Chris Massaro

Latin America April 13

Fears of another narco-state rise as Latin American country readies for pivotal vote

Ecuador is headed to a second round of a presidential election in which incumbent President Daniel Noboa faces leftist challenger Luisa González as the nation faces gang violence.

Iran April 4

Experts warn Iran’s nuclear double-talk designed to buy time, undermine US pressure

President Donald Trump is sending both carrots and sticks towards Iran, stepping up military assets in the Middle East while also signaling talks are still on the table.

Turkey March 24

Turkey's Erdogan continues crackdown on protesters following arrest of main rival on corruption charges

Turkish President Erdogan's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters leads to over 1,000 arrests following the jailing of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Syria March 23

Christian watch group rises up to protect community amid growing violence in Syria

The Eagles of Antioch is a group of volunteers who stand watch over Christian neighborhoods in Damascus, protecting shrines, icons and churches from vandalism and attacks in post-Assad Syria.

Turkey March 19

Turkish authorities arrest key rival of Erdogan; critics say it's 'no coincidence'

Turkey arrested the mayor of Istanbul on charges of corruption. Critics accuse Turkish officials of detaining the main rival of President Erdogan and a potential presidential candidate.

The Balkans March 17

Mass anti-corruption protests put strain on close European ally of Russia

Serbians have been protesting for months over government corruption, demanding more accountability and respect for the rule of law from the Russian-backed President Aleksandar Vucic.

Turkey March 8

Bipartisan legislation seeks to rein in Erdogan's Turkey over ties to US foes

A bipartisan group of congressmen have taken issue with NATO ally Turkey aligning its foreign policy interests against the U.S. and its Western allies.

Iran March 5

Russian missile experts visited Iran amid growing military ties

Russian military specialists visited Iran in 2024 as the two countries strengthen their cooperation in the fields of missile technology according to recent reports.

Germany February 22

Economy, immigration, Elon Musk at center of German election; conservative candidate favored to win

Germans go to the polls Sunday. Chancellor Scholz's Social Democrats are likely to lose to the conservative CDU party, as the right-wing Alternative for Germany party is likely to make gains.

Iran February 19

President Trump can stop Iran's march to nuclear weapons: 're-establish credible military threat', report says

A new report from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies provides recommendations for how the Trump administration can stop Tehran's march to produce a nuclear bomb.

Iraq February 17

Iraqi activists seek to oust Iranian influence, normalize ties with Israel

Iraqi activists launched a campaign called "Iraq Only" to reject interference from Iran-aligned armed militias in their nation. Some of the organizers were kidnapped and tortured.

China February 13

Reagan's 'peace through strength' doctrine can aid Trump administration with Taiwan policy, group says

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute visited Taiwan amidst the U.S. presidential transition, a new administration in Taipei and ongoing Chinese coercion and aggression in Asia.

Donald Trump February 7

President Trump says 'we will have relations with North Korea'; it's a 'big asset' that he gets along with Kim

President Trump met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House and touted his good relationship with Kim Jong Un from meetings in his first term.

Europe January 31

Serbia rocked by anti-corruption protests after construction tragedy

Tens of thousands of people in Serbia have been marching in the streets to protest alleged Serbian government corruption after an accident that killed 15 people.

Iraq January 28

A weakened Iran has Iraq looking to curb Tehran-backed extremists in country

The Iraqi government is looking to gain control of Iranian-aligned armed groups that operate inside of Iraq but outside state control, in yet another sign of Iran's weakened position since October 7.

Trump Transition January 15

Trump's new Ukraine envoy issues warning to Iran, says 'maximum pressure must be reinstated'

President-elect Donald Trump's designate to serve as his Ukraine and Russia envoy says the U.S. must reapply the maximum pressure campaign and the Iranian people have a chance for a new future.

Iran January 13

Incoming Trump administration given new blueprint on ways to weaken Iran: 'unique opportunity'

A bipartisan advocacy group called United Against Nuclear Iran has provided the Trump transition team with a playbook to reinvigorate U.S. policy toward Iran and use various means to weaken the regime.

Russia December 23

Former Georgian prime minister says nation's election was 'rigged,' and 'written in Moscow'

Georgia, once part of the Soviet Union, is inching closer to Russia since recent parliamentary elections saw their Russian-backed party win, making it harder for the country to align with the West.

Syria December 17

Islamist group running Syria has mixed record over governance in province, ruled with 'iron fist'

The rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, which toppled the regime of Bashar al-Assad, governed Syria's Idlib province with a mix of repression and pragmatism. Led by Abu Mohamed al-Golani, the group is said to be moderating.

Syria December 10

Syria's unaccounted for chemical weapons 'extremely worrying,' UN official says

Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was finally toppled after 13 years of civil war, having ruled Syria since 2000. The world's attention turns to Assad's unaccounted stockpile of chemical weapons.

Afghanistan December 9

New Taliban decree bans women from medical training: 'devastating decision'

The Taliban issued a new directive that bans women from studying at medical institutions, effectively shutting out women from becoming nurses and midwives.

The Balkans December 5

Kosovo accuses Serbia of 'terrorist attack' resembling Russian actions in Ukraine

Kosovo accused Serbia of carrying out a terrorist attack on a water pipeline in the Serb majority north of Kosovo. Serbia denies the accusations, but the recent bloodshed highlights that peace in the Balkans is far from certain.

Joe Biden November 16

Trump looms large as Biden set to meet China's Xi during Latin America summits

President Biden is in Latin America for the APEC and G-20 summits, in what is likely his last trip as president. The back-to-back summits come as an impending second Trump presidency is near, which may rattle some world leaders.

Canada October 29

Canada's Trudeau facing revolt from within as popular conservative leader looks to capitalize

Justin Trudeau is looking for a historic fourth term as Canada's prime minister. With immigration on the rise, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre could ride the discontent to become the next prime minister.

World October 28

Pro-Putin party wins contested election as Georgia drifts further from US, Europe

Georgia's pro-Russian party won parliamentary elections amid allegations of irregularities and sporadic violence, with the united opposition and officials in the U.S. and Europe so far refusing to accept the results.

Vladimir Putin October 25

Putin looks to halt neighboring Georgia's Western ambitions in vital election

Georgia holds critical parliamentary elections this Saturday, as voters need to decide if they want to be part of the West or move closer to President Vladimir Putin's Russia. Moscow has plowed millions into the race.

The Balkans October 23

Former Albanian president arrested on corruption charges, opposition claims charges are politically motivated

Opposition politicians in Albania are condemning the arrest of former Albanian President Ilir Meta, claiming the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama is unfairly targeting political rivals.

Ukraine October 16

Ukraine defense minister confident can replenish troops but in need of weapons, equipment from allies

As the war in Ukraine drags on with no end in sight and mounting casualties, the country desperately needs international assistance and must quickly train and equip new soldiers.

Israel October 15

Biden-Harris admin warns Israel over Gaza humanitarian aid, leaked letter reveals

The U.S. warned Israel that it needs to quickly improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or be at risk of violating U.S. law and possibly jeopardizing crucial security aid to the country.

POLITICS September 12

Nikki Haley slams PAC using her name to support Harris as group targets Wisconsin Republicans

Nikki Haley condemned a group called Haley Voters for Harris for its campaign to target voters who supported the former U.N. ambassador in the 2024 GOP primary.