The whole planet is being kept hostage by a death cult
And were we about to enter this particular dangerous territory, Iran can play the ultimate card: shut down the Strait of Hormuz and collapse the global economy.
Pepe Escobar, June 13, 2025, https://strategic-culture.su/news/2025/06/13/the-whole-planet-is-being-kept-hostage-by-a-death-cult/
It’s no wonder Washington is all in. This is now the Circus Ringmaster War.
Let’s cut to the chase. The devastating attack on Iran by the psychopathological genocidal “chosen” ethno-supremacist set up in Tel Aviv – a de facto declaration of war – was coordinated in detail with the President of the United States, Circus Ringmaster Donald Trump.
This infantilism-afflicted Narcissus Drowned in the Pool of his Own Image gave away the game, himself, in a rambling post. Selected highlights:
“I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal”. No “deal”; actually his unilateral demands. After all, he torpedoed the original deal, the JCPOA, because it was not his “deal”.
“I told them it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told.” The decision to strike had already been made.
“Certain Iranian hardliners spoke bravely, but (…) they are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse!” Gloating comes with the territory.
“The next already planned attacks being even more brutal.” Total alignment with the trademark Israeli “decapitation” strategy.
“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire”. It was Persian (italics mine) Empire – but after all this is a man who doesn’t read, or study. Notice the Art of Diplomacy: Take my deal, or drop dead.
This – incandescent – decade was launched by an assassination, of Gen. Soleimani in Baghdad, as I emphasized in my 2021 book Raging Twenties. He was on a diplomatic mission. The green light personally came from then President of the United States, Donald Trump.
The mid-Raging Twenties is now hurled to the brink of a devastating war in West Asia, with global repercussions, by the serial assassination of the IRGC leadership, in Tehran, by the psycho-genocidal Zionist entity. After an elaborate kabuki of deception, the green light to Tel Aviv – go ahead and do it – also came from the President of the United States, Trump 2.0 (who claimed he was “aware’’ of the attacks).
A pre-emptive war against the BRICS
The psycho-pathological genocidal masterplan is to force Tehran to capitulate – without even putting up a fight. The preamble kabuki was masterfully executed. The indirect nuclear negotiations in Oman were taken seriously in Tehran, lulling the Iranian leadership, civilian and military, to sleep. They fell into the trap and were caught, literally, in their sleep.
Ayatollah Khamenei – who himself is in physical danger, as Israel is applying the same decapitation model it unleashed on Hezbollah – has a very tough decision to make: capitulation or total war. It will be total war – and with the U.S. as a direct participant.
The Iranian leadership – actually more the Pezeshkian presidency, crammed with proponents of an “accommodation” with the West – was induced into a false sense of security, forgetting that serial killers don’t do diplomacy.
So the price to pay now, for Iran, will be even more unbearable. Tehran will respond – assuming capabilities are still in place. In this case its oil industry runs the risk of being destroyed. It’s an open question whether two other top BRICS members alongside Iran – Russia and China -, for different reasons, will allow that to happen.
And were we about to enter this particular dangerous territory, Iran can play the ultimate card: shut down the Strait of Hormuz and collapse the global economy.
The attack on Iran, fully endorsed by the Empire of Chaos, is above all a pre-emptive attack on the BRICS energy core. It’s part and parcel of the imperial war against BRICS, especially Russia-China. Moscow and Beijing must be drawing the necessary conclusions in real time.
Iran, China and Russia are linked by interlocked strategic partnerships. Last month, I was in Iran tracking the progress of the International North South Transportation Corridor (INSTC), which links Russia, Iran and India. This is only one among a series of key strategic infrastructure projects that will solidify even more Eurasian economic connectivity. A devastating war in West Asia, and a collapsing Iran, will represent a killer blow to increased Eurasia integration.
That’s exactly what suits the Empire’s designs.
So it’s no wonder Washington is all in. This is now the Circus Ringmaster War.
A devastating response; a nuclear weapon; or capitulation
Tehran’s message is, “We did not start the war, but Iran will determine how it ends.”
The burning question is whether they still retain a significant deterrent – and offensive – capacity.
The genocidals are hitting ballistic missile storage systems at will in Iran’s northwest and even civilian Mehrabad airport in Tehran. Air defenses are nowhere to be seen. It’s immensely painful to watch.
IDF spin – nothing verified so far – claims that some missile silos and mobile complexes were destroyed even before they were placed on combat alert. Yet the fact is that the overwhelming majority of Iran’s vast arsenal of ballistic missiles is stored in deep, deep underground silos and tunnels, capable of withstanding massive air strikes and overloaded air defenses.
For the moment, Tehran is eerily silent. That makes sense, because they need, in record time, to re-establish a unified chain of command which was smashed by the attacks; make sure that missile launchers can be deployed and not be neutralized by Israeli air supremacy; reorganize the True Promise 3 operation, which was ready to go, as some of us learned in Tehran last month, but now adapted to the new situation (losses included); and plan how to deliver painful blows to Israel’s economic infrastructure.
There is no evidence that the attacks destroyed Iran’s nuclear infrastructure – which is buried deep underground. As it stands, the leadership in Tehran is learning the hard way that diplomacy – committees, letters to the UN, statements to the IAEA, ministerial meetings – all that is eviscerated when it comes to the law of the jungle.
Iranians were naïve enough to let the IAEA visit their strategic sites, when proverbial spies collected all the info they needed to facilitate Israeli strikes. The DPRK would have never fall into such a trap.
The elimination of a top figure such as Ali Shamkhani, Khamenei’s key advisor, Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator, with decades of influence across the IRGC and intelligence apparatus, is a serious blow.
Systematically erasing Iran’s military and diplomatic leadership in a matter of hours fits the rationale of smashing Khamenei’s close circle. That has started long ago with the Trump-ordered killing of Soleimani and certainly includes the mysterious death of former President Raisi and FM Abdollahian in that dodgy helicopter “accident”. It’s all about creating the conditions for regime change.
On a rare auspicious note, the IRGC let it be known, before the attacks, that they have been developing a secret technology to intensify the impact of its missiles on Israel.
We are all riders on the storm now. Once again, there’s no way out: either a devastating blow to the psycho genocidals, or Iran assembles a nuclear weapon in no time. The third option is capitulation, emasculation, and regime change.
Meanwhile, the whole planet is hostage to a lethal threat. Andrea Zhok is professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Milan, and apart from his brilliant analyses, he wrote the preface of the Italian edition of my book Raging Twenties, published last year.
Prof. Zhok has succinctly pointed out how no political construction in modern history has amassed a toxic combination of messianic ethnic supremacism; supreme disregard for human life (everyone else, not “chosen”, is “amalek” anyway); supreme disregard for international law; and unlimited access to lethal firepower.
So what is to be done with such a voracious, out of control death cult?
Israel Launches ‘Operation Rising Lion’ To Strike Iran’s Nuclear Program, Netanyahu Vows To Eliminate Threat
Dozens of Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets executed the first stage of the operation, striking multiple military and nuclear sites across various regions of Iran, stated IDF on Friday. Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz has declared an emergency situation across the country due to Israel’s action in Iran.
By : news24desk, Edited By : Vaidika Thapa Jun 13, 2025 https://news24online.com/world/israel-launches-operation-rising-lion-to-strike-irans-nuclear-program-netanyahu-vows-to-eliminate-threat/584738/
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have launched a preemptive and precise combined offensive targeting Iran’s nuclear program. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, confirmed the launch of ‘Operation Rising Lion’, a targeted military offensive to roll back the Iranian threat. PM Netanyahu stated that operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.
In a video statement, Netanyahu said, “Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.”
Dozens of Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets executed the first stage of the operation, striking multiple military and nuclear sites across various regions of Iran, stated IDF on Friday. Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz has declared an emergency situation across the country due to Israel’s action in Iran.
“Following the State of Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future,” stated Kataz as reported by The Times of Israel.
In its statement, the IDF emphasised the existential threat posed by Iran’s progress towards acquiring nuclear weapons. “Today, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon. Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Iranian regime threaten the State of Israel and the wider world,” the statement read.
The Israeli government asserted it has no choice but to defend its citizens and will continue to take necessary actions whenever required. “The State of Israel remains committed to fulfilling its obligation to protect its people, just as it has done in the past,” the statement further read.
Hidden Costs: Nuclear Weapons Spending in 2024.
The report profiles the companies heavily involved in the nuclear weapons industry and shows how in 2024, they earned more than $42 billion for their nuclear weapons activities. Many of these companies also invested in lobbying, and the report shows they spent $128 million on those efforts in the US and France, the two countries for which data is available.
More than $100 billion was spent by the nine nuclear-armed countries on their nuclear arsenals last year, as ICAN shows in “Hidden Costs: Nuclear Weapons Spending in 2024” released today.
The United States once again topped the charts as the biggest spender, at almost $57 billion dollars alone. China spent $12 billion, and the UK spent $10 billion last year. Every country with nuclear weapons is increasing how much they spend on their arsenals, and the report shows 11% growth across the board.
For the first time, ICAN also examined the hidden costs required to host nuclear weapons for other countries. With the US deploying nuclear weapons to Belgium, Germany, Italy, Türkiye and the Netherlands and the nuclear sharing agreement between Russia and Belarus- the financial cost to the citizens in those countries is largely kept hidden from citizens and legislators, avoiding democratic scrutiny.
Nuclear-armed Israel’s attack today on Iran’s nuclear facilities underlines the urgency of eliminating nuclear weapons and the need for all nuclear-armed states to disarm. The resources devoted to nuclear weapons must be redirected to funding activities that improve real human security and promote peace and sustainability.
The report profiles the companies heavily involved in the nuclear weapons industry and shows how in 2024, they earned more than $42 billion for their nuclear weapons activities. Many of these companies also invested in lobbying, and the report shows they spent $128 million on those efforts in the US and France, the two countries for which data is available.
Over the past five years, global spending on nuclear weapons has gone from $68 billion to $100 billion. Money that could have been used to fund measures to address the threats posed to our security by climate change and the loss of animal and plant species, or to provide funding for improving essential public goods, such as healthcare, housing and education. If these countries really cared about a secure future, they could have paid for almost 28 years of the UN budget for what they spent on nuclear weapons in 2024 alone.
Information is power. Countries that have nuclear weapons use those weapons to justify keeping secrets – from the public, from parliaments, from the world. Less information means less democratic oversight. Nuclear weapons take away democracy, but they cannot take away our power.
European Commission assesses nuclear investment needs of around €241 billion by 2050
Delivering Member States’ plans regarding nuclear energy will require significant investments, of around €241 billion until 2050, both for lifetime extensions of existing reactors and the construction of new large-scale reactors. Additional investments are needed for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) and microreactors and in fusion for the longer-term future, the Commission has assessed in its eighth nuclear illustrative programme (‘PINC’).
Staring Down The Barrel Of War With Iran Once Again
Caitlin Johnstone, Jun 12, 2025, https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/staring-down-the-barrel-of-war-with?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=82124&post_id=165756570&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1ise1&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
Well it looks like the US is on the precipice of war with Iran again.
US officials are telling the press that they anticipate a potential impending Israeli attack on Iran while the family members of US military personnel are being assisted with evacuation from bases in the region.
This comes as Tehran issues a warning that it will strike all US military bases within range of its missiles if it comes under attack. There are reportedly some 50,000 US troops in 10 bases which could come under fire should this occur.
The US is also evacuating its embassy in Iraq, and has authorized the departure of non-essential personnel from its embassies in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Asked by the press about the evacuations, President Trump said, “They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens. We’ve given notice to move out.”
Trump is openly declaring a willingness to strike Iran if nuclear negotiations fall through, while saying he is now “much less confident” that any deal will be made.
“If they don’t make a deal, they’re not gonna have a nuclear weapon; if they do make a deal they’re not gonna have a nuclear weapon too,” the president said in an interview published on Wednesday, adding that “it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying.”
If the US backs an Israeli attack on Iran and then Iran retaliates by killing a bunch of US military personnel, we could be looking at a full-scale direct war between the US and Iran.
As I’ve said in this space many times before, this would be the absolute worst-case nightmare scenario for the middle east, unleashing horrors that dwarf all the other terrible abuses currently happening in the region. As Trump’s now-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in 2019 (back when she publicly opposed Trump’s warmongering), “What is important that the American people know is a war with Iran would make the war in Iraq look like a cakewalk.”
It’s so stupid that this keeps happening. This could all be avoided by the US simply ceasing to support the genocidal apartheid state of Israel no matter what it does. The fact that Washington has continued to pour weapons into Israel despite all its warmongering and genocide since 2023 means the US supports everything that Israel has been doing.
If a war with Iran does occur, you will doubtless hear western pundits and politicians trying to spin this as America getting “drawn into” another war in the middle east, or Trump being tricked or manipulated into war. But make no mistake: the US could have turned away from this path at any time, and still can.
If this Pandora’s box is opened, it will be because the US empire knowingly chose to open it.
SPECIAL BULLETIN: Israel Launches Major Strikes on Iran
Simplicius, Jun 13, 2025
The Israeli rogue state added another of its neighbors to the long list of regional nations it is currently bombing. From Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, international waters, and now Iran—Israel now bombs them all with impunity while crying out about its own ‘security’.
The attacks are reportedly just the first stage of a long wave of aggression that will span days or weeks according to announcements from top officials:
NETANYAHU: WE ARE AT A DECISIVE MOMENT IN ISRAEL’S HISTORY NETANYAHU: ATTACKING IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, BALLISTIC MISSILES *NETANYAHU: STRIKES WILL LAST UNTIL THREAT REMOVED
A statement from IDF Spokesperson BG Effie Defrin on the preemptive Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear targets
Hebrew sources: Air force attacks on Iran are divided into three main missions:
The nuclear project
Destruction of missile launch platforms
Elimination of senior regime officialsIsraeli news:
Israeli Channel 14 citing an Israeli official: “We have a long and broad offensive plan for the days ahead – complex days lie ahead. The Iranians will respond, if the public is disciplined, there will be few casualties. We are at war.“
Reportedly, the White House stated earlier that the US would not be involved in any unilateral Israeli actions, and as soon as the strikes began Rubio made sure to distance the US in an official statement:
Netanyahu again invoked the Iranian nuclear weapons red herring used so many times before, it has now turned into a parodic litany, recorded below [on original]
………………………….. It .. does not surprise me that Israeli officials are now characterizing the beginning of this war as a critical juncture in the history of Israel. Netanyahu called it the ‘decisive moment in Israeli history’ while Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly announced:
Defense Minister Israel Katz to the IDF General Staff before the attack on Iran: This is a defining moment in the history of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
Israel duly is at a crossroads, which I have described before: the country is in a downward spiral and has only one remaining chance to seize history to secure its survival. Why? The reasons are almost too long to list in this one brief article alone, but they include demographics, as well as the decline of Zionism and rise of “noticing” in the West which means in a generation or two, support for Israel may dwindle to the point where it will be engulfed by regional enemies.
The other major reason: nascent technologies have created parity between Israel and its foes, where groups like Hamas and Hezbollah can use cheap but highly technologically effective weapons to deal accurate, disabling damage to Israel’s most critical and sensitive infrastructure. The same goes for Iran: the country has come of age and mastered rocketry and newfangled drone warfare to the point where the numbers simply do not work in Israel’s favor in any future war.
Israel once had the backing of the world’s most dominant ‘superpower’ alliance of Western nations, now the tides of history have simply shifted against Israel’s favor.
Now there are reports Iran may “declare war” on Israel. I remain skeptical for the following reason: Iran has no true overriding capability to fully ‘submit’ Israel into a state of debellatio. Israel has the nukes, and presumably, Iran as of yet does not. No amount of conventional missiles could make Israel simply surrender, and as such a declaration of war has no real meaning. Neither do the two countries share a border so it’s not like Iranian troops can somehow flood Israel to capture its capital.
Any overwhelming attack that could critically wound Israel may provoke an Israeli nuclear response—further proving Iran does not have the escalatory advantage or trump card. That is like Ukraine “declaring war” on Russia—what possible meaning would that have? Ukraine does not have the escalatory dominance to ever ‘submit’ Russia in any way, and the only objective of true ‘war’ is just that—total victory and the subjugation of the adversary. Thus, I see no logical way war can be declared, unless Iran did finally secretly hatch that bomb and is ready to use it. The only other possibility is for PR reasons to satisfy the demands of the angry populace, before declaring victory after some arbitrary objectives have been carried out via a series of strikes, and calling it a day.
For the record, here was Supreme Leader Khamenei’s reported address:
“At dawn today, the Zionist regime extended its vile and blood-stained hand to commit a crime in our beloved country, further exposing its wicked nature by targeting residential areas. The regime must now await severe punishment. The powerful hand of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic will not let them go unpunished, God willing. In the enemy’s attacks, a number of commanders and scientists were martyred. Their successors and colleagues will immediately carry on their duties, God willing. With this crime, the Zionist regime has prepared a bitter and painful fate for itself—and it will certainly receive it.”
Because many will and have already asked, one last note: the first wave of Israeli attacks obviously had some observable and verifiable success, particularly with the decapitations of top leadership already confirmed by official Iranian agencies. Strikes on nuclear processing infrastructure will take longer to validate. This raises questions of Iran’s preparedness—how could top leaders be so unprepared whilst knowing that Israel was ready to stage major attacks any day now?
That is certainly a valid criticism. But when it comes to Iran’s vaunted air defenses, which will doubtlessly face criticism, all I can say is that recent wars of the modern-technological age have shown no country on earth is capable of fully defending against modern weapons like ballistic missiles. How many of Iran’s or the Houthi’s missiles had Israel shot down in previous strikes? Nearly none, if I recall correctly. How often have the US Patriots famously failed to down anything, including over US bases where Iranian strikes gave hundreds of US troops “brain damage”, and how often do Ukrainian drones and missiles bypass Russian defenses? No one has an impervious defense, though judging by recent strikes on Moscow, the closest any country in the world has come to that distinction is Russia.
And for the record, tonight we see reports of Israeli ALBM booster stages “spread out through various Iraqi provinces” which again appears to prove Israel launched its ordnance well clear of Iranian airspace, likely the Air LORA missiles as in the previous strikes:
Though there were various ‘rumors’ of jets flying over Tehran but it appears in every case to have been Iranian jets scrambled at the time of strikes not only to avoid being hit on airfields but possibly for air defense missions as well.
Lastly, many expected Iran to have already prepared an instantaneous response: the immediate launch of hundreds of missiles upon Israel’s very first salvo. The reality is that Iran has never functioned this way: it waits and assesses the situation before carefully curating a large-scale operation like the long-awaited True Promise 3.0. Why is that the case? One oft-cited and rationally sound explanation is the following: [on original]
Logic would dictate if they had chosen the latter option, they would have already prepared an instantaneous volley to hit Israel at its point of lowest readiness. Waiting days to respond telegraphs your actions and gives the enemy time to prepare, which logically implies a ‘show’ strike. But nothing is for certain in this game of war, so we’ll have to wait and see. https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/special-bulletin-israel-launches?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1351274&post_id=165832167&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=false&r=c9zhh&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
Group of Australian MP’s Call for AUKUS Inquiry
Crossbench MPs from the House of Representatives and Senate have written to Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, calling for an urgent parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS.
In April, the UK Parliament’s Defence Committee announced an inquiry into the AUKUS arrangements, and this week the US defence department announced they were undertaking a rapid review of AUKUS.
AUKUS represents Australia’s largest defence investment in decades and is central to our defence and foreign affairs strategy.
Australians are concerned to know more about the strategic and financial implications of this policy which has been jointly adopted by major party governments without significant parliamentary scrutiny.
A full and formal parliamentary inquiry is therefore both important and timely.
Quotes from letter to Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles
Allegra Spender, Independent MP for Wentworth
AUKUS is the centrepiece of our defence and foreign policy strategy, but it’s been adopted by the major parties with very poor public engagement. AUKUS will shape Australia’s future for decades with enormous implications both financially, economically, and strategically, but in discussions at the community level, there are consistent questions and concerns that have not been addressed. AUKUS won’t work without wider community interrogation and engagement, and a parliamentary inquiry is the first step to building that.
We also need a more open discussion of the challenges facing AUKUS. Most urgently, the US Navy is currently short of attack submarines and there is a very clear risk that the US President at the time will not be able to certify that the Virginia class submarines can be transferred to Australia without undermining US Navy capability: a requirement of the current enabling legislation. We must publicly face those risks and actively manage them including identifying viable alternatives.
Helen Haines, Independent MP for Indi
In light of the reviews of AUKUS by our two partner nations and the consequential nature of the agreement, it important for our Parliament to apply the same level of scrutiny.
Andrew Wilkie, Independent MP for Clark
More than ever an Australian Inquiry into AUKUS is needed, and President Trump’s caution about the deal gives Australia a great chance to reset. Nuclear subs were always the wrong technology for Australia’s future submarine needs given the shallow littoral and offshore waters in our region, not to mention the ridiculous cost and impractical timeframe.
Nicolette Boele, Independent MP for Bradfield
Any time Parliament commits to spend $368 billion, we should at least have a full parliamentary inquiry. The case for an inquiry on AUKUS is even stronger given the rules of global co-operation have dramatically changed since it was signed.
AUKUS now risks our defence — because we don’t know if these submarines will ever arrive. It risks our budget — because we may waste $368 billion in taxpayer’s money. And it risks our Australian values, which we do not import from the United States.
Sophie Scamps, Independent MP for Mackellar
Circumstances have changed significantly since the AUKUS deal was first announced and it’s only reasonable it be reviewed in the current context.
This is the largest investment in our defence capability in decades, other parties are conducting their own reviews, and the Australian community largely supports a parliamentary inquiry – it’s high time the Government responds.
Senator Jacqui Lambie
We’ve poured billions into AUKUS with nothing to show for it but broken promises and cancelled defence programs. It’s a $368 billion blank cheque to the US and UK with zero guarantee of real capability for decades.
Australians deserve better and it’s time for a full parliamentary inquiry into this dud deal.
Senator David Pocock
With the UK and now the US reviewing AUKUS, Australia is now the only country not actively considering whether the agreement in its current form best serves our national interest. Given the scale and cost of this deal, a transparent review is not just sensible, it’s overdue.
Kate Chaney, Independent MP for Curtin
AUKUS is a monumental strategic commitment with far-reaching implications for our economy, sovereignty, and security posture, yet it continues to unfold with minimal public transparency and virtually no parliamentary accountability. Australians want to understand whether this is the best use of our resources and the right path for our security.
Survey Results Show Tremendous Dissatisfaction with Nuclear Waste Project and Proponent.
We the Nuclear Free North 12 June 25
| Dryden – A not-for-profit organization that tracks a nuclear waste burial project proposed for northwestern Ontario has released the results of a recent survey gauging public attitudes towards the Nuclear Waste Management Organization and its project. We the Nuclear Free North‘s survey results show an overwhelmingly negative response to the NWMO’s project and communications. |
An invitation to complete the survey was distributed by email and through social media on a wide variety of sites. Over 300 responses were received in the ten-day survey period. Just under 60% of respondents were from northern Ontario (northwestern and northeastern), 36% were from the rest of Canada, and the remainder international or unknown. Respondents include nuclear industry employees, Indigenous people, residents of Ignace and members of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation, and residents from across northern Ontario and across Canada.
Overwhelmingly, respondents expressed a negative view of NWMO operations:
- 94% were not confident that the NWMO’s safety culture would keep Canadians safe.
- A very large majority found that NWMO communications were not transparent or honest.
- 93% were not confident in the NWMO’s ability to implement the safe, long-term management of nuclear fuel waste.
- 94% were not confident that NWMO’s work aligned with Reconciliation or Indigenous Knowledge.
- 96% were not comfortable with the nuclear industry being in charge of the NWMO
- 92% did not believe that the siting process was fair or gained the necessary consent
Every year the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) releases their annual report and a five year “implementation plan” which – according to the NWMO – sets out what the nuclear waste corporation will be doing over the coming years. The NWMO also invites feedback through a survey. WTNFN has heard from many that they are reluctant to provide the NWMO with their personal information, and they are uncertain how the NWMO will use their responses. Providing an alternative means for Canadians to express their views motivated the deployment of an alternate survey.
“We think it’s important to hear the views and responses of Canadians to the NWMO’s plans and proposal to transport, process, bury and then abandon the high-level nuclear fuel waste from all Canadian reactors at the NWMO’s selected site in the heart of Treaty #3 territory in northwestern Ontario”, explained Brennain Lloyd, project coordinator with Northwatch and a volunteer with We the Nuclear Free North.
Lloyd explained that potential respondents were invited to take five minutes and complete the simple survey, with the assurance that their personal information would be used only to verify responses and would not be shared with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization or government, or any other parties.
The results of the survey have been reported by We the Nuclear Free North to the federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, along with a letter summarizing key messages from the survey results and providing backgrounders on the NWMO project, site selection and public and Indigenous opposition. A copy of the survey report has also been provided to the NWMO.
In writing to the federal Ministers, the group also conveyed that throughout the NWMO’s lengthy siting processes there have been many expressions of opposition to and rejection of the NWMO’s siting process and their project.
“These expressions have come in many forms, including resolutions passed by Grand Council Treaty #3 just weeks before the NWMO announced the selection of the Revell site – in the heart of Treaty #3 territory – in November 2024. More recently, Eagle Lake First Nation has initiated legal action against the NWMO’s site selection. Earlier resolutions have been passed by Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Anishnabek Nation, and many First Nations and municipalities” commented Wendy O’Connor, a volunteer with Nuclear Free Thunder Bay and We the Nuclear Free North.
The group has requested to meet with the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and will be seeking meetings with Members of Parliament who represent northeastern and northwestern Ontario ridings throughout the summer break.
‘TO THE POINT OF UNINHABITABILITY’
Israel’s war to destroy Hamas has destroyed Gaza itself
Seymour Hersh, Jun 14, 2025
A few weeks ago the media office of the Gaza government issued a statement declaring that the Israeli Defense Forces now control over 77 percent of the territory in the Gaza Strip, much of it in ruins from the continuing Israeli Air Force attacks on suspected Hamas sites. Many of the known Hamas leadership at the time of its October 7, 2023, surprise attack on Israel have been killed or have fled Gaza. But the organization has survived and now there are as many as 20,000 Hamas members. Young recruits today try to control the delivery of relief food and other goods to Gaza along with the black market that dominates what is left of its economy.
Israel has not won its war against Hamas—a war that at one time was promised to be ended within a span of four or five months. The Israeli leadership responded to that failure by taking the war to the people of Gaza, though Israelis were assured that the terrifying and around-the-clock Israeli air force bombing attacks in Gaza would stop when Hamas was driven from its fortified tunnels………………………(Subscribers only) https://seymourhersh.substack.com/p/to-the-point-of-uninhabitability?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1377040&post_id=165876879&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=ln98x&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
When did nuclear power become “clean”?
A lunge towards nuclear is the worst possible path for a world aspiring towards “clean” energy. It poses a major security risk too.
Gerald Warner, Former special adviser to the Scottish Secretary, 13June, 2025
When, exactly, did nuclear power become “clean” energy? Even in our post-truth society, it remains mind-boggling that the most dangerous and enduringly toxic technology known to man should have been repackaged and presented as “green”, “safe” and “clean”. This imposture puts Orwell’s “War is peace, freedom is slavery” very much in the shade.
Rachel Reeves’s statement on Wednesday included £14bn of funding for the construction of the new Sizewell C nuclear plant, as well as the announcement that three small modular reactors (SMRs) would be built by Rolls Royce. While this reflects government awareness of the inadequacy of “renewables” for energy supply, this lunge towards nuclear is the worst possible path we could have taken. A world aspiring to clean energy should be phasing out nuclear power, not expanding it………… (subscribers only) https://www.reaction.life/p/when-did-nuclear-power-become-clean
Scotland to prioritise renewable energy over nuclear power
The Scottish government will focus on renewable energy not nuclear power,
a government minister has said following confirmation of significant
funding for nuclear power plants in England. Scotland has an effective ban
on new nuclear facilities because the SNP has a long-standing commitment to
block projects through devolved planning powers. Acting Energy Secretary
Gillian Martin told BBC Scotland News they would “capitalise on renewable
energy capacity” rather than “expensive new nuclear”. Scottish Secretary
Ian Murray said a Scottish Labour government in Holyrood would reverse the
SNP’s block on nuclear power stations being built.
BBC 10th June 2025,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgr82vqdvzo
Ed Miliband presses the nuclear button for Berkeley
Rolls-Royce SMR has been given the full go-ahead to build up to SIX mini
nuclear reactors on the edge of Gloucestershire. The small modular designs,
which embrace a miniaturisation approach to nuclear technology that is yet
to be fully developed, are planned to be at Oldbury-on-Severn, near
Thornbury, while key support on training and safety services, as broadly
predicted, will be installed in Berkeley, at the town’s former Severnside
Magnox site.
Ian Mean, former director for Business West in Gloucestershire
and now on the board of the Gloucestershire County Council Economic Growth
Board, said Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ and Ed Miliband’s final confirmation
was “tremendous news for the Gloucestershire economy”. He said: “I believe
that these mini reactors – as many as six of them here in Gloucestershire
and South Gloucestershire – have the potential to provide thousands of
skilled jobs and the opportunity of millions of pounds flowing into our
regional economy. “Berkeley and Oldbury – the two former decommissioned
nuclear sites at Oldbury and Berkeley Green now hold the key to becoming a
major nuclear hub.”
But any resurrection of the technology in SMR format
has been condemned by Gloucestershire energy entrepreneur Dale Vince, who
owns Stroud-based Ecotricity. Speaking on the Zerocarbonista podcast before
today’s confirmation, Mr Vince said: “When you come to small nukes, the
government and the nuclear industry have consistently said that we will get
lower bills, but they don’t put a number on it. They are ecomonists without
numbers! “Big nuclear is the most expensive electricity we have ever made,
it’s off the charts compared to renewable energy and one of the fundamental
laws of physics is that the economies of scale come by making something
bigger, not by making something smaller – it always costs money to
miniaturise.
So here they are, saying we can miniaturise nuclear reactors
that famously went decades late and billions over budget… and they’ll be
cheap. I don’t believe that for a second and what we are of course doing is
proliferating the risk.” He added: “It’s always worth imagining what it
would be like if the Romans had nuclear power. If they did, Bath would be a
toxic no-go zone. It’s only 2,000 years ago and sounds like a long time,
but not in the context of toxic nuclear waste.”
Punchline Gloucester 10th June 2025,
https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/articles/aanews/miliband-presses-the-nuclear-button-for-berke
Great British Energy’s budget has been nuked
Nils Pratley 12 June 25,
https://www.theguardian.com/business/nils-pratley-on-finance/2025/jun/11/great-british-energys-budget-has-been-nuked
Ed Miliband’s vehicle for investing in renewables lost 30% of its pot to small modular nuclear reactors in the spending review
GB Energy’s promised £8.3bn budget raided to pay for small nuclear reactors
There was a weirdness in the government’s welcome announcement this week that Rolls-Royce SMR had been selected as preferred bidder to build the UK’s first small modular nuclear reactors, and that £2.5bn of public money would be thrown behind the project. The government body backing the project was something called Great British Energy – Nuclear.
This, it turned out, was the new name for Great British Nuclear, the unit set up in 2023 by the last government to oversee delivery of the nuclear programme. But why risk confusion with Great British Energy, Ed Miliband’s publicly owned company for investing, we thought, in renewables projects such as wind, solar and hydro with a side-mission to ensure that lots of the kit is manufactured in the UK?
The confusion, it seems, was deliberate. The chancellor’s spending review revealed that every penny of the £2.5bn for SMRs is coming from GB Energy’s £8.3bn budget. That is 30% of the pot to SMRs in one gulp.
One could argue, as Labour folk did, that nuclear and renewables are all part of the same low-carbon clean energy mix, so they go hand in hand and were always intended to do so. It’s true that past descriptions of GB Energy’s role have sometimes mentioned nuclear, but never as the headline act. It was never spelled out, for example, that the entirety of public support for SMRs would come from GB Energy’s budget, which would be a relevant fact to mention if you were worried that the Tories had set up Great British Nuclear but not given it funding. It rather looks as if GB Energy’s budget has been nuked by the Treasury.
“Labour will capitalise Great British Energy with £8.3bn over the next parliament,” said the manifesto and, strictly speaking, that pledge is still being honoured. It’s just that GB Energy will be directing almost a third of its allocation to the nuclear body that we had previously regarded as a separate unit.
But it does make GB Energy a strange beast if it is now the main government vehicle for investing in SMRs, a cutting-edge technology that tends to involve permanently big numbers and follow-on rounds of funding. GB Energy’s initial adventures, note, have been low-key and local – funding for installing solar panels on schools and hospitals, for example. Worthy stuff, but a million miles away from the development of next-generation nuclear technology.
GB Energy will be expanding into new and exciting areas later this year, say Labour insiders. We’ll see what that brings. The company’s core mission seems to be a work in progress.
Cost of Miliband’s nuclear plant doubles to more than £40bn
Price tag for Sizewell C project soars as ministers pursue funding deal with private investors
and the French government.
Matt Oliver Industry Editor. Szu Ping Chan Economics Editor. Jonathan Leake, Telegraph 11th June 2025,
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/06/11/cost-of-milibands-nuclear-plant-doubles-to-more-than-40bn/
An official cost estimate for the scheme in
Suffolk, which would generate enough electricity for 6m homes, was
previously put at £20bn. But that has grown to £30bn at constant prices
– or £41bn in today’s money – with the Government set to shoulder at
least half of the upfront cost, according to industry and Whitehall
sources.
The entire scheme will ultimately be paid for by households and
businesses via their electricity bills, including through levies that will
begin during construction. The power plant’s rising price tag will
trigger concerns about future increases as Hinkley Point C, a nuclear
development in Somerset, has repeatedly overrun budgets and timescales.
GB Energy’s promised £8.3bn budget raided to pay for small nuclear reactors
Rachel Reeves has effectively cut £2.5bn from the government’s national
energy company by sharing the £8.3bn it was promised with a separate
nuclear power body set up by the Conservatives. The Labour manifesto had
pledged the full amount to Great British Energy to invest in clean power
projects. However, the chancellor’s spending review said the company
would share this funding with a separate body tasked with spearheading
Britain’s nuclear renaissance. The Treasury’s spending plans said the
“two allied publicly owned companies with a shared mission” would spend
the £8.3bn on “homegrown clean power” including £2.5bn to help the UK
develop a new generation of small modular nuclear reactors.
Guardian 11th June 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/11/gb-energy-83bn-of-funding-raided-to-pay-for-small-nuclear-reactors
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