Iran
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana began a meeting with Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, on Tuesday to present proposals aimed at persuading Tehran to halt making nuclear fuel, an Iranian official said. The package of incentives and penalties, backed by six world powers, seeks to defuse a standoff over Iran’s nuclear programme. The West accuses Iran of seeking to build atomic bombs but Tehran insists its goals are purely civilian.
Reuters 6th June 2006
Sky 6th June 2006
BBC 6th June 2006
Oil prices spiked by more than $1 a barrel early yesterday after Iran indicated it was prepared to disrupt supplies in the region in response to pressure from the West over its nuclear enrichment programme.
FT 6th June 2006
Iraq
As part of a series marking 25 years since Israel bombed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor, BBC News speaks to four of the F-16 pilots involved.
BBC 6th June 2006
New nukes
Gordon Brown supported the case for replacing Britain’s nuclear power stations, called for a “quicker, more flexible and more responsive” planning system, in a speech yesterday.
Guardian 6th June 2006
Grassroots Tories are strongly opposed to a collaboration with the Liberal Democrats in the event of a hung parliament, according to new research which reveals the chasm between the two parties on a range of key policies. The Lib Dems’ opposition to nuclear power is strikingly unpopular, suggesting that the Tory leadership would be unwise to abandon its traditional pro-nuclear stance. The Conservatives are currently reviewing their policy on this.
Guardian 6th June 2006
Hay Festival Coment about James Lovelock – A secure domestic energy supply, of necessity, will either depend on our surprisingly bountiful though environmentally hazardous stock of coal, or a revival of nuclear power – as he pointed out yesterday, “a very viable alternative”, with “so many lies told about it, it’s unbelievable”.
Guardian 6th June 2006
IS the north west sleepwalking into a nuclear future? This is the topic under a debate today at a specially organised event being held at Manchester’s Royal Exchange theatre to coincide with World Environment Day.
Manchester Evening News 5th June 2006
We must either get over our anxieties about nuclear – or wait for the lights to go out. Letter from Roger Helmer Conservative, MEP for the East Midlands.
Lincolnshire Echo 5th June 2006
Uranium
Global uranium resources are more than adequate to meet projected requirements for nuclear electricity generation, according to the latest edition of a United Nations-backed world reference guide. Uranium 2005: Resources, Production and Demand, jointly prepared by the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates the total identified amount of conventional uranium stock, which can be mined for less than $130 per kilo, at about 4.7 million tonnes. Based on the 2004 nuclear electricity generation rate of demand, that is sufficient for 85 years, according to the study, also known as the ‘Red Book.’ Fast reactor technology would lengthen this period to over 2,500 years. But world uranium resources in total are considered to be much higher. Based on geological evidence and knowledge of uranium in phosphates, the study considers that more than 35 million tonnes are available for exploitation.
UN 5th June 2006
Letter from Australia about dangers of uranium.
Leicester Mercury 5th June 2006
Decommissioning
Guaranteed to last a lot longer than Lancashire’s textile industry, or indeed Lancashire: it really does offer a job for life. The country’s first foundation degree in nuclear decommissioning has been launched by the University of Central Lancashire as “the short degree with a long half-life” (we made that bit up) with an eye to the £50bn the government plans to spend on cleaning up nukes.
Guardian (Higher Diary) 6th June 2006
