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It’s Friday today folks. What are you planning?

International Politics

Overall

– It’s official: Britain, Denmark and Belgium join the U.S.-led coalition to go to war with the Islamic State; The White House is pleased with Britain’s decision to join

– U.S. General Martin Dempsey: In terms of Syria, rebels would need to make a force of 12,000 to 15,000 soldiers to defeat the ISIL

– Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the U.S. for its airstrikes in Syria without permission of the Syrian government

Middle East

– In Iraq, a Kurdish politician called for segregation among Kurd and Arab civilians due to the latter’s support for the ISIL

– As a result of U.S. air strikes, Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda-linked rebel group in Syria, is backed up to a wall and may have to join with the ISIL

– Despite an uprising in Yemen by Shia rebels, the U.S. stood firm in its support of the government

Asia and Oceania

– Hundreds of children joined with students in Hong Kong to march for democracy

Africa

– With Libya a “terrorist powder-keg,” France called for Ansar Al-Sharia to be designated a terrorist group by the UN