China to Build Nuclear Reactors in Pakistan

China to Build Two Nuclear Reactors in Pakistan, FT Reports
April 29, 2010, 2:45 AM EDT
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e-mail this story print this story digg this save to del.icio.us add to Business Exchange April 29 (Bloomberg) -- China has agreed to build two civilian nuclear reactors in Pakistan, the Financial Times reported, citing Chinese companies and unnamed government officials in Beijing and Islamabad.

The Chinese government gave approval for the construction of at least two 650-megawatt reactors in Chashma in Punjab province, according to the report. The FT didn’t say the agreement was for which phase of construction.

China’s accord to build the reactors in Pakistan heightened concerns about the safety of nuclear equipment in the South Asian nation, which is battling Taliban militants in the northwest. U.S. President Barack Obama won commitments from 46 nations, including China and Pakistan, to lock down nuclear material and keep it out of the hands of terrorists after a two- day summit in Washington ended April 14.

China and Pakistan signed an agreement to finance two 340- megawatt nuclear reactors in Chashma in February after an initial accord for the construction of the plants was agreed in 2008, China National Nuclear Corp. said in a statement on its Web site on March 1.

The 340-megawatt reactors are to be built under the third and fourth phase of the Chashma project, according to the March statement. The Chinese company, China’s biggest operator of nuclear reactors, constructed the first two reactors in Chashma.

The accord also puts China at odds with India. The two nations, which fought a war in 1962, are trying to boost relations and end years of mistrust and disagreements that include Chinese construction in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

Chen Xibo, spokesman for China National Nuclear, couldn’t be reached on his office and mobile phone for comment. Qin Zhijun, the head of the nuclear power department at the National Energy Administration, China’s top energy planning body, didn’t answer calls to his office telephone.

--Chua Baizhen. Editors: Ang Bee Lin, Ryan Woo.

Loyalist Lives- Curious?

Blogger's Note: No address was given with this post for Holdsworth House. This is your opportunity to phone Heritage at Municipal council office, or go in and talk with Robert Hersey-he's great!


Special Events


A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE LOYALIST
August 29th, 2010
12noon--4 pm


Come and spend a day at the Holdsworth House c.1784 and experience first hand, what life was like for the Loyalist settlers of the Towne of Digby in the 18th century. You will be given a guided tour of the Holdsworth House telling you of the Holdsworth family that built and lived in this home until the late 1990's.


In the restored open-hearth kitchen, we will be preparing a traditional meal, all cooked over open flame. Take this time to sample tasty treats, including bread baked in the brick oven. Since it will be summer's end, preserving and canning will also be demonstrated at this time.


Outside on the property, overlooking the majestic Bay Of Fundy, costumed interpreters will tell you of our Heirloom vegetable garden. All vegetable seeds were selected to reflect what would have be available to the gardener in the 18th and 19th
century. Have you ever had "Cardoon" in your stew? Do you wonder what a white tomato would taste like? Why do they call this beet a blood turnip?



During this time we will be cleaning the fleece sheared from the sheep and preparing it for dyeing. All the dyes come from natural plants and other dye-stuff that would have been available to the early homesteaders.

Admission:free will offering


HAUNTED HISTORY WALK
If you are interested in the Darker Side of Digby's history, join Margaret on the Haunted History walk.
August 24th, 26th, and 28th. The walk starts at the Holdsworth House in the evening hour of 8 o'clock.
The walk ends at the Holdsworth House approximately one and one-half hours later, where refreshments are served and the story telling continues.
You may even see the Grimm Reaper!!!!!!!!!!!
$8.00/person

Bear River Health Clinic News

Bear River & Area Community Health Clinic
Clinic Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Email: bear.riverclinic@ns.sympatico.ca
Website: bearriverandareaclinic.ca
Phone: 467-3611 Fax: 467-3339
May 2010
Acupuncture – Traditional Chinese Acupuncture by Joe Kubinec. Traditional Chinese Acupuncture by Joe
Kubinec is available on Wednesdays unless otherwise posted. This treatment is good for back pain,
arthritis, menopause, headaches, insomnia, stop smoking and many other conditions. Appointments are
booked through the Clinic.
Audiology – Neil Hackett is in every other Friday to help with your hearing needs. Please call 1-866-299-
2016 to book appointment.
BodyTalk System –Jocelyn incorporates balancing techniques using muscle testing. Your body determines
healing priorities. Book appointments through the Clinic. For further information call Jocelyn at
467-0771 or visit www.bodytalksystem.com
Counselling/Clinical Hypnotherapy – Gayle Allen is in once a month, beginning the 18th of this month, to
help you with a great number of concerns. Call the Clinic to book appointments and for more info.
You can also call Gayle for more info at 526-2850.
Electrolysis – Ronda Best is in once a month for all your hair removal needs. Call 1-902-791-0953 for
more information or to book your appointment.
Esthetics –Charlene Decker is in monthly for waxing, manicures and pedicures. To book an appointment
or for more information, call 1-902-362-2137.
Juniper House Outreach – Lori is available to see clients at our Clinic. Please call 245-4789 to book your
appointment.
Physician Services – Dr. Roy Harding is seeing patients by appointment only. Due to high patient
numbers, Dr. Harding has had to limit his practice to those he has already seen here at our Clinic.
Senior Services – Nurse Practitioner, Dianne Corbett, RN specializes in concerns specific to the elderly,
such as memory loss, complicated medical conditions and poor coordination/balance. For more
information or to book an appointment, call the Clinic.
Note: Times and dates are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Join us in Welcoming Gayle Allen…
Gayle offers counseling and medical hypnotherapy which
can help with ADHD, addictions, body image, cancer,
concentration, headaches/migraine, nail biting, pain
relief, phobias, relaxation, skin and sleep disorders,
smoking cessation, weight control among many other
issues.
For more info, or to book your appointment, phone 467-
3611. If just looking for more info, Gayle can be reached
at [902] 526-2850 or harhypno@msn.com
Spa Day at the Clinic
Pamper your Mom this year with a special day out.
Begin or end it with a spa visit!
Four treatments of ½ hour each, combined with snacks
and refreshments, all for only $100!
Treatments include: Choice of facial acupuncture/acupressure;
therapeutic foot massage/Quantum Touch;
Body Talk session and a pedicure.
Tickets available at the Clinic. Very limited supply.
Proceeds are for Relay for Life
Board meetings are the first Tuesday of each month and are open to the public.
Please note the Board does not meet in July and August.
NOTICE: The Board of Directors for the Bear River & Area Community Health Clinic is in urgent need
of new Board Members. Please consider getting involved in decisions about our Community’s health!

Forestry and Biomass

NS: Renewable Electricity Plan concerns forest industry
By Staff, Transcontinental Media

Source: The Daily Business Buzz, Apr. 28/10

[TRURO, NS] – The Forest Products Association of Nova Scotia (FPANS) has concerns with Nova Scotia’s new Renewable Electricity Plan released on April 23 by the provincial government.

FPANS has long been an advocate for third-party certification programs that promote sustainable forest management. FPANS also promotes the fact there are a number of programs that meet that standard, not just one. The Association is concerned the government is creating a monopoly for one certification system and limiting the options electricity producers will have for using biomass.

FPANS believes unnecessarily restrictive limitations have been set by requiring all forest biomass used to produce new green electricity to come only from companies with lands that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.

The plan places further restrictions requiring that biomass come only from stem boles (tree stems) and not from tree tops, limbs, bark, etc. FPANS is concerned that this requirement is not based in science.

“By placing these restrictions on where biomass can come from, we believe the government has taken environmental and economic opportunities away from countless Nova Scotians and will have a direct effect on the forest industry,” says Steve Talbot, executive director of FPANS. “We fully understand the importance of ensuring forest sustainability – that’s our livelihood – but why make arbitrary restrictions that cut out the vast majority of woodland owners, forest fibre providers or potential energy producers from helping provide more green energy to this province.”

FPANS also has concerns the plan didn’t move forward with feed-in-tariffs (FITs) for small-scale electricity production at private businesses, like sawmills and farms. With access to a more open FIT program, these companies could have sold excess electricity to the grid with small changes to their current energy production systems. Without the guaranteed return of a FIT program, these projects will not move forward with helping to secure industry jobs and reach the province’s green energy targets.

Ever Heard of the Maritime Breeding Bird Atlas?

Contact info at end

The final field season for the Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas is underway. Some or our year-round birds are already breeding and some of the early migrants are starting to arrive. This is a great time of the year to try to get around at dusk and see what you can hear. Just going out into my back yard in the last few weeks I have heard a barred owl calling (new to the square) and last night I had a northern saw-whet owl singing in the woods behind my house. That was a first for me! There are a lot of squares in Region 16 that are seeing the species for the first time. Are they in yours?


How is Region 16 Progressing? I have looked over the data for the region and am very happy with the work that you have all done, in coordination with the field teams from the atlas office. Out of the 21 priority squares in the region, 12 are finished (possibly 13 as one square's data from last year is still in progress) and the rest are reasonably close to completion. Of the 54 non-priority squares, 11 are completed, and another 10 only need point counts to complete them. There are squares that had no data in the first atlas that have lots of species reported this time around, and there are a lot of squares that can still use some work. So, what's the plan?


Priorities for 2010: Since this is the last field season for the atlas, you should have already gotten a set of forms and a letter outlining the main goals that still need to be met. The biggest thing for the final year will be to hope that some of the people who have squares which are completed, will want to move one and finish off another one, or do point counts is some that still need that finished.


There are three main things to keep in mind.


• You should let me know what you want to do as soon as possible so that we don't duplicate effort.
• I'm hoping people can fill out their data entry on-line in several batches throughout the season so that I can keep tabs on the progress of the squares.
• New species in squares is more important than bumping up breeding evidence.


See the next item for where the most work is needed. I'll also be sending notes to people who are still working on squares, in the next day or so, but if your square is done and you want to tackle something else. let me know!
Patrick Kelly




Maritime Breeding Bird Atlas

Regional Coordinator

Region 16 (Annapolis Valley—Digby Neck)




RR#2 159 Town Road

Falmouth NS B0P 1L0

Canada




(902) 472-2322 (h) (902) 494-3294 (w) (902) 423-6672 (f)

ADEDA News

In the first quarter of 2010, the economy has grown faster than anticipated by the Bank of Canada. And according to the latest from StatsCan, the country’s core inflation rate dropped slightly in March. Although we may not be fully out of the woods, there appears to be a clearing just ahead. In fact, there’s a real sense of optimism in the air, isn’t there? On that note, let’s have a look at what’s happening in Annapolis Digby this week…

CLEARING THE AIR
Last week, the province introduced a bill to create a voluntary carbon offset fund to help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, expand the green economy, and allow us all breathe a little easier. Through this fund, companies and organizations will be encouraged to develop Nova Scotia-based projects that will in turn create emission credits.

SPEAKING WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR
An historic Digby county newspaper, The Tiny Tattler, has officially entered the digital age. Once known around the globe for its coverage of events ‘without fear or favor’ – a motto I can’t help but love – was also known as Canada’s smallest newspaper. Yes, small but mighty.

BRIDGETOWN HOSTS NOBEL NOMINEE
Lucky you, if you were able to snag a ticket to this sold-out event! On May 3, three-time Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, Craig Kielburger – just 24 years old – will talk about his 12 year journey as a humanitarian, child rights advocate and award winning author, offering a unique opportunity for area youth to positively shape the community.

PORT ROYAL TO LAUNCH MEMBERTOU 400
On June 24, Membertou 400 celebrations will kick off at the Port Royal National Historic Site with an amazing educational and entertaining program for the whole community to share. This free family event will celebrate the many cultural contributions made by the Mi’kmaq people, and the life of Grand Chief Henri Membertou. After four hundred years, his legacy of leading with a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect lives on – and that is indeed a man to celebrate.

IBEY HAPPY
NSCC’s second annual Student Business Ideas Competition has yielded a potentially life-saving design for a device that would enable first responders to act more quickly at an accident scene. ADEDA congratulates competition winner Fred Ibey, who will be our featured guest at next month’s Tech Social!

This Thursday, don’t miss the opportunity to take part in an open-forum discussion about the local creative economy, featuring Dr. Greg Baeker, one of Canada’s leading thinkers on the subject.

From Kathleen Shea

NS and the Georges Banks

NS: Province in hot seat over Georges Bank moratorium
By Tina Comeau, Transcontinental Media

Source: The Sou'wester, April 26, 2010

[YARMOUTH, NS] — With the Nova Scotia government needing to make a decision by June 1 on whether to extend the drilling moratorium that exists on Georges Bank, many people are growing impatient and want to know what the government intends to do.

Last week Digby-Annapolis MLA and Liberal fisheries critic Harold Jr. Theriault asked the NDP government to come clean on its policy for drilling on Georges Bank.

“I’ve been asking Minister (Sterling) Belliveau since last fall what his government’s position is on the issue and I’ve never gotten an answer. There’s no need to wait five weeks to tell Nova Scotians. Just do the right thing and extend the moratorium on Georges Bank past 2012.”

The year 2012 is when the moratorium — in place since June 1999 — is slated to end.

“Before taking government (the NDP) opposed any drilling on Georges Bank,” said Theriault. “Now it appears that the NDP are seriously thinking about allowing rigs on Georges Bank.”


File Map - The Sou'wester

Cape Breton North MLA Cecil Clarke has called on the government to convene a panel that will examine the moratorium that is set to expire in 32 months. He said it is important to ensure enough time is allocated for a comprehensive review. The original panel took almost three years to render its decision.

“We want to see due diligence in ensuring both industry and environmental concerns are considered in this matter,” Clarke said.

But others say another wake-up call to government is right before their eyes. Those in the fishing industry and others who are opposed to ending the moratorium say that just hours after Nova Scotia Fisheries and Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau told legislative colleagues that modern-day technology makes an oil rig accident “very unlikely,” a huge explosion ripped through a state-of-the-art drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The blast injured 13 men and news sources were reporting that 300,000 barrels of crude oil is leaking, per day, into the sea. Eleven other people were thrown into the sea during the explosion and presumed dead.

“We are sickened by the sight of the massive blaze, the spilling of possibly millions of liters of oil into the ocean and the terrible loss of life in the Gulf,” said Judith Maxwell of the Scotia Fundy Inshore Fisherman’s Association. “But we are just as sickened by the thought that this government would turn their backs on clear promises to protect Georges Bank and take a huge risk on oil or gas rigs there just for the glimmer of hope of what they may glean in royalties many years later.”

In the United States, President Barack Obama recently named Georges Bank off limits to oil and gas development.