Le Show; 3/15/15

You This is Global Radio in London, Wednesday's show originates in one minute. Think of it from... Mark You

From deep inside your radio. Hello ladies, gentlemen. Just back me, that is from Glasgow. Which I learned during my brief stay there, had been voted. Don't ask me by whom. The friendliest city in Europe. Imagine that. I was also advised that in the same plebiscitary function, Glasgow, Glasgow. See, I did it now, because I'm going yank on me.

Glasgow was voted the most violent city in Europe. Recognize that pattern? I do. Ladies and gentlemen, what's up with our freedom-loving friends in Saudi Arabia? Well, the Swedish government. Fresh from announcing that they finally decided that they will. It is okay to question Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian Embassy. He doesn't have in London. He doesn't have to come to Sweden after all, after three years. But that's not all they decided this week. They decided to scrap an arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Bringing to an end a decade-long defense agreement with the Kingdom. Move followed complaints made by the Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Waldstrom, that she was blocked by the Saudis from speaking about democracy and women's rights at a gathering of the Arab League in Cairo. What was she doing there? She's not Arab. She's a blonde. I'm assuming tensions between Stockholm and Riyadh have grown so acute reports,

the British newspaper, The Independent, that Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Sweden on Wednesday. The Swedish Foreign Ministry, you see, had published Waldstrom's planned remarks in Cairo. She made no specific reference to Saudi Arabia, not knocking the Kingdom, but it did urge reform on issues of women's rights. The Saudi Foreign Ministry saw right through the failure to mention them, deeming the statement offensive and blatant interference in its internal affairs. Touchy, sensitive. Saudi Arabia bought some $39 million in Swedish military equipment last year alone. The Kingdom is recently, as of recently, the world's biggest arms importer, Saudi Arabia. The world's biggest. That's a dangerous neighborhood. For decades, that sort of thing wouldn't happen. When this shows a break in the 50-year view in the view of the West that we can't touch Saudi Arabia,

said Ali Al Ahmed, director of the Washington-based Institute of Gulf Affairs, which is often critical of Saudi Arabia. That's why he's living in Washington. And a founding member of one of the few independent human rights groups in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced. Sentenced. He founded a human rights group, sentenced. I said to 10 years in prison. Al-Bajadi was sentenced by the specialized criminal court in Riyadh, whose jurisdiction is related to terrorism, according to the Gulf Center for Human Rights. He is a founder of the Association for Civil and Political Rights, which is offices in Beirut and Copenhagen. The court sentenced him to order him to serve the first five years of his sentence, suspending the last five years. He was tried without prior notification or access to lawyers. Just a little trial. Happened while he was sleeping, I guess. Bajadi faced accusations including acquiring banned books, organizing a protest by the families of prisoners,

and publishing material that could quote prejudice public order. You got to have public order if you're a kingdom. On this week, Saudi Arabia hit out at criticism of its judiciary, saying it does not accept any form of interference in its internal affairs. Four ministry says the country's constitution is based on Sharia that guarantees human rights. This is the country that sentenced a blogger to a thousand lashes for insulting Islam. And holds trials without prior notice or access to lawyers, because that's a human right to not have to have access to your lawyer. A lot of people don't know that. It is our freedom-loving friend, ladies and gentlemen, the Saudi Arabia. Hello, welcome to Lysho. Thanks for watching. I'm not in my heart, but I want to find the solution for this game.

I learned to not fight. With fire, I also want to be happy. Of all, if the dream is over there. I don't die, I do the same thing. I'm not going to cry at all. Of all, if the dream is over there. I don't want to cry at all.

Of all, if the dream is over there. I don't die, I do the same thing. I, I don't die. I don't die. I don't die, I do the same thing. I don't die. I'm not in my heart, but I do the same thing. I don't die. I'm not in my heart, but I do the same thing. I don't die. I don't die. I'm not in my heart, but I do the same thing.

I don't die. I'm singing. I don't die. I don't die. I don't die. I don't die. I don't die. I don't die. From London England, where they don't speak that language but it's the friendliest city in London. I'm Harry Shira welcoming you to this edition of the show. You know, ladies and gentlemen, we're participants all of us, whether we like it or not. Whether we know it or not, in a grand experiment going back, well, last couple of generations and going forward, goodness knows how long.

A grand experiment, I say, just to figure out how many disparate chemicals that never existed before men started fiddling with chemicals. Can the human body tolerate in successive and mixed doses? It's just an interesting experiment we're living through. One of the signs of all this, exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals is likely leading to an increased risk of serious health problems, costing at least $175 billion per year in Europe alone. Well, don't go to Europe alone. This, according to a study published Thursday, the news of it is in the National Geographic magazine. I get it, I read it for the covers. Chemicals that can mimic or block estrogen or other hormones are commonly found in thousands of products around the world. Your plastics, your pesticides, your furniture, and your cosmetics.

The new research estimated health care costs in Europe where policy makers are debating whether to enact the world's first regulations targeting endocrine disruptors. It was Europeans where their nanny state, the European Union's controversial strategy for proved would have a profound effect on industries and consumer products worldwide, earned bound leading environmental health official in the US government called the new findings, a wake up call for policy makers and health experts. The researchers detailed the cost related to three types of conditions, neurological effects, such as attention deficit disorders, obesity and diabetes, and male reproductive disorders, including infertility. The biggest estimated costs were associated with chemicals reported effects on children's developing brains. What is wrong with those kids? Numerous studies have linked widely used pesticides and flame retardants to neurological disorders and altered thyroid hormones, which are essential for proper prenatal brain development. The researchers concluded there was a greater than 99% chance that endocrine disrupting chemicals are contributing to the diseases, according to studies published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

It's junk science, it's junk science, your feed is just fine as long as you leave it alone. The estimate was limited to a handful of chemicals commonly found in human bodies, bicephenol A used in hard plastics, food can linings and paper receipts, to phallates used as plasticizers in vinyl products, DDE, the breakdown product of DDT, organophosphate pesticides, including ones used on grain, fruit and other crops, and brominated flame retardants that were extensively used in furniture foams until they were banned. Now they're not so extensively used. The BPA DDE and the phallates were examined for their links to obesity and diabetes phallates for male reproductive effects, and flame retardants and organophosphate pesticides for neurological effects.

Together, these represent only about 5% of endocrine disruptors that are circulating in our environmental soup. The tip of the proverbial iceberg says Leonardo Trassande, an associate professor of pediatrics and environmental medicine at NYU, he was the lead author of the study. But that's not all. And for the rest, let me read the trains for you. From the pharmaceutical journal, how the pharmaceutical industry is contributing to anti-microbial resistance. And they're the good guys, right? I'll read it for you. PS, there are no good guys. Medicines like antibiotics are safe, countless lives, and improve the safety of critical medical procedures.

It's sometimes easy to forget that the off-maligned pharmaceutical industry produces them, and should be highly regarded for this invaluable contribution. However, the industry is also complicit in one of the greatest challenges to society, the threat posed by anti-biotic resistance. The major focus of public efforts is aimed at the right prescription and use of antibiotics by doctors, pharmacists, and patients. Although this is important, there's a more imminent issue that producers of environment of antibiotics must address, environmental pollution. In 2009, researchers from the University of Gothborg found rivers near Hyderabad, India, which happens to be one of India's pharmaceutical centers, with concentrations of antibiotics in the rivers higher than the blood of a patient undergoing treatment. Most antibiotics are manufactured in China and India.

India in turn relies on China for up to 90% of its raw materials. The threat of antibiotic resistance is well known, and on the political agenda, the World Health Organization is named Antibankrobial Resistance AMR. It's got an acronym already, one of the top threats to mankind. About 25,000 patients die each year from an infection of multi-drug resistant bacteria. This is likely to be much worse in developing countries. There are outstanding examples of compliant manufacturers in both India and China. Unfortunately, there are also production plants that have serious compliance and quality problems, with some potentially fatal consequences. For example, November last year, 13 women died after receiving tainted sippro-flo-flo-floxacin. That's why they call it sippro. Commonly prescribed antibiotic in India, after undergoing sterilization surgery.

Pharmaceutical product recalls and forced factory closures regularly to make the news. As recently as December, an investigative report on China television featured a segment on antibiotics found in the municipal water supply of Chinese cities. Two antibiotics producers had been illegally discharging wastewater, containing high concentrations of antibiotics, making it unsafe to drink. There are countless examples of non-compliance, including factories using decades-old technology to produce and to treat their waste and dumping untreated wastewater and antibiotics into the environment. Better market regulation and stopping the sale of antibiotics over the counter, as is the case in India and China, would help reduce misuse. Industry needs to promote the prudent use of antibiotics. Farma needs to be involved in the public debate around its products. The industry also needs to start self-regulation, says the pharmaceutical journal.

It is in the interest of drug manufacturers to adhere to high standards and request high standards from suppliers to make sure their medicines are the highest quality. This is a clear economic incentive. The pharmaceutical industry has had its share of bad publicity in recent years, including the lack of transparency with clinical trial data. But it has an opportunity to make a difference by joining the fight to combat AMR. Not contributing to it. Who would dump their waste stuff and include residue of antibiotics in the water supply? That sounds so foreign, doesn't it? Point of view that might occur to you.

When I read the trains for you, I'll copy or write a feature of this broadcast spot on the other hand. Well, how about California? That's a progressive place, isn't it? Its division of oil gas and geothermal resources officials admitted last summer that for years they inadvertently allowed oil companies to inject waste water from fracking into hundreds of disposal wells in protected aquifers, in violation of federal law. Disclosures by oil driller showed high levels of benzene, a carcinogen in the water that comes out of the ground with oil. The state has shut down 23 of the hundreds of injection wells that are in aquifers, not approved for waste injection. Agency officials have attributed the errors to haphazard record keeping, you know, like you do, and antiquated data collection.

And they've said that initial tests on nine drinking water supply wells found no benzene. The federal EPA has called the state's errors, shocking. They haven't been paying attention and said California's oil field waste water injection program does not comply with federal safe water drinking laws. That's from the LA Times from the EcoWatch blog. California is currently the only state that requires chemical testing of fracking waste water in public disclosure of the findings. And so those findings are a bit disturbing the environmental working group has completed an analysis of data released by the state during the first year of reporting requirements, finding that high levels of that that old carcinogen benzene in California's fracking wastewater isn't the only thing California's have to worry about from the state's extensive oil and gas fracking operations and the ejection of chemical laden wastewater back into the ground drilling sites in Kern County, a fracking hub. Congratulations, Kern County. I didn't know you were a hub of anything. Now you are a hub of country music.

Those drilling sites have been shut down after they were forced or found to have illegally dumped wastewater into fracking, sorry, into drinking supplies. The study toxic stew revealed the presence of hundreds of chemicals, including many linked to cancer. I'd like to find a list of the chemicals that aren't including many linked to cancer, nervous system damage and reproductive disorders when the chemicals found in up to 50% of these samples were chromium six lead and arsenic arsenic that can't hurt you. Though they're all linked to cancer on the reproductive damage, these samples also contain thousands of times more radioactive radium radium than the goals set by the state. It's just like eating watchtiles, but it can't hurt along with high levels of nitrate and chloride ions. Another analysis last month by the Center for Biological Diversity found that 98% of the fracking wastewater samples exceeded federal and state water safety levels for benzene. We've long suspected California's fracking wastewater was full of harmful chemicals.

And now this study reveals just how toxic this wastewater is said the senior scientist of the environmental working group. Almost three billion gallons of fracking wastewater was illegally dumped last year into central California where aquifers leading to the shutdown of those wells in current county. What the frack? Maybe just don't waste water? No, you can't, you have to, you have to, I know, it's a thing. What the frack, ladies and gentlemen, let's look on the brighter side with news of the Olympic movement. Produced by Jim Embers, all junior. Well, you know, even the Olympics are trying to young up their demographics.

And as silly as it seems, when you find news anchors tweeting, doing other stuff to try to reach young viewers who couldn't care less, the Olympics retains its dignity. All young visitors to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, this is from the Japan Times, will be encouraged to get tattoos from on-site tattoos that will be doing tattoos of favorite, anim and manga characters. Special arrangements will allow ardent sports fans to touch the hands of their favorite athletes just after they've received their medals. By the way, the main sponsor of the Tokyo Olympics is Tepko, you know, from the Fukushima disaster.

That Tepko, whose slogan is, giving our Olympic athletes the energy they need. But wait, there's more. The organizer's goal for Tokyo is to achieve a warm and cuddly games. Hugfests among competitors, like those seen in the women's snowboard competitions at Sochi, will be mandatory. All competitors, regardless of sexual orientation, will hug their teammates before and after each performance. For spectators, flash mob, hug sessions are encouraged. I just want to hug Tepko, me. News of the Olympic movement, ladies and gentlemen. Copyrighted feature of this broadcast. It's the excitement, mounts.

I think that's what's mounting. I can't be sure. And now... Oh yeah. Well, sir, this is news of inspectors general from the people who bring you inspectors general. First up, billions of dollars in U.S. and international aid for Afghanistan security forces are at risk. No kidding. Because the ministries that manage the money aren't preventing waste and corruption. No, this is not from the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction. This is from the inspector general of the Pentagon. That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Afghanistan is too corrupt and wasteful.

For the Pentagon, quote, future direct assistance funds are vulnerable to increased fraud and abuse because the Afghan government has had numerous contract award and execution irregularities. Unquote and procurement law violations. The report is labeled for official use only, so I'm not really using it. I'm calling your attention to it and then ignoring it. That's not really a use. The Afghan national security forces remain dependent on U.S. and allied financing as foreign troops depart. The Pentagon has provided 3.3 billion in payments directly to Afghan ministries since October 2010. An additional 13 billion in such direct military aid is projected to 2019. Why you just flush it down the toilet and skip the middle end? The audit bolsters previous assessments by the inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, where the country's defense and interior ministries aren't ready to manage the funds going to the military. The ministries did not adequately develop award, execute or monitor contracts funded with U.S. direct assistance. Said the Pentagon's inspector general.

That's right. Too wasteful for the Pentagon. Wrap your pretty little head around that. Many State Department employees are not saving their emails for the public record as required by the government. The State Department's inspector general concluded in a report with a timely release of this past week. The inspector general's report found that of the 1 billion emails sent by State Department officials in 2011 under Hillary Clinton's secretary ship. Only about 61,000 were actually kept for records. So when Hillary Clinton said even though she didn't keep her emails on a government server, but she addressed them to people at .gov so they had to be saved. No, says the State Department. Not. It's not clear how many of the 1 billion were supposed to be saved for records but weren't. According to the report department employees have not received adequate training or guidance on the responsibilities for using those systems to preserve record emails, which could in part explain Clinton's email mishap.

She didn't receive the adequate training. Despite a 2009 upgrade in the State Department system used to preserve emails report found that there still wasn't enough oversight of the function. Some employees were under the impression that record emails that is to say emails of public records that become public records were only a convenience. They not understood that some emails were required to be saved as records. Other employees didn't create such emails because they do not want to make the email available in searches or fear that this availability would inhibit debate about pending decisions. Federal emails are required to be saved for the public record if they are related to policy. To fix the problem, the inspector general recommended abolishing. No, annual reviews of record email, additional training to identify official record emails, guidance for employees on the record keeping duties and the creation of an oversight committee to advise on the issue. That's the word from the inspector general. And that is news of the inspector general, but inspector's general.

But of course this is a big story. A lot of Hu Ha about it. A lot of the Sunday Act shows. Blowviating about it. The Sunday Times of London owned by Rupert Murdoch, uh, throws an interesting light on this in, uh, saying that one of the people who advised Hillary Clinton. On, uh, using her private server. For her email rather than the State Department service. Was, uh, the woman she's described as if she had more than one daughter. This would be her other daughter. Huma Abiden. You may be familiar with her name. She's the wife of Anthony Weiner. Same one. Yeah. Isn't this a small world? Or what? And, uh, she's a close advisor to Hillary Clinton. And apparently was one of the two people advising her. Use this, use your own server. Huma.

Ladies and gentlemen. Uh, you'll be hearing a lot more about her predicts the times of London owned by Rupert Murdoch. But, uh, that's for a later date. Anyway, Hillary Clinton did give finally after eight days of this story, being a story. A press conference this week to explain why she used, um, her private email address, her own email address and her private server. For her official emails, as well as her personal ones. Um, and this is some of what she said. As I said in my remarks, um, looking back, uh, it would have been probably, um, um, you know, smarter to have used two devices. But I have, uh, absolute confidence that everything that could be in any way, uh, connected to work is now in the possession of the state department. And I have to add, even if I'd had two devices, uh, which is obviously permitted. Many people do that. You would still have to put the responsibility where it belongs, which is on the official.

So, um, I did it for convenience. And I, uh, now looking back, think that it might have been smarter, uh, to have those two devices from the very beginning. You know, imagine my confusion, because I have, I have multiple devices. She's apparently, according to the Times of London, uh, said at a tech conference that she does have, uh, afford devices, uh, mini iPad, an iPad, an iPhone, and a BlackBerry. That's two times two devices. But I, strangely enough, I have three email accounts on the same device. And they don't talk to each other. They don't leak. As far as I know. Anyway, we have her assurance that, um, next time this comes up, she'll use two devices. No one said yes. No one said no. No one said stop. So I said go.

A government matter. A private detail. Both went through the self-saving email. Made a mistake. Won't do it again. Now I know. Just where to say when. Not my own serving. Not a crowded dress. The quest for convenience. Just made a mess. So I won't be trapezy. I'll stay above prices. I won't take it easy. I'll just use. Two devices. Two devices. Everyone does it.

But not anymore. I don't want your pity. I have that before. I don't make excuses. I did what I did. I've got nothing to hide. They'll release what I hid. One phone for business. One for my life. One is a leader. One is a wife. A void of a hassle. A void of a conscience. Like two sets of keys. It's like wearing two watches. It's like making diarrhea. With two kinds of prices. A motorcade of a prayer. With two devices. Two devices. Two devices.

Why does it matter? Nobody cares. Let's talk some real stuff. Like my husband's affairs. It's a two day story. And we're on day three. It's just another. R is in spree. I'm embracing redundance. Catching the wave. Staring down the pundits. Not technology slaves. Convenience be damned. Unbuying the bullet. Like using two skillets. To pan fry a bullet. It's like Chelsea's old school lunch. Two sets of crab slices. I'll email a whole bunch. But I'll use two devices.

Two devices. Two devices. Two devices. Holy Moses. Everybody's gone. Packed up and thing on. Who says good things. Come to those who wait. The devil is getting late. And I hear. And I'd wait all year. Time will tell me. Whisper soft and slow.

Tell me where to go. You might notice my dishonesty. Well, I'm only 23. And I hear. Waiting all year. Just give me some. Time tomorrow. You're here today. On tomorrow morning. Pull that trigger. Point it at the sky. The level will die. Still that's something. The beginning or an end.

Something to depend and wait on. I've been waiting too long. Just give me some. Time tomorrow. You're here today. On tomorrow morning. Oh. Oh. Oh. Just give me some.

Time tomorrow. You're here today. On tomorrow morning. This is Lesho from London and now ladies and gentlemen. Use of our friend, the Adam. Two sheep to meet. Two sheep to meet. Addie the Adam. Does this gray landscape in London get you down at all? No. Because I'm gray. Really? I can't quite make out. I've never been able to make out your color. No. By the way, our friend, the Adam, that phrase apparently was

originated by Walt Disney. Deadline Fukushima, an estimated 747 tons of contaminated rain water leaked from mounds that surround the area housing storage tanks for radioactive water at the FOOT number one plant. Teppko said Tuesday in celebration of the Olympics. Rainwater inside the area contained up to 83,000. No, 8,300. Becarls per liter. Yes, I do. A beta particle emitting radioactive substances such as strontium 90. According to Teppko officials. That's my favorite strontium. 90. The leaked water is believed to have seeped into the ground, the official said, adding it's unlikely that any of the water made its way into the sea. The ground's okay. Nothing lives there, right? The leaks were found in two locations between the artificial mounds and the ground in the nuclear power plant where the unprecedented triple meltdown occurred in 2011. Teppko initially put the amount of leaked water at 400 tons that was later revised to

747 in honor of the airplane. I don't think so. Deadline Plymouth. Massachusetts. Nuclear regulatory commission's bottom line assessment of the pilgrim nuclear power plant is more work to do. I don't have progress at pilgrim. You could say that. I did. After its recent end of cycle performance review, which evaluated quarterly performance indicators of the plant, along with inspection results and enforcement actions during all of last year. The findings are classified by color from green for very low safety to white, yellow, then red. Uh-oh. What? Right. Right. Red. No. I just listing the numbers, the colors for you. The plants, ratings, pushed pilgrim into what the NRC called the degraded cornerstone column of its action matrix during much of 2014. The inspector's work was completed last month.

The NRC's answer was no. It cannot be removed from that degraded status. The company's problem of identification, root cause evaluation, and corrective action plans were adequate. But the report identified deficiencies in the implementation of corrective action plans, as well as in pilgrim's understanding of the causes of the issues. You don't need to understand causes to fix things, do you? Just get a hammer. You need to know why the nail is there. Pacific gas and electric pump. You're doing hardware advice now? Pacific gas and electric company replaced $842 million worth of equipment at the heart of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, with that first making sure the new gear could pass a vital seismic safety test required in the license for the facility is all the thing. It would be required according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He's standing. No, I was just thinking. Starting in 2008, PG&E swapped out the plant's old steam generators and reactor vessel heads without evaluating whether the replacements could withstand a major earthquake on the

Haasgree fault just three miles away. An simultaneous loss of cooling water within the reactors. PG&E evaluated each scenario, the earthquake and the loss of coolant. Separately, although Diablo's license requires the tool be considered together. The Diablo is in the details. I didn't say that. PG's critics, PG&E's critics have often accused the company of overstating the plant's strength and underestimating the seismic threats it faces. Earthquake safety has been a concern to the plant ever since the fault. The Haasgree fault was discovered in 1971, just happening to be three years after the plant was constructed before the construction began. Diablo Canyon can withstand a major earthquake striking on multiple nearby faults at once according to a report that PG&E filed with federal regulators. The NRC instructed all plant operators to do that review after FUK. This came just days after federal seismologists greatly increased the odds that a major earthquake

magnitude eight or higher will strike California in the next 30 years. Don't get excited, you're not in California. The US Geological Survey now says the state sends a seven percent chance of suffering such a quake in the next three decades up from the previous estimate of 4.7%. Hey, here's good news. China helped build two reactors in Pakistan, which came online in the last few years. More recently, it's decided to double the size of the plant at Chashma with two additional reactors under construction. It's also constructing a new power plant near Karachi. China's plants face global criticism. That doesn't. The problem is that Pakistan is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, which should disqualify it for any international help in building nuclear power plants. The nuclear suppliers group, the coalition of nuclear technology exporting countries, who have banded together to create guidelines and norms around the sale of nuclear technology.

They got norms there. In order to ensure its safe use. Why don't the Denys while they're at it? While guarding against the spread of nuclear weapons capabilities. One of the core tenets of the nuclear suppliers group is not to trade nuclear technology to countries that have not signed up to the treaty. Pakistan is one of the four remaining holdouts in the non-proliferation treaty, the other three are India, South Sudan, and Israel. That's why China's decision to build nuclear reactors in Pakistan has received criticism. China is a member of the NSG. It's defying the group's own guidelines on nuclear sales. US intelligence from the 1990s found China was likely a principal supplier to Pakistan for its undeclared nuclear weapons program. Food in Fukushima, you're changing this subject. I am. Researchers have accumulated analyzed reams of data about food from Fukushima, according to Wired magazine.

A protective system stopped even potentially contaminated food from getting to the public extensive decontamination monitoring and regulations have made food from around Fukushima perfectly say, says, Wired yet fear persists. Fear persists calling your actor. No, that's pain. A relatively high level of radioactivity was detected in ditch water around the Fuk nuclear plant. Teppko has not pinpointed the cause of that contamination. The tank store, you know, highly radioactive water. No leaks have been found of them. They don't know why it's in the ditch. Beginning in fiscal 2015, Teppko plans to begin removal of fuel assemblies from one of the storage pools at Fuk. Work to begin emptying the number three reactive pool of assemblies has been slowed due to the extensive damage the reactor suffered. From a hydrogen explosion, you don't want those. Teppko initially planned to take out the 35 ton piece of equipment used to exchange fuel assemblies.

This month has postponed the procedure until April. High radiation levels in the number three reactor building are another obstacle. This speed bump. Excel energy rate payers in the Minnesota area. It's a state. Investors will share the financial pain of more than $400 million in cost overruns on a five-year upgrade of the nuclear power plant in Monticello, Minnesota. You've got a Monticello there. Yeah, apparently they have a law all over the place. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission decided that Excel can collect from rate payers all $748 million that spent to boost output and extend the life of the reactor built in the 1970s. But commissioners voted not to allow Excel to collect any profit on the cost overruns. You can recover those costs. You just can't get a profit on them. Said Commissioner Dan Lippschutz. Schultz. Excel wanted to recover its full investment, along with its usual regulated rate of return just under 10%. That sounds fair. The latest call snap has delivered a troubling surprise at the Public Service Enterprise Group's

nuclear Salem Hope Creek reactor complex in Delaware. Discovery of radioactive tritium. In the snow and ice outside a Hope Creek, no, it's New Jersey actually building at levels 500 times higher than federal water quality standards. It was the second highest concentration reported in any tritium leak and pollution incident nationwide. Congratulations. And the details of Hungary's deal with Russia to expand its only nuclear power plant. We're looking forward to that. We'll remain secret for 30 years after new legislation approved this week. The Hungarian legislation will keep under wraps both the business and technical details of the agreement under which Russia's or Ross Atom will build two new reactors for Hungary. The measure says the Hungarian government is needed for national security and is in line with similar guidelines in other European countries. You don't have anything to hide, hide it. Clean, cheap, safe, to clean the meter.

Our friend. The Adam. And now ladies and gentlemen, the apologies of the week. It's so sorry. Lots of apologies this week. Deadline, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a capital area transit system. CEO Bob Meadow-Bito released a statement of apology this week after his comments last week on a podcast reviewed by many as racially insensitive. During the interview, he said some people in Baton Rouge refused to ride buses because most of the bus drivers are African-Americans. Cats is actually 95% African-American and unfortunately our demographics don't match Baton Rouge. I would have to have a workforce that matches the demographics of Baton Rouge because I think there are some people out there who may not ride our buses but they don't like the color of an operator's skin.

Now he says, I apologize, it was never my intention to offend anyone and I'm sorry that my comments on a recent podcast have distracted our community from our continued push to move our transit system forward. Deadline Booker Rest Romania Romanian officials were left red-faced after Germany's Foreign Minister was handed a brochure with a map of France this week. The Foreign Minister received a gift from Romanian counterpart at the end of a news conference to mark 135 years of diplomatic relations coming to an end. No. Romania's Foreign Minister later apologized saying it received a brochure in the morning containing the regrettable technical error the colors of the German flag contained within the map of France from the National News Agency. News Agency later apologized to both the Germans and Romanians for the mix-up. The outlet Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte Hotel is apologized for living a 15% service charge for lounge patrons during a black college basketball tournament last month. The hotel, the Rich Carlton in Charlotte, said that because of the size of ended,

added the extra charge for lobby beverage service, but the hotel did not respond when asked if such charges were added for other events. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has met with the chairman of the Israel Airports Authority Workers Committee, following an election ad on his behalf that compared unions to Hamas. Netanyahu took responsibility for the content in the video. He apologized to the workers in Israel and to everyone who was hurt by the content of the video. He may not be winning this election, apologizing and speaking to Congress. Vogue's style editor-in-law, Elizabeth von Thern, owned Tuxes, has issued a Mayacompa after coming under fire for posting an Instagram photo of a homeless person reading the fashion magazine. The 32-year-old German princess, they have princesses in Germany still. What? Was called out for the tasteless photo. She, uh, her tweet said, Paris is full of surprises.

Vogue magazine readers even in unexpected corners, exclamation point. Commentators were quick to slammer, saying the snapper's cruel and importate she later deleted the picture. She defended herself and then apologized. I wanted to extend my sincerest apologies because my post has caused. I guess she just went Vogue. An all-male Harvard club is facing criticism over a sexually suggestive party invitation that university administrators say raises concerns about sexism and bigotry at Harvard. Members of the Speed Club cancelled a pajama-themed party at their house, mid backlash over an emailed video, depicting scatly-clad women. Members of the club apologized in the college paper. To be more college apologies, coming up North Korea's diplomat to Bangladesh has been forced to apologize after a senior colleague was caught red-handed, attempting to smuggle gold into the country last week. Son Young Nam, first secretary of the North Korean embassy,

left Bangladesh having been apprehended, earlier this month trying to bring almost 60 pounds of gold worth about a million for into the country. The North Korean ambassador apologized for the answer. He had dental, and needed a lot of fillings in this. Magnolia High School in Houston, Texas apologized to Houston Zoo after a photo of a student allegedly harassing a Jaguar was posted to Twitter. Youngsters from Magnolia High School were accused of jumping into the elephant cage and breaking into a buried exhibit and plucking feathers off wild birds. They initially tried to allegedly try to take touch of Jaguar after entering the endangered animals enclosure. So there's smart kids. Let's go into the... Jaguar enclosure, what do you think? Magnolia High School principal Jeff Springer issued a sincere apology to the zoo. Which are the wild animals anyway?

Deadline Indianapolis, the Department of Veterans Affairs, took another hit this week as new surface an email had been circulated as staffers at a VA hospital in Indianapolis making fun of the metal health problems suffered by returning combat victims. The social worker Robin Paul apologized for the humor. I would like to sincerely apologize for the email message. I take full responsibility for the poor judgment. I hold all veterans in the highest regard and am deeply remorseful for any hurt this may have caused. She was trying to be humorous. Humor from Amateur's Ladies and Gentlemen, always a good idea. After being expelled from the University of Oklahoma for racist speech, one member of the SAE fraternity issue in apology, the parents of the second student did the same. A Republican state senator remained apologized on the center floor Wednesday for what Democrats called bigoted racist remarks. He posted on his Facebook page, including one that implied President Obama is related to members of a terrorist group. He was comments by Senator Michael Willett

of Press Isle on race Islam immigration and the President drew national attention. He apologized for sharing a post that criticized Obama's handling of Islamic state, suggesting the President would deal with the group, quote, at the family reunion. On the court, Dateline Lansing, Michigan Republican lawmaker apologized this week after referring to California as the land of fruit and nuts in a speech on the floor of the Michigan House. But everybody knows it's a derogatory term to refer to gay people, said one of the two openly gay members of the Michigan legislature. Univision has fired host Rodney Figueroa after he made a derogatory comment comparing Michelle Obama to the planet of the Apes characters. Yes, we are. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, living in a post-racial America. An owner of a sports website apologized this week after one of its commentators used the term fire water and describing how supporters of an American Indian boys high school basketball team would celebrate its first round victory at the state tournament.

And those would be the apologies of the week, ladies and gentlemen. It is a copyrighted feature of this broadcast. Now very quickly news from outside the bubble before we get out of here. Since the end of 2011 NATO-backed war the toppled Mr. Kedoffi, Muammar Kedoffi to you, Libya has fragmented reporting the independent newspaper with two rival governments and their allied armed gangs vying for power. Nason democracy has been supplanted by a system of repression and fear militias have become the most powerful players in a country devoid of the rule of law of a national army or a police force. Anyone opposing them be they politicians or civilians is silenced often at gunpoint. That's the new Libya ladies and gentlemen. I'm sure they're very grateful

to NATO right about now. News from outside the bubble. It is a copyrighted feature of this broadcast. You're welcome, Libya. Anytime. Well ladies and gentlemen, that's going to conclude this week's edition of the show. The program returns next time. Next week, the same time over these same stations of Rampy are worldwide throughout Europe. The use in 440 cables is to the Japan around the world through the facilities of the American forces network. Up and down the east coast of North America by the shortwave giant WBCQ, the planet on the 214 in Berlin. Available around the world via the Internet at two different locations live and archived. harryshear.com and K-C-S-N dot org.

Available as a free podcast at www.no.org soundcloud side show networks, iTunes and Tuning dot com or the Tuning app. And it'd be just like using two devices. A few to your advantage. Join with me then. What do you want? Thank you very much. A typical a show shoppo to the San Diego Pittsburgh Chicago in exile in Hawaii desk thanks as always to Pam Hallstead. Jenny Lawson at www.no.org and Adrian Boddenham here at this crazy thing called global in London for help with today's broadcast. The email address for this broadcast. A playlist of the music

heard here on. And cars i talk t-shirts all available at harryshear.com. And yours truly me. I'm yours truly. I'm the harry shearer on twitter too. The show comes to you from century of progress productions and originates through the facilities of www.no.org. Flagship station of the Chains is easy radio network. So long from London.