Born on September 11, 1965, Bashar al-Assad is the second son of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, and his wife Anisa. His father, Hafez, rose to power through the Syrian military and the minority Alawite political party before taking control of Syria in 1970. Bashar al-Assad was educated at the Arab-French al-Hurriya School in Damascus where he …
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Sunday over Iran’s presence in Syria after Western strikes in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons and a recent attack attributed to Israel. Netanyahu also called on Western powers to take the same approach toward preventing “terrorist states” from acquiring nuclear weapons, referring to Israel’s main enemy …
Netanyahu warns: Iran’s interference in Syria is a major threat to the Middle East Read More »
Apple has a long history of trying to tightly control information about its products and culture. According to a new report, Apple recently sent a memo warning employees not to leak company information, saying 29 employees were caught last year, 12 of whom were arrested. Naturally, the memo was leaked. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman got a copy of …
Apple fires 12 employees for leaking information Read More »
Slovenia will hold an early general election on June 3, President Borut Pahor announced on Saturday, a month after center-left Prime Minister Miro Cerar resigned over a legal obstacle to a government investment project. “On this day I dismiss the parliament and determine June 3 as the date of early parliamentary election,” Reuters quotes Pahor …
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has told a group of Russian politicians that Western missile strikes on his country were an act of aggression, according to Russian news agencies. The politicians met with Mr Assad after the United States, France and Britain launched missile strikes on Syria in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack a week ago. Russia, …
Assad met with Russian MPs – ‘Western strikes were act of aggression’ Read More »
Voters in Montenegro are casting their ballots in a presidential election that the former prime minister Milo Đukanović is expected to win after his party defied Russia and took the small Balkan country last year. The vote is the first since Montenegro joined the western military alliance in December. It is seen as a test …
Montenegro votes in presidential election, Đukanović expected to win Read More »
Hours after striking Syria, the United States, France and Britain on Saturday launched a new bid at the United Nations to investigate chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The three allies circulated a joint draft resolution at the Security Council that also calls for unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid, enforcing a ceasefire and demands that Syria …
US, France, Britain launch new UN bid for Syria chemical weapons probe Read More »
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, will visit Kosovo tomorrow. According to the Bulgarian news agency BTA, the purpose of the visit is to consider ways to improve cooperation in the region and to maintain peace and stability in the Balkans. Borissov will meet with Kosovo …
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed the combined strikes on Syria’s alleged chemical facilities, saying that the operation sent a message to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad. The US and its allies, Britain and France, carried out a wave of strikes against Assad’s government on Saturday, a week after a suspected deadly gas attack on the rebel-held Damascus suburb …
Erdogan supports strikes on Syrian chemical facilities Read More »
The US and its allies, France and Britain, have drawn a new red line on chemical weapons, but the Pentagon admits that capacity in that area still remains. The strikes also did not target the Bashar al-Assad regime’s use of, or access to conventional weapons. At a Pentagon briefing, director of the Joint Chiefs Lieutenant …
Syria air strikes – US and allies have drawn a red line on chemical weapons Read More »
U.S., British and French forces launched air strikes on Syria in response to a suspected poison gas attack that killed dozens of people, aiming to degrade its chemical weapons capabilities in the biggest intervention yet in the conflict by Western powers, Reuters reports. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the military action from the White House, …
Putin: US-led strikes on Syria ‘an act of aggression’ Read More »
Greek Foreign minister, Nikos Kotzias, has held a meeting in Pristina today with his counterpart from Kosovo, Behgjet Pacolli. In contrast to the other visits held as part of the Balkan tour, the Greek diplomat did not deliver a joint press conference following the meeting with Pacolli. “We have a lot to talk and to …
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed hope that “common sense” will eventually prevail in the modern world, which is becoming “more chaotic.” The current international situation is very troubling, he added. “The state of world affairs invokes nothing but concerns, the situation in the world is becoming more chaotic,” Putin said on Wednesday during a ceremony …
Romanian media report that a renowned politician of Romania, has allegedly committed suicide. Reports are based on information by the Alba County Police Inspectorate (IPJ) spokesperson, Luminiţa Prodan. On Wednesday morning, the Alba County Council Deputy Chairman, Alin Cucui “was found hanged (…) by his brother in his parents’ house”, adevarul.ro reads. As Prodan has said, “An investigation team …
Investigation underway as Romanian politician commits suicide Read More »
An Algerian military plane crashed and caught fire on Wednesday killing 257 people, mostly army personnel and members of their families, officials said. An AFP photographer at the scene saw the charred wreckage of the plane in a field near the Boufarik airbase from where the plane had taken off. Hundreds of ambulances and dozens …
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said Wednesday in Belgrade that a step forward has been made in the name dispute and its settlement requires compromise. “Realism and pragmatism is the key to solution. Compromise is needed, but not a rotten one. Both sides need to understand that they cannot get everything,” said FM Kotzias after …
Kotzias in Belgrade: Progress in name talks, compromise required Read More »
Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos has voiced conviction over the political prerequisites and will for a solution to the name issue, adding that more steps are required for an agreement, MIA reports from Athens. “I believe there are political prerequisites and will for an agreement, but a long way is still ahead in the talks. …
Tzanakopoulos: More steps required for name solution Read More »
In an April 10 telephone conversation, Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi assured Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov that his country does not aim to start any conflicts or armed attacks, a Bulgarian government statement said. Borissov, whose country is the current holder of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, had said earlier in Mostar, …
Kosovo does not aim to start conflicts or armed attacks, Thaçi tells Bulgarian PM Read More »
Russia has said any secret resettlement of the spy poisoned in Salisbury and his daughter will be seen as “abduction”. The threat came hours after it was revealed Yulia Skripal has been discharged from hospital, five weeks after she and her father, Sergei Skripal, were found slumped on a bench in central Salisbury on 4 …
Russia: Skripal resettlement akin to ‘abduction’ Read More »
“We shouldn’t miss the chance to solve this issue. The Zoran Zaev-led government has opened a window of opportunity. There are difficulties, which in fact have left the row unsolved for 25 years. It is in our national interest to find a solution to the name issue,” the Vice President of the European Parliament said in …
Papadimoulis: Chance for solving name dispute should not be missed Read More »
