Author: Steven Sahiounie

UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed his fears regarding the psychological and real impact of what happened in Afghanistan in the Sahel. “There is a real danger. These terrorist groups may feel enthusiastic about what happened and have ambitions beyond what they thought a few months ago,” Guterres told AFP. The UN chief continued that it is “essential to reinforce security mechanisms in the Sahel,” because it “is the most important weak point, which must be treated.” “It is not only Mali, Burkina, or Niger. Now we have infiltrations in Ivory Coast, in Ghana,” he added. Furthermore, he warned of fanatical…

According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in occupied Palestine, a fourth shooting occurred Thursday, at an Israeli checkpoint north of Jenin. The correspondent quoted Palestinians reporting that the occupation forces are intensifying their presence and remaining on high alert in anticipation of the West Bank intifada to protect the six liberated prisoners, pointing out that the occupation army has announced the cessation of vacations for all soldiers working in the West Bank. In the same context, a young man from Jenin refugee camp was wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets on Thursday during clashes with the occupation at al-Jalama military checkpoint, north of Jenin. Palestinian media reported that…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Yesterday, in Jordan the energy ministers of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan met and agreed on a plan to supply Lebanon with Egyptian natural gas to convert into electricity. The joint press conference confirmed they all had agreed to revive the Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP) which links Egyptian gas to Jordan, where it will be used to produce additional electricity for the network linking Jordan with Lebanon via Syria. This follows a meeting in Damascus on September 4 between Lebanese and Syrian officials discussing the Lebanese request to import gas from Egypt and Electricity…

The spokesman for the Islamic Jihad Movement (PIJ) Tariq Salmi reaffirmed that continuing demonstrations and enduring defiance in the face of the Israeli occupation will break the cycle of aggression against Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons. In a statement, Salmi reiterated PIJ’s obligation to support the unified prisoners, describing it as a patriotic stand that represents a national consensus on the prisoner issue. Salmi confirmed that this was only the beginning for the people who are seeking freedom and salvation, encouraging the Palestinian people to carry on their confrontations, emboldening rebellious youth to cross bypass roads and move towards checkpoints.…

During a phone discussion today, Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed emphasized the “strengthening of bilateral relations between the two nations.” Bin Zayed congratulated Amirabdollahian on his appointment as Iran’s Foreign Minister during the conversation. The two sides also discussed prior bilateral encounters and cordial interactions in the past, emphasizing the positive relationship between the two neighbors. Amirabdollahian expressed his gratitude for the call, stressing the solid relations between the countries. The Iranian Foreign Minister also reviewed developments in the region, emphasizing the importance of consultation between the two countries on bilateral, regional,…

US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett during their White House meeting that he will not abandon his plan to reopen the US consulate in Occupied Jerusalem (Al-Quds), Axios reported. The move brings up a major point of disputation between the two administrations. The consulate handled Palestinian relations for 25 years before being closed down by former US President Donald Trump. Bennett’s government officials see the consulate issue as a political hot potato that could destabilize their unwieldy coalition, Axios said. According to Israeli and US officials briefed on the meetings, Biden brought up the consulate issue several times…

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has ordered its officers to collect information on the social media accounts of every civilian they interview, including individuals who have not been arrested or charged with a crime, according to a report from The Guardian. When questioning civilians, copies of “field interview cards” completed by police disclose that LAPD officers are ordered to record the Facebook, Instagram, Twitter accounts of civilians, in addition to other social media accounts. The cards also documented basic biographical information. Moreover, the Guardian revealed that an internal memo showed that the police chief, Michel Moore, had instructed his officers…

The general secretariat of the Saad-Eddine El Othmani-led Justice and Development Party announced Thursday its resignation during a Rabbat press conference. Deputy Secretary-General Slimane El Omrani asserted that the party resigned due to its general secretariat obliging with the election results, which the PJD lost. The Deputy Secretary-General also called for an exceptional national conference shortly. The PJD issued a statement after a review of the election results, saying that they would continue fighting for the country and its nationals as the opposition, which they see as natural in this situation. The party, which is known for its Islamist views, expressed…

The Taliban movement stressed Thursday that the US stance regarding blacklisting of Taliban leaders is a violation of the Doha agreement. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in a series of tweets, said: “The new US position on the blacklist violates the Doha Agreement. The Pentagon says some members of the Islamic Emirate’s cabinet or members of the Haqqani network are on the US blacklist and are being targeted.” Furthermore, Mujahid palpably stated that “the Islamic Emirates considers this stance a clear violation of the Doha agreement, which is not in the interest of either the United States or Afghanistan,” adding that…

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday issued a statement ahead of this week’s expected release of declassified documents related to the US government’s investigation in the Sept. 11 attacks, expressing ire that accusations persist of its connection to the hijackers. The Saudi Embassy in the US said in a written statement that “previous declassification of materials relating to the September 11 attacks … only have confirmed the 9/11 Commission’s finding that Saudi Arabia had nothing to do with this terrible crime,” stressing “It is lamentable that such false and malicious claims persist.” The statement added: “The Kingdom has always advocated for transparency…