commissioner says we need to see if we can provide an energy policy for the e.u. avoids nuclear energy of course it's a it's a flute it's really a change from the traditional energy policy of many countries in the european union which was to increase its nuclear nuclear capacities because italy for example is a big e.u. country which is starting from scratch a big nuclear program france belgium here also a big nuclear programs but now there is increasing concern about the safety obviously of nuclear reactors there are boiling water reactors here in the european union which is the same kind of plant as that of fukushima and there is growing public opposition to that now there was a demonstration of around sixty thousand people in germany near for nuclear reactors there and if to give you a flavor of the sentiment here in brussels let me just quote from the portuguese state secretary feel environment's you said in the light of the nuclear meltdown in japan member states need to reconsider their energy policy and related security measures nuclear power is neither a sa

markets are sure rocking of statements from the e.u. energy commissioner as we've mentioned before he said that the situation that damaged nuclear reactors north out of control and the possible catastrophic events may occur within the next hour or so housing is down more than twenty percent. and in russia bit more optimism than elsewhere take a look at those indices if we can hear some of my sex manage to some gains although lower than in the beginning of wednesday's session take a look at some of those individual shares now there's a tug of war between sad news from japan which is pushing world markets lower but the situation in libya and bahrain are supporting high oil prices with ongoing uncertainty over world crude supplies out of the region therefore we see ross navigating point nine percent new quote point four percent by the end of the session you can see in vestment financial corp wraps up versus not much of it. but we are seeing today is that markets are not pricing in the worst case scenario the development of france and japan clearl

markets shrugged off statements from the e.u. energy commission of the situation a damaged nuclear reactors north of tokyo or out of control and that it could possibly lead to catastrophic events within the next hours therefore the dow jones was down one percent. european shares are also down further into the red sea down one point three percent of that one point two four percent this is of course on the nuclear worries barclays h.s.b.c. improved are down more than three percent place out. and in russia another fifteen . minutes left of trading the odds yes and the my stocks are also easing glow it's two zero levels it's yes up a half a percent my face just point three ascetics and forty that's all we have time for this i'll be back next hour with an update the headlines are next with rory stay with us.

water reactors which is the same sort of nuclear plant that we see in fukushima as a result of the e.u. energy commissioner says we need an urgent rethink of european energy policy which was focused on diversifying away from russian gas dependence on russian gas but of course now opposition is growing fast and sharply to this push for nuclear power italy is an example of a big e.u. country which is planning a huge nuclear plant building program from scratch and of course there is now growing opposition sixty thousand people are estimated to have gathered in germany nearer the sites of four nuclear reactors to express their opposition to that and stress tests are now going to be performed on the over one hundred nuclear power plants across the european union the reaction of many is hostile to nuclear policy now in the european union let me just quote you a portuguese state secretary for the environment as an example in light of the nuclear meltdown in japanese power plants member states need to reconsider their energy policy nuclear power is neither a safe option nor is it sustainable that give

markets are shrugging off statements from the e.u. energy commission or the situation that damaged nuclear reactors north of tokyo is out of control and that possible catastrophic events may occur within the next hour as the nasdaq one hundred percent. the knock on effect on the e.u. market simple things will slow down one point two percent back some one point six percent on these nuclear worries worldwide and in russia markets the finnish trading still in positive territory though much more moderate the beginning of the session when the price of something i see a short one and the hard percent nice except for just twenty three percent aussie at home just because some individual stocks is very very who was the leader of the session in the beginning of the trading session it was up for more than two. but the giving actually ended down point six percent worse now after the new coil because well without the on the still middle east concern is really the start of war between sad news coming from japan. turmoil in the middle east which is sort of

energy. you know today in brussels twenty eight twenty seven minutes of the ministers of the e.u. are meeting to discuss how they can help with this and yet the europeans are well over one hundred nuclear power plants you think there's a any valuable lessons to be learned by the e.u. well i think they're learning them certainly in germany which has a fantastic solar program unexpectedly since it's a fairly cloudy place and very successful so that program they're looking at shutting nuclear plants for the time being and maybe not giving their license renewal so there's ones that are looking to extend their lives so i think here here governments are starting to take stock and say well maybe this isn't the right way forward and now is the time to make a real commitment to renewable energy and efficiency story all right linda gunter the founder of beyond nuclear weapons live in washington d.c. thank you earlier no russian region is close to japan residents and emergency services are on high alert this is despite saying the danger of a possible radioactive cloud reaching the area is mi

the e.u. energy commissioner agreed to back voluntary tests tuesday as a move to improve safety standards in all 27 member states. germany became the first nation to shut seven of the oldest nuclear reactors pending better risk statement. assessment. >>> u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton made a surprise visit to tahrir square this morning. the site of the protest that toppled egypt's long-time leader mubarak. andrea mitchell is there this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this was get out of a motorcade. she wanted to see the place where the revolution started. she was greeted by friendly crowds including a man who shouted, you must help libya. i asked how she felt. she said she was inspired by seeing where democracy had flourished. i asked if it would come to libya and she said, we face challenges. in fact, today libyan rebels say they are fearing being crushed by gadhafi forces advancing on them. right now the administration is saying all pressure to intervene militarily. >> a

energy sources. i think not only germany or the in the e.u. there will be a new discussion how far nuclear energy is the future energy or it can be please be as it had turnovers energy sources renewable energy sources for no true guys which we would like to see. now in order to support the japanese financial system the country's central bank says it's injecting a record one hundred eighty three billion dollars into the markets but chris we for now believes much more will be needed which will inevitably weaken the get japan has the world's second largest financial reserves there a second have to pump in considerably more money in terms of whether it's tax breaks or direct ground serve direct funding whatever way the differentially do it there will be a lot more money pumped into the japanese economy has said that there should be enough money to rebuild and to create future growth but it will almost inevitably lead to a weaker yen is that extra cash comes into the system. something to look at the reaction of asian markets to the situation in japa

energy sources. but he not only germany or in the e.u. there will be a new discussion how far you get energy is the future energy or it can be replaced by other by journey because energy sources renewable energy sources or natural gas which we would like to see. now let's see how the asian markets are reacting to the situation in japan the nikkei closed down more than six percent on monday to a two year low as investors expected the earthquake and tsunami to take a toll on the economy japanese carmakers electronics from the world refiners saw the share prices drop by double digit percentages the country's central bank says it's injecting a record one hundred eighty three billion dollars into money markets to stabilize the financial system but the reaction on hong kong's hang seng was subdued as the indus closed point two percent. and european stocks a low following a weak asian session on a day set to be dominated by the economic impact of the earthquake and tsunami in japan trying to studs as floods and foot seas point seven percent down

energy sources. i think not only in germany or the in the e.u. there will be a new discussion coal fired nuclear energy is the future energy or it can be replaced by as it might turn if there's energy sources renewable energy sources or natural gas which we would like to see. in order to support the japanese financial system the country's central bank says it's injecting one hundred eighteen billion dollars into the markets no chris we've also believes notch more will be needed which will inevitably weaken being it. japan has the world's second largest financial reserves they're also going to have to pump in considerably more money in terms of whether it's tax breaks or direct grants or direct funding where everyway did eventually do its there will be a lot more money pumped into the japanese economy and i say that there should be enough money to rebuild and to create future growth but it will almost inevitably lead to weaker yen is that extra cash comes into the system. look at the markets the asian reaction first the situation in japan the nikke

e.u. countries are looking at alternative energy sources but russia has stepped up its commitment to jointlydevelop a new nuclear power plant in belarus it was thought. that we were facing a crisis related to what is happening in japan which will certainly influence the global economy but we intend to go ahead with our plans to build a nuclear power plant and. the project we're going to develop the encompass the leaders and technological advancements. leading russian economists illegally of says global nuclear industry players will have to revise their safety standards in the wake of japan's turmoil. we will of course hear it could be a major reconsideration of sci fi and nuclear reactor safety in safe and i think most likely but there were are looking into it and those sorts of i think will be most likely course not and since i think yes there may be an important on the market for fuel oil and gas it is actually reasonable like people talking about overall glows in dawn of all nuclear generation i think it's premature simply because there was a very large church which is very unlikely to ha

after a meeting of energy experts in brussels, the e.u.'s commissioner went further than chancellor merkel and suggested that europe should consider a nuclear-free future and that all 150 reactors in the region should be given a stress test to ensure they are safe. >> this is a pre-assessment, if you like, of all potential risks in the wake of what has happened in japan. the earthquakes, tsunamis. >> such remarks may not go down that well in france, which prides itself on if you can safety and which relies on nuclear power for 80% of its energy needs. one french manufacturer insisted today their newest reactors would not release radio activity even in the case of a meltdown. in an issue of such public sensitivity, there appears to be pressure for a nuclear rethink or at least a pause for thought. >> you're watching bbc news. new pictures of the quake-stricken japanese nuclear plants appear to show smoke or steam emitting from the site. staff withdrawing from the if you can jet streama nuclear site due to risk of increased radiation. well, a

at the same time, the government is pushing for the development of renewable energies, but it says it has to be an e.u.-wide effort. >> we can't just back out of the world's most secure nuclear energy system only then to buy electricity from less safe plants in neighboring countries. that's not the solution we want. >> anti-nuclear activists joined members of the opposition outside the chancellor to protest the government he's nuclear energy policy. >> we don't want a moratorium. we want a complete phaseout of nuclear energy. we don't need old nuclear plants to start operating again in four months. we want the german reactors to be shut down once and for all. >> the debate over the future of nuclear energy in germany is heating up again. >> since we're already seeing a political knockout from japan's reactor fires, i asked our political correspondent if germany could decide to shut down the country's power plants. >> well, germany definitely will not be taking its 17 nuclear power plants offline right away. that would require that germany import electricity, nuclear electricity from other countries in

energy managers are expected to meet in brussels tomorrow for talks on the reactor safety. austria has demanded a quick review. the fukushima threat comes as a number of e.u countries have been increasing their nuclear capacity as a way out of dependence on foreign oil and natural gas shipments. as updates about the ongoing struggle at the fukushima power plants continue to flood in, concern is growing in europe. especially in the nations traditionally opposed to nuclear power. >> the talks heated up quickly. we have to test how resilient they are to earthquakes and how their coating systems function. what about the reactors at the show and electricity generators and so on? >> nuclear power has seen a reemergence and finland has already approved the construction of new stations. 30% of the european union's total energy needs are covered by nuclear power. france is europe's nuclear giant. 70% of its electricity comes from nuclear power. that may explain the french government's guarded reaction to the events in japan.at the moment we don't hae the information we need to form a clear picture. >> france is also hosting the e.u.'s most ambush tious and expensi