Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Nuclear disarmament program could spell the end of uranium mining

Back in 2009, President Obama ordered a measure to help the ailing uranium industry –  to lift the price of uranium.

He ordered a halt to the program to use weapons grade uranium from old nuclear weapons as fuel for copmmercial nuclear reactors.

Now, that program is to be re-started, and with the aim of spreading this use of old military uranium as nuclear fuel – to Russia , and the world – as part of the nuclear disarmament program.

In which case, –  nobody would need new mined uranium!

April 12, 2010 Posted by | Christina reviews, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear Summit’s plans to use old weapons fuel for commercial nuclear power

the US and Russia will today sign a long-delayed agreement to dispose of 34 tonnes of plutonium from decommissioned weapons, by using it in power stations.

US summit expected to back Barack Obama’s plan to prevent nuclear theft | World news | The Guardian 12 April Leaders from more than 40 countries will tomorrow back Barack Obama’s plans to prevent the theft of nuclear material from vulnerable stockpiles around the world. Continue reading

April 12, 2010 Posted by | 1, uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

India’s victims of ionising radiation are very ill

Radiation victims continue to be critical, The Hindu :   NEW DELHI, April 11, 2010 Doctors suspect extensive damage to bone marrow The condition of all six persons exposed to radioactive material at a scrap market in the Capital’s Mayapuri area continued to be highly critical on Saturday with doctors suspecting extensive damage to their bone marrow, making them severely susceptible to infections.Deepak Jain, who is admitted to Indraprashtha Apollo Hospital, is reported to be “very critical” and his treatment is being managed in consultation with senior Bhabha Atomic Research Centre officials.

The Hindu : News / National : Radiation victims continue to be critical

April 12, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , | Leave a comment

Brisbane Palm Sunday Disarmament Rally

Rally calls for peace, refugee rights Jim McIlroy, Green Left , Jim McIlroy, Brisbane April 2010 The annual Palm Sunday peace rally took place in Brisbane on March 28, sponsored by the Rally for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament. The main themes of the rally were: Nuclear-free Australia; oppose climate change; no to uranium weapons; and safe havens for refugees…….Anti-nuclear campaigner Pauline Rigby spoke on the danger of weapons derived from uranium.

Green Left – Brief: Rally calls for peace, refugee rights

April 12, 2010 Posted by | General News | , | Leave a comment

Sarah Palin not an expert on nuclear issues: Really!!

ALSO :  VIDEO Tina Fey Introduces The Sarah Palin Network – The Hollywood Gossip

Tina Fey Introduces The Sarah Palin Network – The Hollywood Gossip

Obama Discredits Sarah Palin As Not An Expert On Nuclear Issues By Richard West on April 11, 2010,

It seems that President Obama is one person that is not going to take Sarah Palin’s criticisms sitting down…………President Obama stated the obvious in a “Good Morning America” interview with George Stephanopoulos; Palin is no expert on expert on nuclear issues. He went on to state that the new policy was developed with experts such as Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Michael Mullen. To that, Obama said, “I’m probably going to take my advice from them and not from Sarah Palin.”

Obama Discredits Sarah Palin As Not An Expert On Nuclear Issues

April 12, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , | Leave a comment

Tilman Ruff – an Australian anti nuclear hero

Nuclear nemesis, The Age, JO CHANDLER, April 10, 2010Ads  WHAT makes an activist “……Associate Professor Tilman Ruff, part-time physician, full-time campaigner against nuclear arms, and cancer survivor – a doctor who considers protecting the world from nuclear arms as fundamental to public health as the vaccines he dispenses……. Continue reading

April 10, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, people | , , | Leave a comment

Radiation poisoning incident in India

Radiation poisoning a reminder of need for better ‘nuclear security, The Hindu , ‘Siddharth Varadarajan and R. Ramachandran, Apr 10, 2010, New Delhi: Coming on the eve of next week’s Nuclear Security Summit, the news of people being sickened by cobalt-60 in a Delhi market is an embarrassing reminder of weaknesses in the Indian system of tracking minor radioactive substances………. Continue reading

April 10, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium pollution continues in South Australia, but protestors gain legal victory

David Noonan, 10 April 2010, After 10 years a group of brave and resolute anti-nuclear protesters have won a major court case against SA police in defense of their rights to defend the environment, to protest against uranium mining and to protect their rights civil and human rights – after a range of police violence was inflicted on them including unlawful imprisonment in a shipping container at the Beverley acid in situ leach uranium mine in May 2000. Continue reading

April 10, 2010 Posted by | civil liberties, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium price continued slump leaves Cameco investors deeply in the red

The Cameco  stock is currently around CAD 27.00 a share, leaving buy-and-hold investors which bought the stock across 2006 and 2007 deeply in the red.

Are uranium stocks oversold?  “……… the sector has been on the backburner for months, if not years. Mineweb,  Barry Sergeant  , 09 Apr 2010 JOHANNESBURG – Relative to most mining subsectors, listed uranium stocks have rendered a poor performance, for some years now, inviting examination as to whether this area is oversold. Continue reading

April 10, 2010 Posted by | 1, uranium | , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear Power Lobby in a Bigger Mess Than I Thought

by Christina Macpherson 9 April 2010, Some big corporations have an obvious interest in Australia   promoting nuclear power.  But which sort?  Better not get Fourth Generation nuclear reactors – or the whole uranium industry is stuffed!

Today, thanks to Renfrey Clarke (3 items from him below) I learned about:

Second Generation Nuclear Reactors – those presently in use  (Pressured Water Reactors – uranium-intensive and so ultimately producing lots of greenhouse gases, and not very safe, )

Third Generation Nuclear Reactors – still being built – updated versions of the Second Gen, super-expensive,  a bit safer, but same waste and proliferation problems

‘Fast Breeder’ Reactors and Fourth Generation Nuclear Reactors – the latter still at the design stage, carry serious fire and radioactive waste risk.  Worst of all, for Australia, they won’t need uranium mining , as they could use existing huge stockpiles of depleted uranium

April 9, 2010 Posted by | 1, Christina reviews, climate change - global warming, uranium | , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Traditional Aboriginal Owners to Appear at Senate Inquiry on Australian Govt’s Nuclear Waste Dump Plan

The NRWM Bill is also strongly opposed by the NT Government, the ACTU and Unions NT and national public health, student and environment groups.

9 April 2010 Aboriginal Traditional Owners from the Muckaty Land Trust will appear at a Senate Inquiry hearing in Darwin on Monday April 12 to speak against the federal government’s new law that seeks to impose a radioactive waste dump on the NT – the National Radioactive Waste Management (NRWM) Bill. Continue reading

April 9, 2010 Posted by | aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, uranium | , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Third Generation” Nuclear Reactors” safety, pollution, proliferation dangers

Why James Hansen is wrong on nuclear power | Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal, By Renfrey Clarke April 8, 2010 -“…….Third-generation reactors are in essence evolved versions of the pressurised-water installations that provide almost all of today’s nuclear energy. Now being built for the first time, “third-generation” plants are arguably still at the pre-commercial stage. Continue reading

April 9, 2010 Posted by | 1, energy, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A worthwhile anti uranium protest, and protestors vindicated

9 April 2010 Greens MLC Mark Parnell has welcomed the decision to award ten protesters $724,550 in compensation for their treatment and detention by Star Force officers whilst protesting at the Beverley Uranium mine in 2000……

“These protesters had a right to express their concerns about the dangers of the nuclear industry and South Australia’s role in it.  This is an industry that is implicated in nuclear weapons proliferation and an industry that still has no solution to its toxic waste.  That is certainly worth protesting about,” he said.

April 9, 2010 Posted by | General News, uranium | , , | Leave a comment

Uranium price slipping further down

Uranium prices falter on lack of demand Industrial Fuels and Power April 7th, 2010 The spot price of uranium oxide slipped by US$0.25 to US$41.75/lb on April 5, according to Ux Consulting Company. Earlier, on Friday 2, TradeTech had reported an identical decline, pushing the price down to US$41.50 as no transactions or new demand were apparent, prompting sellers to offer lower prices.

Uranium prices falter on lack of demand | Industrial Fuels and Power

April 9, 2010 Posted by | 1, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Justice for South Australian anti uranium protestors

Justice Anderson also criticised SA Treasurer Kevin Foley and Police Minister Michael Wright for making antagonistic and provocative comments about the case.

Payout for protesters locked in shipping container – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 9 April 2010, The South Australian Government has been ordered to pay $724,000 to 10 people involved in a protest at the Beverley uranium mine a decade ago.

The Supreme Court has found the nine uranium protesters and a cameraman were assaulted and all but one falsely imprisoned in a shipping container. Continue reading

April 9, 2010 Posted by | legal, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment