Iran’s minister of labour resigned on Tuesday after coming under heavy criticism for his handling of problems involving the labour market and pensions, which prompted widespread protests over the past several weeks.
Minister of Co-operatives, Labour and Social Welfare Hojjatollah Abdolmaleki sent his resignation letter to President Ebrahim Raisi on Tuesday, the Tasnim news agency reported.
Protests were reported in at least 40 cities and towns across Iran over the past several weeks over economic matters, with many demonstrators chanting anti-government slogans and calling for the fall of the regime.
The bulk of the protesters consisted of pensioners and retired government employees who have called for a significant increase in pensions to offset rising prices amid the country's growing economic woes.
The Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Security said earlier this month it was increasing pensions by 57.4 per cent to 55.8 million Iranian rials ($177) a month. But pensioners say it is too little and too late to cope with years of inflation.
Iran has experienced a string of protests in recent weeks against rising food prices and following a deadly building collapse, which demonstrators blamed on negligence and corruption.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, Iran’s parliament issued its first “yellow card” of this year’s session to Industry and Trade Minister Reza Fatemi-Amin after members of the consultative assembly said they were not satisfied with his answers during questioning.
Iran’s parliament gives out symbolic “yellow cards", also known as warning cards, to ministers who fail to convince MPs with their responses when they are summoned to parliament over a particular issue or their performance.
Under parliamentary regulations, a minister who receives three yellow cards can be impeached.
Earlier this week, Iran’s currency dropped to its lowest value as talks to revive the country’s tattered nuclear deal with world powers remained deadlocked.
Traders in Tehran on Sunday exchanged the rial at 332,000 to the US dollar, up from 327,500 on Saturday. That marked more than a 4.4 per cent change compared with June 1, when it traded at 318,000 to the dollar.
In central Tehran, dozens of shop owners took to the streets in protest against the economic situation, after many shut their businesses following a recent rise in business taxes. Videos posted on social media showed security forces clashing with the striking shopkeepers and breaking shop windows in the capital.
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
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What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
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Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil