Drone Strikes And A Hunt For A Black Box

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IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

Drone Strike Kills Taliban Leader Mullah Mansoor 

Both the Afghan government and members of the insurgent movement confirmed the death of Mullah Mansoor, leader of the Afghan Taliban. Although the US Department of Defense originally stated that they targeted Mansoor while traveling near Ahmad Wal, reports now confirm that the US drone strike killed him in the southern Pakistani province of Balochistan, an area that was supposed to be off limits for drone attacks. 

What does this mean for peace talks?

With the US stepping out of their agreed-upon drone zone, this is expected to put a strain on their already stormy relationship with Pakistan. Mansoor’s death comes just days after diplomats from the US, Pakistan, Afghanistan and China met in Islamabad to discuss efforts to draw the Taliban into peace negotiations. 

Vital Information Still Missing In EgyptAir Search

Investigators have yet to figure out what caused EgyptAir flight MS804 to crash into the Mediterranean last week. Signals from the aircraft indicated smoke in the front of the plane, which may have been the result of either technical failure or an incendiary device, such as a fire-bomb. With both terrorism and technical failure still possible explanations for what happened, the Egyptian government has dispatched a submarine to look for the plane’s black box… which sounds more difficult than looking for a needle in a haystack.

Helpful Read: Ways You Can Help The EgyptAir Crash Victims’ Families

NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

Austria’s Presidential Election Too Close To Call

Tensions are high after the Austrian presidential election resulted in a near-even split between the far-right candidate Norbert Hofer and the independent Alexander Van der Bellen. Hofer had a 3.8% lead as of Sunday night, but the postal votes had yet to be counted. Europe’s migrant crisis has had a polarizing effect on the elections, as is evident by the candidates’ parties. For the first time since World War II, all of the main centrist parties were knocked out in the first round. Presidents of both the European Commission and the European Parliament have warned against a far-right victory, but the country itself is split. Official results are expected today.

Good Read: A Country-by-Country Guide To European Far-Right Parties

Israeli Defense Minister Resigns Amid Drama

After his job was all but offered to his far-right rival Avigdor Lieberman, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon abruptly announced his resignation this weekend, paving the way for Lieberman to take on the role. In a scathing speech, Yaalon said he was stepping down because he lost faith in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was “fearful for Israel’s future.” As a center-right politician, Yaalon was something of a stalwart in Netanyahu’s cabinet. Lieberman has always been a controversial figure, most recently for demanding the death penalty but only for Palestinians.

A Budding Bromance? Cameron Agrees To A Date

British Prime Minister David Cameron said that he’d be happy to meet Donald Trump if he becomes the Republican presidential candidate, which, at this point, feels like a sure thing. In the past, Trump had speculated that he wouldn’t get along with Cameron, who continues to criticize Trump’s intended ban on Muslims. Sure, Cameron did call Trump’s policies “divisive, stupid and wrong,” but that doesn’t mean they can’t be friends-ish. Cameron also clarified that he did not actually invite Trump to meet him, despite Trump saying he did. 

KEEPING OUR EYE ON…

Green Zone: Iraq has denied using live ammunition against the protestors who broke into Baghdad’s Green Zone this weekend. However, sources from multiple hospitals said that four protestors were killed, and at least 90 were injured from gunshot wounds. 

Indonesia: Mount Sinabung erupted on Saturday, killing at least seven people and critically injuring two others. Police, military and Indonesian Red Cross are part of an ongoing search for victims after the volcanic eruption. 

Edward Snowden: The infamous whistleblower is calling for an overhaul of US protections for those who leak information to the media. This comes after John Crane, a former senior Pentagon investigator, came forward with new accounts of whistleblower “entrapments.”

LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

Tanzanian Minister Fired For Being Drunk In Parliament

Tanzanian Home Affairs Minister Charles Kitwanga was fired over the weekend for allegedly bringing his own set of home affairs to Parliament. The Office of President John Magufuli, who has earned praise for tackling government inefficiency, said Kitwanga showed up to work visibly drunk and responded to parliamentary questions while under the influence. While highly unprofessional, there are few better ways to get someone to answer questions honestly. To be fair, it can’t be worse than whatever goes on in the UK House of Commons.