European Union bans export of nuclear wastes
to put a stop to the current practice where EU member states, which do not want to store spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste on their territory, can pay countries outside the bloc to do the job for them…….The facilities would have to deal with material that can stay radioactive for up to one million years.
EU: Nuclear waste cannot be outsourced, New Europe, 7 November 2010 – The European Commission on 3 November unveiled new proposals, stating that EU governments will be banned from offloading their nuclear waste onto third countries. Continue reading
Secret documents may prove guilt of British atomic test program
the papers could be the “smoking gun” that proves military chiefs knew they were sending servicemen to their deaths when they made them watch atomic blasts 50 years ago.
Release of secret documents that could bring justice to nuclear bomb veterans ordered – mirror.co.uk, By Susie Boniface 7/11/2010 A judge has ordered the release of top secret documents that could bring justice to Britain’s nuclear bomb veterans. Continue reading
Australian airline pilots might boycott radiation scanning
The [backscatter radiation scanning] devices are planned to be rolled out across Australia next year…The Australian and International Pilots Association says it is also considering the issue raised by the APA
Pilots boycott full-body scanners over health fears By Kate Schneider, news.com.au , November 08, 2010 THE world’s largest pilot’s association has boycotted full-body scanners over health risks Continue reading
Frequent fliers’ increased cancer risk due to ionising radiation
Airline frequent fliers ‘radiation poisoning risks’ from space ‘solar flare’ storm activity – Telegraph By Andrew Hough 05 Nov 2010 Researchers found passengers faced the “hazard” of space radiation, which created unhealthy levels of exposure while flying at “typical cruise altitudes” of 40,000 feet. Continue reading
Western Australian NUclear Free Alliance condemns uranium mining
The night was hosted by the newly-formed WA Nuclear Free Alliance (WANFA), which groups together about 60 Aboriginal people from communities around the state.
Anti-nuclear event condemns mine plan | Green Left Weekly, November 6, 2010By Kamala Emanuel, Perth Continue reading
Huge anti-nuclear waste protest continuing in Germany
Police used tear gas, baton charges, horses, water cannon, pepper spray and human brute force but wave after wave of protesters continued to swarm on the last stretch of track before the city of Dannenberg.
Fierce battles as nuclear ‘train of death’ held up in Germany A nuclear waste train inching through Germany was unlikely to reach its destination until Monday after massive protests along every foot of railway line. Telegraph UK, By Allan Hall in Berlin 07 Nov 2010 Continue reading
Australia’s new greatly expanded role in USA military presence
the Australian development is part of a new U.S. strategy to step up its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region
Australia, U.S. agree to major escalation of military co-operation Continue reading
Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates – quiet pro nuclear spin to Australia?
The nuclear sales show is sure getting complicated. AS USA can’t sell new nukes to its own people, and France falters in that same effort at home – then it’s time to flog off the nuclear industry to Asia while you can still make a buck or a euro out of it.
Below you can read of Obama’s efforts right now, as he visits India with a stack of nuclear industry executives. Sarkozy’ does a similar deal in China.
Where does Australia come into all this? Surely not! Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates are in Australia for a jolly sunny holiday. No?
No – they’re in Australia to sell us military stuff, and to get Australia further into USA’s military machine. The Australian public will, as usual, be kept in the dark about this, and who knows what else?
Perhaps USA wants Australia to sell uranium to India – to further USA’s nuclear reactor sales there, and to spit China?
While Europe has just decided that it’s too dangerous to transport nuclear wastes beyond its shores, USA has made no such decision. Perhaps Australia is the preferred destination for USA’s mounting embarassment of nuclear wastes?
France selling nuclear technology to China
“We have decided to work without limits on a strategic collaboration in the nuclear domain that will go much farther on the full spectrum of nuclear activity,” Sarkozy said in a speech after a deal-signing ceremony in the presidential palace.
France, China to form nuclear power partnership | Reuters -Areva signs three deals with China, eyes EPR sale China signs $20 bln of business contracts in France PARIS, Nov 4 – Continue reading
Clinton to Australia to sell spy base and military stuff
Australia’s defence planning continues to promote the interoperability of its forces with those of the US, in part through provision of secure bases such as the new tracking station but also through equipment purchases.
An alliance still in the national interests, The Age,November 6, 2010 “…The US is also concerned by China’s increasing military might, which includes a capability for satellite warfare in space. One response to that capability is a satellite tracking station being built on Australian territory. Continue reading
Obama to India, with 200 nuclear salesmen!
Over 200 US corporate chiefs are accompanying Mr Obama, including Jeffrey Inmelt of GE, seeking to sell to India civil nuclear equipment worth billions of dollars.
US trade drive in India includes arms and civil nuclear material – The Irish Times – Nov 06, 2010, RAHUL BEDI in New Delhi US PRESIDENT Barack Obama arrives in India today on a three-day official trip that promises to be high on ceremony and sentiment but somewhat low on tangible “deliverables”…. Continue reading
John Durie of THE AUSTRALIAN recommends nuclear waste storage industry for South Australia
South Australia’s Rann could do everyone a favour by realising the best way to maximise growth in the state is to look at some sort of environmentally friendly nuclear waste storage in the state. – John Durie writes in THE AUSTRALIAN 5 Nov
“This could be a new industry for the country, and as much as the environmental benefits of nuclear power are questionable, it is another source of power which should go into the mix.
It just so happens BHP is sitting on tonnes of uranium, and it just so happens its boss Marius Kloppers is a big advocate of a carbon tax to get Australia on to the greenhouse combat zone efficiently.
Next stop is to start pushing for nuclear power in Australia, powered by the Big Australian, which it seems has got too big to buy anything of any size offshore…..”
AREVA illegally storing radioactive waste at rail terminal
Complaint against AREVA for illegal storage of nuclear waste Greenpeace International, by JulietteH – November 4, 2010, On Tuesday, at 3pm, Greenpeace conducted a citizen inspection at the entrance of the railway terminal in the small town of Valognes, France. Activists carried out radiation measurements by monitoring the passage of trucks that have been carrying containers of highly radioactive nuclear waste for a week. Continue reading
BUSTING THE NUCLEAR SPIN – theme for November
The nuclear industry is, in reality, in quite a mess. As French, American, South Korean companies scramble to sell nuclear power to the “Third World” – the industry stalls at home. The nuclear emperor’s new clothes are starting to be revealed to the world.
So – loads of money pour into this desperate sales pitch – while it becomes ever clearer that the nuclear industry is expensive, dangerous, and produces long-lasting toxic wastes – for which there is no storage solution.
Meanwhile – technologies for energy efficiency, and renewable energy get cheaper and more practical. And – renewable energy can be operated both as large scale projects on the grid – or as small-scale decentralised forms – very suitable for developing countries.
Australia should stop supplying uranium to nuclear weapons States
Greens: Australia Should Oppose Nuclear Weapons at United Nations (UN), Mathaba, 3 Nov 10, Australia produces the uranium used for Israeli, British and United States nuclear weapons, so a good place to start would be a ban on providing those nuclear states with any supplies. Continue reading
1 This month
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