Tag Archives: Middle East

CNBC reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday revealed a cache of files he claims were obtained from Iran and prove Tehran ran a secret program to build nuclear weapons. His remarks come less than two weeks before U.S. President Donald Trump must decide whether to continue suspending sanctions against Iran, or restore the penalties on one of the …

ABC News reports: President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday saying that the U.S. led military strikes in Syria Friday night were successful. The strikes were in response to a suspected gas attack on the rebel-held city of Douma last weekend. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Saturday strikes would increase Syria’s resolve to “fight and crush terrorism in every inch” of the …

NBC News reports: Congressional Democrats blasted President Donald Trump on Friday night for circumventing Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes against Syria, calling it “unconstitutional” and questioning the strategy. Many Republicans, on the other hand, applauded the president’s move. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who has pushed Congress to pass a new authorization for the use of military force, deemed the president’s …

The Associated Press reports: The United States, France and Britain launched military strikes in Syria to punish President Bashar Assad for an apparent chemical attack against civilians and to deter him from doing it again, but also stirred up angry responses from Syria’s allies and ignited a debate over whether the attacks were justified. Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the …

The New York Times reports: President Trump said on Friday he had ordered strikes on Syrian targets, seeking to punish President Bashar al-Assad for a suspected chemical attack near Damascus that killed more than 40 people. Mr. Trump said Britain and France had joined the United States in the strikes. The strikes risked pulling the United States deeper into the …

USA Today reports: The Russian military says that an alleged chemical attack in Syria was staged and directed by Britain. Volunteer first responders and activists claimed a chemical attack by the Syrian government killed over 40 people in the town of Douma, which drew international outrage and prompted Washington and its allies to consider a military response. Moscow warned against …

Yahoo News reports: Donald Trump has backpedaled on earlier warlike statements about missile strikes in Syria – with a new Tweet where he says an attack may happen ‘not so soon at all’. His new statement may perplex allies, as it comes as British ministers consider the possibility of backing military action in the region. Theresa May is believed to …

“President Trump, I’m speaking to you directly. Do not take the same mistake that President Obama had made. The action that you had taken to take out the air base, that was important, that was strong — that was a very strong message. What we need to do right now is to take out Assad’s air force. If we ground …

The BBC reports: The US and Russia have traded barbs at a UN Security Council meeting on the alleged chemical attack in Syria. Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia said the incident in Douma was staged and that US military action in response could have “grave repercussions”. US Ambassador Nikki Haley said Russia had the “blood of Syrian children” on its hands. …

CNN reports: The US has not ruled out launching airstrikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in response to the weekend’s suspected chemical gas attack on civilians, Defense Secretary James Mattis said Monday. “I don’t rule out anything right now,” Mattis said while hosting Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, at the Pentagon. “The first thing we …

Reuters reports: The United Nations Security Council is likely to meet Monday afternoon over the recent chemical attack in Syria at the request of the United States and several other members, diplomats said on Sunday. A joint statement by the medical relief organization Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and the civil defense service, which operates in rebel-held areas, said 49 …

The Hill reports: President Trump on Sunday put blame on former President Obama after the alleged chemical attack in Syria. Dozens of people were killed Saturday in an alleged chemical attack in Syria. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement that U.S. officials are closely following the “disturbing reports … regarding another alleged chemical weapons attack, this time …

Newsweek reports: Vice President Mike Pence’s speech to the Israeli parliament was disrupted Monday after Arab lawmakers held up placards and engaged in a brawl with security staff in a protest against the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The lawmakers from the Arab Joint List, Israel’s third-biggest party, were forcibly ejected from the speech that they had earlier …

Bloomberg reports: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged patience in waiting out Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying there’s no place for him in the war-torn country’s future while vowing that the U.S. military will remain to counter Islamic State, al-Qaeda and Iran. In remarks prepared for a policy speech Wednesday on the Syrian war, Tillerson called for closer cooperation with …

The Hill reports: President Trump on Tuesday said the Iranian people are “finally” taking action against the country’s “brutal and corrupt” rule, again warning its leaders that “the U.S. is watching.” The Trump administration has publicly said it supports peaceful protesters demonstrating against the Iranian government. In a New Year’s Day tweet, Trump said it is “time for change” in …

The Jerusalem Post reports: A train station that will be built next to the Western Wall will be named after US President Donald Trump. The decision was made by Transportation Minister Israel Katz, who said: “The Western Wall is the holiest place for the Jewish people, and I decided to name the train station that leads to it after President …

USA Today reports: Saudi Arabia on Monday said it would lift the kingdom’s decades-long ban on movie theaters, part of reforms by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The government passed a resolution paving the way for licenses to be granted to commercial movie theaters for the first time in 35 years. They could open in March. The conservative kingdom shut …

From the right wing Townhall: The State Department has issued a warning for U.S. citizens traveling anywhere in the world after the Trump administration announced its decision to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognizing it as the capital of Israel. The alert, posted on December 6, is a “worldwide caution” that asks U.S. citizens to be on …

The Washington Post reports: An important outside voice advising Trump to make the leap was Adelson’s, according to several people familiar with the two men’s conversations. At a White House dinner earlier this year, Adelson made the issue a main topic, one person said. In the months that followed, Adelson periodically asked others close to Trump what was causing the …

The Associated Press reports: The White House says President Donald Trump will deliver remarks Wednesday outlining his decision on a potential move of the U.S. Embassy in Israel. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the president is “pretty solid” in his thinking on the plan but won’t say what Trump will announce. Sanders says the president will make the …