Category: News
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Afghanistan: Is withdrawal the last solution or the best?
Afghanistan: Is withdrawal the last solution or the best? President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he would withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, because “it is time to end America’s longest war.” In all, 42 years have passed since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979. …
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End of an era in Cuba with Castro’s resignation
End of an era in Cuba with Castro’s resignation HAVANA (AP) — Raul Castro said Friday he is stepping down as head of Cuba’s Communist Party, ending an era of formal leadership that began with his brother Fidel and country’s 1959 revolution. The 89-year-old Castro made the announcement in a speech at the opening of…
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Chicago reacts to police fatally shooting 13-year old
Rocked by recent high-profile police shootings of minorities, Chicago is now in the spotlight again after video was released showing a Chicago police offer fatally shooting a 13-year-old Hispanic boy. The boy dropped his gun and put his hands in the air before the police officer shot him. The Associated Press has the story: Video…
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Biden speeds up refugee admissions but doesn’t lift cap
Although Biden is changing some of the Trump-era policies toward refugees, he has not lifted Trump’s low cap of 15,000 per year. He is adjusting the allocation limits, providing more slots from certain regions and lifting restrictions on others. The Associated Press has the story: Biden’s emergency determination speeds up refugee admissions without lifting Trump’s…
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Russia expelling US diplomats in response to Biden
After the Biden administration announced new sanctions, Russia announced it was expelling 10 U.S. diplomats and shutting down U.S. nongovernment organizations. The Biden administration imposed the sanctions over Russia interfering in the 2020 U.S. presidential election and involvement in the SolarWind hack of federal agencies. The Associated Press has the story: After US imposes new…
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Algeria pro-democracy movement leans toward Islamists
The pro-democracy Hirak movement in Algeria, which forced out President Abdelaziz Bouteflika from office in 2019, is becoming increasingly tied to the Rachad group, an Islamist group that was outlawed during the 1990s. This has made some Hirak supporters back off from the movement. The Associated Press has the story: Pro-democracy Hirak movement in Algeria…
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Israel-Morocco, historical richness and domestic challenges
Today, on Israel’s 73rd anniversary, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin hosted the traditional reception for the foreign heads of mission in Israel in his official residence in Jerusalem. This year’s event was different; as a senior representative of Morocco, the head of the Moroccan liaison mission in Tel Aviv, was in attendance, shaking the president’s hand…
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Background on the Iran nuclear talks
Negotiations have begun to bring the U.S. back into the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. How did the deal come about, why did the U.S. leave the agreement, and what are the chances of reviving it? The Associated Press has the story: The history of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action deal with Iran over…
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U.S. threatens Lebanese politicians with sanctions
After months of political deadlock in Lebanon, U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs David Hale warned Lebanese officials that U.S. and its allies might impose sanctions against them if progress is not made setting up the new government. Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri was named to the post in October, but he has been unable…
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A closer look at the Russia-Ukraine border conflict
Tensions between the two countries are back at high levels since Russia placed 41,000 troops near the border with eastern Ukraine a few days ago, the largest buildup since 2014. What started this conflict in 2014 and why? The Associated Press has the story: The history of the Russia-Ukraine feud over Crimea in eastern Ukraine…