Edition

Trump Tried to Undo North Korea Penalty, Contrary to U.S. Account

IN THIS ISSUE: Trump Tried to Undo North Korea Penalty, Contrary to U.S. Account, Pentagon Claims Success in Test of New Tactic to Down Incoming Missiles, U.S. Says Iran Poised to Resume Work on Nuclear Weapons, Russia’s Nuclear-armed Underwater Drone May Be Ready for War in Eight Years, U.S. Envoy to North Korea Arrives in Beijing, HASC Chairman Rejects Trump’s Space Force Proposal

Published on March 26, 2019

Trump Tried to Undo North Korea Penalty, Contrary to U.S. Account

Saleha Mohsin, Jennifer Jacobs, and Nick Wadhams | Bloomberg

President Donald Trump last week intended to reverse sanctions imposed on two Chinese shipping companies accused of violating  trade prohibitions -- until officials in his administration persuaded him to back off and then devised a misleading explanation of his vague  announcing the move. 

Pentagon Claims Success in Test of New Tactic to Down Incoming Missiles

William J. Broad and David E. Sanger | New York Times

The Pentagon said that a test on Monday of a new tactic for intercepting missiles aimed at American cities was a success, in an exercise that appeared intended to simulate how the United States would defend against an adversary like North Korea. 

U.S. Says Iran Poised to Resume Work on Nuclear Weapons

Ian Talley | Wall Street Journal

Iran’s Ministry of Defense unit responsible for developing nuclear weapons is poised to restart work and is using front companies to buy materials from Russia and China that could be used to reactivate its banned bomb program, U.S. officials alleged Friday. 

Russia’s Nuclear-armed Underwater Drone May Be Ready for War in Eight Years

Amanda Macias | CNBC

An underwater drone armed with a nuclear warhead is slated to join Russia’s arsenal no earlier than 2027, people familiar with a U.S. intelligence assessment told CNBC. 

U.S. Envoy to North Korea Arrives in Beijing to Discuss ‘Coordination on Policies’

Laura Zhou | South China Morning Post

The U.S. envoy for North Korea is visiting Beijing this week, a sign Washington seeks China’s help in reviving nuclear disarmament negotiations after the summit meeting in Vietnam between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un collapsed last month. 

HASC Chairman Rejects Trump’s Space Force Proposal, Says Committee Will Seek ‘Other Options’

Sandra Erwin | Space News

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said he strongly opposes the Trump’s administration’s proposal to establish a Space Force as a sixth branch of the armed forces. Smith issued a statement on Monday rejecting the Pentagon’s proposal, less than a day before Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is scheduled to testify in front of the committee.

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