Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — The United States has drafted a plan with its Arab allies to establish a no-fly zone over Syria. Western diplomatic sources said the administration of President Barack Obama has reached agreement with Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies to impose measures meant to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ANKARA — Turkey is said to have pledged up to $300 million in aid to Hamas. Turkish sources said Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has pledged to become a leading donor to the Hamas regime. Over the last year, Erdogan has provided Hamas support in other ways. The sources said Turkey was providing […]
Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — Syria’s powerful military intelligence chief is said to have been killed in a feud within the regime. Opposition sources said Gen. Assaf Chawkat, Assad’s brother-in-law, was killed during a violent argument with Syrian General Intelligence Service commander Gen. Ali Mamlouk, Middle East Newsline reported. They said Mamlouk pulled out a […]
Special to WorldTribune.com New: New: Geostrategy-Direct.com WASHINGTON — Western diplomatic sources said the U.S. intelligence community, particularly the CIA, has been using foreign and dual nationals to monitor unrest in Egypt, Lebanon and Libya in order to reduce risk of exposure. The sources said the U.S. intelligence community would bolster its program to use foreign […]
Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — A Western energy major has suspended operations in Syria. France’s Total said it halted operations in Syria in wake of European Union sanctions on the regime of President Bashar Assad. The sanctions included that of Syria’s state-owned General Petroleum Corp., which owns 50 percent of Total’s partner in the Arab […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — Turkey, aligned to the Muslim Brotherhood, has cracked down on the rebel army in Syria. Opposition sources said the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has frozen Free Syrian Army bank accounts in an effort to pressure the rebels to recognize the authority of the Brotherhood-aligned Syrian National Council. “The […]
Special to WorldTribune.com GAZA CITY — Hamas has reported a significant increase in its government budget in the Gaza Strip. Hamas said it has drafted a budget of $769 million for 2012, an increase of 22 percent from this year. The Islamic regime said the key sectors in the budget were military and security. “They […]
Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — Syria, amid the intensification of the Sunni revolt, has held a military exercise. The regime of President Bashar Assad reported a military exercise on Dec. 4 in eastern Syria. A Syrian government statement said the exercise was meant to test Assad’s huge Scud-class missile arsenal in any war. “Syrian missile […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ANKARA — Syria’s new rebel army and the Islamic opposition are said to have agreed to cooperate in the revolt against President Bashar Assad. The Syrian National Council and the Free Syrian Army have agreed to coordinate operations amid a NATO and Arab League international effort to increase pressure on the Assad […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United States is pressing Israel to take the initiative to improve ties with American allies in the Middle East. Officials said the administration of President Barack Obama has been urging Israel to improve relations with Arab and other states in the Middle East. They said the effort was necessary […]