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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   382 thread views

Transnational Thursday for July 17, 2025

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

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Relatively quiet week this time:

Anthropic has a $200M contract with the US DoD , as have a few other companies

A good roundup of rumours about Xi

OpenAI agent

Israel bombs Syria

Africa records over 4,200 cholera, mpox deaths in 2025

Gunmen Kill 1,111 Nigerians, Abduct 276 in June

Syrian troops accused of executing civilians in Druze amid Israeli strikes

IDF Ordered To Strike Syrian Regime Forces Invading Druze-majority Suweida

Syria Druze reach ceasefire with central gov, though a previous one fell. Israel also fired on the central gov in Damascus

They have been negotiating with the Islamist-led authorities in Damascus since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in an attempt to achieve autonomy but have yet to reach an agreement that defines their relationship with the new Syrian state. ...reports The Guardian. Btw, the Spanish federal system, where the central government defines foreign policy, and some formerly rebellious provinces (the Basque country) don't pay federal taxes and have special priviledges (fueros) could be a good model here.

Almost 300 killed in wave of violence in Sudan's North Kordofan

Israeli-linked ringleaders and elements arrested in southwestern Iran, says Iran's news agency

Israel launches airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon's Bekaa valley

US demands to know what allies would do in event of war over Taiwan

US demands to know what allies would do in event of war over Taiwan

Express grave concern? Maybe even issue a strongly-worded letter of condemnation.

Honestly, Japan, India and Australia are pretty much the only ones whose answer matters, having a navy in the general area.

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