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☆ Protests mount in South Korea over Japan's plan to release Fukushima water
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Jack Kim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol's government has come under criticism as it defended the position that its own assessment found no problems with the scientific and technical aspects of Japan's plan. Democratic Party members and Foreign Minister Park Jin clashed in parliament over the possibility of direct impact to South Korea. [1/5]A woman holds up a placard during a protest against Japan's plan to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, in central Seoul, South Korea, August 22, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji Acquire Licensing RightsJapan has said that the water release is safe. South Korea said it accepted IAEA's conclusion.

Persons: Japan's, Yoon Suk, Yoon, Lee Jae, myung, Park Jin, Kim Hong, Lee, Jack Kim, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Democratic Party, pollster Media Research, South, Foreign, REUTERS, Japan, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, assailing, Korea Federation, Environmental, Fisheries, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, Japan, Korea's, Seoul, Korea, China, assailing Tokyo, Pacific

☆ Pacific Islands divided over Fukushima water release, says Cook Islands PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) chair and Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Mark Stephen Brown, speaks during the Korea-Pacific Islands Summit at the former presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, May 29, 2023. Ahn Young-joon/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, chairman of the Pacific Islands bloc, said that science supported Japan's decision to pump treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea, but that the region may not agree on the "complex" issue. Not all Pacific leaders had the same position and the Pacific Islands Forum may not reach a collective position, he said. The United States conducted nuclear tests in the Pacific Islands in the 1940s and 1950s, and France between 1966 and 1996. A Pacific Nuclear Free Zone was established in 1985 under a treaty that prevents the dumping of radioactive materials.

Persons: Mark Stephen Brown, Ahn Young, Mark Brown, Brown, Sitiveni Rabuka, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Islands, Pacific Islands, presidential Blue House, Rights, Cook Islands, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Pacific, United, Fijian, Melanesian Spearhead Group, Thomson Locations: Cook Islands, Korea, Seoul, South Korea, Japan, China, Cook, United States, France, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands

☆ Japan to release Fukushima water into ocean starting this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Fisherman Haruo Ono stands on one of his fishing boats at Tsurushihama Fishing Port, Shinchi-machi of Fukushima Prefecture, some 60 kms north of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on August 21, 2023, ahead of a government's plan to begin releasing treated water from the plant into the Pacific Ocean. Philip Fong | Afp | Getty ImagesJapan said on Tuesday it will start releasing more than 1 million metric tonnes of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on Aug. 24, putting into motion a plan that has drawn strong criticism from China. Japan has said that the water release is safe. Still, some neighboring countries have expressed skepticism over the safety of the plan, with Beijing emerging as the biggest critic. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in July that Japan had shown selfishness and arrogance, and had not fully consulted the international community about the water release.

Persons: Ono, Philip Fong, Fumio Kishida, Wang Wenbin Organizations: Afp, Getty, Japan, Tokyo Electric Power Company, Nuclear, Authority, International Atomic Energy Agency Locations: Shinchi, Fukushima Prefecture, China, Japan, Beijing

☆ Japan to release Fukushima water into ocean starting Aug 24
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An aerial view shows the storage tanks for treated water at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 22, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Japan has said that the water release is safe. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in July that Japan had shown selfishness and arrogance, and had not fully consulted the international community about the water release. China bans seafood imports from 10 prefectures in Japan, including Fukushima and the capital, Tokyo. Japan says the water will be filtered to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is difficult to separate from water.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Wang Wenbin, Sitiveni Rabuka, Sakura Murakami, Tim Kelly, Kirsty Needham, Chang, Ran Kim, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights Companies Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Tokyo Electric Power Company, Nuclear, Authority, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Seafood, Pacific, Thomson Locations: Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, China, Beijing, Fukushima, Tokyo, South, Seoul, United States, France, Pacific, Sydney

☆ Explainer: The Fukushima water release plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

An aerial view shows the storage tanks for treated water at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 22, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Water containing tritium is routinely released from nuclear plants around the world, and regulatory authorities support dealing with the Fukushima water in this way. When ingested at levels above those in the released water it can raise cancer risks, a Scientific American article said in 2014. SAFETYJapan and scientific organisations say the released water is safe, but environmental activists argue that all the possible impacts have not been studied. The latest import restrictions were imposed in July after the IAEA approved Japan's plans to discharge the treated water.

Persons: Masanobu Sakamoto, Katya Golubkova Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Tanks, Electric Power Company, Tepco, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Greenpeace, World Health Organization, South, National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations, Tokyo, Thomson Locations: Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, Fukushima, China

Tokyo CNN —After months of controversy and anticipation, Japan is set to begin releasing treated radioactive wastewater from its Fukushima nuclear plant later this week despite fierce objections from some countries. A TEPCO researcher assesses the radiation impact of treated wastewater in Fukushima, Japan, on April 12, 2023. TEPCO has built over 1,000 massive tanks to store treated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima, Japan, on April 12, 2023. Video Ad Feedback Hear why these South Koreans are worried about Japan's Fukushima wastewater release plan 02:27 - Source: CNNWhat have other governments said? Some governments have even banned food imports from parts of Japan, including Fukushima.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Daniel Campisi, Rafael Grossi, ” Organizations: Tokyo CNN —, Tokyo Electric Power Company, United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, CNN, TEPCO, South Locations: Japan, Asia, Fukushima, United States, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea

Tokyo CNN —Japan will begin releasing treated radioactive water from Fukushima into the ocean as early as Thursday, officials announced on Tuesday, following months of heightened public anxiety and pushback from many neighboring countries. Since then, new water has been pumped in to cool fuel debris in the reactors, while ground and rainwater have leaked in, creating more radioactive wastewater. The real issue is a hydrogen isotope called radioactive tritium, which cannot be taken away. Many other countries, including the United States, regularly release treated wastewater containing small amounts of tritium from their nuclear plants. One expert, who helped Pacific Island nations review and assess the wastewater release plan, told CNN it was “ill-advised” and premature.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, hasn’t, Kishida, “, ” Organizations: Tokyo CNN —, United Nations ’ International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Tokyo Electric Power Company, Authorities, TEPCO, CNN Locations: Tokyo CNN — Japan, Fukushima, China, South Korea, Japan, United States

☆ Japan PM to meet fishing industry leaders over Fukushima water
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 20, 2023, in this photo released by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will on Monday meet fishing industry representatives in a bid to convince them of the safety of treated radioactive water due to be released from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. The water has been treated to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, a hydrogen isotope that must be diluted because it is difficult to filter. Despite such assurances, the prospect of more than a million tons of water being pumped into the Pacific from the nuclear plant owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company (9501.T) has raised alarm. Japanese Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura is due to meet the same fishing industry leaders before the Kishida meeting.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Yasutoshi Nishimura, Satoshi Sugiyama, Elaine Lies, Muralikumar Organizations: Japan's, Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Tokyo Electric Power Company, Citizens, Japanese Industry, Thomson Locations: Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, Tokyo, China, South Korea

☆ Japan's Kishida to meet fishermen on Fukushima water release plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 20, 2023, in this photo released by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he will meet fishermen as soon as Monday to seek their understanding of the government's plan to release radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific. He said his government would make every effort to ensure the safety of the water release and counter reputational damage. Releasing the water is a key step in decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi plant and revitalising Fukushima, he added. The prime minister declined to say when it would begin.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Tom Bateman, Yuka Obayashi, William Mallard Organizations: Japan's, Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Tokyo Electric Power, Tepco, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Thomson Locations: Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, South Korea, China

☆ Kishida to visit Fukushima plant on Sunday before water release decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he will visit the Fukushima nuclear plant on Sunday ahead of a final decision on when to begin releasing wastewater from the wrecked facility. The government is at the final stage of when it has to make a decision," Kishida said on Friday in the U.S. His comments were aired by public broadcaster NHK. The International Atomic Energy Agency last month published a report greenlighting the release of radioactive water that Japan says it need to pump into the sea because it is running out of space to store it on site. The decision has been criticized by China and is opposed by some citizens' groups in Japan and South Korea. Kishida was in the U.S. for a trilateral meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and President Joe Biden.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden, Yoon Suk, Camp David, Evelyn Hockstein, Kishida, Yoon Suk Yeol, Tim Kelly, Sonali Paul Organizations: U.S, South, REUTERS, Rights, NHK, International Atomic Energy Agency, South Korean, Thomson Locations: Camp, Thurmont , Maryland, U.S, Japan, China, South Korea

By accepting an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report last month that greenlit Japan's Fukushima water release, Yoon could encourage fresh dissent that China will try to amplify, analysts say. On Monday, Park Gu-yeon, vice minister of government policy coordination at the prime minister's office, said both sides have made "substantial progress" on the water release issue. A senior South Korean official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivity, said the government did not see it as a source of friction. "China absolutely will try to exploit Fukushima to drive a wedge between South Korea and Japan," said David Boling, a director at consulting firm Eurasia Group. In July, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Japan had shown selfishness and arrogance, and had not fully consulted the international community about the water release.

Persons: Rafael Mariano Grossi, Kobayakawa, Joe Biden, Yoon Suk Yeol, Fumio Kishida, Biden, David, Yoon, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Moon Jae, Christopher Johnstone, Antony Blinken, they've, David Boling, Joshua Kurlantzick, Wang Wenbin, Hirokazu Matsuno, Tim Kelly, Sakura Murakami, Hyonhee Shin, Josh Smith, David Brunnstrom, Trevor Hunnicutt, Ekaterina Golubkova, Lun Tian, Yoshifumi, Gerry Doyle Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, Tokyo Electric Power Co, Japanese, Reuters, U.S, IAEA, Biden's National Security Council, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Japan, South Korean, South, Gallup, Eurasia Group, Council, Foreign Relations, Global Times, Thomson Locations: Futaba, Japan, TOKYO, SEOUL, South Korea, Tokyo, China, Washington, East Asia, Taiwan, Beijing, Russia, North Korea, United States, Australia, Britain, Seoul, Seoul . U.S, Fukushima, Korean

☆ Commercial ships told to stay far away from Iran due to a heightened possibility of attack or seizure
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US Navy is warning commercial ships to avoid traveling near Iranian territory. Iranian forces have already seized two oil tankers this year. Attacks on ships in the region have increased ever since Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal. Timothy Hawkins said ships "are being advised to transit as far away from Iranian territorial waters as possible," noting a warning issued by the US-based International Maritime Security Construct. Since 2021, Iran has "harassed, attacked, or interfered with" the navigation rights of 15 internationally flagged merchant ships, according to the US Navy.

Persons: Timothy Hawkins, Biden, Trump, —, Michelle Grisé, Grisé Organizations: US Navy, Trump, Service, Associated Press, US, AP, International Atomic Energy Agency, RAND Corporation Locations: Iran, Wall, Silicon, Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Chevron, Islamic Republic, Europe, Iranian, United States, Washington, Tehran

☆ South Korean activists protest against Fukushima water discharge
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] South Korean activists take part in a protest against Japan's plan to release treated waste water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, in central Seoul, South Korea, August 12, 2023. The signs read "Nuclear power plant is the problem". REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiCompanies Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc FollowSEOUL, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Hundreds of South Korean activists gathered in central Seoul on Saturday to protest against Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean. U.S. President Joe Biden will meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for a trilateral summit on Aug. 18. The governments of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan should view it an environmental disaster, rather than a political issue, and agree to block it... for future generations," Choi said.

Persons: Kim Hong, Choi Kyoungsook, Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Yoon Suk, Choi, Gyun Kim, Joyce Lee, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: South, Ji Companies Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Korean, Asahi Shimbun, Korea Radiation Watch, Tokyo Electric Power, International Atomic Energy Agency, Japanese, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korea, Japan, U.S

☆ Kyiv says Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant switched to reserve power line
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Russian service member stands guard at a checkpoint near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant before the arrival of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert mission in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict outside Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko/File... Read moreKYIV, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Ukraine's Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant again lost connection to its last remaining main external power line overnight and was switched to a reserve line, state-owned power generating company Energoatom said on Thursday. Energoatom said Europe's largest nuclear power plant was on the verge of a blackout as the reserve line had less than half the power capacity of the main power line. The Zaporizhzhia plant with its six reactors has been controlled by the Russian military since the early days of Moscow's invasion in February 2022. 6 to a 'hot shutdown' state is being considered."

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Read, Energoatom, Olena Harmash, Angus MacSwan Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, REUTERS, Zaporizhzhia NPP, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia, Russian, KYIV

Siamak Namazi, left, a U.S. citizen who has been held prisoner in Iran for nearly eight years, with his father, Baquer Namazi. The U.S. government has identified three American citizens held in Iran — Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz. NBC News first reported on the prisoner exchange negotiations in February. The families of the Americans held in Iran say their loved ones are "hostages" taken captive on false charges and used as bargaining chips by the government. And Siamak Namazi has been held prisoner in Iran for nearly eight years, longer than any of the other current American detainees.

Persons: Siamak Namazi, Baquer Namazi, Barack Obama, Emad, Shahab Dalili, Jared Genser, Namazi, Joe Biden, Obama, Biden, Donald Trump, Tahbaz, Shargi, Baquer, Robert Levinson, Levinson, Bob Levinson Organizations: NBC, Administration, NBC News, International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S, Congress, British, Tufts, Rutgers, FBI, CIA Locations: U.S, Iran, Tehran, Washington, Qatar, South Korea, United States, Israel, Iranian American, Iranian, Iran's

☆ US scientists trying to harness the power of the sun have made a 2nd major breakthrough for the future of sustainable, green energy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Why nuclear fusion is so important for global energy needsWe see the colossal power of nuclear fusion in action every day — the sun. Meaning that unlike fossil fuels, nuclear fusion doesn't contribute to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that are driving climate change. It was a major breakthrough and the first time a fusion experiment had ever generated an energy surplus. Why nuclear fusion beats nuclear fissionCurrent nuclear power plants use fission to make energy. While fission creates a chain reaction, nuclear fusion reactors of the future would not, avoiding the risk of a meltdown.

Persons: Energy Jennifer Granholm, Lawrence, Jason Laurea, Paul Rhien, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Arjun Makhijani, Daniel Jassby, Jassby Organizations: Service, International Energy Agency, Department of Energy, Energy, Ignition, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Financial Times, Manhattan, International Atomic Energy Agency, Scientists, Institute for Energy, Environmental Research, Princeton Plasma Physics Locations: Wall, Silicon, Lawrence Livermore, That's

☆ Japan to start Fukushima water release as early as late August, Asahi Shimbun reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Ventilation stacks and cranes at the disabled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant are seen from a beach in Namie, about 7 km away from the power plant, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, February 28, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File PhotoTOKYO, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Japan plans to start releasing treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean as early as late August, Japan's Asahi Shimbun daily reported on Monday, citing unnamed government sources. Japan's nuclear regulator last month granted approval for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (9501.T) to start releasing the water - which Japan and the International Atomic Energy Agency say is safe but nearby countries fear it may contaminate food. Bottom trawling fishing is scheduled to start off Fukushima, northeast of Tokyo, in September, and the government aims to start the water discharge before the fishing season gets underway, the newspaper said. Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; editing by Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden, Yoon Suk, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Asahi Shimbun, U.S, South, Tokyo Electric Power, International Atomic Energy Agency, Thomson Locations: Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, United States, Fukushima, Tokyo

☆ New IAEA complaint about anti-personnel mines in Russian-held nuclear plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 24 (Reuters) - The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog said on Monday it had found anti-personnel mines in an area of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine and complained for the second month running that this violated safety procedures. The plant, Europe's largest nuclear facility, was seized in the first days of Russia's invasion last year. "But having such explosives on the site is inconsistent with the IAEA safety standards and nuclear security guidance and creates additional psychological pressure on plant staff," Grossi said in a statement on the agency's website. Grossi had issued a similar warning about mines last month and on both occasions he suggested they posed no risk to the plant's security. In Monday's note he said his agency's initial assessment was that even if they exploded, "these mines should not affect the site's nuclear safety and security systems".

Persons: Rafael Grossi, Grossi, Ron Popeski, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow

☆ UN Security Council meets for first time on AI risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] The U.N. Security Council holds a meeting on Artificial intelligence at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., July 18, 2023. "Both military and non-military applications of AI could have very serious consequences for global peace and security," Guterres said. Ambassador Zhang Jun described AI as a "double-edged sword" and said Beijing supports a central coordinating role of the U.N. on establishing guiding principles for AI. "No member states should use AI to censor, constrain, repress or disempower people," he told the council. Russia questioned whether the council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, should be discussing AI.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, James, Britain's, Antonio Guterres, Jack Clark, Zeng Yi, Guterres, U.N, Zhang Jun, Zhang, Jeffrey DeLaurentis, Dmitry Polyanskiy, Michelle Nichols, Aurora Ellis Organizations: . Security, REUTERS, Brendan McDermid UNITED NATIONS, United Nations Security Council, Britain's, U.N, China -, Research Center, AI, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Civil Aviation Organization, U.S, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, China, United States, Beijing, Russia

☆ Vienna is crawling with Russian spies inviting sources to skiing holidays
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Vienna, Austria, has become the prime European city for spies, especially from Russia, to set up. Efforts by local politicians to ban spying have been met with delays as Russia's war continues. Austria has expelled only four Russian spies posing as diplomats, while neighbors equipped with more robust laws have expelled over 400 spies since the start of Russia's war, the Times reported. There are 180 accredited Russian diplomats in Vienna, and a third of them are assumed to be spies, per the report. Recently, Chinese, Saudi, Iranian and Israeli spies have also benefitted from the power vacuum in Vienna, the Times reported.

Persons: Vienna's, Egisto Ott, Gustav Gressel Organizations: Service, Times, International Atomic Energy Agency, Washington Post, European Council, Foreign Relations, Austrian, Green Locations: Vienna, Austria, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russian, Germany, Saudi, Western

☆ UN Security Council to hold first talks on AI risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council will hold its first formal discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) this week in New York, with Britain to call for an international dialogue about its impact on global peace and security. Governments around the world are considering how to mitigate the dangers of emerging AI technology, which could reshape the global economy and change the international security landscape. Britain holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month and has been seeking a global leadership role in AI regulation. In June, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres backed a proposal by some artificial intelligence executives for the creation of an international AI watchdog body like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Reporting by William James Editing by Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: James, Antonio Guterres, William James, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: United Nations Security, UN Security, British, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: New York, Britain, U.N

London/Hong Kong CNN —The European Union has lifted all import restrictions on food, including fish, produced near the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan just as Tokyo prepares to release treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean. The bloc’s move follows positive results from tests carried out on the products by the Japanese authorities and EU member states, the European Commission said in a statement Thursday. After the Fukushima plant melted down in 2011 following an earthquake and tsunami, the EU restricted food imports from 10 prefectures in Japan and started requiring pre-export tests on food products for radioactivity. It has since regularly reviewed the measures and progressively eased them “as risks declined,” the European Commission said. On Wednesday, Hong Kong, one of the world’s top buyers of Japan’s fish, said it would ban seafood imports from 10 prefectures in the country if Tokyo pressed ahead with the wastewater release.

Persons: “, Ursula von der Leyen, — Mohammed Tawfeeq Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, European, European Commission, International Atomic Energy Agency, ” Locations: Hong Kong, Japan, Tokyo, United States, South Korea, China, Fukushima, Atlanta

☆ Scientists are growing seeds in space to help adapt to climate change on Earth
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Nadia Leigh-Hewitson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of changing climate conditions and although changes to temperature, rainfall patterns, and frost might extend a growing season or enable the cultivation of different crops, climate change also introduces major challenges for farming. Shoba Sivasankar examines sorghum seeds that spent around five months at the International Space Station . K. Laffan/IAEABy selectively breeding plants grown from the mutated seeds, Sivasankar and her team hope to create new crop strains. The private sector has also taken an interest in the impact of spaceflight on plant seeds. StarLab Oasis plans to grow seeds on external docking platforms at space stations, shown here in a rendering Nanoracks/Starlab OasisSending seeds to space will help “sustainability, climate change, and food security on Earth,” StarLab Oasis’ co-founder Allen Herbert told CNN in 2022.

Persons: Shoba Sivasankar, ”, “, StarLab, Allen Herbert Organizations: CNN, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Agriculture Organization, FAO, International Space, of, Food, Agriculture, Space, Michigan State University, MSU, United Arab Emirates, StarLab Oasis, Oasis Locations: China, Abu Dhabi

July 13 (Reuters) - High river temperatures that look set to restrict power output at two French nuclear plants that use river water to cool reactors may trigger increased fossil fuel-fired power output elsewhere due to Europe's extensive regional power trading. French power system in hot waterIn turn, any increased output from fossil fuel-fired power plants will likely lift regional power sector emissions, undermining regional efforts to accelerate cuts to all forms of industrial pollution. France is also Europe's second largest electricity generator behind Germany, producing roughly 470 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in 2022, compared to Germany's 582TWh, and 324TWh by Europe's third largest generator, the United Kingdom. France's high proportion of non-emitting nuclear power means that its power sector has by far the lowest carbon intensity of any major European economy, averaging around 85 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour of electricity produced. That compares to more than 385 grams in Germany, 257 in the United Kingdom, and 300 for Europe as a whole, Ember data shows.

Persons: Germany's 582TWh, Gavin Maguire, Jamie Freed Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, EDF, RTE, Reuters, Thomson Locations: France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Ember, Europe, Belgium, Luxembourg

☆ Fukushima wastewater: Hong Kong poised to ban Japanese seafood over treated water
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Hong Kong, one of the world’s biggest buyers of Japanese fish, says it will ban seafood imports from 10 prefectures in the country if Tokyo presses ahead with its plan to release treated radioactive water from Fukushima into the sea. Japanese food is hugely popular in Hong Kong, which has more than 2,000 Japanese restaurants. The move comes less than a week after Beijing announced a similar ban on Japanese seafood exports to mainland China, citing concerns over health and safety. Customers wait to get into Japanese sushi chain Sushiro in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, on July 13, 2023. The 10 prefectures facing a seafood ban are Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gumma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, he said.

Persons: Tse Chin, Let’s, ” Tse, Chris Lau, Tse, ”, “, Rafael Grossi, Fumio Kishida, Grossi, Sandy Yu, Timothy Lo Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Beijing, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, CNN, Hong, South, UN, HK Locations: Hong Kong, Tokyo, Fukushima, Japan, China, South Korea, United States, Causeway Bay, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gumma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano, Saitama, Hong, Causeway

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