US military to cancel $300m in Pakistan aid over terror groups
The US military says it is canceling $300 million in aid to Pakistan over what it calls Islamabad’s failure to take action against militant groups.
World News
Russian military ‘drills’ point to imminent final clash in Syria
Russia’s navy announced it will open ‘large-scale drills’ in the Mediterranean on Saturday in the latest sign that a major Syrian government offensive against one of the last rebel strongholds in the country is imminent — a development that the United Nations warns could trigger a fresh refugee crisis in the Middle East nation’s 7-year-old civil war.
U.S., Canadian trade negotiators go down to wire with looming deadline for NAFTA deal
U.S. and Canadian officials on Thursday frantically tried to hammer out final sticking points for a deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, with one day left before President Trump’s deadline for an agreement.
NATO Confirms Russian Naval Buildup Off Syria, Calls for Restraint
NATO confirmed a large-scale Russian navy buildup in the Mediterranean Sea off Syria on Tuesday. ‘The Russian Navy has dispatched substantial naval forces to the Mediterranean, including several ships equipped with modern cruise missiles,’ NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu confirmed to Haaretz in a statement.
Russia to hold biggest military drills since Cold War
Russia will flex its military muscles and hold the biggest war games since the Cold War era next month, including almost 300,000 troops and 1,000 aircraft, the Russian defense ministry said Tuesday, leading NATO to warn of a ‘more assertive Russia.’
Russia Deploys Fleet Off Syria While Claiming U.S. Preparing for Possible Strike
The Russian Ministry of Defence said on Monday it had noticed Washington was building up its military forces in the Middle East in preparation for what Moscow feared was a possible strike on Syrian government forces, Russian news agencies reported.
Trump makes trade agreement with Mexico to replace NAFTA, puts pressure on Canada to deal
President Trump heralded a tentative trade deal with Mexico on Monday as a big win for his get-tough trade policies, which he said put Canada on the spot to start its own negotiations with the U.S. or face higher tariffs on autos.
Iran and Syria sign deal for military cooperation
Iran and Syria signed a deal for military cooperation in a meeting between the defense ministers of the two countries in Damascus, the Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.
US and Mexico close to reaching NAFTA deal, sources say
The United States and Mexico look close to resolving key differences on the North American Free Trade Agreement and may have a complete deal worked out by as early as Monday, according to sources close to the talks.
With new special envoy, Pompeo heading to N Korea amid ‘deadlock’ over denuclearization
Amid what North Korea calls a ‘deadlock’ in denuclearization talks, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Pyongyang next week, with the new Special Representative for North Korea, Steve Biegun, in tow.
No sign of progress as U.S.-China trade talks wrap up
Trade talks between the U.S. and China failed to produce any visible sign of progress, reducing the prospects of a deal soon, people closely tracking the talks said.
‘Big One’ talk swirls as 69 massive earthquakes hit the Pacific’s Ring of Fire in 48 hours
A large swath of earthquakes hit the Pacific’s so-called Ring of Fire earlier this week, prompting some to wonder if it is a precursor to the oft-discussed massive earthquake, colloquially known as ‘the Big One.’
US, China impose further tariffs, escalating trade war
The United States and China escalated their acrimonious trade war on Thursday (Aug 23), implementing punitive 25 percent tariffs on US$16 billion worth of the other’s goods.
Bolton: Putin said he can’t force Iran out of Syria, but wants it gone
Russian President Vladimir Putin told the United States that his country would like Iranian forces to withdraw from Syria but cannot force them out, US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser said on Wednesday, despite Israeli calls for Iran to leave immediately.
Facebook takes down 652 accounts linked to Russia, Iran
Facebook has identified and banned hundreds of accounts, groups and pages engaged in misleading political behavior, a far larger discovery than a ‘sophisticated’ effort it reported three weeks ago with great fanfare.
US security adviser: Our goal is to get Iran out of Syria
White House National Security Adviser John Bolton arrived in Israel Sunday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks focused mainly on Iran.
Britain urges US, Europe to ‘go further’ in countering Russia
New British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Tuesday (Aug 21) will urge the United States and European countries to do more to call out Russia’s ‘malign behavior’ and keep Vladimir Putin in check, notably by implementing tough sanctions.
Bolton in Israel: Iran Nuclear Program at ‘Top of List’ in Talks With Netanyahu
Iran’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs are at ‘the top of the list,’ U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said Sunday after arriving in Israel, where he plans to holds talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump and Putin see eye to eye on Iran leaving Syria
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘agreed in principle’ during their latest meeting in Helsinki last month that Iranian forces should leave Syria, according to a report in Bloomberg.
U.S. readying more Turkey sanctions unless detained American pastor is released
Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said Thursday that the United States is preparing more sanctions against Turkey if American pastor Andrew Brunson is not released from custody.