Group items matching

in title, tags, annotations or url

U.S. President Barack Obama set out his vision for a world free of nuclear weapons on Sunday, vowing to involve all states with atomic weapons in the process of reducing arsenals. Obama also said North Korea had broken the rules with a rocket launch earlier on Sunday and called on Pyongyang to abandon its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Russia and the United States said on Saturday they would start talks on a new deal to cut nuclear warheads before the end of the month. On Wednesday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Obama agreed to pursue a new arms deal, in accordance with U.S. and Russian obligations in the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Here are some key facts about the treaty, regarded as the cornerstone of global efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons: * PURPOSE OF THE NPT:

"The Pacific Sandpiper, a specially built cargo ship with safety features far in excess of those found on conventional vessels, left Britain's Barrow port bound for Japan the other day. The security surrounding its departure on Jan. 21 indicates that something out of the ordinary is aboard. The Pacific Sandpiper and several sister ships make no port calls on their voyages between Europe and Japan because they carry potentially lethal nuclear material. In the Pacific Sandpiper's hold on this journey to Japan via the Panama Canal is only one item of cargo - a giant cylinder weighing more than 100 tons."

"Police arrested 10 demonstrators on Monday at a nuclear arms site in southern England, where two Nobel Peace Prize winners joined hundreds of protesters, a spokesman said. Five were detained after gaining access to the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in Aldermaston, where warheads for Trident submarines are made, and five outside, said the Thames Valley police spokesman. Organisers said around 800 people joined the protests, including Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1997 for campaigning against landmines, and Mairead Maguire, who won in 1976 for her work in Northern Ireland."

""Cannot wait for an act of nuclear terrorism" * Biden presses for test-ban treaty ratification * Sounds optimistic about new START treaty By Steve Holland and Caren Bohan WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The United States will seek commitments from its allies on securing vulnerable nuclear material within four years at a summit to be held in Washington in April, Vice President Joe Biden said on Thursday. "It's a very high priority," Biden said in a speech about America's nuclear posture. President Barack Obama will host the April 12-13 summit bringing together representatives from as many as 43 countries to help secure the world's loose nuclear material."

"* Decree to settle criteria for nuclear plant sites * Italy abandoned nuclear power 20 years ago * Companies building plants will pay local regions ROME, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Italy moved a step closer to reinstating nuclear energy, abandoned more than 20 years ago, after the government on Wednesday gave a final approval to a decree setting criteria to select sites for new atomic plants. The decree will pave the way for starting work on new plants in 2013 and production of the first nuclear power in 2020, Economic Development Minister Claudio Scajola, a leading supporter of Italy's nuclear renaissance, said in a statement. Italy is the only member of the Group of Eight industrialised nations without nuclear power after it was banned by a public vote in 1987 following the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine. Silvio Berlusconi's government aims to rebuild the sector and produce 25 percent of power from nuclear plants. "The decree is characterised by transparency and absolute respect to security of people and environment," Scajola said."

"THE Ministry of Defence has put a blanket ban on turbines being built within 31 miles of a nuclear test monitoring station, The Scotsman has learned. The decision by the MoD could scupper plans for major wind farms in the Borders, as well as making it impossible for individuals to put turbines up at their homes and farms. The Eskdalemuir seismological recording station, between Moffat and Hawick in the Borders, is used to monitor underground nuclear testing across the world. "

"The Department of Defence this week confirmed 87 drums of radioactive waste travelled through Port Augusta on January 17. According to a spokesperson, the waste was being transported from the Edinburgh RAAF to Woomera and was sealed in plastic-lined, 200 litre drums. "The waste material was transported in daylight hours, using two trucks escorted by safety vehicles to the front and rear ... The route selected under the Transport Plan did pass through Port Augusta as it was the most direct path to Woomera," the spokesperson said. Port Augusta Mayor Joy Baluch last week said she was upset the Port Augusta City Council was not told about the drums being transported through the city and has written for the Minister of Defence, John Faulkner, asking for an explanation."

"German Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen has urged his conservative party allies to consider dropping plans to extend the use of nuclear power because of a public lack of acceptance. Roettgen told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper his party "should carefully consider whether we want to make nuclear energy our unique feature" and that "even after 40 years there is no sufficient acceptance in the public for nuclear energy"."

"President Barack Obama has ordered the rewriting of the draft new US Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), amid frustration in the White House that the document fails to reflect his aspirations for a nuclear-weapons-free world and an end to "cold war thinking". The review, drawn up by each administration, sets the doctrine justifying both the retention of nuclear weapons and the circumstances in which they might be used. It also determines more practical issues, including nuclear force readiness, targeting and war planning. The rejected draft - described in its present form as merely a "tweaked version of George Bush's NPR" - has become the subject of a bitter tug of war between the Department of Defense, the National Security Council and a White House"

They want to find out why a group of workers were subjected to a higher than expected dose while moving a flask containing intermediate-level waste (ILW) on November 25. Checks are ongoing to determine the exposure levels of between six and nine workers, though it has been established they do not breach legal or site-imposed limits. The probe follows an incident in the summer when two workers had to have low-level contamination removed from their hands while working on a clean-up job in the site's sphere-shaped reactor. The two problems come in the wake of a steady improvement in both the nuclear and industrial safety record of operators, Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd. It is understood management are keen to tighten up standards in the site's Fuel Cycle Area - which houses the complex of reactor and waste stores - to maintain the recent progress. DSRL spokesman Colin Punler yesterday gave details of the latest incident.

They want to find out why a group of workers were subjected to a higher than expected dose while moving a flask containing intermediate-level waste (ILW) on November 25. Checks are ongoing to determine the exposure levels of between six and nine workers, though it has been established they do not breach legal or site-imposed limits. The probe follows an incident in the summer when two workers had to have low-level contamination removed from their hands while working on a clean-up job in the site's sphere-shaped reactor. The two problems come in the wake of a steady improvement in both the nuclear and industrial safety record of operators, Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd. It is understood management are keen to tighten up standards in the site's Fuel Cycle Area - which houses the complex of reactor and waste stores - to maintain the recent progress. DSRL spokesman Colin Punler yesterday gave details of the latest incident.

Once again the Israeli authorities have shown their disregard for human rights and unremittingly vindictive behaviour towards Mordechai Vanunu (House arrest for Israeli nuclear whistleblower, 30 December). Despite having known of Mordechai's two-year relationship with his Norwegian girlfriend, the authorities chose now, over Christmas (a repeat of what happened two years ago), to once again arrest and detain him and his girlfriend for 24 hours, on the basis that he was mixing with foreigners. Mordechai has been discouraging his many supporters from contacting him. But the authorities have shown little sympathy to his response to their requests that he should keep a much lower profile.

Once again the Israeli authorities have shown their disregard for human rights and unremittingly vindictive behaviour towards Mordechai Vanunu (House arrest for Israeli nuclear whistleblower, 30 December). Despite having known of Mordechai's two-year relationship with his Norwegian girlfriend, the authorities chose now, over Christmas (a repeat of what happened two years ago), to once again arrest and detain him and his girlfriend for 24 hours, on the basis that he was mixing with foreigners. Mordechai has been discouraging his many supporters from contacting him. But the authorities have shown little sympathy to his response to their requests that he should keep a much lower profile.

Italy's Green Party leaked on Tuesday the names of potential nuclear power sites it claims Enel (ENEI.MI) has identified -- information that could spark strong local resistance to nuclear renaissance plans. Italy, which abandoned nuclear energy after a referendum in 1987, aims to reintroduce nuclear power to cut energy bills, diversify its fuel mix and reduce carbon emissions. The centre-right government of Silvio Berlusconi has said it aims to generate about 25 percent of its power from nuclear sources but has yet to identify the sites for the plants. Public opinion has been generally hostile to nuclear energy and with local authorities having a crucial say in the approval of industrial projects the worry is that nuclear plans could be obstructed once the sites have been named.

Italy's Green Party leaked on Tuesday the names of potential nuclear power sites it claims Enel (ENEI.MI) has identified -- information that could spark strong local resistance to nuclear renaissance plans. Italy, which abandoned nuclear energy after a referendum in 1987, aims to reintroduce nuclear power to cut energy bills, diversify its fuel mix and reduce carbon emissions. The centre-right government of Silvio Berlusconi has said it aims to generate about 25 percent of its power from nuclear sources but has yet to identify the sites for the plants. Public opinion has been generally hostile to nuclear energy and with local authorities having a crucial say in the approval of industrial projects the worry is that nuclear plans could be obstructed once the sites have been named.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would have favored removing Saddam Hussein from power even with no evidence that the Iraqi leader had weapons of mass destruction, he said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. "I would still have thought it right to remove him," Blair said when asked if he would have backed a war against Iraq knowing that Hussein didn't have nuclear weapons. "Obviously, you would have had to use and deploy different arguments" to justify the war to lawmakers and the public, he told the BBC.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would have favored removing Saddam Hussein from power even with no evidence that the Iraqi leader had weapons of mass destruction, he said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. "I would still have thought it right to remove him," Blair said when asked if he would have backed a war against Iraq knowing that Hussein didn't have nuclear weapons. "Obviously, you would have had to use and deploy different arguments" to justify the war to lawmakers and the public, he told the BBC.

Uranium, the silvery-white mineral that powers nuclear reactors, is capturing growing attention amid burgeoning demand for power from emerging nations and a scramble to curtail carbon emissions. Here are some details about the uranium enrichment process: * WHAT IT MEANS: -- Enrichment is a process of increasing the proportion of fissile isotope found in uranium ore (represented by the symbol 'U') to make it usable as nuclear fuel or the compressed, explosive core of nuclear weapons. * WHY URANIUM MUST BE ENRICHED:

Uranium, the silvery-white mineral that powers nuclear reactors, is capturing growing attention amid burgeoning demand for power from emerging nations and a scramble to curtail carbon emissions. Here are some details about the uranium enrichment process: * WHAT IT MEANS: -- Enrichment is a process of increasing the proportion of fissile isotope found in uranium ore (represented by the symbol 'U') to make it usable as nuclear fuel or the compressed, explosive core of nuclear weapons. * WHY URANIUM MUST BE ENRICHED:

A consortium of French energy companies made a final bid on Wednesday night to sell at least two nuclear reactors to Abu Dhabi, the Chief Executive of state-owned EDF (EDF.PA) said on Thursday. "We submitted the bid last night," Henri Proglio told reporters on the sidelines of a news conference at the Finance Ministry. He did not say when he expected to hear from the government of Abu Dhabi on the outcome of the bid.

A consortium of French energy companies made a final bid on Wednesday night to sell at least two nuclear reactors to Abu Dhabi, the Chief Executive of state-owned EDF (EDF.PA) said on Thursday. "We submitted the bid last night," Henri Proglio told reporters on the sidelines of a news conference at the Finance Ministry. He did not say when he expected to hear from the government of Abu Dhabi on the outcome of the bid.

THE Opposition's desire to embrace nuclear power in the absence of an emissions trading scheme or carbon tax would result in electricity price rises of between 10 per cent and 33 per cent, according to estimates by the Howard government's nuclear energy expert, Ziggy Switkowski. In a report for John Howard in 2006, Dr Switkowski found nuclear power would never be commercially viable unless fossil fuel-generated electricity was made more expensive using an ETS or carbon tax. This resulted in Mr Howard embracing an emissions trading scheme as a way to reduce greenhouse gases while keeping open the nuclear option for the future.

THE Opposition's desire to embrace nuclear power in the absence of an emissions trading scheme or carbon tax would result in electricity price rises of between 10 per cent and 33 per cent, according to estimates by the Howard government's nuclear energy expert, Ziggy Switkowski. In a report for John Howard in 2006, Dr Switkowski found nuclear power would never be commercially viable unless fossil fuel-generated electricity was made more expensive using an ETS or carbon tax. This resulted in Mr Howard embracing an emissions trading scheme as a way to reduce greenhouse gases while keeping open the nuclear option for the future.

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, which has one proton and two neutrons, where a normal atom of the element would have one proton and no neutrons. It is produced naturally when hydrogen is bombarded by cosmic rays, and is also a by-product of reactions that drive nuclear power plants. Tritium atoms almost invariably bind to oxygen atoms, to create tritiated water. The isotope is a weak source of radiation, emitting low-energy beta particles that cannot penetrate the skin, and are therefore not dangerous outside the body. If inhaled or swallowed, however, the beta particles present a radiation hazard. As with all poisons, the risk depends on the dose.Trace levels of tritium are present naturally in all water supplies and are not harmful. Higher exposures, however, may cause cancer, and have also been linked to birth defects in the children of people who are exposed.

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, which has one proton and two neutrons, where a normal atom of the element would have one proton and no neutrons. It is produced naturally when hydrogen is bombarded by cosmic rays, and is also a by-product of reactions that drive nuclear power plants. Tritium atoms almost invariably bind to oxygen atoms, to create tritiated water. The isotope is a weak source of radiation, emitting low-energy beta particles that cannot penetrate the skin, and are therefore not dangerous outside the body. If inhaled or swallowed, however, the beta particles present a radiation hazard. As with all poisons, the risk depends on the dose.Trace levels of tritium are present naturally in all water supplies and are not harmful. Higher exposures, however, may cause cancer, and have also been linked to birth defects in the children of people who are exposed.

NUCLEAR weapons-grade uranium, given up for lost at the Dounreay plant in Caithness, has been found during the clean-up at the sprawling site, it has been revealed. A team of specialists found 1.5kg of the highly radioactive material over the past year during an operation to repackage waste at the site. Some of the material was found in drums filled with waste and other small particles were found in the "nooks and crannies" of previously inaccessible equipment. Three years ago, an official government report revealed that 238g of highly enriched uranium - the material used to make nuclear weapons - was unaccounted for at the Caithness nuclear facility.

NUCLEAR weapons-grade uranium, given up for lost at the Dounreay plant in Caithness, has been found during the clean-up at the sprawling site, it has been revealed. A team of specialists found 1.5kg of the highly radioactive material over the past year during an operation to repackage waste at the site. Some of the material was found in drums filled with waste and other small particles were found in the "nooks and crannies" of previously inaccessible equipment. Three years ago, an official government report revealed that 238g of highly enriched uranium - the material used to make nuclear weapons - was unaccounted for at the Caithness nuclear facility.

Japan's Chugoku Electric Power Co (9504.T) is likely to delay the start of construction on the No.1 reactor at its Kaminoseki nuclear plant by at least two years, until the financial year 2012/13 or later, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday. The move will push back the start of commercial operations of the 1,373-megawatt No.1 reactor by at least two years to the year starting in April 2017 or later, Kyodo said.

Japan's Chugoku Electric Power Co (9504.T) is likely to delay the start of construction on the No.1 reactor at its Kaminoseki nuclear plant by at least two years, until the financial year 2012/13 or later, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday. The move will push back the start of commercial operations of the 1,373-megawatt No.1 reactor by at least two years to the year starting in April 2017 or later, Kyodo said.

"The barrister wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair will represent a group of Australian Aborigines suing the British government over nuclear testing on their land, a report said Saturday. Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement spokesman Neil Gillespie said Cherie Blair had been engaged by a group from Emu Field, in Australia's red desert centre, who are seeking compensation over 1953 atomic tests by Britain. Five cases had been lodged in the British courts over illnesses allegedly linked to the fallout from two nuclear weapons exploded in the Great Victoria Desert in October 1953."