NukeNews No. 20 - ENGLISH

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*     NukeNews #20 - Anti-Nuclear Information Service      *
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0.  Preface
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Outline of the current NukeNews issue #20
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0.  Preface
1.  Australian Government opened up uranium sales to India
2.  Problematic Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant
3.  The Anti-Uranium Events in Prague and Brzkov
4.  Finland: Reclaim The Cape action week
5.  Accident at Leningrad NPP
6.  Southeastern European Anti-Nuke Network along Danube River
7.  Kakadu Charter marks 15 years of shared values
8.  Nuclear waste dump battle begins - again
9.  Film about the impossibility of finding the safest place on earth
    also in Czech now
10. Nuclear power won't save the climate!
11. UK Nuke news
12. Situation with Finnish Fennovoima NPP construction
XX. Upcoming events
YY. About NukeNews


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1.  Australian Government opened up uranium sales to India
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Today I'm sad to report that the Australian Government has opened up
uranium sales to India. This move has ignored senior advice -
including from Australian bureaucrats and pro nuclear advocates who
warned that this deal is dangerous. This deal has been described as
the "biggest non-proliferation issue of our time" as India continues
to test weapons capable missiles, and has clear intentions of using
international uranium to free up domestic supplies for weapons.
India's own Auditor General has been hugely critical of India's safety
at nuclear facilities, nuclear is never safe but this is a clear
warning! We've not been able to stop the trade deal but we can and
must stop any uranium mines from opening and fuelling nuclear threats
in India and elsewhere.

Meanwhile in the Goldfields: There are now two uranium mine proposals
open for public comment - Yeelirrie and the Wiluna extension. There's
an online action against the Yeelirrie uranium mine - submissions
close 14th December - so please sign and share!
http://ccwa.good.do/yeelirrie/standwithyeelirrietraditionalownerssubmissiontotheepa


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2.  Problematic Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant 
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Despite the fact that the September report called "Four years after
Fukushima: Are Nuclear Power Plants Safer?" by Oda Becker and Patricia
Lorenz recommends “shutting down Dukovany NPP immediately” and is
certainly against the PLEX (Plant Life Extension), the very opposite
is happening in the Czech Republic. Some politicians, the Energetické
Třebíčsko (ET) Association and the Governors of South Moravia and
Vysočina Region support the efforts of CEZ for an extension of the
operation of all existing blocks Dukovany. At the same time, the same
politicians are trying to modify the amendment to the Building Act and
the Public Procurement Act in order to speed up the construction
process of a new fifth unit at Dukovany NPP. As a matter of fact, a
new subsidiary Dukovany II. is supposed to be created which would make
an application for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for not
just one, but for two new blocks at Dukovany, this autumn of 2015.

Read the complete article:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Problematic_Dukovany_Nuclear_Power_Plant


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3.  The Anti-Uranium Events in Prague and Brzkov 
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On Wednesday November 4, there were two interesting events taking
place that had two things in common: uranium mining and the presence
of the mayor of Brzkov, where on 18th December 2014 the Czech
government gave permission to the preparation process of uranium
mining.

Read the complete article:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/The_Anti-Uranium_Events_in_Prague_and_Brzkov


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4.  Finland: Reclaim The Cape action week 
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In the end of April 2016 it will be a year since Fennovoima started to
prepare areas of Hanhikivi cape for the new nuclear power plant
construction in Northern Finland. At the same time the protest camp
against Fennovoima celebrates its first anniversary. The camp was able
to stay inside the construction area over five months and was able to
slow down the construction works. During the summer, dozens of
blockades took place and newspapers wrote about various sabotages. In
September, after the eviction that lasted eight days, the camp moved
outside the construction site to continue its activities with help of
local supporters. Blockades and other activity against nuclear power
did not stop at any point.

In the end of April we are going to return to the construction site.
The aim is to paralyze the whole construction site, for a long time.
With a big enough group we can reoccupy the area and stay there. We
don’t only want to occupy the area back but also fill the surrounding
areas with activities against Fennovoima, nuclear power, destruction
of nature and capitalism, and by respecting the plurality of tactics.

This on-going camp/action is a big deal in Finland where people taking
part in civil disobedience (and grass root level political work in
general) are not so many. Solidarity and participation is welcome from
other parts of Europe and all around the world of course. This
camp(aign) and the activities around it have been able stall the
nuclear power plant, and they will continue to do so. You don´t wanna
miss being a part of it!

Read the complete article:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Finland:_Reclaim_The_Cape_action_week


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5.  Accident at Leningrad NPP 
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An emergency stop of the second power unit of Leningrad Nuclear Power
Plant took place on Friday, December 18, 2015 at 13:50. The reason for
the stop and cooling of the reactor was a sudden leak of radioactive
steam from a faulty pipe in one of the rooms of the turbine shop. Both
the turbines that serve the reactor were stopped.

During the cooling-down step, the reactor steam was ejected through
the pipe into the environment. A south-southeast wind of 5 meters per
second (not typical for this area) blew the radioactive steam toward
the Gulf of Finland, in the direction of Vyborg - Zelenogorsk. The
radiation background in the center of Sosnovy Bor, 5 km from the
emergency unit, at 17:00 was measured by Green World and was 20 μR/hr
(typical background level).

Thus, the five millionth city of St. Petersburg, located 40 km east of
the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant was fortunate this time. According
to some sources, the radiation level rose a few times higher than the
background radiation only in the NPP area.

Learn more:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Accident_at_Leningrad_NPP


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6.  Southeastern European Anti-Nuke Network along Danube River
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As a result of an international meeting in Lower Austria's regional
capital St. Pölten in 2014 the Vienna based NGO "Wiener Plattform
Atomkraftfrei e.V." with Paula Stegmüller, Maria Urban, Johanna
Nekowitsch, Margit Quendler and Magdalena Waygand as driving forces
were able to initiate an internet-based platform with nuclear-critics
from Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Slovenia,
Hungary, Rumänia and Bulgaria. They invite you to visit their new
multi-lingual website below and appreciate of course your cooperation
in further strengthening this network.

http://www.donauregion-atomkraftfrei.at


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7.  Kakadu Charter marks 15 years of shared values 
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What started as opposition to plans for uranium mining at Jabiluka
has grown into a powerful platform for a different and better way of
doing business in Kakadu. ERA is now majority owned by Rio Tinto who
have publicly vowed not to mine Jabiluka without the consent of the
Mirarr. This significant improvement in circumstances was bolstered by
the end of threatened uranium mining elsewhere in Kakadu when the
former Koongarra Project Area was incorporated into the surrounding
Kakadu National Park and permanently protected from mining.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/11/16/comment-kakadu-charter-marks-15-years-shared-values


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8.  Nuclear waste dump battle begins - again 
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After failed attempts to impose a national nuclear waste repository in
South Australia and the Northern Territory, the federal government has
embarked on its latest attempt to find a site.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/nuclear-waste-dump-battle-begins--again-20151113-gkypn7.html


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9.  Film about the impossibility of finding the safest place on earth
    also in Czech now
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The (English/German) documentary "Journey to the safest place on
Earth" by Swiss filmmaker Edgar Hagen shows how in different parts of
the world it is absurd to think, finding a place for storing nuclear
waste was an easy thing. Edgar Hagen visits Germany, Austria, 
Australia, China, the USA, Japan, Switzerland or England. And what
does he find? The safest place on earth?

This film seems to be a very good instrument to show people whose
communities are in danger of becoming a big nuclear toilette, on which
grounds such localities are being chosen. Thanks to the NGOs Calla
"Sonne und Freiheit" as well as due to the support of the regional
government of Upper Austria this documentary can now be offered also
with Czech subtitles and already started to be shown in affected
regions in the Czech Republic. The film also was part of the film
Ekofilm Festival in Brno in South Moravia on December 3-5, 2015. If
you are interested in showing the film or organizing further language
versions you are welcome to contact one of the persons mentioned above
respectively can you find more information on the situation in the
Czech Republic at http://www.nechcemeuloziste.cz


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10. Nuclear power won't save the climate! 
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The French nuclear firm EDF was sponsoring COP21 and tried to promote
its nuclear-based electricity mix as climate-friendly. To counter this
greenwashing the French antinuclear network "Sortir du nucléaire"
launched a campaign and was acting during the COP, together with many
organizations from all over the world.

Learn more:
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Nuclear_power_won%27t_save_the_climate!


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11. UK Nuke news
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Things have been very busy in the UK over the last few months with the
success of two British activists on trial over Trident being acquitted
because the Crown Prosecution Service couldn't find a charge they were
guilty of! The courts found that the the two weren't comitting
aggravated trespass as per the charge as they weren't on land as per
the definition of 'land' within the charge. The court case was early
September but we didn't manage the deadline of the last nuke news! It
will be interesting to see how the MoD manage the next protest at
Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth, and what charges they will conjure...
http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/update/2015-09-08/two-anti-nuclear-protesters-appear-in-court/
http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/update/2015-09-08/anti-nuclear-protesters-cleared-of-all-charges/

October saw the feelings against Hinkley finally ignited in the UK, the
month started off with a visit to Hinkley by Green Euro MP for the
South West Molly Scott-Cato, she was joined by the Vice President of
the French National Assembly who came to tell the UK why the French
people don't want EPRs..

The UK was also visited by the Chinese Dictator Xi Jingping who signed
a memorandum of understanding that China would invest in Hinkley in
return for being able to build own and operate a prototype reactor of
Chinese design at Bradwell. This really created a backlash amongst not
just the ordinary people but also senior military and intelligence
figures, although it made no difference to the sickening fuss made of
the Chinese oppressors who were wined & dined by the Royal family and
senior Tories such as George Osborne the Chancellor.

In response to this visit Somerset activists occupied EDFs newly built
roundabout at Hinkley with a big white elephant with a message in
Mandarin asking China not to invest in Nuclear here the protests
sought to discuss British Energy policy using #OsbornesNRGfolly.
https://southwestagainstnuclear.wordpress.com/2015/10/19/osbornesnrgfolly/
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2015/oct/21/steve-bell-britain-china-trade-deals-cartoon?CMP=twt_gu

EDF backed down from evicting them and stopping their protest realising
it wouldnt look to good in the shadow of Chinas human rights record.
https://bambuser.com/v/5866075

Greater Manchester police were less concerned and carried out the
orders of the red army with Zeal in Manchester where they arrested
anti-nuclear protesters just for being there & before they could
protest at Mr Xi's presence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvOCMS1CPls


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12. Situation with Finnish Fennovoima NPP construction
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Here is some information from a local activist of the Pyhäjoki area
where Fennovoima, a company originally founded be German nuclear giant
EON, these days dominated by the Russian corporation Rosatom. Since
last summer interesting developments happened in Finland. After very
messy episodes, Fennovoima managed to leave it's application for a
construction license to the Ministery of Economics, and is proceeding.
The company has no construction licence yet, the application is in
process in the ministry and STUK, it takes until 2017-2018, before
they can make a decision. In any case, Fennovoima is making vast
destruction in "green field" area of Hanhikivi, Pyhäjoki in northern
Finland. There is not much we can do at the moment, the project goes
on and hopefully will end up to economical problems, but unlike to
anything else. Sorry to say this.


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XX. Upcoming events
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Feel free to send us your local and international events for the big
upcoming events collection on Nuclear Heritage Network website, and
for this extract in the NukeNews!
http://upcoming.nuclear-heritage.net


12/12/15:          Don't Nuke the Climate: COP21 in Paris (F)
17/12/15 at 11 AM: trial against a critic of the right wing open
                   aspects of Holger Strohm's anti-nuclear film
                   "Friedlich in die Katastrophe" at district court,
                   Sievekingplatz 1, 2nd floor, room A 265, in Hamburg
                   (D)
11/03/16-26/04/16: Fukushima & Chernobyl remembrance: artistic,
                   intellectual, scientific and people's insurrection
25/04/16-01/05/16: European Action Weeks For A Future After Chernobyl
                   And Fukushima
09/05/16-13/05/16: pro-nuclear 14th Congress of the International
                   Radiation Protection Association: "Practising
                   Radiation Protection: Sharing the Experience and
                   New Challenges" at International Convention Centre,
                   in Cape Town (South Africa)
17/05/16-19/05/16: Health Effects of Chernobyl: Prediction and Actual
                   Data 30 Years after the Accident in Obninsk (RUS)
17/05/16-20/05/16: Canadian Radiation Protection Association‘s 2016
                   Conference in Toronto, Ontario (CDN)
22/05/16-26/05/16: NESTet 2016 - Nuclear Engineering Science and
                   Technology in Berlin (D)
01/09/16-30/11/16: main hearing on the Environmental Court on SKB's
                   application to build KBS3 final nuclear waste
                   repository at District Court in Nacka (S)
2017:              (probably) Castor transport of high level
                   radioactive waste from Sellafield (UK) and of
                   intermediate level radioactive waste from La Hague
                   (F) to Gorleben (D) and protests


http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Don%27t_Nuke_the_Climate:_COP21_in_Paris
http://www.projektwerkstatt.de/pwerk/saasen/termine.html
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/26th_of_April_appeal
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/European_Action_Weeks_For_A_Future_After_Chernobyl_And_Fukushima_2016
http://www.irpa2016capetown.org.za/
http://radiation-and-risk.com/index.php/en/info-letter
http://crpa-acrp.org/conference/
http://www.euronuclear.org/events/nestet/nestet2016/index.htm
http://www.nonuclear.se/en/kalender/kbshuvudforhandling-md
http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/Gorleben_Castor_Resistance_in_Germany_2017


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YY. About NukeNews
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NukeNews is a multilingual newsletter system of the Nuclear Heritage
Network. It reflects the activities, topics and struggles of
anti-nuclear activists connected through this international community.
The messages are written and translated by activists, additionally to
their usual anti-nuclear activities. The newsletter aims to inform and
update as well activists as the interested audience.

Your contributions to the NukeNews are welcome! Send them via email to
"news AT NukeNews DOT nuclear-heritage DOT net". The text should be
very brief and in English. Please don't make it longer than one
paragraph. We need a concise headline for your article, and you can
add a link to a webpage providing more information. Deadline for the
21st issue of the NukeNews is 31st of January, 2016.

Spread the word and learn more about the NukeNews:
http://NukeNews.Nuclear-Heritage.NET