Situation Continues Deteriorating in Afghanistan

And you thought it could not get any worse. Citing a lack of support from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Taliban is pulling up stakes in New Delhi. The Afghan embassy said in a statement that the decision to close the mission fell in line with the previous announcement of ceasing operations in October, when it had pointed out …

DOJ Limits Camp Lejeune Legal Fee Caps

The Department of Justice announced that attorneys could charge no more than a 25% contingency fee in the ongoing Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), who pressed for limits during the debate over the measure, called the move long overdue. “For the past year, law firms across the country have unleashed a billion-dollar-plus ad campaign, with many …

Sahel Democracies On the Defensive

Several West African nations in the Sahel (sub-Sahara) region are fighting losing battles against Islamic insurgents, according to a recent report. A jihadist insurgency spread to Niger and Burkina Faso from neighboring Mali in 2015, notably in the “three borders” area. Twenty-nine soldiers were killed in western Niger in an attack by suspected jihadists on October 3, the deadliest of …

Promising New PTSD Drug Flops

Jazz Pharmaceuticals had high hopes for its new fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor, but the drug failed to outperform a placebo during a clinical trial. “We plan to fully evaluate this data. However, based on topline results, we do not anticipate moving forward with additional JZP150 development in PTSD,” Rob Iannone, M.D., Jazz’s global head of R&D, said. “We …

Mozambique Increases Draft Requirements

In an effort to fight an ongoing insurgency without depending on private military contractors, Mozambique’s parliament approved a measure raising compulsory military service requirements. The measure raises the standard draft requirement from two to five years for general service soldiers and six years for special forces. Proponents hope the measure will decrease dependence on foreign fighters and make the army …