Yakuza Boss Charged with Conspiring to Traffic Nuclear Materials

Alexander Mallin | ABC News

The Justice Department unsealed new charges against a leader of the notorious Japanese Yakuza gang who they accuse of attempting to traffic weapons-grade nuclear materials from Burma to other countries, according to a newly announced superseding indictment. Prosecutors in Manhattan say that beginning in early 2020, Takeshi Ebisawa conspired to transport material containing uranium and weapons-grade plutonium believing it could be used by countries like Iran in the development of their nuclear-weapons program.

UK's Trident Nuclear-Deterrent Missile System Misfires During Test

William James and Kate Holton | Reuters 

Britain's Trident nuclear-deterrent system misfired during a test last month, sending a missile crashing into the ocean off the Florida coast near the submarine that launched it, The Sun newspaper reported on Wednesday. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that an "anomaly" had occurred during the test but said Britain's "nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective".
With Defence Secretary Grant Shapps on board the HMS Vanguard to witness the test, The Sun said, the first-stage boosters on the missile - equipped with dummy warheads - failed to ignite.

U.S. Warns Allies Russia Could Put a Nuclear Weapon Into Orbit This Year

David E. Sanger | The New York TImes

American intelligence agencies have told their closest European allies that if Russia is going to launch a nuclear weapon into orbit, it will probably do so this year — but that it might instead launch a harmless “dummy” warhead into orbit to leave the West guessing about its capabilities.

North Korea’s Kim Says he Has No Desire for Talks and Repeats a Threat to Destroy South if Provoked

KIM TONG-HYUNG | Associated Press

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un restated he has no desire for diplomacy with South Korea and that the North would annihilate its rival if provoked, state media said Friday, in the latest of his belligerent statements that are raising tensions in the region. During a visit to North Korea’s Defense Ministry on Thursday, Kim said his recent moves to cut ties with South Korea allow his military to take on a more aggressive posture “by securing lawfulness to strike and destroy (the South) whenever triggered.”

Defense Chief Downplays Concerns Over US Possibly Taking Softer Stance on NK Nukes

The Korea Herald

Defense Minister Shin Won-sik on Thursday downplayed concerns over the US potentially shifting to a softer stance on North Korea's nuclear program amid the possibility that former US President Donald Trump could win the November presidential election. "If the U.S. falls under the influence of North Korea's blackmail and abandons its duty to its ally, it would have to give up its global leadership," Shin said during a National Assembly session.

Should The U.S. be Concerned Putin & Russia Might Have Nukes in Space?

James Acton | Pod Save the World

Are the Russians developing space-based nuclear weapons? Tommy Vietor speaks with James Acton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about the news that members of Congress want this potential national security threat discussed in public. Tommy and James analyze how plausible it is that the Russian nuclear program could deploy into space, and go into detail on the advantages and risks that a nuclear bomb or reactor in orbit would have from a military perspective