Home
Daily News

Daily News: 07/2012

July 31, 2012

Mari Yamaguchi, "Japan Nuclear Disaster Probe: TEPCO Gets $12.8 Billion Crisis Bailout " Associated Press / July 31, 2012 ONAGAWA, Japan — The Japanese operator of the nuclear power plant devastated in last year's disasters received a 1 trillion yen ($12.8 billion) bailout Tuesday, putting it under government ownership, while international experts visited another plant that survived the tsunami's impact.... View Source ›

"IAEA inspects Onagawa nuke plant" Kyodo News Agency / July 31, 2012 ONAGAWA, Miyagi Pref. — The International Atomic Energy Agency started an inspection Monday in Miyagi Prefecture of the Onagawa nuclear plant, which was relatively undamaged by the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit the area in March last year.... View Source ›

"Nuclear Arms Talk Accompanies Japan Atomic Power Phaseout Debate" Global Security Newswire / July 31, 2012 Alongside the ongoing heated public discussion over whether to end atomic energy production in Japan, some prominent voices are arguing that the nation must maintain its latent potential to develop a nuclear deterrent, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday (see GSN, July 18).... View Source ›

"Regulator warns of design vulnerability" World Nuclear News / July 30, 2012 Nuclear regulators have instructed licensees of US nuclear power plants to provide information about the designs of their electric power systems after an incident earlier this year revealed a potential weak spot.... View Source ›

Donna Cassata, "House, Senate negotiators back new Iran sanctions" Associated Press / July 30, 2012 WASHINGTON -- Congress is pressing ahead with a new package of crippling sanctions on Iran, expanding on financial penalties and targeting Tehran's energy and shipping sectors in the hope that economic pressure undercuts its suspected nuclear weapons program.... View Source ›

"U.S. Should Accept Susceptibility to Chinese Nukes: Analysis" Global Security Newswire / July 31, 2012 A preliminary assessment by a U.S. State Department panel advises Washington against seeking to neutralize Chinese nuclear-weapon capabilities through new protective and attack capacities, and instead calls on the United States to accept each nation's susceptibility to the other's nuclear weapons as a "fact of life," Inside Defense reported last week (see GSN, June 26).... View Source ›

"Panetta: Sanctions have yet to compel Iran to give up nuclear ambitions" Associated Press / July 31, 2012 U.S. Defense Secretary stresses need for continued economic and diplomatic pressure on Tehran; Panetta due to arrive in Israel on Wednesday.... View Source ›

July 30, 2012

"N. Korea vows tough action against US" Agence France-Presse / July 29, 2012 SEOUL — North Korea on Sunday vowed tough action against the United States, accusing it of plotting to blow up statues of its founding leader in a bid to stir turmoil in the isolated communist state. ... View Source ›

Greg Jaffe, "Panetta says U.S., Israel unified in support of Iran sanctions" Washington Post / July 29, 2012 TUNIS — Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta sought Sunday to portray the United States and Israel as unified in their support for increasingly tough international sanctions, rather than military measures, against Iran to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.... View Source ›

"Iran expects to hold more nuclear talks: foreign minister" Reuters / July 30, 2012 (Reuters) - Iran expects to hold more talks with world powers on its nuclear program following an inconclusive round of negotiations in Istanbul earlier this month, its foreign minister said in a newspaper interview published on Monday. ... View Source ›

Steve Holland, "Romney talks tough on Iran during visit to Israel" Reuters / July 29, 2012 (Reuters) - Republican candidate Mitt Romney, presenting himself as Israel's best friend in the November 6 presidential election, said on Sunday that "any and all measures" must be used to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. ... View Source ›

Tsuyoshi Inajima , "Japan Anti-Nuclear Candidate Loses Governor Race, Changes Debate" Bloomberg / July 30, 2012 Renewable energy advocate Tetsunari Iida lost the race for Yamaguchi governor yesterday though his office said he forced a change in the debate that made his opponent come out against building a nuclear plant in the area. ... View Source ›

"Iran significantly 'speeds up nuclear enrichment'" Agence France-Presse / July 30, 2012 JERUSALEM — Iran has significantly stepped up the pace at which it is enriching uranium, shortening the time it would take for it to reach a nuclear threshold, two Israeli newspapers reported on Monday.... View Source ›

"Uranium supplies good for the long haul" World Nuclear News / July 26, 2012 World uranium resources are ample to meet requirements for the foreseeable future but timely investment in facilities will be needed to make sure production keeps pace with growing demand, according to a new edition of the flagship Red Book.... View Source ›

July 27, 2012

"Top EU and Iranian officials to meet ‘soon’ to try resolving nuclear impasse" Associated Press / July 26, 2012 BRUSSELS — The European Union says top EU and Iranian representatives will “soon” hold talks on restarting the stalled negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.... View Source ›

"Russia Plans Limited Endorsement of Southeast Asian Nuke-Free Zone" Global Security Newswire / July 27, 2012 Russia is set to formally back the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, but with caveats enabling the nation to ignore pact rules in the event of a strike on its territory or military, Interfax reported on Thursday (see GSN, July 9).... View Source ›

"B-61 Bomb Project to Cost $10 Billion: DOD" Global Security Newswire / July 26, 2012 Extending the life of the U.S. B-61 nuclear gravity bomb is today expected to require $10 billion, an increase of $6 billion from the initial amount projected by the National Nuclear Security Administration, according to a U.S. Defense Department calculation reported by Defense News on Wednesday (see GSN, May 11).... View Source ›

Mari Iwata, "Japan Nuclear Agency Nominees Seen As Low-Profile Experts" Wall Street Journal / July 27, 2012 TOKYO--The Japanese government has chosen a group of low-profile experts as candidates to lead the country's new nuclear regulatory body in a bid to steer a middle ground over the increasingly divisive question of whether the country should abandon nuclear power. ... View Source ›

Mark Rockwell, "U.S. funds approved for nuclear security programs in Ukraine, Russia" Government Security News / July 27, 2012 Almost $3 million has been approved by U.S. nuclear security agencies to fuel collaborative nuclear security and development projects in the Ukraine and Russian Federation, said National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) on July 26.... View Source ›

Joby Warrick, "Iran bolsters retaliation capability in Persian Gulf, experts say" Washington Post / July 26, 2012 Iran is rapidly gaining new capabilities to strike at U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf, amassing an arsenal of sophisticated anti-ship missiles while expanding its fleet of fast-attack boats and submarines, U.S. and Middle Eastern analysts say.... View Source ›

Mary Wisniewski, "American pleads guilty to trying to export missile parts to Iran" Reuters / July 26, 2012 (Reuters) - A California man pleaded guilty in Chicago on Thursday to a felony charge of trying to illegally export missile parts to Iran, which the United States says is working to build nuclear weapons.... View Source ›

July 26, 2012

Yeganeh Salehi , "Iran Says Istanbul Nuclear Talks With EU Were ‘Positive’" Bloomberg / July 26, 2012 Iran’s deputy chief nuclear negotiator said his meeting with a European Union official that aimed to establish common ground for another round of talks on the country’s atomic program was “positive.” ... View Source ›

"Saudis 'mull buying nukes from Pakistan'" UPI / July 25, 2012 RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, July 25 (UPI) -- King Abdallah of Saudi Arabia met Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in Jeddah a few days ago as Riyadh began sending its Special Forces to Pakistan for training. Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2012/07/25/Saudis-mull-buying-nukes-from-Pakistan/UPI-94601343239152/#ixzz21jfQ59xI ... View Source ›

Ali Akbar Dareini , "Sanctions won’t stop Iran’s nuclear work, top cleric says" Associated Press / July 26, 2012 TEHRAN — Western-led sanctions and diplomatic pressure will not force Iran to halt its nuclear program, Iran’s supreme leader said Wednesday.... View Source ›

Eric Onstad, "Nuclear expansion on track despite Fukushima: OECD report" Reuters / July 26, 2012 (Reuters) - Strong expansion of nuclear power as a carbon-free energy source in Asia is expected to press ahead despite the Fukushima accident in Japan that soured sentiment in some countries, a benchmark report said on Thursday.... View Source ›

"Mexico, US launch programme to detect nuclear materials" IANS/EFE / July 26, 2012 Mexico City : A programme to improve the detection and interdiction of illegal shipments of nuclear materials has been successfully implemented at Mexico's four main ports, the US Embassy in Mexico City said.... View Source ›

"North Korea, Iran Agree to Deepen Strategic Ties: Insider" Global Security Newswire / July 25, 2012 Iran and North Korea have pledged to deepen their collaboration on bilateral "strategic projects" that could include additional nuclear and high-altitude missile work, Kyodo News reported on Wednesday (see GSN, July 23).... View Source ›

"French nuclear dismantlement financing not yet secure-report" Reuters / July 25, 2012 (Reuters) - French companies operating in the nuclear industry, mainly EDF but also Areva, need to set aside more money for the future dismantling of nuclear power plants as well as dealing with nuclear waste, a parliamentary report said.... View Source ›

July 25, 2012

Chris Schneidmiller, "Romney: Iran Must Halt All Uranium Enrichment" Global Security Newswire / July 25, 2012 WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, on Tuesday indicated that any resolution to the long-running dispute over Iran's nuclear program must require that nation to halt all uranium enrichment (see GSN, July 24).... View Source ›

Ladane Nasseri , "Iranian Nuclear Plants Hit By Virus Playing AC/DC, Website Says" Bloomberg / July 25, 2012 Iran’s nuclear facilities have suffered a cyber attack that shut down computers and played music from the rock band AC/DC, the F-Secure Security Labs website said. ... View Source ›

"Worries Grow Over Absence of Nuke Preparations for Scottish Independence" Global Security Newswire / July 24, 2012 Officials in the United Kingdom are privately concerned over their country's failure to develop fallback measures for the potential eviction of its nuclear deterrent from an independent Scotland, the Glasgow Herald reported on Tuesday (see GSN, July 17).... View Source ›

"U.S. Unlikely to Yield Over Nuclear Deal with Korea" Chosun Ilbo / July 25, 2012 The White House point man for arms control on Monday expressed confidence that Korea and the U.S. will find a solution in talks to allow Korea to reprocess its own spent nuclear fuel rods. ... View Source ›

"Not all Indian Fissile Material Being Used For Bombs: Analysts" Global Security Newswire / July 25, 2012 A substantial amount of India's fissile material is not being used to build more nuclear weapons even though the South Asian country possesses enough warhead-ready plutonium to outpace rival Pakistan's arsenal, two U.S. experts concluded in a new analysis for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (see GSN, July 20, 2011).... View Source ›

"Khamenei tells Iran politicians to show more unity" Reuters / July 25, 2012 (Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader urged his country's politicians to show more unity as he warned the West that sanctions imposed over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme would only make the government more determined to pursue it, Iranian media reported.... View Source ›

"Companies agree on Spanish uranium projects" World Nuclear News / July 24, 2012 Disputes over a venture to revive uranium mining in Spain have been resolved with an agreement that sees Berkeley Resources waive its rights to mine in reserves where Enusa has already begun rehabilitation. In exchange, Berkeley will hold full exploitation rights in other reserves.... View Source ›

July 24, 2012

"Iran, EU Officials Seek Common Ground for Renewing Nuclear Talks" Bloomberg / July 23, 2012 Iranian and European Union officials meet in Istanbul today in an attempt to establish common ground for another round of international talks on the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. ... View Source ›

"U.S. to Loosen Classification Status on Some Nuclear-Weapon Data" Global Security Newswire / July 24, 2012 Some previously classified U.S. nuclear weapon-related information will be made available to the public following a period of assessment on classification standards by the U.S. State, Defense, and Energy departments, according to a February letter by the State Department's head of information programs (see GSN, Dec. 20, 2010).... View Source ›

"Iranian Religious Leader Threatens to Increase Uranium Enrichment" RIA Novosti / July 23, 2012 Iran will start enriching uranium to 56-percent level if Israel and Western world keep on pressurizing the Islamic Republic with sanctions, Kabir News reported on Monday citing Iranian religious leader Seyed Reza Taghavi.... View Source ›

"India currently has 80 to 100 nuclear warheads: US experts" PTI / July 24, 2012 WASHINGTON: India is not converting all its weapons-grade plutonium into war heads, two top American nuclear scientists have claimed, estimating that it currently has 80 to 100 nuclear warheads for its emerging Triad of air-, land-, and sea-based nuclear-capable delivery vehicles.... View Source ›

"S. Korean nuclear school, IAEA sign cooperation pact " Yonhap / July 21, 2012 ULSAN, July 21 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean graduate school specializing in nuclear studies has signed a cooperation deal with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency to train experts in atomic power, the school said Saturday.... View Source ›

"South Korea, U.S. to Hold Massive Military Drill" Global Security Newswire / July 23, 2012 The U.S. and South Korean militaries are slated to stage a yearly large-scale drill next month in accordance with allied efforts to defend against a belligerent North Korea, the Yonhap News Agency reported (see GSN, July 20).... View Source ›

"Japan Struggles to Find New Nuclear Regulators " Wall Street Journal / July 24, 2012 TOKYO—Racing against a legislative deadline, the Japanese government is trying to find regulators who understand nuclear technology—but aren't close to the nuclear industry.... View Source ›

July 23, 2012

"Japan Probes Alleged Nuclear Cover-Up " Associated Press / July 22, 2012 TOKYO—Japanese authorities are investigating subcontractors on suspicion of forcing workers at the tsunami-hit nuclear plant to underreport the amount of radiation they were exposed to so they could stay on the job longer.... View Source ›

"Iran breaks up nuclear assassination cells: media" Reuters / July 22, 2012 DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has arrested some of those responsible for assassinations of its nuclear scientists, state media reported on Sunday, in a continued hunt for those it says are working to sabotage its nuclear program.... View Source ›

"Iran Sends More Nuclear Fuel to Research Reactor" Associated Press / July 22, 2012 Iran's nuclear chief says more domestically produced nuclear fuel has been supplied to a medical research reactor.... View Source ›

Caroline King, "Stolen nuclear material returned " The Press / July 23, 2012 A stolen nuclear density meter containing radioactive material has been handed in to police. ... View Source ›

"Iran Could Face "Knockout Blow" on Ballistic Missile Development: Report" Global Security Newswire / July 23, 2012 Stepped up economic measures against Iran "could yet deal a knock-out blow to the country's development of long-range ballistic missiles," a British think tank said in a report this month (see GSN, July 13).... View Source ›

"Iran’s nuclear chief says Iran can make higher grade nuclear fuel for ships, but no plans now" Associated Press / July 22, 2012 TEHRAN, Iran — Iran is capable of producing nuclear fuel for ships but has no immediate plans to upgrade the level of its uranium enrichment, the nation’s nuclear chief was quoted as saying in Sunday.... View Source ›

Douglas P. Guarino, "Critics Look to Administration, Senate to Quash NNSA Reform Legislation" Global Security Newswire / July 20, 2012 WASHINGTON – Labor groups, a federal advisory board and House Democrats are looking to the Obama administration and the Senate to quash House-approved legislation they say could significantly undermine the safety and security of U.S. nuclear weapons laboratories, potentially making them vulnerable to terrorist attacks (see GSN, June 28).... View Source ›

July 20, 2012

Rachel Oswald, "U.K. Defense Secretary Says Trident Renewal is Most Cost-Effective Way to Ensure Deterrent" Global Security Newswire / July 19, 2012 WASHINGTON -- British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond on Wednesday said a plan to renew aging Trident ballistic missile submarines offers the most cost-efficient means for meeting his country’s need for continuous sea-based nuclear deterrence (see GSN, June 18).... View Source ›

Elaine M. Grossman, "Taiwan Ready to Forgo Nuclear Fuel-Making in U.S. Trade Pact Renewal" Global Security Newswire / July 19, 2012 WASHINGTON -- The government of Taiwan is prepared to renounce any right to produce nuclear fuel in a forthcoming renewal of its 40-year-old atomic energy cooperation agreement with the United States, according to officials from both nations (see GSN, May 4).... View Source ›

Mari Saito & Tetsushi Kajimoto, "Ex-Japan PM joins anti-nuclear demo outside PM's office" Reuters / July 20, 2012 TOKYO, July 20 (Reuters) - In a rare move by a former Japanese prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama joined a boisterous anti-nuclear demonstration outside his old office on Friday, a fresh sign that the ruling party he once led is fracturing over energy and other policies.... View Source ›

"Canada, China expand nuclear agreement to allow increase in uranium exports" Canadian Business / July 19, 2012 SASKATOON - An agreement signed Thursday in Beijing will help Canadian companies export more uranium to China, said Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird.... View Source ›

"Report Seeks More Anti-WMD Steps by India" Global Security Newswire / July 20, 2012 A recent assessment suggests India has failed to take sufficient steps to prepare for possible chemical, biological or radiological strikes by extremists, LIvemint.com reported on Thursday (see GSN, Feb. 17).... View Source ›

Sangwon Yoon, "North Korea Reviewing ‘Nuclear Issue’ to Counter U.S." Bloomberg / July 20, 2012 North Korea said it is reviewing the “nuclear issue” to counter the U.S., days after Kim Jong Un consolidated his power by taking the nation’s top military rank and removing the army chief. ... View Source ›

"US says Iran ships using foreign flags to evade sanctions " Reuters / July 19, 2012 WASHINGTON - The United States warned the maritime industry on Thursday that Iranian ships were still using other country's flags in an attempt to evade Western sanctions against the country.... View Source ›

July 19, 2012

Apriadi Gunawan, "Nuclear detector installed at Belawan Seaport" Jakarta Post / July 19, 2012 The Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) officially launched on Wednesday the operation of a radiation portal monitor (RPM) at Belawan Seaport in Medan, North Sumatra, to detect the possible entry of nuclear materials and radioactive substances into Indonesia.... View Source ›

"Belarus, Russia sign nuclear power plant deal" Xinhua / July 19, 2012 MINSK - Belarus and Russia signed here Wednesday a general contract for developing the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on Wednesday.... View Source ›

Ayesha Daya , "U.A.E. Will Start Building Second Nuclear Plant in 2013" Bloomberg / July 19, 2012 Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp., the state company developing nuclear power plants in the United Arab Emirates, has begun construction of the first facility and will start the second in 2013. ... View Source ›

"Japan's Tepco baffled by criticism of its role in nuclear disaster" / July 19, 2012 (Reuters) - The new head of the company at the centre of Japan's nuclear disaster said on Thursday he was baffled by fierce criticism of the firm where he has worked nearly 40 years and hoped to rebuild public trust but offered no clear idea how to do so.... View Source ›

"Ahmadinejad: Sanctions From West Begin 'Battle' Against Iran " Associated Press / July 19, 2012 TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's president says the West has begun a "heavy battle" with Iran by tightening sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program.... View Source ›

"U.S., Russia convert nuclear reactors" UPI / July 19, 2012 WASHINGTON, July 19 (UPI) -- The U.S. and Russian governments said at least one Russian nuclear reactor will be converted to use low-enriched uranium by 2014.... View Source ›

"Missile shield may spark China nuclear upgrade: officer" Reuters / July 18, 2012 VIENNA (Reuters) - China may need to modernize its nuclear arsenal to respond to the destabilizing effect of a planned U.S.-backed missile defense system, a senior Chinese military officer said on Wednesday.... View Source ›

July 18, 2012

"Personnel, Funding Shortages Endanger British Nuke Safety, Report Warns" Global Security Newswire / July 17, 2012 A British Defense Ministry assessment says funding reductions and insufficient numbers of workers have intensified the risk of accidents involving the United Kingdom's atomic armaments, the London Guardian reported on Tuesday (see GSN, July 9).... View Source ›

"Fukushima beaches reopen for first time since nuclear disaster" The Telegraph / July 18, 2012 Swimmers returned to the sea to celebrate a national holiday on Monday, the first time they had been in the water for two summers. ... View Source ›

"U.S. to Deploy Missile-Tracking Radar in Qatar" Global Security Newswire / July 17, 2012 The United States is constructing a missile detection facility at an undisclosed location in Qatar, establishing a final key component of a regional framework intended to guard U.S. partners and objectives from a perceived threat posed by Iran's weapon delivery systems, U.S. government personnel said in a Monday report by the the Wall Street Journal (see GSN, April 12).... View Source ›

"Americans Favor Diplomacy Over Military Action on Iran by Almost 4 to 1" The Atlantic / July 17, 2012 The Obama administration hoped the specter of an oil embargo and increasingly stringent banking sanctions would finally force Iran to come clean on its clandestine nuclear program and end its enrichment activities. No such luck. After the third round of P5+1 negotiations in Moscow ended last month in a stalemate, the White House and Congress are competing to isolate the intransigent Iranian government.... View Source ›

"US details plutonium stocks" World Nuclear News / July 17, 2012 The decommissioning of America's Rocky Flats facility and the disposal of resulting waste was the main factor in a four-tonne reduction in US plutonium stocks over the last 15 years.... View Source ›

"Nuclear waste being hauled out of Wisconsin plant" Associated Press / July 17, 2012 GENOA — A massive project to remove decades-old radioactive waste from a western Wisconsin power plant is finally under way after five years of planning.... View Source ›

Osamu Tsukimori & Jonathan Saul, "Japanese ship certifier to end Iran ties" Reuters / July 17, 2012 TOKYO/LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - A Japanese ship classification society will close its Tehran office, becoming the latest firm to face pressure by a U.S. lobby group to end dealings with Iran as backers of Western sanctions pile pressure on the Islamic Republic.... View Source ›