SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea appeared increasingly unlikely to meet a weekend deadline to shut down its nuclear reactor, staying silent Thursday about whether it was satisfied with a U.S. solution to a financial dispute that has stalled the disarmament process. The U.S., South Korea and China said the North has not withdrawn some $25 million that was unfrozen this week in a bank in the Chinese territory of Macau. Washington had blacklisted the Banco Delta Asia in September 2005 for allegedly ... Read More

Iran expands uranium enrichment effort NATANZ, Iran - Iran announced a dramatic expansion of uranium enrichment Monday, saying it has begun operating 3,000 centrifuges — nearly 10 times the previously known number — in defiance of U.N. demands it halt its nuclear program or face increased sanctions. U.S. experts say 3,000 centrifuges are in theory enough to produce a nuclear weapon, perhaps within a year. But they doubted Iran really had so many up and running, a difficult technical feat given the country's ... Read More