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New Atlanticist

Dec 8, 2015

Election Victory? Check. Now Can the Opposition in Venezuela Stay United?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Opposition must set aside differences and focus on people’s interests, says Atlantic Council’s Peter Schechter Venezuela’s opposition has won an absolute majority in Congress that gives it the ability to initiate a recall referendum against President Nicolás Maduro, but it must instead focus on staying united and showing that it has the people’s interests as […]

Venezuela

UkraineAlert

Dec 8, 2015

The IMF Outfoxes Putin: Policy Change Means Ukraine Can Receive More Loans

By Anders Åslund

Today the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reversed its “policy on not lending into arrears.” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in a statement that “the IMF’s executive board met today and agreed to change the current policy on non-toleration of arrears to official creditors.” Historically, the IMF has refused to lend to any country that has […]

Russia

SyriaSource

Dec 8, 2015

Top News: December 8, 2015

By SyriaSource

– Russia says too early to confirm Syria talks in New York– Suspected US-led Syria raids kill dozens of civilians– Syrian opposition seeks unified front in Riyadh; Kurds plan summit after exclusion from meeting– UNICEF appeals for $1.1 billion for Syria, neighboring countries– Turkey halts troop deployment to Iraq but will not withdraw– Iraqi forces […]

Syria

MENASource

Dec 8, 2015

Top News: US Confirms Death of Top ISIS Leader in Libya

By MENASource

The US Defense Department has confirmed the deaths of senior terrorist leaders in Libya and Somalia from recent US air strikes, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said ina statementon Monday.

MENASource

Dec 8, 2015

Top News: Egypt expects $1.5 billion in aid by year-end, eyeing IMF

By EgyptSource

Egypt expects to receive $1.5 billion for budget support from the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) by the end of the year, according to International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr.

MENASource

Dec 8, 2015

EconSource: Central Bank of Tunisia says 2017 Will See Economic Revival

By EconSource

The Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia Chedly Ayari said he expects Tunisia to witness an “economic revival” beginning in 2017.

UkraineAlert

Dec 8, 2015

Putin’s Goal is a New Yalta

By Aaron Korewa

I recently met with Ilya Yashin, a Russian opposition leader, political activist, and former colleague of the assassinated politician Boris Nemtsov. When I asked Yashin what the West could do to help those brave enough to defy the Russian regime, his main point was that governments and organizations must support Ukraine. The reason is obvious: […]

Russia Ukraine

SyriaSource

Dec 7, 2015

President Obama and the Terrorist Threat

By Frederic C. Hof

On Sunday evening, December 6, President Barack Obama attempted to assure Americans that he is applying the right array of tools to keep the citizenry as safe as might reasonably be expected from terrorism in a country featuring easy access to military-grade weaponry and a tiny percentage of the population willing to commit mass casualty […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Dec 7, 2015

In Venezuela, Maduro’s Fate Hangs in the Balance

By Ashish Kumar Sen

As opposition scores big electoral victory, President will face challenges from his own party, says Atlantic Council’s Jason Marczak The opposition’s historic victory in legislative elections on Dec. 6 has created a two-front challenge for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — one from an opposition that could try to have him recalled, and the other from […]

Venezuela

MENASource

Dec 7, 2015

Top News: Obama Tells the Nation Terrorist Threat to US is ‘evolving’ but Beatable

By MENASource

President Barack Obama’s speech to reassure the nation on Sunday night included no new strategy to contain or defeat the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). He reassured Americans that the United States is equipped to meet the dangerous and “evolving” threat of terrorism.