Special to WorldTribune.com U.S.-led coalition warplanes dropped thousands of leaflets over Islamic State of Iraq and Levant’s (ISIL’s) de facto capital in Syria vowing that ISIL will soon be defeated. The leaflets were dropped over Raqqa during a break in coalition airstrikes. ISIL opposition group “Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently” (RBSS) said on Twitter that […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Saudi Arabia and Turkey are considering sending ground troops into Syria to support rebels fighting the Russia-backed Bashar Assad regime, analysts say. “The Saudis believe that the chance of a peaceful solution for the Syrian crisis is very limited,” said Mustafa Alani of the independent Gulf Research Center. “They don’t see that […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Iraq has begun construction on fortifications in Baghdad that include a moat and a 10-foot high wall. Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Saad Maan said the military’s Engineering Corps has started work on a 100 kilometer (65-mile) stretch of the wall and trench on the northern and northwestern approaches of the capital, […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Moscow said it has reason to suspect that Turkey is planning a military incursion into Syria. The Russian Defense Ministry said it has observed “a growing number of signs of hidden preparation of the Turkish armed forces for active actions on the territory of Syria.” Ankara responded by saying it has the […]
Special to WorldTribune.com The leader of the Paris terrorist attacks slipped into France with a group of 90 jihadists who then spread out “everywhere” around the city. Abdelhamid Abaaoud “was proud of himself. That was the worst. He appeared to fear no one, a superman,” according to testimony from the woman who tipped police to […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Republican Representatives Mike Pompeo, Lee Zeldin and Frank LoBiondo filed visa applications to visit Iran on February 4. Three U.S. Republican lawmakers who are highly critical of Iran applied for visas to visit Tehran and observe this month’s elections, inspect nuclear sites, and meet with the […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Iran and Russia have initialed contracts worth around $40 billion for nuclear power construction, railways, and other projects, the top adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on February 4. Ali Akbar Velayati, at the end of a visit to Moscow, said he discussed […]
Special to WorldTribune.com The Baghdad government is infested with corruption and lawmakers “are all in cahoots with them,” an Iraqi lawmaker said. Mishaan al-Jubouri admitted in a television interview he received bribes to close corruption cases, adding that the “whole government is corrupt…including me.” “The whole of the ruling political class is involved in corruption […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — While recessionary winds continue to buffet the world economy, many countries are still prospering due to innovative policies which have embraced economic growth and expanded economic opportunities and grown the middle class in places as disparate as East Asia and South America. Yet, the United […]
Special to WorldTribune.com An Al Qaida commander who is said to have defected to Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen. Jalal Baleedi, who had previously run Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) operations in southern Yemen, was killed while traveling in a car with […]
