Category: International News

Turkey has been actively seeking to distance itself from the west and to gravitate toward a sphere of influence dominated by Russia and China. To this end, the NATO member announced it is in talks with Russia to purchase advanced S-400 long-range air defense missile systems.

Having thrown in the towel on hyperinflation by printing banknotes with 200-times-higher denominations, Bloomberg reports that things in Venezuela have continued to get worse with the currency now so devalued (with even simple purchases requiring so many bills) that instead of counting bills, they are weighing them.

Venezuela’s highest denomination bill in circulation, 100 bolivars, is worth approximately 8 cents on the black market now. And though Maduro and the local government sternly refused to admit reality they are now having to change their tune. They are planning to issue new bills in December with larger denominations—up to 200 times higher than the current biggest bill. The new coins and notes will go up to 20,000 bolivars, making the biggest note worth about $15 on the black market.

NATO will press its member allies on Wednesday to “contribute to its biggest military build-up on Russia’s borders since the Cold War ” as the alliance prepares for a protracted quarrel with Moscow.

Speculation swirls over the fate of Julian Assange as his colleagues and the Ecuadorian government go silent.