The Iranian regime went on the offensive again yesterday, arresting several prominent reformist activists and firing tear gas to disperse grieving supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the main opposition leader, whose nephew was among at least eight people killed in Sunday's violence.
The regime's provocative response to the mass protests on Ashura, Shia Islam's most important day of observance, could prove a turning point in the six-month-old confrontation between the regime and an emboldened, angry opposition, analysts said.
Ali Habibi Mousavi's family complained that his body had been removed from a Tehran hospital without their knowledge or permission, preventing his swift burial in accordance with Islamic tradition. Iranian authorities last night said his body was one of five being retained for forensic tests into Sunday's "suspicious deaths".
But the move was seen as a brazen and self-defeating attempt to prevent the funeral from becoming a flashpoint for further protests. Police used tear gas to clear mourning relatives and supporters gathered outside the hospital where the body was taken.
State television reported Mousavi was killed by unknown assailants. But figures close to the Mousavi family said he was shot in the chest at close range, the victim of a "well-planned" assassination intended to put pressure on his uncle.
A western diplomat in Tehran told Reuters that although Iran's leadership was under great pressure, it showed no sign of losing its grip over the security apparatus. The deaths and scale of confrontations may signal a volatile new phase in which security forces loyal to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, might try to crush the reformist movement.
"The Revolutionary Guards Corps and Basij are fully prepared, if necessary, to eradicate the plot and urge the judiciary to react firmly, without any restriction against the plotters," the corps said last night, referring to the opposition.
Police at first used tear gas and batons to disperse Sunday's huge crowds, but later resorted to live rounds, according to witnesses and the opposition. For the first time, protesters managed to push back security forces, which the authorities insisted had not used firearms. Opposition websites said some police did not fire on demonstrators.
The regime pressed ahead yesterday, arresting at least seven leading activists, including Mr Mousavi's top adviser, Ali Riza Beheshti. Others reported to have been detained were Ebrahim Yazdi, 78, who served as foreign minister in Iran's first government after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and now heads the tolerated though banned Freedom Movement of Iran, and Emad Baghi, an award-winning human rights activist and journalist.
The authorities also stormed a foundation on run by Mohammad Khatami, Iran's reformist former president, arresting two people, opposition websites reported.
Another of the opposition's three main leaders, Mehdi Karrubi, condemned Iran's rulers for Sunday's "despicable violence", which the authorities attempted in vain to portray as the work of a small minority of foreign-inspired rioters.
Yesterday they belatedly acknowledged that people were killed on Sunday, but denied any responsibility. State-run Press TV put the death toll at eight, quoting a senior government official.
Iranian state television earlier gave a contradictory toll of at least 15 killed in Tehran alone, branding 10 among them as members of "anti-revolutionary terrorist" groups. The other five reported dead were killed by "terrorist groups", the station claimed.
Mr Karrubi, a liberal cleric and one of Mr Ahmadinejad's challengers in June's election, accused the government of "dipping its hand in people's blood and unleashing a savage group on the people".
Many reports were difficult to verify because the few foreign journalists remaining in Iran were ordered to stay in their offices. But mobile phone footage flooded international news desks.
There were remarkable scenes of demonstrators - many daringly unmasked - brandishing helmets captured from government Basij militiamen, some of whose motorcycles were torched.
Dubai TV, meanwhile, was said last night to be expecting a reply from the Iranian authorities on the whereabouts of its missing Tehran-based reporter, Reza al Basha. The 27-year-old Syrian national was arrested in Sunday's protests, the French news agency reported.
Analysts argued that by refusing to meet any of the opposition's original demands after Mr Ahmadinejad's election, the regime lost its chance to defuse its greatest challenge since the Islamic republic was founded 30 years ago.
Demonstrators are now demanding more than a vote recount: they are pressing for a thorough overhaul of the system, insisting Ayatollah Khamenei has lost all legitimacy. "Death to the dictator" is a common slogan at protests that have spread well beyond Tehran in recent days.
"Ayatollah Khamenei could have changed this with one little speech" [in June], said Massoumeh Torfeh, a research assistant at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. "But that time has passed and they've missed their opportunity to calm the situation down," she told the BBC. Iran has "reached a point of no return".
The opposition's three main political leaders - two of them clerics - all have impeccable revolutionary credentials and are committed to reforming Iran's Islamic system, not removing it. They are the regime's potential connecting lifeline to a disenchanted and furious public.
But by refusing to negotiate with them, the regime has radicalised many demonstrators. There could yet be a belated way out of the crisis for Ayatollah Khamenei if he dismissed Mr Ahmadinejad's government and replaced it with one of national unity, including opposition leaders, while announcing new elections in six months' time, some experts believe.
But the ayatollah has shown no inclination to retreat.
Trita Parsi, a Washington-based analyst, said the latest violence might turn out to be a "breaking point" for Iran's rulers. "If so, it shows that the Iranian theocracy ultimately fell on its own sword. It didn't come to an end due to the efforts of exiled opposition groups or the regime change schemes of Washington's neoconservatives," wrote Mr Parsi, who is president of the National Iranian American Council.
@Email:mtheodoulou@thenational.ae
Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
Long Shot
Director: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogan
Four stars
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
The specs
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Khaldoon%20Bushnaq%20and%20Tariq%20Seksek%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20100%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20to%20date%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2415%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?
West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference: Winners – Dubai Tigers; Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
- But I recommend you use the bullet point function (see red square)
- Or try to keep the word count down
- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The%20specs
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Common%20symptoms%20of%20MS
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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.”