*Army suicides hit record in July | Damaged Reactor Gets New Way to Curb Radiation Leaks: a Tent | Mushrooms Join List of Radioactive Threats to Japan's Food Chain | Shell Oil slick heading to British coast

 

******************************************** 

*Army suicides hit record in July http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/army-suicides-hit-record-in-july/2011/08/12/gIQAPWaQBJ_blog.html Aug 2011 The U.S. Army suffered a record 32 suicides in July, the most since it began releasing monthly figures in 2009. The number includes 22 active duty soldiers and 10 reservists. The previous record was 31, from June 2010. *Damaged Reactor Gets New Way to Curb Radiation Leaks: a Tent http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903918104576504581519139352.html Aug 2011 The operator of Japan's damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear-power plant is building a huge tent to cover one of the worst-hit reactors, officials said. Officials hope the cover will keep radioactive materials that have already leaked from spreading, prevent rainwater seepage and offer a barrier from possible leaks or blasts in the future. The tent is made of airtight polyester. It will stand 177 feet tall and stretch 154 feet in length. *Mushrooms Join Growing List of http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-14/mushrooms-join-growing-list-of-radioactive-threats-to-japan-s-food-chain.html Aug 2011 Mushrooms joined the threats to Japan's food chain from radiation spewed by Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant. Japan is under pressure to enhance food inspections as it has no centralized system for detecting radiation contamination. About two-thirds of Japan's prefectures now plan to check rice crops, the Mainichi newspaper reported yesterday, citing its own survey. Half of Japan's rice is grown within range of emissions from the crippled nuclear plant. *Oil slick is heading to British coast after North Sea pipeline leak http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2025813/Oil-slick-heading-British-coast-North-Sea-pipeline-leak.html Aug 2011 An oil slick measuring 50 square miles is heading for the British coastline after a North Sea pipeline started leaking. Crude oil has been spewing from the pipe on the seabed, at a depth of 300ft, sparking fears of a threat to marine life. Shell admitted on Friday night that crude oil had been leaking into the sea from beneath its Gannet Alpha rig, 112 miles east of Aberdeen, since at least Wednesday. *Shell fighting oil leak in North Sea http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44123547/ns/us_news-environment/t/shell-fighting-oil-leak-north-sea/ *Shell cannot specify how much oil escaped* 12 Aug 2011 Royal Dutch Shell PLC said Friday it is trying to stop oil leaking from a flow line at one of its drilling platforms in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland. Shell said it cannot specify how much oil may have escaped, but it knows which line leaked and said the flow has been stemmed as the underwater well has been shut in and the line at the Gannet Alpha platform is being de-pressurized.