TOP NEWS In escalation, Iran tests medium-range missile, U.S. official says New York Times Turkey, Russia complete 1st part of missile defense delivery Washington Post While Trump and Kim talk, North Korea appears to expand its nuclear arsenal Wall Street Journal What does China’s new defense strategy mean? The Hindu U.S. Nuclear Policy Boeing withdraws from competition to build new land-based nuclear missile Military.com7/25/19 Boeing Co. says it is out of the running against Northrop Grumman in the competition to develop the U.S. Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) intercontinental ballistic missile system. Materials for hydrogen service advanced by new multilab consortium Sandia National Laboratories7/25/19 Researchers at Sandia and Pacific Northwest national laboratories are leading a collaborative effort to investigate how hydrogen affects materials such as plastics, rubber, steel and aluminum. Middle East In escalation, Iran tests medium-range missile, U.S. official says New York Times7/25/19 Iran fired a Shahab-3 medium-range missile on Wednesday, a United States military official said, playing it down by saying that it did not pose a threat to American or other Western shipping or military bases in the region. Rouhani says Iran ready for ‘respectful’ negotiations Al-Monitor7/25/19 President Hassan Rouhani reiterated that his country was ready for negotiations over the country’s nuclear program but warned Iran would not surrender. Europe Turkey, Russia complete 1st part of missile defense delivery Washington Post7/25/19 Turkey’s military says the first phase of the delivery of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems has been completed. U.N. nuclear watchdog appoints Romanian diplomat Feruta as interim chief Reuters7/25/19 Romanian diplomat Cornel Feruta will head the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) until member states agree on a permanent successor to deceased Director General Yukiya Amano, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said on Thursday. East Asia While Trump and Kim talk, North Korea appears to expand its nuclear arsenal Wall Street Journal7/25/19 Despite President Trump’s summit diplomacy, security experts say recent satellite images show continued activity at North Korea’s key nuclear facilities. North Korea says missile test was ‘solemn warning to South Korean warmongers’ Washington Post7/25/19 North Korea said Friday that its test of a “new type of tactical guided weapon,” overseen by leader Kim Jong Un, was a demonstration of its power and a “solemn warning to South Korean military warmongers” — a declaration that underlines how relations between the two Koreas are deteriorating as tensions rise. China promises further military cooperation with Russia Wall Street Journal7/24/19 Beijing accuses U.S. of undermining regional stability and sharpens its warnings against Taiwan in new defense report. Opinion/Analysis/Commentary Reliability is in the eye of the beholder: The value of North Korea’s freeze on further ICBM flight testing 38 North7/25/19 Preventing further flight tests has considerable security value for the US, in part because it will probably prevent the DPRK from improving current ICBM reliability appreciably over time. China-Russia joint exercise sends a message to Washington: Analysts Channel News Asia7/24/19 A joint China-Russia bomber patrol over disputed territory off the coast of South Korea and Japan was a “massive development” in their bid to challenge US influence in the region, analysts said Wednesday. What does China’s new defense strategy mean? The Hindu7/26/19 The Chinese white paper’s assessment of the international non-proliferation regime as “compromised by pragmatism and double standards” is likely to be troubling. New missile tests cast doubt on North Korea’s commitment to nuclear talks Atlantic Council7/25/19 New missile launches from North Korea could derail the Trump Administration’s attempts to restart talks on Pyongyang’s nuclear program.