ASIA AFGHANISTAN An Afghan special forces operation in Helmand province early Thursday morning reportedly freed 103 people being held in two Taliban prisons there. The Afghan military says that four Taliban fighters were killed. Meanwhile, the US military says that Taliban leaders are engaged in secret peace talks with Afghan officials and other parties to … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: May 31 2018

SYRIA Bashar al-Assad must be feeling pretty good about himself, because in an interview with Russia Today that was broadcast on Thursday he threatened to attack northeastern Syria if the Kurds won't agree to return it to government control, whether US solders are in the way or not. Assad cited the example of Iraq as … Continue reading Middle East update: May 31 2018

I'll be out most of the late afternoon/evening so you're getting a short midday update today. MIDDLE EAST SYRIA Turkish media declared on Wednesday that US and Turkish officials have reached a deal to remove the YPG from Manbij. Getting the Kurds out of Manbij would avoid a potential Turkish assault on that town, which … Continue reading World update: May 30 2018

EUROPE RUSSIA Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko, who had to flee to Ukraine in 2016 in the face of death threats because of his criticism of the Russian government, died on Tuesday in Kiev of natural causes. Well, "natural causes" for a critic of Vladimir Putin--he was gunned down outside his apartment building. An investigation is underway … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: May 29 2018

ASIA GEORGIA Syria on Tuesday became the fifth nation in the world to recognize the "republics" of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which declared independence from Georgia in 2008, as independent states, following Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Nauru. All the great powers. Anyway, I'm sure Vladimir Putin appreciates the gesture, but Bashar al-Assad isn't getting off … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: May 29 2018

SYRIA An anonymous "pro-Assad commander" in Syria says that the Syrian army is ready to invade Daraa. The United States says it better not. Russia says only the army itself should invade, without its Iran-backed allies. Rebels in the southwest Syrian enclave say they see no sign that the army is preparing to invade and … Continue reading Middle East update: May 29 2018

In the interest of the Memorial Day holiday, today's update(s) may be a little shorter and/or earlier than usual. ASIA AFGHANISTAN The Taliban's "governor" of Helmand province has been overheard (his communications were intercepted) ordering the closure of all opium processing facilities in populated areas in the province, citing civilian deaths caused by US airstrikes … Continue reading World update: May 28 2018

In the interest of the Memorial Day holiday, today's update(s) may be a little shorter and/or earlier than usual. SYRIA Presumably confirming that a Syrian offensive against Daraa is imminent, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters on Monday that only Syrian military personnel should occupy that area, which abuts Syria's disputed border with Israel. … Continue reading Middle East update: May 28 2018

EUROPE RUSSIA Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe met on Saturday in Moscow to try to end World War II. No, seriously. Japan and Russia/the Soviet Union never signed a peace treaty at the end of that war because they couldn't agree on the final status of the Kuril Islands, a … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: May 26-27 2018

ASIA AFGHANISTAN A Taliban suicide attack against an army base in Helmand province on Sunday killed at least two Afghan soldiers. On Saturday, Afghan authorities opened a 12 day period to register candidates for parliamentary and district council elections this October. This vote is three years overdue and still may be disrupted by the Taliban … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: May 26-27 2018