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16 Pages Price 20,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13297 Sunday JANUARY 6, 2019 Dey 16, 1397 Rabi’ Al thani 29, 1440 Iran calls British Air Force to Team Melli partake at “Sea Closed” documents foreign secretary’s receive 15 Kowsar Asian Cup with boosted Chinese plunder of

remarks ‘hasty’ 2 fighter jets 2 confidence 15 Persian Gulf marine life 16 ‘More potential buyers for Iran’s oil despite sanctions’ Araqchi briefs Ghani on ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iranian pursuit of more profit.” Zamaninia said. deskDeputy Oil Minister The official noted that all countries for International Affairs and Trading that were granted waivers from the Unit- Amir-Hossein Zamaninia said despite ed States to continue buying a certain the U.S. sanctions more oil buyers have amount of Iranian oil imports are com- Iran’s talks with Taliban approached the country for negotia- plying with the waivers’ ceiling. tions, Shana reported. “China, India, Japan, South Korea and “Despite U.S. pressures on Iranian oil other countries that were granted waivers See page 2 market, the number of potential buyers from America to import Iranian oil are not of Iranian oil has significantly increased willing to buy even one barrel more than due to a competitive market, greed and what is allowed by the U.S.,” he said. 4

Anti-money laundering bill of amendment past Expediency Council

POLITICS TEHRAN — The Ex- Dejpasand, Chairman of Majlis Judi- deskpediency Council on cial and Legal Commission Allahyar Saturday endorsed a bill of amendment Malekshahi and Laya Joneidi, the vice to the anti-money laundering law, a president for legal affairs, attended council member announced. the council’s meeting, Mesbahi-Mogh- Gholamreza Mesbahi-Moghadam adam said. said the bill will be sent to Majlis speaker However, President Hassan Rou- Ali Larijani for declaration. hani were among the absentees of the Larijani, Economy Minister Farhad council’s Saturday session. 2

France’s ‘Yellow Vest’ protestors back on the streets France’s “Yellow Vest” (Yellow Vest’s on the Champs Elysees in central Paris, movement/yellow jackets movement/ where around 15 police wagons were Mouvement des gilets jaunes/Gilets also deployed, an AFP journalist said. Jaunes) protestors were back on Marches were underway in several other the streets again on Saturday as a cities across France. government spokesman denounced This is the eighth Saturday of pro- those still protesting as hard-liners tests called by the grass-roots move- who wanted only to bring down the ment. The numbers turning out have

File photo government. fallen steadily since the start of the Several hundred protestors gathered demonstrations in November. 13 REPORT I do not think SPV covering wide areas of trade: Nephew ARTICLE Fatemeh Salehi EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW areas of trade.” consider seriously withdrawing from or at least Mudasir Sheikh Mehr News Agency By Javad Heirannia The fellow at the Center on Global Energy reducing their compliance with the JCPOA.” Researcher and writer journalist Policy at Columbia University, believes “Iran will Following is the text of the interview: from Kashmir TEHRAN — Richard Nephew, who served as find it very difficult, if not impossible, to continue Due to US is opposed to the financial the lead sanctions expert for the U.S. team nego- implementing its provisions of the JCPOA while mechanism between Europe and Iran and UK arms exports to tiating with Iran, says “I do think that there will not receiving any economic relief.” pushes European countries to prevent the Eurasian strategic be something called the SPV eventually created He adds that “I think that the sanctions pressure implementation of the financial channel as Saudi Arabia that facilitates trade between Europe and Iran, that will build on Iran in 2019 -- likely combined called SPV, do you think this financial mech- triangle and global but I do not think it will be the same sort of SPV with the failure of the SPV to do much beyond anism(SPV) will be implemented between ritain is the second-largest exporter that was announced in September, covering wide humanitarian trade -- will make Iran’s leaders Iran and Europe? 7 peace of arms to Saudi Arabia after the BU.S., regardless of human rights raham Allison’s 2017 book ‘Des- violations of Saudi Arabia. After the Stung by ‘library’ remark, India lists Afghan projects to “educate” Trump tined for War: Can America and murder of Jamal Khashoggi, UK military By Syed Zafar Mehdi Modi for funding “a library” in Afghanistan, saying there? We are 6,000 miles away,” Trump said, GChina Escape Thucydides’s sales to Riyadh has not only declined, TEHRAN — Donald Trump has become fa- it wouldn’t be used in the war-ravaged country. while answering a reporter’s question. Trap’ has become the topic of hot debate but surprisingly increased. mously infamous for his eccentricity, grandil- “I get along well with India and Prime Minister Referring to the library, Trump said Modi is among Western think tanks as historical A British online newspaper the In- oquence, and off-the-cuff statements devoid of Modi. But he is constantly telling me he built a “very smart”. “We are supposed to say, ‘Oh, thank evidence indicates that Thucydides trap dependent has released a report, read- logic and lucidity. On the receiving end have library in Afghanistan. Library! That’s, like, five you for the library’. Don’t know who’s using it in magnifies the chances of military con- ing: “Britain continued seeking arms been both friends and foes. hours of what we spend (in Afghanistan),” he said. Afghanistan. But it’s one of those things I don’t frontation between a ruling power and deals with Saudi Arabia in weeks after During his first cabinet meeting of the year, The remarks were made in the context of the like being taken advantage of.” a rising power for dictating the terms Khashoggi was murdered.” the megalomaniac reality show star turned growing cost of America’s engagement in the Although there was no official reaction from of societal order. As the UK government called for an- president fired a salvo at an important regional war-torn country, saying that India, Russia and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government To some other political scientists like swers over the dissident’s death, British ally – India. And the salvo backfired, putting Pakistan should be the ones fighting the Taliban. in India, Indian media quoted many top gov- Samuel Huntington, it is the cultural and trade officials responsible for arms sales him in a tight spot. “Why is not Russia there? Why isn’t India ernment and opposition leaders denouncing religious identities that can become the continued to hold high-level meetings with Trump mocked Indian Prime Minister Narendra there? Why isn’t Pakistan there? Why are we remarks of Trump. 6 source of war as explained in his 1996 their Saudi counterparts. book ‘The Clash of Civilizations and the A delegation from the Defense and Remaking of World Order.’ Security Organization – an office within Hacker group releases ‘9/11 Papers’, says future leaks will ‘burn down’ U.S. deep state Thucydides trap and clash of civili- the Department for International Trade zations beautifully explains the pros- that promotes arms exports for UK com- The Dark Overlord hacker group has released The document dump is just a fraction of ransom. However, on Wednesday, the group pects of military confrontation but the panies – travelled to Riyadh on 14 and decryption keys for 650 documents it says are the 18,000 secret documents related to the announced a “tiered compensation plan” in established 21st century international 22 October, according to a Freedom of related to 9/11 (September 11 attacks/A series September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks believed which the public could make bit-coin payments order that originated at the time of World Information request obtained by the of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the to have been stolen from insurers, law firms, to unlock the troves of documents. War I, evolved through the World War Mirror newspaper. al-Qaeda terrorist group against the United and government agencies. A day later, the Dark Overlord said II and reached its climax in 1974 with The latter of those meetings came on States on the morning of Tuesday, September The Dark Overlord initially threatened to that it had received more than $12,000 the establishment of petrodollar scam the same day as the foreign secretary, 11, 2001). Unless a ransom is paid, it threatened release the 10GB of data unless the hacked firms in bit-coin – enough to unlock “layer 1” has become incredibly complex to com- Jeremy Hunt, condemned Khashoggi’s with more leaks that will have devastating con- paid an unspecified bit-coin (a crypto curren- and several “checkpoints,” comprised of prehend with respect to any upcoming killing “in the strongest possible terms” sequences for the United States ‘deep state’. cy/form of electronic cash/digital currency) 650 documents in total. 13 military confrontation. in a speech to parliament. The overthrow of Iranian Prime “Whilst we will be thoughtful and Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in a considered in our response, I have also CIA-backed coup in 1953 is a fine ex- been clear that if the appalling stories ample of understanding the influence we are reading turn out to be true, they of corporations like British Petroleum are fundamentally incompatible with to use the U.S. and British governments our values and we will act accordingly,” for securing its interests. Hunt said on 22 October. Bandar-Tang The coup of Mosaddegh in 1953 was The foreign secretary made a point of meant to prevent the renationalization announcing the cancellation of a planned of Anglo Iranian oil company that lat- visit to Riyadh by the trade secretary, where desert er became British Petroleum in 1954. Liam Fox. However, he did not disclose These facts were officially confirmed that meetings over arms sales were still by CIA in 2013. It was not only the taking place. meets sea coup of democratically elected leader According to the Independent: “Even but it demonstrated how financial and before the murder of Khashoggi, the UK A small boat is at anchor in Bandar- business elites can orchestrate mega government had been under pressure to Tang where barren desert reaches conflicts to push countries into cata- halt arms exports to Saudi Arabia over the Sea of Oman, southeast Iran, strophic wars. alleged war crimes and rising civilian December 29, 2018. The World War I traces its origins to casualties in Yemen. Since the war be- Situated in Chabahar county, three powerful men – William T. Stead, gan, the UK has licensed £4.7bn worth Sistan- Baluchestan province, the Reginald Brett, and Cecil Rhodes. They of weapons to Saudi forces, making it by port area attracts tourists and nature used their enormous wealth and influence far the largest buyer of UK arms. lovers with its pristine and unique to form “Jesuit Order” based secret society Erfan Samanfar Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister nature. with monetary consolidation for estab- Giuseppe Conte said on Friday his gov- It features scenes of wind eroded lishing a new societal order by replacing ernment was in favor of halting arms sales landscape, sandy and rocky beaches the prevailing one through orchestrating to Saudi Arabia and it intended to take Tasnim/ divided by clear water. two mega conflicts in the form of World a formal position on the matter. 7 War 1 and World War 2. 6 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS JANUARY 6, 2019 MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS Iran Air Force to Anti-money laundering bill of receive 15 Kowsar fighter jets amendment past Expediency Council

1 According to IRNA, the bill to on Saturday that the council found a series POLITICS TEHRAN – 15 homegrown Kowsar fighter amend the anti-money laundering law had of faults with the CFT, but only two of deskjets will be delivered to the Islamic Repub- been approved by the cabinet ministers on them had been corrected. lic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) within three years, the force’s November 8, 2017 and sent to the Guardian “The Guardian Council found certain commander Aziz Nasirzadeh announced on Saturday. Council after a ratification by the Majlis. faults with the bill, and the bill was sent Brigadier General Nasirzadeh said the IRIAF has already However, the Guardian Council, after to the Majlis. Only two of the faults have received one Kowsar fighter jet, Mehr reported. studying the bill, sent it back to Majlis after been corrected and the other ones still Kowsar is an advanced fighter jet with a close air support finding some faults with it. The Majlis remain,” he explained. (CAS) role that has made Iran one of the few countries with insisted on its ratification and sent it to On October 7, the parliament (Majlis) the know-how of designing and manufacturing such jets the Expediency Council, which acts as an voted in favor of the CFT. At the time, a equipped with 4th generation avionic and fire-control systems. arbitration between the Majlis and the total of 143 lawmakers, out of 268 ones It was successfully test-flown on August 21 at the presence Guardian Council. present in the parliament, voted in favor of of President Hassan Rouhani. The amendment was a preference the bill. However, the oversight Guardian of conservatives after the government Council rejected the bill by finding 20 introduced a bill on countering the faults with it. Shahram financing on terrorism (known as the CFT) In December, the parliament made Jazayeri may as a bid to facilitate the neutralization of changes to the CFT. The bill was referred to Iran by the Financial Action Task Force the Expediency Council for further study. face long-term (FATF). ‘Parliament to study CFT at Rouhani’s government has been trying presence of Kadkhodaei’ imprisonment to implement standards set by the FATF, a Majlis National Security and Foreign POLITICS TEHRAN – Tehran Prosecutor Abbas global group of government anti-money- Policy Committee Chairman Heshmatollah deskJafari Dolatabadi said on Saturday that laundering (AML) and counter financing Falahatpisheh told ISNA on Saturday that Shahram Jazayeri, who was arrested months ago in one of terrorism regimes, in the hope it will be Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani (2nd right), who was appointed as the chairman of the the committee will study the CFT at the of Iran’s towns, has been indicted and the lower court has removed from a blacklist that makes some Expediency Council on December 30 by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, chaired presence of Kadkhodaei on Sunday. sentenced him to a relatively long-term imprisonment. foreign investors reluctant to deal with it. Saturday’s meeting of the council. Larijani, the Judiciary chief, replaced Ayatollah Seyyed “The Guardian Council found 22 faults The verdict is not definitive yet, but it will be announced In October, the FATF gave Iran until Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, who passed away at the age of 70 on December 24. with the CFT and three of them have been as soon as a final verdict is issued, Dolatabadi said, ILNA February to complete reforms that would solved. The Majlis insisted to send seven reported. bring it into line with its norms or face accepting a law that strictly reflects the ‘Only two faults with CFT have items to the Expediency Council and the Jazayeri, an Iranian tycoon who spent several years of his consequences. FATF’s standards. So far two bills related been corrected’ remaining 12 items will be studied in life in jail for being involved in a high-profile corruption case, However, the conservatives prefer to amending the anti-money laundering law Abbasali Kadkhodaei, spokesman of the national security committee tomorrow was arrested last year near the Bazargan border crossing in revamp an existing domestic law over and the CFT have been confirmed. Guardian Council, told a press conference [Sunday],” Falahatpisheh stated. West Azarbaijan Province while trying to flee the country.

Marine organization Iraq-Iran relationship a model for the world: ambassador POLITICS TEHRAN – The Iranian The ambassador asserted that the Islamic he added. observes vessels deskAmbassador to Baghdad, Republic does not bully other countries and The diplomat also said Iran has good Iraj Masjedi, has described the strong rela- it does not tolerate bullying as well. political and economic relations with all construction tionship between Iran and Iraq as a “suc- Tehran respects the sovereignty and dig- countries, especially neighbors. standards cessful model” of cooperation between two nity of other nations, Ambassador Masjedi Describing Iran’s relations with Iraq as neighboring countries on the world stage. remarked. a “strategic friendship”, the envoy said the POLITICS TEHRAN – Amir Rastegari, managing Speaking at the Iraqi National Defense Pointing to U.S. bullying of other coun- Islamic Republic is seeking peace, friendship deskdirector of the Defense Ministry’s Ma- University in Baghdad on Saturday, Masjedi tries, Masjedi asked, “Why does the U.S. and brotherly ties with Iraq. rine Industries Organization, said on Saturday that Iran said Iran’s approach toward Iraq is not based have military bases and forces in so many Iran is rooting for an “Iraq which is pow- observes international standards in manufacturing vessels on sectarianism, rather it views the Arab countries? Why does the U.S. think others erful and advanced in all fields,” he said, and equipment. state as a brotherly country, IRNA reported. must obey its orders?” adding, “Iraq’s progress pleases us and we Observing quality and technical indicators are important He underlined that Iraq will not have a “With this regard, we as the Islamic will spare no efforts in helping with Iraq’s to build and provide after-sale services, Rastegari said in a “more sincere friend” than Iran. Republic of Iran oppose U.S. bullying,” progress.” meeting with the governor of Gilan province, IRNA reported. “The capabilities and facilities of the Defense Ministry’s Marine Industries Organization are aimed at developing tourism projects,” he explained. Pakistan Navy flotilla visits Bandar Abbas He also said the Marine Industries Organization has made In line with Pakistan’s maritime tradition and to strengthen Warfare Squadron. RAH NAWARD and PNS DEHSHAT visited Bander Abbas. great progress in production of floating structures. the existing cordial bilateral relations, a Pakistan Navy Flo- Pakistan flotilla’s visit to Iran is aimed at enhancing During the visit, PN delegation will hold meetings with tilla comprising four Navy ships will dock at the Iranian port maritime collaboration between the navies of the two coun- naval and military leadership of Iran on bilateral relations. city of Bandar Abbas from 6-9 January, Pakistan’s embassy tries. The ships are bringing warm wishes and a message of The port call by Pakistani ships is a testimony of growing Iranian, said in a press release on Saturday. solidarity, peace & prosperity for the people of the Islamic security and defense relationship between Iran and Pakistan. PNS KHAIBAR, PNS MADADGAR, PNS RAH NAWARD Republic of Iran and the region. The visit of the Pakistan Navy ships to Bandar Abbas enables Chinese party and PMSS ZHOB will be commanded by Commodore Mu- The port call of Pakistan Navy ships to Islamic Republic of both navies to enrich themselves from mutual experiences officials meet hammad Saleem Sl(M), commander of the 9th Auxiliary Iran is a regular feature. Last year, two Pakistani ships PNS and enhance cooperation in future endeavors. in Tehran POLITICS TEHRAN – Mehdi Soli, deputy chief of Iran calls British foreign secretary’s IRGC to unveil progresses deskthe international affairs of the Islamic Coalition Party, on Saturday met with Deputy Chief of the remarks ‘hasty’, ‘wrong’ in building submarines International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of POLITICS TEHRAN — Irani- POLITICS TEHRAN — The China, who was in Tehran at the head of a delegation to confer deskan Foreign Ministry deskIslamic Revolution on ways to expand cooperation between the two countries. spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Saturday Guards Corps will start making submarines During the meeting, the two sides voiced satisfaction slammed British Foreign Secretary Jeremy and unveil its technological achievements with the expansion of bilateral relations, highlighting the Hunt’s remarks against Iran as “hasty” and in this respect in the future, the IRGC Navy importance of developing ties based on mutual respect and “wrong”. chief has said. facilitating all-out strategic cooperation between Tehran “The British foreign secretary’s hasty “[Progress] in the area of submarines and Beijing, Mehr reported. and wrong remarks shows his lack of in- is one of our needs which we should pur- formation and are a kind of interference sue,” Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri told ‘Pakistan in the internal affairs of an independent the Tasnim news agency in an interview country,” he said. published on Saturday. eyeing Iran’s In a tweet message on Thursday, Hunt past decades and recent years and see hu- Asked about the navy’s preparedness, he during a meeting with a group of navy claimed that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a man catastrophes and crises for the people said, “We are fully prepared and observe all commanders and officials in November. experience on British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran, is in- of the Middle East caused by the British the moves by our extra-regional enemies.” Lauding the armed forces for their nocent and must be allowed to come home. government’s policies and supports for the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Aya- achievements, the Leader said, “The infrastructure’ Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 38, has been im- terrorist groups.” tollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has urged the current generation of the Navy deeply POLITICS TEHRAN – Akbar Ayub Khan, Khyber prisoned in Iran for 2 years on charges of Pointing to the “people’s catastrophic Iranian Armed Forces to boost their military believes in its ingeniousness and abilities, deskPakhtunkhwa Province’s minister for com- trying to orchestrate a soft overthrow of situation in Yemen, Palestine, Syria” and capabilities and preparedness. and the realization of projects such as munication and works department, has expressed Pakistan’s the Islamic Republic. other places, he said that the British gov- “Enhance your abilities and preparations the addition of Sahand destroyer, and desire to benefit from Iran’s vast experiences to develop its Qassemi said, “The British foreign sec- ernment should be ashamed of providing so much as you can so that the enemies Fateh and Ghadir submarines to the infrastructure. retary should take a look at his respected certain countries with weaponry which has of Iran do not even dare to threaten this naval forces, heralds the possibility of Ayub Khan said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province wants to government’s record in the Middle East in led to this situation. great nation,” Ayatollah Khamenei said more progress.” cooperate with Iran in technical and engineering sectors to develop its infrastructure, especially in building roads and bridges, Fars reported on Saturday. Araqchi briefs Ghani on Iran’s talks with Taliban He made the remarks in a meeting with Consul General of Iran in Peshawar Mohammad Baqer Beigi POLITICS TEHRAN – Iranian Deputy Foreign Iran and Afghanistan share a nearly 600-mile (960-kilometre) Referring to close ties between Iran and Pakistan, the deskMinister for Political Affairs Seyyed Abbas border, and have had a complex relationship in recent years. minister said Islamabad is willing to send a team of experts Araqchi, who held talks with a Taliban delegation in Tehran on Tehran has long supported its co-religionists in Afghanistan, to Iran to see the country’s progress in building roads, tun- December 30, met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul the Shia Hazara minority, who were violently persecuted by nels, and bridges. on Saturday. the Taliban during its rule in the 1990s. During the meeting, the two exchanged views about a Araqchi held a separate meeting on Saturday with range of issues, including ways to boost bilateral relations Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah to Pompeo: U.S. between the two neighboring countries and a better use of discuss a comprehensive document on cooperation between Iran’s Chabahar port. the two countries. has helped foster Araqchi and Ghani talked about the peace process in Araqchi expressed hope that the document would be finalized co-op between Afghanistan and a comprehensive cooperation agreement as soon as possible. between the two countries. In June 2017, Iran and Afghanistan held the first round of Israel, Arabs The office of the Afghan president said Araqchi briefed Ghani talks on the comprehensive strategic partnership document about the meeting between Iranian officials and the Taliban. Araqchi (L) meets Abdullah in Kabul in September 2018 as part of efforts to boost bilateral relations in various areas, POLITICS TEHRAN – U.S. Secretary of State Mike (FILE PHOTO) desk On December 31, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram including security and defense. Pompeo said on Thursday the Trump ad- Qassemi announced that Iranian diplomats had held a meeting “The trend will continue,” Shamkhani said after visiting Abdullah, for his part, described the relations between the ministration has helped facilitate cooperation between Israel with a Taliban delegation in Tehran a day before. Kabul on December 26. two countries as historic and based on friendship. and a number of Arab countries against Iran. During a press conference, Qassemi said that the Iranian Last Tuesday, the Taliban confirmed that it had discussed He also thanked Iran for hosting Afghan refugees. Speaking in an interview with U.S. channel NewsMax TV negotiators were headed by Araqchi. Afghanistan’s “post-occupation situation” with Iran. Back in September, Araqchi visited Afghanistan and met on Thursday, Pompeo said, “We made connections between “The Islamic Republic of Iran shares borders with Afghanistan Taliban’s announcement signaled a growing confidence with a number of high-ranking officials of the Central Asian [Israel and Arab countries] to form a coalition in the Middle and has cultural and historical affinities with the country. As among the Taliban for U.S. troops to pull out of Afghanistan, country, including Abdullah. East that will preserve U.S. security”. an important player in the region which seeks peace, stability after U.S. officials last month told various media outlets that Speaking in that meeting with Araqchi on September 11, He criticized the Obama administration for its decision and security, Iran wanted to enter these talks after negotiations President Donald Trump had decided to slash the number of Abdullah underlined the importance of his country’s relations to adopt Iran “as its partner in the region… but, we com- with the Afghan government,” Qassemi stated. boots on the ground. with Iran and said the relationship will never be affected by pletely changed it.” Shortly before that, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Tehran’s peace push will be viewed with concern by hawks a third country. Pompeo also confirmed Trump’s plan to withdraw U.S. Supreme National Security Council, had said Tehran had in Washington, who fear that Trump’s planned withdrawal of He said the National Unity Government of Afghanistan is troops from Syria, stressing that the U.S. plans to continue conducted a series of “contacts and talks with the Taliban troops from Syria and Afghanistan will cede regional influence willing to complete and sign the comprehensive cooperation confronting Iran. group… with the knowledge of the Afghan government.” to Iran. agreement between the two countries. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JANUARY 6, 2019 INTERNATIONAL Israel sentences Palestinian teen to 11 years Talks to resume after Trump in prison over alleged stabbing attack says shutdown could last ‘years’ An Israeli court has sentenced a Palestinian “might adopt some sort of sanction — I hope teenage boy to eleven years in prison on the only economic ones — against us.” allegation of carrying out a stabbing attack in He did not elaborate in his pointed re- the southern sector of the occupied West Bank. marks which Arab states he was referring The Commission for Prisoners and Ex-Pris- to as “more radical.” oners’ Affairs said in a statement that the Bolsonaro had backtracked on the embassy Ofer military court passed the verdict on move soon after declaring in early November 19-year-old Daoud Manasra on Friday, and that he intended to go through with it. demanded that he pay a compensation of In an apparent response to fears of the 270,000 shekels ($73,000) or serve three farming businesses in the agriculturally-rich additional years of imprisonment in lieu of it. country that an embassy move may threaten Moreover, the court ordered the Pales- their $1 billion in meat exports to Arab mar- tinian teenage boy to pay a fine of 10,000 kets, the newly-elected leader rowed back shekels ($3,000). his pledge within days, insisting: “it is not The White House officials and congressional staffers will continue The committee condemned the sentence yet decided.” negotiations on Saturday over the government shutdown, even and the exorbitant financial compensation Bolsonaro’s decision on the embassy move after the United States President Donald Trump declared he imposed on Manasra and other political is highly controversial since the Israeli regime could keep it going for “months or even years”. prisoners in Israeli detention centers. claims all of occupied al-Quds as its capital Trump met on Friday with congressional leaders from both “This proves the barbarity of the fake Israeli while Palestinians view the eastern part of parties as the shutdown hit the two-week mark amid an impasse judiciary, which goes hand in hand with the the holy city as the capital of a future state. over his demand for billions of dollars for a border wall with policies of the Israeli intelligence service, Most countries across the globe hold that Mexico. Democrats emerged from the meeting, which both sides aiming to inflict the greatest damage and the status of al-Quds should only be deter- said was contentious at times, to report little if any progress. sanctions on Palestinians,” it pointed out. mined through negotiations, which have long Trump has designated Vice President Mike Pence, Homeland Israeli forces detained Manasra in mid-2015 were injured during the clashes in addition of when it will be implemented,” said the stalled by Tel Aviv’s continued violations of Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and adviser Jared Kushner after he had purportedly attacked and injured to seven medics and a journalist. ultra-right-wing leader late Thursday during United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to work with a congressional delegation at a meeting set for 11am an Israeli soldier at the Beit Einun crossroads Tensions have been running high near an interview with Brazil’s SBT Television, resolutions against further expansion of (16:00 GMT) on Saturday. in eastern al-Khalil, located 30 kilometers (19 the fence separating Gaza from the occupied confirming a reported statement by the Israeli illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Trump is framing the upcoming weekend talks as progress, miles) south of al-Quds (Jerusalem). territories since March 30, which marked regime’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanya- Palestinian territories. while Democrats are emphasizing families unable to pay bills. On December 16, 2018, the same Israeli the start of the protests. hu, who attended Bolsonaro’s inauguration So far, only the U.S. and its client Central “I hope it doesn’t go on even before a few more days,” Trump court sentenced 18-year-old Ayham Bassem Palestinian protesters demand the right to ceremonies on January 1. American state of Guatemala have opened said on Friday, referring to the shutdown. “It really could open Sabbah, a resident of the Qalandiya refugee return for those driven out of their homeland. “A large part of the Arab world is aligned or embassies in occupied al-Quds. While Para- very quickly. We had a very, very productive meeting, and we’ve camp north of al-Quds (Jerusalem), to 35 years The clashes in Gaza reached their peak aligning itself with the United States,” claimed guay has backtracked on a similar decision, come a long way.” in prison, and also ordered him to pay a fine on May 14, the eve of the 70th anniversary the Brazilian president, who has widely been Washington and Tel Aviv are reportedly Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi described of one million Israeli shekels ($264,700). of the Nakba Day, or the Day of Catastrophe, referred to as “Trump of the Tropics” due to pressuring the U.S.-backed government of Friday’s meeting as “lengthy and sometimes contentious”. Sabbah and 14-year-old Omar Salim which coincided this year with Washington’s his radical approaches similar to the U.S. Honduras to move its Israeli embassy to al- Key parts of the U.S. government shut down on December 22 Rimawi were both shot and critically in- relocation of the United States embassy from President Donald Trump. “The Palestinian Quds as well. after Trump refused to back down on his request for more than jured on February 18, 2016, after allegedly Tel Aviv to occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem). issue is already overloading people in the In yet another controversial move, Bol- five billion dollars in funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico carrying out a stabbing attack that left one More than 240 Palestinians have so far Arab world for the most part.” sonaro also announced his readiness to dis- border, which the Democrats oppose. Israeli settler dead and another injured at been killed and over 20,000 others wounded Blaming Iran as the major vocal opposi- cuss the possibility of hosting a U.S. military The standoff has prompted economic jitters and anxiety among the Rami Levi supermarket in the Shaare in the renewed Gaza clashes, according to tion against the embassy move, Bolsonaro base in Brazil, pointing to a major shift in some in Trump’s own party. Benyamin industrial complex northwest of the latest figures released by the Gaza Health further added that “the only weighty voice the foreign policy of Latin America’s largest “We won’t be opening until it’s solved,” Trump said. “I don’t al-Quds (Jerusalem). Ministry. speaking out against me is Iran. and most populous country. call it a shutdown. I call it doing what you have to do for the Israeli forces injure at least 23 Gaza has been under Israeli siege since Iran has not been the only country firm- The 63-year-old former Army captain benefit and the safety of our country.” Palestinians in Gaza protests June 2007, causing a decline in living stand- ly opposing the U.S.-led embassy move to represents a sharp break with Brazil’s recent The U.S. president reportedly said he preferred to call the Meantime, Israeli forces have attacked ards as well as unprecedented unemployment the occupied al-Quds as many Muslim and record of left of center policies, veering his action a “strike”. anti-occupation protests along the border and poverty. non-Muslim countries have officially or -in nation sharply to the right and towards the Trump said he could declare a national emergency to build between the besieged Gaza Strip and the Brazil’s president confirms formally expressed opposition to the move Trump administration in the U.S. the wall without congressional approval, but would first try a occupied territories, leaving at least 23 al-Quds (Jerusalem) embassy move amid many protest rallies in different coun- During the Thursday interview he also “negotiated process”. Trump previously described the situation Palestinians injured. The developments follow as Brazil’s new tries against Washington’s anti-Palestinian expressed concerns about growing Russian at the border as a “national emergency” before he dispatched Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesman for the President Jair Bolsonaro has reaffirmed his measure. support for what he referred to as the Vene- active-duty troops in what critics described as a pre-election stunt. Gaza Health Ministry, said Israeli forces used plan of relocating the country’s embassy in Bolsonaro further underlined that he did zuelan “dictatorship” led by President Nicolas Trump also said the hundreds of thousands of federal workers gunfire and tear gas against the protesters the Israeli capital to the occupied al-Quds not think that most Arab states would take Maduro, who remains a target of Washing- who are furloughed or working without pay would want him to east of the coastal enclave on Friday. (Jerusalem). retaliatory measures against Brasilia, noting, ton’s so-called regime-change foreign policy. “keep going” and fight for border security. Asked how people According to the report, 14 protesters “The decision is taken, it’s only a matter however, that “more radical” Arab nations (Source: agencies) would manage without a financial safety net, he declared, “The safety net is going to be having a strong border because we’re going to be safe.” Muslim congresswoman vows to fight Trump’s Security officers at the U.S. airports have reportedly been calling in sick in droves since the shutdown began and their pay cheques stopped rolling in. Democrats called on Trump to reopen the government while ‘destructive’ policy negotiations continue. Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Elsewhere, the first hijab-wearing Muslim congresswoman Tlaib – was also sworn in on Thursday. Schumer said, “It’s very hard to see how progress will be made has vowed to fight efforts by the administration of Trump Tlaib, a Democrat and a social worker born in Detroit to unless they open up the government.” to divide the American public. Palestinian immigrant parents, was elected to the House in House Democrats muscled through legislation on Thursday Ilhan Omar, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of a district where she was running unopposed. night to fund the government but not Trump’s proposed wall. Representatives from the state of Minnesota, was sworn in The two Muslim women are known as polar opposites However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said those on the Holy Quran on Thursday. of Trump and his Republican Party’s policies. measures are non-starters on his side of the Capitol without the “I plan to resist the current Administration’s attempts The U.S. House of Representatives, chaired by Speaker president’s support. to divide us and push destructive policies that chip away Nancy Pelosi, is currently engaged in a long-running dispute A variety of strategies are being floated inside and outside at our rights and freedoms,” Omar said in a statement. with Trump over the passage of a controversial bill regarding the White House, among them trading wall funding for a deal “We have the opportunity to build a more inclusive and the funding of a U.S.-Mexico border wall. on immigrants brought to the country as young people and now compassionate culture, one that will allow our economy The standoff over the issue has led to a partial government here illegally, or using a national emergency declaration to build to flourish and encourage more Americans to participate shutdown, forcing around 800,000 federal workers to work the wall. in our democracy.” without pay or expecting to be furloughed. While Trump made clear during his press conference that talks The newly-elected representative was allowed to wear a Trump made the wall a key election campaign promise on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program religious head covering on the House floor after the easing in 2016, saying Mexico would pay for it and claiming it is would have to wait and he was trying to negotiate with Congress of a 181-year ban on headwear of any type in the chamber. needed to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking. on the wall, the conversations underscored rising Republican Omar, 37, who emigrated as a refugee from Somalia at immigration, criminal justice reform and more accessible Democrats have time and again called a border wall immoral, anxiety about just how to exit the impasse. the age of 14, outperformed her rivals in the U.S. midterm healthcare. ineffective and medieval. But with staff level talks, there is always an open question elections after campaigning on a platform promoting legal Along with Omar, a second Muslim woman – Rashida (Source: Press TV) of whether Trump’s aides are fully empowered to negotiate for the president. Earlier this week, he rejected his own adminis- tration’s offer to accept $2.5bn for the wall. That proposal was Yemeni troops hit Saudi bases in retaliation for air raids made when Pence and other top officials met Schumer at the start of the shutdown. Yemen’s army, backed by Ansarullah (Houthi) nearby Jizan region, it said. ernment after it resigned and fled to Riyadh. Trump was joined by Pence in the Rose Garden, as well as movement forces, has launched fresh retal- Yemen’s tribal forces in the southern The war has claimed thousands since its House Republican leaders Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise. iatory attacks against the House of Saud re- province of Shabwa carried out their own onset and placed Yemen very close to the McConnell, who went back to the Capitol unaware of the press gime forces inside the kingdom, leaving an retaliatory attacks against the United Arab edge of famine. conference, said it was encouraging that White House officials unspecified number of them killed or injured. Emirates (UAE) and Saudi regime merce- Last year, the Saudi regime-backed for- and the congressional contingent would meet over the weekend Troops fired ballistic missiles and artillery naries, killing at least 10 fighters. mer officials and Yemen’s popular Ansarullah “to see if they can reach an agreement and then punt it back to shells at Saudi mercenaries in the Najran The retaliation reportedly came after hel- movement hammered out a ceasefire agree- us for final sign off”. region, Yemen’s al-Masirah television net- icopters flown by the United Arab Emirates ment in Sweden. Schumer said if McConnell and Senate Republicans stay on work reported. attacked the impoverished country’s south- The deal has mandated a truce in Yemen’s the sidelines, “Trump can keep the government shut down for The al-Hammad and Akefah military west, killing seven civilians. western al-Hudaydah Province, whose main a long time.” bases were hit by the projectiles, including The House of Saud regime has enlisted the port receives the majority of vital aid sent “The president needs an intervention,” Schumer said. “And a Zalzal-1 rocket, with more missiles fired UAE as its closest ally in the invasion which for the country. Senate Republicans are just the right ones to intervene.” at the gathering of Saudi mercenaries in the began in March 2015 to restore a former gov- (Source: Press TV) Adding to national unease about the shutdown are economic jitters as analysts warn of the risks of closures that are disrupt- ing government operations across multiple departments and Police make arrests in London’s pro-Brexit yellow-vest protest agencies at a time of other uncertainties in the stock market Four people, including a 13-year-old girl, have been arrested order offences. “Four arrests have been made following protests again in tandem with of the French yellow vest movement. and foreign trade. during a demonstration to support Britain’s withdrawal from on Westminster Bridge, SW1 at approximately 11am today,” said Police have been tough on any form of social activism in Trump: Shutdown could last ‘months or even the European Union (EU) as protesters donned yellow vests the Metropolitan Police, adding that the 13-year-old girl had London and other large cities across Britain as the country years’ if border wall not funded to copy-cat a highly popular movement in France. attempted to attack police officers at the scene of the protest. prepares to leave the EU in March. Many expect chaos would Meantime, Trump says he is willing to keep the government The Evening Standard newspaper said police had used Pictures released online showed protesters wearing erupt on the streets if the governments fail to secure its divorce closed for a year or more unless Democrats agree to fund his force to contain more than 100 people who were trying to yellow vest outfits similar to those worn in France over deal with the EU in the parliament in the coming weeks. border wall with Mexico. approach the British parliament compound in Westminster, the past weeks during protests against social injustice There is a special threat of rioting by far-right, anti-im- Trump confirmed on Friday he had made the threat during near London’s Trafalgar Square. and poverty. migrant groups after a no-deal Brexit as the government a meeting with Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Police said the demonstrators had caused disruption by The British protesters, who were angry at a current po- warns those groups would do their best to use the political Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, setting off smoke bombs on the streets, saying those arrested litical deadlock in the parliament over Brexit, sit down in situation to their benefit. earlier in the day. would be charged with assaulting police and committing public the road to stop traffic while others let off smoke bombs, (Source: agencies) “Absolutely I said that,” Trump boasted to reporters, adding, “I don’t think it will. But I am prepared.” “It’s very important that we have great border security,” he Russia: FBI has detained Russian citizen, days after Moscow arrested American continued. “It will be over with sooner than people think. I will Moscow says “FBI personnel” have de- cion of spying. on December 29 and had moved him to of Florida-based Primex Group Inc., of pur- do whatever we have to do.” tained a Russian citizen, describing the The Russian Foreign Ministry said in Florida. portedly trying to move grade equipment, The president said the nearly 800,000 federal workers who arrest of Russian nationals as part of a a statement on Saturday that American The indictment accuses Makarenko, such as night-vision rifle scopes and ammu- are affected by the government shutdown were also supporting “hunt on our citizens” around the world, authorities had detained Dmitry Maka- reportedly from the Russian Far East city nition primers, to Russia between April and him, despite the fact that many of them were forced to work one week after Russian security agents renko in the Northern Mariana Islands, a of Vladivostok, and his associate Vladimir November 2013. without pay or go on unpaid leave. arrested an American marine on suspi- U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific Ocean, Nevidomy, a resident of Florida and owner (Source: Press TV) (Source: agencies) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY JANUARY 6, 2019

STOCK MARKET Petchem TEDPIX 161107.4 IFX 1871.58 companies pump Sources: tse.ir, Ifb.ir

CURRENCIES $6b of exports USD 42,000 rials EUR 48,774 rials revenues to NIMA GBP 53,434 rials ECONOMY TEHRAN — The secre- foreign currency needs. desk AED 11,437 rials tary of Iran’s Association As Mohammad Abhari told IRNA on of Petrochemical Industry Corporations Saturday, Iranian petrochemical companies Source: iribnews.ir (APIC) announced that from the beginning are estimated to earn $12 billion of exports of the present Iranian calendar year (March revenues in the current Iranian year 1397 21, 2018) up to now petrochemical companies (ending on March 20, 2019), of which $8.1 could manage to inject $6.65 billion of their billion has been gain by the present times. COMMODITIES exports revenues to domestic economy, $6 NIMA, which seeks to boost transparency, foreign currency without specific problems inaugurated in early July to allow exporters WTI $47.96/b of which was pumped into the Forex Man- create competitiveness among exchange shops and for exporters to re-inject their earned of non-oil commodities to sell their foreign agement Integrated System, locally known and a secure environment for traders, is a new foreign currency to domestic forex market. currency earnings to importers of consumer Brent $57.06/b as NIMA in a bid to address the country›s chance for importers to supply their required Secondary foreign exchange market was products. OPEC Basket $52.95/b Gold $1,286.89 /oz Major steel producers’ output rises 18% in 8 months on year Silver $15.74/oz ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iran’s major steel pro- indicating 19 percent rise from 17.303 million tons in the deskducers produced 16.64 million tons of same period of time in 2017. Platinium $827.20/oz crude steel during the eight-month period from March 21 “Iran produces 34 million tons of steel per year and is Sources: oilprice.com, Moneymetals.com to November 21, 2018, with 18 percent growth from the aimed at producing 55 million tons of the product by 2025,” figure of the same period of time in the past year, IRNA according to the previous industry minister, Mohammad reported on Saturday. Shariatmadari. NEWS IN BRIEF These producers produced 14.169 million tons of crude To hit the target, Iran is in need of attracting €8 billion steel during the eight-month period of the previous year. of investments, he said in last July. NIDC’s new Also as reported by the World Steel Association (WSA) He also announced that the country exports 9 million in November, production of crude steel in Iran stood at tons of crude steel per year and plans to improve the figure projects to go 20.59 million tons during the first ten months of 2018, up to 15 million tons by 2025. operational soon: director Powell says Fed ‘will be patient’ with monetary Gold slides after solid jobs data;

ENERGY TEHRAN – Managing director of the Na- policy as it watches how economy performs palladium crosses key $1,300 mark desktional Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) said Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to an otherwise thriving economy. Asked Gold prices fell on Friday, pulling back from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell some of the company’s new projects are going to go operational pledged that the central bank will be watch- whether he would resign if pushed by the a more than six-month peak hit earlier in the on Friday moved to mollify financial markets in near future, Shana reported on Saturday. ing how the economy performs this year president, Powell said “no.” session, after stronger-than-expected U.S. concerned about a U.S. economic slowdown, According to Abdollah Mousavi, NIDC has drawn its roadmap and will adjust policy should growth slow Comparison to 2016 jobs data, while palladium prices punched saying that while momentum is solid, the U.S. based on active participation in domestic tenders for develop- unexpectedly. Powell said the Fed has a history of ad- through the key $1,300 level for the first time. central bank will be sensitive to the downside ment of oilfields, especially in projects related to joint fields Financial markets have been in turmoil justing its actions according to conditions. Spot gold slipped 0.78 percent to risks the market is pricing in. including the West Karun fields. over the past several months, in part over The Fed is “always prepared to shift the $1,283.56 per ounce as of 2:00 p.m. ET, “Mr. Powell said he is open to a potential NIDC, a subsidiary of National Iranian Oil Company, under- concern whether the Fed was on an aggres- stance of policy and to shift it significantly” after dropping as much as 1.3 percent to view change but so long as the data stays takes most drilling operations across the country and drilled sive rate-hiking path. Powell himself has in order to achieve its dual mandate of full $1,276.40. strong in the U.S. we will continue to project 4,489 onshore and offshore oil and gas wells in nearly 40 years. helped to fuel some of that speculation, employment and stable prices. The metal was however on track for a third hikes in the interest rates in the U.S. by the and on Friday offered remarks to show that He cited 2016 as a recent example. In straight weekly gain, up about 0.2 percent central bank,” said Bart Melek, head of com- Index Fed policy will take into account economic that year, the FOMC had indicated four rate so far, mainly helped by recent strong gains. modity strategies at TD Securities. conditions and be adjusted accordingly. hikes were likely but ended up only approv- It touched its highest level since mid-June Gold is highly sensitive to rising interest performance of “As always, there is no preset path for ing one as financial conditions tightened at $1,298.42 earlier in the day. rates, as these increase the opportunity cost IFB at 71% policy,” Powell said. “And particularly with particularly amid geopolitical concerns. U.S. gold futures settled down $9.00 to of holding non-yielding bullion. muted inflation readings that we’ve seen “No one knows whether this year will $1,285.80 per ounce. Also pressuring bullion was a rebound coming in, we will be patient as we watch be like 2016,” he said. “But what I do know “Industrial commodities and currencies in world stock markets, which rallied on to see how the economy evolves.” is that we will be prepared to adjust policy have rebounded therefore the precious met- hopes of upcoming trade talks between ECONOMY TEHRAN — The performance of IFX, the Powell along with his immediate pre- quickly and flexibly and to use all of our als which have been the safe haven such as United States and China. deskmain index of Iran’s over-the-counter (OTC) decessors, Janet Yellen and Ben Bernanke, tools to support the economy should that gold, silver have retraced today,” said David “In the near term we are probably still market known also as Iran Fara Bourse (IFB), has hit 71 percent spoke Friday at the American Economic be appropriate to keep the expansion on Meger, director of metals trading at High headed a little lower. Around $1,280-$1,290 since the beginning of current Iranian calendar year (March Association’s annual meeting in Atlanta. track, to keep the labor market strong and Ridge Futures. is probably where we are going to be based,” 21, 2018), Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday. The policymaking Federal Open Market to keep inflation near 2 percent.” “That is exacerbated by a stronger-than- Melek said. As reported, the weekly index performance of the IFB market Committee raised its benchmark interest Economic signals as of late have been expected payrolls data.” Elsewhere, palladium prices surged 2.18 stood at 2.1 percent in the past Iranian week ended on Friday. rate four times in 2018 and has indicated mixed. Data showed U.S. employers hired the percent to $1,291.56 per ounce, having hit IFX stood at 1,875 points in the past week. that two more increases this year are likely. Less than two hours before the Fed panel most workers in 10 months in December a record high of $1,310 earlier. However, markets believe differently, and began, the Labor Department reported that while boosting wages, pointing to sustained “Palladium has broken out to the upside in fact are pricing in about a 28 percent nonfarm payrolls grew by 312,000 in De- strength in the economy that could ease fears on tight supply, increasing demand, a weaker chance of a rate cut by the end of 2019 and cember, the best gain since February and of a sharp slowdown in growth. dollar,” said Phil Streible, senior commodi- no chance of an increase. well above Wall Street expectations. How- “Today’s U.S. jobs report throws more ties strategist at RJO Futures in Chicago. ‘More potential buyers The Powell Fed has come under scrutiny ever, a key manufacturing report Thursday uncertainty into the direction of Federal Re- Platinum jumped 2.77 percent to $820.40, from the markets and intense criticism from showed signs of a slowdown, and housing serve monetary policy, which had already after touching $820.30 an ounce, its highest for Iran’s oil despite President Donald Trump, who believes the data has been disappointing as well. been seen as murky,” Jim Wyckoff, senior price since Nov. 30. U.S. sanctions’ rate hikes pose the single biggest threat (Source: CNBC) analyst at Kitco Metals, wrote in a note. (Source: Reuters) 1 The United States withdrew from a nuclear deal with Iran last year and snapped sanctions in place to choke Iran’s oil and banking industries, while temporarily allowing eight Turkey’s central bank moves early to boost treasury buffer customers to keep buying crude from the Islamic Republic. Turkey’s central bank scheduled an is planned for Jan. 18 and will discuss an debt down 25 basis points to 19.6 percent, the The Turkish central bank is a joint stock Iran has urged European countries, which are still committed extraordinary board meeting for earlier advance payment from its 2018 profit, lowest since July. Yields have dropped more company where the Treasury holds more than to the nuclear deal, to oppose the sanctions by creating a financial than usual to share its profit, a move likely according to the agenda. The Treasury than 850 basis points from a high in August. 55 percent of all the shares. But a legal cap mechanism that facilitates payments of Iranian oil sales. designed to shore up the Treasury’s cash faces its biggest monthly financing needs The Treasury has penciled in 21.8 billion on dividends has limited significant payouts Zamaninia said the mechanism, known as SPV (Special reserves. since 2011 in February, and an earlier-than- liras ($4 billion) of borrowing in February, to the estimated 6,300 shareholders. Unlike Purpose Vehicle for trade), would be helpful but could not The nation’s fiscal authority -- which expected cash injection would allow it to the most since January 2011. Switzerland and a few other countries where resolve the problems since U.S. influence will affect any holds a majority stake in the central bank continue to curb bond supply and shore up Income from the regulator has boosted the central bank is publicly traded, Turkey European action. and collects profits in the form of taxes and the battered market. Turkey’s budget in the last few years and has no market for these stocks. dividends -- raised about 10 percent less than “The idea seems to be to avoid borrowing provided crucial revenue for authorities as The invitation didn’t specify who called for targeted in lira funding last year as it sought larger amounts from the market ahead of they tried to maintain fiscal discipline. Earlier the central bank’s extraordinary meeting, but to keep a lid on borrowing costs before local elections,” said Inan Demir, an economist this year, the central bank sent more than management is required by law to convene China house price gains no elections in March. at Nomura Plc. in London. 70 percent of its 2017 profit of around 21.5 the board if requested to do so by the majority longer a certainty: central While the central bank’s board typically Bonds gained after the announcement, billion liras to the Treasury, according to its of shareholders. bank adviser convenes each April, this year’s first meeting pushing the yield on two-year government most recent annual report. (Source: Bloomberg)

A rising trend in property values in China is no longer a certainty as “unprecedented” state housing price controls come into effect, Samsung, Huawei supply majority of own modem chips, Qualcomm says state media quoted a central bank adviser as saying on Saturday. The two largest smart phone makers in the world supply a request for comment. Also, the FTC’s case centers not on China’s housing authorities have pledged to stabilize land a majority of their own modem chips to help their devices the overall modem chip market - which includes slower and home prices in 2019 and ramp up the supply of rental connect to wireless data networks, according to evidence chips that go into cheaper handsets - but rather the market housing to tackle home-affordability issues, state television presented at an antitrust trial for chip supplier Qualcomm for speedy “premium” chips where Qualcomm is among reported in December. Inc (QCOM.O). the only options. The measures should be enough to ensure house prices as A trial between the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Huawei and Samsung are both large diversified technol- a whole will be stable over the next 10 to 15 years, the official Qualcomm kicked off in a federal courtroom in California on ogy corporations that make many other products aside from China Securities Journal quoted Sheng Songcheng, a People’s Friday, with the regulators arguing that Qualcomm engaged premium-priced smart phones. Huawei’s HiSilicon unit Bank of China (PBOC) adviser and dean of the research institute in anticompetitive patent licensing practices to preserve a supplies the chips for its high-end phones such as its Mate of China Chief Economist Forum, as saying. monopoly on modem chips. The case is being closely watched and P series. Samsung’s chip division supplies processors Following a furious boom, China has gradually tightened because it may shed light on the likely eventual outcome and other components for many of its handsets and is also regulatory controls over its massive property market from of the global legal battle between Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and a dominant global supplier of memory chips beyond its mid-2016. But home prices have continued to go up, even as Qualcomm. own products. economic growth slows, and managing risks in the sector re- Apple has alleged that Qualcomm engaged in illegal busi- The two firms are also Apple’s fiercest rivals in the market mains a priority. ness practices, and Qualcomm in turn has alleged Apple for premium smart phones costing $700 or more. Apple This round of control measures on the real estate sector is violated its patents, scoring victories in China and Germany the case, also sought to show that Qualcomm is not dominant depends entirely on Intel Corp (INTC.O) and Qualcomm unprecedented, and the expectation that home prices will for- last month. in the world’s two biggest handset makers. for modem chips, though the iPhones released in 2018 use ever go up is now coming to a critical point, Sheng remarked at Qualcomm has argued its licensing practices follow long- During opening arguments, Van Nest’s presentation said Intel modems exclusively. the 2019 annual meeting of the China Chief Economist Forum. established industry norms and that it charges broadly the that Huawei [HWT.UL] internally sources 54 percent of the Technology news publication The Information last month Sheng’s comments come as some smaller cities ease property same licensing rates that it had for many years before it ever modem chips it puts in its devices and gets only 22 percent reported here that Apple was designing its own modem chip, controls in a test of the central government’s resolve as growth started selling chips. of its modems from Qualcomm, with the remainder com- citing Apple job listings and a source briefed on Apple’s slows in the world’s second-largest economy. That has become a big market for Qualcomm, which ing from other unnamed makers. Samsung (005930.KS) plans. Apple declined to comment on its plans. Sheng said stability or slight declines in China’s housing controlled 59.6 percent of the $15.3 billion market for 4G internally sources 52 percent of the modem chips it uses, For the second quarter of 2018 - the most recent figures prices was a good thing, and the government will steadfastly modem chips in 2017, according to IDC’s Phil Solis, who with 38 percent from Qualcomm and the rest from other available from IDC - Apple was the third-largest smart phone continue to impose regulatory curbs on the sector. studies mobile chips for the research firm. makers, according to the presentation. supplier by volume, with Samsung and Huawei in first and (Source: Reuters) But Bob Van Nest, an attorney representing Qualcomm in Huawei and Samsung did not immediately respond to second place, respectively. (Source: Reuters) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JANUARY 6, 2019 ENERGY 5 Trump credits his ‘talent’ for gas price High output, not pipeline constraints hurt Canadian drop, suggests OPEC monopoly oil industry

Donald Trump said OPEC “is essentially the U.S. Justice Department to file suit against Canada’s oil industry, most of which is housed in Alberta, has a monopoly,” even as he credited his own the Organization of Petroleum Exporting had a tough year, with the discount to WTI falling to record highs “talent” for having brought down oil prices. Countries. U.S. Assistant Attorney General before Premier Alberta Notley mandated a production cut of over “Four months ago, oil hit $83 a barrel,” Makan Delrahim told members of a House 300,000 barrels daily that went into effect this month. A new Trump told reporters in the Rose Garden after Judiciary subcommittee last month that the NEB report says the pipeline constraints are not the problem, meeting with Congressional leaders to try administration “continues to study” the legis- contrary to popular belief. and reach a deal on the partial government lation, which would amend the 129-year-old Calgary, Alberta, yesterday reported a $5 billion loss in com- shutdown. Oil “was heading to $100 and Sherman Antitrust Act. mercial property in its downtown area, thanks to the province’s then it could have gone to $125.” OPEC is consulting with lawyers to prepare floundering oil industry that is drowning in the steep discount Trump repeated his statement from earlier a strategy to defend against the legislation, to WTI and insufficient pipeline capacity to take its oil across this week that his efforts made the difference people familiar with the matter said in July. its borders. in bringing down the oil price. “After I made Recent claims by Trump that he’s pres- Pipeline constraints in Canada, which has caused a backup some phone calls to OPEC and the OPEC sured OPEC into allowing oil prices to fall of oil inventories in the country, is the main reason cited for the nations -- which is essentially a monopoly reflects an overlooked shift in White House dramatic fall in Canadian oil prices. And now those low prices -- all of a sudden, it started coming down,” policy, according to Bob McNally, former are snowballing into the commercial property sector. Cenovus he said. “Didn’t happen by luck, it happened energy adviser to President George W. Bush Energy Inc. and Encana Corp, for one, saw their Calgary-based through talent.” and president of consulting firm Rapidan headquarters property lose almost 19% of its value in 2018. Trump has previously tweeted that OPEC Energy Group. The National Energy Board (NEB) said on Friday, however, is a monopoly, including as recently as July “Whereas until early November President that pipeline capacity constraints were not the only thing plaguing and September. Legislation, formally called Trump was mainly interested in preventing Canada’s oil industry. It instead shifted the blame onto increased the “No Oil Producing and Exporting Car- oil price spikes, afterward his goal shifted to oil production in the last couple of years, saying that if its oil tels Act” but known as NOPEC, has been delivering a meaningfully lower oil price,” producers weren’t producing so much oil—which came in at 4.3 repeatedly introduced in both houses of McNally said in an email. million barrels per day in September—pipeline capacity at 3.95 Congress in recent years that would allow (Source: Bloomberg) million barrels per day would not have been an issue. The NEB also cited lower demand from US refineries—a significant market for Canadian oil producers—due to maintenance season. Western Canada’s largest customer in the US, BP’s Whiting Refinery in Iraq vows to stick with OPEC China to crack down on diesel Chicago, went offline in September, exacerbating the discount production cuts trucks, raise fuel standards of WCS to WTI, the NEB said. Refinery maintenance season, however, is a routine occurrence experienced annually that was unlikely to come as a surprise. Canada is the world’s fourth largest crude oil exporter, the NEB report said, exporting 3.3 million barrels per day. WCS was trading at $31.24 on Friday, while its WTI counter- part traded at $48.09 per barrel. (Source: oilprice.com)

Renewables beat coal in Germany power mix for first time

Renewable energy muscled out coal to become Germany’s biggest source of electricity for the first time last year, helped by a surge in solar panel installations and coal-plant closures. Iraq vowed on Thursday to adhere to the much of 2018, but has experienced slowing China will take action against highly-pollut- cantly higher than the levels recommended Wind, solar, hydro and biomass produced just over 40 per- production cuts agreed to by OPEC and domestic demand in Iraq during H1 2018, ing diesel trucks by imposing tougher fuel by the government. cent of Germany’s electricity in 2018, overtaking coal’s 39 per- its allies that went into effect at the start according to OPEC. and engine standards, raising rail freight The northern regions near the capital cent share, according to the Fraunhofer Institute. An almost 20 of the year. Iraq produced an average of 4.392 volumes and strengthening its monitoring Beijing will eliminate more than 1 million percent increase in solar capacity, the shuttering of older coal OPEC’s number-two oil producer million bpd in 2016 prior to the capabilities, new guidelines published by the outdated diesel-fueled trucks by the end of plants and favorable weather conditions conspired to help green will hold its production at 4.513 million production cuts, and despite being part environment ministry said. 2020. Tougher controls on diesel freight will sources edge ahead. barrels per day for the next six months, of the production cuts, Iraq managed to The Ministry of Ecology and Environment also be imposed during smog build-ups, it said. The balance of electricity generation is watched closely by the according to the Iraqi Oil Ministry, as produce an average of 4.446 million bpd said in a policy document on Friday it would National rail freight rates would be in- government, which has seen its greenhouse emissions reductions cited by S&P Global Platts. If achieved, in 2017, according to OPEC’s MMOR. It’s aim to “significantly increase” the number creased by 30 percent compared with 2017, goal for the end of the decade slip out of reach despite billions of Iraq would produce 140,000 fewer barrels production quota during the previous of diesel trucks capable of meeting emission and China will work to ensure that long-dis- euros in investment in renewables in recent years. per day for the next six months than it did round of cuts was 4.351 million bpd. In standards by 2020, targeting a compliance tance bulk commodity deliveries are done Green power is poised for an even bigger share in the future in October 2018—the date from which the 2018, Iraq’s production came in at 4.441 rate of at least 90 percent by next year. via rail or ships, it said. as Europe’s biggest economy is phasing out nuclear, as well as cuts were calculated. million bpd in Q1, 4.480 in Q2, ad 4.631 It also promised to improve the quality Tackling truck emissions has become a coal. A German commission has been set up to produce a phase- The news comes after Kpler and in Q3—the highest volume in years and of diesel, crack down on low-grade fuel and major part of China’s efforts to curb pollu- out plan for the world’s biggest power plant fuel. It will report Refinitive Eikon data on Thursday showed the benchmark used to calculate the new reduce overall nitrogen oxide and particulate tion. Though trucks produce 13 times more findings next month. that Iraq increased its oil exports to the production volume. matter emissions from fuel combustion. pollution per unit of cargo than trains, the (Source: Bloombererg) United States in December by 140,000 Iraq’s compliance came in somewhere New trucks that fail to comply with state share of rail in total freight amounted to just barrels per day. around 60 percent, according to S&P Global requirements will not be allowed to enter 7.7 percent in 2017. Iraq’s commitment to the latest deal Platts. Even if Iraq is unable to reign in the market, and key regions will also be or- The environment ministry said last year Moving beyond fossil fuels: is critical to the cartel’s success, and not production this time around too, its vocal dered to implement advanced “China VI” that while diesel trucks accounted for just just because it is OPEC’s second largest support from the deal can’t hurt today’s fuel standards starting in July this year, the 7.8 percent of China’s total vehicles, they Spain to shutter all coal producer. In the first round of production volatile oil market as traders eagerly document said. contributed as much as 57.3 percent of total plants in 2019 cuts, Iraq was the largest overproducer await any fresh news regarding global China is in the fifth year of a “war on pol- nitrogen dioxide emissions and more than and least compliant member of the group. oil production outlooks. lution” but average emission levels in many three quarters of airborne particulate matter. Joining an increasing number of nations ending the heavily-pol- Iraq’s oil production increased through (Source: oilprice.com) smog-prone northern cities remain signifi- (Source: Reuters) luting practice of fossil fuel extraction, Spain will shutter all of its remaining 26 coal mines in 2019, most of which are in the Asturias, Aragon and Castilla and Leon locales. Over 2,000 workers will be affected by the closures, an em- S&P Global Ratings slashes Brent oil view to $55/b in 2019 ployment number significantly lower than the 51,420 estimated S&P Global Ratings has slashed its average U.S. and China as well as news of China’s more than 11 million b/d at that time in a bid 3.4 million bpd of regional take out capacity.” coal mining industry workers in 1985. crude oil price assumptions by $10 a barrel economic slowdown, has led to concerns to offset the risk of lost Iranian barrels and However, S&P Global Platts expects an Spanish coal is primarily sold to the nation›s own thermal for 2019 in response to a worsening picture about the outlook for global demand,” S&P left the market awash with crude. additional 2.6 million bpd of pipeline capacity power plants for electricity production, according to a report for global demand. Global Ratings said in a statement with its The rating agency noted that the OPEC will come on line in 2019 and in early 2020, from Telesur. The institution said Thursday it has low- new price assumptions. “ announcement “did little to stem the de- so the clock is ticking on OPEC’s efforts to Similar to other developed nations in Europe, the EU member ered its view for Brent crude to $55/b, from Moreover OPEC, particularly Saudi Arabia cline in oil prices as concerns about global rebalance the market. has seen its coal extraction industry decline for some 30 years. $65/b and WTI cut to $50/b, from $60/b and Russia, were producing at record levels to demand and whether OPEC would honor the Analysts have been scrambling to revise According to reports, two Spanish mining companies have for the year ahead. offset what was expected to be a meaningful production cuts, continued to put pressure their forecasts amid a rising tide of uncertainty stated their intention to continue extraction operations, despite The change in assumptions come after reduction in global supply due to the Iranian on prices” but said “the production cuts at a over the economy, Iran sanction waiver ex- Madrid law requiring the firms› departure from Spain and the Brent plunged from a peak of $86 a barrel economic sanctions,” it added. minimum, will offset the anticipated growth tensions, U.S. shale output and OPEC cuts. cash return of all financial and tax aid. in early October to briefly trade below $50 The sanctions on Iranian oil imports fell in 2019 from U.S. shale production.” S&P Global Ratings’ competitor Moody’s Although all Spanish coal mines will be closed, the mineral a barrel at the end of December. Jitters have short of expectations on November 2, as the Much of the U.S. shale production will has also recently noted concerns about the will continue to be imported from Russia and Columbia — among surfaced across the oil market over global U.S. granted waivers to eight producers for come from the Permian Basin, which is con- oil market. The agency has set a $50-70/b other sources — and burned to produce electricity for power grids demand growth and rising global inventory six months which included pivotal buyers strained by a lack of pipeline capacity. S&P range for WTI in the medium term, according until 2020, according to Telesurtv.net. levels. China and India. That wrong-footed OPEC Global Ratings argues that “production from to a press release issued Thursday. Madrid has decreed that in 2020 Spanish thermal power gen- “The on-going trade war between the with Saudi Arabia and Russia both pumping the region has bumped right up against the (Source: Platts) eration plants burning coal must cease operations, shuttering for good or switching to mandated sources, including solar and U.S. oil drillers cut rigs for first week in three: Baker Hughes wind power. (Source: Sputnik) U.S. energy firms cut oil rigs for the first time in three weeks crude prices at the U.S. West Texas Intermediate benchmark as producers started to reduce their 2019 drilling plans with averaged $65.23 in 2018. Venezuela oil exports slump the collapse in crude prices at the end of last year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projected to 28-year low Drillers cut eight oil rigs in the week to Jan. 4, bringing spot WTI prices would average $54.19 a barrel in 2019. the total count down to 877, General Electric Co’s Baker U.S. financial services firm Cowen & Co this week said Venezuela, once Latin America’s largest oil exporter, ended 2018 Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed the exploration and production (E&P) companies it tracks with a whimper as overseas sales dropped to the lowest in nearly report on Friday. have provided mixed guidance for 2019 after indicating three decades. The U.S. rig count, an early indicator of future output, is they would spend about $88.9 billion in 2018, a 23 percent Home to the world’s biggest crude reserves, the country export- still much higher than a year ago when 742 rigs were active increase over the $72.2 billion they spent in 2017. ed 1.245 million barrels a day last year, the lowest since 1990, as after energy companies boosted spending in 2018 to capture Cowen said the firms it tracks were so far only expecting production tumbles amid an economic and humanitarian crisis. higher prices that year. to add 11 oil and gas rigs this year. Financial sanctions imposed by the U.S. have further tightened Some analysts, however, were forecasting the first decline There were 1,075 oil and natural gas rigs active in the the screws on Venezuela’s ailing economy, while creditors have in the rig count in three years in 2019 after drillers added United States this week, according to Baker Hughes. Most sought seize its assets including oil cargoes and its prized Citgo 138 oil rigs in 2018 and 222 in 2017. They cut 11 rigs in 2016. rigs produce both oil and gas. refineries in the U.S. U.S. shale producers have slammed the brakes on 2019’s Analysts at Simmons & Co, energy specialists at U.S. Falling exports compound the pain, as oil is the country’s main drilling with crude prices off 40 percent and mounting fears investment bank Piper Jaffray, this week forecast the av- source of revenue and bankrolls the regime of president Nicolas of oversupply, paring budgets that in some cases were set become the world’s leading crude producer, surpassing erage combined oil and gas rig count will fall to 1,001 in Maduro. The OPEC member’s crude production fell by more than only weeks earlier. Russia and Saudi Arabia. 2019 before rising to 1,094 in 2020 - a significant decline half in the past five years to a daily average of 1.346 million barrels U.S. crude oil output hit an all-time high of more than U.S. crude futures were trading around $48 a barrel on from mid-December when they forecast 1,092 for 2019 and this year, according to OPEC secondary source data. 11.5 million barrels per day in October, according to monthly Friday, putting the front-month on track to gain 5 percent this 1,227 for 2020. The country is also bracing for more sanctions, as the Trump government data released this week. week on proposed trade talks between the United States and In 2018, the combined rig count averaged 1,032, the administration is said to mull new actions against Venezuela U.S. oil production broke its 1970 record of 10 million China eased some fears about a global economic slowdown. most since 2014 when 1,862 rigs were active, according to by Jan. 10, when Maduro’s current term expires. Maduro faced bpd in November 2017, and has set monthly record highs Looking ahead, crude futures were trading around $50 a Baker Hughes. criticism back in May, when he was re-elected in a vote derided as for five straight months since June. The United States has barrel for the balance of 2019 and $52 for calendar 2020. Spot (Source: Reuters) a sham. (Source: Bloomberg) ساعت: 17:00 امضاء صفحه آرا: ساعت: امضاء مسئول صفحه: ساعت: امضاء ادیتور: ساعت: امضاء سردبیر:

I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 INTERNATIONAL JANUARY 6, 2019 NEWS IN BRIEF The national Waving of ISIS flag in Kashmir’s biggest security advisers of India, Afghanistan mosque sparks protest, condemnation hold talks INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN — Days after organization in Kashmir. desk INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN — Following the partial with- some masked men barged While some see it as a worrying sign of deskdrawal of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, new inside the biggest mosque in Indian-con- extremism and radicalization among youth, alliances are taking shape between Afghanistan and its re- trolled-Kashmir and unfurled the flag of ISIS some others dismiss it as a desperate attempt gional allies, paving way for new conversations. on the pulpit of the mosque, a protest was by a motley group of disenchanted youth to Last week, Iran confirmed to have held ‘discussions’ with held on Friday across the valley. provoke India. Taliban regarding ‘post-occupation scenario’ in Afghanistan, A massive protest against the ‘desecration’ Unlike in Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria, Kash- sparking a debate over complete U.S. withdrawal from the of Jamia Masjid saw participation of separa- mir’s freedom movement, which gained mo- war-ravaged country. tist leaders, civil society activists, religious mentum in late 1980s, has remained largely India, an important regional player, has also started ac- clerics, representatives of trade bodies and indigenous, according to observers. tive involvement in Afghanistan, beyond development and students, who slammed the terrorist group’s However, in recent times, global terrorist reconstruction initiatives. sympathizers in the region. outfits like Al-Qaeda and ISIS have made On Friday, a meeting took place between the national The incident took place last week when the desperate attempts to gain foothold in the security advisers of India and Afghanistan, which focused masked men entered the mosque after Friday troubled Himalayan valley, much to the con- on the evolving security scenario in Afghanistan and future prayers and waved ISIS flags and chanted sternation of local pro-freedom leaders, peace engagement of India, according to sources. ‘Dawlat-e-Islam’ slogans. A video that was activists and common people. Mohib, sources said, lauded India’s role in reconstruction circulated widely over social media showed Addressing media persons in Kashmir, efforts in the war-ravaged country and briefed his Indian one of the men standing on the mosque pulpit region’s police chief Dilbagh Singh ruled out counterpart on the security situation and withdrawal of with a black flag. the possibility of a large-scale presence of foreign forces. The incident drew widespread criticism ISIS in Kashmir, though he said the ideology Trump recently announced the withdrawal of 7,000 U.S. from political leaders of all shades, besides supporters),” he said, addressing people. a “deplorable act”. was “radicalizing youth” in Kashmir. troops from Afghanistan, in an indication that the Americans civil society activists and trade leaders, who “This is a vicious attempt to cause dis- “This unfortunate act needs to be con- “A section of youth is being radicalized. had developed fatigue after 18 years of war that has proved denounced it as a “sacrilegious act”. sension among the Muslim fraternity in demned by one and all. The Jamia mosque Otherwise, the presence of ISIS is not that big futile exercise. The biggest protest was held in Srinagar Kashmir. The people of Kashmir don’t have epitomizes peoples’ identity, struggle and in Kashmir,” he said, adding desecration of on Friday, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq , any global agenda. Our indigenous strug- political aspirations. A sponsored group of the Masjid’s pulpit was an “effort from ISIS Kashmir’s chief priest and leader of Hurri- gle is for the right to self-determination,” miscreants tried to defame the indigenous elements to try and show their presence” in Turkey yat Conference, a conglomerate of separatist he stressed. Kashmir movement by linking it with global the valley. to host trilateral parties. Farooq delivers Friday sermon at Following the incident, Farooq had met miscalled Islamic terrorist movement,” chair- Some Pakistan-based militant organiza- the mosque. senior separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani person of the forum Hameeda Nayeem said. tions also condemned the incident. Jaish-e- meet on The protest was attended by representa- and Yasin Malik to mobilize support against Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), an Mohammad (JeM) said there is no presence tives of both Shia and Sunni socio-political the elements behind the incident. umbrella organization of different trade bodies of “Daesh” (ISIS) in Kashmir. “This all is the Afghanistan organizations. “The mosque is important from both in the region, also denounced the incident handiwork of Indian agencies who cannot the religious and political point of view. We and supported Farooq’s protest call. INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN - Pakistan’s Prime Minister “All of us need to stand up and defeat the suppress the freedom movement of Kashmir deskImran Khan made his maiden visit to elements that are trying to malign our strug- discussed it and felt it was definitely a well “We can’t afford to sit silent…there is a through such tactics,” a spokesperson of JeM Turkey after coming to power and held wide-ranging talks gle,” Farooq said, referring to the December thought attempt to divert our movement to- need to expose these miscreants who want to Mohammad Hassan said in a statement. with Turkish officials, including President Recep Erdogan. 28 incident at the 624-year old mosque. wards something which is totally alien and defame Kashmir,” KEA chairman M. Yasin United Jihad Council (UJC) also said The two sides, according to sources, pledged to increase Earlier on Wednesday, Farooq led a pro- is globally condemned,” he said, following Khan said. there is no presence of Daesh (ISIS) in cooperation in areas of mutual interest and coordinate ef- test march to the mosque, joined by traders the meetings. The black flags of ISIS have previously Jammu and Kashmir, and those waving forts to bring peace to the region. and civil society members, and cleaned the Condemnations have been pouring in appeared at the funerals of slain militants, ISIS flags in Jamia Masjid are “Indian President Erdogan also announced that his country will pulpit. “Not only has the incident saddened from all quarters. Kashmir Center for So- which have raised eyebrows in Kashmir’s agents,” adding that the “black deeds” of host the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of efforts the people of Kashmir, but there is growing cial and Development Studies (KCSDS), a intelligentsia circles and reignited the de- ISIS in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan to end the 17-year insurgency in Afghanistan. demand for isolating these elements (ISIS civil society forum, termed the incident as bate over the presence of the global terrorist are “known to everyone”. Addressing a joint news conference with PM Khan on Friday, Erdogan said the trilateral meeting would take place in Istanbul after local elections in March. Stung by ‘library’ remark, India lists Afghan projects Khan, who has shown more pro-activeness to end the Afghan quagmire than his predecessor, told reporters he hoped the meeting would bring “badly needed peace” to Afghanistan. to “educate” Trump Last week, Taliban held talks with Iran in an effort to 1 In an unofficial rebuttal, Modi government listed Congress said India did not “need sermons from the US pave the ground for peace in the war-torn country. It was projects worth $3 billion to “educate” Trump on the level on Afghanistan.” “Under Dr Manmohan Singh, India helped the first time Iran and Taliban both confirmed that the meet- of its investment, stakes and contribution in Afghanistan. build the Afghan National Assembly. Humanitarian needs to ing took place. It pointed out the “critical role that developmental assistance strategic economic partnership, we are one with our Afghani U.S. officials have also been involved in ‘negotiations’ can play in transforming human lives” and reminded the U.S. brothers & sisters,” Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said. with the insurgent group although the talks have failed to president that “India does not send its armed forces abroad Senior Congress leader and noted author Shashi Tharoor produce a breakthrough. except under the specific mandate of UN peacekeeping opera- said the “derisive comment” by Trump on India building tions.” A report in Times of India, quoting ‘official sources’, said a library in Afghanistan was a “stinging indictment of the India objected to Trump’s comments, stating that the libraries BJP govt’s failure” to convince the U.S. of India’s “bonafide Pakistan represent India’s contribution to community development in credentials in Afghanistan.” sends ‘terror Afghanistan, in addition to billions the country is spending “We should be proud of our role in Afghanistan and teach on roads, dams and the country’s new parliament building. U.S. about it,” Tharoor said financing’ report Indian embassy in Afghanistan stated that the current Author Radhika Nathan said apparently India did not development partnership between New Delhi and Kabul fund libraries in Afghanistan. “But even if we did, we have to FATF makes India the war-torn country’s largest donor in the region. to defend building libraries now,” she asked. INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN — Pakistan has dispatched a It was not clear which library Trump was referring to, but every other help in Afghanistan. India has been building “The way India has supported Afghanistan, without deskTerror Financing Risk Assessment Report his remarks raised many eyebrows in India, across party lines. not only libraries, but roads, dams, schools and even parlia- bombing them, devastating them, and making them a vas- electronically to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Both the ruling BJP and opposition Congress condemned ment building,” Ram Madhav, BJP general secretary and sal state - has been remarkable. No wonder Trump doesn’t in a bid to secure exit from the grey list of the Paris-based Trump’s attempt to “undermine India’s developmental spokesperson, said. get it,” said Harini Calamur, writer and filmmaker. “And, watchdog. The government has also appointed a 12-member work” in Afghanistan. “We are building lives, for which the Afghan people thank in any case Libraries are important. Reading helps prevent team to explain the action plan it intends to follow to come “Maybe Trump should know that while he is decrying us, no matter what others do or don’t,” he added. people like Trump.” into compliance with international obligations, according to a report in Dawn. A senior government official was quoted in newspaper Eurasian strategic triangle and global peace saying that the high-level delegation led by Secretary Fi- nance Arif Ahmed Khan left for Sydney, Australia to attend 1 These facts were admitted by Cecil $6.3 billion respectively for a designation a three-day meeting of the FATF. Rhodes himself in his article ‘Mr. Rhodes’s that pays $400,000 a year. It said a total of 4,643 suspected transactions relating Ideal of Anglo-Saxon Greatness’ and the The truth is simple that the presidential to terror financing and money laundering had been iden- events have been thoroughly explained by campaign is funded by corporations and later tified and blocked since 2015, including 3,677 suspected Gerry Docherty in his book ‘Hidden His- they use them as per their whim. transaction reports and 966 financial intelligence reports. A tory: The Secret Origins of the First World It is a trajectory to a mega conflict and total of 1,167 transactions were captured during 2018 alone, War’ and Peter Hof in ‘Two Edwards: How beyond the explanation of Thucydides trap as including 975 STRs and 210 financial intelligence reports. King Edward VII and Foreign Secretary Sir in the past nothing has emerged more power- The report identified some key routes of the terror financ- Edward Grey Fomented the First World War.’ ful than the governments. Whole countries ing and money laundering, saying Pak-Afghan and Pak-Iran Governments are also pushed towards can be destroyed by mega-corporations as borders were two key routes of such flows. trade wars by wealthy business interests that obvious from ‘Independent’ article which Pakistan was put on the black list on FAFT last year for can damage the whole global economy like noted that “Google planned to help Syrian failing to curb activities related to terror financing and money the current U.S.-China trade war. rebels bring down Assad regime leaked Hilary laundering. The U.S.-China trade war is less about Clinton emails claim.” actual trade and more about the develop- Now the Eurasian strategic triangle of Iran, ment in key technologies like AI, Quantum Russia, and China need to defend themselves UN calls for Computing, robotics and hypersonic weapons and rest of the peaceful nations against any probe into as obvious from the statement of Xi Jinping devastating war enforced by West on behalf in memory chip plant of Wuhan city in which of its private corporations. Bangladesh poll he stated that “no matter how big a person So the need of the hour is to cut the head of is he or she can never be strong without a there are autonomous weapons and private corporations. the snake that is the monopoly and concentra- violence sound and strong heart.” armies at their disposal. According to John Perkins, the U.S. empire tion of power with such organizations. Thus The ‘Confession of Economic Hitman’ by is a small part of the global corporate empire INTERNATIONAL TEHRAN — The UN High Commissioner Thus China has pledged to invest $150 the model of state-owned defense industry deskfor Human Rights (UNHCR) has urged the billion in AI and semiconductor industry. John Perkins, which was on New York Times’ and from last 12 years, the U.S. itself has of Iran, Russia, and China is a way to contain Bangladesh authorities “to carry out prompt, independent, The arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wan- best-seller list in 2005, exposes the agenda become the target of Vampire squid suck- the influence of such corporations. impartial and effective investigations” into alleged acts of zhou was about to restrain the expansion of of elite financial cabal and the true drivers ing the blood of American citizens through Currently, it may seem difficult to escape violence and human rights violations related to last week’s the company in 5G and AI and the trade war behind globalization, corporate cronyism and debt, underinvestment, enforced austerity the predatory creditism based western eco- general elections. is about the superiority in the knowledge also discusses the debt enslavement by World and privatization. nomic model but the past revolutions like Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for UNHCR, said base of corporations and not necessarily Bank and International monetary fund. Currently, 3% of the U.S population con- ‘Islamic revolution of Iran presents hope for in a statement on Friday that the authorities must carry about money. The corporatocracy transcends the na- stitutes millionaires and astonishingly 40% the world to propagate global peace and a out investigations to hold accountable those responsible, Till now corporate lobby has pushed for tional boundaries to subjugate governments of the U.S. congressmen and 78% US senators sustainable economic model that will serve the regardless of their political affiliations. trade wars that may result in shooting wars in order to enhance their control over planets’ are millionaires. In 2004, 2008 and 2012 humanity and save it from getting enslaved. The UN body said they are concerned about violence but what would the future look like when resources and the U.S. is merely meant to the U.S presidential campaigning expen- Writer is a Kashmir-based student and and alleged human rights violations in Bangladesh before, corporations grow even more powerful and support the agenda of these multinational ditures were $4.1 billion, $5.3 billion and independent researcher. during and after the recent elections on Dec 30. “There are credible reports of fatalities and numerous injuries on polling day alone. There are worrying indications U.S. deploys military troops to Gabon over Congo violence that reprisals have continued to take place, notably against U.S. President Donald Trump says the Pentagon has deployed U.S. military personnel “will remain in the region until the smoothly but the opposition says the election was marred the political opposition, including physical attacks and ill- 80 U.S. troops to Gabon to secure American citizens and security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by serious irregularities. treatment, arbitrary arrests, harassment, disappearances the U.S. embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes such that their presence is no longer needed,” the The international community has raised concerns that and filing of criminal cases,” read the statement. after a presidential election there last week. letter added. The Congo general election was mostly held in a disputed result could cause unrest, as was the case after The main opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) In a letter to Congress on Friday, Trump said the troops were a peaceful atmosphere despite incidents of violence, accord- the 2006 and 2011 elections. led by Khaleda Zia slammed the election results as “farci- deployed “in response to the possibility that violent demon- ing to a preliminary report by African election observers. The U.S. military has in recent years used the presence cal”, amid clashes between rival supporters that killed at strations may occur” in the wake of the election in the Congo. Congo’s electoral commission is scheduled to release of Takfiri terrorists to build up its presence across Africa, least 17 people. Trump’s letter said the personnel arrived in Gabon on provisional results of the presidential election on Sunday. where it reportedly has over 6,000 boots on the ground. Wednesday and additional forces may be deployed “if necessary.” Congo’s government says the election was fair and went (Source: Press TV) ساعت: امضاء صفحه آرا: ساعت: امضاء مسئول صفحه: ساعت: امضاء ادیتور: ساعت: امضاء سردبیر:

II NN TT EE RR NN AA TT II OO NN AA LL DD AA II LL YY JANUARYJANUARY 6, 2019 ANALYSISANALYSIS && INTERVIEWINTERVIEW 77 UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia I do not think SPV covering 1 He was answering a question on presence in Kuwait, and after several months Italy’s ongoing arms exports to Saudi Arabia of talks between Kuwaiti and British officials, wide areas of trade: Nephew in the light of its involvement in the conflict there are reports of an agreement between in Yemen and the murder of journalist Jamal the two sides to establish a military base for Kashoggi. Kuwaiti militaries training and it has also “We are not in favor of the sale of these been announced that the talks continue. weapons and so now it is only a question of The most important goals of Britain to formalizing this position and acting accord- strengthen its military presence in the Per- ingly,” Conte told reporters at the prime min- sian Gulf include Selling more weapons to ister’s traditional end-year news conference. the Arabs without regard to human rights Italy’s foreign ministry announced last concerns especially using them in Yemen October that it will examine the option of war, gaining economic benefits after Britain stopping arms sales to Saudi Arabia following withdraw from EU and trying to create a new the killing of Khashoggi. Italian law 185/1990, regional order. Although this new regional which prohibits arms exports to countries order will not be suitable and efficient through engaged in armed conflict, ratified by the foreign intervention. Italia Parliament. Britain is seeking to trade and invest $ Nearly a third of arms exports authorized 2 trillion in the Persian Gulf region in the by Britain over the past decade were to nations next decade (2020-2030). identified by the government as among the The European Union (EU) has created laws worst for human rights, new figures reveal. for selling arms to authoritarian and human Military arms deals worth an estimated rights violators. For example, Germany has 1 A: I do think that there will be something called the £39bn were approved between 2008 and 2017, been more cautious about selling weapons SPV eventually created that facilitates trade between Europe £12bn of which went to states included on the to Saudi Arabia. Thus, one of the objectives and Iran, but I do not think it will be the same sort of SPV that Foreign and Commonwealth Office human of the British withdrawal from the EU is that was announced in September, covering wide areas of trade. rights “priority countries” list, according to with 331, worth £680m, the previous year. Saudi Arabia alone. Britain left the Persian they want to get rid of the cumbersome laws I think that the sanctions implications of this are too severe analysis by Action on Armed Violence. Britain is Saudi Arabia’s second largest Gulf waters in 1971. After leaving the Per- that prevent them from selling arms to such for most banks and companies and, consequently, Europe The analysis of the figures, collated by arms dealer after the U.S., providing mili- sian Gulf, Britain returned to the area for authoritative regimes. will look to scope it to something more manageable, such as the Campaign Against the Arms Trade using tary exports worth £10.3bn over the past the first time in 2018 to expand its presence In any case, Britain’s priority is to generate humanitarian trade. export control data from the Department for decade despite continued condemnation of in the region through the construction of revenue from arms sells to countries that Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi International Trade, shows a clear upward the kingdom’s use of British weaponry in its military bases in Bahrain and Oman. A sig- violate human rights, in particular Saudi Ara- recently said that European countries were not able to implement trend in arms sales approved to watchlist bombing of Yemen. UN agencies allege that nificant increase in recent British activities bia. The House of Saud has blood on hands, the SPV because of US pressure. On the other hand, the failure to countries, although individual years vary. the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has violated is to strengthen its military presence in the with the murder of Khashoggi, invasion of implement the SPV and the failure of the financial mechanism The data shows a record number of arms international humanitarian standards, in- Persian Gulf region and to strengthen mil- Yemen for three years, and assassinations between Iran and the EU may lead to inappropriate results in export licenses to nations on the watchlist cluding widespread and systematic attacks itary ties with Arab countries, in particular of opponents of the regime. However, all relations between Iran and EU. In your opinion, if the financial in 2017, here were 855 military license ap- on civilian targets. Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. that has not been enough for Britain to stop mechanism of Iran and the EU fails, what will be the fate of the provals for Saudi, worth £1.3bn, compared Britain has not confined military ties to The British are also seeking a military selling arms to Saudi Arabia. nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)? A: I continue to believe that Iran will find it very difficult, if not impossible, to continue implementing its provisions of Who turned Syria into a land of ‘Sand and Death’? the JCPOA while not receiving any economic relief. I think that the sanctions pressure that will build on Iran in 2019 TEHRAN (FNA) — President Donald Trump couldn’t be a fertile breeding ground for Sunni discontent, from which -- likely combined with the failure of the SPV to do much more accurate when he said on Wednesday, January 2, that Al-Qaeda in Iraq (ISIL) took root. It was then that US foreign beyond humanitarian trade -- will make Iran’s leaders con- Syria was lost a long time ago, and the US is getting out. He also policy makers decided to arm their Qaeda-allied militants sider seriously withdrawing from or at least reducing their said Syria doesn’t have “vast wealth,” only “sand and death”. with links to ISIL to invade Syria, because Syrian government compliance with the JCPOA. Trump went on to say that he has not set any official time- is a key Iranian ally. Together they then took large swathes I think that this would be a very regrettable and danger- table for the US withdrawal, and that the times being talked of land in the Levant and turned Syria - and Iraq - into ‘sand ous decision, just as I believe the Trump Administration’s about elsewhere didn’t come from him. This started weeks and death’, all while destabilizing the entire planet. decision to withdraw from the JCPOA was itself regrettable ago with talk of a 30 day drawdown, and has since been in - There is a reason why Trump is so jittery now. America and dangerous. the four month range. lost Syria and America lost its bogus “War on Terror”. In Iran has also stated that it is not only focusing on Whether the four month figure came from the Pentagon its Syria endgame, America never stops giving terrorists a financial mechanism with the European Union. Tehran or Trump, with an unnamed official saying it was the military the motivation, the safe havens, and the resources to attack believes that, in addition to Europe, it will be able to con- “trying to please the President and not get everyone killed,” America’s foes. Put simply, America’s bogus War on Terror tinue to trade with other countries, including Russia, China is not important at all. The Pentagon might keep troops in is terrorism; only, it is conducted in Syria on a much larger and India. Will Iran’s economic and financial cooperation Syria even longer if that’s what they want. What’s important scale with jets and missiles and terror proxies on the ground. with non-European countries meet the goals of Tehran in to ask from Trump, however, is who did turn Syria, once a Iran is against the US-backed, Saudi-led war on Yemen; and Fortunately, Syria and its allies managed to defeat the a nuclear deal (JCPOA)? prosperous nation, into a land of ’sand and death’ in the Iran resists the expansionist policies of Washington, Tel Aviv foreign-backed terrorist groups. What Syria needs now is A: I strongly doubt it. The sorts of business that Iran does first place? and Riyadh (biggest US arms buyer) in the region. reconstruction, not Trump’s jittery and certainly not his pes- with India and China, and especially Russia, are not equivalent This is not an invention long after the fact: - Despite the troop withdrawal rhetoric, the US has estab- simism, which could only create yet another fertile breeding to what was being done and planned with Europe. I think that - Trump cannot turn a blind eye to this problem. Before lished its so-called zone of control in southern Syria (Tanf in ground for public discontent, from which another terror group Iran’s goals were much more robust and wide-ranging, including his presidency, he said the “world’s biggest funder of terror- Homs province), and has practically made the 55-kilometer could easily take root. a variety of investment projects as well as trade. And, I think that ism” was Saudi Arabia - not Iran. In his 2015 book, ‘Time to area a safe haven for terrorists of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, Under international law and international humanitarian it will be hard for anyone to substitute for Europe in Iran’s eyes Get Tough,’ which was published ahead of the presidential formerly known as the Nusra Front. According to Russian law, those who watched or turned Syria into a land of ‘sand and in this regard. That said, part of Iran’s goal was also to address election, Trump wrote: “Then look at Saudi Arabia. It is the Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, “Inside the al-Tanf zone, death’ have a responsibility to contribute to the reconstruction and resolve the nuclear issue once and for all. world’s biggest funder of terrorism. Saudi Arabia funnels our which the Americans unilaterally declared under their pro- of Syria to allow millions of refugees to return home. There were Iran can still do that, if it remains compliant with the terms of petrodollars - our very own money - to fund the terrorists tection, terrorists are regularly reported to recover strength 1 million refugees in Jordan, the same number in Lebanon, and the JCPOA notwithstanding this pressure. It may just be politi- that seek to destroy our people, while the Saudis rely on us and attack Syrian army positions. This zone must be shut 3 million in Turkey. To avoid a new humanitarian catastrophe cally difficult for President Rouhani and the Iranian government to protect them.” down immediately.” Of course, the US is turning a blind eye and to prevent new flows of migrants, European governments more generally to justify doing so. - To support this, Trump cited a 2010 article from the Inde- to such attacks because it didn’t send troops to Syria to fight must support the policy of Iran, Russia and Turkey for nation- pendent, which reports on a secret memo written by the then its own terror proxies. al reconciliation and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. The memo, published by - The fact that the US has a long history of backing terrorist reconstruction. They WikiLeaks, says Saudi donors “constitute the most significant groups will surprise only those who watch the news and ignore should never play source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide”. Now, history. The 2003 American invasion and occupation of Iraq along with war-party of course, Trump says the exact opposite and we all know created the pre-conditions for ISIL to take root. US occupation Washington’s Syria why. Iran helped Syria to defeat the terrorist group of ISIL; policy in Iraq exacerbated sectarian divisions and created endgame. First Announcement First Announcement

Second Announcement Amendment TEHRAN TIMES N.I.O.C National Iranian Amendment Khouzestan Steel Company Drilling Company IN THE NAME OF GOD 1397.5214

Call for pCallublic ten dforer (Firs publict/Second publi stenderh) (First/Second publish) INVITATION TO INTERNATIONAL TENDER IN TWO STEPS No. :392583 N.I.O.C Two-StagesTwo-S (semitages (sem compressed)i compressed) tender tender National Iranian Subject of Tender: TUBING 3-1/2”&4”&5-1/2”· KHOUZESTAN STEEL COMPANY INTENDS TO PURCHASE Subject1397.5214 of Tender: TUBING 3-1/2"&4"&5-1/2" Drilling Company 500 MT ACTIVE BASIC TERMAL INSULATING POWDER Iran’s Leading WITH THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATIONS: TenderTender desdescriiptiptionss:: SiO2 95 %

The Tender holder Registration Tender No. Estimated value MgO < 0.5 % No.No. throughthrough natnational electronicelectronic tteenderiingng ssyy /Inden/Indent No. (Rial/Eur(Rial/Euro) International Daily stem Al2O3 < 1.0 % National Iranian Drilling CoCompaanyny 3186870 48-22-9522018 181,689,000,000 Na2O+K2O 2.0 % CHEMICAL ANALYSIS ANALYSIS Fe2O3 < 0.5 %  QuQualitativeitative evaluatevaluation of tenderersers Advertising Dept C < 10 %

Method Appearance Powder BasedBased oonn mminimuminimum scoorinring (60) made in awaardrd critcriterionerion rerefflected in tthehe tenderers ppre-qualificationre-qualification fformorms. Bulk Density 0.25 gr/cm3 1. The tenderers who have more than four (4) active contracts with NIDC are not allowed to attend in this tender. 2. The tenderers who have more than two (2) active contracts with same subjectsubject (exactly compliance with this subject) with NIDC are not allowed to attend in this tender. Melting Point 1650  C PHYSICAL Humidity < 1.0 % PROPERTIES PROPERTIES PROPERTIES Grain Size < 2.0 mm  PuPurchasingng & SubmittiSubmitting INTRESTED BIDDERS MAY OBTAIN SET OF DOCUMENTS, CONTAINING THE RELEVANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS BY TenderDocumentDistri The distribution of the documents will be started one day after the publishing of second advertisement and ended onthe following tenth day there bubutioonbynby Companypany of.of. SUBMISSION OF A WRITTEN APLICATION AND PAYMENT OF A NONNON--REFUNDABLE FEE OF: EUR 50 "FIFTY EURO" TO THE ONE OF BELOW ACCOUNTACCOUNT No.: Distribution A) Hall No.:316, 3thfloor, Foreign Procurement Dept.(DRILLING PROJECTS), 1) ACCOUNT No.0100013543943 AT "EXPORT DEVELOPMENT BANK OF IRAN AHVAZ CENTERAL BRANCH" Plaacece National Iranian Drilling Company, After Airport square, Ahwaz, IRAN.tel:06134146230 B) jomhouri street , yaghma alley nioc 8th building floor no : 04 room no 428 ––tehrantehran -iran .021-66700249 2) ACCOUNT No.1902-750-4019644-1-1 AT "EGHTESAD NOVIN BANK-BANK- OF IRAN AHVAZ SHARIATI BRANCH" OR

Rials 2,000,000,"TWO MILION RIALS" TO THE ONE OF BELOW ACCOUNT No.:No.: SuSubmittingitting  Submitting one original Bank Fund Receipt in the amount of …… Iranian Rials under account number 4001114004020491 (ShabaNo.IR5 MethodMethod 20100004001114004020491) inin namename ofof “NI“NIDC IncomesIncomes CentCentralized FunFund”issued by I.R.I.R. Of IranIran CenCentralal Bank.Bank. 1) ACCOUNT No.0102513186002 AT "MELLI BANK OF IRAN AHVAZ KSC BRANCH"  SubmSubmittinngg fformatormat RRequeequest fforor tthehe ppurpourpose ooff receivinngg TTenderender DDocumentocuments. 2) ACCOUNT No.0100304453001 AT "SADERAT BANK OF IRAN AHVAZ KSC BRANCH" AND PRESENT THE PAYMENT RECEIPT TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: DocumentsReceiving CClosinglosing date 14 Days after the last time of Purchasing. Method CONSUMABLE MATERIAL PURCHASING DEPARTMENT H KHOUZESTAN STEELSTEEL COMPANY (KSC) Hall NO.107,1st floor,Tender committee, Operation building, National KM 10 AHWAZ – BANDAR IMAM KHOMEINI ROAD Airport Address IranIranian DriDrillinglling CCompany,ompany, squuaare, AAhwaz,hwaz, IIRARAN. Tel: P.O.BOX: 1378 TTel:el: +98-6611-34148580 +98-61-34148569 POST CODE: 61397-61397-31398 AHWAZ– IRAN 021 - 430 51 450  TTenderender GuaranteeGuarantee Note1: BIDDER SHALL SUBMIT WITH TENDER A BID BOND ISSUED BY AN IRANIAN BANK OR BY A EUROPEAN FIRST ValueValue ofguaranteeofguarantee 5,134,000,0005,134,000,000Rial/107,101EuroRial/107,101Euro CLASS BANK , IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,653 Euro OR 160,000000 Rial FOR 500 MT ACTIVE BASIC TERMAL INSULATING POWDER AND MAY REDUSED IN PROPORTION WITH THE QUANTITY OF BIDDERS OFFER.  √ Bank guarantees or guarantees issued by non-bank institutions that obtain activity license from thecentral bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Type ofguarantee th  √ Subbmmitttinging oonene originnalal BBankank Fund RReeceipt uundernder aaccountccount nnumumber 400111400637663366 (Shaba Note2: ALL BIDS MUST BE INFORMED US WHICH PARTICIPATE IN OUR TENDER UP TO 14 jan., 2019. WHEN YOUR No. IR350100004001114006376636) in nnameame ooff ″NIDC saving account″ by the central bank of Islamic Republic of Iran. COMPANY IS CONFIRMED AND THE TENDER DOCUMENT IS SENT TO YOU, YOU MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE AFORESAID ““NINIDC ssavingaving aaccount”ccount” bbyy tthehe cencentralal bankbank ofof Islamic Republicic ofof Iran.Iran. ADDRESS ON OR BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE 27thjan.,2019.THE OPENING DATE OF ENVELOPES WILL BE AT 11 AM ON THE th Duration ofcredit "ation Tender Guarantee& quotation should be valid for 90 days and extendable maximum for onetime in initial validity duration. 29 jan.,2019 IN THE BUYER'S CONFERENCE ROOM LOCATED AT THE HEAD OFFICE OF KSC AHWAZ-IRAN AND THE BIDDERS OR THEIR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES CAN ATTEND THE MEETING OF THE TENDER.

Note 3:3: FOR MORE INFORMTION PLEASE CONTACT WITH FOLLOWING DETAILS:DETAILS: (Name of department) (Name of department) More of this & other tenders are accessible by click on: www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_prMore of this & other tenders are accessible by click on: Tel No. : +98 61 32908115 / 32136159 www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr Fax No. : +98 61 32908115 Mr.M.FARZINEJAD EMAIL : m.farzinejad @ksc.ir OR VISIT:http://WWW.KSC.IR تهران تایمز نوبت اول 15/10/97نوبت دوم 97/10/16 تهران تایمز نوبت اول 15/10/97نوبت دوم 97/10/16

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II NN TT EE RR NN AA TT II OO NN AA LL DD AA II LL YY JANUARYJANUARY 6, 2019 HEALTHADVERTISEMENT 99

‘Iran’s nursing population Some 900,000 cancer patients living in Iran

HEALTH TEHRAN — Currently, there is an estimated desk900,000 cancer cases in Iran and 110,000 new far below world average’ cases are diagnosed each year, announced the head of the Iranian Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Society. HEALTH TEHRAN — The the shortage of nurses and midwives Gastric, breast, lung and brain cancers are the most common deskpopulation of nursing will reduce from the current 9 million ones in the country, IRNA personnel in Iran is one quarter of the to 7.6 million, the shortage in the African quoted Hassan Abolqasemi world average, announced the deputy and Eastern Mediterranean Regions will as saying on Tuesday. director of Iran’s Nursing Organization. actually worsen. “Annually, around 30 trillion Mohammad Sharifi Moghadam said According to Sharifi Moghadam, in rials (about $700 million) is the current nursing shortage is now at many countries, nurses have proper safety spent in the health sector for a critical point and should be quickly equipment and undergo a complete series cancer treatment and half of addressed, Fars news agency reported of medical tests, periodically, however, these expenses go to provision on Saturday. such safety measures are not being car- of cancer medicines,” he further “There is currently only one and half ried out properly in Iran, exerting too remarked. nursing personnel per 1000 population much pressure on nurses. “Prevention should be a in the country, while in many countries “We should identify and study the priority in our plans for controlling including Georgia and Tajikistan there are nurses’ problems and make changes in cancer, as 30% of cancers are around 6 nurses per 1000 population,” our management methods,” he concluded. preventable by changing lifestyle,” said Sharifi Moghadam. In an interview with IRNA on Satur- said Abolqasemi. World Health Organization has an- day, Majlis (Iranian parliament) health “Government resources are nounced that about 50% of its member committee chairman announced that as not enough to target the current Hassan Abolqasemi, the head states report to have less than 3 nurs- many as 10 to 15 thousand nurses must issues, unless the NGOs get of the Iranian Pediatric Hema- ing and midwifery personnel per 1000 World Health Organization has announced be hired in the country annually. involved. Moreover, we should tology and Oncology Society. population (about 25% report to have Heidar Ali Abedi added that Planning improve our scientific base,” Abolqasemi added. less than 1). that about 50% of its member states report and Budget Organization has agreed to “The prevalence of cancer in the country is now below world In many countries nurses and mid- to have less than 3 nursing and midwifery allocate the necessary budget so that average but it might increase in future, so all people should wives constitute more than 50% of the personnel per 1000 population (about 25% the required nursing personnel can be participate in fighting the disease,” said Abolqasemi. national health workforce. Though hired in the next Iranian calendar year, According to World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is globally, it is estimated that by 2030, report to have less than 1). starting March 21. the second leading cause of death globally, and is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Globally, about 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer. Iranian researchers achieve formula of Effect of temperature on lifespan Approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries. anti-cancer drug depends on genes Around one third of deaths from cancer are due to the five leading behavioral and dietary risks: high body mass index, low HEALTH TEHRAN — Iranian Ministry had asked the universities Recent research into aging has chal- vantages over other biological models fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, deskresearchers at Urmia and research centers to manufacture lenged the notion that colder temper- such as fruit flies. and alcohol use. University gained the technical knowl- 160 vital medicines and Busulfan atures can increase lifespan simply by One such advantage is that they have At-home medical care to reduce costs edge to produce the anti-cancer drug, was one of them, which now can slowing metabolic rate. more genes in common with humans. An- According to Abolqasemi, at-home medical care for cancer Busulfan. be produced locally and with high How much impact does a colder tem- other is that their bodies are transparent, patients is a new approach that would not only reduce the patients’ Busulfan, also known by its brand purity. perature really have on lifespan? so it is easier to observe their biology. expenses, but it also has a positive effect on their mental health. names Myleran or Busilvex, is a chemo- “We expect the Health Ministry to Instead, it has revealed that genes In addition, while their bodies only “In Ala charity, in Isfahan, we have tried to apply this method therapy drug used before a stem cell issue the necessary permits so that we determine the extent to which low tem- contain around 1,000 cells, rotifers by bringing the doctors to the patients’ house instead of taking transplant to treat blood cancers. It may can run the necessary laboratory and perature can influence a person’s lifespan. possess a nervous system complete with them to the hospital, especially for patients that are at last stages of also be used to treat other blood-related clinical tests for quality control of the The research is the work of scientists at brain, muscle tissue, and systems for their disease,” said Abolqasemi, who runs Ala, a charity dedicated disorders and cancers. drug and manufacture it in large quan- the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) reproduction and digestion. to treating cancer patients based in Tehran and Isfahan. “The drug is majorly supplied only tities,” Norouzi added. in Woods Hole, MA, which is an affiliate ‘Free radical theory of aging’ “The Health Ministry has recently asked the universities to by USA and France. Currently, it is “Last year, the drug’s price was set of the University of Chicago in Illinois. For decades, the free radical theory start running the model of at-home medical care, but running imported into the country and is quite at 6 million rials (about $142) by State The MBL team is investigating fac- has been the “most popular concept such projects need the support of health sector and different expensive and hard to get,” ISNA quot- Welfare Organization but if we can tors that affect aging using tiny aquatic in the area of aging.” In fact, journals NGOs and charities,” he said. ed the research director, Dr. Nader manufacture it locally, its price will animals called rotifers. have published thousands of papers on According to him, every single day of hospitalization of a cancer Norouzi, as saying on Friday. be lowered to around 2 million rials They chose rotifers because the mi- it every year. patient costs around 1 billion rials (about $24,000) for both the According to Norouzi, the Health (about $47),” he noted. croscopic organisms offer several ad- (Source: medical news today) health sector and the patient.

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11 new eco-lodges in Qanats offer clues to Kordestan get operating licenses ancient way of life in Iran HERITAGE TEHRAN — For underground reservoirs or ab-anbars. deskthousands of years, Such constructions are still is prac- qanat systems have supplied water to tice, many of which were made from 13th agricultural and permanent settlements century onwards. Yazd is among ancient in arid regions of Iran, tapping alluvial cities which have applied this concept aquifers at the heads of valleys and con- to make urban settlements possible in ducting the water along underground central Iran. tunnels by gravity, often over many The earliest water supply construc- kilometers. tions in Yazd is believed to date from the The concept of “Persian Qanat” was Sassanid era (224 to 651 CE) while many registered on the UNESCO World Her- others have been continually repaired and itage list in 2016, representing a select used over time, most surviving ab-anbars of eleven aqueducts across Iran. can be today traced to the late Safavid According to UNESCO, The qanats and Qajar periods. provide exceptional testimony to cultural When it comes to landscape architec- traditions and civilizations in desert areas ture, ab-anbars and wind towers play a TOURISM TEHRAN — Iran’s tourism body has issued with an arid climate. pivotal role in enriching the Yazd skyline. deskoperating licenses for 11 eco-lodges, which The qanat system relies on snow fed The oasis city of Yazd, which is a UN- are being constructed across the western Kordestan province. streams, which flow down the foothills ECSO World Heritage, is wedged between “Operating licenses have recently been issued for 11 eco-lodges of surrounding mountains channeling the northern Dasht-e Kavir and south- being constructed in Kordestan,” a local official said on Saturday, through sloping aqueducts, often over ern Dasht-e Lut on a flat plain ringed ISNA reported. far distances to discharge into city’s by mountains. A water reservoir equipped with wind catchers on the top, Yazd, central Iran The provincial tourism department welcomes those who are applying for the construction of eco-lodge units and it is ready to cooperate in this regard, the official explained. U.S. arrivals in Iran up 27% in 7 Iranian crafters to exhibit skills in Experts say each eco-lodge unit generates jobs for seven to eight people on the average so that the scheme could create months on year Milan 160,000 jobs. Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organ- ization said in 2018 that 2,000 eco-lodges will be constructed across the country until 2021. Having a very diverse natural setting, Iran offers varied ex- cursions to nature lovers. Sightseers may live with a nomad or rural family or enjoy an independent stay.

Ancient spearhead found in central Iran

TOURISM TEHRAN — A total of “Through consultations [which are HERITAGE TEHRAN — Several kilim carpets, leatherwear, semi-precious desk1,665 U.S. nationals vis- underway] with relevant authorities, deskIranian crafters are to stones, paintings on wood are amongst ited Iran during the first seven months of visa issuance process is to be facilitated attend the 2019 edition of HOMI Milano Iran’s offerings for the event that is directed the current Iranian calendar year (started for American nationals,” the official said. international fair, which will be held in exclusively to trade visitors. March 21, 2018), an increase of 27 percent Teymouri added that over five mil- the Italian city from 25 to 28. The Homi Milano is an international year on year. lion travelers visited Iran during the Craftspeople from various provinces trade fair for interior design and upscale “1,665 Americans visited Iran during first eight months of the year, showing of Tehran, Kerman, Khorasan Razavi, home decor. the first seven months of the year, up 27 57 percent rise compared to the same Hamedan, Isfahan, Khuzestan and Zan- The exhibition is divided into 10 are- percent in comparison to the same period period last year. jan will attend the biannual event, CHTN as: living habits, fragrances & personal a year earlier,” said Vali Teymouri, a senior Hundreds of historical sites such as reported. care, gift & events, kid style, hobby & work, tourism official, ISNA reported. bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bath- This will be the second time that Iran home wellness, fashion & jewels, garden & “214 American travelers arrived in the houses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, will have a pavilion in the event and the outdoor, home textiles, concept lab. The country during Aban (the eighth Iranian towers, mansions stand tall across Iran, of pavilion will cover 36 square meters in fair also discusses multi-cultural themes, month), which, if taken into account, puts which 22 being inscribed on the UNESCO area, the report added. solutions for experiencing and wellness the number [of those travelers] at 1,879.” World Heritage list. Traditional personal ornamentations, in every nuance.

HERITAGE TEHRAN — A metal spearhead, believed to deskbe handmade in ancient times, has recently Reviving the glory of Mofakham Mansion and Garden is around corner been discovered in Yazd province, central Iran. By Seyed Amin Saneey Mehri enthusiasts, are going to demolish the adjoining buildings A number of prehistorical and ancient relics were found in and revive the 6-hectare Mofakham garden. Shariaati St. Panj Angoshti near Abarkuh, in which the spearhead is very no- The city of Bojnord or Bijan Yord as it was called in the past, is also going to serve as a contributor to the revival of this ticeable, provincial tourism chief Sasha Riahi said on Saturday, has been established in 1689 by Tavali Khan II, an Amir from magnificent garden. ISNA reported. Shadloo tribe, and has experienced many ups and downs The revival of this complex can be a turning point for The official didn’t provide further details on the newly found during its lifetime. reviving history-making buildings in this province and a objects. Mohammad Khan Shadloo is one of the most famous men road map for other historic buildings to be revived. from this city, who is also called Sardar Mofakham, who built Abdollah Qajar is a name that must be remembered, a place (Mofakham Mansion) to live in along with his family because it is through his photographs that we can access ROUND THE GLOBE in 1921. Mofakham Dar Al-Hokoomeh (Governor’s House) many information about these historic buildings. People is made of many sections including the mirror house, the like him have preserved the historical memory of Iranian Pre-Hispanic town of Uxmal mansion, the pavilion, the hoz khaneh (pools house) and nation for the future generations. the façade, all of which are located in Mofakham Garden Nowadays, many cities are confronting identity crisis, with an area of several hectares. museum. These procedures, insufflated a new spirit to these because they have been exposed to many fundamental The ruins of the ceremonial structures at Uxmal represent However, this historical treasure of Bojnord has been buildings that were at the verge of being forgotten. After changes without any link to their past. In fact, identity is the pinnacle of late Maya art and architecture in their design, ablated during these long years and literary shrank, so that North Khorasan became an independent province in 2005 connected with the mental savings, and preserving historic layout and ornamentation, and the complex of Uxmal and in the last two decades the only remaining buildings of that and an office of ICHHTO was established in Bojnord, the buildings can help preserving these mental savings, which its three related towns of Kabah, Labn? and Sayil admirably glorious mansion are the mirror house and the mansion. revival of the great garden of Sardar Mofakham flourished are in fact our identity. demonstrate the social and economic structure of late Maya It should also be noted that urban development has even and between 2007 and 2013, the surrounding lands of the Now, a historical opportunity is provided for Bojnord and society. separated these two buildings and Shariaati St. has cut mirror house were bought by ICHHTO and a small part of if Mofakham garden can be revived, it can contribute signif- A UNESCO World Heritage site, Uxmal was founded c. through them. the garden was revived. icantly to the revival of the history and identity of Bojnord. 700 CE and had some 25,000 inhabitants. The site features a In 1941, the heirs devoted the mansion and its court to a Recently, the management of ICHHTO, in collaboration In addition, this event can attract many tourists because bazaar layout of the buildings, which date from between 700 hospital built by Imam Reza Hospital authorities. with the governor and urban managers, approved many Bojnurd is located in the main road from north-west to and 1000, reveals a knowledge of astronomy. By the passage of each day, the glory of this mansion useful bylaws to revive Mofakham great garden and they north-east, especially those who are traveling to Mashhad lost its color. are going to discharge the hospital building and had it over and see Bojnord as a mere passageway. But after the revival, Finally, in 1991, ICHHTO took the responsibility of this to ICHHTO. ICHHTO, along with a number of high-rank- this city can be a tourist destination per se for those who are building, restored it and exploited it as an anthropology ing authorities, provincial managers and cultural heritage interested in historical monuments. Can we build an airliner 5 times the size of a standard aircraft? Here is the answer Many think that creating a huge aircraft is the For a really long time, the Antonov-225 best of engineering. But in reality, what matters was the largest aircraft in the world when most is to build a highly efficient and innovative the Airlander 10 appeared to surpass the design! When the Wright brothers created the behemoth in size. Soon after, we saw the first ever aircraft nearly a century ago, most Stratolaunch, the aircraft with a wingspan of humans never imagined that flying was possible. 117 meters that is three times as much as the When the first of the airplanes were created, complete length of the A320. The purpose most of the focus went to their performance of the Stratolaunch is to carry a spaceship to and safety. After establishing air travel as a the stratosphere and launch it there with a secure and reliable way of transport, a lot of payload capability of over 550,000 pounds. The Pyramid of the Soothsayer, as the Spaniards called it, different aircrafts emerged whose capabilities The development of all of these massive dominates the ceremonial center, which has well-designed went beyond many people’s imaginations. airplanes proves that it is possible to create an buildings decorated with a profusion of symbolic motifs and Passenger aircrafts saw innovation, both airplane as large as possible. There could be sculptures depicting Chaac, the god of rain. The ceremonial in terms of speed and size, thus appeared passenger airliner big enough to fit 1,000 people, sites of Uxmal, Kabah, Labna and Sayil are considered the the supersonic jet Concorde and NASA’s spread on the sides of six aisles. However, the high points of Mayan art and architecture. Super Guppy which are capable of carrying major problem is not their development, but The main characteristic of Puuc architecture is the division a payload of thousands of tons. their economic viability and security. These of the facades of buildings into two horizontal elements. The Such a business of an airline requires air- crafts would require more security, more wheels, lower of these is plain and composed of carefully dressed liners to be more efficient and economic than Airlander-10 more brakes, and a much stronger landing gear. blocks broken only by doorways. to have super capabilities. The aircraft most the Boeing 747 lies on the larger side with a their size. If by size, we take into account If an aerospace company were to develop such Some of the most important buildings at the site are the commonly used by passenger airlines include length of about 70 meters. the payload capacity, we have managed to an airliner, no airlines would be willing to buy Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the Quadrangle of the Nuns, the the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 747. Whether or not we can make a plane 5 times achieve much more than the planes in the one for its massive costs. Governor’s Palace, the House of the Tortoises, the Ball Court, The A320 family lies on the smaller side as large as a standard airliner, depends on the past. The Boeing 737 has a maximum take Oh! Don’t forget the problem to accom- as well as the still not extensively investigated Southern Com- of passenger airliners that airlines most com- type of aircraft you consider as a standard. off weight of nearly 190,000 pounds, and modate such massive aircrafts on the nor- plex, which includes the Great Pyramid and the Pigeon House. monly use for their economic performance; Considering the A320 craft to be standard, the Antonov-225 can easily take off with a mal-sized airport runways all over the world. (Source: UNESCO) their length is around 37.75 meters. However, we have already created aircraft three times payload of 7 times as much as the 737. (Source: wonderfulengineering.com) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JANUARY 6, 2019 SCIENCE 11

Pacific Ocean has a long China builds massive radio antenna 5 times memory, research team suggests bigger than NYC China’s Wireless Electromagnetic Method project has been in progress for 13 years to make communication with submarines underwater Cold waters that sank in polar regions hundreds changes in surface climate.” possible. However, researchers expressed concern about exposure of years ago during the Little Ice Age are still “If the surface ocean was generally cooling to extremely low frequency (ELF) waves. impacting deep Pacific Ocean temperature for the better part of the last millennium, those Researchers that are part of the controversial project reveal that trends. While the deep Pacific temperature parts of the ocean most isolated from modern the massive radio antenna facility is built on land five times the size trends are small, they represent a large amount warming may still be cooling,” said Gebbie. of New York City. of energy in the Earth system. The model is, of course, a simplification China has worked on ELF technology for several years, which The ocean has a long memory. When the of the actual ocean. To test the prediction, is now established on a 3,700 square kilometer land. WEM project water in today’s deep Pacific Ocean last saw Gebbie and Huybers compared the cooling consists of high voltage power supply lines capable of producing sunlight, Charlemagne was the Holy Roman trend found in the model to ocean temperature electromagnetic radiation that can travel thousands of miles through Emperor, the Song Dynasty ruled China and measurements taken by scientists aboard the the air on Earth’s surface. Oxford University had just held its very first HMS Challenger in the 1870s and modern Numerous studies conducted by scientists across the world have class. During that time, between the 9th and observations from the World Ocean Circu- linked the prolonged exposure to ELF with an increased risk of leu- 12th centuries, the earth’s climate was generally lation Experiment of the 1990s. kemia in children. The WHO report has also highlighted that ELF warmer before the cold of the Little Ice Age World’s oceans radiation can lead to other conditions such as sleep deprivation, settled in around the 16th century. The HMS Challenger, a three-masted stress, depression, miscarriages, brain and breast tumors, and more. Now ocean surface temperatures are back wooden sailing ship originally designed as a The “money came from civilian budgets, but the military has on the rise but the question is, do the deepest British warship, was used for the first modern intervened and muted the ministry’s complaint,” said a Beijing-based parts of the ocean know that? scientific expedition to explore the world’s researcher, who does not wish to be named due to sensitive nature Researchers from the Woods Hole Ocean- ocean and seafloor. During the expedition of the matter. ographic Institution (WHOI) and Harvard from 1872 to 1876, thermometers were lowered Although the study findings are inconclusive, WHO said that it University have found that the deep Pacific into the ocean depths and more than 5,000 is important to take reasonable precautionary measures to reduce Ocean lags a few centuries behind in terms of temperature measurements were logged. the radiation exposure. temperature and is still adjusting to the entry “We screened this historical data for out- The “project will cause no harm to staff and residents in sur- into the Little Ice Age. Whereas most of the “Climate varies across all timescales,” adds cooling patterns, like the Little Ice Age and liers and considered a variety of corrections rounding areas, it is not necessary to build extra facilities for the ocean is responding to modern warming, the Peter Huybers, Professor of Earth and Planetary the Medieval Warm Period, are well known. associated with pressure effects on the ther- purpose of health protection”, Qiao wrote in an article published deep Pacific may be cooling. Sciences at Harvard University and co-author Our goal was to develop a model of how the mometer and stretching of the hemp rope used in the research journal Ship Science and Technology in 2016. Coldest winters of the paper. “Some regional warming and interior properties of the ocean respond to for lowering thermometers,” said Huybers. The first low-frequency transmission military grade station “These waters are so old and haven’t The researchers then compared the HMS was built in 2009. Scientists explained that the transmission been near the surface in so long, they still “If the surface ocean was generally cooling Challenger data to the modern observations could be detected by the submarine hundreds of feet below the ‘remember’ what was going on hundreds of for the better part of the last millennium, and found warming in most parts of the global sea without the need to resurface. According to Newser, this years ago when Europe experienced some ocean, as would be expected due to the warm- makes China the third country to develop this form of submarine of its coldest winters in history,” said Jake those parts of the ocean most isolated from ing planet over the 20th Century, but cooling communication system. (Source: Tech Times) Gebbie, a physical oceanographer at WHOI modern warming may still be cooling,” in the deep Pacific at a depth of around two and lead author of the study published Jan. says oceanographer Jake Gebbie. kilometers. 4, 2019, in the journal Science. (Source: Science Daily) Rolls-Royce is building the fastest electric plane ever

Chlorate-rich soil may help us find liquid Forest soundscapes monitor conservation We’ve known for some time now that Rolls-Royce (the one that builds airplane engines, not luxury cars) has been working dil- water on Mars, scientists say efforts inexpensively, effectively: new study igently on developing electric propulsion systems that it hopes If liquid water exists on the surface of Mars, Recordings of the sounds in tropical forests will power a new generation of emissions-free planes freed from it is most likely in the form of a briny mixture could unlock secrets about biodiversity and the expense of costly fuel. with magnesium chlorate salts, according aid conservation efforts around the world, But now, Rolls-Royce has revealed plans to build its own to new experiments based on discoveries according to a perspective paper published all-electric aircraft — partially funded by the British government previously made by NASA’s Phoenix and in Science. — in partnership with fellow UK firms YASA and Electroflight. Viking landers, as well as the Curiosity rover. Compared to on-the-ground fieldwork, Developed under the project name ACCEL (Accelerating the Scientists at the Department of Earth and bioacoustics -- recording entire soundscapes, Electrification of Flight), the new aircraft is not only noteworthy Space Sciences at the University of Wash- including animal and human activity -- is for running solely on battery power, it is also designed to earn the ington, Seattle, studied mixtures of water relatively inexpensive and produces powerful title of world’s fastest all-electric plane, with the goal of hitting with salts known to exist on Mars, to figure conservation insights. The result is troves speeds in excess of 300 mph. out which were most likely to be liquid on of ecological data in a short amount of time. The perennial problem facing electric aircraft manufacturers is Mars’ surface. The experiments compared Because these enormous datasets require that to add range and speed, you need more power, which means the vapor pressure and water-absorbing could help tell us where to look for evidence robust computational power, the researchers Depending on the vegetation of the area adding weight in the form of extra banks of batteries. To help ability of the salt solutions. of liquid water, and therefore possibly life, argue that a global organization should be and the animals living there, bioacoustics alleviate this, the ACCEL will use some of the most power-dense The results suggest that water mixed with on the red planet. created to host an acoustic platform that can record animal sounds and songs from batteries packs ever created. This will allow it to not only allow magnesium chlorate would be less likely Salt solutions are hygroscopic, which produces on-the-fly analysis. Not only could several hundred meters away. Devices can the propulsion system to deliver a maximum output of just over to evaporate or freeze on Mars compared means that they are good at absorbing water. the data be used for academic research, but be programmed to record at specific times 1,000 hp, but will also give the aircraft a 200-mile range — long with water mixed with sodium or potassi- Water available on Mars it could also monitor conservation policies or continuously if there is solar polar or a enough to fly from London to Paris. um chlorate. The findings were presented Certain salts may be able to absorb even and strategies employed by companies cellular network signal. They can also re- in the September 2018 issue of Earth and small amounts of water available on Mars. around the world. cord a range of taxonomic groups including Planetary Science Letters. Many different kinds of salts are found on Better effective measurements birds, mammals, insects, and amphibians. The ‘triple point’ of a substance is the Mars, such as chlorides, sulfates, chlorates, “Nongovernmental organizations and To date, several multiyear recordings have temperature and pressure at which it can and perchlorates. These can be found all the conservation community need to be already been completed. co-exist in all three phases: gas, liquid and over the Martian surface, according to data able to truly evaluate the effectiveness of Zero-deforestation efforts solid. For water, the triple point is found at from various lander and rover missions. conservation interventions. It’s in the in- Bioacoustics can help effectively enforce 0.01 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahren- The new analysis suggested that the soil terest of certification bodies to harness the policy efforts as well. Many companies are heit) and 6.12 millibar, or 0.6 percent of the found at Chryse and Utopia Planitiae by the developments in bioacoustics for better en- engaged in zero-deforestation efforts, atmospheric pressure at the Earth’s surface. Viking landers contained perchlorates at forcement and effective measurements,” said which means they are legally obligated Vapor pressure a concentration less than or equal to 0.1 Zuzana Burivalova, a postdoctoral research to produce goods without clearing large The aircraft is small and sporty, with the cockpit positioned In other words, one might imagine a percent. Then, in 2013, the Curiosity rover’s fellow in Professor David Wilcove’s lab at forests. Bioacoustics can quickly and cheaply towards the rear of the plane behind a long nose that that gives it bucket of water at the triple point, where Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson determine how much forest has been left a shape reminiscent of a vintage roadster. However, this design the water exists as ice floating on a layer of found calcium perchlorate in soil samples School of Public and International Affairs. standing. serves a practical purpose as well, as the long nose section houses liquid water, with water vapor just above from Rocknest, which is a spot within Gale “Beyond measuring the effectiveness “Companies are adopting zero deforesta- the banks of battery packs needed to power the plane. the ice that has sublimated or evaporated Crater. of conservation projects and monitoring tion commitments, but these policies do not While this particular design will probably never be made into from it. The vapor that is in contact with Most recently, the Compact Recon- compliance with forest protection commit- always translate to protecting biodiversity a production model, it does serve as a great benchmark for the the ice exerts a pressure on the ice, which naissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars ments, networked bioacoustic monitoring due to hunting, habitat degradation, and progress that has been made in the field of electric aircraft within we call the vapor pressure. (CRISM) instrument aboard NASA’s Mars systems could also generate a wealth of data sub-canopy fires. Bioacoustic monitoring a few short years. Rolls-Royce anticipates that the ACCEL will Although in some equatorial regions Reconnaissance Orbiter detected magnesi- for the scientific community,” said co-author could be used to augment satellites and be completed by 2020, when it is also expected to attempt its on Mars optimum conditions can be just um perchlorate, magnesium chlorate and Rhett Butler of the environmental news other systems to monitor compliance with record-setting speed run. (Source: Robb Report) below the triple point of water, for the rest sodium perchlorate within recurring slope outlet Mongabay. these commitments, support real-time ac- of the planet the temperatures are usually lineae. These are streaks running downslope Burivalova and Butler co-authored the tion against prohibited activities like ille- well below the triple point. When the at- during the warmer Martian season and, for paper with Edward Game, who is based at gal logging and poaching, and potentially Researchers suggest missing mospheric pressure is lower than a liquid’s a time, it was strongly thought that they the Nature Conservancy and the University document habitat and species recovery,” vapor pressure, the liquid evaporates. Pure were produced by running water. Because of Queensland. Butler said. crust layer can be blamed on water would rapidly evaporate under the of the salts, the thin atmosphere and the The researchers explain that while Further, these recordings can be used thin Martian atmosphere, which is approx- frigid temperatures, any such water would satellite imagery can be used to measure to measure climate change effects. While ‘Snowball Earth’ imately 1 percent that of the Earth. Salt likely be briny rather than pure. Although deforestation, it often fails to detect other the sounds might not be able to assess slow, An international team of researchers has found evidence support- solutions, however, do not evaporate or results now suggest that flows of dry material subtle ecological degradations like over- gradual changes, they could help determine ing a theory that suggests a missing crust layer can be blamed on freeze as easily, and therefore would be more somehow produce the streaks, it remains hunting, fires, or invasion by exotic species. the influence of abrupt, quick differences to “Snowball Earth.” In their paper published in Proceedings of the likely to remain liquid on Mars. possible that water could still exist as a Another common measure of biodiversity is land caused by manufacturing or hunting, National Academy of Sciences, the group describes the evidence Understanding which combinations of liquid somewhere on the surface of Mars. field surveys, but those are often expensive, for example. they found and why they believe it supports their theory. salt and water are most likely to stay liquid (Source: space.com) time consuming and cover limited ground. (Source: eurekalert.org) Earth scientists have debated the reason behind what they describe as a missing crust layer for over a century — in 1869, geologists noted that there appeared to be a missing layer of Invisible killers hitchhike on native plant seedlings, scientists find rock in the Grand Canyon. Samples showed a layer dating back Laura Sims, a postdoctoral researcher in UC Berkeley’s dying here, or why are these sticky monkeyflowers dying in 540 million years, and directly below it, a layer that was dated College of Natural Resources, collects samples of large numbers in this restoration site? And so it happens to 1 billion years ago. This posed the question: What happened native coffeeberry that has been killed by the pathogen that each one of those plant species was reintroduced in a in-between? That gap has been observed in other places on Earth, Phytophthora crassamura in a restoration site in San restoration effort and had one or sometimes multiple of and has been named the “Great Unconformity.” To explain the Mateo County. Sims is part of a team that has identified these pathogens that belonged to the genus Phytophthora, gap, scientists developed two theories — either there was a dra- fungicide resistance in California isolates of P. crassamura which incidentally is the same genus of the pathogen that matic increase in sedimentation, or there was a large and rapid from restoration sites due to exposure to the pesticides causes Sudden Oak Death, and it’s also the same genus erosion event. In this new effort, the researchers claim to have in plant nurseries. of the pathogen that caused the Irish Potato Famine.” found evidence that supports the latter theory. More than a quarter of the seedlings sampled at native Garbelotto and his colleagues surveyed five native plant The researchers suggest that the large erosion event was the plant nurseries were infected with pathogens — which nurseries for the Phytophthora pathogen. And found that development of what has been termed “Snowball Earth” — a could hamper restoration work. Christopher Intagliata more than a quarter of the plants sampled were infected. period when the entire planet was completely covered with ice. reports. They also discovered, in separate work, that a common They believe that as the ice receded, it took a whole layer of the When wildfires rip through a landscape, firefighters chemical used to suppress the pathogen in nurseries can crust with it, dumping it into the sea. If that was the case, logic have the first — and most immediate — job. But then, actually breed resistance. The “passage of these strains suggests, testing the seafloor should show a large layer of rock that burned moonscape often passes into the hands of through these production facilities, sometimes it can make from that time period. But no such layer has been found. restoration ecologists, who yank out invasive species, them more aggressive.” The evidence for this theory came in the form of crystals from and plant native seedlings instead. nurseries. As happened at one restoration site in the San But there is a solution to root out these invisible killers. the period in question — the researchers had isotopes of hafnium “We try to artificially give a start to these communities Francisco Bay area, where restorers hoped that nursery- A year-long regimen of stricter sanitation at native plant and oxygen that were consistent with such crystals that have that should resemble the communities that were there prior grown natives called toyons and sticky monkeyflowers nurseries — like pasteurizing pots and soil — appeared to undergone erosion under cold conditions. The data came from a to a disturbance.” Matteo Garbelotto, a plant pathologist could be reintroduced. eliminate the pathogen. And disease-free seedlings means database of information on 30,000 zircon crystals. The researchers at UC Berkeley. The problem, he says, is that microscopic Toyons dying here damaged landscapes have a better chance at bouncing back. note that radioactive isotopes can serve as time keepers. killers sometimes hitchhike on native seedlings grown in “Plant ecologists were saying why are these toyons (Source: scientificamerican.com) (Source: phys.org) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 12 JANUARY 6, 2019 SOCIETYANALYSIS & INTERVIEW JANUARY 6, 2019 12

‘Playing to learn’ scheme Highest number of out-of-school to be implemented within month children in 5 provinces SOCIETY TEHRAN — With the aim of providing op- deskportunities for deeper learning in schools a SOCIETY TEHRAN — Five prov- and figured out that some 3,600 families desk scheme titled “playing to learn” will be implemented by the Iranian inces of Sistan-Baluch- are financially struggling, 1,100 of which calendar month of Bahman (January 21-February 19), adviser estan, Tehran, Khorasan Razavi, Khuz- have been far from schools and could not to the minister of education, Mehdi Aliakbarzadeh, has said. estan and Kerman are home to the highest afford the transportation costs, and some number of children not having access to 10,000 have referred to disability as the school or education nationwide, Deputy reason why their children are missing Education Minister Rezvan Hakimzadeh out on school. has stated. He also highlighted that no parent In the previous school year 1396-1397 has the right to deprive children from (beginning Sept. 23, 2017), some 142,502 learning, adding, this must be noted in children were missing out on education the law; same as many countries in which across the country, but 31,910 of them preventing children from education is returned to schools, Hakimzadeh noted. considered a crime. She went on to announce that boys Meydari further called on the Wel- failing to have access to schooling amount- fare Organization and Imam Khomeini ed to 73,408 compared to the number Relief Foundation to cooperate in the of 69,094 girls in last school year, Mehr field of covering some costs or providing reported on Saturday. transportation for children deprived of While provinces of Sistan-Baluchestan, education in order to get them back to Tehran, Khorasan Razavi, Khuzestan and the schools. Kerman have the most out of school rates, Out-of-schools and sustain- Referring to the high volume of content being taught in the provinces of Semnan, Zanjan, Ilam, Qa- ability worldwide schools, he said that educational games can come in helpful to zvin and Yazd have the lowest number consider punishment for parents who do The HDI is a summary measure for According to the UNESCO globally bear learning especially in mathematics. of children not receiving education at not send their children to school requires assessing long-term progress in three about 262 million children and youth Traditional classrooms are not effective any more, as gamifica- schools, she further explained. serious consideration, and children’s right basic dimensions of human development: are out of school, according to the UN- tion helps students learn far more than they learn with textbooks, The literacy rate in the country has to education is mandatory in the law. a long and healthy life, access to knowl- ESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) data so we need to provide the proper infrastructure, he stated. reached almost over 90 percent and also Elsewhere in her remarks, she referred edge and a decent standard of living. for the school year ending in 2017. The He further explained that interaction and opportunities to enrollment rate in primary education to 450,000 foreign national studying in She further called on all the respon- total includes 64 million children of make choices as well as strengthening children’s social skills increased to 98 percent, she added. the country’s schools and said that Iran sible bodies to join hands to help these primary school age, 61 million of lower are among the virtues of the new game-based classrooms, while Referring to providing education to is amongst the countries providing edu- children find their ways back to schools secondary school age and 138 million in the past we had very little notion of how children learn thus these children as the main priority to the cation not only to almost all its citizens in cooperation with the Ministry. of upper secondary age. excluded game from the learning process at schools. Ministry of Education and governors, but to many foreign nationals. Main reasons behind school The number of out-of-schools tend to The scheme will be piloted in schools across the country by the she said that governors must set up spe- As per the decree issued by the leader dropouts increase with age as youth find or search next month, Aliakbarzadeh noted, ISNA reported on Saturday. cial working groups to identify school of the Islamic Revolution, some 5,500 Deputy Minister of Cooperatives, La- for employment. But to what extent do Deputy Education Minister Rezvan Hakimzadeh, for her part dropouts and remove their barriers to undocumented foreign nationals have bor, and Social Welfare, Ahmad Meydari, they have the skills to find a first job, said that through the first phase of the scheme, 1000 schools education. been enrolled in primary schools this for his part said “we made phone calls for example? from 10 provinces nationwide will implement the playing to Many issues lead to children missing year, which demonstrates an 11 percent to 27,000 families nationwide to dis- Out-of-school rates might have direct learn scheme. education, including social and cultural increase compared to past years. cover the main reasons for children not effect on sustainability, as countries with Each province comprising of 100 schools have been volun- problems and financial problems, which Following a decree issued by the Leader accessing schools, many of which have low literacy rate or high school dropouts teered to hold game-based classes and assess the results, she is the main one among the others, she in May 2015, all foreign nationals, even been poverty, low income or disabilities.” cannot reach the 4th sustainable devel- further added. said, adding that poverty, immigration, those who have no identification and The Education Ministry provided us opment goal. She went on to say that literature, storytelling, role plays and addiction, social harm, ignorance of rights are living in Iran illegally, are allowed with 142,000 out-of-school children’s So, UNESCO urges countries for great- arts can help develop social skills one should acquire as a child, and responsibilities, discrimination, ten- to attend schools. identification code, however, before the er investment in education at the global, and are far better suited to a game context than to a traditional sion, lack of motivation are also among Pointing to Iran’s improvement in number of these children was reported regional and national levels, including classroom and textbook context. the issues preventing children from at- Human Development Index 2017, ranking by the National Organization for Civil more resources for data collection and Pointing to the removal of the traditional homework and its tending school. 60 out of 189 countries, she highlighted Registration amounting to 500,000, analysis in an attempt to achieve uni- replacement with the skill-centered assignments since last year, Hakimzadeh also said that although there that the average literacy level in HDI he stated. versal primary and secondary education she added that the draft of playing to learn scheme has been drawn are no legal barriers, lack of proper law to was 3.2, which have reached 9.2 in 2017. We succeeded to call 27,000 families by 2030. up to be launched in the schools for deeper learning. “Successful schools worldwide are using games along with other methods to involve the students in educational process, so One-month event in Isfahan puts spotlight on clean air we decided to pilot the scheme in volunteer schools and expand it to promote education quality,” Hakimzadeh concluded. LEARN ENGLISH Darwin’s Theory of Evolution A: It’s been a long time since I last saw you. Where have you been? B: The exams and plans I have to turn in in are driving me crazy, I don’t even have time to sleep. A: It’s the same for me. I’m up to my neck in work, but at least finals are coming soon and we’ll have a vacation. Where are you going now? B: I’m going to Anthropology class and now with the year anniversary of Darwin, it’s the only thing we study. Frankly, I’m sick and tired and tired of hearing about this guy. ENVIRONMENT TEHRAN — On the occasion of the Another scheme being implemented within the frame- turn into a sidewalk and become closed to cars for good. A: What? Why? How can you not like Darwin? I mean the deskTransport Week, starting on December work of the one-month event is “air pollution watch”, Isfahan Mayor Qodratollah Nourozi also said that man changed the entire perception of how things came to and his theory is backed by pretty solid evidence! 17, up until Clean Air Day, falling on January 19, various aiming to cracking down on high-emission vehicles. In promoting cultural activities in some of the streets and B: I don’t like him. His theory of human evolution and events, including cultural, urban, educational and rec- this scheme citizens can report high-emission vehicles neighborhoods of Isfahan is one of our policies, so that natural selection is full of holes. It lacks the solid reational activities are underway in the city of Isfahan. either by calling the hotline 137 or using a particular families can spend time together in a safe environment. evidence of which you speak of. The one-month event is concurrent with the launch of mobile app. Cleaner air, less traffic congestion and safer streets A: That statement puts you at odds with half of the “Adam and air” campaign, according to Isfahan Munic- After reporting the polluting vehicles they would be are the outcomes of such schemes, he added. academy. Not to mention your professors! Furthermore, ipality. The public-spearheaded campaign, demanding transferred to the vehicle inspection center, the reported Furthermore 15 bike stations were inaugurated in the explanation proposed by Darwin about the origin of cleaner air, is picking up momentum in Isfahan. added. In this scheme each citizen is an air pollution watch. the city of Isfahan, as well, the report stated. species and the mechanism of natural selection constitutes Moreover, various cultural festivals are taking place In Isfahan, Chahar-bagh street is close to the cars on Alireza Salavati, deputy mayor for transport affairs, a grand step toward a coherent understanding of the using art as a common language to impart traffic knowl- car-free Tuesdays (a public-led campaign encouraging has said that the citizens can refer to the stations and world and evolutionist ideas. edge to the public. Artists in different fields can also the citizens to use bicycle instead of car on Tuesdays) and use bicycles, electric motorcycles, scooters, etc. B: I’m not minimizing his grand contributions, it’s just submit their works including poems, photos, cartoons, create a 100-kilometers road for the cyclists to ride safely. Salavati added that the number of these stations will that his theory reminds of the conundrum of the chicken etc. under the theme of traffic and air pollution to the And now the report has highlighted that Abouzar rise to 50 by the [Iranian calendar] month of Khordad and the egg. aforesaid festivals. street in Rehnan neighborhood in Isfahan is also close (May 22-June 21). A: What are you talking about? Additionally 30 renovated buses were added to the to the cars on car-free Tuesdays. Moreover, a bike-sharing program and an applica- B: The question is, which was first? The chicken or the egg? city transport fleet as well as buses accessible for people Hamid Ashrafi, an official with Isfahan Municipality, tion for using the bikes will be released within the next I feel the same regarding his theory. How does the first cell with disabilities. has explained that the street meet the basic criteria to two months. of life come to be? A: Interesting. I think that question is better suited for my philosophy class. In the meantime, how about we settle this... with a due! China’s war on air pollution causing increase in dangerous ozone Key vocabulary sick and tired: bored or annoyed China’s success in cutting air pollution has able to show how summer ozone levels in These results were published in the jour- how important it is to continue cutting all natural selection: a process by which best creatures survive triggered an uptick in ozone, one of the most built-up regions like Beijing and Shanghai nal Proceedings of the National Academy forms of air pollution in order to minimize full of holes: including many faults dangerous substance in the atmosphere. increased from 2013 to 2017. of Sciences. health risks. at odds with: in a state of disagreement A new study has revealed how ozone levels Crucially, the researchers noted the trend The researchers said their findings show (Source: flipboard.com) academy: a school that provides training in special subject are increasing in Chinese “megacities” even as they were observing “cannot be simply ex- coherent: logical and consistent the government cracks down on their filthy air. plained” by an increase in the substances minimize: to make something as small as possible Amid concerns about the toxic smog en- that form ozone. conundrum: a confusing or difficult problem veloping many cities, Chinese authorities Instead, they suggested the decrease in International public Tender Supplementary vocabulary declared “war” on air pollution in 2013. particulate matter changed the chemical Seamorgh Company intend to purchase 500,000 commercial layer creationism: belief in the literal interpretation of the A raft of policies was introduced including composition of the atmosphere in an un- cages for one of its farms located in bardsir of Kerman province with account of the creation of the universe and of all living restrictions on the number of cars allowed fortunate way. 2200meter altitude and average temperature +42 in Summer and -5 things related in the Bible. on the road and measures to cut emissions Particulates act like a sponge for the com- naturalism: the doctrine that the world can be understood in from coal-fired power plants. ponents needed to generate ozone pollution, in winter ,including all equipment &accessories like Silos,Ventilation scientific terms without recourse to spiritual or supernatural These tactics have proven hugely suc- sucking them up and preventing them from sys,Complete heating &cooling sys, Automation , Electrical panel, explanations cessful by some measures, cutting levels of producing the harmful substance. Complete collecting egg system, and other requiring equipment transmutation: the process or act of change, especially fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) in eastern “There was so much particulate matter along with installation ,from reliable manufacturer and sellers or from one thing to another China by around two fifths. in Chinese cities that it stunted the ozone However, air pollution comprises many production,” explained Professor Daniel their representative in Iran by opening letter of credit. different types of pollutant, and while particu- Jacob, an atmospheric chemist at Harvard All applicants invited to submit their profile and their offers consist late levels have fallen another toxic substance University and one of the study’s authors. of all technical specifications and term of selling for delivery in has remained steady – ozone. With such a rapid reduction in partic- one of Iran ports at least during 5 days after issuing date of this Without water, While ozone in the upper levels of the ulates, more of the ozone components are atmosphere is known for the role it plays in now available to produce ozone. advertisement. To Seamorghsecretariat(5 floor).eamorgh secretariate everything protecting the planet from harmful radiation, “We haven’t observed this happening Address:209No,Corner of GolfamSt,Nelson Mandela St,(Jordan) at ground level it is the main component in anywhere else because no other country Tehran-Iran smog and is very harmful to human lungs. has moved this quickly to reduce particu- withers Researchers have noted that ozone pollu- late matter emissions… It took China four Tel: 021-22050495-7 Fax: 021-22050459 tion from cars and industry has been getting years to do what took 30 years in the U.S.,” Postal Code: 1915673438 [email protected] worse, and in their new study a team was said Professor Jacob. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JANUARY 6, 2019 WORLD IN FOCUS 13

France’s ‘Yellow Vest’ Hacker group releases ‘9/11 Papers’, says future leaks will protestors back on the streets ‘burn down’ U.S. deep state

1 But the arrest on Wednesday The demonstrations then trans- 1 There are four more layers that remain encrypted and, of Eric Drouet, one the movement’s formed into a broader rebuke of Ma- according to the group, “each layer contains more secrets, more spokesman, sparked anger among his cron’s policies, and they took on a name damaging materials… and generally just more truth.” supporters. Paris police picked up Drou- of their own - the “Yellow Vest” move- The hackers are asking for $2 million in bit-coin for the public et, who already faces trial for carrying ment, which is a reference to the vests release of its “mega leak,” which it has dubbed “the 9/11 Papers.” a weapon at a previous demonstration, worn by people active in the transpor- The group has also offered to sell the documents to terrorist groups, and detained him for around 10 hours. tation industry, who have been at the foreign governments, and media outlets. When RT approached the In Paris, organizers called for a march forefront of the protests. hackers for comment, they proposed providing the channel exclusive from the City Hall to the National As- The package, which called for the access to the potentially explosive papers – for a price, of course. sembly (parliament) building, and a removal of a planned tax increase for “They were willing to sell those documents to me. So it’s all about rally on the Champs Elysees, the scene a majority of pensioners and tax-free money for them,” RT America correspondent Michelle Greenstein said. of violent clashes at previous demon- overtime pay for all workers, was also strations. approved by the National Assembly. The latest opinion poll, published on The president’s package concessions, Thursday by Odoxa Dentsu, indicated 55 however, did not satisfy some of the percent public support for the “Yellow protesters, who believed that “it doesn’t Vest” protests. tackle the problems of substance.” The government has deployed police Stop treating people like around France to deal with the protests, beggars backed up by specialist response units, Late on Thursday, a group of pro- sources told AFP. testers posted a letter on social media, Macron dismisses ‘Yellow warning the president against treating Vest’ protesters as agitators “Since these announcements, the Macon has hardened his stance people like beggars. Meantime, French President Em- ‘Yellow Vest’ movement, for those who while, he had already acknowledged “Anger will turn into hatred if you manuel Macron has dismissed “Yellow continue to protest, has become the thing the protesters’ anger was “deep, and in continue, from your pedestal, you and Vest” protesters as agitators, saying they of agitators who promote insurrection many ways legitimate,” and promised a your associates, to look at little people aim to topple his government. to topple the government,” he added. minimum wage rise and tax concessions. like beggars,” read the three-page letter. In his first cabinet meeting of the “Maybe we have made too many con- He has even introduced a package The group has even turned down year on Friday, Macron said order and cessions to conservatism; we’ll have to of emergency concessions last month the president’s invitation to take part By design, the “layer 1” documents – if authentic – do not appear law must be restored in the country, change that,” he said. to help cool weeks of anti-government in the national debate. to contain any explosive revelations. The publications focus mostly on according to government spokesman Griveaux also said that Macron protests, which first erupted last month They described the debate as a “po- testimonies from airport security and details concerning insurance Benjamin Griveaux. ordered the authorities to organize a in rural France among citizens who said litical trap” designed to drown the issue pay-outs to parties affected by the 9/11 attacks. However, the data He called on his ministers to be more “national debate” in the coming weeks they could not afford higher fuel taxes that “terrifies” the head of state so much, dump suggests that the group is not bluffing. radical in their attempt to reform the in all regions, for people to express their that was announced to minimize the the letter read. The documents – which were immediately scrubbed from Red- country, Griveaux said. views, instead of taking to the streets. country’s reliance on fossil fuels. (Source: agencies) dit, Pastebin and Twitter – are available for download on Steemit at the time of writing. Shortly after releasing the decryption keys, the group posted an U.S. has no timeline for troop withdrawal from Syria ultimatum addressed to “the nation-state of the United States of The United States says it has no timeline for pulling its occupation of Syrian territories and defeating the remaining America and the greater deep-state.” troops out of Syria but does not plan to keep troops there terrorists in the north. “To all the other parties involved (airlines, litigation firms, investigation indefinitely either. The region is controlled by the U.S.-backed YPG (Peo- firms, FBI, TSA, FAA, banks, security companies and more), we’re going “We have no timeline for our military forces to with- ple’s Protection Units/People’s Defense Units/Yekîneyên to burn you down unless you begin to ‘play ball,’” the message reads. draw from Syria,” a senior State Department official told Parastina) militia which Turkey views a terrorist group but Apparently angered by the fact that the ransom has not yet been met, reporters on Friday. the fighters have mostly avoided confrontation with the the message warned: “We’re peeling these layers back like an onion. “Just to clarify, we do not — we do not intend to have an Syrian government during the war. No one can save you except for us. Pay the f*** up.” indefinite military presence in Syria. The president has made Jia Kurd said the ball was in the court of Russia and Although the group insists that it is financially motivated and the decision that we will withdraw and we are formulating Damascus, but much depends on reconciling the regional not interested in ‘hacktivism,” they nonetheless expressed hope that the plans to do that right now,” added the official. demands with Syria’s sovereignty. continued crowd-funding would secure the full release of the 18,000 The remarks came as the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Kurdish leaders convened political talks in Damascus documents. “We can’t allow the mainstream media to silence the Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton will last year, but they broke down without progress. The gov- truth any longer. We must ensure their propaganda is crushed by travel to the Middle East to shore up support from the ernment has said it is determined to reunite Syria, with the truths we’re dealing today,” the hackers wrote after providing U.S.’ partners. have expressed concern about Israel’s situation in the region. Foreign Minister recently making it clear that a federal the decryption keys for “layer 1.” Pompeo is scheduled to leave on Tuesday for an eight- Speaking to the Washington Post in November, Trump Syria is unacceptable. The Dark Overlord claim to have hacked documents from not day trip to Amman, Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, stressed that protecting Israel was a reason why the U.S. Turkey, initially a staunch supporter of a Western cam- only major global insurers like Lloyds of London and Hiscox, but Riyadh, Muscat, and finally Kuwait City. forces were deployed in the Middle East. “We have reached paign to topple President Assad, has moderated its stance also Silverstein Properties, which owned the World Trade Center In Cairo, Pompeo is slated to deliver an address to un- a point where we don’t have to stay in the Middle East,” said over time and is currently working with Russia and Iran to complex, and various government agencies. derline the trip’s overall message that “the United States Trump before adding that “one reason to stay is Israel.” return stability to the country. The “mega leak” purportedly includes secret documents that is not leaving the Middle East,” the official said. However, according to an Israeli report, Trump is cur- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week were meant to be destroyed but were instead retained by legal firms, “Despite reports to the contrary, false narratives sur- rently ignoring Tel Aviv’s demands about Syria. that once the “terrorist organizations” leave Manbij and allegedly revealing “the truth about one of the most recognizable rounding the Syria decision, we are not going anywhere,” “It’s unfortunate that he isn’t paying attention to the other areas near its border in northern Syria, “we will have incidents in recent history.” (Source: RT) the official added. evidence provided by the intelligence services,” said an nothing left to do there.” Bolton was to depart Friday for talks with “Israel and unnamed senior Israeli official speaking to the Israeli Ynet Turkey is supporting several militant groups based in Turkey to discuss the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria,” news website on Thursday. Idlib, but they are under pressure from the Syrian army. Garrett Marquis, a spokesman for the National Security Syrian Kurds seek deal with government Turkish-backed NFL militants are currently engaged in Egypt, Israel in close cooperation Council, said. regardless of U.S. pullout a fierce battle with al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham President Donald Trump announced his decision to with- Meantime, Syrian Kurdish leaders seek a Russian-me- (HTS/Organization for the Liberation of the Levant/Levant against Sinai fighters: Sisi draw the US troops from Syria on December 19, asserting diated deal with President Bashar al-Assad’s government Liberation Committee), which broke out on Tuesday. that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh) regardless of the U.S. plans to withdraw from their region, HTS reportedly initiated the fighting after NFL-affiliated terrorist group had been defeated. a senior official has said. Nour al-Din al-Zenki militants killed five of members of Egypt’s president has told a U.S. broadcaster his country and Israel His unexpected announcement shocked allies and top The deal would mark perhaps the most important mile- the Takfiri group. are cooperating against armed groups in the Sinai Peninsula, a po- U.S. officials, with Defense Secretary James Mattis and Brett stone because the two biggest chunks of Syria splintered by On Friday, HTS terrorists reportedly captured more tentially damaging acknowledgement that could explain a request McGurk, the U.S. special envoy to the so-called anti-ISIL seven years of war would be rejoined, leaving only a corner than 20 villages in the northern Aleppo Province after four that the network not air the interview. coalition in Syria and Iraq, resigning from their posts. in the northwest in the hands of militants. days of clashes with rival militants. Excerpts from the interview released by CBS over the weekend The pullout was initially supposed to be completed within Senior Kurdish official Badran Jia Kurd told Reuters the The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also showed President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi denying there are po- weeks, but slowed down as the president has acceded to Kurdish-led administration that runs much of northern said that the fresh fighting had killed 114 militants on both litical prisoners in Egypt, where he has overseen one of the largest requests from aides, allies and members of Congress to Syria presented a roadmap for an agreement with Assad sides as well as eight civilians. crackdowns on dissent in the country’s modern history since the have a more orderly withdrawal. during recent meetings in Russia. “HTS was able to take control of areas previously held by overthrow by the military, then led by him, of a divisive president. Meanwhile, the U.S. officials have told Reuters that it “The final decision is to reach an agreement with Da- Nour al-Din al-Zenki in the west of the Aleppo countryside,” CBS, which will air the full interview Sunday on its show 60 could take several months to conduct a pullout, with Trump mascus, we will work in this direction regardless of the cost, the British-based monitoring group added. Minutes, said it has rejected a request by the Egyptian government himself saying on Wednesday that the U.S. would get out even if the Americans object,” Reuters quoted Jia Kurd as Unconfirmed reports also said the Turkish-backed militant not to show it. It did not say which part of the president’s comments of Syria slowly “over a period of time.” saying in the northern Syrian city of Qamishli. outfit had announced its dissolution after recent defeats. Cairo objected to, but the cooperation with Israel, with whom Egypt The U.S. deployed troops and equipment to Syria in 2014 The main aims of the roadmap, the report said, are to U.S.-made missiles uncovered in Homs has a 1979 peace treaty, appears to be the most contentious part. as part of a Washington-led coalition supposedly fighting protect the Syrian border with Turkey, to integrate the In another development on Friday, Syrian government Egypt’s military last year denied press reports that it and Israel the ISIL terrorist Takfiri group. governing structures of northern Syria into the constitution, forces discovered a sizable cache of weapons and munitions, were cooperating against insurgents in northern Sinai, a region of The terrorists are widely reported to be financed by the and to ensure a fair distribution of resources. including the U.S.-built anti-tank missiles, during a clean-up rugged mountains and desert bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip House of Saud regime and partially trained and protected Last week, residents in Manbij asked the Syrian operation in the country’s central Homs Province. where Egyptian security forces have for years battled the fighters, by American forces in Syria to support the terror campaign government to retake the northern city on the Turkish Syria’s official SANA news agency reported that the U.S.- now led by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group. against the Syrian government and ordinary citizens. border after a U.S. pledge to withdraw troops from made TOW missiles (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, (Source: agencies) However, as the Syrian Arab Army has increasingly lib- the country. Wire-guided) had been left behind by the terrorists in farm erated occupied territories from foreign-backed terrorist Jia Kurd said the local Kurdish-led administration was lands in Homs’ Houla region. groups in recent years, many American and Israeli officials ready to cooperate with the government on ending Turkey’s (Source: agencies) Turkey seeks ‘major’ U.S. Canada charity used donations to fund Israeli army projects: CBC military assistance in Syria: WSJ The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation law, and considered illegal by Israel itself. well over a dozen projects to support the CBC reported. Givat Oz VeGaon received (CBC) has published an expose on a Jew- The organization, which disclosed to donors Israeli forces in the last few years alone, and ignored at least 18 demolition orders Turkey has asked for major military assistance from the United States in ish charity in Canada, which has been un- last year that it has been under audit by the and has officially partnered with the Israeli from the Israeli Ministry of Defense. the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh) der investigation for using its donations to Canada Revenue Agency, said it stopped funding forces and the Israeli Ministry of Defense. A JNF Canadian Young Leadership terrorist outfit in Syria, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, weeks build infrastructure for the Israeli forces in those projects in 2016, according to the CBC. Its military projects include “the new Solidarity Mission visited the site in Au- after Washington announced its plan to withdraw troops from the country. violation of the country’s tax rules. A complaint was submitted in October 2017 planned [Irsaeli military] Training Base gust-September 2014 and worked with The substantial request for military support included air raids, The Jewish National Fund (JNF) of Can- with the support of Independent Jewish Voices City in the Negev” desert and “helping the picks and shovels “to prepare the ground logistics and transportation so Turkish forces could finish off the ada, one of the country’s long-established Canada (IJV), which presented detailed evi- development of the Bat Galim (naval) training for building a residential unit to be used by remaining terrorists of the ISIL in Syria, senior U.S. officials were charities, has been the subject of a Canada dence that JNF Canada works in violation of base complex area”, according to the CBC. the security guard”. quoted as saying by the WSJ on Friday. Revenue Agency audit after a complaint was the Income Tax Act and contravenes Canadian In 2014, JNF Edmonton held a Negev Fifteen million dollars of tax-deducti- “The Turkish requests are so extensive that, if fully met, the Amer- filed in October 2017. foreign policy in numerous ways. Gala dinner, where proceeds were to “develop ble Canadian funds have also contributed ican military might be deepening its involvement in Syria instead The JNF funds numerous projects in Is- According to CRA guidelines, funding three areas of the Negev’s Tse’elim army towards building JNF Canada’s flagship of reducing it,” the newspaper reported. rael, such as reforestation efforts in areas for projects intended to increase the “effec- base, the largest military training facility in project, Canada Park, along with a new The unidentified American officials told the Journal there was hit by wildfires but it has also funded infra- tiveness and efficiency” of a foreign military Israel. The project will upgrade and landscape adjacent Israeli settlement. little chance Washington would agree to Ankara’s requests in full. structure projects on Israeli army, air and cannot be considered charitable and therefore the family visiting area, intake and release The park was built on militarily occupied The U.S. President Donald Trump announced on December 19 naval bases, the CBC, the country’s public should not be tax-deductible. facility and the barracks’ main plaza. The territory, over the ruins of three Palestinian his plans to withdraw the U.S. troops deployed in northern Syria broadcaster, reported on Friday. “It is unconscionable that Canadians are base is the national center for ground forces villages which Israeli forces depopulated following a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Their activities are in violation of Cana- subsidizing an organisation that has used training,” its Facebook page read. and demolished in 1967 as well as the lands Tayyip Erdogan.Turkey and the U.S. appeared to agree to coordinate dian law which prohibits charitable funds tax-deductible donations to support the JNF Canada has also funded security roads of a fourth, according to IJV. the troops’ withdrawal from the area to avoid a power vacuum that from supporting a foreign army. Israeli military, especially when that army along Israel’s hostile borders with Lebanon The organisation gets a mark of zero for could attract a number of parties interested in filling it. CBC’s article details many troubling as- has killed nearly 200 unarmed protesters and Gaza, which in the words of JNF Canada, financial transparency, according to Kate Talks on the fight against ISIL are expected to take place on pects of the charity’s projects which, along in Gaza this past year, including medical are designed to “enhance military activity” Bahen, head of Charity Intelligence, a Toron- Tuesday in Ankara.US officials - including White House National with funding infrastructure on Israeli mil- personnel, members of the media and chil- in these border regions, IJV wrote. to-based NGO that produces a report rating Security Adviser John Bolton, General Joseph Dunford, the chair- itary bases, it has also contributed directly dren,” said Canadian Rabbi David Mivasair, JNF Canada missions in Israel also have Canadian charities on their transparency man of the Joint Chiefs and James Jeffrey, the State Department to the construction of at least one hilltop one of four complainants. contributed directly to the construction of and efficiency in spending donors’ money. envoy for Syria - are expected to attend. settler outpost - illegal under international According to IJV, JNF Canada has funded at least one illegal hilltop settler outpost, (Source: agencies) (Source: Al Jazeera) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 14 WORLD SPORTS JANUARY 6, 2019

LeBron to miss at least three Maradona out of hospital after more NBA games for Lakers

NBA superstar LeBron James, who has already missed four games with a strained left groin, will miss at least three more before internal bleeding scare being re-evaluated, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Friday. James suffered the injury on December 25 when the Lakers Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona was ment by eventual winners France. beat defending NBA champion Golden State 127-101. The Lakers released from hospital after being admitted Maradona was taken into hospital in 2004 have dropped three of four games without the four-time NBA earlier on Friday with internal bleeding in the with severe heart and respiratory problems Most Valuable Player. stomach which was discovered during rou- linked to cocaine use. He later underwent The Lakers said James will not play Friday at home against tine examinations, his daughter Dalma said. drug rehabilitation in Cuba and Argentina New York or travel on the club’s road trip to Minnesota on Sun- “For those who were really worried about before a stomach-stapling operation in 2005 day and Dallas on Monday. James, who has been receiving daily my dad I can tell you that he is well,” Dalma helped him lose weight. treatment by the Lakers training and medical staff, is making wrote on twitter after fears over her father’s In 2007 he checked himself into a clinic in progress on his recovery and will be re-evaluated in a week, health spread. “He is going home soon.” Buenos Aires to help him overcome alcohol making his availability for next Wednesday’s home game against The 58-year-old was having a routine abuse problems. Detroit unlikely. His next evaluation would come next Friday, the medical in his homeland before returning In recent months he has walked with the same day the Lakers visit Utah. Two days later, the Lakers will to Mexico, where he is coach of second divi- aid of crutches due to problems with his knees. entertain James’s former club, the Cleveland Cavaliers. sion side Dorados de Sinaloa, when doctors The unexpected news of his admittance James, a three-time NBA champion who has played in the past discovered the problem. to hospital on Friday came just hours after eight NBA Finals, left Cleveland in July to sign with the Lakers. However, a source close to the family told Maradona’s lawyer confirmed he would coach James ranks fifth in the NBA in scoring with 27.3 points a Reuters the problem was not serious and in Mexico for a second consecutive season. game and is also averaging 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists a game. that the former Boca Juniors, Napoli and Maradona took over at struggling Do- At 21-17, the Lakers hold the eighth and final playoff position Barcelona midfielder, who famously led his rados de Sinaloa in September and got in the Western Conference. country to the 1986 World Cup title, was not them into the playoffs where they lost to (Source: AFP) in any danger. Atletico San Luis. Another source said Maradona, who left “Diego Maradona has arranged to continue the hospital without talking to the media, with the Dorados de Sinaloa and will stay as may have to undergo more tests. coach of the team for the whole season,” his Friday’s scare was the latest for Maradona, agent Matias Morla wrote on twitter. Djokovic beaten by Bautista who has suffered frequent periods in hospital The club said his assistant Jose Maria over the years, often due to the extravagant 20th century. an executive box at the Argentina-Nigeria Martinez would lead the team until Mara- Agut in Doha semi-final lifestyle that helped make him one of the He last fell ill at the 2018 World Cup in game. Argentina won 2-1 to reach the last 16, dona returned. most admired and iconic footballers of the Russia, where he was filmed passing out in where they were knocked out of the tourna- (Source: Eurosport) Novak Djokovic suffered his first defeat of the new season in the Qatar Open semi-finals on Friday, losing in three sets to Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. World number one Djokovic, who was pushed to Llorente hat-trick helps Spurs crush Bale injury shown to be minor, say the limit in his last two matches in Doha by Marton Fucsovics and Nikoloz Basilashvili, failed to find a way past a determined Bautista Tranmere 7-0 in Cup Real Madrid Agut who won 3-6 7-6(6) 6-4 in two hours and 35 minutes. The 30-year-old Spaniard will face Tomas Berdych in the title clash after the Czech beat fourth-seeded Italian Marco Cecchinato 7-6(6) 6-3 in the other semi-final. “I will remember this match all my life,” said world number 24 Bautista Agut, whose victory over Djokovic slightly improved his win-loss record against the Serb to 2-7. “It was an unbelievable atmosphere. I work every day to play this tennis. I know it’s difficult to play at this level. That’s why Novak is number one in the world. But I cannot be more happy than I am now.” Defeat meant Djokovic, who won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year in a spectacular return to form after elbow surgery, missed the chance to reach his sixth straight final. The Serb cruised through the opening set before Bautista Agut dragged the contest into a decider by edging the tiebreak in the second set. With the momentum swinging his way, Bautista Agut secured an early break in the final set before closing out the match. “I wanted to give everything I had and fight until the last point,” added Bautista Agut, who will look to win his ninth ATP title in Tottenham Hotspur’s Fernando Llorente bringing Harry Kane off the bench. Real Madrid were handed a boost on Satur- against Villarreal. Saturday’s final. “Finally I could turn the second set. Novak was got a hat-trick as they chalked up their The England captain added the London day when tests on Gareth Bale’s calf injury Speaking ahead of the match on Sunday, up and it was tough. He was solid and I had to play good tennis. record competitive away win with the 7-0 club’s record-breaking seventh by cleverly revealed only a grade-one tear. Solari seemed positive about the prospect I had to play a lot of lines and serve well.” thrashing of fourth-tier Tranmere Rovers flicking the ball over goalkeeper Scott Davies Bale was forced off at half-time against of Isco coming in. (Source: Reuters) in the opening game of the FA Cup third after a defence-splitting pass from Dele Alli. Villarreal on Wednesday as Madrid were “Isco is so good he can play wherever, round at Prenton Park on Friday. While the introduction of Kane could held to a 2-2 draw. in any position on the pitch,” Solari said. Defender Serge Aurier broke the dead- be seen as an unnecessary step, Pochet- But the club have confirmed the prob- “Sometimes it’s not all about speed. lock with a deflected shot from the edge of tino suggested he did so to be fair to the lem is minor.Grade-one tears are the least You can be effective with your creativity, the area five minutes before the break to Tranmere supporters who had turned out severe of the three classifications. imagination and technical ability. Every Rummenigge defends breach a Tranmere side who had competed on a cold night. A statement read: “After tests carried player has different characteristics.” well in the first half before the floodgates “It was the plan to give Harry Kane 15-20 out today on our player Gareth Bale by The draw against Villarreal leaves Bayern’s Qatar training camp opened after the break. minutes to play, he always wants to play. the medial services of Real Madrid, he has Madrid fourth in the table, seven points Spanish striker Llorente, restricted to It is important too for the fans here and been diagnosed with a grade-one injury adrift of leaders Barcelona. Madrid have a place on the bench for much of the sea- the opponents to enjoy Harry Kane, he’s in the left calf.” 30 points, which is the club’s lowest total son, got his first goal of the night when he an icon in England and not everyone can Bale will miss the La Liga game against after 17 games in 13 years. At one stage this slotted home from close range after fellow have the opportunity to see him,” he said. Real Sociedad on Sunday and is unlikely season they were as low as ninth. forward Son Heung-min burst down the “It was important to show some respect to be risked against Leganes in the first Solari, however, insisted “you cannot right and delivered a perfect low cross. to the people who are here, it was very nice leg of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. underestimate draws”, and added: “The Right back Aurier then added his second for everyone.” Madrid will hope to have him back later important thing is to keep climbing the goal, driving the ball home after excellent Tranmere manager Micky Mellon ac- this month, however, with league games table. To get from ninth to fourth has been creative work from Son. knowledged his team, who won promotion against Real Betis, Sevilla and Espanyol difficult and we want to keep going. La South Korean Son himself made it 4-0 to League Two from the fifth-tier National to come. Liga is long and in times of adversity, you with a solo run from inside his own half, League last term, were outclassed by a side “We think the injury is not too serious,” see character.” without a challenge from Tranmere’s de- who are third in the top flight. Solari said at a press conference earlier on Marcelo has been among those criticised, fenders, which ended with a clinical finish. “You have to say that Spurs are fantastic Saturday. “He will go through tests today with the defender at fault for Villarreal’s Tottenham’s promising 18-year-old haven’t you? We will be disappointed with and we all hope he is back with us quickly.” opening goal in midweek. He has returned midfielder Oliver Skipp then delivered a certain moments and a lot of the goals. Expectations were high for Bale this after suffering a hamstring injury in October. wonderful through ball for Llorente who But listen that’s what happens when you season following the departure of Cristiano “Marcelo has had a very difficult injury Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge de- slipped the ball home to make it five in make mistakes. You get punished. We got Ronaldo last summer, but the Welshman’s and it has not been easy for him,” Solari said. fended his club’s ties with Qatar on Friday as the squad headed the 71st minute. punished very, very heavily. rhythm has been disrupted by fitness issues. “He is getting his rhythm back and he for a training camp in the Gulf state for the ninth year in a row. A minute later the former Athletic Bilbao “They are a fantastic football team with He has made 22 appearances for Real is a fundamental player for the team and Bayern faced protests from their own fans at a home match striker completed his hat-trick, poking home outrageously good players. Sometimes you but played 90 minutes only five times. the club. Over a season you can have good last year when supporters displayed banners which read “money a low cross from Lucas Moura, and within have to put your hands up and say they Bale’s absence could mean a reprieve for and bad games, but we must look after (over) human rights”, “capital (over) morals” and “open your minutes Mauricio Pochettino had taken were brilliant,” he said. Isco. He has been out of favour since Solari Marcelo.” eyes when it comes to sponsor choice.” him off, adding to Tranmere’s troubles by (Source: Reuters) took charge but replaced the Welshman (Source: France 24) Qatar, which will host the 2022 World Cup, has faced several allegations of migrant worker abuse from human rights organi- sations including Amnesty International. In particular, it has been criticised for the work-sponsorship system known as ‘Kefala’ which requires all foreign workers to Federer wins record third Hopman in dramatic fashion obtain their employer’s consent to travel abroad. Roger Federer has become the most successful player in forehand volley. In September, Qatar said it would end the exit permit system Hopman Cup history after leading Switzerland to a 2-1 win He was pleased to maintain his unbeaten singles record in move described as a “significant step” by the International in an enthralling final of the mixed teams tournament in during the week, during which he never dropped his serve. Labour Organisation. Perth Saturday. “I am happy I was able to maintain the good, high quality Rummenigge said Bayern were one of many German com- In what is tipped to be the final edition of the unique tennis I showed all week,” he said. panies involved in business with Qatar, which he said had been tournament, the best was saved for last as Federer became “It is good to finish on a singles performance like this, I responsive to criticism. the first player to win three Hopman Cups, teaming with was able to come up with some good serve and volley and “Like other football clubs and sports associations, we are also Belinda Bencic for the duo’s second consecutive title. it all worked out today.” engaged in a dialogue in the Gulf region,” he said in an interview For the second year in a row, the Swiss beat the German World number two Kerber appeared set for an easy win with the Munich-based daily Abendzeitung. pairing of Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber by claim- in her singles match against Bencic, taking the first set and Rummenigge said Bayern had regular exchanges with their ing a deciding mixed doubles rubber loaded with drama. then claiming an early break in the second. partners in Qatar “including the issue of human rights and the It was Switzerland’s fourth title overall, behind only the The German served at 5-4, but the match took a sudden rights of workers.” United States with six. Federer first won the Hopman Cup twist as Bencic broke back, only for Kerber to immediately He added: “International trade unions and NGOs have agreed back in 2001 when he teamed with Martina Hingis. break again. that Qatar has responded to public criticism and made changes, The 37-year-old gave the Swiss the early ascendancy with For a second time Kerber was unable to serve out the including the positive development of the legal status of migrant a straight sets win against Zverev, before Kerber squared vember loss to Zverev in London to beat the big-serving match, as Bencic forced it to a tie-break. workers and improvements in Qatar’s labour rights.” the tie by beating a dogged Belinda Bencic to set up the German 6-4, 6-2 and make it a clean sweep of his singles Kerber had two match points at 6-4, but Bencic again Bayern first held their training camp in Qatar in 2011, saying mixed doubles decider. matches in Perth for the second year running, less than two hung on grimly and won the next two points. at the time it had perfect conditions for a winter break. Federer was a dominant figure in an extraordinary doubles weeks before he defends his Australian Open title. It wasn’t until Kerber’s third chance that a backhand The club subsequently strengthened its ties by signing a match as the Swiss claimed the abbreviated format 4-0, 1-4, It was a high-octane match, with plenty of big serves and winner secured the 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) win. sponsorship deal with Doha airport and in July last year Qatar 4-3 (5/4) to clinch the title. clean winners, but Federer was able to answer everything Critical was Kerber’s ability to convert all four of her break Airways became one of its partners. Fittingly, it was Federer who served out the match in the 21-year-old threw at him. points during the match, while Bencic was only successful Bayern are Germany’s most successful soccer club and have the third set tie-break, having been unable to do so earlier He broke Zverev in the 10th game of the first set and on two of seven. won the Bundesliga for the last six seasons, although they went in the set, when after an extended rally Zverev dumped a then tightened the noose on the German, with two more Kerber praised Bencic’s tenacity, saying she was always into the winter break in second place, trailing six points behind backhand into the net to hand the Swiss victory. breaks in the second set. a determined opponent. leaders Borussia Dortmund. High-octane Federer, who also beat Zverev in three sets in last year’s “She was fighting until the last one (point),” she said. (Soruce: Mirror) In the men’s singles, Federer bounced back from a No- Hopman final, clinched the match with a typically crisp (Source: AFP) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JANUARY 6, 2019 SPORTS 15 Team Melli partake at Asian Asian Cup: Japanese referee Sato chosen to office Cup with boosted confidence Iran’s opener SPORTS TEHRAN — Japanese international referee SPORTS TEHRAN — Iran’s competition,” Ebrahimi pointed out. deskRyuji Sato has been chosen to officiate Iran’s desknational soccer team “I think Australia and Japan are the opening match in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. will attend the 2019 AFC competitions most powerful teams in this edition. with high confidence following a good Both teams have the capability of performance at 2018 World Cup in Rus- winning the title,” Qatar’s Al Ahli mid- sia, Iran’s defensive midfielder Omid fielder added. Ebrahimi said on Saturday. Iran were knocked out of the 2015 Ebrahimi, 31, stole the show in the AFC Asian Cup in the penalty shootout 2018 World Cup in Russia where Iran against Iraq and Ebrahimi says it’s time narrowly missed the chance to reach the to get revenge on them. knockout phase. “I have not forgotten the defeat and I Iran defeated Morocco 1-0, lost to will do my best in our match against Iraq Spain 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Portugal to take revenge on them,” Ebrahimi added. in Russia. Iran had a training camp in Doha for Now, the 2018 World Cup has boosted two weeks since Dec. 17. their confidence for the 2019 AFC Asian Iran have been drawn along with Iraq, Cup, Ebrahimi said. Yemen and Vietnam in Group D of the Team Melli will meet Yemen in Group D of the competition “We have a difficult task ahead be- 2019 AFC Asian Cup. on Monday at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. cause the Asian Cup has brought so many The competition will be held in the Sato has refereed many matches in the AFC Champions League strong teams together. However, we can United Arab Emirates from January 5 and FIFA World Cup qualifiers at the international level. He is emerge victorious from our matches if to February 1. Iran will start the cam- also a referee in J. League Division 1 in Japan. we play as we did in the World Cup. I paign with a match against Yemen on The 2019 AFC Asian Cup will be held in the UAE from Jan. hope we make our people proud in the January 7. 5 to Feb. 1.

Martin Forkel named Esteghlal assistant Mario Budimir close to joining Persepolis Nenad Trunic parts company with Iran basketball

SPORTS TEHRAN — The Islamic Republic of Iran deskBasketball Federation (IRIBF) parted company with Serbian coach Nenad Trunic by mutual consent. Trunic signed a two years contract with Iran in April 2017 as technical director, coordinator of coaching staff and manager of training technology for youth program in the Iranian Basketball Federation (all teams below the senior team). The Iranian federation decided to terminate the contract of the coach three months before whose contract runs out. The Serbian was a member of Iran staff where the Asian team finished in 15th place out of 16 teams at the 2017 FIBA U19 Bas- ketball World Cup in Egypt.

Iran, Japan, S. Korea SPORTS TEHRAN — Iranian Farhad Majidi as another team’s assis- SPORTS TEHRAN — Iranian his contract with Persepolis in the next favorites to win deskfootball club Esteghlal tant. Majidi was playing under coaching deskfootball club Persepo- few days. confirmed the signing of German coach of Schaefer in Al Ahli of the UAE in 2007. lis have reportedly reached an agreement Persepolis served transfer ban in the Asian Cup title: AS Martin Forkel as the club’s assistant coach. Majidi played in the Iranian popular with Croat striker Mario Budimir. last two windows and now are allowed to Forkel, 39, will join Esteghlal in Doha’s team for several years and hung up his Budimir, 32, will replace Godwin Men- sign new player. Iran, Japan and South Korea football teams are favorites to win training camp. shoes in 2013. sha, who has been deemed as surplus to The Iranian giants, who finished the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Esteghlal coach Winfried Schaefer trav- “I selected Farhad, a man I know for a requirements in January. runners-up in the 2018 AFC Champi- The Asian Cup will kick off on Saturday and will run until eled to Germany in the Iran Professional long time. We won a title in the UAE and The Nigerian forward has netted just ons League, are going to strengthen for February 1 in the UAE. League winter break and negotiated with I believe we’ll work successful in Esteg- two goals in the current season and has new season. Iran, Japan and South Korea are the favorites for the title in his countryman in his hometown. hlal too. The president and I are still try reached 1,000 minutes without scoring Persepolis are pitted against Qatar’s Al the competition which will be held with 24 teams for the first time. Forkel, most recently, has coached Vi- to attract new players. I hope soon I’ll be for Persepolis. Sadd and Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia in Group The winner will qualify for the Confederations Cup of Qatar in etnamese football club Ho Chi Minh City. able to share more positive news,” Schaefer Budimir, who most recently played at D, while they want to win Iran Professional 2021. The Asian Cup is the second oldest continental competition Furthermore, Esteghlal has named posted on his Instagram account. Dinamo Zagreb, will reportedly finalize League for the third successive year. in the world of football, after the Copa America that started for the first time in 1916. The first Asian competition was organized in 1956 in Hong Preview - Group B: Australia v Jordan Kong and was won by South Korea. Australia coach Graham Arnold has consigned his na- “Australia is very good, the country and the coach have Australia are the current champions and won their only trophy tion’s AFC Asian Cup victory four years ago to the history made good performances and also they were at the World in 2015, after beating South Korea in the final. books as he prepares to lead the defending champions Cup and the experience they have at the Asian Cup is Japan are the country with the most titles, with four, followed into their first game of the 2019 edition against Jordan amazing,” he said. by Saudi Arabia and Iran, which have three each. in Al Ain on Sunday. “For us, we are preparing for every game, not only (Source: As.com) The Socceroos claimed their first-ever AFC Asian Cup Australia is very important. There are good games also title on home soil in 2015 but, with a rejuvenated squad against Syria and Palestine. There are three teams in this and a new man at the helm, Arnold was quick to stress one group from Arab countries, so this is a special group. he and his players are focused only on what lies ahead. “This tournament is so special, for every team and Siamand Rahman a “That was four years ago, it was in our own nation and every country the start is always dangerous and every powerlifter to watch it’s a great memory for the Australian public, but in four team is scared to lose.” years many things change in and around the team and The Jordanians come into the tournament off the back at world c’ships also in people’s personal lives,” said Arnold, who took of just one win in their last five friendly games, with their over as Australia coach following the 2018 FIFA World three matches in Qatar during their pre-AFC Asian Cup Cup Russia. our belief behind him, and he has a strong will to be with training camp yielding only one goal. Siamand Rahman from Iran is a powerlifter to watch at the “It’s a great memory, but we’re totally focused on what’s us. He’s worked hard since he came into camp and at this That came in a 1-1 draw with China after Borkelmans’ World Para Powerlifting World Championships, Paralympic. in front of us. We can’t do anything about the past and minute he’s only out for the first game and we’ll reassess team had already lost to both Kyrgyz Republic and Qatar, org reported. what’s in front of us is the Asian Cup. For the players and for the second game.” leaving the Belgian hoping his players’ fortunes in front of The competitions will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan from myself it’s time to get the show started. Everyone’s been The Australians take on a Jordan side that has changed goal take a turn for the better after seeing his side create June 29 to July 6. talking about it for a long time and we’ve prepared for it significantly since the two countries faced off in the second goal scoring opportunities. Since lifting a world record of 310kg in the men’s over 107kg and we’re ready.” round of qualifying, when Jordan won the first meeting 2-0 “My team is ready physically and mentally and tomor- at Rio 2016, everyone has been waiting for the world’s strongest Arnold confirmed Mathew Leckie will not be fit enough in Amman before the Socceroos cruised to a 5-1 success row they will hopefully make a good game like they did in Paralympian to take it even further. to feature against the Jordanians in the Group B meeting in the return in Sydney. Qatar and make a lot of chances as we did against China, But Rahman is hoping to target another attack on the world after sustaining a hamstring injury in the build-up to the New coach Vital Borkelmans has been in charge since Kyrgyzstan and Qatar,” he said. record at either a World Championships or Paralympic Games. tournament, but he remains hopeful the Hertha Berlin October last year and the Belgian is focusing on trying to “They made a lot of chances and it’s very important The Iranian easily won the Asia-Oceania Open Championships winger will return soon. emulate the country’s previous best performances at the they make a lot of chances and one day it will change, and and Asian Para Games in 2018 but decided to leave the world “He’s coming along really well,” said the coach. “Ob- AFC Asian Cup, with Jordan reaching the quarter-finals maybe that will be tomorrow.” record lift for another time – could 2019 be his chance? viously it’s one game at a time and we’ve really thrown in 2004 and 2011. (Source: the-afc) Rahman will have a busy year and will be looking to claim the world title and set new world records. Iran completely focused on Yemen match: Carlos Queiroz (Source: Paralympic.org) TEHRAN — Iran national football team is what you’re able to do on the day, on we take off on Monday. portant to have a good start, but moreover, coach Carlos Queiroz says Team Melli the pitch,” said Queiroz. “The team is completely focusing on this is not about how we start. It’s about Former AC Milan midfielder are completely focusing on the first game The Iranian side has been together the first game against Yemen. Right now, how we finish. But every big achievement against Yemen. for over three weeks now with a camp in that’s all that matters for us. We respect starts with a small step and that we need Constant joins Iran’s Tractor Sazi Iran will face Yemen on Monday in Qatar before they headed for the UAE last them, and we know that even they come to be consistent going forward too. Abu Dhabi in Group D. week. And Queiroz sounded confident with an ambition to qualify. We want to “We must be ready, in our journey, “I know we are in a good position when of his side’s chances here. have a good start to the competition,” to face some wonderful moments and Former AC Milan midfielder, Kevin Constant, signed with Tractor we talk about the (FIFA) rankings. But tell “We are in the final phase of our prepa- Queiroz said. also moments that won’t be that easy. Sazi soccer club on Friday to play in Iran’s Super League. me one thing, how many teams from the rations. We are in the taxiway and moving “It’s been a long journey for us. And We need to be mentally tough here,” the Constant, 31, joined the Tabriz-based club on a three-and- top five, as per the rankings, reached the toward the runway. We want to ensure inshallah, we will play as many games as Portuguese Tactician added. half year contract. World Cup final in Russia? What counts that everything is fresh and ready when possible here at the Asian Cup. But it’s im- (Source: Sportskeeda) According to the reports, he moved to the Iranian club for five million euros (5.7 million U.S. dollars) cash. The French-Guinea national will play as a defense midfielder in Tractor Sazi of Tabriz. Tractor Sazi eye Sardar Azmoun: report Constant began representing the French U-17 squad in 2004, and in 2006, he was promoted to Toulouse’s first-team squad. TASNIM — Iran and Rubin Kazan striker Sardar Following poor performance in the World Cup in In September 2010, he was signed by Italian club Chievo on Azmoun has reportedly reached an agreement with Russia, Azmoun announced his retirement from the a loan deal, ultimately made permanent in June 2011 Tractor Sazi football club. international football but returned to Team Melli On 20 June 2012, Constant moved to AC Milan on a loan deal, The Tabriz-based football team, who are going to soon after. which carried an option to buy. win first ever title in Iran Professional League, have Now, the Iranian media reports suggest that the In 2014, he joined Turkey’s Trabzonspor, and two years later reportedly reached an agreement with the striker. 24-year-old forward has reached a final agreement he returned to Italy to play for Bologna. Azmoun had been reportedly linked with a with Iranian club Tractor Sazi. Currently, Tractor Sazi sits at the fourth place in the standings move to Liverpool and Celtic before the 2018 Azmoun is a member of Iran national football team of Iran’s Super League. World Cup. in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. (Source: Xinhua) Prayer Times Noon:12:10 Evening: 17:26 Dawn: 5:45 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 7:15 (tomorrow) JANUARY 6, 2019 ART&CULTURE I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y www.tehrantimes.com Managing Director: Ali Asgari Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Ghaderi “Sea Closed” documents Chinese Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051450 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 plunder of Persian Gulf marine life Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 www.eshterak.ir Distributor: Padideh Novin Co. Tel: 88911433 ARTTEHRAN — Iranian Webmaster: [email protected] deskyoung filmmaker Printed at: Rooztab - ISSN: 1017-94 Mahmud Shahbazi has recently completed a No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran documentary named “The Sea Closed” that P.o. Box: 14155-4843 traces the plunder of seafood resources in Zip Code: 1599814713 the Persian Gulf by Chinese vessels over the past few years. Adel Qasemi also worked with him as an assistant director. Qasemi who is also a freelance journalist made a trip to the southern Iranian port of Jask in 2017 to pursue the subject of stealth fishing by Chinese ships. Due to fear for their security, local GUIDE TO fishermen refused to give any information SPIRITUAL AWAKENING to Qasemi or help him. Therefore, he rented an unlicensed boat to get close to the Chinese A believer divides his day and night into three ships in the sea. “I found 12 fishing ships whose employees parts: he spends some of it in communion with didn’t allow me to enter,” Qasemi said in a God; another part in repairing his life and needs; press conference organized after the premiere and the third part in providing his body and soul of his documentary during the Ammar Popular with legitimate and admirable joys. Film Festival at Tehran’s Felestin Cinema Imam Ali (AS) on Friday. “However, I disguised myself as a businessman to enter one of the ships. I saw a variety of fish caught and stored in the ship, so I promised myself to pursue the “Who Is Not Afraid of the issue because 90 percent of people in Jask earn a living as fishermen,” he noted. Lunatics?” published in English Qasemi teamed up with Shahbazi who had previously made “Suffocation” about Iranian filmmaker Mahmud Shahbazi (R) and his assistant Adel Qasemi (L) attend a press conference on their documentary “The CULTURE TEHRAN – Persian writer Mehdi Rezai’s Sea Closed” during the Ammar Popular Film Festival at Tehran’s Felestin Cinema on January 3, 2019. desk embezzlement in the sale of the Almahdi novel “Who Is Not Afraid of the Lunatics?” Aluminum Company in Bandar Abbas to of the National Security Council made a trip working for a group of corrupt Iranian the sea, because catching only the several has been published in English. the private sector. to Bandar Abbas to hold a meeting with local politicians,” Shahbazi said. species of Myctophidae is not economical Supreme Century, a major “The Sea Closed” was finally completed and fishermen. The ships are only allowed to catch for them.” international publisher, released scenes of the documentary were published “Afterwards, 91 ships were detained. Of several species of the large family of The 9th Ammar Popular Film Festival is the book translated by Ebrahim on the Internet. As a result, the issue came course, the Chinese nationality of the ships Myctophidae, he said and added, “However, currently underway in Tehran and several Daryai-Motlaq on January 1. under the spotlight and Saeid Jalili, a member was a type of cover and they were originally they sweep up all marine creatures from other cities, and will run until January 10. The Persian version of the book was published by the Chuk Cultural Center in 2015. It is about a young literature Palestinian author Ghassan Kanafani to be remembered in Tehran teacher who’s very sensitive to CULTURE TEHRAN – A number of Iranian and and Bokhara magazine, the meeting will also unveil three what happens around him and deskArab literati will come together today in books from Arabic literature. The books are “Arab World’s suffering from those who are a meeting at the Ferdowsi Hall of the House of Humanities Poetry”, “The Olive Tree” and “The Tales”, all published by indifferent to realities. People Intellectuals in Tehran to pay tribute to Palestinian author Ruzbahan Publications in Tehran. call him a lunatic due to his Ghassan Kanafani. “Arab World’s Poetry” is an anthology of poems by Arab sensitivity. He lives with his Kanafani was a modernist political writer and a leading poets, including Mahmoud Darwish, Kahlil Gibran, Adunis wife, who works for a yellow member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Pales- and Nizar Qabbani. The collection has been compiled and newspaper. She reads him let- tine. He was killed by Mossad in a car bomb explosion in translated into Persian by Firuz Shirvanlu. Front cover of the English version ters by readers of the magazine Beirut in 1972. “The Olive Tree” is a collection of works by Samih al-Qasim, of Persian writer Mehdi Rezai’s about their misfortunes, and Palestinian Ambassador Salah al-Zawawi, Arab schol- Fadwa Tuqan, Tawfiq Ziad, Salem Jubran and several other novel “Who Is Not Afraid of the they always argue about these ars Wasini Al Araj and Zaynab al-Awaj and Iranian literati Palestinian poets, which has been compiled by Kanafani. Lunatics?”. letters together. Gholamreza Emami, Mohammad Jahir, Musa Bidaj, Shokuh The book is rendered into Persian by Sirus Tahbaz and Sadat Hosseini and Tehran City Council member Ahmad Gholamreza Emami. Masjed-Jamei are scheduled to speak at the meeting entitled A new edition of the Persian translation of Kanafani’s NEWS IN BRIEF “A Night with Ghassan Kanafani”. short stories “The Tales” by Gholamreza Emami will also Book City to Organized by the House of Humanities Intellectuals A poster for “A Night with Ghassan Kanafani”. be introduced at the meeting. showcase offerings from foreign publishers Tehran theaters set for “The Two

CULTURE TEHRAN – The Book City Institute plans deskto organize an exhibition of foreign books Executioners”, “Waiting for Godot” at its central shop in Tehran. ARTTEHRAN – The Neauphle-le-Château Mohammadreza Farabi, Omid Qanbari, Alieh Sharifi Latest offerings from foreign publishing houses will be put deskTheater in Tehran is hosting Spanish and Mohammad Hossein Khademi are the main members on display at the exhibit, which will open on January 9, the playwright Fernando Arrabal’s play “The Two Executioners” of the cast for the play, which will be on stage until institute has announced. as Irish writer Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” will January 20. The book fair has been organized to celebrate the New Year. go on stage at the Qashqai Hall of Tehran’s City Theater “Waiting for Godot” will be staged by director Hessam Complex on Tuesday. Lak. Mahmud Yusefi is the director of “The Two Vahid Ajorlu, Saeid Ahmadi, Meisam Damanzeh, Zaya Executioners”, which is about Francoise, who reports David and Shahu Rostami will star in the play, which Beyonce and Jay-Z help her husband to the authorities for an unnamed crime. will be on stage until February 7. This combination photo shows posters for “Waiting for Paris Louvre to record As he is tortured upstairs, Francoise and her two sons The play is about Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot” (L) by Iranian director Hessam Lak and “The Two number of visitors argue over their guilt and betrayal. the arrival of someone named Godot who never arrives. Executioners” by Mahmud Yusefi.

PARIS (Reuters) — A music video by Beyonce and Jay-Z set in the Louvre helped boost visitor numbers to a record 10.2 million last year, “Black Panther” and “Dunkirk” actors among BAFTA Rising Star nominees the most for any museum in history, the Louvre said on Thursday. LONDON (Reuters) — “Black Panther” The annual prize, the sole award voted nominee Tom Hardy. and screen actress Jessie Buckley. A rebound in tourist numbers to Paris, following a drop after Is- actress Letitia Wright and “Dunkirk” actor for by the public at the glitzy BAFTAs cere- Alongside Wright and Keoghan, this The full list of nominees for this year’s lamist militants killed 130 people in the French capital in November Barry Keoghan are among the five nomi- mony in London, recognizes “outstanding year’s list of nominees also features Tony BAFTAs will be announced next week. The 2015, also helped the museum achieve a 25 percent increase in visitors nees for the 2019 EE Rising Star Award, the achievement by upcoming actors”. Past win- and Grammy Award winner, “Widows” film awards, hosted by “Absolutely Fabulous” on the previous year. British Academy of Film and Television Arts ners include “Get Out” star Daniel Kaluuya, actress Cynthia Erivo, “Get Out” and “War actress Joanna Lumley, will be held on Feb. The Louvre said it was happy (BAFTA) said on Thursday. “Star Wars” actor John Boyega and Oscar Machine” actor Lakeith Stanfield and stage 10 at London’s Royal Albert Hall. at the response to the video by Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z for the song “APES**T” in which Hollywood ready to party in (possibly) Trump-free Golden Globes they perform in front of the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and oth- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — The Golden romp “The Favourite,” romantic comedy er famous artworks. It has been Globes kick off the showbusiness awards season “Crazy Rich Asians,” 1960s road trip “Green viewed nearly 150 million times on Sunday with Hollywood apparently in the Book” and “Mary Poppins Returns” all vying on YouTube. mood for a party, and with plenty to celebrate. for honors. “It is good to see that these After a record $41.7 billion global movie “‘Vice’ director Adam McKay really takes American artists, creators of to- box-office in 2018, crowd-pleasers like “A chances with that movie. Sometimes he goes day, are interested in a museum Star is Born,” “Black Panther,” “Bohemian too far, and some people love it and some of archaeology and ancient art,” Rhapsody” and “Mary Poppins Returns” are people are having a hard time with it,” said Louvre Director Jean-Luc Martinez competing for Golden Globe honors. Gray. told Reuters. This year, the boozy, informal dinner in Pop star Gaga and actor-director Cooper The Louvre’s previous record Beverly Hills, organized by the Hollywood are seen taking home statuettes for “A Star is was 9.7 million visitors, in 2012, Foreign Press Association, is expected to leave Born,” with Gaga’s version of “Shallow” widely Visitors take pictures of the when the museum inaugurated its politics behind. viewed as a shoo-in for best original song. painting “Mona Lisa” (La Joconde) Islamic Art section and held exhi- Golden Globe hosts Andy Samberg and Despite being musicals, both “A Star is by Leonardo Da Vinci at the bitions on Leonardo da Vinci and “Killing Eve” nominated actress Sandra Oh Born” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” starring Louvre Museum in Paris, France, Raphael. say they are aiming for a fun evening. Rami Malek as the late Queen frontman December 3, 2018. (Reuters/ Three-quarters of the visitors are “Everyone is depressed and maybe that’s as Freddie Mercury, will compete in the more Charles Platiau/File Photo) foreigners, with about 1.5 million good a reason as any that everyone could use prestigious best movie drama category. They American and 1 million Chinese tourists. a little time to laugh and celebrate,” Samberg Actor Bradley Cooper accepts the 32nd American Cinematheque Award during a ceremony will face off against three films focusing on Indicating that the sometimes violent “yellow vest” protests in the told the Hollywood Reporter. to honor him in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., Nov. 29, 2018. (Reuters/Danny Moloshok) racial issues - superhero movie “Black Panther,” final weeks of last year had not damaged tourism, the French Center Oh said she is “not interested at all” in “After Trump’s election and #MeToo, veteran Dick Van Dyke will be among dozens “BlacKkKlansman” and “If Beale Street Could for National Monuments also reported record 2018 numbers, with talking about U.S. President Donald Trump, people felt like they had to speak up,” said Tim of famous faces turning out on Sunday. Talk.” 10.2 million visitors, up 8 percent, to the 100 sites it manages. The who has been a focus of attacks at award shows Gray, awards editor at Hollywood publication Scathing comedy “Vice,” about former U.S. Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron’s lovingly previous record was in 2014. since his 2016 election campaign. Variety. Vice President Dick Cheney, has a leading six shot “Roma” is expected to win the Golden The Arc de Triomphe, despite being closed for two weeks last month Last year’s Golden Globes were marked by “This year it’s, ‘let’s celebrate the work’. nominations, including for actors Christian Globe for best foreign language film. after being defaced by yellow vest protests against government reforms, celebrities turning out en masse in black in They are looking forward to the fun of the Bale, Sam Rockwell and Amy Adams. The Golden Globes ceremony will be was France’s most popular monument in 2018, with 1.7 million visitors, solidarity with the #MeToo sexual harassment Globes,” Gray added. But competition is strong for the best televised live on NBC on Sunday, starting at followed by the Mont-Saint-Michel island in Normandy, with 1.4 million. scandal that was roiling Hollywood. Lady Gaga, Idris Elba, Bradley Cooper and comedy or musical statuette, with historical 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.