Author: Steven Sahiounie

Incendiary devices have reportedly destroyed over 400 ballots in Washington state Election officials in the US state of Washington have taken measures to increase ballot security after several drop boxes were set on fire. The move comes less than a week before the presidential election on November 5. The FBI is currently investigating the motives behind the arson attacks across several locations in the city of Vancouver, as well as in neighboring Portland, Oregon, FOX Seattle reported. In Washington’s Clark Country, more than 400 ballots were reportedly destroyed in the fires. According to the Associated Press, citing an anonymous law…

A new report has called on Brussels to coordinate the intelligence gathering activities of member states An EU report has called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to create a “fully fledged” intelligence agency to coordinate the clandestine activity of member states. However, even proponents of the idea admit it would be costly and unpopular. Penned by former Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and published on Wednesday, the report outlines the EU’s readiness for war, and makes a multitude of vague recommendations. Officials in Brussels are advised, for example, to cultivate a “preparedness culture,” and to “strengthen civil-military coordination…

Berlin had promised to make Tehran pay for executing a German-Iranian terror suspect Germany will close all three Iranian consulates on its soil in response to Tehran’s execution of a German-Iranian dual citizen for terrorism offenses, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced on Thursday.“We have repeatedly and unequivocally made it clear to Tehran that the execution of a German citizen will have serious consequences,” Baerbock said in a televised address. In addition to closing the consulates in Frankfurt, Munich, and Hamburg, Baerbock said that Germany will seek EU sanctions against those involved in Jamshid Sharmahd’s execution.Sharmahd was executed on Monday for…

Switzerland repatriated three convicted criminals on Wednesday, for first time since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict The Swiss authorities have deported three Ukrainian nationals convicted of committing “serious crimes,” the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) reported on Thursday, citing the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). According to the report, this is the first time Ukrainian nationals have been sent back to their home country since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022. “It is true that three people were returned to Ukraine on a special flight,” the SEM confirmed in a statement to the newspaper. The NZZ noted that…

Kiev still has a lot to do when it comes to fighting corruption, according to an EU Commission report Every EU candidate country, including Ukraine, could join by 2029 if they meet all criteria for membership by then, according to the European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi. Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Varhelyi was pushed to give a timeline for accession into the EU for candidate countries, which currently include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. Kosovo, which is not internationally recognized, is also listed as a potential candidate.…

The US president bizarrely nibbled at least two children at his final trick-or-treat celebration at the White House US President Joe Biden was caught on camera playfully biting babies during a Halloween party in the White House on Wednesday, as he greeted the children of staff, media reports. Biden has a history of what many consider to be bizarre interactions with children. The president was handing out sweets to children during the celebration alongside First Lady Jill Biden, who was dressed in a full-body panda suit. It was Biden’s last Halloween at the White House, as Americans head to the…

That type of outcome may not address the concerns of all nations in Eurasia, the Russian foreign minister has said Russia envisions a resolution of the Ukraine conflict that meets the interests of all nations in Eurasia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday, commenting on remarks by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who said it could end in a “draw.” According to Lavrov, the term ‘draw’ does not properly describe the outcome sought by Moscow. Earlier in the day, Lukashenko had shared his thoughts at a Eurasian security conference in Minsk, which Lavrov attended along with other foreign officials. The…

The projectile may be capable of flying more than 15,000km, a senior Japanese government official has warned North Korea’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) could potentially reach US shores, according to Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi. Pyongyang test-launched the projectile earlier on Thursday, describing the move as a warning to its regional adversaries. While North Korean officials did not specify the type of ICBM or provide any technical details, officials in South Korea and Japan estimated its flight time at 87 minutes, with the missile reaching an altitude of up to 7,000km while traveling 1,000km horizontally. North Korea traditionally…

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced profound shock and concern over the severe levels of killing, destruction, and civilian suffering in Northern Gaza. The ongoing Israeli military offensive, purportedly aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping, has left thousands of civilians trapped, injured, and in desperate need of aid, according to his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric. Civilian Suffering and Escalating Crisis Dujarric highlighted Guterres’ alarm over the “unbearable suffering” of Palestinian civilians in Northern Gaza, where many are trapped under rubble, injured without access to life-saving healthcare, and facing severe shortages of food and shelter. Citing information from Gaza’s Ministry of Health,…

The Israeli military reported the death of four soldiers, including an officer, during intense clashes in Jabalia, northern Gaza. The region, facing continuous attacks and a humanitarian crisis, has seen mounting casualties as the conflict escalates. The incident also led to the martyrdom of 115 Palestinians due to Israeli airstrikes throughout Gaza. Details of the Incident Among the fallen soldiers were Lieutenant Yonatan “Johnny” Kirin (22), Sergeants Nasim Mital (20), Aviv Gilboa (21), and Naor Haimov (22). All were members of the elite Ghost Unit, known as the multi-dimensional combat team of the Israeli military, specialized in handling complex battle…