A new missile test by North Korea has failed according to Japanese and Korean sources. The Wednesday launch attempt did not appear to succeed, leading to egg on Dear Leader’s face, but there is a growing concern at the North’s increasing escalation of tensions in the region.

The United Kingdom and the United States have both banned laptops from being brought into cabins on flights from Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa. The new restriction was introduced citing concerns of terrorist attacks using laptops as IEDs. Apparently if an IED-laptop explodes in the aircraft luggage compartment that’s perfectly okay. 

Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to breeze through parliament’s vote on whether to consider a referendum on breaking away from the United Kingdom’s hard Brexit. Labelling it “unfair and utterly unsustainable”, the vote will allow Scotland progress towards a 2019 referendum, although approval from London will still be required. The light application of claymores in British parliament ought to do the trick.

In a rare moment of bipartisan lucidity, President Donald Trump has signed a law authorising Nasa to continue with a manned mission to Mars. Passed through Senate and the House of Representatives unanimously, the new law clears the way for a manned mission by 2030. No word though on how a Martian wall will be built.

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