EU-UK Brexit deal talks put on ice
Diplomats from both sides on Sunday scrambled to reach a deal on Brexit, ahead of an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels.
World News
Iran spent $16B to destabilize Middle East, US State Department says
The U.S. State Department recently published an unprecedented report detailing the financial resources Iran invests in destabilizing the Middle East.
Trump says next summit with North Korea’s Kim to come after November U.S. elections
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be held after U.S. congressional elections on Nov. 6.
Britain sees Brexit progress, again calls on EU to ‘meet us halfway’
Brexit minister Dominic Raab voiced confidence on Tuesday that Britain and the European Union would make progress on their divorce at a summit next week, but again asked the bloc to meet London ‘halfway’ on the most difficult areas.
IMF downgrades global growth outlook, places responsibility on US-China trade tensions
The IMF has cut its global economic forecast for 2018 and 2019, citing above all rising import tariffs between the US and China. A fall in trade volumes and manufacturing orders could hit Germany particularly hard.
Russia says it provided Syria with 24 advanced S-300 launchers for free
Russia provided the advanced S-300 air defense system to Syria’s military free of charge, transferring three battalions with eight launchers each to the Assad regime, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported Monday.
Pompeo cites progress made with Kim Jong Un on N. Korea trip
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made unspecified progress Sunday toward an agreement for the North to give up its nuclear weapons, though there was no immediate indication whether Pompeo had managed to arrange a much-anticipated second summit between Kim and President Donald Trump.
Pompeo: Russian delivery of S-300 to Syria a ‘serious escalation’
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday the Russian delivery of the S-300 air defense system to Syria was ‘a serious escalation.’
U.S. quietly makes progress toward ‘Arab NATO’
A Trump administration plan to organize friendly Middle East regimes into an ‘Arab NATO’ is gathering unexpected steam, with the State Department on Wednesday confirming that Saudi Arabia and eight other allies plan a meeting soon to start putting the idea into practice.
Russia completes delivery of S-300 air defense system to Syria
Russia said Tuesday it had completed delivering its S-300 advanced anti-aircraft system to Syria, weeks after it blamed Israel for the downing of one of its spy planes by a less-sophisticated Syrian air defense missile.
UN court to rule on Iran bid to halt US nuclear sanctions
The UN’s top court will rule Wednesday on Iran’s bid to suspend crippling US sanctions reimposed by US President Donald Trump after he pulled out of the international nuclear deal with Tehran.
Italy scares markets and Europe, again, with new calls to leave the euro
The Italian government is creating further turmoil in financial markets on Tuesday morning, after new comments that Rome would be better outside of the euro zone.
Auto restrictions in Trump trade deal with Mexico, Canada used to pressure China
President Trump’s ability to wangle a new deal from NAFTA partners Mexico and Canada will give the White House leverage to take a harder line in the escalating trade war with China, administration backers said Monday.
832 now dead after Indonesian earthquake, tsunami
The death toll of an Indonesian earthquake and subsequent tsunami has more than doubled to 832, officials announced Sunday.
Canada-US reach deal to stay in trade pact with Mexico
Canada was back in a revamped North American free trade deal with the United States and Mexico late Sunday after weeks of bitter, high-pressure negotiations that brushed up against a midnight deadline.
Iran video threatens missile strikes on UAE, Saudi Arabia
An Iranian media outlet close to the hard-line Revolutionary Guard published a video Tuesday threatening missile attacks on the capitals of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, further raising tensions after a weekend militant attack on an Iranian military parade.
Trump: Iran’s terrorist regime must never get nuclear weapons
U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at Iran on Tuesday as the General Debate of the 73rd Session of the U.N. General Assembly got underway.
Rouhani says Israel biggest threat to world peace
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday described Israel as ‘the most terrifying threat to the peace and stability of the region and the world.’
Trump defends ‘America ‘first,’ threatens to cut foreign aid budget in U.N. speech
President Trump told the United Nations on Tuesday that the U.S. is guided by patriotism instead of globalism, rejecting the authority of world bodies such as the International Criminal Court, the World Trade Organization and a U.N. migration initiative even as he praised the U.N. itself as a force for peace.
Russia to supply Syria with S-300 anti-missile system
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Monday that Moscow will supply an S-300 anti-missile system to Syria within two weeks, following the downing of the Ilyushin IL-20 by the Syrian forces, who tried to repel an IAF attack.