CND Press Digest: Friday 14th April 2023

War In Ukraine/NATO

• A US air national guardsman has been arrested under suspicion of being behind the leak of classified US defence documents regarding the war in Ukraine.
• The Hill: Russia is bombing its way toward nuclear catastrophe in Ukraine.
• Finland said it will take part in NATO nuclear planning, despite not allowing nuclear weapons on its soil.
• Euronews fact-checks if Russia is moving nuclear equipment to Finland’s border.

Trident

• Polling by British Pugwash found ”some notable differences between the British public’s views and the policies of the UK government concerning nuclear weapons. While 40 percent of poll respondents support the United Kingdom possessing nuclear weapons, there is significant support for policies that would control, limit, or even eliminate the UK’s nuclear weapons—including among supporters of nuclear possession. For example, over a third of those who support the UK’s possession of nuclear weapons also support joining a multilateral disarmament treaty.”

UK Nuclear Energy

• From The Lincolnite: Candidates opposing a nuclear storage dump have surged to power in Theddlethorpe in a demonstration of local opposition. Eight of the ten seats on two Theddlethorpe Parish Councils – St Helen’s and All Saints – have been filled uncontested by people against to Nuclear Waste Service’s plans for a Geological Disposal Facility in the village.

Nuclear Energy

• The Independent on how communities near Germany’s soon-to-be-shuttered nuclear plants are looking to a hydrogen future.
• 16 percent of France’s power supply blocked amid protest - as nuclear reactor maintenance disrupted.

AI

• A report by Stanford University academics has warned that AI could cause a nuclear-level catastrophe, noting that ‘incidents and controversies’ associated with AI have increased 26 times in a decade.

Fusion

• “One step further on my mission for fission.” That’s how UK Energy Secretary Grant Shapps heralded the signing of a new deal with Japan to cooperate on nuclear technology.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• Report to US Congress on Iran’s Nuclear Program.
• Iran in secret talks with China, Russia to acquire ballistic missile fuel - diplomatic sources have told Politico.

North Korea

• From AP: North Korea said Friday it flight-tested a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time, a possible breakthrough in its efforts to acquire a more powerful, harder-to-detect weapon targeting the continental United States.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament