Iran's Ebrahim Raisi: The hardline cleric who became president

Ebrahim Raisi is a hard-line cleric close to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose election as president in 2021 consolidated the control of conservatives over every part of the Islamic Republic.

The 63-year-old former judiciary chief succeeded Hassan Rouhani after a landslide victory in a poll which saw many prominent moderate and reformist candidates barred and the majority of voters stay away.

He took power as Iran faced multiple challenges, including acute economic problems, escalating regional tensions, and stalled talks on the revival of a nuclear deal with world powers.

However, his time in office has been dominated by the anti-government protests that swept across Iran in 2022, as well as the current war in Gaza between Israel and the Iran-backed Palestinian group Hamas, during which Iran's shadow war with Israel burst into the open.

He has also faced continuing calls from many Iranians and human rights activists for an investigation into his alleged role in the mass executions of political prisoners in the 1980s.

Ebrahim Raisi was born in 1960 in Mashhad, Iran's second biggest city and home to the country's holiest Shia Muslim shrine. His father, who was a cleric, died when he was five years old.

Mr Raisi, who wears a black turban identifying him in Shia tradition as a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, followed his father's footsteps and started attending a seminary in the holy city of Qom at the age of 15.

While a student he took part in protests against the Western-backed Shah, who was eventually toppled in 1979 in an Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

After the revolution he joined the judiciary and served as a prosecutor in several cities while being trained by Ayatollah Khamenei, who became Iran's president in 1981.

Mr Raisi became the deputy prosecutor in Tehran when he was only 25.

While in that position he served as one of four judges who sat on secret tribunals set up in 1988 that came to be known as the "Death Committee".

The tribunals "re-tried" thousands of prisoners already serving jail sentences for their political activities. Most were members of the leftist opposition group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), also known as the People's Mujahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI).

Usyk became the Undisputed Winner

Tyson Fury suffered a split-decision points defeat on a dramatic night in Saudi Arabia as Oleksandr Usyk became boxing's first four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion.

On a grand stage and on a legacy-defining night, Briton Fury began well but was given a standing count and saved by the bell after an Usyk onslaught in the ninth round.

In a tense wait for the scorecards to be read out, Fury appeared convinced of victory before a stony-faced Usyk broke down in tears when he was confirmed as the winner.

The scorecards read 115-112 and 114-113 for the Ukrainian, with a third judge scoring it 114-113 to Fury.

It meant Fury, 35, lost for the first time in a 16-year professional career. He will get an immediate opportunity for revenge with a rematch planned for later this year.

"I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority," a defiant Fury said in the ring.

"His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war. Make no mistake, I won that fight in my opinion."

He added: "It was one of the daftest decisions in boxing. I'll be back."

Usyk takes the WBC belt from Fury, to add to his WBA, WBO and IBF collection.

The 37-year-old remains unbeaten and is the first boxer in almost 25 years to stand tall as the sport's sole heavyweight world champion.

"Thank you so much to my team. It's a big opportunity for my family, for me, for my country. It's a great time, it's a great day," Usyk said.

"I am ready for a rematch."

MINIBOSS BUSINESS SCHOOL opened a third branch in Australia - now in Sydney!

Good news for today! The MINIBOSS BUSINESS SCHOOL in Australia branch # 3 is now in Sydney!

Australia and Sydney in particular are famous for their famous actors such as Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts... and famous entrepreneurs and their brands originating from Sydney:

Atlassian - Founded by Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, Atlassian is a leading software company known for products like Jira, Confluence, and Trello.

Canva - Founded by Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams, Canva is a popular graphic design platform used for creating presentations, social media graphics, and other visual content.

WiseTech Global - Founded by Richard White, WiseTech Global provides software solutions for the logistics industry, including CargoWise, a comprehensive logistics execution platform.

Cochlear Limited - Cochlear Limited, established by Dr. Graeme Clark, is a medical device company known for its cochlear implants, transforming the lives of people with hearing loss.

Airtasker - Founded by Tim Fung and Jonathan Lui, Airtasker is an online marketplace that connects people needing tasks done with skilled individuals offering their services.

R.M. Williams - Originally founded by Reginald Murray Williams, R.M. Williams is an Australian footwear and clothing company known for its iconic leather boots and outback-inspired apparel.

MiniBoss Australia is an Australian education company with British roots in the form of Saturday Business Schools, revolutionizing children's education, known for its unique programs, business games as a way of learning, business incubators and international business events.

In conclusion, the inauguration of MiniBoss Business School in Sydney heralds a new era of entrepreneurial education, poised to shape the future of both the economy and society. By nurturing young minds and fostering a culture of innovation and responsibility, the school paves the way for a brighter, more prosperous future for generations to come.

Congratulations to Elena Chirich on acquiring another franchise of MINIBOSS BUSINESS SCHOOL for the city of Sydney, Australia!

For three years of work in the city of Brisbane, Elena has already achieved significant success in business, and the students of the MiniBoss Bristene branch have already visited the Startup World Cup Championship in Glasgow, UK and won gold and silver WINNER MEDALS!

 

In a move aimed at nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit from a young age, MiniBoss Business School, catering to children and teenagers aged 6 to 18, has opened its newest branch in Sydney. This endeavour marks a significant step towards not only fostering a culture of entrepreneurship but also strengthening familial and business values within the country.

MiniBoss Startup Forum: Entrepreneurs Support Student Projects with Grants

The 24th Startup Forum, organised by MiniBoss Business School International and BigBoss Business School International, took place in Odesa.

Children and teenagers aged 6-18 presented their startup ideas and received grants twice as much as they had requested.

The mission of the Startup Forum is to form a new business elite capable of developing national economies, creating new goods and services, and improving people's living standards.

In the first semester, students learn theory in a game format. In the second semester, they move on to practice. They form teams, develop a startup business idea and implement projects in practice.

It is the idea stage of educational process: students present at the Startup Forum ideas of business projects, in which business angels invest their capital.

Later on, the students of the Business School present their completed startups at the Startup National Cup Championship and Startup World Cup Championship, where the best works will receive support, recognition and awards from adult entrepreneurs.

Photos: MiniBoss Business School