Russia is Developing Nuclear Capability to Threaten Satellites, Source Says
Geoff Brumfiel and Tom Bowman | NPR
Russia is developing a space-based nuclear capability that has the potential to threaten the U.S. and its allies, according to a source familiar with the matter. Russia's capacity could allow it to target satellites, the official said.National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters he plans to meet with House leaders on Thursday, though he did not confirm the topic of the briefing. It is unclear what exactly the capability is that Russia is working on — importantly whether it is a nuclear-powered device or a nuclear weapon.
NATO Chief Warns Against Dividing the US and Europe or Undermining their Joint Nuclear Deterrent
LORNE COOK AND GEIR MOULSON | Associated Press
The head of NATO warned member countries on Thursday against allowing a wedge to be driven between the United States and Europe, as concern grows about Washington’s commitment to its allies should Donald Trump return to office…“NATO has a nuclear deterrent, and this has worked for decades,” Stoltenberg said. “We should not do anything to undermine that. That will only create more uncertainty and more room for miscalculation and misunderstanding.”
Iran Simulates Strike on Israeli Base as it Showcases Naval Force
Maziar Motamedi | Al Jazeera
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has simulated a strike on a major Israeli airbase, making a show of its naval capabilities…. The footage showed that the IRGC launched missiles from two locations at a re-creation of the Palmachim airbase in Israel. The base is a critical operations centre for the war on Gaza. It has fighter jets in multiple hangars and receives wounded Israeli soldiers for treatment….A large number of at least two variants of long-range ballistic missiles, Emad and Qadr, were shown being launched and hitting targets with a claimed precision of under 4 metres (13ft)…IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami said the force for the first time has succeeded in launching long-range ballistic missiles from a warship.
North Korea's Kim Jong Un Oversees Test of Surface-to-Sea Missile
Reuters
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of a new surface-to-sea missile on Wednesday and visited a major munitions factory, where he called for a boost in weapons production, KCNA said on Thursday. North Korea launched multiple cruise missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, the latest of multiple such tests in recent weeks before an April general election in South Korea.
UK Could Contribute to Nuclear Shield if Trump Wins, Suggests German Minister
Patrick Wintour | The Guardian
The UK could contribute to a new European nuclear shield if Donald Trump becomes US president again, a senior German minister has suggested, drawing British politicians into the debate about how Europe’s security could be bolstered in the event of the Republican frontrunner winning in November. Questions over a European nuclear deterrence have intensified after Trump’s remarks on Saturday that he would not defend any Nato member that failed to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence – and would even encourage Russia to continue attacking.
Safety Panel Urges Fukushima Nuclear Plant Operator to Better Communicate with the Public after Leak
MARI YAMAGUCHI | Associated Press
A panel of safety experts on Tuesday urged the operator of the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan to communicate more quickly with the public over incidents such as last week’s leak of contaminated water. Thirteen years after the Fukushima disaster in which the plant suffered triple meltdowns following the 2011 earthquake, safety culture at the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings company has improved but there is still work to do, said Dale Klein, a former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairperson who now serves as an advisor to TEPCO’s reform committee.