
Russia Blasts New Iran Satellite Into Space
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Russia has launched a new Iranian communications satellite into orbit with one of its Soyuz rockets.
It is another symbol of deepening strategic cooperation between Russia and Iran, a point of concern for U.S.-led Western allies.
The rocket lifted off from the Vostochny launchpad in far eastern Russia, carrying two Russian Ionosphere-M Earth observation satellites, along with Iran's Nahid-2 satellite and 17 smaller Russian satellites.
The 110-kilogram (242-pound) Iranian satellite is supposed to circle the Earth on a 500-kilometer (310-mile) orbit and has a service lifetime of two years.
This is a developing news story. Updates to follow.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
Mom Gets All Kids Tested For Daughter's Rare Illness, Worst Fear Comes True
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. When a Long Island toddler was first diagnosed with a rare illness, her family could never have predicted what it would lead to for her older sister. Lisa Superina could tell her daughter Nora was not well from as early as 5 months old. All of her experience as a mother of five told her something wasn't quite right. "She was eating well but often seemed uncomfortable and she wasn't gaining weight," Superina told Newsweek. "She had frequent infections – respiratory and skin. Bad eczema. Her stools were excessive, loose and pale. She seemed very weak with bags under her eyes." Yet despite this, it took time for Superina to get answers. "Nora had genetic testing that all came back negative, so at that point I was told to wait and see what happens," she said. "That was not an option for me... I needed answers. She was my 4th child, so I knew that she wasn't developing typically and something was very wrong." Lisa Superina, her husband and their 5 kids. Lisa Superina, her husband and their 5 kids. Lisa Superina After pushing for more testing, Nora underwent genome sequencing. That was when it was discovered she had Shwachman–Diamond Syndrome (SDS), a rare, inherited bone marrow failure characterized by a low number of white blood cells, poor growth due to difficulty absorbing food, and, in some instances, skeletal abnormalities. Children with SDS can develop blood disorders such as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or leukemia. According to the Boston Children's Hospital, nearly 5 percent of children with SDS develop leukemia, with that risk increasing to 25 percent by adulthood. "This risk goes up with age, so every year gets a little scarier," Superina said. Nora was diagnosed in June 2021, when she was just 15 months old. The rare nature of her illness meant it was not on any doctors' radars when she first began to exhibit symptoms. There would be one more bombshell to come, though. "We were told to test our other children because sometimes SDS is exclusive to the blood and bone marrow and does not have many obvious symptoms," Superina said. A few months later, their worst fears were realized when it was confirmed that Nora's older sister, Kayla, who was just 3 at the time, also had SDS. Though it was a shock to hear, Superina felt some sense of relief that they finally knew about Nora's condition and had uncovered Kayla's before anything bad happened. "I'm so grateful for their diagnosis because it gives us the tools we needed to help them and be proactive," she said. "We know what we are up against." What they are up against is an illness with no known cure, only what Superina describes as "aggressive management." "Nora and Kayla have annual bone marrow biopsies to check for changes or mutations in the marrow that would suggest problems," Superina said. "They get bloodwork every 3 months with hematology at the bone marrow/oncology clinic and see many specialists including hematology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, rheumatology, dermatology, ophthalmology, the list goes on..." It's an experience that has brought the sisters even closer together. "Kayla and Nora have an amazing bond. They support each other for all their appointments... holding hands. Cheering each other on," Superina said. "I definitely think it's made them closer. They don't ever have to go through anything alone- and they always have someone who truly understands." In the meantime, Superina has turned to social media, sharing her daughters' story on Instagram under the handle rarelifemom in the hopes of spreading awareness about SDS and raising essential funds for researching treatments. "I am in touch with top researchers and attended the recent SDS Congress in Cincinnati to learn about the research right now and have been spreading the word for funding a very exciting and promising gene editing project out of Boston Children's with the SDS Registry," she said. "The problem is rare diseases like SDS don't get the funding that more common ones do. So even if we know how to cure it, and have a treatment plan, the money just isn't there. It's often up to the parents and the rare disease community to fund their disease. So that's what I'm trying to do. Raise awareness on social media and who knows, maybe someone with a big heart and a big wallet will see it and want to help my sweet girls."

Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Epoch Times
Russia Launches Iranian Satellite into Orbit
A Russian rocket has launched an Iranian telecommunications satellite into orbit—the fifth such launch since 2022. The Soyuz rocket, designed during the Cold War, carried Iran's Nahid-2 satellite into orbit on July 25, from a commercial launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's eastern Amur province.


Newsweek
3 days ago
- Newsweek
Popular Fruit is Overlooked Superfood, Researcher Claims
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Fresh grapes may be overlooked nutritional powerhouses that are deserving of "superfood" status. This is the argument laid out by biochemist professor John Pezzuto of Massachusetts' Western New England University in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, who explains how eating grapes can bring health benefits. While the term "superfood" lacks a formal definition or established criteria, Pezzuto notes that such typically refers to foods that are rich in beneficial plant compounds, like those commonly found in the Mediterranean diet. Mainstream superfoods include berries, leafy greens, nuts, olive oil and legumes, among others. A stock image shows a person snacking on a juicy grape. A stock image shows a person snacking on a juicy grape. getty images Grapes are a natural source of more than 1,600 compounds—including antioxidants and other polyphenols such as flavonoids, anthocyanidins, catechins, phenolic acids, resveratrol. Polyphenols are primarily credited with the health benefits of grapes thanks to their antioxidant activity and effect on cellular processes. According to Pezzuto, more than sixty peer-reviewed studies have linked grape consumption with positive outcomes across the body, from boosting cardiovascular and , brain to helping out the skin, gut and more. Grapes have been proven to promote the relaxation of blood vessels as well as healthy circulation, as well as modulating cholesterol levels. They also enhance UV resistance, reduce DNA damage in skin cells, and increase gut microbiome diversity. Moreover, grape consumption has been shown to positively alter gene expression. One study published in the journal Food Production, Processing and Nutrition has even associated grape consumption with a decreased risk of chronic diseases, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Packed with vitamins C and K, as well as potassium, these fruit can also help protect the immune system—and thanks to their water content they can be a great way to keep hydrated. Pezzuto's study has been publicized by the California Table Grape Commission, which acts to maintain and expand markets for fresh California grapes. Commission president Ian LeMay said in a statement: "Dr. Pezzuto shows that based on the science, grapes are indeed a superfood, and should be recognized as such, and we are hopeful that using this nomenclature in association with grapes becomes common practice." Do you have a health story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about superfoods? Let us know via science@ References de Almeida Sousa Cruz, M. A., de Barros Elias, M., Calina, D., Sharifi-Rad, J., & Teodoro, A. J. (2024). Insights into grape-derived health benefits: A comprehensive overview. Food Production, Processing and Nutrition, 6(1), 91. Pezzuto, J. M. (2025). Perspective: Are Grapes Worthy of the Moniker Superfood? Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.