CLIMATE CHANGESo the good news is that the Trump administration has its very own plan to deal with climate change, one that will replace that dummy Barack Obama's climate plan. Which is fine, Obama's climate plan wasn't nearly as drastic as the situation requires. The problem, though, is that Donald Trump's plan to deal with … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: January 16 2019

ASIA AFGHANISTAN Afghan Taliban leaders say they're taking pressure from Pakistani authorities to reengage in peace talks with the United States and ultimately the Afghan government. One senior Taliban commander was reportedly arrested in Peshawar by the Pakistanis over the weekend (he was later released) and Taliban safehouses in Pakistan have apparently been targeted by … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: January 16 2019

SYRIAIn an attack that could have major ramifications for US Syria policy, an ISIS suicide bomber on Wednesday struck a military patrol in Manbij. There are multiple conflicting casualty reports but at least 16 people appear to have been killed in the blast and likely more than that, with at least four of them being … Continue reading Middle East update: January 16 2019

EUROPE EUROPEAN UNION US and European Union negotiators will begin talking about trade issues later this year, but it already looks like they're going to have a pretty rough time reaching an accord: The EU’s executive body will meet Tuesday to firm up the bloc’s parameters for talks expected to launch later this year. It … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: January 15 2019

ASIA AFGHANISTAN The Taliban issued a statement on Tuesday warning that it will withdraw from peace talks with the US unless Washington commits to the talks with "sincere intentions." I'm going to be honest here and say I have no idea what they're talking about and in fact it's beginning to seem like the Taliban … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: January 15 2019

SYRIA A cold winter is making life hell for displaced Syrians in camps in Lebanon and inside Syria: At least 15 children have died in Syria because of a lack of medical care and inadequate living conditions for displaced people amid freezing temperatures, the UN has said, warning that more deaths are likely to follow. … Continue reading Middle East update: January 15 2019

ASIA AFGHANISTAN A car bombing near the international area of Kabul killed at least four people and wounded another 90 on Monday. There's been no claim of responsibility. The Taliban later claimed responsibility. Further talks between US and Taliban representatives are now at risk over the site of the negotiations. The Taliban, which has a diplomatic … Continue reading World update: January 14 2019

SYRIA Turkish officials spent the day responding to At Real Donald Trump's threat to crater their economy if they attack the Kurdish YPG militia after the US leaves Syria (assuming it does in fact leave). For example, here's a close adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: https://twitter.com/ikalin1/status/1084600728512016386 Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu criticized Trump's … Continue reading Middle East update: January 14 2019

EUROPE SERBIA Thousands of people took to the streets of Belgrade to protest against Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić for the sixth Saturday in a row this weekend. Demonstrators are demanding that Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party stop stifling press freedoms and attacking opposition leaders, and they're preemptively expressing opposition to any deal Vučić might … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: January 12-13 2019

ASIA AFGHANISTAN The Taliban killed at least five Afghan police officers in an attack on a checkpoint in Kandahar province on Saturday. In Herat province, a suspected Taliban attack on a police station left at least five more people dead. The New York Times reports on one of the many problems facing the Afghan government if … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: January 12-13 2019