North Korea Clearly Wants to Test Trump

The timing is key. “North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward the sea off its eastern coast on Sunday, in what South Korea called the North’s first attempt to test President Trump’s policy on the isolated country. A projectile believed to be a modified version of the North’s intermediate-range ballistic missile Musudan took off at 7:55 a.m. from Banghyon, a town near North Korea’s northwestern border with China, and flew 310 miles before falling in the sea, the South Korean military said. Earlier, the United States Strategic Command issued a statement identifying the missile as a medium- or intermediate-range system that “did not pose a threat to North America.” South Korea condemned the missile launching, saying that it violated a series of United Nations Security Council resolutions that bar North Korea from developing or testing ballistic missile and nuclear weapons technologies. It also said the North had launched the missile to raise tensions over its weapons programs and to use it as leverage in dealing with the Trump administration.”  (NYT http://nyti.ms/2lxSM9y)
Bye Bye Bibi? Police are likely to recommend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is indicted following an investigation into bribery allegations…The leader is accused of accepting of tens of thousands of dollars in gifts – including suits and cigars – from wealthy businessmen. He has vigorously denied any wrongdoing. Details of the probes into Mr Netanyahu have been scarce, and it was reported in June that the Chief of the Israeli Police Roni Alsheikh had demanded they be conducted in total secrecy.”  (The Independent http://ind.pn/2l3FZv2)

 

Is Gross National Happiness the new GDP? (Global Dispatches podcast http://bit.ly/2l7MRqT)
From the World Government Summit: Can Governments Make You Happy? (UN Dispatch http://bit.ly/2l3tDTv)