CND Press Digest: Monday 5th June 2023

War In Ukraine/NATO

• looks at how Zaporizhzhia is likely going to be in the middle of the next round of fighting between Ukraine and Russia.
• Kate’s recent blog on G7 hypocrisy on nuclear weapons discussed here.  
• A senior NATO official has called on China to be more open about its accelerated nuclear weapons buildup - adding NATO was willing to talk to Beijing on the issue.
• That’s as US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday that the US did not need more nuclear weapons to deter Russia or China - due to its advanced military capabilities. It comes after Washington said it would cease sharing nuclear weapons data with Moscow over the latter’s suspension from New START.
• Russia The Kyiv Independent on Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament.

AUKUS

• Chatham House on the AUKUS pact and the challenges it raises for the IAEA.

UK Nuclear Energy

• Labour leader Keir Starmer has thrown his party’s support firmly behind nuclear power - claiming he’s the man to get stalled projects over the line. Starmer will also be paying a visit to the delayed Hinkley Point C today, so expect pictures of him pointing at things in a hard hat and high viz vest soon!
• The civil nuclear police in Scotland have been asked to investigate reports of a low flying aircraft who repeatedly circled around the Hunterston nuclear site on 25 May. 
• US-based nuclear firm NuScale has entered the race to build SMR reactors in Britain - calling on the government to go faster in rolling out the technology.

Nuclear Energy

• Israel’s energy minister is opposed to Saudi Arabia developing a nuclear energy programme.

RadWaste

• Counterpunch looks at the legacy of the cleanup at the Hanford nuclear site.Established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project, the site went on to have nine nuclear reactors and five processing complexes to make plutonium for US nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• The Israeli cabinet conducted a rare war drill as Benjamin Netanyahu attacked the IAEA for failing to confront Iran over its nuclear programme, and threatened to ramp up attacks on Iranian facilities.

Upper Heyford

• Steve Barwick talks to BBC South Today about the 40th anniversary of the peace blockade at Upper Heyford, watch here (expires 17:55 today).

Nuclear Tourism 

• The Wall Street Journal looks at the rise in people visiting decommissioning nuclear facilities - from test sites to missile silos – as two major movies about the atomic era hit the cinemas.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament