China Condemns U.S. ‘Militarization’ in South China Sea over Spy Plane Flight
The Chinese government is paying “close attention” to the new deployment of an American spy plane off the island of Singapore
Frances Martel
Latest News
FBI Director: San Bernardino Jihadis ‘Radicalized Before They Started Dating’
Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the couple who killed 14 and injured a number of others in a jihadist siege in San Bernardino last week, had become radical Islamists long before meeting, according to FBI Director James Comey.
Turkish Troops in Mosul Top Agenda for Kurdish Leader in Ankara
Masoud Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq, is currently in Ankara holding bilateral talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The meeting will cover trade and the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), and follows growing tensions between Turkey and Baghdad.
‘It’s Not His Birthday’: Leftist Argentine President Sabotaging Conservative Successor
With right-wing Argentine President-elect Mauricio Macri set to assume his position as head of state on Thursday, outgoing President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has become a major stress point in the transition, issuing multiple decrees, spending government money, and arguing over the details of the inauguration ceremony.
Defeated Venezuelan Socialists Plan ‘Crusade to Strengthen the Revolution’
Reeling from a decisive loss in Sunday’s legislative elections, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has planned a “crusade to strengthen the Revolution,” lasting “however many hours it takes” on Tuesday, comprising the heads of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).
Iraqi Kurds to Russia: Keep Your Fighter Jets Out of Our Airspace
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq, based in northeastern Erbil, has requested the Russian government keep its fighter jets out of its airspace when conducting missions against enemies of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in Iraq.
Turkey: 150 Troops Deployed to Iraq This Week Will Remain, Despite Protests
The Turkish government has clarified that it will not move the 150 soldiers deployed to northern Iraq from their position near Mosul, despite protests from the Iraqi government, though it will not double that amount as previously planned.
Turkey Summons Envoy as Russian Soldier Wields Rocket Launcher in Bosporus
A Russian soldier crossed Istanbul’s Bosporus aboard a warship, waving around a surface-to-air missile launcher, an action the Turkish government condemned and has branded “provocative.”
China to Quadruple Illegal Presence in South China Sea
Satellite images of construction in the South China Sea indicate the Chinese government has begun construction on three new airstrikes near the Spratly and Paracel Islands, quadrupling its presence in the highly-contested maritime territory.
Venezuela’s Opposition Awaits Socialist Response After Sweeping Elections
The anti-socialist Venezuelan opposition has cemented a majority hold on the National Assembly following national elections on Sunday night. While the government has officially accepted the results of the election, many still fear oppression and violence in response to the overwhelming rejection of Chavismo displayed in the polls.
Report: PKK Invade Assyrian Villages, Occupy Christian Militia Leader’s Home
While nominally working against a common enemy—the Islamic State (ISIS)—the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a U.S.-designated terrorist group, has occupied a number of Christian Assyrian villages in Iraq. The Marxist group has also invaded a home owned by a commander of the anti-ISIS Christian militia Dwekh Nawsha.
Cuban Dissidents Film Moment of Silence for San Bernardino: ‘No al Terrorismo’
A coalition of Cuban dissidents representing a number of anti-communist groups on the island have released a video denouncing the Islamist massacre in San Bernardino, California, featuring a moment of silence and a chant denouncing international terrorism.
Nigeria Arrests 11-Year-Old Would-Be Suicide Bomber on ‘Most Wanted’ Terror List
The Nigerian military has arrested Usman Modu Tella, an 11-year-old boy, on suspicions that he had been trained to perform a suicide bombing in the service of Islamic State-affiliated terror group Boko Haram.
Peter Jackson: Turkish Doctor Compared Erdogan to Smeagol, Not Gollum
Lord of the Rings director has issued a statement in defense of Bilgin Ciftci, a Turkish doctor who lost his job and is facing prison time for having shared a meme on social media that compared President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Gollum, the bony, greedy hermit of the books and film series.
North Korean ‘Ghost Ships’ in Japan: Defectors or Wayward Fishermen?
The Japanese government is currently conducting tests to determine how the dozens of people found dead on dilapidated ships washing ashore died, and whether hypotheses that they came from North Korea are correct.
Islamic State Threatens New York, Moscow in Post-San Bernardino Video
“France was the beginning, tomorrow will be Washington, it will be New York, and it will be Moscow,” two English-speaking Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists declare in the first video message published by the terror organization since last night’s jihadist massacre in San Bernardino, California.
San Bernardino: Victims Call Family to Say ‘I Love You’ During Shooting
“I just want to tell you that I love you,” Denise Peraza, a victim of Wednesday night’s mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, told her sister on the phone, with the news that she had been shot in the lower back.
‘McDunald’: Cuban Businesses May Face Legal Fight for Using U.S. Trademarks
A Reuters report takes a look at a new challenge facing the world of Cuba’s lax trademark enforcement: “normalization” of relations with the United States allowing American corporations to challenge copyright violations by small business owners using names like “McDunald” for their burger huts.
Los Abandonados: Argentina Rewrites Ending of Alberto Nisman Documentary
NEW YORK, New York – The last word spoken in Los Abandonados, a documentary detailing the multiple investigations of the worst terrorist attack in Argentina’s history and the death of the prosecutor who believed he had found the truth, is “no.”
WSJ on Colombia’s Peace Deal: ‘Islamic State Has Nothing on the FARC’
The Colombian government’s attempt to legitimize the FARC terrorist organization has resulted in the emboldening of the world’s wealthiest non-jihadist terror group, details the Wall Street Journal’s Mary Anastasia O’Grady.
Experts: South China Sea Hague Case May Force China to Pay ‘International Price’
As the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague prepares to hear the territorial dispute among nations framing the South China Sea – and the Chinese government vows to ignore any verdict – experts suggest a ruling against China could significantly hamper China’s construction of illegal artificial islands and military facilities there.
Turkish Generals, Colonel Arrested for Role in Revealing Weapons Convoy to Syria
The Turkish government has arrested two generals and a retired colonel on terrorism charges for involvement in the ordered inspection of trucks allegedly sent to Syria by Turkey’s intelligence agency to aid anti-Assad Turkmen rebels.
Ebola Panic Returns: Rwanda Reinstates Airport Checks
The government of Rwanda has reinstated mandatory Ebola screening and self-reporting procedures at its airports, as Liberia imposes regular temperature checks at school to monitor any new potential cases following the death of 15-year-old Nathan Gbotoe of the disease in late November.
Cuba Pressures U.S. Against Aiding Refugees Fleeing Communism
In a meeting between U.S. and Cuban diplomats, the Cuban government urged American officials to change the legal status of Cuban refugees to make it more difficult for those fleeing communism to find asylum, and easier for the communist regime of Raúl Castro to restrict its citizens’ mobility.
China Vows ‘Enhanced Cooperation’ with Russia Against Terrorism
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced Monday his nation would work to take on a broader role in the international war against terrorism, promising Russian President Vladimir Putin China would be at his disposal to aid in anti-terror efforts. Russia has deeply involved itself in the Syrian civil war on the side of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
