Iran claims to have 18,000 centrifuges
Israel Hayom | Iran claims to have 18,000 centrifuges.
Iranian President Hasan Rouhani names former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi head of Tehran’s nuclear program • Outgoing nuclear chief says 10,000 IR-1 centrifuges are operational, 8,000 more to be installed • Number 33% higher than previously known.
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Iran’s outgoing nuclear chief Fereidoun Abbasi
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Photo credit: Reuters
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Iranian President Hasan Rouhani has named Tehran’s former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi as the new director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the country’s state-run media reported Saturday.
Iran’s outgoing nuclear chief, Fereidoun Abbasi, told state media that Tehran’s uranium enrichment program now includes 18,000 centrifuges. The number is 33 percent higher than previously known.
The ISNA news agency quoted Abbasi as saying Iran has 17,000 “first-generation” IR-1 centrifuges, of which 10,000 are operational and 7,000 are ready to start operations. He added that 1,000 advanced IR-2m centrifuges were ready to become operational as well. Once online, the IR-2m centrifuges would allow Iran to enrich uranium several times faster than the IR-1 model.
Rouhani has pledged to follow a policy of moderation and ease tensions with the outside world. Salehi’s appointment seems to be within those lines, as he is considered a moderate himself. Western diplomats said that his appointment may signal a change in Iran’s nuclear policy.
As head of the nuclear program, Salehi will focus more on the day-to-day operations of Iran’s various nuclear sites and he is not expected to participate in the negotiations held between Iran and the West over Tehran’s controversial nuclear work.
A May report from the International Atomic Energy Agency indicated that Iran had by then installed roughly 16,600 IR-1 machines in two separate facilities.
WarSclerotic 
August 18, 2013 at 8:07 PM
Egypt Facing Terrorism
Egypt Independent:
Ministry of social solidarity to start disbanding Muslim Brotherhood
Sun, 18/08/2013 – 00:23
Minister of Social Solidarity Ahmed al-Borai said that the ministry has started taking the legal steps necessary to disband the Muslim Brotherhood.
Al-Borai added that the decision to disband the group has become a “legal duty” after the “terrorist acts” they were involved in, according to him.
He added that the ministry has the legal right to disband the organization after Shura council has been dissolved and constitution nullified.
The Muslim Brotherhood’s file has been sent to the General Federation of Non-governmental Organizations to be studied. An official decision would be taken in 15 days.
Al-Borai also said that the decision to dismantle the organization will oblige it to reveal its sources of funding, its true identity, and official agenda. He added that under the current circumstances, a court ruling won’t be necessary given “the crimes” the organization has committed.