** IRAN DAILY
-- Iran confiscates US oil cargo
Iran will unload about $50 million worth of crude owned by the US from a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker following a Tehran court order in favor of Iranian patients of Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). Advantage Sweet is a Suezmax crude tanker that had been chartered by US firm Chevron and was seized in April 2023 by Iran’s Army following a collision with an Iranian boat, which resulted in the injury and missing of a number of the Iranian crew members. The tanker had attempted to flee the scene in serious breach of international law and regulations.
-- President visits flood-hit areas in Sistan and Baluchestan
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited flood-stricken regions in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan to take necessary measures to prevent further damage to the province’s infrastructure, houses and roads in case of floods in the future. President Raisi referred to the construction of dams as a measure that must be taken to prevent floods in the province. He said that construction of more dams in the province is on the government’s agenda. Rescue operation is underway in the flood-hit areas of the province, which have been inundated by the recent floods. Caused by heavy rains, the floods have hit 16 cities and 1,947 villages. Vast areas in the province have been inundated by floods.
-- Iran adds 20 new countries to its saffron destination list
The head of Iran’s Saffron Exporters Association said with the addition of 20 new destinations for saffron exports this Iranian year (began on March 21, 2023), the number of importing countries has increased to 67. Talking to Iran Daily, Gholamreza Miri said that major saffron exports go to the UAE, China, Spain, Afghanistan, and Italy, with countries like the Netherlands, Taiwan, France, Kuwait, and Oman following in the subsequent rankings. According to the official, Iran holds over 90% of the world’s saffron in the global market and, in this respect, no country can compete with Iran.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Iran’s military achievements on full display at Doha defense expo
TEHRAN - Iran showcased a diverse array of domestically designed and manufactured weapons at the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2024). Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, who was present at the exhibition, emphasized the nation’s dedication to regional stability and its willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue with neighboring countries. Iran actively participated in DIMDEX, exhibiting a range of maritime defense products, including naval vessels, weaponry, maritime communication facilities, and expertise in naval defense and related fields.
-- Gaza children who survived bombardment may not survive famine: WHO chief
The World Health Organization’s chief has called for more aid to enter Gaza, amid reports of children dying from malnutrition in the besieged territory. “Children who survived bombardment but may not survive a famine,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. “Allow more aid for Gaza. Ceasefire.” Earlier, the Palestinian Health Ministry said the death toll from malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza has risen to 18, according to Al Jazeera.
-- Raisi highlights impending wave of global youth anger over Israeli crimes
TEHRAN- Ebrahim Raisi, the President of Iran, has cautioned about an imminent surge of “indignation” among global youth due to the ongoing Israeli offenses against Palestinians. Raisi made the remarks in an interview with Algeria’s national television, which was published on Wednesday, during his recent visit to the North African country. “Today, the Zionist regime’s oppression has exhausted the patience of not only the people of the region but also the people of the world,” he said.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Resistance Axis Strikes U.S., Zionist Targets
LONDON (Dispatches) -- A U.S.-owned bulk carrier hit off the southwestern coast of the port city of Aden Wednesday in what appears to be another retaliatory operation by Yemen’s armed forces. “A nearby vessel reported an explosion in the proximity of the Barbados-flagged, publicly U.S.-owned bulk carrier,” said the British maritime security firm Ambrey. “Reports confirmed the bulker had been struck and sustained damage,” said Ambrey. It added that a rescue operation was “underway with parts of the crew already in lifeboats.”
-- Starbucks to Fire 2,000 Workers Amid Muslim Boycott
KUWAIT (Dispatches) -- The Middle East franchisee of Starbucks said it has begun firing around 2,000 workers at its coffee shops across the region after the brand found itself targeted by activists during the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. The Kuwait-based Alshaya Group, a private family firm holding franchise rights for a variety of Western companies including The Cheesecake Factory, H&M and Shake Shack, issued a statement acknowledging the firings at its Middle Eastern and North African locations. “As a result of the continually challenging trading conditions over the last six months, we have taken the sad and very difficult decision to reduce the number of colleagues in our Starbucks MENA stores,” the statement read.
-- Swedish Court Refuses to Hear Appeal by Nouri
STOCKHOLM (Dispatches) -- Sweden’s Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal submitted to the court by Iranian prisoner Hamdi Nouri, upholding a life sentence verdict given to Nouri last year by the country’s Court of Appeal. “The Supreme Court has now decided not to grant leave to appeal. This means that the judgment of the Court of Appeal stands,” the court said in a statement on Wednesday. Nouri, a former Iranian judicial official, has been in prison in Sweden since November 2019, when he was arrested at a Stockholm airport based on complaints filed by notorious anti-Iran figures living in exile in the Nordic country. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2022 after the Stockholm District Court found him guilty of murder and crimes against international law over his alleged role in executions of criminals in Iran in 1988. Sweden’s Appeal Court then upheld the verdict in December 2023.
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