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Daily News: 11/2012

November 30, 2012

Fredrik Dahl, "U.N. nuclear chief sees no progress on Iran concerns" Reuters / November 29, 2012 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear agency made no progress in a year-long push to find out if Iran worked on developing an atomic bomb, its chief said on Thursday, calling for urgent efforts to end Tehran's standoff with the West.... View Source ›

"IAEA to use Fukushima Prefecture facility as a base for nuclear crisis cooperation" Kyodo News Agency / November 29, 2012 The International Atomic Energy Agency plans to use a Fukushima Prefectural Government facility as a base for joint operations to deal with the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant meltdown crisis, Japanese government sources said Wednesday.... View Source ›

"North Korea Moves Rocket Components to Launch Complex: Report" Global Security Newswire / November 30, 2012 An expert assessment of new satellite surveillance pictures suggests that some rocket components have been transported to North Korea's long-range missile launch complex, CNN reported on Friday.... View Source ›

Tara Patel , "France Will Need Energy Spending After Atomic Debate, Batho Says" Bloomberg / November 28, 2012 France’s energy future, to be decided by a national debate starting tomorrow, will require “considerable” extra investment in the coming years, according to Environment and Energy Minister Delphine Batho. ... View Source ›

Ali Akbar Dareini, "Iran: Uranium enrichment to be speeded up" Associated Press / November 28, 2012 TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran will step up its uranium enrichment program by sharply increasing the number of centrifuges used to make nuclear fuel, a senior official said Wednesday, in direct defiance of Western demands.... View Source ›

Indira A.R. Lakshmanan , "New U.S. Sanctions Proposed for Iranian Energy, Shipping" Bloomberg / November 29, 2012 Two U.S. senators who pressed for the economic sanctions that have reduced Iran’s crude oil exports and earnings have proposed additional steps to force Iran to curb its suspected nuclear weapons program. ... View Source ›

"U.S. Radiation Detection Initiative to Halt Expansion" Global Security Newswire / November 29, 2012 The Obama administration has halted expansion of an initiative to deploy radiation sensors at foreign seaports as it pushes to cut the program's budget by 85 percent in fiscal 2013, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said in an assessment made public on Wednesday.... View Source ›

November 28, 2012

"Spanish company denies part in nuclear smuggling plan to Iran" Reuters / November 27, 2012 Nov 27 (Reuters) - Basque company ONA Electroerosion denied on Tuesday charges made by the Spanish tax authorities that it had smuggled machinery to Iran to use in the country's nuclear programme. ... View Source ›

Jim Heintz, "Workers raise 1st section of new Chernobyl shelter" Associated Press / November 27, 2012 CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER STATION, Ukraine (AP) — Workers have raised the first section of a colossal arch-shaped structure that eventually will cover the exploded nuclear reactor at the Chernobyl power station.... View Source ›

"S. Korean, Chinese nuclear envoys to hold talks on N. Korea this week " Yonhap / November 28, 2012 SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top nuclear envoy will visit China this week to discuss the situation of the Korean Peninsula and North Korean issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday, amid reports the communist country appears to prepare for another ballistic missile test.... View Source ›

"U.N. atom agency says stolen information on hacker site" Reuters / November 27, 2012 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday information stolen from one of its former servers had been posted on a hacker website and it was taking "all possible steps" to ensure its computer systems and data were protected.... View Source ›

"Japan Devises HEU-Free Medical Isotope Production Method" Global Security Newswire / November 28, 2012 A a new technique has been devised in Japan for generating a key medical isotope without weapon-usable uranium, Jiji Press reported on Monday.... View Source ›

"Pakistan tests nuclear-capable ballistic missile" Reuters / November 28, 2012 ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile on Wednesday that can hit targets up to 1,300 km (807 miles) away, the military said.... View Source ›

Mitsoru Obe, "Anti-Nuclear Coalition Steps Into Japan Election " Wall Street Journal / November 27, 2012 TOKYO—A high-profile prefectural governor has emerged as a rallying point for nuclear-power opponents trying to put their issue on the agenda in Japan's general election next month—the first since the devastating March 2011 nuclear-plant accident.... View Source ›

November 27, 2012

Mohammed Abbas, "UK hopes Mideast nuclear talks can be held next year " Reuters / November 24, 2012 LONDON, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Britain said on Saturday it hoped a conference on banning nuclear weapons in the Middle East could take place "as soon as possible", after the United States said it would not be held next month. ... View Source ›

"Sri Lanka to sidestep sanctions on Iran: report " Agence France-Presse / November 26, 2012 COLOMBO — Sri Lanka will sidestep US-led sanctions against Iran by diverting its oil payments towards a water management project that Tehran is funding in the island, a senior official was quoted Sunday as saying. ... View Source ›

"Lee: Nuclear power plants 'core staple' for S. Korea " Yonhap / November 26, 2012 SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak said Monday atomic power plants are a key export industry that will help lift South Korea's growth in the years to come, just as auto, shipbuilding and electronics industries have powered the country's economy so far. ... View Source ›

"Japan intercepts N. Korea weapons-grade material bound for Myanmar " Asahi Shimbun / November 24, 2012 North Korea tried to ship materials suitable for uranium enrichment or missile development to Myanmar via China this year, in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution, The Asahi Shimbun has learned.... View Source ›

"Iran Transfers Soil to Base Targeted by Nuclear Auditors: Envoys " Global Security Newswire / November 26, 2012 Pictures taken from space indicate Iran has been transferring ground soil to an armed forces installation that the International Atomic Energy Agency has sought to audit, hinting further of a possible effort to conceal indications of past nuclear weapon-relevant research at the site, Reuters quoted Western diplomatic personnel as saying last week. ... View Source ›

"Japan's ruling party to phase out nuclear power " Agence France-Presse / November 27, 2012 Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has promised to rid Japan of nuclear energy in coming decades as he set out his party's platform before next month's general election.... View Source ›

"Senators Seek Advisory Body for NNSA Fixes " Global Security Newswire / November 26, 2012 A proposal by two U.S. senators would establish an advisory body to consider potential means of revamping the semiautonomous Energy Department branch responsible for overseeing the nation's nuclear weapons complex, the Albuquerque Journal reported last week. ... View Source ›

November 21, 2012

"World powers to mull improving Iran offer: diplomats" Agence France-Presse / November 20, 2012 BRUSSELS — Six world powers will discuss on Wednesday in Brussels making a "more creative" and sweetened offer to persuade Iran to scale back its controversial nuclear programme, diplomats said.... View Source ›

"New organization to improve nuclear facility safety" Denki Shimbun / November 20, 2012 TOKYO --In light of the Fukushima accident, a new organization was launched November 15 to collectively discuss measures to improve the safety of nuclear facilities. The Japan Nuclear Safety Institute (JANSI) was established as a new organization that substitutes for the Japan Nuclear Technology Institute, which has been conducting peer reviews of nuclear facilities among other activities. At its first board meeting on the same day, JANSI selected Shojiro Matsuura, former chair of the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan, as the representative of the organization.... View Source ›

Alexandria Sage & Fredrik Dahl, "Iran nuclear work at constant pace despite sanctions -IAEA" Reuters / November 20, 2012 PARIS/VIENNA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Iran is enriching uranium at a constant pace and international sanctions aimed at making Tehran suspend the activity are having no visible impact, the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief said in unusually blunt remarks on Tuesday.... View Source ›

"Ishihara: Japan should consider nuclear arms" NHK / November 20, 2012 Shintaro Ishihara, the leader of a newly formed opposition party, says Japan should study the procedures and impacts of possessing nuclear arms, in case the country decides to acquire such weapons.... View Source ›

Meeyoung Cho, "South Koreans to ponder where to store nuclear waste" Reuters / November 20, 2012 (Reuters) - South Korea is to hold public consultations on where to store waste nuclear fuel as storage capacity at its reactors is reaching full capacity, the government said on Tuesday. ... View Source ›

Elaine M. Grossman, "Decision on Proliferation Assessments Pending at Nuclear Agency" Global Security Newswire / November 20, 2012 WASHINGTON -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is poised to consider whether to begin requiring license applicants for emerging technologies to evaluate any associated proliferation risks, following the submission of a staff paper on the matter late last month, according to officials.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "West concerned about fuel move at Iran nuclear power plant" Reuters / November 20, 2012 (Reuters) - Western officials voiced concern on Tuesday about what they described as an unexpected unloading of fuel at Iran's first nuclear energy plant and said Tehran, which has dismissed it as a normal step, must clarify the issue. ... View Source ›

November 20, 2012

"Seoul to develop technology, facility to store spent nuclear fuel rods " Yonhap / November 20, 2012 SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will work to develop indigenous technologies needed to store or process spent nuclear fuel rods, along with its first permanent facility to store spent fuel, the government said Tuesday.... View Source ›

"Radiation Sensors Deployed at Kazakh Airport" Global Security Newswire / November 20, 2012 Kazakhstan and the United States in recent days officially activated radiation sensors at the Astana International Airport that are part of a bilateral effort to guard against the trafficking of nuclear-weapon ingredients, according to a Friday press release from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration.... View Source ›

"UN nuclear chief says Iran standoff 'worrying'" Agence France-Presse / November 19, 2012 PARIS — The standoff on Iran's nuclear programme is worrying, the head of the UN atomic watchdog said Monday, but stressed that work for a diplomatic solution should continue.... View Source ›

Elaine M. Grossman, "U.S., Taiwan “Discussing Assurances” on Sensitive Nuclear Activities: Officials" Global Security Newswire / November 19, 2012 WASHINGTON -- The United States and Taiwan have begun “discussing assurances” that could result in the East Asian nation’s pledge to avoid sensitive nuclear activities as part of a bilateral atomic trade pact renewal, Taiwan government officials said.... View Source ›

"High radiation exposure level in Fukushima resident puzzles experts" Asahi / November 19, 2012 FUKUSHIMA--A Fukushima resident living well outside the no-entry zone set up after last year's nuclear disaster was exposed to an unusually high level of radiation in the first four months after the crisis, prefectural officials said.... View Source ›

"Iran shrugs off UN chief's comments " Agence France-Presse / November 20, 2012 TEHRAN: Iran on Tuesday shrugged off comments by the UN atomic watchdog chief that Tehran's controversial nuclear drive is "worrying," insisting that such concerns can be resolved in "technical-legal" talks.... View Source ›

November 19, 2012

Ken Dilanian, "U.S. says illegal exports to Iran increasing" Tribune Co. / November 19, 2012 WASHINGTON -- When Susan Yip stood before a federal judge in San Antonio last month, she apologized tearfully for her role in smuggling American technology to Iran.... View Source ›

David E. Sanger, "Iran’s Fordo Nuclear Complex Reaches Capacity" New York Times / November 16, 2012 WASHINGTON — Iran has finished installing all the critical equipment at a deep underground site where it is producing nuclear fuel that could quickly be converted to use in a nuclear weapon, international inspectors reported on Friday. But they said Iran has yet to ramp up production, leaving several months for President Obama and his allies to work on a diplomatic solution that could avoid a military confrontation. ... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "Iran defends "normal procedures" at Bushehr nuclear plant" Reuters / November 18, 2012 (Reuters) - An Iranian diplomat said on Sunday Iran had unloaded fuel from its first atomic power plant as part of a normal technical procedure linked to transferring responsibility for the plant from Russian engineers. ... View Source ›

"Myanmar to sign new nuclear safeguards: govt" Agence France-Presse / November 18, 2012 YANGON — Myanmar said on Sunday it would agree to new atomic safeguards that allow inspections of suspected clandestine nuclear sites, ahead of a milestone visit by US President Barack Obama.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "Iran delays planned start-up of Arak nuclear reactor" Reuters / November 17, 2012 (Reuters) - Iran has postponed until 2014 the planned start-up of a research reactor which Western experts say could potentially offer the Islamic Republic a second route to produce material for a nuclear bomb, a U.N. report showed. ... View Source ›

"Mexico Admitted to the Multinational Nuclear Suppliers Group" Mexidata.info / November 19, 2012 The Mexican government is pleased to announce that it has completed the process for joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), after having received the unanimous support of the 46 countries that participate in the export control system for nuclear material, nuclear dual-use goods and related technologies.... View Source ›

"New Chinese Leadership Seen Likely to Urge North Korea to Reform" Global Security Newswire / November 16, 2012 China's newly seated leadership is expected to maintain the government's longstanding close relations with North Korea, but it might push the Stalinist state more strongly to reform than the previous government, South Korean experts said in a Friday Chosun Ilbo report.... View Source ›

November 16, 2012

"EU Gives $6.6M to Test Ban Treaty Regime" Global Security Newswire / November 16, 2012 The European Union Council on Tuesday authorized providing $6.62 million to the international organization that oversees efforts to implement a global ban on nuclear weapons testing.... View Source ›

Meeyoung Cho, "S.Korea unveils power plan after nuclear closures risk blackouts" Reuters / November 15, 2012 Nov 16 (Reuters) - South Korea aims to secure more than 4,000 megawatts (MW) of extra power capacity over demand through savings and new plants to head off potential blackouts, after the closure of nuclear plants means reserve excess capacity in January would be less than a third of the normal target.... View Source ›

Elaine M. Grossman, "Donilon: North Korea Must Show “Seriousness of Purpose” on Denuclearization" Global Security Newswire / November 15, 2012 WASHINGTON -- As President Obama prepares to become the first sitting U.S. leader to visit Myanmar, a top White House aide on Thursday said that nation’s democratization and human rights reforms could serve as a model for how North Korea might begin to re-enter the international community.... View Source ›

Keith Campbell, "International uranium enrichment facility attracts interest as it starts delivering " Engineering News / November 16, 2012 The International Uranium Enrichment Centre (IUEC), the Moscow-based Russian initiative that currently has four member countries, could gain more members in the near future. “A number of countries are interested in the IUEC,” reveals IUEC commercial director Gleb Efremov. “We can name Vietnam, South Korea, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates.” ... View Source ›

"Iran says arrests foreign-linked bomb plotters" Reuters / November 16, 2012 (Reuters) - Iran's Intelligence Ministry has arrested people planning bomb attacks with the support of Western and Israeli spy agencies in the oil-producing province of Khuzestan, state television reported on Friday. ... View Source ›

"Diplomats say Iran ready to increase nuclear output at underground plant" Associated Press / November 15, 2012 VIENNA – Iran is on the threshold of being able to create weapons-grade uranium at a plant it has heavily fortified against Israeli attack, diplomats told The Associated Press on Thursday, calling into question an Israeli claim that Iran had slowed its nuclear time table.... View Source ›

John McGarrity, "British govt files charges against nuclear waste plant owners" Reuters / November 15, 2012 LONDON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - British regulators filed charges against the owners of the Sellafield nuclear waste site on Thursday on allegations of illegal dumping of radioactive waste, adding to the plant's history of controversy and complaints.... View Source ›

November 15, 2012

"U.S. Should Seek Talks With China on its Nukes, Congressional Report Says" Global Security Newswire / November 15, 2012 The Chinese armed forces are updating their weapons capabilities at a rapid pace, including their capacity to launch nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles from submarines, CNN reported, citing a congressionally ordered report released on Wednesday.... View Source ›

"Chernobyl study shows need for caution in Fukushima" Kyodo / November 14, 2012 A study released Thursday by a U.S. research team links protracted exposure to low-level radiation to a higher risk of leukemia among workers engaged in the cleanup of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and points to the need to protect those involved in dealing with the Fukushima crisis.... View Source ›

"SCE&G working to repair cracks at nuclear plant" Associated Press / November 15, 2012 COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Engineers are working to seal cracks at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Fairfield County.... View Source ›

"IAEA completes safety review in Rajasthan N-plant" IANS / November 14, 2012 Mumbai: A team of global nuclear experts led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday completed a 16-day review of the safety practices at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station-units 3 and 4 in Rawatbhata. ... View Source ›

"Obama says there is still time to resolve nuclear impasse with Iran diplomatically" Associated Press / November 14, 2012 WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says there is still time for the United States and Iran to resolve an impasse over Iran’s nuclear program.... View Source ›

"North Korea Constructs Roof for New Reactor" Global Security Newswire / November 15, 2012 Recent satellite pictures show that North Korea has constructed and placed a roof on its new nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon complex, RIA Novosti reported on Thursday.... View Source ›

"Russia nuclear envoy makes snap visit to Iran" Agence France-Presse / November 14, 2012 TEHRAN — Russia's representative in international talks with Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, Sergei Ryabkov, met Tehran's top negotiator on a surprise visit on Wednesday, news agencies reported.... View Source ›

November 14, 2012

"Cambodia's Parliament ratifies conventions on nuclear safety" Xinhua / November 14, 2012 The National Assembly of Cambodia on Wednesday ratified two international conventions on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency and Nuclear Safety to maintain peace, security, safety, and to prevent nuclear proliferation.... View Source ›

"Iran Set to Deploy Satellite" Global Security Newswire / November 14, 2012 Deployment of an indigenously produced Iranian satellite is expected within three months, the Xinhua News Agency quoted a senior academic in Tehran as saying on Wednesday.... View Source ›

Joby Warrick, "Iran locked in internal debate over whether to talk to U.S." Washington Post / November 13, 2012 Iran appears to be locked in a fierce internal debate over whether to hold bilateral nuclear talks with the United States, with key political leaders calling for dialogue with Washington and hard-liners pressing ahead with expansion of the country’s nuclear facilities.... View Source ›

"Nuclear N. Korea not able to improve economically: U.S. expert " Yonhap / November 14, 2012 SEOUL, Nov. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's new leadership will try to improve its economic situation, but the goal will be elusive as long as it stays nuclear, a U.S. expert on North Korean issues said Wednesday.... View Source ›

"African States Hold Forum on Nuke-Free Zone " Global Security Newswire / November 13, 2012 African nations this week held their second conference on implementation of an accord that prohibits nuclear weapons on the continent, according to an African Union Commission release.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "U.N.'s nuclear report on Iran may not be all bad news for West" Reuters / November 14, 2012 VIENNA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Iran is believed to have increased the number of centrifuges in an underground nuclear plant by nearly a third in three months, diplomats say, underlining the tough task facing major powers pressing Tehran to curb its atomic activity.... View Source ›

"Khamenei Has Final Say on Iran-U.S. Talks: FM" Global Security Newswire / November 13, 2012 Iran's top diplomat on Monday said supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would have the final say on any meeting with U.S. officials, Agence France-Presse reported.... View Source ›

November 13, 2012

Jack Kim & David Chance, "Secrecy cloaks South Korea’s civil nuclear programme" Reuters / November 13, 2012 SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s government should resume publishing polls on nuclear safety after a loss of public confidence in the sector in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima disaster, an opposition South Korean lawmaker said on Tuesday.... View Source ›

"Iran Denies Clean-Up of Suspect Military Base " Agence France-Presse / November 12, 2012 Iran on Monday denied it is sanitizing a suspect military base where the U.N. atomic watchdog wants to probe evidence of possible weapons research.... View Source ›

Tom Miles, "UN nuclear security body sees new rules finally in place by 2014" Reuters / November 12, 2012 GENEVA (Reuters) - New global rules aimed at stopping terrorists getting hold of nuclear materials should finally come into force in 2014 - nine years after countries agreed they were sorely needed, a senior U.N. official said on Monday.... View Source ›

"AP sources: US weighs broader nuke deal with Iran" Associated Press / November 12, 2012 Officials say the U.S. is considering a new approach in negotiations to curb Iran's nuclear program that would ease economic sanctions faster than previously offered if Tehran makes greater concessions than it has ever discussed.... View Source ›

"Iran unveils new missile systems on second day of drills" Reuters / November 13, 2012 (Reuters) - Iran unveiled new missile and artillery systems on Tuesday, Iranian media reported, on the second day of large-scale military exercises which officials said were aimed at sending a warning to those threatening the Islamic Republic.... View Source ›

"Mideast WMD Summit Canceled: Diplomats" Global Security Newswire / November 12, 2012 A much-anticipated gathering on establishing the Middle East as a WMD-free zone has been called off due to a poor geopolitical climate ahead of the previously tentatively planned December meeting in Finland, anonymous international relations officials told the Associated Press on Saturday.... View Source ›

Risa Maeda & Aaron Sheldrick, "Japan's Tepco sees no quick re-start for biggest nuclear plant" Reuters / November 13, 2012 (Reuters) - Tokyo Electric Power Co sees no imminent resumption of operations at the world's biggest nuclear plant, shut down after last year's Fukushima disaster, further raising its costs as it spends more on fossil fuels to generate electricity.... View Source ›