With its smog-prone north desperate to slash coal consumption, China is looking to deploy nuclear power to provide reliable winter heating, raising public safety concerns — though developers say the risks are minimal. Cnbc.com

U.S. President Barack Obama chose not to support the 2009 Iranian Green Protest Movement, because he hoped to reach a deal with Iran on its nuclear weapons that he signed six years later, then-ambassador to the US and current Deputy Minister Michael Oren (Kulanu) said Monday. Jpost.com

Admiral Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said on ABC’s This Week that the U.S. is “closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we’ve ever been.” He added, “I don’t see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point.” Axios.com

In his end-of-the-year address, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world is on “red alert” over a litany of issues, including nuclear proliferation and climate change, and that world leaders should prioritize unity and cooperation in 2018. Newsweek.com