Despite a bevy of advanced Western-made military hardware in the region, neither the Saudis nor Americans detected Saturday’s attack on two of Riyadh’s oil facilities, Iranian scholar Mohammad Marandi told Sputnik. Despite this, American politicos are rushing to declare Iran’s guilt and begin a bombing campaign.

US President Donald Trump nominated US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Robert O'Brien on Wednesday to replace John Bolton as national security adviser. However, while Bolton was a headstrong, veteran warhawk, O’Brien is a diplomatic neophyte who’s unlikely to wander far from Trump’s lead, an analyst told Sputnik.

Today marks the 5 year anniversary of the Scottish Referendum. With polls continuing to show people in favour of independence stagnant around the 50% mark, is there still an appetite for independence in Scotland?

On 17 September, Israel held a snap legislative vote to elect the 120 members of the 22nd Knesset. Judging from exit polls, the fight is far from over. Israeli observers have outlined several scenarios on how the election outcome may affect the country's political course and international strategy.

The British Supreme Court in London is set to decide whether UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s suspension of Parliament was lawful and if the case is justiciable. The three-day hearing began on Tuesday.

While on an international digital press tour for his new memoir “Permanent Record,” former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden managed to once again attract the attention of the US Department of Justice (DoJ), which doesn’t seem likely to budge and grant the whistleblower’s single-item request.

US President Donald Trump said that he's sure that Iran is responsible for Saturday night's attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure, but told reporters at the White House on Monday that he wants "to find definitively who did this" before taking any action. Iran has denied any involvement in the incident.

Political Media Strategist Rory McShane and Professor David Woodard, Clemson University political scientist and former political consultant for Republican congressmen, expressed their opinions about Donald Trump's upcoming visit to California.

More and more US politicos and military leaders are advising restraint in any response to Iran following the attack on Saudi oil facilities. Investigative journalist Gareth Porter told Sputnik the increased caution reflects a realization that the US can’t do whatever it wants in the Persian Gulf anymore.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson decided not to stick around for the press conference, making an early exit after Brexit talks in Luxembourg. The UK PM said he had to cancel the press conference due to the noise made by anti-Brexit protesters, but that didn't stop Xavier Bettel, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, from appearing alone.

After incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud's leader, failed to form a coalition government following the previous elections in April, the Israeli parliament voted to dissolve itself so that a snap election could be held.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has met with European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, as both the UK and EU aim to make last-ditch compromises, and potentially agree upon a revamped Brexit deal.

New Delhi (Sputnik): Amid skyrocketing crude oil prices after the Houthi drone attacks on two major Saudi oil fields, India’s energy analyst expressed concern over its impact on the financial health and inflation on the world’s third-biggest oil importer.

The third Democratic primary debate was held at Texas Southern University in Houston last week. Eurasia Centre Vice-President Earl Rasmussen expressed his opinion about possible nominee from the DNC to run for president.

Purdue Pharma, the pharmaceutical company and maker of OxyContin, filed for bankruptcy after establishing a settlement to contribute some $10 billion to fight the opioid crisis in the US. However, many critics fear the funds won’t address the actual issue of addiction, leaving the door wide open for further deaths.

Nearly 50,000 members of the United Automobile Workers union on Monday went on strike against American car manufacturer General Motors (GM) to achieve fair wages and job security. The strike could cause “major impacts” on the US economy, Neal Sweeney, the vice president of UAW Local 5810, told Radio Sputnik’s Loud & Clear Monday.

Following airstrikes on two Saudi oil facilities over the weekend, US President Donald Trump said the US was “locked and loaded” and they thought it was Iran, even though the Yemeni Houthis claimed responsibility. However, now is the time to study the question in depth and let cooler heads prevail, not rush into war, an activist told Sputnik.

With just days left before the elections in Israel, the country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a long meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the Russian leader's Sochi residence.

Houthi drone attacks on two major Saudi Aramco facilities, including the largest crude stabilisation plant in the world, have sparked concerns over the attacks’ impact on global oil prices, with the oil-rich country confirming that about half of its production, accounting for about 6 percent of the world’s total, had been affected by the strikes.

Israel is holding early legislative elections on 17 September to elect 120 members of the 22nd Knesset. The vote was announced after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had failed to form a government following the April election.