The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow channel of water between Iran and Oman, just 21 nautical miles

Spirit Airlines is preparing to cease operations after failing to secure a $500 million government-backed rescue package

After being gripped by a years-long internal conflict shaped by broken promises to the peoples of the Sahara, extrajudicial killings by paramilitary forces, the suspension of democratic values, and ongoing struggles with Jihadist Salafist groups, Mali, Jewel of West Africa's Crown, is on the brink of a new chapter in a war that first began in 2012. Until now, the conflict was considered semi-stagnant, limited to sporadic engagements between the nation’s military junta and dissident factions. However, coordinated attacks against the junta that emerged on Saturday suggest the conflict is rapidly regaining momentum. This newly established escalation may prove severe enough to put the military government in jeopardy, potentially paving the way for a Mali entirely splintered by separatist and Islamist forces.