Yesterday, a Malaysian airlines passenger jet crashed in rebel-controlled part of eastern Ukraine near Donetsk. Responses have been numerous and contradictory, some Ukrainian officials immediately pointed fingers at separatists, some at Russia itself, and others at “terrorists.” The plane was a Boeing 777, and according to statements released by US officials, the plane was shot…
US President Obama has decided to increase sanctions against Russia by targeting large banks that support large energy and defense firms. Instead of targeting individuals connected with Russian support of operations in Ukraine and Putin’s inner circle, this new move is far more sweeping. According to White House statements, it will not cut off entire…
Southeastern Afghanistan was shaken yesterday by a car bomb which struck a market in Paktika Province, obliterating more than twenty shops, killing at least 89 and wounding approximately 40 others. The attack, which took place in the Orgun district of Paktika, does not appear to have been targeted in the same way as recent car…
Faced with a looming deadline next week, Iran’s Chief Negotiator Abbas Araqchi has conceded to a vital portion of the proposed deal between the P5+1 Powers and Iran, stating they could accept a deal that would freeze their capacity to produce nuclear fuel at current levels for many years, provided that after this the program…
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko swore to “find and destroy” the perpetrators of a missile attack claimed the lives of 23 members of the Ukrainian military on Friday. The Ukrainian leader vowed to repay the death of each Ukrainian soldier with “scores and hundreds of” militant lives. Poroshenko swore to exact revenge on each and every…
Ongoing nuclear negotiations in Vienna between the P5+1 powers and Iran have faltered in recent weeks as the deadline agreed upon last November rapidly approaches. British Foreign Minister William Hague made a public statement that expressed concern about the gulf of differences that remain on any potential agreement, saying that any deal was far from…
A BRICS Development Bank will be launched this coming week, and expected to become operational in 2016. The new global banking organization will largely be bankrolled by Russia, China and India, three of the five BRICS nations, the other two being Brazil and South Africa. The organization is being developed largely as an alternative to…
Separatist militias in the Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Luhansk have retreated to fortified barricades in anticipation of advancing government forces through the eastern provinces. Key bridges into the towns have been blown up, and separatist leaders complain of having been abandoned by Russia. Ukrainian government officials said that they succeeded in sealing the previously…
With all votes counted in Afghanistan, tensions are rising as some have been quick to anoint Ashraf Ghani as the new Afghan president, while others, including leading opposition candidate and previous frontrunner Dr. Abdullah Abdullah have labeled the election a “coup” and have refused to recognize the results of the election. The Afghan Independent Election…
In another development to the rapidly deteriorating relations between the ethnic Uighur population and Chinese authorities, government departments in Xinjiang have banned Muslim staff from fasting during the month of Ramadan. Authorities did not provide a rationale for the ban, citing only that the ban was enacted “in accordance with instructions from higher authorities.” Officials have consistently…
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