U.S. Spy Agencies: North Korea Is Working on New Missiles

Ellen Nakashima and Joby Warrick | Washington Post

U.S. spy agencies are seeing signs that North Korea is constructing new missiles at a factory that produced the country’s first intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States, according to officials familiar with the intelligence.

Trump Offer to Meet Iran President Rouhani Dismissed by Both Sides

Guardian

Donald Trump has said he would “certainly meet” Iranian president Hassan Rouhani without preconditions, a move that was later rejected by Trump’s own administration and one of Rouhani’s advisers.

Iran Wary of Trump Offer for Talks, But Not Ruling Them Out

Amir Vahdat | AP

Iran reacted skeptically Tuesday to President Donald Trump saying that he’s willing to negotiate with his Iranian counterpart “anytime,” but top officials did not reject a sit-down out of hand.

U.S. Not Pursuing Regime Change, Collapse in Iran: Mattis

Phil Stewart | Reuters

The United States has not instituted a policy of regime change or collapse in Iran, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday, saying the goal was still to curb what Washington sees as Iran’s threatening behavior in the Middle East.

Japan Pledge to Cut Plutonium Stocks Amid Growing Concern From Neighbors

Yuka Obayashi and Aaron Sheldrick | Reuters

Japan pledged to reduce its controversial stocks of plutonium, the world’s biggest inventory of the highly toxic material held by a state without nuclear weapons, following pressure from the United States, China and other countries.

The Meaning of North Korea’s Remains Transfer

Uri Friedman | Atlantic

North Korea’s return of what it says are the remains of 55 American soldiers killed during the Korean War is, as President Donald Trump has noted, most meaningful for the families of the fallen. More broadly, however, it is a small but significant step in redressing the roots of why the United States and North Korea deeply distrust each other — a war that never really ended.