IRAN
UN Nixes Reports of Blast at Iran Nuclear Facility
George Jahn, ABC News – Jan 30, 2013
The U.N. nuclear agency is dismissing reports of a major explosion at Iran’s fortified underground nuclear facility. International Atomic Energy Agency spokeswoman Gill Tudor told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Iran’s denial of “an incident” at the Fordo uranium enrichment plant is “consistent with our observations.”
Time for Iran to make a deal with US is now
Anne-Marie Slaughter, Gulf News – Jan 30, 2013
The stakes are high for both Iran and the United States to find a solution to advance nuclear development dialogue.
KOREAN PENINSULA
Seismic tremors, gases will be clues to determine if North Korea tests nuclear device underground
The Telegraph – Jan 30, 2013
With North Korea appearing set to detonate an atomic device, the UN agency that detected two previous tests says it is prepared to confirm an explosion when it takes place. However, experts say it might be difficult to establish whether the blast is nuclear in nature.
How to Defuse the North Korean Threat
Bloomberg News – Jan 29, 2013
Strategies the international community can pursue to effectively address and mitigate North Korea’s threats of nuclear escalation.
South Korean rocket successfully puts satellite in orbit
K.J. Kwon and Jethro Mullen, CNN – Jan 30, 2013
South Korea said Wednesday that it had put a satellite in orbit for the first time, giving a lift to its homegrown space industry and matching a feat achieved last month by its hostile neighbor, North Korea.
RUSSIA
Aiming high: Russia, Kazakhstan agree on joint air defense system
RT – Jan 30, 2013
Moscow and Astana have signed a deal to establish a regional defense system, which will also include missile defense. The document was signed on Wednesday during a meeting between Kazakh Defense Minister Adilbek Dzhaksybekov and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who is paying an official visit to Astana, the Kazakh capital.
