Former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram is not too enthused about a coaching career with the national team. The speedster said 'coaches' were abused in Pakistan which was intolerable for him.

Former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram is not too enthused about a coaching career with the national team. The speedster said 'coaches' were abused in Pakistan which was intolerable for him. "I can accept criticism if the team is not doing well. But in Pakistan cricket, it is intolerable the way the captain and coaches are not only criticised but also abused by everyone," Akram was quoted as saying by PTI. "The abuse and at times hate which the captain and coach have to bear, I don't think I am up to it. I don't have that tolerance level, especially when it comes to the use of social media. They are some people who I think only sit on Twitter day and night to send out negative comments." WATCH | WION Sports: Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram slams Ramiz Raja over his PCB tenure × The 56-year-old added that he did not want the extra stress that came up with coaching the men-in-green. "I am always willing to be of service to Pakistan cricket but not at the cost of having to bear unnecessary criticism and abuse from anyone out there." Akram not mincing words regarding his criticism of the Pakistani cricket setup is not new news. Earlier, he had openly criticised his former teammate Ramiz Raja who was sacked from his position as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Akram referred to Raja as being a 'kid' who came to operate cricket but was forced back to his original place. "He came for six days, now he is back to his original place," said Akram. "You have to talk properly with boards. This is not gully cricket, that if you don’t come, we also will not go to your country. I don’t understand who are these kids, who come and run cricket in Pakistan." Read more: 'Don’t understand who are these kids': Wasim Akram takes a dig at Ramiz Raja The rumours regarding Akram taking over as Pakistan coach had started swirling after a section of fans expressed displeasure over PCB appointing an online coach for the men's team. After the complete overhaul of the selection committee, new PCB chairman Najam Sethi appointed Mickey Arthur as the online coach of the team. The Australian is currently the head coach of county team Derbyshire in England and is not looking to return to the subcontinent any soon. However, owing to his previous stint as the Pakistan coach, he agreed to coach the national team via Zoom. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'They are abused', Wasim Akram on why he didn't become Pakistan's men's team coach

Entain, a British betting company has revealed that it made significant gains in revenue due to the Qatar World Cup as customers gambled big time. The company accounted that its pre-tax profits stood between $1.

Entain, a British betting company has revealed that it made significant gains in revenue due to the Qatar World Cup as customers gambled big time. The company accounted that its pre-tax profits stood between $1.21 billion (£985m) and $1.23 billion (£995m) for the full year. The figure beat Entain's previous estimate of landing anywhere between $1.1 billion (£925m) and $1.20 billion (£975m). Despite the initial scepticism, the World Cup in Qatar happened to be one of the most entertaining and thrilling World Cups of all time. Thus, it shouldn't come as a surprise that betting companies made a fortune during the tournament and raked in record profits. Entain, which also owns Coral and gaming websites said its net gaming revenue rose 12 per cent in the last three months of 2022 when the World Cup took place as the consumer numbers touched record levels. After the company released its financials, the stock market responded kindly as Entain's shares shot up more than two per cent on the FTSE 100 during Wednesday's trading session. Read more: Lionel Messi reveals his Instagram account was blocked after World Cup victory Alongside Argentina, it was Brazil, England, France and Germany that received the major share of money from the punters. Argentina winning the World Cup was not only a monumental feat for football fans who wanted Lionel Messi - arguably the greatest footballer in history to win the trophy but also for the betting companies, who had dubbed La Albiceleste as the hot favourites. France and Argentina squared up in the final with both Messi and Kylian Mbappe stepping up for their respective teams. In the end, it was Argentina that prevailed on the penalties to emerge victorious. While FIFA is yet to release the complete viewership numbers, it is expected that a record number of people watched the quadrennial event which translated into extra millions of dollars for the betting companies. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Mesmerising Messi’s Argentina fulfill the dream by beating France on penalties in final (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Not Messi but betting companies emerge as the biggest winners from Qatar World Cup

UK police chiefs on Tuesday apologised to the victims of the 1989 Hillsborough football disaster as they unveiled plans for "essential reform", including measures to prevent evidence being lost or destroyed.

97 Liverpool fans lost their lives in a crush at the stadium in Sheffield, northern England, with police chiefs admitting on Tuesday that "policing got it badly wrong".

"Policing has profoundly failed those bereaved by the Hillsborough disaster over many years and we are sorry that the service got it so wrong," said Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing.&nbsp;

"Police failures were the main cause of the tragedy and have continued to blight the lives of family members ever since."&nbsp; 
Marsh accepted that "the bereaved were often treated insensitively".

The comments came as the National Police Chiefs Council and the College of Policing published a joint response to a 2017 government-commissioned report published by former Liverpool Bishop James Jones.

Reforms following the report include all police forces in England and Wales signing up to a charter that states they "must acknowledge when mistakes have been made and must not seek to defend the indefensible".&nbsp;

Police chiefs have also agreed on a new code of practice on retaining information, with many records surrounding the Hillsborough disaster either lost or destroyed.

"I am deeply sorry for the tragic loss of life, and for the pain and suffering that the families of the 97 victims experienced on that day and in the many years that have followed," said National Police Chiefs Council Chair Martin Hewitt.

"Police chiefs today are committed to responding to major incidents with openness and with compassion for the families involved," he added.

The Hillsborough disaster remains Britain's worst sporting tragedy and was caused during a crowd surge at one end of Sheffield Wednesday's ground hosting Liverpool supporters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-the-five-worst-football-related-mishaps-in-history-521664#hillsborough-stadium-disaster-521655">IN PICS |&nbsp;The five worst football-related mishaps in history</a>

A 2016 inquest came after years of campaigning by victims' families and found police errors in opening an exit gate before kick-off caused the fatal crush at the FA Cup semi-final tie.

Police initially claimed supporters had stormed the gate. But South Yorkshire Police admitted after the hearing they got match policing "catastrophically wrong".

Match commander David Duckenfield was tried twice for gross negligence manslaughter. A jury failed to reach a verdict in the first and he was cleared in a second trial in 2019.

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UK police chiefs on Tuesday apologised to the victims of the 1989 Hillsborough football disaster as they unveiled plans for "essential reform", including measures to prevent evidence being lost or destroyed.

UK police chiefs on Tuesday apologised to the victims of the 1989 Hillsborough football disaster as they unveiled plans for "essential reform", including measures to prevent evidence being lost or destroyed. 97 Liverpool fans lost their lives in a crush at the stadium in Sheffield, northern England, with police chiefs admitting on Tuesday that "policing got it badly wrong". "Policing has profoundly failed those bereaved by the Hillsborough disaster over many years and we are sorry that the service got it so wrong," said Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing. "Police failures were the main cause of the tragedy and have continued to blight the lives of family members ever since." Marsh accepted that "the bereaved were often treated insensitively". The comments came as the National Police Chiefs Council and the College of Policing published a joint response to a 2017 government-commissioned report published by former Liverpool Bishop James Jones. Reforms following the report include all police forces in England and Wales signing up to a charter that states they "must acknowledge when mistakes have been made and must not seek to defend the indefensible". Police chiefs have also agreed on a new code of practice on retaining information, with many records surrounding the Hillsborough disaster either lost or destroyed. "I am deeply sorry for the tragic loss of life, and for the pain and suffering that the families of the 97 victims experienced on that day and in the many years that have followed," said National Police Chiefs Council Chair Martin Hewitt. "Police chiefs today are committed to responding to major incidents with openness and with compassion for the families involved," he added. The Hillsborough disaster remains Britain's worst sporting tragedy and was caused during a crowd surge at one end of Sheffield Wednesday's ground hosting Liverpool supporters. IN PICS | The five worst football-related mishaps in history A 2016 inquest came after years of campaigning by victims' families and found police errors in opening an exit gate before kick-off caused the fatal crush at the FA Cup semi-final tie. Police initially claimed supporters had stormed the gate. But South Yorkshire Police admitted after the hearing they got match policing "catastrophically wrong". Match commander David Duckenfield was tried twice for gross negligence manslaughter. A jury failed to reach a verdict in the first and he was cleared in a second trial in 2019. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

UK Police apologise for Hillsborough disaster after 34 years that claimed lives of 97 Liverpool supporters

As the tech sector continues to bleed dry amid a drop in revenue and earnings, Intel on Tuesday announced it was cutting top management pay. The chipmaker said its CEO&nbsp;Pat Gelsinger was receiving a 25 per cent cut to his basic salary to preserve cash and initiate a recovery process.&nbsp;

“As we continue to navigate macroeconomic headwinds and work to reduce costs across the company, we’ve made several adjustments to our 2023 employee compensation and rewards programs,” read a statement released by the company.&nbsp;

Apart from&nbsp;Gelsinger, his executive leadership team will see their salaries decrease by 15 per cent. Meanwhile, senior managers and mid-level managers will take a 10 per cent and 5 per cent cut to their pay respectively.&nbsp;

"These changes are designed to impact our executive population more significantly and will help support the investments and overall workforce needed to accelerate our transformation and achieve our long-term strategy," the chipmaker added.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-impact-of-silicon-valley-layoffs-on-indian-techies-534175">Gravitas: The impact of Silicon Valley layoffs on Indian Techies</a>

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The announcement comes a day after Intel said it was laying off&nbsp;340 employees at its California campus. The company fired the workers and gave them a 60-day notice period.

Previously, Intel has already announced three rounds of firing. The California-headquartered company in December last year announced it was planning to lay off 111 employees at its Praire City Drive facility.

Afterwards, on January 11, it added that the number had risen to 176. Two days later, the chipmaker announced another round and said 167 workers were being let go permanently.&nbsp;

According to reports, this may not be the last of employee termination at Intel as the company plans to get rid of at least 500 workers.&nbsp;

Intel is not the first tech giant in recent months to go on a cost-cutting spree with non-management employees receiving the axe.

Twitter, Facebook, Alphabet, Snap, Microsoft and myriad other tech conglomerates across the world have terminated the contracts of thousands of employees.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-cuts-12000-jobs-6-of-global-workforce-554451">Read more:&nbsp;Google joins layoff spree, slashes 12,000 jobs across world, offers 16 weeks’ severance pay</a>

During the pandemic, most tech companies went on a hyper-hiring spree as revenues touched record highs.

However, as soon as the pandemic eased and revenues returned to previous levels or lower, the companies panicked and started getting rid of the flab to balance the books.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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As the tech sector continues to bleed dry amid a drop in revenue and earnings, Intel on Tuesday announced it was cutting top management pay. The chipmaker said its CEO Pat Gelsinger was receiving a 25 per cent cut to his basic salary to preserve cash and initiate a recovery process.

As the tech sector continues to bleed dry amid a drop in revenue and earnings, Intel on Tuesday announced it was cutting top management pay. The chipmaker said its CEO Pat Gelsinger was receiving a 25 per cent cut to his basic salary to preserve cash and initiate a recovery process. “As we continue to navigate macroeconomic headwinds and work to reduce costs across the company, we’ve made several adjustments to our 2023 employee compensation and rewards programs,” read a statement released by the company. Apart from Gelsinger, his executive leadership team will see their salaries decrease by 15 per cent. Meanwhile, senior managers and mid-level managers will take a 10 per cent and 5 per cent cut to their pay respectively. "These changes are designed to impact our executive population more significantly and will help support the investments and overall workforce needed to accelerate our transformation and achieve our long-term strategy," the chipmaker added. WATCH | Gravitas: The impact of Silicon Valley layoffs on Indian Techies × The announcement comes a day after Intel said it was laying off 340 employees at its California campus. The company fired the workers and gave them a 60-day notice period. Previously, Intel has already announced three rounds of firing. The California-headquartered company in December last year announced it was planning to lay off 111 employees at its Praire City Drive facility. Afterwards, on January 11, it added that the number had risen to 176. Two days later, the chipmaker announced another round and said 167 workers were being let go permanently. According to reports, this may not be the last of employee termination at Intel as the company plans to get rid of at least 500 workers. Intel is not the first tech giant in recent months to go on a cost-cutting spree with non-management employees receiving the axe. Twitter, Facebook, Alphabet, Snap, Microsoft and myriad other tech conglomerates across the world have terminated the contracts of thousands of employees. Read more: Google joins layoff spree, slashes 12,000 jobs across world, offers 16 weeks’ severance pay During the pandemic, most tech companies went on a hyper-hiring spree as revenues touched record highs. However, as soon as the pandemic eased and revenues returned to previous levels or lower, the companies panicked and started getting rid of the flab to balance the books. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Intel cuts management pay and fires 340 employees to preserve cash

Global oil major ExxonMobil Corp on Tuesday informed it reaped a record net profit of $56 billion last year as oil prices touched record highs due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.&nbsp;

Exxon beat its own record of $45.2 billion in profits set way back in 2008 when oil prices hit $142 a barrel. Moreover, the figure was more than double the profit it managed in 2021&nbsp;($23 billion).&nbsp;

"Overall earnings and cash flow were up pretty significantly year on year. So that came really from a combination of strong markets, strong throughput, strong production, and really good cost control," Kathryn Mikells, Exxon CFO was quoted as saying by Reuters.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/energy-giant-exxonmobil-sues-european-union-in-a-bid-to-block-new-windfall-tax-547579">WATCH |&nbsp;WION Climate Trcaker: ExxonMobil sowed doubt about climate change?</a>

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After Exxon released its earning report, the White House responded and said it was 'outrageous' that a western oil company recorded such profits while ordinary Americans suffered.&nbsp;

"It’s outrageous that Exxon has posted a new record for Western oil company profits after the American people were forced to pay such high prices at the pump amid Putin’s invasion," said Abdullah Hassan, White House assistant press secretary.

Much of the criticism for oil companies such as Exxon stems from the fact that they use the profits to repurchase the shares, distribute dividends, instead of increasing the production capacity which could bring down the prices.&nbsp;

"The latest earnings reports make clear that oil companies have everything they need, including record profits and thousands of unused but approved permits, to increase production, but they’re instead choosing to plow those profits into padding the pockets of executives and shareholders while House Republicans manufacture excuse after excuse to shield them from any accountability," added&nbsp;Hassan.&nbsp;

With Exxon managing record profits, the debate regarding levying a windfall tax on the company has once again gained pace as critics demand more scrutiny of oil companies.&nbsp;

While the US is yet to take a call, the European Union imposed a windfall tax on the company in Q4 which reduced its earnings by $1.3 billion.&nbsp;

The Texas-based American company is currently suing European Union in a bid to block paying the tax.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/energy-giant-exxonmobil-sues-european-union-in-a-bid-to-block-new-windfall-tax-547579">Read more:&nbsp;Energy giant ExxonMobil sues European Union in a bid to block new windfall tax</a>

Notably, windfall tax is designed to tax the profits a company makes from an unprecedented event. In this case, the&nbsp;Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to an increase in energy prices which has driven up Exxon's profit numbers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Global oil major ExxonMobil Corp on Tuesday informed it reaped a record net profit of $56 billion last year as oil prices touched record highs due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Global oil major ExxonMobil Corp on Tuesday informed it reaped a record net profit of $56 billion last year as oil prices touched record highs due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Exxon beat its own record of $45.2 billion in profits set way back in 2008 when oil prices hit $142 a barrel. Moreover, the figure was more than double the profit it managed in 2021 ($23 billion). "Overall earnings and cash flow were up pretty significantly year on year. So that came really from a combination of strong markets, strong throughput, strong production, and really good cost control," Kathryn Mikells, Exxon CFO was quoted as saying by Reuters. WATCH | WION Climate Trcaker: ExxonMobil sowed doubt about climate change? × After Exxon released its earning report, the White House responded and said it was 'outrageous' that a western oil company recorded such profits while ordinary Americans suffered. "It’s outrageous that Exxon has posted a new record for Western oil company profits after the American people were forced to pay such high prices at the pump amid Putin’s invasion," said Abdullah Hassan, White House assistant press secretary. Much of the criticism for oil companies such as Exxon stems from the fact that they use the profits to repurchase the shares, distribute dividends, instead of increasing the production capacity which could bring down the prices. "The latest earnings reports make clear that oil companies have everything they need, including record profits and thousands of unused but approved permits, to increase production, but they’re instead choosing to plow those profits into padding the pockets of executives and shareholders while House Republicans manufacture excuse after excuse to shield them from any accountability," added Hassan. With Exxon managing record profits, the debate regarding levying a windfall tax on the company has once again gained pace as critics demand more scrutiny of oil companies. While the US is yet to take a call, the European Union imposed a windfall tax on the company in Q4 which reduced its earnings by $1.3 billion. The Texas-based American company is currently suing European Union in a bid to block paying the tax. Read more: Energy giant ExxonMobil sues European Union in a bid to block new windfall tax Notably, windfall tax is designed to tax the profits a company makes from an unprecedented event. In this case, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to an increase in energy prices which has driven up Exxon's profit numbers. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

After Exxon posts record profits, White House calls it 'outrageous'

India's Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a whopping capital outlay of $29 billion (Rs 2.40 lakh crore) for India Railways in her budget speech.

India's Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a whopping capital outlay of $29 billion (Rs 2.40 lakh crore) for India Railways in her budget speech. The minister said the amount was nine times the capital outlay laid out in 2013-14. "The Indian Railways capital outlay has been set at 2.40 lakh crore, highest ever; 9x of what was in 2013," said Sitharaman during the speech. The allocated funds will be used to build new trains, railway tracks, increase passenger facilities and ramp up the infrastructure to a world-class level. The government has been targeting 100 per cent electrification of the railway network across the country. It is also attempting to lay 2,000 kilometres of new tracks to increase connectivity. Notably, in 2013-14, the capital outlay for Railways stood at $7.7 billion (Rs 63,363 crore) as announced by then railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. While Sitharaman did not share any specifications regarding the Vande Bharat trains or the bullet trains, experts suggested that the money will be steadily used for the same. Interestingly, the Railways had asked for an outlay of $30.5 billion (Rs 2.5 lakh crore) in the lead-up to the budget for the financial year 2023-24. Earlier in her speech, the finance minister said the overall capital investment outlay was being increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, which is 3.3 per cent of India's GDP. In her opening remarks, Sitharaman said that the Indian economy is on the right track and heading towards a bright future. She noted that the government's focus is on wide-ranging policies. Read more: 'First Budget in Amrit Kaal': Indian economy on right track with GDP growth at 7% Ahead of the budget presentation, a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was held in Parliament. Sitharaman along with ministers of state Pankaj Chaudhary and Bhagwat Karad and Finance Secretary TV Somanathan also called on President Droupadi Murmu. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India Union Budget 2023: $29 billion capital outlay announced for Railways, nine times of FY 13-14

Indian courts in 2022 awarded a record 165 death sentences, the highest in over two decades, according to the Annual Death Penalty Report published by Project 39A, an advocacy group with the National Law University, New Delhi.

Indian courts in 2022 awarded a record 165 death sentences, the highest in over two decades, according to the Annual Death Penalty Report published by Project 39A, an advocacy group with the National Law University, New Delhi. In total, 539 prisoners were on death row at the end of the year which was the largest population for the same since 2004. The northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh accounted for the highest death row inmate population (100), followed by Gujarat (61) and Jharkhand (46). “With 165 death sentences at the end of 2022, this is the highest number of death sentences imposed in a year in over two decades (since 2000)," read the report. The report attributed the increase in the death row inmate population to the 'extraordinary sentencing' of 38 persons to death in connection to the 2008 Ahmedabad bomb blast case where 56 innocents were killed while 243 suffered injuries. In nearly a third of the death row cases, the inmate was a sexual offence criminal. The trial courts handing capital punishment to such criminals saw a 33.56 per cent rise from 2016 to 2022. Read more: Death penalties around the world Notably, the record death row sentencing comes in the backdrop of India's Supreme Court acknowledging that it needs to come with up better guidelines on how capital punishment cases are handled due to the lack of an institutional framework. In September last year, Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit formed a constitutional bench to generate clarity on the matter. “This court is of the opinion that it is necessary to have clarity in the matter to ensure a uniform approach on the question of granting real and meaningful opportunity, as opposed to a formal hearing, to the accused/convict, on the issue of sentence,” the CJI observed. WATCH | The West Asia Post: Saudi professor faces death penalty for using social media × The apex court has emphasised 'reform' as a core tenet in its death sentencing framework. However, the apathy of the system means that the numbers continue to hit record highs. The report notes that trial courts across India continue to hand out more death sentences (165) while higher courts are unable to hear the appeals filed before them “In the year 2022, High Courts across India decided 68 matters, while the Supreme Court decided 11 matters." Currently, 113 countries across the world have abolished death penalty which includes the likes of Papua New Guinea and Central African Republic amongst others. 125 countries voted in favour of a moratorium on the death penalty at the United Nations General Assembly on 15 December 2022, with India voting against the same. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Indian courts gave record 165 death sentences in 2022: Report

USA winter storm disrupts life as roads become treacherous while flights are cancelled

A couple in their 20s has been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail by an Iranian court for posting a video of themselves dancing in a street. The court convicted them of 'encouraging corruption' and 'public prostitution' under archaic Islamic laws.&nbsp;

According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), they both have received 10 years and six months in prison sentences. Additionally, the couple is not allowed to use the internet and leave Iran for two years.&nbsp;

Amir Mohammad Ahmadi and&nbsp;Astiyazh Haghighi were arrested in November last year as a video went viral showing them dancing in front of&nbsp;Tehran’s Azadi (Freedom) Tower.&nbsp;

As Haghighi was seen without a scarf or a hijab in the video, dancing alongside a male figure, alone at night in front of a prominent landmark, the authorities considered it&nbsp;an attempt to show dissent against the strict Islamic laws of the country.

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Iran: A 21-y-o couple have been sentenced to 10 years in jail each for dancing at the foot of Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Tower, sources close to them tell <a href="https://twitter.com/nimnia11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nimnia11</a>. Regime is handing out heavy sentences to anyone defying its strict rules. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%A2%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C%D8%A7%DA%98_%D8%AD%D9%82%DB%8C%D9%82%DB%8C?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#آستیاژ_حقیقی</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%DB%8C?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#امیرمحمد_احمدی</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%85%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%A7_%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%86%DB%8C?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#مهسا_امینی</a> <a href="https://t.co/F0ahwzJhA1">pic.twitter.com/F0ahwzJhA1</a>
— Khosro Kalbasi Isfahani (@KhosroKalbasi) <a href="https://twitter.com/KhosroKalbasi/status/1620012954535223296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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A woman in Iran is not allowed to dance in public, much less so without a hijab and with a man.&nbsp;Haghighi's home was also raided by the authorities, prior to her arrest.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-anti-hijab-protests-rock-the-nation-story-of-a-death-and-a-bloody-clampdown-548331">WATCH |&nbsp;Iran: Anti-hijab protests rock the nation, story of a death and a 'bloody' clampdown</a>

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Ever since the death of a 22-year-old Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini allegedly at the hands of Iran's morality police in September last year, the country has plunged into a sea of demonstrations.

The Iranian government has come down heavily upon the protesters and is now executing them with the judiciary firmly backing their objective.&nbsp;

The first execution took place in December last year and since then, the process has been expedited.&nbsp;The Iranian officials in their lexicon have called the protests 'riots' and used them as an excuse to kill hundreds of people.

The Iranian regime that came to power after the 1979 revolution is facing a stern response from the public for the first time.&nbsp; The unrest continues in the country and the sentencing of the couple is expected to add to the fire.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A couple in their 20s has been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail by an Iranian court for posting a video of themselves dancing in a street. The court convicted them of 'encouraging corruption' and 'public prostitution' under archaic Islamic laws.

A couple in their 20s has been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail by an Iranian court for posting a video of themselves dancing in a street. The court convicted them of 'encouraging corruption' and 'public prostitution' under archaic Islamic laws. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), they both have received 10 years and six months in prison sentences. Additionally, the couple is not allowed to use the internet and leave Iran for two years. Amir Mohammad Ahmadi and Astiyazh Haghighi were arrested in November last year as a video went viral showing them dancing in front of Tehran’s Azadi (Freedom) Tower. As Haghighi was seen without a scarf or a hijab in the video, dancing alongside a male figure, alone at night in front of a prominent landmark, the authorities considered it an attempt to show dissent against the strict Islamic laws of the country. Iran: A 21-y-o couple have been sentenced to 10 years in jail each for dancing at the foot of Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Tower, sources close to them tell @nimnia11. Regime is handing out heavy sentences to anyone defying its strict rules. #آستیاژ_حقیقی #امیرمحمد_احمدی #مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/F0ahwzJhA1 — Khosro Kalbasi Isfahani (@KhosroKalbasi) January 30, 2023 × A woman in Iran is not allowed to dance in public, much less so without a hijab and with a man. Haghighi's home was also raided by the authorities, prior to her arrest. WATCH | Iran: Anti-hijab protests rock the nation, story of a death and a 'bloody' clampdown Ever since the death of a 22-year-old Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini allegedly at the hands of Iran's morality police in September last year, the country has plunged into a sea of demonstrations. The Iranian government has come down heavily upon the protesters and is now executing them with the judiciary firmly backing their objective. The first execution took place in December last year and since then, the process has been expedited. The Iranian officials in their lexicon have called the protests 'riots' and used them as an excuse to kill hundreds of people. The Iranian regime that came to power after the 1979 revolution is facing a stern response from the public for the first time. The unrest continues in the country and the sentencing of the couple is expected to add to the fire. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Iranian couple dancing in the streets sentenced to over 10 years in prison

A day after Ukraine slammed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for attempting to find ways to allow Russian athletes to compete, Moscow has responded. Russia's Olympic Committee chief Stanislav Pozdnyakov on Tuesday said Russian athletes should not be subjected to different conditions from those of other countries.

A day after Ukraine slammed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for attempting to find ways to allow Russian athletes to compete, Moscow has responded. Russia's Olympic Committee chief Stanislav Pozdnyakov on Tuesday said Russian athletes should not be subjected to different conditions from those of other countries. "Russians must participate exactly on the same conditions as all other athletes. Any additional conditions or criteria are unwelcome, especially any that have political overtones, which are completely unacceptable for the Olympic movement," said Pozdnyakov. On Monday, Ukraine's presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak took to Twitter to post a message, terming IOC as a 'promoter of war'. "(The) IOC is a promoter of war, murder and destruction. The IOC watches with pleasure Russia destroying Ukraine and then offers Russia a platform to promote genocide and encourages their further killings," tweeted Podolyak. "Obviously Russian money that buys Olympic hypocrisy doesn't have a smell of Ukrainian blood. Right, Mr Bach? added the presidential aide, referring to IOC president Thomas Bach. #IOC is a promoter of war, murder & destruction. The IOC watches with pleasure RF destroying 🇺🇦 & then offers 🇷🇺 a platform to promote genocide & encourages their further killings. Obviously ru-money that buys Olympic hypocrisy doesn’t have a smell of 🇺🇦 blood. Right, Mr. #Bach? — Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) January 30, 2023 × Read more: 'Promoter of war, murder...': Ukraine slams International Olympic Committee Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publically batted for no Russian athlete to be allowed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. "We must be sure that Russia will not be able to use it (the Olympics) or any other international sporting event to promote aggression or its state chauvinism." Ukraine's sports minister has already issued a warning that his country and its athletes will boycott the 2024 Olympics if IOC continues to entertain the Russians. The verbal attacks from the Russian and Ukrainian officials come in the backdrop of the IOC hinting that it could allow Russian athletes to compete in the quadrennial competition as neutrals. The IOC said that "no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport". "Respect the rights of all athletes to be treated without any discrimination, in accordance with the Olympic Charter. Governments must not decide which athletes can participate in which competition and which athletes cannot." Read more: IOC to explore pathway for Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris Olympics Both Russia and its ally Belarus have been pushed to the fringes of most Olympic sports, following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine last year. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Russians must compete...': Moscow responds as Ukraine threatens Paris Olympics boycott

Starting tomorrow (February 1), transgender women will be banned from competing in contact versions of rugby in Scotland. The body overseeing the sport, Scottish Rugby, released a statement earlier this month where it took the position after amending its existing gender participation policy.

Starting tomorrow (February 1), transgender women will be banned from competing in contact versions of rugby in Scotland. The body overseeing the sport, Scottish Rugby, released a statement earlier this month where it took the position after amending its existing gender participation policy. “This amended policy now aligns with the already published positions of other rugby union governing bodies in the UK and Ireland which follow guidance from World Rugby and the Sports Councils’ Equality Group (SCEG)," read the statement released. However, transgender women are allowed to participate in the non-contact version of the sport. Tartan Touch is one such iteration where the only aim is to touch the ball down over the opponent's goal line by avoiding being touched. The Scottish Rugby Board admitted it was a divisive issue but added that the decision was taken in a sensitive manner. “We fully acknowledge this is a difficult and sadly divisive societal issue, and that has been especially apparent over the last few months. Scottish Rugby has been mindful of this and aimed to deal with the issue in a sensitive manner." While transgender women will not be allowed to participate transgender men may continue to play contact rugby in the men's category, according to the statement released. Notably, World Rugby, in 2020 became the first international sports federation to announce that transgender women cannot compete at the international level of women's game Read more: Top athletics body to allow transgender athletes to compete in women sporting events While Scottish Rugby has taken a stern stance on the issue, World Athletics, earlier this month proposed that transgender women be allowed to compete in the female category in international track and field events. The top athletics body has reportedly started a consultation process with its member federations regarding a proposed rule change. Though a final decision is yet to be made, World Athletics has indicated that rules will be tightened but a full ban will not be implemented. The debate remains centred around fairness and inclusion, whether it is right to let transgender athletes participate in women's competitions. Several studies have shown that males, upon reaching puberty, have increased muscle mass, bone density, and haemoglobin levels - all of which are significant contributors to performance. Read more: Inclusiveness or unfair advantage? Debate over trans athletes in sports intensifies (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Scottish Rugby bans transgender women from playing contact rugby, starting February 1

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has said he would have liked it if legendary Diego Maradona was around to present him with the World Cup trophy in Qatar last month.

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has said he would have liked it if legendary Diego Maradona was around to present him with the World Cup trophy in Qatar last month. "I would have liked him, if he didn't hand me the World Cup trophy, to at least see all this," said Messi in a Spanish radio show. The Argentine added that it might have been Maradona from the heavens that pushed him and the entire squad to lift the trophy. "I think that both he and many people who love me were pushing from above, not only for this but for everything in general." Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Mesmerising Messi’s Argentina fulfill the dream by beating France on penalties in final After winning the World Cup, many in footballing circles have started to mention Messi and Maradona in the same breath. Both managed to bring the shiny, golden World Cup trophy back to the football-crazy South American country. Maradona brought it back in 1986 winning against West Germany, while Messi broke a 35-year drought last year, beating the defending champions France, to give the Argentines a moment to cherish for a lifetime. Both players led their teams to the title. While Maradona was known for his maverick style of play that left the opposition bamboozled, Messi rallied the entire team around him to go the distance. The two Argentines had previously worked together at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, However, the team could not go past the quarter-final hurdle as Germany mauled them 0-4. After the tournament, Maradona stepped down while Messi had to wait more than a decade to achieve his long-standing dream. Read more: Lionel Messi reveals his Instagram account was blocked after World Cup victory Messi won the Golden Ball and Silver Boot award in the tournament as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties in the final. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Would've liked Maradona to hand me the WC trophy': Messi on his unfulfilled dream

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