Middle East Experience

Negotiations between Iran and the world powers on how to revive the 2015 nuclear accord will resume over the coming weekend, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Wednesday, adding that the June 18 Iranian presidential election was a complicating factor on the talks.“I know that the negotiation will start again over this coming weekend,” Sherman said during a virtual event organized by the German Marshall Fund. “I think there’s been a lot of progress made but out of my own experience until the last detail is nailed down, and I mean nailed down, we will not know if we have an agreement,” she said.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The talks seek to revive a landmark pact under which Iran agreed to curbs on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions, which opened the way for a brief thaw in decades of US-Iranian confrontation.A host of barriers to the revival of Iran’s nuclear deal remain firmly in place ahead of talks, suggesting a return to compliance with the 2015 accord is still a way off, four diplomats, two Iranian officials and two analysts say.Adding to the impetus to make progress is the election in Iran on June 18 to replace President Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist who promoted the original deal. He is widely expected to be followed by a hard-line successor.“This is complicated, of course, by the Iranian presidential election, which is happening in just a few days,” Sherman added. She did not elaborate.Then-US President Donald Trump abandoned the deal in 2018, saying it was too soft on Tehran, and reimposed sanctions. Iran responded by violating the agreement’s limits.Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, has said he wants to restore the deal’s nuclear limits and, if possible, extend them to cover issues such as Iran’s regional behavior and missile program. Iran wants all sanctions lifted and no expansion of the terms.Read more:
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US: Iran nuclear talks to resume over the weekend, elections ‘complicating factor’

Netanyahu's non-strategy led to 60% nuke enrichment
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Ex-Mossad chief Tamir Pardo: Netanyahu broke policy with Iran, US

Gamliel: "Animal fur coats cannot cover the brutal murder industry that makes them."
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Israel bans sale of fur to fashion industry, first country to do so

Two of the fires are as of yet not under control; Fire and rescue services are not ruling out the possibility of arson.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Wildfires rage in the hills near Jerusalem, Ariel

Ben-Gvir was barred from the Temple Mount on the grounds that, as an MK, he was required to coordinate his arrival beforehand.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Police refuse Ben-Gvir permission to visit Temple Mount

The concern is less that the Jewish character of the state will disappear, and more the impact of being in the opposition will have on the budget going to the haredi community.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Haredi fury over Bennett masks real concern: Their funding will be cut

A US State Department spokesperson told Al-Monitor that hard-hit Iran will not be receiving doses at this time.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Middle East countries set to benefit from Biden’s global vaccine initiative

Beijing and Tehran are deepening ties across sectors, but progress will depend on the Vienna talks and Iran’s elections.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: China-Iran cooperation goes slow in context of nuclear talks

Temporary side effects including headache, fatigue and fever are signs the immune system is revving up -- a normal response to vaccines. And they’re common.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.“The day after getting these vaccines, I wouldn’t plan anything that was strenuous physical activity,” said Dr. Peter Marks, the US Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine chief, who experienced fatigue after his first dose.Here’s what’s happening: The immune system has two main arms, and the first kicks in as soon as the body detects a foreign intruder. White blood cells swarm to the site, prompting inflammation that’s responsible for chills, soreness, fatigue and other side effects.This rapid-response step of your immune system tends to wane with age, one reason younger people report side effects more often than older adults. Also, some vaccines simply elicit more reactions than others.That said, everyone reacts differently. If you didn’t feel anything a day or two after either dose, that doesn’t mean the vaccine isn’t working.Behind the scenes, the shots also set in motion the second part of your immune system, which will provide the real protection from the virus by producing antibodies.Another nuisance side effect: As the immune system activates, it also sometimes causes temporary swelling in lymph nodes, such as those under the arm. Women are encouraged to schedule routine mammograms ahead of COVID-19 vaccination to avoid a swollen node being mistaken for cancer.Not all side effects are routine. But after hundreds of millions of vaccine doses administered around the world — and intense safety monitoring — few serious risks have been identified. A tiny percentage of people who got vaccines made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson reported an unusual type of blood clot. Some countries reserved those shots for older adults but regulatory authorities say the benefits of offering them still outweigh the risks.People also occasionally have serious allergic reactions. That’s why you’re asked to stick around for about 15 minutes after getting any type of COVID-19 vaccine — to ensure any reaction can be promptly treated.Finally, authorities are trying to determine whether temporary heart inflammation that can occur with many types of infections also might be a rare side effect after the mRNA vaccines, the kind made by Pfizer and Moderna. US health officials can’t yet tell if there’s a link but say they’re monitoring a small number of reports, mostly male teens or young adults.Read more:India says ‘minuscule’ clotting cases after AstraZeneca vaccineEMA reviews reports on rare nerve disorder after AstraZeneca vaccineUS FDA expected to approve Pfizer vaccine for teens within week
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: COVID-19 vaccine side effects are normal, common response

Relegated to the opposition benches and about to lose both budgets and political influence, the ultra-Orthodox parties attack personally Orthodox Prime Minister-designate Naftali Bennett.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Israel’s ultra-Orthodox go to opposition, furious with PM-designate