Niloufar Mardani a member of the national speedskating team, competed in Istanbul without a headscarf on Sunday. Photo: Twitter
Niloufar Mardani a member of the national speedskating team, competed in Istanbul without a headscarf on Sunday. Photo: Twitter
Niloufar Mardani a member of the national speedskating team, competed in Istanbul without a headscarf on Sunday. Photo: Twitter
Niloufar Mardani a member of the national speedskating team, competed in Istanbul without a headscarf on Sunday. Photo: Twitter

Iran government criticises skater who performed without hijab


Holly Johnston
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Iran's government has criticised a female skater who performed without a headscarf at a competition in Turkey at the weekend.

Niloufar Mardani, a member of the national speedskating team, competed in Istanbul on Sunday.

She was filmed receiving a first-place award, without wearing a hijab ― a requirement Tehran has placed on its female athletes even when abroad ― or black clothing featuring the word "Iran."

  • A demonstrator at a protest in support of Iranian women after the death of Mahsa Amini, near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 7. Reuters
    A demonstrator at a protest in support of Iranian women after the death of Mahsa Amini, near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 7. Reuters
  • An image grab from a video posted on November 7 shows a mounted police unit patrolling in the Sadeghiyeh district of Iran's capital Tehran. AFP
    An image grab from a video posted on November 7 shows a mounted police unit patrolling in the Sadeghiyeh district of Iran's capital Tehran. AFP
  • A woman's hand pictured during a freedom rally for Iranian women, in Bern, Switzerland. EPA
    A woman's hand pictured during a freedom rally for Iranian women, in Bern, Switzerland. EPA
  • Swiss National Council member Flavia Wasserfallen, of the Social Democratic Party, cuts her hair in solidarity with Iranian women at the freedom rally in Bern. EPA
    Swiss National Council member Flavia Wasserfallen, of the Social Democratic Party, cuts her hair in solidarity with Iranian women at the freedom rally in Bern. EPA
  • Demonstrators protest in support of Iranian women and against the death of Mahsa Amini near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters
    Demonstrators protest in support of Iranian women and against the death of Mahsa Amini near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters
  • Members of the Iranian community living in Turkey protest near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Reuters
    Members of the Iranian community living in Turkey protest near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Reuters
  • A woman attends a protest against the death of Mahsa Amini in Rome, Italy, on October 29. AP Photo
    A woman attends a protest against the death of Mahsa Amini in Rome, Italy, on October 29. AP Photo
  • Protesters in Istanbul near the Iranian consulate. Reuters
    Protesters in Istanbul near the Iranian consulate. Reuters

Iran's sports ministry has said she is no longer part of the national team and claimed she had not received permission to compete.

The ministry "condemned" Mardani's lack of "approved clothing," it said in a statement shared by Fars news agency, claiming the skater was on a "personal trip" and has not been a part of the national team since October.

It follows a similar move by climber Elnaz Rekabi, who competed without a headscarf in South Korea last month.

Concern grew for Rekabi, who was widely praised for her bravery, after reports emerged she had gone missing and would be arrested upon return to Iran. She was also seemingly forced to apologise for not wearing a headscarf, which she said was a mistake.

She received a hero's welcome upon her return to Tehran, where authorities said they would not punish her.

Other athletes have made gestures of solidarity with protesters, refusing to sing the national anthem.

Protests erupted across Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini in custody of the morality police on September 16. The demonstrations have posed the biggest challenge to the regime in decades.

Demonstrations in support of the protests have taken place across the world.

A woman takes part in a protest against Iran's government in Cologne, Germany. Protests over women's rights have erupted in Iran and around the world after the death of Mahsa Amini in custody of the morality police. AP
A woman takes part in a protest against Iran's government in Cologne, Germany. Protests over women's rights have erupted in Iran and around the world after the death of Mahsa Amini in custody of the morality police. AP

Human rights groups say more than 200 people, including 40 children, have been killed in Iran in the weeks since her death.

Many more have been arrested, including the journalists who first broke the news of Amini's death.

A total of 1,024 indictments have been issued against "rioters", spokesman Masoud Satayshi on Tuesday.

Indictments have previously been issued for “congregating and colluding with the intention of acting against the country's security”, “propaganda against the system” and “disturbing public order."

The judiciary's Mizan news website has shared details of trials against protesters, which have been denounced as sham hearings.

The parents of slain protesters have also been detained by security forces and prevented from mourning their children in symbolic 40-day ceremonies, many of which have turned into rallies themselves.

Mounted police have also been deployed to quash the demonstrations, AFP reported.

Special cavalry units have been stationed in Tehran, according to verified video footage.

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Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.

You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”

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This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”

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The past winners

2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)

2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier

Results

UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs

Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets

Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets

Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets

Semi-finals

UAE v Qatar

Bahrain v Kuwait

 

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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?

Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
 

What is graphene?

Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.

It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.

It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.

It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.

Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.

The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
​​​​​​​Princeton

Updated: November 08, 2022, 12:16 PM