Category:International

North Korea
Tremor detected near North Korea nuclear site, North Korea announces hydrogen bomb test, BBC, Jan. 5/6, 2016;

Lenta.ru
 * North Korea H-bomb claim is unverified, no independent confirmation at this point. Low yield explosion, 4-10 kT was an estimate.

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From-underwater missile launch video (said to be a failure quoting Western sources)--Resup (talk) 16:06, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

N. Korea Claims Successful Test of Submarine-Fired Missile, NY Times, by Associated Press, 23 Apr 2016 --Resup (talk) 13:47, 24 April 2016 (UTC)
 * Aljazeera, has some photo (origin unclear)

Iran
On a separate page

Jordan

 * King Abdullah of Jordan leaked memo, The Guardian, March 25, 2016. Many issues, including Turkish policy of supporting radical islamists.
 * King Abdullah Of Jordan addresses UN general assembly, Sep 29, 2015

Russia/China

 * Russia Tests Hypersonic Glide Vehicle on Missile, Free Beacon, April 22, 2016
 * China Again Tests Nuclear Hypersonic Missile, Free Beacon, November 25, 2015
 * China Flight Tests New Multiple-Warhead Missile, Free Beacon, April 19, 2016

Hypersonic gliders, when fully designed and deployed, will render US missile defense, as currently envisioned, useless (though of course arms race can go forever). Missile defense stated purpose was countering 'rogue statues' like North Korea and Iran, however it is logical to assume (and what's important, that assumption was in fact made by leadership in Russia and China) that it's real purpose is to have an advantage over important major adversaries, Russia and China. It was (or appears to be) a major USA policy failure, as deployment of missile defense near borders was viewed as a military challenge  by major US adversaries. Moreover, it was combined with appeasement of minor rogues, who as a result were given opportunity to develop their own programs to dangerous pre-nuclear/entry nuclear levels, and on top of that aligned themselves with Russia-China. We seem to be entering a dangerous uncontrolled arms race of very expensive and powerful weapons, where no party is economically strong enough to really afford such expense, or prevail. It may be time for a serious revision and introducing reasonable international and domestic policies, with reduced military adversary between USA and Russia, attention shifted to domestic progress and economic growth, and combined with strongly enforced non-proliferation, instead of the current state of  madness. (RS, April 2016.)

Nagornyi Karabakh

 * April 2, 2016. Clashes on all front line reported, sides accused each other, Russia called for calm TASS (Eng)
 * Maps, photos, videos (including self-propelled 'Akatsia' artillery on the streets of Stepanokert, Nagornyi Krabakh capital) on Cassad blog
 * Rusvesna copies Azerbaijan military report, which appears to be a serious escalation by Azerbaijan forces. Azerbaijan estimates Armenian soldiers killed at 100, Armenia estimates Azerbaijan losses at 50. A number of tanks destroyed on both sides. Casualty reports are unverified; Azerbaijan said 12 of its soldiers were killed and a helicopter shot down.
 * Armenian activist Arman Boshan says that Azerbaijan attack was repelled; links Turkey-Syria-Donbass events as well as US influence with the current escalation (in particular, relaying his uneasiness regarding recent meetings of Azerbaijan president Aliev in USA).
 * Details on Aliev visit to USA, Azerbaijan president transcript, March 31, 2016- Kerry calls for an 'ultimate resolution' of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
 * Donetsk war correspondent Andrey Filatov tells (around 34:00) that in the beginning of March he received repeated similar questions from Russian arts students who were offered by Western sponsors to go to Nagornyi Karabakh or Azerbaijan to film, record how people feel about life there (he relates this observation with broader attempts to set fire to Russian near abroad in the Caucuses and Middle Asia republics).
 * Another interview with 'a competent source in Yerevan' mostly blames internal political situation in Azerbaijan for the escalation.


 * PM of Turkey expressed support to Azerbaijan
 * Kerry urged restrain
 * There was a second attack by Azerbaijan at night. According to the source, the advance was stopped, andNagornyi Karabakh troops counter-attacked... The attack, in its main direction was repelled, with large losses in manpower and equipment. In some places, clashes continues. Situation remain tense. (Earlier, Azerbaijan announced cessation of fire, but that proved to be inaccurate).
 * It is said that Armenia sent tactical missiles and heavy artillery to Nagornyi Karabakh-report and photos.
 * Cassad update, maps (Azerbaijani version), photos


 * Apr 2, 2016 Armenian official briefing
 * Apr 3, 2016. In the morning, Azerbaijan shelled Karabakh positions. Subsequently, it announced cessation of all military activities. However, according to  Armenian sources the fighting continues (TASS) (Armenian news)

April 5, 2016 Cassad blog update. It does not seem to stop. Interesting items listed on political side. UNSC meeting? Iran-Azerbaijan-Turkey meeting? (a regular meeting in the news).
 * Azerbaijan, Iran FM will discuss Nagorno-Karabakh
 * Ceasefire from 11:00 AM on 5 April announced, said to be confirmed by both sides.

Azerbaijan
Both (Azerbaijan and Armenia) were ceded  by Iran to Russia  after several Russo-Persian wars (1804–13 and 1826–28) and subsequent treaties, treaty of Gulistan and treaty of Turkmenchay. Soon after the latter treaty, Russian ambassador Griboedov, a famous writer, was killed in Tehran in an incident involving people taking refuge at the Russian Embassy, which was stormed as a result.

95 % Muslim, with 85% of those Shia, according to Wikipedia, although in Soviet times religious identity was vague at most. Remains quite close to Russia (member of CIS, although not of Customs Union, while Armenia is in both). But also pretty good relations with Turkey (and some, with Israel).

Weapons are mostly Soviet or Russian made, with substantial purchases after the collapse of the USSR.

In USSR times, Nagornyi Karabakh, a mountainous area, was an autonomous region/republic in Azerbaijan, populated by native Armenians. By late 1980's a strong movement for Karabakh to join Armenia emerged, leading to conflicts.

Some of the greats born in Azerbaijan include: chess champ Garry Kasparov; Muslim Magomaev, one of the top USSR classical-range singer who turned to popular music.

Armenia
Own version of Christianity, from 301 CE.

Quite close to Russia, but younger generation turn to be more pro-reform/pro Western.

See also: Electric Yerevan.

The West

 * Professor of Tübingen University in the field of earth sciences and anthropometric geography Rainer Rothfuss (Rainer Rothfuß), who held a senior position in the "Human Rights International Society» (IGFM), was removed from his post under pressure from German politicians for interview shown on YouTube channel of News-Front (a channel presenting Russian view on the Ukrainian conflict). German journalist Ken Jebsen investigated. Russian-extract, (German, full), published on April 3, 2016. Comments to the full German video version give more details and raise freedom of speech and human rights issues.


 * Interview to News Front part 1 part2 (German)


 * In Debaltsevo, Ukrainian-American classical pianist Valentina Lisitsa performed Stalingrad Sonata by Prokofiev.
 * Lisitsa nterview to KP.ru, by Kots and  Steshin, Apr. 22, 2016
 * Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsa returns to Toronto after TSO ban, lets her fingers do the talking, Apr. 11, 2016.
 * The Politics of Music Programming, Musical Toronto, by Michael Vincent, April 15, 2015