December 31, 2012

"'Iran showing signs it wants deal on nuke program'" The Jerusalem Post / December 31, 2012 Top US sanctions official David Cohen says Iran has expressed increased interest in reaching a resolution over nuclear program.... View Source ›

"Iran: Nuclear agency can inspect Parchin if threats of Israeli attacks defused" Haaretz / December 27, 2012 In remarks carried by Iranian news agency, Deputy FM Ghashghavi lays down condition for IAEA access to military site where nuclear activity is suspected; Iran has so far said it is not legally obliged to expose non nuclear site to international inspectors.... View Source ›

"Moscow to help UAE with region’s largest nuclear energy program" WorldTribune.com / December 30, 2012 ABU DHABI — Russia and the United Arab Emirates have signed a nuclear cooperation agreement. The two countries said they would cooperate in nuclear energy as part of UAE plans to establish a network of reactors over the next 20 years.... View Source ›

"Japan’s New Leader Endorses Nuclear Plants" The New York TImes / December 30, 2012 The newly elected prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, said Sunday that he would seek to build nuclear reactors, reversing within a week in office a campaign pledge to move Japan away from nuclear power.... View Source ›

"Silent sub: Russian noiseless Borei class nuclear submarine immersed" RT / December 30, 2012 Super-modern, powerful and almost noiseless Russian nuclear submarine Vladimir Monomakh has been put in water to become the third ship of the Borei project. The cruiser is about to begin sea trials and mooring to become fully operational in 2013.... View Source ›

"Nuclear Options Vex Europe" The Wall Street Journal / December 31, 2012 FESSENHEIM, France—The owner of the local nuclear power plant, Electricité de France SA, EDF.FR +1.27% is spending €20 million ($26.4 million) to upgrade it and extend its life span for another decade, seemingly breathing new life into this town on the German border.... View Source ›

"N Korea is nuclear test-ready: US think-tank" Agence France Presse / December 28, 2012 North Korea has repaired extensive rain damage at its nuclear test facility and could conduct a detonation on two weeks notice, a US think-tank said on Friday, citing satellite imagery analysis.... View Source ›

December 28, 2012

"Preparations for a Possible Third Nuclear Test Continue; Complications from Water Buildup?" 38 North / December 28, 2012 With North Korea’s long-range rocket test earlier this month and an expected U.S. effort to seek a tough response at the United Nations, concerns have grown that Pyongyang might conduct its third nuclear test.... View Source ›

DAVID E. SANGER and JAMES RISEN, "Iran’s Slowing of Enrichment Efforts May Show It Wants a Deal, Analysts Say" The New York Times / December 28, 2012 By subtly putting its hands on the brakes of its uranium enrichment efforts, Iran may be signaling that it wants to avoid a direct confrontation over its nuclear program.... View Source ›

MARI YAMAGUCHI , "Nowhere to use Japan's growing plutonium stockpile " Associated Press / December 28, 2012 How is an atomic-powered island nation riddled with fault lines supposed to handle its nuclear waste? Part of the answer was supposed to come from this windswept village along Japan's northern coast.... View Source ›

"Russia stresses Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy" Press TV / December 28, 2012 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has underlined Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy, and warned that the use of force against Iran will lead to negative consequences for regional and global security. ... View Source ›

Jaideep A Prabhu, "Forging an India-Japan N-axis" Niti Central / December 28, 2012 The victory of Shinzo Abe in Japan’s recent general election has evinced approving murmurs in many corners. Obviously, one corner is the Japanese nuclear industry. Another nook is India, where Abe’s victory has raised hopes of closer relations between two of Asia’s largest economies... View Source ›

"Special Report: Inside the West’s economic war with Iran" Al Arabiya / December 28, 2012 In his first week as U.S. president, Barack Obama told Iran’s leaders he would extend a hand if they would “unclench their fist” and persuade the West they weren’t trying to build a nuclear bomb. ... View Source ›

"India, Pakistan talk conventional, nuclear CBMs" India Blooms / December 28, 2012 The 6th round of Expert level meetings on Conventional and Nuclear Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan was held here on Thursday.... View Source ›

December 27, 2012

"Iran will open suspect military base if threats dropped: report" Reuters / December 27, 2012 Iran would let U.N nuclear inspectors into a military base they suspect was used for atomic weapons-related work, if threats against the Islamic Republic are dropped, a government official was quoted as saying.... View Source ›

"'Iran won't negotiate with nations sanctioning it'" Jerusalem Post / December 27, 2012 MP chairing Iran's Foreign Policy Commission says removing sanctions a condition for resuming negotiations on nukes.... View Source ›

"Russia, China Launch Stage Two in Joint Nuclear Plant Project" Ria Novosti / December 27, 2012 Russia and China are starting construction work on the second stage of the Tianwan nuclear power plant... View Source ›

December 26, 2012

"Better Nuclear Bombs for a Safer World" Bloomberg / December 25, 2012 The B61’s utility in this regard comes from its so-called dial-a-yield technology, meaning its explosive power can be set at a range of less than a kiloton to several hundred kilotons.... View Source ›

"Asian bids 'closer' to winning Turkey nuclear plant project " Agence France Presse / December 25, 2012 Asian countries are closer to winning a bid to build Turkey's second nuclear power plant near the Black Sea city of Sinop... View Source ›

"Iran says if no trans-regional threats, it will allow Parchin access" Trend.az / December 26, 2012 If Iran doesn't see any more trans-regional threats coming, the country will consider giving access to Parchin military complex for inspection, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashgavi said, ILNA reported.... View Source ›

"ran media report new cyberattack by Stuxnet worm " Associated Press / December 25, 2012 An Iranian semi-official news agency says there has been another cyberattack by the sophisticated computer worm Stuxnet, this time on the industries in the country's south.... View Source ›

December 21, 2012

Chris Schneidmiller, "Fewer Russian Tactical Nukes Are Battle-Ready Than Widely Thought: Expert" Global Security Newswire / December 20, 2012 WASHINGTON -- A Russian nuclear arms expert once imprisoned for espionage is arguing that the nation’s arsenal of battle-ready tactical nuclear weapons might be roughly half the size than widely assumed.... View Source ›

Guita Aryan, "US Hopes to Resolve Iran Nuclear Standoff in 2013" Voice of America / December 20, 2012 STATE DEPARTMENT — Resolving Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West is one of the major foreign policy challenges facing the second Obama administration. Sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union have hit the Iranian economy hard enough to possibly push Iran toward a diplomatic solution.... View Source ›

"Chinese sentenced over export to Pakistan nuclear plant" Press Trust of India / December 21, 2012 Washington: A Chinese executive has been sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to pay penalty of USD 100,000 for conspiring to illegally export high- performance coatings to nuclear power plant in Pakistan. ... View Source ›

"North Korea Has Several Uranium Enrichment Sites, South Says" Global Security Newswire / December 21, 2012 A South Korean Foreign Ministry source on Friday said Seoul and the United States have used images taken from space to identify more than one uranium enrichment plant in North Korea, Kyodo News reported.... View Source ›

"Russia builds deep-sea research submarine" World Nuclear News / December 21, 2012 Construction of a nuclear-powered deep-sea research submarine has started in Russia. The sub will also be used in search and rescue operations.... View Source ›

Tom Zeller Jr., "Indian Point Nuclear Threat Needs Senate Review, Engineers Contend" The Huffington Post / December 20, 2012 In a letter sent Wednesday, a pair of nuclear engineers -- one of them an employee at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission -- implored outgoing Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) to use his remaining days as chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs to investigate potential threats at two nuclear power facilities.... View Source ›

"Faults under Aomori nuclear plant site probably active: NRA panel" The Japan Times / December 21, 2012 A panel under the Nuclear Regulation Authority agreed Thursday that faults under Tohoku Electric Power Co.'s Higashidori atomic plant in Aomori Prefecture are probably active, rejecting earlier arguments to the contrary by the utility.... View Source ›

December 20, 2012

Douglas P. Guarino, "Nearly Finished Defense Bill Mandates New Los Alamos Weapons Facility" Global Security Newswire / December 19, 2012 WASHINGTON – The nearly complete defense authorization bill for fiscal 2013 would mandate that the federal government construct a controversial new nuclear weapons lab and storage facility in New Mexico by 2026.... View Source ›

Ray Henry, "Training Under Way for New Nuclear Plant Operators" Associated Press / December 20, 2012 Utility companies are preparing a new wave of workers to run first-of-their-kind nuclear plants, a process certain to influence how workers are trained on the new technology for decades to come.... View Source ›

"Romania, U.S. Sign Arrangements on Missile Defense Plan" Global Security Newswire / December 19, 2012 Romania and the United States on Tuesday inked three additional papers necessary to move ahead with plans to deploy U.S. missile interceptors in the Eastern European state. The documents were signed by Romanian National Defense Ministry state secretary Sebastian Huluban and U.S. European Command Maj. Gen. Mark Schissler, according to a press release from the Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry.... View Source ›

"India test-fires nuclear capable missile" Dawn / December 20, 2012 India successfully test-fired Prithvi-II, a nuclear capable missile with a strike range of 350 kilometres, on Thursday, the Press Trust of India reported. The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a test range at Chandipur near Balasore (Odisha). The locally developed missile was test-fired “from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of Integrated Test Range”, the IBNLive reported on its website.... View Source ›

"Russia hopes for six-power nuclear talks with Iran next month" Reuters / December 20, 2012 Russia hopes the next round of six-power talks with Iran on its nuclear program will take place next month, RIA news agency reported on Thursday.... View Source ›

"Russia Boosts Deployment of New ICBMs" Global Security Newswire / December 19, 2012 Russia plans before the close of 2012 to place roughly 100 advanced Topol-M and Yars ICBMs on active duty, the Xinhua News Agency quoted the Russian Defense Ministry as saying on Tuesday. Following fielding of those missiles, "the share of modern weapons in the strategic missile forces will approach 30 percent," according to ministry spokesman Vadim Koval.... View Source ›

"Nuclear best option for Europe, report says" World Nuclear News / December 19, 2012 Nuclear energy is the European Union's answer to meeting aggressive targets on carbon dioxide emissions while reducing dependency on fossil fuels, according to consultants Frost & Sullivan.... View Source ›

December 19, 2012

Rachel Oswald, "Iran Missile Work Likely to Impact Rollout of ICBM Interceptor: Ex-U.S. Envoy" Global Security Newswire / December 19, 2012 WASHINGTON-- Iran’s progress in ballistic missile development is likely to figure heavily into a final U.S. decision on placing next-generation missile interceptors in Europe, a former senior Obama administration diplomat said on Tuesday.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "Key issues may persist in Iran-U.N. nuclear talks: diplomats" Reuters / December 19, 2012 The United Nations nuclear watchdog and Iran may have made headway in talks on Tehran's disputed atomic activities but important points remain to be settled before a deal can be clinched, diplomats said on Wednesday.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "Senate Faces Loss of Arms Control Expertise" Global Security Newswire / December 18, 2012 The Senate faces the loss of much of its institutional knowledge of complicated nuclear weapons matters with the imminent exit of two veteran Republican national security hands and the expected departure of the Democratic head of the Foreign Relations Committee, experts say.... View Source ›

"Fourteen Universities Worldwide Now Offer Nuclear Knowledge Management Courses" IAEA / December 19, 2012 The IAEA and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany have completed training of fourteen university teachers from thirteen Member States on implementing standardized curricula for nuclear knowledge management (NKM) in their universities.... View Source ›

"Russia, U.S. Slow Rate of Nuclear Drawdowns, Report Says" Global Security Newswire / December 18, 2012 A new report from the Federation of American Scientists finds that Russia and the United States have slowed the rate at which they reduce their nuclear arsenals, even while they enacted a new atomic arms control deal less than two years ago.... View Source ›

"Bilateral secures UAE fuel supply" World Nuclear News / December 18, 2012 Russia will legally be able to supply uranium as well as conversion and enrichment services to the United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) first nuclear power plant under a newly signed cooperation agreement.... View Source ›

"Discussions continue over restart of San Onofre nuclear plant" LA Times / December 18, 2012 Federal regulators and Southern California Edison officials met publicly for a second time Tuesday to discuss Edison's restart proposal for the San Onofre nuclear plant, which has been out of service for more than 10 months because of unexpected equipment problems.... View Source ›

December 18, 2012

Yeganeh Torbati, "Iran defiant on enrichment ahead of possible nuclear talks" Reuters / December 18, 2012 DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran will not stop higher-grade enrichment of uranium in response to external demands, Tehran's top nuclear official was quoted as saying on Tuesday, signaling a tough bargaining stance ahead of planned new talks with world powers.... View Source ›

"North Korean Satellite Believed Busted" Global Security Newswire / December 17, 2012 The North Korean satellite carried into space by a long-range rocket last week does not appear operational, the New York Times reported on Monday.... View Source ›

Stefan Nicola, "Germany’s $123 Million Power Line Aids Nuclear Exit, Merkel Says" Bloomberg / December 18, 2012 German Chancellor Angela Merkel said a $123 million electricity line that took a decade to develop will improve supply security, transmitting renewable energy from north to south and helping the nation phase out nuclear power.... View Source ›

"Early shutdown for Garoña" World Nuclear News / December 17, 2012 Spanish utility Nuclenor has begun shutting down the Garoña nuclear power plant, which was due to close in mid-2013. The company said that closing the plant now will avoid it being burdened with a new energy tax set to be imposed next year.... View Source ›

Marie Cusick, "Cause of Reactor Shutdown at Luzerne County Nuclear Plant Still Unknown" State Impact / December 17, 2012 The cause of an automatic shutdown at the PPL Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick is still under investigation.... View Source ›

"Three Chinese Nuclear Reactor Projects Underway" World Nuclear News / December 18, 2012 Construction of three new Chinese reactors has started since the country’s announcement in October that it would approve only a ‘small number’ of projects in each of the coming five years... View Source ›

Dennis Normile, "Japan Likely to Reembrace Nuclear Power in Wake of Elections" Science Insider / December 17, 2012 TOKYO—Japan's plans to phase out nuclear power and boost reliance on renewable energy are likely to be reversed with the victory of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in parliamentary elections.... View Source ›

December 17, 2012

Yeganeh Torbati, "Iran says it, world powers must end nuclear stalemate" Reuters / December 17, 2012 Iran's foreign minister said on Monday a way must be found to end the deadlock with major powers over its nuclear program, an Iranian news agency reported, but he offered no new initiative on how to achieve this.... View Source ›

"Kazakhstan determined to eliminate nuclear threat: Nazarbayev" Zee News / December 17, 2012 Astana: Reiterating Kazakhstan's determination to establish a nuclear weapon free zone in Central Asia, President Nursultan Nazarbayev has said his government supports the efforts of the international community to counter nuclear terrorism. ... View Source ›

"UAE and Russia sign nuclear cooperation deal" Gulf News / December 17, 2012 Dubai: The UAE and the Russian Federation on Monday signed a bilateral cooperation agreement in the field of peaceful nuclear energy. The agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi by Mohammad Bin Dhaen Al Hamli, Minister of Energy, and Sergey Kirienko, Director General of State Atomic Energy Corporation "Rosatom".... View Source ›

"Russian expert warns America about Chinese nukes" The Examiner / December 15, 2012 Retired Col. Gen. Viktor Yesin yesterday wrapped up a visit to the United States during which he met with officials at the Pentagon, State Department as well as members of Congress warning about underestimating China’s tactical nuclear weapons buildup.... View Source ›

Moni Basu, "Experts: Rocket launch bolsters North Korean leader" CNN / December 17, 2012 The thing about North Korea is that once in a while, it does something that sends the international community into a flurry of talk about the hermit nation, even though little is known about what's really going on.... View Source ›

Yuri Kageyama, "LDP win highlights economy over nuclear concerns Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/17/3145721/ldp-win-highligh" Associated Press / December 17, 2012 TOKYO -- More than 20 months after a catastrophic nuclear disaster that triggered massive protests against atomic energy and fueled public opinion polls backing the phase-out of reactors, a pro-nuclear party won Japan's parliamentary election. The result left anti-nuclear proponents in shock Monday, struggling to understand how the Liberal Democratic Party not only won, but won in a landslide. ... View Source ›

"Nuclear material moved by train from Scotland to England" BBC / December 17, 2012 The first of 90 rail shipments of nuclear material from Dounreay in Caithness to Sellafield in Cumbria was made overnight. The journey was understood to have been made under armed escort. Forty-four tonnes of breeder material in total will be transported by train to Sellafield for reprocessing.... View Source ›

December 14, 2012

Chelsea J. Carter, "Official: Iran, nuclear watchdog group deal close" CNN / December 14, 2012 The head of a U.N. nuclear watchdog group said Friday a deal with Iran over its nuclear program is likely in January, an agreement that will also allow inspectors to gain access to a military complex where Tehran is believed to be testing nuclear materials.... View Source ›

"Iran negotiator says not optimistic on nuclear talks with West" Reuters / December 14, 2012 A member of Iran's nuclear negotiation team said talks between Iran and big Western powers were unlikely to yield results and it doesn't make sense for Tehran to stop enriching uranium to 20 percent fissile purity.... View Source ›

"Bushehr nuclear power plant to become operational soon" Islamic Republic News Agency / December 12, 2012 Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Fereydoun Abbasi said Wednesday that the nuclear power plant of Bushehr in southern Iran would preliminarily become operational soon. Speaking to reporters at the end of a cabinet meeting, Abbasi said technical tests should be repeated carefully before putting into operation of the facility. "We will announce the start of the plant's work after ensuring of its safety," said the official who is also a Presidential Advisor.... View Source ›

"IAEA and Japan Host Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety" IAEA / December 13, 2012 From 15 to 17 December 2012, Japan is organizing the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety, in co-sponsorship with the International Atomic Energy Agency, to be held in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The Fukushima Ministerial Conference will contribute to strengthening nuclear safety worldwide by providing yet another opportunity to share with the international community, at the ministerial and expert levels, further knowledge and lessons learned from the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (the Fukushima Daiichi accident) and to further enhance transparency.... View Source ›

"North Korea Vows More Satellite Launches" Voice of America / December 14, 2012 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is vowing to send more satellites to space, just days after the country's successful long-range rocket launch provoked international condemnation.... View Source ›

Jean H. Lee, "South Korea: N. Korea's satellite orbiting normally" Associated Press / December 14, 2012 PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — A satellite North Korea launched aboard a long-range rocket is orbiting normally, South Korean officials said Thursday, following a defiant liftoff that drew a wave of international condemnation.... View Source ›

"IAEA Leads Operational Safety Mission to Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant" IAEA / December 14, 2012 Kozloduy, Bulgaria -- An IAEA-led international team of nuclear safety experts noted a series of good practices and made recommendations to reinforce some safety measures during a review of safety practices at the Bulgaria's Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) that concluded today.... View Source ›