2014 11 19 iran daily nº 4936

Iran launches infant immunization plan

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Iran sees off South Korea

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Number 4936● Wednesday November 19, 2014 ● Aban 28, 1393 ● Muharram 25, 1436● Price 5,000 Rials ● 12 Pages ● www.irandailyonline.ir

Zarif, Hammond: Nuclear deal possible before deadline Iran unveils latest home-made drone

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Foreign trade near $57b

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Rouhani among world’s best ‘decision-makers’ Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has been listed among the world’s best ‘decisionmakers’.

Iranian president has been listed alongside Italy’s 39-year-old leader Matteo Renzi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the ‘decision-makers’ category of Foreign Policy’s 2014 ‘100 Leading Global Thinkers’ ranking, IRNA reported.

Foreign Policy’s 2014 report highlighted the work of scientists, writers and campaigners from around the world in categories ranging from ‘challengers’ and ‘innovators’ to ‘healers’.

The ‘agitators’ category, meanwhile, included Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Four Israeli, two Palestinians killed in attack At least four Israelis and two Palestinians were killed in an attack in Beit-ul-Moqaddas amid escalating tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Early on Tuesday, two Palestinian men, entered a worship place in the Har Nof neighborhood of West Beit-ul-Moqaddas, killing at least four Israelis and injuring several others including two police officers.

The assailants were fatally shot by Israeli forces. The area has now been cordoned off and the assault is being investigated, Press TV reported.

Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movements Hamas and Islamic Jihad hailed the attack, saying it was a response to the recent hanging of Hassan Yousef Rammouni, a young Palestinian bus driver, by Israeli settlers.

Rammouni, 32, was driving back home from work on November 16 when he was abducted and then hanged by Israelis in his bus in the Ras al-Amud neighborhood of East Beit-ul-Moqaddas.

Following the Tuesday incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Tel Aviv regime would “respond harshly” to the fatal attack.

Tensions have been running high in East Beit-ul-Moqaddas after Israeli troops shot dead a young Palestinian man in northern occupied territories last week.

Israeli forces claim Khair al-Din Hamdan was shot during a raid, but video footage released after the incident shows an Israeli soldier getting out of his car and shooting directly at Hamdan.

Following the unrest sparked by the killing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a harsh crackdown on protests.

Palestinians have vowed to keep holding demonstrations in protest at Hamdan’s killing until the Israeli soldier who shot him dead is brought to justice.

I

ran and P5+1 group of world powers began the last round of the negotiations over Iran’s nuclear energy program before a November 24 deadline in Austria’s capital, on Tuesday.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Tuesday a final deal between Iran and P5+1 group – Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany – can be reached by the deadline.

Zarif and EU coordinator Catherine Ashton reviewed the course of talks during their last working lunch in Vienna ahead of the 10th round of talks.

Upon his arrival in Vienna, Zarif said “We have entered the final phase of the negotiations,”

adding that Tehran and the world powers could reach a final nuclear agreement “if the opposite side has the political will to reach a solution” to Iran’s nuclear issue.

Zarif said that the Islamic Republic has put forward various proposals during its nuclear talks with six world powers to assure them of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear work.

Zarif expressed hoped that the ongoing nuclear negotiations would lead to a result that guarantees the country’s peaceful nuclear rights.

“Whatever the outcome, either an agreement or resistance against excessive demands, we hope that November 24 will become a national victory in achieving the objectives we were pur-

Iran possesses 10 world-class mines Head of Iran's Geology and Mineral Exploration Organization Mohammad Taqi Koreie said Iran possesses 10 world class iron ore, lead, zinc and gold mines.

The official said mining activities in Iran has a history of over 5,000 years and the country's

ISIL loses ground in Syria and Iraq Syrian Kurds fighting the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group in the flashpoint town of Kobani made new gains on Tuesday, expelling the ISIL terrorists from several central buildings and seizing weapons, a monitor said.

The advance came hours after the US-led coalition launched four strikes against ISIL positions in central Kobani, according to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, AFP reported.

The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) staged a ‘special operation’ during which they captured six buildings used by ISIL, said the Britain-based group, which relies on a network of sources in Syria.

Thirteen ISIL terrorists were killed, it said.

The Kurds “captured a large amount of weapons and ammunition, including RPG (rocketpropelled grenade) rounds, light weapons, sniper guns and thousands of heavy machinegun rounds”, the Observatory said.

Some 1,200 people, mainly terrorists, have been killed in the battle for the town on the border with Turkey.

global ranking in terms of mineral resources and production is 10th and 15th respectively, IRNA reported.

Koreie said mining activities will lead to the development of the areas in which the mines are located. He cited Sarcheshmeh copper mine

Kobani has become a major symbol of resistance against ISIL, which has committed widespread atrocities in Syria and its neighbor, Iraq.

In Iraq, security forces entered the country’s largest refinery for the first time on Tuesday after months of battling the ISIL group who had surrounded it, a police colonel and state television said.

If confirmed, the recovery of the Baiji facility could provide critical momentum for government forces charged with restoring stability in a country facing its worst security crisis

since dictator Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.

“The first Iraqi force, the anti-terrorism force called Mosul Battalion, entered Baiji refinery for the first time in five months,” police colonel Saleh Jaber from the Baiji refinery protection force told Reuters.

ISIL group seized the city of Baiji and surrounded the sprawling refinery during that first advance in June.

suing in theses negotiation,” he added.

Also on Tuesday, British foreign secretary said a nuclear agreement between Iran and P5+1 can be reached by the deadline.

“I believe a deal can be done,” Hammond said following a London meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry. “But we will not do a bad deal. These negotiations are extremely tough and Iran needs to show more flexibility if we are to succeed.”

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State urged Iran to use “all possible effort” to prove that its nuclear program was peaceful.

“This is a very critical week obviously in Iran negotiations,” Kerry told reporters in London. in Kerman province as an example.

He referred to the operation of the gold mining-industrial complex in Zarshuran, Takab, West Azarbaijan province on Saturday and said that in the first phase, the production capacity of the complex will reach three tons annually.

Koreie further said that given the 2 to 2.5 tons of gold extracted from other mines, plans

Spain expected to recognize Palestine state Spanish lawmakers were set to vote on Tuesday in favor of their government recognizing Palestine as a state in a symbolic move intended to promote peace between the Palestinians and Israel which has angered Tel Aviv.

The non-binding motion, brought forward by the opposition Socialists but expected to be backed by the ruling People’s Party (PP) and other groups in the lower house of parliament, echoes similar votes in Britain and Ireland last month.

France is also eyeing such a non-binding resolution soon after Sweden’s centerleft government took the lead by officially recognizing the state of Palestine within days of taking office last month.

The moves reflect mounting frustration in the European Union at Israel’s expanding settlement program on land the Palestinians want for a state following the collapse of US-sponsored peace talks.

The EU’s new foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said the bloc’s 28 foreign ministers discussed at a meeting in Brussels on Monday how they could start “a positive process with the Israelis and Palestinians to re-launch a peace process”.

The Spanish motion, prepared by former foreign minister Trinidad Jimenez, ‘urges’ the government to recognize Palestine as a state and to promote such recognition within the EU, according to a draft obtained by Reuters.

Sources close to the Iranian negotiating team say the main stumbling block in the way of resolving the Western dispute over Iran’s nuclear energy program remains to be the removal of all the bans imposed on the country, and not the number of centrifuges or the level of uranium enrichment.

Tehran wants the sanctions entirely lifted while Washington, under pressure from the pro-Israeli lobby, insists that at least the UNimposed sanctions should remain in place.

If the sides do strike an accord, it would consign to history a 12-year standoff between the West and the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program. should be made to achieve an annual gold production of 10 tons. Gold ore reserves at Zarshuran mine are estimated at 20 million tons with an average karat of 5.5 gram per ton.

This is considered as one of the most valuable mines in the country.

The official put the annual gold production in the world at 250 tons and it is expected Iran's annual gold production will reach 25 tons.

Majlis rejects 4th ministerial nominee Lawmakers have voted down President Hassan Rouhani’s fourth nominee for the post of minister of science, research and technology.

Fakhroddin Ahmadi Danesh-Ashtiani, who was nominated by Rouhani to MPs on November 11, failed to win the vote of confidence on Tuesday.

Of the 257 lawmakers who participated in the voting process, only 70 MPs voted in favor of Danesh-Ashtiani, a professor of civil engineering at Khajeh Nasiruddin Tousi University of Technology.

A total of 171 parliamentarians voted against Danesh-Ashtiani while 16 abstained.

Before the voting, Rouhani defended the record of Danesh-Ashtiani who also served as a deputy science minister in the cabinet of former president Mohammad Khatami.

On October 29, Iranian lawmakers rejected Rouhani’s candidate for minister of science, research and technology Mahmoud Nili Ahmadabadi.

In August, Iran’s parliament had voted former minister Reza Faraji-Dana out of office in an impeachment session.

Rouhani’s first choice, Mohammad Ali Najafi, also was sacked by the MPs over his alleged ties to 2009 post-election unrests.

The president attended the parliament to support his nominee for the post and highlighted the qualifications of his proposed minister.

He said Iran was seeking to become a global scientific and research source.

Rouhani said the government attached highest importance to progress in the scientific and research fields.

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No message from US

Nov. 19, 2014

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said his Omani counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi carried no message from Washington during his recent visit to Tehran.

National

Upside/Downside Judiciary: Qavami arrested for anti-Iran propaganda Tehran Justice Department said a woman arrested in June outside Tehran’s biggest stadium was involved in anti-Iran propaganda orchestrated by the West.

The department rejected reports by Western adversaries as baseless that Ghoncheh Qavami, 25, is on trial for trying to attend a men’s volleyball match.

“Qavami was accidentally arrested at Azadi Stadium on June 20, but she was released the same day. A day later when she returned to reclaim her belongings, a number of clips about the unrest following the 2009 presidential election were observed in her mobile phone,” ISNA quoted a statement by the judicial body as saying.

“Investigations conducted by the Judiciary indicated that Qavami not only took part in rallies against the Islamic establishment, but also admitted to her links with satellite TV channels that wage smear campaigns against Iran.”

The department also announced that Qavami’s lawyers and family have routinely visited her in jail.

Tehran water contamination hotly debated While Tehran City Council called on the residents of the teeming metropolis to drink mineral water, the Health Ministry rejected the claims of water contamination on Tuesday.

“Since water contamination, contrary to air pollution, is not visible, I recommend that Tehran’s residents not drink piped water,” Rahmatollah Hafezi, the head of the council’s Health Commission, was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.

Iran launches infant immunization plan

I

ran launched an immunization plan for infants using domestically-produced pentavalent vaccine at a ceremony attended by President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday.

The vaccine is produced by Pasteur Institute of Iran which is located in Tehran, Mehr News Agency reported.

The pentavalent vaccine is five individual vaccines conjugated in one and is intended to actively protect infants from five potentially deadly diseases: Haemophilus Influenza type B, Whooping Cough (or Pertussis), Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Diphtheria.

At the ceremony, Rouhani said the government is determined to implement the Health System Reform Plan. He underlined that despite the heavy costs for the government, the plan would be continued to achieve

the desired goal.

Referring the Health Ministry’s role in improving the Health System Reform Plan, the president said production of vaccines is one of the steps, adding that vaccines protect children from common diseases. He stressed that every kind of vaccines should be produced in the country.

Health Ministry, along with the move to achieve Iran’s Vision 2025, has put compilation of the Health System Reform Plan on its agenda. In 2025, Iran will have a healthy community to fulfill the goals of the vision.

Rouhani also underscored the scientific growth in various fields, including mass production of medicines and vaccines.

Iranian officials say that the country is able to meet about 60 percent of its requirements for vaccines.

Given its efforts to expand vac-

O P I N I O N Hafezi also demanded that the Interior Ministry hold an emergency meeting to probe the issue of water contamination.

However, Deputy Health Minister Ali Akbar Sayyari rejected reports about Tehran’s water contamination.

“Talks about water contamination in Tehran are baseless.

People can safely drink piped water,” Sayyari said.

Police nab acid attack impersonators Three individuals have been arrested in the holy city of Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi province, attempting to frighten women by throwing water on their faces in imitation of acid attacks on women in Isfahan more than a month ago, said the provincial police chief.

General Bahman Amiri Moqaddam added that the culprits had doused women with water twice, IRNA reported.

He said one of the women targeted by the sadists had fainted in the street.

Moqaddam noted that no acid attacks have been reported in the northeastern Iranian city.

Half of Iranians overweight A senior health official said 50 percent of Iranians are overweight and 10 percent smoke either hookah or cigarettes.

Dr. Ali Qanbari, the head of the Health Ministry’s Cancer Department, added that environmental factors and unhealthy lifestyle contribute to cancer, ISNA reported.

“Efforts to control weight, consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and checkups can prevent cancer,” he said.

Marriages down 3% A total of 453,000 marriages were registered nationwide in the seven months to October 22, down by 3 percent year-on-year, said the head of State Organization for Registration of Deeds and Properties.

Ahmad Toueserkani also said 19,226 divorces were registered in the period, Mehr News Agency reported.

60m Iranians lead sedentary lifestyle A sports official said only 15 million out of 75 million Iranians do regular exercises.

Seddiqeh Ka’bizadeh, a member of Sports and Youth Ministry’s Strategic Council, added that 30 million people should do regular exercises three times a week, IRNA reported.

She said the ministry is devising plans to reduce the number of inactive people to 40 million from the current 60 million.

Nuclear deal trump card for US Democrats

By Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh The victory of the Republicans in the recent US congressional elections has put the Obama administration at a fork in the road. The Republicans had the majority in the House of Representatives but the Democrats had the upper hand in the Senate.

Now both chambers will be controlled by the Republicans. This is expected to limit Obama’s powers to advance his foreign policy agenda which is influenced by the Congress. The two rival parties are now gearing up for the 2016 presidential vote and this is going to affect the decision-making process in the United States.

With election fever setting to fill the air in the States, Obama might adopt two approaches. The US president may go on a collision course with the Republicans, pressing ahead with his domestic and foreign policies notwithstanding the opposition in Congress while depending on his presidential powers. The second option could be a cooperative approach by which Obama would back down against the Republicans in Congress in some cases and win lawmakers approval for his policies on some other cases.

Obama would be more successful if he takes the confrontational approach with the Congress on certain issues in the Middle East including the dispute over Iran’s nuclear energy program. Because whenever, American politicians cooperated on an issue linked to Iran, agreements between Iran and the US faced more restrictions.

One of Iran’s major problems with the Obama administration is that 15 Democratic senators spearheaded the project of anti-Iran sanctions. In other words, the Democrats themselves set the sanctions in motion against the Islamic Republic in the Senate.

At the time, Obama managed to convince the Senate not to throw a wrench in nuclear talks after two months of lobbying with the help of his aides Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry but now his Republican rivals have their own stronghold there and are gearing up to challenge his domestic and foreign policies in order to prepare the ground for the Democrats’ defeat in the next presidential election.

Regarding Iran, the Republicans are expected to make every effort to destroy Obama’s plans since they believe the Democrats’ last potential trump card for the presidential vote would be a nuclear deal with Iran.

A N A L Y S I S

Full deal not out of reach International Desk

cine production, Iran had been lauded by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the most successful country of the region in immunizing children against polio. Furthermore, the Iranian Razi Institute was one of the first institutes in the world to mass-produce poliomyelitis vaccines.

According to a December 2003 report by the Swedish Defense Research Agency, vaccines which were produced by Iranian manufacturers met most of the domestic needs for human vaccines, both in terms of the diseases covered and the volume of manufactured vaccines.

In addition to meeting domestic demand, Iran exported vaccines to 19 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe at the time. Unfair Western sanctions have affected Iran’s vaccine industry as well as other industries.

Iran unveils latest home-made drone Iran has unveiled its latest domestically-manufactured state-of-the-art unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which can be used in reconnaissance operations.

The Ababil 3, which was put on display in the 7th International Aviation Industry Exhibition in the southern island of Kish on Tuesday, has a flight endurance of eight hours and effective operational radius of 250 kilometers, Fars News Agency reported.

The UAV can fly at an altitude of 15,000 feet and transmit images simultaneously to ground control stations or any other platforms.

Managing-Director of the Iranian Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO) Manouchehr Manteqi said on Tuesday the country has gained the know-how to build different types of drones.

Bill Clinton tried. So did George W. Bush. Neither succeeded. As President Barack Obama’s own second term winds down, he is getting closer than either of his immediate predecessors to the goal of improving US relations with Iran. But he’s not there yet, and plenty stands in the way, including a messy and brutal conflict in Iraq and Syria, said AP diplomatic writer Matthew Lee. As high-stakes negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program resumed Tuesday in Vienna ahead of a Nov. 24 deadline for a deal, certain issues may positively affect the conclusion of the deal while there are some which may loom large. There are some very real and current concerns, not least of which are the rise of terrorists of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq and Syria. The US needs Iran’s cooperation in tackling the terrorist issue.

At the same fierce opposition to a deal from US ally Israel and open hostility from many in Congress and hardliners in Iran who already look to be trying to derail a potential agreement are among the hurdles.

Despite all those issues, the history of past few months of partially successful complex negotiations have increased the chances of a full deal being struck by next Monday’s target. Officials say an extension of the already once-extended talks is possible, but they warn additional delays will invite complications. Diplomats from all sides are eager to meet the deadline and clinch the deal.

Obama and his top aides deny that anything other than resolving the nuclear deadlock is in play in the negotiations. Yet, they also acknowledge a deal is key to a broader improvement in relations, something Obama is reported to have conveyed in a recent letter to Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamanei.

What appears to be a shared US-Iranian interest in defeating the terrorist Sunni Islamic State group has been raised only on the sidelines of the talks.

Iran may have acquiesced to the replacement of pro-Iranian Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki earlier this year, it has not given up on Assad, who is fighting the terrorists of the ISIL and other armed groups supported by the US. Iran used to complain that the ISIL and other extremist groups were created by the United States and doubted Washington’s sincerity in fighting terrorists in the region. Until recently the United States spared no efforts to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by extending all sorts of supports to the terrorist fighting the Syrian government and people.

More recently, things have changed. Iran and US may be on the same platform in fighting the ISIL terrorists now. There seems to be some changes in the stances of the White House. Obama is treading carefully as some in his Cabinet and many in Congress demand more be done to topple the legitimate president of Syria Bashar al-Assad. Obama answered with a blunt “no” when asked at a weekend news conference in Australia whether additional US assistance would be given to Syrian rebels to topple legally elected President Assad.

In the light of the above, many analysts even expect a full deal by the deadline. Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Vienna for talks now expressed hope for finalization of the deal on Tuesday.

Over a dozen US flights using Iranian airspace everyday

The official added Iranian experts are manufacturing a jet plane for regional missions.

"The drone-building industry has been indigenized in the country and we can manufacture any type of drones with any specifications in less than two years," he said.

Aircraft with jet engines being designed Manteqi also said that Iranian experts are designing and building an aircraft with jet engines and appropriate flight duration for patrolling the regional states.

Yet, the official did not mention if the new aircraft is a civilian or a military plane.

In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in the production of important military equipment and systems.

Last week, Iran put into operation a final version of the sophisticated US RQ-170 stealth aircraft, which was downed with minimal damage by the Iranian Armed Forces' electronic warfare unit in December, 2011, while flying over the Iranian city of Kashmar, some 225 kilometers (140 miles) from the Afghan border.

The domestically produced version of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made a successful maiden flight a few days ago the footage of which has just been released.

Managing-Director of Iran's Airport Company Mohammad Ilkhani said that Iran has the safest and most secure airspace in the region, adding that over a dozen US flights overfly Iranian airspace everyday.

"A total of 15 flights from US cargo and passenger airlines use the Iranian airspace everyday," Ilkhani told reporters on the sidelines of the 7th International Air and Aviation Industries Exhibition on Kish Island on Tuesday, Fars News Agency reported.

He noted that Iran has 92 air routes extending 59,000 kilometers, and said, "We provide services to 70 countries utilizing 10 radar systems."

Ilkhani said that the UAE airlines, with 170 passing flights per day, rank first among foreign airlines using Iranian airspace. In July, Iran declared readiness to open its airspace for passing flights after Ukraine closed its airspace following the shooting down of a Malaysian plane in its sky. Deputy Head of the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran Ebrahim Shoushtari voiced the country's readiness to admit and allow international flights to pass through Iranian airspace.

"Following a request by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Iran voiced its readiness to allow flights from Northern Europe to the Eastern parts of Asia to pass through its airspace as an alternate route," Shoushtari said at the time.

According to Shoushtari, over 20,000 flights passed through Iran's airspace in a single month (July 21-August 22) without experiencing any security problems.

He said overflights through the country's airspace have increased 68 percent in the said period.

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2 Romanian ministers quit over vote row

Nov. 19, 2014

Two Romanian ministers Teodor Malescanu and Titus Corlatea have submitted their resignations over voting problems faced by expatriates in the recent presidential election.

International

Global terrorism on rise: Fivefold increase in terror-related deaths since 2000 A

lmost 18,000 people were killed in terrorist attacks in 2013, a 61 percent increase from the 2012.

Four terrorist groups, ISIL, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Boko Haram were responsible for two thirds of all such deaths around the globe.

The Global Terrorism Index, produced by the London-based Institute for Economics and Peace, also found that 80 percent of terrorist attack fatalities occurred in only five countries; Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria, RT reported.

Worryingly, the 63 percent increase from 11,133 terrorist deaths in 2012 to 17,958 in 2013 is the biggest year-onyear escalation since records began in 2000. Since the turn of the millennium, the number of deaths due to terrorist activities has increased fivefold, which also coincided with US military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

There has also been a sharp increase in the number of terrorist attacks, with almost 10,000 occurring in 2013. However, the report also showed that around 50 percent of terrorist attacks did not claim any lives.

Since 2000, the Taliban has been responsible for the most deaths, 8763, from terror attacks, closely followed by AlQaeda with 8585. The so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly known as ISIS/ISIL) and Boko Haram both became more active in 2009, which was the first year that either group killed over 300 people.

Myanmar parliament head rules out charter change

riskmanagementmonitor.com

Based on data up to the end of 2013, these two groups have killed in excess of 3,000 people in four years, half of which was in 2013 alone.

However, terrorist groups are now targeting police and security forces with even greater frequency, thus making it much harder to try and manage the prob-

O P I N I O N

Change in West’s tactic against Syria

By Mohammad Irani The United Nations has announced its latest stance about developments in Syria and the rise of terrorism in Middle East, especially the threat of ISIL terrorist group in Syria and Iraq to the international community.

During his recent visits to Syria and Egypt, the UN mediator in the Syrian conflict, Staffan de Mistura, announced that he wants a peace deal between the Syrian government and the so-called moderate opponents, and that the Syrian crisis could be resolved through diplomatic and political means.

“We believe that the solution in Syria is political, not military,” he told reporters in Syria.

Syria’s state news agency SANA quoted a statement by the president’s office as saying that “President Bashar Assad…considered that the [ceasefire] initiative of de Mistura was worth studying and trying to work on to achieve its goals of returning security” to the country.

This UN stance received wide coverage in the international media and even analysts said this shows a change in the US stance toward the Damascus government and that Washington is not seeking regime change in Syria.

The recent UN stance toward Syrian developments is linked to a change in White House strategy toward this war-torn Arab state.

It is a fact that the Americans have been playing a double game in Syria. The Syrian crisis began in 2011 when the US launched a project to depose Assad and started to rally the support of regional allies against the Syrian government.

The American authorities had vowed to weaken the Syrian government, but the reality on the ground shows that the US has failed to achieve its goals in Syria. Assad remains in power and the US could not fulfill its vows.

Today the threat of ISIL and other terrorist groups to the global community is very serious, such that the US has changed its priorities from regime change in Syria to fighting Takfiri groups in the region. Washington has also welcomed any group or country that could help fight the terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq.

Since the Takfiri terrorist groups are operating in Syria and the Syrian government has had a four-year experience in fighting them, Damascus could help the anti-ISIL alliance. The Americans secretly want Syria to take part in the anti-ISIL alliance, although they fear that a public gesture in this regard may irk the regional allies opposed to the Assad administration.

Some analysts believe the call by de Mistura for a peace deal between the Syrian government and the socalled moderate opponents implies that he wants the weapons of the so-called Free Syrian Army to be used against ISIL and not the Syrian Army.

The key point made by de Mistura in Damascus and Cairo is that a political solution instead of military intervention should be pursued to solve the Syrian crisis.

lem, according to Killelea. He added that this can lead to rights abuses against the civilian population, which can sometimes inflame an already-volatile situation even further.

Terrorist incidents have increased significantly in Iraq during 2013 with the number of deaths rising by 162 percent

from 2012. Bombings are the tactics almost exclusively used by terrorist groups, with this method accounting for 87 percent of deaths and 97 percent of injuries.

Suicide attacks also continue to be used, with a very high cost to human life - an average of over seven deaths per suicide attack.

At least four dead in Taliban suicide attack in Kabul A Taliban suicide bomber and two gunmen targeted a foreigners’ compound in Kabul early on Tuesday, killing four people in the latest fatal blast to hit the Afghan capital.

The attack started with a small, explosives-laden truck ramming

Two Afghan security guards were among the four people killed, said the ministry. Three civilians were also wounded in the attack.

The area has several compounds housing foreign contracting and service companies, as well as international military bases, so the

the gate of the compound housing foreigners on the city’s eastern outskirts soon after sunrise, said Interior Ministry spokesman Seqid Sediqqi, AP wrote.

Once the gate was destroyed, the gunmen attempted to break into the compound, said Sediqqi’s deputy, Najib Danesh.

precise target was not immediately clear. The Afghan government’s intelligence agency also has a branch nearby.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said that none of its personnel were hurt in the attack.

Afghan First Vice President

Reuters

Abdul Rashid Dostum visited the blast site, along with members of the Afghan army’s rapid reaction force. Dostum said the bombing “is the work of intelligence services” acting in collusion with the attackers.

There has been speculation over recent high-profile attacks in Kabul that insurgent groups have infiltrated security and intelligence agencies to get access to sites inside the heavily-guarded capital.

The attack sent a plume of smoke into the sky and was heard across Kabul. Gunfire was also heard, just before the blast — from security guards firing on the truck as it approached the gate. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

In the past week, suicide bombers have targeted the chief of police – an attack also claimed by the Taliban – and a prominent female lawmaker, both of whom survived the deadly assaults.

Also Tuesday, in eastern Khost province, a woman died when the van she was travelling in hit a roadside bomb, said Mubariz Mohammad Zadran, spokesman for the provincial governor. Another 13 people, including children, were wounded.

Two Killed in Kurram Bombing Roadside bomb detonated as a school van was passing by it in the Nisti Kot area, Pakistan.

An 11-year-old boy died in a bomb attack on a school bus in Upper Kurram, which also killed the driver, officials said on Tuesday.

The bombing took place in the Nisti Kot area of the Upper Kurram tribal district, which is rife with insurgents and is also gripped by sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Muslims. “An 11-year-old boy and the driver of the school van were killed when a bomb planted on a roadside exploded,” said local government official Shahid Ali, newsweekpakistan.com said.

A seven-year-old girl was also wounded, he said, adding that no group had come forward to imme-

AFP

diately claim responsibility for the attack. An intelligence official also confirmed the bombing and casualties.

Security forces cordoned off the area and a search operation has been started in the area. “All three,

the driver, the deceased student and the injured student were of the same family,” said an eyewitness, adding that the van was completely destroyed. “We received the schoolgirl in serious condition,” said Sabir Hussain.

The influential speaker of Myanmar's parliament said Tuesday the military-drafted constitution that bars opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president will not be changed before next year's general election.

Shwe Mann told reporters in the capital, Naypyitaw, that the current parliament will review constitution amendment suggestions and hold a referendum in May to change some clauses, but it is the responsibility of the parliament that emerges after the 2015 polls to amend the charter, AP reported.

He did not clarify why he believed there could be no preelection change, and whether he was just expressing his personal opinion. Initial efforts to amend the constitution have fallen short, however.

The charter is widely viewed as undemocratic for allotting the military 25 percent of parliament's seats along with other special political powers. hwe Mann and Suu Kyi have both declared their interest in becoming president. Shwe Mann, like current President Thein Sein, is a member of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party and served with the previous ruling junta. Thein Sein indicated last year that he does not intend to run for a second term.

President Obama, in telephone conversations with Thein Sein and Suu Kyi before visiting Myanmar last week for a series of regional meetings, underscored the need for a credible and inclusive process for holding next year's elections, according to the White House.

The clause affecting Suu Kyi bars anyone whose spouse or children are loyal to foreign countries from becoming president or vice president. Suu Kyi's two sons are British citizens, as was her late husband.

Myanmar emerged in 2011 from almost five decades of repressive military rule with the installation of an elected though army-dominated government.

Thein Sein won praise — and the lifting of punitive sanctions by the US and others — for initiating reforms, but critics say the transition toward democracy has stalled.

It is widely believed that Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy stands a good chance of topping next year's polls. But a parliamentary committee in June voted against changing the clause that bars Suu Kyi from becoming president.

Burkina Faso: Transitional president inaugurated Burkina Faso has sworn in former UN ambassador Michel Kafando as transitional president to help lead the land-locked West African country to stability after a brief military takeover last month.

Kafando, 72, took the oath of office Tuesday promising to honor the constitution.

A day earlier, he was named transitional president to lead Burkina Faso to elections a year from now, Washingtonpost wrote.

For nearly three decades, Burkina Faso was ruled by President Blaise Compaore, who fled office earlier this month amid rising opposition protests — notably over efforts to alter the constitution so he could seek a new term.

Mohammad Ali Rajabi

4

Car production

Nov. 19, 2014

Iranian companies produced 103,018 cars during September 23-October 22.

Domestic Economy

Foreign trade near $57b

Karbasian: Mining key to economic development Deputy Industries, Mines and Trade Minister Mehdi Karbasian said the mining sector was neglected in the past and attention should be focused on this sector to attain economic growth.

Addressing a meeting on industrial development, Karbasian said the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) was established by the government for the development of deprived regions, IRNA reported.

“In the past, less than 10 percent of the country’s landmass was brought under the coverage of mining exploration activities. This is while according to regulations, development organizations are allowed to make 49 percent investment in the mining sector, which could increase to 100 percent in case of lack of applicants,” he said.

The official said when IMIDRO invests in a mining unit, it could continue to possess the unit for three years and later give it up.

Karbasian said the organization is currently following up over 30 incomplete projects.

“So far, 27 projects have been activated. These projects will be completed and put into operation as scheduled,” he said.

Oil & Gas News Oil swap capacity to grow Domestic Economy Desk By constructing multi-purpose jetties for loading and unloading oil products and increasing services to oil tankers, Iran’s oil swap capacity with northern neighbors will grow.

Currently, the government is establishing the infrastructures for reviving oil swap operations and renovating the jetties of northern oil terminal, IRNA reported.

Iran’s strategic location allows the country to become a safe energy transit route by swapping oil with neighboring states.

As a result, northern neighbors of the country will be able to dispatch a portion of their oil products to their target markets.

It is a great advantage for the Caspian Sea littoral states and Central Asian countries that Iran has high potentials for carrying out oil swap operations.

Iran also enjoys favorable potentials and infrastructures for exchanging crude oil in the south of the country.

Commenting on the status of projects for establishing infrastructures and facilities for increasing the country’s oil swap capacity, Abdollah Ahmadi, a director of Iranian Oil Terminals Company, said the construction of a reservoir in northern Iran has progressed by 73 percent.

“The reservoir is to be used for transferring oil from northern Iran and carrying out oil swap operations in future. The short-term goal of the project is to increase the country’s oil reception and transfer capacities from 200,000 barrels per day to 500,000 barrels per day. In the long run, the project aims to increase these capacities to 2.5 million barrels per day,” he said.

Ahmadi also said North Drilling Company, Khazar Oil Exploration and Production Company and Iran Marine Industrial Company will use the reservoir.

Indonesia keen on petchem investment Domestic Economy Desk Indonesia has expressed its readiness to invest in Iran’s petrochemical sector, said an Iranian official on Monday.

Mehdi Sharifi Niknafs, the managing director of Iran Petrochemical Commercial Company, said the southeastern country has a small portion of shares in Hengam Petrochemical Complex, but it is eager to increase its share.

Referring to a recent agreement between Iran and Indonesia to establish a joint venture for the export of Iranian oil products and petrochemicals, Niknafs said Iran intends to turn Indonesia into a hub of exporting petrochemical products to southeastern Asian states.

The goal of setting up Hengam Petrochemical Complex, with a 50-percent participation of Indonesian Pusri Company, is to produce 1,150 tons of petrochemical products each year in Iran’s South Pars Free Trade Zone.

Niknafs noted that Jakarta plans to increase oil imports from Tehran in future because it wants to enhance its daily crude refining capacity from one million barrels to three million barrels.

According to Iran’s National Petrochemical Company (NPC), the country has exported more than 7.8 million tons of petrochemicals worth more than $5.1 billion in the six months ending September 22.

Iran produced 40 million tons of petrochemicals in the year ending March 20, 2014, with an export worth $9 billion.

The country, which is a major oil exporter, plans to increase petrochemical exports to $12 billion this year.

Iran is determined to become the biggest petrochemical producer in the Middle East.

The country has significantly expanded the range and volume of its petrochemical production in the past few years and NPC has become the second largest producer and exporter of petrochemicals in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia.

Domestic Economy Desk

N

on-oil exports amounted to $26.9 billion during March 21-October 22, said a director of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI).

Farhad Nouri added that in this period, Iran imported $30 billion worth of products, IRNA reported.

Referring to the media’s role in promoting industrial development, he said although trade balance is still tilted toward imports, Iranian exports have also grown significantly.

He said a survey of export revenues in the same period indicates that the value of each ton of Iranian products has increased by 12 percent while the value of each ton of imported goods has declined year-onyear.

“Iran conducts transactions with 170 countries. However, 69 percent of the country’s exports pertain to China, Iraq, the UAE, Afghanistan and India,” he said.

The TPOI chief said major exporters to Iran in this period were the UAE, China, South Korea, India and Turkey.

Nouri noted that it is not ideal for Iran to carry out a high volume of trade transactions with a limited number of countries.

“Efforts are required to increase the number of export and import destinations,” he said.

IRNA

Russian trader stresses economic cooperation A Russian trade delegation said the formation of a market in Moscow for developing Tehran-Moscow trade relations is necessary.

Shemi Ista, in a meeting with Chairman of Tabriz Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Rahim Sadeqian, added that within this framework, the role of commerce chambers in the two countries is valuable, IRNA reported.

He said Russia and Iran are determined to develop trade cooperation and learn from the experience of other countries.

Ista added that development of fields of joint cooperation will facilitate this process.

Sadeqian said cooperation between the chambers of Russia and Iran will play a significant role in developing

bilateral relations.

He noted that East Azarbaijan province enjoys great capabilities in industrial and trade fields, stressing that due to its location on the Silk Road, the province has been the center of attention of businessmen.

Sadeqia hoped that the interaction of traders and industrialists of East Azarbaijan with Russia can open the way for cooperation and joint investment.

“Opportunities have been provided for the two neighboring countries to have more transactions and neutralize sanctions imposed on them,” he said.

Sadeqian also said cooperation among government officials, chamber of commerce and Foreign Ministry will prepare the grounds for promoting bilateral economic ties.

Damghan earns $11m from pistachio exports Domestic Economy Desk

IRNA

Baku hosting exhibition of Iranian products Domestic Economy Desk

Damghan has exported 11.5 million tons of pistachio since March 21, 2014.

Lotfollah Rezaei, the manager of Damghan’s pistachio production plan, put the export volume at more than 1,000 tons, IRNA reported.

Rezaei listed export destinations as the Persian Gulf littoral states, Central Asian countries, Iraq, Afghanistan and Russia.

“The types of exported pistachio included Damghan, Abbasali, Akbari and Ahmad-Aqaei,” he said.

Rezaei said Damghan in Semnan province has 14,600 hectares of pistachio gardens spread over 12,000 hectares.

Damghan’s pistachio outIRNA put amounted to 37,000 tons since March 21, 2014, of which 50 percent are consumed unprocessed and the rest are first processed in 63 industrial units and then sold in domestic and foreign markets.

During March 2013-14, Damghan’s gardeners produced over 27,000 tons of pistachio.

The specialized exhibition of Iranian products opened in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Tuesday, Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pakaeen announced.

According to the ambassador, 40 Iranian companies exhibited industrial and agricultural products, home appliances, carpets, chemical products and vehicles, IRNA reported.

Pakaeen said the purpose of the exhibition is to boost trade between Iran and Azerbaijan, and strengthen mutual relations.

He added that prodIRNA ucts from various Mohsen Pakaeen provinces of Iran, including Tehran, West Azarbaijan, East Azarbaijan, Ardabil, Khuzestan and Razavi Khorasan, have been presented during the three-day exhibition.

The last such exhibition was held in Baku in 2010.

Iran ready to sign contract with Turkmenistan The Iranian Oil Ministry is ready to sign a multimillion-dollar contract with Turkmenistan on energy and trade, a senior energy official announced on Tuesday.

“There are many (joint) projects pending between Iran and Turkmenistan, and if they are enforced, trade volume between the two countries will hit $5 billion,” a senior advisor to oil minister, Mohammad Taqi Amanpour ,told Fars News Agency on Tuesday.

He underlined that Iran has proposed different goods to Turkmenistan and the two sides will sign a $400 million agreement in this regard.

Amanpour said Iran has short-, mid- and long-term plans for boosting ties with Turkmenistan.

Iran and Turkmenistan have had official diplomatic relations since Turkmenistan’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Iran was the first nation to recognize Turkmenistan as an independent country.

The two countries have maintained good relations ever since and cooperated in economic, infrastructure and energy sectors.

In a meeting in Dushanbe in September, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, called for further expansion of bilateral relations.

During the meeting in the Tajik capital, Iranian and Turkmen presidents explored avenues for bolstering mutual cooperation.

SHANA

5

Indonesia fuel price up

Nov. 19, 2014

The Indonesian government has increased fuel prices by more than 30 percent to save the economy more than $8 billion in 2015.

TSE & Global Economy

G20 to streamline infrastructure investment

Main Indices of TSE Index

Value

Change

Percent

Total Index

75409.4

(556.5)

(0.74)

Industry Index

62909.5

(426.3)

(0.68)

Free Float Index

86827.7

(669.4)

(0.77)

First Market Index

55799.3

(389.5)

(0.7)

Second Market Index 146694.8

(1228.2)

(0.84)

Overall Index details on 20141118 at 14:00 First 75965.9 Change end of year(%) Water pouring through the sluice gates at Gariep Dam in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

I

ndustrialized countries have agreed to collaborate on a new program aimed at funneling significant private-sector investment into global infrastructure projects, particularly in developing countries.

The Global Infrastructure Initiative, agreed by governments of the Group of 20 countries, will not actually be funding new projects. But it will seek to create investment environments that are more conducive to major foreign investors and to assist in connecting governments with financiers, IPS reported.

The initiative’s work will be overseen at a secretariat in Australia, the host of this weekend’s G20 summit and a government that has made infrastructure investment a key priority. This office, known as the Global Infrastructure Hub, will foster collaboration between the public and private sectors as well as multilateral banks.

“With a four-year mandate, the hub will work internationally to help countries improve their general investment climates, reduce barriers to investment, grow their project pipelines and help match investors with

projects,” Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey said in a joint statement.

“This will help improve how infrastructure markets work.”

Some estimate the undertaking could mobilize some two trillion dollars in new infrastructure investment over the next decade and a half. This would be available to be put into electrical grids, roads and bridges, ports and other major projects.

The G20 has emerged as the leading multilateral grouping tasked with promoting economic collaboration.

Together, its membership accounts for some 85 percent of global gross domestic product.

With the broad aim of prompting global economic growth, the Global Infrastructure Initiative will work to motivate major institutional investors — banks, pension funds and others — to provide long-term capital to the world’s mounting infrastructure deficits.

In developing countries alone, these needs could require up to a trillion dollars a year of additional invest-

Japan seeks to strengthen 2015 growth

upload.wikimedia.org

ment, though currently governments are spending just half that amount.

In recent years, the private sector has turned away from infrastructure in developing countries and emerging economies. Between 2012 and last year alone, such investments declined by nearly 20 percent, to $150 billion, according to the World Bank.

“This new initiative very positively reflects a cleareyed reading of the evidence that there are infrastructure logjams and obstacles in both the developing and developed world,” Scott Morris, a senior associate at the Center for Global Development, a Washington think tank, told IPS. “From a donor perspective, this indicates better listening to what these countries are actually asking for.”

Still, Morris notes, it remains unclear what exactly the Global Infrastructure Initiative’s outcomes will be.

“The G20 clearly intends to prioritize infrastructure investment,” he said, “but it’s hard to get a sense of where the priorities are.”

Australian exports to China face hurdles

846.58%

High 75992.1

Historical highest

89500.6 (20140105)

Low 75401.3

Historical lowest

100 (1369/1/6)

Close 75409.4

Base Value

100 (1369/1/6)

Change (556.5) Industry Index details on 20141118 at 14:00 First

63335.8 Change end of year(%)

919.17%

Max Value 63352.8

Historical highest

75181.9 (20140105)

Max Value 62905.5

Historical lowest

1226.8 (1377/8/25)

Closing

62909.5

Closing

(426.3)

Base Value

Free Float Index details on 20141118 at 14:00 First

87497.1 Change end of year(%)

Max Value 87542.2

Historical highest

Max Value 86824.8

Historical lowest

Closing

86827.7

Closing

(669.4)

105040 (20140105)

Base Value

Main Board Index details on 20141118 at 14:00

DAVID GRAY/REUTERS

TOMOHIRO OHSUMI/BLOOMBERG

With Japan’s slump into its fourth recession since 2008 threatening the failure of the Abenomics reflation program, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration is taking steps to shore up growth for the coming year.

Economy Minister Akira Amari told reporters in Tokyo there’s a high chance of a stimulus package. Etsuro Honda, an adviser to Abe, said a 3 trillion yen ($26 billion) program was appropriate and should go toward measures that directly help households, such as child care support, Bloomberg wrote.

Abe, who holds a news conference later, is also considering a postponement of an October sales-tax increase until 2017 — a move that would add 0.3 percentage point to growth in the coming fiscal year, according to the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

At stake for the prime minister is assuring reelection in a likely snap vote next month that may serve as a referendum on his policies.

“Household sentiment should be relaxed thanks to the delay in another VAT hike, helping improve spending attitude and facilitate consumption recovery,” Kazuhiko Ogata, chief Japan economist at Credit Agricole SA in Tokyo, wrote in a note to clients, referring to the sales, or value-added, tax.

China’s President Xi Jinping (L) and Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott watch as free trade deals are signed during a signing ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra November 17, 2014.

A trade deal signed with great fanfare between China and Australia has been touted as a major step towards Australia shifting its economy from a “mining boom” to a “dining boom”, but the reality is likely to be more sobering.

Australia is looking to replace its reliance on exports of minerals such as coal and iron ore as mining investment wanes and demand begins to dwindle. The government would prefer to expand its food and agricultural exports to capitalize on a rapidly growing Asian middle class, Reuters reported.

It has high hopes for the proposal for a free trade agreement (FTA) signed on Monday by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Chinese President Xi, but the more likely winner from the deal is the services sector.

The deal is designed to open up Chinese markets to Australian farm exporters and the services sector, while easing curbs on Chinese investment in Australia. China is already Australia’s top trading partner, with two-way trade of around A$150 billion ($130 billion) in 2013.

Several major agricultural foodstuffs, including sugar, rice and cotton, are currently excluded from the FTA, and Australia’s frequent severe droughts impose a natural production ceiling on those sectors that are part of the pact.

Olive oil is big business in southern European Union countries. They are the source of more than 70 percent of the world’s olive oil, bringing export revenue of almost €1.8 billion ($2.2 billion) last year. The United States imported just over $800 million of that.

For some European growers, this year’s harvest is a bust.

In Spain, the world’s biggest producer, the young farmers’ association Asaja said 2014 is “another disaster” after a calamitous harvest two years ago.

Spain’s output is forecast to plunge by more than 50 percent, with a drop of at least 60 percent in the southern Andalucia region.

Several factors have combined to hurt Spain. Trees are exhausted after last year’s bumper harvest. Also, unusually high spring temperatures choked flowering. On top of that, some producers are battling swarms of olive flies and moths.

56188.8

Change end of year(%)

774.09%

Max Value

56195.3

Historical highest

67441.4 (20140105)

Max Value

55799.3

Historical lowest

Closing

55799.3

Base Value

Closing

(389.5)

4740.4 (1381/6/2)

Secondary Index details on 20141118 at 14:00 First

147923 Change end of year(%)

Max Value

148058.7

Historical highest

Max Value

146640.1

Historical lowest

Closing

146694.8

Base Value

Closing

(1228.2)

1067.63% 167002 (20140105) 4740.4 (1381/6/2)

Major Currencies Currency

Europe’s olive harvest hit by bad weather If your favorite bottle of Mediterranean olive oil starts costing more, blame unseasonable European weather and tiny insects.

High spring temperatures, a cool summer and abundant rain are taking a big bite out of the olive harvest in some key regions of Italy, Spain, France and Portugal.

Those conditions have also helped the proliferation of the olive fly and olive moth, which are calamitous blights, AP reported.

The shortfall could translate into higher shelf prices for some olive oils and is dealing another blow to southern Europe’s bruised economies as they limp out of a protracted financial crisis.

“The law of supply and demand is a basic law of the market,” said Joaquim Freire de Andrade, president of growers’ association Olivum in Portugal’s southern Alentejo region, the country’s olive heartland. “It’s a tough year.”

First

To USD

Currency

To USD

Turkish i Lira i

00.4498 4498

Chinese C i Yuan

00.1633 1633

Euro

1.2517

UAE Dirham

0.2722

British Pound

1.5653

Kuwaiti Dinar

3.4356

Australian Dollar

0.8703

Iraqi Dinar

0.00086

Japanese 100 Yen

0.0857

Saudi Riyal

0.2665

Major Commodities

ALESSANDRA TARANTINO/AP

Crude Oil

$76.15

Silver

$16.35

Gold

$1201.30

Platinum

$1213.00

Copper

$3.03

Wheat

$548.25

6

Ilkhanid coins discovered

Sept. 19, Nov. 24, 2014 2014

Life then

By Sohrab Sepehri When my father died, the sky was blue, My mother woke up innocently, beautiful, got my sister.

When my father died, policemen were all poets.

The grocer asked me: ‘How many melons do you want?’

‘How much does a tiny bit of happy heart costs?’ I asked.

My father used to paint He made and played the tar, too.

Beautiful was his handwriting.

Our garden was on the shadowy side of wisdom Our garden was the knotting place of feeling and foliage, Our garden was in the focal point of the encounter of eye, cage and mirror.

Our garden was perhaps an arc of green circle of bliss.

I’d chew the unripe fruit of god in sleep, in those days.

I’d drink water non-philosophically; I’d pick berries unknowingly.

As soon as a pomegranate burst, hand was a fountain of desire.

As soon as a cello sang, breast burnt with a longing to hear.

Every now and then, loneliness stuck its face against the window.

Passion could arrive, folding its arms around the feeling, Thoughts would play.

Life was something like the pouring of the feast of spring, Like a plane tree full of starlings.

In those days, life was like a row of light and dolls, Like an arm of freedom.

In those days, life was like a pond of music.

Toddling slowly, the child walked away through the alley of dragonflies.

Washed should be the eyes I don’t know why it is said: “Horse is gallant, pigeon is beautiful.”

And why nobody keeps a vulture in a cage?

What is absent in sweet clover that is present in red tulip.

Washed should be the eyes, another vision should be found.

Washed should be the words.

Word itself should be the wind; Word itself should be the rain.

Umbrellas should be closed.

Under the rain, should everyone go.

Under the rain, thought and memory should be taken.

With all people of the city, Under the rain, one should go.

Friend, under the rain, should be met, Love, under the rain, should be sought.

Under the rain, one should play.

Under the rain, one should write, talk, sow lotus.

Life is getting wet time after time.

Life is swimming in the pond of ‘Now’.

Let us taste brightness, Weigh the night of a village, the sleep of a deer, Perceive the warmth of the stork’s nest, Tread not on the law of lawn, Loosen the knot of taste in vineyard.

And open the mouth, if the Moon comes out, And cry not that the night is bad, And cry not that the glowworm is unaware of the garden’s vision.

And let us bring baskets And pick up so much red, so much green.

Copper coins, which date back to the Ilkhanid era, have been discovered at the archeological site of Robat in Shahr-e Kord, Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad province.

Iranica Iranica Desk

A

n ancient gate has been identified in Tull-e Ajori site, three kilometers off the west of Takht-e Jamshid, Fars province, said the head of Iranian archeological team.

Alireza Askari added that archeologists have studied the historical monuments and relics in the precincts of Takht-e Jamshid over the past 100 years.

Ancient gate of Parseh discovered Askari said one of the most important sections in Takht-e Jamshid is the northwestern part known as Firouzi Complex, a place in which the remnants of Tull-e Ajori monuments are excavated.

“We, like former researchers, assume that Firouzi Garden was part of a city linked to the royal residence in Takht-e Jamshid. The remnants of Achaemenid settlement near Firouzi Village was identified by archeologists,” he said.

“During the current phase of excavation, the map and structure of Tull-e Ajori monument was reconstructed according to parts specified in excavations and following geophysical, geomagnetic and electrical studies.”

Based on preliminary information gained from excavations, archeologists concluded that the building’s plan conforms to geographical directions.

The building is rectangular and measures 40 meters in the northern-southern axis and 30 meters in the eastern-western axis.

In fact, the Tull-e Ajori monument became evident with the discovery of the great gate.

“The linking axis of this gate was discovered 100 meters off its south in Tull-e Firouzi site. There is a huge palace measuring 55 by 60 meters. Gardens used to exist between Tull-e Ajori gate and the identified places. Water irrigation structures of the garden have survived,” he said.

Askari said the most important findings included 30 enameled bricks decorated with winged creatures, a combination of legendary creatures of Elamite and Achaemenid eras based on Shoush traditions.

“All exterior surfaces and corridors of this section of Parseh are decorated with colored and enameled bricks,” he said.

“Thousands of bricks measuring 33 by 33 cm have been used in this structure. After the Achaemenid era, the monument turned into a pile of dirt. Hence, it was named Tull-e Ajori.”

Given the presence of 12 ancient monuments of Achaemenid era in this section of Takht-e Jamshid and the similarity of their enameled bricks with the designs of Mesopotamian legends and Ishtar Gate, it seems that this section existed during the rule of Cyrus.

In fact, recent findings clarify the historical vacuum of Parseh, particularly during the rule of Cyrus and Cambyses before Darius came to power.

The research project was conducted by a joint Iranian-Italian delegation in Tull-e Ajori site during October-November 2013.

Takht-e Jamshid was established during the rule of Achaemenid King Darius. It used to be considered the most important capital of Achaemenid dynasty.

Askari and Professor Pierfrancesco Callieri from the University of Bologna jointly conducted the recent excavations with the support of the Research Center of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Fars Cultural Heritage Department and Takht-e Jamshid World Heritage Site.

The geomorphological precincts of Takht-e Jamshid and Parseh were identified and reconstructed.

Some 10 hectares of area surrounding Tull-e Ajori were studied and documented.

FARS NEWS AGENCY

Chahkouh a natural wonder in Qeshm The plains, valleys, coasts and mountains of Qeshm Island display rare geological phenomena.

In the western part of the island, human presence as well as livestock breeding and agriculture have been rare since olden times, Iranreview reported.

This part of the island has salt domes, salt caves, spas, Chahkouh Strait, Aali Pass, Valley of Statues as well as dozens of cliffs with strange shapes.

Due to the natural beauty and richness of the island, especially in its western part, measures have been taken to protect it and about 500 square kilometers have been set aside as a geopark.

The amazing Chahkouh Strait near East Chahou Village attracts all visitors with its corridors as well as surprising shapes on its walls.

Similar geological phenomena have also been found in Germany, Britain, China and the United States.

Chahkouh Strait is the result of the erosion of sedimentary stones and has been less visited by tourists because it is still relatively unknown.

Chahkouh, located in Shahab district of Qeshm, has a depth of 100 meters. It displays sedimentary stones.

The strait is located 70 km from Qeshm near East Chahou Village on the western side of the island’s northern coasts and is considered one of its most important tourism attractions.

Chahkouh is surrounded by high walls, but then becomes so narrow that it is difficult to pass through.

Stones forming Chahkouh are mostly sedimentary limestone, which are similar to those found in the Zagros Mountain Range and are among three major stone categories present in nature.

Water erosion has created long creases in the walls of Chahkouh and has caused various pits that appear like lens, spoons and spheres.

The presence of those creases, pits and stone carvings at the bottom of the ravine has made it into a natural wonder.

Designs and shapes formed on the walls of the ravine are dreamlike and MEHR NEWS AGENCY look like works of art.

Wind, rain and humidity are the main factors creating a lot of pits in the walls of Chahkouh.

Stones forming Chahkouh are mainly made of lime or calcium bicarbonate that has dissolved in rainwater and given rise to small pits that have enlarged over millions of years and formed interesting corridors.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

More ecotourists visit Kani-Barazan Wetland Iranica Desk A large number of ecotourists visited Kani-Barazan Wetland in Mahabad, West Azarbaijan province, in October 2014, said the head of Mahabad Department of the Environment.

Kamran Hosseini added that recent rainfalls and secure conditions in the wetland have attracted many migratory birds, the Persian daily Afarinesh wrote.

The wetland has turned into one of the major habitats of birds in northwest Iran. It is spread over 900 hectares. The National Ecotourism Committee has introduced it as the first bird watching site.

Hosseini said the rise in the number of birds nesting in the wetland is attracting more and more ecotourists.

“Three ecotourism groups comprising 40 tourists from Karaj and Tehran recently visited the wetlands,” he said.

«With the gradual decline in temperature in northern regions and the start of cold season, the wetland is hosting over 12,000 native and migratory birds.»

RAHELEH BAGHERI/ISNA Zomorrod Waterfall is located in Talesh, Gilan province.

7

Child abuse in England

Nov. 19, 2014

Organized child sex abuse is widespread in England, a report by MPs on the Rotherham exploitation scandal said.

Society

35% of Tehran families have one child

UN: Fewer babies herald “economic miracle” for Africa Fewer babies could mean an “economic miracle” for sub-Saharan Africa, with gains of $500 billion a year over three decades for the region, the UN Population Fund said on Tuesday.

i.dailymail.co.uk

picomic.ir

Society Desk

S

tudies show 35 percent of couples living in the city of Tehran have only one child, said the director general of Health Ministry’s Office for Population Health.

Mohammad Esmaeil Motlaq added that having a single child disturbs the balance between generations and diminishes social cohesion.

“The number of one-child families with unemployed fathers is eightfold higher than others,” he said, adding that there is direct link between the rising rate of working women and one-child phenomenon.

The official said depression and anxiety about aging are more prevalent among couples with an only child.

Motlaq pointed out that the average fertility rate in the majority of Iranian provinces is below

replacement level. “Only the fertility rates of Sistan-Baluchestan and Hormuzgan provinces are still higher than the replacement level,” he said.

The official said a rise in marriage age, delay in marriage, an increase in divorce rate and low interest in childbearing among people are among the main challenges facing the country.

He said 11 million men and women are of marriageable age, adding that the average age of marriage among Iranian men and women is 27 and 24 years respectively, showing a significant rise compared to the past.

Motlaq said the average age of marriage in Tehran has increased by 10 years in recent years.

He said the number of marriages recorded nationwide in the year to March 2013 reduced by 60,000 compared with the previous year’s figure.

Referring to a 38-percent decline in the marriage to divorce ratio, Motlaq announced that one

divorce was registered per 9.8 marriages in the year to March 2004 while the present figure is one divorce per six marriages.

“Currently, 18 divorces occur every hour nationwide, 80 percent of which pertain to couples below 30 years,” he said.

The official said 14 and 50 percent of divorces happen in the first year and the first five years of marriage respectively.

“Most women bear their first child after the age of 30, which helps increase the risk of hypertension and diabetes during pregnancy,” he said.

Motlaq said the best age to get pregnant is between 18-35 years.

“The gap between marriage and first birth is presently 3.5 years in Iran while the gap between the first and second child is four to five years,” he said.

Motlaq said extensive efforts should be made to find a solution to the country’s low fertility rate.

Record numbers of US kids homeless Children in America are experiencing record levels of homelessness as a result of the Great Recession and a chronic shortage of affordable housing, a comprehensive new report has shown.

Nearly 2.5 million American children – or one-in-30 - were categorized as homeless at some point in 2013 according to the state-by-state investigation by the National Center on Family Homelessness, The Telegraph reported.

The new figures, based on data collected in US schools and supplemented by estimates of homeless pre-schoolers, shows a sharp rise in America’s homeless problem since 2006 when just 1.5 million children were categorized as homeless.

Chief among the causes was endemic poverty, which has not been sufficiently

commondreams.org

impacted by the economic recovery since 2007, a crumbling affordable housing system, racial discrimination and domes-

Modern slavery affects more than 35m More than 35 million people around the world are trapped in a modern form of slavery, according to a report highlighting the prevalence of forced labor, human trafficking, forced marriages, debt bondage and commercial sexual exploitation.

The Walk Free Foundation (WFF), an Australiabased NGO that publishes the annual global slavery

tic violence.

For every 100 extremely low-income families trying to rent accommodation,

index, said that as a result of better data and improved methodology it had increased its estimate 23 percent in the past year, the Guardian reported.

Five countries accounted for 61 percent of slavery, although it was found in all 167 countries covered by the report, including the UK. India was top of the list with about 14.29 million enslaved people, followed by China with 3.24 million, Pakistan 2.06 million, Uzbekistan 1.2 million and Russia 1.05 million. Mauritania had the highest proportion of its population in modern slavery, at 4 percent, followed

by Uzbekistan with 3.97 percent, Haiti 2.3 percent, Qatar 1.36 percent and India 1.14 percent.

there were just 30 affordable units, with median wait-times now at two years, said the report, “America’s Youngest Outcasts”.

“As a society, we’re going to pay a high price, in human and economic terms,” said Carmela DeCandia, director of the national center and a co-author of the report, noting that efforts to address homelessness among veterans and adults had overlooked children and families.

The definition of homelessness used in the report was broad, including not just those living on the streets, but those with no fixed addresses, often flitting between shelters, motels, overcrowded group housing or the rooms of friends and family, but the upward trend was clear

Andrew Forrest, the chairman and founder of WFF, which is campaigning for the end of slavery within a generation, said there is an assumption that slavery is an issue from a bygone era, or that it only exists in countries ravaged by war and poverty.

“These findings show that modern slavery exists in every country. We are all responsible for the most appalling situations where modern slavery exists and the desperate misery it brings upon our fellow human beings,” he said.

“The first step in eradicating slavery is to measure it. And with that critical information, we must all come together – governments, businesses and civil society – to finally bring an end to the most severe form of exploitation.”

The State of World Population report said a total of 59 nations were poised for a “demographic dividend” when the working-age population outnumbers the rest due to declining fertility rates, AFP reported.

The United Nations agency said these nations – almost all in Africa – could follow the example of East Asian economies like South Korea whose rise since the 1970s was helped by demographics.

“Recent shifts in the age structure toward younger populations present an unprecedented opportunity to catapult developing economies forward. “The ‘economic miracle’ experienced by East Asian economies could become a reality for many of today’s poorer countries,” the report said.

It said there was also evidence to suggest that the demographic dividends could make the transition to more democratic forms of government “more likely”.

The report found that the share of youth population peaked in around 2010 in the world’s least developed countries and “has begun declining”, meaning that the working-age population in those countries will more than double by 2050.

In Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, the report said the demographic wave could “treble per capita income in a generation” as long as it was accompanied by the right policies and investments.

“The right investments are education, particularly girls’ education.

Girls must go to school, they must stay in school,” the fund’s executive director, Babatunde Osotimehin, told AFP in an interview.

“We also believe that health services, particularly reproductive health services, must be made available so women can make choices over their lives,” he said.

Empowering women helps achieve sustainable development Change is in the air: today women have better access to education, health services and jobs, as well as a greater voice in parliaments.

Progress, however, in women’s empowerment has been slow and uneven.

Concurrent with the Asian and Pacific Conference on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: Beijing+20 Review, held in Bangkok, Thailand from Nov. 17-20, the UN Information Center (UNIC) in Tehran released a statement.

Ministers and other policymakers from across the Asia-Pacific region will have the opportunity to renew their political commitment to empower women and advance their status in all sectors.

The UNIC statement is as follows: Growth and development gains have not been shared equally, both across the globe and within regions, with development gaps wider for poor and ethnic groups and those at the lower end of the income strata.

Violence, conflicts and climate adversities have disproportionately impacted women, magnifying gender injustice and vulnerabilities.

Greater integration of women in the labor market – at all levels and in all sectors – is key to equitable, inclusive and sustainable development and is a legitimate right of women, UN reported.

Even though women constitute 50 percent of Asia-Pacific’s total working age population, their participation in formal employment is uniformly lower than that of men.

In many countries in the region, the national female employment-topopulation ratios are below 50 percent, which is not the case for men.

And in some countries, the female employment-to-population ratio drops below 30 percent.

Moreover, the contribution of women to the economies of Asia and the Pacific, through household and informal sector labor, is recognized but unrecorded in the national accounts.

UN estimates reveal that low participation by Asia-Pacific women in the labor market bears an opportunity cost of more than $89 billion each year. In South Asia and Central Asia, for example, the lower employment rates of women result in an average national income loss of nearly 19 percent and 16 percent, respectively.

A World Bank analysis illustrates that if women’s economic activity were on par with men’s, economic growth in many Asia-Pacific countries could increase by as much as 18 percent.

Equally disconcerting are trends in key Asia-Pacific social indicators.

For instance, the region accounts for close to 40 percent of the world’s maternal deaths, up to 70 percent of women experience violence during their lifetimes, female literacy levels in some pockets of South and South West Asia are below 50 percent, and women’s participation in national legislatures is, in too many instances, below 10 percent.

2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which is the global agenda for achieving gender equality and advancing the status of women and girls.

As part of the 20-year review, governments in Asia and the Pacific have identified women’s economic empowerment, political participation and elimination of violence as fundamental to our future, and a priority for achieving gender equality in the region.

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Nanoparticle helps diagnose cancers

Nov. 19, 2014

A researcher at Shiraz Medical University has synthesized a new nanoparticle to boost the contrast in MRI images and facilitate the diagnosis of different cancers.

Science & Technology

Iran launches production of blood bags, dialysis filters

Kish Air Show unveils aviation achievements

Science & Technology Desk Iranian researchers have launched the production line of blood bags and dialysis filters used in hemodialysis.

The production line was inaugurated in Eshtehard Industrial Town in Alborz province on November 17.

chinasunmed.com

Iran will attain self-sufficiency by producing 4.5 million blood bags and 7.5 million dialysis filters annually.

Hemodialysis is used to achieve the extracorporeal removal of waste products such as creatinine, urea and free water from the blood when the kidneys are suffering from renal failure.

Hemodialysis is one of the three renal replacement therapies (the other two being renal transplant and peritoneal dialysis).

en.mehrnews.com

Science & Technology Desk

Iranians produce photocatalysts for water treatment Iranian chemical researchers from the University of Isfahan have studied the production of nanocomposites with photocatalytic properties to modify industrial wastewater purification processes.

Results of the research have applications in various industries, including textile, dyeing and manufacturing of dyes, Fars News Agency reported.

Photocatalysts have wide applications in various industries.

Among their applications, mention can be made of purification of wastewater of dye and textile production. The aim of the research was to produce, identify and investigate the properties of zinc oxide/tin oxide nanocomposite as a photocatalyst.

The nanocomposite studied in this research has been synthesized through co-precipitation method by using cheap precursors.

The catalyst can be easily separated from the testing solution because the nanocomposite is coated on the glassy bed. Therefore, there is no need for the filtration of the final product to recover the catalyst.

Among other advantages of the product, mention can be made of desirable efficiency and the ability to degrade famous pigments in the wastewater of textile plants in a short period of time.

The average diameter of photocatalytic nanoparticles has been reported at about 18 nm. This product has a better performance in the elimination of dye pollutants than pure photocatalysts of zinc and tin.

The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite films was studied in the degradation of dyes under the radiation of ultraviolet light. Two semiconductors with different energy gaps were combined to increase the performance of semi-conductive photocatalyst.

Camera records Philae’s hairy landing High-resolution pictures have now been released of the Philae probe in the act of landing on Comet 67P last Wednesday.

They were acquired by the Narrow Angle Camera on the Rosetta satelnasa.gov lite, which had dropped the little robot towards the surface of the “ice mountain”.

The images are presented as a mosaic covering the half-hour or so around the “first touchdown” - the probe then bounced to a stop about 1 km away, BBC reported.

Philae lost battery power on Saturday and is no longer talking with Earth.

Scientists still have not located the craft’s current resting spot.

But European Space Agency controllers have not given up hope of hearing from the plucky robot again, if it can somehow get enough light on to its solar panels to recharge its systems.

Getting a precise fix on its location, to then photograph its present predicament would provide a better idea of whether this is likely to happen.

The new NAC images will certainly help in this respect because they show the direction the lander took as it bounced away.

I

ran has unveiled new aviation achievements in the Seventh International Kish Air Show, said the exhibition’s spokesman, Ali Mohammad Khan-Mohammadi.

According to ISNA, a locally-made amphibious aircraft is one of the products showcased in the event, which can take off and land on both land and

water.

An aerial firefighter and the Middle East’s largest aircraft are also on show.

Ultra light and light helicopters and aircrafts are other exhibits.

Khan-Mohammadi said, “The amphibious aircraft can move on water at a speed of 20 km/h. This floatplane can be used both for transferring passengers or troops.”

Air acrobatic teams from Poland us-

ing six Aero L-39 Albatros Jet aircraft are scheduled to perform in group or individually.

Parachute games, paramotor, airship and balloon flights are other programs of the exhibition.

Kish Development and Investment Company, fully supported by Kish Free Zone Organization, is holding the Kish Air Show in cooperation with the Civil Aviation Organization

of Iran.

Ten foreign and 84 Iranian companies are attending the four-day expo that opened on November 18 on Kish Island.

Domestic companies active in aviation, aerospace, airlines and related industries and universities as well as international companies are displaying their latest aviation and aeronautical achievements in the exhibition.

EKG poster developed in Isfahan Science & Technology Desk

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sfahan Medical University’s researchers have developed the poster of Rapid Interpretation of EKG. The Rapid Interpretation of EKG teaches the basics of interpreting electrocardiograms. It has a simple style and suited for medical students and junior residents.

Accurately identifying and interpreting EKG rhythm strips and EKG leads are vital skills needed by any healthcare practitioner providing care to a cardiac monitored patients.

The poster can be used by major hospitals, health centers, emergency medical services and universities throughout the country.

It was designed to help medical personnel accurately and rapidly identify different EKG rhythms and changes associated with ischemia, injury and infarction.

Medical personnel can initiate proper treatment, save valuable time, reduce critical errors and improve patient outcomes by using the poster.

The tool is an excellent investment for any medical personnel, EKG instructor or students wishing to acquire the vital skills of EKG rhythm interpretation and identification of normal/abnormal EKG changes associated with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG) is the recording of the electrical activity of the heart.

Traditionally, this is in the form of a transthoracic (across the thorax or chest) interpretation of the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time, as detected by electrodes attached to the surface of the skin and recorded or displayed by a device external to the body.

photo.elsoar.com

Iran produces anticancer nanodrug

learni.st

An Iranian knowledge-based company has developed an anticancer nanodrug named SinaDoxosome.

The medication has reportedly been prescribed for treating mammary and ovarian cancers and has also been exported to Syria, Mehr News Agency said.

Mahnaz Qomi, managing directing of Exir Nanosina knowledge-based company, said that the anticancer doxorubicin HCl liposome injection medication had been developed and marketed under the commercial brand name of SinaDoxosome for the first time in the Middle East.

“The nanodrug was developed in Sobhan Oncology Company and approved by the Health Ministry in 2012. The product reduces the size of malignant tumor through cancer cell necrosis,” she said.

“Major applications of SinaDoxosome are in treating mammary, advanced ovarian cancers, multiple myeloma and Kaposi’s sarcoma in AIDS patients,” she said.

Qomi said the public had indicated satisfaction with the efficacy of the drug.

“Since the product has been marketed, more than 6,000 vials of the drug have been prescribed for patients by oncologists. According to the parent company, foreign models of the drug are priced at $700 per vial, while the domestic product is priced at $116. Insurance coverage will reduce the cost to only $11,” she said.

The product has been distributed by Daroupakhsh Company.

According to Qomi, the product would save $5.4 million in importing the drug.

“If demand for the drug rises, the amount produced would increase up to 20,000 vials annually. Currently, 400 vials of the drug have been exported to Syria,” she said.

On the mechanisms of the drug function, Qomi said a great restriction and drawback of using doxorubicin was its side-effects in patients with a heart condition in the long run.

“However, using SinaDoxosome is absorbed selectively by cancer cells due to its 100nm size, ruling out the side-effects associated with concentration of the drug in healthy cells,” she said.

“The polyethylene glycol covering on liposome hides the drug from macrophages and improves the half-life of the drug in circulation,” she said.

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Fight HIV in Africa

Nov. 19, 2014

South Africa plans to spend $2.2 billion over two years to buy HIV/AIDS drugs for public hospitals, Rob Davies, a government minister, said on Monday, as a study shows the prevalence of the virus is rising.

Health

Calorie-restricting diets slow aging

Night shift work linked to obesity People who work the night shift are likely burning less energy during a 24-hour period than those on a normal schedule, increasing their risk for weight gain and obesity, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.

Researchers have known that people who work, and therefore eat, at night when their bodies are biologically prepared to sleep are prone to put on pounds. But the reasons have not been clear, dailyme.com reported.

fatiguescience.com

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he adage ‘you are what you eat’ has been around for years. Now, important new research provides another reason to be careful with your calories.

Neuroscientists at NYU Langone Medical Center have shown that calorie-reduced diets stop the normal rise and fall in activity levels of close to 900 different genes linked to aging and memory formation in the brain, Science Daily reported.

In a presentation prepared for the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 17, researchers say their experimental results, conducted in female mice, suggest how diets with fewer calories derived from carbohydrates likely deter some aspects of aging and chronic diseases in mammals, including humans.

“Our study shows how calorie restriction practically ar-

rests gene expression levels involved in the aging phenotype—how some genes determine the behavior of mice, people, and other mammals as they get old,” says senior study investigator and NYU Langone neuroscientist, Stephen D. Ginsberg, PhD. Ginsberg cautions that the study does not mean calorie restriction is the “fountain of youth,” but that it does “add evidence for the role of diet in delaying the effects of aging and age-related disease.”

While restrictive dietary regimens have been wellknown for decades to prolong the lives of rodents and other mammals, their effects in humans have not been well understood. Benefits of these diets have been touted to include reduced risk of human heart disease, hypertension, and stroke, Ginsberg notes, but the widespread genetic impact on the memory and learning regions of

aging brains has not before been shown. Previous studies, he notes, have only assessed the dietary impact on one or two genes at a time, but his analysis encompassed more than 10,000 genes.

Ginsberg, an associate professor at NYU Langone and its affiliated Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, says the research “widens the door to further study into calorie restriction and anti-aging genetics.”

For the study, female mice, which like people are more prone to dementia than males, were fed food pellets that had 30 percent fewer calories than those fed to other mice. Tissue analyses of the hippocampal region, an area of the brain affected earliest in Alzheimer’s disease, were performed on mice in middle and late adulthood to assess any difference in gene expression over time.

Lost languages leave a mark on the brain Babies adopted across international borders may not remember the language they heard in their first days, but the words leave a lasting mark on their minds, scientists said on Monday.

The study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is the first that employs brain imaging scans to show how we processes lost language, even years after it was last heard, Economic Times reported.

“What is kind of striking is that these traces are there even though they don’t really need them anymore,” said co-author Denise Klein of the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital at McGill University.

“The brain is responding to the information.”

The study by Canadian scientists included 48 girls, aged nine to 17.

Some were born and raised in a French family, speaking only French. Some were Chinese-born and adopted into French families, and learned to speak only French.

Others were fluent in both Chinese and French.

All three groups listened to Chinese language sounds while magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were taken.

They heard sounds like ma-ma, spoken in slightly

different tones. Those who don’t speak Mandarin would hear them just as sounds.

However, those with some knowledge of the language would know that depending on the tone, “ma” could mean mother, hemp, horse, or scold.

The children heard three syllable sounds and were asked to press a button to indicate if the final syllables sounded the same or different.

All the participants responded with high levels of accuracy to the quiz, but only some showed brain activity that indicated recognition, or what the study described as “linguistic relevance.”

The bilingual Chinese-French and the children adopted from China who had long forgotten any Chinese they’d learned as youths showed brain activity in the right and left hemispheres, while the monolingual French children showed brain activity only in the right hemisphere.

This signifies that those who had heard Chinese as babies were able to tell, somehow, that the sounds they were hearing were “language, or meaningfully related,” even if they no longer understood them, explained Klein.

The left temporal cortex was the center of activity

in the bilingual and Chinese-adopted children, whose average age at adoption had been 12.8 months.

“These regions have consistently been recruited in previous research on tonal processing and are thought to be important for the processing of tone in speakers of tonal languages,” said the PNAS study.

So even though they had little if any language ability by the time they were adopted, somehow their brains continued to process the sounds as meaningful an average of 12 years later.

But why? The study did not answer that question, but it intrigues scientists who would like to find out if there is some reason for the brain to retain this kind of recognition.

Klein described the MRI scans as showing that mental templates set up early in life are not overwritten by new pieces of information.

“Like everything in life we have to prune out what is irrelevant and focus on what is relevant,” she said.

Previous research has shown that babies initially respond to all languages heard in their environment, but as months go by, they stop responding to foreign tongues and turn their heads mainly when they hear their parents’ language.

Salt sensor helps people improve diet A small device that detects the amount of salt in food could help people with heart disease lower the amount of salt in their diet to improve their heart health, a new study shows.

The patients in the study who used the device reduced their daily salt intake from 3,894 milligrams to 3,604 mg over the three-month study period. The study participants also reported at the end of the study that they enjoyed eating foods with less salt, and 90 percent said they noticed that they were better able to detect small amounts of salt in their food.

“We had a goal each week: We wanted patients to adapt gradually to low-salt food,” said study researcher Misook Chung, an associate professor at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, livescience.com reported.

The battery-powered salt measurement device, which the researchers said cost about $40 to make, looks like a probe that “zaps” any hot, liquid food and instantly displays the salt level.

The study included 15 patients with heart failure.

About half of them received a salt monitoring device and were given detailed information about how to avoid high-salt foods, whereas the rest were given the standard nutrition information for heart failure patients, and served as a control group for comparison.

The study also included family members who were taking care of the patients, because they, too, should

watch their salt intake, the researchers said.

“When someone has heart failure, it means their family members are also at risk because family members have pretty much the same pattern of diet,” Chung said.

After three months, the patients and their caregivers who received the salt-monitoring devices had reduced their salt levels, as measured in urine tests, according to the study, which was presented at the meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA) on Sunday (Nov. 16).

The caregivers’ average daily salt intake decreased from 4,123 mg to 3,380 mg during the study, the researchers found. The study participants reported that using the device was easy and helpful in maintaining a low-salt diet.

The participants who did not engage in the program had no change in their salt levels during the study, the researchers said.

Salt is a nutrient that’s necessary for the body to function. But too much salt causes high blood pressure because it leads the body to hold excess fluid and makes the heart work harder, according to the AHA. Americans are advised to limit salt consumption to less than 2,300 mg (about 1 teaspoon) of salt per day.

People who have an increased risk of heart disease — including people ages 51 and older, African Americans and people with diabetes or kidney disease — should limit

their daily salt intake to 1,500 mg per day, according to US government dietary guidelines.

However, on average, Americans consume about 3,400 mg of salt per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the study, it wasn’t just the devices that helped people lower their salt intake, Chung said. The program also educated participants about the effects of high levels of salt, and told them what the recommended levels are and how to look for salt content on food labels.

Next, researchers are planning to study more longterm effects of the program, and examine whether participants can continue to keep their salt intake low for months and even years later.

For the new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 14 healthy adults spent six days at the University of Colorado Hospital’s Clinical and Translational Research Center. For the first two days, the participants followed a normal schedule sleeping at night and staying awake during the day. They then transitioned to a three-day shift work schedule when their routines were reversed.

“When people are on a shift work-type schedule, their daily energy expenditure is reduced and unless they were to reduce their food intake, this by itself could lead to weight gain,” said Kenneth Wright, director of CU-Boulder’s Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory and senior author of the paper.

During the experiment, participants’ meals were carefully controlled, and they were given the amount of food they would normally need to eat at home to maintain their current weight.

When the participants transitioned to the shift work schedule, the timing of their meals changed but the total amount of calories remained the same.

The participants also were given the same eight-hour sleep opportunity regardless of whether those hours were scheduled during the day or night.

The researchers found that total daily energy used by participants decreased when they were put on a shift work schedule. The reduction is probably linked to the mismatch between the person’s activities and their circadian clocks, Wright said.

Humans have evolved to be awake—and eat—when it’s light outside and sleep when it’s dark. In large part, the human circadian clock is set by exposure to sunlight.

People’s circadian clocks can shift over time—even radically—with the use of artificial lights if they aren’t exposed to the sun. But because shift workers typically switch back to a daytime schedule on their days off, their biological clocks don’t flip to fit their night shift schedules.

Premature infants benefit from early sodium supplementation Early sodium supplementation for very premature infants can enhance weight gain according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

a57.foxnews.com

The results of the study examined 53 infants during the first months of life who had been born at less than 32 weeks of pregnancy, Physorg reported.

Poor growth of premature infants can lead to negative neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, it is difficult to mimic natural growth rates for these infants. It is known that sodium is important to promote growth but fortified human milk and commercial formulas often lack the recommended levels of sodium. And while some healthcare providers supplement nutrition with sodium, there is little evidence to prove the benefits of early sodium supplementation for premature infants.

This study found significant differences between the infants who received sodium supplementation and those who received the placebo. The infants receiving sodium gained weight at a faster rate, had lower rates of hyponatremia (a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when the level of sodium in your blood is abnormally low), and no increase in common prematurity-related morbidities.

The researchers believe this study illustrates the benefits of achieving early sodium intake that is consistent with current recommendations in the most premature infants. They also recommend that more studies be conducted to ascertain the optimal dose and duration of sodium therapy and confirm the relationship between supplemental sodium, postnatal growth, and complications of prematurity.

A warm fire is better than any delicious food.

Entertainment

“When someone loves you, the way they talk about you is different. You feel safe and comfortable.” ― Jess C. Scott “I demolish my bridges behind me...then there is no choice but to move forward”. ― Fridtjof Nansen “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this - you haven’t.” ― Thomas A. Edison SWNS

“You’ve got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you’re not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice.” ― Steven D. Woodhull

PICTURE OF THE DAY rivertrain.blogspot.com

When however it reached the beach, they discovered that it was only a large faggot of sticks, and one of them said to his companions, “We have waited for no purpose, for after all there is nothing to see but a load of wood.”

Our mere anticipations of life outrun its realities.

SIMON ROY/MEDIA DRUM A squirrel has decided it would rather be behind the lens after spotting two brothers trying to take his picture in a park in York. Designer Simon Roy was visiting his local park with his brother, Ben, when the bold squirrel decided to interrupt their park life photo-session.

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Sunday’s solution

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Sudoku Sudoku was inspired by the table devised by Iranian mathematician Khwarizmi. Fill 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row and each of the nine 3×3 sub-grids that compose the grid, contains all of the digits from 1 to 9.

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Quick Crossword

“But just because you bury something, that doesn’t mean it stops existing.” ― Jenny Han

“Make your lives a masterpiece, you only get one canvas.” ― E.A. Bucchianeri

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Last year a couple married in Negombo, Sri Lanka, got 126 involved in their ceremony.

Nevertheless, Jayne’s efforts guaranteed a giant scramble for her bouquet. Her wedding to Shaun Lawrence, 53, last Saturday was so huge that police had to be drafted in to keep nearby streets clear.

She had 44 bridesmaids — including seven chief bridesmaids — along with 12 page boys and seven ushers.

They included friends, nieces, great-nieces and great-great nieces ranging in age from a ten-month-old baby to a 71-year-old pensioner.

Council worker Jayne, one of nine children, said: “We don’t do things by halves and I just wanted it to be as special as possible.

“I couldn’t decide which people to pick and I didn’t want to leave any of them out — so I chose all of them.

“I come from a really big family and I had always wanted to get everyone involved in my wedding. It just so happens that I ended up with 44 wonderful women to help me.

“They all mean so much to me, I thought why not have them all?

There was certainly a scramble for the bouquet, that’s for sure.

“I’d always said that if I got married I wanted everyone in my family involved.

“Obviously I didn’t think I’d get married at 50 but I wasn’t going to change what I’d always said, and now, my family is even bigger so everyone got involved.

“After we got engaged I started contacting all my nieces, and their children, and my close family friends.

“It was a really special day and we certainly haven’t heard of any wedding party larger than ours.”

Jayne, from Blackheath, West Mids, was walked down the aisle by her youngest brother Stuart Blakeway, 48, sister Yvonne Hobbs, 71, and brother-in-law Glyn, 70.

The bridesmaids were divided into teams and each group had a leader who arranged their shoes, accessories and matching dresses in varying shades of pink and purple.

“Healing is more about accepting the pain and finding a way to peacefully co-exist with it. In the sea of life, pain is a tide that will ebb and weave, continually.

We need to learn how to let it wash over us, without drowning in it. Our life doesn’t have to end where the pain begins, but rather, it is where we start to mend.” ― Jaeda DeWalt

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blushing bride had plenty of help organizing her big day — after recruiting 44 bridesmaids to make sure it went without a hitch.

Jayne Blakeway could not decide which friends and family to choose to lead her down the aisle for her special day — so picked all of them.

The 50-year-old broke the UK record for the biggest number of bridesmaids — but she would have needed nearly three times that to better the Guinness World Record, mirror.co.uk wrote.

Some travelers, journeying along the seashore, climbed to the summit of a tall cliff, and looking over the sea, saw in the distance what they thought was a large ship.

They waited in the hope of seeing it enter the harbor, but as the object on which they looked was driven nearer to shore by the wind, they found that it could at the most be a small boat, and not a ship.

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Wise Quotes

The seaside travelers

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Bride has 44 bridesmaids at huge wedding

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Afghan proverb

Nov. 19, 2014

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Double points rule

Nov. 19, 2014

Formula 1 is moving closer to ditching the controversial double points rule for 2015, as concerns mount that it could mar this season’s finale.

Sports

Bulls past Clippers Taj Gibson stole the ball from Jamal Crawford and passed to Jimmy Butler, who sank a 17footer, got fouled and made the free throw with two-tenths of a second left in first half.

Just like that the Bulls had erased all but two of a 14-point deficit, and sent the Clippers into a tailspin it never recovered from, AP reporetd.

Butler led six players in double figures with 22 points in a 105-89 win Monday night, helping Chicago improve to 6-0 on the road for the first time since 1996-97. And it did it without Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol.

With those two injured starters on the bench, the Bulls got contributions from nearly everyone else to remain the NBA’s only undefeated

road team while opening a season-long, sevengame trip.

“You tame ‘em one at a time,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “In this league, when you start feeling good about yourself, that’s usually when you get knocked down. So we’ve got to keep that edge.”

Taj Gibson had 20 points starting in place of Gasol, Mike Dunleavy Jr. added 19 points and Joakim Noah had 11 points and 16 rebounds.

“We just proved what we’ve proven time and again with this team — it’s a pretty resilient group,” Dunleavy said. “It doesn’t matter who’s out there for us. We’re going to come out and compete and give it everything we’ve got.”

The Bulls closed the second quarter with a 16-4 spurt to trail 50-48 at the half, highlighted

by Gibson’s steal and Butler’s three-point play.

“I don’t know how I was able to get a steal

on him (Crawford) because his dribble is so good,” Gibson said. “I’m just happy Jimmy was aware I was able to make the steal.”

Butler was coming off a career-high 32points in a loss to Indiana. He made 9 of 10 free throws, had eight assists and six rebounds.

“He’s having an All-Star season,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said of Butler, a fellow Marquette alum.

Jamal Crawford led the Clippers with 24 points off the bench, and Blake Griffin added 19 points and 10 rebounds. DeAndre Jordan had 10 points and 17 rebounds. Griffin was just 5 of 10 from the free throw line, where the Clippers were 10 of 22.

“We tried to force things,” Griffin said. “I don’t think it was a selfish thing. We were just searching. We just didn’t have it going and we pressed a little bit too hard.”

ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/ GETTY IMAGES

Iran sees off South Korea Sports Desk

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he Asian powerhouse Iran edged past South Korea 1-0 in a friendly match at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium, Tuesday.

Eight minutes before the time, Iran international striker Sardar Azmoun found the back of the net with a header after Javad Nekounam’s free-kick hit both posts.

In the early minutes of the game, the visitors created good scoring chances. Steered by Carlos Queiroz, Iran was counting on counterattacks to annul the chances.

Iran’s international right winger Ashkan Dejagah found his teammate Reza Qoochan-Nejad (Gucci), inside of the box but South Korea’s defenders prevented him.

Iran’s best moment came in the 35th minute of the match as Gucci’s header was saved by South Korean goalie.

After the break, Iran set the tempo of the match. Shotstopper Alireza Haqiqi produced a good performance by denying South Korea’s efforts many times.

The three-time Asian champion is gearing up for the upcoming 2015 Asian Cup in Australia.

In Group C, Iran is drawn with the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar. The upcoming event will kick off on January 9 and will run until January 31.

Iran, 44th in the FIFA rankings, will array against Bahrain in the opener at Melbourne’s Rectangular Stadium on January 11.

The winner of the tournament will book a ticket to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia.

Titleholder Japan with four titles has been grouped with Jordan, Iraq and Palestine.

Group A features Australia, South Korea, Oman and Kuwait. Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, China and North Korea are in Group B. It is the first time that the Asian tourney is being hosted out of the continent.

MEHDI MOAZZEN/IRNA

Iranian players jubilate after scoring a goal against South Korea in a friendly at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on November 18, 2014. The match ended 1-0 in Iran’s favor as Sardar Azmoun scored in the 82nd minute.

Iran claims ABG bronze in sepaktakraw Iran sepaktakraw landed in the third position at the fourth edition of the Asian Beach Games (ABG) currently underway in Thailand's largest island of Phuket.

On Monday, the Iranian squad ended its campaign at the sporting event as it lost 2-1 to a resolute South Korean team at Patong Cluster in Phuket, situated approximately 860 kilometers south of the capital, Bangkok, but still walked away with a bronze, Press TV reported.

South Korean sepaktakraw players started the game energetically, and won most of the points in their way to lead at the end of the first set 54-29.

Iranian sportsmen returned to action refreshed and seemingly regained composure in the second set. The team made optimal use of its strengths and resources and finished it by 42 points to 26.

South Korean athletes regained its lead in the third set, and managed to beat the opposite side 42-26 at the end of the set.

The host, Thailand, also stood atop the podium.

The fourth edition of the Asian Beach Games opened in Phuket on November 14, and will conclude on November 23. The tournament has brought together more than 3,500 athletes and officials from 45 Asian countries.

Iran has dispatched a contingent of 85 athletes to the event. The Iranians are competing in 17 out of 26 sports during the tournament.

Iran ranks sixth in the 2014 Asian Beach Games, having collected four gold, seven silver and five bronze medals.

Thailand tops the medal count table with a total of 42 (13 gold, 12 silver and 17 bronze), Japan stands second with 12 (6 gold medal, 3 silver and 3 bronze) while Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan are in the third to fifth spots.

Rooney's Everton return 'possible'

Eriksson lands new £4m a year job in China sbs.com.au

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is the new manager of Chinese Super League side Shanghai East Asia, signing a two-year deal worth around £4m-a-year.

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is the new manager of Chinese Super League side Shanghai East Asia, signing a two-year deal worth around £4m-a-year, eurosport.com reported.

The Swede is expected to double his salary following a 15-month spell with Guangzhou R&F where he was reportedly earning up to £2m-a-year.

66-year-old Goran Eriksson left Guangzhou by mutual agreement last week after taking the team to third in the CSL, the club said.

The CSL is currently the most popular football league in Asia and is slowly emerging from years of match-fixing scandals that tarnished the image of the sport in China.

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright believes it is possible that Wayne Rooney may one day want to return to Goodison Park to finish his career with the Toffees.

Rooney, 29, came through the youth ranks at Everton, but left the blue half of Merseyside in 2004 to join Manchester United for B£27million, pasport.com reported.

At the time Rooney left Merseyside in acrimonious circumstances, with Everton fans angered by his decision to request a move, but in the decade since tensions have softened somewhat and Kenwright believes he could go back.

When asked if he could see it happening one day, Kenwright told the BBC, “Yes. He comes back to Goodison. He’s an Evertonian and his family are. He is welcome to come back.”

It was Kenwright who reluctantly agreed to sell Rooney to United 10 years ago when the Croxteth-born striker was 18 years old.

Rooney left Goodison just two months after exploding onto the international stage at Euro 2004. He has since gone on to become England captain and is currently joint third on his country's all-time goalscoring list with 44 strikes in 100 appearances.

During his time at the Red Devils so far, Rooney has also racked up five Premier League titles, a Champions League triumph, two League Cups and a FIFA Club World Cup victory.

Although Kenwright says he would be open to Rooney returning, he insisted the final decision would always be up to manager Roberto Martinez – who he hopes will be holding the reins at Goodison for the foreseeable future. squawka.com

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Nov. 19, 2014

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): He who is moderate shall not taste poverty.

Arts & Culture

Minister emphasizes book reading culture

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Arts & Culture Desk Books are required to become an inseparable item in the Iranian families’ consumer basket, said the minister of culture and Islamic guidance.

Speaking in a ceremony on Tuesday to pay tribute to librarians and promote the culture of book reading, Ali Jannati said librarians play an effective role in improving and promoting the culture of book reading, IRNA reported.

He added, “I hope that in the future the people’s assets will be assessed more on the basis of book reading habits rather than their wealth.”

The more the people of a country read books, the easier they can deal with the ups and downs of life, he noted.

Jannati said, “As some of the great Iranian figures have always underlined, book is man’s best friend. A lonely person feels great sorrow most of the time.”

A brief look at the brilliant history of Islam shows that from the very first decade of the religion’s emergence, books have always been attractive to Muslims and great importance has been attached to promoting the culture of book reading, he stressed.

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Winners of the Second Cartoon in Books Biennial were awarded on November 17 in Tehran.

Pulitzer prize-winning author to speak at Tehran Univ.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Harvard scholar Stephen Greenblatt is to deliver the keynote speech at the First International Conference on Shakespeare Studies at the University of Tehran.

One of the world’s most celebrated scholars in humanities, Greenblatt will visit the University of Tehran on November 26 to deliver a speech titled ‘Shakespeare and the Human Condition’, Press TV reported.

IRNA AMIRHOSSEIN BANDI/IRNA

ITI head: Iranian theater significant in ME Organized by the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, the conference will run until November 27, and will explore themes such as ‘Shakespeare and Political Discourse’, ‘Shakespeare and Adaptation’, ‘Radical Shakespeare’ and ‘Shakespeare and Popular Culture’.

Eminent scholars from the Americas, Asia and Europe will attend the conference.

Getty Foundation launches online art collection catalogs The Getty Foundation, together with eight major museums, is leading the way in digital publishing for museums, including the recent launch of an interactive, multimedia catalog by the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the final publication from the group.

The Getty Foundation began the Online Scholarly Catalog Initiative (OSCI) in 2009 in partnership with the J. Paul Getty Museum and eight other museums: the Art Institute of Chicago; the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the Seattle Art Museum; Tate; and the Walker Art Center.

Together the group has been tackling the challenges of online publishing by creating new prototypes for scholarly catalogues in the online environment, artdaily.org said.

“Publishing scholarly collection catalogus is a critical part of a museum’s mission, yet printed volumes are costly to produce and difficult to update,” said Deborah Marrow, director of the Getty Foundation.

While many organizations are charging a premium for this type of online content, the OSCI group is providing it free of charge as a resource to scholars and the general public.

nian artists at international events is quite essential.

“Given the great potentials of Iranian theater artists, I announce our readiness to participate in international events.”

The International Theater Institute ITI is the world’s largest performing arts organization founded in 1948 by theater and dance experts and UNESCO. Dedicated to performing arts, ITI advances UNESCO’s goals of mutual understanding and peace and advocates the protection and promotion of cultural expressions, regardless of age, gender, creed or ethnicity.

It works to these ends internationally and nationally in the areas of arts education, international exchange and collaboration, and youth training.

ITI organizes the International Dance Day and World Theater Day every year at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

Arts & Culture Desk

I

ran is one of the most important theater bases in the Middle East, said the president of the International Theater Institute.

Speaking at the 34th ITI Annual Conference, Ramendu Majumdar also said that Iranian theater has prominent directors, playwrights and artists.

In a meeting with Director General of Iran’s Performing Arts Center Hossein Taheri, Majumdar said, “Iranian theater is one of the prominent members of ITI.” “Iranian artists can influence world theater in the near future,” he said, adding that he attended the Iranian Fajr International Theater Festival nearly five years ago, and is well-acquainted with Persian drama, according to IRNA. Taheri also appreciated the efforts of Majumdar, and said, “In the present global condition, the presence of Ira-

Mashayekhi to review music at Artists House Arts & Culture Desk Noted Iranian composer Nader Mashayekhi will attend a specialized music session at Tehran’s Artists House on November 22.

One of the compositions

by Greek-French composer and music theorist Iannis Xenakis will be presented at the event, and later Mashayekhi will introduce and analyze the piece.

Xenakis is mainly recognized as one of the most important post-war avantgarde composers. The artist pioneered the use of mathematical models in music such as applications of set theory, stochastic processes and game theory and was also an important influence on the development of electronic and computer music.

The session will take place at the house’s Shahnaz Hall.

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Iranian illustrators shortlisted for S. Korean event Nine Iranian illustrators have been chosen for the South Korean Nami Concours 2015 Illustration Competition following preliminary selection.

The list includes 94 illustrators, selected from 1,330 participants from 71 countries.

Following South Korea, with 15 illustrators, Iran and Italy are jointly ranked second, announced the Association of Iranian Illustrators.

According to Nami Concours website, Iran’s share is almost 20 percent among 56 Middle East participants. A review of the number of applicants from other regions on the shortlist reveals the high-quality of works submitted by Iran, IRNA said.

The winner will receive a Grand Prix (plaque and $10,000), while two illustrators will bag the Golden Island prize (plaque and $5,000), three illustrators will get the Green Island award (plaque and $2,000) and 10 others will take the Purple Island prize (certificate and plaque).

Iranian illustrators Melika Saeeda, Yekta Jebeli, Narges Mohammadi, Ali Dalvand, Reza Dalvand (with two works) Zahra Mohammad-Nejad, Ali Amekan, Hassan Amekan and Azar Teimouri are on the list.

Nami Concours 2015 aims to encourage artists’ creativity and contribute to the advancement of the quality of picture book illustrations. It is organized biennially by Nami Island, the official sponsor of IBBY Hans Christian Andersen Awards.

Shortlisted candidates who are selected in the preliminary selection should submit either originals or quality prints of the illustration works until December 31.

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