CND's Press Round-Up - 15th July 2021
Posted: 15th July 2021
Nuclear Weapons
In what some are seeing as a valedictory message, the Iranian president has warned of the country’s enrichment capacities, while survivors of Hiroshima win a compensation claim.
Potential Iranian Nuclear Weapons Development
The Associated Press reports that Hassan Rouhani, the current President of Iran whose term finishes in August, has said that the country could enrich uranium to 90% purity if it wished to do so. At the same time, Rouhani emphasised his own desire for the JCPoA to be saved. The direct reference to 90% purity is considered by some analysts as a provocative and rare signal to Western governments that the consequences of not reaching a deal could be disastrous. Rouhani told his cabinet that he was frustrated by the efforts of some in the Iranian state machinery over the previous few months to prevent a deal being reached in Vienna. The President also added that he hoped the incoming administration of Ebrahim Raisi would ‘be able to finish the job’.
Compensation for Nuclear Weapons Survivors
A Japanese court has ruled that an additional 84 people, some now dead, should be considered as victims of the Hiroshima blast and are thus available for compensation, Kyodo News reports. The claimants were affected by ‘black’, that is radioactive, rain. They had previously been denied compensation because they lived outside the officially designated area. Their lawyers successfully demonstrated that they had suffered a range of health conditions which could only be explained by exposure to radiation. The Hiroshima municipal government now says it will examine whether to expand the designation area. The current ‘black rain’ area is a 19×11 km oval north-west of the bomb’s epicentre.
Anti-war
Biden’s record-breaking proposed defence budget has taken a step closer to passing.
U.S Defense Budget
The House of Representatives’ finance committee has advanced the Biden administration’s $706 billion defense budget to the next stage, according to DefenseNews. Republicans objected on the basis that 1.4 per cent ($10 billion) increase from last year was not enough, particularly to ‘compete’ with China. The committee accepted two amendments from the veteran anti-war Democrat Barbara Lee, to end Congressional authorisation for war in Iraq and Afghanistan, after twenty years. The proposed budget also includes funding for upgrading Israel’s Iron Dome programme.
Nuclear Power
The UK Nuclear Sector Deal Innovation Group has published a report on what it claims are the opportunities for nuclear-derived hydrogen.
Nuclear Power – UK
A report published today by an industry discussion group touts the potential of ‘zero carbon hydrogen’ from nuclear energy, World Nuclear News reports.Much of the report focuses on providing finance and investment for deriving hydrogen from existing nuclear sites and ‘activating’ the market. The report claims there are substantial export markets to be captured by this nuclear-derived hydrogen. The Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association said that ‘Nuclear power should be right at the heart of zero-carbon hydrogen production, alongside renewable technology. Nuclear reactors, both large and small, offer the innovative solutions we need to decarbonise sectors beyond electricity as part of a robust net zero mix, starting today and going into the future.’.
With best wishes,
Michael Muir
Press and Communications Officer
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
In what some are seeing as a valedictory message, the Iranian president has warned of the country’s enrichment capacities, while survivors of Hiroshima win a compensation claim.
Potential Iranian Nuclear Weapons Development
The Associated Press reports that Hassan Rouhani, the current President of Iran whose term finishes in August, has said that the country could enrich uranium to 90% purity if it wished to do so. At the same time, Rouhani emphasised his own desire for the JCPoA to be saved. The direct reference to 90% purity is considered by some analysts as a provocative and rare signal to Western governments that the consequences of not reaching a deal could be disastrous. Rouhani told his cabinet that he was frustrated by the efforts of some in the Iranian state machinery over the previous few months to prevent a deal being reached in Vienna. The President also added that he hoped the incoming administration of Ebrahim Raisi would ‘be able to finish the job’.
Compensation for Nuclear Weapons Survivors
A Japanese court has ruled that an additional 84 people, some now dead, should be considered as victims of the Hiroshima blast and are thus available for compensation, Kyodo News reports. The claimants were affected by ‘black’, that is radioactive, rain. They had previously been denied compensation because they lived outside the officially designated area. Their lawyers successfully demonstrated that they had suffered a range of health conditions which could only be explained by exposure to radiation. The Hiroshima municipal government now says it will examine whether to expand the designation area. The current ‘black rain’ area is a 19×11 km oval north-west of the bomb’s epicentre.
Anti-war
Biden’s record-breaking proposed defence budget has taken a step closer to passing.
U.S Defense Budget
The House of Representatives’ finance committee has advanced the Biden administration’s $706 billion defense budget to the next stage, according to DefenseNews. Republicans objected on the basis that 1.4 per cent ($10 billion) increase from last year was not enough, particularly to ‘compete’ with China. The committee accepted two amendments from the veteran anti-war Democrat Barbara Lee, to end Congressional authorisation for war in Iraq and Afghanistan, after twenty years. The proposed budget also includes funding for upgrading Israel’s Iron Dome programme.
Nuclear Power
The UK Nuclear Sector Deal Innovation Group has published a report on what it claims are the opportunities for nuclear-derived hydrogen.
Nuclear Power – UK
A report published today by an industry discussion group touts the potential of ‘zero carbon hydrogen’ from nuclear energy, World Nuclear News reports.Much of the report focuses on providing finance and investment for deriving hydrogen from existing nuclear sites and ‘activating’ the market. The report claims there are substantial export markets to be captured by this nuclear-derived hydrogen. The Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association said that ‘Nuclear power should be right at the heart of zero-carbon hydrogen production, alongside renewable technology. Nuclear reactors, both large and small, offer the innovative solutions we need to decarbonise sectors beyond electricity as part of a robust net zero mix, starting today and going into the future.’.
With best wishes,
Michael Muir
Press and Communications Officer
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament