USA

Iran Asked Washington for Help After Helicopter Crash

The United States said on Monday that Iran had asked for its assistance after the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, and offered its condolences while deeming that he had "blood on his hands". "The Iranian government has asked us for help," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, even ...

Blinken Visits China to Manage Tensions but Increase Pressure

US Secretary of State Blinken visited China on Wednesday, as the US seeks to increase pressure over Ukraine and Fentanyl, while simultaneously managing tensions ahead of November's upcoming election. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned Wednesday to China on his second visit in one year, as the United States ramps up pressure on its ...

US-UK: A Long-Standing Strong Alliance Until Further Notice

When former British Prime Minister David Cameron was appointed as Foreign Secretary in November 2023, many expected significant changes in foreign policy. With years of experience in government leadership, Cameron was well-versed in numerous international issues — including the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict — having ...

Terry Anderson, Lebanon's Longest-held Hostage, Dies at 76

American journalist Terry Anderson, who was snatched by Islamic militants in Lebanon in 1985 and held hostage for six years, died at age 76 Sunday, his former employer the Associated Press (AP) said. Anderson, then the AP's Beirut bureau chief, was the longest-held Western hostage in Lebanon when he was finally released in 1991. He died at his ...

Is Washington's Brain Fog Lifting?

Small powers can rarely indulge in national security self-delusion. The potentially existential cost of such luxury is simply too high. It is a different matter for great powers, which can carry on in willful contradiction of national interests, obvious threats, and plain facts for some time before reality intrudes. Since October 7, 2023, ...

US, Japan Upgrade Defense Ties During Washington State Visit

The US and Japan announced their biggest upgrade to defense ties, during a Washington state visit, in which the leaders agreed that a Japanese astronaut will be the first non-American to walk on the Moon. US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled their countries' biggest ever upgrade in defense ties Wednesday ...

Political Vignettes and Ongoing Conflicts

Sergei Shoïgu, the Russian minister of defense, surmises French responsibility behind Moscow’s terror attack since Ukrainians are masterminded by their European mentors and France has defied the moral and political arrogance of the dictator. Relaying the lies of the Russian autocrat, S. Shoïgu perpetuates the culture of dissembling and ...

Russia Claims to Have Evidence of Ukraine Link to Moscow Attack

Russia claimed, on Thursday, that it has evidence that Ukrainian nationalists were linked to last week's Moscow attack. The US has dismissed these claims as absurd. Russia said Thursday it had evidence the perpetrators of last week's massacre at a concert hall outside Moscow were linked to "Ukrainian nationalists", a claim that the United States ...

Baltimore Bridge Collapses after Ship Collision

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed after a ship collided with it, the Maryland Transportation Authority said early Tuesday. "I-695 Key Bridge collapse due to ship strike," the MTA posted on social media platform X, referring to the interstate highway. It urged drivers to avoid the route over the Patapsco River, ...

Iran's Widespread Human Rights Abuses Criticized at UN Meeting

Several countries criticized Iran's widespread human rights abuses in a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on Monday. Several countries condemned on Monday the extent of human rights violations in Iran during a UN meeting, denouncing the sharp increase in death sentences and executions. A handful of nations, including Russia, China and Cuba, ...

Nikki Haley Suspends US Presidential Election Campaign

Republican former UN ambassador Nikki Haley halted her White House campaign on Wednesday, refraining from endorsing former President Donald Trump. However, she urged Trump to garner the support of moderates and independents who had previously backed her during the primary. Republican former UN ambassador Nikki Haley suspended her White House ...

New US Sanctions Target Iran's Weapons and Cyber Initiatives

The US imposed sanctions on four entities on Friday, February 2, for supplying  materials and sensitive technology used in Iran’s ballistic missile and UAV programs. This decision comes after the death of three US soldiers on January 28 in a drone attack carried out by armed groups supported by Iran at the Syrian-Jordanian border. The United ...