That stronger action could be on the horizon. Well have the latest. Challenge comes on the same day as the state of the Union Address. Will it change the president s message . Or will jobs still be the centerpiece . Well break down expectations for tonight. And the world wondering who will succeed Pope Benedict xvi, developments on when well know the name of the next pope. The president made a lot of promises in his state of the Union Address last year about jobs. Did he keep them . Were reviewing the past year and doing a fact check and reality check on job creation. This morning, talking to gordon chang, author of nuclear showdown. Gene sperling, of the National Economic coast. Bob mcdonnell, and chief washington correspondent jake tapper and the archbishop of washington will be with us as well. A special edition of starting point, live in washington, d. C. , begins right now. Welcome, everybody. North korea producing a nuclear test. The minister says its a defensive measure against hostile activity of the United States. And more drastic measures could be on the horizon. The u. N. Security council calling an emergency meeting in less than two hours. We begin with Jill Dougherty live at the state department. Jill, good morning. What are we hearing from the white house about this . Soledad, obviously president obama is condemning this, calling it highly provocative. He issued a statement and said north Koreas Nuclear weapons and bollistic missile programs constitute a threat to u. S. National security and to International Peace and security. And he continued the u. S. Remains vigilant in the face of north korean provocations and steadfast in our defense commitments to allies in the region. Obviously ther obvious obviously, there is grave concern. The North Koreans are saying they have a different type of weapon, more sophisticated, more powerful. What is happening right now is that the u. S. And International Organizations are monitoring what they what they can from this test. They are sending the United States, sending planes aloft and what they do, they have sensors on them, and they try to sniff the air in a way and figure out exactly what kind of explosion that was. Because there are a couple of different types of explosions, and depending on that, we could find out how much they can do of testing in the future and perhaps create a bomb. Soledad. Jill dougherty, thank you, jill. Ahead, well talk to gordon chang, author of nuclear showdown. Well discuss that, straight ahead and iran announcing its converting about 20 of enriched uranium to reactor fuel. Its significant, because once converted, uranium can lo number longer be used to make weapons. That still leaves a massive number, but people think u. S. A step in the right direction. Dont expect any olive branches from the president as he delivered his state of the Union Address. The president will point a partisan finger at Congressional Republicans as he lays out him agenda for immigration reform, Climate Change. And in the audience, victims of the sandy hook massacre along rocker and gun rights advocate ted nugent. Brianna keilar with more on what we can expect. Mr. Speaker, the president of the United States. Reporter how times have changed. When he addressed congress one year ago, president obama faced sagging poll numbers and a tough road to reelection. The result . A state of the Union Address that contained few new proposals and largely fell flat. Not like this will year. The party gained seats in both the senate and the house. The American People broadly speaking are with him and so he can deliver a speech without the kinds of political constraintsf. Reporter it will book end the president s inaugural speech last month, when he laid out aggressive themes on gun control and immigration and mentioned unexpected subjects. None can avoid the raging fires, crippling drought, more powerful storms. Our nourn journey is not comple until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law. Reporter president obama is expected to lay out more specifics, the overall fork husband be the economy and adding jobs for the middle class. That topic got surprisingly little attention in the inaugural address. He hasnt given us an idea of whether there is a significant agenda that he wants to pursue, designed to try to accelerate Economic Growth and economic recovery. Thats been the big missing piece all the way through the past year and well see whether its filled in the state of the union. To that end, president obama will frame much of the agenda under Economic Growth. As he talks about tax reform and Government Spending and his proposals on education, Climate Change and immigration. But while the wind is at his back, observers say president obama cant appear too bull headed at the start of the second term. This really is a rare chance for president obama to talk directly to the American People in a very long form way and, soledad, from aides ive spoken with, we are expecting to hear themes are familiar. Hell talk about the middle class, tackling deficit reduction in a balanced way. Not just the spending cuts that republicans are primarily pushing to offset the major acrosstheboard spending cuts set to kick in next month, but also with tax increases. Brianna keilar, thank you. A little later this hour, well speak with Gene Sperling of the National Economic council and ron john, wisconsin senator, about what we can expect from the president s speech tonight. Watch the state of the Union Address right here on cnn. Complete coverage begins at 7 00 p. M. Eastern. State of the union, of course, a hot ticket in washington, d. C. Who made the short list to get a chance to sit in the first ladys pocket. Clint romesha, the Army Staff Sergeant that received the medal of honor for bravery on the battlefield. Well talk more about him and the ceo of apple, tim cook. Before the state of the union, cook will address the apple investors conference in san francisco. The first lady will also host the parents of Hidaya Pendleton, she was gunned down days after she performed for the president s inauguration. Chicago police have two suspects in custody. One 18yearold michael ward. The other is 20yearold kenneth williams. Gang members. They told police the shooting of revenge for a gang attack last summer and the chicago honors student was not the intended target. Ted rowlands live with more on this story. Good morning. Reporter good morning, soledad. Superintendent Gary Mccarthy here in chicago said he called the parents of Hidaya Pendleton who are in washington preparing to watch president obamas state of the Union Address and said the parents were relieved to find out that there has been an arrest and people in chicago and across the country who have been following that were relieved as well. What is really heartbreaking about this case is that this was a clear case of mistaken identity and Hadiya Pendleton had nothing to do with these two gang members who thought they were on a revenge mission. Michael ward has confessed and indicated that hadiya was not the intended target. In fact, the offenders had it all wrong. They thought the group they shot into included members of a rival gang. Instead, a group of upstanding determined kids who, like hadiya, were repulsed by the gang lifestyle. Reporter police were able to solve this by canvassing the neighborhood and getting tips from people in the neighborhood. No witnesses came forward, a disappointment according to chicago police. A 40,000 reward on the table. And this was a case that was broadcast every day for the last two weeks. Hoping somebody would step up to be a key witness. That didnt happen. They are pleased that they were able to make these arrests and got a partial conversion. Thank you, ted. Other stories making news this morning. This morning, new information about why Pope Benedict xvi decided it was time to step down. At a News Conference minutes ago, the vatican saying the pope is not suffering from any specific disease. He just doesnt feel he has the strength to continue. And the pope has been thinking about resignation for a year. Lots of names mentioned as possibilities to replace him. Today, we have an idea of when the new pope will replace him. Following developments live from vatican city. What have be learned in the News Conference . Reporter good morning, john. In fact, father Frederico Lombardi is holding the News Conference, and providing a few details. Not a whole lot new. A few bits of information that are helping us to figure out what is going to happen here in the next few days. One of the things he said is that as you mentioned that there was no specific illness involved in the popes decision to resign. He did say that the pope had had his pacemaker battery replaced recently. A normal operation, no problems. Some of the Italian Press speculating that perhaps there was a problem with that operation. And another thing that they talked about was the idea that the popes last general audience will be wednesday, the 27th of february and that will be the last big public audience before he resigned on the 28th, and i im willing to bet this is just speculation on my part, that most of the college of cardinals will want to be here for that. A chance to have a sendoff for the pope, a very public sendoff for the pope and then after the 28th, he will go first to the papal summer residence and then new details about the monday astery within t y monaster vatican where he will take up residence after the summer home. It is where a number of religious figures have retired. It has been remodeled slightly and has a chapel in it. So many steps of historymaking steps going on at vatican city over the next month and a half. Well speak with Cardinal Donald wuerl, named as a possibility of the cardinals that could become the next pope. Check out this picture, a lightning bolt struck the dome at the vatican just hours after the popes announcement. A sign . Filthy conditions and a low supply of food on the Carnival Cruiseship. That ship anded back on land on thursday. 4,200 people on board will be towed to a port in mobile, alabama. The definition of american hero. Clint romesha awarded the medal of honor. He received the highest military honor for defending his outpost in afghanistan against all odds during a taliban attack. He says u. S. A high honor and a heavy burden. I stand here with mixed emotions of both joy and sadness. The joy comes from recognition for us doing our jobs as soldiers on distant battlefields. But its countered by the constant reminder of the loss of our battle buddies. Somber man. A somber and serious ceremony. But romeshas just adorable son stole the show with his antics. Playing hide and seek with the press. Dogs for days, primped pooches strutting to win over judges at the Westminster Dog Show in new york. Best in show will be crowned tonight. Judges picked winners in four categories, best of sporting, working, and terrier groups coming up today. Terriers hope to continue their unfounded dominance at the dog show. Its so great. I have never gone in person. I have. A lot of times. One of the stories they make you cover again and again and again. Ahead this morning, well continue to talk about north korea, they say their overnight nuclear test in response to u. S. Hostility and that stronger actions could be on the horizon. The question . What is the threat to National Security . Up next, well talk to north korean expert gordon chang. And the navy s. E. A. L. That he killed Osama Bin Laden says the military has turned its back on him. Has he been abandoned, that, straight ahead. [ female announcer ] today, jason is here to volunteer to help those in need. When a twinge of back pain surprises him. Morning starts in high spirits, but theres a growing pain in his lower back. As lines grow longer, his pain continues to linger. But after a long day of helping others, he gets some helpful advice. Just two aleve have the strength to keep back pain away all day. Today, jason chose aleve. Just two pills for all day pain relief. Try aleve d for strong, all day long sinus and headache relief. Welcome back. New overnight. North korea confirming a third successful nuclear test. Say its a defensive measure against the United States for hostile activity against their country. The u. N. Security council calling an emergency meeting, it will take place less than two hours from now. Gordon chen joins us. Author of nuclear showdown. What has been done, 11 times more powerful than what was done in 2009. What does that clearly reveal to you about north koreas access and where they might be going . It reveals they have crossed a critical technical threshold. A powerful device, may be miniature. Remember, in december, they crossed another threshold, another launch of a threestage myself ill. You put these two together, and you can see why north korea is making its a real threat. U. S. Run by a militant, unstable regime. A problem, not just for north koreas neighbors, but the United States as well. U. N. Security Council Called a meeting that will take place in less than two hours. What happens in the meeting . What should happen . I think what should happen is crippling sanctions on north korea, the Security Council not willing to do because of china. We can people say north koreas been sanctioned out, nothing more we can do. Thats not true. In 2005 the United States put on the financial sanctions which hut north korea. We took them off in 2007, so there is a lot more than we can do. Are you seeing changes in china. Very supportive. But here is the an article, an editorial that ran in the china staterun newspaper global times. If north korea insists on a Third Nuclear test despite attempts to dissuade it, it must pay a heavy price. We are not advocating giving up the sino north korea friendship. But pyongyang shouldnt misread china, china wont put its relations with pyongyang above other strategic interests. Thats fairly harshly worded. It is. A good rhetorical shift. We need china to go for tough sanctions and enforce those sanctions. Right now, china has been letting the North Koreans sell a lot of Missile Technology to the iranians, crossing over chinese territory. April 15th last year, in the big military parade in pyongyang, six chinese missile launchers sold to pyongyang. We need to have some important conversations with china, weve not been willing to do that in the past. You mentioned iran. Quickly, lets talk about that. Iran getting access to the opportunities that north korea is creating and being successful with. What happens there . In 2006 2009, iranians on site in north korea for the two Previous Nuclear tests. North korea Sells Everything it develops to the irianians, longrange Ballistic Missiles, nuclear reactors, processed uranium, you name it. This is a joint Nuclear WeaponsDevelopment Program in tehran and pyongyang. We need to stop those sales. Gordon chang, nice to have you back. We appreciate it. Thank you. You bet. The president mentioned the word jobs 42 times in the state of the union speech last year. Did he keep the promises he made . Christine romans will look at whether the president was true to his word or not, coming up next. Lets go. [ male announcer ] introducing the allnew cadillac xts. Another big night on the town, eh . And the return of life lived large. Welcome back, everybody. Were coming to you live from washington, d. C. , the president will give his state of the union speech. We are joined by wait a minute. Not yet. Nice to have you with us. John berman sticks around with us. The state of the union. Very strong today. The central theme for the president in his state of the Union Address, in fact, all of them, has been jobs, and the job market. And jobs is exactly what we are expecting that well hear about tonight. And the past year, the labor market has improved. But 12 Million People are still out of work. We want to begin with Christine Romans who breaks down the president s previous jobs promises. Good morning. The president in the same address issued the word jobs, 42 times. I ran the text of that speech through the word cloud. This word cloud. Shows the weight of all the words in the speech last year. Look at how jobs prevails. More weight than anything else except the word america. How has he done . 2 million jobs added. And the Unemploym