Iran’s navy launched a domestically made destroyer, which state media said has radar-evading stealth properties, amid rising tensions with the United States.

In a ceremony carried live on state television on Saturday, the Sahand destroyer – which can sustain voyages lasting five months without resupply – joined Iran’s navy at a base in Bandar Abbas on the Gulf.

The Sahand has a flight deck for helicopters, torpedo launchers, anti-aircraft and anti-ship guns, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles and electronic warfare capabilities, state television reported.

US President Donald Trump pulled out of an international agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme in May and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. He said the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran’s development of ballistic missiles or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.

The Trump administration has said its goal is to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero. Senior Iranian officials have said that if Iran is not allowed to export, then no other countries will be allowed to export oil through the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf.

“This vessel is the result of daring and creative design relying on the local technical knowledge of the Iranian Navy… and has been built with stealth capabilities,” Rear-Admiral Alireza Sheikhi, head of the navy shipyards that built the destroyer, told the state news agency IRNA.

Iran launched its first locally made destroyer in 2010 as part of a programme to revamp its navy equipment which dates from before the 1979 Islamic revolution and is mostly US-made.

Iran has developed a large domestic arms industry in the face of international sanctions and embargoes that have barred it from importing many weapons.

Separately, a naval commander said Sahand may be among warships that Iran plans to send on a mission to Venezuela soon.

“Among our plans in the near future is to send two or three vessels with special helicopters to Venezuela in South America on a mission that could last five months,” Iran’s deputy navy commander, Rear-Admiral Touraj Hassani Moqaddam, told the semi-official news agency Mehr.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last week Iran should increase its military capability and readiness to ward off enemies, in a meeting with Iranian navy commanders.

Iran’s navy has extended its reach in recent years, launching vessels in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirates operating in the area.

The chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces said in 2016 that Iran may seek to set up naval bases in Yemen or Syria in the future, raising the prospect of distant footholds perhaps being more valuable militarily to Tehran than nuclear technology.

In August, Iranian state media showed President Hassan Rouhani unveiling new domestic made fighter jet.  

All life on Earth is dependent on water. Together with carbon, it is one of the most important building blocks of all living organisms, from the smallest animal to the largest tree.

However, as humanity’s impact on the global environment has increased in the last hundred years, issues such as pollution, coral bleaching and overfishing have become significantly larger, damaging important ecosystems around the globe.

In an attempt to create plans to battle these negative effects, the Kenyan capital Nairobi this week was the location for the world’s first Sustainable Blue Economy Conference, a summit focusing on how countries can benefit from what is called a Blue Economy.

More than 15,000 participants shared ideas about marine life, environmental protection and how the globe can benefit from the blue economy. 

The conference built on “the momentum of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the 2015 Climate Change Conference in Paris and the UN Ocean Conference 2017 Call to Action”, its website states.

Creating that blue economy is a challenge, with global warming, plastic pollution and overfishing as some of the main issues that need to be tackled.

The idea behind building a blue economy is that countries should use oceans and seas to their full advantage without that leading to the suffering of aquatic life, pollution or other negative effects.

This does not only include the world’s oceans, but also seas, lakes, rivers and smaller bodies of water.

“The world has rallied around the enormous pressures facing our oceans and waters, from plastic pollution to the impacts of climate change,” the summit’s website said. “At the same time, there is international recognition that we need to develop our waters in an inclusive and sustainable manner for the benefit of all.”

The key to a blue economy is finding the middle road between sustainability and economic growth, often achieved with the help of innovative and new technologies.

Since the ocean has suffered immensely over the last decades from the world’s rapid economic growth, the damage done now has to be restored, but a blue economy would do so without hurting the economic prospects of people.

First off, this means minimising carbon emissions by switching to more sustainable energy sources and making sure that for instance shipping routes are the most effective and provide the least possible amount of pollution.

Another important aspect of the blue economy is making sure that economic growth is sustained without exhausting natural resources.

Therefore, during the Nairobi summit, topics such as illegal fishing and overfishing played an important role.

Because of illegal and overfishing, fish stocks have decreased significantly over the last couple of decades, leading to major changes in marine ecosystems, and scientists have warned that these stocks need to increase to ensure healthy oceans.

Another important issue that plays a key role in achieving the goals of the blue economy is pollution.

Over the last couple of years, increasingly more attention has been paid to oceanic pollution, especially when it comes to remnants of plastic that have made their way into those ecosystems, with the most striking example the so-called great garbage patch in the middle of the Pacific.

Several attempts are currently under way to decrease the amount of plastic in the seas and oceans, with for example a private organisation trying to collect plastic trash from the water and the European Union banning single-use plastic items such as straws in the future. 

Finally, blue economies want make sure that marine reserves and coral reefs grow and become healthier.

In recent years, a number of large marine reserves were appointed in an attempt to protect the ecosystems in these areas, including reserves off the coast of the US West Coast, near the Antarctic and one near Costa Rica.

But on the other hand, environmental agencies have warned coral bleaching has become a major issue for marine life.

Not only are corals themselves living beings, they also host a large number of other animals that have suffered from the abysmal state of some of the world’s most important reefs like the Great Barrier Reef near Australia. 

By focusing mostly on environmental issues, the blue economy is very similar to the green economy, the main difference being that a blue economy mostly focuses on humanity’s relationship with water in all its forms.

The hope is that in the end, if all these issues are tackled, blue economies should not only lead to healthier environments for plants and animals, but also lead to better lives for humans.

The ultimate goal is that blue economies will lead to more human prosperity as well, not because they use up resources provided by the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers, but because a relationship has been found that provides enough for both humans as well as aquatic life to thrive, without either of them being effected negatively.

A former US Justice Department official has pleaded guilty to banking violations as part of an attempt to lobby Washington to drop an investigation into a money laundering and bribery scheme that pilfered billions from Malaysia‘s 1MDB investment fund.

George Higginbotham, 46, admitted on Friday to lying to US banks while transferring tens of millions of dollars to fund a lobbying campaign on behalf of Low Taek Jho – the 1MDB affair’s alleged mastermind.

The massive corruption investigation, which upended Malaysian politics, spanned the globe with the money from the state fund gambled in Las Vegas, spent on diamond jewelry and a luxury yacht and used to finance the “Wolf of Wall Street” and other Hollywood productions.

The long-ruling coalition in Malaysia was ousted in a May election, and then-Prime Minister Najib Razak, who set up the fund, now faces criminal charges there.

In August, US prosecutors charged Low, who is at large, with eight counts of money laundering. 

Low, who has maintained his innocence through a spokesman, is accused of helping orchestrate the theft of $4.5bn from the government-backed investment fund. 

Higginbotham’s guilty plea in a federal court in Washington marked the first public acknowledgment of a secret attempt to pressure US officials to shut down their investigation into the 1MDB scheme.

Prosecutors said Higginbotham, who worked on the congressional affairs staff in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, helped open bank accounts and created false loan documents for shell companies to pay an influential person to pressure officials to drop their probe.

That person’s identity wasn’t revealed in court.

Higginbotham falsely claimed in emails to banks that the money was being used to fund entertainment ventures and failed to disclose that it was, in fact, being used to finance the lobbying effort to shut down the 1MDB investigation, prosecutors said.

Higginbotham “did not play a role” in the Justice Department’s investigation and failed to influence any aspect of it, the agency said in a statement.

US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said Higginbotham likely faced a sentence of up to 16 months in federal prison, but said he could also face no jail time.

As part of a plea deal, Higginbotham has agreed to testify before grand juries and speak to federal investigators.

Higginbotham pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to make false statements to a bank and was released without bail on Friday. He is due back in court in March.

The Justice Department separately announced Friday it was seeking to recover $73m held in American bank accounts that Higginbotham and Prakazrel “Pras” Michel opened last year on Low’s behalf. 

Earlier in November, US prosecutors unveiledcriminal charges against Low and two former Goldman Sachs bankers tied to the massive theft.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

Chiefs are releasing Kareem Hunt https://t.co/ov9o57DcMq

John Clayton @JohnClaytonNFL

As much as it hurts the Chiefs Super Bowl chances I applaud how they handled the Kareem Hunt release. No tolerance

Master @MasterTes

Wow https://t.co/kUE81zONjd

Kimberley A. Martin @ByKimberleyA

When ppl are commending the Chiefs all of a sudden for “doing the right thing” …. only because TMZ was able to show the world the video… https://t.co/GNCSQDsRHp

Will Brinson @WillBrinson

Chiefs releasing Kareem Hunt after they saw the video should not excuse them from employing Kareem Hunt until they saw the video.

Ross Tucker @RossTuckerNFL

Chiefs making a huge statement with their statement & action.

This isn’t an aging RB coming off bad year. This is their best chance to go to Super Bowl in 50 years.

Doesn’t matter. He’s gone.

Bolt Beat @BB_Chargers

for real tho…. back to football… how big is this for the Chiefs?

Dale Lolley @dlolley_pgh

The Chiefs releasing Hunt sends a strong message that violence against women cannot and should not be tolerated. Lying about it to the team also was a key issue here.

Mina Kimes @minakimes

my questions:
1. did anyone—in the NFL or KC—either see the video or know what it contained before today?
2. if it hadn’t come out, what would’ve happened? https://t.co/BPzjwer8ae

Charles Robinson @CharlesRobinson

Absorbing the #Chiefs Kareem Hunt news. https://t.co/AfiIT9ndrL

Martellus Bennett @MartysaurusRex

Why is the outrage different when there’s video!?

Mike Jurecki @mikejurecki

So many people jumping on the story that the NFL/Chiefs knew about the video in February. #NotSoFast https://t.co/FANnFg47ix

JP Finlay @JPFinlayNBCS

Didnt happen until the video came out. Remember that part.

Levi Damien @LeviDamien

This Kareem Hunt thing is like Ray Rice 2.0. The NFL will never learn. Because they suffer no repercussions for actively practicing willful ignorance.

Aaron Blake @AaronBlake

Amazing how NFL hadn’t seen both the Ray Rice video and the Kareem Hunt video till they showed up on TMZ

Jessica Kleinschmidt @KleinschmidtJD

The thing is, Kareem Hunt will get picked up. That’s the problem.

KF, no C @khristianfairl1

I don’t think Kareem Hunt got the memo…smh https://t.co/DT1CK3NH3Y

John Middlekauff @JohnMiddlekauff

From a football perspective: Chiefs are no longer the same. That’s a massive blow to them on the field

Greg Gabriel @greggabe

Andy Reid shows he’s no non-sense. Chiefs have cut Hunt

Brian Witt @Wittnessed

Hopefully this is the start of teams taking this issue as seriously as it needs to be. https://t.co/Zich6jSs17

joon @joonlee

the nfl when they said they haven’t seen the kareem hunt video https://t.co/xBpH5jUL3d

Jared Tokarz @NFLDraftInsider

Kudos to the Chiefs. https://t.co/sSDbdkDzb5

Matt Miller @nfldraftscout

Strong statement from the #Chiefs. https://t.co/QUZV0n4GbO

Bonta Hill @BontaHill

Kansas City Chiefs organization has kept Tyreek Hill around, but released Kareem Hunt. Interesting…

Stephen Holder @HolderStephen

Wow https://t.co/GrvE97gn1w

Bonta Hill @BontaHill

WOW!!! https://t.co/5ggN7h1xyh

Steven Spector @StevenSpector10

I don’t often give the #Chiefs a lot of credit but they got this right. They acted swiftly, spoke out against the player & did not leave any doubt about where they stand. Kudos to the organization.

Jamil Smith @JamilSmith

Kareem Hunt has been cut. Had to be done. https://t.co/OilbfGWuE1

Dianna Russini @diannaESPN

Are we all shocked because Kareem Hunt is such a talent and was cut or shocked a team finally committed to zero tolerance???

Benjamin Allbright @AllbrightNFL

I honestly hope Kareem Hunt gets whatever help he needs and turns this into a positive.

Robert Littal @BSO

The thing about the NFL is the hypocrisy of it all. Chiefs cut Kareem Hunt, but had no problem drafting Tyreek Hill and Hill’s situation was way worse video or no video.

Mark Craig @markcraignfl

Wow. https://t.co/bfdcFj9HpV

Evan Silva @evansilva

Vegas sets @redskins as heavy favorites to claim him.

https://t.co/a8eZ9HzuGe

Jon Miller @hawkeyenation

This is called doing it right https://t.co/qB5tHPnzM9

Adam Hoge @AdamHoge

Wow. Good for the #Chiefs. This is so rare in the NFL. https://t.co/LTJTKvmKo4

Judy Battista @judybattista

Wow. The Chiefs have released Kareem Hunt.

Bill Williamson @BWilliamsonNFL

Good for you Kansas City … yes, I expect Hunt to play again somewhere.

Ralph Vacchiano @RVacchianoSNY

Wow! That is a bold and impressive move by the Chiefs. https://t.co/gPLdGOt1Rp

Wells P @Wells_P

and His career is def over. After what happened with Foster this week, no team is touching him..

Ry @JustRyCole

A firm stance. https://t.co/IOBSePGRf2

Steelers Depot @Steelersdepot

Wow.

Ian Wharton @NFLFilmStudy

That’s a stunner. https://t.co/g3axBdQcII

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

Chiefs are releasing Kareem Hunt https://t.co/ov9o57DcMq

John Clayton @JohnClaytonNFL

As much as it hurts the Chiefs Super Bowl chances I applaud how they handled the Kareem Hunt release. No tolerance

Master @MasterTes

Wow https://t.co/kUE81zONjd

Kimberley A. Martin @ByKimberleyA

When ppl are commending the Chiefs all of a sudden for “doing the right thing” …. only because TMZ was able to show the world the video… https://t.co/GNCSQDsRHp

Will Brinson @WillBrinson

Chiefs releasing Kareem Hunt after they saw the video should not excuse them from employing Kareem Hunt until they saw the video.

Ross Tucker @RossTuckerNFL

Chiefs making a huge statement with their statement & action.

This isn’t an aging RB coming off bad year. This is their best chance to go to Super Bowl in 50 years.

Doesn’t matter. He’s gone.

Bolt Beat @BB_Chargers

for real tho…. back to football… how big is this for the Chiefs?

Dale Lolley @dlolley_pgh

The Chiefs releasing Hunt sends a strong message that violence against women cannot and should not be tolerated. Lying about it to the team also was a key issue here.

Mina Kimes @minakimes

my questions:
1. did anyone—in the NFL or KC—either see the video or know what it contained before today?
2. if it hadn’t come out, what would’ve happened? https://t.co/BPzjwer8ae

Charles Robinson @CharlesRobinson

Absorbing the #Chiefs Kareem Hunt news. https://t.co/AfiIT9ndrL

Martellus Bennett @MartysaurusRex

Why is the outrage different when there’s video!?

Mike Jurecki @mikejurecki

So many people jumping on the story that the NFL/Chiefs knew about the video in February. #NotSoFast https://t.co/FANnFg47ix

JP Finlay @JPFinlayNBCS

Didnt happen until the video came out. Remember that part.

Levi Damien @LeviDamien

This Kareem Hunt thing is like Ray Rice 2.0. The NFL will never learn. Because they suffer no repercussions for actively practicing willful ignorance.

Aaron Blake @AaronBlake

Amazing how NFL hadn’t seen both the Ray Rice video and the Kareem Hunt video till they showed up on TMZ

Jessica Kleinschmidt @KleinschmidtJD

The thing is, Kareem Hunt will get picked up. That’s the problem.

KF, no C @khristianfairl1

I don’t think Kareem Hunt got the memo…smh https://t.co/DT1CK3NH3Y

John Middlekauff @JohnMiddlekauff

From a football perspective: Chiefs are no longer the same. That’s a massive blow to them on the field

Greg Gabriel @greggabe

Andy Reid shows he’s no non-sense. Chiefs have cut Hunt

Brian Witt @Wittnessed

Hopefully this is the start of teams taking this issue as seriously as it needs to be. https://t.co/Zich6jSs17

joon @joonlee

the nfl when they said they haven’t seen the kareem hunt video https://t.co/xBpH5jUL3d

Jared Tokarz @NFLDraftInsider

Kudos to the Chiefs. https://t.co/sSDbdkDzb5

Matt Miller @nfldraftscout

Strong statement from the #Chiefs. https://t.co/QUZV0n4GbO

Bonta Hill @BontaHill

Kansas City Chiefs organization has kept Tyreek Hill around, but released Kareem Hunt. Interesting…

Stephen Holder @HolderStephen

Wow https://t.co/GrvE97gn1w

Bonta Hill @BontaHill

WOW!!! https://t.co/5ggN7h1xyh

Steven Spector @StevenSpector10

I don’t often give the #Chiefs a lot of credit but they got this right. They acted swiftly, spoke out against the player & did not leave any doubt about where they stand. Kudos to the organization.

Jamil Smith @JamilSmith

Kareem Hunt has been cut. Had to be done. https://t.co/OilbfGWuE1

Dianna Russini @diannaESPN

Are we all shocked because Kareem Hunt is such a talent and was cut or shocked a team finally committed to zero tolerance???

Benjamin Allbright @AllbrightNFL

I honestly hope Kareem Hunt gets whatever help he needs and turns this into a positive.

Robert Littal @BSO

The thing about the NFL is the hypocrisy of it all. Chiefs cut Kareem Hunt, but had no problem drafting Tyreek Hill and Hill’s situation was way worse video or no video.

Mark Craig @markcraignfl

Wow. https://t.co/bfdcFj9HpV

Evan Silva @evansilva

Vegas sets @redskins as heavy favorites to claim him.

https://t.co/a8eZ9HzuGe

Jon Miller @hawkeyenation

This is called doing it right https://t.co/qB5tHPnzM9

Adam Hoge @AdamHoge

Wow. Good for the #Chiefs. This is so rare in the NFL. https://t.co/LTJTKvmKo4

Judy Battista @judybattista

Wow. The Chiefs have released Kareem Hunt.

Bill Williamson @BWilliamsonNFL

Good for you Kansas City … yes, I expect Hunt to play again somewhere.

Ralph Vacchiano @RVacchianoSNY

Wow! That is a bold and impressive move by the Chiefs. https://t.co/gPLdGOt1Rp

Wells P @Wells_P

and His career is def over. After what happened with Foster this week, no team is touching him..

Ry @JustRyCole

A firm stance. https://t.co/IOBSePGRf2

Steelers Depot @Steelersdepot

Wow.

Ian Wharton @NFLFilmStudy

That’s a stunner. https://t.co/g3axBdQcII