December 16, 2021 Balkans, Eurasia, Middle Orient, Turkey
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Tuesday said a solution to the dispute in ethnically divided Cyprus must follow the UN-endorsed road map for reunification of the island in a federal framework, and be based on international law rather than promoting “aggressive activities or expansionist tendencies.” His remarks, seen as …
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December 16, 2021 Eurasia, Middle Orient
While the United Arab Emirates seems to really want to buy F-35 fighter jets from the United States , conditions placed by the US on the sale could lead the UAE to scrap the whole sale. The UAE on Tuesday told the US that it was suspending discussions on the …
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December 16, 2021 Iran, Middle Orient
Arab Gulf countries meeting in Saudi Arabia called on Iran to ease tension and make progress in its nuclear talks with the world powers, and Iran just may be listening. The final communique issued at the end of the 42nd Gulf Cooperation Council summit on Tuesday in Riyadh said that …
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December 16, 2021 Turkey
As Turkey’s battered lira pushes to new lows against the dollar, all eyes turn to Thursday’s central bank meeting and critical talks on the minimum wage. Turks woke Monday to watch their currency plunge to 14 against the dollar early in the morning, then go past it to 14.62 until …
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December 16, 2021 Africa, Middle Orient, Turkey
Qatar is enhancing its presence in the eastern Mediterranean that is rich in oil and gas reserves at a time when tensions are ripping through the region over the maritime borders and excavation rights. Qatar has strengthened its presence in the eastern Mediterranean, which is rich in oil and gas …
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December 16, 2021 Middle Orient
The slight victory of candidates supporting Fatah in the local council elections appear to have boosted the morale of the Palestinian leadership and opened the door for elections in major cities. Will the Hamas leadership agree to that in Gaza? Ever since his April 31 decision to scrap the legislative …
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December 16, 2021 Eurasia
Mark Rutte bleibt den Niederländern trotz Lügen und Skandalen erhalten. Egal, den Preis bezahlen ja die Bürger. Hinterher ist man halt schlauer. Hätten die niederländischen Wähler vorher gewusst, was nach der Wahl im März passieren würde, hätten sie Mark Rutte wohl nicht noch einmal das Vertrauen geschenkt. Denn der Dauerpremier …
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December 15, 2021 Eurasia
The EU’s Justice Commissioner received “brutal” treatment last month in Warsaw, a member of his delegation said, during talks aimed at defusing a dispute over the independence of Poland’s judiciary that is blocking billions of euros in economic aid. In a carefully staged media appearance, Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro …
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December 15, 2021 Eurasia
The Federal Reserve and the Biden administration seem to have a very casual attitude toward inflation. When inflation started to draw some attention, the Federal Reserve’s official line was that it was transitory. In June, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said it was temporary, and John Williams, President of the …
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December 15, 2021 Eurasia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 as the demise of “historical Russia,” a comment that could fuel speculation about his foreign policy intentions amid a buildup of tens of thousands of Russian troops in regions bordering Ukraine. “It was the disintegration of …
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