Author: Steven Sahiounie

On December 27, Russia’s Gazprom said that it has paid Ukraine $2.9 billion under the decision of the Stockholm court, as a part of wider gas agreements deal reached by the sides earlier in the month. On December 20, Russia and Ukraine announced the terms of new gas transit agreements, under which Russia will supply Europe for another 5 years via Ukraine and pay a $2.9 billion settlement to Kiev to end a legal dispute. In exchange, Ukraine is set to drop another legal claim. Moscow and Kiev are set to formalize the agreements and sign the final deal in…

The Turkish Armed Forces are ready to be deployed to Libya if necessary, media reported on Friday, citing National Defence Ministry Spokeswoman Nadide Sebnem Aktop. The Turkish military is able to conduct operations in and outside Turkey, as required, the Anadolu news agency reported, citing the spokeswoman. In late November, Turkey and the UN-recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli signed an agreement on military cooperation. Both sides have already ratified the deal, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Ankara would support the GNA in the fight against the Libyan National Army (LNA). Libya…

A concerted effort by radical anti-government demonstrators to disrupt Hong Kongers’ access to shops over the holiday season has resulted in a significant drop in seasonal revenue, as well as arrests by the dozens. Thursday marked the end of Hong Kong’s three-day Christmas break and the third day of protests carried out by masked, black-clad protesters. “Unprecedented violence, reckless and organized destruction became the norm,” Hong Kong city officials said in a statement issued Thursday, reported The Guardian. Chief Executive Carrie Lam also commented on the matter, asserting that protesters ruined Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. According to the outlet,…

The Libyan National Army (LNA) announced on Friday that it had taken control of roads leading to the Tripoli airport and was set for major battles for main areas of the Libyan capital. The news comes a day after information surfaced that the rival Tripoli-based government has officially requested military aid from Turkey. “The LNA is advancing after violent clashes on roads that lead to the center of the capital. The GNA retreated leaving bodies lying on the road to Tripoli airport”, the LNA wrote on Facebook, as quoted by Al Arabiya. LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari, in turn, told the…

The base is located 15 km northwest of Kirkuk and houses US military forces alongside Iraqi forces, Reuters said, citing security sources. Several rockets have hit Iraq’s K1 military base near the city of Kirkuk on Friday, Reuters has reported, citing a statement by the Iraqi military. The base, which lies 15 km northwest of Kirkuk, houses US military forces as well as Iraqi forces from the Federal Police and Counter-Terrorism Service, the agency says, citing security sources. No casualties have been reported so far. Security forces found a launchpad for Katyusha rockets inside an abandoned vehicle near the base,…

The Chinese government has scathingly lambasted as “gross interference” in China’s domestic affairs the contents of the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020. Wu Qian, spokesman for Ministry of National Defense of China, on Thursday referred to the articles of the document that dealt with Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang’s affairs, saying Washington “has openly meddled” in these “internal affairs.” The 738-billion-dollar NDAA, signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 20, contains articles that support protests in Hong Kong, boost Taiwan’s military capabilities through extensive military exchanges and arms sales, and require the compilation of regular and…

The United Nations has strongly condemned the recent attack against a popular market in Yemen’s mountainous northwestern province of Sa’ada, describing it as the third deadly assault on the same location in just over a month. The world body said in a statement that the attack on al-Raqou market in the Monabbih district of the province on Tuesday claimed the lives of seventeen civilians, and that there were 12 Ethiopian migrants were among the fallen victims. At least 12 people were wounded, the UN added, without saying who was responsible for the incident or what weaponry was used. “The attacks…

By Stephen Lendman Russia’s defense budget is a small fraction of what the US spends for militarism and warmaking. Yet Russia’s super-weapons exceed the best in the West because of efficient and effective use of its resources. Meeting with Russia’s Defense Ministry Board on Tuesday, Putin discussed Moscow’s military development and key objectives next year. Ahead of the meeting, he “visited an exhibition of advanced Russian weapons and equipment. He was shown “the mortar (artillery) battery automation facilities set, the Adjutant complex, the Epokha unmanned combat module, the Harpoon-2M portable anti-drone system, a Russian-made buggy, the Phoenix UAV, the Piranha inflatable…

Despite claiming to fight jihadists in Syria, the Americans are gladly using them to further anti-Damascus policies and occasionally giving them a helping hand, the Syrian foreign minister told RT. “The Americans are using ISIS as a scarecrow,” Minister Walid Muallem said in an interview with RT Arabic. “At the same time they are feeding ISIS, encourage them, protect ISIS leaders and help them move from one area to another.” The US policy is aimed at investing into terrorism. The Syrian government has long accused the US of fueling groups of foreign Islamist fighters, even those bragging of committing atrocities in Syria,…

On December 26, a group of angry locals intercepted and stoned several U.S. armored vehicles in Syria’s northeastern region. According to the available information, the vehicles were conducting a patrol near oil fields in northern al-Hasakah, when they were intercepted by a group of angry locals near the town of Dhabanah, in the outskirt of Qamishli. A video released by activists in northeast Syria shows the locals throwing rocks at the vehicles and ripping a U.S. flag apart after taking it from one of the vehicles. The incident last for a few minutes only, with the U.S. patrol leaving Dhabanah…