Australian and other nuclear news – week to 17 April

Christina Macpherson

Apr 17

Some bits of good news : What went right this week: malaria progress, animal comebacks, and more.

Webinar Is New Nuclear a Smart Climate Solution? Thur. Apr. 27, 7 – 8:30 p.m. ET https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/is-new-nuclear-a-smart-climate-solution-tickets-605041444247 Watch online OR attend at the Ottawa Quaker Meetinghouse, 91-A Fourth Ave. Ottawa.

Coronavirus. While the latest versions are highly infectious, the number of recently reported deaths world-wide has decreased by 30%. However increases in reported cases and deaths were seen in the South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions, and others, including Australia. Australian results show that 80-5% of deaths were in people with pre-existing chronic conditions. Pre-existing bad health may be the major problem, as with influenza and even "the common cold". I am thinking now that at present, Covid-19 is not at the same level of seriousness as climate and nuclear

Climate. The poles are the 'canaries in the coalmine' of the climate crisis. Seas have drastically risen along southern U.S. coast in past decade .

Nuclear. The global nuclear lobby is having a little hissy fit about Germany. Despite all sorts of pressure from nuclear companies and their bought politicians and media, on 15 April, Germany stuck to its agenda - and finally shut down all nuclear power

Christina notes. Shouldn't we all get out of nuclear, before the next nuclear failure (whether it be financial, security, accident, pollution ………)?

AUSTRALIA. The dangerous one is the U.S, not China.Weapons-makers set to gain more influence in defence operations. Universities and the AUKUS Military-Industrial Complex.

Rex Patrick on AUKUS submarines: "an astonishingly bad deal". Former Pacific leaders blast Australia over nuclear powered submarine deal. Australia's 9 news papers gave Navy chief a platform for a resounding attack the doubters on AUKUS nuclear submarine

Submissions to Senate. Friends of the Earth accuses the Australian Government Industry Department of blatant racism in its Kimba nuclear waste dump plan. Professor George W Burns says – Keep the Nuclear Prohibitions, in the immediate and long-term interests of all Australians… and of the planet. Monica Leggett, powerfully calls on all Australian MPs to reject nuclear power.

Western Australian company to build low-level radioactive waste facility – Kimba dump a decade away – now irrelevant?

CLIMATE. Nuclear disasters could leave a lasting legacy of contaminants in glaciers.

ECONOMICS. The Pros And Cons of Modular Nuclear Reactors. One German company persists with nuclear power -interests in reactors in Sweden..

ENERGY. 16% of France's power supply blocked amid protest – as nuclear reactor maintenance disrupted.

LEGAL. Lawsuit seeks to uphold closing California´s last nuke plant. Ciaron says he was arrested for trying to give 'the key to Julian Assange's cell' to Joe Biden.

MEDIA. Media falsely blames Russia, as Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) target Donbass towns with illegal "butterfly" cluster mines..

NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY. ITER fusion: $16-million-a-second and no electricity. Massive undersea works to commence for HinkleyPoint C nuclear project.

OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR. Local Indigenous peoples protest possible licence renewal for world's largest uranium mine.

POLITICS.

Progressive Democrats Urge Attorney General To Drop Charges Against Julian Assange https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaomrxxL4Zw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyekPpdjAaU
A new era': Germany quits nuclear power, closing its final three plants. German nuclear phaseout – a victory of reason over the lust for profit. Germany's phaseout of nuclear power is irreversible. Germany's Greenpeace celebrate nuclear phaseout. German government rejects new call to delay nuclear shutdown.
Leaks confirm that Biden admin has lied about Ukraine.
Netherlands energy experts recommend limiting energy demand, see little or no role for nuclear power, but Cabinet wants nuclear anyway.
U.S. Senate Weighs Big Plans for Small Reactors. Holtec seeking $300M from Michigan to restart Palisades nuclear plant. Virginia lawmakers kill Governor Youngkin's amendment to define nuclear energy as renewable.
Nuclear is not the solution to our energy troubles. Nuclear storage dump opponents sweep into Theddlethorpe parish council.

POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY.

After leak of secret documents, South Korea to raise spying allegations with U.S.
Finland's NATO entry raises nuclear war stakes. Finland's membership in NATO marks the end of the nation's admirable tradition as a global peacemaker.
Macron speaks out against war with China- the furious USA reaction shows American insecurity?.

PROTESTS. German protests against Framatome's nuclear fuel production in Lingen.

SAFETY. UN's nuclear chief warns 'we are living on borrowed time' after two landmine explosions near Europe's largest atomic power station in Ukraine. 'It's time to pump the brakes on reintroduction of nuclear energy to Trawsfynydd'.

SECRETS and LIES. Corruption in the Ukraine government, as Zelensky skims $millions from USA for diesel, while buying cheap diesel fromRussia. Leaked documents expose US-NATO Ukraine war plans. 'No Business In The Public Domain': National Security Council spokesman Kirby Warns Journalists Not To Report On Leaked Pentagon Documents. Ukraine-Russia war – live: Damning Pentagon leak has not affected relations, Kyiv says. Westminster keeps nuclear secrets to avoid upsetting Scottish Government. Zelensky losing control of intelligence agents – media.

SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. An operational domain': Fear UK nuclear power plan for moon may lead to militarisation of space.

WASTES.

Law to ban high-level nuclear waste storage facility effective June. A Cold War Legacy — uranium pollution. Cleaning Up America's Nuclear Weapons Complex (hundreds of $billions): 2023 Holtec's Plan for Dumping Nuclear Wastewater Into Hudson River Is Paused.
Nuclear waste abandonment risks the dangers of amnesia. Update For Governors.
Concern over funding 'stigma' from Theddlethorpe nuclear storage.
Ignoring science, environmental protection and international law – G7 endorses Japan's Fukushima water discharge plans. How Fukushima wastewater into Pacific will disrupt seafood trade. 4,200 tons of radioactive sewage sludge kept in Kanto area 12 yrs after Fukushima disaster.

WAR and CONFLICT . Two American brigades close to the Ukrainian border, but no plan, no leadership towards ending the war!. US Special Forces in Ukraine at embassy, official confirms, as Pentagon document leak probe heats up.

US troops in Taiwan 'on the table' if China invades, Michael McCaul says. US troops to China? Not a good idea, really. The coming war on China: the real target is the American people.

CONTAINING THE BOMB: Finland participated in new NATO air combat exercise over Baltic Sea — . Top of the world: Pentagon's Ultima Thule is rebranded.

AN ASSESSMENT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS FREE ZONES.

WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES.