Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Counteracting the spin: nuclear and associated news this week

Some bits of good news–  People power: seven grassroots conservationists who are ‘saving the world’       Air pollution is falling again in China.  Planting Trees and Equity in the Arizona Desert.

TOP STORIES The Slow-Motion Execution of Julian Assange Continues. Assange Wins Right to Appeal on 1st Amendment Issue.   Julian Assange’s five-year battle against extradition to the US continues as he WINS last-ditch legal battle to lodge appeal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvwHt70oJJ4

38 Years After Chernobyl Disaster, 12% of Belarus’s Territory Is Still Contaminated

From the archives. The longer-term consequences of a nuclear war.

Climate. Isle of Wight-size iceberg breaks from Antarctica. We’ve underestimated the ‘Doomsday’ glacier – and the consequences could be devastating. 2024 looks like producing a sizzling summer in the North of this planet.:  

It’s so hot in Mexico that monkeys are dropping dead from trees.

Noel’s notes.  UK’s political omnishambles – a damper on the nuclear lobby.         Turning Point, The Cold War and the Bomb. Episode 3- Institutional Insanity.    The insanity of DEFENSE: with climate change, Defense becomes our real enemy.

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AUSTRALIA. Renewables and storage still cheapest option, nuclear too slow and costly in Australia – CSIRO.    Coalition’s brave nuke world a much harder sell after new CSIRO report.        CSIRO puts cost of new nuclear plant at $8.6bn as Coalition stalls on policy details.     Australia can learn from the American experience with nuclear power.        Western Australia Liberals reject Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan.      Dutton’s devoid-of-details nuclear plan an atomic failure.            The ‘first-of-its-kind’ premium that could add billions to Peter Dutton’s nuclear power plan.            Powering ahead: Dutton to name nuclear sites within weeks. Peter Dutton to reveal nuclear power locations ‘soon’ amid energy debate. 

Lidia Thorpe warns new laws will turn Australia into “the world’s nuclear waste dump“.

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NUCLEAR ISSUES

CLIMATE. Sites with radioactive material more vulnerable as climate change increases wildfire, flood risks. Nuclear sites, including Hanford, feeling the heat as climate change stokes wildfires drought.

Wildfire closes 20+ miles of highway across Hanford nuclear site Saturday night.

ECONOMICS. Militarism will inevitably lead America to bankruptcy ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/21/3b1-militarism-will-inevitably-lead-america-to-bankruptcy/

European Investment Bank’s (EIB) financing for nuclear reactor construction remains off the agenda.

UK Nuclear Plant Sizewell Continues Fundraising Before Election. Soaring costs are likely for planned Wylfa nuclear station, but EDF, Westinghouse, Kepco clamour to build it. ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/23/2-b1-soaring-costs-are-likely-for-planned-wylfa-nuclear-station-but-edf-westinghouse-kepco-clamour-to-build-it/ Wylfa nuclear power plan- a financial basket case- and no developer will take on the risks. Hinkley C – don’t say I didn’t warn you

EDUCATION. University of Sheffield gets into the nuclear debt web, partnering with Rolls Royce to make “small” nuclear reactors.

Yet another university co-opted by the nuclear industry.

Follow the Money: How Israel-Linked Billionaires Silenced US Campus Protests.

ENERGY. Solar and wind generation will soon pass nuclear, hydro.Electricity grids creak as AI demands soar.Huge nuclear ship spotted docked off Welsh coast. Q&A – Germany’s nuclear exit: One year after.HEALTH. Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) set to expire soon, while many nuclear test victims await justice .HISTORY. In 1939 the Soviet Union ‘planned to send a million troops to stop Hitler if Britain and France agreed pact’.
MEDIA.Antony Blinken orders crack down on Gaza-related nuclear leaks – Politico.Endless Trump reporting in USA media, but very little reporting of genocide in Gaza.Israel blocks Associated Press from livestreaming of Gaza under new censorship law, US urges it to reverse decision. Israel says it will return video equipment seized from AP.“Nuclear War: A Scenario”: An Absolute Must-Read. ALSO AT https://wordpress.com/post/nuclear-news.net/273842OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Nuclear-free councils hit out at ‘mad delusion’ of new reactor. Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLAs) join Stop Sizewell in urging 120 local authorities not to back Sizewell C.
Protest continues against Japan’s further discharge of nuke-contaminated water.
POLITICS. Uncertainty in UK: Will a Labour government really tread that troubled nuclear power path? UK Election! And no Final Investment Decision project. Sizewell C nuclear: Uncertainty surrounds final investment decision as parliamentary session shortened. SNPs Stephen Flynn claims Labour ‘will divert £20bn of Scotland’s oil cash’ to build nuclear power plants in England.
Joe Biden’s Deceptive Declarations on Gaza are contradicted by his actions.
Crisis of radioactive waste mismanagement in the Ottawa River watershed”		POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY.Iran’s new leaders stand at a nuclear precipice. Iran appoints nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri as interim foreign minister.Moscow to ‘mirror’ West, NATO approaches, including nuclear weapons: Russia.US-Saudi officials meet for security and nuclear deal.North Korea vows to boost nuclear posture after US subcritical nuke test.In Nuclear Crosshairs, Guam Still Doesn’t Control Its Own Affairs.Asian neighbors wary of China’s plans to deploy floating nuclear plants.Who was to blame for the failure to properly survey the geology at Hinkley?
SAFETY. UN watchdog warns on nuclear trafficking.
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant’s main power line down for hours, no safety threat.
Officials set up road closures around Sunnyside Community Hospital for radiation concerns.		SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. Why US Opposes Efforts to Keep Space Weapons-Free.TECHNOLOGY. Altman-Backed Oklo Sees Data Centers Boosting Nuclear Demand, (though OKLO SMR design not yet approved)
URANIUM. Russian uranium ban reopens threat of uranium mining escalation in US.WASTES. No nuke waste down under: NFLAs spokesperson seeks reassurance British nuclear subs will still be decommissioned at Rosyth.WAR and CONFLICT. Ukrainian missiles hit Crimea as Russia launches nuclear drills in area.
Ukraine war briefing: France flies nuclear-capable missile as Russia holds drills.

WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.

May 28, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

Counteracting the spin of the military-industrial-nuclear-complex this week

Some bits of good news.    
Instead of Taking Millions for Their Land, Texas Family Makes a Park Instead

Beavers Are Back in London — and They’re Thriving.   Moroccan Farmers Are Banking Traditional Seeds for a Hotter, Drier Future

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TOP STORIES Julian Assange faces judgment day over US extradition. ‘Bring Julian home’: the Australian campaign to free Assange.  https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/instead-of-taking-millions-for-their-land-texas-family-makes-a-park-instead/

Noel’s notes.    A DISAPPOINTING NETFLIX SERIES – Turning Point -the bomb and the cold war. Netflix’s “Turning point.       The bomb and the cold war”- Episode 2 – Poisoning the Soil.     Dominic Cummings the “evil gnome” who makes us think.

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AUSTRALIA. Nuclear subs are coming to Australia -Now the Coalition wants reactors, too-We’re not ready for it. Australia and the AUKUS nuclear waste-dump clause. Australia risks being ‘world’s nuclear waste dump’ unless Aukus laws changed, critics say. Nuclear waste from AUKUS nations could be on cards . 

Dutton’s nuclear would spike electricity bills when (if) they start in the 2040s. Going nuclear on power and wages may not be the election winner Peter Dutton thinks it is. Anthony Albanese accuses Coalition of hiding key details on nuclear policy. ‘Hugely expensive’ nuclear a ‘Trojan horse’ for coal, NSW Liberal says as energy policy rift exposed.  The 13 leading sites for a nuclear reactor in Australia – including a dam that supplies drinking water for a major city.

Australian war crimes whistleblower David McBride jailed for six years. David McBride goes to prison – and Australian democracy takes a hit. 

NUCLEAR ISSUES

CLIMATE. Mycle Schneider: Nuclear power is not an option.CULTURE. Amidst genocide and war, anti-Zionism protesters are demonised as ‘extremists‘.

War Culture Hates the Ethical Passion of the Young.		ECONOMICS. Nuclear Weapons at Any Price? Congress Should Say No.
Nuclear power station risks hitting taxpayers with £20bn bill.

Pension funds need ‘compelling’ returns from UK nuclear projects to invest.
EDUCATION. UK nuclear lobby further infiltrates universities with government grants for nuclear fusion.EMPLOYMENT Warning that Dounreay could be facing ‘prolonged’ industrial action over pay dispute.ENERGY. Tech firms claim nuclear will solve AI’s power needs – they’re wrong.

Think before you click – and three other ways to reduce your digital carbon footprint.
HEALTH. Radiation. New Brunswick’s nuclear reactor emits high levels of radioactivity, increasing cancer risk.MEDIA. Nuclear War Will Only Kill People Already Impacted By Nuclear Weapons. That’s Everyone.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeMZcgD8PmAOPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Protest. RAF Lakenheath protest to make airbase nuclear-free zone.

Together Against Sizewell C vows to continue fight after legal challenge rejected by Supreme Court – as the nuclear plant welcomes the news.

Indonesia civil society groups raise concerns over proposed Borneo nuclear reactor.

PERSONAL STORY. The plutonium connection: Why I no longer conduct my research at the University of New Brunswick.

POLITICS.
Ontario’s nuclear option is the wrong path to meet green energy targets.

Sen. Lindsey Graham suggests nuking Gaza, says nuking Hiroshima was ‘the right decision’.

UK plans new nuclear plant in Scotland despite Scottish government opposition. UK government about to overrule Scotland and impose nuclear stations? UK government planning nuclear site in Scotland – Jack. Scotland’s First Minister Swinney condemns Jack’s menacing idea for nuclear plant in Scotland . We’re all right Jack: No need for nuclear in Scotland. The last thing that Scotland needs is new nuclear power, small or otherwise. LABOUR MUST RULE OUT NEW NUCLEAR REACTOR FOR SCOTLAND.

Top Labour donor joins campaign to stop Hinkley nuclear plant.
Nuclear Free Local Authorities welcome commitment to recruit new Theddlethorpe GDF Community Partnership Chair at less cost who is local.
Welsh Nuclear Free Local Authorities welcome  Traws abandonment from New Nuclear plans.		POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY.
US Says It Won’t Let Iran Build Nuclear Bomb.
Dominic Cummings: Zelensky’s no Churchill and Ukraine’s corrupt.

Xi outlines solution to Ukraine conflict.

US bans China crypto-miner from nuclear base area.

China urges US, UK and Australia to stop AUKUS nuclear submarine deal: FM spokesperson.

China and Russia Disagree on North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons.
PLUTONIUM ALL reactor-produced plutonium is usable in nuclear weapons.SAFETY. Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) condemn Russian government plans to restart nuclear reactors at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Military activities near Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).

MISTAKES THAT CAUSED THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER. https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/20/1-b-all-reactor-produced-plutonium-is-usable-in-nuclear-weapons/).		SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. New report to Congress shows US determined to militarize space
SPINBUSTER. “Bouncing-back” and other resilience neologisms championed by the state are inherently at odds with the irreversibility of nuclear waste.  

Promising the Impossible: Blinken’s Out of Tune Performance in Kyiv.		TECHNOLOGY. EU rebuffs UK attempt to continue collaborating on nuclear fusion experiment -ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/16/1-b1-eu-rebuffs-uk-attempt-to-continue-collaborating-on-nuclear-fusion-experiment/

Renewable Energy company Neoen to build its biggest battery to shift energy to evening peak in nuclear-dominated Ontario.

Small Modular Nuclear Five Times The Price (letter).
Canada’s plutonium mishap in India was 50 years ago this week – is history repeating itself now?		URANIUM. Russian uranium ban reopens threat of uranium mining escalation in US.

Congress must stop Biden from fueling a Saudi nuclear bomb .
WASTES. Nuclear waste to be buried 650ft under the English countryside. ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/19/2-a-nuclear-waste-to-be-buried-650ft-under-the-english-countryside/

Japan starts 6th discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated wastewater.		WAR and CONFLICT. 450,000 Palestinians flee Rafah as Israeli tanks move in. Israel ‘Has Gone to War Against the Entire Palestinian People‘: Sanders. The US a Direct Partner in the Israeli War.

Only ‘two countries’ would survive nuclear war after ‘5 billion die in 72 hours‘, says expert.

U.S. rejects China’s proposal to ban first use of nuclear weapons.

This is what nuclear war in 2024 would look like.

Christmas Island veterans receive nuclear testing medals		WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. The Arsenal of Genocide: the U.S. Weapons That Are Destroying Gaza. Biden Moves Forward Over $1 Billion in Weapons for Israel as Tanks Push Deeper Into Rafah.

Blinken to Zelensky: ‘Here’s another $2 billion to get thousands more Ukraine troops killed for nothing.

U.S. conducted first subcritical nuclear test since September 2021.
Fifty years after Canada’s plutonium mishap in India, is history repeating itself?.
G7 goal of nuclear-free world increasingly challenged.

May 20, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

This week’s Climate Military-Industrial-nuclear-media -complex news

Some bits of good news. Opposing The War Machine Is Cool Again – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us1r9Wsvjts    Hake Fisheries’ Remarkable Recovery Is a Sign of Hope for Our Oceans.

TOP STORIES. `

We’ve barely scratched the surface of how energy efficiency can help the energy transition. 

The End of the World as We Know It.       United States nuclear weapons, 2024 – (long) extracts at- https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/10/2-a-united-states-nuclear-weapons-2024/     Don’t Believe the Washington War Machine: Putin Is Not Going to Invade Another NATO Ally.     

China and the U.S. Are Numb to the Real Risk of War – ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/12/1a-china-and-the-u-s-are-numb-to-the-real-risk-of-war/ Fusion reactor could create ingredients for a nuclear weapon in weeks.

Climate. ‘The stakes could not be higher’: world is on edge of climate abyss, UN warns. Floods in Brazil, Kenya, and Texas USA. Venezuela loses its last glacier as it shrinks down to an ice field. World’s oceans suffer from record-breaking year of heat. Afghanistan flash floods kill more than 300 as torrents of water and mud crash through villages.
Ghent students occupy university building in climate and Gaza protest.

Noel’s notes. Time to rise above the tit-for-tat mentality – “Turning Point: the Bomb and the Cold War” (and this is not an ad) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHuuLo-CSRo&t=4s. What is special about “Turning Point -The Bomb and Cold War”?.       “The empire” – an exaggerated, emotive, term?

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AUSTRALIA. 

NUCLEAR ISSUES.

CLIMATE. Fixation on UK nuclear power may not help to solve climate crisis.

ECONOMICS

How long does it take to build a nuclear reactor? We ask France. NuScale, maker of small nuclear reactors, reported revenue of $1.4 million and net loss of $48.1 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2024. Sizewell C nuclear station ‘absolutely not inevitable‘ says campaigner – Can investors be found?

Sam Altman’s nuclear energy company Oklo plunges 54% in New York Stock Exchange debut. Sam Altman-backed nuclear start-up crashes after Wall Street debut. NuScale Power Corporation (SMR) Reports Q1 Loss, Misses Revenue Estimates.

EDUCATION. Nuclear lobby infiltrates West Lakes Academy and the Energy Coast University Technical College .  ENERGY. Energy Revolutions – time for a change.
Constellation Energy looks to small nuclear reactors for the gross, ever-increasing, energy needs of great steel data containers.		ENVIRONMENT. Hinkley Point C: New public inquiry planned over environmental impact. UK Environment Agency ponders on its concerns over Hinkley Point C nuclear effects on fish and the marine habitat.Inside abandoned ghost town at Fukushima after nuclear power plant meltdown.
ETHICS and RELIGION. Let Israel’s Leaders Get Arrested for War Crimes.LEGAL. The mad waste of public money by UK’s leading nuclear giants to pursue costs against a whistleblower at your expense.
Forces of Impunity: The US Threatens the International Criminal Court.		MEDIA. Biden’s war on Gaza is now a war on truth and the right to protest. Israel Bans Al Jazeera Journalists, Network, Joining Syria and Iran as Repressive Regime.New Lines: How Washington is Weaponizing Media.
POLITICS.USA politicians threaten to invade International Criminal Court if Israel faces war crimes charges. The Summer of Student Activist Protests.UK’s Nuclear roadmap is a massive detour. UK Taxpayers to fund fast-tracked nuclear fusion reactors.Kremlin says nuclear weapon drills are Russia’s response to West’s statements.Polish industry minister announces massive delay in nuclear power plant project. Canada: Nuclear Waste Petition Tabled in Parliament.POLITICS INTERNATIONAL AND DIPLOMACYIran warns it will change nuclear doctrine if ‘existence threatened’.France’s mini nuclear reactor plan – Nuward, gets another financial handout from the European Commission.Nuclear Energy: The New Geopolitical Battleground.South Korean state energy monopoly in talks to build new UK nuclear plant– ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/12/1-b1-south-korean-state-energy-monopoly-in-talks-to-build-new-uk-nuclear-plant/Biden’s Shifting ‘Red Line’ Lets Israel Get Away With Murder.
RADIATION. Canada’s federal budget -calls nuclear energy “clean” – the height of absurdity!SAFETY. Sizewell C in Suffolk granted nuclear site licence.
SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. The detonation of even a single nuclear weapon in space could destroy a significant proportion of satellites in orbit around Earth: UK statement at the UN General Assembly.Astronomers in court against Federal Communications Commission and SpaceX. Russia, China plan nuclear power plant on Moon.TECHNOLOGY. Warren Buffett compares AI to nuclear weapons in stark warning.
The UK makes licensing for nuclear fusion easier: developers can lead site selection.
Nano Nuclear wants to reinvent the nuclear power business—but it could take a while.
Microsoft reportedly planning “Stargate”, a $100billion supercomputer to be powered by several nuclear plants
URANIUM. US Congress Restricts Russian Uranium Imports, Unlocks $2.7 Billion for Domestic Fuel.US nuclear industry clamors for waiver process details as Russian uranium ban looms.
WASTES. Nuclear waste at center of testy Nevada Senate race.
Japan’s government asks Genkai mayor to accept site survey to host nuclear waste.
WAR and CONFLICT. Israeli Invasion of Rafah Appears Imminent After Evacuation Order. Ending the Logic of War. Rafah residents call on the world to act.
NATO escalation in Ukraine threatens nuclear war with Russia. Moscow threatens to strike British military facilities following Cameron’s remarks. Medvedev says aim of nuclear exercises is to work out response to attacks on Russian soil.
Exactly what happens in the seconds after a nuclear bomb is launched – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–dDjjOkY9A		WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.France wants to extend its nuclear umbrella to Europe.US Defenseless Against Russian Hypersonic Missiles and Iranian Drones – Explosive Defence Department Testimony.Military interests are pushing new nuclear power.Students Demanding Divestment: You’re on the Right Side of History.Token gesture: Biden puts hold on approved shipments of ammo to Israel. Hamas will not be defeated for another two to three years: Israeli military sources.Putin orders tactical nuclear weapons drills. Pentagon sees no change in Russia’s strategic nuclear force posture.The Great Ukraine Robbery Is Not Over Yet. The United States Is Expected to Announce a New $400 Million Package of Weapons for Ukraine.

May 13, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | , , , , | Leave a comment

This week’s news about the military-industrial-nuclear-communications ecosystem

Some bits of good news – The positive impact of conservation action.  The ‘Green Nobel Prize’ announced its winners.   Solar Balconies Are Booming in Germany and You Can Plug in and Install Them Yourself

TOP STORIES. 

72 Minutes Until the End of the World? Is There Life Beyond Nuclear Armageddon? 

Five Things the “Nuclear Bros” Don’t Want You to Know About Small Modular Reactors. 

University Investments: Divesting from the Military-Industrial Complex. 

Bill before Australian Parliament would allow UK and USA to dump decades of high-level nuclear waste in Australia.

Climate. ‘Inside an oven’: sweltering heat ravages crops and takes lives in south-east Asia. Brutal 48C heatwave takes its toll on east Asia. – ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/06/1-b1-inside-an-oven-sweltering-heat-ravages-crops-and-takes-lives-in-south-east-asia/

Noel’s notes. The global nuclear industry – rotten to the core. Small modular reactors – yes -the nuclear lobby will keep hyping them – no matter what!

AUSTRALIA. 

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NUCLEAR ISSUES

ARTS. UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities to join new “Rock Solid2” art exhibition.CIVIL LIBERTIES. Academic arrested for “statements against Zionism” as Israel intensifies anti-genocide crackdown.Enforcing Silence on Genocide.CULTURE.Israel’s Defenders Talk So Much About Feelings Because They Can’t Talk About Facts
ECONOMICS.Industrial action by nuclear submarine workforce hits Rolls Royce.UK government pushing institutional investors to support Sizewell C nuclear project.
A new nuclear energy law will likely mean higher utility bills.
Georgia’s Vogtle 2 nuclear reactors cost over $30Billion, – but were meant to cost $14Billion		ENERGY.G7 Countries Task IRENA to Monitor Group’s Renewable Energy Progress.Germany records 50 hours of negative electricity prices for April, largely due to renewables.California hits stunning new solar and battery records in postcard from energy future. Huge success of renewable energy in California – over 100% of demand for many days
ETHICS and RELIGION. Israel ‘undoubtedly’ committing genocide says Holocaust scholar Amos Goldberg.HEALTH. Dounreay & Scottish Nuclear Policy.. ALSO AT  https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/01/2-b1-dounreay-scottish-nuclear-policy/
INDIGENOUS ISSUES. First Nations leaders voice opposition to nuclear power plants.Land Defence Alliance stands united against the burial of nuclear waste.Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) responds to Land Defence Alliance protest.HUMAN RIGHTS. New US Antisemitism Law Turns Critics Against Israeli Genocide Into Criminals.
LEGAL. INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION vs. FCC AND SPACEX.
How Israel violates International Law in Gaza: expert report.		MEDIA. The Vow from Hiroshima film is coming on PBS, this month. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RcSCgUBrUc
New Book – The Scientists Who Alerted Us to the Dangers of Radiation.
Gaza Journalists Killed by Israel Honored on World Press Freedom Day. As Peace Protests Are Violently Suppressed, CNN Paints Them as Hate Rallies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOBEHXtWMRI
POLITICS. Inside story: Will Iran’s supreme leader revise his ‘nuclear fatwa’?
US Presidential candidate arrested at anti-Israel protest.
France’s Macron wants to build 14 new Nuclear reactors by 2050. 6 is more realistic. France Increases State Funding for Advanced Nuclear R&D Project.
UK / Parliamentary Committee Chair Criticises Lack Of Clarity On SMR Plans. Why UK Government nuclear quango has ruled out Trawsfynydd from initial mini-nuke rollout.
The breadth and depth of the nuclear lobby in Canada.		POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. 
Why Iran may accelerate its nuclear program, and Israel may be tempted to attack it.

US vs China, Israel vs Iran, India vs Pakistan: Asia plays with fire as nuclear war safety net frays.
SAFETY. Alarm over nuclear safety lapses on the Clyde. Fears raised over Wales accident risk involving aircraft carrying nuclear materials.

IAEA’s top nuclear salesman-cum-watchdog, Rafael Grossi, to visit Iran
SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS.Dead satellites are filling space with trash. That could affect Earth’s magnetic field.

Nukes in space: Why a very very stupid idea just became more likely.
TECHNOLOGY. A Closer Look at Two Operational Small Modular Reactor Designs. Can floating nuclear power plants help solve Northern Canada’s energy woes?. (ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/05/05/2-b1-can-floating-nuclear-power-plants-help-solve-northern-canadas-energy-woes/) 
Small reactors don’t add up as a viable energy source. Small modular reactors aren’t the energy answer for remote communities and mines.

ARC might need to redesign its SMR technology: former president + US bans import of enriched uranium + more to the story		URANIUM. US cutoff of Russian uranium imports viable but costly to replace.WASTES. The undersea nuclear graveyard now more costly than HS2.

Barrels Of Radioactive Waste Turn Up Off The Coast Of California.

To find a place to store spent nuclear fuel, Congress needs to stop trying to revive Yucca Mountain.

Toxic sewage discharged at Chalk River nuclear lab. Nuclear-waste compensation (?bribery) numbers raise eyebrows.
WAR and CONFLICT. The Israel-US game plan for Gaza is staring us in the face. Israel’s Finance Minister Smotrich calls for ‘total annihilation’ of Gaza.

CodePink – Tell President Biden: WE WANT COOPERATION, NOT CONFLICT!

NATO using war games to ‘prepare for conflict’ – Moscow.		WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.Zelensky wants ten more years of US funding. NATO state rejects €100 billion Ukraine war chest ‘madness’.

US Air Force pays $13 billion for new ‘doomsday’ planes that protect president during a nuclear attack .

The Fight Over THAAD in Korea.

May 6, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

Nuclear and associated news this week

Some bits of good news –  High Seas Treaty: EU votes to ratify landmark international law to protect oceans.  ‘I want to tackle it in a big way’: Meet the Nigerian women spearheading solar projects

TOP STORIES.

Gen Z Just Might Save The World – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXs9LMrwDpA   

Bankers upgrade Lockheed stock after Iran strikes at Israel. 

New civil nuclear programmes crossing over into military nuclear programmes. 

Nuclear-waste dams threaten Central Asia heartland– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExuDrRYHmDE 

How much will the UK’s new nuclear submarines really cost? -ALSO AT more https://nuclear-news.net/2024/04/28/2-a-how-much-will-the-uks-new-nuclear-submarines-really-cost/

Climate. Tens of thousands evacuated from massive China floods. Europe baked in ‘extreme heat stress’ pushing temperatures to record highs. Heatwave in India: TV host faints during live broadcast as swaths of country reel from sweltering temperatures.

Noel’s notes.   Japan – the return of the “Nuclear Village“?   Ukraine war – the changing face of weaponry.        The failed social species – Homo-not-sapiens-at-all.  Oh it’s a great time to be an American – with shares in “Defense” companies!  

AUSTRALIA. Dutton’s atomic bet threatens Coalition chain reaction over climate. Dutton’s nuclear policy backfires. ‘A little awkward’: Coalition faces internal tension over nuclear plans . Dutton’s plan to save Australia with nuclear comes undone when you look between the brushstrokes. The conservative charity group figures driving the opposition leader’s pivot to nuclear energy. National Party threatens to tear up wind and solar contracts as nuclear misinformation swings polls. Nationals’ nuclear climate policy puts Australia’s Paris deal in doubt. US bases including Pine Gap saw Australia put on nuclear alert, but no-one told Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.

NUCLEAR ISSUES

CIVIL LIBERTIES. The McCarthyist Attack on Gaza Protests Threatens Free Thought for All.ECONOMICS. Price tag for Poland’s first nuclear plant may reach $37bn.
Nuclear Power’s Lethal, Larcenous End Game. Rolls Royce scales back plans to build nuclear factories in UK. 
EDUCATION. Crackdown On Students And Information As Genocide Widens.

ENERGY. The astonishing growth of renewable energy.

ENVIRONMENT. Unstable nuclear-waste dams threaten fertile Central Asia heartland. Indian Nuclear Sites Impact South Tibetan Plateau Radioactivity. Chernobyl – the Cloud Lingers On.

ETHICS and RELIGION. Zionism Is In Its Flop Era. Acknowledging the Horrors of Gaza—Without Wanting to End Them.

EVENTS. National Not-the-Nuclear-Lobby Returns to Parliament Hill, Ottawa. www.uraniumfilmfestival.org / https://uraniumfilmfestival.org/en/usacanada-2024-program / https://uraniumfilmfestival.org/…/2024_las_vegas…

HEALTH. Nuclear test campaigner demands access to medical files.MEDIA. Cruelty of Language — The New York Times’ Leaked Gaza Memo.

Inside Fukushima’s red zone: Eerie pictures show abandoned schools, hospitals and shopping malls frozen in time 13 years after .nuclear disaster in Japan		OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Nuclear-Free Future Awards unite unsung heroes.

No Drones Over Gaza Or Anywhere!

PLUTONIUM. NNSA Delays Urgent Research on Plutonium “Pit” Aging But Spends Billions on Nuclear Weapons Bomb Core

POLITICS. Biden signs $95bn aid bill to be sent ‘right away’ – for wars in Ukraine, Israel, and provocations in Taiwan.

Now is the Time for All Good Men and Women to Come to the Aid of Our Country USA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTP-W9VoFKA

War Parties, the Peace Candidate, and the November Election. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxDYqMTjA9U

Iran says nuclear weapons have no place in its nuclear doctrine.

Where are France’s nuclear reactors and what is planned for more?

Scottish National Party and UK Government in row over cost of nuclear dumping grounds. Popular UK holiday park to close, as Sizewell C nuclear project takes over

Japan city assembly OKs request for nuclear waste site survey.

Saudi Arabia is set to witness major developments in nuclear sector: IAEA chief Rafael Grossi.

POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. Patrick Lawrence: The Impotence of Antony Blinken. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MHtQ9CF_-s&t=218sPROTESTS. Protesters in Taiwan demand closure of nuclear power plants.SAFETY. Paul Dorfman: “In Ukraine or the Middle East, the risk of a nuclear accident is real” –ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/04/24/2-b1-paul-dorfman-in-ukraine-or-the-middle-east-the-risk-of-a-nuclear-accident-is-real/
Nuclear: In Flamanville, the EPR farce continues.Chernobyl campaigner Adi Roche warns of global nuclear threat as power plant attacked in Ukraine. Thirty-eight years on, lessons from Chernobyl. Grim nuclear anniversary: Zaporizhzhia must not repeat Chornobyl.
IAEA clears Japanese reactor for 60-year lifetime.
SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. Russia, US clash at UN over nuclear weapons in space
TECHNOLOGY. Problems delay Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor restart.


The former rail chief now minding the (construction) gap at Sizewell. ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/04/29/2-b1-the-former-rail-chief-now-minding-the-construction-gap-at-sizewell/

WASTES. Scotland could be hit ‘with £22bn nuclear clean-up bill’ ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/04/26/2-b1-scotland-could-be-hit-with-22bn-nuclear-clean-up-bill/
Nuclear waste storage facility told to take action after breach. Plutonium.


The long path of plutonium: A new map charts contamination at thousands of sites, miles from Los Alamos National Laboratory
WAR and CONFLICT. Israeli Strikes in Rafah Kill 22, Including 18 Children. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OdABlkwi6M&t=67s
Russia: West military support for Ukraine could lead to confrontation between world’s nuclear powers.
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Oversees Simulated ‘Nuclear Counterattack’.
Why Iran may accelerate its nuclear program, and Israel may be tempted to attack it.		WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. U.S. Senate Passes $95 Billion Foreign Military Aid Bill. The US secretly sent long-range ATACMS to Ukraine — and Kyiv used them. Three Cheers for Our Red, White, and Blue War Profiteers. Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Applaud $95 Billion Supplemental Arms Package.
US nuclear weapons in Poland would be priority military target – Moscow.
Russia-Ukraine war: EU ministers fail to pledge Patriot systems to Ukraine at key meeting – as it happened.
Macron ready to ‘open debate’ on nuclear European defence.
Polish president: Poland ready to deploy allied nuclear weapons on its territory.
“Fiscally conservative” Congressman Sean Casten votes to squander $95 billion to further destroy Ukraine, enable genocide in Gaza, provoke military confrontation with China,

April 29, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

Nuclear news – week to 22 April

Some bits of good news – ‘The Largest Environmental Restoration in History’ Continues to Restart the Heart of the Everglades
Adopting the Aquaculture of the Future in Thailand A sustainable, integrated approach to fish farming has caught on in China and elsewhere. Thailand could be next.

TOP STORIES. 

Iran Israel: An audible sigh of relief in the Middle East. The ‘Accepted Insanity’ of World War III 

From the archives. How long can Israel defy the world?

Climate. Coral bleaching: Fourth global mass stress episode underway – US scientists. Swiss ruling could pave way for more climate activist cases. Pakistan issues flood alert and warns of heavy loss of life due to glacial melting.

Noel’s notes. Israel v Iran – religious fanaticism or common sense in the atomic age. Ukraine’s going the full Ukraine – no more bilingual nonsense, thank you very much.

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AUSTRALIA. Washington Syndrome: Australia’s sovereignty sell-out hidden in plain sight. Greens call for anti-AUKUS movement at community forum. 

Nuclear power in Australia is a really bad idea. The ban ensures that is all it is. Why South Australia will be a nuclear power battleground at the 2025 federal election. Coalition rift emerges over Dutton’s nuclear plans. Dutton kicks his own nuclear policy can down the road, amid reports of split in Coalition.

 Universities for AUKUS: The Social License Confidence Trick. 

The unyielding spirit of Uncle Kevin Buzzacott.

NUCLEAR ISSUES 

ARTS and CUTURE. No more Russian language on air in three months – KievECONOMICS. Abrdn and two more City giants shun Sizewell C nuclear project. Small reactors don’t add up as a viable energy source. Sizewell C signs multi-billion euro deal with nuclear reactor business Framatome.
EMPLOYMENT, Two days of strikes planned at Dounreay nuclear power complex. The size of the workforce at Hunterston B Nuclear is to be cut by nearly a third.ENERGY. Should we use nuclear energy?ENVIRONMENT. New Hinkley nuclear power plant expected to kill 46 tonnes of fish a year. – ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2024/04/18/1-b1-new-hinkley-nuclear-power-plant-expected-to-kill-46-tonnes-of-fish-a-year/ Japan starts 5th ocean discharge of Fukushima nuclear-tainted wastewater despite opposition.
ETHICS and RELIGION. The climate crisis and nuclear weapons. Is the possibility of a World War real?HISTORY. Labour and nuclear weapons: a turbulent ideological history.
OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Survey by East Lindsay District Councillor and Guardians of the East Coast (GOTEC) say ‘85% don’t want nuclear dump’.Seasoned Clams back – anti-nuclear alliance of the 1970’s revived .POLITICS 5 Reasons Why What U.S. Congress Just Did Does Not Help UkraineYou will not BELIEVE what the Tories just gave Fujitsu ANOTHER government contract for. Keir Starmer doesn’t speak for Labour members on nuclear weapons.Analysis of Canada’s Budget 2024 provisions related to nuclear.
POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY.

“Rules-Based Order” Means Rules For Thee But Not For We.

Biden Administration Defies Australia’s Call To End Assange Case, Submits ‘Assurances’ To UK Court. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zwfQX5evbA

Iran warns Israel it knows where its nukes are hidden. Iranian commander says Tehran could review ‘nuclear doctrine’ amid Israeli threats.
Biden considering a new Iranian nuclear deal. I’ve seen Iran’s nuclear HQ – these are the risks if Israel tries to destroy it,.

Kiev demands Israel-style security guarantees.		SAFETY.
Attacks on Ukraine’s nuclear plant put world at risk, IAEA warns.

An additional eight days for the annual outage of Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor due to new faults.

Corrosion found in treated radioactive water tanks at Fukushima plant.

Theberton faces nightmare Sizewell C roadworks disruption. Safety probe at Cheshire-based nuclear cargo firm.

Continuing safety problems
with New Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Shaft.

More deficiencies in the @NuScale_Power standard design approval application.
ECRETS and LIES.Fujitsu ‘managing top-secret military system’ two years after contract expired.

Bombs and viruses: The shadowy history of Israel’s attacks on Iranian soil.

Wyden Says Spying Bill Would Force Americans to Become an ‘Agent for Big Brother‘.
Facebook designates Grayzone journalist Kit Klarenberg a ‘dangerous individual’		SPINBUSTER. The fantasy of reviving nuclear energy – ALSO AT ……TECHNOLOGY.New Fujitsu security research center in Israel to further develop digital identity tools. MPs flag UK’s HM Revenue & Custom’s £1.4bn active contracts with Fujitsu.

Nuke authorities approve loading fuel at Niigata’s long-idled Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant.

Stuxnet – how a simple USB stick sabotaged Iran’s nuclear plan in a ‘world-first’ showdown.
Potential for small and micro modular reactors to electrify developing regions.

WASTES. Decommissioning. EDF wants public views on plans for Hinkley Point B decommissioning.

WAR and CONFLICT.Under UN Charter, Iran’s Attack Was a Legal Response to Israel’s Illegal Attack. The West now wants ‘restraint’– after months of fuelling a genocide in Gaza. Iran Closes Nuclear Sites Fearing Israeli Attack: IAEA Chief.
Eve of destruction.Can war in the Middle East be avoided? Iran President Warns of ‘Massive’ Response if Israel Launches ‘Tiniest Invasion’ .
 Israel attacking Iran ‘could prompt it to develop nuclear bomb in months’ Israel: the road to Masada.
AI-assisted genocide’: Israel reportedly used database for Gaza kill lists.
We are closer to nuclear disaster today than at any point in the Cold War.		WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.U.S. House Passes $95 Billion Foreign War Bills. Missile Defenseless.
Israel has nuclear weapons. Iran does not. Frequently Asked Questions about nuclear weapons in the Middle East.
 US reportedly built missiles that can ruin Iran’s nuclear facilities. The Iron Dome and US-Israel Relations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TBiTNVV4Og

The short march to China’s hydrogen bomb.‘
Pakistan advanced nuclear weapons programme despite economic challenges’
No Russian heavy weapons at Zaporozhye plant – IAEA boss.
U.S. is building first new nuclear warhead in decades.

April 22, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

Nuclear – the not so wonderful news this week

Some bits of good news. The Beautiful Place that Stopped Big Bottled Water.    A Tidal Wetland Restoration of Epic Proportions. 

TOP STORIES. 

Annie Jacobsen: ‘What if we had a nuclear war?’

What are the risks at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after drone attack? –ALSO AT … https://nuclear-news.net/2024/04/10/3-a-what-are-the-risks-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-after-drone-attack/    

What’s Inside the President’s Nuclear Football?

Climate. Heatwaves now last much longer than they did in the 1980s. What if global emissions went down instead of up?- ALSO AT …… https://nuclear-news.net/2024/04/12/2-b1-what-if-global-emissions-went-down-instead-of-up/         Swiss women win landmark climate victory at European Court of Human Rights.

Nuclear. I’m quite fascinated that the UK is using Fujitsu’s software in its nuclear lab –    after the total scandal and shemozzle of Fujitsu’s software in the UK Post  Offices –  more about that next week.

Noel’s notes. Australia is EVER so grateful to the global nuclear lobby!   The nuclear lobby’s new “prime wheeze” – Community Interest Companies.

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AUSTRALIA. 

NUCLEAR ISSUES

CLIMATE. Nuclear energy ‘now an obstacle to delivering net zero’ – Greenpeace.CIVIL LIBERTIES. Flicker of Hope: Biden’s Throwaway Lines on Assange.

ECONOMICS.

EDUCATION. U.S. adds to the $1billion already granted to education for the nuclear industry.ENERGY. Finland: Grid Limitations Force Olkiluoto-3 to Curtail Output.HEALTH. St. Louis Residents Seek Compensation for Illnesses Tied to Nuclear Contamination.
LEGAL. Kevin Gosztola: Correcting the Record on the Assange Case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2xPL230qCY
UK Government decision to withhold nuclear power plant information unlawful.		MEDIA. Books. Nuclear Lies, Cover-Ups and Secrecy
OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Past anti-nuclear activists in Europe speak out against current plans.Non-proliferation experts urge US to not support nuclear fuel project. Tax day and war resistance.Sizewell C Nuclear : too destructive, too costly, too late.
PERSONAL STORIES. Five Years At Belmarsh: A Chronicle Of Julian Assange’s Imprisonment.
POLITICS.UK government could still replace Fujitsu in key nuclear contract.UK revamps Sizewell C nuclear funding to avoid delays.Hunterston: Scottish National Party see no nuclear future due to terrorism risk – ALSO AT …https://nuclear-news.net/2024/04/13/1-b1-hunterston-scottish-national-party-see-no-nuclear-future-due-to-terrorism-risk/Keir Starmer slammed over staunch defence of nuclear weapons.The Scottish National Party support signing an international treaty banning nuclear weapons, post independence.In an Ontario town split over a nuclear dump site, the fallout is over how they’ll vote on the future. Ballooning costs and secret projects at Canada’s federal nuclear labsPOLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY.US Declines Israel’s Invitation To Start WW3 (For Now).There Is No Grudge That Cannot Be Resolved, China’s Xi Jinping Tells Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou in Momentous Beijing Meeting.
The Mutually Reinforcing U.S. and Israeli Empires.
The US and Japan’s Mission to Push Next Generation Nuclear Power .
PUBLIC OPINION. Ukraine fatigue: Kiev and the West are tiring of war and each otherSAFETY. Zaporizhzhia: Russia claims Ukrainian drone hit dome of nuclear powerplant. Nuclear power plants in war zones: Lessons learned from the war in Ukraine. Attacks on Ukrainian nuclear facilities ‘must cease immediately’: UN atomic watchdog. UN nuclear watchdog’s board sets emergency meeting after Zaporizhzhia attacks. Ukraine: Briefing on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant: The ‘Sum Of All Fears’.
Towards an international regulatory framework for AI safety: lessons from the IAEA’s nuclear safety regulations.
SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. Not enough war on the ground, the US is taking it to space.
U.S. Space Command adopts multipronged approach to prepare for ‘a conflict that has never happened’.
Rolls Royce taps funding for nuclear-powered space missions.		TECHNOLOGY. Getting bigger but not safer or cheaper – the myth of Rolls Royce and its very big non-modular reactor.U.S. nuclear industry upbeat on small reactors, despite setback.
Death by Algorithm: Israel’s AI War in Gaza.		URANIUM. Production of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) threatens our environment, health, and safety.WASTES.   First Images Inside Fukushima’s Nuclear Reactor Show “Icicle-Like”Structures
WAR and CONFLICT.Amid Serious Iran-Israel Tension, The Nuclear Elephant Is In The Room.US, Philippines, Japan, and Australia Conduct First Joint Military Exercise in South China Sea.Brutal, chaotic war – norms, conventions and laws of conduct are being erased.Israel Prepares For Potential Strike On Iranian Nuclear Sites.Will Biden’s zero sum game approach to foreign conflict bumble US into regional/nuclear war in Europe and Middle East?The Longer it Takes the West to Accept that Ukraine is Losing, the Worse Things Will Get for Ukraine.WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.Civil and military nuclear mutuality.Increased activity at nuclear test site in northern Russia: expert.Patrick Lawrence: ‘Automated Murder’: Israel’s ‘AI’ in Gaza. ‘Lavender’: The AI machine directing Israel’s bombing spree in Gaza. Israel’s ‘Where’s Daddy?’ AI system helps target suspected Hamas militants when they’re at home with their families, report says.BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR BRITAIN’S WEAPONS EXPORTS.The Math on Ukraine Doesn’t Add Up

April 15, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

TODAY. Australia is EVER so grateful to the global nuclear lobby!

First of all, we Australians LOVE spending money! Not on health, education, preserving our unique biodiversity, certainly not on shelter for our growing homeless.

With our relatively small population, we are still delighted to cough up nearly $400billion to buy a second-hand American nuclear submarine and to buy all the USA and UK nuclear submarine wastes that these dear friends vouchsafe to dump on us.

And, it was interesting to read today, that the UK has spurned paying $millions to Rolls Royce as the maker for its proposed fleet of small modular nuclear reactors.

No problem to the nuclear lobby. Rolls Royce now plans to flog them off to Australia instead – Opposition leader Peter Dutton has pledged, if elected, to deliver Rolls Royce small modular reactors into the grid by the mid-2030s.

Any old or useless stuff that the nuclear industry has to get rid of – no probs – Australia will buy it!

April 10, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews, politics, spinbuster | Leave a comment

This week – the less positive news about nuclear.

Some bits of good news.
Global Life Expectancy Rises by 6.2 Years After Drop in Deaths from Stroke, Diarrhea, and Respiratory Infections     Saving Migratory Fish, One Culvert at a Time.

TOP STORIES. Aukusing for War: The Real Target Is China .
The $97 billion mess – spent nuclear fuel reprocessing in Japan.
Xi Jinping’s Thoughts on China’s Nuclear Weapons.
America’s Nuclear War Plan in the 1960s Was Utter Madness. It Still Is.

Inside Sellafield behind the razor wire gun- toting guards and blast barriers at the toxic nuclear site – also at 

 Nuclear regulators should weigh climate change risk to power plants, report says. 

Spent nuclear fuel mismanagement poses a major threat to the United States. Here’s how..

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AUSTRALIA.

Climate. Climate change requires kind of collective effort that British people made during Second World War . ‘Simply mind-boggling’: world record temperature jump in Antarctic raises fears of catastrophe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXwmCLqQESQ

Nuclear.  I find it overwhelming – the enthusiasm of the world’s leaders  for ever more deadly nuclear weaponry – in view of  The day of nuclear Armageddon.

Noel’s notes. NATO – dancing macabrely to World War 3?  Why I am really a CONSERVATIVE, and you should be, too.  Ethics, intelligence, literature, and nuclear reprocessing.

NUCLEAR ISSUES.

CLIMATE. Nuclear energy cannot lead the global energy transition. Portents of a nuclear war on a burning planet.
Climate change and nuclear waste are a toxic stew.
Nuclear Power Plants: NRC Should Take Actions to Fully Consider the Potential Effects of Climate Change. Nuclear regulator delinquent on climate.		ECONOMICS. Russia’s state-owned energy company Rosatom is drumming up new nuclear business in Africa.

United Arab Emirates in talks to invest in European nuclear power infrastructure.

The cost of Europe’s new nuclear power plants.
EDUCATION. Small Nuclear Reactors – free and comprehensive information from SMRs Education Task Force.
ENERGY Fukushima City: 100 MW solar farm. China’s quiet energy revolution: the switch from nuclear to renewable energy.

ENVIRONMENT. Ecocide a ‘Critical Dimension of Israel’s Genocidal Campaign’ in Gaza: Probe. 3 B 1 Say no to small modular reactors: Stop normalizing the exploitation of nature. Radiation. Russia declares ‘state of emergency’ after radiation detected in eastern city of Khabarovsk
ETHICS and RELIGION. Holy See: ‘Nuclear deterrence is an illusion’.

EVENTS. 11 April WEBINAR Nuclear exploitation: how uranium mining harms communities.    https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iThP7xYKRVy6XxQ46hOwpA#/registration

HEALTH. St. Louis-area residents make plea for compensation for illnesses tied to nuclear contamination.
LEGAL UK govt lawyers conclude Israel in breach of humanitarian law.

Sprawling Sellafield Nuclear Waste Site Prosecuted for Cybersecurity Failings.

Lawsuit challenges $1 billion in federal funding to sustain California’s last nuclear power plant.		MEDIA. An interview with Annie Jacobsen, author of ‘Nuclear War: A Scenario’.

‘Oppenheimer’ finally opens in Japan, the only nation to experience horror of nuclear war
OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . 45 years after Three Mile Island, we need a ‘No Nukes’ comeback.

POLITICS. U.S. government extends key nuclear power subsidy by another 40 years.

Dennis Kucinich: the US engineered a coup to drag Ukraine into a conflict.
POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY.
 US Secretary of State Blinken says Ukraine will be NATO member. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddI8OJKTWxc

Japan confirms experts met in China to ease concerns over discharge of treated radioactive water.
The Case for Nuclear Diplomacy (doesn’t mention the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons!)		SAFETY. 
M6.0 earthquake hits coast of Japan’s Fukushima: Japan Meteorological Agency.

EDF confirms cracks on 1.3 GW Paluel 2 reactor.

TEPCO plans new installations at Fukushima nuclear plant, to deal with radioactive leakage.

Mystery of America’s first fatal nuclear disaster – explosion of small nuclear reactor.

Russia urges IAEA to publicly reveal Ukrainian attacks on nuclear plant. Ukrainian artillery cuts last backup power line to Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant.
SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. Russia calls out US over plans to militarize space.

SPINBUSTER. Jim Green demolishes Rolls Royce’s claims about so-called “small” and “cheap” nuclear reactors for Australia.

TECHNOLOGY. Not content with nuclear wastes to the seas, the nuclear lobby now wants floating nuclear power – (for the environment! they say).
WAR and CONFLICT. The day of nuclear Armageddon: Newly declassified documents reveal in macabre minute-by-minute detail what the end of the world would like. And why those vaporised instantly by an atomic bomb will be the lucky ones…

The Looming Ukraine Debacle. Ukrainian counteroffensive ‘biggest debacle in modern military history’ – David Sacks. West helping Ukraine attack deep inside Russia – CNN.		WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. U.S. Nuclear Weapons Costs, Projections Continue to Rise.

‘Obscene’: Biden Quietly OKs More 2,000-Pound Bombs, Warplanes for Israel.

Ukraine aid will bankrupt future US generations – congressman.

April 8, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

TODAY. Why I am really a CONSERVATIVE, and you should be, too.

Years ago, when I was a member of the Australian Labor Party, I was shocked when someone accused me of being really a conservative at heart. Sacrilege! to a Leftie, to be given such an accusation!

Now I know that it is true.

Conservative – “holding traditional values.”

Conservation – “seeking the proper use of nature, a careful preservation and protection of natural resources to prevent exploitation, pollution, destruction, or neglect.”

It is fashionable, and of course, attention-grabbing in the media – to condemn things that are “old” and claim that “youth opinion” and “feelings” (rather than facts) are what matter , to downgrade our institutions of justice, and representative democracy that have served us well over time.

How is it that now there is worldwide acceptance of the idea that Donald Trump, and indeed the USA Republican Party, the Tories in Britain, and the Australian Liberal-National Coalition are CONSERVATIVES?

They are not conservative at all. They are out to wreck the natural environment, in the interests of a few rich corporations. They are out to wreck the social environment in spurning domestic courts and other legal institutions, like the International Court of Justice. They have attitudes of unfairness to non-white people, indigenous people, refugees, at times of suppression of women’s rights, especially, over their own bodies. This is not conservative. This is RADICAL – uprooting Christian values, and the natural world.

Admittedly, there was a time when the Western world held cruel “Christian” values, – like divine right of kings, slavery, racism, severe suppression of women’s rights, of religious and political rights…. Hanging on to those ideas was then conservatism.

But that’s a while back. In Western countries, values like Christian ideas of equal human rights, compassion and fairness, and also proper care of land, water, and animals – have been around for a long time now.

And that’s why we need to be conservatives There’s really no point in being left-wing or right-wing. No point in slavishly supporting your political party. A genuine conservativism is in looking beyond all the guff, and using those common sense traditional values. The political parties seem to get ever closer together, in the radical new doctrine of ever-increasing profit as the main purpose in life.

April 4, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

Nuclear news for the last week of March

Some bits of good news.   More Teens Than You Think Understand the Positive and Negative Aspects of Smartphones–Survey. India makes significant progress on malaria. Renewables blew gas away in the UK. 

TOP STORIES

UK Court Gives Biden Chance to Dodge Assange Appeal by “Assuring” His Rights . 

Spending Unlimited – The Pentagon’s Budget Follies Come at a High Price.

“Nuclear comes last”

Air attacks on Ukraine have again put the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant(ZNPP), under Russian control, in danger. ALSO AT ……… 

Nuclear waste clean-up company to be prosecuted over alleged cyber blunders, lax security. 

THE R.A.F’S NUCLEAR FLIGHTS OVER BRITAIN AND THE ATLANTIC.

Is Nuclear Fusion Really The Ultimate Solution to AI’s Crazy Power Use?

Climate. Oil company chief urges investment in fossil fuels, as world heats at a record pace. Antarctic sea ice ‘behaving strangely’ as Arctic reaches ‘below-average’ winter peak.    Copernicus online portal offers a terrifying view of climate emergency.

Noel’s notes.   Sellafield scandals – a case study in why the nuclear industry must be shut down.     A world run by 11 year-old boys?  The tiresome spin of the nuclear lobby in Australia.

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AUSTRALIA.

NUCLEAR ISSUES

ART and CULTURE. Decades of Dissent: Anti-Nuclear movement explored in LSE Library exhibition, London.

CIVIL LIBERTIES. The Empire Slowly Suffocates Assange Like It Slowly Suffocates All Its Enemies.

Arrested for peaceful protest against Israeli-owned military technology company.

ECONOMICS.

EDUCATION. Nuclear and weapons industry propaganda to schools.
Missing Links in Textbook History: War		EMPLOYMENT. Sellafield’s head of information security to step down.ETHICS and RELIGION. A Genocide Foretold.

EVENTS. The First Annual Plutonium Trail Caravan is on Saturday April 6th – Join Us!

LEGAL. Assange Extradition Delayed Unless US Provides ‘Assurances’ He Won’t Be Executed for Revealing the Truth. Chris Hedges: The Crucifixion of Julian Assange. Purgatorial Torments: Assange and the UK High Court.
Now there are three court challenges against Ontario nuclear waste disposal facility.
The Decision That Wasn’t A Decision. The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) will prosecute Sellafield Ltd on charges of security offences. British nuclear site Sellafield to be prosecuted for cybersecurity failures.
Court Allows Ageing Japanese Nuclear Plants to Continue Operations.		MEDIA. This is how nuclear war would begin – in terrifying detail. ‘My jaw dropped’: Annie Jacobsen on her scenario for nuclear war. Review: Annie Jacobsen’s ‘Nuclear War: A Scenario’ Will Make You Start Worrying And Hate The Bomb.

The Rising Nuclear Threat: Readers respond to the “At the Brink” series of Opinion articles

Einstein’s vision for peace.

Oppenheimer: Monaghan man, Daniel A. McGovern, who captured nuclear devastation.
OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Scotland’s National Party attacks £200m extra for nuclear deterrent and industry.POLITICS. Whaat! Romania’s state-owned Nuclearelectrica to partner with NuScale to build small nuclear reactors-
U.S, government to give $1.52 billion loan guarantee to Holtec to resuscitate Palisades Nuclear Plant.
IAEA Warns Of Iraq-Like Scenario For Iran Without Transparency
POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. 
New NATO member Finland admits US pact ‘restricts sovereignty’.

Biden claims binding UN Security Council Gaza ceasefire resolution is ‘non-binding.’		PUBLIC OPINION.
Most Americans now disapprove of Israel’s military action in Gaza new poll reveals as tensions rise between allies.		SAFETY. Atomic blackmail – Russia-Ukraine war and Ramberg’s theory of vulnerability.
NRC admits San Onofre Holtec nuclear waste canisters are all damaged.
Special nuclear flights between the US and UK: the dangers involved.
Security concerns as UAE Eyeing Investments in Europe’s Nuclear Energy Sector.
SECRETS and LIES. IAEA Unaware Of Secret Iranian Nuclear Site Targeted By Israel.SPINBUSTER.ChatGPT’s boss claims nuclear fusion is the answer to AI’s soaring energy needs. Not so fast, experts say.
Cancer “epidemic” in the Young as Radioactive Wastes are Increasingly Dispersed to the Environment meanwhile Nuclear given “green” status in Brussels..		TECHNOLOGY. Weaponizing Reality: The Dawn of Neurowarfare.
New nuclear reactor types will not solve waste and safety issues.
WASTES. UK nuclear watchdog takes Sellafield nuclear waste operator to court over alleged IT breaches.
Experts from Japan and China held talks on treated radioactive wastewater.
Decommissioning. How much will extra decades of nuclear decommissioning work at Dounreay cost? Dounreay decommissioning date ‘never achievable’ says Caithness councillor Also at https://nuclear-news.net/2024/04/01/1-b1-dounreay-decommissioning-date-never-achievable-says-caithness-councillor/.		WAR and CONFLICT. Putin says Russia will not attack NATO, but F-16s will be shot down in Ukraine.

Atrocities. Israel Remains Intent on Genocide Despite World Court Orders.

Michigan Republican congressman says Gaza should be destroyed with nuclear bomb ‘like Nagasaki and Hiroshima’, as he slams US for sending humanitarian aid.		WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.Biden Is Quietly Funding Nuclear Weapons Upgrades That Could Imperil the Planet. The Nuclear Explosion That Makes US Aid to Israel Illegal. US secretly sending more bombs to Israel – Washington Post.. U.S., Germany Supplied 99% of Israel Weapons Import Despite Pressure: Data.France will help Brazil develop nuclear-powered submarines, Macron says.Nabbed Australian Protestors Stopping Military Shipment to Israel.UK to test new ‘Astraea’ nuclear warheads without detonation.

April 1, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | , , , , | Leave a comment

TODAY The tiresome spin of the nuclear lobby in Australia.

It used to be the pro-nuclear pronouncements of Dr Adi Paterson of ANSTO – going on about the wonderful small nuclear reactors (SMRs). He made a sudden departure from ANSTO – who knows why, but possibly because SMRs are turning out to b a flop, and a shocking waste of tax-payers’ money.

But there have always been the spinners. You can’t count the Liberal and National Party politicians. They are probably an embarrassment to the nuclear lobby, as they repeatedly demonstrate their ignorance of the issues.

I don’t know who funds these sham charities, but they pop up all the time.

The latest is, of course “Nuclear for Australia”, now posing as a charity, and running a petition. It was supposedly started by a 16 year old boy – in keeping with the current enthusiasm for nuclear as “young” “new” “clean” and “lively”. But of course it is strongly backed by those youthful organisations – the World Nuclear association, the International Atomic Energy Agency – and a few somewhat less prestigious agencies.

A few of the previous sham charities:

March 31, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

TODAY. Sellafield scandals – a case study in why the nuclear industry must be shut down.

If you had any illusions about the nuclear industry being “clean” and “safe” and “honest”, the latest bit of news in the tawdry saga of UK’s Sellafield nuclear waste dump might cause you to stop and think.

It doesn’t seem that much – “prosecution for alleged cybersecurity offences” and  “no suggestion that public safety has been compromised”.

But if you bother to do your homework on this sprawling rubbish dump, the world’s most complex nuclear site, with the world’s largest  stockpile of plutonium – you will find a litany of alarming nuclear stories:

And what does the world nuclear authority, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have to say about all this? –

“World nuclear chief praises Sellafield progress”

Wake up world!

I’m sorry to have to say this, – but you can’t depend on the world leaders and the nuclear authorities to tell you the truth about this ghastly industry. So many depend on it for their livelihood, for their local economy – etc etc. But the truth must be told.

The political and business leaders are waiting till after their retirement – hoping that the shit won’t hit the fan while they might cop the blame. Like the security bosses at Sellafield, they might have to get out in time. I wonder how long Rafael Grossi can last, can keep up the pretense.

Sellafield is arguably the worst case of nuclear danger and corruption. But then there are the horrors of the Russian nuclear industry, including City 40. Then there’s Japan, with its eternal Fukushima calamity, and its many nuclear reactors close to earthquake zones.

It’s really only thanks to Anna Isaac and Alex Lawson, of the Guardian, that we get to find out about Sellafield.

And to others, like Kate Brown. revealing the reality of the nuclear waste-plutonium disaster endangering the planet

And I wonder, as the USA prepares to lock up Julian Assange forever, how long will the powerful allow these intrepid writers to spill the beans on nuclear scandals?

March 30, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

TODAY. A world run by 11 year-old boys?

They can be delightful people, full of fun, curiosity, competitiveness and inventiveness. They come up with the bright ideas, sometimes daring and a bit risky, but always interesting.

Neuroscience tells us that the part of the brain, the frontal lobe, that deals with judgement and inhibition, develops fully only later in the male , – up to nearly age 30 – compared to, in females, a lot earlier. Also the male brain is, by and large, better at focussing on one thing, as compared with the female, where the electric impulses dart around the brain – considering various aspects.

These differences must have been useful in the past, when sabretooth tigers were a big danger – the larger, less inhibited young male person being more likely to rush out and fight this predator. Less useful now, when the danger is other aggressive male persons.

Which brings me to my thought. I was looking at this picture of Sam Altman – of ChatGPT fame. He’s actually 38, but he’s got that bright-eyed 11 year-old boyish look.

In fact, I reckon that they all do – Elon Musk, Bill Gates – and the rest of the billionaire tech entrepreneurs. Gee – they’re brilliantly clever, and daring, and wow! – they do great stuff, and a lot of it brings us a lot of benefits.

And they’re a lot more fun than boring old fogies, people like Ralph Nader, who warned about automobile safety, and nuclear danger.

AND YET … AND YET ……

Sam Altman is enthused about Artificial Intelligence – needing an orgy of electricity. But no worry – nuclear fusion will solve that! (only nuclear fusion is many decades away).

They all seem to love nuclear energy, and endless AI, and rockets to Mars – and all that wow stuff. Things like nuclear waste apparently are not that important, nor are ideas like energy conservation to address global heating, nor the growth of devastating weaponry – in space as well as on Earth, nor the consequences of all this for the environment, the fragile ecosystem that supports our species, as well as all those other species such as the insects, that don’t matter.

The world’s leaders seem to hang on every word from these guys. I think they are making a big mistake.

I postulate that the tech billionaires had such fun when they were 11, that they never left that persona behind. Inside, they are still 11. The super- confidence, the risk-taking, the narrow brain focus – it’s all still there.

Meanwhile, ordinary mortals, and that includes women with their more generalised thinking, are pondering about the climate, biodiversity, the environment, wars, the heritage for our grandchildren. I think that we need to listen more to ordinary mortals, more likely to be co-operative rather than competitive, and to men like boring old Ralph Nader, who is older than 11 inside.

March 28, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews | Leave a comment

TODAY. UK High Court caving in before USA’s power, leaving decision on Julian Assange’s future up to USA’s “kindness”?

Well, well, what better example of America’s dominance over the anglophone world could you find?

The UK High Court was charged with making a decision on whether or not Julian Assange could appeal against the British government’s decision to extradite him to the USA on charges of ” complicity in illegal acts to obtain or receive voluminous databases of classified information and for agreeing and attempting to obtain classified information through computer hacking”, under the rarely used Espionage Act of 1917

This High Court case is the latest in the series of legal cases around the issue of extradition.

Julian Assange has languished for almost five years, in solitary confinement, in the notorious Belmarsh prison, Britain’s “Guantanamo Bay” for the worst criminals. Now he has to endure this for more weeks. Talk about death by a thousand cuts. ( Perhaps Russia is kinder – they just poison their problem people, or crash them in a plane – it’s quicker)

All this because Assange revealed and published the truth about America’s military atrocities.

So – now we know.

If a journalist anywhere in the world should have the temerity to reveal inconvenient facts about the USA military, then look out!

Not only are the Western political leaders, and especially in the anglophone countries, subservient to their master – the USA, but now we know that even their legal systems are subservient too.

Dame Victoria Sharp, took 66 pages to explain why the High Court couldn’t actually make a decision, without the blessing of the USA government.

So – the High Court will reconvene in three weeks, after receiving “assurances” from the USA government – about no death penalty (on the present charges, they could make new ones?),  that he  is permitted to rely on the First Amendment, – he is not ‘prejudiced at trial’ .

Of course the USA government will come up with kindly phrases – not worth the paper they are written on.

It’s a sad day for justice.

March 26, 2024 Posted by | Christina reviews, legal | Leave a comment

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