Azerbaijan, Armenia Clashes Damage Church As World Rushes For Ceasefire
Armenia says neighboring Azerbaijan has attacked a historic cathedral in the mountain enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh amid raging battles over the contested region.
World News
Dam building projects could fuel water stress in Middle East
Over the last 30 years, Jassim Al-Asadi has witnessed the Mesopotamian Marshes of southern Iraq where he was born undergo dramatic changes.
US Announces Sanctions on 18 Iranian Banks
The U.S. government imposed new sanctions on 18 Iranian banks as Washington turned up the pressure on Tehran by further isolating it from the global banking system and hindering the country’s attempts to build nuclear weapons.
Countering China on tech minerals
President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at countering China’s drive to corner the international market on rare earth minerals — key elements used in high-tech products that are the backbone of the U.S. economy and key weapons systems.
US reportedly in talks about moving its military base out of Turkey and into either Greece or the UAE
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has had talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyrias Mitsotakis about possibly transferring its highly strategic US airbase from Turkey to Greece, DEBKAfile sources have revealed. The US is also reportedly in talks with Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates about moving the Turkish base to the Gulf state.
Feds Seize Over 90 Fake News Sites Belonging to Iran
The U.S. government has seized nearly 100 domain names used by a branch of Iran’s armed forces that officials said Wednesday were being used to conduct a disinformation campaign featuring fake news sites targeting the United States and other countries.
In hardening stance, France, Germany push for EU sanctions on Russians over Navalny poisoning
France and Germany said on Wednesday they would propose European Union sanctions against Russian individuals after receiving no credible answers from Moscow over the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny with a nerve agent.
2 ISIS ‘Beatles’ indicted in US on charges linked to beheadings of American hostages
Two British Islamic State terror suspects known as the “Beatles” were indicted in the torturing and beheading of American aid workers and journalists among others once held hostage in Syria, according to court documents made public Wednesday.
Russia Says It Successfully Test-Launched Hypersonic Missile
The Russian military says it has successfully test-launched a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile off Russia’s northern coast, in what President Vladimir Putin hailed as a “big event” for the country.
Kyrgyzstan Annuls Election After Deadly Protests
Officials in the former Soviet nation of Kyrgyzstan say they have annulled the results of Sunday’s parliamentary elections after violent protests in the capital Bishkek killed at least one person.
China leads in race for digital currency
Imagine going to the bank to take out cash, except without going to the bank and without the cash. If the Chinese central bank’s plan for a digital yuan succeeds, the future could look something like that for everyone.
US, Russia meet to discuss nuclear arms pact
Negotiators from Russia and the United States met on Monday in Helsinki for a new round of nuclear arms control talks, Finnish officials say.
China pushing hard for leadership in wide range of UN agencies
In contrast to a low-key stance it has adopted in the past, China is now pushing hard for leadership posts in United Nations agencies, frequently resorting to bribery and economic coercion in doing so, the Washington Times reported on Sunday. As one of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, China has veto power.
Antisemitism Overshadows 30th Anniversary Of German Reunification
Germany’s government has condemned the latest anti-Semitic attack that overshadowed the 30th-anniversary commemoration of the reunification of Germany.
China, Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia on Track to be Ushered Back Onto UN Human Rights Council
The United Nations has confirmed the names of most of the candidates running for seats on the U.N. Human Rights Council in elections tentatively set for next week, and the expected return of the likes of China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba will draw attention once again to the justification given by the Trump administration in 2018 for its decision to withdraw.
Europe Moving Towards Digital Euro Raising Prophetic Concerns
The European Central Bank (ECB) says it moves towards issuing a digital version of the euro currency that critics fear could replace banknotes.
Armenia Ready To Discuss Ceasefire As Conflict Escalates
Armenia says it is ready to discuss a ceasefire in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in recent days has killed dozens and left scores wounded. The announcement comes amid international calls to end the most significant escalation in years.
UK, EU chiefs to discus Brexit, free trade talks Saturday
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to speak to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday to “take stock” of negotiations on a post-Brexit free trade deal and to “discuss next steps,” a British government spokesman said.
President of Armenia says Caucasus region may become “another Syria”
The Armenian President warned the international community Wednesday that Caucasus, a region disputed by former Soviet republics Armenia and Azerbaijan, may become “another Syria,” CNBC reported Wednesday. President Armen Sarkissian gave the warning after fighting broke between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus on Sunday.
Russia, France and the U.S. call for an immediate cease-fire in Armenian-Azerbaijani clashes
Russia, France, and the U.S. on Thursday issued calls for an immediate cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan as clashes between the two rivals sparked recently over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh killing dozens of people and threatening to drag nearby Turkey and Russia into a direct military confrontation.