Munich Security Conference: Growing world concern over new administration

In Munich this weekend, the world’s top international security experts were attending the 53rd Munich Security Conference with more than 500 leaders debating the world’s international crisis’ and shaping the policy decisions which will affect the future of global civilization. On Friday, Senator John McCain addressed the conference and delivered some sobering warnings, stating, “My […]

Deadly violence erupts in eastern Ukraine amid ‘worsening humanitarian situation’

Violence flared up once more in Ukraine, both sides accused each other as being responsible for this escalation. -Vasilis Chronopoulos At least 13 civilians and fighters have been killed in the latest escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv and rebel authorities said on Tuesday. Kyiv announced that eight government troops have been killed and another 26 […]

Greek and Turkish warships in standoff in Aegean Sea

The decision of the Greek Supreme court that the eight Turkish soldiers who have come to Greece after the failed coup of July are not to be extradited to Turkey, prompted a scathing response in writing from the Turkish side, and in the anniversary of the Imia crisis of 1996, a military show of force in the same area. -Vasilis […]

About 40 Turkish NATO soldiers request asylum in Germany

Forty Turkish soldiers stationed in various NATO positions in Germany have asked for asylum. The Turkish side is urging Germany to not accept those requests. -Vasilis Chronopoulos  About 40 mostly high-ranking Turkish soldiers who worked at NATO facilities in Germany but were suspended after the failed coup in Turkey in July have requested asylum in […]

The British Army can’t find enough soldiers

A common problem in Western armies, (recruiting/retention) plagues the British Army, to counter that a series of measures is considered in order to keep the Army a lucrative option for employment. -Vasilis Chronopoulos  The British military is one of the world’s most legendary fighting institutions. It enabled the British monarchy to become one of the world’s […]

UK Prime Minister May seals fighter jet deal with Turkey

BAE systems and Turkish Aerospace Industries will work together to develop the TF-X Turkish fighter program -Vasilis Chronopoulos May, in Turkey a day after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, avoided criticising his sweeping ban on people from certain countries seeking refuge in the United States. She visited both countries for the first time as […]

Closed Balkan route means lucrative times for human traffickers

With the easy way closed, the refugees and immigrants are turning to human traffickers. -Vasilis Chronopoulos  Smugglers are currently offering to take people a short distance to the Hungarian or Croatian border, a service that costs between 200 and 300 euros ($214-321). They’ve also got wire cutters for the Hungarian border fence. Hundreds of people a […]

Greece, Turkey, a coup, and eight souls at stake

On July 15th 2016, a coup d’état was attempted in Turkey. The coup was badly organized, as we learned later, with units believing they were headed to an anti-terrorism exercise (hence their deployment in urban centers). And it failed badly, with soldiers getting executed by an angry mob of President Erdogan supporters. In the wake […]

Greece snubs Turkey soldiers’ extradition

The Greek supreme court decided against the extradition of the 8 turkish soldiers that were accused as coup participants by Turkey. Now all that remains to be seen is Turkey’s reaction to that decision.  Vasilis Chronopoulos  The eight men fled in a helicopter to Greece after the coup attempt but say they were not involved. Turkey has […]

Turkish imams spied on teachers at German state schools

Imams in Germany have informed Turkish authorities of alleged supporters of cleric Fethullah Gulen, the exiled cleric President Erdogan blames as the leader behind the thwarted coup. That move raised protests from Germany’s domestic intelligence service and the demand for answers on the alleged activities. -Vasilis Chronopoulos A state intelligence body has discovered that imams at […]

German police call for deportations without papers

Illegal immigrants tend to discard their passports as a way to prevent authorities from confirming their identities and delay deportation. In an effort to plug that hole in the system, German police are beginning to examine how to deport people without papers. -Vasilis Chronopoulos    The President of Germany’s Federal Police, Dieter Romann, says that if a missing passport […]

Brexit: Supreme Court says Parliament must give Article 50 go-ahead

Britain’s supreme court ruled that the parliament must vote on the activation of Article 50, that entails the small possibility of overruling the decision of the referendum. Vasilis Chronopoulos Parliament must vote on whether the government can start the Brexit process, the Supreme Court has ruled. The judgement means Theresa May cannot begin talks with the […]