Chernobyl will cause health diseases until 2065

Cancers related to radiation from the accident expected for other 50 years

Chernobly reactor n°4 after the explosion

by Emanuele Bonini

Chernobyl will keep going to kill and hurting human health for another half a century, revealed a study published by the European Parliament on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the biggest nuclear disaster ever occurred. In the early hours of 26 April 1986, an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the explosions it triggered caused a major release of nuclear radioactive material (iodine-131 and caesium-137) into the atmosphere. Radionuclides were scattered in the vicinity of the plant and over much of Europe. The immediate and short-term effects resulting from heavy fallout exposure include radiation sickness and cataracts. Late effects are thyroid cancer, especially in children and adolescents, and leukaemia among exposed workers. Latest predictions suggest that all the cancer cases expected to occur in Europe until 2065, around 0.01% may be related to radiation from the Chernobyl accident. The largest attributable fraction (about 1%) is predicted for thyroid cancer, with close to 70% of these attributable cases expected to occur in the most contaminated regions of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Overall, the estimated projection is of 25.000 potential excess cancers for Europe by 2065 that might be attributable to exposure to radiation from Chernobyl, of which 16.000 cases could be fatal.

A story of nature for Chernobyl?

Abstract: Is the Chernobyl disaster a story of nature? Apparently it is, since flora and fauna came back to life in the «Zone of Alienation», the 30 kilometre exclusion area created all around the nuclear site disaster. Over time animal and plant species have returned to populate the area abandoned by the man and where the human being still will have to keep out. Even if the air is now breathable, radioactive cesium-137 and strontium-90 particles have contaminating both the ground and the plant world. Everything there has radioactive, and it appeared impossible to believe that life could come back. Immediately after the accident no living beings were present in what has become the «Zone of alienation». Humans were evacuated, while flora and fauna simply burnt in the radioactive cloud. In 1986 the radioactive concentration was too high to don't create collateral effects, and in fact it created. Soon after nature started to replace what had been lost.

Quotes

«Free and independent media are essential to a democratic society. Without free and independent media there can't be democracy».
(Margritis Schinas, EU spokespersons chief, 25th of April 2016)

Money can't buy happiness

Latest news event in England demonstrated we live in a time of fake values

by Emanuele Bonini

Danielle Saul's story is a touching one. Sad, shocking, and touching. The 31 years old woman dead because of depression should invite us to reflect above real importance of things. Danielle Saul apparently got everything, but Danielle Saul apparently got nothing. Nothing of really important. Her story is not so different from may other of our times. She was a brilliant business development manager: at the age of 31 she had a manager role with a lot well paid work. She was in career, with al the best job opportunities ahead. But the said side of the story is that Danielle Saul committed suicide because all her friends were getting married while she remained single. She felt to have nothing but useless things. Perhaps Danielle was right, and her story is here to remind all of us what really counts in life. Let's stop for a while, light up a candle for Danielle, and then let's rethink our society and its priorities.  Too much time is dedicate to built up a world where values don't find the right place, or simply are replaced by new values which are fake. This doesn't lead to happiness, as money can't buy happiness. Danielle was dramatically there to show how true it can be.

Italy, what does the new Constitution mean?

Reforms have been approved and in October a referendum will decide the destiny of these choices as well as the future of the Country, where oppositions have no reason to be

by Emanuele Bonini

According to the Italian minister for Constitutional Reforms, Maria Elena Boschi, finally Italy got a new Constitution «in line with modern times», after an approval of new State organization which marked «an historical day». Nothing to say about: that's all true. Italy radically changed its Constitutional chart, adopted for the first time in 1948 after nearly three years of work. Therefore there is no doubt that an historical day was marked, although doubts rise from the same historical step. Modern times are showing a lack of democracy in Europe, with nationalism and authoritarian leaders emerging everywhere and institutional organizations assuming the form of States serving only one man or a little class of citizens. Less independence of Parliament, more attributions for the government chief: something already happening in certain countries such as Hungary and Poland, and similar changes could arrive in Italy after the latest reforms.

The reform. First of all it has to be said the news rules are not in force yet. The national Parliament completed the legislative process by approving the proposal of reform, and a referendum will be needed (it will be hold in October) to confirm the decision taken by MEPs. Thus last word will be up to the Italians, and the referendum will be crucial to see what Italy can became. According to new proposals, the Parliament will be composed by two branches with different power. Only the house of representatives will be allowed to express confidence votes on the government, and only the House of representatives will be entitle to vote bills. In fact the new Senate as it is foreseen by the new proposal, will only express opinions on legislative proposals. That means the House of representative can decide to take into account the decision of the other Parliamentary branch or just ignore it and pass the bill as it was submitted to the Senate. The latter won't have binding powers, but consultative functions as already mentioned. Only in case of bills on Regions and local authorities the new Senate will be obliged to vote, but there will be a maximum 15 days period time to vote, otherwise the legislative proposal will enter automatically into force. The Senate is going to lose the right to vote on war decision, as well as amnesty and pardon.

Privacy for security the exchange behind the EU PNR

In name of counter-terrorism people will be filed every time they will fly

(click to enlarge)

by Emanuele Bonini

In name of security personal data and privacy are over. The European Parliament backed the proposal for a Passenger Name Records (PNR) directive, which will apply to all extra-EU flights with the possibility for Member States to extend the new provisions at internal level for intra-EU flights. In a vote today the Plenary approved the text by 461 votes to 179, with 9 abstentions. According to new bill Member states will have to set up specific «Passenger Information Units» (PIUs) to manage the PNR data collected by air carriers. All the information will have to be retained for a period of five years, but after six months the data will be «masked out» (i.e., stripped of the elements, such as name, address and contact details that may lead to the identification of individuals). PIUs will be responsible for collecting, storing and processing PNR data, for transferring them to the competent authorities and for exchanging them with the PIUs of other member states and with Europol. The directive states that such transfers shall only be made «on a case-by-case basis» and exclusively for the specific purposes of «preventing, detecting, investigating or prosecuting terrorist offences or serious crime».
The idea behind the European PNR is to protect the European Union from terrorist threats. According to legislators, the PNR will make possible tracking people, helping to avoid criminal activities. The PNR was strongly supported by France after the 11/13 Paris attack, but other players pushed in order to have this legislation in place. Now the Passenger Name Records is in place, Europe will be able to «reduce security gaps», stated the first Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, expressing what is a general opinion.

EU Commission ready to resume Brussels Airlines file

The economic damage from the terrorist attacks is harshly hitting the most important Belgian company. European Antitrust fears new rescue case coming soon

by Emanuele Bonini

The European Antitrust is ready to re-open the Brussels Airlines file, the main flag air company of Belgium. Due to the bombings attacks of March the 22th in the Belgian capital city, the airline company is facing a serious financial situation. As Zaventem international airport remained closed after the terrorist attacks, the air carrier is not operating flights. According to circulating figures it has been estimated that Brussels Airlines is registering losses approximately around 5 million € per day, reports neither confirmed nor denied by the company. It has to be reminded that only in 2014 Brussels Airlines had a net loss of worth 4,2 million €. Concerns rose up in the European Commission. Given the situation it is not considered as improbable that Belgian authorities could grant State-aids in order to help the company, and the Direction General for Competition fears to have to deal with a new, eventual, rescue case. Economic troubles are expected for Brussels Airlines: this is element of great concern in Belgium as in Europe, and this is one of the main reason (perhaps the main one) why the Belgian authorities are pushing to re-open the airport in Zaventem.
  Brussels Airlines is what remains of the historical flag air company Sabena. This was rescued by SwissAir after having encountered financial problems, than in 2001 SwissAir fell in bankruptcy. Sabena was replaced in 2002 by SN Brussels Airlines, the new national air company which merged with Virgin Express in 2007. Then in 2008 German air carrier Lufhansa announced the intention of acquire a 45% stake in Brussels Airlines with an option to acquire the remaining 55% from 2011. Green light from the European Commission arrived the 15th of June 2009. A financial crisis for Brussels Airlines would affect Lufthansa group as a whole and the civil aviation sector, too. Brussels Airlines has in place trade partnerships with more than 20 other air carrier, both European and non European.