, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, Japan | Leave a comment

USA doesn’t like Imran Khan’s anti drone opinions

This Former Cricket Star Turned US Drone Critic Was Pulled From His Plane On The Way To The States http://www.businessinsider.com/this-former-cricket-star-turned-us-drone-critic-imran-khan-got-hauled-off-a-plane-for-questioning-on-his-way-to-the-states-2012-10 AP | Oct. 28, 2012, Imran Khan, the cricketer turned politician, claimed he was taken off an international flight by US immigration officials and questioned about his views on drones and jihad before being allowed into the country, it emerged on Saturday

 Mr Khan has emerged as a leading critic of US policy in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and his party is poised to make a breakthrough in elections due next year. Continue reading →

October 29, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

Pink-washing: corporate hypocrisy about breast cancer

Corporations Cashing in Big Time on Breast Cancer — 5 Shocking Hypocrisies By Brittany Shoot Corporations Ca Some of the most visible companies slapping pink ribbons on their products also have the most to hide. October 23, 2012  |

By now, many people know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s kind of hard to ignore all the pink ribbons splashed across storefront displays and stadiums. In recent years, corporations have started participating in annual pinkwashing campaigns, events and product placement tied to Breast Cancer Awareness Month and ostensibly raising awareness and money for the cure. But many of the most visible companies

slapping pink ribbons on their products also have the most to hide when it comes to carcinogenic materials, toxic ingredients and rampant anti-woman attitudes and practices…..

This year is no different. For every well-intentioned campaign meant to raise awareness about the need for breast cancer research and funding, branded products still contain cancer-linked chemicals and toxins. Athletic teams look like they’ve bathed in Pepto Bismol, yet their high-profile athletes are still being accused and convicted of egregious sex crimes. Food manufacturing giants use packaging full of cancer-linked chemicals, yet partner with breast cancer organizations to funnel money toward research. Can you spot the biggest losers in this year’s depressing lineup of toxic pink products?…. http://www.alternet.org/activism/corporations-cashing-big-time-breast-cancer-5-shocking-hypocrisies?akid=9598.1070654.KXEheZ&rd=1&src=newsletter734486&t=3

October 29, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Corporate lobbying against research on cancer causers

Chemistry Council trying to lobby Washington to cut off funding for research on carcinogens , October 28, 2012 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer (NaturalNews) Every two years, the National Toxicology Program (NTP), which operates under the banner of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), releases a congressionally-mandated report entitled the “Report on Carcinogens” (RoC) that identifies various agents, substances, mixtures, or exposures that are known to cause cancer. But the American Chemical Society (ACS), which represents many of the biggest names in the cancer-causing chemical industry, is currently trying to lobby Congress to stop the publishing of this important document…. http://www.naturalnews.com/037724_Chemistry_Council_lobbying_carcinogens.html

 

October 29, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

India stops Australian film maker entering Kudankulam anti nuclear protest area

Australian filmmaker prevented from entering Kudankulam 25 Oct 12http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_australian-filmmaker-prevented-from-entering-kudankulam_1756187 , Oct 25, 2012, Three persons from Australia were today prevented from entering Idinthakarai, the epicentre of protests by People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy leading the stir against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tirunelveli district, police said.

Filmmaker David Bradbury along with his wife and son arrived in India on tourist visas and were about to enter Idinthankarai from Kanyakumari district this morning when police stopped them near Radhapuram police station, they said.

“After interrogations, the three were made to go back, since prohibitory orders were in place,” an officer said.

The PMANE has been leading protests against the plant for over a year citing safety concerns.

Commissioning of the first unit of the Indo-Russian project was originally scheduled for December last year, but has been delayed due to the protest.

October 26, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, India | Leave a comment

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