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16 Pages Price 40,000 Rials 1.00 EURO 4.00 AED 39th year No.13563 Wednesday DECEMBER 25, 2019 Dey 4, 1398 Rabi’ Al thani 28, 1441

Top commander felicitates Expediency Council still Stramaccioni, Congratulations on birth anniversary of evaluating FATF-related Esteghlal; an unsolved the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ to all Jesus Christ 2 bills 2 problem 15 monotheists in the world

Iran, India to expand transit co-op through Chabahar port TEHRAN – Iranian Transport and Urban between Iran and India has been followed Zarif, Ansarullah official Development Minister Mohammad Esla- in a variety of aspects and a number of new mi and Indian Minister of External Affairs agreements have been reached, the most Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met on Monday important of which were in transportation in Tehran to discuss expansion of transport and transit with Chabahar in focus. and transit cooperation between the two In the past few years, the development countries, especially through Chabahar port. of Chabahar port has been pursued very Speaking to the press after the meet- seriously, so that trade activities in the hold talks in Oman ing, the Iranian minister noted that the port have more than tripled in the past See page 2 development of economic cooperation two years, according to Eslami. 4 Tehran rejects Reuters’ claim on unrest death toll TEHRAN — An official at Iran’s Supreme accusations is basically very easy,” he National Security Council (SNSC) has said, describing the act as a psychological denied a claim by Reuters that said the operation against the Islamic Republic. death toll of the recent Iran unrest was “When asked to offer sources or docu- 1,500 people. Alireza Zarifian Yeganeh, ments, the media outlet would refer you head of the SNSC Information and Com- to invisible creatures,” he added. munications Secretariat, said such claims In a report on Monday, Reuters claimed were part of the anti-Iran disinformation that about 1,500 people were killed during campaign, Mehr reported. less than two weeks of unrest across Iran “Such news producing and leveling that started on November 15. 3

‘Antithesis of justice’: Khashoggi verdict roundly condemned A Saudi court ruling over the state-spon- Shaalan al-Shaalan announced the conclu- sored killing of dissident journalist Jamal sion of the so-called trial in the Khashoggi Khashoggi has drawn outrage across the case that had been closed to the public. political spectrum, including from a number He said that out of the 31 suspects in- of states, the United Nations, several rights vestigated in connection with the killing, groups and even some American lawmakers. 21 had been arrested and 11 put on trial. They have unanimouslydenounced the ruling Death sentences were eventually issued that dismissed charges against top Saudi for five people and jail terms totaling 24 officials, saying it failed to deliver justice. years were handed down to three others, In a televised press conference in Riyadh he added, without naming any of those mfa.ir on Monday, Saudi Deputy Public Prosecutor sentenced. 13 ARTICLE Indian citizenship law and discrimination against Muslims ARTICLE Mahnaz Abdi By Reza Amouei neighboring countries and the region. Besides duce a citizen hierarchy. Accordingly, some illegal Chris Cook Head of the TehranTimes TEHRAN — Some Indian ethnic and religious Muslims, non-Muslims also opposed and protested Indian immigrants are given priority to others UCL Senior Research Fellow Economy Desk minorities, especially Muslims, are not happy with the new citizenship law, as they are concerned because of their religion. While non-Muslim the bill giving citizenship to non-Muslim migrants. about the huge number of immigrants that will immigrants will be able to obtain Indian citi- The Indian citizenship law has stirred protests come to India due to the law. A significant part zenship, such opportunity is not provided for Private sector over the past few weeks, many calling them the of the recent protests was demonstrated in the Muslim immigrants. Based to statistics, about From Nuclear to dissatisfied with largest demonstrations in the government of the northeast of the country. 20 million Muslim Immigrants in India do not Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In other words, people in the northeastern have identification document and are regarded NewClear states of India, where a large number of Bang- as non-citizen and illegal immigrants, despite national budget bill The protests have also been very violent and n the course of many visits to Iran inflammatory. Indian police said at least 23 pro- ladeshi immigrants live, believe that the bill living in the country for decades. will undermine local culture and increase the The Indian critics say the law undermines over the years I have come to real- n December 8, President Hassan testers have been killed in the protests. ise that no country is the subject The government stated in its justification immigrants’ influence in these areas. the country’s secular constitution. I Rouhani submitted the administra- What is wrong with the citizen- Old-line ethnic acts by the Indian of such fascination and mistrust in tion’s draft of the national budget for the law that it will grant Indian citizenship Iran as the United Kingdom. So my O for non-Muslim minorities from Afghanistan, ship law? government bill for the next Iranian calendar year 1399 friends at ‘Tehran Times’ are inter- The most important disadvantage of the law is The citizenship law had already been stated to the Majlis. Bangladesh and Pakistan. ested to hear my thoughts in relation that it creates a hierarchy among citizens based earlier in 2016, but the protests at that time rolled The proposed budget amounted to about By the legislation, a great number of non-Mus- to Anglo-Iranian relations following on their religion. In fact, the bill seeks to intro- back the law. 1.988 quadrillion rials (about $473.5 billion lim immigrants will stream into India from 13 the recent UK election. at the official rate of 42,000 rials), with a This election was fought and won 14-percent rise from the current year’s ap- by Johnson’s Conservative party in proved budget. The budget bill was submit- Intl. reactions to Saudi scandalous verdict on Khashoggi murder order to “Get Brexit Done” so that the ted under a condition that the next year is UK will now definitively – after three predicted to be one of the toughest years in By Zahra Mirzafarjouyan Khashoggi went missing on October 2 after en- not waive trade or diplomatic ties with Riyadh, years of political paralysis - leave the terms of economy for the government and TEHRAN (MNA) — Alongside the announce- tering the consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents regardless of the outcome. European Union. I believe this result country, as the U.S. intensified sanctions are ment of the Saudi court verdict over the murder needed to marry his Turkish fiancée Hatice Cengiz. The disappearance of Khashoggi received a fair to be positive for Iran for two reasons, limiting Iran’s sources of revenue. of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Turkey, UK, and Agents of the Saudi government killed Khashoggi amount of attention internationally in the past year. the first being Prime Minister John- Although Planning and Budget Organi- international rights groups and bodies condemned inside the consulate and apparently dismembered Turkey, in particular, believes it was premeditated son as a person, and the second being zation (PBO) has announced that the budget and criticized the court’s conclusion. his body, which has never been found. murder, and after denials, Saudi Arabia ultimately the new role and responsibilities of bill has been prepared based on the eco- Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for the Wash- Audio recordings, CCTV footage, and forensic admitted to the murder of the journalist. Johnson’s office as UK Prime Min- nomic realities of the country, and its main ington Post and a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mo- evidence all point to his murder. According to The CIA found that Saudi Crown Prince ister in international diplomacy and characteristic is considering the impact of hammed bin Salman, was living in a self-imposed Turkish officials, Khashoggi was killed by a hit Mohammed bin Salman probably ordered the commerce for an independent UK. the U.S. sanctions on Iran’s economy, the exile in the United States where had been granted squad of 15 men who arrived from Saudi Arabia operation. But Riyadh has consistently denied Johnson as a Person bill has drawn many criticisms specially residency status. He had been sharply critical of on 29 September and were present in the building that the crown prince was involved. Saudi Crown “Those are my principles, and if by the private sector, as the Head of Iran Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammad bin on the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance, leaving Prince denied allegations that he had ordered you don’t like them....well, I have Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines Salman, and the country’s king, Salman of Saudi shortly afterward. Khashoggi’s murder but said he took full respon- others.....” Groucho Marx. and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam-Hossein Arabia. He also opposed the Saudi Arabian-led US President Donald Trump announced an sibility for it since it was committed by people As with President Trump it is a mis- Shafe’i believes that there will be the risk of intervention in Yemen. investigation, but he insisted that the US will working for the Saudi government. 11 take to view Prime Minister Johnson budget deficit in the next year. through the lens of rational statecraft. While the private sector criticizes Johnson combines intelligence, idle- several parts of the budget bill, its dis- ness and pure expedience in equal satisfaction is caused mainly by two ap- Vocalist measure. He owes his success to his proaches of the government. One is that capacity to delegate strategy and re- the private sector’s ideas have not been Shahram Nazeri sponsibility to capable and diligent asked when preparing the bill and the subordinates such as Dominic Cum- other one is about the government’s high mings, the Grand Vizier to Johnson’s budget predicted in the bill. to record videos Byzantine Caliph. The bill has estimated the government’s Perhaps the most important point budget at 5.63 quadrillion rials (about to promote for Iran’s decision-makers to bear in $134.04 billion), 8.2 percent higher than mind with PM Johnson is that, like his the figure in the present year’s budget. A tamboura father Stanley before him, he genuinely 15-percent rise has been also envisaged in likes and respects Iran and Iranians, the salary of the governmental employees. TEHRAN — Vocalist Shahram Nazeri plans to and the country’s great culture, history During a meeting of ICCIMA’s board record three music videos to promote tamboura, and heritage. So, all things being equal, of representatives on November 15, the a string instrument native to Kermanshah that the accession to power of Johnson as chamber’s head complained about the is the homeland of the world-renowned artist. a person is positive for Iran. government’s budget in the next year’s About 600 tamboura players from the western Johnson as UK Prime budget bill saying, “The bill has allocated Iranian city will perform with Nazeri in the videos, Minister about two third of the budget to the state-run which will be recorded in the Bistun ancient site, Unfortunately, all things are very organizations, companies, and institutes the Kermanshah Music Society announced in a far from equal for Iran in terms of with a nearly 16-percent rise compared to press release on Monday. access to the global economy, and the figure envisaged in the current year’s Bahman Zarei Bahman “The music video project aims to promote the question is to what extent Iran’s budget, and it is while many of the state- tamboura, which was first made and performed access may improve after UK’s im- run entities have a very low efficiency and in the Kermanshah region,” the director of the minent Brexit departure from the productivity, but there is no supervision IRNA/ society, Farzad Shahsavari, said. 16 European Union under Johnson’s on their performance.” 4 leadership. 3 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y POLITICS DECEMBER 25, 2019

Tehran says won’t forget its Expediency Council still evaluating friends in tough times Iran considers Russia and China apart from other JCPOA parties, Mousavi says FATF-related bills: secretary POLITICAL TEHRAN — Foreign Ministry spokesman deskAbbas Mousavi has said that Iran will never POLITICAL TEHRAN — The sec- with our own hands,” Gholamreza Mesba- forget its friends in tough times. deskretary of the Guardian hi-Moghadam said. In an interview with IRNA published on Tuesday, he said, Council announced on Tuesday that Paler- He added, “We are managing the country “Iran and Russia have special and historical ties which has been mo and CFT bills are still under assessment through circumventing the sanctions. Approval continuing in the past two centuries despite ups and downs. in the council. of these two bills is not wise.” We have witnessed special ties “The FATF-related bills (Palermo and CFT) The opposition to join the FATF rose after with Russia after the Islamic are still under evaluation in the Expediency the Trump administration revoked the 2015 Revolution especially in the Council, so, I can’t say anything now (about nuclear deal in May 2018 and started impos- past recent years.” the outcome of assessment),” Rezaee said, ing sanctions on Iran. Since that date, it has He noted that as two powers Fars reported. slapped multiple rounds of sanctions on Iran. in the region, Iran and Russia In response to a question about the date On Monday, ISNA quoted MP Shahabodin have stood and will stand beside when the council can announce its decision, Bimeqdar as saying that a group of parlia- each other. Rezaee said, “It is unclear yet. We can’t specify mentarians were planning to write a letter “In bilateral issues, Russia the exact date. We will talk after evaluations.” to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the has also stood beside the In mid-October, the Paris-based Financial Islamic Revolution, over consequences of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Action Task Force (FATF) said that it had possible rejection of the FATA. it has also been beside Iran, given Iran a final deadline of February 2020 “Most of the country’s economic experts as far as possible, despite the to tighten its laws against money laundering have emphasized that if we do not join the Westerners’ pressure and in compliance with the global watchdog’s fi- FATF the country will be put on the black economic sanctions,” Mousavi nancial standards. list, our banks’ branches abroad will face a stated. “If before February 2020, Iran does not boycott,...” Bimeqdar remarked. He noted, “Iran considers enact the Palermo and Terrorist Financing Refusing to join the FATF, he added, bank Russia and China apart from other countries in the JCPOA [the Conventions in line with the FATF Standards, One of the actions Iran is required to take bill at the hands of the Expediency Council. accounts of Iranian traders abroad will be 2015 nuclear deal] especially Germany and England.” then the FATF will fully lift the suspension of to appease the FATF is joining the United In October, Rezaee said the government was blocked. counter-measures and call on its members Nations Convention against Transnational not permitted to join the Palermo Convention. “I have heard that the Russian Foreign Iran’s top commander felicitates and urge all jurisdictions to apply effective Organized Crime (UNTOC), which is also “The bill to join the Palermo Convention Ministry, in a letter, has announced to the counter-measures, in line with recommen- called the Palermo Convention, a 2000 United was rejected in the Supreme Supervisory Board Iranian Foreign Ministry that if Iran does birth anniversary of Jesus dation 19,” the FATF said in a statement at Nations-sponsored multilateral treaty against because it contradicted with the establish- not join the FATF, Moscow will not be able to the time. transnational organized crime. ment’s general policies,” said Rezaee. continue cooperation with Tehran. Certainly Christ, new Christian year “The FATF expects Iran to proceed swiftly The other action is to ratify the CFT, the Also, a member of the Expediency Council exports and imports will face difficulties,” in the reform path to ensure that it address- convention combating financing of terrorism. said on October 14 that the council had set he claimed. POLITICAL TEHRAN — Chief of Staff of the Iranian desk es all of the remaining items by completing On October 7, 2018, the parliament voted aside studies to approve the Palermo bill. “In case of disapproval of the FATF, value Armed Forces has congratulated his Christian and implementing the necessary Anti-Money in favor of the CFT. However, the oversight “Palermo and CFT will help the United of the country’s currency will decrease against counterparts on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Jesus Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Guardian Council rejected the bill by finding States identify the ways we circumvent the dollar which in turn will negatively affect the Christ and advent of the new Christian year. reforms.” 22 faults with it, which put the fate of the sanctions. We will not tighten sanctions prices of goods,” the MP added. In his message issued on Tuesday, Major General Moham- mad Baqeri wrote, “I felicitate the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ, the messenger of peace and friendship, and advent of the new Christian year to the armed forces and the entire Zarif, Ansarullah official hold talks in Oman Christians.” Iran to stay with Oman Sultanate, Zarif POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Tuesday morning during which they explored new avenues Iran welcomes any step to deskMohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his to promote mutual cooperation in trade and economic fields. settle regional wrangling: Twitter account on Tuesday that his country will stay with Oman is the tenth largest importer of Iranian goods. the friendly nation of Oman Sultanate. The Iranian foreign minister also held a meeting with Kharrazi Zarif made a two-day trip to Oman, starting on Monday. Minister of the Royal Office Sultan bin Mohammed Al Namani “Yesterday and today, I visited Muscat to consult with on Tuesday, exchanging views over the latest political and POLITICAL TEHRAN — Kamal Kharrazi, chairman of high-ranking officials of Oman Sultanate over bilateral re- regional developments. deskIran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, lations and regional and international issues,” Zarif said. Also on Tuesday morning, Zarif held a meeting with said on Tuesday that Iran welcomes any step in settling disputes He further touched upon long-term warm relations be- Mohammad Abdolsalam, the spokesman for the Yemeni in the region. tween Iran and Oman and wrote, “We will stay with Oman Ansarullah, in Muscat over the latest field developments Sultanate, a strong government with powerful nation.” in the war-hit Yemen. unofficial meeting between Iran and the U.S. over Tehran’s Iranian, Omani chief diplomats hold talks in Meanwhile on Tuesday afternoon, the Iranian foreign nuclear program, which finally led to the conclusion of the Muscat minister attended a meeting with Fahd bin Mahmoud al JCPOA, took place in Oman. In two separate meetings in Muscat on Monday and Tues- Said, the deputy to Sultan Qaboos. In 2011, Oman also helped release three U.S. nationals, day, the Iranian and Omani foreign ministers exchanged Both officials voiced their countries’ enthusiasm to en- who had illegally entered the Iranian territory from Iraq. views over a number of key regional issues. hance ties. Oman has taken the title of the Switzerland of the Middle Zarif was leading a high-ranking delegation to Muscat. Iran and Oman have been enjoying good economic and East. The Iranian media refer to the Omani foreign minister On Monday afternoon, Zarif and his Omani counterpart political ties over the past several decades. as the “ambassador of peace”. Yosef bin Alawi held their first round of meeting. Oman acted as an intermediary between Iran and the Now the country is mediating between Yemen and Saudi The two top diplomats also held their second meeting on United States during the Obama administration. The first Arabia which have been at war since March 2015.

Fattah says has no intention to contest Jahangiri says U.S. policies to collapse “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always sought to have peaceful relations with the regional countries and welcomes the 2021 presidential election Iranian economy have failed any step in settling regional wrangling disputes,” he said dur- ing a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Iran Chang Hua. POLITICAL TEHRAN — Parviz POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iranian Donald Trump, who unilaterally with- Kharrazi noted that the regional quarreling is rooted in deskFattah, the head of deskFirst Vice President drew the U.S. from the multilateral 2015 certain countries’ dependence on Western powers, especially Mostazafan Foundation, on Tuesday re- Es’haq Jahangiri said on Tuesday that nuclear deal in May 2018 and introduced the United States. jected speculation that he may contest the the United States’ policies against Iran the harshest ever sanctions against Iran “The United States’ abuse of resources in the regional coun- presidential election in 2021. to collapse its economy have failed. under his officially stated “maximum pres- tries is totally obvious. Even the United States’ president has “I have no intention to announce can- “Iran has stood on its feet despite the sure” strategy, has been trying to reach the addressed Saudi Arabia as milk cow and this kind of dependence didacy for the next presidential election,” United States’ animosities, and policies Islamic republic for dialogue. and humiliation is source of regret,” noted Kharrazi, who was Fattah said on the sidelines of a news to collapse Iran’s economy have ended Government spokesman Ali Rabiei foreign minister from 1997-2005 under the Khatami admin- conference arranged to elaborate on the in failure,” Jahangiri said. said on Monday that the U.S. has gained istration. performance of his foundation. Born in Urmia in 1961, he has license of The vice president noted that the U.S. nothing by adopting the policy of max- He noted that in Iran’s view, it is the regional countries who “I am going to remain in the Mostaza- civil engineering from Sharif University of failure shows Iran’s economic capacities. imum pressure against Tehran, noting must maintain security in the region. fan Foundation. My trips to provinces are Technology, a master’s degree in systems Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said such approaches are unable to bring the Chairman of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations carried out according to the Foundation’s engineering from Amirkabir University of on Monday that the White House has no Iranian people to their knees. added that Iran’s Hormuz peace initiative is based on this view. program and have nothing to do with the Technology and a PhD from Imam Hossein way out of standoff with Iran except putting Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on At the United Nations summit in New York in late Septem- mentioned election,” he added. University. an end to its policy of “maximum pressure” December 1 that maximum pressure is a ber, Iran officially unveiled the proposal for regional security. Fatah, a principlist politician, was a After 2009, he became the executive on the Islamic Republic. “wrong policy” and the U.S. must stop it. ‘Iran and China have strategic ties’ member of the Islamic Revolution Guard director of the Bonyad Taavon Sepah, which “The current situation will pass. Soon or Former U.S. Secretary of State John Chang, for his part, said that Iran and China have strategic Corps (IRGC) and energy minister in is the IRGC’s cooperative foundation. He late, the United States has to refrain from Kerry has called policy of “maximum ties, noting that the relations are on the right track. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s first term from was also named deputy commander of the adopting the policy of maximum pressure pressure” on Tehran bankrupt. He added that efforts are being made in line with expanding ties. 2005 to 2009. IRGC construction body, Khatam ol Anbia. on Iran before or after 2020 presidential “We have been pressuring them. Maxi- He was also head of the Imam Khomeini The U.S. Treasury Department put sanc- election,” he said during a meeting with mum pressure… we’re seeing the unfolding Relief Foundation from 2015 until July 22 tions on Fattah in December 2010 due to Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam of really a bankruptcy of approach,” he Noor Ali Tabandeh dies in in the current year. his activities in the Bonyad Taavon Sepah. Jaishankar. told CBS News. hospital in Tehran POLITICAL TEHRAN — Noor Ali Tabandeh, the spiritual Nuclear deal is in trouble: British diplomat deskleader of the Gonabadi Dervishes in Iran, By staff and agency For his part, Patrushev said that the JCPOA must be is over and began to partially reduce its commitments to died of old age in a hospital in Tehran on Tuesday morning. Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Russia Laurie implemented and that Iran must enjoy its benefits. the agreement at bi-monthly intervals. Tabandeh, 92, was admitted to Mehr Hospital in Tehran on Bristow, who is leaving his post, has said that the 2015 Josep Borrell, the new EU foreign policy chief, has said Iran’s moves are based on paragraph 36 of the JCPOA Thursday due to critical health condition and physical weakness. nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of the nuclear deal has benefits for Europe and efforts must which “allows one side, under certain circumstances, to Tabandeh, also known by Action, “is in trouble”. be made to preserve it, IRNA reported on December 16. stop complying with the deal if the other side is out of the title “Majzoub Ali Shah”, “I had in Moscow last week our political director, Richard “The JCPOA is still alive and we make efforts to keep it compliance.” was the spiritual leader or Qutb Moore. Richard is the foreign secretary’s top advisor on alive,” Borrell said, according to a translation of his remarks. In the first stage, Iran announced that it will not limit its of the Ni’matullahi (Sultan Ali matters of international security. He was here with his He noted that the European Union supports the JCPOA stockpile of the nuclear fuel to 300 kilograms allowed under Shahi) Gonabadi Order in Iran, European colleagues, French and German colleagues, to and seeks to preserve it. the deal. On that date (May 8) Iran’s Supreme National which is the largest Sufi sect talk with their Russian colleague, Sergei Ryabkov, about He also said on December 7 that “collective responsibility” Security Council (SNSC) said if the remaining parties to in Iran. the Iran nuclear deal. The reasons you well know. The Iran is needed to stop the JCPOA from breaking apart. the JCPOA, especially Europeans, devise a mechanism to He was born in 1927 in Bey- nuclear deal is in trouble,” he told Interfax in an interview “We have a collective responsibility to preserve #IranDeal,” protect Iran from the sanctions’ effect in the two-month dokht of Gonabad, Khorasan published on Monday. Borrell tweeted. deadline it will reverse its decision. Razavi province. “As the leading members of the international community U.S. President Donald Trump quit the nuclear deal in But since European parties missed the deadline, on July He finished his BA in law – we [Russian and the UK] are both permanent members of May 2018 and introduced the harshest ever sanctions on 7 Iran announced that it has started enriching uranium at the University of Tehran the UN Security Council – we have a special responsibility Iran as part of his administration’s “maximum pressure” to a higher purity than the 3.67%, thereby starting the in 1948 and moved to Franc here to work together to strengthen the international nuclear campaign against Iran. second step. where he received his PhD in non-proliferation arrangements,” he said. Under the JCPOA, Iran promised to put limits on its Again, as Europe missed the second 60-day deadline, law in Paris. During a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary nuclear activities in exchange for the termination of economic Iran moved to take the third step, removing a ban on nuclear After victory of Iran’s rev- Nikolai Patrushev on the sidelines of the Regional Security and financial sanctions. research and development (R&D). olution in 1979, he became Dialogue on Afghanistan in Tehran on December 18, Ali Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, and Iran have In the latest step, which started on November 6, Iran deputy minister of culture and Islamic guidance, deputy jus- Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security been trying to salvage the pact. However, Europeans’ efforts began injecting uranium gas into 1,044 centrifuges at the tice minister and director of Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Council (SNSC), said that if the Europeans fail to fulfil their to protect trade with Iran against the U.S. sanctions have Fordow nuclear site. It was done at the presence of inspectors when Mahdi Bazargan was the prime minister of the interim commitments under the nuclear deal, Iran will have no yielded nothing concrete so far. from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). government. choice but to continue reducing its commitments to the On May 8, exactly one year after the U.S. abandoned Iran has said it will reverse its decision if its economic He had requested to be buried in Beydokht, where he was born. pact in order to create a balance. the deal, Tehran announced that its “strategic patience” interests are guaranteed. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 25, 2019 IRAN IN FOCUS 3 Paul Pillar: If the U.S. wants more out of Iran, Rouhani-Abe meeting shows it will have to agree to more of what Iran wants Iran and Japan are firm to POLITICAL TEHRAN — Paul R. Pil- items on his deal-making agenda—North strengthen ties: Al Mayadeen desklar, a retired CIA officer, Korea’s nuclear weapons and trade with has said U.S. President Donald Trump China—have hit snags and have not yet POLITICAL TEHRAN — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani needs to make a significant change in his furnished breakthroughs. deskand Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Iran policy in order to succeed, arguing Among the indications that Trump meeting shows determination by both sides to deepen ties, Al that hints of such change have already has decided a change is necessary is his Mayadeen has said in a commentary, ISNA reported on Tuesday. appeared. dismissal of Bolton in September 2019. Rouhani met with Abe in Tokyo on December 20. Rouhani In a peace published on The National Differences over North Korea and other was accompanied by a senior political and economic delegation Interest, Pillar said abandoning of the Iran issues also were involved, but Bolton was in his tour of Japan. nuclear deal, also known as the JCPOA, probably the single greatest impediment was motivated by the identification of within the administration to any construc- Barack Obama with the accord. tive dealings with Iran. Trump also has “That the agreement was a signal foreign not stood in the way of French president policy accomplishment of this Democratic Emmanuel Macron’s efforts to broker a president was reason enough to try to de-escalation of U.S.-Iranian tensions. And destroy it,” he said. Trump has been open about welcoming He also argued that the Islamic Republic a presidential-level meeting with Iran. has responded to the U.S. policy of maxi- The principal resistance to initiating mum pressure with “pressure of its own.” U.S.-Iranian negotiations is currently on “If the U.S. administration wants more the Iranian side. Tehran has no interest out of Iran, it will have to agree to more of in any meeting with Trump that would what Iran wants,” said Pillar, the author of be little more than a photo op. Rouhani Why America Misunderstands the World. rebuffed Macron’s attempt to arrange at Excerpts of the piece are presented least a phone call with Trump on the fringes below: of the United Nations General Assembly IN ABANDONING the nuclear deal with session in September. Until current policies Rouhani and Abe have met a couple of times over the past Iran, the Trump administration disrupted If there is no U.S.-Iranian agreement before and circumstances change, meeting with years “which shows that both sides are serious about deepening an international consensus on how to deal the U.S. presidential election of 2020, the the chief of maximum pressure would be and strengthening bilateral ties and are making efforts to remove with Tehran. U.S. policy toward Iran will a big political negative for Rouhani, as it impediments on path of relations,” the TV channel said. now be a story of attempted recovery from prospects for such an accord would be would be for any other Iranian leader. It said that Japan is one of the most important economic the failures of that disruption. Domestic better after the election. The Iranian leadership’s primary partners of Iran. politics drove the original decision to con- strategy regarding Trump has been to see The two countries have not hidden their “good” and “pos- front Iran, and domestic politics, in an satisfaction in how the private sector’s fear gradual expansion of its nuclear program him as an aberration that will pass—to itive” relationship despite pressure by the United States, Al election year, will shape Donald Trump’s of losing access to U.S. markets under- as long as the maximum pressure cam- outwait and outlast him. This was part of Mayadeen added. attempts at avoiding war. Any hope of mined European governments’ efforts to paign continues. their thinking in continuing to observe Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who accompanied salvaging success will require significant circumvent secondary U.S. sanctions. The One reason the economic and political the JCPOA nuclear limits for a year after President Hassan Rouhani to Japan, has said that Iran is aiming change in Trump’s policy, some hints of administration’s policies did not even seem results inside Iran have not been what the Trump’s reneging on the agreement. to strengthen its relationship with Japan, and keep all channels which have already appeared. to dent the existing nuclear restrictions authors of maximum pressure may have A major reason for Iranian diplomats to open, the NHK said in a report on its website on Saturday. The Trump administration’s reneging, on Iran. For a year after the United States hoped for is that Iran—no stranger to hard- stand firm on issues related to the JCPOA Araghchi also announced on Saturday that Tehran and Tokyo beginning in 2018, on U.S. obligations reneged on the JCPOA, Iran—reaffirm- ship in time of war or sanctions—has had is their knowledge that their side is the are resolved to continue their consultations over key international under the JCPOA was foreshadowed by ing its commitment to the agreement and some success in sustaining its “resistance one in the right. It was the United States, and regional issues more closely than ever. earlier Republican attempts during the expressing its desire for full compliance economy” at a stable, albeit much lower not Iran, that reneged on its obligations. Araqchi, who served as Tehran’s ambassador to Tokyo Obama administration to sabotage the with it—continued to observe its own than desired, level. Rouhani was able to Iran’s incremental exceeding, after its in the second half of the 2000s, said Iran has been continu- negotiation of the agreement. Both the obligations under the accord. point to some signs of this—such as the year of patience, of some of the limits ously holding diplomatic talks with Japan but consultations earlier sabotage and the later reneging By mid-2019, however, it was impossi- fact that the non-oil part of Iran’s gdp on uranium enrichment is technically between the countries are now of paramount importance were motivated by the identification of ble to ignore how the “maximum pressure” has increased in recent months—in his not even a violation, given language in as Iran has come under “unfair pressures and sanctions” by Barack Obama with the JCPOA. That campaign was failing on every front. Iran’s speech in September to the United Nations the JCPOA that—as Iranian officials take the United States. the agreement was a signal foreign pol- patience ran out when the Trump admin- General Assembly. Despite the overall pains to point out—explicitly relieves Iran “We have always had close diplomatic consultations with Ja- icy accomplishment of this Democratic istration ended the last of the waivers of contraction of the Iranian economy over the of its obligations if other parties do not pan. This year, due to the current developments, including the president was reason enough to try to sanctions it had placed on purchasers of past year, it still is larger than it was when live up to theirs. U.S. unfair pressures and sanctions on Iran, it was necessary to destroy it. A complementary motivation Iranian oil. Tehran then began a series the JCPOA went into effect in 2015. The As long as Trump is president, there will hold closer and tighter talks with Japan which are an old trade was opposition to the agreement by the of small, incremental moves beyond the International Monetary Fund estimates have to be just enough difference from what partner of Iran,” the deputy foreign minister remarked. Israeli government of Benjamin Netan- JCPOA’s limits on the amount of enriched that contraction of the Iranian economy is on the books for him to be able to claim Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hailed the “sub- yahu, whose unrelenting push to keep uranium that Iran could stockpile and will stop and small growth will resume in that the new deal is a vastly “better deal.” stantive, friendly and frank” summit between Rouhani and Iran ostracized served several political the level of enrichment. Using the same 2020. The value of the rial relative to the But if the U.S. administration wants more Abe, saying the meeting aimed to strengthen ties between purposes, including promoting Israel’s strategy it employed before the JCPOA was U.S. dollar has gained appreciably since out of Iran, it will have to agree to more of the two countries. relations with the [Persian] Gulf Arab negotiated, Tehran gradually ramped up April 2019 and is well above its record what Iran wants. President Rouhani said “Substantive, friendly and frank summit between President monarchies and diverting international its nuclear activity to pressure the United low of September 2018. so in his speech to the General Assembly, @HassanRouhani and Prime Minister @AbeShizo: further attention from Israel’s own policies. States and other foreign states to negotiate Trump may not understand most of making clear that Iran would be satisfied strengthening bilateral, regional and global cooperation,” Zarif Vague references to a “better deal” did seriously about sanctions relief. Iran, in the reasons his Iran policy has not been with everyone returning to full compliance tweeted on December 20. not clarify the Trump administration’s other words, has been responding to max- working, and maybe he will not openly with the JCPOA but that “if you require Following his meeting with Abe, Rouhani tweeted on Friday: desired end game. Different players in imum pressure with pressure of its own. admit that failure. But he can see that it more, you should also pay more.” “I welcome any effort that could boost economic exchanges, es- the administration had differing desires. With each of its incremental steps, Iran is failing. He is thinking of Iran policy not If there is no U.S.-Iranian agreement pecially in the energy sector, and increase oil exports.” Especially evident was a division between has emphasized that what it has done is just in anti-Obama or pro-Likud terms, before the U.S. presidential election of During his meeting with Abe, Rouhani said that he hopes Japan Trump, who wants deals, and his former easily reversible and that its objective is but also as an opportunity for a deal. He 2020, the prospects for such an accord and other countries in the world will work hard to help preserve National Security Advisor John Bolton, a return of everyone to full compliance probably has concluded that he needs would be better after the election. This the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the JCPOA. who always wanted a war. For a while with the JCPOA. Iran will continue the a deal with Iran because the other big would most obviously be true if a Dem- Abe, for his part, said, “Japan would like to do its utmost to after the initial reneging in mid-2018, the ocrat unseats Trump, but the prospects ease tensions and stabilize the situation in the Middle East.” differences did not seem to matter. As U.S. Freed of election-related dependence on conceivably might improve even in a sec- “As for Iran, I strongly hope the country will fully imple- violations of the JCPOA escalated into financial backers firmly opposed to doing ond Trump term. Freed of election-related ment the nuclear agreement and play a constructive role unrestricted economic warfare against dependence on financial backers firmly for peace and stability in the region,” the Japanese prime Iran, the administration pointed to the any business with Iran, Trump might be opposed to doing any business with Iran, minister noted. significant damage inflicted on the Iranian better able to focus on building a legacy Trump might be better able to focus on economy as if that were ipso facto a positive building a legacy of deals rather than achievement. The administration took of deals rather than of wars. of wars. Tehran rejects Reuters’ claim From Nuclear to NewClear on unrest death toll INSTEX even for trade permitted under US sanctions. The demand, but was simply due to the inability of oil buy- 1 While much is made of the UK›s special relation- 1 UK may now transcend the INSTEX Euro trade clearing ers to clear payments using bank channels. Meanwhile, In a report on Monday, Reuters claimed that about 1,500 ship with the US, this has been poisoned by a unilateralist people were killed during less than two weeks of unrest across Trump administration which is thoroughly despised by the mechanism by creating a complementary trade clearing in Tehran I proposed, at a major conference chaired by system in London. H E Nematzadeh, a simple prepay instrument (“Petro”) Iran that started on November 15. UK ruling class from which PM Johnson springs. Despite “The toll, provided to Reuters by three Iranian Interior Ministry a great deal of pro-American and anti-European rhetoric So a new UK/Iran trade clearing system may directly returnable in payment for fuel supply. connect businesses wishing to supply for use in Iran per- As an energy prepay (“credit”) instrument Iran›s officials, included at least 17 teenagers and about 400 women from within Johnson›s party, the reality is that, not least as well as some members of the security forces and police,” the for geographic reasons, two thirds of UK trade is with EU missible technologies such as desalination and renewable reality-based Petro will be issued by fuel producers or energy in particular. refiners, not by Iran›s banks or government. The New- London-based news outlet claimed. members and this is unlikely to change soon. The report came a month after protests erupted in some cit- PM Johnson is pragmatic enough, and has a big enough How may this be achieved? Clear combination of transparent issuance, professional Petro Fintech system management and mutual assurance by a Protection ies in Iran against increasing gasoline price. In certain cases, parliamentary majority for the next five years, to allow the protests turned violent as some rioters clashed with police, his more anti-European & pro-US elements to say what Financial Technology is the combination of law & ac- and Indemnity (P&I) club agreement will enable a Petro counting with information and communications technology Clearing Union. using knives and guns. they like while he does what he likes. So what practical Rioters damaged public and private property and put banks steps could be taken to improve UK/Iranian relationship? (ICT). A new generation of online businesses emerged Proofs of Concept around 2001 from the ‹Internet Bubble› of complex and Every network is founded by its first connection. and state buildings on fire. Trade Clearing The protests ended after a few days. That PM Johnson is willing to engage with Iran was clear crazy ventures. A similar new wave of Fintech is now There is no reason why Iran›s frozen assets in the emerging from the initial wave of “Blockchain” secure UK, whether long outstanding debts, or ongoing gas Amnesty International claimed on December 16 that at least from his visit to Tehran two years ago in December 2017. 304 people were killed during the unrest. The number has been Unfortunately for him, his predecessor PM Theresa May, shared databases and “Coin” financial instruments with production, cannot be mobilised using simple effec- complex and vulnerable connections to the conventional tive energy credit clearing. In this way, projects may widely used by news media outlets despite the fact that Iran under instructions from the US, killed the release to Iran has repeatedly rejected any international estimate as “invalid”. via the banking system of long outstanding funds which financial system. be mobilised in Iran exempt from US sanctions and In the field of energy fintech Venezuela›s Petro instru- with suppliers and contractors willing and able to Government spokesman Ali Rabiei said earlier this month that could open the way to further trust-building measures. the only reason the government has not announced the death New financial technology (Fintech) presents new ment is an excellent case study. The first problem with this implement them, but unable to access conventional Petro is that it is technically backed, not by (say) gasoline payment via banking channels. toll is a request to hold off by the SNSC – a body responsible to options for innovative UK trade clearing which enable safeguard the country’s security. bank payment channels to be transcended. In the energy or diesel fuel which the average Venezuelan can use, but Moreover, in Iran itself, all of the elements now exist to by heavy grades of crude oil useful only to a few complex rapidly introduce the Petro domestically in order to reduce “The government, via coordination with the Judiciary and the field, the UK may go beyond the political EU Energy Un- Interior Ministry, will announce the death toll soon,” Rabiei said. ion project which aimed to both create a pan-European refineries. Secondly, this technical oil backing is useless the initial frictions from reducing subsidies. even to complex refineries because Venezuela will not ac- My colleagues and I stand ready, as we have since He was responding to a claim made by U.S. special rep- market in energy as a commodity and support the Euro resentative for Iran Brian Hook, who had said earlier that as a currency by securing € denominated debt on energy. cept the Petro from them instead of dollars or even Euros 2004, to at last commence the implementation of a new in payment for oil. generation of financial technology both domestically and more than a thousand people might have been killed during The fundamental flaw of the INSTEX mechanism is that the protests. it is reliant on banks as payment channels, and no major In October 2008, the global banking system froze and in bilateral UK/Iran trade clearing: in this way Iran may the oil price collapsed, which OPEC mistook for lack of advance from nuclear to NewClear agreements. Reuters’ Monday report also claimed that Iran’s Supreme bank wishing to clear dollars is prepared to participate in Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had ordered top security and government officials to “do whatever it takes to stop them.” Zarifian Yeganeh did not specifically mention that part of the Saudi Arabia has no option but to normalize ties with Iran: special advisor report, but said Ayatollah Khamenei had ordered Iranian officials TEHRAN (MNA) — Iranian Parliament During the meeting, when asked about oritized the wrong way of war by overt Republic of Iran has submitted a demo- to follow up on the cases of victims of the unrest, express sym- speaker’s special adviser on international the prospect of reconciliation between and support of terrorists over a political cratic solution to the United Nations that pathy with their families and compensate them for their losses. affairs has said that Saudi Arabia has no Iran and Saudi Arabia, he said “We have solution, and in doing so, have undermined calls for a referendum among the genuine Earlier this month, the Leader urged relevant state bodies to choice other than reestablishing normal always welcomed constructive and good the security of the region. We hope to see people of Palestine, including the Jews, practice Islamic mercy when dealing with those who committed relations with Iran. neighborly relations with Saudi Arabia the Riyadh rulers change their attitude Christians and Muslims.” acts of violence or caused insecurity in the protests. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the and believe that Riyadh has no other way towards the security and stability of the “Of course, the Zionists who have also He said those who were killed without being involved in pro- remarks during a meeting with a group of than to return to normal relations with region.” played the genuine Jews living in occupied voking riots should be considered martyrs and their families students and some members of Japan’s Tehran.” While discussing Israel’s destabiliz- Palestinian lands, have shown that they should receive stipends. Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Tehran He went on to add, however, that “the ing measures in the region, the Iranian only understand the language of resist- Ayatollah Khamenei also called for Islamic mercy in dealing on Monday. current rulers of Saudi Arabia have pri- parliamentary official said “The Islamic ance,” he added. with those suspects involved in sabotage acts. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 4 ECONOMY DECEMBER 25, 2019

STOCK MARKET Iran, India to expand TEDPIX 362259.4 IFX 4666.47 transit co-op through Sources: tse.ir, Ifb.ir

CURRENCIES Chabahar port USD 42,000 rials 1 According to Eslami, Chabahar Iran’s only oceanic port. EUR 46,571 rials port has the capacity of transporting 11 million Due to its strategic geographical po- tons of goods, but currently only a small part sitioning, Chabahar port holds a great GBP 54,361 rials [20-25 percent] of this capacity is being used. significance for Iran both politically and AED 11,437 rials The minister also noted that in his meet- economically. ing with Jaishankar, the two sides have After years of negotiation, Iran has Source: cbi.ir reached some new agreements, mostly in awarded the development project of this the transport and transit areas. port to India, and the South Asian country “At this meeting we discussed several committed $500 million to build two new issues with the Indian side and specialized berths in this port. Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami (R) and India’s COMMODITIES committees were formed whose focus will However, after the U.S. reimposed sanc- Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discuss expansion of transport be on expanding and increasing the transit tions on Iran in November, the future of Brent $65.62/b ties in Tehran on Monday. capacity,” Eslami said. many Iranian projects including Chabahar WTI $60.64/b Located at southeastern Iran, on the port was shadowed by the consequences But following several rounds of nego- the U.S. administration finally exempted OPEC Basket $67.93/b Gulf of Oman, Chabahar is the home for of the sanctions. tiations and discussions with New Delhi, the Chabahar project from the sanctions. Gold $1,492.65/oz Silver $$17.66/oz Private sector dissatisfied with national budget bill Platinium $943.80/oz 1 Shafe’i further referred to the remarks made by the the government, ICCIMA head noted and complained that Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei it’s a couple of years that such thing is stressed but nothing Sources: oilprice.com, Moneymetals.com about the necessity of laying the ground for better activity is done in practice. of the private sector and noted, “The leader has said that Also, TCCIMA head believes that more tax income pre- the governmental organizations should improve business dicted in the budget bill is not realistic. Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia environment and the regulations related to the financial, Tax incomes are predicted to be 1.95 quadrillion rials monetary, banking, customs, budget, social security, and (about $46.42 billion), rising 27 percent from 1.72 quad- major export destinations other related sectors should be changed in favor of produc- rillion rials (about $40.95 billion) envisaged in the present of Iran’s dairy products tion and to reduce the imports.” year’s budget. Higher budget for government contradicts Khansari says that as the Iranian economy has been in ECONOMY TEHRAN— Iraq, Afghanistan and Russia are downsizing approach recession over the two past years such figure is somehow deskthe major export destinations of Iranian dairy Masoud Khansari, the head of Tehran Chamber of Com- unrealistic. products, the secretary of Iran’s Dairy Industries Association said merce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA), is of Private sector is also dissatisfied with some other parts of in a press conference on Monday. the opinion that higher budget allocated to the governmental the budget bill, for example predicting issuance of securities Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Reza Bakeri added that after the three mentioned countries, the bodies stands in sharp contrast to the approach for down- worth 800 trillion rials (about $19 billion). on November 14, ICCIMA head said that the budget bill’s Persian Gulf states account for the most part of dairy imports from sizing the government, something the country has been Those active in this sector believe that it is a high figure estimated figure for the government’s incomes is optimistic Iran, adding that export of Iran’s dairy products to Russia has been seriously emphasizing in the recent years. and if the government cannot repay on due time it will create and reaching it seems very difficult, unless the government recently increased, IRIB reported. During a meeting with the TCCIMA’s board of represent- some high debt for the next government. atives on November 16, the official referred to the nearly adopts some new strategies. Meanwhile, if the people cannot afford to buy the securi- 16-percent increase in the government’s budget allocated Shafe’i further said that the government is better to re- ties, the banks should buy them, and as the result the banks’ in the budget bill and said how such increase is estimated duce its expenditures rather than seeking new sources of sources for paying facilities will decrease, so the enterprises when the leader and president both are constantly saying income, and lamented that the approach of reducing the will receive less facilities and face lack of liquidity. that the government should be downsized. government’s costs is always ignored when preparing the Private sector also disagrees with allocation of dollar Government optimistic about its incomes budget bill. based on the official rate of 42,000 rials for imports of some Private sector also criticizes some other parts of the budget “If the government focuses on lowering its costs, better commodities, complaining that just some importers can bill, for example the government’s income predicted in the bill. results will be definitely obtained”, the official stressed. receive foreign currency at this rate and it will have no result In a meeting with the board of representatives of Mashhad One of the ways to materialize such objective is downsizing rather than corruption.

Zarif holds talks with Iranian Iran has taken significant steps to

The official further put the country’s annual dairy products output businessmen in Oman counter money laundering: fin. min. at seven million tons and said that of this figure some 450,000 tons ECONOMY TEHRAN – Iran’s ECONOMY TEHRAN — Iranian laundering working groups to intensify valued at $770 million are exported. deskForeign Minister deskFinance and Economic the country’s campaign against financing He also said that some 120,000 persons have direct jobs while Mohammad Javad Zarif met with a group of Affairs Minister Farhad Dejpasand said on terrorism. 480,000 persons have indirect jobs in 400 companies active in Iranian businessmen residing in Oman on Monday that Iran has taken very effective “The entire executive bodies, including dairy industry in Iran. Monday night, Mehr News Agency reported. and practical measures for countering Interior Ministry, Trade Ministry, Foreign Elsewhere in his remarks, Bakeri complained that dairy produc- In the meeting, the businessmen money laundering and cooperation with Ministry, Justice Ministry, Police, Iran tion units are currently working with half capacity in the country, discussed various issues with Zarif and Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Custom Administration, Central Bank of adding, “Of course, the condition can be changed and production explored ways of improving their trade Dejpasand made the remarks in Iran (CBI) and intelligence and security capacity can be increased through the help of government.” in the Arab country. a meeting with ambassadors and bodies are duty bounded to prepare Accompanied by a high-ranking representatives of some Asian and required information and data for the delegation, Zarif visited Muscat on Monday European countries in Tehran, IRNA specialized working groups,” Rabiei Euro set to strengthen going for talks with senior Omani officials on key bilateral trade ties. reported. stated. into 2020 bilateral, regional and international issues. An Iran-Oman business forum was Iran’s high council for the prevention Later that month, Central Bank of Despite the U.S. re-imposition of held in early December, in which the two of money laundering and terrorism Iran also obliged all the country’s banks By Tom Holian sanctions against the Islamic Republic, countries explored ways of further boosting financing convenes regularly under the and credit institutions to establish anti- Analysts have stated that the euro is set to strengthen in the next Oman is getting closer to Iran both politically economic relations. chairmanship of the economy minister money laundering units. quarter. Going into a New Year can be daunting for any currency as and economically. There is also the same Hosted by Iran Chamber of Commerce and many government agencies are At the beginning of the current year, it enters a new period of possibilities. approach adopted by Iran, as Iranian Industries, Mines and Agriculture members of this council, according to the Expediency Council gave approval However, analysts at CIBC have pointed out that the global economic companies now prefer to conduct trade (ICCIMA), the forum was attended by Dejpasand. to an anti-money laundering bill seen sentiment is improving, and the chances of economic stabilization with Oman rather than the United Arab senior officials including Iranian Industry, The official stated that the country’s as crucial to maintaining international should be enough to see the euro prosper going into 2020. Emirates (UAE), given that the UAE is highly Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani, anti-money laundering code has been trade and banking ties. Analysts at the CIBC have stated that the EUR is in good posi- complying with the sanctions. Oman’s Minister of Industry and Commerce passed by the government and is currently The bill on amending the law to tioning to benefit from the proposed pick-up in global sentiment Iran is somehow replacing some of its Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy, and ICCIMA being implemented. counter money laundering was approved and economic stabilization. They also gave an insight into what the previous strategic trade partners such as Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie. “The code is in complete compliance with certain changes and sent to the EUR might look like up against UAE with Oman, considering the Sultanate Speaking in the event, Al Sunaidy with international standards and it also Majlis speaker to be communicated to the D going into Q1 and Q2, with as an economic-trade hub. put the two countries’ trade turnover at fully covers the country’s needs,” he the government. a returning value of 1.12 and 1.14 During the current year, there have been nearly $1 billion, saying “in the past, the stressed. The Expediency Council settles respectively. many meetings and negotiations between two countries’ trade barely reached a few Back in October, spokesman for disputes between parliament, which The analysts are suggesting trade and economic officials from the state- million dollars and we have witnessed the Iranian government Ali Rabiei had approved the bill last year, and the that the “stars are starting to align run and private sectors of the two sides with a significant development in economic announced that the government was Guardian Council, which vets all for EUR bulls”, but they have taken the aim of strengthening and expanding relations.” planning to form specialized anti-money legislation and had rejected it. note that the monetary policy is still quite loose. On the other hand, manufac- turing sentiment is beginning to Iran-Vietnam trade more than doubled in a year recover, especially in Germany ECONOMY TEHRAN – Head of Iran-Vietnam Joint third countries and is estimated to be around $700 million,” He further announced that Trade Promotion Organiza- after two sluggish quarters of deskChamber of Commerce says the value of Mostafa Mousavi told ILNA. tion of Iran is going to hold the first Iran-Vietnam economic growth. This inspires positivity trade between the two countries reached $352 million in the The Asian country is eager for boosting its trade with working group on January 5, in which the two countries are for the EUR outlook and it appears end of the Iranian calendar year of 1397 (March 20, 2019), Iran and considering the banking issues the two countries going to sign a memorandum of understanding for expansion that the setbacks from the latter up over 100 percent from $172 million in the preceding year. trade is mostly done through bartering, the official said. of economic cooperation. end of this year are starting to be “According to the official statistics, the worth of trade According to Mousavi, because of the sanctions most of Vietnam is one of the world’s major producers of non- on the road to recovery. between the two countries stood at $352 million in the Iran’s exports to Vietnam are being done through Turkey oil commodities and its products are of very high quality. On the global trade front, the sentiment is improving and this is previous Iranian calendar year [1397], the figure, however, and Oman, while Vietnamese goods are imported through The country was the 45th exporter of goods to Iran during good news for the euro. The Trump Administration has also extended is not approved by the joint chamber, since due to the U.S. the UAE, which has led to not being mentioned in the official the past Iranian calendar year. The country mainly exported the final decision about auto tariffs into May 2020, further bolstering sanctions much of the two countries’ trade is done through statistics of the two countries. coffee, pepper, fish feed and cellphones to Iran. the positive swing of momentum. Added to this, a Conservative sweep in the UK general election should ensure that the withdrawal agreement should finally be passed before the January 31st deadline, which will open up the floor for the India now in the midst of major economic slowdown, urgent actions needed: IMF trade talks to begin between the UK and the EU. At a time when India’s economy is suffering from an acute The government, however, has limited space to boost The president of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde slowdown, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the spending for supporting growth given the current debt sit- gave further support for the euro as optimism was spread surrounding current downturn can only be reversed through “urgent” uation and interest payments, warned IMF. the domestic picture for the EUR. policy actions. IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath said last week that In her first speech she pointed out that stabilization in the Eu- IMF in its annual review said declining consumption India’s slowdown had “surprised to the downside” and it rozone economy is evident and that there were signs of increase in and investment accompanied by falling tax revenue have is planning to significantly downgrade growth estimates underlying prices. arrested India’s GDP growth, which was one of the fastest for the Indian economy in the World Economic Outlook However, the optimism will only push so far as the ECB is still a in the world just a year ago. report, which it will release next month. long way from paring back its large stimulus program, especially as IMF Asia and Pacific Department’s Ranil Salgado told The international fund earlier slashed its India 2019 the bank will only begin to review the strategy next month. news agency AFP that India is now in the midst of a signif- growth forecast by nearly a full point to 6.1 percent; the However, with the D currently facing pressures, notably President icant slowdown and only quick policy actions can reverse outlook for 2020 was also lowered to 7 percent. Trump’s impeachment complexities, the EUR’s topside against the the slowdown. Salgado also said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and brought it to a nine-year low. The central bank did not dollar looks more attractive and this will hopefully bring about positive “Addressing the current downturn and returning In- has space to cut policy rates further, especially if the period cut rates in its December review, citing a potential increase change to the outlook of the euro. dia to a high growth path requires urgent policy actions,” of slowdown extends further. in inflation. (Source: poundsterlingforecast.com) Salgado said. But the RBI has already cut rates five times this year (Source: indiatoday.in) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 25, 2019 ENERGY 5

Numerous water, electricity projects Energy abundance is the new normal for oil

Global oil markets notched up a number of milestones this inaugurated in northeastern Iran year that echoed the story of the past decade: the world has shifted from an era of supply tightness to plenty. What distinguished the developments of 2019 was not just ENERGY TEHRAN — Iranian En- electricity projects across the country every how big they were but often how little impact they had. From deskergy Minister Reza Arda- week. the world’s biggest-ever initial public offering to its worst-ever kanian inaugurated 18 water and electricity In late November, Ardakanian said 227 supply disruption, a barrage of sanctions on exporters to two projects worth 95.4 trillion rials (about $227 major water and electricity projects worth OPEC interventions, never before had so many momentous million) on Tuesday during his one-day visit 331.74 trillion rials (about $7.89 billion) events left investors so unmoved. to the northeastern province of Khorasan will be inaugurated in the country in the Razavi, IRNA reported. second half of the current Iranian calendar Two 400 kilowatt (KW) electricity sub- year (ends on March 19, 2020). stations with 19 trillion rials (about $45.2 According to the minister, currently, million) of investment, an earthfill dam several dams are under construction in project worth 21.5 trillion rials (about $50 Tehran, Ilam, Qom, Yazd, Kerman, West million) as well as several water and waste- Azarbaijan and Semnan provinces and when water projects were among the inaugurated operational they will add 745 million cubic projects. meters to Iranian dams’ water capacity. The mentioned projects were inaugu- Over the said period, 1,124 villages would rated as a part of a major program called also be supplied with drinkable water and “A B Iran” [the acronyms A and B stand for 29 Wastewater treatment plants, over 3,000 water, electricity in Persian”, in which 10 megawatts (MW) capacity of thermal power trillion rials (over $238 million) of projects plants and 278 MW capacity of renewable will be inaugurated in each of the country’s power plants, as well as projects for increasing provinces, on average. the efficiency of the country’s agricultural Based on the “A B Iran” program, Energy Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian inaugurates Abiverd earthfill dam in Dargaz sector through modernizing the irrigation Ministry plans to inaugurate some water, county in northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi on Tuesday. systems, are planned to be inaugurated.

At the heart of that indifference was the force that has transformed world energy balances over the past 10 years: Daily gasoline consumption falls to 75m liters the American revolution in shale oil and gas, which is cush- ENERGY TEHRAN – Average daily gasoline liters of gasoil was also consumed in the country, which ioning global markets against shocks that would once have deskconsumption in Iran fell to 75 million liters shows an increase of 41.3 percent compared to the same sent prices rocketing. This too achieved a landmark in 2019, in the previous Iranian calendar month of Azar (November period last year, he said. turning the U.S. into a net exporter of crude and refined oil. 22-December 21) following the implementation of the rationing Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh had And there was another turning point showing the years scheme, according to the managing director of National earlier pointed to curbing consumption and increasing ahead may also be marked by supply abundance. For the Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC). export capacity as the most important goals of the gasoline first time, the world’s leading energy institution predicted “The average daily consumption of gasoline in the 30- rationing plan. that demand for oil - once expected to keep growing almost day period of Azar reached 75.5 million liters, a decrease Vakilzadeh had also predicted that with the implementation indefinitely - will stall at the turn of the next decade. of 15.9 percent compared to 89.8 million liters in the same of the Fuel Management Plan, the daily consumption of “This year is probably the first in my recollection where oil period last year,” Amir Vakilzadeh told Shana. gasoline in the country would be reduced by 8-10 percent prices so extremely decoupled from geopolitical risk,” said According to the official, the fall in gasoline consumption over the next three or four months. Amy Myers Jaffe, senior energy and environment fellow at as a result of the implementation of the rationing scheme In mid-November, The Iranian government started the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. “It was also the is significant because the country’s fuel consumption was rationing of subsidized gasoline and increased fuel prices year when analysts and car companies started to talk about following an upward trend before gasoline was rationed. as part of a plan to reduce the energy subsides to use the the possibility of peak car and peak demand with increasing “The average daily gasoline consumption since the revenue for supporting underprivileged families. probability.” beginning of the [current Iranian calendar] year (started Later that month, deputy finance and economic affairs in the country on a daily basis. If we could reduce fuel The biggest headlines of 2019 came out of the world’s on March 21) was about 94.4 million liters, which showed minister said the fuel rationing plan would make the country consumption by 10 million liters and sell it to other Persian largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia. Riyadh finally floated part a 6.1-percent increase compared to the average daily able to export 3.65 billion liters of gasoline every year and earn Gulf neighbors, we would export about four billion rials of state oil giant Saudi Aramco after a laborious three-year consumption for the previous year,” Vakilzade said. about 14 trillion rials (about $3.3 billion) from the exports. (about $952,000) a day, that would be 14 trillion rials a process, securing a valuation of $2 trillion that made it the In the mentioned period, an average of 134.400 million “On average, 100 million liters of gasoline is produced year,” Mohammad-Ali Dehghan Dehnavi told ILNA. world’s biggest company. The local buyers Yet the 1.5% stake sold was just a portion of the original plan, and mostly marketed to local buyers instead of the for- Oil prices rise in quiet Christmas Eve trade amid supply cuts eign investors once courted, as fund managers balked at the lofty asking price. Oil prices rose on Tuesday in thin pre-Christ- Russian energy minister Alexander Novak Tonhaugen, head of oil market research at U.S. stocks are up around 1% this year. The sudden loss of 5.7 million barrels a day was exactly mas trading after Russia’s energy minister said in an interview on Monday. Rystad Energy, said in a note. Crude stocks are, however, expected to the crisis the industry had feared for decades, and in previous said cooperation with OPEC to support the Cooperation with the Organization of The “OPEC cuts didn’t fully solve the prob- have fallen by about 1.8 million barrels last years might have triggered a prolonged rally. Although prices market would continue and as analysts fore- the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) lem – instead they offer a light bandage to week, a second week of declines, according initially rocketed 19% in an unprecedented surge, the gains cast a second weekly decline in U.S. crude would continue “until the market requires get through the first quarter of 2020,” said to a preliminary Reuters poll. dissipated in two weeks. inventories. it,” Novak added. Tonhaugen, adding “after that, we believe Still, gasoline stocks are expected to have Riyadh’s attempts to shore up oil prices also yielded lack- Brent crude LCOc1 was up 12 cents, or OPEC and other producers agreed in No- the market will begin to realize the looming risen for a seventh week in a row and distillate luster results. 0.2%, at $66.51 a barrel by 0702 GMT. U.S. vember to extend and deepen output curbs oversupply.” inventories are forecast to have gained for a The Saudis led the OPEC cartel and its partners in not West Texas Intermediate CLc1 was 7 cents in place since 2017. The reduction of output U.S. producers have been happy to fill any fifth consecutive week. one but two coordinated production cutbacks this year, an higher at $60.59 a barrel. could see as much as 2.1 million barrels per gaps in the market, pumping ever greater The weekly government report on inven- unusual level of activity for the organization, and reduced OPEC, Russia and other producers that day (bpd) taken off the market, or about 2% amounts of crude to reach a record high of tories has been delayed by two days due to its own output far more than initially planned. have linked up to curtail production and sup- of global demand. around 13 million bpd in November. Christmas. The report is normally released Their efforts were amplified by extreme levels of political port prices will continue their cooperation Still, OPEC needs to do more to balance That has helped swell inventories, which today at 10:30 A.M. EST (1530 GMT). involvement in the oil market, as U.S. sanctions squeezed as long as it is “effective and brings results,” out the market on a sustainable basis, Bjornar have been stubbornly resistant to drawdowns. (Source: reuters.com) exports from OPEC members Iran and Venezuela to the lowest in decades. Yet prices remain about 12% below this year’s high, trading near $66 a barrel in London. Global coal demand declines while renewables on the rise: IEA The main source of the cartel’s struggle remained the U.S. shale-oil industry, which has turned the country into the world’s By Christopher Hopson its share will decline from 38% in 2018 to through to 2024, although the speed of the to fuel their economic growth. Natural gas biggest oil producer, and propelled nationwide production 35% in 2024. However, this still means coal declines is expected to slow unless coal comes and oil have traditionally been the main to a new record of almost 13 million barrels a day this year. Global coal demand is expected to decline remains by far the single largest source of under additional pressure from stronger sources of power generation in Pakistan, this year but to remain broadly stable over Even as the shale boom shows some signs of slowing, pro- power supply worldwide. climate policies or lower-than-expected but the country has commissioned 5GW duction from offshore deposits once thought unviable in an era the next five years – a period during which The Coal 2019 analysis says public oppo- gas prices. of coal power capacity since 2017, and renewables will supply a major portion of of low prices - such as Brazil and Norway - is springing to life. sition to coal is growing, many countries are “Wind and solar PV are growing rapidly another 5GW is set to come online in the “Despite major geopolitical tensions around the world, increasing power demand, according to the mulling stronger climate and environmental in many parts of the world. With investment next few years. International Energy Agency (IEA). oil markets have remained surprisingly calm,” said Fatih policies, and renewables and gas are becoming in new plants drying up, coal power capac- In Bangladesh, where natural gas has long Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency The drop in coal demand in 2019 results increasingly competitive. ity outside Asia is clearly declining and will generated the bulk of electricity supply, coal mainly from coal-fired electricity generation, in Paris. “This is mainly due to significant amounts of oil But the IEA points out that ultimately, continue to do so in the coming years,” said will gain share in the coming years, with 10GW supply coming into the market from the U.S. as a result of which is set to experience its largest ever global trends will largely depend on China, Keisuke Sadamori, the IEA’s director of en- of capacity in the pipeline. decline – of over 250TWh, or more than the shale revolution, and from other non-OPEC producers.” where half of the world’s coal is produced ergy markets and security. “In 2019, global coal power generation The transformation though isn’t confined to the supply 2.5%. This drop is led by double-digit falls and consumed. “But this is not the end of coal, since de- will experience the biggest drop ever and in U.S. and European demand, according to side of the market. In Europe and the U.S., the analysis shows mand continues to expand in Asia,” Sadamori coal power generation in India will prob- The IEA, which for years projected that oil demand would the IEA’s Coal 2019, which contains analysis coal power generation is sinking to levels not added. The “region’s share of global coal power ably decline for the first time in 45 years,” and forecasts through to 2024. increase for the foreseeable future, predicted last month that seen in decades. Growth in wind and solar generation has climbed from just over 20% Sadamori said. consumption will plateau at the turn of the next decade as The Paris-based agency said it is too soon PV, low natural gas prices and stagnating in 1990 to almost 80% in 2019, meaning The “global picture, however, has not to say whether the expected global decrease efforts to avert catastrophic climate change spur the use of electricity demand have created a perfect coal’s fate is increasingly tied to decisions changed much. Coal is disappearing in more efficient car engines and electric cars. in coal power generation this year will be the storm for coal in both regions, where plant made in Asian capitals.” many advanced economies, but it remains start of a lasting trend. Electricity generation Growth in world oil will dwindle retirements continue to take place. The report highlights that countries in resilient and is even continuing to grow in Growth in world oil demand will dwindle from about 1 from coal will only rise marginally over the Trends will continue South and Southeast Asia – such as India, developing Asia.” next five years, at less than 1% per year – and million barrels a day, or 1%, currently to roughly 100,000 a The IEA said these trends will continue Indonesia and Vietnam – are relying on coal (Source: rechargenews.com) day in the 2030s, the IEA said. Sales of passenger vehicles with internal combustion engines are probably already in decline, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The change is increasingly occupying financial investors, Solar Provider Group plans to invest D 250m in Brazil who are shifting their portfolios from fossil fuels to more Solar Provider Group (SPG), a Toronto, Canada based global in the renewable power industry. “I am excited at the op- sustainable energy sources. Reflecting that anxiety, the or- solar development company, has arranged a team to enter the portunity the Brazilian market represents, for both Solar ganizers of the “Oil & Money” conference, held annually in Brazilian solar market with the goal to complete investments Provider Group, and the global solar industry. We look for- London for the past four decades, announced a re-branding totaling D 250 million over the next five years. ward to building strong partnerships and providing clean, that will remove both words from the title. “I am excited at the opportunity the Brazilian market sustainable energy to my home country of Brazil,” said Frota. Perhaps the greatest symbol of changing attitudes has been represents, for both Solar Provider Group, and the global With its financing, structuring, engineering and devel- the rise of 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist Greta solar industry. We look forward to building strong partner- opment expertise, SPG is looking to build relationships with Thunberg. The “strike for climate” she began at school last ships and providing clean, sustainable energy to my home Brazilian solar companies that excel at permitting and de- year became a global phenomenon, leading her to address country of Brazil.” velopment on a local level. the United Nations in New York and earn Time magazine’s The solar market in Brazil is growing exponentially, with SPG has the experience in forming strong partnership ‘Person of the Year’ award - a level of international popularity 3.3 GW deployed in 2019 alone, 44% growth since 2018, and executing at scale, thus increasing deployment speed the organizers of the Aramco IPO can only dream of. and an estimated 126 GW by 2040. and adding value. These were the details of the news Energy abundance is Public opinion and support has been essential for this Having applied this strategy successfully in various emerg- the new normal for oil for this day. We hope that we have substantial growth. In a recent survey by Ibope Inteligencia, ing economies across the globe, SPG’s approach benefits all succeeded by giving you the full details and information. To 93% of Brazilians want to produce their own renewable strategy. parties involved, including helping local developers to scale follow all our news, you can subscribe to the alerts system or to electricity at home. The solar markets faster and more profitably while minimizing project attrition. one of our different systems to provide you with all that is new. Additionally, in a 2015 survey done by DataSenado, 85% of With a track record that spans 11 countries and over a SPG is also looking to build relationships with corporations It is also worth noting that the original news has been Brazilians supported more public investments in renewable dozen U.S. states, the company excels at executing in young, with significant energy costs that are interested in buying published and is available at Gulf News and the editorial energies, such as solar and wind. fast-growing solar markets. solar power at a discount compared to current retail prices. team at AlKhaleej Today has confirmed it and it has been The government’s goal is to attract $8 billion in private To achieve its ambitions goals, SPG is looking for local SPG’s one-stop solution enables companies to switch a modified, and it may have been completely transferred or direct investments, generating more than 160,000 new jobs. development partners in Brazil, as well as corporate buyers substantial portion of their energy consumption to cheaper quoted from it and you can read and follow this news from SPG believes that the Brazilian market has the right set of energy. and cleaner power in a simple, sustainable fashion. its main source. of opportunities that fit perfectly into the company’s global The SPG team is led by Cesar Frota, a veteran executive (Source: businesswire.com) (Source: alkhaleejtoday.com) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 6 INTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 25, 2019

Nord Stream 2 sanctions are Disruptive decade: Ten things the a win-win for Putin

OILPRICE — The construction of Nord Stream 2 (NS2) has been a rollercoaster of a project with many ups and teen years brought world markets downs for both its proponents and opponents. On Friday, Trump approved sanctions on companies involved in the construction of the project. The move by Washington has REUTERS — The 21st century’s teen years, bookended by Crypto markets, non-existent in 2010, are now worth Having learned to wring oil from shale with fracking, been strongly condemned by both Germany and Russia, a financial crisis at the start and the fintech revolution at the over $200 billion, having hit a $815 billion peak at the apex the United States has vaulted to the top of the oil producer who see the sanctions as evidence of the Trump adminis- end, were a decade of disruption. From negative borrowing of the bitcoin bubble. Having changed hands for just 3 cents rankings, with 12.5 million barrels per day of output, double tration interfering with their internal affairs. costs to bitcoin, here are ten trends that have upended tradi- in its first public trade, bitcoin now trades over $7,500. 2010 levels. Shale oil production exceeds 9 million bpd, from tional economic and investment models in the past decade: That’s off its peak near $20,000, though - a reminder of its below one million bpd in 2010, making the United States 1/FAANG-TASTIC FIVE volatility. Usage has also spread. Coin Metrics estimates an oil exporter for the first time in 40 years. If they were a country, they would be the fifth largest in that from 130 active bitcoin addresses a decade back, there The shale boom is partly why conversations around energy terms of economic output, outgunning Britain and snap- are now nearly 750,000. have switched from peak supply to peak demand. Surging ping at Germany’s heels. With a $3.9 trillion market value Crypto took many guises through the 2010s, from rebel output comes alongside environmental concerns, meaning (versus around $100 billion in January 2010), tech giants technology to a tool for criminals, speculative token to the an oil glut is likelier than shortages. Facebook, Amazon.com, Apple, Netflix and Google-owner great hope for frictionless payments. While it never really 8/ELECTRIC DREAMS Alphabet — collectively known as the FAANGs — are not shook off doubts over security, virtual money and block- only at the vanguard of history’s longest share bullrun but chain tech have evolved at a dizzying pace, typified recently have transformed how humans work, shop, consume news by Facebook’s push to launch its Libra token and steps by and relax. central banks to create their own digital currencies. FAANGs comprise seven percent of the MSCI global equity 5/PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE index today, up from around 1.6 percent in early 2010. The Sometimes it’s better to be passive. The punter who opted savvy investor who sank $25,000 in Netflix in 2009 would to ride the past decade’s equity boom via an exchange-traded now be sitting on $1 million. fund (ETF) tracking the S&P500 would have earned 200 And in the slip stream of the five pioneers, other tech percent but at a fraction of the fee a mutual fund manager titans are rising, from China’s BAT grouping of Baidu, Al- would have charged. Hence spectacular ETF growth — assets The sanctions mean that the visas of employees can be ibaba and Tencent to sector “disupters” Uber, Airbnb and have swelled to almost $7 trillion, from below $2 trillion in revoked and assets can be frozen. Allseas, a Dutch-Swiss Deliveroo. For better or worse, the world — and markets 2010, consultancy ETFGI says. Low investment fees should private company, is going to be significantly affected because — have changed for ever. help extend the boom: total ETF assets could hit $50 trillion it owns considerable assets in the U.S. and the specialized 2/PAYING TO BORROW in 2030, BofA predicts. nature of its operations makes it essential for the project. A defining feature of the years following the 2008-2009 6/INVESTMENT CLIMATE Washington’s risky game meltdown was the slide of interest rates and government Having relied for over a century on the internal combus- The NS2 sanctions are one of the few topics about which borrowing costs below 0 percent, possibly for the first time in tion engine, the global auto industry is being upended by both Democrats and Republicans can agree on. President history. U.S. and German 10-year borrowing costs collapsed battery-powered cars. In 2010, electric car maker Tesla went Trump’s quick response regarding the signing into law by 200 to 400 basis points this decade; the latter to as low public and its shares, launched at $17, now trade at $380. of the sanctions bill shows his intention to be tough with as minus 0.7 percent. Roughly $12 trillion in debt carries Hundreds of billions of dollars have been pledged to Russia. That toughness is partly to do with the Democrats’ negative yields, almost a quarter of all bonds outstanding. develop a new generation of electric cars. Industries sup- accusation of Moscow’s rigging of the 2016 Presidential The drivers — central banks’ asset buying, sub-zero interest plying car batteries are booming and demand for their main Election with the collusion of Trump’s campaign team. rates, yield curve manipulation and the tech revolution’s component, lithium, could triple by 2025. The current administration’s ‘America First’ policy and deflationary effects — were in themselves groundbreaking, EV sales so far have disappointed — two out of 100 cars tough stance regarding alleged trade disadvantages has at least in terms of scale. The Bank of Japan holds assets sold today are electric. Petrol and diesel vehicles are cheaper put the U.S. on a collision course with trading partners. collectively worth more than Japan’s economy. The European and EV charging infrastructure is limited. But Washington’s newest sanctions on NS2 are arguably Central Bank’s balance sheet is a quarter the euro zone’s But growing alarm over climate change and government the most risky yet with the potential of upending its rela- annual output but double decade-ago levels. incentives to steer consumers away from petrol means the tionship with a crucial ally. 3/A CENTURY IN BONDS electric revolution looks unstoppable. The losers 9/FLASH BOYS, FLASH CRASHES Allseas announced, shortly after the imposition of sanc- Tech’s transformative power has not bypassed currency tions, that it is suspending construction activities and wait trading floors. Ten years ago, dealers did the buying and for further information on the U.S.’ intentions. Although selling for banks and clients. Today, electronic trading com- the administration has 60 days to identify the companies With the hottest four years on record occurring in the prises 90 percent of some products, doubling in this period. working on the pipeline before it imposes punitive restric- past four years (according to the World Meteorological Or- Another shift is toward “algos” — computer programs that tions, the Dutch-Swiss company decided to act preventively. ganization), climate is shaping investor thinking in a way follow pre-set instructions, or algorithms, to trade, often This means that it is uncertain when NS2 will be completed. it did not a decade ago. at speeds impossible for humans. It is companies like Allseas who are currently set to suffer Crop failures, floods and wildfires can all inflict portfo- From being largely nonexistent a decade ago, algo trad- most from Friday’s sanctions. lio losses. More funds are reducing exposure to polluting ing now comprises a fifth of FX spot volumes on Refinitiv According to Gazprom, costs have already ballooned industries, embracing renewables and water conservation FXall, a platform for the buyside. On another venue EBS, due to Denmark’s foot-dragging concerning approval for technologies or investing in the likes of fake-meat firm Be- over 80 percent of the order book is algo-driven, the Bank activities in its territorial waters. The current suspension yond Meat, whose 2019 IPO was greeted with rapture on for International Settlements estimates. could increase the financial burden even more. To the det- Wall Street. One side effect is that ‘flash crashes’ — wild exchange riment of Gazprom and customers in northwestern Europe Over $30 trillion is held in sustainable or green invest- rate swings — have become frequent, ostensibly due to algos who will now need to find alternative sources of natural ments, the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance estimates, that are programmed to turn off if markets become volatile. gas on the international market to replace expected supply more than doubling from 2011. The winners? Those who can afford the most sophisti- from Russia. Green bonds debuted in 2007 to fund projects with en- cated algos. Almost half of global currency trading is now Another important loser, paradoxically, is the U.S. itself. With record-low rates and yield-starved investors, bonds vironment benefits. This year, issuance totaled a record with the top five banks, with smaller institutions — and of Relations between the U.S. and the EU are at a historic with tenors longer than the average human lifespan have $200 billion-plus. course, traders — having to exit. low and a trade war between the two may soon be upon caught on. 7/SHALE OIL 10/GOING TO POT us. Washington’s aggressive policy towards Europe under A handful of 100-year bonds were around in 2010, but Marijuana took a trip this decade from street corners to the current regime has already led to a more assertive. Eu- Mexico’s $1 billion issue maturing 2110 started an issu- stock markets. The first pure-play U.S. “potstock” — Tilray ropean foreign policy and even talks of a European army. ance surge that saw U.S. and British universities, Ireland, — debuted on NasDaq in 2018, leaping 36 percent on the Although unlikely in the short to medium term, the fact Belgium and Austria, U.S. municipalities and corporations first day. And 18 months since Canada legalized recreational that it is being discussed at all shows how U.S.-European such as Coca Cola and Petrobras sell century bonds. Even cannabis, hundreds of potstocks are trading. relations have deteriorated. junk-rated serial defaulter Argentina drew huge bids for its Pot also spawned one of the decade’s asset bubbles. Dubbed Even Brussels, which at the start of 2019 was trying 2117-maturity bond. the green rush, shares in firms such as Aurora Cannabis to obstruct NS2’s construction, has joined the chorus of Just over 1,400 century bonds, worth almost $170 billion and Canopy Growth rose several-fold before peaking in criticism being leveled at Washington. According to EU are now outstanding, according to Refinitiv. October 2018. At their high, the 10 biggest components of Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan, “Brussels opposes the But ... caveat emptor. Buyers of the Argentine century a potstock benchmark, the Alternative Harvest ETF, were imposition of sanctions against any EU companies con- bond have watched it lose half its value. Austria’s issue, also worth $50 billion. ducting legitimate business.” sold in 2017, is up more than 60 percent. A year later, $30 billion had gone up in smoke. Blame The unexpected winner 4/COINING IT regulation and overproduction hitting weed prices. A sign Besides Ukraine, who risked being circumvented by NS2 In 2010, Bitcoin was an idea causing ripples in niche online of a maturing industry? The highs may have evaporated, but and Turk Stream, an unlikely country stands to benefit from forums. Ten years later, cryptocurrencies are intertwined potstocks aren’t going anywhere. Except perhaps London, the sanctions. While it may sound confusing, Russia is a with finance, business and politics. which may host the next set of cannabis listings in 2020. beneficiary of the suspended activities on the construction of Gazprom’s most important project. While it costs Mos- cow hundreds of millions in lost income and additional investments, the country is benefitting on a geostrategic and political level. 2019: A year of global street protests For a mere $9.5 billion, NS2’s price tag, Moscow has EURONEWS — 2019 has been a year of lost their lives as still thousands were injured unintentionally managed to drive another wedge between global street protests. All have had differ- or detained. key Western allies. Berlin is furious about the sanctions ent aims and methods, but they have often Algeria and its already fraught relations with Washington are set had elements in common: the fight for po- Algeria became the epicenter of the pro- to escalate even further. According to German Foreign litical freedom and against inequality and tests in the Mahgreb. The announcement Minister Heiko Maas, the American sanctions amount to corruption. that Abdelaziz Bouteflika was to run in an “interference in autonomous decisions taken in Europe.” Most of them happened simultaneously, attempt to gain a fifth term as president was How the Nord Stream 2 saga will end influencing each other on how to express their too much for millions of Algerians. What is certain is that NS2 will be completed eventually. demands and keep fighting for their ideals. After weeks of mass demonstrations, Most of the work on the 1,230 kilometer or 765 mile long France Bouteflika stepped aside after the army pipeline has already been finished. Also, the vast majority In Europe, the anti-government demon- withdrew its support from him. New elec- of the $9.5 billion in investments have already been spent. strations’ most visible proponents were tions were held in December, but the protests The biggest problem is that Allseas is one of the few com- France’s Yellow Vests. Some of the protests have continued, as many believe that the old panies in the world with the specialized vessels to weld, finished with major riots, among the most regime is still ruling the country despite the test, and drop the pipes to the bottom of the Baltic Sea. violent since the famous disturbances of figurehead stepping down. Technically, there are three possibilities for how this saga May 1968. Asia could develop. The first scenario would see construction Initially inspired in mid-2018 by rising In Hong Kong, it all began with a con- activities delayed for an unspecified amount of time, before fuel prices and a high cost of living, the pro- by a subway fare hike, seen as the last straw against fuel price hikes. Known to be one of the troversial bill that would allow extradition a breakthrough allows NS2 to be finished. The deadlock testers essentially accused the government by many in an already difficult situation. The worst unrest in four decades, the government of fugitives to mainland China. The bill was could be breached by political means or technical assistance of ignoring the needs of ordinary citizens. frustration with the high cost of living fueled blocked the internet nationwide for a week. withdrawn but the protesters pressed on with from different suppliers. Eastern Europe the anger of thousands of people. The country In Iraq, the prime minister Adil Ab- demands for deeper, democratic reforms. In the second scenario, NS2’s completion is made im- In some Eastern European countries, in- is wealthy and generally stable, but also has dul-Mahdi resigned, pushed out by mass The unrest in Hong Kong is far from over. possible after which construction is abandoned entirely. cluding Georgia, Albania and Romania, the what many regard as high levels of inequality. protests against corruption and a perception Like most of the protests mentioned here, it This is the most unlikely scenario. anti-government protesters were angered by In Ecuador, a general strike paralyzed the of poor services. looks like they will continue far into 2020. The final scenario would see Trump start a trade war the alleged corruption and demanded more country. The president declared a state of In Lebanon, the government stepped down Students in Indonesia’s major cities, with the EU and use NS2 as a bargaining chip. Washing- democratic reforms. emergency and then cancelled his austerity after announcing a tax rise in the middle of especially the capital Jakarta, organized to ton may offer a potential sanctions waiver to Allseas to In Russia, protests were held in the sum- measures. an economic crisis. protest corruption and new criminal law extract more concessions from the EU and Germany. In mertime following the cancellation of the In Bolivia, it was claims of electoral fraud Ankarra regulations. Five people lost their lives in this scenario, NS2’s competition would only come after registration of independent candidates wishing in the general election there that ignited the Street protests across the world shook the demonstrations. the EU-U.S. trade war is brought to an end. to participate in the Moscow City Council mass protests. The President, Evo Morales, the year 2019, as mass demonstrations took In India, protests were held in December Uncertainty ahead elections. Demonstrators continued street fled to Mexico. A new vote is expected in the place against corruption, inequality, alleged against the country’s new citizenship law, The next step in this saga is for Brussels and Berlin to protests demanding the release of around coming months. election rigging, price hikes. which granted citizenship to six religious send a diplomatic mission to Washington to find ways out 1,500 detainees, some of whom were handed Middle east According to data compiled by Anadolu groups from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bang- of the current crisis. Whoever wins in the ongoing battle long prison sentences. A surprise increase in fuel prices was the Agency, millions of people filled the streets in ladesh, but was changed to exclude Muslim concerning NS2, the situation is a win-win for Moscow. Central and South America spark that moved hundreds of thousands 17 countries, from Asia to Europe and from immigrants in the same circumstances. Vanand Meliksetian for Oilprice.com In Chile, the protests were initially sparked of Iranians all over their country to protest South America to the Middle East. Hundreds (Source: Euronews/Anadolu) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 25, 2019 ANALYSIS & INTERVIEW 7 Has India’s Narendra Modi gone too far Newly aggressive Turkey with controversial new citizenship law? forges alliance with Libya FOREIGN POLICY.COM — Turkey is meshing together two By Tara John Mediterranean crises in a desperate bid to reshape the region Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian govern- in its own favor, with potentially nasty implications both for the ment has stripped the country’s only Muslim-majority state ongoing civil war in Libya and future energy development in the of autonomy and rolled out a citizenship check in the north- eastern Mediterranean. eastern state of Assam that effectively left nearly 2 million people stateless, many of them Muslims. And when Modi backed the passage of a controversial new citizenship law, which prioritizes immigrants from three Muslim-majority countries of virtually every religious stripe over Islam,protests broke out across India. The Prime Minister, whose Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was re-elected in a landslide victory earlier this year, has dominated Indian politics since first sweeping to power in 2014. While he has been hailed for his efforts to bring prosperity to poorer regions and root out corruption, his emphasis on empowering India’s Hindu majority has raised concerns among its Muslim minority. To Modi’s critics, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) -- which fast-tracks applications for immigrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who arrived in India before 2015 -- has become the most brazen example of a Hindu nationalist agenda aimed at marginal- Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Taher Siala, left, and his Turkish izing Indian Muslims. Opponents say it is part of an effort counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, cement closer ties between the two to tear at the fabric of India’s secular identity. countries as part of Ankara’s push to reshape the Mediterranean Since the law passed through both houses of Parliament on Dec. 22. MAHMUD TURKIA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES last week, demonstrations have swept university campus- This month, Turkey’s unusu- es in at least nine states. Protesters have taken to the streets al outreach to the internation- Erdogan’s across Assam and Tripura over fears that large numbers of ally recognized government of Hindus, who migrated to the region in the past few decades, Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest in Guwahata on Friday, December 13. Libya has resulted in a formal latest bid to will now be able to get their citizenship fast-tracked. Many even when his public initiatives have hurt citizens -- and Rights Watch, told CNN that the government needs to “un- agreement for Ankara to pro- reshape the there fear it will dramatically recast the religious and ethnic the economy. derstand that a Hindu majoritarian ideology may not be vide military support, including makeup of the northeastern states -- home to 200 distinct Buoyed by a strong grip on power and a faithful Hindu acceptable to a large number of Indian citizens.” That is a arms and possibly troops, in its Mediterranean indigenous groups. base, Modi’s BJP has doubled down on what critics call the view shared by more than 500 jurists, lawyers, academics and bid to hold off an offensive from provides “In the north, they believe the bill has gone too far and the party’s nationalist agenda, known as Hindutva. actors, who have condemned the legislation in a statement Russian-backed rebels in the military amnesty will allow too much immigration,” Milan Vaishnav, Critics are worried the party is using its stronger mandate seen by Indian media. eastern part of the country. The director and senior fellow of the South Asia Program in the to redefine India -- home to the world’s second largest Muslim But in spite of mounting grievances, analysts think it is military agreement came just support to Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told CNN. population -- as a religious state and a Hindu homeland. unlikely that the BJP will scrap the law. “Modi still remains, weeks after Turkey and that Tripoli against The new law will make it more difficult for Muslim migrants Progressive Indians watched in horror as Modi stripped head and shoulders, the most popular politician in India,” same Government of Nation- Russian-backed to get Indian citizenship. And critics are worried it might Jammu and Kashmir -- India’s only Muslim-majority state Vaishnav said. al Accord reached an unusual pave the way for nationwide citizenship tests, stripping the -- of its partial autonomy in August. Yet “very few people The BJP has a wide mandate since their second consec- agreement to essentially carve rebels. rights of Muslims who have lived in India for generations stormed the streets,” Vaishnav said. utive win in the general election, a race fought on a cultural up much of the energy-rich east- but cannot prove their family’s lineage -- turning countless This, in part, may explain why the government failed to agenda that appealed to their hard-line base. “And I don’t ern Mediterranean between them—threatening to cut out Greece people stateless. anticipate the potential backlash to the citizenship bill. As think they are going to deviate from it,” Vaishnav added. and Cyprus from the coming bonanza. Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly said that the protests roiled the country over the weekend, the government In the meantime, India lacks a foreplan for what comes Turkey’s pledge of military support, which Libya formally ac- government will roll out a national citizenship registry. shut down the internet in several affected states in a bid to next. Its detention centers do not have the capacity need- cepted last week, comes at a critical time in the battle between the Modi tried to reassure the public on Monday, saying maintain law and order. ed to house “millions of people that could potentially be United Nations-recognized government and the self-proclaimed on Twitter that the new law “does not affect any citizen of “The BJP have been adept at using their grassroots presence caught up,” if a nationwide citizenship check is rolled out, Libyan National Army, which just renewed its assault on the city India of any religion.” And that “no Indian has anything to to build support for their policies and have been effective at Vaishnav said. of Misrata and again demanded that Turkish-backed militias with- worry” about. sidelining institutions such as parts of the media,” Champa And there appears to be no existing talks with neighbor- draw from the capital city of Tripoli. Both the United States and But when a citizenship registry took place in Assam Patel, head of the Asia-Pacific program at the UK-based ing countries, like Bangladesh, on the issue of deportation, the European Union expressed concern at the escalation in Libya, earlier this year it left 1.9 million people off a list of Indian Chatham House think tank, told CNN. Patel, from Chatham House, added. and especially international involvement on both sides—which citizens. The government said at the time that no one would But they “have been backfooted by the scale of resistance As concerns mount, India watchers say Western govern- includes ongoing violations of the U.N. arms embargo on Libya. be declared a foreigner if they are not on the list, but that to (the law),” Patel said. “The question now is how will they ments have taken too soft a touch with the country -- widely Turkey’s double-barreled approach to Libya is a response to its failed to temper concerns. respond because it’s the first real test that they have faced.” seen as a potential democratic counterpoint to neighboring What is at stake is “the future of liberal democracy in World is watching China. India,” Vaishnav said. “And it looks like a side, which has India’s government says the law is a humanitarian measure “I think what that does is turn a blind eye to just how been asleep or at least silent, has really woken up and made to help persecuted religious minorities from its three neigh- authoritarian the BJP has been within India,” Patel said. sure that their voices are being heard.” boring countries -- Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The foreign community “is waiting and watching to see The backlash And as protests continued in the capital New Delhi on how the (law) will be implemented,” Vaishnav added. The protests are sure to have caught Modi -- who has Tuesday, Modi accused political rivals of fomenting dissent “Are you going to see large numbers of Muslims detained developed a reputation for being a Teflon premier -- some- and encouraging the discontent. or lose their citizenship? It is a game of wait and see.” what off guard. The leader has enjoyed widespread support, Meenakshi Ganguly, the South Asia Director of Human (Source: CNN) Myanmar Rohingya: Aung San Suu Kyi cuts a haunted figure in court

By Nick Beake pression the NLD was benefitting from her appearance in The Hague. But be in no doubt In the years after she was released from house her defense of the nation will have given her arrest in 2010, princes, presidents and prime a huge domestic boost ahead of next year’s ministers welcomed Aung San Suu Kyi with general election in Myanmar. growing diplomatic isolation in the region. Turkey has fallen out open arms into their own opulent homes. I saw three photographs this week which with the United States over its incursion into northern Syria and The feel-good factor of rubbing shoulders felt significant. The first was the image of 10 is still at odds with Saudi Arabia over the murder of a journalist with someone who had dedicated much of murdered Rohingya men in a grave in the in a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Turkey is on the opposite side of her adult life to the pursuit of democracy village of Inn Din, shown to the court. This was Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia in Libya. It is battling was irresistible. the massacre exposed by Reuters reporters Egypt for influence around the Red Sea and sees a constellation Then, the grandeur of the Peace Palace Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone. The journalistic of states such as Israel, Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt teaming up to in The Hague - a marble-floored monument world rewarded them with a Pulitzer Prize; exploit the region’s energy leaving Turkey in the cold. to global harmony - would have been com- Myanmar handed them more than 500 days From Ankara’s perspective, the pair of agreements with Libya fortable surroundings for Myanmar’s Nobel in prison. Aung San Suu Kyi’s legal team potentially offer a way to shape the region’s future in its own Peace Prize winner. A native habitat, even. suggested it was a gratuitous and tasteless favor—or at least prevent what it sees as the unacceptable rise in But not now. There was no red carpet, picture to show. influence of rivals like Russia and Egypt in the Mediterranean. welcoming committee or brass band. When it was the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s “Turkey’s recent agreement with Libya’s legitimate govern- Instead the light pouring through the turn to put something on screen she chose a ment about maritime delimitation line and defense cooperation stained glass of the Great Hall of Justice il- The spectacle of Aung San Suu Kyi, a once- snap of a smiling crowd at a football match deal is crucial for protecting Turkey’s and Libya’s rights in the luminated an often haunted-looking figure who persecuted Nobel peace laureate now in Maungdaw township in Rakhine State. Eastern Mediterranean region,” said a Monday column in the had chosen to come and listen to descriptions defending her country against allegations of Buddhists and Muslims united, shoulder to government-friendly Daily Sabah newspaper. of some of the most unimaginably gruesome shoulder. It felt a strange, naive and weak The link between military support for Libya and Turkey’s acts. Acts said to have been committed in her genocide over its treatment of the Rohingya response to the Inn Din photo. geopolitical position in the region was the declaration, formalized country. On her watch. minority, has been one of bewildering irony. The third and final photograph was sent earlier this month, of a new maritime boundary line between After two years on trial in the court of to me by a Burmese colleague in Yangon. I Turkey and Libya. As a result of that bilateral agreement, Turkey international public opinion, Aung San Suu Kyi: afforded the same comfort as the former friends in the West and taken refuge received it just as Aung San Suu Kyi was is laying claim to a huge chunk of the eastern Mediterranean—an Suu Kyi was now trying to win over the 17 leader of the country accused of trying to in the powerful embrace of China, which addressing the court for the final time. It area that includes large reservoirs of natural gas that Egypt, Israel, judges at the International Court of Justice exterminate their people. For these three continues to provide invaluable economic showed a tank on the street. Cyprus, and even Lebanon are racing to exploit. (ICJ) - as she defended the same Myanmar representatives of their stateless community, support and political protection in the UN I froze. Was this a military coup? An at- For several years, Turkey has pushed back against efforts military which had taken away her freedom the scales of justice had finally levelled, if Security Council. tempt by the still-powerful generals to steal by Cyprus to exploit those gas discoveries by harassing drill for 15 years. only for a few hours. It is the certainty of a Chinese veto on any back the country while the democratically ships operating there with Turkish naval vessels and send- It was something she - and the rest of the Then there was the face of Aung San Suu vote on Myanmar’s alleged crimes that has elected leader was defending their troops ing its own drilling ships into Cypriot waters. By laying legal world - surely never imagined would happen. Kyi, possibly hearing for the first time in such blocked the most obvious path to justice for to the world? It turned out the tanks were claim to a big chunk of the Mediterranean—especially between The cognitive dissonance of a faded beacon brutal detail the crimes alleged to have been the Rohingya: a referral to the International apparently being transported to a new base Greece and Egypt—even if only on paper, Ankara hopes to of universal human rights arguing against perpetrated by the Burmese Army in their Criminal Court (ICC). but it caused hearts to race in a country whose forestall those other countries’ claims to the resources. Turkish the horrific testimony of some of the 740,000 clearance operation in Rakhine state in Au- I will remember the crowds outside transition to democracy is still precarious. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday insisted he won’t Rohingya Muslim refugees who had her fled gust 2017. court - both for and against Ms Suu Kyi. Aung San Suu Kyi’s decision to come back down from his new Libyan deals, despite the protests her country pulsed through The Hague this Such was the interest in Aung San Suu Kyi’s More than a hundred supporters had flown here ensured this would always become a from other countries. week. appearance, they had to open a second room the 5,000 miles from Myanmar to wave massive spectacle and one which marked the The energy question in the eastern Mediterranean is taking I realized that she was taking her seat to contain the international media. There were banners and shout slogans supporting end of any lingering hope in the West that on new urgency from Ankara’s point of view. The United States in court 28 years to the day after she had rueful shakes of the head, gentle intakes of “Mother Suu”. she would distance herself from the army passed legislation last week that will boost U.S. support for energy accepted her Nobel prize, in absentia. It was breath as lawyers for The Gambia read out I have no doubt the affection for her was she doesn’t control. development in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as greater a quirk of history that defined the slow-mo- graphic accounts from Rohingya survivors: genuine - this was no communist regime-style After two years of blistering international security assistance for Greece and Cyprus. tion transformation of Aung San Suu Kyi’s pregnant women beaten to death, mass rape, gathering where pure fear drives the chanting criticism for failing to use her moral authority Perhaps more importantly, after years of talking about it, global standing. children thrown into fires. and nobody want to be first to stop applaud- to stand up for the Rohingya, she is now the Greece, Israel, and Cyprus are getting closer to a deal on a pipeline I will long remember certain images from We watched Ms Suu Kyi’s face - seem- ing. In fact, they sang an old favorite which permanent face of the legal defense of some that would carry natural gas right through those disputed waters, this remarkable week. ingly frozen at times - on a large television criticizes the former military dictatorship of the worst abuses imaginable. via Crete, to Greece and Italy. On Sunday, the three countries There were the Rohingya survivors who’d as she listened to the allegations against her - the apparatus of evil which truly instilled The generals, safe for now and far from said they could formalize an intergovernmental agreement on travelled from the crushing bleakness of Cox’s Myanmar. terror in people’s hearts. the winter chill of The Hague, have watched the MidEast pipeline as soon as Jan. 2, though crucially Italy Bazar - the largest refugee camp in the world Aung San Suu Kyi may have sat alongside That said, there was an approved list of a Nobel Peace Prize winner trying, in many hasn’t yet indicated that it will sign the accord. - to be guests in the court. her legal team and a small Burmese dele- songs and a ban on waving flags of Ms Suu people’s eyes, to defend the indefensible. The project would be the culmination of the so-called East- Every morning, they arrived in the same gation but she often cut a lonely figure. She Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) They wouldn’t have it any other way. ern Mediterranean Gas Forum that Egypt, Israel, Cyprus, and type of sparkling executive transport as Ms is a leader who has alienated herself from party. Presumably, this was to avoid the im- (Source: BBC) Greece signed earlier this year—pointedly excluding Turkey from the club. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 8 ADVERTISEMENTS DECEMBER 25, 2019

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The last solar Massive gas disk raises questions about planet eclipse of 2019 formation theory Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) found a young star surrounded by an astonishing mass of gas. The star, called 49 Ceti, is 40 million years old and will create a conventional theories of planet formation predict that the gas should have disappeared by that age. The enigmatically large amount of gas requests a reconsideration of our current understanding of planet formation. Planets are formed in beautiful ‘ring of gaseous dusty disks called protoplanetary disks around young stars. Dust particles aggregate together to form Earth-like planets or to become fire’ this week the cores of more massive If you live in Europe, Asia, Australia or Africa, called an annular eclipse. Interestingly enough, solar eclipses always moment to reflect back on the 2010s. planets by collecting large you could be in for a treat - you might be in The reason we get this ‘ring of fire’ is due occur within roughly two weeks of a lunar eclipse, It’s been a huge decade for science, with amounts of gas from the disk to the path of the last solar eclipse of 2019. to the distance of our planet’s little satellite. because of the way the eclipse season works. black hole images, CRISPR breakthroughs form Jupiter-like gaseous giant On December 26, places such as India, The Moon is currently closer to its apogee During eclipse season (which happens every six and both amazing and uncanny deep-learning planets. According to current Singapore, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and (meaning it’s farther away from Earth), which months or so), whenever there is a full Moon, from AI. But it’s also been a decade filled theories, as time goes by the gas some parts of Australia will be treated to a makes it appear 3 percent smaller than the a lunar eclipse occurs; and, whenever there is with heatwaves, pollution, and inaction on in the disk is either incorporated ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse to end the year and, Sun when viewed from Earth. a new Moon, a solar eclipse occurs. climate change. into planets or blown away by depending who you ask, the decade as well. Although an annular eclipse might not be The current season’s lunar eclipse is There’s something rather comforting in radiation pressure from the Unlike the great 2017 solar eclipse that as jaw-dropping as a total solar eclipse, it’s still happening on 10 January, but unfortunately knowing that at least some things – such as central star. In the end, the star is surrounded by planets and a was visible across the United States, this one amazing to think that the Moon and Sun are it’s a penumbral lunar eclipse, which is hard eclipses – don’t care about our issues and disk of dusty debris. This dusty disk, called a debris disk, implies will leave a little ring of Sun when hitting the aligned so perfectly to produce magnificent to distinguish from a usual full Moon. will just keep occurring anyway. that the planet formation process is almost finished. point of totality, a type of type of eclipse is celestial displays for us here on Earth. The last eclipse of 2019 also gives us a (Source: sciencealert.com) Recent advances in radio telescopes have yielded a surprise in this field. Astronomers have found that several debris disk still possess some amount of gas. If the gas remains long in the debris disks, planetary seeds may have enough time and material to Astronomers discover a ‘cosmic candy cane’ evolve to giant planets like Jupiter. Therefore, the gas in a debris disk affects the composition of the resultant planetary system. “We found atomic carbon gas in the debris disk around 49 Ceti by near the Milky Way’s core using more than 100 hours of observations on the ASTE telescope,” Deep within the central zone of the Milky Way, a bizarre red Radio Arc. says Aya Higuchi, an astronomer at the National Astronomical cluster of dense gas clouds has taken the unusual form of a Scientists from the space agency published research in Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). ASTE is a 10-m diameter radio gigantic, cosmic candy cane. The Astrophysical Journal last month that connects those telescope in Chile operated by NAOJ. “As a natural extension, CNN reports that the observation may help scientists signals to areas that are actively churning out new stars. we used ALMA to obtain a more detailed view, and that gave us understand the process through which our galaxy forms stars The image below of the Milky Way’s core shows data the second surprise. The carbon gas around 49 Ceti turned out — because the cosmic candy cane, and the clouds surrounding from microwave (green), infrared (blue) and radio wave to be 10 times more abundant than our previous estimation.” it, contain the raw materials necessary to generate tens of (red) sources. Thanks to ALMA’s high resolution, the team revealed the millions of new stars. “We’re very intrigued by the beauty of this image; it’s spatial distribution of carbon atoms in a debris disk for the first The yellow feature interrupting the red straight part of exotic,” Johns Hopkins University scientist Johannes Staguhn, time. Carbon atoms are more widely distributed than carbon the candy cane — which researchers call “The Sickle” — is who led the research behind that new paper, told CNN. monoxide, the second most abundant molecules around young likely the source of high-speed electrons that NASA detected “When you look at it, you feel like you’re looking at some stars, hydrogen molecules being the most abundant. The amount with a space telescope called GISMO, according to a NASA really special forces of nature in the universe.” of carbon atoms is so large that the team even detected faint radio press release. These may be responsible for lighting up the (Source: sciencealert.com) waves from a rarer form of carbon, 13C. This is the first detection of the 13C emission at 492 GHz in any astronomical object, which is usually hidden behind the emission of normal 12C. “The amount of 13C is only 1% of 12C, therefore the Astronomers confirm the existence of planets 300m-year-old fossil is early sign of detection of 13C in the debris disk was totally unexpected,” says that have the lightness of cotton candy creatures caring for their young Higuchi. “It is clear evidence that 49 Ceti has a surprisingly large amount of gas.” What is the origin of the gas? Researchers have suggested two possibilities. One is that it is remnant gas that survived the dissipation process in the final phase of planet formation. The amount of gas around 49 Ceti is, however, comparable to those around much younger stars in the active planet formation phase. There are no theoretical models to explain how so much gas could have persisted for so long. The other possibility is that the gas was released by the collisions of small bodies like comets. But the number of collisions needed to explain the large amount of gas around 49 Ceti is too large to be accommodated in current theories. The present ALMA results prompt a reconsideration of the planet formation models. (Source: Science Daily)

No one can escape fruit cake for Christmas, not even ISS astronauts in space No two planets in the Solar System are through the exoplanet’s atmosphere (if it Fossil hunters say they have unearthed survive but comes at a cost to parents, who exactly alike, but we can broadly categorize has one). So you can look at a spectrum of the earliest evidence yet of four-limbed must invest time, energy and resources. The holidays have finally hit a fever pitch, and with Christmas them - rocky worlds Earth, Venus, Mercury electromagnetic wavelengths from the star vertebrates looking after their young, Writing in the journal Nature Ecology day on the horizon, it’s as good a time as any for the astronauts and Mars; gas giants Saturn and Jupiter; when the planet both is and isn’t transiting. after discovering the entwined remains and Evolution, the team report that the aboard the International Space Station to send down some warm ice giants Neptune and Uranus; and dwarf Because certain molecules block certain of two lizard-like creatures preserved in new species has been named Dendromaia holiday wishes for the rest of us Earthlings. planets, like Pluto and Ceres. wavelengths, these absorption lines on the an ancient plant stump. unamakiensis, derived from the ancient In a new video published by NASA, astronauts Christina Koch, That sounds pretty diverse, but spectrum can be read to infer the chemical The fossil found in Nova Scotia, Greek words for tree and mother and the Drew Morgan, and Jessica Meir are joined by mission commander astronomers have just made a detailed composition of the atmosphere. Canada, is thought to be the remains of Mi’kmaq’ indigenous people’s name for Cape Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, and the group study of a fascinating type of planet we This is what the researchers did to an adult and young of a newly identified Breton Island, where the fossil was found. shows off how they’ll be celebrating the big day in space. don’t have - super-puff worlds. analyze the atmospheres of Kepler 51 b and species of varanopid. The find was made by Brian Hebert, a Of all the exoplanets our efforts have Kepler 51 d. But when they got the results “[The adult] probably would have been fossil enthusiast who runs a gift shop and uncovered to date, only a handful - less than 15 back, the atmospheres were concealed by about 20cm in length from the tip of the tours in the fossil-rich Joggins area of Nova - have been puffy. These three young planets, an opaque layer at high altitude. snout to the base of its tail, and it would Scotia and is part of Maddin’s field team. seen orbiting a star around 2,600 light-years “It definitely sent us scrambling to come have had a long tail,” said Hillary Maddin, There is a debate over whether away, are almost the size of Jupiter, but have up with what could be going on here,” said a co-author of the research and an assistant varanopids are part of a group of animals less than one percent of its mass. planetary scientist Jessica Libby-Roberts of professor at Carleton University in Canada. that eventually gave rise to mammals, or That means they have spectacularly UC Boulder. “We expected to find water, but we The smaller individual was found whether they a sit on a different evolutionary low density; in fact, they’re the puffiest couldn’t observe the signatures of any molecule.” beneath the upper leg bone of the larger one, branch leading to reptiles. planets ever seen, with a density lower than So, they turned to computer simulations and was encircled by the larger creatures’ If the former, traditional view is correct, 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter. In press to see what sort of atmospheric conditions tail – an entwinement that the team say Maddin said the new fossil suggests parental statements, the texture of these planets could produce something like the super- suggests the two animals were curled up care of young cropped up early on the path has been likened to cotton candy. puffs - overall very low-density, but wrapped together in a den. that led to mammals. That such behavior The video, which is about three minutes long, offers a lovely “This is an extreme example of what’s in an opaque shell. And the best fit turned The den appears to have been made in is also seen in birds and some reptiles, look inside the space station and includes all four astronauts in so cool about exoplanets in general,” out to be an atmosphere that was a mixture a hollowed-out stump of a plant known she said, was probably down to it evolving some seriously festive holiday garb. The crew shows off their said exoplanet scientist Zachory Berta- of hydrogen and helium, with a high-altitude as a lycopsid. “These very fragile fossils, independently in these groups. holiday stockings and offer their own perspectives on what it Thompson of the University of Colorado layer of methane. especially the baby, are preserved in a Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist at the means to spend a family-focused holiday in space, even as their Boulder (UC Boulder). We’ve seen something like that very natural-like position and would University of Edinburgh who was not families gather back on Earth. “They give us an opportunity to study methane layer before, in Saturn’s moon have to have been buried very quickly,” involved in the study, said the fossil find As for how the astronauts will actually be celebrating the worlds that are very different than ours, Titan. Because of the thick methane layer said Maddin, adding that the stump was was exciting. big day, a special holiday meal is in order. Noting that the crew but they also place the planets in our own surrounding Titan, we didn’t get a direct probably inundated with sediment, possibly “The discovery of an adult and a much had turkey for dinner on Thanksgiving, Morgan reveals that Solar System into a larger context.” image of the moon’s surface until Cassini in a storm. smaller juvenile side by side is good evidence Christmas dinner will include smoked salmon. That sounds The three planets, orbiting a star called arrived in 2004. The animals are thought to have lived that they were interacting with each other pretty great, but there’s a small downside, at least for the Kepler 51, were discovered in 2012, but “If you hit methane with ultraviolet just over 300m years ago, pushing back the in life, as it would be quite the coincidence astronauts who can’t stomach fruitcake. it wasn’t until 2014 that their strangely light, it will form a haze,” Libby-Roberts record for evidence of extended parental for them to randomly die, get buried and “We had to come all the way to space to try to get away from low density was discovered. Now, using said. “It’s Titan in a nutshell.” care among four-limbed vertebrates by fossilize together,” he said. “And although fruitcake… but it didn’t work,” Koch bemoans. “We got some anyway.” observations taken with the Hubble The team also discovered that these about 40m years. it’s always tricky to infer behavior from There will also be some hot apple cider and hot cocoa, both Space Telescope, a team of astronomers atmospheres are leaking off into space at a Parental care is any behavior that aids fossils that are hundreds of millions of years of which come in metallic-looking pouches. It might not be has revealed what is happening with the tremendous rate. That, they said, could explain the survival of offspring, such as guarding old, to me this seems to be good evidence the fanciest meal ever, but when you’re drifting through space planets’ atmospheres. why these super-puff planets are so rare. eggs or nest-building. Extended parental that there was parental care going on.” at nearly five miles per second, you have to work with what The Kepler space telescope located Since these strange puffs are so young, care is any support for young after birth He said this was significant because it you have available. exoplanets using the transit method - that the cotton-candy state could be a temporary or hatching, for example providing food suggested such behavior is an ancient trait. The current ISS expedition, Expedition 61, officially began is, the dimming of the light of a star when stage in their development, and the final or protection. “It’s incredible to think that something we on October 3rd. These missions stretch on for months, and the a planet passes between the telescope and planet could be something much more Experts say prolonged care is seen across consider so human – parents taking care crew of Expedition 61 has already accomplished a lot. The team the star, in what is known as a transit. expected - mini-Neptunes, the most a wide range of animals, from reptiles of children – was developed so long ago, has carried out a number of repairs on the exterior of the space The other awesome thing about common type of planet in the galaxy (and to birds, and is particularly common to in such distant ancestors, when the world station and installed new components that will ensure the future transiting exoplanets is that when they also not found in the Solar System). mammals as they produce milk for their was so much different.” operation of the spacecraft far into the future. dim the star’s light, some of it gets filtered (Source: sciencealert.com) young. Such behavior can help offspring to (Source: The Guardian) (Source: msn) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 HERITAGE & TOURISM DECEMBER 25, 2019

Newly-excavated site yields U.S. plots fail to deter foreign pre-historic to Islamic-era relics in Iran travelers from visiting Iran, VP says HERITAGE TEHRAN — A team of Iranian archaeolo- deskgists and researchers has recently unearthed TOURISM TEHRAN — Millions of foreign nationals desk pre-historic to Islamic-era relics and fragments of objects from a did not pay attention to the U.S. sanctions piece of land, which is speculated to be once a historical cemetery, and plots, aiming to discourage potential travelers from in Asiabsar village, northern Mazandaran province. visiting the Islamic Republic, First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri said on Monday. “Americans assumed that sanctions would prevent for- eign tourists from traveling to our country, but statistics show that each year, number of international travelers has increased by [some] 30 percent since [the Iranian calendar year] 1397 when the sanctions were [re-]imposed,” Jahangiri said, IRIB reported. “More than seven million foreign travelers have arrived in the country since the start of the [current Iranian] year, which shows an annual 30 percent growth,” the official noted. Deputy tourism minister Vali Teymouri said in No- vember that foreign travelers have not been deterred by Iranophobia. “I, as an expert, who have been working in the field of tourism for the past twenty years, believe that the main challenge of our travel industry is that Iran is in- ternationally unknown. Moreover, over the past years, an Iranophobia project [orchestrated] by our enemies have been added too,” Teymouri explained. In November 2017, the Trump administration rein- Foreign tourists use a mobile phone to take a selfie picture as they are standing at the UNESCO-registered Affiliated with the Research Institute for Cultural Heritage Imam Square in Isfahan, central Iran. (Photo credit: IRNA) and Tourism, the team has dug 16 trenches inside and outside stated sanctions on Iran, mainly the ones that had been of a piece of land whose landlords accidentally found historical lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, in order to batter and cultural heritage purposes. Other major sources were Azerbaijan (17%), Turkey (8%), objects while preparing parts of the land for housing construction, Iran’s economy. For instance, some two million Iraqi nationals visited Pakistan (4%) and Bahrain (2%). The remaining 46% came IRNA reported on Tuesday. The sanctions, however, together with anti-Iran prop- Iran during the first seven months of the past Iranian from the rest of the world. Of the trenches, nine yielded both architectural and trans- aganda campaigns have decreased Western tourists calendar year, constituting Iran’s largest source of in- Iran embraces hundreds of historical sites such as portable pottery pieces, complete or fragmented earthenware, but Iran has managed to compensate the blow even bound passengers. bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, ma- glass pieces, iron and bronze objects, stone blades and spindles. flourishing its tourism by doing its best to attract more Iran eyes to have a bigger share of Chinese tourism, drasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, Moreover, the researchers have found architectural and portable from neighboring states. as it, in a unilateral measure, recently approved to waive of which 22 being inscribed on the UNESCO World objects that date from various Islamic eras such as the Ilkhanate To encourage people form some target markers, Iran the visa requirement for the Chinese passport holders. Heritage list. The country times (1256–1335/1353), Safavid-era (1501–1736), and Qajar has attempted to ease traveling from Iraq, China, Republic The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest report Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the country aims epoch (1789 to 1925). of Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan, and several indicates that Iraq was the main source of tourism for Iran to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million An extensive scientific research is needed to fully explore the other countries who arrive in Iran for medical, pilgrimage in 2018, as Iraqis constituted 24% of all inbound visitors. in 2014 to 20 million in 2025. site that is nicknamed by the team as “a cemetery for various civilizations,” the report said. Soaked in a vibrant history, Mazandaran (also known as Tab- Russia’s top 5 national parks arestan) was a cradle of civilization since the beginning of the climb the rocks in rainy or snowy weather — they cuisine is fairly mediocre and expensive. first millennium BC. According to Britannica Encyclopedia, it will be very slippery and dangerous. Secondly, How to reach the Curonian Spit: regular was almost overrun in about 720 CE by the Arab raiders. do not try to feed or approach wild animals. buses run several times a day from Kaliningrad, Its insecure eastern and southeastern borders were crossed Not even the foxes! Thirdly, you should only Zelenogradsk and Svetlogorsk. If you travel to by Mongol invaders in the 13th and 14th centuries. Cossacks visit the reserve at daytime. Trekking poles the reserve by car, you will be charged 150 rubles attacked the region in 1668 but were repulsed. It was ceded to the are recommended. You can rent them from to enter the reserve. There is also an extra fee of Russian Empire by a treaty in 1723, but the Russians were never Krasnoyarsk Sports and Tourism Center’s shop 150 rubles per passenger, including the driver. secure in their occupation. The area was restored to Iran under at the reserve. Fourthly, book a tour! This will Valdaysky National Park the Qajar dynasty. The northern section of the region consists help you save time: tours include transport that The lakes and the southern taiga of Valdaysky of a lowland alongside the Caspian and an upland along the can take you up to the rocky area of the reserve. National Park are just a few hours away from northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains. Fifthly, remember that camping is forbidden St. Petersburg and Moscow. The entire nature on the territory of the Stolby Nature Reserve. reserve is part of the Pechora River basin — the One of the unwritten rules when visiting main continental divide between Europe and Asia. Stolby is that you have to try the hot donuts or Great rivers — the Volga, Dnepr and Western Carnival Glory sets sail the Russian Pirozhki (small pies) at Cordon Dvina — originate in the Valdai Hills. There after repairs from crashing Laletino. After a long walk, they are the most are two hundred lakes in this wildlife reserve, delicious thing in the world! the most popular of which are Lake Seliger into other cruise ship They also sell hot tea and cookies there. and Vejle. Hunting for sport and fishing are TOURISM TEHRAN — Discover reserve. You need to come prepared and carry Make sure you try the local sbiten, a tradition- allowed. However, you need to obtain a license in Cozumel, Mexico deskRussia’s top five national everything with you. al hot drink Russians drank before they had before going on one of these trips. parks and nature reserves which are widely The Sikhote-Alin reserve is home to the lynx, tea and coffee, which is brewed with Siberian The mighty armada of pines, dark green Following some quick repairs to damage from a Friday incident considered as travel destinations for food the brown bear and the Himalayan brown bear. herbs. You can try it at Laletino on 2-aya Pop- spruce and graceful birch trees line the pictur- with another Carnival ship in Mexico, the Carnival Glory set nature lovers to visit: You can see the seal rookeries on the rocky north erechnaya Street or at the “Pereval” tourist esque hills, and a necklace of crystal-clear lakes sail from the Port of New Orleans Monday for a holiday cruise Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve cape. And ecological walking trails leading to center. You can charge your phone and dry off create a landscape of extraordinary beauty. You in the western Caribbean. The Manpupuner rock formations in the the nesting places of birds have been created by any clothes that got wet during your hike in the can spot rare birds on the IUCN Red List of Six passengers had minor injuries Friday after the Glory struck northern Ural Mountains — seven pillars of lake Blagodatnoye. Before visiting the reserve, tourist center’s special drying cabinets. You Endangered Species in the National Park — from another ship, the Carnival Legend, at the port of Cozumel. rock, the highest of which reaches a towering 42 visitors are advised to get vaccinated against can find more information about the center’s the black stork to the golden eagle. There are The Carnival Glory sustained damage to its Platinum Dining meters in height — are the result of millions of tick-borne encephalitis. working hours on the official website of the also fifty species of mammals: wolves, foxes, Room, but the company said none of the damage had com- years of weathering and erosion, and they are How to reach the Sikhote-Alin Nature Re- Stolby Nature Reserve. elks, wild boars and lynxes. promised the ship’s seaworthiness. worth a visit. “Manpupuner” can be translated serve: the reserve is not an easy place to reach. If you take a snack and a thermos of hot One of the main advantages of the Valdaysky (Source: MSN) from the Mansi language as “a small mountain First you need to fly to Vladivostok or take tea with you, you can enjoy a lunch break with National Park is that there is a hotel located of idols”. The Manpupuner Plateau has been the Trans-Siberian Express “Rossiya” (which absolutely stunning views! on the territory near the visitor center. This officially named as one of the seven wonders departs from Yaroslavsky Railway Station in How to reach Stolby National Park: regular is convenient for tourists travelling by car. ROUND THE GLOBE of Russia. Moreover, the Pechora-Ilych Nature Moscow). From Vladivostok, you need to travel bus routes run from Krasnoyarsk. Take no. 19, How to reach the Valdaysky National Park: Reserve is part of the Virgin Komi Forests, a about 700 kilometers northeast to the village of 50, or 78 (no. 80 on weekends) to the “Turbaza” the most convenient way is by car. The Na- UNESCO World Heritage Site and the last large Terney on the Pacific coast. The journey takes bus stop. To reach the reserve’s Central District tional Park is on the M10 Highway connecting Iguazu National Park area of virgin forest left in Europe. 14 hours by bus, which departs twice a day. and the First Pillar, you need to pass the wel- Moscow and St. Petersburg. Railway lines also The best time to plan a trip to the Seven Stolby National Nature Reserve come sign marking the start of the reserve, and link Valday with Moscow and St. Petersburg. The Iguaçu National Park is a World Heritage property of Strong Men Rock Formations is 2020, when Taiga, snow, coniferous forest, and walk about seven kilometers up Laletinskaya You can also travel there on the bus from St. 169,695.88 hectares located in the State of Parana, in southern there will be a new runway and a 90-kilometer breath-taking cliffs, veiled in an ashy mountain Road. First you will pass Cordon Laletino (two Petersburg — from the coach station on the Brazil, adjacent to the Iguazu National Park, also a World hiking trail for tourists. The Ediniy Ural (or dew. The Stolby Nature Reserve in located kilometers into the climb) on your way up, then Obvodny Canal embankment. Heritage property in Argentina. United Ural) hiking trail will pass through two on the right bank of the Yenisei River and continue on to the Mikha Taigish Forest Theater They also sell hot tea and cookies there. Both properties, together with some protected areas, are nature reserves in the northern Ural slopes — just south of Krasnoyarsk, a city of stone that (a competition was held to choose a name for the Make sure you try the local sbiten, a tradition- contiguous major remnants of the interior Atlantic Forest, once the Pechora-Ilychsky Nature Reserve (which looks as if it were carved out of the Siberian theater. Mikha Taigish was the witty competi- al hot drink Russians drank before they had a much larger forest area, along the junction of the Iguacu and stretches from the Dyatlov Pass to the Man- landscape by nature itself. tion-winning name, which sounds something like tea and coffee, which is brewed with Siberian Parana rivers where Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil converge. pupuner Plateau) and Ivdelsky. There will be The reserve covers an area roughly the size “Mr. Teddy Taiga” in Russian). Next you will see herbs. You can try it at Laletino on 2-aya Pop- lodges every 10-15 kilometers along the trail, of Andorra at just under 500 square kilometers. the “Retroploshchadka” viewing platform (1-aya erechnaya Street or at the “Pereval” tourist where tourists can spend the night. The plan “Stolby” is Russian for “pillars”, and describes Poperechnaya Street) and “detskiy gorodok”, or center. You can charge your phone and dry off is to create a route that will be accessible in the dramatic rock formations the reserve is children’s town (2-aya Poperechnaya Street). any clothes that got wet during your hike in the all seasons. The runway is going to be built on famous for. People visit the reserve to either After that, there is the steep climb that locals have tourist center’s special drying cabinets. You the outskirts of Vologda, where the shortest admire the gigantic pillars and take in the stun- dubbed “Pykhtun”, which roughly translates to can find more information about the center’s hiking route with the best infrastructure on ning views from these watchtowers, overlooking being out of breath, and then up on to Pereval. working hours on the official website of the the Manpupuner Plateau begins. According the taiga, or to climb and conquer them. A After that, there are only 317 steps left to climb, Stolby Nature Reserve. to early estimates, a helicopter tour to the total of almost two hundred rocks are suitable and you’ve made it to the top. If you take a snack and a thermos of hot Manpupuner Plateau will cost 20 thousand for climbing. Almost all of these pillars have The Curonian Spit in the Kursh- tea with you, you can enjoy a lunch break with rubles per person in a couple of years, which names: These include Manskaya Baba (lit. the skaya National Park absolutely stunning views! is almost a quarter of the current price. Old Lady from Mana), Feathers, Lion’s Gate, The Epha Dune, Miller’s Height, the Fring- How to reach Stolby National Park: regular How to reach the Pechora-Ilych Nature the Savage, the Fortress, the Vulture, the Monk, illa Ornithological Station, white beaches, the bus routes run from Krasnoyarsk. Take no. 19, Reserve: By helicopter from Ukhta or Perm. Cain and Abel, the Sinner, Mitre (the Bishop’s curved and intertwining trees of the Dancing 50, or 78 (no. 80 on weekends) to the “Turbaza” Made up of many cascades producing vast sprays of If you are on a tighter budget, you can get Hat), the Sparrows, Yermak, the Guard, and Forest and the heady scent of pine trees: The bus stop. To reach the reserve’s Central District water, it is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the there by train, from Ukhta to Troitsk, and the Chinese Wall. The highest pillar is called Curonian Spit National Park in Russia is the and the First Pillar, you need to pass the wel- world. The surrounding subtropical rainforest has over then take a bus, taxi, or book another form the Second Pillar (Vtoroy), and reaches 100 country’s smallest national park, but it’s full come sign marking the start of the reserve, and 2,000 species of vascular plants and is home to the typ- of transport to the reserve. The best time meters. In addition to these pillars, there are of gems. And it also receives the most visitors! walk about seven kilometers up Laletinskaya ical wildlife of the region: tapirs, giant anteaters, howler to travel is from June to September. Only also huge stone boulders scattered all over the The Curonian Spit is a narrow sandy peninsula Road. First you will pass Cordon Laletino (two monkeys, ocelots, jaguars and caymans. organized groups accompanied by a ranger reserve, and they also have names (the most separating the Baltic Sea from the freshwater kilometers into the climb) on your way up, then Located in Misiones Province in the Northeastern tip of can visit the reserve, and must stick to the famous one is the Little Elephant). Curonian Lagoon. It is almost 100 kilometers long. continue on to the Mikha Taigish Forest Theater Argentina and bordering the Brazilian state of Parana to the routes that have been approved. The hike to The rocky part of the reserve is divided into It is a good idea to arrive there early in the (a competition was held to choose a name for the north, Iguazu National Park, jointly with its sister park Igua- the Manpupuner Plateau takes five days (the four districts: Tsentralny (Central District), morning to completely immerse yourself in the theater. Mikha Taigish was the witty competi- cu in Brazil, is among the world’s visually and acoustically starting point is Yaksha village). However, Takmakovsky District, Kalgansky District and atmosphere of the reserve before the crowds tion-winning name, which sounds something like most stunning natural sites for its massive waterfalls. It was there are also short hiking trails through the “Dikiye Stolby” (Wild Pillars). Central District of tourists get there. You can find pieces of “Mr. Teddy Taiga” in Russian). Next you will see inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984. reserve that only take a few hours to cover. receives the most visitors; its walking trail fol- amber on a walk along the beach! Follow the the “Retroploshchadka” viewing platform (1-aya The river, aptly named after the indigenous term for “great Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve lows a circular route and is the most popular Epha Height trail, which leads to the crest of Poperechnaya Street) and “detskiy gorodok”, or water” forms a large bend in the shape of a horseshoe in These places are off the beaten track, and with tourists. The trail starts at the First Pillar, the Orechovaya Dune (Petshch). In windy children’s town (2-aya Poperechnaya Street). the heart of the two parks and constitutes the international will delight even the most experienced travelers: and passes the Granddaughter, Grandmother weather you can hear the song of singing sand. After that, there is the steep climb that locals have border between Argentina and Brazil before it flows into the the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve is difficult to and Grandfather pillars, then Feathers, Lion’s Comfortable walking shoes are an dubbed “Pychtun”, which roughly translates to mighty Parana River less than 25 kilometers downriver from access and little research has been carried out Gate, and the Fourth, Third and Second pillars, essential for this trip: you will be doing being out of breath, and then up on to Pereval. the park. Large clouds of spray permanently soak the many there so far. The Sikhote-Alin mountain range before looping back to the First Pillar and the plenty of walking. However, it is easier to After that, there are only 317 steps left to climb, river islands and the surrounding riverine forests, creating consists of three winding chains of mountains. Little Elephant Boulder. go barefoot across the high dunes, which and you’ve made it to the top. an extremely humid micro-climate favoring lush and dense A trip to Sikhote-Alin is a real expedition: No special permits are needed to visit the rise a few dozen meters above sea level. (Based on a research into Russian sourc- sub-tropical vegetation harboring a diverse fauna. there is no infrastructure for accommodation reserve. But there are a few rules that you must And bring something to eat and a thermos es; See the full edition, which includes more (Source: UNESCO) and nowhere you can buy food in the nature follow for your own safety. Firstly, do not try to of tea or coffee with you: the local roadside details, on our website) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 25, 2019 INTERNATIONAL 11

Christmas: Time for a Truce Intl. reactions to Saudi scandalous verdict on By Maj. Danny Sjursen Khashoggi murder ANTIWAR — They lived in similar squalor, shared the same God, and celebrated the same holidays. It was 1 The first trial session of suspects in the Khashoggi December 24, 1914, Christmas Eve, and – though they murder case was held on 3 January 2019 in the Saudi spoke different languages and had ruthlessly killed capital Riyadh. one another for over four months – the British and The Saudi government has characterized Khashoggi’s German soldiers in the opposing trench lines had much death as a rogue operation and detained 21 suspects, in common. charging 11 of them but Riyadh has repeatedly denied The ruling families, the leaders of the prominent allegations that any members of the royal family were monarchies of Germany, Russia, and England were involved in the incident. literally blood relatives. Indeed, Kaiser Wilhelm of On 23 December 2019, the Saudi public prosecutor has Germany was Queen Victoria’s grandson and regularly stated that the court has sentenced five people to death visited the British Isles throughout his youth. Given the over the Khashoggi case. Another three people face a total commonalities of the mostly working-class soldiers in of 24 years in prison for covering up the murder and vio- the opposing trenches, perhaps, then, it should come lating regulations and another ten had been questioned as little surprise that some British an German enlisted and released due to the lack of evidence against them. men spontaneously, and unofficially, called a truce that The verdict says the Saudi investigation concluded that Christmas, and, in their own way, celebrated the birth the killing was not premeditated and that Saudi Arabian of Christ – their shared savior – together, if only for a consultant Saoud Al Qahtani was cleared of any wrongdoing. moment. How beautiful it was… In the immediate aftermath of the court’s announcement, These days, the war described is known as World Saudi media was flooded with commentators saying that War I, but, since the boys on the frontline couldn’t then justice had been done while some countries and interna- imagine another maelstrom so terrible would follow, tional rights groups condemned a Saudi court verdict on it was known, at the time, simply as the Great War. Khashoggi murder. Warfare of such dimensions had never unfolded before. Khashoggi’s son Salah accepted the verdict but others The scale of the bloodshed had been unthinkable even were less impressed. a Christmas before – about a million men had been Earlier this year, Salah took to Twitter to deny that a killed since August – yet by then stalemate reigned as settlement had been reached between his family and the both sides settled into trench lines that stretched from Saudi government after a source told CNN that Khashog- Belgium to Switzerland. A peculiar, ultimately absurd, gi’s family has received millions of US dollars in cash and form of hyper-nationalism had recently infected Europe, assets as compensation for the killing. and, when combined with a worldwide competition for colonies, caused this arguably existential war. So prevalent, in fact, was the jingoistic patriotism of the era that even the socialists of each nation initially, and The undeniable beauty, the event’s last gasp of war- antagonists across America’s wars today. Let them all widely, supported the march to war. time chivalry, aside, it was never to be repeated – not lay down their arms, for a moment, and celebrate in Those were dark times. To simplify the military anal- on the four following Christmases of that war, nor in solidarity this Christmas. If only… yses of the war, the tactics (mass formation infantry the interminable global warfare that has since followed. Alas, nationalism, particularly in its more pugnacious attacks) had yet to catch up with the more lethal tech- Senior officers on both sides, rightfully, had been terrified form, is again on the rise – from Brazil to Bengal. Yet, nology (machine guns, poison gas, and airplanes) of by the 1914 display of class and species solidarity, and logically, it should be extinct. That it isn’t, and shows no the day. The senseless delusion of nationalism ought brutally quashed such cross-trench harmony in years signs of dissipation, might just presage the extinction to have died a bloody death – metaphorically riddled to come, with threats of disciplinary action. So it goes… of us, the human race! Truly existential threats pervade with bullets whilst stuck in endless strands of barbed Nonetheless, as today’s forever wars rage – decades this world – climate change and potential nuclear war- wire – commensurate with the murder of so many mil- longer than the first Great War of old – the time for fare for starters – and even cursory historical analysis lions of naive troopers. It didn’t, unfortunately, and spontaneous truce between the grassroots ranks of all demonstrates that democracies, or republics, cannot across the globe today – even in normally circumspect sides couldn’t be more essential. I know, I know, con- weather indefinite warfare. America’s Army Chief of Western Europe – insular nationalism is again on the temporary wars are geographically diffuse, rage far Staff during World War II, George Marshall, began his rise. Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, Bolsinaro, Modi, from the European continent, and are waged between career as a young lieutenant engaged in an indecisive, Orban…they’re all symptoms of the resurgence of this belligerents that practice different religions. On the endless war in the Philippines. The experience stuck. worldwide disease. Spoiler alert: it didn’t end well last surface, at least, these caveats seem sensible. But are Decades later, Marshall, one of this nation’s most ef- time around. they? What if Americans and Afghans, Iraqis, Syrians, fective and humble military leaders, opined that “a Still, I digress – back to the Christmas truce. Though Libyans, Somalians, et. al., have more in common – democracy cannot fight a Seven Years War.” What, some have described the widespread phenomenon as even now – than most assume? one wonders, would the former general, secretary of But Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi’s fiancée, in a tweet message somewhat apocryphal, some version of the following Bear with me now: it ain’t as much of a stretch as it defense, and secretary of state, think of an American on Monday said that she would never forget Khashoggi, certainly did occur. Up and down the lines that first may seem. First off, contrary to popular belief, Christians war that’s well into it’s 19th year? nor his “murderers” or “those who are trying to cover Christmas Eve of the Great War, German soldiers sang and Muslims worship the same god, if with a different As the should-be-bombshell Afghanistan Papers – long up” his murder. well-known holiday songs, such as “Silent Night.” Though flavor of tradition. Figures such as Abraham, King Da- since buried by the impeachment charade dominating Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International’s Middle East the language of the verses differed on either side of the vid, Jesus, and, especially Mary, figure prominently in Capitol Hill and the media – definitively demonstrat- Research Director, said it was a whitewash. “The verdict trenches, the melodies and content were widely known. the Koran. Islam, as such, though often distorted – as ed, today’s generals and admirals can’t be counted on, fails to address the Saudi authorities’ involvement in this British troops joined in the rather solemn caroling, as it was (and is) in certain bellicose strands of Christi- neither for competence nor character. No, the move- devastating crime or clarify the location of Jamal Khashog- did some brass bands, along both sides of the lines. anity – is best seen as an extension, or addition, to the ment for peace must come from the grassroots, from gi’s remains,” Amnesty said in a statement. At dawn on Christmas Day, Germans and Britons Judeo-Christian tradition, rather than a unique religion. the under-privileged and under-served combatants on The human rights group said, “Only an international, – up and down the firing line – emerged from their Furthermore, the grunts on either side of America’s both sides of the contemporary fighting lines. independent and impartial investigation can serve justice trenches and ventured into the deadly “No Man’s Land” “terror wars” still share extraordinary commonalities. Truth is, as a troop commander in Kandahar in 2011- for Jamal Khashoggi.” between the armies. Some brought Christmas trees Both are often drawn to military service by the limited 12, I had (crazy as it may sound) more in common The Washington Post’s publisher, Fred Ryan, also con- along; others exchanged cigarettes and snacks with their economic opportunities in their respective societies. with my counterpart in the local Taliban than with my demned the findings. normative enemies. None brought weapons. During the The soldiers who served under me typically joined as a star-fixated colonels and generals in the U.S. Army. At “The complete lack of transparency and the Saudi gov- brief, beautiful, gesture of piece, many soldiers also means to a fiscal end – paying off college debt, learning least my Taliban mirror also faced the daily prospect of ernment’s refusal to cooperate with independent inves- took the opportunity to identify, retrieve, and bury a trade, or seeking healthcare and housing security. death and undoubtedly knew the pain of burying young tigators suggests that this was merely a sham trial,” he the bodies of comrades stranded between the trench The foot soldiers in the Taliban buried IEDs and laid in men under his command. I only wish that one of us, said in a statement. “Those ultimately responsible, at the lines. In one sector, at least, the opposing troops played wait to ambush my troops, as often as not, for a steady both of us, had had the courage to lay down our guns, highest level of the Saudi government, continue to escape an ad hoc game of soccer – another shared cultural paycheck, a sense of dignity and purpose in a circum- take that exceedingly alluring risk, and met halfway responsibility for the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi.” pastime. As one participant, German Lieutenant Kurt scribed Third World job market. American and Taliban between my outpost and his village, defied our respec- UN Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard called Monday’s Zehmisch, remembered: “How marvelously wonderful, grunts, for example, share more than they diverge. Both tive commanders, and shared a Christmas moment. court rulings “anything but justice” in a series of posts yet how strange it was. The English officers felt the wage wars not of their own making; neither possess a Maybe it is fantasy; as is my hope that other bel- on her official Twitter account. The UN expert previously same way about it. Thus Christmas, the celebration of clear path to victory; neither count many prospects in ligerents will attempt this remarkable 1914-inspired found “sufficient credible evidence” that called for the Love, managed to bring mortal enemies together as civilian life. Both believe the purported birth of Jesus protest tonight and tomorrow. Still, dreams, as they Saudi Crown Prince to be investigated. friends for a time.” to be a profound matter. The same can be said of the say, are what makes life tolerable… Callamard criticized the court’s conclusion that the killing was not premeditated, citing, “the presence of a forensic doctor,” how the “defendants had repeatedly stat- ed they were obeying orders” and how the consul general “took all necessary precautions to ensure there will be no eye witness present.” Christopher White: EU targeting U.S. economy She added, “Bottom line: the hit-men are guilty, sen- TEHRAN (FNA) — Christopher White, Brexit, should it happen, will weaken the tenced to death. The masterminds not only walk free. journalist, says the European Union EU economy and the German economic They have barely been touched by the investigation and countries, as sovereign states, are adopting picture is looking bleak. The US has a the trial. That is the antithesis of Justice. It is a mockery.” protecting policies by introducing taxes history of isolationism and current US Turkey described the verdict as “scandalous” and said and tariffs which can lead to a trade war trade policy is reminiscent of that. The those responsible for the murder had been granted im- between the EU and the US. World Trade Organization is weak, recall munity. Speaking in an exclusive interview with the League of Nations, and it is hard to “Those who dispatched a death squad to Istanbul on FNA, White said, “The US has entered see how the current climate would permit a private jet ... and sought to sweep this murder under into trade conflict with China meanwhile strengthening it. The immediate future the rug have been granted immunity,” President Recep sanctions continue against Russia… Brexit is an open question. Tayyip Erdogan’s top press aide, Fahrettin Altun, wrote […] will weaken the EU economy and How would you think this will affect on Twitter. the German economic picture is looking the global economy? Turkey also said the Saudi findings left many unan- bleak […] the World Trade Organization A: The global economy has slowed swered questions. is weak”, drawing a gloomy picture of the down and is continuing to decline. China In a written statement, Turkish foreign ministry spokes- EU-US economic future. has its own problems including increased person Hami Aksoy said the verdict was disappointing Christopher White is a British journalist wealth among its population resulting as “important aspects of the murder remain in the dark.” based in Brussels. He is the founder and in rising production costs. Defense “It is not just a legal necessity but also moral respon- former publisher of the EU Reporter spending is keeping the Chinese economy sibility and obligation that light is shed on this murder magazine. relatively buoyant. Academics lecture committed on our soil and all those responsible are pun- Below is the full text of the interview: on the need for levelling wealth. That ished,” Aksoy added. The US and EU officials are preparing adopted policies that target its closest dispute to the present levels? was one of the principle ambitions of Aksoy also renewed Ankara’s demand for judicial co- for a World Trade Organization ruling non-European military ally is highly A: There is a historical equivalent to the European Union - the levelling-up operation from Saudi authorities. that could empower the US to impose questionable. Much the same has to be what is happening today. The League of wealth in poor regions like Spain and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a state- new tariffs on the European products. said for the US that refuses to adapt certain of Nations, designed to promote peace, Portugal in the 1980’s creating, in theory, ment: “The killing of Jamal Khashoggi was a terrible crime. The EU is expected to retaliate. How do principles, on food quality for example. failed due largely to the dominance of new markets for the wealthy regions like Mr. Khashoggi’s family deserves to see justice done for you view the US-EU trade war? The US has entered into tr ade conflict economic nationalism. As world leaders Germany, the UK and Scandinavia. The his brutal murder. Saudi Arabia must ensure all of those A: Trade war would be a disaster with China meanwhile sanctions continue attending the league spoke about goodwill academics of those times, it appears, responsible are held to account and that such an atrocity on a global basis but especially for the against Russia. Without questioning the among nations its member states were overlooked the arrival of China and the can never happen again.” EU. The economic situation in Europe rights or wrongs of any particular aspect, it promoting economic conflict. The EU developing nations into the market place. Paris-based media rights watchdog Reporters With- is, as presented widely in the media, is abundantly clear that matters are getting is now driven by states protecting, as Now everything has been overtaken out Borders said that justice was “trampled on” with the approaching recession. There are similar out of hand. One should ask whether they see it, their economic well-being by globally by the enormous gap between death sentences meted out after a trial that did not respect problems in the United States where a we are approaching the situation that introducing taxes and tariffs as ‘sovereign the extremely wealthy and the general international standards of justice. current report highlights the growing existed in the 1920’s and 30’s dominated nations’. The French economy is under populace who pay the bulk of state taxes. Even the US Department of State official told report- gap between the super rich and ordinary by national protectionism, not to mention pressure and so France is “retaliating” to Perhaps the question should be when ers after the ruling, “Today’s verdicts were an important citizens. This has long been the situation the situation that followed. US levies. That the EU is being drawn into will the general population stop spending step in holding those responsible for this terrible crime in developing countries and is now true Which rules-based international the dispute or, to put it a different way either for political reasons or because accountable,” adding, “We’re pressing them [Saudi Ara- in developed countries. That the EU, systems do you think have been that the EU is also collectively joining the they just can’t afford to keep the economy bia] for more transparency and for holding everybody a federal state still in the making, has disregarded to take the EU-US trade battle does not bode well for the future. going and what will happen then? accountable.” I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 12 SOCIETY DECEMBER 25, 2019

Ability of re-grown Amazon Iran, Armenia ink MOU to expand forest to combat climate change ‘vastly overestimated’, labor, social welfare co-op SOCIETY TEHRAN — study suggests deskIran’s Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social The capacity of re-grown areas of the Amazon rainforest to Welfare Mohammad Shariatmadari draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and combat climate and his Armenian counterpart Zaruhi change may have been “vastly overestimated”, scientists fear. Batoyan signed a memorandum of The forest is a gigantic carbon sink, drawing the greenhouse understanding (MOU) to enhance gas from the atmosphere. Cleared areas that are re-planted are cooperation in the fields of vocational known as secondary forest, and have been seen as key to fighting training, labor, and social welfare. climate change, researchers at Lancaster University said. The two officials discussed ways to expand cooperation during a meeting in Tehran on Monday. Supporting small and home busi- nesses, developing training programs for empowering female heads of households, exchanging experience on disability issues and preventing social harm were among the issues discussed during the meeting. Batoyan expressed interest in using Iran’s experience in dealing with vulnerable groups of people, persons with disabilities, children, Iran’s Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Mohammad Shariatmadari (R) and Armenian Minister of Labor and the elderly, and women. Social Affairs Zaruhi Batoyan. But a new study has found that those areas held just 40 per cent as much carbon dioxide as sequestered by parts of the Am- azon untouched by humans, casting doubt on their ability to aid Iran ranks first in international abacus New species of monkey found in in mitigating the crisis. And at the same time, global warming appeared to be ham- contest 2019 Amazon rainforest pering the re-growth of secondary forest. SOCIETY TEHRAN — Iranian Scientists researching a group of fluffy Scientists monitored forest regrowth over a period of 20 desktalented children have grey monkeys in the Amazon rainfor- years and revealed how the Amazon was affected by periods of ranked first in team category of the 19th est have determined the animals belong drought. During times of “water deficit”, regrown forests absorb Pan Pacific Abacus and Mental Arithme- to a new species. less carbon from the atmosphere. tic Association Global Abacus and Mental The primates, named Plecturoce- “If current trends continue, it will take well over a century Arithmetic Championships which was held bus parecis, were first discovered by for the forests to fully recover, meaning their ability to help fight in Thailand on Sunday. biologists more than 100 years ago but climate change may have been vastly overestimated,” Lancaster Children in 5 different age groups, have only recently been recognised as University said. including age 5-7 as group A, 8-9 group a distinct group. Increased temperatures from global warming are in turn B, 10-11 group C, 12-14 group D and 15 The species lives on the Parecis plateau causing more drought-years in the Amazon, therefore lim- or older in group E, annually attend the Different countries, including, Taiwan, in Rondonia, Brazil, and has survived de- out by the IUCN Red List for endan- iting the capabilities of the secondary forests to help beat contest solving multiple math equations, Thailand, Canada, Hong Kong, the Unit- forestation because the plateau’s steep gered species. carbon pollution. including division, multiplication, square ed States, South Africa, Vietnam, South sides make it difficult to access. “The range is small and the popula- Led by a group of Brazilian and British researchers, the root, cube root, fractions, time, etc. Korea, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Austral- Biologists originally thought the mon- tion restricted,” Mr Barnett told the New study also found that even after 60 years, regrown forests held Iranian teams participated in the whole ia, India, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, keys were part of the “ashy black titis” Scientist. only two-fifths as much carbon as virgin forests. five age groups of the competitions; these the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, species when they were discovered in 1914. He added that the Parecis monkey was It could take more than a century for the forests to fully recover 55 smart children won 3 “champion of Egypt, Tajikistan, and Yemen attended However, Adrian Barnett, a biologist the third new species found in Brazil this and “reduce the effectiveness of climate mitigation strategies in champions” titles, 48 “champion” titles, the international competition. who worked on confirming the new spe- year and the 20th monkey species dis- regions that have a long history of human occupation”. three were ranked as the “first winner”, and The championship, organized by a cies, told the New Scientist that a report covered there since 2000. Author Fernando Elias, of the Federal University of Para, one the “second winner”, head of Smart non-profit organization established in by the researcher who first discovered Mariluce Messias, a biologist who said: “The region we studied in the Amazon has seen an increase Kids institute Rouhollah Mokhberian said. 1999, is an example of what can be achieved the monkeys showed he was “clearly in worked on the research project after in temperature of 0.1C per decade and tree growth was lower Some 55 children were selected among with early intervention in abacus math doubt” about their classification. coming across the new species in 2011, during periods of drought. 388 students from all over the country in and mental arithmetic education. The The Parecis monkeys, which are known was also involved in the discovery of the “With predictions of more drought in the future, we must national competitions, he added. purpose of the competition is to allow as “oto?ho?” by local indigenous people, Munduruku marmoset in the southeastern be cautious about the ability of secondary forests to mitigate The Smart Kids institute holds a national for the observation of mental arithmetic are distinguished from the dark grey ashy Amazon earlier this year. climate change. Our results underline the need for international competition annually on August 2 to select skills from all countries, to promote abacus black titis by their chestnut brown backs Mr Barnett said the new discoveries agreements that minimise the impacts of climate change.” members of the Iranian team for attending and mental arithmetic education, and to and large white patches on their chests. may be due to deforestation making access Scientists also found there to be a “near-zero increase” the PAMA global abacus championships. improve friendships among participants When the research team compared to parts of the Amazon easier. in biodiversity within these secondary forests between 1999 Children from 7 to 13 years of age take from around the world. DNA from the Parecis monkeys with 10 “One thing about deforestation is that and 2017. part in the competition to solve some 7 The Iranian team consisting of 35 chil- other species, including the ashy black it gives everyone access to remote areas, Forests are vital habitats for threatened species and ecosystems, mathematical test sheets using abacuses. dren ranked first in different categories of titis, they found it was distinctly different. so sometimes scientists get to areas that but results from the study show poor biodiversity relationships Over 610 children from 24 countries the 18th PAMA Global Abacus and Mental Researchers have argued the new have never been properly explored just in highly-deforested landscapes. participated in the event, Mokhberian Arithmetic Championships held in Malaysia species of monkeys should be considered before the chainsaws,” he said. “It is also likely that we are overestimating the relative recovery noted. on December 30, 2018. “near threatened” under the criteria set (Source: The Independent) of biodiversity,” added the study. Joe Barlow, professor of conservation science at Lancaster University and also an author of the study, said secondary forests’ potential to mitigate climate change was of “global Iranian students win gold medal, special award at SIIF 2019 importance”. SOCIETY TEHRAN — Iranian college students won madi-Koushki highlighted. He also called for “more long-term studies like ours… to better deska gold medal and a special award at the Features of the project include physicians’ tax bills, understand secondary forest resilience and to target restoration Seoul International Invention Fair (SIIF) which was held on saving on paperwork costs of hospital and government-run to the areas that will do most to combat climate change and November 27-30, ISNA news agency reported on Tuesday. medical centers, preventing patients from using duplicate preserve biodiversity”. The event aimed to hold a wholly integrated invention fair medicines, and making medical records always available, (Source: The Independent) providing inventors from all over the world with compre- and fast access to patients’ health background for doctors hensive information on the commercialization of inventions, while ensuring the safety of patients’ health information patent information, and technology transfer. and data, he explained. WORDS IN THE NEWS Two Iranian teams consisting of school students and Supported by the World Intellectual Property Or- college students competed in the event. Shahriar Shariati ganization (WIPO) and the International Federation of Better rice, less global and Adel Ahmadi Fariman won the gold medals among Inventors’ Associations (IFIA), the 4-day event gathered school students, Amir-Abbas Mohammadi-Koushki, head inventors and researchers to showcase their new ideas warming of the Iranian teams said. and Germany, he noted. and products to manufacturers, investors, distributors, The students’ innovative project was “smart depres- The college students’ team was awarded for “block licensing firms, and the general public. (August 21, 2002) sion detection system using artificial intelligence” which chain system in medical information technology” which In SIIF 2018, 604 inventions from 32 countries and Rice plants which produce higher yields make less of the greenhouse ranked first surpassing South Korea, the United States aims to eliminate insurance booklets in Iran, Moham- around 40,000 spectators participated. gas methane, researchers have discovered. Scientists say their finding could lead to new varieties of rice which make more grain and contribute less to global warming. This report from Richard Black: Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after ENGLISH IN USE carbon dioxide, and rice fields are among the biggest sources of methane. It’s produced by a bacteria living in the wet soil of LEARN NEWS TRANSLATION the paddy-field. Now scientists from Europe and the Philippines have discovered that less methane is made in fields where the plants are producing more grain. The reason is that making 3,863 Iranians lost lives in road ۳،۸۶۳ نفر کشته در تصادفات ۳ ماه نخست سال .methane needs carbon Plants absorb carbon from the air. They use some for making grain رئیــس پلیــس راهــور گفــت: در ســه ماهــه نخســت ســال جــاری، ۳ هــزار و ۸۶۳ نفــر and some finds its way to the roots and then into the soil, where crashes within 3 months در تصادفات کشــته شــدند. the bacteria can use it to produce methane. So if more carbon Road crash casualties amounted to 3,863 in the country during the is tied up in making grain, there’s less in the soil, which means first three months of the current Iranian calendar year (starting on بــه گــزارش خبرنــگار باشــگاه خبرنــگاران پویــا؛ ســردار ســید کمــال هادیا نفــر اظهــار .less methane. March 21), traffic police chief Seyed Kamal Hadianfar has said کــرد: دو هــزار و ۳۶۸ راننــده مقصــر باعــث مــرگ ایــن ۳ هــزار و ۸۶۳ نفــر در Rice is the staple food of half the world’s population. But yields vary During the first three days of summer, 64 people were killed in traffic widely from region to region, and in some places, they’re falling. A few related accidents, while 1,375 others got injured, he added. تصادفــات شــدند. months ago, to great fanfare, scientists unveiled the genome He went on to note that 2,368 drivers were responsible for the crashes sequence of rice — a tool of great potential use to researchers occurred in the aforementioned period. رئیــس پلیــس راهــور ادامــه داد: 91 درصــد ترددهــا در کشــور، در ج ادههــا صــورت .trying to develop new strains of rice with higher yields Given that 91 percent of the country’s total transportation is carried م یگیــرد کــه بــه زیرســاخت ج ادههــا بایــد توجــه ویــ ژهای شــود. This latest research will now help steer scientists towards the genes they must work with if they want to design those new high- out on roads, there must be special attention to the infrastructure of وی تصریــح کــرد: اکنــون 22 میلیــون و 270 هــزار و 187 دســتگاه خــودرو و بیــش .yielding strains without contributing to global warming. the roads nationwide, he noted از 11 میلیــون موتورســیکلت در کشــور وجــود دارد و 41 میلیــون نفــر صاحــب Words Approximately, 22,270,187 vehicles are running in the country and greenhouse gas: a gas that may cause warming of the Earth’s the number of motorcycles reach over 11 million, he said, adding that گواهینامــه هســتند. .atmosphere some 41 million of Iranians currently have driving license paddy-field:a flooded field where rice is grown tied up: busy or occupied staple food: a basic part of the daily diet PREFIX/SUFFIX PHRASAL VERB IDIOM yields: an amount of food produced by a plant to great fanfare: with a lot of publicity “cerebro-, cerebr-” Think something up Give somebody a (good) unveiled: revealed genome sequence: the genetic information that describes a Meaning: brain Meaning: to produce a new idea, name etc. by run for their money human, animal or plant For example: Passive smoking is considered a thinking tool: an instrument used for doing something (here refers to major cause of cerebrovascular disease, which For example: She was trying to think up Explanation: to make your opponent in a competition ‘genome sequence’) causes strokes. an excuse. use all their skill and effort to defeat you steer: to guide something or someone in a certain direction For example: They’ve given some of the top teams (Source: BBC) a run for their money this season. I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 25, 2019 WORLD IN FOCUS 13 Russia will closely monitor new U.S. missile Syrian army makes fresh gains against terrorists in deployments in Europe & Asia-Pacific:Putin Idlib Moscow will monitor the potential deploy- bridge for car traffic opened in May last year The Syrian government forces have made fresh gains against ment of American short- and intermedi- when the president drove a truck across it. foreign-backed terrorists in Idlib province, the last major strong- ate-range missiles in various parts of the The total rail route from the northwest- hold of militants in Syria, as the army tightens the noose around world, Vladimir Putin has told the military. ern city of Saint Petersburg to the Crimean the extremists operating in the region. The U.S. has effectively dismantled the port city of Sevastopol covers a distance The Syrian armed forces cleared two key towns after destroying 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces of 2,500 kilometers. the terrorists’ hideouts and fortifications on Monday. (INF) Treaty this year, Putin said at an Putin said the bridge would restore Government forces also surrounded a Turkish observation annual gathering of the Defense Ministry rail links to Crimea severed in 2014 when post in Idlib. Earlier, the Syrian army troops established control board, which gives new reasons for Russia Moscow annexed the peninsula, sparking over five villages in the northwestern province. to be vigilant. The treaty in question banned an ongoing separatist conflict in eastern According to Syria’s official news agency, SANA, government land-based ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, Ukraine that has claimed more 13,000 lives. troops established control over the villages of al-Hraki and al-Qrati, and missile launchers with ranges of up to The company of Putin’s close ally, bil- besides several plots of farm land in Idlib’s southeastern coun- 5,500km (3,418 miles). While keeping an lionaire businessman Arkady Rotenberg, tryside on Sunday. eye on these developments, Moscow also won the construction contract for the bridge. The capture came after “intense battles” with members of needs to “analyze potential military threats He sold the company last month. the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, Takfiri terrorist group, formerly known and determine measures for the use and Putin told workers an anecdote about as the al-Nusra Front, SANA added, noting that army soldiers further improvement of the armed forces.” receiving an emotional call from “your inflicted heavy losses upon the Takfiri forces. The Pentagon is ramping up its strike main boss with the simple Russian sur- In recent days, Syrian government forces have succeeded capabilities after withdrawal from the INF, name Rotenberg,” after the completion of in wresting full control over several villages, following heavy Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at the a key stage of the project. exchanges of gunfire with the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terrorists. same event. The U.S. military will soon be “He called me at night and spoke in The Takfiris were using the villages as a launching pad for able to scramble nuclear-armed bombers such a voice that I asked him ‘Have you their mortar attacks on areas in southern Idlib, which have re- in just 24 hours, reducing the readiness been drinking?’” the Russian leader said. explicitly anti-Russian large-scale drills.” sharp criticism from Ukraine and the EU. turned to government control. time from the previous ten days. The coverage of the project has been Putin takes first train across During his ride from Kerch in Crimea in a The armed conflict began in Syria in 2011. But the Syrian Aside from that, the Baltic countries reminiscent of Soviet infrastructure proj- Crimea bridge shortened three-carriage train, Putin also military, backed by the Russian air force and Iranian military witnessed the construction of U.S. ear- ects, with a newsreader on state-controlled Vladimir Putin stood in the driver’s spent time drinking tea with engineers on advisers, have taken back control of most of the areas in Syria ly-warning radars capable of scanning Rossiya 24 television channel calling the cabin of a train for the official opening of the 227 billion ruble ($3.6 billion) project. that had been held by militant and terrorist groups. Russian airspace within 450km, the minister a railway bridge that links annexed Crimea The rail bridge, which Putin praised as opening “without exaggeration historic.” said. Meanwhile, NATO holds “up to forty to southern Russia, with the launch drawing “magnificent,” is 19 kilometers long. The (Source: RT) (Source: Press TV)

Venezuela arrests 11 after weekend raid Transport strike in France mars Indian citizenship law of military outpost: Maduro Christmas and discrimination against Venezuela has arrested 11 people in con- assumed a rival presidency in January. Christmas Eve in France has been set union, said strikers have a “set of plans Muslims nection with a weekend raid of a remote Maduro dismisses Guaido as a U.S. to be marred by the nearly three-week to celebrate Christmas” together while military outpost in southern Bolivar state, puppet seeking to oust him in a coup. standoff between French train drivers and maintaining action all week-long. 1 However, the representatives of Modi’s nationalist but some suspects have fled across the Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez the government over pension reforms. Talks between the government and party have announced in the parliament that the government border to Brazil with stolen weapons, said in an earlier address on Monday that Now in its 20th day, the walkout has unions last week failed to find middle will not back down on the implementation of the bill under no President Nicolas Maduro said. Darwin Balaguera, a former National Guard ruined Christmas travel plans for tens ground, and strikers vowed there would circumstances. Authorities have accused Brazil, Colom- member who deserted in February and fled of thousands of ticket holders unable to be no holiday truce unless the pension In response to the protests, the prime minister attributed bia and Peru - all adversaries of socialist to Colombia, was detained over the raid. reach loved ones in time for Christmas overhaul plan was scrapped. the recent events to his domestic opponents and the rival par- Maduro who recognize opposition leader The channel broadcast video of Balaguera Day on Wednesday. Trade unions and others involved in ty. Modi also refused to show flexibility toward the protests. In Juan Guaido as the rightful president - of answering authorities’ questions in cus- Workers at the national SNCF and the strike will meet with the government such circumstances, it seems that the government is seeking to complicity with the attack, in which one tody. Balaguera was among hundreds of Parisian RATP rail and public transport on January 7 to discuss the pension re- politicize the issue and bipolarize its supporters and opponents Venezuelan soldier was killed. All three Venezuelan soldiers who defected to Co- companies have downed tools to protest forms, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s in the face of recent internal tensions. countries’ governments have denied lombia during a Guaido-led attempt to at the government’s plan to meld France’s office said Monday. The talks are set to Revoking the autonomy of Muslim-populated Jammu and involvement. In an evening address on bring humanitarian aid into the country 42 pension schemes into a single points- run through the month of January. Kashmir state, as well as threatening to strip citizenship from state television, Maduro called on Brazilian through Colombia and Brazil in February. based one, which would see some public On Saturday and Sunday, the last 1.9 million of residents in Assam, which mainly include Mus- President Jair Bolsonaro to cooperate. Some have said they are prepared to take employees lose certain privileges. weekend before Christmas, the SCNF lim immigrants from India’s neighboring country, Bangladesh, “Capture the assailants in Brazilian up arms to remove Maduro. There will be no surprises under the provided half the usual number of TGV are among the measures taken by the conservative government territory and return the weapons to the Olnar Ortiz, an attorney with nonprofit Christmas tree for those keen to travel on high-speed trains, a third of regional TER against Muslims in the past year. Venezuelan armed forces,” Maduro said. rights group Penal Forum, said at least Tuesday, with up to 40 percent of high- services, a quarter of intercity trains, Therefore, it can be concluded that ethnic policies are not limited He said the 11 detainees included both seven members of the Pemon indigenous speed rail and express regional trains and one in five connecting Paris to its to the new citizenship law, but more generally the government military and civilian suspects, without group were arrested in connection with canceled, along with up to 20 percent outer suburbs. is pursuing an ethnic approach to domestic affairs, especially providing details. the incident. Ortiz said four other Pemon of other trains. Unions are angry about the govern- against Muslims. Authorities have blamed “extreme individuals were missing. Ortiz said au- The SNCF has also announced that on ment’s plans, which would see some public The way that the government treats the Indian Muslims along sectors of the opposition” for the raid. thorities raided homes in the Pemon village Tuesday evening, trains between Paris employees — notably railway staff — lose with officials’ ethnic policies, including the citizenship law, clearly Venezuela, whose economy has collapsed of Kumarakapay near Venezuela’s border and its suburbs will be halted. Some lines early-retirement and other benefits. shows the roll-back of the world’s greatest diplomacy. under Maduro, has been locked in a deep with Brazil on Sunday evening, searching will reopen Wednesday morning, others The government insists the new system The roll-back, at the same time of being discretionary, is a political crisis since Guaido, the head of for suspected participants in the raid. only on Thursday. would be fairer and more transparent. disproportionate attempt to return to identity. The Indian gov- the opposition-held National Assembly, (Source: Reuters) Laurent Brun of the hard-line CGT (Source: AFP) ernment is carrying out the attempt, largely defined in terms of Hindu identity, in an inefficient way. India seems to be entering a new critical phase of identity, which makes religion a criteria for citizenship. ‘Antithesis of justice’: Khashoggi verdict roundly condemned In fact, despite the political democracy in India that pursues 1 The remaining three, however, were found not as “a whitewash” and said Saudi officials have failed the who have demanded genuine accountability in the case,” a liberal democracy, putting the issue of identity aside over the guilty, including Saud al-Qahtani, a former top adviser slain journalist and his family. it wrote in an op-ed. past years has had an opposite result and caused the conservatives to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ahmed “This verdict ... brings neither justice nor the truth The editorial board also warned the international com- took power. In an inefficient roll-back, India’s conservatives are al-Assiri, an ex-deputy intelligence chief, and Mohamed for Jamal Khashoggi and his loved ones. The trial has munity against welcoming the result of the Saudi trial. seeking to highlight a form of insider identity against outsider, al-Otaibi, who was consul general in the kingdom’s con- been closed to the public and to independent monitors, “International acceptance of the result would not only with a focus on Hindu identity and confrontation with Muslim sulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul when the murder with no information available as to how the investigation be morally wrong but dangerous, too: It would send the identity. happened. was carried out,” Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International’s reckless Saudi ruler the message that his murderous ad- It is not clear that how long the current crisis resulted from Both Qahtani and Assiri were relieved of their duties in Middle East Research Director, said in a statement. venturism will be tolerated,” it said. inefficient identity policies last in India, but one can expect that the immediate aftermath of Khashoggi’s assassination last “The verdict fails to address the Saudi authorities’ in- ‘Trial comedy’ entering the stage of identity crisis in liberal-democratic countries year. Qahtani and Otaibi were also sanctioned a year ago volvement in this devastating crime or clarify the location The dissident Saudi Twitter account Prisoners of that have ignored identity diversity will continue. by the U.S. Treasury for their involvement in the murder. of Jamal Khashoggi’s remains,” she added. Conscience criticized the trial of Khashoggi’s killers as Khashoggi — an outspoken critic of the heir to the Saudi UN rapporteur: Masterminds walking free a “comedy,” saying that all those involved in the crime throne — went into self-imposed exile in the U.S. in 2017. In a series of tweets, Agnes Callamard, the UN rap- should be held accountable. The Washington Post columnist entered the Saudi consu- porteur investigating Khashoggi’s killing, condemned the “Just a year ago, the U.S. intelligence published a re- Senate leaders at impasse over late in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, to obtain paperwork ruling as a “travesty,” noting that the trial had failed to port revealing correspondences between Saud al-Qahtani Trump impeachment trial he needed to marry his Turkish fiancée. consider the involvement of the state. and Bin Salman before, during and following Khashoggi’s Inside Riyadh’s mission, he was confronted by a Saudi hit “The execution of Jamal Khashoggi demanded an assassination,” it pointed out. The fate of a Senate impeachment trial for President Donald team, who killed him and brutally dismembered his body. investigation into the chain of command to identify the “Today, the Saudi judiciary claims that the crime took Trump is at an impasse as Republican and Democratic leaders The CIA has concluded that bin Salman had ordered masterminds, as well as those who incited, allowed or place without prior planning and acquits Saud al-Qahtani! remained at odds over what form it would take and what wit- the murder. The journalist’s remains have yet to be found. turned a blind eye to the murder, such as the Crown What kind of independent judiciary is this?!” it added. nesses would be called. Elsewhere in his remarks, Shaalan claimed that Khashog- Prince,” she wrote. American lawmakers fume at sentences Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he has not ruled gi’s killers had decided to murder him after their arrival “This was not investigated. Bottom line: the hit men Several U.S. legislators have censured not only Saudi out calling witnesses but also indicated that he was in no hurry in Istanbul. are guilty, sentenced to death. The masterminds not only Arabia for the verdict but also U.S. President Donald Trump, to seek new testimony either. The Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck “Our investigations show that there was no premedi- walk free, they have barely been touched by the investi- who has shielded bin Salman from blame for Khashoggi’s Schumer of New York, responded that any trial without witnesses tation to kill at the beginning of the mission,” he claimed. gation and the trial. That is the antithesis of justice. It is assassination and emphasized Riyadh’s lucrative arms would be “Kafkaesque” and a “sham.” He said he remained open Shaalan’s claims sparked a wave of condemnations a mockery.” deals with Washington instead. to negotiating with McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. from the world body, human rights organizations and In her 101-page report released in June, Callamard Senator Bernie Sanders, who is seeking the Democratic “Let’s put it like this: If there are no documents and no wit- U.S. legislators. said that there is “sufficient credible evidence” indicating nomination for president, highlighted the CIA’s conclusion nesses, it will be very hard to come to an agreement,” Schumer HRW: Trial ‘all but satisfactory’ that the heir to the Saudi throne bears responsibility for and slammed the trial as “a cover-up” by the Saudi regime. told The Associated Press on Monday. Ahmed Benchemsi, spokesman for Human Rights the murder and thus should be investigated. “This sham trial, carried out by a despotic and law- The House voted Wednesday to impeach Trump, who became Watch, told the Doha-based Al Jazeera broadcaster that Erdogan spox: Those ordering murder less regime, looks more like a cover-up,” he said. “Maybe only the third president in U.S. history to be formally charged the trial was “all but satisfactory.” given immunity Donald Trump might want to stop proclaiming his love with “high crimes and misdemeanors.” But the Senate trial may The case was “shrouded in secrecy since the beginning, Fahrettin Altun, a spokesman for Turkish President and affection for the Saudi dictatorship.” be held up until lawmakers can agree on how to proceed. Schumer and it’s still ... until now ... We do not know the identities Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that the Saudi officials who Similarly, Democrat Senator Tim Kaine cited the CIA’s is demanding witnesses who refused to appear during House of those masked perpetrators, we don’t know the specific had ordered the operation were “granted immunity.” assessment on the case, urging the U.S. government to committee hearings, including acting White House chief of staff charge leveled against who exactly,” he said. “To claim that a handful of intelligence operatives com- seek justice for Khashoggi. Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton. “Saudi prosecutors did not even attempt to investigate mitted this murder is to mock the world’s intelligence — to “Senior Saudi officials continue to escape accountability McConnell, who has all but promised a swift acquittal of the the upper levels of this crime, and whether they played a say the least,” he tweeted. for the state-sponsored murder of Jamal Khashoggi,” said president, has resisted making any guarantees, and has cautioned role in ordering the killing, including Crown Prince Mo- UK: Khashoggi’s family deserve to see Kaine, who represents Virginia, where Khashoggi lived. Trump against seeking the testimony of witnesses for fear of hammed bin Salman,” he added. justice “The Trump Administration should be demanding jus- prolonging the trial. Instead, McConnell appears to have secured Adam Coogle, who researches Saudi Arabia for the British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab described tice for the brutal killing of a journalist and VA resident Republican support for his plans to impose a framework drawn HRW, underlined the need for an independent probe. Khashoggi’s murder as “a terrible crime.” instead of ignoring the CIA’s assessment of who killed from the 1999 impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. “Saudi Arabia’s absolution of its senior leadership of “Mr. Khashoggi’s family deserve to see justice done him,” Kaine added. “We haven’t ruled out witnesses,” McConnell said Monday any culpability in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi raises for his brutal murder. Saudi Arabia must ensure all of Connecticut Democrat Senator Richard Blumen- in an interview with “Fox and Friends.” “We’ve said let’s handle serious concerns over the fairness of the criminal pro- those responsible are held to account and that such an thal blamed the U.S. president for bin Salam’s evasion this case just like we did with President Clinton. Fair is fair.” ceedings,” he said. atrocity can never happen again,” he said in a statement. of responsibility. That trial featured a 100-0 vote on arrangements that es- “Saudi Arabia’s handling of the murder, from complete Washington Post: An ‘insult’ to Khashog- “After a sham trial, the masterminds behind Jamal tablished two weeks of presentations and argument before a denial to hanging the murder on lower-level operatives in gi’s family Khashoggi’s brutal murder walk away scot-free,” he said. partisan tally in which Republicans, who held the majority, called a trial that lacked transparency, demonstrates the need The Washington Post editorial board called Monday’s “Trump is also culpable - having done next to nothing to a limited number of witnesses. But Democrats now would need for an independent criminal inquiry.” sentences a “travesty of justice.” hold the Crown Prince accountable for murdering a brave, Republican votes to secure witness testimony - and Republicans Amnesty: Verdict ‘a whitewash’ “The result is an insult to Khashoggi’s family and to truth-seeking journalist.” believe they have the votes to eventually block those requests. In turn, Amnesty International has blasted the verdict all those, including a bipartisan congressional majority, (Source: agencies) (Source: AP) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 14 WORLD SPORTS DECEMBER 25, 2019

Australian Open prize money Nadal: Winning 20 Grand tops £38m

Australian Open organizers have increased the prize money to more than £38m with the biggest gains for those losing in the earlier rounds. Slam titles is a dream The overall prize fund for the tournament has increased by 14% to 71m Australian dollars (£38.1m). Rafa Nadal has admitted that equalling Roger that you’ve done well on and off court with Players who exit in the first round will receive 20% more Federer’s Grand Slam tally of 20 would be good behavior. The personal side is always than last year while money for losers in the opening qualifying a dream for him. more important than the professional side. round is up by a third. The Spaniard is currently on 19 Grand What is your philosophy? The tournament proper begins in Melbourne on 20 January. Slam titles and will be targeting more in 2020. You can always do a little bit more. I don’t Tournament director Craig Tiley says the Australian Open “I’m on my own path, like I have been want to go away knowing that I didn’t fight is committed to “improving the pay and conditions for a deeper my whole life. This is the reality,” Nadal until the end. I think this is what keeps the pool of international tennis players”. told MARCA. balance. If I’m not all there, I’m sure that “We worked with the tours to establish the weighting for prize “But [reaching 20 Grand Slams] is a I won’t succeed. If I’m there, even though money increases round by round, and we pushed to reward players dream, although I think that restrained I’m playing badly, I can succeed. Why not? competing early in the tournament in both singles and doubles,” ambition is bad.” I put videos of me on the Internet, I see added Tiley. Nadal answered several questions about positive, exciting moments and you realize “We strongly believe in growing prize money at all levels of his academy, museum, his fans and his that you’ve done it before. I never want to the game and we will continue to work with the playing group to personal life, as well as talking more about have the feeling that I gave up. create viable career paths in the sport and enable more players his competition with Federer. Nicolas Almagro made a phrase about to make more money.” How does it feel to see the Rafa you famous during the 2008 French Open: Singles champions at the 2020 tournament will take home Nadal Academy grow? “This guy will still be winning here at 65 4.12m Australian dollars (£2.21m). We’ve been going non-stop for years and years old.” Do you think your opponents The prize money for losing in the first round of qualifying it’s not just my close team but more than see you as unbeatable on the clay at Paris? is 20,000 Australian dollars (£10,707) and 90,000 Australian 300 workers. We’re trying to give the best I don’t think they see me as unbeatable dollars (£48,183) for exiting in the first round main draw. service possible to everyone that visits us so of everything. this has to be the foundation work. We need because I’ve lost before. No one is unbeatable, (Source: BBC) that they leave with a good memory. Do you think there will be a more time to see the results. and let’s hope this continues. It’s like that. What stands out is a museum of Spanish youngster coming through How does the support of your Being unbeatable isn’t a human trait. Human Spanish sporting history. than can win trophies alongside you fans feel? beings aren’t perfect and invincibility Rangers boss Gerrard wants We’re lucky that great athletes from past soon? I’m lucky enough to receive so much is perfection. Everyone is beatable and and present have lent us their historical Let’s hope so, that’s what we work for. love and support from so many people. I consider myself normal and ordinary ‘severe example’ made of objects to put on display, and this is the great But you have to be honest and not push Sometimes this is more important than despite having done special things on a satisfaction. It’s not just a tennis museum or people. We’re a very young center, we’ve winning. When I’m injured, people always tennis court. In the best moments of my bottle-throwers a museum about me. I always wanted to steer only been going for three years. The results ask me what I miss most about tennis: it’s career, my opponents will have thought it away from that. What I wanted was to make of academies are often seen as the years was difficult to beat me at Roland Garros in Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has urged Scottish football this feeling of going out on court, seeing the it for the whole world of sport. Evidently, go by. A young, already developed player the same way that I look at playing against authorities to make a “severe example” of bottle-throwing sup- fans that want to see you, fans who want because it’s about my academy, I had to be than come here and be successful to make Federer and [Novak] Djokovic, who are very porters if they are serious about protecting players. to support you wherever it is in the world. central. But I think it encapsulates sport in the academy more well-known across the difficult for me to beat. Gers left-back Borna Barisic only narrowly escaped a potentially It’s a difficult feeling to explain, but it gives general and that’s why I wanted a little bit world. But the real success of a place like (Source: Marca) serious injury during a win away to Hibernian on Friday when me great personal satisfaction. It suggests a glass bottle was hurled at him from the Easter Road stands. This was not the first time the Edinburgh club’s East Stand has provided the backdrop for a violent incident. Holiday shines as Pacers edge Klopp does not know where new boy Rangers captain James Tavernier was confronted by a pitch invader in March, just a week after a glass bottle was thrown at Raptors in overtime Minamino will play at Liverpool Celtic winger Scott Sinclair. Gerrard believes the repeat nature of these incidents has only increased the likelihood for further attacks, with the for- mer Liverpool and England midfielder saying now was the time for stern measures. “It’s a crazy decision to throw a bottle onto a football pitch,” Gerrard said. “The damage you could do is unthinkable. “If the punishment isn’t severe enough then people will con- tinue to make bad decisions from the terraces. “There needs to be an example set -- a severe one -- and then that will make people think and things will improve. But it does seem like we’re going backwards rather than forwards.” Meanwhile Hibernian said later Monday they had passed footage of four men throwing missiles last Friday to the police. A club statement added “those who misbehave should know we will leave no stone unturned to identify them and bring them to book”. Victory over Hibs left second-placed Rangers five points behind arch-rivals Celtic, the reigning Scottish Premiership champions. (Source: Mirror) Aaron Holiday finished with 19 points and Lamb and TJ McConnell both had 12 points. Jurgen Klopp admits he isn’t sure where obviously, his decision-making in tight made two clutch three-pointers in overtime Lamb missed the two previous games with Liverpool new boy Takumi Minamino areas, his speed, his desire to win the ball as the Indiana Pacers snapped the Toronto a groin problem. will fit into his side when he arrives on back. Iachini appointed Fiorentina Raptors five-game winning streak with a Serge Ibaka had 23 points and nine re- January 1. ‘Counter-pressing, he’s used to that be- 120-115 win on Monday. bounds, Fred VanVleet contributed 21 points Liverpool snapped up the Red Bull Salz- cause Salzburg have a similar philosophy coach Myles Turner and TJ Warren also had and 11 assists, and OG Anunoby scored 15 burg attacking midfielder for a bargain that we have. 24 points each, and Holiday added 10 as- points and 12 rebounds for Toronto. £7.25million last week. ‘That’s all really good but then you have Giuseppe Iachini has been appointed coach of struggling Fioren- sists in the win over the injury-depleted The Pacers got three-pointers from Though hopes are high for the 24-year- to see how he will adapt when he is finally tina, the Serie A club confirmed on Monday. Raptors who were coming off their biggest Holiday and Warren to lead by two with old, Klopp insists he will ease him in as coming over and we are allowed to work Iachini, 55, replaces Vincenzo Montella who was sacked on comeback win in franchise history. 41 seconds remaining in regulation. Lowry’s he figures out his best lineup. with him.’ Saturday with the team trailing in 15th place, three points above “It’s a big win for us,” said Holiday, who layup tied it 107-107 with 34 seconds left. ‘How can we put him in, in the short- Minamino has scored nine goals in 22 the relegation zone. finished with 19 points in getting the start Lowry then took the final long shot of regu- term?’ he asked during a press-conference appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga so “The current ranking has forced us to change coach,” said at point guard for the injured Malcolm lation but missed badly. on Tuesday. far this season, and impressed in Salzburg’s Fiorentina owner Rocco Commisso. Brogdon. “It’s fun playing with emotion, Holiday’s three-pointer gave Indiana a ‘Long-term, there is no doubt that he will 4-3 defeat at Anfield in October. “We chose Iachini because he is a man of substance, tied to especially in big games.” three-point lead with just over two minutes help us, that’s clear. I’m looking forward to He has earned 22 caps for his country, Florence and Fiorentina. Kyle Lowry had 30 points and nine as- left in overtime. He made another three- working with him, but between now and and leaves Austria after five years. He won “Now we have to stay united and get back on the right track sists for Toronto, who defeated the Dallas point dagger with 54 seconds left to increase Takumi’s first real day at Melwood there’s the Austrian Bundesliga in every season as soon as possible.” Mavericks on Sunday after trailing by 30 the lead to four. still three games so I have a little bit of he has had with Salzburg, as well as lifting He added: “I would like to thank Vincenzo Montella for the points in the third quarter. This was the first meeting between the time to think about where he will fit in.’ four Austrian Cups with the club. commitment and professionalism he showed during his time “We gutted it out, we played our butts teams this season after Toronto won two But he believes the Japan international He could make his Liverpool debut in at the club.” off and gave ourselves a chance to win at of three from Indiana last season. will be a natural addition to his table- the third-round FA Cup tie against Carlo Former Fiorentina midfielder Iachini lined out 127 times for the the end,” Lowry said of the Raptors. “Un- The Pacers beat the visiting Raptors topping side. Ancelotti’s Everton, in what would be a Tuscany club between 1989 and 1994 during his playing career. fortunately, we came up short.” 110-106 on January 23 in the final meet- Takumi is likely to provide an alternative baptism of fire at Anfield on January 5. Since turning to coaching in 2002 he has managed Italian But the Raptors, who were missing sev- ing, which saw Indiana star Victor Oladipo option for Klopp to his traditional front Klopp’s league leaders return to action teams including Sampdoria, Palermo, Sassuolo and Udinese. eral starters, ran out of gas on Monday in suffer a serious knee injury in the second three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino on Boxing Day when they travel to title He has been without a club since being sacked by Empoli last front of the crowd of 17,100 at Bankers Life quarter. Oladipo has yet to play this season and Sadio Mane, as well as an option as rivals Leicester in the Premier League’s March, after just four months in charge. Fieldhouse arena in Indianapolis. as he is still rehabbing that injury. the most advanced of a midfield three in late game. Iachini will be presented to the press on December 28, leading This time, Toronto was forced to come The Raptors are playing without key in- a similar ilk to the currently injured Alex Minamino is excited about his new his first training session the following day. back from a 15-point deficit but couldn’t jured players, comprising Pascal Siakam Oxlade-Chamberlain. venture, admitting to the club’s website Fiorentina lost 4-1 at home to Roma on Friday and have taken pull out the victory. (groin), Marc Gasol (hamstring) and Nor- Klopp said: ‘All the things we know about last week: ‘It has been a dream, my dream just two points from their last seven games. Domantas Sabonis scored 12 points and man Powell (shoulder). Takumi, so many things fit very well to us. to become a Liverpool player. Buoyed at the start of the season by the arrival of Franck Rib- grabbed 17 rebounds for Indiana. Jeremy (Source: Eurosport) ‘His football skills first and foremost (Source: Daily Mail) ery, the team has been struggling since the Frenchman suffered a serious ankle injury that will keep him out until February. (Source: Football Italia) Rudiger racism row takes new twist amid reports of Son abuse Tottenham ban fan who The latest racism row engulfing English football took a fresh professional lip-readers study the footage. “Clearly there remains more work to be done by the foot- threw cup at Chelsea turn Monday amid reports Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung- Tottenham insisted any fan found guilty would receive a ball authorities in tackling this issue and we are committed min as well as Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger had been abused by lifetime ban, but stressed: “At this time, however, we should to working with them on this to stamp it out.” keeper Kepa spectators during Sunday’s fractious London derby. point out that our findings are inconclusive”. The spokesman added: “We will continue working with Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League win at the Tottenham Hot- Shortly after the stoppage brought about by Rudiger’s the authorities on this, including the Professional Football- Tottenham Hotspur have identified and banned a supporter who spur stadium saw referee Anthony Taylor halt play during the complaint, Taylor halted play and spoke to both managers, ers’ Association and we don’t rule out taking further steps threw a cup at Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga during second half when Rudiger complained of hearing monkey Jose Mourinho and Frank Lampard, while an announce- if required.” Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat for Spurs, the Premier League club noises from spectators. ment over the stadium’s public address system warned “racist Sports minister Nigel Adams said later Monday he had said on Tuesday. Moments earlier, the Chelsea defender had been involved behaviour among spectators is interfering with the game”. held positive talks with Tottenham, the Premier League and With his side already two goals down, Kepa was targeted by in a clash with Son that saw the South Korean sent off. ‘Misconception’ the PFA. a supporter behind the goal in the 65th minute, with the cup But late Monday a report on the website of Britain’s Guard- The announcement was repeated, with Tottenham saying UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin insisted earlier this month missing the Spanish goalkeeper by inches when he walked across ian newspaper said a Chelsea supporter had been arrested this had created a “misconception that any issue was ongoing” his organization was working to tackle the rising problem after his six-yard box. for racially abusing Son on Sunday. because Taylor had implemented the first stage of European several incidents across the continent including the hurling “We can confirm that we have identified and issued an im- London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed an arrest con- governing body UEFA’s protocol for dealing with racist inci- of racist abuse at England players during a match in Bulgaria. mediate ban to the individual responsible for throwing a cup at cerning a possible racially aggravated public order offence, dents, rather than the equivalent Premier League regulation. But Ceferin has accused British Prime Minister Boris Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga during Sunday’s Premier with a spokesman saying: “Police were made aware of alleged After the match, Rudiger tweeted: “It’s just such a shame Johnson of fuelling the problem, a point echoed by former League home fixture,” the club said in a statement. racist chanting during the second half of the Tottenham vs that racism still exists in 2019. Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville. “We shall continue to take the strongest action possible against Chelsea match on Sunday, 22 December. “When will this nonsense stop?” the German added. “We’ve just had a general election in this country with both anyone found to be behaving in this way.” “Officers will work with the club in an attempt to identify England’s Professional Footballers Association, called late main parties and the leaders of both main parties accused Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger was also allegedly racially any people responsible.” Sunday for a government inquiry into racism within football, constantly of fuelling racism and accepting racism in their abused in the match, and the German defender urged the club Meanwhile Tottenham, having promised a thorough in- adding its members were “on the receiving end of the blatant parties,” Neville told Sky Sports on Sunday. to find and punish those involved. Spurs said their investigation vestigation of the Rudiger incident, said Monday their initial racism that is currently rife in the UK, but they are not alone”. “Maybe we have to empower the players to walk off the pitch into that “remains ongoing”. inquiries had failed to find a culprit despite “many hours” A Downing Street spokesman responded Monday by and stop the entertainment while it is happening,” he added. (Source: Reuters) reviewing images from stadium video cameras and having condemning “racism of any kind. (Source: AFP) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 25, 2019 SPORTS 15

Stramaccioni, Esteghlal; Iranian women proud of gold medal wins in world an unsolved problem athletic contests IRNA — Since the outset of presence of the Iranian women SPORTS TEHRAN — After a in the world athletic contests two years ago, they are proud of deskthree-week scramble, winning colorful medals day by day. Andrea Stramaccioni has not yet returned On December 23, the Iranian women’s Alysh team clinched to Iran to lead his beloved team Esteghlal the championship title at the 2019 world alysh competitions and two parties find themselves trapped held in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan. with an unsolved issue. The victory was the first in history achieved by Iran’s female He left the Iranian popular team after alysh wrestlers, and it made Iran be proud of its powerful women. the club failed to transfer his salary over Also about four months ago, Poupak Basami, Iranian woman the U.S. sanctions. who had taken part in the 2019 IWF World Championships Due to such problems, Esteghlal had in Pattaya, Thailand, broke her national records and stood been forced to transfer his wage through at the sixth place. multiple bank accounts, belonging to Participation of Basami and her teammates in the world contests several individuals in Europe. This had reaction worldwide as International Weightlifting Federation reportedly led to the partial closure of congratulated Iran for sending four female weightlifters to this Stramaccioni’s bank account in Italy over year’s world championships. money laundering charges. It was in 2017 that the Iranian Weightlifting Federation an- However, the Italian coach received nounced officially that female athletes are allowed to compete part of his unpaid salary after the repre- in the world contests. Now, after two years from the announce- sentative of an Iranian bank gave him a ment, the Iranian women can make history at the IWF World check at Iran’s Embassy in Rome. Championships on September 18-27. Under stewardship of Stramaccioni, Meanwhile, Mansourian sisters well-known to the world for Esteghlal had moved up top of the ta- their Wushu capabilities have brought several gold and other ble after about four years but the team colorful medals from the world competitions to the country. have earned four points from the past three matches, leaving the Blues in the third place. Esteghlal club say they have accept- Iran handball team to hold ed all conditions of the Italian coach; however, he is not ready to come back camp in Qatar to Tehran. “Stramaccioni had said he would have TASNIM — Iran national handball team left Tehran Tuesday returned to Iran if he had received his noon to hold a 10-day training camp as part of preparation for payment. We don’t know what’s the prob- the 2020 Asian Men’s Handball Championship. lem,” Ali Fathollahzadeh, a member of Team Melli will play several friendly matches with the Qatari Esteghlal board of directors, said. clubs in the camp. On the other hand, Stramaccioni has The 2020 Asian Men’s Handball Championship is the 19th demanded Esteghlal’s officials stop lying. never asked Esteghlal to increase his wage. play in AFC Champions League play-offs Stramaccioni’s thick walls of distrust edition of the championship held under the aegis of Asian Hand- The ex-Inter coach has recently published Esteghlal have a busy schedule in the as well as Hazfi Cup and Iran league and toward Esteghlal will only make things ball Federation. a post on his Instagram account he has coming months since the Blues have to cannot waste the time. worse for two sides. The championship will be held at Kuwait City, Kuwait from 16 to 27 January 2020. It acts as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2021 World Men’s Handball Championship. IPL: Tractor back in title race Iran have been drawn in Pool A along with Bahrain and New SPORTS TEHRAN — Tractor defeated Shahr points adrift of top. Zealand. deskKhodro 3-1 in Tabriz to keep Iran Pro- In Sirjan, Gol Gohar celebrated their first win in the Pool B consists of Qatar, Japan and China. South Korea, Saudi fessional League title hopes alive. current season, edging past Machine Sazi 1-0 thanks to Arabia and Australia are in Pool C. Reza Asadi put the hosts in the lead in the 37th min- a goal from Mehrdad Abdi in the 51st minute. Host Kuwait are drawn in Pool D along with the UAE, Iraq ute and Masoud Shojaei made it 2-0 five minutes into Pars Jonoobi also defeated Paykan 3-1 in Bushehr. and Hong Kong. the second half. Mohammad Nouri opened the scoring for the host in Shahr Khodro got back into the game three minutes the 20th minute. Pouria Aryakia and Nima Entezari later when Mohammadhossein Moradmand pulled one also were on target in the 43rd and 48th minutes. back. Paykan forward Jalaleddinn Alimohammadi pulled Persepolis reaches Ashkan Dejagah poured cold water on their chances a goal back in the 81st minute. of levelling the match in the 72nd minute. Sepahan and Persepolis sit at the top of the table agreement with Branko Tractor moved to fifth place with 27 points, four with 31 points and one game in hands. Ivankovic: report

PLDC — Persepolis football club’s representatives have reportedly Bahrain’s Baqer gets 10-game ban for racist gesture reached an agreement with Branko Ivankovic in Zagreb, Croatia. FIFA has banned Bahrain defender Sayed fessional Footballers’ Association to The Croatian coach left Persepolis at the end of the last season Baqer for 10 matches for ‹discriminatory call for a government inquiry into the after the Iranian team failed to meet its financial commitments. behavior’ in a World Cup qualifier against proliferation of racist incidents in Eng- Ivankovic had said he would file a complaint to FIFA against Hong Kong, soccer’s world governing lish soccer. Persepolis but the Iranian team has reportedly negotiated with body has said. Italy has also been front and center him to change his decision. Baqer, 25, was captured on video mak- this season with Inter Milan’s Romelu Ivankovic, who is a nominee to take charge of Team Melli, ing a slant-eyed gesture in the direction Lukaku and Brescia’s Mario Balotelli has said he will lead Iran national football team if Persepolis of Hong Kong supporters after a goalless being targeted by rival fans during Serie pays off his debt. draw in the city on Nov 14. A matches. A source close to the club said that a delegation has traveled FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings In a separate ruling, FIFA ordered to Zagreb to negotiate with Branko over his settlement. against Baqer last month and announced Indonesia to play one match behind that the player had also been fined 30,000 closed doors without fans and fined the Swiss francs (US$30,530) and warned country’s soccer association 200,000 over his conduct. Swiss francs (US$203,500) over security World champion wishes The suspension follows the governing failings during a World Cup qualifier body’s July announcement that it had with Malaysia last month. Yazdani speedy recovery doubled the minimum ban for racist Malaysia were fined 50,000 Swiss behavior to 10 games. francs (US$50,890) for the behavior MNA — David Taylor of the United States, 2018 World Wrestling A number of high-profile racist incidents of their fans. Champion, wished the injured Iranian wrestler Hassan Yazdani have marred the game this season. Sierra Leone have also been told to play a quick recovery. The most recent involved the arrest one game behind closed doors and were “Wishing you a smooth and quick recovery. Great competitors of a Chelsea fan for allegedly racially fined 50,000 Swiss francs (US$50,890) are what make this sport and competitions so special. If all goes abusing Tottenham Hotspur’s South for a lack of order during a qualifier against well, I am looking forward to seeing you in Tokyo,” Taylor wrote Korean forward Son Heung-min in a Sunday. also alleged he was racially abused in Liberia in September. on his official Instagram account. Premier League match in London on Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger the same game, prompting the Pro- (Source: Reuters) Booze and football present tricky choices for Qatar Qatar will begin sifting through fan feedback from the and yellow shirt of his team Esperance, said that the Club World Cup to see how it can provide supporters with Qataris will need to shift their approach to satisfy fans a successful World Cup in 2022, but cultural differences from around the world who are used to gathering in will be a tricky challenge to surmount. large numbers to drink and sing before matches. The first ‘trial run’ for the Qatari 2022 World Cup Singing and chanting completed at the weekend, with Liverpool defeating “I think they have to be a little bit more open. You are Brazil’s Flamengo in the final. going to have teams coming from England, Germany, Judging from the views of fans, the feedback is likely France, South America - guess what? They have to be to be a mixture of reassurance about their infrastructure a little bit open.” but concern about the ‘fun factor’. Some Flamengo fans took to wearing Arabic-style Drinking and partying can be a tricky concept in a head-dress in their team’s colors and staff on the new country with strict restrictions on alcohol consumption metro system appeared a little flustered by large crowds and low tolerance for rowdiness. singing and chanting in the carriages. Meanwhile, Hooman Tavakolian, a former Iranian-Amer- “It’s much more about people than bricks and mortar Ali said that the “openness” was needed primarily in ican wrestler and a member of UWW, said that wrestlers and now,” Hassan Al Thawadi, head of Qatar’s World Cup allowing fans to enjoy their usual pre and post-match coaches in the United States are concerned about the conditions organizing committee, told Reuters in an interview. rituals which often involve drinking. of Yazdani. “Here [in US] all wish that Yazdani would make it “We are looking at the fans here at this event as part- In Qatar alcohol sales are limited to a handful of to the Olympics since they are waiting for Yazdani vs Taylor in ners, to educate and teach us whether our plans worked hotels which are allowed to operate bars but for the the final of Tokyo 2020.” or not, what can we improve, what doesn’t work and Club World Cup, organizers created a fan-zone, at a itself is not completely off the agenda. Yazdani underwent successful surgery on his knee on Mon- what we need to scrap all together.” golf club, where supporters could buy beer at friendlier “That is being discussed, keeping in mind that al- day. Doctors say that the Iranian Olympics gold medalist will The tournament attracted around 13,000 Brazilian prices than in high-end accommodation. cohol is not part of our culture but hospitality is,” said be prepared for the upcoming Tokyo 2020. fans as well as thousands of Liverpool supporters from Fans were then bussed from the fan-zone to the sta- Al Thawadi. In an interview with the United World Wrestling, Yazdani around the world. Mexican, Saudi and Tunisian fans dium, where alcohol was not for sale. “We want to ensure that everyone has a good time, said “It was a successful surgery. I am in a good situation now. were also in attendance to support other teams in the For the organizers this has the advantage of reducing we want to make sure that what we put in place, that I’ll start training on the mat in two months. I am in good spirits competition. the risk of alcohol fuelled incidents either in the city’s bridges the cultural gaps and cultural differences. now. Lets see what happens in future.” “All the facilities look top-notch. The stadiums are public places or at the stadium. “We have put something in place, I want to hear from Yazdani won the gold medal of 74kg freestyle wrestling in all state of the art, everything is state-of-the-art here,” It is expected that more fan-zones will be created for the fans, all of them, about their experiences in Doha. the 2016 Olympics. A year later, he changed his weight to 86kg said Liverpool fan Adnan Vola, who had travelled from the World Cup with concerts and other entertainment put About their experience of having a drink, going out to the and won the two world titles in 2017 Paris and 2019 Nur-Sultan. Britain. on to encourage supporters into these separated areas. stadium, we are here to listen and to improve,” he added. He is considered one of Iran’s main hopes to win a gold medal But Tunisian fan Ahmed Ali, decked out in the red But the possibility of allowing beer at the stadium (Source: Reuters) at the upcoming Olympics. Prayer Times Noon:12:04 Evening: 17:17 Dawn: 5:42 (tomorrow) Sunrise: 7:12 (tomorrow) DECEMBER 25, 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: Mohammad Shojaeian Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Ghaderi Editorial Dept.: Fax: (+98 21) 88808214 — 88808895 Boston Festival of Films from Iran [email protected] Switchboard Operator: Tel: (+98 21) 43051000 Advertisements Dept.: Telefax: (+98 21) 43051450 Public Relations Office: Tel: (+98 21) 88805807 unveils official lineup Subscription & Distribution Dept.: Tel: (+98 21) 43051603 ARTTEHRAN — Eight www.eshterak.ir Distributor: Padideh Novin Co. deskfilms will be screened at Tel: 88911433 the Boston Festival of Films from Iran as Webmaster: [email protected] Printed at: Jame Jam Bartar Borna - 44197737 the organizers have recently announced the official lineup. Tehrantimes79 Tehrantimesdaily The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston is the main organizer of the festival, which No. 18, Bimeh Alley, Nejatollahi St., Tehran, Iran will be held from January 16 to 26, 2020. P.o. Box: 14155-4843 Each year, film curators from the MFA, the Zip Code: 1599814713 Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, work together to curate this compelling festival. The lineup includes “Filmfarsi”, a found- footage documentary by Ehsan Khoshbakt that unearth the cinema in pre-revolutionary Iran, and “When the Moon Was Full”, Narges Abyar’s drama that blends political thriller and horror. Also included are “Cold Sweat” by Soheil GUIDE TO Beiraqi, “The Warden” Directed by Nima SPIRITUAL AWAKENING Javidi, “Old Men Never Die” by Reza Jamali, “Just 6.5” by Saeid Rustai, “Untimely” He who complains of his need to a believer, seems Directed by Pouya Eshtehardi and “Orange as if he has taken it to God, and he who takes it to Days” by Arash Lahuti. an infidel, seems to have complained of God. “When the Moon Was Full” tells the story Imam Ali (AS) of a woman from Tehran who marries a man from an Iranian province near the border of Pakistan. Soon afterwards, she discovers that her new brother-in-law is a religious extremist trying to recruit her husband for Vocalist Shahram Nazeri to record his bloody cause. Starring Baran Kowsari, “Cold Sweat” videos to promote tamboura A scene from “When the Moon Was Full” by Narges Abyar. is based on a true story about Afruz, Iran’s 1 “The group is doing its final rehearsals for the videos, national women’s futsal team captain, prisoners to a new building during the 1960s. the leadership of Samad who was assigned ceremony, he gets into a fight with his which will be recorded during March in case of good weather whose lifelong dream appears over when “Old Men Never Die” tells the story of an to arrest Nasser Khakzad, a major drug commander. conditions, otherwise the project will be carried out in her estranged husband uses his legal right Iranian village where nobody has died for 45 trafficker in Tehran. Up against unfair odds, “Orange Days” April,” he added. to prevent her from leaving the country for years, and only the aged remain. 100-year-old “Untimely” is about Hamin, a young private shows a tough-as-nails farm contractor who Shahsavari announced Turkey’s plan to register the art of the Asian Games final in Malaysia. Aslan and his friends begin to think suicide doing his military service in a watchtower on proves she can compete with male competitors tamboura craftsmanship and playing the instrument on UNESCO’s “The Warden” tells the story of an Iranian is the solution. the border of Iran and Pakistan. Impatient and lead her crew of female workers on Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. prison warden who is assigned to transfer “Just 6.5” shows a police group under for a day off to attend his sister’s wedding northern Tehran’s largest orange harvest. “The collaboration of nearly 600 tamboura players in the project can be a key document to prevent Turkey from inscribing the instrument on the list for the country,” he noted. National Orchestra to hold Azerbaijani- Ensembles team up to stage operetta In September 2016, the UNESCO Cluster Office in Tehran honored Nazeri during a special ceremony in Tehran for his Iranian Music Night in Tehran “Dance of Melodies” in Tehran musical project in which he highlighted several cultural heritage sites in the central Iranian city of Isfahan. A singer of dozens of memorable songs, Nazeri received the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur medal, one of the most coveted trophies in the world of art and culture, from the French government in 2007.

Ammar festival to honor “Gando” crew

ARTTEHRAN — The organizers of the 10th deskedition of the Ammar Popular Film Festival plan to honor the crew of “Gando”, a docudrama that revolves around the spy case of Iranian-American journalist Jason Rezaian.

Iran’s National Orchestra in an undated photo. A poster for the operetta “Dance of Melodies”. ARTTEHRAN — Pieces by on January 16. ARTTEHRAN — and Shahla Milani will lead Avaze deskIranian musicians and Vocalist Fakhri Kazim Nijat and tar deskShiftegane Del, a large Melal choir, which will perform Azerbaijani composers will be performed player Sahib Pashazadeh, both from troupe of female performers, and the in company with mezzo-soprano in Tehran by Iran’s National Orchestra Azerbaijan, will accompany the orchestra Avaze Melal ensemble have teamed up Nasrin Nasehi. in a program titled “Azerbaijani-Iranian during the performance, which will feature again to stage an operetta entitled “Dance Shiftegane Del features about 30 Music Night”. a repertoire of songs including “Asgarin of Melodies” at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall adult members as well as over 50 child The orchestra will perform under Ariyasi”, “Sana da Qalmaz”, “San Siz”, on January 3. performers. the baton of guest conductor Aghaverdi “Ayriliq”, “Karanful”, “In Memory of The operetta will be directed by Only an audience of females is allowed Pashayev from Azerbaijan at Vahdat Hall Saba” and “Shur Afarin”. choreographer Hayedeh Kishipur to attend the performance.

Actor Payam Dehkordi portrays Jason Rezaiaan in IRIB World Service launches live online the Iranian TV series “Gando”. The head of the Policymaking Council of the festival, Russian-language TV channel Vahid Jalili, announced the news in a press conference held ARTTEHRAN — The World Service of the Iran’s new ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, said that on Tuesday at Hosseinieh Honar, a center for revolutionary deskIslamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Iran needs to make cultural programs for Russian Muslims. artists in Tehran. (IRIB) has recently launched a live online Russian- “At the current time, Russian Muslims are quite interested Directed by Javad Afshar, the 30-episode series was aired language TV channel. in Iran, therefore we need to take serious actions in the in July on IRIB Channel 3. It is about Jason Rezaiaan who The two-hour-long news channel is available on Russian media and make programs for them,” he said. served as Tehran bureau chief for the Washington Post. Radio, a Russian and international radio station broadcasting “I have also talked with the IRIB Managing Director Abdolali Rezaian was arrested in Iran in July 2014 and was convicted in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), including Ali-Asgari who also emphasized the need for launching a of espionage in a trial in 2015. On January 16, 2016, he and A logo for the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Russia. Russian TV channel. This is a good beginning and I hope we three other U.S. citizens were released in exchange for the (IRIB)’s World Service. Visiting different IRIB World Service channels on Tuesday, will make good progress in the future,” he added. release of seven Iranians who were accused or convicted of sanctions violations. The series faced some criticism from the government Brussels puppet theater adds Monty The Netflix decade: How one company and the Foreign Ministry, which were portrayed as uninformed, neutral and westernophile organizations Python humor to nativity tale changed the way we watch TV in the production. Established by a number of Iranian revolutionary figures, BRUSSELS (Reuters) — A Brussels in an alleyway near Brussels’ regal Grand NEW YORK (Reuters) — In the not- including full seasons of certain shows. the Ammar Popular Film Festival has been named after Ammar puppet theater as old as Belgium itself is Place in the 1960s. so-distant past, TV viewers were forced to Around the same time that the Yasir, a close companion of Prophet Muhammad (S). staging its Christmas nativity show this year Now boasting 1,400 puppets including wait a week for the next installment of their broadcast TV schedule was losing its The 10th edition of the festival will be held in Tehran during with a dash of Monty Python humor added some dating to the 19th century, the theater favorite shows, parceled out by networks hold on viewers, Netflix was beginning January 2020. to the traditional story of Jesus’s birth. has put on shows ranging from Carmen to in half-hour or hour-long increments. to invest in original content. “It’s like a parody, a little bit like Monty Cyrano de Bergerac, Dracula and Hamlet, Fast forward to 2019, when media In 2011, it struck a deal for its first Python’s Life of Brian. We don’t mean to geared more to an adult than child audience. and tech companies are subverting that original show, the political thriller “House NEWS IN BRIEF be disrespectful, but...it’s not the Bible, Geal said the European tradition of schedule and the majority of viewers using of Cards.” It released all 13 episodes of the really,” said Nicolas Geal, director of the puppet shows dates back to the Middle U.S. TV streaming services watch an show’s first season on Feb. 1, 2013. That Book Garden, Royal Theater Toone in the Belgian capital. Ages when the church forbade people average of four hours of content in one July it followed with the entire first season Abbasabad “I don’t know whether I will go to heaven to perform nativity scenes themselves, sitting, according to Deloitte. of “Orange is the New Black.” or hell for playing this,” he added with a smile. prompting performers to use puppets. To understand how we got here, look Viewers were hooked, and the cultural district to host Life of Brian, a 1979 film written by Toone’s marionettes, with a rod attached at Netflix (NFLX.O). shift accelerated. “Binge-watch” was Tehran sculpture Britain’s Monty Python comedy group, to the head, are like those used in Sicily At the start of the decade, binge watching a runner-up to “selfie” for the Oxford is the satirical tale of a man born on the where this form of puppet theater is thought involved VHS tapes, DVD box sets or Dictionary’s 2013 word of the year. biennial same day and next door to Jesus, and later to have originated, but given a Belgian twist. long nights glued to a DVR. TV cable hits Netflix championed this new kind of ARTTEHRAN — The 8th edition of the Tehran mistaken for the Messiah. “What’s typical of Belgium is the fact included “Homeland” and “The Wire” - consumption, commissioning a survey deskNational Sculpture Biennial will be held at Playing off the film, the puppet theater’s I believe that we don’t take ourselves hour-long dramas with complicated plot to determine how many people binge- the Book Garden and in the Abbasabad district, the organizers nativity tale features silly foreign accents, too seriously. Then we have this kind of lines that needed to be watched sequentially. watch, and why. announced on Tuesday. particularly from the Three Wise Men, lots surrealism,” Geal said. Watching “Saturday Night Live” on a “Our viewing data shows that the The biennial, which is organized every year by the of jokes and slang often with a local flavor. Brussels once had as many as 50 puppet Sunday became normal, and viewers started majority of streamers would actually Association of Iranian Sculptors and the Visual Arts Office The theater was formed in 1830, the theaters, Geal said, but almost all folded to lose track of the broadcast schedule. prefer to have a whole season of a show of Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, will be year Belgium was founded. Geal, who dubs as other forms of entertainment became In November 2010, Hulu, which debuted available to watch at their own pace,” held from late February to April. himself Toone VIII, succeeded his father, popular, particularly television, with only in 2008 as an ad-supported streaming said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted who moved the theater to its current site the Toone surviving. video site, launched its subscription service, Sarandos at the time.