Author: Steven Sahiounie

Amid the water shortage crisis in southwest Iran, Tehran accused “Israel” of exploiting the ongoing situation in Iran to incite civil unrest and violence. Iranian state media reported that the authorities have detained a network of agents working for “Israel” and seized a cache of weapons they were planning to use during the recent protests against water shortages. “Israel”, Saudi Arabia, and the United States have a record of hijacking protests and causing destabilization, which is a recurring accusation made by Iran. “Mossad operatives intended to use the equipment in urban riots and assassinations,” an Iranian Intelligence Ministry official said,…

Today, Tuesday, NATO Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg stressed the need for reaching a settlement in Afghanistan, stressing that the situation “requires a negotiated settlement”. In addition, he said that Afghanistan is facing a “deeply challenging security situation,” aggravated by the withdrawal of the foreign forces from the country. Following a conversation with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Stoltenberg said, “NATO will continue to support Afghanistan, including with funding; civilian presence; and out-of-country training.” It is worth noting that after US President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, 10,000 NATO soldiers have left the country so far. Violence in Afghanistan has intensified since late…

The South Korean Presidency announced Tuesday that Seoul and Pyongyang reopened communication between them, adding that South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un agreed to build trust and improve ties between the two countries. “According to the agreement made between the top leaders, the North and the South took measures to re-operate all inter-Korean communication liaison lines from 10:00 on July 27,” KCNA, the official state news agency of North Korea, stated. “We expect the restoration of the South-North communications lines to make positive contributions to improving and developing bilateral relations,” ​said Park Soo-hyun, President…

The Cuban Embassy in Paris reported on Tuesday that it was the target of an attack with petrol bombs overnight, which caused minor damage with no injuries among its staff. Cuba’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack at its Embassy in Paris. “Those directly responsible for these acts are those who incite violence and hatred against our country,” the Embassy said in a statement. On its part, the French Foreign Ministry condemned the attack on the Cuban Embassy and said that a judicial investigation has been launched to determine the perpetrators. Simultaneously, French politician Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the La France…

United States President Joe Biden met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to discuss strengthening bilateral coordination under the Strategic Framework Agreement. The two parties discussed expanded initiatives on climate, energy, education, and combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. The White House stated Tuesday “the two parties are committed to a continued security partnership to ensure that ISIS can never resurge and to allow communities recovering from terror to rebuild with dignity even as the United States shifts to a purely advisory role.” “The leaders reaffirmed their respect for Iraq’s democracy, the rule of law, and promoting a secure environment for Iraq’s…

Geneticist Professor Chris Mason has written a book that depicts a future where we will swap this planet for others, and change our DNA to withstand the different conditions. Here he tells RT of his startling vision for humanity. Pack a suitcase and cancel Netflix: the human race is leaving for Mars. No, it’s not the plot of a new Hollywood blockbuster, but the work of Chris Mason, a renowned geneticist at Cornell University. He’s just released a book, ‘The Next 500 years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds’. It looks at the nexus between genetics and astronomy, using technology to…

Washington’s agreement to cease ‘direct fighting’ is a long way from a troop withdrawal. The reality is, America has no intention of pulling out of Iraq anytime soon as it is far too important to their real aim of containing Iran. Iraq is a nation steeped in American controversy, epitomising the country’s catastrophic 21st century obsession with ‘regime change’. One wonders when America will cut its losses and leave the Middle East nation alone. Recently, there’s been some hope they might withdraw, with the Biden administration appearing to sympathise with the growing political sentiment against ‘forever wars’. Following a visit…

The CDC will reportedly ask some fully vaccinated Americans to once again wear face masks in certain indoor settings. The decision, made amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, dramatically reverses the organization’s earlier guidance. Two months ago, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cleared fully vaccinated Americans to return to indoor areas such as restaurants and work spaces without masks. Now, they’re ready to backpedal, according to media reports on Tuesday. With the more transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus infecting even the vaccinated, and with cases rising in areas with low inoculation rates, the CDC is expected to…

Members of an armed cell who allegedly worked with Israel’s Mossad spy agency and planned to provoke violence during protests in Iran have been detained, Tehran’s Intelligence Ministry has told local media. The group, which allegedly had access to a heavy shipment of weapons and ammunition, was recently apprehended after entering Iran through its western border, an official from the ministry told the Fars news agency. The official didn’t elaborate on the size of the unit or the nationality of those arrested, but they insisted that the suspects were acting in cooperation with Mossad, the Israeli spy agency. The weapons seized from…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Najib Mikati has received 73 votes from the Lebanese Parliament, making him the new Prime Minister elect. He stated he would not have accepted the position unless he had international support, and he agreed with President Michel Aoun to form a government using the French model. The UN will co-host along with France an international conference scheduled for August 4. Diplomates believe the topics will be how to force Lebanese political elites to agree on reforms, and how to deal with the humanitarian crisis unfolding. The fate of the Lebanese Army also is threatened,…