HTS emerged from a former al-Qaida affiliate, and while Jolani has distanced himself from the terrorist group and projects modernity, Israel remains on high alert for threats to its security emerging from the chaos in Syria. On Saturday, the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, said on a visit … Read more
Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Bashar Assad were once friends, but the Turkish leader backed the rebellion when it erupted nearly 14 years ago — mainly because Turkey’s geopolitical rival Iran supported the Syrian regime. Turkey has been the key patron of Syria’s armed Islamist opposition groups. And as the war developed and the moderate … Read more
On Friday, the Syrian army confirmed it had lost control of the strategic city of Hama to the rebels, an al Qaeda breakaway called Tahrir al-Sham. The rebels seized Syria’s largest city of Aleppo late last month in an effective offensive, forcing government forces to withdraw. Statues of Assad’s father and brother were toppled in … Read more
Talking with POLITICO on the margins of the recent annual Yalta European Strategy conference, a high-level gathering of Ukrainian and Western leaders and officials, Ischinger, added with a chuckle: “Of course, as many of my friends remind me, the problem, is that if you paint a red line you’ve got to stick to it. You can’t … Read more
Forever chemicals are everywhere, from cookware to cosmetics to clothes to carpets. For decades, they’ve been building up in the environment and our water – and in our bodies. Now Canadian researchers say they have developed a practical way to remove the toxic compounds from our drinking water. “There’s no natural way for this thing … Read more
Cost of Living5:07The hot, sweaty irony of it all Star Vickery never used to need an air conditioning unit to stay cool in her home in Halifax. But summers are getting warmer, she says, and since she now works from home, it’s become a must. But cooling your home can be costly. The unit cost … Read more
The main suspect was arrested on Wednesday, with investigators finding chemicals and explosives during a search of his house, the ministry said on Thursday. The 19-year-old had links with Islamic State, Austria’s public security director Franz Ruf said at a press conference on Thursday. A second suspect — a 17-year-old — was arrested on Thursday, but he … Read more
An expert on British Columbia’s salmon populations says the massive landslide that blocked off part of Canada’s largest sockeye salmon run has created an unprecedented situation, potentially putting the already struggling fish at even more risk. Scott Hinch, associate dean at the University of British Columbia’s Pacific Salmon Ecology and Conservation Laboratory, said the debris piled 30 metres high and 600 … Read more
This article is part of the Brussels Survival Guide. There’s plenty to pay attention to in the new cohort entering the European Parliament — including, of course, the people. See below our guide on key figures across the policy palette. Céline Imart AGRICULTURAL DISRUPTOR European People’s Party, France A cereal farmer from Occitania in France, she … Read more
Not everyone was buying von der Leyen’s sphinx-like approach. The French Greens, for example, broke with their group to oppose von der Leyen, denouncing her for not detailing a “proactive pursuit of the Green Deal,” among other shortcomings. Green NGOs were similarly skeptical. Von der Leyen’s offerings “show there is no going back on climate,” … Read more
