Thousands of Cubans want cultural minister Alpidio Alonso to resign, after video surfaced of Alonso physically challenging peaceful protestors. These protestors gathered to ask for the release of Tania Bruguera, an artist the government detained without much evidence. A few months earlier, Bruguera had led demonstrations which demanded more freedom of expression for artists who worked for the state. She …

According to a Guardian analysis, roughly 6,500 immigrant workers, most of them from South Asia, have died over the last 10 years as they built facilities for the 2022 World Cup Finals. Study authors believe that this number, which averages to about one fatality a month, is artificially low. It does not include all foreign workers from all countries, and …

A six-ton “Wagner Wagnon” was photographed as it rumbled through a village near Bangui, the CAR’s capital city. Similar vehicles have been spotted in Libya, Syria, and other areas where Wagner Group mercenaries are known to be active. Evro Polis, a Russian company, developed and built these vehicles. They are basically a combination of a Humvee and an armored personnel …

Bingen, Washington-based Insitu, Inc. agreed to pay $25 million to resolve claims that it violated the False Claims Act by inflating costs. According to documents filed in a Seattle federal court lawsuit, Insitu said it would use entirely new components in drones that it built at seven locations in the Pacific Northwest. Instead, the company used “less-expensive recycled, refurbished, reconditioned, …

As construction continues on the entire island, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, Joint Region Commander Rear Adm. John Menoni, and Guam State Historic Preservation officer Carlotta Leon Guerrero recently signed a pact which outlines historic and cultural preservation priorities. The pact mostly focuses on military training. A special commission will monitor these exercises and produce archeological reports before and after each …

A suspected ISIS attack near Baghdad did more than kill 11 people. It also prompted some questions about the security situation in the war-torn nation. 10 other people were injured when militants attacked under cover of darkness. The attack focused on the pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi militia. Although Iraq declared victory against ISIS in 2017, sporadic attacks have continued. Most of …

An elusive permanent peace solution and a wave of political assassinations might mean that more blood will be shed in this Southwest Asian nation. Under a February 2020 peace agreement, the U.S. agreed to withdraw by May 2021 in exchange for a Taliban promise not to harbor international terrorists or attack Americans. There is very little chance that Afghanistan will …

Four contractors who were serving prison time because of their role in the Nisour Square “Massacre” in Baghdad in 2007 are now free men. Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, Dustin Heard, and Nicholas Slatten were all serving time in prison after being sentenced for their role in the massacre. The first three were convicted of manslaughter and some lesser charges. Slatten, …

An uneasy ceasefire in Libya is now more tenuous than ever, thanks to Russian and Turkish military upgrades in the war-torn country. After several years of protracted fighting, all sides in this conflict are ready for it to end. As a result, prospects for a long-term solution have never been better. Now, according to numerous reports, the Turks are bolstering …

The Doha peace talks which began in September 2020 and appear to be making progress will resume after a holiday break, according to a Qatari government official. Some other countries volunteered to host the talks, but these countries withdrew, citing the coronavirus pandemic. As late as early December 2020, it appeared the Doha talks might break down, mostly because of …

34-year-old Jacques Yves Sebastien Duroseau told investigators he wanted to “defeat the thugs that have been creating a little bit of part of the instability in Haiti” and become its new president. According to prosecutors, beginning in April 2019, Duroseau worked with a partner, identified as T.H., to procure fake deployment orders. When the pair arrived in Port au Prince, …

Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al Sabah, who was once a front-runner to become the next leader of the Persian Gulf country, died of natural causes. He was 72. The former crown prince often spoke out against government corruption and pushed for greater openness. Nasser also backed large, expensive projects which were designed to diversify Kuwait’s economy. He felt these two areas …