Syria
Syria: 13,000 secretly hanged at military prison
An Amnesty International report exposes the “cold-blooded killing of thousands of defenseless prisoners” in a Syrian regime detention center.
The global land-grab
A local resident in Gambela, Ethiopia, looks on as former peasant lands are enclosed by a corporate interest—one of several such instances around the world. In New York City, Brooklyn's Maple Street Community Garden is battling in the courts for its… Read moreThe global land-grab
North America
Trump’s Red-Brown alliance: don’t take the bait!
Anti-war icon Tulsi Gabbard, recently a visitor with Trump and Bannon at the Trump Tower, just returned from meeting with genocidal dictator Bashar Assad in Damascus.
Europe
Romania’s victory: can it happen in US?
Romania's government capitulated in the face of a sustained protest campaign and repealed a decree that had decriminalized corruption offenses.
The Caribbean
Haiti: ex-coup leader busted for coke trafficking
Guy Philippe, a former paramilitary boss and coup leader recently elected to Haiti’s senate, was arrested by the DEA days before he would have been sworn into office. (Map: Perry-Castañeda Map Library)
Iraq
Can Assad (and Putin) reconquer all Syria?
Trump dramatically steps up US air-strikes along the Syrian border in Iraq, as Russia pitches the Kurds and Syrian rebels on a peace deal that will allow Assad to remain in power.
Iran
Iran bank drops dollar amid new sanctions
The Central Bank of Iran formally dropped its use of the US dollar as Trump slapped new sanctions on the Islamic Republic in response to its latest missile test.
North America
White nationalist-Zionist alliance fraying already?
Reports of White House tension between white nationalist Steve Bannon and hardline Zionist Jared Kushner point to contradictions in Trump's alliance.
Afghanistan
Afghan government losing territory to insurgency
The Afghan government controls less than 60% of the country's territory, with security forces retreating from many areas last year, a US oversight agency reports.
North Africa
Morocco joins AU; Sahrawi Republic betrayed?
As Morocco is readmitted to the African Union, it is pushing for the suspension of Morocco-occupied Western Sahara, placing the AU in a difficult position.
Southeast Asia
Philippines strongman threatens martial law
The Philippines' ultra-hardline President Rodrigo Duterte now threatens to actually impose martial law across the country if the drug problem becomes "very virulent."
Greater Middle East
Yemen: child killed in Trump’s first commando raid
President Trump's first commando raid left dead the US-born 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, the late leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.