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.
Nuclear news this week – 25 March
Some bits of good news –
- Amid all the climate gloom, let’s not ignore the good news. also at https://nuclear-news.net/2024/03/23/1-b1-amid-all-the-climate-gloom-lets-not-ignore-the-good-news/
- Full Recovery for Coral Reef Within 4 Years – The Speed of Restoration They Saw was ‘Incredible.
- A leading university halted donations from big oil.
- Finland has retained its status as the ‘world’s happiest nation’ in the latest World Happiness Report.
TOP STORIES. Julian Assange and the Plea Nibble. Report: Justice Department Considering Plea Deal for Assange.
House Democrats Tell Biden To Enforce US Law and Suspend Military Aid to Israel.
Dozens of countries pledge support for nuclear power, despite lingering concerns.
Filling Nuclear Power’s $5 Trillion Hole Is Beyond the Banks.Glorious new financial jargon from the nuclear lobby – the “International Bank for Nuclear Infrastructure (IBNI)”.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Cannot Both Police Proliferation and Promote Nuclear Power.
BASE study: Alternative reactor concepts do not solve the repository problem.
Climate .
Mainstream climate scientists run the risk of becoming the new climate deniers. Hundreds of groups for climate action reject nuclear power at Brussels Summit.
State of the Global Climate 2023.
Environment. Where have all the insects gone?
Noel’s notes. Antony Blinken would get into bed with the devil, if it meant lucrative sales of USA weapons and nukes to Hell. Desperation of the nuclear lobby! Its new financial fantasy scheme, couched in impenetrable jargon!” In talking about nuclear matters, why is money the only game in town?
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AUSTRALIA. AUKUS: Red flag for arms industry corruption. UK and Australia set to elevate defence relationship to NATO level with new ‘status of forces’ agreement. Australia moves to prop up Aukus with $4.6bn pledge to help clear Rolls-Royce nuclear reactor bottlenecks in UK.
Financiers shun nuclear, upbeat on climate investment . Chief scientist backs renewables, calls nuclear power ‘expensive’ – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxP-6vsditI&t=389s Forget nuclear: would Peter Dutton oppose a plan to cut bills and address the climate crisis? Australia’s big electricity generators say nuclear not viable for at least a decade. “Prohibitive:” Australia’s biggest energy consumers and producers say no to nuclear, but is Coalition listening?
Peter Dutton in standoff with state Liberal leaders over federal Coalition’s nuclear plan. Dutton’s bid for nuclear power: hoax or reckless endangerment? On nuclear, Coalition prefers the optimism of misleading, decade-old, unverified claims.
ERA applies to extend lease on Jabiluka uranium mine against traditional owners’ wishes.
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NUCLEAR ISSUES
ARTS and CULTURE. A One-State Solution Could Transform the World.
ECONOMICS.
- Deadlines, costs, production: France’s nuclear company EDF in a moment of truth.
- Bulgarian nuclear experts question economic viability of new nuclear project.
- Money is “The Achilles Heal” of the nuclear state.
- New Brunswick’s Point Lepreau nuclear plant ranked as poor performer among international peers. IAEA’s Rafael Grossi in Iraq to market nuclear reactors.
- The West’s Nuclear Power Revival Could Be Slower Than Hoped.
- This is why Sizewell C construction poses ‘possible risk’ to new hospital build.
- The extraordinary financial costs of ‘small’ nuclear power stations.
| ENERGY. For France’s EPR at Flamanville, the objective of loading fuel before the end of March is no longer tenable. | ENVIRONMENT. Oceans. Fourth discharge of treated Fukushima water completed. Canadian officials found radiation levels in these northern Ontario homes ‘well above’ the safe limit. Their response: ‘¯\_(ツ)_/¯’ also at https://nuclear-news.net/2024/03/23/1-a-canadian-officials-found-radiation-levels-in-these-northern-ontario-homes-well-above-the-safe-limit-their-response-%c2%af_%e3%83%84_-%c2%af/ Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility – Re: Radiation in Elliot Lake homes . | ETHICS and RELIGION. Just Seeing Through The Propaganda Isn’t Enough – We’ve Got To Open Our Hearts As Well. |
| HEALTH. Nuclear test veterans demand compensation and medical records access. | INDIGENOUS ISSUES. Heavy resistance to Canada’s 1st nuclear waste repository, while Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) says it is safe.. | MEDIA. Normalizing starvation and massacres: Flour Massacre Called ‘Aid-Related Deaths’—Rather Than Part of Israel’s Engineered Famine. |
| PUBLIC OPINION. In Japan, Opposition to restarting nuclear power plants has grown, especially among women | SECRETS and LIES. “Anonymous” claims it has infiltrated Israel’s nuclear plant in Dimona. | SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. US and Japan seek UN resolution calling on all nations to ban nuclear weapons in outer space. Space tourists and crew suffer high radiation risks – regulation is needed to protect them. To Mars and Back: Will NASA’s Ambitious Endeavor Be Worth It? |
| SPINBUSTER. The Lying Piper of Nukeland: the IAEA’s nuclear fairy tales are leading nations — and all of us — into climate catastrophe. Zion Lights and her lying, climate-denying mentor Michael Shellenberger | TECHNOLOGY. The questionable promises behind new nuclear power. |
| WASTES. 100,000 years and counting: how do we tell future generations about highly radioactive nuclear waste repositories? Japan finishes first-year ocean discharge of nuclear-tainted wastewater amid backlash. Inside Fukushima: Eerie drone footage reveals first ever look at melted nuclear reactor with 880 tonnes of radioactive fuel still inside – 13 years after disaster. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Opened 25 Years Ago; It Was Supposed to Close Next Week. | WAR and CONFLICT. Ukraine’s losses ‘in the millions’ – retired Polish general. Atrocities. ‘We are the masters of the house’: Israeli channels air snuff videos featuring systematic torture of Palestinians | WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.How Biden’s budget plunged the Aukus submarines pact into doubt. Can the U.S. Develop A Nuclear Bomb Without Ever Testing It? We’re About to Find Out.US Air Force tests very expensive third-stage rocket motor for next nuclear missile NATO Builds Largest Europe Base Near Black Sea. Nuclear weapons: France to restart tritium production with EDF.Nuclear Deterrence At Sea – France Begins Work On ‘Cutting Edge’ Nuke-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine.Canada to stop arms sales to Israel – Foreign Minister. UK launches ‘national endeavour’ to reinforce nuclear deterrent. Iranian Cleric Calls For Nuclear Arms. |
TODAY. AUKUS nuclear pact – a lame duck?
What is AUKUS? It’s a weird nuclear pact – loftily described as a trilateral security pact for the Indo-Pacific region.
In reality it’s an agreement made without the knowledge of the Australian people, without discussion in Parliament , to make Australia pay close to $400 billion for second-hand nuclear attack submarines, including their radioactive trash.
How did this agreement come about?
In 2021, Australia’s then Prime Minister, Scott Morrison was a Trump-like figure, basically incompetent, but willing to do anything to get his face on the international media. He organised this extraordinary agreement, much to the joy of the nuclear lobby and Western war-hawks in general.
Morrison caused an international incident, in breaking Australia’s contract with France for non-nuclear submarines, (which would be much better suited for Australia’s coastal security monitoring”)
Is there opposition in Australia to this costly boondoggle?
Yes, but not enough. With the media about 70% owned by Murdoch outlets, the Australian public was fed a steady diet of what a threat China is to us, and how the AUKUS nuclear submarine will save us and blah blah.
And then, we got a new Prime Minister – Labor’s Anthony Albanese, (who has a history of opposition to nuclear). It was a national sigh of relief to get rid of the narcissistic and unpredictable Morrison. But ’twas too much to hope that Albanese would have the guts to stand up to the USA, or indeed to appear “weak” to the Australian public.
What is the present situation with AUKUS?
Well, apart from the misgivings of Australia’s near neighbours, like Indonesia, and the Nuclear-Free Zone, now there’s even trouble in the USA camp. On 12 March came the Tuesday release of the Biden administration’s 2025 defence budget request, – with reduced funding, well below the production rate of 2.33 subs a year the US says is necessary to sell any submarines to Australia. They got cold feet about the deal, as the USA is struggling to build the nuclear submarines that it needs for itself.
Meanwhile the American opposition, whatever you think of Donald Trump, is at the moment less keen on the idea of waging war against China. I mean – they probably do want to, – but they don’t like spending the money on making military stuff for another country.
There are, of course, other problems with the AUKUS nuclear submarine plan. Like the fact these subs will almost certainly be obsolete before they ever get under the water. China, with its shallow coastal waters, is making lots of small drones , that could detect and destroy these nuclear submarines. The AUKUS sub and its peers are intended for surveillance only. but they could be fitted with nuclear warheads. Perhaps that’s the plan. Who knows?
Meanwhile – is there a chance that Australia could avoid this costly boondoggle? And actually have the money to meet some real needs?
This week in nuclear news
A vertical garden at Medellin’s City Hall.
Ralph Nader: Stop the Worsening Undercount of Palestinian Casualties in Gaza.
The horrors of nuclear weapons testing.
March 11 – reflecting on Fukushima.
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Climate. Climate change is warping the seasons. The world is not moving fast enough on climate change — social sciences can help explain why.Europe unprepared for rapidly growing climate risks, report finds.
Noel’s notes. The need for clear thinking on the Holocaust in Gaza. Oh for a bit of sanity and genuine leadership! Normalising the unthinkable – the 16th Annual Nuclear (so-called) Deterrence Summit.
AUSTRALIA.
- The Campaign to Free Assange: Reflections on ‘Night Falls’.
- Prime Minister of Australia, and Henchmen, Referred to International Criminal Court for Support of Gaza Genocide. Shock as Australian Prime Minister learns that he is not above international law.
- AUKUS: Are nuclear-powered submarines a good idea for Australia?
- Australia has had many significant inquiries into nuclear power, over the past 60 years.
- The Coalition wants nuclear power. Could it work – or would it be an economic and logistical disaster? Peter Dutton’s climate denial is morphing into a madcap nuclear fantasy. The ban should stay. Nuclear power: Peter Dutton changes gear in favour of big reactors not small modular ones. Peter Dutton’s nuclear implosion after Dunkley byelection loss. Tell him he’s dreaming’: Bowen rubbishes Coalition claim Australia could have nuclear power in a decade. Peter Dutton won’t back down on the Coalition’s desire to take its nuclear energy policy to the next election. Nuclear slow and expensive, renewables fast and cheap: Bowen slaps down Coalition “fantasy”. Dutton’s nuclear option would condemn us to pricey power and blackouts. Market has ‘made its decision’ about nuclear energy being too expensive. Coalition must come clean on how its nuclear vision would work.
- Coalition’s plan to go nuclear puts five regions on the table as favoured locations for nuclear reactors. MP says coalition ‘must’ explain plan for nuclear power near Anglesea on the Victorian Surf Coast. Top scientist explains nuclear process and risks: Sunshine Coast previously considered for facility. Talk of nuclear power plant sites ‘conjecture’, says Liberal MP amid internal division on Dutton’s policy. Western Australia’s Premier Cook goes nuclear on Dutton’s ‘simplistic, ridiculous’ power plan.
- Senior Western Australia Liberal calls for Australia to become nuclear weapons power.
- Australia nuclear facility installs massive rooftop solar system to save $2 million.
- Events. Peace! – No AUKUS, No War! Australia wide events and protest actions for Peace, end AUKUS, cancel nuclear submarines and mobilise against war 14 – 24 March
NUCLEAR ISSUES
| EMPLOYMENT. Fukushima fishers strive to recover catches amid water concerns. | ENVIRONMENT. Hinkley Point Responds to Environmental Concerns Over Bristol Channel Eel Populations. | ETHICS and RELIGION. Aiding Those We Kill: US Humanitarianism in Gaza. The West has set itself on a path of collective suicide — both moral and economic’ Oceans. Could Fukushima’s radioactive water pose lasting threat to humans and the environment? |
| HISTORY. The lesson from the criminal H Bomb Bravo “test”– Hibakusha remind us. Oppenheimer feared nuclear annihilation – and only a chance pause by a Soviet submariner kept it from happening in 1962 | MEDIA. New York Times: Nuclear Risks Have Not Gone Away.US Media and Factcheckers Fail to Note Israel’s Refutation of ‘Beheaded Babies’ Stories. ‘Mr Dutton is right’: Murdoch’s News Corp papers grant nuclear power glowing coverage. NewsGuard AI Censorship Targets People Who Read Primary Sources To Fact-Check The News. – (a pro-Trumpist article?- but probably true) | OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . ‘It’ll be a shortlist of one!’ Villagers in England fear nuclear dump proposal. An Open Letter from Hollywood On Oppenheimer and Nuclear Weapons. Kenya. Senator Omtatah to take the Uyombo nuclear power plant war international. |
| POLITICS Australia’s Opposition party’s nuclear red herring is a betrayal of the Australian people . – also at https://antinuclear.net/2024/03/11/1-a-coalitions-nuclear-red-herring-is-a-betrayal-of-the-australian-people/ . Scottish National Party ministers to set out plans for removing nuclear weapons after independence. UK Labour versus Green. UK Budget: Government confirms £160m deal to acquire Hitachi nuclear sites. U.S. Congress about to fund revival of nuclear waste recycling to be led by private start-ups. | SAFETY. Greenpeace warns on danger of restarting Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant . Improvement notice served over storage of hazardous materials at Dounreay. ‘Sometimes I can’t sleep at night’: Adi Roche warns of nuclear risks of Ukraine conflict as she picks up peace award. Aberdeen shipping logistics company warned over nuclear transport safety failings.. | SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. China outlines position on use of space resources. Russia says it is considering putting a nuclear power plant on the moon with China. Russia and China announce plan to build shared nuclear reactor on the moon by 2035, ‘without humans’. |
WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.
- The West’s over-involvement in Ukraine.
- F-35A aeroplanes officially certified to carry thermonuclear bomb. NATO bringing missiles closer to Russia – member state.
- Plutonium. Plutonium pit ‘panic’ threatens America’s nuclear ambitions. Does the US Need New Plutonium Pits?.
- Biden is building for Israel a super weapon to replace the Iron Dome.
- Coalition Kill Chain for the Pacific: Lessons from Ukraine. U.S. Sells ‘Link 16’ Battlefield Communications System to Taiwan – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfF4In5Q99Q
WOMEN. Our International Women’s Day Heroine: Rosalie Bertell.
Nuclear news – week to 4 March 2024
Some bits of good news – Passion for compassion: the group working to make the Commons kinder. Major research suggests humans can break free from tribalism **************************************
TOP STORIES. US Refuses to Assure UK Judges That Assange Won’t Be Executed If He’s Extradited. Atlantic Council report lays out options and possible first use of nuclear weapons against China over Taiwan.
Texas wildfires continue to pose threat to Pantex nuclear weapons plant, and climate change will bring further threats to nuclear facilities. USA is littered with nuclear sites that could face danger from natural disasters.
Nuclear space-based ASAT weapons – A brief international legal perspective.Get These Rich People Off the Moon.
AI’s craving for data is matched only by a runaway thirst for water and energy.
Climate. New Research from Antarctica Affirms the Threat of the ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ but Funding to Keep Studying It Is Running Out.
Noel’s notes. My dilemma in writing about nuclear issues. Nuclear power stopping climate change? IT’S THE OTHER WAY AROUND!
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AUSTRALIA. Andrew Forrest attacks Coalition’s nuclear “bulldust” and betraying the bush. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09OeHD-h9Ak Andrew Forrest and Peter Dutton are on a collision course over Nuclear Power. This is what happens when an uncosted Coalition thought-bubble on nuclear power is presented as a concrete proposal. Dutton wants a ‘mature debate’ about nuclear power. By the time we’ve had one, new plants will be too late to replace coal. Nuclear boondoggle | The West Report https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdALb8Vr3t8
No nuclear option for $275m green-manufacturing and innovation grants. Silencing the Voice: the fossil-fuelled Atlas Network’s Campaign against Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australia.
NUCLEAR ISSUES
CLIMATE. Texas: Disaster declaration issued and nuclear weapons plant shut down as wildfires spread. Texas nuclear weapons facility pauses as fires spread. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba_oPoqeF2Y
Buried Nuclear Waste From the Cold War Could Resurface as Ice Sheets Melt. USA is littered with nuclear sites that could face danger from natural disasters. Could climate change release 35 swimming pools’ worth of nuclear waste? Or worse… unleash a world-ending pandemic? These are the terrifying unexpected consequences of melting ice.
| ECONOMICS. Tax-payer to take bigger financial risks under new payment plan for nuclear command satellites. The Cost of Nuclear War in Space. Inside Europe’s only nuclear unicorn — and its €1bn fundraising hopes. | ENERGY. Blackout risks due to Hinkley nuclear delays – a reminder of the value of energy efficienc | ENVIRONMENT. Oceans. Release of fourth batch of Fukushima treated radioactive water begins. China is ‘unlikely’ to lift import ban on Japanese seafood as dumping continues. Conservationists say Hinkley C nuclear water intakes could wipe out Atlantic salmon stocks |
| LEGAL. Fish v. electricity: Could Salem nuclear plant be shut down?More indictments for Ohio nuclear crimes. | MEDIA. When The Imperial Media Report On An Israeli Massacre.Einstein’s Postwar Campaign To Save The World From Nuclear Destruction.Chilling Pictures of Hiroshima Weeks After Atomic Bomb Dropped Emerge. | OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . IT’S TIME TO CANCEL SIZEWELL C |
| POLITICS. Has the nuclear lobby hijacked Welsh democracy? “Big nuclear reactor” lobby fights back against “Small nuclear reactor” lobby. | POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. Biden administration restores Trump-rescinded policy on illegitimacy of Israeli settlements. France accused of ‘unacceptable’ behaviour after demanding UK taxpayer cash for Hinkley nuclear. Chris Huhne Letter: UK Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing bill for EDF failings. Macron stands by remarks on NATO troops in Ukraine. | SAFETY. New nuclear reactors shielded from liability if federal law passes Congress: Price-Anderson Act renewal hidden from public. Mistakes, Misfiring and Trident: Britain’s Flawed Nuclear Deterrence |
| SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. Satellites burning up in our atmosphere may not be as harmless as first thought. | TECHNOLOGY.So They’re Experimenting With Military Robots In Gaza Now.SMRs are useless says the UK’s leading SMR analyst! – 100 per cent renewable energy is much more feasible!UK spurns European invitation to join ITER nuclear fusion project.Microsoft’s Kate Crawford: ‘AI is neither artificial nor intelligent’.Finland’s Olkiluoto nuclear power station to be disconnected for 37 days. | WASTES.“Tritium Removal” A Report on the Proposed MCECE nuclear Facility at Chalk River also at https://nuclear-news.net/2024/03/03/2-b1-tritium-removal-a-report-on-the-proposed-mcece-facility-at-chalk-river/Burying nuclear waste the best of a bad bunch of options.Locals oppose nuclear waste plant – parish council. Holderness: Government guarantees plans for nuclear waste dump will be dropped for good.New plans to dismantle Rosyth dead nuclear submarines left for decades.Nuclear Restoration Services has been served with an “improvement notice” after the ONR found failures in its storage methods |
| WAR and CONFLICT.Wargame simulated a conflict between Israel and Iran: It quickly went nuclear. Israeli Calls to ‘Nuke Gaza’ Are Undermining the Nuclear Ambiguity Doctrine.After Macron touted troops to Ukraine, Putin warns West of nuclear war risk.Leaked Russian military files reveal its nuclear strike rules.Full Transcript of German Top Military Officials’ Leaked Plot to Attack Crimean Bridge.China urges largest nuclear states to negotiate a ‘no-first-use’ treaty.NewsReal: How Serious Are Western Leaders About Full-on War With Russia? | WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. France creates coalition to arm Ukraine with long-range weapons. Victoria Nuland accidentally reveals the true aim of the West in Ukraine. Setting the record straight on Canada’s arms exports to Israel. The reawakening of America’s nuclear dinosaurs. Iran Reduces Near-Weapons-Grade Stockpile, Defying Expectations. |
Nuclear news – week to 26 February
A bit of good news: Success in protecting and restoring isolated island ecosystems
TOP STORIES. The Show Trial against Julian Assange. After years of avoiding extradition, Julian Assange’s appeal is likely his last chance. Here’s how it might unfold (and how we got here). Chris Hedges: Julian Assange’s Day in Court
Germany and nuclear weapons: A difficult history.
Fatal Flaws Undermine America’s Defense Industrial Base.
Environment. The Growing Environmental Footprint Of Generative AI
Climate. Antarctica sea ice reaches alarming low for third year in a row.
Nuclear. Same same – media promotion of small nuclear reactors, despite the economic realities. UK in turmoil over nuclear costs. Angst over the idea of nuclear war in space.
Noel’s notes. Alexei Navalny – the paradox of his legacy
AUSTRALIA Proponents of nuclear power are peddling hot air. Billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest lampoons Coalition’s nuclear push as ‘bulldust’. “Stop dividing us”: Andrew Forrest attacks pro-nuclear politicians. Nuclear Power Advocates Accused of Spreading Misinformation. The Victorian towns where Peter Dutton is considering going nuclear.
No nuclear option for $275m green-manufacturing grants. Australian defence: from self-reliance to subsidising US war with China. What comes after Rafah. Why Australia should ditch the AUKUS nuclear submarine and-pivot-to-pitstop-power (- a bit of dissent in the pro-nuclear camp) NUCLEAR ISSUES
| ECONOMICS. Utility EdF Writes Down $14B Loss on Delayed UK Nuclear Megaproject. Citizens Advice says Sizewell C costs should not be paid with energy bill hikes. Energy Costs UK : The Price Of Power-Nuclear Fandango. Private Financiers Pour Billions Into Nuclear Weapons Production. Most Japan fishing groups hit by China import ban in Fukushima row. | ENVIRONMENT. Hinkley Point C could kill 22 BILLION fish in the Severn estuary. Environment Agency and Natural England behind Hinkley Point wetland plan, says MP. HEALTH. Body Map – Nuclear Power. HISTORY. Rethinking Ukraine: Putin and the Mystery of National Identity |
John J Mearsheimer On behalf of Julian Assange. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN_Shacd2Iw DAY ONE: Assange Timeline Exposes US Motives. Assange’s final appeal – Your man in the public gallery, part 2. Julian Assange Faces Final “Life or Death” Extradition Appeal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPfB2z-lotU
Japanese mafia boss conspired to traffic nuclear materials, says US. Justice Department Announces Nuclear Materials Trafficking Charges Against Japanese Yakuza Leader.
More indictments for Ohio nuclear crimes.
MEDIA. Ralph Nader: What the Mass Media Needs to Cover Re: Israel/Gaza Conflict.
OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Stop Sizewell C’s Response to Regulated Asset Base Licence Consultation.
POLITICS. Great British Nuclear seeks to buy EDF land for small modular reactor .
Victory: Nuclear Free Local Authorities welcome Council vote on South Holderness nuke dump plan.
House is heading toward “nuclear” war over Ukraine funding, one top House GOP leader says .
Nuclear route does Scotland no favours – Tommy Sheppard.
POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. The odds of China using nuclear war to resolve the Taiwan issue.
SAFETY. UK lawmakers seek reassurances after nuclear missile test fails for second time. Minister urges TEPCO to ensure nuclear safety measures.
SECRETS and LIES. How British Intelligence Framed Julian Assange As Russian Agent.
SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. U.S. Militarizes Space While Accusing Russia of Doing So. Touring South Korea to support opposition to US space warfare plans. Putin says Russia has no intention of putting nuclear weapons in space. Shock Horror! Serious risk TO INVESTORS of nuclear war in space!
SPINBUSTER. What’s fueling the commercial fusion hype?
TECHNOLOGY. Rolls-Royce will build first mini-nuclear reactor in Europe instead of UK, boss warns.
| WASTES. Decommissioning. The San Onofre Briefing: The Latest on SoCal’s Shut Down Nuclear Power Plant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGDwkokX1NA The War Over Burying Nuclear Waste in America’s Busiest Oil Field. Nuclear industry veterans warn some radioactive waste destined for Ontario disposal facility should not be accepted. | WAR and CONFLICT. Ukraine: how nuclear weapons continue to increase the risks, two years on. NATO says Kiev can use F-16 jets to strike targets ‘outside Ukraine‘, despite Russia’s warning. First 2 years of US proxy war against Russia finds both US and Ukraine in downward spiral. Netanyahu’s Post-War Plans for Gaza Call for Military Occupation ‘Without T |
Nuclear news – week to 19 February
Some bits of good news – Sea Otters Returned to a Degraded Coastline Ate Enough Crabs to Restore Balance and Cut Erosion by 90%.England set a biodiversity benchmark. Wind power awards and wildlife photography: Positive environmental stories from 2024.
TOP STORIES. Chris Hedges: Julian Assange’s Final Appeal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvdTG56UbdcAustralian PM Albanese and 85 Other MPs Vote to End Assange Incarceration.
Biodiversity: the first ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report released.
Nuclear Illusions Hinder Climate Efforts as Costs Keep Rising. Nuclear Delays, Cost Overruns Imperil UK’s Net-Zero Goals .
Surviving an Era of Pervasive Nuclear Instability.
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From the archives. The war-mongering of Israel and USA.
Climate.Collapse of Ocean Currents Could Cause Major Climate Problems.
Nuclear. The U.S. industry is pretty quiet, still licking its wounds oveer the NuScale small nuclear reactor fiasco. Not so -Britain. The UK is in a turmoil (actually over lots of things) – but especially over MONEY – and the obscene costs of its Great British Nuclear Policy – not going too well at all!
Noel’s notes: Israel, USA, the “West” can’t hide their atrocious guilt any more. Again – the power of the Zionist lobby. 11 year old boys and nukes in space.
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AUSTRALIA. Australian Parliament votes in favour of bringing Julian Assange home. Dutton goes nuclear on government’s renewable plans. Australia’s nuclear future and the legal ramifications of ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Wind and solar are delivering an energy transition at record speed.
NUCLEAR ISSUES
| ECONOMICS. UK: Spending watchdog launches investigation into Sellafield nuclear waste site. The UK’s biggest nuclear waste dump faces an inquiry by the National Audit Office (NAO) over its soaring costs and safety record. UK Nuclear financing comes unstuck. Energy company Centrica boss says it could fund Suffolk nuclear plant Sizewell C. France: EDF’s setbacks weigh down the relaunch of nuclear power in Europe. France’s first 6 EPR2 nuclear reactors will cost much more than the planned 52 billion euros. Energy company Centrica boss says it could fund Suffolk nuclear plant Sizewell C. | ENVIRONMENT. AI, climate change, pandemics and nuclear warfare put humanity in ‘grave danger’, open letter warns. The Saltwater Threat: A Death Sentence for Freshwater Life as EDF plans to flood area, in service to Hinkley Nuclear Project . | HEALTH. Radiation. Breakthrough research unveils effects of ionizing radiation on cellul |
| POLITICS. UK: Britain must pay more for Hinkley, says France. UK government keen to take control of Anglesey site for Westinghouse to build Wylfa nuclear power station. Planned UK nuclear reactors unlikely to help hit green target, say MPs. Environmental Audit Committee urges UK Government to clarify nuclear SMR strategy UK’s Nuclear Strategy Faces Criticism: Uncertainty Looms for Small Modular Reactors. Nuclear Free Local Authorities call on nuclear industry to spend more on social action. Radiation Free Lakeland urges East Riding Councillors to Withdraw from GDF process. PM Trudeau dismisses Algonquin concerns over Chalk River nuclear waste dump. “Unbelievable” U.S. government bailouts fund zombie nuclear projects. | POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. Nuclear weapons and poison pills: Washington, Beijing warily circle AI talks. EU nuclear weapons ‘unrealistic,’ says German defense committee chair. Shameless Emmanuel Macron demands British taxpayers cough up more cash for nuclear power. | SAFETY. Congress takes aim at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.Nuclear regulator raps EDF over safety flaws. Latest Fukushima leak exposes failures in nuclear crisis management. Safety panel urges Fukushima nuclear plant operator to better communicate with public. The Complexity of Nuclear Submarine Safeguards Impacts the Current Landscape. |
| SECRETS and LIES. South Korea’s nuclear mafia. | SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. The ‘disturbing’ intel roiling the Hill is about Russian nukes in space. From Russia with nukes? Sifting facts from speculation about space weapon threat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xl0C6K2Nug – Long video – but worth it.SpaceX deorbiting 100 older Starlink satellites to ‘keep space safe and sustainable’. ‘Everyone needs to calm down’: experts assess Russian nuclear space threat. Is there really a nuclear weapon in space? | SPINBUSTER. The War on Gaza: Public Relations vs. Reality. Russian ‘nukes in space’ scare by Biden admin is nonsense. Exploding Alberta’s Myths about Small Nuclear Reactors. |
This week in nuclear news
A bit of good news. Illegal to marry below 18 – Zambia passes the landmark Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2023
TOP STORIES.
Mary Kostakidis: Assange’s Very Life Is at Stake.
‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 127: Growing international alarm over Israeli plans to invade Rafah.
Full Speed Ahead on the Global Titanic -Going Along with the Utter Madness of Nuclear Weapons.
Small Modular Reactors do not solve the many problems of nuclear, NGOs say.
Rich men with the wrong answers – nuclear power has no future and yet they persist.
From the archives. Nuclear expert Mycle Schneider on the COP28 pledge to triple nuclear energy production: ‘Trumpism enters energy policy”
Climate. Atlantic Ocean circulation nearing ‘devastating’ tipping point, study finds. Hottest January on record sees the world reach 1.7°C warming mark.
Nuclear. Very hard to exclude all the Israel-Gaza news – which could bring on nuclear war anyway!
Noel’s notes. Why we get distorted, unreliable, news about Ukraine and Israel. Against all the evidence – nuclear industry propaganda blunders on – and the media regurgitates its nonsense!
From the archives. Nuclear expert Mycle Schneider on the COP28 pledge to triple nuclear energy production: ‘Trumpism enters energy policy”
NUCLEAR ISSUES
| CLIMATE. European Union now promoting the lie that nuclear power is “green”. REVIEW CONFERENCE: CLIMATE CRISIS – WHY NUCLEAR IS NOT HELPING - also at | CIVIL LIBERTIES. UK steps up war on whistleblower journalism with new National Security Act. | ECONOMICS. The clock is ticking on the nuclear renaissance. – also at Rolls-Royce snubbed for UK’s first private small nuclear reactor plant. EDF’s nuclear struggles dampen EU nuclear prospects – the industry “on a slow descent to hell”. |
| EMPLOYMENT France: EDF Faces Unprecedented Nuclear Workload in France, | ETHICS and RELIGION. All is fair in A.I. warfare. But what do Christian ethics have to say? The West: guilty of genocide. | EVENTS. 19 February - Webinar with Dr Helen Caldicott and Martin Sheen |
| INDIGENOUS ISSUES. Tribes condemn start of uranium mining at Pinyon Plain Mine south of Grand Canyon | LEGAL. 100 Jewish Cease-Fire Supporters Arrested Blocking Biden’s NYC Motorcade Route. Canada citizens challenge environmental safety of Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission waste facility near Ottawa River. | MEDIA. CNN’s CEO Is Making Staff Churn Out Israel Propaganda. CNN staff say network’s pro-Israel slant amounts to ‘journalistic malpractice’. “In The War Of Propaganda, It Is Very Difficult To Defeat The United States”. Study Finds Media Giants NY Times, CNN and Fox News Pushing for US War in Yemen. Chicago Tribune needs reality check on Russo Ukraine war. |
| OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . History repeats — and radiation radiates. Campaigners deeply concerned at Dr Thérèse Coffey’s support for Bradwell new nuclear power . | POLITICS. Nuclearization is underway. Or not.. (also at The future of nuclear: France’s nuclear dreams or nightmares? The folly of Ontario’s nuclear power play. Iran Plans More Nuclear Reactors Despite Serious Hurdles. Do the Right Thing: Put the South African Government’s Nuclear Plans to a Popular Referendum. Call to withdrawal from Holderness nuclear waste site talks amid tourism and farming ‘fears’. | POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. Report: Egypt warns Israel Rafah offensive may lead to suspension of peace treaty. Western officials in protest over Israel Gaza policy Israel Aid Bill Fails in House as Progressives Slam ‘Blank Check for Netanyahu’. Walt Zlotow: Biden seeks $14 more billion to complete destruction of Palestinians in Gaza. EU Policy. Commission invites industry to join support platform for mini nuclear. Menaced by five Omnicides – Ralph Nader. Putin ‘tried everything possible’ to make peace – Ukrainian diplomat. |
SAFETY. Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is falling apart, and the world is ignoring the danger . The dangerous craze for SMRs – also at IAEA watchdog to visit nuclear plant in occupied Ukraine to assess safety of ageing fuel and low staffing.
France’s Flamanville EPR has numerous technical problems which mean that its safety issues are not “now closed”.
| SECRETS and LIES. Absence of Evidence: Israel’s Case Against UNRWA. | SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. Nuclear secret: India’s space program uses plutonium pellets to power missions |
| WAR and CONFLICT. Escalating to de-escalate with nuclear weapons: Research shows it’s a particularly bad idea. The pragmatist’s guide to nuclear disarmament. NATO-Russia confrontation ‘could last decades’ – Stoltenberg. Israeli PM orders evacuation of last Gaza ‘safe zone’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l59LjI4XoA | WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. Noetic Continental | Part I: How CIA Foists Military Equipment Through Private War Companies. Over $1 Billion in Weapons Missing In Ukraine. Why Biden’s $61 billion in weapons for Ukraine won’t prevent inevitable defeat. Citing World Court, Japan Firm Cuts Ties With Israel Arms Maker. |
Nuclear news – week to 6th February
Some bits of good news . Heroes in pink: Lao midwives supporting rights and saving lives Zimbabwe launches cholera vaccination to curb the spread. Wild panda population nearly doubles as China steps up conservation efforts.
TOP STORIES.
- EDF’s Hinkley Point woes pile pressure on global nuclear push. also at https://nuclear-news.net/2024/02/04/2-a-edfs-hinkley-point-woes-pile-pressure-on-global-nuclear-push/
- Nuclear Waste: Changing Conditions May Affect Future Management of Contamination Deposited Abroad During U.S. Cold War Activities.
- The new space race Is Causing New Pollution Problems. also at https://nuclear-news.net/2024/02/03/1-a-the-new-space-race-is-causing-new-pollution-problems/
- AI chatbots tend to choose violence and nuclear strikes in wargames
Climate. Greta Thunberg’s public order charge dropped as judge criticises police action. Greta Thunberg was given ‘final warning’ before London arrest.
Nuclear. I’m still trying to stay off the Israel-Gaza topic. But it is all bringing us closer to nuclear war.
Noel’s notes. Goodbye Mastodon! The power of the Zionist lobby. Mastodon has closed me down again – this time for supporting United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). WHAT’S GOING ON? How very unfashionable! Scottish MP is worrying about health aspects of nuclear power, (instead of the finances!) What’s the connection between the UK Post Office scandal and Soviet Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov?
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AUSTRALIA. Australian Conservation Foundation is seriously concerned about the AUKUS nuclear submarine project, its costs and consequences and the way this initiative is being advanced. Expect weapons-grade NIMBYism as leaders fight over where to store AUKUS nuclear waste. Australian Sailors Embed Aboard Submarine Tender for Nuclear Experience.
| CLIMATE. COP28 pledge to expand nuclear capacity is out of touch with reality. | CIVIL LIBERTIES. A Radically Different World Since Assange’s Indictment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egLJ3-jF1Uo | ECONOMICS. UK’s Nuclear “money pit” tops $59 billion. EDF, France’s state-owned nuclear company now in a fatal trap, as Hinkley Point C costs soar. Is this the World’s Most Expensive and Most Delayed Power Project? Are the French going cold on UK nuclear? France limits its investment in Britain’s Sizewell C, as the global nuclear industry requires massive government subsidies. Many challenges [? big problems] [? big problems] stand in the way of a ‘nuclear power renaissance’ Czech Republic / Government Seeks Binding Tenders For Four Nuclear Reactors From EDF And KHNP. |
| ENERGY. German energy companies reject nuclear energy proposals – citing high risks and toxic waste problem . Tripling nuclear energy by 2050 will take a miracle, and miracles don’t happen. | ENVIRONMENT. ‘Odd’ Hinkley Point C salt marsh plan has Somerset locals up in arms. | HEALTH. Man suffered most painful death imaginable after horror accident made him ‘cry blood’ and ‘skin melted’. Sellafield nuclear plant: Cancer fears raised by Scottish MP. |
| INDIGENOUS ISSUES. Tell it to the Chieftain: Nuclear power plants, and Is advanced nuclear a pipe dream? | LEGAL. Holtec International avoids criminal prosecution related to false documents, pays $5m fine. US Court Hears Case Alleging Biden Complicit in Israel’s Genocide in Gaza. The provisional measures of the International Court of Justice. What Happens Now That the ICJ Has Ordered Israel Not to Engage in Genocide? | MEDIA. Neck Deep in the Big Media Mudd |
| OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . MP calls for vote on Holderness nuclear site which local petition brands ‘hazardous waste dumping ground’. It’s not a done deal and you are not alone’: anti-GDF campaigners pledge solidarity with South Holderness over nuclear waste dump plan. South Holderness nuclear waste plan not safe – residents. Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group (BANNG) firmly contradicts Therese Coffey, MP on Bradwell as a nuclear site. Campaigners Warn Return of US Nukes to UK Would ‘Make Britain a Guaranteed Target’. | POLITICS. Nancy Pelosi’s attack on Gaza ceasefire advocates is a disgrace. Holtec to get $1.5 bln loan to re-open Michigan nuclear power plant -source, The Future of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station and Its Impacts on Ontario. Ford Government Issues Blank Cheque for Nuclear Power, Shows Reckless Disregard for Nuclear Waste Generation . How not to go nuclear: Hinkley and Sizewell. Hinkley C – don’t say I didn’t warn you!- (a pro-nuclear view!) UK govt awards Hitachi £33.6 m to design small nuclear reactors. UK govt designates British Nuclear Fuels Ltd as Great British Nuclear (…..whatever this means). Hinkley Point shambles shows why UK must scrap disastrous nuclear strategy. Cracks appear in Labour-Green alliance over claims that Heysham power stations letter was ‘reckless’. |
| POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. France seeks loan guarantees from UK over Hinkley Point C nuclear plant. The feckless four – hypocrisy of the nuclear weapons nations. French firm EDF shows its power over the UK govt – no judicial review now required over fish protection from Hinkley nuclear cooling system | SAFETY. Safety concerns persist at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant . France’s ASN nuclear safety authority warns of fraud risk in nuclear industry.Britain plans ‘robocop’ force to protect nuclear sites with paint bombs. Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) Disappointed in Province’s Decision on Pickering Nuclear Plant. Residents ask for full examination of damage to nuclear plant caused by quake. Magnitude-4.8 earthquake jolts Tokyo and the Kanto region. | SECRETS and LIES. Military-Intelligence Corruption Information Center. As Ukraine begs for more weapons, corruption in its Defense Ministry is revealed. Chinese nuclear fuel engineer Li Guangchang caught in anti-corruption net targeting ‘high-risk’ areas. |
| SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. Nuclear industry takes control of NASA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRZnSkC-nXg Nuclear power on the moon: NASA wraps up 1st phase of ambitious reactor project. | SPINBUSTER. Ontario counts nuclear power as “Green”. | TECHNOLOGY. Advanced nuclear power is costly and tech is still developing: Is a Pueblo plant realistic:? Will AI Warfare Usher in a Massive Expansion of the Surveillance State? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLBrP084X5Y Blade hub idea for old n-plant site. |
| WASTES. USA’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant to increase its space for nuclear trash. VINCI wins contract to dismantle nuclear reactors in Sweden. Strong opposition on plans to store nuclear waste in East Yorkshire | WAR and CONFLICT. US unleashes strikes across Middle East. The U.S. Quest for Nuclear Primacy | WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. US reportedly planning to station nuclear weapons in Britain for first time in 15 years. Documents unambiguously state ‘incoming nuclear mission’ to Britain. RAF Lakenheath: Plans progress to bring US nuclear weapons to Suffolk – a risky target? Britain will test fire Trident nuclear missile for the first time since 2016 as fears of World War Three grow.Russia has no plans to deploy nuclear arms beyond Belarus, says deputy minister. NATO chief says more war, more weapons, are the way to secure lasting peace in Ukraine. Democrats press Blinken on arms sales to Israel without congressional approval. U.S. Congress about to weaken its oversight of weapons sales to foreign countries. Could a Rogue Billionaire Make and Sell a Nuclear Weapon?. |
Nuclear news – week to 29 January
A bit of good news. Pre-Pesticides, Pro-Farmer: The Rise of Agroecology
One part ancient practices, one part worker justice, a new-old way of farming is adapting agriculture for an uncertain world.
TOP STORIES.
NOWHERE TO HIDE – How a nuclear war would kill you — and almost everyone else.
Nuclear lobby “kills” nomination of regulator who cares too much about safety . also at https://nuclear-news.net/2024/01/23/3-a-nuclear-lobby-kills-nomination-of-regulator-who-cares-too-much-about-safety/
Nuclear hype in meltdown.
International Court of Justice Rules That Israel Must Stop Killing Palestinians.
Growing mountain of wasted money is a radioactive prospect. also at https://nuclear-news.net/2024/01/28/2-a-growing-mountain-of-wasted-money-is-a-radioactive-prospect/
Hinkley Point C woes threaten to break UK and France’s nuclear fusion.
Climate: Towards an unliveable planet: Climate’s 2023 annus horribilis
Nuclear. Lots about UK’s nuclear mess
Noel’s notes. A new Waterloo defeat for France – a nuclear economic one.
AUSTRALIA. The Politics of Nuclear Waste Disposal: Lessons from Australia. As earth records hottest year, Coalition digs in against climate action and renewables. Cost of UK’s flagship nuclear project blows out to more than $A92 billion. Race of the Century: Australia is in the box seat on climate and finance, here is the blueprint for victory.
NUCLEAR ISSUES
| CLIMATE. Small modular reactors may have climate benefits, but they can also be climate-vulnerable EMPLOYMENT. Berkshire nuclear defence workers strike. | CIVIL LIBERTIES. In Assange’s Darkest Hour, Committee To Protect Journalists Yet Again Excludes Him From Jailed Journalist Index ENERGY. Microsoft Looks to Nuclear to Fuel AI Plans. | ECONOMICS. EDF a total basket case, weighed down by its 50 Billion pound nuclear turkey at Hinkley Point. Sorry, France, you’re on the hook at Hinkley Point. Hinkley Point is glowing on my doorstep, but that won’t help us get a bus into town. France to push UK government for additional support for faltering nuclear projects. US nuclear agency isn’t consistent in tracking costs for some construction projects, report says. NuScale / Countries Likely To ‘Double Down On Scrutiny’ Following SMR Project Cancellation. |
LEGAL. The ICJ’s Provisional Orders: The Genocide Convention Applies to Gaza.
Two Men Sentenced for Falsifying Documents Related to Testing of Equipment at Nuclear Power Plants.
MEDIA. The War On Journalism In Belmarsh, The War On Journalism In Gaza.As ‘Oppenheimer’ leads Oscar nominees, Sentor Hawley wants spotlight on nuclear testing victims. URANIUM FILM FESTIVAL MARATHON ACROSS THE USA.
OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Fijian youths condemn Japan’s discharge of radioactive water.
CAMPAIGNERS opposing the development of nuclear power inBradwell-on-Sea say they believe ‘new nuclear’ in the area “remains dead in the water”. UK government pours good money after bad, into failing Hinkley Point C nuclear boondoggle .
| SPINBUSTER. Tripling nuclear power: public relations fairy dust . What is wrong with UK nuclear power? Too much “Hopium”? Detailed response to a barrage of nuclear nonsense from Zion Lights.. | WASTES. Plutonium NNSA Issues Final Surplus Plutonium Environmental Impact Statement. Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant: further delays for removal of melted fuel debris. Still no end in sight for Fukushima nuke plant decommissioning work. Plan to store nuclear waste under Holderness for 175 years. MP wants public vote on nuclear waste disposal |
| WAR and CONFLICT. ”Doomsday Clock” Kept at 90 Seconds to Midnight for 2024. Doomsday clock stays at 90 seconds to midnight: What we know. The Doomsday Clock is still at 90 seconds to midnight. But what does that mean? Israel minister renews call for striking Gaza with ‘nuclear bomb’. It May be Genocide, But it Won’t Be Stopped | WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. Nuclear-armed Israel is at war: What might this mean? Italy’s FM reveals country ceased arms shipments to Israel starting October 7 over ‘war crime’ concerns As Trump looms, top EU politician calls for European nuclear deterrent. Finland is a focal point of Nato’s largest exercise since the Cold War, and looks to siting nuclear weapons. US plans to store nuclear weapons in UK: report. US will station nukes in Britain for the first time in 15 years, as West escalates conflicts on multiple fronts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZcg409HYIc Ukraine uncovers another $40 Million in weapons fraud. |
Giving Mastodon another go. They approved my appeal
Now, to add to my confusion – Mastodon sent me a message “My appeal has been approved. My account is back again” . My appeal was just “I don’t understand why my account has been suspended. No reason was given” . So, now I am going to give Mastodon another go
Another week in nuclear news
Some bits of good news. The Year in Cheer – 177 ways the world got better in 2023.
TOP STORIES. The Last Flurry: The US Congress and Australian Parliamentarians seek Assange’s Release.
UK’s nuclear obsessions kill off its net zero strategy . Military interests are pushing new nuclear power – and the UK government has finally admitted it.
LIES. United Against Nuclear Iran: The Shadowy, Intelligence-Linked Group Driving the US Towards War With Iran.
Nuclear goes backwards, again, as wind and solar enjoy another year of record growth.
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Climate. State of the Climate: 2023 smashes records for surface temperature and ocean heat. A new wave of climate denialism is on the rise. The Greenland ice cap is losing an average of 30m tonnes of ice an hour due to the climate crisis. Shock Horror! – They’re letting some WOMEN into the Cop29 climate summit committee!
Nuclear. Pro nuclear propaganda seems to be doubling, as nuclear’s obscene costs become more apparent, as well as “clean nuclear’s absolute connection with weaponry!
Noel’s Notes. UK govt has come clean about it! Nuclear power- no use, really – just essential for the nuclear weapons industry. Biden in a bind – powerless to stop the genocide, but keen to fund it and promote it. The human cost when IT goes wrong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdQQib3rmkE
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AUSTRALIA. USA announces Australia’s participation in Yemen war, parliament in the dark. Cancelling the Journalist: The Australian ABC’s Coverage of the Israel-Gaza War. Western Australian groups reject the aims of Nuclear Safety Bills 2023 [Provisions] and call for public hearing. Perth nuclear waste storage facility planned for AUKUS submarines at HMAS Stirling on Garden Island.
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ECONOMICS. The Times asks “Are big nuclear reactors really the right thing for the UK? Nuclear power may twice as expensive as the Swedish government thought? $25 billion for refurbishment of Darlingon and Bruce reactors. US Offers Up To $500MM for Advanced Nuclear Fuel Production for SMRs. Big costs sink flagship nuclear project
EMPLOYMENT. Federal Employees to Stage Walk Out Over Biden’s Support for Gaza Slaughter
ENERGY. An Unprecedented Momentum for Renewables. IEA: Global renewable capacity grows over 50% YoY in 2023. Analysis: World will add enough renewables in five years to power US and Canada. Fuel problems for nuclear power, as the industry continues to languish in the doldrums.
INDIGENOUS ISSUES. Kebaowek Nation calls for cancellation of nuclear waste disposal site at Chalk River. Documentary ‘Downwind’ shows deadly consequences of nuclear testing on tribal lands. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkoVPZnLlUY&t=14s
LEGAL. South Africa has made its genocide case against Israel in court. Here’s what both sides said and what happens next. Fukushima Nuclear Waste Water Disputes Continued: International Law in Japanese Court?
MEDIA. How the Gaza War Can Be Big News and Invisible at the Same Time. The threat of catastrophe is assessed in Nuclear Armageddon: How Close Are We? — review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j43-i6E2UJU&t=128s. 1 B Scary simulator shows what could happen in the event of a nuclear disaster.
OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Blocking the Doors of the Treaty Blockers & the Nuclear Ban Treaty’s 3d Anniversary.
PERSONAL STORIES. ‘The fight isn’t over’: Idaho downwinders persist after Congress cuts compensation for them.
POLITICS.
- It’s All About Me: Netanyahu Rejects Palestinian Statehood.
- Even Britain’s ruling Tory party fear that their “Nuclear Roadmap” plan will end up on the scrap heap. Roadmap to warfare: new policy exposes links with UK military nuclear projects. Construction to start on Sizewell C nuclear power station amid opposition. Petition: 100 per cent renewables rather than Small Modular (nuclear) Reactors. Sizewell C opponents warn Suffolk nuclear plant ‘could be the new HS2‘.
- Biden administration finalizes a $1.1 billion aid package for California’s last nuclear power plant. Why Joe Biden Is a Foreign Policy Failure.
- Belarus says it is to change policy on nuclear weapons.
- For Estonia the risks of going nuclear are high, and the plant not strictly necessary.
POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. São Tomé and Príncipe 70th State to ratify Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. US urges discussions with China on practical nuclear risk reduction steps.
SAFETY. Limping along: EDF Energy looking to extend operational life of aging reactors AGAIN. Hinkley C site fire safety fears trigger enforcement notices.
SECRETS and LIES. Shining a light on the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
SPINBUSTER. Work officially ‘started’ at Sizewell C Nuclear on Monday – but it was really only political theatre. Why nuclear reactors are not the future of energy despite what UK Government would have you think.
TECHNOLOGY. Nuclear start-up Newcleo drops plans for British factory in favour of France. WASTES. Chalk River, or low-level nuclear governance. Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) wants to delay completion of its review on waste dump.
WAR and CONFLICT. A response to Kallenborn: Why realism requires that nuclear weapons be abolished. Incredible analysis of US warmongers plans for war with China ! Read this and weep!
WASTES. Chalk River, or low-level nuclear governance. Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) wants to delay completion of its review on waste dump.
WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.
- The Military-Industrial Complex Is the Winner (Not You). What sort of world do we want?: ICAN exec discusses ultimate goal of nuclear abolition. Nuclear Threats Are Looming, And Nobody Knows How Many Nukes Are Out There. Are Nuclear-Armed Nations Entering a New Arms Race in 2024? – Experts Weigh In.
- Germany plans to supply Israel with tanks shells as Gaza death toll nears 25,000.
- Zelensky Courts JPMorgan, Bank of America & Bridgewater CEOs At Davos, Urges More Money From West. German defense chief against going ‘all in’ on Ukraine.
- North Korea says it tested underwater nuclear attack drone in response to rivals’ naval drills. Nuclear tensions on the Korean Peninsula set to worsen in 2024. Are Nuclear-Armed Nations Entering a New Arms Race in 2024? – Experts Weigh In.
This week’s nuclear news
TOP STORIES.
Israel Is Terrified the World Court Will Decide It’s Committing Genocide.
The ‘Ghost Budget’: How America Pays for Endless War. US prepares for nuclear war at foreign bases – with “Steadfast Noon”.
‘PR Fairy Dust’ Has Canada Tripling Nuclear Capacity by 2050. Cancelled
NuScale contract weighs heavy on new nuclear.
Nuclear Continues To Lag Far Behind Renewables In China Deployments.
****************************Covid. Yes, it’s still there – it’s NOT over yet.
Climate. Analysis: Record opposition to climate action by UK’s right-leaning newspapers in 2023. 2023 confirmed as world’s hottest year on record. Human ‘behavioural crisis’ at root of climate breakdown, say scientists.
Nuclear. It’s all over the UK media – enthusiasm for Civil Nuclear Roadmap – methinks the ladies and gentlemen do protest too much. Meanwhile – back at the Israel-Palestine-Lebanon-USA-Iran ranch – it’s all getting perilous – while I try to keep that stuff out of this newsletter
Noel’s notes. Aw gee! Did ya know that Australia is partnering USA in making multiple strikes on Yemen?. Who can be believed? New heights of folly as UK government releases its Civil Nuclear Roadmap.
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AUSTRALIA.
- ‘Do or die’: MPs launch urgent bid to spare Assange from US extradition.
- Defence Minister Marles announces Australia has joined in U.S. attacks on Yemen.
- The Coalition is hoodwinking Australia about nuclear energy. Coalition, pro-nuclear lobbyists, argue Australia needs nuclear energy; oppose renewables.
- Peace Pod: an aural adventure in anti-militarist activism. With teacher resources.
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CLIMATE. “The defense of nuclear power as a low-carbon energy weakens the European Union’s action against climate change”.
ECONOMICS. Nuclear power and net zero: Too little, too late, too expensive. Sizewell C: UK and France-owned EDF look to raise £20bn for Suffolk nuclear site. Housing unaffordability – implications for Somerset with huge increase in nuclear workers for Hinkley Point C.
EMPLOYMENT. Nuclear defence workers to strike over pay. Hotel near Bridgwater could be repurposed to house Hinkley Point C workers.
ENERGY. Reducing energy demand- technologies are available, scalable and affordable today. ’The potential is extraordinary’: Business action on energy efficiency could save $2tr a year, new research claims. Unplanned nuclear power outages are reducing UK’s electricity output.
ENVIRONMENT.
- Coldwater Creek to finally have warning signs after decades of nuclear contamination.
- Ayrshire radiation highlighted as Labour’s nuclear support attacked.
- Nuclear Power: The Thousand Year-Plus Albatross Around Humanity’s Neck.
- Nuclear: Plan to relax UK planning rules for small reactors draws mixed response. Inside Bradwell’s Dark Secrets.
- Utility scale solar farms contribute to bird diversity.
ETHICS and RELIGION. ‘The Evidence of Genocide Is Not Only Chilling, It Is Also Overwhelming and Incontrovertible’: Quotes from International Court of Justice.
HEALTH. The mystery of a Truchas woman who died with extraordinary amounts of plutonium in her body.
HISTORY. The Spectacular Failure of the Zionist Project
INDIGENOUS ISSUES. Commission decision a ‘gut-punch’, so years-long battle over radioactive waste mound will continue.
LEGAL. An international law expert explains why South Africa’s case at the ICJ is so important. Craig Murray: Observations on Israel’s defense in the International Court of Justice.
MEDIA. Nuclear technology: the shady beginnings and the uncertain future. Book (fiction): The Secret of the Three Bullets- How New Nuclear Weapons Are Back on Battlefields
OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . No to nuclear power: stop the expansion. Will Sizewell nuclear project go ahead? Campaigners question the timetable and the funding.
POLITICS. Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher enthuses over “the rebirth of France’s nuclear industry”. Mr President, saying that nuclear power will save the climate is a lie. France Moves Away from Renewable Targets in Favor of Nuclear Power.
UK Government unveils biggest nuclear expansion in 70 years. Mini nuclear plants to be built almost anywhere in UK. On the road to nowhere… UK Ministers launch nuclear ‘Roadmap’ in election year. UK’s Nuclear Roadmap is Pure Fantasy. UK Government’s nuclear power expansion plans branded hot air. Bradwell Nuclear – Falling Off the (Road)Map. Allan Dorans: Scottish Labour’s support for nuclear fuel poses a risk. Government remains committed to Sizewell C timetable before a general election. Ministers told to say how Sizewell C will be funded as new nuclear plan launched.
Setback for Japan’s Nuclear Revival as Reactor Restart Delayed. NZ’s anti-nuclear stance is at risk of compromise but must be upheld.
POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. What Does ‘Rules-Based International Order’ Mean When US Can Bomb Yemen at Will? Peace from River to Sea.– (pages 21-25). Net-Zero and Nonproliferation: Assessing Nuclear Power and Its Alternatives.
SAFETY. UK’s dwindling nuclear fleet – four ageing reactors to be kept going beyond their planned closure date. Sellafield nuclear safety and security director to leave. Nuclear convoys: Blacked-out lorries carry ‘deadly cargo’ through the village. Fresh Trident safety fears as submarines’ ‘life expectancy’ extended repeatedly.
Japan’s Hokuriku Elec reports second oil leak from Shika nuclear plant. Japan’s NRA orders probe on quake damage at Shika nuclear power plant. Japan quake stressed nuclear plant beyond design limit: panel. Japanese nuclear plant admits 20,000 litres of oil leaked when it was hit by 10ft tsunami sparked by New Year’s Day earthquake – as officials call for drones to monitor radiation levels.
SECRETS and LIES. Dutch engineer spread Stuxnet in Iran nuclear plant in 2008: report. New Revelations Shed More Light On Sabotage Of Iran Nuclear Program.
Outrage as Government admits it kept medical results on nuke test veterans a ‘state secret’ in a move Tory grandee Sir John Hayes said ‘beggars belief’. Nuclear Free Local Authorities question the Chief Constable on alleged misconduct among Civil Nuclear Constabulary.
SPINBUSTER. In the name of ‘fake news,’ NewsGuard extorts sites to follow the government narrative.
TECHNOLOGY. Killer Robots: UN Vote Should Spur Action on Treaty. Dissension in the nuclear lobby – it had to happen – Small Nuclear versus Big Nuclear. Touting a ‘new age of nuclear fusion‘. Nuclear, CCS & LNG Are Distractions As Shipping Goes Low Carbon.
WASTES. Carlsbad depositary- 79% of waste came from nuclear wastes from Idaho National Laboratory. Kebaowek First Nation strongly opposes nuclear waste storage facility in Chalk River. Behind the (somewhat dirty) scenes of nuclear waste processing.
WAR and CONFLICT. Could Israel’s War in Gaza Spiral Into a Regional War?
WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. Israel’s nuclear arsenal: what we know. Nuclear Arms Buildup Isn’t Just about War. It Also Harms People and Communities. IG report finds Pentagon failed to account for more than $1B in weapons sent to Ukraine. Biden’s $582 Million Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia. Can It Be Blocked?.
Aw gee! Did ya know that Australia is partnering USA in making multiple strikes on Yemen?
Yeah. It’s happened already. And many thanks to the American media (CNN) for letting me know. Not that it was discussed in the Australian Parliament or anything like that. But don’t worry. Our Defence Minister Richard Marles has it all in hand. I believe that he’s going to make an announcement to the Australian public soon. So no need to worry. The Labor government has everything in had, just as the Liberal government under John Howard did, in 2003, when we joined USA to bomb Iraq, without consulting Parliament.
Not a peep out of our Prime Minister yet. I wonder if the Australian media will bother to cover it?
Nuclear news for the first week of 20246
Some bits of good news . Wild and Wonderful Saiga is No Longer Endangered with a Million Roaming Now in Central Asia. 10 Things that Give us HOPE for 2024.
TOP STORIES. How Long Can Israel Defy the World?
Rokkasho redux: Japan’s never-ending nuclear reprocessing saga.
Bill Introduced in US Congress Calls for US to Drop Charges Against Julian Assange.
From the archives: Japan’s nuclear companies bribed local governments: consumers eventually pay.
Climate. What a farce! Another veteran of the oil and gas industry to lead the next round of COP 29 climate talks.
Nuclear. I try to stay off the topics of Israel and Ukrainian wars – but that’s tricky, as we teeter on the nuclear brink. Japan’s earthquake disaster lingers, – their nuclear reactors are OK, but it’s early days.
Noel’s notes: Japan’s earthquake: The world must not be conned by the irrational optimism of the nuclear lobby. The subtle ways that the nuclear lobby manipulates corporate media: example KISHA CLUBS OF JAPAN.
AUSTRALIA. Nuke policy quietly nuked: Australia to fund US nuclear weapon delivery program. Funding the imperium: Australia subsidises U.S. nuclear submarines.
US officials monitored pro-Assange protests in Australia for ‘anti-US sentiment’, documents reveal. Legendary Australian journalist John Pilger dies, aged 84. Uranium ship sneaks into ‘nuclear free’ Fremantle port, sparking concern by wharfies over safety.
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ECONOMICS. EDF using Pontins Brean Sands has ‘big determinantal impact’ on local economy, tourism firm fears. COP28’s Nuclear Energy Promise Is Still a Long Way Off. Nuclear Fuel: Russian Cutoff Would Upend Global Market.
EMPLOYMENT. Mass layoffs at small nuclear reactor companies. Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLAs) call upon nuke cops chief to issue statement on ‘toxic’ Sellafield allegations.
ENERGY. ‘Renewable surge powers all UK homes in 2023’. More than half of eligible schools enlist in new solar scheme in Ireland. Nuclear weapons test treaty fears sink plans for major wind farm. UK Nuclear Output Slumps to 42-Year Low . Swedish nuclear outage extended by 3 weeks . Germany’s coal power production drops to lowest level in 60 years in2023 after nuclear exit.
ENVIRONMENT. NRC still concerned with Air Force’s monitoring of thorium contamination at Kirtland. A ‘natural alternative’ plan for protecting fish from Hinkley nuclear station’s cooling system. Hinkley Point C proposes new wetland reserve to protect fish from cooling system.
HEALTH. Prolonged impact of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident on health and society.
MEDIA. Burial review – deep dive into underworld of nuclear power and its toxic legacy. https://youtu.be/fw4Fp7e-9PM?si=SaQXhz1FobT2K3yb
BBC Panorama to feature RAF Lakenheath nuclear weapons saga- BBC Two on Thursday, January 18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZcg409HYIc
All CNN Gaza Coverage Seen by Bureau Monitored by Israeli Defense Force Before Publication.
PERSONAL STORIES. A Visit to Belmarsh Prison, Where Julian Assange Awaits His Final Appeal Against Extradition to the US.
POLITICS. Kim Jong Un announces launch of new spy satellites, nuclear resolutions for 2024.
POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY.
- The real reason why the USA pushed for the world to “triple nuclear power” at COP 28.
- Iran Says Prospect for Talks Over Nuclear Deal ‘Still Exists’.
- India, Pakistan exchange list of nuclear installations under 1988 bilateral pact.
- “The coming US-Saudi nuclear deal: Keep it honest,” The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. “Improving Saudi-Israeli Ties Shouldn’t Breed Nuclear Bombs,” The Hill,
- European Parliament resolution of 12 December 2023 on small modular reactor.
SAFETY. Japan earthquake casts cloud over push to restart nuclear plants. Japan earthquake raises concerns over restarting country’s nuclear plants. We care about Japan’s disaster situation and are concerned about nuclear safety. Operational Ban Lifted on Major Japan Nuclear Plant.
Nuclear concerns as a magnitude-7.6 earthquake hits north central Japan, prompting tsunami warnings. How Japanese earthquake has chilling echoes of 2011 tsunami disaster that killed at least 20,000 and caused nuclear meltdown. In Quake-Scarred Japan, 2011 Fukushima Disaster Still Looms Large. Following earthquake, Japan’s nuclear reactors escaped serious problems – THIS TIME. “Forbidden news”- Water Containing Radioactive Materials Spills Over atKashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant . Japan Earthquake: Water Levels Rose At Shika Nuclear Plant After Monday’s Tsunami, Says Report. Systems to supply power to nuclear plant in Ishikawa partially unusable. Radioactive water spills over after quakes hit Japan.
- Fears after warning of ‘rotting’ nuclear infrastructure on Clyde.
- Nuclear disasters–in–waiting,
- IAEA says its inspectors are denied access to parts of Ukraine nuclear plant ..
- Incident: Hackers use LinkedIn to target UK nuclear waste firm.
- Volcanic hazard to planned Natrium fast nuclear reactor – even the NRC admits.
- Diablo Canyon nuclear plant must be shut down.
SECRETS and LIES. More nuclear corruption?
SPINBUSTER. Another Voice: Nuclear (yet again).
TECHNOLOGY. DOE docs: Carbon removal proposal bets on rare nuclear reactors.
WASTES. Nuclear waste site a potential danger to all who live here. Nuclear waste could threaten rare spot where endangered mussel thrives, experts say. UK’s Nuclear Waste Service (NWS) to grant £millions to the 3 Community Partnerships, to seek a site for nuclear waste dump. Challenging questions concerning UK’s Geological Disposal Facility (GDF)Test of Public Support.
WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. US Foreign Policy Is a Scam Built on Corruption. Once Again, Biden Bypasses Congress to Approve Arms Sale to Israel. Ukraine war – NATO provides a new bonanza for Raytheon and MBDA Germany weapons companies. American weapons company Lockheed Martin scores again with sale of more F-35s to South Korea. “Civil nuclear power” has always been a cover story for wasting public money on nuclear weapons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgQ1PtkZvGU
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