Iran
EU Plans to Continue Nuke Talks With Iran
VANESSA MOCK , Wall Street Journal – July 4, 2012
The European Union said it will hold further talks with Iran on the country’s nuclear program, following a one-day technical-level meeting between the international community and Tehran in Istanbul.
Oil Backed Up, Iranians Put It on Idled Ships
Thomas Erdbrink and Clifford Krauss, New York Times – July 4, 2012
The hulking tanker Neptune was floating aimlessly this week in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf, a fresh coat of black paint barely concealing its true identity as an Iranian ship loaded with hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil that no one is willing to buy.
North Korea
RIMPAC not targeting N. Korea, China, U.S. says
Lee Chi-dong, Yonhap – July 5, 2012
As they conduct the world’s largest multinational maritime exercise, the U.S., South Korea and 20 other nations are not taking direct aim at either China or North Korea, a top American Navy officer said Tuesday.
Afghanistan
Afghan wounds 5 U.S. troops
Jon Stephenson, philly.com – July 5, 2012
An Afghan soldier shot and wounded five U.S. soldiers late Tuesday at a base in eastern Afghanistan in what is the latest in a series of “green on blue” attacks by local forces on their coalition counterparts.
Nuclear Weapons
Sen. Lugar continues disarmament push despite primary defeat
Julian Pecquet, thehill.com – July 3, 2012
Sen. Dick Lugar’s (R-Ind.) primary defeat earlier this year won’t prevent him from visiting the former Soviet Union to check up on the progress of his signature nuclear disarmament program.
