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Ebrahim Raisi was sworn into office as Irans new president on Thursday, consolidating the power of conservatives who now control all branches of the Islamic Republics government and are set to pursue a harder line in foreign and domestic policies.

Mr. Raisi, 60, a protg of Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, won a low-turnout election in June that had been orchestrated to prevent any credible opponent particularly any moderate from running. He is seen as Mr. Khameneis choice to succeed him as supreme leader in a system where a small group of Shiite clerics, not elected officials, hold the ultimate power.

The inauguration ceremony, at the Parliament in Tehran, took place amid very heavy security and ample pomp, with more than 100 foreign dignitaries arriving in luxury cars, a military band playing the national anthem and the capital city shut down.

Irans backing of militant groups around the Middle East and its support of the Syrian government have been a point of contention with neighbors and Western powers. Yet Mr. Raisi struck a defiant tone, praising Irans regional policies as a stabilizing force in the region and condemning foreign intervention in Iranian affairs.

The policy of pressure and sanctions will not make the Iranian people give up on their rights, including the right to development, Mr. Raisi said. The sanctions must be lifted. We will support any diplomatic plan that supports this goal.

He pledged to get international sanctions lifted, improve ties with neighboring countries and unite his countrys political factions. But Mr. Raisi has not offered a concrete plan to resolve such problems.

After six rounds of talks in Vienna with world powers that were aimed at reviving the 2015 accord that restricted Irans nuclear program, the negotiations are now at a standstill and it is not clear when they might resume.

Saudi Arabia, Irans regional nemesis, shunned an invitation to attend the inauguration, and prominent figures from rival reformist and centrist political parties were absent from the ceremony as well.

As Mr. Raisi, a former chief of the Iranian judiciary, sets out to engage with the world, accusations of human rights violations will shadow him.

International rights groups say that he was part of a four-person committee that ordered the execution of 5,000 political dissidents in 1988. Critics of Irans government, including opposition figures and human rights activists, have called for the international community to shun him.

But diplomacy with Iran is not off the table, both the United States and the European Union have said, because the Biden administration and European leaders say that reviving the 2015 nuclear deal remains the best option for curbing Irans nuclear ambitions.

After President Donald J. Trump exited the agreement in 2018, Iran has ramped up its uranium enrichment, fueling fears that it could develop a nuclear weapon. The 2015 deal had been reached under Mr. Raisis predecessor, Hassan Rouhani, a more moderate politician who defeated Mr. Raisi in the 2017 election, and it is not yet clear if the change in government will mean a shift in Tehrans negotiating stance.

The European Union sent a senior delegation to the inauguration that included Enrique Mora, one of the coordinators of the nuclear talks. Senior officials from Russia, South Korea, Turkey, Oman, Armenia and the Vatican were also in attendance, as were leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanons Hezbollah. Some used the opportunity to hold talks with Iranian officials on the sidelines of the ceremony.

Mr. Raisi has not officially announced the names of cabinet ministers, but a list leaked to local media indicates that key posts like the foreign, defense, intelligence and interior ministries will be offered to men with deep ties to the intelligence and security apparatus and affiliations with the elite Revolutionary Guards Corps. Mr. Raisi said he would submit his proposed list to Parliament after the inauguration; the Parliament speaker said it would be approved by early next week.

Raisis presidency is very much the rise and dominance of the military and security branch of the Islamic Republic and the retreat of the technocrats and moderate voices, said Nader Hashemi, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver.

Mr. Raisis most immediate crisis involves tensions with Israel. An Israeli-managed oil tanker was attacked by drones last Friday, killing two crew members, and an attempt was made on Monday to hijack another tanker in the Sea of Oman. Israel, the United States and Britain have accused Iran of being behind the incidents, which Iran has denied.

Mr. Raisi also must contend with the deep discontent of many Iranians who sat out the election and did not vote out of frustration with the status quo and lack of hope for reform. Mr. Raisis rise to the presidency was largely viewed as engineered by the conservative religious establishment, particularly Mr. Khamenei.

In the weeks leading to the inauguration, anger over a water shortage in the southern province of Khuzestan led to anti-government protests in multiple cities. Crowds of men and women chanted for the fall of the Islamic Republic and the removal of its top leaders from power. Security forces dispersed crowds with gunfire and tear gas, killing several people, according to rights groups, and made hundreds of arrests.

Iranian activists have warned that given Mr. Raisis track record in the judiciary, which has jailed and executed dissidents, journalists and lawyers, they expect more state oppression under his administration. That includes passage of a bill that would severely restrict access to the internet and block popular social media apps like Instagram and WhatsApp.

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A New President Takes Office in Iran, Solidifying Hard-Line Control - The New York Times

Ben Domenech criticized Democrats' policies through the pandemic, saying, "the left is using the pandemic to make permanent the lives they want you to lead" on "Fox News Primetime."

BEN DOMENECH: The Left is using the pandemic to make permanent the lives they want you to lead. Weve seen churches closed under the guise of preserving life. Neighbors reporting on each other under the guise of unity. "We're all in this together," so long as we all stay in our homes and don't socialize. Teachers Unions are the most powerful political entities in American life, to the point of wrecking the lives of their students if the teachers dont want to work. Local small businesses have to close, but Walmart can stay open. And dont forget, Fauci knows best, parents. If you disagree with any unelected bureaucrat, even if it conflicts with what they said mere days earlier, you must hate science and youre putting your kids and everyone else at risk. What connects all of these things? What draws them together, besides that they draw us apart? Why is worshipping God, burying our loved ones, celebrating our birthdays, graduations, and marriages banned but protests and riots allowed, if not to break the tenuous hold we have on family, faith and community.

The three things that make us less dependent and in fact, more independent, from government power and coercion? They tell you the reason for this is your own good, keeping you safe and sound. But the truth you need to wake up to is that despite over a year and a half of bitter failure, our public authorities are bringing back the same policies they did before - so you are about to experience renewed lockdowns, mask mandates, and ridiculous restrictions on kids in school. Theyll tell you they are doing this because they have to. But theyre doing it because they want to, and because they can.

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Domenech: The left wants to control your life, and they're using the pandemic to do it - Fox News

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

By GARY FINEOUT

08/03/2021 12:18 PM EDT

Updated 08/03/2021 06:03 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE President Joe Biden criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday amid the states surge in coronavirus cases, saying he should get out of the way of people who are trying to do the right thing.

The presidents comments come as Florida has become one of the worst states in the nation for infections, with more than 11,500 hospitalizations reported Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Over the past three days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the state has had more than 50,000 new infections and 100 deaths.

Biden blamed both DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for barring Covid restrictions like mask mandates or vaccine passports policies that DeSantis has pushed even as the states Covid rates skyrocket.

Some state officials are passing laws that forbid people from doing the right thing, Biden said. "I say to the governors, please help. If you're not going to help, get out of the way of the people that are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives."

DeSantis has consistently criticized the media while also downplaying the severity of the recent coronavirus spike. Florida now leads the nation in new infections, making up roughly one in five cases in America. Despite the increase, DeSantis has prevented cities and school districts from implementing mask mandates or other Covid restrictions.

DeSantis on Tuesday again attacked the media, saying it created hysteria while also claiming that the situation in Florida was not as bad as last year because the state had prioritized getting older residents vaccinated and the mortality rate in the state, primarily among senior citizens, has dropped.

At the end of the day would I rather have 5,000 cases among 20 years or 500 cases among seniors? I would rather have the younger, DeSantis said during a Miami press conference on the states Everglades restoration efforts.

While multiple media outlets across the state have reported that hospitals are limiting visits and canceling elective procedures due to the surge, DeSantis declared our hospitals are open. He said while some hospitals have seen higher admissions, there were others including the main public hospital in Miami that had not reached the highs of last year.

Instead DeSantis directed his ire at the media, saying they were too focused on case counts and that their reporting could lead to Floridians deciding to forego needed medical procedures.

Obviously the media does hysteria, you try to fear monger, he said.

Democratic elected officials as well as White House press secretary Jen Psaki have contended that DeSantis reaction is based more on politics. The Republican governor has seen his status as a 2024 presidential contender rise as he touted his Freedom over Faucism approach to the pandemic that has been critical of federal health authorities while resisting mask mandates and lockdowns.

Psaki on Tuesday, after she was asked about Florida for a second day in a row, was more critical in her assessment of DeSantis.

If you arent going to help, if you arent going to abide by public health guidance, then get out of the way, she said.

Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis, said earlier this week that Psaki had mischaracterized the governors record, noting he had actively promoted vaccinations earlier this year. She also pointed out that the students can wear masks in schools, but that its up their parents. In an email Pushaw retorted that by dismissively ignoring Governor DeSantis efforts to protect vulnerable Floridians, Psaki is the one playing politics with the pandemic.

Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist, who is challenging DeSantis for governor, on Tuesday called on DeSantis to take stronger steps to make sure that Florida's more than 100,000 state workers are vaccinated. He said that state employees should either get shots or be required to be tested weekly.

"Im calling on the Governor to immediately require that our state employees be vaccinated or if they choose not to, be regularly tested and wear a mask indoors," said Crist in a statement. "If Disney, Walmart, and our military can do it, our state government can as well. The fact of the matter is that there is no reason for Florida to once again be in this position. Its time to stop playing games and get serious about ending this pandemic once and for all.

Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who is also running for governor, urged DeSantis to declare a new state of emergency in the state and increase a push by state government to get people vaccinated. Florida has seen its vaccination rate tick upward in the past week as cases have surged.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 49.1 percent of Floridas total population or 10.5 million has been fully vaccinated. That puts Florida 24th among all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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Biden tells DeSantis to 'get out of the way' amid Covid surge - POLITICO

Focuson what you can control, on whats in front of youis critical in any meaningful endeavor.

When asked his advice as to how Olympic athletes could best prepare to compete in the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Michael Phelpsthe most-decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 swimming medals to his namesaid this: Focus on what you can control. That is something that's so important going into this.

Focuson what you can control, on whats in front of you, on whats not only desirable, but achievableis indeed critical going into any meaningful endeavor, be it Olympic competition or the effort to combat global poverty. It is an attribute of an Olympic Frame of Mind that is shared, honed, and studied by great athletes and social sector leaders alike and one in which Ias CEO of a philanthropic foundation that aims to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the worlds poorest people by multiplying the impact of high-performing leaderstake a particular interest.

The Risk of Creating Interference

The importance of focus to an athlete, or anyone who wishes to excel at a high level, is clear and often rooted in physical routine. Phelps described it as training, making sure you're loose, stretching, lifting, whatever you can always, always, always try and do. Others work on focus through goal-setting; meditation; imagery, or envisioning the actions they need to undertake and the outcome they hope to attain; and even self-talk, in which they offer self-affirmations or simply remind themselves where their focus should be. But shutting out distractions and silencing doubts so as to maintain this focus is a tremendous challenge, especially under the Olympic spotlighta truth starkly highlighted by the star gymnast Simone Biless sudden (and lauded) decision to drop out of team competition. "Gymnastics probably more than any other sport ... requires laser, pinpoint focus," the mental training expert Robert Andrews, who worked with Biles for four years, told Reuters. "Being a global presence, the greatest of all time, all that starts creating interference."

Avoiding interference is far easier said than done, but experts do offer solid advice. Indeed, from time immemorial, coaches and philosophers alike have warned against the human tendency to look over ones shoulder to compare oneself to others. Comparison puts the focus on the wrong thing and is at best an unhealthy distraction; at worst, it is debilitating and counterproductive. Social media, of course, has greatly enhanced the ability to compare and simultaneously exacerbated its negative impact. Those prone to compare tend to put less emphasis on their process and preparation and more on the final outcome. Michael Phelps knows this so well that he once told reporters he doesnt compare himself to anyoneeven himself. "I know it won't be eight medals again, he said, referencing his eight golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. If you want to compare me to that, that's your decision, not mine. I'm going out there to try to accomplish the things that I have in my mind and in my heart."

US swimmer Michael Phelps competes in the men's 400m individual medley final swimming event at the ... [+] London 2012 Olympic Games on July 28, 2012 in London.

Targeted Focus in The Social Sector

Great social sector leaders likewise put on blinders and focus on their goalsand ensure that their organizations do the same. William Moore, the CEO of the Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF), is an ardent and vocal advocate of the importance of focus. Indeed, when he assumed his position in 2015, it was with the aim of giving ECF, which had worked on global hunger issues, a more targeted focusthat of fighting to end global malnutrition through research, policy analysis, and advocacy.

Moore likewise pushes for more focus in the global nutrition sector. In my 2020 interview with himand in his own writingMoore emphasizes the need for the sector to focus its efforts by eschewing an ever-broadening quest to attack malnutrition in every form and from every angle [that] has led to a Christmas tree-decorating approach to nutrition program design. He argues that instead of adding, and hoping to scale, more interventionsfrom nutrition counseling to village savings-and-loan associationsthe sector should subtract to focus on the highest-impact opportunities. We cant lose our focus, he urges. We cant do everything, everywhere, all the time. I couldnt agree more. In fact, a fundamental axiom of corporate strategy is that more-focused strategies outperform less-focused ones and, as Bill Meehan and I argued in our book Engine of Impact, this applies equally to nonprofit organizations.

Raj Panjabi, who cofounded the organization Last Mile Health (LMH) in 2007 and served as its CEO for 14 years, also excels at putting on blinders. LMH exists to bring health-care services to the most remote parts of Africa, and during his tenure Panjabi retained a laser focus on this goal. He even turned down funding that would have quadrupled his budget because it would have taken LMH down a path that wasnt aligned with its mission or competencies. This was a strategic organizational decision, to be sure. But, as I noted previously it was made easier by Panjabis mental approach, which enabled him to choose the harder, but ultimately more effective, path for LMH. In 2021, Panjabi stepped down from LMH to lead the Presidents Malaria Initiative. In that role, he is bringing his focus to the global effort to eliminate malaria in part by reaching the unreached in rural areas.

Dr. Raj Panjabi, Co-Founder, Last Mile Health, speaks onstage during the TIME 100 Health Summit in ... [+] New York City.

The ability to focus on the controllables is essential to success for athletes, leaders, and organizations. Yet the ability to focus is to some extent a privilege: Those who live in poverty are at an inherent disadvantage when trying to focus. This point is made by the Nobel Prize winning economists Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo in their seminal book Poor Economics. The real advantage of those of us who are not poor, they suggest, comes not so much from our educations or the things we know, but from the multitude of things we take for grantedlike living in houses into which clean water is piped and dirty water taken away (though we have little clue how this actually works). Or having doctors we can largely rely on, companies that reward us for exercising, and no need to worry where our next meal will come from. This privilege, they argue, makes it far easier for us to make the right decisions in life, and a key element in poverty reduction is to give the poor the same freedom. Because, as Banerjee and Duflo underscore:

Arent we, those who live in the rich world, the constant beneficiaries of paternalism now so thoroughly embedded into the system that we hardly notice it? It not only ensures that we take care of ourselves better than if we had to be on top of every decision, but also, by freeing us from having to think about these issues, it gives us the mental space we need to focus on the rest of our lives.

Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee answer questions during a press conference at MIT on October 14, ... [+] 2019 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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Focus On What You Can Control - Forbes

MILAS, Turkey, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Turkey is battling the worst wildfires in its history, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, as fires spread to a power station in the country's southwest after reducing swathes of coastal forest to ashes.

Fanned by high temperatures and a strong, dry wind, the fires have forced thousands of Turks and foreign tourists to flee homes and hotels near the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Eight people have died in the blazes since last week.

Planes and dozens of helicopters have joined scores of emergency crews on the ground to battle the fires, but Erdogan's government has faced criticism over the scale and speed of the response.

More than a week after the first fires broke out, 16 were still burning on Wednesday, the forestry minister said.

"The fires that happened this year never happened in our history," Erdogan told reporters in a televised interview. "This is the largest (outbreak)."

In the last two weeks, fires in Turkey have burnt more than three times the area affected in an average year, a European fire agency said. Neighbouring countries have also battled blazes fanned by heatwaves and strong winds.

A fire spread into a coal-fired power plant east of Bodrum in southwest Turkey after burning nearby since Tuesday, the local mayor said.

"Flames have entered the thermal power plant," said Muhammet Tokat, mayor of the town of Milas, adding that the plant was being evacuated.

Earlier, environmentalists said they were concerned about the impact if the fire spread to the plant's coal storage unit.

"Harmful gases could spread to the atmosphere if coal burns in an uncontrolled way," activist Deniz Gumusel said.

Tanks with flammable materials at the plant were emptied as a precaution, a reporter with Demiroren news agency said, and ditches had been dug as firebreaks.

Local officials, many from the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), have complained that the government response has been slow or inadequate.

Firefighting planes from Spain and Croatia joined teams from Russia, Iran, Ukraine and Azerbaijan this week to battle blazes, after Turkey requested European support.

Opposition parties criticised Erdogan and his government for depleting firefighting resources over the years. Thousands also took to social media calling for Erdogan to step down, while others criticised the lack of resources and what they called inadequate preparations.

The government has defended its response to the wildfires, saying its efforts have been planned and coordinated.

Addional reporting by Yesim Dikmen; Editing by Dominic Evans, Janet Lawrence and David Gregorio

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Turkish wildfires are worst ever, Erdogan says, as power plant breached - Reuters