We were editing this selection yesterday when the power went out, so we’ll offer it belatedly, because there’s so much of critical import — especially in the case of Greece [after the jump] along with the latest chapter of Fukushimapocalypdr Now!
From the Los Angeles Times, an aciton close to home:
UC labor walkout affects medical centers, dining operations
Thousands of tutors, service workers and patient care employees stage a one-day job action as tense negotiations continue over a new contract.
Salon covers a Big Box threat:
Wal-Mart labor group promises 1,500 Black Friday protests next week
Amid scrutiny of Wal-Mart taking up employee-to-employee charity, strike wave continues against retail giant
From USA TODAY, rich getting richer:
Dow closes above 16,000 for the first time
In one of the most dramatic signs yet of the bull market’s strength, on Thursday the Dow Jones industrial average closed above 16,000 for the first time in the much-watched average’s 117-year history.
The Daily Dot offers relief:
TPP unlikely to be ‘fast tracked’ through Congress this year
A top House Democrat has announced that it was unlikely that Congress would take up a bill this year that would speed up the TPP process and make it more likely that all of its controversial elements would pass.
From The Guardian, numbers games?:
Officials to investigate claims Census Bureau manipulated jobs figures
New York Post alleges census employee Julius Buckmon was caught faking results to make unemployment rate appear lower
USA TODAY covers a relief of sorts:
Jobless claims fall more than expected
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits slipped 21,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 323,000, in a sign the labor market continues to improve as businesses see little need to cut jobs.
From Bloomberg Businessweek, Schadenfreude time:
Survey: The Job Market Gets Worse for MBAs
Future business leaders of America, brace yourselves. Some 43 percent of employers plan to cut the number of MBAs hired, according to Michigan State University’s new survey of 6,500 employers, a drop that will cause expected employment of MBAs to plummet nearly 25 percent from last year. Demand is down across almost all economic sectors, the report says, with financial services and government reporting the steepest drop.
From Reuters, something inevitable:
After gains, Vice Fund seeks ‘Budweiser of marijuana’
Gerry Sullivan has an eye out for the sins of tomorrow, but he’s no puritan.
Since taking the helm of USA Mutuals’ iconoclastic Vice Fund in 2011, Sullivan has scored big gains spotting trends in tobacco, guns, alcoholic beverages and gambling. Now he’s seeing new ways to make money on human transgression.
But cautions abound, even in the Centennial State, where voters opted to legalize the weed. From Westword:
Multiple marijuana businesses being raided by DEA, IRS, Denver cops
Westword has learned that the federal Drug Enforcement Administration is conducting raids at this writing at multiple marijuana businesses in the Denver area.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Denver has issued a statement confirming the ongoing operation, which is being conducted by the DEA in collaboration with the Internal Revenue Service and the Denver Police Department. Our sources tell us it’s likely to continue throughout the day and involves a notable number of targets.
From Calbuzz, capitalizing on what they battled:
Big Ag’s Secretive $50-Million Obamacare Contract
Western Growers Association, one of California’s most powerful conservative business forces, is profiting handsomely from Obamacare — despite its fierce opposition to the Affordable Care Act.
Calbuzz has learned that a $50-million contract to oversee implementation of health insurance for small businesses in California was awarded to a private company wholly owned by the heavyweight ag group. The contract was granted by Covered California, the organization set up to manage Obamacare in the state.
From Bloomberg Businessweek, life, and less of it, in neoloberal America:
The U.S. Lags in Life Expectancy Gains
Life expectancy in the U.S. has been growing more slowly than in other developed countries and is now more than a year below the developed-country average, according to a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
CNBC covers a multi-trillion-dollar disaster-in-the-making:
Crisis in America: a crumbling infrastructure
Announced during his State of the Union speech in February, Obama’s Fix-It-First program calls for $40 billion in spending on a backlog of urgent repairs and upgrades. That would follow $31 billion that went into infrastructure as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. But those sums are dwarfed by the $3.6 trillion in investment the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) says is needed by 2020.
And once in a while we run a headline, well, just because — as in this gem from CBC News:
Moose-eating shark rescued in Newfoundland harbour
Greenland shark either bit off more that it could chew or was just enjoying a big meal
To Reuters for a global picture:
U.S. factories rebound, but Europe, China falter
U.S. factory output rebounded this month but hiring remained sluggish, while business activity across the euro zone and at China’s manufacturers slowed, surveys showed on Thursday. The data underscored the fragile nature of the global recovery and the difficulties still facing the world’s biggest economies.
More global consequences from MercoPress:
US ‘budget-debt ceiling’ political clashes threaten slower world growth, warns OECD
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, cut its forecast for global economic growth through next year and warned that fiscal and monetary policy decisions looming in the U.S. could derail the recovery. OECD said world economic output would expand 2.7% this year and 3.6% in 2014, down from May’s forecast of 3.1% and 4%.
From Europe Online , cozying up:
China-EU summit to focus on investment, strategic ties
Leaders of China and the European Union gathered in Beijing on Thursday for an annual leaders’ summit that was expected to focus on a bilateral investment deal and long-term strategic cooperation.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso led the two sides for the talks, which EU officials said would cover trade and investment, market access, and “the need to secure green growth.”
A European alert from the London Telegraph:
Eurozone slows as ‘sick man’ France hits recovery
Disappointing eurozone PMI survey signals slowing growth for second month in November with activity in France shrinking and the bloc’s service sector weakening
Another from The Guardian:
Medicalisation of misery to blame for soaring use of antidepressants, say GPs
Doctors across Europe warn limited time and resources leads many to prescribe pills for less-urgent cases of depression
To Old Blighty, and another alert, this one from The Independent:
‘Disaster’ as UK house-building rate falls away
Less than half the amount of new houses needed to meet demand were built in the last year
The number of affordable houses and flats built in England fell sharply last year, highlighting the pressures facing first-time homebuyers, Government figures released today have disclosed.
Germany next, with a long-belated acceptance from BBC News:
Angela Merkel clears way for national minimum wage
The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has signalled the likely introduction of a national minimum wage in Germany.
Mrs Merkel, speaking at a meeting of business leaders, said that it was clear that the opposition SPD “would not conclude coalition negotiations without a legal minimum wage”.
German anxieties growing, via Spiegel:
Near Zero: ECB Interest Rate Cuts Hit Savings Hard
As the European Central Bank pushes interest rates to a new low, Germans are growing increasingly concerned about their savings. The money in their accounts is losing value and life insurance policies are yielding lower returns. Investors and central bankers feel trapped.
From TheLocal.de, more good news for Germany:
Tax coffers swell again on shopping and jobs
A booming job market and an increase in consumer spending saw Germany’s tax receipts grow again in October, putting €39 billion into government coffers.
TheLocal.de, with another ranking:
Germany tops world ‘soft power’ rankings
Germany has been ranked the world’s leading “soft power” edging Britain and the USA off top spot for its cultural and sporting prowess, economic might and diplomacy
TheLocal.fr takes us to France and a violent end:
French farmers told to end protest after death
A protest by French farmers unions provoked the ire of the government on Thursday after a motorist was killed and six others injured in two separate accidents at road blocks on the outsirts of Paris on Thursday morning. The blocks were lifted at around midday.
Holland next, with an unanticipated uptick from DutchNews.nl:
Jobless total falls unexpectedly
The official Dutch unemployment figure fell unexpectedly by 11,000 in October, the national statistics office CBS said on Thursday.
At the same time, the number of people claiming unemployment benefits (ww) rose by 8,000 to 408,000, the CBS said.
To Spain next, with calls for action via thinkSPAIN:
Countrywide demonstrations against austerity this weekend
NUMEROUS protest marches have been planned across Spain this weekend, particularly in its major cities, over funding cuts and austerity measures.
TheLocal.es with a hopeful declaration:
Spanish PM calls time on austerity policies
The Spanish government will ease its austerity reforms over the coming two years as the economy appears to be emerging from recession, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Thursday.
thinkSPAIN covers draconian measures:
Judges call 600,000-euro fines for ‘personalised’ protests or photographing police ‘repressive’ and ‘autocratic’
NEW legislation attempting to limit public demonstrations and imposing fines ranging from 30,000 to 600,000 euros for ‘insulting a police officer’ or ‘protesting in public without authorities’ consent’ has been slammed by judges, pressure groups and even the police themselves.
El País on taxing travails:
Cemex probe creates storm at Tax Agency
The management of the Spanish Tax Agency last week fired a tax inspector working in its large contributors department on the spot after she rejected an appeal lodged by Mexican cement manufacturing giant Cemex’s Spanish subsidiary against a multi-million- euro fine for unpaid taxes.
EUbusiness casts doubt:
Moody’s says no ‘clean bill of health’ for Spain banks
International credit rating agency Moody’s warned Thursday that Spain’s banks still face significant challenges despite nearly completing a 41-billion-euro ($55 billion) eurozone-financed bailout.
And El País cites another neoliberal move:
Government is aiming to cut personal income tax, says Rajoy
PM rules out more major fiscal adjustments
To Lison and report card time from the Portugal News:
Troika returns on 4 December for 10th bailout review
The team of international officials overseeing Portugal’s euro-zone bailout are to return to Lisbon on 4 December to start the 10th regular review of its progress in implementing the agreement, the government announced.
ANSAmed offers qualified endorsement:
EU praises Portugal’s anti-crisis plan, but risks remain
From Bloomberg, a complication:
EU Says Portugal Court Rulings May Complicate Return to Market
The European Commission said new rulings by Portugal’s Constitutional Court blocking government measures may make it tougher for the country to regain full access to the bond market.
“Risks from further negative rulings by the Constitutional Court cannot be discarded and could make the government’s plans to fully access the debt market from mid-2014 on significantly more challenging,” the Brussels-based commission said today in a report on the eighth and ninth reviews of the aid program for Portugal.
And from the Portugal News, austerian reality:
Child benefits keep falling
The Portuguese family association confederation said it could not understand a 60,000 family reduction in the numbers receiving family subsidies in October, saying policy should aim at stimulating the birth rate.
The Portugal News again, this time with an action:
More Lisbon metro strikes Thursday as union contests budget
Lisbon Metro workers are staging another partial strike to protest against pay cuts and other measures contained in the right-of-centre’s government’s state budget for 2014 and labour reform legislation.
Italy next, with more selling of the commons via TheLocal.it:
Italy will sell stakes in eight firms including Eni
Italy will sell stakes in eight companies including energy giant Eni in a “first packet of privatisations”, Prime Minister Enrico Letta said on Thursday, in a drive to reduce debt
And from RT, Bunga Bunga gotcha:
‘Bunga Bunga’ director: Court details Berlusconi’s ‘underage sex’ case
A court in Milan said that former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi had sexual relations with underage dancer Ruby “in exchange for considerable sums of money and other items.” The court released a document explaining the 7-year sentence handed down in June.
More from TheLocal.it:
Berlusconi ‘paid off witnesses’ in sex trial
Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi, found guilty in June of paying for sex with an underage prostitute, falsified evidence and corrupted dozens of witnesses in a bid to escape jail, a court report said on Thursday
After the jump, the Greek crisis deepens, Ukrainian rejection, Venezuelan power shift, Indian woes, Chinese neoliberalization, Japanese economic notes, and the latest chapter of Fukushimapocalypse Now! . . .
BBC News takes us to Greece and a testy Troika:
Eurozone ministers are ‘losing patience’ with Greece
Eurozone finance ministers are losing patience with Greece, said the head of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, as the country submitted its 2014 budget.
Deutsche Welle covers a gambit:
Greece submits 2014 budget amid troika tensions
The Greek government has submitted its 2014 budget to parliament, seeking lawmakers’ approval for more spending cuts. But Greece’s creditors say the proposals are insufficient and have refused plan.
More from To Vima:
Stournaras submits 2014 budget proposal for discussion in Parliament
Proposal suggests 0.6% growth, 24.5% unemployment, 174.8% GDP debt and 2.995 billion euro primary surplus
The Minister of Finances Yannis Stournaras has submitted his 2014 budget proposal for discussion in Parliament, which, among others, predicts a marginal return to growth in 2014 (0.6% GDP), reducing the rate of unemployment to 24.5% and achieving a 2.995 billion euro surplus (1.6% GDP). The overall goal is to restrict the general government’s debts to 320 billion euros, about 174.8% GDP.
Still more from ANA-MPA:
Draft budget ‘conditional’, SYRIZA stresses; Opposition parties deplore cuts in social spending
Commenting on the draft budget for 2014 unveiled on Thursday, main opposition Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) Parliamentary group rapporteur for economic issues Efklidis Tsakalotos described it as “conditional” since it had not been agreed with Greece’s creditors and no new Medium-Term Fiscal Strategy had yet been unveiled.
From The Guardian, a dubious declaration:
Greek government insists end of austerity is in sight
2014 budget presented to parliament ahead of meeting between prime minister Antonis Samaras and Angela Merkel
Deutsche Welle covers a desperation move:
Unhappy with the Troika, Greece turns to Berlin
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is set to arrive in Berlin for talks on Friday. Despite Greece’s economic troubles, the government, experts say, is in a better position to negotiate today than in the past.
To Vima has the reason:
Angela Merkel commends reforms and primary surplus in Greece
The German chancellor expressed her admiration for the remarkable fiscal achievement in Greece
ANA-MPA offers a promise:
Gov’t not discussing public-sector layoffs after 2014, Admin. Reform minister says
Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday revealed in statements to the private television station SKAI that the EU-IMF troika representing Greece’s creditors has pushed for further public-sector layoffs and mobility after 2014. According to the minister, the Greek side is not prepared to discuss layoffs, beyond the 13,000 that remain to be carried out by the end of the next year.
From To Vima, a vulture salivates:
Dijsselbloem: “Greek people need to make more sacrifices”
Eurogroup chairman revealed that Greece’s Eurozone partners are starting to “run out of patience”
The Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem spoke of the need for further sacrifices by the Greek people and stressed the importance and urgency of implementing structural changes and completing negotiations with the troika, as many Eurozone finance ministers are “starting to run out of patience”.
EnetEnglish.gr confronts the reality:
Greece had sharpest decline in health spending in OECD countries in 2011
Per capita healthcare spending fell by 11.1%, after growing at more than 5% annually the previous decade
OECD report finds evidence that more people in Greece are foregoing medical care due to financial constraints, reflecting reduced household incomes, but also perhaps rising out-of-pocket costs
Kathimerini English offers a chilling detail:
Cancer patients may wait up to two months for treatment, health minister concedes
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis conceded on Thursday that cancer patients are waiting up to two months for treatment at state hospitals but said the government would be hiring another 400 doctors this year and 500 in 2014 to remedy the situation.
From EnetEnglish.gr, a logical consequence:
Greece records rapid increase in net emigration levels
Eurostat says 44,200 more people left Greece than arrived last year
Eurostat also records that Greece has the third lowest birth rate (9 live births per 1,000 population) in the EU – a position it shares with Italy. Both countries followed Germany (8.4 births per 1,000) and Portugal (8.5 births per 1,000)
ANSAmed covers a decline:
Greece’s auto insurance market takes a plunge
The price war in car insurance premiums in Greece is behind the dramatic drop in the sector’s turnover, which declined by 15.2% last year compared to 2011 and another 6.5% on a yearly basis in the first nine months of this year, as daily Kathimerini reports quoting a survey on the sector issued by the Hellenic Association of Insurance Companies.
ANSAmed covers another:
Crisis: Greece; the merchant fleet is ‘sinking’, Elstat says
The merchant vessels registered at the Greek merchant navy hardly reach the number of 1,909 and this number shows that there was a loss in the power of the Greek merchant navy by 2.7% within the last year, GreekReporter website writes today quoting data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (Elstat).
Kathimerini English covers a rising fear:
Police security tightened amid fears of terrorist hit
The Greek Police has sent out a circular to all departments, calling for tighter security outside police buildings and ordering officers to take greater precautions, Kathimerini understands.
And for our final Greek item, the ultimate neoliberal desideratum? From Greek Reporter:
Greece’s National Anthem Copyrights Belongs to a Private Company?
The Greek national anthem became a victim of political and online commercialization. The deputies of Independent Greeks, Ioannis Dimaras and Terens Kouik announced that whoever uses the national anthem in online platforms, must pay to a private company holding copyrights of the Greek national anthem.
ANSAmed gives us a rare Slovenian item:
Slovenian banks post nine-month 567 mln-euro loss
Struggling under weight of 7.9 bln in bad loans
And the Moscow Times covers a rejection:
Ukraine Ditches EU in Favor of Russia
Ukraine’s government decided Thursday to call off the planned signing of a landmark association agreement with the EU that could have weakened the former Soviet nation’s bonds with Russia.
The country’s cabinet said in a decree that the decision was motivated by the need to consolidate economic ties with Russia and member states of the Moscow-led Commonwealth of Independence States alliance.
Reaction via EUbusiness:
EU ‘disappointed’ after Ukraine scraps plan to sign historic deal
Ukraine on Thursday halted preparations to sign a landmark trade and political agreement with the European Union this month, in a dramatic development Brussels said came as “a disappointment”.
EUbusiness again, with another disappointment:
US ‘disappointed’ if Ukraine scrapping EU deal
The United States said Thursday that it would be “disappointed” at news that Ukraine has halted preparations for a landmark trade and political agreement with the European Union.
Off to Latin America, starting with a Venezuelan power shift from The Guardian:
Nicolás Maduro promises to use new powers to rescue Venezuelan economy
Critics express outrage over president’s new right to rule by decree as he blames crisis on ‘economic warfare’
Brazil sells of some of the commons, via MercoPress:
Brazil auctions Rio and Belo Horizonte airports; five international consortia registered
Airports in Rio and Belo Horizonte, two host cities of the 2014 World Cup, are to be privatized at an auction this week, Brazilian civil aviation authorities said this week. Press reports said five consortia, each with at least one foreign partner, are to take part in Friday’s auction at the Sao Paulo stock exchange.
And MercoPress covers a mixed message:
Brazil’s unemployment drops to 5.2% in October unaffected by weak economic performance
Brazil’s jobless rate fell to 5.2% in October from 5.4% the previous month, despite sluggish economic growth, official statistics released Thursday showed. In October of 2012, the rate stood at 5.3%, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Brazil experienced record low unemployment of 4.6% last December.
From BBC News, power shifting in Santiago:
Fernandez reshuffles Argentina cabinet
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has appointed new cabinet members in an apparent effort to tackle the country’s economic crisis.
Argentina’s new Economy minister, Axel Kicillof, The new economy minister, Axel Kicillof, is expected to deepen economic intervention
Asia next, with Bloomberg and an Indonesian crisis:
Indonesia Pain Threshold Looms on Rate Increases: Southeast Asia
Indonesia’s most aggressive rate-tightening in eight years has barely dented a current-account deficit, prompting calls for more increases and other measures before the Federal Reserve cuts stimulus.
India next with Firstpost, and a grim assessment:
India Inc sitting on a debt time bomb and banks are paying the price
The Economic Times reports a significant win:
Four tax havens join India in fight against stash funds
In a big boost in the fight against blackmoney, four overseas jurisdictions including Liechtenstein– where Indians are suspected to have stashed illicit funds– today agreed to do away with banking secrecy ways by allowing automatic tax information exchange.
China next, first with a depressing but familiar story from The Guardian:
China starts to turn to drugs as awareness of depression spreads
Antidepressant market booming but health service is struggling to cope with numbers needing treatment
From Deutsche Welle, reform-minded europols:
Curious about reforms, Europeans head to China for summit
The EU and China were barely able to avoid a trade war this summer, but now European and Chinese leaders are meeting in Beijing. Europeans want to find out more about China’s recently announced reforms.
One item on the agenda from Deutsche Welle:
China, EU agree to start talks on investment treaty
China and the European Union have said they’re both interested in starting talks about a bilateral treaty which would tremendously boost direct investments. The two sides agreed there was much room for improvement.
Want China Times covers yet another neoliberal measure:
Guangdong gets green light for next FTZ: insider
Guangdong province may obtain the approval of the central government for establishing China’s second pilot free trade zone, hot on the heels of Shanghai, reports Shanghai’s National Business Daily, citing a number of insiders.
From Bloomberg Businessweek, the demographics of plutocracy:
Chinese Billionaires Are the World’s Youngest
The average age of the country’s 157 billionaires is 53 years old—nine years younger than the world average, according to the newly released 2013 Billionaire Census by Wealth-X and UBS (UBS).
In China, 9 out of 10 billionaires are self-made, the highest percentage of any country.
The South China Morning Post notes another neoliberal shift:
Pensions postponed as party eyes increase in retirement age
China’s increasingly aged population will have to stay at work longer if mooted changes to the retirement age are implemented
On to Japan, starting with bankster bouyancy from the Japan Times:
BOJ stays course on policy, outlook
The Bank of Japan said Thursday it will keep its radical quantitative easing policy in place and leave its previous description of the economic recovery intact despite slowing growth in exports.
More from Kyodo News:
BOJ chief expects continued economic recovery, pickup in exports
Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda expressed confidence Thursday that the central bank will achieve its 2 percent inflation target as he foresees continued economic recovery supported by solid domestic demand and prospects for improved exports to overseas economies.
From Jiji Press, freeing corporations to leave citizens holding the bag:
Japan to End Reconstruction Corporate Tax One Year Earlier
The Japanese government and the ruling bloc plan to abolish a special corporate tax surcharge to cover reconstruction from the 2011 disaster at the end of next March, one year earlier than initially scheduled, informed sources said Thursday.
The Japan Times finds curiosity:
New JCCI chair seeks to learn why ‘Abenomics’ not helping small firms
The nation’s smaller businesses have yet to see a positive return from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s deflation-busting economic plan, the new head of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Thursday.
At his inaugural news conference in Tokyo, new JCCI Chairman Akio Mimura, 73, said his first task is to find out why smaller businesses are not flourishing on “Abenomics” like the big firms, especially exporters, so the business lobby can come up with strategies to improve the situation.
While JapanToday finds the bright spot:
Nissan struggling to satisfy China growth
The new executive in charge of Nissan’s key China business said Thursday that the number-two Japanese automaker was struggling to catch up with soaring sales in the world’s biggest vehicle market
From Jiji Press, the perfect bridge. . .
Japan Likely to Let Atomic Energy Panel Continue
The Japanese government is likely to allow the Atomic Energy Commission to continue by reducing its responsibilities.
At a panel meeting Thursday, the Cabinet Secretariat said the commission should withdraw from its work on nuclear energy policy guidelines while maintaining responsibilities related to nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear fuel cycle policy, according to officials.
. . .to Fukushimapocalypse Now!
First, from the Asahi Shimbun, a complication:
NRA plan to implement use of personal dosimeters no easy task
Japan’s nuclear watchdog has recommended that people who evacuated after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 wear personal dosimeters once they return to their communities. But that might be easier said than done.
The Mainichi covers a transfer:
TEPCO transfers 1st batch of fuel rods from Fukushima No. 4 spent fuel pool
The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on Thursday transferred the first batch of fuel rod assemblies taken from the No. 4 unit spent fuel pool to a different building that provides more stable storage conditions.
The move came three days after Tokyo Electric Power Co. started a yearlong mission to eventually remove over 1,000 fuel assemblies from the spent fuel pool of the damaged No. 4 reactor building to address one of the major hazards remaining at the disaster-stricken plant.
From NHK WORLD, trying again:
Trial run of last ALPS line at Fukushima resumed
The operator of Japan’s damaged nuclear plant has resumed trial operation of the last of 3 lines of a key water decontamination system.
Officials of Tokyo Electric Power Company restarted the 3rd line of the Advanced Liquid Processing System, or ALPS, at the Fukushima Daiichi plant on Thursday.
From the Asahi Shimbun, the sobering reality:
Nuclear power plants in disarray: Lack of waste burial site to delay Tokai reactor decommissioning
Work to decommission the nation’s first commercial nuclear reactor cannot start for the simple reason there is still no disposal site for radioactive waste.
Jiji Press covers one response:
Japan to Reorganize N-Waste Management Institution
The Japanese government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party plan to reorganize the country’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization, informed sources said Thursday.
The organization, known as NUMO, is responsible for establishing a facility for final disposal of high-level radioactive waste from nuclear plants in the country.
Mainichi covers another reactor complex:
Safety assessment process for TEPCO’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant begins
Nuclear regulators on Thursday began a safety assessment process to decide whether two reactors at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant are qualified to restart, nearly two months after the utility filed an application.
The move is a sign of progress for TEPCO, which is eager to restart the seven-reactor plant in Niigata Prefecture to improve the tough business conditions it faces due to the crisis at its Fukushima Daiichi complex, but the Nuclear Regulation Authority suggested earlier that the process may not go smoothly.
Jiji Press covers yet another:
Chugoku Electric Aims to Restart Nuclear Reactor
Chugoku Electric Power Co. sought approval from local municipalities on Thursday for applying for the restart of the No. 2 reactor at its nuclear power plant in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, western Japan.
EurActiv brings us another fuel/another problem:
Report: Illegally produced palm oil is financed by European banks
Biofuels giants Bumitama and Wilmar have knowingly traded illegally-extracted palm oil from plantations that encroach on and threaten orangutan habitats, says a report released today (21 November). European banks are amongst the firms’ biggest investors.
EUbusiness brings us our final item, and ditto:
EU hits Argentina, Indonesia with biodiesel duties
The European Commission imposed Thursday punitive anti-dumping duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia so as to protect some producers
