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Daily News: 04/2013

April 30, 2013

"Egypt walks out of nuclear talks in Geneva" Al Jazeera / April 30, 2013 Egypt has walked out of a round of global nuclear talks in protest at what it called the failure to implement a 1995 resolution for a Middle East as a zone free of nuclear weapons.... View Source ›

"Israel gets fifth ‘nuclear-capable’ sub" RT / April 30, 2013 Israel has inaugurated its fifth Dolphin-class submarine, allegedly capable of launching cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. A German shipyard in Kiel has a contract to build a sixth sub “to ensure the security of Israel's citizens,” the PM said.... View Source ›

"Hagel vows defense commitments to Japan, including nuclear umbrella" Japan Times / April 30, 2013 WASHINGTON – U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday stressed U.S. defense commitments to Japan, including the nuclear umbrella, in the face of growing missile threats from North Korea, while reiterating that Washington is against any action to weaken Japan’s administrative control of the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.... View Source ›

"Israel nuclear arsenal threatens peace: Iran" Press TV / April 29, 2013 Iran’s Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali-Asghar Soltanieh warns against the serious threat Israel’s nuclear arsenal poses to global peace and security.... View Source ›

"Iran Seen Avoiding Israeli Nuclear 'Red Line'" Global Security Newswire / April 29, 2013 Iran's uranium enrichment program has skirted Israel's stated threshold for military action, a former Israeli official suggested in comments reported by Reuters on Sunday.... View Source ›

Diane Barnes, "Tired, Poorly Trained Guard Dogs Could Endanger Y-12 Nuclear Arms Site" Global Security Newswire / April 29, 2013 WASHINGTON -- A U.S. nuclear arms site in Tennessee could be working its guard dogs to exhaustion during vehicle checks and skipping steps in their training, raising the risk that intruders or explosives could slip into the facility unnoticed, the Energy Department inspector general said in a report made public on Thursday.... View Source ›

"Strike by even a midget nuke will invite massive response, India warns Pak" The Times of India / April 30, 2013 NEW DELHI: India will retaliate massively even if Pakistan uses tactical nuclear weapons against it. With Pakistan developing "tactical" nuclear warheads, that is, miniaturizing its weapons to be carried on short-range missiles, India will protect its security interests by retaliating to a "smaller" tactical attack in exactly the same manner as it would respond to a "big" strategic attack... View Source ›

April 29, 2013

"Iran to produce 2,000 MW of nuclear electricity this year: official" Press TV / April 28, 2013 The Director of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says the Islamic Republic will generate 2,000 megawatts of nuclear power by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2013).... View Source ›

"Iranian nuclear threat is ‘exaggerated,’ says Israel’s Olmert" Al Arabiya / April 29, 2013 Israel’s former Prime minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that Iran’s nuclear program threat is “exaggerated” since it has not shown progress in the past years, Israeli news website Ynet quoted Olmert as saying.... View Source ›

"Turkey to say by weekend which country will build its 2nd nuclear plant" Reuters / April 29, 2013 Turkey's energy minister said Ankara will announce by the weekend which country will construct its second nuclear power station, a project expected to cost around $22 billion.... View Source ›

"Germany charges 4 men with supplying Iran nuclear reactor parts" Associated Press / April 29, 2013 Federal prosecutors say they have charged three German-Iranian dual nationals and a German man with breaking export laws for allegedly supplying Iran with parts needed to build a nuclear reactor in violation of the country's trade embarg ... View Source ›

"Missile defense planned in south" Taipei Times / April 28, 2013 Three US-made Patriot anti-missile air defense batteries will be deployed in southern Taiwan, in addition to the one already in northern Taiwan,... View Source ›

Chris Schneidmiller, "Q&A: Iran Nuclear Probe Must Advance, IAEA Chief Says" Global Security Newswire / April 26, 2013 The investigation of Iran’s nuclear program must be allowed to take on the real concerns at hand rather than remain stuck going “round in circles” in endless talks, according to the United Nations’ top nuclear official.... View Source ›

"North Korea Warns Again of ICBM Strikes on U.S." Global Security Newswire / April 26, 2013 North Korean military officials on Friday renewed warnings of ICBM and nuclear attacks on the United States should the North come under attack, the New York Times reported. Strategic rocket force commander Gen. Kim Rak Gyom was quoted as saying, "If the U.S. imperialists and their followers dare make a pre-emptive attack, they will be made to keenly realize what a real nuclear war and real retaliatory blows are like."... View Source ›

April 26, 2013

"Iranian ICBM Might be Ready for Flight in 2015: Pentagon" Global Security Newswire / April 26, 2013 Adequate support from countries such as China, North Korea and Russia could enable Iran as soon as 2015 to conduct a trial flight of an ICBM suited to reach U.S. territory, the Defense Department said in sections of a yearly analysis made public on Thursday.... View Source ›

"India's sea-based nuclear deterrent soon, says Shyam Saran" IANS / April 25, 2013 India's nuclear deterrent is based on a credible nuclear doctrine and is sustained by a "systematic drive to operationalize" its various delivery components, including a sea-based one by 2015-16, Shyam Saran, chairman of the National Security Advisory Board, said in Delhi on Wednesday.... View Source ›

"Nuclear-armed Israeli regime threat to Mideast: UN official" Press TV / April 26, 2013 A senior UN official says the policies adopted by the nuclear-armed Israeli regime have put the whole Middle East region at risk, Press TV reports.... View Source ›

"S. Korea decides to pull out all workers from Kaesong complex" Yonhap / April 26, 2013 South Korea announced its decision Friday to withdraw all of its workers from a jointly run industrial complex in North Korea after Pyongyang spurned its offer for dialogue to resolve disputes over the last symbol of inter-Korean rapprochement.... View Source ›

Douglas P. Guarino, "Key Democrat Criticizes Nuke, Nonproliferation Budgets" Global Security Newswire / April 25, 2013 WASHINGTON – A key Democrat on Wednesday suggested the Obama administration should consider scaling back nuclear weapons updates rather than cut money from nonproliferation programs in order to pay for them, but stopped short of threatening to mandate such a change through appropriations legislation... View Source ›

"China, France renew nuclear power cooperation" Xinhua / April 25, 2013 China and France turned a new page in nuclear power cooperation, with the signing of statements and memorandum of understanding (MoM) by enterprises from both countries on Thursday. Witnessed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting French President Francois Hollande, the companies inked agreements on research and development of advanced reactors, nuclear fuel sharing, and operation and upgrading of nuclear power stations... View Source ›

Diane Barnes, "U.S. Gets "B-" for Anti-Nuclear Efforts" Global Security Newswire / April 25, 2013 WASHINGTON -- A prominent Washington think tank on Thursday gave the Obama administration a "B-" grade for its atomic arms and nonproliferation policies since 2010, citing its refusal to rule out a nuclear strike against Iran or any other non-nuclear weapon state in questionable standing with U.N. inspectors.... View Source ›

April 25, 2013

"N.K. army's reconnaissance chief leads saber-rattling: source" Yonhap / April 25, 2013 A hard-line North Korean general suspected of masterminding the sinking of a South Korean warship three years ago seems to be behind the North's recent brinkmanship, a government source said Thursday.... View Source ›

"Dempsey Optimistic China Will Try to Restrict North Korea's Nuke Work" Global Security Newswire / April 25, 2013 U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey on Wednesday said he was optimistic China would work to restrict North Korea's nuclear weapons development even while it is not yet apparent what steps Beijing would take, the New York Times reported.... View Source ›

"Iran says ready to engage with P5+1, insists on nuclear rights" Press TV / April 24, 2013 The deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) says Tehran is ready to engage with the P5+1 group to find a solution to all the outstanding issues between the two sides.... View Source ›

"US, South Korea extend nuclear agreement for 2 years, defer decision on reprocessing fuel" Associated Press / April 24, 2013 WASHINGTON — The U.S. and South Korea are extending for two years their current civilian nuclear agreement and postponing a contentious decision on whether Seoul will be allowed to reprocess spent fuel as it seeks to expand its atomic energy industry... View Source ›

Diane Barnes, "Pentagon Eyes Smaller Role in Russian WMD Disposal" Global Security Newswire / April 24, 2013 WASHINGTON -- The United States' work to destroy Soviet-era unconventional arms in Russia could be getting "less important" now that many projects have been completed, a senior Defense Department official said on Tuesday.... View Source ›

"U.S. and Lithuania Sign Agreement for Cooperation on Countering Nuclear Smuggling" U.S. Department of State / April 23, 2013 Today, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius strengthened their countries’ partnership to combat nuclear terrorism by signing an agreement to advance protection against nuclear and radiological smuggling.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "China’s New Defense Paper Causes Stir Over No-First-Use Nuke Policy" Global Security Newswire / April 24, 2013 WASHINGTON -- The omission of an explicit reference to China's “no-first-use” policy for nuclear weapons in a new defense white paper is causing something of a stir in the arms control community.... View Source ›

April 24, 2013

Choe Sang-Hun, "South Korea and U.S. Fail to Reach Deal on Nuclear Energy" The New York Times / April 24, 2013 South Korea said on Wednesday that it had failed to reach a compromise with the United States on its civil nuclear energy program, forcing the two allies to delay the deadline for a deal by two years.... View Source ›

"Russia to Aid Refreshed Egyptian Atomic Effort" Global Security Newswire / April 24, 2013 Egypt expects assistance from Russia in establishing an atomic energy sector, Reuters reported on Monday. The nations sealed the deal while Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was in Russia last week.... View Source ›

"China may have provided nuclear weapons design to Pakistan: Declassified CIA document" Press Trust of India / April 24, 2013 China might have provided its close ally Pakistan a fairly comprehensive package of proven nuclear weapons design in late 1970s and the CIA knew about it, according to a recently declassified document.... View Source ›

Terril Yue Jones, "China "working on" persuading North Korea: U.S. officer" Reuters / April 24, 2013 The top U.S. military officer said on Wednesday Chinese leaders had assured him that they were working on persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.... View Source ›

Awad Mustafa, "Panetta in UAE: Pressure on Iran's nuclear programme will grow after June" The National / April 23, 2013 Iran's presidential election in June may hold the key to resolving the issue of its controversial nuclear programme, the former US defence secretary Leon Panetta said last night.... View Source ›

Amy Harder, "Obama’s Pick for Energy Secretary Blocked Over Cuts at S.C. Nuclear-Waste Plant" Global Security Newswire / April 24, 2013 In his recent confirmation hearing, Ernest Moniz told senators that one of his very first trips as Energy secretary would be to Hanford, the troublesome nuclear-waste site in Washington state.... View Source ›

"Obama to Pursue More Israeli Antimissile Funding" Global Security Newswire / April 24, 2013 The Obama administration is set to request $520 million in the coming budget cycle for a number of Israeli antimissile programs, including the experimental Arrow 3 system, United Press International reported on Tuesday.... View Source ›

April 23, 2013

"Nuclear ambitions of DPR Korea and Iran top agenda at UN-backed non-proliferation forum" U.N News Centre / April 22, 2013 Tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and threats from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) dominated today’s opening of the second preparatory conference of the parties to the United Nations-backed treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in Geneva.... View Source ›

"Yadlin: Iranian nuclear program crossed Israel's 'red line'" Jerusalem Post / April 23, 2013 Former military intelligence head says Tehran would have to make decision about its nuclear program following the June Iranian presidential elections, adds "we are on a course of collision towards end of the year."... View Source ›

"Iran, IAEA Schedule Talks for Next Month: Report" Global Security Newswire / April 22, 2013 The International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran have scheduled a new meeting to establish the scope of a frozen investigation regarding suspicions of nuclear weapon-relevant activities in the Middle Eastern nation, Reuters reported.... View Source ›

"Iran is biggest threat to nuclear pact's credibility: U.S." Reuters / April 22, 2013 Iran's nuclear program poses the greatest threat to the credibility of the global pact aimed at halting the spread of atomic weapons, a senior U.S. arms control official said on Monday.... View Source ›

"US rejects N Korea's nuclear status demand" Al Jazeera / April 23, 2013 The US has rejected North Korea's demands to be recognised as a nuclear state, keeping in line with Washington's condition that the North has to agree to give up its nuclear arms programme before talks can begin.... View Source ›

"China: Cyberattacks Are Like Nuclear Bombs" The Wall Street Journal / April 22, 2013 Cyberattacks could be "as serious as a nuclear bomb," according to a top Chinese general, who rejected suggestions that the Chinese military is behind cyberspying aimed at Western companies.... View Source ›

Chris Schneidmiller, "Five Powers Back WMD-Free Middle East Meeting" Global Security Newswire / April 22, 2013 The United States and four other world powers on Friday reaffirmed their intent to convene in short order an international meeting on establishing the Middle East as a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.... View Source ›

April 22, 2013

"Iran to meet U.N. nuclear watchdog in May: Iranian media" Reuters / April 22, 2013 Iran and the United Nations nuclear watchdog will have further talks over Tehran's disputed nuclear program around May 21 in Vienna, Iranian media reported on Monday.... View Source ›

Rupert Neate, "Glencore traded with Iranian supplier to nuclear weapon's programme" The Guardian / April 21, 2013 One of Britain's biggest companies has made millions of pounds selling goods to Iran, including to a state-owned firm that supplies the regime's nuclear programme.... View Source ›

"Chuck Hagel: arms deal sending 'clear signal' to Iran over nuclear programme" Reuters / April 21, 2013 US defence secretary Chuck Hagel said on Sunday a $10bn arms deal under discussion with Washington's Arab and Israeli allies sent a "very clear signal" to Tehran the military option remains on the table over its nuclear programme.... View Source ›

Alastair Gale, "North Korea Sets Condition on Talks" The Wall Street Journal / April 21, 2013 North Korea said it would be willing to hold disarmament talks with the U.S. but not over its nuclear-weapons program, its latest gambit in a weekslong run of threatening behavior that has in recent days been supplemented by setting extreme conditions for potential dialogue.... View Source ›

"China Says New North Korea Nuclear Test Possible" Associated Press / April 22, 2013 China's top general says Beijing considers a fourth North Korean nuclear test to be a possibility. Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fang Fenghui said Monday that Beijing firmly opposes the North's nuclear weapons program and wants to work with others on negotiations to end it.... View Source ›

Robert Johnson, "The B-2 Stealth Bomber Will Deliver Nuclear Cruise Missiles Anywhere In The World " The Business Insider / April 22, 2013 The single wing B-2 has been stealthily slipping through skies for over 20 years, but until now its ability to carry nuclear munitions was limited. ... View Source ›

Julian Borger, "Obama accused of nuclear U-turn as guided weapons plan emerges" The Guardian / April 21, 2013 Barack Obama has been accused of reneging on his disarmament pledges after it emerged the administration was planning to spend billions on upgrading nuclear bombs stored in Europe to make the weapons more reliable and accurate.... View Source ›

April 19, 2013

Fredrik Dahl, "North Korea needs more tests for nuclear missile: U.S. expert" Reuters / April 18, 2013 North Korea would need to carry out at least one more nuclear test in order to develop a nuclear missile, a prominent U.S. scientist who has often visited the isolated Asian state said on Thursday.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "DOD Intel Views on N. Korea’s Nuke Advances Not Shared by Other Agencies: Clapper" Global Security Newswire / April 18, 2013 The recent conclusion by a Pentagon agency that North Korea is likely able to fit nuclear warheads to ballistic missiles is not shared by the rest of the U.S. intelligence community, National Intelligence Director James Clapper told lawmakers on Thursday.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "U.N. nuclear watchdog team on Iran faces reshuffle" Reuters / April 19, 2013 Two senior U.N. nuclear watchdog officials who have been leading talks with Iran will leave this year, potentially robbing it of experience and expertise in dealing with Tehran over its disputed atomic program.... View Source ›

"Iran will never give up right to peaceful nuclear energy: Official" Press TV / April 19, 2013 Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad-Mehdi Akhondzadeh has asserted the country’s right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.... View Source ›

"Pentagon Weighs Whether to Hang Onto or Replace Aging ICBMs" Global Security Newswire / April 18, 2013 The U.S. Defense Department is weighing the feasibility of extending the service life of the nation’s aging Minuteman 3 ICBMs versus replacing them in coming decades with brand new nuclear-armed ballistic missiles.... View Source ›

Amy Harder, "Besieged Regulator Appointed to Nuclear-Weapons Panel" National Journal / April 18, 2013 Late in the evening on Wednesday, one of the busiest and most unnerving times Washington has seen in a long while, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid quietly appointed a controversial former nuclear-energy regulator to a key but obscure panel.... View Source ›

Chris Schneidmiller, "Obama Budget Cuts Deeply From Threat Reduction Accounts" Global Security Newswire / April 18, 2013 The Obama administration’s new budget would cut more than $300 million from programs intended to prevent terrorists from obtaining nuclear materials or other ingredients for weapons of mass destruction, according to a new analysis by an organization that advocates the work.... View Source ›

April 18, 2013

Sangwon Yoon, "North Korea Demands U.S. Remove Nuclear Arms Before Dialogue" Bloomberg / April 18, 2013 North Korea said the U.S. must remove all its nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula and end military exercises with South Korea before it will agree to talks, laying out conditions the U.S. has already rejected.... View Source ›

"China says talks only correct path for Korean peninsula" Reuters / April 18, 2013 China said on Thursday that talks are the only correct way to fix tensions on the Korean peninsula, after North Korea demanded an end to U.N. sanctions against it and a U.S. pledge not to engage in "nuclear war practice" as conditions for dialogue.... View Source ›

"N. Korea Will Not Be Accepted to ‘Nuclear Club’ - UN Chief" RIA Novosti / April 18, 2013 The United Nations will not recognize North Korea (DPRK) as a nuclear power in view of its recent illicit nuclear test, threats and other provocative acts, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl, "Iran moves to speed up nuclear program despite sanctions" Reuters / April 17, 2013 Iran is increasing the number of advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges installed at its Natanz underground plant, despite tightening international sanctions aimed at stopping Tehran's nuclear progress, diplomats said on Wednesday.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "Despite WMD Fears, Terrorists Still Focused on Conventional Attacks" Global Security Newswire / April 17, 2013 The United States has spent billions of dollars to prevent terrorists from obtaining a weapon of mass destruction even as the bombings in Boston further show that a nuclear weapon or lethal bioagent is not necessary for causing significant harm.... View Source ›

Wayne Faulkner, "Federal review gives mixed grades to Global Nuclear site" Star News Online / April 17, 2013 Federal regulators announced the results of a two-year performance review of Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas in Wilmington on Wednesday and gave the firm passing grades in several categories.... View Source ›

"Iran unveils new drone, missile systems" Press TV / April 18, 2013 The Islamic Republic of Iran has unveiled an indigenous stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), two indigenous missile systems and a domestically-built mobile electronic interception system.... View Source ›

April 17, 2013

"Obama says he doesn't believe North Korea has nuclear missile" CNN / April 17, 2013 President Barack Obama has said he doesn't believe North Korea can fit a nuclear warhead on a missile, casting strong doubt on an alarming assessment disclosed last week by the Pentagon's intelligence arm.... View Source ›

"Iran has tripled installations of high-tech machines at nuclear plants, diplomats say" Associated Press / April 17, 2013 Technicians upgrading Iran's main uranium enrichment facility have tripled their installations of high-tech machines that could be used in a nuclear weapons program to more than 600 in the last three months, diplomats said Wednesday.... View Source ›

"Israel can strike Iran nuclear targets alone, IDF head says" Times of Israel / April 16, 2013 Israel can strike any Iranian nuclear installation on its own and is holding intense discussions between military and political leaders to prepare for the eventuality, Israel Defense Forces chief Benny Gantz said in an interview aired Tuesday.... View Source ›

Daniel Halper, "AIPAC Applauds Passage of Senate 'Resolution Standing With Israel Against Iranian Nuclear Threat'" The Weekly Standard / April 17, 2013 WASHINGTON — AIPAC praises the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for adopting today Senate Resolution 65 - a strong bi-partisan statement that the United States will stand by Israel if our ally feels compelled to take military action in its own legitimate defense against the threat from Iran.... View Source ›

Elaine Grossman, "Arab States Renew Call for WMD Talks, But May Drop Boycott Threat" Global Security Newswire / April 16, 2013 WASHINGTON -- Foreign ministers from Arab League nations have renewed their demand for a multinational conference on a proposed ban on weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East, but are hinting at a change in diplomatic tactics, Global Security Newswire has learned.... View Source ›

"Rep. Turner Criticizes Obama's Missile Defense Approach To China" AOL Defense / April 17, 2013 ep. Mike Turner, a senior Republican defense lawmaker and missile defense advocate, took aim at the Obama administration's offer to drop some missile defenses in Asia if North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear ambitions.... View Source ›

"Pakistan challenges India's entry into Nuclear Supply Group" Mail Online India / April 16, 2013 India's effort to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the body that controls global nuclear commerce, is being challenged by Pakistan, which has launched a diplomatic offensive seeking entry into the 46-member group.... View Source ›