Georgian and Ukrainian troops neutralized simulated suicide bombers and a "mock mob" at Vaziani military base near Georgia's capital Tbilisi May 31, rounding up month-long NATO-led military exercises that have angered Russia. Troops from two other members of members of NATO's Partnership for Peace program—Macedonia and Bosnia—also participated. (AP, May 31)

The Obama administration urged the Supreme Court May 29 to reject a petition filed by 14 Chinese Uighurs held at Guantánamo Bay seeking their release. Taking the same stance as the Bush administration, the Obama White House argued in its reply brief that although the Court has the power to order the release of detainees, it cannot order them released into the US. The Uighurs are no longer officially imprisoned, but they cannot leave Guantánamo until the government finds a country willing to accept them.

The United Kingdom's Defense Ministry admitted this week that their pilots in Afghanistan are firing an increasing number of "enhanced blast" thermobaric weapons, designed to kill everyone in buildings they strike. Since the start of the year, more than 20 of the US-designed missiles, which have what is officially described as a "blast fragmentation warhead," have been fired by pilots of British Apache helicopters. A total of 20 were also fired last year.

Three men convicted of involvement in a May 28 bomb attack that killed 25 and injured over 100 at the Amir al-Momenin mosque in Iran's eastern city of Zahedan, Sistan-Baluchistan province, were hanged May 30. The Jundallah militant group claimed responsibility for the blast, with a spokesman confirming the attack to Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV. Iranian officials say the attack aimed at provoking disorder before the presidential elections. US State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly denounced the attack and rejected the notion that the White House had a hand in it. (Press TV, Iran, May 30)

Our May issue featured "The Voice of Free Somaliland," an interview with Dr. Saad Noor, North American representative of the Republic of Somaliland—a stable, secular de facto independent country in what is known in the media (none too accurately) as "Somalia." Our May Exit Poll was: "Did you know before you read it here that one-third of Somalia is a peaceful independent republic, Somaliland? If not, will you please make a small donation to help keep us alive?" We received three responses (which we hope does not indicate that we have only three readers). The results follow:

The 24-hour curfew in Swat Valley, North West Frontier Province, which started on May 18, has led to severe shortages of food, water and medicines, creating a humanitarian crisis, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). "People trapped in the Swat conflict zone face a humanitarian catastrophe unless the Pakistani military immediately lifts a curfew that has been in place continuously for the last week," Brad Adams, HRW's Asia director, said in a statement.

Sudanese Interior Minister Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamad says that at least 244 people have been killed in clashes between two Arab tribes in southern Sudan this week. The victims include 75 members of Sudan's security forces, mobilized to the region in reaction to the violence. Last weekend, fighting broke out between the Misseriya and the Rizeqat tribes on the border of the regions of Darfur and South Kordofan. The two tribes have repeatedly clashed over the scarce drinking water for their herds. (Radio Netherlands, May 29; Reuters, May 27)

Photographs of detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib prison that President Barack Obama does not want to release include depictions of rape and sexual assault, according to former Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba May 27. In an interview with the UK's Daily Telegraph, Taguba supported Obama's decision not to release the photos, maintaining that doing so would endanger US troops.