All posts tagged: withdrawal

Iran Pushes Back on Venice Biennale Withdrawal Reports: ‘We’re Still Coming’

Iran Pushes Back on Venice Biennale Withdrawal Reports: ‘We’re Still Coming’

Published by Jenni Sidey

Last week, the Venice Biennale announced that Iran had dropped out of the exhibition. Now, it appears, that report was incorrect. On Tuesday, Aydin Mahdizadeh Tehrani, the director-general of visual arts at the Iranian ministry of culture and Islamic guidance told the Iran Students News Agency that it still plans to participate. “Iran never withdrew from participating in the Venice Biennale,” Tehrani said, as translated by Google Translate. “Incidentally, we had the initial agreement to participate in Venice and we are still in consultation. We have submitted a plan to participate in the Biennale as an exhibition, and we will probably receive a receive a response in the next few days.” Related Articles In an extensive Q&A with ISNA, Tehrani said he was confused by the Biennale organizers’ statement after it never gave them a letter of withdrawal, nor announced that they weren’t participating. He said further that Iran’s organizers were in conversations with the Biennale to resolve several issues related to sanctions against Iran, high financial costs of renting a space for the pavilion, the …

US troop withdrawal ‘comes as a surprise’ – POLITICO

US troop withdrawal ‘comes as a surprise’ – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Kallas framed the move as a wake-up call for European defense, stressing that reliance on American forces can no longer be taken for granted. “I think it shows that we have to really strengthen the European pillar in NATO and we really have to do more,” she said. “American troops are not in Europe only for protecting European interests, but also American interests.” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has also publicly downplayed the immediate operational impact of the U.S. decision. The move by the U.S. administration comes amid tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, particularly after Merz said last week that Washington was being “humiliated” by Iran. Asked directly whether Trump might be trying to punish Merz, Kallas declined to speculate. “Well, I don’t see through the head of President Trump,” she said. “So he has to explain it himself.” Source link

Germany says U.S. troop withdrawal ‘anticipated’, Spain and Italy could be next : NPR

Germany says U.S. troop withdrawal ‘anticipated’, Spain and Italy could be next : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz gives a statement during his visit to the army at the Bundeswehr base in Munster, Germany, Thursday, April, 30, 2026. Markus Schreiber/AP hide caption toggle caption Markus Schreiber/AP German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius sought to project calm Saturday after the Pentagon announced it would withdraw roughly 5,000 troops from his country, calling the decision “anticipated” and insisting his country is ready to shoulder more of the burden of its defense. “The presence of American troops in Europe, and particularly in Germany, lies in our interest and in the interest of the US,” the defense minister told German news agency dpa. Pistorius added that if Germany was to remain a transatlantic partner, it must work to strengthen the European pillar within NATO. The Trump administration’s announcement Friday that it would withdraw troops from Germany sparked concerns among European allies, raising fresh questions about the durability of the NATO alliance and America’s long-term commitment to the continent. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to NPR on Saturday the order had come …

Armed Services Republicans ‘very concerned’ about US troops withdrawal from Germany

Armed Services Republicans ‘very concerned’ about US troops withdrawal from Germany

Published by Sam Flores

The chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Service committees on Saturday expressed they are “very concerned” about the withdrawal of 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany amid President Trump’s feud with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump on Wednesday had announced that he was reviewing a possible reduction of U.S. troops in Germany. “We are very concerned by the… Source link

Trump Says US Will Reduce Number of Troops in Germany ‘A Lot Further’ Than Withdrawal of 5,000

Trump Says US Will Reduce Number of Troops in Germany ‘A Lot Further’ Than Withdrawal of 5,000

Published by Sam Flores

The Pentagon on Friday had initially announced it would pull some 5,000 troops out of Germany, but when asked Saturday about the reason for the move, Trump didn’t offer an explanation and said an even bigger reduction was coming. “We’re going to cut way down. And we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” Trump told reporters in Florida. Earlier on Saturday, Germany’s defense minister appeared to take in stride the news that 5,000 U.S. troops would be leaving his country. Boris Pistorius said the drawdown, which Trump has threatened for years, was expected, and he said European nations needed to take on more responsibility for their own defense. But he also emphasized that security cooperation benefited both sides of the trans-Atlantic partnership. “The presence of American soldiers in Europe, and especially in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the U.S.,” Pistorius told the German news agency dpa. The plan faces bipartisan resistance The planned withdrawal faced bipartisan resistance in Washington, with swift criticism from Democrats and concern from Republicans that it …

NATO assessing details of US troop withdrawal from Germany | NATO News

NATO assessing details of US troop withdrawal from Germany | NATO News

Published by Sam Flores

The US says it plans to pull about 5,000 troops out of Germany over the next six to 12 months as feud with European allies over Iran war escalates. NATO says it is assessing the details of the United States’s decision to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany, a key partner in the Western security alliance, amid tensions over the war on Iran. In a statement on Saturday, NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the bloc is “working with the US to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany”, a process the US Pentagon estimates will unfold over the next six to 12 months. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The planned drawdown comes as US President Donald Trump feuds with European allies for not doing more to assist in the US-Israel war against Iran. He has voiced particular ire at Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who recently said the US was being “humiliated” by Iran’s leadership. Trump responded by urging Merz to stop “interfering” over Iran and spend more time …

Trump threatens Sánchez and Meloni with US troops withdrawal – POLITICO

Trump threatens Sánchez and Meloni with US troops withdrawal – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Sánchez has styled himself as a European counterweight to Trump, while Meloni — one of Trump’s European staunchest allies after his reelection in 2024 — has been distancing herself from the U.S. president recently, in a bid to save her premiership ahead of the national election expected in 2027. Merz said the U.S. is getting “humiliated” by Iran in the Middle East conflict. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto responded to the comments, telling media outlet ANSA he “wouldn’t understand the reasons” for a possible withdrawal of U.S. troops from Italy. The United States has around 12,000 armed forces personnel stationed in Italy, with only Germany having a higher number in Europe at over 36,000. Spain hosts about 3,800 troops, according to an overview published by the Pentagon in December. Merz long walked a tightrope to keep his relationship with Trump smooth, and Berlin, unlike Rome and Madrid, does allow the U.S. to use its Ramstein Air Base to coordinate military operations against Iran. Any U.S. withdrawal from Germany would cost billions and take years, while …

Street battles and withdrawal of Russian mercenaries: Inside the 48-hour fall of Mali’s Kidal

Street battles and withdrawal of Russian mercenaries: Inside the 48-hour fall of Mali’s Kidal

Published by Sam Flores

Two and a half years later, the flag of Azawad – the Tuareg name for the northern region of Mali claimed by separatists of the FLA (Azawad Liberation Front) – is once again flying over the city of Kidal. In November 2023, the Malian army seized the city alongside Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group, now rebranded as Africa Corps. On April 25, separatists raised their flag in the city’s central square, claiming to have regained control. FLA fighters pose in Kidal’s main square after seizing control of the city on April 25. Location: 18°26’48.17″N 1°24’32.56″E Source: X / Wamaps_news / Guillaumem_MRC To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices The assault began at 6am. Six Malian cities found themselves under fire. In Kidal and Gao, the offensive was led by a coalition comprising the FLA and the al Qaeda-linked Jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). A morning of heavy fighting on the outskirts of Kidal An FLA commander told …

Mali’s Tuareg rebels announce deal for Russian Africa Corps withdrawal from Kidal

Mali’s Tuareg rebels announce deal for Russian Africa Corps withdrawal from Kidal

Published by Sam Flores

Fresh fighting erupted Sunday in the key Malian town of Kidal between Tuareg rebels backed by jihadists and government forces supported by Russian mercenaries, a day after insurgents launched coordinated strikes across the restive Sahel nation. Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) on Sunday announced a deal for a Russian withdrawal from Kidal.  “An accord has been reached permitting the (Malian) army and its (Russian) Africa Corps allies to leave the camp 2, where they were holed up since yesterday,” a Tuareg official told AFP.  A Kidal resident told AFP: “We saw a military convoy leave, but don’t know the details of what’s happening… Fighters from armed movements have now taken over the streets.” The Africa Corps, an organisation under direct control of the Russian defence ministry, largely took over the Africa operations of the Wagner Group following the 2023 death of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin. The group has been helping the Malian junta fight jihadists in the West African nation.  To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking …