Another day, another story describing worsening relations between the United States and Russia. This time, in a move to assuage the fears of their NATO allies, the United States has parked tanks and troops in Poland, which is often considered to be the buffer zone between Russia and the rest of Europe. Following the NATO summit in 2016, the Obama… Read more »
While new arrivals declined, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said that the number of rejected asylum-seekers who left Germany was up – though still not to authorities’ satisfaction. In total, 80,000 people either left voluntarily or were deported, he said. Arrivals declined sharply with the closure of the Balkan migrant route in March and the subsequent agreement between the European Union and Turkey to… Read more »
Immigration and security are key issues in the campaign for this year’s vote with the leader of the National Front, Marine Le Pen, promising to be tough on immigration, radical Islam and to exit the EU’s border-free area. Fillon is seen beating Le Pen if they meet in a runoff vote in May in the election and was campaigning on Wednesday in… Read more »
ISTANBUL — Rather than uniting Turkey, the so-called Islamic State attack on an Istanbul nightclub, which killed 39 on New Year’s Day, appears to have only deepened societal divisions. Some social media posts have supported the attack, denigrating the revelers as decadent and anti-Islamic and therefore having gotten what they deserved. One theologian declared the attack was a message that… Read more »
Russia says it views the arrival of more than 3,000 US soldiers in Poland as a threat to its own security. The troops are part of President Barack Obama’s response to reassure Nato allies concerned about a more aggressive Russia. It is the largest US military reinforcement of Europe in decades. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the BBC… Read more »
As the “etat d’urgence” has been renewed for a fifth time in France following a string of terror-related activities, some citizens are fearing the loss of their rights. Under a State of Emergency, French authorities have the right to establish a curfew, ban protests, and prohibit mass gatherings. In addition, more and more people of the Islamic faith are finding… Read more »
Russia’s federal security service said Thursday it had thwarted a series of attacks by Islamic State militants in Moscow and the southern city of Samara, detaining six people. “Four members of the terrorist group were detained” during raids on Thursday, the FSB security service said in a statement. “The militants were preparing the terrorist attacks on direct orders of… Read more »
The security measures, in force since attacks in Paris that killed 130 people in November 2015, are now expected to be approved by the Senate on Thursday. It is the fifth extension of the state of emergency, which gives police extended powers of search and arrest. The overnight vote in the National Assembly passed by 288 to 32, with only… Read more »
They met informally at the European Council summit in Brussels amid tensions over the handling of talks. Downing Street said Mrs May had not sought to be present at that meeting and it showed the EU was facing up to the reality that the UK was leaving. It comes as the UK government plays down a suggestion that negotiating a… Read more »
His call came after days of broken promises blamed on both sides. All day, Russian state television has been rolling pictures of the exodus, portraying a humanitarian act. Russian officials have long claimed there was no “moderate” opposition to President Bashar al-Assad left in Aleppo. So they hailed the city’s recapture by Syrian government forces as a victory against terrorism…. Read more »