Russian Spy
The man Alexander Litvinenko met for lunch on the day he received a fatal dose of radioactive toxin has been struck down by the same poison.
Daily Mail website 1st Dec 2006
Guardian 2nd Dec 2006
Alexander Litvinenko was most probably murdered by “rogue elements” in the Russian state, it was claimed today. Investigators believe that while the former spy’s assassination was not officially sanctioned by Vladimir Putin’s government, the polonium 210 which killed him must have come from state nuclear laboratories.
Daily Mail website 1st Dec 2006
New nukes
Government must not exclude public debate or reach for quick fix diktats to speed up decisions on new airports or nuclear power stations, the Town and Country Planning Association said today. Giving a cautious welcome to the Eddington transport study, which sets out ‘Bank of England’ style reforms designed to speed up planning decisions, the TCPA welcomed the recommendation that Government should establish a national framework of priorities for infrastructure. The TCPA’s Connecting England report, published in May, called on Government to present its national priorities for development more clearly to enable the planning system to deliver. “However, Government must resist the temptation of reaching for an illusory quick fix by trying to stifle proper scrutiny of developments that will have serious environmental, social and economic impacts. Communities on the ground will be affected and cannot be ignored.” Peter Hetherington who chairs the TCPA Commission on national development issues added.
24Dash 1st Dec 2006
Clare Spottiswoode, deputy chairman of British Energy said that, except for France and Finland, it is “highly unlikely” that any plants will be built in Britain or the rest of Europe before 2020. Europe is looking to the UK and will not undertake a new nuclear station until Britain does, she said. It will take until 2020 for the UK governments to put in place a proper planning regime and regulations for new construction.
Platts Nuclear News Flashes 30th November 2006
Bradwell
Officials from the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and Civil Nuclear Security recently confirmed all fuel had successfully been removed from Bradwell Power Station – 99 per cent of the site’s radioactivity. Work began on decommissioning the 50-year-old power station in 2002. The plant’s two reactors were defuelled and 41,000 radioactive particles were transported to Sellafield power station in Cumbria.
Essex Chronicle 1st Dec 2006
Indonesia
South Korea President Roh Moo-hyun is expected on Monday to sign an agreement with Indonesia on nuclear energy cooperation, Jakarta’s foreign affairs spokesman said.
Reuters 1st Dec 2006
Iran
Russia is ready to back sanctions against Iran aimed at preventing it from building a military nuclear potential, Sergei Lavrov, the Foreign Minister, told the Interfax news agency. “We are not opposed to sanctions aimed at preventing nuclear materials and sensitive technology from getting into Iran,” Mr Lavrov said on a visit to Jordan. Iran has repeatedly refused to suspend its uranium enrichment programme.
Times 2nd Dec 2006
Trident
The Liberal Democrat leadership last night called for Britain’s Trident nuclear warhead capacity to be halved and urged delay on a final decision on renewal of the independent UK deterrent until it was absolutely necessary, in about 2014.
Guardian 2nd Dec 2006
E-petition on the No.10 website asking the Prime Minister to allow all MPs to vote according to conscience in the forthcoming Trident debate and to include non-replacement as one option in the white paper.
No. 10 website