Top News: Iran: Japanese FM discusses nuclear deal, Afghanistan turmoil Al Jazeera United States Imposes Additional Costs on Russia for the Poisoning of Aleksey Navalny U.S. Department of State China’s military nuclear orders rise fourfold in push to catch up with U.S. South China Morning Post United States United States Imposes Additional Costs on Russia for the Poisoning of Aleksey Navalny U.S. Department of State8/20/21 Pursuant to the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (the CBW Act), the United States will impose a second round of sanctions on the Russian Federation over its use of a “Novichok” nerve agent in the August 2020 poisoning of Russian opposition figure Aleksey Navalny. MOX failed. But plutonium pit production is different, argues NNSA exec. Aiken Standard8/21/21 In late 2018, a behemoth fuel facility at the Savannah River Site was axed. Its cancellation, enabled by a court ruling and promises of saving billions of dollars, marooned more than a decade of work and vexed a clutch of South Carolina politicians. East Asia China’s military nuclear orders rise fourfold in push to catch up with U.S. South China Morning Post8/22/21 Main contractor for China’s nuclear projects given almost US$2.65 billion in new military contracts in first seven months of the year. U.S., South Korea Envoys Discuss Jump-starting Talks with North Korea Voice of America8/22/21 The U.S. special envoy for North Korea was scheduled to meet his South Korean counterpart on Monday, as the two allies look for ways to entice Pyongyang back to talks over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Biden’s special envoy urges North Korea to return to talks ABC8/23/21 U.S. President Joe Biden’s special envoy for North Korea has said he’s ready to meet his North Korean counterparts “anywhere and at any time” as he held discussions with South Korean officials over stalled nuclear talks with the North. US, Russian nuclear envoys in Seoul to discuss North Korea Korea Herald8/22/21 The top nuclear envoys from Russia and the U.S.are in Seoul to hold talks with their South Korean counterpart on the stalled nuclear diplomacy with Pyongyang amid fresh tension over ongoing US-South Korea military exercises. Middle East Israel to Pressure Biden to Scrap Nuclear Talks: Iran Snapshot Bloomberg8/23/21 Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will try to persuade U.S. President Joe Biden against reviving a nuclear deal with Iran when the two leaders meet in Washington on Thursday. Iran: Japanese FM discusses nuclear deal, Afghanistan turmoil Al Jazeera8/22/21 Iran’s frozen money was another issue addressed in meeting between Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Iranian officials. Russia and Europe Putin launches construction of new warships amid tensions Associated Press8/23/21 Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday launched the construction of new nuclear submarines and other warships, part of a sweeping military modernization effort amid tensions with the West.