News Archives - Page 67 of 81

Is Former Security Adviser John Bolton Going to Testify Against Us President Trump?

28Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

US, News

Is Former Security Adviser John Bolton Going to Testify Against Us President Trump?

Will John Bolton, the former security adviser to US President Donald Trump, still testify to the settlement process against the president? The Democrats insist on this now that The New York Times newspaper unpacked excerpts from the manuscript of Bolton's forthcoming book. According to the newspaper, Bolton writes that Trump personally told him that he would withhold US aid to Ukraine as long as Ukraine did not start a corruption investigation into Trump's political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter. "The room where it happened" is the name of the book by John Bolton, the US President's security adviser who was fired in September last year. The book is due mid-March. The manuscript still needs to be approved by the National Security Council in the White House. But even before t...

Russia is Blacklisting D66 MP Sjoerd Sjoerdsma

27Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Russia, News

Russia is Blacklisting D66 MP Sjoerd Sjoerdsma

Russia has blacklisted D66 MP Sjoerd Sjoerdsma. This means that he will not be able to join a delegation from MPs to Moscow next month. Foreign minister Stef Blok has already called on the Russian ambassador, but that has not led to a different position. The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs would visit Russia at the request of the Duma, the Russian parliament. Only recently did it become clear that Sjoerdsma is not welcome. A reason was not mentioned. Russia would internally suggest that the Netherlands also has a sanction list and that they are also free to use a checklist. Sjoerdsma reacts laconically. "If the Russian government thinks that because of this pressure I will swallow my criticism of, for example, MH17 and human rights violations, they will come home from a c...

Ebola Congo: Due to the Flared-up Violence, We Have to Start Almost from Scratch

23Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Congo, News

Ebola Congo: Due to the Flared-up Violence, We Have to Start Almost from Scratch

In Eastern Congo people were well on their way to end the Ebola epidemic after eighteen months. But due to a flare-up of violence, new people became infected. Ebola has not yet been challenged in Eastern Congo, that much is clear. The epidemic, which has now been going on for a year and a half, has already killed more than 2,300. Although the disease seemed as good as fought, 16 infections appeared again last week. The flare-up violence is the cause of this. "We now have to start almost from scratch," says Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the national Ebola coordinator. Ebola is one of the biggest challenges for President Félix Tshisekedi, who has been in power in Congo for one year now.

Australia Ravaged by Sandstorms and Hail Balls

20Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Australia, News

Australia Ravaged by Sandstorms and Hail Balls

Australia Ravaged by Sandstorms and Hail Balls. Australia is preparing for heavy thunderstorms, including in many areas affected by the massive forest fires. There is a risk of flooding in some places. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued a 'warning of heavy thunderstorms' on Monday and warned of strong winds, hail and heavy rainfall in large parts of New South Wales, southern Queensland and many areas in Victoria. Last week rain fell in three states affected by the massive forest fires, which brought some relief to the exhausted firefighters who have been fighting the fire since September. But in Queensland, many highways were closed and people had to be evacuated during the weekend due to flooding. Canberra, the capital of the country, had to deal with wind and a ...

President Vladimir Putin is Going to Conference on Conflicts in Libya

17Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

International, News

President Vladimir Putin is Going to Conference on Conflicts in Libya

President Vladimir Putin is going to the international conference on the conflicts in Libya on Sunday. The Kremlin reported that he is participating in the conference in Berlin, which should lead to a peace settlement. It was not confident whether Putin himself would come. The Kremlin reported that Putin had received a letter from Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar. Last Monday an unsuccessful attempt was made in Russia to bring the warring parties to a file. Haftar wrote to his "good friend" Putin that he would like to continue the dialogue that started Monday and is prepared to come to Moscow again for that. But the parties involved are already talking to each other in Berlin on Sunday, along with a series of countries that are included in the fight. These are in particular Turkey,...

The European States Activate Sanction Mechanism with Iran Deal

14Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Europe, Iran

The European States Activate Sanction Mechanism with Iran Deal

France, the United Kingdom and Germany have activated a sanction mechanism in the nuclear deal with Iran. That brings the end of the 2015 agreement a step closer, although the three countries say they are not after it. After the US withdrew from the agreement and again introduced sanctions against Tehran, Iran also scaled back its commitments to the Iran deal. France, Germany and the United Kingdom are therefore not set up and are now taking steps themselves. "We do not accept the argument that Iran should no longer fully comply with the agreement," it says in mutual communication. They say they have no choice but to activate the mechanism; that may lead to new sanctions in the long term. Yet they do not want to go as far as the United States, which in the meantime has wholly w...

Khalifa Haftar Asks for A Delay in Signing the Libyan Truce

13Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

International, News

Khalifa Haftar Asks for A Delay in Signing the Libyan Truce

Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar has requested an extension of the ceasefire agreement with the UN-recognized Libyan government. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that no deal has been reached as a result. The peace talks are organised by Turkey and Russia and are held in Moscow. Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) has been under siege for months to the capital of Tripoli, where the government of Fayez al-Serraj sits. The warlord does not recognise the current Libyan government. Russia and Turkey are calling for a ceasefire in the North African country.

American Soldiers Killed by A Roadside Bomb in Afghanistan

11Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

International, News

American Soldiers Killed by A Roadside Bomb in Afghanistan

Two American soldiers were killed on Saturday by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan. Two others were injured in the attack on a US Army vehicle near Kandahar. That has been publicised by a spokesperson for the NATO mission in the Central Asian country. The Taliban have taken responsibility for this attack.

Stolen Jewels from Grünes Gewölbe Museum Offered on the Dark Web

10Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Germany, News

Stolen Jewels from Grünes Gewölbe Museum Offered on the Dark Web

A security firm from Tel Aviv, Israel, was offered two jewels through a hidden side of the internet that was stolen at the end of November from the Grünes Gewölbe museum in the German city of Dresden, in Saxony. It was there that the most significant art theft was committed since the Second World War. The diamonds were offered to Israeli buyers via the dark web, a hidden piece of the internet. These are employees of the CGI security firm. The newspaper Bild and the public broadcaster MDR report this. CGI is an Israeli security firm with headquarters in Tel Aviv. It operates worldwide, including former soldiers from the Israeli army and former employees of the Mossad, the Israeli secret service. It concerns two pieces from the collection: a breast star and a shoulder strap. The ...

Turkey Consults with the US and Iran wants to Reduce Tensions

6Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

International, News

Turkey Consults with the US and Iran wants to Reduce Tensions

Turkey is committed to reducing tensions between Iran and the United States. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has called with his colleagues in Washington and Tehran. "We will endure working with other countries over the coming days to resolve this issue or to de-escalate tensions." The already cooled relationship between Iran and the US has deteriorated even further after the death of top Iranian soldier Qassem Soleimani. He died in an American drone attack in Iraq. Iran reacted furiously and announced that it would return its death. The crisis has led to feverish consultations between several countries. Cavusoglu said that the crisis would be further discussed when Russian President Vladimir Putin pays a visit to Turkey on Wednesday. Turkish President Erdogan is also said to...