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Kepler Cheuvreux and Halo Investing Join Forces to Expand Structured Products Offering in the Middle East; First Abu Dhabi Bank Will Become an Anchor Participant

CHICAGO, Aug. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kepler Cheuvreux Solutions, the investment solutions division of Kepler Cheuvreux and Europe’s leading independent provider of tailor–made investments, and Halo Investing (Halo), the award–winning platform for protective investment solutions, are pleased to announce a strategic partnership to jointly develop and distribute structured products across the Middle East. First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the region’s largest financial institution, will act as anchor participant in this initiative.

This alliance marks a major step in delivering innovative, transparent, and customised investment solutions to financial institutions, wealth managers, and family offices in the region. By combining Kepler Cheuvreux’s expertise in structuring solutions and global market access with Halo’s industry–leading digital platform and client–centric technology, the partnership aims to reshape how structured products are designed, priced, and delivered in the Middle East.

First Abu Dhabi Bank, the UAE’s global bank and one of the world’s largest and safest financial institutions, is joining as a key client and anchor participant. As an early adopter and strategic client, FAB will benefit from enhanced product customisation, improved pricing transparency, and seamless digital access through Halo’s platform, powered by Kepler Cheuvreux’s global structured solutions capabilities.

“We are excited to join forces with Halo,” said Jean–Pierre ANÉ, Deputy CEO, In charge of Business Development at Kepler Cheuvreux. “Their technology and global reach perfectly complement our structured solutions and capital markets expertise. Together, we can offer our clients in the Middle East a seamless experience, with enhanced access to tailor–made investment solutions.”

“Partnering with Kepler Cheuvreux underscores our mission to democratize access to institutional–grade protective investments,” added Matt Radgowski, CEO of Halo. “The Middle East is a dynamic and fast–growing market, and we’re excited to deliver scalable, tech–forward solutions that help investors build resilient, risk–aware portfolios that meet the evolving needs of investors in the region.”

The partnership will focus on leveraging each firm's strengths to deliver a full suite of services, including idea generation, product engineering, lifecycle management, and post–trade reporting, all backed by local market understanding and regulatory insight.

Kepler Cheuvreux DIFC Branch is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). This communication is intended solely for Professional Clients and Market Counterparties as defined by DFSA rules. It is not intended for distribution to retail clients, who should not act on this information.

About Kepler Cheuvreux

Kepler Cheuvreux is a leading independent European financial services company that specialises in Research, Execution, Fixed Income and Credit, Structured Solutions, Corporate Finance, and Asset Management.

The group employs over 650 people and is present in 14 major financial centres in Europe, the US, and the Middle East: Amsterdam, Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva, London, Madrid, Milan, New York, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm, Vienna, and Zurich.

Group key figures:

  • 1st independent European equity broker.
  • 1st Equity Research coverage in Continental Europe.
  • 1st Country Broker and Research (Extel 2025).
  • Leading European independent provider of tailor–made investments.
  • 14 major financial centres in Europe, the US, and the Middle East.
  • +650 employees.
  • +1,300 institutional clients.

For more information, please visit: www.keplercheuvreux.com.

About Kepler Cheuvreux Solutions

A division of Kepler Cheuvreux, Kepler Cheuvreux Solutions is the independent European leader for research, design and commercialisation of tailor–made structured investment solutions. Being part of the Kepler Cheuvreux Group enables the business line to place Research at the heart of its offering and to benefit from the critical size of a major player in financial services in Europe.

Created in 2011, this business line – based in Paris, Geneva and Zurich – now employs more than 60 experienced professionals, one third of whom are financial engineers. The team embodies five fundamental values to serve their clients: creativity, adaptability, independence, cohesion, and stability.

For more information, please visit: https://www.keplercheuvreux.com/en/structured–solutions/.

About Halo

Founded in 2015, Halo Investing is an award–winning technology platform that disrupts how protective investment solutions are used worldwide. Headquartered in Chicago, with an office in Abu Dhabi, Halo is democratizing access to investment solutions, including Structured Notes and annuities, that were previously unavailable to most investors. Halo has received a growing number of honors and was recently named one of Fast Company’s Ten Most Innovative Companies.

For more information, please visit: www.haloinvesting.com.

Contacts

Gregory FCA for Halo Investing
Erin Jacob
(609) 774–7898
[email protected]

Vincent Martin–Delahaye
Group Marketing & Communication Officer
Tel: +33 1 70 98 85 04
vmartin–[email protected]
[email protected]


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 9504026)

iRocket Announces $640 Million Multi-Year Launch Agreement with SpaceBelt KSA to Deliver Secure and Autonomous Satellite Infrastructure for Saudi Arabia and Beyond

  • iRocket to support SpaceBelt KSA’s satellite launch integration, mission planning, and propulsion systems for up to 30 upcoming SpaceBelt KSA orbital launches across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf
  • $640 million agreement to be fulfilled over a five–year period; long–term, recurring contract with a national space infrastructure platform further demonstrates iRocket’s differentiated technology, scalability, and go–to–market strategy

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, Aug. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Innovative Rocket Technologies Inc. (“iRocket” or the “Company”), a next–generation reusable space rocket developer, and BPGC Acquisition Corp. (“BPGC”), a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by industrialist investor The Hon. Wilbur Ross, the 39th U.S. Secretary of Commerce with more than 55 years of private equity and investment banking experience, and BPGC Management LP, an independent private equity firm dedicated to opportunistic buyouts and special situations transactions in the global industrials, materials and chemicals sectors, announced today that iRocket has entered into a five–year launch integration, mission planning, and propulsion systems agreement with SpaceBelt KSA (“SpaceBelt KSA”), a Saudi–based space logistics and satellite security platform focused on building sovereign, encrypted communication infrastructure across the Gulf region, for a total contract value of up to $640 million.

Asad Malik, CEO of iRocket, said, “This partnership places iRocket at the forefront of one of the most strategic and forward–looking space innovation initiatives in the Middle East, and, importantly, further validates our position as a go–to services provider. We believe that our multi–year agreement with SpaceBelt KSA reflects the global demand for securing economically viable and scalable space access as nations and corporations alike seek to strengthen their communication and surveillance capabilities.”

The Hon. Wilbur Ross, Nadim Qureshi
Cliff Beek, Asad Malik

“This relationship marks a significant step in our journey to become a regional and global leader in secure space operations,” commented Cliff Beek, CEO of SpaceBelt KSA. “Aligning our efforts with the iRocket team advances our vision to build sovereign space–based infrastructure for the Kingdom that delivers strategic value across defense, enterprise, and diplomacy sectors.”

“As a private entity, we are proud to partner with leading innovators in space systems to develop the core infrastructure for sovereign space logistics, supporting both the national and commercial ambitions of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030,” said Eng. Mohammed Al–Tuwaijri, Co–Founder and Chairman of SpaceBelt KSA. “We hope this collaboration will not only strengthen Saudi Arabia’s technological capabilities and create new high–skilled jobs, but also enhance the Kingdom’s position as a regional leader in the space sector, attract international investment, and drive economic diversification for the benefit of all Saudis.”

Under the agreement, iRocket will provide launch vehicle integration, mission planning, and propulsion system for up to 30 of SpaceBelt KSA’s upcoming orbital launches. The partnership includes multiple launches of satellite constellations, laying the foundation for a secure, resilient, and autonomous space–based communications network across Saudi Arabia and the broader Gulf Cooperation Council (“GCC”) region. The collaboration also includes joint testing and future launch operations within the GCC, paving the way for technology transfer, regional manufacturing, and the expansion of space–based capabilities that support both national security and commercial growth.

SpaceBelt KSA’s mission is to secure the future of space–based communications platforms in Saudi Arabia and the region through its patented satellite technologies. By enabling encrypted satellite networks, secure data transmission, and digitally sovereign infrastructure, the Company is advancing a tech–driven future that supports Saudi Arabia’s broader space innovation strategy under Vision 2030.

About iRocket

Since 2018, iRocket is transforming rapid and responsive access to space with the development of its Shockwave launch vehicle, which is uniquely designed for recovery and reuse of all of its stages. Just as airplanes fly multiple flights, we will Recondition, Reload, and Relaunch™ our rockets in under 24 hours. iRocket’s patented liquid rocket engines will maintain high efficiency through descent as well as ascent. Our engines will be fueled with sustainable liquid oxygen and methane, which burns cooler, imparts less stress on components, and further supports iRocket’s unique 24–hour turn–around time. Being on a leading edge with its rocket engine expertise, iRocket is also developing solid rocket motors that will transform boosters, missiles, and interceptors. For more about iRocket, visit www.irocketusa.com. You can also follow iRocket on LinkedIn @iRocket and on X (formerly Twitter) at @iRocketUSA @innovasad.

About SpaceBelt KSA

SpaceBelt KSA is a space–based satellite security and logistics platform based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company develops encrypted communication, sovereign satellite systems, and secure orbital infrastructure aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s broader digital transformation goals.

To learn more, visit https://www.spacebeltksa.com

About BPGC Acquisition Corp.

BPGC Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company sponsored by BPGC Sponsor, LLC, whose members include BPGC Management LP and the Hon. Wilbur Ross. BPGC Management LP is an independent private equity firm dedicated to opportunistic buyouts and special situations transactions in the global industrials, materials and chemicals sectors. BPGC is focused on partnering with exceptional businesses to drive long–term value creation. We invest with conviction, support management teams with strategic insight, and bring operational expertise to unlock growth across our portfolio. BPGC's senior professionals have led or participated in investments in leading global or regional companies amounting to over $15 billion in aggregate value across 14 countries, spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. BPGC Management LP’s partners previously served in various leadership roles at Invesco Private Capital and WL Ross & Co., and share a deep heritage of successfully investing across multiple geographies for over 20 years. BPGC Management LP manages over $700 million in assets under management (AUM) and is headquartered in New York City.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the Proposed Transaction, Holdco and iRocket intend to file a registration statement on Form S–4 with the SEC, which will include a proxy statement to BPGC shareholders and a prospectus for the registration of Holdco securities to be issued in connection with the Proposed Transaction (as amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”). After the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents will be mailed to the shareholders of BPGC as of a record date to be established for voting on the Proposed Transaction and will contain important information about the Proposed Transaction and related matters. Shareholders of BPGC and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, these materials (including any amendments or supplements thereto) and any other relevant documents, because they will contain important information about BPGC, Holdco, iRocket and the Proposed Transaction. Shareholders and other interested persons will also be able to obtain copies of the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, and other relevant materials in connection with the Proposed Transaction, without charge, once available, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to: BPGC Acquisition Corp., 1177 Avenue of the Americas, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10036, Attn: Nadim Qureshi, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, the websites referenced in this communication in each case is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this communication.

BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF BPGC ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

Participants in the Solicitation

BPGC, iRocket, Holdco and their respective directors, executive officers and other members of their management and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of BPGC’s shareholders in connection with the Proposed Transaction. Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of BPGC’s directors and officers in BPGC’s SEC filings. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies to BPGC’s shareholders in connection with the Proposed Transaction will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus for the Proposed Transaction when available. Information concerning the interests of the Company’s, Holdco’s and BPGC’s participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of their respective equityholders generally, will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus relating to the Proposed Transaction when it becomes available.

Forward–Looking Statements

This press release contains forward–looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. BPGC’s, Holdco’s and/or iRocket’s actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward–looking statements as predictions of future events. Forward–looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. No representations or warranties, express or implied are given in, or in respect of, this Current Report on Form 8–K. When we use words such as “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward–looking statements.

These forward–looking statements and factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the agreement with SpaceBelt KSA or a failure of SpaceBelt KSA to fulfill its obligations under the agreement; (2) iRocket’s future ability to provide launch services and recognize revenue under the agreement with SpaceBelt KSA; (3) iRocket’s ability to perform the agreement with SpaceBelt KSA in a cost–effective manner; (4) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement with respect to the Proposed Transaction, (5) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the parties following the announcement of the Proposed Transaction and definitive agreements with respect thereto; (6) the inability to complete the Proposed Transaction, including due to failure to obtain approval of the shareholders of iRocket and BPGC or other conditions to closing; (7) the inability to obtain or maintain the listing of Holdco’s shares on Nasdaq or another national securities exchange following the Proposed Transaction; (8) the ability of BPGC to become current in its SEC filings; (9) the risk that the Proposed Transaction disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the Proposed Transaction; (10) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transaction, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; (11) costs related to the Proposed Transaction; (12) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (13) the inability of iRocket or Holdco to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the Proposed Transaction; (14) the risk that additional financing in connection with the Proposed Transaction, or additional capital needed following the Proposed Transaction to support iRocket’s or Holdco’s business or operations, may not be raised on favorable terms or at all; (15) the risk that iRocket’s signed letters of intent and memorandum of understandings may not result in definitive agreements or generate revenue; and (16) other risks and uncertainties included in documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by Holdco, iRocket and/or BPGC.

The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Registration Statement referenced above when available and other documents filed by Holdco, iRocket and BPGC from time to time with the SEC. These filings will identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward–looking statements. You should not place undue reliance upon any forward–looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. There may be additional risks that none of BPGC, Holdco or iRocket presently know, or that BPGC, Holdco, and/or iRocket currently believe are immaterial, that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward–looking statements. For these reasons, among others, investors and other interested persons are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward–looking statements in this Current Report on Form 8–K. Past performance by iRocket’s or BPGC’s management teams and their respective affiliates is not a guarantee of future performance. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on the historical record of the performance of iRocket’s or BPGC’s management teams or businesses associated with them as indicative of future performance of an investment or the returns that Holdco, iRocket or BPGC will, or are likely to, generate going forward. None of BPGC, Holdco or iRocket undertakes any obligation to publicly revise these forward–looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this communication, except as required by applicable law.

No Offer or Solicitation

This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the Proposed Transaction and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.

Contacts

Investors:
Nicholas Hresko–Staab
Vice President
Alliance Advisors
[email protected]

Media:
Fatema Bhabrawala
Director
Alliance Advisors
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e2846e36–6180–4e6d–a295–9991f15dc924


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 9504894)

First ‘climate citizens’ approved by Nauru in world-first program

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Aug. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Republic of Nauru has welcomed its first new citizens under the government’s Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program, announced at COP29 late last year.

Nauru, ranked the world’s fifth most vulnerable nation under the United Nations’ Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) for its heightened exposure to economic and environmental shocks, launched the program as a way for conscientious investors to acquire an additional citizenship while contributing to climate adaptation and sustainable development projects in the South Pacific.

Program CEO Edward Clark revealed the first approved applicant is a German family of four who recently sold their long–standing family business — a well–known, reputable German company — and are currently living in Dubai.

“They were looking for a second citizenship to provide them with a Plan B given the current global political volatility and chose the Nauru Economic & Climate Resilience Citizenship Program because the contribution was going towards tackling the impacts of climate change on the island,” he explained.

Mr Clark, who has an extensive background in international banking, financial crime and compliance, said it took under four months from receiving the application to the granting of citizenship, and that strict due diligence processes were followed.

“This is a fundamental pillar of our program and a safeguard for Nauru’s reputation and security,” he said.

“All applicants undergo checks with international law enforcement agencies and are subject to in–depth background verification. Our entire application process is consistent with international best practices.”

He said only individuals of the highest calibre who can participate in shaping Nauru’s future will be granted citizenship.

“The granting of Nauruan citizenship to this family marks a major milestone for the program and provides even more confidence to those who are currently exploring Nauru citizenship by investment.”

Nauru is embarking on a long–term project that will reform the nation in the face of economic challenges and climate change, which as well as dealing with issues like food and water security, includes the “Higher Ground Initiative” – relocating almost the entire population from the coast to higher ground.

The new citizens from Germany applied through international migration agents Henley & Partners, who in a statement said the company is “incredibly proud to represent the first applicant to be successfully granted citizenship under the Republic of Nauru’s Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program.

“For our firm, this goes beyond mobility; this is about directing capital into a Small Island Developing State, which is facing real climate risk.

“This is a clear example of how investment migration, when properly designed and governed, can channel capital toward economic and climate resilience measures and create a more sustainable future,” the statement concluded.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 9505453)

Are Nuclear Tests Dead or Alive—as World Commemorates 80th Anniversary of Hiroshima & Nagasaki?

Erico Platt looks at the disarmament exhibition that she staged, “Three Quarters of a Century After Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Hibakusha—Brave Survivors Working for a Nuclear-Free World”. On 6 and 9 August 1945, the United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, during World War II. Credit: UNODA/Diane Barnes

By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 4 2025 – The 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II triggers the question: Is nuclear testing dead or is it still alive–and threatening?

The August 6-9 anniversary marks the devastating bombings, which claimed the lives of between 150,000 and 246,000 civilians– and still remains the only use of nuclear weapons in an armed conflict.

Are there any lessons learnt? And will the unpredictable Trump Administration resume nuclear testing?

The New York Times quoted Senator Jackey Rosen (Democrat-Nevada) as saying that her state hosted nearly 1,000 nuclear tests, mostly underground, during the Cold War.

The US has not ratified the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). While the U.S. signed the treaty in 1996, the Senate has not given its consent to ratification. The Senate rejected the treaty in 1999.

Until today, the Nevada Test Site remains contaminated with an estimated 11,100 PBq of radioactive material in the soil and 4,440 PBq in groundwater.

In the years following nuclear tests, thousands of residents developed cancers and diseases they believe were caused by the nuclear blast. Individuals known as “downwinders,” exposed in communities across the United States, have fought for nearly 80 years to receive government recognition.

The last nuclear test conducted by the United States was on September 23, 1992, at the Nevada Test Site (now known as the Nevada National Security Site). The test was part of Operation Julin, and specifically, it was the “Divider” test, according to the Nevada National Security Site.

At a disarmament exhibition in UN Headquarters in New York, a visitor reads text about a young boy bringing his little brother to a cremation site in Nagasaki, Japan. Credit: UNODA/Erico Platt

Brandon Williams, who is expected to be the next keeper of the US nuclear arsenal, told the Senate Armed Services Committee last April, he would NOT recommend to re-start US nuclear testing.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump last week ordered two “nuclear submarines” to be positioned in regions near Russia in response to threats from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. But left unsaid was: were they nuclear-armed submarines or nuclear-powered submarines?

“I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump said in a social media post that called Medvedev’s statements highly provocative.

Dr. Natalie Goldring, the Acronym Institute’s representative at the United Nations, told IPS the 80th anniversary of the horrific bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is an opportunity to recommit to a world free of nuclear weapons, including by immediately adopting a permanent moratorium on nuclear weapons testing. In contrast, the Trump administration is reportedly considering restarting nuclear weapons testing.

In the first several months of the second Trump administration, she pointed out, there has been ample evidence of the administration’s dependence on the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025”, formally known as “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise.” The Project 2025 section on the National Nuclear Security Administration stated that a conservative administration should:

“Reject ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and indicate a willingness to conduct nuclear tests in response to adversary nuclear developments if necessary. This will require that NNSA be directed to move to immediate and test readiness to give the Administration maximum flexibility in responding to adversary actions.”

Dr Goldring said “Implementing Project 2025’s recommendations would mean immediately moving toward resuming nuclear weapons testing, without even demonstrating that any adversary actions had occurred. This is an aggressive stance, and could be a self-fulfilling prophecy, prompting the behavior we should be seeking to dissuade.”

“Of course, we can’t reliably predict what President Trump will do, given his impulsive and mercurial nature. He could decide to resume nuclear testing in the mistaken belief that it would make the US look strong. He seems to be fond of dramatic gestures, with little apparent consideration for potential negative consequences. “

“Testing is a symptom of the enormous problem of reliance on nuclear weapons. When we get rid of nuclear weapons, we get rid of the nuclear testing problem. Absent abolition, there will likely be continued pressure to test”.

She said: “Nuclear weapons pose extraordinary risks – in their development, testing, deployment, use, and threats of use. The only real solution to the overwhelming risk associated with nuclear weapons is abolition. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons provides an effective blueprint for abolition.”

“If abolition of nuclear weapons is not accomplished, the question isn’t whether nuclear weapons will be exploded in wartime again. It’s only a question of when that will happen. And, of course, nuclear weapons are “used” frequently in other ways, including to threaten other countries, and to attempt to coerce them into particular actions or inaction.”

Dr Goldring said nuclear testing should have ended decades ago. Unfortunately, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty has not entered into force, in part because of the failure of the US Senate to ratify the treaty. Even so, with the exception of North Korea, a defacto nuclear testing ban has seemingly been in effect since the 1990s.

“The human and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons testing continue to be enormous. Rather than spending money restarting nuclear testing and developing and deploying new nuclear weapons, we should be committing ourselves to long-term assistance to the affected communities. Such assistance must address their medical, economic, and environmental needs, among others,” declared Dr Goldring.

Project 2025:

https://static.heritage.org/project2025/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf?_gl=1*1vnou5w*_gcl_au*NTM3NTg3MTYzLjE3NTM4MTU4NTI.*_ga*MTYyNTkxMjI5OS4xNzUzODE1ODUz*_ga_W14BT6YQ87*czE3NTM4NTcwODEkbzIkZzEkdDE3NTM4NTczMTYkajYwJGwwJGgw

p. 431

Expressing his personal views, Tariq Rauf, former Head of Verification and Security Policy at the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told IPS between 16 July 1945 and 3 December 2017, it is estimated that 2,121 nuclear test detonations involving 2,476 nuclear explosive devices have been carried out by ten States – in chronological order: USA, USSR, UK, France, China, India, Israel/South Africa, Pakistan and North Korea.

Though the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) prohibits all nuclear test detonations, in all environments, and has been signed to date by 187 States and ratified by 178, it still languishes having not entered into force.

In particular, he said, entry-into-force depends on 44 named States to have ratified. Nine such States are holding up entry into force: alphabetically, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, and USA.

Indonesia was the latest among this group of 44 States to have ratified in February 2012 – since then not a single State among the remaining nine has taken any steps to sign and/or ratify the CTBT, placing its future in doubt.

While the CTBT prohibits all nuclear testing once in force, nevertheless it has created a powerful global norm against further nuclear test detonations. On the other hand, all nine current nuclear-armed States are modernizing their nuclear explosive devices (warheads), in one way or another, and their nuclear weapon engineers and scientists direly would like to resume some limited explosive testing to validate new designs and certify older existing ones.

Only the CTBT stands in their way. Were any one of the nine nuclear-armed States to resume nuclear test detonations, it is quite probable that others would follow. Though not confirmed, it is speculated that pressure to test nuclear devices likely is strongest in India, followed by Russia, China, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States, said Rauf.

Meanwhile, Senator Edward Markey, co-President Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) — along with Senators Merkley, Sanders, Van Holen and Welch – marked the 80th anniversary by introducing Senate Resolution 317 urging the United States to lead the world to halt and reverse the nuclear arms race, including by:

    • working with Russia, China and the other nuclear-armed countries to reduce nuclear risks and arsenals;
    • renouncing the first use of nuclear weapons;
    • limiting the President’s sole authority to start nuclear war;
    • ending the production of new nuclear weapons;
    • maintaining the global moratorium on nuclear testing.

“Eighty years after the Trinity test, much progress has been made to reduce nuclear dangers, but much work remains to be done,” said Senator Markey.

“The United States, Russia, and China must work together to reduce their arsenals. In particular, Washington and Moscow must work to replace the New START Treaty before it expires next year. If they do not, we may be on the cusp of a new and more dangerous nuclear arms race. When it comes to reducing the risk of nuclear war, we cannot afford to go backward.”

Jackie Cabasso, Executive Director, Western States Legal Foundation, Oakland, California, told IPS: “As we approach the 80th commemorations of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we are called upon to remember the estimated 210,000 human beings who were instantly incinerated by the blasts, or who died from agonizing burns and radiation sickness by the end of 1945.

Those who survived, she pointed out, have continued to suffer from physical and emotional damage for eight decades, and radiation-related illnesses among their children and grandchildren are being documented.

“Authoritarian nationalists now hold state power in seven of the nine nuclear-armed states that wield some 13,000 nuclear weapons, most an order of magnitude more powerful than the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki – over 90% of them in the hands of the U.S. and Russia. Even limited progress towards arms control and disarmament has gone into reverse. The growing dangers of wars among nuclear armed states are palpable and intolerable”.

But Hiroshima and Nagasaki, she argued, were only the tip of the iceberg. Since 1945, there have been 2,056 explosive nuclear weapons tests by at least eight countries. Most of these test explosions have been conducted on the lands of indigenous and colonized people.

The U.S. conducted 1,030 of those tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and underground, while the USSR carried out 715 nuclear test detonations.

Not only did these nuclear test explosions fuel the development and spread of new and more deadly types of nuclear weapons, but hundreds of thousands of people have died and millions more have suffered—and continue to suffer—from illnesses directly related to the radioactive fallout from nuclear detonations in the United States, islands in the Pacific, in Australia, China, Algeria, across Russia, in Kazakhstan, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and elsewhere.

“While we’re not seeing visible signs of resumption of full scale nuclear testing by the U.S., it is very disturbing that Project 2025 proposes that the second Trump administration prioritize nuclear weapons programs over other security programs, accelerate the development and production of all nuclear weapons programs, and increase funding for the development and production of new and modernized nuclear warheads,” said Cabasso.

It also proposes that the administration prepare to test new nuclear weapons. Separately, Robert O’Brien, Trump’s national security advisor during his first term, has written that in order to counter China and Russia’s continued investments in their nuclear arsenals, the U.S. should resume nuclear testing.

“Should the United States conduct a full-scale explosive nuclear test, the moratorium on full-scale explosive nuclear testing that has largely held since 1992 would be shattered. It is almost certain that other nuclear-armed states would follow suit. It would be the final nail in the coffin of nuclear arms control and disarmament for the foreseeable future and would signal an unfettered new nuclear arms race,” she warned.

As the 2024 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Nihon Hidankyo, the organization of Japanese atomic bomb survivors, has warned: “Nuclear weapons and human beings cannot co-exist.” Nuclear weapons must be eliminated before they eliminate us.

As recognized in the 1945 Constitution of UNESCO, “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.” It is incumbent on each of us to contribute in some way to this noble project.

This article is brought to you by IPS NORAM, in collaboration with INPS Japan and Soka Gakkai International, in consultative status with the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

IPS UN Bureau Report

 


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