US government partially shuts down; 10 more Russian fighter jets arrive in Crimea

Su-27 aircraft. Source: National Interest

More than 10 Su-27 and Su-30 fighter jets, which Russia will deploy to strengthen its air force amid rising tensions with Ukraine, landed at Belbek air base in Crimea on December 22, Reuters reported.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of preparing a “provocation” near Crimea before the end of the year. Tensions between Moscow and Kiev have escalated in recent weeks after Russia seized three of its neighbor’s naval vessels and their sailors on November 25 in an incident that both Moscow and Kiev blame on each other.

Without funding, US government shuts down just before Christmas

US government at risk of shutdown before Christmas - Photo: AFP

The US House of Representatives adjourned its session on December 21 without passing a spending deal with Congress, ensuring that part of the US government will shut down at midnight.

Operations at several key Washington government agencies will be suspended until the morning of December 23, despite ongoing discussions between White House officials and congressional leaders on Capitol Hill.

It remains unclear how long the partial government shutdown will last, but the outlook is grim as hundreds of thousands of federal employees are expected to be furloughed or forced to work without pay in the run-up to Christmas.

Canada demands China immediately release detained citizens

The diplomatic crisis between Canada and China showed signs of escalating yesterday when the Canadian government was quite harsh in criticizing China for “arbitrary” detention. The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also demanded that China immediately release two Canadian citizens who were detained on December 11 on suspicion of “threatening national security”.

The two Canadians detained are Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat and current analyst for the International Crisis Group (ICG), and Michael Spavor, a businessman. According to the Chinese government, the country has always followed regulations and legal procedures when detaining the two Canadians.

Germany "bans" Iran's Mahan Air due to US pressure

Germany has banned flights by Iran's Mahan Air to its cities under pressure from the US, Tasnim news agency reported.

Mahan Air currently flies to European Union (EU) cities including Milan, Athens, Dusseldorf and Munich as well as to other countries such as Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and other destinations in the Middle East and Asia. Since December 2011, Mahan Air has been subject to several sanctions by the US Treasury Department for alleged violations of international law.

US reassures Iraq about plan to withdraw troops from Syria

US military convoy in the anti-IS campaign in Syria. Photo: AFP/VNA

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has assured Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi that Washington remains committed to fighting the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Iraq and other regions, despite plans to withdraw troops from Syria, the Iraqi Prime Minister's office said.

The Iraqi Prime Minister's Office said that Mr. Mahdi and Mr. Pompeo discussed the above-mentioned troop withdrawal plan and Washington's decision to grant Iraq an additional 90 days of sanctions exemption in transactions with Iran, according to which Baghdad will be allowed to buy energy from Tehran.

UN ceasefire monitors arrive in Yemen

Scene of devastation caused by conflict in Sanaa, Yemen. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

A UN team monitoring a ceasefire in the Yemeni port city of Hodeida has arrived at its first stop in the Middle Eastern country. The team, led by retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert, arrived in Aden, southern Yemen, home to the internationally recognized government. Cammaert is expected to meet with government officials in Aden before heading to the rebel-held capital Sanaa and then to Hodeida.

A day earlier, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved a resolution to deploy a rapid response team to Yemen to monitor the ceasefire in the port city of Hodeidah.

India will control all computers in the country

Illustration: The Hindu

The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has just issued a decree granting 10 government agencies the right to intervene, monitor and decode “all information generated, transmitted, received and stored on computers”.

Thus, according to NDTV, with the order from the Department of Homeland Security, authorized government agencies can not only access data in calls and messages, but also interfere with any data on the computer. Those agencies also have the right to seize any device if necessary.