Austria

U.N. inspectors find drawings of uranium equipment in Iran

U.N. inspectors sifting through Iran’s nuclear files have discovered drawings of high-tech equipment that can be used to make weapons-grade uranium — a new link to the black market headed by the father of Pakistan’s atomic bomb, diplomats said Thursday.

Beyond adding another piece to the puzzle of who provided what in the clandestine supply chain headed by Abdul Qadeer Khan, the revelations cast fresh doubt on Iran’s commitment to dispelling suspicions it is trying to make atomic arms. But Iran insisted Thursday that it was cooperating.

The diplomats said the designs were of a P-2 centrifuge — more advanced than the P-1 model Iran has acknowledged using to enrich uranium for what it says are peaceful purposes. They said preliminary investigations by inspectors working for the International Atomic Energy Agency indicated they matched drawings of equipment found in Libya and supplied by Khan’s network.

Florida

CEO’s future in doubt as Disney weighs Comcast bid

Disney chief executive Michael Eisner wasn’t acting like a man whose job was in jeopardy Thursday, either because of an unwelcome offer for the company from Comcast Corp. or from his own board trying to appease unhappy investors.

Eisner, speaking after two days of upbeat presentations to analysts at Walt Disney World in Orlando, was asked about possible acquisitions. “We’re buying Comcast,” he quipped.

Comcast, the nation’s largest cable provider, launched a surprise bid for The Walt Disney Co. on Wednesday, saying it could manage Disney’s diverse entertainment assets better than the current management.

Eisner praised the quality of his managers on Thursday, and said he did not think it was necessary for Disney to partner with another company to gain better distribution for its films, television shows and other products.

Washington, D.C.

Senate passes highway bill

Defying a presidential veto threat, the Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a highway spending bill that would bring jobs and billions of dollars in new construction money to states across the country.

The Republican-controlled Senate voted 76-21 to pass a six-year, $318 billion highway and mass transit spending bill, replacing the current six-year program that expires at the end of this month. The vote margin would be enough to override a possible presidential veto.

“Everybody agrees we need to put much more money into road, highways, bridges and mass transit,” said Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., a chief sponsor. “This bill does that.”

But the $318 billion sought far outstrips the $218 billion approved for the current six-year plan and the $256 billion the administration insists should be the ceiling at a time when the government faces record-high budget deficits. The House has yet to act on its bill.