Afghanistan

Warlords cut deal on Afghan electoral dispute

The deal that ended Afghanistan's electoral deadlock was brokered by the country's leading war criminals—and the US hopes to follow up with a "status of forces" agreement.

South Asia

Coup for Delhi in Sino-Indian space race

India's Mars orbiter arrives at the red planet just days after NASA's latest probe. These missions are less about "science" than geopolitics on Earth—the New Cold War with China.

Mexico

Mexico: a new Pax Mafiosa?

Reports of a summit of cartel "capos" in Piedras Negras fuel speculation that President Enrique Peña Nieto seeks to rebuild the "Pax Mafiosa" of Mexico's old one-party state.

The Amazon

Carbon obfuscation in New York Times

Amid the current UN climate talks, the New York Times runs an op-ed entitled "To Save the Planet, Don't Plant Trees"—filled with bogus science and dishonest claims.

Iraq

ISIS blows up birthplace of Saladin

ISIS militants destroyed the Citadel of Tikrit, birthplace of Saladin and one of Iraq's most important archeological sites. The jihadists meanwhile seized several Syrian towns.

Inner Asia

Next: Free Siberia?

In a little-noted irony, as Vladiimir Putin backs the "People's Republics" in eastern Ukraine, he has cracked down on a separatist movement that has emerged in Siberia.

Iraq

Low oil price: calm before the storm?

The new Iraq crisis sparked a brief oil shock, but prices have since stabilized. We are told this is due to the North American energy boom—but are prices set to surge again?

Iraq

China factor in the fight against ISIS

China's participation in the Paris summit on building an international effort against ISIS comes as Uighur militants were detained on suspicion of recruiting for the "Islamic State."

Palestine

Anti-Zionism, anti-Semitism and ‘bad facts’

Did a war surgeon who published an open letter protesting Israel's war crimes in The Lancet promote a David Duke video, as alleged by an Israeli journalist? We dive into the muck…