EUROPE CYPRUS Although reunification talks collapsed last week, observers say there are positives to take away from the negotiations. For one thing, Turkey showed more flexibility on the issue of its future military role on the island (there are reports they actually offered to give up any right to intervene to protect Turkish Cypriots, though … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: July 12-13 2017

ASIA GEORGIA It's nice to see, centuries after it was founded, that Russia is still finding ways to keep the empire growing: Just before President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin’s tête-à-tête at the G-20 on July 7, Russia quietly annexed “about 10 hectares” of Georgian territory on behalf of the Republic of South Ossetia, a … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: July 12-13 2017

IRAQ A number of things are happening on parallel tracks in Mosul. Most urgently, Iraqi forces are still mopping up pockets of ISIS holdouts and responding to multiple ISIS attacks on villages around Mosul. The village of Jaran was attacks on Wednesday and ISIS fighters still hold most of the village of Imam al-Gharbi. Many … Continue reading Middle East update: July 12-13 2017

I'm going to be totally honest here and say that there's really not much to talk about here beyond the spiraling-out-of-control Donald Trump Jr. situation. That's not really my area though I try to keep abreast of the story because it obviously has implications in international affairs, so what I'm saying is that this post … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: July 11 2017

ASIA AFGHANISTAN I'm going to start by repeating something I added to last night's update after it had posted, just in case people haven't seen it. It's about the Trump administration's still-developing plan for Afghanistan: President Trump’s advisers recruited two businessmen who profited from military contracting to devise alternatives to the Pentagon’s plan to send … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: July 11 2017

IRAQ As you may have heard, the Battle for Mosul is now officially over. Unfortunately, the fighting in Mosul is not. The United Nations estimates that some 3000 civilians, mostly disabled, elderly, and children, are still trapped in a small pocket of the Old City where several ISIS fighters are believed to be holed up. … Continue reading Middle East update: July 11 2017

EUROPE CYPRUS With reunification talks having collapsed, the Greek Cypriot government is moving forward with plans to begin offshore drilling amid the eastern Mediterranean's recently discovered oil and gas fields. This is not going over well in Turkey, whose government, in its dual role as protector of Turkish Cypriots and country that would like to … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: July 10 2017

ENVIRONMENT I never know where to slot environmental stories because they really affect everybody. But this update is a little short tonight, so we'll put it here. It's definitely good news, so don't worry or anything: A “biological annihilation” of wildlife in recent decades means a sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history is already well … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: July 10 2017

IRAQ Though I am reticent about these kinds of claims, I think it's safe to say at this point that the Battle for Mosul is over. A day after flying into the city in anticipation of declaring victory over ISIS, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday declared victory over ISIS. The anti-ISIS coalition agrees … Continue reading Middle East update: July 10 2017

NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT On Friday, 122 nations voted in the UN General Assembly in favor of a treaty banning nuclear weapons. None of those 122 countries actually possesses nukes--the nine nuclear nations, plus Japan, the NATO states, and a few other countries, all boycotted even the debate over the measure--so the vote is meaningless even by … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: July 7-9 2017