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Update on North Korea's Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site: Test Preparation Continues

IN THIS ISSUE: Update on North Korea's nuclear test site: Test Preparations Continue, an intercontinental ballistic missile by any other name, U.N. nuclear watchdog to visit two Iranian sites: media, political discord places Lungmen on hold, interceptor spot on, though without blast: DRDO, inside America's missile fields.

Published on April 29, 2014

Update on North Korea's Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site: Test Preparation Continues

Nick Hansen and Jack Liu | 38 North

New commercial satellite imagery from April 25, 2014 confirms a further increase of activity at North Korea’s Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site likely related to preparations for an underground nuclear test. However, it is unclear from the imagery whether any test tunnels have been sealed, a sign that a test may be imminent, as claimed by South Korean sources in press briefings on April 25.

An Intercontinental Ballistic Missile by any Other Name

Jeffrey Lewis | Foreign Policy

Since 2011, there has been growing evidence that Russia is violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which bans missiles with a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. Arms control can seem arcane -- especially when Vladimir Putin is in the process of dismembering Ukraine -- but it's time for Washington to take these allegations seriously.

U.N. nuclear watchdog to visit two Iranian sites: media

Fredrik Dahl | Reuters

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.

Political discord places Lungmen on hold

World Nuclear News

The government of Taiwan has announced that unit 1 of the Lungmen nuclear power plant will be mothballed once pre-operational safety checks are completed. Construction of unit 2, meanwhile, will be suspended immediately. A referendum will be held later to decide the plant's fate.

Interceptor spot on, though without blast: DRDO

T. S. Subramanian | Hindu

India's ambitious mission on Sunday to intercept an "enemy" ballistic missile at a altitude of 120 km seems to have achieved only partial success.

Inside America's Missile Fields

CBS News

The young men and women who oversee some of the world's deadliest weapons have trouble hearing what is being said on their phones and work with computers so old they use floppy disks, Lesley Stahl reports during a rare visit to an underground control room that was tethered to armed nuclear missiles.

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