Author: Steven Sahiounie

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces the African Union’s permanent membership at the G20 taking place in India starting September 9, 2023. The African Union is to be welcomed as a permanent member of the G20 during the upcoming session of the G20 leaders’ summit in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday. Asian News International quoted Modi saying that “India’s G20 presidency has become a symbol of inclusion, of ‘sabka saath’ [Together] both inside and outside the country,” adding that “this has become people’s G20 in India. Crores of Indians are connected to this. In more than…

President Mahmoud Abbas extended his condolences to the king of Morocco, Mohammed VI, over the victims of the strong earthquake that struck central Morocco on Friday, killing hundreds of people. President Abbas expressed his solidarity and sympathy with the Moroccan people during this time of loss. The president offered the Moroccan king and people sincere and heartfelt condolences, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. President Abbas confirmed confidence in Morocco’s ability to overcome this natural disaster, wishing the Moroccan king and people stability and peace. Source: WAFA

Syria denounced the illegal entry of the US delegation headed by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Ethan A. Goldrich into its territory, and called this visit a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty and the principles of international law and Security Council resolutions. The recent illegal entry of the US delegation headed by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Ethan A. Goldrich into northeastern Syria and its holding of meetings with the separatist organizations represents a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty and the principles of international law and Security Council resolutions related to Syria, Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said in…

The summit in New Delhi is running in an in-person format on September 9-10 Diplomats from the Group of 20 nations have hammered out compromise language on the conflict in Ukraine in a joint statement that is to be adopted after the summit, Bloomberg said citing sources. As “compromise language” was agreed on G20 diplomats managed “to overcome differences between Moscow and the rest of the group that had threatened to derail hopes of a joint communique from this weekend’s summit,” the agency said. The phrasing is broadly similar to that agreed on at last year’s summit in Bali, Indonesia,…

Turkish President is making the push in closed-door meetings with leaders during the G20 summit in New Delhi this weekene Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is urging several Group of 20 leaders to meet some of Russia’s demands to try to revive the grain deal, Bloomberg said citing Turkish officials. Erdogan is making the push in closed-door meetings with leaders during the G20 summit in New Delhi this weekend, the agency said citing sources familiar with the talks. Turkey is asking world leaders “to facilitate insurance of Russian food and fertilizer exports by Lloyd’s of London and to reconnect Moscow…

Most damage occurred in the countryside, but tremors were felt in several large cities, including Rabat and Marrakesh The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday evening has risen to at least 632 people, with 329 others being wounded, state TV reported on Saturday night. The initial figures provided by the Moroccan Interior Ministry shortly after the tremors, were 296 fatalities and 153 people injured. Most of the damage occurred in the countryside, with remote areas south of Marrakech reportedly being hit the hardest. Tremors were felt in the capital Rabat, as well as other cities,…

Russian Foreign Minister heads the Russian delegation to the G20 summit at the request of President Vladimir Putin Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in New Delhi for participation in the G20 Summit that will be held on September 9-10. Video footage of arrival of heads of delegations to the summit were broadcast in the press center, a TASS correspondent reports. Lavrov heads the Russian delegation to the G20 summit at the request of President Vladimir Putin. Russia’s foreign minister was welcomed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier that the minister…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator A power struggle in the eastern Syrian desert might end with the US withdrawal from Syria, as the occupation allies battle each other for power and lucrative energy resources. On August 27, Ahmed al-Khubail, the commander of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council (DZMC), was lured to Hasakah by the US sponsored Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the pretext of a meeting. After arriving, Khubail, his brother Adham, and four other commanders were arrested and held. Khubail is connected to the Arab tribe al-Bakir, and the ensuing response has left at least 50 SDF fighters…

Consumer prices had an uptick by 0.28% month on month MOSCOW, September 8. /TASS/. Annual inflation in Russia accelerated from 4.3% in July to 5.15% in August of this year, the national statistical service Rosstat reports. Consumer prices had an uptick by 0.28% month on month, according to statistics. Foods lost 0.06% in prices month on month yet gained 3.58% annually. Non-foods saw the rise in prices by 1.14% monthly and 3.58% against last August. Services prices dropped 0.32% against July but moved up by 9.54% year on year this August. In the foods category, prices plummeted for white cabbage…

The total cargo volume is over 93 mln metric tons KAZAN, September 8. /TASS/. Eastbound foreign trade cargo traffic surged by 57% over the first seven months of 2023 and totaled more than 93 mln metric tons, Russian Deputy Transport Minister Dmitry Zverev said. “Considering the reorientation of cargo traffic that occurred in 2022, our priority task at the moment is to develop eastbound transportation,” Zverev said. The volume of foreign trade cargo transportation via border crossings with Mongolia, Kazakhstan and China and via Chinese seaports “rose by 57% against last year or by 33.7 mln metric tons,” the official…