US News
- The US tells Germany that it must increase defense spending to 2% of GDP – the NATO target – or risk the US moving troops deployed in Germany to Poland. [Link]
- Defense Secretary Esper visits Mongolia on a mission to build ties. [Link]
Korean Peace
- The ongoing US and South Korean wargames are simulating the occupation of North Korea. Moon of Alabama says this explains why Kim is testing missiles. [Link]
- Trump says he doesn’t like having war games with South Korea because the US has to pay for military exercises. [Link]
- Trump will push South Korea to pay the US more for troops stationed in South Korea. [Link]
Kashmir
- Indian soldiers use tear gas and pellets to suppress protests in Kashmir. [Link]
- A four-year-old Kashmiri boy was killed when he mistook an unexploded bomb for a toy. The bomb exploded inside the boy’s house injuring eight of his siblings. [Link]
Afghanistan
- Taliban and US officials believe a peace deal will be signed within a week. [Link]
Middle East
- Bolton travels to the UK to push Iran to take a tougher stance on Iran. [Link]
- The Syrian army takes a strategic town from rebels in Idlib. [Link]
- A US soldier was killed in an advise and accompany mission in Iraq. [Link]
- Fighting between US/Saudi-backed forces in Aden has killed 32 people, including eight civilians. The brother of the Houthi leader was assassinated in Sanaa. [Link]
- Southern Separatists have taken control of Aden. The city was used by the Suadi/US-backed government as the capital since the Hothi seized Saana in 2015. Saudi is carrying out airstrikes to take the city back. [Link]
Libya
A car bomb in Benghazi killed five people, including three UN officials. [Link]
