The African Union Mission in Somalia’s UN mandate is nearing its end. Despite the mission’s mixed record, its withdrawal could allow Islamist Al-Shabaab insurgents to take over the country. A mandate extension would allow Somalia, donors and partners to agree on a reconfiguration and funding. What’s new? The UN mandate …

Warsaw and other EU countries have accused Minsk of transporting migrants to Belarus on purpose to create an immigration crisis, slapping Belarus with new sanctions for this reason. Belarusian authorities strongly deny the EU’s claims. Russian President Vladimir Putin has alleged that western countries use the ongoing immigration crisis at …

Ordinary Iranians have become the main victims of the U.S. blockade as the devaluation the rial has led to limited purchasing power and higher prices. The Iranian currency’s value has continued to fall as the U.S. dollar is trading at over 280,000 rials on the free market. Before the reinstatement …

The US withdrawal may have spurred Iraq to consider purchases from Turkey and Pakistan, according to report by the Pentagon’s Inspector General. The United States and NATO’s withdrawal from Afghanistan this summer may have encouraged Iraq’s government to consider weapons purchases from Turkey and Pakistan, according to an unclassified US …

Jeanine Antoinette Plasschaert, special representative of the secretary-general for Iraq, held talks with the head of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Qais al-Khazali, to settle the election results crisis. Jeanine Antoinette Plasschaert, special representative of the secretary-general for Iraq, has attended last night, Nov 18, the meeting of Coordination Framework that includes …

Home Secretary Priti Patel described Hamas as “fundamentally and rabidly anti-Semitic” and said there’s no difference between its military and political wings. The British government is set to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization, joining the United States, Canada and the European Union in fully banning the Palestinian militant group. …

Sadr calls for forming majority government as the Iraqi President Barham Salih hosted a meeting with the prime minister and the judiciary head to discuss the current political deadlock and present initiatives for it. Amidst the political deadlock following Iraq’s elections on Oct. 10, Iraqi President Barham Salih hosted a …

Erdogan’s push for lower interest rates despite Turkey’s tumbling currency and soaring inflation is an economic gamble that he is unlikely to win. Turkey’s central bank cut its policy rate by 100 basis points to 15% Thursday, ignoring alarm over the country’s nosediving currency and soaring inflation. The third rate …

Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the United States, the European Union, and NATO over their stance on the situation in the territories controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and other issues, but said his country is ready “for contacts and a dialogue.” In a wide-ranging speech to Foreign …

The Russian military has successfully test-fired a hypersonic cruise missile against a target in the White Sea waters in northern Russia, amid rising tensions between Moscow and the West over NATO drills and the recent migrant crisis in eastern Europe. The Russian Defense Ministry made the announcement on Thursday, saying …