Germany says it detected traces of radioactive pollution from JapanMarch 24, 2011 - 16:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Germany's radiation protection authority said on Thursday, March 24, it had detected traces of radioactive pollution from Japan, RIA Novosti reported quoting the Braunschweiger Zeitung newspaper. "A massive release of radiation may seriously worsen the situation in Japan," Wolfram Koenig, who heads the German Federal Authority for Radiation Protection, said in an interview with the newspaper. "But in Europe and Germany... we would be able to detect only traces of radiation." A Russian environmental monitoring official said on Wednesday radioactive particles from Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant may spread across the world within the next few weeks, but they will not affect background radiation and pose no health threat. Radioactive pollution around the plant, which was seriously damaged by a series of explosions in the days following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, remains high with radioactive iodine in seawater at 147 times the safety limit. German authorities ordered the suspension of work at seven of the country's 17 nuclear reactors for safety checks following the accident in Japan. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |