InfoAnda - Special Report: Radiation fears may be greatly exaggerated |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

India's ruling party loses support over women's bill | 8 March 2010
NATO service member killed in southern Afghanistan | 9 December 2010
Seoul shares rise helped by banks; gains limited | 19 January 2010

Karadzic boycott threat sets up trial stand-off | International | | 23 October 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Special Report: Radiation fears may be greatly exaggerated |

Edition: U.S. Article Comments (12) Slideshow Interactive Follow Reuters Special Report: Radiation fears may be greatly exaggerated Tweet Share this By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) - As workers struggle to contain the fallout from the crippled nuclear plant in northeastern Japan, people as far away as Illinois are calling public health officials in a state of panic. They are hoping to... Email Print Related News Snapshot: Japan's nuclear crisis 4:09pm EDT Japanese engineers strive to restore power to avert catastrophe Thu, Mar 17 2011 West Coast radiation risk low, but fears persist Thu, Mar 17 2011 Special Report: Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake Thu, Mar 17 2011 Witness: Growing up in Chernobyl's fallout zone Thu, Mar 17 2011 Analysis & Opinion How Japan’s nuclear industry got here Japan’s virtues should help Kan solve its problems Related Topics World » Health » Japan » Nuclear Power » Related Interactive Disaster in Japan 1 / 2 Members of the Indonesia Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN) scan passengers arriving from Japan for radiation exposure at the Sukarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta March 18, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Supri By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO | Fri Mar 18, 2011 4:08pm EDT CHICAGO (Reuters) - As workers struggle to contain the fallout from the crippled nuclear plant in northeastern Japan, people as far away as Illinois are calling public health officials in a state of panic. They are hoping to get their hands on potassium iodide pills to protect them from radiation -- despite warnings that, in the absence of a real nuclear threat, taking the medicine is riskier than doing nothing. Sixty-six years after the first atomic bomb exploded over the city of Hiroshima, radiation spooks people everywhere. But the anxiety is largely disproportionate to the actual danger. "People in general have an exaggerated fear of radiation. That is true in the United States, and it is probably even more so in Japan," said Jerrold Bushberg, director of health physics programs and clinical professor of radiology and radiation oncology at the University of California Davis. Despite the Japanese government's assurances that the risk so far is minimal, residents of Tokyo have flooded out of the city and foreigners have fled the country, hoping to escape a threat they cannot see. The fact is that everyone is exposed to small amounts of radiation every day just from living on earth or flying in an airplane. That all adds up to about 2.4 units, known as millisieverts, a year. This can vary widely, ranging from 1 to 10 millisieverts, depending on where you live. Background radiation will cause 1 out of 100 people to die of cancer in their lifetimes, said Dr. Donald Bucklin, who spent 10 years as medical director for the Palo Verde nuclear plant in Arizona, the largest nuclear plant in the United States. Additional exposure increases this risk. In Tokyo, 150 miles from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, people grew fearful when readings rose about 10 times above the normal reading. At that level, residents were exposed to 0.809 microsieverts per hour -- 1,000 times less than a millisievert, or about 10 times less than a chest X-ray. "The levels of radiation experienced by the public at present should be no cause for concern," said Dr. Richard Wakeford, visiting professor of epidemiology at the Dalton Nuclear Institute at University of Manchester in Britain. "To put radiation doses into context, many Japanese undergo CT scans for cancer screening purposes, and these scans produce radiation doses of about 10 millisieverts (10,000 microsieverts) -- much more than they are receiving from the Fukushima reactors." World Health Japan Nuclear Power Tweet this Share this Link this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language, all capital letters or appear to be spam, and we review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. Comments (12) cybernoelie wrote: I went through your convoluted sign up procedure because I had to ask: Doesn’t Reuters feel even the smallest particle [sic] of complicity and therefore guilt in helping cause the widespread panic even as far as the USA. I refer you to your articles: “West Coast radiation risk low, but fears persist” and “Low radioactivity seen heading towards N.America”. The constant race to deliver news re Fukushima has seen numerous conflicting and often completely technically inaccurate (re nuclear reactors) reports not to mention apocalyptic insinuations with constant references to TMI and Chernobyl despite experts from all over the planet stating categorically that this “catastrophe” was never going to be another Chernobyl. I understand that you’re a commercial organisation but when so many other media outlets depend on you surely you must have some sense of responsibilty towards your ‘customers’, the ‘consumers’ of your products? I’ve been battling against the apocalyptic hyperbole surrounding Fukushima for the last six days via Twitter and Facebook, I’m not a physicist nor a nuclear engineer yet I was able to do some basic research and I taught myself the basics of the technology in a few short hours so that I could have an informed viewpoint. It’s the race to be first (and to be the most dramatic) that brought the USA and the UK into war with Iraq. Again, I educated myself with regards to WMD and read the freely available UN reports for myself and knew that there were no WMD in Iraq before a single shot had been fired. If I, a relatively simple man, can do this then I expect you can too. Noel in Cork, Ireland. Mar 18, 2011 2:46pm EDT -- Report as abuse NukerDoggie wrote: Where do I start here to expose the smug complacency of most of the “experts” quoted in this article? First of all, almost no one was interviewed who is not part of the nuclear establishment and who therefore is not already massively biased in favor of it. These people dread the prospect of that establishment taking a huge P/R hit, resulting is a great loss of business and funding due to the Japan crisis. Therefore, they significantly downplay the risks of radiation. They love to portray ANYONE who is concerned about radiation as uneducated, panic-prone buffoons. One one point, let me say that the moron “expert” who is quoted as saying the crisis in Japan is nothing like Chernobyl because in Chernobyl you had no containment and the radiation was burning into the open air, shows by his statement that he is absolutely CLUELESS! What does he think the spent fuel rods are doing in Japan? They are burning and releasing high levels of radiation into the open air, because there is no containment left after the multiple hydrogen explosions there. And there are MULTIPLE spent fuel ponds in trouble with burning fuel rods there, whereas the was only one unit involved in Chernobyl. This entire article smacks of Japan-style propaganda designed to avoid panic and to avoid a very deserved global black eye upon the nuclear power industry. Sure, there are plenty of uneducated idiots who’ll panic at almost anything in the news. Unfortunately, they make it rough for the rest of us who are reasoned and logical but who don’t blindly trust what the “experts” say just because they are the experts. One scientist in the article admits that 10% of persons will develop cancer in his lifetime due to background levels of radiation, and that the effects of radiation are cummulative during one’s lifetime. Now, just increase the amount of radiation above the normal background, due to a crisis like Chernobyl and Japan, and extrapolate the results. This usually isn’t like jumping of a high building because unlike that, the consequences of radiation exposure are delayed for years. That fact tends to make “experts” disconnect cause from effect and downplay the risks. If exposure to radiation in the U.S., for example, increases by 5 or 10 or more times the normal background levels, and does so for some months or perhaps a few years, we’re going to hear form these “experts” that it’s inconsequential. It most certainly is not inconsequential. Most studies on Chernobyl were done two decades ago before the longer-term effects had been visible – thus the number of deaths and cancers from that accident are unquestionably grossly understated. I’m not ready to blindly agree with the Russian experts who published a book on the 24th anniversary of Chernobyl and say that the number of deaths is 1 million, but I think it needs to be carefully looked at. Their conclusion is much more scientific than the ones that estimate only a few thousand deaths over the last 25 years. People – think for yourselves and research it for yourselves, don’t put unjustifiable faith in these “experts” who most often than not have an agenda that severely minimizes your interests in favor of their own careers and livelihood in the nuclear industry. Mar 18, 2011 2:59pm EDT -- Report as abuse cyberleptic wrote: “At that level, residents were exposed to 0.809 microsieverts per hour — 1,000 times less than a millisievert, or about 10 times less than a chest X-ray.” this means, it equals taking an x-ray every 10 hours, right? and thats no reason for concern? Mar 18, 2011 3:15pm EDT -- Report as abuse See All Comments » Add Your Comment Social Stream (What's this?) © Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters Editorial Editions: Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom United States Reuters Contact Us Advertise With Us Help Journalism Handbook Archive Site Index Video Index Reader Feedback Mobile Newsletters RSS Podcasts Widgets Your View Analyst Research Thomson Reuters Copyright Disclaimer Privacy Professional Products Professional Products Support Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Careers Online Products Acquisitions Monthly Buyouts Venture Capital Journal International Financing Review Project Finance International PEhub.com PE Week FindLaw Reuters on Facebook Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Saturday, 19 March 2011
In free Egypt, Jihad leader says time for gun is over |
TEPCO connects line, can get power to Daiichi plant |
Special Report: Radiation fears may be greatly exaggerated |
Lady Gaga, Cee Lo Green remain at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for another week
IBM pays $10 million to settle bribery complaint |
Rush for wireless airwaves may drive risky deals |
South Carolina county says goodbye paper, hello iPad2 |
Caterpillar latest manufacturer to warn of production delays after Japan quake
Supreme Court considers review of Guantanamo case
Our Quick Guide to Nuclear Plant Safety: What Could Go Wrong?
Web browser wars heat up with new releases
Birthright citizenship, immigration bils fail in Republican-held Arizona Senate
Kevin Costner joins “Superman” re-boot
Obama condemns Yemen violence, demands accountability
Texas state Senate panel approves 6% cut to school districts
Lady Gaga, Cee Lo Green remain at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for another week
NASA's Messenger reaches Mercury
Jackson dad renews call for new probe of son's death |
A trio of new entries enter crowded box office field |
Making new Strokes album awful; reviews to rescue |
Former Shadows guitarist Jet Harris dies: media |
Peter Pan projects infiltrating Hollywood |
Harry Potter studio releases trailer of final film |
Katherine Schwarzenegger out from Arnold's shadow |
Christina Applegate cast in NBC comedy pilot |
Gaddafi forces push into rebel city of Benghazi |
Japan rushes to repair pumps to stop radiation leaks |
Japanese media pull story of miracle tsunami survivor |
Egyptians vote in historic reform referendum |
Thai PM scrapes through no-confidence vote |
Syrian forces kill three protesters in southern city |
Senegal says arrests suspected coup plotters |
Ex-Goldman programmer gets 8 years for code theft |
Obama Counterterrorism Adviser Slams Congressional Efforts to Block Guantanamo's Closure
Wisconsin judge issues temporary order blocking anti-labor law
Foo Fighters aren't fans of "Glee," calls show creator Ryan Murphy a "f---ing jerk"
No script. All riff. Sheen tour details trickle out |
McConaughey finds age, parenthood impacting career |
Judd Apatow tackling Do Gooders for Universal |
Making new Strokes album awful; reviews to rescue |
Charlie Sheen merchandise clampdown has begun |
Boondock Saints director exploring video game |
Yemeni troops on streets as two party members quit |
Bahrain eases curfew as fourth protester dies |
Algeria's president promises political reform |
Merkel to seek common EU nuclear safety standards |
Syria mourners call for revolt, forces fire tear gas |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01