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Pentagon Suspends Missile Shield Talks with Russia over Ukraine

IN THIS ISSUE: Pentagon suspends missile shield talks with Russia, secret talks on future of Britain's nuclear arsenal, Singh proposes no-first use, Israel's Rafael unveils 'Star Wars-style' laser missile shield, audit finds sloppy oversight, only third of Japan's nuclear reactors may be restarted.

Published on April 3, 2014

Pentagon Suspends Missile Shield Talks with Russia over Ukraine

RIA Novosti

The Pentagon has halted all talks with Russia concerning its anti-missile defense shield in Europe over the Ukrainian crisis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy Elaine Bunn said. Washington has also declined to introduce any restrictions on anti-missile defense as proposed by Russia, the US deputy defense chief said.

Secret Talks on Future of Britain's Nuclear Arsenal

Richard Norton-Taylor | Guardian

While the Nato allies are collectively preoccupied by Vladimir Putin's intentions in eastern Europe, Britain and the US are secretly renegotiating a pact which is a bedrock of their very special bilateral relationship.

PM Manmohan Singh Proposes No-First Use of Nuclear Weapons

Hindu

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday proposed a global convention on 'no-first use' of nuclear weapons as it could lead to elimination of atomic arsenal.

Israel's Rafael Unveils 'Star Wars-Style' Laser Missile Shield

Haaretz

An Israeli state-owned arms company developing a laser-based missile shield that evokes "Star Wars" style technology says its deployment over the country is closer to becoming a reality.

Audit Finds Sloppy Oversight of Nuclear Weapons

Richard Sisk | Military

The range of problems in the operations of the National Nuclear Security Administration "may ultimately increase costs and could negatively impact the reliability and safety of U.S. nuclear weapons," the audit by Gregory Friedman, Inspector General of the Energy Department, cited.

Only a Third of Nuclear Reactors May be Restarted

Mari Saito, Aaron Sheldrick, and Kentaro Hamada | Japan Times                                                                 

Three years after the Fukushima disaster prompted the closure of all of Japan's nuclear reactors, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is moving to revive atomic power as a core part of the nation’s energy mix, but many of those idled reactors will never come back online.

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