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Tehran, New Ban On Foreign Languages On Road Signs

Road signs in Tehran
Road signs in Tehran

TEHRAN — Iranian traffice authorities have announced the removal of any "Latin" spellings of names and driving instructions in Tehran.

The move comes as a surprise as many Iranians are hoping for a boom in foreign visitors following the phase-out of international sanctions. The capital's head of traffic, Ja'far Tashakkori-Hashemi, recently told Iran's ISNA news agency that the move to make all signs in Persian came after years of people complaining that Tehran signs were "insufficient and badly placed," the daily Shargh reported. He did not elaborate on the link between the placement and language of street signs, but the move may be intended to satisfy Iranian drivers who only read Persian.

To aid foreigners, he said, the city would "complement" street names with a numerical system, presumably in the manner of cities like Manhattan or Bogotá. Tashakkori-Hashemi said "specialists are currently creating a model for city streets based on numbers."

Perhaps it is linked to the end of sanctions after all: Fifth Avenue may be coming to Tehran!

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FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War

War, Corruption And The Overdue Demise Of Ukrainian Oligarchs

The invasion of Russia has forced Ukraine to confront a domestic enemy: corruption and economic control by an insular and unethical elite.

Photograph of three masked demonstrators holding black smoke lights.

May 21, 2021, Ukraine: Demonstrators hold smoke bombs outside the Appeal Court of Kyiv.

Olena Khudiakova/ZUMA
Guillaume Ptak

-Analysis-

KYIV — Since Russia’s invasion, Ukraine's all-powerful oligarchs have lost a significant chunk of their wealth and political influence. However, the fight against the corruption that plagues the country is only just beginning.

Stay up-to-date with the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war, with our exclusive international coverage.

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On the morning of September 2, several men wearing balaclavas and bullet-proof waistcoats bearing the initials "SBU" arrived at the door of an opulent mansion in Dnipro, Ukraine's fourth largest city. Facing them, his countenance frowning behind thin-rimmed glasses, was the owner of the house, the oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky.

Officers from the Ukrainian security services had come to hand him a "suspicion notice" as part of an investigation into "fraud" and "money laundering". His home was searched, and shortly afterwards he was remanded in custody, with bail set at 509 million hryvnias, or more than €1.3 million. A photo of the operation published that very morning by the security services was widely shared on social networks and then picked up by various media outlets.

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