Is The West Dying Or Thriving? US And Europe Clash At Munich Conference

The United States and Europe appear divided over the health of the transatlantic relationship following a key security conference in Germany over the weekend, attended by hundreds of political and military leaders. Eruopeans accused Washington of ‘rejecting the idea of an international community’ – but the U.S. said the alliance is in good shape. As …

Wales Bears Brunt as Storm Dennis Rips Across Britain

Storm Dennis roared across Britain with high winds and heavy rains Sunday, prompting authorities to issue a record number of flood warnings and alerts for England and a rare “red warning” for extremely life-threatening flooding in Wales. The Met Office, Britain’s meteorological service, only issues its highest red warning when it thinks the weather will …

Is The West Dying Or Thriving? U.S. And Europe Clash At Munich Conference

The United States and Europe appear deeply divided over the health of the transatlantic relationship following a key security conference in Germany over the weekend, attended by hundreds of political and military leaders from around the world.German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier opened the conference with a speech that accused Washington of ‘rejecting the idea of an …

Hurricane-force Winds, ‘Life-threatening’ Floods Vex UK

Storm Dennis roared across Britain Sunday, lashing towns and cities with high winds and dumping so much rain that authorities urged residents to protect themselves from “life-threatening floods” in Wales and Scotland.The Met Office, Britain’s national weather service, issued more than 250 flood warnings for England, Scotland and Wales.As the winds churned up enormous waves …

‘Take One, Leave One’: Mexican Idea To Help Homeless Goes Global

A surprisingly simple idea to help homeless people has gone viral – and is spreading around the world. The ‘Take One, Leave One’ concept aims to offer warm clothing to the homeless. As Henry Ridgwell reports, the idea seems to have originated in Mexico, before spreading to the United States, and now to London and …

US: No Start Date Yet for Temporary Afghan Truce

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Saturday that consultations were still underway on setting a start date for a seven-day trial of reduced violence negotiated with the Taliban in Afghanistan.   “That is a moving date because we are still doing consultations, if you will, … so I can’t give you a hard date right now,” …

US Labels China ‘Greatest Potential Adversary’

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has said China tops the list of the Pentagon’s potential adversaries, followed by Russia and what he called “rogue states” like North Korea and Iran. Esper made the comments at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where hundreds of world leaders and military personnel are gathered to discuss global conflicts. Henry Ridgwell …

US Labels China ‘Greatest Potential Adversary’

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has said that China tops the list of the Pentagon’s potential adversaries. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Esper said Beijing posed the greatest threat to the West, followed by Russia, what he called “rogue states,” like North Korea and Iran, and extremist groups.“In fact, under President …

Ukraine’s President Vows to End War, Invites Trump to Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed Saturday to end the separatist conflict in the east of his country, where fighting between Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian troops has killed more than 14,000 people since 2014.Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskiy said he hopes to end the conflict by the end of his presidential term in 2024.“If …

Airbus ‘Deeply Regrets’ US Decision to Raise Tariffs on EU Aircraft

Airbus said Saturday it “deeply regrets” the U.S. decision “to increase tariffs on aircraft imported from the EU.”The European aerospace corporation said in a statement the new tariffs would heighten “trade tensions between the US and the EU, thereby creating more instability for US airlines that are already suffering from a shortage of aircraft.”The U.S. …

Turkey Continues Military Buildup in Syria, Seeking Diplomatic Solution From Moscow

Turkey is deploying tanks and armor in Syria’s Idlib province as Damascus continues its offensive against the last rebel enclave. But in an apparent gesture to Moscow, Ankara is pledging to crack down on radical elements in Idlib, along with calls for “a lasting cease-fire.”  Damascus’s forces are claiming they are advancing against the rebels’ …

Europe Mulls Forceful Presence in Conflict-torn Sahel 

The European Union is being urged to become more militarily involved in Africa’s Sahel region amid a possible drawdown of U.S. troops and a fast-growing Islamist insurgency.Fallout from escalating unrest in the arid scrubland edging the Sahara dessert — threatening to push deeper into sub-Saharan Africa and potentially export instability and migration across the Mediterranean …

Western Democracy Under Threat, Security Conference Warns

NATO says it will draw down troop levels in Afghanistan if the Taliban show they are willing and able to end violence in the country. That announcement followed a tentative deal struck between the U.S. and the Taliban this week. NATO’s secretary-general made the comments at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where world leaders assembled to discuss the …

Serbia, Kosovo to Reopen Highway, Rail Service

Kosovo and Serbia have signed a deal to reopen a highway and resume rail service between them. The agreement, signed Friday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, was brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina talks, Ambassador Richard Grenell.  Grenell said the deal represented “historic progress on economic development. Agreements on air, rail and …

Bulgarian Journalists Facing ‘Disgraceful Attacks’ By Top Officials

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is calling on the Bulgarian authorities to stop trying to intimidate journalists, who the watchdog says are subjected to “personal and offensive” verbal attacks and threats by very senior officials.In a statement on February 13, Pauline Ades-Mevel, the head of RSF’s EU and Balkans desk, said European Parliament President David Sassoli …

Jewish Leaders Seek Better Policing of Online Hate Speech

Jewish leaders called Friday for better policing of hate speech on social media platforms over concerns prompted by recent attacks that people on the margins of society are being incited online to violence.Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis and chief rabbi of Moscow, said online radicalization was giving rise not only …

Macron Announces Measures to Protect Ice, Biodiversity of French Mountains

French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled a plan to protect glaciers and biodiversity in the French mountains. During a visit to the Alpine resort town of Chamonix on Thursday, Macron spoke of the importance of fighting climate change and preserving biodiversity to mark the launch of the French biodiversity office. He also visited a shrinking …

In Africa, US Sees Trainers as ‘Better Fit’ Than Combat Troops

The United States is trying to ease concerns about its decision to withdraw conventional troops from Africa and replace them with specialized military trainers.Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Thursday the move will leave “roughly the same number of troops on the continent,” while giving U.S. commanders the capability to bolster partner forces.Speaking with reporters on …

Airport Encounter With Venezuelan Vice President Roils Spanish Politics

Spanish opposition parties are calling for an investigation of a mysterious midnight meeting between Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and a senior Spanish cabinet official in Madrid’s airport last month, arguing that the session undercut Europe-wide sanctions against the Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro.Lawmakers demanded at a stormy parliamentary session Wednesday that Transport Minister …

Italian Far-Right Leader Matteo Salvini Could Face Trial for Detained Migrants

Italy’s far-right leader, Matteo Salvini, Thursday defended his position not to allow more than 100 migrants, who had been rescued at sea, to disembark from a coast guard vessel for six days last July. He said it was a shared decision with other members in the government. Salvini, who was interior minister and deputy prime …

Ex-Ukraine Ambassador: State Department Leaders Lack Vision

The career U.S. diplomat who was ousted from her post in Ukraine by President Donald Trump, then was criticized by him as she testified at his impeachment hearings, warned that the State Department is facing a crisis with senior leaders who lack “vision.” Marie Yovanovitch, accepting an award at Georgetown University on Wednesday, portrayed the …

Amid Soaring Tensions, Leaders Prepare for Key Global Security Summit

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Pentagon chief Mark Esper will join hundreds of global leaders in Germany Friday for the three-day Munich Security Conference.Numerous security flashpoints around the world, from Syria, Yemen and Iran to Hong Kong, Ukraine and Libya, add to the growing tension and unease ahead of the summit, which takes …

British Finance Minister Unexpectedly Resigns

British Finance Minister Sajid Javid announced his resignation Thursday, a development that came unexpectedly as Prime Minister Boris Johnson reorganizes his Cabinet.Javid’s resignation followed reports of tensions between him and Johnson’s top advisor, Dominic Cummings.His announcement came less than one month before he was scheduled to unveil his first budget and as the government tries …