Author: Steven Sahiounie

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi says his government is intent on reopening schools after two years of closures because of the coronavirus as he insists that his pandemic control program is on the right path. Raeisi said on Thursday that his administration had taken four major steps in controlling the pandemic since taking office in early August. He told a meeting of Iran’s National Headquarters for Battling Coronavirus that a fifth major step in pandemic-related measures would be to reopen schools despite concerns that the move could cause a fresh surge in the infection numbers in the country. “Today preparations are ready for reopening of…

The construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, running from Russia to Europe across the Baltic Sea, has been finished as scheduled within three years, despite political resistance from the US and a number of European countries. This can be seen as “a geopolitical victory for Moscow,” Dmitry Marinchenko, senior director at Fitch Ratings, told TASS. “The project was completed despite the negative attitude from the European Commission, a number of European countries and the United States… and thanks to Berlin’s consistent position, which [like Moscow] has always emphasized that the pipeline is a commercial and not a political project,” he said. According to…

Sleep deprivation is a significant issue that may negatively impact your mental and physical health. According to World Sleep Day data, sleep disorders are a “global epidemic” that threatens the quality of life and health of up to 45% of people globally. A recent study revealed that even for the younger population, recovering lost sleep is not an easy feat. Thirteen individuals in their twenties who slept 30% less than they needed for ten nights had not fully recovered most of their cognitive functioning after seven nights of rest. Sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, from the University of Southern California, confirms…

The US Treasury Secretary urged Congress to act quickly to raise the debt ceiling, saying that in the meantime, uncertainty may hurt the global economy. According to Politico, the US Treasury Secretary warned congressional leaders yesterday that she expects the US debt to peak next month, which will deal a potential blow to the global economy without the possibility of quick action. Addressing a letter to bipartisan lawmakers in Congress, Janet Yellen divulged that recent calculations from the Biden administration indicate that the US will run out of cash during the month of October. “We have learned from past debt limit…

The Energy giant Gazprom has announced the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Chairman of the Management Committee Alexei Miller announced that “the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was fully completed”. Specialist technicians on the Russian pipelay barge Fortuna welded together the very last pipe section of the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline. The pipe, numbered 200,858 for the massive twin-pipeline project, was lowered onto the seabed in German Baltic Sea waters, according to the company. The section of the pipe that runs to the German shore will then be connected to the section that comes…

North Korea held at predawn Thursday a military parade to mark the nation’s 73rd founding anniversary. What was so distinguished about this parade was the absence of military equipment that the United States and other western powers would labeled as ‘provocative.’ Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un attended the parade at midnight (6 PM Occupied Jerusalem Time), and it included military reservists, police officers, and factory and health workers. The overall event constituted a deviation from the usual parades which had major Korean military units which usually handled the latest additions to the nation’s arsenal. This parade neither featured ballistic…

According to Reuters, an active shooter was reported in Ohio at the Wright-Patterson Air Force base on Thursday night. The incident prompted a lockdown at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, the building where the shooter was active. The 88th Air Base Wing tweeted that emergency responders responded to reports of an active shooter at the base at 9:25 pm. The Wing added that Security Forces have been sent to inspect the building. On Friday morning, the 88th Air Base Wing tweeted that the lockdown had been lifted and the base was clear. 

Israeli media reported that a hacker exploited a cyber-vulnerability on the Israeli Bar Ilan University website, resulting in leaked data which included personal information about university students and professors such as names, email addresses, encrypted passwords, and user accounts. According to Israeli media, among the professors were Israeli intelligence agents, and military and police officers. Furthermore, a reporter from Israeli Channel 12 divulged that the cyber security flaw was exposed about a month ago when a hacker addressed the university informing them that their server had been hacked. The reporter added that the network and personal data were seized and…

Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN Takht Ravanchi confirmed that the current situation in Afghanistan is an outcome of America’s and other nations’ meddling added to a reckless withdrawal. During a UN Security Council meeting, Ravanchi expressed that Iran has always made efforts to help various Afghan factions discuss and settle conflicts peacefully. The top Iranian diplomat added that Afghanistan is currently at a crucial period, with hundreds fleeing the country, more than 600,00 displaced, food shortages, and millions in need of humanitarian assistance. Ravanchi reaffirmed Iran’s readiness to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid through ports, airports,…

The BRICS group called for a peaceful solution in Afghanistan and the preservation of the Iranian nuclear agreement, stressing the need to help arrange a comprehensive dialogue, and to thwart attempts by terrorist organizations to abuse Afghan lands. At the end of the summit led by India, the group emphasized the necessity of diplomatically addressing the Iranian nuclear matter, while the Chinese Chairman underlined that it was an international “not-for-counted” force. Over the past 15 years, the five countries have adhered to the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and equality, and insisted on cooperation in the spirit of pragmatism, innovation, and…