US announces a new series of sanctions on North Korea’s WMD program

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, under direction from the White House, announced a new series of sanctions being levied against one North Korean organization and 11 individuals with ties to North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. According to a press release provided by the Treasury Department, the 11 individuals cited have been working as agents […]

State Department employee charged with concealing Chinese-agent contacts

WASHINGTON—A longtime State Department employee was accused of lying about her 10-year relationship with two Chinese spies who allegedly gave her and her family tens of thousands of dollars in gifts in exchange for information, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday. The employee, Candace Claiborne, was arrested Tuesday after acknowledging in an interview with […]

State Department drops human rights as condition for fighter jet sale to Bahrain

The State Department notified Congress on Wednesday that it supports selling F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain without requiring that the tiny island monarchy in the Persian Gulf first improve its human rights record. The decision to proceed with the sale amounts to an abrupt reversal of an Obama administration decision. Last fall, the State Department […]

Malaysian authorities board North Korean ship on suspicion of UN sanction violations

A North Korean ship carrying a shipment of coal intended for the Penang Port was stopped by Malaysian officials on Wednesday in order to be boarded and inspected due to suspicion of violating United Nations sanctions on the reclusive Asian state. Malaysia, which has historically been one of the few friendly nations to North Korea, […]

Man-made islands in the South China Sea nearing completion and ready for Chinese troops

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), part of Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies, announced this week that China has largely completed construction of military installations on the artificial islands the nation has constructed in the South China Sea.  According to their report, China may begin deploying military equipment and personnel to the islands […]

Satellite imagery indicates North Korea may be gearing up for a nuclear detonation

Satellite images taken over the weekend appear to indicate that North Korea is in the final stages of preparation for the nation’s sixth nuclear test. 38 North, a Washington D.C. based think tank that monitors intelligence out of North Korea released a report on Tuesday with evidence to suggest a good deal of activity at […]

U.S. acknowledges airstrike that appears to have killed 137 civilians in Mosul

The United States has officially acknowledged that an American airstrike in the ISIS controlled city of Mosul, Iraq was potentially responsible for the death of over a hundred Iraqi civilians earlier this month. Per an “initial review” released by the Defense Department, coalition fighters engaged targets directed by Iraqi Security Forces on March 17th, “at the […]

As North Korea fires missiles, some in Japan want the ability to launch strikes

TOKYO — As the threat from North Korea’s missiles grows, so the calls in Japan for a stronger military response are getting louder. An influential group of politicians is publicly arguing for technically pacifist Japan to acquire the ability to strike North Korea instead of having to rely on the United States for its defense. […]