Nine Christians killed in Syria

SYRIA: Turkey is arming rebels in Idlib. As President Recep Tayyip Erdogan writes, “We cannot leave the Syrian people to the mercy of Bashar Assad.” For the United States that doesn’t make the enemy of our enemy our friend: The U.S.-Turkey relationship has always been doomed to antipathy.

AFGHANISTAN: The death toll in a suicide bombing in Nangarhar province Tuesday rose to 68 people with more than 165 wounded, less than a week after two bombers struck Kabul, the capital, targeting civilians and first responders. Officials expected increased violence ahead of the parliamentary elections next month.

FIJI: We’ll all sleep better knowing that Fiji has joined the coalition to defeat ISIS.

ETHIOPIA opened two border crossings with its neighbor Eritrea—a first in 20 years after a 1998 war over the border left Ethiopia without access to Red Sea ports. The latest step following an agreement of reconciliation signed by the two countries also has led to reopened embassies and flights across the border.

PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY: The Trump administration isn’t wrong to cut funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), but not acting recklessly is important with a U.S. peace plan set for unveiling, so it’s hard to see the point in closing the Palestine Liberation Organization diplomatic mission in Washington.

PHILIPPINES: President Rodrigo Duterte is running a Roman circus, but without the bread.

UNITED STATES: Compared to most other countries, America’s post-2008 recovery started sooner, was completed faster, and was built on healthier foundations, argue the architects of the crisis response. But the Treasury and Fed heads still were blasted on all sides—and that may mean they saved us from some catastrophic cures for the economic implosion that began a decade ago this month.

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