Author: Steven Sahiounie

Moscow backs mutual recognition of vaccines approved at a state level, said Saturday Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly. “COVID-19 is our enemy. We support mutual recognition of vaccines approved by national oversight bodies, in the interests of lifting restrictions on international travel of citizens as soon as possible,” Minister Lavrov said. Russia primarily uses its indigenous Sputnik V vaccine, which is also used in several other countries. On August 11, 2020, Sputnik V was the first COVID-19 vaccine applied for registration in the European Union and the World Health Organization.…

Huawei’s current rotating chairman and CEO, Xu Zhijun, announced that the company will continue in its cellphone business. At a press conference during the Huawei Connect 2021 event, Xu explained that the company’s cellphone business is facing huge challenges as a result of the US-imposed sanctions. However, the chairman assured that “Huawei will never give up on the cellphone business.” The tech giant still owns its Huawei cellphone brand, but has sold its budget smartphone brand, Honor, last November to a consortium. The company struggled for months with lack of key chips and software exports which were cut by the…

According to the Head of the Climate Change Department at the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Li Gao, China has sold 418 million yuan (approximately $64.6 million) worth of carbon dioxide emission quotas to companies over a span of two months. To promote less pollution – low carbon and ‘greener’ policies – China launched the Emission Trading System (ETS) in 2016 which sets limits, or gives quotas, for just how much a company can emit CO2 and greenhouse gases. According to a report by South China Morning Post, the carbon trading scheme may be able to reduce emissions by 30-60%…

After yesterday’s release of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer, the US goes on to arrest her counterpart in Novatek, Russia’s second-largest natural gas producer. According to the Department of Justice, Mark Gyetvay was arrested in the United States on tax charges regarding $93 million hidden on offshore accounts. From 2005 to 2016, according to the indictment, Gyetvay “engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States by concealing his ownership and control over substantial offshore assets and by failing to file and pay taxes on millions of dollars of income.” In 2005 and onward, the businessman allegedly opened two…

Former US President Donald Trump revealed how the head of the Taliban political bureau, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, reacted when he learned of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan last year. Trump told his supporters during a rally in Georgia, Saturday, that Baradar was informed through a phone call or message that the US military left, so his first reaction was saying “you are crazy” in his language. The former US President also stressed that the reason why the Democrats are always after him is that they believe he has a “big mouth” and talks a lot. He defended himself, saying…

US occupation forces in Syria killed 3 people during an air landing at dawn, Sunday, in the eastern Deir Ezzor Countryside. Syria’s SANA news agency stated that the air-drop “was carried out by a group of commandos affiliated with the US occupation forces in al-Shuhail village on the bank of the Euphrates River in Deir Ezzor eastern countryside,” coupled with heavy shooting “at houses and agricultural lands which led to the killing of three civilians.” A US forces helicopter had also carried out an air landing on September 14th, with the support of SDF militants on the outskirts of the northern city of al-Hasakah,…

Voter turnout for the German federal elections taking place, on Sunday, registered a noticeable increase compared to 2017, with many states witnessing a large turnout in the first few hours of voting. A few hours after the polls opened in Germany to choose the country’s new parliament, the highest voter turnout rates until mid-day were registered in a number of states. In Lower Saxony, 14.3% of voters had cast their ballots within the first two hours, according to the state’s elections chief. In Munich, the capital of Bavaria, 60% had cast their ballots by 11 am and no such numbers were registered…

On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi urged the Iraqis to obtain their voter’s cards. Al-Kadhimi tweeted, “Our dear Iraqi people. For the sake of yours and your children’s future, I urge you to get your voter registration cards. Your votes are a responsibility that shouldn’t go to waste. Those wanting reform and change should aim for a high voter turnout. Your votes are the future of Iraq.” The Independent High Electoral Commission announced on Sunday the continuation of the distribution of elector cards until October 5. On his part, the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Judge Jalil Adnan…

On Sunday, hundreds of settlers stormed the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque through the Mughrabi Gate, under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces who arrested two Palestinian women and summoned one of the Mosque’s guards for investigation. This came on the occasion of the “Sukkot” holiday and in response to the call of extremist Jewish organizations to carry out massive incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque. The settlers carried out the incursions in large and successive groups, and they prayed collectively and individually during the storming, guarded by the occupation officers and police. شاهد: عشرات المستوطنين يقتحمون باحات المسجد الأقصى،…

On Sunday, the Israeli authorities released a leading figure of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Prisoner Khalida Jarrar, from the occupation prisons. The PFLP called for wide participation in the celebration held for Jarrar’s liberation, starting from today Sunday, at the Catholic Church hall in Ramallah, until Wednesday evening. Last July, the occupation forces refused to release Jarrar to allow her to participate in the funeral of her young daughter, Suha, who died of a severe heart attack. Upon her arrival in Ramallah, Jarrar went straight to the city cemetery to recite Quranic verses (Al-Fatihah) at her daughter’s tomb.…