Daily News: 09/2012

September 28, 2012

Diane Barnes, "Adoption of Nuclear Security Pacts Stalls in Senate" Global Security Newswire / September 28, 2012 WASHINGTON – A congressional attempt to bring the United States into line with two nuclear security agreements appeared to stall late last week as a Republican senator sought changes to a compliance bill cleared this summer by the House of Representatives.... View Source ›

Tsuyoshi Inajima , "Japan Minister Says Nationalization Needed to Phase Out Nuclear" Bloomberg / September 28, 2012 Japan’s government should take control of nuclear power plants to achieve its goal of phasing out atomic power over the next three decades, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano wrote in a book published today. ... View Source ›

"N. Korea's nuclear standoff tops agenda at security forum in China " Yonhap / September 26, 2012 DALIAN, China, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- Long-standing tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program will top the agenda of an annual security conference that brings together all key regional players committed to resolving the communist country's nuclear drive, a diplomatic source said Wednesday.... View Source ›

Isabel Kershner, "Israeli Foreign Ministry Calls for More Sanctions on Iran" New York Times / September 27, 2012 JERUSALEM — An internal report prepared by Israel’s Foreign Ministry calls for an additional round of international sanctions against Iran, an Israeli official confirmed on Thursday, in what appeared to be a rare Israeli acknowledgment that there might still be time to try to stop the Iranian nuclear program by means other than military action. ... View Source ›

Chris Schneidmiller & Douglas P. Guarino, "U.S. Official Calls for Other Nations to Move Forward With Test Ban Treaty" Global Security Newswire / September 27, 2012 WASHINGTON -- The U.S. State Department's top arms control official on Wednesday urged other nations to press ahead with ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty without waiting for corresponding action by the United States.... View Source ›

"World powers said open to more nuclear talks with Iran, even as Netanyahu argues time is short" Associated Press / September 27, 2012 WASHINGTON — World powers decided Thursday to lay the groundwork for another round of negotiations with Iran over its disputed nuclear program, a senior U.S. official said, but they want a significantly improved offer from the Islamic republic.... View Source ›

"Iran claims right to retaliate, after Israel UN speech" BBC / September 28, 2012 Iran has warned it is ready to retaliate against attack after Israel's prime minister urged a red line to be drawn over its nuclear programme.... View Source ›

September 27, 2012

Tom Witcher, "Ahmadinejad slams West's 'nuclear intimidation'" Agence France-Presse / September 27, 2012 UNITED NATIONS — Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused the West and Israel of nuclear "intimidation", after US President Barack Obama vowed to halt Tehran's alleged weapons program.... View Source ›

"Netanyahu brings fears about Iran nuclear ambitions to UN, believes sanctions have failed" Associated Press / September 26, 2012 UNITED NATIONS — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make his case against Iran before the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, arguing that time is quickly running out to stop the Islamic Republic from becoming a nuclear power and the threat of force must be seriously considered.... View Source ›

"Nuclear watchdog to have outline of new safety standards by next March" Asahi Shimbun / September 27, 2012 The head of Japan’s new nuclear watchdog body has said that it plans to complete an outline of new tougher safety standards for nuclear power plants by the end of March, a prerequisite for restarting some of the nation's 48 of 50 reactors that are currently idle.... View Source ›

"Egyptian Leader Takes Aim at Israeli Nukes" Global Security Newswire / September 27, 2012 Egypt's new president in a Wednesday speech to the United Nations made a thinly veiled call for Israel to become an active member of the global nuclear nonproliferation regime, the Associated Press reported.... View Source ›

"India yet to address issues on civil nuclear liability law" PTI / September 27, 2012 India is yet to address the concerns of American companies with regard to civil nuclear liability laws, a senior administration official has said, noting that the two countries, nevertheless are making progress on the implementation of civil nuclear agreement.... View Source ›

"Beijing Reiterates Opposition to Iran Sanctions" RIA Novosti / September 26, 2012 China is still opposed to sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.... View Source ›

Douglas P. Guarino, "Plan to Militarize Nuclear Security Could Face Legal Obstacles, Critics Say" Global Security Newswire / September 26, 2012 WASHINGTON – A Reconstruction-era law limiting the powers of the armed forces on U.S. soil is one of several obstacles that could complicate Representative Mike Turner’s efforts to militarize security at nuclear weapons production sites, skeptics say.... View Source ›

September 26, 2012

"China nuclear reactor program to resume in fourth quarter : report" Reuters / September 26, 2012 (Reuters) - China's ambitious reactor building program is set to resume in the fourth quarter following a suspension imposed after Japan's March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, official media reported on Wednesday. ... View Source ›

Elaine M. Grossman, "U.S. Nuclear Agency OKs License for Laser Enrichment, Despite Worries" Global Security Newswire / September 25, 2012 WASHINGTON -- Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff on Tuesday issued the first U.S. commercial license ever for a process in which uranium is enriched by laser, opening what many issue experts have warned could be a new chapter in the global proliferation of sensitive atomic materials.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "Iran pushes ahead in building nuclear reactor" Reuters / September 26, 2012 VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran appears to be making headway in building a research reactor that could yield potential nuclear weapon material, adding to Western concerns about Tehran's atomic aims, experts and diplomats say.... View Source ›

"India, Australia nuclear pact likely to be inked during Australia PM's visit" The Economic Times / September 26, 2012 NEW DELHI: India and Australia are likely to ink a civil nuclear pact during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard here from October 15, within months of a positive reversal of the policy by ruling Labour party on supply of uranium to New Delhi.... View Source ›

"Nuclear energy capacity growth slowing after Fukushima: IAEA" Reuters / September 26, 2012 (Reuters) - The U.N. atomic agency cut its forecast for nuclear energy growth for a second year as the industry continued to feel the effect of the Fukushima disaster in Japan and said most of the expansion would be in Asia. ... View Source ›

"Los Alamos Plutonium Lab Gets No Funding in Budget Bill" Global Security Newswire / September 26, 2012 Congress on Saturday wrapped up endorsement of a six-month budget measure that provides no funds for a planned plutonium research facility at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, the Albuquerque Journal reported.... View Source ›

"U.N. nuclear chief Amano to stand for another term" Reuters / September 26, 2012 VIENNA (Reuters) - United Nations nuclear agency chief Yukiya Amano, a key figure in international diplomacy over Iran's disputed nuclear activity, will seek a new four-year term next year, the Vienna-based organization said on Wednesday.... View Source ›

September 25, 2012

"Noda to tap nuke minister as policy chief" Xinhua / September 24, 2012 TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda decided Monday to tap nuclear minister Goshi Hosono as the ruling party's policy chief, local media said.... View Source ›

"North Korea Suspends Work on Missile Platform" Global Security Newswire / September 25, 2012 Satellite pictures taken in August reveal that North Korea has suspended building work on a firing platform that might be intended for launching continent-spanning rockets, issue specialist Nick Hansen concluded in a Monday post for the website 38 North.... View Source ›

John Daniszewski, "Ahmadinejad dismisses war threats on Iran nuclear program, says he seeks dialogue" Associated Press / September 24, 2012 NEW YORK, N.Y. - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday dismissed threats of military action against Iran's nuclear program, arguing that his country's project to enrich uranium is only for peaceful purposes and saying that Iran has no worries about a possible Israeli attack.... View Source ›

"Bill Would Extend Armed Forces Protection of U.S. Nuclear Arms Sites" Global Security Newswire / September 24, 2012 A key U.S. lawmaker on Friday submitted legislation aimed at extending armed forces protection to a number of nuclear-weapon sites overseen by the Energy Department's National Nuclear Security Administration, The Hill newspaper reported on Friday.... View Source ›

Matt Vasilogambros, "Obama: U.S. Will "Do What We Must" to Stop a Nuclear Iran" National Journal / September 25, 2012 WASHINGTON -- In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, President Obama will say the U.S. will “do what we must” to prevent the Iranian government from securing a nuclear weapon, the Associated Press reported.... View Source ›

"EU-Iran nuclear talks ‘useful and constructive’" Associated Press / September 25, 2012 The European Union says a meeting between its foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili aimed at restarting formal talks over Tehran's nuclear program was "useful and constructive."... View Source ›

"Gradual growth in US support for nuclear" World Nuclear News / September 24, 2012 Support for nuclear energy in the USA is gradually approaching pre-Fukushima levels, a new public opinion poll shows. Some 65% of Americans now favour the use of nuclear, compared with 71% before the accident.... View Source ›

September 24, 2012

Fredrik Dahl, "West defeats Iran initiative at major U.N. nuclear meeting" Reuters / September 21, 2012 VIENNA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Western states defeated an Iranian proposal at the U.N. nuclear agency's annual assembly on Saturday to amend their draft resolution on a policy area central to its work in preventing the spread of atom bombs.... View Source ›

"UN Atomic Agency Member States Slam North Korea" Agence France-Presse / September 22, 2012 VIENNA (AFP) - Member states of the UN atomic agency approved Friday a resolution "deploring" North Korea's decision to cease all cooperation with the watchdog and calling on Pyongyang not to conduct further nuclear tests.... View Source ›

"Algeria Elected Member Of IAEA Board Of Governors" Bernama / September 24, 2012 ALGIERS, Algeria, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Algeria has been elected by consensus as a member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for two years from 2012 to 2014, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday.... View Source ›

"Iran nuclear: Germany's Siemens denies sabotage claim" BBC / September 23, 2012 German engineering company Siemens has denied allegations that it planted explosive devices inside nuclear equipment destined for Iran.... View Source ›

"Obama dismisses Israel's calls for red lines on Iran's nuclear program as 'noise'" Associated Press / September 24, 2012 U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday pushed back on the notion that he feels pressure from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the contentious Iranian issue, dismissing as "noise" the Israeli leader's calls for the U.S. to lay out a "red line" that Iran's nuclear program must not cross to avoid American military intervention. ... View Source ›

Ken Silverstein, "Nuclear Energy's Limp Causing Uranium Prices to Stumble" Forbes / September 24, 2012 When the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami knocked out Japan’s Fukushima nuclear reactors, they also took down the price of uranium. The hesitance to resume nuclear operations not only in Japan but also elsewhere in the world has caused the demand for the nuclear feedstock to diminish.... View Source ›

Benjamin Weinthal, "'UK, France, Germany urge EU to up Iran sanctions' " Jerusalem Post / September 24, 2012 3 European FMs write letter to Ashton, pressing for tougher EU sanctions in bid to halt Iranian nuclear program, diplomats tell AFP. ... View Source ›

September 21, 2012

Rick Gladstone & Christine Hauser, "Iran’s Top Atomic Official Says Nation Issued False Nuclear Data to Fool Spies" New York Times / September 20, 2012 Iran’s top atomic energy official said in an article published Thursday that because of foreign espionage, his government had sometimes provided false information to protect its nuclear program, which Western powers and Israel have called a cloak to develop a nuclear weapons capacity. ... View Source ›

"U.S. Conducts Fifth Nonexplosive Plutonium Test" Global Security Newswire / September 21, 2012 Sources on Wednesday disclosed the completion between April and June of a fifth Z machine plutonium trial intended for studying the capacities of U.S. nuclear armaments, Kyodo News reported.... View Source ›

"Japan will abandon nuclear energy by 2040, says Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda" Agence France-Presse / September 21, 2012 Japan will go nuclear free, the prime minister insisted Friday, rebutting criticism that his government was floundering and unable to come up with a coherent position on the issue.... View Source ›

Elaine M. Grossman, "First U.S. Laser Enrichment License Expected by Month’s End" Global Security Newswire / September 20, 2012 WASHINGTON -- Following action by a key federal body on Wednesday, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is expected by the end of this month to issue the nation’s first commercial license for a laser-based means of atomic fuel production.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "Arab nuclear "goodwill gesture" fails to impress Israel, U.S" Reuters / September 20, 2012 (Reuters) - Arab states said on Thursday they had decided as a "goodwill gesture" to refrain from targeting Israel with a resolution over its assumed nuclear arsenal at the U.N. atomic agency's annual assembly this week.... View Source ›

"Iran, North Korea Seen Deepening Nuke, Missile Collaboration" Global Security Newswire / September 20, 2012 It is likely Iran and North Korea are deepening their cooperation in the development of missile and nuclear capabilities under a new bilateral deal set at the beginning of the month, the Christian Science Monitor reported on Thursday.... View Source ›

"Fuel loading begins in Kudankulam Nuclear plant" IANS / September 21, 2012 Chennai: India's atomic energy regulator on Friday said it has given its nod to Nuclear Power Corporation Ltd (NPCIL) to load enriched uranium fuel rods in the first reactor at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP).... View Source ›

September 20, 2012

Rick Gladstone, "Iran: Top Nuclear Negotiator Calls Talks With Big Powers ‘Constructive’" New York Times / September 20, 2012 Saeed Jalili, Iran’s top negotiator in talks with the big powers over his country’s disputed uranium enrichment program, called negotiations with Catherine Ashton, his counterpart, “constructive and helpful,” the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported on Wednesday. The talks on Tuesday in Istanbul, their first face-to-face meeting in three months, produced no breakthroughs, and it remained unclear when they would meet again. ... View Source ›

"Israel Says Won't Attend WMD-Free Middle East Meeting" Global Security Newswire / September 20, 2012 Israel on Wednesday said it would not take part in a planned meeting on outlawing nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, Haaretz reported.... View Source ›

"India to ask IAEA for review of its nuclear regulatory process" PTI / September 19, 2012 NEW DELHI: India is planning to approach the global atomic watchdog IAEA for a review of its nuclear regulatory process which has come under severe criticism from the government auditor and activists.... View Source ›

Najmeh Bozorgmehr , "Iran underlines ‘right’ to nuclear energy" Financial Times / September 19, 2012 Military action against Iran would be “highly costly” for the US and threats issued by Mitt Romney as he tries to become the next American president are campaign rhetoric only and can be largely ignored, Ali Larijani, Speaker of the Iranian parliament, has told the FT.... View Source ›

Jack Khoury, "Iran's nuclear chief admits providing IAEA with false information" Haaretz / September 20, 2012 Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani admitted to the London-based al-Hayat newspaper on Thursday to providing false information to International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors in order to protect his country’s nuclear facilities and achievements. ... View Source ›

Mari Yamaguchi, "Japan Nuclear Phase-Out Plan Falls Apart " Associated Press / September 19, 2012 TOKYO -- Japan's Cabinet stopped short of a commitment Wednesday to phase out nuclear power by 2040, backtracking from an advisory panel's recommendation in the face of opposition from pro-nuclear businesses and groups.... View Source ›

"NNSA Expands Nuclear Arms Data Collection, Auditors Say" Global Security Newswire / September 20, 2012 WASHINGTON -- The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration has expanded its collection of information for identifying physical problems in the nation's nuclear weapons, the Energy Department's inspector general concluded in a new report.... View Source ›

September 19, 2012

Fredrik Dahl, "IAEA renews pressure on Iran after "terrorists" charge" Reuters / September 18, 2012 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear agency said on Tuesday Iran must address concerns about its suspected atom bomb research, one day after Tehran alleged that "terrorists" had infiltrated the organisation to sabotage the Islamic Republic's uranium enrichment plants. ... View Source ›

"Rosatom, IAEA sign agreement on nuclear knowledge management" ITAR-TASS / September 18, 2012 VIENNA, September 18 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday signed practical agreements in the area of nuclear knowledge management.... View Source ›

Hiroko Tabuchi, "Japan Backs Off Goal to Phase Out Nuclear Power by 2040" New York Times / September 19, 2012 TOKYO — In an abrupt turnabout, the Japanese government on Wednesday stopped short of formally adopting a goal it announced just last week to phase out nuclear power by 2040. ... View Source ›

"India test-fires nuclear-capable strategic missile Agni-IV" PTI / September 19, 2012 BALASORE (ODISHA): India on Wednesday test-fired its nuclear-capable strategic missile Agni-IV with a strike range of about 4000 km from a test range off Odisha coast. ... View Source ›

"Radiation Detection Tech Operational in Malta" Global Security Newswire / September 19, 2012 Radiation detection technology supplied by the United States is now operational at Malta's Port of Marsaxlokk, the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration announced on Tuesday.... View Source ›

Rick Gladstone, "Negotiators Meet in Bid to Revive Iran Talks" New York Times / September 18, 2012 The top nuclear negotiators for Iran and the big powers met face to face for the first time in nearly three months on Tuesday, part of an effort to revive the stalled talks over Iran’s disputed uranium enrichment activities as new military tensions roil the Middle East. ... View Source ›

"Anti-WMD Exercise Planned Near South Korea" Global Security Newswire / September 18, 2012 South Korea on Tuesday said it would take part in a multilateral WMD interdiction exercise off its southern coast later this month, the Yonhap News Agency reported.... View Source ›

September 18, 2012

"EU, Iranian nuclear negotiators to meet " Assocaited Press / September 18, 2012 Iran urged Western powers to engage in "purposeful" negotiations Tuesday as top EU and Iranian representatives meeting in Istanbul looked for a breakthrough on restarting talks over Tehran's nuclear program.... View Source ›

"IAEA renews pressure on Iran after "terrorist" outburst " Reuters / September 18, 2012 VIENNA, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear agency pressed Iran on Tuesday to address concerns about suspected bomb research, saying it was ready for talks soon and avoiding any mention of Tehran's allegation that "terrorists" may have infiltrated the Vienna-based watchdog.... View Source ›

"Swiss nuclear smugglers who helped CIA foil Libya program set to escape jail in plea bargain " Assocaited Press / September 18, 2012 BERLIN — Three Swiss engineers are set to escape jail for nuclear smuggling, in part because they helped the CIA bust a global ring that was supplying Libya’s atomic weapons program. ... View Source ›

Dana Priest, "U.S. nuclear arsenal to undergo gargantuan overhaul" Washington Post / September 16, 2012 The U.S. nuclear arsenal, the most powerful but indiscriminate class of weapons ever created, is set to undergo the costliest overhaul in its history, even as the military faces spending cuts to its conventional arms programs at a time of fiscal crisis.... View Source ›

Yuji Okada, "Japan Sets Up New Nuclear Regulator After Fukushima ‘Failure’ " Bloomberg / September 18, 2012 Japan’s new nuclear regulator starts operation tomorrow as part of measures the government introduced after the Fukushima disaster to try and establish an independent supervisor of the industry.... View Source ›

"AQ Khan says he was told to sell Pakistan nuclear secrets by Bhutto " Daily Telegraph / September 17, 2012 AQ Khan, the “father” of Pakistan’s atom bomb, has claimed that he was forced to sell nuclear secrets by then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Khan has admittedly supplied centrifuge technology to North Korea, Libya and Iran in exchange for money.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "Iran says saboteurs cut power to nuclear plant " Reuteres / September 17, 2012 (Reuters) - Power lines to Iran's most controversial nuclear enrichment plant were blown up a month ago, according to its atomic energy chief, who alleged on Monday that the U.N. nuclear watchdog may have been infiltrated by "terrorists and saboteurs". ... View Source ›

September 17, 2012

"IAEA to Convene 56th General Conference " RIA Novosti / September 17, 2012 The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will convene its General Conference on September 17-21, the UN nuclear watchdog said on its website.... View Source ›

"U.N. nuclear agency says to hold more talks with Iran " Reuters / September 17, 2012 VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. atomic watchdog will hold further talks with Iran aimed at clarifying concerns about its nuclear program, despite the lack of progress so far, agency chief Yukiya Amano said on Monday. ... View Source ›

"Iran to outline refusal to stop uranium enrichment at IAEA meet " Associated Press / September 17, 2012 Iran's nuclear chief is expected to outline Iran's refusal to give up uranium enrichment at a 155-nation meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday.... View Source ›

"IAEA resolution casts doubt on benefit of NPT: Iran " Tehran Times / September 17, 2012 TEHRAN - Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has said that the most recent resolution issued against Iran by the International Atomic Energy Agency raises doubt about the benefit of being a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). ... View Source ›

Juliana Gruenwald & Matt Vasilogambros , "Netanyahu: Place a "Red Line" Before Iran " National Journal / September 17, 2012 WASHINGTON -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied Sunday that he is injecting himself into the U.S. presidential election by pressuring President Obama to join Israel in setting a "red line" for Iran, which if crossed would provoke a retaliation against the country's nuclear program. ... View Source ›

"U.S. Nuclear Arms Due for High-Cost Revamp " Global Security Newswire / September 17, 2012 The United States is on track to undertake the priciest revamp to date of its nuclear weapons and associated infrastructure, despite anticipated funding reductions to other weapon initiatives by the country's armed forces during a period of budgetary constraints, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.... View Source ›

"Pakistan tests nuclear-capable missile " INP / September 17, 2012 Pakistan on Monday conducted a successful test fire of the indigenously developed multi tube Cruise Missile Hatf-VII (Babur), having a range of 700 kilometers. ... View Source ›

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