An Iranian health official said 15 million people may have been infected with the coronavirus since the start of the country’s outbreak in February, Iranian daily Radio Farda reported on Tuesday.
The estimate, which would mean one in five Iranians were infected, was drawn from serology tests to identify antibodies in patients who have recovered from the illness.
The figure represents 18.75 percent of the 81 million population of Iran, which on Wednesday recorded 176 thousand cases of infections.
“About 15 million Iranians may have experienced being infected with this virus since the outbreak began,” a member of the task force set up to combat COVID-19, Ehsan Mostafavi, said.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki on Tuesday replaced the ministry’s spokesman, Kianoush Jahanpur, with Sima Sadat Lari, and advised the new appointee to refrain from “political games,” according to Radio Farda.
Jahanpur often got into heated arguments with journalists and social media users over different coronavirus statistics that he announced daily.
Health official says 15mln Iranians may have had coronavirus
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Health official says 15mln Iranians may have had coronavirus
- An Official said 15 million people may have been infected with the coronavirus
- The health minister replaced the ministry’s spokesman, Kianoush Jahanpur, with Sima Sadat Lari
Saudi, Eurojust officials discuss judicial reforms
- Walid Al-Samaani highlighted significant developments in the Kingdom’s judicial sector
- Al-Samaani said that the right to litigation is guaranteed to both citizens and residents of the Kingdom
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Justice Walid Al-Samaani visited the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, Eurojust, in The Hague, Netherlands.
He was welcomed by Eurojust President Michael Schmid. They discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the judicial and legal fields to promote justice and human rights, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Samaani highlighted significant developments in the Kingdom’s judicial sector, supported by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as part of Saudi Vision 2030.
He said that the right to litigation is guaranteed to both citizens and residents of the Kingdom, with all judicial guarantees provided to ensure equal treatment for all parties and fairness in resolving disputes based solely on facts.
Al-Samaani highlighted key judicial reforms that have enhanced transparency and public access, such as recording court sessions with audio and video, publishing judicial rulings, introducing electronic litigation services and implementing the preventive justice system.
Netflix showcases Ittihad and Ahli episodes of new docuseries at exclusive Jeddah screening
- Six-part “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff” will be available for streaming on the platform from Thursday
- Al-Ittihad’s episode is titled, “The struggle to achieve glory,” while Al-Ahli’s is “Counterattack”
JEDDAH: Ahead of its official launch on Nov. 21, Netflix gave an exclusive first look at its new documentary series, “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff,” on Tuesday night with two viewing events in Jeddah that showcased episodes covering the city’s two giant clubs.
The screenings were attended by club officials, members of the media, sports bloggers and Al-Ahli’s German coach Matthias Jaissle.
Al-Ittihad’s episode is titled, “The struggle to achieve glory,” while Al-Ahli’s is “Counterattack.”
Two more exclusive screening events will take place in Riyadh on Wednesday to unveil episodes on Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.
Attendees at the Muvi theater in Jeddah were treated to storylines on Karim Benzema’s experiences during his first season at Al-Ittihad, and Jaissle’s leadership at Al-Ahli as the club battled to gain qualification to the AFC Champions League on their return to the Saudi Pro League after relegation two season earlier.
As well as shining a spotlight on Jeddah’s big-name players, the episodes also showcased emerging local talents from the two clubs, such as Al-Ahli’s forward Feras Al-Buraikan, and the 16-year-old striker Talal Hajji of Al-Ittihad.
Jaissle said that he was impressed with the first look at “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff,” and described Al-Ahli’s episode in three words: “Overwhelmed, emotional and authentic as well.”
“I really enjoyed the special documentary on Al-Ahli, and it offers an exclusive look into the world of Saudi league, showcasing Al-Ahli dynamics and individual player journeys,” he said.
Adnan Jastania, a renowned Saudi football analyst who watched Al-Ittihad’s episode, said: “It really shows the drama, excitement and passion for football in Saudi Arabia. I enjoyed the intra-history of Al-Ittihad and the culture of the oldest sports in Saudi.”
Set to launch on Thursday, the docuseries will have six episodes in total and will focus on the battle for the 2023-24 SPL title with focus on then-reigning champions Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ettifaq.
Advertising network Publicis Groupe partners with Dubai Business Women Council to support female businesses
- Publicis Groupe to host workshops focusing on public relations, brand communication, digital marketing
DUBAI: Advertising network Publicis Groupe Middle East has partnered with the Dubai Business Women Council to support female-founded micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
Founded in 2022 by Dr. Raja Easa Al-Gurg, chairperson and managing director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, the Dubai Business Women Council serves as a platform for the personal and professional development of businesswomen in Dubai.
This partnership will see Publicis Groupe host a series of workshops aimed at providing female business owners with a comprehensive knowledge of brand marketing and communications.
The first workshop, titled “The Power of Founder-Led Brands,” took place on Nov. 14 and was led by Andira Raslan, business director, and Sophia Boudjemaa, business director of strategy and insights, MSL Group Middle East.
During the session, Raslan and Boudjemaa emphasized the importance of personal branding and talked about strategies for building trust, increasing customer engagement, and instilling authenticity and personality in a brand.
Public relations, brand communication, digital marketing, social media strategies, innovation and growth are some of the topics that will be covered during future sessions.
“Effective marketing and communication can transform businesses, yet access to this knowledge and resources isn’t always within reach for small business owners,” said Bassel Kakish, CEO of Publicis Groupe Middle East and Turkiye.
The workshops aim to “democratize these insights and break down barriers for women entrepreneurs so they can elevate their brands,” he added.
Supported by the network’s in-house training and upskilling department Publicis Academy, the workshops are structured based on a survey conducted by the network to identify the challenges faced by micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
Nadine Halabi, head of business development and operations at the Dubai Business Women Council, said: “Empowering female entrepreneurs with the tools to elevate their brands is crucial for fostering innovation and growth within Dubai’s business landscape.
“Working with the experts at Publicis Groupe Middle East provides our members with access to strategic marketing and communication insights typically reserved for larger corporations.”
Pakistan Army chief observes arms by local, international exhibitors at premier defense expo
- Pakistan army chief meets foreign military officials, delegates at premier defense expo
- Over 300 foreign delegates from 53 countries are attending event, says army’s media wing
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir visited the International Defense Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2024 expo in Karachi on Wednesday where he observed an array of weapons by local and international exhibitors and met foreign delegates and military officials, the military’s media wing said.
IDEAS, Pakistan’s premier defense expo, has been held biennially since its inception under General (retired) Pervez Musharraf’s administration in 2000 and has grown into a key event for the defense sector. This year’s exhibition, running from Nov. 19-22 at the Karachi Expo Center, will host over 557 exhibitors, including 333 international ones and 224 local exhibitors.
“Over 300 foreign delegates from 53 countries attended the event and showed full confidence in the exhibition and the defense industry of Pakistan,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. “During the exhibition, COAS also engaged in meaningful interactions with foreign military officials and defense delegates present at the event.”
The army’s media wing said a state-of-the-art combat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) named Shahpar III, developed by the Global Industrial Defense Solutions (GIDS) Pakistan, was the highlight of the exhibition.
“The Shahpar-III boasts advanced capabilities, including an operational ceiling of 35,000 feet and an endurance of over 24 hours,” the ISPR said. “It is equipped to carry a wide range of munitions, including bombs, missiles, and torpedoes.”
While inaugurating the exhibition on Tuesday, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif called for greater involvement of the private sector in defense weapons production and exports.
“Though Pakistan is now exporting some high-tech products to more than 60 countries, the volume of exports is not at par with its actual potential,” Asif said on Monday. “A crucial factor, however, has been the limited involvement of the private sector in defense production and activity.”
COP29 leaders push for faster climate action in second week
- Simon Stiell: Entering the second week of this COP, it is a mixed picture
- Stiell: The bottom line is we are a long way from halving global emissions this decade
BAKU: The COP29 Presidency team gathered on Monday to discuss negotiations and some of the highlighted plans for the second week of the 29th session of the UN climate change conference.
Present at the discussions were Mukhtar Babayev, president of COP29; Yalchin Rafiyev, lead negotiator; Leyla Hasanovahe, youth climate champion for COP29; and Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Concerns were expressed regarding the state of negotiations and whether the participating parties were moving forward at the desired speed to deliver results efficiently.
“Politicians are the power to reach a fair and ambitious dream,” Babayev said. “They must deliver on responsibilities. They must engage immediately and constructively.”
Stiell also gave his thoughts on the progress thus far.
“Entering the second week of this COP, it is a mixed picture. It has been encouraging to see the significant strides forward notably on carbon markets, making progress that previous COPs could not achieve. There is more work to do, of course, and I am certainly not complacent. There are still challenges ahead there.
“The bottom line is we are a long way from halving global emissions this decade.”
While Babayev and Stiell agreed on the amount of work still needed in order for the world to reduce the impact of climate change, Stiell said he believes collaborative efforts are necessary so that all participating countries can deliver.
“We must help countries to pick up this pace over this high week,” he said.
