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16 Pages Price 20,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13366 Tuesday APRIL 16, 2019 Farvardin 27, 1398 Sha’aban 10, 1440 No enrichment prohibition Oil market fragile Rezaei appointed Iran Fajr Intl. Film ‘neither now, nor in 2025 due to U.S. Paralympic Committee Festival unveils or beyond’ 2 sanctions 4 Chief Executive 15 official lineup 16 Iran appointed board See page 2 member of WFC Leader regrets TEHRAN — Central Securities Depository Stock Exchange (TSE), Iran’s over-the-coun- of Iran (CSDI) has been appointed as a ter (OTC) market known also as Iran Fara board member of the World Forum of Bourse (IFB), Iran Mercantile Exchange Central Securities Depositories (WFC), (IME), and Iran Energy Exchange (IEE). the company’s official website published. The World Forum of CSDs (WFC) is As reported, Iran was selected as the composed of five regional CSD associations, killing of board member of WFC during the 22nd including Asia Pacific CSD Group (ACG), annual general assembly of Asia Pacific Americas Central Securities Depositories Central Securities Depository Group (ACG), Association (ACSDA), Africa & Middle which was held in Colombo, the capital East Depositories (AECSD), Association of city of Sri Lanka, in last November. Eurasian Central Securities Depositories CSDI is the sole registrar, central custodian (AECSD), and Association (AMEDA) and and clearing house for the Iranian financial the European Central Securities Depos- Muslims by market of four exchanges including Tehran itories Association (ECSDA). Iran calls claim of interference in Venezuela ‘ridiculous’ each other TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Ministry has said will focus on developments spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi on in Venezuela. During his trip, Pompeo Sunday denounced the U.S. Secretary of has been trying to build up support State’s claim that Iran is interfering in the for Venezuelan President Nicolas Ma- internal affairs of Venezuela, describing duro’s ouster. it as “ridiculous”. Mousavi said the U.S. under Trump Pompeo spoke during a stop in seeks to turn Latin America into its back- Paraguay on a trip that Washington yard, just like the 19th century. 2

Europe urged to reject U.S. Middle East plan if it is unfair to Palestinians TEHRAN — High-ranking former Eu- by 25 former foreign ministers, six former ropean politicians have condemned the prime ministers, and two former Nato Trump administration’s one-sided Isra- secretary generals. el-Palestine policy and called in a letter “It is time for Europe to stand by our for Europe to reject any U.S. Middle East principled parameters for peace in Isra- peace plan unless it is fair to Palestinians. el-Palestine,” read the letter, calling for

khamenei.ir The letter, sent to the Guardian, the EU a two-state solution in which Israel and and European governments, was signed Palestinian states live side by side. 13 PERSPECTIVE Trump seeks to destroy the EU ARTICLE M.A.Saki Shair Abbas Kazemi By Hanif Ghaffari Republicans in the White House and Congress and define a new global standard in trade,” Rep. Deputy editor-in-chief Researcher and writer TEHRAN — During the 2016 presidential race, are renewing their support for a U.S.-U.K. trade George Holding, R-N.C., wrote in an op-ed for from Islamabad the President of the United States officially and deal after Britain leaves the European Union -- the Daily Telegraph this week. explicitly supported the withdrawal of Britain from even as Brexit is facing significant delays across Holding, who is the ranking Republican of the the European Union. However, Trump is currently the Atlantic. “ British American Parliamentary Group and co-chair U.S. humiliates EU by worried about how London is leaving Europe! Trump If the U.K. regains control over its national trade of the Congressional U.K. Caucus, wrote that a U.S.- Hazara genocide in has repeatedly blamed the British prime minister policy, our two nations will have a once-in-a-gen- U.K. free trade agreement is a “top priority” for the calling INSTEX ‘paper tiger’ for failing to conclude appropriate agreements with eration chance to forge an ambitious trade pact U.S. He said that President Trump is “extremely Pakistan must stop - a truly free, fair, and reciprocal agreement that supportive of such a deal as are many Republican ordon Sondland, the U.S. representative Europe. The issue is how the British government n the killing fields of Pakistan, the will foster economic growth, spur innovation, and Democratic leaders in Congress.” to the European Union, has in fact in- has become a passive player in the world. 7 bloodletting of Hazara Shias continues Gsulted and humiliated the Europeans by Iunabated. In a latest incident, on Friday calling their special mechanism for trade with morning, a massive blast ripped through Iran, officially called INSTEX, a “paper tiger”. World slams ICC’s decision to not investigate U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan a crowded market in Hazara-populated “EU’s new proposal for trade with the By Syed Zafar Mehdi investigation into war crimes committed by the blow for victims who have suffered grave crimes neighborhood of Quetta city, killing at least Islamic Republic of Iran is nothing, but a TEHRAN — In a stark reminder of how the U.S. and other actors in war-ravaged Afghanistan. without redress.” 20 people, majority of them Hazara Shias. paper tiger,” Radio Farda quoted Sondland U.S. military industrial complex puts pressure In a detailed ruling, judges said an investi- In a statement, the Trump administration As per the norm, the political and mil- as saying in a meeting in Brussels on April on international watchdog bodies to toe its line, gation “would not serve the interests of justice” hailed the decision not to investigate U.S. per- itary leadership of the country, including 11, Radio Farda reported. International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected because an investigation and prosecution was sonnel as “a major international victory, not only Prime Minister Imran Khan, issued lengthy By appearing too weak in the face of a request to initiate investigation into U.S. war unlikely to be successful, as entities like the U.S. for these patriots, but for the rule of law.” statements, ordering probe and expressing the Trump administration, Europe will be crimes in Afghanistan. In a decision that has been forces, Afghan authorities and the Taliban, are Pertinently, the U.S. government had recently sympathies with the bereaved families. considered as unimportant and spineless blasted as “deeply flawed” and a “devastating blow not expected to cooperate. threatened the ICC and its judges if it opened All this sounds so repetitive and so by other countries in the world, especially for victims”, ICC judges on Friday turned down Global watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) case against the U.S. personnel in war-torn Af- deceitful now, to the extent that these by major powers such as China and Russia. a request by the court’s prosecutor to start an condemned the ruling, calling it “a devastating ghanistan. 7 gory massacres targeting a particular The Europeans should feel assured that community have been normalized in the they will suffer more humiliations if they try national discourse. to act passively toward illegal moves and hu- Despite the thunderous slogans of ‘Naya miliating remarks by Trump and his soldiers. Suspense and uncertainty hang over intra-Afghan summit in Qatar Pakistan’ (New Pakistan), it’s the same The Trump administration has been By Hamid Bayati shortlist the names of delegates to sit with Reconciliation Council’s second meeting on April old story of pain, loss and hopelessness. actually questioning Europeans’ political TEHRAN — After a lot of hullabaloo, there the Taliban representatives on April 13, but 10, alleged that the government was seeking to Pakistan is a bleeding nation today, as it sovereignty and independence by threatening seems to be a tepid response from the Afghan he could not reach a consensus with other include its ‘favorites in the Qatar delegation’, was yesterday. Minorities, especially the to punish them if they do business with Iran. government to the forthcoming meeting Afghan leaders. according to Tolo TV, Afghanistan’s leading Hazara Shias, continue to face persecution. Since coming to power, Trump has been with the Taliban scheduled on April 19- According to President Ghani’s close aide and news channel. They continue to live on the edge. continuing to humiliate the world, including 20 in Qatar. secretary of High Peace Council Umer Daudzai, The meeting in Qatar has assumed signifi- There are heartrending tales of hope- Europe as a trans-Atlantic ally of Washington. The second intra-Afghan summit was initially the list could not be finalized as some members cance since the insurgent group has softened its lessness and helplessness. Hazara Shias Europeans’ lame response to U.S. embassy scheduled to be held on April 14-15, but has been of the Reconciliation Leadership Council wanted stand and expressed willingness to sit down with of Pakistan are a proud community and move to Jerusalem and its recognition of the postponed till April 19-20 as the government failed more representatives in the team. the Afghan leaders, even though clearly stating staunch nationalists. They remain loyal occupied Golan Heights as Israeli land in to finalize a team to hold talks with the Taliban. Hizb-e-Islami chief and former warlord Gul- that the delegation from Kabul should not be to their country. It is the unflinching love violation of international law are all making President Ashraf Ghani was expected to buddin Hekmatyar, who refused to attend the representing the government. 7 for Pakistan that gives them courage to Europe to look impotent and as a bloc that walk the tightrope between life and death. cannot to be reckoned with. But, a miniscule minority of hate-mon- The Europeans have been long proclaiming gering radicals have hijacked Mohammad support for sovereign rights of the nations and Ali Jinnah’s dream of a country where all respect for international law and order but their Muslims would live in peace and harmony. passive reaction to such violations is making They are not just the enemies of Shias but the Trump administration more arrogant. the enemies of the idea of Pakistan as well. A long delay by Europeans to introduce Hazara community, who make up their financial mechanism for non-dollar Zarif meets about 500,000 of Quetta’s 2.3 million trade with Iran and now their slow move to people, is known to be one of the most implement it will make Europe as a whole to peace-loving communities in Pakistan look weak, something which will strengthen UN special but at the same time they also happen Sondland’s discourteous remarks. to be the most vulnerable, especially in Trump and the hawks around him are Quetta city of Balochistan, where they showing contempt for all the things that the envoy for Iraq have faced kidnappings, targeted killings EU is saying it is standing for. They violate and suicide blasts. 7 TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mo- international law, rescind international hammad Javad Zarif meets on Monday with agreements such as the 2015 Iran nuclear Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN special deal and the Paris climate accord, scold inter- envoy for Iraq, in Tehran. Condolences national bodies such as the United Nations Latest developments in Iraq, especial- and International Court of Justice, etc. Dear Majid Rafiei , ly the situation of terrorist groups such as The EU must rise up to these threats and Daesh, recent hostile position of the U.S. We express condolences over the humiliations and stop cajoling and begging Marziyeh Soleymani against Islamic Revolution Guards Corps impulsive Trump to change his mind. Europeans death of your fother. May his soul and certain regional countries’ provocative should gradually say goodbye to trans-Atlantic rest in peace.

IRNA/ activity against Iran were discussed during alliance and guard their own dignity otherwise the meeting. Tehran Times staff and management they will be regarded as a U.S. colony. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS APRIL 16, 2019 MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS Larijani: U.S. Army forces deployed in eastern misdemeanors created unity in Iran borders to counter Daesh: general POLITICS TEHRAN – Chief of the missile system, Sayyad 2, Sayyad 3, long POLITICS TEHRAN – Parliament Speaker Ali Lari- desk deskjani has said Washington’s misdemeanors Iranian Army Ground and short-ranged radars and electronic against the Islamic Republic have created an atmosphere Force said on Monday that his forces have warfare systems. of unity and harmony inside Iran. been deployed to Iran’s eastern borders The Army Air Force will stage powerful Such atmosphere is invaluable, though the Americans because of Daesh (ISIL)’s movements in parades on National Army Day with its had other intentions in mind but failed to achieve their goals, Afghanistan. homegrown aircraft such as Ra’d, Sa’egheh Larijani said, Mehr reported on Monday. Given that the Americans have brought and Azarakhsh, he remarked, adding that On April 8, U.S. President Donald Trump labeled Iran’s Daesh to Afghanistan and based on a it will also perform aerial refueling. IRGC as a “foreign terrorist organization”. The move unified decision made by the General Staff of the The commander went on to say that all Iranian political factions, with many hailing the IRGC as Armed Forces, the Army’s ground forces during the parades, the Army Aviation an “anti-terror” organization which has greatly contributed were deployed in eastern borders, Brigadier will put its helicopters on view and Navy to regional stability. General Kiumars Heidari said at a press forces are expected to hold parades in the conference. Persian Gulf. He also said Iran is now self-sufficient Asked to give an account of the recent European banks in armored, anti-tank, artillery, drone and changes in the Ground Force, Heidari said helicopter technologies, IRNA reported. some changes were made in the traditional refuse to deliver “This year, we will sign a contract with and infantry units to boost their agility. Defense Ministry to buy Karrar tanks,” “Today in the Ground Force, specialized humanitarian aid the commander said, adding that Karrar, units such as armored, mechanized, support to Iran: Zarif a domestically-built tank, is among the and artillery, quick reaction and mobile strongest tanks in the world. offensive units are active,” he explained. POLITICS TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Heidari pointed out that the upcoming “In other provinces we will hold parades, The general said the mobile offensive desk missions simultaneously,” he added. Javad Zarif says Iran has obtained documents military parades to mark National Army Day with the same strength shown in previous General Heidari said in addition to the units possess high offensive capabilities showing that European banks are rejecting humanitarian aid will not be held in flood-stricken provinces years, to tell the enemies that our forces Ground Force, the Khatam al-Anbia Air and can act in all weather conditions and from Iranians living abroad and others who tried to help the of Golestan, Khouzestan and Lorestan. are powerful and can carry out different Defense Base will also showcase its S-300 geographical areas. victims of floods in Iran. Zarif made the remarks on Sunday, citing fear of U.S. pun- ishment as the cause of such decisions. Iran will soon release the documents, he added, the Iran Leader allows withdrawal from national fund Trump responsible for what happens newspaper reported. to fix flood damages if absolutely needed to U.S. forces in region: advisor Zarif also said Europeans have “no excuse” to further delay the start of an operational, non-dollar direct payment channel POLITICS TEHRAN — Leader flood. POLITICS TEHRAN — Hossein with the al-Alam TV station. with Tehran. deskof Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei urged the govern- deskAmir Abdollahian, a He also described Washington’s actions “To implement the mechanism, Iran needed to launch a Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has said ment to start necessary actions through senior foreign policy advisor to the parlia- against Iran as “show” that comes from parallel mechanism, which started last week. Now the Euro- that the government must take essential using other resources, adding he will agree ment speaker, has said that President Donald Trump’s frustration in taking a practical action peans have no pretext for further delay,” he said. steps to rebuild damages caused by the to withdraw from the NDF if needed. Trump is responsible for anything happens against Iran which plays an important role recent floods. Since March 19, large parts of Iran have to the U.S. forces in the Middle East region. in the region. In a letter published on Monday, he been inundated with flash floods. So far, “Various resistance forces in the region Trump labeled the Islamic Revolution Imran Khan’s asked the government to use the availa- about 76 people have lost their lives and have targeted U.S. forces, and the regional Guard Corps as terrorist organization on Iran visit ‘vital’ ble financial resources for the purpose. hundreds of thousands been displaced. sensitivity to the U.S. provocative behavior in April 8. However, the Leader suggested the ad- Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani the region has increased. This is not beneficial Immediately after the announcement, the for ties: ex- ministration can withdraw money from Fazli has said that floods have left nearly to the U.S. military men in the region and Iranian Supreme National Security Council the National Development Fund only if $2.5 billion in damages. will never be beneficial to the U.S. policies. named the CENTCOM a terrorist organization, ambassador it is absolutely necessary. After nearly two decades of droughts in “Trump, John Bolton [the national security and the U.S. government a sponsor of terror. POLITICS TEHRAN – A former Pakistani ambassa- President Hassan Rouhani wrote a Iran, such heavy rainfalls and consequent advisor] and [Mike] Pompeo [the secretary of President Hassan Rouhani said on April deskdor has said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s letter to the Leader on April 7 seeking flash floods have been unprecedented. state] are responsible for anything happens 10 that the U.S. is aware of the consequences upcoming visit to Iran is extremely vital to strengthen ties permission to withdraw money from the Some experts have attributed the destruc- to the U.S. forces in the region,” ISNA quoted if it takes more steps than “slogans” against between the two friendly neighbors. NDF to reconstruct regions hit hard by tive floods to climate change. him as saying on Monday in an interview the IRGC. Fauzia Nasreen, the former Pakistani ambassador to Po- land and Nepal, said that it is good that the government is focusing to improve trade relations with Iran, IRNA reported, citing state media. First Chinese studies center launched in Iran She added that the foreign policy of the current Pakistani The first Chinese Studies Center of the People’s Republic of country to other side, they would help each other in the administration is moving in the right direction. China has been launched at Allameh Tabataba’i University field of research and collaboration between researchers “The visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China and in Tehran, China.org news website reported Monday. from both countries. Iran will be vital for strengthening our relations with these According to the report, the center started its work on He evaluated the establishment of the Center for Chinese countries. China and Iran are our neighbors,” she said. Sunday evening during a ceremony in Tehran with the Studies in Iran as an important step towards the exchange cooperation of Shanghai International Studies Univer- and cooperation of the two countries, and underlined, sity of China in Tehran to become a major step forward “Considering that this center is the first Chinese studies Majlis committee in exchanging mutual knowledge and working together. center in Iran, it could be a good platform for researchers publishes text of Considering that it is the first Chinese science center of both countries in the field of past and present state of in Iran, the center is expected to provide a good platform the two countries, deepen understanding and familiarity, bill on U.S. IRGC for researchers from both countries to study the past and and create an academic foundation for joint building and present states of the two countries, to deepen understand- the prosperity of the Silk Road in the new era.” move ing and to establish a university base for joint academic Gholamali Cheginizadeh, the head of the center at POLITICS TEHRAN – The Majlis National Security cooperation and the prosperity of the Silk Road in the Allameh Tabataba’i University, also referred to his op- deskand Foreign Policy Committee on Monday new era, the report said. timism over the establishment of an academy of Chinese published the text of a double-urgency bill on retaliating the Behzad Shahandeh, a professor of Chinese studies at studies, saying, “Since the Iranian government in the U.S. for designating the IRGC as a terrorist group. the University of Tehran, who began his first scientific past five years focused its foreign policy strategy more The bill will be submitted to the presiding board of the activity in China in 1978, said during the ceremony that tional Studies University, said during the same ceremony, on China, one of the goals of this center is to advise the parliament and as chairman of the committee Heshmatollah China was the first country in the world that did not follow that in order to enhance the level of academic cooperation government on foreign policy of Iran. This is while, given Falahatpisheh announced earlier on Monday, it will be on the Western model of modernization and has pursued an between the two universities, the two sides agreed to the new international political developments, academic the parliament’s agenda next week, Mehr reported. Eastern style of development. establish study centers at the University of China and institutions of the world are also trying to pay special “The committee has 15 bills on its agenda against the Jang Feng, the deputy director of the Shanghai Interna- also in Iran so that by introducing the cultures of their attention to China.” U.S. actions, which urge the government to follow up on the required measures in this field,” Falahatpisheh said. Iran calls claim of interference in Venezuela ‘ridiculous’ French envoy 1 However, he added, nations of reserves,” Mousavi noted. Mousavi added. military force in an attempt to remove deletes tweets the world, especially the people of Latin He lashed out at the U.S. government Washington has been pressuring Maduro him from power. America, have awakened and the wheel for targeting the Venezuelan nation with its to step down and urging more countries to U.S.-imposed sanctions have hurt the after Tehran of time does not move backwards. economic terrorism, asking them to either join the coalition supporting Venezuela’s Venezuelan economy as well as ordinary “While Iranian specialists are trying to riot against their legitimate government opposition figure Juan Guaido who declared people, who are already suffering from protests improve the water and electricity systems in or face starvation. himself “interim president” in January. hyperinflation and food and medicine POLITICS TEHRAN – French Ambassador in Wash- Venezuela at the request of the government “America’s move is a blatant and ar- The Trump administration has im- shortages, triggering mass migration to deskington Gerard Araud has deleted his con- of Caracas, America has looted $30 billion rogant interference in Venezuela’s inter- posed a raft of sanctions against Maduro’s neighboring countries, such as Peru and troversial tweets about the Iran nuclear deal. worth of Venezuela’s foreign-exchange nal affairs, and is strongly condemned,” government and even threatened to use Colombia. In a series of tweets on Saturday, Araud said, “It’s false to say that at the expiration of the JCPOA, Iran will be allowed to enrich uranium,” adding that sanctions could be reimposed. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Zarif: No nuclear enrichment prohibition Leader regrets killing Sunday that the comments were “a major violation of the object ‘neither now, nor in 2025 or beyond’ of Muslims by each other and purpose of the” deal and demanded “immediate clarification by Paris, or we act accordingly.” POLITICS TEHRAN – In a post JCPOA or UNSCR 2231. Neither now, nor Heads of certain Islamic states follow infidels: Ayatollah Khamenei Iran also summoned the French ambassador in Tehran on deskon his tweeter account in 2025 or beyond,” Zarif asserted. POLITICS TEHRAN — Leader of “Another group has forgotten ‘be com- Sunday over the remarks. on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Moham- Zarif advised the French ambassador deskIslamic Revolution Aya- passionate to one another’. They reject and So far, France has not provided an explanation about the mad Javad Zarif told France, Britain and to go and study the JCPOA text. tollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Monday excommunicate [takfir] the believers in Allah, tweets. France – the three European signatories “Might be useful for European partners that heads of certain Islamic countries do the Quran, and the Ka’ba. When there is no to the 2015 nuclear deal – that there is to actually read the document they signed not follow teachings of Quran and instead ‘compassionate to one another’, domestic wars no prohibition for enriching uranium by on to, and pledged to defend,” Zarif noted. follow infidels. are waged. Look at Syria and Yemen. Yemen U.S. officially Iran “neither now, nor in 2025 or beyond.” Also, Zarif’s deputy Abbas Araqchi said “Unfortunately, heads of certain Islamic has been bombarded for four years. The one The tweet by Zarif came after French on Sunday that France must explain about countries do not follow teachings of Quran who bombards is Muslim in appearance, designates Ambassador to Washington Gerard Araud the remarks by its ambassador. Araqchi but follow and serve the U.S. and the Zionists but has no mercy for Muslims,” he added. IRGC a terrorist in a tweet on Saturday claimed that “it’s said if the statement by Ambassador Araud instead of being ‘harsh on infidels’ [a verse Elsewhere, the Leader said that the false to say that at the expiration of the represents the French government’s posi- of Quran],” he said during a meeting with Iranians will become more determined in group JCPOA, Iran will be allowed to enriching tion it is an open violation of the JCPOA reciters and researchers of the holy book following the teachings of Quran as enemies uranium.” and the UN Resolution 2231. POLITICS TEHRAN – The United States officially in Tehran. become harsher towards them. Under the international nuclear deal, “If tweets by @GerardAraud represent deskdesignated Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards The Leader added, “They have paved the “Following Quran brings us happiness, officially called the Joint Comprehensive French position, we’re facing a major vi- Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization, Reuters reported, way for division and war such as wars in power and dignity,” he noted. Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran is obliged olation of the object and purpose of the citing a notice published in the U.S. Federal Register on Monday. Syria and Yemen and kill Muslims instead He said, “Many wrongdoings, misun- to put limits on its nuclear activities in JCPOA and UNSCR 2231,” Araqchi tweeted. U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week that the U.S. of being ‘compassionate to one another’ [a derstandings, disappointments, disloyalties, exchange for termination of economic Araqchi said it is necessary that France will formally designate the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. verse of Quran].” animosities and submissions to tyrannical and financial sanctions. According to the to immediately clarify on its ambassador’s Minutes after that, the Iranian Supreme National Security Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Quran has powers result from being far from Quran agreement, endorsed by the UN Security remarks. Council named the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) a said ‘be harsh on infidels’. Some of us have and the spirituality and knowledge that Council Resolution 2231, the limits on Iran’s “Needs immediate clarification by Par- terrorist organization, and the U.S. government a sponsor of terror. forgotten this. Like those colluded with the come from it.” enrichment program will be lifted in 2025. is, or we act accordingly,” noted Araqchi It also condemned Trump’s move as “baseless” and warned U.S. and the Zionists who have stepped on Ayatollah Khamenei said, “What the “Reminder to our E3 partners in who acted as a leading nuclear negotiator of the consequences of its move for peace and security in the the Palestinians’ blood and violated their enemies are doing against Iran is the last #JCPOA: There is NO prohibition on the with the 5+1 group that led to conclusion Middle East. rights. Now, many of the Arab countries’ breaths of their animosity towards the Is- enrichment of uranium by Iran under #NPT, of the JCPOA. leaders are of this group.” lamic Republic.” I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y APRIL 16, 2019 INTERNATIONAL Study: Saudis look for way out of Role of foreign states in focus as Iraq begins trying Yemen, Houthis invincible 900 Daesh suspects TEHRAN — The International Crisis Group Malley, the head of the organization, said has urged the United States to help its ally, of the Saudis. Saudi Arabia, to find a way out of its dead- He stressed that the Saudis have failed TEHRAN — Iraq has begun trying nearly 900 members of the ly war on Yemen that has left the kingdom to achieve their goals in Yemen. Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group captured in neighboring Syria, a sapped of resources and reputation. The Saudis keep thinking “a little more judiciary official says. The group, which is committed to resolv- military power and the Houthis will crack The suspects will be tried by the specialized terrorism court ing conflicts, said in a study on Sunday that and then we’ll be able to end the war and which has “received the interrogation files of nearly 900 Iraqi the Saudi-led coalition “needs to stop thinking Iran will be on its backfoot,” he said. “But we Daesh members coming from Syria,” a court official told AFP. about how to eke out some notional victory.” have four years of evidence to disprove that.” Iraqi authorities say the militants have been captured in Syria The International Crisis Group added that Democratic Senator Chris Murphy ac- and handed over to them by the so-called Syrian Democratic the alliance should “instead commit itself knowledged the report’s finding that the Forces (SDF). wholly to finding a political exit, regardless Saudis cannot win the fight against Houthis. A security source said additional Iraqi suspects, includ- of whether that means empowering the Hou- “This is not a question of whether or not ing “very influential leaders” of the Daesh terror group, are this more than it is comfortable with in the the coalition is going to defeat the Houthis; in SDF custody and “will be handed over in batches on the short term.” that question has been answered,” Murphy Syrian-Iraqi border.” Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional said at a briefing on the report. One of the suspects who would soon be handed over to Bagh- allies launched a devastating campaign against “The Houthis are going to play a substantial dad was deeply involved in Daesh efforts to develop chemical Yemen on March 26, 2015, with the aim of and significant role in the future governance weapons, the source said. bringing the government of former Yemeni of Yemen, so it is a matter of deciding how the Iraq has already tried hundreds of Daesh members, many president Mansur Hadi back to power and Saudis will live with that in a way that doesn’t of whom were detained as the outfit’s strongholds crumbled crushing Houthis. killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. “The U.S. should lead the way by finding threaten their long-term security interests.” throughout the country. They have included foreigners, espe- According to Press TV, the ICG report President Donald Trump has threatened to its own exit,” the ICG said. According to a new report by the Armed cially Saudi nationals. comes after the U.S. Congress voted to end veto the bill, but has not yet done so. According to the International Crisis Conflict Location and Event Data Project The new trial is likely to shed fresh light on foreign links of the Washington’s support for Saudi Arabia’s war The report called on the U.S. to appoint Group, the conflict has left Saudi Arabia (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research terror network, which has wreaked havoc in the region for years. against Yemen in response to persistent civil- a special envoy and freeze most of its arms sapped of resources and reputation. organization, the Saudi-led war has so Saudi Arabia has widely been criticized for allowing a flow ian casualties and widespread hunger in the exports to Saudi Arabia until the kingdom “I think they see that they need to end it far claimed the lives of around 56,000 of money to finance terrorist groups. improvised country as well as Saudi Arabia’s ends its military campaign against Yemen. (but) they don’t know how to end it,” Robert Yemenis. Over the past decade, the Wahhabi kingdom has been instrumental in the spread of the ideology of Takfir, as expressed by groups such as al-Qaeda, Daesh, Nusra Front and Boko Haram. According to Press TV, Saudi nationals reportedly comprised Merkel calls Netanyahu, stresses need for two-state solution the biggest number of foreign terrorists arrested during Iraqi army operations against Daesh in the northern and western TEHRAN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel has con- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave away parts of the country. gratulated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the most substantial hints at the deal’s contents when he While some countries like Britain and France are reluctant his re-election and stressed the need to work toward a two- promised on the eve of his re-election last week that he will to take back their citizens arrested in Iraq, Saudi Arabia has state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. annex some settlements in the West Bank. requested the extradition of its citizens. Merkel’s office said stressed in a phone conversation The package, according to the sources, is expected to Last year, Iraq rejected a request from Riyadh to hand over Monday the continued relevance of a two-state solution, pledge tens of billions of dollars in aid and investment in the more than 400 Saudi Arabians, whom it had imprisoned on which she said should be the goal of international efforts, West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the two areas with the most terrorism charges. Iraq says all foreign prisoners fall under the AP reported on Monday. Palestinians, and billions more to Egypt and Jordan, the two jurisdiction of the country’s legal system. Merkel also expressed her willingness to work closely and Arab nations that have made peace with Israel. Daesh invaded Iraq in 2014 and overtook around a third of trustingly with the incoming Israeli government. Kushner stands little chance of success, analysts say, as the country’s expanse in exceptionally brutal attacks. During the final stretch of his election campaign, Netan- European and some Arab leaders have already lost faith in In 2016, Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki yahu pledged for the first time to annex parts of the occupied his attempts. famously said that Iraq’s offensive against Daesh had sparked a West Bank in a desperate bid to rally his right-wing base. A series of actions that Trump has taken in favor of Is- flurry of new fundraising campaigns in the kingdom, prompt- Netanyahu has reneged on election eve promises before, rael, including moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to ing Iraqi Foreign Ministry to call for explanation. but should he follow through on this one, it would mark a Jerusalem al-Quds after recognizing it as the Israeli regime’s In 2016, Iraq’s ambassador to the UN, Mohammad Ali al-Hakim, dramatic development and potentially wipe out the already capital, have killed any hopes of a breakthrough. accused Saudi Arabia of financing the Daesh terrorist group. diminishing hope for Palestinian statehood. Trump has also stirred anger by cutting annual aid to Since Daesh was largely defeated in Iraq and Syria in late Trump ‘deal of century’ to forgo Palestine Palestine and shuttering the offices of the Palestine Liber- 2017, Riyadh has tried to forge closer relations with Baghdad statehood ation Organization (PLO) in Washington. as a counterweight to Tehran. Sources familiar with U.S. President Donald Trump’s Those actions have alienated the Palestinian Authority, Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia sent its Minister of Trade “Deal of the Century” have warned that it will be void of any the White House had given him zero information on how which has boycotted all negotiations with Washington. Majid bin Abdullah al-Qasabi to Baghdad with a business del- guarantees for a separate, fully sovereign state of Palestine, it proposes to divide the Palestinian territory. Kushner and former Trump lawyer Jason D. Greenblatt, egation and reopened its consulate in Iraq. the Washington Post reports. According to the Post, the American head of state has who would be the lead U.S. negotiator for talks, have pleaded Al-Qasabi said that the kingdom would provide Iraq with one The unnamed sources told the paper that the proposal, told friends he would change traditional assumptions about with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to return to the billion dollars in loans for development projects plus $500 million which is expected to arrive soon, will only offer Palestinians ways to resolve the conflict. table and seal the deal. to boost exports and a gift of a 100,000-seat sports stadium to some improvements in living conditions and nothing more. However, the outcome would look nothing like his un- “To the PA: Our plan will greatly improve Palestinian be built on Baghdad’s outskirts. The White House is poised to drop the much-anticipated orthodox personal diplomacy with North Korea and would lives & create something very different than what exists,” Riyadh has viewed Iraq’s proximity to Iran with enmity. Iraqi package later this spring or by early summer, culminating rather be the product of Kushner, who became Trump’s Greenblatt wrote in a tweet last week. “It’s a realistic plan leaders have repeatedly praised Iran’s role in helping the Arab over two years of efforts by Trump adviser and son-in-law designated agent for all Middle East peace deals at the be- to thrive/prosper even if it means compromises. It’s not a country confront the Takfiri menace. Jared Kushner. ginning of his presidency in 2017. ‘sell out’ — if the plan isn’t realistic, no one can deliver it.” With officials on all sides tight-lipped about the terms While with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Trump A chief adviser of Abbas said last week that while the of the offer, remarks from Kushner and other U.S. officials has tried to make peace through vague promises of economic Palestinian Authority viewed Americans as biased, they will have suggested that it does away with Palestinian statehood growth and sanctions removal, Arab officials familiar with not reject the Trump plan out of hand. as a per-requisite for any agreement. Kushner’s sales pitches said he has offered no specific in- Ilan Goldenberg, the chief of staff to the lead U.S. nego- Macron to set out fix for Instead, Trump’s plan to purportedly end the decades-long centives to Palestinians. tiator in the last failed attempt under former U.S. President conflict between Palestinians and Israelis more than any- What Kushner has offered are suggestions about economic Barack Obama, said he still expects the package to be a non- ‘yellow vest’ anger thing focuses on Israel’s security concerns, the report said. opportunities for Palestinians in exchange for Israeli annex- starter that would pave the way for annexation by forcing “We believe we have a plan that is fair, realistic and im- ation of the West Bank and all other disputed territories. the Palestinians to reject the offer. TEHRAN — French President Emmanuel Macron was to make plementable that will enable people to live better lives,” a Kushner and other U.S. officials have indicated that peace Former EU leaders reject no statehood deal a series of major policy announcements Monday in response to senior White House official told the Post on Friday. and economic development for Palestine are intertwined with On Sunday, 37 high-ranking ex-officials of the European five months of nationwide “yellow vest” protests, in what has “We looked at past efforts and solicited ideas from both the Arab world’s recognition of Israel and their acceptance Union published a call for the European Union to reaffirm been billed as a make-or-break moment for his presidency. sides and partners in the region with the recognition that of a Palestinian “autonomy” as opposed to a “sovereignty,” its commitment to a Palestinian statehood and reject any Yet the task of trying to satisfy the many, sometimes compet- what has been tried in the past has not worked. Thus, we have sources said. deal that fails to account for it. ing demands coiled up in the protests will be a tricky one for the taken an unconventional approach founded on not hiding “What we’ve tried to do is figure out what is a realistic “This cannot continue. For the Israelis, for the Palestinians 41-year-old leader, who was elected two years ago on promises from reality, but instead speaking truth,” added the official. and what is a fair solution to the issues here in 2019 that or for us in Europe,” the letter warned, adding that, “Failing of sweeping changes, AFP reported. According to a new report by U.S. news and information can enable people to live better lives,” Kushner said in an to seize this opportunity, at a point in time when this order His reform drive was abruptly knocked off course by the yel- website Axios, King Abdullah II of Jordan said in a closed- interview with Sky News Arabia as he sought Arab support is unprecedentedly challenged, would have far-reaching low vests, whose movement erupted in November over social door meeting with American lawmakers last month that on a visit to the region in February. negative consequences.” inequality. Macron responded by embarking on a major voter-listening exercise between January and March called the “great national debate”, in which grievances were aired during thousands of S. Korea’s Moon pushes for summit with Kim despite nuclear standoff town hall-style meetings and on an official website. “We have decided to transform the anger into solutions,” TEHRAN — South Korea’s President Moon While North Korea and the United States Kim “regardless of venue and form”. recently delivered F-35A jets from the United Macron wrote on Twitter. “For several months you told us what Jae-in said on Monday he will pursue “in have been discussing the North’s denucleari- In his first public remarks since Kim’s States, calling it a “serious provocative act” you think and we heard... (Monday) night I will respond to you.” earnest” another summit with Kim Jong Un zation, U.S. ally South Korea has been taking address, Moon said he “very much welcomed” that could intensify tension on the Korean One of Macron’s aides told AFP that the country could look despite the North Korean leader’s recent steps to improve its ties with its old rival. that speech, saying it showed Kim’s “unwa- peninsula. forward to “a new act” marked by “profound changes” aimed at criticism of Seoul’s self-proclaimed role as Moon and Kim have held three meetings vering” commitment toward denuclearization However, Kim said he remained committed drawing a line under the enduring and often violent anti-gov- a mediator in stalled nuclear talks. over the past year, and Moon’s administra- and the reopening of negotiations. to improving relations with South Korea if ernment protests. Moon has been eager to regain momentum tion has been keen for a fourth, possibly But Moon did not specifically respond it showed its “sincerity by practical action, Summing up the weight of anticipation on Macron’s shoul- in talks with North Korea since Kim’s second to mark the anniversary of the first one to Kim’s criticism that South Korea was too not by words”. ders, Senate leader Gerard Larcher, a member of the opposition summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, in on April 27. subservient to the “anachronistic arrogance Any significant improvement in ties be- Republicans, told Le Figaro newspaper: “He won’t get a second Vietnam in February, failed due to conflicting Moon, who visited Washington to meet and hostile policy of the United States”, and tween the two Koreas could depend on pro- chance.” demands by Pyongyang for sanctions relief and Trump last week, said Kim’s latest address that the South’s military persisted in “veiled gress between North Korea and the United French media said the content of Macron’s speech could de- by Washington for sweeping North Korean “set the stage” for a fourth inter-Korean hostility” by conducting exercises with U.S. States on the North’s denuclearization and termine whether he wins re-election in 2022. measures to abandon its nuclear program, summit, which could be a “stepping stone forces. that looks doubtful, with neither side showing “Macron’s five years is at stake,” said Le Figaro on Monday, Reuters reported. for an even bigger opportunity and a more Kim said South Korea should not “pose willingness to make concessions. adding that the head of state has “no room for error”. Kim said in a speech on Friday that he was significant outcome”. as a meddlesome ‘mediator’ and ‘facilitator’” Trump emphasized during last week’s talks Left-leaning Liberation said Macron had to decide whether willing to hold another summit with Trump “Now is the time to begin the preparations between the North and the United States. with Moon that he was willing to meet Kim to side with conservative supporters or placate those demanding if the United States changed its calculation in earnest,” Moon told a meeting with senior North Korea’s state media on Saturday again but would not lift sanctions until the greater solidarity between rich and poor. and offered a “proper attitude and a meth- secretaries, noting that as soon as the North issued a commentary criticizing South Ko- North took meaningful steps to dismantle - Lower taxes? - odology”, setting a year-end deadline. Koreans were ready, he was willing to meet rea’s purchase of fighter jets, including two its nuclear programs. In one of the most important weeks of the president’s career, he is also due to hold a press conference at the Elysee Wednes- day, an unusual move for a man who has kept his distance from the French media. What Macron intends to announce has been Nearly 150 killed in battle for Libya’s Tripoli: WHO kept under wraps. He has much work to do if he is to convince French cit- TEHRAN — At least 147 people have been killed and 614 the capital. health workers”. izens outside his narrow support base that he really cares wounded in the offensive launched April 4 by Libyan mil- The rising number of casualties has prompted the World In addition to ground fighting, both pro-government about them. itary strongman Khalifa Haftar to take the capital Tripoli, Health Organization to deploy surgical teams “to support forces and Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army According to an Ifop poll published Sunday, 85 percent of the World Health Organization said Monday. Tripoli-area hospitals as they cope with the influx of trauma (LNA) carry out daily air raids and accuse each other of French think that Macron should pay greater attention to their The clashes have displaced more than 18,000 people, cases”, the UN agency wrote on Twitter. targeting civilians. concerns. according to the latest figures from the United Nations Office At least eight ambulances have been hit during clashes The resulting casualties have left health facilities in “crit- But while the Ifop poll confirmed that the French want to for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, AFP reported. in the southern outskirts of the capital, as both sides have ical need of assistance”, according to the United Nations pay less tax, it also showed strong demand for increasing small Fighting broke out as Haftar’s forces sought to take con- defied international calls to halt the fighting. refugee agency. pensions and providing better health services in rural areas, trol of Tripoli from loyalists of the internationally-backed WHO urged “all parties to exercise restraint and avoid “The situation on the ground continues deteriorating and all measures that could jeopardise the government’s delicate Government of National Accord (GNA) which is based in causing collateral damage to hospitals, ambulances and number of casualties soaring,” UNHCR tweeted. budget balancing act. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY APRIL 16, 2019

STOCK MARKET Oil market fragile TEDPIX 201805.9 IFX 2496.68 due to U.S. Sources: tse.ir, Ifb.ir

CURRENCIES sanctions: Zanganeh USD 42,000 rials ENERGY TEHRAN – Iranian Oil said. desk EUR 47,511 rials Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh noted that Trump should Zanganeh said the U.S. sanctions on Iran choose between increasing pressure on Iran GBP 55,012 rials and Venezuela and the growing conflicts in and keeping his country’s fuel prices low. Libya are disturbing the supply-demand “Venezuela is in trouble. Russia is also AED 11,437 rials balance in the market, making it fragile. under sanctions. Libya is in distress. Part Source: cbi.ir “If the United States decides to increase of U.S. oil production has stopped. These the pressures on Iran, the oil market will show the supply-demand balance is very become more fragile” IRNA quoted Zanganeh fragile,” Zanganeh said. as saying on Sunday. The U.S. reimposed sanctions on Iran Republic and six world powers. as shipping and ship-building industries “Oil prices are going up every day. That in November after withdrawing from the The sanctions targeted Iran’s oil sector, in order to cut off the country’s revenue COMMODITIES shows the market is worried,” the minister 2015 nuclear accord between the Islamic financial transactions and banks, as well sources. Brent $70.84/b WTI $63.22/b OPEC Basket $70.41/b ‘Over $85b of working capital required to stay productive’ Gold $1,287.00/oz ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iranian industry, mining and production.” Rahmani added. desk Silver $14.98/oz trade minister said the country needs 3.6 The minister further noted that currently the value of quadrillion rials (about $85.714 billion) of working capital exports to the neighboring countries stands at $25 million Platinium $888.90/oz in order to sustain the domestic production. and it should increase to at least $50 million in two years. Speaking in an economic committee meeting on Sunday, Mentioning the fact that only two percent of the total Sources: oilprice.com, Moneymetals.com Reza Rahmani noted that his ministry is partly improving imports of Iran’s neighbors comes from the Islamic coun- the country’s businesses and the industry ministry is taking try, Rahmani noted that his ministry is going to focus on NEWS IN BRIEF necessary measures to do so, IRIB reported. developing domestic production and defining new projects According to the official, improving the efficiency of im- to manufacture all the industrial equipment needed inside portant factors in production and creating a movement for the country. Natural disasters promoting domestic production are among the plans which The meeting was attended by a handful of senior officials insurance fund the industry ministry is following to realize a sustainable including the minister of economic affairs and finance as domestic production. well as the governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), the to be established: “Organizing trade logistics, reforming distribution systems exports along with developing mines and mining sector head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and CBI governor and monitoring the market as well as developing non-oil are other areas of focus for the ministry to boost domestic Agriculture (ICCIMA).

ECONOMY TEHRAN — Central Bank of Iran (CBI) deskGovernor Abdolnaser Hemmati announced South Africa keen on joint investment that a natural disaster insurance fund will be set up in the Annual exports from East Azarbaijan country, IRIB reported. Province up 52% with Iran: envoy Writing on his Instagram page on Sunday, the official expressed hope that the fund will be set up soon given that the country’s Customs supervisor of East Azarbaijan South African envoy to Tehran Vika related technology, he said adding that disaster-prone status makes its establishment a necessity. Province (in northwest of Iran) said Mazwi Khumalo said on Monday his it also shares interests with Iran in other Extreme rainfall, starting on March 19, has caused flooding exports from the province has registered country is keen on enhanced economic various spheres such as tourism, sea in 28 out of 31 provinces of Iran affecting 42,269,129 inhabit- a 52-percent increase in terms of value cooperation with Iran and carrying out transport and shipping industry. ants in 253 cities and causing widespread damage to munici- in the past Iranian calendar year (ended joint investment projects in various Highlighting the maritime industries pal facilities, including roads, sewage systems, health centers, March 20, 2019). fields. as a field for cooperation with Iran, the hospitals, etc. According to Leyli Orangi, in the past The ambassador made the remarks ambassador said that South Africa has The floods have left 78 people dead and 1,137 injured. As year some 2,146,588 tons of goods worth The export target countries included in a conference on foreign investment focused its efforts on oceanography many as 295,787 people have been displaced. over $1.873 billion were exported from Turkey ($558 million worth of exports), opportunities in the Iranian southern to maximize exploitation of sea-bed the province, registering a 52-percent Iraq ($506 million), Armenia ($111 million), province of Hormozgan. resources. increase in terms of value and 43 percent the Republic of Azerbaijan ($110 million), He said that South Africa is a partner Expressing his gratitude for Iranian increase in terms of weight compared to and Georgia ($109 million). to a telecommunications project in Iran. people hospitality, Khumalo also Beijing calls on prompt its previous year. East Azarbaijan Province imported Despite the sanctions renewed in emphasized that Iran has made great The exported goods mainly included 315,159 tons of goods worth over $974 the past year, South Africa has been achievements over the recent years. establishment of free trade plastics and plastic materials worth $356 million last year, which shows a 36-percent among the countries that have kept their The two-day conference was attended area with South Korea, Japan million, cast iron and steel worth $303 decrease in terms of weight and 9 percent investments in Iran and proceeded with by a number of Iranian officials, including million, mineral fuels and mineral oils worth decrease in terms of value compared to its doing business with Iran. Gholam-Reza Ansari, Iran’s Deputy China, South Korea and Japan need to agree on the establishment $199 million, fruit worth $189 million, previous year, according to Orangi. South Africa is best known for its Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs. of a free trade area as soon as possible, Chinese State Councilor and grains worth $88 million. (Source: Mehr News Agency) activities in deep-level mining and the (Source: IRNA) and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has stated during a high-level economic dialogue with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. “It is necessary to promote a comprehensive regional economic partnership and to reach an agreement in the negotiations on the Afghanistan pushes for investment as it waits for peace establishment of a free trade area between China, South Korea Afghanistan unveiled 43 tenders for natural for large-scale projects to international “There is another perspective to look and Japan as soon as possible, to lead the process of economic resource projects on Monday in a drive to companies through a competitive bidding at it, and that is actually finally having integration in East Asia,” Wang said, as quoted by a statement attract investment in a country ravaged by process, with the remaining small-scale peace,” she said. published on the foreign ministry’s website. decades of war. projects to be awarded to local companies. The government hopes a royalty rate Kono, in turn, noted that in view of a large number of un- Afghanistan’s mineral assets, estimated The projects have generated interest from 2.5 percent to 7.5 percent and an certainties in the international environment, Japan and China to be worth as much as $1 trillion, are seen from U.S., European, and Persian Gulf import duty exemption on machinery used needed to deepen economic cooperation and jointly protect a as key to the country’s economic viability. companies, Nehan said. to work on the projects will encourage multilateral trading mechanism. But development has been blocked by poor The announcement of the tenders comes investment. The statement comes after Kono started a three-day working security, rampant corruption, and a lack amid peace talks between the Taliban and The tenders cover projects in 16 of the visit to China on 13 April at the invitation of Wang. The two foreign of infrastructure. the United States, which wants to exit the country’s 34 provinces and the government ministers held the fifth high-level economic dialogue, during The tenders, ranging from mineral to country it invaded to overthrow the Taliban estimates $100 million will be spent over the which they discussed Chinese-Japanese bilateral relations, as oil and gas projects, were announced in nearly two decades ago. next year on initial assessments, exploration, well as international and regional issues of common concern. Dubai, a major Middle East investment The two sides are scheduled to meet and evaluation work. themselves. Security on the projects will A day earlier, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stated that the hub, by Afghanistan’s acting Minister of again this month. A tender can be awarded within six only be provided by local forces, she said. world’s second-largest economy is set to meet its annual eco- Mines and Petroleum Nargis Nehan. “There are two ways of looking at the months and work is expected to start within “The Afghan Public Protection Force ... nomic growth target of 6.5 percent this year, according to reports. “We have a good package of incentives issue ... the situation might deteriorate,” a further six-month period, Nehan said. will asses the areas and based on the needs He also stressed the ongoing opening of the Chinese economy for investors,” Nehan told Reuters in an Nehan said amid the uncertainty of what The government will invest in some of the area they will submit a budget and to international investment, and its solid commitment to free interview. the two sides might agree and whether the tender-related infrastructure but expects proposal to the company.” trade will support expansion in the private sector, while the rising Afghanistan is opening 14 tenders United States will soon pull-out. many companies will choose to do it (Source: CNBC) prominence of domestic sources of growth could make up for the losses in foreign trade. (Source: Sputnik) ECB faces stimulus pressure over falling inflation outlook British businesses stash cash as A technical measure of Eurozone investors’ inflation Instead investors are worried that there could be a period Brexit gloom deepens: Deloitte expectations has fallen to its lowest level for three years, of subdued price pressures because of “a deterioration in putting pressure on the European Central Bank to convince the economic outlook”, Draghi argued. That interpretation A growing number of large British-based businesses are prioritiz- doubters that it is willing to use fresh stimulus to boost chimes with the bank’s conviction that the return of stronger ing cashflow, fearing a downturn, as their view of the long-term the region’s economy. growth has been “delayed” rather than “derailed”. economic impact of Brexit has darkened to its most negative so In August 2014 ECB president Mario Draghi highlighted Draghi’s view of the situation suggests that any changes far, accountancy firm Deloitte said on Monday. the so-called “five-year, five-year inflation swap rate” to monetary policy in June are likely to be low-key rather Some 81 percent of chief financial officers surveyed expect at the U.S. Federal Reserve’s annual retreat in Jackson than a full-blown revival of new QE. Options on the table Brexit to lead to a long-term deterioration in Britain’s business Hole, Wyoming. At that time, the measure of price include a pledge to keep monetary easing in place for environment, the highest since the question was first asked at the expectations was so obscure that it could not even be longer, or to grant lenders cheap central bank funding time of June 2016’s referendum on leaving the European Union. found on a Bloomberg terminal, sending ECB watchers on more preferential terms. This was up from 78 percent at the end of last year in the scrambling to figure out how to access it. With Draghi’s term up at the end of October, some quarterly survey of 89 companies, including 15 in the FTSE 100 Six months later, after the rate had fallen further, the interpret the swap rate fall as reflecting investors’ concerns and 33 in the FTSE 250 share index, plus smaller firms and bank launched an economic stimulus program, buying about who might succeed him, and their view of Eurozone subsidiaries of major foreign companies. €2.6tn of government and corporate bonds. inflation. Deloitte carried out the survey between March 26 and April 7, The rate matters to the ECB because it shows what target. The danger is that expectations of low inflation “The market is questioning whether his successor just after it became certain Britain would not leave on the long- investors believe inflation will be over a five-year horizon. become self-fulfilling, weighing on wage demands and will be as willing and able to use unconventional tools planned date of March 29, and before British Prime Minister If it remains persistently below the central bank’s 2 percent retail prices. and will be as fully committed to achieving the target as Theresa May secured a delay of up to six months. target, it puts mounting pressure on the central bank to Policymakers next meet on 6 June, when new economic Draghi has been,” said Richard Barwell, head of macro “Large businesses are clearly looking to protect themselves take action to stimulate the economy. forecasts will also be unveiled. Some believe the 25-member research at BNP Paribas Asset Management. “The price against risk by raising cash levels and bullet-proofing balance When the ECB halted the expansion of quantitative governing council should rethink their decision to halt action suggests investors fear the worst.” sheets,” David Sproul, Deloitte’s chief executive for northwest easing in December the rate stood at 1.6 percent. But the bond-buying program. One candidate in the race, Bundesbank president Jens Europe, said. since then it has fallen to 1.36 percent, its lowest level “Draghi should explicitly state that the ECB will bring Weidmann, voted against several of Draghi’s attempts Official data last month showed British business investment since 2016. back QE if inflationary expectations fall further — and the to bring inflation closer to 2 percent. fell every quarter of 2018, the longest decline since the 2008/09 Last week Draghi paved the way for more monetary sooner he says [that], the better,” said Melvyn Krauss, senior The German central banker said in 2017 that inflation financial crisis. action to combat the region’s latest economic slowdown, fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. of 1.7 percent was “broadly consistent” with what counts Speaking on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund’s saying that the bank was “fully committed” to reviving Asked last week about the drop in investors’ inflation as price stability, in contrast with Draghi, who has said spring meeting in Washington last week, Bank of England Gov- growth to a level consistent with hitting its inflation target expectations, the ECB president insisted this time was such a level is too low. ernor Mark Carney said a chaotic Brexit remained one of the top “without undue delay”. different. Unlike previous instances, the markets are not “Markets may be hedging against the possibility that three risks to the world economy. But the downward shift in the swap rate indicates now concerned that prices will begin to fall dramatically, Jens Weidmann would become the next president,” said (Source: Reuters). that markets doubt the bank’s ability to hit its inflation he said. Krauss. (Source: Financial Times) ADVERTISEMENTS

II NN TT EE RR NN AA TT II OO NN AA LL DD AA II LL YY APRIL 16, 2019 APRIL 16, 2019 ENERGYADVERTISEMENT 55

Heavy rainfalls boost Iranian Brent could hit $80 this summer as hedge funds hydropower output by 5GW lose steam Brent Crude and WTI Crude prices hit a five-month high this week ENERGY TEHRAN – Recent increase 2.1 percent from the current 37.9 amid signs of tightening market and clashes in wildcard OPEC deskheavy rainfalls in Iran percent. producer Libya. has increased the electricity output of the According to the plan, new power plants Brent Crude topped $71 and WTI Crude rose above $64 a barrel country’s hydropower plants by up to 5,000 in Iran should operate with an efficiency of in the middle of this week as supply reductions outweighed fears of megawatts, IRNA reported on Monday quoting at least 55 percent. slowing economic growth. an official with Iran’s Power Generation and Last Month, deputy minister of energy Following the crash in Q4 2018, oil prices have already increased Distribution Company (known as TAVANIR). for electricity affairs said that Iranian power by more than 30 percent so far this year. According to TAVANIR Deputy plants are set to produce at least 51 gigawatts But there is still room for oil to run and Brent could go as high Distribution Coordinator Mahmoud Reza (GW) of electricity during the peak hours of as $80 a barrel this summer, due to geopolitical issues, OPEC and Haqifam, in the peak consumption hours consumption in summer. allies’ cuts, resilient demand, and not-so-crowded hedge fund longs of the day, between 9,500 MW and 10,000 According to Homayoun Haeri, in this suggesting that bulls have room to add more bullish positions in MW of electricity is charged to the network regard the oil ministry plans to focus on crude oil futures and options, according to a research note from by hydropower plants. consumption management and increasing RBC Capital Markets, cited by CNBC. The official also mentioned the program the average efficiency of the country’s power RBC strategists raised significantly their oil price forecasts for for overhauling the country’s thermal power plants to 38.5 percent. the average prices of Brent and WTI this year. Brent Crude is now plants and said, the program has almost “The production record high of 47,000 seen averaging $75 a barrel in 2019, up from the previous call of finished and the overhauled plants are ready megawatts (47 GW) which was achieved in $69.50, while WTI is expected to average $67 per barrel throughout to be put into operation at full capacity. last summer should not only be maintained the year, up from $61.30 in RBC’s previous estimate. The official further noted that, along with this year but we need to increase the number According to RBC’s experts, this summer, Brent could even hit $80. increasing the output and power generation to at least 51,000 megawatts (51 GW),” This is a threshold which oil consuming countries such as India capacity, consumption management programs Haeri said. consider too high and which analysts say is the beginning of demand for agricultural, industrial, administrative The Ministry of Energy has been trying destruction. and even household sectors are also a priority to improve the efficiency of the country’s “We see price risk asymmetrically skewed to the upside spurred for the energy ministry and with the summer Power Plants Holding Company unveiled a following a development initiative foreseen existing power plants as part of efforts to limit by geopolitically infused rallies that could shoot prices toward or approaching we will put significant importance plan for an increase in the efficiency of the in the country’s Sixth Five-Year National harmful emissions and cut fuel consumption. even beyond our high-end, bull-case scenario and test the $80/bbl on such programs. country’s power plants up to 40 percent. Development Plan (2016-2021) the average The country’s current nominal power mark for intermittent periods this summer,” CNBC quoted RBC’s In October 2018, the head of Iran’s Thermal According to Mohsen Tarztalab, efficiency of the country’s power plants would generation capacity stands at 79.325 GW. research note written by strategists Michael Tran, Helima Croft, and Christopher Louney. Yet, not all analysts believe that Brent has some $10 a barrel upside from current levels. Goldman Sachs, for example, believes Gazprom Neft expands Malaysia’s Petronas acquires Singapore- that the rally has almost ran its course and that Brent is unlikely to based solar power company Amplus Energy hit $80. Goldman has lifted its average Brent price call for Q2 to oil production in Iraq $72.50 from $65 a barrel, but expects shale production to rise and OPEC to come under pressure to reverse some of the cuts in the second half of the year. But RBC warns that we could see $80 Brent this summer, on the back of geopolitically motivated rallies in oil. Several geopolitical factors in the coming months could lead to higher oil prices than the current $71 a barrel Brent. First, the U.S. is due to announce within weeks whether it would extend the waivers for some Iranian oil buyers to continue purchasing Tehran’s oil. Analysts largely believe that the ‘zero Iranian oil exports’ will not happen in early May, when current waivers expire, because the Administration would be more lenient, again, at least toward some buyers, so as not to drive oil (and gasoline) prices too high. Then there is the issue with the tightening U.S. sanctions on Venezuela amid the Latin American country’s collapsing oil production, which was plagued by the sanctions and massive blackouts and plunged by 289,000 bpd to below 1 million bpd—to 732,000 bpd Gazprom Neft subsidiary Gazprom Neft Middle connections, weighted drilling mud for bottom- Malaysian state-owned oil and gas firm energy business,” said Wan Zulkiflee Wan in March, according to OPEC’s secondary sources. East B.V. has commissioned a third production hole flushing, and cement incorporating Petronas said on Monday it had acquired a Ariffin, chief executive of Petronas, formally On top of these geopolitical concerns, one of OPEC’s wildest well at its Sarqala field in the Kurdistan Region mineral-based and iron-oxide additives. Singapore-based solar energy company as known as Petroliam Nasional Berhad. cards in recent years, Libya, is plunged in turmoil again after eastern of Iraq (KRI). Drilling the well has involved an part of a strategy to move into renewable Amplus Energy is Petronas’ first strongman General Khalifa Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Potential production at this new well is international team, with members from 20 energy, chasing high-growth business to international solar venture. Petronas didn’t Army (LNA) are advancing westward on Libya’s capital Tripoli estimated at 12,000 bpd. Cumulative daily countries. The project was implemented by complement its mainstay operations. disclose financial terms of the deal, which and clash with troops of the UN-backed government in a renewed oil production at the field following the Gazprom Neft Middle East, with technical The solar company, Amplus Energy sees it acquire 100 percent of the target. confrontation that could escalate and threaten to disrupt, once again, commissioning of the Sarqala-three well has support from the Gazprom Neft Science and Solutions Pte Ltd or M+, specialises in Petronas, the sole manager of Malaysia’s Libya’s oil production and exports. increased by 25 per cent reaching 35,000 bbl. Technology Centre. rooftop and ground-based solar power oil and gas reserves, and a significant Apart from geopolitical flare-ups that could suddenly tighten The well runs to a total depth of 3,291 Vadim Yakovlev, first deputy CEO, projects with a cumulative capacity of contributor to government revenue via supply more than OPEC’s cuts have intended, the positioning of meters, with drilling having been undertaken Gazprom Neft, commented, “The Middle over 500 megawatt (MW) under operation annual dividends, expressed interest over the money managers in oil futures suggests that oil still has room under the challenging geological conditions of East remains an area of strategic interest and development. It has projects across the last 12 months in diversifying into to rise, according to RBC. the Sarqala field, anomalously high pressure to Gazprom Neft, being a region with a rich India, the Middle East and South East renewables amid volatile crude oil prices. “In short, there is room to run to the upside given that geopolitical and reservoir temperature having demanded resource base, and a demonstrable willingness Asia, according to a statement from It said last year it would explore new hotspots are still a clear and present danger for the market, but the use of a selection of 11 technological to allow access to investors. Experience in Petronas. business areas including new energy and many wounded bulls remain following the Q4?18 washout,” RBC’s solutions. implementing projects from scratch, both “This acquisition reflects Petronas’ assess opportunities in solar power, and analysts note. The construction of the Sarqala-three in exploration and production, is important strategic intent to grow in the renewable in November set up a new business in The ratio of bullish to bearish bets peaked at 13:1 in the fall of well has, as a result, involved the use of large- to us.” energy space as part of our strategy to the group to push into renewable energy. 2018 and averaged 8.5:1 throughout last year, according to RBC. diameter casing pipes with ultra-strong thread (Source: oilreviewmiddleeast.com) step out beyond oil and gas into the new (Source: Reuters) (Source: oilprice.com)

N.I.O.C 1398.176 National Iranian Drilling Company First Announcement Cyprus and Lebanon eye oil and gas alliance Call for public tender (First/Second publish) Call for publicOne -Stages tender (semi compressed)(First/Second tender publish) Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil has potential”, Christodoulides added. for oil exploration in Lebanese waters, in five One -Stages (semi compressed) tender Subject of Tender: announced an agreement with Cyprus to address They set May 7 as the date to compare the blocks, three of which are next to Cyprus. N.I.O.C Subject of Tender: AIR MOTOR FOR VARCO PNEUMATIC SAFETY National Iranian their maritime border to enable “an oil and gas areas of consensus and disagreement. “We cannot waste more time,” Basil said. “We AIR 1398.176MOTOR FOR VARCO PNEUMATIC SAFETY SPINNINGSPINNING MODEL MODEL SS-W10 SS-W10 Drilling Company alliance” to be formed. Any deal between Nicosia and Beirut will will seek to strengthen our cooperation and reach Tender descriptions: Lebanon’s Mediterranean territory is due anger Turkey, which refuses to recognize the the oil and gas alliance as we hope.” to contain 10 oil and gas blocks, four of which Republic of Cyprus and opposes any attempt Lebanon last year signed contracts with Tender No. Estimated value border Cypriot waters. to exploit Cypriot fossil fuels. France’s Total, Eni of Italy and Russian Novatek The Tender holder Registration No. through national electronic tendering system /Indent No. (Rial/Euro) “We have set dates for reaching joint In December 2017, Turkish President Recep to drill for oil and gas in two blocks, despite Tender No.: FP/04-98/008 agreements,” Bassil told the Beirut media alongside Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to renegotiate an tensions with Israel over the ownership of block 9. National Iranian Drilling Company 3/197/363 18.000.000.000 his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides. early 20th-century treaty marking the maritime “The conflict with Israel will not prevent Indent No.: 08-22-9745003 The Cypriot minister told the media, according boundaries of Turkey and Cyprus. Lebanon from taking advantage of the potential to Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry: “We agreed to Minister of Energy, Tourism and Commerce reserves of oil and natural gas in block 9,”  Qualitative evaluation of tenderers initiate discussions on a bilateral framework Georgios Lakkotrypis said in Beirut: “We have Lebanon’s Energy Ministry said when the deal agreement concerning the development [of] agreed with Lebanon to co-operate in finding was signed. R Based on minimum scoring ( 60 Points ) made in award criterion reflected in the tenderers pre-qualification forms. hydrocarbons resources which cross the median export markets for our oil and gas produce in Cyprus, Egypt and Israel agreed earlier this Method line between our exclusive economic zones.” addition to implementing a project for creating year to form an “Eastern Mediterranean Gas 1- Applicants which have more than 4 in process contacts with NIDC are not allowed to participate in this tender . 2- Applicants which have more than 2 in process contacts with NIDC in similar subject ( exclusively same subject) are not allowed to participate A deal would provide “the much-needed legal a gas pipeline between Lebanon and Cyprus.” Forum” based in Cairo to create a regional gas in another tender certainty for international companies wishing The bilateral meeting comes a week after market that benefits nations in the troubled region. to invest in the region’s huge hydrocarbons Lebanon launched the second licensing cycle (Source: energy-reporters.com)  Purchasing & Submitting

The distribution of the documents will be started one day after the publishing of second advertisement and ended on the following tenth day thereof.

Distribution Place Hall No.:113, 1thfloor, Foreign Procurement Dept., National Iranian Oil pauses; focus on future supply direction Drilling Company, Airport square, Ahwaz, IRAN 061-34148652 Tender Document Distribution by Company Submitting one original Bank Fund Receipt in the amount of 510,000  Oil prices nudged lower on Monday after interna- Friday that renewed fighting could wipe out crude Iranian Rials under account number 4001114004020491 (Shaba No. IR 520100004001114004020491) in name of “NIDC Incomes Centralized Fund” tional benchmark Brent hit a fresh five-month high production in the country. Submitting Method . issued by I.R. of Iran Central Bank in the previous session, with investors eyeing mixed Meanwhile, Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Submitting format Request for the purpose of receiving Tender  signals on global supply. Siluanov was quoted by the TASS news agency as . Documents

Brent crude oil futures were at $71.44 a barrel saying on Saturday that Russia and OPEC may decide Closing date .Days after the last time of Purchasing 14  at 0629 GMT, down 11 cents, or 0.2 percent, from to boost production to fight for market share with Documents Receiving Method their last close, having hit their highest since Nov. the United States but this would push oil prices as Hall No. 107, 1stfloor, Tender Committee, Operation building, Address 12 on Friday at $71.87. low as $40 per barrel. National Iranian Drilling Company, Airport square, Ahwaz, IRAN. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fu- “The danger is to the downside as both contracts Tel: +98-61-34148580 +98-61-34148569 tures were at $63.63 per barrel, down 26 cents, or are still very overbought from a technical standpoint,”  Tender Guarantee 0.4 percent, from their last settlement. the group will not be ramped up pre-emptively as said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA “I would expect oil to trade in a relatively tight band per last summer,” he said. in Singapore. Value of guarantee Rial/ Euro around $70 per for the time being,” said Virendra The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting U.S. energy companies last week increased the Bank guarantees or guarantees issued by non-bank institutions that obtain activity license from the central bank of Chauhan, oil analyst at Energy Aspects in Singapore, Countries (OPEC) and its allies meet in June to de- number of oil rigs operating for a second week in a Type of guarantee the Islamic Republic of Iran. pointing to differing signs from the United States cide whether to continue withholding supply. OPEC, row, bringing the total count to 833, General Electric Submitting one original Bank Fund Receipt under account number 4001114006376636 ( Shaba No. IR 350100004001114006376636) in name of “NIDC saving account” by the central bank of Islamic Republic of Iran. and OPEC on future supply. Russia and other producers, are reducing output by Co’s Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its Duration of credit & quotation Tender Guarantee & quotation should be valid for 90 days and extendable maximum for one time in initial validity “Leading edge indicators on U.S. supply suggest 1.2 million bpd from Jan. 1 for six months. closely followed report on Friday. duration. activity levels are stepping up, which is supportive OPEC’s de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, is considered The rig count fell for the past four months as (Foreign Procurement Dept.) (Foreign Procurement Dept.) for strong production growth in the second half,” keen to keep cutting, but sources within the group independent exploration and production companies More of this & other tenders are accessible by clickMore on: of this & other tenders are accessible by click on: said Chauhan said it could raise output from July if disruptions cut spending on new drilling to focus on earnings www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr

But at the same time, “murmurings from various growth instead of increased output. www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr تهران تایمز نوبت اول 27/1/98نوبت دوم 28/1/98 تهران تایمز نوبت اول 27/1/98نوبت دوم continue elsewhere. 98/1/28 ministers of the OPEC+ pact suggest supply from The head of Libya’s National Oil Corp warned on (Source: Reuters) ساعت: 17:00 امضاء صفحه آرا: ساعت: امضاء مسئول صفحه: ساعت: امضاء ادیتور: ساعت: امضاء سردبیر:

I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 INTERNATIONAL APRIL 16, 2019 The ICC was wrong to deny prosecution Arab Spring 2.0’ is a reboot full of bugs request for Afghan probe

By Nick Paton Walsh U.S. officials will never end up before ICC judges, but speaking

The acts of hope and courage shown in Algeria and Sudan over truth to power could still boost the court’s credibility. the past weeks felt ever so fleetingly like a reprise of 2011’s broad social awakening across the Arab world. But “Arab Spring 2.0,” By Mark Kersten more than a decade after warrants were is- as it has been called, is a reboot full of bugs that many users may sued for their arrest. seek to uninstall. Judges at the International Criminal Court But that wouldn’t have happened with As in Zimbabwe in 2017, these movements of peaceful change (ICC) have denied a request to open an Afghanistan because those aren’t the ex- have achieved what decades of opposition failed to do: unseat a investigation into atrocities committed in pectations at play when it comes to alleged superannuated and wildly corrupt strongman. Afghanistan. U.S. crimes. Robert Mugabe was 93 when he left his seat in Harare, mired Their decision comes one and a half years As observers rightly point out, no one in economic collapse. after the prosecutor requested authorization reasonably expects the U.S. to cooperate with Algeria’s President finally resigned. Will that be enough to from the judges to open an official investi- an ICC probe into alleged crimes committed quell protests? gation into war crimes and crimes against by its officials. No one. In Algeria, Abdelaziz Bouteflika was 82 when he resigned, humanity in Afghanistan. Therefore, if the court were to ever issue having barely been seen in public since a 2013 stroke, setting The judges ruled have ruled that an in- arrest warrants for a Dick Cheney or a George an all-new low bar for a dictator’s interaction with his regime. vestigation would not be in the “interests W. Bush, no one would expect them to be Wanted by ICC of justice”. surrendered to the ICC. And Omar al-Bashir, forced out by the military last week This marks the first time that judges have The expectation will be that Washington at the age of 75, let living standards fall inexorably after three invoked this argument, yet the ruling was vociferously defends its former political lead- decades of repressing Sudan. meagre on its application, devoting just ers while belligerently attacking the court at He’s also wanted by the International Criminal Court for three and a half pages to the subject and, every opportunity. crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. remarkably, not referencing any other cases US vitriol won’t fit the global narrative of None had the ability or desire to relate to the young popula- or jurisprudence on the subject. an ineffectual ICC so much as the narrative tions rising up to demand their removal. Prosecutors will now appeal that decision of American exceptionalism and refusal to None had militaries willing to sustain them anymore or, for and the court still has a chance to reverse The global community doesn’t judge the court take responsibility for a government-planned the most part, use violence on protesters. course. For some, however, the decision is and implemented era of torture. But the world has evolved, perhaps slipping backwards, since a “good” one for the court. They believe that merely on the basis of its legitimacy as a court, In the words of a former international 2011 -- more cynical, less ideological in its centers of power. an investigation could only hurt the court where surrenders and trials are of the essence. judge, it will be “consistent with the new We witness these changes less enamored with the aspirations because no American would ever end up They judge it as an international organization American line: ‘We are No 1 and we stand for a better life that are keeping many in Algeria and Sudan still before judges at the ICC. above the law’.” out, protesting, as their dictators’ successors measure up for In denying the investigation, judges stated going where none has gone before: putting The ICC versus U.S. curtains in the palace. that changes in the “political landscape” in major powers on notice for their abuses. The ICC versus the U.S. would be a tale The Arab Spring’s momentum emerged after years of doubt non-member states (i.e. the U.S.) “make it of David versus Goliath. But even if David in Western processes, extremely difficult to gauge the prospects the court for higher pay at a time when the roborated when Washington revoked ICC misses with all of his stones, no one would fueled by the disastrous The U.S. State of securing meaningful cooperation from institution is struggling to resource its cur- Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s entry blame him. Iraq war. relevant authorities for the future”. rent workload. visa to the U.S. The ICC has failed to meet many expec- Suddenly, despite Department’s In short, they believed that an investiga- Against this backdrop, it is tempting to There is no reason to believe that the ICC tations. It hasn’t contributed to a spate of how deeply discred- Deputy tion would be too difficult to be worth trying, conclude that the ICC should be risk-averse, could “win” any confrontation with the U.S. peace or reconciliation and it hasn’t held ited the West and its Spokesman Robert and therefore, not in the interests of justice focusing only on suspects who are likely to Washington has promised to pull out all the worst mass murderers to account. And democracies had found or the court. be surrendered to the court. the stops in an attempt to isolate the court. to be clear: unenforced arrest warrants can themselves, Tunisians Palladino has said Alleged atrocities in Afghanistan In line with such thinking, it would have Any investigation into Afghanistan would hurt the ICC’s credibility. But in this case, and Egyptians wanted meekly that the But they are wrong. A lack of cooperation been ill-advised for the ICC to investigate preclude cooperation and there is a virtually they wouldn’t. little other than more from Washington or other states should not atrocities in Afghanistan as cooperation no chance that U.S. officials would end up The global community doesn’t judge the freedom, and would “Sudanese people have prevented the ICC from investigating wouldn’t be forthcoming. Such is the advice facing judges at the ICC. court merely on the basis of its legitimacy take risks to get it. should determine alleged atrocities in Afghanistan. of many observers of the ICC. As a result, many worry that an investi- as a court, where surrenders and trials are The Obama admin- who leads them” Even without cooperation, such an inves- Followers of the ICC have repeatedly gation would further sap the ICC’s already of the essence. They judge it as an interna- istration somehow saw tigation would likely bolster - not undermine pointed out that U.S. cooperation with the sagging credibility. They needn’t. tional organization going where none has part of its agenda for and should have - the court’s credibility. court would cease if the ICC opened an in- An organization’s credibility is partly a gone before: putting major powers on notice change as reflected in quicker elections That it took the ICC judges one and a half vestigation into Afghanistan. measure of the gap between the expectations for their abuses. this inevitable shaking years to come to today’s decision will only in- The Afghan government that people have of the institution and its The inevitable tantrums that would follow of the regional carpet, than those crease speculation that they were acting politi- They insist that there “will be no coopera- actual performance. any arrest warrants for U.S. officials would and fomented it. currently planned cally, fearful of the political implications of an tion from the Afghan government, the Taliban, If the performance of an institution falls only boost the perceived legitimacy of the The internet made -- hardly a strident investigation and, possibly, Washington’s wrath. or the U.S.”. Moreover, without any prospects short of our expectations, its credibility will court, especially among those who never ex- this desire for change At the same time, the ICC prosecutor’s of a successful trial of U.S. officials along with suffer. If expectations are met, or are even pected that an international tribunal would real, new and immedi- and supportive office has been plagued by numerous high- the cessation of cooperation, “there would surpassed, an institution will experience a ever confront American power. ate for anyone who cared speech from the profile setbacks. be significant cost to the ICC, for little gain”. credibility boost. No one believes that American officials will to see it. Rose Garden. Within the last 12 months alone, judges These fears were confirmed when U.S. In its other cases - say, Joseph Kony in end up at the ICC. The assumption is that the The 22-year-old ac- acquitted both former Vice President of the National Security Adviser John Bolton threat- northern Uganda or Omar al-Bashir in Sudan ICC will wilt before American power. Many tivist in that iconic photo Democratic Republic of the Congo Jean-Pierre ened the ICC and its staff with sanctions while - the expectation has been that any warrant will the decisions as the judges proving them says she chanted from atop a car to declare, 'Sudan is for Bemba and former President of Ivory Coast declaring that the U.S. would “use any means would be enforced so that they face justice right. But if there is any chance, on appeal, all' Laurent Gbagbo. necessary to protect our citizens and those in The Hague. for the court to reverse course, it should do The 22-year-old activist in that iconic photo says she chanted It has also come to light that the ICC’s of our allies from unjust prosecution by this The court’s credibility suffers precisely so and surprise us - and exceed expectations. from atop a car to declare, ‘Sudan is for all’ own president, Chile Eboe-Osuji, is suing illegitimate court.” They were further cor- because neither has appeared before the ICC (Source: aljazeera.com) The social media Today we are older, if not necessarily wiser. In 2011, social media was the catalyst. Yet now, as we admire the image of a Sudanese woman, Alaa Salah, in flowing white to be and gold moon earrings, standing on a car and addressing the crowd, Why Mohammed bin Salman may not want more reform she is surrounded by a sea of smartphone screens capturing her bravery. That is the norm, an accepted part of life. Videos of brutality Saudi Arabia’s crown prince will keep his 2030 goals as window dressing in the West, as part or defiance aren’t so much cause for viewers to pause in horror or awe of their contents anymore, but instead tend to incite of an effort to repolish his image as a reformer, but he will not actively seek political reform. Twitter spats about their authenticity. But the most significant change in the past eight years is in By Paul R. Pillar open economics and closed politics going as long as it has. the White House and Brussels. The Communist Party has a well-practiced ability to com- Places that once stood tall, demanding that outdated and The image in the West of Saudi crown prince and de facto bine ideology and popular mobilization to portray everything unjust dictators heed the will of the streets, are too absorbed by ruler Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) certainly took a big hit as a revolution in which the party is the guide but in which their own rifts now to forcefully articulate convictions. with the slaying of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a consulate everyone participates. The U.S. State Department’s Deputy Spokesman Robert in Istanbul. Even President Xi Jinping’s move from collective to more Palladino has said meekly that the “Sudanese people should Many who had viewed MbS as an exciting young reformer personal rule — a move that parallels in some respects MbS’s determine who leads them” and should have quicker elections came to see him more as a murderous thug. But MbS’s image consolidation of power — has exploited that revolutionary than those currently planned -- hardly a strident and supportive within Saudi Arabia has not suffered as much, according and ideological tradition. Today one hears from China about speech from the Rose Garden. to an account by Stephen Grand based on conversations “Xi Jinping thought;” don’t expect to hear anything from Similar noises have been made about Algeria, despite the within the kingdom. Saudi Arabia about “MbS thought.” interim president Abdelkader Bensalah -- who has pledged elec- Much of the complaining by Saudis about the Khashoggi The starting point for any estimation of where MbS goes tions in three months -- hailing from the same “pouvoir,” or social affair has been directed at the West rather than at their from here with reform is that political reform is not on his elite, that enabled Bouteflika for two decades. own government. Grand attributes this response to good- agenda at all. The prime consideration in his decisions about Tear gas and further demonstrations will follow, even if the will that MbS accumulated through curbing the religious economic and societal change will be to avoid anything that European Union has too much on its internal plate to speak up police, permitting women to drive, and introducing forms of endangers his political power. louder than the usual call for free and fair elections. entertainment previously missing from Saudi society such A rentier state Those eight years have given us reasons to see strongmen as cinema, concerts, and amusement parks. With that as his overriding priority, one specific considera- successors as the lesser of some evils and, you could argue, mean These measures constitute small-ball reform. They do for a say in how society is to be governed. tion will be whether the Saudi regime will have the financial that Western leaders are more silent due to experience. not involve fundamental change in the Saudi economy, let The demands flow from the emerging classes having a wherewithal to continue the arrangement of a rentier state Turmoil in Libya alone of Saudi politics. They are essentially favors the regime larger stake in the decisions about how society is to be gov- buying, partly through small favors, obeisance of a depend- The turmoil of Libya, unable to find peace or coherent govern- bestows on its subjects. erned as well as a larger awareness of their own capabilities. ent population. ment since 2011, has spawned a human trafficking nightmare The measures nonetheless have won gratitude because the The great counterexample to this line of reasoning is China never had such an option, and Deng realized that for exploited migrants on their way to Europe, along with an bar that any reform needed to clear to be noticed was so low. China, where the economic vibrancy and amazing growth sweeping economic reform was essential to keep a billion ISIS affiliate. The Saudi extremists that Deng Xiaoping set in motion with his market reforms people from indefinite misery. The Syrian people’s hasty bid to replicate Tunisia’s peaceful Saudi society, ever since the regime’s concessions to re- four decades ago have not significantly shaken the political Saudi Arabia, with its oil wealth and far smaller popula- change led to al Qaeda and ISIS taking partial hold, hundreds ligious conservatives after extremists temporarily seized power of the ruling Chinese Communist Party. tion, has kept its much different game going for decades. of thousands dead, the use of sarin gas on babies, Russia’s the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 1979, has been so stiflingly China thus has been an attractive model for rulers elsewhere Low oil prices can threaten the game, but as MbS views the brute force emerging as a new totem in the Middle East, and closed that even small favors win friends. who hope for strong economic growth without endangering meager efforts (not least of all in the United States) to move the dark reassurance of Bashar al-Assad that his father’s ways MbS has declared an ambition for more sweeping reform their own rule. away from a fossil fuel economy, he has reason to think he will win out. under the label of Vision 2030. The declared goals include Dynamic economics can keep the game going even longer. Egypt went full circle, veering wildly off towards Islamist reducing dependence on oil revenues and expanding the But as for whether a combination of dynamic economics Another consideration will be how MbS, or anyone advising leadership after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, and then after an private sector so it would account for most Saudi GDP, which and oppressive politics can endure indefinitely, the answer him, views the social scientific question of how opening an unspeakably brutal military crackdown, back into a dictatorship it does not now. is — as former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai said when asked economy may lead to pressure to open the political system. likely worse than that which brought Egyptians out in Tahrir Such changes, if they ever occur, would be fundamental about the impact of the French Revolution — “it’s too early To the extent he assesses there is such a connection, he has Square in 2011. reform involving a growth in centers of economic power. to tell.” an incentive not to open the economy at all, notwithstanding But the vectors that led us to change in 2011 and 2019 are the Such changes would raise questions, which social sci- Many Chinese have been too busy getting rich to de- his professed goals in Vision 2030. same. People are younger, poorer, less equal and slowly hotter, entists have long debated and analyzed, of the effects that vote yet more of their energies to politics. And just as Saudi He will keep the goals as window dressing in the West, hungrier and thirstier before. economic development has on the prospects for political society set a low bar for any welcome loosening of social as part of an effort to repolish his image as a reformer. But These are problems that exacerbate each other, and while development. mores, pre-Deng Chinese poverty set a low bar for welcome at home he will slow-roll fundamental reform to the point strongmen always stand in the way of progress, rare is the suc- A significant expansion of an entrepreneurial class and economic betterment. of stasis, while occasionally throwing his subjects another cessor who offers a new path forward. of a middle class not dependent on the state can lead to in- Moreover, the Chinese regime has some advantages, which bone equivalent to letting them go to the movies. (Source: cnn.com) creased dissatisfaction with authoritarian rule and demands the Saudi regime does not, in keeping the combination of (Source: nationalinterest.org) ساعت: امضاء صفحه آرا: ساعت: امضاء مسئول صفحه: ساعت: امضاء ادیتور:ADVERTISEMENTS ساعت: امضاء سردبیر:

II NN TT EE RR NN AA TT II OO NN AA LL DD AA II LL YY APRILAPRIL 16, 2019 ANALYSISADVERTISEMENT & INTERVIEW 7 Hazara genocide in Pakistan must stop

1 When a person leaves home in the protection of these vulnerable people. Am- Suspense and uncertainty morning, he is not sure whether he will be back nesty International said in a statement the in the evening. This frightening uncertainty blast was a “painful reminder” of the many hang over intra-Afghan and unpredictability defines their daily lives. attacks suffered by the Hazara community ‘Hazara genocide’ is not a new phenome- in Quetta over the years, and called for the summit in Qatar non as it has consumed thousands of innocent government of Prime Minister Imran Khan lives over the years, both in Pakistan and to give them better protection. 1 So far, Taliban has refused to hold direct negotiations neighboring Afghanistan. It has been one of The sit-in has entered its third day and the with the Afghan government, calling it a “puppet administration” the biggest internal security challenges for protestors have refused to go home despite of the Western powers led by the U.S. the successive governments in Islamabad, assurance by the federal government. They While the Taliban has already announced its readiness for the and has now become a matter of concern for have reiterated the demands and called for Qatar meeting, the Afghan government is facing the dilemma of the Imran Khan-led PTI government as well. the identification and arrest of the perpetra- who to include in its delegation. The carnage in Hazarganji market area tors of Hazarganji market attack, adequate All senior Afghan leaders, cutting across the political and on Friday morning was not the first attack security measures and implementation of ideological lines, have extended their support to the intra-Afghan against the community and perhaps won’t be the National Action Plan (NAP). summit in Qatar, including the likes of Hamid Karzai, Haneef the last. Community activists have blamed the Jaleela, one of those participating in the Atmar, Atta Mohammad Noor, Ismail Khan, Younas Qanooni, country’s security agencies of not providing sit-in, was quoted as saying that they won’t and Mohammad Mohaqiq. them adequate security and not announcing a budge until their demands were implemented. The U.S. government representatives have held a series of talks comprehensive plan to ensure their wellbeing. “We demand that the Chief of Army Staff with the Taliban representatives in many countries over the past They have warned that if the government (COAS) come here and see the misery and many months but they have failed to produce a breakthrough. does not wake up to the challenge, the jug- hardships of Hazara people. How much should The direct talks between the U.S. and the Taliban, sidestepping gernaut will roll on. they suffer,” she asked. “Why are they being the democratically elected government in Kabul, has angered Like on previous occasions, the families of again for those families. stood next to his lifeless body, pleading killed, where is the NAC, where is the project President Ghani’s team and many senior Afghan politicians who victims took to streets again to protest against A heartbreaking story of one of the vic- with him: “Just open your eyes. I wouldn’t of Quetta safe city.” Apparently, government see it as an attempt to undermine the credibility of the Afghan the government for not ensuring their safety tims Ali Hazara brought tears to many eyes. ask for anything.” seems to have no answers. government and its people. and protection. They refused to bury the dead Ali Hazara, the only breadwinner for his Condemnations have poured in from dif- Condolences and sympathies are fine Hamdullah Mohib, the national security advisor of Pres- and staged a sit-in in Quetta city, demanding family, did menial jobs to earn livelihood. ferent quarters, including from PM Khan. but the government officials need to move ident Ghani, recently launched a scathing attack at the U.S. attention of the Imran Khan government. He was sent by his mother that fateful morn- He took to Twitter to express his sadness beyond that. They need to identify the killers government representative Zalmai Khalilzad for sidelining They are incredibly brave and resilient but ing to the vegetable market to buy some and asked for “an immediate inquiry and of Hazara Shias, and hand over exemplary the main stakeholders and going ahead with talks with the they are also helpless. They can raise their stuff. While leaving, his mother told him: increased security for the (Hazara) people”. punishment to them. They need to stop this insurgent group. voices but they cannot make their voices heard. “if you won’t bring anything, we would Such statements have been issued before madness, and assure these loyal citizens of Mohib’s statement in the UN Security Council meeting incensed The Quetta attack snatched away many have just dry bread to eat at night”. He also by his predecessors. And it has been Pakistan that they are safe in their homes. the hawks in Washington, who announced that they would not precious lives and shattered many dreams, replied, with a dash of humor: “eating dry business as usual. Otherwise, the bloodletting will continue and deal with him anymore. However, Mohib got support from many leaving behind mourning families, orphans bread with water has its own taste”. He left Global watchdog bodies have urged the ‘Naya Pakistan’ (New Pakistan) will remain Afghan leaders and civil society activists back home. and widows. The world will never be the same and never came back. His bereaved mother government to take immediate measures for a pipedream. Many observers have questioned the logic of holding talks with the Taliban while it continues to attack Afghan security forces and civilians. They say talks and violence should not go together. Meanwhile, in a fresh development, Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah announced on Sunday that he and his Trump’s sanctions could kill the deal with Kim election team will not participate in the ‘Loya Jirga’ a grand assembly convened to discuss talks with the Taliban in Kabul TEHRAN (FNA) — Just to start down a long list, US Pres- “process,” and that the door should remain open to a third sanctions now seem to be permanent, why should Kim tol- on April 29. ident Donald Trump continues to continue with the default summit. erate a peculiar and lopsided diplomatic arrangement in use of sanctions and aggressive ambitions to put pressure Here, then, is a small suggestion: Trump needs to which he’d be so clearly the loser? on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to appreciate that history is passing the sanctions regime In a strange sense, there should be retaliatory plans in dismantle its nuclear weapons program, while he also ex- by. If he continues this default policy, he will kill the place in the event that Trump follows through on the default presses a willingness to hold a third summit with North prospects for a denuclearization deal. It is evident that use of sanctions. Moon also made a mistake to put his polit- Trump seeks to destroy the EU Korean leader Kim Jong Un. those who have hardened their position against a phased ical reputation on the line in trusting Trump’s off-the-cuff On Thursday, April 11, and beyond the bounds of inter- approach sought by Pyongyang, in which gradual steps belligerence and backhanded compliments at Kim. Even national morality and law, Trump made his erratic policies would be rewarded with relief from sanctions, are not in if Seoul hosts the third summit, Trump won’t offer Kim 1 BREXIT has become a major riddle in the country. Many amply clear during talks in Washington with South Korean favor of diplomacy. real concessions. His “various smaller deals” will also go English citizens do not have a complete understanding of the EU, President Moon Jae-in. As with any application of force, sanctions against Pyong- nowhere – he wants capitulation. the British government and the UK Parliament’s move to leave Take this one, for instance: “It could happen. A third yang entail substantial risks and the geological facts speak We live in a very different world. Trump needs obser- the European Union. However, the British authorities seem to summit could happen. And it’s step by step. It’s not a fast otherwise. The escalation will not only drive up the risk of vation, insight, and audacity for a Pyongyang deal to win have planned a tentative game. process. I’ve never said it would be. It’s step by step.” yet another collapse, but will make it harder for the two the next US presidential election. If he was to use foreign The fact is that the president of the United States is still look- The two presidents discussed the possibility of Moon sides to focus on long-term “process” challenges. policy to enhance his political standing at home, the one ing to destroy the European Union. One of the main reasons for having an inter-Korean summit with Kim to advance di- The irony is that US wars and trade restrictions against place he could do it would be North Korea. It’s “the best Trump’s concern about how Britain is leaving the EU is precisely alogue between the United States and North Korea on other nations have backfired, dealing a major blow to the investment” he’ll ever make. this. Trump knows well that if the British exit experience is neg- denuclearisation. This is while Washington has also moved commercial interests of Western companies and investors. In the international system of economic and geopolitical ative from Europe, then other European Union countries will aggressively to curtail Pyongyang’s ability to finance na- The economic sanctions, military pressure, and intemperate negotiations, the GOP golf mates also know that nothing not be excluded. tional development plans by blocking its access to foreign threats against Pyongyang will equally prove counterpro- could hurt Trump more than an aggressive stance against It should be noted that the White House has repeatedly and technology and finance. ductive. Pyongyang that failed to achieve its goals. openly denied its opposition to the nature and existence of the Trump is still so amazed to wield the sanctions weap- North Korean media says Kim, for his part, plans to push The conclusions seem self-evident: Except for showing European Union and the euro area, but people like the German on despite the fact that Pyongyang has suspended nuclear forward with efforts to make the economy more self-suffi- more transparency in its nuclear and missile programs, Chancellor Angela Merkel, the French President Emanuel Mac- tests and missile launches, and wants sanctions relief. The cient “so as to deal a telling blow to the hostile forces who Pyongyang has nothing else to offer but “strategic patience” roon and the British prime minister still remain in the illusion two leaders have managed to build goodwill, but failed to go with bloodshot eyes miscalculating that sanctions can and goodwill. Whatever you might think of Kim, Trump needs of a relationship Good with Washington! Undoubtedly, many agree on a deal in February to lift sanctions in exchange for bring (North Korea) to its knees.” to stop throwing a wrench into his diplomatic effort. It’s way European officials are once again seeing the consequences of Pyongyang abandoning its nuclear and missile programs. The warning comes amid reports from Pyongyang that past time for Trump to rid himself of the dystopian turn of their game on the trump ground, which is too late! To his credit, Trump says he is prepared to ease some Kim might also rethink a moratorium on missile launches mind and prove he’s ready for a peaceable and reasonable Finally, Trump and John Bolton will target the European sanctions, such as “certain humanitarian things.” But it’s and nuclear tests in place since 2017 - unless Washington deal with Kim without precondition, beyond which there Union more intense in the coming months. White House officials not enough to convince Kim that after the collapse of the eases sanctions. is no double-talking, no sabotage, and certainly no savage are waiting for the full realization of British withdrawal from the second summit in Hanoi there’s still some room for a longer At a time when all American wars, trade conflicts and and deliberate “process”. European Union.

N.I.O.C 1398.168 National Iranian Drilling Company First Announcement Call for public tender (First/Second publish) World slams ICC’s decision to not investigate Call for public tender (First/Second publish) One -Stages (semi compressed) tender One -Stages (semi compressed) tender Subject of Tender: N.I.O.C Subject of Tender: COILED TUBING REEL SIZE (OD : 1 1/2”-W. National Iranian U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan COILED TUBING REEL SIZE (OD : 1 1/2"-W.THICKNESS)( 0.125" - 20000FT ) 1398.168 THICKNESS)( 0.125” - 20000FT ) Drilling Company

1 “The U.S. will withdraw or potential cases would be admissible Tender descriptions: deny visas to any ICC personnel inves- before the Court,” said a report in AP. tigating possible war crimes by U.S. In a written reaction, the court’s Registration No. through national electronic tendering Tender No. Estimated value The Tender holder system forces or allies in Afghanistan,” U.S. prosecution office said it “will further /Indent No. (Rial/Euro) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said analyze the decision and its implica- Tender No.: FP/04-97/051 last month. tions, and consider all available legal National Iranian Drilling Company 3.197.301 Indent No.: 08-22-9745039 57.600.000.000 The court, which has its headquar- remedies.” ters in The Hague, responded that it The ICC judges claimed that their  Qualitative evaluation of tenderers was an independent and impartial decision was influenced by the prospect institution and would continue to do of investigators having to deal with its work “undeterred” by U.S. threats. challenging investigations, a lack of R Based on minimum scoring ( 60 Points ) made in award criterion reflected in the tenderers pre-qualification forms. ICC did hit back then but soon felt ready state cooperation and budgetary Method 1- Applicants which have more than 4 in process contacts with NIDC are not allowed to participate in this tender . intimidated by mafia-style threats by constraints, the AP report said. 2- Applicants which have more than 2 in process contacts with NIDC in similar subject ( exclusively same subject) are not allowed to the administration in Washington. Patrick Baudouin, president of the participate in another tender

The ICC’s decision comes just days International Federation for Human  Purchasing & Submitting after the U.S. government revoked the Rights, called the rejection a “dark day

ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s for justice” and a “shocking decision, The distribution of the documents will be started one day after the publishing of second advertisement and visa because the investigation involved which is based on a deeply flawed rea- to heinous crimes committed with ity committed by the West, the entire ended on the following tenth day thereof. crimes committed by the U.S. forces. soning.” near-absolute impunity, across the twisted concept of the U.S. and Eu- Distribution Place Hall No.:113, 1thfloor, Foreign Procurement Dept., National Iranian Drilling Company, Airport square, Ahwaz, IRAN 061-34148652 Bensouda’s request to open an in- Sima Samar, the chairman of country, for more than a decade and rope being pioneers of freedom and Tender Document Distribution by Company vestigation said there is information Afghanistan’s Independent Human Submitting one original Bank Fund Receipt in the amount of 510,000  a half. The ICC’s decision today is a democracy could easily and quickly Iranian Rials under account number 4001114004020491 (Shaba No. IR that members of the U.S. military and Rights Commission, said the decision shocking abandonment of the victims collapse,” wrote Andre Vltchek in an Submitting Method 520100004001114004020491) in name of “NIDC Incomes Centralized Fund” issued . . by I.R. of Iran Central Bank intelligence agencies “committed acts was a disappointment for victims. which will weaken the court’s already article in New Eastern Outlook. .Submitting format Request for the purpose of receiving Tender Documents  of torture, cruel treatment, outrages Human Rights Watch said the rul- questionable credibility,” said Biraj “Even criticism by Washington, upon personal dignity, rape and sex- ing establishes a dangerous precedent. Patnaik, South Asia Director at Am- Paris or London of countries such as Closing date .Days after the last time of Purchasing 14  ual violence against conflict-related “The judges’ logic effectively allows nesty International. Venezuela, China or Russia, for their Documents Receiving Method Hall No. 107, 1stfloor, Tender Committee, Operation building, detainees in Afghanistan and other states to opt out on their obligation “None of the reasons given by the ‘human rights violations’, would be- Address National Iranian Drilling Company, Airport square, Ahwaz, IRAN. locations, principally in the 2003- to cooperate with the court’s investi- ICC judges justifies this decision. The come absurd and grotesque. Entire Tel: +98-61-34148580 +98-61-34148569 2004 period.” gation,” said Param-Preet Singh, the gravest crimes can only ever be in- concept of ‘regime change’ could clearly She also said that the Taliban and group’s associate international justice vestigated in trying circumstances. be exposed for what it always really was  Tender Guarantee other insurgent groups have killed more director. “This sends a dangerous mes- If anything, the court’s reluctance – lawless gangsterism,” Vltchek added. Value of guarantee than 17,000 civilians since 2009, in- sage to perpetrators that they can put to proceed with investigations in the He said no country in the post-WWII 2,652,000.000 Rial/ 55,128 Euro cluding almost 7,000 targeted killings. themselves beyond the reach of the law face of such constraints only reveals era has committed so many crimes Bank guarantees or guarantees issued by non-bank institutions that obtain activity license from the central bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. She also alleged that Afghan secu- just by being uncooperative.” its overreach and signals its weak against humanity, and supported so Type of guarantee Submitting one original Bank Fund Receipt under account number 4001114006376636 ( Shaba No. IR rity forces have tortured prisoners in Amnesty International said the resolve,” said Patnaik. many genocides, as the U.S. 350100004001114006376636) in name of “NIDC saving account” by the central bank of Islamic Republic of government-run jails. ICC’s decision not to authorize an The successive U.S. governments “The ‘foreign policy’ of the U.S. is Iran. Duration of credit & quotation Tender Guarantee & quotation should be valid for 90 days and extendable maximum for one time in initial The ICC decision does acknowledge investigation into crimes committed have always arm-twisted global watch- directly derived from colonialist pol- validity duration. that the November 2017 request from in Afghanistan under international dog bodies, especially the ICC, and icies of the former European powers. (Foreign Procurement Dept.) (Foreign Procurement Dept.) Bensouda to open a probe “establishes a law marks a shocking abandonment prevented it from investigating its Therefore, crimes against humanity More of this & other tenders are accessible by clickMore on: of this & other tenders are accessible by click on: reasonable basis to consider that crimes of victims and will further weaken the crimes against humanity. committed by the West have never www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr within the ICC jurisdiction have been court’s credibility. “If the ICC begins and is allowed stopped; never stopped for centuries,” www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr

تهران تایمز نوبت اول 27/1/98نوبت دوم 28/1/98 تهران تایمز نوبت اول 27/1/98نوبت دوم committed in Afghanistan and that “Afghanistan has been witness to investigate crimes against human- he noted. 98/1/28 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 ADVERTISEMENTS APRIL 16, 2019

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The Tehran Times new pocket-sized glossary is now available on the market. The reader-friendly is a rich source of the most common journalistic terminology collected by the daily’s retired staff. Tel: It can benefit a wide range of tastes from students to 021 - 430 51 450 professional journalists. Persian equivalents have been given for all entries, including idioms and expressions. The glossary also includes example sentences for entries the authors thought it would be a bit difficult to learn. Advertising Dept: [email protected] For more information contact: 021 - 430 51 450 +9821 430 51 450 Tel: www.tehrantimes.com [email protected] I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y APRIL 16, 2019 HEALTH 9

Can genetic variants predict How to control anger: tips to help you stay calm depression risk in young people? Anger is a normal feeling and can be a positive emotion when it helps you work through issues or problems, whether that’s at work or at home. A new study looks at the genetic makeup verified risk factor for depression. Doing However, anger can become problematic if it leads to aggres- of thousands of adults with depression to this allowed the investigators to show just sion, outbursts, or even physical altercations. try to find an accurate way of predicting how important the polygenic risk score is Anger control is important for helping you avoid saying or which children and adolescents may be in assessing depression risk. doing something you may regret. Before anger escalates, you can at risk of developing this mental health “We found that both the polygenic risk use specific strategies for controlling anger. problem. score and exposure to childhood abuse were Here are ways you can control your anger: Researchers identify a genetic risk score informative in identifying young people at Count down that could help predict depression risk in risk for depression,” notes Halldorsdottir. Count down (or up) to 10. If you’re really mad, start at the young. The researchers believe that the results 1. 100. In the time it takes you to count, your heart rate will slow, Many factors determine a person’s risk of this study and other similar research and your anger will likely subside. of depression, and these include both ge- could, in the future, help mental health Take a breather netic and environmental factors, such as experts identify which young people are Your breathing becomes shallower and speeds up as you going through difficult life events or taking most at risk of developing depression, 2. grow angry. Reverse that trend (and your anger) by taking slow, medications with certain side effects. allowing them to implement prevention deep breaths from your nose and exhaling out of your mouth for However, while we already know some strategies where appropriate. several moments. of the probable risk factors, it is not al- “By applying the findings of studies like Go walk around ways easy to predict who is most at risk this one, it should be possible in future to Exercise can help calm your nerves and reduce anger. of depression, especially early on in life. target young people who are at greatest 3. Go for a walk, ride your bike, or hit a few golf balls. Anything Recently, researchers from institutions risk for depression, i.e., those with a high that gets your limbs pumping is good for your mind and body all over the world have joined forces to polygenic risk score and/or a history of Relax your muscles investigate whether they can find a way childhood abuse, for these effective in- Progressive muscle relaxation calls on you to tense and of predicting a child or adolescent’s risk of terventions,” says the study’s joint lead 4. slowly relax various muscle groups in your body, one at a time. depression by analyzing the genetic make- investigator, Gerd Schulte-Körne. As you tense and release, take slow, deliberate breaths. up of adults with depression and coming Co-author Elisabeth Binder calls this Repeat a mantra up with a “map” of likely genetic culprits. “the first study to show that the polygenic Find a word or phrase that helps you calm down and refocus. Their efforts, the investigators say, would risk score calculated from adults with de- 5. Repeat that word again and again to yourself when you’re upset. also make it easier to understand which pression can be used to identify [at-risk] “Relax,” “Take it easy, and “You’ll be OK” are all good examples. individuals have more exposure to men- children [...] before any clinical symptoms Stretch tal health events before some potentially have emerged.” They now report the results in the Amer- Halldorsdottir. Neck rolls and shoulder rolls are good examples of non- confounding factors set in. Although Binder admits that the work 6. ican Journal of Psychiatry. Following this first step, the researchers strenuous yoga-like movements that can help you control your The researchers hail from the Max Planck of finding the best methods of identifying Complex genetic risk score to assessed this risk score in groups of chil- body and harness your emotions. No fancy equipment required. Institute of Psychiatry and the Ludwig-Max- young people at risk of mental health issues the rescue dren and adolescents aged 7–18 years, of Mentally escape imilians-Universitaet in Munich, Germany, does not stop with this study, she believes The researchers explain that on an indi- whom 279 had symptoms of depression Slip into a quiet room, close your eyes, and practice the Emory University in Atlanta, GA, the that this is an important first step toward 7. vidual basis, the different genetic variants and 187 were healthy. The latter acted as visualizing yourself in a relaxing scene. Focus on details in the University of Coimbra in Portugal, and the implementing better preventive strategies that previous studies have associated with the control group. imaginary scene: What color is the water? How tall are the moun- University of Helsinki in Finland. more effectively. depression do not make a significant differ- “This parameter was then evaluated in tains? What do the chirping birds sound like? This practice can In their study, the researchers calculated “[I]dentifying which children are more ence to the risk of depression. However, smaller cohorts of children and adoles- help you find calm amidst anger. polygenic risk score — the quantification likely to go on to develop depression would cumulatively, they have a substantial effect cents to determine whether it could predict Play some tunes of the possible effects of different com- give us the opportunity to implement ef- on this risk. depression and symptoms of depression Let music carry you away from your feelings. Put in binations of genetic variations — using fective prevention strategies and reduce 8. “The [polygenic risk] score was first in this age group,” adds Halldorsdottir. earbuds or slip out to your car. Crank up your favorite music the findings of the Psychiatric Genomics the huge health burden associated with calculated from genetic data obtained The researchers also looked at the effect (avoid heavy metal), and hum, bop, or sashay your anger away. Consortium, which looked at data from depression.” from a very large number of adults with of early experiences of abuse on the young Stop talking more than 460,000 adults. (Source: flipboard.com) depression,” notes first author Thorhildur participants’ mental health, since this is a 9. When you’re steamed, you may be tempted to let the angry words fly, but you’re more likely to do harm than good. Pretend your lips are glued shut, just like you did as a kid. This moment without speaking will give you time to collect your thoughts. Could this protein explain why migraine is more common in women? Take a timeout 10. Give yourself a break. Sit away from others. In this For reasons that scientists do not fully understand, women and also in the peripheral nervous system, “which,” quiet time, you can process events and return your emotions are three times more likely to experience migraine head- Dr. Dussor explains, “goes everywhere else, including to neutral. You may even find this time away from others is so aches than men. Now, new research into the activity of a the meninges.” helpful you want to schedule it into your daily routine. protein could start to explain why. Although the nerve cells of the meninges can send the Take action Women tend to develop migraine more often than men, signals for head pain, because of the other symptoms 11.Harness your angry energy. Sign a petition. Write a note and new research may explain why. involved, scientists believe that migraine actually starts to an official. Do something good for someone else. Pour your energy Research going back more than 30 years has confirmed in the brain. and emotions into something that’s healthy and productive. that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) plays a major However, an interesting feature of CGRP in this context Write in your journal role in migraine. However, this work has revealed little about is that it cannot cross from one nervous system into the 12. What you can’t say, perhaps you can write. Jot down the locations of the protein’s migraine activity in the body. other because it is too big to pass through the blood- what you’re feeling and how you want to respond. Processing it That was until researchers at the University of Texas at brain barrier that protects the central nervous system. through the written word can help you calm down and reassess Dallas, who carried out a preclinical investigation in rats Dr. Dussor and his team began their investigation by the events leading up to your feelings. and mice, pinpointed where certain pain-related CGRP injecting CGRP into the meninges of male and female rats. Find the most immediate solution activity takes place in the body. They also found that this They introduced small doses into the dura mater, which is 13. You might be angry that your child has once again left particular activity occurs only in females. the outer of the three layers of the protective tissue. their room a mess before going to visit a friend. Shut the door. The mechanism that they observed happens in the The results showed that only the female rats demonstrat- You can temporarily end your anger by putting it out of your meninges, the protective layer of three tissues that sur- ed symptoms of headache. There was a similar response view. Look for similar resolutions in any situations. rounds the brain and spinal cord. Introducing CGRP into – again, just in females – to CGRP injection in the paws. Rehearse your response the meninges triggered pain responses in the female most common cause of “years lived with disability” during Dr. Dussor points out that the greater sensitivity to 14. Prevent an outburst by rehearsing what you’re going rodents but not in the males. that year. CGRP in the female animals occurred not only in the me- to say or how you’re going to approach the problem in the future. The Journal of Neuroscience has recently published a The authors of that global study concluded that, even ninges but also in other parts of the body. He and his team This rehearsal period gives you time to role-play several possible paper on the University of Texas study. though their analysis drew on limited data, it showed a need confirmed many of their findings in mice. solutions, too. The research team suggests that the findings could start to give migraine and other headache disorders “greater “But we don’t know,” he adds, “what that means for Picture a stop sign to explain why women are much more likely to experience attention in health policy debates and research resource other types of pain yet.” 15.The universal symbol to stop can help you calm down migraine headaches than men. allocation.” He suggests that the full explanation for more females when you’re angry. It’s a quick way to help you visualize the need “This is just the beginning,” says corresponding study According to the Migraine Research Foundation, 28 experiencing migraines than males is likely to be much to halt yourself, your actions, and walk away from the moment. author Dr. Gregory Dussor, who is an associate professor million of the 39 million people in the United States who more involved than these findings might suggest. Change your routine of neuroscience, “of demonstrations showing that CGRP experience migraines are women. He cautions, for example, that because only female 16.If your slow commute to work makes you angry before might act differently in women.” While boys are more likely to experience these severe rodents showed a pain-signal response to having CGRP you’ve even had coffee, find a new route. Consider options that He suggests that one of the reasons that previous animal headaches in childhood, once children pass puberty, mi- injections into their meninges, it does not follow that this may take longer but leave you less upset in the end. studies have not uncovered male and female differences graine prevalence in girls overtakes that in boys. Experts is the reason for migraine being more prevalent in females. Talk to a friend in migraine-related CGRP activity could be because they suggest that the main reason for this is the effect of estrogen. Also, Dr. Dussor states that while “CGRP plays a clear 17. Don’t stew in the events that made you angry. Help have tended to use only male rats or mice. However, not all migraine headaches involve hormones. role in migraine, this does not imply that migraine is ex- yourself process what happened by talking with a trusted, sup- Migraine not just about hormones Following research into migraine prevention that has clusively a CGRP-based disorder.” portive friend who can possibly provide a new perspective. A migraine is a severe type of throbbing headache that implicated CGRP, regulators in the U.S. have approved “This is the first study to show that CGRP might act Laugh happens periodically, often with disturbance of vision, nau- three migraine drugs that work by blocking the protein. differently between sexes. It also shows that CGRP can have 18. Nothing upends a bad mood like a good one. Diffuse sea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light and sound. Taking a closer look at CGRP in migraine a pain-related effect in the meninges, which is something your anger by looking for ways to laugh, whether that’s playing According to a recent study, migraine was the sixth The body makes CGRP in the central nervous system, that has been questioned in the literature previously.” with your kids, watching stand-up, or scrolling memes. most common disease worldwide in 2016 and the second which comprises the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve, (Source: Medical News Today) Practice gratitude 19.Take a moment to focus on what’s right when everything feels wrong. Realizing how many good things you have in your life can help you neutralize anger and turn around the situation. 5-minute breathing ‘workout’ may benefit heart and brain health Set a timer 20.The first thing that comes to mind when you’re angry Preliminary research reveals that a tech- Craighead. The researcher and his colleagues on inhalation. They found that the blood likely isn’t the thing you should say. Give yourself a set time before nique called Inspiratory Muscle Strength presented the preliminary results of their pressure was significantly lower among you respond. This time will help you be calmer and more concise. Training can boost cognitive and physical research at the annual Experimental Biology IMST participants and that the function Write a letter performance, as well as cardiovascular health. conference, which this year takes place in of their large arteries had improved con- 21. Write a letter or email to the person that made you New research adds another tool in the Orlando, FL. siderably. angry. Then, delete it. Often, expressing your emotions in some toolbox for preventing high blood pressure. Why study the benefits of IMST? IMST participants also performed better form is all you want, even if it’s in something that will never be seen. Most of us know that exercising and IMST involves inhaling through a resistive on cognitive tests and treadmill tests. In Imagine forgiving them eating right are good for us. hand-held device called an inspiratory muscle the treadmill tests, they were able to run 22. Finding the courage to forgive someone who has However, putting in the effort to do so can trainer. Its creators initially developed it for longer and keep their heart rate and wronged you takes a lot of emotional skill. If you can’t go that often require more willpower than we have. for people with respiratory problems such oxygen consumption low. far, you can at least pretend that you’re forgiving them, and you’ll What if there was a way to reap all the as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, “[IMST is] something you can do quickly feel your anger slip away. benefits of a workout without having to bronchitis, or cystic fibrosis, or to wean peo- in your home or office, without having to Practice empathy lift a finger? ple off ventilators. change your clothes, and so far it looks like 23. Try to walk in the other person’s shoes and see the situation New research introduces a 5-minute Craighead and team explain that in 2016, fits of IMST for the vascular, cognitive, and it is very beneficial to lower blood pressure from their perspective. When you tell the story or relive the events as technique that might improve blood pres- a 6-week trial on the effects of IMST on physical health of 50 middle-aged adults. and possibly boost cognitive and physical they saw it, you may gain a new understanding and become less angry. sure, lower heart attack risk, boost cognitive obstructive sleep apnea — during which “Our goal is to develop time-efficient, performance.” Express your anger ability, and enhance sports performance participants performed 30 inhalations evidence-based interventions that [...] busy “High blood pressure,” claims Craighead, 24. It’s OK to say how you feel, as long as you handle it — all while barely having to move. per day — revealed that using the device midlife adults will actually perform,” ex- “is a major risk factor for cardiovascular in the right way. Ask a trusted friend to help you be accountable The technique is called Inspiratory Muscle also lowered systolic blood pressure by 12 plains senior investigator Prof. Doug Seals, disease, which is the number one cause of to a calm response. Outbursts solve no problems, but mature Strength Training (IMST), and researchers millimeters of mercury. the director of the University of Colorado death in America. Having another option dialogue can help reduce your stress and ease your anger. It may led by Daniel Craighead — a postdoctoral Exercising for the same amount of time Boulder’s Integrative Physiology of Aging in the toolbox to help prevent it would be also prevent future problems. researcher in the University of Colora- usually only lowers blood pressure by half Laboratory. a real victory.” Find a creative channel do Boulder’s Department of Integrative that amount, and the benefits seem to exceed Lowers blood pressure and boosts However, the study authors caution that 25.Turn your anger into a tangible production. Con- Physiology — have tested the technique in those normally achieved with hypertension cognition their results are preliminary, and that people sider painting, gardening, or writing poetry when you’re upset. a clinical trial. medication. The researchers compared participants interested in the technique should consult Emotions are powerful muses for creative individuals. Use “IMST is basically strength-training for This trial piqued the researchers’ interest, who tried IMST with people who used a their physician first. yours to reduce anger. the muscles you breathe in with,” explains so they set out to study the possible bene- sham device that provided no resistance (Source: Medical News Today) (Source: healthline.com) ADVERTISEMENTS

I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 APRIL 16, 2019 HERITAGE & TOURISMADVERTISEMENT APRIL 16, 2019 10 UNESCO-tagged 220 historical sites, objects found in Larestan hydraulic ensemble HERITAGE TEHRAN — Remnants of some 220 his- desktorical sites and relics have been found during a recent archaeological survey conducted in Larestan and its surroundings across the southern Fars province. unaffected “The study’s first season is currently underway in the northern districts [of Larestan] such as Jouyom, Banarouyeh, Karyan, Evaz, Bidshahr, Dehfish and Fishvar, which has so far yielded finding 220 historical sites and objects,” ar- by flooding chaeologist Alireza Sardari who heads the survey said on HERITAGE TEHRAN — Shushtar flooding still exists in the area. Sunday, IRNA reported. deskHistorical Hydraulic “Large volumes of water do not make System, a UNESCO-registered ensemble in dredging possible, and we are waiting for southwest Iran which is known as a ‘master- water to dip.” piece of creative genius’, has not been affected Talebian said that a UNESCO representa- by flash floods and heavy rainfall that stroke tive has recently paid a visit to the ensemble almost all of the country in the past weeks. in order to assess effects of landslide that had “Fortunately, up to the moment, no major previously happened in the region. damage has been caused to the World Heritage “The representative will also conduct re- site of Shushtar in Khuzestan [province],” searches on flooding and its consequences Mohammad-Hassan Talebian, a deputy for the on the World Heritage.” Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Earlier in March, Mohammad-Hossein Organization, told IRNA late on Saturday. Arastouzadeh, the director of the world her- The ensemble comprises bridges, weirs, itage site, announced that the ensemble is tunnels, canals and a series of ancient water- under threat of mineral salt and wastewaters mills powered by human-made waterfalls. that perpetually pass through. It is named after an ancient city of the same “These days, due to the increase in salt name with its history dating back to the time contents in the waters flowing into this [world] of Darius the Great, the Achaemenid king. heritage complex, dandruff and salt deposits Referring to the intensity and duration are seen in different parts of the structure.” of the recent rainfalls in the country, par- Inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage list ticularly in Khuzestan, the official said that in 2009, the Shushtar Historical Hydraulic “The project will be continued on southern districts such some northwestern sections of Shushtar’s System may testify to the heritage and the as Bayaram, Sahra-ye Bagh and Baladeh,” he added. tamian knowhow. According to UNESCO, the Petra dam and tunnel and by Roman watermills have been collapsed and the synthesis of earlier Elamite and Mesopo- This project can be a basis for recognizing cultural sequence the ensemble was probably influenced by civil engineering. of the region. Its results will also be useful in the arenas of archaeological excavations, preservation and restoration of Italian team to partially restore historical monuments, tourism development and monitoring Iranian police seize historical relics urban development plans, Sardari explained. Persepolis in three provinces Elsewhere in his remarks, the archaeologist said that the study will contribute to Iran’s archeological map and atlas, which is being completed under the supervision of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism. Celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture for over 2000 years, Fars is home to magnificent historical sites dating back to Medes, Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanid and Islamic eras. Shiraz, its capital, has long been synonymous with education, nightingales, and poetry embedding splen- did gardens, exquisite mosques and whispered echoes of ancient sophistication.

Ancient manuscript seized from smugglers

Turkish gendarmerie caught smugglers with an 1100-year- old Hebrew manuscript in southeastern Diyarbakir, security HERITAGE TEHRAN — A team of Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism HERITAGE TEHRAN — Iranian covered eleven relics, which date sources said on April 13. deskItalian archaeologists Organization had reached with the deskauthorities have back to 4th and 5th AH centuries, The smugglers were seeking a buyer in Ergani district. and restorers is scheduled to partially foundation, IRNA reported. recently confiscated a number of he added. The 21-page ancient book written in Hebrew is said to be rehabilitate some ruined monuments The open-air stone works of Perse- historical relics and coins from The culprits were detained and around 1100 years old with leather cover, golden scripture, and bas-relief carvings in Persepolis, polis face threats of spreading lichens, smugglers in provinces of Markazi, handed over to judicial system for and religious patterns. which was once the ceremonial capital and eradication from periodic mois- Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari and Tehran, further investigation, Rahmatollahi According to the chief public prosecutor the seized his- of the mighty Achaemenid Empire. ture that many experts believe that Persian media reported. noted, IRNA reported. torical artifact is taken under protection and the six suspects The team is associated with the foun- is impossible to eradicate. “Eight Islamic-era objects and two On Saturday, the law enforce- will be held for investigation. dation “Archaeology Without Borders”, A UNESCO World Heritage site, handmade pistols were recovered ment officers suspected two men (Source: Hurriyet Daily News) which reportedly supports archaeological Persepolis lies just only an hour’s drive from a smuggler in Shahrekord (the who carried a sack walking along education and training in developing from north-east of Shiraz, itself a major capital of Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari the subway platform at Tehran’s countries and helps to strength regional tourist destination of the country. province),” said Amir Rahmatollahi, Haram-e Motahhar Station. networks of students in archaeology. Persepolis boasts extensive structures, a senior police official in charge of An inspection of the sack yield- ROUND THE GLOBE The restoration project is set to be including monumental staircases, exqui- protecting cultural heritage. ed 1300 antique coins which they conducted from April 27 to June 7 site reliefs and imposing gateways as one In another seizure took place in brought them to Tehran to sell, Fars based on an agreement Iran’s Cultural of the great wonders of the ancient world. Markazi province, the police re- reported. Shrines and temples of Nikko

First Announcement N.I.O.C More Chinese people 1398.233 National Iranian The shrines and temples of Nikko, together with their Drilling Company

natural surroundings, have for centuries been a sacred Call for public tender (First/Second publish) site known for its architectural and decorative master- travel during holidays One -StagesCall for public (compressed) tender (First/Second publish) tender pieces. They are closely associated with the history of N.I.O.C Subject of Tender: P/F:One AKER -Stages (compressed)MARITIME tender COILED TUBING UNITS National Iranian the Tokugawa Shoguns. More Chinese people take trips during holidays compared to 10 years ago, 1398.233 Drilling Company The Shrines and Temples of Nikko form a single com- according to official statistics and academic reports. Subject of Tender: P/F: AKER MARITIME COILED TUBING UNITS plex composed of one hundred three religious buildings Both the number of domestic and outbound tourists have seen a steady Tender descriptions: increase from 2008 to 2018, with the number of domestic tourists rocketing Estimated within two Shinto shrines and one Buddhist temple Tender No. value from merely 1.71 billion in 2008 to a stunning 5.54 billion in 2018, data The Tender holder Registration No. through national electronic tendering system located in an outstanding natural setting. /Indent No. from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show. (Rial/Euro) Tender No.: FP/04-98/009 Tourists in China have become more active in spending their public National Iranian Drilling Company 472/197/3 2.756.000.000 holidays on traveling, according to a report from China Tourism Academy. Indent No.: 08-22-9745041 Four public holidays in 2018, namely the Spring Festival, Tomb-sweeping Day, May Day and Dragon Boat Festival, all saw a marked increase in the  Qualitative evaluation of tenderers number of domestic tourists. Qualification process will be done in plain mode in offers opening session according to presentation of valid practice Method certificate / legal documents (certificate of corporation/ supply announcement up to latest changes) which should be During the three-day Tomb-sweeping Day holiday that ended on April related to tender subject.

7, the number of domestic tourists reached 112 million, a 10.9 increase 1- Applicants which have more than 4 in process contacts with NIDC are not allowed to participate in this year-on-year. tender . Apart from sightseeing, more Chinese tourists now opt to experience 2- Applicants which have more than 2 in process contacts with NIDC in similar subject ( exclusively same the cultural essence of their destinations by visiting local museums. subject) are not allowed to participate in another tender Over the past three years, visitors to Chinese museums have been growing  Purchasing & Submitting by about 100 million each year, Liu Yuzhu, head of the National Cultural The distribution of the documents will be started one day after the publishing of second advertisement and ended Heritage Administration, told reporters earlier this year. Tender Document Distribution by Company on the following tenth day thereof. During the week-long Spring Festival Holiday in 2019, more than 40 Hall No.:113, 1thfloor, Foreign Procurement Dept., National Iranian Distribution Place The UNESCO-inscribed property is located in Tochi- percent of the 415 million domestic tourists visited museums, a report Drilling Company, Airport square, Ahwaz, IRAN from the China Tourism Academy showed. gi Prefecture, in the northern part of Japan’s Kanto  Submitting one original Bank Fund Receipt in the amount region. The religious buildings, many of which were (Source: chinadaily.com) of 510,000 Iranian Rials under account number 4001114004020491( Shaba No. IR Submitting Method 520100004001114004020491) in name of “NIDC Incomes constructed in the 17th century, are arranged on the Centralized Fund” issued by I.R. of Iran Central Bank. mountain slopes so as to create different visual effects.  Submitting format Request for the purpose of receiving Tender Documents. The first buildings were constructed on the slopes Genting Dream cruise returns of the sacred Nikko mountains by a Buddhist monk in to Bintan, boosts local tourism Closing date .Days after the last time of Purchasing..…  the 8th century. Today, they testify to a centuries-old Hall No. 107, 1stfloor, Tender Committee, Operation building, Documents Receiving Method National Iranian Drilling Company, Airport square, Ahwaz, tradition of conservation and restoration as well as the Luxury cruise liner Genting Dream returned to Bintan, Riau on Saturday, Address IRAN.

preservation of religious practices linked to a site con- bringing hundreds of foreign tourists onto the exotic island. Tel: +98-61-34148580 +98-61-34148569 sidered to be sacred. Bintan Tourism and Culture Agency head Wan Rudy said he was en-

They are also closely associated with prominent thusiastic about the return of the luxury cruise as the arrival of foreign  Tender Guarantee chapters of Japanese history, especially those relating tourists would boost the region’s tourism. to the symbolic figure of the great Shogun, Tokugawa “We are proud that Bintan has once again been recognized as a worthy Value of guarantee 13.800.000 Rial/ 2,872 Euro Bank guarantees or guarantees issued by non-bank institutions that obtain activity license from the central bank of Ieyasu (1543-1616). destination for foreign tourists arriving on the luxury cruise. [Their arrival] the Islamic Republic of Iran. The unusual character of the property is the result has fueled our spirit to keep working hard and improve our local tourism,” Type of guarantee Submitting one original Bank Fund Receipt under account number 4001114006376636 ( Shaba No. IR of a combination of very important long-standing val- Wan said on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com. 350100004001114006376636) in name of “NIDC saving account” by the central bank of Islamic Republic of Iran. ues: the 50.8-hectare property provides evidence of a Around 400 of the total 2,679 passengers disembarked the cruise ship Duration of credit & quotation Tender Guarantee and quotation should be valid for 90 days and extendable maximum for one time in initial validity long tradition of worship, a very high level of artistic to enjoy various tourist destinations on the island, according to the agency. duration. achievement, and a striking alliance between architec- Those who disembarked mostly flocked to Lagoi Beach, including Bin- (Foreign Procurement Dept.) (Foreign Procurement Dept.) ture and the surrounding natural setting, and it serves tan Lagoi Resort. More of this & other tenders are accessibleMore by ofclick this on: & other tenders are accessible by click on: as a repository of national memories. Wan said the vast majority of cruise passengers were from Singapore, www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr (Source: UNESCO) with 2,180 tourists. www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr تهران تایمز نوبت اول 27/1/98نوبت دوم 28/1/98 تهران تایمز نوبت اول 27/1/98نوبت دوم Source: The Jakarta Post) 98/1/28) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y APRIL 16, 2019 SCIENCE 11

Scientists warn of danger from dengue fever Scientists explain how giant sea spiders may survive in in hotter, wetter climate in northern latitudes warming oceans

Insect-borne diseases such as dengue fever, Europe is now a part-time tropical region, Sea spiders are abundant in waters across the globe, and most are leishmaniasis and encephalitis are on the where competent vectors like the tiger mos- so small that you could hold one on the tip of your pinkie. But in the rise and are now threatening to spread into quito are already established,” added Rezza. swirling waters around our planet’s icy poles, these spiders are giants. many areas of Europe, scientists have warned. And in future, hotter and wetter weather If you held the largest of these creatures, its gangly legs would just Outbreaks of these illnesses are increasing could provide ideal conditions for the Asian dangle off the palm of your hand. because of climate change and the expansion tiger mosquito, which spreads the viruses Antarctic sea spiders got so big because some 30 million years ago, of international travel and trade, the Euro- that cause dengue and chikungunya, to breed the Southern Ocean got cooler. This trait, known as polar gigantism, pean Congress of Clinical Microbiology and and expand across large parts of Europe, is thought to be essential to why they and many other cold-dwelling Infectious Diseases was told in Amsterdam including the south and east of the UK and invertebrates of unusual size managed to survive. on Saturday. central Europe. Researchers wondered what allowed animals like these to reach Even previously unaffected areas in higher Tropical and subtropical regions such gigantic sizes. They also want to know what will happen as the latitudes and altitudes, including some parts Previously dengue transmission was waters they inhabit continue to get warmer, because it’s thought that of northern Europe, are at risk of outbreaks largely confined to tropical and subtropical extremely cold water marine animals can only tolerate a tiny range in unless action is taken to improve surveillance regions because freezing temperatures kill temperature, making them particularly vulnerable to global warming. and data sharing, the researchers said. the mosquito’s larvae and eggs, but longer hot In a study a team of scientists challenged giant sea spiders collect- “Climate change is not the only, or even seasons could enable the Asian tiger mosquito ed in Antarctic waters to exercise to exhaustion in a kind of aquatic the main, factor driving the increase in vec- to survive and spread across much of Europe crossfit class. tor-borne diseases across Europe, but it is within decades, the researchers warned. Observing how many times they could make the spiders flip over one of many factors alongside globalization, “Given the ongoing spread of invasive before giving up in water with increasing temperatures and decreasing proliferate, adapt to different seasons and Greece, West Nile fever in south-east Europe socioeconomic development, urbanization mosquitoes and other vectors across Europe, oxygen, they discovered that the key was in their swiss-cheese-like invade new territories across Europe over the and chikungunya in Italy and France. and widespread changes to land use which we must anticipate outbreaks and move to skin. As the spiders grow bigger, their skin gets holier, allowing them past decade, with accompanying outbreaks Worryingly, the authors said, this might need to be addressed to limit the importation intervene early,” added Semenza. to fuel their larger bodies by absorbing the abundant oxygen packed of dengue in France and Croatia, malaria in only be the tip of the iceberg. “Mediterranean and spread,” said the lead author Professor “Public health agencies need to improve into cold waters. It turns out this helps them get oxygen during hot Jan Semenza, of the European Center for surveillance, for example through early warn- workout sessions, too, suggesting they may find a way to survive as Disease Prevention and Control in Stockholm. Global warming has allowed mosquitoes, ing systems, and increased awareness of the their habitats heat up. Vector-borne diseases ticks and other disease-carrying insects to potential risks among healthcare workers “We thought the giant spiders are going to be the first to disappear This point was backed by Giovanni Rezza, and the general public.” from the Antarctic Ocean,” said Caitlin Shoshido, a doctorate student of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome. proliferate, adapt to different seasons and More people are reading and supporting at the University of Hawaii at Mnoa who led the study. “Lessons from recent outbreaks of the West invade new territories across Europe over the our independent, investigative reporting than Sea spiders, a kind of marine arthropod called a pycnogonida, are Nile virus in North America and the chi- past decade, with accompanying outbreaks ever before. And unlike many news organ- bizarre. They have no lungs, no gills — no organs for breathing at all. kungunya virus in the Caribbean and Italy izations, we have chosen an approach that They get oxygen by just sitting there, allowing it to pass through the highlight the importance of assessing future of dengue in France and Croatia, malaria in allows us to keep our journalism accessible pores of their shell-like skin, called the cuticle. vector-borne disease risks,” he said. Greece, West Nile fever in south-east Europe to all, regardless of where they live or what (Source: NYT) Global warming has allowed mosquitoes, and chikungunya in Italy and France. they can afford. ticks and other disease-carrying insects to (Source: The Guardian) Ethically fraught experiment Fountains of plasma rain might explain one Singapore and Australian scientists build has produced monkeys with of the biggest mysteries of the sun a machine to see all possible futures added human brain genes In a bid to learn more about the way the human brain develops, scientists in China have added a human brain gene to the genome of rhesus monkeys. It’s called MC HP 1, or microcephalin, and it’s involved in regulating the fetal growth of the brain. The addition does seem to have made the monkeys smarter. The transgenic animals’ brains took longer to develop - more like those of human children - and they also exhibited better memory skills, and faster reaction times, compared to their unmodified peers. “This was the first attempt to understand the evolution of human cognition using a transgenic monkey model,” geneticist Bing Su of the Kunming Institute of Zoology told Technology Review. Transgenic organisms are nothing new. The first was published in 1974, when Staphylococcus aureus genes were spliced into Es- cherichia coli. The first transgenic monkey, inserted with jellyfish genes, was created in 2001. Human genes have been added to monkeys to study diseases and conditions such as autism, and mice have been modified with Solar rain occurs when super-heated plasma during all observations provides compel- In the 2018 movie Infinity War, a scene their probability of occurrence. human cognition genes, including altered microcephalin. But the rises up the sun’s looping magnetic field ling support for the conclusion that this is featured Dr. Strange looking into 14 The “functioning of this device is researchers believe that this is the first time researchers have used lines, then falls back to the surface. The a ubiquitous phenomenon,” the authors million possible futures to search for a inspired by the Nobel Laureate Richard transgenic monkeys to look into the genetic origins of the human brain. discovery of a mysterious new structure wrote in the study. single timeline where the heroes would Feynman,” says Dr. Jayne Thompson, a It is, scientists say, an experiment with concerning ethical im- on the sun may explain where all the rain The detection of these drizzly structures be victorious. Perhaps he would have had member of the Singapore team. “When plications. is coming from. came as a surprise to NASA researcher Emily an easier time with help from a quantum Feynman started studying quantum The team exposed the monkey embryos to a virus carrying human Today’s weather forecast on the sun Mason, who was scouring the SDO footage computer. physics, he realized that when a particle microcephalin. This generated 11 transgenic rhesus monkeys carrying calls for a high of 10,000 degrees Fahr- for signs of rain in massive structures called A team of researchers from Nanyang travels from point A to point B, it does not the human gene, only five of whom actually survived. enheit (5,500 degrees Celsius), constant helmet streamers — 1 million-mile-tall (1.6 Technological University, Singapore necessarily follow a single path. Instead, “Our findings demonstrated that transgenic nonhuman primates supersonic wind, mysterious eruptions of million km) magnetic field loops named (NTU Singapore) and Griffith University it simultaneously transverses all possible (excluding ape species) have the potential to provide important - and giant lava-lamp-blobs and, oh yes, light after a knight’s pointy headgear. in Australia have constructed a prototype paths connecting the points. Our work potentially unique - insights into basic questions of what actually rain. So, you know, pack an umbrella. These streamers are clearly visible quantum device that can generate all extends this phenomenon and harnesses makes humans unique, as well as into disorders and clinically relevant As bizarre as it sounds, rain on the sun leaping out of the sun’s corona, or the possible futures in a simultaneous quantum it for modelling statistical futures.” phenotypes,” the researchers wrote in their paper. is a relatively common occurrence. outermost part of its atmosphere, dur- superposition. The machine has already (Source: extremetech.com) Unlike rain on Earth, where liquid water ing solar eclipses, and seemed as good “When we think about the future, we are demonstrated one application - evaporates, condenses into clouds, then a place as any to look for solar rain, the confronted by a vast array of possibilities,” measuring how much our bias towards falls back down in droplets after growing researchers wrote. explains Assistant Professor Mile Gu of a specific choice in the present impacts sufficiently heavy, solar rain results from Mysterious structures NTU Singapore, who led development of the future. “Our approach is to Interplay of pollinators the rapid heating and cooling of plasma (the However, Mason couldn’t find a trace the quantum algorithm that underpins synthesize a quantum superposition and pests influences plant hot, charged gas that comprises the sun). of falling plasma in any SDO footage of the prototype “These possibilities grow of all possible futures for each bias.” Scientists expect to see fiery rings of the streamers. What she did see were nu- exponentially as we go deeper into the explains Farzad Ghafari, a member of the evolution, study suggests plasma rain rise and fall along the sun’s merous bright, low, mysterious structures future. experimental team, “By interfering these huge, looping magnetic field lines after the that she and her team later identified as For instance, even if we have only two superpositions with each other, we can Brassica rapa plants pollinated by bumblebees evolve more attractive eruption of solar flares, which can heat the the RNTPs. possibilities to choose from each minute, in completely avoid looking at each possible flowers. But this evolution is compromised if caterpillars attack plasma at the sun’s surface from a few thou- The relatively low altitude of the struc- less than half an hour there are 14 million future individually. In fact, many current the plant at the same time. With the bees pollinating them less sand to nearly 2 million F (1.1 million C). tures may be the most interesting aspect of possible futures. In less than a day, the artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms learn effectively, the plants increasingly self-pollinate. In a greenhouse Days-long rain storms the results, the researchers wrote. Reaching number exceeds the number of atoms in the by seeing how small changes in their evolution experiment, scientists have shown just how much the Now, however, NASA scientists believe a maximum of 30,000 miles (50,000 km) universe.” What he and his research group behaviour can lead to different future effects of pollinators and pests influence each other. they’ve discovered a completely new struc- over the sun’s surface, the RNTPs were only realized, however, was that a quantum outcomes, so our techniques may enable Brassica rapa plants pollinated by bumblebees evolve more at- ture on the sun that may create days-long about 2% as tall as the helmet streamers computer can examine all possible futures quantum enhanced AIs to learn the effect tractive flowers. But this evolution is compromised if caterpillars rain storms, even without the intense heat Mason and her team were looking at. That by placing them in a quantum superposition of their actions much more efficiently.” attack the plant at the same time. With the bees pollinating them less of solar flares. means that whatever process was causing - similar to Schrödinger’s famous cat that The team notes while their present effectively, the plants increasingly self-pollinate. In a greenhouse In a new study in the Astrophysical Jour- the plasma to heat up and rise along the is simultaneously alive and dead. prototype simulates at most 16 futures evolution experiment, scientists at the University of Zurich have nal Letters, the NASA team describes the magnetic field lines was occurring in a much Photonic quantum devised simultaneously, the underlying quantum shown just how much the effects of pollinators and pests influence structures as raining null-point topologies narrower region of the sun’s atmosphere To realize this scheme, they joined algorithm can in principle scale without each other. (RNPTs) — superbright, comparatively than previously thought. forces with the experimental group bound. “This is what makes the field so In nature, plants interact small magnetic loops that rise up to 30,000 That means the processes that drive led by Professor Geoff Pryde at Griffith exciting,” says Pryde. “It is very much with a whole range of organisms, miles (50,000 kilometers) above the sun’s these ubiquitous fountains could help University. Together, the team implemented reminiscent of classical computers in the driving the evolution of their surface. While studying five months of so- explain one of the enduring mysteries of a specially devised photonic quantum 1960s. Just as few could imagine the many specific characteristics. While lar observations taken by NASA’s Solar the sun — why is the sun’s atmosphere information processor in which the uses of classical computers in the 1960s, pollinators influence floral traits Dynamics Observatory (SDO), the team nearly 300 times hotter than its surface? potential future outcomes of a decision we are still very much in the dark about and reproduction, herbivorous detected three clearly visible RNPT struc- “We still don’t know exactly what’s process are represented by the locations what quantum computers can do. Each insects enhance the plant’s de- tures, each of which blazed with plasma heating the corona, but we know it has of photons - quantum particles of light. discovery of a new application provides fense mechanisms. Now bota- rain for days at a time. to happen in this layer,” Mason said in They then demonstrated that the state of further impetus for their technological nists at the University of Zurich The “ease with which these structures a statement. the quantum device was a superposition development.” have investigated the way these were identified and the frequency of rain (Source: livescience.com) of multiple potential futures, weighted by (Source: eurekalert.org) different interactions influence each other, and how rapidly plants adapt when the combi- nation of selective agents with NICICO aids $15,579,710 to flood-hit regions which they interact changes. In a two-year greenhouse National Iranian Copper Industries Com- in the provinces of Golestan, Khuzestan, clothing and machinery supplies and sent experiment, Florian Schiestl, professor at UZH’s Department of pany (NICICO) contributed $15,579,710 Lorestan and Ilam.” to the flood-hit areas in the provinces of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, and doctoral candidate Sergio to flood-stricken people in Iran, the Public Totally, 215.580 billion rials worth of cash Lorestan, Ilam, Golestan and Khuzestan. Ramos have demonstrated a powerful interplay between the effects Relations Dept. of the company reported. contribution was allocated by NICICO and Elsewhere in his remarks, CEO of the of pollinating insects and those of herbivores. For their experiment NICICO stands by the Iranian people in three copper complexes of Shahr-e Babak, company added, “presently, a disaster task- they used Brassica rapa, a plant closely related to oilseed rape, in- difficult situation. Sarcheshmeh and Songun to the flood-hit force has been set up in the provinces of teracting with bumblebees and caterpillars as selective agents. CEO of the National Iranian Copper people of the country, he added. Kerman and East Azarbaijan provinces in “These plants had adapted to the bees’ preferences during the Industries Company (NICICO) Eng. Mo- Of total this amount, 157 billion rials order to dispatch supplies to the flood-hit experiment,” explains Sergio Ramos. By contrast, bee-pollinated hammad-Reza Baniasadirad announced will be deposited into the account of Ira- areas in the best form possible.” plants with herbivory were less attractive, with higher concentra- the above statement and said, “in the early nian Disaster Management Organization So far, more than 6 tons of red meat tions of defensive toxic metabolites and less fragrant flowers that hours of devastating flood overshadowed in cooperation with the Industrial Devel- Moreover, about 58 billion rials of which and also 4 tons of quality rice have been tended to be smaller. The “caterpillars compromise the evolution almost some provinces in the country, opment and Renovation Organization of was allocated to the flood-hit people with- dispatched to the flood-hit areas, he said, of attractive flowers, as plants assign more resources to defense,” NICICO rushed to help flood-hit people Iran (IDRO), he added. in the framework of buying health, food, adding, “ says Ramos. (Source: sciencedaily.com) ADVERTISEMENTS

I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 12 APRIL 16, 2019 WOMENADVERTISEMENT APRIL 16, 2019 12

New study reveals the Iran, Indonesia call for boosting dangers of long commutes during pregnancy ties in women’s and family affairs When Flor Bacasegua was pregnant with her fourth child, she endured a 45-minute commute from her home in Mendota, Cali- WOMENTEHRAN — The Indone- An amount of $46 million for women’s fornia to a winery in Madera, where she worked overnight security. desksian Ministry of Women insurance and developing women’s employ- The drive, the distance, and the hours were more strenuous Empowerment hosted the first meeting for ment share of management positions is also than what she’d faced during her previous three pregnancies, implementing the memorandum of under- allocated, she added. cutting into her time for doctors’ appointments. By the time she standing signed by Iran and Indonesia in The MOU was signed by Iranian Vice was five months along, she’d quit the job. “Sometimes I would women’s and family affairs. President for Women’s and Family Affairs, have to reschedule appointments,” Bacasegua, 31, says. “It didn’t Zahra Javaherian, a senior advisor to Masoumeh Ebtekar, and Indonesian Minis- let me enjoy my pregnancy.” President Hassan Rouhani, attended the ter of Women’s Empowerment and Children Her son was born—healthy—in 2015. But a new study shows meeting which was held at the Indonesian Protection, Yohana Susana Yembise, in Iran, just how risky the added stress of a commute like Bacasegua’s city of Semarang, IRNA reported. in July 2018. can be for pregnant women. During the five-day meeting, which The MOU aims at empowering women, In a new study published earlier this year, researchers at started on April 8, the two sides exchanged supporting children and promoting the re- Lehigh University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison information and experiences on women’s silience of family based on equality, respect found a link between the distance a woman travels to work empowerment and developing women’s and mutual benefit. every day while pregnant and the health outcomes for her child, activities in economic affairs. The MOU includes 9 clauses with the including low birth weight, the likelihood of a C-section, and Officials from the Interior Ministry, Min- purpose of developing women’s role in intrauterine growth restriction, or when a baby doesn’t reach istry of Foreign Affairs, and the Red Crescent policymaking and supporting women and a normal size as measured throughout the pregnancy. While Society participated in the meeting. children against violence. previous research has examined how the distance between a Increasing life expectancy in women from It also follows the aim of increasing wom- woman’s home and her doctor’s office affects the health of her the age of 56 to 75, decreasing maternal mor- en’s role in business and technology, especially child, this is the first to home in on the daily travel of pregnant tality rate, women’s empowerment in economy information technology, promoting women’s women’s commutes. and removing gender inequalities in women’s economic empowerment in the family and ex- For pregnant workers who already travel at least 50 miles affairs are among the measures done by the change of experiences about women and children. to work—the Census definition of a long-distance commute— Islamic Republic of Iran during the last 40 The MOU is valid for two years and can increasing the distance by 10 miles raises the likelihood of low years, elaborated Javaherian. be extended for the same period. birth weight and intrauterine growth restriction by 0.9 and 0.6 percentage points, respectively. Commuting these kinds of dis- tances every day also increases the likelihood that those carrying Women must be at ‘center of peacekeeping decision-making’, UN chief tells Security Council a male fetus will deliver via cesarean section (male fetuses have been shown to be more sensitive during pregnancy.) Women’s rights, voices and participation must be at “the boss that gender was important” she said. “Both of us had The authors did not find a link between commuting and pre- center of peacekeeping decision-making”, United Nations gender equality in our spine”. term births once they controlled for prenatal visits. But those Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council The major general enumerated some examples of her appointments are one factor that is dramatically affected by com- on Thursday, describing them as “central to sustainable work in increasing the number of women, helping them in muting, as Bacasegua found. Difficulties making it to prenatal solutions” to challenges facing the Organization worldwide. missions and reaching out to local communities. appointments, along with maternal stress, are the two reasons Through its landmark resolution 1325 on women and Noting many reasons why the armed forces have a dif- authors Yang Wang and Muzhe Yang identified behind the link peace and security, the council reaffirmed the participation ficulty keeping women in the ranks, she outlined frequent between long commutes and adverse infant health outcomes. and involvement of women, which the UN chief hailed as “a obstacles thrown up by male culture in military settings. The average woman in the study traveled 64 miles, or about 78 key element in the maintenance of international peace and Troops at the Peace Mission Training Center in the Zam- minutes by car, to work. Women in the sample had an average of security”. He also noted the UN’s “essential system-wide bian capital, Lusaka, undergoing training provided courtesy 11 prenatal doctors’ visits—on the low end of the usual 10-15 range. effort” to enhance women’s representation at all levels and of the United States ahead of their deployment to CAR. (Source: Fortune) in all arenas, through his Strategy on Gender Parity. Zambian female peacekeepers provide medical support She also mandated that the all-male teams in military “This is not just a question of numbers, but also of our to the local population in Birao, Central African Republic. skills competitions had to have females. effectiveness in fulfilling our mandates”, he stated, citing “Gender is on the top of my agenda”, she said, adding that RECIPE OF THE WEEK evidence that more women peacekeepers lead to more credible spelled out that “this is clearly not enough”. she initiated a female military network, engaged women to protection responses that meet the needs of all. “This year”, he informed the chamber, “we rolled out the become more visible and increased the number of female Strawberry angel food dessert In patrol units women can better access intelligence to Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy”, which, among other observers. Troop and police contributing countries “must provide a holistic view of security challenges, and at checkpoints things, targets by 2028 a range of 15 to 35 percent of women’s do more” she said. “ Angel food pieces are topped with sweetened cream cheese, they promote a less confrontational atmosphere, he said. representation, including military, police and justice and “We, out in the field, need to be able to reach out to the whipped topping and strawberries in glaze in this chilled, lay- Within troop contingents they lower incidences of sexual corrections personnel. whole society. Only you can make that happen”, the Force ered dessert.” exploitation and abuse; yield greater reporting of sexual While acknowledging that it “has been more challenging”, Commander concluded. Ingredients and gender-based violence; and can access local women’s Mr. Guterres vowed “to press ahead”, adding that “keep on Diversity is a strength 1 (10 inch) angel food cake networks, leading to more inclusive peace processes. track, we need assistance from you, the member states”. Chairing the meeting, German Federal Minister of De- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream ‘Step towards parity’ He asked for a greater focus on women in battalions and fense, Ursula von der Leyen said: “Women are no better cheese, softened The secretary-general thanked the more than 150 member formed police units and for the sustained recruitment and peacekeepers than men, but they are different. And this 1 cup white sugar states who have signed on to his Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) deployment of women within national services. diversity is a strength”. 1 (8 ounce) container frozen initiative, which calls for women’s participation in every stage Noting that for the first time in UN history the senior Pointing out that Resolution 1325 has been in effect for whipped topping, thawed of peace operations, and integrates a gender perspective into leadership is close to achieving gender parity, Mr. Guterres almost 20 years, she maintained that it is “still far from 1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced all analysis, planning, implementation and reporting. reiterated his commitment to sustaining that progress: “We full, effective and meaningful participation of women in 1 (18 ounce) jar strawberry glaze And he was grateful to the states who, at last week’s min- need to bring the same spirit to our peace operations”, he peace operations”. Directions: isterial on peacekeeping, launched the Elsie Initiative to stressed. “This is crucial for our effectiveness, credibility To change that, Ms. von der Leyen suggested, among Crumble the cake into a 9x13 break down barriers to increasing women’s participation and reputation”. other things, to have successful female mentors to share their inch dish. in peace operations. ‘Pushing gender equality’ stories to younger women; have more women in national Beat the cream cheese and In support of the UN’s commitments in these areas, Mr. The first female force commander and current Head of forces for deployment to international peacekeeping mis- sugar in a medium bowl un- Guterres noted a range of actions, including the Gender-Re- the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) mission, sions; and assess national barriers that keeps more women til light and fluffy. Fold in whipped topping. Mash the cake sponsive Peacekeeping Operations Policy, which “commits us Major General Kristin Lund told the council that the “mo- from joining peace operations. down with your hands and spread the cream cheese mixture to promoting leadership and accountability both for gender mentum of pushing gender equality must be kept”. “The peacekeeper’s blue helmet symbolizes protection over the cake. equality and for the women, peace and security agenda”. As force commander of the UN mission in Cyprus, she and security”, she said. “Let us make this helmet be worn In a bowl, combine strawberries and glaze until strawber- Flagging that since December 2015, the number of women teamed up with Lisa Buttenheim, the special representa- by more women. For the sake of peace”. ries are evenly coated. Spread over cream cheese layer. Chill in uniform has increased by only around one percent, he tive at the time. “For once I did not need to convince my (Source: UN News Center) until serving.

N.I.O.C First Announcement 1398.299 National Iranian WORDS IN THE NEWS Women-only bus: Not a Drilling Company

Call for Public Tender Testing an AIDS vaccine Call for Public Tender solution to harassment but Two – Stages (Compressed) Tender Two – Stages (Compressed) Tender February 11, 1999 N.I.O.C Subject of Tender: (Provision of 3 Cargo Vessels for support Drilling National Iranian Subject of Tender: (Provision of 3 Cargo Vessels for support Drilling Projects Located in Persian Gulf) Thailand announced the first trial of an AIDS vaccine in the devel- a means of relief 1398.299 Projects Located in Persian Gulf) Drilling Company oping world. Two-and a-half thousand Thai drug users will take It was the day the first nor’wester of the season hit the city. Jhuma was in  Tender Descriptions : part in the four-year scheme. We heard from BBC Correspondent Farmgate, desperately looking for any kind of transport to return home Registration No. Through Estimated Value Claire Doole and from Sam Avrett, Executive Director of the U.S. after work. Waiting for over half an hour, a bus pulled up in front of her. National Electronic The Tender Holder Tender No. Tendering System Aids Vaccine Advocacy Coalition. (AED) She boarded the bus, amazed to find that it was a women-only bus. (http://iets.mporg.ir) The Thai project to test two-and a-half thousand volunteers over Dolonchapa women-only bus service was launched in June last year National Iranian Drilling 3,197,214 98/33/06-5316 27,000,000 the next four years with an AIDS vaccine is an important step by Rangs Group and Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles. Company towards developing an effective means of fighting AIDS. It’s the The service is providing a sense of relief to women on two routes -- from first large-scale human testing programme in the developing ECB Chattar to Azimpur and from Mirpur 12 to Motijheel. world, where the majority of HIV cases occur. [The Californian Four Dolonchapa buses are carrying passengers on the routes at Tk 5-25.  Qualitative evaluation of tenders

Company, VaxGen, which began a large-scale trial in the United A regular passenger of Dolonchapa, Roni, on her way back home last method □ based on minimum scoring (minimum quality score is 60) made in award criterion reflected in the tenderers pre-qualification forms. States last June, is funding the nine-million dollar Thai scheme. week, said it was comfortable travelling in all-women buses. “I don’t have

The first results of both trials will be knownin the next two to to constantly be on my guard, worrying about unwanted grabbing and  Purchasing & submitting of Tender documents three years. harassment that women often face in crowded local buses.” I think in the developing world we need treatments that are more A recent Brac study reveals that 94 percent of sexual harassment Distribution of Distribution Starting Starting date for receiving (The distribution of the documents will be started one day after the publishing of second advertisement). Last time for tender documents Date receiving ( ended on the following Tenth day thereof) affordable and more accessible, and we need an HIV vaccine happens in public transports. by NIDC that can have the same impact on the HIV epidemic as vaccines Roni was seemingly relaxed and listening to music during her com- Distribution place Contracts Department– Part A – First Floor – Operational Building – NIDC – Higher than Airport Square – Pasdaran Blvd. – Ahvaz- Iran- 061- have had on polio, smallpox and other diseases. mute. Other passengers seemed at ease as well -- some were talking on 34146525

Costs, ethical concerns and lack of scientific results have the phone, some browsing Facebook, while others trying to take a nap.  Submitting one original bank fund receipt in the amount of 990,000 Iranian rails under account number 4001114004020491 in name of "NIDC incomes stymied progress worldwide. Only eleven percent of the world More than reaffirming testimonials, their attitude and actions were centralized fund" issued by Central Bank of Islamic Republic of Iran. aid budget is spent on vaccine research. Campaigners hope the validating that this kind of service should be increased so that more Submitting method (Shaba No.: IR 520100004001114004020491) large-scale human trials will encourage greater investment and women can safely travel in the capital.  lead to the development of a safe and effective vaccine against The helper, Shanta Begum, was collecting bus fare while also having Submitting formal request for the purpose of receiving of tender documents. HIV early in the next decade. casual chitchats with passengers. 14 Days after the last time of purchasing of tender documents. Closing date Words Shanta Begum, who started assisting the driver four months ago, said she (Proposal pockets including A. Guarantee B. Tender documents which is signed and stamped C. Financial proposal with pre-qualification papers and over the next four years: over this period of time - during the liked the work because she did not feel intimidated -- dealing with women. Tender Envelopes documents including (full versions of working resume based on pre-qualification forms with related CD) should be delivered at the same time) Delivery Date next four years ( see ‹in the next two to three years’ below ) There is a rush of passengers during peak hours in the morning and Hall no. 107,1st floor, tender committee, operation building, national Iranian drilling company, airport square, Ahvaz, Iran. large-scale: in this context ‘large-scale’ means involving a lot evening. “But there is no fear of harassment by men,” she said. Delivery address Tel : +98-61-34148580 +98-61-34148569 of people Each Dolonchapa bus has 36 seats with nine reserved for physically in the next two to three years: before the end of this period of time challenged and pregnant women. It is also equipped with four CCTV scheme: here it means a formal, official plan on a large scale cameras, a fire extinguisher and a first-aid box.  Tender guarantee “Women are responding to this service very positively and they de- affordable: if something is affordable it means that you have Value of guarantee Five billion and Seventy sixty four million (5,764,000,000) Rials or Five hundred three thousand and Nine hundred Seventy Six (503,976) AED. enough money to be able to pay for it mand more buses on different routes,” said Sohana Rouf Chowdhury, Acceptable Bank guarantees or guarantees issued by non-bank institutions that obtained activity license from the central bank of the Islamic republic of Iran. accessible: if something is accessible to people, they are able managing director of Rangs Motors. Submitting one original bank fund receipt under account number 4001114006376636 in name of "NIDC saving centralized account" by the central bank of Islamic to use it easily Moreover, this is the first public bus service with a mobile app that can Type of guarantee republic of Iran. (Shaba No.: IR 350100004001114006376636) vaccine: a substance containing a harmless form of the germs help commuters avail emergency security, fire and ambulance services. Duration of credit for Tender guarantee should be valid for 90 days and extendable maximum for one more time in ceiling of initial validity duration. that cause a disease. The vaccine is given to people to prevent them They can also find out real-time location of a bus with the help of a vehicle quotation / Tender Guarantee getting the disease tracking system. When 54 percent of Dhaka’s population are women and ethical: influenced by a set of moral beliefs about right and wrong increasingly more of them are joining the workforce, it is imperative (Contracts Department) (Contracts Department) concerns: a concern is something that is important to you, and that the government take some measures to facilitate their safe journey. Guarantee and More of this & other tenders are accessibleGuarantee by click on: and www.nidc.ir More/ http://sapp.ir/nidcof this & other.pr tenders are accessible by click on: it can also imply worry about a thing or situation Sohana, however, said, “Women-only bus is not the solution to rampant www.nidc.ir http://sapp.ir/nidc_pr تهران تایمز نوبت اول 27/1/98نوبت دوم stymied: this is an informal word. If something stymies you, it sexual harassment of women in public transports.” 98/1/28 تهران تایمز نوبت اول 27/1/98نوبت دوم makes it difficult or impossible for you to take action (Source: The Daily Star) 98/1/28 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y APRIL 16, 2019 WORLD IN FOCUS 13 Europe urged to reject U.S. Middle U.S. to use all economic, East plan if it is unfair to Palestinians political tools to hold Maduro accountable: 1 Europe, it said, should reject any Christian, it was possible God made Trump plan that does not create a Palestinian state president to save the Jewish people. Pompeo alongside Israel with Jerusalem as the capital The letter by former European officials for both countries. said Europe must “be vigilant and act stra- TEHRAN — The United States will use all economic and po- “Unfortunately, the current U.S. admin- tegically” when Trump presented the new litical tools at its disposal to hold Venezuelan President Nicolas istration has departed from longstanding plan. It was sent on Sunday to Federica Maduro accountable for his country’s crisis and will make clear U.S. policy,” it said, criticising Donald Mogherini, the EU’s high representative to Cuba and Russia they will pay a price for supporting him, U.S. Trump’s 2017 recognitionof “only one side’s for foreign affairs, and serving European Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. claims to Jerusalem”. foreign ministers. Pompeo made the comments in the Colombian border city Washington had also “demonstrated a Its signatories included Jean Marc Ay- of Cucuta, the final stop of a three-day trip to Chile, Paraguay disturbing indifference to Israeli settlement rault, Carl Bildt, W?odzimierz Cimoszewicz, and Peru, a clutch of fast-growing countries in a region where expansion” in the occupied West Bank and Massimo D’Alema, Guy Verhofstadt, and Washington’s concerns are focused on the Venezuelan crisis and cut hundreds of millions of dollars in aid Dacian Ciolo?, former prime ministers of China’s growing presence, Reuters reported. to Palestinians, a move the letter said was France, Sweden, Poland, Italy, Belgium and Maduro blames U.S. sanctions for the country’s economic “gambling with the security and stability Romania respectively. problems and dismisses opposition leader Juan Guaido – who in of various countries located at Europe’s Former Nato secretary generals Willy January invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency, doorstep”. Claes and Javier Solana, and the former arguing the socialist leader’s 2018 re-election was illegitimate Since taking office, and amid praise from Irish president Mary Robinson also signed. - as a U.S. puppet. Israel’s government, Trump has taken meas- Two former UK foreign secretaries, David More than 3 million Venezuelans have fled hyperinflation, ures seen as both punishing to Palestinians Miliband and Jack Straw, also added their food and medicine shortages and political crisis. and which also stifle the viability of a Pal- names. “The United States will continue to utilize every economic and estinian state. “[We] are convinced that a plan that political means at our disposal to help the Venezuelan people,” The U.S. president has promised to un- understood Israel should have permanent first, I’m not tearing any Jew out [of the reduces Palestinian statehood to an entity Pompeo said after visiting with migrants at a Cucuta shelter and veil a still-secret “ultimate deal” for Israelis military control over the Palestinian ter- West Bank]; any community. There aren’t devoid of sovereignty, territorial contiguity touring border bridges and a warehouse storing humanitarian aid. and Palestinians, although the Palestinian ritories. going to be any settlers or settlements that and economic viability would severely com- “Using sanctions, visa revocations and other means, we pledge leadership preemptively rejected it as biased, On Tuesday, Netanyahu won the Israe- are going to be torn. The second point pound the failure of previous peacemaking to hold the regime and those propping it up accountable for their and Israel’s leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, li election and is expected to secure a fifth is we’re not going to divide Jerusalem. efforts, accelerate the demise of the two-state corruption and their repression of democracy.” categorically ruled out a Palestinian state. term in office by forging a coalition govern- The third point is, we’re going to continue option and fatally damage the cause of a Cucuta receives a significant portion of Venezuelan migrants The U.S. team tasked with drafting the ment from rightwing and pro-settler parties. controlling the entire territory west of the durable peace for Palestinians and Israelis arriving in Colombia, many of whom come with only what they plan includes Trump’s son-in-law, Jared A few days before the polls, the prime Jordan [River],” he said in reference to alike,” it said. can carry. Kushner, and the U..S ambassador to Israel, minister said that, if he won, he planned the occupied West Bank. If that was not possible, the letter said, Although most Western nations, including the United States, David Friedman, a bankruptcy lawyer who to annex settlements in the occupied West Queried about Netanyahu’s annexation “Europe must pursue its own course of have recognized Guaido as interim head of state, Russia, China has been vocal in his support for Jewish Bank, a move Palestinians see as the end of plans, Trump’s secretary of state, Mike Pom- action”. and Cuba have stood by Maduro. settlements in the Palestinian territories. their hopes for a state as there would be no peo, said they would not damage the undis- Among the 37 signatories are former “You watch the political and diplomatic noose tighten around Friedman told the pro-Israel lobby group unbroken land on which to build it. closed peace plan, hinting the US proposal French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, Maduro’s neck,” Pompeo told reporters accompanying him on the American Israel Public Affairs Commit- Asked in an interview with the domestic did not envision Palestinian statehood. former British foreign secretaries David Mili- the trip before taking off for the United States. tee in Washington last month that Trump Israel National News website if his “friends” “I think that the vision that we’ll lay out is band and Jack Straw, former German Foreign “Cubans must understand too that there will be cost associated was “Israel’s greatest ally ever to reside in in the White House knew about the plan, going to represent a significant change from Minister Sigmar Gabriel, former EU High with continued support of Nicolas Maduro,” he said. “And we’re the White House” and now was the time to Netanyahu replied: “Sure.” the model that’s been used,” said Pompeo, Representative for Foreign and Security Policy going to have that same conversation with the Russians as well.” push through a plan as his administration He said: “Three things I said to them: who has previously stated he believes, as a Javier Solana and other leaders. Washington has imposed a raft of sanctions against Madu- ro’s government in an attempt to dislodge him from power, but he retains the backing of the country’s military. On Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department added four firms and nine ships to its European politicians protest outside Assange’s London jail blacklist, some of which it said carried oil to Cuba. Donald Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, said Ecuador’s president says Assange tried to use its embassy to spy on Friday he would deliver a speech in Miami to Cuban exiles on Wednesday about actions the White House is taking on Venezuela, TEHRAN — German and Spanish lawmakers protest- The U.S. indictment charges Assange with “conspiracy” Cuba and Nicaragua, countries he has called a “troika of tyranny.” ed against Julian Assange’s detention Monday, gathering for working with former U.S. Army intelligence analyst While no final decision has been made on punitive measures outside a London prison to urge Britain and the EU to Chelsea Manning to crack a password stored on Department Bolton is expected to announce, the Trump administration has prevent his extradition to the United States, AFP reported. of Defense computers in March 2010. been considering a range of options, including new targeted Two far-left German MPs, Heike Hansel and Sevim Extradition to the United States would set “a dangerous sanctions and further tightening of business restrictions on the Dagdelen of Die Linke, and a Spanish Green member of precedent” for journalists worldwide, said Miranda, adding: Communist-ruled island that had been eased by former President the European Parliament, Ana Miranda, had been due to “this threatens to criminalize journalism globally.” Barack Obama, according to two people familiar with the matter. meet their “friend” Assange in London’s Ecuadoran em- Dagdelen urged Britain and the EU to block any extra- Critics have warned that heavy sanctions on Venezuela could bassy later Monday. dition request. hurt ordinary Venezuelans. Instead, following his expulsion and arrest last week, “We call on the British government not to extradite Pompeo urged Maduro to leave his post and Venezuela so the they protested outside the top-security Belmarsh prison in Julian Assange to the USA. country can return to normalcy. southeast London where he is being held, carrying placards “The European Union must take action to protect a “I hope that you will care now, when you see the horror, when demanding his release. politically-persecuted publisher and journalist,” said the you see the tragedy, to change your ways and to leave your coun- “We are faced with a humanitarian imperative now that German politician, calling on Spain and her home country try,” Pompeo said. Assange is in U.K. custody and a U.S. extradition request to grant Assange asylum. During his trip, Pompeo echoed previous U.S. criticism of Chi- is out for him, after high ranking officials of the U.S. – -in The three women were trying to see Assange in prison, na’s growing presence in Latin America, warning of “predatory” cluding President Donald Trump – have threatened the but their application was “still pending.” tional security cases, including that of former Finsbury Park lending practices and “malign or nefarious” actions. publisher with death,” said Miranda. “I’m a friend of Julian Assange. He’s a son, a father, a Mosque hate preacher Abu Hamza, who now resides in a China, whose booming economy over the past two decades The WikiLeaks founder is in custody awaiting sentencing brother and a good friend,” said Dagdelen. U.S. “supermax” prison following extradition. has driven up demand for raw materials, is already the top trade for breaching his British bail conditions in 2012 by seeking “His whole life he sacrificed for the truth.” Radical preacher Anjem Choudary, who was convicted partner for nations from tiny Uruguay to Brazil, Latin America’s refuge in Ecuador’s London embassy to avoid extradition They also accused the Ecuadoran government of in 2016 of encouraging support for Daesh (ISIS), spent largest economy and the world’s top soybean exporter. to Sweden. “engaging in a disinformation and slander campaign some of his sentence there. He was arrested at the embassy on Thursday after Ec- against Assange” after a series of reports emerged Belmarsh earned the moniker “the U.K.’s Guan- uador revoked his asylum, and is now also fighting a U.S. detailing his increasingly dysfunctional relationship tanamo Bay” in the period following the 9/11 attacks extradition warrant relating to the release by WikiLeaks with embassy staff. after it was used to detain a number of people under Sudan protesters move to of a huge cache of official documents. Belmarsh has frequently been used in high-profile na- anti-terror laws. protect Khartoum sit-in

TEHRAN — Sudanese protesters moved to block an attempt on Monday to break up a sit-in outside the Defense Ministry, U.S.-Russia chill stirs worry about stumbling into conflict where demonstrators have been pushing for a quick transition TEHRAN — It has the makings of a together control more than 90 percent relationships with a country that has not response to NATO’s 70th anniversary to civilian rule after President Omar al-Bashir was ousted, a new Cold War, or worse. The deep chill of the world’s nuclear weapons, say that behaved normally over the last few years,” celebration. Reuters witness said. in U.S.-Russian relations is stirring con- in August they will leave the 1987 treaty Dunford said. “There are major issues Sam Nunn, who served in the Senate Troops had gathered on three sides of the sit-in and tractors cern in some quarters that Washington that banned an entire class of nuclear that affect our bilateral relationship that as a Democrat from Georgia from 1972 were preparing to remove stone and metal barriers, but pro- and Moscow are in danger of stumbling weapons. And there appears to be little have to be addressed, to include where to 1997, argues that dialogue with Russia testers joined hands and formed rings around the sit-in area to into an armed confrontation that, by prospect of extending the 2010 New Start Russia has violated international laws, is too important to set aside, even if it prevent them. mistake or miscalculation, could lead treaty that limits each side’s strategic norms and standards.” carries domestic political risk. “You can’t The protesters, numbering about 5,000 with more arriving, to nuclear war. nuclear weapons. Dunford said he speaks regularly call time out,” he said in an interview. chanted “Freedom, freedom” and “Revolution, revolution”, and American and European analysts After a period of post-Cold War co- with Gerasimov, his Russian counter- “The nuclear issues go on, and they’re appealed to the army to protect them. and current and former U.S. military operation on nuclear security and other part, and the two sides talk on other getting more dangerous.” Some drummed and waved national flags as they mingled in officers say the nuclear superpowers defense issues, the relationship between levels. Nunn co-wrote an opinion piece the street, while others took shelter from the sun under parasols need to talk more. A foundational arms Washington and Moscow took a nose- “I’m satisfied right now with our with former Secretary of State George and makeshift tents. control agreement is being abandoned dive, particularly after Russian forces military-to-military communication to Shultz and former Defense Secretary Earlier, Sudan’s main protest group, the Sudanese Profes- and the last major limitation on stra- entered the former Soviet republic of maintain a degree of transparency that William Perry arguing that the U.S. sionals Association (SPA), issued an urgent call for people to tegic nuclear weapons could go away Georgia in 2008. Tensions spiked with mitigates the risk of miscalculation,” he and its allies and Russia are caught join the sit-in and foil any attempt to disperse it. in less than two years. Unlike during Russia’s annexation of the Crimea in 2014 said. “I think we have a framework within in a “policy paralysis” that could “We hope that everyone will head immediately to the areas of the Cold War, when generations lived and its military intervention in eastern to manage a crisis, should one occur, at lead to a military confrontation and the sit-in to protect your revolution and your accomplishments,” under threat of a nuclear Armageddon, Ukraine. In response, Congress in 2016 the senior military-to-military level.” potentially the first use of nuclear the SPA said. the two militaries are barely on speaking severely limited military cooperation James Stavridis, a retired Navy admi- weapons since the U.S. bombed Japan It said there were continuing attempts to disband the sit-in. terms, AP reported on Monday. with Russia. ral who was the top NATO commander in August 1945. The sit-in outside the compound, which also includes the “During the Cold War, we understood The law prohibits “military-to-mili- in Europe from 2009 to 2013, says the “A bold policy shift is needed,” they intelligence headquarters and the presidential residence, began each other’s signals. We talked,” says the tary cooperation” until the secretary of West must confront Russia where nec- wrote in the Wall Street Journal Thurs- on April 6, after more than three months of protests triggered top NATO commander in Europe, U.S. defense certifies that Russia “has ceased essary, including on its interventions in day, “to support a strategic re-engage- by a deepening economic crisis. Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, who is its occupation of Ukrainian territory” Ukraine and Syria. But he believes there ment with Russia and walk back from On Thursday, Sudan’s army announced that it had removed about to retire. “I’m concerned that we and “aggressive activities.” The law was is room for cooperation on many fronts, this perilous precipice. Otherwise, our and detained Bashir after three decades in power and was setting don’t know them as well today.” amended last year to state that it does not including the Arctic and arms control. nations may soon be entrenched in a up a transitional military council to run the country. Scaparrotti, in his role as Supreme limit military talks aimed at “reducing “We are in danger of stumbling nuclear standoff more precarious, dis- Since then the head of the military council and of Sudan’s Allied Commander Europe, has met only the risk of conflict.” backward into a Cold War that is to no orienting and economically costly than powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) have twice with Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the Relations frayed even further amid one’s advantage,” he said in an email the Cold War.” both been replaced, as protesters have continued to call for change. chief of the Russian general staff, but U.S. allegations that Russia interfered exchange. “Without steady, political-level A group of U.S., Canadian, European The SPA has demanded the immediate handover of power has spoken to him by phone a number in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, engagement between the defense estab- and Russian security experts and former to a civilian transitional government as well as the prosecution of other times. although President Donald Trump has lishments, the risk of a true new Cold officials in February issued a call for of former officials. “I personally think communication doubted Russian complicity in what U.S. War rises steadily.” talks with Russia on crisis management. On Monday the military council said it was restructuring the is a very important part of deterrence,” intelligence agencies assert was an effort No one is predicting a deliberate “The risks of mutual misunderstanding joint forces command, appointing a new chief of staff for the Scaparrotti said, referring to the idea by Moscow to boost Trump’s chances Russian act of war in Europe, but the and unintended signals that stem from army and a deputy. that adversaries who know each oth- of winning the White House. After a decline in regular talks is a worry to many. an absence of dialogue relating to crisis Britain’s ambassador to Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, said he had met er’s capabilities and intentions are less Helsinki summit with Putin in July, Moscow says it is ready to talk. management ... are real,” the Euro-At- the deputy head of the transitional military council, Mohamed likely to fall into conflict. “So, I think Trump publicly accepted the Kremlin “Russia remains open for interaction lantic Security Leadership Group said Hamdan Dagalo, and had “asked for clarity on whereabouts we should have more communication leader’s denial of interference. aimed at de-escalating tension, restoring in a statement. of former President Bashir and other senior former regime with Russia. It would ensure that we Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chair- mutual trust, preventing any misinter- It said this could lead to conventional figures”. understand each other and why we are man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an pretations of one another’s intentions, war with Russia or, in a worst case sce- When the military announced Bashir’s ousting, they said he doing what we’re doing.” He added: “It interview Friday that Russian behavior and reducing the risk of dangerous inci- nario, “the potential for nuclear threats, had been arrested and was being kept at a “safe place”. Sudanese doesn’t have to be a lot.” is to blame for the strained relationship. dents,” the Russian Ministry of Foreign or even nuclear use, where millions could sources told Reuters that Bashir was at a presidential residence The United States and Russia, which “It’s very difficult for us to have normal Affairs said in a statement last week in be killed in minutes.” under “heavy guard”. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 14 WORLD SPORTS APRIL 16, 2019

Bayern keeper Neuer Woods wins Masters to claim first sidelined with calf muscle injury major in 11 years Tiger Woods completed one of sport’s great- Woods. “A truly Great Champion!” Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will be out for an un- est comebacks to end an 11-year major title Nicklaus, 23-times tennis grand slam win- specified period of time after tearing calf muscle fibre during their drought at the Masters on Sunday by claiming ner Serena Williams, Super Bowl champion 4-1 victory over Fortuna Duesseldorf, the German champions a fifth Green Jacket. Tom Brady also applauded the victory on said on Monday. A gritty two-under 70 clinched a one- Twitter while swimmer Michael Phelps, the Bayern did not say how long Neuer would be sidelined. shot victory over Dustin Johnson, Brooks winner of a record 23 Olympic gold medals, Such injuries usually take several weeks to heal, meaning he Koepka and Xander Schauffele and earned was at Augusta National to cheer Woods on. will miss at least some if not all of their last five league games as the 43-year-old a 15th major title that many Written off as too old and too beaten up they battle with Borussia Dortmund for the title. thought would never come and instantly from four back surgeries and multiple knee Defender Mats Hummels pulled a muscle in the same game sparked talk of Woods making a run at Jack operations, Woods underwent a back fusion but he is only expected to be out for a few days, Bayern said. Nicklaus’s record of 18 majors. procedure in 2017 and slowly returned to form. The Bavarians, hunting a record-extending seventh consec- Not since the 2008 U.S. Open had Woods He ended last season by winning the utive league title, are on 67 points, one ahead of rivals Borussia hoisted a major trophy and the last of his Tour Championship and showed signs of a Dortmund. four Augusta titles came in 2005. breakthrough at the majors by being a title (Source: Reuters) But after a beaming Woods slipped on contender at last year’s British Open, where his fifth Green Jacket, he will be aware that he led in the final round, and PGA Champi- Sunday’s win has brought him tantalisingly onship, where he finished runner-up. close to another Nicklaus record - that of six All those moments built to Sunday, when Sources: Lakers to meet with Augusta titles. The victory also marked the Woods was once again his old familiar dom- first time Woods had reached the winner’s inating self. “I had serious doubts after what 76ers’ Williams circle at major without leading after 54 holes transpired a couple years ago,” said Woods. “I and broke Gary Player’s record (13 years) could barely walk. I couldn’t sit. Couldn’t lay for the longest gap between Masters wins. down. I really couldn’t do much of anything. The Los Angeles Lakers’ senior management has plans to travel It also gave him 81 PGA Tour titles, one solute delight as the crowd chanted, “Tiger, Along with coping with a number of “Luckily I had the procedure on my back, east to meet with Philadelphia 76ers assistant Monty Williams away from the career record held by Sam Tiger, Tiger”. injuries over the past decade, Woods also which gave me a chance at having a normal life. between Games 2 and 3 of the Sixers’ playoff series, league sources Snead. He then quickly spotted his family and had to deal with the damage done from a “To have the opportunity to come back told ESPN. Woods’s girlfriend Erica Herman, mother raced over to hug his children before mak- very public and scandalous divorce and an like this it is probably one of the biggest wins General manager Rob Pelinka is spearheading the Lakers’ Kultida and two children Sam and Charlie ing his way to the scorers room while being embarrassing DUI arrest. I’ve ever had for sure because of it.” coaching search, in which Williams and former Cleveland Cav- watched while a massive gallery roared as congratulated by his fellow golfers who lined Woods’s return to the top garnered praise All eyes were on overnight leader Francesco aliers coach Ty Lue are central candidates, league sources said. he marched up to the 18th green to put the the way. from world leaders and sporting greats alike, Molinari, who led by two shots, Woods and The Lakers will interview Lue and Miami Heat assistant coach finishing touches on a milestone victory. FULL CIRCLE with United States president Donald Trump the weather when play began on Sunday as Juwan Howard this week, too, sources told ESPN’s Ramona When his final tap in bogey putt disap- “To have my kids there – it’s come full and his predecessor Barack Obama both the race for the Green Jacket turned into a Shelburne. The Lakers received permission to interview Howard, peared into the cup, Woods delivered one circle. My dad was here in 97 (when he won offering congratulations via social media. final sprint with the forecast predicting rain sources told Shelburne. of his trademark fist pumps and then raised his first Masters) and now I’m the dad with “Congratulations to Tiger Woods,” tweeted and thunderstorms. Howard, who will also meet with Cleveland for its head-coaching both arms in the air while screaming in ab- two kids there.” Trump, who earlier this year played golf with (Source: Reuters) opening, was a college teammate of Pelinka at the University of Michigan. After Game 2 on Monday night, the Sixers-Nets series has off days on Tuesday and Wednesday before resuming with Game 3 in Brooklyn on Thursday. Juve’s old guard bidding to finish job Subdued Nadal enters the unknown in Williams returned to coaching this season as Brett Brown’s top assistant. He spent the previous two years in the San Antonio against Ajax kids Monte Carlo Spurs’ front office after the death of his wife, Ingrid, in early 2016. Williams left the Oklahoma City Thunder as associate head coach in the aftermath of his wife’s death. He and his children relocated to San Antonio, where Williams had extended family. Before his time with the Thunder, Williams coached the New Orleans Pelicansfor five seasons. He reached the playoffs in his first season (2010-11) and his last (2014-15). He won a gold medal as part of Mike Krzyzewski’s USA Bas- ketball coaching staff at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. (Source: ESPN)

Mercedes’ double-stack pitstop had Bottas “very concerned”

Valtteri Bottas admits he had some concerns about being told Cristiano Ronaldo will spearhead Juventus’ Juventus have won the Champions Rafael Nadal offered a low-key appraisal US Open came on hardcourt in Toronto, to pit on the same lap as Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton old guard as they look to finish the job on League twice, most recently in 1996 when Monday of his chances for a record-ex- where he beat young gun Stefanos Tsitsipas during the Chinese Grand Prix. Tuesday against Ajax’s impressive young they beat Ajax in the final. tending 12th Monte Carlo Masters title in the final. Mercedes opted to give both drivers a second pitstop on lap guns in a quarter-final clash between two Four-time winners Ajax won their third as he prepares to return from his latest Nadal is seeded second here behind 36 after Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel had pitted over sides desperate to end years of Champions consecutive title in 1973 at the expense of injury lay-off. Novak Djokovic, who is hoping to build for the preceding two laps. League heartbreak. Juventus, last lifting the trophy in 1995. The 32-year-old Spaniard, whose bad the French Open as he attempts to complete The Brackley team had to respond, knowing that Bottas was Juventus have the edge on away goals Allegri said he was prepared for “a diffi- knees and constant stoppages from com- a personal sweep by winning his fourth more vulnerable to being jumped, and that pitting him first might thanks to Ronaldo’s 125th Champions cult match against a very impressive team”. petition have defined his career as king of straight Grand Slam title. have unfairly disadvantaged race leader Hamilton. The decision League goal in a 1-1 draw in Amsterdam, Ronaldo was rested at the weekend along clay, was extremely hesitant to even rate While Bautista Agut fought back to beat was thus taken to double-stack them. but Ajax’s David Neres ensured the teams with regulars Leonardo Bonucci, Blaise his chances as he gets set to face Rober- Australian John Millman 3-6, 6-1, 6-1, Denis Bottas realised that pitting both cars on the same lap would will start on a knife-edge in Turin in a repeat Matuidi, Alex Sandro, Mario Mandzukic to Bautista Agut in Wednesday’s second Shapovalov’s 20th birthday celebrations ensure that there would be no change in the order over the rest of of the 1973 and 1996 finals. and Miralem Pjanic. round start. fell flat as he lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 to German the race, and he was also worried that he might lose time waiting Juventus have put their bid to wrap up Teenager Moise Kean’s fine form contin- “I cant give you any feeling, it’s been Jan-Lennard Struff. behind his teammate. an eighth consecutive Serie A title on the ued with the 19-year-old scoring his sixth a rough year and a half for me,” Nad- The 15th seed has yet to claim a win However, Mercedes pulled off an impressive double stop, back burner as they focus on their European goal in as many games. al said ahead of his first match since in the Principality after losing in the first with the drivers entering the pitlane just five seconds apart, while ambitions. Massimiliano Allegri lined out Captain Giorgio Chiellini, however, re- withdrawing hurt prior to an Indian round a year ago to Tsitsipas. Bottas lost just half a second relative to Hamilton. with a young squad against lowly SPAL on mains a doubt with the 34-year-old defender Wells semi-final against Roger Federer The nearly two-hour effort was “I was very concerned,” said Bottas. “You know you’re going Saturday and the champions fell to a 2-1 recovering from a calf injury, with Daniele last month. marred by 10 double-faults from the to lose time being the car behind, but it was due to the start that defeat when a point would have sufficed Rugani a possible replacement. “It’s tough for me to get a clear view of Canadian youngster, who was broken I was in that position. I was questioning the team – if if I could for another Scudetto. Ronaldo was signed for 100 million how I am. It’s all hard for me personally.” six times. stop later, or carry on without stopping – but there was too big “The Scudetto will come sooner or later,” euros ($117 million) last summer, and Nadal has a vast number of ranking Russian 10th seed Daniil Medvedev ad- a risk in terms of tyre life, if we can make it or not. said Allegri, whose side hold a 17-point lead pocketed an annual 31 million-euro salary points to defend on clay after lifting titles vanced easily over Portugal’s Joao Sousa “I was questioning because if I could do something different, on second-placed Napoli with six games left. to help Juventus win a competition they in a spectacular 2018 run at Monte Carlo, 6-1, 6-1, but Hungarian Marton Fucsovics other than stopping behind Lewis, that was going to be my only “If we had put all our starters in, it would have finished runners-up in a record seven Barcelona, Rome and Roland Garros. dumped out Nikolaz Basilashvili, the 12th chance to win the race. I knew if we were [both] coming in, that’s have been easier to win it, but there is the times, most recently in 2015 and 2017. His only other trophy during a season seed, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1. going to be pretty much it unless something crazy happens. goal to obtain on Tuesday.” (Source: France 24) in which he did not play at all after the (Source: Eurosport) (Source: Motorsport) Quarter-final curse looms as Barca and Messi look to set record straight FIFA bans disgraced ex- Four years have passed since Lionel Messi last reached a And while Messi dwarfs the Portuguese for goals in La Brazil football chief Marin Champions League semi-final and his drought has become a Liga, the opposite is true in Europe, where Ronaldo has source of unease for Barcelona ahead of their latest attempt 125 goals to his 108. for life on Tuesday. The game’s most illustrious pair could yet meet in this Manchester United are the ones looking to emulate At- year’s final, should Barca capitalise on their 1-0 first-leg win FIFA on Monday slapped a lifetime ban on the disgraced former letico Madrid, Juventus and Roma by sending Barca out in over United and then overcome either Liverpool or Porto in boss of Brazilian football, Jose Maria Marin, after a US court the quarters for a fourth year running but for the Catalans, the semis. Ronaldo and Juventus, meanwhile, would have to convicted him of massive corruption. another failure would be unforgivable, not least because of beat Ajax, and then either Manchester City or Tottenham. The 86-year-old Marin was one of the key figures swept up the implications for their captain. A showdown in Madrid would throw an even brighter glare in the graft scandal that began with a series of stunning arrests “Last season we did the double but we all felt bad about on Messi’s record compared to Ronaldo, whose sensational in 2015 and subsequently upended world football. how it went in the Champions League,” Messi said in August. hat-trick against Atletico Madrid last month only enhanced He had already been sentenced to four years in a US prison “We promise this season we will do all we can to bring that the sense this tournament belongs to him. after a court in New York found him guilty in connection with beautiful cup back to Camp Nou.” Messi is not one to complain, particularly given he can- nearly $6.6 million in bribes from sports marketing companies Barcelona’s dominance in Spain has been shaped by not be blameless in Barca’s underachievements in Europe. in exchange for contracts to broadcast major tournaments. Messi, who only this month overtook Iker Casillas as the But the fans are frustrated, with last season’s double doing But the decision from FIFA’s independent ethics judges de- player with the most La Liga victories, 335, in its history. period have been exonerated by four Champions League little to ease the disappointment of the collapse against Roma. finitively confirms that Marin is finished in football. Those wins have helped them capture seven of the last 10 triumphs in five years. And his teammates feel it too, the weight of history on FIFA’s ethics committee said in a statement that Marin had league titles, a figure that will surely become eight from 11 “Obviously it’s infuriating,” Luis Suarez said. “Madrid their shoulders from a need to square arguably the game’s participated in various bribery schemes. next month, given their nine-point lead at the top of the table. have made history and it’s a thorn in our side.” greatest ever player with a Champions League haul that Judges “banned him for life from all football-related activ- There could be an historic fifth consecutive Copa del Rome pain still raw befits that status. ities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and Rey too if Ernesto Valverde’s side beat Valencia on May 25. Messi’s record is similarly unbalanced. He has nine La “It is an important trophy,” Suarez said after following international level”, a FIFA statement said. But in Europe, Barca would appear under-marked, with Liga titles and is by a distance the competition’s top scorer, up the league title by winning the Copa del Rey last season. FIFA also imposed a 1 million Swiss franc ($1 million) fine against only one success in the last seven years, three in 10 since Pep with an astonishing 414 goals. Cristiano Ronaldo, closest in “But this does not hide what happened in Rome.” Marin, once one of the most powerful figures in world football. Guardiola took charge in 2008 and set in motion what has second, has 311. But in the Champions League, Messi has It means the pressure on Barcelona in this competition Following his May 2015 arrest at a luxury hotel in Zurich, felt, in playing terms at least, like an iconic era. lifted the trophy four times, a relatively modest return given runs deep, a psychological burden that perhaps United, or Marin spent five months in a prison in Switzerland before being The list of clubs etched onto the cup hoisted at the Wanda it puts him on a par with 11 current Real Madrid players their next opponents, will use to their advantage. For Messi, extradited to the United States. Metropolitano on June 1 will instead show a decade swal- alone, including Nacho, Casemiro and Dani Carvajal. This there is work to do. (Source: Mirror) lowed up by Real Madrid, whose domestic failings in that year, Ronaldo is hunting his sixth. (Source: AFP) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y APRIL 16, 2019 SPORTS 15

Hadi Rezaei appointed Iran Ezatolahi sends message to Reading FC fans after Paralympic Committee Chief Executive injury comeback

SPORTS TEHRAN — Iran’s sitting volleyball The Iranian midfielder made his return for Royals with the U23s deskcoach Hadi Rezaei has been appointed on Friday night. as the new Chief Executive of the Iran’s National Reading midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi has sent a message to fans Paralympic Committee for a four-year term. following his comeback from a lengthy quad injury. The 59-year-old had been previously named as The Iranian international, who is on a season-long loan with Chef de Mission for next year’s Paralympic Games Royals from Russian club FC Rostov, has been limited to just in Tokyo. four Championship appearances this season. Rezaei fulfilled the same role at last year’s Asian Para The 22-year-old picked up the injury while on international Games in Jakarta where Iran finished third overall in duty back in October and only returned to competitive action the medals table, ahead of Tokyo 2020 hosts Japan. on Friday night with Reading’s U23 side. Rezaei is one of the Iranian most decorated para He played 45 minutes as Scott Marshall’s team came from athletes and coaches. behind to beat Aston Villa 3-2 in Premier League 2 Division 2 He won three consecutive Paralympic Games gold at Wycombe Wanderers’ Adams Park. medals in 1988 (Seoul), 1992 (Barcelona) and 1996 Ezatolahi said on Instagram: “[It] is great feeling to be back (Atlanta) as a player. to play from tight injury after almost six months… As a coach, Rezaei also led Iran sitting volleyball “I’d like to say thank you to all people those who working for team to three Paralympics gold medals in Sydney our family club (Reading FC) and our fans for supporting and 2000, Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016 and two silvers helping me whole time to get back. in Athens 2004 and London 2012. “Now all focus to help the team and my teammates. But be Iran’s best performance at the Paralympic Games thankful for everything you have in your life.” since they made their debut at Seoul in 1988 was at Reading have just four games left this season and gave them- London 2012 when they finished 11th with a total selves a huge boost in their battle with relegation with a 2-1 win of 24 medals, including 10 gold. over Brentford at Madejski Stadium on Saturday afternoon. They won the same number of medals at Rio Speaking after the game, boss Jose Gomes said Ezatolahi could 2016 but only eight of them were gold, meaning feature between now and the end of the campaign for Royals. they slipped to 15th. “He only worked with me in the past two or three days,” said Iran sent a record number of competitors to Rio the Portuguese manager. 2016, being represented by 110 athletes in 12 sports. “I gave him the chance to play 45 minutes on Friday night Iran won a total of 136 medals at the 2018 Asian for the U23s – maybe we’ll need him before the end of the Games in Jakarta, including 51 gold, finishing behind season. I don’t know. China and South Korea, who won 319 and 144 medals “The idea was to give him minutes in case we needed him. If respectively. he’s ready he can be used.” They finished ahead of Tokyo 2020 hosts Japan, who (Source: GetReading) won more medals than Iran - 198 - but fewer gold - 45. Jurgen Klinsmann linked Mehdi Torabi proud to join Persepolis with Team Melli SPORTS TEHRAN — Mehdi Torabi says he 2019 AFC Asian Cup. deskis happy and proud of joining Perse- Now, he says he is happy to join the Iranian most pop- PLDC — Former Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann has been polis football team. ular football team. reportedly nominated for Iran hot seat. The 24-year-old player joined Persepolis from Saipa “I don’t regret joining Persepolis despite I had several The 54-year-old coach is without a team after he was fired as in the last year’s summer on a three-year contract, offers from the European clubs. I now have the honor of head coach of the United States national team in 2016. however he was sent back to Saipa on loan for the wearing Persepolis shirt. I’m very happy and proud. Perse- Klinsmann is a famous name for the Iranian people because first half of the season. polis have so many fans who always inspire the players. he scored against Iran in the 1998 FIFA World Cup as midfielder Torabi spent his entire career at Saipa prior to join- Playing in Persepolis is very pleasant,” Torabi said. of Germany football team. ing Persepolis. He made his debut in 2012 and after “I Persepolis it doesn’t matter who plays. Winning is the Stoke City consultant Amir Soltani has published an Instagram impressing in the Iranian Professional League, he most important thing and Persepolis players do their best post and welcomed Klinsmann as new head coach of Team Melli. received his first Team Melli call-up in 2015, scoring to be a useful player for the team. I will also give my best Morocco coach Herve Renard is also a candidate to take charge on his international debut against Uzbekistan. effort when playing for the team and pray for our team’s of Iran national football team. He was a member of Iran national football team in the success while I’m not in the starting lineup,” he added.

Visa named Paralympic Ex-U.S. star Marsch to coach RB Qatari club Al Shahaniya eye Gold Partner Salzburg Iran’s Mehrdad Pooladi The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Former United States international Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo Jesse Marsch will take over as the TASNIM — Qatari top-flight football club Al Shahaniya are 2020) has welcomed Visa as a Tokyo 2020 new head coach of RB Salzburg, the eying to sign ex-Iran winger Mehrdad Pooladi. Paralympic Gold Partner in the category Austrian club have announced. Pooladi has most recently played at Bangkok United of Thailand. “Payment Systems”. Its addition brings the Marsch will join from RB Leip- He joined the Thai football club from Al Shahaniya in 2017 total number of Tokyo 2020 Paralympic zig, where he is an assistant, for next after three years playing for the Qatari club and now is going to Partners to 71. season. return to his former club. By becoming a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic The 45-year-old ex-New York Red Pooladi will join his compatriot Ramin Rezaeian in the Qatari Gold Partner, the highest tier of the domestic Bulls coach takes over from Marco club. The Iranian media reports suggest that Al Shahaniya have sponsorship program, Visa will provide Rose, who will move to Bundesliga set their sight on signing the 32-year-old midfielder. valuable support to the successful delivery side Borussia Monchengladbach, and Pooladi was a member of Iran national football team in the 2014 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. further enthusiasm for the Paralympic has signed a three-year deal. and way of playing football very well.” World Cup. He was named as the second best-ranked player in Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori Movement.” “I am really pleased and feel Having joined New York Red Bulls the first week of the tournament behind Thomas Müller by FIFA, said: “We are delighted to welcome Visa, a Stephen Karpin, Representative Direc- honoured to be able to work for this in January 2015, Marsch was named after receiving 9.7 points in the opening match against Nigeria. Worldwide Paralympic Partner, as a Gold tor and Country Manager of Visa World fantastic club as their next coach,” MLS Coach of the Year later that year. Pooladi also showed a good performance in the next match Partner of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Wide Japan Co., Ltd., added: “It is a great Marsch said. He had been linked with the Salzburg against Argentina. Games. Visa is the International Paralympic honor to be a part of the Tokyo 2020 RB Salzburg sporting director job in 2017, but instead joined Leipzig Committee’s longest serving partner having Paralympic Games as a Gold Partner. Christoph Freund said: “We have as assistant to Ralf Rangnick last year. first come on board in 2003. Visa embraces a vision of ‘a place where followed his career and development Marsch will be aiming to end a run “The company has also supported everyone is accepted everywhere, that’s very closely in recent years, and we that has seen Salzburg fail to get past Mehdi Taremi linked with athletes aiming to excel at the Paralympic where we want to be’, and the importance have spoken often. the Champions League qualifiers for 11 Persepolis return: report Games via its Team Visa program. I am of promoting of inclusion and diversity “We are completely convinced seasons in a row, although they did reach confident they will provide huge support guides our business. about him both as a professional and last season’s Europa League semifinals. for the Tokyo 2020 Games and generate (Source: Paralympic.org) as a person. He knows our philosophy (Source: ESPN) IRNA — Al Gharafa striker Mehdi Taremi has been reportedly linked with a move to Persepolis football team. The Iranian international striker joined the Qatari club in last year’s January but his performance has been not satisfying in the Yao vs Haddadi: Who is the best center ever in Asia? team. It seems Al Gharafa coach Christian Gourcuff is reluctant The rise of the top two basketball nations in Asia can be points per game in games that he played. to continue with his Iranian player. traced back to two figures: Yao Ming of China and Hamed Ever since Yao retired, Haddadi and Iran have taken over Taremi, who helped Persepolis win Iran Professional League Haddadi of Iran. Both were, literally and figuratively, the the mantle as the most winningest team in Asia. Over the past title in 2017, was one of Iran’s best players in the 2019 AFC Asian biggest figures in revolutionizing basketball in their respec- 6 FIBA Asia Cup tournaments, Iran has 3 championships, Cup, scoring three goals for Team Melli. tive countries and continue to do so up to this day. Since one runner-up finish, and another finish at third place. they both played the same position and were among the Iran with Haddadi managing to lose only 5 games in best that FIBA Asia has ever seen, it is inevitable for fans the past decade of FIBA Asia Cups is undeniably an im- to ask among themselves who the best center in Asia is. pressive feat, but Yao’s undefeated run with China is just Peaty to focus on 100m Background Check on another level. By the start of the new millennium, Yao Ming was al- 33-years-old playing professionally in Lebanon. Verdict: Asia’s best center is? breaststroke in Tokyo ready the face of Chinese basketball. After just turning FIBA Asia Cup: Individual Success It’s remarkable how Haddadi has maintained his high 20 years old, Yao starred for China at the 2000 Sydney Both Yao and Haddadi were their country’s main op- level of success in the FIBA Asia Cup for such a long time, LONDON (Reuters) — Olympic 100 meters breaststroke Olympics. His rise to stardom shot up at a frantic pace tion from their very first game in the FIBA Asia Cup. They not only individually but by leading Iran as a team. How champion Adam Peaty has ruled out adding the 200 meters to from there onwards. He won his first FIBA Asia Cup in were either the first or second leading scorer on the team he’s managed to win FIBA Asia Cup MVP awards 10 years his schedule at next year’s Tokyo Games. 2001, his first Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) title in in each FIBA Asia Cup, while also impacting the game on apart is the biggest piece of evidence for how great of a The Briton had talked about possibly targeting two individual 2002, became the first overall draft pick in the 2002 NBA the boards and on defense. player he is. As impressive as it is to have seen Haddadi medals by adding the longer distance but told the BBC on Monday Draft for the Houston Rockets, before having a breakout The dominance of Yao in the FIBA Asia Cup is evident play in the FIBA Asia Cup 7 times already, it’s not out of he had decided against. performance at the FIBA World Cup 2002. Since then, and clear with him winning an MVP in each appearance. the picture for him to make a 7th appearance at the FIBA “I want to focus on pushing the boundaries in the 100m,” the 2.29M (7’6”) center continued to lay his claim as one He even led the tournament in scoring with 22.9 points Asia Cup 2021 either. said the 24-year-old breaststroke specialist ahead of the British of the best players in the world. per game in 2003. On the other hand, Yao Ming went undefeated in crushing swimming championships that start in Glasgow on Tuesday. Yao has retired from playing since 2011, but continues Haddadi gets a slight edge here for his longevity by com- fashion and also won the title and the MVP trophy in each “If you look at the 200m swimmers they’re all kind of skinny a role impacting the basketball world as the chairman of peting in over a decade of FIBA Asia Cup play and maintaining edition of the tournament. In the three FIBA Asia Cups that and long in their stroke and I’m the complete opposite. I’m quite the Chinese Basketball Association and was also enshrined his excellence with an MVP award in the recent 2017 edition. Yao played with China, the Asian powerhouse did not lose muscly and have a short stroke,” he added. to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.The success of FIBA Asia Cup: Team Success a single game in all of their 24 contests. Though his reign Peaty holds the world record in both the 50 and 100m breast- Yao Ming drew interest of the basketball world to the Iran and China are two of the most triumphant teams as FIBA Asia Cup’s best player was shorter than that of stroke but the shorter distance is not on the Olympic program. Asian region, giving a chance for other Asian talents to in the FIBA Asia Cup. Both Yao and Haddadi are at the Haddadi, you could make an argument that his domination He has spoken in the past about “Project 56” - the challenge get worldwide exposure. One of those players was Hamed center - pun intended - of these successful runs. was more superior during that stretch. to beat the world record of 57.10 seconds he set at the European Haddadi. The 2.18M (7’2”) big man played in his first FIBA Both players have the same amount of titles and an out- It’s just a shame that the fans didn’t have a chance to championships in Glasgow last August and take the time below Asia Cup in 2005 and continued to roll on at FIBA Asia standing win percentage with their teams. However, it’s witness the two towers go up against each other in their 57 seconds. Cup 2007 and the 2008 Beijing Olympics before signing hard to not acknowledge how ridiculous it was for China prime at the FIBA Asia Cup. Their only duel was in 2005 “I’ve changed my mindset and don’t really talk about ‘Project with the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA. Haddadi has with Yao in the middle to go through 22 games in FIBA Asia when Haddadi was only 20 years old and Yao was already 56’ now, but it’s looking nice,” he told the BBC. “I’m pleased with consistently been a star for the Iran national team since, Cup play without a loss. If that’s not definite proof of the a budding star in the NBA at 25. With both having out- the progress, so that progress will show at the World Champi- as well as playing premier roles in the CBA and the local team’s dominance, you can also point to how China beat all standing runs in the FIBA Asia Cup, who do you think is onships or Olympics.” Iran Superleague. After over a decade of playing basket- of their opponents by double-digits in every game. During the best Center in Asia? The 2019 world aquatics championships are in Gwangju, ball at the highest level, Haddadi is still going strong at that 6-year span, Yao’s team won with an average of 34.7 (Source: FIBA) South Korea, in July. Prayer Times Noon:13:04 Evening: 19:57 Dawn: 5:01 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 6:30 (tomorrow) APRIL 16, 2019 ART&CULTURE I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y www.tehrantimes.com Managing Director: Ali Asgari Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Ghaderi Fajr Intl. Film Festival unveils Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051450 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 official lineup www.eshterak.ir Distributor: Padideh Novin Co. ARTTEHRAN — Fifteen feature films will be Tel: 88911433 desk Webmaster: [email protected] competing in Cinema Salvation, the official Printed at: Hamshahri No. 3 - ISSN: 1017-94 competition of the 37th Fajr International Film Festival, the organizers announced on Monday. Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimesdaily “Sweet Agony 2” by Alireza Davudnejad, “Dance with Me!” by Sorush Sehat and “The Charcoal” by Esmaeil Monsef, all No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran from Iran, will be competing in this section. P.o. Box: 14155-4843 “A Russian Youth” by Alexander Zolotukhin from Russia, Zip Code: 1599814713 “Before the Frost” by Michael Noer from Denmark, “Joel” by Carlos Sorin from Argentina, “Spring Sparrow” by Jingxiang Li from China and “Erased”, a co-production from Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia by Slovenian director Miha Mazzini are also among the films. “Bille”, a co-production from Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic by Latvian director Inara Kolmane, “Wackersdorf” by Oliver Haffner from Germany and “Werewolf”, a co-production between Poland and Germany by Polish director Adrian Panek will also go on screen in this section. GUIDE TO The lineup also includes “Irina” by Nadejda Koseva from SPIRITUAL AWAKENING Bulgaria, “Widow of Silence” by Praveen Morchhale from India, “A Shelter among the Clouds” by Robert Budina from No one can hide something in his heart without Albania and “Belonging”, a co-production from Turkey, Canada and France by Turkish director Burak Cevik. revealing it with his slip of the tongue and the In addition, Cinema Salvation will also screen 15 shorts color of his face. films, including “Disrupted” by Sun-yong Bak from South Imam Ali (AS) Korea, “Excess Will Save Us” by Morgane Dziurla-Petit from Sweden, “Good Intentions” by Anna Mantzaris from England, “Hurlevent” by Frederic Doazan from France and “The World Cup in a Square” by Vito Palmieri from Italy. “Delirium” co-directed by Vahid and Navid Hosseini- Nami, “Each Other” by Sara Tabibzadeh and “Pause” by Indonesian reciter Salman Pegah Ansari, all from Iran, will also compete in this section. Amrillah finishes first at The 37th Fajr International Film Festival will open in This combination photo shows posters for the films selected for Cinema Salvation at the 37th Fajr In- Iran Quran competition Tehran on Thursday and will continue until April 26. ternational Film Festival. (FIFF)

CULTURE TEHRAN — Indonesian reciter Salman deskAmrillah won first prize at the 36th “The Arkansas Bear” to go on stage Drama Therapy Center of Iran sends International Quran Competition in Tehran on Sunday. in Tehran experts to flood-stricken region Winners of the competition in various categories received their prizes during the closing ceremony of the event at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla. In the reciting section, Mehdi Gholamnejad from Iran received second prize while Iraqi reciter Muhammad Reza Salman took third place.

Salman Amrillah from Indonesia recites during the closing ceremony of the 36th International Quran Competition at A team of experts from the Drama Therapy Center of Iran at the flood-stricken Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla on April 14, 2019. He won A poster “The Arkansas Bear”. region of Khuzestan. (Iran Theater) first prize at the competition. (Fars/Mehdi Marizad) ARTTEHRAN — Iranian One day in a world of fantasy provided ARTTEHRAN — A team theater news, on Monday. In the memorizing category, Mohammad-Javad Moradi deskdirector Mehdi by her wish on a star, she meets the deskof experts from “They gave consultations, speech from Iran won first prize and Abuli Toufeeq from Algeria Moqimi Esfandabadi will stage American world’s greatest dancing bear, who is the Drama Therapy Center of Iran therapy and training on how to was honored with second prize. Third prize went to Syrian playwright Aurand Harris’ “The Arkansas old and is running away from death. (DTCI) has been dispatched to the encounter natural disasters,” he said. memorizer Ahmed Badreddin Hamami. Bear” at the Institute for Intellectual Trying to help the bear, Tish understands flood-stricken region in the southern “The activities will continue for In the women’s section, Maryam Shafiei from Iran, Fatima Development of Children and Young that death does not have to be final and the Iranian province of Khuzestan. one month, while clinical medicine Yunis from Lebanon and Samaneh Musavi from Afghanistan Adults (IIDCYA) in Tehran on Sunday, stories that one generation passes on to the “A team of 12 drama therapists and and training will also be offered at took first to third places respectively in the memorizing category. the IIDCYA announced on Monday. next can become a form of immortality. physiologists of the center began their the camps,” he added. Visually-impaired memorizers Al-Sayyid Hamdi al-Sayyid Translated into Persian by Behzad A cast composed of Mohsen Safari, activities in the camps for children Fear, anxiety, depression and from Egypt, Saeid Ali-Akbari from Iran and Sayyid Nur ul-Haq Nejadqanbar, the play is about Tish, Maliheh Moqimi, Mohsen Qasri, Somayyeh and their families in Khuzestan,” isolation are issues observed among from India were also honored. a little girl who is upset about her Salmani and Danial Boluri will perform the DTCI secretary Majid Amrai told the affected people in this region, Muhammad Haji from Kenya and Amir-Hossein Rahmati grandfather’s approaching death. play, which will be on stage until June 21. Iran Theater, a Persian website for he said. from Iran won the first prizes in the memorizing and reciting sections respectively at the 6th International Quran Competition for School Students, which was held on the sidelines of the event. Ali Feizi from Iran and Mahmud Abul Khair an-Nasif from Syria Iranian reciter Hadi Movahed-Amin to Tehran foundation to review works by also received second and third prizes in the memorizing section. compete in Quran competition in Malaysia Ennio Morricone In the reciting section, Seyyed Yasin Hosseini from Afghanistan and Muhammad Rafghas Hawari from Indonesia took second and third places respectively. In the memorizing section for schoolgirls, Zeinab Aminpur from Iran won first prize, and Faiza Nargis from Turkey and Reem al-Shebel from Jordan took second and third places.

Iran denies plan to organize Azerbaijani female singers’ concert in Tabriz

ARTTEHRAN — Iran has denied that it has any deskplan to organize a concert by two Azerbaijani female singers’ in Tabriz, East Azarbaijan Province. Ennio Morricone poses with his Oscar for Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” Iranian reciter Hadi Movahed-Amin in an undated photo. on February 29, 2016. CULTURE TEHRAN — Iranian categories of Quran recitation and ARTTEHRAN — The composed over 400 scores for cinema and deskreciter Hadi memorization for men and women. deskNiavaran Artistic television, as well as over 100 classical works. Movahed-Amin will attend the 61st Movahed-Amin will compete with Creations Foundation in Tehran plans to His filmography includes over 70 award- International Al-Quran Recital and Quran reciters from across the world hold a session on Thursday to review works winning films, including all Sergio Leone Memorization Assembly, which will on Thursday. by Italian film composer Ennio Morricone. films: “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, “A open in Kuala Lumpur today. The Quran competition will come He is considered the world’s greatest living Fistful of Dollars”, “Once Upon a Time in the The contest will be held in two to an end on April 20. film composer.Since 1946, Morricone has West” and “Once Upon a Time in America”. Artist Ai Weiwei takes aim at state violence in Mexico with Legos MEXICO CITY (Reuters) — Chinese artist Ai Weiwei a timeline of the 2014 abduction of the trainee-teachers “It reminded me of the Mexicans who lost their children,” East Azarbaijan Culture and Islamic Guidance Department unveiled a new installation in Mexico that tells the story of from the all-boys Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers College in he said, explaining how his own search for answers following deputy director Ali Moharrami in an undated photo. 43 students likely massacred five years ago in a case that southern Mexico and the government’s widely disparaged the tragedy was stymied. exposed government stonewalling and complicity in abuses, investigation into the case. An initial Mexican government investigation found that There has been no application from any Azerbaijani female a frequent theme for the dissident artist. “Why do we have to do it? Because every crime creates a the Ayotzinapa students were abducted by corrupt police singer to perform in Tabriz, East Azarbaijan Culture and Islamic The installation features large portraits of the students vacuum and it poisons society,” Ai told reporters at a news who handed them over to a local drug gang. The gang then Guidance Department deputy director Ali Moharrami said in a made from a million multi-colored Legos that hover above conference on Thursday. killed them for reasons that remain unclear and burnt their press release on Monday. a cavernous exhibit space, images that have become seared Known for his criticism of Communist-run China’s stifling bodies in a trash dump, discarding the ashes into a nearby Over the past few days, rumors have begun circulating on a into the Mexican conscience by grieving family members of free expression, Ai said his latest project was partially river, it concluded. number Persian social networks that Azerbaijani singers Damla who often hoist posters with the same images at protests inspired by the Chinese government’s refusal to explain its But the account was tainted by allegations of torture and and Sebnem plan to perform a joint concert for an audience of demanding answers for their sons’ disappearance. errors following a massive 2008 earthquake in Sichuan in the possible involvement of soldiers. females in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz in the near future. Entitled “Reestablishing Memories,” the work also features which thousands of students died in government-built schools. To date, the remains of just one student have been identified.