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☆ Rio Tinto apologises after radioactive capsule lost in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto Ltd's (RIO.AX) iron ore division chief Simon Trott apologised on Monday after a contractor hired by the mining giant lost a radioactive capsule in transit in Western Australia which sparked a radiation alert across parts of the state. We recognise this is clearly very concerning and are sorry for the alarm it has caused in the Western Australian community," Trott said in a statement. Early reports suggested the loss was not discovered for almost two weeks after the capsule left Rio's Gudai-Darri mine site. Rio said it was informed by the contractor the capsule was missing on Jan. 25. "We have completed radiological surveys of all areas on site where the device had been, and surveyed roads within the mine site as well as the access road leading away from the Gudai-Darri mine site," Trott said.

☆ An AI bot scored nearly as well as doctors on a radiology exam — but it's not ready to replace humans yet
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An AI bot took the exam radiologists in the UK have to pass before finishing training. The AI candidate passed two of 10 mock exams, while humans passed four of 10. The AI candidate was a Smarturgences tool developed by French AI company Milvue that is commercially available. The AI candidate needs more training analyzing areas that are considered 'non-interpretable' like the abdomen and axial skeleton. While the AI candidate had "relatively high" accuracy, it was only the highest scoring candidate for one of the mock exams.

The Senate voted 70-25 to proceed to debate of the bill, with some Republican senators hoping to offer amendments. A handful of conservative Senate Republicans on Tuesday said they objected to the bill, but would not try to stop its passage. Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell said most of his caucus supports it: "We're moving toward completing the business for the year. And I think in a highly productive way from the point of view of the vast majority of Senate Republicans." Among the most significant add-ons to the spending bill is the bipartisan Electoral Count Act, which overhauls and clarifies Congress' certification process for presidential elections.

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Conservative Republicans in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday expressed outrage at a $1.66 trillion government funding bill, but signaled that they did not intend to significantly delay the measure, which could lead to a weekend partial government shutdown. Fellow Republican Senator Mike Braun said the group will intensify its budget reform efforts next year, when Republicans take control of the House of Representatives. Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell said most of his caucus supports it: "We're moving toward completing the business for the year. And I think in a highly productive way from the point of view of the vast majority of Senate Republicans." Among the most significant add-ons to the spending bill is the bipartisan Electoral Count Act, which overhauls and clarifies Congress' certification process for presidential elections.

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate planned to take its first vote on a $1.66 trillion government funding bill on Tuesday, as lawmakers scrambled to pass the measure and avert a possible partial government shutdown beginning on Saturday. The total funding proposed by the sweeping bill, is up from the approximately $1.5 trillion the previous year. It also includes funding to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine. On the non-defense side of the ledger, the bill's negotiators have set funding at $800 billion, a $68 billion increase over the previous year. This was the second year in a row Congress included funding for hundreds of largely unrelated projects requested by individual lawmakers.

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress were moving forward with a $1.66 trillion government funding bill, scrambling to pass a measure, which includes record military spending, before temporary funding runs out on Friday. The total funding proposed by the sweeping bill, released early on Tuesday, is up from the approximately $1.5 trillion the previous year. This money would be on top of the record $858 billion in military spending for the year, which is up from last year's $740 billion and also exceeds Biden's request. On the non-defense side of the ledger, the bill's negotiators have set funding at $800 billion, a $68 billion increase over the previous year. This was the second year in a row Congress included funding for hundreds of largely unrelated projects requested by individual lawmakers.

☆ US military atomic cleanup crews were sent out in the wake of American nuclear testing, and many paid a heavy price, veterans say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Over a period of more than a decade, the US military conducted dozens of nuclear tests in the Pacific. Years later, soldiers were sent to the Marshall Islands to try and clean up the fallout from the testing. Nuclear tests like Castle Bravo produced a substantial amount of nuclear fallout that negatively affected the people of the Marshall Islands, according to the Brookings Institution think tank. Impact of radiation contaminationNuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands had "devastating effects" on the country's environment that "remain unresolved," according to a 2019 report by the Republic of the Marshall Islands' National Nuclear Commission. However, he, like thousands of others, are excluded from the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, which only covers veterans present for atmospheric nuclear tests.

☆ Common treatment for joint pain may be linked to faster arthritis progression, research suggests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Angela Yang | Angela Yang Is An Intern For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

One of the most common pain relief treatments for arthritis, corticosteroid injections, may actually be associated with faster progression of the disease, according to new research. There is no cure, but the discomfort is sometimes treated with corticosteroid shots. The scans, collected annually for four years, revealed worse arthritis progression among participants injected with corticosteroids compared to the other two groups. Just because imaging shows more arthritis progression doesn’t mean a patient feels more pain. And second, he said, the results shouldn’t lead people to avoid corticosteroid shots in all situations.

☆ Steroid use for knee osteoarthritis may make it worse, studies say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A common treatment for some arthritis pain might actually be making the condition worse, according to two new studies. Some of those patients didn’t receive any treatment and others got corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections, according to the studies. The takeaway from the studies is that corticosteroids should be administered with caution for osteoarthritis pain. “Perhaps hyaluronic acid injections need to be studied for pain management more thoroughly,” he said. And some people may not see significant benefit from either steroid or hyaluronic acid injections, Kim added.

☆ Early research suggests promising use of AI to predict risk of heart attack or stroke using a single chest X-ray
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Early research suggests a promising use of artificial intelligence to predict the 10-year risk of death from a heart attack or stroke from a single chest X-ray. The AI model uses the same risk thresholds as the established risk calculator, and early findings suggest that it works just as well. Sometimes, the AI findings align with a traditional radiology reading, but other times, it picks up on things that may have been missed, he said. He was not involved in the new AI research but says it’s important to keep the field moving forward. “The risk calculator is one part of risk assessment, but it’s not the only part.

☆ White House asks Congress for $500 mln to modernize oil reserve
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Timothy Gardner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The SPR oil is stored in hollowed-out, underground salt caverns that can shift and potentially require maintenance when petroleum is removed and replaced. The SPR funding was included in the White House's proposal for nearly $38 billion in aid to Ukraine as part of a supplemental funding request. The funding for Ukraine for the duration of the fiscal year would go to defense equipment, humanitarian assistance, and nuclear security support, the White House said. It would also help Ukraine with security of nuclear and radiological materials, and prevent illicit smuggling of nuclear, radiological, and dual-use materials. read moreThe DOE and the White House did not immediately respond to inquiries for more details about why the SPR needs to be modernized.

☆ Marijuana smoke harms lungs in tobacco smokers, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Smoking weed while being a tobacco smoker may increase damage to the respiratory system, a new study found. Scans from an additional 57 nonsmokers with no preexisting lung disease, chemotherapy or other history of lung damage were used as controls. Lung damage was greater in those who smoke marijuana and tobacco compared with tobacco-only smokers, a preliminary study found. “We just don’t know if it’s a synergistic effect between the marijuana and the tobacco versus the marijuana alone.”Irreversible damage? In addition, tobacco smokers quickly exhale, while marijuana smokers often inhale and hold their breath to maximize the high, she said.

☆ Explainer: Blood, treasure and chaos: the cost of Russia's war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Guy Faulconbridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Following are the main impacts of the war, now in its ninth month:* DEATHThe war has sown death on a level not seen in Europe since World War Two. Besides the military costs, the West has tried to punish Moscow by imposing severe sanctions - the biggest shock to Russia's economy since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Still the impact on Russia's economy is severe - and not yet fully clear. Shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, international oil prices spiked to their highest levels since the records of 2008. In total, about 52 billion euros in military, financial and humanitarian aid had been pledged by Oct. 3 to Ukraine by countries around the world, according to The Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

☆ India's defence minister warns against nuclear weapons in call with Russian counterpart
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Oct 26 (Reuters) - India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday that nuclear weapons should not be used by any side in the Ukraine war, according to an Indian government statement. "The prospect of the usage of nuclear or radiological weapons goes against the basic tenets of humanity," Singh told Shoigu while reiterating the need for an early resolution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia isn't backing off its 'dirty bomb' talk, with even Putin himself now peddling baseless claims Ukraine is going to set one off
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian President Putin himself baselessly accused Ukraine of preparing to detonate a dirty bomb. Putin joined Kremlin leadership in accusing Ukraine of preparing to detonate a so-called dirty bomb on its own territory, a claim Ukraine and the West have called "absurd." "There are also plans to use the so-called dirty bomb for provocations," Putin said during the conference, according to a Kremlin translation of the meeting. A dirty bomb is a radiological dispersal device that uses conventional explosives to spread radioactive material. Putin's remarks appear to be his first related to the dirty bomb claims, which other Russian officials have made — without citing any evidence — in recent days.

☆ Ukraine alleges Russian operatives are doing 'secret' work at a captured nuclear power plant and could make a dirty bomb
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine alleged Russian forces are doing "secret" work at a captured nuclear power plant. The country's state nuclear operator said the unauthorized activity could yield a dirty bomb. Energoatom, Ukraine's state energy operator, alleged Russian operatives have been carrying out "unauthorized construction works" over the last few days at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant's Dry Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility, where spent nuclear fuel is kept. "Russian lies about Ukraine allegedly planning to use a 'dirty bomb' are as absurd as they are dangerous. "Russia's statements about the creation of a [dirty nuclear bomb] may indicate that [Russia] is preparing an act of nuclear terrorism," Energoatom said.

As tensions over the nine-month-old war worsen, NBC News looks at what a dirty bomb actually is, the damage it can cause and whether it can render any military advantage. What is a dirty bomb? A dirty bomb, also known as a “radiological dispersion device,” is defined as a conventional weapon that has been augmented with a radioactive material. The psychological damage from deploying a dirty bomb in Ukraine would probably be far-reaching, according to Plant. The Russain defense minstry said Monday that Kyiv has the “scientific, technical and industrial potential” to create a dirty bomb.

☆ Russia's baseless 'dirty bomb' claim is another ploy to spread fear and scare away Western support for Ukraine, Russia experts warn
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia baselessly claimed Ukraine is preparing to detonate a "dirty bomb" in its own territory. Ukraine also asked the UN's nuclear agency to send experts to inspect its nuclear facilities to prove Russia's "dirty bomb" accusations are false. A so-called dirty bomb, which is a type of radiological dispersal device, is a weapon that uses conventional explosives to spread radioactive material. Such weapons are nowhere near as dangerous as a nuclear bomb and are unlikely to cause mass casualties. There are also no documented cases of a dirty bomb attack.

☆ U.S. Congress readies stopgap bill to avert shutdown, aid Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

President Joe Biden's Democrats, who control both chambers of Congress, are expected to avoid an embarrassing partial government shutdown just six weeks before the Nov. 8 midterm elections, when control of Congress will be at stake. The bill, which would extend overall government funding through Dec. 16, was facing resistance because of an energy permitting reform measure. The spending provisions include $12.3 billion in new money to help Ukraine turn back Russia's invasion, House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro said in a statement. In addition, it authorizes Biden to direct the drawdown of up to $3.7 billion for the transfer to Ukraine of excess weapons from U.S. stocks. The last time Congress allowed funding to lapse was in December 2018, when Democrats balked at paying for then-President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall, leading to a record, 35-day impasse and partial government shutdown.

☆ U.S. Congress unveils stopgap bill to avert shutdown, aid Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A Tuesday evening Senate procedural vote is designed to speed action once Democrats and Republicans put the finishing touches on legislation. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urged his fellow Republicans to vote against the temporary funding bill because of the Manchin provision, Politico reported. And I would hope my friends would look at it that way," Manchin said in an interview with CNN, referring to the inclusion of his permitting reforms in the temporary funding bill. The last time Congress allowed funding to lapse was in December 2018, when Democrats balked at paying for then-President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall. Following a record, 35-day impasse and partial government shutdown, Trump found ways to circumvent Congress to some degree, but the wall never was completed.

☆ Wildlife flourishing in uninhabited areas around Fukushima
▼ + stars: | 2020-01-07 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

(CNN) Nearly a decade after Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster, researchers have discovered that wildlife is thriving in the areas evacuated by humans, despite radiological contamination. More than 20,000 people died or went missing in the quake and tsunami, while hundreds of thousands more lost their homes. Three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant melted down, releasing radioactive materials into the air and more than 100,000 people were evacuated from the area. Scientists have now discovered that wildlife is abundant in areas that humans no longer live. Using remote cameras, researchers from the University of Georgia recovered more than 267,000 photos of more than 20 species -- including racoon dogs, wild boars, macaques, pheasants, foxes and Japanese hares in the areas surrounding the power plant.

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