Well, that didn’t take too long.  For those who might not be familiar with the key issue in the breakdown of prior six-party talks (China, Russia, DPRK, S-Korea, Japan and U.S.), the issue was “denuclearization”.
Both China and Russia have just announced a shift in their public policy.  Together Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin agree the goal for the Korean Peninsular should be denuclearization:

BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Sunday to “appropriately deal with” the latest nuclear test by North Korea, state news agency Xinhua said.
“The two leaders agreed to stick to the goal of denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula and keep close communication and coordination to deal with the new situation,” Xinhua said in a brief dispatch.

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CTH holds a fundamentally different view of China and North Korea than most.  Our position is based on independent research and a lengthy following of patterns between the two which show predictable cause and effect outcomes.
It is our position that while the DPRK is technically an independent nation; in reality, and in quintessential economic terms, North-Korea is more accurately defined as a province of China, and not an independent nation.  What China authorizes Kim Jong-un (North Korea) to do, Kim Jong-un does.  “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-un is better described as a provincial governor, who serves a specific function as a tool against the West.

History will observe the key date for President Trump’s strategic victory over North Korea was achieved on August 5th, 2017.  That’s the original date when Russia and China agreed to the U.N. Security Council’s economic sanctions against North Korea.  That first, historic, Russia and China U.N. Security Council vote against North Korea came as a result of eight months of assembled economic leverage created by President Donald Trump.
As a result of President Trump’s strategy, every time North Korea’s Kim Jong-un takes an action, President Trump hits China’s Xi Jinping with an additional economic action. As Beijing feels the squeeze, they tell Kim Jong-un to act. Every time Kim Jong-un acts, President Trump squeezes Beijing with more economic pressure.  Wash-Rinse-Repeat.
Communist Beijing has boxed themselves into this inescapable cycle.  The reason they keep authorizing Kim Jong-un to take action is simply because China has no alternative leverage to use against President Trump.  China has nothing in their economic arsenal they can use to hit back against President Trump, so Beijing keeps using North Korea in an attempt to create leverage.
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Two seismic events happening in North Korea are suspected to be a nuclear test.  The first event was reportedly measured at a 5.6 Richter Scale magnitude. The second event is being reported at 6.3.  Both seismic events are potentially related to a nuclear detonation:

SEOUL (Reuters) – An earthquake 5.6 was recorded on Sunday in North Korea near the country’s known nuclear test site Punggye-ri, Yonhap news agency reported, citing South Korea’s meteorological agency.
The quake appeared to have been man-made, Yonhap quoted the agency as saying, suggesting the isolated country had conducted a sixth nuclear test. (read more)

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

There are a lot of heroes in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey; from the local first-responders to the Cajun Navy, to the ordinary American who just makes a commitment to help their neighbor – even when that neighbor might be a thousand miles away.   There are a ton of great uplifting stories that make us all proud to be American.
One of those groups is the Texas military and Air National Guard, and when the sun goes down, they don’t quit.  Even right now, moments ago, in the middle of the night, they are on patrol as earthly angels rescuing people in the dark of night.  Stunningly incredible people….. Truly the pride of Texas.

Sunset doesn’t stop these crews from continuing to answer rescue calls and search for people in remote flooded areas; places where the media cannot reach.  Obscure rescue stories that will never make the media headlines.
Just people, ordinary people, ordinarily quiet invisible Americans who now need assistance, and the intensely brave men and women of the U.S. military who are answering those calls.  God Bless these people.
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President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at the National Guard Armory in Lake Charles, Louisiana to thank the military, first-responders and Cajun Navy prior to meeting with those impacted by TS Harvey and the subsequent Louisiana flooding.
First Lady Melania arrives with La/FLOTUS ball cap, and Governor John Bel Edwards  immediately says: “I love your hat”.

Last week the insufferable left-wing media pounced on First Lady Melania Trump for exiting the White House en route to Texas wearing stiletto heels.  Today, our First Lady sent a subtle message in response.
Subtle, like a brick through a window…


After our President and our First Lady departed the White House armed with the messaging of a beautiful pair of snakeskin stiletto’s, our first family arrives in Texas.
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Prior to departing Texas for Louisiana, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump thanked various branches of the military, including several dozen pilots from Coast Guard, Army and Marines, for their united rescue efforts which saved the lives of thousands.
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Lara Trump shares the week in review from the President Trump administration.  Topics include Hurricane Harvey response, economic news including the Tax Reform proposal and the geopolitical threat from North Korea’s aggression.