SYRIA At least one international investigation into the April 4 Khan Shaykhun chemical weapons attack has concluded that the Syrian government was responsible for the incident. The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria said in a report released Wednesday that the incident was one of 27 times they've concluded that Bashar al-Assad's forces have … Continue reading Middle East update: September 6 2017

EUROPE RUSSIA At the BRICS summit in China on Tuesday, Vladimir Putin said that Donald Trump is "not my bride." This huge revelation was Putin's way of saying he's not disappointed with Trump because "disappointment" isn't a thing that world leaders should be with one another. In that sense I actually agree with him. Putin … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: September 4-5 2017

ASIA AFGHANISTAN Two "gunmen" were killed by NATO helicopters on Monday in the Qarabagh neighborhood in Kabul. I put "gunmen" in quotes because there are reports that there was an engagement party happening in the vicinity, and it just so happens that one thing Afghan men like to do at engagement parties is to shoot … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: September 4-5 2017

IRAQ A spat between Baghdad and Erbil is threatening to delay the start of the Hawijah operation. Specifically, the Kurds are objecting to a role for the Popular Mobilization Units in this next offensive, but the PMUs and the Iraqi government seem committed to their participation. The Kurds are threatening to bar Iraqi units from … Continue reading Middle East update: September 4-5 2017

EUROPE RUSSIA Russia has vacated the three US diplomatic posts it was ordered to vacate last week, but the Kremlin is making sure everybody knows how Mad it is about having to do so: “We treat these developments as a blatantly hostile act, a grave violation by Washington of international law,” the Russian foreign ministry … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: September 2-3 2017

NORTH KOREA WELP. On Saturday, North Korea's KCNA news agency reported that the country's nuclear scientists and engineers had developed a hydrogen bomb capable of being fitted into a missile warhead. North Korea watchers kind of shrugged at this--it's not believed that Pyongyang had ever tested a hydrogen (i.e., thermonuclear or two-stage) bomb, and getting … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: September 2-3 2017

IRAQ On Saturday, at least three ISIS attackers struck a power plant near Samarra. Four policemen and three workers were killed and the station had to be shut down after one of the attackers detonated his suicide vest. Patrick Wing has a rundown of the casualty figures in Iraq for the month of August: While … Continue reading Middle East update: September 2-3 2017

In an effort to not be up until 2 AM for a change, and in the absence of what seems to be much major news out of Europe or the Americas, I'm going to wrap things up early today and call it a night. Thanks for reading! ASIA UZBEKISTAN Uzbekistan has dramatically reduced the size … Continue reading World update: September 1 2017

In an effort to not be up until 2 AM for a change, I'm going to try wrapping things up early today and see how that goes. I don't want to say this could be the new normal, but for my own sanity I may start trying to get these updates out a little earlier … Continue reading Middle East update: September 1 2017

EUROPE RUSSIA In response to Russia ordering the US mission in that country to reduce its staff from 1200 to 455 people earlier this month, the State Department on Thursday ordered Russia to close three of its offices in the US: a consulate in San Francisco and two annexes in New York City and Washington … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: August 31 2017