1. As North Korean leader Kim Jong Un prepares his 2020 New Year’s address, his big challenge will be: (a) finding a thesaurus with more adjectives to praise President Trump for canceling U.S. military exercises; (b) planning a high-speed railway line between Seoul and Pyongyang, despite protests from the United States; (c) finding a graceful way to remove spy chief Kim Yong Chol as the channel to the United States and have someone else talk with envoy Steve Biegun; (d) avoiding military incidents at sea and in the air with U.S. and Japanese forces.
2. By the end of 2019, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will: (a) take the additional title of prime minister and declare elections for a Saudi parliament; (b) hand over day-to-day power to Minister of State Musaed al-Aiban, who promises to rescue collapsing investment in Saudi Arabia; (c) go into exile at a Seychelles Islands resort owned by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi; (d) hold a secret meeting with Iranian leaders in Oman — with Russian sponsorship — to discuss terms for regional stability.
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