Author: Steven Sahiounie

The Director of Al Mayadeen’s office in occupied Palestine reported that the Israeli occupation forces killed four Palestinians in Burqin. “The Israeli occupation Special Forces raided Burquin and other Palestinian towns, carrying out an assassination,” he said. He also reported that the martyrs rose in Burqin and Bidu in northwest occupied Jerusalem. The martyrs were Osama Soboh from Burqin, whose wedding was set for next month, Ahmed Zahran from Bidu, whose brother was murdered by the IOF 23 years ago, Mahmoud Hmeidan from Bidu, and Zakariya Badwan from Bidu, a father of two children. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed a total…

BioCubaFarma Group for Pharmaceutical Industries in Cuba announced that it has completed manufacturing all the vaccine doses needed to immunize Cubans. Eduardo Martinez Diaz, President of BioCubaFarma marveled about the achievement on Twitter, expressing that the challenge was great, but the company managed to overcome it Diaz congratulated all those who made this work possible and indicated that Cuba’s strategy in manufacturing the doses needed in record time and under difficult conditions was successful. He explained that the data provided by the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba showed the effectiveness of the vaccination process in reducing the risk of…

According to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology which was published on Wednesday, babies whose mothers received an mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 received a high level of protective antibodies. Doctors examined umbilical cord blood from 36 infants whose moms had received at least one dose of a Pfizer (PFE.N)/BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccine (MRNA.O). All 36 newborns exhibited high levels of antibodies that target the spike protein on the virus’ surface, and the antibodies could all be linked back to the mothers’ vaccinations. Co-author, Dr. Ashley Roman of New York University, said that “The antibodies that the mother…

The European Union revealed on Thursday a proposal that pushes the smartphone industry to adopt a uniform charging cord for mobile devices. The proposed legislation would make it easier for mobile users to find a charger by mandating USB-C cables for charging. The proposal has two pros, the first is that it limits the jumble of cables and the second, which is more important, is the reduction of electronic waste, knowing that up to 11,000 metric tons of electronic waste are thrown every year. Apple against Brussels’ bid Brussels suggested granting all device manufacturers a 24 month transition period upon…

By 2030, Microsoft plans to be carbon negative, zero waste, and water positive, thanks to sustainable modifications in the materials used in its products and packaging. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella presented a new computer mouse built from 20% recycled ocean plastic and a 100 percent plastic-free, recyclable packaging at the company’s Surface event on Wednesday. That plastic shell is constructed from resin produced from recycled plastic debris retrieved from seas and streams. The plastic waste is converted into pellets, which are then mixed with the other components that make up the mouse’s shell. It offers to last up to 12 months on…

The Turkish lira nears record low on Friday, with foreign investors moving away from the country. However, some local bargain hunting mitigated the losses after Turkey’s Central Bank cut its policy rate and gave no hints as to how low the rates might go. The lira, which has been experiencing sharp swings during the past few years, touched 8.86 to one dollar, near its low of 8.88, which it had reached in June. The Central Bank’s cut put the interest rates below the annual inflation rate, which was 19.3% in August. This means that the stimulus that has been long…

China’s top regulators stepped up their crackdown on cryptocurrencies on Friday, imposing a blanket ban on all crypto transactions and mining and putting pressure on bitcoin and other major coins, as well as crypto and blockchain-related companies. Ten agencies, including the central bank and finance, securities, and foreign exchange authorities, have pledged to work together to combat “illegal” cryptocurrency activities. This is the first time Beijing-based regulators have banded together to expressly prohibit all cryptocurrency-related activity. Financial institutions and payment businesses in China were barred from offering services connected to cryptocurrency transactions in May, with similar prohibitions in 2013 and…

Several news reports, quoting anonymous sources, said the United States has no backup plan in case the nuclear deal with Iran fails. According to statements reported by the Al Sharq website, negotiations between US and Gulf officials proved that the United States has no backup plan in case Washington does not return to the nuclear agreement with Iran. In a similar vein, the spokesman for the US State Department, Ned Price, said that Secretary Antony Blinken stressed continuing diplomacy to ensure a mutual return to the JCPOA and confront “Iran’s continuing hostility in the Gulf.” The last period saw back-and-forth…

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that he seeks to fight corruption and guarantee transparency, coupled with seeing to the protection of honest officials. Tebboune also added, in a meeting with provincial governors, that 180 newspapers are published in Algeria today, so anyone who wishes to expose corruption should go ahead and do so. On the subject of investments, he noted that one must not be overly fearful and that investors must be welcomed because the country needs them to create job opportunities. The pandemic greatly affected the economy, he said, just as it had done with the whole world, adding…

On the sidelines of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian met with the Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov to discuss ways to rebuild trust and reduce tensions between Yerevan and Baku, according to the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. “During these talks, the minister explored, together with his colleagues, the steps that can be taken to help restore trust and reduce tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the statement, published on Friday, said. France, the mediator France, as one of the three…