Author: Steven Sahiounie

North Korean state media has been touting new claims of mass enlistments amid “an atmosphere of war” and urgent defense preparedness in response to ongoing joint US-South Korea drills, which are the largest in five years. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) initially over the weekend cited a figure of 800,000 citizens having newly signed up for military service, most of them young people, while other state-linked sources are saying it’s well over one million enlistees. By Monday the number jumped significantly to claims of around 1.4 million people enlisting. “Amidst soaring anger and hostility toward the US imperialists and the South Korean puppet traitors going mad over the reckless nuclear war…

The talks will be followed by a meeting in an extended format and the ceremony of signing documents Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping have begun their talks in the Kremlin. The Russian delegation includes Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, presidential aides Maxim Oreshkin and Yury Ushakov, Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev, and Roscosmos CEO Yury Borisov. The talks will be followed by a meeting in an extended…

Reports revealed injuries among Israeli occupation forces after an Israeli-made landmine exploded behind the Blue Line in southern Lebanon. A security source for Al Mayadeen reported on Tuesday that there were casualties among the Israeli occupation forces after an Israeli-made landmine exploded behind the Blue Line in southern Lebanon. The source added that one of the Israeli soldiers lost his leg as a result of the explosion. Footage spread on social media showing the screams of an Israeli soldier after a landmine exploded and one of the soldiers’ legs was amputated at the borders of the town of Aita al-Shaab, southern Lebanon.…

The former US president will likely remain in the custody of Secret Service agents, a source claims Donald Trump’s status as a former US president will most likely result in him receiving special treatment if he’s charged over allegedly making hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, Bloomberg reported on Monday. Former federal prosecutor Temidayo Aganga-Williams explained to the outlet that the security considerations “are different here than if he was a private citizen,” and that “he is less likely to be seen as a security threat than a previously unknown defendant.” Another source, who wished to remain anonymous, suggested that while Trump…

Despite the inherent volatility of the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin (BTC), the renowned digital currency, has managed to maintain its upward trajectory and continues to trade at above $28k. This is a notable accomplishment for Bitcoin, which has faced significant challenges in recent months due to an extended bearish trend.  However, the current instability of the global financial system is believed to be one of the primary drivers of its recent price surge, as investors have traditionally sought out Bitcoin as a safe haven during times of market uncertainty. Bitcoin has traditionally served as a safe haven for investors in times of…

The EU’s 2023 program of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine is worth 18 bln euros The European Union has disbursed another 1.5 bln euros in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “Today, we disbursed another 1.5 billion euros to Ukraine,” the tweet reads. According to von der Leyen, the EU’s support “helps keep Ukraine running, while defending itself.” It also “puts Ukraine firmly on its EU path by supporting reforms – good governance and financial stability, for example.” “Together, we’re writing Ukraine’s future,” the European Commission president added. The EU’s 2023…

Finnish state-run energy provider Gasum intends to continue buying gas from Russia, Yle news outlet reported on Monday, citing a statement from the company. Gasum has a long-term gas supply contract with Russia, which was signed before Ukraine-related EU sanctions and Russian counter-sanctions were introduced last year, according to the statement. This will be valid “for several more years,” the company said, noting that it is obliged to pay under the contract and doesn’t intend to breach this agreement. “The contract is a so-called take-or-pay contract, which is common in gas supply contracts. It means that Gasum is obliged to pay…

Russia became China’s largest oil supplier in the first two months of 2023, overtaking Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing data from China’s General Administration of Customs. Crude deliveries from Russia amounted to 15.68 million tons in January-February, roughly 1.94 million barrels per day (bpd). It marked a 23.8% increase compared to the same period in 2022. Imports from Saudi Arabia, China’s top supplier last year, totaled 13.92 million tons in the reporting period, or 1.72 million bpd, down from 1.81 million bpd during the same period last year. In response to Western sanctions and the G7 price cap…

World Council of Churches general secretary Jerry Pillay today condemned an attack by Jewish extremists that took place in the Church of Gethsemane, also known as Church of All Nations, in occupied East Jerusalem and expressed solidarity with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in calling for international protection of holy sites. “This terrible attack – which appears to have purposely targeted religious leaders – is an egregious violation of international law,” he said. “We stand in solidarity with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and all those calling for protection of holy sites, and we reiterate our calls for such protection during Christian holidays…

Cargo traffic via a new rail bridge has been growing since its opening, according to Moscow The volume of cargo transported via a new rail bridge across the Amur River linking Russia and China exceeded 540,000 tons during the first four months of its operation, according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). “Since the [bridge’s] launch in November 2022, traffic has increased more than five times, with over 130 trains having passed across the bridge” the RDIF said in a statement on Tuesday. It noted that checkpoints on the bridge will be switched to round-the-clock operation during the next two…