NORTH KOREA - North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression as a US Navy strike group steamed toward the western Pacific. US President Donald Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbor, said in a Tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without Beijing's help. Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test and after Washington said at the weekend it was diverting the aircraft carrier strike group Carl Vinson toward the Korean peninsula in a show of force.

CHINA - With everyone putting down new and/or revised "red lines", be it on Syria or North Korea, it was now China's turn to reveal its "red" or rather "bottom line", and in a harshly worded editorial titled "The United States Must Not Choose a Wrong Direction to Break the DPRK Nuclear Deadlock on Wednesday". Beijing warned it would attack North Korea's facilities producing nuclear bombs, effectively engaging in an act of war, if North Korea crosses China's "bottom line." The editorial in the military-focused Global Times tabloid, owned and operated by the Communist Party's People's Daily newspaper, said that North Korea’s nuclear activities must not jeopardize northeastern China, and that if the North impacts China with its illicit nuclear tests through either "nuclear leakage or pollution", then China will respond with force.

CHINA - A viral video showing an army of little orange robots sorting out packages in a warehouse in eastern China is the latest example of how machines are increasingly taking over menial factory work on the mainland. The machines are cheaper than human workers and are also more efficient and accurate in sorting out parcels, spokesman says. The machines can sort up to 200,000 packages a day and are self-charging, meaning they can operate around the clock.

MIDDLE EAST - A statement issued on Sunday by a joint command centre consisting of forces of Russian, Iranian and allied militia alliance supporting Syrian President Bashar al Assad said that Friday's US strike on the Syrian air base crossed “red lines” and it would "respond with force" to any new aggression while increasing their level of support to their ally.

USA - In his annual letter to shareholders, the chairman of America’s biggest bank expressed his concern about the consequences of Brexit, as well as the financial deregulation promised by Donald Trump’s administration. Jamie Dimon’s weighty letter is read every year by the planet’s top financiers, including multi-billionaire Warren Buffet. The boss of JP Morgan Chase this year focused on the increased geopolitical risks faced by the financial sector, particularly in Europe, still reeling from Brexit. The head of the world’s biggest bank by market capitalisation is concerned about the effect the UK’s exit from the EU will have on JP Morgan’s 20,000 UK employees, mainly based in the City of London.

USA - China and Russia are coming into the final stage of replacing the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency. The first step is to trade with each other in their own currencies. This will greatly reduce the impact of the current US economic sanctions against Russia. The US dollar will lose $59.5 billion in foreign-exchange support – and that is just the beginning.

USA - The US military has ordered a navy strike group to move towards the Korean peninsula, amid growing concerns about North Korea's missile programme. The Carl Vinson Strike Group comprises an aircraft carrier and other warships. US Pacific Command described the deployment - now heading towards the western Pacific - as a prudent measure to maintain readiness in the region. President Trump has said the US is prepared to act alone to deal with the nuclear threat from North Korea. "The number one threat in the region continues to be North Korea, due to its reckless, irresponsible and destabilising programme of missile tests and pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability," US Pacific Command spokesman Dave Benham said.

USA - The US airstrikes on Syria stoked new tensions with Iran and generated calls in Tehran for increased military support for President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Iranian officials said on Friday the US attack violated international law and accused President Donald Trump of siding with Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria. “Not even two decades after 9/11, [the] US military is fighting on same side as al-Qaeda & ISIS in Yemen & Syria,” Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted on Friday. “Time to stop hype and coverups.” Syria serves as Iran’s closest regional ally and the land bridge for Iranian supplies going to Lebanese and Palestinian militias at war with Israel.

ISRAEL - The drops of blood formed a long trail in one of the main plazas of Jerusalem’s Old City. This time it wasn’t a terror attack but it definitely was a sensitive event from a Middle Eastern perspective.

GERMANY - Cash is crucial, Germany's economy minister said on Wednesday, defending the role of notes and coins in a debate in Europe about the merits of limiting cash payments to counter terrorism. The European Commission is weighing stricter rules on the use of cash to cut terrorists' funding, and Germany's finance ministry - led by conservative Wolfgang Schaeuble - has said Berlin could imagine talking about a ceiling of 5,000 euros ($5,331.50).

USA - Marine fish provides 15 percent of all animal protein consumed by humans. Unfortunately, we may not have the luxury of eating fish much longer. While academics are forbidden, under threat, to share their findings on the actual health of the Pacific Ocean, stories of blue deserts void of life are popping up along the West Coast and other coastal regions around the world.

USA - When it comes to treating a serious illness, two brains are better than one. A new study finds that nearly 9 in 10 people who go for a second opinion after seeing a doctor are likely to leave with a refined or new diagnosis from what they were first told. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic examined 286 patient records of individuals who had decided to consult a second opinion, hoping to determine whether being referred to a second specialist impacted one’s likelihood of receiving an accurate diagnosis. The study, conducted using records of patients referred to the Mayo Clinic’s General Internal Medicine Division over a two-year period, ultimately found that when consulting a second opinion, the physician only confirmed the original diagnosis 12 percent of the time.

A hijacked truck has driven into crowds on a crowded street in central Stockholm, killing at least three people and injuring dozens more. The vehicle drove into crowds on Drottninggatan (Queen Street) - one of the city's major pedestrian streets, just before 3pm local time, before crashing into Åhlens Mall.

USA - Rumors of war are percolating in Washington DC, and if the Trump administration is not extremely careful it may find itself fighting several disastrous wars simultaneously. Just one day after threatening North Korea with war, Donald Trump has committed to taking military action against the Assad regime in Syria. Trump is blaming the chemical attack in Syria’s Idlib province on Tuesday on the Syrian government, and he is pledging that the United States will not just sit by and do nothing in response. Unfortunately for all of us, military contingents from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah are mixed in among the Syrian forces, and so any strike on the Syrian military could potentially spark World War 3.

RUSSIA - In an unexpected, unprecedented and curious move, Moscow on Thursday said it considers West Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital, making Russia the first country in the world to extend such a recognition to any part of the city.