White House warns Over 320,000 Iran’s Ashourzadeh and Iran box office Congress to stand old cars scrapped Khodabakhshi claim gold revenues soar 2 down on Iran talks 4 in Iran 9 medals in Dutch Open Taekwondo12 NATION ECONOMY SPORTS ART&CULTURER T&CULTU R E

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12 Pages Price 5000 Rials 36th year NO.12231 Monday MARCH 16 2015 Esfand 25 1393 Jumada Al Awwal 25 1436 GOP senators favor Israel over U.S.: Kharrazi 2 South Pars Iran and U.S. resume nuclear talks biggest Zarif says it won’t be difficult to reach nuclear solution if other side shows ‘political will’ phase to TEHRAN — Foreign Min- Iran and the 5+1 group have set end- day for a new round of nuclear talks. most important issues in this round of talks Political Desk ister Mohammad Javad March as a deadline to reach a framework This round of talks is headed by Zarif and which is expected to last until Friday. come on Zarif has said if like Iran the 5+1 group has agreement. his U.S. counterpart John Kerry. Europe- In order for both sides to draft an agree- “political will”, it will not be difficult to agree The deadline for a final deal is June 30. an Union deputy foreign policy chief Helga ment solutions should be “written precisely stream by on a framework agreement in this round of Zarif, heading Iran’s negotiating team, ar- Schmid is also present in the talks. and in details”, he stated. talks, IRNA reported on Sunday. rived in Lausanne city in Switzerland on Sun- Zarif described sanctions as one of the Contd. on P. 11 Mar. 20 TEHRAN — Economic Desk Iran will inaugu- Rouhani says rate the biggest phase of the South Pars gas field, namely the phase 12, Iran, Indonesia by March 20, the IRNA news agency reported on Sunday. can introduce President Hassan Rouhani will officially inaugurate the project, ‘true and which cost over $7 billion to be im- moderate’ Islam plemented. Rasoul Fallahnejad, the project TEHRAN — Pres- manager of the phase 12, has said that Political Desk ident Hassan the phase 12 will inject about 75 mil- Rouhani has said that Iran and In- lion cubic meters (mcm) of gas into donesia can present a “true and the national gas network per annum. moderate” Islam which stands Iran is currently producing 300 against violence and terrorism. mcm per day of gas from the South He made the remarks during a Pars. meeting with Alwi Shahab, the In- The project will bring in about donesian president’s special envoy, $10 billion annually, which ac- in Tehran on Sunday. counts for three percent of the The president also said, “Iran and country’s GDP. Indonesia have paid a high cost in The South Pars gas field covers fighting against terrorism and ex- an area of 9,700 square kilometers, tremism.” 3,700 square kilometers of which Contd. on P. 2 are in Iran’s territorial waters in the President.ir Persian Gulf. Contd. on P. 4 Kerry: U.S. should negotiate with Assad NEWS ‘Washington, allies exploring options to bring Assad back to the table’ NEWS Worshippers The United States will have to negotiate him of various kinds in order to do that,” the “That’s under way right now. And I am Netanyahu offers with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for secretary of state said. convinced that, with the efforts of our allies killed in Pakistan a political transition in Syria and is explore “We’ve made it very clear to people that and others, there will be increased pressure finance ministry ways to pressure him into agreeing to talks, we are looking at increased steps that can on Assad.” church bombings U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said. help bring about that pressure,” he added. Syria sank into civil war after a peace- to rival days At least 14 people In the interview broadcast on CBS News The U.S. led efforts to convene a UN- ful street uprising against four decades before election on Sunday, Kerry did not repeat the stand- backed peace talks in Geneva last year be- of Assad family rule began in March 2011. killed, dozens more ard U.S. line that Assad had lost all legitima- tween Western-backed Syrian opposition The revolt turned into an armed insur- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Net- cy and had to go. representatives and a government delega- gency, which has deepened with the anyahu, trailing in opinion polls two wounded in bombings “We have to negotiate in the end,” Kerry tion. The talks collapsed after two rounds rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and the days before a parliamentary elec- targeting two churches said. “We’ve always been willing to negoti- and no fresh talks have been scheduled. Levant (ISIL) terrorist group and other tion, publicly offered on Sunday the ate in the context of the Geneva I process,” Russia convened some opposition and armed groups. Finance Ministry portfolio to a po- in Lahore he added, referring to a 2012 conference government figures in January for talks on Assad seems more likely to survive tentially king-making rival. which called for a negotiated transition to the crisis but they yielded little progress and the Syrian crisis than at any point since Facing possible upset defeat in A Punjab Police spokesperson told end the conflict. the main opposition coalition boycotted it began. the March 17 vote, Netanyahu has Al Jazeera that a Roman Catholic Kerry said the U.S. and other countries, them. The war has killed more than 220,000 launched a media blitz to counter Church and a Christ Church in La- which he did not name, were exploring ways “To get the Assad regime to negotiate, people and displaced close to half the pop- what appears to be a rising tide of hore’s Youhanabad area were hit in to reignite the diplomatic process to end the we’re going to have to make it clear to him ulation, according to the UN. Damascus ac- support for his main opponent, the Sunday’s suicide attacks. conflict in Syria which is now in its fifth year. that there is a determination by everybody cuses its Western and Persian Gulf Arab op- center-left Zionist Union. At least 70 people were wound- “What we’re pushing for is to get him to seek that political outcome and change ponents of seeking to destroy the country Moshe Kahlon, a former mem- ed, said Zahid Pervez, the provincial [Assad] to come and do that, and it may re- his calculation about negotiating,” Kerry by providing aid to rebel groups. ber of Netanyahu’s Likud party director general of health. quire that there be increased pressure on said. (Source: agencies) whose newly formed centrist party Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a Pakistani Tal- could be a deciding factor in who iban (TTP) splinter group, claimed becomes prime minister, dismissed responsibility for both the attacks. ISIL used chlorine gas as chemical weapon the offer as pre-election spin. The group appeared to have No party has ever won a majority timed the attacks to cause max- against peshmerga forces: Kurdish authorities in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, and the imum devastation, as the two party leader with the best chance of churches were packed with Chris- Kurdish authorities in Iraq say ish forces fired a rocket at the House said it could not confirm the Badr armed group and the forming a majority coalition is tasked tians attending Sunday services they have evidence that the Is- vehicle carrying the explosives, the allegations but would be spokesman of the volunteer with leading the new government. when the bombs went off. lamic State in Iraq and the Le- so the only casualty was the lor- closely monitoring the situa- Popular Mobilization unit, said The latest opinion polls predict A spokesman for the faction vant (ISIL) terrorists used chlo- ry’s driver. tion and found the allegations he estimates that about 60 to the Zionist Union taking between said it was the work of two suicide rine gas as a chemical weapon However, about a dozen “deeply disturbing”. 70 ISIL fighters are holding out 24 and 26 seats in the election, com- bombers. against their peshmerga forces. peshmerga soldiers experi- A U.S. defense official said in the city. pared with 20-22 seats for Likud. “The Tehreek-e-Taliban Ja- The Kurdistan Region Security enced symptoms of nausea, that the use of chemical weap- He told AFP that the city But even if Likud is outnumbered, maat-ur-Ahrar accepts responsi- Council (KRSC) said in a statement vomiting, dizziness or weak- ons could indicate ISIL’s “grow- would be considered liberat- Netanyahu is counting on a larger bility for the suicide attacks on the on Saturday that EU-certified lab- ness, the source said, which ing desperation”. ed only once a path had been right-wing block to support his bid churches in Lahore,” Ahsanullah oratory tests showed that soil and could be attributed to exposure Chlorine is a toxic “choking cleared through the thousands for another term, and Kahlon, with Ahsan, a spokesman for the Taliban clothing samples collected from to chlorine. agent” whose use is banned un- of improvised explosive devices around 10 seats in the polls, could ‘Attacks’ in Tikrit faction, said in a statement emailed the remnants of an attempted su- der the 1997 Chemical Weapons (IED) in the city. tilt things in his favor. to reporters. icide bombing in northern Iraq on The KRSC also reported wit- Convention. With crucial military backing “If I am the one to put together “We promise that until an Islamic January 23 had levels of chlorine nessing signs of chlorine used in Iraq’s Kurds were the vic- from Shias, Sunnis and tribes- the government, he (Kahlon) will be system is put into place in Pakistan that indicated the substance was recent fighting around Tikrit, an tims of the one of the deadliest men as well as the U.S.-led coa- part of the coalition. Without regard such attacks will continue. If Paki- used as a weapon. overwhelmingly Sunni Arab city chemical weapons attacks un- lition, Baghdad has rolled back of the number of seats (he wins), he stan’s rulers think they can stop us, The Kurdish allegation could in Salahuddin province (Saladin der Saddam Hussein’s dictator- some of the losses. will get the finance portfolio,” Net- they should try to do so,” the state- not be independently con- Governorate). ship in 1988, in which at least It started with operations anyahu said on Israel Radio. ment added. firmed. “Similar attacks have been 5,000 people died. to secure the Shia holy cities A former communications min- Tikrit offensive One unidentified witness told Pa- The statement said that a recorded on video showing of Karbala and Najaf and rein- ister, Kahlon delighted Israelis by kistan’s Geo television that the main lorry loaded with around 20 gas plumes of orange smoke, an in- Against this backdrop of alle- force Baghdad’s defenses, then promoting competition in the cellu- gate to one of the churches target- canisters exploded on a highway dicator of the presence of chlo- gations of Chlorine -gas use by worked its way north, retaking lar market, a move that slashed the ed was closed so people were using between the Iraqi city of Mosul, rine”, it said. ISIL, Iraqi forces continued the Diyala province earlier this year. prices of mobile telephone services. a smaller gate. in Nineveh province, and Syria, Hamish De Bretton-Gordon, push to liberate Tikrit from ISIL. Commanders see the recap- He broke ranks with Likud after “One bomber exploded himself as Kurdish forces were being a leading chemical weapons ex- A spokesman for the Iraqi ture of Tikrit as a stepping stone social protests in 2011 and opted to near that gate, that created chaos deployed following an offensive pert, told Al Jazeera that he is forces told AFP news agency for the reconquest further north sit out the 2013 election, later form- and during the course there was an- against ISIL terrorists. not surprised that the agent is on Saturday that the operation of Iraq’s second city Mosul, ing the Kulanu party and now mak- other blast,” he said. Reuters news agency, how- now being used by ISIL Takfiri wouldn’t last more than “72 which once had a population of ing a run for the Finance Ministry. Contd. on P. 11 ever, cited a Kurdish security terrorists. hours”. two million. Contd. on P. 11 source as saying that the Kurd- In a statement the White Karim al-Nuri, a leader of (Source: agencies) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 2 NATION MARCH 16, 2015 http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics

MEDIA MONITOR White House warns Congress Iran to hold Iran is to hold a one-day con- conference ference on a recent letter by on Leader’s Leader of the Islamic Revolu- to stand down on Iran talks letter to tion Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Kha- meni to the youth in Europe In a strongly worded letter, the White House Sat- Western and North America, Press TV urday told Senate Foreign Relations Committee youth TV PRESS reported on Saturday. Chairman Bob Corker a bill he is drafting would The conference titled “Seeking likely have a “profoundly negative impact” on the the Truth” is scheduled to be held ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Tehran on March 16. over Tehran’s nuclear program, CNN reported on The event is organized by the Sunday. University of Tehran and will be held Corker is working on legislation that would in collaboration with Press TV to dis- force the Obama Administration to submit any deal cuss the Leader’s letter to the Euro- reached with Iran for a vote by Congress. The White pean and North American youth. House earlier threatened to veto such a measure. In January, Ayatollah Khamenei As the U.S. and Iran started a new round of key sent a letter to the youth in Europe talks in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Sunday, there and North America, urging them to has been a growing debate between Republicans study about Islam and to get firsthand on Capitol Hill and the Obama Administration about information about it before accepting how much authority Congress has regarding the fate their governments’ propaganda. of the agreement. Ayatollah Khamenei criticized “The legislation you have introduced in the Senate “the Western governments’ insin- goes well beyond ensuring that Congress has a role Denis McDonough Bob Corker cere and hypocritical treatment” of to play in any deal with Iran. Instead, the legislation The chief of staff told Corker, “The Administra- States.” other nations and cultures and said, would potentially prevent any deal from succeeding tion's request to the Congress is simple: let us com- McDonough also said the letter’s premise was in- “The histories of the United States by suggesting that Congress must vote to ‘approve’ plete the negotiations before the Congress acts on correct. and Europe are ashamed of slavery, any deal and by removing existing sanctions waiver legislation” and added “we will aggressively seek “Non-binding agreements -- like the deal we are embarrassed by the colonial period authorities that have already been granted to the public and congressional support for a deal -- if we negotiating with Iran...are an essential element of and chagrined at the oppression of President,” White House chief of staff Denis McDon- reach one -- because we believe a good deal is far international diplomacy and do not require congres- people of color and non-Christians.” ough wrote. better than the alternatives available to the United sional approval,” McDonough said. The chief of staff said that only Congress can ter- Iran hopes Iran and international mediators minate the existing Iran sanctions that are included to resolve have agreed to reach a deal that in laws, but the President can relax some sanctions McDonough tells Senator Bob Corker that a bill he is drafting differences would guarantee the peaceful put into place by executive order unilaterally. would likely have a “profoundly negative impact” on the ongoing nature of the Islamic Republic's One of the major issues between the U.S. and Iran with U.S. in nuclear program in exchange for is the timetable for lifting of the sanctions. negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.

Lausanne SPUTNIK easing of sanctions by July. The new round of talks started on Sunday in Lausanne and will last un- til March 19. The sides face a deadline Kerry says won’t apologize for unconstitutional for a political framework deal on the issue, expected to be signed on March 24. action by Cotton who has been in Senate for just 60 days “We still have serious differences and serious gaps, we will see if we are The letter was "absolutely calculated to interfere" with the negotiations able to handle them. We achieved over Iran's nuclear program, Kerry says some progress during the recent rounds of nuclear talks. We will see if Secretary of State John Kerry, who travelled to Swit- Zarif, I’ll have a better sense of where we are,” we will achieve it this time,” Araghchi zerland on Sunday for a marathon round of talks Kerry said. “But what I do know is that this letter said ahead of the next round of talks with Iran, said this is the last chance for a nuclear was absolutely calculated directly to interfere with on Iran's nuclear program. deal, CBS News reported. these negotiations.” The previous round of negotiations Iran and the U.S. have until the end of March to Kerry said he has no plans to apologize for the Re- of 5+1 group, which is comprised of the hammer out a deal. publican senators’ action. United States, Russia, China, France, The letter 47 Republican senators sent last Mon- “Not on your life,” Kerry said. “I’m not going to Germany and the United Kingdom, day to Iran, warning that any deal will not last be- apologize for an unconstitutional, un-thought-out with Tehran finished on March 5. yond President Obama’s term, will certainly be raised action by somebody who’s been in the United States On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State in the negotiations. Senate for 60-some days. That’s just inappropriate.” John Kerry said that during the last ses- “So we believe very much that there’s not anything Kerry continued, “I will explain very clearly that sion of talks sides managed to reach that’s going to change in April or May or June that sug- Congress does not have the right to change an ex- some progress. gests that at that time, a decision you can’t make now ecutive agreement.” will be made then,” Kerry said. “If it’s peaceful, let’s get That, after the GOP lawmakers -- led by junior Sen. Sunday was the first face to face meeting since Tom Cotton -- published an open letter saying they’ll White House The White House this week it done. And my hope is that in the next days, that will be the political firestorm over the letter erupted. make sure the deal does not hold after Mr. Obama celebrates celebrated Noruz, the Per- possible.” Kerry told us that up to this point, negotiators have leaves office. sian New Year most often The wild card is whether hard-liners at home scut- made progress on limiting Iran’s nuclear technology. Iranian New It’s unclear whether the letter put a potential nu- observed by Iranians, The Hill tle the deal. Now, it is time for some tough political decisions. clear deal in jeopardy. Year reported on Saturday. This week, Iran’s Supreme Leader questioned Before heading to Switzerland Foreign Minister “When I negotiate for the first time on Sunday First Lady Michelle Obama whether Mr. Obama has the power to implement an Zarif said it would not be difficult to agree on a THE HILL THE night with Foreign Minister (Mohammad Javad) praised the holiday in remarks agreement. framework deal. at the executive mansion Wednes- day. The first lady made no mention GOP senators favor Israel over U.S.: Kharrazi of Iran in Wednesday’s speech. She did praise the ancient festival Former foreign minister says even if a Republican becomes U.S. president he must as one of “family and community.” “For more than 3,000 years, acknowledge Iran’s power as Nixon did to China families and communities in the TEHRAN — The letter signals lack of that some congressmen support the international laws and would not Middle East, Asia and all around the Social Desk Former Foreign commitment to international treaties Zionist regime’s extremist actions violate their obligations with a change world — including here in the United Minister Kamal Kharrazi, who is now in the U.S., said Karrazi who was instead of supporting their own of government,” he said. States — have celebrated this holi- the director of the Strategic Council foreign minister from 1997 to 2005. government. ‘U.S. must accept Iran as a great day to mark the renewal of the Earth for Foreign Relations, has said the When a government makes a “One of the basic principles of the power’ in springtime,” she said. “It’s to re- Republican senators’ open letter commitment or signs a treaty all international law is that change of Kharrazi added that the U.S. should flect on the year before and make to Iran shows a decline of “political officials, institutions and future domestic policies or even change of recognize Iran as an “influential new commitments to good health morality” in the United States. governments are obliged to honor it, regime must not cause in power”. and prosperity in the year ahead.” Last week, 47 U.S. Republican he stated. On Thursday, Supreme Leader The veteran politician said even Noruz marks the start of both senators sent an open letter to Iran’s He went on to say that according Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, “The if a Republican takes the helm at spring and the beginning of the leaders warning Tehran that any to “international law” a change letter by American senators indicates the White House he will be forced Persian calendar each year. nuclear deal that the Islamic Republic in domestic policies does not the collapse of political ethics in the to acknowledge the “reality of signs with President Barack Obama’s allow a violation of international United States.” Iran’s power” as Richard Nixon as Rouhani President Hassan Rouhani and administration won’t last after Obama commitments by countries. The Leader also said, “Governments a Republican president recognized to freed a number of other senior offi- leaves office. Kharrazi said the letter shows are bound to their commitments by China as a great power. diplomat: cials on Saturday met with the newly-released Iranian diplomat I was Noor Ahmad Nikbakht who had personally been held captive by terrorists Rouhani says Iran, Indonesia can introduce ‘true and moderate’ Islam concerned in Yemen for two years. Contd. from P. 1 effective role in advancing regional and interna- sion of economic ties with Indonesia. about your “I have been personally “Iran and Indonesia as two Islamic and Asian tional issues with reliance on their commonali- For his part, Alwi Shahab said Indonesia is ready following up on and deeply countries that are members to international bod- ties,” Rouhani stated. to expand relations with Iran. captivity PRESIDENT.IR concerned about your captiv- ies such as the Non-Aligned Movement and the He also called for comprehensive ties between Shahab also highlighted the importance of present- ity and felt tremendously relieved Organization of Islamic Cooperation can play an the two countries, saying Iran welcomes expan- ing a “moderate” Islam which is far from extremism. upon hearing your release and sub- sequent arrival in your country,” the president said during the meeting. President expressed hope that U.S. says UN will approve final nuclear deal between Iran, 5+1 he would continue serving his coun- try with the same resilient spirit. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tehran would be in place, even if the nian Foreign Minister Mohammad Ja- negotiations have reached a point While noting that the price for Jen Psaki has said that the United Na- UN Security Council decides to ease its vad Zarif is expected to take place in where political decisions should be commitment to the ideals of the Is- tions Security Council would endorse sanctions on the country. Lausanne, Switzerland on March 15. made in order to reach a final deal be- lamic Revolution has been at times any final nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group -- the US, Last week, President Obama reiter- cause technical issues are resolved. paid with martyrdom, captivity and Iran and the P5+1 group. Britain, France, China, Russia, and Ger- ated that Iran has abided by the terms “I would say that over the next enduring great hardship, president “We would anticipate that, if we’re many -- are currently working to com- of the interim nuclear agreement. month or so, we’re going to be able praised the resilient spirit of the able to reach a joint comprehensive plete the outlines of a nuclear deal by “I think it is fair to say that there to determine whether or not their sys- diplomat during his captivity and Plan of Action between the P5+1 and the end of March after they reached an is an urgency because we now have tem is able to accept what would be extended his deep appreciation Iran, an endorsement vote would be interim agreement in November 2013. been negotiating for well over a year an extraordinarily reasonable deal, if for the efforts of the ministries of held by the UN Security Council,” Psaki The two sides have by the end of and the good news is that during this in fact, as they say, they are only inter- foreign affairs and intelligence for told reporters on Friday. June to clinch a final agreement. period, Iran has abided by the terms of ested in peaceful nuclear programs,” securing his release. She added that Washington’s uni- A new round of talks between U.S. the agreement,” Obama said. Obama said. lateral restrictions imposed against Secretary of State John Kerry and Ira- He noted that the current nuclear (Source: Press TV) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

http://www.tehrantimes.com/international MARCH 16, 2015 INTERNATIONAL 3 Syria enters fifth year of conflict

Syria’s conflict has entered its fifth year China threatens ‘decisive’ with the government emboldened by shifting international attention and a response after Myanmar growing humanitarian crisis exacerbat- bombing ed by the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group. China’s military will take “decisive” measures if there More than 220,000 people have been is a repeat attack by Myanmar forces on its territory, a killed and half of the country’s popula- senior military officer said after a bomb from a Myan- tion displaced, prompting rights groups mar aircraft killed four people on Saturday. to accuse the international community Myanmar government forces have been battling re- of “failing Syria”. bels on the border with China since last month and Chi- The country has been carved up by na has urged Myanmar to “lower the temperature”. government forces, armed groups, But Myanmar denied that any bomb from its forces Kurdish fighters and other rebel groups. had fallen in China and said the rebels might have fired Diplomacy remains stalled, with two into China to create “misunderstanding”. The rebels rounds of peace talks achieving no pro- do not have aircraft. gress and even a proposal for a local China’s air force has dispatched planes to patrol the ceasefire in Aleppo fizzling out. border and step up protection of its airspace. Beijing The conflict began as an anti-govern- has also summoned Myanmar’s ambassador to com- ment uprising, with protesters taking to plain about the bombing. the streets on March 15, 2011, inspired by Fan Changlong, who is a deputy head of the pow- similar revolts in Egypt and Tunisia. erful Central Military Commission, said Myanmar air But a government crackdown on the force aircraft had crossed the border “many times” demonstrations prompted a militariza- recently, China’s defense ministry said in a statement tion of the uprising and its descent into late on Saturday. today’s multi-front conflict. “The Myanmar side must recognize the seriousness “Nobody really expected that we of the issue, seriously deal with this incident, punish would reach this stage in which we those who caused the trouble, apologize and pay com- will actually be having this national taking refuge in neighboring Lebanon. extremists would take power”. there is little prospect of a peaceful pensation to family members, and explain themselves disaster in Syria,” Marwan Kabalan, a Al Jazeera reporter Diana Al Rifai “For people here, how they under- resolution of the conflict. to China,” Fan was cited as telling Myanmar’s military Syrian academic and analyst at Doha said there are a million and a half refu- stand this is that the world wants to Two rounds of UN-sponsored talks in an emergency telephone call. Institute, told Al Jazeera as the con- gees who have fled Syria and are now keep President Assad in power,” she in Switzerland failed to achieve pro- Myanmar must take strict steps to rein in its armed flict entered its fifth year on Sunday. living in neighboring Lebanon. said. gress, and Staffan de Mistura, the third forces to ensure no repeat of such incidents, he said. The UN refugee agency UNHCR “When you talk to people here, Inside Syria, more than seven mil- UN envoy to tackle the conflict, has “Otherwise, China’s military will take resolute and (United Nations High Commissioner they have lost faith in the international lion people have been displaced, and gained little traction with his proposal decisive measures to protect the lives, property and for Refugees) says Syria is now “the community,” she said. the UN says around 60 percent of the for a localized ceasefire in Aleppo. security of China’s people,” Fan said, without elabo- biggest humanitarian emergency of She also said that many have been population now lives in poverty. Russia, a key Assad ally, is floating rating. our era”. angered by the statement of John The country’s infrastructure has its own dialogue process, and will host Speaking at his annual news conference on Sunday, Lost faith in international com- Brennan, director of the Central Intelli- been decimated, its currency is in free talks in Moscow in April, but it remains Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that the government munity gence Agency (CIA), who said the U.S. fall and economists say the economy unclear if the internationally recog- had the ability and responsibility to “firmly defend” Around four million people have does not want a chaotic fall of the As- has been set back by some 30 years. nized opposition will attend. the stability of the border. fled abroad, with a million and a half sad regime, because it is worried “that Despite the international attention, (Source: agencies) Tens of thousands of people, many of them ethnic Chinese, have fled the fighting in northeastern Myan- mar’s Kokang region into China. Myanmar has said Chinese mercenaries were fight- ing with the rebels, and it has urged China to cooper- Syrian agent ‘worked as courier to deliver money to ISIL’ ate to prevent “terrorist attacks” being launched from An agent who helped three British schoolgirls cross told Turkish police during questioning that he re- to ISIL terrorists, according to Milliyet. Chinese territory. into Syria to join the Islamic State in Iraq and the Le- ceived the money sent from abroad before it was The report did not reveal who sent the money in China has denied that any attacks into Myanmar vant (ISIL) terrorist group was also working as a cou- delivered to ISIL terrorists. the first place, only that it came from abroad. have been launched from its territory. rier to transfer money to terrorists, a Turkish news- The agent said he withdrew the cash from a Video footage emerged on Friday purportedly The rebels are from a group called the Myanmar Na- paper reported on Sunday. branch of Western Union and delivered it to Syrian showing the same man helping the British girls into a tional Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), which is led Turkey announced on Thursday that it had ar- jewelers working in the southeastern Turkish city of car in Sanliurfa on their way to Syria. by ethnic Chinese commander Peng Jiasheng. rested an intelligence agent working as a spy for an Sanliurfa close to the Syrian border, Milliyet report- Close friends Kadiza Sultana, 16, and 15-year-olds The MNDAA was formed from remnants of the Com- unidentified country in the U.S.-led coalition and said ed. Shamima Begum and Amira Abase, crossed into Syria munist Party of Burma, a powerful China-backed guer- he was a Syrian national. The jewelers then contacted their colleagues in after boarding a flight from London to Istanbul on rilla force that battled the Myanmar government until Media reports in Turkey have said he was working Syria and a middleman would come to their shops. February 17. it splintered in 1989. for Canadian intelligence -- a claim rejected by Ottawa. The agent told investigators that his brother, who They took a bus from Istanbul to Sanliurfa, from The group struck a truce with the government which The Milliyet newspaper reported that the man, lives in the Syrian city of Raqa, an ISIL stronghold, re- where they are believed to have crossed the frontier. lasted until 2009, when government troops took over a dentist using the name “Doctor Mehmed Resid”, ceived the money from the jewelers and delivered it (Source: AFP) their region in a conflict that pushed tens of thousands of refugees into China’s Yunnan province. China and Myanmar share a 2,000 km (1,250 mile) border, much of it remote and hard to access. Ukraine’s Poroshenko submits Donbass special status bill U.S. halts Saudi (Source: Reuters) Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshen- cluded. abide by the agreement. Arabia consular ko has submitted a draft resolution to The Ukrainian lawmakers are ex- East Ukraine ceasefire deal parliament that would grant special pected to vote on the draft on March The two warring sides, Kiev and services over threats status to outlined parts in the eastern 17 or 18. separatist forces in the eastern re- The U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia said it has Two arrested as regions of Donetsk and Luhansk (Lu- The parliamentary vote will come gions of Ukraine, reached a cease- suspended consular services in the kingdom Ferguson protests move gansk). after the March 14 deadline set under fire last month following peace talks for two days due to “heightened security con- The draft law was registered into the Minsk ceasefire agreement, ac- in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, on cerns”, after warning of threats against West- to St Louis the database of the parliament on cording to which the Ukrainian parlia- February 11-12 between the leaders of ern oil workers. Saturday. ment should have adopted the draft Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine. All services in Riyadh and at the consulates Police arrested at least two people as nightly protests The specified area that would re- indicating the specified self-governed Back in September 2014, the repre- in Jeddah and Dhahran have been cancelled in the racially troubled U.S. suburb of Ferguson over ceive special status had been outlined areas. sentatives of Ukraine, Russia, and the for Sunday and Monday, it said in a statement the police killing of unarmed black teenager Michael by Ukraine’s National Security and Previous failure to approve the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk posted on its website on Saturday. Brown shifted into the heart of St Louis. Defense Council two days earlier. bill prompted the head of the self- and Luhansk signed another cease- The embassy warned U.S. citizens to take Up to 50 youthful demonstrators gathered after Mykhaylo Koval, the Council’s proclaimed Donetsk People’s Repub- fire deal in Minsk. However, the truce extra precautions and keep a low profile if they sunset at the Midwestern city’s historic 19th century deputy secretary, said the special lic and Luhansk People’s Republic was violated on an almost daily basis were out in public. Old Courthouse to march through streets lined with status law would only apply to re- to urge the guarantors of the Minsk by both the Ukrainian military and the “All U.S. citizens are encouraged to be bars filled with St Patrick’s revelers. gions seized by separatist forces on deal, German Chancellor Angela Mer- separatist forces and thus failed to aware of their surroundings, and take extra When some of the protesters briefly held up traffic, September 19, 2014 and any areas kel and French President Francois deliver any practical result. precautions when travelling throughout the police stepped in and took away two men -- a young captured afterward would not be in- Hollande, to exert pressure on Kiev to (Source: Press TV) country,” it said. protester with a kerchief over his face and a freelance “The Department of State urges U.S. citi- photojournalist, Philip Montgomery, on assignment zens to carefully consider the risks of travelling for the Mashable website. to Saudi Arabia and limit non-essential travel Mashable’s executive editor Jim Roberts said via within the country.” Twitter that Montgomery was “fine” after he was re- The embassy on Friday had warned that leased a short time later. Western oil workers risked being attacked or Ferguson has been the scene of almost nightly kidnapped by “terrorist” groups. protests since 18-year-old Brown was fatally shot by It did not identify the source of the threats a white police officer on August 9, sparking national Another Glory and said no details were available on the outrage, occasional violence and a fierce debate about planned attacks. policing and race relations in America today. Saudi Arabia is taking part in U.S.-led air Tension flared anew on Wednesday -- after Fergu- for Bank Saderat of Iran strikes that began in September against the son’s embattled police Chief Thomas Jackson resigned Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) ter- -- when shots rang out amid an otherwise peaceful Receiving FCC International Certificate rorist group in Syria, raising concerns about night-time rally, wounding two police officers. possible retaliation. Police immediately launched a manhunt, but no ar- Being the first choice of customers Westerners in Saudi Arabia have come un- rests have yet been made. der attack four times since October. Mayor James Knowles, under growing pressure to in banking industry The latest was last month when U.S. de- resign, spent much of Saturday with about 20 local en- fense contractor Vinnell Arabia said two of its trepreneurs who say their small businesses have been Receiving golden trophy of American employees were shot at in Eastern struggling since Brown was killed. Exemplary Bank Manager in 2014 by Province, where most of the kingdom’s oil “I know it’s been really difficult for all of them, and wealth is concentrated. I appreciate that they stand here with the city -- and I Dr. Lalegani, the managing director and board Saudi police said that one of them was stand behind all of them,” Knowles told reporters. of directors’ vice chairman of Bank Saderat wounded but results of the investigation that The Justice Department is calling for significant re- followed have not yet been revealed. forms in Ferguson after it issued a report last week that We owe all these achievements to the trust In October, another Vinnell employee was laid bare a culture of racial bias within its overwhelm- of our customers. shot dead and another wounded at a petrol ingly white police force, which targeted African-Ameri- station in Riyadh, in what Saudi authorities cans to collect fines to bolster municipal finances. have said was not a “terrorist-related” incident. It did not, however, recommend prosecuting Dar- Bank Saderat of Iran A Dane was wounded in November as he ren Wilson, the officer who killed Brown, on federal was driving away from his workplace when he civil rights charges, saying it lacked enough evidence was fired upon from another car. to do so. (Source: AFP) (Source: AFP) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

ECONOMY http://www.tehrantimes.com/economy 4 MARCH 16, 2015

NEWS Over 320,000 old cars Lufthansa group loses nearly quarter of profit due to strikes scrapped in Iran: official

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The German Lufthansa airline TEHRAN — Over 320,000 old cars group, including Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and SWISS, Economic Desk were scrapped in Iran since the lost around 232 million euros ($250 million) due to beginning of current Iranian calendar year (March 21, strikes held in 2014, equaling nearly one quarter of the 2014), according to an Iranian transportation official. company's operating profit that reached $1.01 billion, Iran’s Transportation and Fuel Management the Group said. Headquarters Director Alireza Feizbakhsh said the In 2014, Lufthansa pilots and staff held ten strikes figure is forecast to reach 350,000 by the end of and threatened to organize more because of low wages current calendar year (March 20, 2015), the Islamic and poor working conditions. The reductions to the Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported. company's budget were a result of the company's cost Feyzbakhsh said the old and sub-standard vehicles optimization program aimed at minimizing expenses are responsible for over 70 percent of air pollution in and revising payment arrangements. the megacities of Iran. "Strike actions by pilots and security personnel The scrappage scheme to dispose old and reduced the 2014 operating result by a total of 232 inefficient vehicles will contribute to the reduction of million euros (62 million euros thereof in December annual gasoline consumption by around 400 million alone)," Lufthansa's release stated. liters in the country. Earlier, the airline group said that it was not going to Masoumeh Ebtekar, the chairwoman of turn down its finance minimizing program, even if a new Environmental Protection Organization, has said wave of protests was likely. there are different reasons such as industrial Lufthansa, the largest airline in Europe, has faced activities and public transport for air pollution in strong competition in different regions, as it has been Tehran but substandard cars and low quality fuel are overtaken by low cost carriers for domestic flights, and mostly to the blame. by huge companies like Emirates and Turkish Airlines, The government’s actions indicate its resolve to for long-haul destinations. tackle pollution goes beyond rhetoric. After years of government opacity on the subject, oil minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has admitted that the main In Tehran, automobile use has doubled in the estimates, and around one million of the cars on the source of the smog is sub-standard gasoline. past eight years according to the transport ministry road each day are more than 20 years old. U.S. demands banks pay $1b each in wake of Italy’s debt burden now at record high 132% of GDP currency manipulation Italy’s debt load is now €2.1659 January is because the Treasury Europe, has had its economic woes European Commission mandated

trillion, the Bank of Italy said Friday. increased its available liquidity, or overshadowed by the looming crisis debt-to-GDP target is 60 percent. U.S. has opened currency settlement talks with global The country’s public debt increased money supply, by €36.3 billion euro, in Greece. Italy’s growth forecast for 2015 banks that are being investigated for the manipulation of by €31 billion in January, bringing bringing the total to €82.6 billions, Rome hasn’t seen quarterly is 0.5 percent, a much rosier picture currency markets. the total close to the record-high of Italy’s ANSA news agency reported. growth since mid-2011, and the after the economy’s less than stellar The U.S. Justice Department has now entered €2.1677 billion euro recorded in July Gross domestic product to economy is in need of economic performance in 2014, when growth into settlement talks with several banks which were 2014. debt in Italy is near 132 percent, resuscitation. Though the European stagnated in the fourth quarter. In implicated in a currency-rigging scandal. Italy’s public debt is only second compared to 127.9 percent in 2013, Commission isn’t monitoring Italy as 2016, Italy’s central bank expects 1.5 The settlement deal is expected to cost about $1 to Greece in the eurozone. or 102 percent two years ago. strictly as Greece, Rome’s budget is percent expansion. billion each for the banks which are under investigation. The main reason debt spiked in Italy, the third largest economy in still under “special surveillance. ”The (Source: RT) According to Bloomberg, however, some of the banks have been asked for less and others – for more, depending on the extent of their cooperation. One bank that has cooperated from the beginning EU executive warns of Grexit Bank of England warns of further is expected to pay far less than expected, Bloomberg ‘catastrophe’, urges euro solidarity financial ‘short sharp shocks’ quotes one of the people familiar with the talks as saying. The banks are currently discussing settling for $4 BRUSSELS (Reuters) — The European country is next," Moscovici told the The Bank of England has warned may not be the case every time, Salmon billion, though the number could change markedly. Commission warned of "catastrophe" German magazine. "And that could be the financial community against said. The talks could lead to settlements that would resolve if Greece has to abandon the euro the beginning of the end." complacency in the wake of a series “Financial markets may not have U.S. accusations of criminal activity in the currency and its chief executive, Jean-Claude Moscovici's comments reflect of “short sharp shocks” in markets been truly tested for the ability to markets against Barclays Plc, Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Juncker, urged EU governments to alarm in the new Commission formed over recent months that it said could absorb price moves or flows that Chase & Co., Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc and UBS show solidarity as Athens struggles to under Juncker in November that happen more frequently. persist for a prolonged period, or for Group AG. secure more credit. brinkmanship by leaders on both Chris Salmon, the Bank’s executive a wider spillover between markets,” Prosecutors are also reported to be pressing Barclays, A day after German Finance sides of the dispute in the euro zone director for markets, said uncertainty Salmon said in a speech in London. Citigroup, JPMorgan and the Royal Bank of Scotland to Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said risks getting out of hand, and a fear surrounding the global economy “And that is why it is only fit and plead guilty. Greece might stumble out of the euro governments underestimate the following the collapse in the oil price proper for me to finish on a cautionary In the worldwide investigation into currency-rigging, zone because new, left-wing leaders potential damage. had heightened anxiety in the major note: market participants take heed.” six banks have already agreed to pay regulators a total failed to negotiate new borrowings, Pledging to help find a compromise, currency and bond markets. He said the spikes in volatility in of $4.3 billion. Juncker's economics commissioner Juncker spent some 90 minutes He argued that the growing unease recent months have coincided with (Source: sputniknews.com) said EU hardliners underestimated the hosting Greek Prime Minister Alexis combined with a shift to computer- periods when trading firms were risk that this would start a fatal domino Tsipras, reinforcing a relationship that generated trading platforms, some reluctant to buy and sell financial collapse of the common currency. has irked some in Berlin who fear of which froze amid serious market instruments in the frenzied period "All of U.S. in Europe probably agree the EU executive, which is not itself a volatility related to U.S. Treasury yields during a major event. that a Grexit would be a catastrophe lender to Greece, may muddy the debt and the Swiss franc over the past year, Increasing reliance on computer- TEHRAN STOCK EXCHANGE -- for the Greek economy, but also negotiations and try to water down had triggered panic trading. based trading was reason to believe for the euro zone as a whole," Pierre the lenders' terms. Salmon said another “flash crash” in that the severity of the two events Index Value Change Percent Moscovici told Der Spiegel -- a view not An EU official told Reuters that one market could spill over into other was accentuated by structural change Main Board in fact shared by some conservative Juncker urged Tsipras, 20 years his markets and cause widespread panic. in the bond, commodity and currency 47949.6 273.1 0.57 Index allies of Chancellor Angela Merkel who junior, to do much more to show The warning followed an unusually markets, he said. Industry Index 53984.5 89 0.16 favor amputating the bloc's troubled creditors he was meeting their calm period last year when the Greek “There must be a risk that future Greek limb. demands for savings and free market crisis and other major events failed shocks could have more persistent Overall Index 64980.6 370.3 0.57 Moscovici, a French Socialist, reforms. If he did not, he told Tsipras, to move markets. But in October, and more widespread impacts across Free Float Index 74395.4 775.2 1.04 countered the argument that there was "a distinct danger" Greece concerns about the global economy financial markets than has been the Secondary Index 127275.3 727.3 0.57 protective mechanisms put in place in could find itself shut out of the euro triggered a flash crash in U.S. Treasury case in the recent past.” the three years since the last major debt monetary system. yields, and in January this year there He said markets were more liquid crisis meant Grexit -- or an inadvertent In public, Juncker sounded a note was a sharp rise in the Swiss franc after before the banking crash of 2008, "Grexident" -- could be contained, or of urgency to other EU governments: it was detached from tracking the euro. but warned that this was an unusual even strengthen the euro. "This is not a time for division," he said. In both cases, markets stabilized period when the cost of participating in OVERALL INDEX DETAILS "If one country leaves this union, "This is the time for coming over the following weeks to avoid markets was “under-priced”. First 64610.3 the markets will immediately ask which together." contagion to other markets, but this (Source: The Guardian)

Max Value 64989.9 Min Value 64875.6 South Pars biggest phase to come on stream by Mar. 20 Closing 64980.6 Contd. from P. 1 29 phases, contains 14 trillion cubic meters of It ranked Iran as first in the world in terms Variety 370.3 The remaining 6,000 square kilometers, i.e. natural gas, about eight percent of the world's of natural gas reserves, with 33.6 trillion cubic Change end of year(%) 715.67% North Dome, are in Qatar's territorial waters. reserves, and more than 18 billion barrels of LNG meters, replacing Russia as the country with the Historical highest 89500.6 (2014/01/05) The Iranian gas field, which is divided into resources. largest reserves. Source: tse.ir Russia to Russia will participate Eurasian Member countries UK’s Osborne Britain will allow provide in financing the first Economic of the Eurasian announces pensioners to cash in tranche of IMF aid to Economic Union annuities in exchange $13.75m as Ukraine in the amount Union can set (EAEU) are able to set new pension for a cash lump sum, MAJOR CURRENCIES part of first of $13.75 million; the up currency up a currency union reform ahead finance minister Bank of Russia will earlier than planned, George Osborne To U.S. To IR. To U.S. To IR. IMF loan for union earlier of election Currency Currency speaker of the Council Dollars Rial* Dollars Rial* deliver the payment on said on Sunday, but Ukraine March 13, said Russian than planned of the Republic, or insisted there would US dollar 1 32070 UAE dirham 0.272 8900 Finance Minister Anton upper house of the be no “giveaways” in British Pound 1.474 48550 EURO 1.049 34450 Siluanov. “The program Belarusian parliament, his final pre-election *The free market rates (Sources: Mehrnews.com & xe.com) will be financed via the Mikhail Myasnikovich budget next week. IMF quota resources, said. The annuities reform and the funding from “We should speed up follows a pensions shareholder countries in integration so that overhaul announced MAJOR COMMODITIES the framework of their the first stages of a last year which participation in the so- currency union might eased requirements Light Crude $ / barrel 44.84 Silver $ / troy ounce 15.49 called New Borrowing be launched in the on people to buy Gold $ / troy ounce 1,152.40 Platinum $ / troy ounce 1,115.20 arrangements,” next three to four annuities as part of Siluanov said. years,” he said. their pension. Copper $ / pound 2.66 Wheat ¢ / bushel 502

Source: cnnmoney.com NEWS IN BRIEF I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y http://www.tehrantimes.com MARCH 16, 2015 ADVERTISEMENT 5 I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

6 INTERNATIONAL MARCH 16, 2015 http://www.tehrantimes.com/international How NATO’s toppling of Gaddafi has turned to disaster The country that fought for freedom is falling back into factionalism and bloodshed. By Ruth Sherlock remove a tyrant, but it soon became clear repeatedly told me that, as well as stopping that the mentality of the people subju- petty crime, militias use their power to de- ears rolled down Khadija’s cheeks as the gated to his rule would need much longer stroy opponents. T17-seater plane – the whirr of its propel- to change. With no established social base Last month in Tripoli, the body of In- lers deafening in the cabin – began its de- for democracy, Libya’s new rulers resorted tissar Hassairi, a female political activist, scent into the capital of a country crippled to the politics of old. Corruption became was found in the boot of her car. Govern- by war. The hope she’d felt of a better fu- worse even than during Gaddafi’s regime, ment prosecutors in Tripoli told me she ture for Libya after the ousting of dictator as every politician secured his seat with had been killed in a “simple family dis- Col Muammar Gaddafi had long soured into nepotism and patronage. “Every time a pute”. This may yet be the case. But in the resentment and fear. Now she was flying new prime minister arrived, he sacked days after her murder, the policeman who back into her homeland from exile. An uncle the staff across departments and institu- took fingerprints at the scene also disap- had been killed and she needed to attend tions and brought in his own people,” said peared. Ms Hassairi’s boyfriend fled the his funeral. Mohsen Derregia, the former head of the country. A friend told me her family was “It wasn’t meant to be like this,” she Libyan Investment Authority, the body too afraid to talk. said. “We have lost our dignity. We fought managing the country’s $65 billion sover- A pervasive sense of fear is barely con- Gaddafi so that we could speak freely. Now eign wealth fund. “In four years LIA had cealed below the surface in Libya today. it’s the same as before, but with less secu- six chairmen. Barely had you learnt to do “Are you sure no one followed you?” rity.” the job than you were moved on.” asked Murad, a civil rights activist, looking Many of her countrymen agree with her. Libya’s oil-rich economy began to found- nervously around the café in Tripoli. Light- Since the end of the 2011 NATO-backed war er. Under a succession of weak govern- ing a cigarette, the young man sighed. that toppled Gaddafi, Libya has fragmented ments, and with few other job opportuni- “Freedom of speech is the big fear for Lib- – with two rival governments and their allied ties, fighting groups formed to oust Gaddafi yan Dawn. Mind you, if I was on the other armed gangs vying for power. Nascent de- refused to disband. Instead, each accused is happening here. Why are they doing this? speech is being pushed ever further under- side (in east Libya) I’d be scared of the mi- mocracy has been supplanted by a system the other of secretly being Gaddafi loyalists, How can they raise a weapon against men ground. litias there, too.” Murad, who spoke using of repression and fear. Militias have become and gunfights broke out once again as they who were their brothers in the revolution? By day, a veneer of normality lacquers a pseudonym, explained how he had been the most powerful players in a country de- battled for control of key public facilities. The eastern city of Benghazi, the “capi- the capital. Shops, including international part of a pro-democracy group that since void of the rule of law, of a national army In Tripoli the fighting between militias tal of the revolution”, where the first anti- brand names such as Mango, and Marks and 2012 had been encouraging fighting factions or a police force. Anyone opposing them, be from Misrata and the mountain town of Gaddafi protests took place in 2011, became Spencer are open. Traffic is gridlocked. Cos- to settle debate through the ballot box. they politician or civilian, is silenced – often Zintan, saw hundreds of people killed. Their a murky, dangerous place. Some estimates mopolitan Libyan girls gossip over cappuc- After the outbreak of hostilities between at gunpoint. fight for Tripoli’s international airport end- suggest 200 people have been assassinated. cinos in one of the city’s many Costa Coffee Haftar and Libya Dawn, however, his work In the new Libya, just as in the old, ed with the terminal burned to the ground. The dead include liberals and campaigners, shops. Men in plain clothes drive police cars, became impossible. “If you criticized Dawn speaking out against those wielding pow- Rows of planes, some gutted by fire, others as well as victims of federalists who want to and soldiers in pick-up trucks wearing mis- they accused you of being with Haftar,” he er is enough see you threatened, or killed. riddled with bullet holes and with bits of separate the east from the west. matched uniforms enforce the law. “We are said. And vice versa. There was, many admit, a “golden age” in their wings broken off, stand abandoned on Coalition of militias here for security,” said Captain Murad, 40, Such chaos, the ever-present threats, the months immediately after the end of the closed runway, in silent testimony to the Last August, Libya Dawn, a coalition of the commander of the Nawasi brigade, one have driven thousands into exile. Look- Gaddafi’s 40-year-rule. But it was not long chaos. militias including Islamists, seized control of the biggest militias under Libya Dawn ing nervously through the window of the before factionalism began to spin out of With everyone keen to stake their claim of the capital, Tripoli, sending those in par- in Tripoli. “Our men police the streets. We plane bringing her home for her uncle’s control. Now that brief, optimistic interreg- to wealth and power in the new Libya, and liament fleeing to Tobruk. There the parlia- stop crime.” funeral, Khadija is one of them. She fled num is spoken of nostalgically, as thought it to prove their involvement in the revolution mentarians allied themselves with Khalifa On one recent Thursday night – the start Libya in 2013. Many of Murad’s colleagues was a distant era. that toppled the old, the number of militia- Haftar, a former general in Gaddafi’s army of the weekend in Libya – I joined the Nawa- have gone too, forced out by the factional- The country’s new constitution men burgeoned from the estimated 40,000 who once worked for the CIA. Gathering si brigade on patrol. Wearing green masks ism and gangsterism that has brought their In fact it was only three years ago, in fighters during the 2011 war, to 160,000. In up his own broad coalition, which includes to hide their faces, the militiamen set up country to the brink of civil war. 2012, that Libyans rushed to the polls to their midst, extremists began to thrive. An- a large number of soldiers from the old flying checkpoints. They pulled over cars “These people, they say they are doing vote for their first democratically elected sar Sharia, the hardline jihadi group accused regime, Haftar has declared war on Libya without license plates to check if they were this to keep us safe and to protect the rev- government. Newspapers proliferated. of killing U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens, Dawn – which he dismissed as a band of stolen. They searched the seats and boots olution against Gaddafi supporters,” said Misrata, Libya’s merchant second city, grew in strength. Facebook, once a plat- terrorists. As the anarchy in Libya resolves for drugs. Murad. “But it’s been four years. Gaddafi had 23. In the conference halls of five-star form for opponents of Gaddafi to arrange into these two warring factions, freedom of All very unobjectionable. But residents is over. This is about everyone getting as hotels, wise men gathered to debate the protests, became a tool of repression. much money as they can. The options now finer details of the country’s new consti- “Last year I received death threats after The eastern city of Benghazi, the “capital of the revolution”, are military rule, like before – or chaos. I am tution. But when the business of govern- I wrote a public post on Facebook, criticiz- at the point where I just want to have a sta- ing began in earnest, things began to go ing the fighting between militias,” said one where the first anti-Gaddafi protests took place in 2011, ble country. Democracy just feels too far be- wrong. young resident of Misrata, who asked not to became a murky, dangerous place. yond our reach.” It had taken a war of eight months to be named for fear of reprisals. “I hate what (Source: The Telegraph) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y http://www.tehrantimes.com/international MARCH 16, 2015 INTERNATIONAL 7

The Guardian view on war in Afghanistan: COMMENT Not mission accomplished, only mission over India's crisis of democracy By Chandrahas Choudhury

The 13-year war in Afghanistan, in f the panoply of challenges faced by the leader of a large which 453 UK servicemen and women Odemocracy, some are perennial (when is the economy not died, took the lives of more British an issue?) and usually of a low intensity; others are seasonal and troops than any overseas military high-stakes. This week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commitment by this country in the has found his forbearance and strategic capabilities exercised past half century. Yet Britain’s fourth to their fullest by a domestic crisis (to some citizens, a foreign- Afghan war in 180 years has been policy one) partly of his own making. An ambitious political in some respects a less enduringly experiment engineered by Modi and his Hindu nationalist party divisive national experience than in the border state of Jammu and Kashmir -- the only Muslim- either the Iraq war or the Falklands majority state in India -- threatens to implode within just a few war a generation previously. David days of its inauguration. Nevertheless the scars it leaves and Cameron The largest region within Jammu and Kashmir is the the lessons it teaches must not be and Kashmir Valley, the tinderbox of South Asia. The valley has forgotten. General been the subject of hostilities between India and Pakistan for The uneasy national view of the Nicholas seven decades, since the controversial accession, by its Hindu Afghan conflict was reflected in Houghton attend a king, of the state of Kashmir to India in 1947. In recent decades, the restrained temper of Friday’s it has also been the site of a separatist movement that has, in moving but troubling service reception at Guildhall the hands of different agents, taken recourse both to arms and of commemoration in St Paul’s the ballot box. Most Kashmiris resent the militarization of their Cathedral. It is particularly well following a memorial state and the special powers exercised from above by New embodied in the striking contrast service Delhi. between Friday’s events and those to mark But if Kashmiris stand accused by many Indians from other after the two preceding wars. In St the end of parts of the country as being “anti-Indian,” most Indians, Paul’s in 1982, after the Falklands, Britain’s through a combination of arrogance and ignorance, fail to see Archbishop Robert Runcie preached combat operations that the democracy run with a benign face from New Delhi a sermon which called for prayers has a much more brutal face in the valley, and its conduct in for the Argentinian dead, denounced in Afghanistan. Kashmir provides a case study in “how pluralism goes bad.” nationalism, condemned the global Among the many causes held sacred by Modi’s Hindu- arms trade and characterized war legacy remained in the background dust “would do nothing to curb the peaceful normal life in place. But this nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is that Kashmir is “an as “a sign of human failure”. Less throughout the archbishop’s address. menace of transnational terrorism”, was not “mission accomplished”. It inviolable part of India.” This hard-line stance has meant that dramatically, at the St Paul’s memorial That approach may have been and urged that a military assault was mission ended, at best. There the BJP has traditionally had little cachet in the state and has service at the end of the Iraq war in helpful for the families and veterans should be an option of last resort. could be no victory parade. only been able to wield influence there when in power in Delhi 2009, Archbishop Rowan Williams gathered in the cathedral. It may It risked, we said, civilian casualties, It is not enough to feel relieved -- which of course only further antagonizes the Kashmiris. cautioned about the failure to foresee also reflect a more general national the inflaming of Muslim opinion and that the war is over or to draw But in Jammu and Kashmir's state elections in November, and measure the cost of the war. He inclination to move on. The public, the danger of handing the terrorists comfort in the feeling that it could once again the “Modi effect” took hold, just as it had in also predicted – wisely in the light of like the politicians and service chiefs, the “holy war” they had tried so hard have been worse. There must be the national elections of May and several state elections the Chilcot inquiry experience – that it seems content to put the war away to provoke. The conflict could be a public assessment of what was thereafter. The BJP made huge advances to emerge as the would be a long time before the rights in a box and not talk about it. It is a protracted and bloody. There was a achieved in Afghanistan. That does second-largest party in the 87-member house and in a position and wrongs of the conflict would be mood which combines relief that the lack of clear mission aims, limits and not mean a second Chilcot. Nobody of special strength, while the party with the largest number resolved. war is over, enduring unease about rules of engagement. wants that, not least because public of legislators, the Kashmiri People’s Democratic Party, was Archbishop Justin Welby’s sermon the individual sacrifices – and latent Many twists and turns followed in opposition to the Afghan war was unable to garner a simple majority. The BJP was faced with in the Afghanistan memorial service skepticism about the entire wisdom, the Afghan war after that. But those always more conditional than in the a conundrum: On one hand, it sensed an expansion of its was different. It was more contained conduct and effectiveness of the original warnings and concerns have Iraq case. But the government must electoral frontier into the territory most resistant to it across than those of his predecessors. His conflict. It is an understandable mood. overwhelmingly stood the test of commission an independent national India, but to do so, it would have to do business with a party measured message centered on the The archbishop spoke for it. But it is a time. Last year, after much effort and lessons strategy, as proposed by the that, if not explicitly separatist, certainly sees the movement faithfulness of the individuals who misguided mood all the same. cash, as well as many political and Commons defense select committee for Kashmiri independence as a legitimate one. fought in Afghanistan and of the The morning after 9/11, this military mistakes, the war ended in a last year. Whitehall has prevaricated For two months, party strategists negotiated with the brain families who waited for them. Amid newspaper recognized the need for a Western retreat, leaving Afghanistan for months. The parties should put trust of the PDP until an accord was finally announced. Both this honoring of faithfulness and response but warned against an over- almost as ungovernable and fragile as it firmly back on the agenda in their sides agreed, impressively, to give up or suspend a key plank of courage, there was scarcely a note reaction, especially a military over- it was under the Taliban. Hopefully, election manifestos. The Afghan war their Kashmir policies: The BJP would give up its (in the eyes of of triumphalism or national self- reaction. A day later, the Guardian it left the infrastructure of efficient may be over. It must not be forgotten. some, unconstitutional) demand for the repeal of Article 370 in righteousness. But the war and its said that pounding Afghanistan into government and the possibility of (Source: The Guardian) the Indian Constitution, which grants some special concessions to Kashmir, while the PDP would not agitate for the termination of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which gives the Are frats ‘a form of American apartheid’? central government sweeping powers to arrest suspected militants in Kashmir and detain them without trial. By John D. Sutter themed Kappa Sigma party at Duke It was greatly to Modi’s credit, then, and a sign of New University: "We look forward to Delhi’s maturity on the question of separatism, that he could hen it comes to the U.S. having Mi, Yu, You and Yo Friends engineer an alliance that made it seem, in the words of one Wfraternity and sorority system, over for some Sake. Chank You." Kashmiri observer, “that the north and south poles have it's a disturbing truth: Life is largely And in January 2014, according embraced each other.” (In fact, even as the prime minister segregated by race, money and to The New York Times, Arizona put his political credibility at stake, hard-liners on the right power; and, yet, most of us find that State University investigated an predicted a swift demise for the alliance, citing the very same unsurprising. MLK-day party hosted by the Tau reasons.) The new government was sworn in earlier this month This week, however, we got more Kappa Epsilon fraternity in which in the capital, Srinagar, with the PDP’s head, Mufti Mohammad evidence this callous status quo "nonblack students mocked blacks Sayeed, as chief minister. “Kashmir has been a problem in front needs to change. by donning loose basketball jerseys, of every prime minister, whether it was Jawaharlal Nehru, The push came in the form of a flashing gang signs and drinking from Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee or now Narendra Modi," nine-second YouTube video, which hollowed-out watermelons." Sayeed said after taking his oath. "We want to change history I'm sure you've seen by now. It It's clear there is a recurring and make this alliance a turning point in history.” reportedly shows members of the because they're seen as uncool or three colleges on the East Coast. "At problem here -- one that needs fixing. But a week later, it has all turned sour. Earlier this week, Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at don't "fit in" with a particular chapter. the time of interviews, the average One easy place to start would be Sayeed ordered the release from detention -- detention under the University of Oklahoma chanting But we'd be kidding ourselves if we membership size of the organizations simply getting more information. the terms of yet another piece of unpopular legislation -- of these chilling lines: "There will never didn't realize that, often, a person's was 63 members, and there was an Why don't universities force these the Kashmiri separatist Masharat Alam, one of the organizers be a ni**** SAE. You can hang him race -- or sexual orientation, for that average of 2.4 nonwhite members organizations to report their of mass protests in 2010 in which more than a hundred lives from a tree, but he can never sign matter -- factors into this you're-in, per organization," he wrote in a demographics so we can see exactly were lost. The decision created a furor both in the state with me." you're-out process. That's 3.8% minority members, in how segregated this system really and in parliament, where Modi himself called it a “national "The students on the bus clap and And it's hard for me not to see those instances. is? Hughey told me that data isn't outrage” and told parliament he had not been consulted about pump their fists as they boisterously the SAE video as a manifestation -- Hughey's sample size is small but available. Then we could know it. Meanwhile, Alam lost no time in declaring in an interview chant," CNN's Eliott C. McLaughlin an admittedly extreme one -- of this his results also echo what anyone the answers to some interesting that he had only moved “from a smaller jail to a larger jail, writes, describing a clip that rocketed exclusionist ideology. This is a case of who's spent time on a college questions: How segregated are Greek which is Kashmir.” around social media, leading OU's dangerous group-think run amok. campus knows to be true: There are organizations? Are certain schools or Had he been in the opposition, Modi would have lost no president, David Boren, to rightfully In a system that remains largely white fraternities and there are black organizations more integrated than time in demanding a crackdown in Srinagar. But now the shutter and ban that fraternity from divided by race, perhaps videos like ones. others? What's the trend over time? prime minister finds himself maneuvered into a tight corner by the school. this shouldn't be so surprising. That's Sometimes we even dare call Is there progress? Sayeed, at 79 the veteran of many an intrigue. The video is hard to watch, but the view of Matthew Hughey, an them that. Universities also should assess If Modi were to pull on the plug on the new government I have a feeling it's one we need to associate professor of sociology at Far too many of us, especially how and why they support these in Kashmir, it would please many hawks in his party, but the see, both because it hints at the the University of Connecticut who those of us with friends and family organizations. Do traditionally black satisfaction would be short-lived. Sayeed would likely extend inner workings of certain Greek studies racial dynamics in American members who have participated in and Latino fraternities get as much the PDP’s gains in new elections, and perhaps form a majority organizations, and because it shows Greek life. Greek life, either are in denial about school funding and attention as the government in the state. If Modi were to ignore Sayeed’s the persistent racism that still exists The U.S. fraternity and sorority this -- or we choose to see egregious white frats? If not, why? And why are provocation, that might embolden Kashmir’s chief minister in the United States. I'm thankful system is "a form of American cases of racism, sexism and violence these groups so incredibly divided in even further. Modi has to find some middle path that enables someone -- someone who was on apartheid," he told me in an interview in the U.S. Greek system as somehow the first place? What does that do to him to set down his own roots and his own authority in the the bus to witness the racist chants on Monday. Instead of thinking of isolated. the student body as a whole? troubled state, else he joins the list of prime ministers who -- was brave enough to film this and the Oklahoma fraternity members as It's clear that's not the case. I'm not calling for an end to the have made no headway in Kashmir. The game is fascinatingly to help it become public. "bad apples," he said, we should see "In 1992, Texas A&M University Greek system. But it's a system poised. That alone should give some them as part of a "bad orchard." That fined its chapter $1,000 after it threw that needs to take a hard look in More generally, the present dispute in Kashmir leads reason for hope. orchard includes, but isn't limited to, a 'jungle party' attended by frat the mirror and make some real to another point about India today. The words “Indian Others weren't, but I was Greek organizations, he told me. It brothers in blackface. Then in 2002, changes. democracy” sometimes obscure the truth that a prominent shocked by the video. This, in also includes the rest of us and our Syracuse University suspended its "Any time there are racist feature of that democracy is its federalism, and some of the 2015? In my home state? Both of country's racist history. chapter after one of its members remarks made, we must speak most interesting developments in the field originate in the my parents participated in Greek "Largely, these organizations went to a bar in blackface. As up as Americans," Boren, the OU states, or in the interplay -- as in Kashmir -- between state and life in Oklahoma, but at a different reflect a supersegregated and recently as 2013, the fraternity got president, said in a news conference. center. university. I know from their stories unequal system that is made up of suspended following allegations it He added that he hopes the SAE Many of the larger Indian states -- Uttar Pradesh, that these groups can be the basis college and alumni members all over had photographed African American students "think long and hard" about Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar -- have higher populations for lifelong friendships and civic the world," he said. students while pledges recited the incident as they pack up and than some of the largest countries in Europe, and they have engagement. What happened on Comparative data on the racial rap lyrics laced with racial slurs," vacate their fraternity house early developed their own democratic norms and peculiarities, good the bus at OU doesn't negate their make-up of these organizations is according to The Washington Post's this week. and bad. The present political crisis is mainly a crisis because it positive experiences. But it should impossible to come by, but anecdotal Terrence McCoy. "I hope they think long and hard represents a rare chance for Kashmiri democracy to advance cause us to question a system that is evidence suggests these groups are Other examples are easy to about how words can injure and hurt hand in hand with, rather than in resistance to, the central inherently built around the concept starkly divided by race. From 2003 to come by, too. According to The other people," he said. government. It is an opportunity -- and a dilemma -- of which of exclusion. Sometimes students are 2006, Hughey spent time interviewing New York Daily News, here's the The rest of us should do that, too. Modi is acutely aware. excluded from Greek life, in theory, students from Greek organizations at text of an invitation to a 2013 Asian- (Source: CNN) (Source: Bloomberg) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y

8 MED & SCI MARCH 16, 2015 http://www.tehrantimes.com

NEWS IN BRIEF Scientists find how cells can rush Gastro diseases can be detected with a pill in and heal wounds A pill acting like an electronic sensor might be a reality soon and can help diagnosing diseases involving the intestines TEHRAN (ISNA) — An Iranian researcher such as gastro diseases. Reza Riyahi at MIT along with his col- With the new gas sensor, it can detect possible gases leagues at Harvard and Arizona univer- problems within the stom- sities has found a process for treating ach and the gut. If this plan wounds by cells, paving the way for recov- will succeed, it means faster ery of heart disease, diabetics and cancer. diagnosis of internal organs The results represent a major advance- diseases that can lead to ment for regenerative medicine, research- better and more effective ers say, in which the form and function of treatment. cells are manipulated to create new tis- According to Cell Press, sues, and even organs, to repair, restore, the electronic sensor pill will or replace those damaged by injury or be covered with a protective disease. shell where the gas sensor The “results significantly increase our will be placed. The gas sen- understanding of how tissue regenera- sor has wireless transmitter tion is regulated and advance our ability and a microprocessor to to guide these processes,” said Pak Kin process the data and infor- Wong, associate professor of mechanical mation inside the intestines. and aerospace engineering at University Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh There will be a battery with- of Arizona. in the pill. In their study background, senior author Kourosh “In recent years, researchers have Kalantar-zadeh, professor of electrical and computer engi- gained a better understanding of the mo- neering at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia said that lecular machinery of cell migration, but human gut on gastrointestinal diseases costs a lot. not what directs it to happen in the first (Source: SMN Weekly) place,” he said. “What, exactly, is orches- trating this system common to all living organisms?” The answer, it turns out, involves deli- the pack, or migrating tip. er cells and understanding their forma- slowing or even stopping the spread of cate interactions between biomechanical The leader cells, in turn, send signals tion and behavior gives us the ability to cancer, which is what makes it so deadly. Curiosity rover is functional stress, or force, which living cells exert on to follower cells, which do not express alter cell migration,” said Wong, lead au- The research also has the potential to again, continues on one another, and biochemical signaling. the genetic messenger. This elaborate thor of the article that appears in Nature speed up development of bioengineered Chemical force autoregulatory system remains activated Communications. tissues and organs that can be success- After a period of some long-distance troubleshooting, Researchers discovered that when me- until new tissue has covered a wound. The chain of events fully transplanted in humans. NASA engineers have confirmed that the Mars rover Curi- chanical force disappears — for example The same migration processes for With this new knowledge, researchers For the study, researchers used a com- osity has recovered and picked itself up once again, after at a wound site where cells have been wound healing and tissue development can re-create, at the cellular and molecu- bination of single-cell gene expression having been down for nearly two weeks. destroyed, leaving empty, cell-free space also apply to cancer spreading. The com- lar levels, the chain of events that brings analysis, computational modeling and Curiosity has been exploring the Martian surface since — a protein molecule, known as DII4, bination of mechanical force and genetic about the formation of human tissue. Bio- time-lapse microscopy to track leader cell August 2012. On Wednesday, the rover managed to push coordinates nearby cells to migrate to a signaling stimulates cancer cells to collec- engineers now have the information they formation and behavior in vitro in human some powdered rock from its drill after 13 days of stand- wound site and collectively cover it with tively migrate and invade healthy tissue. need to direct normal cells to heal dam- breast cancer cells and in vivo in mice epi- ing inert. However, the rover is still unable to drill for more new tissue. Biologists have known of the exist- aged tissue, or prevent cancer cells from thelial cells under a confocal microscope. powder. NASA engineers are still trying to determine a fix What’s more, this process causes iden- ence of leader cells and the DII4 protein invading healthy tissue. The work included manipulating for the short circuit that ceased operation, but their rover tical cells to specialize into leader and fol- for some years and have suspected they The findings have major implications leader cells through pharmacological, can still move around. The robotic rover first experienced lower cells. Researchers had previously might be important in collective cell mi- for people with a variety of diseases and laser, and other means to see how problems Feb. 27 while moving rock powder from one of assumed leader cells formed randomly. gration. conditions. For example, the discoveries they would react. its arms into its deck of analytical instruments. Researchers observed that when cells But precisely how leader cells formed may lead to better treatments for non- “Amazingly, when we directed (Source: Science Recorder) collectively migrate toward a wound, — and what controlled their behavior and healing diabetic wounds, the No. 1 cause a laser at individual leader cells and leader cells expressing a form of messen- their genetic makeup—were all myster- of lower limb amputations in the United destroyed them, new ones quickly ger RNA, or mRNA, genetic code specific ies, until now. States; for plaque buildup in arteries, a emerged at the migrating tip to take to the DII4 protein emerge at the front of “Knowing the genetic makeup of lead- major cause of heart disease; and for their place,” Wong said. UC engineers invent color-changing skin Water, water everywhere in Engineers at the University of California at Berkeley in our solar system’s moons Berkeley, California have developed super-thin, synthetic color-changing skin. It reportedly can give any surface the The confirmation of a subterranean ocean color-changing capabilities of a chameleon. underneath the icy surface of Jupiter’s moon According to a report on the subject just published in the Ganymede is the latest thread in a mounting journal Optica, the color-changing skin is a film of silicon that body of evidence that water – and by theoreti- is “one-thousandth the width of a human hair” that is ca- cal extension, life – in our solar system need pable of changing colors on demand. It could someday be not be relegated solely to the narrow neither used as a part of defect-detecting sensor or display system too hot nor too cold orbit known as the Goldi- in things such as aircraft, bridges and/or buildings. locks zone inhabited by Earth. Connie J. Chang-Hasnain, chair of the university’s Na- With this confirmation, announced Thurs- noscale Science and Engineering Graduate Group stated: day by NASA, Ganymede joins the ranks of two “This is the first time anybody has made a flexible chamele- other moons that lie beyond the reach of the on-like skin that can change color simply by flexing it.” The sun’s warmth and are believed to host under- color-changing film is said to utilize a new approach to color- ground reservoirs of liquid water. Evidence of changing that is based on changing the surface structure in similar oceans has been detected on Europa, order to reflect numerous visible wavelengths instead of another of Jupiter’s moons, and Enceledus, actual alterations to the chemical make-up that gives dyes which orbits Saturn. (Source: American Live Wire) This growing body of evidence that one of the key ingredients for life exists outside the range that was once considered to be the solar system’s only hospitable zone has prompted astronomers to completely rethink where and SUBSCRIPTION FORM how they look for signs of life elsewhere in the solar system. WWW.TEHRANTIMES.COM I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y “One of the things that we have learned in the last few decades is that life as we know it is not as we knew it,” says Nick Schneider, pro- Deniz hotel Address: Bari Tourism Complex, Tehran Times subscription form fessor at the University of Colorado’s Depart- Various restaurants and tea house Ghooshchi, Urmia ment of Astrophysical and Planetary Science in Coffee shop Manager: 09121495954 F i r s t n a m e : ...... Boulder, Colo. Meeting hall Tel.: Bari office: While the quest for evidence of microbial Swimming pool, Sauna, Jacuzzi Family name: life in the solar system may seem inconse- 04433322960, 33322900 ...... Horse racing ground Company: ...... quential to Earthlings, discovery of any form of Urmia office: Billiard and cycling field  12-month subscription: 1,600,000 rials life, however small, could hold profound clues 04433478334-5, 09144394238  6-month subscription: 800,000 rials about the origin of life on our own planet, says Zoo Bari, The First  3-month subscription: 400,000 rials Dr. Schneider, who was not involved in the Shooting (trap skate) Health Village In Iran www.bari.ir Ganymede research, but serves as the instru- Phone No.: ...... ment lead on the Imaging UltraViolet Spectro- graph for NASA’s MAVEN mission to Mars. Fax: ...... “I think that people will really come to ac- cept this as the most profound question that Address: ...... we can ask,” he says. Astronomers first began to theorize that factors other than proximity to the sun could Postal code: ...... raise temperatures on other worlds to levels E-mail: conducive to liquid water even before the first ...... Voyager flybys around the Jupiter system in ATTENTION: the 1980s, says planetary scientist Heidi Ham- The money can be depos- mel, the executive vice president of the Asso- ited into Tehran Times account number ciation of Universities for Research in Astrono- 6973086221 in Bank Mellat at any branch. my (AURA) in Washington, D.C. Send the subscription form along with the “What we’re learning is that the sun and deposit receipt to No. 18 Bimeh Lane, Ne- its warmth isn’t the only way to get warmth in jatollahi Street, Tehran, or fax to number the solar system and we’ve been thinking that 88808895 (special for Tehrani citizens). for some time,” Dr. Hammel says. “However, Interested individuals in other cities can there’s a difference between having a theory contact the subscription office at about something and having evidence that the 8880-3025 model is correct.” (Source: The Christian Science Monitor) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y http://www.tehrantimes.com/sports MARCH 16, 2015 SPORTS 9

Iran’s Ashourzadeh and Khodabakhshi TENNIS Seeds Djokovic, Murray and claim gold medals in Dutch Open Taekwondo Nishikori all advance

Farzan Ashourzadeh and Australian Open champion and top seed Novak Djoko- Sport D e s k Mahdi Khodabakhshi from vic launched his BNP Paribas Open title defense in ruth- Iran won two gold medals in the 42nd Lotto less style on Saturday, crushing Cypriot Marcos Bagh- Dutch Open Taekwondo Championships 2015 datis 6-1 6-3 in the second round. on Saturday. Playing near-flawless tennis from the baseline, the Ashourzadeh beat Nutthawee Klompong Serb broke his opponent twice in each set to coast to from Thailand 2-0 in the final match of the victory in just under an hour on the showpiece stadium Seniors Male A -58kg. court at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Briton Feyi Pearce and Rui Braganca from Fourth seed Andy Murray erased memories of early loss- Portugal finished in third place. es at the venue with a 6-1 6-3 demolition of Canadian Vasek In the Seniors Male A -87kg, Khodabakhshi Pospisil and Japanese trailblazer Kei Nishikori recovered took the gold medal after his countryman Omid from an erratic start to beat American Ryan Harrison 6-4 6-4. Amidi withdrew from the final because of injury. Djokovic, seeking a fourth title at Indian Wells, The bronze medal went to Turkey’s Mu- breezed through the opening set in just 25 minutes hammet Talha Sari and Marc-Andre Bergeron before sealing the win when Baghdatis hit a backhand from Canada. long on the second match point. Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin from Iran lost to "It went very well for me, a very solid performance Olympic champion Jade Jones 4-3 in the fi- from the beginning," the world number one said court- nal match of the Seniors Female A -57kg and side after improving his record this season to 15-2. won a silver medal. "I served well and from the baseline I didn't give Croatian Martina Zubcic and Daria Marcos many chances to come back in the match. Great Zhuravelva from Russia won the bronze performance against a quality opponent, against some- medal. body that was a former top-10 player and that knows how to play on a big stage. "Of course, having won the title in Australia, it allows me to have and carry this confidence into every other Bolt cruises to win in 400 meters race Man City approaches Benitez event that is coming up in the season." Murray broke Pospisil's serve three times in the opening set and twice in the second to ease to victory in 79 minutes on a sweltering afternoon. Ousted in the opening round in 2011 and 2012, the 27-year-old Scot hit 14 winners and won five of his nine break point chances to dominate the match. SMART MATCH "I've struggled a bit in the last few years here so I decided to try and play a very solid match and adjust to the conditions," world number four Murray said. "It was very hot and that made the ball pretty lively. "Controlling the ball isn't that easy. I thought I played quite a smart match." Jamaican Olympic sprint champion injuries last year, said on his Twitter English papers claim Napoli Coach as the main target for City direc- Nishikori, who became the first Asian male to reach a Usain Bolt cruised to victory in his account. Rafa Benitez is the favorite to re- tors. grand slam singles final at the U.S. Open last year, broke first individual race of the season, The six-time Olympic gold medalist place Manuel Pellegrini at Man- Benitez would be available, as Harrison five times while losing his own serve on three occa- clocking 46.37 seconds over 400 me- came off the final curve comfortably chester City. his contract with Napoli expires sions before sealing his win in just under an hour and a half. ters at the GC Foster Classic in King- ahead of the field and his time was Pellegrini is under fire after a in June and he has repeatedly re- "It was a bit up and down but I played well in the sec- ston on Saturday. slightly faster than his last effort at shock 1-0 defeat to Burnley seri- fused to discuss the matter. ond set," said the 25-year-old Japanese. "I was playing Bolt, the world record holder at the distance, 46.44 seconds in 2013, ously damaged City’s Premier The former Liverpool and Inter almost a perfect game." 100 and 200 meters, used the race as but more than a second slower than League hopes. tactician only said he’ll make a de- The fifth seed, who lost to Marin Cilic in last year's U.S. part of his build-up for the upcoming his personal best of 45.28 in 2007. A first leg 2-1 home loss to Bar- cision in April. Open final before ending a landmark season with four ATP season, where he plans to defend his In his only other race of the year, celona in the Champions League This could well prove to be an World Tour titles, will next play Spaniard Fernando Verdas- sprint titles at the IAAF world champi- Bolt's Racers Lions 4x100 meters re- also dented his standing. exchange, as Pellegrini in turn has co, who beat Australia's James Duckworth 6-2 7-6. onships in Beijing in August. lay team wound up second in the Gib- According to the Daily Star, been linked with the Napoli bench In other matches, 10th-seeded Croatian Cilic, back "Give thanks for an injury free son McCook Relays on Feb. 28. Benitez has leapfrogged Pep for next season. on the circuit after being troubled by a shoulder inju- 400m run," Bolt, who was slowed by (Source: Reuters) Guardiola and Diego Simeone (Source: Football-Italia) ry, was upset 6-4 6-4 by Argentine Juan Monaco while eighth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer battled past Croa- Iran announces squad for Chile and Sweden football friendlies tia's Ivan Dodig 4-6 6-1 7-6. (Source: Reuters) Coach Carlos Queiroz has an- Morteza Pouraliganji (Tianjin Teda), Hashem Beikza- Sport D e s k nounced his 24-man Iran roster deh (Esteghlal), Habib Gordani (Tractor Sazi), Pej- Sharapova, Pennetta and ahead of two friendlies versus Chile and Sweden. man Montazeri (Umm Salal SC, QAT) Team Iran will face Chile in Austria on March 26th. Midfielders: Bouchard progress Iran has been also scheduled to play Sweden in Javad Nekounam (Osasuna, ESP), Andranik Tey- Stockholm's Friends Arena five days later. mourian (Tractor Sazi), Omid Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), Twice winner Maria Sharapova and reigning champion Fla- Squad Vahid Amiri (Naft Tehran), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan), via Pennetta advanced to the third round of the BNP Parib- Goalkeepers: Masoud Shojaei (Al Shahaniya, QAT) as Open on Saturday, though in sharply contrasting fashion. Alireza Haghighi (Penafiel, POR), Alireza Beiran- Strikers: Russian Sharapova, the second seed, made a fast start vand (Naft Tehran), Sosha Makani (Persepolis) Alireza Jahanbakhsh (NEC Nijmegen, HOL), Ash- to overpower Belgian Yanina Wickmayer early on but then Defenders: kan Dejagah (Al Arabi, QAT), Sardar Azmoun (Ros- ran into much stiffer resistance before grinding out a 6-1 Khosro Heydari (Esteghlal), Vouria Ghafouri tov, RUS), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Kuwait SC, KUW), 7-5 win after one hour and 45 minutes of baseline battle. (Sepahan), Ramin Rezaeian (Rah Ahan), Jalal Hossei- Karim Ansarifard (Osasuna, ESP), Masoud Hassanza- Fifteenth-seeded Italian Pennetta overcame an ni (Al Ahli, QAT), Amir Hossein Sadeghi (Esteghlal), deh (Zob Ahan) initial bout of nerves to finish strong as she launched her title defense with a commanding 6-4 6-2 win over American Madison Brengle in the first match of the day Pellegrini: Manchester City Terry says Mourinho doesn't encourage on the stadium court. Sharapova, champion at Indian Wells in 2006 and 2013, form is concerning his players to pressurise referees broke Wickmayer's serve three times to sweep through the opening set in just over half an hour, a crunching fore- hand crosscourt winner putting her ahead 6-1. However, the Belgian was a very different proposi- tion in the second set which went comfortably with serve until a marathon 10th game where Wickmayer saved four match points before holding to level at 5-5. Sharapova held serve to lead 6-5 and finally converted a sixth match point in the 12th when the Belgian hit a backhand long. "She's a tough opponent," world number two Shara- pova said in a courtside interview. "She hits the ball quite hard and has an unbelievable serve. I started the match well but the second set was a different story." The Russian will next meet Victoria Azarenka of Bela- Manchester City manager Manuel Pel- in the Premier League in over a year. John Terry has rejected the claims When asked by Geoff Shreeves in rus, who brushed aside Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-2 6-4. legrini admitted his side's current form But Pellegrini refused to be drawn that Chelsea players are encouraged an interview for Super Sunday wheth- DOUBLES PROWESS is a concern but refused to be drawn on on their late claim for a penalty when by Jose Mourinho to put pressure on er Mourinho encourages his players Pennetta, best known for her doubles prowess, broke the late penalty claim in their 1-0 defeat Ben Mee appeared to foul Pablo Za- referees. to put pressure on referees, Terry re- Brengle's serve once in a tightly contested opening set to Burnley. baleta in the area. Chelsea were knocked out of the plied: “No, never. Not in his previous and twice more in the second to wrap up victory in 75 min- The Premier League champions suf- “Maybe (it is a penalty) but it is the ref- Champions League against PSG on time here or his current time here. utes at a sun-drenched Indian Wells Tennis Garden. fered their third defeat in their last eree who decides," he said. "I don’t have a Wednesday night and their players “He’s the complete opposite. No "I was nervous in the beginning," the 33-year-old from four matches in all competitions after strong view and I don’t want to talk about came under heavy criticism from Sky manager I have worked under has Brindisi, a winner of 10 WTA titles, said after ending the George Boyd’s strike gave the Clarets the decision because I don’t think that is Sports pundit Jamie Carragher for insisted on that. When the captains match with a rasping forehand crosscourt winner. victory at Turf Moor. the most important thing of the game. their part in the sending off of Zlatan sit down with the PFA and referees at "Last year here, I played so well and I have such good The result leaves City five points be- “We were a little bit flat but we tried to Ibrahimovic. the start of the season, it’s brought memories. This morning I woke up and I was a little bit hind leaders Chelsea but having played create more chances and more space. We had The Swede was dismissed in the up and spoke about. shaky. So I was trying to be focused on what I had to two games more. three or four chances to score, they had just 31st minute after clashing with Oscar “It is a duty as captain to make that do, and not rush." Asked whether something is wrong, one on target and scored a beautiful goal.” as they both lunged for the ball and run. For me, being a centre-half, nine Pennetta will next face Australian Samantha Stosur, Pellegrini told Sky Sports: “Of course. Boyd’s fantastic strike from the Carragher labelled Chelsea a “dis- times out of 10 it’s a 20-30 yard run. And who beat American wildcard Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-2. We are doing something wrong, we edge of the area leaves City’s title grace” for surrounding the referee. that’s not to go there to get people sent In Saturday's evening encounter, sixth-seeded Cana- are not winning the games we normally hopes hanging by a thread, but Pel- Carragher also said that pressuris- off or booked, it’s to go there and pull dian Eugenie Bouchard eased past Czech qualifier Lucie do, especially against this kind of team legrini is not writing off his side yet. ing the man in the middle was a com- my players away and quickly move on Hradecka 6-2 6-2. who have been very difficult for us. We “When you have a mathematical mon trait of Mourinho teams, which with incident. The ref’s know that. They The 21-year-old Bouchard, who reached the last four are not scoring goals.” chance it is possible, but in reality it is triggered a response from the Chel- need someone to speak to on the field in Australia and France as well as the Wimbledon final in The 1-0 defeat marks the first time more difficult,” he said. sea boss, who said that Carragher and the captains are the right person.” 2014, broke her opponent's serve three times in each set City have failed to score away from home (Source: Skysports) had a short memory. (Source: Skysports) to wrap up victory in under an hour. (Source: Reuters) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y 10 SOCIETY MARCH 16, 2015 http://www.tehrantimes.com/society

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Your friends impact how long you live Good relationships have a potent beneficial impact on your health

About once a week, usually on my train commute home from Palo Alto, the person sitting next to me breaks that code of silence that is assumed by mass transit commuters and in- quires about what I do for a living. When I tell that individual that I am a social scientist and study longevity, the response is almost always the same. “Oooh, so what IS the secret to longevity?!” I usually rattle off a few of the things we know for sure are ben- eficial for longevity: sit less, exercise When you have the choice to be right or be kind, always regularly, keep learning new things, choose being kind. eat lots of fruits and vegetables, etc. Dr. Wayne W. Dyer I get lots of nods. Then, I usually talk about those things that psycholo- gists and social scientists often get especially excited about – social fac- tors. This is typically when people tilt LEARN ENGLISH their head with a puzzled look, or stop me with some level of incredu- Types of Bank Accounts lity. “Really?!” It may be surprising, but your so- Luiz: Where are you going? cial status and social life may be even Iona: I’m going to the bank to open an account. more important than how much you Luiz: What kind of account: a savings account, a checking exercise and your nutrition, in part account, or a CD? because who you know is correlated Iona: Um, I’m not sure, but I’m sure someone at the bank to what kind of lifestyle you have. can help me decide. Who you choose as a friend mat- Luiz: You’ll also need to decide if you want an interest- ters, and so does the quality of those earning account or not, and don’t forget to ask for free check- friendships. Good relationships ing. Pick a bank that doesn’t have monthly service charges. have a potent beneficial impact on Iona: Okay, thanks… your health. living. pose. Living a life that centers on physiologically, and while we don’t Luiz: And make sure you know if there’s a minimum bal- If you assume that exercise and It seems that the most adap- life purpose has the great benefit yet know all of the mechanisms, we ance required, because if the account dips below that mini- nutrition are key precursors to the tive social network is one that offers of bringing meaning to one’s life are discovering some important po- mum, you’ll be charged a fee. fountain of youth, you’re not to- an optimal balance of social relation- and daily activities, shaping who you tential pathways. For example, re- Iona: Yes, right, I’ll be sure to do that. Well, I’d better get going… tally wrong. But, if you look at the ships that provide close emotional include in your daily life. This is par- cent research shows that older peo- Luiz: You probably want to open a checking and a savings people who share smoothie recipes, support and an adequate amount ticularly evident in later life. In the ple who volunteer have lower levels account, so make sure you link those accounts. That should run into each other at the gym and of stimulation, challenge, and social United States, retirement is defined of inflammation – a factor linked to give you overdraft protection, in case you ever bounce a check. the farmer’s market, they have a engagement. How do you know if heavily by what we don’t do (i.e., most chronic illnesses, accelerated Iona: Okay, I’ll definitely keep all of that in mind. I’d better lot more in common than just what yours does? If the people in your life work). But, in Japan, as older people frailty and mortality. Why? Perhaps go. Samil is waiting for me. they eat, and how much they move. support your personal goals, particu- negotiate their daily activities and it is because volunteering is typically Luiz: Are you thinking of opening a joint account with your As you might guess, they are much larly when those goals are defined who they spend their time with, the meaningful, and helps us meet and husband? more likely to have more educa- by a clear purpose in life, you might concept of ikigai clarifies their social cultivate relationships with others Iona: We’re considering it… tion, money, and jobs that are not be on the right path. And we seem to role, providing the blueprint for an who share our values. Luiz: Pool your money and open a CD. That way, you’ll lock particularly physically demanding. make better decisions about these active, social, and productive life- So how do we know if we are in a good interest rate and neither of you can touch the mon- They know the same kind of people, people as we age. We become more style. maintaining meaningful social rela- ey until the CD matures. make the same kinds of decisions, selective about the people we make Having a life in which one focus- tionships, and living a “purposeful” Iona: We’ll think about it. Thanks. and benefit from the same social time for in our lives as we age, sav- es on meaning and purpose is likely life? There isn’t one right answer to Luiz: Oh, and… networks. While social class conclu- ing our time for those who provide protective in several ways. One hy- be sure. But, I like to ask people this Iona: Would you like to come with us to the bank and help sively shapes longevity differences the most positive emotional experi- pothesis is that having a clear sense question to help them consider their us open our accounts? in the United States, regardless of ences. of purpose allows us to tolerate un- own life. Outside of your family, how Luiz: Really? But I don’t want to interfere. whether you serve food cooked in Consider a culture that exempli- pleasantries better because we can many people would you be willing to Iona: You, interfere? I can’t imagine you ever trying to in- coconut oil or butter at your dinner fies these characteristics and also justify the benefits that may accrue call in the middle of the night if you terfere. parties, other cultures still have an happens to be home to the longest in the name of a larger purpose be- needed help, and how many would (Source: eslpod.com) edge and they don’t go to the gym lived people in the world. In Japan, yond our own individual discomfort. be willing to get out of bed and Words & Phrases or drink sugar-free, gluten-free, ve- and Okinawa in particular, life ex- In other words, while a certain task come rescue you? Who would you savings account: a bank account in which people keep money gan protein shakes. pectancy is higher than any place may not be particularly enjoyable, if call? If you don’t have at least two that they want to save. Studies examining the longest- on earth, with an astonishing num- you know that task is helping some- people on both of your lists, perhaps checking account: a bank account from which you can take lived cultures around the world dem- ber of centenarians. In fact, relative one else or “doing good” for society, you should take more seriously the money by writing checks. onstrate that, while none eat much to the United States, when children it feels justified and you can be re- role of social relationships in your CD: certificate of deposit, it is a special bank account in where processed food and all maintain a are born in Japan they can expect silient to the temporary feelings of life. And, if you don’t have any clear you give the bank usually a large amount of money, and you relatively active lifestyle, they vary to live about a decade longer than frustration, anger, discomfort, or life goals from which to evaluate the agree not to touch it for a certain amount of time; the bank greatly in the types of foods they eat people born in the United States. Ef- sadness . way you spend your time and who then give you a higher rate of interest. (though all eat lots of fruits and veg- forts to understand the unique ben- But, managing negative feelings you spend your time with, perhaps interest-earning: an account that gets money for your money; etable), and the amount and types efits of the Japanese way of life in more effectively isn’t the only reason you should step back and take stock. an account that earns interest. of physical engagement they engage terms of longevity have led many to why living a social, and meaningful If you pick the right friends, they free checking: an account which bank does not charge you in. What isn’t different, however, is consider an important factor often life likely has such a profound influ- could very well play an important any fee. that their lives center on meaningful neglected in other cultures – Ikigai, ence on our longevity. There seems role in your longevity. service charges: an amount of money the bank makes you to social relationships and purposeful which translates roughly to life pur- to be a biological change that occurs (Source: Psychology Today) pay for certain services. minimum balance: the minim amount of money you have to keep in your bank account. dip: to go down to a lower level. link: to make a connection between two or more people, India police: Robbers gang rape nun in her 70s at school things, or ideas. A nun in her 70s was gang-raped by a D’Souza, as saying. overdraft protection : a line of credit that banks offer to their group of bandits Saturday when she Scores of angry students, their par- customers to cover their overdrafts. Overdraft protection tried to prevent them from robbing a ents and teachers blocked a nearby kicks in when a customer writes a check for more than the Christian missionary school in eastern highway and railroad tracks for several amount in their account. India, police said, the latest crime to fo- hours demanding swift police action bounce: to issue (a check) drawn on an account with insuffi- cus attention on the scourge of sexual leading to the arrest of the culprits. cient funds. violence in the country. Mamta Banerjee, the state’s top joint account: an account that is shared by two or more people. The nun was hospitalized in seri- elected official, strongly condemned pool: to combine , put together. ous condition after being attacked by the attack and ordered a high-level lock in: agree on an interest rate that will not change over time. seven or eight men at the Convent of police investigation. D’Souza appealed mature: to reach the end of an agreed period. Jesus and Mary School in Nadia dis- to people to maintain peace and har- interfere: to involve yourself in a situation when your involve- trict, 80 kilometers (50 miles) north- mony in the area. ment is not wanted or is not helpful. east of the West Bengal state capital India has a long history of tolerance of Kolkata, a police officer said. for sexual violence, but the December The men escaped and police are 2012 fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old searching for them, said the officer, woman aboard a moving bus in New WORD OF THE DAY who spoke on condition of anonym- Delhi caused outrage across the na- ity because he was not authorized to tion. gibe talk to reporters. The outcry led the federal govern- \JYBE\ The robbers tied the school’s se- ment to rush legislation doubling pris- curity guards with ropes early Sat- on terms for rapists to 20 years and DEFINITION urday and entered the nuns’ room, criminalizing voyeurism, stalking and (verb) where the women were sleeping. The woman who was attacked is camera, all belonging to the school, the trafficking of women. The law also They took one of the nuns to another either 71 or 72 and is the oldest nun the officer said. They also ransacked makes it a crime for officers to refuse 1 : to utter taunting words room when she tried to block their at the school, he said. the school’s chapel and holy items, the to open cases when complaints are 2 : to deride or tease with taunting words way and then raped her, the officer The men escaped with some cash, Press Trust of India news agency cited made. said. a cellphone, a laptop computer and a the archbishop of Kolkata, Thomas (Source: AP) EXAMPLES “I had read every piece he had written in the last five years. I playfully gibed him about obscure predictions he had made years ago in other articles, and was prepared Woman arrested for attempting to drown one-week-old daughter to thoughtfully discuss his most recent column.” “The Gridiron Show group joked with and gibed at Police in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, have ar- According to police, the incident occurred on was in a stable condition on Saturday, police said. those in the Memphis power structure, politicians most- rested a 32-year-old woman for attempting to kill Friday. The infant was discovered floating face up Following her arrest, Matsuo was quoted as say- ly. Rarely did anyone get their feelings hurt by the skits in her one-week-old daughter by drowning her in a in the bathtub at around 11 a.m. by Matsuo’s fa- ing she had wanted to kill her daughter after she be- the shows….” bathtub. Police identified the suspect as Chikako ther, NTV reported. gan feeling uneasy about her ability to raise a child. (Source: merriam-webster.com) Matsuo. The child was rushed to the hospital where she (Source: Japan Today) I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y http://www.tehrantimes.com/international MARCH 16, 2015 WORLD IN FOCUS 11

The president of Vanuatu has appealed “We fear the worst,” Sune Gudnitz, for international assistance after his is- Vanuatu appeals for aid the regional head of UNOCHA, said land nation was hit by a terrifying trop- speaking from Fiji. ical cyclone in what may be one of the Gudnitz said that with average wind JUMP region’s worst weather disasters. in wake of devastating cyclone speeds of up to 270 kilometers per “I stand to appeal on behalf of the hour, the Category 5 cyclone’s power Iran and U.S. government and people of Vanuatu to was comparable to Typhoon Haiyan, the global community to give a lending which devastated the Philippines in resume nuclear talks hand in responding to these very cur- 2013. rent calamities that have struck us,” At present, he said, the only infor- Contd. from P. 1 Baldwin Lonsdale said on Saturday mation available from Vanuatu has He added that reaching solutions do not mean a com- during a speech at a UN conference in come from isolated reports on social prehensive agreement. Sendai, Japan. media, describing a terrifying scene as Elsewhere in his remarks, he stated that commotion “Fellow heads of state, govern- Pam hit the capital, Port Vila, late on created by the GOP senators in the past week is just ments, and development partners; we Friday. propaganda. have all experienced a form of disaster Vulnerable location Ali Akbar Salehi, the director of Iran’s Atomic Energy at one time or another. Today we ap- “Vanuatu is a very vulnerable place Organization, also attended the talks. According to IRNA, peal for your assistance.” because of its location in the middle of at first Salehi and U.S. Energy Secretary Moniz were to Lonsdale spoke as the full extent the ocean,” Gudnitz said. “It is possi- start talks. of the damage is unknown, with lim- ble that there will be a death toll that ited communications in Vanuatu after could be high. I can’t give any num- Super Cyclone Pam, a maximum cate- bers. I think it is a well-grounded fear.” gory five storm, slammed directly into The UN will attempt to deploy the island nation late Friday with gusts self-reliant rapid response units to Va- Worshippers killed in up to 320kph. nuatu, but weather could yet prevent Pakistan church bombings Dozens feared dead them from landing, he said. The United Nations had uncon- The International Red Cross told Al Contd. from P. 1 “It felt like the world was going to also affected by the destructive storm, firmed reports of 44 people killed in Jazeera that there was a shortage of Irfan Ashraf, Lahore’s deputy inspector-general of po- end,” Alice Clements, a spokeswoman which hit the region starting on Friday. one province, and said late Saturday shelter, water and food in the island lice operations, confirmed that a policeman and a private for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Secretary General Bank Ki-moon that there was no clear number of nation after the storm. It added that security guard were among the dead. told Reuters news agency. said he had spoken to Lonsdale to ex- deaths or injuries but that the impact the main hospital was damaged but He said they gave up their lives to stop the bombers “It’s like a bomb has gone off in the tend his sympathies for the deaths and of the cyclone had been “catastroph- the airport runway appeared undam- from entering the churches. centre of the town. There is no power. to express “strong commitment and ic”, in a storm that France said high- aged. Suspect ‘burned alive’ There is no water.” solidarity” to the cyclone-hit nation. lighted the dangers of climate change. Vanuatu has a population of around In the tense aftermath of the bombings, angry mobs At least one person has been con- The UN is preparing to deploy emer- The latest report on Saturday put 260,000 and infrastructure there is burned to death one person they believed was involved firmed dead in Papua New Guinea, one gency rapid response units to Vanuatu the confirmed death toll of Cyclone poor, especially in the outlying islands. in the attack and tried to lynch another, said Haider of several other Pacific island nations on Sunday. Pam at eight. (Source: agencies) Ashraf, deputy inspector general for Lahore. Local television footage showed an angry crowd beat- 100 Germans join separatist 3 British teens believed ing a person they thought was connected to the attack, forces in east Ukraine to be on way to Syria arrested while others attacked buses in the city. Youhanabad is the country’s biggest Christian locality, A new report says over 100 German Germany has confirmed the par- Three male teens from Britain who that the number of young Britons try- housing at least one million people. citizens have joined the ranks of sep- ticipation of its nationals in the were believed to be on their way to ing to reach the conflict zone in Syria Lahore is the capital of Punjab, Pakistan’s wealthiest aratist forces in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian conflict, but said it has no Syria were detained in Turkey and “is on a much larger scale” than had province and the political heartland of Prime Minister According to a report published by information regarding their motiva- quickly returned to the Britain and been thought. Nawaz Sharif. German weekly Welt Am Sonntag on tions. arrested on suspicion of planning He praised Turkish authorities for The city is generally considered peaceful compared to Sunday, dozens of German citizens “In case there was any informa- terrorist acts, British police said on acting quickly to detain the teens other areas of Pakistan but violence has been increasing traveled to eastern Ukraine to help tion about a possible trip by persons Sunday. before they entered Syria. Similar at- after the government’s failed attempts to hold peace separatists in clashes with the Ukrain- intending to participate in the conflict The trio left Britain several days tempts to stop the schoolgirls were talks with the Taliban last year. ian army. in Ukraine, the knowledge would be ago, and they were detained in Is- unsuccessful. The Christian community in Pakistan has long been One German citizen reportedly used to prevent the persons’ jour- tanbul after British officials notified British counterterrorism officers the target of blasphemy cases besides attacks and hate lost his life in the deadly conflict in ney or make it difficult,” the weekly Turkish authorities. Police believe the learned on Friday the teens had gone crimes carried out by armed groups within the country. the region on February 12. quoted the German Interior Ministry teens were planning to join extrem- missing from their homes in Britain (Source: agencies) Many of these German fighters as saying. ists in Syria. and they were thought to be trave- have posted their pictures on the The report said that Germany may The three were arrested on sus- ling to Syria, police said. Internet wearing military uniforms adopt punitive measures against its picion of the preparation of terror- An increasing number of Britons and carrying weaponry during opera- citizens fighting alongside separatists ism acts and were in custody at a have traveled to Turkey to use it as Netanyahu offers finance tions in the violence-wracked east of Russians against Kiev. central London police station, po- a crossing point to enter Syria and to Ukraine, the report added. History of conflict lice said. Their names haven’t been join ISIL terrorists who control terri- ministry to rival days Some of them had previously Donetsk and Luhansk (Lugansk) released. Two are aged 17 and one tory in both Syria and Iraq. served in Bundeswehr, Germany’s are two mainly Russian-speaking re- is 19. British police say roughly 700 Brit- before election gions in eastern Ukraine which have They are believed to be the latest ons have traveled to Syria to join ISIL unified armed forces, according to Contd. from P. 1 the weekly. been hit by deadly clashes between in a growing number of Britons trying terrorists, raising concerns that some The report also said the Ukrainian separatist forces and the Ukrainian to travel to extremist-held territory may launch attacks inside Britain if Though a natural partner for Netanyahu, he is being ambassador to Berlin has urged Ger- army since Kiev launched military inside Syria. Last month, three Brit- they return. Recent cases indicate a wooed by both sides and has not ruled out joining a coali- many to stop what he called “war operations in April last year to crush ish schoolgirls left Britain for Turkey growing number of young women tion led by Isaac Herzog of the Zionist Union. tourism” of its citizens. separatist protests there. and, police believe, crossed the bor- traveling there to become “jihadi “We’re 48 hours before the election, there was no Andrej Melnik stressed that he In May 2014, the situation in the der into Syria to join the Islamic State (ISIL) brides.” doubt such spin would come,” Kahlon told Israel Radio had asked Berlin officials to do their two flashpoint regions started to in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist Authorities say Internet-based so- regarding Netanyahu’s offer. “I didn’t ask for the finance utmost to guarantee that German cit- worsen as residents overwhelm- group. cial media have made it much easier portfolio from Herzog or from Netanyahu. I asked for the izens “did not move towards the east ingly voted for independence from British legislator Keith Vaz, chair- for young Britons to communicate finance portfolio only from the public.” [of Ukraine] or participate in the mur- Ukraine in referendums. man of the Home Affairs Select Com- with terrorists inside Syria. Beyond promising to speed up economic reforms that ders and deaths.” (Source: Press TV) mittee, said the latest case shows (Source: AP) will lower living costs, Netanyahu has kept the focus for the most part on security issues. Over social media and broadcast interviews, the 2 Indonesian aircraft crash in Malaysia three-term leader has accused unspecified foreign gov- ernments and tycoons of funneling tens of millions of Two Indonesian planes have crashed in Malaysia and went out of control. They landed safely on the The LIMA exhibition is scheduled for March 17- dollars to opposition activists working to undermine him after colliding with one another mid-air, with no re- ground, and were taken by rescue teams to a hospi- 21. The biannual event is one of the largest mari- and boost the Zionist Union joint list, led by Herzog and ports of deaths or serious injuries. tal in Langkawi for checkups. time and aerospace exhibitions in the Asia-Pacific Tzipi Livni. The collision of the two aircraft, with the Indone- The two planes were parts of a formation of six region focused mainly on the defense industry. They, in turn, have dismissed this as a bid by Netanya- sian Jupiter aerobatics team, occurred when they aircraft belonging to the Indonesian Air Force. The aerospace exhibitions take place at the Lang- hu to shift voters’ attention from socio-economic prob- were practicing a performance ahead of the biannu- Malaysian Defense Minister, Hishammuddin Hus- kawi International Airport, and the maritime ex- lems to security challenges. (Source: Reuters) al Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace sein, who is hosting the defense ministers of all As- hibitions take place at the nearby Resort World (LIMA) 2015 exhibition due in Malaysia. sociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) mem- Langkawi. One of the aircraft crashed on the grounds of ber nations in Langkawi, visited the four pilots at the Show organizers say the previous event, LIMA the Langkawi International Airport and the other hospital and tweeted, “Thankful that all 4 pilots are 2013, attracted 38,421 business visitors from both crashed in a nearby village. safe, their spirits remained high.” defense and commercial sectors from all around the Tsarnaev testimony The four pilots from both KT-1 B planes eject- The Indonesian team is one of the five scheduled world, as well as 135,691 regular visitors. key question at Boston ed from their aircraft after the jets clipped wings to perform at the show. (Source: Press TV) Marathon bombing trial

Dozens killed in southern Putin not in Moscow for last several days, A question looms over the trial of accused Boston Mara- Brazil bus crash Kremlin declines to comment: Dozhd thon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev as federal prosecutors enter the final stages of their case against him: Will he A bus has plunged off a ridge in Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov testify in his own defense? southern Brazil, killing at least 49 declined to comment on a report Tsarnaev’s lawyers opened the trial this month with a people, authorities have said. from the independent news outlet blunt admission, saying he helped his older brother carry Among the dead were eight chil- Dozhd on Sunday that said Russian out the twin bombings that killed three people and in- dren and 24 women, regional govern- President Vladimir Putin had not jured 264 near the renowned race’s finish line on April ment spokeswoman Ana Paula Keller been in Moscow for the last several 15, 2013. told AFP news agency on Sunday. days. Rather than fighting to prove his innocence, defense The toll had initially been put Putin, who has not been seen in attorneys hope to spare the ethnic Chechen from exe- at about 30 but the number rose public or on live television broadcasts cution by persuading the jury he played a secondary throughout the night as rescuers for more than a week, postponed a role to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, who masterminded the continued to find bodies at the dif- meeting with Kazakh and Belarusian attacks and was killed after a gunfight with police later ficult-to-access crash site in Santa leaders last week. that week. Catarina state, and other victims suc- Sources told Dozhd that the pres- That strategy has led the defense to hang back cumbed to their injuries at a nearby ident was at his residence on Lake through the first six days of the trial, allowing prose- hospital. control of the vehicle on the curvy Valdai in Novgorod province. Peskov has fueled feverish speculation on cutors to sail through 51 witnesses, including people Rescue workers were still trying to stretch of highway, but the cause declined to comment when contacted everything from the state of his injured by the blasts and first responders who attend- reach any survivors but access to the was still under investigation. by Dozhd. health to his grip on power and ed to them. crash site in Santa Catarina state was dif- Emergency crews rescued 12 peo- A Kazakh government official, whether he went to Switzerland to When the trial resumes in U.S. District Court in Boston ficult, a local government spokesman ple who survived. They were taken to speaking on the condition of ano- watch his girlfriend give birth. on Monday, prosecutors will move on to the final hours told AFP news agency on Saturday, hospital for treatment. nymity, told Reuters that Putin may The Kremlin has denied the rum- before Tsarnaev was found hiding in a dry docked boat. stressing that the toll could still rise. “There are people out there, on have canceled the summit with the ors. After they conclude their case, it will be up to defense The tour bus carrying 50 people the hill, in the bus, trapped in the Belarusian and Kazakh leaders be- Putin has a scheduled meeting attorneys to determine whether to call Tsarnaev, 21, to plunged 400 metros (1,300 feet) into wreckage. But the chance of find- cause of illness. Speaking to Reuters with Kyrgyzstan President Almaz- testify. He could do so either before the jury reaches a a wooden ravine as night fell, compli- ing someone alive are pretty slim,” on Thursday, however, Peskov gave bek Atambayev in St Petersburg on verdict or during the sentencing phase of the trial, when cating search efforts, the spokesman Colonel Nelson Coelho said in a assurances that the 62-year-old presi- March 16, the Kremlin said in a state- jurors would determine whether to sentence him to said. statement. dent was in good health. ment on Friday. death or life in prison. The driver is believed to have lost (Source: agencies) Putin’s silence in the past week (Source: Reuters) (Source: Reuters) b

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NEWS Iran box office revenues soar Persian poems published TEHRAN — Iran’s cinema has Art Desk earned about 600 billion rials in Cyrillic (about $19 million) in ticket sales during the Iranian calendar year 1393 (March 21, 2014 - 2015), with 100 TEHRAN — A selection of works by percent growth compared to the previous year. Art Desk classical Persian poet, musician Amir- “The year 1393 was good for Iran’s cinema. It Khosro Dehlavi has been published in Cyrillic in the Tajik enjoyed a huge box office success, though there city of Khudjand. was no increase in the ticket price,” film producer Ali The book, which contains over 100 lyric poems, has Sartipi told the Persian service of ISNA on Sunday. been published by the Kaveh Publishing Institute under ‘“The City of Mice 2” played a significant role in the auspices of Iran’s cultural attaché’s office in Tajikistan. the high number of ticket sale with 120b rials (about The poems were transliterated from Persian into $4m),” Sartipi said, adding that the establishment of Cyrillic at the Filologi Institution for Linguistics in Kurosh Complex (in the western district of Tehran in Khudjand. late July) was a great help. An iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian “The City of Mice 2” is a sequel to the popular subcontinent, Dehlavi (1253–1325) wrote poetry primarily 1984 puppet show movie. The film takes the in Persian. audience into the adventures of little mice who He was an expert in many styles of Persian poetry that decide to take care of a defenseless kitty, an act that Khaqani, Nezami and many other Iranian poets used in leads to turmoil in the city. This file their works. Sartipi further continued that several other films photo shows were Iran’s box office hits such as “Red Carpet” by filmgoers director Reza Attaran, a film about fringe issues at flocking the Cannes Film Festival 2013. to watch NEWS IN BRIEF “During the past decade, theaters in other cities a film at sold less compared to Tehran, however they equaled Tehran’s Tehran The Tehran Symphony Tehran this year,” he stated. Mahtab Symphony Orchestra (TSO) will be He said that digitizing the theaters was a great Cinema. going back on stage tonight help too, adding, “Although there are 300 halls He proposed that it would be better if the budget Abolhassan Davudi’s “Crazy Face”, Alireza Raisian’s Orchestra to to perform for a group perform at across the country, 60 percent of sales came from of cinema were allocated to establishing high quality romance drama “The Love Age” and Masud Jafari- of diplomats and Iranian six theaters: Azadi, Kurosh, Zendegi and Mellat in theaters. Jozani’s comedy “Iranburger” will be among the Vahdat Hall officials at Tehran’s Vahdat Tehran; Hoveizeh in Mashhad; and Saviz in Karaj.” Sartipi said that he anticipates the films Iranian box office hits next year. Hall. Maestro Ali Rahbari will conduct the orchestra during the concert. Tehran Choir wins second prize at Dubai festival TEHRAN — The The Tehran Choir completed the Art Desk Tehran Choir has recording of its debut album earlier won the second prize at the ChoirFest this winter. The album, which consists Turaj Aslani Iranian cinematographer Middle East in Dubai, the Persian of original choral compositions of 9 to collaborate Turaj Aslani will collaborate service of IRNA reported on Sunday. contemporary Iranian composers, is on German with the Germany-based The group performed “’S scheduled to be released in summer studio Mitos Films in a Wonderful”, a popular song by 2015. project project that will focus on the American composer George Kabul Choir from Afghanistan, criminal acts committed by Gershwin, “O Believed” by Iranian the Dubai Duty Free Nightingales, the Islamic State of Iraq and musician Ahmad Pejman and “Agnus Ensemble Vivace from Lebanon, the Levant (ISIL). Dei” (“Lamb of God”) by American Sand of Music from Abu Dhabi, and Mehmet Aktas is the composer Samuel Barber at the The Notables from Dubai were also producer of the film entitled festival. honored at the festival, which was “Black Wind”. Established by conductor Mehdi held from March 10 to 14. The film will be directed by Qasemi in 1999, the Tehran Choir is The Tehran Choir performs in an undated photo. Many groups from the Middle Hossein Hassan on location one of the most notable and active East participated in the festival and in Iraq. choirs in Iran. dozens of concerts. It also has with famous contemporary Iranian numerous educational workshops The Tehran Choir has performed collaborated in recording sessions composers such as Ahmad Pejman. were organized at the event. Iran, Iran and Bangladesh have Bangladesh signed a memorandum of y Iranian understanding to enhance B Hossein Razzaqnejad/Mehr sign cultural cultural cooperation. MOU The MOU was inked in PICTURE OF THE DAY photojournalist Tehran on Saturday by Iranian Minister of Culture and wins award at Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, and Bangladeshi Minister Japanese contest of Religious Affairs Motiur Rahman. TEHRAN — Iranian Art Desk photojournalist Abdollah Heidari has received the special jury prize at the 11th Days Japan International Photojournalism Terry Pratchett, author Awards 2015. of fantasy “Discworld” He was honored for his collection entitled “Children with No Identity”, novels, dies at 66 which contains photos of children LONDON (Reuters) — without a birth certificate and identity, Terry Pratchett, the British author as the result of the unauthorized whose fantasy novels sold in their tens of millions marriages of Afghan men with Iranian worldwide, has died of a rare form of Alzheimer’s disease women. aged 66, his publisher said on Thursday. Millions of Afghan people have News about the death of Pratchett - who campaigned immigrated to Iran due to war and during his final illness for legalizing assisted death - came poverty during the past 35 years. on his Twitter account in a series of tweets written in the More than 4000 works were style of his Discworld novels, where Death always talks in submitted from 47 countries and capital letters. the award-winning photographs “AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER,” will be exhibited all over Japan, the said the first tweet on @terryandrob. “Terry took Death’s organizers announced on the website arm and followed him through the doors and on to the last week. black desert under the endless night,” said the second, Heidari works for the Islamic while a third read simply: “The End”. Republic of Iran News Agency. Pratchett died at home surrounded by his family with Days Japan is a monthly magazine, his cat sleeping on his bed, Transworld Publishers said. which centers on photojournalism and The BBC reported that his publisher had said Pratchett’s publishes the documentary photos death was entirely natural and unassisted, despite his that best support the campaign to campaigning for the right of terminally ill people to be A man carries a goldfish bowl he bought for the Noruz table in Tehran on March 11, 2015. Iranians place a fish bowl and other items, including a variety of dried nuts and candies, on a table in their homes during Noruz, the Persian New Year celebration, which begins on March 21 this year. protect human life and the natural helped to commit suicide. environment. The author, who wore a trademark broad-brimmed black hat, was diagnosed in 2007 with posterior cortical atrophy, a progressive degenerative condition. At Waterloo, a tale of two hats Continuing to write, he completed his last book, a new Discworld novel, in the summer of 2014 before WATERLOO, Belgium (Reuters) — rather than the French emperor's left and France, which lent Bonaparte's hat, said boost in tourism from the bicentenary can succumbing to the final stages of the disease. Battle-worn old enemies sat side by side right. the juxtaposition of the two exhibits was offset an embarrassing loss it admitted Pratchett gave numerous interviews and lectures in at Waterloo in a display of historic British- For four months, they will sit poignant. on Friday, after yielding to French which he spoke frankly about his disease - and his love of French reconciliation 200 years after their in comradely silence, through the "For the French, this hat is filled with sensibilities and cancelling a special coin 16th century English composer Thomas Tallis. epic showdown -- or at least their hats anniversary of the battle on June 18, 1815, emotion," Sylvie Tersen told Reuters issue commemorating the battle. “I would like to die peacefully with Thomas Tallis on did. where defeat by Wellington's British, Television. "It's the swan song, so it After withdrawing a request to EU my iPod before the disease takes me over and I hope Napoleon's instantly recognizable Dutch and German force condemned must be seen with a lot of sadness and authorities to let it mint the 2-euro piece that will not be for quite some time to come, because if I black felt bicorn has returned on a Napoleon to flee the field into exile, also of respect ... while I think the Duke -- which Paris said would reopen old knew that I could die at any time I wanted, then suddenly bicentennial loan to a museum near the wearing the very hat now on show. of Wellington's is a hat of glory and wounds on a common currency intended every day would be as precious as a million pounds,” he battlefield outside Brussels, where it With commemorations of the event victory." to be a symbol of European unity -- said in 2010. was presented on Friday alongside the starting to stir mixed emotions among The Wellington two-cornered hat on Belgium said it had already produced “If I knew that I could die, I would live. My life, my Duke of Wellington's equally memorable nations now at peace after centuries of permanent display dates from 1835. 175,000 of the coins, at a total cost of death, my choice.” version -- its points at front and back war, the curator of the Sens Museum in The Belgian government may hope a some 50,000 euros ($50,000).