Date: Fri, 29 Dec 1995 12:55:35 -0500
Subject: Headlines 21-25  december

     25 Dec 1995 (Reuter) - Plutonium intended to fuel Japan's
prototype fast-breeder nuclear reactor Monju, shut down after
a leak from its cooling system, could be used at other
Japanese reactors instead, the fast-breeder operator said. The
high-quality plutonium needed for the fast-breeder degrades if
stored for too long. "However, it is too early to discuss
whether plutonium will be used at other reactors when we are
still investigating the cause of the accident, and do not know
how long the fast-breeder will be closed."


     24 Dec 1995 (Reuter) - Eighteen percent less of the
Beaujolais Nouveau, the trendy young wine was sold during this
year's campaign compared to the same period in 1994, the
National Interprofessional Wine Office (ONIVINS) said. The
figure was the first official word of the damage done to
Beaujolais winemakers by President Jacques Chirac's decision
to resume nuclear weapons tests.


     22 Dec 1995 (Reuter) - Israeli Prime Minister Shimon
Peres said the Jewish state was willing to "give up the atom"
once countries in the region achieved full peace. When asked
to be more specific Peres refused and said his comments did
not confirm an Israeli nuclear weapon capability. "As long as
the suspicion (that Israel has nuclear weapons) in itself can
act as a deterrent, let them suspect. I don't see any reason
to allay their suspicions."


     22 Dec 1995 (Reuter) - Investigators found a second
videotape on Friday of the scene of an accident at Japan's
Monju nuclear reactor, an official at the Science and
Technology Agency said. The operator PNC admitted on Thursday
that it deliberately withheld some video footage of the
accident on December 8, in an attempt to avoid repurcussions.
The agency also said PNC had falsified a report on the time
when workers first entered the scene.


   21 Dec 1995 (Reuter) - Pakistan urged major powers on
Thursday to prevent its arch-rival India from carrying out a
nuclear test. India denied a U.S. newspaper report last week
that it might be preparing its second nuclear test at Pokhran
in the Rajasthan desert. Pakistan Foreign Minister Assef Ahmad
Ali said on Wednesday that India would be responsible for the
consequences if it carried out its first nuclear test since
1974.


     25 Dec. 1995 (UPI) -- Egypt's foreign minister Monday
called the dismantling of nuclear arms in the Middle East a
condition for discussion of other forms of regional
cooperation. Egypt has led non-nuclear Arab states in pushing
Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.