Iran
Israel on Monday injected fresh urgency into its campaign for more sanctions against arch-foe Iran, assailing the UN nuclear watchdog chief for saying there was no proof Tehran wanted atomic weapons.
Africasia 29th Oct 2007 more >>
The United States on Monday brushed aside the UN nuclear watchdog agency chief’s warning that there was no proof Iran seeks atomic weapons, and invited him to stay out of diplomacy with Tehran.
AFT 30th Oct 2007 more >>
French Defence Minister Herve Morin on Monday dismissed comments by the head of the UN atomic watchdog that there was no evidence Iran is building nuclear weapons, saying Paris has evidence to the contrary.
Africasia 29th Oct 2007 more >>
Egypt
Egypt’s president announced plans Monday to build several nuclear power plants — the latest in a string of ambitious such proposals from moderate Arab countries. The United States immediately welcomed the plan, in a sharp contrast to what it called nuclear “cheating” by Iran.
AP 30th Oct 2007 more >>
Guardian website 30th Oct 2007 more >>
FT 30th Oct 2007 more >>
BBC 29th Oct 2007 more >>
Middle East Online 29th Oct 2007 more >>
Russia
SAFETY breaches have caused a radiation leak at a nuclear reprocessing plant in the Ural mountains, but Russian officials say there is no danger to humans. Local Emergencies Ministry officials said a faulty tap allowed radiation to leak from a tank holding liquid radioactive waste on to a road at the Mayak plant four days ago.
Scotsman 30th Oct 2007 more >>
Reuters 29th Oct 2007 more >>
US
An influential panel of scientists urged President Bush to abandon plans for a billion-dollar push to expand nuclear power. It said the scheme to resume nuclear waste reprocessing has not been adequately checked, and depends on unproven technology which will not be ready in time. The National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council said research into Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) was taking money and interest away from other nuclear programs. “All committee members agree that the GNEP programme should not go forward and that it should be replaced by a less aggressive research program,” said the panel.
Channel 4 News 29th Oct 2007 more >>
Europe
The newly formed European Union (EU) high level group on nuclear safety has held its first meeting. Its experts are charged with advising on possible harmonisation of EU national rules and standards on nuclear safety, waste management and decommissioning.
Nuclear Engineering Internationalo 29th Oct 2007 more >>
The European Union’s research and development budget for the energy sector is too small and too biased in favour of nuclear power, Manuel Pinho, Portugal’s economy minister, has claimed. In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Pinho, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said the 27-nation bloc would find it hard to meet its selfimposed targets on energy use if its R&D budget remained unchanged.
FT 30th Oct 2007 more >>
New nukes
Nuclear energy should be embraced as a means of avoiding unhealthy fossil fuel energy generation, and to give governments time to increase renewable energy generation, according to an article in UK medical journal The Lancet.
Nuclear Engineering International 29th Oct 2007 more >>
Hinkley
British Energy Group has reaffirmed the safety at Hinkley Point B power station after a recent inspection by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate that brought up the issue of core restraints. The company has stated that it is fully aware of this issue and is dealing with it as part of the ongoing safe operation of the station. It has confirmed that this is not an issue that undermines the current safe operation of the station.
Datamonitor 29th Oct 2007 more >>
NDA
Nuclear industry union leaders are to seek talks with the government after claims that resources are being moved from Southern England to Sellafield.
Carlisle News and Star 29th Oct 2007 more >>
Algeria
Algeria’s energy minister said he will discuss cooperation with France in civilian nuclear power during a two-day visit to Paris.
Interactive Investor 29th Oct 2007 more >>
IAEA
The head of the UN atomic watchdog agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, on Monday pressed for a global reserve of nuclear fuel to safely meet growing worldwide demand for nuclear energy. In a report on his agency’s activities to the UN General Assembly, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief said his agency was weighing a proposal for “an actual or virtual reserve fuel bank of last resort under IAEA auspices” for supplying nuclear fuel.
Africasia 29th Oct 2007 more >>
