An influential US senator has spoken out in support of an Iranian chess player who competed without a hijab at an international tournament in Kazakhstan.
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who heads the chamber's Foreign Relations Committee, said Iranians face an almost impossible choice when it comes to competing overseas for their country.
“[Sarasadat] Khademalsharieh and others like her must choose between standing up for fundamental #human rights and returning to their country,” Mr Menendez tweeted from the committee's Twitter account on Sunday.
“The Iranian regime offers few choices to those who will not submit to its oppression.”
Khademalsharieh arrived in Spain on Tuesday after reportedly receiving warnings not to return to Iran.
Iran has been gripped by daily anti-government protests since September of last year, when a young woman died in police custody after she was detained for not wearing a head covering in accordance with the country's strict dress code.
The protest movement has presented the clerical leadership with its biggest challenge since the 1979 revolution.
Protesters have been chanting “woman, life, freedom”, calling not only for reform, but also for the toppling of the entire regime.
On Monday, Iran sentenced two teenagers to be hanged for taking part in the protests. Two men have already been executed for their role in the demonstrations.
The crackdown has led to about 14,000 people being detained and caused the deaths of 476 people, according to Norway-based group Iran Human Rights. At least 100 detainees are at risk of execution, the organisation said.
Meghan%20podcast
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
