>> Last month, North Korea successfully launched its first homemade satellite and reportedly is preparing to launch a communications satellite. North Korea has stated these “peaceful” endeavors are for scientific purposes. According to a Washington Times editorial, Admiral Timothy Keating, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, said the U.S. would be ready, willing, and able to shoot down the communications satellite if ordered.

The U.S. believes North Korea may be indirectly violating U.N. Security Council Resolution 1695, under which North Korea was expected to stop its ballistic missile program.

>> U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 6 to discuss relations between the two countries. Clinton’s Geneva visit is one stop on her tour of the Middle East and Europe. (Geneva Lunch)

>> The AFP reports that North Korea has built on its long-range missile test site an underground fueling station, which will be difficult for the U.S. to see via spy satellites. North Korea has stated it will launch a communications satellite in the wake of a successful test-fire of a homemade satellite. (AFP)