While President Bush and Congress have decided to give most US workers a $300 bonus and the Democratic candidates think speaking nicely to Iran is a good idea and the UN Security Council twiddles its collective thumbs as it

is deciding whether to impose new economic sanctions against Iran for refusing to roll back its nuclear activities.

has increased its production to more than 300 tons of a gas used for uranium enrichment, a semi-official news agency reported. (snip)

"The Isfahan uranium conversion facility is active, and it has produced more than 300 tons of UF6," otherwise known as uranium hexaflouride gas, the Fars news agency quoted Javad Vaidi, deputy of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, as saying in meeting to members of the Revolutionary Guards. The Fars news agency is considered close to the elite branch of Iran's military.  (snip)

Centrifuges spin uranium gas into enriched material, which at low levels is used to produce nuclear fuel to generate electricity. But further enrichment makes it suitable for use in building nuclear weapons.