Investigation Into Deliberate Radioactive Leak

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Emma

According to officials – several workers are now being questioned by investigators following last weeks leak of a radioactive substance into drinking water at an Indian atomic plant – The government believes this contamination was carried out deliberately.

Government-run Nuclear Power Corporation has launched the investigation into how tritium managed to get into a water cooler which lead to 55 workers needing medical care for excessive exposure to radiation, said a report for Reuters.

It is thought that the leak may raise security doubts over India’s nuclear energy programme, but the government and the director of the plant are playing down the threat of the leak to the public.

In a statement for Reuters, an unnamed plant official said:

“Investigations are being carried out to find out how it happened and who did it”

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Source;
Power-technology.com/ Industry News (Investigators Probe Indian Workers after Radioactive Leak-30.11.09)

Nokia Siemens Moves Into Energy

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Kathryn

Nokia Siemens Networks, the telecommunications equipment supplier is expanding into the energy sector, reports v3.co.uk.

After announcing last year that it was focusing on cash flow and profitability rather than market share the company has just announced that it is now focusing on market share again.

Nokia Siemens will launch a new unit aimed at targeting existing charging, mediation, service management and network management solutions at energy suppliers. The unit will begin work in January.

Head of operations for Nokia Siemens Networks said they would be looking at how they could help renewable energy suppliers in particular. The firm has said that it will join with the software company ServusNet to help wind power operators make the most of power generation and delivery.

CNG Meets Gas Services Demand

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Emma

CNG Ltd, commercial gas suppliers who also offer a range of innovative low carbon services related to natural gas and biomethane, takes on an additional member of staff as a direct result of the increasing demand for the company’s commercial gas provisioning services.

Credit Controller Ben Seddon will join CNG’s existing credit control team to assist with the setting up and subsequent management of new accounts, where he will utilise the experience he has gained from previous telesales management positions within the utilities sector.

Mr. Seddon is joining CNG at a time when the business is focused on winning local business as well as achieving its Customer First accreditation for commitment to outstanding customer service, and commented on his new role:

“CNG represents the exact kind of environment I was intending to work in. There is a powerful combination at work in CNG of first rate customer service coupled with a relaxed and enjoyable working environment”

Despite the current economic climate, 10 of the 40 strong CNG team have actually been recruited over the last year.

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Source;
Cngltd.co.uk/ Latest News (Feature; Demand fuels latest appointment-Nov.09)

BT Still Manages Foreign Trips Despite Making Loss

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Kathryn

After announcing that it was going to double its job cuts it’s emerged that BT has spent million of pounds taking staff on foreign trips as a reward for their performance, reports The Sunday Telegraph.

BT announced recently that it was to cut 30,000 jobs and announced that for the first time it had suffered only its second-ever full year loss. However, despite all this, the telecoms giant still found the money to take 150 sales staff and their partners on a trip costing £1m, to the south of France.

The trip will not have pleased the majority of BT’s staff and a spokesperson for the Communication Workers Union said “Our members will find it difficult to understand BT’s spending on this event when they have seen severe cost cutting measures affecting their terms and conditions. Spending £1million on a selected few managers appears baffling at this time.”

And even though BT is trying to save another £500m, making total savings £1.5bn – the firm is still planning to take another 150 staff and their partners to Turkey next year. The Sunday Telegraph reports that the trip will cost around £7,000 per person.

BT responded by saying that it was common practice to reward staff who bring in substantial revenues. However, the Sunday Telegraph reports that many of the staff taken on the trips are members of the Global Services division, which had write downs of £1.6bn after managers overestimated the value of contracts won by the sales team.

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Troops Talk More This Christmas

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Emma

British Service personnel deployed in Afghanistan will receive an extra hour’s free talk time to phone family and friends this Christmas – Operational troops currently get 30 minutes of free talk time every week from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) which is then used to call home to speak to loved ones. Furthermore, during this festive period, troops are going to receive an additional 30 minutes of free talk time from communications company Paradigm. Troops also receive unlimited access to the internet and can send emails.

Bob Ainsworth, Secretary of State for Defence, said:

“This is one, very small way that we can thank those members of the Armed Forces for putting themselves at risk in defence of Britain’s national interest”

The MOD’s 30 free minutes will be added to troops’ Paradigm account cards on Sunday 20 December 2009 and the additional Paradigm 30 minutes will then be topped up on Sunday 27 December 2009.

Flight Lieutenant Andy Wilson is responsible for managing the MOD’s requirement for welfare communications and added:

“Christmas can be a difficult time for the troops and their families and we hope that this goes some way in making this separation a little easier…

… Communication is vital to the morale of our personnel and the well-being of their loved ones at home, especially around this time of year”

Talk time forms part of the WelComE (Welfare Communications Everywhere) project – allowing troops to keep in touch with family and friends whilst they are serving away.

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Source;
HMGOV (Twitter) mod.uk/ Defence News (Extra hour of free Christmas phone calls for deployed troops-30.11.09)