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Japan buckles down to energy conservation -its last nuclear reactor to shut down in May

Japan shuts down its next-to-last nuclear reactor, Seattle Times,  By ERIC TALMADGE, 26 Mar 12 Another Japanese nuclear reactor was taken off line for maintenance on Monday, leaving the country with only one of its 54 reactors operational following last year’s devastating earthquake and tsunami..with concerns over nuclear safety high following the
Fukushima crisis, none of the reactors that have been shut down for checks, and none that were already off line at the time of the disaster, have been allowed to restart.

The last reactor, on the northern island of Hokkaido, will be shut down in May. The timing for when any reactors will be restarted remains unclear…. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has promised to reduce Japan’s reliance on nuclear power over time and plans to lay out a new energy policy by the summer.

In the meantime, Japan has temporarily turned to oil and coal generation plants to make up for the shortfall, and businesses have been required to reduce electricity use to help with conservation efforts.http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017843195_apasjapannuclear.html

March 27, 2012 Posted by | Japan, politics | Leave a comment

Japan’s secretive nuclear culture will prevent investigation of Fukushima radiation cover-up

“It sounds, it looks…like a major cover up,”

However, Escobar says, it is unlikely Japanese authorities will ever investigate the case – “everyone will bow and nothing will be solved.” And the reason is in what Escobar calls the “cultural element”. “Japan is really ritualistic and secretive society.”

VIDEO  Mystery of lost Fukushima radiation emails ‘a major cover-up’ http://www.rt.com/news/japan-fukushima-email-deleted-285/ 23 March, 2012 The Fukushima Prefecture government apparently deleted emails with reports on data vital to safely evacuate people from that area, according to fresh appeared revelations. But as Pepe Escobar told RT, it is unlikely Japan will investigate. Continue reading →

March 24, 2012 Posted by | Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Disappearance of Fukushima radiation data in March 2011

Fukushima Pref. deleted 5 days of radiation dispersion data just after meltdowns Mainichi Daily News, 23 March 12 The Fukushima Prefectural Government revealed on March 21 that it deleted five days of early radiation dispersion data almost entirely unread in the wake of the meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

The data from the System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information (SPEEDI) — intended to predict the spread of radioactive contamination, information vital for issuing evacuation advisories — was emailed to the prefectural government by the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

According to the prefecture’s disaster countermeasure office, just after the March 2011 quake and tsunami, its dedicated SPEEDI terminal was unable to receive data due to effects of the disasters. Therefore, prefectural officials asked the Nuclear Safety Technology Center, which operates SPEEDI, to send data via email on March 12, 2011 — one
day into the nuclear crisis. The Nuclear Safety Technology Center thensent the data hourly starting at 11:54 p.m. that day.

The Fukushima Prefectural Government, however, deleted all the data it received from March 12 to about 9 a.m. March 16….. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20120322p2a00m0na012000c.html

March 24, 2012 Posted by | Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Hundreds arrested in protest against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Kudankulam nuclear plant protests: Vaiko among 500 held Times of India, Mar 23, 2012,  TIRUNELVELI, TN: Leaders of various parties and outfits, including MDMK leader Vaiko, were on Friday arrested here when they attempted to proceed to Idinthakarai, the epicentre of protests against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, to express their solidarity with the locals demanding the scrapping of the Indo-Russian project.

Leaders and volunteers of MDMK, PMK, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Nam Tamizhar Iyakkam and Popular Front of India and Anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant People’s Movement co-ordinator ‘Kolathur’ Mani were arrested at Palayamkottai here, police said.

They were arrested in view of the ban orders in force in the entire Radhapuram taluk under which Kudunakulam and Idinthakarai falls. Earlier, they participated in a rally organised here to condemn the central and state governments for their ‘atrocious’ attitude in going ahead with the project and the crackdown on People’s Movement Against Nuclear Engery (PMANE), spearheading the protest…… http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kudankulam-nuclear-plant-protests-Vaiko-among-500-held/articleshow/12380791.cms

March 24, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister losing popularity, with the crackdown on anti nuclear ptotestors

The plant is a curse not only for us but also our children,”  … “We don’t fear the police. We will go to jail. But we will not allow the plant to function in our soil.”

 “I have always voted for Amma. But now I regret it. She has ditched us. I will never vote
for her again,”

The tide rises against Amma  J Jayalalithaa , Tekelka, 23 March 12, After Jayalalithaa’s green signal for the Koodankulam nuclear plant, the protesters and police are on a collision course, says Jeemon Jacob TENSION IS rising in the coastal village of Idinthakarai, the hub of the anti-nuclear protests in Tamil Nadu.

Around 5,000 men, women and children are camping at the St Lourdes Church grounds to express their solidarity with the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE),
spearheaded by P Udayakumar. They have been sitting on an indefinite hunger strike since Monday.

The protesters are in an angry mood after Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa made a U-turn in favour of the Koodankulam nuclear power plant and deployed more than 4,000 police personnel to counter the agitation.. Continue reading →

March 24, 2012 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Malaysia’s old closed rare earths refinery still radioactive decades later

Radiation still high at closed rare earth refinery? Selangor Times,  Basil Foo, 23 Mar 2012 IPOH: Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas (SMSL) activists claimed high doses of radiation were found at the former Bukit Merah rare earth refinery site last Saturday  “The radiation emission here is 2.0 millisievert (mSv) per year. If we hang around here long enough, our health will be affected,” said SMSL chairperson Tan Bun Teet.

They took radiation readings using a Japanese-made Environmental Radiation Monitor at the entrance to the former refinery site, which was ringed by concrete walls and metal gates. According to the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 Radiation Protection (Basic Safety Standards Regulations 1988), the annual dose limit for a member of the public is 1 mSv.

Tan said the dangers of radiation were well-known – from the testimonies of former workers at the Bukit Merah refinery whose children developed deformities. Continue reading →

March 24, 2012 Posted by | environment, Malaysia | Leave a comment

Appeal of electric car damaged by connection with nuclear power

Is nuclear power damaging electric car image? The Green Car Website, 23 Mar 12, As Japan’s government prepares to restart dozens of nuclear power plants, idled since the Fukushima disaster last year, there is concern that electric cars could become tainted by their association with nuclear generation. Continue reading →

March 24, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, Japan, technology | Leave a comment

Sedition charges for anti nuclear hunger striker?

Locals Resume Anti-Nuclear Protest, WSJ, March 21, 2012,    “…….. protesters, mostly fishermen and villagers who live in coastal areas, are still worried that nuclear waste from the planned seaside nuclear power plant may damage the ecosystem and ruin their livelihoods.

S.P. Udaykumar of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy, a Tamil Nadu-based anti-nuclear power group that is spearheading the protest, is concerned the nuclear site could endanger those who live in close proximity to it. “People have not been given any disaster training…Both central and state government will be held responsible if
any untoward incident happens in the area,” Mr. Udaykumar told India Real Time Wednesday.

Mr. Udaykumar, who started an indefinite hunger strike on Monday in protest, is under investigation on charges that include sedition for his role in the agitation.

Local police officer Vijendra Bidari on Wednesday told India Real Time that more than 150 people have been arrested since Monday in Idinthakarai, the epicenter of protests against the proposed Kudankulam nuclear power plant…

Mr. Bidari said that, to maintain law and order in the state, further protests in the area have been banned.

The news was welcomed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd.,
which is building the plant in Kudankulam with Russian support….

March 22, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, India | Leave a comment

Special bribes, no, I mean benefits, for living near nuclear reactor

DAE Secy moots cheap power sop for people near n-plants, The Indian Express, 22 March 12,   In a bid to prevent Koodankulam-like protests against nuclear power plants, the Department of Atomic Energy is pushing the government to ensure uninterrupted power supply at cheaper rates to people living near the sites.

DAE secretary Srikumar Banerjee told The Indian Express that local people needed to be given “preferential treatment” and special benefits so that they become stakeholders in the nuclear power plant…. We can get into providing healthcare services or education to the local populations. … http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dae-secy-moots-cheap-power-sop-for-people-near-nplants/926720/

March 22, 2012 Posted by | India, politics | 1 Comment

Radiation risk is real, despite what Lynas and Malaysian government say

Let’s de-politicise the Lynas issue — Stop Lynas Coalition, The Malaysian Insider, March 21, 2012  The majority of us anti-Lynas people feel offended by the government’s unending insistence the issue is politicised. We feel belittled by a government that does not see us rakyat as capable of thinking for ourselves, and so easily hoodwinked by the opposition.

They insist on talking facts, which came to mean solely the IAEA review report, but completely ignored all other dissenting opinions, even if these dissenting opinions are voiced by esteemed professional bodies such as the Bar Council and the Malaysian Medical Association. Perhaps, their members are somehow misled too.

These opinions are raised over time in published articles and public feedback and they have either been poorly addressed, or completely ignored. I hope to raise 3 main ones in this article and request that the government gives them befitting consideration so that we can de-politicise this Lynas issue.

a) The radiation risk is greater than what Lynas and the Malaysian government are willing to admit Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | health, Malaysia, Reference, Uranium | Leave a comment

Malaysia rare earths plant, construction problems as well as political

the opposition had decided not to take part in the committee because the government was using the panel to try to quell public worries……. the government would allow the plant to go ahead regardless of the committee’s findings…..

Political and Construction Hurdles for Malaysia Rare Earths Plant NYT, By LIZ GOOCH and KEITH BRADSHER March 21, 2012 KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A controversial rare earth metal refinery in Malaysia encountered further obstacles this week, with the country’s political opposition refusing to participate in a parliamentary committee set up to investigate the safety of the plant and with hints that the refinery could face further construction delays. Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, Malaysia, Uranium | Leave a comment

Confusing messages about where Lynas will put its rare earths radioactive wastes

Lynas had denied reports that the Western Australian government had refused to accept the radioactive waste from the miner’s RM2.5 billion rare earth plant in Malaysia.

“If the (Australian) government accepts waste, why not they (Lynas) stay in own country?” Himpunan Hijau chairman Wong Tack asked. Wong said Lynas Corp was “clearly taking advantage” of Malaysia’s
“loose environmental laws” and “non-functioning administration”.

Australia: No request from Lynas to accept waste http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/australia-no-request-from-lynas-to-accept-waste By Lisa J. Ariffin March KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — Canberra
has yet to receive any request from Lynas Corp to accept radioactive waste from the Australian miner’s controversial rare earth plant in Gebeng, Kuantan that will be ready this June.

“Australia has not received any request to import residues from the plant,” an Australian High Commission spokesman told The Malaysian Insider when contacted today. Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, Malaysia, Uranium, wastes | Leave a comment

Iran, North Korea, dominate concerns at nuclear summit

Obama to Discuss North Korea, Iran  By CAROL E. LEE and JAY SOLOMON, MIDDLE EAST NEWS   March 21, 2012,   WASHINGTON—North Korea and Iran are expected to dominate President Barack Obama’s trip to South Korea this weekend, as concerns mount about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and Pyongyang’s preparations for a satellite launch the U.S. and its allies said they believe is largely for military purposes. Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | North Korea, politics international | Leave a comment

Easy to see why Australian company Lynas puts its rare earths plant in Malaysia

Let’s de-politicise the Lynas issue — Stop Lynas Coalition, The Malaysian Insider  March 21, 2012  “…….Lynas loves to boast that their project is approved in Australia also.  Given Australia’s high environmental standard, if it is approved in Australia, why would Malaysians reject it? However, Lynas hid from the public that the Australian proposal was approved under extremely stringent conditions.

The table shows the conditions under the Australian proposal [6] compared to LAMP.

Regardless of what justification the government gives, any person of general intellect can deduce that LAMP is shifted to our shores because Lynas wants to dump its waste here. How can our government inflict such indignity on the very people it is elected to protect?…

[6] “Proposed rare earths mining and beneficiation at Mt Weld, Laverton and secondary processing at Meenaar, near Northm”, Ashton Rare Earths Ltd, August 1992.    http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/lets-de-politicise-the-lynas-issue-stop-lynas-coalition

March 22, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, Malaysia, politics international, Uranium | Leave a comment

Russia keen to make big money selling nuclear to India

Russia is keen to cash in on its nuclear know-how and has ambitious plans to triple nuclear exports to $50 billion a year by 2030. 

Russia says near deal on two new Indian reactors Work on Russian-built reactors resumed after protests

* Russia hopes to sign deal for 2 more reactors soon

* India plans to build 30 reactors by 2032 By Alexei Anishchuk
VOLGINSKY, Russia, March 21 (Reuters) – Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | India, politics, Russia | Leave a comment

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