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Iran detains an outspoken lawyer who criticized 2022 crackdown following Mahsa Amini's death

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Iran detains an outspoken lawyer who criticized 2022 crackdown following Mahsa Amini's death
News

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Iran detains an outspoken lawyer who criticized 2022 crackdown following Mahsa Amini's death

2024-07-07 23:35 Last Updated At:23:40

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An outspoken Iranian lawyer who has publicly criticized how the government handled the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini has been arrested, state media reported Sunday.

The unrest followed the death of the 22-year-old detained by the police for allegedly not properly wearing her mandatory hijab. The massive protests quickly escalated into calls to overthrow Iran’s four-decade Islamic theocracy.

The judiciary’s Mizan news agency said Sunday that Mohsen Borhani had been previously sentenced but did not give further details on his case or jail time.

Borhani, also a university professor, became popular on social media for his critical views of the Iranian government during the 2022 demonstrations that shook the Islamic Republic and sparked a security crackdown that killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained. U.N. investigators said Iran was responsible for the physical violence that led to Amini's death.

The lawyer's arrest came a day after reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian was elected to lead the country.

Pezeshkian promised to ease enforcement of the country’s mandatory headscarf law and reach out to the West after years of sanctions and protests squeezing the Islamic Republic.

Iranian lawyer Mohsen Borhani speaks during a campaign rally of the reformist candidate for the presidential election Masoud Pezeshkian, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Borhani, an outspoken lawyer who has publicly criticized how the government handled the 2022 protests has been arrested, state media reported Sunday. The arrest came a day after reformist president Masoud Pezeshkian was elected to lead the country. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iranian lawyer Mohsen Borhani speaks during a campaign rally of the reformist candidate for the presidential election Masoud Pezeshkian, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Borhani, an outspoken lawyer who has publicly criticized how the government handled the 2022 protests has been arrested, state media reported Sunday. The arrest came a day after reformist president Masoud Pezeshkian was elected to lead the country. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

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Japan's exports hit record high, but trade deficit continues

2025-01-23 13:16 Last Updated At:13:21

TOKYO (AP) — Japan saw record-high exports last year, as its annual trade deficit declined 44% from the previous year, the Finance Ministry reported Thursday.

The trade deficit, which measures the value of exports minus imports, totaled 5.3 trillion yen ($34 billion), according to government data, as imports ballooned on the back of rising energy costs and growing inflation around the world.

Exports from the world’s third-largest economy totaled 107.9 trillion yen ($691 billion), surpassing the 100 trillion yen mark for the second-straight year, and the biggest value on record for comparable data, which dates back to 1979, the ministry said.

Some companies may have sped up their exports in anticipation of potential tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump has said he expects to put 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting Feb. 1. During his campaign, he threatened to impose tariffs on imports from China, although details on that remain unclear.

For the month of December, exports gained a greater-than-expected 2.8% on-year, while imports rose 1.8%. Exports grew to Asian and European nations, while dipping slightly to the U.S.

Imports grew most from India, Hong Kong and Iran.

Demand was especially strong for Japan's vehicles, semiconductors and other machinery.

The weakening yen, another recent trend, has the effect of inflating the value of imports. The U.S. dollar has been hovering at 150-yen levels, sometimes surpassing 160 yen, over the past year, while a year ago it was often at 140-yen levels.

Japan has recorded a trade deficit for four straight years, but last year's deficit was considerably smaller than the 9.5 trillion yen deficit for 2023.

FILE - Cars for export are parked at a port in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on July 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File)

FILE - Cars for export are parked at a port in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on July 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File)

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