Iran executed a champion wrestler on Saturday for allegedly murdering a man during anti-government protests, despite international pleas for clemency, state TV reported.
"The retaliation sentence against Navid Afkari, the killer of Hassan Turkman, was carried out this morning in Adelabad prison in Shiraz," state TV quoted the chief justice of Fars province, Kazem Mousavi, as saying on Saturday.
Afkari's case was highlighted through a social media campaign that said he and his brothers were targeted for participating in protests against the government in 2018. Authorities accused Afkari of stabbing a water supply company employee in the southern city of Shiraz amid the unrest.
Iran broadcast the wrestler's televised confession last week. The segment resembled hundreds of other suspected coerced confessions aired over the past decade in Iran.
Afkari said he had been tortured into making a false confession, according to his family and activists, and his lawyer said there was no proof of his guilt.
Iran's judiciary denied the torture claims.
Afkari's two brothers were also convicted – Vahid Afkari was sentenced to 54 years and six months in prison and 74 lashes, while Habib Afkari was given a prison term of 27 years and three months and 74 lashes.
The case revived a demand inside the country for Iran to stop carrying out the death penalty. Even imprisoned Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, herself nearly a month into a hunger strike over conditions at Tehran’s Evin prison during the coronavirus pandemic, passed word that she supported Afkari.
A global union representing 85,000 athletes called on Tuesday for Iran's expulsion from world sport if it executed Afkari.
US president Donald Trump sought to intercede for Afkari in a plea posted on Twitter.
“To the leaders of Iran, I would greatly appreciate if you would spare this young man’s life, and not execute him,” Mr Trump wrote last week. “Thank you!”
Iran responded to the tweet with a nearly 11-minute state TV report on Afkari. It included the weeping parents of the slain water company employee. The package included footage of Afkari on the back of a motorcycle saying he had stabbed the man in the back, without explaining why he carried out the assault.
The segment showed blurred police documents and described the killing as a personal dispute. It said Afkari's mobile phone had been in the area and it showed surveillance footage of him walking down a street, talking on his phone.
Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency dismissed Mr Trump's tweet in a feature story, saying that American sanctions had hurt Iranian hospitals during the pandemic.
“Trump is worried about the life of a murderer while he puts many Iranian patients’ lives in danger by imposing severe sanctions,” the agency said.
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Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
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Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
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Company%C2%A0profile
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
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Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
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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
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
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Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
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Third Test, Pallekele International Stadium
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First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla Stadium
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Second ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
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Third ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
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Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
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Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
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Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
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The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
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2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
