Author: Steven Sahiounie

The US Department of Treasury released a sanctions review report on Monday explaining the effectivity and implications of US sanctions with recommendations for the future. The report focused on the idea that the use of crypto assets and trade will undermine the effictivity of the sanctions, and that if cryptocurrency continues the way it’s running now, there will be less depedency on the US dollar and US financial institutions and systems in the future. The US dollar, according to the International Monetary Fund, makes up over 60% of all central bank foreign exchange reserves and around 90% of all forex trades.…

By Pepe Escobar Facing high expectations, a five-man band Taliban finally played in Moscow. Yet the star of the show, predictably, was the Mick Jagger of geopolitics: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Right from the start, Lavrov set the tone for the Moscow format consultations, which boast the merit of “uniting Afghanistan with all neighboring countries.” Without skipping a beat, he addressed the US elephant in the room – or lack thereof: “Our American colleagues chose not to participate,” actually “for the second time, evading an extended troika-format meeting.” Washington invoked hazy “logistical reasons” for its absence. The troika, which used to meet in…

The Chinese capital has begun rolling out Covid-19 booster jabs to its residents in a bid to boost immunity levels as Beijing and its surrounding areas prepare to host the Winter Olympic games in four months. Beijing’s residents aged 18 and over who have received two jabs and are considered high-risk, including those participating in, organizing or working at the games, are eligible to come forward for a top-up dose, state media reported on Friday. The move to boost vaccine protection comes in advance of the metropolis hosting the Winter Olympic Games in February. Indoor sliding, skiing and jumping events…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed back on his Turkish colleague’s proposal to remove the veto power of UN Security Council permanent members, saying it would turn the world body into another ‘League of Nations’. “If we remove the veto right of the permanent members, the UN would die the very same day – it would turn into the League of Nations. It would simply become a discussion platform, the Valdai Club 2.0,” Putin said at the annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, Russia on Thursday. This came as a response to statements Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan…

Ties between Iran and Russia have been close, especially when it comes to the joint military operations while fighting terrorists in Syria. But the relationship has been taken to a higher level with the recent visit to Russia by the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri. Major General Mohamed Bagheri has urged development of the country’s defense ties with Russia. General Bagheri, who made the remarks during a visit to Russia, said the ties between the two countries are deepening further and growing stronger in all areas. He pointed to his talks…

Talk of a COVID-19 response plan B for the UK, which could presuppose a return to the mandatory wearing of masks and work from home (WFH) guidance, began after the number of daily infections across the nation climbed above 40,000 on 20 October for the eighth day in succession.Despite mounting calls from doctors to activate a coronavirus Plan B strategy in response to a steady surge in infections, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted on Thursday that the time was not yet ripe.”We’re watching the numbers very carefully every day. You’re absolutely right – the number of infections are high. But…

Ever since Joe Biden’s early months in the Oval Office he has been known to offer up increasingly cringe worthy add-libbing when he strayed off scripted remarks. As the US President boosts public appearances to promote his sweeping domestic agenda plans involving massive spending proposals, so come the slip-ups.Joe Biden appeared to have delivered a “shout out” to the wrong person on Thursday night as he confused a congressman with a mayor during a CNN Town Hall in Baltimore.After sticking to 90-minutes of scripted talking points on the country’s gas price, supply chain, and border crises, along with tensions with China over…

Norway has been an active partner in the F-35 programme, with 18 Norwegian companies serving as Tier 1 suppliers. Subsequently, Norway decided to procure 52 F-35s to replace its ageing fleet of F-16s.The Kongsberg Group will provide the Norwegian Armed Forces with missiles for the country’s F-35 fighter jets. The contract involves Joint Strike Missiles (JSM), is worth NOK 4 billion (nearly $500 million), and is one of the largest arms acquisitions for the country’s Armed Forces, the news outlet E24 reported.“With this contract, we ensure a crucial capacity for our new fighter jets,” Norway’s newly-appointed Defence Minister Odd Roger Enoksen…

The death toll in a gunpowder plant blast and fire in the Ryazan Region in central Russia has risen to 16 people and the bodies of 12 of them have been found, a source in emergencies services told TASS on Friday. “According to the latest data, 16 people have lost their lives in the blast. The rescuers have found the bodies of 12 people and the bodies of four others have not been found yet,” the source said. Russia’s Emergencies Ministry reported earlier on Friday that seven people died in the blast, one individual was hospitalized and nine others were…

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has prevented a terror attack plotted by a supporter of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization (outlawed in Russia) in the Stavropol Region, a source in the FSB Public Relations Centre told TASS. “The Russian Federal Security Service has prevented an attempted headline-making terror attack plotted by a supporter of the Islamic State terrorist organization outlawed in Russia at transport infrastructure facilities of the Stavropol Region using a home-made explosive device,” the source said. Explosive devices and striking elements for self-made explosive devices were seized during the search of his home. A criminal case has…