Trump Says U.S. Withdrawing From Treaty Regulating Conventional Weapons
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would withdraw U.S. backing for a treaty that sought to regulate the global trade in small arms and other conventional weaponry.
EU
Heavy rains cause massive flooding in cyclone-hit Mozambique
Heavy rainfall caused flooding in northern Mozambique on Sunday, just three days after Cyclone Kenneth killed at least eight people and damaged thousands of houses in the southeast African country.
IMF: Iran Inflation Could Reach 40 Percent Amid Sanctions
Iran’s economy is expected to shrink by six percent this year and inflation could reach 40 percent, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts, as the country copes with the impact of tighter U.S. sanctions.
America Outstripped by China and Russia in Hypersonic Weapons Race
The U.S. is lagging behind China in its development of hypersonic weapons technologies, according to senior Pentagon officials.
Iran threatens ‘consequences’ if US takes ‘crazy measure’ of blocking oil sales
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday warned the United States of ‘consequences’ if it prevents Tehran from selling oil, after Washington ended sanction exemptions over the Islamic Republic’s energy exports.
12,000 Boy Scouts members were victims of sexual abuse from thousands of leaders, expert says
More than 12,000 Boy Scout members have been victims of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of 7,819 allegedly sexually abusive troop leaders and volunteers, according to an analysis of long-held records in the organization known as the ‘perversion files.’
Gold worth billions smuggled out of Africa
Billions of dollars’ worth of gold is being smuggled out of Africa every year through the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East – a gateway to markets in Europe, the United States and beyond – a Reuters analysis has found.
Russia Launches New Submarine Believed Capable Of Carrying Nuclear-Armed Drones
Russia has launched a special-purpose, nuclear-powered submarine that is believed capable of carrying nuclear-tipped underwater drones that when fully developed could threaten U.S. coastal cities.
Iran says ready for U.S. waivers end, as Guards threaten to shut Hormuz
Tehran is prepared for a U.S. decision to end waivers granted to buyers of Iranian crude, an Iranian oil ministry source said on Monday, as the Revolutionary Guards repeated their threat to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported.
U.S. prepares to end Iran oil waivers; Asian buyers to be hardest hit
The United States is expected to announce on Monday that buyers of Iranian oil need to end imports soon or face sanctions, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters, triggering a 3 percent jump in crude prices to their highest for 2019 so far.
Moscow Close To Finalizing Deal To Lease Syria’s Tartus Port For 49 Years
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met senior Russian officials for talks in Damascus on April 20, with both countries’ state media saying a deal was close to lease out Syria’s Tartus port to Russia.
New North American trade deal modestly boosts U.S. economy, trade panel finds
The new North American free trade pact would modestly boost the U.S. economy, especially auto parts production, but may curb vehicle assembly and limit consumer choice in cars, a hotly anticipated analysis from the U.S. International Trade Commission showed on Thursday.
Release of long-awaited Mueller report on Russia a watershed moment for Trump
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s long-awaited report on Russia’s role in the 2016 U.S. election will be released on Thursday, providing the first public look at the findings of an inquiry that has cast a shadow over Donald Trump’s presidency.
Report: Israel used special missile in Syria attack
For the first time, Israel fired advanced Rampage stand-off air-to-surface missiles against Syria in order to overcome the advanced Russian-made S-300 interceptor, foreign media reported on Wednesday.
French Officials Avoid Drawing Hasty Conclusions as Notre Dame Fire Erupts on the Heels of St. Sulpice Arson
French investigators are still “favoring the theory of an accident” as the cause of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire that began Monday evening and ended Tuesday morning, despite an unnamed police source telling French reporters that the case was “extraordinary,” according to the news outlet Le Monde.
Christianity grows in Syrian town once besieged by Islamic State
A community of Syrians who converted to Christianity from Islam is growing in Kobani, a town besieged by Islamic State for months, and where the tide turned against the militants four years ago.
New Palestinian Authority PM declares Trump peace plan ‘born dead’
The new Palestinian Authority prime minister on Tuesday accused the United States of declaring ‘financial war’ on his people and said an American peace plan purported to be in the works will be ‘born dead.’
Former European leaders urge EU to reject Trump plan if no Palestinian state
Some three dozen senior former European politicians published a call on Sunday for the European Union to reaffirm its commitment to a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians and reject any Trump peace plan that does not address Palestinian demands.
EU approves tougher EU copyright rules in blow to Google, Facebook
Google will have to pay publishers for news snippets and Facebook filter out protected content under new copyright rules aimed at ensuring fair compensation for the European Union’s $1 trillion creative industries.
EU approves copyright changes that could affect social media content
The European Union agreed Monday to a wide range of copyright reforms, including one that makes tech companies liable for violations.