KAZAKHSTANI URANIUM THIEVES ON TRIAL.

A court in the Kazakh city of Ust-Kamenogorsk yesterday began the trial of 18 suspects, mostly employees of the Ulba Metallurgical Complex, in a spectacular case of theft involving radioactive and rare metals. Three of the accused were said to have been caught en route to Novosibirsk carrying some 20 kilograms of "radioactive metals" and 4 kilos of uranium tablets. The Ulba facility produces fuel rods for nuclear power stations. In 1995 two men were caught smuggling more than 100 kilos of uranium-235 from the plant. (Itar-Tass, RFE/RL, December 4)

Aging Ammo Stored on Disputed Islands.