Polish PM Tusk warns Europe has entered ‘pre-war era’
Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago upended European leaders' sense of unshakeable post-war peace, prompting many countries...Geostrategy
Turkey says Erdogan to meet Joe Biden at White House on May 9
Istanbul, Turkey - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with US counterpart Joe Biden at the White House on May...Geostrategy Global
EU plans emergency action to halt energy price rise
High gas prices have been followed by disruptions in the nuclear and hydroelectric sectors amid a heatwave blamed on climate...The European Commission has yet to publish a detailed plan for market reform, but some member states have been pushing for a temporary cap on wholesale gas prices.
EU officials are also considering measures to split electricity price setting from the gas price and take into account other energy sources.
Protests erupt in Iraq as Moqtada Sadr says quitting politics
Sadr and his supporters have been calling for parliament to be dissolved and for new elections, but on Saturday he...Sadr said "all the institutions" linked to his Sadrist movement will be closed, except the mausoleum of his father, assassinated in 1999, and other heritage facilities.
His latest statement came two days after he said "all parties" including his own should give up government positions in order to help resolve a months-long political crisis.
Chamoun granddaughter launches bid for Lebanon presidency
Tracy Chamoun, an ex-ambassador and granddaughter of late president Camille Chamoun, announced Monday she will run for the presidency of...Elections are expected to be held before Michel Aoun's six-year presidential mandate expires in October, but many expect delays in light of deep political divisions.
It took Lebanon's bitterly divided political class more than two years to elect Aoun in 2016
Afghan minister says Pakistan providing airspace for US drones
Mujahid's comments came less than a month after US President Joe Biden announced the killing of Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri...Afghan defense minister said that deploying these drones into Afghanistan is "still a clear invasion of Afghanistan and its airspace by the Americans"
Border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have risen since the Taliban seized power on August 15 last year
Venezuela and Colombia restore diplomatic ties
More than eight million Colombians make a living from trade with Venezuela, which is why one of the objectives is...Presidents of Colombia and Venezuela announced on August 11 that they planned to restore diplomatic relations that were severed in 2019
The last president in Colombia, Ivan Duque, did not recognize Maduro as president but rather opposition leader Juan Guaido
IAEA chief leading team to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
"The day has come, IAEA's Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya is now on its way," Grossi tweeted, saying the...Grossi has for months been asking to be able to visit the site, warning of "the very real risk of a nuclear disaster."
The Zaporizhzhia plant has been occupied by Russian troops since shortly after Moscow launched its invasion on February 24
EU ministers to look at appeal to ban Russian tourists
Encouraged by Ukraine to ban all Russian tourists from visiting Europe, EU foreign ministers will study the idea in a...Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is now demanding the West shut its borders to all Russians, including tourists
The European Commission insists on the need for humanitarian access for dissident Russians, and says visa applications should be assessed individually and not under a blanket rule
Julian Assange: Black eye of free press
Whether it is the killing or state-sponsored arraignment of journalists or the closure of defiant media organizations, press freedom is...Whether it is the killing or state-sponsored arraignment of journalists or closure of defiant media organizations, the press freedom is under a huge stress across the world
There is a two-fold increase in polarization amplified by information chaos, according to the 20th World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders
Israeli spy chief to meet US officials on Iran deal
Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that Israel's "diplomatic fight" against the deal included its  national security advisor and defense minister...Israel says a deal would facilitate the funding of Iran-supported militants, while not preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon
In 2018, then-US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement designed to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon
Kuwait government calls September election amid political tensions
The only Gulf state with a fully elected legislature, the key oil producer has been hit by regular feuding between...That came amid growing disputes between that cabinet and opposition MPs, who had won nearly half the seats in the legislature during the previous election in December 2020.
The opposition has regularly accused ministers from the royal family of mismanagement and corruption.
