North Korea Preparing for Another Ballistic Missile Test: Report
Jesse Johnson | Japan Times
North Korea is readying to launch another intermediate-range missile within the next three days, a report said Tuesday, the latest in a spate of tests by the isolated country. Citing two unidentified U.S. government officials, Fox News said Tuesday that the North would test-fire one of its Musudan midrange missiles within the next 24 to 72 hours.
Ahead of NSG Meeting, Austria, Ireland and China Still Oppose India’s Membership Bid
Devirupa Mitra | Wire
With still at least three countries continuing to insist on drawing up a general criteria for non-NPT entrants, next week’s meeting of officials from Nuclear Suppliers Group member countries in Vienna is not expected to allow India into the group immediately, but would only provide another occasion for general stock-taking of the mood in the cartel. Indian sources admit that after two rounds of talks between the director general-level officials of India and China, Beijing has “not budged an inch” from its position. On Monday, the two sides had met in Beijing, following which the Chinese foreign ministry described them as “constructive and substantive”.
Russia Will Start Constructing New Ballistic Missile Submarine in December
Franz-Stefan Gady | Diplomat
Russia will begin construction of an improved variant of the Project 955 Borei-class (“North Wind”) aka Dolgorukiy-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), designated Project 955A Borei II, in late December, according to a Russian defense industry source. Construction of the Borei II-class Knyaz Pozharsky will reportedly begin on December 23 at the Sevmash shipyard, located in the town of Severodvinsk, a port city on Russia’s White Sea in Arkhangelsk Oblast.
Navy's Plans for More Lethal Ballistic Missile Submarines
Kris Osborn | National Interest
The Navy's new deal to produce the first 22 missile tubes for it new Columbia-class nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines comes at time when the service is considering new build strategies for the submarines to address a massive funding shortfall for the top-priority program, Congressional and Navy officials explained. General Dynamics Electric Boat recently received a new $101.3 million contract to build the new U.S.-U.K. Common Missile Compartment for the new submarines, slated to ultimately replace the existing Ohio-class fleet.
Japan’s Renewed Nuclear Fuel Recycling Dream Faces Obstacles
Asahi Shimbun
After finally acknowledging the failure of its fast-breeder reactor, Japan plans to continue pursuing nuclear fuel recycling in a French project, but this program also faces an unclear future. Jean-Marie Carrere, manager of the Advanced Sodium Technological Reactor for Industrial Demonstration (ASTRID) program, said the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) will decide in 2019 on whether to build the fast demonstration reactor.
Philippine Leader Wary of Nuclear Energy Over Safety Issues
Associated Press
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said it's unlikely his country will adopt nuclear energy during his six-year term because of safety concerns. Duterte said nuclear energy remains an important option in the future, but the Philippines needs to undertake a study and put "really tight safeguards" in place. "Not, maybe, during my presidency. ... Not now because we have to come up with safeguards, really, really tight safeguards, to assure that there will be no disasters if there is a nuclear leak or explosion," Duterte said late Tuesday in response to a reporter's question about his view of nuclear energy.