Iraq’s outgoing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered security forces not to intervene in the political crisis over who will form the next government. “I want you to stay away from the political crisis and to carry out your security duties to protect the country. Do not intervene and let the …
Read More »Russia, Egypt pledge to expand cooperation
Russia and Egypt pledged Tuesday to expand cooperation in various spheres as top leaders of the countries met in Sochi. After talks with visiting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al- Sisi, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters that the Customs Union, a trade bloc grouping Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, was mulling …
Read More »France calls for broad unity government in Iraq to fight Islamic State
Iraq needs a “broad unity government” if it is to combat Islamist militants who have seized swathes of territory and are threatening minorities, says French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. He is in Iraq for crisis talks on the rapid advance of Islamic State (IS). His visit comes after the US …
Read More »French FM visits Iraq
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius urged Iraq’s bickering leaders on Sunday to form an inclusive government capable of countering Islamic State militants advancing through the north of the country.
Read More »Kerry visits Afghanistan
Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Kabul Thursday in a surprise visit to meet with the country’s two presidential candidates to help accelerate the ballot auditing process and build upon the political framework for Afghanistan’s future government. A Senior State Department Official told reporters, “We really want to see …
Read More »Russian rebels claim they shot Ukrainian Mig-29
Pro-Russian separatists have claimed to have shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 military aircraft east of the country on Thursday. The fighter jet was shot down near the village of Zhdanivka, some 40kms northeast of the city of Donetsk, Russian-owned news agency Interfax-Ukraine reported quoting separatist sources.
Read More »Russia is considering closing airspace for several countries
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev threatened to prevent foreign airplanes from passing through Russia’s airspace. Medvedev warned the US and the European Union against the sanctions imposed over Russia’s economy, noting that his country will have to take anti-sanctions measures, in a statement aired by the Russian television on
Read More »Libya’s newly elected house calls for ceasefire under UN supervision
Libya’s newly elected house of representatives on Wednesday called for an immediate ceasefire under United Nations supervision to end three weeks of clashes among rival armed factions that have killed more than 200 people.
Read More »Over 25 thousand Iraqis flee from jihadist violence into Turkey
At least 25,000 Iraqi nationals who have fled from jihadist violence in their homeland are seeking refuge in Turkey, with the number of figures sharply increasing since July as hundreds of thousands of Iraqis suffer at the hands of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Read More »Hagel to discuss military projects during India visit
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in India on Thursday to press for a number of new weapons agreements, including a pilot plan for the two nations to jointly develop a next-generation anti-tank missile. The development initiative is part of a broader US effort to improve what has often been a …
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