Top News: Iran vows “quick” return to nuclear deal if Biden drops sanctions, as it upgrades uranium enrichment CBS News The elements of the China challenge U.S. Department of State ANALYSIS: Russian strategic and hypersonic naval nuclear weapons Real Clear Defense United States REPORT: U.S. nuclear weapons capability HeritagePatty-Jane Geller 11/17/20 Assessing the state of U.S. nuclear weapons capabilities presents at least three serious challenges. OPINION: Whatever you think ails this nation, a new generation of ICBMs is not the answer Washington Post11/17/20 The incoming Biden-Harris administration will face unprecedented challenges, from the coronavirus pandemic to systemic racial injustice to global warming. It will take mountains of money to tackle these crises, and we will need each dollar. East Asia The elements of the China challenge U.S. Department of State11/18/20 Awareness has been growing in the United States — and in nations around the world — that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has triggered a new era of great-power competition. Biden administration should not close dialogue channel with N. Korea: ex-U.S. envoy Yonhap11/19/20 The incoming U.S. administration of President-elect Joe Biden should not throw away a dialogue channel that President Donald Trump built with North Korea, a former U.S. point man on Pyongyang said Thursday. CIA thinks North Korean missiles could reach U.S. targets, analyst says UPI11/18/20 North Korea may have developed intercontinental ballistic missiles with sufficient atmospheric reentry capabilities that can reach the United States, a former CIA analyst says. PODCAST: Korea expert discusses advancements in North Korea’s nuclear missile program CBS News11/18/20 In this episode of Intelligence Matters, Michael Morell interviews Sue Mi Terry, senior fellow and Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies about the threats posed by North Korea to U.S. national security. ANALYSIS: After Biden’s election victory, what’s North Korea’s next move? Bulletin of Atomic ScientistsDuyeon Kim 11/18/20 North Korea is unusually mum about the outcome of the United States presidential election. Middle East UN atomic watchdog: Iran now operating Natanz centrifuges Associated Press11/18/20 The head of the U.N. atomic watchdog agency confirmed on Wednesday reports that Iran has begun operating centrifuges installed at an underground site, but said they had been moved from another facility so the country’s overall uranium-enriching capabilities have not increased. Iran admits breach of nuclear deal discovered by UN inspectorate The Guardian11/18/20 Iran has admitted a further breach of the 2015 nuclear deal by firing up advanced uranium-enriching centrifuges installed at its underground plant at Natanz. Iran vows “quick” return to nuclear deal if Biden drops sanctions, as it upgrades uranium enrichment CBS News11/18/20 Iran said Wednesday that it would “automatically” return to its nuclear commitments if U.S. President-elect Joe Biden lifts sanctions imposed over the past two years by President Donald Trump. Russia and Europe ANALYSIS: Putin orders a new nuclear-proof command center Jamestown FoundationRoger McDermott 11/18/20 Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a new nuclear-strike-proof command-and-control (C2) center for the country’s nuclear forces. On November 13, he signed a decree (ukaz) on the implementation of the national defense plan for 2021–2025. ANALYSIS: Russian strategic and hypersonic naval nuclear weapons Real Clear DefenseMark Schneider 11/18/20 Russia sets its highest value on its strategic nuclear forces.