Hiroshima – Nagasaki week – nuclear news

There’s a not at all funny irony in that significant nuclear weapons decisions have been made by USA and Russia in this anniversary week.    USA formally withdraws from nuclear treaty with Russia and prepares to test new missile. Putin warns that Russia will follow if USA develops new nuclear missiles. A dangerous nuclear arms race likely to follow, if the New Start Treaty is not renewed.  USA Democrats struggle with Senator Elizabeth Warren and others’ determination to change America’s present “presidential first use” policy, and make it official U.S. policy not to be the first to use a nuclear weapon.

Intense heat waves have swept Europe this summer, breaking temperature records in at least a dozen countries. Scientists have warned that the world should expect more scorching heat waves and extreme weather due to climate change.   July confirmed as the world’s hottest month ever recorded.

AUSTRALIA

NUCLEAR. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says no USA missile base in Australia – (not YET, anyway).

Former High Court judge Michael Kirby urges Australia to sign up to nuclear weapon ban treaty.

Angus Taylor, Australia’s Minister for Coal and Nuclear, wants to launch Inquiry into nuclear power. Nuclear power in Australia to be examined by multi-party parliamentary inquiry.  Small modular nuclear reactors for Australia?   Labor demands that the federal government outline potential locations for nuclear power plants.  No investment appetite for nuclear- says Ziggy Switkowski.  Barnaby Joyce’s fantasy for Australia– nuclear unicorns?

Paul Richards refutes Heiko Timmers’ push for Australia to import nuclear wastes.

What would it really take, for Australia to get “its own nuclear deterrent”?.

New South Wales Parliament inquiries on uranium, nuclear, and energy.

Yeelirrie uranium project court outcome shows environment laws in need of urgent repair.

Australian govt ignored nomination panel, appointed uranium industry’s Vanessa Guthrie to ABC Board.

Looks as if Malaysia will let Lynas keep its radioactive wastes there, after all.

CLIMATE  Emissions auction flop rams home climate policy failures as Taylor blames election timing.  Australia’s government, lackey of the coal industry, in denial over climate change. – says former Liberal leader.

water.  Drought-stricken NSW braces for an early bushfire season with not enough water to take them on.   Australia’s one great river system – Murray-Darling Basin Plan ‘untenable’ – corrupt?      Water shortage hitting Queensland town Stanthorpe.

RENEWABLE ENERGY. Windlab’s sol ar-wind-battery project finally connected to Queensland grid. AGL shows off what will be Australia’s largest wind farm. Victoria solar rebate “disaster” as August quota fills in 90 minutes.

INTERNATIONAL

Samantha Smith – a 10 year old who acted to reduce nuclear weapons.

The Myths, the Silence, and the Propaganda That Keep Nuclear Weapons in Existence.  Collapse of the INF treaty could be followed by the expiry of New Start.     What Exactly Is Nuclear ‘No First Use’?

Nuclear power will ‘lumber into extinction,’ ex-regulator says.  Nuclear power has never been financially viable.

Major problem for astronauts – radiation damages mood and memory?

UKRAINE. Belarus’ forgotten children – victims of Chernobyl’s nuclear radiation.

JAPAN.

• Hiroshima and Nagasaki mayors calling for Japan to sign the UN Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty.  Radiation research facility opens to public on anniversary of Hiroshima bombing to raise awareness of effects.
• Decision to Scrap Fukushima Daini 4 Reactors.
• TEPCO submits decommissioning plan for Onagawa 1.
• Japan’s govt urges Fukushima evacuees to return – in drive to promote 2020 Olympics. M6.4 earthquake hits Fukushima – more quakes likely to come. Work begins to topple dangerous exhaust stack at Fukushima plant.  Atomic Refugee Moms. “Oops”: Manipulated childhood cancer data hides radiation impact, harms public health protection.

USA. 

• Bernie Sanders supports Elizabeth Warren’s ‘no first use’ nuclear policy .
• To resuscitate the nuclear industry, USA Dept of Energy promotes yet another gimmick The Versatile Test Reactor.  NuScale’s Small Modular Nuclear power is too risky.
• 40 Ways Ohio Now Proposes Nuclear Suicide.  Ohioans Against Corporate Bailouts takes step towards Repealing Ohio Nuclear Bailout. Plymouth Plans to Pressure NRC Over Review of Nuclear Power Station Sale to Holtec.
• Jolly propaganda about plutonium fuelling spacecraft/
• The Deep Isolation Texas nuclear waste plan. (could be a good solution)
• Significant disappearance of files about Rocky Flats former nuclear weapons plutonium site.
• Radiation effects on the “downwinders” and others close to nuclear weapons tests.
• Murky Middle East nuclear deal involving Trump’s billionaire friend. U.S. bipartisan lawmakers aim to restrict nuclear deals with Saudi Arabia.

MARSHALL ISLANDS. Radiation Levels Higher in Marshall Islands Than in Chernobyl. Marshall Islands to survey leaking nuclear dome.

FRANCE. Another French nuclear plant having difficulties due to hot weather and poor river flow. Climate change continues to affect France’s nuclear power industry.

RUSSIA. Sunken Soviet Sub leaking high levels of radiation, Norwegian researchers say.The nuclear disasters that we don’t hear about – The Kyshtym Disaster.  Russia’s coverup of 2017 nuclear accident in the Ural mountains.   The nuclear accidents we don’t hear about – Soviet Submarine K-19.

INDIA. Kashmir, nexus of conflict between nuclear antagonists India and Pakistan, faces crackdown, plunges into fear.

UK. The nuclear disasters we don’t hear about – The Windscale Fire.

IRELAND. Overwhelming arguments against nuclear power for Ireland.

BRAZIL. The nuclear accidents we don’t hear about – The Goiânia Accident.

CANADA. The nuclear accidents we don’t hear about – Chalk River Ontario.

BELGIUM. Belgium broke law but can keep nuclear plants open, EU court rules.

UK. Brexit: nuclear medicine at risk from no-deal. UK union unhappy with financing plan for new nuclear power plants.  Concern in Suffolk over the socio-economic and environmental effects of massive Sizewell nuclear project.