Most Alberta voters rejected a proposal to initiate the process for a future binding referendum on independence, according to preliminary results cited by CBC The oil-rich Canadian province of Alberta has voted to remain part of the country, with most voters rejecting a proposal to move toward an independence referendum, national broadcaster CBC reported on Tuesday. The vote comes amid purported contacts between pro-independence activists and US officials, as well as mounting tensions between Alberta and the federal government in Ottawa. The dispute centers on what advocates of independence see as insufficient attention to the province’s interests. The preliminary results showed that 76.2% of voters backed remaining a Canadian province, while 23.8% supported initiating the legal process for a future binding referendum on independence. Located in western Canada, Alberta borders the US state of Montan...
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The US vice president has opposed NATO membership for Kiev and demanded an end to strikes on Russian energy facilities Vice President J.D. Vance refused to call Ukraine a US ally, noting that the two countries are at odds on a number of issues. Asked by journalist Mark Halperin in an interview released on Monday whether Ukraine is a US ally, Vance suggested that Kiev is “certainly a partner” but noted that the countries “have some divergent interests from time to time.” “Do I think they should be bombing Russian diesel facilities that raise the cost of energy for Americans? No… I think they should stop bombing Russian energy.” Pressed on the distinction between partner and ally, Vance said the US has no formal alliance with Ukraine. “They’re not in NATO. I don’t think that they should be in NATO,” he said. He added that the two co...
The Chabahar-Zahedan railway line will allow India to bypass Pakistani territory for access to Central Asia and Russian markets, says RT in its exclusive report Iran has completed a key railway line connecting the southern port of Chabahar with Zahedan near its border with Afghanistan, amid a US blockade of its ports and mounting economic pressure from the West. The 730-km rail link will give Tehran more flexibility to move cargo to neighboring countries from the port, which is being developed by India, RT correspondent Saman Kojouri reports. The railway is a key link in the strategic International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which is backed by India, Iran, and Russia. Iran’s broader ambition is to connect its southern ports to transport networks connecting the Caspian Sea and beyond, operationalizing a vast land corridor for market access across Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Russia. ...
Marine Le Pen’s potential victory in next year’s French presidential election could leave the bloc deadlocked Kiev and Brussels fear the EU’s next package of sanctions against Russia could be its last, with officials rushing to secure its adoption before Marine Le Pen potentially becomes France’s next president, according to The Telegraph. The right-wing National Rally politician, who opinion polls put in the lead of the race, has strongly criticized Brussels’ approach to Ukraine. She has compared Kiev’s proposed accession to the EU to economic suicide and repeatedly called for suspending all aid to the country. Kiev and Brussels are “wargaming contingency measures” in case Le Pen wins the election next April, The Telegraph reported on Sunday. One source described February as possibly the “last opportunity” to adopt new sanctions against Russia. The EU ha...
Cairo has promised assistance as Riyadh seeks help following deadly attacks on airports and oil facilities Egypt has pledged to support Saudi Arabia in its escalating conflict with Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, the country’s top security body has announced. Riyadh has been pressing allies for assistance following Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities in retaliation for its military operations in Yemen. The group has demanded that Saudi Arabia lift its blockade of Yemeni airports and ports, describing its approach as “an eye for an eye.” Egypt’s National Defense Council, chaired by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, announced the decision on Sunday, a day after he sought parliamentary authorization to deploy troops and military equipment abroad. The council pledged “all possible forms of support” to help Saudi Arabia defend its security but did n...
Clashes erupted in several major cities as unrest spread beyond France over the weekend Tens of thousands took to the streets of European cities over the weekend to protest rising living costs, housing shortages and government policies, with demonstrations escalating into violent clashes, looting and arson in several countries. The unrest left smashed storefronts, damaged public buildings and burned-out vehicles in its wake. France, where the protests first erupted, saw the most extensive destruction, while clashes also broke out in Belgium and Italy as a separate wave of anti-government demonstrations continued in Albania. In Portugal, tens of thousands also demonstrated, although no comparable scale of violence or damage was reported. Footage from across Europe showed smashed shop windows, looted stores, burning vehicles and fires near public buildings. In Limoges, France, flames engulfed the historic ...