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Nuclear reactor that operated for only 9 years will take many (expensive) decades to decommission .

Complete dismantling of experimental French reactor to proceed.

1WNN, 0 October 2023

EDF has been authorised to begin the third and final phase of the decommissioning of the Brennilis nuclear power plant in the Monts d’Arée in Brittany, France. The plant is a unique 75 MWe gas-cooled heavy water reactor that operated between 1972 and 1981.

The first phase of the plant’s decommissioning – the removal of all fuel and the dewatering of its systems – was completed in 1992. The second phase – the dismantling of equipment and all buildings (with the exception of the reactor building) – was completed in 2005.

On 26 September, EDF obtained the “complete dismantling” decree, signed by the Minister of Energy Transition, which makes it possible to launch the dismantling of the reactor, the cleaning up of the civil engineering, the demolition of the reactor building and the final rehabilitation of the Brennilis site………..

The final deconstruction of Brennilis is a complex operation,” noted Cédric Lewandowski, director of the nuclear and thermal fleet at EDF, on LinkedIn. “Indeed, this prototype, unique in France, using heavy water reactor technology, is contained in a concrete cube measuring 20 metres on each side and 1.5 metres thick. Inside, the equipment to be dismantled is tightly packed into a very cramped space.

“To carry out this work on time and to guarantee the protection of personnel, the EDF Deconstruction and Waste Projects Department (DP2D) is working with its industrial partners on innovative tele-operation and robotics solutions.”

The dismantling of the reactor’s peripheral circuits, entrusted by DP2D to Onet Technologies and Cyclife Engineering, will begin later this year.

October 13, 2023 Posted by | decommission reactor, France | Leave a comment

New Mexico could try again to challenge nuclear waste storage project in court

Adrian Hedden, Carlsbad Current-Argus, 11 Oct 23

Officials with the State of New Mexico continued their fight against a proposed storage site for spent nuclear fuel in southeast New Mexico during a Tuesday hearing before lawmakers in Carlsbad, and said the project could be challenged a second time in federal court.

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and Office of the Attorney General voiced opposition to such a site during the discussion held at Southeast New Mexico College with the Legislature’s interim Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee.  

Representatives of both agencies called into question the legality of such a site to store nuclear fuel away from a reactor amid the ranchlands and oilfields of the Permian Basin.

Holtec International applied to the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a license to build the facility in 2017, and it was issued in May………………………………………

The State of New Mexico challenged in court the NRC’s findings in an environmental analysis ahead of the license, but the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the state could not object before it was issued.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, her cabinet secretaries and Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard all voiced their opposition to the Holtec project throughout the licensing process, citing risks to the local communities and industries like oil and gas and agriculture.

Bruce Baizel, director of compliance and enforcement with the NMED said the State could file another challenge to the license now that it is issued to Holtec.

He pointed to a federal court ruling earlier this year that vacated a license for a similar site issued by the NRC to Interim Storage Partners in Andrews, Texas, along the New Mexico border, which Baizel said could have legal implications for the New Mexico site.

Assistant Attorney General William Grantham said the Office of the Attorney General believed a federal court would vacate Holtec’s license, arguing federal law did not allow an interim storage site as proposed by Holtec without a permanent repository available.

Also going against the project, during the 2023 Legislative Session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 53 to block state agencies from issuing any permits for any site storing high-level nuclear waste as Holtec’s would.

Baizel said the facility would require five such permits to operate.

“That language would not allow us to process or approve any of those state permits for that project,” he said.

Carlsbad mayor attacks lawmakers for not including nuclear industry voices

Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway, an ardent Holtec supporter, did not attend the hearing, citing an “imbalance” in the panels, particularly on nuclear storage, according to Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R-55) of Carlsbad……………………………………………………….

Camilla Feibelman, director of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter said that if Holtec was allowed to operate its facility, New Mexico would take all the risks of the waste with no benefits like the jobs provided to states that do host nuclear power plants.

“Holtec wants to bring the entire store of nuclear waste by rail to southeast New Mexico through thousands of communities along the way,” she said. “Spent nuclear fuel should be stored at the site of origin in the safest manner possible.”

Committee Vice Chair Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-36), who sponsored SB 53, said the “reality” was that it made Holtec’s project and others like it illegal in New Mexico.

“We have passed a law in New Mexico making it illegal to store high level nuclear waste in New Mexico,” Steinborn said. “That is the reality now. Only the courts could change that reality.”

https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/2023/10/11/new-mexico-could-challenge-nuclear-waste-holtec-international-storage-project-in-court/71121256007/–#nuclear #antinuclear #NuclearFree #NoNukes #NuclearPlants

October 13, 2023 Posted by | Legal, USA | Leave a comment

Half of China’s people are worried about Fukushima water release: poll

Japan Today Oct. 11 TOKYO

About half of Chinese respondents to a recent survey expressed concern about the release of treated radioactive water from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea, according to the results released Tuesday, amid a row between the two Asian neighbors over the issue.

According to an annual joint poll by Japanese nonprofit think tank Genron NPO and the China International Communications Group on public views in both countries on bilateral ties, 22.1 percent of 1,506 Chinese surveyed said they are “very worried” and 25.5 percent are “worried to some extent” about the water discharge.

In the poll, conducted in China in 10 cities from Aug. 18 to Sept. 1, 8.0 percent answered they are “not worried at all” about the water release and 18.7 percent said they are “not very worried,” with 25.0 percent replying they “currently cannot judge.”………………………………………………………………….. https://japantoday.com/category/national/about-half-of-chinese-worried-about-fukushima-water-release-poll #nuclear #antinuclear #NuclearFree #NoNukes #NuclearPlants

October 13, 2023 Posted by | China, public opinion | Leave a comment

This is one scary opinion about the Israeli-Palestine war – “Get Ready, Because The U.S. Is Going To War In The Middle East”


MICHAEL SNYDER, OCT 12, 2023 https://michaeltsnyder.substack.com/p/get-ready-because-the-us-is-going?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1520363&post_id=137881937&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=ln98x&utm_medium=email

We are on the precipice of a major regional war in the Middle East, and the U.S. military is going to be involved.  Of course if this war was just limited to a fight between Israel and Hamas, there would be no need for the U.S. military to intervene, because the IDF can handle Hamas quite easily.  But Hezbollah is another matter entirely.  Hezbollah possesses an extremely powerful military, and they have an arsenal of approximately 130,000 missiles ready to be fired at Israel.  If Hezbollah enters the war and starts firing thousands upon thousands of missiles at Israel, the United States will take action.

Unfortunately, we are already dangerously close to that point.  Hezbollah has not formally entered the war yet, but clashes along Israel’s northern border have been happening for four consecutive days…

Cross-border violence between Lebanon and Israel has escalated into a fourth day, pushing many Lebanese in southern towns to leave as Hezbollah and the Israeli military continue to trade fire.

Hezbollah said it fired precision missiles on an Israeli position across from the Lebanese town of Dharya on Wednesday, drawing retaliatory Israeli shelling that has left a number of houses damaged.

Once Israel launches a ground operation inside Gaza, I believe that Hezbollah will formally enter the war shortly thereafter.

But it appears that Hezbollah is not just gearing up to fight Israel.  In fact, they have issued a statement declaring the U.S. to be a “full partner” in the conflict with Hamas…

Hezbollah issues a statement saying the United States is a ‘full partner’ of Israeli ‘aggression’ on the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah also says that it holds the United States fully responsible for the airstrikes that are killing civilians in Gaza.

And one Hezbollah official is publicly warning that his forces in Iraq “are ready to direct qualitative strikes at the American enemy in its bases”…

The leader of a prominent Iranian-backed militia in Iraq threatens to attack American bases in retaliation if the United States intervenes in the war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza.


“Our missiles, drones, and special forces are ready to direct qualitative strikes at the American enemy in its bases and disrupt its interests if it intervenes in this battle,” Ahmad “Abu Hussein” al-Hamidawi, head of the Kataib Hezbollah militia, says in a statement. He also threatened to launch missiles at Israeli targets.

Of course the U.S. has been delivering some very strong warnings to Hezbollah as well…

The United States and Allied Countries through Back-Channels have reportedly been issuing Direct Warnings to Hezbollah against them Escalating and possibly Joining the Israel-Hamas War; however so far Senior Biden Administration Officials do not believe that Hezbollah is planning to Join the War, but that could always change.

I am sure that the Biden administration is desperately hoping that Hezbollah stays on the sidelines, but they are also preparing for the worst.

On Wednesday, we learned that a second U.S. aircraft carrier is being sent to the Eastern Mediterranean…

US National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby confirmed that the United States will be sending the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean, after it was already announced that the USS Gerald R. Ford would be deployed as part of “support” operations related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

However, Kirby said that the Eisenhower will not be directly joining or escorting. Instead, the carrier will be in the region for availability if called upon. While in a press briefing Kirby tried to downplay the dual carrier deployment as somewhat routine or expected, they will certainly be on standby to potentially intervene if all hell continues breaking loose in the Middle East.

Hopefully those carriers will be smart and will stay a long way from shore.

Because Hezbollah possesses missiles that are capable of sinking a carrier.

Needless to say, images of a sinking carrier would cause great fury here in the United States.

The U.S. is also deploying special forces to the region in case they are needed to locate American hostages…

The United States is readying its special forces to help Israel locate American hostages, as waves of Israeli Defense Force reservists arrived at JFK airport in New York to join the fight against Hamas.

Two senior U.S. military officials told The Messenger that ‘door kickers’ have been put on alert in a nearby European country, ready to assist Israel if necessary in their battle against Hamas. The Israeli death toll rose to 1,200 on Tuesday.

This is just the beginning.

As this war escalates, more U.S. forces will inevitably be deployed.

Sadly, there can never be lasting peace with these Islamic terrorists.  Franklin Graham recently shared a video of a prominent Hamas leader declaring what their real long-term plan is…

On social media, Franklin cited a video of Hamas’ Mahmoud al-Zahar, and wrote, “We just saw Hamas brutally murder 900+ Israelis, most all civilians. If you want to know what else they’re after, a Hamas commander made it clear. He said they want to kill every Jew and every Christian – and take control of the ‘entire 510 million sq. kilometers of Planet Earth.’ If you think what is happening in Israel is limited to Israel, think again.”

As this war escalates, more U.S. forces will inevitably be deployed.

Sadly, there can never be lasting peace with these Islamic terrorists.  Franklin Graham recently shared a video of a prominent Hamas leader declaring what their real long-term plan is…

On social media, Franklin cited a video of Hamas’ Mahmoud al-Zahar, and wrote, “We just saw Hamas brutally murder 900+ Israelis, most all civilians. If you want to know what else they’re after, a Hamas commander made it clear. He said they want to kill every Jew and every Christian – and take control of the ‘entire 510 million sq. kilometers of Planet Earth.’ If you think what is happening in Israel is limited to Israel, think again.”

This Hamas Commander says this is not about land, not just Palestine. “The entire planet will be under our law, there will be no more Jews or Christian traitors.” Only then, if everyone adopts his law, will there be peace. pic.twitter.com/97sWBcH8yJ

— CSW Latinoamérica (@CSWLatAm) October 8, 2023

They will never stop until they rule the entire world.

There is no negotiating with people like that.

On Friday, there is supposed to be a “global Day of Rage” for those that support Hamas…

Khaled Mashal, a leader and founding member of the Islamic terror group Hamas, has called for a global Day of Rage this Friday, saying “this is the time for Jihad.”

Hamas, an Islamic political and military organization that governs the Gaza Strip, carried out a brutal, highly coordinated terror attack on Israel over the weekend, slaughtering more than 1,200 people—including fourteen Americans—and wounding more than 2,100, according to the latest reports. The Palestinian terrorists also took more than 130 civilians hostage and have threatened to execute them on live broadcasts.

Mashal reportedly gave a speech on Tuesday exhorting Muslim across the world to “show anger” and be “martyrs for Al-Aqsa” in what he called “the Friday of Al-Aqsa flood.” Hamas has dubbed their murderous rampage in Israel Saturday “operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” saying the assault was “in defense of the Aqsa Mosque,” the main congregational mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Hopefully there will not be too much violence.

But I can’t say that I am too optimistic about that.

For a long time I have been warning that a historic war would be coming to the Middle East, and now it is here.

So many people are going to die, and that should deeply sadden all of us.

More Americans are likely to die too, because it is just a matter of time before the U.S. military becomes a direct part of this conflict.

October 13, 2023 Posted by | MIDDLE EAST, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

EU facing ‘huge shortage’ of ammunition – media

Rt.com 11 Oct 23

The Israel-Palestine crisis has increased the strain on Western arming of Ukraine, Foreign Policy magazine has reported

The war between Israel and Palestinian militant movement Hamas will divert Western attention and resources away from Ukraine, meaning more uncertainty for Kiev, Foreign Policy magazine has reported citing anonymous sources.

Ukraine was already experiencing issues with receiving additional weapons and funding for its counteroffensive against Russia, even before the surprise escalation of violence in the Middle East on Saturday. European nations in particular have found their armories and political willpower stretched thin, according to the outlet. 

“We face a huge ammo shortage due to Ukraine,” a German official told the magazine on condition of anonymity.

Kiev has enjoyed unprecedented Western assistance for its military, but its failure to achieve significant gains during the summer counteroffensive and political turmoil in the US appear to have diluted support for its plans. Last month, the US Congress declined to include aid for Ukraine in a 45-day stopgap spending bill under pressure from Republican lawmakers.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has attempted to link Israel’s situation with the needs of his own nation. He claimed this week that Ukraine has “clear” intelligence that Russia “is interested in triggering a war in the Middle East” to “undermine world unity” and “destroy freedom in Europe.” He offered no proof of the allegations.

In its report, titled ‘What will Russia do with Gaza chaos?’, Foreign Policy acknowledged there was no sign of Russian involvement in or prior knowledge of the deadly Hamas incursion into Israel.

Russia and Israel have a long-standing amicable relationship, with both sides recognizing each other’s security concerns and the complexities of their respective positions.

Moscow has mocked Zelensky’s attempt to control the narrative regarding the Israel crisis………..

Washington has pledged military support for Israel as it retaliates against Gaza, claiming it can do so without compromising assistance for Ukraine or its global readiness. The White House is reportedly seeking to include Ukraine in an aid package for Israel to push it through Congress.  https://www.rt.com/russia/584538-israel-crisis-ukraine-support/ #Ukraine

October 13, 2023 Posted by | Ukraine, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Are more weapons that USA will send to Ukraine likely to end up in the hands of Hamas ?

Hamas using weapons given to Ukraine – ex-Russian president

RT Mon, 09 Oct 2023

Arms Washington sent to Kiev and left in Afghanistan are about to be “uncontrollably used” around the world, Dmitry Medvedev has warned.

The weapons Kiev’s Western backers have actively supplied to Ukraine have found their way to Hamas militants and are now “being actively used in Israel,” former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said in a Telegram post on Monday, adding that any future military hardware supplied to Kiev could end up on the black market as well.

It will only get worse from here,” Medvedev warned, predicting that the world should “expect missiles, tanks, and even planes from Kiev on the black market soon.”

His words came amid rumors that Hamas militants that control the Gaza Strip had gotten their hands on some US-made weaponry before their attack on Israel over the weekend. No solid evidence confirming these claims has emerged so far. However, an unverified video circulating online showed a Palestinian militant displaying assorted US-made pieces, including a standard-issue M136 anti-tank grenade launcher, while thanking Ukrainians for the weapons.

According to Medvedev, “corrupt authorities” in Ukraine would not hesitate to trade everything they had received from their backers. “They would steal everything in sight,” the former president claimed, adding that the Western weapons sent to Ukraine would soon fuel conflicts in other parts of the world, just like the trove of weapons the Americans left in Afghanistan during their hasty withdrawal from the country in 2021.

The aforementioned video has already sparked concerns in the US, with Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene saying on Sunday that its origins must be investigated. The congresswoman also claimed on X, formerly known as Twitter, that some of the arms used by the militants might have come from Ukraine or Afghanistan.

Washington has been Kiev’s biggest supplier of military aid since the onset of its conflict with Moscow. The US has poured a total of $46.6 billion into military assistance to Ukraine, including direct weapons and ammunition shipments, as well as grants and loans for weapons and equipment.

Kiev has repeatedly faced accusations of misusing or selling off the weaponry, which it has vehemently denied. On Monday, the Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) blamed the rumors about weapons supposedly coming from Ukraine to Hamas on Russia………. more https://www.rt.com/russia/584448-hamas-use-weapons-given-ukraine/–#Ukraine

October 13, 2023 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, Ukraine, weapons and war | Leave a comment

South Carolina nuclear plant gets warning over another cracked emergency fuel pipe

JENKINSVILLE, S.C. (AP) 10 Oct 23— Federal officials have issued a warning about a substantial safety violation at a South Carolina nuclear plant after cracks were discovered again in a backup emergency fuel line.

Small cracks have been found a half-dozen times in the past 20 years in pipes that carry fuel to emergency generators that provide cooling water for a reactor if electricity fails at the V.C. Summer plant near Columbia, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The agency issued what it calls a preliminary “yellow” warning to plant owner Dominion Energy last week.

It is the second most serious category and only seven similar warnings have been issued across the country since 2009, nuclear power expert David Lochbaum told The State newspaper after reviewing records from federal regulators.

A crack first appeared on a diesel fuel pipe in 2003, and similar pipes have had other cracks since then.

During a 24-hour test of the system in November, a small diesel fuel leak grew larger, according to NRC records.

The agency issued the preliminary yellow warning because of the repeated problems………………….

Dominion has recently requested to renew the license for the nuclear plant for an additional 40 years.

Longtime nuclear safety advocate Tom Clements told the newspaper the pipe problems should mean a lot more scrutiny by regulators.

“This incident serves as a wake-up call to fully analyze all such systems prior to a license-renewal determination,’’ Clements said in an email.  https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-plant-south-carolina-dominion-energy-b71d1e3b598b84623259205997602aaf #nuclear #antinuclear #NuclearFree #NoNukes #NuclearPlants

October 13, 2023 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

Israeli army says it does not have ‘confirmation’ about allegations that ‘Hamas beheaded babies’

Israeli army spokesperson tells Anadolu over phone that they have no information confirming allegations that ‘Hamas beheaded babies’

Turgut Alp Boyraz  11.10.2023  https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-army-says-it-does-not-have-confirmation-about-allegations-that-hamas-beheaded-babies-/3014787

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army has no information confirming allegations that “Hamas beheaded babies,” Israeli army spokesperson unit told Anadolu on Tuesday.

It was alleged that Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, “beheaded many Israeli babies” on the Israeli side during the early Saturday morning attack launched from Gaza.

When Anadolu contacted the Israeli army spokesperson unit over the phone and asked about the allegations, she said “We have seen the news, but we do not have any details or confirmation about that.”

The situation escalated with a Saturday surprise attack from Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip on southern Israeli towns. Israel retaliated with massive airstrikes in Gaza and placed the enclave under total blockade.

More than 1,900 people have so far been killed in the violence, including at least 900 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis, according to authorities.

Israel has also cut water and electricity supplies to Gaza, worsening the blockaded enclave’s already dire humanitarian situation.

Home to nearly 2.2 million people, the Gaza Strip has already been reeling under a crippling Israeli siege since 2007. #Israel

October 13, 2023 Posted by | Israel, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Ukrainians joining Americans in supporting negotiated end to Russo Ukraine war

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition , Glen Ellyn IL   – 11 Oct 23

Ukrainians are increasingly opposing the Kyiv government’s war goals of retaking Crimea and Donbas. Support for those goals has dropped from 70% to 60% according to a Gallop poll. Ukrainians seeking a diplomatic settlement has risen from 25% to 31% as well. This in spite of tight Kyiv control over media and targeting war dissenters. 

This mirrors dwindling support for more war weapons and no negotiations among American voters. The US also exercises tight, tho subtle control over its media. It doesn’t target war dissenters; just ignores them. 

Most distressing about dwindling support for a lost cause, squandering American treasure while hundreds of thousands in Ukraine die is this: The people are starting to get it; their leaders apparently, never will.

October 13, 2023 Posted by | public opinion, Ukraine | Leave a comment

What is Jericho missile system? Israel’s potential ‘doomsday’ nuclear option

Wion News By: Mukul Sharma Oct 12, 2023

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

It is yet not clear if Jericho-3 has been deployed by Israel during ongoing retaliatory offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

An Israeli legislator’s recent calls for the use of a “doomsday” weapon against Hamas and Palestine have once again put the spotlight on nuclear weapons in West Asia, particularly the Jericho missile system.

Revital “Tally” Gotliv, an Israeli lawyer and member of the Knesset representing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, made several posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that Israel must consider nuclear warfare as an alternative to deploying large ground forces.

“Jericho Missile! Jericho Missile! Strategic alert. before considering the introduction of forces. Doomsday weapon! This is my opinion. May God preserve all our strength,” Gotliv wrote on X.

What is Jericho ballistic missile program?

Gotliv specifically mentioned “Jericho,” referring to Israel’s original ballistic missile program, initiated in the 1960s and named after the biblical city located in West Bank.

This program was initially a collaboration with the French aerospace company Dassault, but when France withdrew in 1969, Israel continued its development. The Jericho-1 model, which was operational during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, came out as an accomplishment of the said program. 

The Jericho-1, which was retired in the 1990s, had a weight of 6.5 tons, a length of 13.4 meters, and a diameter of 0.8 meters, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Newsweek reported.

It had a range of 500 kilometers (approximately 310.6 miles) and could carry a 1,000-kilogram (about 2,205-pound) payload, though it had a 50 percent chance of hitting within a 1,000-meter radius of its target.

Israel later developed the Jericho-2, a longer-range missile in the late 1980s, with a length of 15 meters and a diameter of 1.35 meters, while maintaining the same payload capacity. It had a range between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers (about 932 to 2,175 miles).

The Jericho-3, an intermediate-range system, was introduced years later and was reportedly tested in 2008, entering service in 2011. It featured improvements over the previous models, with a longer length than Jericho-2 and a larger diameter of 1.56 meters.

Its single warhead weighed approximately 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds) and had a range of 4,800 to 6,500 kilometers (about 2,983 to 4,039 miles). The payload capacity extended to about 1,300 kilograms (2,866 pounds).

It is yet not clear if Jericho-3 has been deployed by Israel during ongoing retaliatory offensive against Hamas in Gaza. #nuclear #antinuclear #NuclearFree #NoNukes #NuclearPlants

October 12, 2023 Posted by | Israel, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Some Israeli actions ‘against international law’ – EU

“There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” Gallant told the Israeli media. “We are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.”

 https://www.rt.com/news/584594-borrell-eu-israel-law-gaza/ 11 Oct 23

Denying Gaza water, food and electricity is not appropriate, Josep Borrell has said

Israel has the right to self-defense, but some of the decisions its government has made are contrary to international humanitarian law, EU foreign policy commissioner Josep Borrell said on Tuesday.

“Israel has the right to defend, but it has to be done in accord with international humanitarian law. And some decisions are contra this international law,” Borrell said in Oman, where he attended the joint meeting of foreign ministers from the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Both the EU and the GCC have condemned terrorist attacks by Hamas, Borrell noted, but also condemned any attacks on civilians, demanded the immediate release of all hostages, and called for Israel to respect international law and not block the delivery of food, water or electricity to the civilian population of Gaza. 

The two blocs have also asked Israel to open “humanitarian corridors” from Gaza to Egypt, so that civilians can leave the territory ahead of Israeli reprisal airstrikes. 

Borrell’s remarks appeared to be a reference to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s statement on Monday ordering a “complete siege” of Gaza.

“There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” Gallant told the Israeli media. “We are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.”

Multiple media outlets also quoted Gallant as saying on Tuesday that he had “lifted all the restraints” on Israeli rules of engagement against Gaza.

Israel launched reprisal airstrikes against the Palestinian territory after Hamas, which controls much of Gaza, sent commandos deep into Israeli territory on Saturday. The three days of heavy clashes have resulted in at least 900 dead Israelis and at least 830 dead Palestinians, according to the authorities in West Jerusalem and Gaza, respectively.

Just before Gallant announced the “siege,” the EU declared it would put €691 million ($728.8 million) in aid to the Palestinian Authority under review and suspend all pending payments, citing the “scale of terror and brutality against Israel and its people” by Hamas. Borrell later “clarified” those remarks to note that aid will continue, because suspending it would amount to “punishing all the Palestinian people” and damage EU interests in the region. #Israel

October 12, 2023 Posted by | Israel, Legal | Leave a comment

Israel-Hamas “war” – another excuse to shut down free speech

Kit Knightly 11 Oct 23  https://off-guardian.org/2023/10/11/israel-hamas-war-another-excuse-to-shut-down-free-speech/

As a brand new war-narrative unfolds, there’s already efforts underway to parlay the conflict into tighter controls on free speech and freedom of expression, both in person and on the internet.

The headlines have been filled with nothing but Israel and Hamas since the “surprise attack” on Saturday, with the predictable back and forth of historical grievances and accusations of racism, punctuated by unsubstantiated claims of atrocities.

“Atrocity Propaganda” is nothing new. It is the opening salvo of every war as state combatants try to win the public to their side.

For example, the totally unsubstantiated claim that Hamas “threw forty Jewish babies out of their cribs and beheaded them”, which was doing the rounds yesterday. As far as atrocity propaganda goes the claim is startling in its unoriginality (Nayirah anyone?)

There’s a lot of that right now, lurid claims of graphic and pointless violence directed against the innocent, most of which survives just long enough to cause some outrage before being “debunked” or walked-back.

Part of that is the general “fog of war”, heightened by the advent of social media. When a lot of people can talk a lot more is said (good and bad).

But there’s another interpretation: That fake war stories are being intentionally seeded onto social media and then “debunked” to discredit platforms and appear to justify digital censorship.

Within the past twenty-four hours Reuters, NBC, YahooNews, The Guardian and the AP have run stories criticising the proliferation of “fake war news” on social media. Al Jazeera joined in too.

Almost all of those accusations have been directed solely at Twitter/X – increasingly the media’s anti-free speech strawman.

Governments have not been quiet on the issue either, with the European Union reportedly “warning” Elon Musk there would be “penalties” for the spread of war-related “misinformation” on his platform.

It’s not just “misinformation” either, but also “hate”. In an unusually subtle headline, NBCNews warns of the “increasingly fraught nature of online speech”. USA Today is more on the nose, claiming “online hate” is “surging”.

Oh, and there are the “unregulated” sites to worry about, where terrorists allegedly upload violent videos, at least so the New York Times says:

Hamas Seeds Violent Videos on Sites With Little Moderation”

It’s not hard to see where this leads.

And while “misinformation” is used to justify social media censorship, “safety” is used to justify shutting down freedom of assembly.

In the UK and US pro-Palestinian rallies were met with calls for the police to get involved, citing laws that outlaw the public support of “listed terrorist organizations”.

UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has told the police that waving a Palestinian flag could be considered a crime. Metropolitan police are engaging in “reassurance patrols”.

In France the police are already more directly involved, shutting down a pro-Palestine demonstration.

…and people applauded.

Many of them the same voices who railed against tyranny in defending the Canadian truckers or anti-lockdown protests. It is disheartening to see.

In short, the “war” is four days old and is already being used to suppress dissent on the streets and argue against free-speech on the internet.

However the war narrative evolves over there, over here it’s just more of the same.

October 12, 2023 Posted by | 2 WORLD, civil liberties | Leave a comment

Court will hear appeal by environmental groups against Sizewell C nuclear power station

Sizewell C power station plans to be heard in court

 https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/sizewell-c-power-station-plans-be-hear-court 9 Oct 23

THE future of the government’s Sizewell C nuclear power station will be decided at a hearing in the Court of Appeal next month, it was revealed today.

On November 1 and 2, judges will hear an appeal by campaign groups against a High Court rejection of a review of the decision by then business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to allow the development on the Suffolk coast to go ahead.

The development is being opposed by campaign groups Together Against Sizewell C (TASC), Suffolk Coastal Friends of the Earth and Stop Sizewell C.

They said the station’s huge consumption of water for its cooling system will threaten local domestic supplies, and that the project should have included a desalination plant.

TASC launched an appeal for funds and said: “Because of the short time-frame that has been forced on us we have little time to raise the £25,000 needed to cover the costs of our legal team for this appeal stage of the proceedings.” #nuclear #antinuclear #NuclearFree #NoNukes #NuclearPlants

October 12, 2023 Posted by | Legal, UK | Leave a comment

Zelensky pledged not to directly attack nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia, says IAEA chief

“a number of fragile points apart from the reactors themselves”, including “the spent fuel area which is not fortified” as well as other storage areas holding fresh nuclear fuel.

Rafael Grossi says president personally assured him Ukraine ‘will not directly bomb or shell’ plant in counteroffensive

Dan Sabbagh, Guardian, 11 Oct 23

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says Volodymyr Zelenskiy has promised him that Ukraine will not attack Europe’s biggest nuclear plant as part of its counteroffensive against Russia.

In an interview with the Guardian, the nuclear watchdog chief said he was most concerned about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant becoming engulfed in fighting between the two sides, but insisted he had obtained a commitment from the Ukrainian president.

“President Zelenskiy has personally assured me that they will not directly bomb or shell it,” Grossi said, although he added that Zelenskiy had told him “all other options are on the table” in terms of taking it back.

That means Ukraine would comply with the first of the five new nuclear safety principles – “do not attack a nuclear power plant” – initially outlined by Grossi at the UN security council at the end of May to avert “a catastrophic accident”.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station was captured by Russia in March 2022, the first time any reactor has been captured in war, prompting fears of a fresh incident in the same country where an explosion at Chornobyl spread radioactivity across Europe in 1986.

Grossi said the danger was that “anything can happen at any time” given the prevailing military situation. “I’m often asked, is [the power station] safe now? No. It’s in the middle of a war zone with a counteroffensive,” he said.

He said he believed there “were two main problems”, the most significant of which was “a direct attack, hit” on one of the less secure areas of the plant, while the secondary concern was the maintenance of water cooling, necessary even as the six reactors are in shutdown……….

Grossi said he was particularly concerned by “a number of fragile points apart from the reactors themselves”, including “the spent fuel area which is not fortified” as well as other storage areas holding fresh nuclear fuel.

“The fresh fuel halls, let me remind you, were hit in August 2022,” he added, describing the aftermath of an attack that left holes visible to satellite imagery on the roof of the power station’s key facility.

A few days later, Grossi crossed the frontlines to pay one of three personal visits since the start of the war to the nuclear plant, where he said he saw the damage caused by the attack where “a few metres down, you have the racks containing the fresh fuel”.

Though the damage was likely to have come after a Ukrainian attack, Grossi said he would not say who was responsible. “I don’t have a forensic capacity [to determine who was responsible],” he said. “The Russians would certainly say that [the Ukrainians did it].”

IAEA monitors are permanently based at the nuclear power plant, although last week Greenpeace said their number – at four – was too small and they were unable to provide effective assurances about safety because they had to give a week’s notice of their inspection requests…………..

Russia’s Rosatom nuclear agency has taken over the management of the plant, but has had to rely on a fraction of the prewar Ukrainian staff to keep it operational. Staffing levels plunged from 12,000 before the war to, Grossi said, about 2,000 today, although he added it was “growing again” with more native Russians coming onsite.

Concerns about maintaining water cooling increased sharply after the Nova Kakhovka dam downstream was blown in June, draining the Dnipro reservoir around the plant and leaving its reserve cooling water pond exposed…………………….

Grossi said he regretted how the plant had been used in military brinkmanship between the two sides. “We were not expecting a war with these kind of characteristics,” he said………… https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/10/zelenskiy-promises-not-to-attack-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-says-iaea-chief #nuclear #antinuclear #NuclearFree #NoNukes #NuclearPlants

October 12, 2023 Posted by | safety, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Critics are sceptical over County Council’s ‘nuclear engagement officer role’ funded by the industry

Debate ignites over County Council’s nuclear engagement officer role funded by the industry A step towards transparency or a compromise on impartiality?

By Daniel Jaines Local Democracy Reporter , My Local, Lincolnshire, 10 Oct 23

Lincolnshire County Council’s (LCC) job advert for a Policy and Engagement Officer, a role that will research the nuclear sector, has sparked controversy and concerns regarding impartiality and ethical considerations due to its funding by Nuclear Waste Services (NWS).

The job describes the role as a conduit between the council and the proposed Theddlethorpe Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) in Lincolnshire and comes with a salary of £38,296-£42,503.  The appointee will be tasked with maintaining an overview of the developments proposed by NWS, ensuring senior politicians and officers are briefed and engaged, thereby helping the council in its role as the principal relevant local authority.

This includes providing advice on the potential advantages and disadvantages of the proposed investment.

The officer will be responsible for ensuring that the local community is provided with balanced information and will coordinate with local and national authorities and organisations to manage and distribute the latest information about nuclear industry developments and waste disposal.

The role also involves advocating activities that enable both the council and the area to derive financial benefits from the proposed GDF through investments in critical infrastructure, business and employment supply chains, and community grants.

The advert notes that while the post is fully funded by NWS, it will operate independently of them, and the LCC has adopted a neutral stance on the GDF.

However, the Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) has expressed concerns, stating that the LCC’s understanding of the sector’s harsh realities is lacking, and that their motivations might be economically driven due to the long-term and uncertain nature of nuclear propositions.

The campaigners believe that LCC, by accepting funding from NWS, may be perceived as aligning itself with NWS or potentially compromising its impartiality in future nuclear-related decisions and policies.

The critics suggest that this funding could be seen as LCC getting “off the fence” and taking a side in the ongoing discussions and debates related to nuclear projects in the region.

Councillor David Blackburn, Chair of the Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) English Forum, expressed his concerns about the direction in which the LCC is heading: “Whilst this may mean job security for the successful candidate, it must represent insecurity for the residents of Theddlethorpe, Mablethorpe, and Sutton.

“For the first duty listed for the post holder will be to act as ‘the main point of contact between the council and the geological disposal facility which is proposed by Nuclear Waste Services for Theddlethorpe in Lincolnshire’.

“If NWS is indeed providing ‘permanent’ funding then it must remain of the view that, despite the clear local opposition to the proposal, a GDF might go forward for Theddlethorpe in the future. Otherwise, why would they invest?”

The Theddlethorpe site, currently under consideration for a GDF by NWS, has been met with significant opposition from the local community and elected members.

Ken Smith, a Theddlethorpe campaigner, has voiced that accepting funding from NWS suggests a bias on the part of LCC towards the GDF, rather than maintaining neutrality.

“In my view, it is totally unethical,” he said. “It gives NWS a direct line to councillors. They can claim independence as much as they like, but he who pays the piper calls the tune.”

He further emphasised the need for the council to encourage companies developing renewables, given Lincolnshire’s ideal location for such technologies………………….more https://mylocal.co.uk/lincolnshire/feed/120078/debate-ignites-over-county-council-s-nuclear-engagement-officer-role-funded-by-the-industry #nuclear #antinuclear #NuclearFree #NoNukes #NuclearPlants

October 12, 2023 Posted by | spinbuster, UK | Leave a comment

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