Iran, India hold first joint naval exercise since lifting of international sanctions

Iran, India hold first joint naval exercise since lifting of international sanctions

by WorldTribune Staff, May 30, 2016 India and Iran will hold a joint naval drill on June 3 which focuses on the Strait of Hormuz. The exercise is the first between the two countries since the lifting of international sanctions on Teheran in January 2016. Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, commander of the Iranian Navy, confirmed […]

Jordan’s king dissolves parliament

Jordan’s king dissolves parliament

by WorldTribune Staff, May 30, 2016 King Abdullah dissolved Jordan’s parliament on May 29 and appointed a caretaker prime minister to organize new elections. Abdullah appointed veteran politician Hani Mulqi as prime minister after accepting the resignation of Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, Reuters reported. The main political opposition in Jordan comes from the Muslim Brotherhood, […]

Saudis hit Iran’s key role as Iraqi offensive targets Fallujah; ISIL car bombs Baghdad

Saudis hit Iran’s key role as Iraqi offensive targets Fallujah; ISIL car bombs Baghdad

by WorldTribune Staff, May 30, 2016 Saudi Arabia condemned Iran’s “intervention” in Iraq as Iraqi forces began their push into Fallujah on May 29. While U.S. special forces are on the front lines in Syria in a new offensive against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in Raqqa, Iran “has become the face […]

ISIL gains territory near Turkish border through which rebel forces have been supplied

ISIL gains territory near Turkish border through which rebel forces have been supplied

by WorldTribune Staff, May 29, 2016 Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) has launched its biggest offensive in Syria’s Aleppo province in two years and gained territory from rebel forces near the Turkish border. ISIL captured territory from Syrian rebels on May 28 and inched closer to a town on a supply route for […]

U.S. troops ordered to remove Kurdish insignias from uniforms

U.S. troops ordered to remove Kurdish insignias from uniforms

by WorldTribune Staff, May 29, 2016 The Pentagon has ordered U.S. special forces soldiers to stop wearing the insignia patch of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) on their uniforms. Photos of U.S. troops with the insignia patches infuriated Turkey’s increasingly authoritarian president, who views the YPG as a terrorist organization linked to the Kurdish […]

Iran blames Saudis, cancels participation in Hajj pilgrimage

Iran blames Saudis, cancels participation in Hajj pilgrimage

by WorldTribune Staff, May 29, 2016 Amid an ongoing rift with Sunni Saudi Arabia, Shi’ite Iran has decided not to participate in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. “Due to ongoing sabotage by the Saudi government, it is hereby announced that … Iran’s pilgrims have been denied the privilege to attend the Hajj this year, and responsibility […]

‘I condemn it’: Erdogan blasts U.S. assist to Kurdish offensive in Syria

‘I condemn it’: Erdogan blasts U.S. assist to Kurdish offensive in Syria

by WorldTribune Staff, May 29, 2016 Saying “there is no difference” between Syrian Kurdish forces and Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 29 condemned U.S. assistance in the Kurds’ offensive on ISIL’s Syrian stronghold. “The support they give to… the YPG (militia)… I condemn it,” said Erdogan. […]

U.S. Special Forces embed with Kurdish forces, join fight for capital of ISIL’s caliphate

U.S. Special Forces embed with Kurdish forces, join fight for capital of ISIL’s caliphate

by WorldTribune Staff, May 27, 2016 U.S. special operations forces are “present at all positions along the front” and are assisting a Kurdish-Arab coalition “on the ground and in the air,” in the offensive against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in its de facto Syria capital of Raqqa. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) field […]

Catwa, seriously: Saudi cleric bans selfies with cats

Catwa, seriously: Saudi cleric bans selfies with cats

by WorldTribune Staff, May 27, 2016 Sheikh Saleh Bin Fawzan Al-Fazwan is adamant about Saudis not behaving “like Westerners.” Thus, the senior cleric has banned the taking of selfies with kitties. Al-Fazwan issued the order after being told during a television broadcast of a new trend in the kingdom of people posing for pictures with […]

Socialist nightmare: On brink of collapse, Venezuela sells off gold reserves

Socialist nightmare: On brink of collapse, Venezuela sells off gold reserves

by WorldTribune Staff, May 27, 2016 “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.” – Margaret Thatcher As Venezuela sinks further into the economic abyss, the South American country has begun selling off its remaining gold reserves. The country’s gold reserves have dropped almost a third over the past […]