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Showing posts from July, 2020

Russia to help Syria build ‘another’ Hagia Sophia

After the conversion, Hagia Sophia will get a miniature replica of itself but not in Turkey this time. The Syrian regime has announced plans to build a replica of Istanbul’s grand mosque, Hagia Sophia after Turkey decided to convert this UNESCO world heritage site into a mosque. Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, has decided to take help of Russia to build the grand structure. Russia has been one of the strongest allies of Assad and has agreed to assist in building the mini Hagia Sophia in Hama to show the importance of "peaceful dialogue" between faiths, Al-Rai Al-Youm reported. According to the Lebanon-based news outlet Al-Modon , the idea for the building was initiated by a man named Nabeul Al-Abdullah, the head of a pro-regime loyalist militia within the province. After gaining the approval of the metropolitan bishop of the Greek Orthodox church in Hama, Nicolos Baalbaki, the plans were then presented to the Russian military within Syria. Further details in t

Venezuela stands up for the justice on whom the US had offered reward

There is only so much left with Venezuela to get hold of and with the United States’s continuous interference in its affairs, the country is suffering even more. But this time the South American country has spoken up. America had offered $ 5million bounty as a reward for information leading to the arrest of the head of Venezuela’s high court, accusing the judge of taking bribes. The US secretary of state has accused Maikel Moreno, a close political ally of socialist President Nicolás Maduro, of receiving bribes in over 20 criminal and civil court cases In retaliation, Venezuela on Wednesday blasted a $5 million US reward offer for information leading to the arrest of the country's Supreme Court president. The foreign ministry in a statement said that the US "disrespects the Supreme Court of Justice, in the person of its president, Maikel Moreno, through false accusations and the offer of rewards in the style of the cowboys and the wild and far west." The Supreme Cou

Canada, US and UK blame Russia for stealing vaccine related information

In a bid to be the first nation to develop a coronavirus vaccine, the major powers are all standing one against another. When the newsbroke that Russia might actually be the first one to come up with a vaccine, other countries seemed to have become more cautious. According to the reports, the Intelligence agency of the United States United Kingdom and Canada accused hackers of trying to steal valuable private information about a coronavirus vaccine. But the highlight is that they believe those hackers are working for the Russian intelligence. The National Cyber Security Centre of the UK is ‘almost certain’ that APT29, also going by the name 'The Dukes' or 'Cozy Bears' connected to Russian intelligence and are targeting valuable findings on the coronavirus vaccine. Though Russia has denied any such connection. "We do not have information about who may have hacked into pharmaceutical companies and research centres in Great Britain. We can say one thing - Russia has n

Erdogan’s decision to convert Hagia Sophia back into a mosque receives criticism worldwide

The decision to turn Hagia Sophia, a world famous museum, in Turkey into a mosque has been criticised by the majority of the world. On July 10, 2020, the decision of the Council of Ministers to transform the Hagia Sophia into a museum was cancelled by the Council of State. And, despite secular and global criticism, the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, signed a decree annulling the Hagia Sophia's museum status, reverting it to a mosque. Greek’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsokis not only condemned this decision but also said that this move will adversely affect relations between Athen and Ankara. He said, “The Turkish decision will affect not only relations between Greece and Turkey, but also Turkey's relations with the European Union, UNESCO and the entire international community.” Hagia Sophia became a museum in the year 1934 and now is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Though gained the status of museum much later, it was built 1,500 years ago  as an Orthodox Christian ca

COVID-19: Fear raise as first positive case confirms in Syrian camps

As Idlib, Northwestern state in Syria, confirms its first coronavirus case, ranging fear rises among people and caretakers due the possibility of it spreading in the camp faster than imagined.  There is a huge possibility of an outbreak in these closely populated area Syrian camps that would leave the situation out of control. Near the Turkish border, a doctor contracted COVID and the contacts of the doctor are being traced so as to avoid the situation getting any worse. The World Health Organization (WHO) official has said that the hospital has been closed where the doctor was working. Almost one million people have fled their homes in the area since last December, with many of them now living in overcrowded refugee camps with inadequate healthcare facilities and little clean water. The healthcare is not good as it is and if COVID cases are found here then the already suffering population will be miserable. Majority of the population is displaced in Syria. Sonia Khush, Save the Childr

Egypt preparing navy for the upcoming challenges in Meditaranean against Turkey

Egypt has been preparing for what is termed as a ‘possible battle’ in the meditaranean with Turkey. Egypt is partnering with Russia to provide itself arms for fighting or threatening Turkey and Libya. There have been reports last month that suggested Egypt might be acquiring Rusian Super defense system ‘Bastion’ to secure its resource---gas and oil field in the neditaranean. Mid-June, a newspaper had reported that Turkey is planning to establish a naval unit in the Libyan city Misrata overlooking the Mediteranean and Egypt has been cautious since then. And seems like Egypt doesn’t want to leave any stone unturned as even as it gets supplies from Russia, it is also in talks with Italy for the largest military deal with an European country. Nothing is well between the two nations. Walking on thin air, Egypt and Turkey can go into war any given time. Even the Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi warned of Egypt’s involvement in Libya if the Turkish-backed Government of the National Acc