Nepal continues to struggle as aftershocks undermine recovery efforts. The death toll is now over 2000, but is likely to climb further as search teams discover more bodies. Few teams have been able to get to the earthquake’s epicenter near Lamjung where the devastation is likely to be even worse than in Katmandhu. Even in the best of circumstances Lamjung is only accessible to four-wheel drive vehicles.
The alliances continue to shift in the Middle East. The death of King Abdullah in Saudi Arabia opened the door to his successor, King Salman, who since becoming King has taken the threat of Iranian power very seriously. King Salman has reinforced Saudi support for the al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra which has proven to be quite effective in the fight against Syrian President Assad. The fall of Assad would be a big blow to Iranian aspirations in the region. It would also, however, be a success for the Islamic State, a success for the US, and a defeat for Russia. It would also be a success for Israel and a defeat for Hezbollah. It is amazing how many dominoes are lined up in the region.
World Politics News 
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