Austria

VIENNA (AP) — Iran has slowed the pace at which it is enriching uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels, according to a report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen by The Associated Press on Monday. That could be a sign Tehran is trying to ease tensions after years of strain between it and the U.S.

The confidential report comes as Iran and the United States are negotiating a prisoner swap and the release of billions of dollars in Iranian assets frozen in South Korea. However, international inspectors also noted new challenges in trying to monitor Iran’s program.

VIENNA (AP) — The far-right Alternative for Germany declared the European Union a “failed project” in its current form as it adopted its program for next June’s European Parliament election at its party convention in the eastern city of Magdeburg on Sunday, the German news agency dpa reported.

The text states that the EU has “completely failed” in all important areas, including its migration and climate policy, and it rejects the Euro as a currency.

VIENNA (AP) — Torrential rains and heavy floods have ravaged southern Austria for the past three days, killing one person who was swept away by a quickly swelling river on Sunday, officials said.

After the person fell into the river, firefighters, divers and water rescuers immediately began rescue operations, according to the press department of the Carinthia province. But rescuers were only able to recover the dead body.

VIENNA, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The AUKUS nuclear submarine deal poses a serious risk to regional and global security, according to a joint report released on Wednesday by a Chinese and a Russian think tank at a seminar here.

The report, called "The AUKUS submarine deal: risks for the nuclear non-proliferation regime and global security", was published by the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association and Russia's Center for Energy and Security Studies.

VIENNA, July 6 (NNN-XINHUA) — Energy and oil ministers from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Wednesday expressed support for the latest production cuts by Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Algeria.

   Saudi Arabia and Algeria are among OPEC’s 13 member states, and Russia is one of the organization’s 10 allies. The 23 countries form an oil-producer alliance called the “OPEC+.”

VIENNA, June 30. /TASS/: Russia's pullout from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) automatically terminates its participation in the Budapest agreement of November 3, 1990 on the maximum levels of conventional weapons and equipment of the six former Warsaw Treaty Organization member-states, Konstantin Gavrilov, Russia’s chief delegate to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control, said on Friday.

VIENNA, June 11. /TASS/: Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi plans to visit Kiev and the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) next week, the agency said on Sunday.

However, it did not provide a concrete date of the visit.

The IAEA chief said in late May that he could visit Moscow, but such a visit has not been announced by the agency.

Grossi will lead the next mission on the rotation of IAEA inspectors at the Zaporozhye NPP as the agency wants to expand its presence at the facility.

VIENNA, June 4. /TASS/: A new visit of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi to Moscow is possible, but there are no concrete arrangements for now, Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov told TASS on Sunday.

"Of course, it is possible. A new visit is possible, but so far we have not discussed it in practical terms," he said. According to Ulyanov, the date of a possible visit is not being discussed currently.

VIENNA, May 31. /TASS/: Russia cannot leave the OSCE "at the mercy" of the West and will not allow the organization to be turned into a Russophobic platform, Russian Permanent Representative to the organization Alexander Lukashevich told TASS Wednesday

"I believe that we simply have no right to leave [the organization] at the mercy of this predatory Western gang. We are also talking about post-Soviet territory, where the OSCE operates as well," the diplomat said.

VIENNA (AP) — Iran has resolved two outstanding inquiries of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a report seen Wednesday by The Associated Press said.

The confidential quarterly report by the Vienna-based IAEA said inspectors no longer had questions on uranium particles found to be enriched to 83.7% at its underground Fordo facility.