Politics
Opinion and Analysis of the local and global Politics
Turkey to commence troop deployment in Libya
Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that in accordance with Libyan prime minister Fayez al-Sarraj's request and after due approval by the Turkish parliament, Turkey will begin to deploy its military in Libya to support the NATO-backed Government of National Accord led by al-Sarraj against attacks by rival government Libyan National Army's General Khalifa Haftar. Erdogan emphasised that the Turkish military is being deployed mainly as a peacekeeping force.
president turkey parliament prime-minister nato libya libyan-national-army khalifa-haftar government-of-national-accord fayed-al-sarraj tayyip-erdogan peacekeeping
AlJazeera
US officials claim government is against targeting cultural sites in Iran
According to two senior US officials, the administration, for the most part, is against the bombing of cultural sites in Iran. They said that the destruction of cultural sites will only further unite and antagonize the Iranian people and is thus poor strategy. There is no indication that the US will actually bomb these sites despite Trump's statements.
us iran conflict baghdad escalation cultural-sites
CNN
Germany calls for emergency EU meeting due to MIddle East crisis
The German foreign minister has called for a crisis meeting of all the foreign ministers in the European Union in order to discuss the escalation in the Middle East. He specifically expressed concern regarding Iraq's involvement in the situation saying Iraq should not become unstable due to the conflict in the region.
germany iran crisis european-union nuclear-deal
Reuters
Iran to completely abandon 2015 nuclear deal
Iranian State Television has announced that the country will no longer abide by the 2015 nuclear deal that was previously preventing it from getting enough material to construct a nuclear bomb. It had been steadily moving away from the deal since 2018 and has now fully withdrawn. It has not said what level its nuclear program will immediately reach.
us iran conflict nuclear baghdad escalation nuclear-bomb
Aljazeera
Iraq declares that all foreign troops must leave the country
Iraq's parliament has passed a new resolution calling for the end of all foreign military presence within its borders. It has made this decision to avoid become a central part of a future conflict that may involve major world powers. Currently, around 5,000 US troops are present in Iraq, mostly in advisory roles.
us iran conflict iraq baghdad escalation foreign-troops
Reuters
The UK's security council spot might be on the line in Chagos Islands dispute
A top British diplomat in Mauritius, David Snoxell, has stated that the UK's politically paramount designation as a member of the UN's security council might be endangered due its refusal to comply with the International Court of Justice's ruling, which rules the country's military occupation of the largest of the Chagos Islands, which Britain purchased from Mauritius in 1965, is illegal.
uk justice military united-nations icj david-snoxell security-council international-court chagos islands mauritius
TheGuardian
Hackers change US library homepage to show pro-Iran propaganda
The homepage of a US federal library website was recently changed to a pro-Iranian message accompanied by an image of a bloody Donald Trump being punched in the face. This change was made by hackers claiming to be from Iran. The website was taken down soon after this message was uploaded.
website hack us iran conflict hacker baghdad escalation cybercrime
CBSNews
Bolivia prepares for re-elections in May 2020
Following months of violent protests from supporters of ousted Bolivian president Evo Morales, who stayed in power for 14 years, the president of the country's Supreme Electoral Tribunal Salvador Romero has announced that the country will host new elections on May 3, 2020, with presidential and parliamentary elections being held on the same day. Morales, who has fled the country, has announced he will not run in the 2020 elections.
protest elections president evo-morales supreme electoral tribunal salvador-romero parliamentary violent
Reuters
Iran urges UN to condemn the killing of General Soleimani by the US
Iran's ambassador to the UN has written a letter to the security council urging them to condemn the killing of General Qassem Soleimani. He described the drone strike as a 'criminal act' in the letter. It is unlikely that the UN will issue such a condemnation as the US can just veto the decision.
us iran un conflict baghdad escalation
APNews
Thousands of Iraqi citizens come out to mourn fallen general
Thousands of people came out onto the streets of Baghdad to mourn military commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in an American airstrike. The government organized an elaborate funeral procession for the general on Saturday. The killing has split public opinion in Iraq with some approving and others disapproving of the decision.
america iran iraq baghdad middle-east embassy soleimani
Reuters
Turkey to deploy troops in Libya to support local government
Turkey has announced that it will be deploying troops in Libya in order to help the United Nations-recognised Government of National Accord. Details regarding this deployment are still unknown but many critics have said that more foreign interference will only make the situation in Libya more complicated and could even make things worse.
turkey united-nations libya rebels civil-war
Aljazeera
US government to expand immigration enforcement program
The US government has announced that it will be increasing the scope of the program that sends migrants coming in from Mexico back and then hears their asylum cases in Mexico. The program has already been used to send back 56,000 migrants and was struggling to deal with the large number of cases coming in.
trump mexico us deportation immigration right-wing deport
Reuters
Iran has vowed to 'respond harshly' to the killing of its top general by the US
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that Iran will react harshly to the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani and has declared three days of mourning for the fallen leader. Any conflict between Iran and the US will likely destabilize the entire region. The US government has so far provided no evidence to justify this killing.
us iran conflict baghdad escalation
APNews
US embassy tells american citizens to leave Iraq while they still can
The US embassy in Baghdad has said that all American citizens still in Iraq should leave as soon as possible as they may be trapped in the country if they don't. This statement came in response to the US killing of high ranking Iranian military leaders in an air strike.
iran iraq baghdad middle-east embassy
Reuters
Tunisian prime minister Jemli forms new government and appoints cabinet members
Habib Jemli, an agricultural engineer appointed to head the government about a month ago to revive the Tunisia's faltering economy, has been struggling to make rival parties see eye to eye on most issues, but recently announced success in forming a cabinet composed of autonomous technocrats. Jemli's choices will be submitted for ratification in parliament by Tunisian president Kais Saied.
economy government president parliament cabinet prime-minister agricultural habib-jemli kais-saied engineer technocrat rival parties tunisia
AlJazeera
Mexico City has banned the use of plastic bags
Mexico City has now officially banned the use of plastic bags, encouraging people to go back to more traditional means of wrapping and carrying things. Many have switched to fiber bags or straw baskets although many others have complained about the ban, as plastic bags were often reused for a number of things.
mexico climate-change global-warming plastic pollution micro-plastic plastic-bag
APNews
Angola government freezes assets of ex-president's daughter
Angolan president Jose Edouardo Dos Santos was removed from government in 2017 after 38 years in power, and under president Joao Lourenco's government his family is being investigated for corruption and nepotism, due to which the Angolan government has announced that it has frozen the assets of Dos Santos' daughter Isabel and her husband, who are rumored to be worth billions in USD.
president corruption billion frozen angola dos-santos jose-edouardo joao-lourenco isabel-dos-santos assets nepotism
AlJazeera
Taiwan refuses China's 'Hong Kong model' unification proposal
Tsai Ing-wen, president of the island country of Taiwan, recently responded with a firm refusal to China's proposition of uniting the two countries under the so-called Hong Kong model, where Taiwan would be allowed to maintain its own political system while being part of China. Ing-wen stated that the Hong Kong model had clearly failed in Hong Kong, which saw rising anti-Chinese government protests and resentment last year.
protest china political president country hong-kong model island taiwan tsai-ing-wen unification resentment
AlJazeera
North Korea to unveil 'new strategic weapon' soon
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has announced that the country has a new strategic weapon and that they should no longer abide by the moratorium that stops them from testing nuclear weapons. He did also say that he is still open to talks with the US despite their 'hostile' policy towards North Korea.
rocket us missile military nuclear north-korea warhead
Reuters
US to deploy more soldiers to the Middle East due to Iraq protests
The United States government has announced that they will be deploying 750 more troops to the Middle East. This decision came in response to the recent protests outside the US embassy in Iraq. The US is ready to deploy even more troops over the next several days if it is necessary.
us protests iraq middle-east embassy
Reuters
German chancellor says country will do everything it can to fight climate change
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that Germany will do everything to fight climate change and that the threat of global warming was 'real and dangerous'. She encouraged Germans to make changes tot heir lifestyles in order to live in a more environmentally friendly manner. She made all these statements during her hopeful new years speech.
climate-change global-warming germany eu europe merkel
TheHill
US embassy in Baghdad surrounded by protesters
After US airstrikes earlier in the week resulted in the deaths of 25 fighters of an Irani Shia group in Iraq, hundreds of angry protesters rushed the gates of the US embassy in Baghdad, including supporters of the paramilitary cell Hashd Shaabi. The protesters marched on the embassy immediately after holding the funerals of the killed fighters.
protest death iran iraq funeral baghdad united-states embassy fighters shia hashd-shaabi paramilitary
AlJazeera
Congress to investigate US nuclear waste dump site
The US Congress has announced that it will be launching an investigation into the nuclear waste dump site at the Marshal Islands. The structure has been steadily deteriorating and may soon be vulnerable to rising sea levels. Congress is also deciding on a plan to properly repair the dome.
us climate-change nuclear nuclear-waste nuclear-dump marshal-islands
BBC
A Chinese national has been charged with stealing cancer research from the US
US federal prosecutors have charged a Chinese national with stealing cancer research from a lab where he was working. The national is currently behind bars as he has been declared a serious flight risk. Investigators are saying that this was not an isolated incident and that China is systematically stealing intellectual property from the US.
china cancer theft intellectual-property reseach
BostonHerald
North Korea to have 'positive and offensive' security before end of year
North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, has called a meeting of all his top officials in order to ensure that the country has 'positive and offensive' security before the denuclearisation deadline at the end of the year. People are unsure of what this means exactly but many feel North Korea will be making some provocative actions against the US and South Korea.
rocket us missile military nuclear north-korea warhead
Reuters