CND Press Roundup Wednesday 11th January 2023

War in Ukraine / NATO

• Russia’s state news agency TASS reports that the Belgorod nuclear submarine has completed a series of tests on the Poseidon torpedo.

Nuclear Proliferation

• The American Bar Association has an article looking at the state of global nuclear weapons proliferation and the hope for tighter nuclear rules through the NPT and TPNW.

Terrorism

• The Met’s counter-terrorism team is investigating a UK Border Force discovery of uranium which arrived on a passenger flight from Oman on 29 December. The Home Office believes it doesn’t pose any threat to the public.

Taiwan

• Wargaming undertaken by the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies found that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would fail – but at great cost to the US military. The Guardian notes: “Chinese missiles would probably destroy US airbases in Japan and as far as Guam, and sink two US aircraft carriers and between 10 and 20 destroyers and cruisers as the invasion opened. But the Chinese invading force itself would be destroyed before it ever occupied any significant part of Taiwan and ultimately it would be prevented from its goal of capturing the island’s capital Taipei, according to most scenarios tested.”

Militarisation of Space

• Press TV carry CND’s comments on Monday’s space launch from Cornwall.

• It’s also worth resharing this 2021 article from Declassified on the launches and their military applications.

UK Nuclear Energy

• Eco-billionaire Dale Vance has told GB News that the government is wasting its money backing nuclear projects like Sizewell C. He told the station: “It (nuclear energy) is much more expensive. It eats tens of billions of more public money than renewables have. And we will do it for a very long time because we have to actually deal with the radioactive waste as well. I think that what we have, we should keep and we should use it as we transition into 100% green energy. We shouldn’t be building Sizewell.”

• Rolls Royce has announced its frustration at the UK government’s delayed funding decision on a fleet of small modular reactors.

• Anti-nuclear campaigners in Scotland have hit back at claims that Caithness could drive a “green energy” revolution thanks to the presence of the former nuclear plant. Highlands Against Nuclear Transport (HANT) and the Scottish Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) said that pro-nuclear councillor Andrew Jarvie was “completely mistaken” in his assertion that nuclear is the “most reliable and cheapest” source of energy. Jarvie had previously called for the SNP and Greens to drop their opposition to nuclear.

Nuclear Energy

• Sweden is prepping new legislation to allow the construction of new nuclear plants.

• Japan and the US signed a bilateral agreement on Monday to collaborate on developing a new generation of nuclear reactors.

• The Bulletin looks at the developments in small modular reactors and a run down of the promises and doubts the technology brings.

Nuclear Korea

• A survey conducted in South Korea last November found that almost 7 in 10 South Koreans in their 20s believe Seoul should have its own nuclear weapons – with 39 percent citing the North Korean nuclear threat as the reason for wanting them.

• The Epoch Times has some commentary on the discussion within South Korea on nuclear weapons.

• Meanwhile, Seoul will run tabletop drills with the US in February with the focus on how to counter a North Korean nuclear threat.

CND

• The Telegraph runs an obituary of former Labour MP Alice Mahon, noting her active membership in CND and the Stop the War Coalition.