Planet Watch
Ice Age fears: don’t believe the hype
Russia Today trumpets specious claims of a new Little Ice Age—convenient propaganda for Putin to go on exploiting Arctic oil without worrying about global warming.
Author: Bill Weinberg
Europe
Greece seeks ‘security axis’ with Cyprus, Israel
With his own country in turmoil, Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias spoke in Jerusalem of developing an "axis of security" made up of Greece, Cyprus and Israel.
Afghanistan
ISIS burns opium to gain Afghanistan foothold
Fighters loyal to ISIS have seized substantial territory in Afghanistan, burning opium fields in an apparent bid to stigmatize the Taliban as corrupt and soft on drugs.
Mexico
Mexico: Chapo Guzmán escapes —again!
A massive manhunt is underway in Mexico after the country's most notorious drug lord escaped from the country's highest security prison through a secret tunnel.
Greater Middle East
Syria: Alawites clash with regime, Iran troops
Syrian regime forces backed by Iranian troops clashed with residents of two Alawite villages outside Hama following a wave of mass arrests in the area.
Europe
Srebrenica at 20: ‘door open for a new war’?
The 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre comes just as Russia vetoed a UN resolution to designate the massacre an act of "genocide"—leading to new violence in Bosnia.
Afghanistan
Chinese mine threatens Afghan Buddhist site
Archaeologists are racing against time to salvage artifacts from the 5,000-year-old Mes Aynak site in Afghanistan's Logar province before it is destroyed by an open-pit copper mine.
Greater Middle East
Israel Lobby schmoozes Sisi —Assad next?
Egypt's dictatorial President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received a delegation from the American Jewish Committee to discuss ways to "defeat terrorism" in the region.
Iraq
Spanish anti-ISIS volunteers face ‘terror’ charges
Two Spanish volunteers who went to Iraq to fight ISIS in an "International Brigade" were arrested upon their return and face charges of membership in a "terrorist organization."
Southeast Asia
Vietnam tilts to US in Pacific ‘Great Game’
Vietnam's paramount leader Nguyen Phu Trong meets with Obama at the White House, as the US and China play a dangerous game of chicken over disputed islands.
Iraq
Obama disses Kurdish ‘partners’ against ISIS
Obama's Pentagon speech on his strategy against ISIS boasted of "effective partners on the ground"—but pointedly made no actual reference to the Rojava Kurds.
Europe
Spain: some justice for Jews; Moors have to wait
A new law allows for the return of Jews descended from those expelled from Spain in 1492, but no such effort is being made for descendants of the Moors exiled that year.