SYRIA United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres may want the UN Security Council's new Syrian ceasefire to begin "immediately," but it looks like he'll have to content himself with a Russian plan for a partial humanitarian ceasefire instead. Guterres is also throwing his weight behind a French idea for the five veto-holding members of the Security … Continue reading Middle East update: February 26 2018

ASIA AFGHANISTAN Three Taliban attacks overnight between Friday and Saturday left at least 20 Afghan soldiers dead across southern Afghanistan. Of those, at least 18 were killed in one attack on a checkpoint in Farah province early Saturday morning. Two suicide attacks in Helmand province resulted in the other casualties. Another three people were killed … Continue reading World update: February 24-25 2018

SYRIA On Saturday, the United Nations Security Council finally managed to get everybody on the same page and unanimously voted to establish a 30 day humanitarian ceasefire in Damascus's battered Eastern Ghouta suburb. The fighting there started again on Sunday: A new United Nations resolution demanding a cease-fire across Syria appeared to have little effect … Continue reading Middle East update: February 24-25 2018

We're going to go with a single update again today, mostly because your bloghost is not feeling so hot today but also because I think we can get away with it. MIDDLE EAST SYRIA Turkish forces shelled a convoy heading into Afrin on Friday (killing at least one person) that was carrying...well, take your pick. … Continue reading World update: February 23 2018

Lots going on here today so I'm going to try to get through everything in one post. MIDDLE EAST SYRIA The Turkish government expects to start facilitating the return of Syrian refugees to Afrin just as soon as it takes that enclave from the YPG. Which should happen, uh, any day now, I'm sure. I … Continue reading World update: February 22 2018

ASIA PAKISTAN Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's ban on holding political office also prevents him from serving as leader of his PML-N party. It also nullified all decisions he's taken as party leader since the ban was put in place last year, including candidate selection. This could put … Continue reading World update: February 21 2018

SYRIA DEVELOPING: An AP story hit after I posted that's worth a mention. Sweden and Kuwait are calling for a Thursday vote in the UN Security Council on a resolution that would impose a 30 day humanitarian ceasefire throughout Syria. Russia has reportedly been arguing against it, saying (and this isn't wrong) that the UN has … Continue reading Middle East update: February 21 2018

EUROPE RUSSIA Hey Russians! A new viral video wants to let you know that you need to vote for Vladimir Putin--or, you know, somebody else I guess--in Russia's presidential election next month or else, uh, you'll have to take in a gay tenant? Wait, what the hell- The video is set on 17 March, the … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: February 19-20 2018

ASIA AZERBAIJAN James Dorsey writes that the contest between Iran and Saudi Arabia for influence in the Islamic world has expanded to Azerbaijan: The two countries’ latest battleground is oil-rich Azerbaijan, an authoritarian, majority Shia Muslim but secular former Soviet republic on Iran’s northern border with a substantial ethnic population in Iran itself. Recent Saudi … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: February 19-20 2018

SYRIA Before we talk about Turkey and Syria potentially going to war in Afrin, I think we should say something about Eastern Ghouta, where over 250 people are believed to have been killed since Sunday thanks primarily to airstrikes and artillery blasts from forces aligned with Bashar al-Assad. Assuming these figures are accurate, always a … Continue reading Middle East update: February 19-20 2018