Time to build a Scotland without nuclear weapons
06 Aug 2026, https://greens.scot/news/time-to-build-a-scotland-without-nuclear-weapons
Nuclear weapons are a moral disgrace.Time to build a Scotland without nuclear weapons.
The UK Government’s commitment to weapons of mass destruction makes the case for an independent, nuclear-free Scotland, says Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay MSP.
Marking the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the Scottish Greens have called for the abolition of nuclear weapons and an end to the Labour Government’s “dangerous and immoral” nuclear policy.
Despite the atrocities of Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, the Labour government has described its commitment to the UK’s nuclear weapons system as “absolute”.
This past week, the UK government set out plans to spend £63.6bn over the next four years for the UK Government’s Defence Nuclear Enterprise, £47bn of which will go on nuclear submarines.
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay MSP said:
“Today we remember all those who were killed, those who suffered unimaginable injuries and the generations whose lives were devastated by the atomic bomb.
“Hiroshima showed the world the horrifying reality of nuclear warfare – the destruction of a city and the mass killing of innocent civilians.
“The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were among the most inhumane atrocities ever committed. There can never be any justification for mass killings or the long and brutal legacy that they left behind.
“We are 81 years on and the new Prime Minister is doubling down on his dangerous and immoral policy, committing tens of billions of tax-payer’s money on submarines and nuclear warheads designed to inflict mass-destruction.
“Housing weapons on the Clyde, capable of annihilating millions of people, do not keep Scotland safe – they make our communities a nuclear target while they pay the price through cuts, poverty and crumbling public services.
“No government that genuinely believes in peace, human rights and international law should threaten the mass slaughter of civilians, putting our own communities at risk whilst lining the pockets of arms traders”
Gillian added:
“There is always money at Westminster for nuclear weapons, but never enough to eradicate child poverty, repair our public services or ensure that everyone has a warm and secure home.
“Westminster’s nuclear obsession does not have to be Scotland’s. We can keep our communities safe by removing Trident from the Clyde, and taking our place internationally as a country committed to peace and disarmament.
“Scotland deserves a future where our resources support our people and communities, not the profits of multi-national arms companies. An independent Scotland can sign the anti-nuclear treaty and be a country where the lessons of Hiroshima are reflected with a firm and steadfast commitment to peace and nuclear disarmament.”
Labour urged to end ‘dangerous’ nuclear weapons policy on Hiroshima Day
THE UK Government has been urged to put an end to its “dangerous and
immoral” nuclear policy and scrap its commitment to weapons of mass
destruction. The Scottish Greens made the comments to mark Hiroshima Day, as the party hit out at “Westminster’s nuclear obsession” which they said
makes Scotland’s “communities a nuclear target”.
In 1945, the United States
dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9
respectively, leading to the end of the Second World War with Japan’s
surrender. The bombs killed more than 200,000 people, with the Hiroshima
bomb killing more than 140,000 people, including 38,000 children. A number
of events are taking place around Scotland to mark Hiroshima Day, including
in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee.
The National 6th Aug 2026,
https://www.thenational.scot/news/26440543.labour-urged-end-dangerous-nuclear-policy-hiroshima-day/
First measurement of antineutrinos from spent nuclear fuel confirms emissions persist after reactor shutdown
Phys Org, by Max Planck Societ, edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Robert Egan, August 4, 2026
Even when the lights go out and nuclear reactors are turned off, the story inside the reactor core still has a great deal to tell. Radioactive, long-lived fission products continue to decay for months or even years, producing a faint flux of a specific type of particle known as antineutrinos. (Anti)neutrinos are the lightest and most elusive known particles in the universe, allowing them to escape unhindered from both the reactor and the surrounding shielding.
Researchers in the Double Chooz collaboration have now measured this residual antineutrino emission for the first time. The study, which was published in Physical Review Letters, was led by Anthony Onillon and Thierry Lasserre from the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK) in Heidelberg, Germany.
The results demonstrate that antineutrino detectors can probe nuclear reactors even during shutdown periods, opening new perspectives for reactor monitoring, nuclear safety and safeguards.
How Double Chooz sees the signal
The measurement was performed at the Chooz nuclear power plant in northern France. The Double Chooz detector is located underground at a distance of about 400 meters (1,300 feet) from the two reactor cores. The detector contains more than 30 cubic meters of liquid scintillator, a material that emits tiny flashes of light when an antineutrino interacts inside the detector.
“Antineutrinos interact only extremely rarely with matter. However, when one interacts within the Double Chooz detector, a characteristic double-light signal is produced that can be distinguished from background events,” explains Lasserre from the independent research group OMINA, also located at MPIK. This allows researchers to identify the reactor antineutrinos.
The collaboration analyzed 17.2 days of data recorded while both reactor units were completely shut down. During this period, the detector observed around 100 antineutrino candidate events originating from residual radioactivity in the reactor cores and nearby spent-fuel cooling pools.
The measured signal agrees remarkably well with detailed simulations of the remaining nuclear fuel inventory and the decay of long-lived fission products. This constitutes the first direct experimental validation of predictions for antineutrino emission from shutdown reactors and spent fuel…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..https://phys.org/news/2026-08-antineutrinos-spent-nuclear-fuel-emissions.html
Romania’s nuclear reactor to remain in operation at least a week
05 August 2026, Iulian Ernst,
https://www.romania-insider.com/romania-nuclear-reactor-operational-august-2026
Romania’s Nuclearelectrica announced that after the detonation of a rock obstructing the flow of water on the Danube by the Naval Forces on August 3, the water level at Cernavoda nuclear power plant increased by 2 cm, reversing the downward trend. As a result of the works on the Danube, the nuclear reactor still in operation can operate for at least a week – instead of five days estimated previously, according to Cernavoda NPP manager Romeo Urjan cited by B1 TV on August 4.
The planned sinking of ships loaded with rocks on one of the Danube’s arms with the aim of increasing the flow on the arm delivering water to Cernavoda NPP was not yet carried out, and this operation is expected to further extend the operation period for the nuclear reactor.
Cernavoda NPP keeps in operation one of its two 680 MW reactors, which allows the country to overcome the 7,000-7,500 MW consumption peak during the 20:00-23-00 period while at the same time delivering electricity to Moldova that critically relies on electricity imports. Some one-third of Romania’s own consumption (namely nearly 2,500 MW of 7,000-7,500 MW) was covered by imports during the peak consumption period last night, according to Digi24, while the country was exporting roughly one-tenth of its output to Moldova (meaning some 500 MW)
The situation remains fragile, however. Hydrological data indicate a very low flow of the Danube, and authorities have previously warned that Unit 2 could be shut down preemptively if the water level falls below technical thresholds. Such a shutdown would not pose a safety risk to the plant, but would remove significant production capacity from the system.
Separately, the government of Romania is preparing to institute a mechanism for disconnecting from the power grid large industrial consumers as a means to address possible power shortages. The targeted companies would be notified 24 hours in advance, interim prime minister Ilie Bolojan announced on August 4.
The initiative is presented as a measure of last resort and would be introduced by a government decision. The announcement refers to large industrial consumers, not household consumers.
Previously, PM Bolojan had explained that the mechanism would be implemented through the National Energy Dispatcher within Transelectrica. The consumption allowed to each company would be established depending on the technology used and the energy available in the system at the respective times. The government presented the measure as a safety solution, which would be activated only if the voluntary reduction does not yield results.
iulian@romania-insider.com
Brian Leishman MP blasts party’s own nuclear policy
Sizewell B, also in Suffolk, uses around 800,000 litres of fresh mains water per day, while Sizewell C is estimated to need more than 2 million litres per day by the time it is completed, according to the Guardian.
4th August, 26, By Lucy Jackson,
https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/news/26435794.scottish-labour-mp-blasts-partys-nuclear-policy/
A Scottish Labour MP has blasted his own party’s policy on nuclear energy.
Brian Leishman, MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, said Labour’s nuclear policy was “madness” in the face of the climate crisis.
Leishman made the comments in response to reports that Romania has been forced to “blast” the Danube river to help a nuclear plant as a result of the heatwave.
Romania, like much of Europe, has been subject to scorching temperatures, with water levels in the Danube reportedly dropping to just 23 centimetres.
Channel 4 News reports that the Romanian navy has blown up rocks at the side of the Danube, where it splits, in order to get more water flowing down the main branch of the river towards a nuclear power plant.
In response to the news report, Leishman wrote on Twitter/X: “We are suffering from climate crisis/extreme weather.
“Parts of the UK have declared drought status yet there is a political push for nuclear energy requiring huge amounts of water to operate.
“And AI data centres would require incredible amounts of water.
“Both are madness!”
We are suffering from climate crisis/extreme weather.
Parts of the UK have declared drought status yet there is a political push for nuclear energy requiring huge amounts of water to operate.
And AI data centres would require incredible amounts of water.
Both are madness! https://t.co/mDbeQ13XLP— Brian Leishman (@BrianLeishmanMP) August 4, 2026
The Labour Party supports nuclear energy as part of its election pledge to “make Britain a clean energy superpower”.
It has vowed to build new nuclear power stations, such as Sizewell C in Suffolk, which is currently under construction and is expected to cost around £38 billion.
Nuclear power plants consume vast amounts of water, which is partly used to cool the reactor core in order to prevent meltdowns.
Sizewell B, also in Suffolk, uses around 800,000 litres of fresh mains water per day, while Sizewell C is estimated to need more than 2 million litres per day by the time it is completed, according to the Guardian.
Last month, Labour advocated for more nuclear power stations to be built in Scotland, with the UK Government publishing a report highlighting six areas where plants could be built “should the policy position of the Scottish Government change”.
The Scottish Government opposes new nuclear developments and has insisted the focus should instead be on renewable energy, with both Dounreay Nuclear site in Caithness and Hunterston Nuclear Power Plant in North Ayrshire currently being decommissioned.
Elsewhere, Torness Nuclear Power Plant in East Lothian is scheduled to end operations in 2030.
The Labour Party has been approached for comment.
Nuclear industry and public invited to shape new regulatory principles for future UK nuclear
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is leading a major review of its
key regulatory frameworks which evaluate the safety of nuclear facilities
– and the whole sector can play its part in this milestone industry
change. The Safety Assessment Principles (SAPs) support inspectors in
assessing nuclear safety cases submitted by dutyholders and requesting
parties. From today (Monday, 27 July), ONR is opening a public consultation
on the SAPs revision and wants to hear from nuclear operators, industry
bodies, the public and all those with an interest in nuclear safety. Your
views will help ensure the updated SAPs are as clear and effective as
possible. The consultation will run for eight weeks, closing on 18
September with the final version of the SAPs expected to be published in
December 2026.
ONR 27th July 2026, https://www.onr.org.uk/news/all-news/2026/07/nuclear-industry-and-public-invited-to-shape-new-regulatory-principles-for-future-uk-
UK Radioactive Wastes 2025 Inventory reports
The 2025 United Kingdom Radioactive Waste and Materials Inventory (the 2025 Inventory) provides detailed information on radioactive wastes and materials in the United Kingdom (UK).
The following reports have been published:
Radioactive Waste Inventory; 2025 UK
Radioactive Materials Inventory; 2025
UK Radioactive Waste Detailed Data;
2025 Summary of UK Radioactive Waste and Materials Inventory for
International Reporting; NWS has also published a further publication to
accompany the 2025 reports: 2025
UK Radioactive Waste and Materials
Inventory: summary report. The 2025 United Kingdom Radioactive Waste and
Materials Inventory (the 2025 Inventory) provides detailed information on
radioactive wastes and materials in the United Kingdom (UK).
It is produced by Nuclear Waste Services (NWS).
The 2025 Inventory provides information on radioactive waste stocks (at 1 April 2025) and forecasts of future waste arisings. Information on radioactive materials that may be classed as waste in the future is also presented. The 2025 Inventory aims to provide data in an open and transparent manner for those interested in radioactive wastes and materials.
3 Aug 26, https://inventory.nuclearwasteservices.uk/data-hub/2025-inventory-reports/
Nuclear test veterans’ medical records were gathered by secret government lab
Susie Boniface Reporter, 04 Aug 2026, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/nuclear-test-veterans-medical-records-37508232
Medical records of nuclear test veterans were gathered by a secret government laboratory, the Ministry of Defence has admitted.
Up to 50,000 paper files now locked in a climate-controlled warehouse were collected by scientists at Porton Down. The cache of files has yet to be examined, despite a two-year review into missing medical records of veterans who were subject to a programme of medical monitoring at Cold War bomb tests.
Campaigning MP Rebecca Long-Bailey said: “We need to know how many records are in there, for what reason they were held, and whether they constitute some of the missing files our veterans have spent decades searching for. I hope our new Prime Minister, who has been unfaltering in his support of the veterans, will order this archive searched before Parliament returns from summer recess.”
A cross-party group of MPs have written to Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, urging him to examine the archive. Veterans of Britain’s 45 atomic experiments have long complained their medical files were missing.
In 2022, the Mirror uncovered the first evidence thousands of them were given previously-denied blood, urine and thyroid testing, and underwent chest x-rays, before, during and after service at the weapons trials. The original orders were for blood test results to be recorded on six different forms, by five separate people, and held in four places, including ‘special health registers’ for each unit.
A review was launched in 2024, but when it was published last month it was unable to find most records, and assumed the blood tests were – in many cases – never taken and in others destroyed. No trace of the registers was found.
But it did locate a warehouse in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, which held 50,000 paper records about historic radiation exposure. A brief search established it held medical records for at least one atomic serviceman. The review said: “It is possible that the records of other nuclear test veterans are in the collection.”
The archive has a chequered past. Officially called UHR ‘DSTL Historic Radiation’, it appeared to have been formed by the Defence Science Technology Laboratory, more usually known as Porton Down. It is a top-secret facility that conducts classified biological and chemical research.
Today the files are held by a private contractor called Restore, which specialises in document storage. A digital version is held by Defence Radiation Protection Services, another part of the MoD, based 172 miles away in Gosport, Hampshire.
Two years ago, DRPS merged with the Atomic Weapons Establishment which is now responsible for the files, but no-one can search them without “specific individual permissions” from Defence Business Services; the administrative arm of the MoD. When ministers published the review, they did not say if or when the archives would be searched.
Veteran John Morris, 88, said: “It’s bonkers. The MoD has some paperwork, but the MoD hasn’t given itself permission to search it and tell the rest of the MoD what it has. If my medical records are in there, I want them back.”
An MOD spokesperson said: “We owe an enduring debt of gratitude to the more than 22,000 Service personnel, scientists and civilians who contributed to the UK’s nuclear testing programme and helped safeguard our national security.
“This Government commissioned a comprehensive review in relation to its agreed scope, processing more than 100,000 items and records across the organisations holding relevant material.
“As with any exercise involving records over 70 years old, additional collections and references may emerge over time. The fact that further material has been identified does not change the findings of the review, which found no evidence of deliberate concealment and set out transparently the limitations and gaps within the surviving record.”
Romania seeks to divert Danube water to keep Cernavoda nuclear power plant online
Romania Insider, 3 August 2026, Iulian Ernst
Romania is attempting to increase the flow through one of the Danube’s channels by eliminating a natural obstacle (a large rock) and obstructing another channel through controlled sinking of ships, with the final aim of keeping the Cernavoda nuclear power plant open as long as possible. Initially scheduled for full closure amid low Danube water levels and hence limited cooling water resources on July 31, the plant still keeps one of its two 680 MW reactors online.
However, as the situation remains critical, Romania seeks emergency imports from Ukraine and prepares for measures to restrict national consumption. The experts expect low water levels to put at risk Cernavoda NPP’s operations at least until mid-August.
The government of Romania on July 31 declared a nationwide state of alert in the energy system for the entire month of August, following the drop in electricity production caused by severe drought and the very low water levels of the Danube and rivers. Acting prime minister Ilie Bolojan warned that there is a risk of the second reactor of the Cernavoda NPP shutting down, which would mean the loss of approximately 20% of national energy production, Digi24 reported.
PM Bolojan, who holds the interim portfolio of energy, also announced that Romania has discussed possible imports of electricity with Ukraine, where a surplus of power would be available.
He stated that he discussed the situation on Friday with the deputy prime minister of Ukraine and minister of energy, Denis Shmîgal.
“Today I discussed with the deputy prime minister of Ukraine, who also holds the energy portfolio, Mr Shmîgal, to support us in the coming period with production from one of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. In this regard, Transelectrica and Nuclearelectrica will hold discussions for emergency aid from Ukraine during the evening hours,” PM Bolojan said……………….
Special operations on the Danube are aimed at keeping Cernavoda NPP online as long as possible.
Romania’s Naval Forces attempted on Sunday, August 2, to detonate a rock on the right bank of the Danube, in order to divert the water flow towards the Cernavoda NPP. Two explosions occurred, but they failed to break the rock. The military will resume the operation on August 3, with a larger load of explosives, the Ministry of Defense announced.
“At this moment, the Ministry of National Defense is intervening with over 100 soldiers and 16 technical means to divert the course of the Danube towards the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant. EOD combat divers have successfully carried out the first tests, during which they detonated small explosive charges in a controlled manner,” the Ministry of National Defense announced in a statement on its Facebook page.
According to Antena 3, the authorities say that such a measure is needed because the extremely large rock blocks the course of the Danube, which can reach the Cernavodă power plant.
The next step is the obstruction of another arm of the Danube (Bala Arm), with the aim of diverting part of its flow towards the arm passing by Cernavodă NPP (Old Danube).
Thus, four barges loaded with approximately 500 tons of stone will be controlledly sunk on the Bala Arm, which will allow a larger volume of water to be directed to the Old Danube from the Bala Arm.
Separately, dredging works will be carried out on the channel delivering water to Cernavoda NPP. iulian@romania-insider.com https://www.romania-insider.com/romania-divert-danube-nuclear-plant-august-2026
Record-low water levels on Danube force Hungary’s first shutdown of nuclear power plant
Ft.com Marton Dunai in Budapest, Aug 3 2026
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Hungary is preparing for electricity rationing as record-low water levels on the Danube river force the country’s only nuclear power plant to shut down completely. The 2 gigawatt Paks plant, which provides up to 40 per cent of the country’s electricity, relies on the Danube for cooling and has no backup water supply. “We are facing the five most critical days,” Prime Minister Péter Magyar said in a video message on Sunday. “From tomorrow, the Paks nuclear power plant will stop generating electricity, just as the hottest days, with temperatures reaching 40C, arrive. Our electricity system, our public utilities and all of us will come under enormous strain.”
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On Saturday, the government issued a decree allowing it to cut energy supplies to the largest industrial consumers if the electricity grid comes under unsustainable pressure. Magyar said such measures would only be taken as a last resort. He said an emergency task force was set to meet later on Sunday and decide whether “mandatory electricity consumption restrictions will need to be imposed on large industrial users from tomorrow”.
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The Paks plant, built with Soviet technology in the 1980s, has never before been forced offline. The operator said it was preparing for a controlled shutdown of its last working reactor. Magyar said there was no risk from the controlled shutdown…………………………………
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https://www.ft.com/content/a4539dc2-dcb0-4b57-9a78-c32cb1f9eda1?syn-25a6b1a6=1
Other countries have faced similar strains during the exceptionally dry summer. Romania’s Cernavodă nuclear plant, which also uses the Danube for cooling, is facing a controlled shutdown because of low river levels.
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On the Rhine, extreme heat and drought have pushed levels to their lowest in eight years, disrupting one of Germany’s most important trade corridors and forcing manufacturers to curb production. Hungary’s economy is likely to suffer from the combined impact of heat, drought and power shortages. Companies are expected to halt production, agricultural output is likely to be exceptionally weak and costly electricity imports could add to inflation, limiting the central bank’s room to cut rates to support growth…………………… https://www.ft.com/content/a4539dc2-dcb0-4b57-9a78-c32cb1f9eda1?syn-25a6b1a6=1
The ‘Underground Nation’ returns: Switzerland’s new war-time shelter strategy
Erkin Oncan, July 30, 2026, https://strategic-culture.su/news/2026/07/30/the-underground-nation-returns-switzerlands-new-war-time-shelter-strategy/
The “one shelter per citizen” doctrine returns as Europe militarizes. Civilian infrastructure, stockpiles, and daily life are now being reorganized for war.
When Switzerland is mentioned, images of the Alps, postcard-perfect landscapes, and the famous cartoon character Heidi usually come to mind. Yet beneath the surface lies one of the world’s most complex underground networks. Built upon the Cold War-era principle of “one shelter place for every citizen” (Jeder Einwohnerin und jedem Einwohner ein Schutzplatz) and the Swiss Army’s “National Redoubt” (Réduit) strategy, the country developed a vast underground infrastructure.
After the end of the Cold War, the underground fortresses (Schweizer Reduit) hidden beneath the Swiss Alps and mountains lost much of their military importance. A large part of these facilities was declassified, opened for civilian use, sold, or transformed into museums. The main reason was the enormous cost of maintaining them.
Similarly, in urban areas, thousands of underground shelters were transferred to private ownership or left unused due to financial considerations.
However, the reactivation of abandoned facilities — including former shelters, ammunition storage caves, military hospitals, aircraft hangars, barracks, and command centers — is now back on the agenda. Accelerating preparations against what it describes as potential threats from Russia, the Swiss Army is considering bringing unused underground facilities back into operation to store ammunition, medicines, and critical military supplies. A comprehensive feasibility study has been launched as part of this effort.
Swiss Army spokesman Mathias Volken told the newspaper Blick that “the reactivation of underground military facilities distributed in a decentralized manner throughout Switzerland is being examined in detail.”
The Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) also stated in comments to the Swiss news agency Keystone-ATS that the need for “protection, resilience, and decentralized deployment” has increased. This, in particular, has created a growing need for secure storage facilities.
According to the Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement (armasuisse), the burden of reactivating these facilities will be shared through public tenders. The aim is to find ways to restore military installations in the most cost-effective, practical, and operationally suitable manner.
The government needs to keep costs as low as possible, as it faces another major priority: allocating a significant portion of the defence budget to new weapons systems and fulfilling what it considers its broader European security responsibilities.
The main goal of the plan is to create secure and protected storage areas. These facilities could be used to safely store consumables such as industrial oils, lubricants, seals, spare parts, medicines, electronic equipment, hazardous materials, and, most importantly, ammunition.
The possibility of producing or assembling certain strategically important goods inside protected facilities during wartime or crisis situations is also being considered.
The Swiss Army has not disclosed the number of facilities planned for reactivation. In fact, the exact number of underground military installations owned by Switzerland has never been publicly revealed. The reason for this secrecy is security.
However, according to reports in local media, the army is planning to “redesign” a significant portion of these shelters. The goal is to ensure that these facilities can also be operated by civil defence personnel — in other words, by people without long-term specialised military training.
This indicates a potential personnel shortage regarding the operation of critical infrastructure.
Switzerland’s renewed focus on its vast underground network is closely linked to the “new geopolitical reality” frequently discussed across Europe and the resulting wave of militarisation. Moreover, Switzerland’s move is not merely a matter of national defence strategy.
The hundreds of shelters and defensive structures across the country, the Baltic Defence Line established by Estonia and Latvia with border obstacles known as “dragon’s teeth,” Finland’s renewed shelter systems combined with cyber protection and food stockpiles, Sweden’s distribution of civil preparedness brochures to households, infrastructure projects focused on military mobility, and similar measures across Europe are all part of a broader transformation.
This new model of preparedness is not limited to armed forces alone. Civilian populations, critical infrastructure, and everyday life are increasingly being reorganised around potential war scenarios.
Kamikaze Drone Slams Into Crowded Russian Black Sea Beach, Killing 3
by Tyler Durden, Monday, Aug 03, 2026 – https://www.zerohedge.com/military/kamikaze-drone-slams-crowded-russian-black-sea-beach-killing-3
The Russia-Ukraine war has dangerously spilled over into the Black Sea, with cargo ships, tankers, and oil and gas infrastructure being targeted by both sides. The sharp escalation in fighting across the region has also come at a cost to civilians.
Shocking video circulating on X Monday morning appears to show a Ukrainian suicide drone striking a crowded beach in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Gelendzhik.
Russian media outlet Interfax reports that three people were killed and more than a dozen injured “when a drone crashed in the village of Arkhipo-Osipovka near Gelendzhik.”
The outlet continued:
“A tragedy has occurred in Gelendzhik. Three people were killed in the village of Arkhipo-Osipovka due to falling UAV debris, according to preliminary information. (…) Another 13 people, including children, were injured. They are receiving necessary medical care,” Kondratyev wrote on his Max channel.
He noted that the attack targeted civilian infrastructure. Emergency and special services are working at the drone wreckage sites.
Audio from the footage appears to capture Russian air-defense forces firing on the incoming drone moments before it struck the crowded beach. It remains unclear whether civilians were deliberately targeted or whether the drone was damaged by automatic fire, causing it to deviate from its intended flight path.
Nuclear station cleaning balls wash up on beaches
Tom BurgessNorth East and Cumbria, 3 Aug 26, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0l5kln078do
Dozens of bright blue balls used for cleaning a nuclear power plant have washed up on a beach.
Walker Neil Baldwin said more than 40 taprogge balls, which come from Hartlepool power station, were spread along the high tide mark along Redcar beaches.
He said he had seen them regularly during the 20 years he has lived near the beach and was worried about birds or dogs eating them.
EDF Energy, which runs the power station, did not address questions about possible faults in its system, instead the company claimed to have “significantly reduced the number of releases over the past 18 months”.
Taprogge balls are used to clean stretches of pipework and, occasionally, some are released into the environment, according to the company.
EDF said tide patterns can wash debris on to nearby beaches but it had received no reports of similar finds since April.
The firm did not confirm how many balls it had collected in the last year but did say the balls are biodegradable in seawater.
“I noticed a lot of them and I kept seeing more and more as I was walking,” he said.
“I looked for a bag to pick them up in and I found a plastic bottle which I filled on my walk back.”
Saltburn resident John Stevens said he “didn’t understand what they were” when he started litter picking 14 months ago.
“I understand they can cause an ingestion risk to marine wildlife and they contribute to coastal litter in the ocean,” he said.
“I find it ironic that they clean the power plant machines, but there is a potential they come out and mess up the sea life and beaches.”
EDF said anyone who finds taprogge balls should report the exact location to the company or the Environment Agency so debris can be removed.
France Shuts Off More Nuclear Power as Heat Builds Across Europe
Electricite de France SA shut
down the Golfech-2 nuclear reactor in southern France as a blistering heat
wave pushes temperatures toward 40C across parts of Europe. The Golfech
shutdown is the latest in a record number of heat-related outages across
France’s nuclear fleet this summer, curbing output from the backbone of
Europe’s electricity system. EDF has also warned that the Tricastin plant
could face production cuts overnight as soaring river temperatures
constrain reactor cooling.
Bloomberg 30th July 2026, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-30/france-shuts-off-more-nuclear-power-as-heat-builds-across-europe
Danube’s record low levels force shutdown of Hungary’s only nuclear plant
Laura Gozziand, Paul Kirby,Europe digital editor, 30 July 26, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0nqv05g0do
Hungary’s only nuclear power plant will be forced to shut down entirely for the first time due to record low water levels of the River Danube, Prime Minister Péter Magyar has said.
The Soviet-era Paks power plant uses the Danube for cooling but the water level is so low that the suction nozzles cannot reach it.
Magyar warned Hungary’s energy supply could become “critical” from Monday due to the Paks shutdown and the ongoing heatwave, which will see temperatures hover around 37C for a week.
Like much of Europe, Hungary has seen very low rainfall and high temperatures for much of the summer.
The waters of the Danube have fallen to the lowest levels for 30 years in several countries, including neighbouring Serbia and Romania.
Magyar asked Hungarians to limit activities that required significant energy consumption between the peak times of 17:00 and 22:00, including charging electric cars and using air conditioning equipment.
A “rotational shutdown regime” was also possible if the other combined efforts were not enough to maintain the balance of the national grid, Magyar said, adding the government would compile a list of electricity and water consumers whose consumption could be limited.
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