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SECURITY and safety lapses at one of the key nuclear weapons labs in the US have brought nearly all work there to a standstill. The lab in question – the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico – houses some of the US government’s most closely guarded nuclear secrets.

In 1999, the lab became embroiled in a scandal over the alleged transfer of secret nuclear weapons technology to China. Investigators heavily criticised the lab for numerous security lapses, safety problems and for the misuse of laboratory funds.

Now two discs containing sensitive files have gone missing. On 15 July, the lab’s director…

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