CND Press Digest: Tuesday 5th September 2023

War In Ukraine/NATO

• BAE Systems will open an office in Ukraine as part of a number of deals to supply arms and equipment to the Ukrainian armed forces. The Kremlin has warned that any such facilities producing weapons for use against Russia would become targets.
• Column in The Telegraph on why the BAE Systems deal with Ukraine is good for both Britain and Ukraine’s defence industries.
• The US is to follow Britain in sending depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine, according to documents seen by Reuters.

Lakenheath

• The Telegraph’s editorial on the return of US nuclear weapons to Britain. The move was also mentioned towards the end of the paper’s Ukraine: the latest podcast on Friday. Listen here.
• You can listen to Tom Unterrainer’s recent comments to BBC Look East about Lakenheath, available to listen on BBC Sounds.
• The European Conservative, Daily Mail, and The Sun also cover the latest Lakenheath updates.
• Cambs Times on upcoming protests at Lakenheath as part of the day of action on 23 September.
• Cambridgeshire Live on the history of nuclear weapons accidents at Lakenheath.

UK Nuclear Weapons

• UK Defence Journal is at pains to say that Britain’s nuclear weapons aren’t under the control of Washington - framing it as the perils of misinformation.
• The Mirror reports that Russian-linked hackers leaked security information from British military and intelligence sites including HMNB Clyde nuclear submarine base, the Porton Down chemical weapon lab and a GCHQ listening post.

AUKUS

• Drone-killing laser gives glimpse into future AUKUS projects.
• AUKUS submarines money drain is well under way – to the UK and the US.
• The other Red Alert: the failure of US capitalism is the terrifying AUKUS story you don’t read about.

Space

• Bangor University scientists design fuel for nuclear reactors on the moon.

UK Nuclear Energy

• The Sun reveals that security breaches among Britain’s nuclear police are at an eight year high.
• China involvement in UK nuclear energy not a security risk, industry boss says.
• Hinkley Point C delays raise ‘big questions’ about nuclear power, says RWE chief.
• Adam Smith Institute: Nonsensical Nuclear: The new Energy Secretary has only had a few days in the job but long enough to discover that her department’s nuclear strategy, if it has one at all, makes no sense.

Nuclear Energy

• Huff Post on Saudi Arabia’s desire to develop nuclear power and the problems that may cause for the US.
• The i Newspaper on the potential for nuclear weapons proliferation via any Saudi nuclear programme.
• Financial Review: ‘Big question-mark over new nuclear’: German utility CEO.
• The New Statesman: A powerful political theme has emerged in Germany with the potential to tie the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), Free Democratic Party (FDP) and AfD together. All three want to go back to nuclear power.
• However, the atomic age is over in Germany, Chancellor Scholz insists.

Fukushima

• The Guardian: State-backed disinformation fuelling anger in China over Fukushima water.
• Japan announces emergency relief for seafood exporters hit by China’s ban over Fukushima water.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• Iran has slowed the pace at which it is enriching uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels, according to a report by the UN’s nuclear watchdog seen by The Associated Press on Monday. Additional coverage by Reuters.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament