North Korea’s Kim Vows to Launch 3 More Spy Satellites and Produce More Nuclear Materials in 2024
HYUNG-JIN KIM | Associated Press
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to launch three additional military spy satellites, produce more nuclear materials and introduce attack drones in 2024, as he called for “overwhelming” war readiness to cope with U.S.-led confrontational moves, state media reported Sunday. Kim’s comments, made during a key ruling Workers’ Party meeting to set state goals for next year, suggest he’ll intensify a run of weapons tests ahead of the U.S. presidential elections in November.
Second North Korean Nuclear Reactor Appears to be Operational, IAEA Says
Reuters
A new reactor at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex appears to be operating for the first time, the U.N. nuclear watchdog and independent experts said on Thursday, which would mean an additional potential source of plutonium for nuclear weapons. North Korea has for years used spent fuel from a 5-megawatt nuclear reactor at Yongbyon to produce plutonium for its nuclear arsenal but a telltale discharge of warm water from a larger light-water reactor suggests it is coming online, too, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
Iran Adds to Pressure on U.S. With Nuclear Program Acceleration
Laurence Norman | Wall Street Journal
Iran has tripled production of nearly weapons-grade uranium in a move likely to deepen its confrontation with the West as Tehran helps allied militias to attack Israel and U.S. forces in the region. Iran’s decision to triple its production rate of near-weapons-grade uranium marks the collapse of quiet diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran to ease tensions. It comes amid a proliferation of flashpoints between the U.S. and Iran, whose proxies have repeatedly traded fire with U.S. forces in the Middle East since the bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted on Oct. 7. U.S. and European navies are also shooting down drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthis in the Red Sea.
Chinese Military Purge Exposes Weakness, Could Widen
Yew Lun Tian and Laurie Chen | Reuters
China's top lawmakers ousted nine senior military officers from the national legislative body on Friday, state media reported, a step that typically precedes further punishment for wayward cadres. Many of these were from the Rocket Force - a key arm of the PLA overseeing tactical and nuclear missiles.
Poland Says Russian Missile Entered Airspace Then Went into Ukraine
Adam Easton | BBC
Poland's armed forces chief believes a Russian missile entered Poland for almost three minutes and then turned back into Ukrainian airspace. Gen Wieslaw Kukula said the missile travelled about 40km (25 miles) into Polish airspace early on Friday. The alert coincided with what Ukraine has called Russia's biggest day of air strikes since its war began. Poland's UN representative said Warsaw believes the incident was linked to the massive bombardment. "We clearly see it as an element of the situation created by the latest wave of Russian attacks," Krzysztof Szczerski told the UN Security Council.
Biden Needs to Prevent Trump From Having Unlimited Control Over Nuclear Weapons
Jon Wolfsthal | Washington Post
In less than a year, America will elect a president. Whoever is sworn in on Jan. 20, 2025, will immediately be vested with the sole legal authority to order the use of the United States’ nuclear weapons. If a sitting president decides to exercise that authority — for almost any reason — no one can legally stop them. That must change.