Iran
The European Union called on Iran on Thursday to stop punishing human rights activists, including a lawyer accused of spying on Tehran’s controversial nuclear programme. The Finnish EU Presidency expressed “serious concern” about what it called a deteriorating situation with regard to freedom of expression in Iran and the status of human rights activists.
Reuters 27th July 2006
The war in Lebanon may have somewhat distracted the world from Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but it will increase scrutiny in the longer term, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.
Reuters 27th July 2006
CoRWM
The independent body set up to debate what to do with the UK’s current stock of nuclear waste will report its findings on Monday.
AFX 27th July 2006
Nuclear Skills
LILLYHALL has been chosen as the site of an £18.8 million nuclear training academy. The development puts the Workington area at the centre of the government’s plan to build a new generation of nuclear facilities. The academy will be built on a 7.3 hectare site on the Lillyhall Business Park with space for about 250 students. A planning application will be submitted to Allerdale council in September with work expected to start in 2008.
West Cumberland Times and Star 28th July 2006
India
The Indian media has expressed cautious optimism over the proposed nuclear deal with the US after the US House of Representatives voted in its favour.
BBC 28th July 2006
The US House of Representatives has given strong backing to an agreement to forge closer strategic ties with India by allowing civil nuclear co-operation for the first time in 30 years, but it insisted Congress retain some oversight of the final deal.
FT 28th July 2006
Opponents of nuclear proliferation were pulling out all the hyberboles yesterday to describe Wednesday night’s overwhelming vote by the US House of Representatives to allow shipments of nuclear fuel and technology to India.Ed Markey, Democratic co-chair of a House taskforce on nuclear non-proliferation, called it a “historic failure” that “pours nuclear fuel on the fire of an India-Pakistan nuclear arms race”.
FT 28th July 2006
N. Korea
Asian powers and the United States are to hold talks here today on security concerns as North Korea repeated its vow to shun negotiations on its nuclear program.
Interactive Investor 28th July 2006
Submarines
An exclusive programme of new public tours of Devonport Naval Base – home to nuclear subs – is launched this week to give unparalleled access to the base until mid-December.
Plymouth Evening Herald 27th July 2006
Waste Transport
People in South Glouces- tershire are calling for action after it was revealed a train carrying a leaking nuclear flask travelled through the area. The defective flask was transported on a train from nuclear submarine HMS Talent in Davenport Dockyard.Spent fuel rods from the reactors which power the Royal Navy submarine are regularly transported by rail to the Sellafield reprocessing plant in Cumbria. But a recent report says one of the flasks had a defectively fitted valve. The train passed through Bristol, Coalpit Heath, Winterbourne, Yate and the Wickwar Tunnel in South Gloucestershire.
Bristol Evening Post 27th July 2006
Trains containing nuclear waste are passing through Stafford station up to three times each week at rush hour.
Stafford Post 27th July 2006
Dounreay
UKAEA has unveiled plans for a £100 million waste treatment plant which would play a major role in the clean-up operation at Dounreay.
IC Scotland 27th July 2006
New nukes
A HIGH-profile speaker addressed Ellesmere Port people about the future of nuclear power. Former Environment Minister Michael Meacher gave both sides of the argument when he spoke to an audience of more than 50 at the Civic Hall. The event was also attended by members of the industry from Urenco at Capenhurst.
Ellesmere Port Pioneer 27th July 2006
Scottish & Southern Energy, the Perth-based power group, last night said it had until the end of the decade to decide whether or not to invest in the next generation of nuclear power stations. Ian Marchant, chief executive of SSE, told shareholders at the group’s annual meeting in Bournemouth that the company was keeping an “active watching brief” on the issue.
Herald 28th July 2006
Springfields
WORKERS at the Fylde’s only nuclear site are celebrating after reaching a safety milestone.
More than 20,000 potential injuries have been avoided as a result of a safety initiative introduced at the Westinghouse’s Springfields site at Clifton.
Blackpool Today 27th July 2006
