Top News: Biden, Putin discuss future summit meeting in phone call Aljazeera New ICBM costs can, must come down, Hyten says Defense One Iran says it will enrich uranium to 60%, highest level ever Associated Press United States New ICBM costs can, must come down, Hyten says Defense One4/12/21 The United States needs to lower the cost of modernizing its aging intercontinental ballistic missile force, says Air Force Gen. John Hyten, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who believes he’s found a way. Biden’s national security team lists leading threats, with China at the top NPR4/13/21 The U.S. intelligence community said Tuesday that it views four countries as posing the main national security challenges in the coming year: China, followed by Russia, Iran and North Korea. ANALYSIS: America’s nuclear missiles need major modernization The BulwarkEric Edelman, Franklin Miller 4/9/21 The proposed missile upgrade program saves money and deters nuclear war. OPINION: Restoring nuclear bipartisanship: Force modernization and arms control War on the RocksJohn Maurer 4/14/21 The president and Congress should work together to modernize American nuclear forces and develop a long-term plan for great-power arms control. East Asia North Korea may be considering resumption of nuclear testing this year The Korea Herald4/14/21 North Korea may be considering whether it should resume its nuclear and long-range missile testing this year as it seeks to deal with the new US administration on its own terms, a US intelligence report said Tuesday. North Korea: What we know about its missile and nuclear program Yahoo News4/13/21 North Korea has made rapid progress in its weapons programme, which it claims is necessary to defend itself against a possible US invasion. Middle East Iran says it will enrich uranium to 60%, highest level ever Associated Press4/13/21 Iran will begin enriching uranium up to 60% purity after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility, a negotiator said Tuesday, pushing its program to higher levels than ever before though still remaining short of weapons-grade. Iran Natanz nuclear site suffered major damage, official says BBC4/13/21 Alireza Zakani, head of the Iranian parliament’s Research Centre, said the incident had “eliminated” Iran’s ability to carry out the process. Iran nuclear deal: Shadow of sabotage hangs over critical talks BBC4/14/21 The talks come just three days after a sabotage attack at a key Iranian nuclear plant near Natanz, where an explosion cut off electricity to the whole site. The attacked damaged an unknown number of centrifuges – sophisticated machines that make uranium usable for nuclear purposes – and has stopped work at the facility for now. Russia and Europe Biden, Putin discuss future summit meeting in phone call Aljazeera4/13/21 Biden proposes summit with Putin in a third country to discuss full range of issues confronting U.S. and Russia. Russia’s anti-hypersonic missile radar to enter combat duty in Arctic by July Tass4/14/21 Russia’ Rezonans-N radar, capable of spotting hypersonic missiles and deployed on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in November last year, will enter service no later than in June 2021, Rezonans Science and Research Center Director General Alexander Shramchenko has told TASS.