CND Press Digest: Monday 11th December 2023

War In Ukraine/NATO

• Adi Roche writes to the Irish Times about the dangers the war in Ukraine has posed to the country’s nuclear plants
• Chernobyl gets six-year extension for work on original shelter.
• More rumours on who will be the next head of NATO – with Reuters profiling former Finnish foreign minister Pekka Haavisto as a potential replacement for Jens Stoltenberg. Haavisto oversaw Finland joining the military bloc last year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Zelensky says had ‘frank’ talk with Hungary’s Orban NATO summit on Kyiv membership.

• The Observer runs a column (as well as a follow up article) from David Lammy - who says Labour will oppose expulsions of Palestinians and bar violent settlers from UK.
• Coverage of Saturday’s demonstration by the Guardian, Al Jazeera, Telegraph, LBC, ITV, Independent, and Morning Star.
• Pro-Palestine activists ‘redecorate’ offices of Israeli arms manufacturer’s landlord.
• Corbyn joins pro-Palestine protest in Liverpool.
• Dr Aqel Taqaz of the Palestinian People’s Party says global pressure is the only way to end Israel’s genocidal assault on the Palestinian people

AUKUS

• US, UK, Australia agree to new space tracking system: what it means, when it’s coming.
• Awkward truths about US and UK AUKUS challenges.

Nuclear Weapons Modernisation 

• The cost of Britain’s nuclear weapons is skyrocketing, as a new report reveals that Britain’s nuclear weapons will account for almost a third of overall military spending over the next decade. Read more on the CND website.
• A gigantic new ICBM will take US nuclear missiles out of the Cold War-era but add 21st-century risks.

Nuclear Leaks

• There are reports of more than 100 safety problems at the Sellafield nuclear power plant and a leak first reported four years ago has been allowed to worsen. It’s a nightmarish prospect and I hope someone is taking urgent remedial action, writesCumbria native Chris Blackhurst.
• Staff at Sellafield were asked to work on sensitive projects using their home computers, a former employee has said, amid questions about cyber security at Britain’s most hazardous nuclear site after claims it was hacked by groups linked to Russia and China.

UK Nuclear Energy

• The Telegraph: Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho has handed £30m in government funding to a US designer of mini-nuclear reactors which plans to accelerate operations in the UK. Holtec, based in Florida, has been competing with Rolls-Royce and other companies to secure taxpayer backing to explore low-carbon energy sources.
• The Express: The beautiful little UK seaside village torn apart by nuclear power station fight.

Nuclear Energy

• China uranium grab poses threat to western energy supply, warns Yellow Cake.
• Coalition opposes Australia tripling renewable energy, backs nuclear power pledge at COP28.
• Five nations of the G7 have reiterated their intention to work together to build resilient allied supply chains for nuclear fuel and reduce reliance on Russia. The UK, US, Canada, Japan and France, known colloquially as the “Sapporo 5”, announced their intention to pursue at least £3.3bn in total in government-led and private investment over the next three years, at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
• Renew Economy looks at the nuclear lobby’s presence at COP28.
• Nuclear push at COP28 must come with proliferation safeguards - US senator.
• Erdogan says Turkey, Greece could cooperate on nuclear energy.

Culture

• The Guardian gives a not-so-great review of the anti-nuclear play, Talking About the Fire.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament