Top News: U.S. lifts some sanctions on Iranians before nuclear talks New York Times China’s nuclear threat to U.S. grows, mainly in the risk of a mishap, experts say South China Morning Post Austin, Milley defend ‘tough choices’ in FY 22 budget request Defense Daily United States Austin, Milley defend ‘tough choices’ in FY 22 budget request Defense Daily6/10/21 Lawmakers on Thursday pressed Pentagon leadership on program cuts and delays in the department’s recently released $715 billion fiscal year 2022 budget request. The first two b-21 bombers are nearly complete Popular Mechanics6/10/21 The first two B-21 Raider bombers—which will eventually be able to carry both nuclear and conventional weapons—are nearly mechanically complete, but still won’t fly until 2022. Pit production goals jeopardized as planned Savannah River plant hits schedule snags Aiken Standard6/11/21 The acting leader of the National Nuclear Security Administration on Thursday told lawmakers a key facility pitched for the Savannah River Site could be realized much later than initially expected, likely hamstringing the agency’s effort to make dozens and dozens of nuclear weapon cores in the years to come. East Asia China’s nuclear threat to U.S. grows, mainly in the risk of a mishap, experts say South China Morning Post6/11/21 Testimony to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission includes ways a skirmish, perhaps over Taiwan, could spin out of control. China urges U.S. and Russian nuclear cuts and progress in Iran talks Reuters6/11/21 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the United States and Russia on Friday to further cut their nuclear arsenals, days before U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold a summit in Geneva. South Korea can now build missiles able to reach Beijing, with U.S. blessing Wall Street Journal6/11/21 Washington had imposed limits on Seoul’s weapons program for four decades. OPINION: How U.S. Congress can help advance North Korea diplomacy The DiplomatMatt Abbott 6/10/21 June 12 marks the third anniversary of the Singapore Summit, where Donald Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to meet face-to-face with the leader of North Korea. Middle East Israel spy on Iran nuclear scientists: ‘We offer them a way out’ Aljazeera6/11/21 The outgoing spy agency chief reveals Israel was behind recent attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear programme and its top scientist. Ex-Mossad chief signals Israel attacked Iran nuclear assets Associated Press6/10/21 The outgoing chief of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service has offered the closest acknowledgment yet his country was behind recent attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear program and a military scientist. U.S. lifts some sanctions on Iranians before nuclear talks New York Times6/10/21 The move was unrelated to negotiations over the 2015 nuclear deal, a State Department spokesman said. The United States also imposed new sanctions on other Iranians. Russia and Europe North Korea’s nuclear problem must be solved through security guarantees — Putin Tass6/5/21 The problem of North Korea’s nuclear program must be solved by offering security guarantees rather than by imposing more and more sanctions against the country, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.