Squally showers of rain fell as tourists gathered around the statues of Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela in London’s Parliament Square. The scene could not have been further removed from the equivalent in Tehran, but here was a group of Iranian protesters literally regrouping in the wake of what US President Donald Trump dubbed the “12-day war” a few weeks ago.
Why marshal up for a protest now, on a mid-summer Sunday, when a strange interregnum between peace and war has settled into place?
The reasons for taking to the streets remain urgent. Organiser Ellie Borhan explains that the need for a new system is more pressing than ever. Under a new banner of the National Co-operation Campaign, the organisers would like to provide a bigger tent for the exiles opposed to the system headed by Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to push their agenda.
It is worth noting that sometimes these protests can turn violent. There were clashes outside the Iranian embassy in London less than a month ago, which led to arrests of both protesters and supporters of the current establishment in Tehran.
Teenagers and pensioners alike gathered on Sunday. There was even an Elvis-like singer who sang freedom songs. Many were royalists who would want the son of the Shah deposed in 1979 restored to power. Whether the people of Iran would come out for that remains a deeply controversial topic of conversation on these occasions.
To the question as to why come on to the streets now is a straightforward answer. Many of these people are enduring threats in the UK and facing family safety issues back home. Some have arrived in the UK in the past few years, while others have been here for decades.
Despite enjoying the protection of UK laws, and some police presence around their demonstrations, there is a potential cost to this assembly. But to keep the cause of change in Iran alive, these demonstrators emphasised the importance of amplifying the voices of Iranians still inside the system.
It is not long before talk turned to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the defender of the Iranian establishment, and how it has acted since the American and Israeli bombing raids on the country. For Ms Borhan, something has changed.
She has been campaigning in the UK for years. But when the war was on, the IRGC included her family in the round-up of those that it deemed suspicious. “Any person who is on the front of these protests, who is planning them or setting up events inside the Parliament, is raising awareness of what is happening inside Iran,” she said.
It is already taken for granted that many of the people who choose to take a public stand in the UK cannot do so without knowing that this means a cut-off from their homeland. If they return to Iran, they risk problems with the authorities and potential detention.
Tariq Ahmad, the former UK Middle East minister, spoke last week of how conscious he was while in office about the issue of prisoners and hostages when he was dealing with his Iranian counterparts. The fact that these people were in detention and facing dangers was something real to him, and it guided his diplomatic interactions with Tehran.
Iran is in intense discussions with the big three European powers over its nuclear programme in the wake of the American-Israeli bombings. The Europeans have threatened to use their powers to “snap back” UN sanctions on Tehran by the end of the summer, if these talks do not involve meaningful concessions. Yet, at the same time, France is appealing for three of its citizens, and the UK is working to secure the release of a married couple, who are being held in Iran. These are real factors, too, in diplomacy stemming from the system’s internal controls.
The IRGC’s raid on Ms Borhan’s family home led to a physical assault on her brother, as well as degrading and inhumane treatment, during the interrogation. She said the IRGC’s search for his connections to her dissent included a strategy of damaging his dignity. Once reunited with her mother, who was also held, the family convened a crisis meeting before deciding to leave their homeland.
For the opposition, there is a bitter coincidence of external weakness mixed with steelier internal repression coming out of recent events. They can see that Mr Khamenei was forced to shelter in a bunker during the spiral of events that not only saw bombs fall on the nuclear facilities, but assassinations of key figures associated with Iran’s nuclear programme and the IRGC itself.
Yet the propaganda and internal repression grow stronger. Exposed as lacking the capability to respond to aerial attacks or through its regional network of allies, the Iranian leadership is left with the tools it has to turn on its own people. Ms Borhan notes that this loss of prestige for the system has resulted in a bitter harvest inside Iran.
“They lost their pride,” she said. “They couldn’t even keep their own people safe in Iran. Everyone saw how much they have been weakened.”
Sunday’s protests, with more such meetings likely in the future, need to be viewed as keeping their movement alive.
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
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Checks continue
A High Court judge issued an interim order on Friday suspending a decision by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to direct a stop to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.
Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
More on Quran memorisation:
U19 World Cup in South Africa
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Vriitya Aravind, Deshan Chethyia, Mohammed Farazuddin, Jonathan Figy, Osama Hassan, Karthik Meiyappan, Rishabh Mukherjee, Ali Naseer, Wasi Shah, Alishan Sharafu, Sanchit Sharma, Kai Smith, Akasha Tahir, Ansh Tandon
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The%20specs
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
