TOP NEWS NORTHCOM commander says U.S. needs Arctic early warning system Military Times Energy Dept. has thousands of ‘critical’ cyber security gaps, auditors say Defense One South Korea fires warning shots at North Korean ship Voice of America United States NORTHCOM commander says U.S. needs Arctic early warning system Military Times11/26/19 The top general for U.S. Northern Command says the U.S. needs to invest in an early warning system for the Arctic similar to the series of radar stations built in 1957 that became known as the Distant Early Warning Line, or DEW line. Energy Dept. has thousands of ‘critical’ cyber security gaps, auditors say Defense One11/26/19 The Energy Department continues to botch the same cybersecurity practices year after year, leaving unclassified systems in the nation’s nuclear facilities and other critical infrastructure exposed to digital attacks, according to a federal watchdog. Europe Turkey holds up NATO military plans over Syria dispute – sources Reuters11/26/19 Turkey is refusing to back a NATO defense plan for the Baltics and Poland until the alliance offers Ankara more political support for its fight against Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria, four senior alliance sources said. Pope to list nuclear weapons as ‘immoral’ in Catholic manual Japan Times11/27/19 After meeting with victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster while in Japan, Pope Francis has said he is planning to change official Catholic Church teaching to declare the use and possession of atomic weapons as “immoral.” Nicola Sturgeon to press Corbyn to scrap UK’s nuclear deterrent The Guardian11/24/19 Nicola Sturgeon will press Jeremy Corbyn to scrap the UK’s nuclear deterrent in any talks on Scottish National party support for a minority Labour government. ANALYSIS: Is the mighty NATO alliance dying? Three ways it can be saved The National InterestDaniel R. DePetris 11/25/19 NATO will come together in London next month to commemorate its 70th birthday, but rather than delivering the same speeches that traditionally define these types of gatherings, the ministers in attendance should use the time as an opportunity to begin a discussion about dramatic reforms. East Asia South Korea fires warning shots at North Korean ship Voice of America11/27/19 South Korea says it has fired warning shots to repel a North Korean merchant ship that violated their disputed western sea boundary, the second time the country has fired warning shots to drive back a North Korean ship in the area since South Korea’s current liberal government took office in 2017. Kim Jong Un bolsters nuclear threat to U.S. as Trump talks stall Bloomberg11/26/19 It’s been about two years since Kim Jong Un launched a missile capable of hitting the entire U.S., declared his nuclear weapons program “complete” and halted all ICBM tests. In that time, the North Korean leader has also become an even bigger threat to America. ANALYSIS: Sanctions on North Korea are counterproductive Just SecurityKevin Gray 11/27/19 The breakdown in U.S.-North Korea talks in early October likely means a continued reliance on unilateral and multilateral sanctions to pressure Pyongyang to take concrete steps towards denuclearization, but there is increasing evidence sanctions are having a negative impact on ordinary North Koreans.