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

16 Pages Price 20,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13270 Wednesday DECEMBER 5, 2018 Azar 14, 1397 Rabi’ Al awwal 27, 1440 Rezaee urges China eager for expansion IPL: Persepolis “For Freedom” to celebrate Europe to stand up of long-term economic emerge victorious Islamic Revolution at to U.S. 2 ties with Iran: envoy 4 over Zob Ahan 15 Cinéma Vérité opening 16 Leader: Retirees’ employment ban will break ‘closed management circle’ POLITICS TEHRAN — Leader the closed management circle… It Oil export minus Iran deskof the Islamic paves the way for the youth” to get Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said managerial posts, Ayatollah Khamenei on Tuesday that ban on employment told his theology students. of the retired managers will “break the However, he said, there are closed management circle”. managers who were employed when “This is a very good law. This is one they were young and now they are impossible See page 2 of those laws that we needed to have. experienced and there is no one to This law, in fact, opens and breaks replace them. 2

Iran says OPEC members who increased output should take lead on cuts Qatar’s decision to quit OPEC shows Iran has been angered by higher the frustration of small producers at the production from Saudi Arabia and dominant role of a Saudi and Russia-led Russia, which chair a panel called the panel, a top Iranian official said, adding Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee that any supply cuts should come only (JMMC), after calls from U.S. President from countries that had increased output. Donald Trump to pump more oil to offset a The comments underline tensions drop in Iranian exports hit by U.S. sanctions. within the Organization of the Petroleum “This is very regrettable and we Exporting Countries ahead of this week’s understand their frustration,” Iran’s meeting to discuss curbing output and OPEC governor, Hossein Kazempour prolonging a supply-limiting pact with Ardebili, told Reuters, referring to Doha’s Russia and other non-members into 2019. announcement on Monday. 4

Israel launches operation near Lebanese border against ‘Hezbollah tunnels’ The Israeli military has launched an including Metula, had been declared operation along Lebanon’s border un- a closed military zone. der the pretext of “cutting off” what it Israeli military spokesperson Lieu- claims are tunnels dug by the Lebanese tenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus Hezbollah resistance movement near claimed that “a number of tunnels” the occupied territories. had penetrated the Israeli-occupied It announced the operation on Twit- territories.

president.ir ter on Tuesday, saying that a number He said that the operation would not of areas close to Lebanon’s border, cross the border into Lebanon. 13 ARTICLE Escalation of Saudi attacks against Yemen on the eve of peace talks ARTICLE Hanif Ghaffari terms and conditions for negotiations is an at- building steps to pave the ground for reaching Martin Love Political analyst By Fatemeh Salehi TEHRAN — Yemen peace talk is to start in Swe- tempt to avert the UN-led peace talks. a comprehensive agreement to end the pain of Political analyst from den this week between the warring sides with the Al-Houthi believes the UN envoy in Yemen, the Yemeni people. North Carolina presence of the Ansarollah delegation. There is a after the failure of previous talks, has reached the Escalation of Saudi-led coalition great deal of speculation over the success of the conclusion that any conditions set by the Saudis attacks in Yemen on the eve of the The G20 fruitless talks as a result of the Saudi-backed coalition’s and its allies were an impediment to the talks. Stockholm talks The loss of the summit hindrances and the U.S. political and military Previous talks planned for September in Geneva While the humanitarian situation in Yemenis interests in the continuation of the Yemeni war. failed to get underway because Saudi-led coalition worsening by day and the UN issues warnings against American “empire” prevented the Houthi delegation to participate. he 2018 G20 summit in Buenos The talks will focus on agreements on ex- the deteriorating conditions in Yemen and calls for According to an informed source, UN envoy is baked in the cake Aires, was the thirteenth meet- change of captives, and reopening of Sana’a the lift of blockade of Yemen, the Saudi officials are International Airport in order to halt the war to Yemen Martin Griffiths is expected to travel ing of Group of Twenty (G20), seeking to create impediment for course of talks. o much going on round the world T and eventually running an election. to Yemen, Sana’a in an effort to preempt another However, the Saudi-led coalition contin- which was held on 30 November and of note, and too few remarking at Mohamamd Ali al-Houthi, head of Yemen premature collapse of talks. 1 December 2018 in the city of Buenos ues to carry out their brutal attacks against attempts to torture or waterboard revolution former President of the Revolutionary Iran has supported the UN-led peace talks in residential areas in Yemen, with 14 dead S Aires, Argentina. Incidents such as free speech in the U.S., except this time if Committee or Revolutionary Council has recently Sweden and called on all Yemeni parties to engage Angela Merkel’s airplane technical and wounded during just one attack on a the subject literally drowns or dies, which said that the repetition of Saudi-led collation’s in constructive negotiations and take confidence failure, Mohammed bin Salman house in Al Hudaydah. 7 journalist Jamal Khashoggi did in his own wandering in Buenos Aires and his blood, no problem – that may be the in- compulsory stay at the Residence tent anyway, to eliminate all dissenting of the Saudi Embassy in Argenti- Mogherini: EU fears ‘rule of jungle’ may win over rule of law voices that are, to one degree or another na, Trump’s cold behavior with the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini instead of constructing a new world order, it And the current events in the Sea of Azov and maybe too loud about it, appalled by President of Argentina, mistaking the expressed fear that the “rule of the jungle” is better to invest ‘in preventing the current are somehow — I would not say the inevi- various rampant, overextended “isms”: Chinese President with another by the may prevail over the rule of law in global rules from being dismantled’. table consequence, because things like that Zionism, Neo-liberalism, run amok Capi- President of Argentina and the minor relations as important international treaties The diplomat has also repeatedly stressed should always be avoidable but — the direct talism, Communism, Nationalism, Nazism, 3.5-magnitude earthquake in Buenos are being challenged. the importance of close cooperation between consequence of a clear violation of the basic Wahhabism, Americanism, and others. Aires, taking place less than one day Mogherini was speaking at the Harvard the European Union and the United States for rules of peaceful co-existence on European But clearly the most egregious of them before the summit, were among the Kennedy School for Science and International building a fair world order. territory’, Mogherini said. all, as perhaps has been the case since the sidelines of this summit. However, the Affairs in Boston, United States. ‘Today, I am During her speech, Mogherini also men- In the European [Union] treaties we clearly beginning of recorded time, is “stupidism”, main question about the “philosophy afraid we have to admit that such a new world tioned the recent incident with the Russian state that NATO is the pillar of our collective the fatal ailment of too much of homo sapiens of holding the G20 Summit” and the order has never truly materialized and worse, Federal Security Service (FSB) detaining defense. I don’t think that NATO is recognized particularly when now we read about climate “outcome of this meeting” remains there is a real risk today that the rule of the Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov for ille- in this manner in any other treaty anywhere in change, which may be the most dangerous unanswered! jungle replaces the rule of law. gal border crossing. We have seen in these the world. So there is no doubt about that. In development of all, which allegedly has gone The fact is that the G20 members The same international treaties — so many very weeks that we share the same interest fact, our cooperation with NATO as I said has past the point where it might be reversed. have been meeting several times during in which we are together — that ended the Cold in addressing Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s never been closer than today and I’m grateful It’s all rather frightening and in the case the Obama presidency and after the War are today put into question’, Mogherini said territorial integrity: only together can Europe to my friend, Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Sec- of Iran, too, when one considers limited economic crisis in the West. Even at at the Harvard Kennedy School for Science and and America face the challenges that Russia retary General] for the excellent work we’ve water resources and a population which has that time (during which there was no International Affairs. According to Mogherini, poses on European soil, but also elsewhere… done together in these years. 13 soared in the past century. The remarkable barrier called “Trump” at the White “Qanats” worked well for centuries, but going House), the top 20 world leaders forward? But that’s another subject. could not come to a collective and One must wonder that if everyone credible solution to solve the existing arose each morning, sat on their edge of economic crises. Young whatever space comprised their bed, and More than ten years have passed asked themselves one question, it does since the beginning of economic crisis Researchers’ seem anyway that the human world might in the United States and Europe, and be immediately improved. That question European officials continue to call for would be: Can I be aware enough today the adoption of austerity policies as Think Tank to evaluate and react properly and wisely the only way to keep the status quo. and honestly to whatever I must face?” This is in spite of the fact that many But regarding press freedom, or simply of the economists and politicians inaugurated the telling of truths by a few enlightened in the West are pessimistic about reporters, it remains remarkable that some Young Researchers’ Think Tank, was the transition from this economic reporters in Israel get to tell dissenting inaugurated in Tehran on Tuesday crisis which is ruling over the in- truths more than American observers ternational system. with Education Minister Mohammad without gross punishment. Gideon Levy, At the moment, in addition to Bat’haei in attendance. who writes for Ha-eretz, is a case in point. the underlying crisis affecting the The think tank, affiliated to the Levy has done two things for years: G20, we are witnessing another crisis Ministry of Education, was set up in he has slammed a cowardly American called “the presence of Trump in the an attempt to promote discussion mainstream media in which the natives among young talented medal winners White House”! The U.S. President Kamyab Maryam of the Holy Land can only be villainized, explicitly rejects the multilateralism at international scientific Olympiads. and he has pointed to the gross misuse considered by the G20 member states, The think tank’s deputy director of the charge of “anti-Semitism”. The and violates international trade law Enayat Salarian said on Tuesday that recent firing by CNN of Marc Lamont Hill, by unilateralism. Currently, the main some 733 medal winner at international a Black American writer and university concern of G20 members is how to scientific Olympiads are the members academic who has called for the freedom Tehran Times/ Tehran Times/ confront with Trump’s protectionist of the think tank. of Palestinians in a speech at a U.N. con- policies and orders. 7 ference, Levy has also condemned. 7 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS DECEMBER 5, 2018 MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS 58 Iranian fleets Zarif urges Pompeo to study in Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden UN Resolution 2231 POLITICS TEHRAN – The Iranian Navy has already POLITICS desk TEHRAN – The U.S. this could not be true because if the income dispatched 58 fleets to the Indian Ocean desksecretary of state needs to from oil trade is not deposited into an account, and the Gulf of Aden. study the UN Security Council Resolution it is not clear whether there is any money for Navy Chief Hossein Khanzadi said on Tuesday that the 2231, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad conducting any transactions.” move was aimed to secure the ships and fight piracy in those Zarif has suggested in reaction to Mike Pom- Zarif noted that oil is the major export waters, ISNA reported. peo’s tweet which claimed that Iran’s missile of Iran, therefore some people are trying “We’ve had fully independent operations in fighting piracy, testing activities violate the resolution. to create an atmosphere in order to make thousands of kilometers away from our naval borders to achieve Resolution 2231, adopted unanimously by people lose their hope. security and freedom of navigation,” the rear admiral said. the UN Security Council in July 2015, endorses He further said, “The Islamic Republic of “We were so successful in this regard that the interna- the nuclear agreement between Iran, the 5+1 Iran has always insisted on its own internal tional community was unable not to give us credit … The group, and the European Union. However, strength. As a result, we continued our efforts International Maritime Organization has issued consecutive the United States, under Donald Trump, with the Europeans.” acknowledgements to Iranian destroyers,” he added. unilaterally withdrew from the agreement ‘Europeans should pay for their in May and ordered sanctions on Iran. security’ ‘Zionists have no In an interview with ICANA published The foreign minister stressed that the on Tuesday, Zarif stated that Pompeo does JCPOA is crucial to the security of Europe place in future not value the UN resolution at all. and therefore “they have to pay for the im- Palestine’ “This is not unexpected of him,” Zarif plementation of the JCPOA and their own remarked. security.” He added, “Notwithstanding their in- “We are in touch with the Europeans and ternational commitments, they [the U.S. POLITICS TEHRAN – Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a following up on the technical issues to make officials] ditched the nuclear deal; besides, carrying nuclear weapons do not require high to ensure that Iran continues international desksenior foreign policy advisor to the Iranian sure the trade mechanism is developed. We they punish those who implement the deal.” degrees of precision, Zarif concluded that trade despite U.S. sanctions. parliament speaker, has said holding a referendum among the hope the SPV can meet the needs of the country The Iranian foreign minister highlighted Iran’s missiles, for their high precision, are Citing unnamed European diplomats on true inhabitants of Palestine, including Muslims, Jews and to an acceptable extent.” that the JCPOA – the official name for the not the product of a nuke program. Nov. 28, Reuters said though France and Christians, is the democratic solution to the issue of Palestine, Pointing to the significance of getting nuclear deal - does not prohibit Iran from “In the recent attack on the terrorists [in Germany are going to take joint responsi- adding that the Zionists will have no place in future Palestine. a practical guarantee for the implementa- testing missiles, and that the Resolution 2231 Iraq’s Kurdistan Region], Iran showed that bility for the trade mechanism, few believe Amir Abdollahian also condemned the killing and kid- tion of the SPV, Zarif said though Iranian only requests Iran not to test nuclear-capable its missiles are highly precise-guided.” the mechanism will cover oil sales, and it napping of Palestinians by the Zionist regime’s forces in Gaza officials have received positive preliminary missiles. ‘Oil export, pivotal to EU-Iran could be scaled back to encompass only less and lauded the Palestinian people for their resistance, Mehr information concerning the establishment It does not prohibit Iran from testing trade mechanism’ sensitive items such as humanitarian and reported on Tuesday. of the mechanism, excessive cautiousness missiles, the chief diplomat added. Also, in reaction to a recent news article food products. He said the issue showed the Palestinians’ resistance and can be sensed on the part of the Europeans. “Iran is not after nuclear weapons, and by Reuters which claimed that the SPV, even Zarif said that the remarks - which were the Zionist regime’s weakness. “Europeans want to reap the benefits of these missiles are not designed to carry nu- if established, may not contribute to Iran’s attributed to unknown sources - are “inac- the JCPOA without having to pay for allevi- clear weapons.” oil export to Europe, Zarif said the SPV is a curate”. ating their security concerns, and this is not European financial Underlining that missiles designed for European-proposed payment mechanism “According to the received information, possible,” Zarif stressed. mechanism to be announced soon: Rezaee urges Europe Don’t push Iran towards exiting JCPOA, Araqchi to stand up to Washington Russia tells U.S. POLITICS TEHRAN – Iranian Deputy Foreign Min- POLITICS TEHRAN – Mohsen By staff and agency deskister Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday that deskRezaee, secretary of Dmitry Peskov, the Russian president’s press European financial mechanism to save the 2015 nuclear deal the Expediency Council, has called on secretary, said on Monday that Moscow with Iran now that the U.S. has exited the agreement will be the European parties to the JCPOA, also stands for keeping the 2015 nuclear deal, announced in the near future. known as the Iran nuclear deal, to stand officially called the Joint Comprehensive “We are consulting with Europe on financial mechanisms, up to Washington’s excessive demands. Plan of Action, after the U.S. withdrawal. and we hope that the mechanisms will be announced in the Rezaee made the remarks in a meeting “Russia, like practically all the nations, near future,” he told IRNA. with German Ambassador to Tehran Mi- stands for keeping the JCPOA in place. We The Wall Street Journal published a report on Novem- chael Klor-Berchtold on Tuesday, Mehr see no alternative to this agreement. We ber 26 according to which France and Germany will likely reported. call on everyone to refrain from steps that host the Special Vehicle Purpose (SPV), the special payment “We are unhappy with the Europeans. might push Iran towards withdrawing this channel created by Europe as part of its efforts to keep trade European authorities do not understand deal. We think that it would have adverse flowing with Iran in defiance of U.S. sanctions. the issues as clearly as you, who have impacts and we condemn the United States traveled across Iran,” Rezaee he told the for its withdrawal from the JCPOA,” TASS Army ground German ambassador. quoted him as saying. “Unfortunately, Europe does not pro- not miss the opportunity of cooperation Peskov said unlike the UN Security Coun- an important role in regional affairs and forces boost vide a suitable response to cooperation [with Iran],” the top official remarked. cil sanctions, Washington’s restrictions on in the Syrian settlement dialogue. with Iran,” he added. He further said the Iranian govern- Iran are illegitimate and run contrary to “It is absolutely illogical and inadmis- offensive power Criticizing the delay in implementing ment and Foreign Ministry believe in international law. sible to turn a blind eye on Iran’s role,” the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which cooperation with Europe, urging the “There must not be an obstacle for us Peskov noted. has been designed to conduct banking EU to “seize this opportunity before to continue our bilateral relations and U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew POLITICS TEHRAN – Chief of the Iranian Army’s transactions with Iran in defiance of U.S. it’s too late.” trade-and-economic cooperation with Washington from the JCPOA in May. deskground forces says his forces have boosted sanctions, Rezaee said the Europeans Klor-Berchtold also expressed the hope Iran,” he explained. Other signatories to the JCPOA - Russia, their offensive capabilities, Tasnim reported on Tuesday. talk the talk but do not walk the walk. that the banking channel with Iran will be The Kremlin spokesman said that Russia China, France, Germany and the United During a visit to a military base in northeast Iran, Brigadier “This is a strategic mistake that the established soon, saying this issue is tied is building mutually beneficial and quite Kingdom - have repeatedly supported their General Kiomars Heidari said an upgrade in the mobility Europeans are making … Europe should to “our sovereignty and independence.” close relations with Iran, which is playing commitment to the deal. and effectiveness of the ground forces has increased their offensive power. Mobility and agility are the main characteristics of the ground force, he said. Oil export minus Iran impossible in Persian Gulf, Rouhani warns U.S. Heidari also said that updated ordnance and military POLITICS TEHRAN – After five months for a second “The Americans have claimed they want to completely They announced that they would isolate Iran in the world equipment has enabled the Army to combat any threat. desktime President Hassan Rouhani warned stop Iran’s oil exports. They don’t understand the meaning and would reach their objectives in the region, however, It comes a week after Leader of the Islamic Revolution the Trump administration that if Iran would not be allowed of this statement because it has no meaning for Iranian the Iranian nation will announce final victory in all these Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the Armed Forces to boost to export oil then no country will be given the permission oil not to be exported while the region’s oil is exported,” battles.” their military capabilities. to export oil from the strategic Persian Gulf waterway. Rouhani said in Switzerland. The president noted that the U.S. should know that Iran “The United States should know that we are selling Later, Islamic Revolution Guard Corps chief Mohammad will keep relations with other countries and Washington MP criticizes Zarif our oil and will continue to sell, (but) the United States Ali Jafari, whose forces patrol the Strait of Hormuz said cannot cut Iran’s economic ties with the outside world. should know that if it wishes to halt Iran’s oil export then his forces were ready to put Rouhani’s words into action President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the U.S. for signing Paris no oil will be exported from the Persian Gulf,” Rouhani if necessary. “We will make the enemy understand that out of the historic 2015 nuclear agreement in May and told thousands of well-wishers in the city of Shahroud, either everyone can use the Strait of Hormuz or no one.” reintroduced sanctions on Iran. The first batch of sanctions climate agreement Semnan Province. Jafari asserted. were enacted in August. The second wave of sanctions, One-fifth of the world’s oil passes in tankers through Iran won’t bow to U.S. which targets Iran’s oil exports and central bank, snapped the Strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. In continuation of his remarks on Tuesday in Shahroud, back on November 4. POLITICS TEHRAN – A member of the Hope par- The first time, on July 5, 2018, Rouhani, during a visit Rouhani said, “The great Iranian nation has not bowed Initially, the U.S. vowed to cut Iran’s oil sale to zero, deskliamentary faction has criticized Foreign to Europe, warned that Iran would block the Persian Gulf and will not bow to the United States. The United States but later agreed to let eight countries, including Japan, Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for signing the Paris cli- passageway in retaliation in his country would not be able announced that they would deprive Iran of oil exportation India and South Korea, keep buying Iran’s oil after it re- mate agreement, saying the pact puts obstacles in the path to export oil. and prevent Iran of economic interaction with the world. imposes sanctions. of Iran’s development. “Our role in producing greenhouse gases is not as large as that of the developed countries, therefore, accepting these Leader: Retirees’ employment ban will break ‘closed management circle’ restrictions in this way is illogical,” Mehr on Tuesday quoted Ali Ebrahimi as saying. Larijani orders reformation of law banning retirees after Ayatollah Khamenei’s suggestion This is while the countries which played a more signifi- 1 This is where they come to receive revise the law so that they will not need to Speaker Ali Larijani has ordered a reforma- view in cooperation with a group of (Majlis) cant role in producing greenhouse gases have accepted the permission from the Guardianship of the resort to the Leadership’s permission. tion of the law. representatives, experts and researchers,” agreement relatively, Ebrahimi added. Islamic Jurist, the Leader added. Kazem Jalali, chairman of the Parliament “So, we are supposed to prepare a plan Jalali said. The 2015 Paris agreement’s main aim is to keep a global He suggested that the parliament should Research Center, said on Tuesday that Majlis to reform the law according to the Leader’s temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius and to drive efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. U.S. may be adjusting intelligence to fit its anti-Iran policy: Fitzpatrick POLITICS TEHRAN – Mark Fitz- “The U.S. representative expressed Iraqi tribal deskpatrick believes the Unit- concerns that Iran was developing ‘cen- ed States may be in the process of adjusting tral nervous system-acting chemicals’ for chiefs slam U.S. intelligence to serve its anti-Iran agenda offensive military purposes, and cited three sanctions on Iran ahead, rather than basing its foreign policy past cases of reporting failures by Iran,” on intelligence. Fitzpatrick noted, adding that the U.S. Fitzpatrick, executive director of the State Department in March said it could International Institute for Strategic Studies not certify that Iran does not maintain a POLITICS TEHRAN – During a conference in Bagh- (IISS), made the assumption, published in suspected undeclared chemical-weapons deskdad, heads of 500 Iraqi tribes, including Shia an article on the IISS website on Monday, stockpile. and Sunni, have denounced Washington’s unilateral sanctions after tracing Washington’s allegations that “Now, suddenly,” Fitzpatrick continued, against the Islamic Republic, IRNA reported on Tuesday. try to accuse Iran of pursuing a chemical “the U.S. has changed its position from ‘not The tribal leaders came together from around the country weapons program. certifying a negative’ to a positive claim.” to voice their support to the Abdul-Mahdi administration and He pointed to Washington’s accusation “It is unlikely that new dispositive evi- their opposition to economic siege of nations. at a review conference of the Organization dence of a chemical-weapons program has They also underlined their support to the armed popular for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons emerged in the past few months,” he wrote, forces in opposition to the U.S. stance. (OPCW) last month where U.S. officials adding, “Rather, there is a new policy of In a closing statement, the participants said that Iran has claimed that Iran maintains an undeclared going after Iran on all fronts. Is the intel- now reached a capability that nobody dares to threaten it. offensive chemical-weapons program. ligence being adjusted to fit the policy?” II NN TT EE RR NN AA TT II OO NN AA LL DD AA II LL YY DECEMBERDECEMBER 5, 2018 ANALYSISINTERNATIONAL & INTERVIEW 3 Macron makes U-turn on fuel-tax Assad meets N. Korea’s increases in face of ‘yellow vest’ protests foreign minister France’s prime minister on Tuesday sus- weekends have seen outpourings of violence pended planned increases to fuel taxes for and rioting in Paris, with extreme far-right at least six months in response to weeks of and far-left factions joining the demos and sometimes violent protests, the first major spurring chaos. U-turn by President Emmanuel Macron’s On Saturday, the Arc de Triomphe national administration after 18 months in office. monument was defaced and avenues off the In announcing the decision, Prime Minister Champs Elysees were damaged. Cars, build- Edouard Philippe said anyone would have ings and some cafes were torched. “to be deaf or blind” not to see or hear the The unrest is estimated to have cost the roiling anger on the streets over a policy that economy millions, with large-scale disruption Macron has defended as critical to combating to retailers, wholesalers, the restaurant and climate change. hotel trades. In some areas, manufacturing “The French who have donned yellow vests has been hit in the run up to Christmas. want taxes to drop, and work to pay. That’s also Change France? Syrian President Bashar Assad met with North Korea’s Foreign what we want. If I didn’t manage to explain Macron, a 40-year-old former investment Minister Ri Yong Ho Tuesday in Damascus, an official statement it, if the ruling majority didn’t manage to banker and economy minister, came to of- from the Syrian Presidency said, at least the second meeting convince the French, then something must fice in mid-2017 promising to overhaul the between the two sides in as many months. change,” said Philippe. French economy, revitalize growth and draw “Despite the difference in the wars and pressures facing Syria “No tax is worth jeopardizing the unity foreign investment by making the nation a and [the] Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, [the wars and of the nation.” more attractive place to do business. pressures] have the same goal of trying to weaken countries that Along with the delay to the tax increases In the process he earned the tag “president stand in the face of Western projects,” Assad told the North that were set for January, Philippe said the of the rich” for seeming to do more to court Korean delegation, the statement reported. time would be used to discuss other meas- cars, began with the aim of highlighting the position. big business and ease the tax burden on the Both Syria and North Korea should be steadfast in their defeat ures to help the working poor and squeezed squeeze on household spending brought about “The French don’t want crumbs, they wealthy. Discontent has steadily risen among of such projects to shift the global balance of power, he said, middle-class who rely on vehicles to get to by Macron’s taxes on fuel. want a baguette,” ‘yellow vest’ spokesman blue-collar workers and others who feel he adding that “American hostility has no geographical boundaries.” work and go shopping. However, over the past three weeks the Benjamin Cauchy told BFM, adding that the represents an urban “elite”. Ri Yong Ho also reportedly conveyed a message from Supreme Earlier officials had hinted at a possible movement has evolved into a wider, broad- movement wanted a cancellation of the taxes. For Macron, who is sharply down in the Leader Kim Jong-un to Assad that North Korea will continue to increase to the minimum wage, but Philippe brush anti-Macron uprising, with many crit- Another one, Christophe Chalencon, was polls and struggling to regain the initiative, a support Syria in its fight against “terrorism,” stressing that both made no such commitment. icizing the president for pursuing policies blunter: “We’re being taken for idiots,” he further risk is how opposition parties leverage sides should coordinate in confronting international hostility. He warned citizens, however, that they they say favor the rich and do nothing to told Reuters, using a stronger expletive. the anger and the decision to shift course. Pyongyang is also confident that the Syrian government will be could not expect better public services and help the poor. Green goals Ahead of European Parliament elections successful in its current reconstruction efforts in the country, lower taxes. Despite having no leader and sometimes The timing of the tax U-turn is uncomfort- next May, support for the far-right under the statement added. “If the events of recent days have shown unclear goals, the movement has drawn peo- able for Macron. It comes as governments Marine Le Pen and the far-left of Jean-Luc Ri Yong Ho also met his Syrian counterpart, Walid al-Moualem, us one thing, it’s that the French want neither ple of all ages and backgrounds and tapped meet in Poland to try to agree measures to Melenchon has been rising. Macron has to discuss economic sanctions levied by the international com- an increase in taxes or new taxes. If the tax- into a growing malaise over the direction avert the most damaging consequences of cast those elections as a battle between munity against Pyongyang, according to Syria’s Foreign Ministry. take falls then spending must fall, because Macron is trying to take the country in. Over global warming, an issue Macron has made his “progressive” ideas and what he sees as Moualem said Syria was grateful for North Korea’s support we don’t want to pass our debts on to our the past two days, ambulance drivers and a central part of his agenda. His carbon taxes their promotion of nationalist or anti-EU in international forums, a statement from the ministry said. children. And those debts are already size- students have joined in and launched their were designed to address the issue. agendas. Earlier this year, United Nations experts accused North Korea able,” he said. own protests. But the scale of the protests against his Le Pen was quick to point out that the of shipping supplies to the Syrian government to be used in the The so-called “yellow vest” movement, After three weeks of rising frustration, policies made it almost impossible to plow six-month postponement of the fuel-tax production of chemical weapons, which is a violation of sanctions. which started on Nov. 17 as a social-media there was scant indication Philippe’s meas- ahead as he had hoped. increases took the decision beyond the Eu- North Korea has denied the charged. protest group named for the high-visibility ures would placate the “yellow vests”, who While the “yellow vest” movement was ropean elections. Syria was involved in another nuclear reactor scare in 2007, jackets all motorists in France carry in their themselves are struggling to find a unified mostly peaceful to begin with, the past two (Source: Reuters) when Israel bombed a suspected reactor that it alleged was being constructed with help from North Korea and had been months away from activation. Syria, a signatory of the 1970 Treaty on the Non-Prolifera- Yemen’s Ansarullah, Saudi-led coalition reach tion of Nuclear Weapons, has always denied that the site was a reactor or that Damascus has engaged in nuclear cooperation with North Korea. prisoner exchange deal Both countries have faced international isolation – North Korea over its nuclear weapons program and Syria over its nearly 8-year-old civil war. By staff & agencies ance has carried out more than 18,000 air raids, with almost one-third of all bombing missions striking non-military sites. A Syrian parliamentary delegation visited North Korea in An Ansarullah (Houthi) movement official says the House of Weddings, funerals, schools and hospitals, as well as October. Saud regime-led coalition and militants fighting on its behalf water and electricity plants, have been targeted, killing and (Source: Daily Star) in Yemen have signed a United Nations-brokered deal for wounding thousands. exchanging prisoners with the Ansarullah movement, prior According to a new report by the Armed Conflict Location to the peace negotiations due to be launched in Sweden. and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research Abdul Qader al-Murtaza, chairman of the Ansarullah-run organization, the Saudi regime war has so far claimed the Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, confirmed the news to lives of around 56,000 Yemenis. CIA chief to brief senators on Turkey’s Anadolu news agency on Monday. The war has also taken a heavy toll on the country’s infra- “The UN special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, structure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The Khashoggi murder: U.S. media communicated to us that coalition forces and the Yemeni UN has said a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need [self-proclaimed] government have also signed the prisoner of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. The United States, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director exchange agreement that was signed in November by the The war is estimated to have left 56,000 Yemenis dead. Gina Haspel will give a closed-door briefing to leaders of several Houthis,” he said. According to the UN, the war has ravaged the country’s U.S. Senate committees this week on the killing of Saudi columnist Murtaza also noted that the agreement marks the first economy and caused the Yemeni riyal to depreciate 180 Jamal Khashoggi, the U.S. media reported on Monday, citing step towards resolving the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. percent. unnamed sources. The prisoner exchange is only the third to be announced Back in June, the Saudi regime-led coalition launched an According to the Wall Street Journal, the briefing will take since Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Oman on a UN-chartered flight on Monday. offensive on the port city of Hudaydah despite international place on Tuesday. Reuters news agency, citing a source familiar launched a coalition that has fought against Yemen for over A UN source confirmed that the wounded had been evacu- warnings that it would compound the war-torn nation’s with the planned meeting, said Haspel will brief the Republican three years. The International Committee of the Red Cross ated from the Yemeni capital in what was a “confidence-build- humanitarian crisis. and Democratic leaders of the United States Senate Committees (ICRC) said it welcomed the announcement and would over- ing measure” aimed at pushing ahead with negotiations The Saudi regime-led offensive, coupled with a naval on Foreign Relations, Armed Services and Appropriations. The see and facilitate the exchange. held between Yemen’s warring sides in Sweden this month. blockade, has destroyed Yemen’s infrastructure and led to Reuters source added that the Senate Intelligence Committee Peace talks between Yemen’s opposite parties are expected The fate of wounded Ansarullah had been a stumbling famine in the import-dependent state. already had been briefed by the CIA chief. to begin in Sweden as early as Wednesday. block to the start of a previous round of collapsed peace About 8.4 million Yemenis are now facing starvation. Glenn Carle, former CIA officer, said he does not anticipate Griffiths arrived in Sana’a, the Ansarullah-run Yemeni talks in Geneva in September. The number is likely to increase to 14 million. any new revelations from Haspel. capital, on Monday to escort the Ansarullah delegation to The fresh push for peace comes amid mounting pressure The UN painted a bleak picture of the hunger crisis grip- (Source: agencies) the planned discussions. on Saudi Arabia over the high civilian toll and a serious ping the country, on Tuesday, warning that the number of A UN source told Reuters that the former Saudi-backed deterioration of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The people needing food aid was set to jump by four million. regime had also confirmed that it would follow the Ansarullah kingdom is also under scrutiny over the assassination of The grim forecast for the country came as the United First Announcement to the Sweden peace talks. Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Nations humanitarian office (OCHA/United Nations Office UN aircraft moves 50 wounded Ansarullah Most Western countries, the United States and Britain for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) released its fighters to Oman for treatment in particular, are accused of being complicit in the ongoing projected needs assessments for next year. Earlier, a group of 50 wounded fighters from Ansarullah aggression for supplying advanced weapons and military “The country with the biggest problem in 2019 is going Notice of tender for export sale movement have been flown out of the war-torn country for equipment in addition to logistical and intelligence assistance. to be Yemen,” OCHA chief Mark Lowcock told reporters treatment as part of measures aimed at paving the way for The House of Saud regime launched its devastating mil- in Geneva. No. Ei/97/02 planned peace talks brokered by the United Nations after itary campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim He said that in 2017, the UN was providing food assis- GolGohar Iron & Steel Development Co. announces selling nearly four years of war. of bringing the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi tance to three million people a month, that figure rose to and export 55.000 metric tons of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) The wounded Ansarullah fighters along with their escorts back to power and crushing Ansarullah. eight million per month this year and is expected to hit 12 based on F.O.B - Shahid Rajaee Jetty of Bandar Abbas - Iran and a team of doctors left Sana’a International Airport for Hoping to roll back advances made by the group, the alli- million in 2019, Lowcock added. with the following specifications. Britain can unilaterally revoke Article 50: top EU court lawyer Item No. DRI Properties Typical EU countries can unilaterally end the divorce and remaining in the EU. 1 Fe (Total)% 88.1±0.2 process from the bloc, the legal advisor to the The European Union institutions also 2 Fe (Metal)% 81.5±0.5 union’s top court said Tuesday in a closely oppose the Scottish case, fearing member 3 MD% 92.5±0.5 watched case launched by anti-Brexit poli- states will tempted to launch their own spec- ticians in Britain. ulative exit bids to extract concessions from 4 C% 2±0.2 The case was referred to the European Brussels – only to reverse course. 5 S% 0.005±0.001 Court of Justice by a Scottish court and Under Article 50 of the Lisbon EU treaty, 6 P% 0.035±0.002 hinges on whether the British parliament any member state can declare its intention to could simply revoke the country’s “Article quit the union, a decision which for Britain 7 % 3±0.2 50” EU withdrawal process. comes into effect on March 29 next year. 8 % 0.8±0.2 “Advocate General Campos Sanchez-Bor- Britain invoked the article on March 29, dona proposes that the European Court of Jus- 2017 – after voters backed Brexit in a na- 9 Cao% 0.7±0.2 tice should declare that Article 50 authorizes tional referendum the year before – and is 10 Mgo% 1.85±0.1 the unilateral revocation of the notification of on course to formally leave EU institutions 11 Tio2% 0.075±0.005 the intention to withdraw from the Union,” in less than five months. a statement from the court said. The decision remains hugely controversial, 12 Fine% 4±1 “That possibility continues to exist until however, and a group of politicians – members Hereby interested bidders are invited to the Marketing and sales dept. the withdrawal agreement is formally con- of the Scottish, UK and EU parliaments – has cluded,” the court added. Union leaders, the court said. of Commons, arguing that their choice is to brought a case arguing that Britain should of the seller located at No.22, 31Th AVE, Alvand St. Argentina Square, Judges at the ECJ usually, but not always, Prime Minister Theresa May’s government back a deal or face the economic calamity have the right change its mind. Tehran, Iran, or refer to www.gisdco.ir within 10 days from the date follow the legal opinions of the court’s advocate argues it has no intention of halting Brexit of crashing out of Europe without a plan. A court source told AFP that the decision of first announcement with an introduction letter of interested buyer But pro-Europeans hope that if the Euro- general. To be valid, such revocation must be anyway and that the case has been brought as could well be made before the end of the and personal identification of the representative to purchase tender “decided in accordance with the constitutional a political tactic by pro-European opponents. pean court confirms that Britain has the right year, but the judges must first decide if the documents. All bids on conformity to tender instructions should be rules” of the member state and be the subject May is trying to sell an agreement on a to stop the countdown then a third option ECJ even accepts jurisdiction in the case. of a “formal communication” to European “smooth and orderly” Brexit to a hostile House would emerge: stopping Brexit altogether (Source: Daily star) submitted by no later than 11:00 A.M. on 15/Dec./2018. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY DECEMBER 5, 2018

STOCK MARKET Iran to export TEDPIX 165701.7 IFX 1829.5 Sources: tse.ir, Ifb.ir renewable CURRENCIES USD 42,000 rials electricity to 6 EUR 47,532 rials GBP 53,564 rials AED 11,380 rials countries Source: iribnews.ir ENERGY TEHRAN — An official Oman, Afghanistan, Turkey, Armenia and deskfrom Iran Renewable Tajikistan has been prepared and several Energy Association announced that some meetings have been held in this regard to negotiations for exporting renewable discuss the issue with the named countries,” November, 2018, IRIB reported citing energy power plants, 383 megawatts came from COMMODITIES electricity to six Asian countries have been Mohammad Javad Mousavi said. ministry’s news portal (known as Paven). gas power plants and finally 70 megawatts WTI $53.71/b conducted, Tasnim news agency reported Iran has increased its electricity Of the mentioned capacity, 92MW has from hydroelectric units. on Tuesday. generation capacity by 1000 megawatts been supplied by renewable power plants, 144 As reported, renewable power plants Brent $62.77/b “The proper ground for transferring (MW) from the beginning of current Iranian MW from dispersed generation units, 320 account only for 0.79 percent of Iran’s total OPEC Basket $55.95/b and exporting renewable electricity to Iraq, calendar year (March 20, 2018) to mid- MW was accounted for by combined cycle power generation capacity. Gold $1,238.85/oz Silver $14.59/oz Budget bill sees $3.5b in Iran says OPEC members who increased Platinium $808.45/oz protective packages output should take lead on cuts Sources: oilprice.com, Moneymetals.com ECONOMY TEHRAN — The Paying cash subsidies and supplying 1 “There are many other OPEC Iran believes that any supply reduction deskbudget bill for the protective packages to qualified Iranians members frustrated that the JMMC is decid- should come from those who pumped more NEWS IN BRIEF next Iranian calendar year (starts on stand among other focal points in the next ing on production unilaterally and without - Saudi Arabia and Russia have provided March 21, 2019) is estimated supplying year’s budget, he added and informed the required prior consensus of OPEC.” the largest increases - rather than all 25 100 trillion rials-150 trillion rials (about that the government has accomplished Oil prices LCOc1 have fallen from a OPEC and non-OPEC countries involved National $2.38 billion-$3.57 billion) of protective preparation of the budget bill and is to four-year high above $86 a barrel in early in the current accord. insurance, packages to the qualified Iranians, IRNA present it to the parliament this Thursday. October on concerns over excess supply. “Now they are asking others to share in quoted the Head of Budget and Planning Also, Behrooz Nemati, the spokesman OPEC and its allies, which have had a supply the cut. Whoever increased, they should cut,” development Organization Mohammad Baqer Nobakht for the presiding board of the parliament, pact since 2017, meet in Vienna on Thursday Kazempour said. “The pilot and co-pilot conference as saying on Tuesday. announced in a telephone interview and Friday to discuss supply cuts. crashed the plane and all 25 passengers The official had said on Monday that with IRIB on Sunday night that the “Since May, they have inflicted a $30 are now in critical condition. held in Tehran reducing the posed pressure by U.S. government has supposedly estimated loss on all members,” Kazempour said in “With this record of failure, I doubt ECONOMY TEHRAN – The 25th National Conference on desk sanctions on Iranians’ lives, supplying sales of 1.5 million barrels per day of reference to the JMMC, “flooded the market that the declaration of cooperation will Insurance and Development titled “Insurance basic goods, and paying a specific oil at the price of $54 per barrel in the and created a huge glut, which is building be extended.” Industry, Innovation and Information Technology” was held at attention to domestic production and budget bill. stocks. Russia and Saudi Arabia, by contrast, Milad Tower International Conference Center in Tehran on Tuesday. job creation are among the major options “Each dollar is predicted to worth 57,000 “With this behavior, for small producers want to renew and institutionalize the co- The opening ceremony was attended by senior officials in- considered in the planned budget. rials in the budget bill,” he added. there is no merit to stay in OPEC.” operation deal. (Source: Reuters) cluding the First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri, and Finance Minister Farhad Dejpasand who were also speakers at the event. An Insurance Information Technology System was also un- veiled in the conference. China eager for expansion of long-term economic ties with Iran: envoy Gholamreza Soleimani Amiri, head of central insurance, and ECONOMY TEHRAN – The Chinese the Islamic Republic of Iran, and in this countries have offered various solutions to Nasrollah Jahangard, deputy minister of communications and deskAmbassador to Tehran regard negotiations and planning are on maintain and develop their banking rela- information technology, were also among the speakers of this Pang Sen expressed his country’s willingness the agenda of the Chinese government and tions with Iran.” one-day conference. for expansion of long-term economic various political and economic institutions.” Hemmati further noted that the U.S. relations with Iran, IRIB reported. Pang said. has failed to realize their intended impacts Exports to The official made the remarks during a Hemmati, for his part, emphasized the on Iran’s economy. meeting with Central Bank of Iran (CBI) need for expansion of the banking and fi- At the end of the meeting, the two sides Pakistan Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati in Tehran nancial relations between the two countries, once again emphasized the urgent need rise 59% in 8 on Tuesday. saying “Despite the efforts made by the for accelerating the removal of banking “China is interested in expanding its United States to cut Iran’s banking and problems and expanding economic rela- months on year strategic and long-term relationship with financial relations with the world, several tions in various fields.

ECONOMY TEHRAN — The value of Iran’s exports to deskPakistan during the first eight months of the World stocks shrivel as trade truce current Iranian calendar year (March 21-November 21) rose 58 Macron reverses fuel-tax hike after percent compared to the figure of the same period of time in the yellow vest protests doubts, economic woes gather past year, according to Iran’s commercial attaché to Pakistan. Mahmoud Haji Yousefipour said Iran exported $860 million worth of goods to the neighboring country during the eight-month time of this year, rising from $539 million in the same time span of the past year, the portal of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organiza- tion (TPO) reported.

Bank of England’s Carney hits back at critics of Brexit scenarios

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney defended the central bank’s projections for the potentially major economic impact of Brexit which angered some lawmakers opposed to Prime Minister French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe departs after announcing the fuel tax Deflating hopes of a swift resolution to the that U.S. officials said had been given by Theresa May’s plans for leaving the European Union. suspension on Dec. 4. Sino-U.S. trade war knocked world stocks China - including reducing its 40 percent The BoE said last week that under a worst-case scenario, Brit- off three-week highs on Tuesday, while tariffs on autos - were agreed to in writing ain could suffer an even bigger hit to its economy than during the French President Emmanuel Macron’s gov- National Rally party, which has supported growing fears the U.S economy could be and specifics had yet to be hammered out. global financial crisis. ernment reversed course and suspended a the Yellow Vests in hopes of capturing their headed for recession sooner than expected Meanwhile the U.S. yield curve focused Carney told lawmakers on planned fuel-tax hike that had sent as many as votes, said on Twitter that “a moratorium weighed on the dollar. investors’ minds. The curve between U.S. Tuesday that the scenarios set 300,000 protesters into the streets for three is just a delay. That clearly doesn’t live up The rapprochement between U.S. three-year and five-year and between out by the BoE reflected pre- weeks in sometimes violent clashes. to the expectations and the precariousness President Donald Trump and China’s two-year and five-year paper inverted paratory work to ensure banks Prime Minister Edouard Philippe an- in which the French people are struggling.” Xi Jinping at the weekend G20 meeting on Monday - the first parts of the Treasury and other lenders were ready for nounced the decision after detailing the plan Markets showed little reaction: The bench- had fired up markets on Monday. But yield curve to invert since the financial Brexit, and were not off-the-cuff in his regular Tuesday morning meeting with mark CAC 40 stock index was down about the upbeat mood quickly dissipated on crisis, excluding very short-dated debt. forecasts. governing party lawmakers. 0.7 percent at 12:45 a.m. in Paris, broadly skepticism that Washington and Beijing Analysts expect the two-year, 10-year “There’s no exam crisis. We “No tax merits putting the nation in dan- in line with declines elsewhere in Europe. can resolve deep-seated differences yield curve - seen as a predictor of a U.S. didn’t just stay up all night and ger,” Philippe said in a televised address. The The turnaround comes as Macron’s popu- on trade in the agreed three-month recession - to follow suit. write a letter to the Treasury measures he announced didn’t include the larity hit a new low. A poll by Ifop for Paris negotiating window. On Tuesday, the yield on benchmark Committee,” Carney told law- supplemental increase in the minimum wage Match magazine and Sud-Radio released Adding to market woes, was an 10-year Treasury notes was at 2.95 percent makers at a hearing in parlia- demanded by protesters. Tuesday found the president’s support had inversion of the short end of the U.S. compared with its U.S. Monday close of ment. “You asked for something The climbdown is a rare retreat by Ma- fallen six points to 23 percent. Philippe was yield curve which raised the specter of 2.99 percent. And the spread between that we had, and we brought it, cron, who has prided himself on sticking to at 26 percent. While Macron and parliament, a possible U.S. recession. 10-year and two-year Treasury yields and we gave it to you.” his policies and ignoring his tumbling popu- where his party holds a majority, don’t face Following declines on Asian bourses, tightened to around 13 basis points - Pro-Brexit critics of Carney, larity ratings. He’s consistently defended the new elections until 2022, the reversal on taxes where Japan’s Nikkei stock index closed hitting its narrowest level since July 2007. who have long accused him of political meddling, dismissed last higher gasoline taxes, saying they are needed may undermine the rest of his reform agenda. 2.4 percent lower, the mood was somber “The focus is now shifting to the week’s report as scare-mongering. to wean the country off fossil fuels and have Rising deficit in Europe with the wider blue chip index inverted U.S. bond yield curve which has Former BoE Governor Mervyn King joined the criticism on been compensated for by cuts to payroll taxes. Ecology Minister Francois de Rugy told slipping 0.3 percent. Frankfurt’s DAX negative connotations, while implying the Tuesday when he lamented the central bank’s involvement in Even before it was officially announced, RMC radio Nov. 30 that a three-month mora- and Paris’ CAC 40 fell 0.6 percent while U.S. economy is heading towards what what he said was an attempt to scare the country about Brexit. Members of Macron’s Republic on the Move torium on planned fuel-tax hikes would lower MSCI’s index of world stocks declined was only a few weeks ago an improbable “It saddens me to see the Bank of England unnecessarily drawn saluted the turnaround, saying it would help government revenue by 650 million euros 0.1 percent. economic slowdown,” said Stephen Innes, into this project,” King said in an article published on Bloomberg. calm Yellow Vests protests. Yellow Vests and ($740 million). Any tax cuts and spending “The initial relief rally was never going head of trading for APAC at Oanda. Carney stressed the worst-case scenarios were “low-probability opposition parties said it was too little, too late. increases to mollify the protesters would raise to last. Investors need more detail now in “Now, even recessionary fear is starting events in the context of Brexit” which the central bank needed to “It’s a first step that could have come weeks further uncertainty over the path of France’s order for that risk on sentiment to survive,” to raise its ugly head.” consider to make sure Britain’s banking system could withstand ago without all the rancor,” Benjamin Cauchy, budget deficit, which is already heading close said Jasper Lawler, head of research at However, analysts said U.S. any Brexit shocks. an early organizer of the Yellow Vests, said to the 3 percent limit imposed by the Euro- London Capital Group. “So far that detail manufacturing data released on Monday “What you should take away from the worst-case Brexit sce- on BFM TV. “But the French won’t be satis- pean Union. has not been coming through and investors pointed to a stronger economic outlook, narios is that the UK banking system has the capital, separately fied with just crumbs, they want the whole The grassroots, leaderless Yellow Vests are have more questions than answers.” with new orders a “key driver” in boosting detailed the liquidity, the overall resilience to withstand that and baguette.” He said he wanted all recent gasoline is struggling to structure themselves. Philippe’s There was confusion over when the activity. be part of the solution not the problem,” he said. tax hikes rolled back, and higher taxes on office said that a meeting planned later Tues- 90-day period, during which the U.S. Meanwhile oil prices extended gains, Less than four months before Brexit, it remains unclear whether multinational companies. day with self-declared representatives of the and China would hold off on imposing adding to Monday’s 4 percent surge as Britain will leave the EU with a transition deal to smooth the shock Stanislas Guerini, the head of Macron’s movement had been canceled; invitees were more tariffs, would start. A White House investors bet a key OPEC meeting on for the economy. party, said on RTL Radio that a moratorium said to have received death threats from fellow official said it started on Dec. 1, while Thursday could deliver supply cuts. May agreed a plan with EU leaders last month but it faces on new gasoline taxes would allow a debate protesters. The name yellow vests comes from earlier, White House economic adviser U.S. crude and Brent crude added 1.6 deep opposition in parliament including from within May’s own on France’s energy policies to take place in the colored garments motorists are required Larry Kudlow told reporters it would percent to $53.82 and $62.7 per barrel Conservative Party. The plan faces a key vote on Dec. 11. a “calmer atmosphere.” to keep in their cars for emergencies. start on Jan. 1. respectively. (Source: Reuters) Marine Le Pen, head of the far-right (Source: Bloomberg) Moreover, none of the commitments (Source: Reuters) I I NN TT EE RR NN AA TT I I OO NN AA LL DD AA I I LL YY DECEMBER 5, 2018 DECEMBER 5, 2018 ENERGYENERGY 55

Oil jumps 2% on expectations Russia’s oil production dips as possible production cuts near

Russia’s oil output dipped in November, preliminary data from Russia’s of production cuts federal state budgetary organization CDU TEK over the weekend, Oil prices rose more than two percent on “A cut in OPEC and Russia production days before the OPEC summit scheduled for December 6 that will Tuesday, extending gains ahead of expected of 1.3 bpd will be required to reverse the serve as a forum for discuss another oil production cut. output cuts by producer cartel OPEC and a ongoing counter-seasonally large increase The November data showed Russia’s oil production had fallen mandated reduction in Canadian supply. in inventories.” to 11.369 million barrels per day, including condensates, an almost Brent crude oil rose $1.55 or 2.5 percent It added that it expected a joint effort half a percentage decline from the record highs Russia kicked out in to a high of $63.24 by 0955 GMT. U.S. light by OPEC and Russia to withhold supply to October of 11.41 million bpd. Production had previously been steadily crude was $1.25 higher at $54.20. push Brent oil prices “above the mid-$60 increasing for months as Saudi Arabia and Russia attempted to lift Both benchmarks climbed around 4 per barrel level”. production to make up for Iranian losses that most expected from percent on Monday after U.S. President Helping OPEC in its efforts to rein in the U.S. Sanctions. Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi emerging oversupply was an order on Sunday The cuts come after Russia’s energy ministry was reported as dis- Jinping agreed at a meeting of the Group by the Canadian province of Alberta for cussing potential oil production cuts with local producers to come of 20 industrialized nations (G20) to pause producers to scale back output by 325,000 up with a position on the oil production cuts before the December an escalating trade dispute. bpd until excess crude in storage is reduced. meeting scheduled for this weekend. “The market seems positively oriented OPEC’s biggest problem is surging However, the slip in production for November is seen by analysts, following the G20 developments and heading production in the United States where according to Bloomberg, not as a deliberate attempt to curb production into the OPEC meeting on Thursday,” BNP output, mostly from its southern shale to balance the market, but more as the natural consequence of issues Paribas commodities strategist Harry fields, has grown by around 2 million bpd with specific oilfields, and possibly from seasonality. Tchilinguirian told Reuters Global Oil in a year to more than 11.5 million bpd. The news of Russia’s declining production served as another boost Forum. Barclays bank pointed out in a note to for oil prices that have seen a rocky few weeks. “A commitment by Russia to cooperate clients that oil production in the state of Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that it was “ob- with Saudi Arabia and achieve an agreement output and will discuss strategy with other still talking to Russia about the extent of Texas alone “reached 4.69 million bpd in vious” that Russia should cooperate with OPEC, stopping just shy of at the next OPEC meeting has certainly producers outside OPEC, including Russia. its production cuts. September, compared with Iraqi output saying that that would definitely mean a production cut. lifted spirits,” he added. OPEC and its allies are working towards “We expect OPEC to follow suit and of 4.66 million by our estimates”. Oil prices continued to rise on Monday afternoon with Russia’s The Middle East-dominated Organization a deal to reduce oil output by at least 1.3 agree to a production cut in Vienna this Iraq is OPEC’s second-biggest oil falling production, a truce between China and the United States over of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will million barrels per day (bpd), OPEC sources coming Thursday,” U.S. bank Goldman producer, behind Saudi Arabia. trade, Alberta’s pronouncement that it will curb production, and Qatar’s meet on Thursday in Vienna to agree future have told Reuters, adding that they were Sachs said in a note to clients. (Source: Reuters) withdrawal from OPEC, which is expected to go into effect in January 1. (Source: oilprice.com) Iraqi crude exports slump to seven- Russia’s first LNG import terminal at month low in November at 3.372 mil b/d Kaliningrad nears launch Oil shipments from Georgia’s Batumi port drop 49% in Federal Iraq’s crude oil exports fell to 3.372 month affected berthing and loadings. On Russia’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) gasification Unit (FSRU), named Marshal million b/d in November, the lowest since November 09, shipments of Basrah Heavy import facility in the exclave Kaliningrad Vasilevskiy, loaded a cargo of LNG at Sin- year to Nov. April this year, as loadings were affected by and Basrah Light were halted, according on the Baltic Sea is close to start-up, S&P gapore earlier in November and is heading rough weather, according to a statement from to shipping sources. Global Platts reported on Friday, citing vessel for delivery. Oil and oil-related shipments from Georgia’s Black Sea port of the oil ministry released over the weekend. Loadings from Iraq’s Khor Al-Amaya tracking data and Asia-based traders. This Asia-Europe LNG trade flow is a Batumi fell 48.6 percent in the first eleven months of 2018 from Exports from the Persian Gulf termi- terminal continue to remain due to pipeline The region of Kaliningrad, a Russian reversal of the typical Atlantic basin-Asia a year earlier, an official at a KazMunaiGas-operated terminal nals fell to 3.363 million b/d while loadings leaks and overall maintenance. Exports from exclave squeezed in between Poland and LNG flows. Gazprom must have procured at the port said on Tuesday. of Kirkuk crude transported through the this terminal have been suspended since Lithuania and without a land or maritime the LNG cargo at an attractive price in order Some crude oil has been re-routed to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Kurdistan-Turkey pipeline rose to 9,000 the start of 2018. border with Russia, has been receiving natural to make the arbitrage from Asia to Europe pipeline and to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium this year, the b/d, after pipeline exports from the Kirkuk Federal Iraq saw its first exports from gas supplies via the Minsk – Vilnius – Kau- viable, traders based in Singapore told Platts. official added, while some fuel oil has been sent to the port of fields resumed for the first time since Oc- Ceyhan since it was suspended unilaterally nas – Kaliningrad transit gas pipeline. Due Platts Analytics assumes that the Kalinin- Taman in Russia and Georgia’s other Black Sea port of Kulevi. tober last year. by the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional to the region’s location, Russia’s gas giant grad FSRU will begin operations in January The fall in shipments is partly because Azerbaijan prefers November exports by the federal gov- Government in June 2017. But the govern- Gazprom has been building the Kaliningrad 2019, senior gas analyst Andre Lambine said. to send its oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline or via ernment of Iraq dropped by 106,000 b/d ment of Iraq and the KRG agreed a tentative LNG import, storage, and regasification ter- According to Gazprom, the Kaliningrad its own terminal in Kulevi, rather than from Batumi, which is compared to October and were down by deal in mid-November under which the latter minal. LNG regasification will be carried out Region will be able to receive up to 2.7 billion operated by a Kazakh company. 211,000 b/d compared to August when they has given assurances that it will transfer all with a floating LNG unit (FLNG), according cubic meters of gas per year thanks to the January-November shipments of crude oil and refined oil reached an all-time high of 3.583 million b/d. federal Iraqi crude to storage tanks operated to Gazprom’s plans. LNG import terminal, which will bolster the products from Batumi totaled 978,705 tons, down from 1.906 The fall in exports is attributed to a dip by North Oil Company at Ceyhan for Iraq’s According to S&P Global Platts vessel region’s energy security and make it self-suf- million tons in the same period last year, said the official, who in loadings from its southern terminals State Oil Marketing Organization to sell. tracking and to shipping data provider Ves- ficient with natural gas if need be. asked not to be identified. as five days of rough weather during the (Source: Platts) selsValue, a newly built Floating Storage Re- (Source: RT) (Source: Reuters) Is this the beginning of the next Bull Run in oil? beliefs vis-à-vis China. There will need to Qualitative Tender either be a sweeping deal that results in major changes in trade practices, or the trade war will resume. for Tenderers Nevertheless, judging by the reaction To Number 97/1044 of global financial markets, Wall Street First announcement desperately wants to believe that the trade Khuzestan Water and (Assignment of the Project as EPCF) “deal” reached over the weekend was for Waste Water Company real. Stocks soared on the news. To be sure, the delay of the tariff in- The Khuzestan Water and Wastewater Company intends, in accordance with the implementing regulation of crease is important, even if it is temporary. paragraph (c), Article 12 of the Law on Tenders and Circulars No. 100/50225 dated 6/88/1 and No. 100/135946 dated The scheduled increase of tariffs from 10 1385/8/21 of the Planning and Budget Organization of the country, the following project will be given to EPCF (engi- to 25 percent on Chinese goods will lessen neering services, supply of goods, construction, installation and financing) to eligible companies with free capacity and the economic damage from Trump’s trade war. It also increases the political cost of with the general information indicated below: returning to a bellicose position on trade. It will be a busy few days for the oil market, that have divided the U.S. and China on Trump and Xi both want to end the trade Tender Tender Title Required field of work Place of Deadline for selling Date and and the week started off with a bang. Oil trade – intellectual property issues, China’s war, even if it’s hard to imagine what a Number (having one of the documents’ sale documents an time of prices shot up on Monday on news that industrial policy, and more – remain. In resolution might look like. following options) evaluation the date opening the U.S. and China has delayed the trade fact, there has been very little progress on Oil traders also welcomed the news. of ad evaluation war, as well as on increasing odds of deal these overarching issues. For Trump, the Trade protections have slowed commodity envelopes in Vienna. decision to hold off on a trade escalation demand, and have been a major headwind A lot of news came out of Buenos Aires was borne out of political panic after the to the global economy, according to the 97/1044 Implementation of Contractors with a Dezab To date (97/10/01) At 14 over the weekend at the G20 summit. announced closure of several GM factories, IMF. The agreement between Trump and sewage installations design and construction Consulting 97/10/30 President Trump met with Xi Jingping growing unease from farm country, and Xi, such as it is, is positive for oil prices. in Masjed Soleyman contract (EPC) in the Engineers Co. where they hashed out a deal on trade. Or, sweeping losses in the mid-term elections. Meanwhile, in what would normally city (main pipeline field of water with so it seems. The White House called it a So, the pause button allows the White be the headline news, Russia and Saudi network, transfer expertise of water and “highly successful meeting,” and Trump House to buy some time on tariff hikes. Arabia apparently reached a deal to cut was quick to declare victory. But only 90 days. Many trade watchers oil production at the upcoming OPEC+ and construction of waste water The meeting was widely hailed as a find it hard to believe that Washington and meeting in Vienna. Russian President wastewater treatment thaw in relations, with much of the press Beijing can settle longstanding differences Vladimir Putin said that Russia would plant) by EPCF method billing it as a “truce.” But the deal isn’t so on trade in just three months, especially go along with output curbs, although the much a deal as it is a delay in the trade since there has been no discernible progress specific levels have not been agreed to. “We war. The U.S. has decided to hold off on throughout 2018 amidst several rounds of have an agreement to extend our deal,” hiking tariffs on $200 billion worth of tariffs, nor has there been progress over Putin said on Saturday after a meeting The Rules of Tenderers’ Evaluation: Chinese imports from 10 to 25 percent, several years of on and off negotiations. with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin In addition to the criteria set out in the above qualitative assessment inquiries, the following criteria for verifying the which had been scheduled to take effect The Trump administration itself is Salman in Argentina. “There is no final tenderers’ eligibility are required in view of the fact that the initial cost estimate is more than the permissible base level in January. China, in turn, promised to also divided internally. The not-so-secret decision on volumes, not yet.” of a given discipline: increase imports from the United States. gulf between free-traders like Secretary The comments suggest a deal is highly 1. The name of the contractor is included in the National Competitive Bidding Information Database However, China was careful enough not of Treasury Steven Mnuchin and Larry likely later this week. “While no volumes http://iets.mporg.ir and the Assistant’s Office is located at: http://tec.mporg.ir to get locked into specifics. By Monday, Kudlow on the one hand, and trade advis- or cut were specifically mentioned, we 2. Having an empty capacity at the base of a given discipline or the above fields. signs that there were some misunderstand- er Peter Navarro and U.S. Trade Repre- view this as the political agreement needed 3. Perform at least one similar project to this project in the last five years at a minimum amount 1/3 of the estimated ings about what the two sides agreed to sentative Robert Lighthizer on the other, for the cuts to go through and reiterate sum updated in the yearly estimate based on the group’s moderation index. quickly became apparent. Trump boasted remains. our view that such a cut in production that tariffs on U.S. autos going into China In fact, Trump has appointed Lighthizer will be agreed upon this week in Vienna,” would fall from 40 percent to zero. China to be the point person to lead the talks with Also, contractors are required to submit an agreement with the foreign financial provider to provide 85% of the pro- Goldman Sachs wrote in a note. ject’s financial resources. did not confirm that, and by all accounts, China over the next few months, which In short, the G20 meeting in Argentina 4. The address and location of the evaluation documents are as follows: that is a concession too large for Beijing to makes it unlikely that the U.S. and China provided a lift to oil markets, even if some countenance, at least at this stage. will simply back away from the cliff. He of the specifics still need to be hashed out. Engineering Dezab Co. in addresses: More to the point, the same issues is very upfront about his hardline trade (Source: oilprice.com) Ahvaz, Golestan, Farvardin St., Dezab Consultant Engineering Co., Monitoring Unit, Phone No.: 33214524 Tehran, Shahr-e Ziba, Hakim Gharb, Taavon Blvd., Corner of Sharbani St., P. 13, Zip Code: 147883958, Shell to become first oil major linking emissions with executive pay Phone Number: 44156725 & 41156504 Royal Dutch Shell plans to set short-term emission reduction marks for performance,” said Shell, which has so far resisted The deadline for delivery of evaluation documents is up to 10 days to reopen the envelopes. targets and link these targets with executive pay, the oil major investor calls to start setting short-term emission targets. said on Monday, yielding to growing investor pressure about Earlier this year, Shell recommended that shareholders vote establishing short-term emission goals. against a proposal to set and publish targets that are aligned Place of Delivery Evaluation Packs: Ahvaz, Kianpars, First Square, Khuzestan Water and Wastewater Company, Fifth Shell, which didn’t specify targets today, plans to set the with the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement to limit global Floor, Secretariat of the Secret and Secret Affairs. emission target each year for the following three- or five-year warming—and the proposal was voted down at the 2018 an- period, beginning in 2020 and subject to shareholder approval. nual meeting. The opening of the envelopes in the Office of Contract Management is open and the Website of the company is: Shell intends to link these targets and other measures to its Now Shell and a group of institutional investors on behalf of www.abfakh.ir and the National Information Agency of Tenders country is http://iets.mporg.ir executive remuneration policy, which will be put to shareholder Climate Action 100+, an initiative led by investors with more vote in the Annual General Meeting in 2020. than $32 trillion in assets under management, jointly announced Public Relations and Education Department of the Khuzestan “The announcement is part of a drive to increase transparency the initiative. Water and Wastewater Company around the topic of climate change, and to create clear bench- (Source: Platts) 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 DECEMBER 5, 2018

The G20’s Africa problem Tunisia’s tough lesson for MBS By Shadi Hamid & Sharan Grewal bin Salman. Tunisia is the near-opposite of By Cobus van Staden Saudi Arabia. The notion of a Tunisian “model” is a conveni- The Saudis’ killing of Khashoggi was the ence for Western observers who still hope that culmination of a long list of sins and offenses, all is not lost from the once heady optimism each of which have now come under greater of the Arab Spring. scrutiny. It offers, however, little solace to Tunisians Critics have focused on the Yemen war themselves, who sense — correctly — that and understandably so. The humanitarian their democracy remains imperfect. Tunisians, catastrophe unfolding there is perhaps the who haven’t lived under the sheer brutality most egregious example of MBS’s reck- of Egyptian dictatorship or the collapsing lessness. Yet Saudi Arabia’s increasingly state structures of Yemen, aren’t compar- destructive impact on the rest of the region ing themselves to those countries; they are predates MBS. From 2011, the Saudi au- comparing themselves—rightfully—to what thorities worked tirelessly to strengthen they wish they could be. dictatorships in the wake of the Arab Although the G20 has made a limited effort to broaden its engage- In our conversations with young Tunisians, Spring. Saudi Arabia intervened militar- ment with Africa in recent years, it has yet to include Africans we have often pointed out that Tunisia, unlike ily to crush the uprising in Bahrain, and in discussions of global issues that bear directly on their own its neighbors, is at least relatively democratic. provided billions to shore up the monarchies economic prospects. Yet by consistently treating the region as a Our claims are often met with skepticism. in Morocco, Jordan and Oman. In his new ward instead of a coequal partner, the international community The Tunisian rapper DJ Costa told one of us book “Into the Hands of the Soldiers,” New is undermining its own future interests. that: “We don’t have democracy in Tunisia. York Times journalist David Kirkpatrick This has not been an easy year for the G20. The 2018 summit It’s like a man whose skin is dirty. provides new and damning details on just of the leaders of the world’s largest economies is being held in For months he hasn’t washed himself, It’s no mistake that the only Arab Spring how instrumental Saudi Arabia and the Buenos Aires, a city still reeling from a currency collapse. More and then, one day, he puts on nice, ex- democracy is the one where people are United Arab Emirates were in fomenting broadly, the summit is taking place amid a fracturing of the pensive clothes. But you know him, who the 2013 military coup that ended Egypt’s multilateral order. Everything from NATO to the consensus on he really is.” protesting Mohammed bin Salman. democratic experiment. In Egypt, they climate change appears to be coming apart at the seams. Well, who is he? Tunisia’s democracy is had a willing partner of the military gen- Still, the G20 has long positioned itself as a global problem indeed struggling. It is failing to improve in the Arab world after the Arab Spring by beginning an investigation. And perhaps eral Abdel Fatah al-Sissi. In Tunisia they solver, having been conceived after the 1997 Asian financial crisis the economy and reduce corruption, over- turned dark. most importantly, Tunisians could do all of thankfully did not, and have—so far—been and then emerging as the primary global forum for addressing reacting to terrorist attacks and postpon- Under democracy, Tunisians enjoy the this without fear of government retribution. unable to push Tunisia off its democratic the crash of 2008. A decade later, a global crisis is on the agenda ing important but potentially polarizing de- freedom to protest Mohammed bin Sal- These events are a small but powerful path despite considerable economic and once again, only this time it has assumed the form of a mounting cisions. But Tunisia nonetheless continues man for Saudi Arabia’s assassination of the reminder of what Tunisia, despite its flaws diplomatic pressure. trade war between the United States and China. to stand out in ways that, for the region at journalist Jamal Khashoggi, its devastating and its struggles, can still teach us. It may Today, Tunisia offers lessons not just to Unlike in 2008, however, the world’s capacity for multilateral least, are unusual. war in Yemen and its crackdown on women not be a model, but it is, and can continue to its neighbors but also to the United States decision-making is deteriorating. The European Union remains That hundreds of Tunisians came out activists. Rule of law, meanwhile, isn’t just a be, an inspiration. And this is why—merely and Europe on how to deal with strongmen preoccupied with its own internal disputes, and the United States, to protest the visit of Saudi Crown Prince nice idea but something real and practiced. by existing—Tunisia represents both an such as Mohammed bin Salman—not with under President Donald Trump, has abandoned multilateralism Mohammed bin Salman isn’t necessarily The Tunisian Journalists’ Syndicate filed a exception and a threat to a new but ever- business-as-usual, but with criticism, account- and weakened the institutions needed to solve complex chal- surprising. But the images still were strik- lawsuit urging Tunisia to refer Mohammed authoritarian Middle East. It’s no mistake ability and a faith that justice, however slow lenges such as the threat of technological unemployment from ing considering how much rarer such pro- bin Salman to the International Criminal that the only Arab Spring democracy is the and uneven, can be done. automation. And the effects of the Trump administration’s pro- tests—or protests, in general—have become Court. An independent judiciary responded one where people are protesting Mohammed (Source: Bookings) tectionism are already being felt. The World Trade Organization recently reported that in response to U.S. tariffs, G20 countries have imposed around 40 new import restrictions, affecting $481 billion in global trade – a sixfold increase from the year before. Macron needs to regain his popular touch But while the world’s economic giants have been withdraw- ing from multilateralism, Africa has been quietly moving in the opposite direction. Earlier this year, the continent’s countries The French president needs to find a way to tackle both climate agreed on a new African Continental Free Trade Agreement, and committed to pursuing deeper cross-border economic and infrastructure integration within the framework of the African change and the anger on the streets Union, as outlined in the AU’s Agenda 2063. Almost two decades ago a new fresh-faced leader of the times. Macron ought to recall the words of Louis XIV’s fi- But, despite its embrace of multilateralism, Africa has strug- center-left emerged in Europe and appeared, having won nance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who remarked wisely gled to get the G20’s attention. South Africa is the only African a historic election, on the cusp of changing politics in his that “the art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as country in the G20, and it must constantly walk the fine line of country. But as he flew higher, he lost a sense of the public to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the speaking for the continent’s interests without imposing its voice mood and failed to face up early on to a crisis which brought smallest possible amount of hissing”. The sound of gilets on its neighbors. True, representatives from the AU and the New his modern industrial society to a halt. In doing so he revealed jaunes hissing is now ringing in the French president’s ears. Partnership for Africa’s Development do attend G20 summits. an inability to control events or win around public opinion. Seen as aloof and well-off, Macron needs to regain his But the countries occupy- Then the country was Britain and the young prime minister popular touch. His party, La République En Marche, will ing each institution’s ro- Africa represents Tony Blair. Today the nation is France; and the leader is square off against the far-right Rassemblement National tating leadership do not Emmanuel Macron. Then, as now, a series of seemingly (the re-branded National Front) in the European parliament always have the capacity the world’s leaderless protests saw aggrieved social constituents latch elections next May. Macron staked his future on winning to advocate forcefully on demographic on to a narrowly framed but popular economic grievance: over Germany by delivering pro-market structural reforms the continent’s behalf. future, and its the rising cost of fuel due to green taxes. Blair considered in France, which would put an end to EU reprimands over Moreover, this prob- bringing in the army. Macron weighs up whether a state of Paris’s budget plans. His bet that tax cuts would be more lem is compounded by development emergency will restore order. embodiment of the nation’s elite, disconnected from the popular than more spending has not paid off. Whatever the limited scope of the trajectory will It is tempting think plus ça change, plus c’est la même country, and willing to favor the rich. their benefits, the only tax cut people remember is the one G20’s interactions with chose – but that would ignore the broader picture. President Macron was right to suggest that higher fuel taxes are for the rich. Macron’s big ideas have also been relegated Africa. Rather than in- increasingly Macron faces a threat far more existential than Blair did. needed to fight climate change. Promoting green policies by Berlin in favor of smaller measures. It would be smarter cluding Africa in wider affect the global Liberal democracies are being destabilized by the ability of is crucial in the week that climate talks begin in Poland. We now to steer Europe away from market-heavy policies and discussions about global economy. groups to organize and criticize on social media with argu- have just a dozen years to reduce emissions and cap global put a greater emphasis on growth in France’s stuttering trade architecture, cli- ments that previously would have taken longer to enter the warming at 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Blair ended economy. The unemployment rate is still stubbornly close to mate change, and the political bloodstream. The gilets jaunes (yellow vest) unrest above-inflation increases of fuel prices. This was a mistake: 10%. Macron is right that the eurozone would operate better future of work, the G20 has largely limited its engagement with saw 170,000 take to the streets of Paris at the weekend. the long-term survival of this planet rests on politicians with a federal fiscal capacity and a full banking union. But the continent to addressing narrower development issues. Rioters torched cars and buildings. Scribbled on the Arc de making the right call. But while higher taxes can be useful he can only make those arguments by being canny enough To be sure, Africa’s large infrastructure gap, slow regional Triomphe was “Macron resignation”. Macron’s pro-business to change people’s behaviors, they are not sufficient when to win over voters at home. integration, and high levels of unemployment all stem from un- rhetoric and tin ear for the street have seen him cast as the so many people feel they are an extra burden in precarious (Source: The Guardian) derdevelopment. No one is saying that development should be ignored; but nor should it be the only focus. When international engagement with Africa is confined to the silo of development, the From Central America to Syria there is a conspiracy against refugees continent is effectively reduced to a set of problems for external actors to solve. This tendency prevents Africa from participating By Ramzy Baroud hypocritical and insincere humanitarianism American migrants’ caravan as an “invasion”, coverage by Fox News and CNN, this is hardly as a legitimate and coequal member of the global community. If that is divorced from any meaningful politi- a claim which has been parroted by Fox News. surprising. Few Americans know of the sordid one lacks a seat at the table, then one is probably on the menu. Watching the ongoing debate between liberal cal context. The U.S. President, incredibly, injected the history of their country in that region, start- As matters stand, most of the G20’s engagement with Africa and right-wing pundits on U.S. mainstream The fact is that the Central American possibility of having the refugees shot upon ing with the CIA-engineered coup d’état in happens through its Development Working Group, which focuses media, one rarely gets the impression that refugee crisis is similar to the plethora of arrival. If Fox News lacked the decency to Guatemala in 1954, or the U.S. support of on the basic building blocks of development, like poverty eradica- Washington is responsible for the unfold- Middle East and Central Asian refugee crises treat refugees as human beings deserving of the coup against the democratically-elected tion. This means that Africa has no say in a host of other issues ing chaotic situation in Central America. In of recent years. Mass migration is almost sympathy and respect, CNN lacked the cour- President of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, in relating to development, including infrastructure, the shape of fact, no other country is as accountable as always the direct outcome of political med- age to expand the discussion beyond Trump’s 2009; or of everything else that happened the digital economy, and the global banking system. As a result, the United States for the ongoing chaos and dling and military interventions by the West. awful language and inhumane policies. in between. key problems such as Africa’s structural exclusion from global resulting refugee crisis. So why, despite the From Afghanistan to Iraq, Libya and Syria, To expand the parameters of the conver- Indeed, the unhealthy relationship between markets – which is due in large part to G20 member states’ own seemingly substantial ideological and political millions of refugees have been forced, by sation would expose a policy that was not the US and its southern neighbors goes back domestic agricultural subsidies – go unexamined. differences between right-wing Fox News and circumstances beyond their control, to seek introduced by Trump, but by Bill Clinton, to as early as 1904, when President Theodore This isn’t just unfair to Africa; it also poses risks for the G20. liberal CNN, are both media outlets work- safety in some other country. Millions of Ira- and applied in earnest by George W Bush Roosevelt declared the “right” of his country Africa represents the world’s demographic future, and its devel- ing hard to safeguard their country’s dirty qis and Syrians have thus found themselves and Barack Obama. Media grandstanding to hold “international police power” in Latin opment trajectory will increasingly affect the global economy. little secret? in Lebanon, Jordan or Turkey, while a far aside, Democrats as well as Republicans are America. Since then, the entire region has By 2050, Nigeria will have the world’s third-largest population, In recent years, state and gang violence smaller number trickled across to Europe; responsible for the current refugee crisis. been regarded as Washington’s business. and by 2100, one-third of all people will be African. Clearly, any — coupled with extreme poverty — have all sought safety from the grinding wars in In 1996, Democratic President Clinton The free trade agreement (CAFTA-DR) plan that the G20 makes for the future will have to put Africa at forced hundreds of thousands of people to their own lands. unleashed a war on refugees when he passed signed between Central American countries the forefront. Diminishing the region to a set of development flee El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and So-called “populist” political opportun- two consecutive pieces of legislation: the Il- and the U.S. has done its own share of damage. challenges will no longer do. To its credit, the G20 has started Honduras, among other countries in Central ists in Europe are no different from their legal Immigration Reform and Immigrant The deal “restructured the region’s economy paying more attention to Africa in recent years. Under the Chinese and South America. The mainstream media American counterparts. While the former have Responsibility Act, and the Anti-Terrorism and guaranteed economic dependence on the presidency in 2016, the body made industrialization in Africa a in the U.S., however, is rarely interested in seized on the tragedy of the refugees to sow and Effective Death Penalty Act. Millions United States through massive trade imbal- high priority. And this was followed by the Compact with Africa the root cause of that reality. the seeds of fear and hate, Americans have of people who had escaped U.S.-instigated ances and the influx of American agricultural under the German presidency in 2017. For its part, Argentina has Fox News, for example, is tirelessly ped- blamed the refugees for their own misery. wars and military coups were deported back and industrial goods that weakened domestic not launched an Africa initiative of its own; but it has devoted dling the offensive language used by President Blaming the victim is nothing new. The to Central and South America. Two million industries,” wrote Mark Tseng-Putterman attention to improving cooperation with the continent via people- Donald Trump, which portrays the refugees as Iraqis were once blamed for failing to ap- people were deported during the Bush terms, in Medium. to-people diplomacy. The Compact with Africa is designed to criminals and terrorists who pose a threat to preciate Western democracy; Libyans for with 2.5 million being deported under Obama. Acknowledging all of this is threatening. If facilitate economic reforms across the continent, and to attract U.S. national security. At a press conference their failed state; Syrians for taking the wrong A terrible situation was exacerbated; violence U.S. mainstream pundits accept their coun- investment from pools of private-sector funds in the global North. in October, Trump urged a reporter to take side in a protracted war; and so on. Yet the and want flared even more. try’s destructive role in Central and South But though it has been well received among African leaders, the his camera into “the middle” of a caravan of ongoing conflicts in Iraq, Libya and Syria are To rally his angry and radicalized con- America, they will be forced to abandon the compact nonetheless perpetuates the trend of restricting African migrants on the treacherous journey through all, in varying degrees, outcomes of military stituency, Trump waved the migrant card role of the victim (as embraced by the right) engagement to development issues. Mexico, to locate ”Middle Eastern” people interventions, a truth that does not seem to once more, threatening to build a “great or the savior (as embraced by the left), which Looking ahead, Africa must be afforded a greater role in set- who have, he alleged, infiltrated the crowd. In register in the self-absorbed minds of both wall” and to close “loopholes” in U.S. im- has served them well. The same stifling politi- ting the G20’s agenda. The continent will be disproportionally Trump’s thinking, “Middle Eastern people” right-wing and liberal intellectuals in Europe migration law. Like his predecessors, he cal and intellectual routine is also witnessed affected by climate change and transnational migration. Yet it is a synonym for terrorists. and the U.S. offered little by way of redressing an un- in Europe. will not be able to meet those challenges if its development is CNN, on the other hand, has labored to The irony is that the hapless refugees, just reality that is fomented constantly by This denial of moral responsibility, though, being hindered by an unequal global trade system. counter the growing official and media anti- whether those escaping to Europe or to the destructive U.S. foreign policy, stretching will only exacerbate the problem, not resolve These issues are on the agenda in Buenos Aires, but discussion immigrant sentiments that have plagued the United States, are perceived to be the aggres- back decades. it. No amount of racism on the part of the of them will be largely deprived of an African perspective. This U.S., a discourse that is constantly prodded sors — the invaders, if you like — whereas Nevertheless, the refugees kept on com- right, or crocodile tears from the liberals, will must change. It is time for creative solutions to make the G20 and manipulated by Trump and his supporters. the reality is that it was the U.S. and its allies ing, mostly from Central America’s Northern ever rectify this skewed paradigm. This is as more representative and more effective in its engagement with However, few in the liberal media have which had, in fact, invaded these once stable Triangle region. Without proper political con- true in Central America as it is in the Middle the world. Our collective future depends on it. the courage to probe the story beyond con- and sovereign countries. text, they, too, were duly blamed for their East; there is a conspiracy against refugees. (Source: Project Syndicate) venient political rivalry. Most persist in their Trump has often referred to the Central own hardship. Considering the lack of quality (Source: Middle East Monitor) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBERِDECEMBER 5, 2018 ANALYSIS & INTERVIEW 77

The loss of the American Escalation of Saudi attacks against Yemen on the eve of “empire” is baked in the cake peace talks 1 An Israeli newspaper gets to publish eviscerated dollar and any loss as the primary this condemnation by Levy, but not American “reserve currency” would likely limit what the media outlets. And Iran, too, had long been U.S. could do globally. This is what Neocon vilified for supporting justice in Palestine, Bolton apparently fears the most. Real “na- or at least some kind of equality for half the tional security” is NOT a valid concern for beleaguered population west of the Jordan the U.S. because it is, quite simply, defense River. of the geographical U.S and its borders. The utter corruption over the issue of But make no mistake. A U.S. debt crisis is not merely relief for Palestinians but over a certainty in coming years. Maybe not in the a host of other issues is telling. For example, next two or so years, but eventually, because a recent bill circulating in the U.S Congress the U.S. government is literally addicted to to halt U.S. military and other support for profligacy and the careers and livelihoods the Saudi and Emirates war on Yemen was of too many of the political oligarchy are condemned by a couple score of U.S. senators dependent on it. The vast majority of the who happened to rake in many thousands of population would be in open revolt, say, if the dollars paid by lobbyists for Saudi Arabia. causes of rampant debt creation, aside from And all the lies, too! overseas military activity and empire suste- One whopper of late is that Iran’s alleged nance, such as Medicare and Social Security testing of its latest defensive missile technol- entitlements, were diminished substantially. ogy was claimed to be a direct violation of And if they were, there would be immediate the original terms of the still alive but nearly demands for the elimination of a huge chunk moribund JCPOA deal, but it was not such. of misnamed military “defense” outlays. Yes, U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 It has been suggested, for one thing, that does “call upon” Iran not to conduct missile the reason Vladimir Putin has seemed wary 1 The Saudi-led coalition has intensified the blockade of tests, and for all U.N. member states to try to about taking action against the lies and prov- the strategic port of Al Hudaydah, the serves as the only entry refrain from actions that harm JCPOA com- ocations by the U.S. against Russia is because point for Yemen’s humanitarian aid. Riyadh is making every mitments, but if Iran is in direct violation of he probably sees an implosion of U.S. finan- effort to create obstacles on the way of the Stockholm talks to anything, as Mike Pompeo claimed, so is the develop defensive deterrents in such a hostile Perhaps the key to understanding what is cial markets ahead, which would of course serve the U.S. political and military objectives which calls for the U.S. under Trump who completely canned environment? The Trump Administration and likely to happen in future is a recognition of curtail America’s capacity to start additional continuation of the Yemeni War which broke out with the U.S. U.S. participation in the JCPOA. the Zionists and Saudis have been all about the fact that the U.S. “empire” of hegemon- wars and sow more mayhem internationally. approval in the first place. Iran has anyway long maintained that its a desperate search for any pretext to attack ic pretensions cannot be maintained given The inevitability of a collapse under more Under the pretest of military aggression against Yemen, the missiles have never been designed to carry Iran further, boasting recently of an extant its dependence on the strength of the U.S debt than has ever been accumulated by any U.S. signed significant arms contracts with Riyadh and gained nuclear weapons, and given Iran’s reliable and “military option”. Iran must not provide a economy. Even Neocon John Bolton is aware country in all of human history is precisely financial rewards. strict adherence to the JCPOA to date, only pretext because the U.S., despite its economic of this given a recent statement of concern what leaders in Iran must await patiently On the verge of the Yemen peace talks, not only the Saudi a fool would not believe Iran. Is not Iran, or and military clout, is losing the battle for about “national security” – which would not to finally witness relief from U.S sanctions attacks haven’t let up but have gained momentum in provinces of ANY country for that matter, not allowed to hearts and minds worldwide. really be threatened by a debt crisis, but an and hubris. al-Bayda and Dhale and on common borders with Saudi Arabia and the West Bank. Since November, Crown prince the Saudi Arabi- A tale of two cities: Western governments can’t handle an-led intervention of Saudi Arabia in Yemen has car- Mohammad bin ried out over 100 the truth unless you speak to them with a mirror Salman considers air strikes against the residential are- TEHRAN (FNA) — France’s most violent urban riot in a of a new protest movement and the worst urban violence the war in Yemen a as in Al Hudaydah decade continues to engulf central Paris as “yellow jacket” since at least 2005. proxy war between and the attacks have activists torch cars, smash windows, loot stores and tag the Indeed, the scene and the international reaction sharply Iran and his intensified in recent Arc de Triomphe with multi-colored graffiti. contradicts with last year’s guild-related protests in Iran, where days, particularly in Protesters angry about rising taxes and the high cost of because of Western double standards, demonstrations were country, although the border areas and living clash with French riot police, who close off some of naively or deliberately considered by Western governments Riyadh has failed regions close to Sa- the city’s most popular tourist areas and fire tear gas and as “a new revolution” that would lead to “regime-change”. na’a. water cannon as they try to quell the mayhem in the streets. Unlike in France, they condemned Iranian police de- to achieve much in Although the U.S. Some might say France is marching toward a new revo- ployed to try to contain the violence, which were similar to the past four years and Western coun- lution. Not so fast. That’s hardly the case. This is just about those in Paris about price hikes and unpaid wages. Western of battle against tries seem to have so-called “violence” denounced by French President Emma- governments even voiced their concerns for arresting those raised criticism of nuel Macron. So those who attack police and vandalize the involved in violence and burning shops, with little or no Yemen. Saudi Arabia over Arc de Triomphe will be “held responsible for their acts”. care for injured police officers. That’s unlike the way they Yemen, in practice Now imagine for a moment that this was all happening have all reacted to the ongoing violent clashes in Paris in they don’t take any concrete steps to lift the siege and cancel in Tehran. All hell would break loose in the West. Western recent week. They have backed the French government and their arms contracts or boycott Riyadh. governments would hold an emergency meeting in Brussels condemned the protesters. Crown prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman consid- on the violent protests, calling it a revolution, while bashing However, Western governments cannot have a double ers the war in Yemen a proxy war between Iran and his country, any response from the Iranian government unacceptable, standard here. They cannot see the violent protests in France although Riyadh has failed to achieve much in the past four years even taking the matter to the UN Security Council for a as different from the reality, or from those in Iran. They of battle against Yemen. resolution that would trigger sanctions on Tehran. cannot use two different sets of judgment when it comes to Although Yemen’s Ansarollah has repeatedly expressed will- But Paris is not Tehran and what is happening there is a similar violence happening in Paris and Tehran. ingness to stop their attacks against the aggressors and initiate “violence that has nothing to do with the peaceful expression It is time they stopped using a double standard for talks, the Saudi-led coalition took no steps for peace talks. of a legitimate anger” and “no cause justifies” attacks on measuring their own and other nations’ policies. Their As it appears now, the Stockholm peace talks on Yemen won’t police or pillaging stores and burning buildings. Further demands for democratic practices in other lands will be reach a desirable objective. Although some analysts argue other- still, the government of Macron sees no reason to answer - even though this is the third straight weekend of clashes in no more effective than the guarantees of those practiced wise and believe following Jamal Khashoggi’s case, the Saudis are any questions from journalists about the situation in Paris Paris with activists dressed in the fluorescent yellow vests in their own country. more apt to agree to stop the war to get out of the world criticism.

In the Name of God Second Announcement The G20 fruitless

call for public tender (First/Second publish) summit National Iranian One-Stage N.I.O.C (semi-compressed) tender N.I.O.C Drilling CompanyNational Iranian Subject of Tender: : PARTS1397. FOR4495 “ROSS HILL” SILICON CONTROL RECTIFIER 1397.4495 Drilling Company  Tender descriptions: Shahid Tondgooyan Petrochemical Company Registration No. through Tender No. Estimated value Call for Identify Resources The Tender holder national electronic tendering Shahid Tondgooyan Petrochemical Company (STPC) intends to identify the system /Indent No. )Rial/Euro) following chemical suppliers which are qualified. National Iranian Drilling Tender No. :FP/09-97/043 Subject: 3,182,941 17,449,000,000 (Rial) Company Indent No.:01-22-9746016 ROW CHEMICAL NAME )CONSUMPTION RATE )TON/YEAR  Qualitative evaluation of tenderers 1 ISOPHETALIC ACID 5000

2 TITANUM DIOXIDE 600 Method R Based on minimum scoring (60) made in award criterion reflected in the tenderers pre- 1 In the meantime, there is essentially no qualification forms. opportunity for convergence among G20 members 3 ANTIMONY (III) OXIDE 110 to face the current economic crisis in the interna- 4 ANTIMONY (III) ACETATE 150 tional system. Numerous problems and damages  Purchasing & Submitting had hardly hit the G20 member states’ infrastruc- 5 HYDROBROMIC ACID 250 The distribution of the documents will be started one day after the publishing of second ture as well as their superstructure, and it should 6 Cobalt Acetate 60 advertisement and ended on the following tenth day thereof. Hall No.:113, 1thfloor, Foreign Procurement Dept., National Iranian be acknowledged that the top 20 economic powers Distribution Place 7 CMB 600 Drilling Company, Airport square, Ahwaz, IRAN – Tel : 061 in the world have not yet decided how to deal with 34148601 Tender Document Distribution by  Submitting one original Bank Fund Receipt in the amount these two types of problems. 8 Terminol 66 Up to process condition Company of 510,000 Iranian Rials under account number Finally, it should be concluded that the recent 4001114004020491 (Shaba No. IR 520100004001114004020491) G20 summit has become a symbol of the lack of 9 SHELL OIL Up to process condition Submitting Method in name of “NIDC Incomes Centralized Fund” issued by I.R. of Iran Central Bank. cooperation between the participating members  General Conditions of Suppliers & Specialized Degree Necessary: Submitting format Request for the purpose of receiving in the international system, rather than a symbol Tender Documents. 1. Have at least 2 years relevant experience to chemical of convergence of the world’s most powerful eco- Closing date . Days after the last time of Purchasing 14  nomic players. 2. License agency or distribution agency The next point to be noted here is that the secret 3. Business cards Documents Receiving Method Hall No. 107, 1stfloor, Tender Committee, Operation building, Address National Iranian Drilling Company, Airport square, Ahwaz, security and political equations among some of the 4. Submit the bid bond for tenders IRAN. Tel: +98-61-34148580 +98-61-34148569 G20 players (including the membership of some of Place & Deadline of Receive Evaluation Forms: these countries in NATO) has severely shadowed Legal & Contracts Affairs, Phase # 1, (STPC), Site # 4, Petrochemical Economic Special  Tender Guarantee their economic relations. This has led many of the Zone (PESZ), Bandar Imam Khomeini, Khuzestan Province, Iran, 06152172045 G20 member states’ decisions to be influenced by Value of guarantee 872,450,000 Rials / 18,147 Euro It shall be given latest by 16:00 pm on 15/Dec./18 other factors and relations. Place & Deadline of Submission Evaluation Forms Document: Bank guarantees or guarantees issued by non-bank institutions that obtain activity license from the central bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. At any rate, it was quite clear that this costly Type of guarantee Legal & Contracts Affairs, Phase # 1, (STPC), Site # 4, Petrochemical Economic Special Submitting one original Bank Fund Receipt under account number 4001114006376636 summit was of no significant role in solving the (Shaba No. IR 350100004001114006376636) in name of “NIDC saving account” by the economic crisis of the world today, and except for Zone (PESZ), Bandar Imam Khomeini, Khuzestan Province, Iran. central bank of Islamic Republic of Iran. Duration of credit & quotation Tender Guarantee and quotation should be valid for 90 days and extendable maximum for some news stories which we heard about the G20 It should be submitted latest by 16:00 pm on 29/Dec./18 one time in initial validity duration. summit in Buenos Aires, there was no remarkable Contacts: outcome. Without a doubt, unless the tensions be- (Foreign Procurement Dept.) (Foreign Procurement Dept.) You can contact any of the addresses below: More of this & other tenders are accessible by click on: tween the Group 20 member states are resolved, Email: [email protected] More of this & other tenders are accessible by click on: www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr this failure will remain strong, even if Trump leaves www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr Tel: 061 521 – 72045 Fax: 061 521 – 72043 تهران تایمز نوبت اول 13/09/97نوبت دوم 14/09/97 تهران تایمز نوبت اول 13/9/97نوبت دوم the White House forever! 97/9/14 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 ADVERTISEMENTS DECEMBER 5, 2018

Apt in Zafaranieh Triplex Villa in Velenjak Whole Building in Zafaranieh Apt in Fereshteh 2th floor, 220 sq.m, 4 Bdrs. 1000 sq.m land, 700 sq.m built up 3 apts, 568 sq.m land, 1220 sq.m 185 sq.m, 2 master room with one furn, equipped kitchen elevator 5 Bdrs., unfurn, very clean sauna built up totally, 17 Bdrs. room, furn, spj spj, parking spot outdoor swimming pool unfurn, elevator, storage parking spot $1800 servant quarter, fire place lots parking spots $1700 Ms.Sara: 09128103207 renovated, green yard Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 Ms.Sara: 09128103207 storage, parking spot Apt in Qolhak $12000 Whole Building in Kamranieh Office in Valiasr 1th floor, 90 sq.m, 2 Bdrs. Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 10 apts, 60 Bdrs., each apt around from 250 sq.m up to 7000 sq.m fully furn, equipped kitchen 210 sq.m, with 3 Bdrs. commercial office, ready for parking spot Villa in Zafaranieh lobby, 37 parking spots, spj renting to foreign companies $900 730 sq.m with one suit Ms.Diba: 09128103206 lobby, lots parking spots Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 7 Bdrs., unfurn, servant parking good access to highway spot, green yard Whole Building in Zafaranieh Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Apt in South Kamranieh $6500 almost new, 5 apts, each apt 4th floor, 154 sq.m, 3 Bdrs. Ms.Diba: 09128103206 175 sq.m, 3 Bdrs., balcony Apartment in Dezashib fully furn, spj, laundry elevator, lobby, parking spot 3th floor, 100 sq.m, 2 Bdrs. storage, parking spot Duplex Villa in Fereshteh Ms.Sara: 09128103207 furn, balcony, storage, parking $2500 800 sq.m land, 600 sq.m built up Holder of spot, good access to subway Ms.Sara: 09128103207 4 Bdrs., unfurn, renovated Nice Office in Mirdamad $1300 parking spot, yard ISO 9001:2008 .3th floor, 90 sq.m, 1 Bdr Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 Duplex Penthouse in Jordan $5500 storage, parking spot, $700 600 sq.m, fully furn, equipped Ms.Sara: 09128103207 ISO 10004:2012 Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 Apt in Vanak kitchen, modern balcony, spj 3 120 sq.m, 2 Bdrs., furn, elevator parking spots Luxury Villa in the North ISO 10002:2014 Whole Building in Jordan parking spot duplex, 1200 sq.m built up $6000 3 floors, 500 sq.m land, totally 650 $27 daily 2000 sq.m land, 5 Bdrs., big From Oxford Cert Universal Ms.Diba: 09128103206 sq.m built up, swimming pool Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 saloon servant, indoor pool spj $7000 renovated, beautiful and green Apt in Elahieh Suitable for Apt in Elahieh garden, semi furn th 400 sq.m, 5 Bdrs., fully furn $18000 negotiable Embassies, International companies 1 floor, 160 sq.m, 3 Bdrs. 2 kitchens, servant Suitable for Embassies & Guesthouses fully furn, spj, parking spot lobby swimming pool, parking spot Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 diplomatic, $2800 Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Villa in Zafaranieh Whole Building in Mahmoodieh Apt in Aghdasieh 12 units, each unit 4 Bdrs. Apt in Jordan th brand new, 105 sq.m, 2 Bdrs. with 3 floor 260 sq.m, 4 Bdrs. furn 2 one75 sq.m suit, unfurn each unit 260 sq.m, unfurn 70 sq.m, 1 Bdr., fully furn parking balconies, 2 parking spots elevator, spj parking spot lobby, parking spot spot, opposite to Mellat-Park $4000 totally $1400 $50000 negotiable $1400 Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 Mr.Shayan: 09128440156 Ms.Diba: 09128103206 Ms.Diba: 09128103206

For rent Two bedrooms furnished apartment for rent unique location!! www.apartmentrentalintehran.com 09122101160

Beautiful New Triplex Villa in Farmaniyeh 6 bdrms, 5 toilets, 4 covered parkings, fully furnished, outdoor swimming pool, spacious saloon facing beautiful view of the garden. ONLY 6000 US$ Ms. Sonia Niloufar Housing Agency Niavaran Tel:02122809083-4 Cefon:09195341598 09035755145

Super Luxury Apt. for Rent in Darrouss 300 sq.m, 4 bedrooms, three master Indian Restaurant bedrooms, excellent view, equipped with smart safety and heating system, two large amphitheaters, glassy swimming pool, sauna & Jacuzzi, PRIVATE PARKING LOT bodybuilding gym, three parking Jahan Hotel (Exelsior) – Rahimzade Alley – Taleqani lots, luxury lobby, roof garden with extraordinary view Crossroads – Valiasr St. Tell: 66476855 0912-1154258 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 5, 2018 HEALTH 9 Private sector Tehran to host Intl. Endoscopic and Minimally provided with forex Invasive Surgery Congress

HEALTH TEHRAN — The 14th International Endo- to import medicine, deskscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Con- gress opens today and will run till December 7 in Tehran, IRIB reported on Sunday. medical equipment Using laparoscopy in orthopedics, urology and Otorhinolaryn- gology was the main topic of the congress. HEALTH TEHRAN — The cabinet worth of medicine. deskof ministers has agreed to The remaining $1.5 billion was assigned provide the private sector with conditional to providing medical equipment, $1.1 of access to foreign currency for importing which has been used, so only $800 mil- medicine and medical equipment in special lion is left which will be used gradually cases, ISNA quoted Kianoush Jahanpour, for provision of required medicine and spokesman for Food and Drug Adminis- equipment, Asghari added. tration, as saying on Sunday. In November, The Iranian Medical Meanwhile, FDA Director Gholamreza Council called on United Nations Secretary Asghari said $3.5 billion has been allocated General António Guterres to lift sanctions to the health sector for this purpose, Tasnim hampering medicine importation to Iran. news agency reported the same day. According to the letter, Illegal econom- Asghari announced that out of the ic sanctions imposed against Iran by the allocated budget, $2 billion was assigned U.S. which is limiting international trade to food and raw pharmaceutical mate- in pharmaceutical industry has serious- rials, providing by now $600 million ly reduced Iran’s accessibility to medical Hossein Zabihi, the congress director stated that in Iran all worth of country’s needs to raw phar- services, pharmaceuticals and medical general, abdominal and cardiothoracic surgeries can be performed maceutical materials and $1 billion equipment. with laparoscopy. “We have made great progress in minimally invasive surgeries, having almost all necessary equipment to perform them,” he noted. Tehran cultural heritage director UNICEF, UNDOC, WHO to strengthen “Reducing the duration of operation and post-operation re- covery are the main advantages of this method,” he added rewards top disabled artisans collaboration to prevent suffrage of children In Iran, aortic aneurysm surgery used to be open-chest and resulted in high death rates, but now the usage of laparoscopy HEALTH TEHRAN — Tehran The United Nations Office on Drugs desk has cut the mortality rates of these surgeries,” said Zabihi. province’s cultural her- and Crime in the Islamic Republic “We are the best among the Persian Gulf nations in doing lap- itage director general, Delavar Bozorgnia, of Iran (UNODC), United Nations aroscopy, competing mostly with Turkey on this field,” he added. rewarded the top disabled artisans making Children Fund (UNICEF) in the Is- According to Zabihi, physicians from France, Switzerland handicrafts at Raad Charity on Sunday, ob- lamic Republic of Iran and World and Germany took part in the congress. serving the United Nations International Day Health Organization (WHO) in the of Persons with Disabilities. Islamic Republic of Iran signed to- Physically challenged people receive day a joint Interoffice Memorandum training in poetry, wood mosaic, and leather to prevent and alleviate suffrage of How electricity could be the embroidery in Raad Charity, Tasnim news Children and their families as re- agency reported on Monday. lated to drugs. new medicine Raad Charity is a private institution, The ceremony took place in Tehran dedicated solely to promote the cause of Milad Tower and on the sideline of In the near future, your doctor might prescribe electricity for the physically disabled community. According to Shariatmadar, the law on the the United Nations Development As- The main objective of this Inter- what ails you, says Benjamin W Metcalfe According to Bozorgnia, teaching hand- rights of people with disabilities is good but sistance Framework (UNDAF) High office Memorandum is to develop a when your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a icrafts can lead to permanent employment most importantly it should be implemented Level Committee Annual Meeting, framework for strengthening part- nail. This saying is particularly apt in medicine where doctors for people with disabilities; besides, having and NGOs active in this field should ask for with the support of the Islamic Re- nership between the three UN agen- treat nearly every condition – from depression to hypertension vocational activity and making social contri- the proper budget allocation for the law. public of Iran Ministry of Foreign cies on prevention and treatment of – with a pill. If your doctor prescribed you anything other than bution can help their healing process. According to the UN website, persons with Affairs. Heads of different United drug use among children and their a pill (assuming you don’t need surgery), you might think they “We are trying to give disabled peo- disabilities, as both beneficiaries and agents Nations agencies and representatives families. Within this framework the were a quack. But this will soon change. Medicine is getting rad- ple the opportunity to sell their products of change, can fast track the process towards from relevant national counterparts agencies should develop and fund- ical, and one of the radical new approaches for treating disease online and take part in handicrafts’ ex- inclusive and sustainable development and attend the event. raise for specific activities, projects is electricity. hibitions,” he noted. promote resilient society for all, including The UNDAF in the Islamic Re- or programmes to be implemented in Why electricity? Well, everything you do, from walking to On the United Nations International Day in the context of disaster risk reduction and public of Iran (2017-2021) provides a spirit of cooperation and common dreaming, is controlled or regulated by electrical signals. These of Persons with Disabilities, Iranian Wel- humanitarian action, and urban development. programmatic platform for joint commitment to broaden the inher- tiny impulses travel through your nervous system, conveying fare Minister Mohammad Shariatmadar Governments, persons with disabilities and programmes and programming and ent collaboration of these agencies information and allowing complex decisions to be made. The announced one third of the budget at Iran’s their representative organizations, academic the parties are already collaborating under the UNDAF in the Islamic hub of electrical activity is in the brain, and from there the nerves Welfare Organization should be allocated institutions and the private sector need to in the area of drug prevention and Republic of Iran (2017-2021) Pillar branch out to all corners of the body. to rehabilitation services for people with work as a “team” to achieve the Sustainable treatment under the Pillar 4 of the 4, “Drug Control”. The importance of these electrical signals is demonstrated disabilities. Development Goals (SDGs). UNDAF as “Drug Control”. (Source: UNIC) by the impact of injury to any part of the nervous system, which often leads to irreversible paralysis. The most common trauma involves an injury to the spinal cord. Worldwide, spinal cord Surgeons successfully perform full The health risks of being a injury affects about 2.5 million people with about 130,000 new cases each year. face transplant night owl ‘Clear evidence of mobile phone radiation link to cancers’ in rats A team of surgeons has successfully per- After the transplant, when Underwood’s The first international review to compare also ate less often but had bigger meals. If we could find a way to read and write the electrical signals, formed a face transplant for a 26-year-old face had healed and the inflammation had night owls with early risers outlines the This eating pattern may explain the in other words understand the language of the nervous system, man who had a self-inflicted gun injury. subsided, Dr. Rodriguez and team con- health risks associated with preferring finding that night owls had an increased we would have a digital interface to the body. An implanted device The team used facial skin from a donor ducted several minor follow-up surgeries late nights. However, these risks may risk of heart disease and metabolic con- would then be able to bridge the gap left by a spinal cord injury. to replace much of the man’s face, as well to achieve the best aesthetic results. not be set in stone. ditions, such as type 2 diabetes. And it’s not just people with spinal cord injuries who would as partially replacing his bone structure. “Technical advances,” Dr. Rodriguez A recent review takes a fresh look at In fact, one study showed that night benefit from this kind of technology. We could instruct the pan- Using many innovative technologies, a says, “have increased our ability to tackle the impact of being a night owl. owls were 2.5 times more likely to have creas to produce more insulin, or we could raise or lower the surgical team has successfully performed the most complex cases more precisely with Most individuals fit one of two type 2 diabetes than early risers. heart rate without needing to resort to pills. In essence, we could a full face transplant. maximal aesthetic and functional results.” chronotypes: We are morning people The leader of the study, Suzana Almoo- take control of the body. A team of over 100 medical professionals He adds, “Advances in medical tech- or evening people. sawi, Ph.D., a research fellow at Northum- Dancing frogs at New York University (NYU) Langone in nology allow us to more rapidly evaluate Either we prefer to stay up late — and bria University in the United Kingdom, Luigi Galvani was one of the first scientists to realise that elec- New York City performed the transplant. donors and recipients for [a] face trans- are referred to as night owls — or we rise explains that “In adulthood, being an tricity might have some involvement in the normal operation of Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez — the Hel- plant, and to perform surgery more safely earlier and go to bed earlier. evening chronotype is associated with life. He discovered this in 1791 when he conducted experiments en L. Kimmel professor of reconstructive and efficiently.” These patterns in circadian preferences greater risk of heart disease and type 2 on frogs, making their legs twitch with electricity. A century lat- plastic surgery and chair of the Hansjörg The doctors also note that the first sim- are, to a certain extent, written in our genes. diabetes, and this may be potentially due er, the idea of an artificial cardiac pacemaker was first mooted. Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at ilar transplant they conducted lasted over Over the years, the medical community to the poorer eating behavior and diet of Today bioelectronics is a highly active field of research, yet in NYU Langone — led the surgical team. 36 hours, so the fact that they managed to has debated the health impacts associated people with evening chronotype.” the two centuries since Galvani first made his frogs dance there The patient’s name is Cameron Under- reduce surgery time by 11 hours is a highly with each chronotype, and the findings According to the researchers, being are still only a handful of commercially available devices that wood. He is a 26-year-old man who lost significant achievement. have not always been conclusive. a night owl can even affect the way a interface with the nervous system. The patient outlived both the most of his lower jaw, teeth, and nose as a “Having already done two face trans- To develop a clearer picture, a group of person manages their diabetes: “Our surgeon and the engineer who invented it. result of a self-inflicted accidental gunshot. plants, we identified even before we entered scientists from a number of institutions review also found that people who have A promising target for new devices is the vagus nerve. This The man had also damaged his maxil- the [operating room] where we could reduce have conducted the most extensive review a poorer control of their diabetes are nerve, which runs down both sides of your neck, is connected to lary and palate as a result of the accident. surgical time,” Dr. Rodriguez says. of relevant research to date. Their findings more likely to be evening types,” says many organs, and devices that stimulate it may be able to treat Dr. Rodriguez and his team performed “This is critically important,” he adds, were published recently in the journal Ad- Almoosawi. diseases as far ranging as rheumatoid arthritis and alcoholism. the transplant surgery on January 5, 2018. “not only from a fatigue factor for the sur- vances in Nutrition. The body’s circadian fluctuations in One of the key success stories has been a device for treat- The procedure lasted 25 hours and ended gical team, but also for Cameron’s recovery. Sleeping, eating, and health glucose metabolism may mediate the link ing drug-resistant epilepsy. This device, made by LivaNova, the following morning. A shorter surgery often translates into less The scientists were especially interested with type 2 diabetes. Throughout the day, has been used by over 100,000 people. It helps prevent the Since then, the NYU Langone specialists risk of complications.” in understanding the relationship between glucose levels decline, and by the evening abnormal electrical activity that causes seizures within the have performed several follow-up proce- In comparison with the first transplant, circadian rhythms and eating patterns — they are at their lowest point. brain by applying small electrical impulses at regular intervals dures, and they now report on their achieve- the surgical team also achieved significant called chrono-nutrition — and overall However, because night owls eat later 24 hours a day, every day. These impulses travel up the vagus ment and the techniques they used. reductions in the time dedicated to post- cardiometabolic health. in the day, glucose levels spike just before nerve and into the brain. ’Maximal aesthetic and func- operative care, as follows: Because modern life is often hectic, bedtime. This goes against the body’s reg- More than 40 per cent of patients fitted with this device reduce tional results’ * the total length of stay in the hospital eating and sleeping patterns may fre- ular biological processes, and so it could their number of seizures by half. However, the constant stimula- To carry out the transplant, the surgeons was 37 days for Underwood, compared with quently be disturbed. Exposure to ar- impact metabolism. tion can cause unwanted side effects, including pain, headaches used several cutting-edge technologies. For 62 days for the patient who underwent the tificial light sources can also misalign Growing knowledge but gaps and shortness of breath. instance, the following techniques allowed first transplant our circadian patterns. remain Advances are being made the surgeons to place the grafted face with * the number of days spent in the in- These disruptions can alter cyclical met- The review uncovered some other in- While stimulating the vagus nerve with electricity is clearly a high level of precision: tensive care unit was 23, compared with abolic processes, such as glucose control, teresting findings. Perhaps unsurprisingly, beneficial, it’s still quite a crude approach. Stimulating the nerve * 3-D computer surgical planning 51 for the first patient lipid metabolism, and blood pressure. children were much more likely to be early is like shouting an instruction rather than joining a conversation. * 3-D-printed cutting guides tailored * the team managed to almost halve the Scientists are working to determine the risers, including 90 percent of 2-year-olds It would be much more powerful if we could record the messages to the patient number of days spent in rehabilitation, long-term health effects of these changes. and 58 percent of 6-year-olds. already travelling along the nerves. These messages might alert * intraoperative navigation from 13 to 7 Because this area of study is in its infan- As people enter old age, they are more us to the onset of an epileptic seizure, for example, and enable * intraoperative CAT scan Dr. Bruce E. Gelb, a transplant surgeon cy, the authors of the recent review delved likely to revert to their early-rising pref- on-demand stimulation that mitigates the unwanted side effects The surgeons used the entire middle at NYU Langone who also participated in into previous studies, hoping to identify erences of youth. of the current system. and lower parts of the donor’s face and Underwood’s transplant, comments, “We patterns in results. Although this type of study is still in the However, recording signals in a nerve isn’t easy. The vagus skull to complete the transplant. In all, they are thrilled that Cameron is responding The team found that individuals who initial stages, and much more research is nerve contains tens of thousands of neurons and each electrical replaced and reconstructed the patient’s so well to the transplant.” went to bed later tended to have less health- needed, the findings to date may have huge signal is incredibly weak and hard to detect. Coupled with this upper and lower jaws, 32 teeth and gums, “Our team has established a successful, ful eating patterns. implications for public health. is the fact that interfering signals from muscles are often 100 the roof and floor of the mouth, the lower novel, patient-donor matching protocol For instance, they generally ate later “Scientific evidence is providing in- times larger than the signals within the nerves. eyelids and cheeks, and the nose and part and immune suppression regimen that we in the day, at less regular times, and they creasing insight into the relationship In order to detect an impending seizure, for example, an im- of the nasal passage. believe provides the best outcomes for our consumed more alcohol, sugar, and caf- between your chronotype, diet, and planted device must be able to record and identify one small Also, Dr. Rodriguez and team used an patients because the risk of rejection and feinated products than earlier risers. Night cardiometabolic health.” signal from another, at the same time. This is not unlike being innovative approach to preserve the identity toxicity is greatly minimized.” owls were also more likely to skip breakfast. Study co-author Leonidas G. Karagounis, at a rock concert and trying to listen to a conversation on the of the donated face: a 3-D-printed mask Dr. Bruce E. Gelb In addition, night owls were likelier to Nestlé Health Science other side of the stadium. of the donor’s features. (Source: medical news today) consume fewer vegetables and grains. They (source: medical news today) (Source: the independent) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 5, 2018

‘Some 20 million internet Taking risk of indigenizing users are below 18 in Iran’ TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — In Iran, about 20 million in- aerospace industry necessary: VP deskternet users out of 56 million users are below 18, deputy education minister for training Alireza Kazemi said, TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — Domestic for knowledge aerospace technologies at the IRNA reported on Monday. deskmanagers should take the vice presidency for science and technology The children and young adults lack skills to cope with threats risk of indigenizing the aerospace industry, the Manouchehr Manteqi said that Iran plans to in cyberspace, he lamented. vice president for science and technology has said. establish a national aerospace market in the “Nowadays the cyberspace is as important as family, school Sourena Sattari said that for indigenizing near future to introduce aerospace industry and society in training children,” he said. the aerospace industry international standards products, services, technologies and software. should be met, ILNA reported on Monday. The market aims to support knowledge Iranian experts and scholars active in enterprises active in the field of aerospace the field of aerospace should take part in industry and develop market for demanded the industry, he said, adding that by signing products, he explained. contracts the vice presidency for science and Aerospace is the human effort in science, technology supports the aerospace companies. engineering and business to fly in the atmos- “However, the private sector should ac- phere of Earth (aeronautics) and surrounding cept responsibilities to offer service and high space (astronautics). Aerospace organizations quality products,” Sattari explained. research, design, manufacture, operate, or Iran will establish a national aerospace maintain aircraft or spacecraft. market in the near future to introduce Aerospace manufacturing is a high-tech- aerospace industry products, services, nology industry that produces aircraft, guid- technologies and software. ed missiles, space vehicles, aircraft engines, In late May, the head of the headquarters propulsion units, and related parts.

The cyberspace has a crucial role in formation of characteristics of children, he explained. Startups can create wealth in water People spends from 20 to 80 hours per week in cyberspace, ‘67% of state-run organizations which change sleeping time and encounter them to unnecessary industry: official offering e-services’ information and issues, he said. TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — Startups TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — A total “We should try to boost skills of the students and families for desk desk using cyberspace at the schools,” he said. have the ability to create of 67 percent of state- Providing appropriate content is also important for protec- wealth in the field of water industry, an run organizations in Iran are currently tion of students from immortality in cyberspace, he concluded. official with the vice presidency for science offering e-services, the information In mid-November, the Information and Communication and technology has said. and communication technology min- Technology (ICT) Ministry announced that it plans to introduce Knowledge-based companies and start- ister said. parental control applications in the near future. ups can solve water shortage problems Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi According to a survey conducted by the ICT ministry, only eight and even creates wealth in water industry added that e-government optimizes percent of Iranian parents monitor their children’s online activity. through innovative technology, Nader-Qoli administrative processes and save time The survey revealed that Iran is not very successful in content Ebrahimi explained. and energy at organizations, Mehr re- creation for children and to control children’s online activity. He made the remarks during the open- ported on Sunday. ing ceremony of the 2nd water, soil and He highlighted the importance of environment exhibition on Tuesday. data exchange between organizations, Innovative ideas and technology have Education and Development Organiza- which is the right of nation. The project aims to facilitate some ‘Digital week’ to introduce great role in solving environmental prob- tion in Tehran. “We proposed that the government government services, reduce unnec- lems, he said. In July, the science and technolo- allocate one trillion rials (about 240 essary expenses and ease traffic jam, transformation plans “There are 107 knowledge-based gy vice presidency announced that it thousand dollars) to development of which is the main cause of air pollution companies active in the field of water supports knowledge-based companies e-government next year,” he explained. in big cities. TECHNOLOGY TEHRAN — Iran plans to pursue the goal which are dealing with water crisis and desk industry and 50 of them attended the The first phase of e-government It is based on the National Infor- of digital transformation during the national exhibition,” he explained. environmental issues as they transform services project in Iran officially came mation Network, an ongoing project digital week which is going to be held from December 8 to 12. The exhibition runs until December technology from universities and re- on stream under the title of ‘Mobile to develop a secure and stable infra- 5 at the venue of Agricultural Research, search centers to projects. Government’ in mid-May 2018. structure network in the country. What is mixed reality and what does it mean for enterprise? Mixed reality is a significant advancement of augmented information, literally in front of their eyes, to ensure they can reality (AR) – the technology behind 2016’s Pokémon GO fix the machinery as efficiently and effectively as possible. phenomenon. In a “hybrid” environment, interactive virtual Using Microsoft HoloLens, 24,000+ service technicians objects can be mapped to the physical environment, blending at ThyssenKrupp can visualize and identify problems with the real and the virtual. elevators ahead of a job, and have remote, hands-free Whilst the core premise of both AR and MR is similar, access to technical and expert information when onsite. the crucial difference is the underlying technology. Mixed THYSSENKRUPP Reality is (for the moment, at least) headset-based, whereas BAE Systems, a multinational defense, security, and AR is viewed through a flat-screen such as a smartphone aerospace company, has also been using HoloLens in its or tablet. MR is also aware of the geometry of the environ- processes to make electric propulsion devices. Through Internet of Thing (IoT), cloud computing, social media, Vir- ment around you – using it as the canvas for you to create the use of the device, the company has realized a 50% tual Reality and Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence (AI) immersive content that is defined by the space you are in. reduction in assembly time. and Blockchain are the main theme of the event, IRNA quoted The recent release of Magic Leap (ML) has been causing Google glass, the second act secretary of the event Mehdi Rouhaninejad as saying on Saturday. a lot of interest in MR, but the tech has been around for a Mixed reality in business isn’t limited to Microsoft Holo- “We aim to boost digital transformation in different fields of while - Microsoft launched HoloLens in 2016. Currently, what to do to fix it. Lens. In 2014, Google Glass fell flat in the consumer market- economy in the country,” he explained. Microsoft is focused on solving enterprise needs, while MR & enterprise place because of privacy issues, but in an industrial setting, A total of 20 startups active in the field of IoT will display ML is looking at bringing wonder and delight to our In May 2018, a Toshiba survey found that 82% of enter- the tech has excelled, resulting in Google Glass Enterprise their works during a conference on December 10 and 11, he said. world. However, over time, the choice of mixed reality prises predict that ‘AR smart glasses’ (or mixed reality) will Edition. The ‘hands-free device for hands-on workers’ has Agriculture, smart city, energy, insurance, smart police and technology will melt away and we will be left with the be used by their businesses in the next three years. Mixed helped diverse clients from doctors to automobile assemblers. aerospace industry are the fields covered during the event, most important bit…the content. reality poses a huge opportunity to solve business problems Training videos, annotated images, and quality assurance Rouhaninejad explained. MR promises to be a genuinely transforma- - being able to see what you are trying to do is very powerful checklists can be easily accessed to ensure jobs get done safely tional technology in a business context. and quickly. The glasses can also connect you to co-workers Smartphones changed our lives because they gave us An example of this can be found with French manufacturer so they can see what you see through a live video stream to access to something that already existed - the internet - in a Renault Trucks. In collaboration with technology partner enable real-time collaboration and troubleshooting. more convenient way. Mixed reality is also going to change Immersion, the company has been using a HoloLens at its A bright future The ‘world’s first’ A.I. news our lives. Not by taking something that already exists and Lyon-based facility to improve quality control processes Deloitte predicts that ‘more than 150 companies in multiple putting it in our pocket, but by completely revolutionizing with its engine assembly operations. In a company state- industries, including 52 of the Fortune 500, are testing or anchor has gone live in China how we view and interact with the world. ment, an engineer leading the project said, “In practice, have deployed AR/VR solutions’. This means that over 10% The opportunity to decouple ourselves from our physical quality control operators will wear Microsoft HoloLens of Fortune 500 companies are looking at new technologies A TV anchor has joined a Chinese news agency, but with bounds will change how we exist in the world. smartglasses in which all the digitalized engine parts will to help improve their businesses. While a recent Forrester a twist: he isn’t human. China’s state-run Xinhua News Just consider the impact it will have on travel. If we can be integrated. Via the glasses and Mixed Reality interface, Research report asserts that by 2025, nearly 14.4 million Agency has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) anchor, have a life-like meeting via a mixed reality device, there’s operators will see decision-making instructions that will US workers will wear smart glasses. a move it claims to be a world first. less need for business travel and commuting. We’d save a guide them through the most complex control operations. And that’s just enterprise. Mixed reality can, and will, “English AI Anchor” debuted Thursday at the World In- whole lot of time, and money. At the moment, operators working on control points are add magic to our daily lives. MR allows us to write our own ternet Conference in the country’s eastern Zhejiang Province. And what about education? If we have an always-on AI still using paper instructions.” This is a clear step forward rules on how people see the world, and how they react to it. Modeled on the agency’s Zhang Zhao presenter, the new assistant that knows what we are trying to achieve - plus with regards to ease of operations. By marrying the physical and digital in unexpected ways, anchor learns from live videos and is able to work 24 hours digital overlays bringing knowledge to us in real-time - do Similarly, ThyssenKrupp, a German manufacturer of eleva- we can reinvigorate, stimulate and inspire. The possibilities a day, reporting via social media and on the Xinhua website. we need to learn skills in the same way? Imagine opening tors and escalators, is also using HoloLens. Field technicians for entertainment are endless. “’He’ learns from live broadcasting videos by himself and the bonnet of a broken down car and knowing exactly are using the device to ensure they have all the necessary (Source: forbes.com) can read texts as naturally as a professional news anchor,” the company said in an online statement. “The development of the media industry calls for con- tinuous innovation and deep integration with the interna- AI app that helps deaf children Pager service in Japan is finally tional advanced technologies,” the AI anchor said in his read launched coming to an end first broadcast. “I will work tirelessly to keep you informed as texts will Reading for most of us isn’t much of an After nearly five decades, Japan is finally be typed into my system uninterrupted. I look forward to issue, but when it comes to those who ending pagers for good. The last service bringing you the brand new news experiences.” are deaf or hearing impaired, especially provider in the country, Tokyo Telemes- Xinhua developed the robot anchor with Chinese search if they are only kids, then it can pose a sage, announced that it will terminate its engine Sogou.com and has posted two more reports from challenge as parents or teachers might service in September 2019, according to the AI broadcaster on its Twitter feed. One covers China’s not necessarily know sign language well SoraNews24. The company said about announcement that it will launch its first Mars probe in enough to convey information on a page 1,500 people still use pagers in its ser- 2020 and ends with the AI anchor paying tribute to Chi- to the child in question. vice area, which covers Tokyo and several nese journalists. However it seems that Huawei wants to neighboring regions. “Before we go, I’d like to send my good wishes to all help with that and has since launched an Pagers, which are known as “poke-beru” of the journalists across the country. As an AI anchor app called StorySign. This is an AI-based or “pocket bell” in Japan, certainly had under development I know there is a lot for me to im- app that when you point your phone’s their day. The small devices that send short prove,” he said. camera at certain children’s books, it will messages via radio waves reached peak can do it themselves later. ers are likely to be disappointed to learn Concerns about the growing AI industry include loss be able to translate the printed words popularity in 1996 when as many as 10 At the moment there aren’t many books their pagers’ days are numbered, they of jobs and unintended discrimination. But research firm into sign language which will then be million units were in use in Japan. Pag- supported by the app, and only supports probably should have seen this coming. Gartner predicts that the industry will in fact create 2.3 performed by a digital avatar. ers were quickly overtaken by cellphones 10 sign languages (mostly from Europe), Tokyo Telemessage stopped manufac- million jobs and eliminate 1.8 million by 2020, while IBM If you’re wondering why the avatar in once the devices became widely available. so it might not be quite as useful as it turing pagers device 20 years ago. That has researchers tackling bias. the video above seems to look so famil- Major telecommunications firm NTT -- the could. However since it has only just been said, old technology has a way of sticking The industry could generate more than $3.9 trillion within iar, it is because it was created by Wallace company that first introduced pagers in launched, presumably more support will around in Japan. Faxes are still a popular the next five years, according to Gartner, with companies and Gromit’s Aardman Animations. This the country -- discontinued service for the come at a later date. In the meantime you means of communication in the country, such as Apple and Coinbase using it in recruitment where app comes in handy as it helps children devices in 2007. Now over a decade later, can check out the video above to get an and you can still find cassette tapes in software engineers are interviewed online by AI platform to read, while at the same time it can also Tokyo Telemessage is following suit and idea of how the app works. convenience stores. Triplebyte. help parents and educators learn the sign pulling the plug on its last users. (Source: ubergizmo.com) (Source: engadget.com) (Source: cnbc.com) language for certain words so that they While the remaining 1,500 subscrib- I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 5, 2018 SCIENCE 11

New device can harvest drinking water China set to launch first-ever spacecraft to the far side of from dry desert air, scientists suggest the moon Our environment is changing, and changing enough to release 20 grams (0.71 ounces) of fast, putting pressure on our hardworking the water, which was collected in the device Early in the New Year, if all goes well, the Chinese spacecraft scientists to come up with ever more ingenious ready to drink. The hydrogel is then ready to Chang’e-4 will arrive where no craft has been before: the far side ways of meeting the needs of humankind – use again, the researchers report. of the moon. The mission is scheduled to launch from Xichang like pulling drinkable water right out of the However the scientists aren’t satisfied Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province on December 8. air, in this case. yet – they’re hoping to tweak the design so The craft, comprising a lander and a rover, will then enter the A new prototype device, developed at that water is released continuously. Moon’s orbit, before touching down on the surface. the King Abdullah University of Science There’s plenty of competition out there for If the landing is successful, the mission’s main job will be to and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, these potentially life-saving devices, which investigate this side of the lunar surface, which is peppered with is able to absorb water and then release it on we think is a good thing. many small craters. The lander will also conduct the first radio astronomy experiments from the far side of the Moon — and demand. It’s the sort of invention that could Another invention the first investigations to see whether plants will grow in the prove invaluable to people living in arid, de- Earlier this year teams from the U.S. low-gravity lunar environment. sert regions, where water is already scarce. demonstrated a device that used a specially “This mission is definitely a significant and important accom- Key to the device is a special hydrogel engineered metal to capture water – this is plishment in lunar exploration,” says Carolyn van der Bogert, based on the salt calcium chloride. It can another invention that doesn’t need a sep- a planetary geologist at Westfälische Wilhelms University in prove irresistible to water, but usually turns arate energy source to work. Münster, Germany. into a salty liquid as it absorbs vapor. But Another team of scientists have created thanks to the engineers’ innovation, here the the salt into a polymer so it keeps its shape That’s exactly how the prototype tested a synthetic material inspired by the Namib hydrogel mixture keeps the whole thing in until heated; additionally, carbon nanotubes by the researchers operated: 35 grams (1.23 desert beetles, which also shows promise as solid form until the water is needed. would then help release the water. ounces) of the hydrogel was able to capture 37 a way of condensing and capturing liquid With an estimated 13 trillion tons of water The idea is the device could capture water grams (1.31 ounces) of water during a night water from the air where needed. vapor in the atmosphere, being able to harvest from the air overnight, then release it when with a relative humidity of around 60 percent. With all these initiatives, the challenge some of that water to keep people hydrated heated during the day. The next day, 2.5 hours of sunshine was is to get them from lab prototype into com- would be a major breakthrough, especially mercial product, but this new hydrogel-based for the hundreds of millions without a suit- device is ticking a lot of the necessary boxes. able water source. It’s something numerous Scientists have created a synthetic “This type of atmospheric water generator research teams are busy investigating. material inspired by the Namib desert is cheap and affordable, works perfectly with Storing water a broad range of humidity, does not need any The ultimate goal of the China National Space Administration And while calcium chloride has been looked beetles, which also shows promise as a electricity, and thus is especially suitable for (CNSA) is to create a Moon base for future human exploration at before, making it practical as a material clean water production in remote areas,” way of condensing and capturing liquid there, although it has not announced when that might happen. for storing water has been difficult. Here the write the researchers. Chang’e-4 will be the country’s second craft to ‘soft’ land on the team helped solve the problem by converting water from the air where needed. (Source: sciencealert.com) lunar surface, following Chang’e-3’s touchdown in 2013. The CNSA has remained tight-lipped about many of the mis- sion’s details, including the landing site. The most likely loca- Most powerful gravitational waves event stands out among four new detections tion is inside a 186-kilometer-wide crater called Von Kármán, It’s been more than three years since astronomers first in Europe are designed to detect even the tiniest ripples. to the neutron star smashup detected just one day earlier, says Zongcheng Ling, who studies the formation and evolution detected gravitational waves – ripples in the very fabric Between black holes which was easier to pinpoint because it was accompanied of planetary bodies at Shandong University in Weihai and is a of spacetime caused by some of the biggest cataclysms in The four newly-described observations all took place in by light and radio signals. member of the mission’s science team. “We scientists are very the cosmos. Now, an international team of scientists has July and August 2017, towards the end of LIGO’s second The more gravitational wave events detected, the more happy” to have the chance to visit the far side, says Ling. presented the full catalog of these events, gathered over the observing run. All four were the result of collisions between we can learn about black holes, gravity, and the formation “It is a key area to answer several important questions about last few years across two observation runs. black holes, and some of them marked new records. of galaxies. the early history of the moon, including its internal structure and The catalog contains a total of 11 gravitational wave events, An event known as GW170729 has taken two top honors. “We are learning things about the population (of black thermal evolution,” says Bo Wu, a geoinformatician at Hong Kong four of which are being reported publicly for the first time. Detected on July 29, 2017, this event is both the most distant holes), such as how frequently binary black holes merge Polytechnic University, who helped describe the topography and These events all begin as collisions between massive cosmic and most massive gravitational wave source found so far. in the universe (once every few hundred seconds some- geomorphology of this site. (Source: scientific American) objects – mostly black holes, but in one case a pair of neutron These two black holes smashed together 5 billion light-years where in the universe) and whether small (low mass) or stars – which are powerful enough to send ripples of energy away – in other words, 5 billion years ago – and released large (high mass) black holes are more common – there spreading through the universe. energy equivalent to the mass of five suns. are many more light black holes (around 5-10 times the By the time those ripples reach us here on Earth, though, Another new event, GW170818, was pinpointed more mass of the sun) in the universe than heavy black holes Why do tortoises live so long? the distortions they create are minuscule, about a thou- (around 30-40 times the mass of the Sun), but the heavy precisely than any other black hole merger. The two objects In life, Lonesome George was arguably the most famous tortoise sandth of the width of a proton. By beaming lasers down ones are ‘louder’ in gravitational-waves, and easier to ‘hear’ crashed into each other about 2.5 billion light-years from in the world for being the last of his species. Now, over half a long tunnels and watching for disturbances, facilities like colliding,” says Simon Stevenson, an author on one of the Earth, and the resulting waves were detected by both LIGO decade after he died, he’s still making headlines by helping ge- the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory studies describing the work. and Virgo, allowing astronomers to identify its position in the neticists understand why giant tortoises have such long lifespans. (LIGO) in the U.S. and the Virgo gravitational-wave detector (Source: New Atlas) sky to within 39 square degrees. That precision is second only Scientists believe the lifespans of giant tortoises like George are so long because they have gene variants that tweak how their DNA is repaired and their bodies respond to inflammation and New machine learning method predicts additions Development threatens tropical forests, the development of cancer. to global list of threatened plant species researchers say Prior to the study, little was known about the genes of these invertebrates. An international team of researchers at Yale The International Union for Conservation Tropical forests in the Amazon, Indonesia, University, the University of Oviedo in Spain, the Galapagos of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened and Mesoamerica face multiple threats from Conservancy, and the Galapagos National Park Service worked Species is a powerful tool for researchers mining, oil, and gas extraction and mas- together on the paper, published in the journal Nature Ecology and policymakers working to stem the tide sive infrastructure projects over the next & Evolution. of species loss across the globe. But adding two decades, according to a study by Clark The process started in 2010 when Dr. Adalgisa Caccone, co-senior even a single species to the list is no small University researchers and their interna- author of the study and senior researcher in the Department of task, demanding countless hours of expensive, tional colleagues in the Proceedings of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, sequenced rigorous and highly specialized research. National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). This George’s genome. As a result of these limitations, a large encroachment not only threatens forests Then, Professor Carlos Lopez-Otin of the University of Oviedo, number of known species have not yet been and biodiversity but also indigenous and Spain, studied the resulting data, and that of the Aldabra giant formally assessed by the IUCN and ranked rural communities. tortoise, and noted gene variants which were linked to a long in one of five categories, from least concern predictive model using open-access data from Across the world, governments and Institute for Health Metrics and Eval- lifespan. The data was also compared to that from the P. sinensis, to critically endangered. the Global Biodiversity Information Facility investors are teaming up on huge region- uation in Seattle. or Chinese soft shelled turtle, and humans. A new method co-developed by Anahí Es- (GBIF) and the TRY Plant Trait Database. al development projects to build roads, Geospatial and qualitative data Lopez-Otin explained: “We had previously described nine píndola, an assistant professor of entomology Lead author Tara Pelletier, an assistant railways, port facilities, and waterways. The Clark researchers partnered with hallmarks of aging, and after studying 500 genes on the basis at the University of Maryland, uses the power professor of biology at Radford University, Their goal is to access areas deep within researchers and officials from communi- of this classification, we found interesting variants potentially of machine learning and open-access data to worked together with Espíndola to perform the forest that are rich with known and ty- and environment-focused NGOs and affecting six of those hallmarks in giant tortoises, opening new predict species that could be eligible for at-risk the machine learning analysis. potential mineral, oil, coal, and natural gas academic institutions in Indonesia, Brazil, lines for aging research.” status on the IUCN Red List. The research The model’s accuracy reserves along with other natural resources, Peru, the Netherlands, El Salvador, and The research “expands our understanding of the genomic team created and trained a machine learning Espíndola and Pelletier then trained the the authors point out. Australia. determinants of aging” and could help restore giant tortoise algorithm to assess more than 150,000 species model using GBIF and TRY data from the “Governments have made framework The researchers used geospatial and populations, the authors wrote. (Source: Newsweek) of plants from all corners of the world, making relatively small group of plant species already policy commitments to national and qualitative data, including that gathered their project among the largest assessments on the IUCN Red List. This allowed the re- cross-border infrastructure integration, through interviews and workshops with of conservation risk to date. searchers to assess and fine-tune the model’s increased energy production, and growth stakeholders in Brazil, Indonesia, Peru, At-risk IUCN classification accuracy by checking its predictions against strategies based on further exploitation of Mexico, Norway, and El Salvador. Combination of space-based and According to the results, more than 10 the listed species’ known IUCN risk status. The natural resources. This reflects political set- Past research has shown that the expan- ground-based telescopes reveals percent of these species are highly likely to Red List sorts non-extinct species into one of tlements among national elites that endorse sion of infrastructure has led to deforestation, qualify for an at-risk IUCN classification. five classification categories: least concern, resource extraction as a pathway towards they say. But fewer investigators have studied more than 100 exoplanets The algorithm is a predictive model that near-threatened, vulnerable, endangered development,” according to the authors of how the complex interactions between two can be applied to any grouping of species at and critically endangered. “Resource Extraction and Infrastructure massive forces—infrastructure investment Astronomers using a combination of ground and space based any scale, from the entire globe to a single city The researchers then applied the mod- Threaten Forest Cover and Community and resource extraction—have combined telescopes have reported more than 100 extrasolar planets (ex- park. Espíndola and her colleagues published el to the many thousands of plant species Rights,” an article published December to threaten forests and communities, ac- oplanets) in only three months. These planets are quite diverse their findings online in the Proceedings of the that remain unlisted by IUCN. According 3 in PNAS. cording to the authors. and expected to play a large role in developing the research field National Academy of Sciences on December to the results, more than 15,000 of the spe- The other authors include Denise Hum- “This rich body of work on deforestation of exoplanets and life in the Universe. 3, 2018. cies--roughly 10 percent of the total assessed by phreys Bebbington, research associate pro- and associated policy recommendations An international team of astronomers using a combination of “Our method isn’t meant to replace formal the team--have a high probability of qualifying fessor in Clark’s International Development, focuses far more on agriculture and forestry ground and space based telescopes have reported more than 100 assessments using IUCN protocols. It’s a tool as near-threatened, at a minimum. Community and Environment Department; than on resource extraction or associated extrasolar planets (here after, exoplanets) in only three months. that can help prioritize the process, by calcu- Espíndola and her colleagues mapped the and three more researchers associated with large-scale infrastructure,” the authors ex- These planets are quite diverse and expected to play a large role in lating the probability that a given species is at data and noted several major geographical the Graduate School of Geography: Laura plain. “There is even less analysis of the developing the research field of exoplanets and life in the Universe. risk,” Espíndola said. “Ultimately, we hope it trends in the model’s predictions. At-risk Aileen Sauls, a doctoral candidate; John types of social and political relationships Exoplanets, planets that revolve around stars other than the will help governments and resource managers species tended to cluster in areas already Rogan, associate professor; and Kimberly that have been created by these large-scale Sun, have been actively researched in recent years. One of the rea- decide where to devote their limited resources known for their high native biodiversity, Johnson ‘16, M.S.’17, who graduated from investments and which become self-per- sons is the success of the Kepler Space Telescope, which launched for conservation. This could be especially useful such as the Central American rainforests the Accelerated B.A./Master’s Degree Pro- petuating through lobbying and the re-en- in 2009 to search for exoplanets. If a planet crosses (transits) in in regions that are understudied.” and southwestern Australia. gram in geographic information sciences and trenchment of power relations.” front of its parent star, then the observed brightness of the star Espíndola and her collaborators built their (Source: eurekalert.org) now works as a data mapping analyst at the (Source: phys.org) drops by a small amount. The Kepler Space Telescope detected many exoplanets using this method. However, such dimming phenomena could be caused Over 4bn lit. of oil delivered to Imam Khomeini Oil Refinery in Six Months by other reasons. Therefore, confirmation that the phenomena are really caused More than 41 million barrels of crude oil and 4 billion and With due observance to the said issue, about 41 million destination companies as mentioned in above, the deputy by exoplanets is very important. The Kepler space telescope ex- 790 million liters of oil products have been delivered to oil barrels, 1,610,000,000 million liters of oil gas, 210 CEO of IOPTC emphasized. perienced mechanical trouble in 2013, which led to a successor Imam Khomeini Refinery of Shazand and five oil distribution million liters of kerosene, 800 million liters of lead-free Seyed Moslem Moslemi Public Relations Department mission called K2. Astronomers around the world are competing districts in the first six months of the current Iranian calendar gasoline, 2,070,000,000 liters of Euro-4 gasoline, 30 Manager of the company was the next speaker who said, to confirm exoplanets suggested by the K2 data. year (March 21 – Sept. 21), the Public Relations Dept. of million liters of super gasoline and 85 million liters of “in the same period, 54,477,591 liters of crude oil has been An international research team involving researchers at the Iranian Oil Pipeline Telecommunication Company (IOPTC) jet fuel have been delivered to five districts of this area, received through 8-inch Naftshahr-Kermanshah pipeline, the University of Tokyo and Astrobiology Center of the National Insti- reported. observing all requirements of international standards, to amount of which has been delivered and sent to Kermanshah tutes of Natural Sciences investigated 227 K2 exoplanet candidates IOPTC Manager for Operation Affairs Ali-Akbar Fazlikhani different destinations such as Shazand Oil Refinery of Arak, Oil Refining Company. using other space telescopes and ground-based telescopes. They said, “this district is tasked with administering crude oil Shazand, Azna, Hamedan, Qom and Malayer oil distribution Moslemi added, “in the said period, 313,475,618 liters confirmed that 104 of them are really exoplanets. Seven of the pipelines in provinces of Lorestan, Markazi, Hamedan, companies, he reiterated. of various types of products including gas oil, gasoline and confirmed exoplanets have ultra-short orbital periods less than Qom and Isfahan.” In addition, 651,804,499 liters of crude oil, 538,383,000 kerosene have been delivered to Kermanshah Oil Products 24 hours. The formation process of exoplanets with such short He put the total pipelines under the management of this and 214 liters of oil products, totally 1,190,187,713 liters has Distribution Company, the Public Relations Dept. of Iranian orbital periods is still unclear. district at 1,600 km. been received through pipeline and then delivered to the Oil Pipeline Telecommunication Company (IOPTC) ended. (Source: Science Daily) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 12 SOCIETY DECEMBER 5, 2018

Tehran mayor joins ‘car-free Tehran metro to soon face car shortages SOCIETY TEHRAN — Although currently some Tuesdays’ campaign desk121 trains are running in the capital’s subway system, it will soon face lack of cars with inau- ENVIRONMENT TEHRAN — The newly-elected mayor of desk guration of new lines being under construction, head of Tehran, Pirouz Hanachi, has joined ‘car-free construction and transportation commission of Tehran Tuesdays’ campaign, cycling to his office or heading to work City Council has said. by bus or subway. Currently, the total number of operational trains serving On the second Tuesday of his career as mayor of Tehran, the passengers is 106 trains and 15 trains are running Hanachi was spotted while riding a bicycle and last Tuesday he on the subway line 5 linking western Tehran to Karaj, took subway to work, ISNA reported. Alborz province, so the city’s subway system comprises 121 trains, Mehr news agency quoted Mohammad Ali Krouni as saying on Monday. Referring to trains left out of service due to lack of equip- ment or proper facilities for maintenance, he lamented that the main problem which kept these trains from getting back to subway ridership is the lack of budget. 15 trains which used to be operational in lines 1 to 4 are out of order and also 25 non-functional cars and 11 broken locomotives are on Line 5, which have been out of service due to lack of equipment or incidents, he further explained, adding that the average cost of repairing the aforesaid trains is about $50 billion rials (nearly $1.2 million). He went on to say that a budget of 750 billion rials The escalators of some subway stations are not functioning stretching to 170 kilometers, and two lines of 6 and 7 are (about $18 million) is required to develop the subway fleet. anymore, and the budget does not suffice the costs, so that under construction. The lines link south to north, east to “If subway lines 6 and 7, which connects the northwestern newly ordered trains must be released from the customs to west and are gradually covering more neighborhoods. By ‘Car-free Tuesdays’ campaign kicked off in 2016 by Mohammad Tehran to the southeastern parts, are exploited, we will face support public transportation fleet, he concluded. completing the two aforementioned lines 70 kilometers Bakhtiari, majored in architecture and a member of a local NGO with a shortage of cars, which is already a problem,” he added. Tehran subway system consists of five operational lines, will be added to the current railways. 1,000 members known as “the guardians of the environment of Arak city”. It aimed to decrease the number of private cars in the cities hence mitigate air pollution. After over 140 weeks on Tuesday, the campaign seemed to ‘Green taxes not used for environmental development’ be losing momentum most probably because of the inefficient ENVIRONMENT TEHRAN — While the Municipality waste management affairs of the DOE to make the man- desk infrastructure in the country, as such movements towards cleaner of Tehran receives green taxes paid by ufacturing and import industries pay taxes and spend transport options entail appropriate infrastructure such as bike pollutant industries, the money is not used for developing the taxes on waste management and recycling. lanes to ensure safety improvements and higher ridership num- the environment or improving the industries, Ali Moridi, “Accordingly, if industries do not produce contaminated bers, as well as efficient, low emission public transport. head of department of environment’s (DOE) soil and water or hazardous waste, they will be subjected to tax exemptions,” In June, Mohammad Darvish, the former head of the public office has said. he added. participation office at the Department of Environment, said The DOE is trying to revise the law and receive green He went on to note that under these rules, industries that the most important problem which led to car-free Tues- taxes to use it toward eradicating air and water pollution, which not manage their wastewater properly and cause days campaign failure was municipality officials who are not wastewater treatment and environmental issues, along with water and soil pollution will be fined. aware of the appropriate infrastructure of the cities, and they technology and industries improvement, he said, IRNA re- “To solve the problem, we must try to change all indus- are designing the cities as automobile-based, which encourage ported on Tuesday. tries into the environmentally friendly industry, which people to use private transport rather than public. Referring to proper laws adopted on waste manage- can be fulfilled in cooperation with the industries as well ment, he stated that there are rules which obliges the as the universities,” he concluded. Wedding ceremony for Four things the UN chief wants world leaders to know, couples with disabilities held in Tehran at key COP24 climate conference opening During the UN COP24 Climate Change gas concentrations in the atmosphere – he circumstances”, said the UN chief. Climate Fund. It is an investment in a safer, Conference grand opening on Monday, called on nations to pay attention to the “We achieved success in Paris because less costly future”. SOCIETY TEHRAN — Some 110 couples with disa- Secretary-General António Guterres told science and step up their pace as well as negotiators were working towards a common desk 4. ‘Climate action makes social bilities celebrated their wedding during a over 150 world leaders gathered for climate their ambitions. goal,” he added as he implored the delegated and economic sense.’ ceremony held at Milad Tower in Tehran on Monday, Tasnim action that “we are in deep trouble” and asked “Even as we witness devastating climate to maintain the same spirit of urgent collab- “All too often, climate action is seen as a news agency reported. decision-makers to focus on four key things: impacts causing havoc across the world, oration to “ensure that the bonds of trust burden,” said the UN secretary-General, as The ceremony called Mehraneh (literally meaning kindness) was stepping up climate action, according to a we are still not doing enough, nor moving established in Paris will endure.” he explained that “decisive climate action held concurrent with the International Day of Disabled Persons. solid plan, with more funding, as a smart fast enough, to prevent irreversible and 3. Adequate funding of climate today is our chance to right our ship and set investment in the future of the planet. catastrophic climate disruption,” he stated. action will be ‘central’ a course for a better future for all”. The two-week 24th conference in Ka- “Last year I visited Barbuda and Domi- “We need concerted resource mobiliza- The UN chief commended cities, regions, towice, Poland, of the parties to the UN nica, which were devastated by hurricanes. tion and investment to successfully combat civil society and the business community Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC), The destruction and suffering I saw was climate change,” the Secretary-General told around the world for moving ahead. “What technically started on Sunday, but Monday heart-breaking,” he explained, noting that the delegates attending the COP24 grand we need is political more will and more saw the high-level grand opening. It marks “these emergencies are preventable”. opening, noting that three quarters of the far-sighted leadership. This is the chal- the deadline for the 197 parties that signed He called on the international community infrastructure needed by 2050 for climate lenge on which this generation’s leaders the Convention, to adopt guidelines for to work to ensure that emissions must decline action still remains to be built. will be judged. the implementation of the historic 2015 by 45 per cent from 2010 levels by 2030 and He insisted on the need to focus efforts According to the recent New Climate Paris Agreement. be net zero by 2050, and that renewable en- on five key economic areas: energy, cities, Economy report, “ambitious climate action In the French capital, three years ago, ergy will need to supply half to two-thirds of land use, water and industry. could yield 65 million jobs and a direct countries collectively agreed to keep glob- the world’s primary energy by 2050 with a “Governments and investors need to bet economic gain of $26 trillion US dollars al temperature rises to no more than 2°C corresponding reduction in fossil fuels. on the green economy, not the grey,” he compared to business as usual over the above pre-industrial levels, and if possible, to “If we fail, the Arctic and Antarctic will explained, stressing the need to embrace next 12 years”. limit the rise to 1.5°C. Now, in Poland, they continue to melt, corals will bleach and then carbon pricing (i.e. charging emitters of The UN chief stressed the need to ensure Annually observed on December 3, the International Day have to agree on how they will achieve this die, the oceans will rise, more people will die CO2 for their emissions), eliminate harmful that this economic transformation is led of Disabled Persons was held this year under the theme of collectively. “We cannot fail in Katowice,” from air pollution, water scarcity will plague fossil fuel subsidies, and invest in clean with a commitment to gender equality, empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusive- said UN chief Guterres. a significant proportion of humanity, and the technologies. and the inclusion of youth. ness and equality. Kicking off the event, along with several cost of disasters will skyrocket”, he warned “It also means providing a fair transition “We must start today building the tomor- Anoushirvan Mohseni Bandpey, head of Welfare Organization, other high-level representatives, he high- the delegates ahead of their negotiations:. for those workers in traditional sectors that row we want,” the Secretary-General said. Ali Hemmat Mahmoudnejad, director of the Iranian associa- lighted four key messages for the thousands 2. Implementation guidelines are face disruption, including through retraining ‘Audacity’ and ‘five times more ambition’ tion for rights of persons with disabilities, and some officials of representatives of the world’s nations, essential to build trust among nations and social safety nets,” he noted, adding that needed. and representatives of Municipality of Tehran and the Welfare non-profit organizations, UN agencies, Stating that “we have no time for limit- “we also have a collective responsibility to Echoing the UN Secretary-General’s Organization also participated in the event. and private sector companies gathered less negotiations”, the Secretary-General assist the most vulnerable communities and remarks, the Prime Minister of Fiji, Frank in Katowice. insisted on the need to operationalise the countries – such as small island nations and Bainimarama, who presided over COP23 1. ‘We need more action and Paris Agreement, and reminded Member the least developed countries – by supporting called on the world to deliver “five times LEARN ENGLISH more ambition’ States that 2018 is the deadline that they adaptation and resilience.” more ambition, five times more action” The Secretary-General started by noting set for themselves to finalise the guidelines In 2015, a total of 18 high-income na- and avoid “becoming the generation that Urban Legends that climate change is already “a matter of for implementation. tions committed to providing US$100 billion betrayed humanity.” life and death” for many people, nations “We need a unifying implementation vi- dollars a year, by 2020, to lower-income The President of the UN General Assem- A: Have you read all these crazy things that are going on and countries of the world, and that the sion that sets out clear rules, inspires action nations to support their climate action. Mr. bly, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, called for around the world? science is telling us we need to move faster. and promotes raised ambition, based on the Guterres urged developed nations to deliver “audacity” in climate action and noted that B: What do you mean? Citing various alarming UN reports – in- principle of equity and common but dif- on this commitment. multilateralism is the only way to reverse A: I was reading about how some people get tricked or cluding one on rising global CO2 emissions ferentiated responsibilities and respective He also urged Member States “to swiftly the negative effects of global warming. drugged in their hotel rooms and have their organs removed! and another one on increasing greenhouse capabilities, in light of different national implement the replenishment of the Green (Source: UNIC) Then they are sold on the black market. B: Don’t tell me you actually believe all that? Don’t be so gullible, they are just urban legends. They are just stories people make up to scare you. ENGLISH IN USE A: Well, I was also reading about how some popular songs have subliminal or even satanic messages if you play LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION them backwards! Can you believe that? B: You really think an artist or songwriter is going to go through the trouble of putting subliminal or satanic messages کنترل 80 درصد ریزگردهای نمکی دریاچه ارومیه in a song? Don’t be so naive! ‘Salt particles raising from Lake A: Well maybe you are right, but how about the story of Urmia contained by 80%’ مدیــر دفتــر اســتانی ســتاد احیــای دریاچــه ارومیــه در آذربایجــان غربــی گفــت: how KFC has rows of headless chickens which are super grown in order to get bigger chickens faster! Salt particles raising from the catchment basin of Lake Urmia has been contained نزدیــک بــه 80 درصــد از ریزگردهــای نمکــی حوضــه آبریــز دریاچــه ارومیــه کنتــرل ?B: Sounds a bit too farfetched to be true don’t you think شــده اســت. Key vocabulary by nearly 80 percent, Farhad Sarkhosh, head of the provincial department black market: any system in which goods are sold and for the Lake Urmia restoration program at West Azarbaijan has said. فرهــاد ســرخوش در گف توگــو بــا خبرنــگار ایســنا افــزود: خــارج از بســتر دریاچــه bought illegally gullible: easily believing something that is not true In cooperation with the Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization, ارومیــه و در حوضــه آبریــز بــا همــکاری منابــع طبیعــی و کاشــت نهــال و در ختچههــا urban legend: stories that are exaggerated or not true some saplings and shrubs have been planted in the catchment basin of Lake ریزگردهــای نمکــی کنتــرل م یشــود کــه در ایــن راســتا 60 میلیــارد تومــان هزینــه make up: invent Urmia to slow down the wind giving rise to salt particles since past three subliminal: something that persuades in a sub conscious way شــده اســت. .satanic: relating to Satan or the devil years, which cost 600 billion rials (nearly $14 million), Sarkhosh said naive: having or showing a lack of experience, judgment farfetched: improbable; not naturally pertinent Supplementary vocabulary PREFIX/SUFFIX PHRASAL VERB IDIOM Myth: an untrue story boogie man: a fictional being that scares children “-ess” Line up Close shave cynical: a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions Meaning: woman or girl Meaning: to stand in a row or line, or you make Explanation: a situation where an accident or a dis- grounded: quality of not letting emotions or impulses For example: Cases of lionesses showing maternal people do this aster nearly happened get the best of you affection for animals they would normally see as prey For example: He lined us all up in the corridor. For example: I almost hit the child who ran out in realist: a person who tends to view or represent things are not unprecedented. front of my car. It was a close shave. as they really are. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 5, 2018 WORLD IN FOCUS 13

Mogherini: EU fears ‘rule of jungle’ Saudi crown prince snubbed in Algeria, delays Jordan may win over rule of law visit amid Khashoggi crisis 1 I know that many people here in tinues to be very close on most files. No America, including in Washington D.C., other world powers are as close as we are. The House of Saud regime’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman understand this perfectly well: that our secu- Close your eyes for a moment and think of (MBS) has reportedly postponed a planned visit to Jordan after rity is tied; that our destinies are connected it. Europe is immensely closer to the United getting the cold shoulder in Algeria, where President Abdelaziz more closely than we often admit. States. No one can have any doubt about Bouteflika scrapped a meeting with him, citing flu. So, I don’t want to underplay the breadth it. Think of China, Russia, others. We need Bin Salman, who has been struggling over the past weeks and the depth of our disagreements with not even ask the question. to distance himself from a scandal over the gruesome mur- the current U.S. administration: they’re This is only natural. The European Un- der of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, arrived there and they’re self-evident. Sometimes ion is America’s largest trading partner, is in Algeria late on Sunday for a two-day visit following a stop they are so self-evident that they hide all the largest foreign investor in the American in Mauritania. the rest and this is a shame. economy, and, beyond that, there is much The trip is part of a tour of Arab states that the Saudi regime But it is true that on Iran or on Jerusalem more that unites us than divides us. But the crown prince has resumed after attending the G20 summit in we believe that this administration has taken economy is a good basis to start on. Argentina on the weekend. He traveled to the United Arab Emirates decisions that run counter to our collective For 70 years we’ve been proud to be one (UAE), Bahrain, Egypt and Tunisia before the event. interest and to our collective security: our transatlantic community. We’ve been part Bin Salman’s visits have been overshadowed by Khashoggi’s European one but also the US’ interest and of the same history and the same destiny. assassination inside Riyadh’s Istanbul consulate in early Octo- security. And I know that these are issues for We have shared the same aspiration to ber – which is believed to have been ordered by the powerful debate inside the United States as is normal. those four freedoms that Franklin Roo- prince – as well as the bloody war he has been leading against We continue to believe that a great country sevelt described in the darkest moments Yemen since early 2015. like America should not see international rules of World War Two: freedom of speech; On Monday, the Algerian presidency said in a statement that and multilateral structures as a constraint or freedom of religion; freedom from fear; Bouteflika had been unable to receive the visiting Saudi crown even as an obstacle to remove. Multilateralism and freedom from want. prince due to “acute flu.” for us is a guarantee for global peace and we have to advance our national interests, Yet beyond these disagreements, our (Source: European External Action Bin Salman wished the Algerian president a speedy recov- security, and as such it is the best tool that including, I believe, American interests. cooperation with the United States con- Service) ery, according to the statement carried by Algeria’s official APS news agency. Algeria PM under fire for welcoming MBS Israeli forces kill a Palestinian in Tulkarem raid Meanwhile, Algeria’s largest Islamic party, the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), criticized Prime Minister Ahmed Pope meets Abbas, voices concern over al-Quds status Ouyahia for welcoming bin Salman, saying, “Those who roll out the red carpet for bin Salman do not care about Algeria.” By staff & agencies Palestinians in the Gaza Strip launched impoverished enclave. Pope meets Abbas, voices con- MSP head Abderrazak Makri also accused Algerian politicians Israeli forces have killed a young Palestinian a new flotilla on Monday for the 18th week The remaining six Palestinian succumbed cern over al-Quds status of being corrupted by Saudi money. man during a predawn raid in Tulkarem in a row in an attempt to draw attention to their wounds received during protest Separately, in a meeting with visiting “Our rulers have destroyed the country’s economy and in the occupied West Bank. to their plight under more than a decade rallies along a border fence, which sepa- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, then bin Salman drowned them in their financial crisis by Mohammed Hossam Abdel Latif Habali, of siege, but they were met with live fire rates Gaza from the occupied territories, Pope Francis has expressed his concern reducing oil prices in response to [U.S. President Donald] 22, was shot in the head and lower limbs from Israel. where most of the injuries were sustained about the status of al-Quds (Jerusalem), Trump’s orders,” he said. with live ammunition early on Tuesday, the Gaza has been under Israeli siege since either from live ammunition or tear-gas months after the United States recognized “They lost the Algerian dignity and manhood, so they ac- Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. June 2007, which has caused a sharp de- inhalation, it added. the occupied Palestinian city as Israel’s cepted to be bribed by the killer of Yemeni children with his He was rushed to Thabet Thabet Hospital cline in living standards. The report went on to say that three “capital” in defiance of widespread inter- ill-earned dollars through the robbing of the resources of the in Tulkarem, where he was pronounced dead. Dozens of demonstrators were injured more Palestinians were shot dead by national criticism. Arabian Peninsula after the imprisonment and killing of its Wafa reported that Israeli forces raided by live ammunition and tear gas inhalation Israeli troops during alleged stabbing The two met at the Vatican’s Apostolic free citizens,” the politician added. a number of Palestinian homes in several as Israeli troops attacked the boats and or car-ramming attacks against Israeli Palace on Monday, with Abbas briefing the Additionally, Louisa Hanoune, head of Algeria’s op- neighborhoods and that a crowd gathered hundreds of peaceful protesters who had soldiers in the West Bank. Holy See on “the implications of the U.S. position Workers’ Party, described bin Salman’s trip as a in the area. Local sources said Israeli forces gathered on the coast to see off the flotilla. The report continued that Israeli army decision” last year, the Palestinian news “provocation.” fired live bullets, rubber-coated steel bullets The flotilla of boats is launched as part nabbed more than 260 Palestinians last agency WAFA reported. Opposition newspaper Liberte further published a cartoon and tear gas. of the anti-occupation protests dubbed month, mostly minors, adding that Ad- Washington’s move shocked the inter- showing a ghost telling the Saudi crown prince, “This is Boutef- An Israeli military spokesperson said “The Great March of Return,” which be- nan Ghaith, the Palestinian governor of national community, flying in the face of the lika”. The anxious prince then responds, “You frightened me. I that while troops were operating there, “a gan on March 30. Palestinian protesters al-Quds (Jerusalem), and many activists Palestinians’ demand that the city’s eastern had thought this was Khashoggi.” violent riot was instigated in which dozens are demanding the right to return for those of the Palestinian Fatah movement had part serve as the capital of their future state. Jordan visit delayed amid criticisms of Palestinians hurled rocks”. driven out of their homeland as a result of been among those abducted. The Palestinian Authority, in return, In another development on Monday, sources told the Al “Troops responded with riot disper- Israeli wars, occupation and other forms Elsewhere in the report, the Internation- stopped recognizing any mediating role Jazeera media network that bin Salman’s visit to Jordan had sal means and later on with live fire,” the of aggression. al Relations Department in the PLO said by Washington, which not only remained been postponed by at least two days, without elaborating on spokesperson said. “Our peaceful rallies began on March 30 that Israeli authorities had also demolished defiant, but also relocated the U.S. Embassy the reason behind the delay. Another young Palestinian man was to draw the world’s attention to the plight dozens of Palestinian buildings, including from Tel Aviv to al-Quds. The crown prince was initially scheduled to arrive in Amman reportedly injured by Israeli fire. of the Palestinian people, who continue to 16 shops and a four-story building with 12 The city hosts al-Aqsa Mosque’s com- on Monday. According to a Palestinian NGO suffer due to Israel’s inhumane and illegal apartments in Shufat refugee camp in East pound, Islam’s holiest site, and is also of Meanwhile, a broad spectrum of Jordanian activists, (non-governmental organizations), Is- practices. Lifting the siege will be the first al-Quds (Jerusalem). religious significance to Christians and Jews. political parties and journalists formed a group against the raeli forces rounded up 24 Palestinians step in achieving our goals,” flotilla spokes- It added that Israeli authorities also During the meeting, “particular attention Saudi crown prince’s visit to the kingdom. in overnight raids carried out on Tuesday man Mahmoud Masoud told Press TV. demolished several other buildings was reserved for the status of Jerusalem, Murad Adaileh, secretary general of the Islamic Work across the occupied West Bank. Late in November, Doctors Without Bor- and Palestinian-owned structures in underlining the importance of recognizing Front, Jordan’s largest political party, said that bin Salman’s In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoners ders (MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières) said different neighborhoods of East al-Quds and preserving its identity and the universal trip comes at a time when “the investigation of the death of Society said 10 people were arrested in raids around 1,000 Palestinians shot by Israeli (Jerusalem) as well as in Area C of the value of the holy City for the three Abrahamic Khashoggi is not over, and there are specific accusations that in the cities of Beit Lahm (Bethlehem) and forces during the anti-occupation protests West Bank. religions,” a Vatican statement said, referring Prince Mohammed is involved in it.” al-Khalil (Hebron) in the southern West Bank. had infections that could leave them per- Furthermore, Israeli settlers uprooted and to Islam, Christianity and Judaism. (Source: agencies) Nine more Palestinians, including two manently crippled. cut down a number of trees in the West Bank, Last year, the Vatican reacted to the U.S. children, were detained in the cities of Nablus The international medical charity also mainly olive ones, which are a main source President Donald Trump’s contentious pol- and Tubas and another five were arrested warned that a “slow-motion healthcare emer- of livelihood for Palestinians, in November. icy shift on al-Quds (Jerusalem), saying in the city of Ramallah and the town of gency was unfolding in Gaza” as hospitals The Israeli military also ordered Pales- the city’s “status quo” had to be respected. Over 150 women, girls raped Hizma, northeast of Jerusalem. — already under-equipped due to the Israeli tinian farmers to uproot at least 260 olive Abbas also told Pope Francis, “We The Israeli army frequently carries out siege — were being overwhelmed by the trees in the village of Bardala, in the northern pray for peace this Christmas season and in South Sudan: UN agencies wide-ranging arrest campaigns across the “huge numbers of patients with complex Jordan Valley, and seized 500 palm trees we trust you,” Turkey’s Anadolu news occupied West Bank on the pretext of search- and serious gunshot wounds.” in Ariha (Jericho). agency reported. Three United Nations (UN) agencies say at least 150 women and ing for “wanted” Palestinians. Israel increased airstrikes, ab- Palestinian farmers, fisher- He also paid a visit to the Italian capital, girls have been raped in attacks by armed men — many in military According to Palestinian statistics, ductions, demolitions in November: men demand end to Israeli siege Rome, where he held talks with President uniforms — in South Sudan over the past 12 days. more than 6,500 Palestinians continue PLO report on Gaza Strip Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Gi- The women and girls were violently raped in the northern city to languish in Israeli detention facilities, There has been an escalation of Israel’s Elsewhere, hundreds of Palestinian pro- useppe Conte over the latest developments of Bentiu, according to a joint statement on Monday by head of the including six parliament members, 52 aerial aggression against the besieged Gaza testers have staged a rally in the besieged in the region as well as ways to bolster bi- UN’s children agency, or UNICEF (United Nations International women and 270 minors. Strip, Israeli soldiers’ attacks against Pal- Gaza Strip, calling for an end to a decade-long lateral ties. Children’s Emergency Fund), Henrietta Fore; UN humanitarian The Palestinian Authority (PA), which estinians across the occupied territories, Israeli siege on the coastal enclave. U.S. ‘obstacle to Mideast peace’ chief Mark Lowcock; and the director of the UN Population Fund, has limited autonomy in parts of the West demolitions of Palestinians’ properties The protest was organized by local groups Abbas, meanwhile, stressed in remarks Natalia Kanem. Bank, says such raids are a breach of agree- in the West Bank, and abductions, a PLO of Palestinian farmers and fishermen in to Italian daily La Stampa that the U.S. They said, however, that the ments Israel has signed up to under the report says. Gaza outside the premises of the Palestinian efforts do not contribute to peace in the actual number of victims was Oslo II Accord. According to a report by the International Legislative Council on Monday. Middle East. far higher because the violence Tulkarem is located in Area A, under Relations Department in the Palestinian The coordinator of the Agricultural and “The U.S. cannot be the only mediator was severely underreported. full civil and security control by the Pal- Liberation Organization (PLO), cited by the Fishermen Committees, Saad Ziyadeh, told in the Middle East,” he asserted. The statement condemned estinian Authority. Palestinian Ma’an news agency on Monday, the Palestinian Ma’an News Agency that the Washington under Trump has also been the “abhorrent attacks” and During the month of November, Israeli a total of 24 Palestinians were killed and 232 protest aimed to call on the international planning to roll out a so-called “peace” plan called on South Sudanese forces killed 24 Palestinians (21 in Gaza and others sustained wounds during attacks by community to end the state of silence to- for the Middle East, hailing it as “the deal authorities to ensure that three in the West Bank). They also arrested Israeli troops in the month of November. wards Palestinian rights and to hold the of the century.” the perpetrators face justice. 260 Palestinians, including children, and The report added that of the 21 Pales- Israeli regime accountable for the atrocities The plan, however, reportedly ignores Doctors without Borders issued 33 deportation orders against Pal- tinians lost their lives in the blockaded it commits against Gazans. key Palestinian demands, including their (MSF/Médecins Sans Fron- estinian officials in al-Quds (Jerusalem). sliver and the rest had been killed in the Ziyadeh stressed that the Israeli siege had claim to al-Quds. tières) said in a report last week Israeli forces attack new free- occupied West Bank. led to humanitarian consequences in Gaza, “A state which constantly imposes pu- that 125 women and girls had dom flotilla in Gaza, dozens injured It further said that the Israeli troopers including extreme poverty, unemployment, nitive sanctions against Palestine cannot been raped while walking to Meantime, Israeli forces have opened shot dead seven Palestinians during a food insecurity and hunger. be a mediator. US leadership is an obstacle emergency food distribution fire on a new flotilla attempting to break the military attack in Khan Younis, in south- According to international estimates, in the Middle East,” Abbas added. centers set up by international aid agencies. Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip and people ern Gaza, while another eight lost their 80 percent of Palestinians in the coastal The U.S. has also ended its contributions It said many of the victims had also been “whipped, beaten or rallying in its support, leaving dozens of lives during three-day-long airstrikes enclave depend on international aid and to UNRWA, the United Nations agency for clubbed with sticks and rifle butts” and robbed of their clothes, them wounded, Press TV reports. conducted by Israeli fighter jets in the 40 percent are under poverty line. Palestinian refugees. shoes, money, and the ration cards entitling them to food aid. “In more than three years of working in South Sudan, I have never seen such a dramatic increase in survivors of sexual violence Israel launches operation near Lebanese border against ‘Hezbollah tunnels’ arriving at our programs looking for medical care,” said Ruth 1 Lebanese online news portal Tayyar reported that struction vehicles near the Lebanese frontier around retake the occupied regions from Tel Aviv and thwart two Okello, an MSF midwife in South Sudan. the Israeli army was excavating areas opposite the Lebanese midnight on Monday. Israeli acts of aggression in 2000 and 2006. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who described the villages of Kfarkela and Adaisseh on the southern border. Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said The movement has also been playing a significant role attacks as “horrific,” urged all parties in South Sudan “to ensure Conricus, however, said the tunnels “are not yet the Lebanese government was responsible for the build- in the Syrian army’s fight against Takfiri terrorist groups, the safety of civilians and address impunity for these crimes operationally ready” and therefore did not pose an up of the tunnels. including the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ through investigation and prosecution of perpetrators.” “immediate threat.” Lebanese media also said forces with the United Nations Daesh) and al-Nusra Front (Jabhat al-Nusra), thus pre- “These horrific acts are a distressing reminder of how, despite He claimed that Hezbollah has been developing an peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL (United Nations venting the spillover of the war into Lebanon. recent recommitments by South Sudan’s leaders to a cessation of offensive plan that would “shift the battleground into Israel.” Interim Force in Lebanon), monitored the Israeli opera- Hezbollah is also a powerful political party in Lebanon. hostilities and a revitalized peace agreement, the security situation Hezbollah would use firepower and ground units and tions, and that the Lebanese army did routine patrols in The movement and its allies currently hold over half of for civilians remains dire, especially for women and children,” “the surprise component of that plan was supposed to be the surrounding towns. parliamentary seats in the country. he said in a statement. tunnels that would allow infiltrators into Israel,” he claimed. In a statement on Tuesday carried by the state-run Since the end of the 2006 war, Israeli forces have South Sudan, the youngest country in Africa, plunged into According to unnamed Israeli officials, the operation National News Agency, a UNIFIL official said the sit- regularly violated Lebanon’s sovereignty, with the re- civil war two years after it gained independence from Sudan in would likely “take weeks.” uation in the area was calm. gime’s officials threatening another military offensive July 2011. The brutal conflict has left nearly 400,000 people dead Separately, last night, the Israeli prime minister trav- The resistance movement Hezbollah was formed fol- against the country. and millions of others displaced, a report said earlier this year. elled to Brussels unexpectedly to talk to the United States lowing the Israeli regime’s invasion of Lebanon and the Hezbollah has repeatedly warned Tel Aviv against A UN panel of experts warned in a report last month that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, briefing him on the op- ensuing occupation of its southern parts in the 1980s, and launching a new war, vowing a crushing response to there were “alarming levels” of sexual violence and human rights eration that started on Tuesday morning. currently constitutes Lebanon’s de facto military power. any such attempt. abuses in the country. The Israeli army reportedly deployed tanks and con- Since then, the movement has helped the national army (Source: agencies) (Source: Press TV) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 14 WORLD SPORTS DECEMBER 5, 2018

Revitalized Arsenal expect Modric wins 2018 Ballon d’Or, tough United test says Emery Arsenal produced their best display yet under Unai Emery in their breaks Messi-Ronaldo dominance weekend Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur but the Spaniard said they would have to prove their mettle again Real Madrid’s Croatia midfielder Luka Modric a poll by newspaper Marca. in Wednesday’s trip to Manchester United. was named winner of the 2018 Ballon d’Or But the diminutive playmaker began to Arsenal beat Spurs 4-2 at home to leapfrog their north Lon- on Monday, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s demonstrate the quality he had shown at don rivals into fourth spot on goal difference with 30 points but and Lionel Messi’s decade-long hold on the Spurs when Jose Mourinho deployed him Emery believes improving his team’s away performance is vital prestigious award. in a deep lying role in Real’s midfield rather if they are to continue their good form. Juventus forward and 2017 winner Ron- than the attacking role he had been given at “If we’re stronger now, we need to (show it) on Wednesday... aldo came second, while Atletico Madrid and the start of that campaign. It’s a new match, a new challenge, a big challenge. It’s away and France striker Antoine Griezmann came third. Modric said the positional change, which we need to continue improving our mentality away,” Emery told Paris St Germain’s France forward Kylian was first suggested to him by Harry Redknapp a news conference. Mbappe, who also collected the Kopa award at Tottenham, transformed his form. “We know we need to change to get more competitive away. for the best under-21 player, was fourth, with “The change of position helped me a lot I think the team is doing that, but it’s Manchester United away, Barca forward Messi finishing fifth. in my career. I used to play more offensively. and the challenge is bigger than other matches. Olympique Lyonnais’ Norway striker Ada When I dropped back, I was able to read “It’s a very exciting match. The preparation for this match Hegerberg won the inaugural Ballon d’Or for the game better and show my creativity,” is also a big motivation for us. It gives me a big motivation for women’s football, having led her side to the added Modric. Wednesday.” Women’s Champions League title, scoring in He is the first Croatian to win the Ballon Jose Mourinho’s United side are struggling down in seventh extra time in the 4-1 win over Vfl Wolfsburg d’Or and also picked up FIFA’s ‘The Best’ place with 22 points after 14 games. in the final. award in October. Arsenal’s wi over Tottenham extended their unbeaten run in Modric, 33, helped Real Madrid win a The Ballon d’or, voted for by journalists all competitions to 19 games and the fans have started to believe third successive Champions League title and organised by French magazine France the club can win their first league crown since they lifted the title in May and also captained Croatia to their Football, has been dominated by Barcelo- in the 2003-04 season under Arsene Wenger. first World Cup final, being named player na’s Messi and Ronaldo, first when he was at “I want to think about the possibility, maybe not this year, of of the tournament despite his side losing Manchester United and subsequently with a title with Arsenal,” Emery added. 4-2 to France. Real Madrid, since 2008. “The Premier League is the first competition for us but the “It’s a unique feeling. I’m happy proud and The last player to lift the award apart Europa League is exciting and we also have the Carabao (League honoured, I have a lot of emotions right now, from the Argentine and Portuguese, who and FA Cups. It’s about progress, improving and our demands.” it’s hard to describe in words,” said Modric, have won it a joint-record five times each, (Source: Reuters) wearing a tuxedo as he collected the award was Kaka in 2007 when the Brazilian played from presenter and former France forward for AC Milan. David Ginola after a glamorous ceremony The Ballon d’Or was first presented in 1956 at the Grand Palais in Paris. players to win the Ballon d’Or throughout Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 for a reported and partnered with soccer’s world governing Samsung extends Olympics “It’s a big pleasure to be here among all history.” 40 million euros ($45.40 million), was crit- body FIFA as ‘The Best’ award from 2010 to these players. I am still trying to realise that DIFFICULT START icised in his debut season at the Bernabeu 2015, until becoming its own entity again. sponsorship to 2028 - IOC I have become part of a group of exceptional Modric, who joined Real Madrid from and named the worst signing of the year in (Source: Reuters)

South Korea’s Samsung has extended its sponsorship contract with the International Olympic Committee by eight years and Inter captain Icardi wins Serie A Kobe Bryant: Lakers Nation will soon will remain a top sponsor until the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the world governing body said on Tuesday. footballer of year award be ‘laughing at Warriors fans’ Samsung, who first signed up as a top sponsor with the IOC in 1998 and was a local sponsor at the 1988 Seoul Olympics as well, will support all Games up until and including the Los Angeles summer Olympics. “I am delighted that we will be building on two decades of partnership with Samsung for another 10 years,” said IOC President Thomas Bach at the signing ceremony in Seoul. “Together, we are able to connect with and inspire Olympic athletes and fans around the world, and we look forward to working with Samsung to build the digital future of the Olympic Games.” Samsung is one of 14 top sponsors of the Olympics that also includes Coca-Cola, Intel and Panasonic. Many of them have signed on till 2028 or beyond. In Septem- ber, German insurer Allianz became the latest addition to the group, signing up to 2028. No financial details of the deal were released but media reports have said the IOC has been seeking around $50 million per year for similar deals. The 2022 winter Olympics will be held in Beijing, while the 2024 summer Games will be staged in Paris. The hosts of the 2026 winter Games will be announced next year. (Source: France24)

Banana-throwing Spurs fan Inter Milan’s Argentina striker Mauro many marvellous players and tonight I see Kobe Bryant says the growing pains LeB- doing what he needs to do to keep the Icardi won the Serie A Footballer of the the maestro Andrea Pirlo too.” ron James and the Lakers have endured team’s head above water,” Bryant told will not face racism charge Year award at the Gran Gala del Calcio Allegri’s side are on track for an eighth for much of this season are a necessary Lakers play-by-play announcer Bill Mac- ceremony in Milan on Monday night. straight Serie A title, with Allegri hailing evil but that they will square things away Donald at the “All-Access” event. The Tottenham Hotspur fan who threw a banana skin onto the The 25-year-old becomes the first player the impact of five-time Ballon d’Or winner soon enough. “So, it’s a balancing act. They were pitch at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick outside Juventus to win the Italian Play- Cristiano Ronaldo who arrived last summer. Bryant, speaking at the Lakers’ annual struggling, Bron got the ball, took con- Aubameyang celebrated scoring a penalty in front of Tottenham ers’ Association award, voted for by his “Ronaldo has brought professionalism, “All-Access” event at Staples Center on trol, decided to start playing point, doing fans will not be charged with a racist offence. peers, since Zlatan Ibrahimovic with AC competitiveness and is a humble guy,” said Monday, said they have “a determination everything, doing everything. Averof Panteli -- a 57-year-old grandfather -- will face a charge Milan in 2011. Allegri. Portuguese star Ronaldo finished to figure it out.” “That’s not the recipe for winning of throwing a missile after police judged it not to be a racially Icardi was joint top scorer with Lazio’s runner-up to Croatia’s Luka Modric in this “They will figure it out,” Bryant said. championships by no means, but it is a aggravated offence. Ciro Immobile in Serie A last season with 29 year’s Ballon d’Or prize which was awarded “They have talented pieces and (Lakers recipe to keep your head above water, to Panteli -- who says he will plead guilty to the charge when he is goals. The Argentine also won the best goal in Paris on Monday. general manager Rob Pelinka) has put them give yourself a little breathing room and in court on December 18 -- has also been informed by Tottenham award for his spectacular backheel during Fiorentina’s Italian international de- in position with incredible flexibility. They now it’s going back to teaching how to play he will be banned from their games for life. a four-goal haul against Sampdoria last fender Alia Guagni won the Serie A women’s will figure it out. the way that we want to play.” “The police were happy to say it was not racism,” he told The Sun. March. Icardi disagreed with the choice, Player of the Year award. So, enjoy the journey because we’ll be L.A. started the season 2-5, prompt- “I phoned Tottenham to apologise and they said they would insisting his “one (goal) at AC Milan was Roma legend Francesco Totti and former champions before you know it, and then ing Lakers team president of basketball be getting in touch with me to ban me for life.” more beautiful”. AC Milan and Juventus great Pirlo both we’ll just be laughing at all the Warrior operations Magic Johnson to dress down Panteli, who says his only previous brush with the authorities Juventus were voted top team with Mas- received Lifetime Achievement Awards. fans who all of the sudden came out of coach Luke Walton in an intense closed- was when he ran onto the Spurs pitch aged 14 and was ejected similiano Allegri winning coach of the year Meanwhile, Gianluca Rocchi won the nowhere.” door meeting. from the stadium, said he had been irked by Aubameyang cele- after the Turin side won a league and Cup award for the best referee 24 hours after Bryant said James’ approach to his Since then, the Lakers have stabilized brating in front of the Tottenham fans. double for the fourth consecutive year. being whistled off the pitch at the Stadio maiden voyage with the Lakers is not and steadily climbed the standings, rank- The Gabonese star’s spot-kick gave Arsenal an early lead and “It’s a group of great men, with a great Olimpico over his decision not to award conducive to long-term success but that ing No. 5 in the Western Conference with the Gunners eventually ran out 4-2 winners. club behind us,” said Allegri, who has won Roma a penalty in a 2-2 draw against Inter it was needed at this stage in the team’s a record of 14-9 heading into Wednesday’s “I am not racist whatsoever,” said Panteli. the award four times. Milan. development. game against the San Antonio Spurs. “I am actually a Greek Cypriot. I am 100 percent not a racist. “I’m fortunate to have worked with so (Source: AFP) “It’s a test of Bron’s patience and also (Source: ESPN) I swear on my kids’ lives that I am not that kind of guy. “The Arsenal player was gloating in front of the away fans. He came up towards the away fans about 10 metres away and he is basically nodding his head and clapping at us. River coach says fans ‘robbed’ by Libertadores switch “Without thinking, I picked up this banana skin from the ground and threw it on the edge of the pitch. River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo has accused the South long career. (Source: AFP) American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) of “robbing “After all that’s happened, what we’ve gone through and the fans” with its decision to move the Copa Libertadores had to chew over, it’s not easy,” he said. “They have damaged final to Madrid. our spirit but that makes us stronger. This may be one of River drew 2-2 with arch-rivals Boca Juniors in the first the hardest moments.” Spanish star Azpilicueta signs leg on Nov. 11 but the return has been moved to Spain after Gallardo, who ignored a dressing room ban in the Boca players were injured when fans attacked their team semi-final against Gremio and was given another sus- new contract with Chelsea coach shortly before the match at River’s Monumental sta- pension for doing so, accused Boca of “taking advan- dium on Nov. 24. tage” of the situation to try and secure their seventh Spanish international Cesar Azpilicueta, one of the longest-serving “We have lost home advantage,” Gallardo told reporters Libertadores title. players at Chelsea, signed a new four-year contract on Tuesday on Sunday after his team beat Gimnasia La Plata 3-1 in the Boca have appealed against the decision to move which if he sees it out will take him to 10 years with the Premier Argentine league. the game and believe they should be awarded the League club. “As absurd as it may be, they made a decision. Some match. The 29-year-old defender -- who joined the Blues in 2012 from day we are going to rethink what happened and we will Their argument is based on a similar situation three French outfit Marseille and has won the Premier League title remember it as a total disgrace. years ago when Boca themselves were kicked out the twice as well as captained them this season in the league -- says “Our preparations have changed. We are going to play Libertadores after their fans attacked River players with his desire to fight for the club is stronger than ever. 10,000 kilometres away. The Copa Libertadores of America. pepper spray at halftime during the first leg of their last Azpilicueta, who is two appearances short of 300 for the club, They’ve robbed the fans.” 16 showdown. has been a pivotal player in the bright start to the Maurizio Sarri Each team will get 25,000 tickets for the game at the bravas and ensure that travelling fans would be kept apart Argentina president Mauricio Macri, a former reign which sees them lying in third spot, seven points off leaders Real madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Sunday but in Madrid. president of Boca Juniors, said he hoped the massive Manchester City. only 5,000 of them can be sold to fans inside Argentina, “We can’t stop the barra bravas from leaving the international focus on the scandal would force his “Delighted to be a blue until 2022,” the 25-times capped CONMEBOL said. country but we can stop them from getting into the compatriots to change. Spaniard said on his Twitter account. The decision is designed to prevent the infamous barra Bernabeu,” a security official told Reuters on condition “This should cause us all to reflect deeply on what “Since I arrived in 2012, my desire has been always to give my bravas, the often violent organised fan groups, from trav- of anonymity. happened,” he said. “International football authorities best and fight for this club, and now more than ever, I feel the elling to watch the game in Spain. GALLARDO INDIGNANT can’t tell us that we can’t finish a football match in our responsibility to bring more success to this family.” The Argentine government said on Monday it was working Gallardo was indignant at the situation and said the country again.” (Source: AP) closely with its Spanish counterparts to neuter the barra last 10 days was one of the most difficult periods of his (Source: Eurosport) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 5, 2018 SPORTS 15

IPL: Persepolis emerge Aitor Karanka’s treatment of Nottingham Forest victorious over Zob Ahan signing is harmful Karim Ansarifard was given another late cameo appearance by SPORTS TEHRAN — Persepolis earned their second 1-0 victory Aitor Karanka in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Ipswich Town. The deskin a row in Iran Professional League (IPL), edging past 28-year-old has amassed less than 10 minutes of playing time Zob Ahan in here at the Azadi Stadium. in the Championship since joining on a free transfer in October. Persepolis defender Shoja Khalilzadeh, who scored an injury time goal Against Ipswich, Ansarifard completed just one pass, took one on Thursday against Machinesazi last week, was on target once again. shot, won one aerial duel and made three touches. It’s a meagre He headed the ball into the goal from the corner kick in the 15th minute. contribution for a player who was at Olympiacos in August and In the second half, Persepolis could have scored more goals on the Karanka’s treatment of the Iranian international is harmful. counter-attack but the team’s strikers lacked the cutting edge. It’s common for new signings to be bedded in slowly, but the With three minutes remaining, Milad Fakhreddini was shown his Forest manager is hardly giving Ansarifard a chance to develop second yellow card. in the Championship. In four league appearances, the striker has Persepolis sit on third place with 27 points, two points behind IPL managed around eight minutes of football and has unsurprisingly leaders Sepahan and Padideh. failed to make a telling impact. “I would like to congratulate my boys, since they have earned 10 points The 28-year-old has played for the likes of Saipa (Iran), Perse- from four matches after the final match of the 2018 AFC Champions polis (Iran), Tractor Sazi (Iran), CA Osasuna (Spain), Panionios League,” Ivankovic said in the post-match news conference. (Greece) and Olympiacos (Greece), so he’s used to having to adapt The Persepolis coach also criticized the referee over his decisions. to new surroundings. Forest need to give Lewis Grabban a rest, “It’s very shameful, because the all decision went against us. In the with the forward having scored 14 goals in 16 Championship match against Machine Sazi, our goal wrongly ruled out for offside. starts. Karanka should give Ansarifard more minutes. In this match, our players were shown yellow cards while they did (Source: vitalfootball.com) anything wrong,” the Croat added. Ones to Watch: Akram Klopp fined by FA for Merseyside derby Iran lose to Japan at Asian Afif (Qatar) celebration Women’s Handball C’ship

TASNIM — Iran national women’s handball team lost to Japan at the 2018 Asian Women’s Handball Championship on Tuesday. Team Melli were defeated against Powerhouse Japan 31-8 at the Yamaga Gymnasium, in Yamaga, Japan. Iran had already lost to Kazakhstan (41-26) and Australia (29–24) in Group A. The Iranian woman football team will meet New Zealand. Group B consists of South Korea, China, India, Hong Kong and Singapore. The 2018 Asian Women’s Handball Championship is the 17th edition of the Asian Women’s Handball Championship, is being held from 30 November to 9 December 2018 in Kumamoto, Yamaga and Yatsushiro, Japan. The tournament is held under the aegis of Asian Handball Federation and will act as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2019 World Women’s Handball Championship.

Kuala Lumpur: After a breakthrough sea- 1-0 friendly win over Switzerland. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has vowed the immediate aftermath. son in which he helped Al Sadd reach the Style of play to not repeat his celebration in Sunday’s However, Silva told a news conference 2018 AFC Champions League semi-finals, Afif primarily operates in the whole Merseyside derby again after being fined on Tuesday that he does not feel Klopp’s Gucci, Taremi linked with Akram Afif is set to take on his first AFC behind the attack line, creating scoring £8,000 by the English Football Association. actions warranted punishment from the FA. Tractor Sazi Asian Cup next month. chances as well as carving ones for himself. Klopp reacted to Divock Origi’s stop- “If you ask me, I think he shouldn’t Despite being just 22, Akram Afif al- He has also frequently been used on the page-time winner against Everton at Anfield [be fined],” Silva said. “But the FA has to ready has playing experience in Belgium left flank where he cuts inside onto his by running to the center circle and cele- decide the rules. PLDC — Reza Ghoochannejhad “Gucci” and Mehdi Taremi and Spain, the Qatari midfielder will look right foot to attempt long range shots or brating with Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson. “Of course in that moment, the manager have been linked with move to Iran’s top-flight football team to cement his status as one of Asia’s top deliver in-swinging crosses. The FA said in a statement on Tuesday cannot think of fines or not. It’s a moment Tractor Sazi. talents during January’s AFC Asian Cup. Since joining Al Sadd, Afif has devel- that the Reds boss “admitted an FA im- to celebrate. I know the last two days every- The Tabriz-based football team has not won Iran Professional Nationality: Qatar oped a telepathic understanding with fellow proper conduct charge and accepted the body is talking about the situation. League so far and is determined to end title drought this season. Date of birth: 18/11/1996 attacking midfielder Hassan Al Haydos, standard penalty.” “But, for me, it’s not even a matter Gucci, 31, currently plays at Cypriot football team APOEL. Position: Midfield which sees the pair make up a core creative “I didn’t want to do it and I can say it because it’s normal in football. It’s really He represented Team Melli at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Current club: Al Sadd (Qatar) force for club and country. won’t happen again,” Klopp told a news important as well, even if sometimes you Cups and the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. Previous clubs: Eupen (Belgium), What to look for conference on Tuesday. “It was not on my get fined. It’s something important, this Gucci is the seventh highest all time goalscorer for Iran with Villarreal, Sporting Gijon (both Spain) In their final major tournament ahead of radar that it was still possible. passion of the game.” 17 international goals. International background hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar will “We make mistakes, but usually I learn Klopp will be in the dugout on Wednes- Taremi also plays in Al-Gharafa but the Qatari club’s officials Afif was already a star for Qatar at the look to better their best-ever AFC Asian Cup from it -- at least over a long period. It’s day as Liverpool travel to Burnley in the are reportedly unhappy with their Iranian international striker. youth level, taking the nation’s U-19 team performance, reaching the quarter-finals not a massive mistake. If there was no rule Premier League. Tractor Sazi general manager Alireza Asadi has confirmed all the way to the 2014 AFC U-19 Cham- in 2000 and 2011. Standing in their way against it, we as managers would constantly Sadio Mane and Andrew Robertson the negotiations with the two players. pionship final, where he scored one of his will be three-time winners Saudi Arabia celebrate on the pitch. are doubts for the trip to Turf Moor with Tractor Sazi Irish striker Anthony Stokes parted company tournament total of four goals to help them as well as DPR Korea and Lebanon. “I don’t think anybody thought it’s mas- injuries sustained in the Merseyside derby. with the team last week and Scottish forward Lee Harry Erwin clinch the trophy against DPR Korea. For Afif, this will be his first international sively wrong or whatever, not even the ref “Sadio and Robbo, we need to have an- returned to his country after feeling homesickness. His senior debut came a year later when tournament at the senior level, and with -- they were probably surprised themselves. other look at today,” Klopp said. “Sadio really coach Daniel Carreno called him up ahead his loan deal from Villarreal to Al Sadd There’s nothing to say actually. It’s a fine, had an awful cut on his foot. It needed to of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. A running out in June, he will look to impress I pay it. Let’s carry on.” be stitched. He is OK, but walking around lone goal in the 15-0 thrashing of Bhutan his parent club in the hope of booking a Klopp said he apologised to his coun- here now in flip-flops and you don’t play in Iranian chess grandmasters was enough to kickstart his international place in the Yellow Submarines’ squad for terpart Marco Silva at the final whistle on flip-flops. That means in this moment he to vie at Asian Championship career, as he would go onto score ten more the 2019-2020 La Liga season. Sunday, although that version of events is not ready, but we will see later. in 35 appearances, most recently in the (Source: AFC) was disputed by the Everton manager in (Source: ESPN) in Philippines

MNA — the 17th edition of Asian Continental Open and Wom- Korea Republic unveil roster for training camp in Ulsan en’s Championship 2018 will be held in the city of Makati, Seoul: Korea Republic’s football body on Tuesday un- FIFA World Cup in Russia due to a knee injury. Philippines from Dec. 9-19, with three Iranian chess players veiled the men’s national team squad that will par- The Ulsan training camp will be the last opportu- participating in the event. ticipate in a local training camp for the AFC Asian nity for East Asian league-based players to make their The chess grandmasters, Alireza Firouzja and Parham Cup UAE 2019. case for squad selection. Bento will announce his final Maghsoodloo, along with Mobina Ali Nasab will vie at the The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced roster for the AFC Asian Cup on December 20, three event for the Iranian team. a list of 23 players who will train in Ulsan to prepare days before departing for the UAE. Firouzja won the Iranian Chess Championship at age 12 and for UAE 2019, which is scheduled to kick off in the Korea Republic are vying for their first continental earned his grandmaster title at the age of 14. He is currently the No. 3 United Arab Emirates on January 5. title since 1960. The Taeguk Warriors are in Group C ranked Iranian player after Parham Maghsoodloo and Pouya Idani. The KFA said the players will assemble next Tuesday with China, Kyrgyz Republic and the Philippines at According to the latest FIDE (World Chess Federation) ratings, and train until December 20. Typically, the KFA calls the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. Maghsoodloo stands at the world’s 4th place with 2,688 points up national players two weeks ahead of the tourna- THE SQUAD in the juniors’ standard category. Firouzja (2607) stands in 12th ment, but it recently reached an agreement with the Goalkeepers (3): Kim Seung-gyu (Vissel Kobe, spot in the same category. K League, the operator of the country’s pro football Japan), Kim Jin-hyeon (Cerezo Osaka, Japan), Jo In the ranking of countries, which is measured by the average leagues, to allow local clubs to release their players Hyeon-woo (Daegu FC) rating of their top 10 players, Iran has moved one place up com- early for the national team. has not represented Korea Republic at any age level. Defenders (9): Kim Young-gwon (Guangzhou Ever- pared to last month with 2555 points, sitting in the 25th place. The roster doesn’t feature Europe or Central/West- Han Seung-gyu, 22, was voted the Young Player of grande, China), Kim Min-jae, Kim Jin-soo and Lee Yong Vahid Savabieh will the only Iranian referee officiating based players, due to their club schedules. However, the Year at the 2018 K League Awards on Monday. He (all Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Park Ji-soo (Gyeongnam in the event. the 23-man roster has three players from Japanese scored five goals and contributed seven assists in 31 FC), Kim Moon-hwan (Busan IPark), Hong Chul (Suwon clubs, including Gamba Osaka striker Hwang Ui-jo, matches and helped Ulsan finish third in the K League 1. Samsung Bluewings), Park Joo-ho (Ulsan Hyundai), and two players from the Chinese Super League. Jang Yun-ho, 22, is a back-up midfielder for reigning Kwon Kyung-won (Tianjin Quanjian, China) There were some surprises on the roster as head K League 1 champions Jeonbuk and helped Korea Re- Midfielders (6): Hwang In-beom (Daejeon Citi- Athletics: Budapest to host coach Paulo Bento included four new faces who re- public to win the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games zen), Ju Se-jong (Asan Mugunghwa), Lee Jin-hyun ceived their first senior national team call up. They are in Indonesia. (Pohang Steelers), Han Seung-gyu (Ulsan Hyundai), 2023 world championships Ulsan Hyundai FC midfielder Han Seung-gyu, Jeon- Cho Young-wook, 19, is a roving forward who played Kim Joon-hyung (Suwon Samsung Bluewings), Jang buk Hyundai Motors midfielder Jang Yun-ho, Suwon for Korea Republic at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup Yun-ho (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) MONACO (Reuters) — Budapest will host the 2023 athletics Samsung Bluewings midfielder Kim Joon-hyung and and the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship in China. Forwards (5): Moon Seon-min (Incheon Unit- world championships, the governing IAAF announced on Tuesday. FC Seoul forward Cho Young-wook. Another noteworthy national team member is ed), Kim Seung-dae (Pohang Steelers), Na Sang-ho The Hungarian capital is the first host city to be named under Among them, Kim Joon-hyung is considered the most Jeonbuk left-back Kim Jin-soo (pictured above), who (Gwangju FC), Cho Young-wook (FC Seoul), Hwang a new bidding process announced in February last year by the surprising pick. The 22-year-old defensive midfielder last played for Korea Republic in March. The former Ui-jo (Gamba Osaka, Japan) International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). played only five matches with his K League 1 club and Hoffenheim man, who has 34 caps, missed the 2018 (Source: Yonhap) IAAF president Sebastian Coe said after a meeting of the IAAF Council in Monaco that Hungary boasted both athletic tradition and experience in organizing world-class sports events. Wuxi to host 2021 Para taekwondo Worlds “It has been the scene of some of our greatest moments as a Wuxi, China, has been awarded the 2021 do our best for preparing those big events.” Lisa Gjessing won her fourth consecutive on home mat after winning the women’s sport. We are excited about their plans for a new stadium that World Para Taekwondo Championships. It The last Worlds were held 2017 in Great world title in the women’s under 58 kg over 58kg K44. will become a great legacy for athletics,” he said. will be the eighth Worlds, but the first to take Britain at the same venue that hosted taek- K44. Mongolia’s Enkhtuya Khurelbaatar The 2015 Championships took place in The new stadium will be built on the eastern bank of the place after the sport’s Paralympic debut at wondo during the London 2012 Olympics. continued a breakthrough year in the Samsun, Turkey, and saw 130 athletes from River Danube with a capacity of 40,000 for the championships, Tokyo 2020; the competition dates will be The 2017 Championships saw 260 athletes sport. She had upset the world No. 1 to win 38 countries compete. It was the first Worlds reduced to 15,000 for future events. announced later. from a record-breaking 59 countries fight the Asian title earlier that year, and then held after the International Paralympic Com- Budapest has twice hosted the IAAF world indoor champi- Wuxi will also host the able-bodied World for titles across 14 medal events. captured the world title in the women’s mittee announced Para taekwondo would onships and the European athletics championships. Championships that year. Wuxi Vice Mayor A number of fighters had memora- under 49 kg K44. Multiple-European be part of the 2020 Games program. The 2019 world championships will be held in Doha, Qatar, Liu Xia said: “I am happy and excited. We will ble performances in London. Denmark’s champion Amy Truesdale also celebrated (Source: Paralympic.org) and the 2021 edition in Eugene, Oregon. Prayer Times Noon:11:55 Evening: 17:11 Dawn: 5:30 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 7:00 (tomorrow) DECEMBER 5, 2018 ART&CULTURE I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y www.tehrantimes.com Managing Director: Ali Asgari Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Ghaderi “For Freedom” to celebrate Islamic Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051450 Revolution at Cinéma Vérité opening Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 www.eshterak.ir Distributor: Padideh Novin Co. By Samaneh Aboutalebi Tel: 88911433 Webmaster: [email protected] TEHRAN – The 12th edition of the Cinéma Printed at: Rooztab - ISSN: 1017-94 Vérité festival will open on Sunday with No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran screening Iranian filmmaker Hossein P.o. Box: 14155-4843 Torabi’s documentary “For Freedom” to Zip Code: 1599814713 celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The 1980 film, which ranked last on the British Film Institute Southbank’s list of Ten Documentaries That Shook the World, will be reviewed in a special category dedicated to screening documentaries on the revolution. A newly edited version of the film GUIDE TO has been prepared for screening at SPIRITUAL AWAKENING Cinéma Vérité, which is Iran’s major international festival for documentary cinema, event director Mohammad–Mehdi The welfare of countries depends on the judgment Tabatabainejad, who also presides over and management of governments. If governments Iran’s Documentary and Experimental Film are honest and wise in judgment, good fortune Center, said during a press conference on Tuesday. follows; if not, it will turn away and go. “Pulse of History” (1979) by Asghar Imam Ali (AS) Fardust and Davud Kanani, “New Blood” (1979) by Kianush Ayyari and “Search” (1980) by Amir Naderi are among the films selected for screening in the section. The festival also plans to honor Torabi and Manuchehr Moshiri, who is famous for Tehran gallery to open with his social and biographical documentary “Reprise” films, for their lifetime achievements. A scene from “For Freedom” directed by Hossein Torabi. In addition, a selection of films screened March will be reviewed at the festival. from Italy and Nicolas Philibert from France, They also hold various workshops at the ARTTEHRAN – A gallery will be inaugurated at the 20th edition of the Thessaloniki A large number of international will attend this year’s festival to promote festival that will run in Tehran and dozens deskin Tehran on Friday with an exhibit titled Documentary Festival in Greece during filmmakers, including Gianfranco Pannone their latest films. of Other Iranian cities until December 16. “Reprise”, which will showcase a collection of calligraphy works and paintings. Iranian and Islamic motifs Albanese to perform Stories from Iran published in “Il are the common elements among the artwork selected for “Blue Hour” in Shiraz richiamo della Persia” in Italy the show, Kolahduzan Gallery announced in a press release on Monday. Works by veteran artists such as Mohammad Ehsai, Nasrollah Afjei, Yaqub Emdadian, Faramarz Pilaram, Reza Mafi, Hossein Mahjubi, Sadeq Tabrizi, Manuchehr Niazi and Gizela Varga Sinai have been selected for display at the exhibit. The exhibition will also hang artworks by Hojjat Amani, Mehdi Hosseini, Maryam Salur A poster for the “Reprise” and Davud Qanbari. exhibition at Kolahduzan Gallery. The artworks will be on view until December 14 at the gallery located Saya Building near Tenth Alley off Mosaddeq St., Dastgerdi (Zafar) St. The gallery has been established by Seyyed Hamzeh Kolahduzan. A poster for Italian pianist Federico Albanese’s concerts, which will be performed Front cover of “Il richiamo della Persia” by Maryam Rahimi. in Shiraz next week. ARTTEHRAN – Shaban, Behnam Allami, Razieh ARTTEHRAN – Italian melodies, string arrangements and electronica. deskSeventeen stories by Mehdizadeh, Yasser Noruzi, Farid “Melbourne” director deskpianist Federico The performances have been organized Iranian writers have been published in Hosseinian, Fatemeh Bakhshi and Albanese will repeat his concert “Blue Hour” by the executives of Rooberoo Mansion to a book titled “Il richiamo della Persia” Saedi Bardestani. Nima Javidi on jury of at Hafez Hall in the southern Iranian city celebrate the anniversary of the Tehran- (“The Call of Persia”) in Italy, publisher Rahimi’s first novel, “Un sussurro nel Tbilisi film festival of Shiraz on December 9, the organizers based cultural center. Artebaria has announced. silenzio” (“A Whisper in the Silence”), announced on Tuesday. The concerts are the second leg of the The stories have been exclusively was published in 2000. ARTTEHRAN – Nima Javidi, the director of He is already scheduled to perform the Resonance Project launched by Rooberoo translated by the Italy-based Iranian She is also the writer of “Yalda la notte deskthe acclaimed Iranian drama “Melbourne”, concert at Tehran’s Andisheh Hall this Friday. Mansion in 2017 to invite prominent writer Maryam Rahimi. lunga e la lotta dura”, “Un pugno della mia is on the jury of the 19th Tbilisi International Film Festival, Pieces from his 2016 album “The Blue musicians from across the world to perform One of the stories is authored terra” and “Il sogno verde di Teheran”. which is currently underway Hour”, which features crisp, very dynamic in Iran. by Rahimi herself. Others are from A Persian translation of “Un pugno in the Georgian capital. and complexly arranged compositions, will The first part of the project was carried Mona Rasta, Arash Mahmudi, Nilufar della mia terra” by Nahal Mahzuf was Raimundas Banionis from be performed during the concerts. out by Icelandic pianist Olafur Arnalds in Mehrparvar, Vahab Nazari, Piruz published by Varajvand Publications Lithuania, Celine Nusse from Albanese is famous for minimalistic piano December 2017. Ebrahim, Mansur Alimoradi, Mojdeh in Tehran in 2016. France, Kanako Hayashi from Japan and Archil Kikodze from Georgia are the other members Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber to light up “Star Wars” props auction of the jury. Javidi’s 2014 movie LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — Luke Sky- props and costumes from the sci-fi saga can Roger Christian. effects camera designed by director George “Melbourne” is scheduled to walker’s lightsaber from the first “Star Wars” fetch sky-high prices at auction. In a letter accompanying the sale, Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic compa- be reviewed at the festival. film - one of the most iconic movie weap- A complete R2-D2 droid used in the first, Christian describes how the hand made ny that was used on “The Empire Strikes The film is about a young ons - is going up for auction in Los Angeles 1977 movie sold for $2.76 million in 2017, the lightsaber, one of about five used in Back,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “E.T.,” and couple, Amir and Sara, who next week and could fetch up to $200,000. and a different lightsaber used by Skywalker the first film, “using whatever I could lay other Hollywood blockbusters. The camera plan to leave Tehran to try Auctioneers Profiles in History said on fetched $450,000 last year. my hands on at the time.” is expected to fetch up to $150,000. a new life in the Australian Monday it also is selling some 25 other “Star Profiles in History called next week’s Profiles in History said the estimate was A pair of droid C-3PO’s hands used coastal city of Melbourne. Wars” items, including an original black offering unprecedented for “Star Wars” conservative and the sale price could easily in “Return of the Jedi” carries a pre-sale However, a tragic event puts TIE-fighter pilot helmet from the first, 1977 memorabilia. go higher given the 2017 sale. estimate of $40,000 - $60,000, while a their plan at risk. movie that could fetch even more money The lightsaber up for auction was used The “Star Wars” items will be sold during Stormtrooper helmet used in the 2015 movie Iranian director Nima Javidi in - up to $300,000. by actor Mark Hamill’s young Skywalker the Profiles in History Hollywood auction “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and signed an undated photo. The Tbilisi International Film Festival will be running “Star Wars” movies have made billions character in “Star Wars: A New Hope” and from Dec 11-14 in Los Angeles. by the main cast members carries an esti- until December 9. of dollars at the box office worldwide and was designed by Oscar-winning set decorator Other lots include a high-speed visual mate of $80,000 - $120,000.

Beyonce leads all-star line-up Female film directors and producers shine in Romanian New Wave at Mandela tribute concert BUCHAREST (Reuters) — Starting out as a unit The former communist country has emerged as a production manager in Romania’s film industry more powerhouse of cinema over the last two decades and JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) — Thousands turned out on than two decades ago, Ada Solomon felt she needed to much has been made about the Romanian New Wave, a Sunday for a concert in Johannesburg to honor the life of Nelson punch above her weight. genre of naturalistic and unflinching films that have been Mandela, with Beyonce leading an all-star line-up. But after fighting with crew on set early on in her consistently winning top prizes such as the Palme d’Or The event, held to mark 100 years since the birth of South career, Solomon, now a producer of some of Romania’s in Cannes and awards at the Berlin and Venice festivals. Africa’s first black president, was organized by advocacy group most internationally renowned films, took the advice “Over the last two years or so, the number of female Global Citizen. It also aimed to highlight the fight against of an assistant director that she would get farther by directors has grown visibly,” said Anca Damian, who poverty, gender inequality and hunger, causes that Mandela staying calm and treating them as partners. first won praise for her 2011 animated feature “Crulic championed. “It was perhaps the first lesson in movie production – the Path to Beyond.” World Bank President Jim Kim was among a number of political I ever got,” Solomon told Reuters at the office of her “You can feel the wind of change. A decade ago, a and business leaders attending the event and he announced a $1 production company, HiFilm. “Since then, this is how woman had to make films for children. There were mo- billion investment in health and education across Africa in 2019. I’ve functioned with my teams.” ments when you felt like you didn’t exist in the film “Be-yo-nce! Be-yo-nce!,” chanted a group of ladies as they Today, Solomon is one of Europe’s leading film community, you were just transparent,” she said. “But waited in a long queue to enter Johannesburg’s FNB stadium, producers and the woman behind some of the most I’ve always felt that what I wanted to say has pushed where Jay-Z, Usher and Ed Sheeran were also set to perform. critically acclaimed dramas of recent years, including me forward.” Thousands of fans, some wearing Global Citizen T-shirts and Berlinale winners “Child’s Pose” and “Aferim!” and the Romanian director Ada Solomon (R) is pictured during a Documentary filmmaker Mona Nicoara said Romania’s temporary tattoos on their shoulders, cheered, danced and cried Oscar-nominated “Toni Erdmann.” movie production in this undated handout picture.(Courtesy economic growth, which has potentially made funding at the sight of their favorite artists. She is also at the forefront of an increasing number of Rollercoaster PR/Handout via Reuters) more accessible also helped. There are more women Many fans had been given free tickets in exchange for signing of female producers and directors working in Romania working in the industry overall, from editors and cin- petitions and sending tweets to world leaders, urging them to at a time when more established film industries are to films directed by women, including this year’s Berlin ematographers to camera operators and set designers. take action to improve education, water supplies, sanitation, struggling with issues of diversity and inclusion. Golden Bear winner “Touch Me Not,” an exploration of “Barriers that used to exist are no longer in place, health and other issues. The increasing role of women in Romania’s film indus- intimacy by Adina Pintilie, as well as the thriller “Moon there used to be few female directors, few women in Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta appeared via video link try is being showcased at the Making Waves Romanian Hotel Kabul”, which won Anca Damian the best director general in the industry,” said Nicoara, whose documen- and pledged to increase his country’s education budget to 30 Film Festival taking place in New York until Dec. 5. prize at the Warsaw International Film Festival. Ten tary about the dissident poet Nina Cassian features at percent of the total budget. Now in its 13th year, the festival is devoting a section out of the festivals’ 17 films were produced by Solomon. Making Waves.