Embroiled in a nasty and unexpected trade war with the United States, Xi Jinping's leadership will be challenged in unanticipated ways at home and abroad. The Middle East will see alliances jumbled as it adjusts to the withdrawal of the United States as a major player. The North Korean threatJack Kim, chair of Han Voice, a non-profit human rights organization that helps North Korean refugees, says any discussion of North Korea requires "crystal-balling," as the regime of Kim Jong-un is so unpredictable by nature. [South Korean President] Moon Jae-in is almost pot-committed to rapprochement with the North as his administration's cornerstone policy. Trump, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their June 2018 summit in Singapore.

Source: CBC News January 10, 2019 09:00 UTC