World Events Summary: 13th-19th February 2018

Mueller Indicts: 13 Russian were named in an extremely detailed explanation of the process by which the Russian government sought to harm Hillary Clinton and provoke distrust in U.S. government / institutions. No American citizen was named as knowingly helping and no collusion with the Trump campaign was shown. Trump claimed this as a vindication, but it cleared no-one under investigation. 

Netanyahu Troubles: Israeli police have recommended charging the prime minister in cases dealing with corruption and breach of trust. Netanyahu has adopted tactics similar to Trump – blame the opposition, blame the ‘elite’ and declare the process to be flawed. He has also ratcheted up the tension in regional foreign policy by rhetorically targeting Iran and reiterating red-lines in Syria. 

U.S. Trade: Wilbur Ross, Commerce Secretary, declared that investigations into imports of steel and aluminum found that they threaten to imperil national security. This opens the way for some harsh unilateral action by the Trump team. Lawyers are reported to be hard at work preparing measures which will be secure from legal challenge in the U.S. While China is still trying to prevent a trade war.