CND Press Digest - 13th October 2023

War In Ukraine/NATO

•  Russian Duma to vote next week on scrapping ratification of nuclear test ban treaty. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-parliament-vote-next-week-de-ratifying-nuclear-test-ban…
• NATO will hold a major nuclear exercise next week, the alliance’s chief said Thursday, an announcement that came after Russia warned it would pull out of a global nuclear test ban agreement.. https://apnews.com/article/nato-russia-nuclear-treaty-ban-test-a6dc00cf5b634b6c71d24e8da265d6c6?link…

Nuclear Expansion

• Federation of American Scientists: On October 12th, the Strategic Posture Commission released its long-awaited report on US nuclear policy and strategic stability. The 12-member Commission was hand-picked by Congress in 2022 to conduct a threat assessment, consider alterations to US force posture, and provide recommendations. In contrast to the Biden administration’s Nuclear Posture Review, the Congressionally-mandated Strategic Posture Commission report is a full-throated embrace of a US nuclear build-up.
• Reuters: US must be ready for simultaneous wars with China, Russia, report says.
• Time: US is not ready for growing nuclear threat from Russia and China, report says.

Nuclear Testing

• BBC: The atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946 were too dangerous for conventional aircraft to observe. Pioneering remote-controlled drones, however, were a perfect match.

Israel-Palestine

• Kate Hudson is among those who spoke to Open Democracy the UK government’s suggestion that Saturday’s Palestine solidarity marche could face a police crackdown. “Freedom of speech, the right to protest – that can’t be allowed to be eroded… Everyone will lose if democratic freedoms are worn away.”
• An Israeli lawmaker is urging her government to use ‘everything in its arsenal,’ including ‘doomsday’ weapons, against Hamas. ”Jericho missile! Jericho missile! A strategic alert, before we consider introducing our forces. A doomsday weapon!” Revital “Tally” Gotliv, a member of the Israeli parliament, wrote in a post on X on Monday. “This is my opinion. May God preserve all our strength.”
• Newsweek: What Is the Jericho Missile? Israel’s ‘Doomsday’ nuclear option.
• Politico: Iran is the only one likely to benefit from Hamas’ attack on Israel.

AI

• The path to AI arms control. America and China must work together to avert catastrophe.

UK Nuclear Energy

• A look at Sizewell C and the Thames Tideway Tunnel.

Nuclear Energy

• Renew Economy: Nuclear dependent France extends life of coal generators to avoid winter blackouts.
• Proposals for Ireland to join a European nuclear research organisation, CERN, will go to Cabinet in the coming weeks, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has confirmed.
• Bill Gates: I’m more hopeful on climate change than I was eight years ago.
• Support for nuclear has grown dramatically, says global agency chief.

North Korea

• North Korea crisis: six-party talks the only way to avert nuclear war.
• North Korea denounced on Friday a US aircraft carrier’s visit to South Korea, calling it a provocation that could bring “irrevocable, catastrophic circumstances”.

Pat Arrowsmith

• Kate Hudson spoke about Pat Arrowsmith to Times Radio yesterday. You can listen back here, segment begins 42 minutes in.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament