Azerbaijan’s Abandoned Gelersen-Gorersen Fortress
Azerbaijan / Favorites / Places We Go

Azerbaijan’s Abandoned Gelersen-Gorersen Fortress

Located near the town of Sheki, this abandoned fortress was actually one of my favorite sites in Azerbaijan (and by “this” I am including the hike in as well as Gelersen-Gorersen itself)… A fragment of the fortress now almost lost to the forest: Although the fortress dates back to the 8th or 9th century, the … Continue reading

What Happens In Heavily Militarized North Korea After The Fall?
North Korea / Places We Go

What Happens In Heavily Militarized North Korea After The Fall?

This is the English version of our short article that recently appeared in Italy’s LiberoReporter: North Korea has been busy recently… Early in September North Korea conducted its fifth (and most powerful to date) test of a nuclear weapon. Then, just days ago, North Korea tested a high-powered rocket engine that could be used on … Continue reading

Yemen: Another Middle Eastern Proxy War Drags On
Places We Go / Yemen

Yemen: Another Middle Eastern Proxy War Drags On

This is the English version of our article just published in Italy’s Il Giornale newspaper… Although largely out of the headlines now, Yemen continues to be battered by a conflict initiated in 2014 when Shiite Houthi rebels formed an alliance with loyalists of ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh to seize large swaths of the country, including … Continue reading

Europe’s Largest Hotbed Of Support For The Islamic State May Not Be Where You Think
Kosovo / Places We Go

Europe’s Largest Hotbed Of Support For The Islamic State May Not Be Where You Think

Updating one of our Kosovo features… This is the English version of our recent article in Italy’s LiberoReporter: Kosovo, the predominantly Muslim land severed from Serbia by US and NATO military intervention, finds itself today in the curious position of being officially one of the most pro-Western Islamic countries in the world while simultaneously holding … Continue reading