Top News Trump makes it clear: No military exercises with South Korea Military Times Iran’s Teetering Nuclear Deal Atop EU Agenda as New Report Looms Bloomberg China says U.S. remarks on North Korea issue are “irresponsible” Reuters East Asia Trump promised Kim he’d sign declaration ending Korean War at summit: report The Hill8/29/2018 President Trump promised North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that he would sign a declaration ending the Korean War during their June summit in Singapore, according to a new Vox report. Trump Blames China for Stalled Nuclear Talks With North Korea Bloomberg8/29/2018 President Donald Trump accused China of undermining U.S. efforts to pressure North Korea into giving up its nuclear weapons, indicating his trade war with Beijing is starting to exacerbate geopolitical tensions. China says U.S. remarks on North Korea issue are “irresponsible” Reuters8/30/2018 China said on Thursday that U.S. remarks on the North Korea issue are “irresponsible” and hard to understand, after U.S. President Donald Trump questioned Beijing’s role in resolving the crisis over Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons. Three’s a Crowd for Trump in North Korea Talks Bloomberg8/30/2018 Donald Trump ignored the risks of meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without insisting on a clear commitment to give up the regime’s nuclear weapons. Less than three months later, he’s paying the price. The U.S. president expressed new doubts yesterday about his talks with Kim, blaming “tremendous pressure” from Beijing for stalling talks. Trump’s contention is that his escalating trade war with China is causing President Xi Jinping to make mischief by letting more cash and fuel flow to his sanctions-squeezed neighbor. Trump makes it clear: No military exercises with South Korea Military Times8/29/2018 A day after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said there were no plans to cancel future joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises, President Donald Trump made it clear: they’re not happening. Middle East Iran accuses Washington of bullying even U.S. allies Reuters8/29/2018 Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the United States on Wednesday of bullying even its own allies, as he arrived in Turkey which is locked in a row with Washington. Iran is complying with nuclear deal restrictions: IAEA report Reuters8/30/2018 Iran has stayed within the main restrictions on its nuclear activities imposed by a 2015 deal with major powers, a confidential report by the U.N. atomic watchdog indicated on Thursday. Iran’s Teetering Nuclear Deal Atop EU Agenda as New Report Looms Bloomberg8/30/2018 The European Union’s top defense and diplomatic officials convene in Vienna on Thursday with the teetering Iran nuclear agreement and Middle East stability at the top of their agenda. Opinion and Analysis John McCain, Nuclear Disarmament, and What Might Have Been Defense OneJoe Cirincione 8/29/2018 If McCain had become president in 2008, the world might have had far fewer nuclear weapons today. John McCain wanted to ban the bomb. It is not the image one has of the late Arizona senator, but when he ran for president in 2008, he argued that “the United States should lead a global effort at nuclear disarmament.” Special Interest For Nations Seeking Nuclear Energy, The Option To Build A Weapon Remains A Feature Not A Bug Forbes8/29/2018 After Saudi Arabia’s crown prince told CBS News last March that, if Iran decides to build a nuclear weapon, “we will follow suit as soon as possible,” opponents of the technology pounced. “Saudi Arabia’s crown prince has confirmed what many have long suspected,” said Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, “nuclear energy in Saudi Arabia is about more than just electrical power.”