Compliments of Eric Mertz.
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**China**
Taiwan Ejected From UN CLimate Change Conference
China has once more used their diplomatic leverage to force Taiwan’s government out of an official position at an international conference in order to punish Taiwan for electing Tsai Ing-wen President. China makes official diplomatic relations with foreign governments dependent upon not recognizing the government of Taiwan as an independent state, and will often use this to leverage their ability to force other nations out of positions on international bodies, as they did recently when China forced Taiwan off the International Civil Aviation Organization late last month.
China’s currency reserves have collapsed to $3.17T (Down $18.79B from the start of September) following a drop of $15.89B in the month of August. This came in no small part due to the Yuan dropping to the lowest rate since January. Experts argue this is due to Chinese selling the Yuan for Dollars and Euros, something the Chinese government has been attempting to slow down.
China Cracks Down on Religious Minorities
With religious observance on the rise in China, the Chinese government is now cracking down on the religion. Theology students are being monitored abroad, foreign religious writings are being banned, government control over the curriculum of religious schools, destruction of religious symbols, and heavy fines for landowners who allow residents to operate illegal house churches.
As if the recent news on China’s new repressions on religion weren’t enough evidence for this, China has become less free under Xi Jinping. The rule of law has weakened, the anti-corruption campaign has used torture and coercion to replace rival clique supporters with supporters of Xi Jinping’s guanxi, the abolition of NGO’s which operate outside the overview of the Party apparatus, weaker labor rights, weaker press freedoms then ever, and rampant nationalism as a means of suppressing dissent and othering minority groups.
**India and Pakistan**
Seven Militants Killed in Kashmir
Three Islamic militants killed in an attack at the Indian Army base in Kupwara near the border, with another four dead at the Indian Army patrol in Nowgam in North Kashmir.
**Russia**
Russia Threatens to Shoot Down US Aircraft in Syria
Moscow has declared that any potential airstrikes which they believe might be targeted at Pro-Government forces in Syria will be shot down. This comes shortly after Russia engaged in a brutal and potentially war crime level bombing campaign in Aleppo which has been described by observers as a deliberate attack on civilians. The Pentagon and the CIA have recently presented a proposal to the President to strike at Syrian air bases in order to punish the regime for the attacks on civilians.
H/t Tiff
Russia Considers Reopening Military Bases in Vietnam and Cuba
This is due, largely, to Russian feelings of global and diplomatic impotence. More and more of Russia’s former vassals have joined the EU and NATO, with Ukraine only prevented from doing so by Russian support for uprisings in the wake of the Ukrainian people ejecting a Moscow puppet from Kiev.
Russia Moves Nuclear Weapons Into Kaliningrad
Located between Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic Sea, Estonian officials claim Russia has moved Iskander-M ballistic missiles with a range of 500 km (310 mi) into Kaliningrad. This would give Russia the ability to hit Warsaw, Berlin, Copenhagen, and Stockholm if true.
**Middle East**
Aleppo Delende Est
According to the UN, the eastern half of Aleppo – still held by the al-Nusra front – is expected to be reduced to rubble within two months.
Saudi Arabia Hold Live-Fire Drills in Persian Gulf
With tensions between Iran and the House of Saud at an all time high, Iran has leveled vague threats against their neighbors across the Gulf. Ironically, the House of Saud has announced the drills are intended to allow them to defend against an attack from Iran.
**Europe**
Anti-Migrant Violence on Rise in Germany
In Eastern Germany, where Nao-Nazis have been on the rise since the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Iron Curtain, violence against Migrants from North Africa and the Middle East is on the rise. Going unmentioned in the story is the refusal of the government to listen to the fears of the German populace after the Cologne sexual assaults and the rise in terrorism helping to drive the breakdown of civil society in Germany.
French President Hollande Seeks EU Punishmnt of Britain for Brexit
As British PM May works to negotiate a new free trade treaty with Europe, Germany and now France are seeking to punish the UK for daring to leave the EU.
The Portuguese economy is once again at risk of bringing down the entire EU economy.
**Africa**
Africa is More Dangerous Than Ever
Safety, rule of law, and governance quality is at an all time low in half of Africa’s countries as violence increases. This is drastically weakening any chance for real economic growth and expansion – let alone prosperity – in the continent.
Nigeria to Launch new Anti-Boko Haram Operation
The Nigerian military is believed to be preparing for new offenses in the Sambisa forest with an eye towards capturing and shutting down illegal oil refineries in the Niger River area.
**South America**
Colombian-FARC Peace Deal Shockingly Defeated
The Colombian government and the FARC rebels had signed a peace deal which was up for a national referendum. In spite of the failure, both FARC and the Colombian government have stated they will continue to respect the cease-fire and work towards a new peace deal between the two groups. The deal fell through due to hard-liners who opposed the lack of punishment for rank and file enlisted personnel and reduced sentences for FARC leaders.
Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis in Haiti Worsens After Hurricane Matthew
Still not fully recovered from the 2010 earthquake which tore down much of Haiti, the recent hurricane is feared to result in a new cholera epidemic – a disease brought to Haiti by Nepalese UN Peacekeepers after the earthquake – which could kill thousands. The death toll from the hurricane alone is expected to rise above one thousand by the end of the week. To help stem the crisis, the US Navy has dispatched a Carrier to serve as a mobile hospital and food and water aid distribution center.
Venezuelan Opposition Vows to End Maduro’s Reign of Ineptitude
Opposition Leader Henrique Capriles has gone on the record with BBC in claiming 80% of the population want a change, and stated he was confident he would be able to procure the four million signatures needed to force a referendum. Given the shenanigans played by Venezuela’s top court after the election, Capriles should expect to require a minimum of six million signatures on the petition to ensure the top court can’t invalidate all of them.
