nuclear-news

The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope

This week’s non-corporate nuclear news

 Nigeria launches its largest-ever public health campaign, aiming to immunise around 106 million children against measles, rubella and polio by early 2026. 

Dr. Jane Goodall leaves behind her last words.   Hope for Wildlife – 150 Species Begin to Recover Across England.  

TOP STORIES

When Maria Corina Machado Wins the Nobel Peace Prize, “Peace” Has Lost Its Meaning.

Gaza Deal Requires A Permanent End To Israel’s War on Gaza. Beware Trump’s Ceasefire Deal Absent Meaningful UN Action to Halt Israel’s Genocide.

Putin’s UnPeaceful Atom.

Trump warns of new strikes if Iran revives nuclear work.

Trump dreams of nuclear as he axes grid projects. The LAST American President- Got democracy?

German Nuclear Operator’s Insolvency Could Shift Dismantling Costs to Taxpayers.

New nuclear push brings old dangers back — and bigger than ever’

Climate. ‘Humanitarian’ visa must be created for Pacific Islanders displaced by climate crisis, experts say. The before and after images showing glaciers vanishing before our eyes

Noel’s notes Vladimir Putin and a world without Russia.

AUSTRALIA.

Long nuclear articles:

NEWS ITEMS

ARTS and CULTURE. The Total Trumpification of America.
ATROCITIES. After 2 years, Israel genocidal ethnic cleansing of Gaza has failed.
CIVIL LIBERTIES. Billionaire Larry Ellison says a vast AI-fueled surveillance system can ensure ‘citizens will be on their best behavior’-ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2025/10/11/3-b1-billionaire-larry-ellison-says-a-vast-ai-fueled-surveillance-system-can-ensure-citizens-will-be-on-their-best-behavior/
ECONOMICS. Inside JPMorgan’s Investment Bank, Nuclear Hype Raises Concerns. US and investors gambling on unproven nuclear technology, warn experts – ALSO AT https://nuclear-news.net/2025/10/07/2-b1-inside-jpmorgans-investment-bank-nuclear-hype-raises-concerns/Ukraine has just generated another cash sink for Western taxpayers. EDF Weighs Edison IPO To Boost Nuclear Expansion Funding.
EDUCATION. University of Stirling hosts Hiroshima and Nagasaki exhibition.
EMPLOYMENT. Workers shut down Italy again in solidarity with Palestine. Sellafield nuclear workers to strike over pay.
ENERGY.World Nuclear Industry Status Report  Energy overview- a nuclear dead end?Flamanville EPR: EDF anticipates limited power until 2031.Data Centers PILLAGE ELECTRICITY For AI Video Slop.Poll suggests most Reform UK voters back investment in renewable energy
ENVIRONMENT. Water. 45K gallons of radioactive water to be dumped into Hudson River from Indian Point nuclear plant. RADIOACTIVE material was accidentally released at Scotland’s Dounreay nuclear.
ETHICS and RELIGION. In its 250th year, America’s genocide support has forever destroyed its worldwide moral authority.
MEDIA. The Wall Street Journal Has Many Ways to Deny Genocide. UK Parliament blocks Declassified, citing our Gaza ‘standpoint’.Book: No To Nuclear – Why Nuclear Power Destroys Lives, Derails Climate Progress, and Provokes War.The People versus Murdoch: the rise of independent media.
OPPOSITION to NUCLEAR . Nuclear victims hold global forum in Hiroshima. Arrests as protesters target Christchurch aerospace summit.
PERSONAL STORIES. Donald Trump’s battle for relevance.
PLUTONIUM. U.S. Dept. of Energy steps up plutonium pit manufacturing at Savannah River Site. 1000s of nuclear bombs? – Russia exits US nuke pact to reclaim 34 tons of plutonium.
POLITICS. After “Greater Israel,” Netanyahu calls for a “Super-Sparta” and “finishing the job in Gaza”.Right-wing Czech politician who promised to cut aid to Ukraine takes lead in parliamentary election .Boosting Nuclear Power Is Not Nation-Building.
POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY.    Nobel Peace Prize’s hypocrisy.
What we know about the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and what comes next.    The Gaza ceasefire deal could be a ‘strangle contract’, with Israel holding all the cards.  Trump Says Israel and Hamas ‘Signed Off on the First Phase’ of Gaza Plan.   Everything Before AND After October 7 Explains Why October 7 Happened. . Hamas just accepted Trump’s ‘peace’ plan – Here’s what it didn’t accept. Support of Trump’s Gaza peace plan ignores major flaw.

Patrick Lawrence: Power and Justice. Israel illegally detained UK citizens, and Starmer did nothing.For Haecho and the global citizens aboard the humanitarian flotillas’ safe return and for a Free Palestine!

Trump Swears At Netanyahu As Israel’s Standing in the U.S. Continues to Decline.

Grossi: Iran Is Not Seeking Nuclear Weapons; My Report Did Not Trigger the Attack. Iran says nuclear cooperation with IAEA ‘no longer relevant’.

Back to Great Power Rivalry and Nuclear Risk as Russia Quits US Plutonium Pact.
 Kremlin welcomes Trump’s comments to extend nuclear arms pact. Trump says Putin’s offer on nuclear arms control ‘sounds like a good idea’.

Peace Without Denuclearisation? – Kim Challenges U.S. To Rethink Nuclear Stance.

SAFETY. Russian Nuke Plant Latest To Suffer War-Inflicted Damage.Is Russia’s Putin gambling with the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear stations? Nuclear disaster fears as expert highlights ‘fragile’ Zaporizhzhia power plant system.Another ageing Royal Navy nuclear-armed submarine completes a 200-day patrol amid fears absence of replacements will make epic voyages ‘the new normal’
SECRETS and LIES. The Israeli media is reporting on a ‘secret clause’ in the Gaza ceasefire deal that no one is talking about.Not surprising: Biden hid report on Ukraine scandal, docs reveal.
SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. Peace is Possible – The Weaponization of Space with Bruce Gagnon.
SPINBUSTER. They Really Think They’ll Be Able To Propagandize The World Into Liking Israel Again.
TECHNOLOGY. Can AI Solve the Nuclear Fusion Energy Puzzle?
WASTES. Holtec abandons nuclear waste project in New Mexico.
WAR and CONFLICT. Israel Attacks Another Group of Civilian Ships Bound for Gaza. 5 Days in Israel’s Desert Prison: Jewish Flotilla Activist David Adler on Harrowing Detention Ordeal – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_pM-ZDaPAA
Israel Says No Gaza Ceasefire in Place Despite Trump’s Call for a Stop to the Bombing.Report: Netanyahu Ordered Drone Attack on Gaza Aid Flotilla Boats in Tunisia.
  Panic in Israel as Hamas agrees to release all of the hostages.I
srael Droned Flotilla Activists And Then Abused Greta Thunberg.
Hegseth Says Four ‘Narco-Terrorists’ Killed in Latest US Attack on Venezuela Boat.
WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. The case for some non-nuclear submarines.UK aerospace firm supplying Israel’s defence ministry.A Philadelphia company’s obscured support for killing Palestinians with autonomous flying bombs.

October 12, 2025 Posted by | Weekly Newsletter | Leave a comment

The Gaza ceasefire deal could be a ‘strangle contract’, with Israel holding all the cards

Marika Sosnowski, Senior research fellow, The University of Melbourne: October 10, 2025 , https://theconversation.com/the-gaza-ceasefire-deal-could-be-a-strangle-contract-with-israel-holding-all-the-cards-267208?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The%20Weekender%20-%203545436146&utm_content=The%20Weekender%20-%203545436146+CID_9b06daa16329ec78ac380b964d55ad0a&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=The%20Gaza%20ceasefire%20deal%20could%20be%20a%20strangle%20contract%20with%20Israel%20holding%20all%20the%20cards

There are jubilant scenes in both Gaza and Israel after both sides in the war have agreed to another ceasefire. If all goes well, this will be only the third ceasefire to be implemented by Israel and Hamas, despite there being numerous other agreements to try to stop the violence.

There is a lot to be happy about here. Most notably, this ceasefire will bring a halt to what has now been established as a genocidal campaign of violence against Palestinians in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and the resumption of aid into Gaza to alleviate the famine conditions there.

However, a lot of unknowns remain. While the terms of the “first phase” of this ceasefire have been rehearsed in previous ceasefires in November 2023 and January 2025, many other terms remain vague. This makes their implementation difficult and likely contested.

After this phase is complete, a lot will depend on domestic Israeli politics and the Trump administration’s willingness to follow through on its guarantor responsibilities.

Immediate positives for both sides

The ceasefire agreement appears to be based on the 20-point plan US President Donald Trump unveiled in the White House alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 29.

What will be implemented in what is being called the “first phase” are the practical, more detailed and immediate terms of the ceasefire.

In the text of the peace plan released to the public, these terms are stipulated in:


  • Point 3 – an “immediate” end to the war and Israeli troop withdrawal to an “agreed upon line”.
  • Points 4 and 5 – the release of all living and deceased hostages by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
  • Point 7 – full aid to flow into the strip, consistent with the January ceasefire agreement terms.

While these steps are positive, they are the bare minimum you would expect both sides to acquiesce to as part of a ceasefire deal.

Over the past two years, Gaza has been virtually demolished by Israel’s military and the population of the strip is starving. There is also great domestic pressure on the Israeli government to bring the hostages home, while Hamas has no cards left to play besides their release.

The text of these particular terms has been drafted in a way that means both Israel and Hamas know what to do and when. This makes it more likely they will abide by the terms.

Both sides also have a vested interest in these terms happening. Further, both parties have taken these exact steps before during the November 2023 and January 2025 Gaza ceasefires.

Given this, I expect these terms will be implemented in the coming days. It is less clear what will happen after that.

What comes next: the great unknown

After the first phase of the ceasefire has been implemented, Hamas will find itself in a situation very similar to ceasefire agreements that occurred during the Syrian civil war that began in 2011 and only recently ended with the downfall of the Assad regime in late 2024. I call these strangle contracts.

These type of ceasefire agreements are not like bargains or contracts negotiated between two equal parties. Instead, they are highly coercive agreements that enable the more powerful party to force the weaker party into agreeing to anything in order for them to survive.

Once the hostages are released, Hamas will go back to having negligible bargaining power of its own. And the group, along with the people of Gaza themselves, will once again be at the mercy of Israeli military might and domestic and international politics.

Other terms of the Trump peace plan relating to Hamas’ demilitarisation (Points 1 and 13), the future governance of Gaza (Points 9 and 13) and Gaza’s redevelopment (Points 2, 10 and 11) are also extremely vague and offer little guidance on what exactly should occur, when or how.

Under such a strangle contract, Hamas will have no leverage after it releases the hostages. This, together with the vague terms of the ceasefire agreement, will offer Israel a great deal of manoeuvrability and political cover.

For example, the Israeli government could claim Hamas is not abiding by the terms of the agreement and then recommence bombardment, curtail aid or further displace the Palestinians in Gaza.

While Point 12 rightly stipulates that “no one will be forced to leave Gaza”, Israel could make conditions there so inhospitable and offer enough incentives to Gazans, they might have little choice other than to leave if they want to survive.

Points 15 and 16 stipulate that the United States (along with Arab and other international partners) will develop a temporary International Stabilisation Force to deploy to Gaza to act as guarantors for the agreement. The Israel Defence Force (IDF) will also withdraw “based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization”.

But these “standards, milestones and timeframes” have been left unspecified and will be hard for the parties to agree on.

It is also possible Israel could use the vagueness of these terms to its advantage by arguing Hamas has failed to meet certain conditions in order to justify restarting the war.

Knowing it has no leverage after the first phase, Hamas has explicitly said it is expecting the US to fulfil its guarantor role. It is certainly a good sign the US has pledged 200 troops to help support and monitor the ceasefire, but at this stage, Hamas has little choice other than to pray the US’ deeds reflect its words.

While the ceasefire has now been passed by a majority of the Knesset (Israel’s parliament), five far-right ministers voted against the deal. These include Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who said the ceasefire is akin to “a deal with Adolf Hitler”.

This opposition bloc will no doubt be making more threats – and could potentially act – to bring down Netanyahu’s government after the first phase is implemented.

The problem with ceasefires

The first phase of this ceasefire will offer Hamas and Israel key items – a hostage-prisoner swap, a halt to violence and humanitarian aid.

After that, rather than a bargaining process with trade-offs between negotiating partners operating on a relatively even playing field, without US opprobrium, the ceasefire could easily devolve into an excuse for further Israeli domination of Gaza.

A ceasefire was always going to be a very small step forward in a long road towards peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Without meaningful engagement with Palestinians in their self-determination, we can only hope the future for Gazans will not get any worse.

As a Palestinian leader from Yarmouk camp in Syria told me back in 2018: “If there is a ceasefire, people know the devil is coming.”

October 12, 2025 Posted by | politics international | Leave a comment

Venezuelan woman who begged Trump to bomb her country wins Nobel Peace Prize

Laura and Normal Island News, Oct 11, 2025, https://www.normalisland.co.uk/p/venezuelan-woman-who-begged-trump?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1407757&post_id=175814240&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=ln98x&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

María Corina Machado has become the first person since Barack Obama to win the Nobel Peace Prize for doing absolutely nothing. Actually, that “nothing” might be unfair because Machado has repeatedly called for the US and Israel to invade her country. She has steadfastly supported Israel’s genocide so you know she’s a good egg.

Yesterday, I built all your hopes up by suggesting Trump might win the Nobel Peace Prize, but at least you can console yourself with the fact the CIA did. In a heart warming moment, Machado dedicated her big win to Trump.

It is undeniable that Machado is a woman of peace who truly loves her people. Back in 2018, when we were pretending Juan Guaido was the rightful leader of Venezuela, she made the following request:

I am sending a letter today to Mauricio Macri, President of Argentina, and to Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, to ask them to apply their force and influence to advance in the dismantling of the criminal Venezuelan regime, intimately linked to drug trafficking and terrorism.

Obviously, this sort of thing doesn’t count as treason when people in the global south do it. Machado justified her letter by saying Venezuela’s ties to Iran posed a direct threat to Israel. She even promised to move the Venezuelan embassy to Jerusalem. I’m unclear if Venezuela has its own Israeli lobby or if Machado was simply calling for one.

Her drug trafficking remark was important because it paved the way for Trump to bomb Venezuelan fishermen. Machado thanked Trump for his “firm and decisive action” to dismantle Maduro’s “criminal and terrorist structure.” As you can imagine, the families of those fishermen were incredibly moved.

Machado regularly heaps praise on Trump, and in a 2019 interview, she suggested he should consider invading her country:

“All options must be on the table, including military intervention, because the regime will not leave power voluntarily.”

Only the finest Nobel laureates would call for the US to invade their own country. Sure, invasion would turn into a quagmire worse than Iraq and Afghanistan, and millions of Venezuelans would die, but on the plus side, Machado would be installed as puppet leader and Trump would liberate the world’s largest oil reserves.

Excitingly, Machado is a massive Thatcherite who wants to sell her country’s assets faster than you can say “Javier Milei”. Every smart person knows the Argentine model would be way better for Venezuela. The Venezuelan economy is so bad, the US has to wage economic war to ensure it fails, whereas the Argentine economy is so strong, it needs a $20 billion US bailout to stay afloat.

Machado’s party is generously funded by USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy (a group that kindly installs new leaders when electorates make the wrong choice). Just know that it doesn’t count as foreign interference when our side does it.

If you still doubt Machado’s patriotism, you should know she is a big advocate for the sanctions that are starving Venezuelans. If Venezuelans don’t want to starve, they should simply overthrow their government. If they don’t, they are no more deserving of food than the Palestinians who failed to overthrow Hamas. Anyone who truly believes in democracy believes in collective punishment x

October 12, 2025 Posted by | spinbuster | Leave a comment

How Jared Kushner Played Trump to Grease Own Pocket: Wolff

Kushner’s business connections and Trump manipulation may have cleared the way for a Gaza peace deal, according to Trump biographer Michael Wolff.

Adam Downer , Breaking News Reporter, Inside Trump’s Head  Podcast, Oct. 11 2025

Donald Trump’s (so-far) successful plan to end the conflict in Gaza was orchestrated by Jared Kushner in a bid to make himself richer, according to Trump biographer Michael Wolff.

Speaking on the Inside Trump’s Head podcast, Wolff outlined how Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, played Qatar and the president in order to further his own business interests.

“[Jared] craves influence in the Middle East. He craves business opportunities in the Middle East. He craves further, deeper relationships with the powerful people in the Middle East, all of which is helped by peace. So peace becomes a byproduct of business,” said Wolff.

Kushner, 44, founded the private equity firm Affinity Partners in 2021, after the first Trump administration. Affinity Partners has substantial investments from several Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Affinity Partners invests in American and Israeli companies in the Middle East with the goal of expanding in the territory.

The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House and Jared Kushner for comment. On Oct. 1, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed claims of impropriety related to Kushner’s peace negotiations and his business interests in the Middle East………………..

Kushner, the husband of Ivanka Trump, is technically not a part of the Trump administration but acts as an unpaid, informal adviser, particularly when it comes to the Middle East.

Wolff believes Kushner, along with real estate developer and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, pressed their business connections with Middle Eastern royal families to broker the Israel and Hamas deal. On Friday, The New York Times reported on the extent of the pair’s involvement, which earned bipartisan praise…………………………………….

Until just recently, Trump, 79, wasn’t addressing Israel’s brutalities in the conflict, which have killed over 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. That was the case until Trump implied that if Netanyahu didn’t sign on to his peace plan, the U.S. would stop supporting Israel in the war, according to a White House adviser.

“Essentially Bibi has had a free rein to continue this awful carnage with Trump at best looking the other way. Suddenly though, he comes down hard on Bibi,” said Wolff.

The reason for Trump’s sudden change in tune, according to Wolff, was the imminent announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize. Wolff believes Jared got Trump to turn on Netanyahu by telling the president that if he brokered a peace deal in the conflict, he would be a top candidate for the honor.

“And [Trump] comes down hard on Bibi, not least of all because Jared is good at this. He knows how to play his father-in-law. He comes down hard on Bibi in this 11th hour bid to win the Nobel Peace Prize,” said Wolff.

“How can he get the Nobel Peace Prize? Well, by bringing peace to the Middle East, by solving the Gaza situation. Now, of course, he could have done that any time since last January when he became the President of the United States. But he does it now because for a very specific goal.”………………….

Wolff argued that the deal might not actually support Trump’s case for the prize as much as it does Kushner’s.

“[Trump] might win,” he said, “then again, he might go through the humiliation of watching his son-in-law and his former golfing buddy, Witkoff, pick it up next year.”…………………………… https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-jared-played-trump-to-grease-own-pocket-wolff/

October 12, 2025 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

The Israeli media is reporting on a ‘secret clause’ in the Gaza ceasefire deal that no one is talking about.

Hebrew-language Israeli media reports say there is a “secret clause” buried in the Gaza ceasefire agreement that would allow Israel to resume the war. Palestinians worry this is the pretext Netanyahu needs to get out of completing the deal.

By Qassam Muaddi  October 10, 2025  https://mondoweiss.net/2025/10/the-israeli-media-is-reporting-on-a-secret-clause-in-the-gaza-ceasefire-deal-that-no-one-is-talking-about/

The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas could collapse due to an alleged “secret clause” in the agreement that would allow Israel to resume the war, according to reports in the Arab and Hebrew-language Israeli media. That so-called clause would reportedly be “activated” in the event that Hamas is unable to locate all the Israeli captives within the 72-hour window allotted to the Palestinian resistance group during the first part of the deal’s implementation.

On Friday, Al Jazeera’s Palestine Bureau Chief Walid al-Omary pointed out on the network’s live broadcast that the second article of the deal concerning the release of Israeli captives included a phrase in the Hebrew version about an undisclosed annex. According to al-Omary, if Hamas fails to release all Israeli captives, dead and alive, a “secret clause in appendix B” would be “activated.”

Israel’s Kan TV was the first to report on the clause, which was subsequently covered by other Israeli media outlets. According to Kan, an unnamed source who had been exposed to the content of the secret clause said that it was “jumbles of words.” Israel’s Channel 13 also reported that an Israeli court dismissed a petition to disclose the “secret contents” of the deal, citing security considerations.

Although the alleged clause implies punitive consequences on Hamas in the event of failing to meet the 72-hour deadline, Hamas official Osama Hamdan said in an interview hours after the deal was first announced that the time needed to find, gather, and release Israeli captives would depend on “field conditions.” Hamdan added that locating the captives might take longer. U.S. President Donald Trump also admitted that finding the dead bodies of Israeli captives might take longer than anticipated.

Hamas has officially denied the existence of such a clause. A Hamas official told Al Jazeera that “the reported rumors concerning the presence of ‘secret clauses’ in the agreement to end the war on Gaza are completely untrue.”

The potential existence of such a secret clause has reinforced already-existing Palestinian concerns that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would seek to find a way to sabotage the deal. Already in March, Israel broke the first ceasefire after the release of all civilian Israeli captives in the first phase of the deal. Last July, Hamas accepted a proposed deal following talks through Egyptian and Qatari mediators, while Netanyahu completely ignored it as mediators waited for Israel’s response.

Moreover, the lack of any additional terms within the deal for the end of the war, known as Trump’s “20-Point Plan,” has contributed to the spread of such reports in Arab media outlets. Issues relating to disarmament, Gaza’s postwar administration, and Israel’s withdrawal have all been relegated until after the prisoner exchange.

Israeli media reported late on Thursday that talks ended over the names and numbers of Palestinian prisoners and detainees set to be released as part of the deal. Israel had reportedly vetoed the names of Fatah leader Marwan Barghouthi, and the secretary general of the PFLP Ahmad Saadat. Another Israeli veto was placed on the names of 14 out of the 303 Palestinians serving life sentences, because they are Palestinians who hold Israeli citizenship. The final lists of agreed-on names haven’t yet been made public.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army began its withdrawal from Gaza City and other parts of the Strip. The Israeli army would remain in control of 53% of the strip, excluding urban areas.

Meanwhile, Palestinians have started to return to Gaza City following the entry of the ceasefire into effect on Friday. This comes after almost a month of Israel’s largest offensive yet on Gaza City, which included three army divisions and the detonation of hundreds of remotely controlled and outdated armored personnel carriers packed with explosives in civilian neighborhoods. Before the announcement of the ceasefire, on Thursday, Israel had pushed around 900,000 Palestinians out of Gaza City.

Israel’s war on Gaza, which Israel announced following Hamas’s October 7 attack, has killed over 66,000 Palestinians, a third of whom were children. The war displaced almost 2 million Palestinians and destroyed both the health and education systems. The war has been recognized as a genocide by the UN.

October 12, 2025 Posted by | Israel, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

1000s of nuclear bombs? Russia exits US nuke pact to reclaim 34 tons of plutonium

The pact required both nations to dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium.

Kapil Kajal Oct 09, 2025 , https://interestingengineering.com/military/russia-dumps-us-nuclear-deal

ussia has officially pulled out of an important agreement with the United States regarding how to dispose of weapons-grade plutonium.

According to Russia’s state news agency TASS, the lower house of the Parliament passed a legislation on October 8 to officially denounce the 2000 Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA). 

The pact required both nations to dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium, enough for thousands of nuclear warheads, by converting it into fuel for civilian power reactors.

Terminating nuclear pact

The deal, signed in 2000 and ratified in 2011, was designed to ensure that plutonium declared surplus for defense needs could never again be used for weapons. 

However, Russia is no longer willing to follow its agreements with the United States regarding plutonium.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told lawmakers that the current situation makes it unacceptable to keep these obligations.

Ryabkov pointed out that Russia’s demands for restoring the deal have not been met. These demands include lifting US sanctions, reversing the Magnitsky Act, and reducing NATO’s military presence near Russia’s borders.

The Russian government explained to parliament that it is withdrawing from the deal due to “fundamental changes in circumstances,” including NATO expansion, US sanctions, and military support from Washington for Ukraine.

Although the agreement was technically in place, Russia stopped participating in 2016. It accused the US of not meeting its obligations and using the agreement for political gain.

The Kremlin at the time demanded concessions unrelated to the agreement, such as restrictions on NATO activities in Eastern Europe and the lifting of sanctions imposed after Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.

34 tons of plutonium

The termination of the PMDA means that the 34 tons of plutonium Russia had pledged to render unusable for weapons could now be reclassified as part of its strategic reserves. 

The State Duma’s official statement described further commitments on the material as “inexpedient.”

The decision adds to the growing list of suspended or terminated arms control agreements between Moscow and Washington. 

Russia has already withdrawn from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty, suspended its participation in New START, and halted cooperation under the Open Skies treaty.

The plutonium agreement was among the few remaining technical measures of nuclear risk reduction from the early 2000s. 

While smaller in scale than New START, the PMDA was seen as a pragmatic step toward reducing stockpiles of weapons-usable material in both nations.

Tomahawk cruise missiles

The move comes as geopolitical tensions between the US and Russia continue to escalate over the war in Ukraine. 

On the same day the withdrawal was announced, the Kremlin condemned Washington’s reported deliberations over providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv.

“If the U.S. administration ultimately makes that decision, it will not only risk escalating the spiral of confrontation, but also inflict irreparable damage on Russian-US relations,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, according to TASS

She added that Moscow was “closely monitoring” the situation and urged the US to exercise restraint

The United States has not yet commented on Russia’s decision to terminate the plutonium deal. 

However, the move underscores the growing collapse of bilateral nuclear cooperation amid the deepest rift between Washington and Moscow in decades.

The developments also come as Bloomberg reported on September 30 that Russia remained the largest supplier of enriched uranium to the United States in 2024, providing about 20 percent of the fuel used in American nuclear reactors despite formal import restrictions. 

US waivers still permit deliveries through 2028 for national energy security reasons.

As both countries move further away from long-standing nuclear agreements, experts warn that ending the PMDA shows a growing risk to global nuclear safety and a widening rift in US-Russia relations.

October 12, 2025 Posted by | - plutonium, Russia | Leave a comment

Japan Weighs Nuclear-Powered Submarines Amid Regional Tensions

 Rojoef Manuel. The Defense Post, October 10, 2025

Japan is considering developing nuclear-powered submarines after a state-backed panel formally recommended research into “next-generation propulsion” systems for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

Submitted to the Ministry of Defense last September, the proposal marks the first time an official advisory group has opened the door to studying nuclear propulsion, signaling a potential departure from Japan’s long-standing policy limiting military use of nuclear energy, Army Recognition reported……………………………………………………………………………………

Legal, Political Barriers Remain

Despite the new strategy, Japan’s postwar laws still make such development difficult. The Atomic Energy Basic Act restricts nuclear technology to peaceful uses, while Japan’s “Three Non-Nuclear Principles” forbid manufacturing, acquiring, or receiving nuclear weapons.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi also reiterated last year that the East Asian government has “no plans to possess nuclear submarines” under its current law……………………………………………………………. https://thedefensepost.com/2025/10/10/japan-nuclear-submarines/

October 12, 2025 Posted by | Japan, weapons and war | Leave a comment

In its 250th year, America’s genocide support has forever destroyed its worldwide moral authority


Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL , 10 Oct 25,
https://theaimn.net/in-its-250th-year-americas-genocide-support-has-forever-destroyed-its-worldwide-moral-authority/

US political leaders’ statements touting US as the beacon of democracy, humanitarianism, fair play, decency on the world stage ring hollow to anyone with an iota of moral clarity.

The day after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Israel embarked on grotesque genocide of Gaza’s 2,300,000 Palestinians crammed into the world’s largest open air prison controlled by Israel. Two years on a ceasefire may finally occur, blocking Israel’s lust to kill or expel every remaining Palestinian to bring Gaza into Greater Israel.

The carnage is immense and horrifying. Over 100,000 Palestinians dead, the remaining 2,200,000 suffering starvation and degraded health. All schools and universities gone. All medical facilities gone. All life sustaining infrastructure gone. 

Israel could not have conducted their genocidal rampage without the complete support of the United States.

The Democratic Biden administration and the Republican Trump administration, in the only policy they agreed upon, gifted Israel with over $20 billion in weaponry to wipe Palestinians off the Gaza map. The US joined Israel in seeking African and Middle East countries to take in the Palestinians not killed. The US repeatedly voted against UN General Assembly resolutions condemning the genocide; even using their veto to prevent UN Security Council anti-genocide resolutions. The US remains one of only 35 UN members, out of 193, refusing to recognize a Palestinian state.

US media imposed a near complete blackout on the genocide. But enough truth of its horrors got through to turn the American electorate against it. Instead of heeding voters, the President and Congress heeded the Israel Lobby and kept on voting for more billions to obliterate Gaza.

If the shooting stops today, Palestinians will continue dying for days, weeks, months from malnutrition and disease.

It took just under 250 years for America to shatter every principle of freedom, democracy, self-determination it claims to honor. If the degraded American Experiment manages to survive another 250 years, even another thousand years, it likely cannot do more damage to its promise to humankind that it’s done in this its 250th year.

October 12, 2025 Posted by | Religion and ethics, USA | Leave a comment

Donald Trump’s battle for relevance

10 October 2025 John Lord, https://theaimn.net/donald-trumps-battle-for-relevance/

Nothing exemplifies Donald Trump’s towering ego more vividly than his relentless pursuit of international media attention. Like a moth drawn to a flame, he flies from one controversy to another, each serving as a platform to elevate his self-image or distract from a previous scandal. In his world, the gravity of any situation is secondary to the spotlight it can shine on him. This insatiable hunger for validation requires constant nourishment, creating an atmosphere where his ego demands regular worship. His fervent ambition for a Nobel Peace Prize, perhaps in a bid to rival President Obama’s controversial accolade, stands as yet another testament to his overinflated sense of self-importance.

In the midst of the extensive character scrutiny surrounding Trump, one crucial aspect may have been overshadowed by the noise. Despite the mountains of documented negative assessments that follow him like a shadow, they often seem to fall on deaf ears, dismissed and overlooked in the larger conversation. Amid all the character analysis of Trump, the critical point may have been overlooked. That being the case, all the negative analysis he generates is never taken seriously.

During the harrowing Charlie Kirk Memorial service, a gathering meant for remembrance and solace, the atmosphere was thick with sorrow. Yet, in this sea of grief, his wife stood as a beacon of grace, her voice rising above the despair to remind everyone of the light amidst the darkness. It becomes painfully jarring to juxtapose this poignant display of compassion with Trump’s vehement declarations of vengeance with hate in his heart and his outpourings of acrimony. Such stark contrasts are particularly unsettling, coming from someone who openly professes to be a Christian man, leaving one to ponder the true essence of faith amidst such tumult.

His grandstanding endeavour to foster peace between Russia and Ukraine was merely a spectacle, a classic case of ego triumphing over genuine substance. For Trump, there was an air of inevitability in his efforts that hinted at a self-assured proclamation of, “I did my best.” At the same time, for Putin, it seemed to convey a dismissive sentiment of not being interested in peace.” In this intricate dance of pride and prejudice.

Both leaders’ egos found a comforting balm, even as the prospects for true diplomacy crumbled beneath them. Then, during the Epstein controversy, he decides to have FBI Director James Comey indicted by a grand jury, just days after Trump demanded the Department of Justice prosecute him “now” and fired the prosecutor who refused to bring the case.

I wanted to bring to the attention of readers of The AIMN the latest developments in how Donald Trump is changing the face of the American nation as we once knew it. My sources of information come from various emails and publications I receive, which makes it impossible to always create a link.

Let’s continue to address the troubling actions taken by the Trump administration towards esteemed institutions like Harvard and Columbia, which have had their government funding revoked unless they conform to specific ideological standards regarding their educational content.

For years, Donald Trump has relentlessly pursued what he terms the “liberal bias” infecting the media landscape, casting journalists as the “enemy within” and striving to undermine their credibility. His fervent crusade against what he perceives as unfair reporting has triggered a series of aggressive assaults on public broadcasting, resulting in devastating funding cuts that have crippled institutions like PBS, NPR, and the Voice of America.

Furthermore, Trump has applied intense pressure on the Federal Communications Commission, effectively derailing a vital deal involving CBS’s parent company, Paramount, until CBS agrees to purge any programming that offers dissenting viewpoints, including the sharp and incisive commentary delivered by Stephen Colbert on his late-night show. This ongoing barrage raises urgent and troubling concerns about the erosion of fundamental principles in a free press and the vital independence of journalism. It poses a significant threat to the very fabric of the American media landscape, casting a shadow over the integrity of public discourse itself.

Robert Reich is always an astute observer:

“We are in the midst of the worst public tragedy of my lifetime – the despoiling and destruction of America. The destruction is now extending beyond American democracy to encompass the American economy, science, learning, and culture. People ask me, in outrage or despair, “How and why is this happening?”

Then, in a striking announcement, the White House declared that Rudy Giuliani, who is currently recuperating in a hospital following a harrowing car accident, will be bestowed with the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom. This decision has sparked outrage, as Giuliani is widely regarded as a disbarred, disgraced figure – a man whose actions have overshadowed democratic principles in service of Trump’s ambitions. The situation is nothing short of disheartening.

We are all familiar with Trump’s terrible tariffs. This is how he responded to a judge’s decision that they were illegal. “If allowed to stand, this Decision would literally destroy the United States of America,” he continued. “At the start of this Labor Day weekend, we should all remember that TARIFFS are the best tool to help our Workers, and support Companies that produce great MADE IN AMERICA products.”

I’m old enough to remember when American politics was divided between those who wanted less government (they were called “conservatives,” or the Right) and those who wanted more social safety nets (called “progressives,” or the Left).

It’s hard to find Right or left these days. Instead, we have something no one has ever seen in America — a personal takeover of nearly all the institutions of government and, increasingly, the private sector, by a would-be dictator. I have recently read that large-scale pictures of Trump are appearing on government and privately owned buildings.

He is on the way to occupying Democratic-led cities with the Army, National Guard, and ICE – in what appears to be a dress rehearsal for the 2026 midterms.

He is passionately imploring Republican-led states to embark on a cunning and deliberate campaign of super-gerrymandering, a strategic manoeuvre designed to intricately reshape electoral districts. This calculated effort aims to carve out advantageous boundaries that will secure power and influence for years to come, manipulating the very fabric of political representation to gain more congressional seats for his party. This manoeuvre aims to fortify Republican dominance in the House as the pivotal 2026 midterm elections draw near.

At the same time, he is working to stifle dissent from influential institutions like universities, museums, law firms, and the media. His approach includes targeting outspoken critics, such as Adam Schiff and John Bolton, for prosecution, creating a chilling atmosphere that seeks to silence opposition and consolidate power. Just what we should title this man, who has no redeeming features, is up in the air. For the time being, I will settle for “Dictator.”

But that’s hardly all of it. There is much more. End Part One.

My thought for the day

Occasionally, it may seem that governing is solely concerned with addressing problems as they arise. But occasionally, an exceptional leader emerges with loftier ideals and a vision for a better tomorrow.

In a surprising turn of events, the Democrats have initiated a ground-breaking investigation into a staggering claim regarding Donald Trump. Midas Touch host Ben Meiselas brings to light the explosive assertion that Trump may have misappropriated an astounding $17 trillion, a figure he reportedly generated but which mysteriously vanished from the Treasury Department’s records. With no trace of this massive sum and Congress left in the dark, questions loom large: where has this money gone? It’s a remarkable narrative that raises eyebrows – can it really be true?

Where is the 17 trillion? Dems Launch an investigation…

Believe it or not?

Part two next week.

October 12, 2025 Posted by | PERSONAL STORIES, USA | Leave a comment