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Last Friday, we detailed a hilarious unsettling string of diplomatic gaffes–by far the most of any 2008 presidential candidate–that sort of, like, contradicted Hillary Clinton’s reputation as a steady hand on foreign policy. There was the whole “calling the current prime minister of New Zealand the former prime minister of New Zealand while comparing her to a cockroach” thing. And the “claiming Vladimir Putin doesn’t have a soul” thing. And the “mispronouncing the name of Putin’s successor” thing....

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia Gonzalez met Monday in Tehran, where they “discussed bilateral issues and the expansion of cooperation between the two countries,” according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The pair “decided to hold a joint economic commission of the two countries in the near future and to compile and finalize a comprehensive plan for the 20-year economic cooperation between the two countries....

Speaking on the sidelines of the 98-Guardians of Velayat Sky joint exercises, Iranian Army Air Defense Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard said Thursday that the maneuvers were being held across an area of some 416,000 square kilometers—roughly the size of the U.S. state of California—mostly in the northern province of Semnan. He said his forces “will practice the toughest and most realistic combat conditions,” simulating a conflict in the Persian Gulf, especially the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil chokepoint....

“Even if one day there is a need for 90 percent enrichment for a reactor, we do not have any problem and we are able,” Rouhani said, according to the IRNA, a state-run news agency. “We can do anything in the peaceful path.” Rouhani made the claim while speaking to the nation’s Cabinet Wednesday. He also castigated the nation’s theocracy for not permitting the government to reinstate a 2015 nuclear deal, which provided a reprieve from the U....

Observers have predicted low turnout among Iranian voters, whether as a protest against the theocratic government or out of indifference. The regime has endured a turbulent year, buffeted by American sanctions following the collapse of the nuclear deal and subsequent economic strain, mass civil unrest subdued by brutal force, and a military stand-off with Washington that resulted in the assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani and the accidental downing of a passenger plane in which 176 people were killed....

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javid Zarif arrived Tuesday in Moscow for talks in which he sought the renewal of a two-decade agreement for cooperation between the two countries. The contents of the pact were not made public but it follows a landmark deal involving oil and arms sales, as well as nuclear cooperation signed on March 12, 2001, by Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami....

The Persian hashtag #DontExecute began spreading around the world on Tuesday, rising to the top of the international trending list according to Radio Farda. Soon after, internet monitoring websites reported access being throttled across the country. A broad range of groups and activists took up the call, including exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi—the son of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who was deposed by the Iranian Revolution—who circulated the English version of the hashtag: #StopExecutionsInIran....

Being a trusted member and representative of the community, however, Habib, the first Iranian American to be elected to statewide office, told Newsweek that he received word of the situation unfolding at the U.S.-Mexico border station the same way many in the local Iranian American community did: from friends that he cared about. On Saturday, Habib said he started receiving worrying text messages from fellow Iranian Americans, whom he had known for years, saying they or their family members had been stopped at the Peace Arch border crossing and questioned about their connections to Iran....

Gunmen had lured Mohammed to their car with an offer to buy the gasoline he was selling on the curb, and then they opened fire. “I saw him covered with blood,” recalls Salman. The police refused to help, because they were too afraid the gunmen would return, so Salman drove his brother to the hospital. Mohammed died three weeks later. Salman’s big brother, 38 when his life ended, had been persistent, resourceful and lovable....

That should be cause for hope, since Hakim now leads the most powerful Shiite party in Iraq, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council. As U.S. Gen. David Petraeus constantly emphasizes, the U.S. troop “surge” can at best dampen the violence that plagues Iraq. Only the country’s political leaders can truly stabilize the situation, by using that breathing room to forge lasting compromises between Iraq’s various factions. The fact that they have not is at the core of growing Republican disillusionment over the war....

Curfews were imposed on the capital, Baghdad, as well as other cities scattered across the country. Internet connectivity fell to 70 percent and major social media cites such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and Instagram were blocked according to NetBlocks, an independent digital inclusivity activist organization. Al Jazeera correspondent Imran Khan reported that the curfews are generally working. “The protesters have been trying to gather in different areas of Baghdad throughout the day, but every time they reach crowds of 50 to 60 people, the security forces disperse them....

This was two years ago, but today the legacy of the Tishreen (October) movement that precipitated the women’s march is as important than ever. It revitalized the history of women-led struggles in Iraq, largely overlooked by the West, and inspired a politically active new generation who are determined to change Iraq for the better. Despite years of various anti-government protests around the country dating back to 2011, the Tishreen movement that erupted in 2020 was larger than any other protest movement Iraq had seen in recent history....

O’Brien, 37, made his ODI debut against England in 2006 and has gone on to feature over 150 times for Ireland. Kevin O’Brien’s illustrious ODI career Regarded as one of the greatest players Ireland has ever produced, Kevin O’Brien is best remembered for his record-breaking 113 in the 2011 World Cup against England. His 50-ball century is still the fastest ever in a World Cup. He is Ireland’s third-highest run-getter in the format with 3,618 runs and also their leading wicket-taker with 114 scalps....

“No, there is no quarterback controversy,” Kelly said after the Gold team beat the Blue team 27-14. Wimbush is the starter heading into the fall for an Irish team, and he had an up-and-down performance for the Blue team. Wimbush finished 22 of 32 passing for 303 yards, but he also threw two interceptions and took seven sacks, a stat hard to gauge because quarterbacks were not hit in the game....

The premise of King Arts Games’ RTS title Iron Harvest is a pretty interesting one: an alternate-history version of 1920s Europe where conflicts are fought using giant dieselpunk mechs. The game’s last major bit of post-launch content came in the form of the Rusviet Revolution DLC, which consisted of a new post-campaign storyline spread across four single player and co-op missions. RELATED: Iron Harvest Launch Trailer Reveals Even More Dieselpunk Mechs...

Arafat’s comments immediately raised hopes that peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis could be resurrected yet again. For those involved, however, the obstacles to a settlement remain enormous. “We understand that to move forward, to build on that work, we have more work to do,” White House Press Secretary Jake Siewert told reporters Wednesday. “And we will, in particular, not reach an agreement, let alone engage in serious negotiations, without a change in the climate and a reduction in the violence....

“Ballot harvesting” is when a third party collects and delivers mail-in ballots, usually on the behalf of the elderly or sick and disabled voters. In some states, the practice is legal, and ballot harvesters even get paid for their work in certain places. Critics claim that in states without restrictions, the system can be abused by people tampering with/discarding ballots or collecting ballots and filling them out for their own preferred candidate....

In the ever so frivolous world of Apple rumors, the most recent hails from Bloomberg stating that Apple is said to be working on a smaller, cheaper iPhone. The idea is that Apple is creating a new mobile handset to compete with other phones of similar stature in the market. Bloomberg’s source says the device will hold a $200 price ticket, without a contractual obligation. The lower price is rumored to be achieved by using the same parts the current iPhone uses, alternative the next generation of updated hardware that will most likely exist in the iPhone 5....

Virender Sehwag argued on Saturday that Shubman Gill lacks the natural ability to hit boundaries at will. He added that the youngster is a better player in longer-formats and is currently struggling for similar time freedom in the T20s. The former India opener also suggested a solution. He advised the KKR management to allow Shubman Gill to play the anchor’s role at one end while asking the more fluent hitters to bat around him....

Speaking about the team’s mantra, Eric Simons said it was all about finding a way and believes MS Dhoni and his men have done well thus far. CSK are enjoying a terrific start to IPL 2021, winning three games in a row, and Eric Simons believes the mood in the camp is positive. CSK consultant Eric Simons on the South Indian derby While speaking about the previous match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the former Indian bowling coach said that every game in the IPL....