One of the United States government’s top counterterrorism officials says Congress must help investigators crack the encrypted communications of terrorists as groups like the so-called Islamic State ramp-up their online recruitment efforts. On Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Michael Steinbach, the assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s …

The “temptation of nationalism” may trigger EU member states to seek independence from Brussels and eventually “repatriate power” to their capitals, dealing a lethal blow to the European Union’s system, Stratfor notes.  According a forecast by Stratfor, a private US intelligence company, a loss of economic prosperity within the EU accompanied …

Experts claim that the government of Qatar has portrayed the al-Nusra Front as a moderate fighting force to gain support from Sunni allies in an effort to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad.  WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The government of Qatar has portrayed the al-Nusra Front as a moderate fighting force to gain support …

An ethnologist at Viadrina University in Frankfurt, Werner Schiffauer says that the victims of ISIL jihadist group propaganda are often people alienated from the society.  MOSCOW (Sputnik), Anna Liatsou — The victims of ISIL jihadist group propaganda are often people alienated from the society, an ethnologist at Viadrina University in Frankfurt (Oder), Werner …

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair reportedly has been appointed chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation.  MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been appointed chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation, about a week after he announced his resignation as Middle East Quartet representative, …

France is desperately searching for what Reuters called “a face-saving compromise” with Moscow over the stalled deal for the delivery of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers built by the Western European nation for the Russian Navy. France has three options: deliver the warships, sell them to a third party and …

International mediators and Iran are expected to hold a plenary meeting in Vienna on Thursday to continue elaborating the deal on Tehran’s nuclear program.  VIENNA (Sputnik) — Diplomats from China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Iran met for another round of talks in the Austrian capital on Wednesday. The …

Iran may use the Turkish Stream gas pipeline being developed by Russia in order to deliver gas to Europe, the director of the National Iranian Gas Company’s Liaison Office told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.  PARIS (Sputnik) – Iranian gas could be delivered via the Turkish Stream pipeline being developed …

It may be seven years late and $160 billion over budget, but the F-35 fighter – the most expensive piece of fighting equipment in history – may finally make its official debut this summer.  After completing training exercises, the version of the jet designed for the US Marines appears likely …