The South China Morning Post reported April 25 that the mountain site where North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests has collapsed. The Punggye-ri nuclear test site, which includes Mount Mantap, is about 400 miles northeast of Pyongyang. “One group of researchers found that the most recent blast tore open a hole in the mountain, […]
International
Forum: Iran Footprint Grows Through Iraq and Syria
With Iran’s physical presence expanding through Iraq and Syria, and a lack of military forces in place to stop it, Hudson Institute will examine the realities of Iran’s objectives at a forum April 26. “With no military forces broadly obstructing Iran’s strategic movement in the region, the country’s influence continues to grow unchecked and could […]
Long-Term Syria Strategy Remains Elusive
For the second time in a year, President Trump took military action to punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for his use of chemical weapons against his own people. However, the U.S.’s long-term strategy for moving forward in Syria remains unclear. The Trump administration is recalibrating Syrian policy as it relates to Assad’s use of chemical […]
Castro’s Cuba Likely Continues Under Díaz-Canel
For the first time in nearly 60 years, a Castro will not lead the island nation of Cuba, as Fidel’s brother Raúl stepped down and new President Miguel Díaz-Canel was confirmed April 19. What happens next in Cuba is, of course, a matter of speculation. But Latin America observers still offered some insight this week […]
Syria Unchanged Since Chemical Attack
Last weekend, the U.S., France and the U.K. carried out a series of military strikes in Syria designed to destroy or at least diminish Syria’s ability to use chemical weapons. This military action was taken in response to the chemical attack on the civilian residents of Douma that occurred a week ago. Syria’s ruling regime […]