Egypt and Turkey to hold two days of talks in normalization push
Egypt and Turkey will hold two days of political consultations in Cairo on Wednesday and Thursday as part of a push to mend ties between the regional rivals, the two countries said.
World News
Netherlands Remembers War Dead Amid Corona Controversy
The Dutch king laid a wreath Tuesday at a monument to the country’s war dead amid fresh controversy about reduced liberties in the liberal nation.
Malian Woman Gives Birth To Nine Babies
A Malian woman “is doing well” after giving birth to nine babies on Tuesday – two more than doctors had detected inside her crowded womb, officials said.
Europe Facing Social Turmoil Over COVID-19 Pandemic
Pope Francis prayed for the end of the pandemic amid mounting social turmoil in Europe about COVID-19 restrictions. His prayers in St. Peter’s Basilica and call for “a horizon of hope” came as in Belgium’s capital Brussels police said they detained more than 130 people at an “illegal” party.
Truce After 40 Die In Kyrgyz-Tajik Water Dispute
There was a tense cease-fire on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan after scores of people died in the worst clashes between both nations since they gained independence in the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
Iran sought nuclear weapons, technology for WMDs last year, reports find
The Islamic Republic of Iran made multiple attempts in 2020 to obtain technology for its weapons of mass destruction program and has not stopped its drive to develop atomic weapons, intelligence agencies from the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany recently reported.
Denmark Removes J&J from Vaccination Program Over Clot Fears
Denmark removed the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot from its vaccination program to investigate reports of rare but potentially dangerous blood clots, health authorities said Monday.
US denies Iran claims of prisoner deal; UK plays it down
The United States and Iran are in active talks over the release of prisoners, a person familiar with the discussions said Sunday as Washington denied a report by Iranian state-run television that deals had been struck.
U.S. base in Afghanistan hit by rocket fire as troops begin withdrawal
In an ominous kickoff to the mission to leave, U.S. forces returned fire over the weekend after rockets hit a key air base in Kandahar, Afghanistan, while America’s top general on Sunday warned of “bad possible outcomes” in the country after all U.S. and NATO troops complete their withdrawal.
Iran expects sanctions on banks, oil to be lifted based on nuclear talks
Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator said that Tehran expects US sanctions on oil, banks and other sectors and on most individuals and institutions to be lifted based on agreements reached so far at talks in Vienna, Iranian state media reported on Saturday.
China nuclear buildup faster than expected, U.S. now believes
China’s military is advancing its nuclear arsenal and delivery systems so fast the Defense Intelligence Agency has had to move up its estimate of when Beijing will double its warhead stockpile, the general in charge of military intelligence told Congress on Thursday.
Zarif Had No Knowledge of Israeli Strikes Until Kerry Told Him, Translation Reveals
Leaked audiotape of Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif indicates he had no knowledge of covert Israeli military strikes before former secretary of state John Kerry provided him with the information, new details that contradict the State Department’s recent defense of Kerry.
Deadlock in US-Afghanistan peace plans, despite troops withdrawal announcement
Plans for a route to peace between the United States and the Afghan Islamist Taliban have become deadlocked amid canceled talks in Turkey, and despite President Joe Biden’s announcement earlier this month that US and NATO troops will unconditionally withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11, NPR reports.
Iran still seeks mass destruction weapons – German intelligence report
The German intelligence agency for the state of Bavaria said last week in its new report that the Islamic Republic of Iran has not ceased its drive to obtain weapons of mass destruction during 2020.
US eyes major rollback of Iran sanctions to revive nuclear deal
The Biden administration is considering a near wholesale rollback of some of the most stringent Trump-era sanctions imposed on Iran in a bid to get the Islamic Republic to return to compliance with a landmark 2015 nuclear accord, according to current and former US officials and others familiar with the matter.
Four Killed In German Clinic
German police say four people have been killed at a clinic in the eastern city of Potsdam, and a woman was detained. At least one person was seriously injured, German media reported.
Oil pipeline disputes raise tensions between U.S. and Canada
Months after President Biden snubbed Canadian officials by canceling Keystone XL, an impending showdown over a second crude oil pipeline threatens to further strain ties between the two neighbors that were frayed during the Trump administration.
EU Commission President Condemns Turkey Over “Sofagate”
Ursula von der Leyen, the first female president of the European Union’s executive commission, has lashed out at Muslim-majority Turkey for violating women’s rights saying she was “feeling hurt” by a chair snap.
Pentagon says US Navy fired warning shots at Iran boats in Gulf
A US Navy vessel fired warning shots toward three Iranian military speed boats in the Gulf this week to warn them after they sped close to the ship, the Navy said Tuesday.
European Parliament set to greenlight post-Brexit trade deal
European Union lawmakers are set to formally ratify the post-Brexit deal between the EU and the United Kingdom amid ongoing tensions between London and Brussels over Northern Ireland trade rules.