Headlines:

• North Korea is no Iran
• The Jewish entity targets Hezbollah facilities in Syria
• G20 Financial Meeting

North Korea is no Iran

North Korean state media said Kim Jong Un oversaw a powerful new rocket engine test at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground. US President Donald Trump on Sunday criticised North Korean leader, saying he was “acting very, very badly Kim is reported to have said  “that the whole world will soon witness what eventful significance the great victory won today carries.” North Korea has beyond doubt what the US would label WMD’s, yet the US response is one of rhetoric, a response vastly different to that of the bush administration when it came to Iraq and Iran. The US had jumped at the chance to invade and occupy a prized oil rich nation where as the only strategic importance North Korea has is that it, for the US, justifies vast amounts of expenditure on defence and military hardware and is in the vicinity of China. As a result of these self-serving interests, the US is more than happy to speak strong words in place of boots on the ground.

The Jewish entity targets Hezbollah facilities in Syria

This week saw the greatest escalation in violence between the Jewish entity and Syria where the Jewish entity fired various rockets at targets within Government controlled areas. Despite Russia calling on its Israeli ambassador to explain its actions, the Jewish entity has defended its actions as it claims to have stopped the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah. It has thus far found itself incapable of influencing the conflict across arguably its most stable border in recent years. Whilst mainstream media has used to highlight a negative relation between both nations, the Jewish entity knows the Assad regime to be its most trustworthy ally. What the Jewish entity fears, however is Iran and Hezbollah who in actuality guide and equip the regime forces and fears an Assad-less Syria.

G20 Financial Meeting

Financial ministers from the world’s biggest economies have abandoned their pledge to renounce protectionist policies in a meeting largely related to trade between the US and others. Although far from explicit, the decision to ‘resist all forms of protectionism’ came in the form of a lighter outlook towards the commitment to free-trade. This unprecedented sentiment indicates a growing movement towards economic nationalism, led by the likes of Donald Trump. While representatives from China were particularly vocal in urging forthright language on protectionism, the US was unwilling to comply, in a turnaround from America’s traditional position as a standard-bearer for globalised capitalism. Japan was said to be one of the few countries that struck a more supportive tone towards the US approach. Speaking after the meetings Mr Mnuchin played down the differences and said he had not felt bound by language in past communiqués. “We could not be happier with the outcome — we had consensus among the group,” he said. The US, he said, was now focused on the fact that it had trade deficits and, while it would continue trading, it wanted to reduce those shortfalls over time. “We do have a new administration and a different view on trade,” he said.