Iran university suspends classes as Mahsa Amini protests enter third week


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Classes were on Monday suspended and moved online at Iran's leading scientific university after clashes erupted overnight between students and security forces on a Tehran campus, local media said.

"Sharif University of Technology announced that due to recent events and the need to protect students ... all classes will be held virtually from Monday," Mehr news agency reported.

Universities have been a focal point of more than two weeks of nationwide protests sparked by the death of young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody.

Iran International, a London-based opposition media outlet, published footage on Monday of what it said showed citizens gathering outside the Sharif University to demand the release of students surrounded by security forces inside the campus.

It obtained another video showing what it claimed were several Sharif University students being arrested by plainclothes officers and transferred to white vans on Sunday night.

The National could not independently verify the videos.

Thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets to protest over the death of Amini after her arrest by morality police in Tehran for allegedly not adhering to Iran’s strict Islamic dress code.

Her family allege she was beaten in custody, while officials claim she died of a heart attack.

Amini was an Iranian Kurd and the protests first erupted in areas with a large Iranian-Kurdish population before spreading to cities across the country.

The protesters have voiced anger over the treatment of women and wider repression in Iran.

The demonstrations rapidly escalated into calls for the overthrow of the clerical establishment that has ruled Iran since its 1979 Islamic revolution.

Nationwide unrest enters third week

Posts on social media showed there were scattered anti-government protests in Tehran and running clashes with security forces in other towns ion Sunday, even as the government has moved to block, partly or entirely, internet connectivity in Iran.

On Saturday, protests continued in several neighbourhoods and witnesses told the Associated Press they saw many girls waving their headscarves above their heads in a gesture of defiance.

A protester near the University of Tehran, 19-year-old Fatemeh, who gave only her first name for fear of repercussions, said she had joined the demonstration “to stop this behaviour by police against younger people, especially girls”.

Abdolali, a teacher, 63, who also declined to give his last name, said he was shot twice in the foot by police.

“I am here to accompany and support my daughter,” he told AP. "I once participated in the 1979 Islamic Revolution that promised justice and freedom; it is time to materialise them."

An additional 41 people died in clashes on Friday in Iran's far south-east, an area bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, AFP quoted the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights group as saying, citing local sources.

Those protests were sparked by accusations that a police chief in the region had raped a teenage girl of the Baluch Sunni minority, it said.

The rights group said at least 92 people have been killed since the start of the protests last month.

Meanwhile, Iran’s parliamentary speaker said on Sunday that the protests were aimed at toppling the government.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf told politicians that the current rallies were unlike past demonstrations, such as by teachers and retirees seeking more money.

“The important point of the [past] protests was that they were reform-seeking and not aimed at overthrowing” the system, Mr Qalibaf said in statements reported by Iranian media.

“I ask all who have any [reasons to] protest not to allow their protest to turn into destabilising and toppling” institutions, he said.

He urged security forces to deal harshly with those he claimed were endangering public order in Iran.

The Iranian authorities claimed foreign-based opposition groups were fomenting protests aimed at tearing down the system.

But they have not presented evidence for their allegations of foreign involvement.

People demonstrated in London, Rome, Madrid and other western cities in solidarity with Iranian protesters, holding pictures of Amini.

SPECS
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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

MATCH INFO

Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)

TV: Abu Dhabi Sports

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

The specs

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Transmission: Single-speed automatic

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The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh135,000

Engine 1.6L turbo

Gearbox Six speed automatic with manual and sports mode

Power 165hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 240Nm @ 1,400rpm 0-100kph: 9.2 seconds

Top speed 420 kph (governed)

Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)

The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe


Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
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  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Lamsa

Founder: Badr Ward

Launched: 2014

Employees: 60

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: EdTech

Funding to date: $15 million

RESULT

Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay:
 Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')

Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 290hp

Torque: 340Nm

Price: Dh155,800

On sale: now

In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff

Timeline

1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line

1962
250 GTO is unveiled

1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company

1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens

1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made

1987
F40 launched

1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent

2002
The Enzo model is announced

2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi

2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled

2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives

2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company

2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street

2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary

Company Profile 

Founder: Omar Onsi

Launched: 2018

Employees: 35

Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)

Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners

Updated: June 13, 2023, 8:10 AM`