Section: Time (USA)
Germany’s Merkel and Russia’s Putin Meet to Discuss Middle East Tensions
(MOSCOW) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Moscow on Saturday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid growing tensions in the Middle East and elsewhere. Merkel and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas traveled to the Russian capital for discussions about international hot spots such as Iran, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Ukraine....
The Iran Plane Crash Could Be the Latest in a Long History of Accidental Shoot-Downs
A Ukrainian International Airlines flight that crashed in Iran Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board, was likely shot down by Iranian forces, U.S. intelligence suggests. While the crash of Flight 752 is a tragedy, the likely cause of the crash might not be entirely surprising, given the flurry of threats and tit-for-tat attacks exchanged...
Taiwan Is the Last Free Place in the Chinese-Speaking World. Can President Tsai Ing-wen Preserve Its Democracy?
In the early 1980s, a young Taiwanese student newly enrolled at the London School of Economics heard a knock at her dormitory door. A pair of bedraggled British students were there to ask Tsai Ing-wen if she wanted to subscribe to a newspaper. In the spirit of collegiality, she readily agreed. “It was only later that I discovered it was a...
176 People Died in a Boeing Plane Crash in Iran Just Hours After U.S. Retaliation. Here’s What to Know
A Ukrainian Boeing 737-800 plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Iran’s capital on Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board amid heightened tension in the region. The plane crash occurred just hours after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two military bases in Iraq that house American forces, escalating tensions between the U.S. and...
Republican Businesswoman and Political Newcomer Kelly Loeffler Has Been Sworn in as Georgia’s New Senator
(WASHINGTON) — Wealthy Republican businesswoman Kelly Loeffler was sworn in Monday as the newest senator from Georgia, a political newcomer who takes office amid a presidential impeachment, swirling tensions with Iran and at the dawn of what looms as a bruising national election. Georgia GOP Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Loeffler to the vacant seat...
Iranian Cyberattacks Feared After Killing of General Qasem Soleimani
(BOSTON) — Iran’s retaliation for the United States’ targeted killing of its top general is likely to include cyberattacks, security experts warned Friday. Iran’s state-backed hackers are already among the world’s most aggressive and could inject malware that triggers major disruptions to the U.S. public and private...
Iran-Backed Militiamen Withdraw From U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, But Tensions Remain High
(BAGHDAD) — Iran-backed militiamen withdrew from the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Wednesday after two days of clashes with American security forces, but U.S.-Iran tensions remain high and could spill over into further violence. The withdrawal followed calls from the government and senior militia leaders. It ended a two-day crisis marked by...
North Korea Warns That It Will Unveil a New Strategic Weapon Soon
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has accused the Trump administration of dragging its feet in nuclear negotiations and warned that his country will soon show a new strategic weapon to the world as it bolsters its nuclear deterrent in face of “gangster-like” U.S. sanctions and pressure. The North’s state media said...
Pompeo to Visit Ukraine as Senate Weighs Impeachment Trial
(WASHINGTON) — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Ukraine this week, making his first trip to the country at the heart of President Donald Trump’s impeachment. As the Senate weighs options for a trial, Pompeo will depart Thursday on a five-nation tour of Europe and Central Asia. Ukraine will be the first stop on the trip, the State...
Ukraine Swaps Prisoners With Russia-Backed Rebels in Move to End War
(MAIORSK CHECKPOINT, Ukraine) — Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine on Sunday exchanged 200 prisoners in a move aimed at ending their five-year war. The swap at a checkpoint near the rebel-held city of Horlivka was part of an agreement brokered this month at a summit of the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France....
