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Gulf Cooperation Council showcases solar energy development

UAE And Saudi Arabia Evolving Into Solar Powerhouses http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3920 3 Sept 13  The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are leading the way among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states in the deployment of solar power.

Combined, GCC countries have approximately 84 GW of solar farm projects in the pipeline due for completion by 2017; representing investment value of  US$155 billion.

“Over the years, solar power has been acknowledged as the most promising source of renewable energy and GCC governments have demonstrated their keenness to shift from traditional energy sources to these low-cost and abundant alternatives,” said Derek Burston, Director of the UK-based Bowmedia, the organisers of Gulf Sol 2013.

“Direct radiation in many Middle Eastern countries exceeds 6 kWh per square metre per day, making for excellent solar potential. In addition, recent decreases in the costs of solar technologies coupled with rising electricity demand in these growing nations, if coupled with the right policies, could make the region a hub for solar expansion”.

Saudi Arabia aims to double its installed electricity capacity; a goal that will be achieved in part by the construction of 54 GW of renewable energy power stations by 2032, 41 GW of which will be solar.

The largest operating solar panel based power generation facility in the GCC region currently is Enviromena’s 10 MW PV plant in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Abu Dhabi has set a goal of generating 7% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

The Gulf Sol 2013 summit will run from September 3 to 5 and aside from showcasing the latest in solar technology, the event will include sessions discussing the feasibility of solar power projects in remote areas, opportunities in the GCC for international companies and regulatory and policy frameworks for implementation of solar projects.

The Gulf Cooperation Council consists of six Middle Eastern countries – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. The alliance was formed in part to strengthen relations among its member countries.

September 3, 2013 Posted by | MIDDLE EAST, renewable | Leave a comment

Iran is cautious about supporting Syria

diplomacy-not-bombsflag-IranEyes on nuclear talks, Iran tempers support for Assad, Christian Science Monitor  Iran is in a tough spot. It has a decades-long alliance with Syria to uphold, but is seeking to reengage with the US, which is considering strikes against Syria.

By , Staff writer / August 30, 2013 As an American military strike looms over Syria, Iran is weighing its decades-long alliance with Syria against its own pledges to reengage with the US and the West over its nuclear program and other issues…… the newly elected government of President Hassan Rouhani has struck a far more moderate tone. As a victim of years of chemical weapon attacks during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s – during which Syria was a lone supporter of Iran’s nascent revolutionary regime – Iranian officials have carefully condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria by any side and urged a diplomatic solution.

“It is a complex process, but I think Iran can do this, keep [the Syria issue] away from its negotiation with the West and also the US on the nuclear file,” says an Iranian analyst in Tehran who asked not to be named…….

Rouhani’s test   The Syria crisis is a first foreign policy test for Rouhani, the centrist cleric who won a surprise victory in mid-June elections and took office earlier this month promising to resolve tensions with the West and bring “more transparency” to stalled nuclear talks.

Noting Iran’s history of being targeted with chemical weapons, Rouhani tweeted this week: “Iran gives notice to [sic] international community to use all its might to prevent use of chemical weapons anywhere in the world, esp. in Syria.”……. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/0830/Eyes-on-nuclear-talks-Iran-tempers-support-for-Assad

August 31, 2013 Posted by | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

How the West ignores the horror of depleted uranium weapons and their biological effects

ethics-nuclearLast week, U.K. foreign secretary William Hague, said that the use of chemical weapons in Syria is “not something that a humane or civilized world can ignore.” Ironically, Western countries such as the U.K. and their allies have appeared to ignore the use of weapons that are equally vicious.

 When “non-Westerners” make use of weapons of mass destruction, there is outrage and calls for military intervention from “the West,” but when “Westerners” themselves use them, it is totally permissible and the world can hardly react.

depleted-uraniumU.S. DEPLETED URANIUM AS MALICIOUS AS SYRIAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS HTTPS://CRAIGCONSIDINETCD.WORDPRESS.COM/2013/08/25/U-S-DEPLETED-URANIUM-AS-MALICIOUS-AS-SYRIAN-CHEMICAL-WEAPONS/  CRAIG CONSIDINE

By this time you have likely heard of the atrocity that recently took place in which over 1,000 Syrian civilians reportedly died at the hands of a chemical weapon attack. Seeing the video and images of dead or helpless Syrian civilians struggling for life reminds me of another terrible weapon of war – depleted uranium.

It is no secret that the U.S., with the assistance of OTHER GOVERNMENTS, used depleted uranium in the Gulf and Iraq War. A simple Google search of this topic can produce dozens and dozens of credible reports or stories to confirm these war crimes. For example, an important REPORT on Harvard University’s website discusses the fallout of depleted uranium contamination in Iraq. Dr. Souad N. Al-Azzawi, who authored the report after the GULF WAR, wrote that:

“DEPLETED URANIUM (DU) WEAPONRY HAS BEEN USED AGAINST IRAQ FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF RECENT WARS. THE MAGNITUDE OF THE COMPLICATIONS AND DAMAGE RELATED TO THE USE OF SUCH RADIOACTIVE AND TOXIC WEAPONS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE HUMAN POPULATION MOSTLY RESULTS FROM THE INTENDED CONCEALMENT, DENIAL AND MISLEADING INFORMATION RELEASED BY THE PENTAGON ABOUT THE QUANTITIES, CHARACTERISTICS AND THE AREA’S IN IRAQ, IN WHICH THESE WEAPONS HAVE BEEN USED.”

Similarly, as Democracy Now! REPORTED in an interview with Al Jazeera reporter Dahr Jamail,  ”the U.S. INVASION OF IRAQ has left behind a legacy of cancer and birth defects suspected of being caused by the U.S. military’s extensive use of depleted uranium and white phosphorus.” Democracy Now! wrote: Continue reading →

August 27, 2013 Posted by | depleted uranium, Iraq, Reference | Leave a comment

Israel is the stumbling block to a nuclear weapons free Middle East

Israel, Arab Nations Differ on Mideast Nuclear-free Zone: U.N. Official  Yahoo News, Global Security Newswire Staff 20 Aug 13,  Efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency to help persuade Israel and Arab nations to agree on a path toward a Middle East free of nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction have been unsuccessful thus far, according to a new report by agency head Yukiya Amano’s office, Reutersreported on Tuesday.

Interchanges have revealed that there still is a “fundamental difference of views” between Arab nations and Israel, but Amano will continue trying to bridge the diverging perspectives, according to his team.

IAEA member nations last year tasked Amano with meeting with officials from the region to discuss bringing all atomic programs under agency safeguards. Israel is thought to be the area’s sole nuclear-weapons nation, but it by policy does not confirm or deny its arsenal and is not a member of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty…… http://news.yahoo.com/israel-arab-nations-differ-mideast-nuclear-free-zone-110205580.html

August 21, 2013 Posted by | Israel, politics international, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Former nuclear chief says Iran has 18,000 Uranium centrifuges

flag-IranUranium Centrifuge Details Released by Iran’s Former Nuclear Chief (INFOGRAPHIC) By Gracie Lee , Christian Post   August 18, 2013  Iran has 18,000 Uranium centrifuges, according to the country’s outgoing nuclear chief, Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani who spoke on the country’s nuclear program on Saturday. The claim has come from Abbasi-Davani, who was speaking to Iranian media on Saturday.

Iran has continued to build its uranium-enrichment centrifuges as part of its nuclear program despite the United States and the international community pressuring the Middle Eastern nation to stop its nuclear push.

However, Iran has refused to comply with their requests, and has insisted that its nuclear program has nothing to do with weapons, but is simply for “peaceful purposes.”

Recently the new Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, has expressed a slightly more open rhetoric about opening talks with world powers over the country’s nuclear program. However, he has been clear that Iran has every right to enrich uranium and has shown no intentions of halting the program.

On Saturday, the ISNA news agency quoted Abbasi-Davani as saying that Iran has 17,000 older “first-generation” IR-1 centrifuges. Out of those 17,000, about 10,000 are still operating and 7,000 are ready to start operations….   http://www.christianpost.com/news/uranium-centrifuge-details-released-by-irans-former-nuclear-chief-infographic-102512/#RUSHZxTeF8bKoOlY.99

August 19, 2013 Posted by | Iran, wastes | Leave a comment

Delay in World Health Organisation reporting on causes of Iraq birth defects

In March 2013, BBC World broadcast a documentary on the story. As with other media reports, Born Under A Bad Sign visited the hospitals and spoke with parents and doctors – all of whom were convinced that the health problems they were witnessing were linked to the war.

Broadcast of the BBC report in March was followed by updates to the WHO’s FAQ. Gone was the petulant ‘No, absolutely not’ from the line on depleted uranium and the first of a series of procedural delays was announced as committees were formed and new analyses proposed. For campaigners seeking disclosure of the data as a first step towards focused research and humanitarian assistance in Iraq, the delays were worrying.

So how can civil society and individuals influence an organisation as monolithic and apparently compromised as the WHO? On the 31st July, Dr Al’aani launched an online petition through Change.org (with the associated twitter hashtag of #Act4Iraq) calling for the WHO to immediately publish the collected data for independent peer review, so that scientific conclusions can be drawn and the affected parents can finally understand what has happened to their children

Birth Defects: Did The Occupation of Iraq Leave a Toxic Legacy? http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/birth_defects_did_the_occupation_of_iraq_leave_a_toxic_legacy  6 Aug 13,  During the occupation of Iraq, the city of Fallujah bore witness to some of the most intense US combat operations since Vietnam, with 2004’s OperationPhantom Fury widely condemned for its ferocity and disregard for international law.

Paediatrician Dr Samira Al’aani has worked in the city since 1997. In 2006 she began to notice an increase in the number of babies being born with congenital birth defects (CBD). Concerned, she began to log the cases that she saw. Through careful record keeping she has determined that at Fallujah General Hospital, 144 babies are now born with a deformity for every 1000 live births. This is nearly six times higher than the average rate in the UK between 2006 and 2010, and one strong suspicion is that contamination from the toxic constituents of munitions used by occupying forces could be the cause.  (photo of Dr A;’aani by Donna Mulhearn)

Alaani,-Dr-Samira

Now a new nationwide study by the Iraqi Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, has the potential to catalyse efforts to understand and confront the issue, but only if science can be allowed to rise above politics. Continue reading →

August 15, 2013 Posted by | health, Iraq | Leave a comment

Syria now attacked with tactical nuclear weapons?

It is awfully ironic that an inhuman weapon such as nuclear weapons and chemical weapons could be used to promote human rights and freedom in the world. 

Nuclear Strike on Syria The Genie is Out of the Bottle http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/08/07/nuclear-strike-on-syria/   By Jon Snow, 7 Aug 13

Note – This item was posted on the Channel 4 (UK) website at this locationhttp://blogs.channel4.com/snowblog/nuclear-strikes-syria-genie-bottle/20846 on August 05, 2013, and has since been removed. A copy can still be found at Google Cache – and has been recovered and archived below. The fight against Assad’s brutal regime has taken an unexpected turn late Thursday afternoon when a large weapons cache belonging to the so-called national protection force in Homs city, an arm of Assad’s Shabeeha, was destroyed.
The explosion was reminiscent of the attack on Qasyoon mountain, a stronghold for the Syrian army and a location said to house missiles targeting Israel.

It was first reported that the missile fueling station had blown up which seemed like a reasonable proposition especially since an ammunition depot was targeted.

But the two explosions in Homs and Qasyoon share the same property: They are both above ground air bursts according to Greg Thielmann, an expert on arms control policy whom I spoke with on Saturday at great length. I was first alerted to the connection by slow twitter chatter right after the bombing in Homs.

   Needless to say I was shocked at what he told me next: “The fact of the matter is, what we are seeing in both these cases is a tactical nuclear strike, probably by cruise missiles launched from aircrafts near the borders of Syria or right off the coast in the Mediterranean.” Continue reading →

August 10, 2013 Posted by | Syria, weapons and war | 9 Comments

Iran’s new President determined to resolve nuclear issue

New Iranian president Hassan Rouhani pledges resolution with West over nuclear issue, ABC News 7 Aug 13  Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, says he is determined to resolve his country’s dispute with the West over its nuclear regime.

In the first media conference since being sworn in for the man seen in the west as a relatively moderate leader, Mr Rouhani said he was ready to begin negotiations over the issue which has caused years of stalemate.

“We will not do away with the right of the nation,” the 64-year-old said, indicating Iran would not be abandoning its nuclear program.

“However, we are for negotiations and interaction. We are prepared, seriously and without wasting time, to enter negotiations which are serious and substantive with the other side.

“If the other party is also prepared like we are, then I am confident that the concerns of both sides will be removed through negotiations within a period which will not be very long.”

Warns against carrot and stick approach

Western countries and Israel have said in the past they believed Iran was trying to achieve nuclear weapons capability, but Tehran says its program is purely for peaceful needs.

The new president’s approach is likely to reinforce a sense of cautious optimism in the West, despite the fact negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program have long frustrated both sides……….. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-07/iran27s-rouhani-pledges-resolution-of-nuclear-issue/4869626

August 7, 2013 Posted by | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

Bahrain to set up nuclear radiation monitoring centre

CENTRE TO MONITOR NUCLEAR RADIATION http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=358742By Ahmed Al Omari ,   Tuesday, August 06, 2013

MANAMA: Bahrain may soon set up a nuclear radiation monitoring centre.

This comes amidst growing concerns over threats of a fallout from Iran’s disputed nuclear power plant at Bushehr, just 300km away from Bahrain, across the Gulf.

The GCC last month raised concerns about radiation leaks from the facility after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Iran in April earlier this year, killing more than 60 people.

Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) director-general Dr Adel Al Zayani believes a National Centre for Radiation could be approved within a week – the National Disaster Committee is currently studying a SCE proposal in this regard.

He said the nuclear threat has become larger with neighbouring countries moving toward using atomic facilities for energy production.

Saudi Arabia has announced plans to set up 16 nuclear reactors within the next 20 years and two are already being built in the UAE.

Dr Al Zayani said the proposed centre is designed to become a resource for the field of radiation and to prevent local disasters if they occur regionally.

“The centre will give Bahrain a more dedicated and faster radiation warning and reporting system.”

The centre will also give training to Bahrainis in subjects such as nuclear physics..

 

August 6, 2013 Posted by | MIDDLE EAST, radiation | Leave a comment

USA and Israel – two unaccountable nuclear weapons States

Because the American press is a corrupt government propaganda ministry, the American people have no idea that neoconized Washington is planning nuclear war. Americans are no more aware of this than they are of former President Jimmy Carter’s recent statement, reported only in Germany, that the United States no longer has a functioning democracy.

America Plans Unprovoked Nuclear Attack on China, edited and abridged from various sources by Lasha Darkmoon, Darkmoon,  August 3, 2013 by Montecristo       “……….PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS:  Amitai Etzioni has raised an important question: “Who authorized preparations for war with China?” We are confronted with a neoconized US military out of control endangering Americans and the rest of the world.

Etzioni is correct that this is a momentous decision made by a neoconized military. If the Chinese government is realistic, it is aware that Washington is planning a pre-emptive nuclear attack against China. No other kind of war makes any sense from Washington’s standpoint. The “superpower” was never able to occupy Baghdad, and after 11 years of war has been defeated in Afghanistan by a few thousand lightly armed Taliban. It would be curtains for Washington to get into a conventional war with China.

The Pentagon’s war plan for China is called “AirSea Battle.” It is clear that if the Washington morons get a war going, the only way Washington can prevail is with nuclear weapons. The radiation, of course, will kill Americans as well……..

Statue-of-Liberty-ruin

The Soviet collapse and China’s focus on its economy instead of its military have resulted in Washington’s advantage in nuclear weaponry, giving it first-strike capability. Neither Russia nor China would be in any position to retaliate to Washington’s first strike. To ensure Russia’s inability to retaliate, Washington is placing anti-ballistic missiles on Russia’s borders in violation of the US-USSR agreement. Continue reading →

August 5, 2013 Posted by | Israel, Religion and ethics, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Depleted uranium, birth defects Iraq, and the official cover-up

WHO-and-IAEAThe withholding of the WHO report suggests extreme pressure on the World Health Organization by nations which have something terrible to hide. It would be difficult for the report to sidestep epidemic rates of cancer in Iraq regions where depleted uranium was used. Chowdhury’s article, “WHO’s Iraq Birth Defect Study Omits Causation,” indicates the WHO report purposefully avoids considering the causes of the overwhelming birth defects, disease, and death rates.

depleted-uraniumhighly-recommendedSyria, Iraq and Depleted Uranium http://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-iraq-and-depleted-uranium/5343806 By John Bart Gerald
Global Research, July 25, 2013 As the U.S.considers expanding its war on Syria to overt military aggression, Iraq provides some warning of the human cost of accepting the policies of madmen. In Iraq military action starting with “Desert Storm” in 1991, caused the near total destruction of Iraq’s society, culture, environment and eventual losses of millions of innocent people. Health and mortality information risks heavy suppression and manipulation since it provides evidence concerning a crime. In Spain, theBrussells Tribunal‘s cogent case attempting to prosecute George Bush, Tony Blair and others for genocide inIraq was rejected by the court. Lack of legal recourse for the people of Iraq before a non-partisan international court marks the International Criminal Court’s failure to bend the major powers from illegal wars of aggression.

Primary alleged crimes of the U.S. and NATO coalition’s war on Iraq remain unaddressed:

1. aggression and the betrayal of Iraq’s sovereignty.

2. massive military bombardment of civilian areas.

3. intentional destruction of the civilian infrastructure and water supply.

4. use of depleted uranium weaponry to cause the slow death of civilian populations and render portions of the land unable to sustain health and life in the future.

While these points are neglected by the media, current information concerning use of depleted uranium is so notably missing there may be an attempt to remove the issue from the public’s awareness (1 and 2). While depleted uranium is a lethal radiological weapon, relevant public information is suppressed, excised, falsely countered and ignored. Continue reading →

July 26, 2013 Posted by | depleted uranium, Iraq, Reference, secrets,lies and civil liberties | 2 Comments

Israel’s nuclear safety procedures criticised

“…….The Dimona facility’s safety procedures have been severely criticized by the courts in recent years, following a suit by 44 employees and the families of former employees who claimed they had developed cancer and other diseases due to overexposure to radiation.

IAEC officials insisted that the number of cancer cases among employees isn’t higher than that among the general population. Nevertheless, a year and a half later, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni appointed a committee to recommend special compensation for employees who developed fatal diseases. “….. Haaretz 23 July 13

July 25, 2013 Posted by | Israel, safety | Leave a comment

18 Arab nations pressure UN for Israel to come clean about nuclear weapons

Atomic-Bomb-Smflag-IsraelArab States Demand Focus on Israeli Nuclear Capacities http://www.nationaljournal.com/global-security-newswire/arab-states-demand-focus-on-israeli-nuclear-capacities-20130716 By Global Security Newswire Staff July 16, 2013  Syria and 17 other Arab nations on Monday sent a top U.N. nuclear official a proposal aimed at pressuring Israel to come clean about its presumed nuclear arsenal, the Associated Press reported.

The measure is intended for consideration at a September meeting of International Atomic Energy Agency member nations.

“Israel alone possesses nuclear capabilities, which are undeclared and not subject to international control thus constituting a permanent threat to peace and security in the region,” the countries said in a statement accompanying the draft resolution sent to IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano.

The measure itself “expresses concern about the Israeli nuclear capabilities, and calls upon Israel to accede to the [Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty] and place all of its nuclear facilities under comprehensive IAEA [inspections].”

Arab governments are pushing to focus attention on Israeli atomic activities because they hold Tel Aviv and Washington responsible for a missed 2012 deadline for holding talks on a potential Middle Eastern WMD ban, according to one insider.

July 18, 2013 Posted by | Israel, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Newly found documents reveal Israel’s nuclear weapons drive

Atomic-Bomb-Smflag-IsraelCanadian report on Israeli nuclear program stunned 1964 diplomatic world  BY IAN MACLEOD, OTTAWA CITIZEN JULY 12, 2013 OTTAWA — Crucial evidence of Israel’s suspected nuclear weapons program was discovered by Canada in 1964, sending shivers through Washington, Ottawa and London, according to newly-surfaced U.S. and British national archives’ papers.

A spring 1964 Canadian intelligence report revealed Argentina had secretly agreed to supply Israel with at least 80 tons of uranium oxide “yellowcake” to fabricate fuel for a mysterious nuclear reactor Israel was constructing with French assistance near the town of Dimona in the Negev Desert.

Spent, or irradiated, reactor fuel can be reprocessed to harvest plutonium for making nuclear weapons and, since 1960, the U.S. and its allies conjectured Israel was pursuing a nuclear weapons program.

But the eye-opening Canadian report, which the U.S. initially doubted, confirmed fears that Israel was ambitiously seeking a secret uranium supply, under which there would be no international safeguards to ensure the yellowcake was used for peaceful purposes.

Forty-three previously secret U.S. and British government archival documents related to the Israeli yellowcake file recently surfaced and have now been published by the U.S. National Security Archives in concert with two nuclear non-proliferation organizations…… Continue reading →

July 13, 2013 Posted by | Israel, weapons and war | 1 Comment

Saudi Arabia set to become – well – the Saudi Arabia of Solar Energy

sunSaudi Arabia Pushes Renewable Energy Programs, Wants to Become Solar-Powered Efficient and Capable by 2032  http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/486391/20130704/saudi-arabia-renewable-energy-solar-power.htm#.UdiSeztwo6I  By Esther Tanquintic-Misa | July 4, 2013  

Saudi Arabia has started to aggressively push forward its renewable energy programmes by installing 70 stations across the oil-rich nation that will measure the potential for energy production from sun, wind and geothermal sources. The kingdom targets to become solar-powered efficient and capable by 2032.

Ten of these stations have been put up. They will collect all weather and air data to show renewable energy sources in all parts of the kingdom. Researchers will then be able to access the data through a Web site, relaying information such as solar radiation and wind speed. Essentially, the findings will provide potential investors with guidance on where to build renewable-energy related plants. Saudi Arabia wants to attract about $109 billion to be able to create a solar industry that will help give off one-third of its electricity requirements by 2032, or about 41,000 megawatts.

Saudi Arabia targets to install 23.9 GW of renewable power capacity by 2020 and then 54.1 GW by 2032.Incidentally, countries in the Gulf region are turning more their focus toward clean renewable sources of energy for their power generation. Collectively, they target solar energy one of the region’s main sources of energy by 2017.

Apart from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait have started aggressive planning towards renewable energy programs. Qatar targets to source 10 per cent of the electricity and energy used in water desalination from solar energy by 2018, while Kuwait wants to obtain 10 per cent of its power requirements from renewable energy sources by 2020.

Overall, some $155 billion worth solar power installation projects are in the pipeline for the entire Gulf region. These projects can give off more than 84 GW of power.

July 6, 2013 Posted by | renewable, Saudi Arabia | Leave a comment

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