IS Mines City of Palmyra, Russia and Greece Doomed to Rapprochement, West Created Migrant Crisis, Iran Bans IAEA to Access Military Sites, Ukraine Rejects Minsk Deal, US will Supply Gas to Ukraine, Counter-Offensive Against the Taliban.
- Islamic State Militants Mine Ancient City of Palmyra
Palmyra, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains monumental ruins of an ancient Roman city that was one of the most important cultural centers of the antique world.
“It is unknown whether they have mined the city in order to destroy the antiquities or to prevent the regime forces from getting advance towards the city,” the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on its website.
Materials of Sputnik
- Russia and Greece Doomed to Rapprochement
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ visit to Russia to attend the St. Petersburg forum and meet with President Vladimir Putin this week has strengthened Moscow-Athens ties and has drawn Greece further away from Brussels
President Putin and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met on the sidelines of the SPIEF forum to discuss the possible routes of transporting Russian natural gas to Europe via the Turkish Stream pipeline.
Materials of Sputnik
- West’s Support of Conflicts in Libya, Syria Created Migrant Crisis
Europe is currently struggling with a spike in undocumented migration, as thousands of migrants are fleeing conflicts in North Africa and the Middle East in search of better life conditions.
Four years of civil war in Syria have led to a refugee population of over 11 million, the world’s largest, according to the UN.
Materials of Sputnik
- Iran’s Parliament Upholds Ban for IAEA to Access Military Sites, Scientists ‘at will’
The parliament of Iran has voted to ban IAEA experts from accessing country’s military installations and scientists “at will.” The bill might become a major stumbling block on the way to signing the final nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers.
A large majority of Iranian MPs, 199 out of 213 present for the debate, supported the bill conditioning full lifting of all sanctions against the country in return for signing the nuclear deal.
Materials of RT
- Ukraine’s Right Sector Rejects Minsk Deal, Dalls for Renewed Offensive in E. Ukraine
The ultranationalist Right Sector political party has once again rejected the Minsk ceasefire agreement, calling on President Petro Poroshenko to renew the military offensive in the eastern part of the country.
“We demand that the Poroshenko regime reject the Minsk agreements, and renew the offensive military operations aimed at liberating occupied territories [in eastern Ukraine],” the statement published on the party’s website reads.
Materials of RT
- McCain: US will Supply Gas to Ukraine, Europe in 2 yrs
The US will be able to supply natural gas to Ukraine and Europe within two years, Senator John McCain pledged in Kiev. The American politician believes that only gas reliance prevents European countries from hardening sanctions against Russia.
“The United States will supply natural gas to Ukraine and other parts of Europe in two years,” McCain said on Saturday.
Materials of RT
- Afghans Counter Taliban Offensive in Northern Kunduz Province
Government forces in northern Afghanistan have launched a counter-offensive against the Taliban, after they took control of a key district.
Chardara district is just a few kilometres from the provincial centre of Kunduz, and a major road to the capital Kabul runs through it.
Chardara local official Muhammad Yusuf Ayubi told AFP news agency that the district had fallen to the Taliban after hours of fighting, adding that 12 soldiers had died and 17 were wounded.
Materials of BBC
Islamic State Militants Mine Ancient City of Palmyra; Russia and Greece Doomed to Rapprochement; West created migrant crisis; Iran bans IAEA to access military sites; Ukraine’s Right Sector Rejects Minsk Deal; US will supply gas to Ukraine; Afghans Counter Taliban Offensive in Northern Kunduz Province.