Top News North Korea’s “increasingly sophisticated” nuclear program threatens U.S.: DOD NK News Iran atomic chief says modernization work on heavy water reactor progressing Times of Israel Who has the UK nuclear button while Johnson is ill? No comment Reuters United States North Korea’s “increasingly sophisticated” nuclear program threatens U.S.: DOD NK News4/7/20 Pentagon cites deterrence against North Korea in its “rationale” for U.S. nuclear arsenal OPINION: Space-based nuclear command and control and the ‘non-nuclear strategic attack’ The DiplomatAnkit Panda 4/8/20 Counterspace capabilities may meet dual-purpose command and control assets to create new risks. OPINION: Prevent the outbreak of another global security threat. Extend New START. Bulletin of Atomic ScientistsDaryl Kimball 4/8/20 A prompt decision by President Trump to renew New START would not only help head off the costly nuclear arms race the president says he doesn’t want—it would help protect the nation and the world from a threat for which the only cure is prevention. OPINION: New START is not NAFTA The Hill William Courtney and John Lauder 4/7/20 President Trump seems to dislike the 2010 New START Treaty with Russia that reduces long-range nuclear arms. East Asia North Korea could be using fertilizer plants to make more nuclear material, report shows Newsweek4/7/20 North Korea could be using fertilizer factories it is building to produce more nuclear material by extracting uranium from phosphoric acids, according to a new study. U.S. again flies spy plane over Korean Peninsula Yonhap4/7/20 A U.S. surveillance aircraft has flown over South Korea, an aviation tracker said Saturday, on an apparent mission to monitor North Korea following a series of major weapons tests by the communist nation last month. Middle East Iran atomic chief says modernization work on heavy water reactor progressing Times of Israel4/8/20 In message marking country’s national nuclear day, Ali Akbar Salehi also touts efforts to construct 2 new reactors at Bushehr plant. OPINION: Is Iran’s nuclear future in the hands of Russia and China? Carnegie EuropeMark Hibbs 4/7/20 With new concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities emerging, Russia and China could take on the role of engaging with Tehran to make it cooperate with the UN’s nuclear watchdog. Russia and Europe Who has the UK nuclear button while Johnson is ill? No comment Reuters4/7/20 The British government declined on Tuesday to say who had responsibility for the United Kingdom’s nuclear codes while Prime Minister Boris Johnson is treated in intensive care for COVID-19 complications. South Asia SPEECH: The Pakistani national perspective on nuclear non-proliferation SpringerMuhammad Naeem 4/8/20 In the contemporary world, concerns about nuclear proliferation and security have taken a centre stage as these are thought to be dangerous threats to international peace and stability. Multilateral Arms Control LETTER: Open Skies Treaty Recommendation from Former Cabinet Officials, Former Armed Services Committee Chair Released NTISam Nunn, George Shultz, William Perry 4/6/20 Former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry, and former Senator Sam Nunn released a copy of a memo sent to the Trump Administration foreign policy team.