CND Press Digest: Friday 23rd February 2024

NATO / Europe

• Ukraine’s Zaphorizhzhia nuclear plant loses connection to last backup power line.
• Grossi issues fresh call for restraint around Zaporizhzhia plant.
• Jets land on HMS Prince of Wales ahead of NATO exercises.
• Putin takes personal flight on new nuclear bomber.
• NATO would defeat Putin’s troops, German forces chief claims. General Carsten Breuer said Germany and allies in the east could repel Russians if they invaded Baltic states.
• Kyiv has right to strike Russian targets ‘outside Ukraine’, says NATO chief.

Middle East & North Africa

• Tribune: A Parliament against Palestine.
• Reuters: Iran sends Russia hundreds of ballistic missiles.
• US warns Iran against providing ballistic missiles to Russia.

AUKUS / Indo-Pacific

• The Telegraph: The huge difference between nuclear and conventional subs in defending Taiwan. The Australia-Pacific geography demands submerged range and speed.

Global Nukes

• Forbes: Private financiers pour billions into nuclear weapons production.
• Map shows nations with most nuclear weapons and one country we don’t know about.
• National security lawyers alarmed by Fox News town hall: Did Trump just “disclose classified info?”
• Putin says nearly all of Russia’s nuclear forces have been modernised.

Nukes in Britain

• Grant Shapps defends UK’s nuclear capability after Trident missile failure. Second misfire in a row should not be worrying as majority of the 190 tests were successful, Navy sources say.

Space

• Do not put nuclear weapons in space, US warns Russia. If put into orbit, the weapon could cripple Western satellite networks — and would break a Cold War treaty from 1967.

UK Nuclear Energy

• Council votes to end Holderness nuclear waste talks.
• Sizewell C early works to commence with site creation and ground trials.
• Environment Agency and Natural England behind Hinkley Point wetland plan, saysMP.
• Rolls-Royce will build first mini-nuclear reactor in Europe instead of UK, boss warns.
• Profit margins double at high-flier Rolls-Royce. Record cash inflows underline the turnaround under Tufan Erginbilgic, the new chief executive.
• ITVX: The town in the shadow of a nuclear reactor.
• Nuclear route does Scotland no favours - Tommy Sheppard.

Nuclear Energy

• BBC: Japanese mafia boss conspired to traffic nuclear materials, says US.
• What’s fueling the commercial fusion hype?
• AI solves nuclear fusion puzzle for near-limitless clean energy.
• Japan, China hold talks over water release at Fukushima plant.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament