nuclear secrecy « nuclear-news

Award winning media investigation into medical radiation

the newspaper reported on a fast-evolving medical world in which safety has lagged behind technical innovation. It found that financial incentives have driven the medical radiation boom,…..The award recognized papers that creatively used digital tools in the role of being a community’s watchdog

NY Times’ radiation investigation wins APME award, Google hosted news, (AP) –26 Aug 2010, NEW YORK — An investigation into the dangers of the increasing use of radiation in diagnosing and treating disease earned The New York Times a Public Service Award Wednesday from the Associated Press Managing Editors association. Continue reading →

August 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | media, USA | antinuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, radiation | Leave a comment

Review of “Chain of Decay” – film on nuclear power

CHAIN OF DECAY — IndieGoGo Chain of Decay is a feature-length documentary that brings together a series of discrete but thematically-linked short documentary and animation segments to create an engaging and provocative portrait of a world most of know precious little about – the world of civil nuclear power. Continue reading →

August 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Resources -audiovicual | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, radiation, renewableenergy, uranium | Leave a comment

Way behind schedule – UK’s planned nuclear reactors

the companies behind the designs – French consortium Areva, EDF and US firm Westinghouse – had been repeatedly submitting information which was incomplete and late………we could be faced with the farcical situation where the government is letting utilities press ahead with building work for reactors that haven’t been given safety approval.”

UK’s nuclear reactor programme falls behind schedule. Regulator and builders blame each other for construction hold-up as designs await approval Tim Webb , guardian.co.uk, , 25 August 2010 Continue reading →

August 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | technology, UK | antinuclear, EDF, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, reactors, Westinghouse | Leave a comment

A limited nuclear conflict would cripple global agriculture

a conflict involving just 0.4% of the world’s 25,000 nukes would produce enough smoke to cripple global agriculture…...

Castro: Worries Over Nuclear Winter – ScienceInsider, by Antonio Regalado on August 25, 2010 , “……….Although fears over nuclear winter have generally faded along with the Cold War, some recent research suggests even a limited conflict could pollute the atmosphere enough to cause worldwide famines. Continue reading →

August 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Uranium theft in Eastern Europe

If the Uranium had been sold in the illegal market, it would have fetched the gang around $11 million.

3 Held Over Uranium Seizure In Moldova, RTT News, 8/24/2010 Moldovan authorities on Tuesday arrested three people in connection with the recovery of some two kilograms of a radio active material from the capital Chisinau, it has emerged.Officials told media that the Uranium-238, which could be used to build a dirty bomb, was found concealed inside a container in a garage there….. Continue reading →

August 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, secrets,lies and civil liberties, Uranium | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium theft in Australia

Depleted uranium and a substantial amount of chemicals and glassware were found at the shed…

Uranium stash claim,WHITNEY HARRIS The Advertiser, 24 Aug, 2010 A Kangaroo Flat man accused of drug trafficking after a series of police raids turned up a stash of uranium will stand trial next year. Continue reading →

August 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, secrets,lies and civil liberties | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, depleted, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, uranium | Leave a comment

India’s Disarmament Seminar cancelled for fear of offending U.S. nuclear lobby

the rejection might be because the seminar was being held to close to the date of US president Barack Obama’s visit to India during November. “May be the government did not want to annoy Uncle Sam,”

‘No seminar on nuclear disarmament’, – The Times of India, TNN, Aug 25, 2010, NAGPUR: In an apparent move to curb an ‘unwanted’ congregation, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has struck down the application by a city-based activist known for his left leaning to hold a global seminar on nuclear disarmament in city. Continue reading →

August 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, secrets,lies and civil liberties | antinuclear, disarmament, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

UK nuclear whistleblower silenced, then sacked

Mr Amin claimed that he told MI5 and the CIA of his concerns but, he said, they ignored his evidence and told him to drop his inquiries

Fired, but no charges: man accused of being nuclear whistleblower, The Independent, By Mark Hughes, 24 August 2010, A British customs investigator who was accused of leaking classified information about an international nuclear smuggling ring to two US journalists has been dismissed from his job, despite being told that he will not face prosecution under the Official Secrets Act, it was announced yesterday. Continue reading →

August 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Arrests of Catholic protestors at site for nuclear weapons facility

The new plant, which will make non-nuclear parts for nuclear weapons, is set to be the nation’s first new major nuclear weapons production facility in 32 years……

Catholic activists arrested at Kansas City nuclear weapons facility, National Catholic Reporter, Aug. 17, 2010By Joshua J. McElwee KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Singing choruses of “we shall not be moved” while scattering sunflower seeds, 14 activists were arrested here Aug. 16 after blocking an earth moving vehicle on the site of a proposed nuclear weapons manufacturing facility. Continue reading →

August 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Religion and ethics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Why the silence about floods and landslides in nuclear areas?

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Climate change is already having its impact in extreme weather conditions.

But nobody’s talking about the impact of these weather events on the nuclear industry.

Except for Russia, where government was forced to admit to (and to play down), the danger to its nuclear facilities, threatened by 400 wildfires.

What about the risks of flooding in nuclear powered Pakistan? What about flooding and mudslides in China’s Sichuan province, home of earthquakes and of nuclear waste dumps?

What about radioactive dust blowing around in the prolonged drought in uranium-mining Niger? Where is the mainstream media in all this?

Oh – I forgot – it’s not polite to talk about such things, not when our betters are trying so hard to sell nuclear power plants to everybody! – Christina Macpherson, 23 August 2010,

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Safety dangers in Taiwan nuclear power plant

The nuclear plant, in Kungliao, Taipei County, on the country’s north coast, has a decades-long history of problems.

Taipower faces fine over fourth nuclear plant: AEC – Taiwan News Online, 23 Aug 2010, Taiwan Power Corporation was facing a fine over its fourth nuclear plant even before it had started official operations, the Atomic Energy Council said yesterday. Continue reading →

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, Taiwan | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, radiation, reactor | Leave a comment

Obama’s visit to India panicking Indian govt over Nuclear Liability Bill

According to the new draft, an Indian operator of a nuclear supply can sue the supplier only if the supply in question was made with the intent of causing nuclear damage.……As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is keen on the passage of the bill before US President Barack Obama’s visit to India, the government will take a call on the issue in the next two days.

BJP to oppose diluted Nuclear liability bill – The Economic Times, 23 August 2010, NEW DELHI: With the Cabinet diluting the right to recourse of the operator to sue the supplier in the event of a nuclear accident, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) once again moved into the ‘nay-sayer’ column and vowed to defeat the civil nuclear liability bill in Parliament….. Continue reading →

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics | AUSTRALIA, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology | Leave a comment

Grave risks of earthquakes and floods in a nuclear powered India

the disaster management structure in the country, as per his opinion, is not well tailored in meeting radiological fall out and more unfortunate to mention that even educated section of the people is not well aware about the implications of a serious nuclear disaster.

India’s Sham Nuclear Liability Bill, By Toxic Watch, 22 August, 2010, Countercurrents.org “…….The Bill remains silent on the grave issues raised by Prabeer Kumar Basu, Secretary, Agriculture who mentioned before the Committee that the disaster management structure in the country is oriented in such a manner that emergencies arising out of floods, earthquakes and droughts could be managed in an efficient manner.

However, on the other hand, unfortunately the disaster management structure in the country, as per his opinion, is not well tailored in meeting radiological fall out and more unfortunate to mention that even educated section of the people is not well aware about the implications of a serious nuclear disaster.

He therefore, felt that more public awareness needs to be built in respect of nuclear disaster and its hair-raising impact on biological population. He further pointed out that as a consequence of a nuclear disaster of the Chernobyl type, it is quite possible that agricultural crops around 30 to 100 kms. from the site of the incident could be wiped out total………

Further revealing the criminal negligence of the drafters of the Bill, Prabhat C Chatirvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment while referring to Clause 5 (1)(i) which provides for non-liability of operator for any nuclear damage arising out of a grave natural disaster of an exceptional character pointed out that grave natural disaster should not include earthquakes or floods. He advised the Committee that if nuclear plant is placed in a seismic zone, it should be properly designed to withstand earthquake of severe character.
India’s Sham Nuclear Liability Bill By Toxic Watch

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, safety | antinuclear, climate change, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Documents reveal poor safety history of Britain’s nuclear arsenal

A Freedom of Information request has revealed that the Defence Environment and Safety Board believes budget cuts will make it “increasingly difficult to maintain that the defence nuclear programmes are being managed with due regard for the protection of the workforce, the public and the environment.

Nuclear arsenals under scrutiny for safety lapses, fires and floodGroup calls for planners to think twice about a major new facility at Trident warhead base at Aldermaston in Berkshire Jamie Doward * The Observer, Sunday 22 August 2010

Health and safety practices at the UK’s main nuclear weapons base are under intense scrutiny just weeks before it is expected to be granted permission for a multibillion-pound facility to conduct a new generation of radioactive tests. Continue reading →

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, UK | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

How low doses of ionising radiation can cause cancer

Apoptosis is the study of programmed cell death….the body’s natural cell-suicide program can fuel tumour development.”….this could happen if cellular DNA was damaged, say, by repeated exposure to low doses of radiation

Cells’ demise provides clues about cancer | The Australian, 21 Aug 2010, Research into apoptosis is taking place worldwide, with several large drug companies pouring money into the area, but critical work is being undertaken in Australia. Continue reading →