Top News: Explosion hits another power plant in Iran CBS News ANALYSIS: Indian nuclear forces, 2020 Bulletin of Atomic Scientists PODCAST: Distortions in the fabric of deterrence War on the Rocks United States ANALYSIS: The age of strategic instability Foreign AffairsElizabeth Sherwood-Randall 7/21/20 For decades, American policymakers and military planners have focused on preserving what is known in the nuclear lexicon as “strategic stability.” OPINION: Trump’s new foreign investment agency: Itching to build on nuclear quicksand Bulletin of Atomic ScientistsVictor Gilinsky, Henry Sokolski 7/17/20 In 2018 a Republican Congress, with strong Democratic support, created the US International Development Finance Corporation to “provide the developing world with financially sound alternatives to unsustainable and irresponsible state-directed initiatives.” OPINION: Trump’s ‘super duper missile’ is actually super duper real Popular MechanicsKyle Mizokami 7/20/20 The “Super Duper Missile” is the Joint Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB), a hypersonic weapon system that first flew back in March. PODCAST: Distortions in the fabric of deterrence War on the RocksRebecca Hersman, Doyl Hodges 7/20/20 In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Doyle Hodges, executive editor of the Texas National Security Review, sits down with Rebecca Hersman, director of the Project on Nuclear Issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss her article, “Wormhole Escalation in the New Nuclear Age”. East Asia Kim Jong Un leads meeting on ‘war deterrent’ and ‘intensifying’ party education NK News7/18/20 The DPRK discussed how to address issues in the “political and ideological life” of party officials, the KCNA reported Middle East Explosion hits another power plant in Iran CBS News7/20/20 An explosion hit a power plant in the central Iranian province of Isfahan on Sunday, state news agency IRNA reported, saying it was over faulty equipment and caused no casualties. Russia and Europe It’s do or die for Germany’s new missile defense weapon Defense News7/17/20 The German government continued another round of talks with vendors Lockheed Martin and MBDA this week about a contract for the TLVS missile defense system. Two Russian latest nuclear-powered subs to carry hypersonic weapons Tass7/20/20 Three leading Russian shipyards simultaneously laid down six new ocean-going ships on Monday. OPINION: A pivotal moment in US-Russian arms control Union of Concerned ScientistsDaniel puentes, Chelsie Boodoo 7/17/20 Nuclear weapons have plagued the international security environment since the first atomic weapon was successfully detonated at the Trinity test site in July 1945. South Asia ANALYSIS: Indian nuclear forces, 2020 Bulletin of Atomic ScientistsHans Kristensen, Matt Korda 7/20/20 India continues to modernize its nuclear arsenal, with at least three new weapon systems now under development to complement or replace existing nuclear-capable aircraft, land-based delivery systems, and sea-based systems.