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June 2018

A South Korean news agency is reporting that three of North Korea's top military officials have been replaced, just a few short weeks ahead of the June 12 Peace Summit between the US and that nation.
The report by the Yonhap news agency, citing an intelligence source, could not be independently verified. But, if confirmed, the move could suggest a direct intervention by Kim to remove military brass possibly at odds with his outreach to the United States and its ally, South Korea.

The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of the Colorado baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple. From USA Today:
The verdict criticized the state's treatment of Jack Phillips' religious objections to gay marriage, ruling that a civil rights commission was biased against him. As a result, the decision did not resolve whether other opponents of same-sex marriage, such as florists and photographers, can refuse commercial wedding services to gay couples.

Islamist groups have adopted new strategies to gain influence in Germany, a report by the intelligence agency of the German state of Baden-Württemberg disclosed. Instead of taking on the powerful government establishment or law enforcement head on, they have adopted a 'legalistic strategy' to achieve their political objectives.

From June 16-23 the General Assembly (GA) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will meet in St. Louis where delegates will consider for passage at least eight Israel-related resolutions. By contrast, in terms of its Middle East coverage, the GA is slated to consider only one overture “responding to the current Syrian crisis” and one responding to the devastating humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

One of the things that struck me about this article excoriating Alan Dershowitz for his recent defense (not support, but defense) of Trump is that author Elie Mystal doesn't actually engage in any detail with the substance of Dershowitz's arguments. Mystal's attack on Dershowitz (and Trump, for that matter) is ad hominem. I assume we're just supposed to take what the author says at face value. Or perhaps he assumes that if we're reading him at all, we already agree with him.

President Donald Trump's move to impose tariff on steel and aluminum imports from Europe has triggered sharp response from the EU, Germany and France. President Trump's decision to apply the duties of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum was in response to long-standing European customs duties on U.S. imports.