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Starmer appoints ex-Office of Fair Trading chief to lead nuclear regulatory taskforce

The prime minister has appointed ex-Office of Fair Trading boss John Fingleton to head up the country’s nuclear taskforce

Energy Voice, By Jessica Mills Davies, 10/04/2025

The UK government’s nuclear taskforce will be led by John Fingleton, formerly the boss of the Office of Fair Trading, following his appointment to spearhead the unit.

The Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce, which was set up to accelerate the development of new nuclear power stations across the country, is poised to embark on an overhaul of UK planning regulation.

In February, Keir Starmer moved to slash “red tape” in the industry to enable more nuclear power plants to be approved across England and Wales.

Those reforms are designed to enable small modular reactors to be built for the first time. That is the intended result of the government abolishing a set list of approved sites for nuclear development so that nuclear power stations can be built anywhere in the country.

The energy department said that contract negotiations to progress a competition for these small reactors, held by Great British Nuclear, are “currently underway”, and that a panel of nuclear experts will be appointed to the taskforce in due course.

In a controversial move, the government is also getting rid of expiry dates on nuclear planning rules, in an effort to avoid projects timing out.

These changes to nuclear planning rules were proposed after the pre-development stage Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk was taken to court by local activists.

The Department for Net Zero and Energy Security said that the government committed a further £2.7 billion in public funding to Sizewell C last month………………………..

The independent taskforce will seek to identify how nuclear power regulation can incentivise investment in new projects more quickly and cost efficiently, it said………….

Fingleton said he will “work closely with business, regulators and other interested individuals and groups to identify how regulation can better enable and incentivise investment in this area”…………………. https://www.energyvoice.com/renewables-energy-transition/570966/starmer-selects-fingleton-to-head-up-nuclear-taskforce/

April 12, 2025 Posted by | safety, UK | Leave a comment

NFLAs ‘shout up’ for National Parks to be spared from nuclear development

Despite our objections and those of many in the antinuclear community, Energy Ministers and departmental civil servants remain intent upon introducing a new National Planning Statement, called the EN-7, which gives considerable latitude to prospective developers to site new nuclear plants more widely, subject to meeting certain criterion (called the ‘criteria-based approach’) and lifts any time limits (called ‘the removal of a deployment deadline’).

10th April 2025, https://www.nuclearpolicy.info/news/nflas-shout-up-for-national-parks-to-be-spared-from-nuclear-development/

NFLAs ‘shout up’ for National Parks to be spared from nuclear development

The Nuclear Free Local Authorities have made an emphatic plea to the government for National Parks to be definitively spared from development and for further ‘specific consideration’ to be given to the challenges attendant to siting so-called Small and Advanced Modular Reactors (SMRs and AMRs).

Despite our objections and those of many in the antinuclear community, Energy Ministers and departmental civil servants remain intent upon introducing a new National Planning Statement, called the EN-7, which gives considerable latitude to prospective developers to site new nuclear plants more widely, subject to meeting certain criterion (called the ‘criteria-based approach’) and lifts any time limits (called ‘the removal of a deployment deadline’).

Interestingly neither of these notions was popular amongst respondents in the initial consultation on the policy with only 47% supporting the first and 50% the second; which begs the NFLAs to ask the question: why change the existing policy which is based on a government led strategic assessment of sites to in effect a ‘free-for-all’?

As we did in response to the first stage consultation, so in the second the NFLAs ‘shout up…against new nuclear in any of our National Parks and on sites adjoining or threatening Sites of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Immense Heritage Value’. The Welsh NFLA affiliates are particularly passionate in seeking to defend Trawsfynydd, which lies at the heart of Eryri, the premier National Park of Wales, from new development. As we point out:

‘The principle that National Parks can be excluded from future nuclear development has already been established by Government diktat. Any part of the Lake District National Park in England has been specifically (and in our view rightly) excluded from any consideration as a prospective site of a future Geological Disposal Facility. Surely then Trawsfynydd being at the heart of the Eryri National Park should enjoy the same protection in law?

In our view, to do otherwise exposes UK Government policy as hypocritical and inconsistent, implying that the premier National Park of Wales is not worthy of the same protection as the premier National Park of England and unfortunately conveys the impression that Wales remains a rank colonial possession, rather than a nation in its own right, whose natural assets are open to exploitation by any major nuclear development of the most egregious kind’.

Only 59% of respondents in phase one backed the inclusion of ‘SMRS and AMRs alongside large-scale GW technologies’ within the policy, with the NGO community calling for a separate policy. Despite this, Ministers intend this policy to be one-size-fits-all. In this second phase consultation, the NFLAs have referenced the lack of ‘specific consideration’ of the ‘additional, and not entirely defined, challenges’ that accompany the inclusion of SMRs and AMRs.

There have been many recent reports of concerns amongst the nuclear industry and the academic community about the radioactive waste produced by smaller reactors and the security implications of a wider rollout of smaller reactors. The NFLAs have therefore requested that final version of EN-7 should require ‘SMR, AMR, Micro reactor developers to submit robust statements about their proposals to address radioactive waste management, safety, security and proliferation concerns’.

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April 12, 2025 Posted by | environment, opposition to nuclear, UK | Leave a comment

UK Government convenes AI Energy Council, but could be ignoring hidden climate impacts in supply chains


 Edie 10th April 2025, Sidhi Mittal

The UK Government has officially launched its AI Energy Council, with its first meeting outlining five key priorities for aligning the country’s clean energy ambitions with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI).

However, while the Council focuses on integrating AI intro the UK’s energy system, Ministers are being warned that they are overlooking the strain which AI supply chains are putting on energy systems overseas.

The Council is led by Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. Representatives from companies including Microsoft, Google, Amazon, ARM, EDF and ScottishPower sit on the Council, alongside energy regulator Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

The Council this week met for the first time, and agreed on focus points for the year ahead. These include preparing the UK’s energy grid for the electricity demands of AI and computer infrastructure, accelerating renewable energy adoption, and ensuring AI’s role in the energy sector contributes to the transition to net-zero.

Emphasis was also placed on using AI to improve grid flexibility and ensuring its safe, secure deployment in the energy system.

This move comes amid growing pressure for the UK’s AI ecosystem to deliver more public benefit. A recent report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that only 15% of AI firms in the UK are developing solutions aimed at social challenges such as public health or environmental sustainability, despite 20% having received public funding.

IPPR’s head of AI Carsten Jung said: “Too many companies are focussed on generic process improvements rather than coming up with new, better products. And too few innovations are aimed at solving big societal problems, such as public health and climate change.

“This quantity over quality, profit over purpose, speed over substance, approach is a hugely missed opportunity.”

But as the UK attempts to shape a greener AI-powered future through initiatives like the AI Energy Council, the global supply chain it relies on presents an emissions challenge far beyond its borders.

AI chip boom in East Asia drives fossil fuel surge

New research from Greenpeace East Asia has found that electricity demand for manufacturing AI chips has risen more than 350% between 2023 and 2024. East Asia—home to the bulk of global AI chip production—is seeing this growth largely powered by fossil fuels………………………..

Greenpeace East Asia’s supply chain project lead Katrin Wu said: “While fabless hardware companies like Nvidia and AMD are reaping billions from the AI boom, they are neglecting the climate impact of their supply chains in East Asia.

“Across East Asia, there are many opportunities for companies to invest directly in wind and solar energy, yet chipmakers have failed to do so on a meaningful scale.

“Hardware companies can overcome renewable energy bottlenecks by investing directly in wind and solar capacity, signing power purchase agreements, and leveraging their influence to advocate for a higher ratio of renewable energy in the grid.”……………………………………………………………. https://www.edie.net/uk-government-convenes-ai-energy-council-but-could-be-ignoring-hidden-climate-impacts-in-supply-chains/

April 12, 2025 Posted by | technology, UK | Leave a comment

EDF urged to tackle ‘nuclear rats’ infestation at Somerset power plant site

Unite and GMB trade unions have warned French energy giant EDF that urgent action is needed to tackle the massive rodent outbreak at the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor in Somerset.

Katie Timms, Joshua Whorms,  Somerset Live 9th April 2025

“Nuclear rats” have reportedly overrun the construction site of a new nuclear reactor in Somerset, raising alarm among workers about their health and safety as they contend with the pervasive rodent problem.

Trade unions Unite and GMB have urgently called on French energy giant EDF to take immediate action to address the significant rodent infestation at the Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor site.

Concerns are mounting for the wellbeing of the workforce tasked with constructing Britain’s first new nuclear power station in decades due to the burgeoning rat population, reports the Daily Star.

An insider at the site disclosed to the Observer: “They’re all over. You see them just sat there, looking at you. It is worse near the canteens, where I guess it started. But they are everywhere now.

“The more men working on the site, the more rubbish on the site and the canteens are not clean either. It has just become worse over time,” the source elaborated.

Other employees have described the situation as “quite grim”. Amidst the project exceeding its budget by a billion pounds, workers have voiced concerns that financial constraints imposed by EDF are compromising their working conditions and impacting their wages.

These persistent issues led to industrial action last November, with hundreds of electricians, pipe fitters, and welders ceasing work due to security worries…………………….

The Star previously reported on the alarming sight of “cat-sized rats” which ignited concerns about a potential outbreak of a rare bacterial disease in the UK’s second largest city.

Residents have reported sightings of enormous “rats the size of cats” prowling their streets, as industrial action by waste collectors has resulted in rubbish accumulating in the streets of Birmingham. There is growing concern among experts about these oversized rodents potentially leading to locals contracting Leptospirosis…………………………………
https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/edf-urged-tackle-nuclear-rats-10094730

April 12, 2025 Posted by | environment, UK | Leave a comment

The Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor will not be able to deliver its full power without major works.

According to our information, EDF has still not been able to identify the cause of the malfunction of the turbine in the Normandy reactor.

 La Tribune Juliette Raynal, 04/07/25

After a doomed construction site, the Normandy reactor of the Flamanville EPR started up on December 21, twelve years behind schedule. Its entry into service does not signal the end of the problems, far from it. According to our information, the difficulties encountered with the turbo-alternator unit, the centerpiece of a nuclear power plant, will prevent the first French EPR from delivering its full electrical power without major intervention requiring the assembly of scaffolding inside a room that is difficult to access.

Contacted by La Tribune , EDF did not wish to comment on this information and indicated that it was maintaining its provisional schedule with the transition to 100% of its nominal power in the summer of 2025. “While technically the reactor could well reach its full thermal power in the coming months, the electrical power will be reduced by 10 to 20% due to the partial vacuum,”  qualifies a well-informed source.

As we reported on March 13, EDF teams had to deal  with abnormal heating in the turbo-generator unit. Located in the heart of the engine room, the 70-meter-long Arabelle turbine, manufactured by General Electric,  but now owned by Arabelle Solutions, a subsidiary of EDF, 
transforms the thermal energy contained in the steam into mechanical energy to drive the alternator that produces electricity.
 The Arabelle turbine, the centerpiece of the power plant

In a technical document published  following a general meeting, organized on February 25th within the framework of the Local Information Commission (CLI), the electrician revealed a malfunction:  “The temperature increases beyond the authorized limit on stages 7 and 8 of the turbo alternator group when trying to reach the expected condenser vacuum . “

…………………………………….. the 57th reactor in the French fleet is still shut down due to a maintenance operation on equipment located in the nuclear part of the plant.

After several postponements, its start-up is expected on April 11. “While these adjustments allow the reactor to be restarted without exceeding the authorized heating levels, they will not allow it to operate at full power,” a well-informed source cautions. “The reactor will only be able to continue its tests at a partial vacuum,” the same source specifies.

……………………………..With  the vacuum reduced, the turbine’s efficiency will be mechanically reduced and could therefore be between 10 and 20% below its nominal operating temperature.

The cause of the malfunction has not yet been identified.

“The work that has been carried out on the bearings is corrective work. It helps to reduce the fault that is causing excessive heating, but the teams involved do not expect this to completely resolve the problem. In short, it helps to treat the symptoms, but not the cause, which remains unidentified ,” reports  this source.

According to our information, to attempt a diagnosis, EDF teams will have to install scaffolding inside the condenser itself. A room that is difficult to access since it is located just below the turbine.  “It is an intrusive operation that requires a complete shutdown of the reactor for at least several weeks ,” according to this well-informed source.

“A nightmare to cope with”

Unlike a conventional shutdown for refueling, which lasts on average 30 to 40 days, this first break should last  “at least 250 days ,” said Régis Clément, deputy director of EDF’s nuclear fleet division, during a press briefing on December 20. In other words, more than eight months.  EDF also intends to take advantage of this interruption to replace the defective tank cover, required by the nuclear regulator.

While waiting for this operation, the various components of the turbine, due to its abnormal operation, could well be damaged. And for good reason, even if by lowering the vacuum level the defect becomes acceptable, it does not disappear. As a result, the bearings wear unevenly and mistreat the turbine. “This machine risks being a nightmare to operate ,” fears a person close to the case.

April 12, 2025 Posted by | France, technology | 1 Comment

Trump has threatened Iran over an ultimatum that likely cannot be met

Trump’s ultimatum to Iran appears to be moving the U.S. down a path to where war is the only outcome, as occurred in 1914 – an outcome which ultimately triggered WW1.

Strategic Culture Foundation, Alastair Crooke, April 7, 2025

What is understood now is that ‘we’re no longer playing chess’. There are no rules anymore.

Trump’s ultimatum to Iran? Colonel Doug Macgregor compares the Trump ultimatum to Iran to that which Austria-Hungary delivered to Serbia in 1914: An offer, in short, that ‘could not be refused’. Serbia accepted nine out of the ten demands. But it refused one – and Austria-Hungary immediately declared war.

On 4 February, shortly after his Inauguration, President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM); that is to say, a legally binding directive requiring government agencies to carry out the specified actions precisely.

The demands are that Iran should be denied a nuclear weapon; denied inter-continental missiles, and denied too other asymmetric and conventional weapons capabilities. All these demands go beyond the NPT and the existing JCPOA. To this end, the NSPM directs maximum economic pressure be imposed; that the U.S. Treasury act to drive Iran’s oil exports to zero; that the U.S. work to trigger JCPOA Snapback of sanctions; and that Iran’s “malign influence abroad” – its “proxies” – be neutralised.

The UN sanctions snapback expires in October, so time is short to fulfil the procedural requirements to Snapback. All this suggests why Trump and Israeli officials give Spring as the deadline to a negotiated agreement.

Trump’s ultimatum to Iran appears to be moving the U.S. down a path to where war is the only outcome, as occurred in 1914 – an outcome which ultimately triggered WW1.

Might this just be Trump bluster? Possibly, but it does sound as if Trump is issuing legally binding demands such that he must expect cannot be met. Acceptance of Trump’s demands would leave Iran neutered and stripped of its sovereignty, at the very least. There is an implicit ‘tone’ to these demands too, that is one of threatening and expecting regime change in Iran as its outcome.

It may be Trump bluster, but the President has ‘form’ (past convictions) on this issue. He has unabashedly hewed to the Netanyahu line on Iran that the JCPOA (or any deal with Iran) was ‘bad’. In May 2014, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the JCPOA at Netanyahu’s behest and instead issued a new set of 12 demands to Iran – including permanently and verifiably abandoning its nuclear programme in perpetuity and ceasing all uranium enrichment.

What is the difference between those earlier Trump demands and those of this February? Essentially they are the same, except today he says: If Iran “doesn’t make a deal, there will be bombing. It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before”.

Thus, there is both history, and the fact that Trump is surrounded – on this issue at least – by a hostile cabal of Israeli Firsters and Super Hawks. Witkoff is there, but is poorly grounded on the issues. Trump too, has shown himself virtually totalitarian in terms of any and all criticism of Israel in American Academia. And in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, he is fully supportive of Netanyahu’s far-right provocative and expansionist agenda.

These present demands regarding Iran also run counter to the 25 March 2025 latest annual U.S. Intelligence Threat Assessment that Iran is NOT building a nuclear weapon. This Intelligence Assessment is effectively disregarded. A few days before its release, Trump’s National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz clearly stated that the Trump Administration is seeking the “full dismantlement” of Iran's nuclear energy program: “Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see”, Waltz said. “It is time for Iran to walk away completely from its desire to have a nuclear weapon”.

On the one hand, it seems that behind these ultimata stands a President made “pissed off and angry” at his inability to end the Ukraine war almost immediately – as he first mooted – together with pressures from a bitterly fractured Israel and a volatile Netanyahu to compress the timeline for the speedy ‘finishing off’ of the Iranian ‘regime’ (which, it is claimed, has never been weaker). All so that Israel can normalise with Lebanon –and even Syria. And with Iran supposedly ‘disabled’, pursue implementation of the Greater Israel project to be normalised across the Middle East.

Which, on the other hand, will enable Trump to pursue the ‘long-overdue’ grand pivot to China. (And China is energy-vulnerable – regime change in Tehran would be a calamity, from the Chinese perspective).

To be plain, Trump’s China strategy needs to be in place too, in order to advance Trump’s financial system re-balancing plans. …………………………………………………………………………………….. https://strategic-culture.su/news/2025/04/07/break-leg-that-old-mafia-warning-trump-has-threatened-iran-over-ultimatum-that-likely-cannot-be-met/

April 11, 2025 Posted by | Iran, politics international, USA | Leave a comment

Declassified MoD document reveals US Visiting Forces across Britain are exempt from nuclear safety rules

 CND 7th April 2025

At a time of heightened nuclear dangers, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has uncovered shocking evidence that US military bases across Britain are exempt from UK emergency radiation regulations.

This means that bases like RAF Lakenheath, which is being prepared to host deadly new US nuclear weapons, is under no legal obligation to have emergency radiation plans in case of nuclear accidents.

A declassified exemption order shows that the government is putting so-called ‘national security’ before people’s safety.

CND is calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to announce in Parliament that no US nuclear weapons will be welcomed in Britain and that the exemption on adhering to legally required safety standards is revoked.

A letter from CND’s lawyers Leigh Day has forced the Ministry of Defence to declassify a significant nationwide exemption certificate, issued in March 2021 by former Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, on the grounds of ‘national security’. 

The certificate exempts Visiting Forces – primarily US military personnel – engaged in work with ionising radiations, from any legal enforcement of safety standards, using powers under Regulation 40 of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and Regulation 25 of the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulation 2019. This means they are not legally bound to have in place plans and measures for emergency situations involving radioactive materials and nuclear weapons.

This is particularly dangerous given US preparations at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk for a new nuclear weapons mission. However, the exemption not only covers RAF Lakenheath but all US military bases across Britain. 

There are at least 10,000 US Department of Defence personnel stationed at 13 RAF bases. Nuclear material for Britain’s own nuclear weapons programme is regularly transported through RAF Brize Norton and RAF Fairford regularly hosts the US B2 nuclear-capable stealth bomber. 

The government’s exemption means that local councils will never be told about the presence of nuclear weapons at these bases – and are therefore not obliged to produce their own emergency plans for a radiological accident. This puts the British population at even greater risk.

CND is calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to announce in Parliament that no US nuclear weapons will be welcomed in Britain and that the exemption on adhering to legally required safety standards is revoked. The majority of the British public don’t want US nuclear weapons in this country. 

CND is upping pressure on the government, supporting two weeks of protest actions from Monday 14 April, culminating in a blockade of the base on Saturday 26 April. The peace camp and actions are organised by the Lakenheath Alliance for Peace, of which CND is a member………………………………………………………………………………………………. https://cnduk.org/declassified-mod-document-reveals-us-visiting-forces-across-britain-are-exempt-from-nuclear-safety-rules/

April 11, 2025 Posted by | safety, UK | Leave a comment

Radiation Monitoring – Scottish university in ‘world-first’ for nuclear technology

A “cutting-edge” radiation detector module for nuclear experiments has
been developed by staff and students at the University of the West of
Scotland (UWS) that will be deployed at the world’s top laboratories. The
detection module, which can be used for nuclear experiments, will have
“far-reaching impact” on the areas where radiation detection is required.

 Herald 7th April 2025,
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25068881.scottish-university-world-first-nuclear-technology/

April 11, 2025 Posted by | technology, UK | Leave a comment

Hartlepool Nuclear site moved into enhanced regulatory attention

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has moved Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station operated by EDF into enhanced regulatory attention for safety.

ONR has made the decision based on evidence gained from ongoing targeted engagements at the site which have identified areas where improvements are required.   

The change in regulatory attention level does not relate to EDF’s recent decision to extend the operating lifetime of the station in County Durham, which is subject to ongoing safety standards being demonstrated.

The enhanced regulatory attention level reflects the effort ONR is using to influence improvements in areas including conventional health and safety, the number of site incidents and the production of nuclear safety cases.

 ONR 7th April 2025, https://www.onr.org.uk/news/all-news/2025/04/nuclear-site-moved-into-enhanced-regulatory-attention/

April 11, 2025 Posted by | safety, UK | Leave a comment

Ex-Hinkley boss called ‘greedy toad’ over bribes

A senior manager at a nuclear power plant has been described to a tribunal as a “greedy little toad” over claims he accepted bribes.

Ashley Daniels, who worked at Hinkley Point C in Somerset under the French energy company EDF, accepted an £11,000 quad bike from a subcontractor looking to secure more work, the employment tribunal in Bristol heard.

Mr Daniels, who the BBC understands no longer works for the company, was not the subject of the tribunal, which was brought by a former employee of the subcontractor.

The tribunal heard Mr Daniels also received gifts including £2,000 hospitality tickets for a boxing match and a refill for his Montblanc fountain pen.

The hearing, for a claim of unfair dismissal, was brought by engineer Garrick Nisbet against the subcontractor, Notus Heavy Lift Solutions.

Mr Nisbet was dismissed without notice in April 2023 in the belief he had gifted the quad bike to Mr Daniels – at the time the head of lifting and temporary works at Hinkley – to “ensure that work was directed” to Notus, the hearing was told.

Speaking about messages he had sent regarding the alleged bribes, Mr Nisbet told the tribunal Mr Daniels was “cheeky and a greedy little toad”.

In other messages, the tribunal heard, he said the purchase of the quad bike would give Notus “a bit of breathing space”, later saying Mr Daniels was “hard to say no to”.

‘Clearly bribes’

Hinkley Point B halted operations in August 2022 having come to the end of its life, with Hinkley Point C under construction since late 2018………….

 BBC 8th April 2025 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn7xv8vyzp3o

April 11, 2025 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | Leave a comment

A Iran and US to enter high-stakes nuclear negotiations – hampered by a lack of trust

April 10, 2025. The Conversation, Ali Bilgic, Professor of International Relations and Middle East Politics, Loughborough University

The announcement of planned talks between the US and Iran in Oman signifies a crucial development – especially given the history of distrust and animosity that has characterised their interactions.

There remains a degree of confusion as to whether the negotiations over Iran’s development of a nuclear capacity will be direct or indirect. The US has said that its Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, will meet Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi. Donald Trump has publicly stated that Iran will be in “great danger” if the negotiations fail.

Iran meanwhile has said that talks will be conducted through an intermediary. Araghchi commented that: “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court.”

This seeming clash in messaging before the talks have even begun is not the greatest omen for their success, even with the threat of US or Israeli military action hovering over Iran. Representatives from Iran, China and Russia are reported to have met in Moscow on April 8.

China’s foreign ministry released a statement reminding the world that it was the US “which unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA [the 2015 nuclear deal or joint comprehensive plan of action] and caused the current situation”. It stressed the need for Washington to “show political sincerity, act in the spirit of mutual respect, engage in dialogue and consultation, and stop the threat of force and maximum pressure”.

This followed messaging from Washington which very much focused on the possibility of force and maximum pressure. Speaking to the press after meeting the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump struck a very aggressive note, saying: “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and if the talks aren’t successful, I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran if that’s the case…………………………………………………

Rocky road ahead

A major issue affecting the talks is the low level of trust between the two parties. The US’s involvement in the Gaza conflict – including Trump’s controversial proposal to clear Gaza of Palestinians to make way for possible redevelopment – has further strained relations. So has the recent US campaign against the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Further threats of this kind are likely to be seen by Iran as aggressive and coercive – and Trump’s latest rhetoric won’t have helped. This will inevitably undermine the prospects for trust between the parties.

Iran’s scepticism is rooted in past experiences where promises of economic relief were not fulfilled. Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 is a case in point. This perceived breach of trust has made Iran cautious about entering into new agreements without concrete assurances.

The regional context adds another layer of complexity to the talks. American support for Israel’s actions in Gaza is likely to complicate matters. The populations of most Gulf states are fully supportive of Palestinian self-determination and are scandalised at the way the US president has seemingly given the green light to Israel’s breach of the ceasefire and resumption of hostilities.

Iran’s internal politics are also likely to play an important role in shaping its approach to the negotiations. The country is experiencing significant political polarisation between the “hardliners”, spearheaded by the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, and the “reformists”, who are relatively more conciliatory towards the US and Europe. ………………………..https://theconversation.com/iran-and-us-to-enter-high-stakes-nuclear-negotiations-hampered-by-a-lack-of-trust-254106

April 10, 2025 Posted by | politics international, USA | Leave a comment

‘Better that Ukrainians don’t know the truth’ – Kiev’s spy chief

7 Apr 25, https://www.rt.com/russia/615336-budanov-harsh-reality-opinions/

General Kirill Budanov has said people should remain unaware of the “harsh reality” of the conflict with Russia

Many Ukrainians cannot handle the “harsh reality” of the conflict with Russia and should be kept in the dark about the details, Kiev’s military intelligence chief has said.

Three-star general Kirill Budanov expressed his views on information censorship during wartime in a conversation with journalist Anna Maksimchuk on Saturday, suggesting that much of the truth of the conflict should only become public knowledge to Ukrainians in the future.

During wartime, knowing the whole truth is not necessary. Otherwise, people may develop opinions,” Budanov said. “Some minds are not prepared to grasp the harsh reality. Let’s not put them to the test. Everything should be dosed.”

Since 2020, Budanov has led the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry (HUR) – an agency reportedly rebuilt from scratch by the CIA following the 2014 armed coup in Kiev to serve as a tool against Russia.

Prior to the escalation of hostilities with Russia in 2022, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky cracked down on critical media, claiming to do so in order to fight against local oligarchs under Moscow’s influence.

During the conflict, Kiev launched a news marathon with programming said to be directly controlled by the president’s office – which critics have called state propaganda. Additionally, under martial law, Zelensky banned several opposition parties, claiming they posed a national security threat.

Earlier this year, turmoil swept through Ukraine’s media landscape following US President Donald Trump’s decision to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID), an organization used by Washington to promote its political agenda through foreign grants.

Researcher Oksana Romanyuk estimated in January that nearly 90% of Ukrainian outlets relied on foreign aid, with 80% specifically receiving funding from USAID.

April 10, 2025 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Belarus should reinstate its nuclear-weapon-free status, NGOs urge at the Human Rights Council

Geneva, April 8, 2025, https://www.unfoldzero.org/belarus-should-revive-its-nuclear-weapon-free-status-ngos-urge-at-the-human-rights-council/

Belarus should reinstate its constitutional status as a nuclear-weapon-free country, return the nuclear weapons deployed in its territory to Russia, and revive its earlier proposal for the establishment of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central and Eastern Europe, according to a submission made to the Human Rights Council in Geneva by a group of seven non-governmental organizations. The submission was made as part of the Universal Periodic Review of Belarus’ adherence to its human rights obligations under international law.

“The threat of nuclear war has increased markedly through conflicts involving nuclear armed and allied states, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine”  according to the submitting organizations which include Aotearoa  Lawyers for Peace (New Zealand), Basel Peace Office (Switzerland), Citizens for Global Solutions (USA), International Centre for Civil Initiatives “Our House” (Belarus), World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy (Netherlands/International, World Future Council (Germany/International), and Youth Fusion (Czech Republic/International). “The Russian nuclear weapons recently deployed in Belarus – Iskander-M short-range nuclear missiles and free-fall nuclear bombs deliverable by Belarussian SU-30 fighter-attack planes – elevate this threat.”

Belarus, and other nuclear armed and allied States, should adhere to the commitment they made at the UN Summit of the Future last September to make “every effort to avert the danger of such a war, bearing in mind that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”  

Further, the organizations remind Belarus of the 2018 UN Human Rights Committee affirmation that “The threat or use of weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, which are indiscriminate in effect and are of a nature to cause destruction of human life on a catastrophic scale, is incompatible with respect for the right to life and may amount to a crime under international law.”  This declaration strengthened the general prohibition against the threat or use of nuclear weapons affirmed by the International Court of Justice in 1996.

“The deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus, which President Lukashenko has said that he is ready to use without hesitation in case of aggression against Belarus is in direct violation of international law,” says Rebecca Shoot, Executive Director of Citizens for Global Solutions. “This violation is particularly alarming when the threat of nuclear conflict has never been greater, according to the Bureau of Atomic Scientists. The actions of States at this critical moment are all that stands against a cataclysmic threat to humanity and the planet.”

In the early 1990s, a newly independent Belarus took some exemplary actions for peace and disarmament: relinquishing all nuclear weapons that were remaining on its territory following the break-up of the Soviet Union, acceding to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a non-nuclear State, and adopting a constitution that confirmed Belarus as a “neutral, nuclear-weapon-free country” with a foreign policy based on the “non-use of force or the threat of force, the inviolability of frontiers and the peaceful settlement of disputes.”

“The recent reversal by Belarus of these important actions is cause for alarm, increases regional tensions and elevates the risk of nuclear war threatening our collective future,” says Alyn Ware, Director of Basel Peace Office. “We call on Belarus not only to reinstate its status as a nuclear-weapon-free nation, but also to support adoption of no-first-use policies and replacement of nuclear deterrence with common security to help build a shared future based on peace rather than the spectre of nuclear war.”

“The land of Belarus once chose to silence the hum of nuclear warheads and listen instead to the quiet breath of its forests, lakes and swamps,” says Olga Karatch, founder and director of the International Centre for Civil Initiatives – Our House. “It is time to remember that promise of peace.”

“Russian nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus – along with other nuclear weapons deployed by nuclear-weapon States in Europe and globally – threaten the lives and wellbeing of non-combatants, including youth and future generations” says Ayleen Roy, Core Team Member of Youth Fusion. “Youth in Europe and around the world want to transcend borders, cooperating as friends to build a better future, not as enemies divided by nuclear threats.”

The submission welcomes the proposal for a Central and Eastern Europe Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone which Belarus submitted to the UN General Assembly in 1990. It calls for Belarus to review, revive and reshape such a proposal, which could help in building security guarantees against the threat or use of nuclear weapons in the region.

“Most countries in the global South are part of legally declared Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones (NWFZs),” says Prof. Dr (med) Andreas Nidecker, President of the Basel Peace Office.  “This has helped to build common security and end nuclear threats in these regions. The concept of a European NWFZ could potentially contribute to discussions on security of Belarus, Ukraine and other European nations at this time.”

And the submission calls on Belarus and all other nuclear-reliant States to a replace their reliance on nuclear deterrence with common security. This would include full adherence to the UN Charter and universal acceptance of compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, in order to resolve international conflicts peacefully through law, without recourse to the threat or use of war.

“True security is not built through nuclear arsenals, but through trust, transparency, and international cooperation,” concludes Olga Karatch “Belarus can be a bridge, not a battleground.”

Contact:
Alyn Ware alyn@pnnd.org. Mobile +41 788 912 156. WhatsApp +420 773 638 867  

Read the full submission:
Nuclear weapons policies and practices of Belarus with respect to international human rights law: List of Issues Submission to the UN Human Rights Council during its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Republic of Belarus.

April 10, 2025 Posted by | Belarus, politics | Leave a comment

£2.7bn more taxpayer funding for Sizewell C confirmed

 

The government has announced that a further £2.7bn of taxpayer cash has made available for Sizewell C, bringing the total to £6.4bn ahead of the final investment decision (FID) on the nuclear power station.

A FID is needed before main construction can start on the planned nuclear power
station in Suffolk. The FID will confirm who is to pay for the construction
and through what model.

As of January, £2.5bn of contracts had already
been agreed for works towards the project. It is expected that the FID
decision, which is not a foregone conclusion, will come at or around the
conclusion of the Spending Review, scheduled for 11 June 2025.

Rumours have swirled around which investors might help with getting the FID over the
line. Centrica chief executive Chris O’Shea said the multinational energy
company’s stake in Sizewell C could be “between 1% or 2% and 50%”,
and EDF has been slowly having its stake in the plant eroded by taxpayer
cash injections while it inputs no further of its own funds.

NCE approached
DESNZ to clarify the status of the previously announced £5.5bn development
expenditure (Devex) scheme, and what the total figure for public investment
in Sizewell C stands at. A DESNZ spokesperson confirmed that the £2.7bn
announced on 4 April is not from the Devex fund. “The government has
committed £3.9bn from the Devex scheme – so £1.6bn is left,” the
spokesperson told NCE. “£8bn has been ringfenced for Sizewell C, and
£6.4bn made available for the project.”

  By Tom Pashby, New Civil Engineer 7th April 2025, https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/2-7bn-more-taxpayer-funding-for-sizewell-c-confirmed-07-04-2025/

April 10, 2025 Posted by | politics, UK | Leave a comment

Disconnection of nuclear plants during severe space weather highlighted as risk to grid stability

08 Apr, 2025 By Tom Pashby

Nuclear power station operators’ reactions to severe space weather could negatively impact the stability of the electricity transmission grid, a space weather expert has told NCE……………….


 New Civil Engineer 8th April 2025 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/disconnection-of-nuclear-plants-during-severe-space-weather-highlighted-as-risk-to-grid-stability-08-04-2025/

April 10, 2025 Posted by | safety, UK | Leave a comment

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