UN's Turk 'Extremely Concerned' after Spate of Iran Executions

A man walks past an anti-Israel mural at Tehran's Palestine square on August 8, 2024, amid regional tensions during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by AFP)
A man walks past an anti-Israel mural at Tehran's Palestine square on August 8, 2024, amid regional tensions during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by AFP)
TT

UN's Turk 'Extremely Concerned' after Spate of Iran Executions

A man walks past an anti-Israel mural at Tehran's Palestine square on August 8, 2024, amid regional tensions during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by AFP)
A man walks past an anti-Israel mural at Tehran's Palestine square on August 8, 2024, amid regional tensions during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by AFP)

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk is extremely concerned that Iranian authorities have reportedly executed 29 people in recent days, a spokesperson said on Friday.

It was particularly troubling that the majority of the people executed had been found guilty of drug-related offences, UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Liz Throssell said.

The death toll had not been independently verified by the United Nations, she added.



President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris to Make First Joint Trip since Biden Dropped Out

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivers remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 7, 2020, after being declared the winners of the presidential election. (AFP)
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivers remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 7, 2020, after being declared the winners of the presidential election. (AFP)
TT

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris to Make First Joint Trip since Biden Dropped Out

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivers remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 7, 2020, after being declared the winners of the presidential election. (AFP)
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivers remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 7, 2020, after being declared the winners of the presidential election. (AFP)

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris next week will make their first trip together since Biden ended his candidacy and Harris took over as the Democratic standard-bearer.
The White House announced Friday morning that Biden and Harris will head to Maryland on Aug. 15 for an event to “discuss the progress they are making to lower costs for the American people.” They did not disclose the location or more specifics, said The Associated Press.
Biden and Harris have appeared briefly together since the president ended his reelection bid on July 21, including an excursion to Joint Base Andrews last week to welcome home US citizens who were wrongfully detained in Russia. They also participated in a Situation Room meeting together earlier this week to discuss the situation in the Middle East and had lunch together last week.
Taking additional steps to lower costs is one area Biden wants to focus on in the final months of his presidency.