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16 Pages Price 20,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13332 Tuesday FEBRUARY 19, 2019 Bahman 30, 1397 Jumada Al thani 13, 1440 Warsaw meeting Pakistan has started Snooker player Vafaei Pakistani artists shine won’t bear results operations against dreams of becoming spotlight on Ferdowsi’s 2 terrorists 2 world champion 15 Shahnameh 16 Three linked to terror act in southeast Iran arrested Rouhani inaugurates POLITICS TEHRAN — The Is- where the terrorists were deployed were desklamic Revolution Guard identified and they were arrested,” the Corps released a statement on Monday an- statement said. nouncing that three terrorists linked to the Late on Wednesday, a car laden with last week’s deadly attack near Iran’s border explosives hit a bus of soldiers on Za- with Pakistan have been arrested. hedan-Khash road in the border province projects worth $1.4 billion The statement added that explosives of Sistan-Balouchestan killing 27 and in- and guns were seized from the arrested juring the remaining 13. See page 4 militants. “With the grace of God and Jaish al-Adl group (soldiers of justice), endeavors of the IRGC ground forces and which is based in Pakistan, has taken re- the IRGC Quds Force, a number of houses sponsibility for the attack.

Tehran criticizes EU delay in registering INSTEX POLITICS TEHRAN – Tehran bi-weekly press conference. deskhas criticized the Euro- He acknowledged that the EU has tak- pean Union (EU) for its delay in registering en the first step to open up the financial INSTEX, a financial channel for trade with channel, but emphasized that Europe Iran in the face of U.S. sanctions. needs to fully implement INSTEX. So far Europe has not been very “They cannot expect Iran to com- successful in registering INSTEX and pletely fulfil its commitments in these this issue has progressed very slowly, circumstances,” he said. “We have re- Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram peatedly emphasized that our patience Qassemi said on Monday during his is limited.” 2

Meybod celebrates becoming world city for Zilou HERITAGE TEHRAN — On Mon- Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, deskday, Meybod celebrated as well as clusters of regional officials, becoming a world city for Zilou, a traditional artisans and international guests, CHTN type of floor covering commonly woven across reported. the central Iranian city and its outskirts. The oasis city won the WCC-APR The ceremony was attended by Ghada status last October after a delegation of

president.ir Hijavi, the head of World Crafts Coun- international experts probed the in-house cil-Asia Pacific Region, Ali-Asghar Moune- expertise which has been passed down A view of the third phase of the Persian Gulf Star Refinery in Bandar Abbas san, the director of the Cultural Heritage, generations to generations. 10

ARTICLE REPORT Hanif Ghaffari ‘Timetable for U.S. Afghanistan exit to be decided on Feb. 25’ Syed Zafar Mehdi Political analyst TEHRAN (MNA) – A former Taliban foreign iban ignore the reports in some news outlets Journalist ministry official, Vahid Mojdeh, told MNA that that the U.S. is reluctant to leave Afghanistan, from New Delhi the timetable for the exit of American troops he said. They said they are determined to exit from Afghanistan will be presented in the next Afghanistan, he added. Europe has not meeting of Taliban and U.S. representatives. Mojdeh then maintained that the various Iran, India demand Vahid Mojdeh, an expert on Afghanistan’s parties at the Moscow meeting all agreed on taken action to political issues and a former Taliban deputy the fact that the presence of foreign troops in answers and action foreign minister, said in an exclusive interview Afghanistan endangers peace in Afghanistan, keep JCPOA with Mehr that negoations between the Taliban and the forces must leave the country. from Pakistan and the U.S. have had some achievments which He also addressed the rumors about the es- uropean Union foreign policy had raised hopes for the exit of American troops tablishment of a Taliban political office in Iran, t a time when Pakistan is host- chief Federica Mogherini recently from Afghanistan. saying “the Taliban wanted to establish a political ing the ‘butcher of Riyadh’, the Eannounced that if there were no He maintained that in the next meeting be- two sides will discuss the ways for the exit of office in Qatar in order to hold negotiations there. Atornado of anger and outrage European efforts, the nuclear deal with tween representatives from the Taliban and the American troops from Afghanistan. There has been no request from the Taliban to has engulfed its neighborhood over Iran would be eliminated! It is claimed U.S., which is scheduled for February 25, the The Americans have requested that the Tal- establish the office in any other country.” two recent incidents of terror, both that, basically, the European Union has linked to Pakistan. not yet taken a step towards maintaining Pakistan is facing serious accusations a nuclear deal with Iran. of providing sanctuary to terrorist outfits The fact is that the European Union that target its neighbors. Last week, two is blamed for a nuclear deal with Iran. Kashmir attack: Kashmiri students, traders face backlash from Hindu extremists deadly bombings rocked India and Iran, Donald Trump stepped at the White House Syed Zafar Mehdi Uttaranchal, New Delhi and West Bengal etc. old militant from south Kashmir. claiming more than 70 lives in total. in 2017. Theresa May, the British Prime TEHRAN — In the aftermath of the deadly At least 44 members of India’s central reserve The attack drew widespread condemnations Both attacks bore striking similarity, Minister, was the first European official attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir last week, police force (CRPF) were killed on Wednesday cutting across the political lines. Even separatist had similar targets and were choreo- to travel to Washington to meet with the Kashmir Muslims working and studying in dif- when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden leaders in Indian-controlled Kashmir denounced graphed in a same manner, much to the new president of the United States. During ferent Indian cities are facing a backlash from car through a convoy of 77 military vehicles in the attack. astonishment of security and intelligence this visit, Trump informed Theresa May Hindu extremists. south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Following the attack, reports of Kashmiris threat- agencies in both the countries. mind of his decision on “changing the There have been several reports since Thursday The responsibility for the attack was claimed ened and harrassed by Hindu extremists in different While India has been more explicit in nuclear deal”. pertaining to threats faced by Kashmiri Mus- by Jaish e Mohammad (JeM), a militant outfit Indian cities made it to newspapers, creating a sense its diplomatic and military retaliation, He emphasized that if the nuclear deal lims in Indian states like Haryana, Uttrakhand, based in Pakistan, and carried out by a 22-year- of panic among Kashmiris everywhere. 6 Iran issued a veiled threat to the civil and is not reviewed and redefined, the United military establishment in Islamabad to States will no more remain as a part of it. take immediate and appropriate action It was during this visit and among Amer- against the perpetrators of the attack in ican senators that Theresa May called the New report reveals Saudi minister Jubeir’s links with Mossad southeastern Sistan-Balochistan prov- JCPOA a “controversial deal” for the first A prominent American website has revealed secret Jemma Buckley said in an article on The intelligence news scoop of the past 10 years,” ince, which killed at least 27 members time since 2015. In this way, and indirectly, links between Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Odyssey Online that she had begun to collect coming to light after former Israeli foreign min- of the revolutionary corps (IRGC). May announced her company with the Affairs Adel al-Jubeir and Israel’s spy agency information about Jubeir’s relations with Mossad. ister Tzipi Livni rebuked Mossad for Jubeir’s While the attack in Indian-controlled United States for changing the JCPOA. Mossad that began in the nineties. She described it as “the most controversial dismissal. 13 Kashmir, which killed at least 44 mem- Afterwards, it was time for the French bers of India’s central reserve police President, Emmanuel Macron to take part in force (CRPF), was claimed by Jaish e the joint game of London and Washington. Mohammad (JeM), the responsibility In July 2017, Macron assured Trump that for attack in Sistan-Balochistan was he would do its best to include Iran’s missile Fajr Festival claimed by Jaish ul Adl. Both these capability in the context of the nuclear deal, militant organizations are based in and thus limit the regional power of Iran. Pakistan. But Macron never imagined that he of Fashion Jaish e Mohammad released a video had practically turned to Trump’s piece that appeared to show the attacker, a in his confrontation with Iran. In Septem- 22-year-old recruit from south Kash- ber, 2017, and during the United Nations and Costume mir, condemning India for atrocities General Assembly meeting in New York, against the people of Kashmir and British and French officials were urged underway vowing revenge. by the United States to attract Germa- Indian military has been accused ny’s positive stance to participate in the The 8th edition of Fajr Festival of Fashion of using excessive force to crush the “West’s joint effort to change the JCPOA.” and Costume is underway in Boostan Park, freedom movement in the disputed Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, Tehran. region, often leading to civilian casu- surrendered to her Western counterparts The festival aims at promoting the cul- alties. Thousands of young men and much earlier than expected. ture of clothing based on Iranian-Islamic women have been killed and blind- As a result, by mid-2017, talks between lifestyle. ed in recent years due to lethal and American and European diplomats on With a variety of tribal cultures Iran enjoys non-lethal weapons used by Indian changing the nuclear deal entered a new outstanding capacity in fashion and costume, forces in Kashmir. phase. A deal in which diplomats from said Vice President for Women’s and Family Pakistan has always extended its the United States, Germany, France, Noorali Marzyeh Morteza Affairs, Masoumeh Ebtekar, at the opening diplomatic and military support to and Britain, worked on a common goal ceremony of the festival. the independence movement in Indi- called “complementary” or “secondary” The 7-day event will wrap up on Feb- an-controlled Kashmir. However, ex- IRNA/ agreement aimed at achieving Trump’s ruary 21. perts say Pakistan has its own political four demands. 7 and strategic interests. 6 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS FEBRUARY 19, 2019 MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS Larijani in China Warsaw meeting won’t bear to boost bilateral relations results: Ayatollah Khamenei POLITICS TEHRAN — The recent government officials should be vigilant in POLITICS TEHRAN — Parliament Speaker Ali deskanti-Iran summit pushed identifying the enemies and dealing with them. deskLarijani said on Monday his trip to by the U.S. and hosted by Poland won’t bear “The officials should identify the enemy and China is aimed to boost political, cultural, scientific and the results that the organizers expected, Lead- the friend appropriately, and should not be economic relations. er of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali deceived. The enemy might at times threaten, Larijani made the remarks before departing Tehran for Khamenei said on Monday. or strike or appear friendly; these are all the Beijing, as head of a high ranking delegation, upon the in- Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a same: their smile is also due to their animos- vitation of Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People’s Tuesday address to thousands of people from ity. Their filthy and hostile hearts are filled Congress Standing Committee. East Azerbaijan Province on the occasion of with animosity against Islam and the Islamic Iran and China, as two countries with ancient civilizations, the anniversary of the uprising of Tabrizis, Revolution. Whereas the U.S. animosity is have always enjoyed close relations, he said. which started on February 18, 1978. apparent; the Europeans are also practicing “There have been economic and parliamentary cooperation Ayatollah Khamenei expressed thanks deception today. The officials should know between the two countries in recent years,” Larijani said, and admiration for the Iranian nation for that God’s hand is above all hands.” adding that the two sides held “good talks” about cooperation their massive participation in the rallies He added, “Our enemy is weak today. during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Iran. marking the 40th anniversary of the Islamic I have previously repeated that the enemy Revolution on February 11. cannot be considered weak; however today, Iran to build “My gratitude to the people as expressed you can see that our main enemy, that is the in the statement is far less than what our United States, is in trouble: it is suffering 6,500-ton nation deserves. The nation realized a great from domestic and foreign problems, as destroyer action on Bahman 22nd,” khamenei.ir well as conflicts among their senior officials. quoted the Leader as saying. The U.S. suffers from a curious amount of The Leader made a reference to a recent debt. Its people and youth struggle with statement he had issued regarding the Sec- depression. Look at how they are stuck in POLITICS TEHRAN — Chief of the Iranian Defense ond Phase of the Islamic Revolution, saying, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.” deskMinistry’s Marine Industries Organiza- “Toward the end of the statement, I thanked The Leader also said the U.S. officials tion said on Sunday that construction of a heavy destroyer the people for their participation in the Bah- “Do not be deceived by the enemy’s smile; the suffer from lack of wisdom and prudence. weighing 6,500 tons is on the agenda. man 22nd rally; however, this was the least Europeans are plotting against us. I am not “The wisdom-lacking or first-class fools rep- Speaking to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting I could offer to the people of Iran.” going to tell you what to do, but do not bring resenting the heads of the U.S. regime get (IRIB), Rear Admiral Amir Rastegari highlighted Iran’s The Leader described the huge turn- enraged and are franticly doing anything they progress in manufacturing subsurface vessels, saying the out in the rallies as an asset that repels about troubles for the country in the name of can: they hold Warsaw summit to call their Islamic Republic is among the world’s top 11 countries in enemies’ harms. working for it.” intimidated, weak allies to make decisions terms of building submarines, Tasnim reported. “The Iranian nation manifested a great against the Islamic Republic, but they fail. The remarks came after a new domestically made sub- action on Bahman 22nd. According to the those who work to safeguard the country’s Ayatollah Khamenei prayed for the depart- This is also a sign of the enemy’s weakness. marine dubbed Fateh (Conqueror) joined the Iranian Navy’s reports, nearly in all parts of the country, security. The martyrdom of the young mem- ed IRGC members and thanked the people When the enemy is weak, it starts to huff fleet on Sunday. The submarine submerged at a ceremony the number of the participants had risen bers of the IRGC reminds us at what expense who took part in their funeral procession. and puff. The huff and puff should not scare in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. President Hassan [compared to previous years]. Of course, we are provided with security. Those who “The February 11 rally—with such magnifi- the officials. When the Islamic Republic was Rouhani and other senior officials and commanders were the enemies seek to disregard that millions take advantage of the security and then bite cence—was held in security. May God’s peace a weak sapling, they could not do a single present at the ceremony. of people took to the streets; yet they under- the hands that feed them should be alerted.” be upon them and upon the martyr-raising thing; now, they won’t be able to do anything.” stand and everyone knows that a nation who He went on to criticize those who ignore people of Isfahan [where the martyrs came Finally Ayatollah Khamenei slammed cer- MP: Officials won’t is so actively present in the scene cannot be the great sacrifices made by various organs from] who engaged in a magnificent funeral.” tain Persian Gulf Arab states who are allying accept EU conditions harmed by the enemy.” of the government to provide security and The Leader also warned Iranian officials with the Zionist regime and the hostile regime The Leader also paid homage to the sol- stability to the nation. “Some individuals who of Europe’s dishonest gestures, saying, “Do of the United States, saying, “Heads of many for implementing diers of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps benefit from the country’s security, advance not be deceived by the enemy’s smile; the Persian Gulf states that sat with the Zionist who lost their lives in a terrorist attack last their work in sports and other fields, yet, Europeans are plotting against us. I am regime and the U.S. in Warsaw summit to INSTEX week, praising the efforts by the corps in they bite the hands that feed them, should not going to tell you what to do, but do not form an alliance against Islam, Muslims and POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian authorities will in protecting the borders. learn that this is the price and the manner bring about troubles for the country in the the Islamic Republic have become disgraced. deskno way accept the Europeans’ conditions “May God’s peace be upon the Islamic in which security is provided. We should not name of working for it.” Of course, they have already been disgraced for implementing INSTEX, a European financial channel Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and all forget how security is provided.” Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that the in the eyes of their own nations, too.” for trade with Iran, a lawmaker has said. Abolfazl Hassan-Beigi, a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, was referring to the European Council’s recent statement which asked Iran to Tehran criticizes EU delay in registering INSTEX join the FATF before INSTEX takes force. 1 Qassemi also urged Europe to put more efforts in ‘Pakistan given warnings on terrorists’ Corps (IRGC) on a road in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, Hassan-Beigi also said Iranian officials should not be countering U.S. unilateralism. “We hope they will be able Commenting on a recent attack by the Jaish ul-Adl terrorist killing and injuring dozens of people. optimistic about the European Union’s promises. “Instead, to perform their intrinsic duty and historic role.” group, which is based in Pakistan, Qassemi said Iran has Qassemi said “We hope this matter can be resolved ap- we should look for the route to progress within the country.” Asked about the Foreign Ministry’s stance with regard to given Pakistan the “necessary warnings” to take immediate propriately through strengthened determination.” “European countries have always been under the Americans’ Iran’s accession to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), actions to prevent terrorist groups based in that country from Qassemi declined to comment on Saudi Crown Prince domination and do have a will of their own,” he asserted, the spokesman said ratification of the FATF-related bills is freely crossing into Iran and conducting attacks. Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan, saying “foreign Tasnim reported. “beneficial to the country, people and economy.” “It is not tolerable for us that the government and the relations of our neighbors is their own business and we do “We hope the Expediency Council, which is supposed army of Pakistan cannot prevent such acts of sabotage and not interfere in that.” Envoy lauds to make a decision on this issue, has a proper assessment terror from inside their soil against Iran,” he said. He then advised “our friends” to beware of some mis- and quickly ratifies whatever is expedient for the people On Wednesday, an explosives-laden car rammed into demeanors by certain countries aimed at impacting their historic and country,” he stated. a bus carrying members of the Islamic Revolution Guards relations with Iran. Iran-Japan ties Iran’s military chief: Pakistan has started operations against terrorists POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian ambassador to Tokyo POLITICS TEHRAN — Major terrorists inside Pakistan. Ambassador Masoud that Tehran expects ence of Jaish al-Adl and other armed groups. deskMorteza Rahmani-Movahed has lauded deskGeneral Mohammad Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Islamabad and its military “to make a serious Jaish al-Adl was founded after its parent Iran’s historical relations with Japan, saying the two nations’ Hossein Baqeri, the Iranian Armed Forces on Sunday that the Pakistani government and decisive action” against the Jaish al-Adl group, the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jundullah, was ties date back to a thousand years ago. Chief of Staff, said on Monday that Pakistan should account for the terrorist attack. group and its base inside its territory. Qas- dissolved following the capture and execution He made the remarks during a meeting with Tokyo’s has started operations against terrorists’ Larijani said Pakistan “cannot act irre- semi also said the ministry asked Pakistan of its leader, Abdolmalek Rigi, by Iran in 2010. Governor Yuriko Koike, ILNA reported on Monday. hideouts since Sunday. sponsibly”, noting that “such behavior will to take “immediate and necessary measures” In 2013, the group abducted and killed “Fortunately, we are witnessing an expansion of relations, However, he said, “We have announced severely damage the level of cooperation” to identify and arrest the attackers. 14 Iranian forces in an ambush near the increased cooperation and [expression of] interest by the that if you are not able to counter [terror- between the neighboring countries. In a phone conversation on Sunday, Pa- Iranian-Pakistani border. two countries’ people,” Rahmani-Movahed said. ists], we will take action and avenge the Speaking at an event in Hormozgan kistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood The following year, at least five members of He also offered his congratulations to both countries on blood of our dear ones.” province on Sunday, President Hassan Qureshi told his Iranian counterpart Mo- the Iranian security forces were also abducted. the 90th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. Late on Wednesday, a car laden with explo- Rouhani also threatened revenge against hammad Javad Zarif that Pakistan will send In October 2018, the armed group ab- sives hit a bus of soldiers on Zahedan-Khash terrorists, saying he “regrets” the “wrong a delegation to Iran over the attack. ducted 12 Iranian security personnel near 5 arrested for road in the border province of Sistan-Balouch- policies” of Iran’s neighbors, without men- Qureshi strongly condemned the attack the city of Zahedan. Pakistani security forces estan killing 27 and injuring the remaining 13. tioning Pakistan. and said Pakistan is ready to “cooperate” in later intervened and secured the release of disrupting forex Terrorists usually use Pakistan’s soil as a On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry investigating the terrorist act. at least five of the 12 abductees. safe haven to carry out attacks inside Iran. summoned Riffat Masood, the Paki- Taha Siddiqui, a Pakistani journalist and In November 2018, the Iranian Inte- market Iran has always been complaining that stani ambassador to Tehran, over the founder of safenewsrooms.org, has told Al rior Ministry warned that Iranian armed Pakistan fails to fully guard its borders terrorist attack. Jazeera that “many of these groups have Saudi forces may launch operations against with Iran. Pakistan has rejected repeated Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram funding, but since Pakistan is dependent on terrorists inside the Pakistani territory POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian intelligence forces calls by Iran for joint operations against Qassemi said Iran “explicitly conveyed” to Saudi aid, it turns a blind eye,” on the exist- in case Islamabad fails to do its part. deskhave arrested 5 members of a group for disrupting the foreign currency market. The individuals were arrested by forces of Mazandaran Province’s intelligence office, Mehr reported. Russian think tank chief: Warsaw meeting showed U.S. failure Disrupting economy, illegal foreign currency trading, POLITICS TEHRAN — Chairman of the Iran Section without the U.S.,” Mamedova noted. illegal acquisition of capital, forgery and presenting false deskin the Institute of Oriental Studies of the The Warsaw conference was organized by the U.S. in documents are among the charges against the individuals. Russian Academy of Sciences has said that the Warsaw con- the Polish capital on February 13-14. Intelligence forces also confiscated 21 billion rials ference showed failure of the U.S. policies in the Middle East. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini did not (around $500,000) from them and blocked the transfer “Only the U.S. allies in the Middle East participated in attend the conference. of 20 million euros. this conference while important countries such as Iran, European officials, the main allies of the U.S. in NATO, Iraq, Russia, China and Turkey refrained to do so. In fact, either boycotted the conference or sent low-ranking Austrian envoy I should say that the U.S. efforts to hold such meeting with officials to Warsaw. influential countries were fruitless,” Nina Mamedova told Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said praises Iran’s IRNA in an interview published on Monday. on Wednesday that the two-day conference on Iran and She noted that the U.S. has failed to implement its the larger Middle East was “dead on arrival”. scientific plans in the Middle East. Not even Washington had any interest in the confer- activities “They know that it was Iran and Russia who annihilated ence as a forum for an exchange of views among the 60 Daesh and showed the world that terrorism can be countered participating countries, Zarif remarked. POLITICS TEHRAN — The Austrian ambassador deskto Tehran said on Sunday that since the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) went into force, Iran’s activities in scientific research programs at interna- Iran denies any commitment on Yemen tional and European levels have increased. POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian met in Tehran back in November. meant is the same commitments made in Stefan Schulz made the remarks at a conference of uni- deskForeign Ministry spokes- According to Hunt, he was told by Zarif that the Stockholm meeting among the Yemeni versities’ vice presidents and directors, according to IRNA. man Bahram Qassemi issued a statement on Iran wants to play its part in finding a solution to groups to secure the ceasefire.” Schulz added, “Even the horizon 2020 is clear with Monday denying any commitment by Iran the crisis. “We took those commitments at face In Stockholm, both Houthis and Sau- the present trend in the international arena for Iran. Af- to any country on Yemen. value but we do now need to see that translated di-backed groups agreed to a ceasefire and an ter the JCPOA, the Iran-Austria ministries signed many The statement was released in response to into the Houthis leaving the Port of Hodeideh,” ultimate retreat from the strategic port city of partnership agreements. Also, dozens of scholarships remarks made by British Foreign Secretary Asharq Al-Awsat quoted Hunt as saying. Hudaydah. Despite the Houthis’ commitment were granted to Iranian and Austrian students to study Jeremy Hunt in an interview with Asharq Qassemi said, “Yemen is an independent to the truce, however, the Riyadh regime and at the universities of the two countries.” Al-Awsat claiming Iranian Foreign Minister country and it is the Yemenis who should its mercenaries have stepped up their attacks He further said in 2017, 1,600 Iranian students studied Mohammad Javad Zarif had made certain decide for it. Iran has no interference in on the port city in a bid to get the upper hand in Austria. promises to help end the conflict when they Yemen’s internal affairs. What Mr. Hunt in negotiations, according to Press TV. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 19, 2019 INTERNATIONAL U.S. Army says still backing Saudi-led Visegrad summit cancelled as Israel and Poland row over war on Yemen Holocaust UN envoy: Truce holding after 184 Saudi-led violations Poland has pulled out of a planned trip to Jerusalem and scup- pered an international summit the same day officials were due to arrive, after Israel’s foreign minister accused Poles of hatred Despite the dire need for a ceasefire in Yem- mercenaries to Yemen. against Jews and complicity in the Holocaust. en, the United States Army says it is still Yemen is going through the worst human- Israel Katz, who was appointed acting foreign minister on providing support for the war, which Saudi itarian crisis since Saudi Arabia and some Sunday, said Poles “suckle antisemitism with their mother’s Arabia and its allies are waging against the of its regional allies launched the war on the milk”. Speaking on another radio show on Monday morning, he impoverished country. country in March 2015 in a bid to restore its accused all Polish people of harbouring “innate” antisemitism. The U.S. continues to “provide support close ally Hadi to power. The Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, said the to the coalition,” Major General David C. The efforts to destroy the Ansarullah and remarks were “unacceptable” and “racist”. Hill, deputy commander of the U.S. Army reinstate Hadi have so far failed, forcing the Katz’s comments deepened a diplomatic crisis between the Central, told AFP on the sidelines of a mil- kingdom to push for peace with the Yemeni two countries, which began on Thursday when the Israeli prime itary exhibition in the Emirati capital Abu resistance movement and its allies in the army. minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said: “Poles cooperated with Dhabi on Sunday. The UN is hoping that the de-escalation the Nazis.” His office later said he was misquoted by domestic Hill was referring to a Saudi regime-led in Hudaydah will allow desperately needed media as saying “the Poles”, suggesting blame of the entire nation coalition, gathering many of the kingdom’s food and medical aid to reach millions in rather than individuals. allies, which have been pounding Yemen need in Yemen. The ensuing standoff has overshadowed a summit Netanyahu since March 2015 to restore its former Ri- But according to the World Food Pro- was due to host on Monday for the V4 group – Poland, Czech yadh-allied government. gram, the granary has been off-limits to aid Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. It also threatens to derail his The general alleged that the U.S. assistance organizations for months putting the food efforts to draw alliances with central European nations despite was particularly meant “to help them....be at risk of rotting. national concerns over deepening xenophobic politics in that discriminative in targeting and to minimize Earlier this week, the UN said that four region. the risk of civilian causalities.” years of war had pushed two-thirds of Yemen Israel later conceded that Poland’s absence meant the V4, The World Health Organization (WHO) to “pre-famine” levels, while one-third faced with only three of the four members attending, would be can- says some 10,000 people have been killed “acute vulnerabilities”. celled. “There will be no full V4 meeting,” Emmanuel Nahshon, since the coalition launched the war, but rights hit the streets nationwide to condemn the The sides made “important progress on “An estimated 80 percent of the population, a spokesman for Israel’s foreign ministry, said. groups put the death toll at five times higher. normalization of ties between some Arab planning for the redeployment of forces” but 24 million, require some form of humanitar- Poland’s foreign ministry has summoned the Israeli ambas- The U.S. has been generously providing states and Israel. Mass protests were held no date was given to begin the demilitarization. ian or protection assistance, including 14.3 sador twice in three days, and the head of the Polish prime min- arms support for the kingdom and its allies in several cities including Sa’ada, Taiz and “The parties also agreed, in principle, on million who are in acute need,” the OCHA ister’s office, Michal Dworczyk, said the Israeli foreign minister’s over the course of the war. It also lends the Hajjah. Phase 2 of the mutual redeployment, pending statement said. comments were “disgraceful” . coalition logistical assistance, including bomb- Warring sides in Yemen agree additional consultations within their respec- “Severity of needs is deepening, with the Katz told Israel’s Army Radio on Monday he wanted to main- ing coordinates. A U.S. commando force is, on ‘Phase 1’ of redeploying forces in tive leadership.” number of people in acute need a staggering tain good relations with Poland, but went on to criticise all Poles. meanwhile, deployed near the Saudi-Yemeni Hudaydah: UN The redeployment of forces is a critical part 27 percent higher than last year.” He said: “Historical truth cannot be changed. Many Poles border to seek and destroy the arms caches Elsewhere, the Ansarullah movement of the truce deal reached during UN-mediated Yemen: Mass pro-Palestine rally collaborated with the Nazis and took part in the destruction belonging to Yemen’s popular Ansarullah forces and Saudi-backed militants loyal to peace talks in Sweden in December between denounces U.S.-led Warsaw Conference of the Jews during the Holocaust … Antisemitism was innate (Houthi) movement, which defends the the ex-Yemeni government have reached representatives from the Ansarullah move- Separately, tens of thousands of Yemenis among the Poles before the Holocaust, during it and after it too.” country against the invaders. an agreement on “Phase 1” of their mutual ment and the Riyadh-sponsored government took to the streets of Sana’a on Sunday, to Before the second world war, Poland was home to one of the Last November, Washington stopped redeployment of forces under a UN-spon- of ex-president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. voice their support for the Palestinian people world’s largest Jewish communities, which was almost wiped providing aerial refueling for the coalition’s sored deal for the warring armies to leave Under the Stockholm agreement, the pull- and to denounce the U.S.-led Middle East out by the Nazis. warplanes. It only halted the support after the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, the UN back was supposed to have taken place two conference in Warsaw, where the leaders of After Germany occupied the country in 1939, the underground the coalition grew independent of it. said on Sunday. weeks after the ceasefire went into force on some Arab states held talks with Israeli Prime resistance fought the Nazis and tried to warn the world about the The remarks by Hill come at a time when “The parties reached an agreement on December 18, but that deadline was missed. Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Holocaust. Many Poles do not accept research showing thousands the United Nations is pushing for the im- Phase 1 of the mutual redeployment of forc- UN envoy: Truce holding after The protesters exhibited numerous plac- also participated in the Holocaust. plementation of a ceasefire in the western es” after two days of talks in Hudaydah, a 184 Saudi-led violations ards and banners supporting Palestine and Critics accuse the nationalist government in Poland of white- Yemeni province of Hudaydah, whose capital statement by the UN spokesman’s office said. Moreover, the Ansarullah have repeat- its people, as well as slogans against the Arab washing instances of collaboration. Israel complained to Warsaw serves as the main point of entry for most of The talks were led by Danish General Mi- edly complained that the Saudi regime-led leaders, the U.S., Israel and Netanyahu, with last year when legislation was introduced that would have made Yemen’s imports. chael Lollesgaard as chair of a redeployment coalition has been violating the ceasefire. many others holding the Ansarullah movement the use of phrases such as “Polish death camps” punishable by The world body would be expanding the coordination committee (RCC) that includes Under the truce deal, the rival parties had flag. Similar protests were reportedly held up to three years in prison. truce to the rest of the country if the high- the Saudi-backed forces and the Ansarullah. agreed to the withdrawal of their troops and in other cities across the country. The legislation was later watered down and prison sentences stakes agreement holds. The Ansarullah, “After lengthy but constructive discus- the deployment of UN monitors to the port city. Demonstrators at one point mimed removed. however, say the coalition has repeatedly sions facilitated by the RCC Chair, the par- The House of Saud regime and the United stabbing and punching a banner bearing Netanyahu had hoped central European countries would act violated the truce agreement. ties reached an agreement on Phase 1 of the Arab Emirates (UAE) launched the Huday- Netanyahu’s face alongside that of Yem- as an ally for Israel against other European nations critical of its On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Rep- mutual redeployment of forces,” said the UN dah offensive in June 2018 but have been eni Foreign Minister Khlaed Alyemany, occupation of the Palestinian territories. resentatives voted overwhelmingly to direct statement. facing strong resistance from Yemeni armed presumably in response to the foreign Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, said these President Donald Trump to end within 30 Under Phase 1, the Ansarullah are to with- forces — led by the Ansarullah — as well as minister sharing a smile with the Israeli allies had already helped to block a movement to condemn the days all participation in hostilities “in or draw from the ports of Hudaydah, Saleef and the city’s residents. prime minister after being seated alongside decision by Donald Trump to recognise the contested city of affecting Yemen.” Ras Isa to be met by a retreat of coalition The city, a lifeline for millions of Yem- him in Warsaw. Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Trump could use his veto power to strike forces from the eastern outskirts of the city, enis, has seen some of the heaviest fighting The two-day Warsaw Conference on “peace However, Netanyahu has long been criticised by domestic down the resolution if it clears the Senate too. where battles raged before a ceasefire went in the Saudi-led war, which Riyadh began and security” in the Middle East started opponents for ignoring historical revisionism and antisemitism Yemenis condemn normaliza- into effect on December 18. in March 2015. in the Polish capital on Wednesday, with in central Europe. tion of ties between some Arab states The forces are to be withdrawn from parts The imposed war initially consisted of an representatives from around 60 countries Yair Lapid, the leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party in Isra- and Israel of the city where there are humanitarian fa- aerial campaign but was later compounded participating in the event. el and the son of a Holocaust survivor, tweeted that Netanyahu Meantime, thousands of Yemenis have cilities, the statement said. by a naval blockade and the deployment of (Source: agencies) “should have told the Polish prime minister: cancel the plane ticket now, don’t come here, because we don’t grovel over the memory of the Holocaust”. Lapid had previously condemned the summit, saying its invitees Saudi normalization of ties with Israel encourages Tel Aviv included a prime minister who “publishes antisemitic content” and another who desecrates the memories of Holocaust victims. “It’s a loss for all national pride,” he said. to attack Lebanon: Hezbollah official (Source: The Guardian) A senior official of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance move- following years of clandestine contacts. ment has strongly condemned the House of Saud regime’s Former chief of staff of the Israeli military, Gadi Eisenkot, attempts to normalize relations with Israel, warning that secretly traveled twice last November to the United Arab such a move would encourage Tel Aviv to launch new military Emirates (UAE), where he met with senior officials. Abe mum on reports he aggression against Lebanon. The president of the American Israel Public Affairs “Arab-Israeli ties constitute treason against Palestine … Committee (AIPAC), Mort Fridman, said the 58-year-old nominated Trump for Nobel Saudi Arabia’s normalization of relations with the Israeli Israeli commander met with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Peace Prize enemy is the most treacherous, because the former is home and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces to Islam’s holiest sites,” Deputy Chairman of Hezbollah’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan besides Executive Council Sheikh Nabil Qaouq said. a number of high-ranking Emirati military officials, Isra- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his chief spokesman He added, “This normalization represents a grave el’s Arabic-language MAKAN 33 public television network declined Monday to say if Abe had nominated President Donald threat to Arabs’ national security, and would encourage reported. Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, though they praised Trump Israel to attack Lebanon again. There is no room for (the The senior AIPAC official further noted that an agreement for dealings with North Korea. policy of) dissociation vis-à-vis Saudi normalization [of on the sale of Israeli military hardware to the UAE was struck Questioned in parliament about reports he had done so, Abe ties] with Israel.” during the meeting. said: “In light of the Nobel Committee’s policy of not disclosing “Lebanon would suffer substantial losses in the wake of The Israeli side also agreed to make adequate preparations recommenders and nominees for 50 years, I decline to comment.” such normalization, because it would affect the country’s for the visit of top-brass Emirati officers to Israel. she participated in the opening ceremony of the interna- Neither the prime minister nor his spokesman denied Trump’s security in addition to its fundamental right to tap into its Netanyahu in late November visited Oman, where he met tional event at the Emirati capital’s Zayed Sports City, the comment to reporters Friday that Abe had nominated him. Trump crude oil and gas reserves. The Persian Gulf states’ stance Sultan Sayyid Qaboos bin Said Al Said at the Bait al-Barakah Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported. said Abe had sent him a “beautiful copy” of a letter sent to the [on Israel] will embolden Israel and encourage it to carry out Royal Palace in the coastal city of Seeb near the capital Muscat. Her visit to the UAE marked the first of its kind by an Nobel committee. further aggression against us,” Qaouq pointed out. Israel’s English-language daily newspaper The Jerusa- Israeli minister to a Persian Gulf littoral state. Trump’s claim could not be immediately verified. Israeli PM ‘secretly’ meets with Moroccan FM lem Post reported that the two men had discussed ways to Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi have no diplomatic ties and Abe praised Trump on Monday in a lower house budget com- Meanwhile, there are reports that Israeli Prime Minister advance the so-called Middle East peace process as well as the UAE does not recognize Israel, but the two sides have mittee meeting. Benjamin Netanyahu held a “secret meeting” with Moroccan matters of mutual interest. increased backchannel cooperation in recent years. There “President Trump has been decisively responding toward Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita last September. Netanyahu was accompanied by senior officials, includ- have been numerous reports of growing contacts between resolving North Korea’s nuclear and missile problems, and last According to a report published by Israeli Channel 13 ing the head of the Mossad spy agency and his national Saudi and Israeli officials too. year he held historic U.S.-North Korea summit talks,” he said. television network, the meeting took place on the sidelines security adviser. Among Arab states, Israel has diplomatic relations only Abe added that Trump had also passed on to North Korean of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Netanyahu’s unpublicized visit to Oman came on the with Egypt and Jordan. leader Kim Jong Un Japan’s own concerns about abductions of they discussed normalizing of bilateral ties. same day that Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev The House of Saud regime has hostile ties with resistance Japanese citizens by Pyongyang, saying “he and the entire White Earlier this month, the Israeli regime re-launched a “vir- traveled to the UAE to accompany Israel’s judo team at the movements in the Palestinian territories, including Hamas House also actively cooperated in resolving the issue. tual embassy” in a bid to “promote dialogue” with Persian Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2018. which is fighting the Israeli occupation. “I highly praise President Trump’s leadership,” Abe said. Gulf Arab states, amid warming relations between the sides Regev arrived in Abu Dhabi on October 26 last year, and (Source: Press TV) The government’s top spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, echoed Abe in telling reporters that Japan highly valued Trump’s efforts on North Korea’s nuclear disarmament, but also refused other comment. The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported on Sun- Twin bombings rock Syria’s Idlib day, citing unnamed government sources, that Abe nominated Trump’s at the president’s request. Two bomb blasts in the northwestern city That blast was attributed by some witnesses The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights wide influence in northern Syria. The deadline each year for nominations is midnight, Jan. of Idlib killed at least 10 on Monday, ac- to a bomb rigged to a motorcyle. said the blasts in the Qusour neighborhood A local office of the “Salvation Govern- 31. According to the website of the Nobel committee, there are cording to Syrian opposition activists and The opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense, during rush hour Monday killed 13 people ment”, an administrative body created by 304 candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2019. It said 219 paramedics. a group of volunteer first responders, and wounded 25. HTS, is located on the street targeted by are individuals and 85 are organizations. They said an explosive device planted in a said however, only one of its members The Edlib Media Center, an activist Monday’s attack. The U.S. is Japan’s ally and anchor for national defense and parked car detonated in a main street in the was wounded. collective, said the bombings killed 10 and The city has been hit with bombings in Abe has assiduously cultivated cordial ties with Trump. He was provincial capital. Many of the casualties were Social media footage showed aid workers wounded dozens. recent months that killed or wounded scores the first foreign leader to meet with Trump after he won the 2016 civil defense workers who reached the site carrying away bodies and rescuing wounded The city of Idlib is controlled by Al-Qae- of people. presidential election. moments before a second explosion nearby. civilians amid smouldering wreckage. da-linked Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which has (Source: Daily Star) (Source: AP) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY FEBRUARY 19, 2019

STOCK MARKET Persian Gulf Star Refinery to TEDPIX 156705.4 IFX 1947.16 Sources: tse.ir, Ifb.ir supply half of Iran’s gasoline CURRENCIES ENERGY TEHRAN — President the inaugural ceremony. deskHassan Rouhani put 40 Rouhani also inaugurated 22 port and USD 42,000 rials major development projects worth 60 tril- maritime projects in Shahid Rajaee Port EUR 47,520 rials lion rials (about $1.428 billion) into opera- (Iran’s largest container port) through tion in the southern province of Hormozgan videoconference on Sunday night. GBP 54,238 rials on Sunday and Monday, IRNA reported. Speaking in the inaugural ceremony, The projects were in energy, roads and Transport Minister Mohammad Eslami put AED 11,437 rials urban development, and agriculture sec- the value of projects, which were supplying Source: cbi.ir tors and some of them were inaugurated 12 modern gantry cranes, at €104 million. by the president through videoconference. The minister said that putting these To boost the Islamic Republic’s defense cranes into operation while boosting the power, Rouhani also unveiled on Sunday container capacity of the port to 5.8 mil- COMMODITIES a new homegrown submarine armed with lion TEUs, jobs are created for 700 people. cruise missiles. As reported, some 23 projects were put Brent $66.42/b The president also inaugurated the third into operation in roads and urban develop- WTI $56.53/b phase of Persian Gulf Star Refinery in a ment sector during the president’s trip to the ceremony on Monday participated by Oil southern province, including four airport OPEC Basket $64.28/b Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh. development projects in Bandar Abbas. Gold $1,327.15 /oz The refinery in Bandar Abbas, the capital Construction of roads in rural areas city of Hormozgan, is the first of its kind and renovation of irrigation network were Silver $15.87/oz designed based on gas condensate feedstock. some other projects of the province. Putting the third phase into operation, In his two-day visit to Hormozgan, Platinium $814.25 oz the refinery’s output will reach 45 million President Rouhani inaugurated the project for boosting production capacity and improving Rouhani was accompanied by a number Sources: oilprice.com, Moneymetals.com liters of uro-5 gasoline, 12 million liters of quality of gasoline and gas oil produced in Bandar Abbas Oil Refining Company on Monday of senior officials including Oil Minister gas oil, three million liters of LPG, and two Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, Transport Min- million liters of jet fuel per day, Moham- promoting quality of gasoline and gas oil refinery’s daily Euro-5 gasoline output ister Mohammad Eslami, Energy Minister NEWS IN BRIEF mad-Ali Dadvar the managing director of produced in Bandar Abbas Oil Refining will hit 12 million liters and its Euro-4 Reza Ardakanian, Agriculture Minister the refinery, announced in the inaugural Company was the other project inaugu- gas oil output will reach 15 million liters Mahmoud Hojjati, Intelligence Minister Tehran to host ceremony. rated by President Rouhani on Monday. per day, Hashem Namvar, the managing Mahmoud Alavi, and Defence Minister FUELEX 2019 on Boosting the production capacity and Putting this project into operation, the director of the company, announced in Amir Hatami. Feb. 21-24 Zanganeh leaves for Beijing to discuss deal on South Pars phase 11 ENERGY TEHRAN – The 2nd International Exhibi- ENERGY TEHRAN — Iranian Oil Minister Bijan South Pars field with an initial investment of $1 billion, desktion of Fuel Stations and Related Industries deskNamdar Zanganeh, accompanied by Par- marking the first major Western energy investment in the (FUELEX 2019) is due to be held during February 21-24, at liament speaker Ali Larijani, left Tehran for the Chinese country after sanctions were lifted in 2016. Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds, IRIB reported. capital to negotiate implementation of the phase 11 project The company was pressured to leave Iran after the United As reported, over 60 domestic companies and 12 foreign of developing South Pars gas field with CNPC. States threatened to impose sanctions on companies that exhibitors from various countries including Japan, Malaysia, As Zanganeh lamented on Saturday, although 81 percent do business in the country. and Turkey are going to be participating in this year’s exhibition. of the phase 11 project has been officially handed over to The French company said in August it had told Iranian According to the organizers, the exhibition is aimed at sup- CNPC, the Chinese haven’t still done any work on the project. authorities it would withdraw from the South Pars gas pro- porting domestic production, resilient economy and linking “We have been negotiating with the Chinese side to ject after it failed to obtain a waiver from U.S. sanctions the country’s academic sector with the industry. determine what measures they are going to take,” IRNA against Iran. quoted Zanganeh as saying. In May, industry sources said CNPC was ready to take Annual Total signed a contract in 2017 to develop phase 11 of over Total’s stake in the project. conference on resistance economy held Switzerland eager to expand trade with Iran: ambassador ECONOMY TEHRAN – The Swiss ambassador the two countries during Iranian President Hassan in Tehran deskto Tehran Markus Leitner said his Rouhani’s visit to the European country, Dejpasand ECONOMY TEHRAN — The fifth annual resistance country is eager for maintaining and even expanding expressed hope that these agreements will be realized deskeconomy conference started operation at economic relations with Iran, Finance and Economic soon. Iran University of Science and Technology on Monday, IRIB Affairs Ministry’s news portal Shada reported. The official once again voiced the country’s readiness reported. The envoy made the remarks during a meeting for expanding trade with Europe and in the region. As the science secretory of the conference told IRIB, the with Iranian Finance and Economic Affairs Minister At the end, Leitner called for the participation event which is the biggest annual one in the field of resist- Farhad Dejpasand on Monday. of the finance ministry’s representatives in the ance economy is being run by cooperation between Iranian In the meeting, the Iranian minister pointed to joint economic committee of the two countries, parliament, administration and resistance economy analysts. the long history of the two countries relations and Swiss ambassador to Tehran Markus Leitner (2nd L) held and expressed readiness for taking any necessary “From among the pool of 50 articles sent to the conference, called for further expansion of economic ties. talks with Iranian Finance and Economic Affairs Minister measures for developing economic cooperation some 15 have been approved by the jury, abstracts of which will Mentioning the recent agreements reached between Farhad Dejpasand (1st R) in Tehran on Monday. between the two sides. be published in the conference’s special issue,” Mohammad Sadeq Karimi added. Gold at two-week high on trade deal hopes; palladium peaks U.S. agency submits auto tariff Gold prices rose to their strongest level in more “Alleviation of risks around the trade talks The United States and China will resume trade pause its cycle of interest rate hikes. probe report to White House than two weeks on Monday as the dollar weakened has certainly benefited the markets,” said ANZ talks this week in Washington with time running Minutes of the Fed’s January policy meet- on hopes the United States and China are nearing analyst Daniel Hynes, adding that signs of pro- short to ease their bruising trade war, but U.S. ing are due on Wednesday and should provide The U.S. Commerce Department sent a report on Sunday to a trade deal, while palladium hit a record high. gress in the discussions had reduced appetite President Donald Trump repeated on Friday that more guidance on the likelihood or not for rate U.S. President Donald Trump that could unleash steep tariffs on Spot gold had gained 0.1 percent to $1,322.41 for the dollar, which has been supporting gold. he may extend a March 1 deadline for a deal and hikes this year. imported cars and auto parts, provoking a sharp backlash from per ounce as of 0747 GMT. The metal touched The dollar was marginally weaker on Monday, keep tariffs on Chinese goods from rising. “Looser monetary policies are generally fa- the industry even before it is unveiled, the agency confirmed. $1,325.30 earlier, just below a 9-month peak of as increasing expectations of a U.S.-Sino trade Spot gold prices have risen about 3.3 percent vourable to gold, which has benefited since the Late on Sunday, a department spokeswoman said it would not $1,326.30 an ounce marked on Jan. 31. deal led investors to shift away from the safety so far this year on hopes that the world’s two Fed paused its tightening path,” said Nicholas disclose any details of the “Section 232” national security report U.S. gold futures rose 0.3 percent to $1,326.1 of the greenback, which had been the preferred largest economies will hammer out a truce and Frappell, global general manager, ABC Bullion. submitted to Trump by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. The an ounce. safe-haven during the trade dispute. on expectations the U.S. Federal Reserve will (Source: CNBC) disclosure of the submission came less than two hours before the end of a 270-day deadline. Trump has 90 days to decide whether to act upon the recom- mendations, which auto industry officials expect to include at What ails Europe’s economy? least some tariffs on fully assembled vehicles or on technologies By Ferdinando Giugliano labor market, which continues to strengthen and components related to electric, automated, connected and In the space of just two years, the euro zone both in terms of employment and of wages. shared vehicles. has gone from the world economy’s hero This should offer continuous support to do- As the White House received the report, the industry unleashed to zero. mestic demand. However, the central bank what is expected to be a massive lobbying campaign against it. In 2017, the bloc expanded at the fast- has to balance this with risks from abroad, The industry has warned that feared tariffs of up to 25 percent est rate in a decade, as it benefited from a including a slowdown in China and the trade on millions of imported cars and parts would add thousands combination of booming global trade and war between Beijing and Washington. All of dollars to vehicle costs and potentially lead to hundreds of ultra-easy monetary policy. Now, the cur- of this has important knock-on effects on thousands of job losses throughout the U.S. economy. rency union has become the prime concern business confidence, with entrepreneurs The Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association, which for those who worry about a wider downturn. putting investment on hold as they wait represents auto parts suppliers, warned that tariffs will shrink The International Monetary Fund cut its for greater clarity. investment in the United States at a time when the auto industry forecasts for global growth mainly due to Europe’s uneven picture suggests that is already reeling from declining sales, Trump’s tariffs on steel downward revisions for the euro area. there is a problem with the growth model and aluminum, and tariffs on auto parts from China. But look closely at the map, and the pic- of some countries as opposed to the bloc as “These tariffs, if applied, could move the development and ture is much more heterogeneous than you’d a whole. In Italy, the fiscal plans of the new implementation of new automotive technologies offshore, leaving think. Italy and Germany – ironically the sick populist government have pushed up bond America behind,” it said in a statement. “Not a single company in man and the powerhouse of the bloc – are more surprising. The bloc’s second-largest stretch of the year. Portugal expanded by 0.4 yields, contributing to a reduction in the flow the domestic auto industry requested this investigation.” in trouble, with the former now officially in economy has been jolted by the protests of percent, pretty much in line with the other of credit. Domestic demand fell in the fourth The Commerce Department started its investigation in May recession and the latter only narrowly missing the gilets jaunes, which shook the political three quarters. The Netherlands also bounced quarter, showing that consumers and en- 2018 at Trump’s request. Known as a Section 232 investigation, one. But, elsewhere, there is no shortage of system and dented investor confidence. Yet back after a poor third quarter, posting a trepreneurs are being cautious. Meanwhile, its purpose was to determine the effects of imports on national countries still growing at a decent clip. The it expanded by 0.3 percent at the end of last rate of expansion of 0.5 percent. For all their Germany’s export-driven growth model is security and it had to be completed by Sunday. monetary union may be down; it isn’t out. year, in line with the previous quarter and size as the first and third largest economies, facing its biggest test in decades as Berlin Automakers and parts suppliers are anticipating its recom- The euro zone’s most consistent surprise marginally faster than in the first two quarters Germany and Italy look like the exception discovers it is vulnerable to the global trade mendation options will include broad tariffs of up to 20 percent is Spain, which grew by 0.7 per cent in the of the year. Growth for the full-year came in rather than the rule. outlook and China’s economic fortunes. But to 25 percent on assembled cars and parts, or narrower tariffs fourth quarter, marginally up from the 0.6 at 1.5 percent, down from 2.3 percent in 2017. Policy makers across Europe will take a unlike Italy, the country has scope to boost targeting components and technologies related to new energy percent expansion seen in each of the pre- But the early signs for 2019 are positive: The very close look at the economic indicators at growth by raising public investment: Such cars, autonomous, internet-connected and shared vehicles. vious three quarters. The country may be Bank of France forecasts the economy will the start of this year to understand whether spending would provide short-term relief The Commerce Department alluded to a focus on emerging headed for an election after Pedro Sanchez’s expand by 0.4 percent in the first quarter. the downturn will worsen. In particular, the and help to re-balance the economy towards vehicle technologies when it opened the investigation. minority government failed to secure suffi- All over the place European Central Bank will be watching like domestic demand. Administration officials have said tariff threats on autos are a cient support for its budget, but the political GDP growth in the fourth quarter in some a hawk: In the second half of 2018, it started The world is right to look at Europe’s way to win concessions from Japan and the EU. Last year, Trump uncertainty has had relatively little impact. of the euro zone’s biggest economies. to scale back its monetary stimulus, stopping slowdown and wonder what is going on. But, agreed not to impose tariffs as long as talks with the two trading In 2018, the country expanded by less than Other countries, from north to south, its net asset purchases at the start of 2019. as often in the past, it’s hard to find a single partners were proceeding in a productive manner. 3 percent for the first time in four years, but also tell a more positive story. Growth in There are now questions about whether that explanation. The strength of Europe is its Trump said on Friday that tariffs protect industry and also growth still came in at a decent 2.5 percent. Finland rebounded from 0.5 percent in was the right decision. variety; it can also be its weakness. help win trade agreements. (Source: Reuters) France’s economic performance is even the third quarter to 0.9 percent in the final The ECB can take heart from the euro zone (Source: Bloomberg) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 19, 2019 ENERGY 5

Oil prices hit 2019 highs amid The war on plastic will dent oil demand more than supply cuts, trade talk hopes anticipated The oil industry is no stranger to environmental discussions. Its long-term forecasts have focused for years on how global Oil prices on Monday hit their highest levels in Chinese car sales in January had raised warming and the rise of electric vehicles may reduce the world’s since November last year, lifted by OPEC- concerns about how fuel demand in the appetite for crude oil. led supply cuts, U.S. sanctions on Iran and world’s second-largest oil user might fare. Yet the sector has spent far less time thinking about another Venezuela, and hopes that the Sino-U.S. trade China’s vehicle sales last month fell change that could have just as large an effect as electric vehicles: dispute may soon end. by 15.8 percent versus the same month the war on plastic. As businesses eliminate plastic straws and International Brent crude futures were at in 2018, an industry association said on bags, and governments act to reduce disposable packaging, this $66.66 per barrel at 0746 GMT, up 41 cents, Monday. This continued the 2018 trend, will have profound implications because plastic, of course, is or 0.6 percent, from their last close. Brent in which China recorded the first annual ultimately made of crude oil. earlier climbed to its highest since November drop in vehicle sales on record. Transportation currently gobbles up more than half of glob- 2018 at $66.78 a barrel. So-called new energy vehicle sales in al oil consumption. The petrochemical industry — which takes U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude January, which include electric vehicles, crude oil as a feedstock and converts it into the chemicals from oil futures were at $56.07 per barrel, up 48 registered a 140 percent increase, which plastics are made — absorbs less than 15 percent. Yet it is cents, or 0.9 percent, from their close. WTI underlining expectations that oil demand expected to deliver half of global oil consumption growth to 2040. prices also rose to their highest since November, from cars may peak in China in the coming The International Energy Agency predicts the contribution at $56.13 per barrel, earlier on Monday. years. of the petrochemical industry to overall oil demand growth will Prices have been bolstered by a tightening Looming over oil markets in the near increase by more than 2.5 times to 2040 compared with 2000- market because of supply cuts organized by term, meanwhile, is the rise in U.S. crude 17. It is the only major source of oil demand where growth is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting oil production EIA of more than 2 million Countries (OPEC) and some non-affiliated bpd in 2018, to a record 11.9 million bpd - producers like Russia. The group of producer with signs that U.S. output will rise further. countries agreed late last year to cut output by U.S. energy firms last week increased the 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to prevent a number of oil rigs looking for new supply large supply overhang from swelling. by three, to a total of 857, energy services Further supporting crude prices have been their trade disputes, which have dragged on boosting sentiment across markets and lifting firm Baker Hughes said in a weekly report U.S. sanctions against oil exporters and OPEC- global economic growth. oil demand prospects,” said Jasper Lawler, last Friday. members Iran and Venezuela. “OPEC production cuts and U.S. sanctions head of research at futures brokerage London That means the U.S. rig count is higher Financial markets, including crude futures, on both Iran and Venezuela are limiting Capital Group. than a year ago when fewer than 800 rigs were also generally supported by hopes that the supply. Trade tensions which have weighed Slowing down were active. United States and China would soon resolve on global growth are showing signs of easing Earlier in the trading day, news of a fall (Source: Reuters)

Indian Oil signs first annual S.Africa seeks to reopen costly expected to accelerate. These forecasts assume a steady, strong demand for plastic will translate into increasing consumption of deal for U.S. oil renewables deals to help Eskom feedstock. They provide a rare ray of optimism for the oil industry against increasingly dire long-term predictions that growth of Indian Oil Corp, the country’s top refiner, South Africa wants to talk to independent other demand sources will slow. has signed its first annual deal to buy U.S. power producers (IPPs) about lowering Yet there is a problem. These forecasts assume that, because oil, paying about $1.5 billion for 60,000 the price Eskom pays for electricity from plastic demand increased significantly faster than global eco- barrels a day in the year to March 2020 to older renewable energy projects, a senior nomic growth in the past, it will continue to do so, although the diversify its crude sources, its chairman minister told Reuters, as the state utility gap between the two may narrow. This assumes that today’s said on Monday. struggles to emerge from a financial crisis. emerging markets will replicate prior consumption patterns. IOC is the first Indian state refiner to Eskom supplies more than 90 percent of Some analysts also claim that “invisible” plastic — components buy U.S. oil under an annual contract, South Africa’s power but is drowning in debt of digital infrastructure, electronic gadgets and smartphones — in a deal that will also help boost trade after a decade of decline. It implemented will become a new source of irreplaceable demand. between New Delhi and Washington. power cuts for five consecutive days last These are dubious propositions. About 45 percent of plastic The company has previously purchased week because of breakdowns at its creaking production is for packaging material; electronics account for 7 U.S. oil from spot markets and signed a fleet of mainly coal-fired power stations. percent. The EU boasts the highest recycling rates in the world — mini-term deal in August to buy 6 million oil for consultants FGE in Singapore. Labor unions and some conservative negotiations over power prices. 30 percent of collected waste — but still has managed to increase barrels of U.S. oil between November “There is a push for diversification sections of the ruling African National Gordhan, an important ally of President its use of recycled plastic from a comparatively high level. Kenya and January. everywhere. South Korea is giving a Congress blame Eskom’s financial woes Cyril Ramaphosa, said the government has already banned single-use plastic bags. Why wouldn’t other IOC chairman Sanjiv Singh said the freight rebate for non-Middle East crude on 20-year agreements it signed to pur- wanted to “balance out” prices agreed during emerging markets leapfrog this hallmark of modern civilization, annual contract will begin from April. imports,” she added. chase power from renewable energy projects bid windows one and two of the country’s as they have done with fixed-line telephones. He declined to give the name of the seller India and the United States, which launched in 2011 and 2012. renewable energy program - launched in Roughly 90 percent of oil used by the petrochemical sector is or pricing details, citing confidentiality. have developed close political and security The power prices Eskom pays for later 2011 and 2012 - with lower prices in later transformed into high-value chemicals. Of these, a high propor- A trade source, who is not authorized ties, are also looking to develop bilateral renewables projects are considerably lower bid windows. tionare converted into plastic. This means that about two-thirds to speak to media, said IOC has signed trade, which stood at $126 billion in 2017 because technology and finance costs in Ramaphosa - who is trying to appease of crude oil demand from the petrochemical sector is for plastics. the deal with Norwegian oil company but is widely seen to be performing well the renewable energy sector fell by the time critics before a parliamentary election in Governments and consumers are likely to focus on the plastics Equinor. below its potential. they were agreed. May - has promised to support Eskom’s that leak into the natural environment. Unless new technology is Equinor, which has set up an office in The two countries have set up seven “The simple assurance is that this is not balance sheet and split the utility to make developed, the logical outcomes will be efforts to reduce demand New Delhi to support oil marketing and groups of chief executives with top U.S. about scrapping a contract. This is about it more efficient. including by substitution and increase recycling. trading, did not immediately respond to and Indian firms to boost bilateral trade exploring possibilities that are created by But some analysts say bolder steps are Reduced use of plastic bags and slowing demand growth of an email seeking comment. in areas including energy. the rapid fall in costs in the renewable sec- needed to rescue the power firm, the largest other plastic has the potential to halve the standard assumed Indian Oil buys about 75 percent of Last week India’s top gas importer tor, whether that’s solar or wind,” Public on the African continent. growth in plastic demand of 3 percent annually from 2017-40. its oil needs through long-term deals, Petronet LNG signed an initial deal to Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said Eskom expects to make annual losses If the share of recycled plastic displacing virgin product rises mostly with OPEC nations. invest and buy LNG from Tellurian Inc’s in an interview. of around 20 billion rand ($1.4 billion) this from 5 percent to 25 percent by 2040, that would further reduce The term deal will help cut IOC’s proposed Driftwood project in Louisiana Gordhan said he wanted to reassure year and next and does not earn enough to the need for crude oil. dependence on OPEC crude, said Sri in the United States. IPPs that the South African government service its 419 billion rand debt mountain. Using the IEA World Energy Outlook as a benchmark, these Paravaikkarasu, head of east of Suez (Source: Reuters) would be careful about how it handled any (Source: CNBC) two modifications would diminish oil demand from petrochem- icals in 2040 by more than 20 percent. It could bring projected peak oil demand forward by a decade and diminish the need for oil-based petrochemical production capacity by 20 percent. The dent in oil demand by 2040 would exceed the one that the The biggest problem behind the U.S. shale boom IEA predicts would accompany the introduction of electric cars. U.S. shale production is expected to contin- fuel,” allowing the U.S. to lower greenhouse efit that gas has over coal. Various studies, More to the point, new power plants are This is more than a quirky example of how real life may get ue to soar well into the 2020s. And that is a gas emissions (GHG) while it transitions to for and against, argue over exactly how much long-lived investments, and their owners ex- in the way of long-term planning. If companies push ahead with major problem. cleaner energy. Cheap shale gas has killed off methane is and has been emitted. pect to be using them for decades to come. In investment based on standard forecasts to expand petrochemical Over the past decade, U.S. oil production a lot of coal plants, and with a GHG-profile But there are other reasons why the coal- other words, the U.S. has been locking itself operations, stranded assets may lie ahead. On the flip side, a has more than doubled, surging from 5 million half that of coal, the switch has been a boon to-gas narrative has been oversold. Billions into gas, even though the science dictates massive need for recycling capacity is likely to emerge. The advice barrels per day (mb/d) to close to 12 mb/d for the fight against climate change. of dollars of investment in gas drilling and a relatively short timetable for the energy handed out in the 1967 film The Graduate — “plastics” — is about today. Natural gas also rose significantly, rising That narrative, to be sure, remains up for gas-fired power plants sucks capital away from transition. to take on a less positive meaning. from 21 trillion cubic feet per year (Tcf/y) in debate. Shale gas operations emit methane, renewable energy. Cheap shale gas has also Still, knocking off coal does have its benefits, (Source: Financial Times) 2008 to 29 Tcf/y in 2017. and at some point high volumes of fugitive killed off nuclear power, the largest source and the case against gas isn’t exactly clear cut. Natural gas has been likened to a “bridge methane emissions completely offset the ben- of carbon-free electricity. 13 StanChart, BNP among banks likely to be added to The OPEC+ oil deal is standing on one wobbly leg Saudi Aramco bond

By Julian Lee accelerating implementation of its cuts and that “the average Standard Chartered Plc and BNP Paribas SA are among about a February level should be at least 150,000 barrels lower than dozen banks likely to be added as co-managers for Saudi Aram- I know a little bit about standing on one leg; my daughter in December.” But Russia’s production rose between October co’s landmark international bond sale, people with knowledge has encouraged me to learn to water ski. It’s not easy at my and December and the reduction from the October baseline of the matter said. age, in England, in winter. OK, I’m actually on two legs, but will be 120,000 barrels, or less than half of what the country Two Japanese lenders -- Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group they are on one ski. I tend to wobble a lot and to fall over pledged. It may not reach its target until May, just a month Inc., Mizuho Financial Group Inc. -- as well as Samba Financial much more than I would like. It sort of reminds me of the before the current deal expires. Group and [Persian] Gulf International Bank BSC are among current state of the OPEC+ oil deal that was updated in This could make little difference to the broader market those being appointed, according to the people, who asked not December. That is also standing on a single leg and starting – provided Saudi Arabia is willing to bear a greater burden to be identified because the information is private. The banks to look a bit shaky. so that the OPEC+ group as a whole still meets its target. have yet to be formally notified, they said. The deal had two main pillars (let’s call them legs) to hold Back to the water skiing. I haven’t been out behind the Aramco declined to comment. the whole thing up. They were Saudi Arabia and Russia, the boat for the past couple of weeks because, by putting too Saudi Aramco picked JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan leaders, at least in volume terms, of the groups of countries much of my weight on my back foot, I strained my left calf Stanley to manage the sale, its first-ever international dollar-bond that were party to the production deal. They agreed to take muscle. My right leg didn’t protest at bearing the extra offering, to fund the acquisition of petrochemical giant Saudi the biggest share of each group’s pledged output cuts — Saudi that Saudi Arabia would go even further next month and burden and it got me from one end of the lake to the other. Basic Industries Corp., people with knowledge of the matter said Arabia shouldering 40 percent of the OPEC burden and slash production to 9.8 million barrels day. That would take But then it came to the point where it said “no more,” and on Thursday. Russia assuming 60 percent of the non-OPEC contribution. it to its lowest level since February 2015. the skiing had to pause. The world’s largest oil producer could raise about $10 billion With the first month’s data now published, it is clear that, Russia’s performance has been rather different. Oil Well, it looks like the OPEC+ group is going to need to help fund the Sabic deal, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Fa- while one leg is functioning strongly, the other is bearing Minister Alexander Novak said at the time of the deal that to extend its output restraint in the face of soaring U.S. lih said last month. The deal would force Aramco to disclose its little of the weight of the deal – and that could spell trouble the country’s promised 230,000 barrel a day cut would be production and weakening global demand growth. The three accounts to investors for the first time since its nationalization for the future. implemented smoothly over the first quarter, with January’s main forecasting agencies – the International Energy Agency, about four decades ago. Saudi Arabia cut even more than it promised in January, output 50,000-60,000 barrels below the October baseline. It the U.S. Energy Information Administration and OPEC – all Aramco is in talks to buy 70 percent of Sabic from the Public reducing its output to 10.213 million barrels a day, according didn’t even manage to reach that modest target – the cut was cut their assessments of the world’s need for the latter’s oil Investment Fund, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, for about to the secondary source data that OPEC uses to monitor its just 42,000 barrels, according to Bloomberg calculations. in their latest monthly reports, published last week. $70 billion. A bond issue could raise between $10 billion and $15 members’ compliance. That compares with a target of just Russia’s slowness in implementing its cut earned it Unless somebody lights a rocket under demand growth billion, fund managers and analysts said Thursday. over 10.3 million. To be fair, the country’s Energy Minister, public criticism from the Saudi oil minister and prompted — and even a U.S.-China trade deal may not be enough to JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley will also act as bookrunners Khalid Al-Falih, said at the time of the agreement that the a statement from OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad do that — the OPEC+ output agreement is going to need at for the offering, along with Citigroup Inc., HSBC Holdings Plc kingdom would exceed its goal, so the report doesn’t come Barkindo urging all countries to achieve their obligations least two strong legs to stand on. Without them, like me on and National Commercial Bank, with a sale expected in the first as a big surprise. “in full and in timely fashion.” my water ski, the group’s hopes of buoying oil prices risk half, people familiar with the matter said last week. What was a shock, though, was a more recent comment The rebuke prompted Novak to say that Russia is collapsing into chilly waters. (Source: Bloomberg) (Source: Bloomberg) ساعت: 17:00 امضاء صفحه آرا: ساعت: امضاء مسئول صفحه: ساعت: امضاء ادیتور: ساعت: امضاء سردبیر:

I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY 19, 2019 NEWS IN BRIEF India to Iran, India agree on close cooperation continue oil imports from to combat terrorism in the region Venezuela INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN — Many devel- Enough is enough!” Araghchi said in a tweet. INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN — Showing disdain to the warn- deskopments have taken place In both India and Iran, people have called deskings of U.S., India is looking into com- in the aftermath of two deadly attacks in Iran for ‘revenge’ for the attacks. While India has mercial considerations and related factors to determine the and India last week. One of them is the two already initiated moves to “isolate” Paki- value of oil imports from any country, including Venezuela. neighboring countries agreeing to cooperate stan diplomatically, Iran has also warned It comes after the Oil Minister of Venezuela toured India in combating terrorism. Islamabad to take stringent action against to discuss increase in oil supply to India and Trump admin- Iran and India, after being hit by two the terrorists. istration issued warning against buying oil from Venezuela. dastardly attacks last week, have agreed Meanwhile, according to a report in Eco- Earlier this week, U.S. National Security Advisor John on close cooperation to combat terrorism nomic Times newspaper, India has received Bolton warned countries and companies against buying crude in the region. “widespread support” on the issue of Paki- oil from Venezuela, after Venezuela’s Oil Minister Manuel The agreement came during the short stan’s role in cross-border terror attacks at Quevedo said during a surprise visit to India that Venezuela meeting between India’s foreign minister the Munich Security Conference. wants to sell more oil to India. Sushma Swaraj and Iran’s deputy foreign Deputy national security adviser Pankaj However, India seems unfazed by Bolton’s threats. “Ven- minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in Tehran Saran attended the 55th Munich Security ezuela is the chair of OPEC and GECF. We don’t have any on Saturday. Conference (MSC) from February 15-17, which barter system with Venezuela; commercial considerations The meeting between Swaraj and Aragh- brought together leaders and security experts and related factors will determine the value of trade which chi came hours after Iran’s top commander from across the world. we have with any country,” said Raveesh Kumar, the spokes- Mohammad Ali Jafari, referring to Pakistan- The question of international terrorism man of India’s foreign ministry said at a media briefing on based terror outfit Jaish-ul Adl, said the gov- was one of the important subjects of dis- Thursday. ernment of Pakistan must “pay a high price” cussion in the Conference, said the report, Indian refiners are still buying more than 400,000 bpd for harbouring terrorist groups. quoting sources. of oil from the troubled Latin American country, which is Iran has accused Pakistan’s security All the countries with whom bilat- sitting on the world’s largest crude oil resources. and intelligence agencies of supporting the eral meetings were held conveyed their perpetrators of a suicide bombing in Sistan- condolences over the terrorist attack in Taliban - U.S. Balochistan province that killed at least 27 Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, the members of IRGC on Wednesday. report stated. meeting in The attack came a day before the deadly way to Bulgari on Saturday, called on Aragh- against all terrorist groups that seek to fo- Saran held bilateral meetings on sidelines attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that chi and discussed bilateral issues, including ment trouble in Pakistan’s neighborhood,” of MSC with delegates from Germany, US, Islamabad killed at least 44 members of India’s central last week’s attacks and their implications on said a source. Russia, NATO, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, postponed reserve police force (CRPF). regional peace and stability. “Iran and India suffered from two heinous Bangladesh, Myanmar, Armenia, Mongo- India also blamed Pakistan for the at- The two countries agreed on close coop- terrorist attacks in the past few days resulted lia and Oman. TEHRAN — The meeting between a delegation of the Afghan tack, which was claimed by Jaish e Mo- eration to combat terrorism in the region, in big casualties. Today in my meeting with “The attack was unequivocally condemned, Taliban and the U.S. officials, which was scheduled to take hammad (JeM), a militant group based said sources. Sushma Swaraj the Indian FM, when she had and there was widespread support for India’s place in Islamabad on February 18, has been postponed. in Pakistan. “The two officials were clear that pressure a stopover in Tehran, we agreed on close co- concerns over Pakistan sponsored terrorism According to a statement issued by Taliban spokesperson, Swaraj, during a brief halt in Tehran on her needs to be put on Pakistan to take action operation to combat terrorism in the region. on Indian soil,” the report read. the meeting has been postponed because of travel restric- tions imposed on Taliban officials. On the sidelines of the meeting, the Talban delegation was scheduled to hold talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Saudi crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman too. Iran, India demand answers and action from Pakistan He said that the Taliban officials had finished their prepa- 1 India blames Pakistan of aiding and abetting to the Pakistani government through her, according to a rations for the visit. terrorist attacks carried out by militant groups like Jaish statement issued by foreign ministry. On February 13, Taliban announced that a negotiating e Mohammad and Lashkar e Toiba, Hizbul Mujahideen in Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said team will visit Islamabad to hold next round of talks with Kashmir and the country’s powerful intelligence agency Iran “explicitly conveyed” to the Pakistan envoy that Teh- the U.S. officials. The statement said the team will also meet Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is accused of giving birth ran expects Islamabad and its military “to make a serious PM Khan “to hold comprehensive discussions about Pak- to these groups. and decisive action” against the Jaish ul-Adl and its base Afghan relations and issues pertaining to Afghan refugees Jaish e Mohammad leader Masood Azhar is based in inside its territory. and Afghan businessmen”. Pakistan and Islamabad has unfailingly refused India’s Parliament speaker Ali Larijani also issued a strong state- PM Khan has publicly taken credit for facilitating peace demands to extradite him. Pakistan’s new all-weather ally ment, saying the Pakistani government should be held to talks between the Taliban and U.S. officials, saying that -Pa China has also blocked India’s moves to have him designated account for the incident. kistan “will do everything within its power” to further the a ‘global terrorist’ at the United Nations Security Council. “The Pakistani government should be accountable for Afghan peace process. While tensions have always prevailed between the two this act involving the group orchestrating and conducting A U.S. team led by special representative Zalmay Khalilzad countries, following Thursday’s attack the situation has the operation from their territory,” he said during Sunday’s has been negotiating with the Taliban, however the talks turned extremely dreadful. The war drums are beating loudly, rorists] and knows where their hideouts are should be held session of parliament. have failed to produce a breakthrough as violence rages on with hawks in New Delhi calling for strong diplomatic and accountable for the crime that has been committed,” IRGC Larijani said Pakistan “cannot act irresponsibly”, add- in Afghanistan. military retaliation. senior commander Maj. Gen. Ali Jafari said, echoing words ing that “such behavior will severely damage the level of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following the of Gen. Safavi. “Pakistan will no doubt pay a high price,” cooperation” between the neighboring countries. Pakistan accused attack on Thursday, said India would give a “befitting reply” he added. President Hassan Rouhani, speaking at an event in Hor- to Pakistan, even though Islamabad denied any involvement Jafari made the remarks during the funeral of martyrs mozgan province on Sunday, said he “regrets” the “wrong of violating in the attack. in Isfahan province, where thousands of people turned up policies” of Iran’s neighbors, without directly mentioning Afghanistan’s As part of moves to isolate Pakistan diplomatically, India to bid them tearful adieu. Pakistan. withdrew its ‘most favored nation’ status to Pakistan and Iran alleges that Saudi Arabia and UAE have helped cre- Earlier, Hassan Rouhani had vowed to “punish the crimi- sovereignty canceled trade privileges granted to Pakistan under World ate and nurture Jaish-ul-Adl, which has been involved in nal mercenaries”. “Without a doubt, all perpetrators and Trade Organization (WTO). several attacks on Iranian security forces in recent years. those ordered this vicious, flagrant act will be punished INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN — Afghan government led by India’s finance minister Arun Jaitley said the diplomatic Taha Siddiqui, a Pakistani journalist and founder of safe- soon with the hard work of the powerful security forces of deskPresident Ashraf Ghani has expressed steps were being taken “to ensure the complete isolation from newsrooms.org, nods in agreement. “Many of these groups our country,” he said in a statement, following the attack. strong reservations over Pakistan hosting talks between international community of Pakistan.” Pakistan, however, have Saudi funding, but since Pakistan is dependent on Saudi Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei also the Afghan Taliban delegation and the U.S. officials. termed it India’s “dream”. aid, it turns a blind eye,” he was quoted as saying by AlJazeera linked the perpetrators of Wednesday’s attack to “the spying Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of providing sanctuary to ter- Times of India, the leading daily of India, reported that on the existence of Jaish al-Adl and other armed groups. agencies of some regional and trans-regional countries”. rorist groups that carry out attacks in Afghanistan, most notably military options were also under contemplation and could Jaish al-Adl is the offshoot of al-Qaeda-affiliated Jundul- Meanwhile, on Saturday, India’s foreign minister Haqqani Network. Ashraf Ghani government has lodged a strong range from “shallow ground-based attacks and occupation lah, which went into oblivion after its leader Abdolmalek Sushma Swaraj called on Iran’s deputy foreign minister complaint with the UN Security Council against Pakistan for its of some heights along the LoC [Line of Control ceasefire Rigi was killed by Iranian forces in 2010. Jaish-ul-Adl has Seyed Araghchi in Tehran to discuss the two attacks and role in recent months in facilitating Taliban negotiations, alleg- line] to restricted but precision airstrikes against non-state been responsible for many attacks on Iranian security forces their repercussions. ing that the process is a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty. targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.” in recent years. “Iran and India suffered from two heinous terrorist attacks A strongly-worded complaint was lodged by the Afghan While the dark clouds of war are looming large over Pa- In 2013, the group kidnapped and killed 14 Iranian forces in the past few days, resulted in big casualties,” Araghchi permanent mission in New York with UN Security Council, kistan and India, on the other hand, Iran also has echoed in an ambush close to Iran-Pakistan border. In 2014, five tweeted. “Today in my meeting with Sushma Swaraj… we according to a report in Economic Times. its grave concerns over Wednesday’s attack that took place members of the Iranian security forces were again abducted. agreed on close cooperation to combat terrorism in the re- Afghan government seeks to engage with the Taliban close to Iran-Pakistan border in Sistan-Balochistan province In October 2018, the militant group abducted 12 Ira- gion. Enough is enough!” leadership directly in Afghan-led and Afghan-owned negotia- claimed by Jaish-ul-Adl. nian security personnel near the city of Zahedan bordering In response to Iran’s protest, Pakistan’s foreign minister tions. However, in recent months, U.S. has been unilaterally The attack has been widely condemned in Iran by the Pakistan, five of whom were later released following the Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Sunday that he will send holding talks with the insurgent group, sidelining the elected political and military leadership. intervention of Pakistani authorities. a special delegation to Tehran to hold talks on the matter. government in Kabul. Referring to the Pak move to invite “How did they [the terrorists] cross the border? And why The latest attack has generated tremendous anger and Qureshi said it is “regrettable” that the incident took place, Taliban delegation to meet PM Imran Khan, the Afghan has this neighboring country become a safe haven for these outrage in Iran. Social media has been inundated with posts and promised Pakistan’s “cooperation” in the investigation. government in its letter regretted that this amounts to offi- terrorist groups?” senior IRGC commander Maj. Gen. Yahya condemning the perpetrators and their backers. Iran shares a long border with Pakistan, measuring around cial “recognition and legitimization of an armed group that Rahim Safavi was quoted as saying following the attack. Pakistan’s envoy to Tehran was summoned by the foreign 1,000km. Jaish-ul-Adl has often infiltrated through this poses serious threat to security and stability of Afghanistan”. “Pakistani government, which has sheltered these [ter- ministry on Saturday and a strong protest was conveyed porous border to carry out attacks in the border region. The letter further alleged that members of the group are sanctioned by the UN Security Council 1988 Committe’s Sanctions Regime. Kashmir attack: Kashmiri students, traders face backlash from Hindu extremists India withdraws 1 The situation gradually turned so Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asa- serious that India’s interior ministry had to duddin Owaisi said “India cannot let rule of security of issue an advisory to all states to “ensure their law be replaced by a rule of mobs.” Kashmiri safety and security and maintain communal Chairman of Hurriyat Conference, a con- harmony”. glomerate of separatist groups in Indian- separatists Since Thursday’s attack, sources say controlled Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmiris living outside their state have also denounced the assault on Kashmiri stu- INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN — Stung by the deadly attack faced property evictions, job suspensions dents and traders. deskon its security forces in Indian-controlled and attacks on social media, which was the Mirwaiz said that not only students but Kashmir on Thursday, Indian government has decided to deadliest attack on Indian security forces Kashmiri businessmen and traders staying withdraw security cover of separatist leaders in the region. in Kashmir since the insurgency started in in various places in India were also targeted The security cover of six separatist leaders, including the late 1980s. and harassed, forcing many to flee. chairman of Hurriyat Conference and leading cleric Mirwaiz In Haryana’s Ambala district, a video The top separatist leader further said that Umar Farooq, was withdrawn Sunday. circulated on social media showed a village the vicious propaganda against Kashmiris The state government in consultation with the center had headman asking people to evict Kashmiri projected by certain sections of Indian media provided them security cover, keeping in mind the threat to students in the area. and the distorted image of Kashmir and their lives from some militant groups, according to reports. A report in Huffington Post said a Kashmiri the discourse around its disputed status According to the order, all security and vehicles provided student spent Friday hiding in the room he have made the lives of Kashmiri staying to the separatists will stand withdrawn by Sunday evening. had rented in the city. “I have never been in India all the more vulnerable to attacks India’s home minister Rajnath Singh, during his visit so scared in all my life,” the teenager was came here, but they are asking us to face the by goons. to Srinagar on Friday, said security given to people “get- Singh and sought his intervention. quoted as saying. mob and apologize. What should we apolo- So far, attacks on Kashmiri students ting funds from Pakistan and its snooping agency ISI” “I took the opportunity to inform Rajnath In Uttarakhand’s Dehradun city, 12 gize for? They are calling us traitors, but we have been reported from Dehradun, Jodh- should be reviewed, in an indirect reference to pro-freedom Singh Sb of the reports I had received of Kash- students from Kashmir were beaten up haven’t done anything to be called that. We pur, Ambala, Panchkula, Delhi, and Patna leadership. miri students & others being threatened/ by the members of radical Hindu groups can’t open the door. We are very scared. We among others. “Some elements in Jammu and Kashmir have links with harassed and requested him to appoint a Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have no one to ask for help,” a student was Meanwhile, in a heartening gesture, many the ISI and terrorist organizations. Their security should nodal officer in HMO India to ensure the (VHP), forcing the Kashmiri students to quoted saying by India Today. Indians opened their homes to Kashmiri stu- be reviewed,” he had said after reviewing security in the directive issued to states is followed in letter lock themselves inside their hostel rooms To ensure safety and security of Kashmiri dents in different Indian cities, especially aftermath of the dastardly terror attack that killed at least & spirit (sic),” he wrote on Twitter. and rented houses. students, region’s former chief minister Omar New Delhi, and strongly condemned the 44 military personnel. Condemning the “xenophobic attacks” “We asked the police for help and they Abdullah met India’s home minister Rajnath on Kashmiri students and traders, All India harassment faced by them. ساعت: امضاء صفحه آرا: ساعت: امضاء مسئول صفحه: ساعت: امضاء ادیتور: ساعت: امضاء سردبیر:

I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 19, 2019 ANALYSIS & INTERVIEW 7 Twitter censors messages, but not Munich Conference: European leaders should if you are Trump reject U.S. request for Syria By Lachin Rezaian by a series of war-mongering statements tweeted by Trump, in which he threatened troop deployment TEHRAN (MNA) — Twitter has tempo- North Korea with “fire and fury” and Iran rarily banned account of Leader of Islamic with “consequences the likes of which few Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, throughout history have ever suffered before” in a politically-motivated move, for posting in an all-caps tweet. a message saying “Imam Khomeini’s verdict Twitter has come under fire from Trump regarding Salman Rushdie is based on divine critics for not punishing the president for verses and just like divine verses, it is solid specific use of the platform. and irrevocable.” Twitter’s policy states that threats of Twitter says it has banned Leader’s account violence can get you kicked off; now our according to policy against violent threats, common sense says it SHOULD remove while it has acknowledged in 5 emails that this message because it threatens nuclear there has been no violation of TOS. “We have annihilation upon an entire country. Yes, investigated the reported content and could it is violating Twitter’s policies, but not if not identify any violations of the Twitter Rules, you are Trump. Here’s why: or applicable law.” Twitter treats Trump differently than a In the tweet that marked the order’s “regular” user. anniversary and was flagged by Twitter, Interestingly, Twitter officials deny this, Ayatollah Khamenei wrote that the “verdict” saying President Trump does not have a on Rushdie was “based on divine verses in his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, ing the politically-motivated move by the “blanket exception” from a possible ban by and just like divine verses, it is solid and which was written in 1988 and sparked micro-blogging service. the social media platform. irrevocable.” global protests among Muslims around He underlined that “Imam Khomeini’s Elsewhere, justifying its decision to not The British Indian novelist and writer the world. historic fatwa cannot be censored.” delete Trump’s tweets, the company also said Salman Rushdie was sentenced to death Following the move, Managing Director The social media giant is accused of tak- that blocking world leaders from Twitter would by a verdict issued by Imam Khomeini for of Mehr News Agency Ali Asgari posted a ing a selective approach to the treatment “hide important information people should TEHRAN (FNA) — Senior U.S. lawmakers and military officials insulting Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) message on his Twitter account, condemn- of messages. The debate has been fueled be able to see and debate.” are pressing America’s allies in Europe to commit troops to create a buffer zone on the Syrian side of that country’s border with Turkey as the bulk of U.S. troops there withdraw. If they agree, President Trump says he is open to keeping some U.S. troops there to help them. Europe has not taken action to keep JCPOA Before anything else, this is the same Trump that voided the 2015 Iran nuclear deal ratified by the UN Security Council; 1 The EU and, in particular, Germany, Britain and It seems that the European authorities don’t intend to coming to an end. The European Union continues to threatened and discredited the International Criminal Court; France, have not taken the necessary steps to maintain a confess that they had been tricked by Trump right now. play its ground in the United States. This issue is never pulled out of the UN Human Rights Council; withdrew from nuclear deal with Iran after eight months. In this way, they’re trying to keep their prestige, but they acceptable to Iran. negotiations on the Global Compact for Migration; left UNE- Undoubtedly, people like Federica Mogrini, EU foreign pol- can’t do it forever, and sooner or later, they will be forced If the European authorities take no serious action to SCO and the Paris Climate Agreement; and defunded the UN icy chief, also believe in this.Now the “deceived Europe” is to do so. secure Iran’s rights in a nuclear deal, the possibility of our Reliefs and Works Agency. There is no guarantee that this trying to maintain the nuclear deal with Iran. Finally, Iran’s patience on the European Union is country’s departure from this deal is very high. time he will do otherwise – keeping some troops in Syria to help their European counterparts when the going gets tough. However, U.S. government officials still outlined what they called the “post-caliphate strategy” and the U.S. drive to seek European troop deployments in northeastern Syria during The tragedy of drowned refugees and migrants lingers public remarks at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, an annual confab of officials, lawmakers and journalists from around the word. Yet the above and many other hugely damaging actions and obnoxious lies by Trump and his administration on in the Mediterranean officials are the reasons why the world is in turmoil now. No TEHRAN (FNA) — If you want to know why and paved the way for human mobility that world leader at the Munich Security Conference should ever the Mediterranean Sea continues to drown in the end provided a solution for them and stand by idly in the face of such assault on globalism, multi- refugees and migrants, consider the following their children: trying to escape the U.S.-backed lateralism, human rights, and the international institutions news headlines that appeared this week first: wars and ultimately cross or drown in the in place to defend them. - Citizens of Deir Ezzur Call on U.S., French Mediterranean Sea. Which in reality is very And of course, European troop deployment to Syria is go- Military to Leave Syria tragic just like the Mediterranean per se, on ing to be a tough sell at a time when the unpopular Trump - More Civilians Killed in U.S. Airstrikes which shore many desperate souls lost their administration is battling European allies on Iran, trade and in Deir Ezzur lives and will continue to die this year, while burden-sharing. And that’s not all: - Palestinians Campaign to Halt Settler holding their infants in their arms because This new play is there to help the U.S. to maintain some Attacks the word ‘withdrawal’ doesn’t exist in the influence and presence in northeastern Syria. European leaders - Yemeni Conjoined Twins Die Due to dictionary of Pentagon regime and the cult should never help mitigate Trump’s planned withdrawal as the Saudi Siege of regime change in Washington. only way of protecting their own security. Trump despises the - Syrian Army Reinforces Occupied Golan In spite of immense suffering and wars, EU and the UN and all they represent – multilateralism and Borders after Israel’s Attack the tragedy of the drowned refugees and the rule of law. A better option for the EU is to help rebuild - Terrorists Launch Chemical Attack on migrants of the Mediterranean will linger post-war Syria including lifting of all U.S.-led sanctions and Syrian Army in Idlib on because the United States and its allies restrictions. - U.S. after Establishment of Permanent have no intention to end their permanent European leaders have already seen the devastating conse- Base at Iraqi-Syrian Borders wars and leave the Middle East. They will quences of Trump’s hostility towards the international com- - U.S. Focusing on Afghan Peace Accord, make sure the Mediterranean will continue munity, international trade, and international rule of law. He Not Withdrawal Agreement to serve as the sea of death for thousands of delights in poking the international civil society in the eye on - Pentagon Seeks Massive Increase for migrants and refugees. trade, security and diplomacy. The man who doesn’t run away War ‘Slush Fund’ The Convention Relating to the Status from controversy and favors U.S. “sovereignty” over its com- All these news headlines and more have Trump White House and the cult of regime and immigrants who are poor or uneducated of Refugees, also known as the 1951 Refugee mitments to the global community has successfully managed to one thing in common: They are destined to change on the Capitol Hill, the Mediterra- and head for Western Europe and the United Convention, is a United Nations multilateral threaten and weaken multilateralism and international human inevitably create death, despair, destruction nean Sea is set to continue to be this year the States from places like Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan treaty that defines who is a refugee, and sets rights bodies. European leaders should never give the Trump and refugees - the main reasons why Fortress scene of greater death and despair as well. and other regions have often been depicted as out the rights of individuals who are granted administration officials the impression that everyone agrees Europe has turned the Mediterranean into It is doubtless one of Washington’s worst entrepreneurial, sturdy workers building up asylum and the responsibilities of nations with the false claims they made on one of the biggest stages the sea of death and tragedy. crimes, which has imposed Muslim travel ban those wealthy nations. And if some are not any that grant asylum. On that front, Western in the world: Munich Security Conference 2019. According to a new data collected through and often claims that most refugees and mi- strong, adventurous men eager to make a living governments haven’t done their bit fully yet. The truth is that Trump has stripped away any remaining information received from 550 network organ- grants do not provide any benefits for the U.S., and gain success in the West, that’s because The West European countries should credit for Washington. He has shaken the foundations of multi- izations in 48 countries and from European that the majority of them are poor, uneducated they are mainly desperate and tired people end their support for America’s permanent lateralism by voiding international treaties and escalating trade experts, journalists and researchers in the and criminal. Quite to the opposite, several trying to escape America’s wars of attrition wars. Instead of turning countries into failed wars. The world is responding in kind, of course, reaffirming field of migration, at least 27000 migrants and surveys have already disclosed that a majority and deceit in the Middle East and beyond. states and instead of drowning their uprooted its commitment to international trade, climate and security refugees died last year in the Mediterranean of those who manage to land on the European On the same token, Western European peoples in deadly waves, per international agreements, and retaliating with levies on thousands of U.S. Sea. These deaths account for 80 percent of all borders are healthy, physically powerful and governments complaining about the influx of humanitarian law, Western governments products, which sadly at the same time “puts the world’s largest the entries, as there are probably thousands educated youth, who mostly know a foreign Muslim refugees and migrants easily forget should allow the Mediterranean Sea to be economies at each other’s throats.” Any doubters should ask more dead, corpses that were never found language, and more wealthy people who carry that they are also the ones that equally created a safe route for migrants and refugees whose UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. and/or not accounted for. much cash and gold; most of others do not live Middle Eastern poverty, desperation and only sin has been, and still is, escaping Amer- What Trump and his one-man foreign policy has done Let us not forget the shadows for this year long to even see the border fences. conflicts. They are the ones that backed the ica’s endless wars and atrocities in Muslim to the world is not a joke and certainly the Munich Security too. Thanks to the catastrophic policies of the Even the small portion of those refugees endless wars of attrition by the United States heartlands. Conference is not a comedy club for a thunderous recitation of his “America First” policies or go-it-alone views that have strained U.S. relationships with the EU and destabilized the planet. We can still remember vividly how last year Secretary General Guterres issued a stark warning of “growing chaos Seven killed in Kashmir gun battle days after deadly attack and confusion as the rules-based global order comes under a threat of breaking down.” At least seven people, including two armed rebels and four withdrawing the most-favoured nation (MFN) status from Guterres told the 193-member General Assembly that trust Indian army soldiers, have been killed in an ongoing gun its belligerent neighbor. in the global order and among states was “at a breaking point” battle in India-administered Kashmir. The bomber has been identified as a local rebel named and that “international cooperation was becoming more dif- The gun battle on Monday in Pinglan village of Pulwama Adil Dar, a resident of Pulwama, who had joined the JeM’s ficult” because of Trump’s “America First” policies. There district comes days after 42 Indian security personnel were suicide squad nearly a year ago, according to police officials. has to be sound minds in the Munich Security Conference to killed in a suicide blast - the worst such attack in 30 years The deadliest attack so far in the decades-long armed reiterate his concern yet again that “world order is increasingly of Kashmir conflict, which has raised fears of confrontation rebellion in Kashmir has triggered a massive tension between chaotic” and European leaders need to promote and support a with archenemy Pakistan. nuclear-armed India and Pakistan. reformed, reinvigorated and strengthened multilateral system. A senior Indian army official told Al Jazeera that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, facing a general In between, no one should ever think for a moment that pro- operation against the rebels was launched early on Monday election that must be held by May, is under domestic pressure longing the reckless war and occupation in Syria would do that. following intelligence inputs about their presence in a house for decisive action against Pakistan. By most account, the Munich Security Conference is the in Pinglan village. Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the suicide attack in main- place for European leaders to use their time on the stage to “In the encounter, two militants and four army soldiers land India, there have been multiple “revenge attacks” by list the international security agreements they have made or have been killed. The operation is still in progress,” the blown up in the ensuing gun battle. right-wing mobs on Kashmiris who have been “threatened helped to protect, the protocols agreed and treaties signed. official said, adding that the identity of the rebels was being Officials said the gun battle is still on and two more rebels to leave or face consequences”. Unlike Trump, they should never delight in telling the par- ascertained. are believed to be trapped in Pinglan village. Dozens of Kashmiri students have fled their colleges ticipants how many such pieces of paper they have binned. “Among the slain soldiers is a top army officer,” he added. On that day, 42 Indian paramilitary personnel were across India and headed home. The prolonged occupation of Syria and war that the Trump Since the beginning of this year, there have been 14 gun killed when a 20-year-old suicide bomber rammed his Many people in the national capital, New Delhi, and administration advocated at the Munich Conference on Friday battles in Kashmir. In February alone, there have been six explosives-laden car into one of the buses in the convoy other cities offered their homes to the Kashmiris vacating will only lead to heightened tensions and conflicts in the Middle such encounters in which 14 rebels have been killed. carrying the men. their places following threats to their lives. East and beyond. Standing up for global peace and security, The total number of rebels killed so far this year stands The deadly attack took place on a highway in Pulwama, On Monday, Aakar Patel, head of Amnesty International it is now up to European leaders to say no to Washington’s at 31, while 49 security forces died in the same period. which connects the disputed territory’s main city of Srinagar India, said in a statement that the central and state govern- erosion of multilateralism and international law. Officials said a local civilian named Mushtaq Ahmad, with its southern parts. ments in India must ensure that “ordinary Kashmiri women They must reject the obsolete manifesto for troop deploy- who was critically injured in Monday’s crossfire, also suc- Pakistan-based rebel group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and men do not face targeted attacks, harassment and arbi- ment, permanent war and occupation that Trump’s “America cumbed to his wounds. claimed responsibility for the attack, forcing India to pledge a trary arrests following the killing of 42 security personnel’. First” foreign policy is so eager to spread in Syria and across Residents in Pinglan village said several houses were “strong response” and undertake various measures, including (Source: Al Jazeera) the region. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 ADVERTISEMENTS FEBRUARY 19, 2019

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57% of Iranians insufficiently Iran exporting radiopharmaceuticals to active: deputy health minister 15 countries HEALTH TEHRAN — Iran is exporting radiopharma- HEALTH TEHRAN — Prevalence municable diseases. deskceuticals to 15 countries worldwide, Ali Akbar deskof insufficient physical ac- Benefits of consuming fruits Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has said. tivity is about 57 percent in Iran, deputy and vegetables Radiopharmaceuticals, or medicinal radiocompounds, are a health minister Baqer Larijani has said. Fruits and vegetables are important com- group of pharmaceutical drugs which have radioactivity. Radiop- According to the World Health Organi- ponents of a healthy diet. Reduced fruit and harmaceuticals can be used as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. zation (WHO) insufficient physical activity vegetable consumption is linked to poor They emit radiation them- is one of the leading risk factors for death health and increased risk of noncommu- selves, which is different from worldwide. It is a key risk factor for non- nicable diseases (NCDs). An estimated 3.9 contrast media which absorb or communicable diseases (NCDs) such as million deaths worldwide were attributable alter external electromagnetism cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. to inadequate fruit and vegetable consump- or ultrasound. The main group More than 80% of the world’s adolescent tion in 2017, WHO reported. of these compounds are the population is insufficiently physically active. WHO recommend including fruits radiotracers used to diagnose Some 300,000 Iranians die of NCDs and vegetables as part of the daily diet dysfunction in body tissues. annually in Iran, Larijani regretted, adding which may reduce the risk of some NCDs While not all medical isotopes that, one-fourth of the country’s population including cardiovascular diseases and are radioactive, radiopharma- (standing at 80 million) are overweight or certain types of cancer. More limited ceuticals are the oldest and still obese which also results in developing NCDs. evidence suggests that when consumed most common such drugs. Unfortunately, diabetes, a non-com- as part of a healthy diet low in fat, sugars Iran is a pioneer in the field municable disease, is a serious threat to and salt/sodium, fruits and vegetables of developing and producing the people’s health and is the fifth leading may also help to prevent weight gain and radiopharmaceuticals in western Asia, Salehi said, adding that cause of death in the country, Fars news reduce the risk of obesity, an independent the compounds are being exported to Egypt, India, Pakistan, agency quoted Larijani as saying on Monday. risk-factor for NCDs. Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and some European countries. Diabetes prevalence is 10 percent in Moreover, fruits and vegetables are rich Radiopharmaceuticals are being manufactured in Iran, Iran, he lamented, saying that prevalence sources of vitamins and minerals, dietary also ongoing research on developing new radiocompounds of the disease is high among people aging fiber and a host of beneficial non-nutrient are carried out continuously, IRNA news agency quoted Salehi 50 or more. substances including plant sterols, flavo- as saying on Monday. He went on to say that 10 percent of Unfortunately, diabetes, a non- noids and other antioxidants and consuming “For one, we have conducted research programs on develop- the country’s health budget is being spent communicable disease, is a serious a variety of fruits and vegetables helps to ing a radiopharmaceutical to treat prostate cancer,” he added. on treating diabetes and its side effects. ensure an adequate intake of many of these The radiopharmaceutical for treating prostate cancer is now Larijani also highlighted that 30 percent threat to the people’s health and is essential nutrients. being trialed on patients in some medical sciences universities of Iranians are suffering high blood pressure the fifth leading cause of death in NCDs, global health threats such as Shiraz, Shahid Beheshti and Mashhad, he highlighted. and 25 percent have high cholesterol levels. the country. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill Salehi went on to say enemies are striving to impose sanctions on Director of the Health Ministry’s nutri- 41 million people each year, equivalent to exportation of radiopharmaceuticals, however, “we don’t give up”. tion office Zahra Abdollahi also told IRNA Mayo Clinic warns that uncontrolled stroke, kidney disease, vision problems, 71% of all deaths globally. Each year, 15 How do radiopharmaceuticals work? news agency on Sunday that 40 percent high blood pressure can lead to stroke by and nerve problems. million people die from a NCD between According to the Mayo Clinic, radiopharmaceuticals are ra- of men and 52 percent of women aging 15 damaging and weakening your brain’s Moreover, 30 percent of men and 36 the ages of 30 and 69 years; over 85% of dioactive agents. However, when small amounts are used, the to 64 are suffering overweight or obesity. blood vessels, causing them to narrow, percent of women aged 25 to 64 years also these “premature” deaths occur in low- and radiation your body receives from them is very low and is con- Cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart rupture or leak. High blood pressure can have high cholesterol due to overweigh and middle-income countries. sidered safe. When larger amounts of these agents are given to disease and stroke), which were the leading also cause blood clots to form in the arteries obesity, consuming fast food, and insufficient Cardiovascular diseases account for treat disease, there may be different effects on the body. cause of death in 2012, diabetes, muscu- leading to your brain, blocking blood flow physical activity, she lamented. most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people When radiopharmaceuticals are used to help diagnose medical loskeletal disorders (especially osteoar- and potentially causing a stroke. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that’s annually, followed by cancers (9.0 mil- problems, only small amounts are given to the patient. The radiop- thritis – a highly disabling degenerative She also noted that 40 percent of wom- found in the fats (lipids) in your blood. lion), respiratory diseases (3.9million), harmaceutical then passes through, or is taken up by, an organ of the disease of the joints), and some cancers en and 33 percent of men aged between While your body needs cholesterol to and diabetes (1.6 million). These 4 groups body (which organ depends on what radiopharmaceutical is used (including endometrial, breast, ovarian, 45 and 65 years are diagnosed with high continue building healthy cells, having of diseases account for over 80% of all and how it has been given). Then the radioactivity is detected, and prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and blood sugar. high cholesterol can increase your risk premature NCD deaths. pictures are produced, by special imaging equipment. These pictures colon) are common health consequences Having too much sugar in the blood of heart disease. Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the allow the nuclear medicine doctor to study how the organ is working of overweight and obesity, WHO warns. for long periods of time can contribute to Abdollahi further regretted that only 12 harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy di- and to detect cancer or tumors that may be present in the organ. Abdollahi also explained that 59 percent serious health problems if it’s not treated. percent of men and 14 percent of women ets all increase the risk of dying from a Some radiopharmaceuticals are used in larger amounts to of women and 36 percent of men aged 45 Hyperglycemia can damage the vessels consume 5 units of fruits and vegetables NCD. Detection, screening and treatment treat certain kinds of cancer and other diseases. In those cases, to 65 years are suffering from high blood that supply blood to vital organs, which on a daily basis, as they can play a key role of NCDs, as well as palliative care, are key the radioactive agent is taken up in the cancerous area and de- pressure. can increase the risk of heart disease and in prevention and controlling non-com- components of the response to NCDs. stroys the affected tissue.

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Iranian-German team to Iran expecting China, Mongolia start archaeological survey in Kerman to join UNESCO-registered Noruz HERITAGE TEHRAN — A joint team of Iranian deskand German experts is about to start an HERITAGE TEHRAN — Iran is sion of the Intergovernmental Committee archaeological exploration across southern regions of Kerman deskexpecting China and for the Safeguarding of the Intangible province, southeastern Iran. Mongolia to officially join UNESCO-reg- Cultural Heritage, held in Addis Ababa, The Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Center will istered Noruz, which marks the beginning Ethiopia. conduct the project in close collaboration with the Eberhard of spring and the new year. The feast was initially registered Karls University of Tübingen, CHTN reported. In December 2016, Iran and 11 other on the UNESCO List of the Intangi- countries registered Noruz as a common ble Cultural Heritage of Humanity tradition. in 2009, as a common tradition for The Iranian National Commission for Iran, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, UNESCO in a press release suggested Pakistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. that China and Mongolia may possibly However, the five other countries join Noruz that is inscribed on the Rep- put in requests officially to be added resentative List of the Intangible Cultural to the list during a meeting held in Heritage of UNESCO, Mehr reported Tehran in January 2014. on Monday. According to the UNESCO, Noruz Noruz, which usually falls on March promotes the values of peace and soli- 21st every year, marks the beginning of darity between generations and within spring across a vast geographical area families, as well as reconciliation and encircling Iran. It was registered as a neighborliness, thus contributing to deep-rooted tradition being practiced in cultural diversity and friendship among Nader Alidadi-Soleymani from Iran and Professor Peter Pf?lzner Iran, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Pa- peoples and various communities. from Germany will co-lead the survey, which will cover Kahnouj, kistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Traditions that are practiced in Noruz Rudbar and Manujan counties, a local official said. Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, vary from place to place, ranging from Some 20 researchers, archaeologists, and interdisciplinary and Iraq. leaping over fires and streams in Iran specialists will collaborate in the project that is scheduled to be Tehran’s Milad Tower is to host an to tightrope walking, lighting candles at running through early April. international ceremony in honor of Noruz house doors, traditional games such as The big and sprawling Kerman province has been a on February 28, the report said. horse racing or the traditional wrestling cultural melting pot since antiquity, blending Persians with Noruz was ratified during the 11th ses- practiced in Kyrgyzstan. subcontinental tribe dwellers. It is home to myriad historical sites and scenic landscapes such as Bazaar-e Sartasari, Jabalieh Dome, Ganjali Khan Bathhouse, Malek Jameh Mosque and Shahdad Desert to name a few. Meybod celebrates becoming

Turkish tourism sector eyes world city for Zilou 1 At that time, the council also granted same year (started March 21, 2018), showing 11 percent growth int’l congresses titles to the city Abadeh for its art of “Woodcarving” year on year. and the village of Khorashad for the craft ‘Toebafi’ Traditional ceramics, pottery vessels, handwoven cloths as well as personal ornamentations with precious and semi-pre- Turkey is holding high hopes for the future in the field of congress (traditional hand woven fabrics). cious gemstones are among Iranian exports to Iraq, Afghan- tourism, representatives of the sector said on Feb. 17. The country’s handicrafts exports reached $190 million istan and Germany, the U.S., the UK and other countries. Timur Bayindir, head of the Hotel Association of Turkey in the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar (TUROB) told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview that the country and its most popular touristic destination Istanbul will reenter the routes to international events this year. Tehran exhibit features handmade Photo exhibit showcasing Tehran’s “Congress tourism requires long-term planning, as the pro- posals for the organizations to be held in 2021 and 2022 have carpets, Tableau rugs attractions already been received,” Bayindir said. “Turkey will return to its former world ranking position if we don’t experience any negativity in the next 2-3 years,” he said. Pointing the development of congress tourism in Turkey in the last decade, Bayindir said: “In 2013, which was a record-year, Turkey hosted 221 international meetings to become the 18th country in the world.” He noted that the leading countries in this field are the U.S., Germany, and the U.K., while the prominent cities are Barcelona, Vienna, Paris, Berlin, and London. “Turkey suffered from the cancellation of many approved organizations over the past three years following a fabricated negative security perception. “As of 2016, the country lost its place in the top 10 and Istanbul couldn’t hold its rank among the first 20 cities in the world,” Bayindir said. (Source: hurriyetdailynews.com) ROUND THE GLOBE Historic Centre of Vienna HERITAGE TEHRAN — An exhi- ternationally for their delicate designs TOURISM TEHRAN — The Na- museum’s director Jebreil Nokandeh said, Vienna, situated on the Danube River in the eastern deskbition of handwoven and good quality. The country’s official desktional Museum of Iran addressing the opening ceremony. part of Austria, developed from early Celtic and Roman Persian rugs, carpets and pictorial rugs figures show the carpets have a significant on Sunday kicked off a photo exhibition, Organized in collaboration with Teh- settlements into a medieval and Baroque city, eventually opened to the public on Monday at the share in Iran’s non-oil exports. showcasing Tehran as a must-see des- ran Municipality, the exhibition will be becoming the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Niavaran Cultural-Historical Complex According to a customs statistics, tination for international and foreign running through February 22. It played an essential role as the leading European music in northern Tehran. Iran’s export of hand-woven carpets travelers, CHTN reported. Golestan Palace, Grand Bazaar, Treasury center, hosting major personalities in the development A selection of traditional and nomadic increased 10 percent in terms of value “Museums should be connected with of National Jewels, Glass & Ceramic Muse- of music from the 16th to the 20th centuries, particularly floor coverings are also on show at the during the first four months of the cities [they are located in] and with people um, Masoudieh Palace, Sarkis Cathedral, Viennese Classicism and Romanticism, consolidating event, which will be running through current Iranian calendar year 1397 of the cities. We are very pleased with holding Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, and Vienna’s reputation as the ‘musical capital’ of Europe. February 22, Mehr reported. (March 21-July 22, 2018), from a such events in museums which will develop Carpet Museum of Iran, are amongst top Persian carpets are sought after in- year earlier. links between various social groups,” the attractions of the Iranian capital. ‘Hidden city’ travel: why airlines are cracking down on a discount trick Lufthansa is suing a traveler over a loophole that many becomes common knowledge, and attempts to use it are using to get cheaper flights to popular destinations increase, it goes from being a tiny hole in a big bucket Airlines are cracking down on a ticketing loophole to a huge hole spilling out revenue.” that can knock thousands of pounds off the cost of In 2015 the booking firm Orbitz and carriers in the travel – but the fight back is only giving more publicity U.S. sued Skiplagged, which at the time was claiming to the advantages of “hidden city” travel. one million visitors a month, citing 22-year-old founder At its most simplistic, hidden city ticketing is when Aktarer Zaman for “unfair competition” and “decep- a passenger purchases a ticket to less popular and tive behavior”, and alleging that the site promoted thus cheaper destination that happens to be routed “strictly prohibited” travel. The case against Zaman through a more popular, and thus pricier hub desti- was ultimately thrown out over issues of jurisdiction. nation, and gets off there, skipping the last leg of their Mann believes the Lufthansa’s decision to take action journey. Anyone can do it, providing you travel only may be one of scale. Gaming the system within the U.S. Vienna is also rich in architectural ensembles, with carry-on luggage. may cost airlines a few hundred dollars, based on the particularly Baroque mansions and gardens as well as It’s a dodge people have done for years but thanks company’s ability to re-sell the seat that wasn’t used, the late 19th-century Ringstrasse ensemble lined with to renewed publicity – and websites that take the leg but with international fares running into the thousands, grand buildings, monuments, and parks. work out of finding the best fares – airlines have called the stakes for the airlines are significantly raised. The property consists of the city’s medieval core in their lawyers. since been now automated through sites like Skiplagged “This is a highly competitive industry so when it (based on the Roman settlement), the principal Baroque Proof of the industry’s new willingness to act against – to the evident annoyance of airlines who claim they comes to international ticketing the numbers become ensembles with their axial layouts, and the Grunderzeit the long-established practice came in an Berlin court are in effect being deprived both of revenue from travel big enough not to ignore very quickly,” Mann says. constructions from the beginning of the modern period. last week where Lufthansa is redoubling its efforts to sue to the passenger’s intended destination and the ability The practice of hidden city ticketing also holds dan- At the beginning of the 12th century the settlement a European business class traveler who used a hidden to sell the seat that’s been skipped. gers for passengers. An airline may not notice that here expanded beyond the Roman defenses, which were city ticket to save thousands on a transatlantic flight. If previous attempts to challenge “hidden city tick- a ticket holder has not shown up for a part of flight, demolished. During the Ottoman conflicts in the 16th According to a court document, an unnamed male eting” in the U.S. are anything to go by, the German but if the practice is repeated or obvious, customers and 17th centuries, the medieval town’s walls, which passenger booked a return flight from Oslo to Seattle, carrier may find the benefit of identifying and pursuing may find themselves stranded in the wrong city, find surrounded a much larger area, were rebuilt and provided which had a layover in Frankfurt. He skipped the final, passengers who fail to complete their journeys under that the return portion of their trip has been voided, with bastions. Frankfurt to Oslo return flight, flying to Berlin on a the terms of their ticket hardly worth the costs. or that they’ve been removed from loyalty programs. This remained the core of Vienna until the medieval separate ticket. According to airline industry analyst Robert Mann, In some instances, passengers have found themselves walls were demolished in the second half of the 19th The switch, which sounds innocuous enough, cost the issue of hidden city ticketing has always been out met at the gate by airline attorneys and challenged century. The inner city contains a number of medieval- Lufthansa around €2,112 (around £1,864 or $2,385), there but it was only when websites including the US- with a demand for additional fees. The law is as yet era buildings, including the Schottenkloster, the oldest the amount the airline is now seeking to reclaim from based Skiplagged began to commercialize the system unclear on these cases. monastery in Austria, the churches of Maria am Gestade the customer. Whether the scheme was illegal or not that the industry took notice. “It’s a calculated risk,” said Mann, “but the numbers (one of the main Gothic structures), Michaelerkirche, is up for debate. Lufthansa’s case – was thrown out of “Airlines pricing is arcane to say the least, especially are big enough to make it a felony in some cases.” Minoritenkirche and Minoritenkloster from the 13th a Berlin court in December and is now under appeal. when pricing can vary by a factor of 10 for almost As Lufthansa’s decision to appeal the case makes century, and St Stephen’s Cathedral, which dates from But the airline’s action reveals the industry’s deter- the same product, but if a customer chooses to use clear, airlines are now willing to put those dueling the 14th and 15th centuries. mination to close the loophole. the ticket or a portion of it that’s inconsistent with positions to test again, this time in a Berlin court. (Source: UNESCO) Once a practice offered by knowing travel agents, it’s the terms of sale, it becomes an issue. If the practice (Source: The Guardian) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 19, 2019 SCIENCE 11 New study of fossil plants shows the emergence Astronomers find a nearby of the Pacific Northwest’s temperate forests river of stars Astronomers have found a river of stars, a stellar stream in as- tronomical parlance, covering most of the southern sky. The In a recent study scientists described the dominating these ancient forests represent stream is relatively nearby and contains at least 4000 stars that emergence of these ecosystems about 51-53 a mix of plants we find today in the Pacific have been moving together in space since they formed, about 1 million-years-ago — a time with the high- Northwest, southeastern U.S., and eastern billion years ago. est-known global temperatures in the past China. This mixture of plants resulted in a Night sky centered on the south Galactic pole in a so-called 66-million-years — when the Pacific Northwest high diversity, probably comparable to that stereographic projection. In this special projection, the Milky Way was a subtropical climate similar to today’s seen in modern tropics, despite these forests curves around the entire image in an arc. The stars in the stream southern Florida. having existed then at higher elevations, and are displayed in red and cover almost the entire southern Galactic So how did temperate forests emerge dur- the fact there was cold hardy plants around, hemisphere, thereby crossing many well-known constellations. ing a hot, humid climate? The answer lies firs for example,” Lowe said. “It is also inter- Astronomy & Astrophysics publishes the work of researchers within the fossil record and is made possible esting that despite volcanic eruptions that from the University of Vienna, who have found a river of stars, by another icon of the Pacific northwest — were frequent and dynamic through time, volcanic mountain chains. the forest didn’t change much between the Alexander Lowe, graduate of Brandon two layers we analyzed, so these forests University in Manitoba, Canada, and cur- were apparently quite resilient to volcanic rent graduate student at the University of eruptions.” Washington and Burke Museum, and co-au- The team reconstructed the ancient thors analyzed 3,700 fossils from a unique temperature and precipitation using the paleontological site called the McAbee Fossil shape and size of fossil leaves, and found Beds in southern British Columbia, Canada. and different locations. occidentalis, the dawn redwood that is now it to be similar to modern day Seattle, de- The site is an ancient lakebed formed by Lowe and co-authors found the ancient native to eastern China. spite then existing at higher elevations. the surrounding active volcanoes. The ash forests consisted of several plants iconic to Of the flowering plants, Ulmus okangan- Apparently, some of the iconic temperate a stellar stream in astronomical parlance, covering most of the from multiple eruptions and other sediment today’s Pacific Northwest region: cedars, ensis (a species of elm), Fagus langevinii plants of the Pacific Northwest thrived in southern sky. The stream is relatively nearby and contains at least washing into the lake preserved an abundance firs, and other conifers, maples, birch and (a species of beech) and Alnus parvifolia (a this cooler high elevation pocket, when 4000 stars that have been moving together in space since they of beautiful plant and insect fossils, and also even ferns. A blooming of diversity of many species of alder) were the most abundant the rest of the region was a subtropical formed, about 1 billion years ago. Due to its proximity to Earth, micro-fossils like pollen and spores. species of both flowering plants and coni- broadleaf species at the site. Florida-like climate. this stream is a perfect workbench on which to test the disruption Different geological layers fers were found in these layers. The most Ancient forests Volcanic activity that was frequent (but not of clusters, measure the gravitational field of the Milky Way, and The team sampled fossils from two dif- prevalent conifer found was Metasequoia “It is interesting that the plants we see devastating enough to wipe out all plants with learn about coeval extrasolar planet populations with upcoming ferent geologic layers, representing two dif- each eruption) provided fertile soil. Also, lower planet-finding missions. ferent snapshots in time that are estimated elevations in the foothills of the mountains Scientists say it is interesting that the plants Our own host galaxy, the Milky Way, is home to star clusters of to be only 10,000 – 100,000 years apart. created zones where the temperate, cooler we see dominating these ancient forests variable sizes and ages. We find many baby clusters within molecular This geologic rarity allowed for the authors plants could mingle with the warm-loving clouds, fewer middle-age and old age clusters in the Galactic disk, to look at forest dynamics operating over represent a mix of plants we find today in the plants, providing an environment for both and even fewer massive, old globular clusters in the halo. These thousands to tens of thousands of years of groups of plants to coexist in a highly diverse Pacific Northwest, southeastern U.S., and clusters, regardless of their origin and age, are all subject to tidal time. More often, paleontologists are drawing mix of plant species. forces along their orbits in the Galaxy. Given enough time, the Milky comparisons across millions of years of time eastern China. (Source: phys.org) Way gravitational forces relentlessly pull them apart, dispersing their stars into the collection of stars we know as the Milky Way. “Most star clusters in the Galactic disk disperse rapidly after Neuroscientists say they’ve found an entirely Great whites wiped out ancient their birth as they do not contain enough stars to create a deep gravitational potential well, or in other words, they do not have new form of neural communication 50ft sharks: Study enough glue to keep them together. Thanks to the precision of the Gaia measurements, the authors could measure the 3D motion of stars in space. When carefully looking at the distribution of nearby stars moving together, one particular group of stars, as yet unknown and unstudied, imme- diately caught the eye of the researchers. (Source: sciencedaily.com) Researchers first to show hinge morphology of click beetle’s latch mechanism

Aimy Wissa, assistant professor of mechanical science and engi- Scientists think they’ve identified a previously To that end, Durand and his team inves- The megalodon may have been a giant The “extinction of O. megalodon was neering (MechSE) at Illinois, leads an interdisciplinary research unknown form of neural communication that tigated slow periodic activity in vitro, stud- predatory sea creature measuring as previously thought to be related to this team to study click beetles to inspire more agile robots. The team, self-propagates across brain tissue, and can ying the brain waves in hippocampal slices much as 50ft, but scientists believe it marine mass extinction—but in reality, which includes MechSE Assistant Professor Alison Dunn and leap wirelessly from neurons in one section extracted from decapitated mice. was no match for the competition posed we now know the two are not immediately Dr. Marianne Alleyne, a research scientist in the Department of of brain tissue to another – even if they’ve What they found was that slow periodic by the great white shark — who they related,” Boessenecker said. Entomology, recently presented their ongoing and novel work on been surgically severed. activity can generate electric fields which think wiped it out. And as sea mammal fossils dating the quick release mechanism of click beetles at the 2019 Society The discovery offers some radical new in turn activate neighboring cells, consti- An international team of paleontologists back between one to two million years for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Annual Meeting. insights about the way neurons might be tuting a form of neural communication arrived at this conclusion as they tried are rare, his team wondered whether Ophelia Bolmin, a graduate student in Wissa’s Bio-inspired talking to one another, via a mysterious without chemical synaptic transmission to answer when the Otodus megalodon the mass extinction happened at all. Adaptive Morphology (BAM) Lab, presented novel synchrotron process unrelated to conventionally un- or gap junctions. went extinct. They think the biggest ever His team put forward an alternative X-ray footage that showed the internal latch mechanism of the derstood mechanisms, such as synaptic “We’ve known about these waves for shark was likely killed off at least a million theory. Instead of an “immediate and click beetle, and demonstrated for the first time to the scientific transmission, axonal transport, and gap a long time, but no one knows their exact years prior to current estimates. catastrophic extinction” triggered by an community how the hinge morphology and mechanics enable junction connections. function and no one believed they could To calculate when the massive sea astronomical cataclysm like a supernova, this unique clicking mechanism. The presentation, the “click “We don’t know yet the ‘So what?’ part spontaneously propagate,” Durand says. creatures were last seen in Earth’s oceans, evidence indicates there was more likely beetle latch mechanism: An in-vivo study using synchrotron of this discovery entirely,” says neural and “I’ve been studying the hippocampus, the researchers studied every megalodon a time when species went extinct and X-rays,” was part of an invited symposium on mechanisms of biomedical engineer Dominique Durand from itself just one small part of the brain, for 40 fossil discovered in California and Baja others appeared, in what is called a faunal energy flow in organismal movement. Case Western Reserve University. years and it keeps surprising me.” California, Mexico, where the remains turnover. This work builds on research that was initiated by the Illi- “But we do know that this seems to be This neural activity can actually be of these fish are plentiful. They also The great white shark nois team nearly two years ago, detailing the click beetles’ leg- an entirely new form of communication in modulated - strengthened or blocked - by studied existing data on fossils, and The new extinction date gives a less self-righting jumping mechanism. The team already built the brain, so we are very excited about this.” applying weak electrical fields and could be found inaccuracies. The results led window of around 400,000 years for prototypes of a hinge-like spring-loaded device that are being Before this, scientists already knew an analogue form of another cell commu- the researchers to conclude that the the great white shark to wear away at incorporated into a robot. there was more to neural communication nication method, called ephaptic coupling. megalodon went extinct much earlier the megalodon. The paleontologists Rather minimal research had been performed on the click than the above-mentioned connections that Electric fields than previously thought. believe newly evolved great white sharks beetle’s click mechanism in the past, and the Illinois team is the have been studied in detail, such as synaptic The team’s most radical finding was that This calls into question past research could have been a similar size to baby first to explore the insect within the field of bio-inspiration - using transmission. these electrical fields can activate neurons that suggested the great white’s hulking megalodons, leading to the depletion of inspiration from nature for innovative engineered designs. They Neural oscillations through a complete gap in severed brain cousin went extinct around 2.6 million their population. continue to be at the forefront of this research, and further studies For example, researchers have been aware tissue, when the two pieces remain in close years ago because of a supernova, believed Boessenecker said: “We propose that are scheduled to be published in coming months. for decades that the brain exhibits slow waves physical proximity. to have spewed out radiation and caused this short overlap (3.6 million to 4 million (Source: eurekalert.org) of neural oscillations whose purpose we don’t To “ensure that the slice was completely marline life to mutate and fall ill with years ago) was sufficient time for great understand, but which appear in the cortex cut, the two pieces of tissue were separated diseases such as cancer. white sharks to spread worldwide and and hippocampus when we sleep, and so and then rejoined while a clear gap was Vetting every fossil occurrence outcompete O. megalodon throughout Artificial intelligence to are hypothesized to play a part in memory observed under the surgical microscope,” Dr. Robert Boessenecker, study co- its range, driving it to extinction — rather consolidation. the authors explain in their paper. author and a vertebrate paleontologist at than radiation from outer space.” boost Earth system science, The “functional relevance of this input The “slow hippocampal periodic activity the College of Charleston, commented: More answers regarding the fate of and output decoupled slow network rhythm could indeed generate an event on the other “We used the same worldwide dataset as the megalodon are expected from the new study suggests remains a mystery,” explains neuroscientist side of a complete cut through the whole slice.” earlier researchers but thoroughly vetted scientists who were last year awarded A study by German scientists from Jena and Hamburg, published Clayton Dickinson from the University of Al- If you think that sounds freaky, you’re every fossil occurrence, and found that a grant to explore why it went extinct. today in the journal Nature, shows that artificial intelligence (AI) berta, who wasn’t involved in the new research not the only one. The review committee at most of the dates had several problems — Sora Kim from the University of can substantially improve our understanding of the climate and but has discussed it in a perspective article. The Journal of Physiology – in which the fossils with dates too young or imprecise, California Merced, who was part of the the Earth system. Especially the potential of deep learning has only “But (it’s) one that will probably be solved research has been published – insisted the fossils that have been misidentified, or team awarded the money, commented partially been exhausted so far. In particular, complex dynamic by an elucidation of both the cellular and the experiments be completed again before old dates that have since been refined by at the time: “There are many ideas about processes such as hurricanes, fire propagation, and vegetation intercellular mechanisms giving rise to it in agreeing to print the study. improvements in geology; and we now why the megalodon went extinct. dynamics can be better described with the help of AI. As a result, the first place.” (Source: sciencealert.com) know the specimens are much younger.” (Source: Newsweek) climate and Earth system models will be improved, with new models combining artificial intelligence and physical modeling. In the past decades mainly static attributes have been investi- Breeding bees with “clean genes” could help prevent colony collapse gated using machine learning approaches, such as the distribution of soil properties from the local to the global scale. For some time Researchers have identified genes associated with cleanliness pathogens are likely being taken out too. now, it has been possible to tackle more dynamic processes by behaviors in bees, which could ultimately help protect colonies Ideally, breeding colonies to be cleaner could make for hardier using more sophisticated deep learning techniques. This allows from collapse. bees, offsetting some of the rapid decline of several species. So for example to quantify the global photosynthesis on land with Honeybees are increasingly under threat, even recently making the York team sequenced the genomes of three populations of simultaneous consideration of seasonal and short term variations. it onto the endangered species list in the U.S. for the first time. honeybees – two of which had been bred to be highly hygienic, “From a plethora of sensors, a deluge of Earth system data has In a development that could help save these vital creatures from while the third colony had more normal levels of cleanliness. become available, but so far we’ve been lagging behind in analysis extinction, researchers from York University have identified When they compared the three genomes, the team was able and interpretation”, explains Markus Reichstein, managing director a group of genes that appear to be related to how hygienic a to identify at least 73 genes that seemed to be related to hygiene of the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, directory particular colony of bees is, and selective breeding for these genes behaviors. With those candidates found, the researchers plan board member of the Michael-Stifel-Center Jena (MSCJ) and first could help fight colony collapse. to develop tools that help beekeepers breed cleaner bees, which author of the publication. In the last few years, populations of bees have drastical- ultimately may help reduce the number of colonies that go on “This is where deep learning techniques become a promising ly fallen across much of the world. No single cause has been to collapse. tool, beyond the classical machine learning applications such as agreed upon yet, but plenty of possible explanations have been Higher chances of survival “Social immunity is a really important trait that beekeepers image recognition, natural language processing or AlphaGo”, adds proposed, including infections of parasites or our overzealous For the new study, the York researchers investigated a positive try to select in order to breed healthier colonies,” says Profes- co-author Joachim Denzler from the Computer Vision Group of use of pesticides. Whatever the reason, the serious problem trait that certain colonies seem to have. Some beehives seem sor Amro Zayed, corresponding author of the study. “Instead the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU) and member of MSCJ. is that bees are one of the bottom blocks in the Jenga tower to be generally “cleaner” than others, and worker bees in these of spending a lot of time in the field measuring the hygienic Examples for application are extreme events such as fire spreads of natural ecosystems. Once they’re gone, plants that rely on colonies have been observed removing the sick and the dead behavior of colonies, we can now try breeding bees with these or hurricanes, which are very complex processes influenced by bees for pollination will follow, and so will the animals that eat from the hive. These hygienic behaviors have been linked with genetic mutations that predict hygienic behavior.” local conditions but also by their temporal and spatial context. those plants, and so on. higher chances of survival for the colony as a whole, since the (Source: newatlas.com) (Source: techtimes.com) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 12 WOMEN FEBRUARY 19, 2019 Esfandgan respects Women, environmental innovation, and green jobs festival to be held dignity of women,

WOMENTEHRAN — A festival on women, environ- deskmental innovation and green jobs will be held mothers and earth at the Department of Environment (DOE). By Naghmeh Mizanian the qualities of God, and each day of a month was named after an Izad. TEHRAN — Esfandgan is the day that According to the ancient Iranian calendar, people in ancient Iran praised the dignity every day of the month had a name -- instead of women, earth and mothers, all enjoying of a number. Currently, in Iranian calendar, the quality of fertility. each month has a name which is the name The annual feast of Esfandgan, tradition- of one of the ancient Iran’s Izads. ally, is a day during which the Earth is praised February 18, the fifth day of the ancient and women are venerated. It is celebrated on month of Esfand, according to the old Ira- the 29th of Bahman in the Iranian calendar, nian calendar, is the day of the Esfandgan which falls on February 18. celebration. Women, as the symbol of love and devo- It is a day in which the name of the day tion, illustrated earth with its fertility and and the name of the month are the same, fruitfulness in ancient Iran. Sepandarmazd or Esfand. The dignity of women or mothers in old In ancient Iran, every month, a coinci- The event is to be held on the occasion of birth anniversary of Iran was commemorated on the 59th day dence happened between the name of the Hazrat Fatemeh Zahra (SA), which marks the national women’s of winter under the name Esfandgan, also month and the name of the day, and that day, February 26, 2019, Mehr reported. called Sepandarmazdgan. day was a monthly celebration. Esfandgan The festival is to be held with the cooperation of women’s Esfand or Sepandarmazd (ancient pro- is the coincidence of the day of Esfand committee and public participation office of the DOE. nunciation) means the mother of creation, with the month of Esfand. love, piety or holy perfect-thinking and it is Abooreyhan Birooni (937-1408), a great one of the qualities of God. Iranian scholar of the medieval Islamic RECIPE OF THE WEEK The earth is the worldly symbol of Es- era, in his book Asarolbaghiye explains fand and it is the source of life, birth, piety about Esfandgan as a celebration to value Leek and cheese quiche and purity. honest, pious and husband-lover women. He introduces Esfandgan as the celebration “A fairly fast, surprisingly good quiche -- even The qualities of earth such as love, of women or women’s day in which men bahar” is held at the beginning of spring. Although the time of Esfandgan and quiche-doubters will like it!” piety, generosity, purity, and birth are un- doubtedly hidden in women and mothers. granted presents to their wives. On this day all men leave the village during Valentine’s Day is very close, they have no Ingredients: Both women and the earth are symbols According to Asarolbaghiye, on this the day and women take all responsibilities, correspondence. “Despite the fact that women of birth and creation in many cultures day people tried to make the earth clean and at the evening when men return home, are one of the most important representations because seeds grow in them. or cultivate a plant. they present their wives a gift. of love and friendship, love can exist between Esfandgan is a celebration for honoring Currently, Esfandgan is celebrated in Another similar celebration is held in Ja- friends, parents and children or countrymen.” the dignity of Izad Sepandarmazd whose ma- different parts of Iran with different cere- vaherdeh village, northern Iran, which is like In ancient Iran, like many other countries, terialistic symbols are women and the earth. monies. In the village of Afoos in Isfahan a harvesting festival and at the end of the women’s day or mother’s day was a unique In ancient Iran, Izads were symbols of Province, a similar celebration named “Gol- day husbands give presents to their wives. issue not being mixed with the day of lovers. Fashion and costume houses to be Women make up 24 percent of faculty established members WOMENTEHRAN — Houses of WOMENTEHRAN — The 16- deskfashion and costume are deskfold increase in the to be established all around the country, number of female faculty members in 2 tablespoons butter Hamid Qobadi, head of the 8th edition of universities during the Iranian year 1396 2 cups sliced leeks Fajr International Festival of Fashion and (March 2017-March 2018) proves that 24 1 (9 inch) frozen pie crust, thawed Costume, said here on Monday. percent of the total faculty members are 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese The first house of fashion and costume is women. 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese to be opened in Shiraz, Qobadi said, hoping Statistics released by workgroup of 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour every province would have a fashion and women and family affairs related to the 4 eggs costume house in the future. Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution 1 3/4 cups heavy cream The houses of fashion and costume are The eighth edition of the internation- shows that during the one year period In 1396, the number of higher education 1 tomato, thinly sliced to be formed in retrofitted old buildings, al festival of fashion and costume hosted of 1395-1396 (March 2016-2018), out of centers for associate degree and bachelor’s Salt and pepper to taste said the official. The houses of costume do twenty countries. the total number of 1.87 million female degree in the fields of women and family Directions: not merely look at the history of cloths but Tunisia, Singapore, Canada, China, Ka- students, 232 thousand were perusing an affairs including psychology, education of Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). it has a view on the contemporary growth zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Italy, Syria, associate degree, 1.17 million bachelor’s special children and especial education Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the of costumes and fashion, he explained. Oman, France, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iraq, degree, 353 thousand master’s degree, has reached to 64 centers. leeks until tender. Spread evenly over the bottom of the pie crust. The 8th edition of the Fajr International Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Turkey, Spain 46 thousand doctorate of medicine and According to statistics provided by the In a bowl, toss together the Swiss cheese, Romano cheese, Festival of Fashion and Costume was held and Indonesia attended the festival. of philosophy (MD–PhD), and 59 thou- National Elite Foundation, the number of and flour. Spread over the leeks. February 14-17, 2019 for the first time in The organizers had opened a space of sand PhD. women being employed as members of In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and heavy cream. Chabahar, southeastern Sistan-Baluch- competition to encourage international The statistics prove that the number of faculty for undergraduate, Master’s de- Pour over the cheese layer in the pie crust. Top with the tomato estan province, to display Iranian art at participation and facilitate direct contacts female university students has doubled dur- gree, and PhD levels have reached to 164 slices, and season with salt and pepper. international level. between Iranian and foreign companies. ing the period of 20 years, IRNA reported. members over the past two years. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and continue baking 30 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center of the quiche comes out clean. Lebanese women hail first female Arab interior minister Tip Lebanon has appointed the Arab world’s first female be a new phenomenon for Lebanon and Arab countries, but “You can’t keep up with the international community Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it interior minister in its new government, prizing open a hopefully it will be repeated and not be unique,” she added. and say you have a civilized state when all the world is evenly, and make clean-up easier. wider foothold for women in its overwhelmingly male The three other women in the 30-strong cabinet are working on gender equality and Lebanon is still living with political scene. in charge of energy, administrative development and the the old male patriarchal mind,” said May Chidiac, the new Raya al-Hassan is one of four women to take cabinet economic empowerment of women and young people. administrative development minister. LEARN ENGLISH jobs in the new coalition, more than ever before in Lebanon Though Lebanon is widely held to be liberal by regional Lebanese politics continues to revolve around men. The and three more than in the last government, in which even standards, with women playing a prominent role in public life, complex sectarian power-sharing system has helped entrench Homeschooling the minister for women was a man. some of its laws continue to uphold a patriarchal social code. former warlords and the scions of political dynasties - all Though Hassan has already held top jobs - including Much Lebanese civil law, including personal status male - who dominate the government and the parliament. A: I think we should home school our children when we decide finance minister in 2009-2011 - her appointment to a port- matters such as marriage, divorce and inheritance, is “Lebanon is a male-dominated society and though to have kids. folio managing security was hailed as a step forward for applied according to religious sect and in some cases women reached very important positions, when we talk B: What? Why? women in Lebanese politics. treats women differently to men. Lebanon has 17 rec- about politics, especially parliament and government, A: Well, our public schools here are not very good and private “This is a point of pride for all women and all the people ognized Muslim and Christian sects. their presence was modest,” said the women and youth school are just too expensive. I have been reading up on home who believe in women’s capabilities,” Hassan said. In 2017 the parliament abolished an old law that absolved minister Violette Safadi. schooling and it has a lot of advantages. “There are a lot of female interior and defense ministers rapists if they married their victims. But marital rape and “I think we broke this barrier.” B: Like what? I think that by doing something like that we would in the world and they have proved their efficiency. It might child marriage are still legal. (Source: Reuters) be isolating our children from social interaction. A: Well, first of all, I would be able to teach them everything they learn in school in a more relaxed and fun way. I also think that having a one-on-one class is much better since you can ENGLISH IN USE focus more on his or her strengths or weaknesses. B: I think neither your parents nor mine would agree to such LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION an idea. A: I will bring it up over Sunday brunch. B: Good luck with that! Marriage rates falling by 5% annually, مدیرکل دفتر سالمت جمعیت و خانواده وزارت Key vocabulary home school: to educate kids at home by a parent or tutor says health official بهداشت: میزان ازدواج هر سال 5 درصد کم می شود read up: to do research or instruct yourself on a topic isolate: to set apart from others; place alone The rate of marriage is dropping by 5 percent annually in Iran, director general مدیــرکل دفتــر ســامت جمعیــت و خانــواده وزارت بهداشــت گفــت: میــزان ازدواج هــر .social interaction: meeting, talking, doing activities with people for population health and family office at the Ministry of Health has said first of all:firstly Currently both marriage rate and fertility rate are dropping in the country, ســال 5 درصــد در کشــور کــم مــی شــود. one-on-one: a meeting or class between only two people حامــد برکاتــی گفــت: در شــرایط فعلــی هــم میــزان ازدواجهــا و هــم میــزان فرزنــدآوری در strengths: a quality that makes someone effective or useful Hamed Barakati said, adding that annually marriage rate is decreasing by 5 weakness: the quality or state of being weak to 7 percent. کشــور کاهــش یافتــه، ســاالنه بیــن 5 تــا 7 درصــد از میــزان ازدواجهــا کــم شــده اســت. bring something up: to mention or open for discussion In the year 1389 (March 2010-March 2011) 890,000 marriages were registered برکاتــی روز شــنبه در گفــت و گــو بــا خبرگــزاری افــزود: در ســال 89 حــدود890 هــزار و ,Supplementary vocabulary while in 1396 (March 2017-March 2018) 670,000 marriages were reported GED: general education diploma which is the equivalent of a IRNA news agency quoted Barakati as saying on Saturday. در ســال 96 حــدود 670 هــزار ازدواج انجــام شــده اســت. high school diploma In the year 1395 (March 2016-March 2017) some 1.04 children were born وی ادامــه داد: متولــدان ســال 95 حــدود یــک میلیــون و 40 هــزار نفــر بودنــد در حالــی کــه SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test is a test which is taken throughout the U.S. as an admission test to U.S. colleges while in the 1360s (1980s) the number of children born in some years reached در دهــه 60 در برخــی ســالها حــدود 2 میلیــون تولــد اتفــاق افتــاد. .tutor: a person employed in the education of others, either 2 million, he added individually or in groups. recess: a short period of free time between school classes quiz: a short quick test (Source: irlanguage.com) PREFIX/SUFFIX PHRASAL VERB IDIOM “-ene” Wipe somebody out When it rains, it pours

Without Meaning: a word ending that indicates an unsaturated Meaning: to make you feel extremely tired Explanation: when something good or bad happens, organic compound For example: The heat had wiped us out. similarly good or bad things tend to follow earth no For example: Benzene is used in the manufacture For example: After months of looking for a job, I of a large number of chemicals that contribute to the suddenly have three job interviews this week. When it birth! production of plastics. rains, it pours. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 19, 2019 WORLD IN FOCUS 13 Cash-strapped Pakistan gives scandal- The biggest problem behind hit Saudi crown prince lavish welcome the U.S. shale boom

Amid much fanfare, the House of Saud re- ers and high-profile businesses in protest 5 However, what about crude oil? The surge in oil pro- gime crown prince is visiting cash-strapped at the gruesome murder. duction in the U.S. and the resulting impact on greenhouse gas Pakistan on the first leg of an Asia tour in Back then, the Pakistani premier sought emissions has not been studied all that much. A new report from what analysts view as a charm offensive to justify his trip to the kingdom, saying Daniel Raimi of Resources For the Future (RFF) studies the im- aimed at seeking allies and repairing his Pakistan was going through the worst debt pact on GHG emissions from a variety of future oil production image, which has been badly tarnished on crisis of its history and was “desperate” for situations. Raimi is the author of the very even-handed book, the world stage over the gruesome murder Saudi money. “The Fracking Debate.” of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at “We’re desperate for possible Saudi loans Raimi laid out several scenarios looking at the GHG impact Riyadh’s consulate in Turkey as well as the to shore up Pakistan’s economy,” he said of U.S. oil and gas production (higher or lower production; more war crimes the kingdom has been commit- prior to his trip. or less stringent climate policies; assumptions about methane) ting in Yemen. The agreements signed on Sunday includ- and found that GHG emissions are the highest in all scenarios Escorted by Pakistan’s fighter jets, the ed a $10-billion refinery and petrochemicals in which the U.S produces more oil relative to the EIA’s baseline fleet of Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and complex in the coastal city of Gwadar in the reference case. his 1,000-strong entourage touched down in resource-rich province of Baluchistan, where Notably, even climate policy was outweighed by the precise the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Sunday residents have long complained that their level of oil and gas production. The Obama administration’s Clean evening for a two-day visit. share of the vast gas and mineral wealth Power Plan, which required a significant overhaul of the electricity Pakistani Prime Imran Khan and army has not been fair. sector and would have shut down a number of coal-fired power Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa greeted the crown Gunmen on the same day attacked a plants, was a landmark policy and one of the most significant prince upon his arrival at the Nour Khan security post in Balochistan, leaving four efforts by the government to accelerate the energy transition. air base where he was welcomed with a 21- paramilitary soldiers dead, officials said The CPP was stayed by the Supreme Court and is being replaced gun salute. the killing of thousands of people, including Yemen over the past four years. There have on Monday. by the Trump administration. Khan personally drove bin Salman to the people of Yemen. been growing calls for Riyadh and its vassal “The four men suffered multiple gun- However, according to Raimi’s study, even if we assume the the official residence of the prime minister, On the first day of the visit, Pakistan and states to end the bloody military campaign, shot wounds and died on the spot,” Khan full implementation of the CPP, emissions are still higher in the where he does not actually stay. Saudi Arabia inked several agreements in which has led to the “world’s worst human- Wasay, a spokesman for the Frontier Corps “high oil production” scenario, even when compared to the no Security has been tightened in Islamabad, diverse sectors worth as much as $20bn itarian crisis” in the world’s already poorest paramilitary force, told Reuters. CPP but lower oil and gas production. with 1,000 new checkpoints erected around for Pakistan. nation among Arab states. No group has claimed responsibility for “In other words, low levels of oil and natural gas produc- the capital and the adjoining garrison city On the second day of his trip, bin Sal- The lavish welcome in Islamabad comes the attack, but Baloch separatist groups and tion do more to reduce emissions than implementation of of Rawalpindi. man, who is also the Saudi regime’s defense as Pakistan is struggling to fix its crisis-hit militants have attacked security forces in the CPP,” Raimi concluded, noting that the only caveat that The fortified diplomatic zone in Islam- minister, held talks with the Pakistani army economy and guarantee its economic future. the province in the past. undercuts this conclusion is if methane estimates have been abad was sealed off, and the airspace over chief. He will meet President Arif Alvi later Pakistan’s central bank has only $8bn The restive mineral-rich province is vastly overstated. the city shut down. on Monday, when he will be awarded the (£6.2bn) left in foreign reserves and faces rife with separatist, extremist and sec- The conclusion is worth repeating. The Obama-era CPP – Saudi and Pakistani flags were displayed Nishan-e-Pakistan (Order of Pakistan) at a balance of payments crisis. tarian violence and has been the scene President Obama’s signature climate policy, and the one at the throughout the capital, alongside portraits a formal ceremony. Since he was sworn in last August, Khan of several bomb and gun attacks over core of the U.S.’ participation in the Paris Climate Agreement – is of MBS and Khan. Pakistan is the first destination in bin has been aggressively seeking help from the past years. of less consequence to GHG emissions than the precise level of Pakistani authorities also blocked mo- Salman’s three-state Asia tour, which will friendly countries in order to reduce the Bin Salman’s visit to Islamabad also co- oil and gas production. bile phone and internet services in parts of also take him to India and China. size of the bailout package that Pakistan is incides with a flare-up of Kashmir-related Put another way, the climate penalty in an aggressive sce- the city, while Monday was also declared a The visit comes as the de facto Saudi likely to need from the International Mon- tensions between India and Pakistan. nario in which U.S. shale production continues to rise over the public holiday. ruler has been grappling with a reputation etary Fund (IMF). The fresh wave of tensions broke out next decade more than offsets the benefit of shutting down a Bin Salman’s visit was delayed by a day crisis in the international community over The country is seeking its 13th bailout on Thursday, when 44 Indian troops lost bunch of coal plants. amid widespread protests. Khashoggi’s murder, which is widely believed since the late 1980s and Saudi Arabia has their lives in a bomb attack claimed by Pa- The main reason for this is not CO2, but methane. It’s Protesters took to the streets after Fri- to have been personally ordered by him. already provided a $6-billion loan. kistan-based militants. not people burning more gasoline in their cars because day prayers in Rawalpindi, calling on the Khashoggi’s assassination has also put At the height of the Khashoggi drama in New Delhi accuses Pakistan of having a of higher oil production. Demand is relatively inelastic government not to allow the Saudi prince spotlight on the crimes the Saudi regime October last year, Khan paid a visit to Saudi hand in the deadly attack -- an accusation in the U.S. into the country. and a military coalition of its allies – led by Arabia, where he attended an investment Islamabad denies. Instead, the major climate penalty comes from higher The demonstrators blamed bin Salman for bin Salman -- have been committing against conference that was boycotted by world lead- (Source: agencies) methane emissions associated with upstream production. CO2 emissions remain enormous and a massive problem to tackle, but these emissions don’t change all that much. Methane emis- sions inordinately jump relative to the reference case if oil and Guaido calls for ‘million volunteers’ in Venezuela’s aid standoff gas production exceeds the baseline. “Under a scenario with high levels of oil and natural Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido set a goal Sunday “Venezuela is preparing for the humanitarian avalanche,” gas production, increased methane emissions are likely to of enlisting a million volunteers within a week to confront Guaido told about 4,000 supporters clad in white T-shirts swamp the GHG effects of policies such as the CPP unless a government blockade that has kept tons of humanitarian and green scarves who gathered together Saturday to sign methane emissions are dramatically reduced below current aid, most of it from the United States, from flowing into up as volunteers. levels,” Raimi warned. the country. Guaido has given Feb. 23 - one month to the The throng included doctors, nurses and students. Meanwhile, higher U.S. oil production has global effects, day after he proclaimed himself acting president - as the Without revealing details that could jeopardize the op- lowering prices and boosting demand. The effects are more difficult date for a showdown over the aid with the government of eration, Guaido said volunteer brigades would travel in a to tease out, but by 2030, the world could consume 1.6 mb/d more President Nicolas Maduro. bus caravan to entry points for the aid. than it otherwise would under the high U.S. production scenario. Food supplies, hygiene kits and nutritional supplements Coromoto Crespo, 58, told AFP he volunteered because U.S. oil is exported abroad, lowering prices and boosting demand. have been stockpiled near the Venezuelan border in Cu- of the urgent need for supplies. The world then ends up emitting 200 to 50 MMT of CO2 cuta, Colombia. “To find medicines requires a miracle. I need tablets more than it otherwise would, according to RFF. For context, Additional storage centers are set to open this week in for high blood pressure, and what I find, I can’t pay for,” Brazil emitted 417 MMT in 2016. In other words, higher U.S. oil “crumbs” and “rotten and contaminated food” while blaming Brazil and Curacao, a Dutch island off Venezuela’s northern Crespo said. and gas production could add another Brazil’s-worth of green- shortages of food and medicine on U.S. sanctions. Caribbean coast. “One of my relatives died because of a lack of antibiotics.” house gases by 2030. He said six million families had benefited from sub- “Our principal task is to reach a million volunteers by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, meanwhile, announced on There are plenty of uncertainties and assumptions built into sidized food boxes and he claimed to have bought 933 February 23,” Guaido said in a message to the 600,000 Twitter Sunday that he was traveling to Colombia for a any model, and that needs to be kept in mind. But the RFF study tons of medicines and medical supplies from China, Cuba supporters who have signed up so far for the push to bring first-hand look at the aid operation in Cucuta. offers a stark warning. In short, the ongoing U.S. shale bonanza and Russia, his main international allies. aid in. Three U.S. military cargo planes delivered several dozen is calamitous for the fight against climate change. “We paid for it with our own money because we’re beg- He said the volunteers would gather at designated points, more tons of food assistance to Cucuta Saturday. A report last month from Oil Change International was more gars to no one,” Maduro said. or participate on social media, but has kept to himself how Another U.S. aircraft is due in Curacao from Miami direct. The U.S. oil and gas industry “is gearing up to unleash On another front, Venezuelan Foreign Minister he plans to overcome the obstacles put up by the Venezuelan Tuesday, and a collection center for Brazilian aid will open the largest burst of new carbon emissions in the world between Jorge Arreaza confirmed having held two meetings military, on Maduro’s orders. Monday on the border, Guaido’s team said. now and 2050.” with special U.S. envoy Elliott Abrams. Arreaza, who Maduro, who denies the existence of a humanitarian Saturday’s shipment was accompanied by a delegation (Source: oilprice.com) crisis, dismisses the opposition moves as a “political show” led by Mark Green, head of the U.S. Agency for Interna- traveled to New York on Feb. 13, said he held the talks and a cover for a U.S. invasion. tional Development. with Abrams at the request of the State Department. An imploding economy has driven an estimated The aid “will come in, yes oh yes, by land and sea,” He declined to comment on the substance of their 2.3 million Venezuelans to migrate, while those Guaido said. discussions. who remain have been punished by hyperinflation Maduro instructed his army Friday to prepare a “spe- Guaido repeated his call on Venezuela’s military - whose New report reveals Saudi that has put scarce food and medicine out of reach cial deployment plan” for the 2,200-kilometer border with support for Maduro has been crucial - to let the aid pass. for many. Colombia. “You have, in your hands, the possibility of fighting minister Jubeir’s links At Guaido’s request, groups of volunteers were holding He said he would examine “what new forces” might be alongside the people who are suffering the same shortag- town hall-style meetings at various locations around the needed to keep the frontier “inviolable.” es you are,” Guaido said in a tweet addressed to soldiers. with Mossad country to begin organizing for the Feb. 23 event. Maduro has poured scorn on the aid, spurning it as (Source: AFP) 1 Buckley said ex-CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) officer Philip Giraldi provided her with significant information and “was especially helpful in revealing how Mossad made its Seven lawmakers quit UK Labor Party citing Brexit ‘betrayal’, anti-Semitism first contact with Adel al-Jubeir.” According to Giraldi, FBI (Federal Bureau of Inves- Seven Labor lawmakers quit Britain’s main “The Labor party that we joined that we wave of resignations, underlining the frus- Britain’s 2016 referendum, which saw tigation) first began monitoring Jubeir in 1990 when he opposition party on Monday over leader campaigned for and believed in is no longer tration over Corbyn’s approach to Britain’s 52 percent of voters back leaving the EU, became the spokesperson for the Saudi regime embassy in Jeremy Corbyn’s approach to Brexit and a today’s Labor Party. We did everything we biggest shift in foreign and trade policy in has deeply divided both of the country’s the United States. row over anti-Semitism, saying Labor had could to save it, but it has now been hijacked more than 40 years. main parties, with both leaders struggling A few years later, Mossad was suspected of attempts to recruit been “hijacked by the machine politics of by the machine politics of the hard left,” Corbyn said in a statement: “I am disap- to preserve any unity in Labor and Con- Jubeir, said Giraldi, a senior FBI agent. the hard left.” lawmaker Chris Leslie told a news conference. pointed that these MPs (members of Parlia- servative ranks. According to the report, more inquiries found that while The departure of the small group of law- “Evidence of Labor’s betrayal on Eu- ment) have felt unable to continue to work The prospect of holding such a second studying political science and economics at University of North makers underlines the mounting frustration rope is now visible for all to see. Offering together for the Labor policies that inspired referendum poses a challenge for Cor- Texas, Jubeir was approached by Kay Ann Mathews, a fellow with Corbyn’s reluctance to change his Brexit to actually enable this government’s Brexit, millions at the last election.” byn: while many of the party’s members student at the Faculty of Political Science and International strategy and start campaigning for a second constantly holding back from allowing the Corbyn has so far stuck to Labor policy fervently back a so-called People’s vote, Relations, in 1981. referendum on Britain’s membership of the public a final say.” to keep the option of a second referendum others just want Britain to leave as soon Jubeir was introduced to Jewish businessmen and figures by European Union. The seven lawmakers were: Luciana Berger, “on the table” if Prime Minister Theresa as possible. Mathews, who had close ties to famous Israeli diamond merchants With only 39 days until Britain leaves the Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Chuka May’s government fails to secure a deal with But Corbyn, a veteran peace campaigner, in the United States, the report said. EU in its biggest foreign and trade policy Umunna, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey. They Brussels that can pass through Parliament. has also been accused by some lawmakers “In a friendly FBI questioning in August 1998, she revealed shift in more than 40 years, divisions over will continue to sit as lawmakers in parliament His first choice is a new election but he has for failing to tackle anti-Semitism in the that the first meeting between Adel al-Jubeir and a Mossad agent Brexit have fragmented British politics, under the banner ‘The Independent Group’. also called on May to change her “red lines” and party, an allegation that has dogged the took place in October of 1995.” breaking down traditional party lines and Labour won 262 seats at the 2017 election. for her to embrace his plan for a permanent pro-Palestinian politician since he became Jubeir cooperated with Mossad after being entangled in a creating new coalitions across the country’s A Labor source close to the group, said customs union with the EU – something the leader in 2015. web of affection for Kay and heavy financial debts to a number left/right divide. Monday’s departures could trigger a second prime minister has so far refused to do. (Source: Reuters) of Jewish businessmen in the U.S., the report said. Ordered by Mossad, Kay began to drift from her relationship with Jubeir. “Evidence shows that his activities in the U.S. Saudi embassy were fully controlled by the Mossad agent,” Top U.S. official discussed Trump removal in 2017 the report said. Buckley, along with several prominent authors, is working The U.S. deputy attorney general discussed how many cabinet such an effort,” McCabe told CBS’s “60 Minutes” news show. States one way or another.” on “an in-depth investigation into al-Jubeir’s life and secret re- members would support removing U.S. President Donald A clip of that part of the interview was run early Sunday “I can’t confirm that,” he said. “But what I can say is lations to Mossad.” Trump from office in 2017, the FBI’s former acting director on CBS’s “Face the Nation” show, the first time McCabe’s the deputy attorney general was definitely very concerned “Collecting this sort of information entails traveling back said in an interview airing Sunday. actual comments on the explosive subject have been aired. about the president, about his capacity and about his intent and forth between Saudi Arabia and Tel Aviv; interview- Andrew McCabe said invoking the 25th Amendment Rosenstein has dismissed reports that he discussed re- at that point in time.” ing retired Mossad experts and gathering field data may of the U.S. Constitution was raised by Deputy Attorney moving Trump from office – and even pondered wearing a The president abruptly fired Comey amid tensions over be dangerous, and I am starting to sense serious security General Rod Rosenstein after Trump fired FBI director wire to secretly record his conversations with the president the FBI’s investigation into possible links between Trump’s threats,” she noted. James Comey on May 9, 2017. – as a “joke,” if indeed he made the comments. 2016 campaign and a covert Russian effort to sway the U.S. Buckley said more gathered information “will be published “Rod raised the issue and discussed it with me in the context In the interview, McCabe was asked whether Rosenstein election in his favor. in the form of a book after the completion of the investigations.” of thinking about how many other cabinet officials might support seemed intent on “getting rid of the president of the United (Source: AFP) (Source: Press TV) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 14 WORLD SPORTS FEBRUARY 19, 2019

Ribery, Boateng out of James’ post-All-Star challenge: Bayern squad for Liverpool match Making Team LeBron a reality Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and central defender Je- Dwyane Wade in a Miami Heatjersey, having Anthony Davis rome Boateng will not be available for the Germans’ Champions thrown an alley-oop to teammate LeBron When New Orleans didn’t trade Davis League Round of 16 first leg at Liverpool on Tuesday, coach James, holding his arms out wide as James this season, the window for the Lakers to Niko Kovac said. tries to rip the rim off the basket behind him. get him decreased dramatically. Now Boston The pair were not included in the squad that left for Eng- This decade began with James and Wade can offer a far more appealing package than land, with Ribery staying in Munich after becoming a father, and teaming up in Miami, ushering in a new era Los Angeles is capable of putting together. Boateng nursing a stomach virus, Kovac told reporters ahead of of player empowerment and creating one And if the Celtics get him, Boston can offer the team’s departure. of the most iconic pairings in the history him a chance to win -- which he says is his The Bavarians will also have to wait until Tuesdays to deter- of the sport. main priority -- on a team alongside Irving mine whether winger Kingsley Coman will be able to play after Fast-forward to Sunday night, when well into the next decade. picking up an ankle injury on Friday. the two old friends and teammates found The one team that could possibly outbid The Frenchman scored twice but was injured in the final stages themselves on the same side for one last time the Celtics is the Knicks -- but only if they of their 3-2 win at Augsburg. in this year’s NBA All-Star Game. Playing manage to win the top pick in the lottery, and “It has improved a bit but we have to wait longer,” Bayern together on Team LeBron, they got one last with it the chance to draft Duke superstar sports director Hasan Salihamidzic told reporters. “We still have chance for a highlight-reel moment when Zion Williamson. If that happens, perhaps 36 hours until the game and a lot can happen. It is positive but Kevin Durant stole a pass early in the third Durant, Irving and Davis will all find their we cannot says for sure (if he will play).” quarter and threw it ahead to Wade. way to the Knicks -- a scenario that, at this The return leg in Munich is on March 13. Wade threw the ball off the backboard. It point, can only be classified as a fever dream (Source: Reuters) ricocheted into the hands of a streaking James, for The Big Apple’s long-suffering hoops fans. who slammed the ball through the hoop. Kawhi Leonard It was a small moment within a mean- Leonard, meanwhile, is far from certain ingless exhibition game, but it’s one that to be in Toronto past this season. encapsulates the challenge that lies ahead placed by “Team Tampering.” love to hang on every word. Just get out of But while Leonard is intrigued by the Saudi Arabia denies for James when he goes back to his day job Kevin Durant the way and let us play basketball.” possibility of going back closer to home in with the Los Angeles Lakers. We’ll start with Durant, James’ first pick Kyrie Irving Southern California, it is the other team at crown prince seeks to buy Nine years ago, he chose to leave Cleveland and one of the few people on the planet who He and James mended fences in a phone Staples Center -- the LA Clippers -- that re- and team up with Wade and Chris Bosh on the can credibly challenge him for the title of call recently, news Irving stunned a crowd main heavy favorites to secure his services Manchester United shores of Biscayne Bay, creating a team that Best Player in the World. of reporters with in Boston last month after if he chooses to leave the Raptors. won two championships and reached four But Durant himself was rather vocal on the a dramatic win over the Toronto Raptors. Then there are the guys who are seen as Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is not seeking to buy Premier League straight NBA Finals. This summer, James subject of playing with James in a Bleacher That, in concert with rumblings that Irving all but certain to remain with their current football club Manchester United, the kingdom’s media minister needs to find someone to do what he did back Report article in December. is no longer as happy in Boston as he was teams -- barring some unforeseen change said on Monday, denying reports and adding that there had only then: choose to come play with him and turn “So much hype comes from being around in October when he declared he planned on in the landscape. been a meeting with the Saudi wealth fund regarding sponsorship. his team into a championship contender. LeBron from other people,” Durant said. “He re-signing with the Celtics, has led to chatter Klay Thompson has long been seen as an Reports that Mohammed Bin Salman intends to buy the club That was what made this weekend so has so many fanboys in the media. Even the that Irving could wind up playing elsewhere ideal fit to play with James -- not to mention are “completely false”, the minister, Turki al-Shabanah, wrote compelling. James drafted a team littered beat writers just fawn over him. I’m like, next season. his father, Mychal, is the Lakers’ radio color on social network Twitter. with players who have been linked to playing we’re playing basketball here, and it’s not Still, the Celtics believe Irving will return -- analyst. But as long as the Warriors don’t He was reacting to reports that the crown prince had sought alongside him -- either joining his Lakers as even about basketball at certain points. So especially if Boston can strike a deal with New lowball Thompson this summer -- and, given to tempt the Glazer family to cede control of the club. free agents this summer or via trade (in the I get why anyone wouldn’t want to be in that Orleans to get Davis. The biggest roadblock the uncertainty around Durant’s future, they “Manchester United held a meeting with PIF Saudi to discuss case of Anthony Davis, as recently as within environment because it’s toxic. Especially to a deal happening -- Davis not wanting to aren’t expected to mess around with him (a) sponsorship opportunity,” Shabanah said, adding that no the past two weeks). when the attention is bulls--- attention, fluff. stay in Boston -- disappeared Saturday when -- Thompson is widely expected to remain deal materialised. By virtue of his selections, the name Team It’s not LeBron’s fault at all; it’s just the fact he declared the Celtics were, in fact, on his in Golden State. On Sunday, the British newspaper, the Sun, said the crown LeBron was quickly, and sarcastically, re- you have so many groupies in the media that list of preferred destinations. (Source: ESPN) prince was in a £3.8-billion ($4.9-billion) takeover bid for one of football’s most popular clubs. The paper said a bid was first submitted in October but the fallout from the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Mauro Icardi and Inter Milan set for 2020 Games can be springboard to kingdom’s embassy in Istanbul put the “skids” on a potential offer. ‘divorce in the summer’ transform Tokyo: Governor (Source: Eurosport)

Liverpool favourites against inconsistent Bayern, says Kimmich

Liverpool’s Premier League form and sturdy defence make them favourites in their Champions League last-16 tie against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, according to the German club’s defender Joshua Kimmich. Liverpool are tied for the lead with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League and have conceded the least number of goals, losing only once in 26 games. They have also been un- beaten at home in the league and Champions League this season. “Liverpool are the favourites,” Kimmich told reporters ahead of the first leg in Anfield. “They’ve lost one league game all season Mauro Icardi’s Inter Milan future appears Inter Milan manager Luciano Spalletti The 2020 Olympics can “usher in a new an intangible nature. “The previous Tokyo and have let in only 15 goals. to be at an impasse amid claims he has described the decision to take the armband Tokyo” and, along with this year’s Rugby Olympic and Paralympic Games in 1964 left a “When you see their style of playing, they have a really good refused to play for the club again unless off Icardi as ‘painful’ prior to facing Vienna. World Cup, leave behind a legacy similar to legacy of urban infrastructure, like the Tokyo defence and their offensive line is also amazing. he receives an apology for being stripped Spalletti said: ‘The decision to remove that of the 1964 Summer Games, the city’s Metropolitan Expressway and the Shinkansen “They have a lot of speed, they have players who are tough in of the captaincy. the captaincy from Icardi was difficult and Governor Yuriko Koike said on Monday. bullet train network,” said Koike, a former the duels. It won’t be easy to fight against them.” Icardi was replaced by goalkeeper Samir painful, absolutely shared by all the club “These two major events will serve as defence and environment minister. Bayern have not reached a final since they last won the Handanovic as captain in the week and members and taken for the good of Inter. a springboard to transform our city,” said “I intend for the Tokyo 2020 Games Champions League in 2013 against Borussia Dortmund, who left out of the squad that won 1-0 at Rapid ‘He was called up for Vienna but he did Koike. “This year, 2019, will be key in making to leave a more intangible legacy. I also were then managed by Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp, and Kim- Vienna in the Europa League on Thursday. not want to be there. those Games a success and ushering in a new intend for the 2020 Games to leave a cul- mich believes they cannot be considered among Europe’s elite He is set to miss Inter’s Serie A clash ‘Things around him have disturbed him Tokyo. “But the metric for success will not be tural legacy and for the Games themselves on current form. against Sampdoria on Sunday, with reports and the team he captained. Now we have to limited to just the competition itself; we want to be a celebration of culture.” “When you look at us, we are not as consistent as before,” that the unrest was sparked by a snag in focus all our attention on Thursday’s game.’ to lead Japan beyond 2020, change the way Koike is focussing on making Tokyo Kimmich added. “We need to improve our style of playing before contract talks. Corriere dello Sport report It comes amid difficult contract renewal Tokyo thinks and transform our society.” more diverse and has also pushed for a we can compare to the best teams in Europe.” on Sunday that Icardi and Inter are set ‘to talks with the Argentine. The last time Tokyo hosted the Olympics swathe of environmental programs in order (Source: Reuters) divorce’ in the summer. Manager Spalletti had suggested in 1964, the Games provided the city with to rebrand the city as a leader in the fight They add that he feels degraded for Icardi’s displays were being hit by the the opportunity for a rebranding, shaking against climate change. losing the captaincy. contract issues at the weekend: ‘Mauro is off a war-ravaged reputation and showing She also sees the Paralympics as a Spanish publication Marca on Satur- evidently seeing his performance affected a modern face to the world. chance to make Tokyo, notoriously diffi- day linked Icardi with a summer switch to by some situations that have been going A building boom transformed Tokyo prior cult to navigate for citizens and visitors Mourinho: I would like to Real Madrid but his wife and agent Wanda on recently. to those Games, the high-speed Shinkansen with disabilities, more accessible. Icardi dismissed the possibility as ‘false’ on ‘He needs to free himself from the talk train began to run, and a growing middle “I believe that the Paralympics, in par- manage in France Twitter - but then deleted the post. that is around him. The directors agreed class snapped up refrigerators and other ticular, will be a key event that determines She has since retweeted a large number to start talking about the contract, so now appliances, including televisions to watch the success of the Tokyo 2020 Games,” of Inter fans wanting Icardi to stay at the they need to go there and conclude it.’ the Games. said Koike. Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has said San Siro. (Source: Daily Mail) This time, the legacy may be more of (Source: Reuters) he would like to coach in France one day. The Portuguese manager, who has been out of a job since being sacked by United in December, was in the stands at the Pierre Mauroy stadium for Sunday’s Ligue 1 game between Lille and Montpellier that ended in a goalless draw. LaLiga Santander slips away: Anticlimax in the stands Mourinho has guided teams in Portugal, Spain, Italy and England and won a combined 25 trophies. Real Madrid saw their hopes of mounting a serious challenge Everything changed at half-time, though. Girona head “I see myself coaching in France one day,” he said, as reported to Barcelona in LaLiga Santander slip away on Sunday af- coach Eusebio Sacristanrallied his side at the break and they in Portuguese newspaper Record. “I’m a man that has worked in ternoon as they were defeated 2-1 by Girona at the Santiago soon realised that they could cause problems for Madrid, if four different countries and that likes other cultures. Bernabeu, leaving them nine points behind the Blaugrana. they could not close out the game with the score at 1-0. Los “I like to learn a lot and to work in a different league would In fact, that lead at the top is more like 10 points after Blancos could not find that elusive second goal and Girona be a fantastic experience.” Barcelona’s 5-1 victory against Madrid at the Camp Nou subsequently grew in confidence. Mundo Deportivo report Mourinho is tracking players he earlier in the campaign; the chances of Santiago Solari’s side There was no real protests when it came to the away side may sign in the future and attended Sunday’s game to watch overturning that deficit in the Clasico on 2 March is very slim. being awarded a penalty after Sergio Ramos handballed in Lille striker Nicolas Pepe in action. Both Barcelona and Madrid did not play well this weekend, the area as Madrid believed that there was still time to turn Mourinho has said he is making the most of his time off. yet the results were very different: the Blaugrana were able things around. However, the goal of Portu killed Madrid “Right now, I’m calm,” the 56-year-old said. “I’m trying to to grind out a 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid, while Los as they had to suddenly accelerate their play in the final take advantage of being with my family and my friends. Blancos threw away their 1-0 lead to lose 2-1. third and became too desperate. Vinicius Junior came on “Soon enough, another opportunity in football will come my For Madrid, the stumble came at the worst possible time. as a substitute to excite the supporters and his impact was way.” Having come through three difficult tests away from home, immediate, though ultimately it meant little. As well as his three Premier League trophies with Chelsea, drawing against Barcelona and then beating Atletico Madrid This time, there was no last-minute miracle, something so Mourinho led Real Madrid to the Spanish title in 2012, and and Ajax, the Bernabeu responded with more than 68,000 anything clear, but in any case it extended Barcelona’s lead often seen at the Bernabeu; Sergio Ramos is the man for this guided Porto and Inter Milan to Champions League victories supporters turning up for the Girona match. at the top to nine points going into Sunday’s clash. situation, yet he was sent off in the 90th minute. In the final in 2004 and 2010 respectively -- as well as domestic cham- Madrid received their first annoyance on Saturday night To begin the game, Solari had made six changes to the line-up minutes, Thibaut Courtois even went forward for a corner and pionships. as Barcelona were able to beat Valladolid, with the Catalans but it did not seem to matter as Casemiro gave Madrid the lead was able to get his head on the ball, but it went wide. Just as He won the EFL Cup, Community Shield and Europa League being awarded a very generous penalty for Michel’s foul on in the 25th minute, extending the good atmosphere that was the Belgian’s header missed the target, Madrid seem to have in his two-and-a-half seasons at Old Trafford. Gerard Pique. That incident was spoken amongst many fans felt around the Bernabeu. There was, of course, a few criticisms missed their chance to fight for the title, if not completely. (Source: ESPN) prior to kick-off at the Bernabeu as they were unable to see of VAR but the positivity around the ground was palpable. (Source: Marca) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 19, 2019 SPORTS 15

Snooker player Hossein Vafaei 20 countries to participate at Fajr Weightlifting Cup dreams of becoming world champion SPORTS TEHRAN — The fourth edition of the Fajr deskWeightlifting Cup will be held in Tehran, SPORTS TEHRAN — Iranian well to climb up the rankings with the capital of Iran from March 1 to 5. desksnooker player Hossein minimum amount of tournaments he’s A total of 20 countries have announced their readiness to Vafaei stole the show in the 2019 Welsh playing. All credit to him in the end,” take part in the competition. Open and now the 24-year-old dreams he stated. of becoming a world champion. Hossein Vafaei, ranked 37 in the Vafaei defeated world number one world, hopes to climb up in the ranking Mark Selby 4-3 in Welsh Open but lost after his brilliant performance in the to eventual champion Neil Robertson welsh Open. from Australia and failed to book a final “It was a big test for me. Beating the berth. world number one has helped me regain The Iranian snooker player did a great my confidence. I wanted to prove myself I job, edging past Selby but he wants more. could be a world champion in the future. Englishman Selby praised Vafaei after When I was playing Selby, I was just losing to him. thinking about beating him and thank “He’s not been in that situation God it went well,” Vafaei said. many times, for him to clear with the “From now on, I concentrate on composure he did to get to a quarter-final, being among the top 16 because it can he’s obviously showed he’s got what it be enormously advantageous to my takes to get to the top,” said Selby. career. I want to hoist my flag in the “I’ve always rated him. He’s doing world,” Vafaei said. The Fajr Weightlifting Cup will serve as the 2020 Summer Olympics qualifiers. Russia, Croatia, Yemen, Cameroon, Austria, Qatar, Jordan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, Hungary, Persepolis into Hazfi Cup semis Afghanistan, Germany, Iraq, Latvia, Azerbaijan, Romania, Turkey, Syria and Iran are participating in the competition. SPORTS TEHRAN — Persepolis football team In the second half, Branko Ivankovic sent Bashar Resan The competition will have seven men’s weight categories — desk qualified for the Iran’s Hazfi Cup semi-fi- and Mario Budimir to strengthen their offensive line but 61kg, 67kg, 73kg, 81kg, 96kg, 109kg and +109kg. nals after defeating Padideh in penalty shootout in Tehran’s they also failed to change the scoreboard. Azadi Stadium on Monday. The match went to extra time but Persepolis failed to Persepolis midfielder Shayan Mosleh scored an own take advantage of their possession. goal just 12 minutes into the match. In penalty shootout, Persepolis defeated Padideh 4-2 Senegalese forward Padideh striker Mohammadmehdi Mehdikhani escaped and advanced to the semi-finals. the offside trap and chipped the ball over Alireza Beiran- The Reds will meet Sepahan in the semis in Isfahan. Macoumba Kandji linked vand’s head and Mosleh failed to prevent the ball entering Damash have already qualified for the final match. into the goal and sent it into the back of the net. Hazfi Cup is the Iranian football knockout cup compe- with Sanat Naft Mosleh scored once again eight minutes later. He headed tition, run by the Iranian Football Federation. the ball into the roof of the net to make it 1-1. The competition was founded in 1975 and Esteghlal are TASNIM — Iranian football club Sanat Naft Abadan is reportedly Persepolis were the better team in the first half but failed the most successful club with seven titles. going to sign Macoumba Kandji. to open the goal. Persepolis have claimed the title five time. The 33-year-old Senegalese striker most recently played for Finnish football club Honka. Kandji started his playing career at American club Atlanta Preview - Play-off: Al Rayyan v Saipa Preview - Play-off: Al Gharafa v Zobahan Silverbacks in 2007. He has also played at New York Red Bulls, Colorado Rapids, Greek team Levadiakos, HJK of Finland, Saudi Arabian Al-Faisaly and Inter Turku. Sanat Naft, headed by Portuguese coach Paulo Sergio Bento Brito, sit 11th in Iran Professional Leahue (IPL) table.

Bahman Asgari wins gold at Karate 1-Premier League

MNA — Iranian karatekas managed to earn one gold and two silver medals on Sunday in the Karate 1-Premier League season in 2019, held in Dubai. In men’s -75kg category, world champion Bahman Asgari defeated Italy’s Luigi Busa 2-0 in the final. Azerbaijan’s Rafael Aghayev and Thomas Scott of the United States claimed bronze medals of this category. Ali Fadakar settled for the silver of men’s -84kg by conceding Qatar’s Al Rayyan and the Islamic Re- Saipa, meanwhile, have only once Qatar’s Al Gharafa will welcome Iranian an inferior head-to-head record against a 2-1 defeat against Ugur Aktas of Turkey. Farouk Abdesselem of public of Iran’s Saipa will square off in qualified for the Continental competition, side Zobahan to Thani bin Jassim Stadi- the United Arab Emirates’ Al Jazira. France and Iran’s Zabihollah Poorshab collected bronze medals the 2019 AFC Champions League Play- back in 2008 when they reached the um in the 2019 AFC Champions League Zobahan finished the 2017-18 Iranian of this category. off round at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium quarter-finals before defeat to a Bunyo- Play-off round on Tuesday with both sides Pro League season as runners-up but And in female team Kata, an Iranian team comprised of Mahsa on Tuesday eager to seal a place in the dkor side that featured Brazilian FIFA seeking a place in the group stage. are enduring a miserable campaign this Afsaneh, Maedeh Nasiripey, and Parisa Rahmani earned a sil- group stage. World Cup winner Rivaldo. After finishing fourth in the Qatar Stars time round and are sitting dangerous- ver medal after losing the final match to Italy’s team of Casale, Al Rayyan have made eight appear- After overcoming India’s Minerva League last year, Al Gharafa currently ly near the relegation zone having not Nicosanti, Pezzetti. ances in the competition but have yet Punjab 4-0 in Preliminary Stage 2, Ali languish in the bottom half of the table won a game since August. They needed Earlier on Sunday, Iranian fighters bagged seven bronze to make it beyond the group stage and Daei’s team – who have not won in the after defeat to Umm Salal last week, and extra time to overcome Kuwait SC 1-0 medals in different categories. suffered a familiar fate in 2018 despite Iranian Pro League since September they will be without injured Dutchman in Preliminary Stage 2. The second event of Karate 1-Premier League in 2019 being unbeaten and in a strong position – are now just one match away from Wesley Sneijder for the clash. The Isfahan side’s best performance on was held in the Persian Gulf state from February 15 to 17. after their first four games. lining up alongside the Continent’s elite The Doha team have qualified for the the Continent was when they finished as Some 730 karate practitioners from 86 different countries Domestically they sit third in the Qa- once more. competition eight times, with a quarter-fi- runners-up to Korea Republic’s Seongnam participated in the event. tar Stars League after a 3-1 victory over The match will be held at the Jas- nal appearance in 2010 their best perfor- Ilhwa Chunma in 2010, while they have The third stage of Karate 1-Premier League in 2019 will be Al Arabi on Thursday, but they remain sim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, mance, while they also reached the last 16 also reached the knockout rounds in two held in Rabat, Morocco, from April 19 to 21. some distance behind the front two of Qatar. in 2013. Last year they were unlucky to be of the past three seasons. Al Sadd and Al Duhail. (Source: the-afc) eliminated at the group stage by virtue of (Source: the-afc) Iran to Participate at Sabre Iranian woman skier aims to be first of many Grand Prix WHISTLER (Reuters) — As the first Iranian woman to on the slopes of Dizin, not far from Tehran and believes her enter an Olympic ski event, the 21-year-old finds herself a journey from a small kid playing in the snow to an Olympic IRNA — Iranian fencing team will take part at the 2019 FIE role model for a generation of female skiers in her homeland slalom skier was a natural progression. Sabre Grand Prix. and it is a position she is proud to occupy. “I grew up close to a ski course, that’s the main reason, The competition will be held at the Indoor Hall’s Complex at “I will be very, very happy when I am here at Are, Sweden and the same as anywhere in the world — if you grow up near the Cairo Stadium in Egypt from February 22 to 24. one of my targets is to tell Muslim women that there is no limi- the slopes you are always going to be interested. All the The Iranian team consists of Mojtaba Abedini, Ali Pakdaman tation for them, even with hijab they can do whatever they want champions come from nearby ski slopes and it was the and Mohammad Rahbari. and they can get here like me,” she told Reuters in an interview. same for me.” she said. The team will be headed by Peyman Fakhri. The interview with Reuters television took place inside Her brother Rostam, now a coach, was an avid fan of the The Sabre is one of the three disciplines of modern fencing. a small rented apartment and Kalhor was dressed in a con- sport and in particular Italian former Olympic champion The sabre weapon is for thrusting and cutting with both the servative Islamic fashion with headscarf and an additional Alberto Tomba, who was also a favorite of Marjan, cutting edge and the back of the blade. Unlike other modern scarf around her neck. Now the Iranian finds herself training at the same gate fencing weapons, the épée and foil, where the methods of making She said her family were always behind her desire to as seven-times world champion Anja Paerson and Austrian a hit are scored using the point of the blade. compete in skiing right from the age of 11 when she won slalom specialist Kathrin Zettel. her first junior national title. That is an experience she hopes that other Iranian wom- “It was because of their encouragement that I am here en will get in the future and she is aware of her status as a — they always encouraged me to do this,” she said. time it can make me more determined,” she said. pioneer for the next generation. Belarusian ambassador calls for But surely in Iran she encountered some negativity for “People are different. Some people don’t know how pre- “The number of women who are interested in ski is in- her choosing to be an active sportswoman? cious it is to be a winner or competitor. I try not to listen to creasing quickly and I am so happy about that. football cooperation with Iran “Not in my family but between my friends sometimes I them but why they say so and why they advise women not “This generation and the next one are thinking about heard it,” she said. “I heard from some that ‘it’s not proper competing, not just having fun, and one of the reasons that to do that — it’s their problem.” IRNA — Belarusian ambassador to Iran Yuri Ivanovic Lazarcic for you, don’t do that’ but I never listened to them,” she says. I am so happy about being here is to be a role model for Kalhor, who intends to be a physical education teacher, said his country is eager to cooperate with Iran in the area of “It’s not important to me what they say but at the same all of them,” she said. (Source: Reuters) says she loves the sport of Alpine skiing, which she began sports, particularly football. He made the remarks in a meeting with President of Iran’s Football Federation Mehdi Taj in Tehran on Monday. India international footballer files police complaint against his own club’s supporters Noting that the two countries have good trade, political, cul- In a bizarre incident, Indian football star clubs of Blasters, of trying to defaming the the ball boy hadn’t heard him the first time. “I am planning to register an official com- tural and commercial relations, the ambassador said that Belarus C K Vineeth has launched a complaint footballer by spreading fake news about him. Vineeth said that the match commissioner plaint because false allegations are being also wants enhanced sports relations with Iran. against Manjappada, a supporters group Apparently, the Blasters supporters have hadn’t reprimanded him for it, unlike the made against me whether is it by Manjappada The envoy appreciated the performance of Iran’s national of his own Indian Super League (ISL) side alleged the 30-year-old attacker of behaving version being spread by the Blasters fans. or anyone else. I am fed up, I think I need football team at 2018 Russia World Cup, saying Iran played very Kerala Blasters. rudely to a seven-year-old ball boy during “This is a lie. I did not react in such a to react,” the footballer added. good although it was placed in a very difficult group. The Kerala-born forward currently plays the match between Chennayin and Vineeth’s way and also no match official summoned “They are not the No. 1 fans in the country. He also said that Iran displayed very good games during 2019 for Chennayin FC in the ISL but he is on loan parent club Blasters at the Jawaharlal Nehru me after the match. The fans have been be- They may be the largest in terms of num- AFC Asian Games. from Kerala Blasters — a club for whom he International Stadium in Kochi last Friday. having like this way for far too long. They ber of fans but they are not No. 1 when it The President of Iran’s Football Federation said for his part played four seasons from 2015 to January 2019. In a television interview later, Vineeth have been rude to all players, especially the comes to supporting the team and players,” that cooperation on holding joint camps and friendly games The complaint lodged with the local po- hit out at the supporters’ group and claimed players hailing from Kerala,” Vineeth told Vineeth said. in beach soccer can serve as a good beginning for expansion of lice accuses Manjappada, one of biggest fan that he only raised his voice at the kid as the Times of India. (Source: Fox Sports Asia) sports relations between the two countries. Prayer Times Noon:12:18 Evening: 18:08 Dawn: 5:22 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:46 (tomorrow) FEBRUARY 19, 2019 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 Pakistani artists shine spotlight Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051450 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 on Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh www.eshterak.ir Distributor: Padideh Novin Co. Tel: 88911433 Webmaster: [email protected] By: Seyyed Mostafa Mousavi Sabet Printed at: Hamshahri No. 3 - ISSN: 1017-94 TEHRAN – An art exhibition opening today Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimesdaily in Karachi is seeking to create a dialogue between and among Iranian and Pakistani No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran artists, as there is a great deal of political P.o. Box: 14155-4843 tension between the two countries over the Zip Code: 1599814713 Zahedan suicide attack last week by terrorists from Pakistan. Ten Pakistani artists have created works inspired by the Shahnameh, the masterpiece of the Persian poet Ferdowsi, for the exhibit, which will be underway at Sanat Initiative Gallery for ten days. The exhibition is part of the Common Borders art project Iranian artist Majid Abbasi Farahani initiated to promote cultural GUIDE TO affinities between neighboring countries. SPIRITUAL AWAKENING Abid Aslam, Adeel uz Zafar, Imran Channa, Khalil Chishtee, Muhammad Atif Khan, Muhammad Zeeshan, Noor Ali Chagani, As God has made it binding for the ignorant Ruby Chishti, Sajjad Ahmed and Tazeen to learn, he has made it a duty for the learned Qayyum are the artists participating in the Karachi exhibition. to instruct. The main focus of the multimedia Imam Ali (AS) exhibition is miniature painting, Abbasi Farahani told the Tehran Times. “Pakistani artists are very strong on miniature painting. They have updated the traditional art, something that has been India’s Bengaluru festival ignored by Iranian miniature painters,” he Works by Pakistani artists are on display in an exhibition as part of the Common Borders art project at Sanat Initiative Gallery in picks films from Iran noted. Karachi, Pakistan. (Sanat Initiative Gallery) The Karachi showcase is the second part Abbasi Farahani said that a collection “Such incidents make us more determined religion,” Merchant told the Tehran Times ARTTEHRAN – A selection of 16 Iranian movies of the Common Borders art project. The first by the Iranian artists will be organized in to expand our activities,” Abbasi Farahani said. in an e-mail interview. deskwill be screened in two different sections of the part was organized with a group of Turkish Karachi during the spring of this year. They “Common Borders also aims to create a He pointed to the terrorist activities on the Bengaluru International Film Festival running in the Indian city artists at the gallery of the Mellat Cineplex will then join together in a joint exhibition friendly atmosphere among the countries, borders of Iran and Pakistan and said, “I do from February 21 to 28. in Tehran during November 2018. in Tehran. and we pursue our plans in each neighboring not think one or two or even 20 exhibitions “Pakistan was chosen to host the second He noted that organizing such exhibitions country, regardless of political issues,” he of this type will eradicate the extremist forces part because we generally have close relations provide fertile ground for new joint added that seem intent on creating greater fissures with the country,” Abbasi Farahani said. exhibitions, some of which will be held in Abid Merchant, the co-founder and between Iran and Pakistan.” “In addition, Pakistani artists have two years. director of Sanat Initiative Gallery, is the “It is my hope that at least the art created numerous miniature paintings on Political relations between Iran and curator of the Karachi exhibit. communities of both neighboring countries the Shahnameh stories and are very skillful Pakistan have been adversely affected as a “Cultural exchanges such as art exhibitions can begin and maintain a meaningful dialogue, at drawing such paintings,” he added. result of attacks on Iranian soldiers by terrorist foster a sense of commonality, because artists in which such issues can be raised and A group of Iranian artists was scheduled groups based in Pakistan. The most recent engage their audiences in a visual discourse discussed peacefully and rationally. Only to take part in the Karachi exhibit, but some attack by terrorists left 27 Iranian border that transcends differences and divisions in through meaningful efforts can we hope for disarrangement thwarted the plan. guards dead in southeastern Iran. geography, ethnicity, linguistics, politics and a positive change.”

Iran national library Iranian cartoonist Alireza Ali Nasirian (L) and Bahman Farmanara act in a scene from “Tale of the Sea”. CEO visits Qatar Pakdel tops at Indonesian festival A collection of six films have been selected to go on screen in the Country Focus section and 10 will be screened in the Contem- porary World Cinema section, the organizers have announced. The Iranian lineup for Country Focus includes “Kejal” by Nima Yar, “Sara and Aida” by Maziar Miri, “Tale of the Sea” by Bahman Farmanara, “Villa Dwellers” by Monir Qeidi, “Wild Jonquils” by Rahbar Qanbari and “Yellow” by Mostafa Taqizadeh. “Bomb, a Love Story” by Payman Maadi, “Ava” by Sadaf For- oughi, “3 Faces” by Jafar Panahi, “Cold Sweat” by Soheil Beiraqi, “Dressage” by Puya Badkubeh, “Hat Trick” by Ramtin Lavafipur and “Hot Scent” by Ali Ebrahimi are among the movies for the Contemporary World Cinema section. Also included are “Orange Days” by Arash Lahuti, “Sheeple” by Hooman Seyyedi and “The Dark Room” by Ruhollah Hejazi. Other movies are coming from Argentina, Singapore, Bulgar- ia, Romania, Sweden, Mexico, South Korea and several others.

Turkish theater discussed at Fajr festival National Library and Archives of Iran director Ashraf Borujerdi (L) and an official from the Qatar This cartoon by Iranian artists Alireza Pakdel won first prize at the PAPB International National Library pose for a photo after signing an MOU in Qatar on January 17, 2019. (NLAI) Cartoon Festival in Indonesia. ARTTEHRAN – Theater in Turkey was discussed ARTTEHRAN – National expand relations between the two libraries. ARTTEHRAN – Iranian Second prize was presented to M. desk during a session organized by the 37th Fajr deskLibrary and Archives Based on the MOU, the two libraries deskcartoonist Alireza Syaifuddin from Indonesia and third prize International Theater Festival in Tehran on Sunday. of Iran (NLAI) director Ashraf Borujerdi have agreed to exchange knowledge on Pakdel has won first prize at the PAPB went to Alexander Dubovsky from Ukraine. visited the Qatar National Library, NLAI preserving rare manuscripts. International Cartoon Festival in Indonesia, Ardhika Arif from Indonesia received announced in a press release on Monday. Borujerdi at the head of an Iranian the organizers announced on Sunday. first in the Student Category. Second prize She also held talks with the officials of delegation also visited the Qatar Pakdel received the prize in the was presented to Efe Sener from Turkey the Qatari library and a memorandum of Foundation, a semi-private chartered, Professional Category on the theme of and Indonesian artists Malichatun Najia understanding (MOU) was also signed to non-profit organization in the kingdom. “Unity in Diversity”. won third prize.

Fiascos and fumbles: Oscar organizers stumble to restore glory LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — First it was relevant. the furor over a proposed new “popular” film “I, ironically, have found that the lack of Istanbul Theater Festival director Leman Yilmaz attends a ses- category, then it was the fiasco over planned clarity around the Oscars has kept the Oscars sion held at Tehran’s City Theater Complex February 17, 2019 host Kevin Hart, and last month the organizers really in the conversation, and that the mystery to review Turkish theater. (Iran Theater) of the Oscars were accused of intimidating has really been compelling,” Burke said. “People celebrities not to present at rival award shows. really care.” Turkish playwright Ozen Yula and Istanbul Theatre Festival director Last week, another storm erupted when, The missteps have all but drowned out Leman Yilmaz delivered speeches at the session held at the City Theater as part of a pledge to shorten next Sunday’s initial kudos over this year’s diverse Oscar Complex. A number of Iranian critics and experts attended the meeting. Oscars ceremony, plans to present awards for nominations list, which range from art house Yilmaz welcomed a plan to organize a similar session for Iranian cinematography, film editing, live-action shorts films like “Roma” to superhero blockbuster theater during the 2019 edition of the Istanbul Theatre Festival. and makeup/hairstyling during commercial “Black Panther” and crowd-pleasing musicals Based on the plan, troupes from Iran will also perform readings of breaks were slammed as insulting by actors, “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “A Star is Born.” a selection of plays by their fellow playwrights at the Istanbul festival. directors and cinematographers. Five days Awards watchers say the Academy’s efforts The Fajr International Theater Festival will be running until later, the plan was scrapped. to deliver a compelling show for viewers next February 23. It’s been a tough 12 months for the Academy week still risk falling flat. of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as it battles “The Academy is dealing yet again with to restore its annual Oscars show to a must- what appears to be a leading film that is a very Julia Roberts to receive George see event after the U.S. television audience An Oscar statue is seen during a media preview of this year’s Academy’s Governors Ball small film, in Spanish, and in black and white, slumped to an all-time low last year. in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 15, 2019. (Reuters/Mario Anzuoni) that has not been seen by that many people, Eastman Award for movie work “This year, the bigger question than who ”Waxman said, referring to best picture front- will win at the Oscars is what the heck is going Kevin Hart, and an accusation in January cycle and the demands of the ratings,” said runner “Roma”. Recent best-picture winners ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Actress Julia Roberts will be this on at the academy?” said Tim Gray, awards by the U.S. actors union that the academy Sharon Waxman, founder and editor in chief include small art-house films “The Shape of year’s recipient of the George Eastman Award, given to honor editor at Hollywood trade publication Variety. was pressuring celebrities not to appear of Hollywood website The Wrap. Water” last year and “Moonlight” in 2017. contributions to the art of cinema. “There have been a slew of bungles,” Gray or present at award ceremonies other than The academy did not return a request for “That is the more fundamental problem The George Eastman Museum in Rochester says it will honor added. “I feel they are flailing around and the Oscars. comment for this story, but said in a letter the Academy is facing with this telecast,” the “Pretty Woman” and “Steel Magnolias” actress on May 2. acting out of desperation.” The Oscars is the last in a long Hollywood to members last week that show producers Waxman added. Past recipients include Lauren Bacall, Charlie Chaplin, Gary Under pressure from the ABC television season that sees award shows and celebrity- “have given great consideration to both Oscar Variety’s Gray said that, for the movie Cooper and Meryl Streep. network to trim and liven up the ceremony, the packed red carpets every week over two months. tradition and our broad global audience.” industry, the Oscars ceremony is always an Museum director Bruce Barnes cites the breadth of Roberts’ academy has seen many of its efforts backfire. “The academy is caught between its role ABC Entertainment President Karey enjoyable family get-together. career and roles over the past 30 years. She has earned a best Bungles include a retreat in September as a venerable institution that confers honors Burke told reporters earlier this month she “The Oscars should also be fun for the actress Academy Award and three Golden Globes, along with over a proposed new “popular film” category, for the ages on film and the demands of the believed that the publicity around the Kevin viewing audience,” he said. “We will see if more than a dozen other nominations. the withdrawal in December of Oscars host hurly-burly of social media, the 24/7 news Hart withdrawal showed the Oscars was still they are.”