Nicurguara

• The US sanctions four high ranking Nicaraguan officials. [Link]
• Human Rights Watch claims Nicaragua tortured protesters. [Link]

Assange

• A Swedish prosecutor will not appeal a judge’s decision not to issue extradition for Julian Assange. [Link]

Turkey

• The leader of the Turkish Kurds called for his group to remain neutral the Instanbul elections. [Link]
• Turkey’s opposition party wins major election redo in Istanbul. [Link]

Iran

• The US is building a coalition to protect shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf. [Link]
• Trump places sanctions on Iran’s Supreme Leader and military officers in response to Iran shooting down a US drone. [Link]
• Treasury Secretary Mnuchin says the US will work to lock up billions in Iranian assets. [Link]
• Russia says it will counter new US sanctions against Iran. [Link]
• Multimillion-dollar donors to the Trump campaign are strong supporters of going to war with Iran. [Link]
• Andrew Bacevich explains how Bret Stephens argument for war with Iran gets key facts wrong. [Link]
• Daniel Larison argues US sanctions on Iran are preventing people from getting food and medication. The sanctions are hurting the Iranians ability to fight for women’s rights. [Link]

Iraq

• A bomb blast kills seven at a Shi’ite mosque in Baghdad. [Link]
• The US is looking to move contractors out of an Iraqi base. [Link]
• The US denied it had plans to evacuate contractors from a base in Iraq on Friday. Sources say the planned evacuation was called off once US and Iraqi forces agreed to provide more protection. [Link]
• Some Iraqi farmland is being set on fire. The Islamic State is responsible for at least some of the fires. [Link]