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Iraqi populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr calls Russia-Ukraine war ‘absolutely useless’

Regional alignments solidify after the invasion of Ukraine, as Iraqi politicians call for peace while four-way collaboration on dealing with the Islamic State and border security continues with Russia, Iran and Syria. Hours after the news broke that Russia had begun an invasion of Ukraine at dawn on Feb, 24, …

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Syrian jihadi group escalates campaign against foreign fighters in Idlib

While some believe that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is tightening the noose around foreign fighters in Idlib with the ultimate goal to expel them, others consider that it serves the interest of civilians in the city of Idlib. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) security apparatus has recently warned the families of foreign …

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Iran says US should not ‘stretch out’ nuclear talks

Iranian officials said most of the nuclear agreement is ready and the United States needs to make a political decision. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh spoke to reporters about the latest updates on the nuclear talks in Vienna between Iran and the world powers to revive the 2015 Joint …

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Live updates: How Russia’s assault on Ukraine affects Middle East

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will have an impact beyond Europe. Follow along for the latest updates affecting the Mideast region. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the largest state-on-state conflict Europe has seen since World War II. But the war’s effects are not limited to the continent. Middle Eastern states have …

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Turkish fintech seeks Qatari investment

The financial technology sector in Turkey has grown significantly, and is looking to Qatar for further expansion. Turkish fintech companies met with Qatari investors this week in a webinar. The Turkish presidency’s finance office organized the event along with the private Qatar Financial Center on Feb. 23-24, Turkey’s official Anadolu …

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Erdogan stuck on fence in Ukraine crisis

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has chided NATO for failing to do more for Ukraine but remains averse to antagonizing Russia. Faced with a tough balancing act, Turkey has been sending mixed signals on its position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has angered Moscow by …

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With one eye on Russia, Turkey expresses support for Ukraine

The success of Turkish-made drones in Ukraine is the most obvious sign of Ankara’s backing for Kyiv, but fear of Russian backlash is making Turkey tread lightly. Imagery of a burned-out Russian military convoy in Ukraine shared on social media over the weekend credited its destruction to Turkish-made drones. Turkish …

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Russian forces shell Ukraine’s No. 2 city and menace Kyiv

Russian forces shelled Ukraine’s second-largest city on Monday, rocking a residential neighborhood, and closed in on the capital, Kyiv, in a 17-mile convoy of hundreds of tanks and other vehicles, as talks aimed at stopping the fighting yielded only an agreement to keep talking. The country’s embattled president said the …

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Turkey to implement pact limiting Russian warships to Black Sea

NATO member Turkey changed its rhetoric to call Russia’s assault on Ukraine a “war” on Sunday and pledged to implement parts of an international pact that would potentially limit the transit of Russian warships from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, Reuters reported. Kyiv had appealed to Ankara to block …

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Pflicht und Chance

Den Geflüchteten aus der Ukraine gemeinsam zu helfen, ist ein Gebot der Mitmenschlichkeit. Und auch im Sinne der EU. Es ist eine tragische, aber auch kuriose Wendung der Geschichte, dass nun ausgerechnet Polen die Hauptlast der europäischen Flüchtlingspolitik schultert. Seit Jahren weigert sich Warschau, Flüchtlinge aufzunehmen, und blockiert so gemeinsam …

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