Author: Steven Sahiounie

The billionaire reportedly financed the development of Dogecoin and mulled creating a new blockchain-based social media platform Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, SpaceX and X (formerly Twitter), has been financing the development of meme-based cryptocurrency Dogecoin, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal on Friday based on excerpts from a biography of the billionaire due to be released later this month. Musk, who has been openly promoting Dogecoin on his Twitter account for years, has also been among its investors, according to the WSJ article. Prior to acquiring Twitter, he also reportedly planned to create a new blockchain-based social…

The trade in precious stones has thus far largely avoided sanctions The G7 and EU are set to unveil sanctions on the import of gemstones mined in Russia, including those cut and polished in other countries, the New York Times reported this week. According to the newspaper, the G7 is expected to formally announce sanctions in September. The terms for tracking and tracing individual gemstones are reportedly being finalized, as well as the details for the accompanying customs paperwork. The restrictions could come into effect in January after the holiday retail season, the NYT noted, warning that jewelry shoppers could see…

The tendency is beneficial, as weaker economic growth could help disinflation, policymaker Boris Vujcic claims The European Central Bank expects the current slowdown in the Eurozone economy to help bring down inflation in the region, ECB’s Governing Council member and head of Croatia’s central bank, Boris Vujcic, told the Reuters Global Markets Forum on Friday. Vujcic acknowledged that growth is weaker than the regulator had projected, recorded at 0.3% in the second quarter. “If the economy slows down significantly faster, that will certainly then bring inflation down faster,” the ECB policymaker said, adding that this could allow the regulator to…

The number of migrants arriving in the UK in small boats hit a record for a single day on Saturday, the Independent reported. According to the most recent government data, around 872 people crossed the English Channel on 15 small vessels, an average of around 58 people per boat. The total number of Channel crossings in 2023 has reached 20,973. It is still lower than it was at this time last year, when around 25,000 people had already made the dangerous journey. The highest daily total since current records began in 2018 is 1,295 on Aug. 22, 2022. Meanwhile, the…

Swedish police on Sunday arrested two people and detained around 10 people after a violent riot broke out at a protest involving a burning of the Qur’an, police said.The protest organized by Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, whose protests — which have included public desecrations of the Muslim holy book — have sparked outrage across the Middle East.Sunday’s protest was held in a square in the southern city of Malmo, which has a large immigrant population, and according to public broadcaster SVT around 200 people had showed up to watch.“Some onlookers have shown upset feelings, after the organizer burned writings,” police…

Russia expects the West to try to “Ukrainianize” the agenda of upcoming G20 Summit in New Delhi next week, and has warned that it will block any declaration from the gathering that fails to reflect its position on Ukraine and other global crises. Veteran Indian academic Anuradha Chenoy has told Sputnik why Moscow should have nothing to worry about. The US Treasury announced on Thursday that Secretary Janet Yellen will travel to India next week for the G20 leaders’ summit, joining President Biden, who will also be in the country on a state visit. “While in New Delhi, Secretary Yellen will continue…

The fighter aviation shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter aircraft near Bekarovka settlement in the Zaporozhye Region The Russian Aerospace Force delivered a group drone strike against fuel storage facilities used to support Ukrainian army materiel, the Russian Defense Ministry said. “The Russian Aerospace Force made a group strike by unmanned aerial vehicles this night against fuel storages used for supplies to military vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the port of Reni, Odessa Region. The strike objective was achieved. All the designated targets were engaged,” the ministry said. “Tactical and army aviation, rocket troops and artillery of battlegroups…

The President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, Sunday evening received Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura at the presidential headquarters in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. President Abbas welcomed the Japanese minister and the accompanying delegation, stressing the distinguished relations between the two friendly countries and peoples, and the importance of consolidating them in a way that serves the common interests between Palestine and Japan. The President appreciated Japan’s positions in support of Palestinian rights, which are committed to international legitimacy resolutions, and the continued support it provides to the Palestinian people, to complete…

According to an Opinium poll, 49% of people in the United Kingdom do not approve of the Prime Minister’s performance.  According to an Opinium poll, 49% of people in the United Kingdom do not approve of the Prime Minister’s performance. A staggering 24% only expressed support for Rishi Sunak’s performance, in a trend that has only descended in recent weeks. According to the poll results, opposition Labor Party leader Keir Starmer is regarded as considerably better, with 28% approving of his performance and 35% disapproving. He also outperforms Sunak on the topic of who would make a better prime minister, with 27% voting…

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian called for the need for respecting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing that his country opposed the geopolitical changes in the region. During the joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Tehran Sunday , Abdullahian affirmed the necessity of respecting Syria’s sovereignty and without prejudice to its territorial integrity. Abdullahian underlined the priority of the Palestine cause, stressing that the presence of Zionist entity in the region has caused sedition, division between its countries, and instability therein. Iranian Foreign Minister noted that Iran opposed any geopolitical changes in the region and…