NORTH KOREA
Panama charges North Korea weapons ship’s crew
BBC News — July 18, 2013
Panama has charged the crew of a North Korean ship detained in Panama after it was found to be carrying weapons…The charges came just hours after North Korea urged Panama to release the ship and its crew without delay.
North Korea has everything in place for new atom test: U.S. expert
Fredrik Dahl, Reuters — July 17, 2013
North Korea has strong technical reasons to carry out another nuclear test but may be hesitating because it would anger China, a prominent U.S. scientist who has often visited the reclusive Asian state said on Wednesday.
A look at North Korea’s long history of buying, marketing and selling arms around the world
Foster Klug, The Associated Press — July 17, 2013
North Korea has a long history of aggressively buying, marketing and selling arms, especially in developing countries in the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia.’
IRAN
Nuclear Program Talks Could Resume, Iranian Official Says
Rick Gladstone, The New York Times — July 17, 2013
Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Wednesday that the country was prepared to resume suspended talks on its disputed nuclear program with the six big world powers after Iran’s new president, Hassan Rowhani, takes office early next month.
Rouhani Could Retake Reins in Nuclear Talks
Global Security Newswire Staff, The National Journal — July 17, 2013
Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Wednesday that the country was prepared to resume suspended talks on its disputed nuclear program with the six big world powers after Iran’s new president, Hassan Rowhani, takes office early next month.
Iran’s North Korea Links Draw Scrutiny at Nuclear-Weapon Meeting
Jonathan Tirone, Bloomberg BusinessWeek — July 17, 2013
The possibility that North Korea is sharing nuclear-weapon test data with Iran cannot be ruled out and is a proliferation risk, the former chief of a U.S. atomic-bomb laboratory said today at a meeting in Vienna.
Iran’s Rouhani says Israel threats ‘laughable’
Jon Hemming, Reuters — July 17, 2013
Iranian President-elect Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday it was laughable for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say that Tehran was getting close to Israel’s “red line” over its nuclear program and derided the Jewish state’s ability to strike Iran.
Opinion: Coping with Netanyahu on Iran
Nicholas Burns, The Boston Globe — July 18, 2013
…It’s not surprising, then, that this proud, stubborn, and very smart Israeli leader has launched yet another in-your-face challenge to the United States…But he also overstates his case.
DEFENSE SPENDING
Aide: US House Unlikely To Take Up DoD Spending Bill This Week
John T. Bennett, DefenseNews — July 17, 2013
The US House likely will take up 2014 Pentagon appropriations next week, dashing defense-sector hopes that the legislation would be passed this week, says a congressional source.
MISSILE DEFENSE
Raytheon Warhead Didn’t Separate in Missile-Defense Test
Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg — July 17, 2013
The U.S. missile-defense test that failed to intercept a target this month was stymied when a Raytheon Co. (RTN) warhead didn’t separate from its booster rocket during the final flight stage, a Pentagon official said.
