UKRAINE - The report caught the attention of the Ukrainian State Space Agency, which released a statement saying that "any accusations" of Ukrainian agencies' contributing to North Korea's ballistic missile programs are "groundless." Yuzhmash – the Ukrainian factory directly mentioned in the western report (as "KB Yuzhnoye") published a statement on its official website. "The assumption of the authors of the publication and the 'expert' cited by them regarding the possible connection of Ukraine with the progress of the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] in the development of missile technologies are not relevanting[sic] to reality," it said, adding that it "expresses sincere regret" over the New York Times "provocative" article "based on an incompetent 'expert' opinion."

USA - When the US State Department supported Ukraine domestic forces and nationalist elements to stage a successful and deadly coup against then pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in 2014, the outcome was supposed to be a nation that is an undisputed US ally and persistent threat, distraction and non-NATO opponent to bordering Russia. Instead, it now appears that it has been Ukraine which was, as the NYT writes, the secret behind the success of North Korea's allegedly nuclear-capable ballistic missile program.

USA - Less than half of the bombers President Donald Trump would rely upon to be “locked and loaded” against North Korea could launch today if needed, according to the latest Air Force figures available.  That’s not a surprise to the bomb squadrons who have seen firsthand the combined effects of aircraft age, the demand of 15 years of air war operations and reduced budgets.

USA - As is often the case, most people wait until the last minute to prepare for the worst. As reported by CBS Detroit, one Army Surplus store owner reports that preparedness equipment is flying off the shelves: “We’ve been very busy.

CHINA - In a troubling repudiation of President Donald Trump’s demands that Beijing do more to rein in its bellicose neighbor, Beijing, through the state-owned media, cautioned the US president on Friday that it would intervene (militarily) on North Korea’s behalf if the US and South Korea launch a preemptive strike to “overthrow the North Korean regime,” according to a statement in the influential state-run newspaper Global Times. At the same time, the Chinese regime made it clear that its preferred outcome would be a continuation of the status quo, warning Kim Jong Un that it would "remain neutral if North Korea were to strike first."

USA - Alex Jones does an excellent job of describing how George Soros and his friends in the Deep State are working to bring race war to America – and why they are doing so. Here is my summary of the plan: Spend billions to create organizations with the purpose of arousing blacks against whites and whites against blacks. Then create street demonstrations to lead the followers of these groups into confrontation with each other. Then initiate violence to provoke retaliation from the victims who have no idea they have been set up as cannon fodder in what appears to be a genuine race war. Then send in the military to impose martial law to restore order. Then say farewell to what is left of Constitutional rights.

RUSSIA - Russia continues buying large quantities of gold. In July, Russia's Central Bank purchased 9.1 tons of gold. According to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, because of new US sanctions, Russia is forced to start developing a system, within which the dollar will not be needed. "Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia, in response to new US sanctions, is stepping up efforts to reduce dependence on the US dollar. Some believe that Russia, China and India will completely abjure international payments in dollars and euros. The president of Turkey also urged other nations to give up the US dollar and buy gold and lira instead. Forbes analysts write that the Bretton Woods system of finance, which made the dollar the world's largest currency since 1944, may collapse."

CANADA - According to a Canadian Broadcasting Company report in June 2013, birth control pill manufacturer Bayer paid out in excess of $1 billion to settle thousands of birth control pill lawsuits in the United States. Those settlements were all related to two low-dose contraception pills, Yaz and Yasmin. At the same time, an investigation by the CBC revealed that pharmacists suspected the deaths of 23 Canadian women were attributable to those two same pills. 

USA - Today’s teenagers are known for spending hours on end holed-up in their bedrooms scrolling through Instagram feeds and snapchatting with their friends. Professor Jean Twenge from San Diego State University says there has been an abrupt shift in teen behaviours since 2012 and believes young people are on the brink of the worst mental health crisis in decades.

ISRAEL - The Israel Defense Forces is tackling the threat posed by tunnels that Hamas builds from Gaza into Israel by constructing a massive barrier. The project, estimated to cost 3 billion shekels ($833 million), will include a concrete wall fitted with sensors and reaching dozens of meters deep into the ground and standing six meters high from ground level.  

ISRAEL - Mossad Director Yossi Cohen briefed the cabinet Sunday, warning that the Iranian regime is expanding its control across the Middle East through proxy forces in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. "In places where Iran's presence is limited, Iran is working to fill the void." he said. Cohen also said that Iran has not abandoned its aspirations to become a nuclear power, and that the nuclear agreement signed between the world powers and Iran only strengthens Iranian aggression in the region. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said during the discussion that Cohen's assessment proves that the agreement between the major world powers and Iran was fundamentally unsound, and noted that Israel is not obligated in any way to the international agreements signed by Iran.

USA - US President Donald Trump will send three envoys to the region in the coming days, hoping that talks which ended a crisis on the Temple Mount last month have provided an opportunity for broader dialogue on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Two of his aides leading the peace effort – Jason Greenblatt and Jared Kushner – will be joined on this trip by Dina Powell, an Egyptian-American who is the US deputy national security adviser for strategy. They will meet with leadership from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and report back to the president, a White House official said. Trump “believes that the restoration of calm and the stabilized situation in Jerusalem after the recent crisis on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif has created an opportunity to continue discussions and the pursuit of peace that began early in his administration,” the official said.

USA - Jason Greenblatt, Jared Kushner and Dina Powell are due in the region in the coming weeks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday morning that the US delegation due to arrive in Israel to attempt to restart peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, will be "welcome, as always." Kushner's wide-ranging portfolio includes the brokering of a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. According to a statement from the White House announcing the visit, Trump has been "personally committed to reaching a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians."

USA - Mohammed Abed, a California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) tenure-track professor of ethics, social & political philosophy, and classical Islamic philosophy believes that genocide of white racists is “morally required”. Mohammed Abed claims that sometimes you just have to commit genocide to save the world from the evil people…like white racists. [So, who are the ‘white racists’ of today who must be murdered out of obedience to morality? Abed does not say, but we are safe in assuming it includes anyone who supports Donald Trump, the Republican Party, and especially anyone who wants to stop mass immigration from Muslim countries.]

USA - As if there weren't enough geopolitical and social stress points in the world to fill a lifetime of "sleepy, vacationy" Augusts, late on Friday night President Trump spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping and told him that he's preparing to order an investigation into Chinese trade practices next week, according to NBC. Politico confirms that Trump is ready to launch a new trade crackdown on China next week, citing an administration official, a step that Trump delayed two weeks ago under the guidance of his new Chief of Staff General Kelly, but now appears imminent. It is also an escalation which most analysts agree will launch a trade war between Washington and Beijing. For the sake of brevity, we will not discuss another, more troubling, aspect of conventional wisdom, namely that trade wars almost inevitably lead to real wars. Aside for the US military industrial complex, there are no winners there.