Russia Suspends US Inspections of its Nuclear Weapons Arsenal
Julian Borger | The Guardian
Russia has suspended an arrangement that allowed US and Russian inspectors to visit each other’s nuclear weapons sites under the 2010 New Start treaty, in a new blow to arms control. Mutual inspections had been suspended as a health precaution since the start of the Covid pandemic, but a foreign ministry statement on Monday added another reason Russia is unwilling to restart them. It argued that US sanctions imposed because of the invasion of Ukraine stopped Russian inspectors travelling to the US.
UN Chief Condemns 'Suicidal' Shelling Around Ukrainian Nuclear Plant
Tim Lister, Yulia Kesaieva and Tara John | CNN
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described recent artillery and rocket fire around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in central Ukraine as "suicidal," further adding to fears of an accident at the plant, which is the largest of its kind in Europe. "Any attack on nuclear power plants is a suicidal thing," Guterres told reporters Monday in Tokyo. "I hope that these attacks will end," he said, and called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to be given access to the plant.
EU, Declaring Final Text Done, Adjourns Iran Talks: ‘Now it's for Capitals to Consider'
Laura Rozen | Diplomatic
The European Union adjourned four days of talks on restoring the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in Vienna today saying the final text is done, and it is now up to the capitals to decide.
“So that’s it. Now the ball is in the different capitals’ court, and we will see,” a senior European Union official, speaking not for attribution, told journalists after the conclusion of talks in Vienna today (August 8). “We will see what happens.” “Now it's for capitals to consider this text,” the EU official said.
Pentagon Again Delays Nuclear Missile Test Amid Chinese Drills Near Taiwan
Joe Gould and Stephen Losey | DefenseNews
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has again ordered the Pentagon to postpone a planned test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, this time amid increased tension with China over Taiwan, the White House confirmed Thursday. It’s the second delay for the Minuteman III test after Austin ordered one in March to be called off to quell tension with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
North Korea Tests Explosive Devices at Nuclear Site: U.N. Report
Kaori Yoshida and Hiona Shiraiwa | Nikkei Asia
North Korea has tested explosive devices and begun digging new underground tunnels at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, which "paves the way for additional nuclear tests for the development of nuclear weapons," according to a draft U.N. report obtained by Nikkei.