Hawzah News Agency- The following headlines appeared in English-language newspapers in the Iranian capital on Sunday, December 1, 2024:
** IRAN DAILY
-- Japan to assist in normalizing Iran’s FATF status
The head of Japan’s delegation to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced that Tokyo intends to support the process of normalizing Iran’s status and helping it exit the list of high-risk countries for money laundering and terrorist financing.
According to a report by IRNA on Saturday, Hadi Khani, the secretary of the High Council for the Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing who also heads Iran’s Financial Intelligence Unit, met with Mitsutoshi (Toshi) Kajikawa, the deputy vice minister of finance for international affairs at Japan’s Ministry of Finance.
-- Iran’s Digital Rial explained from A to Z
The governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has announced the imminent launch of the Digital Rial, stating that it is currently in the pilot phase.
The CBI has entered this field at the right time, said Mohammadreza Farzin, emphasizing that many countries are developing or researching digital currencies to optimize their financial systems. Iran, too, has engaged in the experimental stage, testing the Digital Rial on Kish Island.
The Digital Rial is already being used in several banks, including Bank Melli Iran, Bank Mellat, and Bank Tejarat. Five more banks are expected to join the project soon.
-- Soil erosion rate over four times global standard: Minister
Iran’s Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri-Qezeljeh warned that the country’s soil erosion rate is approximately 16.5 tons per hectare annually — more than four times the global standard, stressing that reversing this trend is essential for ensuring food security.
Speaking at the World Soil Day event in Tehran on Saturday, held under the theme of “Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage,” the minister highlighted the critical role of soil in food production and emphasized that environmental protection, particularly soil conservation, is included in Iran’s Constitution.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Khayyam Satellite gives Iran ‘Super Resolution’ images
The head of the Iranian Space Research Center has announced the successful production of “super resolution” satellite images with a resolution of 35 to 45 centimeters, derived from data collected by the Khayyam Satellite.
Hassan Salarieh said the achievement marks the first time such images have been produced in collaboration with knowledge-based companies. He explained that the images were generated using a pixel-breaking method and advanced processing techniques, eliminating the need for auxiliary data.
-- Mashhad listed among League of Historical Cities
Iran’s northeastern city of Mashhad has officially become a member of the League of Historical Cities (LHC), bringing the number of Iranian cities in the international organization to 12, its mayor Muhammadreza Ghalandar Sharif said Saturday.
Ghalandar Sharif said the LHC is the world’s foremost international organization focused on the preservation of historical and cultural heritage in urban areas.
“The League emphasizes collaboration to achieve lasting global peace and aims to preserve the identity and historical heritage of cities, raise awareness, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences in safeguarding historical monuments and, introducing and utilizing these assets effectively,” he said.
-- Iranian researcher develops smart rehabilitation glove
A an Iranian researcher has developed a smart rehabilitation glove that uses advanced technologies to help patients improve their movements and rehabilitation.
Amin Qorbani, a PhD student in industrial management at the Tabriz branch of the Islamic Azad University, won the silver medal at the most prestigious American innovation festival (Innoverse 2024) with his invention.
“This innovative glove, using advanced technologies, helps patients improve their movements and rehabilitation, and is considered a major step in the advancement of the fields of medicine and rehabilitation,” he told the Azad News Agency.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Canada’s Muslim International Film Festival excludes Iran’s “Ahmad” amid political pressure
Iranian film “Ahmad,” directed by Amir Abbas Rabiei, has been removed from screening at the 5th Muslim International Film Festival (MIFF) in Toronto, Canada.
The film recounts the untold story of the first 18 hours following the devastating 2003 Bam earthquake in Kerman province, highlighting a heroic action by the late Army Brigadier General Ahmad Kazemi. It was scheduled to be screened on Saturday. This decision came after interference from opposition media and a protest by Canadian MP Kevin Vuong, who described the showcasing of a film honoring an IRGC commander as "abhorrent."
-- Gas consumption expected to rise by 100 mcm
Natural gas consumption in Iran is expected to increase by 100 million cubic meters (mcm) in the coming weeks following the significant temperature drop across the country, according to estimations made by the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC).
As reported, the temperature across the country is expected to drop even more in the coming weeks, and gas consumption currently standing at about 500 mcm is expected to exceed 600 mcm
-- Archaeologist calls for increased excavations of Neolithic sites in Kermanshah
Hojjat Darabi, an archaeologist and faculty member at Razi University in Kermanshah, has called for intensified archaeological excavations in the Kermanshah region, emphasizing its unparalleled significance for understanding the Neolithic era.
Speaking to ISNA, Dr. Darabi on Saturday highlighted the region’s rich array of prehistoric sites, which have the potential to shed light on the early stages of agriculture and settlement.
