North Korea has apparently conducted its third nuclear test. It claims that it has developed a smaller version of a nuclear bomb, one that can be placed on a missile warhead, a capability that raises great anxiety among most nations in the world. There are already severe sanctions on North Korea, so it’s not clear what additional measures could be applied to persuade the government to slow down its weapons capabilities. The Chinese, the lone supporter of the regime, has announced its strong opposition to the test, but it remains to be seen whether China will exert any greater pressure.
The G-20, the group of 20 countries that comprise the lion’s share of the world’s wealth, is meeting in Moscow next week, and the major concern of the group is the looming prospect of a currency war. It singled out Japan as a country that has initiated this worrying process. The Japanese has in fact devalued their currency substantially and its stock market has responded very positively to that move. But it is not a remedy that can be applied globally.
China has increased its naval presence in the Indian Ocean by building a port in the Pakistani city of Gwadar. Indeed, China is building a series of ports that some have dubbed the “string of pearls” in an apparent reference to their strategic effect of encircling India. The Indians are very concerned about this capability, but Chinese naval power is not yet strong enough to pose a serious threat to Indian interests in the Indian Ocean.
World Politics News 
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