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UN removes Iran from women commission over ‘rights abuse’

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The United Nations (UN) has removed Iran from its Commission on the Status of Women.

Protests have gripped Iran after Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman from the north-western city of Saqez, died in police custody after being arrested by the morality police on September 13 for not wearing a proper hijab.

The United States had proposed Iran’s removal from the UN body following the country’s crackdown on the protests.

The development comes days after Iran announced its first public execution of a person convicted for an alleged crime linked to the protests.

The man executed was identified by the Iranian judiciary as Mohsen Shekari and accused of “waging war against God.”

After Shekari’s conviction, Masoud Setayeshi, the judiciary spokesman, had said anyone who uses a “cold or warm weapon with the intent of harming the life, possessions or family of people or to terrorise them” could be convicted of moharebeh — or “waging war against God” — which carries the death penalty.

On Monday, a 23-year-old identified as Majidreza Rahnavard, was said to have been hanged from a construction crane on Monday in the city of Mashhad.

According to Iran’s judiciary’s news website, Rahnavard was convicted of killing two members of the country’s Basij paramilitary force on November 17.

On Tuesday there were reports that Amir Nasr-Azadani, a professional footballer in the country, would face execution after campaigning for women’s rights and basic freedom.

According to Reuters, on Wednesday, the 54-member UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) adopted the US-drafted resolution to “remove with immediate effect the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women for the remainder of its 2022-2026 term”.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the UN, applauded the move and described Iran’s membership as an “ugly stain on the commission’s credibility”.

However, in a letter to ECOSOC on Monday, Iran said its removal from the body “will undoubtedly create an unwelcome precedent that will ultimately prevent other member states with different cultures, customs and traditions… from contributing to the activities of such commissions.”

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Former US President Bill Clinton hospitalised with fever

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Bill Clinton, the former US president who has faced a series of health issues over the years, was admitted to hospital Monday in Washington after developing a fever, his office said.

“President Clinton was admitted to Georgetown University Medical Center this afternoon for testing and observation after developing a fever,” the 78-year-old’s deputy chief of staff Angel Urena said on social media platform X, adding Clinton “remains in good spirits.”

Bill Clinton was previously hospitalized for five nights in October 2021 due to a blood infection.

In 2004, at age 58, he underwent a quadruple bypass operation after doctors found signs of extensive heart disease. He had stents implanted in his coronary artery six years later.

The health scare motivated him to make lifestyle changes, including adopting a vegetarian diet, and he has since spoken publicly about his efforts.

Clinton’s health last made headlines in November 2022 when he tested positive for Covid-19. He said at the time that his symptoms were “mild” and he was “grateful to be vaccinated and boosted.”

Clinton, who led the United States for two presidential terms from 1993-2001, is the second-youngest living US president, after 63-year-old Barack Obama.

He was born mere months after fellow former US president George W. Bush and President-elect Donald Trump.

Though his prosperous time in office was marred by scandals, he has enjoyed a second life in the two decades after his presidency, which has seen him venture into numerous diplomatic and humanitarian causes.

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Trump dismisses claims of handing presidency to Musk as ‘hoax’

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Could Elon Musk, who holds major sway in the incoming Trump administration, one day become president? On Sunday, Donald Trump answered with a resounding no, pointing to US rules about being born in the country.

“He’s not gonna be president, that I can tell you,” Trump told a Republican conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

“You know why he can’t be? He wasn’t born in this country,” Trump said of the Tesla and SpaceX boss, who was born in South Africa.

The US Constitution requires that a president be a natural-born US citizen.

Trump was responding to criticism, particularly from the Democratic camp, portraying the tech billionaire and world’s richest person as “President Musk” for the outsized role he is playing in the incoming administration.

As per ceding the presidency to Musk, Trump also assured the crowd: “No, no that’s not happening.”

The influence of Musk, who will serve as Trump’s “efficiency czar,” has become a focus point for Democratic attacks, with questions raised over how an unelected citizen can wield so much power.

And there is even growing anger among Republicans after Musk trashed a government funding proposal this week in a blizzard of posts — many of them wildly inaccurate — to his more than 200 million followers on his social media platform X.

Alongside Trump, Musk ultimately helped pressure Republicans to renege on a funding bill they had painstakingly agreed upon with Democrats, pushing the United States to the brink of budgetary paralysis that would have resulted in a government shutdown just days before Christmas.

Congress ultimately reached an agreement overnight Friday to Saturday, avoiding massive halts to government services.

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Seven confirmed dead in Western Mexico plane crash

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At least seven people died when a light aircraft crashed Sunday in a heavily forested area of Jalisco in western Mexico, local authorities reported.

The aircraft, a Cessna 207, was flying from La Parota in the neighbouring state of Michoacan.

Jalisco Civil Protection said via its social media that the crash site was in an area that was difficult to access.

Initial authorities on the scene “reported a preliminary count of seven people dead,” who haven’t been identified yet, according to the agency.

“A fire was extinguished and risk mitigation was carried out to prevent possible additional damage,” it added.

Authorities said they were awaiting the arrival of forensic investigators to remove the bodies and rule out the presence of additional victims.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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