CND Press Digest: Thursday 2nd February 2023

War in Ukraine / NATO

• US officials have announced a fresh £2 billion military package for Ukraine - including missiles that can reach Russian targets within most of its occupied territory in eastern Ukraine. The Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) has a range of 93 miles, an increase on the 50 mile range of HIMARS currently in operation.
• “No solid decision” has been made on sending fighter jets to Ukraine, defence secretary Ben Wallace has said. He added that sending aircraft at this time was not practical at this time.

UK Defence

• The campaign for more defence spending in next month’s budget is well under way, with this report from Sky News - claims from a senior US general that Britain is no longer a “tier one” military power.

Trident

• Rolls Royce Submarines launched their nuclear skills academy at an event in the House of Lords. Based in Derbyshire, the academy will take on 200 apprentices in September who will eventually work on Britain’s nuclear submarines.

AUKUS

• Aussie PM Anthoney Albanese AUKUS pactif he had been in power at the time of the decision. The deal to purchase nuclear-powered subs by the Scott Morrison government has come under fire since it was announced – with former Labor PM Paul Keeting already calling for AUKUS to be scrapped.

• Russia has denied US claims that it is violating the New START treaty. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attack on a weapons factory in the central city of Isfahan – with the blame laid at the door of Israel.
• That’s as the UN’s nuclear watchdog chided Tehran for undeclared changes to the uranium enrichment setup to its Furdow plant. “This is inconsistent with Iran’s obligations under its Safeguards Agreement and undermines the Agency’s ability to adjust the safeguards approach for FFEP and implement effective safeguards measures at this facility,” IAEA chief Rafeal Grossi said. Iran has denied the claims as “incorrect.”

North Korea

• North Korea warned expanded drills between the US and South Korea threatened to turn the region into a “critical war zone.”

Space

• Not content with building nuclear reactors that could ruin this planet, Rolls Royce has unveiled an early design for a space nuclear reactor.

Nuclear Energy

• A poll in Suffolk Live on asks if Sizewell C would be a good thing. Get voting!
• Two pension funds back out of funding Sizewell C.

RadWaste

• City AM on how nuclear waste can create thousands of jobs.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament