Dear all,

 

Please find a roundup of this week’s news. Thank you all for your continued support.

 

CND Weekly Digest: Friday, 17 January 2025

 

Gaza

• A ceasefire agreement has been agreed between Israel and Hamas, bringing an end to 15 months of genocide in Gaza. The deal will come into force on Sunday.

Britain

• The Cambridge Independent covers the upcoming Cambridge CND meeting on the return of US nuclear weapons to RAF Lakenheath.
• The New Civil Engineer: AWE (the Atomic Weapons Establishment) is seeking construction and engineering partners to build a new manufacturing facility at its AWE Aldermaston site in Berkshire for its next generation ‘Astraea’ nuclear warhead.
• Forces News: A defence minister has admitted the backlog for dismantling and recycling more than 20 of the UK’s decommissioned submarines is a “challenge”. Defence Procurement Minister Maria Eagle told MPs the issue is “long-standing” and must be resolved. “Whilst honourable members should be in no doubt our submarine capabilities are the envy of the world, the vast majority of countries in the world, the disposal backlog is one of the challenges.”
• The Guardian: RAF bases are hotspots of ‘forever chemical’ groundwater pollution, MoD documents show. Sampling results show ‘extremely concerning’ concentrations of PFOS and PFOA at sites across UK.

• If you missed Wednesday’s webinar on US drone flights from RAF Fairford, you can watch back on YouTube here.

• Drumfermline Press: Dunfermline MP Graeme Downie calls for MoD commitment.One boat is being dismantled in Rosyth but there’s no commitment and no funding to deal with another 25 nuclear subs – with the total cost estimated to be around £300 million. That’s the concern of Dunfermline and Dollar MP Graeme Downie who said a pledge to break up the other vessels would “guarantee decades of work” at the dockyard. More than 200 people at Rosyth are already working on HMS Swiftsure, it is being cut up and her radioactive waste removed as part of a demonstrator project, and he said the site could become a “worldwide centre of excellence for submarine dismantling”.

Ukraine

•  Kyiv Post: Why did Russia use nuclear-capable missiles as decoys in latest attacks?

TPNW

• Mainichi Editorial: Japan PM Ishiba should join meeting on nuclear weapon abolition treaty.

Global Nukes

• Vox: The world has entered the third nuclear age. Nuclear guardrails are falling apart — and Donald Trump is about to retake the launch codes.

• The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: United States nuclear weapons, 2025.

• The Bulletin: Three nuclear policy challenges for the second Trump administration.
• The Bulletin: Risks of geologic disposal of weapons plutonium.
• European Leadership Network: In Russia’s perceived war with the west, arms control is collateral damage.

• Newsweek: China says ‘forced’ to acquire nuclear weapons as US sounds warning.

• Euronews: British nuclear project Sizewell C could be in jeopardy after EDF was asked by the French state auditor to reconsider committing to the power station – and instead focus more on domestic nuclear projects. At present, EDF is one of the main backers of Sizewell C, along with the UK government, with the latter holding a stake of over 80% in the project and EDF owning the rest. Construction on the newly proposed nuclear power plant in Suffolk began in January 2024. Currently, EDF is in the process of making a final investment decision regarding the project, which has the potential to increase its UK exposure. The company has also already invested in the Hinkley Point C nuclear project in Somerset.

• Nuclear Engineering International: The Financial Times reported that the updated estimate accounts for 2025 prices, rising construction expenses, and challenges faced during EDF’s Hinkley Point C project in Somerset. The Financial Times report cited a senior government official and two industry insiders who characterised the £40bn estimate as a reasonable projection.

•  Financial Times: Small nuclear reactors are coming, but big is still better. SMRs, typically built in factories, could cut construction times, financing costs and many other risks of building on site.

• The Times: Labour MPs are looking to a group endorsed by Dominic Cummings to help Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, in her push to grow the economy. Cummings, Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser, spoke at the launch of Looking for Growth, a campaign seeking to push through infrastructure projects by reducing planning hurdles. Tech experts behind the plan want red tape cut to build nuclear power stations,more power lines and data centres.

Iran

• Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association writes about the challenges of Iran’s nuclear programme in 2025. 
• The Telegraph: Israel accused of planting explosives inside Iran’s nuclear equipment. Vice president of the Islamic Republic blames international sanctions for leaving Iran vulnerable to Israeli sabotage.

NATO / Europe

• Politico: Rethink welfare to finance military splurge, NATO boss tells European Parliament.

• BBC: NATO has launched a new mission to increase the surveillance of ships in the Baltic Sea after critical undersea cables were damaged or severed last year. NATO chief Mark Rutte said the mission, dubbed “Baltic Sentry”, would involve more patrol aircraft, warships and drones.
• BBC: British Army vehicles shipped to Romania for NATO exercise.

AUKUS

• The Trump administration has given its approval for the AUKUS submarine pact.
• The Australian Strategic Policy Institute on how AUKUS can be a blueprint for future Allied military-industrial cooperation.

Best,

 

Pádraig McCarrick

 

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament