Iran sentences four to death for co-operating with Israeli intelligence

Iran sentenced four people to death on Wednesday for allegedly co-operating with Israel's intelligence organisation and kidnapping, the judiciary website Mizan Online reported.

The country's Supreme Court ruled that Hossein Urdukhanzadeh, Shahin Imani Mahmoodabad, Milad Ashrafi Atbatan and Manouchehr Shahbandi Bojandi faced death for co-operating with the “Zionist regime” and kidnapping.

Three other people were handed prison sentences from five to 10 years for acting against national security, aiding in kidnapping, and possessing illegal weapons, the report said.

The men were accused of stealing and destroying private and public property, kidnapping and obtaining false confessions through a network of thugs and mobs.

They were arrested in June with the co-operation of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Ministry of Information.

Members of the gang had kidnapped people and had received their wages in digital currency, Mizan said.

The court heard they had been given orders from people outside the country in exchange for money and had tried to disrupt the country's security.

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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

Know before you go

Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.