Author: Steven Sahiounie

On Wednesday, a draft law was submitted to the French parliament that could enact the final steps Macron set out nearly five years ago. French President Macron is well known as a record-breaker in cutting taxes on corporations which jumped back from 33% to 25%. Despite clear plans about budget increases in defense, education, and debt service spending, the French government omitted details on how to stimulate the economy through financing “the investment in new industrial sectors,” as cited from an article published on Bloomberg on September 22. The French government already announced that any investment plan in new industrial sectors “will…

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The official spokesman for the Foreign Ministry explained that the meeting included a discussion on a range of political, security, and economic aspects of bilateral relations. Media sources reported that among the discussions were the topics of occupied Palestine, diplomatic efforts in Libya, and the Renaissance Dam.  Blinken alluded to a strengthened partnership with Egypt’s government to improve its protection of human rights, including the implementation of measures of the National Human Rights Strategy which was launched by…

In a press conference on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh divulged that Iran has conducted several rounds of talks with the Saudi government in Baghdad during the past months, noting that there is serious progress in talks on Gulf security. Khatibzadeh detailed that these talks never stopped and messages were exchanged at the appropriate level. Khatibzadeh expressed his belief that the Saudi government should pay close attention to Iran’s message that the solution to problems in the region lies within the region itself, noting that there must be a comprehensive mechanism to ensure a stable and good relationship…

Israeli media said congress removing military aid to “Israel” from legislation to fund the US federal government would have adverse effects on US-Israeli relations. “Israel will receive military aid from the United States. However, that would take some time,” said Israeli “Channel 13,” who called this a “failure for the Biden administration.” The channel shared its view that Congress removing aid to “Israel” reflects the ‘progressive’ democrats’ influence and power in US politics, adding that the objection would have adverse effects on US-Israeli relations. Democrat lawmakers objected to a provision in the stopgap spending bill, which prevented aid to “Israel.”…

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in an odd concoction between French and English, and in an attempt to appeal to France and other European neighbors over AUKUS – the defense alliance between the United Kindom, the United States, and Australia – asked the French to give him a break. “Donnez-moi un break,” he told reporters, calling for calm after the row in France over the US and the UK causing Australia to withdraw from its submarine deal, which cost France tens of billions of dollars. The quarrel also saw Paris recalling its ambassadors to Washington and Canberra. France is angry about not…

US President Joe Biden and French Counterpart Emmanuel Macron spoke Wednesday – a first since the whole quarrel over AUKUS – which saw the US and the UK selling nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. That deal led to Canberra severing a multi-billion dollar deal with Paris on conventional submarines. The two presidents agreed to ease tensions in light of said row. The two presidents spoke on a call and afterward issued a joint statement vowing to launch a process of “in-depth consultations” to restore confidence between their two countries. The joint statement also said they agreed to meet in Europe at…

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, met Wednesday with Chief of Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, in Helsinki, Finland. The details of the talks remained obscure, as the two sides agreed not to disclose them. However, the two parties said the meeting was productive, saying it “makes the world a safer place” when “military leaders of great powers communicate.” This meeting, the first between the two senior generals since December 2019, aimed at “improving military leadership communication between the two nations for the purposes of risk reduction and operational de-confliction,” said Colonel Dave Butler,…

Tunisian President Kais Saied took Wednesday exceptional measures to enhance his presidential powers to include executive and legislative measures. The provisions, which were published in the official gazette in the form of articles, come around two months after he initially assumed power by suspending Parliament and dismissing the Prime Minister. “Legislative texts will be promulgated in the form of decrees signed by the President of the Republic,” one of the articles stipulates. “The President of the Republic presides over the Council of Ministers and may mandate the Head of Government to replace him/her,” said another. President Saied has insisted his actions are…

The Algerian High Security Council decided Wednesday to close Algiers’ airspace to all Moroccan aircraft, be it civil or military, the Algerian presidency announced. The statement revealed that the decision came in view of the “continued provocations and hostile practices on the Moroccan side.” The decision was announced in the wake of a meeting for Algeria’s High Security Council headed by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The meeting was held to discuss the latest developments on the Moroccan-Algerian borders. “The High Security Council has decided to shut its airspace immediately to all civilian and military aircraft as well as to those…

Chinese president, Xi Jinping, said on Tuesday that China will stop funding coal projects overseas, ending a major source of support for dirty energy contributing to climate change. Xi Addressed the UN General Assembly and made the promise vowing to accelerate efforts aimed at helping the world battle the climate crisis. “China will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low carbon energy and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad,” Xi announced in a pre-recorded address. The Chinese president added that: “We should foster new growth drivers in the post-Covid era and jointly achieve…