TOP NEWS Trump announces ‘heaviest’ ever set of sanctions against North Korea Washington Post Europeans look for a way to preserve nuclear deal while punishing Iran and satisfying Trump Washington Post Iran hints at seaborne reactors while respecting nuclear deal Reuters First woman in history takes helm of US nuclear weapons arsenal Washington Examiner EAST ASIA Trump announces ‘heaviest’ ever set of sanctions against North Korea Washington Post2/23/18 President Trump announced the “heaviest” ever set of U.S. sanctions against North Korea on Friday as his administration redoubles its effort to starve Pyongyang of resources and force the isolated regime to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Former Spymaster to Lead North Korea’s Olympic Ceremony Delegation New York Times2/22/18 North Korea said on Thursday that a high-ranking official, who many in the South believe orchestrated a deadly attack in 2010, would lead a delegation to Sunday’s Winter Olympics closing ceremony in the South, another sign the two Koreas are trying to work out a road map toward improving ties. North Korea says it’s deploying nuclear missiles NHK World2/23/18 North Korea’s ruling party newspaper says the country’s military is pushing forward with its deployment of nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles. North Korea criticizes UN chief over support for sanctions Washington Post2/22/18 North Korea sharply criticized U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday for supporting sanctions to pressure the country into negotiations with the U.S. on denuclearization, saying he appears to be acting as a “henchman” representing the United States. China January trade with North Korea falls to lowest since at least June 2014 Reuters2/22/18 China’s January trade with North Korea fell to the lowest level since at least June 2014, the latest sign that China has kept up pressure on its isolated neighbor in line with United Nations trade sanctions. Ivanka Trump, in South Korea, Calls for Pressure on the North Washington Post2/23/18 Ivanka Trump channeled her father’s call for “maximum pressure” on North Korea on Friday, as she started a highly anticipated trip to South Korea, two weeks after the North’s leader sent his sister here on a mission seen as an attempt to undermine Seoul’s alliance with Washington. While Korean tensions ease, 3 Americans remain ‘prisoners of war’ in the North Washington Post2/23/18 For the families of three Americans being held in North Korea, there has been no Olympics-related breakthrough. MIDDLE EAST Europeans look for a way to preserve nuclear deal while punishing Iran and satisfying Trump Washington Post2/23/18 France, Germany and Britain have been scrambling for months to convince President Trump that they want to join him in cracking down on bad Iranian behavior — missile tests, terrorism support and regional meddling. If they can sway him, they hope he will agree to preserve intact the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement he has argued is fatally flawed. Iran hints at seaborne reactors while respecting nuclear deal Reuters2/22/18 Iran has fired a diplomatic warning shot at Washington by raising the prospect of building nuclear reactors for ships while staying within the limits set by its atomic deal with major powers, a U.N. nuclear watchdog report showed on Thursday. RUSSIA/FSU/EUROPE How many nuclear weapons do the U.S. and Russia have? Here’s what you need to know Newsweek2/22/18 The State Department published Thursday the aggregate number of nuclear arms and delivery systems believed to be in the hands of both the U.S. and Russia, the world’s leading nuclear powers. U.S. NUCLEAR POLICY First woman in history takes helm of US nuclear weapons arsenal Washington Examiner2/22/18 Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Thursday swore in the first woman in history as head of the nation’s nuclear weapons arsenal. Navy base in Washington state closed due to potential threat Navy Times2/22/18 The Washington State Patrol says the Navy’s nuclear submarine base and its undersea warfare center in Kitsap County were closed due to a potential threat. OPINION AND ANALYSIS Five reasons the Olympics haven’t solved the North Korea problem Washington PostMira Rapp-Hooper 2/22/18 After the Olympics are over, the temperature between Washington and Pyongyang will almost certainly spike again. Here are five reasons. Panel: Japan Should Look to Conventional Deterrents to Curb North Korean Threat USNI News2/22/18 Long-range strike capabilities, building up amphibious forces, improved missile defense and deploying Aegis Ashore are steps Tokyo can take in deterring an aggressive North Korea at the same time, two of Japan’s leading security experts said Wednesday. India’s rivalry with China, from the mountains to the sea The InterpreterBrendan Thomas-Noone 2/23/18 While nuclear-missile submarines themselves might introduce crisis stability over the long-term, they are helping drive regional competition in the short-term. Foreign policy experts to President Trump: Get a real Iran policy Washington PostJennifer Rubin 2/22/18 Encouraging or rationalizing short-sighted gambits that fail and then erode the credibility of the United States do not help the country or improve international respect for the president. No to a permissive US-Saudi nuclear deal Bulletin of Atomic ScientistsVictor Gilinsky 2/22/18 A permissive US-Saudi nuclear agreement would be strategically dangerous for the United States and the region. Congress should not approve such a deal. Perils of trivializing nuclear weapons Japan TimesAndres Ortega 2/22/18 In case you haven’t noticed, the nuclear arms issue is back — in its strategic rather than its tactical or battlefield dimension. Trying to make sense of our North Korea policy may be fruitless Washington PostJennifer Rubin 2/22/18 If you are trying to figure out what our policy on North Korea is, and what our position on talks actually is, you’re going to have your hands full.