Putin signs bill suspending participation in nuclear treaty
President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill suspending Russia’s participation in a pivotal nuclear arms treaty.
World News
Trump says Iran ‘playing with fire’ after nuclear deal limit breached
US President Donald Trump warned Monday that Iran was ‘playing with fire’ after Tehran said it exceeded a limit on enriched uranium reserves under a 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by Washington.
Iran Breaches First Term of 2015 Nuclear Accord
Reversing promises it made to European powers on Friday to abide by the terms of the 2015 nuclear accord, Iran has exceeded its uranium stockpile limit under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the UN.
Russia completes deployment of S-300 missile defenses in northern Syria
Russia has completed the deployment of its S-300 air defense system in Masyaf in northwestern Syria, not far from the cities of Homs and Hama, both of which have been targeted by airstrikes attributed to Israel.
Europe Circumvents U.S. Sanctions On Iran
Europe has found a way of circumventing U.S. sanctions on Iran. The governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom have developed a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to enable European businesses to maintain non-dollar trade with Iran without breaking U.S. sanctions. That SPV, known as INSTEX, is now up and running.
Trump says China trade talks ‘back on track,’ new tariffs on hold
The United States and China agreed on Saturday to restart trade talks after President Donald Trump offered concessions including no new tariffs and an easing of restrictions on tech company Huawei in order to reduce tensions with Beijing.
American Delegates Reiterate US ‘Maximum Pressure” Campaign on Iran to Allies, While Iran Agrees to Stay in Nuclear Deal
Acting Defense Secretary Mark Esper met with NATO officials in Brussels Thursday, the same day special envoy Brian Hook was in Paris to drum up support from nuclear deal partners for the US’s position on Iran.
European Signatories Attempt Last-Ditch Effort to Save Nuclear Deal, While Iran Prepares To Break It
Brian Hook, U.S. special envoy for Iran, is in Paris discussing the looming crisis in the Persian Gulf with Britain, France, and Germany, ahead of talks Friday that will see the European allies seek to implement the ‘INSTEX’ currency system with Iran to circumvent Trump’s sanctions.
NATO looks to outer space as modern warfare evolves
Defending the land, sea and airspace of NATO members may soon no longer suffice. At the organization’s Brussels summit this week, NATO defense ministers have for the first time ever discussed branching out into space defense.
‘We Wait For Your Help’ Says Kurdish General to America, Hoping to See Greater American Support for Kurdistan in Light of Iran Crisis
Christian leaders met with Kurdish military officials in northern Iraq recently, who sought to position themselves as a natural ally of the US against Iranian aggression, should a conflict develop, and hoped the US would begin to see the cause of Kurdistan as part and parcel of its opposition to Iran.
North Korea, US in talks for 3rd Trump-Kim summit, Seoul says
North Korean and U.S. officials are holding ‘behind-the-scenes talks’ to arrange a third summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the fate of the North’s expanding nuclear arsenal, South Korea’s president said, four months after a second meeting between the leaders in Hanoi collapsed without any agreement.
Iran Announces Plans to Scrap Nuclear Deal
Iran is planning on further scaling back its commitment to the 2015 nuclear accord July 7th, citing the failure of European signatories to find a way around Trump’s crippling sanctions.
NATO Gears Up to Respond to Russia’s Avoidance of ‘The Responsible Path’
NATO will announce new measures against Russia’s violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty Wednesday, barring Russian compliance with longstanding U.S. demands for it to destroy a nuclear-capable missile system it says violates the treaty.
Trump puts sanctions on Iranian supreme leader, other top officials
U.S. President Donald Trump targeted Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian officials with sanctions on Monday, taking a dramatic, unprecedented step to increase pressure on Iran after Tehran’s downing of an unmanned American drone.
Protests in Georgia Yield Promise of Change in Electoral System Over Against ‘Enemy and Occupier’ Russia
The government of Georgia has finally conceded to a few demands of protesters as crowds gathered in the Eastern European country’s capital of Tbilisi for a fourth consecutive night.
U.S. Kicks Off 19-Nation War Games Drills in Ukraine
The United States military and partners from 19 countries are getting set to kick off a massive series of war drills in Ukraine amid rising threats from Iran and Russia, according to the Defense Department.
Pompeo in Saudi Arabia to ‘Build Out a Global Coalition’ Against Iran
Mike Pompeo is in Jedda, Saudi Arabia this week to ‘build out a global coalition…prepared to push back against the world’s largest state sponsor of terror,’ following the downing of a $160 million unmanned U.S. drone by Iran on June 20.
Russian Scientist Joins He Jiankui in Gene Editing Embryos
A Russian scientist will move ahead with gene editing babies, following in the footsteps of a Chinese scientist who attracted widespread condemnation in the scientific community for doing so in November 2018.
U.S. cyberattack strikes Iran’s military computers
The U.S. launched a sweeping cyberattack against the Iranian military last week in direct response to Iran’s downing of an American surveillance drone, U.S. officials told the Associated Press over the weekend, confirming that President Trump personally approved the retaliatory measures.
Pentagon releases map disputing claim US drone violated Iranian airspace; Iran’s version is very different
The Pentagon released a map Thursday indicating that the U.S. drone shot down by Iran was over international waters and not over Iran, contrary to what Iranian officials maintain.