A former chauffeur of Benjamin Netanyahu was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Sunday for raping seven underage girls, some of them related to him.
He was convicted for dozens of counts of rape, sodomy and indecent acts in minors aged nine to 16, which were committed between 1988 and 2009.
Until five years ago, Shmuel was employed as a substitute driver by Israeli PM’s Office and sometimes drove Netanyahu.
Iranian Ambassador to the Philippines Mohammad Tanhaei met with Filipino Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Pinol on Friday to discuss the proposal.
Pinol told Tanhaei that as part of the standard procedure, the Philippine Department of Agriculture is finalizing the Pest Risk Analysis of apple samples.
“I’m still waiting for the results, and if everything turns out okay, rest assured that (the document on) importation of apples is ready for signing,” Pinol was quoted as saying by state-owned Philippine Information Agency.
The Philippine official expressed his interest in other ventures because of the huge market for tropical fruits, particularly banana and pineapple, in Iran. He requested the Tehran government to reduce the tariff on bananas.
At present, the tariff on imported bananas is pegged at 24%, which is lowered against apple export.
The ambassador said Iran is also interested in exporting cherry, pomegranate and pistachios to the Philippines.
“Tehran is willing to collaborate with the Philippine government in research and development for rice, biotechnology and modern farming,” he said.
Pinol noted that the department is willing to assist Iranian companies interested in business ventures on banana and in identifying possible sites for the project, Financial Tribune reported.
Tanhaei also said Iran has a huge demand for abaca, which is widely utilized in making tea bags and wellness products in Iran.
Pinol announced his plans to visit Iran in May to explore agriculture ventures with the country and hold agro-fishery trade shows.
Bahram Qassemi on Monday denounced the recent terrorist attack in Afghanistan’s troubled southern city of Kandahar which killed and wounded a number of United Arab Emirates’ diplomats and Afghan citizens.
“Terrorism is the most important security issue in the region and across the world which has targeted peace and security of countries and nations without any exceptions,” the Iranian spokesperson said.
He called for collective and comprehensive efforts by all regional countries and the international community to fight the vicious phenomenon of terrorism.
Qassemi expressed sympathy with the Afghan and Emirati governments and the bereaved families of the victims.
The UAE said five of its diplomats had lost their lives in the massive bomb explosion that ripped through a guesthouse in Kandahar on January 10.
The victims were reportedly in the violence-wracked country to inaugurate a number of UAE-backed humanitarian projects.
At least 11 people, including Kandahar’s deputy governor Abdul Ali Shamsi, lost their lives and 16 others sustained injuries in the explosion.
The Taliban militant group issued a statement on January 11, blaming an “internal local rivalry” for the Kandahar assault.
The Taliban militants lost their grip over Afghanistan in the 2001 US-led invasion, but security has never taken hold in the country despite the presence of thousands of foreign boots on Afghan soil.
Iran’s unique climate has contributed a lot to the growth of medicinal plants in the country, said Ali-Hossein Beiranvand, a member of the Iranian Association of Forestry.
He noted that some of these species have been found and used by Iranian physicians and scientists since ancient times, regretting that some of them have not been fully identified yet, according to a Farsi report by ISNA.
“There are 8,000 species of medicinal plants in Iran, of which only 800 have been discovered. Zagros forests in Lorestan Province, alone, are home to up to 500 types of medicinal herbs, of which only 50 have been identified and is being used.”
He went on to say that currently, people have redeveloped an interest in traditional medicine, particularly medicinal plants, as they are easy to cultivate and access, more effective than pharmaceutical drugs in curing diseases, and have no side-effects.
“Latest news indicates that Iraq is about to celebrate the liberation of Mosul,” announced Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, an Iranian Parliament member, referring to the advancements of Iraqi Army in the fight against ISIS militants.
“Alongside the popular and tribal mobilization forces, Iraqi army has struck fatal blows to ISIS.”
“By destructing Tigris bridges in western Mosul, Takfiri terrorists show that they have practically given in to defeat. They have confined their forces in Mosul for suicidal operations,” he explained, according to a Farsi report by ICANA.
“Takfiris try to destruct Iraqi infrastructures, just like the US-led coalition, so that Washington can have a pretext for colonizing Iraq,” he added.
Ankara Should Respect Iraq’s Territorial Integrity
Regarding the presence of Turkish forces in northern Iraq and Bashiqa base, Naqavi said, “During his visit to Baghdad, Binali Yıldırım, Turkish Prime Minister, undertook to withdraw its forces from northern Iraq. But he has done nothing about it up to now.”
“Due to the upheavals in Iraq, we are worried that the extended Turkish presence leads to fresh tensions,” he stressed, while stating that Turkey has shifted its attitude towards Takfiris and practically started a fight against ISIS.”
“Tehran’s main concern is that some problematic forces in northern Iraq engineer military conflicts between Ankara and Baghdad.”
“The Takfiri terrorists are a threat to the region’s security,” Naqavi noted. “We must be co-ordinated and convergent to defeat them. In cooperation with Tehran and Moscow, Ankara should respect Iraq’s territorial integrity and bring peace to Turkey.”
The Deputy Commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Airbase told state TV that the aircraft was an ultralight camera drone that illegally entered the no-fly zone, but was targeted by anti-aircraft forces.
“The aircraft immediately got out of the zone,” the security official noted, adding that the shooting was then stopped to ensure the citizens’ safety.
An informed source also told ILNA that the drone had moved away to eastern Tehran following the shots fired by anti-aircraft forces in central parts of the city.
It was later reported that jet fighters patrolled the capital city’s sky after the drone was shooed away.
“There is no connection between the JCPOA and the country’s defense affairs and, basically, the (Iranian) defense issue was not raised in the nuclear negotiations,” Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri said on Monday, referring to the nuclear talks between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, US, Britain, France, and Germany) that led to the JCPOA.
Iranian officials and members of the country’s negotiating team paid attention to the issue (that there should be no links between defense topics and the JCPOA) and let the other parties to the negotiations know it as well, the commander said.
He further emphasized that at a time when evil governments pose threats against Iran, the country has no option but to boost its defense capabilities.
Iranian officials have repeatedly said that issues relating to defense of Iran’s people and territorial integrity have nothing to do with the nuclear deal reached between Tehran and the Group 5+1.
Iran has also underscored frequently that its military might poses no threat to other countries and that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.
“I was appointed as the first female prefect in this province in 2001,” said Homeyra Rigi, the current Governor of Qasr-e Qand in Sistan and Baluchestan.
She wears the local clothes of this region, decorated with needlework, in her office, as well as in formal meetings.
“Then I became the head of Welfare office of the province. Now I have been serving as the Governor of Qasr-e Qand for three years. In all these positions, I have always worn the local costume of my province, which is considered as the formal way of dressing by the people of region.”
“We offer as a gift the local costume of Sistan and Baluchestan to our visitors as a good way to present an Iranian region to them,” she added, according to a Farsi report by ISNA.
“I was one of these people, and I want to inspire local women and girls’ confidence to believe in their capacities by seeing another woman serving as people’s representative,” Rigi noted.
“It was an effective move; as when I entered the meetings in local costume, no one could say that our women have no opportunity for progress.”
“During a visit to Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, I participated in a festival alongside the people and officials of this province. Initially wearing the local costume of Sistan and Baluchestan, I changed my outfit to the local clothing of Bakhtiari in the middle of ceremony to respect the customs of this region and the fact that Iran is formed by members of different subcultures who live together under a unique country flag.”
“Tehran is ready to cooperate with different countries, including Albania, to fight terrorism,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati in Tehran on Sunday.
The Iranian president stressed the importance of making collective efforts to fight violence, extremism and terrorism, noting, “Terrorism is a global issue and battling against violence, particularly terrorism, is one of our main duties.”
He further stated that the implementation of last year’s nuclear agreement between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries has created a favorable opportunity for the expansion of Iran-Albania ties in all sectors, particularly in economy and trade.
Rouhani said Tehran welcomes further bolstering of relations with Tirana, which would be beneficial to both sides.
Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany started implementing the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in January 2016.
Under the nuclear deal, Iran undertook to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.
The Albanian foreign minister, for his part, said the JCPOA opened a new chapter in Iran’s cooperation with different countries, including Albania.
Bushati expressed his country’s determination to promote political, economic, trade and cultural cooperation with Iran.
He also stressed the importance of fighting terrorism, extremism and violence in a unified manner.
Earlier on Sunday, Bushati held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. At the end of the meeting, both parties signed a memorandum of understanding to hold regular political talks.
Many of the refugees, some of whom are as young as eight or nine, have no gloves or proper shoes, according to Save the Children charity.
It said several refugees have already come down with frostbite.
An estimated 2,000 refugees in Belgrade, Serbia, are struggling to survive in the bitter cold in makeshift shelters with no running water or sanitation.
“The EU’s continued failure on the refugee crisis is leaving thousands of people, including lone children, literally out in the cold,” Kirsty McNeill, Save the Children’s campaigns director, said.
“The lack of political will to offer asylum or reunify separated children and families, means these human beings, who have survived years of war, violence and deadly journeys to safety – are now freezing to death on Europe’s doorstep.
“These men, women and children need immediate access to warm, dry shelter, no matter what country they’ve fled…it is clear the EU’s policy has failed and there is a total inability to plan ahead.”
Serbia lies on the so-called Balkans Route, which has been used by hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees to enter Europe.
According to Save the Children, up to a hundred migrants and refugees enter Serbia every day, with many heading to Belgrade, where the charity has set up an aid hub.
Though Serbia has not yet joined the EU, it borders with several EU members which have closed their borders to refugees, such as Hungary and Bulgaria.
As a result, aid workers say the country is becoming a “dumping ground” for migrants who are unable to move on towards central Europe.
“We are deeply worried at the situation of refugees and migrants faced with harsh winter conditions across Europe,” the UN’s refugee agency said earlier this week, Daily Telegraph reported.
“We have stepped up our assistance in several countries, including Greece and Serbia. Saving lives must be a priority and we urge States authorities across Europe to do more to assist and protect refugees and migrants.”
Some refugees and migrants have reported being assaulted by police on the Balkans route, and others say they have been robbed of crucial warm clothing.
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