IRAQ The main story here is that the final phase (or, I guess, the first part of the final phase) of the Mosul operation has begun. On Saturday, Iraqi forces began their effort to clear the last section of western Mosul, including the Old City, of ISIS insurgents. Federal police are still anchoring the line … Continue reading Middle East update: May 27-29 2017

WHEN THE KUSH HITS So, uh, you remember how, yesterday, Jared Kushner was just a "person of interest" in the FBI investigation into ties between the Trump 2016 campaign and the Russian government? Well, it seems he's a whole lot more interesting than the FBI made it seem: Jared Kushner and Russia’s ambassador to Washington … Continue reading Europe/Americas/World update: May 26 2017

PHILIPPINES Fighting between government forces and ISIS-aligned Islamist militants is ongoing in the southern city of Marawi, with yesterday's government artillery barrages and airstrikes apparently having done little to dislodge the insurgents. Philippine officials say that Abu Sayyaf boss Isnilon Hapilon, whose arrest they were seeking in the raid that started this whole situation earlier … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: May 26 2017

With the three day weekend I may--may--not be back until Monday. The downside of taking any significant time away from these updates is that it just makes the ones I have to write when I get started again that much longer. So I might sneak one in Sunday night just to keep Monday's from being … Continue reading Middle East update: May 26 2017

UNITED STATES Prime Minister Jared Kushner seems to be in a bit of a legal jam: Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and one of his senior advisers, has come under FBI scrutiny in the Russia investigation, multiple U.S. officials told NBC News. Investigators believe Kushner has significant information relevant to their inquiry, officials said. That … Continue reading Asia/Africa/Americas update: May 25 2017

UNITED KINGDOM Still a lot of things happening in the aftermath of Monday's terrorist bombing in Manchester, as you might expect. The UK is on edge, and so for example an unattended vehicle is enough to shut down the Westminster Bridge in London. The investigation has found "suspicious items" during an investigation of a house in … Continue reading Europe update: May 25 2017

SYRIA I don't want to alarm anybody, but those American strikes on Syrian government-aligned forces near Tanf last week may not be the end of the conflict there. The map below is a week old in terms of who controls what, but I think it will do for our purposes. The Syrian army has reportedly … Continue reading Middle East update: May 25 2017

UNITED KINGDOM We're learning more about the Manchester Arena bomber, Salman Abedi. French Interior Minister Gérard Collomb today said that Abedi did, in fact, have "proven" links to ISIS, and an unnamed US source told NBC that Abedi had known ties to al-Qaeda. It seems pretty certain that he'd recently been in Libya, and Collomb said that … Continue reading World update: May 24 2017

IRAQ Iraqi authorities are starting to climb down from their predictions that they would have Mosul fully liberated by the start of Ramadan, which is likely to be sundown on Friday. The assault on the Old City, ISIS's main remaining stronghold, hasn't even begun, and it would be a complete shock if the Iraqis were … Continue reading Middle East update: May 24 2017

UNITED KINGDOM Last night's suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena killed at least 22 people apart from the bomber and injured another 59. Several people remain missing so those figures could still change. It's the deadliest act of terrorism in the UK since the July 7 attack in 2015. An improvised explosive device filled with … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: May 23 2017