Hours ago, in the latest sign that tensions between Riyadh and Tehran are set to spiral into a full blown diplomatic crisis of historic proportions, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Ahmad Al-Jubeir announced that the kingdom has cut diplomatic ties with the Iranians. The Iran mission was ordered to leave Saudi Arabia within 48 hours.

Al-Jubeir went on to accuse Iran of stoking sectarian violence in the region (a contention that represents the worst kind of hypocrisy) and suggested Riyadh may need to do more to counter the expansion of Iranian influence.  

At least 15  members of the security forces were killed and 22 injured on Sunday when an Iraqi military base north of Baghdad was targeted by multiple suicide bombers. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement distributed by supporters online. RT reports: Two bombers detonated their explosive-rigged vehicles at the western gate of Camp Speicher, a former US base outside the Sunni-majority city of Tikrit, Reuters reported, citing security sources. Three others made it to the part of the base used for training Iraqi police.

Since we first highlighted the potential for a "catastrophic event" in Missouri three months ago, there has been little mainstream media coverage. However, as Claire Bernish via TheAntiMedia.org notes, residents near the smoldering fill have expressed increasing frustration with the quarreling agencies offering few answers for an increasing number of health issues, like asthma.

Shinwari tribal elders in eastern Afghanistan have complained to the central government in Kabul, about the increase of Islamic State (IS/ISIL/ISIS) militants in their communities, who are grabbing land and displacing the population.  Tribal leaders in eastern Nangarhar province have said that Islamic State (IS) militants have grabbed some land, and the people of the province are now being victimized by a war run by foreign spy agencies.

I don't talk about politics much here on the Slope of Hope, but it's a topic I find of great interest. Since 2016 is a U.S. Presidential election year, we're going to be absolutely buried in news, debates, advertisements, attacks, counter-attacks, and hip-deep in B.S.

I think the result of the election is actually pretty straightforward, since its outcome is dependent on the state of the world around us. From my point of view: