European Union states were at loggerheads on Monday over starting talks with Albania and North Macedonia to enter the bloc, while Cyprus threatened to veto any agreement on future enlargement unless the EU toughens its line on Turkish drilling. EU ministers from the bloc’s 28 states meet in Luxembourg on ... Read More »
U.S. says to send more troops to the Middle East, cites Iran threats
Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced on Monday the deployment of about 1,000 more troops to the Middle East for what he said were defensive purposes, citing concerns about a threat from Iran. Fears of a confrontation between Iran and the United States have mounted since last Thursday when ... Read More »
Mohammed Morsi, deposed president of Egypt, has collapsed and died in court, according to state TV
Egypt’s former president, Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood leader who rose to office in the country’s first free elections in 2012 and was ousted a year later by the military, collapsed in court during a trial and died, state TV and his family said. State TV, citing a medical source, ... Read More »
Sudan’s Ex-President Charged with Corruption in First Appearance since April
As he appeared in public for the first time after he was overthrown and detained in April, Soudan’s ex-president Omar al- Bashir faced corruption charges on Sunday. Mr. al-Bashir was brought by military officials to the chief prosecutor’s office, where he was formally charged with corruption and money laundering. He ... Read More »
Myanmar: UN threatens to withdraw aid over ‘policy of apartheid’ against Rohingya
Body says it will withhold support ‘beyond life-saving assistance’ in internally displaced persons camps The United Nations in Myanmar has warned it will withdraw support in Rakhine state to avoid complicity in a government “policy of apartheid” for Rohingya Muslims. A letter seen by the Guardian, sent from UN ... Read More »
Trump administration escalates cyber-attacks on Russian power grid as warning to Putin
Aggressive strategy leaves US better poised to attack in case of major conflict but carries significant risk of escalating digital Cold War and cementing power grids as legitimate targets The United States is stepping up digital incursions into Russia’s electric power grid in a warning to President Vladimir Putin and ... Read More »
Trump and Polish President sign new defense agreement
President Donald Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda inked a new defense agreement at the White House on Wednesday that will station an additional 1,000 US troops in Poland on a rotational basis Trump marked the signing and Duda’s visit with a rare military display: a flyover of an F-35 ... Read More »
Japan’s Abe warns of armed conflict amid soaring U.S.-Iran tension
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned of unintended clashes in the crisis-hit Middle East after meeting the Iranian president in Tehran on Wednesday, amid a brewing confrontation between Iran and the United States. As a U.S. ally that also has good diplomatic relations with Iran, Japan could be in a ... Read More »
Mediterranean will be ‘sea of blood’ without rescue boats, UN warns
Refugee agency says risk of people dying attempting crossing is at its highest The risk of migrants and refugees becoming shipwrecked in the Mediterranean and dying at sea is the highest it has ever been due to a lack of NGO rescue ships and the conflict in Libya hastening ... Read More »
Clashes in Hong Kong after vast protest against extradition law
Critics say law will allow China to pursue political opponents and legitimise abductions Riot police have clashed with protesters in Hong Kong after hundreds of thousands of people marched through the streets in a massive demonstration against a proposed extradition law. Critics say the proposed law will allow mainland ... Read More »