CND Press Digest: Friday 15th December 2023

War In Ukraine/NATO

• Federation of American Scientists: The Dutch air base at Volkel appears to have started integration training with the new US B61-12 guided nuclear gravity bomb in 2021, even before the bomb went into full-scale production and entered the U.S. stockpile in 2022.
• CND’s coverage of the Volkel story with comment is on the website.
• NATO chief sees ‘real risk’ of Putin attacking other countries after Ukraine.
• Biden, Turkey’s Erdogan discuss Gaza war, Sweden’s NATO bid.
• What Christmas looks like for this NATO base north of Estonia.
• Built to fall: NATO is rapidly changing course on Ukraine.
• Putin’s patron saint of nuclear weapons. Unherd looks at the support given to Putin from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.
• Alexander Lukashenko gives his thoughts on nuclear tensions and the war in Ukraine.

AUKUS

• US Congress passes bill allowing sale of AUKUS nuclear submarines to Australia.
• Watch video of said vote here.
• Australia praises US Congress green light for AUKUS nuclear submarine sale.

Nuclear Risk

• Foreign Affairs: Why the world should still worry about dirty bombs.

Nuclear Testing

• No 10 officials have told nuclear veterans their medical records are not missing, but won’t let the PM meet them to discuss it.

UK Nuclear Energy

• Financial Times (paywall): EDF told not to expect UK to step in to fund flagship nuclear project.
• China General Nuclear has halted funding for the UK’s Hinkley Point C nuclear station in a fresh sign of tension between London and Beijing.
• Video of big crane lifting heavy thing at Hinkley Point C.
• BBC: Hinkley C nuclear reactor roof lifted into place.
• East Suffolk politicians have expressed their concern about the impact construction at Sizewell C (SZC) will have on travel in the area, with roads already stressed after flooding and winter conditions.
• Theddlethorpe nuclear waste site: Informed decision needed, says council.
• Theddlethorpe residents not ‘informed enough’ to vote on the future of their village, more than two years after a nuclear waste dump – council leaders.
• The SNP’s Neil Gray accused of ‘spreading falsehoods’ about nuclear power by the Nuclear Industry Association.
• MEP urges swift action on Sellafield nuclear threat.

Nuclear Energy

• German nuclear plant to be replaced by Europe’s biggest battery. https://reneweconomy.com.au/german-nuclear-plant-to-be-replaced-by-europes-biggest-battery/?link_id=...
• The Telegraph gives advice on investing in uranium amid the surge in pricing.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• UK government press release on new sanctions imposed on Iran on Thursday.

CND

• The Morning Star reviews a new book on nuclear power by Plaid Cymru’s Senedd Member Mabon ap Gwynfor, who is the newly elected chair of CND Cymru.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament