Daily News: 04/2014

April 30, 2014

"U.N. nuclear watchdog to visit two Iranian sites: media" Reuters / April 29, 2014 The United Nations atomic agency will visit two uranium sites in Iran next week, Iranian media reported on Tuesday, part of the body's efforts to gain greater insight into Tehran's disputed nuclear program.... View Source ›

"China 'resolutely opposes' U.S. sanctions on missile parts supplier" Reuters / April 30, 2014 China said on Wednesday it "resolutely opposes" U.S. sanctions that could harm non-proliferation work between the two countries after Washington laid charges against a Chinese businessman accused of allegedly procuring missile parts for Iran.... View Source ›

Benoit Faucon, "Iran Cancels $2.5 Billion Contract With Chinese Oil Company" The Wall Street Journal / April 29, 2014 Tehran said Tuesday it was canceling a $2.5 billion deal with China National Petroleum Corp. for the development of a giant Iranian oil field, as Beijing's role as alternative to Western companies faces mounting challenges.... View Source ›

Elaine M. Grossman, "Key U.S. Lawmaker: Special Funding for Nuclear Vessel Won't Happen This Year" Global Security Newswire / April 29, 2014 A key U.S. House panel leader says Congress won't create a special funding stream for nuclear-armed submarines this year, but he thinks the idea of bankrolling the vessels outside of the Navy's strained shipbuilding budget is almost certain in the long term.... View Source ›

"North Korea Stages Exercise, Issues New Nuclear Warning" Global Security Newswire / April 29, 2014 North Korea on Tuesday staged a live-artillery exercise in waters near the South, and the regime issued a fresh nuclear warning, news reports said.... View Source ›

April 25, 2014

"North Korea Appears to Have Closed Test Tunnel: Seoul Official" Global Security Newswire / April 24, 2014 North Korea appears to have closed off a test tunnel in an indication that a nuclear explosion could be imminent, a South Korean official says.... View Source ›

"Obama: May Be Time for More NKorea Sanctions" Associated Press / April 25, 2014 President Barack Obama says it may be time to consider further sanctions against North Korea "that have even more bite."... View Source ›

"South Korea says six-party talks at risk if North conducts new nuclear test" Reuters / April 25, 2014 South Korean President Park Geun-hye said a fourth nuclear test by reclusive North Korea would render the six-party talks, aimed at reining in the North's nuclear ambitions, meaningless.... View Source ›

"U.S. Begins Fielding Missile Interceptor Planned for Basing in Europe" Global Security Newswire / April 24, 2014 The United States has begun fielding a new missile interceptor that is planned in the short term to be deployed in Romania and the Mediterranean.... View Source ›

"U.S. Overseers Fault Nuclear-Waste Practices for New Mexico Leak" Global Security Newswire / April 24, 2014 Federal experts blamed shoddy precautions and administrative practices for a leak at a New Mexico nuclear-waste site, the Associated Press reports.... View Source ›

April 24, 2014

Michelle Nichols, "Iran asks U.N. to act on U.S. ban on new ambassador" Reuters / April 23, 2014 Iran asked the United Nations on Tuesday to demand that the United States grant a visa to Tehran's proposed new U.N. envoy, while Washington stood firm on its decision to deny entry to Hamid Abutalebi over his suspected links to hostage-takers.... View Source ›

Nidhi Verma, "India to make May-July oil payments to Iran - sources" Reuters / April 23, 2014 India is set to pay Iran $1.65 billion over the next three months under an interim nuclear deal that eases sanctions on Tehran and gives it access to $4.2 billion in blocked funds, four sources with knowledge of the matter said.... View Source ›

Diane Barnes, "Auditors Defend Pentagon for Skipping Bids on B-2 Upgrades" Global Security Newswire / April 23, 2014 Congressional investigators said the Defense Department was right to skip a competitive process for planned updates to B-2 strategic bombers.... View Source ›

Sebastian Sprenger, "NATO Eyes Antimissile Gains In Surveillance-Plane Upgrades" Global Security Newswire / April 23, 2014 NATO has begun initial deliberations for upgrading the alliance's surveillance-aircraft fleet, with an eye toward improving its missile-defense capabilities.... View Source ›

Cara Anna, "Tiny Pacific Nation Sues 9 Nuclear-Armed Powers" Associated Press / April 24, 2014 The tiny Pacific nation of the Marshall Islands is taking on the United States and the world's eight other nuclear-armed nations with an unprecedented lawsuit demanding that they meet their obligations toward disarmament and accusing them of "flagrant violations" of international law.... View Source ›

April 23, 2014

Andrew Davis, "South Korea Asks China to Persuade North to Avoid Nuclear Test" Bloomberg / April 23, 2014 South Korean President Park Geun Hye sought China’s help in dissuading North Korea from any nuclear test, after signs of preparations at the North’s test site days before U.S. President Barack Obama visits Seoul.... View Source ›

David Brunnstrom, "U.S. urges North Korea to refrain from new nuclear test" Reuters / April 22, 2014 The United States said on Tuesday it was watching the Korean peninsula closely after reports that North Korea may be planning another nuclear test and it urged Pyongyang not to take any step that would threaten regional peace.... View Source ›

Edith M. Lederer, "UN Committee Takes No Action on Iran Envoy Dispute" Associated Press / April 23, 2014 A U.N. committee took no action Tuesday on the U.S. refusal to grant a visa to Iran's chosen ambassador to the United Nations after hearing from both sides.... View Source ›

"India Prepares for its Longest-Range Missile Intercept Attempt Yet" Global Security Newswire / April 22, 2014 n a missile defense test planned for next week, India will attempt its longest-range intercept yet of a ballistic target, the Times of India reports.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "Report: Feds Sharing Less Info on Hotspot WMDs With Congress" Global Security Newswire / April 22, 2014 The U.S. government lately is sharing less information with Congress about weapons-of-mass-destruction proliferation concerns, a new Capitol Hill study finds.... View Source ›

April 22, 2014

Mehrdad Balali, "Iran admits nuclear agency reshuffle to pave way for 5+1 talks" Reuters / April 21, 2014 President Hassan Rouhani's government confirmed rumors on Monday it had reshuffled the leadership of Iran's atomic agency to sideline nuclear experts opposed to talks on its atomic program with the West.... View Source ›

Choe Sang-Hun, "North Korea Shows Signs of Planning Nuclear Test" The New York Times / April 22, 2014 With South Korea preoccupied by a ferry disaster, North Korea has increased activities at its main nuclear test site, prompting Seoul and Washington to prepare for a possible nuclear test from the North, the South Korean Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.... View Source ›

Matt Volz, "Russians Inspect Montana Nuclear Launch Facilities" Associated Press / April 21, 2014 Russian nuclear inspectors visited the U.S. amid heightened tensions between the two nations to verify that 18 nuclear missile launch facilities had been demolished as part of a 2011 arms control treaty, Air Force officials said Monday.... View Source ›

Diane Barnes, "Former Officials Seek U.S. Disclosure on Alleged Israeli Nuclear Theft" Global Security Newswire / April 21, 2014 Two former atomic officials say revealing U.S. findings on a decades-old alleged nuclear theft by Israel may bolster Washington's present-day diplomacy.... View Source ›

"Key U.K. Tories Said to Want Nuclear Arms Based in U.S., If Scots Expel Them" Global Security Newswire / April 21, 2014 Some U.K. Conservative Party leaders are said to support temporarily basing British nuclear arms in the United States if they are expelled from Scotland.... View Source ›

April 21, 2014

"Iran, world powers to start work on nuclear drafts next month" Reuters / April 20, 2014 Iran and world powers will begin work drafting a long-term settlement of Iran's disputed nuclear program at expert-level talks in New York next month, the official state news agency IRNA reported on Sunday.... View Source ›

"Iran says it watered down, converted over 200 kg of enriched uranium" Reuters / April 19, 2014 Iran said on Saturday it had completed watering down and converting more than 200 kilograms (440 lb) of enriched uranium under a deal reached in Geneva last November with world powers over its disputed nuclear program.... View Source ›

"Iran Vice President Says Row Over Reactor Resolved" Associated Press / April 19, 2014 Iran will redesign its Arak heavy water reactor to greatly limit the amount of plutonium it can make, the country's vice president said Saturday, marking a major concession from the Islamic Republic in negotiations with world powers over its contested nuclear program.... View Source ›

Justin Sink, "Obama signs bill blocking Iranian envoy" The Hill / April 18, 2014 President Obama on Friday signed legislation aimed at stopping Hamid Aboutalebi, Iran's would-be U.N. ambassador, from entering the United States.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "Hagel: U.S. May 'Adjust' Missile Defenses in Europe, As Tensions Rise" Global Security Newswire / April 18, 2014 Amid rising tensions with Russia, the U.S. defense chief said Washington and its allies may "adjust" the timing for fielding antimissile systems in Europe.... View Source ›

April 17, 2014

Ali Akbar Dareini, "Iran will not discuss its ballistic missiles program as part of nuclear talks, minister says" Associated Press / April 16, 2014 Tehran will not discuss its ballistic missiles as part of ongoing talks with world powers on a final agreement to curb the Iranian nuclear program, the country's defense minister said Wednesday.... View Source ›

"Iran Reduces Sensitive Uranium Stocks by Half, Envoys Say" Global Security Newswire / April 16, 2014 Envoys on Tuesday said Iran has eliminated 50 percent of the uranium it could most easily convert into nuclear-bomb fuel, the Associated Press reports.... View Source ›

Rachel Oswald, "Pentagon Plans to Ax Missile-Interceptor Redesign Under Sequestration" Global Security Newswire / April 16, 2014 The Pentagon would ax a redesign of the front-end kill vehicle atop its strategic missile interceptor if future sequestration cuts remain law.... View Source ›

"Alternative Proposal for Uranium Work Now Under Agency Review" Global Security Newswire / April 16, 2014 An expert plan on alternatives to constructing a costly enriched-uranium processing plant has been completed and turned over to the Energy Department.... View Source ›

"Prosecutors Accuse New Jersey Man of Holding Lethal Uranium Cache" Global Security Newswire / April 16, 2014 A terminated U.S. Army facility worker faces charges for holding what was thought to be a deadly form of uranium, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.... View Source ›

April 16, 2014

"Iran Cuts Nuke Weapons Ability" Associated Press / April 15, 2014 The United Nations will release a report this week certifying that Iran's ability to make a nuclear bomb has been greatly reduced because it has diluted half of its material that can be turned most quickly into weapons-grade uranium, diplomats said Tuesday.... View Source ›

Fredrik Dahl and Mehrdad Balali, "Iran expects next payment under nuclear deal, signaling compliance" Reuters / April 16, 2014 Iran expects to get a fifth installment this week of previously blocked overseas funds, a senior official was quoted as saying, a payment that would confirm Tehran's compliance with an interim deal with world powers to curb its nuclear program.... View Source ›

"Iran Downplays Prospects for Russian Energy Pact" Global Security Newswire / April 15, 2014 An Iranian official said Russian energy-trade talks faced an uphill battle, amid global fears about possible implications for nuclear sanctions, Reuters reports.... View Source ›

David Brunnstrom, "U.S., China in 'productive' talks after North Korea test threat" Reuters / April 15, 2014 The United States and China have held "productive" talks on North Korea, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday, part of stepped up international diplomacy after Pyongyang warned of plans to conduct a new type of nuclear test.... View Source ›

Diane Barnes, "New Algorithm May Help Detect Nuclear Smuggling at Airports" Global Security Newswire / April 15, 2014 Scientists may have discovered how they can reprogram X-ray scanners to more effectively spot bomb-usable nuclear materials in airline bags.... View Source ›

April 15, 2014

"Key Iran Official Eyes Expanding Disputed Uranium Operation" Global Security Newswire / April 14, 2014 A top Iranian official said his country may need a larger uranium-enrichment program for its single nuclear-power facility, the Associated Press reports.... View Source ›

"Atomic Exports Body Asked to Weigh Deeper Ties with Nonmember States" Global Security Newswire / April 14, 2014 A multinational nuclear export body is being asked to consider offering deeper ties to some nations that are not members of the exclusive group, Reuters reports.... View Source ›

"U.S. Reportedly Easing Demands on Nuclear Talks with North Korea" Global Security Newswire / April 14, 2014 The United States is reportedly easing its conditions for returning to nuclear talks with Pyongyang amid concerns that a fourth atomic test is in the works.... View Source ›

Rick Gladstone, "Sanctions Are Eased; Iran Sees Little Relief" The New York Times / April 13, 2014 Halfway through a six-month nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers that was meant to allow time to reach a comprehensive agreement, the Iranians have seen little in the way of a boost from the sanctions relief they had been expecting, trade lawyers and diplomatic analysts say.... View Source ›

Nia Williams, "Canadian company charged with breaching Iran sanctions law" Reuters / April 14, 2014 A Canadian company will appear in court on Monday charged with violating international sanctions by trying to export components to Iran that could have nuclear applications.... View Source ›

April 14, 2014

"Israel says Kerry remarks on Iran nuclear threshold 'not acceptable'" Reuters / April 14, 2014 Israel described as "unacceptable" on Monday remarks by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry suggesting cautious openness to negotiating a nuclear deal that would keep Iran six to 12 months away from bomb-making capability.... View Source ›

"U.S. expects Iran will meet oil export target in nuclear deal" Reuters / April 11, 2014 The Obama administration believes that oil exports from Iran from January to July will meet an average 1 million barrel per day goal outlined in an interim agreement with Tehran over curbing its disputed nuclear program, a State Department spokeswoman said on Friday.... View Source ›

Dana Davidsen, "Rand Paul: Don't dismiss containment option for nuclear Iran" CNN / April 13, 2014 Sen. Rand Paul said the United States shouldn't rule out the containment of Iran’s nuclear program.... View Source ›

"Putin OKs Advanced Antimissile Sale to China: Report" Global Security Newswire / April 11, 2014 Russia has approved the sale to China of an advanced antimissile system that could have ramifications on nuclear stability with India, according to news reports.... View Source ›

"Japan to Press Forward on Reprocessing Plant" Global Security Newswire / April 11, 2014 Japan on Friday finalized plans to continue preparations for its Rokkasho facility to eventually produce plutonium for use in power reactors, Reuters reports.... View Source ›

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