** IRAN DAILY
-- Bill eyes 8% economic growth for next year
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi submitted the national budget bill for the next Iranian year (to start March 20, 2024) to Parliament on Tuesday.
The proposed budget for next year amounts to about 54.18 quadrillion rials (about $108.36 billion at the free market rate of 500,000 rials per dollar), with an 18 percent rise from the current year’s budget.
-- Iranian firms seek new markets at Eurasia Expo
The second edition of the Eurasia Expo which is underway in Tehran, December 4-7, is an opportunity for Iranian firms to showcase their potentials including techno-engineering services and products for being exported to a 180-million market.
Specialized seminars and conferences in the fields of transport, banking and monetary issues, trade, scientific, tourism and new technology-based sectors are scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the exhibition.
-- Iran’s Nazanin Farahani awarded best actress at Asia-Pacific Film Festival
Iranian actress Nazanin Farahani was honored as Best Actress at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival for her performance in the film, ‘The Sun of that Moon,’ directed by Setareh Eskandari.
The award was presented during the sixtieth edition of the Asia-Pacific Film Festival, organized by the Fairtrade Network of Asia & Pacific Producers from November 30 to December 2, in Macao.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
-- Iran, Russia Futsal Teams to Play Friendly Matches
Iran’s national futsal team will play two friendly matches against Russia in Lar, Fars Province.Iran will meet Russia as part of preparation for the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup, which will be held in Thailand from April 17 to 28.
Team Melli is scheduled to face the Russian team on December 18 and 19. Iran coach Vahid Shamsaei has invited veteran Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh for these matches.
-- Shiraz to Hold Int’l Conference of Isar Poetry
The 8th International Conference of Isar Poetry will be held in Iran’s city of Shiraz to highlight the role of martyrdom in the country’s culture.
Shiraz which is the home to some prominent poets like Hafiz and Sa’adi will host the literary event on February 18-19. The participants can submit their artworks in five poetry formats.
-- Five New Iranian Films Greenlighted for Release
The Iranian Organization of Cinema and Audiovisual Affairs has greenlighted the upcoming theatrical release of five new Iranian films. The decision was made in the 29th session of the Guild Council of Screening held in the Iranian Cinema Organization.
Among the permitted films are ‘Beachfront Villa’ directed by Kianoush Ayyari and produced by Reza Rakhshan, ‘Counter’ directed by Amir Abbas Rabiee and produced by Muhammadreza Shafiee, and ‘No Entry’ directed by Omid Aqaee and produced by Morteza Shayesteh.
** TEHRAN TIMES
-- Iranian documentary wins award at Grand Off festival
Iranian documentary “Austrian Bridge” directed by Ahmad Azad received an award at the 17th edition of Grand OFF - World Independent Film Awards, which came to an end in Warsaw, Poland, on Monday.
The film won the best cinematography award, honoring its cinematographer Reza Heidaripanah. "Austrian Bridge" follows the story of Veresk Bridge, which spans two cliffs in the Abbasabad area, connects the railways of Tehran to the Caspian Sea region. The arch bridge is one of the masterpieces of engineering of the 20th century.
-- Over 130 Iranian women among world's top 1% most-cited researchers
Some 135 out of 938 Iranian researchers who have been recognized among the world's top one percent most-cited researchers in 2023 are female scholars. In 2023, 938 top researchers affiliated with Iranian organizations have been identified, which shows a 12 percent increase compared to the previous year. Over the past decade, the number of highly-cited researchers in the country has been growing.
Women are an important part of society, playing an important role in the development of human societies, IRNA quoted Ahmad Fazelzadeh, the head of the Islamic World Science and Technology Monitoring and Citation (ISC) Institute, as saying.
-- Yazd hotels to trial scheme for handicrafts’ practical application
The UNESCO-designated city of Yazd has been selected for a pilot project to ensure a practical application of handicrafts in its hotels and guest houses.
Yazd has been chosen as a pilot city for implementing the practical application of handicrafts in Iran’s accommodation and hospitality units.
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