-
The U.S. Army began destroying the nation's largest remaining stockpile
of chemical weapons on March 18, using explosives to rip open a
container of mustard agent inside a sealed chamber and then flooding it
with another chemical to neutralize it. It was the first few pounds of 2,600 tons of mustard agent that will be destroyed at Pueblo Chemical Depot in southern Colorado, most of it contained in about 780,000 shells...........US begins destroying its largest cache of chemical weapons
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Απόσυρση Ενεργοβόρων Κτιρίων...
ReplyDeleteΤον κρίσιμο ρόλο της ανακαίνισης κτιρίων για τις ευρωπαϊκές πολιτικές απασχόλησης, ενέργειας και συνοχής υπογραμμίζει εκθεση του Joint Research Centre με τίτλο «Ενεργειακή Ανακαίνιση: Το ατού για μια νέα αρχή για την Ευρώπη.
Η έκθεση που παρουσιάστηκε στην εκδήλωση Construction 2020 της Γενικής Διεύθυνσης για την Εσωτερική Αγορά, τη Βιομηχανία, την Επιχειρηματικότητα και τις Μικρομεσαίες Επιχειρήσεις (Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs – DG GROW), ανέδειξε την επιτακτική ανάγκη συντονισμένης προσπάθειας εξάλειψης των ενεργειακά μη αποδοτικών κτιρίων από το ευρωπαϊκό κτιριακό απόθεμα, προκειμένου να αναπτυχθεί η ευρωπαϊκή οικονομία.
Η έκθεση επιβεβαιώνει οτι η ανακαίνιση του κτιριακού δυναμικού της ΕΕ μπορεί να αποφέρει πολλαπλά οφέλη για την αύξηση της ενεργειακής ασφάλειας και της ανάπτυξης μέσα από τη δημιουργία νέων θέσεων εργασίας για την ενίσχυση της ευρωπαϊκής οικονομίας, περιγράφοντας με σαφήνεια την προστιθέμενη αξία των εξειδικευμένων δραστηριοτήτων του κατασκευαστικού τομέα..............http://www.energia.gr/article.asp?art_id=92370
1/4/15
Fire Erupts at Mexican Naval Oil Platform, About 300 Employees Evacuated...
ReplyDeleteAs many as 300 employees of state-owned Mexican company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) have been evacuated from an oil platform off the coast of Campeche, Mexico after a fire broke out Wednesday, the company said on Twitter............http://sputniknews.com/world/20150401/1020325612.html#ixzz3W4SKSx00
1/4/15
Bohrinsel im Golf von Mexiko explodiert – Ein Toter...
DeleteMindestens ein Ölarbeiter ist am Mittwoch bei der Explosion einer Bohrinsel im Golf von Mexiko ums Leben gekommen. Das teilte ein Sprecher des Konzerns Pemex nach Angaben der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters mit.
Beim Unglück seien 16 Menschen verletzt worden, hieß es. Zuvor war von drei Toten und 45 Verletzten die Rede. Die Angaben erwiesen sich aber als falsch......................http://de.sputniknews.com/panorama/20150401/301741071.html#ixzz3W5WdLqBU
1/4/15
Mindestens vier Tote bei Feuer auf Öl-Plattform vor Mexiko...
DeleteNach einer Explosion ist auf einer Öl-Plattform vor der mexikanischen Küste ein Feuer ausgebrochen. Mindestens vier Arbeiter kamen nach Angaben des Ölkonzerns Pemex bei dem Unglück am Mittwoch ums Leben, 16 weitere wurden zum Teil lebensgefährlich verletzt. Acht Löschboote waren im Einsatz, um den Brand auf der Plattform Abkatun A-Permanente im Golf von Mexiko unter Kontrolle zu bringen.
Nach Angaben der Energiesicherheitsbehörde Asea ereignete sich die Explosion am frühen Morgen im Pumpenbereich der Förderplattform. Rund 300 Arbeiter wurden auf andere Plattformen in Sicherheit gebracht.
Der staatliche Ölkonzern Pemex hatte in der Vergangenheit mit einer Reihe von Unglücken zu kämpfen. Im Jänner 2013 starben bei einer durch ausströmendes Gas verursachten Explosion im Pemex-Hauptquartier in Mexiko-Stadt 37 Menschen. Im September 2012 wurden 30 Menschen bei einer Explosion in einer Gasanlage im Nordosten des Landes getötet.
(APA/AFP)
http://diepresse.com/home/panorama/welt/4699544/Mindestens-vier-Tote-bei-Feuer-auf-OlPlattform-vor-Mexiko?from=rss
1/4/15
4 dead, 30 injured in fiery blast at Mexico oil rig ...
ReplyDeleteAn explosion and a fire erupted on an offshore oil platform operated by Mexico's biggest oil company, Pemex on Wednesday, killing at least four workers, injuring 30 and forcing 300 to be evacuated.
Eight firefighting vessels were battling the pre-dawn blaze at the Abkatun A-Permanente platform on the Gulf of Mexico's Campeche Sound.
Some 300 workers were taken to other platforms in the area while the injured were transported to Pemex's general hospital. Two were in serious condition.
The company has not indicated whether the accident caused any oil spill...........http://www.china.org.cn/world/2015-04/02/content_35224097.htm
The Mexican Pemex petroleum company has denied reports that the Abkatun Permanente platform has collapsed after four people were killed and dozens more injured in a fire on the oil rig on Wednesday...
Delete"We reiterate that the photo showing the alleged collapse of the Abkatun platform, which was published in various media, is false," the company reported via Twitter on Thursday.
More than 300 workers were evacuated from the oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, as it took firefighters almost 17 hours to put out the blaze.
The Mexican state-run company has since said that they had avoided any oil spills.
The Gulf of Mexico is still recovering from the Deepwater Horizon disaster after millions of gallons of oil spilled into the water following an explosion at a British Petroleum-owned offshore platform in April 2010.
http://sputniknews.com/world/20150402/1020388726.html#ixzz3WAkd1kbI
2/4/15
Greenpeace exige acceso a plataforma petrolera incendiada en el Golfo de México
DeleteGreenpeace México exigió este viernes obtener un permiso para sobrevolar y acceder a una plataforma petrolera de la estatal Pemex incendiada el miércoles, con saldo de cuatro trabajadores muertos y tres desaparecidos, frente a las costas de Campeche en el Golfo de México.
El grupo ecologista afirma que algunas imágenes ofrecidas por los trabajadores de las instalaciones, localizadas a unos 90 km de las costas en aguas someras, muestran que la plataforma está muy dañada a pesar de las afirmaciones contrarias de la estatal.
Activistas de Greenpeace acudieron a diversas instancias de Pemex en la ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, con el objetivo es documentar de forma independiente los daños ocasionados en la plataforma petrolera..........http://mundo.sputniknews.com/ecologia/20150404/1036064065.html#ixzz3WMPjA2o3
4/4/15
Palestinians are celebrating after Israel's Supreme Court rejected a plan to route the West Bank barrier through a beauty spot near Bethlehem...
ReplyDeleteA long-running legal campaign against the proposal had drawn the attention of Pope Francis.
The Israeli government wanted to build a section of its separation barrier between church properties in the scenic Cremisan Valley.
Fifty-eight Christian families would have been cut off from their land.
"This is a victory for everyone," the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fuad Twal said at a news conference. He suggested the announcement had special significance in the Holy Land ahead of Easter..................http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32171577
3/4/15
Vancouver quiere convertirse en la ciudad más ecológica y limpia del mundo ...
ReplyDeleteVancouver, una ciudad de la costa pacífica de Canadá, se ha puesto el objetivo de convertirse en la ciudad más verde del mundo en 2020, para lo que el Consejo municipal ha decidido pavimentar las calles de la ciudad con plástico reciclado.
El objetivo no es fácil para una ciudad de 600.000 habitantes, pero tampoco es fácil que el plan del ayuntamiento no nos asombre: para que las residentes locales vean los beneficios 'medioambientales', objetivos tan bonitos como "acceso a la naturaleza" o "cero residuos", se han propuesto la pavimentación de las calles… con plástico reciclado, informa el portal Ecocosas.
Las botellas de agua, los envases de yogur y las bolsas de plástico no terminarán en el basurero, sino que serán derretidos y granulados para ser mezcladas con el tradicional asfalto gris.
Para el presupuesto municipal, este tipo de pavimentación tendrá un costo tres veces mayor al habitual.
"Valoramos la belleza de nuestro entorno natural", reza el mensaje principal del 'ingenioso' ayuntamiento de Vancouver.
http://actualidad.rt.com/sociedad/170934-vancouver-pavimento-plastico-reciclado
3/4/15
Μειώνεται η στάθμη του νερού στη λίμνη Κερκίνη...
ReplyDeleteΚάτω από το όριο των 36 μέτρων βρίσκεται πλέον η στάθμη του νερού της λίμνης Κερκίνης (στα 35,7 μέτρα) και παρουσιάζει καθοδική τάση.
«Όπως φαίνεται η πτώση της στάθμης του νερού στη λίμνη θα συνεχιστεί και τις επόμενες μέρες. Εμείς θα φροντίσουμε ώστε το άνοιγμα των θυροφραγμάτων να παραμείνει σταθερό για να αποκτήσει η λίμνη επιπλέον χωρητικότητα νερού για το ενδεχόμενο νέας κακοκαιρίας αλλά και για τα νερά που θα προκύψουν από το λιώσιμο των χιονιών στη Βουλγαρία και στη συνέχεια θα αρχίσουμε να μειώνουμε το άνοιγμα των θυροφραγμάτων", δήλωσε στο ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ ο αντιπεριφερειάρχης, Γιάννης Μωυσιάδης.............http://www.imerisia.gr/article.asp?catid=26510&subid=2&pubid=113494534
3/4/15
Philippines: 24 000 évacuations à l'approche du typhon Maysak...
ReplyDeleteQuelque 24.000 personnes ont été évacuées aux Philippines en prévision du typhon Maysak qui doit frapper dimanche les côtes du nord-est de l'archipel en pleines célébrations du week-end de Pâques, a-t-on appris de sources officielles.
"Nous prévoyons de déplacer les gens loin des villages côtiers", a indiqué à l'AFP un haut responsable de la défense civile. Soit au total 24 000 personnes dans la province d'Aurora, où le typhon doit frapper dimanche, ajoute-t-on.
Les trombes d'eau, les crues subites et les glissements de terrain figurent toujours parmi les risques potentiels même si Maysak a perdu un peu de sa vigueur avec des vents d'une vitesse maximale de 160 kilomètres/heure, indique-t-on.
Venant de l'Océan Pacifique, Maysak doit perdre en intensité au fur et à mesure qu'il traversera l'île principale de Luzon dimanche, d'après le météorologue Alcazar Aurelio, qui prévoit tout de même des vagues pouvant atteindre deux mètres de haut.
Maysak a fait au moins cinq morts et des milliers de sans-abris en balayant la Micronésie dans le Pacifique ouest............http://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/detail_philippines-24-000-evacuations-a-l-approche-du-typhon-maysak?id=8948883
4/4/15
Philippine-Bound Maysak Downgraded to Tropical Storm ...
DeleteThe Philippine weather bureau on Saturday downgraded Typhoon Maysak to a tropical storm as thousands of people were told to leave the country's northeastern coastline, where it was headed from the Pacific after killing four people and destroying hundreds of homes in Micronesia.
The weather bureau said that wind and rain would start lashing the eastern seaboard of the main island of Luzon late Saturday and that the storm would make landfall early Sunday.
The Philippine weather bureau changed the category of Typhoon Maysak to a tropical storm after its sustained winds weakened to 115 kilometers per hour (71 miles per hour), with gusts of 145 kph (90 mph). Under the Philippine weather system, only cyclones with sustained winds of 118 kph (73 mph) and over are classified as typhoons.................http://www.voanews.com/content/philippines-bound-maysak-downgraded-tropical-storm/2706917.html
4/4/15
Turkey suggests transporting Iranian gas to Europe...
ReplyDeleteTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will discuss the prospects of transporting Iranian gas to Europe during his official visit to Iran on April 7, Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said on Monday.
The statement comes in the wake of positive shifts made in talks between Iran and the Group of Six world powers in Lausanne, Switzerland, last week on Iran’s controversial nuclear program, paving the way for the international community to gradually lift sanctions from the Islamic Republic.
The Turkish authorities earlier said they viewed Iran as a possible supply source for the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline. The plans for building the pipeline designed to pump natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz gas field in the Azerbaijani portion of the Caspian Sea to Europe across Georgia and Turkey were announced in 2011. The Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline construction was planned to be completed in 2018.
The Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline is part of the Southern Gas Corridor lobbied by the European Union as an alternative to Europe-bound supplies via Russian gas pipelines..........http://tass.ru/en/economy/787477
6/4/15
First low-level trace of Fukushima radioactivity detected off B.C....
ReplyDeleteFor the first time, scientists have detected small amounts of radioactivity in seawater along the shores of British Columbia that can be traced back to the 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster. But the levels are so low they are likely of little concern.
Scientists with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts reported Monday that a water sample collected in mid-February from a dock in Ucluelet, on British Columbia's Vancouver Island, contained trace amounts of cesium-134 and cesium-137 – isotopes that only come from human sources.
However, the levels detected in the sample were so low that even if someone were to swim for six hours a day, every day of the year in water containing twice as much cesium, the radiation received would still be 1,000 times less than what they would receive from a single dental X-ray............http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/first-low-level-trace-of-fukushima-radioactivity-detected-off-b-c-1.2313531
6/4/15
Συμφωνία Ενεργειακής Συνεργασίας για Ελλάδα, Τουρκία, Σερβία, Ουγγαρία, πΓΔΜ...
ReplyDeleteTη στήριξή τους υπέρ της δημιουργίας μιας εμπορικά βιώσιμης επιλογής διαφοροποίησης των οδών και των πηγών για τη μεταφορά φυσικού αερίου από τη Δημοκρατία της Τουρκίας, μέσω των εδαφών των χωρών τους, στις χώρες της Κεντρικής και της Νοτιοανατολικής Ευρώπης καθώς και σε άλλες χώρες, εξέφρασαν σε κοινή Διακήρυξη για την Ενίσχυση της Ενεργειακής Συνεργασίας οι υπουργοί Εξωτερικών της Ελλάδας, Σερβίας, πΓΔΜ και Ουγγαρίας και ο υπουργός Ευρωπαϊκών Υποθέσεων της Τουρκίας μετά την ολοκλήρωση της πενταμελούς συνάντησης για ενεργειακά θέματα που είχαν σήμερα στη Βουδαπέστη.
Στην διακήρυξη- η οποία εκφράζει μόνο «πολιτική πρόθεση»- επισημαίνεται, ότι τα συμμετέχοντα κράτη θα μπορούν «να στηρίξουν αφενός τις ενεργειακές αγορές της Τουρκίας, της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και των Συμβαλλόμενων Μερών στη Συνθήκη της Ενεργειακής Κοινότητας μέσω του Νοτίου Διαδρόμου Μεταφοράς Φυσικού Αερίου» και αφετέρου «να αναπτύξουν νέες δυνατότητες για την περιφερειακή οικονομική ανάπτυξη μέσω της διασύνδεσης των υποδομών φυσικού αερίου των χωρών με τη χρηματοδοτική συνδρομή της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης»...............http://www.capital.gr/News.asp?id=2273981
7/4/15
EU says new Ukraine, Russia gas talks for April 14 in Berlin...
ReplyDeleteThe EU said Tuesday it will broker a fresh round of Russian-Ukrainian talks next week in Berlin to secure gas supplies for Kiev next winter and onward deliveries to Europe.
The talks, which opened March 20 in Brussels, come against the backdrop of a shaky ceasefire in a year-long war between Kiev and pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine.
"I can confirm the next round of trilateral talks between the Commission, Russia and Ukraine next Tuesday in Berlin," said Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, a spokeswoman for the European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation EU.
In what the EU hailed as a positive sign, Moscow agreed last week to extend the current deal expiring March 31 by three months and at an increased discount of 247.18 dollars per one thousand cubic feet...............http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/127115.aspx
7/4/15
Trilateral gas talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union originally planned to be held in Berlin on April 14 have been postponed to a later date, the European Commission said on Friday...
DeleteAnna-Kaisa Itkonen, Spokesperson of Vice President of the European Commission for Energy Union said the meeting will be held in Brussels next week
http://tass.ru/en/economy/788576
10/4/15
Tepco may evaporate tritium-laced Fukushima water instead of ocean release...
ReplyDeleteTokyo Electric Power Co. may evaporate or store underground tritium-laced water from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant as an alternative to releasing it into the ocean, according to the man in charge of decommissioning the facility.
The removal of hundreds of thousands of tons of water containing tritium, a relatively harmless radioactive isotope left behind in treated water, is one of many issues facing Tepco as it tries to clean up the wrecked plant.
Tepco wants to release the tritium laced water to the ocean, a common practice at normally operating nuclear plants around the world. However, it is struggling to get approval from local fisherman who are concerned about the impact on consumer confidence and have little faith in the company......................Reuters
8/4/15
Three methods proposed for removing melted fuel from Fukushima No. 1 reactors...
ReplyDeleteThe Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corp. on Thursday proposed three methods for retrieving highly radioactive nuclear fuel debris in three crippled reactors at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s disaster-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
The proposals, presented at a meeting of officials from Tepco, the central government and municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture, will be reflected in a decommissioning road map that the government and Tepco are set to release around May.
The three reactors underwent core meltdowns in March 2011, leaving melted nuclear fuel debris on the floor of their containment vessels. The decommissioning aid body hopes to establish concrete procedures by the first half of fiscal 2018......japantimes.co.jp
10/4/15
Los incendios en Jakasia han causado al menos 10 víctimas mortales, según las autoridades de esta república situada en el sur de Siberia...
ReplyDelete"Hay por lo menos diez muertos, según los datos preliminares. Estamos comprobando todos los datos", dijo a RIA Novosti la portavoz del Gobierno regional, Irina Yemeliánova.
El pasado domingo, los incendios en Jakasia se multiplicaron a causa de fuertes vientos, por lo que las autoridades declararon una situación de emergencia.
Anteriormente se informó de cinco muertos y 120 heridos, además de unos 900 edificios que han sufrido daños.
Las autoridades han habilitado 24 refugios para los damnificados............http://sptnkne.ws/daP
13/4/15
Plus de 1.200 maisons ont été détruites par de violents feux de prairies...
DeleteJusqu'à 13 personnes ont trouvé la mort dans des incendies dans la république russe de Khakassie (Sibérie du Sud), a annoncé à RIA Novosti un porte-parole des forces de l'ordre locales.
"Selon des données préliminaires, treize personnes sont mortes", a fait savoir l'interlocuteur de l'agence.
Dans le même temps, le feu a détruit 1.205 foyers d'habitation, selon la même source.
D'après l'antenne locale du ministère russe des Situations d'urgence (MSU), les incendies ont été déclenchés par des habitants voulant faire brûler de l'herbe. Dimanche 12 avril, de fortes rafales de vent ont provoqué une propagation rapide du feu. Un état d'urgence a été décrété dans la région.
Le bilan précédent faisait état de 10 morts et de 483 blessés dans les incendies, ainsi que d'un millier de maisons touchées par le feu.
Selon le MSU, les sapeurs-pompiers sont parvenus à maîtriser le sinistre sur l'ensemble du territoire touché par les flammes.
http://sptnkne.ws/daZ
13/4/15
Fifteen people died and more than 460 sought medical treatment after wildfires caused by warm temperatures and high winds swept through southern Siberia, authorities said on Monday...
DeleteA total of 468 were hurt and 77 people were hospitalized in the region of Khakassia in southeastern Siberia where fires raged on Sunday, a spokeswoman for the regional authorities said.
Of the hospitalized eight were in a critical condition, said spokeswoman Irina Emelianova, adding that one person was still missing...........AFP.....http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
13/4/15
China, South Korea and Japan on Monday agreed to strengthen trilateral cooperation on water policy innovation during the 7th World Water Forum held in South Korea's southeastern cities of Daegu and Gyeongju...
ReplyDeleteThe three countries held a trilateral ministerial meeting during the forum on Monday, bringing together China's Vice Minister of Water Resources Jiao Yong, South Korea's Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Yoo Il-ho and Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ohta Akihiro.
The three sides signed a joint statement to strengthen trilateral cooperation on water-related issues under the topic " Water Policy Innovation in Response to Persistent and Emerging Water Challenges".
"We share the recognition that water policy innovation and reform should be promoted by each country in order to strengthen the core role of water resource in sustainable development, improve synergy among relevant government agencies and relevant stakeholders, enhance the resilience of water infrastructure and attract more financial investment into the water sector," the statement said.
They also decided to share the knowledge and experience learned in above water policy innovation initiatives for improved water security in three countries............Xinhua.......china.org.cn
13/4/15
Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Monday that radiation in the primary containment vessel of the No. 1 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 power station gets as high as 9.7 sieverts per hour — enough to kill a human within an hour...
ReplyDeleteThe radiation levels at six locations in the western section of the first floor of the PCV ranged from 7.0 to 9.7 sieverts per hour, the beleaguered utility said in disclosing data collected by a remote-controlled robot on Friday.
By contrast, the temperatures at the six locations monitored were cool, ranging from 17.8 to 20.2 degrees......japantimes.co.jp
13/4/15
A Japanese court will rule on Tuesday (Apr 14) whether to block the restart of nuclear reactors in western Japan on safety grounds, in a case that could complicate Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to return to atomic energy after the 2011 Fukushima disaster...
ReplyDeleteLocal residents have sought an injunction against Kansai Electric Power Co, arguing that restart plans underestimate earthquake risks, fail to meet tougher safety standards and lack credible evacuation measures.
Four years after a quake and tsunami wrecked the Fukushima plant, leading to meltdowns and mass evacuations, four reactors at two power stations in south and west Japan have cleared all major technical hurdles. Opponents see the courts as their last hope to block the revival of unpopular nuclear power.
A three-judge panel is to rule on the injunction request against Kansai Electric's Takahama reactors west of Tokyo at 0500 GMT (1pm Singapore time)......channelnewsasia.com
14/4/15
Japan court blocks nuclear restart...
DeleteA Japanese court has blocked the restarting of two nuclear reactors in the western city of Takahama, after local people raised safety concerns.
The plant had already obtained approval from the country's nuclear watchdog.
But locals had petitioned the court in Fukui prefecture, where Takahama is located, to intervene, saying it would not withstand a strong earthquake.
All 48 commercial reactors in Japan remain offline following 2011's Fukushima disaster......bbc.com/
14/4/15
Fukui court says no to Takahama nuclear plant restart...
DeleteA court issued an injunction Tuesday ordering Kansai Electric Power Co. not to restart two reactors at the Takahama nuclear power plant on the Sea of Japan coast despite them having cleared safety screening by the nation’s atomic safety regulator.
The Fukui District Court’s decision concerns the No. 3 and 4 reactors at the four-unit complex in Fukui Prefecture, located in an area along Wakasa Bay dotted with several nuclear power plants.
The injunction is effective immediately. The utility serving Osaka and its surrounding region is expected to appeal the decision, but it will not be able to restart the reactors unless its argument is accepted............japantimes.co.jp
14/4/15
Japan Calls Taiwan's Radiation-Related Food Label Regulations ‘Regrettable’...
DeleteOn Monday, Taiwan revealed plans to introduce regulations requiring labels on Japanese food imports to designate what prefecture they came from over fears of radioactive contamination.
"So far we have explained safety of foods produced in Japan and asked (Taiwan) to make judgment based on scientific findings. It's extremely regrettable that Taiwan will strengthen regulations this time," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga was quoted as saying by The Japan Times.
In 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan was hit by a tsunami, which led to significant amounts of radiation leaking into the atmosphere, soil and sea.
Since the disaster, Taiwan has banned the import of foodstuffs from several Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima.
In March, Taiwanese authorities found that some food imports produced in those prefectures had been imported into the country, which triggered public outcry..............http://sptnkne.ws/dqh
14/4/15
SpaceX fails in third try to retrieve rocket after launch...
ReplyDeleteUS firm SpaceX has failed in its third attempt to retrieve a booster rocket intact, after a successful launch.
The rocket made it back to an ocean platform but landed "too hard" to survive, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted.
The capsule borne by the rocket is heading to the International Space Station (ISS), carrying groceries - including an Italian espresso maker.
By retrieving rockets and recycling them, Nasa contractor SpaceX hopes to slash the cost of space travel.....bbc.com
15/4/15
Avance revolucionario: científicos encuentran una causa potencial del mal de Alzheimer ...
ReplyDeleteUn grupo de investigadores estadounidenses ha hecho nuevos avances en la lucha contra el alzhéimer, descubriendo una nueva causa potencial de la enfermedad.
Los científicos de la Universidad de Duke en Carolina del Norte (EE.UU.) han hallado durante experimentos con ratones que las células del sistema inmune que normalmente protegen al cerebro, al ser afectadas por el alzhéimer, llegan a consumir un aminoácido vital llamado 'arginina'.
Impidiendo este proceso con un medicamento, los investigadores lograron obstaculizar la formación de placas en el cerebro e impedir la pérdida de memoria en ratones.
Hasta ahora, el papel exacto del sistema inmune y la arginina en esta enfermedad era desconocido, informó 'The Independent'.
El DFMO -el medicamento utilizado para bloquear la respuesta inmune a la arginina- ya está siendo probado contra ciertos tipos de cáncer.
rt.com
15/4/15
Alzheimer, scoperta la causa principale. Ora si spera nella cura...
ReplyDeleteDagli Stati Uniti giunge la notizia della scoperta della possibile causa principale dell'Alzheimer, dando nuove speranze ai tanti malati nel mondo. In test - condotti finora solo su cavie da laboratorio - si e' visto che un tipo di cellule del sistema immunitario del cervello, le microglia, quando iniziano a consumare dosi abnormi di un nutriente, l'arginina (un aminoacido), iniziano a dividersi e cambiare contemporaneamente all'apparire dell'Alzheimer. I ricercatori statunitensi della Duke University hanno scoperto che bloccando questo processo con la somministrazione nei topi di un noto 'inibitore enzimatico' (molecola in grado di diminuire l'attivita' di un enzima), la 'difluorometilornitina' (Dfmo), si riduce il consumo di arginina, da parte delle microglia e si riduce sia il numero di queste cellule che delle cosiddette 'placche amiloidi'. Sono queste ultime (insieme al malfunzionamento delle proteine Tau) che, depositandosi tra i neuroni (le cellule del cervello), ne alterano, rallentandolo, il funzionamento causando la demenza tipica dell'Alzheimer.
"Se (sara' accertato anche negli uomini) che il consumo di arginina gioca un ruolo cosi' importante nel processo degenerativo, forse potremmo bloccarlo ed invertire il corso della malattia", ha spiegato Carol Colton, professore di Neurologia alla Duke University School of Medicine, uno degli autori dello studio pubblicato sul Journal of Neuroscience. Ricerca che sempre secondo Colton "apre le porte ad un modo completamente diverso di pensare l'Alzheimer, in grado di farci superare il punto morto in cui ci trovavamo nella lotta contro" la malattia.
affaritaliani.it
15/4/15
India builds first 'smart' city as urban population swells...
ReplyDelete(Reuters) - India's push to accommodate a booming urban population and attract investment rests in large part with dozens of "smart" cities like the one being built on the dusty banks of the Sabarmati river in western India.
So far, it boasts modern underground infrastructure, two office blocks and not much else.
The plan, however, is for a meticulously planned metropolis complete with gleaming towers, drinking water on tap, automated waste collection and a dedicated power supply - luxuries to many Indians.
With an urban population set to rise by more than 400 million people to 814 million by 2050, India faces the kind of mass urbanization only seen before in China, and many of its biggest cities are already bursting at the seams....reuters.com
15/4/15
Tepco resumes survey of crippled Fukushima reactor vessel with new robot...
ReplyDeleteThe operator of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant resumed a video survey inside a reactor containment vessel on Wednesday, inserting a second robot after an earlier effort left a similar robot stranded inside.
Tokyo Electric Power Co. began the probe last Friday, in its first attempt since the 2011 meltdown to check the interior of the No. 1 reactor’s primary containment vessel and to ascertain the position of the melted-down fuel. The shape-shifting robot produced valuable images and radiation readings but stopped moving after only a few hours and the utility gave up on retrieving it.
On Wednesday morning, Tepco sent another robot equipped with cameras, a dosimeter and a thermometer into the vessel. The robot is expected to go halfway around the container to gather data on radiation levels and temperatures while taking footage of locations that were not covered during last week’s survey......Kyodo
15/4/15
M 5.5 - CYPRUS REGION - local time: 11:25 - 16 km SW of Paphos...
ReplyDeleteMagnitude mb 5.5
Region CYPRUS REGION
Date time 2015-04-15 08:25:14.8 UTC
Location 34.65 N ; 32.31 E
Depth 50 km
Distances 112 km SW of Nicosia, Cyprus / pop: 200,452 / local time: 11:25:14.8 2015-04-15
16 km SW of Paphos, Cyprus / pop: 35,961 / local time: 11:25:14.8 2015-04-15