Spring has sprung?

Afghanistan's Taliban announced the start of their spring offensive Friday, promising to build their political base in the country while focusing military assaults on coalition and Afghan security forces.  Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced the launch of the offensive in an email statement that boasted Taliban control over more than half of the country, referencing a February report issued by Washington's special inspector general for Afghan reconstruction.  Associated Press

Nothing can make this comical

“We will kill all trans people here”, El Salvador's trans community lives in fear “They’ve put out an order to get rid of all of us,” according to Sebastian Cerritos, a coordinator for Astrans LGBTI, an LGBTI charity based in El Salvador. “The gangs in one area here have said: We will kill all trans people here.” Vice News

MOAB meh?

On 13 April the US dropped one of its largest non-nuclear bombs on a tunnel complex used by so-called Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan. It was the first time such a weapon had been used in battle.  The BBC's Auliya Atrafi has been to the area to see if it really had any impact in the battle against IS.  BBC

Oh, well!

US troops hunting LRA warlord Kony begin Central Africa pullout.  US Special Forces on Wednesday began to pull out from Central Africa, ending a five-year hunt for brutal LRA warlord Joseph Kony, who is wanted for crimes against humanity.  The departure of the troops sent in to support an African Union regional force "will be completed a short while after it begins on April 26", Charles Prichard, spokesperson for the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), told AFP.   News24

And what happened after him?

Final verdict for Chad's Habre on war crimes appeal.  Chad's former president Hissene Habre will learn on Thursday if his lawyers' appeal against sentences for war crimes, crimes against humanity and rape has been successful, following his landmark conviction by a special court last year.   News24

We get it -- you're big fat jerks -- no subterfuge necessary, thanks.

ISIS executes at least 15 civilians in Mosul.  15 civilians who welcomed Islamic State militants posing as liberating security forces in central Mosul were killed, officials said on Tuesday.  Wearing police uniforms, they entered parts of the Old City on Monday to trick residents into showing their support for the federal forces, the Joint Operations Command (JOC) and a local official said.  “Da’ish (IS) gangs committed a brutal crime yesterday morning in an area of Mosul’s Old City,” the JOC said in a statement.   WTOP

Everyone knows if you say it three times, it must be true

Who speaks for Islam and reform? Debate heats up in Egypt.  It was a startling collision of religion and politics. Egypt’s president proposed a new law that would prevent Muslim men from ending their marriages simply by saying “divorce” three times. The country’s top institution of Islamic clerics, Al-Azhar, bluntly rejected the idea, saying Islam gives men that right and nothing can change that.  In the months since, that confrontation escalated into a blistering feud over who speaks for Islam and how to bring reforms.   WTOP

Next up: Ankle monitors for all!

Turkey arrests 1,000 in raids targeting Gulen suspects.  Police have arrested 1,000 people suspected of being part of a movement blamed for the failed 2016 coup.  Another 2,200 were being sought as authorities targeted what they said was a secret structure within Turkey's police force.  BBC

Easy, there.

A senior Russian politician responded aggressively Monday to comments by the U.K.'s defense minister suggesting pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons against Russia is an option for London, claiming the U.K. would be completely annihilated by Russia's nukes in response.  Russia's Frants Klintsevich, who heads the defense and security committee in Moscow's upper house of parliament, said the U.K. would be "literally wiped off the face of the Earth by a counter strike." Earlier that day, U.K. Defense Minister Michael Fallon said during a radio show that the U.K. could consider a preemptive nuclear attack amid recent political tensions between Russia and Western governments, according to The Moscow Times. Fallon said the U.K.'s military would only make combat use of its Trident nuclear program in extenuating circumstances, but refused to say exactly what those conditions would be.  Newsweek

'You can keep our criminals, thanks.'

Cambodia suspends repatriation agreement with US -- Cambodia told Washington Tuesday it would no longer accept convicted criminals with Cambodian heritage being deported to the Southeast Asian nation, the latest blow to ties between the two countries.  For the last 15 years, the two nations have had a repatriation agreement allowing them to forcibly deport criminals with ties to the other country. ​  AFP via Yahoo!​ Not sure if they've considered that this means they'll have to keep all of the U.S. pedophiles lurking about -- ya know, the ones that they actually bother to catch...

First MoneyGram, next the Federal Reserve

If only that was a joke... Chinese Takeover Bid for US-based MoneyGram Scrutinized.  The financial industry is closely watching Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial's attempt to acquire Dallas-based MoneyGram International, the world's second biggest money transfer company after Western Union.  Ant is offering $1.2 billion, more than U.S.-based competitor Euronet Worldwide.  If successful, the deal would turn Ant Financial into a financial behemoth with access to MoneyGram's vast network of 350,000 outlets of retail shops, post offices and banks across 200 countries. At present, Ant's business is largely based on the Chinese yuan.  The acquisition would also give it access to U.S. dollar funds and escrow accounts for managing the funds.  “If you look at MoneyGram, what they might be doing here (to Ant Financial) is bringing a unique extra key that has much to do with that escrow account surplus and be able to hold a lot of dollars,” Jacob Cooke, chief executive officer of Web Presence in China, told VOA. “That, of course, will give them access to a whole bunch more opportunities to Ant's financial services.” VOA

Sure to be well-received

Netanyahu gives German FM ‘ultimatum’ over meeting with NGOs.   Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to cancel an upcoming meeting with Germany’s foreign minister unless the visiting diplomat cancels an appointment with two groups critical of Israel’s actions in the West Bank.  A senior Israeli official confirmed that the prime minister issued an ultimatum to Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel that he would scrap their meeting scheduled for Tuesday if Gabriel met with members of non-governmental organizations Breaking the Silence and B’Tselem.   WTOP

Reason for grim satisfaction, if not celebration

Iraqi troops capture largest neighborhood in western Mosul.  Iraqi troops on Tuesday drove out Islamic State militants from the largest neighborhood in the western half of the city of Mosul, a senior military commander said, a major development in the months-long fight to recapture the country’s second-largest city.  U.S.-backed Iraqi forces declared eastern Mosul “fully liberated” in January, after officially launching the operation to retake the city in October.   WTOP

Who's on first??

So, everyone is against IS, but Turkey and the US are against Assad and Russia is for, and Turkey is against all Kurds, but the US is for -- totally clear. Turkey hits Kurdish areas in Iraq’s Sinjar, northeast Syria.  Turkish warplanes carried out airstrikes on Tuesday against suspected Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq and in northeastern Syria, the military said, in a bid to prevent militants from smuggling fighters and weapons into Turkey.  The attack killed at least 18 Syrian Kurdish troops, according to a monitoring group, as well as five members of the Iraqi Kurdish militia known as the Peshmerga and drew swift condemnation from Baghdad.  WTOP

There really is a boat this time...probably

North Korea tensions: US submarine arrives in South Korea.  A US submarine has arrived in South Korea, amid worries of another North Korean missile or nuclear test.  The missile-armed USS Michigan is set to join an incoming group of warships led by aircraft carrier Carl Vinson.  North Korea is celebrating its army's 85th founding anniversary on Tuesday. It marked the event with a large-scale firing drill, South Korea said.  Tensions have risen in the area in recent weeks, with the US and North Korea exchanging heated rhetoric.    Daily Times

'Mind your own war!'

South Sudan hosting rebels to 'extend war' in Sudan: security.  Sudan's powerful security agency on Monday accused breakaway South Sudan of staging talks with rebels fighting Khartoum's forces in two southern states, with the goal of "extending the war" there.  In a statement, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) said South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, his deputy Taban Deng and top army commanders held meetings last week with the SPLM-N rebel group. News24

The despot dinner table continues to empty...

Angola to hold election on August 23.  Angola's cabinet said on Monday that elections will be held on August 23 to choose a successor to President Eduardo dos Santos after 38 years of iron-fisted rule.   Dos Santos, 74, has been in power since 1979 and has announced that he will not contest the election. His ruling party's presidential candidate will be the current defense minister.   News24

History turned inside out

US general in Afghanistan suggests Russia arming the Taliban.  The United States must confront Russia for providing weapons to the Taliban for use against American-backed forces in Afghanistan, top US military officials said on Monday.  At a news conference with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at his side, General John Nicholson, the American commander in Afghanistan, wouldn't provide specifics about Russia's role in Afghanistan.   News24

Don't feel bad, Mexico, it's not just you

Permit requested to build wall around Trump resort in Ireland It has emerged that the US President has applied to Clare County Council for permission for the wall which will stretch for up to four kilometres and be over three metres high.

In case you weren't sure, people really will do anything for money

Alleged Semen Smuggler Had Visited Cambodia The Cambodia Daily A man arrested by Thai border police for allegedly trying to smuggle human semen into Laos on Thursday had made several trips to Cambodia over ...