Iraq
Iraq: Kurdistan to vote on independence
Authorities in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region announced that a referendum on independence will be held in September—drawing immediate harsh criticism from Baghdad.
Author: CounterVortex
Central America
Barrio 18 ‘Revolutionaries’ sentenced in massacre
A judge in El Salvador sentenced seven accused members of the country's feared "mara" gang networks to 390 years in prison each for a massacre at the town of San Juan Opico.
The Andes
Colombia: more ‘consultas’ reject extractivism
The latest consulta (community referendum) to reject local oil and mineral exploitation, in the Colombian town of Cumaral, was ruled binding by the country's Council of State.
The Andes
Colombia: Pacific coast strike ends in victory
After all-night negotiations with protest leaders in Colombia's Pacific port of Buenaventura, government representatives pledged to invest $517 million in local infrastructure.
The Andes
Colombia: race to salvage peace process
Under pressure from a citizen mobilization for peace, Colombia's government is scrambling to revive the FARC disarmament and demobilization process after it nearly broke down.
Iran
Iran: ISIS attack escalates Persian Gulf tensions
Coordinated ISIS attacks on Iran's parliament and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini come amid an Islamic State propaganda push targeting the Islamic Republic's Sunni minority.
Greater Middle East
Yemen: hospital bombed amid cholera outbreak
Amid an alarming and fast-spreading cholera outbreak in Yemen, Saudi warplanes struck a hospital in Sa'ada governorate, killing several patients and demolishing the building.
Iran
Iran bans Kurdish-language instruction book
Despite pledges to allow education in minority languages, Iranian authorities banned publication of a Kurdish language instruction book, and threatened the authors and publisher.
Planet Watch
Antarctica: …and still it melts
Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement comes just as an unprecedentedly huge piece of Antarctica’s ice shelf is on the verge of breaking off from the continent. (Map: Geology.com)
Afghanistan
Will Kabul blast mean new Afghanistan surge?
The Haqqani Network is believed to be behind the massive car-bomb explosion in Kabul's diplomatic district, which has raised new calls for thousands more US troops to be deployed.
Iran
Iran: Kurdish guerillas renew attacks
After Kurdish guerillas attacked an Iranian border patrol, Tehran blamed Turkey for failing to prevent "terrorist" infiltration—even as Turkey is building a security wall along the frontier.
North Africa
Arab Revolution re-ignited in Morocco
Protests spread across Morocco as thousands demonstrated solidarity with activists who took to the streets in the fishing port of al-Hoceima and were met with mass arrests.