Author: Steven Sahiounie

In a remarkable display of diplomatic prowess, the United Arab Emirates has successfully brokered a significant prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine. This latest operation, brokered by the UAE, involved 206 prisoners of war, divided equally between the two countries. This new exchange brings the cumulative number of prisoners exchanged between both countries under UAE mediation to 1,994 prisoners. The UAE Foreign Ministry expressed its thanks to both Russia and Ukraine for cooperation and responsiveness amid the continuance of conflict. This exchange is further proof of the growing influence of the UAE and its valued role in supporting the diplomatic…

In a shocking twist, Brazil’s Supreme Court has gone ahead to order the transfer of $3.28 million from accounts linked to Elon Musk’s companies to the state. The decision has been made by notorious Judge Alexandre de Moraes against Musk himself. The court said Judge de Moraes ordered 18.35 million Brazilian reais, equivalent to about $3.28 million, to be transferred from the accounts of X-formerly Twitter-and Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service, to the state treasury. It was the second ruling on Wednesday and reflected increased impatience by the court with the billionaire’s companies. The fine comes amid a spate of…

The office of Comoros’ President stated that the head of state had sustained “minor injuries” from a knife attack while attending the funeral of a religious leader on Friday. The office of President Azali Assoumani said in a statement that the injuries were not serious, adding that he has since gone back home. Security forces took the assailant into custody but gave no other details about the attacker or the circumstances of the attack. Azali Assoumani was re-elected as President of Comoros in January, an outcome disputed by opposition parties which said the elections were fraudulent. Violence following the elections…

On Friday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that his country was committed to taking forward its genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice. He said that further evidence would be presented next month. South Africa, in December, filed the case charging that Israel’s military response to the deadly attack by Hamas on October 7 violated the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Israel has denied this completely. Ramaphosa told reporters, “We are resolute, and firm in our commitment to being prepared to proceed with our case.” Next month, South…

This ranking puts the United Arab Emirates into the highest category in the world, “Leading Model,” according to the Global Cybersecurity Index of 2024 presented by the International Telecommunication Union. Such a high position in this prestigious ranking is a reflection of the current efforts of the country in building a developed and secure basis of digital infrastructure in harmony with its future ambitions. Dr. Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of the Cybersecurity Council, stated, “The UAE status recognized globally enhances its position as a regional and global hub for innovation and technology in light of its progress towards digital…

The Maldives, known for high-end tourism, has denied reports that its financial troubles exceed “temporary” and it is not considering seeking assistance from the International Monetary Fund, despite warnings of possible debt defaults. Foreign Minister Mohamed Naseem insisted that the archipelago-which boasts high-end resorts favored by celebrities-is pushing forward with tax increases as it pursues paying off its debt. Naseem told reporters in Colombo: “We have very sensitive bilateral partners who are conscious of our needs and of our situation.” He said, “I don’t think this is the right time to go to the IMF. The situation we’re in is…

The world-famous bodybuilder, ILLIA GOLEM , described as ‘The Beast’ and considered the largest on Earth, has died. The standing height was 6 feet 1 inch or around 186 cm with a chest and biceps standing at 25 inches or approximately 63 cm. His death, surely, is one giant loss to the world of fitness. According to reports, the bodybuilder suffered a heart attack in his apartment on September 6. His wife, Anna, kept doing compressions to his chest and awaited an ambulance. Anna thus described to Belarusian media: “I prayed throughout, hoping that Ilya would recover”. She continued: “His…

An explosion in a car in the central Israeli city of Ramla Thursday has killed four people and injured six others. It seems the blast was criminally linked. According to the hospital and police accounts. Asaf Harofeh Medical Center reported the death toll and said six were still hospitalized, one in critical condition. Israeli police treat the incident as a criminal case, given that “there is no indication of a terrorist motive.” They also ruled out the possibility of the bomb being the cause of the explosion which spread to two stores nearby. The Israeli media reported that bomb disposal…

Tehran announced Saturday that it launched its second satellite this year, called “Jomaran 1, successfully into orbit-a new step forward for a space program now causing increasing alarm among Western governments. The “Jomaran 1” weighs about 60 kilograms and has the main aim of testing the systems and software destined for orbital maneuvering. The Space Electronics Industries Group, Sairan, developed and manufactured the satellite with the help of the Aerospace Research Institute. The launch vehicle, “Qaem 100,” was manufactured by the aerospace division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Iran insists that its space activities are for civilian and military purposes…

The levies on some products will go up to 100% by month’s end, according to the trade representative’s officeThe United States has made it official that there has been an increase in tariffs for a number of Chinese imports, said US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Friday. Such products as electric vehicles and semiconductors are some of the products that will be affected by this new tariff rate. The White House had first proposed the tariff increases in May, and the final rule was issued after taking public comments. As detailed in the final rocument last dated September 12, measures…