Iran and the U.S. are set up to have a second round of nuclear talks this weekend in Rome, media reported.
While Iran and the U.S. said the talks in Oman last weekend were “positive” and “constructive,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters Wednesday that allowing Iran to continue enriching uranium is “non-negotiable,” according to the Washington Times.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also said that Tehran is “neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic” regarding the talks, according to Iranian state media.
President Donald Trump Thursday extended the hiring freeze he placed Jan. 20 on federal civilian employees in the executive branch until July 15, according to a White House memorandum.
The hiring freeze was originally set to run until April 20. The hiring freeze extends to filling vacancies as well as new positions.
The memo noted that the freeze does not affect deadlines set by the Department of Government Agency to reduce government agency workforces, but “continues to apply to all executive departments and agencies regardless of their sources of operational and programmatic funding.”
Ukraine is seeking a solution to repair damage caused by a Russian drone attack to a confinement vessel at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, an official from Kyiv said April 12.
Svitlana Hrynchuk, Ukraine’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, reportedly said outside the plant that Ukraine was working with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, along with other companies and experts to help with analysis and repairs, Reuters said. Anyone involved in repairs was part of the original installation of the vessel in 2019.
The damage was done after a Feb. 14 drone strike on the plant that destroyed the containment vessel.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are moving toward a civil nuclear deal with aims to support Saudia Arabia’s energy goals, according to the New York Times.
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright reportedly said he sees a “pathway” to helping the Kingdom develop commercial nuclear power and enrich uranium, much to the chagrin of the Israeli parliament. Critics, including Israel, fear Saudi uranium enrichment could spark a regional arms race, media reported.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia do not yet have a 123 agreement, or a peaceful civil nuclear agreement proposed to “support expanded cooperation on zero-emission energy and nonproliferation priorities,” according to a White House fact sheet on the larger initiative.
Ohio lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Chris Wright asking that he award “a majority share” of any funds appropriated to the Department of Energy toward Centrus Energy’s American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio.
The letter was signed by Gov. Mike DeWine (R), Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel (R), and Sens. Bernie Moreno (R) and Jon Husted (R).
“In 2023, Congress appointed $3.4 billion to the Department of Energy to develop domestic uranium enrichment,” the letter, posted on website X by DeWine, said. “It is critical that the Department of Energy prioritize American-owned and operated projects, such as Centrus Energy’s Piketon plant, when spending those dollars.”
Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), chair of the House Appropriations committee, said at a GE Aerospace conference April 9 that the White House would send a “skinny budget,” our outline, to Congress for fiscal 2026 before the end of April.
Cole said the Office of Management and Budget “committed” to sending the “skinny budget” by the end of the month.
A “skinny budget” would usually outline only top-level funding for each Department and major agency, which would include the Department of Energy. A full budget request is expected sometime in May, but there has not been confirmation by the Office of Management and Budget on that.
