May 11, 2021 Eurasia, Middle Orient
Russia’s repair shop in Tartus is working to build a floating dock, greatly expanding the capabilities of the military base. The Russian Ministry of Defense is working to expand its naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus following the major expansion of the main Hmeimim base, located in the …
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May 11, 2021 Iran, Middle Orient
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said the Iraq-mediated talks focused on bilateral and regional issues. Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the country’s widely reported talks with Saudi Arabia in what marks Tehran’s first public acknowledgement of diplomatic efforts to ease tensions with its regional rival. During a news conference on …
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May 11, 2021 Middle Orient
Violent clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters at Temple Mount, or Haram-esh-Sherif, as clashes spread. Violent clashes broke out this morning at the Temple Mount compound between thousands of Palestinian worshippers and Jerusalem police forces. Reportedly, the worshippers had stayed there overnight, accumulating rocks, bottles and other makeshift objects …
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May 11, 2021 Africa, Eurasia
Despite a political process that appears on track, the risk of conflict from foreign forces still in the country remains high. Libya is set to hold elections Dec. 24 in line with the provisions of the political road map approved by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in November. However, significant …
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May 11, 2021 South East Asia
Nuclear weapons are probably the last thing the Biden administration wants to worry about right now. But given aggressive Chinese and Russian efforts to build new systems, and America’s aging strategic force, the wizards of Armageddon may be back. Chinese and Russian advances were highlighted in last month’s annual “Threat …
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May 11, 2021 Afghanistan, South East Asia
The Taliban have announced a nationwide cease-fire in Afghanistan that will take effect when the three-day annual Muslim festival of Eid-al-Fitr begins Thursday, marking the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. The announcement follows a spike in attacks by the Islamist insurgent group against government forces across many …
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May 11, 2021 Eurasia, Pakistan, South East Asia
Three Pakistani soldiers were killed and five wounded in two attacks on military vehicles by unknown assailants Sunday night. Both attacks took place in Balochistan, the Montana-sized province in the southwest of Pakistan where Baloch nationalist groups have waged a decadeslong campaign for independence. The insurgency, which has seen an …
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May 11, 2021 Middle Orient
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Monday that his government had delivered a “letter of protest” to the Iraqi Embassy in Tehran condemning a raid by Iraqi protesters on an Iranian diplomatic facility in Karbala. Activist Ehab al-Wazni, who organized protests against corruption and Iran’s influence on the Iraqi …
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May 11, 2021 Middle Orient
In stark contrast to the violence boiling over on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, a right-center-left coalition of parties opposed to the rule of longtime Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu could be formed as early as Tuesday with support from an Islamist party, the United Arab List. Yair Lapid, chairman of the …
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May 11, 2021 Eurasia, Middle Orient
Violence broke out again on Monday at Al-Aqsa Mosque as Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli police squared off on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem, sending at least 206 people – 205 Palestinian protesters and one Israeli police officer – to local hospitals for treatment. An additional 100 demonstrators and eight …
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