Gene Giannotta

Russia And Ukraine Talk Cease-Fire In Berlin

The foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine will meet in Berlin to discuss a possible cease-fire as tensions continued to escalate over the rebellious eastern region of Ukraine. The Guardian reports that Russia’s Pavlo Klimkin and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov will discuss a resolution to the ongoing crisis. Foreign ministers of Germany and France will also […]

9y ago

dunkin donuts

Dunkin Donuts Introduces Coffee Donuts

Just in case a cup of Dunkin Donuts’ much-heralded coffee isn’t enough on an early Monday morning, now you can get an extra jolt with a coffee-flavored donut. According to Fox News, the Massachusetts-based chain is introducing two new treats: Made from the coffee chain's signature blend, the Glazed Coffee Creme donut is a glazed […]

9y ago

English Premier League|soccer

Premier League: Don’t Post Unofficial Goal Videos

The Pemier League is cracking down on unofficial, fan-posted goal videos ahead of its season opening Saturday, according to the BBC. The concern apparently arises from a huge number of videos posted to Vine during this summer’s World Cup. Vine is a social media network centered on short, six-second video clips. But as the English […]

9y ago

Apple|china|iphone

Apple Storing China iCloud Data On State-Owned Servers

Apple is storing data from its iPhone users in China on state-owned China Telecom servers, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Friday. The Journal reports that it was part of the company’s “latest effort to dispel security concerns raised by China,” adding that Apple stressed the data is encrypted and not accessible by […]

9y ago

libya|uk

Libya: Westerners Flee As Conflict Widens

Several Western governments have urged their citizens to leave Libya amid escalating violence after the United States’ evacuation of its embassy Saturday. The U.K.’s Foreign Office issued a travel advisory Sunday, saying, “British nationals in Libya should leave now by commercial means.” The statement also urges “against all travel to Libya,” pointing to “ongoing and […]

9y ago

bernie sanders

VA Reform Deal Reached In Congress

The House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs have reached a tentative deal to reform the VA, according to several reports late Sunday. According to Politico, which quoted an unidentified aide, the chairmen of both committees, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) and Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FLa.) came to an agreement that will address “both the short-term […]

9y ago

Benjamin Netanyahu|gaza|Hamas|israel|john kerry

Israel Extends Gaza Cease-Fire For Another 24 Hours

Israel decided on Saturday to extend the cease-fire in Gaza for an additional 24 hours, according to CNN. The United Nations had earlier requested that Israel extend Saturday’s original 12-hour humanitarian cease-fire, but cabinet ministers were tentative after Hamas, the militant Islamist group Israel is targeting, fired rockets into the southern part of Israel just […]

9y ago

libya

U.S. Evacuates Embassy In Libya

The United States has evacuated its embassy in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, due to “ongoing violence resulting from clashes between Libyan militias in the immediate vicinity,” according to the State Department. “We are committed to supporting the Libyan people during this challenging time, and are currently exploring options for a permanent return to Tripoli as […]

9y ago

russia|ukraine|Vladimir Putin

’Clear Escalation’: Russian Military Accused Of Shelling Ukraine

The Russian military fired artillery rounds into eastern Ukraine on Thursday, according to a U.S. Defense Department official. USA Today reports that Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, called the development “a clear escalation” of the conflict in Ukraine. He also said that the shelling campaign had begun earlier in the week. On Wednesday, […]

9y ago

russia|Vladimir Putin

New Russia Sanctions Expected After MH17 Crash, Say Economists

According to a survey of 29 economists conducted by Bloomberg, the United States will add to its existing sanctions on Russia in the wake of last week’s tragic shoot down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. “In the U.S. and Europe, the readiness to incur short-term economic costs and impose more punitive sanctions on Russia has […]

9y ago

egypt|gaza|Hamas|israel|john kerry

As Hamas Claims It Has Israeli Soldier, Diplomats Try Again For Peace

Hamas is claiming it has a missing Israeli soldier, according to several reports out of Gaza. The Washington Post reported that the soldier was unaccounted for after “a bloody seven-hour battle Sunday” in the war-torn region. Hamas’ original announcement Sunday was met by denial from Israeli officials. But on Tuesday, Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a […]

9y ago

iraq|Islamic State

U.N.: Islamic State May Be Guilty Of ‘War Crimes’

A new report from the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq accuses Islamic State militants of committing acts that “may also amount to war crimes” in Iraq, including “executions, rape and forced recruitment of children,” according to Reuters. “ISIL and associated armed groups have carried out many of these attacks in a systematic manner heedless […]

9y ago

john kerry|MH17|russia|ukraine|Vladimir Putin

John Kerry: Malaysia Airlines Jet Brought Down By Russian Missile

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday that a Russian missile brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, according to Reuters. Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, Kerry said that “it’s pretty clear that this is a [missile] system that was transferred from Russia.” He declined to say Russian President Vladimir Putin was “culpable” […]

9y ago

White House Warned Of Looming Border Crisis

According to a front page report in today’s Washington Post, White House aides were warned about an impending crisis over unaccompanied minors crossing the United States’ southern border with Mexico. The report indicates that university researchers, local officials, and agencies like Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were “ringing alarm […]

9y ago

iran

World Powers, Iran Agree To Four-Month Extension On Nuclear Talks

With the original deadline looming this weekend, the group of six world powers led by the United States agreed to extend the deadline for a deal on Iran’s nuclear program until November. According to Reuters, “The countries agreed to extend the high-stakes negotiations by four months, and let Iran access another $2.8 billion of its […]

9y ago

MH17|ukraine

Malaysia Airlines Flight Highlights Threat To Aircraft Over Ukraine

As the world seeks answers for why Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 went down over Ukraine on Thursday, Vox reports that it was not the only plane to be shot down in the country’s airspace this week. Max Fisher points to an Antonov AN-26 military transport plane that was shot down over eastern Ukraine on Monday […]

9y ago

russia|ukraine|Vladimir Putin

After Malaysia Air Tragedy, Vladimir Putin Blamed For Opening Pandora’s Box In Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin is being blamed for the tragic downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on Thursday, with world leaders and pundits pinning the tragedy on Putin’s policies with respect to the Ukrainian rebels. As we reported yesterday, President Barack Obama said: “[The incident] should snap everybody's heads to attention and make sure that […]

9y ago

russia|ukraine|Vladimir Putin

Russia Threatens Ukraine With ‘Irreversible Consequences’ Over Shelling Incident

Russia issued a strong threat to its Ukrainian neighbor on Sunday, warning of “irreversible consequences” in response to an alleged shelling across the border. The Washington Post reports that the incident resulted in the death of a Russian civilian. According to Russian news service ITAR-TASS, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry denied the accusations, saying in a statement […]

9y ago

iraq

Here’s Why Sunni-Shia Split Might Make A United Iraq A Lost Cause

Is the United States “losing” Iraq? That’s likely the wrong question. What we should be asking, given continued tensions between Sunni and Shiite factions, is whether there is an “Iraq” to save at all. “We are seeing the disintegration of the state of Iraq into three nations; the Shi’ites in the south and east, the […]

9y ago

iran|john kerry

Iran Talks In Vienna As Nuclear Deadline Draws Near

Officials met in Vienna Sunday for talks ahead of the July 20 deadline for Iran to end its nuclear program, the culmination of a temporary agreement reached in January. The Associated Press, reporting from Vienna, says that an extension could be likely due to “deep differences” between Iran and the six world powers led by […]

9y ago