WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

16 Pages Price 10,000 Rials 39th year No.13166 Wednesday JULY 25, 2018 Mordad 3, 1397 Dhi Al Qaeda 11, 1439 Zarif to Trump: India’s crude oil Vahid Amiri “Majan” named BE CAUTIOUS! imports from Iran voted IPL Player best at Zanzibar 2 jumped 52% in June 4 of the Year 15 film festival 16

Iran able to ‘adopt any strategy’ in Strait of Hormuz: military chief POLITICS TEHRAN — Chief reintroducing economic sanctions including U.S. has launched deskof Staff of the Iranian oil embargo against Iran. Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri issued a Strait of Hormuz is a highly important statement on Tuesday saying Iran is capable strategic location for international trade. of adopting “any strategy” in the strategic A record 18.5 million barrels per day of Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf region. sea-borne oil passes through it. Iran has threatened to shut down the General Baqeri said Iran has always economic war on Iran Strait of Hormuz if it cannot export its crude “guaranteed security of shipping in the oil as the Trump administration, which with- Persian Gulf and can adopt any strategy See page 2 drew from the 2015 nuclear deal in May, is in this region”. 2

Judiciary says trade official arrested over car import violation POLITICS TEHRAN — The Mohseni Ejei said in a press conference. deskIranian Judiciary an- He added, “Economic violations cannot nounced on Tuesday that director of the be tolerated in this situation. So, all the Trade Promotion Organization and his bodies are duty bound to counter such deputy have been arrested over violating violations.” the rules governing import of cars. Deputy Police Chief Eskandar Momeni “Certain people take criminal actions also said on Sunday that 300 individuals while enemy has started economic war have been arrested for their role in disrupting against the country,” Gholam Hossein the gold coin and foreign currency markets.

Iran moves up in UN E-Government Development Index TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — Iran status of telecommunication infrastructure deskmoves 20 notches up and existing human capacity. to rank 86 among 193 countries in the As it is mentioned on UN website, United Nations E-Government Develop- the EDGI value can be between 0 (low- ment Index (EGDI 2018) in comparison est) and 1 (highest), as it is a weighted with EGDI 2017, UN website announced average of normalized scores on the

Faraj Samadi on Saturday. three most important dimensions of Issued by the UN Department of Eco- e-government. nomic and Social Affairs, EGDI evaluates According to the UN data, Iran’s EGDI IRNA/ the scope and quality of online services, value was 0.6083 this year. 10 PERSPECTIVE Trump is looking for new alliances: Almut Moller ARTICLE M.A.Saki By Payman Yazdani formation of the European Union (EU) which Commenting on the recent tensions be- Kim Wookjin Deputy editor-in-chief TEHRAN — Commenting on the necessity of for the first time let Europeans to adopt a unified tween Washington and EU, Dr. Moller said, “In Iran expert at KOTRA a right balanced engagement between Russia integrated foreign policy. Berlin, policymakers do indeed see a change Tehran office and the EU, Almut Moller, head of the European Despite the EU weaknesses in the field of in transatlantic relations. President Trump, Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) in Berlin, security and its dependence on the US for its unlike previous US administrations, is chal- Is the government says Donald Trump is “looking for new alliances”. security the Union in two decades managed to lenging the European Union as an economic Learning about Iran: After World War II, during the Cold War, be the best model of regionalism and turn into and political umbrella for the countries of really taking economic and military weakness of the Europeans an economic superpower. Europe, and is undermining unity in words, A supreme pleasure and common goals like containing the former EU emergence as an economic super power and with action. While the unusual rhetoric steps toward Soviet Union led to increasing economic, political, has been the source of concerns for the US. and style of the US President is creating a lot of t has been already five years since I transparency? cultural and security transatlantic cooperation Differences between the US and EU over trade attention, there is the view in Berlin that what first step onto very unfamiliar land, and partnership. tariffs, NATO and other issues resulted in the US really matters are the structural divergences IIran. Back in August, 2013, I began Besides transatlantic cooperation, Europeans’ President Donald Trump’s remarks that called between the US and European countries that my governmental service in the Islamic n a brave move on June 25 Tele- tendency to avoid another possible conflict in the EU as an enemy of the US. Following his one needs to focus on. There is the widespread Republic of Iran. I did not know anything communications Minister Moham- Europe resulted in further inter-European coop- unfriendly remarks some EU officials reacted assumption that even with another president about Iran then. It was literally ‘the un- I mad Javad Azari Jahromi revealed eration despite many differences. Following the to his behavior. (either Republican or Democrat) the US would known world’ to me. For a Korean who the names of 40 companies which had collapse of the Soviet Union and end of the Cold To shed more light on the issue we reached have asked Europeans for a greater share of quickly absorbed western rationalism received foreign currency to import War, inter-European cooperation accelerated and out to Moller. the burden to upkeep the international order, and efficiency represented by America, cellphones but sold them based on entered a new phase. Finally increased social, Following is the full text of the interview in particular in terms of investing more into it was a bit of a shock to be in Iran at the price of foreign currency in the economic and political cooperation resulted in with her: European security.” 7 first. The country looks chaotic on the black market, which is nearly twice surface to a foreigner, but it really is a the official rate. country that marches to its own beat, The minister also said of the 220 Iran pays the biggest price in the fight against drugs: UNODC away from the huge waves of globali- million euros that these companies had zation elsewhere. By Marjan Golpira to implement or to rectify adherence to UN negative human aspect of it. received only 75 million euros had gone After several months, I made up my TEHRAN — Representative of the United Na- conventions. In line with the implementation of all for purchase of mobiles. mind to do as Iranians do when in Iran. tions Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to There are five conventions that we support three conventions, the UN works with a Also, a few weeks later, after it was Since then I have tried to give up missions the Islamic Republic of Iran says that Tehran worldwide. There are three unit conventions re- political declaration and plan of action. confirmed that violations had taken impossible and focus on the possible tasks, pays the highest price in the battle against drug lated to drug control, the conventions 621, 1971 This is the document adopted by all member place in import of cars, President Rou- what can be done. I was no longer going traffickers. and 1988 that describe second therapy substances, states of the UN. This document will be hani asked Industry and Commerce to complain and waste my valuable time. “Other nations recognize that Iran is not the what we call “drugs”. We aim to fight illicit drug reviewed again next year. This is the end Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari I decided to be the marginal person filling source country, but a transit country, and Iran trafficking with the 1988 convention. of this declaration, because it was adopted to report the issue to the “people and the gaps between locals and foreigners. I pays the biggest price in the fight against drugs,” When this convention was adopted, the in 2009. It means that next year, at the the judiciary”. started learning Farsi twice a week, too. Alex Fedulov says in an exclusive interview with international community agreed to dedicate ministerial level, the UN Special General In the letter to the president, Shariat- I patronized the BRT, the metro, and the the Tehran Times. efforts to stem drug abuse and counter drug Assembly Session will adopt a new world madari confirmed that some managers Mostaghim taxi, the same as Iranians. Below is the full text of the interview. trafficking. It was signed on June 26, 1988. drug problem document which will describe in his ministry had been involved in “il- I often bargained with merchants over Just after the signing of this convention in what to do with drugs in the next ten years, legal” registration of 6481 cars by certain Could you please tell us about the UNODC? the prices at the Tajrish bazaar asking New York, the day was dedicated to this how to communicate, how to cooperate, companies and individuals. A. The organization is responsible for assis- for a discount like the locals. I was able convention against drug abuse because of how to stop drug trafficking. 9 And finally, on Monday, July 24, tance to member states of the United Nations to understand Iran inch by inch through Shariatmadari, in a TV program, re- small experiences. vealed the names of 100 companies As time went on, I was driven by a and individuals who illegally ordered strong desire to share my moments in the importation of cars. Islamic Republic with Koreans. I shared According to reports, violation had my thoughts, such as what happens in taken place in the years 1395 (March Davud Azad Iran and how Iranians recognize the 2016-March 2017) and 1396 (March world, with a newspaper column and 2017-March 2018), before Shariatmadari band stages contributed regularly. With no experi- took over as minister. ence, I gradually became a brave writer. There are many legal loopholes I was so fortunate that I could witness that provide the ground for corruption Persian the historic events of the nuclear deal, and it is not coincidental that Iran is known also as the Joint Comprehensive among the list of countries rife with mystical music Plan of action (JCPOA), and the lifting corruption. of sanctions regime. Once the market In remarks in December 2017, Rouhani in Tehran opened, a lot of companies and countries said, “There is no solution other than trans- rushed into Iran. Looking at the scene, parency in uprooting corruption”. He also Vocalist and se-tar virtuoso Davud Azad I felt all the more keenly how intense said, “We all should be in the glass room (R) and his group perform a selection of international business was. so that people observe all our actions.” their mystical songs at Tehran’s Vahdat There have been sequential ups and Writing an article in the Hamshahri Hall on July 23, 2018. downs in the Islamic Republic. The United newspaper on July 17, Hossein Mir-Mo- Behzad Hajir is also seen performing States broke the deal in May this year, hammad Sadeqi, a senior law expert, said, the sama, a dervish whirling dance, at and it seems that new sanctions on Iran “We do not have transparency at all in the the concert performance. will be imposed again after the so-called process of decision making in ministries, The group’s greatest hits released wind-down periods. Observing what is municipalities, customs, tax offices… and over the past decade were performed going on in and around Iran nowadays, honaronline.ir / Majid Niknafs honaronline.ir the decisions are actually taken behind during the concert. I have a heavy heart before the trip back the closed doors.” 2 to my homeland. 7 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS JULY 25, 2018 MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS Larijani shreds Zarif to Trump: BE CAUTIOUS! ‘charlatan’ POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH deskForeign Minister Mo- FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE Trump for empty hammad Javad Zarif late on Monday EVER SUFFERED BEFORE,” Trump wrote. words warned U.S. President Donald Trump to “WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT “BE CAUTIOUS” after a day earlier Trump WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED POLITICS TEHRAN — Parliament Speaker Ali Lar- threatened that Iran “will suffer consequenc- WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE desk ijani on Tuesday dismissed U.S. President es the likes of which few throughout history CAUTIOUS!” Donald Trump’s recent Twitter threats against Iran as the have ever suffered.” Under its current the administration, “empty words” of a well-known “charlatan” which do not Zarif said Tehran was “unimpressed” by the U.S. has taken an increasingly hostile deserve a response. Trump’s threatening language. approach toward Iran. “We don’t need to respond to every piece of baloney,” “COLOR US UNIMPRESSED: The world On May 8, Trump unilaterally withdrew Larijani said in response to a call by MPs to react to Trump’s heard even harsher bluster a few months the U.S. from the 2015 multilateral nuclear recent tweet. ago. And Iranians have heard them —albeit deal with Iran despite objections by Europe Calling the U.S. president’s comments “undiplomatic”, more civilized ones—for 40 yrs. We’ve been as well as Russia and China — the other the philosopher-turned politician said, “Today, the United around for millennia & seen fall of empires, parties to the deal. States is known for being in a diplomatic disarray… In the including our own, which lasted more than The withdrawal entailed not only the Quran, God commands us to ignore the ignorant; they will the life of some countries. BE CAUTIOUS!,” re-imposition of sanctions on Iran but destroy themselves.” Zarif tweeted. also the so-called secondary sanctions on The threat of war against Iran by Trump third countries. Some of those sanctions came hours after President Hassan Rou- will take effect after a 90-day wind-down Zoroastrian hani warned the U.S. to stop pressing other period ending on August 6, and the rest countries to ban the purchase of the Ira- after a 180-day wind-down period ending clergyman nian crude oil. Rouhani told Trump: “Do on November 4. dismisses not play with the lion’s tail”. Rouhani also Iranian officials have said the U.S. meas- said peace with Iran will be “the mother of Zarif say: “We’ve been around for ures equal an “economic war” on Iran. Pompeo’s claims all peace” but war with the country will be On Saturday, Zarif said the Islamic Repub- “the mother of all wars”. millennia & seen fall of empires, including lic has managed to thwart the Iranophobia POLITICS TEHRAN — An Iranian Zoroastrian In his all-caps Twitter, Trump responded, plot hatched by Israel and the U.S. through desk our own, which lasted more than the life of clergyman has rejected claims by U.S. “NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED relying on the guidelines of Leader of the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that religious minorities STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER some countries.” Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. are being suppressed in Iran, saying Zoroastrians living in Iran are able to perform their rituals freely. “As a Zoroastrian mobad (cleric), I cry out loud that during ‘EU package should guarantee Iran’s VP Jahangiri: U.S. has launched the 40 years of the Islamic government in Iran, Zoroastrians have been able to perform their rituals freely,” Mobad Behzad interests’ economic war on Iran Neek-Deen, IRNA reported on Tuesday. “About 100 meters away from the fire temple of the Zo- Jahangiri urges any official who cannot help resolve roastrians in Isfahan, there is a mosque ... such scenes are problems to quit extremely rare in other countries,” he added.

Turkey refuses to join U.S. sanctions on Iran POLITICS TEHRAN — Turkish Foreign Minister deskMevlut Cavusoglu said his country will have no part in possible U.S. sanctions on Iran, Sputnik reported on Tuesday, citing Dunya newspaper. “We had a U.S. delegation here and we […] explained to them that we believe that [such moves] are a mistake. POLITICS TEHRAN — Irani- should address various sectors, including POLITICS TEHRAN — The Elsewhere in his remarks, the first We are not obliged to abide by any sanctions imposed by deskan Foreign Ministry oil, gas, and insurance and banking services. deskfirst vice president vice president said any efforts to under- anyone,” the paper quoted the Turkish minister as saying. spokesman Bahram Qassemi has said In an interview with the national TV, said on Tuesday that the United States mine the government will disappoint Back in May, President Trump pulled the United States that any economic package by the Eu- Qassemi has also said the U.S. admin- has launched an economic war on the people and this is what the opponents out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal agreed between ropean Union, Russia and China should istration is seeking to undermine Iran’s Islamic Republic. of Iran are wishing. Iran and six world powers and reintroduced sanctions “guarantee Iran’s interests” if the 2015 relations with the outside world. Es’haq Jahangiri, who commands “Today, weakening the government against Iran. nuclear agreement is going to continue The United States has targeted “Iran’s the country’s Resistance Economy means weakening the system which will to exist. rational relationship with other coun- Headquarters, said the government lead to the people’s disappointment. “The European Union along with tries”, he said. can be reformed and suggested that This is the main plan of the enemies Jimmy Kimmel China and Russia have shown that they Donald Trump withdrew the United anyone who cannot help solve the and what they seek is taking hostile have political determination to contin- States from the multilateral nuclear agree- people’s problems should delegate actions against Iran.” exposes Trump’s ue implementation of the nuclear deal. ment in May and plans to reintroduce his responsibility. He noted that the government will hypocrisy on However, what is important is that we sanctions against Iran. “All of us should feel motivated to not be able to handle the issues lonely should receive a package which contains According to the U.S. Treasury, the work, so that the management of the and it is necessary that all bodies to Iran economic proposals that guarantee Iran’s first batch of sanctions will go into force country will proceed well,” Jahangiri help the government. interests,” he told ILNA in an interview on August 6 and the second stage on told an annual gathering of Iranian U.S. President Donald Trump an- POLITICS TEHRAN — Jimmy Kimmel, an Amer- desk published on Tuesday. November 4. diplomats. nounced Washington’s exit from the ican television host, said on Monday that Qassemi noted that the remaining To save the multilateral agreement, To counter sanctions, some par- 2015 nuclear deal on May 8 and said it was “interesting” President Donald Trump had reacted so parties have not decided yet on a deadline the Joint Commission of the JCPOA liamentarians, economic experts and sanctions will be restored against Iran. strongly after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said hostile to present the package but they have met at the foreign ministerial level in political figures have asked President According to the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. policies to Iran may lead to “the mother of all wars”. not much time. Vienna on July 6. EU foreign policy Rouhani to make changes to his eco- first stage of sanctions will be snapped “People are wondering why the president would threaten “The European side is well aware of chief Federica Mogherini, who chaired nomic team. The calls for cabinet re- back in August and the primary ones them (Iran) with nuclear war, when he let (Russian President) realities and Iran’s views. We hope that the meeting, announced that Iran and shuffle have intensified since the value in November. Vladimir Putin practically run his fingers through his hair?” they will offer their package in Tehran or the remaining parties had agreed to of foreign currencies and gold coin Trump has asked countries to cut Kimmel asked, the Huffington Post reported. outside Tehran as soon as possible,” he said. continue negotiations, including on started to rise at the cost of national their oil imports from Iran by November. “Could it be that Trump is trying to use Iran to distract Elsewhere, Qassemi noted that Iran’s economic measures, over how to keep currency. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo us from whatever he’s up to with Russia?” he added. demands that should be included in the the deal alive. Jahangri noted that all the policies announced in May that the U.S. will package are within the framework of the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad of the government can be reformed apply economic and military pressure JCPOA, adding that Iran is not making Javad Zarif said on Sunday that remaining and requested highly-talented people against Iran and will impose “the strong- Three excessive demands. parties have so far failed to take “practical to offer their views to the government est sanctions in history” on the Islamic universities Iran has demanded that the package actions” to save the agreement. for a better governance. Republic. jointly producing CubeSat Is the government really taking steps toward transparency? POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian Space Agency (ISA) 1 The law expert said since these decisions are negotiations and partly resolve the problems left from transparency can turn into a public demand and a cam- deskDirector Morteza Barari said on Tuesday taken by what he calls “golden” elements and nobody the Ahmadinejad administration. However, in his second paign slogan by presidential and parliamentary candidates. that three Iranian universities are jointly working on man- is aware of the details, or sources of money and where term there is no excuse not to launch a campaign against Though fight against corruption entails necessary tools ufacturing a new CubeSat. they are spent it creates the ground for “spread of cor- corruption. It is extremely expected that his administration and legislations, Rouhani, in the remaining years of his In a meeting held in Tehran to discuss the cooperation ruption” in the country. would not limit fight against corruption to just these few administration, can be the flag-bearer of a movement between Iranian universities and the space industry, Barari Before the recent price shocks, which some experts cases which were revealed recently. against corruption. stressed the important roles that universities can play in the link mostly to high liquidity rather than the return of Now that the Trump administration has unilaterally The government can start from small steps. For example, development of the space industry, Mehr reported. sanctions, Rouhani had asked the economy minister and illegally pulled out of the 2015 nuclear agreement it will be a good start if the president and his ministers, Pointing to the current projects of ISA with a number to publish the sum of money that each state body re- and is putting pressure on other countries to cut eco- provincial governors and other top managers release the of top universities in the country, Barari said the space ceives monthly. nomic ties with Iran, one of the best tools to win the list of their monthly salary. If this happens then people may agency is seeking to strengthen cooperation with the Now the people are waiting to see whether the president public support to counter sanctions is to fight corruption demand parliamentarians release the list of their salary. universities. and his ministers are taking such steps because of the public and show transparency. In that environment the people People will also demand MPs to approve legislations to dissatisfaction over price rises, which have resulted from would be more convinced to resist forcefully against close loopholes leading to corruption. the sudden devaluation of the national currency against the bully by Trump and tolerate the consequences of It is proven that transparency and fair competition is foreign currencies, or that the government is REALLY the illegal sanctions. the bedrock for progress and its concrete examples are No country has bent on fighting corruption. If the president shows serious will in setting the stage Japan, Germany, South Korea and Scandinavian states. signed up for new In his first four-year term, President Rouhani was heavily for transparency, the next administrations will be forced We hope that the campaign that the Rouhani government to follow this path and even strengthen it. In that situation, has started against corruption would continue unabatedly. Iran sanctions: and truly involved in the delicate and laborious nuclear U.S. senator POLITICS TEHRAN — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy Iran able to ‘adopt any strategy’ in Strait of deskon Monday criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, saying no country has supported Washington’s effort to impose new Hormuz: military chief sanctions on Iran. 1 He went on to say that U.S. President Donald Trump, Elsewhere, he said that Iran has never started a war and “Last week, they briefed the Foreign Relations Committee “as the most hateful figure in the world”, is under the illu- has always helped maintain regional peace and stability. on Iran nuclear sanctions since pulling out of the deal. Simple sion that economic pressure on Tehran can cause division Addressing a gathering of Iranian diplomats on Sunday, question was asked: how many countries have signed up for among the Iranians. President Hassan Rouhani warned Trump about his hostile new sanctions on Iran? Answer: ZERO,” Murphy tweeted. “During the past four decades, the brave and revolutionary stance against Iran, saying, “Mr. Trump, do not play with “The only viable reason to pull out of the Iran deal was Iranian nation has shown that they make extra efforts in the the lion’s tail, this would only lead to regret.” to rebuild tougher sanctions so that Iran would eventually ups and downs and turn the shortcomings into opportunities Rouhani also said Iran has control over other strategic agree to a better agreement. But NOT A SINGLE COUNTRY and they also foil plots of enemies, especially the criminal places other than the Strait of Hormuz. has agreed to new sanctions. So why did we pull out of the U.S., the fake Zionist regime and their allies through unity “One who understands politics even a little bit wouldn’t deal?” he added. and integrity,” the senior commander stated. say ‘we will stop Iran’s oil exports’,” he said. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 25, 2018 INTERNATIONAL Israeli military targets Syrian fighter MSF suspends job in South jet over occupied Golan Heights Sudan after raids Israeli military forces have targeted a Syr- occupied territories. ian Air Force fighter jet over the Golan The official said Tel Aviv is sticking to its Heights as it was flying in Syria’s airspace call for an end to Iran’s counter-terrorism and conducting a series of airstrikes against mission in Syria, the removal of all long- the positions of foreign-sponsored Takfiri range missiles from Syria and the closure militants in the occupied territories. of any factories producing precision-guided “The Israeli enemy confirms its support missiles there. for the armed terrorist groups and targets Furthermore, the official said, Tel Aviv one of our warplanes, which was striking asked Moscow to guarantee that all air-de- their groups in the area of Saida on the edge fense systems that protect the aforementioned of the Yarmouk Valley in Syrian airspace,” arms be taken out of the country. Syria’s official news agency SANA quoted an In turn, Russia has been carrying out an unnamed Syrian military source as saying aerial bombardment campaign as a cover for on Tuesday. ground operations by the Syrian army against Doctors Without Borders (MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières) said The Israeli military, however, claimed in the terror groups seeking to oust Damascus. on Tuesday it has suspended most of its work in South Sudan’s a statement that it had launched two surface- Moscow, too, has military advisors in Syria. northern Maban county, after protesters looted its offices and to-air Patriot missiles at the Syrian Sukhoi The Russian military runs a number those of several humanitarian agencies. fighter jet after it had “infiltrated into Israeli of bases in Syria and deployed units of its “A group of unidentified armed men broke into (the) MSF office airspace.” state-of-the-art S-400 anti-aircraft missile and compound, looting the organization and staff’s properties, The statement added that the missiles al-Harah, as well as Samlin, al-Tiha and talks, “the parties tackled various aspects of defensive systems to the country. burning down a tent full of equipment and destroying most of had shot down the Syrian warplane. Zimrin,” media outlets quoted observatory the Middle Eastern agenda, attaching pri- Syria blasts evacuation of White the vehicles and communication devices,” the medical charity “Since morning hours, there has been chief Rami Abdel Rahman as saying. mary significance to the situation in Syria Helmets as ‘criminal’ said in a statement. an increase in the internal fighting in Syria, He said the government troops had ousted and its vicinity.” Elsewhere the Syrian government on Mon- “The attack has forced MSF to suspend the majority of its medical including an increase in the activity of the militants from al-Tiha in a military advance, Netanyahu’s office said in a statement day condemned a multilateral operation to support to the host communities and the refugee population.” Syrian Air Force,” the Israeli army further while armed groups in al-Harah had agreed that the meeting, which was also attended by evacuate hundreds of rescue workers from The charity runs a hospital in the Doro refugee camp and offers asserted. to a surrender deal. senior Russian and Israeli military officials, the war-torn country as a “criminal process” consultations at the state hospital of the regional capital Bunj. Syrian state media said the fighter jet was Heavy fighting dealt with “Iran and the situation in Syria.” intended to de-stabilize Syria. MSF head of mission Samuel Theodore said the team would targeted in Syrian airspace while conducting Meantime, Syrian state media said gov- Over the past years, Tehran and Mos- Syrian authorities have long described the continue to treat those with the most critical medical conditions. raids against Islamic State in Iraq and the ernment forces reached the frontier with the cow have been assisting the Syrian army in Civil Defense search-and-rescue group, which “However, as the safety of healthcare personnel and facilities Levant (ISIL/Daesh) terrorist group and Israeli-occupied Golan Heights after capturing its battles against various terrorist groups are popularly known as the White Helmets, cannot be guaranteed, we have no other choice but to suspend other terrorist elements in southern Syria. territory - the first time they took up positions – many of which have the backing of Israel as a terrorist organization. the rest of our activities, which will leave 88,000 people with Israel has been on high alert in recent there since the 2011 uprising. and its allies. The group rose to prominence as it filmed limited access to much needed medical services.” days as Syrian government forces advance “Since the morning hours, there has been Russia has repeatedly underlined the need its operations to rescue civilians in the coun- The United Nations refugee agency UNCHR said on Monday against foreign-backed terrorists near the an increase in the internal fighting in Syria, for the involvement of influential external try’s foreign instigated war. The government that its premises were among about 10 that had been stormed and Golan Heights. including an increase in the activity of the players, including the regional power house has alleged the group stages videos. Damas- looted by protesters. Two UNCHR staff members were injured. Tel Aviv has frequently attacked military Syrian Air Force,” the Israeli army said in Iran, in efforts to resolve the deadly conflict cus’s ally Russia has accused the group of The violence occurred after locals protested a lack of job op- targets inside Syria in an attempt to prop a statement. Israel has frequently attacked gripping Syria. staging chemical weapons attacks on civilians portunities, accusing humanitarian organizations of hiring from up terrorist groups that have been suffering military targets inside Syria in an attempt to Tehran also says it would maintain its and blaming them on the government. outside the county, UNHCR said. defeats at the hands of Syrian government prop up the terrorist groups that have been advisory role in Syria and continue its support On Saturday, more than 400 rescuers and Aid workers have frequently been targeted during South Su- forces. On July 16, Syrian army took control suffering defeats at the hands of Syrian gov- for resistance groups as long as Damascus their family members were evacuated from dan’s four-year-long civil war, with 100 killed since the outbreak of a strategic hill overlooking the Israeli-oc- ernment forces. wants it to do so. Syria’s Quneitra province through Israel to of fighting in December 2013, according to the UN. cupied Golan Heights. Syria usually intercepts the projectiles Lavrov’s trip to the Israeli-occupied Jordan, after the rebels surrendered the last Thousands of aid workers work in the country which is suf- Syria’s state television said the army had fired by the Israeli military. It has vowed to territories follows a visit two weeks ago by areas they held in the southwestern province fering one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with liberated al-Harah hill in the second day of a strengthen its air power and defenses in the Netanyahu to Moscow, where he asked for to the government. four million displaced and seven million -- more than half the major offensive to seize the remaining mili- face of Tel Aviv’s aerial acts of aggression. the removal of Iranian advisors from Syria. Syria’s foreign ministry called it a “smug- population -- requiring food aid in 2018, according to the UN. tant-held parts of southwestern provinces. Russia’s Lavrov meets with Is- That visit took place amid Israel’s concerns gling operation” that was evidence of a Western (Source: AFP) SANA, citing a military source, said the rael’s Netanyahu for talks on Syria over Syria’s recent advances against the ter- conspiracy to overthrow the government. The army had captured a string of villages, in- Elsewhere, Russian Foreign Minister rorists in the south near the Israeli-occupied White Helmets have financial backing from cluding al-Tiha and Zimrin. Sergei Lavrov has held a meeting with side of the Golan Heights. the United States, Britain, and other nations. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Hu- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netan- Following the meeting on Monday, The unprecedented operation was spear- man Rights (SOHR) also confirmed that Da- yahu in the occupied territories to discuss Reuters cited a senior Israeli official as headed by the U.S., Canada, and Britain, The Nicaragua unrest: Ortega mascus government units had made a “quick the situation in Syria, including Iran’s saying on condition of anonymity that Israel Associated Press reported on Friday. advance” against militants in the western counter-terrorism mission there. had rejected a Russian proposal, which The rescuers and their families are ex- denies responsibility for part of Dara’a. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a would see Iranian military advisors in Syria pected to be resettled in Europe and Canada. “Syrian … forces captured the town of statement on Monday that during Monday’s stationed 100 kilometers away from the (Source: staff & agencies) deaths

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has reiterated he will serve out his term until 2021, despite more than three months of pro- German foreign minister: Europe will not tests that have seen nearly 300 deaths. Ortega told Fox News in an interview broadcast on Monday that moving up the elections - a demand of the protesters - would “make things worse”. bow to Trump threats “We were elected by the voters,” said the 72-year-old leader, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has warned that Eu- 28-nation bloc as a trade “foe.” who has ruled Nicaragua for a total of 22 years since his Sandin- rope will not give in to threats by the administration of the Senior European officials in Brussels say that while EU ista revolution toppled a United States-backed dictator in 1979. United States President Donald Trump, amid a global trade import duties for cars are heavier than those applied by the “To move up the elections would create instability, insecurity war between the European Union states and Washington. United States, the U.S. rates for other products, including and make things worse,” he said. “Europe will not be threatened by President Trump. If we trucks, are higher. They say cutting duties for cars can only Ortega and his government have been accused of using cede once, we will often have to deal with such behavior in be part of a broader trade deal. heavy-handed tactics to curb the anti-government demonstra- the future,” Heiko Maas said in a post on Twitter on Tuesday. In January, the European Union warned the U.S. that it tions. Rights groups said authorities have arbitrarily arrested “No one has an interest in having punitive tariffs, because will react “swiftly and appropriately” if Washington wages hundreds of people in its crackdown on the protests. everyone loses in the end,” said the foreign minister of Eu- a trade war on the 28-member bloc. Ortega also said he is ready to continue a dialogue mediated rope’s biggest economy. Separately, Maas told the German Maas, who is to visit Japan and South Korea, which are by the Roman Catholic Church, despite his previous attacks on it. public television, “We in Europe must stick together…I hope also threatened by the U.S. tariffs, said no one had an interest “We invite the Catholic Church to continue with the dialogue that we succeed in resolving this via consensus but we will in new and higher tariffs. “In the end, all sides would lose, so the dialogue can grow and develop in an open manner,” he said. not be threatened and climb down so easily.” also the Americans,” he said. Last week, Ortega accused Catholic bishops of working with Elsewhere in the remarks, the top German diplomat Amid an intensifying trade war between China and the “coup plotters”, saying that disqualified them as mediators. hoped that a planned visit to Washington by the chief of United States, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the In Monday’s recorded interview, Ortega rejected allegations the European Commission could prevent an all-out trade U.S. intimidation and threats “will never work” on Beijing, that he controlled the pro-government paramilitaries seen acting war. “It is good that Jean-Claude Juncker will be in Wash- calling on Washington to maintain a rational attitude in in concert with the police. ington tomorrow to talk and to seek a solution but we are arrive in the United States for talks with the U.S. President dealing with related issues. He instead accused Nicaraguan political groups of heading not heading to negotiations with a pistol at our chest. I don’t Donald Trump with a specific trade offer. “I do not wish Trump earlier this year ordered his administration to rival anti-government groups, which he said had sought financing think threats bring us closer to a solution.” to enter into a discussion about mandates, offers because introduce new tariffs on imports from other countries. from drug traffickers and the United States. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker there are no offers. This is a discussion, it is a dialogue and The heavy tariffs, which were met with an international He accused those groups of killing “tens” of police officers in is due to meet with Trump to discuss the imposition of the it is an opportunity to talk and to stay engaged in dialogue.” outcry, triggered a trade war with several countries across the unrest. “None of the peaceful demonstrations” have been U.S. tariffs on EU steel and aluminum and his threats to Juncker will travel to Washington on Wednesday for talks various parts of the world. attacked by police, he said. expand those measures to European cars. focused on tensions in trade between the EU and the US. Trump, however, has welcomed a trade war with other The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas Trump has complained about higher duties applied by countries, claiming such a war would be “easy to win.” has said that during the so-called clean-up operations in and around told a news conference on Monday that Juncker would not the European Union on car imports and has described the (Source: Press TV) the city of Masaya there had been a high degree of support and collaboration between police forces and hooded masked armed “parapolice” groups in deploying violence against the population. Ortega also denied reports by protesters and police that his Afghan capital Kabul hit by multiple explosions forces shot dead two young men holed up in a Managua church Multiple explosions have rocked the Afghan ported five explosions in total, adding that Levant (ISIL/Daesh) terrorist group, which curity forces and civilians since the Taliban that came under sustained fire earlier this month. capital, Kabul, with three confirmed to have the blasts took place near a police academy said it had targeted Afghan Vice President announced the beginning of their spring of- “No Nicaraguan has died in any church. Not a single Nicara- been caused by rockets that hit a residential in the district of Afshar, in western Kabul. Abdul Rashid Dostum, who returned to Kabul fensive on April 25. guan has died in any church. That’s false,” Ortega said. area, officials have said. Quoting police, Tolo added that the target after more than a year in exile. Fighting traditionally picks up in Af- According to the university students who were holed up in At least three people were wounded in the appeared to be the police academy and that Scores of government officials, political ghanistan as warmer weather melts snow a besieged church, however, 21-year-old Gerald Vazquez died attacks, with police deployed to the area to “dozens of families” had fled the area. leaders and supporters had gone to the airport in mountain passes, allowing fighters to move inside the church after he was reportedly shot in the head. A find the launch site, an official told the AFP Tuesday’s rocket attacks came two days to welcome Dostum, a powerful ethnic Uzbek around more easily. second person reportedly died behind the university barricades. news agency after a suicide bomber blew himself up leader and former strongman. According to the United Nations, a total of Nearly 300 dead “Rockets were fired on Kabul city from an near Kabul international airport, killing Dostum was unharmed in the attack, his 1,692 people have been killed in the first half Meantime, the Nicaraguan Centre for Human Rights said on unknown direction and ... hit residential areas at least 23 people and wounding a further armored vehicle having already whisked him of 2018, with another 3,430 people wounded Monday that 292 people have been killed in three months of pro- near the mountains in PD5 (police district),” 107 people. away when the bomber struck. - the highest figure since it began keeping tests and repression by police and paramilitaries using firearms, police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said. Sunday’s attack was claimed by the local The Afghan capital has seen an increase records in 2009. raising a previous toll. The unrest began on April 18 as a protest The Afghan news website, Tolo News, re- chapter of the Islamic State in Iraq and the in bombings and other attacks against se- (Source: agencies) against a pension reform plan that has since been dropped. But that anger mushroomed into a broad campaign against Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, who are We don’t trust Russia or Putin, Haley says as trump accused by critics of running a corrupt left-wing dictatorship. Thousands staged dueling marches for and against the gov- ernment on Monday. Those opposed to Ortega carried crosses backtracks on Helsinki summit with backpacks hanging from them - symbols of students killed The United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki allies by criticizing the leaders of Germany and Britain, while clusion on the matter. “President Putin says it’s not Russia. in the unrest. A pro-government student union voiced support Haley has defended President Donald Trump’s recent one-on- questioning the purpose of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty I don’t see any reason why it would be,” Trump said. for Ortega and referred to protesters as “terrorists”. one summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, insisting Organization). In an apparent volte-face, Trump later claimed he had The political crisis has hurt the economy of Nicaragua, one that Russia is “never going to be our friend.” When he met with Putin, however, Trump was much less misspoken: “I said the word ‘would’ instead of ‘wouldn’t’ of the poorest countries in the Americas. The Trump-Putin summit, which took place in Finland confrontational, piling blame on his own country for poor and the sentence should have been: ‘I don’t see any reason Standard & Poor’s on Monday downgraded its debt rating for last week, capped off a calamitous trip to Europe by the U.S. ties with Russia and suggesting he believed Putin’s denial of why it wouldn’t be Russia.’” Nicaragua from B+ to B, with a negative outlook. leader during which he appeared to delight in unnerving election meddling over his own intelligence agencies’ con- (Source: newsweek) (Source: agencies) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY JULY 25, 2018

STOCK MARKET Annual iron TEDPIX 108395.9 IFX 1218.69 Sources: tse.ir, Ifb.ir ore exports CURRENCIES USD 43,800 rials EUR 51,189 rials rise 31% GBP 57,358 rials ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iran at the next places after China in the past year. deskexported $1.072 billion As reported, Iran’s exports of iron ore in AED 11,927 rials of iron ore in the past Iranian calendar year 2017 stood at $1.4 billion, accounting for Source: mehrnews.com (ended on March 20, 2018), which indicates 1.5 percent of the global market. 31.1 percent rise from its previous year’s The country’s exports from the mining figure, IRNA reported on Tuesday citing sector stood at $9 billion in the past Iranian iron ore concentrate in the past year. Iran is one of the top 10 mineral-rich the data released by the Islamic Republic calendar year, according to Deputy Industry IMIDRO and its affiliated companies countries where 68 types of minerals have of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA). Minister Mehdi Karbasian. inaugurated $2 billion of projects in the been identified so far, including the world’s COMMODITIES China was the main buyer of Iran’s iron Karbasian, who is also the head of Iranian said time, the official added. largest deposits of copper, zinc and iron, WTI $68.28/b ore in the past year, importing $1.043 billion Mines and Mining Industries Development As Karbasian announced, by the end of which have been tempting international Brent $73.08/b of the product from Iran, which is 97 percent and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), the present Iranian year (March 20, 2019), investors after the lifting of economic of the total exports. has announced that Iran exported 740,000 about $6 billion of new projects will be sanctions against the country in January OPEC Basket $71.57/b Iraq, India, Russia and Afghanistan stood tons of sponge iron and 18 million tons of inaugurated in Iranian mining sector. 2016. Gold $1,227.05 /oz Silver $15.55/oz Inflation rate at 8.7%: statistical center Platinium $864.65/oz ECONOMY TEHRAN — The Statistical IRIB reported on Tuesday. services Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at month and 12.7 percent increase compared to Sources: oilprice.com, Moneymetals.com deskCenter of Iran announced As reported, inflation rate stood at 8.8 percent 121.4 in Tir, indicating 4.6% increase compared the same month of the previous year. that the inflation rate in the twelve-month pe- and 8.2 percent in the urban and rural areas of to the previous month and 14% rise compared All sectors of the Iranian economy registered riod ended on July 22, which marks the end of the country, respectively, during the mentioned to the same month of the past year. positive growth in 2017, during which 650,000 NEWS IN BRIEF the Iranian calendar month of Tir, stood at 8.7 time span. And in the rural areas, the CPI stood at 120.9 jobs were created and the country attained a single- Industrial units percent, up 0.5 percent from its previous month, In the urban areas, the average goods and in Tir, with 3.2 percent rise compared to the past digit inflation rate after a quarter of century. receive €72m in loans during 4 India’s crude oil imports from Iran jumped 52% in June months India’s crude oil imports from Iran jumped to 8.14 MT, DGCIS data showed. imports from Iran jumped nearly two-and-a- any third country. 52 percent to 2.57 million tons (MT) in June U.S. had in May walked out of the Joint half times or 140 percent to $1,368 million in “High level exchanges, including the state as compared to 1.69 MT in the same month Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran and June this year as compared to June 2017. For visit of PM to Iran in May 2016 and that of ECONOMY TEHRAN — According to the latest an- desk last year, fresh data sourced from the Directo- re-imposed economic sanctions on the country. the quarter ended June, value of these imports Iranian President to India in February 2018 nouncement of Iran’s Bank of Industry and rate General of Commercial Intelligence and The sanctions prohibit other countries to get stood at $4,077 million as compared to $2,026 have taken place. In keeping with the under- Mine, industrial units in the country have received €72 mil- Statistics (DGCIS), an arm of the commerce into new contracts with Iran immediately and million in the year-ago period. standings reached during these visits, both lion of facilities in foreign currency since the beginning of the ministry, showed. provide a six-month period ending 4 November Responding to a question in parliament sides are engaged in developing a long-term present Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2018), IRNA The jump in oil imports comes amid pres- to wind-down existing commitments with the on whether India is continuing its economic partnership in energy; deepening of trade reported on Tuesday. sure on major oil importing countries including country, especially with Iranian oil companies. relations with Iran in the sphere of oil imports and investment cooperation; and an early The facilities have been granted to the industrial units for India to cut oil imports from Iran and freeze U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Chabahar port, India’s Minister of State and full operations of Shahid Beheshti Port implementation of 982 projects; for example, €16 million was all oil imports from that nation by November Nikki Haley in her official visit to India last (MoS) for External Affairs V K Singh said bi- at Chabahar,” Singh said in a written reply paid to steel sector, €11 million to road construction and €5 this year. For the first quarter ended June, month also emphasized the need for India to lateral relations with Iran stand on their own last week. million was paid to excavation, the report said. India’s oil imports from Iran rose 45 percent cut oil imports from Iran. In value terms India’s and are not influenced by India’s relations with (Source: The Economic Times) Unemployment Turkish lira tumbles after central bank holds rates rate rises 0.5% in Turkey’s central bank on Tuesday held its main decision. spring yr/yr interest rate steady despite rapid inflation, in a “Once you make the president’s son-in-law decision that is likely to deepen investor angst as finance minister, credibility is on the line so over its independence a month after President you do have to be even more careful than usual,” Erdogan’s re-election. he said, adding that in his view, a rate hike would ECONOMY TEHRAN — According to the latest report Tuesday’s decision was seen as a critical test have been less damaging to Turkey than the deskof the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI), unem- of whether policymakers would continue tak- hit to the lira which has followed the freeze. ployment rate in spring which corresponds to the first quarter ing action to slow price growth, with inflation Today’s decision “sends a strong signal that of current Iranian calendar year (March 21-June 21) stood at running above 15 per cent, more than three they [the Turks] still don’t get it”, Mr McNa- 12.1 percent, increasing 0.5 percent in comparison with the times the central bank’s target. mara said. spring of last year. The country’s currency tumbled immedi- For its part, the central bank pointed to The center put the number of the unemployed at 3.322 mil- ately after the central bank left its policy rate at recent data that “indicate a more significant lion persons in spring of this year, IRIB reported on Tuesday. 17.75 per cent, against market expectations for rebalancing trend in the economic activity.” a roughly 100 basis point increase, following a “External demand maintains its strength, trio of rises since late April. It was recently down while signs of deceleration in domestic demand Daily gasoline 3.5 per cent, with one dollar buying TL4.91. become more visible,” it said. consumption For the year to date, the lira is down by more The question now facing investors is whether than a fifth. Mr Erdogan, who vehemently objects to high touches 92m Timothy Ash, emerging market sovereign interest rates and who has blamed international liters in a month strategist at BlueBay Asset Management, said forces for the lira’s tumble, will allow central the decision was “very hard to understand or to bank chief Murat Cetinkaya the flexibility to justify” given the vigorous price growth. tighten monetary policy going forward. ENERGY TEHRAN — Average daily gasoline con- “The question is whether the market now Charles Robertson, global chief economist desksumption in Iran reached 91.7 million liters looks to test the [central bank] and forces another at Renaissance Capital, called the central bank during the Iranian calendar month of Tir (June 22-July 22), emergency rate hike down the line,” he said. rak, to a powerful new finance and economy TL4.9711 to the dollar. It also caused wobbles decision “remarkable”, adding that it is “look- 8.1 million liters more than the preceding month. Recep Tayyip Erdogan sparked deep angst role. His decision sent the lira, already one of in Turkey’s fixed income market. ing hard to see how they can avoid either an The figure for average daily consumption in the mentioned among international investors after he earlier the year’s worst-performing emerging market “It’s a bad look,” said Paul McNamara, emerg- International Monetary Fund deal or capital period increased by 8.5 percent compared to the previous month, this month named his son-in-law, Berat Albay- currencies, plunging to a fresh all-time low of ing markets director at GAM, of Tuesday’s rate controls.” (Source: Financial Times) IRIB reported. As reported, the figure for daily consumption jumped to a record high of 102.2 million liters in the last day of the men- Second Announcement tioned month (June 22). Euro zone banks see The year to date average daily consumption stood at 86.8 ONE STEP INTERNATIONAL TENDER million liters, 9.6 percent more than the last year’s 79.2 million liters for the same period. rising loan demand, GOVERNMENT TRADING CORPORATION OF IRAN Iranians consumed a total of 2.84 billion liters of gasoline in the Iranian calendar month of Tir (which is the first month easing credit of summer in Iran). The Government Trading Corporation of Iran (hereinafter referred to as GTC), affiliated to the Ministry standards: ECB of Agriculture Jahad of the Islamic Republic of Iran, intends to purchase 30,000 M/Ts 10 pct Euro zone banks expect demand for corporate and M/L,crude sunflower seed oil (in 3 separate cargoes of 10,000 MTs+ 10% with different shipment periods) City of London leader sees household loans to increase further in the third quarter with credit standards also easing, the European Central on the basis of CFR pumped out one of the north Iranian ports (Amirabad, Nowshahr, Freydunkenar, 3,500-12,000 finance jobs Bank said in a quarterly survey of the bloc’s top banks. or Anzali) ,through single stage international tender. lost from Brexit Buying 2.5 trillion euros ($2.9 trillion) worth of public and private bonds over the past three years, the All of qualified companies and suppliers that are interested to bid above tender are invited to receive Brexit will cause about 3,500 to 12,000 financial-services jobs to ECB has pushed borrowing costs to record low levels, move from Britain to the European Union in the short term, the hoping to stimulate borrowing and spending, all with tender documents from 25/07/2018 until 04/08/2018 from the secretary of Trades&Tenders committee City of London financial district’s leader said on Tuesday, and many the ultimate aim of boosting inflation. more jobs might disappear in the longer term. Although the scheme worked more slowly than located on the 4th floor of GTC building No. 2 , Fatmei Ave (opposite of Water and Wastewater Co.), More than 2 million people work in financial services across Britain. expected, household and corporate lending are both “We are not expecting a big Brexodus in the first instance. But near post-crisis highs, so the ECB agreed last month Tehran, Iran along with an official letter of introduction. depending on how things pan out ... in the longer term, we may see to wind down the bond purchases, satisfied that infla- many more go,” Catherine McGuinness told parliament’s Exiting tion is finally moving back towards its target of just The bid participants are required to submit their stamped and sealed envelopes containing their offers the European Union Committee. under 2 percent. latest at 13:00 (Tehran time) on 04/09/2018 to the secretariat of tenders committee located on the 7th Banks, insurers and asset managers in Britain are opening hubs In the second quarter, banks saw increased demand in the EU before Britain’s departure from the EU in March to ensure for corporate, housing and consumer loans and said floor. Meanwhile the meeting for the opening of the envelopes will be held on 04/09/2018 at 14:00 continuity in services to customers there. credit standards — internal guidelines or loan approval The City was disappointed that Britain’s government ditched criteria — also eased for all three categories, the ECB said. (Tehran time) with the presence of bidder’s representatives in tenders committee (2nd floor of GTC its preferred option of future EU trade based on mutual recogni- Its comments were based on a survey of 149 lenders. tion, whereby Britain and the EU accept each other’s rules under “Banks’ overall terms and conditions on new loans building No 2, Fatmei Ave (opposite of Water and Wastewater Co.), Tehran, Iran). two-way regulatory cooperation. continued to ease across all loan categories in the sec- “We had expected continued support for mutual recognition,” ond quarter of 2018, driven mainly by a narrowing of Bid bond: the bid bond worth EUR 121,146 (IRR. 5,957,825,633) in cash or unconditional bank guarantee McGuinness said. margins on average loans,” the ECB said. with three months validity and extendible for another three months. Instead, Britain has asked for financial-services access based on a It added that competitive pressures and risk percep- more accommodative version of the EU’s equivalence system, used tions contributed to an easing of credit standards in Note: participates who wish to bid for more than one cargo are obliged to deposit the above mentioned by Japan and the United States, whereby Brussels alone decides the second quarter, while banks’ risk tolerance, their who gets access. cost of funding and balance sheet constraints had a bid bond for each extra shipment. So far, the EU has said it won’t adapt its equivalence system in broadly neutral impact. the way Britain wants. (Source: Reuters) (Source: Reuters) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 25, 2018 ENERGY 5

Oil steady as U.S.-Iran row North Korean fuel prices drop, suggesting UN balances trade worries sanctions being undermined Gasoline prices in North Korea have nearly halved since late Oil prices steadied on Tuesday as rising from trade tensions between the United States March, market data analyzed by Reuters shows, adding weight tension between the United States and Iran and China, among others. to suspicions that fuel is finding its way into the isolated economy highlighted risks to supply while escalating “It is surely only a matter of time before from China and elsewhere despite U.N. sanctions. trade disputes raised the prospect of slower something tangible yields from the ongoing The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution in December economic growth and perhaps weaker en- trade war stories and it probably won’t be a to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North ergy demand. pretty outcome,” said Matt Stanley, a fuel Korea over its nuclear and missile programs. Brent crude oil was up 15 cents at $73.21 oil broker at Freight Investors Services in But as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has moved to im- a barrel by 1015 GMT. U.S. light crude was Dubai. prove relations with the United States, China and South Korea, 45 cents higher at $68.34 a barrel. “I imagine crude will stay in a fairly narrow concerns have grown that the policy of “maximum pressure” Both oil benchmarks have fallen this month range over the next few days,” Stanley said. through sanctions and isolation, is losing steam. as crude supplies from Russia, Saudi Arabia Meanwhile, U.S. crude inventories at the Gasoline was sold by private dealers in the capital Pyongyang and other members of the Organization of U.S. crude futures delivery hub at Cushing, at about $1.24 per kg as of Tuesday, down 33 percent from $1.86 the Petroleum Exporting Countries have in- Oklahoma rose in the four days to Friday, per kg on June 5 and 44 percent from this year’s peak of $2.22 per creased and unscheduled production losses according to data supplier Genscape, trad- kg on March 27, according to Reuters analysis of data compiled have eased. ers said. by the Daily NK website. Diesel prices are at $0.85 per kg, down Market sentiment has been driven by ge- On a weekly basis, stockpiles at the hub about 17 percent from March. opolitical worries: fears that supply could be were expected to fall for the 10th consecutive The website is run by North Korean defectors who collect disrupted by confrontation in the Middle East week, traders said. prices via phone calls with traders in the North. or that Washington’s trade dispute with its A Reuters survey on Monday estimated “My assessment is that there was a greater inflow (of fuel major trading partners could dampen global on average that total U.S. crude stocks fell supplies) from abroad, especially China since Kim’s trips there,” growth. by 3.2 million barrels last week, after rising said Kang Mi-jin, who works at Daily NK and speaks regularly Iran, OPEC’s third-largest producer pump- But Saudi Arabia and other large producers United States and Iran as prices remain close in the previous week. to sources inside North Korea. ing 3.75 million barrels a day, has come under are ramping up output to offset losses that to three-month lows,” said Carsten Menke, U.S. industry body the American Petro- Kim first visited China to meet President Xi Jinping in March, increasing U.S. pressure, with the adminis- are likely to come as the November deadline commodities research analyst at Swiss private leum Institute will release its inventories and they held two more summits, in May and June. tration of President Donald Trump pushing approaches. bank Julius Baer. data for last week at 4:30 p.m. EDT (2030 Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused countries to cut all imports of Iranian oil “The oil market does not seem to be overly G20 finance leaders voiced concern over GMT) on Tuesday. North Korea of “illegally smuggling petroleum products into from November. concerned about the recent tussle between the the weekend about the risk to global growth (Source: Reuters) the country at a level that far exceeds quotas” established by the United Nations. ‘Big oil’ set to reap benefits of relatively higher crude prices (Source: Reuters) Looks like “big oil” is all set to receive a big crude bonanza Moody’s also expects a five percent annual increase in “Such experiences have made these companies institu- courtesy of a partial recovery in crude prices, according to total capital spending for these companies in 2019. Mean- tionally resilient to adverse events and regulatory change.” Californians are asked to fresh research. while, improving oil prices have allowed the five oil majors Moody’s thinking chimes with analysts’ expectations on turn off the lights as heat In a note to its clients on Monday (July 23), ratings agen- to fully fund capital expenditures and dividends from op- Wall Street and the City of London. A Thomson Reuters’ cy Moody’s says the likes of ExxonMobil, Chevron, Royal erating cash flow. poll of market observers expects ExxonMobil to post a 62 descends Dutch Shell, Total and BP are all in line for improved profits. Alongside global diversification, the majors’ large, tangi- percent increase in quarterly profit to $5.45 billion on Fri- The five major integrated oil companies responded to the oil ble-asset scale gives them significant cost advantages over day (July 27). Please: No unnecessary lights, set air conditioners to 78 degrees price collapse by cutting costs, slashing capital spending and smaller energy companies, and provides abundant assets Chevron is expected to post quarterly profit of $4 billion Fahrenheit (26 Celsius) or higher and avoid using major appli- divesting assets, and by doing so, positioned their businesses that can be sold to raise cash during times of industry dis- on Friday; more than double over the same quarter a year ances. That’s what California residents are being asked to do “to prosper in a world of range-bound commodity prices.” tress, the agency added. ago. Shell is expected by analysts to post a 68 percent jump Tuesday and Wednesday evenings as sweltering temperatures Since the slump, the five majors have brought down their They also prioritize risk management and long-term in quarterly profit to $6.08 billion on Thursday (July 26), hit the Golden State. capital costs by reducing oilfield services costs and increas- planning as a core competency, while maintaining strong while many expect BP to post a more-than fourfold jump Day-ahead power prices in Southern California reached a ing efficiencies, and by undertaking fewer large projects. flexibility to absorb periodic shocks, the agency’s report in quarterly profit to $2.66 billion on July 31. 10-month high of $467.19 a megawatt-hour for the hour ending at “The companies’ principal business risk is oil and gas further notes. A combination of oil production cuts by OPEC and 10 8 p.m. Monday, more than double the day before, as the California price volatility, and they proved their fundamental strength Speer adds: “Over the decades, integrated oil companies non-OPEC oil producers, and supply shocks from Libya, Independent System Operator projected demand would climb. through the depths of the oil price crash,” says Pete Speer, have withstood government expropriations of their producing Nigeria and Venezuela have seen the crude price rise by as “Dangerous heat” will descend across Southern California Senior Vice President at Moody’s. “And in today’s improved assets and being locked out of many prolific, low-cost oil much as 10 percent since January, with Brent capping $80 through July 26, with temperatures seen reaching 92 degrees environment, we expect them to continue to pursue effi- and gas basins, while technological and regulatory changes per barrel at point over the course of the year; the bench- along the coast, 100 inland and 110 in desert areas, according to ciencies and maintain competitive cost structures in order have sometimes required significant capital investments mark’s highest level in nearly three years. the National Weather Service. to reap the benefits of higher prices.” and operational changes. (Source: Forbes) (Source: Bloomberg) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 INTERNATIONAL JULY 25, 2018 Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates If Trump wants to blow up the world order, who will have a disastrous Yemen strategy stop him? By Daniel L. Byman UAE-backed forces include fighters who once fought the UAE’s allies because they were loyal Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates’s to Saleh — now they follow his nephew, who deepening intervention in Yemen is the triumph believes the wind is blowing from Abu Dhabi of hope over experience. Riyadh’s latest cam- and Riyadh. In addition, the UAE forces are bet- paign in Yemen began in 2015 to topple the ter trained than in 2015. The urban battlefield, then-triumphant Houthis, whom Saudi lead- however, heavily favors the defenders, and Iran ers considered too close to Iran. Rather than and Hizballah probably taught the Houthis how dissuading their good buddies in Riyadh from to exploit this terrain. Hudaydah, moreover, this dangerous course, the UAE too has plunged is not the only port available to the Houthis, into the morass, also hoping to set back Iran. and smuggling is a proud Yemeni tradition. Unlike in Egypt, where the two helped bring As such, the Houthis will likely have access to about a coup that put President Abdel Fattah arms in any event el-Sisi in power, the result has been a disaster. What’s next? This is true not only for Yemen, whose war and An outright coalition military win is unlikely, humanitarian crisis only seem to worsen by though the UAE-backed forces have a tremen- By Yanis Varoufakis the day, but also for the UAE and Saudi Ara- dous advantage in weaponry, numbers, and bia themselves, with Iran in particular gaining money, making the capture of Hudaydah seem As horrified as we may be at Trump’s uncouth antics, it is important influence at their expense. likely. However, the Houthis will continue to to understand the tectonic shifts underpinning them. A pattern of intervention hold territory in their heartland, where much Donald Trump’s early departure, and his subsequent refusal to Saudi Arabia has intervened periodically of Yemen’s population lives. Additionally, even endorse the G7 communique, has thrown the mainstream press in Yemen since the start of the modern Saudi if they lose Sanaa and other major cities, they into an apoplexy reflecting a deeper incomprehension of our un- state. For many centuries, the Zaydi Imamate have proved that they can and will wage a relent- folding global reality. of Yemen controlled part of what is now the Asir less guerrilla campaign. To back their claim, In a bid to mix toughness with humor, Emmanuel Macron had Province in Saudi Arabia, and the two countries Even putting the Houthis aside, it is they still have tens of thousands of men under quipped that the G7 might become the … G6. That’s absurd, not least fought a border war in 1934. The Zaydis are not clear what political solution would arms. Even putting the Houthis aside, it is not because without the United States, capitalism as we know it (let alone Shiite, and their leaders’ descendants would clear what political solution would satisfy the the pitiful G7 gatherings) would disappear from the planet’s face. form the core of the Houthi opposition today. satisfy the disparate coalition the UAE disparate coalition the UAE and Saudi Arabia There is, of course, little doubt that with Trump in the White House Border clashes continued as late as the mid- and Saudi Arabia have put together. have put together. there is an awful lot we should be angst-ridden about. However, 1990s, and an agreement defining the border Even ignoring the disaster in Yemen, the the establishment’s reaction to the president’s shenanigans, in the would only be finalized in 2000. angered the Houthis. ports southern secessionists and Salafists, who Saudi and Emirati intervention failed on its United States and in Europe, is perhaps an even greater worry for Aside from territorial disputes, Saudi Arabia Enter the Houthis distrust Islah and see the Houthis as apostates. own terms. They are caught in the Yemeni progressives, replete as it is with dangerous wishful thinking and feared the wrong faction would come to power The latest round of intervention began in Progress slowed and then largely came to quagmire. Hadi is not in power, their allies copious miscalculation. in Sanaa. In 1962, when Yemen plunged into 2015. The Arab Spring spilled over into Yemen a halt, however, as Saudi and Emirati-backed fight one another, Al Qaida is stronger, and Some put their faith in the Mueller investigation, assuming that civil war between Imamate and Arab national- in 2011, forcing Saleh to abdicate reluctantly forces tried to move on areas closer to the Houthi Yemen is less stable than before. Additionally, Mike Pence would be kinder to them as president. Others are hold- ist factions from Yemen’s military, the Saudis in favor of his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour heartland. Saudi hopes of a quick victory, like and most importantly from the Saudi and Emi- ing their breath until 2020, refusing to consider the possibility of (in addition to Iran and Jordan) intervened on Hadi. Continued violence from al-Qaida in the most of their hopes for Yemen, proved an illusion. ratis’ perspective, Iran is stronger. Although a second term. What they all fail to grasp is the very real tectonic behalf of the Imamate, while Egypt intervened Arabian Peninsula, separatist sentiment, Saleh’s More than three years later, Riyadh has flown the Houthis are hardly Iranian puppets, they shifts underpinning Trump’s uncouth antics. to support the Arab nationalists, drawing on attempts to undermine Hadi and restore his more than 100,000 sorties and spends billions a work with Iran by necessity, and its influence The Trump administration is building up a substantial economic Soviet support. In a lesson the foreigners would and his family’s position, a collapsed economy, month on the war. Airstrikes managed to destroy has grown as a result. Now, Tehran has an ally momentum domestically. First, he passed income and corporate tax fail to heed in the future, the intervention fueled and other maladies kept the Hadi government much of Yemen’s already-tottering infrastructure that can threaten Saudi Arabia and shipping cuts that the establishment Republicans could not have imagined the war but left the outside powers exhausted. weak despite international goodwill. and kill thousands of civilians, but the Houthis in the Red Sea. even in their wildest dreams a few years ago. But this was not all. In 1970, a negotiated agreement put the Arab Houthis took advantage of the chaos, con- held on. Meanwhile, the factions often turned The civil war exacerbated Yemen’s desperate Behind the scenes, Trump astonished Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat’s nationalists in charge, but the Imamate fac- quering Sanaa and eventually much of Yemen on each other. Saleh turned his coat and agreed poverty, pushing the country even closer (or, leader in the House of Representatives, by approving every single tion received several prominent positions and in 2014 and 2015, and Hadi fled first to Aden to work with the Saudis in 2017, but the Houthis more accurately, farther over) the brink. Around social program that she asked of him. As a result, the federal gov- a share of the patronage. in the South and then to Saudi Arabia. Saleh, killed him before this flip could pay off. At least 10,000 people have died in the war, roughly ernment is running the largest budget deficit in America’s history In 1990, South and North Yemen united always opportunistic, allied the military forces some of the forces once under his command half of them civilians. Yet, that pales before the when the rate of unemployment is less than 4%. under the leadership of the North’s longtime still loyal to him with the Houthis, despite having now work with the UAE, but the anti-Houthi high but unknown death toll from the other Whatever one thinks of this president, he is giving money away strongman, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who proved adept fought them fiercely when he was in power. At forces are divided. In Aden, forces backed by horsemen that ride along with war: disease not only to the richest, who of course get the most, but also to many at dodging his many enemies and consolidating the time, the Houthis had limited but real links the UAE fought fighters loyal to Hadi, whom and famine. poor people. With demonstrably strong employment, especially his power — “dancing on the heads of snakes,” to Iran that alarmed Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia backed, over bases and facilities. More than 50,000 children died of star- among African American workers, inflation under control and as he called it. Yet Yemen remained weak. The which saw Tehran as ascendant not only in UAE leaders reportedly consider Hadi a serial vation and disease in 2017, and hundreds of the stock market still buoyant, Donald Trump has his home front South never fully integrated, the country was Yemen but also in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. incompetent, while the Saudis are more willing thousands of Yemeni children suffer from acute covered as he travels to foreign lands to confront friends and foes. desperately poor, and resentment and anger The Houthi core area also extends to Yemen’s to work with Islah, which Islah tried to distance malnutrition. Three million Yemenis are now The U.S. anti-Trump establishment prays that markets will pun- at Saleh simmered. border with Saudi Arabia, which the paranoid itself from the Muslim Brotherhood to please displaced. According to the United Nations, ish his profligacy. This is precisely what would have happened if During these years, Saudi Arabia meddled Riyadh often interprets as Iranian presence the UAE and Riyadh. For obvious reasons, 75 percent of Yemen’s 22 million people need America were any other country. With a fiscal deficit expected to from time to time, trying to buy local leaders, on its frontier. Riyadh also focuses more on border security assistance, and more than 11 million fall into reach $804bn 2018 and $981bn in 2019, and with the government stop terrorists linked to al-Qaida in the Arabian Saudi Arabia and the UAE intervened to put than does the UAE. the category of “acute need,” with imminent expected to borrow $2.34tn in the next 18 months, the exchange Peninsula, weaken Marxist forces in the South, Hadi back in power, and Saudi officials declared The intervention today: The UAE starvation staring them in the face. Further, rate would be crashing and interest rates would be going through undermine the government in Sanaa when it the intervention would be over within weeks. takes the lead the country suffered the world’s largest cholera the roof. Except that the US. .is not any other country. went against Riyadh’s wishes, and otherwise Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco and Although Saudi Arabia is the historic med- outbreak last year. In parts of the country, the As its central bank, the Fed, winds down its quantitative easing spread its influence. Yemen’s politics and leaders Sudan all joined the fray, largely out of a sense of dler in Yemen and many usually describe the UAE provides some humanitarian aid, and Saudi program by selling off its stock of accumulated assets to the private seemed to get under the skin of the al Saud fam- obligation to the UAE and Saudi Arabia rather intervening coalition as “Saudi-led,” today the Arabia also provides limited support — but not sector, investors need dollars to buy them. This causes the number ily. To change the country from the bottom-up, than genuine concerns about Yemen. Djibouti, UAE plays an important and often leading role. nearly enough to offset the disaster facing the of dollars available to investors to shrink by up to $50bn a month. Riyadh encouraged the spread of Salafism in Eritrea and Somalia opened their airspace and More than 1,000 Emirati forces are deployed entire country. Repeated UN attempts at ne- Add to this the dollars German and Chinese capitalists need to buy Yemen, funding mosques and preachers and facilities to the coalition. Qatar was also a token throughout Yemen, mostly in the South, and gotiation have foundered, and today Yemen is US government bonds (in a bid to park their profits somewhere safe) otherwise trying to advance its austere and anti- coalition member until strains between Doha and it trained thousands of locals, including many home to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. and you begin to see why Trump believes he will not be punished Shiite interpretation of Islam. However, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia led to its expulsion. southern separatists who are trying to seize the Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula by a run either on the dollar or on government bonds. Saudi Arabia at times won over a particular In addition to the Saudi and Emirati military day and end the dominance of the north. Saudi (AQAP) capitalized on the chaos. Somewhat Armed with the exorbitant privilege that owning the dollar presses leader or killed or stopped a terrorist, most role, the UAE also paid for Colombian merce- Arabia takes the lead on the air campaign and belatedly, Saudi and Emirati airstrikes began affords him, Trump then takes a look at the trade flows with the Yemenis remained fiercely nationalistic and naries, while Saudi Arabia recruited thousands provides considerable funding, but it does not to strike AQAP bases, and the intervening rest of the G7 and comes to an inescapable conclusion: he can- suspicious of Riyadh. They were happy to take of Sudanese soldiers. The United Nations also match the UAE’s presence on the ground. In powers tried to create a coalition of Yemeni not possibly lose a trade war against countries that have such high Saudi money, but they often stopped short of claims that Eritrea deployed troops, and the Yemen, the UAE forces draw on the counterin- military and tribal forces. They succeeded in surpluses with the U.S. (eg Germany, Italy, China), or which (like fulfilling Riyadh’s ambitions. UAE uses Asmara’s airport for some of its opera- surgency experience they gained fighting with dislodging the group from Aden and several Canada) will catch pneumonia the moment the American economy Instability intensified in the 2000s. Houthis tions. The United States quietly supported the NATO forces in Afghanistan. Not surprisingly, other important areas, including the port of catches the common cold. based primarily in the Saada region posed a par- intervention with intelligence, aerial refueling, the UAE has taken casualties — more than 100. Mukalla. However, AQAP persisted, working None of this is new. Richard Nixon also confronted Europe’s ticular problem. The Houthis resented their poor and munitions. Today, UAE-led forces are trying to make a with tribes and capitalizing on locals’ anger at establishment in 1971 while Ronald Reagan brutally squeezed the treatment by Sanaa and loss of state patronage. At first, the Saudi and Emirati campaign dramatic push and end the stalemate by captur- foreigners and central authority. Saudi Arabia, Japanese in 1985. Even the language was not less uncivilized – recall For many years, they fought to receive some of seemed to make progress, helping forces loyal ing the port of Hudaydah, the Houthi’s most the UAE, and their allies lack the forces to occupy the summary of the Nixon administration’s attitude in the inimitable the state’s spoils rather than to break away or to Hadi take Aden and then much of southern important port through which food and other large parts of Yemen to ensure AQAP does not words of John Connally: “My philosophy is that all foreigners are to replace Saleh. They became more radical, Yemen. Riyadh supported an array of tribal and supplies go into Houthi-dominated areas. enjoy safe havens or return to cleared areas. out to screw us, and it’s our job to screw them first.” Today’s U.S. however, when they realized that the years of military forces that worked with Islah, Yemen’s (The Saudis claim that Iranian weapons also Saudi Arabia and the UAE both look in- aggression toward its allies is distinguished from those episodes negotiations and the 2011 revolution during most important Sunni Islamist party and an flow through the port.) The UAE assembled as competent and cruel, a deadly combination. in two ways. the Arab Spring would not restructure power offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. The UAE many as 25,000 fighters backed by air cover and An end to their interventions would leave both First, since the 2008 collapse of Wall Street, and despite the in Yemen as they hoped. In addition, the bitter loathes the Brotherhood (and has undermined its with armored vehicles against a few thousand of them, and Yemen, better off. subsequent re-floating of the financial sector, Wall Street and the anti-Shiite message of the Salafi proselytizing power in Libya, Egypt, and elsewhere) and sup- Houthis, most of whom are recent recruits. The (Source: brookings.edu) U.S. domestic economy can no longer do what they were doing before 2008: that is, absorb the net exports of European and Asian factories through a trade surplus financed by an equivalent influx of U.S.-bound foreign profits. This failure is the underlying cause EU’s waning influence opens a dangerous of the current global economic and political instability. Second, unlike in the 1970s, Europe’s decade of mishandling the euro crisis has seen to it that the Franco-German establishment is vacuum in the Balkans now disunited and on the run – with xenophobic, anti-European nationalists taking over governments. It was a fitting metaphor for many west European politicians’ erosion of rule of law in Romania, make them wary of ad- Trump takes one look at all this and concludes that, if the U.S. disinterest in the Balkans that Britain’s foreign secretary, mitting more members from the former eastern bloc. But can no longer stabilize global capitalism, he might as well blow due to chair a regional leaders’ summit in London on July such concerns can become self-fulfilling. The more distant up existing multilateral conventions and build from scratch a new 9th, 2018, failed to turn up. There was irony, too. Having the prospect of EU entry, the less the motivation for difficult global order resembling a wheel, with America its hub and all other insisted the UK should host the event promoting Balkan reforms. Western Balkan states were among 16 central and powers its spokes – an arrangement of bilateral deals that ensures membership of the EU, Boris Johnson resigned from his eastern European countries invited to a summit with China the U.S. will always be the largest partner in each, and thus be able post over his own prime minister’s insufficiently hardline in Bulgaria on July 7th, 2018, where Beijing lavished pledges to exact a pound of flesh through divide and rule tactics. approach to leaving the 28-nation bloc. of investment. Montenegro accuses Moscow of attempting Can the EU create a “Europe First” anti-Trump alliance, perhaps The summit delivered warm words and worthy initiatives. a coup there in 2016 to thwart the ex-Yugoslav republic’s involving China? The answer has been given already, following But it did little to advance prospects for Serbia, Montenegro, ambition to join NATO. Greece last week expelled two Rus- Trump’s annulment of the Iran nuclear deal. Within minutes of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania sian diplomats for allegedly trying to undermine Athens’ Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement that European companies — collectively known as the Western Balkans — of achieving name agreement with Macedonia. The EU could do more would stay in Iran, every single German corporation announced EU membership. It followed an EU summit last month that to bolster its own influence in the region. it was pulling out, prioritizing the fat tax cuts Trump was offering dealt a blow by postponing opening membership talks with First, it should deliver a more tangible sense of progress. them within the United States. Macedonia and Albania. Even Serbia and Montenegro, already in membership talks, In conclusion, we have good reason to be appalled by Trump: he That was despite Macedonia’s breakthrough, under EU are unlikely to join the EU before 2025 at the earliest. The is winning against a European establishment that wallows in perfect pressure, in resolving a 25-year-old dispute with Greece bloc could start talks with others, in parallel with resolving ignorance of the forces undermining it and paving the ground for over the country’s name. pro-European president Emmanuel Macron says the bloc its internal issues, and use the talks themselves to exert appalling developments. The onus falls on progressives in continental After two decades of waiting, Western Balkans na- must first resolve its internal problems. reform pressure. It should increase the size of its carrot, and Europe, in the UK, and in the United States, to put on the agenda an tions are losing faith that the EU’s doors will ever open The past decade’s economic hardships, and fears over its stick. Financial and technical support should be stepped Internationalist New Deal – and to win elections campaigning on it. to them. In a region of ethnic and religious divisions, still mass migration, have caused “enlargement fatigue” among up to those making good progress. The EU should be more In my rare optimistic moments, I imagine an alliance of Bernie recovering from its 1990s wars, that creates real dangers. voters. And the EU is dysfunctional enough at 28, or even ready to criticize, and penalize, steps away from democracy Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn and our Democracy in Europe Movement, It removes the most powerful incentive for democratic 27, members. by Balkan leaders, convincing populations in the region DiEM25, giving the Nationalist International led by Trump a run for and economic reforms, and regional reconciliation. It How will it cope with 30-plus? West European capitals that it is really on their side. If not, a historic opportunity its money. A few years ago, a Trump triumph in the US, Europe and opens, too, a vacuum that other powers — China and are frustrated, too, with Balkan states’ slow progress in to stabilize the Balkans could be lost — with potentially beyond sounded even more farfetched than this. It is worth a try. Russia — are seeking to fill. Many EU states’ lukewarm tackling corruption and organized crime. tragic consequences. (Source: The Guardian) attitude to enlargement is understandable. Even France’s Democratic backsliding by Hungary and Poland, and (Source: FT) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 25, 2018 ANALYSIS & INTERVIEW 7

NATO is worried about Italy’s turn against Europe Trump! By Lucrezia Reichlin After less than two months in office, Italy’s populist government By Hanif Ghafari has hit the ground running, by cracking down on immigration and launching an attack on the country’s independent civil service. TEHRAN — In recent days, Western analysts have analyzed With European Parliament elections approaching next year, what and evaluated various aspects of the tensions and challenges happens in Italy is unlikely to stay in Italy. among NATO members. The majority of NATO members It has been less than two months since the populist Five Star are European countries. Countries that are furious about Movement (M5S) and the right-wing League party formed a new the behavior of the White House due to issues such as the Italian government, so it is too early to tell how the coalition will imposition of tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, and translate its campaign rhetoric into concrete policies. In fact, the withdrawal of Trump from a nuclear deal with Iran. the coalition’s internal contradictions might limit the scope of However, some Western media believe the US-EU security its legislative action, or even bring about its downfall – possibly relationship remains strong. even before the European Parliament elections in May 2019. Relations that have a meaningful, more meaningful meaning That said, it is not too early to see what the Italian government’s in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The concerns of anti-European posture will mean for Europe. For European Union the European leaders about the recent meeting between leaders watching from Brussels, the political dynamic that the Putin and Tramp and the possibility of security bouts be- M5S/League coalition has set in motion could prove far more tween the two US and Russian presidents is another issue consequential than any specific policy initiatives. that has been addressed in this regard. The M5S/League coalition is the first instance of an overtly POLITICO, in a paper by Thomas Voltask, examines the anti-EU government coming to power in one of the bloc’s found- relationship between the US, Russia and the European ing member states. Although its radicalism is partly a response members of NATO. to the Italian economy’s dismal performance over the past two As Politico reported, So far, the defense-centered core decades, a similar brand of anti-establishment politics has taken of the Western alliance has proven strikingly sturdy, even root in European countries that have fared better. Far from being as U.S.-European collaboration has collapsed on other is- an outlier, Italy could be a harbinger of what awaits many other sues, such as climate change, trade and Iran. The Trump countries, especially after the EU elections. administration pleasantly surprised many across the Atlantic Italy’s new government has wasted no time taking a hard line by nearly doubling the Obama-era program to fund U.S. on immigration. Matteo Salvini, the League leader and current military presence in Europe. Almost 1,000 Americans in interior minister, has castigated the EU for leaving Italy on its uniform are now deployed in Poland. By most accounts, as much as 40 percent year-on-year. Not all allies will be herring. In the end, it may not matter whether the allies own to deal with incoming asylum seekers. Salvini’s rhetoric the alliance’s ability to discourage Moscow from testing spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense, as agreed in carry their weight in NATO or not. That would put Europe is often racist and inflammatory, but he has a point when he NATO’s resolve has never been better. 2014, but then again all governments have a habit of making in somewhat of a lose-lose situation. argues that the refugee crisis demands a collective solution. The But not all is well. For the past decade, U.S. officials have promises they do not intend to keep. This one has actually The Polish government, probably suspecting as much, EU’s highly visible failure on this issue has played directly into been warning the Europeans to start spending more on proven more consequential than other such “commitments” has floated an interesting proposal: In addition to spending its critics’ hands. their own defense. The U.S. now spends $3 for each $1 that made in the past — most notably on development aid and 2 percent on defense, which it already does, it has offered So far, Italy’s challenge to the EU over immigration has forced the remaining 28 European members plus Canada spend climate change. to pay as much as $2 billion to cover the cost of stationing “core” member states such as Germany to begin considering ne- together. This prompted the former American secretary Of course, none of this is guaranteed to make a difference U.S. forces there. In effect, they have turned the tables on gotiated solutions to the problem. But a truly viable cooperative of defense, Robert Gates, to warn back in 2011 that when to the White House. Trump brings two new uncertainties into the U.S. president, taking the thorny issue of money out of approach still seems a long way off. Congress wakes up to that reality, NATO will face a “dim if NATO politics. He doesn’t appear to share Europe’s sense the equation and testing Trump’s commitment to European That means governments that sympathize with Salvini’s position not dismal future.” of urgency on keeping Russia in check through a significant stability itself. will most likely continue to pursue unilateral policies, possibly This crisis, however, was on its way to a resolution of allied military presence. And even if he did, it’s unlikely that The reality is that the crises facing the United States and jeopardizing the Schengen system of passport-free travel with- sorts in recent years. Europe is now the region with the he would consider it to be America’s problem. NATO members will not end soon. At least until the arrival in most of the EU. Destroying this foundational EU institution fastest growing real-term defense spending, according to The president has said on a number of occasions that of Trump at the White House, these concerns will remain. might not be Salvini’s stated goal, but he is clearly taking things the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. he considers all alliances a burden on the United States — On the other hand, the foreseeable future of the president in that direction. The countries of Central and Northern Europe in particular it’s a position he’s held unaltered for decades. That raises of the United States will face Western actors with serious Meanwhile, on the economic-policy front, the new Italian gov- were spooked by Russia’s aggression into raising budgets the possibility that the debate on defense spending is a red dilemmas. ernment has introduced its “decreto dignita” (“law for dignity”), which will reverse some of the labor-market reforms enacted by former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s center-left government. Trump is looking for new alliances: Almut Moller Specifically, the legislation will make it more difficult for firms to fire permanent-contract workers, or to employ 1 On the Europeans’ reaction to cur- However, his recent meetings with North Italy’s challenge workers on temporary rent developments, she said, “Chancellor Korean and Russian leaders are judged by to the EU over Merkel has put forward her determination their results, which for now have not ma- contracts over the long to strengthen the European Union in order terialized.” immigration term. to be able to protect European interests Emphasizing the necessity of a balanced has forced A technical analysis better. While the EU might look quite di- relation with Russia, she said, “From a Eu- conducted by the state vided at this stage - in particular with the ropean perspective, the problem is perhaps “core” member National Insurance Agen- United Kingdom on its way out - what has not that Russia is overly powerful, but on the states such as cy predicts that the new law will lead to an overall happened over the last two years is that contrary that it might be vulnerable, in par- Germany to begin EU members realized the benefits of EU ticular in economic terms. Having said that, decrease in employment, membership even more. If a country of Moscow has quite a bit of spoiling capacity. considering and that this will nega- the size and power of the UK is struggling European geography means that Europeans negotiated tively affect the national with the prospect of being outside of the have an interest in engaging with a Russia budget. In response to EU, how much more difficult would it be that is able to meet its citizens’ needs. Having solutions to the these findings, the gov- for smaller EU countries? This question said that, EU capitals agreed in their deter- problem. ernment has threatened has brought EU countries closer togeth- mination to condemn Russia’s violation of to fire the NIA’s president. er. The trade dispute with the US for now international law, that is the annexation of The M5S/League government’s attack on the independence has had a similar effect. Overall, there is a Crimea. So it is important to find the right of the civil service offers a taste of what is to come. A broader more volatile European and international balance between engagement and red lines.” conflict within the coalition is already playing out over how to environment, but also a determination in She concluded, “On the Middle East, Euro- reconcile left- and right-wing economic-policy agendas within Berlin, Paris and other EU capitals to adapt peans with the refugee crisis have experienced the constraints of EU fiscal rules – which the current finance to this environment and to protect Europe- the direct impact of their neighboring region minister, Giovanni Tria, says he wants to uphold. This conflict ans from the negative effects, while looking President Trump, unlike previous US being in turmoil. Again, its geography makes could come to a head if the coalition moves forward with its for new opportunities - see, for example, Europe exposed, and makes Europeans more proposals for a guaranteed-income scheme, pension reforms, the recent trade agreement with Japan.” administrations, is challenging the responsible than has been acknowledged in and tax cuts. Although the government’s immediate objectives Moller said Donald Trump is seeking to European Union as an economic and the past for what is happening in their neigh- center on domestic matters, its policies could have profound implications for the EU generally. As we have already seen in build new alliances. political umbrella for the countries of borhood. A changing US engagement will “In the US, it seems that the consensus mean once again that Europeans will have the case of refugee policy, the government will most likely adopt within the country that has carried much Europe, and is undermining unity in words, to step up - while being aware of the limits a confrontational position toward the EU whenever it can. After throughout the 20th century, that is to be and with action. of their collective power, there is still room all, challenging the EU plays well with both the M5S and League involved in shaping the European and inter- for European foreign policy to work better, electoral bases, and other governments – not least those of Hun- gary and Poland – have already demonstrated the effectiveness national order, is turning somewhat more inward looking. Having said that, the current US president is also looking for new alliances. and to look for new allies.” of scapegoating Brussels for domestic failures. But what is the end game? On the one hand, the Italian govern- ment’s aggressive attitude could be interpreted as a negotiating tactic vis-à-vis the EU; on the other, it could be a political strategy The U.S. and the new balance of power in the world for the upcoming EU elections. Like resurgent nationalist parties TEHRAN — (FNA) — U.S. President Donald Trump has independent of the preferences of the U.S., its NATO ally, in other member states, the M5S/League may be trying to push kicked off trade wars with several countries, placing tariffs playing its own hand in the regional power game. Qatar and the EU toward a looser federation in which key policy prerogatives on everything from steel to chicken incubators. Oman have also troubled the Saudis that have been tasked are transferred back to national governments. Trading partners including China, Canada, the European with performing a part of the United States’ regional designs But for eurozone countries, this outcome would lead to more Union and Mexico are not sitting on their hands. They have in the Persian Gulf. instability. In the absence of aligned budgetary policies and com- hit the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs in a tit-for-tat reaction. On balance, the U.S. helped unleash these trends with mon rules, a common currency is simply not sustainable. Though This might look like a limited war in the understanding the strategically fatal invasion of Iraq in 2003. The U.S. M5S and League leaders are not calling for a withdrawal from the that Trump is all for free trade. But this view denies the occupation and failure to create a proxy state in Iraq was eurozone, much less the EU, their ostensibly domestic agenda fact that a tectonic shift is taking place in the world. It is followed by subsequent U.S. efforts to stir regional religious is bound to damage the bloc’s foundations. a geopolitical war for ascendancy to global leadership; and political conflicts – including aiding and abetting ISIL The EU must brace itself. We are about to see the damage that a contest between the U.S. and China, in which the U.S. and Al-Qaeda - to influence current trends in the region can be done when a major member state pursues a program of is losing: which all proved ineffective, as the continually ineffective EU antagonism. Italy is showing that without progress toward From pulling out of international treaties (Paris climate policies in Syria show. “ever closer union,” a quiet disintegration could be in the offing. accord, Iran nuclear deal) to denigrating allies to starting So this is not just China the U.S. is no longer able to (Source: Project - Syndicate) trade wars, the impulsive actions of President Trump are contain. The U.S. cannot contain the rise of Russia and upending the international order that has been in place Iran either. The countries assert their own legitimate since the end of World War II – and mostly favored the interests and roles in the region, like any other great U.S. and allies. power. They are consciously and actively re-balancing But even before President Trump’s belligerent foreign policy the power of the United States with great success, and Learning about Iran: A positions, America had been gradually losing its dominant they are doing it for regional peace and stability, not role in world affairs. A power shift among the nations of the for dominance and certainly not for permanent war and supreme pleasure world began after the U.S. and company invaded Afghanistan occupation that benefits no one. and Iraq - and failed. It has been accelerating when they America is losing because Trump’s “America First” foreign 1 I was always happy to express what I was learning about decided to invade Syria and Yemen – and failed yet again. a pariah and weaken the country until it fell. Today, that policy is based on the view that the U.S. needs to defend its Iran to non Iranians, and especially to Koreans. It was a great As a consequence, not only do China and Russia contest goal is unimaginable, though national security adviser John interests by acting alone, eschewing or withdrawing from pleasure to me. America’s global role, a growing number of countries like Bolton continues to imagine it under the influence. multilateral arrangements for trade, economics, diplomacy The Chinese novelist, Yu Hua, says in his book, “To Live”: Iran are also asserting an independent and increasingly Iran is and will remain an increasingly assertive and or security. In response, allies distance themselves from A man gets to live simply, and learn, not for anything else. Five influential role in regional economic and security develop- influential power in the region, defending and promoting its the United States, while others are emboldened to act in years in Iran was getting to know the unknown world. A powerful ments. These are also the countries that stopped the U.S. lawful interests and competing with the Saudi regime which an equally nationalistic and assertive way. enthusiasm to get to know Iranian society has been the primary and company from turning Iraq, Syria and Yemen into an favors sectarianism and American-Israeli dominance-lead- Like it or not, Trump’s America must learn the new rules motivation in my life so far. Although I am going back to Korea American proxy caliphate. ership. The Russians are in the Middle East region for good, and play differently in this new balance-of-power world, soon, I will keep in touch with Iran. Lastly, I must express my Indeed, the power shifts are increasingly visible. In the building on their long-standing relationships with Syria where others have legitimate interests and policies the U.S. deep gratitude for Iranian hospitality. Middle East, the U.S. hoped for decades to isolate Iran as and Iran. Turkey, a regional power, also acts increasingly does not and cannot undermine or control. Sepas Gozaram. Salamat Bashid! I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 ADVERTISEMENTS JULY 25, 2018

Super luxury Apt in Elahieh Villa in Ajudaniye Office in Jordan Apt in Darous new building, several apts with 2 2 floors, 315 sq.m & 300 sq.m 1th floor, 130 sq.m, 3 Bdrs. new, 4th floor, 80 sq.m, 2 Bdrs. fully Bdrs. to 4 Bdrs., furn & unfurn furn, equipped kitchen swimming remodel & renew, lobby, high furn, sauna, lobby, gym balcony, luxury lobby gym, spj pool, sauna security, parking, guest parking parking, storage billiard, laundry parking, guest parking, gym, $4000 full of foreign companies, good $1800 parking beautiful garden with Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 access, near to Mellat Park Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 colorful flowers , unbelievable360 ° Price per each sq $36 view, good access to highway Palace in Tajrish/ Elahieh Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Special Offer in Shariati Ms.Diba: 09128103206 duplex, 7000 sq.m land 170 sq.m, 3 Bdrs., sauna 2200 sq.m built up, 8 Bdrs. Commercial Building in pool, Jacuzzi, clean furn $2500 Apt in Evin renovated, unbelievable garden Valiasr Ms.Diba: 09128103206 1th floor, 80 sq.m, 2 Bdrs. water fall, spj, parking completely 200 sq.m, parking fully furn, parking, $1300 renovated Price per each sq $55 Apt in Jordan Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 big saloon, $30000 Ms.Diba: 09128103206 70 sq.m, 1 Bdr., fully furn parking Suitable for opposite to Apt in Manzariyeh Residency & Embassy New Whole Commercial Building Mellat-Park, $1400 8th floor, 215 sq.m, 3 Bdrs. Ms.Diba: 09128103206 in Jordan Ms.Diba: 09128103206 fully furn, parking, spj 7th floor, each floor one office each gym saloon, fire place, elevator Villa in Shahrak Qarb Holder of office 140 sq.m flat, lobby parking Apt in Qeytarieh balcony, storage 800 sq.m Built up, 5 Bdrs. duplex could whole or one by one for 110 sq.m, 2 Bdrs., balcony Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 renovated, semi furn nice & cozy ISO 9001:2008 renting, cozy fully furn, parking garden, pool, pkg Price per each sq $40 $1800 Apt in Fereshteh Suitable for ISO 10004:2012 Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Ms.Diba: 09128103206 13th floor 300 sq.m, 4 Bdrs. unfurn Residency or Embassy balcony, nice view Ms.Diba: 09128103206 ISO 10002:2014 Mahmoodieh Whole Building in Apt in Velenjak 3 parking places, equipped From Oxford Cert Universal 5 floors, 2600 sq.m totally brand-new flat in a garden kitchen, lobby, lobby man Villa in Niavaran 30 Bdrs., 1 penthous 85 sq.m, tower, 1 Bdr. $3300 650 sq.m buil up, 450 sq.m land 40 parking places, nice lobby fully furn with sauna, pool & Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 duplex villa with one extra apt spj,, gym, rooftop Jacuzzi, parking & storage indoor pool, spj parking Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 $3000 $10000 Apt in Darakeh Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Suitable for 95 sq.m, 1 Bdr., fully furn Best Office in Valiasr Residency or Embassy almost new, parking, $1500 5th floor, 350 sq.m, 3 rooms Apt in Elahieh Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Ms.Diba: 09128103206 nice lobby, could be flat or office just 5 floors, each floor one Apt, 2th Villa in Zafaranieh parking lot, guest parking floor, 270 sq.m Apt in Zafaranieh duplex, 564 sq.m, 6 Bdrs. fully full of foreign companies 4 Bdrs., fully furn, lobby parking 140 sq.m, 2 Bdrs., fully furn furn, spj, yard, pkg, renovated near to Mellat Park spj, nice balcony renovated, storage, $2000 $5500 Price negotiable $4200 Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Ms.Diba: 09128103206

Advertising Dept: [email protected]

+9821 430 51 450

www.tehrantimes.com

Occasion separate villa for rent in Farmanieh 500 sqm. land – 500sqm.

built up - duplex - swimming Indian Restaurant pool - sauna & jacuzzi 2 parking spots - servant room - close to Italian school - located at main road -only PRIVATE PARKING LOT 4500$ per month. Jahan Hotel (Exelsior) – Rahimzade Alley – Taleqani Crossroads – Valiasr St. Tell: Arash 09121999878 66476855 TEHRAN TIMES Iran’s Leading International Daily Advertising Dept

Tel: 021 - 430 51 450 [email protected] I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 25, 2018 INTERVIEW 9 Iran pays the biggest price in the fight against drugs: UNODC 1 One of the main achievements of crops or organic crops instead of opium, the international drug control system at the and the government could support them global level is that drug misuse in the world, by purchasing their products. This is an more or less, is kept in the focus. It is not at alternative development to overcome un- the epidemic level. It means that about five employment. This is the road to help people percent of the world population between stay away from criminal activities, to give ages 15 to 64 have experienced drug misuse them alternatives. or abuse. The majority of population has Also some prisoners are given useful work no drug and substance misuse or and have while in prison or they may have knowledge not experienced psychotropic substances. or skills that can be put to use. So after impris- This is to promote UN conventions and gov- onment they have skills to have a profession. ernmental assistance on how to deal with We like to support the Iranian government drugs. The logic of the work of UN is related with this alternative development model, to the application of legal provisions at the even though the model has not been tried national legislative level. For example, UN out seriously in Iran so far. conventions, both the articles and the logic Have you met with Iranian officials of drug control of its national legislation is about the illegal drug and ways to prevent everywhere. It means the legal field is equal entry to Iran? in every country. This is the solid foundation A. I met with Mr. Mohammad Javad Zarif, on how to manage drug trafficking and drug the Iranian Foreign Minister. He told me control. Drug control includes the monitor- that drug control and drug demand reduc- ing of illicit drugs allowed for medical use tion must be the key work of UNODC. I also in medical facilities, and how to seal with met with the heads of anti-narcotic police, illicit drug trafficking. This involves security heads of cyber police ... We also coordinate and law enforcement, to catch someone who plans to avoid duplicating an activity with has been involved in drug abuse, and then other UN agencies in the country. The role treatment for them. This is an additional of government is to coordinate our assis- cost for governments and societies. Drug tance in order to prevent duplication. For trafficking has become a global threat. Ex- example, instead of buying two cars, we perts and researchers say that if we invest in could buy five cars through different UN preventive programs, much money is saved. agencies. Activities should be coordinated Treatment is far more costly, but we have at least at the governmental level to avoid to do prevention also. duplication. I will tell you that more than There are three levels of prevention. The 730 tons of drugs were seized by Iranian first level addresses schools, the second for authorities last year. other young populations and the third on And of course, we understand that in some other people in societies. These programs cases we do not need to teach Iranian au- reflected in the UN conventions. thorities what to do. They know it already. Iran is part of all three UN conventions. The UNODC also assists member states All three conventions have been signed by with the prevention of HIV/AIDS and treat- Iran and Iran is one of the active participants Alex Fedulov confirms that the role of Iran in the fight against drug ment facilities. How has your agency coop- for the review and implementation of the trafficking is well recognized by the international community. erated with Iran in that area? program. It is why the government of Iran A. First of all, there is the governmental created a drug control headquarters. This understand what happens in some regions people can get morphine when they need are used by law enforcement. We did pro- level and the provincial level of this work. is the national focal point and responsible in some countries, and how to manage. We it like morphine, but not allow anyone to curement recently and some of the x-ray What we did was, just as an example, we institution. This department is related to try to solve these issues, too. Every year the misuse it. That is the responsibility of every machines were replaced in some border gathered trained staff from all over Iran, drug prevention and drug treatment even United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes government. Governments should provide areas in Iran. from Shiraz, Yazd, Tabriz, and Mashhad, with associated HIV consequences. They publishes and launches the world drug report. access to painkillers. Our role is to promote Drug detection equipment was also given all in the same room. We invited instructors have four security sectors to fight against The executive director of UNODC, Mr. Yury awareness and support civil societies and to Iranian anti-narcotic police. Detection of who shared how to manage treatment and the supply of drugs and they manage and Fedotov has introduced the annual world help them with such issues. hidden drugs in vehicles, boats, airplanes, prevention. We even issued certificates for the coordinate work with anti-narcotic police, drug report for 2018 with descriptions of How has Iran played a role as a member and people is thereby enhanced. There is participants. We tried to improve their skills. border customs, other security, because what has happened with drug demand and of UNODC in drug seizures? intelligence exchange between law enforce- These people went back to their provinces, everything in is in line with UN conventions. supply and drug market prices. This year we A. Almost 80 percent of opium seizures ment in various countries. At the UNODC, we and they will be trainers for others. They It is almost the same system everywhere also have a special publication on women and are by Iranian authorities and that is not help with that. We bring officers to another will train their staff and their colleagues. in the world. It means there are partners drugs. Women are a very vulnerable group. because of the UN system. It is the work of country and allow them to discuss what can Also one of the mandates is drop-in centers cooperating and communicating with one This document is based on data provided the Iranian government because Iran is on be done. is for people with HIV and AIDS, where peo- another to tackle organized crime groups by every government, members of the UN the path of trafficking from Afghanistan to Seized drugs are supposed to be analyzed ple can get tested for HIV free of charge. which are not dependent on passports or conventions, members of the UNODC. This Europe. Europe is the biggest market for at forensic labs: What kind of substance, There is also an awareness and preventive citizenship. They communicate with each made possible analysis and publication of illicit drugs. For example, in 2017, Iran had a what is the volume, what is the purity of the programs at the UNODC for people to say other very easily through telephones and this drug report. Every government can re- seizure of over 600 tons of opium, the biggest drug, is the drug mixed with sugar, salt or NO to drugs when encountering peer pres- other means at the regional and global levels. fer to it, and access is free on the Internet. seizure in the world. The government has something else. Forensic lab exists in Iran sure. Gender is also another issue here. It In some countries the drugs abuse and It is offered in Russian, Chinese, English, invested resources to stop drug trafficking and other countries, but they have to im- is harder for women to seek help with drug prevention methods are very well developed French, Arabic and Spanish. that comes from Afghanistan to European prove their skills. addiction than for men. and in some countries they are not. We need Now about our region: countries. Iran is absolutely aligned with UN How to do it? We need to support the Q. What measures have been taken to to know how to manage that, and that is why One of the countries in the region is Af- conventions with its own legislation and is a professional development of forensic police compensate for Iranian sacrifices in the bat- UNODC was created under the secretary ghanistan. It’s the prime source country for very active participant in drug control at the staff. In Iran, for example, we must exercise tle against drug trafficking as some 4,000 international level. But at the same time, Iran has a high number of drug addicted people, because of drugs coming to the country. What is the role of your office in general and in particular in Iran? A. Everything that is done through the UNODC on corruption, drugs and organized crime is based on work done by the Iranian government. We never evaluate who is having a more effective or less effective participa- tory role. We are not entitled to make such assessments. What we do is to support the ratification and implementation, when a government wants to do something. In our office, we understand the situa- tion and communicate with authorities in Iran. We understand that expertise in drug prevention resides with our colleagues. We assist the minister of health to manage this issue and offer support. The government of Iran has been quite successful with the establishment of drop-in centers to help drug addicts. There are 200 such centers across Iran. There are a number of NGOs in Iran that also help with vulnerable groups and Almost 80 percent of opium seizures are by their programs are supported by the gov- UNODC helps with intelligence exchange ernment, but they need knowledge, exper- Iranian authorities and that is not because of the tise, and consultants. It is our role to assist between law enforcement in various UN system. Iranian experts, to cover their expenses, to countries. send people to other countries to study and general to help every country adopt and im- opium. Opium is used for processing mor- get training. collaboration at the international level. Iran Iranians have been killed in the war against plement the conventions in their legislations phine and heroin. Cannabis, another source Additionally, we support the law en- is a member of this program to check the drug smugglers? under the umbrella of the United Nations. drug, is used in the production marijuana, forcement sector. For example, this year, level of proficiency of the forensic staff of the A. Well, first of all, I have to say that po- That is why I am here. We support the hashish and hashish oil in that order. Both we conducted training sessions for anti-nar- police. The UNODC will test drugs. We do lice officers unfortunately can get injured Iranian government and bring expertise, crops are grown in Afghanistan. From can- cotic police in cooperation with the Italian not substitute for Iranian law enforcement, and killed in many countries in the line of knowledge and technique to the fight here, nabis the end product is hashish and from government and provided funds for that. but we support their work in line with UN duty. I cannot say, the life of police officer in and in neighboring countries. UNODC has opium the end product is heroin. These drugs We bought sniffing dogs from the Nether- conventions. Iranian authorities count on country A is any less valuable than the one in offices in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and can be smoked, eaten or injected. lands for customs and border guards. For our abilities. country B. The UNODC recognizes that Iran elsewhere in central Asia. Drugs are not harmful in nature and were customs, you need to search and dogs are Partnership is based on decisions made faces serious costs in the fight against drug We work through the country partnership used initially for medical purposes to reduce very effective. We invited foreign instructors at the annual gathering at the UN headquar- trafficking. This is one cost of protection and program signed by the government of Iran pain. If drugs are used properly, they won’t and experts from the Netherlands and had ter office in Vienna. This is the collective security, unfortunately. But the role of Iran and UNODC. We also have four sub-programs be harmful. long sessions on how to handle and treat instrument for addressing drug control is well recognized by the international com- dealing with reduction of drug demand, se- For example, as a pain killer, morphine dogs. These dogs have to be replaced every methods. We provide consultation for munity. Governments recognize that Iran is curity and law enforcement development, is the first substance chosen as a pain killer six years or so as they get old, plus they live the local-self-government or institution not the source country, but a transit country, criminal justice, anti-corruption and and for oncological treatment. All regulations in harsh conditions and are under pressure. and steering poor people into work that and Iran pays the biggest price in the fight even sustainable development. through the UN conventions should be in Overall their life span is about 8 to 10 years is not drug related. For example, three or against drugs, and that’s why the UNODC Sometimes governments say that we don’t place not to stop it but to guarantee that and they should be very well trained. more farmers can unite and grow beans and supports the Iranian government. We also provided X-ray machines as they In 2019, UN Special General Assembly Session The government of Iran has been quite will adopt a new world drug problem document Drug trafficking successful with the establishment of which will describe what to do with drugs and has become a global 200 drop-in centers to help drug addicts how to stop drug trafficking in the next ten years. threat. across Iran. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 TECHNOLOGY JULY 25, 2018

Iran develops new Iran moves up in UN pharmaceutical technology TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — Iran has developed 13 methods E-Government Development Index deskof pharmaceutical technology in less than one year, secretary of Biotech Development Center (BioDC) at Science 1 Regarding the sub-items, the country got and Technology Vice-Presidency announced. 0.6319 score in the online service index (OSI), Mostafa Qanei said that over 40 graduated pharmacists are now 0.4566 in the telecommunication infrastructure active in the acceleration centers in the field of pharmaceutical index (TII), and 0.7364 in the human capital index industry and have great achievement in this field. (HCI) this year. Iran was amongst 17 countries that transitioned from Middle- to High-EGDI level group. On his Twitter account, Iran’s ICT minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi pointed to moving up of Iran’s ranking on EGDI 2018. “It is planned to move up 30 points during sixth Five-Year National Development Plan (March 2021) and this moving is notable,” he wrote. While European countries contribute 70 per cent in the group of 62 countries with Very-High EPI levels. Asia follows with the largest proportion of 36 percent in the same Very High-EPI level group while comprising 24 percent of the 193 Member States. Denmark, Australia and South Korea are on top list, scoring a very high ranking in e-government “Through research and study, Iran faces great achievements development amongst 193 countries that were in all scientific fields,” he said. evaluated. He also pointed out to Iran’s achievements in production of The EGDI, which assesses e-government biotechnology medicines saying that government should support development at the national level, is a composite startups active in this field. index based on the weighted average of three On Sunday, the vice president for science and technology normalized indices. One-third is derived from a Sourena Sattari announced that Iranian startups meet 98 per- Telecommunications Infrastructure Index (TII) cent of the domestic market’s need to biotechnology medicine. based on data provided by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), one-third from a Human Capital Index (HCI) based on data provided by the United Nations Educational, Iran to rank healthy Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), agricultural products and one-third from the Online Service Index (OSI) based on data collected from an independent According to the UN data, Iran’s EGDI value was 0.6083 TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — The Biotechnology Development survey questionnaire, conducted by UNDESA, this year. Iran was amongst 17 countries that transitioned deskCouncil of science and technology vice pres- which assesses the national online presence of idency plans to rank healthy agricultural products through 12 all 193 United Nations Member States. from Middle- to High-EGDI level group. stages, Tasnim reported. The project is entitled Healthy Product Network, which is known by the Persian acronym “SHAMS” and has already 150 members. Iranian universities to make Intl. congress to study role of ICT on The products are evaluated by different licenses that they can obtained through different stages of testing. cubeSats women’s competency development Different signs like ISO and Institute of Standards & Indus- trial Research of Iran can introduce products to the costumers. According to World Economic Forum, the agricultural sector presents key opportunities for improving nutrition and health. But this connection is often not given due attention, despite parallel initiatives across the three sectors. The potential impacts of agricultural activities on health and nutrition extend across a number of channels. One area of impact is household ability to produce, purchase and consume more, better and cheaper food. SOCIALLY SAFE Internet safety checklist for teens

As your child becomes a teenager, it’s likely the internet will be a part of their daily life. They’ll adapt quickly to new technology and use it to communicate, socialise and create. Most teenagers TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — Three The universities has a great role in TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — An inter- Providing gender equality and have access to the internet using a smartphone or tablet, and desk desk use a wide range of social networking sites as a vital part of their Iranian universities development of space industry and national congress will boosting cooperation in the field relationships with others. have been working on manufacturing space ecosystem in Iran, he said. be held on July 29 on the role of infor- of women empowerment through Stay involved cubeSats for three months, the head He pointed to the important role mation and communication technology ICT is amongst the aims of the of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) of Iran in joint projects by Asia-Pacif- (ICT) in competency development of congress. announced in a meeting on Monday. ic Space Cooperation Organization women, Mehr reported. The event is organized by the vice Morteza Barari did not mention the (APSCO), APSCO projects like Small The event will be held on the side- presidency for women and family affairs name of universities but said that the Student Satellite (SSS) in recent years. lines of the 24th Iran International and the Information and Communi- ISA has signed three separate agree- During the event, he emphasized Exhibition of Electronics, Computer cations Technology Ministry. ments with the universities. the need to pay more attention to the & E-commerce (ELECOMP 2018), ELECOMP is the biggest event in CubeSats are miniature satellites important role of space industry in which will be held from July 28 to 31 the Iranian electronics and comput- that have been used exclusively in low management and controlling of nat- in Tehran. er market. Since its first edition in Earth orbit for 15 years, and are now ural disasters. The role of governments in empow- 1995, the event has been providing being used for interplanetary missions “Drought and dust as well as wa- ering women through ICT and different a unique opportunity for businesses as well. There are commonly used in ter management are some of natural aspects of women empowerment are to increase their share of this huge low Earth orbit for applications such disasters, which can be controlled by some panels, which will be held during and ever-growing market, according as remote sensing or communications. remote sensing satellites,” he said. the event. to ELECOMP website.

What is burn rate? A checklist for your startup Keep talking and stay interested in what they’re doing. Don’t be afraid to bring up challenging issues like sexting, pornogra- phy and cyberbullying. It could be embarrassing, but you’ll both benefit from the subjects being out in the open. Keep their information private Your child can set privacy settings on most social networking sites so that only close friends can search for them, tag them in a photograph or share what they’ve posted. Stay safe on the move Use safe settings on all mobile devices but be aware that if your child is accessing the internet using public WiFi, filters to block inappropriate content may not be active. Some outlets, like McDonald’s, are part of family friendly WiFi schemes so look out for Mumsnet Family Friendly WiFi and RDI Friendly WiFi symbols when you’re out and about. Be responsible Talk to your teenager about being responsible when they’re online. Children often feel they can say things online that they wouldn’t say face-to-face. Teach them to always have respect for themselves and others online. Burn rate is normally used to describe the the bank, and it spends $100,000 a month, Why do so many new businesses fail? new endeavor doesn’t just serve to legitimize Adjust controls rate at which a new company is spending its burn rate would be $100,000 and its Maybe it’s because too many would-be your business idea and make you a “real” Discuss with them adjusting your parental controls to match its venture capital to finance overhead be- runway would be 10 months, derived as: entrepreneurs concentrate on the wrong business. It’s also a vital consideration for your teenager’s level of maturity. Have a chat about it first – fore generating positive cash flow from ($1,000,000) / ($100,000) = 10. issues before the actual startup happens. your taxes, according to tax and business don’t turn them off completely without careful consideration operations; it is a measure of negative cash There are two types of burn rates: net The pre-startup checklist requires one attorney Barbara Weltman. Besides making and discussion. flow. Burn rate is usually quoted in terms burn and gross burn. A company’s gross to undergo a process of self-evaluation it harder to keep track of what to report as Show you trust them of cash spent per month. For example, burn is the total amount of operating that will help answer the question, ‘Am income and expenses, by not separating busi- If you can afford to, give them a small allowance that they can a burn rate of $1 million would mean a costs it incurs in expenses each month. I prepared to start a business?’ If more ness and personal finances, you could be use for spending online so they can download apps, music and company is spending $1 million per month. A company’s net burn is the total amount people considered the following four issues, costing yourself--and your business--money films for themselves, from places you agree together. The burn rate is used by startup com- of money a company loses each month. there would likely be a higher success rate by not taking advantage of items that can Don’t give in panies and investors to track the amount So, if a technology startup spends in future startups. be designated as write-offs. Remind them how important it is not to give in to peer pressure of monthly cash that a company spends. $5,000 monthly on office space, $10,000 Open a business bank account A business bank account allows you to send inappropriate comments or images. Point them to the A company’s burn rate is also used as a on monthly server costs and $15,000 on It’s all too easy to use your personal to easily keep track of expenses, manage Send this instead and Zipit apps which will help them deal with measuring stick for its runway, the amount salaries and wages for its engineers, its bank account to pay for business expenses, employee pay, convey finances to investors, these types of requests. of time the company has before it runs out gross burn rate would be $30,000. but it becomes a gnarl to untangle later. receive and deposit payment, and plan (Source: internetmatters.org) of money. So, if a company has $1 million in (Source: investopedia.com) Opening a business bank account for your your budget more accurately. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 25, 2018 SCIENCE 11

Acidic oceans cause fish to lose their Monkeys lend clues to how human speech developed, sense of smell, claims new study study suggests

When carbon dioxide is absorbed by seawater nose was exposed to water with different Researchers at Rockefeller University studied the macaque monkey carbonic acid is formed, making the water levels of CO2 and acidity. brain to find evolutionary links to human communication. The more acidic. Since the Industrial Revolution, Dr. Porteus added: The “sense of smell study, published in Neuron on July 12, uncovered parts of the oceanic CO2 has risen by 43% and is predicted of sea bass was reduced by up to half in sea brain of the macaque monkey that could show a common evolu- to be two and a half times current levels by water that was acidified with a level of CO2 tionary origin for human and monkey communication abilities. the end of this century. predicted for the end of the century. Their Winrich Freiwald, whose lab did the research, has studied Fish use their sense of smell (olfaction) to ability to detect and respond to some odors macaque monkey brains in the past. He found that they have find food, safe habitats, avoid predators, rec- associated with food and threatening situ- neural networks that are similar to the human networks that help ognize each other and find suitable spawning ations was more strongly affected than for with facial recognition. Previously, scientists have found specific grounds. A reduction in their ability to smell other odors. We think this is explained by regions of the monkey brain that could be responsible for facial therefore can compromise these essential acidified water affecting how odorant mole- expressions, but they weren’t able to see if those areas were active, functions for their survival. cules bind to olfactory receptors in the fish’s and didn’t know if they were being used for communication. The new study provides evidence that nose, reducing how well they can distinguish While researchers watched MRI of the monkey’s brains, the economically important species will be these important stimuli. monkeys watched videos of other monkeys who were making facial affected by elevated CO2, leaving fish vul- The elevated CO2 and acidity expressions to communicate. To imitate a situation where the nerable because it affects their ability to Scientists also studied how the elevated monkeys would have been observing social interactions between detect odors. CO2 and acidity in the water affected the other animals, in some of the videos, the on-camera monkeys University of Exeter researcher Dr. Co- genes being expressed in the nose and brain looked off to the side. To show a situation where direct com- sima Porteus, who led the study, said: “Our of sea bass and found evidence for altered ex- munication would be occurring, the monkeys looked directly study is the first to examine the impact of pression of many of those involved in sensing into the camera. and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), also test- rising carbon dioxide in the ocean on the different smells. They did this by recording smells and processing of this information. The monkeys that were being studied only responded when ed the ability of the sea bass’ nose to detect olfactory system of fish. First we compared the activity in the nervous system while their Although only sea bass were used in the the videotaped monkeys were looking directly into the camera. If the behavior of juvenile sea bass at CO2 lev- study, the processes involved in the sense of the monkey on camera made a friendly gesture, like lip-smacking, els typical of today’s ocean conditions, and Scientists also studied how the elevated smell are common to many aquatic species the studied monkeys would respond the same way. those predicted for the end of the century. CO2 and acidity in the water affected the and therefore the findings should apply very The Rockefeller University team thought the facial recognition Sea bass in acidic waters swam less and were broadly. areas of the brain would be activated and would send the infor- less likely to respond when they encountered genes being expressed in the nose and Dr. Porteus said: “I wanted to examine mation to the emotional area of the brain, then to the area of the the smell of a predator. brain of sea bass and found evidence if fish had any ability to compensate for this brain that controls facial expressions. The MRIs showed those Detecting different smells reduced sense of smell, but found that instead areas of the brain were activated, but that wasn’t all they showed. Experts at the University of Exeter, in for altered expression of many of of increasing the expression of genes for smell (Source: Newsweek) collaboration with scientists from the Center those involved in sensing smells and receptors in their nose they did the opposite, of Marine Sciences (CCMar, Faro, Portugal) exacerbating the problem.” and the Center for Environment, Fisheries processing of this information. (Source: Science Daily) Honeybee pheromones safely repel elephants, scientists find Scientists develop new materials that Researchers are finally figuring An organic formulation containing honeybee pheromones has been found to safely repel elephants, offering promise for a new move in response to light out why we dream strategy to prevent the world’s largest land animals from de- stroying crops or causing other damage in areas where humans Researchers at Tufts University School Dreaming is one of the strangest things conflict with elephants, according to a study. of Engineering have developed magnetic that happens to us, and for as long as we The scientists placed a blend of pheromones that bees release elastomeric composites that move in dif- have been recording history, we have when they perceive danger in a specialized slow-release matrix at ferent ways when exposed to light, raising been puzzling over why our minds are locations around water holes frequented by African bush elephants, the possibility that these materials could so active while we sleep. Loxodonta africana. The researchers observed that most of the enable a wide range of products that per- Finally, new research claims to have elephants that came near the formulation showed typical signs form simple to complex movements, from evidence as to what dreaming is all about of increased alertness, signs of uncertainty, and finally calmly tiny engines and valves to solar arrays that - and it will probably surprise no one. moved away, while those approaching control treatments were bend toward the sunlight. According to a team from The Swansea eager to investigate the foreign object in their environment. The In biology, there are many examples University Sleep Lab in the UK, dreaming pheromones were dispensed in white socks weighed with rocks where light induces movement or change — really does help us process the memories hanging from broken tree branches no more than a meter off think of flowers and leaves turning toward and emotions we experience during our the ground. sunlight. The light actuated materials created waking lives. At the park’s Jejane waterhole, 25 of 29 elephants that ap- in this study are based on the principle of The hypothesis that dreaming was proached the pheromone-laden socks moved away after getting the Curie temperature — the temperature connected to waking life was floated close enough to smell the formulation. In the same timeframe, above which certain materials will change by Sigmund Freud in the early 20th control experiments found that all elephants ignored similar their magnetic properties. century - he called this phenomenon looking suspended socks that did not contain the pheromone By heating and cooling a magnetic ma- day residues. Many other studies since mix, or they would approach the controls and pick them up, and terial, one can turn its magnetism off and have expanded on the notion, indicating even try to taste them in some cases. on. Biopolymers and elastomers doped with that a very real link exists. “Our results complement previous studies that have demon- ferromagnetic CrO2 will heat up when ex- But dreams are hard to study, because strated that active bee hives can deter elephants from crops for posed to laser or sunlight, temporarily losing they take place entirely in the mind of example but may be difficult to implement on a large scale. We their magnetic properties until they cool someone unable to communicate in the hope to expand this work to develop additional tools for sustainable down again. The basic movements of the moment. passive management of elephant movements, to augment the material, shaped into films, sponges, and Placed near a permanent magnet, when a Scientists don’t have the tools to ob- On the evening of the 10th day, current approaches used, “said Mark G. Wright, the lead author hydrogels, are induced by nearby perma- laser was focused onto a fixed spot on the serve them directly - at least, not yet they spent the first of several nights of the study and a professor of entomology at the Department of nent or electromagnets and can exhibit as ring, it locally demagnetizes that portion of - instead having to rely on the dreamer’s in the sleep lab being monitored with Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences at the University bending, twisting, and expansion. the ring, creating an unbalanced net force memories of their dreams; and, as we non-invasive electroencephalography of Hawaii at Mnoa. These simple movements that causes the ring to turn. As it turns, all know, that’s not always easy to do. caps. These were able to observe and (Source: eurekalert.org) “We could combine these simple move- the demagnetized spot regains its mag- Emotional intensity record the activity of the brain waves ments into more complex motion, like crawl- netization and a new spot is illuminated The team’s research, however, seems associated with slow-wave sleep (large ing, walking, or swimming,” said Fiorenzo and demagnetized, causing the engine to to have hit upon a winning formula, irregular activity, or LIA) and rapid-eye Omenetto, Ph.D., corresponding author of continuously rotate. finding that the emotional intensity of movement sleep (theta activity). Team finds oldest the study and the Frank C. Doble Professor Materials used to create the light actuat- a waking experience can be linked to After 10 minutes of each of these evidence of terrestrial of Engineering in the School of Engineering ed materials include polydimethylsoloxane the intensity of dreaming brain activity, sleep cycles, the researchers would wake at Tufts. “And these movements can be trig- (PDMS), which is a widely used transparent and the content of the dream thereof. the students and ask them what they life on a young Earth gered and controlled wirelessly, using light.” elastomer often shaped into flexible films, They recruited 20 student volunteers were dreaming (which sounds like a “One of the advantages of these materials and silk fibroin, which is a versatile bio- for the study, all of whom were able to nightmare, if you ask us). These dreams The earliest signs of life on a young Earth, around 3.5 billion years is that we can selectively activate portions compatible material with excellent optical recall their dreams frequently. were then compared with the journals to ago, have generally come from the ocean in the form of fossilized of a structure and control them using lo- properties that can be shaped into a wide First, they had to make detailed see if there was any sort of correlation. microbes within ancient rock. Now, scientists working in the Bar- calized or focused light,” said Meng Li, the range of forms — from films to gels, threads, journals of their daily lives for 10 days, In addition, dreams that had a high- berton Greenstone Belt in South Africa — where some of the oldest first author of the paper, “And unlike other blocks and sponges. logging their major daily activities that er emotional impact were more likely rocks on Earth are preserved — find evidence of terrestrial microbial light actuated materials based on liquid “With additional material patterning, took up large blocks of time; personally to be incorporated into the sleeper’s life that they estimate is about 3.22 billion years old. crystals, these materials can be fashioned light patterning and magnetic field control, significant and emotional events; and dreams than boring, humdrum every- to move either toward, or away from the we could theoretically achieve even more any concerns that may have been on day stuff. And these correlations were direction of the light. complicated and fine-tuned movements, their minds. only observed for recent experiences, To demonstrate this versatility, the such as folding and unfolding, microfluidic For each of these, the participants too - there was no correlation between researchers constructed a simple “Curie valve switching, micro and nano-sized en- had to record how it made them feel, older waking life experiences and dream engine”. A light actuated film was shaped gines and more,” said Omenetto. and rate the intensity of that emotion activity. into a ring and mounted on a needle post. (Source: phys.org) using a numbered scale. (Source: sciencealert.com) Mars Odyssey: Record-breaking mission to Mars Mars Odyssey has been circling the Red near the surface gives detailed information Planet since 2001. It broke a record in about how Mars has changed over time. 2010 for being the longest-serving piece Because Mars Odyssey was launching of machinery to work at Mars, and it in 2001, NASA chose to name its orbiter continues to operate at the Red Planet after the book “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “This work represents the oldest and least unambiguous work in good health in mid-2018. which also spawned a movie in 1968 just that we have so far that life existed on land already 3.2 billion years Mars Odyssey has been making ahead of the Apollo moon landings that ago,” Kurt Konhauser, a professor of earth and atmospheric sciences discoveries of its own — such as finding began a year later. at the University of Alberta in Canada who was also not involved in extensive water ice under the surface of A false-color mosaic focuses on one the work, writes in an email to The Scientist. Mars — but it also plays an important part junction in Noctis Labyrinthus where Researchers have found more fossil evidence of the earliest mi- in the ever-growing network of Martian canyons meet to form a depression crobial life in shallow, marine deposits, which supports the dominant rovers. It has served as a communications 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) deep. Dust theory that before 3 billion years ago, most of the Earth consisted of relay for the now-dead Spirit rover and (blue tints) lies on the upper surfaces, oceans interspersed with volcanic islands. Evidence for life on land current Opportunity and Curiosity rovers. while rockier material (warmer colors) has so far been harder to come by. Part of the reason is that ancient Odyssey is also expected to assist with lies below. The pictures used to create marine rocks appear to be better preserved than terrestrial sediments. the 2020 European-Russian ExoMars together a sample-return mission at the Gas Orbiter, and India has a spacecraft this mosaic image were taken from April Another issue, according to Martin Homann, a postdoc at the rover mission. Red Planet. called Mars Orbiter Mission. 2003 to September 2005 by the Thermal European Institute for Marine Studies (IUEM) in Brest, France, is Like any aging piece of machinery, Mars Odyssey is a part of NASA’s Mars THEMIS (Thermal Emission Imaging Emission Imaging System instrument on that very old terrestrial sediments are also difficult to distinguish Mars Odyssey has its cranky moments. exploration program, which today includes System), which looks at the visible and NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter. from marine sediments because so-called index fossils — which It has entered “safe mode” temporarily a network of orbiters and rovers around infrared parts of the spectrum to determine A false-color mosaic focuses on one help to determine the environment and to date rocks — do not exist several times during its mission, but NASA the Red Planet. Members of this group the distribution of minerals on the surface junction in Noctis Labyrinthus where from this early period of Earth’s history. recovered it every time. In 2018, NASA include the Curiosity rover, the Opportunity of Mars. canyons meet to form a depression 4,000 According to the study authors, the previously oldest visible fos- said it would do its best to extend the rover, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars changed over time meters (13,000 feet) deep. Dust (blue tints) silized remains of microbes on land were about 2.7 billion years old, missions of older orbiters (such as Mars (MRO) and MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and GRS (Gamma Ray Spectrometer), which lies on the upper surfaces, while rockier found in a different location from the Barberton Greenstone Belt Odyssey) for as long as possible, because Volatile EvolutioN mission). Europe also measures the abundance and distribution of material (warmer colors) lies below. in South Africa and also in Australia. the agency’s funds are focused on putting has an ExoMars spacecraft called the Trace elements. Knowing what elements are at or (Source: space.com) (Source: the-scientist.com) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 12 SOCIETY JULY 25, 2018

IRCS saves more than 6,300 Hour al-Azim wildfire still from death in accidents

SOCIETY TEHRAN — The Iranian Red Crescent Society desk causing great discomfort (IRCS) has rescued some 6,324 individuals from June 3 to July 21 within the framework of a 100-day national ENVIRONMENT TEHRAN — Wildfire Respiratory diseases on the rise rescue and relief scheme, deputy director for IRCS has said. deskwhich is still haunting Shokrollah Salmanzadeh, head of Khuz- Launched on June 14, the national rescue and relief scheme Hour al-Azim wetland, is not only causing estan province healthcare center, for his part, went into force in late spring and will last until September 22. It great discomfort to the people in southwestern said that respiratory disease have been in- aims at performing relief and rescue operations to help victims Iran, but posing serious threats to the region’s tensified in the southwestern border region and the injured in natural disasters and accidents nationwide. biodiversity, Mehr reported on Monday. of the country, as the fire produces a complex According to the scheme, 4,606 relief forces are on duty daily The raging fire sweeping through Iraqi toxic involving flame, heat, oxygen depletion, during summer. part of Hour al-Azim which started on July smoke and toxic gases. 2, has caused air pollution and breathing In case of smoke inhalation, people with a difficulties for people of Khuzestan province sensitive lung and susceptible to pulmonary in southwestern Iran. disease including asthma, may develop an Fire also broke in canebrakes in Iranian acute respiratory infection, he added. parts of the wetland located in Khuzestan, but He also explained that those who suffer it is soon extinguished by Iranian firefighters. acute respiratory infection, need immediate The smoke choking out of the wildfire has treatment, and if not treated, their lives will crossed the border into the city of Howeyz- be compromised. eh and drifted over 115 kilometers to reach Animal species victims of Hour Mahshahr affecting Rafie, Susangerd, Bostan, al-Azim wildfire Hamidieh and Ahvaz on its way. Deputy director for natural environment The relief and rescue operations has been made to rescue Consequently, the officials decided to close at Khuzestan province department of envi- people in both natural disasters and accidents happen due to down all banks and offices in three cities of ronment Adel Mola said that smoke is ini- human errors, Shahin Fat’hi said, IRNA reported on Tuesday. Hamidieh, Howeyzeh and Dasht-e Azadegan, tially harmful to human being, but the fire Some 57 percent of the survivors were saved from traf- due to the increased concentration of smoke, Two helicopters have been dispatched from Iran to Iraqi part of Hour al-Azim is also dangerous to animal species as well, fic-related accidents, 23 percent from drowning incidents, 6 the report added. put out the fire on July 21. however no details is revealed on animal percent earthquake and 14 percent from floods, car fire and The extent of the burnt lands from 10,000 casualties so far. car rollovers, he added. hectares at the beginning soon increased to He went on to say that wildfire has many Also some 51,541 people have received various types of emergency 18,000 hectares, Fars reported on Tuesday. The wildfire has many harmful effects on harmful effects on animals, including destruc- services, such as accommodation and food supplies, he added. Aerial firefighting tion of bird nests and damages to domestic There are 24 helicopters, 1,026 ambulances and nearly 3,000 animals, including destruction of bird Chief of Khuzestan province department animals and livestock, such as burning. other rescue vehicles and facilities has been in full swing to provide of environment Ahmadreza Lahijanzadeh nests and damages to domestic animals Three heads of buffaloes have been burnt rescue and medical services to the people during their summer noted that it was anticipated that the fire in Hour al-Azim wildfire, which are under- trips, he concluded. and livestock, such as burning. would have been extinguished within two going treatment. Last summer, 53 individuals lost their lives on average on a days, but many problems in the Iraqi part and more prone to catch fire, he added. “While two helicopters have been dispatched The Euphrates softshell turtle specie in daily basis in road accidents across Iran, amounting to 4,939 of the wetland such as extreme dryness, He also mentioned that due to the pre- to put out the fire in Hour al-Azim on July 21, Hour al-Azim wetland, which is on the verge deaths, the traffic police chief Taqi Mehri said on June 10. lack of constant supervision and an ac- carious situation of Iraq and the swampy the lands are still burning due to the critical of extinction, is also severely endangered, Last [Iranian calendar] year (March 2017-March 2018) on countable body made all attempts to put areas around the wetland, aerial firefight- severity of the incident,” he lamented. he regretted. average some 1,350 were killed every month while the number out the fire futile. ing was needed to combat the fire, so, Iran He also stated that another helicopter will “There are nearly 120 snake species in the grew to 1,646 during the summer, indicating that 53 people died Also, southward winds ignite the fire as suggested dispatching aircrafts to contain also be added to the two helicopters currently wetland, which are also at risk, will surely in road crashes every day, Mehri added. the southern parts of the wetland are dried Hour al-Azim wildfire. in the operation. suffer loss,” Mola concluded. Mentioning the sharp increase in the number of road trips during summer holidays in Iran, Mehri regretted the fact that in the [Iranian calendar] month of Shahrivar (August 23-September 22, 2017) alone some 1,746 died in the accidents. ‘The elderly in Tehran doubles national average’ SOCIETY TEHRAN — The elderly living in the to their community. Any kind of positive interaction with deskcity of Tehran are twice as many as those friends, family or neighbors can help the older adults feel 30% of schools in Iran living in the whole country, Tehran district 22 mayor Ali confident in themselves and their abilities. Nozarpour has said. The body release health-promoting chemicals that boost dilapidated While in general the elderly constitute 9.27 percent of the the immune system to ward off illness when we have good population in Tehran they made up 18.7 percent of the city conversations or do things we love with others. Besides SOCIETY TEHRAN — Currently per capita education population, YJC quoted Nozarpour as saying on Monday. socializing promotes an active lifestyle and better nutri- deskspace per student is 5.2 percent while the He made the remarks over the closing ceremony of a tional intake. Seniors who are isolated are more likely to standard space must be 8.4 percent which indicated that some competition designed for increasing vitality among the skip meals, whereas those who are socially active often 30 percent of schools are dilapidated, Iran’s director of schools elderly dubbed “first round of elderly vitality competition”. share meals with friends and family. renovation, development and equipment organization has said. “Getting old and decline in physical function should not According to the University of Rochester Medical Out of the 30 percent ramshackle old schools some 12 percent decrease the elderly participation in cultural activities,” he noted. Center, socializing is key to keeping the brain sharp as we should be completely rebuilt and 18 percent must be retrofitted, IRNA Getting involved in sports and recreational activities age. Having an active social life encourages us to continue will rise the elderly spirit, he suggested. learning, observing and responding to the world around news agency quoted Mehrollah Rakhshanimehr as saying on Monday. A senior is playing a game where she is carrying a According to Greenbrier Assisted Living website un- us. Conversation and activity are great for exercising the Province of Khorasan Razavi, Gilan and Sistan and Baluch- basket of plastic balls on her head over the “first round fortunately for many older adults, the opportunities for an mind and can potentially lower the risk of dementia and estan are the provinces with the highest number of tumbledown of elderly vitality competition”. schools, Rakhshanimehr added. active social life often decline along with their health and Alzheimer’s disease. In fifths five-year development plan some $4 billion was al- energy. As illness or mobility issues limit what they can Benefits of elderly social engagement Additionally older adults are less likely to develop hab- located from forex reserve fund to rebuild and retrofit the old do, the risk of isolation increases. Connecting with others Socializing can help older adults feel loved and needed its of declining self-care if they’re around others they care schools, he said, adding that this year benefactors [who make who love us and share similar interests is important at any as their lives are affirmed by the activities they do and by about. Socializing creates reasons to stay well and helps generous contributions for building schools] have committed age, but for seniors, whose lifestyles may lessen their so- those with whom they interact. Being around other people, foster a positive state of mind. to make 12 trillion rials (nearly $280 million). cial opportunities, these connections are crucial to healthy especially if you’re doing something fun or rewarding, And lastly socializing would help seniors too feel that “Our budget line [for renovating schools] also amounts to physical and emotional well-being. helps the elderly to keep a healthy mental state with a their lives have a purpose. Having somewhere to go, some- 10 trillion rials (nearly $230 million),” Rakhshanimehr added. Dangers of Isolation positive outlook on life. thing meaningful to do or people to see helps them get out In the sixth five-year development plan some 3 million dollar According to Diane Reier, Lifestyle Specialist, social Enjoying the company of others who have similar per- of bed, excited to face the day. When they cultivate strong is planned to be allotted to school renovation, but the budget is isolation can be dangerous for seniors’ health. sonalities or interests helps the seniors feel like we belong relationships with others, they gain a sense of fulfillment, not officially allocated yet, he concluded. “Isolation is more than just feeling lonely,” Reier says. “A somewhere. For those who may have lost a spouse or a close and spending quality time with those they love reminds lack of connection with others can lead to poor emotional friend, the need to belong may be more intense. Engaging them that life is worthwhile. health, high blood pressure and a decline in physical health. with others can cultivate new friendships, and doing some- Volunteering for local organizations, going to a senior LEARN ENGLISH Studies show that older adults who suffer from depression thing meaningful together creates lasting bonds. living community for programs, visiting friends or family, and isolation have a higher mortality rate than those more Moreover self-esteem can plummet for those who have or finding a group that focuses on similar interests can held Complaining at a Restaurant satisfied with their lives and relationships, making social trouble doing as much as they use to or are alone too often. seniors to socialize. No matter how they choose to socialize, engagement just as important as other steps to maintain The more people socialize or participate in activities with research shows that the benefits nurturing relationships A: Excuse me, waiter? Waiter! physical and emotional health.” others, the more they benefit by feeling like they contribute are well worth the effort. B: Yes, sir? What can I do for you? A: I’ve been sitting here for the past twenty minutes and no one has offered me a glass of water, brought any bread to the table and our appetizers haven’t been served yet! You know, in this Iran’s Welfare Organization allots $150m to job creation kind of establishment, I’d expect much better service. B: I am sorry, sir. I’ll check on your order right away. SOCIETY TEHRAN — Iran’s Wel- Female breadwinners, people with disa- low-interest loans to enterprises,” Mo- C: Relax honey, the place is busy tonight, but I’ve heard the food deskfare Organization has al- bilities, and ex-addicts are the groups who hseni-Bandpey explained, highlighting is amazing. Anyway... lotted some 6.5 trillion rials (nearly $150 receive coverage from Iran’s Welfare Organi- that last year more than 57,000 jobs were B: Here you are, sir. The steak for the lady, and a mushroom million) to job creation in the current Iranian zation, Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpey said, generated for those who are under welfare soup for you. calendar year (March 2018 to March 2019), Tasnim news agency reported on Monday. organization coverage and the number will A: Waiter, I ordered a cream of mushroom soup with asparagus. the organization director has said. “In order to create jobs for we will grant surge dramatically this year. This soup is obviously too runny, and it’s over-seasoned. It’s completely inedible! B: Okay, I do apologize for that. Can I bring you another soup, or would you like to order something else? ENGLISH IN USE A: Take this steak back as well, it’s rubbery and completely overcooked. And look at the portion size! How can you charge LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION twenty-five dollars for asliver of steak? B: Right away... sir. C: Honey come on! The steak was fine, why are you making Crimean-Congo fever death toll تب کریمه کنگو در کشور جان 10 نفر را گرفت ?such a big deal? Are you trying to get our meal comped again A: What do you mean? We are paying for this. If I’m shelling increases to 10 out my hard earned bucks, I expect value for money! The Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) has put 10 individuals بــه گــزارش فــارس، محمــود نبوی، معــاون مرکــز مدیریــت بیماریهــای واگیــر وزارت B: Here you are, sir. I hope it is alright now. The chef has prepared to death in Iran since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar بهداشــت اظهــار داشــت: متأســفانه هــر ســاله تعــدادی در کشــور بــه دلیــل تــب کریمــه .it specially for you. year (March 21), Fars reported on Wednesday کنگــو از دســت میدهنــد کــه امســال تــا کنــون 10 مــورد بــوده اســت. A: Yes, fine. In spite of receiving best medical care, in general 10 percent of the Key vocabulary patients affected by the virus face death, while this number increases to وی افــزود: افــرادی کــه مبتــا بــه تــب کریمــه کنگــو میشــوند ممکــن اســت 10 درصــد runny: more liquid than expected 50 percent for the people who do not get any treatments, Mohammad آنهــا بــا درمــان خــوب نیــز فــوت کننــد و افــراد بــدون درمــان نیــز در 50 درصــد احتمــال over seasoned: too salty Nabavi, deputy director for communicable diseases department of the مــرگ آنهــا وجــود دارد. .inedible: cannot be eaten Ministry of Health said rubbery: difficult to chew overcooked: be cooked overtime portion size: the amount of food that is served to a person sliver: a small, thin piece PREFIX/SUFFIX PHRASAL VERB IDIOM make a big deal: get very upset about something small comp: be given to customers for free “entero-, enter-” Hunker down Can’t hold a candle for shell out: to spend money hard earned: money you work hard for Meaning: intestine Meaning: to make yourself comfortable in a place the life of me Supplementary vocabulary For example: There were no complications among or situation for a long time, usually in order to achieve the 4 patients who underwent enterotomy. something Explanation: when someone is less competent or do a bad aftertaste: a bad second taste not perform as well as others. rank: a strong, unpleasant smell For example: The press has hunkered down for the night outside the palace, waiting for news of the For example: John is very intelligent but he can’t rancid: a rotten taste or smell hold a candle to his brother Paul when it comes to sports. unappealing: not appealing; not attractive or tasty royal birth. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 25, 2018 WORLD IN FOCUS 13 Gazan youth dies of Israeli gunfire wounds Protesters gather to block sustained in anti-Israel protests Assange eviction from By staff & agencies these conditions,” Zeid said. Ecuador embassy A young Palestinian man has died more He added that the situation in Gaza may be than two months after being shot by Israeli “severely aggravated” in the coming months Police in London are trying to prevent a protest in front of military forces during clashes between a by the financial crisis facing the UN agency the Ecuadorian embassy where authorities are believed group of Palestinian protesters and Israeli for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, to be preparing to evict Julian Assange, the founder of forces in the southern part of the occupied as a result of dramatic cuts to its budget by the WikiLeaks who has been holed up in the embassy for West Bank. the U.S. Trump administration. six years. The spokesman for the Gaza Ministry of Zeid criticized last week’s approval Health, Ashraf al-Qidra, said in a statement by Israel’s parliament of a bill defin- that 26-year-old Majd Suhail Mohammed ing that country as the nation-state of Aqil passed away on Tuesday afternoon the Jewish people. He said that it “an- at Rumah Sakit Indonesia Hospital in the chors inherent discrimination against northern Gaza Strip city of Jabalia, located non-Jewish communities,” most notably 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north of Gaza City. the Arab citizens of Israel and residents He had been shot and wounded during of occupied East al-Quds (Jerusalem). “The Great March of Return” protests east He warned that it “could also further of Jabalia on May 14. inflame tensions.” Nearly 150 Palestinians have been killed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by Israeli forces ever since anti-occupation called the bill’s passage a “historic moment in protest rallies began in the Gaza Strip on the history of Zionism and the history of the March 30. state of Israel,” saying: “Israel is the nation A total of 14,811 Palestinians have also It also called for “immediate steps to- authorized by the Geneva-based Human state of the Jewish people, which honors the sustained injuries, of whom 366 are report- wards ending the closure and the restrictions Rights Council on May 18 “to advance ac- individual rights of all its citizens.” edly in critical condition. imposed by Israel on movement and access countability” for the killings and violations Zeid also criticized Israel’s approval, The Gaza clashes reached their peak on into and out of the Gaza Strip.” of international humanitarian and human planning and construction of settlements May 14, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of UN rights chief sharply criticizes rights law, he said. across with West Bank and East al-Quds the Nakba Day (Day of Catastrophe), which Israel over Gaza killings Zeid said there are “serious concerns” (Jerusalem), which the Palestinians want coincided this year with the United States Meantime, the UN human rights chief that Israeli accountability mechanisms as the capital of their future state. embassy relocation from Tel Aviv to occupied sharply criticized Israel on Monday, call- don’t comply with international stand- He called Israel’s detention of hundreds East al-Quds (Jerusalem). ing recent killings by its soldiers during ards of “independence, impartiality, and of Palestinian children, some without charge, Police were speaking to protesters outside the embassy On June 13, the United Nations General Palestinian demonstrations along the effectiveness.” under a system of “administrative detention,” on Tuesday as more people were joining an action to prevent Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution, Gaza border fence “shocking” and saying “Very few investigations ever occur,” he a “fundamental human rights violation.” a potential handover of Assange to the British authorities. sponsored by Turkey and Algeria, condemn- living conditions inflicted by Israel’s 11- said. “In the rare cases where an investiga- “It should be absolutely clear that in- Earlier reports suggested that Ecuadorian President ing Israel for Palestinian civilian deaths in year blockade of the territory are “grossly tion has led to an indictment, the sentence ternational law requires detention only be Lenin Moreno and British authorities had come to an agree- the Gaza Strip. inadequate.” has been extremely lenient in light of the used for children as a last resort,” he said. ment to have Assange evicted from the embassy premises The resolution, which had been put for- Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a video gravity of the crime committed.” And whether for children or adults, Zeid as early as this week. ward on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries, address to the UN Committee on the Exercise Zeid said it is vital to address the said, detention without trial “contravenes Assange, a 47-year-old Australian computer program- garnered a strong majority of 120 votes in of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian root causes of the Gaza demonstrations, Israel’s obligations under international law.” mer, sought asylum in the embassy in 2012, fearful that he the 193-member assembly, with 8 votes People that the situation in Gaza has esca- which have resulted in the deaths of “An estimated 440 Palestinians are might be detained and then extradited to Sweden, where against and 45 abstentions. lated dramatically in recent months with over 100 Palestinians, including 17 being held in ‘administrative detention,’ he had been wanted for sexual harassment charges. He has The resolution called on the UN Sec- “the potential to generate threats to peace children, and the wounding of more according to the latest figures,” he said. repeatedly insisted that he is paying a price for revelations retary General Antonio Guterres to make across a far broader region.” than 4,100 others with live ammunition “Israel should immediately charge, or he had made about wrong practices by the United States proposals within 60 days “on ways and Zeid, who heads the Office of the UN High since March 30. release, all of them.” military. He is mainly concerned that he would end up in the means for ensuring the safety, protection, Commissioner for Human Rights, said it is In addition to “grossly inadequate living More than 7,000 Palestinians are re- United States and be prosecuted for publishing classified and well-being of the Palestinian civilian essential for all parties to cooperate with the conditions” caused by Israel’s blockade for portedly held at Israeli jails. Hundreds of documents that were leaked by American whistleblower population under Israeli occupation,” in- independent, international commission of the residents of Gaza, most of whom are the inmates have apparently been incarcer- Chelsea Manning. cluding “recommendations regarding an inquiry into the recent deadly events in Gaza refugees, restrictive measures have also been ated under the practice of administrative According to the local reports, Ecuadorian embassy international protection mechanism.” that his office is helping to establish. It was imposed by Egypt that have “exacerbated detention. would hand over Assange to British authorities, and there is no report about any immediate extradition to the U.S. A white van was seen leaving the embassy on Sunday while carrying belongings and furniture, another sign that Greece wildfires: Dozens killed near Athens, officials say Assange was preparing to leave the embassy. People gath- At least 50 people have died and scores more injured as The streets of the village were lined with burned-out ering in front of the embassy on Tuesday said the whistle- wildfires tore through woodland and villages around the cars and the nearby fields were completely charred, with blower was innocent and was being used as a bargaining Greek capital, Athens, officials said. small fires still simmering. chip by Ecuador. The death toll rose sharply on Tuesday after 26 bodies Fire brigade spokeswoman Stavroula Maliri said that (Source: Press TV) were found near the harbor town of Rafina, according to Red “residents and visitors in the area did not escape in time Cross workers and the region’s vice mayor, Girgos Kokkolis. even though they were a few meters from the sea or in The official death toll from the fires stood at 50 by their homes”. Afghan capital Kabul hit by mid-Tuesday. The mayor of Rafina, however, said he be- One of the youngest victims was thought to be a six- lieves the death toll “had already exceeded 60”. month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation, officials said. multiple explosions “The number of dead is rising,” he added. Rescue workers were using forklifts to stack charred Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras declared three days cars so emergency vehicles could get through the streets. Multiple explosions have rocked the Afghan capital, Kabul, of national mourning. In the neighborhoods closer to the beach, residents with three confirmed to have been caused by rockets that According to officials, more than 150 people have been and visitors were examining the wreckage of their homes. hit a residential area, officials have said. injured in the fires, which damaged structures, disrupted Another blaze broke out on Monday in a forest near the major transport links and sent people fleeing their homes. coastal settlement of Kineta, about 55km west of Athens. Authorities said they would be making use of an unmanned Greece’s fire brigade said the intensity and spread of The causes of the fires are still unknown. drone from the United States on Tuesday to monitor and the wildfire in the coastal village of Mati, about 29km east Planes were continuing to drop water on the affected track any suspicious activity. of Athens, had slowed on Tuesday as winds died down, areas at mid-day on Tuesday. Tsipras and Greek officials have expressed misgivings at but it was still not fully under control. Mati is located in A state of emergency was declared in the Athens met- the fact that several major fires broke out at the same time. the Rafina region. ropolitan area and Tsipras cut short a visit to Bosnia to The fires in Mati were by far Greece’s worst since flames The fire department urged residents to report missing return to Greece. devastated the southern Peloponnese peninsula in August relatives and friends. “We are dealing with something completely asymmet- 2007, killing dozens. Firefighters in Mati told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that ric,” Tsipras said. Wildfires are not uncommon in Greece, and a relatively they were able to get to places that were unreachable on Cyprus and Spain offered assistance after Greece said it dry winter helped create the current tinder-box conditions. Monday night due to the strength of the flames. needed air and land assets from European Union partners. (Source: agencies) British acting agency offered people $25 to attend anti-Qatar protest A casting agency in Britain offered actors - You will not have to do or say anything, tion, we immediately withdrew wanting Emirates (UAE), along with the House of $25 to take part in an “anti-Qatar event” they just want to fill space. You will be no further part in this,” Tom Walker, the Saud regime, Bahrain and Egypt, imposed outside a meeting between the ruler of the finished at 12:30.” company director of Extra People, told a land, air and sea blockade against Qa- At least three people were wounded in the attacks, with Persian Gulf tiny state and British Prime As soon as we as a company became Al Jazeera. tar and severed ties with it, in one of the police deployed to the area to find the launch site, an official Minister Theresa May. aware that it was a political demonstra- “We have never or will never sup- Persian Gulf’s worst diplomatic dispute told the AFP news agency According to several emails screen-shot- tion, we immediately withdrew wanting ply artistes for any event that could among Arab states in decades. “Rockets were fired on Kabul city from an unknown ted and uploaded to Reddit, Twitter and no further part in this be deemed racist or xenophobic and The quartet have expressed their dis- direction and ... hit residential areas near the mountains Facebook; extras were offered $25 (£20) to However at 20:22 GMT on Monday, regret that we have even been caught pleasure over Qatar’s foreign policy, and in PD5 (police district),” police spokesman Hashmat Stan- take part in the supposed protest from 11:00 shortly after media reports first began to up in this.” urged the country to “change its direction”. ikzai said. until 12:30 GMT on Tuesday, as Qatar’s circulate about the job offer, Extra Peo- Tuesday’s planned protest came just According to several media reports, the The Afghan news website, Tolo News, reported five ex- Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani ple sent another mass email saying “on hours after a similar rally was held against four countries want Qatar to normalize plosions in total, adding that the blasts took place near a was due to meet May in central London. reflection” it would not be involved “in the Qatari emir in London. However, Twitter relations with Israel, and develop a re- police academy in the district of Afshar, in western Kabul. “This is NOT a film or TV production,” such a project”. user Sayed Alkadiri claimed that some of gional alliance against the region’s power Quoting police, Tolo added that the target appeared to casting agency Extra People said in an email It said a junior booker subsequently those participating in Monday’s demon- house Iran. be the police academy and that “dozens of families” had to their actors. made the arrangement without consulting stration were also being paid. Qatar’s emir has denounced all attempts fled the area. “The company are looking for a large management and it had now “withdrawn” Al Jazeera could not independently to infringe on the sovereignty of the Per- Tuesday’s rocket attacks came two days after a suicide group of people to fill space outside Downing its involvement. verify Alkadiri’s claims. sian Gulf nation and rejected all of their bomber blew himself up near Kabul international airport, Street during the visit of the president of “As soon as we as a company became The Qatari emir’s visit to Britain comes demands. killing at least 23 people and wounding a further 107 people. Qatar (sic). This is an ANTI-Qatar event aware that it was a political demonstra- more than a year after the United Arab (Source: Al Jazeera) Sunday’s attack was claimed by the local chapter of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh) terrorist group, which said it had targeted Afghan Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum, who returned to Kabul after more Hundreds reported missing in Laos after dam collapse than a year in exile. Hundreds of people are missing and several believed cent of its electricity to energy-hungry Thailand Scores of government officials, political leaders and dead after the collapse of a hydropower dam under and the remaining amount was to be offered up on supporters had gone to the airport to welcome Dostum, construction in southeast Laos, according to state the local grid. a powerful ethnic Uzbek leader and former strongman. media. Environmental rights groups have for years raised Dostum was unharmed in the attack, his armored vehicle The accident happened at a dam in Sanamxay district of concerns about Laos’ hydropower ambitions, including having already whisked him away when the bomber struck. southeastern Attapeu province late on Monday, releasing worries over the impact of dams on the Mekong River, The Afghan capital has seen an increase in bombings and five billion cubic meters of water, Laos News Agency said its flora and fauna and the rural communities and local other attacks against security forces and civilians since the on Tuesday. economies that depend on it. Taliban announced the beginning of their spring offensive “Several human lives claimed, and several hundreds of The 410-megawatt capacity dam was supposed to start on April 25. people missing,” the report said. commercial operations by 2019, according to the venture’s Fighting traditionally picks up in Afghanistan as warmer Several houses in the southern part of the district were website. weather melts snow in mountain passes, allowing fighters also swept away, the report said, and officials in the province Among the companies involved in the project accord- to move around more easily. put out a call for relief aid for flood victims. ing to the Laos News Agency are Thailand’s Ratchaburi According to the United Nations, a total of 1,692 peo- According to ABC Laos news, officials brought boats to Electricity Generating Holding, South Korea’s Korea ple have been killed in the first half of 2018, with another help evacuate people from the area. Western Power and the state-run Lao Holding State 3,430 people wounded - the highest figure since it began A video posted by the news network on its Facebook water from the side of a river bank. Enterprise. keeping records in 2009. page showed villagers stopping to watch the fast-flowing The $1.2bn project planned to export 90 per- (Source: agencies) (Source: agencies) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 14 WORLD SPORTS JULY 25, 2018 KPMG estimates Ronaldo’s US swimmer Lochte given 14-month doping ban after huge financial impact forJuventus social media post KPMG predicts that Juventus stand to directly in order to partially fill the relevant gap with the US would help Ju- The report also recognizes the spillover Twelve-time Olympic medallist Ryan Lochte says he is “devas- earn 340 million euros from the transfer European top clubs in terms of commercial ventus to create a more effects the transfer will have for Serie Ain tated” by his 14-month ban for a doping violation. over Ronaldo’s four-year contract period. revenues over the next two to three seasons. global brand which, in general and Ronaldo himself. The 33-year-old American has been sanctioned by the US Consultancy firm, KPMG has release a The report predicts Juventus’ commercial turn, would eventually Warning Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) for an intravenous infusion. report titled, ‘From Madrid to Turin: Ron- revenues to reach between 195 and 220 mil- result in higher rev- However, Andrea Sartori, KPMG’s Global While Lochte was not using a banned substance, athletes aldo Economics’, which provides analysis of lion within two to three years. enues.” Head of Sports and the report’s author warned cannot usually receive IVs unless related to a hospitalisation or the economic impact of Cristiano Ronaldo’s The impact on Juve’s that: “The positive aspects highlighted in via an exemption. move to Juventus. brand the report are only one side of the coin. The Lochte posted a photo of himself on social media receiving The report concludes that the Italian “In addition to the di- other side, which is to be taken into account the IV which prompted an investigation. club stands to directly earn 85 million a rect economic impact, to provide a full-blown analysis, regards He told a news conference: “A rule is a rule and I accept there year from the transfer, or 340 million over Cristiano Ronaldo the risks that Juventus FC will incur is a technical violation. the four-year contract period, but predicts will unquestion- by pursuing such a burdensome “I wasn’t taking anything that was banned or prohibited. I that Juventus will not see a major positive ably exert a investment. am hopeful other athletes learn from my mistake.” impact from the Ronaldo acquisition in the huge ef- “Indeed, the club will In 2016, Lochte - the second most decorated US swimmer 2018-19 financial year. bear the inevitable costs behind Michael Phelps - was banned from the sport for 10 months KPMG estimates that match-day revenues in relation to the after falsely claiming he was robbed at gunpoint during the Rio will reach between 55 and 70 million signing of Olympic Games. euros next season (depending The six-time Olympic champion said he and three team-mates on how the team performs, were held up at a petrol station during a night out. particularly in the Cham- fect But police questioned the account after CCTV footage showed pions League), while upon Ju- the group had vandalised the petrol station. total revenues from ventus FC’s brand and Cristiano which His latest ban runs until July 2019 having been backdated to broadcasting distri- social media exposure in will not depend on fu- 24 May, the date he received the prohibited intravenous infusion. butions at national those countries where Juven- ture circumstances, as revenues (Source: BBC) and international levels tus FC have not yet established do. In fact, the revenue figures will range from around 190 a strong brand presence, but are estimations and forecasts million euros to 255 million euros. where Cristiano Ronaldo has which will highly depend on the But the reports concludes that the major visibility,” states the report. management capabilities of Juventus real growth opportunity will come “Particularly, Ronaldo’s so- FC and on the on-field performance Russian billionaire Usmanov from sponsoring and merchandising, on which cial media exposure within Asia, of the team.” explores sale of 30 percent KPMG strongly urges Juventus to capitalize, South and Central America, and (Source: AS) Arsenal stake Guardiola, Zidane & Southgate among Mourinho wants to see Pogba’s World

Russian tycoon Alisher Usmanov is exploring a sale of his 30 Best FIFA Coach of the Year nominees Cup focus at Man United percent stake in English football club Arsenal, the Financial Times reported on.ft.com/2Lx1Yb6 on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the billionaire’s thinking. The Russian billionaire has grown frustrated that the club’s majority owner, Stan Kroenke, is un- willing to engage in takeover talks and has given up all hope of acquiring the club outright, the report cited the sources as saying. Usmanov had previously made a $1.3 billion offer to buy out Kroenke, but Kroenke’s KSE (Kroenke Sports & Entertainment) UK Inc said its shares in the Premier League club were not for sale. Russia’s so-called oligarchs who have relocated to London could be under threat as there have been calls to deny them ac- cess to their London lifestyles following the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in Britain. Usmanov and Roman Abramovich, who owns the Chelsea football club, are the most prominent among the Russian elite living in London. Arsenal finished a disappointing sixth last season and missed out on a Champions League qualifying spot, England manager Gareth Southgate is among Europa League glory, the Spanish side beating Jose Mourinho believes the World Cup only motivate. with manager Arsene Wenger leaving after almost 22 years at the the nominees for the Best FIFA Coach of the Marseille 3-0 in France. environment helped bring out the best in “During a season, you can have a big club. It appointed former Paris St Germain coach Unai Emery Year award. uventus boss Max Allegri is the only Serie Paul Pogba and the Manchester United match then a smaller match, then one even as their new manager. The Three Lions boss guided the side to A candidate for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach manager wants the France midfielder to smaller, then you can lose your focus, you A representative for Usmanov declined to comment. Arsenal fourth place at the 2018 World Cup, and is award. show the same focus and intensity at the can lose your concentration, then comes was not immediately available to comment. in elite company. Elsewhere, ex-Bianconeri Zinedine Premier League club. a big match again.” (Source: Reuers) Pep Guardiola is also nominated after Zidane is in with a shout of retaining the The 25-year-old, who moved to United Mourinho said it was easier for a player taking Manchester City to a record-break- accolade, having won another Champions from Juventus for a then world record fee to keep improving his game as his side ing Premier League title and the EFL Cup, League with Real Madrid, and his former in 2016, lit up the Premier League with mo- progressed at the World Cup. alongside Champions League winner Zinedine Old Lady teammate Didier Deschamps is ments of sublime skill but his inconsistency “In the World Cup, the direction of the Tokyo 2020 promises Zidane, who oversaw Real Madrid’s victory among those considered for leading France has been equally frustrating for the fans. emotion, of the responsibility, of the big over Liverpool prior to resigning from his post. to the World Cup. He was routinely criticised for his perfor- decisions is always growing... You are in technology to combat heat Croatia’s Zlatko Dalic, whose side beat FIFA will host the annual Best Football mances for United last season, but stepped the group phase, you go to the last 16, to England in the semi-finals of the World Cup, Awards gala on September 24, in London, up a gear in Russia, marshalling the France the quarter-finals, to the semi-finals, to is also nominated, along with Didier Des- where the winner will be announced. midfield alongside N’Golo Kante and scoring the finals,” he added. Organisers of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 plan to use the latest champs, who lifted the trophy withLes Bleus The likes of former Brazil international in the final as the side were crowned world “This feeds the motivation. This feeds technology to help deal with any heat issues. after their 4-2 win over the Croats in the final. Ronaldo and ex-England boss Fabio Capello champions for a second time. the concentration of a player. So I think Temperatures reached a record 41.1C in Japan on Monday, Stanislav Cherchesov guided Russia to the sat on the panel who decided the nominees. “I don’t think it’s about us getting the it was the perfect environment for him. with the country experiencing a heatwave this summer. quarter-finals, beating Spain on penalties The full nominees are as follows: Mas- best out of him, it’s about him giving the “I think players in the World Cup, they Tokyo’s average July temperature is over 30C and safety meas- along the way, while Roberto Martinez took similiano Allegri (Juventus), Stanislav best he has to give,” Mourinho told ESPN. really feel that extra commitment with a ures being looked at include “mist-spraying” and “heat-blocking” Belgium to third place, beating England twice Cherchesov (Russia), Zlatko Dalic (Croatia), “I think the World Cup is the perfect habitat country... so they play for the team, and technology. along the way. Didier Deschamps (France), Pep Guardiola for a player like him to give (their) best. only for the team, and the team is the most “In recent days Tokyo and Japan has been like living in a sauna The rest of the field is made up of club (Manchester City), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), “Why? Because it’s closed for a month, important thing, and they do everything every day,” said Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike. managers; Massimiliano Allegri took Juven- Roberto Martinez (Belgium), Diego Sime- where he can only think about football. to try to succeed. “For the athletes, I am sure they are training and very healthy tus to yet another Serie A title, while Jurgen one (Atletico Madrid), Gareth Southgate Where he’s with his team on the training “It’s the perfect environment for a in their bodies but for the spectators, who are cheering along the Klopp guided Liverpool to the Champions (England), Ernesto Valverde (Barcelona), camp, completely isolated from the external talented player like him to focus, to fully roadside, we cannot necessarily say they are training themselves League final, though they were beaten by Real. Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid). world, where they focus just on football, focus on the job.” to be very healthy. Diego Simeone took Atletico Madrid to (Source: Bleacher Report) where the dimensions of the game can (Source: Reuters) “So, how to deal with this heat? This is one pillar needed for the success of the 2020 Games.” More than 100km of road, including the routes for the mar- athon and walking events, could be sprayed with a product that Criticism and sympathy- how Ozil saga reflects heat and ultraviolet rays to reduce temperatures. Moving the marathon start time to 07:00 local time is also under consideration. “We have developed mist-spraying technologies, which are divided German football nano-particle-sized,” said Koike. Ehrenfeld is a part of Cologne, Germany, renowned president Reinhard Grindel before the World Cup. “In terms of the road, there is the heat-blocking or insulating for its multi-cultural community. Senol, working be- When Ozil did not appear at the national team’s media technology. hind the till at one newsagents by the train station, day, he added: “If he doesn’t want to answer in any inter- “If this heat-blocking pavement is covering the asphalt then, represents just that. views, then perhaps he’ll do so on the pitch.” on average, there will be a temperature suppression of eight About half a century ago, his family uprooted from Tur- Team manager Oliver Bierhoff maintained before the degrees Celsius.” key and came to Germany as guest workers after a labour tournament that the issue had been dealt with, but whis- (Source: BBC) shortage. Some 60 miles up the road in Gelsenkirchen, the tles from the crowd at Germany’s final warm-up game in grandparents of Mesut Ozil did the same. Leverkusen suggested otherwise. Senol, a former bodyguard, says he loves interacting Then came the team’s worst World Cup in 80 years, with people and happily banters with his customers. “You with Ozil - among others - scapegoated by politicians from sure you want the poisonous ones?” he says wryly to one the country’s far right, keen to make political capital from Barcelona beat Roma to who wants a pack of cigarettes. a football failure. Out the front stand the daily newspapers, not just The reaction in Germany Malcom - reports from Germany but from Turkey too. On the front of After Germany’s exit, Gundogan’s bit-part role in Russia almost all of them on Monday was a headline about kept him largely out of the firing line but Grindel and former Barcelona have won the race to sign Bordeaux winger Malcom Ozil. In the view of Senol and the locals he chats to, Germany striker Bierhoff targeted Ozil. and will complete the signing on a €41m deal, say reports. it’s not Ozil’s fault. “To date with the Germany team, we have never forced Goal.com report that Barca have gazumped Roma to the deal Why is it such a big deal? something [with players], always trying to convince them for the Brazilian and the player will sign a five-year contract at A three-part statement from the Arsenal midfielder on instead. With Mesut, that didn’t happen and in that sense, the Camp Nou. Sunday ended with him saying: “I will no longer be playing debut on the competitive global stage. you have to consider whether we could have done without According to Catalan radio station Rac1, the Blaugrana are for Germany at international level whilst I have this feeling The controversy around him dates back to May, a day him in a sporting sense,” said Bierhoff in an interview with in ‘advanced talks’ to sign the Brazilian and a deal could be com- of racism and disrespect.” before Germany’s World Cup squad was announced. Ozil, newspaper Die Welt. pleted as early as Tuesday. A World Cup winner in 2014, capped 92 times by his along with Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, Grindel, meanwhile, said Ozil should explain himself. It was expected that Malcom would arrive at Roma on Monday country, he is the most influential German player at present. was photographed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip By making the argument a binary one, and picking out night after the clubs agreed a fee and medicals were arranged, That comes from being of German-Turkish descent, Erdogan. Ozil in the process, their criticism saw them come down on with hundreds of Giallorossi fans turning up at the Rome airport. along with having played in Spain and England. Combine That was dimly viewed in Germany, with Erdogan ap- the same side of the argument as those who have torn into The 21-year-old netted 12 goals and provided seven assists, his followers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and you proaching another election and seen by many in the country Ozil from the country’s far right. leading to links with clubs from Italy, England, France and Spain. get a figure of 72 million. as a dictator. Only in February, for instance, was German That does not include Bayern president Uli Hoeness, but Now the future of Malcom is up in the air with it unclear if For the Germany team itself, he had been an important journalist Deniz Yucel released having been detained for he still laid into Ozil on Monday, calling him a “poor excuse he will play for Roma or the Catalan giants, whom Bordeaux are regular. Before being dropped against Sweden for the sec- a year, accused of spreading propaganda. for footballer” who “hadn’t made a tackle since before the keen to do business with. ond game of the World Cup in Russia, he had started every “Both [Ozil and Gundogan] have made a mistake but 2014 World Cup”. (Source: Football Espana) game at a major competition since the 2010 World Cup, his we also have to keep this in perspective,” said German FA (Source: BBC) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 25, 2018 SPORTS 15

Vahid Amiri voted IPL Iran earns 3 medals in IDBF Club Crew World Championships Player of the Year Press TV — The Iranian women’s rowing club Sokkan has SPORTS TEHRAN — Vahid Amiri was received three medals at the 11th edition of the International deskhonored last night with the Best Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) Club Crew World Champi- Player of the Year award after his sensational year onships in Hungary. with Persepolis in Iran Professional League (IPL). The Iranian team managed to get one silver and two The 30-year-old midfielder also represented bronze medals at the six-day-long prestigious international Iran in three matches of Group B against Morocco, tournament, which was held in the southeastern Hungarian Spain and Portugal in the 2018 World Cup. city of Szeged. Amiri, who joined Turkey’s Trabzonspor The 11th edition of IDBF Club Crew World Championships on Saturday, helped Persepolis win IPL back- started on July 17, and finished on July 22, 2018. to-back titles. Dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft, which has its Persepolis were named the best team of the roots in an ancient folk ritual of contending villagers, which year after the Reds won the title with three has been held for over 2000 years throughout southern China. weeks remaining. The history of dragon boats in competition reaches as Branko Ivankovic was named as the best far back as the same era as the original games of Olympia coach of the year after leading Persepolis to in ancient Greece. back-to-back title. Ali Alipour, Persepolis striker, took the best goalscorer of the year award with 19 goals. Persepolis captain Jalal Hosseini won the Persepolis midfielder Rafiei best defender of the year prize. moves on loan to Foolad Persepolis goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand won the best goalkeeper of the year award. Omid Ebrahimi was chosen as the best TASNIM — Persepolis of Iran’s midfielder Soroush Rafiei midfielder of the year after an astonishing has joined Foolad on a six-month loan deal. year with Esteghlal. He has recently joined Persepolis but has to wait until Esteghlal midfielder Server Djeparov won January to play in the team due to Persepolis’s transfer ban. the best assist provider of the year. Rafiei, 28, was a member of Foolad football team from Paykan defender Mehdi Shiri won the fair 2011 to 2017 and helped the Ahvaz-based football team win play award of the year. Iran Professional League (IPL) title in 2014. Bijan Heydari was named the best referee The attacking midfielder has also played in Tractor Sazi of the year. and Al-Khor of Qatar. The IPL new season will start on Thursday and Foolad Iran beat Uruguay in Beach Handball will host Pars Jonoubi in its first match. World Championships Majid Hosseini’s U-turn after SPORTS TEHRAN — Iran edged past Uruguay in Russia tomorrow. Esteghlal’s threat desk2-1 (15-16, 15-14, 6-5) in the Beach The six days of competition is being held at the Kazan Handball World Championships on Monday. Beach Sports Complex, in Kazan, Russia from July 24 to 29. The Iranian team had lost to Argentina 2-1 (10-13, In the men’s draw, Croatia have been drawn against PLDC — Majid Hosseini has returned to Tehran after Es- 12-8, 6-4) in Pool A. Iran, Uruguay and Argentina in Group A. teghlal threatened him they will file a complaint if he joins Team Melli will face reigning champions Croatia on Group B is made up of Spain, Hungary, Vietnam and Trobzonspor. Wednesday. New Zealand, while Group C comprises Oman, Australia, Esteghlal international defender was set to join the Turk- Croatia and Spain will begin their bids to defend Denmark and 2016 bronze medalists Qatar. ish club but has reportedly returned to Tehran since he has their respective men’s and women’s titles when the Last year’s runners-up Brazil headline Group D, which contract with Esteghlal. Beach Handball World Championships begin in Kazan also includes hosts Russia, the United States and Sweden. Hosseini caught the eye of Trobzonspor after good per- formance in the 2018 World Cup. According to Iranian media, Hosseini has returned to Report: Brighton in talks to sign £20m-rated Leicester target Jahanbakhsh Tehran to solve the problem and will join the Turkish team Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester undoubtedly need to bolster their attacking Iranian media claimed earlier this month to be worth £20 million. after that. City are reportedly keen on signing the AZ department. that Leicester were on the verge of signing the The lively front-man was on fire in Persepolis free-agent midfielder Vahid Amiri joined Trob- Alkmaar man. The 34 Premier League goals they scored 24-year-old, but a move to the King Power Holland last season, chalking up an zonspor on Saturday and Morteza Pouraliganji will reportedly According to a report from the Daily in the league last season was the fourth Stadium has so far failed to materialise. impressive 22 goals and 14 assists in 39 sign a contract with the team. Mail, Brighton are in talks with AZ Alkmaar lowest tally in the division, and they must It now appears that the Foxes will face appearances in all competitions. to sign Leicester-linked Iranian forward find a way of being more potent in front of competition from Brighton for the Iran He can play anywhere along the front- Alireza Jahanbakhsh. goal this time around, if they are to make international forward’s signature. line, and would undoubtedly provide Persepolis awarded Iran’s Chris Hughton guided his side to an further progress. The south coast outfit are thought to be Brighton with more of a cutting edge in impressive 15th placed finish in the Premier And Jahanbakhsh could be just the man in talks with AZ Alkmaar over the possibility the final third. Super Cup title League table last season, but the Seagulls for the job. of signing Jahanbakhsh in a deal believed (Source: HITC) IRNA — Disciplinary committee of Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) announced Persepolis 7 ACL players who can impress in UAE 2019 as winner of the 2018 Super Cup. With the 2018 AFC Champions League quarter-finals just a historic achievement for his club will help his chances of Rouzbeh Chesmi (Esteghlal and IR Iran) The Iranian Football League Organization had already over a month away, we look at seven players whose form securing a starting spot for the Samurai Blue whose pursuit of awarded the title to Persepolis after Esteghlal withdrew from in the competition can drive them to excel in the 2019 AFC a fifth continental title sees them pitted against Uzbekistan, the game but the Blues had protested the decision. Asian Cup in January. Oman and Turkmenistan in Group F. The match was originally scheduled for July 20 but Esteghlal Eight of Asia’s biggest club sides are battling for the 2018 Hassan Al Haydos (Al Sadd and Qatar) requested Iran Football League Organization to postpone AFC Champions League title, and amongst their ranks are The 2011 AFC Champions League winner has grown into the match. some top players hoping to impress their national team one of the most influential players for club and country. The organization refused to reschedule the match since managers as we approach the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. The 27-year-old has been at Al Sadd since the age of eight two teams will have to play in quarter-final of AFC Champions Some have already shown glimpses of their talents at and has won two league titles and a FIFA Club World Cup League and Iran Professional League (IPL). the FIFA World Cup in Russia, while others are dreaming bronze medal alongside the 2011 continental trophy. Esteghlal filed an appeal to the disciplinary committee of one last grand showing before hanging their boots. So Al Haydos contributed six key passes and one assist against the decision but the committee announced Persepolis let’s look at some of the biggest AFC Asian Cup hopefuls in this year’s AFC Champions League as Al Sadd finished as winner after reviewing the case. featuring in August’s AFC Champions League quarter-finals. second in Group C then overcame Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis and IR Iran) in the round of 16 with a 4-3 aggregate win. Alongside club teammates Akram Afif and Ali Asad, Al Haydos is expected to form the spine of Qatar’s attacking WNBA suspends Mercury G midfield in neighboring UAE in January, where they will be hoping to progress past the quarter-finals for the first time in After just one match and a clean sheet, Cheshmi’s Taurasi one game their history. The start will be against Lebanon on January World Cup campaign was ended prematurely with a 9, followed by DPR Korea then Saudi Arabia in Group E. muscle injury to the disappointment of the 24-year- Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi was suspended for Zhao Xuri (Tianjin Quanjian and China PR) old defender who had recorded the team’s best pass one game after being called for her seventh technical foul of The veteran midfielder boasts an impressive minutes- completion rate (94% ) in his only outing in Russia the season, the WNBA announced Monday. per-goal ratio of 157 despite playing in a deep role. The 2018 against Morocco. The punishment, a ban without pay, was announced by two-time AFC Champions League winner with Guangzhou Two months later, Cheshmi’s attention turns to Bethany Donaphin, head of WNBA league operations. Evergrande joined Tianjin in 2016 and has since become the AFC Champions League as he looks to help his an indispensable member of their starting XI. Esteghlal side to the semi-finals for the second time The 25-year-old was one of the stars of Team Melli’s Zhao’s experience continues to be crucial for a Tianjin after 2013. The Iranian giants had emerged from the 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign, saving a penalty from side playing in the AFC Champions League for the first time group stage unbeaten and recorded three clean sheets Cristiano Ronaldo and impressing throughout. At Persepolis, in their history. And with over 70 caps to his name, he will be in the process with Cheshmi starting all but one of Beiranvand has kept five clean sheets, more than any other equally important for China PR in January’s AFC Asian Cup. their six group games. goalkeeper in the 2018 AFC Champions League. Having made his international debut in 2003, Zhao went Cheshmi’s replacement in the World Cup, Majid The quarter-finals throw a big challenge for the goalkeeper on to appear in two editions of the AFC Asian Cup; 2007 Hosseini, has impressed, but the Esteghlal defender’s as his Persepolis side face Qatar’s Al Duhail, who have been and 2011, before missing on the 2015 edition in Australia. versatility means a starting spot in UAE 2019 is an unstoppable attacking force this season, bagging 21 goals At 32, UAE 2019 may well be his last chance to represent a strong possibility and a strong showing in the in the continental competition, the highest amongst West China PR in the continental competition, and if his club two quarter-finals can further cement his status Asian teams and only second to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ 26. form is anything to go by, we could see his best in January. as one of Team Melli’s key defensive assets at the The 194cm tall custodian’s performances for club and Lee Yong (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Korea AFC Asian Cup. country mean he is set for a starting role in January as Republic) Almoez Ali (Al Duhail and Qatar) Carlos Queiroz’s IR Iran look to lift their first AFC Asian Cup Right-back Lee was arguably Korea Republic’s best When it was announced that Al Duhail captain and title since 1976. Beiranvand and co start their continental player in Russia 2018, putting in impressive performances talisman Youssef Msekni will be sidelined for a few Per WNBA rules, a player or coach gets an automatic campaign on January 7 against Yemen before facing Vietnam both in defense and attack. And while the Taeguk Warriors months with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury suspension after receiving a seventh technical foul in the and Iraq in Group D. have failed to advance past the group stage, they left a good back in April, many feared the worst for the Qatari regular season. Each additional pair of technicals received Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers and Japan) impression after defeating world champions Germany in a side, but then Almoez Ali stepped up. after accumulating seven would result in an additional one- Another man who made an impression in Russia over game where Lee showed his true qualities. Starting seven of Al Duhail’s eight-match winning game ban. the summer is center-back Gen Shoji who was a key cog An AFC Champions League winner with Ulsan Hyundai streak in this year’s AFC Champions League, Ali took Taurasi was called for her seventh technical foul of the in the Japan side that reached the World Cup round of 16 in 2012, Lee joined Jeonbuk in February 2017, just three on a more attacking role in Msekni’s absence and season while arguing a call during Saturday’s 80-75 loss against before bowing out to eventual bronze medalists Belgium. months after they were crowned Asian Champions for the delivered a goal and four assists as the Qatari champions the Minnesota Lynx. She will serve the suspension when the Shoji made 41 clearances in his six AFC Champions League second time in their history. This term, the 32-year-old has swept aside their Group B opponents. Mercury take on the Chicago Sky in Phoenix on Wednesday. appearances for Kashima Antlers, among the highest in contributed an assist and 12 key passes as Jeonbuk attempt One of the stars of the Qatar side that were crowned This marks the third time the 14-year WNBA veteran has the competition to help his side navigate the group stage to become the first side to win the competition three times. U-19 Asian Champions in Myanmar in 2014, Ali made been given an automatic suspension for being tagged with with just six goals conceded, no other team in East Asia A late bloomer, Lee only made his international debut in the step up to the senior team alongside many members seven technical fouls in a season, having also received one- conceded less. 2013 at the age of 27, and was not part of the Korea Republic of that team, and with his current club form, he will game suspensions in 2013 and 2016. Kashima Antlers face the challenge of Tianjin Quanjian squad that reached the AFC Asian Cup final in Australia in be an important asset for coach Felix Sanchez come In 25 games this season, the 36-year-old Taurasi leads the as they attempt to reach the AFC Champions League semi- 2015, so UAE 2019 could be his only chance to leave a mark January 2019. Mercury by averaging 20.3 points and 4.8 assists per game. final for the first time in their history. Shoji will be hoping in the continental tournament with his nation. (Source: the-afc) (Source: Reuters) Prayer Times Noon:13:11 Evening: 20:35 Dawn: 4:28 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:07 (tomorrow) JULY 25, 2018 ART&CULTURE I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y www.tehrantimes.com Managing Director: Ali Asgari Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Ghaderi Tehran art galleries offered installment Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051450 plan to lessen loss of earnings in recession Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 ARTTEHRAN – A gallery www.eshterak.ir Distributor: Padideh Novin Co. deskowner in Tehran said on Tel: 88911433 Tuesday that her colleague had received a Webmaster: [email protected] proposal to sell artworks on an installment Printed at: Rooztab - ISSN: 1017-94 plan in order to cope with the loss of No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran earnings during the current economic P.o. Box: 14155-4843 recession in the country. Zip Code: 1599814713 Speaking to the Persian service of ISNA, Fatemeh Nuri, the owner of Naqsh-e Jahan Gallery, said, “Paying for artworks at a gallery on installments has been unprecedented in my 40-year career.” “However, that is OK, if artists would be in agreement with this plan,” she noted. She did not mention who had proposed the plan. “Artists will definitely increase the prices of their artworks due to a sharp rise in the prices of colors and art materials Rhode Island festival to in the country; therefore a rise in prices is always followed by fewer customers,” screen films from Iran she added. Nuri said that there has been a rapid ARTTEHRAN – Several films from Iran will be desk decline in the number of visitors, and screened at the Rhode Island International Film added, “If people have plenty of food Festival (RIIFF) running in the American state from August 7 to 12. to eat they will pay attention to art, but unfortunately, the economic condition is worsening day by day.” There are almost 300 art galleries in Tehran, a large number of which have not organized an exhibition over the past two years. Visitors are seen talking together during an exhibition at Tehran’s Shalman Gallery on July 22, 2018. (Honaronline/Maryam Ramezanlu)

Indian university offers course “Majan” named best on Persian language at Zanzibar film festival

“Maned & Macho” by Shiva Sadeq-Asadi Animations “Run Rustam Run” by Hossein Molayemi, “Maned and Macho” by Shiva Sadeq-Asadi, as well as the documentary “Amour Du Reel” by Iman Behruzi, are among the Iranian films competing in the event, the organizers have announced. In “Run Rustam Run”, national hero Rustam comes to con- temporary Tehran, in order to make up for what he has done to his own son. “Maned and Macho” is about a girl’s repressed emotions and instincts, which are embodied in some animals that come out of her dreams. The documentary “Amour Du Reel” shows a filmmaker who returns to his family home in Shiraz, after several years living abroad to make a film for the woman he loves. The festival is organized every year by the Flickers Arts Col- laborative, a non-profit arts organization. A view of the Savitribai Phule Pune University Mahtab Karamati acts in a scene from “Majan” by director Rahman Seifi-Azad. ARTTEHRAN — The Savit- a constant demand from the students to ARTTEHRAN — “Majan” national competition was presented to NEWS IN BRIEF deskribai Phule Pune Univer- learn Persian and those students who want deskby Iranian director “Silas” co-directed by Anjali Nayar and sity is offering a course leading to a certificate to study and do research on medieval history Rahman Seifi-Azad won the award for Hawa Essuman. The film is a co-production in the Persian language at the basic level. will benefit from this course. best film from DHOW countries at the from Canada, South Africa and Kenya. Pieces by world The course opened on July 14 at the His- “There are a lot of institutes teaching Zanzibar International Film Festival in “Supa Modo”, a co-production between composer to tory Department of the Indian university Persian language in the city but they are Tanzania, the organizers announced last Germany and Kenya directed by Likarion and will be running for three months, the mainly modern spoken Persian. This course week. Wainaina received the Golden DHOW highlight piano Times of India has reported. offers students historical Persian language Starring Mahtab Karamati and Farhad for best film. recital in Tehran The course offers students Persian that will enable students to read graphics Aslani, the film is about a couple dealing In addition, “The Forbidden” by Kizito grammar as well as writing and reading, on coins, inscriptions and others,” Paran- with a great challenge in their lives over Samuel Saviour from Uganda was picked ARTTEHRAN – Iranian pianist Fereidun the person in-charge of the course, Nikhil jape said. keeping their disabled child at home or as best East African film at the festival, deskNasehpur will perform pieces from world- Paranjape, said. The course is being organized in collabo- leaving him at a sanatorium. which was held in Zanzibar from July renowned composers such as Franz Schubert and Frédéric According to Paranjape, there has been ration with Iran’s Culture House in Mumbai. The award for best film in the inter- 7 to 15. François Chopin during a recital at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on August 4. Trevor Noah faces backlash in Australia A repertoire composed of Chopin’s “Trois Nouvelles Études” Gloria Estefan awarded Spain’s and “24 Preludes” and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Prelude in gold medal for the arts over offensive indigenous joke D Minor” and several other pieces will be included at the performance. MADRID (Reuters) — Gloria Este- MELBOURNE (Reuters) — Comedian fan, the Cuban-American pop star who Trevor Noah is facing calls for a boycott of achieved worldwide fame in the 1980s, his “Tour Down Under” over an offensive was honored by the Spanish govern- joke he told in 2013 calling all indigenous From Dumbo to Mr. Toad, ment on Monday for her contribution Australian women ugly, even after he ac- to the arts. knowledged on Monday that he had done Disneyland collection Accompanied by her music-producer wrong. husband Emilio, the singer was pre- Noah, host of the popular Daily Show goes up for auction sented with the Gold Medal of Merit in the United States, responded after an for the Arts by Culture Minister Jose indigenous Australian highlighted a clip of a LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — For years, Dumbo the Flying Guirao in Madrid’s Teatro Real opera stand-up show in 2013 where the comedian Elephant hung from his living room ceiling, a Mr. Toad Wild Ride house. Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan made the offensive comments, with the Television host Trevor Noah attends an car was parked in his library and Bashful’s cart from Snow White’s The ceremony was organized espe- waits to be awarded with Spain’s Gold hashtag #boycotttrevornoahinoz. interview with Reuters in New York July Scary Adventures sat on his front lawn in suburban California. cially for Estefan, who could not attend Medal of Merit for the Arts from Spain’s In the footage, Noah said that “all women 7, 2016. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz) Now collector Richard Kraft is selling off his 750-item col- an event earlier this year where King Culture Minister Jose Guirao Cabrera in of every race can be beautiful,” then said: “I am so disgusted and appalled by lection of theme park vehicles, props and artifacts spanning six Felipe presented medals to several other Madrid, Spain, July 23, 2018. (Reuters/ “And I know some of you are sitting there the comments by @Trevornoah and his decades of Disneyland history. recipients. Susana Vera) now going, ‘Oh Trevor, yeah, but I’ve never attempted humor that denigrates Abo- Kraft, a Hollywood agent, began his collection 25 years ago, Speaking to reporters afterwards, the “It’s a very difficult moment and I seen a beautiful Aborigine.’” riginal women I hope Australians boycott spurred by nostalgia for his visits with his late brother to Disn- multi-Grammy Award winner, who has think the whole of the United States He then went on to say, “It’s not always his shows in #Brisbane #Sydney #Mel- eyland in southern California. had hits in Spanish and English, spoke is a bit anxious. It’s a difficult time about looks,” and pretended to play a didg- bourne #Perth,” author Anita Heiss said Van Eaton Galleries in Los Angeles said the result was an out on some of the issues facing Latino worldwide.” eridoo, a traditional long wooden wind on social media. extraordinary array of Disneyland memorabilia. people in the United States, including Estefan said she had finished record- instrument, in a suggestive way. Noah responded that Williams was right. “Through Richard’s passion for the park and his love for his the policy of separating the children of ing an album to be released in January. The clip has since been removed from “After visiting Australia’s Bunjilaka brother and family, he has amassed a collection that is unequaled,” migrants from their parents. “We have re-invented some of my social media, after indigenous ex-football- museum and learning about aboriginal co-founder Mike Van Eaton said. “We are frightened about the treat- tracks so you can consider it a ‘Greatest er Joe Williams said the comments were history first hand I vowed never to make Such is its scale that hundreds of the items are being dis- ment those children received,” Estefan hits’ so to speak, but no, because it also “utterly unacceptable” especially for “a a joke like that again. And I haven’t,” he played for a month at a free public exhibition called “That’s told a news conference. has four new tracks.” man of color”. said on social media. From Disneyland” at a 20,000 sq ft (18,500 sq meters) aban- doned store in suburban Los Angeles ahead of the auction on Aug. 25 and 26. Visitors will be able to dance along with six singing anima- “Equalizer 2” squeaks past “Mamma Mia 2” and takes top spot tronic dolls from It’s a Small World, or board one of the pirate LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the battle of two very different versal’s president of domestic distribution. “And knowing the ships from Peter Pan’s Flight. sequels at the box office this weekend, Denzel Washington’s audience for these types of films, we are going to have a very “Real artisans made this and I love putting it in an exhibit action pic “The Equalizer 2” has narrowly won out over the healthy run at the domestic and worldwide box office. This is setting so it could be admired differently. You never actually see ABBA jukebox musical “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.” a very fun, very uplifting movie that people need right now.” this stuff up close and personal the way you would see it in this Studios on Sunday estimate that the R-rated Denzel Wash- It’s also a rare showdown of two star-driven films that suc- exhibit,” Kraft said. ington joint grossed $35.8 million from North American theaters ceeded in targeting two very different audiences. “We had Dumbo hanging in the living room of our house - 800 over the weekend. It’s Washington’s first ever sequel and the “It’s amazing how well-matched these contenders are,” said pounds (360 kg) of elephant hanging over people’s heads,” Kraft biggest opening of director Antoine Fuqua’s career. The first comScore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “Both said. “We used to decorate Dumbo for Christmas.” “Equalizer”, from 2014, opened similarly and went on to earn studios really did a great job of marketing each of these movies The Dumbo the Flying Elephant vehicle is expected to be over $190 million worldwide. to their target audience. It’s classic counter-programming.” among the top sellers with an estimate of $100,000-$150,000, Second place went to Universal Pictures’ “Mamma Mia Sequels powered the top six spots at the domestic box office while a Peter Pan’s pirate ship vehicle is seen fetching $75,000- 2”, which took in $34.4 million, a sum that was driven by an This image released by Columbia Pictures shows Denzel this weekend and eight out of the top 10 overall. “Hotel Tran- $100,000. audience that was 83 percent female and 64 percent over the Washington in a scene from “Equalizer 2.” (Glen Wilson/ sylvania 3: Summer Vacation” came in third with $23.2 million Other artifacts include a Disneyland ticket booth, an ani- age of 25. The film brought back much of the original cast, Sony, Columbia Pictures via AP) in its second weekend, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” took fourth matronic singing bird from the Enchanted Tiki Room, as well like Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried and Pierce Brosnan, which still went on to gross over $600 million worldwide place with $16.1 million in its third weekend, “Incredibles 2” as original drawings, concept sketches and posters from the and added Cher, Andy Garcia and Lily James to the mix. 10 years ago. landed in fifth with $11.5 million, and “Jurassic World: Fallen 63-year-old theme park. Critics overall gave the sequel better marks than the first, “We consider this a terrific opening,” said Jim Orr, Uni- Kingdom” came in sixth with $11 million.