This week, Mexico offers assistance to the United States in dealing with the destructive aftermath of Hurricane Harvey; Iraqi forces announce the liberation of ISIL-stronghold Tal Afar; the Somali government grants al Shabaab defectors amnesty for completing a rehabilitation program; and more.

This week, the British government says it intends to avoid a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit; the United States, Mexico, and Canada open negotiations to reform NAFTA; the Taliban tells President Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan; and more.

As a primer for learning about water scarcity and its influence on national, human, and economic security, Pacific Council members explored a desalination plant and a water pollution control facility in Southern California to answer the questions: where does my water come from? And where does it go?

This week, Nawaz Sharif resigns as prime minister of Pakistan after being disqualified by the country’s Supreme Court in a Panama Papers-related corruption probe; President Trump signs the Russia sanctions bill but calls it "unconstitutional"; the U.S. government imposes sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro; and more.