Dear all,

 

We’ve almost made it through January everyone. Happy Imbolc to all those who celebrate. Please find this week’s news digest below. As you’ll see, it’s been a busy week! Thank you all for your continued support and hope you all have a lovely weekend.

 

 

Doomsday Clock

• The Doomsday Clock now stands at 89 seconds to midnight after being pushed one second forward by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Science and Security Board. You can find CND’s response here, the Bulletin’s summary here, and some coverage from the Guardian, Al Jazeera, and BBC.
• Three anti-nuclear activists are interviewed about their thoughts on the Doomsday Clock.

UK

• Magnus Linklater calls for the SNP to rethink its anti-nuclear weapons policyin The Times. Why? Apparently, Scotland must keep Trident to help the people of Ukraine!

• Some PR experts think working for the Atomic Weapons Establishment will bring reputational risks for civil engineering firms.

• The NFLAs welcomed last week’s Parliamentary announcement by Energy Secretary Michael Shanks that Britain’s plutonium stockpile will be ‘put beyond reach’. 

• Some dog whistling and warnings about nuclear weapons from the former Home Secretary while on a visit to the US.
• The Wiltshire Times and Stroud News and Journal both covered the recent demo at RAF Fairford.
• Some coverage by the BBC and East Anglian Daily Times on CND’s call for clarity over US nuclear weapons deployments to RAF Lakenheath.

Global nukes

• The Financial Times has a detailed piece assessing the feasibility of Donald Trump’s plans to shoot nuclear weapons with space lasers. https://www.ft.com/content/62c01967-0100-46ee-9f4f-e9af467d7604?link_id=14&can_id=3728975d598a06…
• The Nation on how nuclear weapons is about protecting the bottom line, not keeping people safe.
• OpenAI partners with US National Laboratories on scientific research, nuclear weapons security. What could possibly go wrong?

Ukraine

• IAEA boss Rafael Grossi has expressed concern about the body’s inability to prevent a serious nuclear accident at Zaporizhzhia, noting regular explosions outside the plant in recent weeks.
• Kyiv Independent and Radio Liberty on Ukraine relinquishing Soviet era nuclear weapons.

NATO

•  This former Royal Navy officer outlines why he thinks NATO is unable to defeat Russia in a conflict and suggests that an honest conversation is had about the future of the alliance, asking two questions: How do we return to the sustainable peace in Europe that all sides to the conflict seek? Is NATO the primary obstacle to this sustainable peace?

Gaza

• Salisbury CND’s vigils for Gaza makes the local press, with their most recent event expressing hope for peace and the continuation of the ceasefire.

Iran

•  Pro-Israeli think tank, the Washington Institute, has a piece on how the Trump administration should deal with Iran and its nuclear programme.

• Foreign Affairs on concerns that Trump’s maximum pressure on Iran will push it towards closer nuclear ties with Russia.  

Fusion

• Reuters has published photos of a new nuclear fusion research facility in China - the largest of its kind. In addition to nuclear energy, the report also mentions the potential implications for nuclear weapons development.

UK nuclear power

• Somerset Live on the response to an article from Keir Starmer – which dismissed concerns that Hinkley Point C will kill millions of tonnes of fish unless it puts in an acoustic fish deterrent system. The PM used the legal action against EDF as an example of the obstructionist NIMBYISM his government hopes to overcome in order to get infrastructure projects built. More coverage from The Guardian and Bridgwater Mercury.

Best,

 

Pádraig McCarrick

 

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament