CND Press Digest: Friday 27th January 2023

War in Ukraine / NATO

• Turkey has said it will veto Sweden and Finland joining NATO - after a copy of the Quran was burned during far-right protests outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. Following the controversy, Finland has called for a “time-out” on the talks.
• Hungary’s Viktor Orban said he will veto any EU sanctions on Russia’s nuclear industry. 
• France is resisting a call to send Leclerk heavy battle tanks to Ukraine – but could send other support like its Mirage fighter jets.
• The Guardian has some expert reaction to Joe Biden’s decision to send tanks to Ukraine.
• Jeremy Fleming is to step down as head of GCHQ after six years. The British spy chief had recently spoken about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the potential for nuclear use.

Nuclear Testing

• Middle East Monitor on how France could speed up the cleaning of sites where it conducted nuclear weapons tests in Algeria in the 1960s.

AI

• Researchers from Oxford University told the science and technology committee that AI could eventually pose an “existential threat” to humanity. Just as humans wiped out the dodo, the machines might eradicate us, they said.

UK Nuclear Energy

• CND’s website has a news item on a recent report finding the UK could save over £100 billion if it pursued a renewable-only energy policy. Story picked up by Energy Institute.
• Suffolk News reports on local concerns over accidents as 96 HGVs are planned to take to the roads for the construction of Sizewell C.

RadWaste

• A hunt is underway in Western Australia after a radioactive capsule used in the mining industry is believed to have fallen off a truck while being transported from a mine. Health authorities said the amount of radiation exposure was comparable to receiving 10 X-rays in the space of an hour.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• IAEA boss Rafeal Grossi said Iran has enough highly enriched uranium to make several nuclear bombs if it so wishes.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament