Author: Steven Sahiounie

French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Bzeshkyan, during a meeting in New York on Tuesday to use Tehran’s influence to promote “general de-escalation” in the Middle East. Macron also warned Iran against providing military support to Russia. According to a statement from the Élysée Palace, during the meeting held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Macron emphasized Iran’s responsibility in fostering general calm and using its influence over destabilizing parties, particularly referencing Tehran-backed Hezbollah. The statement further noted that Macron cautioned Bzeshkyan against supporting Moscow in its war against Ukraine, following accusations by Western…

Iran-backed Iraqi armed factions announced on Wednesday that they targeted a site in northern Israel. The group, known as the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq,” claimed responsibility for attacking a “vital” location in northern Israel with a “developed cruise missile” named “Al-Arqab.” Additionally, the group reported launching a drone towards an Israeli target near the Jordan Valley. Israeli Army Radio confirmed that a drone had crashed in the town of Sapir in the Arava Valley. This same Iran-aligned group previously claimed on Sunday that it had targeted a “vital” site in Israel using a drone. On Sunday, the Israeli military reported…

Early Wednesday morning, Lebanon’s Hezbollah announced that it had launched a missile attack on Israel’s “Ilaniya” base. In a statement, Hezbollah claimed to have targeted the Israeli base with a barrage of Fadi 1 missiles. Additionally, the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” issued a statement declaring that it had launched a drone strike on an Israeli target near the Jordan Valley. Israeli Army Radio reported that a drone had crashed in the town of Sapir in the Arava Valley. The United Nations Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Lebanon, following Israeli…

The UK deployed hundreds of soldiers to Cyprus to assist its citizens in leaving Lebanon amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The British government has urged its nationals in Lebanon to leave the country immediately. The UK Foreign Office stated that while emergency plans are being put in place, around 700 troops supported by a border force will be moved to Cyprus within the next few hours. Additionally, the ministry noted that the Royal Air Force has transport aircraft on standby, ready to provide support if necessary. British Defense Secretary John Healey emphasized the urgency, saying, “The events…

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib announced on Tuesday that the number of people displaced due to the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in the south is approaching half a million. Bou Habib emphasized that “the United States holds the key to our salvation. The U.S. is the only country that can make a difference in the Middle East.” He also mentioned that “the Lebanese Prime Minister hopes to meet with U.S. officials in the next couple of days.” Israeli envoy to the United Nations, Danny Danon, stated on Tuesday that Israel is open to ideas for de-escalating the conflict…

Researchers in New Zealand announced on Tuesday the identification of a new species of ghost shark, a deep-sea predator capable of hunting in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The research team reported the discovery of this narrow-snouted species in the Chatham Rise, a region in the Pacific Ocean stretching over 1,000 kilometers east of New Zealand. Ghost sharks, also known as chimaeras, are related to sharks and rays. They have a cartilaginous skeleton and feed on crustaceans at depths of up to 2,600 meters. Researcher Brit Finucci, who named the species “Harriotta avia” in honor of her grandmother, explained…

The US risks getting stuck in another forever war, the former president has arguedThe United States needs a clear exit strategy for the conflict in Ukraine, former President Donald Trump told a campaign rally, insisting that neither current US leader Joe Biden nor his Democratic rival Kamala Harris has any such plan. “Biden and Kamala got us into this war in Ukraine, and now they can’t get us out. They can’t get us out,” Trump told the crowd in Savannah, Georgia, on Tuesday, reiterating his promise to end the conflict as soon as he is reelected. “I think that we’re stuck…

The Pentagon and the State Department reportedly disagree on the issueVladimir Zelensky is expected to bring up the issue of restrictions on long-range attacks into Russian territory when he meets with US President Joe Biden later this week, White House national security spokesman John Kirby has said. Ukraine’s leader is scheduled to meet with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday, after giving a speech at the UN General Assembly in New York. “I’m sure the issue will come up,” Kirby told reporters on Tuesday, speaking on the sidelines of the UN session, adding that Biden “has not made a policy…

The move comes as the result of mounting debts linked to the pandemic and the Ukraine conflict, Finnish state broadcaster Yle has reported A Finnish zoo is preparing to return two giant pandas to China because it can no longer afford their upkeep, state broadcster Yle has reported. The pandas, named Lumi and Pyry, were brought to Finland’s second-largest privately owned zoo in January 2018, nine months after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the Nordic country and signed a joint agreement on protecting the animals. However, Ahtari Zoo has faced financial difficulties in recent years and management announced on Monday that…

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) predicts that global energy demand will increase by 24% by 2050, driven by economic growth and population expansion. Despite the rise of renewable energy sources, OPEC emphasizes that oil and gas will remain central to ensuring global energy security. According to OPEC’s 2024 World Oil Outlook report, released in Brazil on Tuesday, global energy demand is projected to grow from 301 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (mboe/d) in 2023 to 374 mboe/d by 2050. This growth is expected to occur alongside a robust global economic expansion, averaging 2.9% annually over…