Top News: Why Iran’s nuclear facilities are still vulnerable to attack BBC North Korea’s Kim could be planning missile launch to welcome Biden administration Washington Post Russia ready for quick extension of last arms pact with U.S. ABC United States NNSA nonproliferation leader reflects on his office’s crucial mission at event celebrating international nuclear security NNSA News1/15/21 “NNSA is at the forefront of protecting the Nation – and the world – from nuclear threats,” said Dr. Brent K. Park, the agency’s nonproliferation chief. Three more COVID fatalities at NNSA as vaccinations start Exchange Monitor1/15/21 Three more National Nuclear Security Administration employees have died from COVID-19, an agency spokesperson said this week, as active cases across the enterprise tricked down, despite more than 400 new cases cropping up. OPINION: Joe Biden’s early test from Moscow and Beijing Wall Street JournalJohn Bolton 1/17/21 An expiring arms-control deal is a chance to address hypersonics and make China come to the table. OPINION: Our advice to President-elect Biden: Break the dangerous pattern of nuclear competition with Russia Bulletin of Atomic ScientistsJerry Brown, William Perry 1/18/21 The pandemic, the brazen attempts to overturn the presidential election, and now the assault on the Capitol itself make this a period of profound uncertainty. East Asia North Korea’s Kim could be planning missile launch to welcome Biden administration Washington Post1/18/21 North Korea appears to be taking steps toward a new test of a powerful submarine-launched missile, U.S. weapons experts said, as it steadily dials up the pressure on President-elect Joe Biden. Moon urges Biden to learn from Trump’s N. Korea diplomacy Associated Press1/18/21 South Korea’s president on Monday urged the incoming Biden administration to build upon the achievements and learn from the failures of President Donald Trump’s diplomatic engagement with North Korea. Middle East Why Iran’s nuclear facilities are still vulnerable to attack BBC1/18/21 The end of the Trump era has caused a collective but cautious sigh of relief in Iran. Europe sees a narrow window for Biden to revive Iran nuclear deal Washington Post1/17/21 Washington’s European allies hope the incoming Biden administration will take swift steps to restore the Iran nuclear deal amid mounting pressures, including Tehran’s boost in uranium enrichment and elections later this year that could usher in a more hard-line government. ANALYSIS: Nine hurdles to reviving the Iran nuclear deal Bulletin of Atomic Scientists1/19/21 Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on January 8 that Tehran was in no rush for the United States to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but, he also said, sanctions on Iran must be lifted immediately. Russia and Europe Russia ready for quick extension of last arms pact with U.S. ABC1/18/21 Russia’s top diplomat says Moscow is ready for a quick deal with the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to extend the last remaining arms control pact, which expires in just over two weeks.