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12 Pages Price 40,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13628 Monday MARCH 16, 2020 Esfand 26, 1398 Rajab 21, 1441 ‘It is immoral Iran’s 9-month Iranian boxer Shahbakhsh IIDCYA launches intl. to let a bully kill non-oil GDP growth dreams of winning painting contest on innocents’ 3 at 1.3%: CBI 4 Olympics medal 11 new virus 12 Agricultural exports exceed $5b in 11 months Army stages drills to TEHRAN — Iran exported 6.348 mil- Watermelon, apple, tomato, pota- lion tons of agricultural products worth to, onion, and shallot were the top five $5.204 billion in the first 11 months of the exported products in terms of weights, current Iranian calendar year (March 21, according to the official. 2019- February 19, 2020), IRNA reported, In terms of value, fresh or dried pistachios quoting the director-general of Agriculture with $628 million, fresh apples with $309 counter coronavirus Ministry’s Export Promotion Bureau. million, tomatoes with $223 million, fresh Over 22.659 million tons of such prod- or dried pistachio nuts with $194 million See page 2 ucts worth $11.648 billion were also im- and watermelons with $172 million worth ported into the country during the said of exports were the top five export products period, Shahrokh Shajari said. in the mentioned 11 months. 4

Guardian Council urges India to revoke discriminatory law against Muslims TEHRAN — Hadi Tahan Nazif, a member Anti-Muslim violence started in In- of Iran’s Guardian Council, has urged the dia amid widespread protests over the Indian government to annul a discrimi- Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that natory law against the Muslims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hin- In a letter to India’s Supreme Court, he du nationalist government introduced said, “The respected colleagues in India’s in December, offering a path to Indian Supreme Court are expected to pave the citizenship for six religious groups from way for ending discriminatory law against neighboring countries, specifically ex- the Muslims.” cluding Muslims. 2

Iraq military calls for immediate withdrawal of U.S.-led forces

The Iraqi military has called for an immedi- U.S.-led forces to act within the resolution ate withdrawal of all American and foreign and pull out of Iraq. troops from the country in accordance Iraqi lawmakers unanimously ap- with a parliamentary resolution passed proved a bill on January 5, demanding earlier this year, and in light of a string of the withdrawal of all foreign military airstrikes carried out by the United States forces led by the United States from the Shahab Ghayoumi against multiple locations of the Popular country following the assassination of Mobilization Units (PMU), better known Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani,

MEHR/ by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha’abi. the commander of the Quds Force of the On Saturday, the military asked all Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, 10 ARTICLE Decoding U.S. new behavior in Iraq ARTICLE Masoud Hossein By Mohammad Ghaderi recent U.S. attacks on the positions of Iraqi forces attacks as a pretext to destroy the Iraqi bases and Afshin Majlesi Head of the Sport Desk of TEHRAN — American terrorists have launched and resistance groups. forces, who are combating terrorism, as Washington Tehran Times journalist the TehranTimes a new round of hostile moves in the Iraqi ter- By its movement in Iraq, the U.S. is clearly considers them as a serious obstacle for carrying ritory. American troops have attacked Iraq’s pursuing a major goal, which is raising the cost out its hostile plans in Iraq. forces, public places and military bases in a of implementing the resolution on expelling U.S. In addition to the concerns over its future presence Football to be move, which is an obvious violation of Iraqi troops. In other words, the White House is trying in the region, the U.S. is dealing with numerous New year travels national sovereignty. to improve the situation of its troops to survive in issues such as “the coronavirus crisis inside the missed by fans The attacks have clearly carried out against the Iraq and eventually in the region, if possible, by country”, “being accused of biological warfare plunge amid virus official Iraqi Armed Forces, which have a determining flaunting military power. If The U.S. cannot carry among the world’s public opinion” and “eroded ootball leagues are being cancelled role in in the fight against terrorism, and of course out this plan if will a burden cost on Iraq. insecure presence in the Iraqi territory”. Therefore, outbreak one after another due to Covid-10 triggered numerous reactions within the country. The point is that, although the PMF has re- Washington has put a great deal of effort in its Foutbreak and it’s not easy to believe In this regard, Iraqi Joint Operation Command fused to claim the responsibility for the attacks agenda to cover up them and divert public opinion or many Iranians, the new year’s for a football fan who enthusiastically waits issued a statement condemning and denouncing on American base Camp Taji, U.S. has used these in the country and region. 7 eve conjures up memories of hol- for weekend to watch his favorite team’s Fidays and traveling along dreamy match. It’s chaotic. beaches, silky warm seas, lush sceneries, Domestic football leagues will not be and endless sunshine. completed because of the coronavirus COVID-19 less deadly than SARS, spreading faster Unlike any previous year, this year its pandemic, as most of them have been By Salman Parviz total of about 8,000 people and killed about 770 What is alarming about this disease is the speed travel market, both domestic and inbound, suspended and there is not enough time TEHRAN — Questions about coronavirus in just a few locations: China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, at which it is spreading worldwide. According is taking a big hit over the peak season to reschedule them. (COVID-19) – how it behaves, who it strikes, Toronto and Singapore, with a handful of cases to WHO website dated March 11, in the past two as coronavirus fears prompt people to Most of the players and coaches have and how bad it can get – are spreading almost in a few other cities before it was contained and weeks, the number of cases of COVID-19 outside stay home. supported the move to suspend football, as fast as the virus itself. The quest to get some ran out of steam. China has increased 13-fold and the number of Moreover, local and government author- insisting that sport shouldn’t be at the answers will take some time before we can come The first positive case for COVID-19 was de- affected countries has tripled. WHO reports more ities have issued severe warnings recently, forefront of anyone’s mind as the deadly up with reliable statistics. tected December 1. Just three-and-a-half months than 118,000 cases in 114 countries, and 4,291 urging to limit travel between major cities in virus continues to spread. In six month during 2003, SARS infected a later WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. people have lost their lives. 7 order to contain the virus. They also warned It can be even tougher for the foot- that may use “force” to limit travel throughout ball-mad Iranian people since watch- the country if needed. ing their team’s match is a must on the Bin Salman fears oppositions from royal family: Zonis Air, rail and road travel markets have weekend. been grounded drastically to a screeching By Payman Yazdani To many observers, the detentions appeared to What are the reasons behind the recent When it comes to the coronavirus, no- halt in the country, at a time when its be Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS) detention of some Saudi princes by crown prince body really knows anything right now but TEHRAN (MNA) — Professor international already battered tourism industry had latest effort to consolidate power by targeting two Bin Salaman? it seems the leagues will not be completed. political economy believes Saudi Crown Prince fallen into tatters largely due to tensions of the royal family’s most influential members, A: Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman The Tokyo 2020 Games could be post- Mohammad Bin Salman’s fear of the senior royal with the United States, its economic sanc- Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz, the youngest broth- clearly anticipates a transition in power from poned from the summer until later in the family is the reason behind the recent detention of tions, and propaganda war spearheaded er of King Salman, and Mohammed bin Nayef, his father to himself. He fears opposition from year amid fears over the coronavirus and senior royals and top officials earlier this month. by some Western media. the former crown prince and interior minister. senior figures in the royal family. How much the life would be pretty boring without Saudi Arabia’s reported detention of senior The last month of the year, which ends To shed more light on the issue we interview of that fear is rational and how much reflects sports competitions, especially football. royals and top officials earlier this month has on March 19 this year, is the most bustling Marvin Zonis, Professor of international political an impulsive and paranoid mindset is currently On Friday, the Bahrain and Vietnam raised a series of questions on what prompted and booming period for tourism sector economy and leadership at the University of Chicago. unknowable. 7 Grands Prix were postponed due to the the crackdown. because it culminates in Noruz, the Iranian continued global spread of coronavirus. new year. It corresponds with national The death toll from coronavirus infec- holidays when the entire country takes on tions in Iran has risen to 611, with 12,729 NAJA launches a festive mood, marked by an elaborate confirmed cases in the country. The all set of rituals, family gatherings and travel. sporting events in the country, which had Prior to the virus fears, the sector, how- been already called off until April 2, had face mask, ever, had managed to stay afloat, if not been postponed until April 20. thrived, before the spread of the disease FOOTBALL has always had a unique antiseptic in this land with endless wonders. place among the Iranian people and In the face of outbreak, Iranian tour- the postponement of the sport can be production line ism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan asked really painful for them. The leagues people to postpone or reschedule tours so have been shut down since last month The Law Enforcement Force of the as to help the tourism industry deal with and nobody knows whether the Iran Islamic Republic of Iran, abbreviated the coronavirus outbreak. professional League (IPL) season will in Persian as NAJA, has launched a “My suggestion to my dear people is that be completed. production line for manufacturing face they do not cancel their hotel reservations Imagine a world without the novel masks and antiseptics in large scale and domestic tours as far as possible in order coronavirus, where the fans are excited to help the society combat the novel to help the tourism industry and prevent with approaching the weekend, but they coronavirus outbreak. it from bankruptcy by making their reser- are forced to stay at home instead of going The production line’s output is around vations in time after virus is controlled.” stadiums. 2,000 face masks and 2,000 bottles of dis- He went on to say that Noruz celebra- What the world needs is unity, cooper- infectant liquid. tions will be cancelled in all 31 provinces ation and common purpose to eradicate Ali Khara The number of people diagnosed with across the country, including all museums global infectious diseases. the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, (and historical sites that are affiliated with The fans have to wait for months to in Iran hit 13,938 on Sunday, of whom 724 the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism MEHR/ get involved in the game once again. The died and 4,790 recovered. and Handicrafts) should be closed during world will miss football. the holidays. 8 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS MARCH 16, 2020

Jahangiri tests negative for Army stages screening drills to coronavirus

POLITICAL TEHRAN — Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri deskhas tested negative for coronavirus, according counter coronavirus outbreak to his office. POLITICAL TEHRAN — On Sunday tion with the Interior Ministry the traffic in In a statement on Sunday, Jahangiri’s office thanked the people desk for their concerns about the health status of the vice president, morning, the Iran Army roads, streets and shopping centers would saying he has recovered from a disease. launched a series of preventing-screening be limited. “With God’s grace and after exercises to prepare its forces to counter The decision followed an order by Aya- two weeks, he tested negative the COVID-19 outbreak across the country. tollah Ali Khamenei, the Armed Forces com- for coronavirus and since he The drills started in the Shahid Zarharan mander-in-chief, to establish a “health and has fully recovered, he returned center upon order by Army Commander Ma- treatment headquarters” to prevent further to his office and resumed his jor General Abdolrahim Mousavi to Ground spread of the coronavirus in the country. job,” the statement read, IRNA Force Commander Brigadier General Kio- The virus first emerged in China in De- reported. mars Heidari. cember last year and is now spreading in As of Sunday, 13,938 Ira- “The drills are aimed at containing coro- Europe, the U.S. and across the Middle East, nians were confirmed to have navirus outbreak in the country via resorting sparking fears of a global pandemic. been infected with the virus. to combat spirit,” Heidari said. The World Health Organization (WHO) Of this number, 724 have lost “The drills will currently cover the coro- on Wednesday declared the rapidly spread- their lives. navirus-hit provinces of Qom and Gilan; ing coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, ac- Observers say the U.S. sanc- however, they will finally be staged nation- knowledging what seemed clear for some tions imposed on Iran are an act wide,” Heidari stated. time — the virus would likely spread to all of war as they hamper Tehran’s “We are to set up screening checkpoints countries on the globe. efforts to counter the corona- in the mentioned provinces’ entrances to Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghe- virus outbreak. test the incoming people,” the commander breyesus said the situation would worsen. In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on went on to say. “We expect to see the number of cases, Thursday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced Heidari said sanitizing public places, the number of deaths, and the number of the United States’ sanctions as a major obstacle to Iran’s battle setting up more rescue and diagnostic affected countries climb even higher,” said against the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. centers and field hospitals are also among Tedros, as the director-general is known. our missions in the drills. As of Saturday, 120 countries have re- On Friday, top commanders of the IRGC, ported that over 140,000 have contracted Ilhan Omar calls for lifting Army and police gathered together on how over its structure in order to activate the if necessary in front of people’s homes. COVID-19. Over 5,000 people have thus to contain the outbreak of the novel coro- headquarters as soon as possible. The healthy people will stay at home but far died. sanctions on Iran amid navirus, called Covid-19. After the meeting, General Baqeri an- the suspects would be examined in certain The Iranian Health Ministry announced The session, held at the Imam Reza Health nounced that in the next seven or ten days medical centers which would be established on Sunday that totally 13,938 nationals have outbreak and Treatment Base in Tehran, was headed all Iranian citizens will be screened to iden- for the purpose. been confirmed infected by the virus, out ‘Sanctions are economic warfare,’ by Major General Mohammad Baqeri, the tify persons suspected of the coronavirus “The commander said about 1000 mo- of whom 724 have lost their lives. chairman of the Armed Forces Chief of Staff. infection. bile and fixed clinics would be added to the According to the Health Ministry, the congresswoman says The commanders reviewed establishment He said the screening would be done country’s health centers for the purpose. health conditions of 4,590 patients have of the base in detail and exchanged views improved. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has renewed calls for the U.S. to lift either through social media, telephone and The military chief also said in coopera- sanctions against Iran, as the country’s crippled healthcare system struggles to deal with the rapid spread of the corona- virus, the Middle East Eye reported on Friday. “We need to suspend these sanctions before more lives are Human rights necessitates lifting of illegitimate sanctions on Iran: advisor lost,” Omar said via Twitter on Friday, retweeting an earlier post POLITICAL TEHRAN — A top advisor to Foreign sent a letter to the United Nations chief Antonio Guterres made by well-known Iranian-American activist Hoda Katebi. deskMinister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said urging the largest international body to disregard Washing- According to Iranian authorities, there have been more about from human rights perspective that removal of “unilateral” ton’s sanctions on Tehran amid the coronavirus outbreak. 14,000 cases of the coronavirus - officially known as Covid-19 and “illegitimate” sanctions on Iran is essential as country Zarif broke out the content of the letter to Guterres in a - and at least 724 deaths, making the Islamic Republic one of is the battling to contain the deadly coronavirus. Tweet on Friday night, writing, “I urge the world body—and the countries worst hit by the virus. “In a situation in which the coronavirus has become pan- member states—to disregard inhuman U.S. sanctions on Katebi said her aunt, who is a doctor in Iran, had reported demic in the world, the human rights necessitates removal my country. And insist that they be lifted.” “massive” shortages of medical supplies, including face masks, of unilateral and illegitimate sanctions against Iran,” Mehdi “As the #COVID19 ravages Iran, we should recognize that as the country struggles to deal with the spread of the disease. Sanaei tweeted on Saturday. viruses don’t discriminate. To fight them, neither should “She keeps giving her face mask to other docs bc there aren’t He added that other countries have responsibility to- humans,” he added, posting the following the two-page letter enough for everyone. For the love of GOD we need to end wards the Iranians and must not follow the U.S. sanctions. as attached photos. sanctions on Iran NOW,” Katebi said on Twitter. Iran is currently battling the world’s deadliest outbreak Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has urged the The situation in Iran is expected to worsen as Sunday saw of the coronavirus in the Middle East, where it originated. international community to help lift the “inhuman” sanctions the biggest single-day jump in cases since the virus was de- Iran has denounced the United States for impeding ef- against Tehran by the United States as Iran is in the midst of tected there. fective fight against the coronavirus through its sanctions, the campaign to contain the deadly coronavirus outbreak. The outbreak has prompted authorities to temporarily especially medical sanctions. In separate letters to president of the Inter-Parliamenta- release about 70,000 prisoners to contain the spread of the In a reference to Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” ry Union, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic He warned that all countries will be affected by the coro- illness, which has now reached all of Iran’s cities. campaign against Iran, Zarif has said, ‘It is immoral to let Cooperation, secretary-general of the Asian Parliamentary navirus if it is not contained. On Friday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has sent a a bully kill innocents.” Assembly and also parliament speakers of the Asian and In an article published by Common Dreams on Friday, letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, asking the On Sunday, the death toll from coronavirus in Iran reached Islamic countries, Larijani expressed regret over the United it is said that the U.S. must lift sanctions on Iran to help international community to “disregard inhuman U.S. sanctions”. 724. Also, the number of those who are confirmed to have States’ “inhuman” sanctions against Iran which is creating stem the coronavirus. contracted the virus has hit 13,938. impediments in the battle against the coronavirus’s spread. “Among those in Iran who have been unable to get critical Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s ambassador to the United He urged the international community to adopt “prin- medications have been patients with leukemia, epidermolysis Nations, has said that the United States’ sanctions impede cipled” stance for immediate removal of sanctions against bullosa, epilepsy, and chronic eye injuries from exposure to Iran’s efforts in fighting the coronavirus outbreak. Iran, especially ban on medicine medical supplies. chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war. Now coronavirus “Returned to New York from Tehran last night. People Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of the Majlis National is added to that list,” it is said in the article. and government of Iran working hard to defeat Covid-19, Security and Foreign Policy Committee, has said that the “On February 19, Iran announced two cases of the coro- but the U.S. sanctions impeding their efforts,” he tweeted countries must not give in to the U.S. pressure and sanctions navirus, reporting within hours that both patients had died… on Friday. against Iran. Per capita, it is currently the most heavily infected country He added, “High time for the U.S. to de-politicize this “The United States has sanctioned Iran, but we are not in the Middle East and third in the world, after Italy and humanitarian endeavor and lift sanctions. International under sanctions of the [UN] Security Council. So, the countries South Korea,” the article said. crises necessitate genuine international efforts.” are not obliged to follow the United States’ sanctions,” he It added, “If Iran is not able to stem the crisis, the virus will Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has told ISNA in an interview published on Wednesday. continue to spread throughout the Middle East and beyond.”

“As the #COVID19 ravages Iran, we should recognize that Iran calls Halabja chemical attack a ‘big anti-human tragedy’ viruses don’t discriminate. To fight them, neither should hu- POLITICAL TEHRAN – Iran’s The attack killed between 3,200 and 5,000 a message to Halabja Governor Azad Tofigh. of cancer incidence and birth defects in the mans,” Zarif said, sharing the letter on Twitter. deskConsul General in people and injured 7,000 to 10,000 more, Shoushtari also said, “The Islamic years after the attack. Seyyed Abbas Mousavi, a spokesman from the Foreign Min- Sulaymaniyah Mehdi Shoushtari has said most of them civilians. Republic of Iran fulfilled its Islamic and The Halabja attack was part of the Al- istry, later said that some nations had responded positively to that the Iraqi Baath regime’s chemical attack “Undoubtedly, this criminal incident humanitarian duty in this respect and Anfal Campaign in northern Iraq. The attack the letter, but did not give specific details as to which countries on the Kurdish city of Halabja in northern against the innocent people of Halabja by supported the people of Halabja. These has been recognized as a distinct event of had agreed to provide support. Iraq was a “big anti-human tragedy”. a criminal regime through using chemical supports continued in different periods of genocide conducted against the Kurdish “After the Twitter posts from Dr. Zarif, a number of countries On March 16, 1988, Iraqi dictator Saddam weapons manufactured by certain Western time during history such as fighting terrorism people by the Saddam regime. The Iraqi and organizations expressed their readiness to send medical Hussein ordered air force to attack Halabja countries, which make claims about and extremism.” High Criminal Court recognized the Halabja aid or to provide and sell them to Iran,” Mousavi said. in northern Iraq with chemical bombs, using defending human rights, was one of the Preliminary results from surveys of the massacre as an act of genocide on March Tara Sepehri Far, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, nerve agents such as VX and mustard gas. biggest anti-human tragedies,” he said in affected region showed an increased rate 1, 2010. told Middle East Eye that confusion around U.S. sanction reg- ulations have been a major obstacle in getting humanitarian aid into Iran. “Even though humanitarian trade is exempted from sanctions, Guardian Council urges India to revoke discriminatory law against Muslims many companies and banks have been worried about engaging with Iran, fearing U.S. secondary sanctions,” Far told MEE. 1 Critics insist the law is discrimi- Muslims, issues stressed by the country’s and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, “Given the burden sanctions have already caused on Iranians natory, coming in the wake of other severe independence icon Mahatma Gandhi in the without distinction of any kind, such as access to healthcare, we think the U.S. and international com- government measures against the country’s diverse and multi-cultural India. race, color, sex, language, religion, political munity should proactively ensure Iran is receiving the medical Muslim population such as withdrawal of Undoubtedly, the Indian government will or other opinion, national or social origin, supply and relief material they need to combat this very serious autonomy for Muslim-majority Jammu take the necessary measures to prevent a property, birth or other status”. … health crisis,” she said. and Kashmir province that has intensified religious conflict from escalating. But what Again, according to article 15 of the same Olivier Vandecasteele, Relief International’s (RI) country discord across India about the future of its our colleagues in India as a friendly and document, “Everyone has the right to a na- director for Iran, said that the impact of Covid-19 on Iran has 200 million Muslims. brotherly country can do to end the ongoing tionality and no one shall be arbitrarily been “enormous”. Tahan Nazif said in his letter that India’s protests as well as brutality against Muslims deprived of his nationality nor denied the “The streets in Tehran are almost deserted,” Vandecasteele Supreme Court must use legal methods to end is to reconsider a controversial citizenship right to change his nationality”. said in an RI report on Wednesday. the discriminatory law against the Muslims. law that was ratified by the Parliament of Articles 2 and 26 of the Covenant on Civil RI has been working on the ground, partnering with the United Following is full text of the letter: India in December 2019. and Political Rights, to which the Govern- Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to help track distributed In the Name of God can contribute to the deterioration of peo- It seems that the Citizenship (Amend- ment of India is a party, also emphasize that goods and increase the public’s understanding about strategies Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde ple’s rights. ment) Act (CAA) is discriminatory as it ex- “all persons are equal before the law and for preventing the spread of the virus, but U.S. sanctions have The Chief Justice of India, Sadly, however, today’s images and cludes Muslims from the fabric of Indian are entitled without any discrimination to created extra obstacles, Vandecasteele said. Greetings and regards, news coming out of India show the scale society by eliminating their rights to equality the equal protection of the law”. “One of the problems for international aid has been to clar- As your Excellency well know, supporting of violence used against oppressed Mus- and citizenship, which runs contrary to basic Article 14 of the Indian Constitution at- ify the legal issues related to sanctions to ensure that medical basic rights and freedoms and safeguard- lims and denial of their very basic rights, human rights principles. taches importance to equality before law supplies and medicines can be brought into Iran,” he explained. ing their human and citizenship rights are including their right to life. This is while According to articles 1 and 2 of the and equal protection of laws as well while ’Sanctions are economic warfare’ among the principal aims and objectives of India has always been a key supporter of Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 15 prohibits discrimination against Congresswoman Omar had been calling for an end to sanc- judicial and constitutional review bodies that peace in the world and promoted peaceful proclaimed by the United Nations General citizens on the basis of religion and race. tions against Iran before the start of the outbreak. supervise laws and regulations approved coexistence of followers of different faiths Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948, Our respected colleagues in the Supreme “This makes no sense. Sanctions are economic warfare,” by parliaments and other bodies. As we and ideologies. “All human beings are born free and equal Court of India are expected to use the legal Omar tweeted in January. “They have already caused medical and you, at two judicial and constitutional Moreover, India is best known for exercise in dignity and rights. They are endowed methods and procedures enshrined in the shortages and countless deaths in Iran. review bodies that supervise parliamentarian of tolerance and invitation to peace and with reason and conscience and should act Indian Constitution and pave the way for “You cannot claim to want de-escalation and then announce laws, feel it incumbent upon ourselves to friendship among Hindus and members towards one another in a spirit of brother- repeal of this discriminatory law against new sanctions with no clear goal. This is not a measured response!” prevent the establishment of norms that of other religious minorities, particularly hood. Everyone is entitled to all the rights Muslims. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MARCH 16, 2020 IRAN IN FOCUS 3 ‘It is immoral to let a bully kill innocents,’ UAE sympathizes with Iran Zarif says of Trump’s sanctions on Iran over coronavirus tragedy POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iranian For- Middle East. POLITICAL TEHRAN — The UAE foreign minister deskeign Minister Mohammad In a regular news briefing on Saturday, deskhas voiced his country’s solidarity with the Javad Zarif said on Saturday that President Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Ja- government and people of Iran in the campaign against the Hassan Rouhani’s letter to his counterparts hanpour said number of Iranians infected coronavirus outbreak. was a warning that the U.S. sanctions is not with the virus has reached 12,729. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan made the remarks in only putting Iranians’ life in danger but also The number shows that the Iranians in- a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad will pave the ground for a faster spread of fected by the virus now account for about 9 Javad Zarif on Sunday. COVID-19 to other countries. percent of the cases across the world. Zarif for his part, thanked the UAE for its solidarity and help, “In letter to counterparts Hassan Rou- Of this number, Jahanpour added, 611 saying the coronavirus outbreak is a global issue which needs all hani informs how efforts to fight COVID19 patients have died and 4,339 recovered. countries’ cooperation. pandemic in Iran have been severely ham- Saturday was the deadliest day since the The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a new respiratory pered by U.S. sanctions, urging them to virus was first diagnosed in Qom, a city 130 disease that emerged in China last December and has spread cease observing them: It is IMMORAL to kilometers south of the capital Tehran. around the world, halting industries, bringing travel to a standstill, let a bully kill innocents. Viruses recognize In 24 hours, from Friday afternoon up to closing schools, and forcing the cancellation of public events. no politics or geography. Nor should we,” Saturday afternoon, 91 persons were added Iran is currently battling the world’s deadliest outbreak of Zarif wrote on his Twitter account, implying to the number of the dead. the coronavirus in the West Asia region. So far, 724 Iranian that no government should keep mum on A couple of days ago, Zarif called the U.S. citizens have lost their lives and 13,938 persons confirmed such brutal sanctions on Iran. ban on sale of medicine to Iran as an instance infected with the virus. In a letter to a number of world leaders of “medical terrorism”. Zarif and his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov also held on Saturday, President Rouhani said coun- In a letter to UN Secretary General phone talks on Sunday afternoon over the spread of coro- tering the coronavirus outbreak entailed Antonio Guterres released on Thursday, navirus in the region and the wider world. They insisted on the “regional and international coordination Zarif said, “While the virus ravages our need for collective cooperation by all states to contain the virus. and cooperation”. cities and towns, our population—unlike Zarif, while thanking the Republic of Azerbaijan and its Rouhani said containing this “huge goods,” the president asserted. counter the U.S. economic terrorism against those of other countries affected—suffer people for sending medical aid to Iran to counter the virus, and dangerous crisis” is not possible by The president said the U.S. sanctions Iran which was showing its “ugly and an- under the most severe and indiscriminate said the “oppressive and unilateral sanctions” of the United one country. on Iran and observance of these bans by ti-human face” more than any other time. campaign of economic terrorism in history, States against Iran are a “great hurdle” in Tehran’s efforts to “The management of this huge and danger- certain countries is not only “illegal and Iran, which is under unprecedented sanc- imposed illegally and extra-territorially contain the deadly virus. ous crisis is not possible by a single country, in contravention of the (UN) Security tions in history, is facing a burgeoning rise by the Government of the United States let alone a country (Iran) which is facing nu- Council Resolution it is also immoral and in the number of people infected with the since it reneged on its commitments un- merous problems in accessing international anti-human.” deadly coronavirus called Covid-19. der Security Council Resolution 2231 in financial markets and providing its needed Rouhani also said that it was necessary to Iran is the most affected country in the May 2018.” Over 1.2 tons of drugs seized in Sistan-Balouchestan

POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iran’s border police have seized Runoff parliamentary polls to be held on September 11 desk257 kilograms of narcotics from a depot at POLITICAL TEHRAN — The runoff parliamentary “This was while we had the problem of coronavirus as a border village in Sistan-Balouchestan, a province located in deskelections in 11 constituencies will be held well as political circumstances and issues such as the down- Iran’s southeast. on September 11, the deputy interior minister in charge of ing of the plane, the Aban (November) and Dey (January) elections announced on Sunday. incidents,” the minister said. Jamal Orf said the Guardian Council, a body responsible Meanwhile, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah for supervising the elections, has agreed to postpone the Ali Khamenei has thanked the Iranian nation for responding elections, Mehr reported. positively to the call for participation in the elections. He said the elections, which were scheduled to be held Addressing a session of advanced Islamic Jurisprudence next month, were postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. (kharej–e Fiqh) on February 23, Ayatollah Khamenei ex- The first round of the parliamentary elections was held on pressed gratitude to the Iranians for their turnout in the February 21, when the principlist camp managed to capture elections, describing it as another great victory for the nation a great majority of the seats in the 290-seat parliament. and another failure for the enemies. The independents and reformists came second and third Referring to the widespread negative propaganda by the respectively. enemies that aimed at disappointing people from taking A total of 7,148 candidates, including dozens of religious part in the elections, the Leader said such propaganda had minorities, ran for the parliament. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli announced started a few months ago, and foreign media increased their The commander of Sistan-Balouchestan’s border police has In capital Tehran, 1,453 candidates competed for 30 seats, days after the parliamentary polls that 42% of people had negative propaganda in the past days under the pretext of said his forces at the Jakigour border regiment gathered intelli- all of which were captured by the principlists. voted in the elections. the outbreak of a new virus. gence on a depot of illicit drugs at a border village and discovered that the smugglers had plans to transfer the narcotics into the country, according to Tasnim. The border police forces raided the depot near the border U.S. to keep two aircraft carriers to ‘deter Iran’, says Gen. McKenzie village of Dazang, said Mohammad Mollashahi. Mollashahi said a watchman was arrested in the operation POLITICAL TEHRAN — The top U.S. deliberate attack -- a direct and deliberate Mousavi said the Swiss ambassador and more than 1,257 kilograms of narcotics, including opium deskmilitary commander in attack on an Iraqi base that hosts coalition was also informed that it was, in fact, the and hashish, were confiscated. the Middle East General Frank McKenzie service members.” wrong policies of the U.S. in Iraq that has The smugglers had camouflaged the depot with plants, the says the U.S. military plans to keep two air- Asked whether he was stretching the led to current tensions and that “Amer- general said.Police and security forces have been quite successful craft carriers in the Persian Gulf in order definition of “defensive”, he admitted that ican authorities, especially Mr. Trump, in ensuring security in the province despite its long borders with to deter Iran from taking retaliatory action “clearly, dropping a bomb is, in and of itself, cannot shirk their responsibility through Pakistan and Afghanistan, harsh weather and vast desert areas. for an earlier attack against Iraqi forces. an offensive tactical action,” but continued such unfounded, baseless and dangerous Iran, which has a 900-kilometer border with Afghanistan, “We’re going to keep them for a while. to claim that “in a broader context, these are remarks.” has been used as the main conduit for smuggling Afghan drugs And I’m not going to comment on exactly designed to be defensive strikes.” He also warned the U.S. of the conse- to narcotics kingpins in Europe. how long that will be, because we typically try The U.S. carried out airstrikes on Thursday quences of any reckless action against Iran. Despite high economic and human costs, the Islamic Republic to avoid talking about tactical operations,” and Friday against what it called multiple On Saturday, however, a fresh spate of has been actively fighting drug-trafficking over the past decades. said McKenzie at a Friday news conference Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq, according rockets targeted an Iraqi base north of Bagh- The country has spent more than $700 million on sealing in the U.S. defense department, referring to to the U.S. Defense Department. dad where foreign troops are deployed, Iraqi its borders and preventing the transit of narcotics destined for USS Eisenhower and USS Truman warships. The strikes came one day after the U.S. and U.S. security sources told AFP, in a rare European, Arab and Central Asian countries. “In response to this attack on an Iraqi assessed “an Iranian-backed group” was “They’ve sent a lot of rockets now. It hasn’t daytime attack. The war on drug trade originating from Afghanistan has base that hosts coalition forces supporting responsible for a rocket attack on a base been fully determined it was Iran,” Trump said. According to Al Jazeera, it was the 23rd claimed the lives of nearly 4,000 Iranian police officers over the Iraqi fight against ISIS, we carried out where coalition forces are located, killing Afterwards, Iran’s Foreign Ministry sum- such attack since late October on installations the past four decades. precision defensive strikes to degrade and two American service members and one moned the ambassador of Switzerland, whose across Iraq where U.S. troops and diplomats In April 2019, Iranian Police Chief Hossein Ashtari described destroy advanced conventional weapons that British service member. country represents the United States’ inter- are based, with the latest rounds growing Iran as a pioneering state in the campaign against drug trafficking, have been provided to Kata’ib Hizbollah by The UK government expressed support ests in Iran, to protest Trump’s unfounded deadlier. and said, “We have declared our information and needs to the their Iranian backers,” he said. for the U.S. airstrikes, with the UK’s Defense claim that Iran was behind the attack on U.S. None of the attacks have ever been claimed international organizations but I should say that we have not McKenzie further claimed that the at- Secretary Ben Wallace saying “we support forces in Iraq. but the U.S. has blamed the Hashed al-Shaabi, pinned hope on their aid.” tacks were defensive, saying, “I also want the right of the United States to defend them- “Following the U.S. president’s unfounded a network of armed groups incorporated into “We do not have hope that the international organizations can to reiterate that these strikes -- these de- selves, as they have done tonight.” claim that Iran was responsible for the attack the Iraqi state. seriously confront” the cultivation and production of narcotics fensive strikes were designed to destroy The U.S. president told reporters on against a base of coalition forces in Iraq, the At least 33 rockets hit Iraqi air defense in Afghanistan, General Ashtari said. Iranian-supplied advanced conventional Thursday that he had been working on what Swiss ambassador to Tehran was summoned units at the Taji air base on Saturday, the weapons, and that the United States acted to do about the attack which occurred on to the Foreign Ministry,” Foreign Ministry country’s military said, in one of the largest in self-defense in response to a direct and Wednesday night. spokesman Abbas Mousavi said late on Friday. such volleys yet. British ambassador advises compatriots to avoid panic COVID-19 likely a biological warfare: Iranian MP shopping, learn from Iranians TEHRAN (MNA) — An Iranian lawmaker are attained, we must file a complaint against form of biological warfare, though further says the Parliament Security Commission the United States.” studies are needed. POLITICAL TEHRAN— British Ambassador to Iran Rob and the Foreign Ministry will address the “We need to reach a powerful stance in “Of course one cannot say for sure that desk possibility of a biological warfare behind the biological field, as we have in the de- is a biological war but in fact, it has many Macaire released an image on his Twitter page the outbreak of the new coronavirus in Iran. fense and missile sectors, so that the enemy features of a biological war,” he added. of shelves of a shop in Tehran full of toilet papers in a bid to advise In an interview with Mehr News Agency, does not dare hurt the Iranian people by COVID-19 has so far infected over 156,700 his compatriots to learn from Iranians and stop panic buying for Mahmoud Navabain, who was elected to the biological aggression,” Nabavian stressed. individuals in more than 140 countries world- the fear of the coronavirus epidemic. parliament in the Feb. 21 elections, said, “It Earlier this week, Head of Iran’s Passive wide, causing 5,800 deaths and inflicting “Shopping today in Tehran. In case you were worried,” Macaire is highly probable that the coronavirus out- Defense Organization Brigadier General huge economic losses. wrote on Twitter by posting the image below, Fars reported on Sunday. break is a biological warfare by the U.S.” Gholamreza Jalali said the new virus, also Iran is one of the hard-hit countries with Food retailers have urged the British public to avoid panic He said “should the necessary documents known as COVID-19, in the world can be a 13,938 infections and 724 deaths. buying, but many are ignoring their advice and have been clearing supermarket shelves of toilet paper, hand soap and tins of beans. The number of Covid-19 cases in the UK surged to 1,140 on Saturday, with the death toll jumping from 11 to 21. But the government’s chief scientific adviser has said up to 10,000 Rouhani rejects rumors about lockdown in Tehran, other cities people may have been infected without being officially diagnosed. TEHRAN (Press TV) — President Hassan day nor during, before or after Nowruz,” he Rouhani outlined the government’s plans hours, bringing the overall death toll to 724. Panic buying has been rife amid the global spread of the new Rouhani has dismissed rumors that Iran added, referring to the Persian New Year to help people and businesses overcome Jahanpour said that 1,209 fresh cases coronavirus, with consumers around the world stockpiling goods is planning to put Tehran and other cities holiday which begins on March 20. difficulties in the wake of the coronavirus were added to the number of confirmed like hand sanitizer, canned foods and toilet paper. under quarantine amid the coronavirus Rouhani also stressed that people are outbreak. infections during the period, bringing the The trend has seen stores ration products, with UK retailers outbreak. free to pursue their professions as they like, These measures include giving cash hand- total to 13,938. limiting sales of hand hygiene products while Australian shoppers Rouhani also said after a meeting with while the government continues to offer its outs to those with low wages and offering “The good news is that more than 4,590 have seen restrictions on the amount of toilet paper they can buy. members of the government economic services as usual. tax and utility breaks of up to three months. of the overall confirmed cases have recov- Novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a new respiratory disease bureau as well as representatives of the “However, we are doing our best so that The new coronavirus, called COVID-19, ered” and the patients have been discharged first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. private sector that talks were underway the government’s economic activities and initially emerged in China late last year and from hospitals, he added. The World Health Organization on Wednesday described the with neighboring countries to facilitate services are offered in a way that will keep is now spreading in Europe and across the The official said people should cancel all outbreak as a pandemic. cross-border trade. people at home longer and prevent them from Middle East. travel and stay at home so that the situation According to the latest reports, the novel coronavirus, offi- “We have no such thing as quarantine mingling as much as possible,” he noted. 724 Iranians killed; 13,938 infected would improve in the coming days. cially known as COVID-19, has infected over 156,700 people in at all. There have been rumors that certain Elsewhere in his remarks, the president Kianoush Jahanpour, the head of the Jahanpour called on Iranians to “take the world, claiming more than 5,800 lives. jobs and stores in Tehran or some cities will said Iran was holding talks with its neigh- public relations and information center of the coronavirus seriously” and especially The coronavirus death toll in Iran has reached 724. Also, so be quarantined. They are not true,” he said. bors to facilitate cross-border trade and the Iranian Ministry of Health, said Sunday be mindful of elderly relatives who are most far 13, 938 persons have been confirmed with carrying the novel “There will be no quarantine neither to- transportation of goods. the virus had claimed 113 lives in the past 24 vulnerable to the infection. coronavirus. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY MARCH 16, 2020

STOCK MARKET Iran’s 9-month TEDPIX 494099.8 IFX 6511.95 non-oil GDP growth Sources: tse.ir, Ifb.ir

CURRENCIES at 1.3%: CBI USD 42,000 rials ECONOMY TEHRAN – Iran’s gross economic performance shows that despite desk EUR 46,675 rials domestic product, exclud- maximum pressure imposed by the U.S. ing the oil sector, has registered a positive sanctions, Iran’s economy has achieved good GBP 54,546 rials growth rate of 1.3 percent in the first nine results in the framework of the production months of the current Iranian calendar boom strategy outlined by the leader of the AED 11,437 rials year (March 21 -December 21, 2019), IRIB Islamic Revolution. Source: cbi.ir reported, quoting the governor of Central The CBI statistical reports indicate that in Bank of Iran (CBI). the third quarter of the year, non-oil economic “Total non-oil economic growth for the growth stood at 3.3 percent and economic said in a report that Iran’s non-oil gross do- economic growth is estimated at 1.8 percent first nine months has reached 1.3 percent. growth with oil was 1.2 percent. mestic product expected to register a positive for the year,” the report said. COMMODITIES We all hope that as soon as we overcome the The report put the growth for the country’s growth rate of 1.8 percent in the current fiscal The report saw the growth for the country’s coronavirus [outbreak], we will see contin- agriculture, industries, construction, and year (March 21, 2019-March 19, 2020). agriculture, industries, energy, construction, Brent $35.44/b ued production boom and positive economic services sectors at 7.8 percent, 7 percent, “Although due to the significant negative and services sectors at 5.5 percent, 1.5 per- WTI $31.73/b growth,” Abdolnasser Hemmati wrote in an and 1.2 percent, respectively for the men- growth rate of the oil sector, economic growth cent, and 10 percent, as well as 14.5 and 0.5 Instagram post. tioned quarter. in the country will continue to be negative in percent, respectively for the current Iranian OPEC Basket $33.25/b According to Hemmati, the country’s In Early February, Majlis research center 1398 [the current calendar year] but oil-free calendar year. Gold $1,534.25/oz Silver $14.97/oz Commodities worth $547m traded ‘We should mobilize all capacities Platinium $770.35/oz at IME in a week to pass current condition’ Sources: oilprice.com, Moneymetals.com

Agricultural exports exceed $5b in 11 months

1 Mentioning the exports of livestock and poultry products, the official noted that 530,000 tons of such prod- ucts worth $658 million were exported in the said time span. The fishery sector also exported 113,000 tons of products at the value of $225 million.

ECONOMY TEHRAN — Some tons of different commodities with ECONOMY TEHRAN — Referring Rahmani has noted that a coronavirus desk417,013 tons of the total value of $354 million were deskto the special condition containment headquarter has been established commodities valued at $547 million traded. created in the country because of the coro- in the Industry Ministry for taking necessary were traded at Iran Mercantile On this trading floor, 105,210 tons navirus outbreak, Iranian Industry, Mining measures for production, distribution and Exchange (IME) during the past Iranian of bitumen, 26,345 tons of VB feed and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani said, “We monitoring the markets of health and hy- calendar week (ended on Friday). stock, 69,518 tons of polymer products, should mobilize all existing capacities in the giene products. As reported by the Public Relations 44,000 tons of lube cut oil, 20,202 country to pass the current condition.” In late February, the minister had held and International Affairs Department tons of chemical products, 690 tons Making the remarks via video confer- a meeting with the producers of health and of IME, last week, on the domestic and of base oil, 1,900 tons of slaps waxes, ence in a meeting of the ministry’s council hygiene products to discuss the supply of such export metal and mineral trading floor 910 tons of insulation, as well as 3,600 of deputies, the minister emphasized that products amid at the coronavirus outbreak. of the IME, 142,013 tons of various tons of sulfur were traded. his ministry will made all its endeavors to The meeting was attended by the rep- products worth close to $203 million Moreover, 2,630 tons of various battle the virus, Shata news reported. resentatives of the country’s major health were traded. commodities were traded on the side Rahmani has also announced that the products manufacturers as well as senior On this trading floor, 138,253 tons market of the IME. production of antiseptic products in the officials including the government’s spokes- According to Shajari, corn, barley, soybeans, and unrefined of steel, 760 tons of aluminum, 3,000 IME is one of the four major stock country has doubled since the beginning man Ali Rabiei. sugar and rice were the top imported agricultural products tons of coke as well as 3 kg of gold markets of Iran, the other three markets of the current Iranian calendar month Coronavirus, known officially known as in the country in the mentioned 11 months. bullion were traded by customers. are Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), Iran’s (February 20). COVID-19, appeared first in the Chinese city The report declares that on domestic over-the-counter (OTC) market known According to the official, the ministry has of Wuhan in December and has since spread and export oil and petrochemical also as Iran Fara Bourse (IFB), and Iran issued new licenses for the companies which globally. The World Health Organization has Leading nations must trading floors of the IME, 272,525 Energy Exchange (IRENEX). have been able to produce such products. declared it a global health emergency. go all out to shore up global economy Iranian banks to offer facilities to compensate coronavirus economic damages The world’s worst health crisis in decades is now threatening ECONOMY TEHRAN – Governor of Central Bank “Those whose businesses have been affected or have the health of the global economy as well. The meltdown deskof Iran (CBI) said the banking system is been damaged and cannot afford to pay their bank loans in virtually all the major equities markets is a sign that going to offer low-interest-rate facilities to more than four are also given a three-month break to make their payments things are going from bad to worse. People had long tried million people to compensate the financial damages resulted and even after three months the banks will review their to predict what might put an end to one of the greatest from the coronavirus outbreak, IRIB reported. files and provide the necessary assistance,” the official said. bull runs in stock market history; it turns out to be a “Bank loans are set to be paid to four million people at Earlier on Friday, Hemmati announced that the CBI virus that has jumped species. a 12-percent interest rate, of which eight percent is paid by has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for $5 Just as China – where the pandemic first started – the government and only four percent is going to be paid billion in emergency loans to help the country contain the seems to be recovering, other countries, including the by the borrower,” Abdolnaser Hemmati said. spreading virus and mitigate its effects on economy. United States, are experiencing a drastic jump in the Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with the represent- In a note on his Instagram account, the CBI governor number of cases. While each country seems to be tackling atives of various economic sectors on coronavirus outbreak, referred to a statement by the IMF chief earlier in the month, the health crisis in its own way, they all face an economic Hemmati noted that the installments of the mentioned loans who said the fund would offer $50 billion in loans to coun- downturn that could turn into a worldwide recession. will be reduced from their cash subsidies every month. tries grappling with the pandemic. That may be enough to concentrate minds and encourage governments and financial authorities to coordinate their efforts. Though the nature of the current threat is very different, in economic terms, it could be a rerun of the last financial crisis 12 years ago. U.S.-China trade truce at risk as virus hits global economy The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and A hard-won trade war truce between the U.S. and China is on arrivals from Europe and huge stock market falls. Development, whose member states represent the wealthiest at risk as the coronavirus pandemic rocks the global econ- Diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and China have industrialised nations, has revised global growth this omy, making it tough for Beijing to fulfil its commitments. also flared up during the outbreak. year to 2.4 percent from 2.9 percent, with the worst-case The United States also faces huge disruptions from Washington ordered Chinese state-run media to cut scenario being 1.5 percent. the deadly virus while a diplomatic spat between Beijing the number of Chinese nationals employed in the United Supply chains have been disrupted worldwide, and and Washington threatens to derail the phase-one deal States after Beijing expelled three Wall Street Journal consumer demands are being stifled as more countries that came after more than a year of escalating tensions reporters. have put swathes of their populations in lockdown or between the world’s two biggest economies. The two countries have also sparred over the pandemic, quarantine. Some central banks have started lowering In the pact signed in January, China agreed to buy $200 with a U.S. ban on arrivals from China angering Beijing. rates. The US Federal Reserve is expected to funnel trillions billion more in U.S. goods over two years than it did in More recently, Washington blamed Beijing for the of dollars into short-term funding markets after reports 2017 - before the trade war erupted and triggered tariffs disease and China - where the virus was first detected in of disruptions and malfunctions to the US government on billions of dollars of two-way trade. December - promoted conspiracy theories that it started bond trading operations because of escalating market But concerns are mounting that the conditions of the the general manager surnamed Li. in the United States. volatility. deal cannot be met as the world economy is threatened He was uncertain how quickly they would be able to “I doubt that either has considered fully the implica- Though the European Central Bank has not joined the by governments taking drastic measures to contain the boost business once the health crisis is over. tions (that) the measures taken to counter the spread of US Fed and the Bank of England in cutting rates, it has outbreak, including quarantines, travel bans and closures “We’re affected by the epidemic, and the impact is the virus have for their bilateral relations,” said Tsang. announced a package of economic support measures. of public spaces. rather big,” Li said, blaming a drop in domestic demand. But he said that given the upcoming U.S. election, However, central banks have limited room in exercising “(The coronavirus) is likely to be a huge distraction for “We can’t control the market.” President Donald Trump was unlikely to highlight any monetary policy and cannot be expected to do all the both governments,” said Steve Tsang, head of the China China’s exports plummeted in the first two months of failure by China to meet all the terms of the deal. heavy lifting. Major economies including China and the Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies this year on the back of the new coronavirus, falling 17.2 Instead, Trump will use the agreement to score po- US are considering subsidies and tax cuts. These are in in London. percent from a year ago, while imports slipped 4.0 percent. litical points. the right direction. Worst-hit sectors such as airlines Global markets have plummeted, oil prices have slid, The virus threatens “China’s import commitments as But the trade war has fueled distrust among farmers in may need bailouts. and the International Monetary Fund warned this week mandated by the phase one trade deal,” said Rory Green, both countries that could undermine the deal’s success. But, just as during the global financial crisis when that 2020 growth will drop below last year’s 2.9 percent economist at research firm TS Lombard. In the Federal Reserve’s latest “beige book” survey, the US was the first Western country to recover, having under “any scenario”. China has agreed to buy more U.S. farm commodities some U.S. farmers said purchases of agricultural goods by triggered it with its subprime mortgage market collapse, “I would be surprised if they can now fulfil the terms and seafood, manufactured goods such as aircraft, ma- China had “not yet materialized” and expressed worries China is now seeing fewer cases and slowly trying to restart of the phase one deal,” said Tsang. chinery and steel, and energy products. that the virus “would be used as an excuse for missing its industrial capacities. The health crisis may even have Trade plunge But there are provisions “to allow a delay in compli- future trade targets”. strengthened China’s hand. Of course, one sure way to Huge waves of business closures have not only dis- ance, and both nations are likely to accept this, given the Liu Lingxue, general manager of agricultural trading end the pandemic is to contain the virus, but its spread rupted China’s consumer spending and manufacturing global nature of the coronavirus outbreak,” Green added. firm Guangzhou Liangnian, said her profits have fallen may be just starting in some countries. There needs to but also the world’s supply chains. “There is now no chance of China fulfilling its im- by at least a third during the virus outbreak. be coordinated planning to contain the economic fallout. Companies told AFP the past year has brought disarray port targets within the timeframe set by the text of the But she does not want to import sorghum and soybeans It’s time for leading governments and central banks to first from the trade war, then the virus outbreak. agreement.” from the U.S. step up and restore confidence by declaring that they Qingzhou Ruiyuan Trading Company restarted im- Distrust “We would first consider other countries that have will do whatever it takes to shore up the global economy. porting soybeans from the United States this month, but The U.S. economy is also taking a hit from the virus, been friendlier to China,” she said. (Source: South China Morning Post) sales were down at least 20 percent from last year, said with the government introducing sweeping restrictions (Source: CNA) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MARCH 16, 2020 ENERGY 5

Iranian fuel stations India increases fuel taxes in a bid to shore up revenue disinfected daily India has increased taxes on petrol and diesel in a desperate attempt to increase government revenue at a time when tax collections have fallen amid the weakest economic growth in over six years, with the coronavirus impact yet to come. against covid-19 The excise duties on the fuels, which have been hiked by 3 rupees per liter, is expected to result in up to 400 billion ENERGY TEHRAN – Iranian which spread rapidly among the residents of Indian rupees ($5.42 billion) increase in annual revenue, a deskfuel stations, especially the capital, the Fire Department of Tehran senior government official told Reuters. in high-risk areas of the country, are being made arrangements with the Municipality of Taxes on petrol and diesel, which account for more than disinfected on a daily basis to prevent the Tehran to disinfect public and crowded places. a third of retail fuel prices, are one of the biggest sources of spread of coronavirus, Shana reported cit- Firemen have been working tirelessly to income for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, ing the National Iranian Oil Refining and sanitize subway stations, bus rapid transit which has more than tripled revenue from taxes on fuel since Distribution Company (NIORDC). (BRT) vehicles and stations, food and veg- first coming to power in 2014. NIORDC had earlier announced in a state- etable markets, holy shrines and religious The excise duties on petrol and diesel contributed nearly ment that in order to protect the public health, sites, the central railroad station, Tehran’s 1,420.3 billion rupees ($19.24 billion), or nearly 11 percent all fuel station operators are required to do grand bazaar, hospitals, the Tabiat Bridge, of total tax revenue for the year ended March 2019. the filling operation for drivers otherwise and the Vali-e-Asr street which is 18 kilo- The move comes at a time when India is staring at the supply them with gloves and disinfectants meters long. Sunday after detection of 1,209 new cases. more than 4,590 coronavirus patients have highest ever tax collection shortfall, as corporate and income to refuel their cars themselves. The number of people tested positive for The death toll from covid-19 outbreak in recovered from the respiratory disease and tax collection for this fiscal year is set to fall for the first time Following the outbreak of covid-19 in Iran, the coronavirus in Iran exceeded 13,938 on the country has also risen to 611. Meanwhile, discharged from hospitals so far. in at least two decades and the goods and services tax revenue could see a gaping shortfall. Indian opposition parties have criticized the Modi gov- ernment for their high fuel tax policy amid a decline in ru- ral consumption, but economists have praised the move as Natural gas is now truly a global market fiscally prudent. “This balance by the government is a good strategy. This With all the drama around crude oil right now the emergence of a vibrant spot market has the spread of the virus to South Korea and also helps the state shore up some revenue for other useful natural gas has moved outside the spotlight driven a divergence between oil and gas. This Japan, which together account for almost 33 expenditures,” said N.R. Bhanumurthy, economist at the gov- but there are some interesting developments was most recently demonstrated by the fact percent of global LNG demand, puts future ernment-backed National Institute of Public Finance and there as well, and a lot more positive than that the JKM remained largely unchanged demand at risk, too. Policy in New Delhi. what is happening in oil. The natural gas trade this week while oil crashed with a bang, This is where the relatively new nature is beginning to shape a truly international Bloomberg’s authors pointed out. of the gas market becomes evident despite market. All this doesn’t mean that this nascent all the progress made thus far. There is no As LNG trade intensifies, traders are natural gas market is without its problems. gas OPEC to step in and curb production to being offered a growing variety of derivative The growth in paper trading that suggests prop up prices. instruments to trade in, Bloomberg’s Mathew a maturing commodity market is certainly There is an organization of gas exporters. Carr, Stephen Stapczynski and Anna a good sign. The price depression, however, It’s called the Gas Exporting Countries Forum Shiryaevskaya wrote this week. is not such a good sign because it is also and involves a dozen countries, led by Russia, Open interest in the Japan-Korea Marker, depressing trade. Qatar, and Iran. The list of members also or JKM the benchmark for liquefied natural Here, LNG had the same fate as oil: the includes Nigeria—Africa’s top LNG producer— gas delivered in northern Asia, has increased coronavirus that effectively closed China Egypt, which has recently staked a claim in threefold in the past 12 months, Bloomberg’s for business, as one industry executive said, the international gas market with several authors noted, reflecting a boom in the LNG Almost a third of all LNG trade last year affected both the oil and gas trade severely. discoveries, and Libya. trade but also a flourishing spot market that took place on the spot market, Shell said in “China is effectively closed for business However, this organization has so far is driving the internationalization of natural its latest LNG Outlook. This is encouraging as it relates to long-term contracts right made no hint that it is interested in acting in gas trade. for the internationalization of trade in the now,” says Omar Khayum, chief executive concert to control gas prices. The reason: the The spot market evolution was a result of commodity, according to analysts who spoke Annova LNG, a project yet to be completed international gas market is not as developed the expansion in LNG suppliers. The United to Bloomberg, and that’s despite the price in Texas. as the international oil market, according to India stopped controlling petrol prices in 2010 and diesel States and Australia are perhaps the most slump that’s hurt gas producers’ profits and But it is not just China. There is a global analysts. Yet as we saw, thanks to LNG, it is prices in 2014, linking them to global crude markets in a bid prominent but there are also emerging cast a shadow over new liquefaction capacity glut of natural gas and even though Shell developing and maturing. We might someday to ease pressure on government finances and improve the LNG producing and exporting nations in investment decisions. expected the market to rebalance by next year, see the equivalent of OPEC in gas, and this earnings of oil refiners. Africa, with Canada also staking a claim in What’s even better for the global natural it couldn’t anticipate the blow the industry will be perhaps the clearest indication the Global oil prices posted their biggest week of losses since the LNG market. At the same time, more gas trade is that it is separating itself from will receive from the COVID-19 epidemic. international gas market has caught up with the 2008 global financial crisis, rocked by the coronavirus receiving terminals are being built to take crude oil. Even though most of the natural The JKM dipped in February amid the the oil market and has become a truly mature outbreak and efforts by top exporter Saudi Arabia and its in the increased supply, further feeding the gas trade is done under long-term contracts worst of the epidemic in China. It has since global market. allies to flood the market with record levels of supply. evolution of an international gas market. with prices linked to crude oil benchmarks, rebounded but, according to Platts Analytics, (Source: oilprice.com) The national hike translates to a 4.8% increase in diesel prices, and a 4.3% hike in petrol prices in India’s capital New Delhi, compared with Friday’s prices. Petrol was sold at 70 Aramco’s 2019 profit falls 21%, plans to Russia faces 2020 budget deficit of rupees a liter, while diesel was sold at 62.74 a liter on March 13. adjust capital spending 0.9% of GDP at current oil prices (Source: India Times) Oil giant Saudi Aramco 2222.SE on Sunday Russia’s budget deficit could reach 0.9% S.Korea’s Feb U.S. crude posted a 21% decline in 2019 net profit due of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 to a drop in oil prices and production, and at current oil prices, Finance Minister, imports down 2.4%; total said it plans to “rationalize” capital spending Anton Siluanov told the upper house of in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. parliament on Saturday. crude imports down 11.6% This was Aramco’s first earnings The country’s economy has been hit by South Korea’s U.S. crude oil imports in February fell 2.4 per- announcement after it listed in December in a slump in global oil prices and the spread cent from a year earlier and its total February crude imports a record $29.4 billion initial public offering of the coronavirus, with the minister dropped 11.6 percent year-on-year as the spreading of the (IPO) that valued the company at $1.7 trillion. saying the latter was having the bigger coronavirus in South Korea has dented fuel demand, customs Its shares fell below the IPO price last effect as it complicated transportation, data showed on Sunday. week for the first time, as oil prices crashed tourism and trade. U.S. crude imports were 1.59 million tons in February, or after the collapse of an output deal between Russia previously expected a 2020 402,434 barrels per day (bpd), compared with 1.63 million reserves and held 8.2 trillion roubles OPEC and non-OPEC members which led to when Aramco listed its shares. budget surplus of 0.8 percent of GDP, tons a year earlier, according to the customs data. The Unit- ($113.5 billion), or 7.3% of the country’s an oil price war between Riyadh and Moscow. Despite a drop in income, Aramco said but budget revenues from oil and gas at ed States ranked as South Korea’s No.3 crude supplier after GDP, as of March 1. Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said in a it paid a dividend of $73.2 billion in 2019 current prices are set to decline by about Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. statement the oil giant has taken steps to and intends to declare a cash dividend of 2 trillion roubles ($27.7 billion) compared The country will spend 600 billion rationalize planned capital spending in $75 billion in 2020, paid quarterly. with previous estimates, Siluanov said. roubles from this fund in 2020, including 2020 following the coronavirus outbreak. Aramco, which is 98 percent owned by “With the current prices for energy on a previously disclosed state plan to “The company expects capital spending the Persian Gulf kingdom, reported a net resources, we will have a deficit of up to purchase a 50% + 1 share in Sberbank, for 2020 to be between $25 billion and $30 profit of $88.2 billion in 2019, down from 1% of GDP. We estimate that it will be at the country’s largest lender, from the billion in light of current market conditions $111.1 in 2018. 0.9% of GDP,” the minister said, adding central bank. and recent commodity price volatility. Capital Analysts had expected Aramco to post that all budget obligations would be met. Siluanov added that the finance expenditure for 2021 and beyond is currently a net profit of 346.6 billion riyals ($92.6 Russia has a rainy-day National ministry expects oil companies to add under review,” Aramco said in a statement. billion) in 2019, according to an estimate Wealth Fund (NWF) made up of oil 500 billion roubles to the fund this year. Brent crude futures last traded at $33.85 of 15 analysts polled by Refinitiv. revenues accumulated in previous ($1 = 72.2650 roubles) per barrel on Friday, down from about $64 (Source: Reuters) years. It is part of Russia’s sovereign (Source: Reuters)

Could the oil price collapse drive more investment into renewables? Low oil prices will test the resolve of the majors’ energy Fletcher. Essentially, low oil prices mean the profit margin transition plans, but analysts expect the companies’ long- for converting that into motor oil or other products is higher. term commitments to decarbonization and renewable energy “In the future, having exposure to other diversified energy to remain intact. assets, such as renewables, could provide a bit of a hedge South Korea’s imports of U.S. crude have increased amid A dispute between Russia and Saudi Arabia has sent a against oil price volatility as well. They have fundamentally the end of U.S. sanction waivers in May 2019, which stopped flood of cheap oil and gas into global markets just as the very different cash flow profiles and are obviously less reliant South Korea purchasing Iranian crude oil, mainly condensate, COVID-19 pandemic is stifling demand. on oil and gas and other commodity prices,” Fletcher said. or an ultra-light form of crude oil. This market dislocation comes at a time when European oil While some oil companies may choose to trim capex in The country’s Iranian oil shipments have remained zero majors including Shell, Total, Repsol and BP are embarking the energy transition in the immediate term, others may for a tenth consecutive month. seriously down a path toward emission reductions and choose to signal their longer-term strategy and double- In total, South Korea’s February crude oil imports dropped the diversification of their businesses into renewables, down on diversification across the broader energy sector. 11.6% year-on-year to 11.61 million tons, or 2.94 million bpd, e-mobility and other energy services. As oil companies are hit hard by the price collapse, according to the data. Oil companies have been notoriously slow in pivoting cost-cutting will dominate, and companies with weaker The drop in crude oil imports comes as South Korea is their businesses toward cleaner energy sources. Will the balance sheets will be more concerned with survival, coping with the region’s biggest coronavirus outbreak outside current market storm change that? Might it even accelerate Kretzschmar said. of China with more than 8,000 cases. the transition? Yet longer-term strategies to expand revenue streams SK Energy, South Korea’s top refiner, said in early March “The argument that has often been put forward is that industry as discretionary spending. in the power sector are not likely to be shelved. that it would lower its crude distillation units’ (CDU) oper- they can’t invest in renewables because renewable projects The upside for renewables “One thing is clear: The energy transition is not going to ations by 10-15 percent in March as exports and domestic offer much lower returns than oil and gas projects. That The oil and gas sector currently accounts for just 2 percent go away,” said Kretzschmar, pointing out that this week’s demand have been hit by the coronavirus outbreak. argument no longer holds at $35 per barrel,” Valentina of investment in renewables, according to Wood Mackenzie. UK budget announcement had climate change woven Crude oil shipments from Saudi Arabia, South Korea’s Kretzschmar, director of corporate research at Wood So a slowdown in the near term would not derail the flow throughout. “It’s still a key priority for the government.” top crude oil supplier, were 3.19 million tons in February, Mackenzie, told GTM. of finance to solar and wind projects. With that in mind, Kretzschmar warned against business or 806,220 bpd, down 19.9 percent from 3.98 million tons “Average returns from oil and gas projects are now the This isn’t the first time that oil prices have suffered as usual for oil companies. a year earlier. same as renewables projects and, in fact, renewables projects a shock. During such “black swan” events, many types “The sector is already very much unloved by investors, In the first two months of the year, the world’s fifth-largest are much lower risk. Already, we have seen companies of diversification strategies are used to protect against and it’s only going to get worse. I would like to see the oil and crude oil importer shipped in 24.03 million tons of crude oil, like Occidental cutting dividends by 90 percent. It’s a commodity prices, said Luke Fletcher, senior analyst for gas sectors starting to seize opportunities in the megatrend or 2.92 million bpd, down 6.2 percent from 25.60 million discretionary spend,” she added. investor research at the environmental reporting nonprofit that is the energy transition. Because there are opportunities. tons during the same period a year earlier. By that same token, the current headwinds for oil Carbon Disclosure Project. It is a growing trend, and the pressures to transition and to The country’s final crude oil imports data from state-run companies could mean a negative impact on carbon- “Traditionally, the integrated companies had their tackle climate change are only going to increase.” Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) is due later this month. reduction measures that would also be considered by the ‘downstream’ to mitigate against low oil prices,” said (Source: greentechmedia.com) (Source: Reuters) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 ADVERTISEMENTS MARCH 16, 2020 TEHRAN TIMES Iran’s Leading International Daily Modern Stadium of Advertising Dept Martyrs of Khuzestan Football Club (KSC)

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Apartment for rent TEHRAN TIMES , best location of Iran’s Leading International Daily Zafaraniyeh 256 Sq.m; safe Diplomatic area , 4 suite bedrooms , Advertising Dept swimming pool; parking; storage, Furnished or Unfurnished Tel: 021- 430 51 450 09121481073 [email protected] 09122588459 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MARCH 16, 2020 ANALYSIS 7

Selling Arms to Saudis is crime Decoding U.S. new behavior in Iraq

1 Bombarding the PMF positions, targeting civilian airports and repeatedly violating Iraqi sovereignty and terri- against Humanity torial integrity are among the measures Americans are taking to create insecurity and obstruct the establishment of a steady TEHRAN (FNA) — The United Nations tional obligations. If there is an overrid- government in Iraq. should call on the US and its allies to stop ing risk that the weapons could be used to However, in the eyes of national and international public opin- selling weapons to Saudi Arabia and its commit or facilitate a serious violation of ion, the Donald Trump administration is regarded as a “secretive” coalition partners who have waged an un- humanitarian law, the US says it will not system, which has not presented any transparent and accurate justified war on Yemen. It is crime against issue an export permit. information over past few months about of the issues raised. humanity under international law and UN The US has, however, refused to say Charter. what it is exporting, to whom, and for The UN has a responsibility to call on what purpose. Requests under freedom the US and other Western governments of information law for such details have to cease selling arms to the warmongers always been refused. The US knows that and urge the international community to it is violating human rights law. do more to stop nations actively producing Human Rights Watch, Oxfam and Save and selling weapons in the conflict zones the Children have all called for greater trans- of the Middle East. The Western govern- parency on US arms sales. They have also ments have now issued many permits to criticized the US and its allies for training arms manufacturers to export weapons or and fuelling Saudi warplanes that bomb military technology to Saudi Arabia and its schools, markets and hospitals in Yemen. regional partners. The UN should put an end to this crimi- They have been in near-perpetual con- nal practice, as well as arms exports to the flict for nearly ten years now, not just with Middle Eastern countries. In this volatile Lying about the assassination of the commanders of the re- Yemen but also Syria. The UN has already region, the intent behind the exports of US sistance movement, secrecy over the causalities of the Iranian warned that these conflicts are causing an their terror proxies as well. The international community, notably and Western weapons and the practice of missile attack on Ein al-Assad airbase and the facts about U.S. unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the The diffusion of arms in the region should the UN Security Council and the Europe- violence by terror proxies has never been spy plane crash in Afghanistan’s Ghazni city, and more recently region, displacing millions of people and be considered a crime against humanity, an Union, must hold Riyadh and its allies democratic in nature, much less for freedom releasing inaccurate information about the coronavirus outbreak putting millions of civilians at risk. and the world community should urge the which are actively aiding and weaponizing and establishment of peace. in the U.S. are all the reasons that has caused the Trump admin- The world body is currently monitoring world, including the UN Security Council, terrorist groups accountable, and pressure Today, millions of US weapons circu- istration be challenged by public opinion. the deteriorating human rights situation in to do more to pressure the Western nations them to cease these practices in the con- late in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, Accordingly, given the fact that no group has so far claimed Yemen and Syria that has been the prod- transferring arms to the terrorist groups. flict zones, including Iraq. The diffusion including heavy machine guns, rocket pro- responsibility for the attack on Camp Taji, the new round of U.S. uct of the war launched by the Saudis or What solutions exist to stop the spread and transfer of weapons by the US must pelled grenades, and surface to air missiles. military actions seems to be a pre-designed plan to the White their proxy forces. The UN had warned of weapons, end violence and its tragic also be considered to be a crime against We all know that they are being used exclu- House escape the deadlock it has stuck in because of its blunders. the multiple failures of the states – in ad- consequences in Yemen and Syria, which humanity in Syria. sively against civilians and those who are ministration, justice and security – are actively poses a threat to regional peace The US government claims its export fighting the Saudi-Israeli-American terror facilitating mass violence with impunity and security, results in millions of deaths licences are only issued after thorough as- proxy groups. The time has finally arrived Bin Salman fears oppositions in these war-torn countries. The time is and refugees and precipitates humanitarian sessments on whether arms will be used to for the UN to put a cap on this criminal now to tell them stop exporting arms to catastrophes? breach human rights or any of US interna- practice and to save lives. from royal family: Zonis 1 But given his policy making — his insistence on con- tinuing the Saudi war in Yemen causing such catastrophe there and the murder of Jamal Khashoggi — I suspect this is a product Iraqi parties, politicians condemn U.S. airstrikes against multiple PMU positions of his brutality and impulsiveness. By Zahra Mirzafarjouyan Salih condemned the airstrikes, stressing Can such a measure pave way for him to grab the power that such attacks are a violation of national in the country as king? TEHRAN (MNA) – The recent US air- sovereignty and a systematic weakening A: I would not call it “grab power” since he is the accepted strikes against multiple locations across of the country’s capabilities. Crown Prince. But it looks as if he has succeeded in taking all the country have caused a lot of reaction According to the statement released on the various security services under his control and should easily among Iraqi politicians and parties and Friday, the Iraqi President called on the become King upon his father’s death. have faced a wave of condemnation. international community to respect Iraq’s What is the US and generally speaking the west’s approach The United States has carried out a se- national sovereignty and its decisions. toward this issue? ries of airstrikes against multiple locations Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also A: President Trump has a special alliance across the Middle of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units summoned the US and British ambassadors East with three leaders: President Erdogan, Prime Minister Ne- (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Sha’abi, to Baghdad in response to Washington’s tanyahu, and the Crown Prince. He is willing to excuse almost only a day after more than a dozen of the recent aggression against the headquarters any of their behaviors — certainly their policies within their own Iraqi fighters were killed by airstrikes tar- of Hashd al-Sha’abi. countries. So, not surprisingly, no criticism from him on the geting an area in Syria’s eastern province Fatah Alliance, a political coalition in Crown Prince’s strike against others in the Royal family. of Deir al-Zour. Iraq also reacted to the US aggression, The early Friday US airstrikes were stressing that there is no solution except carried out about 24 hours after at least the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq. Mahir Abuaskar: Israel 18 PMU fighters were killed in air raids It also emphasized that Washington’s imposing harsh conditions targeting an area southeast of the city of intention is to destroy Iraq’s infrastructure, al-Bukamal in eastern Syria and near the saying that the recent US attacks represent on Palestinian patients border with Iraq. an egregious, overt and repeated aggres- That deadly attack was conducted sion on the Iraqi people and armed forces. TEHRAN (FNA) — Mahir Abuaskar, Palestinian activist, says hours after the US-led military coalition Condemning the US attacks on Iraqi Israeli hospitals impose “harsh conditions” on Palestinian patients, announced that three of its personnel - two military and civilian positions, the leader to bolster its presence in Iraq by all means. change,” it added. and at the same time, overcharge the Palestinian Authority for Americans and one Briton - had been killed of the Sadr movement Muqtada al-Sadr Al-Nujaba Islamic Resistance also re- In reaction to Friday airstrike, Leader their inadequate medical services. in a rocket attack on Iraq’s Taji military called for restraint and for the spread of acted to US aggression by issuing a strong of the National Wisdom Movement of Iraq In an exclusive interview with FNA, Mahir Abuaskar said, “By camp, located some 30 kilometers (18.6 peace in all areas of Iraq and the aban- statement, saying, “The United States con- Seyyed Ammar al-Hakim also called on its two-tier system of laws, rules, and services that Israel adopts miles) north of Baghdad. donment of violence. tinues to commit crimes and attacks on the government to defend its sovereignty for the two populations in areas in the West Bank […] it actually Following the recent US airstrike against The spokesman of Kata’ib Hezbollah the headquarters of Hashd al-Sha’abi, the in the face of US aggression. provides preferential services, development, and benefits for Jewish multiple locations across the country, Iraqi called the US attack on the headquarters Iraqi army and Karbala civilian airport by He also condemned the US airstrike settlers. [...] Israel is promoting President, Foreign Ministry, and some other of Hashd al-Sha’abi in line with its efforts its illegal occupier forces in Iraq.” against multiple locations across Iraq, life in the settlements while in groups and parties reacted, condemning to undermine the legitimate resistance of “Continuation of American stupidity warning that Iraq will become a place many instances stifling growth the aggression of US forces. the Iraqi people to the American occupiers, and arrogance will lead to a conflict in for political and military conflict during in Palestinian communities and In this regard, Iraqi President Barham stressing that the United States is seeking the region where the rules of conflict will these invasions. even forcibly displacing Pales- tinian residents.” He further added the cut in the US and international aids COVID-19 less deadly than SARS, spreading faster to Palestine has made major financial crisis, which has sig- 1 From the time of this report WHO has made can be expected from an average primary case. A BRN nificantly affected Palestine’s the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized greater than one predicts continuing growth, less than health sector, namely PA’s ina- as a pandemic. However, “90 percent of the cases are one predicts the outbreak will die out, while a BRN bility to maintain hospitals and in just four countries, and two of those – China and S. equal to one suggests continuous low-level disease – an save the facilities. Korea – have significantly declining epidemics,” the endemic. A BRN for SARS for instance was between two Mahir Abuaskar is a Pales- report added. to five, diphtheria, four to five, and measles nine to 18. tinian activist and economic According to TIME magazine’s March 14 report Italy More than 10 estimates for the COVID-19 have been expert based in Finland. He has is second on the list, with 21,157 cases, 1,441 deaths and calculated ranging from 1.7 and 3.3. managed many projects in the health sector in Jordan, Kuwait 1,966 recoveries. Iran is third on the list with 12,729 A third key factor is incubation period (IP). In a research and Finland. He is also a fundraiser for Palestine’s only cancer cases, 611 deaths and 2,959 recoveries. published in the journal Eurosurveillance, one of the most treatment hospital. During a Wednesday news conference in Berlin, German detailed estimate of the IP of COVID-19, the researchers Below is the full text of the interview: Chancellor Angela Merkel said the “consensus among studied 88 people who had been confirmed positive The United States has cut its aid to Palestine. How has this experts is that 60 to 70 percent of the population will be for COVID-19 virus, and found the average incubation affected Palestine’s health sector? infected” since there is no immunity for the virus. About period was 6.4 days, with the range from 2 to 11 days. A: The US’s decision to cut funding to hospitals serving the 1,300 people have been infected with novel coronavirus Before jumping into conclusions there are doubts about Palestinians has major adverse effects. It would cause the “col- in Germany as of Wednesday, but only three deaths the number of cases reported worldwide are accurate. lapse” of Augusta Victoria and St. John’s Eye Hospitals, two of the have been reported. Exact numbers of “confirmed” cases is not possible to medical centers in the East Jerusalem network. The Palestinian We simply do not know if it will slow during the find out at any given time but the numbers will be more government is trying hard to save the facilities, but it is facing summer months, as some respiratory viral infections do. refined with time. a severe financial crisis after deep cuts in international aids, If it does, “be ready for at least a second wave in the COVID-19 vs other epidemics mainly from and the United States. This has degraded health fall, following the path of the 1918 influence and the 2009 How the coronavirus compares to SARS, swine flu, sector services in Palestine to a significant extent; for instance, influenza”, says Timothy Sly a Canadian epidemiologist Zika and other epidemics. While some of those examples Palestine has witnessed a noticeable increase in cancer cases, while talking to Macleans magazine. were deadlier, they were far more limited in scope. from 1073 cases in 2000 to 2536 in 2016 in the West Bank alone, The worst-case scenario, writes Sly, is to allow the COVID-19 is not as deadly as SARS epidemic of 2003, and 59.1% of these cases appeared among the youth age group virus to enter a population and circulate, some people The World Health Organization called the COVID-19 which killed about ten percent of the 8,098 confirmed between 15 and 64 years. will die, while the majority will acquire immunity, finally viral disease a pandemic Wednesday. Here, workers in cases of the respiratory illness. Israel claims it serves Palestinian patients at its hospitals. bringing the pandemic to a halt. Spain place a medical mask on a figure that was to be It is also far less deadly than the Middle East Respiratory How do you find these medical services? Important factors part of the Fallas festival in Valencia. The festival has Syndrome, or MERS, which killed 34 percent of 2,500 A: Israel provides different treatment of Jewish settlements to Seriousness, in the context of an infectious illness, is been cancelled over the coronavirus outbreak. (Photo: since it was first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Palestinian communities throughout the West Bank, including assessed by a combination of factors. The “case-fatality Alberto Saiz/AP) With a mortality rate (CFR) of 3.4 percent, COVID-19 East Jerusalem. By its two-tier system of laws, rules, and services rate” (CFR) is the risk of dying if you have the condition is more severe than 2009 outbreak of H1N1, or Swineflu that Israel adopts for the two populations in areas in the West or mortality rate. For example, dandruff has a CFR of occurred in nine or younger, but cases for those aged which infected between 700 million to 1.4 billion people Bank under its exclusive control, it actually provides preferential zero, Ebola ranges from 25 percent to 90 percent, and 70-79 carried eight percent fatality, and those aged 80 with mortality rate of 0.02 percent. services, development, and benefits for Jewish settlers while rabies is essentially 100 percent fatal. Seasonal influenza and older with a fatality rate of 14.8 percent. The rate In 2015-16 more than 500,000 cases of Zika virus imposes harsh conditions on Palestinians. Israel is promoting comes in around 0.1 to 0.2 percent, or one to two deaths was 49 percent among critical cases, and among those were reported with 18 deaths. Zika has been linked to life in the settlements while in many instances stifling growth in expected per thousand cases. According to the recent data, with pre-existing conditions to between 5.6-10.3 percent a spike in birth defect microcephaly. It is transmitted Palestinian communities and even forcibly displacing Palestinian confirmed by WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom depending on condition. through mosquitoes while COVID-19 is spread through residents. On the other hand, Palestine’s Ministry of Health now Ghebreyesus CFR for COVID-19 is 3.4 percent, more A second key factor is the rate at which an infection can respiratory fluids such as saliva or mucus. That is why requires patients not to be referred to Israeli hospitals. The deci- than the previous estimates of 1.4 and 2 percent. spread to others. That’s the “basic reproductive number” it is so important to cover your mouth when coughing sion followed Israel’s withholding of $138 million in tax revenue Fatality rates also vary based on age. No deaths (BRN), an estimate of how many secondary infections and cover your face when sneezing. owed to the Palestinian Authority. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 HERITAGE & TOURISM MARCH 16, 2020

Coronavirus: airlines face meltdown as global travel New year travels plunge bans multiply

The international travel industry faces a widespread shutdown over coronavirus fears after airlines announced new flight reduc- amid virus outbreak tions and more countries introduced travel bans and isolation requirements. 1 Deputy tourism minister Vali Tey- Travel businesses were hit with multiple doses of bad news mouri said earlier this month that more than on Saturday and Sunday, with the U.S. expanding its Europe 700 billion rials (over $16 million) have so travel ban to include the UK and Ireland, a number of South far been paid back to people who have can- American countries bringing in flight restrictions and Australia celled their tours or hotel reservations over joining New Zealand in requiring all people entering the country the coronavirus fears. to self-isolate for 14 days. Teymouri also thanked “dear compatriots” American Airlines, the second biggest in the world, said on and tourists for their cooperation with the Saturday that it would start implementing a phased suspension “family of the tourism industry” in the coun- of nearly all long-haul international flights from Monday, amid try; those considering the special economic reduced demand and travel restrictions due to the ongoing coro- conditions of the tourism operators and ho- navirus outbreak. teliers at this recessionary time, postponing The cruise industry also suffered another setback when two the travel plans for a later time. ships were placed in quarantine in Chile after an elderly British The coronavirus outbreak has pushed the man aboard one of them tested positive for the coronavirus, the country’s death toll past 600 till Saturday and health ministry announced on Saturday. triggering new limits on people’s movements. The U.S. government said on Saturday that it would “im- Some 13,000 people have so far confirmed mediately” begin working on ways to help the coronavirus-hit infected by the COVID-19 – including several aviation and cruise industries as they scramble to stem losses senior government officials testing positive. and protect jobs. Iran has also suspended schools and The crisis facing the industry has been accelerated by the banned spectators from stadiums. The streets latest extension of the U.S. ban on incoming travel, with U.S. and markets are still crowded in the capital, vice-president Mike Pence announcing at the White House on Tehran, which has been the hardest hit by Saturday that British and Irish travellers would also be barred the virus. from entering the U.S. for 30 days. The coronavirus epidemic is putting up At the same press conference, Donald Trump revealed that to 50 million jobs in the global travel and he had taken a test for the virus, with the White House later tourism sector at risk, with travel likely to revealing that he had proved negative. slump by a quarter this year. Asia is expected In Spain, the wife of prime minister Pedro Sanchez has tested to be the most affected continent, according positive as her husband formally declared a state of emergency to the World Travel and Tourism Council. over the coronavirus. Spain is now the fourth-worst affected Many travel officials, tour operators believe Firefighters prepare their fogging machines to disinfect a street against the new coronavirus as people watch, in western Tehran, country in the world after it recorded more deaths to take the total that Iran will make a quick rebound as soon March 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) to 196. Sanchez said the country would be placed in lockdown for as the virus is defeated. The impact would 24 being World Heritage sites. Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism Iran since the beginning of the current Iranian two weeks and ordered people to stay at home unless they had depend on how long the epidemic lasts by Last year, Iranians made 74 million over- and Handicrafts. calendar year (March 21, 2019) despite U.S. to buy food or medicine or go to work or hospital. recent restrictive measures. night stays in their domestic trips during The Islamic Republic was ranked the sanctions and a sharp decline in flights by The outbreak also worsened in the UK on Saturday with the Because Iran has never ceased to attract the Noruz holidays, which showed a 20 third fastest-growing tourism destination some foreign airlines. total of deaths nearly doubling from 11 to 21 amid continued tourists from around the world as it’s home to percent increase year on year. Some 132 in the globe in 2019, with 27.9 percent The country expects to reap a bonanza from controversy about whether the government’s policy aimed at hospitable people, and hundreds of historical million visits to tourist attractions were growth year on year, according to the latest its numerous tourist spots. Under the 2025 creating “herd immunity” from the disease would work or not. sites such as bazaars, museums, mosques, registered during the mentioned period, statistics released by the United Nations Tourism Vision Plan, it aims to increase the Around the world, varying measures of control continued to be bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, which shows a 34 percent growth year on World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million imposed on populations from the Philippines, where the capital churches, towers, and mansions, of which year, according to data compiled by the Some eight million foreign nationals visited in 2014 to 20 million in 2025. Manila was in the process of being sealed off, to Argentina where flights from countries badly hit by the virus have been halted. The prospect of a shattering blow for the airline industry was foreshadowed by the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, ‘Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion’ chosen as 2020 Intl. Museum Day motto as he announced that all international passenger arrivals from midnight Sunday would be legally required to self-isolate for HERITAGE TEHRAN – “Museums for Equality: origins and backgrounds, which is central to their social value. 14 days. deskDiversity and Inclusion” was selected “As agents of change and trusted institutions, there is The flights would dry up “very, very quickly”, he said, and set as the motto of the 2020 International Museum Day as no time like the present for museums to demonstrate their up serious concerns for the country’s $3.5bn cruise industry by organizers look to hammer home the message of joint relevance by engaging constructively in the political, social, adding that passenger ships from foreign ports would be banned understanding, cooperation and peace. and cultural realities of modern society. The challenges for an initial 30 days. Each year since 1977, the International Council of Museums of inclusion and diversity and the difficulty of navigating Even before the new curbs were announced, the chief exec- (ICOM) has organized International Museum Day on May complex social issues in increasingly polarized environments, utive of British Airways told staff that the airline was in a “fight 18 or around this date, to represent a unique moment for while not unique to museums and cultural institutions, are for survival”. the international museum community. important ones, due the high regard in which museums are U.S. Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said the government The theme “Museums for Equality: Diversity and held by society.” would “immediately” start working with Congress to support the Inclusion”, according to organizers, aims at becoming a The objective of International Museum Day is to raise afflicted industries. rallying point to both celebrate the diversity of perspectives awareness about the fact that, “Museums are an important The U.S. restrictions on travel to the UK and Ireland will that make up the communities and personnel of museums, means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and begin on Monday at midnight, Pence said. Most non-U.S. cit- and champion tools for identifying and overcoming bias development of mutual understanding, cooperation and A poster for the 2020 International Museum Day izens who have been in those countries within the last 14 days in what they display and the stories they tell, the ICOM peace among peoples.” will be barred from entering America. The restrictions do not website reported. To mark the occasion in Iran, heritage museums and Some Three million historical objects are currently bar flights to and from the U.S., and Americans and permanent By choosing this topic, ICOM stresses the potential of historical sites are traditionally offering free entry on the being kept in Iranian museums which are affiliated with residents can still travel. museums to create meaningful experiences for peoples of all International Museum Day. the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts. (Source: The Guardian) ROUND THE GLOBE Arts of ancient Iran: Axe inscribed with the name of King Untash-Napirisha HERITAGE TEHRAN – The pictured Iranian hatchet Inshushinak. Later, he changed his mind and turned the Samarkand: deskinscribed with the name of Untash- latter into a large ziggurat dominating this site where the Crossroads of cultures Napirisha is dedicated to the goddesses Ishnikarab and country’s guardian deities - Napirisha, the god of the upper Kiririsha. regions, and Inshushinak, the god of the Susian plain - were The historic town of Samarkand, located in a large oasis in The object was found in Tchoga Zanbil, in the temple of worshipped. Kiririsha was the “Great Goddess,” the “Great the valley of the Zerafshan River, in the north-eastern region Ishnikarab near the great ziggurat consecrated by the king Wife,” and the “Mother of Gods.” She was also the “Protector of Uzbekistan, is considered the crossroads of world cultures to Inshushinak and Napirisha. of Kings.” with a history of over two and a half millennia. Evidence of It is currently kept at the Louvre museum in Paris. The weapon belongs to a tradition introduced in the late settlements in the region goes back to 1500 BC, with Samar- This type of weapon, with the axe blade emerging from 3rd millennium BC: namely, votive axes with blades emerging kand having its most significant development in the Temurid the mouth of an animal - usually a lion - is in keeping with from the mouth of a wild animal, decorated with an animal period, from the 14th to the 15th centuries, when it was capital the tradition in the early 2nd millennium BC. An electrum on the collar. A reclining boar - an image commonly found of the powerful Temurid realm. figurine of a wild boar decorates the side of the hatchet. in the region - is here featured on the heel of the blade, Famous for his victorious campaigns against Babylon, which appears to be “spewed forth” from the mouth of a King Untash-Napirisha dedicated many weapons in stone lion. Other weapons such as daggers and swords have been and precious metals to Elamite divinities, the principal ones found in graves in Lurestan. These arms were often inscribed being Inshushinak, Napirisha, and Kiririsha, according to with the name of a monarch, as is the case in the Foroughi the Louvre’s Department of Near Eastern Antiquities. Elamite was an assertion of the linguistic identity of the Collection. Often made of precious metals, these were not Ishnikarab is associated with these three divinities. Although kingdom, which formed one of its underlying foundations. made for battle, but were insignia of dignity presented to the feminine character of Ishnikarab has been questioned, These offerings suggest the warrior nature of Kiririsha. high-ranking officials. she would appear to have been the wife of Inshushinak. King Untash-Napirisha founded a new religious capital, UNESCO says that Tchogha Zanbil is the largest ziggurat In making his gift, the king placed himself under the Al-Untash Napirisha (present-day Tchoga Zanbil), on the outside of Mesopotamia and the best preserved of this type protection of the two goddesses, Ishnikarab and Kiririsha. road linking the two principal centers of the kingdom, Anshan of stepped pyramidal monument. At the time, the unification of the upper and lower regions and Susa. In the middle of this “holy city” was a small temple Tchogha Zanbil was excavated in six seasons between was uncertain, and the unity of the Elamite empire fragile. dedicated to the goddess Ishnikarab. Untash-Napirisha built 1951 and 1961 by Roman Ghirshman, a Russian-born French The inscription of the sovereign’s name on this object in a temple next to it dedicated to Kiririsha, as well as one to archeologist who specialized in ancient Iran. Cruises and the coronavirus: what travelers need to know A view of the Bibi-Khanum mosque and mausoleum in As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Also on Thursday, Virgin Voyages, part of Richard Bran- said that American citizens, particularly those with under- Samarkand State Department continue to urge Americans to avoid cruise son’s Virgin Group, announced it would postpone the launch lying health conditions, “should not travel by cruise ship.” The historical part of Samarkand consists of three main ships, and with a ban on much travel from Europe set to of Scarlet Lady, its first ship, to July 15 and reschedule the The State Department also issued a Level 3 advisory, or sections. In the north-east there is the site of the ancient city begin on Friday, the cruise industry reversed course this maiden voyage to August 7. The much-buzzed-about Miami Reconsider Travel, for global travel on Wednesday night. of Afrosiab, founded in the 7th century BC and destroyed by week and began suspending sailings. launch had originally been scheduled for March. The warnings came after the leaders of the top Ameri- Genghis Khan in the 13th century, which is preserved as an On Wednesday, Viking said it was temporarily suspend- “The current global health crisis is understandably making can cruise companies met with Vice President Mike Pence archaeological reserve. Archaeological excavations have revealed ing operations of river and ocean cruises, for embarkations many people rethink upcoming travel plans. While there on Saturday and agreed to work with the Department of the ancient citadel and fortifications, the palace of the ruler taking place between March 12 and April 30. On Thursday, have been no health concerns on our ship Scarlet Lady, Homeland Security, the Coast Guard and the C.D.C. to come (built in the 7th century displays important wall paintings), Princess Cruises announced it was voluntarily suspending the Virgin Voyages team has engaged future sailors and up with new policies to help contain the coronavirus in the and residential and craft quarters. There are also remains of all 18 of its ships for two months; the company has canceled travel partners as we all navigate this challenging moment coming days. a large ancient mosque built from the 8th to 12th centuries. departures scheduled between March 12 and May 10. together,” said Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages According to a spokesman for Carnival Corporation — The major monuments include the Registan mosque “It is our intention to reassure our loyal guests, team Chief Executive Tom McAlpin in a joint emailed statement. Princess’s parent company and the world’s biggest cruise and madrasahs, originally built in mud brick and covered members and global stakeholders of our commitment to The cruise lines had continued to sail even after advisories company — the two-month service suspension will only with decorated ceramic tiles, the Bibi-Khanum mosque and the health, safety and well-being of all who sail with us, as from the C.D.C. and the State Department. apply to Princess sailings. The company’s other brands, mausoleum, the Shakhi-Zinda compound, which contains a well as those who do business with us, and the countries “Recent reports of Covid-19 on cruise ships highlight which include Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line series of mosques, madrasahs and mausoleum, and the en- and communities we visit around the world,” Jan Swartz, the risk of infection to cruise ship passengers and crew,” and Cunard, enhanced their health-screening protocols to sembles of Gur-Emir and Rukhabad, as well as the remains president of Princess Cruises, said in an emailed statement. the C.D.C. said in its advisory. “Like many other viruses, include thermal scans and temperature checks before board- of Ulugh-Bek’s Observatory. Two of the company’s ships, the Diamond Princess and Covid-19 appears to spread more easily between people in ing and onboard, and were in conversation with the C.D.C., (Source: UNESCO) the Grand Princess, have been quarantined, with numerous close quarters aboard ships.” the World Health Organization and other health officials. passengers becoming infected. The State Department, in its advisory issued on Sunday, (Source: The New York Times) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MARCH 16, 2020 SOCIETY 9

Over 6,000 Child laborers to be provided with anti-corona aid

SOCIETY TEHRAN — The Social Security Organi- deskzation plans to provide child laborers with packages of antiseptics and educational items in order to help being tested them prevent the spread of coronavirus. for COVID-19

in Iran per day Pasteur Institute of Iran’s director Alireza Biglari SOCIETY TEHRAN — More than over a short period of three weeks, he munications. We are also impressed by health measures implemented on ade- desk6,000 people are being added. the engagement from other sectors of quate scale will make a difference.” tested for COVID-19 in Iran per day at A team of experts from the World the community. Progress has been made in scaling about 50 state-run laboratories across the Health Organization (WHO), GOARN Health officials and health workers up the number of laboratories that are country, the Pasteur Institute of Iran’s partners, Robert Koch Institute in Ber- are clearly working very hard, and are now able to test for COVID-19 – over The plan will be implemented during the final week of the director Alireza Biglari has said. lin and the Chinese Center for Disease committed to controlling this outbreak 30 laboratories across the country now [current Iranian calendar] year (ending March 19), the organiza- “More than 220,000 test kits have Control concluded a technical support and saving lives. The government is lev- have the capacity and at least 20 more tion’s head Vahid Qobadi-Dana said, IRNA reported on Saturday. so far been donated to Iran, of which mission on COVID-19 to Iran on March eraging the strong national health system will be added. Under the plan, social security experts will provide child lab- around 80,000 have been used,” IRNA 10, 2020. and disaster management capacities to So far, WHO has provided lab testing orers with necessary education about different aspects of the quoted Biglari as saying on Saturday. “After five days of extensive meet- respond to the outbreak,” says Dr Rich- kits enough to test at least 110,000 people disease and ways to curb its spread. Some 70 specialized coronavirus labs ings and field visits, we see that Iran’s ard Brennan, WHO Regional Emergency and seven tons of protective equipment The number of people diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, have been authorized in the country, 50 strategies and priorities to control COV- Director for the Eastern Mediterranean and supplies. Contact tracing is expand- known as COVID-19, in Iran has increased to 13,938, of whom of which are operating and the rest will ID-19 are evolving in the right direction, Region and mission team lead. ing and new sanitariums have opened 724 have died and 4,790 recovered so far. come on stream over the next few days, a comprehensive coordinated approach “The fight against coronavirus in the in Tehran and Qom to care for those Over the past 24 hours, 1,209 new cases of people having the he explained. is being applied, and solid work is be- Islamic Republic of Iran is ongoing, and who are recovering from coronavirus, virus have been identified, Deputy Health Minister Kiyanoush The World Health Organization has ing done especially in the areas of case everybody in the country is engaged in so that overburdened hospitals can be Jahanpour said, ISNA reported. commended Iran foe setting up the labs management, laboratories, and risk com- this response. The right and timely public decongested. The highest number of new cases were reported from the provinces of Tehran, Khorasan Razavi, and Isfahan with 251, 143, and 126 cases, respectively. Australia’s fire-ravaged forests are recovering. Ecologists hope it lasts In the back corner of a burned lot in Australia’s fire-ravaged more intense drought and more intense fires.” South Coast stands a torched tree. It’s uppermost branches A recent study by a group of international scientists con- How to talk to kids about the reach into a cloudless sky, brittle and bare. Against its firmed what Brown and many others suspected: human-caused novel coronavirus without charred trunk rests half-burned rubble, remains from climate change contributed to the conditions they saw over the gift shop it used to shade. the last few months, making them 30 percent more likely. scaring them But that’s not where local resident Claire Polach is point- “The weather’s just different,” Brown says. ing. She gestures to the middle part of the tree, where lime Outside, the scorch marks now reach the tops of the trees. The fear and uncertainty around COVID-19, the disease caused green leaves sprout from blackened bark, as if the tree is The ground below is littered with fallen logs and dead leaves. by the novel coronavirus, is stressful for many adults and can be wearing a shaggy sweater. Brown stops the engine and puts on a helmet, a caution especially anxiety-provoking for children. To Polach, the burst of regrowth is a sign that despite a against any weakened trees that have yet to fall. Before you talk to your kids about the realities of the novel months’ long assault of flame and smoke, the second-hottest The team of ecologists spreads out in the forest. Some coronavirus, it’s important that you educate yourself first, said summer on record and a multi-year drought, Australia’s gather around a firefighter who’s showing videos of the blaze Cassie Brownell, an assistant professor at the University of To- nature “is doing it’s thing.” on his cellphone. ronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. As for people like her, recovering from the same? “We’ll Michael Doherty, a plant ecologist, walks to the base Reading reliable sources of information, like government follow the nature,” she says. of a charred tree about 50 yards off the road. It’s a young websites, is key to combating misinformation and correcting This cycle of fire, rain and recovery has played out Recovering for now brown barrel, he says, “a eucalypt and it’s showing a flash any misconceptions kids may have, Brownell said. in Australia for millennia. The majority of the country’s His eyes on a narrow dirt road in front of him, Colin of epicormic growth after the fires.” “Kids are seeing empty store shelves or people in masks… forests are uniquely adapted to fire. Some species need Brown gestures his head at the walls of burned trees passing His fingers run through that epicormic growth — a and they’re worried about that or they’re worried about their it. “Australia is, more than any other, a fire continent,” on either side of his rumbling fire tanker. cluster of olive green leaves that’s sprouting from the own family getting sick,” she said. writes ecologist and historian Stephen Pyne in his book “Good way to assess how bad the fire was is the scorch tree’s trunk at about chest height. It’s a response to dam- “I think we need to create a really open space where we can “World Fire.” marks on the trees,” he says. Two trucks ahead of him is a age from the fire, Doherty says, and proof that the tree talk about the facts, correct misinformation and be honest.” But scientists have long warned that a warming climate team of ecologists from the Australian National Universi- isn’t actually dead. Brownell suggests opening the conversation around COVID-19 could mean more severe fires, more often. Now there are ty, here in Tallaganda National Park to survey the damage It’s canopy has been scorched, killing its leaves, but by asking your children what they know about the virus. That concerns that even a fire continent will struggle to recover caused by a recent fire. dormant buds were waiting beneath its bark. These epicormic way, you can gauge their knowledge level and answer questions. from the scale and severity of recent events. Brown, a deputy captain with the Rural Fire Service shoots allow the tree to continue gathering sunlight and The amount of information you share with your children and New research published in the journal Nature Cli- in New South Wales, already has a pretty good idea of it. photosynthesize, keeping it alive while the canopy recovers. the way you deliver it will depend on their age, said Steven Taylor, mate Change found that a staggering 21 percent of He, like tens of thousands of other volunteer firefight- The burst of regrowth isn’t surprising to Doherty, whose a clinical psychologist and professor in the psychiatry department Australia’s forested area burned in the 2019-2020 ers, has spent the last few months chasing flames across research focuses on forests’ ability to recover after bushfire. at the University of British Columbia. fire season, a figure the authors say is “globally un- eastern Australia’s eucalypt-covered mountains, doing But he says he is encouraged. If a child is young and has a limited understanding of what’s precedented” and may indicate “the more flammable what he could to protect homes, ranches and other people “Notwithstanding climate change, we’re still seeing the going on, you don’t need to share detailed information with them. future projected to eventuate under climate change tucked between. ecosystems recover as we might expect they would,” he says. But if your child is in school and is hearing about the virus from has arrived earlier than anticipated.” “It’s always difficult in Australia because the whole climate Whether they’ll continue to recover, he says, is more friends and on the news, you should talk to them about it, he said. The question now is whether Australia’s nature can is drought and fire,” Brown says, as the torch marks climb uncertain. “I would point out to them that we know, in most cases, it’s keep pace. higher in the surrounding trees. “But what we’re seeing is (Source: NPR) usually mild,” Taylor said. “And [highlight] the best thing to do to keep yourself safe is to wash your hands, cover your coughs and try and keep your Polar ice caps and Greenland ice sheet melting six times faster than in 1990s fingers away from your face, rather than getting caught up in probabilities of death and so on.” The polar ice caps and the Greenland ice sheet sweeping curbs on greenhouse gas emissions, 1990s to 475bn tonnes per year in the 2010s. Data from 11 different satellite missions It is also vital that parents act rationally and do not panic, are melting six times faster than they were in the planet will see a 17-centimetre rise in sea This means that the polar ice sheets have al- was used, including measurements of the ice he said. the 1990s, according to the most complete level in just 80 years, putting about 400 mil- ready contributed a third of all sea-level rise. sheets’ changing volume, flow and gravity. “If you’re a young child and your parents are terrified, rushing picture of polar ice-sheet loss to date. lion people at risk of annual coastal flooding. The team behind the research – the Ice The findings are shocking. Greenland out, stocking up… that’s going to inflate the child’s anxiety level.” The high melt rate corresponds to the “worst The research was carried out by a team of 89 Sheet Mass Balance Inter-comparison Exer- and Antarctica lost 6.4 trillion tonnes of (Source: globalnews.ca) case scenario” model for global warming set polar scientists from 50 international organisa- cise (Imbie) – combined 26 separate surveys to ice between 1992 and 2017, pushing global out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Cli- tions, and reveals that the combined rate of ice compute changes in the mass of the Greenland sea levels up by 17.8 millimetres. mate Change (IPCC), and means that without loss has risen from 81bn tonnes per year in the and Antarctic ice sheets between 1992 and 2018. (Source: The Independent) WORDS IN THE NEWS Breakthrough in Brain ENGLISH IN USE Cancer (07 May 2003) LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION A team of American and Spanish scientists believe they have made an important discovery in the treatment of brain cancer. They have used a genetically engineered form of the common 3 million Iranians have organ cold virus to destroy human brain tumour cells that had been .injected into mice 3 میلیون نفر در کشور کارت اهدا عضو donor cards The results of this research on mice are so remarkable that the National Cancer Institute and the US Food and Drug Administration دریافت کردند Some three million Iranians have organ donor cards want to try it out on brain cancer patients. One of the leaders of the study, Dr Frederic Lang of the Univer- sity of Texas, said the mice had still be alive after one hundred فرحنــاز صــادق بیگــی مســئول واحــد فراهــم آوری اعضــا بیمارســتان مســیح and some 10 percent have signed online consent forms and forty days with no tumours present when their brains were دانشــوری اظهارداشــت: تاکنــون 3 میلیــون نفــر از افــراد کشــور کارت اهــداء for organ donation, Farahnaz Sadeq-Beigi, head of then examined. He said that previously mice injected with human brain tumour cells had died after only twenty. Dr Lang said these عضــو دریافــت کــرده انــد و 10 درصــد از افــراد کشــور در ســامانه هــای organ procurement program in Masih Daneshvari were exciting results but he was careful to say that success with مختلفــی کــه در جهــت اعــام رضایــت در زمینــه اهــدای عضــو راه انــدازی Hospital, a national research institute for tuberculosis humans wasn›t guaranteed. Even so, the National Cancer Institute is intrigued enough to be شــده ثبــت نــام کــرده انــد. .and lung diseases, has said -providing a million dollars of funding to produce enough of the ge وی تصادفــات رانندگــی را شــایع تریــن علــت مــرگ مغــزی دانســت و گفــت: Traffic accidents are the main reasons of brain deaths in netically engineered cold virus and begin enrolling patients with .brain tumours as early as the end of the next year ســالیانه 4 هــزار مــورد مــرگ مغــزی در کشــور ثبــت مــی شــود کــه ســال Iran, she said, lamenting that out of 4,000 brain deaths Words گذشــته تنهــا 1000 نفــر از ایــن افــراد قابلیــت اهــدای عضــو را داشــته انــد. .reported by forensics only 1,000 donate their organs Results: conclusions Research: study Remarkable: impressive, unusual PREFIX/SUFFIX PHRASAL VERB IDIOM Brain cancer patients: people who are ill with a growth, or tumour, on their brain “cerebro-, cerebr-” Think something up Give somebody a (good) Tumours: growths, cancers Examined: looked at very closely Meaning: brain Meaning: to produce a new idea, name etc. by run for their money Intrigued: very interested For example: Passive smoking is considered a thinking Genetically engineered: produced through genetic engineering - major cause of cerebrovascular disease, which For example: She was trying to think up an excuse. Explanation: to make your opponent in a competition the science of changing the cells that control physical characteristics causes strokes. use all their skill and effort to defeat you in a living organisms in order to make it stronger or more suitable for For example: They’ve given some of the top teams a particular purpose a run for their money this season. Virus: a germ that can cause an illness I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 INTERNATIONAL MARCH 16, 2020

Russia, Turkey begin joint Iraq military calls for immediate patrols along Syria’s M4 highway withdrawal of U.S.-led forces Turkey and Russia have completed their first joint military 1 along with the deputy head of the military base, which is located approximately patrol along a strategic highway in Syria’s northwestern re- PMU, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and their 27 kilometers (17 miles) north of the capital gion, the Turkish defense ministry said. companions in U.S. airstrike authorized Baghdad and houses U.S.-led troops, and “Within the framework of the Moscow agreement, the 1st by President Donald Trump near Baghdad that the attack critically injured several Iraqi joint Turkish-Russian land patrol on the M4 highway has been International Airport two days earlier. air defense servicemen. completed with the contribution of air and land assets,” the Later on January 9, former Iraqi prime The statement added that the military ministry said in a statement on Sunday. minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi called on the found seven rocket launchers and 24 unused Earlier, Russian news agencies reported that Moscow had United States to dispatch a delegation to rockets in the nearby Abu Izam area. sent military police and armored vehicles to the patrol, which Baghdad tasked with formulating a mech- The Iraqi Interior Ministry›s Security Me- began from the settlement of Tronba in Idlib province, the anism for the move. dia Cell announced in a statement that “at last opposition-held stronghold in the country. According to a statement released by his 01:15 local time on Thursday (2215 Wednes- The patrols are part of a ceasefire deal reached earlier this office at the time, Abdul-Mahdi “request- day) an American aerial bombardment struck month by Turkey, which backs certain opposition groups, ed that delegates be sent to Iraq to set the headquarters of Hashd al-Sha’abi, emergency and Syrian government ally Russia to halt an escalation of mechanisms to implement the parliament›s regiments as well as commandos from the violence in Idlib that has displaced nearly a million people decision for the secure withdrawal of (foreign) 19th Division of the army.” and brought the two countries close to direct confrontation. forces from Iraq” in a phone call with U.S. The statement added that the airstrikes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. targeted positions in Jurf al-Nasr town, lo- month that his country would not shy away from even stronger The 78-year-old politician said that Iraq cated about 60 kilometers southwest of the military action in Idlib if the ceasefire is broken. rejects violation of its sovereignty, particularly capital Baghdad, Musayyib town in the cen- Under the ceasefire deal, Turkey and Russia are meant the U.S. military›s violation of Iraqi airspace tral province of Babil, the holy shrine city to also establish a security corridor either side of the key M4 in the airstrike that assassinated General of Najaf as well as the ancient central city highway, which links Syria’s east and west. Soleimani, Muhandis and their companions. of Alexandria. The corridor stretches 6km (3.7 miles) to the north and Iraqi MP: We demand immediate by the occupying U.S. forces, including the country’s sovereignty. The U.S. military did not estimate how 6km to the south of the M4 - effectively advancing Russia’s withdrawal of U.S. forces bombing of the headquarters of our security Nada Shaker Jawdat said that the coun- many people in Iraq may have been killed in presence further north into Idlib. Meanwhile, an Iraqi lawmaker from forces, army and the PMU, which led to their try’s next prime minister must be someone the strikes, which officials said were carried The two countries are likely to face obstacles during their the Fatah (Conquest) alliance has called martyrdom and injury besides destruction who can firmly act against the U.S. reckless- out by piloted aircraft. joint patrols, Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from for the “immediate” pullout of Ameri- of civilian facilities.” ness and its utter disdain for Iraq’s national U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, in Istanbul, said. can-led forces from the country through “Such repeated attacks do not show that sovereignty. a Pentagon statement detailing the strikes, “Since yesterday, we have seen opposition activist groups diplomatic means. U.S. forces have good intentions, and that Attack on Camp Taji cannot serve cautioned that the United States was prepared holding sit-ins and demonstrations on the M4 highway to “Our fellow countrymen and women have they must leave our land as demanded by the as pretext for foreign ops: Baghdad to respond again, if needed. protest against the Russian presence in Idlib,” she said. become fully convinced that whatever has government, the parliamentary resolution The Iraqi military also cautioned the U.S. “We will take any action necessary to Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - an armed group previously happened or happens in our country over the and the Iraqi nation, who took part in a mil- and other foreign forces on Saturday against protect our forces in Iraq and the region,” linked to al-Qaeda that is not backed by Turkey - also says it past 16 years is due to foreign interference in lion-march demonstration and called for their taking any military action in Iraq without the Esper said. does not recognize this deal. general, and the American interventions in immediate departure,” Kinani pointed out. government›s approval, emphasizing that re- Separately, an Iraqi official said an air- According to Koseoglu, the group says it does not want particular in Iraq’s domestic affairs,” Ahmed ‘Next Iraqi PM must be someone cent missile strikes against the Camp Taji can›t strike had hit an airport under construction the Russians patrolling along the M4 highway. In the past, al-Kinani said in a press release. who can stop U.S. recklessness’ serve as a pretext for unauthorized actions. in Karbala, located about 100 kilometers Russia has cited HTS’s presence as the reason for attacking He added, “I would like to refer to re- Another Iraqi legislator lambasted U.S. The military noted in a statement that 33 (62 miles) southwest of Baghdad. areas in Idlib. peated attacks on the sovereignty of Iraq airstrikes as blatant violation of the Arab Katyusha rockets had been launched on the (Source: agencies) Nine years of war The Russia-backed government offensive on Idlib sparked what the United Nations said may be the worst humanitarian crisis yet in a war that has driven millions from their homes Syria parliamentary elections adjourned to May 20 over coronavirus concerns and killed hundreds of thousands. At least 900,000 people were driven from their homes Syria has decided to delay parliamentary elections, initially analyzed in public health laboratories for suspected cases Damascus, he pointed out. since last December, many of whom had amassed near the scheduled for April 13, in a precautionary step against the of COVID-19 infections had been negative. The Syrian health minister went on to say that 1,864 health border with Turkey seeking relative safety. new coronavirus as the contagion continues its rapid spread He added that the government’s measures and raising centers across the country are monitoring any suspected Russia had repeatedly played down any talk of a refugee around the world. the level of the health sector’s readiness are preventive and cases, and sending related daily reports. crisis and accused Turkey of violating international law by Syria’s official news agency, citing a decree issued by precautionary measures to control the spread of the new Yaziji emphasized that all medical requirements to protect pouring troops and equipment into Idlib since early last month. President Bashar al-Assad, announced on Saturday that coronavirus. the medical staff are available. About 60 Turkish troops have been killed in that time. the legislative polls will be held on May 20. Yaziji highlighted that Syria has taken measures at its Saeed, for his part, praised the Syrian government’s Sunday’s patrols come as Syria’s war enters its 10th year. Moreover, Syrian Health Minister Nizar Yaziji said there border crossings, sea ports as well as airports to ensure measures and efforts in the face of coronavirus spread as What started as peaceful protests on March 15, 2011, to topple is no confirmed coronavirus patient in the war-ravaged Arab those entering the country are not infected, and has even set “very important.” Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s rule quickly turned into country, but Damascus is taking preventative measures. up quarantine centers to transfer suspected cases to them. He stated that the laboratory in the Syrian Ministry of a bloody conflict that has seen the interventions of foreign Speaking at a Saturday joint press conference with the Sixteen Syrian nationals, who had recently visited Iraq, Health is capable enough to diagnose COVID-19 infections powers. Resident Representative of the World Health Organization as well as the crew members of a flight have been moved to in terms of medical supplies and staff experience. Nine years on, al-Assad remains in power after gaining (WHO) in Syria, Neama Saeed, Yaziji said that all samples a quarantine center in al-Duwair area on the outskirts of (Source: Press TV) back large swaths of land from opposition factions in Syria. (Source: al Jazeera) Afghan gov’t delays Taliban prisoner Lockdowns and entry bans imposed Israeli Shin Bet’s involvement release, endangering deal around the world to fight coronavirus in coronavirus crisis raises questions

Israel has given its spy agency Shin Bet the green light to use “counter-terrorism” operations against those infected with a new coronavirus, treating the pandemic as a security menace. Speaking at a news conference in Jerusalem al-Quds on Saturday, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu de- scribed the China-originated virus, also called COVID-19, as an “invisible enemy.” He announced that cyber tech monitoring would be de- ployed to locate people who have been in contact with those carrying the coronavirus. “We will very soon begin using technology ... digital means that we have been using in order to fight terrorism,” he said. The Afghan government has postponed citing it as one of the conditions behind France and Spain joined Italy in imposing Australian Prime Minister Scott Morri- “Up until today I avoided using these measures in the ci- its plan to release Taliban prisoners, a the U.S.-Taliban deal signed last month lockdowns on tens of millions of people, son said from midnight Sunday internation- vilian population but there is no choice,” Netanyhahu added. senior official said, a decision that could that excluded Kabul. Australia ordered self-isolation of arriving al travelers arriving in the country would Netanyahu admitted that the new measures could infringe sabotage a deal signed last month between According to the U.S.-Taliban agree- foreigners and other countries extended need to isolate themselves for 14 days, and on patients’ privacy, but claimed that by using them, “we will the armed group and the United States. ment signed on February 29, foreign entry bans as the world sought to contain foreign cruise ships would be banned for be able to see who they were with, what happened before and Javid Faisal, a spokesman for the forces will withdraw from the country the spreading coronavirus. 30 days, given a rise in imported cases. after and we will be able to isolate the coronavirus.” National Security Council, said the within 14 months in exchange for Taliban Panic buying in Australia, the United Australia’s latest restrictions mirror Shin Bet confirmed that it was examining the use of its releases were being delayed because security guarantees and a pledge to hold States and Britain saw leaders appeal for those announced by neighboring New technological capabilities to deal with the virus. The tools, it more time was needed to review the talks with Kabul. calm over the virus that has infected over Zealand on Saturday. said, would not be used to enforce quarantines, but rather to list of Taliban prisoners. There was no immediate reaction from 156,000 people globally and killed more ------Travel bans, airline cutbacks help authorities track the paths of confirmed virus carriers. “We are ready to start the process the the Taliban on the delay in the release, a than 5,800. Donald Trump tested negative for the Privacy scare way it is described in the presidential de- move that is likely to further stall peace Several countries imposed bans on coronavirus, his doctor said on Saturday, as Former minister of military affairs Moshe Ya’alon, who cree but we won’t release anyone if there talks which were originally scheduled to mass gathering, shuttered sporting, cul- the U.S. president extended his country’s is currently a lawmaker from the Blue and White political is no guarantee that they will not return begin on March 10. tural and religious events, while medical travel ban to Britain and Ireland. alliance, took to Twitter to denounce Netanyahu’s new regu- to fighting,” he said. On Wednesday, the Afghan govern- experts urged people to practice “social Last week, Trump had met a Brazilian lations as a “cynical exploitation of the coronavirus crisis for “The Taliban have to show flexibility.” ment warned it would resume attacks distancing” to curb the spread. delegation in which at least one member the personal interests of a defendant before trial.” Earlier this week, President Ashraf Ghani against the fighters if violence continued, Austria’s chancellor urged people to has since been tested positive. The Israeli prime minister is facing trial on charges of announced that 1,500 Taliban prisoners ending a unilateral partial truce put in self-isolate and announced bans on gath- Travel restrictions and bans, and a bribery and fraud and breach of trust. would be freed as a “gesture of goodwill” place before the talks. erings of more than five people and further plunge in global air travel, saw further The head of the left-wing Meretz party also stressed that in an attempt to resolve one of the long-run- Political chaos in Kabul has complicated limits on who can enter the country. airline cutbacks, with American Airlines the new surveillance measures should not take place without ning disputes with the armed group that had matters further, with Afghanistan’s former All of Pope Francis’ Easter services next Inc planning to cut 75% of international parliamentary and judicial oversight. stalled intra-Afghan peace talks. Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah also month will be held without the faithful flights through May 6 and ground nearly “Monitoring citizens with the help of information databases Ghani’s decree said the government claiming the presidency following last attending, the Vatican said on Sunday, all its widebody fleet. and advanced technology is a harsh blow to privacy and basic would release 1,500 captives starting Sat- September’s election, which was marred in a step believed to be unprecedented China tightened checks on internation- liberty,” Nitzan Horowitz said. urday if the Taliban reduced violence, with by delays and allegations of voter fraud. in modern times. al travelers arriving at Beijing airport on Former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked, who is cur- plans to free another 3,500 prisoners after On Monday, Abdullah swore himself The services, four days of major events Sunday, after the number of imported new rently a lawmaker from Yamina political alliance, tweeted that negotiations begin. in as president minutes after Ghani took from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, coronavirus infections surpassed locally “the technological surveillance after coronavirus patients is a The Taliban rejected the offer and de- the oath of office. usually draw tens of thousands of people transmitted cases for a second day in a row. radical move and a grave violation of privacy, but it can save manded the release of nearly 5,000 captives, (Source: al Jazeera) to sites in Rome and in the Vatican. (Source: Reuters) lives and money.” Avner Pinchuk, a privacy expert with the association for civil rights in Israel, said the regulations could include real-time Turkey quarantines thousands of pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia tracking of infected people’ mobile phones to spot quarantine breaches and backtracking through meta-data to figure out Thousands of Muslims returning to Turkey from a pilgrim- On Wednesday it became the last major economy to report student dormitories,” he wrote on Twitter, adding that those where they had been and whom they had contacted. age in Saudi Arabia were being taken into quarantine on an outbreak after taking what the World Health Organiza- suspected of being ill were being taken to hospital for tests. “I am troubled by this announcement. I understand that Sunday due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, tion (WHO) described as “vigilant” measures to delay it. Earlier in March, Saudi Arabia expanded a rare freeze on we are in unique circumstances, but this seems potentially Turkish officials said. The latest move came after Health Minister Fahrettin Koca pilgrimages to the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina like over-reach. Much will depend on how intrusive the new Television pictures showed buses transporting pilgrims called overnight for those returning from the Umrah pilgrimage by foreigners to also include Saudi citizens and residents measures are,” said Pinchuk. along the highway from Ankara’s airport to the city as part of to quarantine themselves for a fortnight, saying a returnee due to concerns about coronavirus. So far, a total of 195 Israelis have been diagnosed with an operation to place those returning into student dormitories. in the last week had become the sixth person to test positive. Umrah refers to pilgrimage rites carried out in the holy the coronavirus. Almost 40,000 Israelis, including medical Turkey, which has only diagnosed six cases of corona- He then announced on Sunday that the state was actively cities throughout the year, and is separate from the annual personnel, are in home quarantines for fear of exposure to virus, has ramped up measures to halt its spread in recent quarantining the returnees. week-long haj, which typically draws 2 million Muslims the virus, according to the health ministry. days, closing schools and universities, holding sports events “All passengers returning from the Umrah since last from around the world. Haj starts this year in late July. (Source: Press TV) without spectators and halting flights to many countries. night are being put into quarantine in separate rooms in (Source: Daily Star) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y MARCH 16, 2020 SPORTS 11

Iranian people very kind to me: Iran football star Karimi contributes to anti-corona Cheick Diabate campaign SPORTS TEHRAN — Estegh- IRNA— Iran’s former football player Ali Karimi dubbed ‘The desk lal football team Malian Magician’ on Sunday contributed to the nation-wide campaign forward Cheick Diabate says that the Ira- to fight further spread of the killer coronavirus by donating items nian people have been very kind to him. to the citizens of Gilan province. Diabate joined the Iranian giants in The medical and health equipment donated by the well-known July 2019 and scored eight goals in 13 footballer were dispatched to the hospitals of the Province. matches for the Blues. He scored a hat- Head of Iran’s Health Ministry Public Relations Office Ki- trick in a 4-2 away win over Tractor in anoush Jahanpour said on Sunday that 4,790 people out of a Iran league and also scored three goals total of 13,938 infected by the coronavirus have survived the against Al Rayyan of Qatar and Kuwait deadly disease while 724 have succumbed to death. SC of Kuwait, helping Esteghlal to book a place at the 2020 AFC Champions League group stage. “All the people have respected me Aghapour nominated for Best and I’m not feeling I am a black since I came to Iran. The African people should Young Player in the World respect the Iranians because they are good people and have always been kind Salar Aghapour from Iran has been nominated for the Best Young to me,” Diabate said. Player in the World. Diabate has played in leagues of Italy, Iran will vie with nine other players to win the one of the most France, Turkey and the UAE but he be- traditional prizes of futsal. lieves that there is a big different between Gelareh Nazemi (referee), Sara Shirbeigi (woman futsal player), the Iranian fans and others. Farzaneh Tavasoli (woman futsal goalkeeper), Sepehr Mohammadi “To be honest, I am very excited to see (men futsal goalkeeper), Mohammad Nazemasharieh (national the Iranian fans’ excitement. They have futsal coach) and Iran national futsal team have already been always been supportive and encouraged nominated to win the award in their own categories. me,” the 31-year-old striker stated. Nominees Persepolis striker Ali Alipour mocked (In strict alphabetical order!) Diabate’s goal celebration pose after scor- *Salar Aghapour (IRN) ing in Tehran derby against Esteghlal but Mes Sungun Varzaghan FSC (IRN) - IRAN A & U20 N.T. Diabate says that it’s normal in football. *Antonio Pérez Ortega (ESP) “First, I want to say hello to Ali. I think Jaén Paraíso Interior FS (ESP) - SPAIN U19 & U21 N.T. he didn’t do that out of badness. When you *Hugo Miguel Neves Silva (POR) score, you want to show your satisfaction Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) - Quinta dos Lombos (POR) and I think Alipour was thinking of me Diabate has played 39 matches for 15 goals. poned until April 20 due to coronavirus - PORTUGAL U19 & U21 N.T. in that moment,” he smiled. Mali national football team and scored Esteghlal’s training has been post- concerns. *Josip Jurlina (CRO) MNK Split (CRO) - MNK Olmissum (CRO) - CROATIA A & U19 N.T. ‘It’s a great feeling to score a hat-trick’, Iranian boxer Shahbakhsh dreams of *Leonardo Caetano Silva “Leozinho” (BRA) Sardar Azmoun winning Olympics medal Magnus Futsal (BRA) - BRAZIL N.T. *Matheus Rodrigues Cézar da Silva (BRA) Sport Club Corinthians Paulista (BRA) - BRAZIL N.T. *Artem Niyazov (RUS) MFK KPRF Moscow (RUS) - RUSSIA N.T. *Muhammad Osamanmusa (THA) Bangkok BTS Futsal Club (THA) - Port Futsal Club (THA) - THAILAND N.T. *Adrián Rodríguez Mosteirín “Pirata” (ESP) Santiago Futsal (ESP) - SPAIN U19 & U21 N.T. *Kazuya Shimizu (JPN) ElPozo Ciudad de Murcia (ESP) - ElPozo Murcia (ESP) - Thai Son Nam FC (VIE) - JAPAN N.T. (Source: Futsal Planet)

Javid candidate for Best Player in the World

Mahdi Javid from Iran is a candidate for the Best Player in the SPORTS TEHRAN — Zenit take all three points of the game. In football, SPORTS TEHRAN — Iranian “I’m very happy to book a place at the World, futsalplanet.com reported. desk desk Saint Petersburg strik- nothing is easy to achieve and everything boxer Danial Shah- Olympics because the competition had He will compete with nine other players to win the award. er Sardar Azmoun made the difference at depends on the players’ performance. My bakhsh is going to write his name into brought the best boxers of the world to- Gelareh Nazemi (referee), Sara Shirbeigi (woman futsal Saint-Petersburg Stadium on Saturday, teammates were highly focused in this game history book by winning a medal at the gether. I defeated TSO Sing Yu who had player), Farzaneh Tavasoli (woman futsal goalkeeper), Sepehr scoring a hat-trick in his team’s 7-1 win and because of that we could score early in 2020 Olympic Games. 22 wins in his resume,” he said. Mohammadi (men futsal goalkeeper), Mohammad Nazemashar- over Ural. the game and did not allow our opponents to Shahbakhsh secured his place at the “I’m going to make history in Olympics ieh (national futsal coach), Salar Aghapour (young player) and Speaking after the game, the Iranian work the ball around too much,” he added. Olympics on Wednesday after defeating because Iran has not yet won a medal in Iran national futsal team have already been nominated to win international player expressed delight with It was Sardar’s first hat-trick in Russian his rival from Hong Kong TSO Sing Yu in boxing at the Olympics. I have to keep the award in their own categories. the result and with his three goals that took football and he feels happy about that. the 57kg weight class at the Asia-Oceania my motivation high to make it happen,” Nominees his tally for the season to 10 in the Russian “I›m so happy to be able to score my first Olympic boxing qualifier in Amman. Shahbakhsh added. (In strict alphabetical order!) Premier League. hat-trick in Russian football. We played Another Iranian boxer Shahin Mousavi “I think we had to win three places but *Adolfo Fernández Díaz (previously also known as “Adolf- ‘’Scoring seven goals in a game is not really well and of course, we were a bit also secured a place at the 2020 Tokyo in the referee’s decision went against Omid ito”) (ESP) easy and thankfully we played really well. lucky on some occasions. Overall, I feel the Men’s 75kg weight class, beating Mon- Ahmadi Safa. He should have secured a Barça (ESP) - SPAIN N.T. The most important thing is that we could great. The hat-trick is so enjoyable” he said. golian boxer Byamba Erdene Otgonbaatar. place at the Olympics,” he concluded. *Artem Antoshkin (RUS) MFK Tyumen (RUS) - RUSSIA N.T. *Henrique da Cunha Elgart “Di Maria” (BRA) Tokyo 2020 torch handover to take place in empty Athens stadium Pato Futsal (BRA) The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games flame handover in Ath- the country’s Olympic Committee said. *Carlos Vagner Gularte Filho “Ferrão” (BRA) ens next week will be done in an empty stadium amid the Japan is still preparing to host the Olympics, Prime Min- Barça (ESP) - BRAZIL N.T. coronavirus outbreak, Greece’s Olympic Committee said ister Shinzo Abe said on Saturday, despite rising global *Mahdi Javid (IRN) on Sunday. concern about the viability of the summer Games due to Giti Pasand Isfahan FSC (IRN) - Mes Sungun Varzaghan Greece on Friday cancelled the remainder of the do- the coronavirus outbreak. FSC (IRN) - IRAN N.T. mestic Olympic torch relay through the country to avoid Abe and his government as well as the International *Leandro Lino Dos Santos (BRA) attracting crowds a day after the Tokyo Games flame was Olympic Committee have been adamant the July 24-Aug Magnus Futsal (BRA) - BRAZIL N.T. lit in ancient Olympia. 9 Games will go ahead, even as other global sporting events *Alex Rodrigo da Silva Merlim “Babalu” (BRA/ITA) “The Hellenic Olympic Committee has decided that the have been put on hold. Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) - ITALY N.T. handover ceremony for the “Tokyo 2020” Olympic Games, Speculation about a delay from the July start date has *Damián Stazzone Alvarez (ARG) on Thursday, March 19, will take place at the Panathenaic grown since U.S. President Donald Trump said organizers Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro (ARG) - ARGENTINA N.T. Stadium behind closed doors,” it said in a statement. should consider a one-year postponement. *Taynan da Silva Rego (BRA/KAZ) The central Athens stadium, site of the 1896 Games, The Olympic Torch relay, in which the Olympic flame (Source: Futsal Planet) usually attracts thousands of spectators to the handover typically starts a tour around the host nation, is due to start ceremony to the next host city of winter and summer Games in the Japanese prefecture of Fukushima in less than two every two years. “Following the orders of the Greek State in order to con- weeks. The tour of the torch through Greece has already Greece had three fatalities from the disease and 228 tain the coronavirus pandemic and for the protection of been cut short. Maâloul: I want to lead Syria confirmed cases by late Saturday. public health no accreditation cards issued will be valid,” (Source: Reuters) to the FIFA World Cup

Newly appointed national team head coach Nabil Maâloul said Vertonghen’s family held at knifepoint Valencia confirm five positive tests for he is determined to steer Syria to the FIFA World Cup Finals for the first time ever. during home invasion coronavirus The former Tunisia national team head coach, who has signed Jan Vertonghen’s family were held at information to come forward to help the Valencia confirmed on Sunday five of confirm five positive cases of the COVID-19 two-year contract, said it will be a big challenge but one that knife-point during a terrifying burglary police with their investigation.” the club’s players and staff have tested pos- coronavirus have been detected amongst he is relishing as Syria look to better their 2018 FIFA World while the Tottenham defender was away A Police spokesman said: “Police were itive for coronavirus, including Argentinian first team staff and players. Cup qualifying campaign where they advanced to the play-off with his Premier League club. called to a residential address in NW3 at defender Ezequiel Garay. “All of these persons are now at home, against Australia. British police said four men wearing 7.49pm on 10 March to a report of a burglary. Valencia said all those affected were in good health and obeying self-isolation “My first task is to bring joy to the Syrian people by steering balaclavas and armed with knives broke into “Officers attended. It was reported four “now at home, in good health and obeying measures.” the national team to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” said Vertonghen’s house while the Belgian in- men wearing balaclavas, armed with knives, self-isolation measures.” Valencia played behind closed doors on Maâloul, who coached Tunisia in Russia 2018. ternational’s wife and children were inside. had forced entry to the property and stolen Garay, who was set to miss the rest of Tuesday in the Champions League against “I know very well what to expect and I will give it my all, The 32-year-old was in Germany for a number of items before leaving. the season with a knee injury, became the Atalanta, the Serie A team based in Lom- especially as I know the capabilities of the Syrian players.” Tottenham’s Champions League last 16 sec- “Nobody was injured. The suspects first player in La Liga to confirm a positive bardy, one of Italy’s worst-hit regions by Maâloul said he plans to make full use of the players available to him. ond leg defeat against Leipzig on Tuesday. had left the scene before officers arrived. test earlier on Sunday. the virus. “I know several players who play in Egypt, Turkey, Kuwait Vertonghen was an unused substitute There have been no arrests and inquiries “Clearly I’ve got off on the wrong foot The club announced on February 28 and Netherlands and they all have good capabilities,” he said. as Tottenham lost 3-0 to crash out of the continue.” in 2020,” Garay wrote on social media. they would be suspending all non-sport- “We will try our best to introduce young players from the U23 competition. The incident comes after Arsenal stars “I’ve tested positive for the coronavirus, ing activity with the first-team after a team who are the future of Syria national team. “We have been supporting Jan and his Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac were tar- I’m fine and now just listening to the health journalist attending the opening game “My mission will not be easy but I will give all I can to replicate the family through this terribly traumatic time,” geted by armed moped riders while driving authorities, at the moment in isolation.” against Atalanta was confirmed to have good results that I had with the Tunisia national team,” he said. “I a Tottenham spokesperson said. through north London earlier this season. Valencia confirmed more cases shortly tested positive. want to lead Syria to the FIFA World Cup Finals for the first time ever.” “We encourage anyone who has any (Source: AFP) after Garay’s announcement. “Valencia CF (Source: France 24) (Source: the-afc) Prayer Times Noon:12:13 Evening: 18:31 Dawn: 5:48 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:12 (tomorrow) MARCH 16, 2020 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: Mohammad Shojaeian Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Ghaderi Cartoonist Jamal Rahmati uses Shahnameh Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 characters to make animations on coronavirus Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051450 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 ARTTEHRAN — Iranian Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 deskcartoonist Jamal www.eshterak.ir Distributor: Padideh Novin Co. Rahmati has used characters from Tel: 88911433 Persian poet Ferdowsi’s magnum opus, Webmaster: [email protected] the Shahnameh, to make an animation Printed at: Jame Jam Bartar Borna - 44197737 series named “The Seven Adventures of Coronavirus”. Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimesdaily “Rustam and Zakariya against Corona”, the first part of the seven- No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran P.o. Box: 14155-4843 episode comedy series, was released Zip Code: 1599814713 on Saturday. In this episode, Rustam, the most celebrated legendary hero in the Shahnameh, and his horse Rakhsh ally with Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya Razi (Rhazes), the great physician of the Islamic world during the ninth century CE, to fight coronavirus. The animation aims at entertaining children, who have been kept in GUIDE TO quarantine at their homes over the SPIRITUAL AWAKENING past three weeks due to the coronavirus epidemic in the country, while teaching them how to protect themselves against He who engages in various tasks, cannot do any of the new virus. them properly, and brings himself into troubles. “The Seven Adventures of Corona” Imam Ali (AS) refers to “The Seven Adventures of Rustam”, one of the compelling stories A scene from “Rustam and Zakariya against Coronavirus”, the first episode of Iranian animator Jamal Rahmati’s series from the Shahnameh. “The Seven Adventures of Coronavirus”. IIDCYA launches intl. painting contest on new virus Director Majidi praises Mostazafan ARTTEHRAN — Khorasan Razavi branch of Foundation’s support for child laborers deskthe Institute for Intellectual Development of ARTTEHRAN — Majid Majidi, the director (about $1.2 million) to child laborers, who have a higher Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) has launched an international deskof “The Sun”, a drama about child labor risk of contracting coronavirus disease. painting contest to promote personal and group health to fight in Tehran, has praised Iran’s Mostazafan Foundation for This sum will be spent on preserving the health of against the new virus, the institute announced on Sunday. supporting child laborers in the country. the children and providing health and care packages In a statement published on Sunday, Majidi thanked the under the supervision of Iran’s State Welfare director of the foundation, Parviz Fattah, over allocating Organization. a budget to support child laborers in Iran, and expressed Majidi, in a statement published last week, had warned his hope that these types of programs and movements will officials and asked them to support these children and keep continue in the country. them safe until this new virus abates. “I hope we will see these children sitting behind school Majidi hired a group of child laborers to play roles in his desks instead of working,” he said. latest drama “The Sun”, which won the Crystal Simorgh for Majid Majidi in an undated photo. The Mostazafan Foundation has allocated 50 billion rials best film at the 38th Fajr Film Festival in February. Animator Mahin Javaherian shifts An graphic image of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). to movie on children Amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus in Iran and the ARTTEHRAN — Mahin Javaherian, the “Yes” have been produced at the Institute for Intellectual world, the topic of personal health has received much attention deskveteran Iranian animator whose works Development of Children and Young Adults. “Zarzari, as one of the main factors in transmitting the new virus. mostly are for children, has shifted to a plot about children Kakol Zari” won the award for second best animation The main topics of the contest are “Health of My Hands” (clothes, in her new movie entitled “The Ghost”. at the 49th Roshd International Film Festival in Tehran toys, food, family, friends, home and city), and “The Hands That “I hope I will be successful in this project, because I have in last November. Take Care of Me” (father, mother, doctors and health care staff). always worked to make children happy, and I want this A France-based Iranian woman has acquired the right Children aged 4 to 18 are asked to upload their paintings on different project to be fruitful as well,” Javaherian told the to screen both of the animations in movie theaters across the IIDCYA portal available at paintfest.kpf.ir. Persian service of Honaronline on Sunday. the country, Javaherian said. The deadline for the national section is May 20 and the She is currently working on the screenplay for the movie. “It seems that Canada also uses this method of screening international section is July 15. The director of the acclaimed movies “What With”, “Once animations from across the world to familiarize schoolchil- Iranian animator Mahin Javaherian in an undated Submissions will be judged by a group of painters and book Upon a Time” and “Golden Topknot” also announced an- dren with various cultures,” she added. photo. (Honaronline/Gatha Ziatabari) illustrators and winners will be announced on August 5. other plan of hers to make an animation about child labor She is also currently working on a musical about Noruz, added, “I have worked on Iranian folk music for years and it in Iran, the rate of which has risen over the past decade. the Iranian New Year celebration. takes a long time when I want to make some modifications Her short musical animations “Zarzari, Kakol Zari” and Javaherian called making a musical a difficult task and to the music for my animations.” Persian version Japanese author Osamu Dazai’s Musicians give free online concerts to beat coronavirus “Shayo” republished BERLIN (Reuters) — Bans on mass concert halls in an effort to prevent the kind “Let’s bring the house concert into the the spread of the coronavirus,” the orchestra gatherings introduced to slow the spread of close physical contact that fosters the 21st century!” said on its streaming platform, adding that CULTURE TEHRAN — The fourth Persian edition of of the coronavirus pandemic might have been transmission of a virus that has killed more Across Germany, opera houses and it had decided to give the concert anyway, deskJapanese author Osamu Dazai’s novel “Shayo” expected to deal a death blow to musical life, than 4,000 people worldwide. concert halls had the same idea. Berlin’s “without an audience”. has recently been released by Fanus Publications in Tehran. but have instead prompted a boom in free Germany has so far reported 2,369 Staatsoper, rather than calling off a Nor was the generosity confined to the The book has been translated into Persian by Morteza Sanne. online concerts. confirmed coronavirus cases and five deaths. performance of George Bizet’s Carmen, high-brow: earlier this week English crooner The author is considered one of the foremost fiction writers One musician to step up to the plate is Berlin, among other German cities and opted to stream the story of the bewitching James Blunt’s concert in Hamburg’s empty of the 20th-century in Japan, whose novel “Shayo” (“The Setting Russian-German pianist Igor Levit, who took regions, has announced plans to gradually gypsy girl online for audiences worldwide. Elbphilarmonie also took place before an Sun”), published in 1947, turned him into a popular novelist. to Twitter on Thursday evening to stream close schools and reduce public transport Moments after that ended, the baton invisible audience of millions. Set in the early postwar years, it probes the destructive effects of an impromptu rendition of Beethoven’s over the coming week. passed across town to conductor Simon After Levit’s 25-minute concert was war and the transition from a feudal Japan to an industrial society. Waldstein Sonata Op. 53 from his Berlin “It’s a sad time, it’s a weird time, but Rattle who led the Berlin Philarmonic in retweeted 1,500 times and garnered almost Dazai died in 1948. But the influence of his book has made flat to entertain audiences penned at home acting is better than doing nothing,” Levit a performance of Luciano Berio’s Sinfonia 6,000 likes, the pianist seemed to have “people of the setting sun” a permanent part of the Japanese by the virus. told viewers of his stream, before sitting down and Bela Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra. acquired a taste for the new genre. language, and his heroine, Kazuko, a young aristocrat who Across Europe and the world, authorities at his Steinway to trill the piece’s swooping “The Philharmonie Berlin will be closed “Overwhelmed. Thank you. See you deliberately abandons her class, a symbol of the anomie, which are shuttering schools, museums, bars and opening bars. until 19 April – as a measure to counteract tomorrow, same time. 7pm CET,” Levit tweeted. pervades so much of the modern world.

Persian readers experience Disney to release “Frozen 2” on streaming Norwegian writer Hanne platform three months early Orstavik’s “Love” again NEW YORK (Reuters) — Walt Disney Co said with some fun and joy during this challenging period.” CULTURE TEHRAN — The second edition of a on Friday it would make the sequel to hit animated Cinemas have closed in some countries to try deskPersian version of Norwegian writer Hanne movie “Frozen” available on its streaming platform to prevent the spread of the virus, while the two Orstavik’s novella “Love” has recently been released by Disney+ three months ahead of schedule in the largest U.S. theater chains have halved their seating Gooya Publications. PHOTO: Josh Gad, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, United States, as media companies respond to the capacity. Translated by Ali Salami, the first edition of the Persian Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck and Peter Del Vecho attend coronavirus outbreak. “Frozen 2” will be available on Disney+ in Canada, translation was published in the European premiere of Frozen 2 in London, Britain, The company said “Frozen 2” would be available the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand on 2019. November 17, 2019. (Reuters/Henry Nicholls) in the country starting Sunday, “surprising families March 17. The 1997 book tells the story of Vibeke and Jon, a mother and son who have just moved ‘A Quiet Place 2’ release joins list of Hollywood coronavirus delays to a small town in northern Norway. It’s the day before LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The release in movie theaters on March 18, was the us, now is clearly not the right time to do to release the film till we CAN all see it Jon’s birthday, and a traveling of Paramount thriller “A Quiet Place Part latest Hollywood movie to be pushed back that,” Krasinski said in a posting on his together!,” Krasinski added. carnival has come to the village. II” is being delayed indefinitely because because of the virus that has closed movie Instagram account. The decision followed the postpone- Jon goes out to sell lottery tickets of the coronavirus outbreak, director and theaters in China, Italy and many other He did not say when the film would ment last week of the James Bond movie for his sports club, and Vibeke producer John Krasinski said on Thursday. nations. be released. “No Time to Die” to November from April, is going to the library. The film, starring Emily Blunt, which “Due to the ever-changing circumstanc- “As insanely excited as we are for all and a move for “Peter Rabbit 2” to August Jon is sure that his mother was due to start its international rollout es of what’s going on in the world around of you to see this movie .. I’m gonna wait from March. has a surprise for his birthday, Front cover of the Persian while Vibeke is occupied with translation of Norwegian concerns of her own and forgets Spielberg-produced Amazon mini-series in Mexico put on hold over coronavirus: letter writer Hanne Orstavik’s no- the occasion. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) — The filming in Mexico of a Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, began filming two weeks health crisis develops. vella “Love”. The English translation of big budget Steven Spielberg-produced Amazon mini-series, ago on location in Mexico City. Mexico has so far confirmed The project’s budget is believed to be tens of millions “Love” by Martin Aitken won starring Spanish actor Javier Bardem, has been suspended 26 cases of coronavirus. of dollars, and dozens of local contractors will be affected the 2019 PEN America Translation Prize. It was also a finalist due to concerns about the coronavirus, according to a letter Only a skeletal wrap crew will continue working through by the suspension. for Britain’s Republic of Consciousness Prize as well as the U.S.’s sent to cast and crew on Friday and seen by Reuters. next week, and cast and crew were informed that production Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for 2018 National Book Award for Translated Literature. The production entitled Mexica, which centers on the might resume in December depending on how the public comment.