More than 5,000 cases of poisoned school pupils have been reported across the country, an Iranian MP said, as attacks spread to public transport networks.
The poisonings were a result of "special gas", MP Mohammed Hassan Asefari told the Iranian Students' News Agency.
The number those affected was significantly higher than official estimates of about 1,000.
The Czech Republic-based Radio Farda reported around 2,500 cases in more than 100 schools, according to Iranian media outlets.
First reported in the holy city of Qom in November, the poisonings have increased in recent weeks and prompted renewed anti-government protests and pushed parents to take their children out of school.
While authorities have placed the blame with Tehran's enemies, many accuse the government, pressured by months of fierce protests, of being behind the attacks.
Parents gathered outside the Ministry of Education at the weekend, in video footage verified by Reuters.
"Basij, Guards, you are our Daesh," they chanted, likening security forces to ISIS.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Basij paramilitary force have been at the forefront of the regime's response to the protests and are estimated to have killed more than 500 people since demonstrations began in September.
Pro-protest accounts also reported renewed rallies in several areas, with people demonstrating against the "baby-killing government".
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Demonstrators chant slogans during the March of Solidarity for Iran in Washington. AFP -

Another group of demonstrators at the march. AFP -

A protest in support of Iranian women in Barcelona. Reuters -

Iranian citizens and locals joined in the Barcelona protest. Reuters -

People attend a demonstration in solidarity with Mahsa Amini and other Iranian women in Castello Square, Turin. EPA -

A person places a candle during the demonstration in Turin. EPA -

A protester holds a pre-Islamic Revolution Iranian flag during a demonstration in Brussels in support of the Iranians fighting for their freedom. AFP -

A protester wearing a top with a logo that reads 'No to an Islamic state" as she takes part in a rally in support of the Iranian people, in Brussels. AFP -

People wave the Shah-era Iranian flag during a protest in Paris. AFP -

A woman shows her true colours in the protest against the Iranian government, in Paris. AFP -

A woman holds a flag, as people protest against the Iranian regime outside Iran's embassy in central London. Reuters -

Supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) carry placards and wave party flags in Beirut, during a protest against the death of Ms Amini. EPA -

People demonstrate against the Iranian government outside the Houses of Parliament in London following the death of Amini. Reuters -

A mural in Paris depicts women cutting their hair to show support for Iranian protesters. AP -

People take part in a rally against the Iranian government in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday. AP -

Protesters take to the streets of Tehran. EPA -

Iranian protesters run after clashing with with police. EPA -

A protester shaves their head outside the Houses of Parliament in London. Reuters -

Iranians living in Athens hold a protest in solidarity. AFP -

People take part in a rally in The Hague. AFP -

A woman cuts her hair during a demonstration in Santiago, Chile, by feminist groups and Iranian migrants in support of Iranian women following the death of Amini. AFP -

Members of feminist groups and Iranian migrants during the protests in Santiago. AFP -

Iranian activists shout slogans during a protest against the government in Tehran, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. EPA -

A protester holds a painted portrait of Mahsa Amini in Berlin, Germany. EPA -

A protester shows red paint on her face, resembling blood splatters and bloody handprints next to the national Iranian emblem, during a rally in Berlin. EPA -

Iranian protesters shout slogan during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey. EPA -

A woman holds a sign during a protest against the Iranian government, in front of the country's embassy in Madrid, Spain. The protests were triggered by the death of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody. Reuters -

A woman cuts her hair during the protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Madrid. Reuters -

Israelis show their support for women in Iran as they hold up placards of Amini during a protest in Jerusalem. EPA -

Amini, 22, was arrested in Tehran on September 13, 2022, by the morality police. She fell into a coma while in police custody and was declared dead on September 16. EPA -

People walk by graffiti in support of the protests triggered by Amini's death, in Jerusalem. EPA -

A protest in Nantes, western France, after the death of Amini in Iranian police custody. AFP -

Women gather for a demonstration in Barcelona, Spain. AFP -

Demonstrators in Nantes. Amini's death has sparked a global protest movement. AFP -

Women protest outside the town hall in in Montpellier, southern France. AFP -

A woman at a protest in Catalunya Square, Barcelona. Reuters -

Campaigners and football fans protest at a Champions League match between Porto and Bayer Leverkusen at the Dragao stadium in Portugal. EPA -

People hold placards during a demonstration in solidarity with the Iranian people near the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. EPA -

An Iranian woman living in Turkey with 'Freedom' written on her forehead takes part in a protest near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Reuters -

In Barcelona, protesters take part in a demonstration in support of Iranian women. AFP -

A Lebanese activist takes part in a protest in Beirut, triggered by the death of Amini, 22. AP -

A Turkish protester takes off her head scarf while giving a performance in Instanbul during a protest against Iran over Amini's death. Getty -

A woman in Istanbul cuts her hair during a protest against Iran. Getty -

A Lebanese activist holds a poster depicting Amini during a protest in Beirut organised by feminist groups in support of women protesters in Iran. EPA -

Demonstrators in Los Angeles, California, hold the Iranian flag during a protest against the government in Tehran. AFP -

Demonstrators hold placards in Mexico City during a protest against Iran. Reuters -

People demonstrate in Montreal, Canada, during a protest triggered by Amini's death. AFP -

Iranian Americans participate in a rally in central Los Angeles, in solidarity with women in Iran. AP -

Demonstrators march during a protest in Los Angeles, California. AFP -

A woman with the colours of the Iranian flag painted on her face participates in a rally as thousands demonstrate in support of Iranian women in Los Angeles. EPA -

Australians protest over Amini's death in Melbourne. EPA -

Police block protesters from entering Iran's embassy in Oslo, Norway. EPA -

Demonstrators in front of the European headquarters of the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, during a rally against Iran. EPA -

A candlelight vigil for Amini in Los Angeles. AFP -

Afghan women hold placards as they take part in a protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Kabul. AFP -

Protestors take part in a rally outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. AFP -

An Iranian woman shows a lock of hair she cut off during a protest outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. EPA -

Demonstrators outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Getty -

Iranian Americans rally on Capitol Hill in Washington to show support for protesters in Iran. AFP -

Protesters on Capitol Hill hold a sign condemning the crackdown by Tehran. AFP -

German demonstrators gather in Berlin after the death of Amini in Iranian police custody. AP -

A protester cries during a rally in Berlin. Reuters -

A demonstration in Madrid, Spain. Thousands have gathered in cities across Europe to support protests in Iran. AP -

Demonstrators gather outside the Iranian embassy in Madrid. Reuters -

People take part in a protest in Lausanne, Switzerland. EPA -

Protesters hold signs featuring images of Amini during the protest in the western Swiss city. EPA -

Demonstrators in front of the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. EPA -

An activist outside the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a sign that reads 'Justice for Mahsa Amini'. AFP -

A demonstration against violence in Iran is held in Quito, Ecuador. The Iranian community in Ecuador protested outside the Iranian embassy. EPA -

Protesters at a demonstration outside the Iranian embassy in Quito, Ecuador. EPA
Schoolgirls are said to be the most affected but cases have also been reported at universities and at boys' schools.
The health ministry has claimed that "no toxic traces" were found in medical samples taken from students at affected schools.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said those responsible should be executed.
The poisonings have been widely condemned and the US has said it may fall under the mandate of a UN investigation.
While the government has pledged a full investigation, it has opened legal cases into news outlets for "spreading lies" about the attacks which have left some students in critical condition.
The judiciary has opened lawsuits against six news outlets and media personalities for "publishing lies and baseless rumours", its affiliated news agency Mizan reported.
Wider target
Special branches have been set up across the country to deal with false rumours, it announced on Monday, and two additional branches have been established within Tehran's Special Prosecutors Office.
Meanwhile, people have also reported poisonings at metro stations in several cities, prompting fears the attacks could target wider society.
Footage on social media show travellers coughing and collapsed on metro platforms, while others have published images of emergency hammers removed from carriages, claiming they fear it is a prelude to similar attacks.
Civil rights advocate Atena Daemi also alluded to possible attacks on the metro.
"The Islamic Republic collected emergency hammers and replaced the subway windows, which is a warning for more extensive chemical attacks by government agents," said Ms Daemi, who has been imprisoned in Tehran's notorious Evin prison and has a wide following on social media.
On Tuesday, social media users warned people away from a metro station in the city of Isfahan, claiming passengers had begun collapsing and vomiting, while people reportedly fainted at a Tehran station.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
'O'
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
Pakistan World Cup squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez(subject to fitness), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain
Two additions for England ODIs: Mohammad Amir and Asif Ali
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1. |
United States |
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2. |
China |
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3. |
UAE |
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4. |
Japan |
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5 |
Norway |
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6. |
Canada |
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7. |
Singapore |
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8. |
Australia |
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Saudi Arabia |
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South Korea |
How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
While you're here
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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• Goals
• Penalty decisions
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Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia
Three Penalties
v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)
v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)
v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)
Four Corners
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)
v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)
One Free-Kick
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)
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CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting


