nuclear « nuclear-news

Uranium mining in Africa – vulnerable to terrorism

France has large economic interests in Africa. One is the mining of uranium for nuclear power. Recently several French in the industry were taken hostage in Niger. A French hostage being held in Mali was killed last summer.

France Terror Warning, Fox News, October 18, 2010 – by: Amy Kellogg French sources tell Fox News that the latest threat of a potential terrorist attack in Europe and particularly France is being taken seriously in Paris. Continue reading →

October 19, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment

Radiation risks of nuclear medicine need more oversight

CT scans of the abdomen use an amount of radiation equivalent to getting 1,500 dental X-rays, she said. CT scans of the heart and brain can use even more. The increased number of CT tests and increased amount of radiation used has boosted the amount of radiation exposure experienced by the general population…….

More oversight urged for X-ray technicians, Rapid City Journal, by Lynn Taylor Rick, October 18, 2010 “…………South Dakota is one of seven states in the nation that doesn’t require specific credentials for medical imaging operators, Continue reading →

October 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Local communities shut out of UK nuclear site decisions

NE nuclear wait goes on The Northern Echo 18 Oct 10, “……..four ‘Evolutionary Power Reactors’ (EPR), to open by 2025, have already been allocated to EDF’s sites in Suffolk and Somerset. Two will be built at each…………Jim Footner, head of Greenpeace’s climate and energy campaign, said: “Local democracy is being kicked out of the door when it comes to nuclear sites.
Lib Dem supporters must be furious that local communities will have little say about nuclear power stations in their area, other than choosing the colour of the gates.”…..bigger sea defences must be built. Last year, ministers also admitted that nuclear waste will have to be stored on site for more than 100 years if the go-ahead is given.

October 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

New UK Trident nuclear submarines not ready before 2028

The decision means that the first of the new generation of nuclear submarines may not enter service until 2028 – around five years after the first Vanguard submarine is due to be withdrawn.

Trident nuclear deterrent replacement faces delay of up to five years guardian.co.uk, Wintour and Watt, 18 Oct 10, New generation of nuclear submarines may not enter service until 2028….. Continue reading →

October 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | UK, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

No subsidy for nuclear power plants, says UK govt

there will be no levy, direct payment or market support for electricity supplied or capacity provided by a private sector new nuclear operator, unless similar support is also made available more widely to other types of generation,” said Chris Huhne, secretary of state for energy and climate change.

Subsidy for eight nuclear reactors rejected, FT.com, By Sylvia Pfeifer October 18 2010 Ministers said they would not rule out taking on “financial risks” as the government paved the way for eight new nuclear reactors, but they insisted there would be “no subsidy” for new nuclear power. Continue reading →

October 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, reactors | 1 Comment

UK’s Ministry of Defence secretive over nuclear safety failures

The MoD has been trying since 2007 to keep the reports, which give a unique insight into the managing of Britain’s bomb, secret.

MoD papers reveal catalogue of nuclear safety failures – Herald Scotland | News Rob Edwards 17 Oct 2010 Potentially catastrophic lapses in nuclear weapons safety at the Clyde naval base have been exposed by secret Ministry of Defence reports released after a three-year freedom of information battle. Continue reading →

October 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons, radioactive | Leave a comment

Western countries funding multi $billion cleanup of Russia’s arctic nuclear wastes

Although Russian authorities pledged transparency about the region’s nuclear issues, foreign journalists are denied access to a number of sites.

Russian Arctic’s ‘nuclear dump’ gets a facelift By Pierre-Henry Deshayes , Google hosted news, (AFP) –18 Oct 10, MURMANSK, Russia — An electronic sign along a busy street posts the outside temperature, the wind strength — and the radioactivity level.Welcome to Russia’s Kola Peninsula, a region that still bears the scars of its dubious past as the Soviet Union’s “nuclear dump”. Continue reading →

October 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Russia, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Rumour of USA planning to seize Pakistan’s nuclear weapons

Credible? – New War Rumors: U.S. Plans To Seize Pakistan?s Nuclear Arsenal, strategy.com, 16 Oct 10, Quote -Two recent news items emanating from the United States have begun to reverberate in Pakistan and give rise to speculation that growing American drone strikes and NATO helicopter attacks in that country may be the harbingers of far broader actions: Nothing less than the expansion of the West?s war in Afghanistan into Pakistan with the ultimate goal of seizing the nation?s nuclear weapons.

The News International, Pakistan?s largest English-language newspaper, published a report on October 13 based on excerpts from American journalist Bob Woodward?s recently released volume ?Obama?s Wars? which stated that during a trilateral summit between the presidents of the U.S., Afghanistan and Pakistan on May 6 of 2009 Pakistani head of state Asif Ali Zardari accused Washington of being behind Taliban attacks inside his country with the intent to use them so ?the US could invade and seize its nuclear weapons.? [1]- End Quote

Credible? – New War Rumors: U.S. Plans To Seize Pakistan?s Nuclear Arsenal

October 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Pakistan, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

The Emperor’s New Nuclear Clothes

Washington’s resolute reaction to the shrinking renaissance affirms the brilliance of Hans Christian Anderson’s ending to his fable “The Emperor’s New Clothes”:

“But he has nothing on!” everybody shouted at last. And the emperor shivered, for it seemed to him that they were right; but he thought within himself, “I must go through with the procession.” And so he carried himself still more proudly, and the chamberlains walked along holding the train which wasn’t there at all.

Honey, I Shrunk the Renaissance: Nuclear Revival, Climate Change and Reality, CleanEnergy Footprints, by Peter Bradford, 15 Oct 10, “………Where have all the reactors gone?The 18 applications to build 27 new reactors that were on file at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in January 2009 (with five more applications for seven units expected by the end of 2010) were hailed by a compliant press to constitute “a nuclear renaissance.” Continue reading →

October 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | spinbuster, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, reactors, uranium | 1 Comment

Utah State must rule on vexed question of “blended” radioactive wastes

The Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah has challenged the idea of blending wastes to get around limits at the Utah site and urged state authorities to prohibit it.

Utah: NRC ruling leaves nuke waste rules to state, The Washington Post, By PAUL FOY, The Associated Press, October 15, 2010; SALT LAKE CITY — Federal regulators have put off a decision on whether blended radioactive waste can be buried in Utah.The Nuclear Regulatory Commission decided this week to develop a new set of rules assessing the dangers of blended waste based on the risks at individual disposal sites….. Continue reading →

October 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | technology, USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | 1 Comment

Radioactive contamination, kidnappings, as uranium mining continues in Niger

shortcomings in the protection of workers against radiation, and increasing numbers of people living at Arlit or Akokan, a nearby town, cited this as the cause of their ill health…..uranium mining continues despite kidnappings

Safety concerns dog French uranium mines in Niger Still no sign of medical provisions Areva promised in 2009 Hervé Kempf * Guardian Weekly, 15 October 2010 For years uranium mining in Niger proceeded without giving rise to any major problems for companies, but things changed at the turn of the century. Since then the population of the mining town Arlit has become increasingly concerned that radioactivity may be exceeding regulatory limits. Continue reading →

October 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Niger, safety, Uranium | antinuclear, AREVA, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | 1 Comment

Canadian uranium miner fined for burning hazardous wastes

Uranium company fined $85K for burning hazardous waste in northern Saskatchwan Canadian Business LA RONGE, Sask. – A Saskatoon-based uranium company has been fined $85,676 for burning hazardous waste materials.The Ministry of Environment received a call in April 2009 that led conservation officers to a remote area on Sutton Lake in northern Saskatchewan to investigate a suspicious fire.Hazardous waste materials had been ignited and left to burn at a vacant exploration camp site, resulting in environmental charges being laid against Titan Uranium Inc. (TSXV:TUE) Uranium company fined $85K for burning hazardous waste in northern Saskatchwan | Markets | Headline News | Canadian Business Online

October 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, safety, Uranium | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear decommissioning, uranium | 1 Comment

BHP Billiton calls for carbon price – in order to promote its uranium mining

BHP has an interesting little asset called Olympic Dam in South Australia where it is considering a major series of upgrades. Expanded Olympic Dam output would exceed one quarter of global mined uranium. …..Olympic Dam is the world’s largest known uranium deposit,

BHP: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? The Star, by Mark Taylor | 15 Oct 10 Why would BHP BHP CEO Marius Kloppers express support for a carbon tax? The mining industry has its fair share of climate skeptics. Geologists and model-based climatologists have very different views of the world. Does BHP stand to gain or lose from a carbon tax? Continue reading →

October 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, spinbuster, Uranium | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, uranium | Leave a comment

USA – Nuclear power a dead cat now, despite politicians’ hype

The good news is that this time reality has set in before hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent to build plants fated eventually to be canceled or to come on line at costs far above the costs of providing the same energy services in other ways.

Honey, I Shrunk the Renaissance: Nuclear Revival, Climate Change and Reality, CleanEnergy Footprints, by Peter Bradford, 15 Oct 10, The “nuclear renaissance” has proven to be a promotion that cannot pass economic muster. Continue reading →

October 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

Radiation exposure of South African nuclear workers

Koeberg radiation leak being probed: News24: South Africa: News, 15 Oct 10, Pretoria – The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) says it has launched a probe into an incident last month at Koeberg nuclear power station in which 91 workers were exposed to radiation……. Continue reading →

October 16, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, South Africa | antinuclear, nuclear, radiation, reactor | Leave a comment