US to Offer Russia 5-year Extension on Nuclear Treaty
The new administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is planning to offer Russia a five-year extension of a nuclear arms treaty that is set to expire February 5, U.S. officials said Thursday.
Russia
Ethiopia: Government forces reportedly killed an estimated 750 people in church massacre
The Europe External Programme with Africa (EEPA) has reported that an estimated 750 people were recently killed by Ethiopian government forces and Amhara militia in an attack on a church in Tigray in northern Ethiopia, Christian Today reports.
First Trump declassified Russia document: Christopher Steele’s 2017 confessional to the FBI
Dossier author Christopher Steele admitted to the FBI he leaked the Russia collusion story during the height of the 2016 election to help Hillary Clinton overcome her lingering email scandal and because he believed Donald Trump’s election would be bad for U.S. relations with his home country of Britain, according to documents declassified by the president in his final full day in office.
Trump formally declassifies Russia documents over objections of FBI
Just hours before departing office, President Trump on Tuesday evening formally completed the declassification of a large trove of Russia probe documents, overruling objections posed by the FBI in a last bid effort to keep memos secret.
Syrian and Israeli officials reportedly had a Russia-brokered meeting last month
The Asharq Al Awsat Arabic international newspaper reported Sunday that Russia hosted a meeting for Syrian and Israeli officials at the Russian airbase in Hmeimim, Syria last month, Jewish Press reports. Neither Damascus nor Jerusalem has confirmed the report.
Kremlin Critic Navalny Jailed For Month After Returning Home
A Russian court has jailed the nation’s most prominent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny for 30 days despite several countries’ calls to release him immediately. The decision came shortly after Navalny was detained following his return from Germany, where he received medical treatment for nerve agent poisoning.
DOJ releases Flynn interviews with Mueller team
The Justice Department released on Friday more than 100 pages of FBI interview notes from retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn’s discussions with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigative team in 2017 and 2018.
Russia follows US to withdraw from Open Skies Treaty
Russia said Friday it will withdraw from an international treaty allowing observation flights over military facilities following the U.S. exit from the pact.
FBI, Justice Department knew there was no Russia collusion by spring of 2017
The top Justice Department official in early 2017 overseeing the FBI’s Russia probe testified he was briefed as many as six times on its status and was told there was no evidence of Trump campaign collusion, a newly released transcript shows.
Russia Detains Returning Kremlin Critic Navalny
Russia’s prominent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was detained at a Moscow airport Sunday after returning from Germany, where he received medical treatment for nerve agent poisoning.
Europe Warns Iran Over Nuclear Ambitions Amid Missile Launches
European powers urged Iran to observe a nuclear deal after the Islamic nation test-fired long-range missiles and planned uranium metal production.
China building ‘greatest expansion of a nuclear arsenal’ since Cold War, State Department warns
China has rapidly expanded its nuclear and conventional missile forces over the past decade, nearly tripling its ballistic missile production capability and deploying a wide array of nuclear and conventional missile systems, according to an intelligence assessment released by the State Department.
Both the US and Russia bolster military presence in Syria ahead of Biden inauguration
Both the US and Russia have sent military reinforcement to Syria in recent days, in separate moves apparently timed to coincide with the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden on January 20, AMN reports.
EU Concerned About Iran’s Ambitions
The European Union has warned Iran that its decision to increase uranium enrichment could undermine efforts to keep a nuclear deal alive. The warning comes amid diplomatic efforts to bring the United States back on board under a new administration.
Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan hold talks on reopening regional transportation routes
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the Kremlin Monday, to discuss the reopening of transportation routes that were shut down amid the decades-long regional conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the Associated Press reports. The meeting follows the November 10, 2020 peace deal brokered by Russia which ended 44 days of renewed hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
U.S. Government Says Russia ‘Likely’ Behind Massive ‘Intelligence-Gathering’ Hack
The U.S. government said January 5 that Russia was “likely” behind a massive hack of government and private company networks discovered last month and the intrusion was an “intelligence-gathering effort.”
Health Ministry releases demo of COVID-19 green passport app
A demo of the proposed design for the green passport app was presented today by coronavirus commissioner Prof. Nachman Ash at a meeting of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee on Monday.
Russian pipeline bypassing Ukraine advances
A major new Russian pipeline designed to bypass Ukraine to supply southeastern Europe got a major symbolic boost on New Year’s Day as Serbian President Alexandar Vucic officially proclaimed the first nearly 250 miles of the Balkan Stream natural gas pipeline to be open for business.
Russia Rushes Vaccines As COVID-Cases Spread
Russia says over 800,000 people have been vaccinated with its new jab against the coronavirus. More than 1.5 million vaccine doses were dispatched across the country as the nation increases its vaccination drive over the New Year period despite controversy about its Sputnik V vaccine.
Iran tells IAEA it will move to enrich uranium to 20% purity, Russian envoy says
Iran has notified the International Atomic Energy Agency it will start enriching uranium to 20 percent purity, Russia’s Ambassador to the IAEA Mikhail Ulyanov said Friday.