Subject: NucNews 99/11/11 Briefs (by et) Story-Date: 12:18 a.m. PST Monday , November 15, 1999 Please address replies to articles to the original publisher. Please send NucNews copies? Refuting false information appreciated! ---------- 1] Chalk River will get radioactive goods in spring By Laura Eggertson Toronto Star Ottawa Bureau November 11 1999 http://www.thestar.com/thestar/editorial/news/991111NEW07_NA-NUKE11.html OTTAWA - The federal government is set to approve a plan to ship Russian and American plutonium along Ontario highways to its experimental reactor at nearby Chalk River. --------- y2k 2] A Year 2000 Launching? November 11 1999 New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/99/11/11/letters/l11rus.html ... Those of us who live in New York a primary Russian target should wonder why instead of monitoring each other the United States and Russia don't shut off their mutually assured destruction targeting mechanisms for the first week of 2000 so that no accidental launching can possibly take place. -- PEDRO A. SANJUAN Mount Vernon N.Y. Nov. 8 1999 -- The writer is a former public affairs director at the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. 3] Home Leave for Y2K November 11 1999 New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/99/11/11/editorial/11thu3.html ... The cost of sending American employees to the nation's capital on Y2K leave according to estimates given to Michael Gordon of The Times ranges from $1.25 million to $8 million depending on how many of the 800 authorized to go actually decide to take advantage of the offer. ------- international 4] GREENPEACE CALLS ON SA GOVT TO STOP NUCLEAR SHIPMENTS CAPE TOWN November 10 1999 Sapa (South Africa) http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/briefing/nw19991111/12.html The international environmental group Greenpeace on Wednesday called on the South African government to co-ordinate commonwealth opposition to European plutonium and high level nuclear waste shipments to Japan at this week's Durban Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. 5] Cohen to urge use of Vieques in Navy training By Bill Sammon THE WASHINGTON TIMES November 11 1999 http://www.washtimes.com/news/news1.html Defense Secretary William S. Cohen plans to urge President Clinton to reopen the Vieques live-fire training range and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott yesterday warned Mr. Clinton that failing to do so will degrade military readiness.... Although Mr. Clinton said last week he is searching for a compromise he sided earlier with Berrios Martinez president of the Puerto Rican Independence Party who wants the range kept closed. "I agree with this Mr. Clinton said in a July 26 handwritten note to National Security Adviser Samuel R. Berger. This is wrong I think. They don't want us there. That's the main point." ... If Mr. Clinton accepts Mr. Cohen's expected recommendation to reopen Vieques the Justice Department would have to order the removal of Puerto Rican protesters camping out on the range. 6] REPORT ON TRIP TO VIEQUES: Stop the Bombing - Navy Out - No Weapons in Space By Bruce K. Gagnon November 11 1999 Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space On November 4-8 a delegation of four Floridians traveled to Puerto Rico at the invitation of Victor Rodriguez a leader of the Global Network affiliate called Comité Contra las Experimentaciones Ambientales.... 7] U.S. Seeks to Curb Israeli Arms Sales to China November 11 1999 By STEVEN LEE MYERS New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/global/111199israel-china.html WASHINGTON -- Israel's sale of a sophisticated $250 million airborne radar system to China has raised serious concerns at the Pentagon and the Clinton administration has quietly urged Israeli officials to cancel delivery of additional radar planes and to curb other weapons sales to the Chinese military administration and Defense Department officials said Wednesday.... 8] France Criticizes U.S. on Kosovo Filed at 11:09 a.m. EST November 11 1999 By The Associated Press http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/i/AP-France-US-Kosovo.html PARIS (AP) -- Calling for ``reflection'' among NATO members the French government has criticized the United States for sometimes acting outside the alliance during the bombing campaign against Yugoslavia. 9] U.S. Military Acted Outside NATO Framework During Kosovo Conflict France Says November 11 1999 New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/europe/111199france-kosovo.html PARIS -- France drew up a list of lessons on Wednesday that it had learned from the allied bombing of Yugoslavia last spring. One of them was that some missions were not really allied at all but 100 percent American. The conclusion cannot be avoided that part of the military operations were conducted by the United States outside the strict framework of NATO and its procedures, said the Ministry of Defense in a 55-page report approved by France's highest civilian political authorities.... ----------- china 10] China Warns of New Arms Race Official Says U.S. Missile Shield Would Shift Balance of Power By John Pomfret Washington Post Foreign Service Thursday November 11 1999; Page A01 http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-11/11/271l-111199-idx.html BEIJING Nov. 10-China's top arms control official assailed the United States today for its campaign to develop a shield against ballistic nuclear missiles warning that such a program could lead to a nuclear arms race and dangerously alter the strategic balance in Asia and the rest of the world.... 11] Security for Taiwan Thursday November 11 1999; Page A42 http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-11/11/113l-111199-idx.html .... The Clinton administration has hemmed and hawed when decisions needed to be made on new defensive weapon systems for Taiwan and has remained silent about the buildup of missiles on the Chinese coast facing Taiwan. The Taiwan Relations Act has fallen short on a number of points and the proposed Taiwan Security Enhancement Act would be a welcome safeguard ensuring stability in East Asia.... International Committee for Human Rights in Taiwan 12] Hotel owner shocked that food and nuclear waste delivered together November 11 1999 Australian Broadcasting http://www.abc.net.au/news/newslink/weekly/newsnat-11nov1999-8.htm The proprietor of a hotel in Western Australia's Pilbara region says he was shocked to discover radioactive material on the same truck that delivered beer to his establishment last month. Food being transported to an Aboriginal community was also accompanied by the processed uranium ore samples. 13] Washington Keeps 10 Russian Groups Blacklisted For Iran Links WASHINGTON Nov 11 1999 -- (Agence France Presse) http://www.russiatoday.com/news.php3?id=108898 ... "Despite the Russian government's non-proliferation and export control efforts some Russian entities continued to cooperate with Iran's ballistic missile program and to engage in nuclear cooperation the White House told Congress in its annual update on the situation. 14] India General Criticizes Pakistan Filed at 6:39 p.m. EST, November 11, 1999 The Associated Press http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/i/AP-Indian-General.html WASHINGTON (AP) -- The chief of staff of India's army accused Pakistan on Thursday of stepping up its infiltration of Indian-held Kashmir and said his government was taking a ``watch-and-wait'' stance toward Pakistan's new military rulers. At a news conference, Gen. V.P. Malik also said India would be interested in purchasing weapons from the United States ``if they were the kind of weapons we need and also cost less.'' 15] From: Russell D. Hoffman" * The Effects of Nuclear Weapons ... Most people in India and in Pakistan (and in the U.S.) probably do not know that as many as 9 out of 10 people -- or more -- who die from a nuclear blast do not die in the explosion itself. Most people probably think that if they die from a nuclear blast they will simply see a flash and get quickly cooked.... FROM: http://www.infowar.com/mil_c4i/mil_c4i8.html-ssi -- Computers used in data processing systems communications systems displays industrial control applications including road and rail signalling and those embedded in military equipment such as signal processors electronic flight controls and digital engine control systems are all potentially vulnerable to the EMP effect. 16] BGE Pledges Better Response to Storms By Hannah Allam Washington Post November 11 1999; Page M03 http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-11/11/068l-111199-idx.html Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. officials admitted to Calvert County commissioners on Tuesday that the electric utility did not move fast enough to repair lines and restore service after Hurricane Floyd in September. ... Floyd wiped out power to nearly 4 000 Calvert homes.... BGE representatives offered few solid plans for change during their appearance at the commissioners' regular meeting on Tuesday but said the company is looking into its electrical warning system which alerts officials of problem areas and also will gather information from other utilities. They also promised significant changes in power restoration policies--BGE now gives restoration priority according to public safety and the number of residents in a given area--and is looking into the possibility of recruiting workers from the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant to assist in restoration activities. 17] Extra funds for radiation victims? Senate committee approves changes November 11 1999 http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1 1249 130006717 00.html? WASHINGTON - More people harmed by radiation from above-ground nuclear tests or uranium mining could get compensation from the federal government under a measure approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The measure approved Tuesday would make changes sought by critics of a law that provides government payments to Westerners who became ill because of their involvement with Cold War nuclear weapons programs. 18] Federal panel and state pick a new firm to cap N-tailings Uranium waste near Moab will be covered with earth By Robert Gehrke Associated Press November 11 1999 http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1 1249 130006716 00.html? The state and the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission have picked a new company to manage the capping of 10.5 million tons of uranium tailings near the Colorado River. PricewaterhouseCooper will oversee cleanup of the tailings pile which sits 750 feet from the Colorado River outside Moab. Contaminants from the hill of Cold War-era uranium waste are slowly seeping into the river and threatening three endangered fish: the southwestern willow flycatcher razorback sucker and Colorado squawfish.... ----------- US Politics 19] Bush Vows To Strengthen Military Filed at 5:43 p.m. EST By The Associated Press November 11 1999 http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/p/AP-Bush.html 20] Presidential Hopefuls Court Vets By Ron Fournier AP Political Writer Thursday Nov. 11 1999; 9:20 a.m. EST http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/19991111/aponline092015_000.htm ... In Iowa Gore was using his Veterans Day speech to argue that the United States must reassert its role as an international leader and increase defense spending. His rival Bill Bradley has said the Pentagon budget can be retained at current levels. "Diplomacy together with military might is how we fight the spread of nuclear weapons in the world the vice president said in a draft of his address.... In his remarks at a veterans hall, McCain vowed to root out government waste - including unnecessary Pentagon spending - to pour more money into veterans' programs.... 21] Gore To Unveil Defense Plan By Mike Glover Associated Press Writer Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1999; 9:35 p.m. EST http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/19991110/aponline213558_000.htm DES MOINES, Iowa -- Vice President Al Gore will use a Veterans Day speech to call for increased spending to put the military leaps and bounds ahead" of other countries and to draw new contrasts with rival Bill Bradley aides said. "We support the military increase and Bradley doesn't a Gore campaign aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity.... Bradley, a former senator, recently told a disarmament group that he saw no need to increase military spending. His spokesman also did not rule out pay or benefit increases. Military spending should be adjusted as needed to protect America's most vital and important interests. I believe current levels would suffice if the Department of Defense was led and managed effectively