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16 Pages Price 10,000 Rials 39th year No.13148 Tuesday JULY 3, 2018 Tir 12, 1397 Shawwal 19, 1439 Foreign hands might be Iran exports over 2.61m bpd Carlos Queiroz on Surgeon pleads guilty behind low precipitation of oil, gas condensate Egypt’s radar: Report to minor charge for in Iran 2 in June 4 15 Kiarostami death 16

Halting Iranian oil export is an illusion: Jahangiri POLITICS TEHRAN — First resistance economy headquarters. Khuzestan water crisis desk Vice President Es’haq Iran will use various methods to pre- Jahangiri said on Monday that Iran is able vent a possible reduction in its oil exports to counter the looming U.S. sanctions, after re-imposition of the U.S. sanctions. noting that those at the White House who “Continuation of exporting oil is symbol think they can halt Iran’s oil export are of victory against the U.S. sanctions and I living in “illusion”. Iran will apply vari- hope we would witness this great victory said to be settled by July 6 ous methods to thwart the U.S. sanctions, through planning by the Oil Ministry,” the Jahangiri said during a meeting of the vice president explained. 2 See page 2 Iran names ten new ambassadors POLITICS TEHRAN – The Irani- 4- Mohammad-Reza Haji-Karim Jab- deskan Foreign Ministry on bari, ambassador to Bern, Switzerland. Sunday released the names of new repre- 5- Abdol-Nasser Hemmati, ambassador sentatives and ambassadors appointed to to Beijing, China. ten countries and international bodies. 6- Massoud Edrisi Kermanshahi, am- The list is as follows: bassador to Warsaw, Poland. 1- Esmail Baqaei Hamaneh, ambassador 7- Fereydoun Haqbin, ambassador to to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Canberra, Australia. Switzerland. 8- Morteza Rahmani-Movahed, am- 2- Kazem Gharib-Abadi, ambassador to bassador to Tokyo, Japan. the offices of United Nations and other In- 9. Seyyed Taha Hashemi, ambassador ternational Organizations in Vienna, Austria. to Vatican City, Vatican. 3- Mohammad-Jalal Firouznia, am- 10. Kazem Shafei, ambassador to Lju- bassador to Beirut, Lebanon. bljana, Albania.

British jets bombed Syrian forces in Tanf: Sunday Times By staff & agencies near the al-Tanf base where British and A British warplane directly attacked Syrian the United States Special Forces train forces near the border with Iraq and Jordan militants, it said. last month, killing an army officer and The bombing is the first since injuring seven others, the Sunday Times the British military took part in a

Mohammadreza Khabazan daily has reported. series of airstrikes in Syria in April A Typhoon fighter jet dropped a following an alleged chemical attack 500-pound (226-kilo) bomb on Syrian which the U.S. and its allies blamed IRNA/ forces who were fighting Takfiri terrorists on Damascus. 13 ARTICLE I don’t think Iranian officials will succumb to coercion of U.S.: Phillips ARTICLE Hamid Bayati fulfill Iranian goals. What is your opinion? Syed Zafar Mehdi Tehran Times journalist EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Journalist By Javad Heirannia Through secondary sanctions, the US can act unilaterally to punish foreign corporations doing from New Delhi TEHRAN — David L. Phillips, Director of the business with Iran, especially foreign banks. Program on Peace-building and Rights at Co- U.S. announced that the other countries Obama’s uprising to lumbia University’s Institute for the Study of should cut importing oil from Iran until Novem- Understanding Human Rights, believes that “Through secondary ber. If Iran could not export its oil do you think scramble Trump sanctions, the U.S. can act unilaterally to punish will stay in the agreement? Iran’s traditional foreign corporations doing business with Iran, Each country will act according to its national arack Obama ended his presidency especially foreign banks.” interests. Some countries, like Turkey, are de- position on Kashmir with pride and successes such as Phillips, who is also a former senior adviser to pendent on energy exports from Iran. Turkey Breaching an agreement with Iran the U.S. State Department and deputy director of has been violating US sanctions on Iran for years lmost two months ago, the Supreme over the nuclear deal, also known as the the Council on Foreign Relations, believes that as evidenced by the trial of Reza Zarrab, which Leader of Iran, during a meeting Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, “Persian pride is a strong factor. I don’t think Trump’s motive. US sanctions may be more than confirmed that sanctions-busting was sanctioned Awith top government functionaries JCPOA. Leaving the arena to Trump, Iranian officials will succumb to coercion.” an effort to effect Iran’s policy. They could also by the highest levels of the Turkish government. and foreign emissaries, spoke of myriad the ex-U.S. president has recently made Following is a brief interview with David be vindictive. According new developments about JCPOA, problems facing the Muslim world and headlines again. Phillips: It is true that U.S. sanction after its with- what is your prediction about this agreement? emphasized the importance of resisting Trump’s effort to eliminate everything What is your assessment about U.S. new drawal from JCPOA is unilaterally, but U.S. A: Trump is adamant about renegotiating the against the arrogant, oppressive powers. that was signed or approved during Oba- sanction on Iran? Some argue that these new can impose its will on the other countries by agreement to have a longer sunset clause and He referred to conflict-marred states like ma’s presidency has led Democrats, and sanction will not effective as last sanctions that imposing penalty on their corporations such permanently dismantle Iran’s nuclear program. Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Palestine, My- most of all, Obama himself to begin wres- impose before JCPOA. What do you think? as European ones and they oblige to give up Persian pride is a strong factor. I don’t think anmar and Kashmir. tling with the now U.S. president. A: It is important to understand President Iran market. Then actually JCPOA will not Iranian officials will succumb to coercion. The mention of Kashmir, like always, Ending the Obamacare, cancellation raised a few eyebrows in New Delhi, since of the U.S. - Cuba agreement, pulling out the Indian government deems Kashmir as of the JCPOA, calling off the international an ‘internal issue’ and does not appreciate commitments, not only has it mobilized MKO and gathering of zealots ‘outside interference’. The leader said the individuals and groups inside the U.S. By M.A.Saki bored-looking Poles, Czechs, Slovakians, Ger- by all Iranians with different political persuasions. people of Kashmir will push back their en- against Trump, but also has created an On Saturday a bunch of zealots got together in mans and Syrians also attended the event. The The people can never forget that they sided with emies by unwavering resistance in the near anti-American front among Washington’s Paris to mark the annual meeting of the Mujahe- Guardian said they responded to a Facebook Iraq’s Saddam Hussein during his war against future, the way he has repeatedly said Israel former allies. din Khalq Organization (MKO), also referred to campaign promising travel, food and accom- Iran in the 1980s. The Iraqis also hate this group would be wiped off the map in next 25 years. This comes at the time when the U.S. is as Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) in foreign media modation to Paris for a mere €25. as Saddam Hussein used them to suppress op- For those who think Iran has an ambig- facing congressional elections in November outlets. Anybody who is little bit familiar with the ponents, especially the Kurds in northern Iraq. uous position on Kashmir and the Leader 2018, a possible run-up to the presidential Participants at the gathering were a number of record of the MKO and the personality of its In addition to terrorist activities in the days does not consider the issue of Kashmir election of 2020. On the basis of the recent American hawks such as Rudy Giuliani - Donald ringleaders including Maryam Rajavi cannot stop of the 1979 revolution which the number of their at par with Palestine or Nigeria or Myan- congressional election, one can predict Trump’s personal lawyer and former New York laughing when he notices that Giuliani told the victims reach about 17000, the MKO still commits mar should pause and skim through his that the winners in Capitol Hill, will, too, mayor- a number of other former U.S. officials, gathering that the ruling system in Iran “must acts of terror whenever it finds an opportunity. statements made over the years in the win a seat in the White House. former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, be replaced by a democratic government which The assassination of Iranian nuclear experts on context of Kashmir’s freedom struggle. On November 6, the Congressional and a number of MKO members. Madam Rajavi represents”. orders of the Israeli spy agency Mossad is an His most powerful and widely-reported mid-term election will vote for all 435 According to the Guardian, groups of The MKO, a totalitarian cult group, is detested example. 13 statement till date came on the occasion seats in the House of Representatives of Eid ul Fitr last year. Known to weigh and 34 seats out of 100 in the Senate. A his words carefully, the Leader spoke of party that can gain 235 seats in the up- “many wounds inflicted on the body of coming election will have a majority of Muslim world” and urged the Ummah to the House of Representatives and will “express its disdain for the oppressors”. He lead the parliament. singled out Bahrain, Yemen and Kashmir, Currently, in the House of Represent- ‘Pahlevan and said the Muslim world should “openly atives, the Republican Party holds the support” people in these countries. majority seats, 235 out of 435, and the The statement was, much to the chagrin remaining 193 seats are Democrats. Ali Mirza’ of mandarins in New Delhi, welcomed in Therefore, Obama has come to the scene Kashmir. The octogenarian Kashmiri leader to prepare Democrats for victory in the Zurkhaneh Syed Ali Shah Geelani hailed the statement presidential election of 2020 in November as “timely and pragmatic’, while his Hurriyat and that is why he has had meetings with in Hamedan counterpart Mirwaiz Umar Farooq expressed Democrats in recent months. his gratitude to Iran for supporting the “just The Express Daily has also released a ‘Pahlevan Ali Mirza’ is among oldest freedom struggle” of the people of Kashmir. report referring to Obama’s meetings with Zurkhanehs of the Hamedan Province. Was the Leader trying to send a strong Democrats, saying, “Former U.S. President The practitioners of this ancient sport message to New Delhi or was he merely Barack Obama, who has kept a low public are expected to display chivalrous values reiterating and reaffirming what Imam profile since leaving the White House a Ramin Safari and embrace high integrity. Khomeini had quite unequivocally said year and half ago, is wading back into Pahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals decades ago? Why did he club Kashmir politics ahead of the November elections. is the name inscribed by UNESCO with Bahrain and Yemen? Who are the He met with nine electoral rivals against for varzesh-e pahlavani or varzesh-e “oppressors” he was referring to and what U.S. President Donald Trump, including bastani, a traditional system of ath- did he mean by “open support”? These Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Joe letics originally used to train warriors questions generated palpable buzz on so- Biden and Deval Patrick, members of the Tehran Times/ in Iran and adjacent lands. cial media after the statement was issued Democratic Party of America.” 7 and reported by big media outlets. 6 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS JULY 3, 2018 MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS Iranian, Omani Foreign hands might be behind low FMs meet in Muscat precipitation in Iran: official POLITICS TEHRAN — Head of the meters were covered with snow while our deskCivil Defense Organiza- highlands were arid.” POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister tion said on Monday that a drop in rain In recent years, Iran has been suffering deskMohammad Javad Zarif and his Omani and snowfall in Iran seem “suspicious”, from low precipitation and experiencing a counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi sat for talks on a range of noting that foreign hands might be behind rise in temperature. issues in Muscat. the phenomenon. Last week, the director of the national During the Sunday talks, the two sides exchanged views “There are scientific centers in the coun- center for drought and crisis management on mutual as well as regional and international issues, the try that conducted a study in this regard said all Iranian provinces experienced an official website of the Foreign Ministry reported. and the results confirm this point,” said average 0.8 degrees on the Celsius scale The meeting was held within the framework of regular Brigadier General Gholam Reza Jalali, temperature rise over spring compared to consultations between Iranian and Omani delegations. ISNA reported. the long-term mean. “Joint teams from Israel and one of the The long-term mean temperature in spring neighboring countries are deceeding the clouds was 20.3 degrees on the Celsius scale nation- IRGC chief: entering Iran,” he said, adding, “Also, we are wide, Sadeq Ziaeian said. faced with other phenomena such as cloud According to Iran’s meteorological organ- ‘Arab Jahiliyyah stealing and snow stealing.” ization, Iran has experienced a 56-percent In the study, the general continued, “the decrease in average precipitation over the coalition’ facing highlands of Afghanistan to the Mediterra- period from September 23 to December defeat in Yemen nean were studied, and the result was that all 25 in 2017 compared to the same period the highlands with the height of over 2,200 in the long run. POLITICS TEHRAN — Chief of the Islamic Rev- deskolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday that the “Arab Jahiliyyah coalition” is facing Khuzestan water crisis said to be settled by July 6 “defeat” and “disgrace” in Yemen. POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian officials have categorically denied by Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian. the rivers Karun and Arvand. The defeat of the coalition was achieved in the light deskpledged to resolve water scarcity and The minister further pledged to resolve the water-re- The damaged and broken pipes coupled with high of the Islamic resistance which is rooted in the depth of increased salinity of municipal water in the southwestern lated issues by July 6 within the framework of a water temperatures forced the provincial water company to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s thoughts, said Mohammad-Ali province of Khuzestan by July 6. project called Ghadir. tap the Persian Gulf as the source of water supply to these Jafari, Tasnim reported. Late on Saturday, protests sparked in the cities of Abdollah Sameri, the Khorramshahr representative to cities, he added. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gar- Khorramshahr and Abadan in Khuzestan Province the Majlis (parliament), told Mehr news agency that broken In the meantime, Khuzestan Governor-General Gho- gash announced on his Twitter account on Sunday that mainly over the poor quality of the water, with 11 peo- water pipes in Hoveyzeh had disrupted treated water flow lamreza Shariati said that people had been provided with military operations in Hudaida port city had temporarily ple, including 10 police forces, sustaining injuries in an to the cities of Khorramshahr and Abadan. bottled water for drinking over the past few days. been stopped, while claiming that the halt to the opera- ensuing shootout. Sameri blamed unsustainable agricultural practices for Deputy Governor-General Faramand Hashemizadeh tions was an attempt to facilitate the mission of the United Unfounded rumors circulating about water transfer from depleting water resources in the area. He also counted the also explained that there is hope to solve the problem of Nations special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths to secure Karun River in Khuzestan to neighboring countries provid- Persian Gulf sea level rise responsible for affecting fresh- water salinity by July 6 by transferring water from the an unconditional surrender of Hudaida. ed more grounds for the demonstrations. The rumor was water quality, saying it has increased the salinity of coastal Dez Dam to the Karkheh Dam. Parliament set to Europeans’ invitation to Rouhani sends message Europe to offer package to save nuclear hold meeting on to Washington: ex-U.S. ambassador to NATO deal in coming days: Rouhani economic issues

POLITICS TEHRAN — On Tuesday the Iranian deskparliament is scheduled to host a closed session on the economic situation attended by Industry and Trade Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari and Planning and Budget Organization chief Mohammad Baqer Nobakht. Behrouz Nemati, spokesman for the parliament’s presiding board, said on Monday that the economic problems is to be assessed during the session, Mehr reported. A devaluation of national currency, rial, against foreign currencies and a consequent price rises have prompted the parliament and government to take speedy measures.

Iran says not involved in

Azerbaijan POLITICS TEHRAN — A former several documents for bolstering coop- POLITICS TEHRAN — Irani- The agreement was endorsed by the deskUnited States perma- eration in various political, economic deskan President Hassan UN Security Council Resolution 2231. border clash nent representative to NATO believes that and cultural sectors. Rouhani said on Monday that Europe The deal went into force in Jan- POLITICS TEHRAN — The commander of bor- European countries’ invitation of Presi- The Iranian president will later set off will offer in coming days its package uary 2016. deskder police has dismissed a claim that dent Hassan Rouhani sends an important for Vienna to meet Austrian President to save the 2015 nuclear deal, officially Rouhani also attached great im- Iranian forces were involved in a border clash in Azer- message to Washington. Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor called the Joint Comprehensive Plan portance to relations and cooperation baijan’s border with Iran, saying the incident happened Speaking to IRNA in an interview Sebastian Kurz, where Tehran and Vienna of Action. with European countries. between the Azeri border guards and human traffickers published on Monday, Robert E. Hunter would sign documents for cooperation. “The Europeans are supposed to “Relations with European coun- from Azerbaijan. said Rouhani’s trip can be an attempt to A number of Iranian representatives offer their package to preserve the tries and negotiations with them is Brigadier General Qassem Rezaei said according to sabotage U.S. attempt to isolate Iran and from the private sector are accompa- JCPOA in upcoming days about which of importance, because the three the report, the clash erupted in Azerbaijan’s territo- destroy the nuclear deal, aka the Joint nying Rouhani. we will hold talks with top officials European countries [Britain, France ries and had nothing to do with Iranian border guards, Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). U.S. President Donald Trump an- of Austria as country which holds and Germany] and China and Russia Tasnim reported. Rouhani’s trip shows Iran’s attempt nounced on May 8 that Washington was presidency of the European Union,” are making efforts to preserve the The Azerbaijani State Border Service has claimed to tap all existing opportunities to strike walking away from the nuclear agree- he told reporters before his departure JCPOA without the U.S.,” he stated. that the Azeri border guards had detected a group of back at the anti-Iran coalition created by ment, which was reached between Iran to Zurich, Switzerland. He added, “All feel that the survival armed persons from Iran trying to cross the border into the U.S. and its allies in the region, he said. and the five permanent members of the Rouhani is also scheduled to visit of the JCPOA benefits the region and Azerbaijan opening fire at the Azeri border guards. He further said that a killing of the UN Security Council - the United States, Austria. unanimously condemn the U.S. for JCPOA would pose great danger to Europe Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Donald Trump withdrew the Unit- pulling out from the 2231 resolution and the whole world, one of which would Germany in 2015. ed States from the multilateral nu- of the United Nations.” be a start of nuclear race in the region. Trump also said he would reinstate clear agreement in May and plans to Iran has repeatedly warned that if Embassy in Paris Rouhani on Monday left Tehran on a U.S. nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose reintroduce sanctions against Iran. its interests are not guaranteed un- issues statement trip to Switzerland and Austria to discuss “the highest level” of economic bans on He has threatened to sanction any der the nuclear agreement it would ways of improving mutual relations amid the Islamic Republic. foreign company that cooperates resume its nuclear activities with a on ambassador’s the looming imposition of U.S. economic Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook with Iran. greater speed. sanctions on Tehran. to put limits on its nuclear program in “Today, Europe opposes unilat- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister interview Heading a high-ranking politico-eco- exchange for the removal of nuclear-re- eralism with a louder voice,” Rou- Abbas Araqchi said on June 23 that POLITICS TEHRAN — The Iranian embassy in Paris nomic delegation, Rouhani first headed lated sanctions imposed against Tehran. hani said. the three European signatories to the deskhas released a statement about a mock- to Bern on the first leg of his tour at Since the U.S. president pulled Wash- He described the U.S. withdraw- JCPOA alongside with the European ery of an interview of Ambassador Abolghassem Delfi by a the invitation of his Swiss counterpart, ington out of the historic nuclear deal, al from the JCPOA as a violation of Union had promised to offer a package French satire program after it went viral in Iranian media. Alain Berset. European countries have been scrambling international agreements. of practical steps that would fulfill In the statement issued on Monday, the embassy slammed Besides holding talks with Berset, Rou- to ensure that Iran gets enough economic The nuclear deal, struck in July Iran’s demands under the nuclear the program’s producer for his/her anti-religion agenda, hani was slated to meet Iranian nationals benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal. 2015 between Iran, the European Un- agreement. He said the package will saying some parts of the interview were removed and changed residing in Switzerland. The remaining parties have vowed to ion, Germany and the five permanent include Iran’s oil sales, payments for to serve such purpose. The two countries were also to sign stay in the accord. members of the UN Security Council. its oil and transportation. The statement said the program is not taken seriously in the French media. It also provided a link to an unedited version of the interview. U.S. policies have led to spread of human trafficking networks, Tehran says POLITICS TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Ministry pointed out. deskspokesman Bahram Qassemi said on The Foreign Ministry official said the report about 1.18 tons of Monday that the U.S. “destabilizing” and “interfering” Iran is being written “based on invalid sources and in- opium seized in policies have led to formation and spread of human formation”. trafficking networks. Through such accusations the U.S. is seeking to divert Yazd Province His comments came after the U.S. State Department the public opinion from its “destabilizing” and “inter- released its annual report on Trafficking in Persons on fering” actions, he noted. June 28. It is claimed in the report that Iran does not “Unilateral actions, especially ranking the countries POLITICS TEHRAN — The Iranian police have con- fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination in organized crimes such as human trafficking and pre- deskfiscated 1.18 tons of opium in the central of trafficking. The report singled out Belarus, Iran, Rus- paring biased reports against the independent countries, province of Yazd during the past 24 hours, a provincial an- sia, and Turkmenistan as among the worst offenders of run contrary to international law which also undermine ti-narcotics official announced on Monday. human trafficking and forced labor. international cooperation and efforts in fighting such Mohammad Hossein Sotoodehnia, chief of the anti-drug “This report is biased and politically motivated,” he said. about human trafficking have been leveled against coun- crimes. So, the U.S. government should be accountable office in Yazd province, said five drug traffickers have also In this report “unfounded and unrealistic accusations tries especially the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Qassemi for its actions,” Qassemi explained. been arrested, IRNA reported. He added that the drug traffickers planned to transfer the opium from south of Iran to Yazd Province and then transport it to other cities across the country. Halting Iranian oil export is an illusion: Jahangiri Drug combat squads seized over 30 tons of illicit drugs in 1 He added, “We will prove that the tached great importance to continued “vulnerable” social layers should be helped dorsed nuclear agreement and threatened the central province of Yazd in the last Iranian year (ended U.S. claim to stop exportation of Iran’s oil importation of commodities during the after re-imposition of sanctions. Iran with worst sanctions. March 20, 2018). is an illusion.” time of sanctions. On May 8, President Donald Trump of- The sanctions are going to go into effect The senior executive official also at- The vice president also noted that the ficially withdrew the U.S. from the UN-en- in August and November. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 3, 2018 INTERNATIONAL 135 Palestinians killed by Israeli U.S. has one-year plan to stop N. Korea nuclear fire since March 30 program The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire since the beginning of protests on March 30 has climbed to 135, according to Palestine’s Health Ministry. U.S. envoy Kim held talks with Ashraf al-Qidra, a ministry spokesman, said that more than 15,000 people have been injured during the protests North Korea in Gaza. Around 370 injured people are in critical condition, Al- U.S. President Donald Trump’s national security adviser said Qidra said. the U.S. has a plan that would lead to the dismantling of North “2,536 of those injured are children and 1,160 are women,” Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs in a year. he said, adding that 231 medical staff and 175 journalists John Bolton said top U.S. diplomat Mike Pompeo will be were among injured. discussing that plan with North Korea in the near future. Bolton The Palestinians had begun staging mass rallies along added that it would be to the North’s advantage to cooperate the Gaza-Israel security fence on March 30. They demand to see sanctions lifted quickly and aid from South Korea and the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Japan start to flow. Palestine from which they were driven out by force in 1948. Bolton’s remarks on CBS’ “Face the Nation” appeared to be The protesters also demand an end to Israel’s decade-long the first time the U.S. had publicly suggested a timeline for North blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal Korea to fulfill the commitment leader Kim Jong Un made at a enclave’s economy and deprived its 2 million inhabitants summit with Trump last month for “complete denuclearization” of many basic rights, standards and commodities. of the Korean Peninsula. UN expert: Israel preparing to formally Despite Trump’s rosy post-summit declaration that the North annex West Bank no longer poses a nuclear threat, Washington and Pyongyang have Meantime, a United Nations expert says Israel has taken yet to negotiate the terms under which it would relinquish the measures in violation of international law that would allow “Its residents are living in a coercive environment that More than half a million Israelis live in over 230 settlements weapons that it developed over decades to deter the U.S. Doubts it to formally annex the West Bank. may lead to forcible transfer, not knowing where they may built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian over North Korea’s intentions have deepened amid reports that “After years of creeping Israeli de facto annexation of the find themselves in the coming months and not knowing if territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds (Jerusalem). it is continuing to produce fissile material for weapons. large swathes of the West Bank through settlement expansion, they will be living in a place where they are able to continue The Washington Post Saturday cited unnamed U.S. intelli- the creation of closed military zones and other measures, their traditional way of life,” he said. Trump on December 6 formally recognized al-Quds gence officials as saying that evidence collected since the June Israel appears to be getting closer to enacting legislation The Israeli NGO (non-governmental organization) (Jerusalem) as the so-called capital of Israel. 12 summit in Singapore points to preparations to deceive the that will formally annex parts of the West Bank,” UN legal B’Tselem reported on Sunday that authorities had entered Emboldened by the American embassy’s recent relocation U.S. about the number of nuclear warheads in North Korea’s expert Michael Lynk said. the Bedouin herding village to begin preparations for its to occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem), Tel Aviv is now pressing arsenal as well as the existence of undisclosed facilities used to He made the remarks ahead of Monday’s United Nations pending demolition. the U.S. administration to recognize the occupied side of make fissile material for nuclear bombs. Human Rights Council meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian Israeli officials and security forces walked through the Syria’s Golan Heights as Israeli territory. It said the findings support a new, previously undisclosed conflict. community’s tents and shacks, taking photographs and In an exclusive interview with Reuters in May, Yisrael Defense Intelligence Agency estimate that North Korea is un- “This would amount to a profound violation of interna- mapping out their location, according to B’Tselem, which Katz, Israel’s intelligence minister, said the subject is “top- likely to denuclearize. Some aspects of the new intelligence were tional law, and the impact of ongoing settlement expansion provided video of Israeli troops’ actions in the village. ping the agenda” in talks with Washington. reported Friday by NBC News. on human rights must not be ignored,” Lynk added. The plight of the Khan al-Ahmar families – along with The Israeli intelligence chief says talks are underway with Bolton declined to comment Sunday on intelligence matters. Lynk, who is the UN special rapporteur on the situation that of the Palestinian herding village of Sussiya, has re- the U.S. about the recognition of occupied side of Syria’s He said the administration was well aware of North Korea’s of human rights in the Palestinian territories, also expressed ceived wide international attention. The European Union Golan Heights as Israeli territory. track record over the decades in dragging out negotiations with alarm about the deterioration of human rights in the Israeli and the UN have publicly called on Israel not to carry out Israel has built tens of illegal settlements in the area since the U.S. to continue weapons development. occupied territories. the demolitions. its occupation and has used the region to carry out a number “We have developed a program. I’m sure Secretary of State He traveled to Jordan’s capital, Amman, last week to Israel plans to move the families to the town of Abu of military operations against the Syrian government. Mike Pompeo will be discussing this with the North Koreans in collect information for a report he plans to present to the UN Dis, just outside of al-Quds (Jerusalem), which the United the near future about really how to dismantle all of their WMD General Assembly 73rd session in October. He worked out of States President Donald Trump has reportedly offered as On Sunday, Israel deployed additional tanks and artillery and ballistic missile programs in a year,” Bolton said. “If they Amman because Israel denied him entry into the West Bank. the capital of a future Palestinian state under his “deal of forces to the Golan Heights as the Syrian army made fresh have the strategic decision already made to do that, and they’re “This is my third mission to the region since I assumed the the century” plan. advances against foreign-backed militants in Dara’a Province. cooperative, we can move very quickly.” mandate in May 2016, and the reports I received this week Trump has proposed to establish a Palestinian state with The recapture of Dara’a and the neighboring Quneitra He said the one-year program the U.S. is proposing would have painted the bleakest picture yet of the human rights half of the West Bank with Abu Dis as its capital, a report says. Province is highly important because it could deal a blow cover all of the North’s chemical and biological weapons, nuclear situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” he said, Palestinians want the West Bank as part of their future to Tel Aviv’s plans to annex the Golan Heights. programs and ballistic missiles. referring to Israeli restrictions on Palestinian movement in independent state, with East al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital, The Israeli military raised its alert level in the Golan Even if North Korea is willing to cooperate, dismantling its the West Bank, night raids and the lack of building permits. while the Israeli occupiers of Palestinian territories deem Heights on Friday as the Syrian army edged closer to the secretive weapons of mass destruction programs, believed to He also said the situation of the Bedouin community of the West Bank as “liberated land,” saying formal annexation occupied region. encompass dozens of sites, will be tough. Stanford University Khan al-Ahmar attests to Israel’s policy of forced relocation. is only a matter of time. (Source: agencies) academics, including nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker, a leading expert on the North’s nuclear program, have proposed a 10-year roadmap for that task; others say it could take less time. Mexico election: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claims victory Pompeo has already visited Pyongyang twice since April to meet Kim – the first time when he was still CIA director – and Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has Election marred by violence there are discussions about a possible third trip to North Korea claimed victory in Sunday’s presidential elec- The lead-up to Sunday’s election was late next week but such a visit has not yet been confirmed. tion, setting the stage for the most left-wing marred by waves of electoral violence. There Trump reiterated in an interview broadcast Sunday he thinks government in the country in decades. were more than 130 political killings during Kim is serious about denuclearization. An official “quick count” from a national the campaign, according to public security “I made a deal with him. I shook hands with him. I really sampling of ballots showed Lopez Obrador, policy consultancy firm Etellekt. believe he means it,” the president said on Fox News Channel’s known as AMLO, having about 53 percent Lopez Obrador has said that he alone “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo.” of the vote, putting him well ahead his main could end a “mafia of power” and root out Trump defended his decision to suspend “war games” with rivals. corruption. His critics point out, however, close ally South Korea – a significant concession to North Ko- Exit polls also showed a decisive victory that he remains vague on policy details. rea, which so far has suspended nuclear and missile tests and for 64-year-old veteran candidate, who has Late on Sunday, Obrador also said he will destroyed tunnels at its nuclear test site but not taken further pledged to eradicate corruption and subdue seek “friendship and cooperation” with the U.S. concrete steps to denuclearize. drug cartels with a less confrontational ap- Trump took to Twitter to congratulate “Now we’re saving a lot of money,” Trump said of the can- proach. the president-elect on his win. cellation of large-scale military drills that involve flights of U.S. In brief remarks at a hotel in central Mexico “I look very much forward to working with bombers from the Pacific U.S. territory of Guam. City, Lopez Obrador called for reconciliation him. There is much to be done that will benefit “So we gave nothing. What we are going to give is good things after a polarizing campaign and promised both the United States and Mexico!” Trump in the future. And by the way I really believe North Korea has a profound change that respects the law and tweeted. The first high-level contact between tremendous future. I got along really well with Chairman Kim. constitutional order. Lopez Obrador and the White House is likely We had a great chemistry,” Trump added. “I confess that I have a legitimate ambi- to be a phone call on Monday. Earlier on Pressure will now be on Pompeo to make progress in nego- tion: I want to go down in history as a good Sunday, Trump raised the prospect of tax- tiations with North Korea to turn the summit declaration into president of Mexico,” said Lopez Obrador, Meade, who told supporters he wished Lopez first came to global attention as Mexico City ing cars imported from Mexico if there are concrete action. who won after losses in the previous two Obrador the “greatest success”. mayor, a post he left to run for president in tensions with the new government. He spoke with the foreign ministers of China, Japan and elections. Lopez Obrador, was seen as the frontrunner 2006. Narrowly losing, he cried fraud and The United States, which has been at odds South Korea in recent days about the situation with the North, “This new national project will seek to in Sunday’s election, coming in ahead of his launched street protests many thought would with Mexico and Canada over the renegotiation according to the State Department, which has declined to com- establish an authentic democracy and we do closest competitor by as many as 20 points in end his political career. of the North American Free Trade Agreement ment on any upcoming travel. not intend to establish a dictatorship,” Lopez the opinion polls leading up to the election. However, with stubborn self-belief, he (NAFTA), has launched a probe into whether Pompeo postponed plans to meet Defense Secretary Jim Obrador said. “The changes will be profound, Late on Sunday, people streamed into began a long journey back to prominence, to slap tariffs on imported autos. Results are Mattis and their Indian counterparts on July 6, citing unavoid- but in accordance with established order.” Mexico City’s vast main square, where a stage tirelessly visiting far-flung villages and expected within months. How Lopez Obrador able circumstances, which has fueled speculation he will make His main opponents, Ricardo Anaya and was set up to receive the victor, with a large towns neglected by mainstream politicians handles relations with Trump, who has also a third trip to Pyongyang. the ruling party’s Jose Antonio Meade con- screen bearing the words “Andres Manuel for decades. sparred with Mexico over the US president’s (Source: AP) ceded after congratulating him on the win. Lopez Obrador, president.” Pointing to Lopez Obrador’s nationalism, call for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, will “The people wanted a change,” said Anaya, Lopez Obrador’s victory is a stinging stubborn nature and put-downs of rivals, help define the new administration which a former head of the center-right National rebuke to the Institutional Revolutionary critics have compared him to theh United will take office on December 1. Action Party (PAN). Party (PRI/Partido Revolucionario In- States President Donald Trump. Others fear According to a prominent exit poll, Lopez According to the initial results, Anaya is stitucional), which has governed Mexico his ambitious proposals for government pro- Obrador’s MORENA party allies were poised to expected to come ahead of the ruling Institu- for 77 of the past 89 years. grams, without tax increases, may push the score huge wins in the Senate and lower house. France accused of aiding tional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate, Born in Tabasco state, Lopez Obrador country down the path of crisis-hit Venezuela. (Source: agencies) ‘bloody’ Egypt repression UN chief hears of ‘unimaginable’ atrocities as he visits Rohingya camps through arms sales UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he heard “un- A UN Security Council delegation visited Myanmar and France has “participated in the bloody Egyptian repression” imaginable” accounts of atrocities during a visit Monday to Rakhine state in early May, meeting refugees who gave de- for the past five years by delivering weapons and surveillance vast camps in Bangladesh that are home to a million Rohingya tailed accounts of killings, rape and villages torched at the systems to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government, rights refugees who fled violence in Myanmar. hands of Myanmar’s military. groups charged in a report released on Monday. Guterres described the situation for the persecuted Muslim Myanmar has vehemently denied allegations by the United Commissioned by four French and Egyptian human rights minority as “a humanitarian and human rights nightmare,” States, the UN and others of ethnic cleansing. groups, the study found French arms sales to Egypt had leapt as he prepared to tour makeshift shelters crammed with Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed in November to begin from 39.6 million to 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) between 2010 people who escaped a huge Myanmar army operation last repatriating the Rohingya but the process has stalled, with and 2016. year that the UN has likened to ethnic cleansing. both sides accusing the other of frustrating the effort. In addition, “by supplying Egyptian security services and “In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, I’ve just heard unimaginable Fewer than 200 have been resettled, and the vast majority law enforcement agencies with powerful digital tools, they have accounts of killing and rape from Rohingya refugees who refuse to contemplate returning until their rights, citizenship helped establish an Orwellian surveillance and control archi- recently fled Myanmar. They want justice and a safe return and safety are assured. tecture that is being used to eradicate all forms of dissent and home,” Guterres said on Twitter. Around 100 Rohingya staged a protest just before Gu- citizen action,” the groups said. “The Rohingya are one of the most discriminated against terres’s visit, unhappy about a preliminary UN deal with They charged that French companies were also complicit in and vulnerable communities on Earth,” he said in tweet The bulk of the Rohingya in Bangladesh, or some 700,000 Myanmar to assess conditions on the ground for their pos- what they called a “relentless crackdown” since Sisi overthrew before his visit to the camps in southern Bangladesh. people, flooded across the border last August to escape the sible return home. Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Accompanied by the head of the World Bank, Jim Yong violence. The United Nations has said however that conditions in The report notably cited companies selling technology used Kim, he called it a “mission of solidarity with Rohingya refu- They are loathed by many in Myanmar, where they the persecuted minority’s home state of Rakhine in western for mass data interception and crowd control, used for a sur- gees and the communities supporting them. The compassion were stripped of citizenship and branded illegal im- Myanmar are not conducive for the refugees’ safe, voluntary veillance system under which tens of thousands of opponents & generosity of the Bangladeshi people shows the best of migrants from Bangladesh, despite calling Rakhine and dignified repatriation. and activists had been arrested. humanity and saved many thousands of lives.” their homeland. (Source: Daily Star) (Source: AFP) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY JULY 3, 2018

STOCK MARKET $24.4m of TEDPIX 109937.1 IFX 1230.76 Sources: tse.ir, Ifb.ir state-run

CURRENCIES shares divested USD 42,625 rials EUR 49,703 rials since March 21 GBP 56,186 rials ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iranian Implementation of privatization plan aimed AED 11,607 rials deskPrivatization Organization at more productivity, investment making, Source: mehrnews.com (IPO) has offered 1.02 trillion rials (about $24.4 job creation, promotion of trade balance, million) of state-run shares to the private sector more competition in domestic economy, since the beginning of the present Iranian and reducing financial and management calendar year 1397 (March 21, 2018), IRIB burden on the government has been under reported on Monday. the spotlight in Iran over the past decade. COMMODITIES In late May, IPO published the list of the The law on implementation of the general WTI $73.60/b enterprises that their shares are planned to policies of the Article 44 of Iran’s Constitution be transferred to the private sector by the on privatizing state-owned companies was Brent $78.29/b end of current Iranian calendar year (March declared in 2006 in a bid to downsize the OPEC Basket $74.31/b 20, 2019). government and promote the private sector’s As previously reported, in its planned role in the national economy. Gold $1,249.05 /oz budget for 1397, the Iranian government The government envisioned a large state-owned firms each year. Under the privatized to reduce their financial burden Silver $15.93/oz expects to earn some 106 trillion rials (about privatization program in the Fifth Five-Year $2.52 billion) of income from divesting shares National Development Plan (2010-2015), present interpretation of the Article 44, on the country’s budget and also increase Platinium $843.30/oz of sate-run companies to the private sector. aiming to privatize about 20 percent of the some state-owned companies have been their productivity. Sources: oilprice.com, Moneymetals.com Iran exports over 2.61m bpd of oil, gas condensate in June NEWS IN BRIEF ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iran exported over 2.61 As the official said, the country’s oil income also rose deskmillion barrels per day (bpd) of oil and 74 percent in the first quarter year on year. Annual non-oil gas condensate in June, Shana news agency reported on The country’s average oil price since the beginning of Monday. current Iranian calendar year stands at $66 per barrel. GDP growth Oil accounts for 2.28 million bpd and gas condensate Last week, Reuters reported that Iran’s exports of crude at 4.3% constitutes 330,000 bpd of the total exports in the past month. oil to major Asian customers in May rose to the highest Iran exported 2.115 million bpd of crude oil in the past in eight months, as government and ship-tracking data Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20, 2018. showed. Government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht has China, India, Japan and South Korea last month imported ECONOMY TEHRAN- Iran’s growth of non-oil gross recently announced that Iran’s revenue during the first 1.8 million bpd of oil from Iran. deskdomestic product (GDP) hit 4.3 percent in quarter of current Iranian calendar year (March 21-May As the data showed, the figure of Iran’s crude exports the previous Iranian calendar year 1396 (ended on March 20, 21) has increased 59.8 percent compared to the figure of to Asia in May of this year shows 15 percent rise from that 2018), Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) reported. the same period of time in the past year. of May 2017. The figure including oil sector reached 3.7 percent, the report added. Iran’s GDP grew by 6.3 percent during the Iranian calendar Over 800 cryptocurrencies are now dead as bitcoin is 70% off its record high year 1395, according to the previous SCI report. GDP growth, Cryptocurrency projects have been popping up left, right and it has identified just over 800 digital tokens that it con- including the oil sector, touched 8.3 percent in that year. center in the past 18 months, but over 800 of those are now siders dead. These coins are worthless and trade at less dead, adding to comparisons between the current digital than 1 cent. coin market and the dotcom bubble in 2000. Bitcoin, which is the biggest cryptocurrency by market New digital tokens are created via a process known as an capitalization or value, has also had a tough year. The price Peso falls as AMLO win spurs initial coin offering (ICO) where a start-up can issue a new of bitcoin has fallen roughly 70 percent since its record high coin which investors can buy. The investor doesn’t get an near $20,000 last year, according to CoinDesk data. The uncertainty over Mexico’s equity stake in the company, but the cryptocurrency that big plunge in bitcoin’s price has has drawn comparisons economy they buy can be used on the company’s product. People with the Nasdaq’s sharp fall in 2000 and the failure of many usually buy into an ICO because the coins are cheap and cryptocurrencies has been likened to some of the companies Initial euphoria over Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s landslide could offer big returns in the future. that crashed during the dotcom boom. victory soured as the dollar’s gain jolted investors back to the There has been an explosion in ICOs. Companies raised Some of the recent bearish sentiment came after two reality that the country’s first leftist president in recent times may $3.8 billion via ICOs in 2017, but in 2018 so far, this number South Korean cryptocurrency exchanges were hacked. Cryptocurrencies have come under a lot of pressure but alter its economic model. has already shot up to $11.9 billion, according to CoinSched- ICOs are incredibly risky investments and there is a lot there’s still optimism that regulators could look more fa- The peso declined as much as 1.1 percent after results of the ule, a website that tracks the market. of fraud in the space. Earlier this year, CNBC reported on a vorably towards them and that could boost participation in Sunday elections showed his Morena party was set to enjoy broad However, hundreds of these projects are now dead scam ICO called Giza. The fake start-up ended up running the market. Arthur Hayes, CEO of cryptocurrency exchange support in Congress. The victory came with a commanding lead because they were scams, a joke or the product hasn’t off with $2 million of investor money. Still, many advocates BitMEX, told CNBC’s “Fast Money” on Friday that bitcoin for Lopez Obrador, showing a strong mandate for his policies. materialized. Dead Coins is a website that lists all the see a future for ICOs as an alternative to initial public of- could climb to $50,000 by the end of the year. The retreat erased gains of as much as 1.4 percent. cryptocurrencies that fall into those categories. So far, ferings and venture capital funding. (Source: CNBC) Trade frictions disrupt global factory growth Manufacturing activity took a hit in June harm manufacturers who rely on the world’s month, falling to an 18-month low of 54.9. “Today’s numbers continue to corroborate across Europe and Asia, with exporters los- two largest economies for growth. German factory growth slipped to an that manufacturing settled into a lower gear ing momentum even before promised trade Stocks, the euro and oil prices fell as the data 18-month low and French manufacturing ac- in the first half of the year,” said Neal Kilbane, tariffs kick in, underscoring worries the U.S. were the latest to suggest world growth may have tivity slowed more than previously thought in senior economist at Oxford Economics. administration’s protectionist policies could peaked. The recent economic strain is likely to June to its weakest pace in nearly 1-1/2 years. “The very real threat of the current trade derail global growth. intensify as the effects of the heated China-U.S While British factories kept up a steady pace dispute with the U.S. escalating further means U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened trade spat ripple through global supply chains. of growth, fears of a full-blown global trade that Europe’s manufacturers are likely to have tariffs on European cars on top of duties he Weak export sales and stumbling new orders war and worries about stalled negotiations to negotiate stormy waters for the rest of year.” imposed on steel imports from the European knocked euro zone factory growth in June. IHS with Brussels on leaving the EU knocked a The slowdown was broad-based across not Union. There are also fears that a trade standoff Markit’s May final manufacturing Purchasing gauge of confidence about the outlook down just Europe but most of Asia as well. “I remain very worried about the potential fiscal slippage we’ll between China and the United States could Managers’ Index for the bloc slipped for a sixth to a seven-month low. (Source :Reuters) see,” said Christian Lawrence, a strategist with Rabobank in New York. He may revise his peso forecasts after assessing the elec- tion results. EU warns U.S. of major hit Report of Trump bill rejecting Investors are concerned that under Lopez Obrador, the pri- if car tariffs imposed WTO seen by trade experts as hot air vatization of the energy industry will be rolled back, and spending on social programs will push the country into debt. In a victory The European Union has warned the U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered speech following the vote, the 64-year-old struck a unifying tone United States that imposing import the drafting of legislation that would while saying that his government will give preference to the poor. tariffs on cars and car parts would harm mean abandoning key disciplines agreed The peso’s drop in the second quarter was the biggest since 2014. its own automotive industry and likely at the World Trade Organization, Axios While analysts said it may be a few days before the makeup of lead to counter-measures by its trading news website reported late on Sunday, to congress is clarified, Eurasia Group said Lopez Obrador’s large partners on $294 billion of U.S. exports. a skeptical response from trade experts. margin of victory suggests his party would have a strong position In a 10-page submission to the United Axios reported on Friday that Trump in both houses and be able to attract support from smaller parties States Commerce Department sent last wanted to leave the WTO, a story dis- as well. Among his proposals are a halt to a $13 billion airport Friday, the European Union said tariffs missed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve project, the rollback of a historic opening of the energy industry on cars and car parts were unjustifiable Mnuchin as “wrong” and “an exaggera- and an expansive fiscal program. and did not make economic sense. jobs - or 420,000 if cars dealerships and tion”. said, and most officials thought it was unre- “We still think he’ll be able to build a majority in the lower house, The Commerce Department launched car parts retailers are included. The website followed up on Sunday by alistic or unworkable, apart from Trump’s and probably not be far in the senate,” Eurasia Group analysts its investigation, on grounds of national Imports had, it said, not shown a publishing what it said was a draft bill, trade adviser Peter Navarro. Daniel Kerner, Carlos Petersen and Ana Abad wrote in a note. security, on May 23 under instruction dramatic increase in recent years and largely the “United States Fair and Reciprocal White House spokeswoman Lindsay (Source: Bloombereg) from President Donald Trump, who has grown alongside overall expansion of the Tariff Act”, immediately drawing ridicule Walters told Axios that the administra- repeatedly criticized the EU over its trade U.S. car market, with increased demand that for legislation that would be known by its tion was not preparing to roll out such surplus with the United States and for could not be met by domestic production. acronym, the FART Act. legislation. Largest U.S. business group having higher import duties on cars. The The submission said that tariffs on cars The act would allow Trump to ignore Trump has caused a crisis in the WTO EU has a 10 percent levy, compared to and car parts could undermine U.S. auto the WTO’s “most favored nation” principle, by blocking the appointment of new trade attacks Trump on tariffs 2.5 percent for cars entering the United production by imposing higher costs on which stops countries trading on different judges, threatening to destroy the system States. U.S. manufacturers. The EU had calculated terms with different trading partners un- of binding dispute settlement. But many The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation’s largest business group Trump said last week that the that a 25 percent tariff would have a initial less they have a formal trade agreement, diplomats say quitting the WTO would and customarily a close ally of President Donald Trump’s Republican government was completing its study $13-14 billion negative impact on U.S. gross Axios said. not be in the U.S. interest, and the WTO Party, is launching a campaign on Monday to oppose Trump’s trade and suggested the United States would domestic product with no improvement It would also allow “reciprocal tariffs”, has said it has never had any indication tariff policies. take action soon, having earlier threatened to its current account balance so Trump could impose U.S. tariffs on par- of Trump intending to leave. With some of America’s tightest trading partners imposing retali- to impose a 20 percent tariff on all EU- Assuming counter-measures along the ticular goods equal to the tariff charged U.S. officials in Geneva, home of the atory measures, Trump’s approach to tariffs has unsettled financial assembled cars. lines of those taken in response to existing on U.S. exports of those goods by another WTO, did not immediately respond to a markets and strained relations between the White House and the The bloc exported 37.4 billion euros U.S. import tariffs on steel and aluminum, country. request for comment on Monday. Chamber. ($43.6 billion) of cars to the United States up to $294 billion of U.S. exports - 19 The draft bill published by Axios did Simon Lester, associate director of the The new campaign, detailed first to Reuters, is an aggressive ef- in 2017, while 6.2 billion euros worth of percent of overall U.S. exports - could be not mention the WTO, but its report said Trade Policy Center at the Cato Institute, fort by the business lobbying giant. Using a state-by-state analysis, cars went the other way. affected, the submission said. the law would allow the United States to wrote on the International Economic Law it argues that Trump is risking a global trade war that will hit the The European Union says that for some The submission also said that the link disregard tariff limits agreed at the WTO and Policy Blog that “I’m not taking this wallets of U.S. consumers. goods, such as trucks, U.S. import duties between the automotive industry and since 1995. too seriously”. “The administration is threatening to undermine the economic are higher. national security was “weak”. Military Axios quoted a source familiar with If the goal was to get lower tariffs for progress it worked so hard to achieve,” said Chamber President Tom In its submission, the EU said that EU vehicles, such as the Humvee, were made the bill as saying the bill was “insane” and U.S. exports, Trump could do that by ne- Donohue in a statement to Reuters. “We should seek free and fair companies make close to 2.9 million cars by different, more niche producers. Congress would never consent to it. Trump gotiating trade agreements, he said. trade, but this is just not the way to do it.” (Source: Reuters) in the United States, supporting 120,000 (Source: Reuters) was briefed on the draft in late May, Axios (Source: Reuters) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 3, 2018 ENERGY 5

Oil falls as Saudi, Russian Big Oil, utilities are lining up for an electric vehicle war

A red-hot electric vehicle market has triggered a face-off between Big output rises Oil and utilities. Oil majors, who’ve sold fossil fuels to cars for a century, are now Oil prices fell on Monday as supplies from and South Korea reported a slowdown in moving into an electricity sector that’s preparing for exponential growth. Saudi Arabia and Russia rose while economic export orders in June amid escalating trade The problem is that utilities, the primary power suppliers for a century, growth stumbled in Asia amid an escalating disputes with the United States. have the same idea. trade dispute with the United States. “Recurring salvos in the trade war and BP Plc predicts electric vehicle sales will surge by an eye-watering Benchmark Brent crude oil LCOc1 fell falling asset prices raise the question of how 8,800 percent between 2017 and 2040, making it an attractive busi- $1.24 a barrel to a low of $77.99 before re- much tariffs could damage the global econ- ness for oil companies as demand for gasoline and diesel are forecast covering to $78.40, down 83 cents, by 0735 omy,” U.S. bank JPMorgan said. to slow. Big Oil will have to battle the traditional utilities for charging GMT. U.S. light crude CLc1 was 50 cents The bank said a “medium-intensity (trade) at people’s homes, on the road and even offices of green-car owners. lower at $73.65. conflict would likely reduce global economic Power move Oil prices rose strongly last week, with growth by at least 0.5 percent, “before ac- “It’s the banging together of” industries “in a way that’s never hap- the U.S. crude contract hitting its highest in counting for tighter financial conditions and pened before,” said Erik Fairbairn, the founder and CEO of Pod Point 3-1/2 years at $74.46. sentiment shocks”. Ltd., one of the U.K.’s largest electric-vehicle charging companies. Power But a flurry of U.S. announcements over Despite the relief from Saudi Arabia and providers are, for the first time, meaningfully interacting with car com- the weekend unsettled oil markets. Russia, oil markets remain tense because of panies and the oil industry “is realizing if they get this wrong then the U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on unplanned outages from Canada to Vene- requirement for them in the future is significantly diminished,” he said. Saturday that Saudi Arabia’s King Salman zuela and Libya. The logic for oil companies is clear. Gasoline and diesel sales have bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had agreed to pump Looming U.S. sanctions against Iran been a backbone of their business since the internal combustion en- more oil, “maybe up to 2,000,000 barrels”. further contribute to expected tightness. gine went commercial at the turn of the last century. But with drivers The White House later walked back on the Trump threatened in an interview that now becoming more conscious about emissions and the environment, comments. aired on Sunday to put sanctions on Euro- most analysts forecast growth in demand of these fuels to slow and Saudi Arabia’s output is up by 700,000 pean companies that do business with Iran. eventually drop. barrels per day (bpd) from May, a Reuters “The Trump administration’s plan for Iran Vehicle charging points are a way to bring drivers to oil companies’ survey showed, and close to its 10.72 million U.S. production C-OUT-T-EIA has soared Also weighing on oil demand are trade sanctions is now abundantly clear. They seek retail forecourts, keep the cash registers ringing and also bring in revenue bpd record from November 2016. 30 percent in the past two years, to 10.9 million disputes between the United States and other to push Iranian exports of crude, condensate, from the sale of coffee and snacks. Tufan Erginbilgic, chief executive Russian output rose to 11.06 million bpd bpd, meaning the world’s three biggest oil major economies including China, the Eu- and oil products to zero,” energy consultancy officer of BP’s downstream business, estimates about half of the gross in June from 10.97 million bpd in May, the producers now churn out almost 11 million ropean Union, India and Canada. FGE said in a note. margin at its retail sites comes from non-fuel sales. Energy Ministry said on Monday. bpd each, meeting a third of global oil demand. Asia’s main economic hubs of China, Japan (Source: Reuters) The British oil major said last week it would spend about $170 mil- lion to buy electric-vehicle charging company, Chargemaster, with plans to add the technology to its existing network of retail stations. It follows similar moves by Royal Dutch Shell Plc, the world’s second-biggest oil Trump tweets, Saudis scramble: Here’s how the U.S. steers OPEC company by market value. The U.S. isn’t a member of OPEC, a cartel that’s His most recent shot came on Saturday when to Trump’s public berating, Bill Richardson, oil empire of John Rockefeller. U.S. politicians The deal “makes sense,” Oswald Clint, an analyst at Sanford C. anathema to the free-market capitalism of the Trump said Saudi Arabia’s King Salman agreed the energy secretary during the second admin- haven’t succeeded in passing the NOPEC bill Bernstein Ltd. wrote in a report. “BP wants to remain a fuel retailer world’s biggest economy. Yet presidents have to boost output by as much as 2 million bar- istration of Bill Clinton, phoned the Saudi oil despite several attempts since 2000. of choice, therefore they need an EV offering as those vehicle types long pressured its top producer Saudi Arabia to rels a day to make up for lower production in minister in the middle of an OPEC meeting in Can Saudi Arabia make up for rise in number.” adjust oil production policies, usually to lower Venezuela and potential disruptions in Iranian 2000 asking for a production increase, enraging OPEC’s losses? Charging at home gasoline prices. U.S. President Donald Trump supplies. While the White House later backed other members of the cartel and exacerbating a Many OPEC members have been strug- However, Pod Point’s Fairbairn estimates only 3 percent of car charging has abandoned quiet leverage for loud protest, away from an agreement, the tweet came after oil schism between Saudi Arabia and Iran. gling to keep their production up. Venezuela’s will occur while drivers are in transit, with the overwhelming majority tweeting last month: “Oil prices are too high. and gasoline prices surged last week even after How is Trump different? oil industry is in shambles and conflict in plugging them in overnight at home or wherever they leave their vehi- OPEC is at it again. Not good!” Saudi Arabia convinced OPEC to potentially add President Trump has been a vocal critic Libya has caused large swings in supplies. cles sitting idle. This directly plays into the hands of existing utilities. What does Trump want from OPEC? nearly 1 million barrels a day to the market. U.S. of OPEC for decades, first in his books and Trump’s administration in early May said For power companies, EV charging is less of a hedge against los- Lower gasoline prices as Americans head oil prices jumped 8 percent last week. then via Twitter. He has gone further than other that it would renew U.S. sanctions on Iran ing customers and more of an opportunity to capitalize on what will into the summer driving season. Average pump Have other U.S. presidents tried to presidents in commenting on specific oil prices and has sought to reduce other foreign buyers’ likely be a big surge in electricity demand. Sweden’s Vattenfall AB and prices in the U.S. are up 13 percent this year, rising influence OPEC? and production levels, and has mused about purchases of Iranian oil. Saudi Arabia has Finland’s Fortum Oyj are currently installing chargers at homes and above $3 a gallon in April for the first time since OPEC has been a punching bag for U.S. pol- “how much money the average American would the largest spare capacity of about 2 million outside offices. 2014. He has tweeted about the Organization iticians since the 1970s, when the group had far save if we busted the OPEC cartel.” This track barrels, which would be stretched to the limit “What we see is that most charging takes place when the car is parked of Petroleum Exporting Countries at least 63 more power over oil prices than it does today. record is important because U.S. lawmakers if the kingdom would have to make up for for four hours or more,” said Tomas Bjornsson, vice president of e-mo- times since 2011, repeatedly saying the group Republican presidents, especially George H.W. have resurrected the “No Oil Producing and lost supplies. Bringing all those barrels to bility at Vattenfall. “Essentially at home, at work or at a destination like is “ripping us off” and that crude should cost no Bush and his son, used diplomatic channels with Exporting Cartels Act,” or NOPEC, which could market could take up to a year, and render if you’re going to a shopping mall, football game or whatever it could be. more than $25 a barrel. U.S. oil closed Friday Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest exporter which make the group subject to the Sherman antitrust OPEC agreements irrelevant. So this is really where we want to make sure that EV drivers get access.” at $74.15 a barrel. pumps almost one-third of OPEC’s output. Prior law, used more than a century ago to break up the (Source: Bloomberg) (Source: Bloomberg) ADVERTISEMENTS

I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 INTERNATIONAL JULY 3, 2018 NEWS IN BRIEF Pakistan grants ‘interim’ extension of three India approves Russian S-400 deal despite U.S. months to 1.4 million Afghan refugees discontent International Desk — Pakistan has INTERNATIONAL India’s Defense Ministry has reportedly extended the stay of nearly 1.4 million deskgiven the green light for the acquisition of registered Afghan refugees by granting Russian S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems despite them three-month ‘interim’ extension till the US sanctions, a leading Indian newspaper reported on September 30, said a statement issued Sunday, citing top government sources. by the Pakistan government. After endorsing some “minor deviations” in the contract, The decision was taken during a cabi- Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman forwarded net meeting chaired by caretaker Prime the 39,000 crore ($5.7bn) deal to purchase S-400 for final Minister Justice Nasirul Mulk. The ‘in- government approval, to the Ministry of Finance and the terim’ three month extension means the Prime Minister’s office, the newspaper report said. caretaker government in Islamabad has “The S-400 procurement case will now go to the finance left it to the next elected government to ministry for clearance and the PM-led Cabinet Committee take a final call on it. Pakistan goes to on Security for the final nod. The country’s top political lead- polls on July 25. ership will have to take a call on when the actual contract The cabinet took up an agenda item can be inked,” a source told the newspaper. moved by the States and Frontier Re- On June 5, Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gions (SAFRON) ministry, and after due said that New Delhi and Moscow have reached a final stage deliberations gave interim approval for in negotiations on the supplies of S-400. three-month extension to registered The progress on the issue prompts resentment from Wash- Afghan refugees in Pakistan, according ington. Media reports appear stating that the US may try to reports. to discourage India from reaching a deal for the delivery “The meeting discussed in detail the of S-400 air defense missiles from Russia, an English-language issue of extension in stay of the Afghan Indian newspaper wrote. refugees. It was decided to grant an interim extension of three months to the registered refugees present in the country. It was further decided to place the matter before Pakistan has the incoming elected government,” said a statement released by Pakistani Prime achieved major Minister’s Office (PMO). gains in fight against On January 31, the cabinet had ap- proved a 60-day extension in the stay terrorism: Envoy of registered Afghan refugees till March 31, following the visit of Afghanistan’s fixed time period set by the government. cials to facilitate voluntary repatriation of on the international community to “re- INTERNATIONAL Pakistan has achieved major gains in the NDS chief Masoom Stanekzai and Inte- The UNHCR’s official data suggests Afghan refugees staying in Iran. During double its engagement” with Afghanistan deskfight against terrorism, but international rior Minister Wais Barmak to Pakistan that near 1.4 million registered Afghan his visit to Tehran last year, President to help bring an end to the world’s largest cooperation is needed to eliminate the menace across on January 31. refugees are still residing in Pakistan, Ashraf Ghani had stressed on the volun- protracted refugee situation. the world, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the Under a trilateral agreement signed besides almost 2.5 immigrants without tary and phased repatriation of Afghan According to a survey conducted jointly United Nations (UN) Dr. Maleeha Lodhi said on Saturday. between Afghanistan, United Nations High PoR cards. Afghan refugees have alleg- refugees from Iran. by the Afghanistan Research and Evalua- Speaking at the UN general assembly conference of Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) edly suffered ill-treatment in Pakistan, Millions of Afghan refugees are scat- tion Unit (AREU) and the United Nations heads of counter-terrorism agencies, the Pakistani envoy and Pakistan, Proof of Registration (PoR) especially following the Peshawar school tered around the world, most of them Refugee Agency (UNRA) in February last said the gains against terrorism have come at a high hu- cards have been issued to Afghan refu- attack. having fled during the Soviet invasion year, poverty, insecurity and unemploy- man and financial cost but the country’s resolve to fight gees registered with the UNHCR. The PoR Meanwhile, discussions have also taken of Afghanistan and during the Taliban ment continue to force Afghan youth to against the scourge has not diminished. cards allow them to live in Pakistan for a place between Afghan and Iranian offi- regime. In June last year, UNHRC called immigrate illegally in search of work. The largest anti-terrorism operation was carried out by Pakistan by deploying over 200,000 of its forces, she asserted, adding that no country can fight the menace of terrorism alone and regional and international coopera- ‘Afghan government’s ceasefire has broken momentum of Taliban’s summer offensive’ tion was important. By Syed Zafar Mehdi Ibrahim Haqqani etc have been living in safe havens in “Terrorism and extremism remain among today’s big- Pakistani cities. Insurgencies can last for decades if the gest security challenges, feeding off instability in many TEHRAN — Idrees Zaman is a Kabul-based researcher, core leadership has a safe place to command and operate parts of the world and also fueling it,” Lodhi said, add- peace-building practitioner and political analyst. He is the from. This has increased the importance of Pakistan in ing that the threats posed by terrorist groups traverse Managing Director of Cooperation for Peace and Unity the equation. borders, presenting a global security challenge that no (CPAU), Afghanistan’s first independent research think Many key political figures that formed the core of country can confront on its own. tank. Ghani’s team in 2014 like Rashid Dostum, Ahmed Zia Afghan government and Taliban recently observed Massoud are no longer with him. Do you think it will an unprecedented Eid ceasefire but the latter refused to affect his winning chances in next election? extend it beyond three days. President Ghani who offered A. President Ghani has skillfully played politi- UN chief applauds to extend the ceasefire unilaterally termed it ‘successful’. cal games with these seasoned politicians and has What are your observations on it? marginalized them. Dostum technically is still with Bangladesh for A. It was a successful initiative by President Ashraf Ghani. President Ghani and may formally rejoin him around ‘opening borders’ to This not only strengthened President’s political position the coming presidential elections, as the latter has no at home, but also has broken momentum of Taliban’s so- better choice. As for as Ahmed Zia Massoud is con- Rohingya refugees called ‘summer offensive’, this year named ‘Operation cerned, he is an isolated figure with no following and Khandaq’. In terms of human lives too, according to an vote bank. The only disgruntled yet powerful figure INTERNATIONAL United Nations Secretary-General António desk independent civilian protection observation group, in that could be counted on is Atta Mohammad Noor. Guterres, who visited Bangladesh on Sun- the second half of the month of June, civilian casualties Being a pragmatic politician, I wouldn’t be surprised day, applauded the country for giving refuge to hundreds of had an unprecedented 100 percent drop. Although the is he also joins Ghani, if not soon, maybe around the thousands of Rohingya refugees driven from their homes Taliban have ended the ceasefire, reports from the field presidential elections. in Myanmar through ‘systematic and widespread violence’, say that local Taliban field commanders have declined The war in Afghanistan has entered 17th year but said a statement issued by the UN. going back to fighting in many areas and are thus in talks cluding role of Pakistan in supporting Taliban and their most of the problems continue to persist. Do you think Guterres praised the country for keeping its borders open with local community elders to agree on arrangement for concerns of losing strategic influence in Afghanistan. the international community has failed to achieve its ob- and receiving those in need of international protection. “In a locally governed ceasefire. Do you think President Ghani-led government in jectives in Afghanistan, be it counter terrorism, counter a world where so many borders are closed, [the people and Taliban have time and again said that they are willing Kabul has a blueprint to bring peace to Afghanistan? narcotics or state building exercises? Government of Bangladesh] have opened their borders and to talk directly to Washington but not the government in A. I don’t think the government has a blue print, nor A. The international community has been saying for a received their brothers and sisters coming from Myanmar Kabul. What is the message they are trying to convey? And do blue prints work in resolving conflicts such as the one long time that they are not here for state building. As for and from the terrible events there,” he said in Dhaka. is the rivalry between Taliban and ISIS a reality or a myth? we are entangled in. Having said that, I believe President the reconstruction, we had two problems which hampered The UN chief also praised the World Bank for its recently A. Basically, ISIS is a myth in Afghanistan. It is a mor- Ghani has come up with out-of-the-box and unorthodox good work i.e. bad governance and the ongoing insurgency announced multi-million-dollar grant for Bangladesh to phed group of disgruntled Taliban, LeT, JeM, AITM, etc ideas to eventually resolve the conflict. and war. War has swallowed a lot of good opportunities. support both refugees and the communities hosting them. who at times operate under the banner of ISIS. Their How important is the role of Pakistan in ending the It has created a burgeoning drug trade and corruption. Noting the progress made by Bangladesh since its inde- numbers couldn’t be more than 2000 at most. Research longstanding war in Afghanistan? The ambitious Chabahar Port project has brought pendence, Guterres highlighted the country’s integration has not found any link between the Afghanistan based A. Pakistan can play a critical role in resolving the Afghanistan closer to India and Iran and reduced Af- of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the ISIS and the mother organization in the Middle East. As issue by bringing the Taliban to the table, eliminating ghanistan’s overwhelming dependence on Pakistan. Do Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its national for the Taliban’s insistence on parleys with U.S. only, it their sanctuaries and support network. Past events you think it can be a game changer in the region? planning frameworks, as an “example that many others is to undermine legitimacy of the government in Kabul have shown that the Taliban leadership, including their A. It definitely could be a game changer. The recent can follow.” as Taliban movement likes to call itself the ‘Emirate of Quetta, Peshawar and Miranshah shuras, Osama Bin announcement by the U.S. in New Delhi that they wouldn’t The UN chief also underscored the importance of em- Afghanistan’. This issue also has regional dynamics in- Laden, Mullah Omar, Mullah Mansoor, Siraj Haqqani, oppose India’s role in that port is a welcome sign. powering women and youth, calling for young people to be given more opportunities and great access to education. Understanding Iran’s traditional position on Kashmir The war in 1 Barely a week after the statement Kashmir and he mentions the “just strug- successor has followed the same line on Afghanistan has was made, the Leader mentioned Kashmir gle” of Palestinians and Kashmiris in every Kashmir, which is reflected in his state- again, this time while addressing an im- sermon. His plain-speaking has many a ments and sermons. been ‘imposed’ by portant meeting of top judiciary officials in times put a spanner in Indo-Iran relations. Even before these recent statements, Tehran. Reaffirming his country’s support For instance, in November 2010, on the the Leader had on several occasions raised foreigners: Karzai to Kashmir, he asked his country’s judici- occasion of Eid ul Zuha, he made a passionate the issue of Kashmir. In May 1990, he said INTERNATIONAL Hamid Karzai, the former Afghan presi- ary to support the “oppressed figures and appeal to the Muslim community to support Kashmir cause is about “truth and justice” deskdent, has urged all the parties to end the people of the world, like Sheikh Zakzaky the “struggle” in Kashmir and put Kashmir and those who silence them “have an unjust war after the Afghan government on Saturday announced (of Nigeria), and the Muslims in Myanmar in the same category as Afghanistan and cause”. In September 1994, he said the “is- the unilateral ceasefire with the Taliban had come to an end. and Kashmir”. Palestine. New Delhi took strong exception sue of Kashmir is the issue of humanity” Karzai, who served two terms as the president of the Iran’s supreme leader is known to speak to his statement, which had come barely since people of the region are “subjected to war-torn country, said the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan with clarity and precision. He does not beat three months after Iran’s foreign ministry oppression and tyranny”. In April 2001, he has been ‘imposed’ by ‘foreign forces’, and it has taken around the bush neither does he make po- denounced the military crackdown on peace- called for the political settlement of Kash- visited Kashmir valley in 1980, soon after heavy toll on the lives of ordinary people in the country. lemical arguments to reap paltry political ful protests in Kashmir, and summoned the mir as per the aspirations of the people the Islamic revolution, and delivered a his- He urged all parties involved in the war to understand dividends. So it is essential to deconstruct Iranian envoy to lodge a formal protest. India of Kashmir. toric lecture at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid, schemes and conspiracies of foreigners, who he said only his statements and put them into context. subsequently voted against Iran at the In- In November 2016, he brought up Kash- in which he emphasized the importance wanted to create divisions and kill the people. Batting for A former Indian diplomat, writing in an ternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), mir in a conversation with Slovenian presi- of Muslim unity and brotherhood. He also peace and reconciliation process, Karzai called on all the Indian news portal, said the Leader men- almost five years after it had reported Iran dent Borut Pahor, basically referring to joined congregational prayers led by then parties to abstain from war and give peace a chance. tions Kashmir mainly to warn India against to the UN Security Council for alleged viola- West’s interest in “keeping wounds open”. Kashmir’s chief priest Mirwaiz Farooq and Karzai, who fell out with the U.S. at the end of his sec- cozying up to the U.S. or hostile neighbors tions of its NPT obligations. “The Americans do not have a plan for met then Kashmir’s tallest spiritual leader ond term, has been a strong critic of America’s policy in in the Middle East. That is a very simplistic Iran’s stated position on Kashmir, uprooting Daesh (ISIS). Like the English Ayatollah Agha Yusuf Kashmiri. His offi- Afghanistan, claiming that the country had “destroyed” way of reading his statements. There is no clearly spelt out by Imam Khomeini, has who have kept the wound of Kashmir open cial website has a detailed account of his visit Afghanistan. denying that the growing proximity be- been consistent since the Islamic revolu- since the era of colonialism in the Indian to Kashmir by late Qalbi Hussain Rizvi. Speaking at a conference in New Delhi earlier this year, tween India and Israel would not be viewed tion of 1979. Imam, who according to some subcontinent,” he said. The Leader’s statements on Kashmir il- Karzai said America’s Afghanistan policy has been a complete favorably in Tehran but to suggest that it historians traces his roots to Kashmir, had I don’t think any Muslim leader has lustrate the fact that Iran will never abandon failure, which has given rise to dreaded militant groups like provokes Iran’s supreme leader to issue once made it categorically clear to a visit- championed the cause of Kashmir as vig- Kashmir. They should not be seen as a knee- ISIS. “It is up to the United States and Pakistan to explain statements on Kashmir would be naïve. ing Indian delegation that the ties between orously as Imam Khamenei has. Like Imam jerk reaction to India-Israel or India-US the rise of ISIS,” he said. The Leader has often issued statements the two countries would not improve until Khomeini, the Leader has deep love and bonhomie, but reassertion of Iran’s stated of support and solidarity with the people of the bloodletting in Kashmir continued. His affection for the people of Kashmir. He position on Kashmir. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 3, 2018 ANALYSIS & INTERVIEW 7 U.S. renewed sanctions not effective as Another setback for Saudi and those imposed beforehand: Nephew UAE in Yemen EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW By Javad Heirannia TEHRAN — Richard Nephew, who served as the lead sanc- tions expert for the U.S. team negotiating with Iran, is of the opinion that “I am skeptical that the renewed sanctions can be as effective as those imposed beforehand because of the lack of international consensus.” The fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Co- lumbia University, says, “The JCPOA will not fulfill Iran’s goals if it does not deliver useful sanctions relief.” Following is the text of the interview: What is your assessment about U.S. new sanction on Iran? Some argue that these new sanction will not effective as last sanctions that impose before JCPOA. What do you think? A: Effectiveness has to be measured in two ways: having an impact; and, leading to change in Iranian policy. On the first, I am skeptical that the renewed sanctions can be as effective as those imposed beforehand because of TEHRAN (FNA) — Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emir- the lack of international consensus. I think that the impact ates pumped billions of dollars into fighting in the port city of will be somewhat muted and the ability of the United States Hodeidah in Yemen, but the desperate campaign to occupy the to enforce sanctions and close loopholes will also be less. I think that even if U.S. sanctions can impose costs on besieged city failed after their local and international allies either That said, sanctions are going to bite Iran, no question, turned against each other or quit. given the centrality of the United States to international Iran, I do not detect a willingness to go beyond what Iran It’s a serious setback for the Saudi-led coalition whose thou- finance and commerce. committed to do in the JCPOA. sands of US-backed air strikes have so far failed to deliver victory On the second, I think that even if U.S. sanctions can over seasoned Ansarullah Houthi fighters. Strange enough, Ri- impose costs on Iran, I do not detect a willingness to go such as European ones and they oblige to give up Iran market. A: No. Selling its oil is one of the most important aspects yadh, the United Arab Emirates and their allies still see victory in beyond what Iran committed to do in the JCPOA. By Then actually JCPOA will not fulfill Iranian goals. What is of Iran’s economy. I think Iran’s leaders would find it hard Yemen, where they are backed by US weapons and intelligence, that measure, I think that the sanctions will be ineffec- your opinion? to sustain the agreement in that context. as “vital” if they are to counter Iran’s growing influence in the tive in meeting the demands placed on them by the U.S. A: I agree. The JCPOA will not fulfill Iran’s goals if it does According new development about JCPOA, what is Middle East, a priority for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin government. not deliver useful sanctions relief. your prediction about this agreement? Salman. But coalition prospects were dimmed once more this It is true that U.S. sanction after its withdrawal from U.S. announced that the other countries should cut A: I have long been skeptical that the JCPOA would sur- week by a popular resistance front that has nothing to do with JCPOA is unilaterally, but U.S. can impose its will on the importing oil from Iran until November. If Iran could not vive with Donald Trump as U.S. president. I see no reason Iran and everything to do with a nation which wants to determine other countries by imposing penalty on their corporations export its oil do you think will stay in the agreement? for optimism now. its own political future and destiny. This comes at a time when the Saudi-UAE war effort has al- ready been running into trouble everywhere else in the war-torn country. Like in Hodeidah, there has been no sign of a victory, Obama versus Trump much less to assert their supremacy in the South. This also comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is fast losing allies. By Hossein Yari spokesman Kevin Lewis said the 44th Pres- International pressure on Western nations selling weapons to ident wants to support the committee’s Saudi Arabia is also mounting. The uproar in the West against TEHRAN — Barack Obama, who has end- “efforts to address unfair gerrymandering the selling of weapons to the Saudis has been growing louder as ed his presidency with pride and success practices that leave too many American well, particularly in light of the worsening humanitarian disaster. with the completion of plans such as Iran’s voters feeling voiceless in the electoral From Canada under fire for a $15 billion contract to Sweden nuclear deal, has once again attracted the process”. cutting off military cooperation that had been going on since 20015, attentions of the political and social circles Perhaps it’s for fearing Obama’s actions to the UK, where talk of halting arms exports if humanitarian inside and outside the U.S. recently. Trump’s that Trump is emphasizing the need for laws are broken in Yemen. The situation is serious because even attempts in destroying whatever that was Republicans to win the midterm elections the UN is calling on the United States to take a tough stance on signed or confirmed during the Obama’s in 2018 in his tweets. Although some ex- Riyadh for the ongoing human rights violations in the poorest presidency, has encouraged Democrats, perts believe that Obama’s return to power country in the Arab world. and most of all, Obama in trying to pull would be possible if he decides to nominate The West isn’t the only one trying to distance itself from Saudi Trump down. himself for the 2020 election, given the Arabia. In fact, tensions with close allies have increased since The termination of Obamacare subsi- traditions existing in the United States, the arrival to power of King Salman. Recent remarks by the new dies, cancelling Cuba Deal, pulling out of many analysts state that Obama isn’t going Malaysian Defense Minister Mohammad Sabo on the Malaysian the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to be the Democratic Party’s candidate for Armed Forces (ATM) withdrawal from the offensive of the Sau- (JCPOA), withdrawal from the international the 2020 election. The eyes are rather fixed di-led coalition are highly debatable. «Malaysia has never been treaties, has mobilized many groups with- on the popular figures of the Democratic involved in the attack on Yemen, which is also a Muslim coun- in the United States against the Trump’s Party like Michelle Obama and Joe Biden. try. The ATM presence in Saudi Arabia has indirectly involved government. Moreover, it has led to the Although Michelle Obama has formerly Malaysia in the Middle East conflict. If Malaysian troops are to formation of an anti-American front among announced that she doesn’t have any in- be involved in such attacks, they should be solely through the Washington’s former allies. This is while clinations to be involved in the electoral United Nations,” Sabo has said in a statement this week. the United States is facing the Congress campaign, but it is quite likely that the All in all, Saudi Arabia, and to a lesser extent the UAE, are too elections in November 2018, an election former first lady of the United States would arrogant to accept defeat in Yemen, particularly in Hodeidah. that could turn to a prelude to the 2020 decide to face Trump. On the other hand, Joe That doesn’t change the fact that indeed they have lost the war. presidential election. Based on the results Biden, one of the most prominent figures Framing the violence in Yemen as a proxy war involving Iran is of the upcoming Congress elections, it can in the Democratic Party, and Obama’s vice flat-out wrong as well. be somehow predicted that which party is Trump’s attempts in destroying whatever president, spoke of his desire to participate There’s a total blockade of sea and Iranian weapons cannot going to find way to the White House in the that was signed or confirmed during the in the electoral campaign. get through, personnel cannot get through. Iran has no air forces next U.S. presidential elections. Obama’s presidency, has encouraged Meanwhile, some Democratic donors involved. The real driving force of the hostilities in Yemen is On November 6, 2018, which is the day think former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Saudi Arabia that has been shelling the country since March for the U.S. midterm elections, all 435 seats Democrats, and most of all, Obama in Patrick could beat any of the other major 2015 with a helping hand from the US and NATO allies. Riyadh in the United States House of Representa- trying to pull Trump down. potential party candidates in a 2020 primary. is desperate to be a regional power and has instigated a number tives and 35 of the 100 seats in the United Under these circumstances, and while of conflicts, including those in Bahrain and Syria. The regime States Senate will be contested. The party in recent months. have included discussions on the future Trump uses every opportunity to attack seeks to strengthen itself so as to ensure the continuation of its which receives 235 seats in the upcoming In the same vein, the Express Daily wrote of the Democratic Party.» Democrats and ridicule Obama’s actions, dictatorship. elections, will have a majority of the House in a report referring to Obama’s meetings with In another report, the Daily Express it’s hard to foresee the results of the com- To that end, Saudi Arabia is committing war crimes in Yem- of Representatives and will be the head of Democrats; «BARACK Obama has been pre- revealed more of Obama’s plans and activ- petition between the Donkeys and the El- en. Western powers who are supplying logistical assistance and the parliament. Right now, in the House paring for the next U.S. presidential election ities regarding the presidential elections; ephants. In the 2016 election, Russia was weapons are also complicit in these crimes against humanity. In of Representatives, Republicans hold the in 2020 as the world leader has met with at «PRESIDENT Obama is set to return to accused of supporting Trump and taking spite of the far-reaching support of the Western allies, the Saudis majority with 235 out of 435 seats in this least nine contenders to run against Donald U.S. politics by leading a fundraiser to help additional steps which led to his victory in are stuck in a quagmire similar to that being experienced by their House, while 193 seats belongs to the Dem- Trump including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Democrats challenge the Republican Party the presidential competitions. Who knows, American masters in Afghanistan. The national resistance front in ocrats. Obama has therefore proceeded Warren, Joe Biden and Deval Patrick for one- by changing voting boundaries. The for- maybe in the 2020 elections, Europeans, Yemen, led by the Ansarullah faction, disorganized at the beginning to prepare the Democrats’ victory in the on-one meetings at his Washington office.» mer U.S. president will throw his weight the Washington allies who are seriously of the war, has now become a fighting machine, manufacturing 2020 presidential elections, through their The report then continued; «It is un- behind a Democratic fundraiser that looks disturbed by Trump’s lack of commitment, its own weapons and being able to sustain themselves, despite winning the in the U.S. midterm elections. derstood the meetings have taken place at to challenge gerrymandering through state would be accused of supporting American the ongoing blockade. Any doubters should ask the Saudi-led This is the reason for his meetings with Obama’s personal office on the third floor races and lawsuits. Democrats and attempts for their victory invading forces that lost the battle of Hodeidah this week. prominent figures of the Democratic Party of the World Wildlife Fund building, and The report also noted that «Obama’s in the elections. Obama’s uprising to scramble Trump INVITATION FOR THE BIDDING 1 In another report on Obama’s campaign, the newspaper wrote: “Obama will actively help Democrats OF TOYOTA CAMRY in competitive races, and he is stepping up fundraising efforts for the party. The committee aims to challenge unfair Japan International Cooperation Agency division of the electoral districts through the regulation of complaints. This division of the electoral districts is the process of changing the scope of the constituencies (JICA) Iran office implements the auction so that a party can gain benefits by ensuring supporters concentrated in a region.” of its car with the information below: Obama recently predicted that if the Democratic Party wins the majority of the House of Representatives, Nancy - Make and Model: Toyota Camry GLX, 2009 Pelosi will once again become Speaker of the House of - Engine Power: 2,400 Representatives. - It has run 105,659 km Concerns over Obama’s actions, has brought Trump in his tweets to address the need for Republicans to win - It has service plate the congressional elections in 2018. Hopes for Michelle Obama and Joe Biden Although some experts believe Obama’s return to For Further information please contact us by E-mail/ power is likely after the 2020 election, American tra- Telephone until 11th July dition suggests otherwise. Analysts say there is a slim chance for Obama to win personally as a Democratic United States faces Trump. see to find out who wins the election in Washington, candidate in the next election. Democrat and Obama’s Vice President, Joe Biden, donkeys or elephants. Person in charge: Ms. ASADI In the meantime, all eyes are on the popular figures of also spoke of his desire to take part in the electoral In the 2016 election, Russia was accused of supporting the Democratic Party, and those are no one but Michelle campaign. Trump in the presidential race in the U.S. Who knows, E-mail: [email protected] Obama and Joe Biden. Some believe that Deval Patrick is best option to lead may be in the 2020 election, Europeans and Washing- Although, in the past months, Michelle has announced Democrats in the November congressional election. ton allies who are plagued by Trump’s policies, will be that she is not willing to take part in the electoral cam- With Trump taking every opportunity to attack Dem- accused of supporting American Democrats for trying Telephone: 22659501~4 paign, it is not unlikely that the ex-First Lady of the ocrats and ridicule Obama’s actions, one must wait and to have them win the election. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 ADVERTISEMENTS JULY 3, 2018

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I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 3, 2018 ADVERTISEMENT 9 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 HERITAGE & TOURISM JULY 3, 2018 A general renaissance: Iranian art Masterpieces or replicas? Reza Abbasi Museum to showcase and architecture under Sassanids HERITAGE TEHRAN — On Sunday, moulage collection deskUNESCO added an ensem- ble of Sassanian historical cities in southern Iran to its world heritage list. The Sassanid era (224 CE–651) is of very high importance in the history of the nation, under which Persian art and architecture experienced a general renaissance. Architecture often took grandiose propor- tions such as palaces at Ctesiphon, Firuzabad, and Sarvestan that are amongst highlights of the ensemble. Crafts such as metalwork and gem-en- graving grew highly sophisticated, yet schol- arship was encouraged by the state. In those years, works from both the East and West were translated into Pahlavi, the language of the Sassanians. Rock-carved sculptures and bas-reliefs on abrupt limestone cliffs are widely deemed as characteristics and striking relics of the Sassanian art, top examples of which can be traced at Bishapur, Naqsh-e Rostam and HERITAGE TEHRAN — Reza Abbasi Museum in north- Naqsh-e Rajab in southern Iran. deskcentral Tehran will host a retrospective of works by Reza Mohammadi to turn the spotlight on 25-year career of the Iranian artist. The exhibit aims to support the “declining art”, which Mo- hammadi debuted in the country some 25 years ago under the auspices of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, CHTN reported on Sunday. His exhibits of replicas was highly acclaimed in the past, how- Bas-relief features an equestrian depiction of Sassanid king Shapur I at Naqsh-e Rajab, Fars province, southern Iran. ever, it is becoming somewhat forgotten over the recent years, The dynasty evolved by Ardashir I and cording to Britannica Encyclopedia. ensemble is comprised of eight archaeological the report added. destroyed by the Arabs during a period of At the time of Shapur I (reigned 241 sites situated in three geographical parts of Moulage is a technique assumed to improve realism by the 637 to 651. The dynasty was named after CE–272), the empire stretched from Sog- Firuzabad, Bishapur and Sarvestan. means of special modeling and casting techniques. Sasan, an ancestor of Ardashir I. diana and Iberia (Georgia) in the north to The archaeological landscape reflects the It is predominantly the art of applying mock injuries for the Under his leadership who reigned from the Mazun region of Arabia in the south; in optimized utilization of natural topography purpose of training emergency response teams and other medical A Sassanid-era sculpture of horse head 224 to 241, the Sassanians overthrew the the east it extended to the Indus River and in and bears witness to the influence of Achae- and military personnel. Efforts made by the Sassanids also yield Parthians and created an empire that was the west to the upper Tigris and Euphrates menid and Parthian cultural traditions and Reza Abbasi Museum embraces several permanent exhibi- a revival of Iranian nationalism took place, constantly changing in size as it reacted to river valleys. of Roman art, which later had a significant tion halls that showcase various eras of the Iranian history with for example, Zoroastrianism was declared Rome and Byzantium to the west and to the Titled “Sassanid Archaeological Landscape impact on the architecture and artistic styles objects belonging the pre-Islamic era, paintings and calligraphy as the state religion. Kushans and Hephthalites to the east, ac- of Fars Region”, the newly UNESCO-registered of the Islamic era. works amongst them.

Antalya welcomes more than Iran’s ancient engineering marvel Dating back around 3,000 years, the qanat is an ingenious of greenery and gushing springs could exist surrounded 2m tourists in June and sustainable solution to Iran’s dearth of easily accessible by nothing but parched earth and rugged mountains. But water. gardens – which are, by and large, open to the public – can Antalya welcomed more than 2 million tourists in June, including The followings are excerpts from a full article that Joobin be seen all around the country. 1.94 million foreigners and 68,710 local tourists, according to Bekhrad posted to BBC on June 20, 2018: When in my native Tehran, I can often be caught sipping Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism data yesterday. What on Earth are those? I thought to myself shortly on traditional Iranian chai, savouring the picturesque scenery, The city hosted about 1.506 million tourists in June of last year. before landing in the Iranian city of Esfahan one summer. oblivious to the hustle and bustle on the outside streets, at In terms of nationalities, Russians topped the list in June with From the aeroplane window, I could see what looked like a the Bagh-e Khoshnevisan (Calligraphers’ Garden), Bagh-e 826,963 Russians visiting the city, an increase of 28.55 percent, cross between freakishly large anthills and obscure symbols Muzeh (Museum Garden) and Bagh-e Ferdows (Paradise while Russian tourists accounted for 42.56 percent of all visitors. left by an extraterrestrial race. Little could I – then only a Garden), all of which are in the north of the city. I mainly It was followed by Germany with 254,406, Ukraine with 153,961, teenager – have guessed what lay beneath their mysterious visit to escape the stifling summertime smog, and to enjoy the U.K. with 91,518 and Poland with 66,221 tourists. surfaces. the sound of fountains and singing birds amid leafy plane The number of tourists coming from Germany increased by To find pure water in an arid and unforgiving landscape, trees, shrubbery and flowerbeds, all of which evoke the florid 23.71 percent compared to the same period last year, while the and create lush vistas in (literally) the middle of nowhere, poetry of Hafez and Sa’di. number of tourists from Ukraine, the U.K. and Poland increased might have seemed an impossible undertaking. However, However, the best examples outside Iran perhaps be- by 5.45 percent, 100.17 percent and 165.34 percent, respectively. they found an effective and sustainable solution to Iran’s long to Mughal-era India and Pakistan. Just as the Mughals (Source: Daily Sabah) dearth of easily accessible water in the marvel of ancient considered Persian the apex of refinement when it came to Iranian engineering known as the kariz, more popularly Having access to water from the qanat allowed the ancient language, so too did they the Persian garden where horti- known by its Arabic name, the qanat. Dating back some Achaemenid city of Persepolis to become the epicentre of culture and landscape architecture were concerned. Using 3,000-odd years, and added to UNESCO’s World Heritage a vast empire the chahar bagh as a template, the gardens of the Taj Mahal ROUND THE GLOBE list in 2016, the qanat is a testament to the ingenuity of the and Humayun’s Tomb, for example, were naturally called ancient Iranians. The ancient Iranians had chahar baghs by the Mughals, and still are today. Early Christian Simply put, a qanat is an underground channel that A steady flow carries fresh water from an elevated source in the moun- a huge task not only to Although technological innovations have reduced the Necropolis of Pécs tains to an opening at a lower altitude for the purposes of survive, but also to conquer reliance of Iranians on the qanat, the aqueducts are still irrigation – a perfect solution in a region with an abun- prominent and widespread throughout the country. With dance of mountains. Once a possible source of fresh water almost all their then- tens of thousands of qanats in Iran today boasting a total In the 4th century CE a remarkable series of decorated tombs were constructed in the cemetery in the town of Sopianae, in known world the Roman Province of Pannonia, the ruins of which survived under the ground and are situated in the current city of Pécs, in Persian, literally meaning ‘water-like’ – is nothing short in South Hungary. of ubiquitous throughout the country. The burial chambers, chapels and mausoleum excavated The qanat system was so effective that it soon spread to on the site of the Sopianae cemetery form a complex that other corners of the world, first through the ancient Persians’ bears witness to an ancient culture and civilization that had conquests, and later by way of the Muslim Arabs, who adopted a lasting impact. the system from the Persians and carried it with them as far as Andalusia, Sicily and North Africa. According to William B Hemsley in The Qanat: An Ancient Water Supply, so highly did the ancient Egyptians value the qanat system that the Persian emperor Darius the Great “was later honoured with the title of Pharaoh” in return for introducing it to them. Play it cool Not only does the qanat provide necessary drinking water, it also helps lower indoor temperatures. In Yazd in central Iran, where summers can be stiflingly hot, the qanat is as indispensable as it is ingenious. Used in combination with Anthill-like shafts were bored into the earth to reach un- The qanat was an ingenious way to source water in the a badgir (an Iranian wind-catcher), the water in the qanat derground water sources middle of the Iranian desert cools warm incoming air, which enters it through a shaft, before being released into a basement and expelled through is identified, indicated by the presence of an alluvial fan the openings at the top of the badgir. In houses in Yazd, distance comparable to that between the Earth and the (a triangle-shaped sedimentary deposit at the base of a for instance, this ancient method of air conditioning is still moon, the ingenuity of the ancient Persians has more than An interior view of Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs, a mountain), a shaft like one of the ‘anthills’ I’d seen is bored widely used, and is an inseparable aspect of engineering stood the test of time. In accordance with the ancient Ira- World Heritage in Hungary underground until the water source is reached. While in and architecture. nian/Zoroastrian reverence for nature and the elements, some cases not much digging is required, other shafts it is incomparable as a sustainable and environmentally It is the richest collection of structural types of sepulchral ‘We must cultivate our garden’ can extend up to 300m below ground. Numerous other friendly method of not only fresh water extraction, but air monuments in the northern and western Roman provinces But the qanats weren’t only for physical sustenance; they anthill-like shafts are then bored at regular intervals to conditioning and refrigeration. As well, in rural contexts, it reflecting a diversity of cultural sources. also served a spiritual purpose. Despite their harsh environs, extract soil as well as provide ventilation for the workers allows for the equitable distribution of water, and through These monuments are important both structurally and through this feat in engineering the ancient Persians were excavating the earth below. To make things even more the necessity of its ongoing maintenance brings about social architecturally as they were built above ground and served able to construct the renowned, Unesco-listed Persian garden. difficult, the slope of the qanat must be precisely calculat- collaboration. as both burial chambers and memorial chapels. Heavenly to behold and enjoy – in stark contrast to the ed: too steep an incline, and the water’s downward force Despite Cyrus the Great’s world renown as a wise, just and They are also significant in artistic terms because of their parched surroundings – these lush oases, often arranged will erode the qanat; too flat, and the water won’t flow. compassionate leader, one can’t help but wonder what the richly decorated murals of outstanding quality depicting in four sections as a chahar bagh (literally ‘four gardens’) The complex system was well worth the effort, however. empire he founded – the basis of modern-day Iran, barring Christian themes. ­– are replete with trees, flowers, fountains and waterways, all These underground aqueducts have allowed Iranians for politics – would have been without the aid of the qanat. What The Roman cemetery was found by archaeological exca- meticulously arranged in harmony and symmetry to reflect millennia to access and transport water in some of its most would the Persian army and people have done without access vations which began two centuries ago. Subsequent excava- the Zoroastrian adoration of nature and the elements. It’s arid regions. One of the most impressive examples is in the to fresh water? What would Persepolis – and the innumerable tions revealed that the early Christian complex of monuments not surprising that descriptions of paradise in the Abrahamic Fars province of south-west Iran. Here, the city of Persepolis cities in the vast dominion of the Empire – have looked like, provides exceptional evidence of a historical continuity that faiths have their origins in the Persian garden, which the was built by the Achaemenid Persians (550-330BC) in a hot devoid of the pleasure gardens that forever changed the face spanned the turbulent centuries from the decline of the Roman Persians called pari-daida (denoting a walled garden), from and dusty plain surrounded by the Zagros Mountains. The of horticulture and landscape architecture? Empire in the 4th century to the conquest of the Frankish which the word ‘paradise’ derives. location was not exactly endowed with nature’s bounty. Yet, For a people who, according to scholar of religion Bruce Empire in the 8th century. According to Iranian Studies scholar Touraj Daryaee, the by way of the qanat, Persepolis became the epicenter of an Lincoln, “… meant to conquer the entire known world in the Sixteen structures constitute the World Heritage proper- ancient Persian gardens “held every sort of plant and flower, empire that stretched from Greece to India, and was regarded name of establishing Paradise on Earth”, as Daryaee reports ty, although the cemetery includes over five hundred more irrigated by running water, a most precious commodity for by many as the most luxurious city in the world, famed for him to have posited, doing so from Iran’s often ruthless modest graves which cluster around the major monuments. the inhabitants of the plateau.” The Bagh-e Shazdeh (Prince’s its opulent palaces and exquisite gardens. As such, it’s easy climate without the wonder of engineering that is the qanat (Source: UNESCO) Garden) near Kerman in central Iran is a dazzling example: to see why the distinctly Iranian hue of blue – known as abi seen from above, it beggars belief that such a wonderland might have been little more than a pipe dream. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 3, 2018 SCI/MED 11 Scientists might have just A new cloaking approach could make objects invisible discovered a ‘new type of depression’ from every direction

Researchers from Montreal’s National Institute of Scientific Re- It’s called the monoamine hypothesis, and In the tests, the RGS8-boosted mice re- search (INRS) just published a study in Optica detailing a new while it’s improved the lives of millions who corded shorter immobility times – suggesting approach to invisibility cloaking. Their device, called a spectral experience depression, for countless others they were swimming more, and therefore invisibility cloak, is the first to manipulate the color (or frequency) it’s been no help at all. less depressed. When these mice were given of the light waves that interact with an object, rendering it invisible. That’s because the hypothesis, which an antidepressant drug (desipramine) that “Our work represents a breakthrough in the quest for invisi- dates back to the 1950s, is the precursor for acts on monoamines, their immobility time bility cloaking,” study author José Azaña said in a news release. nearly all antidepressants – based on the was even further reduced. There’s something called the electromagnetic spectrum. It observation that a deficiency of monoamine When normal mice were given a drug called contains all the different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation, neurotransmitters (including serotonin) trig- SNAP94847 that stops MCHR1 from work- a certain kind of energy. X-rays, gamma rays, and radar all fall gers depression, spurring the development ing, it reduced their immobility time in the somewhere on this spectrum. of treatments such as selective serotonin re- swimming tank – but when the RGS8-boosted While you can’t see an X-ray, your eyes can see one small uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). mice took the same thing, it seemed to have range of frequencies on the electromagnetic spectrum. We call “Thirty percent of people on these drugs no effect on their levels of negative mood. this visible light. As mentioned, it’s a range separated into what do not experience an effect,” explain neuro- Longer neuronal cilia we perceive as colors, with violet at one end and red at the other. scientists Yumiko Saito and Yuki Kobayashi When the researchers examined the eu- Some light sources contain more than one specific frequency. from Hiroshima University in Japan. thanized animals’ brains under microscope, We call these broadband sources, and sunlight is one example. “We need another explanation for what they found that the RGS8-boosted mice When we “see” something, what we’re really seeing is the in- could cause depression.” demonstrated longer neuronal cilia (in which teraction of these light frequencies and the object. When sunlight In a new study with mice, Saito and MCHR1 is localized) than regular mice did, shines on a blue car, the car reflects the blue light frequency while Kobayashi may have found just that. in a region of the hippocampus called CA1. sets of mice: one group consisting of normal tank of warm water they can’t get out of, and all the other color frequencies simply pass through the object. The emotional responses “These findings suggest that the increased Our eyes detect the reflected blue light, letting us see the blue car. In previous research analyzing cells animals, and the other of mice genetically constantly monitored as they swim around RGS8 protein level in the CA1 region is a engineered to express higher levels of RGS8. for a while before going immobile or “giv- The INRS researchers’ cloaking device takes advantage of in vitro, Saito discovered that a protein possible causative factor for elongation of this interaction. They describe an object that reflects only green expressed in the brain called RGS8 helps The mice were subjected to a forced swim- ing up”, which is considered a characteristic ciliary MCHR1,” the team writes in its paper. ming test, in which animals are placed into a similar to depression. light. To make this object seem “invisible” to the human eye, control the hormone receptor MCHR1, It’s early days, and there’s a lot more work they use a specially designed filter to temporarily shift the green which is involved with sleep, appetite, and to be done before we’ll know if these results frequencies in the broadband spectrum shining on the object to emotional responses. The research showed that RGS8 inactivates can be safely replicated in humans, but the blue. Then, they use another filter to shift those frequencies back The research showed that RGS8 inacti- MCHR1 – hypothetically mitigating researchers suspect this protein could be a to green on the other side of the object. vates MCHR1 – hypothetically mitigating promising candidate for a new generation (Source: futurism.com) depression symptoms – but as for how this depression symptoms – but as for how this of antidepressant drugs – one which might might affect depression in living animals, be able to help the millions of people for nobody knew. might affect depression in living animals, whom monoamine-based drugs currently To try and get closer to an answer, in this nobody knew don’t work. Lemurs can smell weakness new study the team ran experiments with two (Source: sciencealert.com) in each other: new study

Some people watch the competition carefully for the slightest signs Researchers searching for meteorites Maintaining healthy eyesight may protect of weakness. Lemurs, on the other hand, just give them a sniff. that splashed down into the Pacific Ocean against mental decline in old age These primates from Madagascar can tell that a fellow lemur is weaker just by the natural scents they leave behind, finds a study on ring-tailed lemurs led by Duke University researchers. Males act more aggressively toward scents that smell “off.” “Our study shows that physical injury from peers dampens an animal’s scent signature, and in a way that its counterparts can detect,” said Duke professor of evolutionary anthropology Christine Drea. Body odor is a big deal for ring-tailed lemurs. Males and fe- males have potent scent glands on their genitals that secrete a foul-smelling substance. When they smear these smelly secretions on twigs and branches in their territory, they leave behind a signal made up of 200 to 300 different chemicals that tells other lemurs who was there and whether they are ready to mate. The odor is “quite pungent and musky,” said Rachel Harris, who conducted the research as a postdoctoral associate in evo- lutionary anthropology at Duke. “It’s not something you’d want to get a big whiff of!” The team used cotton swabs to collect scent secretions from ring-tailed lemurs at the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, North Carolina. Between 2007 and 2016, researchers swabbed 23 in- On March 7, 2018, NASA planetary scientist backscatter, will bounce signals off the sea Findings of a new study, which involved Two theories may help explain the dividuals while the animals were receiving veterinary treatment Marc Fries watched on a weather radar as floor to try and spot any hard objects down more than 2,500 adults in the United link between visual impairment and for wounds or other injuries, usually the same day they were hurt meteorites plunged into the Pacific Ocean. there. The harder the material, the stronger States, have found a link between cognitive function in old age. The first or shortly afterward. Four months later, on July 2, Fries and the signal sent back to scientists above. worsening vision and declining cognitive one proposes that visual impairment In the wild and in captivity, lemurs fight to determine who’s a group of marine researchers plan to pull Recently crashed space rocks function. can limit the activities that maintain in charge or who gets to mate, chasing and lunging at each other these meteorites — chunks of primordial But in the end, Fries says that the less In the new study, which was published well-being, which can lessen brain and biting, swatting or pulling out tufts of fur. Such scuffles are space rocks — out of the sea. No one has technologically advanced technique of just in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology stimulation. normal behaviors for lemurs and can leave them with cuts, bite ever retrieved a meteorite from the ocean looking at the seafloor through the ROV’s on June 28, D. Diane Zheng, from the The second theory hypothesizes that marks and other wounds. (Source: eurekalert.org) before, he said. But the effort is well worth it. cameras may lead researchers to these University of Miami, and colleagues both the decline in visual acuity and The meteorite fall — one of the largest recently crashed space rocks. analyzed the health data of the cognition have a common cause such Fries has observed on weather radar going The “best tools are eyes,” said Fries. participants whose age ranged from as inflammation or the degeneration of back to the ‘90s — involved space rocks “We’re going to look for rocks that don’t 65 to 84 years old. the central nervous function. Gene discovery unlocks that didn’t break, crack, and burn apart belong there.” The researchers found an association Good eye health begins with the food mysteries to our immunity in the atmosphere as much as meteorites What they find could give scientists, and between the rate of vision loss and that a person eats. Nutrients such as usually do. But understanding exactly what NASA, a better idea of the type of meteorites declining mental function. The cognitive lutein, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin Australia’s national science agency CSIRO has identified a new gene they are — and where they came from — that will inevitably continue to bombard function nonetheless did not have a strong C, and Vitamin E may help ward off age- that plays a critical role in regulating the body’s immune response means visiting the sea floor, where the our planet — many small, but some big. effect on vision. related vision problems such as cataract to infection and disease. heavy space rocks invariably sank. “It was a meteor strike — the most Zheng said that the study is the first and macular degeneration. The discovery could lead to the development of new treatments Probing the ocean depths powerful since the Tunguska event of one to show that eyesight is a dominant A healthy lifestyle for influenza, arthritis and even cancer. Fortunately for NASA, an exploration 1908,” Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid factor in the link between loss of vision A healthy lifestyle is also crucial. vessel called the Nautilus, operated by Environment Office, said after the event. In and mental function. However, the Smoking can damage the optic nerves. the Ocean Exploration Trust, happens to 1908, a large meteor burned up in Earth’s findings did not prove that vision loss Studies have likewise shown that people be probing the ocean depths around this atmosphere before colliding into Siberia, causes mental decline. who exercise regularly were less likely very area this summer, off the Washington “releasing energy equivalent to about 185 Mental decline in old age to develop serious eye diseases. coast. On Friday, Fries headed out to meet Hiroshima bombs,” according to NASA. Vision loss and mental decline Wearing the right pair of sunglasses scientists aboard the Nautilus. Fries and Raineault seem confident commonly occur among aging Americans can protect the eyes from UV rays of The Nautilus is equipped with deep they’ll find something in the ocean — even and the findings suggest that preventing the sun that can raise the risk of eye sea robots, known as remote operated ve- though this feat has never been accom- or treating eye problems may help ward conditions. For those who use hazardous hicles (ROVs) that are designed to scour plished before. On the weather radar, Fries off mental decline in old age. materials on the job or at home must the ocean floor with cameras and other picked up a meteorite as large as 10 pounds “Worsening vision in older adults consider using safety glasses or protective equipment. and 12 centimeters across. However, he may be adversely associated with future goggles. The ROVs will be outfitted with “mag- notes there could be larger chunks of rock, cognitive functioning. Maintaining good Getting regular eye exam is also netic wands” which will scan the floor for as weather radars aren’t designed to pick vision may be an important interventional helpful as this can help detect eye diseases magnetic objects, as some 90 percent of up big metallic objects — they’re made to strategy for mitigating age-related early, particularly those that do not have meteorites are iron-rich, and magnetic. track smaller particles in the atmosphere. cognitive declines,” the researchers symptoms. The gene, called C6orf106 or “C6”, controls the production of Sonar-like instruments on the ship, called (Source: mashable.com) wrote in their study. (Source: Tech Times) proteins involved in infectious diseases, cancer and diabetes. The gene has existed for 500 million years, but its potential is only now understood. New telescope to scan the skies for asteroids on collision course with Earth “Our immune system produces proteins called cytokines that help fortify the immune system and work to prevent viruses and other Around sunrise on Feb. 15, 2013, an extremely bright and lyabinsk meteor, are known as near-Earth objects (NEOs). pathogens from replicating and causing disease,” CSIRO researcher otherworldly object was seen streaking through the skies The Chelyabinsk meteor likely came from a group of Dr. Cameron Stewart said. over Russia before it exploded about 97,000 feet above the NEOs called Apollo asteroids, named after the asteroid 1862 “C6 regulates this process by switching off the production of certain Earth’s surface. The resulting blast damaged thousands of Apollo. There are more than 1,600 known Apollo asteroids cytokines to stop our immune response from spiraling out of control. buildings and injured almost 1,500 people in Chelyabinsk logged in the JPL Small-Body Database that have orbits The “cytokines regulated by C6 are implicated in a variety of dis- and the surrounding areas. While this sounds like the first that may cross the Earth’s path, and are large enough (over eases including cancer, diabetes and inflammatory disorders such scene of a science fiction movie, this invader wasn’t an alien 140 meters), that they’re considered potentially hazardous as rheumatoid arthritis.” spaceship attacking humanity, but a 20-meter-wide asteroid asteroids (PHAs) because a collision with Earth would dev- The discovery helps improve our understanding of our immune that had collided with the Earth. astate the region hit. system, and it is hoped that this understanding will enable scientists What is worrisome is that no one had any idea this 20-me- The scars of these past collisions are prominent on the to develop new, more targeted therapies. ter asteroid existed until it entered the Earth’s atmosphere moon, but the Earth also bears the marks of such impacts. Dr. Rebecca Ambrose was part of the CSIRO team that discovered that morning. Chicxulub crater on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula was cre- the gene, and co-authored the recent paper announcing the discovery As an astronomer, I study objects in the sky that change ated by the Chicxulub asteroid that drove the dinosaurs to in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. in brightness over short time scales – observations that I extinction. The Barringer Crater in Arizona is just 50,000 “Even though the human genome was first fully sequenced in use to detect planets around other stars. A large part of my Orbiting the sun years old. The question is not if a dangerously large asteroid 2003, there are still thousands of genes that we know very little about,” research is understanding how we can better design and run A meteor is any chunk of matter that enters the Earth’s will collide with the Earth, but when? Dr. Rebecca Ambrose, a former CSIRO researcher, now based at the telescopes to monitor an ever-changing sky. That’s impor- atmosphere. Before the Chelyabinsk meteor met its demise To reach this goal, an international team of hundreds of Hudson Institute of Medical Research said. tant because the same telescopes I’m using to explore other on Earth, it was orbiting our sun as an asteroid. These rocky scientists, including myself, is completing construction of “It’s exciting to consider that C6 has existed for more than 500 star systems are also being designed to help my colleagues objects are normally thought to be restricted to the asteroid the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) in Chile, which million years, preserved and passed down from simple organisms discover objects in our own Solar System, like asteroids on belt between Mars and Jupiter. However, there are many will be an essential tool for alerting us of PHAs. all the way to humans. But only now are we gaining insights into its a collision course with Earth. asteroids throughout the solar system. Some, like the Che- (Source: space.com) importance.” (Source: medicalxpress.com) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 12 WOMEN JULY 3, 2018

Mangaluru College bans Sometimes no law can help women hijab: Facing protests, institute says students bound subjected to domestic violence to follow dress code By Naghmeh Mizanian

Facing protests by a section of students for not allowing She feels like a crumpled up piece of paper them to wear Hijab (head scarf) in a classroom, the St Agnes that her husband has rolled up and thrown college management here on Friday said that students are off into the corner. The same hand that bound to follow the dress code prescribed. was caressing her face the day before, has A group of students and given a slap in her face today. Their kids Campus Front of India had were watching the scene with tearful eyes. protested outside the college They were begging their father not to hit on 25 June against the ‘denial their mother in the head. of right’ to wear head scarfs. She is struggling to understand why he is Speaking to reporters here, acting this way. She reflects on the reasons. college principal Sr Jaswina Why couldn’t he express his opposition in denied reports that some stu- words? Why he used his physical power dents had been suspended against my verbal power? If I was a physi- after the protest. cally powerful man would he be showing the She said all the students same reaction as he did to the ‘weak gender’? who took part in the protest She is a lawyer herself. She knows all over wearing of the hijab laws and regulations. She knows that she had been attending college should refer to a medical examiner and ask regularly since then. They for blood money. But she is not in need of had been asked to give an money. She can afford to earn a living on explanation in writing in her own; she can even support the whole the presence of their parents within three days, she added. family. Which money can reimburse her As per the dress code, no attire other than the uniform broken heart? prescribed by the college would be allowed in the college She knows all the rules regarding filing premises during working hours, she said. She said admis- for divorce; but is divorce a remedy? Is it sions of the students were made only on the basis of these a punishment for her husband? Which regulations and other requirements to ensure discipline and punishment can compensate for her lost tleman, being kind and gentle most of the learnt anger control techniques? other cultural influences as they grow up. “friendly atmosphere” in the campus. self-esteem? What will happen to her hus- time. Off course, when everything is in Not always the law and regulations can They may have seen violence often or they To a question, she said there could be “outside interfer- band after the divorce? A new marriage? accordance with his will. When he meets prevents domestic violence. It is the in- may have been victims themselves. Some ence” in the protest, as the students who took part in the Yes, he is an educated person, a university with opposition coming from his family he ner nature of the people, both women and abusers acknowledge growing up having protest later came to the office and apologized, saying there professor with good income. Easily, he can doesn’t know how he should argue about it. men that can help. Moreover, and most been abused as a child. were dragged into the issue. marry a second wife. He has not learnt the skill of conversation. importantly are the principles that people Children who witness or are the victims (Source: www.firstpost.com) What will happen to her after the divorce? Also, he has not learnt the skill of considering are bound to obey and the rights that men of violence may learn to believe that violence Another marriage? No, she is not interested some rights for his wife. However, after the and women consider for each other that is a reasonable way to resolve conflict be- to begin a new life with another person. quarrel he becomes regretful. But he never determine the behavior of genders toward tween people. Boys who learn that women RECIPE OF THE WEEK Who will be that other man? A same man, promises not to repeat his actions. Maybe, each other. are not to be valued or respected and who physically stronger than herself! She should this is his final weapon to control his wife. Domestic violence — also known as do- see violence directed against women are Peach pie the old fashioned choose to take care of the children alone. No law can help her. She doesn’t want mestic abuse, intimate partner violence or more likely to abuse women when they grow way What is the children’s fault to be raised in to sue her husband. She wants to live in a abuse — may start when one partner feels up. Girls who witness domestic violence a single parent family? happy family. Even if she has bad times, she the need to control and dominate the other. in their families of origin are more likely Kids are so sensitive and observant. wants to pretend that there exists no problem Abusers may feel this need to control to be victimized by their own husbands. “This is a simple, quick, old fashioned, baked, two crust peach in their marital life. All relatives, friends, their partner because of low self-esteem, Although women are most often the victim pie made with fresh peaches and simple ingredients. It’s great They pick up everything. And they model whatever we do. If her son sees his father neighbors and colleagues talk about them extreme jealousy, difficulties in regulating of domestic violence, the gender roles can during summer peach season.” as the happiest family. “Off course, they are anger and other strong emotions, or when and are reversed sometimes. Ingredients: treating his mother poorly, he is likely to believe that’s an acceptable way to treat right; except for some violence that happens they feel inferior to the other partner in Alcohol and drugs may contribute to 1 (15 ounce) package pastry once in a year,” she reflects. “However, he education and socioeconomic background. violent behavior. A drunk or high person for a 9 inch double crust pie women. And if her daughter sees her father disrespecting her mother, she’s more likely sometimes put some restrictions on me. Some people with very traditional beliefs will be less likely to control his or her violent 1 egg, beaten No matter! All husbands have some bad may think they have the right to control impulses toward their partner, so keeping 5 cups sliced peeled peaches to believe this is an allowable way for men to treat her. habits that wives should cope with them,” their partner, and that women aren’t equal such drinking or drug use episodes to a min- 2 tablespoons lemon juice she goes on thinking. to men. Others may have an undiagnosed imum may be valuable for a person living 1/2 cup all-purpose flour She has learnt her manner from her mother, a self-sacrificing women. She has Domestic violence damages her whole personality disorder or psychological dis- in a domestic violence situation. 1 cup white sugar personality. She will paralyze physically order. Still others may have learned this No cause of domestic violence, howev- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinna- never observed her parents’ arguments. Her mother has never voiced opposition and mentally for a while. Once it happens behavior from growing up in a household er, justifies the actions of the abuser, nor mon she becomes shocked about what happened where domestic violence was accepted as a should it be used as a rationale for their 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg to her father. She has never asked for her rights. Now, she, herself, is copying her to her from her husband’s side; from her normal part of being raised in their family. behavior. These possible causes are only 1/4 teaspoon salt dearest person, the person who has been A partner’s domination may take the to better understand why an abuser be- 2 tablespoons butter mothers’ manner but being more aware of her rights and being more engaged in her supporter all her life. form of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. lieves it is acceptable to abuse their part- Directions: What is the remedy? No law can help Studies suggest that violent behavior often ner physically, sexually, psychologically or Preheat the oven to 450 de- economic activities, she wants to receive more of her rights and that is a change in her. Can psychologists help them? If she is caused by an interaction of situational emotionally. Ultimately an abuser needs to grees F (220 degrees C). was more self-esteemed or self-confident and individual factors. That means that get help for their unhealthy and destructive Line the bottom and sides of their life which her husband also has not experienced before. to express her wishes directly, would it not abusers learn violent behavior from their behavior, or find themselves living a solitary a 9 inch pie plate with one of happen to her? What if her husband has family, people in their community and and lonely life. the pie crusts. Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the Her husband is not a bad man. A gen- dough from becoming soggy later. Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl, mix together A good start for Iranian women’s presence at stadiums the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the WOMENTEHRAN — The presence of women at of the organizations opposed the decision, he noted. peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with deskTehran’s Azadi stadium for a screening Watching sports events is one of the least important legit- butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges of Iran’s World Cup match against Spain on June 20 was imate rights of people in any society which create sympathy under. Flute the edges to seal or press the edges with the a good start for other legitimate freedoms, Mohammad and unity among a nation, Tondgooyan stated. tines of a fork dipped in egg. Brush the remaining egg over Mehdi Tondgooyan, deputy minister of sports and youth Watching Iran-Spain game with all members of the family the top crust. Cut several slits in the top crust to vent steam. affairs, has said. was a positive event which created a mental recreation for Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce Women’s presence at stadiums would help promoting the society, he added. the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an legitimate freedom in other cultural, artistic fields, the dep- Women were already allowed to watch volleyball and additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is brown and the uty minister noted stressing on creating more freedom and basketball events, he added. juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the edges brown social happiness. Tondgooyan noted that presence of women at stadiums to fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about half- No organization expressed opposition for women’s pres- is the first step and grounds should be paved for women’s way through baking. Cool before serving. This tastes better ence at Azadi Stadium, watching the televised World Cup presence in all fields considering their dignity. warm than hot. 2018 games, Mehr quoted Tondgooyan as saying. Iran’s female football supporters made history in Teh- Tip: The issue was raised at Iran’s social council [headed by ran – for the first time in 37 years they were able to attend Aluminum foil helps keep food moist, ensures it cooks the Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli] and none a sporting event in the city’s Azadi stadium. evenly, keeps leftovers fresh, and makes clean-up easy. LEARN ENGLISH Giving birth in water appears safe for mother and infant The Office - Cut It Out Giving birth in water, also known as immersion veyed midwives regarding their waterbirth labor and delivery or waterbirth, appears experiences and last year analyzed Australian Ed: Hey, Mary, can you cut that out? safe for mother and baby, at least when it policies and guidelines for water immersion Mary: Cut what out I’m not doing anything. takes place in a hospital. during labor and birth. She told Reuters Ed: The tapping of your pen on your desk. It’s driving Increasing numbers of women choose to Health by email, “Water immersion for labor me crazy. labor and give birth in water, particularly in and birth is a safe option for women who Mary: Fine! By the way would you mind not slurping midwifery-led settings, so it is important to are at low risk of complications. As both a your coffee every time you have a cup! understand the benefits and possible risks method of pain relief and an alternate mode Ed: I don’t slurp my coffee. And plus, how can you hear it for women and their newborns. of birth, water immersion is associated with when you’re shouting into your phone all the time? Dr. Elizabeth R. Cluett from University of positive outcomes that extend beyond the Mary: You’ve got to be kidding me! You’re complaining Southampton in the UK and colleagues eval- physical. Not only does water immersion about me talking on the phone when you go out for a cigarette uated the effects of water immersion during support women to achieve a physiological break ten times a day to shoot the breeze? labor and/or birth using information from and non-medicalized labor and birth, but Ed: Look, we have a lot of accumulated anger from working 15 studies involving a total of 3,663 women. women commonly have a more positive in these conditions, and it’s probably okay to let off steam Immersion had no meaningful effect birth experience.” once in a while but, it’s probably not a good idea to keep on rates of spontaneous vaginal delivery, immersion took place. labor and birth in water.” “There is increasing demand for options it up I’m willing to forgive and forget and if you are. vaginal delivery with the help of forceps or There are several caveats to these find- Dr. Thomas G. Poder from CIUSSS de of care that can offer women alternatives Mary: Fine. Let’s call a truce. I’ll try to more considerate other devices, or cesarean section, the au- ings. All the studies took place in hospital l’Estrie-CHUS, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, to pharmacological analgesia and improved and to keep the noise down thors reported in the Cochrane Database of labor and delivery units, and none of the who has also reviewed the advantages and chances of having a normal physiological Ed: Yeah, I’ll try to do the same. Systematic Reviews. studies took place in midwifery-led care disadvantages of waterbirth, told Reuters birth,” she said. “We have an ever increasing Key vocabulary Women who went through the first stage settings. Most studies did not indicate Health by email, “(The current study) missed evidence base that demonstrates that wa- cut that out: tell sb to stop of labor with immersion were slightly less whether it was the first time a woman had some important points, that is, maternal ter immersion provides such an alternative slurp: eat or drink (something) noisily likely than women without immersion to given birth or it was a later pregnancy. relaxation and satisfaction (and) promotion without any increased risk to the woman You’ve got to be kidding me: you must be making need an epidural. And there was a lack of information about of a model of obstetric care more focused or baby. Despite this, there remains a lack jokes with me There was not enough information to how selective the studies were on which on the needs of mothers, particularly the of support for this option in some settings, shoot the breeze: chat determine whether waterbirth affected the women they included. empowerment of women to realize their possibly due to the fear of adverse events accumulated: gathered rates of moderate to severe tears in the per- For all these reasons, the researchers full potential.” that for the most part, are documented as let off steam: to release excess energy, emotion etc. ineum, the area between the vagina and the suggest that “further research is needed “Waterbirth is safe if properly managed,” possible or theoretical.” keep up: carry on anus, or the amount of blood loss during particularly for waterbirth and its use in he said. “So, this should be a choice offered “The research is continually demonstrating forgive and forget: stop feeling anger and decide to let it go labor and delivery. birth settings outside hospital labor wards to mothers.” that there is no additional risk to the woman call a truce: stop fighting There was no evidence that immersion before we can be more certain of these Dr. Megan Cooper, researcher and lec- or baby, so we should seek to offer this option considerate: thinking about the feelings of other people increased unwanted effects to the baby or effects. Research is also needed about turer in midwifery and nursing at University to women who request it,” Dr. Cooper said. (Source: irlanguage.com) woman, regardless of the stage of labor when women’s and caregivers’ experiences of of South Australia in Adelaide recently sur- (Source: Reuters Health) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 3, 2018 WORLD IN FOCUS 13

British jets bombed Syrian EU gives stark warning to U.S. over auto tariffs forces in Tanf: Sunday Times The European Union warned Monday that up to $294 billion worth of U.S. exports would face counter-measures if President Donald Trump went through with his threat to slap duties on Israel beefs up tank and artillery deployment in Syria auto imports. 1 According to the Times, Britain with the Syrian army,” he said. Trump has singled out the Europeans as a problem as great dropped the bomb last month because they Israel seized much of the Golan from to the U.S. on trade as China and laid out threats to fight the EU thought Syrian troops were trying to approach Syria in the 1967 war and annexed the stra- with a 20 percent duty on EU auto imports, a particular source the al-Tanf base where anti-government tegic plateau, a move not recognized abroad. of his scorn. Maghawir al-Thowra militants are trained Citing the Syrian instability, Israel has Trump’s threat was the latest salvo in an escalating trade and commanded. sought U.S. endorsement for its claim of war that saw the EU slap duties on U.S.-made jeans and Harley The U.S. has set up the heavily-fortified sovereignty over the Golan. A senior Ne- Davidson motorcycles in a tit-for-tat response to US tariffs on base in the al-Tanf desert where the Syrian, tanyahu cabinet minister said in May the European steel and aluminum exports. Iraqi and Jordanian borders meet. Trump administration could soon oblige. In a letter to U.S. authorities, the European Commission, The U.S. and its allies have marked a Washington has not commented on the which handles trade policy for the bloc’s 28 members, painted 34-mile (54-kilometer) zone in the area and matter. a stark picture of what the US economy would face if Trump warned Syrian forces against approaching A report in March on UNDOF activities followed through on his threat. it inside their own territory. said Syria’s armed forces maintained posi- “Economic analysis confirms that an increased tariff on these According to a Russian military expert at tions in the Golan which violated the accord, products will be harmful first and foremost for the U.S. econo- the country’s foreign ministry, the Pentagon as did Israel’s deployment to the area of my,” the letter said. is training dozens of Takfiri terrorists at 19 155 mm artillery, Iron Dome anti-missile The commission said “up to $294 billion of U.S. exports ... military camps inside Syria. systems and related equipment. could be subject to countermeasures across sectors of the U.S. Last month, Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed economy”, which was equivalent to a staggering 19 percent of Units (PMU/Hashd al-Sha’abi) fighters came militancy since March 2011. The Syrian total U.S. exports in 2017. under an airstrike near the area, with the government says the Israeli regime and The commission also underlined that European car compa- group saying fragments from missiles showed its Western and regional allies are aiding nies were important contributors to the U.S. economy and “well it was a U.S. attack. Militants hand over heavy allowed entry in to Israel. Takfiri terrorist groups that are wreaking established” there. As the fighters vowed revenge, Wash- weapons in southwestern Syria “Regarding southern Syria, we will con- havoc in the country. “In 2017, U.S.-based EU companies produced close to 2.9 ington said it suspected Israel was behind Meantime, terrorist groups in Syria’s tinue to defend our borders,” he said. Jordan to hold talks with Rus- million automobiles, which accounted for 26 percent of total the air raid but both the Syrian government southwestern town of Dara’a have begun “We will extend humanitarian assistance sia over Syria’s Dara’a province U.S. production,” it said. and Iraqi officials said the U.S. aircraft had handing in the weapons to government forces. to the extent of our abilities. We will not Elsewhere, Jordan is set to hold talks These companies support 120,000 direct and indirect U.S. carried out the strike. According to Hezbollah military media allow entry into our territory,” he added. with Russia this week over the situation jobs in plants across the country, the EU said, pointing to sites in The paramilitary group has said it lost unit on Sunday, militants in Bosra al-Sham Israel beefs up tank and artil- in southern Syria and alleviating the hu- South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee - southern 22 fighters following the night raid on June have agreed to settle with the government lery deployment in Syria manitarian situation there, Jordan’s foreign U.S. states known for their unwavering support for Trump. (Source: AFP) 17 on the Syrian village of al-Hari in Dayr and have begun to hand over their heavy The developments follow as Israel beefed minister said. al-Zawr province. weapons in preparation for the army’s entry. up its tank and artillery deployment on the Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi PMU fighters operate in the area at the Earlier in the day, Foreign-sponsored Golan Heights frontier with Syria on Sun- said on Monday he will meet his Russian request of the Syrian government to counter Takfiri militants re-launched peace talks day, cautioning Damascus’ forces to keep counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow later in AU summit overshadowed the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant with the Russian military in a bid to reach a distance as they sweep rebel-held areas the week to discuss developments in Dara’a (ISIL/Daesh) terrorists and keep them away a ceasefire in southwestern Syria as govern- over the border. province, near Jordan’s border. by ‘security failings’ in Sahel from Iraqi borders. ment troops and allied fighters from pop- Backed by Russia, Syrian President Bashar On Sunday, rebels in the strategically The United States has in the past attacked ular defense groups are making territorial al-Assad launched an offensive last month located town of Bosra al-Sham in Syria’s after attacks government forces and their allies inside gains there. to regain the southwestern Dara’a region, southern Dara’a province surrendered to Syria on several occasions. Elsewhere, the Syrian army has expanded driving thousands of refugees toward neigh- forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. African leaders gathered in the Mauritanian capital Monday for In April, the U.S., France, and Britain its military operation in the south and made boring Jordan and Israel. Talks leading up to the agreement - which the final day of a summit overshadowed by security issues after launched coordinated attacks on Syrian significant gains against militants with the Israel’s military deployed tank and artil- stipulates the opposition handing over heavy rebels hammered two fragile Sahel states in successive attacks. targets, using more than 100 cruise missiles. liberation of dozens of towns and villages lery reinforcements to the Golan on Sunday, weaponry to the government - were mediated French President Emmanuel Macron, making an exceptional Syrian leaders have said the U.S. and in Dara’a. a statement said, “in light of developments by neighboring Jordan. appearance at an African Union (AU) summit, was expected to its allies are trying to destroy the country Syrian forces also carried out attacks on the Syrian Golan Heights”. Renewed fighting along Jordan’s northern discuss hurdles facing a five-nation French-backed anti-terror and prolong the foreign instigated armed on militant supply lines in the eastern and In its statement the military said Israel border has prompted a new wave of refugees unit, the “G5 Sahel” force. conflict there. southeastern sectors of Dara’a city. was holding to its non-intervention policy. headed towards its territory. As the summit focusing on free trade, funding and corruption Last month, Syria’s state news agen- A series of concentrated artillery strikes Israel says it is neutral in the seven-year “Jordan already has 1.3 million Syrians. opened on Sunday, a bomb aimed at French soldiers in Mali’s cy SANA said the U.S. had airlifted two against militant routes and supply lines in foreign sponsored war but has carried out Our country has reached its maximum ca- troubled north killed four civilians and injured over 20 people, high-ranking commanders of the ISIL al-Jumrok al-Qadim in the southeastern scores of air strikes in Syria on what it claims pacity. Jordan has been shouldering this including four soldiers. terrorist group in the Twaimin area to an part of Dara’a city and in the direction of were Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas or in responsibility, and I must say, we’ve been In Niger, Boko Haram insurgents targeted a military position in American base in al-Shaddadi in the Hasakah al-Naima town east of the city were success- response to what it said were attacks directed doing so alone,” Safadi said on Thursday. the southeast of the country, killing 10 soldiers - a reminder of the province. fully carried my government forces. against its own forces in the Golan. The opposition’s chief negotiator in wider peril that Nigeria’s notorious rebels pose to neighboring countries. The so-called Syrian Observatory for During the attacks a number of terrorist Addressing the Israeli cabinet, Prime UN peace talks, Nasr al-Hariri, last week On Friday, a suicide bombing hit the Mali headquarters of Human Rights (SOHR), which is generally hideouts were destroyed and heavy losses Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel accused the U.S. of complicity in al-Assad’s the G5 Sahel, fuelling concerns about its ability to tackle rebel sympathetic to militants, has made similar were inflicted on their ranks. had apprised Russia and the United States southwest offensive, saying the U.S. silence groups roaming the region. claims in the past and reported on the U.S. Syria’s southwest is strategically sensi- of its position on the developments in the could only be explained by “a malicious deal”. It was the first attack on the headquarters of the five-nation airlifts of ISIL terrorists. tive because of its proximity to the frontiers Golan, alluding to a separation of forces Bolstered by a string of victories across force, which was set up with French backing in 2017 to fight insur- The U.S. and its allies have been bombing with both Jordan and the Israeli-occupied agreement with Syria after the 1973 Middle southern Syria, al-Assad’s chief backer gents and criminal groups in the vast and unstable Sahel region. what they call ISIL positions inside Syria Golan Heights. East war that created a buffer zone patrolled Russia has been reluctant to yield to the In total, four separate attacks killed 15 people in Mali in three since September 2014 without any author- The recapture of Dara’a is highly im- by the UN Disengagement and Observer opposition’s demands. days, as the vulnerable West African nation prepares to go to the polls ization from the Damascus government or portant because it borders the occupied Force (UNDOF). Diplomatic sources say that wider nego- on July 29. The G5 Sahel leaders - from Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, a United Nations mandate. Golan Heights which Israel has used to “We will continue protecting our borders, tiations were difficult, with Russia insisting Mauritania and Niger - met Sunday to prepare for talks with Macron. Damascus says the U.S. and its Western treat wounded militants for years. we will provide humanitarian aid to the full on sweeping surrender terms and rebels “These attacks should strengthen our determination to fight and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist Also on Tuesday, Israel Prime Minister extent possible, we will not allow entry into seeking an agreement that would make terrorism to ensure our populations’ security,” Niger’s president, groups, while Israel carries out sporadic Benjamin Netanyahu announced that ci- our territory and we will demand strict ad- Jordan a guarantor of the safety of Dara’a Mahamadou Issoufou, told AFP on the sidelines of the summit. strikes against Syrian government forces. vilians fleeing the war in Syria will not be herence to the 1974 disengagement deals province’s 800,000 civilians. Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, hosting the gathering of more than 40 heads of state and government, said Friday’s bombing “hit (at) the heart” of security in the Sahel and lashed out at a lack of international help. Chaos in Merkel’s coalition after Seehofer dangles resignation The Al-Qaeda-linked Support Group, the main extremist al- liance in the Sahel, claimed the attack in a telephone call to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make a last-ditch are due to meet later in the day and before that, a joint Mauritanian news agency Al-Akhbar. effort to end a migration row with her conservative allies by session of the parliamentary groups of the CSU and CDU “It was a message sent by the terrorists at this precise moment holding more talks with her interior minister, whose offer is due to take place, although there was some doubt if it when we are getting organized to stabilize and secure our region,” to resign cast doubt over whether her fragile government would go ahead. Aziz told France 24 television. can survive. Crucially for Merkel, CDU lawmakers are backing her “If the headquarters was attacked, it is because there are so many Horst Seehofer offered to quit his ministerial post and - so far. failings we need to fix if we want to bring stability to the Sahel.” the chairmanship of the Bavarian Christian Social Union Hans-Peter Friedrich, a member of the CSU lead- The G5 aims to have a total of 5,000 troops from the five (CSU) at a marathon party meeting on Sunday to discuss ership, said that Merkel’s rejections of compromises nations but has faced funding problems and lack of equipment. whether immigration proposals Merkel brought back from submitted by Seehofer suggested she was happy to It is intended to operate alongside France’s 4,000 troops in Brussels last week were acceptable. see him go. the troubled “tri-border” area where Mali, Niger and Burkina But he was then persuaded by party colleagues to have “Now it depends on whether Horst Seehofer draws his Faso meet, and alongside the UN’s 12,000-strong MINUSMA one more meeting with Merkel on Monday to try to resolve own conclusions,” Friedrich told Deutschlandfunk public peacekeeping operation in Mali. the long-standing row and said he would make his final broadcaster. “Her attitude feeds the suspicion that she Aziz said the G5 was a “sovereign initiative” of Sahel states decision within three days. would happily accept Horst Seehofer’s resignation.” that face not only security problems but drought, poverty, un- Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) relies on the CSU CSU leaders are divided over how to face down a chal- employment and trafficking. to maintain power through a coalition, also including the lenge from the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany The string of attacks in the vast Sahel region hijacked an AU Social Democrats (SPD), formed three months ago after Officials from the Bavaria-based CSU accused Merkel of (AfD) in October’s regional election. summit meant to focus on free trade, funding, corruption as well an election in September. rejecting several compromise proposals made by Seehofer Seehofer told party colleagues at an executive committee as the continent’s other security crises. Germany’s political crisis is the latest sign of a growing to heal the rift with her own CDU. meeting on Sunday that discussions with Merkel had been Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who holds the presidency divide across the EU between those who want to maintain Seehofer, who has demanded that Merkel toughen her fruitless, according to a party source. of the 55-nation AU, will make a call to promote free trade. open borders and those who want to restrict the number open-doors refugee policy, told colleagues on Sunday that One possibility is for the 70-year old CDU and CSU alli- Currently, African countries only conduct about 16 percent of of migrants entering the bloc. in spite of the measures agreed with EU leaders, he saw no ance to split which would rob Merkel of her parliamentary their business with each other, the smallest amount of intra-regional The ructions in Berlin were putting pressure on the euro alternative to turning some migrants back at the border. majority. This could see to her trying to lead a minority trade compared to Latin America, Asia, North America and Europe. early on Monday while Germany’s top share index opened Merkel rejects this. government, or possibly new elections. (Source: AFP) more than one percent lower. In an extremely fluid situation, Merkel and Seehofer (Source: Reuters) MKO and gathering of zealots

Saudi regime, UAE use Bahrain as ‘trial balloons’ for warmer ties with Israel: report 1 Those MKO members who had succeeded to flee from The House of Saud regime and the United Bahrain and Israel aren’t “around the corner,” country’s rulers “are testing the waters and people in the Persian Gulf kingdom holding Camp Ashraf in Iraq have cited horrific stories about the group. Arab Emirates (UAE) are using Bahrain as ties are indeed getting warmer. the trend is very clear” for a possible nor- numerous protest rallies against normal- One may not expect persons like Maryam Rajavi and other “trial balloons” for warmer ties with Israel, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Khalid bin malization with Israel. ization of ties with Tel Aviv. MKO ringleaders to repent their past and apologize the Iranians the Haaretz daily reports. Ahmed Al Khalifa surprised the world in Bahrain is a bellwether for other Persian because they have brainwashed and ruined the lives of hundreds An Israeli delegation traveled to Bahrain May when he supported Israel’s attack on Gulf Arab states, such as the United Arab In May 2017, Manama witnessed the first of thousands of Iranian youth through their extreme political for a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, dozens of military targets in Syria. Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which also visit of an Israeli official at the 67th congress and religious dispositions. However, it is shocking to see that Scientific and Cultural Organization) event He twitted that Tel Aviv had a right to view Israel as a potential partner against of football’s world governing body FIFA. some figures like Giuliani and Newt Gingrich, a former House in Manama last month, with the paper de- “defend itself” as he signed up to the Israeli the Islamic Republic of Iran, Haaretz said, That visit prompted the hashtag “#Bah- speaker and a close Trump ally, attend MKO conferences. It is scribing the visit as “not trivial” because it version of a chain of events that cited the citing Schanzer. rain_refuses_normalization” to go viral. noteworthy that John Bolton, who now acts as national security could signal a shift with regard to the tiny raid a response to an alleged Iranian rocket “It seems sometimes like Saudi Arabia The kingdom became the only Persian advisor to Trump, also attended the group’s meeting last year. Persian Gulf state’s treatment of Israel. attack against military bases in the occupied and the UAE are using Bahrain – which Gulf state in 2016 to publicly mourn the death When one sees such moves he asks himself: How can these figures, “Arab countries that don’t officially rec- Golan Heights. is allied with them but is smaller and less of former Israeli president Shimon Peres. no matter how much hawkish they may be, attend the meetings of ognize Israel have insisted over the years “It makes a lot of sense for Bahrain and influential – to do ‘trial balloons’ regarding Also that year, Manama officials raised the MKO which its history is rife with terrorism and treason? on not granting entry to Israelis, even when Israel to increase their cooperation,” Haaretz foreign policy. It’s true with regard to the eyebrows by hosting and participating in No matter how much Giuliani, Bolton, Gingrich, Harper and hosting major international events,” the Is- quoted Jonathan Schanzer from Washing- three countries’ rivalry with their neighbor an Israeli celebration in Manama, where other hawks hate the Islamic republic system but attending the raeli newspaper wrote. ton-based think tank the Foundation for Qatar, and also with regard to Israel,” he said. Bahraini dignitaries and traders danced gatherings of such an extreme group is disgraceful and self-in- It quoted experts in Washington as saying Defense of Democracies as saying. Manama’s overtures to Tel Aviv have been next to rabbis. flicting otherwise we conclude that these persons are as stupid, that even though official relations between Schanzer visited Bahrain last year as the met with strong public scrutiny, with the (Source: Press TV) bigoted, dangerous, and extreme as the MKO ringleaders. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 14 WORLD SPORTS JULY 3, 2018 Spain back to dark ages after Froome cleared by UCI in doping case World Cup debacle

Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome was cleared by cycling’s world governing body on Monday of any wrongdoing after he tested positive for excessive levels of the asthma drug Salbutamol. Froome, 33, had tested positive for excessive levels of Salbuta- mol following a urine sample at last September’s Vuelta a Espana. “On 28 June 2018, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in- formed the UCI that it would accept, based on the specific facts of the case, that Mr Froome’s sample results do not constitute an Adverse Analytical Finding,” the International Cycling Union (UCI) said in a statement. “In light of WADA’s unparalleled access to information and authorship of the salbutamol regime, the UCI has decided, based on WADA’s position, to close the proceedings against Mr Froome.” The Briton had always denied any wrongdoing and welcomed the news, which means he will be cleared to race in this year’s Tour de France which begins on Saturday. “I am very pleased that the UCI has exonerated me. While this decision is obviously a big deal for me and the team, it’s also an important moment for cycling,” Froome said in a statement. “Feel the power of dream at “I understand the history of this great sport – good and bad. I have always taken my leadership position very seriously and 2018 World Cup” I always do things the right way. I meant it when I said that I would never dishonour a winner’s jersey and that my results Spain arrived at the World Cup convinced they were ready But to the national media, this latest fiasco was all too the players who had worked with Lopetegui for two years. would stand the test of time. to rule world football again but Sunday’s defeat to Russia familiar. “Spain step back 10 years” said newspaper El Pais, Koke, who also missed in the shootout, said it had been “I have never doubted that this case would be dismissed for in the last 16 has set the 2010 champions back a decade and while Marca declared, “Spain return to the past”. hard to lose him. the simple reason that I have known throughout I did nothing brought an end to a glorious generation. Where Spain go from here is far from clear. “We lost our leader,” said the midfielder after the game. wrong... I appreciate more than anyone else the frustration at The idea that Spain, boasting a squad bursting with win- They are without a coach and are soon set to be without Interim manager Fernando Hierro’s lack of coaching how long the case has taken to resolve and the uncertainty this ners at club and international level, could be sent home many of the players that have been part of the furniture for so experience was there for all to see when he flapped on the has caused. I am glad it’s finally over.” by the lowest-ranked team in the tournament would have long. Andres Iniesta confirmed his international retirement sidelines, throwing on Dani Carvajal and Andres Iniesta The Team Sky rider, who won the Giro d’Italia in May while the sounded preposterous just a month ago, but as the minutes immediately after the game and Gerard Pique is set to join after he had dropped them from the starting line-up. investigation was ongoing, will be aiming to win a record-equalling ticked by at the Luzhniki stadium it seemed ever more likely. him. Sergio Ramos and David Silva will be 34 by Euro 2020. Hierro seemed unsuited to his sudden transformation fifth Tour when the race gets underway in Noirmoutier. Despite making an astounding 1,107 total passes, Spain “The end of a generation”, said the cover of newspaper AS. from director of football to head coach. “We have always had total confidence in Chris and his integ- could not break the 1-1 deadlock and their fate was sealed The decision to dispense with long-time coach Julen “I arrived wearing a suit, I’ll leave wearing a tracksuit,” rity. We knew that he had followed the right medical guidance in when Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev booted away Iago Lopetegui days before the World Cup after he failed to tell the former Real Madrid defender said two weeks ago. managing his asthma at the Vuelta and were sure that he would Aspas’s spotkick to cap a 4-3 shootout win for the hosts. the federation about his move to Real Madrid after the tour- He did not expect to be leaving Russia so soon but giv- be exonerated in the end, which he has been,” Team Sky’s team Perennial underachievers on the international stage, Spain nament was inevitably brought up. en the turmoil that enveloped Spain’s campaign with the principal Dave Brailsford said. rid themselves of that tag during a glorious cycle between While the decision, taken by federation president Luis sacking of the man that got them there, no one could really (Source: Reuters) 2008 and 2012 when they won back-to-back European Rubiales, had the backing of large sections of the media and have been surprised by their early exit. Championships and a first World Cup. influential former players like Xavi Hernandez it unsettled (Source: Guardian) Doping doctor linked to Brazil football Boateng rejects calls to retire as Salah signs new long-term exposed Joachim Low backed deal with Liverpool

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has signed a new long-term contract with the club, the Premier League side said on Monday. Salah had a remarkable first season with Liverpool, scoring 44 goals in all competitions and helping the club reach the Cham- pions League final. He was named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year. “I think this news can be seen for what it is; rewarding a person who performed and contributed greatly for the team and the club last season,” manager Juergen Klopp told the club’s website. “It demonstrates two things very clearly also - his belief in Liverpool and our belief in him.” “Mo reflects where we are as a team, I think. Last season was special with many special moments - but we want more.” The 26-year-old netted 32 times in the Premier League, breaking the record for the most goals scored in a 38-game season, and helped the Merseyside club to a fourth-place finish. (Source: Star)

A team of investigative journalists from than a million followers on Instagram. He Jerome Boateng has no plans to quit photo with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Germany have revealed that they received has published photos on the social media international football despite coming Erdogan in mid-May. He has also been doping substances from a celebrity doctor platform of himself aside multiple football- in for criticism following Germany’s targeted for his body language on the LeBron James to join Lakers in Brazil associated with some of South ing stars, including former Brazil national shock group-stage exit at the World pitch, with parts of the German public America’s most famous footballers. players Kaka, Rivaldo and Nilmar. Cup. making him the scapegoat. for $154 million over 4 years The team from German public broadcast- The ARD team could not verify wheth- Boateng, 29, was one of nine players Having remained quiet throughout er ARD showed evidence of the meeting with er Barakat had treated those players, but from the squad that lifted the World Cup the tournament, Ozil published a short Dr. Mohammed Barakat in a documentary Barakat acknowledged that he gave Paolo four years ago who made it to Russia but statement on social media on Friday, Basketball superstar LeBron James has signed a four-year, $154 aired on Sunday evening. Guerrero, a former Bayern Munich player were dumped out after losing to both and he admitted Germany “weren’t good million deal to join the Los Angeles Lakers, his agency, Klutch The film shows Barakat prescribing who most recently captained the Peruvian Mexico and South Korea. enough.” Before ending with Hashtag Sports Group, announced Sunday night. banned substance Anastrozol to an under- national team at the World Cup, an un- No player has so far announced his #SayNoToRacism, he added: “I’ll need James did not pick up his option Friday with the Cleveland cover journalist pretending to be an athlete specified treatment in 2013. retirement from international football some time to get over it.” Cavaliers, the team he led to its fourth straight NBA finals this during their first meeting. Barakat also puts ’Breakfast, lunch, dinner’ to make way for new blood. Niklas Sule, 22, condemned German year, only to be swept by the Golden State Warriors in four games. him in contact with a drug dealer who offers the Brazilian football is no stranger to dop- “It was never an issue for me,” Boateng, media in a post on Instagram, saying Some had expected the move to Los Angeles, where the Ohio journalist multiple banned steroids, including ing. The country most recently registered the who was sent off in the win over Sweden they were never interested in backing native owns two homes. The announcement came on the first nandrolone, testosterone and oxandrolone. highest number of football-related doping and missed the loss to South Korea, told the team. day of free agency. “Hormones are the elixir of life,” Barakat incidents worldwide, according to the World Die Welt when asked about international “All of us were world champions in James, 33, is a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and ar- tells the journalist. “You’re going to take flight Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). retirement. “I am a leader. And as such I 2014,” he wrote, addressing the Germa- guably the league’s most dominant player. and your condition will improve dramatically.” Barakat is being investigated by Brazil’s am ready to tackle the reboot.” ny supporters. “And this is also means He joined the league In 2003 as the first overall draft pick Links to football stars medical council over previous doping alle- Sami Khedira, 31, another 2014 World that we all were eliminated in 2018. by Cleveland. During the documentary, a top athlete gations. He has also been filmed prescrib- Cup winner to disappoint in Russia, said Your criticism is appropriate and jus- But he shocked fans in 2010 by going to Miami, where he won speaking on the condition of anonymity says ing banned substances before. A Brazilian that he will take his time to weigh up tified. And it’s not about media, who his first championship with the Heat in 2012. Barakat works with anyone willing to pay for investigative journalist gave ARD a 2013 his options and does not want to rush try to write everything down anyway. Two years later, it was back to the Cavs. And in June 2016, his treatment. “I know that he has worked with undercover recording showing Barakat his decision. It’s about the real fans who are there they beat the Golden State Warriors 93-89 in a deciding Game a lot of people in the footballing world,” he says. prescribing him growth hormones. Mesut Ozil, 29, has been subject to in success and failure.” 7 to win the NBA Championship. His performance earned him Barakat is famous in Brazil and has more (Source: DW) racist insults following his controversial (Source: ESPN) unanimous MVP honors. The victory was the first major sports championship for a Cleveland team since 1964. The Lakers haven’t made the playoffs in five years. Russia will need more firepower against Croatia in last eight (Source: CNN) Hosts Russia have exceeded expectations after advancing The only other time the have faced an attacking team to the World Cup quarter-finals with a win on penalties over in this tournament — Uruguay — Russia went down 3-0 Spain but they will need more firepower if they are to give without putting up any real resistance. Croatia a run for their money on Saturday. “I had to persuade them this was the only way (against The Russians played with five at the back and just a lone Spain) as they don’t like this system,” said the coach, whose France get Sidibe boost ahead striker in Artem Dzyuba and it worked against Spain, who side also had one shot on target in two hours of football. managed just one chance in the entire 90 minutes on Sunday. Cherchesov knows his players stuck to his plan of sitting of Uruguay clash Having played more than 1,000 passes but never got back and soaking up the Spanish attempts to break through to threaten the Russians in the box, the Spaniards made with their once-feared tiki-taka passing game but against it look easy for the hosts, who are the lowest-ranked team Croatia his team will need to also score and just Dzyuba France are expected to be at full strength when they take on Uruguay in the tournament. may not be enough. in their World Cup quarter-final on Friday after assistant coach But it will not be the same against Croatia, with the Balkan Russia will be without midfielder Yuri Zhirkov who is Guy Stephan described Djibril Sidibe’s injury as a minor scare. nation also needing penalties to advance over Denmark hapless Argentina, to stake a claim as one of the dark horses out with a leg injury but Cherchesov is confident his team Full back Sidibe limped out of Sunday’s training session with on Sunday but already having shown flashes of their stel- in this tournament. has not yet peaked. an ankle injury a day after France beat Argentina 4-3 in the last 16. lar attacking game when they beat Argentina, Nigeria and Their attacks will also come in all shapes and sizes, wheth- “We have been working after each game and we have “It’s nothing serious. I can’t say he’ll train with the others Iceland to top their group. er they are quick breaks, long crosses for Mandzukic, so some time now to check who is ready to do what (against today and his ankle is bruised but it’s nothing big,” Stephan told With players such as world-class midfielder Luca Modric dominant in aerial battles, or individual displays of skills Croatia). We look who is fit, less fit. On the fitness level we a news conference on Monday. and a string of top-level forwards including Mario Mandzukic, and powerful shots from in or around the box. can show more here.” He added that full back Lucas Hernandez was nursing a minor Ante Rebic, Andrej Kramaric and Ivan Perisic, Croatia will They will certainly not be as one-sided as Spain’s attacking As for his reserved celebrations which were limited to a muscle problem. challenge Russia’s backline far more than Spain’s lacklustre options. The Russians breathed a collective sigh of relief after brief raising of the hands on the final whistle, Cherchesov Another full back, Benjamin Mendy, had suffered a thigh muscle Diego Costa did in the entire game. clinching a last eight spot and triggering wild celebrations said: “This is the beginning and I have to save my emotions problem but “he will resume his activity today”, said Stephan. Zlatko Dalic’s team scored at least two goals in each across the vast country but coach Stanislav Cherchesov for the later.” (Source: Goal) of their three group matches, including firing three past attempted to keep his players grounded. (Source: Mirror) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 3, 2018 SPORTS 15

Iran overpower Kazakhstan Carlos Queiroz on Egypt’s and make it to second round

SPORTS TEHRAN — Iran defeated Kazakhstan desk88-56 in FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers and advanced to the second round of the radar: Report Asian Qualifiers. SPORTS TEHRAN — The Egyp- The match was held in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium in Group D. desktian Football Association The next phase will consist of 12 teams in two groups. (EFA) is reportedly going to hire Iran current The top three teams in each group along with the better placed coach Carlos Queiroz. fourth team will qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup. According to Youm7.com, EFA president The second round begins in September 2018. Hany Abo Rid is reviewing the options to find a new coach for the Pharaohs. Hector Cuper has left his role after failing to Masoud Shojaei linked with pick up a point in the World Cup group stage. Cuper’s team finished bottom of Group Apollon Smyrnis A and was the first in the tournament to be eliminated. PLDC — AEK Athens midfielder Masoud Shojaei has been The North African nation lost to Uruguay, reportedly linked with a move to Apollon Smyrnis. Russia and then Saudi Arabia. Shojaei will leave AEK Athens and Apollon Smyrnis is one Contrary to the Argentine coach, Iran of the Greek teams has shown interest in signing the Iranian earned four points under Queiroz in tough international midfielder. Group B. Shojae is the only Iranian player who represented his country Team Melli edged past Morocco 1-0, lost in three World Cups. to Spain 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Ronaldo- He played 68 minutes in the match against Morocco and spirited Portugal. was an unused substitute in two matches against Spain and Queiroz has yet to agree to extend his stay Portugal. as Team Melli coach despite claims by the Apollon Smyrnis Football Club or in its full name Gymnas- president of the country’s football federation ticos Syllogos Apollon Smyrnis is a Greek football club based that the Portuguese would lead the team at in the city of Athens, that plays in the Super League. January’s Asian Cup finals. It was founded in Smyrna in 1891 and is one of the oldest The ex-Real Madrid coach has been also sports clubs in Greece. linked with a move to South Africa and Algeria. Apollon has departments in football, basketball, volleyball, Morocco coach Herve Renard and water polo and other sports. Australia coach Bert van Marwijk are also on EFA’s radar. Khodadad Azizi named On Azmoun-Ghoochannejhad retirement from national duty Sepidrood Rasht coach By Mohammad Ali Haqshenas “Unfortunately, with all the interest I have, TASNIM — Ex-Iranian forward Khodadad Azizi has been and contrary to my heart’s desire, I decided named as new head coach of Sepidrood Rasht football team MNA — Two Iran national football team to say goodbye to the national team of my on Sunday. strikers Reza Ghoochannejhad and Sardar country … It’s definitely the most painful The 47-year-old coach re- Azmoun quit national duty just after coming decision for a young 23-year-old who has placed Ali Karimi in the Rasht home from 2018 Russia World Cup. come here with a lot of hardship and misery,” based football team. Qualifying for 2018 World Cup as the he wrote, adding, “My mother had overcome a Under coaching of Karimi, second team, Iran had raised hopes for gain- serious illness and I was happy. Unfortunately newcomer Sepidrood finished ing unprecedented results in the history of because of the unkindness of some people, in 13th place in Iran Profes- their presence in World Cups; and they did. and the insults that me and my team-mates sional League, 34 points be- Despite being in a very rough group be- in no way deserved, her illness has become hind holder Persepolis. sides giant Spain and Portugal and African severe. This has put me in a difficult position Azizi started his coaching champion Morocco, Team Melli gained four where I must pick one or the other - and as career in Aboomoslem in 2006. points but lost the chance to advance to a result I pick my mother,” Goal reported. He has also coached Payam the Round of 16. Also, many people believe that he is far Khorasan, Esteghlal Ahvaz, Just like the games in the qualifying round, from retirement period and Team Melli needs Shahrdari Tabriz and Siah- Iran proved its strong defensive line and just strikers like Sardar. jamegan. conceded two goals in its three matches. “I hope that I could again score goals for Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Many experts and most of the public the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Sardar and Mohammad Reza Mirhos- praised Iran’s defensive performance at the on June 28 while addressing the people of seini have been named as Azizi’s assistants. World Cup, however, when the focus is on his hometown Gonbad; a comment which The new season of Iran Professional League will start on defending, strikers have the least chance to shows he has changed his mind. July 26. become stars and they face a rather heavy What is obvious here is that his decision emotional pressure. is based on emotions to the point that Carlos When Iran was eliminated from World Quieroz hasn’t commented on him, implying Cup, defenders and goalkeeper became he- The Heerenveen striker remained an quite national duty and focus on his fam- that he will probably be back. Masoud Shojaei linked with roes and some fierce criticisms centered on unused substitute in all three World Cup ily and newborn son, Doran, and his club Blame on players or Iran’s style? Iran’s attacking line. matches and didn’t find the chance to competitions. The fact is that Quieroz has built a spec- Apollon Smyrnis The case of Ghoochannejhad prove his readiness, despite Iran’s need The emotional decision of Sardar tacular team which is focusing on defense Seemed desperate, Reza Ghoochannejhad, and counter attacks. This style was most to score to advance to the knockout stage 23-year-old Sardar Azmoun also dropped PLDC — AEK Athens midfielder Masoud Shojaei has been posted a message on his Instagram account apparent when the team was playing against for the first time. a retirement bombshell after coming home. reportedly linked with a move to Apollon Smyrnis. after arrival to Iran and announced that he big names like Argentina, Spain and Portugal. Nicknamed ‘Gucci’, he has served six The news went viral in minutes, and Shojaei will leave AEK Athens and Apollon Smyrnis is one is retiring from national duty. In this style, strikers are also extensively years in Team Melli scoring 16 goals in made it the hottest topic among Iranian of the Greek teams has shown interest in signing the Iranian “To wear Iran jersey was a dream which participating in defense and have the lowest his 44 caps. His most dramatic and influ- football fans. international midfielder. came true for me but I think it’s time to bid chance to shine in attacks. This puts an extra ential goal was that against South Korea Azmoun, also called ‘Iranian Messi’, played Shojae is the only Iranian player who represented his country farewell to Team Melli. I would also like to physical and emotional pressure on strikers. in 2012 which led to Iran’s qualifying to in three matches but couldn’t score a goal in three World Cups. thank all my coaches and teammates for Team Melli needs improved strikers, no 2014 Brazil World Cup. despite all hopes that were built on him. He played 68 minutes in the match against Morocco and helping me grow as a player in the previous doubt, but the attacking line shouldn’t be Who knows, maybe his experience and Sardar feels insulted by comments from was an unused substitute in two matches against Spain and six years and wish them all the best,” he harshly criticized when the team is concen- mentality could solve Iran’s lack of scoring. national team supporters and believes they Portugal. wrote, Tehran Times reported. trating on defense. The 30-year-old striker has decided to have resulted in his mother becoming ill again. Apollon Smyrnis Football Club or in its full name Gymnas- ticos Syllogos Apollon Smyrnis is a Greek football club based in the city of Athens, that plays in the Super League. Queiroz yet to agree to Iran contract extension It was founded in Smyrna in 1891 and is one of the oldest ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia (Reuters) — Carlos Their performance in Russia, where they defeated Mo- sports clubs in Greece. Queiroz has yet to agree to extend his stay as Iran coach rocco and drew with European champions Portugal only to Apollon has departments in football, basketball, volleyball, despite claims by the president of the country’s football miss narrowly out on a place in the second round, was the water polo and other sports. federation that the Portuguese would lead the team at nation’s best in five appearances at the finals. January’s Asian Cup finals. But his relationship with the national association has Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj was quoted often been strained, with Queiroz voicing his intention to Magno Batista da Silva Joins following the team’s return to Tehran as saying Queiroz stand down from the role on a number of occasions. would remain at the helm following their elimination from The former Manchester United assistant coach is hugely Paykan the World Cup finals through to the continental champi- popular in Iran with both fans and players, several of whom onship in the United Arab Emirates. have called for him to be given the four-year contract through But a source close to Queiroz denied an agreement has to Qatar 2022 that he desires. TASNIM — Magno Batista da Silva joined Iranian top-flight been reached between the two parties and that the former “The contract will be discussed later but yes, Quieroz will football club Paykan. Real Madrid head coach is considering other options. remain in charge until the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019,” Taj The 32-year-old defensive midfielder has joined Paykan “There was a new approach from the IR Iran Football that are open.” was quoted as saying following the team’s return to Tehran. on a one-year contract for an undisclosed fee. Federation, but the agreement is far from done due to the Queiroz stated before the World Cup that he would end “The (World Cup) results say that we are on the right Magno Batista came off the bench in a warm-up match basic conditions that would be necessary for the federation to his seven-year stint as Iran coach upon the completion of track. The 7,000 fans who welcomed the team at 4am at against Pars Jonoubi on Sunday. put in place towards the Asian Cup,” the source told Reuters. the country’s involvement in Russia 2018. the airport showed us their priority is the national team. The Brazilian player started his playing career at Brazilian “In the present scenario, Carlos Queiroz’s contract with The 65-year-old was appointed in April 2011 and steered “We have had a good football year, and the Asian Cup club Centro Sportivo Alagoano and has also played at Atlético IR Iran Federation finishes at the end of July. the team to back-to-back qualifications for the World Cup is ahead of us. Based on my negotiations with Queiroz, Juventus, Grêmio Barueri, Santo André and Novo “Apart from Iran, Carlos has other proposals and options for the first time in Iran’s history. and the current atmosphere, we can win the Asian Cup.” Hamburgo. Magno Batista joined Damash Gilan in 2011 and has also played in Iranian clubs Naft Tehran, Gostaresh Foolad and World Cup 2018: Brazil’s two Sanat Naft. goals knock out Mexico Iran, Iraq U-20 futsal teams to play scrimmage in late August Brazil strengthened their claim on the title Neymar assisted on the second goal, firing of World Cup tournament favorite Monday an 88th-minute shot at Mexican goalkeeper by advancing to the quarterfinals with a 2-0 Guillermo Ochoa that flew into the path of Press TV — The head of futsal technical committee at the victory over Mexico. attacker Firmino, who tapped the ball in. Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) Neymar broke the deadlock in the 51st So many favorites have been eliminated says the Iran men’s under-20 national futsal team is scheduled minute of the game at Samara Arena, sliding already from the World Cup — Germany, to play a friendly fixture against Iraq late next month. toward goal and tapping in after Willian Argentina and Portugal among them — that Abbas Torabian said the FFIRI and the governing body of sprinted down the left and fired in a low cross. Brazil, trying to make amends for its disap- football in Iraq (Iraq Football Association) have reached an The goal made Brazil the World Cup all- pointing 2014 tournament, now has a strong agreement for the exhibition game on August 26 in the Iraqi time scoring leader with 227 goals, surpassing shot at leaving Russia with a sixth title. holy shrine city of Najaf, located about 160 kilometers (100 Germany with 226. (Source: SI) miles) south of the capital Baghdad. Prayer Times Noon:13:09 Evening: 20:45 Dawn: 4:08 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 5:53 (tomorrow) JULY 3, 2018 ART&CULTURE I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y www.tehrantimes.com Managing Director: Ali Asgari Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Ghaderi Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 “Giovanna’s Father” opens [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051450 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 Italian festival in Tehran www.eshterak.ir Distributor: Padideh Novin Co. Tel: 88911433 ARTTEHRAN – An Italian Webmaster: [email protected] desk Printed at: Rooztab - ISSN: 1017-94 film festival opened at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran on No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran Sunday by screening director Pupi Avati’s P.o. Box: 14155-4843 Zip Code: 1599814713 2008 drama “Giovanna’s Father”. Starring Silvio Orlando and Alba Rohrwacher, “Giovanna’s Father” is about a high-school art teacher who is overprotective of his mentally unstable daughter. A lineup of 6 films are due to be screened during the festival running until July 6, the Forum announced in a press release published on Monday. “The Demons of St. Petersburg”, the 2008 drama by Giuliano Montaldo was screened on Monday. Surgeon pleads guilty to minor The lineup also includes “A Second Childhood” by Avati, “The Feast” by Mimmo charge for Kiarostami death Calopresti and “The Arrival of Wang” by Antonio and Marco Manetti. ARTTEHRAN – Surgeon Ahmad Mir pleaded Also included is “Italy in a Day”, a 2014 deskguilty to a misdemeanor charge for the death Italian-British documentary by Gabriele of the celebrated Iranian auteur Abbas Kiarostami based on a Salvatores. verdict announced by the Iran Medical Council (IMC) on Monday. The event is a part of Italy’s cultural project, “Italy, Cultures, the Mediterranean”. The Italian film experts Noemi Marchica and Vito Picchinenna are scheduled to hold workshops on the sidelines of the event on Wednesday and Friday. Silvio Orlando (L) and Alba Rohrwacher act in a scene from Italian director Pupi Avati’s drama “Giovanna’s Father”.

“Foruzan” picked as best short “Kupal” cinematographer Majid Gorjian at Armenia Fresco festival named best at Nigerian festival

Iranian auteur Abbas Kiarostami in an undated photo Based on the verdict, Mir has been sentenced to a written reprimand, which will be included in his professional file and also be published in the IMC periodical. Accordingly, he is also prohibited from being in charge of or establishing a medical center for a period of three years. In mid-March 2016, Kiarostami was hospitalized for a severe gastrointestinal disease at Tehran’s Jam Hospital and underwent several operations. Although he didn’t recover fully, he left the hospital in late April. Due to complications resulting from the operations, he was admitted again to Arad Hospital in Tehran, but on June 27, he decided to leave the hospital and continue further medical treat- ment at a Paris hospital where he died shortly after. Iranian director Mir Abbas Khosravinejad poses after accepting the award for best A scene from “Kupal” by Kazem Mollai After Kiarostami’s death, his family filed a lawsuit accusing short film for “Foruzan” at the Fresco International Festival of Modern Art and ARTTEHRAN – Majid “Kupal” tells the story of a hunter his medical team in Iran of negligence, but a Tehran court found Spiritual Films in Yerevan, Armenia on July 1, 2018. deskGorjian has won the and a taxidermist called “Dr. Ahmad the medical team innocent of the allegations. ARTTEHRAN – The central Iran. She tries to protect her herd award for best cinematographer at Kupal”. On the last day of the year, just Subsequently, the IMC agreed to do a professional investi- deskIranian drama from robbery in the night. the 3rd Realtime International Film moments before the arrival of the New gation into Kiarostami’s case and they reached their verdict as “Foruzan” won the award for best short A number of Iranian films, including Festival in Nigeria for his collaboration Year, he faces an unexpected challenge. a result of which the other members of the medical team pled film at the Fresco International Festival “Kupal” by Kazem Mollai and “Are You on Iranian director Kazem Mollai’s “The Forbidden” by Nampala not guilty to the charges in the case. of Modern Art and Spiritual Films in Volleyball?” by Mohammad Bakhshi, were acclaimed drama “Kupal”, the Claire from Hong Kong was named Armenia on Sunday, director Mir Abbas also screened in various sections of the organizers announced on Sunday. best film, while Marco Santi from Khosravinejad announced on his Facebook festival that took place in the Armenian Starring Levon Haftvan, who died Italy was picked as best director for Iranian cultural festival page. capital of Yerevan from June 22 to July 1. of a heart attack in March 2018, the “Professor D” at the event, which took The acclaimed movie is about a widow “Foruzan” was named best drama at film has won numerous international place in the Nigerian city of Lagos opens in Algeria with two children living in a village in the Astoria NY Film Festival in June. awards. from June 24 to July 1.

ARTTEHRAN – An Iranian cultural festival deskopened at Ilm Center in the Algerian city Belarus selects “Crystal Swan” Choreographer Gillian Lynne of “Cats” of Blida on Saturday, Iran’s as its Academy Awards entry fame dies at age 92 Islamic Culture and Relations Organization announced on LOS ANGELES (Variety) – East European LONDON (AP) — Choreographer Gillian Monday. nation Belarus has selected Darya Zhuk’s debut Lynne, who worked closely for many years The festival includes feature “Crystal Swan” as its submission for with composer Andrew Lloyd Webber on film screening programs, the Oscars’ foreign-language film category, some of his most famous works, has died exhibitions of Persian the first country to do so for the 91st Acad- in London. She was 92. handicrafts and live emy Awards race. It is the first time Belarus Her husband, the actor Peter Land, said performances of Iranian folk has entered a film in the Oscars contest for on Twitter that she died Sunday evening at music. 22 years. The film, about a young female DJ, the Princess Grace Hospital. He said she Exhibitions of Persian has its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary “leaves behind a huge legacy and is adored cuisine, workshops on Persian Film Festival Saturday. by many.” Land said he was “heartbroken” calligraphy, and sessions Set in 1996, the movie centers on Velya, at the loss of the woman who had been his In this April 27, 2015 file photo choreog- on Iranian historical and a young woman living in Minsk, who loves “Crystal Swan” (Courtesy of Loco Films) friend and his love for 40 years. rapher Gillian Lynne arrives to deliver tourist attractions will also be House Music and dreams of moving to Chicago Lynne’s many credits included the phe- her speech during a press presentation to A poster for an Iranian cultural organized during the festival, to work as a professional DJ. Getting a visa DJ in New York for a couple of years. Velya’s nomenally successful “Cats” and “Phantom promote the musical Cats, in Paris, France. festival at Ilm Center in Blida, which will be running until proves tough though, and her quest to provide love of House Music “connects to the idea of of the Opera.” (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Algeria July 14. a phoney verification for the faked documents freedom,” Zhuk said. Last month, Lloyd Webber renamed his she needs for the visa application leads to a trip On one level the film, which opens Karlovy New London Theatre as The Gillian Lynne formers from a variety of musical genres, to a grim back-water town, where the locals are Vary’s East of the West competition section, Theatre, making it the first in London’s including Ray Charles, Perry Como and hostile toward this non-conformist free-spirit. is a fish out of water tale, as Velya struggles to theater district named after a woman. Petula Clark. Peter Firmin, artist behind “I wanted to make something about my assert her individuality in the face of the crushing After hearing of her death, he tweeted: She told the BBC that her longevity generation of Belarusians,” Zhuk told Variety. conformity of her native country, the product “Three generations of the British musical was due to her love for her job. “Bagpuss”, other UK shows, dies “I feel like in the 1990s we all had this dream of decades of Soviet collectivist dogma. “She owe so much to you.” Lynne also said she had no musical is such an individualist American character talent of her own, and had stopped taking LONDON (AP) — Peter Firmin, the co-creator of the classic of going places and it was an important time Lynne’s career began with dancing as stuck in this post-Soviet world,” Zhuk said. piano lessons when she was a girl because British children’s TV programs “Clangers”, ?Bagpuss”, and for us.” Zhuk, who came to the U.S. when a leading soloist with Sadler’s Wells Ballet “She is like: ‘I can do it,’ ‘I have a dream,’ ‘It’s a mean piano teacher smacked her for “The Basil Brush Show,” has died. He was 89. she was 16 and later studied Economics at in 1944, and continued for decades as she going to work out my way.’ She is challenged playing poorly. Firmin’s spokesman told Britain’s Press Association that Harvard University, said she shares “an emo- moved into directing and choreography. every step of the way by people who are not Lynne received many honors for her the puppet maker and artist died Sunday at his home in Kent tional overlap with [Velya] and the way she She directed many productions in London’s getting with her program. It reflects how we decades of theatrical work and was made in southeast England after a short illness. relates to the world.” She added that “deep West End and on Broadway in New York. treat off-beat people.” a dame in 2014. The official Bagpuss Twitter feed posted the news with a down I also wanted to be a DJ,” and she did She worked on TV specials for per- photo honoring Fermin. Firmin’s distinctly crafted characters, puppets that came to life through stop-motion animation, captivated generations “Jurassic World 2” takes No. 1 again of children. LOS ANGELES (AP) — The “Jurassic World: 2”, now in its third weekend in theaters, took exceeded expectations grossing $15.5 million He created the fox Basil Brush with Ivan Owen and worked Fallen Kingdom” dinosaurs ruled the box office second place with $45.5 million, bringing its and got audience stamp of approval with an A with long-time business partner Oliver Postgate on “Bagpuss”, for a second weekend in a row, but also left a domestic total to $439.7 million. CinemaScore. “The Clangers”, “Ivor the Engine”, “Noggin the Nog” and little room for more modest newcomers like North American audiences came out in The ad and marketing campaign included “Pogles Wood”. “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” and the basketball larger than expected numbers for both the spots during the NBA playoffs and finals, a Floella Benjamin, who hosted children’s TV shows during comedy “Uncle Drew” to over-perform in the action thriller “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” Wheaties box featuring Irving as Uncle Drew, the 1970s and serves in Britain’s House of Lords,, said Firmin crowded marketplace. and “Uncle Drew”. and an Uncle Drew capsule collection from Nike. strove “to create magic to stimulate kids’ minds through his Studios on Sunday estimate that the block- The “Sicario” sequel starring Josh Brolin Lionsgate, which distributed the movie, knew creative vision.” buster sequel to “Jurassic World” earned an and Benicio Del Toro earned $19 million to the film had built-in marketability because of “Bagpuss” was voted the most popular BBC children’s additional $60 million in its second weekend in take third place. The film, distributed by Sony the celebrity of the stars, but was also pleased program ever made in a 1999 poll. Fermin was awarded a North American theaters, bringing its domestic This image released by Universal Pictures Pictures, cost a reported $35 to $40 million to discover that the film in early screenings lifetime achievement award by the British Academy of Film total to $264.8 million. While its second weekend shows a scene from the upcoming “Jurassic to produce. appealed to non-basketball fans too. and Television Arts in 2014. drop is about 10 percent steeper than that of World: Fallen Kingdom”. (Universal Pic- Landing in fourth place was the basketball “That was the surprise, that wow, we have a He is survived by his wife, Joan, six daughters who the first film, worldwide, the film has grossed tures via AP) comedy “Uncle Drew”, which features NBA All- picture that really plays to a general audience,” often collaborated with him, and grandchildren and great- $932.4 million to date and is barreling toward The dinosaurs didn’t gobble up all the at- Stars Kyrie Irving and Shaquille O’Neal. With a said David Spitz, Lionsgate’s president of domes- grandchildren. the $1 billion mark. tention this weekend, however. “Incredibles production price tag under $20 million, the film tic distribution. “It has a really sweet message.”