Bottom Line Up Front: The U.S. is reportedly close to imposing sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project, a massive Russian-German joint endeavor. Germany, the world’s largest natural gas importer, already gets at least 40% of its gas from Russia. The Nord Stream 2 is a source …
Read More »Turkey's Ruling Party Suffers Heavy Losses in Key Local Polls
VOA’s Turkish and Kurdish services contributed to this report. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party suffered heavy losses in Sunday’s local elections, losing critical cities across the country, while the main opposition party is on course to win the capital Ankara. In Istanbul, election results remain too close to call, …
Read More »US, Russian bomber jets conduct simultaneous missions off Norway amid INF tensions
The United States and Russia have flown nuclear bombers over the Norwegian Sea, amid rising tensions following the recent withdrawal of the two Cold War-era arch foes from a landmark nuclear arms treaty and the build-up of NATO military forces on the US-led alliance’s eastern flank near Russia. The US …
Read More »U.S. Troops Leaving Syria, but Some May Stay Longer Than Expected
WASHINGTON — Now that the Islamic State has been driven from its last sliver of territory in Syria, hundreds of American troops — not just their equipment — are leaving the war zone, just as President Trump ordered in December. But in the latest twist to the on-again, off-again American …
Read More »ISIS sleeper cell attack kills one SDF fighter in Syria’s Deir al-Zor
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A car bomb in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zor on Friday killed a fighter from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an SDF spokesperson confirmed. According to Mustafa Bali, the head of the SDF press office, a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) belonging to the …
Read More »Tunisia says U.N. official arrested in anti-terrorism probe: agency
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisian authorities have detained a U.N. official involved in monitoring an international arms embargo on Libya as part of an investigation by an anti-terrorism unit, state news agency TAP said on Saturday. It was the first time Tunisia had confirmed the arrest of the official, Tunisian national …
Read More »No US F-35 equipment shipment to Turkey over Russia's S-400: Report
The United States has stopped shipment of equipment for F-35 equipment to Turkey over the country’s defensive cooperation with Russia, a report says. Reuters cited two unnamed sources in a report Monday, suggesting that the Turkish officials had been notified about the matter by their American counterparts “in recent days.”
Read More »The End of the Politician (in a Fashion): The Slovak and Ukrainian Elections
The structures of politics have become so rigid, so distant, and ultimately so irrelevant to those who vote for them that a trend through countries can now be confirmed. Brittleness has set it. The part and election strategists have few answers, they, who saw the voter as yet another subject, …
Read More »Algerian army, police bust militant cell planning attacks: Ennahar TV
CAIRO (Reuters) – Algerian troops and police have dismantled a militant cell that planned to carry out attacks during election gatherings, private Ennahar TV reported on Wednesday. It said the cell was discovered in the western city of Oran and consisted of three people, and that security operations were continuing …
Read More »Pompeo’s warnings to Lebanon about Hezbollah will be the last straw
Over the last week, Lebanon was immersed in Mike Pompeo’s visit to Beirut, where he concluded his recent trip to the Middle East. The Lebanese government’s warm welcome to the US Secretary of State was soon replaced with pessimism. Pompeo conveyed during meetings with top officials that Lebanon’s economy depends …
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