US OK on direct nuclear talks with North Korea if North resumes international negotiations

WASHINGTON —The Obama administration said Sunday it is willing to hold direct talks with North Korea over its nuclear weapons if it first resumes international negotiations.

Nagasaki mayor urges nuclear arms ban on 64th anniversary of atomic attack that killed 80,000

TOKYO —The mayor of Nagasaki called for a global ban on nuclear arms at a ceremony marking the 64th anniversary of the devastating U.S. attack on the Japanese city that killed about 74,000 people.

Hiroshima mayor echoes Obama’s call to abolish nuclear arms on anniversary of atomic attack

HIROSHIMA, Japan — Hiroshima’s mayor urged global leaders on Thursday to back President Barack Obama’s call to abolish nuclear weapons as Japan marked the 64th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bomb attack.

Administration insisted on no strings attached in Clinton mission, now hopes to reap benefits

WASHINGTON — The White House approved Bill Clinton’s high-stakes rescue mission only with caution, intent that North Korea not benefit on the world stage. Yet officials now suggest it could mark a fresh start with the volatile regime.

Clinton, 2 pardoned American journalists heading back to US after departing NKorea

SEOUL, South Korea — Former President Bill Clinton brought two freed U.S. journalists out of North Korea Wednesday following rare talks with reclusive leader Kim Jong Il, who pardoned the women sentenced to hard labor for entering the country illegally.

Analysis: Obama lets NKorea save face, the payoff likely a resumption of nuclear dialogue

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration let North Korean leader Kim Jong Il save face by releasing two jailed Americans to former President Bill Clinton. The payoff — maybe not right away — is likely to be renewed dialogue with Pyongyang about its nuclear weapons program.

Obama to chair Security Council meeting on nonproliferation, disarmament in September

UNITED NATIONS — President Barack Obama will chair a high-level meeting of the Security Council on nonproliferation and disarmament during the U.S. presidency of the U.N.’s most powerful body in September, the U.S. ambassador said Tuesday.

China rebuffs US on North Korea’s future while it mulls possible meltdown

BEIJING — U.S. attempts to draw up a broad contingency plan in case North Korea’s government collapses are being complicated by China’s refusal to talk about potential chaos engulfing its dysfunctional neighbor.

Iran caught up in domestic turmoil as US presses for a reply on calls for dialogue

TEHRAN, Iran — The U.S. is hearing only silence from Iran on its offers of dialogue. Iran’s leaders, who initially seemed to welcome engagement, are turning inward to deal with the post-election crisis.

No breakthrough on settlement dispute in US envoy’s talks with Israeli prime minister

JERUSALEM — Israel’s prime minister and the top U.S. Mideast envoy said they made progress Tuesday on their dispute over West Bank settlements, but offered no sign of a breakthrough at a meeting in Jerusalem.

Israel tells leery US it will do whatever it must to keep Iran from gaining nuclear bomb

JERUSALEM — Israel hardened its insistence Monday that it would do anything it felt necessary to stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb, just the ultimatum the United States hoped not to hear as it tried to nudge Iran to the bargaining table.

Israel reserves right to use any means to stop Iran, US vows tougher sanctions if talks fail

JERUSALEM — Israel insisted Monday it will do whatever it must to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, even as the visiting U.S. defense chief promised tougher international sanctions if Tehran spurns an offer of talks.

Obama says US and China share an interest in halting the spread of nuclear weapons.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says the U.S. and China have a shared interest in halting the spread of nuclear weapons.

Senate takes stand on concessions to Russia on nuclear reduction treaty

WASHINGTON — The Senate is making it clear to the Obama administration that it will look askance at concessions, particularly on missile defense, that the United States might make to conclude a new nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia.

Clinton paints robust picture of US policy abroad, warns NKorea that tantrums won’t work

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stood fast Sunday behind the administration’s readiness to engage with foes like Iran and North Korea and heaped praise on China in advance of two days of critical talks aimed at easing the global economic downturn.

India launches first nuclear-powered submarine built on its own soil

NEW DELHI — India on Sunday launched the first nuclear-powered submarine built on its soil, asserting itself as a world power by joining just five other countries that can design and construct such vessels.

Clinton mum on Mideast defense umbrella, says US still wants dialogue with Tehran

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Sunday she would not reveal any specifics of a possible defense umbrella to protect Mideast allies against Iran’s nuclear program while insisting Washington remained open to dialogue with Tehran.

India launches 1st nuclear-powered submarine built on its own soil

NEW DELHI — India on Sunday launched the first nuclear-powered submarine built on its soil, joining just five other countries that can design and construct such vessels, the prime minister’s office announced.

Top Iranian general says country has the capability to strike Israel’s nuclear facilities

TEHRAN, Iran — The head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard said Saturday that his country has the capability to strike Israel’s nuclear facilities and wouldn’t be afraid to do so if it was attacked.

Hillary Clinton’s ‘defense umbrella’ remarks echo her campaign and Washington think tanks

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton set off tremors in the Middle East this week when she said a nuclear Iran could be contained by a U.S. “defense umbrella” — an offhand remark that appears to have emerged from obscure Washington policy debates and her own presidential campaign rhetoric.

Report: North Korea willing to hold direct talks with US over nuclear weapons

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has indicated its interest in holding direct talks with the United States, a news report said, after the two sides traded barbs over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programs at a security forum.

McCain to consider support of nuclear test ban he once helped defeat

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who helped vote down U.S. ratification of a nuclear test ban treaty ten years ago, said he would now consider supporting it.

US, Russia hold round of Geneva talks on a new nuclear arms reduction treaty

GENEVA — The United States and Russia met in Geneva this week to build on the commitment by Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev to replace the expiring Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, a U.S. official said Friday.

Clinton, North Korea exchange barbs after North refuses to give up nukes

PHUKET, Thailand — Hillary Rodham Clinton and North Korea exchanged pointed barbs Thursday, with Clinton declaring North Korea “has no friends left” and the communist regime calling the U.S. secretary of state a “schoolgirl.”

Failed anti-missile tests, US “umbrella” raise new concerns in Israel over nuclear Iran

JERUSALEM — A series of failed tests of a joint U.S.-Israel anti-missile system raised new questions Thursday about the U.S. goal of providing an “umbrella” to defend its allies against an Iranian nuclear attack.

Joint U.S.-Israel missile-defense system hits snag when tests aborted

JERUSALEM — A joint U.S.-Israeli missile defense system meant to shield Israel from Iranian attack hit a snag when a series of tests were aborted because of malfunctions, defense officials said Thursday.

Clinton acknowledges N. Korea refusal to give up nukes, insists UN sanctions will go forward

PHUKET, Thailand — Faced with a fresh refusal by North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday the communist regime has “no friends left” to shield it from punishing U.N. penalties.

North Korea says it will not re-enter six-party talks to end its nuclear weapons program

PHUKET, Thailand — North Korea says it will not re-enter six-party talks to end its nuclear weapons program, citing the “deep-rooted anti-North Korean policy” of the United States.

Clinton to lead talks with Asian partners on possible incentives for North Korea to end nukes

PHUKET, Thailand — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged Asian nations Thursday to vigorously enforce the latest U.N. sanctions against North Korea. She said Washington would pursue “every avenue” to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.

Clinton to lead talks with Asian partners on possible incentives for NKorea to end nukes

PHUKET, Thailand — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged Asian nations Thursday to vigorously enforce the latest U.N. sanctions against North Korea. She said Washington would pursue “every avenue” to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.