Nuclear Policy News – July 17, 2019 TOP NEWS Nuclear Regulatory Commission mulls cutting back on inspections at nuclear reactors CBS News E.U. Ministers, Scrambling to Save Iran Nuclear Deal, Play Down Breaches New York Times US nuclear weapon locations in Europe accidentally exposed in NATO committee report The Hill North Korea hints it may resume nuclear testing, accuses U.S. of reneging on pact Washington Post U.S. Nuclear Policy Nuclear Regulatory Commission mulls cutting back on inspections at nuclear reactors CBS News7/17/2019 The staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is recommending that the agency cut back on inspections at the country’s nuclear reactors. Middle East E.U. Ministers, Scrambling to Save Iran Nuclear Deal, Play Down Breaches New York Times7/15/2019 European foreign ministers declared Monday that Iranian breaches so far were not serious enough to take steps that could lead to reimposed international sanctions and a collapse of the accord. Netanyahu: ‘Europe might ignore Iran threat until nuclear missiles hit’ BBC News7/16/2019 Israel’s prime minister has said the European Union might not wake up to the threat of Iran “until Iranian nuclear missiles fall on European soil”. Arrest of French Academic in Iran Complicates Efforts to Save Nuclear Deal Wall Street Journal7/16/2019 Iran said it has detained a French-Iranian scholar on unspecified charges, complicating French President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal. Europe US nuclear weapon locations in Europe accidentally exposed in NATO committee report The Hill7/16/2019 A report from a NATO committee that has since been deleted reportedly exposed the secret locations of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe. East Asia North Korea hints it may resume nuclear testing, accuses U.S. of reneging on pact Washington Post7/16/19 North Korea warned Tuesday that planned military exercises involving U.S. and South Korean forces would jeopardize proposed disarmament talks with Washington, and hinted it might respond by resuming nuclear and missile tests. North Korean nuclear envoy reported executed is alive: South Korea legislator Reuters7/16/19 A North Korean nuclear envoy who steered talks before a failed summit with the United States in February is alive, a South Korean legislator said on Tuesday, contradicting a South Korean news report that he had been executed. South Asia ‘Pakistan relentlessly expanding nuclear and missile arsenal’ Times of India7/16/19 The Indian defense ministry says Pakistan is “relentlessly” expanding its armed forces, especially nuclear and missile capabilities, despite being engulfed in a financial crisis. Multilateral Arms Control Multilateral Arms Control U.N. nuclear watchdog’s chief plans to step down early: diplomats Reuters7/17/19 U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Yukiya Amano plans to step down early, in March of next year, because of an unspecified illness that has visibly weakened him over the past year Commentary Q&A: Assistant Secretary Rita Baranwal lays out her vision for the future of nuclear energy U.S. Department of Energy7/16/19 The new Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy discusses her background and top priorities.