BARRAK URGES RECONCiliATiON, REFORMS TO 'RESCUE ...

DUBAI: The chief of Qatar Airways yester-day accused American carriers complain-ing over alleged subsidies to Gulf airlinesof “bullying”, as he announced new USroutes in defiance of mounting airportrestrictions. US carriers Delta, United andAmerican Airlines have accused QatarAirways along with Dubai’s Emirates andAbu Dhabi’s Etihad of benefiting fromgovernment subsidies to expand theirtranscontinental networks. They haveurged US President Donald Trump totake action against the Gulf airlines, whodeny any form of subsidy.

Speaking to reporters at the annualArabian Travel Market in Dubai, QatarAirways chief Akbar Al-Baker said hedidn’t expect any action fromWashington. “President Trump is a wiseindividual and a very good businessman,and I don’t think he will buy into bullyingby the three American carriers,” Baker said.Qatar Airways was among the airlinesaffected by the ban imposed last monthon electronic devices larger than a smart-phone on flights to the United States from10 airports in the Middle East and Turkey.

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Tangible strides, clear reforms to build economy in Vision 2035

Syrian refugees are New York tourists for the day

No hurry as inspirational centenarian wins gold

Nearing 100-day mark, Trump says milestone not ‘meaningful’

Barrak urges reconciliation, reforms to ‘rescue’ KuwaitFreed opposition leader extends olive branch to govt

KUWAIT: Prominent opposition leader Musallam Al-Barrak called yesterday for national reconciliation to res-cue the state just days after his release from jail. Barrak,61, was freed from prison on Friday after serving a two-year sentence for insulting HH the Amir in public, acharge he had denied. The former lawmaker told thou-sands of supporters at a rally yesterday that the statehad reached “the lowest point in its modern history”.

“Kuwait is headed to catastrophe in all fields... It is soclose to becoming a failed state,” Barrak said. He calledon the government to initiate talks to achieve compro-mise in the state which has suffered bitter political dis-putes in the past decade. “If the government makes aserious step towards political reforms, we are ready tomake many steps,” Barrak said.

He said that no one in the opposition was trying tooverthrow the regime. “No one disputes the constitu-tional legality of the Al-Sabah family,” he said. But Barraksaid that for reconciliation to succeed, the governmentmust reinstate revoked citizenships of opposition fig-ures and scrap all freedom-curbing legislation issued inthe past few years. He also demanded amnesty for allactivists, that the judiciary should be allowed to handlecitizenship cases and called for cleaning security agen-cies of “corrupt” elements.

As a result of lingering political disputes between thegovernment and opposition groups, the NationalAssembly has been dissolved seven times since 2006,the last of which was in October. — AFP

KUWAIT: Freed opposition leader Musallam Al-Barrak addresses supporters at a rally yesterday. — Photo byYasser Al-Zayyat

STOCKHOLM: Russia became the world’s third largestmilitary spender in 2016 despite low oil prices and eco-nomic sanctions, as the global expenditure rose for asecond consecutive year, a study said yesterday. Russia’smilitary spending was $69.2 billion in 2016, a 5.9 percentrise over 2015, the Stockholm International PeaceResearch Institute (SIPRI) said in a report, adding this wasthe highest proportion of its GDP since it became anindependent state. “This increased spending and heavyburden on the economy comes at a time when theRussian economy is in serious trouble due to low oil andgas prices and the economic sanctions imposed since2014,” (by the West over the Ukraine conflict), SIPRI said.

Saudi Arabia was the third largest spender in 2015but dropped to fourth place in 2016 as its expenditurefell by 30 percent to $63.7 billion, “despite its continuedinvolvement in regional wars”, it added. “Falling oil rev-enue and associated economic problems attached tothe oil-price shock has forced many oil-exporting coun-tries to reduce military spending,” SIPRI researcher NanTian said — AFP (See Page 10)

Russia increases military spending despite sanctions

CHICAGO: Former US president BarackObama returned to the public spotlightyesterday, saying he hopes to spend thenext phase of his life helping to “preparethe next generation of leadership”. Afterthree months off, Obama broke hissilence in his adopted hometown ofChicago, speaking to high school andcollege students about the need forgreater civic engagement. The 55-year-old Democrat, who ended his two termsat the White House in January - handing

power over to Donald Trump - said hewas “incredibly optimistic” about thefuture, and that problems facingAmerica could be solved.

“On the back end now of my presi-dency, now that it’s completed, I’mspending a lot of time thinking aboutwhat is the most important thing I cando for my next job?” Obama said in hisopening remarks at the University ofChicago, where he once was a lecturer

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Obama says ready to train new leaders in first speech

Qatar Airways slams ‘bullying’Airline sees ‘manageable’ decline in flights to US

DUBAI: Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker speaks at a press conference during theArabian Travel Market exhibition yesterday. — AP

WASHINGTON: A Silicon Valley “flying car” startup, KittyHawk, reportedly backed by Google co-founder LarryPage, released a video yesterday of its airborne proto-type and announced plans for deliveries of a “personalflying machine” this year. “Our mission is to make thedream of personal flight a reality. We believe wheneveryone has access to personal flight, a new, limitlessworld of opportunity will open up to them,” said a state-ment on the website of the Kitty Hawk company, basedin Google’s home town of Mountain View, California.“Today we’re announcing our first prototype of TheFlyer, a personal flying machine that will become avail-able for sale by the end of 2017.”

The video showed the single-seat aircraft - with twopontoons and a spider web-like platform - taking offfrom a lake at an undisclosed location and hoveringabove the water, where it is meant to be used. The craft,propelled by eight rotors, takes off and lands vertically,like a helicopter. It is said to weigh about 100 kg, fly atspeeds up to 40 kph and can hover at 4.5 m high. Thecompany describes the Flyer as “a new, all-electric air-craft”, which is “safe, tested and legal to operate in the

Continued on Page 13

‘Flying machine’ maker plans deliveries

Cimeron Morrissey, an outdoor sports enthusiast and freelance writer, flies on theKitty Hawk Flyer prototype. — AFP

WASHINGTON: The US government put 271 Syrianchemists and other officials on its financial blacklistyesterday, punishing them for their role in the deadlychemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town in ear-ly April. In one of its largest-ever sanctions announce-ments, the US Treasury Department took aim at theSyrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC),which it said was responsible for developing thealleged sarin gas weapon used in the April 4 attack.

The attack left 87 dead, including many children,in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, provoking outrage inthe West, which accused Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad of being responsible. The sanctions include afreeze on all assets in the United States belonging to271 individuals on the blacklist, and block anyAmerican person or business from dealing withthem. According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, aWashington-based think-tank, the SSRC is Syria’sleading scientific research center, with close links tothe country’s military.

The center itself was already the subject of twosanctions declarations, in 2005 and 2007, due to itsalleged role in developing weapons of mass destruc-tion. The Treasury said in a statement yesterday thatthe SSRC is specifically behind the Syrian govern-ment’s efforts to develop chemical weapons and themeans to deliver them. The 271 either have specificscientific expertise for the program or have beeninvolved in it since 2012, it said.

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US blacklists 271 Syrian chemists

over sarin attack

L O C A LTUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

KUWAIT: Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas has left Kuwait fol-

lowing a two-day official visit to thecountry, where he held official talks

with His Highness the Amir SheikhSabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.The Palestinian leader was seen off atthe airport by His Highness the Amir,His Highness the Crown Prince SheikhNawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah,National Assembly Speaker MarzouqAl-Ghanem, His Highness the PrimeMinister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, First Deputy PrimeMinister and Minister of Foreign AffairsSheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister andMinister of Defense SheikhMohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister andMinister of Interior Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Ministerand Minister of Finance Anas Al-Saleh,and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairsand Acting Minister of InformationSheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, in addition to sen-ior commanders of the army, police,National Guard and Kuwait Fire ServiceDirectorate. — KUNA

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah bids farewellPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah andPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas walk hand-in-hand prior to thePalestinian leader’s departure yesterday. — Amiri Diwan photos

Palestinian leader leaves Kuwait

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh SabahAl-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah accompanied byHis Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh NawafAl-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received yesterdayat Bayan Palace Tawadros I I , the Pope ofAlexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Markand his accompanying delegation. HisHighness the Amir asserted on the importanceof dialogue and understanding in all religionsand to bolster a culture of forgiveness and tol-

erance among all people. Deputy Minister ofAmiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabahattended the meeting.

Pope Tawadros II expressed happiness overhis meeting with His Highness the Amir as wellas his visit to Kuwait, which is known for its toler-ance and kindness of its people. Pope TawadrosII, in a mass in the Saint Mark Coptic OrthodoxChurch, commended Kuwait-Egypt deep-rootedrelations at the official and public levels.

“I have been longing to visit Kuwait which Iknew through Al-Arabi Magazine; the giftoffered by Kuwait for all intellectuals in the Arabworld, which speaks to the mind and speaksabout human knowledge,” he said. PopeTawadros II, whose mass was about ‘love,’ said hislove for Kuwait grew stronger following themeeting with His Highness the Amir and somecitizens. He urged attendees to spread love inwords and deeds.—KUNA

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-JaberAl-Sabah meet with Tawadros II, the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark. — Amiri Diwan and KUNA photos

Tawadros II, the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of StMark meets with Rev Emmanuel Gharib, Chairman of the NationalEvangelical Church of Kuwait.

Tawadros II, the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of StMark attends a mass in the Saint Mark Coptic Orthodox Church inKuwait.

Amir meets Tawadros II

KUWAIT: Under the patronage of andin the presence of His Highness thePrime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the 14thArab Media Forum commenced inKuwait Sunday evening. Addressingthe audience during the opening ses-sion, Kuwait’s Minister of State forCabinet Affairs and Acting Minister ofInformation Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah wel-comed Arab and international guestsparticipating in the two-day event. Hehighlighted the great impact of theinformation and telecommunicationrevolution on Arab media.

“As it evolved tools and approaches,the telecommunication revolution hasalso changed ways of thinking andbehaviors. It was a surprise for all,” hesaid. During the opening session,Secretary General of the Arab MediaForum Madhi Al-Khamis honored His

Highness the Prime Minister SheikhJaber Al-Mubarak in recognition of hispatronage to the forum as well as hissupport to Arab media.

On the sidelines of the main session,His Highness Sheikh Jaber met severalArab media figures participating in theforum. The 14th edition of the forum,held under rubric of ‘Media.. Life’ wit-nesses a number of seminars, work-shops, and discussion panels related tomedia, featuring many of the event’smost prominent attendees. The forumalso features a special exhibition dedi-cated to media and technology com-munications, which is expected to wit-ness the attendance of nearly 1,000 dis-tinguished media personalities fromArab and foreign media institutionsthat were specially invited to this event.The Arab Media Forum was founded inKuwait in 2003 with the aim of devel-oping Arab media. — KUNA

Arab Media Forum officially

kicks off 14th edition

KUWAIT: Secretary General of the Arab Media Forum Madhi Al-Khamis (left) hon-ors His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah during opening session of the 14th Arab Media Forum. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunica-tions company in Kuwait, announced its par-ticipation in the inauguration ceremony of the14th edition of the Arab Media Forum. Thecompany is the Diamond sponsor of the event,which came under the patronage and atten-dance of His Highness the Prime MinisterSheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs andActing Minister of Information SheikhMohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah visitedZain’s booth at the event, where he expressed

his admiration of Zain’s strategic partnershipof the Arab Media Forum during the past sixconsecutive years. The company is keen onenriching media involvement, being a leadingprivate sector company in the country.

The opening day witnessed the attendanceof many Arab ministers, journalists, and mediapersonalities, including the Bahraini Ministerof Information Ali Al-Rumaihi, the OmaniMinister of Information Dr Abdulmonem Al-Hosni, the former Moroccan Minister ofForeign Affairs Mohamed Benaissa, and more.

The first day program witnessed a numberof seminars, workshops, and discussion panelsrelated to media, featuring many of the event’smost prominent attendees, including SaudiProfessor of Psychology Dr Treq Al-Habib,Saudi media personality Lujain Omran, Emiratisinger Ahlam, Lebanese media personalityRaaghda Shalhoob, Jordanian media personal-ity Ola Faris, and more.

Zain participated in the forum through itsdedicated booth, where the company hostedand interviewed a number of prominent

guests and live-streamed the interviews onits official YouTube channel. The companywas keen on utilizing the latest telecommu-nications tools to document the event, fur-ther highlighting the big role social mediaplays nowadays in communities all aroundthe world.

Zain’s strategic partnership of this forumhighlights its social commitment, as the com-pany believes in the importance of the rolepress and media plays in the development ofcommunities. Zain will continue supporting

this very important sector which carries sig-nificant and informative messaging to thepublic at large and the communicationsworld as a whole.

The Arab Media Forum has proven itself tobe one of the region’s most prominent eventsthat attend to Arab media. Since 2003, theevent brought together many ministers, edi-tors-in-chief of local and regional newspapers,media executives, journalists, academics,authors, actors, businessmen, and social fig-ures from all around the Arab world.

KUWAIT: Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, Bahraini Minister ofInformation Ali Al-Rumaihi, Omani Minister of Information Dr Abdulmonem Al-Hosni, and former Moroccan Minister of Foreign AffairsMohamed Benaissa pose at Zain’s booth.

A picture taken from the live-streamed interview of Bahraini Minister of InformationAli Al-Rumaihi.

Zain participates in Arab Media Forum inauguration

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah chairs the cabi-net’s meeting yesterday. —KUNA


Kuwait plays pivotal role inthe fight against IS: McGurk‘We cannot do anything against Daesh without Kuwait’

KUWAIT: The visiting US Special Presidential Envoyfor the Global Coalition to Counter the So-calledIslamic State (IS) Brett McGurk said yesterday thatKuwait’s role is pivotal in the fight against IS. “Thepurpose of my visit is just to say thanks to Kuwaitfor all what Kuwait has done and continues to dofor the United States, particularly in this very diffi-cult campaign against Daesh (IS), so I helped organ-ize a global coalition, we cannot do anythingagainst Daesh (IS) without Kuwait,” McGurk said inan exclusive interview.

He added “obviously we have been in close mili-tary partners with Kuwait, and I hope this wouldcontinue, your critical voice of moderation here inthe region, you are a co-chair of what we call a for-eign fighter working group within the global coali-tion together with Turkey and Netherlands.” Theenvoy noted that they were “constantly comparinginformation about how to go after this enemy in aneffective way.”

Other side of the battleMcGurk noted that he started his visit in Kuwait

meeting with Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS),to see the other side of the battle, because this wasa military campaign “to liberate people from thegrips of Daesh (IS), and to make sure that afterDaesh they can get on with their lives” with the helpof relief organizations. The Special presidentialenvoy also noted that since late 2014 when theyformed the coalition, they have “liberated 50,000square kilometers of territory from Daesh, but moreimportant than the territory are the people, we’veliberated 2.5 million people who had been livingunder these terrorists.

“In Iraq we also helped 1.6 million displaced peo-ple return back to their homes” due to the “multifac-eted campaign we put together, and because of theextraordinary work that Kuwait has done, particular-ly in the humanitarian side and stabilization side, so Iwas very pleased to start my visit with KRCS,”McGurk said. McGurk, on a two-day official visit,said he was eager to meet with Kuwaiti officials toknow how to step up the anti-IS campaign “evenbetter. “We are grateful for all you’ve (Kuwaitis) doneand for our important partnership,” McGurk added.

Mosul liberation operationWhen asked about how long the Mosul libera-

tion operation will take, McGurk noted that it wasvery difficult to put timeline because Mosul is a pop-ulated city and the operations aimed at liberatingthe Iraqi people from IS. He said Iraqi Prime MinisterHaidar Al-Abadi, whom he met in Baghdad lastFriday, “told me that they were very confident, thatthey’re soon will clear the remaining neighborhoodsof Western Mosul from IS.

“Again, we have to keep in mind the tactics IS isusing in terms of ... literally using civilians in Mosul ashuman shields, so they put a sniper on top of ahouse, when they know they have families and civil-ians inside, so that is why this is very hard.”

The US envoy said the coalition was ‘quite proud’of the training of the Iraqi security forces and thelevel of professionalism, they have shown during theoperations. McGurk said eastern Mosul has nowbeen fully liberated from IS, and the UN estimatedthat 250,000 boys and girls are back in schools.These young boys and girls were living under IS ruleonly six months ago.

Syria’s chemical weaponsOn Syria’s chemical weapons, McGurk said the

US has no doubt that a Sarin gas attack was con-ducted by the Syrian regime against KhanSheikhoun. This attack, he added, forced USPresident Donald Trump to act swiftly and attackthe airfield from which the attack on KhanSheikhoun has launched. Despite the US attack,McGurk added, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hada very important visit to Russia, meeting withRussian leaders, while “we are engaged with every-one here in the region to try to reinforce a politicalend to this (Syrian) conflict, and that can only hap-pen if we have ceasefires that are enforced. “Onething that Secretary Tillerson reminded the Russiansin Moscow is that they are the self-proclaimed guar-antor of a ceasefire, that’s what was negotiated in(Kazakhstan’s capital) Astana, and they’re the guar-antor for the Syrian regime to live up to a ceasefire,and today those ceasefires are not holding,” saidMcGurk. The Russians, he said, have a real choicehere about how they want to go forward andwhether they want to help “us resolve this conflictand get to the political solution everybody realizesthat we need.”

He said the US first priority was to defeat ISwhich is a “threat to the US, and a threat to theregion.” First, he added, “we have to remove Daeshfrom Syria and we are accelerating operations to dothat, also we want to work to deescalate the overallconflict to help ensure that ceasefire can hold, andwe also work through the Geneva process toenforce the political process” which could happenthrough UN Security Council resolution 2254.Meanwhile, on Iran, McGurk said the IslamicRepublic “is a player in these conflicts in the regionand they have a choice to make here, to be a part ofthe political solution.”

McGurk added that his next visit would be toSaudi Arabia and later in the week to Oslo. He saidNorway was playing a critical role against IS as it

was funding the demining and clearing operationsfrom areas liberated from IS. Former US PresidentBarack Obama appointed McGurk in October 2015,he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State forIraq and Syria in 2014.

US Envoy meets FMIn other news, Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime

Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received McGurk in hisoffice yesterday. During the meeting, they dis-cussed the progress in the ongoing war against theIS which threatens international peace and security,in addition to finding ways to shore up all interna-tional efforts to face this terrorist organization.McGurk hailed Kuwait’s role in this war on terror,and its enormous contributions to the GlobalCoalition against the IS.

The meeting was attended by Deputy ForeignMinister Khaled Suleiman Al-Jarallah, AssistantForeign Minister for the First Deputy Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister’s Affairs Sheikh Dr AhmadNasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Assistant ForeignMinister for Development Affairs and InternationalCooperation Nasser Sabeeh Al-Sabeeh and a num-ber of the Foreign Ministry’s senior officials.

Later, Kuwait’s Chief of General Staff of the ArmyLieutenant General Mohammad Al-Khadher met withMcGurk. During the meeting, they discussed severalissues of mutual concern, mainly military aspects, andfighting the IS, the Defense Ministry’s Moral Guidanceand Public Relations said in a statement.

The meeting was attended by US ambassador toKuwait Lawrence Silverman, Kuwait’s Deputy ArmyChief of Staff for Operations and Plans Maj GenAhmad Abdulwahab Al-Omairi and Kuwait ’sIntelligence Chief Brigadier General Fahad Al-Turaiji.Meanwhile, Lt Gen Khadhar also met with a visitingBangladeshi medical delegation, where they dis-cussed bilateral cooperation, mostly in the militaryand medical fields. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah meets with US Special Presidential Envoy for the GlobalCoalition to Counter the so-called (IS), Brett McGurk. —KUNA

Kuwait’s Chief of General Staff of the Army Lieutenant General Mohammad Al-Khadher meets with visiting US Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition toCounter IS, Brett McGurk.

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Cabinet yester-day welcomed the recent release andhome-return of Qatari and Saudinationals who were held captives byarmed groups in Iraq for over a year.This came during the cabinet’s cus-tomary weekly meeting held underchairmanship of His Highness thePrime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The cabinet also offered heartfeltand sincere condolences to the Saudigovernment and people over the vic-tims of a Saudi military plane crashduring a mission in Yemen, Minister ofState for Cabinet Affairs and ActingMinister of Information SheikhMohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah said in a press statement fol-lowing the meeting.

It sharply condemned a recent ter-rorist attack on a church in Egypt’sSinai, which left a policeman killedand two others wounded, in addition

to another terrorist attack in Paris. Inthis context, it reiterated Kuwait’sdenunciation of such acts that runcounter to all religions and humanvalues and norms.

Meanwhile, the cabinet congratu-lated the Turkish government on thesuccess of the recent referendum forthe country’s constitutional changes,wishing the Turkish people everlast-ing progress and prosperity.

At the onset of the meeting, thecabinet was apprised of the outcomesof Palestinian President MahmoudAbbas visit to Kuwait, which focusedon bilateral relations and the latestregional and international develop-ments. First Deputy Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah briefedthe ministers on the outcomes ofrecent visits by the German andHungarian foreign minister to Kuwait.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled also elabo-

rated on his talks with visiting USSpecial Presidential Envoy for theGlobal Coalition to Counter the so-called Islamic State (IS), Brett McGurk.Afterwards, Deputy Prime Ministerand Minister of Finance Anas Al-Salehexpounded on his participation inrecent annual meetings of Arab finan-cial institutions in Rabat.

The cabinet welcomed the visit ofTawadros II, the Pope of Alexandriaand Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, toKuwait within the framework of hisefforts to promote peace and amity inthe Arab region and entire world.

Furthermore, the ministersapproved a draft decree to set up mili-tary procurement committees in linewith Article 2 of Law 49/2016 regard-ing tenders, along with another adraft degree pertinent to a memo ofunderstanding (MoU) on industrialcooperation between Kuwait and Iraq.—KUNA

Kuwaiti cabinet welcomes releaseof Saudi, Qatari abductees in Iraq

By A Saleh

KUWAIT: The parliament’s committee forpeople with special needs affairs approvedproposals made to amend law number8/2010 pertaining with the rights of peoplewith special needs, and agreed to include thedisabled in the ‘Afya’ health insurance project,including stateless disabled people, to pro-vide them with proper health and social carerights. The health ministry-sponsored ‘Afya’program is an insurance policy that coversbeneficiaries’ treatment costs at private med-ical facilities in Kuwait. It is provided by thegovernment to retired citizens.

Committee Chairman Marzouq Al-Khalifasaid approving those proposals would bringjustice to stateless disabled people becausethe law used to include only the children ofKuwaiti women. “Including the disabled in theAfya project also entitles the disabled to treat-ment at private hospitals,” he underlined,adding that a third amendment was suggest-ed on having two family members instead ofonly one to take care of a family member withsevere disability, in addition to reducing theminimum years of service these caretakershave to work before retirement to 15 (insteadof 20) for men and 10 (instead of 15) forwomen. Khalifa said that the disability card’svalidity would be set between 3 and 10 yearsaccording to the severity of the disability.

MergerThe Manpower and Government

Restructuring Program’s (MGRP) SecretaryGeneral Fauzi Al-Majdali stressed that meet-ings with the Public Authority for Manpowerwere in progress to finish merging the twobodies. MGRP handles citizens’ recruitment inthe private sector, while the manpowerauthority takes care of everything related toforeign laborer’s hiring in private companies.He added that the merger’s structural planwould be submitted for discussion with theCivil Service Commission (CSC) in the comingweeks pending final approval before the endof June. Majdali said that both bodies wouldbe merged under the name of PublicAuthority for Manpower, which will include asector for national labor, a sector for manpow-er and a backup sector for financial andadministrative affairs. Majdali added that theCabinet would issue a decision on mergingboth bodies by the beginning of June, mark-ing the beginning of the merging processstarting with IT and databases. He alsostressed that both bodies’ budgets would bemerged too.

Landfill sitesKuwait Municipality recently signed a con-

tract with Mazen Al-Sane EngineeringConsultancy House to provide consultancyservices for three landfill sites in Qurain, Jleeb

and to the north of the Seventh Ring Road,with a total value of KD 431,001. The contractwas signed by Kuwait Municipality DirectorAhmed Al-Manfouhi, engineer Mazen Al-Sane and engineer Joseph Dow from EGISInternational in the presence of the munici-pality’s deputy director for projects Nadiya Al-Shereda and the environment affairs manag-er Adnan Al-Sayyed. Manfouhi explained thatthe contract’s tenure would be 24 monthsdivided into seven stages, and that accordingto the recommendations made by the study,the three sites would be rehabilitated to bemade use of later.

Airport bridgeThe Ministry of Public Works’ assistant

undersecretary for road engineering AhmedAl-Hassan said the airport bridge, which is1.25-km-long, would be opened next week aspart of the fourth phase of the Jahra Roaddevelopment project. He also noted that thebridge would facilitate traffic flow headingtowards Shuwaikh port.

BonusesThe Ministry of Utilities recently set KD 4.5

million for the outstanding performancebonuses for over 5,000 employees working inthe communications sector to be depositedin employees’ accounts by the end of May atmost. The bonus will be divided into cate-gories according to positions, giving theundersecretary KD 2,500, assistant undersec-retaries KD 2,000, directors KD 1,500, supervi-sors KD 1,250, heads of sections KD 1,000,Kuwaiti employees up to grade four KD 800,Kuwaitis in grades 5-8 KD 600, Kuwaiti techni-cians KD 300, non-Kuwaitis working accord-ing to first and second contracts KD 250 andnon-Kuwaitis working for limited monthlypayments KD 200.

ProsecutionMinister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and

Minister of State for Municipal AffairsMohammed Al-Jabri honored the promiseshe made on tackling the remarks by the StateAudit Bureau and accordingly decided refer-ring three information technology employeesto the public prosecution over charges ofsquandering public funds. Jabri also ordereddeducting five days’ wages of a director, asupervisor and 12 other employees for failingto do their jobs and carrying out tasks theyhad been assigned to do.

Notably, Jabri granted the PublicAuthority for Agricultural Affairs and FishResources (PAAAFR) a one-week grace periodto tackle the 50 remarks mentioned in theAudit Bureau’s report for 2016. “PAAAFR’sreform has started,” he underlined, notingthat he will not hesitate to use maximumpenalties against negligence and wastage ofpublic funds.

‘Afya’ insurance to coverpeople with special needsLabor bodies’ merger in progress

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: The Public Relations andInformation Department at Kuwait FireService Directorate (KFSD) said firemen putout a fire at a lumber warehouse in indus-trial Shuwaikh. Firefighters from the indus-trial Shuwaikh, Shuhada, Ardhiya, SouthSalmiya and backup fire stations respond-ed to the scene. They managed to control

the flames and put out the blaze before itcould spread to nearby warehouses. Noinjuries were reported in the incident.Meanwhile, an investigation was opened todetermine the cause of the fire. Frequentfires happen in lumber warehouses andsimilar locations around Kuwait during thesummer, mostly due to lack of or insuffi-cient measures taken to prevent fires underhot and dry conditions.

No injuries in lumberwarehouse fire


KUWAIT: Supporting and developing thenational productive economic sectors arenow one of government priorities to achievean economy based on diversity, sustainabilityand modernity in 2035. This is part of a struc-tural and economic reform plan, which hasbeen drawn up in accordance with the‘Kuwait 2035’ vision.

Kuwait’s budget for 2035 will be differentthan the current ones as the oil revenues inthat budget will be limited compared withthe revenues collected from productive eco-nomic sectors like industry, technology,tourism, services, banking and investment, inaddition to the activation of knowledge-based economy, and small and medium-sizedenterprises (SMEs).

After 18 years, the private sector will con-tribute to the national economy in accordancewith several forms, including the partnershipwith the public sector, or through managingthe State’s utilities. For this purpose, severalspecialized bodies and authorities have beenestablished, they include the Kuwait Authority

for Partnership Projects (KAPP), the KuwaitDirect Investment Promotion Authority (KDI-PA), the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), andthe National Fund For Small And Medium-Sized Enterprise Development.

Through these authorities, a sustainableand diversified economy will be achievedwhich is known as the economy whose pillarsare based on empowering the private sector,increasing SMEs and attracting foreign invest-ments so as to provide government with effec-tive and stable financial sectors.

The pillar of sustainable and diversifiedeconomy affects citizens directly, thereforethe State of Kuwait has paid much attentionto it after His Highness the Amir SheikhSabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah hadcalled for paying further attention for eco-nomic development.

Sharp decreaseDuring the inauguration of the first session

of the National Assembly’s 15th legislativeterm, His Highness the Amir stressed that thecountry is facing sharp decrease in the State’srevenues, which hinder its march, due to thecollapse of oil prices all over the world.

His Highness the Amir said this caused alarge deficit in the state budget, calling for tak-ing effective measures to address and mitigatethe deficit’s effects. His Highness the Amir reit-erated that it is an inevitable option to reducegeneral spending through carefully-studiedmeasures to address imbalances in the state’sbudget, stop waste in national resources, directthem towards the right purpose, and at thesame time to alleviate burdens on the low-income class and take into account social jus-tice. It is part of a comprehensive program of aneconomic reform, which give a vital role to theprivate sector, His Highness the Amir noted.

Therefore, achieving the country’s sustain-able and diversified economy is an imperativematter amid such challenges to guarantee theprovision of diversifying sources of nationalincome and not depending on the oil as amain source of income, as it is unstable due tomany external effective factors.

DiversificationThe diversification of national economy is

a shared goal to the parliament, govern-ment and the private sector. However, thisfaces some challenges, mainly the decreaseof either foreign or national investments

that affected the country’s status. Therefore,there is a pressing need to get a clear invest-ment map to investors in the country thatprovides competitive chances and legisla-tions necessarily required to offer an appro-priate environment.

To overcome these challenges, which hin-der the achievement of goals of a sustain-able and diversified economy, five programshave been set and each one includes severalprojects in accordance with specific criteria.They are: creating business environment forthe private sector, diversifying productionbase, developing national tourism, knowl-edge economy and the country’s financialand economic reform.

Creating a business environment aims toovercome obstacles facing the private sector,and work on speeding up its contributions toGDP and creating new jobs for citizens.Diversifying production and increasing invest-ment rates seek to raise contribution to non-oil sectors in GDP and reduce dependence onoil to diversify sources of income. Two bodiestake part in this program, including KuwaitPetroleum Corporation (KPC), which providessome key projects like the clean fuel projectand integrated refining complex.

Due to the importance of tourist sector asa main source of diversifying national income,there is a special program for this sector thatpays much attention to develop nationaltourism, which targets encouragement ofinvestment in different activities across thecountry and the optimal use of tourist servic-es and utilities. The Ministry of Informationcontributes to this program through carryingout the marketing campaign.

The knowledge economy program aimsto encourage relevant industries, marketingthem, build capacities and promote skills

required to carry out scientific research pro-grams, including the establishment of aglobal oil research center. Kuwait Universityand the Kuwait Institute for Scientif icResearch are carr ying out these goalsthrough some projects.

The fifth program seeks to increase theefficiency and effectiveness of the public sec-tor through rationalizing spending andincreasing investment efficiency by selectingprojects with high development impacts, andincreasing public revenues through develop-ing tax system, reviewing and rationalizingthe current subsidies, and restructuring them.

Through achieving the goals, programsand projects of the sustainable and diversifiedeconomy, citizens will find developmenteffects through providing new jobs, increas-ing GDP, improving services and supportingfinancial stability. —KUNA

Kuwait ’35 vision: Tangible strides, clear

reforms to build contemporary economyEmpowering the private sector to contribute to national economy

Special report

KUWAIT: Kuwait City skyscrapers seen from Al-Shaheed Park. —KUNA photos

This file photo shows His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah delivering a speech during the inauguration of the first ses-sion of the National Assembly’s 15th legislative term, in which he addressedthe need to take effective measures to mitigate the budget deficit’s effects.

Ongoing construction works at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’s clean fueland integrated refining complex projects.

Kuwait seeks to achieve a sustain-able and diversified economybased on:l Empowering the private sector.l Increasing small and medium

enterprises (SMEs).l Attracting foreign investments.

His Highness the Amir recognizedthe need to reduce general spend-ing in order to:l Address imbalances in the

state’s budget.l Stop waste in national

resources.l Direct national resources

towards the right purpose.l Alleviate burdens on the low-

income class.

Five programs have been set tohelp overcome the challenges thathinder the achievement of goalsof a sustainable and diversifiedeconomy:l Creating business environment

for the private sector.l Diversifying the production

base.l Developing national tourism.l Launching a knowledge econo-

my program.l The country’s financial and eco-

nomic reform plan.

Kuwait’s financial and economicreform program seeks to achieve:l Rationalizing spending and

increasing investment efficiencyby selecting projects with highdevelopment impacts.

l Increasing public revenuesthrough developing tax system.

l Reviewing, rationalizing andrestructuring the current subsidies.

Ongoing construction works at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’sclean fuel and integrated refining complex projects.

The recently privatized Kuwait stock exchange (Boursa Kuwait).

The Avenues Mall, already one of the largest shopping malls in theregion, is an example of how the private sector could contribute tothe national economy.The Central Bank of Kuwait’s new head office building.

CrimeR e p o r t

We all saw the video of the Ethiopian workerwho was holding to the verge of a windowbefore falling off the seventh floor of a

building in Kuwait. People in Kuwait and elsewherewere shocked and angered by the fact that heremployer was filming her, instead of trying to saveher life. The woman screamed for help “hold me,hold me” and her voice was heard across the globe,reminding us of a bitter reality that domestic workersin Kuwait experience every day.

In videos that circulated on social media in theaftermath, many sympathized with the domestichelper but many more also claimed that she was try-ing to commit suicide or offered other justificationsfor the employer’s failure to prevent the woman’s fall.The helper recorded her own video, soon to beshared across social media, denying the suiciderumors and saying that she had tried to escapebecause the employer had kept her prisoner insidethe home, even after she’d asked to be returned tothe recruitment agency.

According to international human rights agree-ments and declarations, this is ‘forced labor.’ Reportsvaried on the details of the worker’s circumstances,some reports said she hadn’t been paid for months,others said she had only been in the house for 60days.

Whatever the truth, this case is similar to thou-sands of others in the Gulf. Reports of mistreatment,forced labor, imprisonment, sexual, physical and ver-bal abuse, non-payment of salaries and other formsof exploitation against domestic laborers are as com-mon as sunlight and sand in the Gulf CooperationCouncil states.

A few months ago, a Kuwaiti doctor was sen-tenced to four years in jail for torturing her domesticworker. Her victim escaped and for weeks she stayedat a local shelter, where many others have arrivedwith horrific stories of exploitation, harassment, andtorture. It turns out that the doctor in that case hadallegedly committed prior violations of the samenature against domestic workers, but no case wasfiled. Last November, we read with horror about thecase of a Bahraini woman who received two monthsin jail for torturing a Sri Lankan woman with an iron.Another Kuwaiti woman got only six months in jailfor assaulting her worker. In the UAE, an Emiratiwoman allegedly tortured her domestic worker onvarious occasions using scissors, boiling water, andan iron.

This is routine violence. It’s not an exception. It’snot unusual. It’s not a rare case. It’s every day. Everyhour, minute by minute, physical, emotional, verbaland economic violence against the weakest seg-ments of our societies.

This happens because the law fails to protectdomestic workers. This is specifically tied to the factthat domestic workers are confined to the house-hold, and when they leave, they’re frequently report-ed as “absconding” and become illegal workers.

When the Kuwaiti parliament was discussing thedomestic workers’ law two years ago, legislatorsignored calls to revise these conditions that continueto make workers vulnerable to violations. They oftenexcuse the lack of change by pointing to ‘local cul-ture or society’. The sponsorship system places aworker under the full power of his/her employer.Discourses on ‘family values’ or ‘protecting society’are often deployed to justify the very limited free-doms and rights of domestic workers.

The social and legal structures deny the right of adomestic worker to her body; whether to refuseserving a certain employer, or to take a walk or makea trip outside the household, or to avoid beingharmed and assaulted by employers.

Working as a domestic worker in the Gulf isbecoming more of a risky adventure, as it lacks theleast assurances for safety and wellness. In thePhilippines, media documented the story of aFilipina domestic worker who now resides in a men-tal health clinic, as she tries to recover from years ofexploitation and sexual harassment in Kuwait. Wealso heard about the Sri Lankan worker who hadworked for a Kuwaiti family for 11 years withoutwages, only to be paid her wages in sum, and getdeported without much compensation for her free-dom and wellbeing.

A domestic worker might be harassed, raped,pushed towards suicide, or even forced to commit acrime. In such conditions, one cannot maintain sani-ty and good spirits. These are not exceptional scenar-ios, these are not individual cases. This is the norm.Nothing stops the employer from harming his work-er, other than his/her own conscience.

Kareem, a stateless Arab from Kuwait, is a member of Migrant-Rights.org, a blogger and

writer who lives in New York.

These are not

exceptions

but the norm

Legalese

Man lured to trapvia social media

KUWAIT: Detectives put an end to the activities of two girlsand three men, all Kuwaitis, who lured users of a socialmedia app, then blackmailed them after filming themnaked. A citizen was surprised by a request from a girl to befriends on social media. He obliged, and after some days,they agreed to meet. The girl said the first meeting shouldbe in her flat. The man went there on time, only to find herwith another girl she introduced as a friend, who left themalone. But she returned later pretending to be scared andtold her that her husband was at the door. The man attempt-ed to escape, but was surprised by the alleged husband,who was with two other men. They threatened him with aspray bottle containing a combustible gas, saying that theywould set him on fire unless he takes off his clothes andhanded over everything he had. He gave them KD 100 andstood in front of them naked as they took pictures of him,before they let him go. Afterwards, the man went to policeand told them about what happened, then the case wasreferred to detectives who were able to arrest one of the sus-pects, and he led them to the rest. The two girls said theyused social media to lure victims and blackmail them. All fivecitizens were sent to concerned authorities.

Missing girl foundA young girl and a man were taken to criminal detec-tives in order to continue interrogations after the girladmitted she was living with the man all the time shewas absent from her family. Detectives had stoppedthe girl who was reported missing by her family. Thegirl said she befriended a man through Snapchat, andfamily disputes made her escape. The man put her upin several flats.

Stamps stolenCriminal detectives in Jahra launched an investigation todetermine the identity of thieves who broke into Jahra traf-fic department, pried open two stamp machines and stolestamps and money. They also attempted to steal thedepartment’s safe and took stamps and seals belonging totraffic department officials. Policemen who were supposedto guard the place were interrogated and cameras werechecked. The possibility of the guards being away at thetime of the theft still exists.

Brewery bustedAhmadi security authorities busted a large illegalliquor brewery run by a Nepalese man in Sabah Al-Ahmad, where they found 150 liquor drums along with480 bottles ready for sale. Distillation equipment wasalso found. Police asked the municipality emergencyteam to help them transfer the liquor drums to con-cerned authorities.


By Mona Kareem

Migrant-Rights.org

Dumpster fireJahra firemen had an exhausting day as a person deliber-ately set fire to another metal garbage dumpster everytime firemen returned to the center. Fire authoritiesreceived a call about a fire in a garbage container nearWara Complex, so firemen responded and put out the fire.While on their way back, they received a call about anothergarbage fire in Qasr, and the same incident was repeatedeight times. Detectives are investigating.

— Translated from the Arabic press

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: The Center of Gulf Studies at theAmerican University of Kuwait (AUK), in col-laboration with the One Roof campaign,held a symposium called ‘DomesticWorkers in Kuwait between Local Laws andSocial Attitudes’ at AUK on Sunday.

Mohammad Al-Ajmi from the DomesticWorkers’ Department provided a legal viewabout the new domestic law. “This law wasissued on July 23, 2015, and was appliedfrom July 31, 2016. This law improves therights of domestic laborers, as it allowsthem to file cases at the labor court, so theydo not pay fees as they used to do at theregular courts. This law also gave ourdepartment the power to cancel the con-tract with the sponsor due to improperaccommodation,” he noted.

He provided some statistics. “Our depart-ment received 1,431 complaints that weresolved, while 41 were sent to the court.Also, in the past three months, we solved13,000 cases of unpaid salaries. We canceledsome contracts and allowed the domesticworkers to go back home. There are 669,000domestic workers in Kuwait, while the casesfiled in the court by domestic workers arearound 1,300, which is around five percent,which is not very high,” added Ajmi. Thenew law brought more benefits for workers.

“This law specified the working hours ofworkers - not to exceed 12 hours with restperiods in between, and not work morethan five hours continuously,” he said. TheDomestic Workers’ Department (DWD) ispart of the Residency Affairs Department ofthe Ministry of Interior that was founded in1992. “We inspect domestic worker agen-cies even during holidays, and we shut

down 68 of these agencies for breaking thenew law,” said Ajmi.

OppressionBibi Al-Sabah from the Social Work

Society said when she started working atthe society in 2005, the new law was notissued yet and domestic workers wereoppressed. “We had to beg the sponsor to

pay pending salaries to the maid. But thenew law improved this situation throughthe DWD that forces the sponsor to givethe domestic workers their rights, and thissimplified our work,” she explained.

Falah Al-Mutairi from the foreign work-ers’ shelter said the shelter was founded in2014 and is the biggest of its kind capacity-wise in the Middle East, but many people inKuwait doesn’t know about it. “Currentlythe shelter is for women only, but we areplanning to expand it for men as well. Wehelp domestic workers in need and evenvictims of human trafficking. We offer psy-chological services, accommodation, foodand personal requirements, in addition to afully-equipped clinic. It can accommodate500 workers,” he pointed out.

Taher Al-Baghli from the Human LineOrganization highlighted some shortagesin the new law. “The new domestic law68/2015 brought many advantages such asforbidding cutting a worker’s salary or set-ting penalties for forcing the workers towork overtime. But there is no mention ofblackmailing, for instance. The law also did-n’t specify the penalties for the sponsor ifthe worker doesn’t get healthcare or indem-nity. The penalties for some violations are asix-month ban on getting a domestic work-er, but the worker won’t benefit from thispenalty,” he pointed out.

Domestic workers’ rights

discussed at AUK symposium‘13,000 cases of unpaid salaries resolved in three months’

KUWAIT: A picture showing the keynote speakers at a symposium called ‘DomesticWorkers in Kuwait between Local Laws and Social Attitudes,’ held at the AmericanUniversity of Kuwait on Sunday. — Photo by Joseph Shagra

Duo arrested

with 2kg heroin

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: The Relationsand Security InformationDepartment at theInterior Ministry saidDrugs Control GeneralDepartment men arrest-ed two Asians with pos-session of two kilogramsof heroin. Tips werereceived about a lorrydriver bringing heroinfrom a Gulf country, andhe was arrested uponarrival with the 2 kg ofheroin hidden in an oilcontainer.

KUWAIT: In line with its social responsibility mission to sup-port youth initiatives and local small businesses, KuwaitInternational Bank (KIB) announced its sponsorship of the4th ‘Light Expo,’ the exhibition dedicated to showcasinglocal Ramadan products. This year’s exhibition will takeplace at Al-Raya Conference Hall from the 24th through27th of April, featuring the participation of a number ofyoung, local female talents.

Light Expo is an annual event held prior to the holy monthof Ramadan, which every year hosts a large collection ofhandcrafted Ramadan products, designed by local femaleentrepreneurs and small business owners.

On this occasion, Manager of the CorporateCommunications Unit at KIB, Nawaf Najia, commented:“This sponsorship comes as part our leading social respon-sibility program which aims to support a diverse number ofsocial activities and initiatives, targeting all different seg-ments of our local community. We are particularly proud tobe part of an initiative that supports local female creative

talents and entrepreneurs, as we have always dedicated abig portion of our social initiatives to supporting youth andempowering women.” Najia also noted that a team from KIBwill be present at a booth throughout the exhibition. KIBstaff will be on hand to answer all questions related to theBank’s products and services, as well as its new campaignsand offers, which are designed to meet the various needsof all segments of the population.

It serves to note that KIB has continued to support andsponsor the Light Expo and its participants year on year, stem-ming from its belief in the need to provide moral and financialsupport to young entrepreneurs and their innovative ideas.The bank has always considered youth initiatives and entre-preneurial programs to be integral components towardsempowering and nurturing future generations; by providingemployment opportunities in the private sector for youngmen and women, nurturing the creative ideas of ambitiousyoung minds, and all together helping build a brighter futurefor the country.

KIB sponsors Light Expo,

supporting female entrepreneurs


Precious metals examined E-Government expo Amir shooting cupKUWAIT: Kuwait has examined up to 30 tons of pre-cious metals worth KD 300 million ($986.5 million) in2016, said Minister of Commerce and IndustryKhaled Al-Roudhan. The ministry testes and stampsgold and diamonds before they are offered for sale,Roudhan who also doubles as Acting Minister ofState for Youth Affairs added in a press statementafter the opening of the 15th International Gold andJewelry Exhibition 2017, with the participation of140 local and foreign exhibitors. —KUNA

SHARM EL-SHEIKH: General Manager of the KuwaitiNouf EXPO Yousef Al-Marzouq said Sunday it is impera-tive for Arab countries to share experience, informationand programs in the e-government field. Speaking onthe sidelines of Arab forum on e-government in SharmEl-Sheikh, Marzouq said the conference is hoped tocome up with a set of recommendations that could con-tribute to developing e-government programs. E-gov-ernments have become part of the future, as convention-al governments need some change in order to attain sus-tainable development goals, he added. — KUNA

ROME: Kuwait’s Ambassador in Rome Sheikh AliKhaled Al-Sabah opened Sunday His Highness theAmir of Kuwait International Shooting Cup, a tourna-ment co-organized by Kuwait Embassy and Italy’sshooting federation. Sheikh Ali and president of theItalian shooting federation, Senator Luciano Rossi,opened the competitions, which were held atUmbriaverde shooting range in Todi, central Italy, theEmbassy said in a statement. More than 460 shootersfrom Kuwait, Italy, Europe, South America and New

Photoo f t h e d a y

KUWAIT: Young Kuwaiti pearl divers participate in a cultural-themed sea voyage in Kuwait. — KUNA

In Brief

KUWAIT: As part of its social responsibili-ty and support for environmental protec-tion initiatives, Ahli United Bank (AUB)participated in the celebration of theanniversary of Earth Day, which falls onApril 22nd each year. The bank’s manage-ment extinguished all lights and unnec-essary electric appliances in the bank’smain building for six hours, from 6:00 pmto 12:00 am, in support of the environ-mental conservation process, as well asraising awareness of the importance ofenergy conservation and environmentalprotection in our daily activities.

On this initiative, AUB said in a pressrelease: “The Bank’s support for Earth Dayis part of the Bank’s desire to participatein spreading environmental awareness inrationalizing the use of electric power inprivate institutions, and its impact on the

rate of general consumption of electricityin particular, and its positive and environ-mental impact on the national economyin general.”

The bank added “Earth Day is also anopportunity to raise people’s awarenessabout the need to adopt differentlifestyles and to contribute to the reduc-tion in energy usage highlighting thesimple actions that one can take to con-tribute to energy conservation today.”

In the same context, AUB has unveiledthe start of its project to transform elec-tric lighting in Head Office and the bank’snew branches into a power saving LEDlighting system. The management of AUBsaid it would implement several initia-tives aimed at supporting the environ-ment and contributing to sustainabledevelopment this year.

Ahli United Bank participatesin celebrating Earth Day

KUWAIT: Warba Bank participated in the JobFair organized recently by the AmericanUniversity of the Middle East (AUM). This posi-tion reflects Warba Bank’s commitment to recruitKuwaiti graduates and train them to work inIslamic banking, and to improve the capabilitiesof national cadres in this sector; thus, reflectingpositively on enriching the local market withKuwaiti manpower which is the backbone of sol-id economic development.

On that regard, Essam Al-Shaya, Chief HumanResources and General Services Officer at WarbaBank, said: “Our participation in the exhibitionenabled Warba Bank to share its banking experi-

ence with new graduates seeking to enter thejob market. The new graduates interacted withthe bank’s team that offered full demonstrationsregarding the bank’s operations and workingenvironment. This also provides added value tostaff members in terms of experience and otheradvantages. Furthermore, they gave students anidea about the skills and other requirementsneeded to apply for jobs in this field, and offeredadvice based on Warba Bank’s experience in hir-ing, training, and qualifying national manpower.”

Shaya further added: “This is not the first timethat Warba Bank participates in career fairs. Ithas participated previously in several other

important fairs including GUST and KuwaitUniversity job fairs held earlier this year. Thebank believes that such exhibitions leave a hugepositive impact on the ability to open new hori-zons for young people in order to enable themto gain advanced professional skills and attain ageneral idea regarding their future careers.”

Warba Bank’s participation reflects its com-mitment to help such activities succeed, consid-ering that they contribute in enriching the labormarket. These job fairs are considered a greatplatform in which job seekers and companiescan directly meet and have discussions on thenature of work and other issues.

Warba Bank participates in AUM’s Job Fair

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti and Iraqi borders officials met at Abdaly land border outlet yester-day. Director General of Land Border Security Department Maj Gen Fuad Al-Athariheaded the Kuwaiti side, while Maj Gen Salam Kazem, commander of the fourthzone, headed the Iraqi side. Issues of mutual interest were discussed.

Maoist rebels kill 24 police in central India

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Trump denounces anti-Semitism on Israel’s annual Holocaust dayPage 9

TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

PARIS: France’s political mainstream, shut out of the pres-idency by an angry electorate, united yesterday to urgevoters to back centrist Emmanuel Macron in the presi-dential runoff and to reject Marine Le Pen’s populistnationalism. Politicians on the moderate left and right,including French President Francois Hollande and thelosing Socialist and Republicans party candidates inSunday’s first-round vote, maneuvered to block Le Pen’spath to power in the May 7 runoff.

In a solemn address from the Elysee palace, Hollandesaid he will vote for Macron, his former economy minister,because the far-right Le Pen represents “both the dangerof the isolation of France and of rupture with the EuropeanUnion.” Hollande said the far-right would “deeply divideFrance” at a time when the terror threat requires “solidarity.“Faced with such a risk, it is not possible to remain silent orto take refuge in indifference,” he said.

European stock markets surged, and France’s mainindex hit its highest level since early 2008, as investorsgambled that the rise of populism around the world -and its associated unpredictability in policymaking - mayhave peaked. Voters narrowed the French presidentialfield from 11 to two on Sunday. The contest is widelyseen as a litmus test for the populist wave that last yearprompted Britain to vote to leave the European Unionand US voters to elect Donald Trump president.

Only the defeated far-left candidate, Jean-LucMelenchon, pointedly refused to back Macron. Le Pen’sfar-right National Front party, meanwhile, is hoping topeel away voters historically opposed to a party longtainted by racism and anti-Semitism. “The voters whovoted for Mr Melenchon are angry voters. They can be inagreement with us,” National Front Vice President SteeveBrios told The Associated Press, adding that those far-leftvoters sought choices “outside the system.”

Choosing from inside the system is no longer anoption. Voters rejected the two mainstream parties thathave alternated power for decades in favor of Le Pen andthe untested Macron , who has never held elected officeand who founded his own political movement just last

year. Macron’s optimistic vision of a tolerant France and aunited Europe with open borders is a stark contrast withLe Pen’s darker, inward-looking “French-first” platformthat calls for closed borders, tougher security, less immi-gration and dropping the shared euro currency to returnto the French franc.

Le Pen went on the offensive against Macron in herfirst public comments yesterday.”He is a hysterical, radical‘Europeanist.’ He is for total open borders. He says there is

no such thing as French culture. There is not one domainthat he shows one ounce of patriotism,” she said. Le Pen’sfather, Jean-Marie, made it into a presidential runoffagainst Jacques Chirac in 2002 and was crushed.

Many commentators expect the same fate for hisdaughter, but she has already drawn far more supportthan he ever did and she has transformed the party’sonce-pariah image. National Front vice president LouisAliot insisted that Le Pen offers an alternative for anyone

skeptical of the EU and France’s role in it.”I’m not con-vinced that the French are willing to sign a blank checkto Mr Macron,” he said. But Macron’s party spokesman,Benjamin Griveaux, scoffed at the idea that Le Pen is avector of change.

“She’s been in the political system for 30 years. Sheinherited her father’s party and we will undoubtedly haveLe Pen’s running for the next 20 years, because after wehad the father, we have the daughter and we will doubt-less have the niece,” he said, referring to Marion Marechal-Le Pen. “So she is in a truly bad position to be talkingabout the elites.” German Chancellor Angela Merkelwished Macron “all the best for the next two weeks.”

Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, tweeted that“the result for Emmanuel Macron shows: France ANDEurope can win together! The center is stronger than thepopulists think!” Macron came in first in Sunday’s vote,with just over 23 percent while Le Pen had 21 percent.Francois Fillon, the scandal-plagued conservativeRepublicans candidate, came in third with just shy of 20percent of the vote, just ahead of Melenchon. Socialistcandidate Benoit Hamon, whose party holds a majorityin the legislature, got just 6 percent of the vote.

Turnout for Sunday’s vote was 78 percent, downslightly from 79 percent in the first round of presidentialvoting in 2012. Protesters burned cars, danced aroundbonfires and dodged riot police overnight at the Place dela Bastille and Republique in Paris. Twenty-nine peoplewere detained at the Bastille, where protesters waved redflags and sang “No Marine and No Macron!” in anger atthe results.

“We are in a phase of decomposition, demolition,deconstruction,” former Socialist Prime Minister ManuelValls said. “We didn’t do the work - intellectual, ideologi-cal and political - on what the left is, and we paid theprice.” Elaine Ganley reported from Henin-Beaumont. LoriHinnant, Thomas Adamson, Angela Charlton et PhilippeSotto contributed from Paris. A previous version of thisstory has been corrected to show that the Socialist candi-date was Benoit Hamon, not Manuel Valls.—AP

Rejected mainstream unites behind MacronHollande: ‘Far-right would deeply divide France’

PARIS: French centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, center, leaves his apartment, in Paris, yesterday. —AP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

ISTANBUL: A woman looks from a window as demonstrators shout during aprotest against the result of the nationwide referendum that will hugelyenhance the president Recep Erdogan powers at the Kadikoy district inIstanbul. —AFP

ISTANBUL: President Recep TayyipErdogan’s lawyer has lodged a com-plaint against a former French diplomataccusing him of inciting an assassina-tion of the Turkish leader, the state-runnews agency reported yesterday. Themove follows comments by PhilippeMoreau Defarges about the outcome ofthe April 16 referendum on controver-sial constitutional changes that willtighten the president’s grip on power.

Defarges, now a senior fellow at theFrench Institute of InternationalRelations, said all legal paths to chal-lenge Erdogan had been shut off andthat the only two options left were civilwar or assassination. The ‘Yes’ campwon just over 51 percent in the vote, anarrower-than-expected victory, butTurkey’s top election board last weekrejected opposition calls to annul thereferendum after complaints of vote-rigging. Defarges said on Frenchbroadcaster BFM on Saturday thatErdogan’s strengthened powers wouldlead “only to catastrophe”.

“There will either be a civil war oranother scenario... his assassination,” hesaid. Huseyin Aydin, a lawyer represent-ing Erdogan, said in a petition to anAnkara prosecutor that the commentswere not a simple expression of opin-ion, but were “clearly instigating thecrime in question”. He said the com-ments showed how far the hostilityagainst Erdogan had reached in the

West, and suggested Defarges shouldundergo checks for his mental health ifhe ever came to Turkey.

“And if he is in good health mental-ly, his alleged links with the outlawedKurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) or US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulenblamed by the Turkish government fororchestrating the failed July coupshould be investigated.” Defarges’ com-ments went viral on social media, witha senior Erdogan advisor calling on theFrench institute to revoke his fellow-ship. “Former French diplomat openlycalls for assassination of PresidentErdogan. @IFRI_ should terminate hisfellowship, apologize,” Gulnur Aybetwrote on Twitter.

“What would be the reaction if a for-mer diplomat and senior fellow at aTurkish think tank called for the assassi-nation of the French President?”Defarges on Sunday offered his “sin-cere apologies” for his remarks. “Someof what I said was clumsy and mighthave been wrongly interpreted,” he saidon Twitter. Critics say the constitutionalchanges will lead to one-man rule inNATO member Turkey. They accuseErdogan of becoming increasinglyauthoritarian after 14 years in power aseither president or prime minister.There have been a number of prosecu-tions for insulting Erdogan, with artists,journalists and schoolchildren all tar-geted.—AFP

President Erdogan accuses

French researcher of

inciting assassination

QAMISHLI, Syria: Islam Maytat thought mar-rying an Afghan-British businessman was herticket to a new life as a fashionista in London.Instead she became a widow living underjihadist rule in Syria. At just 23, the youngMoroccan spent three traumatic years innorthern Syria under the Islamic Stategroup’s so-called “caliphate”. Tens of thou-sands of foreigners have joined jihadist

groups in Syria, including women who areencouraged to marry and raise the childrenof IS fighters.

Some, like Maytat, have been luredunknowingly into marriages with would-bejihadists. Maytat spoke to AFP after fleeingIS’s northern stronghold of Raqa to territorycontrolled by a US-backed alliance fightingthe extremist group. Now safe in the Kurdish-

majority city of Qamishli, Maytat holds hergurgling 10-month-old daughter Maria inher lap as she tells her story.

“Meeting my husband was one of thethings that motivated me to study fashiondesign in Europe, but I had no luck.Everything went wrong,” she said. She firstmet Khalil Ahmed-an Afghan-British traderwho worked in Dubai online in early 2014and they married two months later. He flewto Morocco to marry her and they then wentto Dubai, stepping into a complex web of liesand journeys across the Middle East thatwould eventually take her to Syria.

Going to the caliphate Ahmed proved to be a strict, controlling

husband who did not allow her to wearmakeup or bright clothes. After a brief tripto Afghanistan to meet his family, Maytatwas eager to get to London and start work-ing as a stylist. Ahmed proposed travellingto Istanbul, convincing a reluctant Maytatthat it would be easier to move to Londonfrom there. But as soon as they landed inTurkey, Ahmed immediately drove her tothe southeastern city of Gaziantep near theborder with Syria.

Ankara has long been accused of turninga blind eye to IS fighters using the porousSyrian-Turkish border to transport people,goods, and funds-allegations it vehementlydenies. In Gaziantep, Maytat and Ahmedmoved into a large house full of ecstatic cou-ples from countries including Saudi Arabia,Algeria and France. “I asked them ‘Why are

you here?’ And they told me they were thereto migrate to the caliphate in Syria,” Maytatrecalls. In June 2014, IS declared a self-styled“caliphate” across Syria and Iraq, where itimplemented its literal interpretation ofIslamic law. “I began to cry. It was two weeksafter the caliphate was declared and thewomen kept saying ‘We’re going to the landof the caliphate, the land of the Muslims’,and they were all happy,” Maytat says. InAugust, Ahmed and Maytat made their ownjourney across the border into war-ravagednorthern Syria.

‘I had no choice’They settled in the northern Syrian town

of Manbij, where Ahmed’s brother wasalready living with his family. “I said to my hus-band ‘Why did you destroy my life like this?You should have told me from the beginningthat this is what we were going to do’,” Maytatrecalls. “And he said ‘You’re my wife-you haveto listen to what I say’.” Tears welling, Maytatsays she had felt powerless to resist Ahmed,her only link to her previous life.

By September, she was pregnant withher first child-Abdullah-and Ahmed was sentto a month-long military training beforedeploying to IS’s front in Kobane. OnOctober 8, 2014, Ahmed’s brother toldMaytat her husband had been killed in com-bat. “I became more depressed. I said tomyself, this is the only person I knew in thisforeign land, and now I’m alone here,” shetells AFP. Pregnant and alone, Maytat movedinto a shared “guest house” for widows of

jihadists, mostly Uzbeks and Russians. This iswhen the military training started. “Whenthey forced us to do weapons training I waspregnant, but I had no choice,” she says.Unable to communicate with many otherwidows, Maytat was allowed to move into abuilding housing other Arabic-speakers.“There were French, Tunisians, Moroccansand Algerians. I stayed there until I gavebirth to Abdullah.”

‘Secret route’ to safety Less than a year after her first husband

died, Maytat remarried in order to escape theshelter. Her second husband, an Afghanknown as Abu Abdullah, took her to Raqa,the de facto capital of IS’s caliphate. “Icouldn’t deal with life there-he wouldn’t letme leave the house-so I asked him for adivorce two months later,” she says. She thenmarried for the third time in three years, thistime to an Indian fighter in Raqa known asAbu Talha al-Hindi. That 18-month marriageproduced her daughter, Maria.

When Maytat learned Abu Talha hadbeen killed battling the US-backed SyrianDemocratic Forces, she joined up with anoth-er jihadist widow, a Yazidi woman. Theyescaped IS territory via “a secret route” thatshe refused to divulge. Traumatized by herpast, Maytat is now also worried about herfuture and that of her two young children. “Istill don’t know what to do with my life. “Ihope to return to Morocco with both of mychildren, but I don’t know if I’ll have a futureor not there.” —AFP

From aspiring stylist to jihadist widow: One woman’s Syria story

RAIPUR, India: Suspected Maoistrebels killed 24 paramilitary com-mandos and wounded six yester-day in a remote part of centralI ndia in one of the deadl iestattacks of a long-running internalconflict. The soldiers were guard-ing road workers in the Sukmadistrict of Chhattisgargh state, ahotbed of insurgent violence,when they came under heavy fire.“ We have recovered 23 bodiesfrom the spot and one jawan (sol-dier) died in Raipur during treat-ment,” Anand Chhabra, a seniorpolice officer, said, referring tothe state capital.

He said six other commandosfrom the Central Reserve PoliceForce were critically injured andhad been evacuated for treat-ment. Another police officer, SunilTiwari, told AFP that Indian secu-rity forces were looking for “someCRPF jawans who are missing”,adding that the rebels snatchedweapons during the ambush.Prime Minister Narendra Modicondemned the attack andoffered condolences to the fami-lies of the deceased, saying thesacrifice of their loved ones wouldnot be in vain.

“Attack on CRPF India person-nel in Chhattisgarh is cowardlyand deplorable. We are monitoringthe situation closely,” Modi postedon Twitter. Fatal attacks by insur-gents on security forces in centraland eastern India are frequent, butyesterday’s assault was among thedeadliest in years. Televisionfootage showed injured comman-dos in their army fatigues beingstretchered from ambulances intohospitals for treatment. One sol-dier who survived the attack, Sher

Mohammed, told reporters fromhis hospital bed that “almost 300of them attacked us”.

More precaution needed State chief minister Raman Singh

said Sukma, where yesterday’s attack

occurred, was a stronghold forMaoists waging a guerilla war fromtheir jungle bases. The Maoistsopposed efforts to build new roadsand infrastructure in the remote areabecause it undermined their long-running campaign against India’ssecurity forces, he added. “In futurewe will need to take more precau-tions,” said Singh, who called anemergency meeting and rushedback from New Delhi after the attack.

The Maoist insurgency started asa peasant uprising in 1967, andsince then has cost thousands oflives in the rebel-dominated “redcorridor” stretching through centraland eastern India. Tit-for-tat jungleskirmishes often result in heavycasualties on both sides. Last month11 paramilitary policemen werekilled when their convoy wasambushed in Chhattisgarh, while atleast 20 troops died in a separateattack in 2015.

In 2010 Maoists killed 76 police inthe worst-ever massacre of securityforces by the insurgents. The inci-dent shook the country and led topressure on the government torethink its tactics. Critics believeattempts to end the revolt throughtough security offensives aredoomed to fail, saying the real solu-tion is better governance and devel-opment of the region.

The guerrillas, who say they arefighting for the rights of tribal peo-ple and landless farmers, often col-lect funds through extortion. Modihad been seeking to stem the insur-gency by earmarking developmentfunds for revolt-hit areas andimproving policing. In 2015 heurged Maoists to put down theirguns and take up ploughs, saying“violence has no future”. —AFP

Maoist rebels kill 24

police in central IndiaDeadly attack leaves six wounded

INDIA: This handout photo released by the Indian DefenseMinistry yesterday shows wounded Indian security personnelbeing treated in an army helicopter as they are airlifted to ahospital following an attack by Maoist rebels in Sukma districtof Chhattisgargh state. —AFP

R A M A L L A H , Pa l e s t i n i a n Te r r i t o r i e s :Palestinian leader Mar wan Barghouti ’shealth has declined seriously over the pastweek after he joined a hunger strike withmore than 1,000 other prisoners in Israel,an NGO said yesterday. Barghouti, 57 andserving five life sentences over his role inthe second Palestinian intifada, is refusingmedical treatment, according to AmaniSarahneh of the Palestinian Prisoners’ ClubNGO. He told AFP this was causing hishealth to decline seriously.

The hunger strike began on April 17,with those tak ing par t ingest ing onlyw a t e r a n d s a l t . T h e y h a v e i s s u e ddemands ranging from better medicalc a r e t o p h o n e a c c e s s . A s k e d a b o u tBarghouti , however, an Israel i Pr isonsService spokesman said that “no declinei n h i s h e a l t h c o n d i t i o n h a s b e e nobserved”. “If Barghouti feels bad, all hehas to do is eat,” the spokesman told AFP.

According to the NGO, authorities atthe Jalame prison, where Barghouti wastransferred and placed in solitary confine-ment after the strike began, have pres-sured him to accept medical treatmentand also urged other prisoners to try toconvince him. Some 6,500 Palestinians arecurrently detained by Israel for a range ofoffences and alleged crimes. Around 500are being held under Israel ’s system ofadministrative detention, which allows for

imprisonment without charge. Palestinianprisoners have mounted repeated hungers t r i k e s , b u t r a re l y o n s u c h a s c a l e .Barghouti is popular among Palestinians,with polls suggesting he could win thePa l e s t i n i a n p re s i d e n c y. W h i l e m a nyPalestinians view him as a hero, Israelispoint to the bloody suicide attacks of thesecond intifada of 2000-2005 and his rolei n t h e u p r i s i n g. H e w a s c o nv i c t e d o fattacks that k i l led f ive people, thoughdeclined to defend himself and did notrecognize the court’s legitimacy.

Fo r Pa l e s t i n i a n s , t h e p r i s o n s h avebecome a stark symbol of Israel’s occupa-tion. Some 850,000 Palestinians have beenincarcerated s ince the star t of Israel ’soccupation 50 years ago, Palestinian lead-e r s s ay. Pa l e s t i n i a n l e a d e r s h avedenounced Israel’s refusal to negotiatewith the hunger str ikers, warning of a“new intifada” if any of them die.

Demonstrations have been held in theoccupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip tosupport the prisoners, occasionally result-ing in clashes with Israeli forces, thought h e y h ave b e e n l i m i te d i n n u m b e r. APalestinian former minister, Hamas mem-ber Wasfi Kabha, released on the fourthday of the hunger strike, said on Facebookthat Barghouti had told him “the strikeaims to achieve more humane, fairer andmore dignified prison conditions”.—AFP

Palestinian leader on hunger

strike sees health decline: NGO

Twenty-three year old Islam Maytat from Morocco poses for a photowith her children Maria (L) and Abdullah in the Kurdish-majority city ofQamishli in northern Syrian on April 13, 2017, after she escaped fromIslamic State (IS) group territory following three traumatic years livingin the group’s so-called “caliphate”.—AFP

CAIRO: An Egyptian court yesterdaysentenced 20 people to death for thekilling of 13 policemen in the after-math of the ouster nearly four yearsago of Islamist president MohamedMorsi. On August 14, 2013, a monthafter Morsi was overthrown by thearmy, security forces forcibly dispersedtwo pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairoin an operation that killed more than700 people. Hours later a furious crowdattacked a police station in the Cairosuburb of Kerdassa, where 13 police-men were killed.

A year later a Cairo court sentencedto death 183 Islamists but a highercourt scrapped the verdict last year,amid an international outcry, calling

instead for the retrial of 149 suspectswho were behind bars. Of those 149,yesterday a Cairo criminal court sen-tenced to death 20 people, a judicialofficial said, adding that a decisionconcerning the others would be madeat another hearing on July 2.

The death sentences issued yester-day will be submitted to the mufti,Egypt’s official interpreter of Islamiclaw, as his opinion is legally requiredbut not binding. Egyptian courts havesentenced hundreds of Morsi sup-porters to death since his overthrow,but many have appealed and wonnew trials. Morsi and other top figuresof his Muslim Brotherhood have alsofaced trial.—AFP

Egypt sentences 20 to death

over police killings

Kremlin respects

French vote,

denies favoring

any candidate

MOSCOW: The Kremlin yesterday said it respect-ed the result of the first round of the French presi-dential election, and denied favoring any candi-date in the polls. “We respect the choice of theFrench people. We are in favor of building goodand mutually beneficial relations,” said Kremlinspokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by state-runRIA Novosti news agency.

Russia has been seen as a keen backer ofKremlin-friendly far-right leader Marine Le Pen,who met President Vladimir Putin in a surprise vis-it to Moscow ahead of the vote. But Peskov insist-ed to reporters that Russia did not have a pre-ferred candidate in the election. “These are incor-rect assertions, they are quite primitive,” Peskovsaid. “In this case to say that Russia more or lesssupports one candidate or another would bewrong.” Pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macronand Le Pen claimed the most votes in the electionSunday to progress to a second round run-off onMay 7. Macron is clear favorite to become France’syoungest president after topping Sunday’s ballotwith 23.75 percent of votes, slightly ahead ofNational Front (FN) leader Le Pen on 21.53 per-cent, according to final results.—AFP


WASHINGTON: For nearly 100 days,President Donald Trump has rattledWashington and been chastened by itsinstitutions. He’s startled world leaderswith his unpredictability and tough talk,but won their praise for a surprise strikeon Syria. He’s endured the steady drip ofinvestigations and a seemingly endlesschurn of public personnel drama. “It’s adifferent kind of a presidency,” Trumpsaid in an Oval Office interview with TheAssociated Press, an hour-long conversa-tion as he approached Saturday’s keypresidential benchmark.

Trump, who campaigned on a prom-ise of instant disruption, indirectlyacknowledged that change doesn’tcome quickly to Washington. He showedsigns that he feels the weight of theoffice, discussing the “heart” required todo the job. Although he retained his sig-nature bravado and a salesman’s confi-dence in his upward trajectory, he dis-

played an understanding that many ofhis own lofty expectations for his first100 days in office have not been met.“It’s an artificial barrier. It ’s not verymeaningful,” he said.

Trump waffled on whether he shouldbe held accountable for the 100-dayplan he outlined with great fanfare in hiscampaign’s closing days, suggesting his“Contract with the American Voter” was-n’t really his idea to begin with.“Somebody put out the concept of a100-day plan,” he said. One hundreddays are just a fraction of a president’stenure, and no president has quitematched the achievements of FranklinD. Roosevelt, who set the standard bywhich all are now judged.

Still, modern presidents have tried tomove swiftly to capitalize upon thepotent, and often fleeting, mix of politi-cal capital and public goodwill that usu-ally accompanies their arrival in

Washington. Trump has never really hadeither. A deeply divisive figure, he lostthe popular vote to Democrat HillaryClinton and had one of the narrowerElectoral College victories in history.Since taking office on Jan. 20, hisapproval rating has hovered around 40percent in most polls.

Trump’s early presidency has beendogged by FBI and congressional inves-tigations into whether his campaigncoordinated with Russians to tilt the racein his favor. It’s a persistent distractionthat Trump would not discuss on therecord. Furthermore, his three months-plus in office have amounted to a swifteducation in a world wholly unfamiliarto a 70-year-old who spent his career inreal estate and reality television.

For example, his two disputed travelban executive orders are languishing,blocked by federal judges. On CapitolHill, majority Republicans muscled

through Trump’s nominee for theSupreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch, buthad to blow up long-standing Senaterules to do so. Then there was the leg-islative debacle when Trump’s own partycouldn’t come together to fulfill its long-sought promise of repealing PresidentBarack Obama’s health care law.

HW Brands, a history professor at theUniversity of Texas at Austin, said Trumpis learning that “the world is the way it isfor a whole bunch of complicated rea-sons. And changing the guy at the topdoesn’t change the world.” Trump won’tconcede that point.

But he acknowledged that beingcommander in chief brings with it a“human responsibility” that he didn’tmuch bother with in business, requiringhim to think through the consequenceshis decisions have on people and notsimply the financial implications for hiscompany’s bottom line.

Tremendous success“When it came time to, as an exam-

ple, send out the 59 miss i les, theTomahawks in Syria,” Trump said of hisdecision to strike a Syrian air base inretaliation for a chemical weaponsattack . “ I ’m saying to myself, ‘ Youknow, this is more than just like 79(sic) missiles.

This is death that’s involved becausepeople could have been killed. This isrisk that’s involved.’” “Here, everything,pretty much everything you do in gov-ernment involves heart, whereas in busi-ness most things don’t involve heart,” hesaid. “In fact, in business you’re actuallybetter off without it.”

As for accomplishments, Trump cited“tremendous success” on an undefinedstrategy for defeating the Islamic Stategroup. He talked at length about savingtaxpayers hundreds of millions of dollarson the price of F-35 fighter jets. — AP

Nearing 100-day mark, Trump says milestone not meaningful

CARACAS: Protesters plan yesterday toblock Venezuela’s main roads includingthe capital’s biggest motorway, trigger-ing fears of further violence after threeweeks of unrest left 21 people dead. Thewife of jailed opposition leader LeopoldoLopez started a vigil Sunday outside theprison where he is being held, pressingfor permission to visit him after he spenta month in isolation.

President Nicolas Maduro said Sundaythat he wants “elections now,” referringto elections for governors which weresupposed to be held last December, andthose for mayors scheduled for this year.A presidential election is scheduled for2018. “I am ready for what the ElectoralPower says,” insisted Maduro, who wonthe 2013 election by a narrow margin.

Venezuela has seen near-dailyprotests since the beginning of April,with opponents of Maduro demandinghis ouster. Maduro has called for localelections in Venezuela, but the govern-ment has ruled out voting this year atpresidential level as opposition leadershave demanded. The opposition blamesMaduro for the unraveling of the oilgiant’s once-booming economy, leavingthe country with critical shortages offood, medicine and basic goods.

The spark that set off the near-dailyprotests was an attempt by the Supreme

Court to take over the powers of theopposition-dominated Congress. Most ofthe demonstrations have degeneratedinto riots and clashes with securityforces, who dispersed them using teargas and rubber bullets.

Trading blame The government and the opposition

have accused each other of fomentingthe deadly violence that has also seenhundreds of people detained or wound-ed and businesses looted. The latest vic-tim, Almelina Carrillo, 47, succumbed toinjuries suffered when she was struck inthe head by a bottle thrown from abuilding during the march in Caracas.Interior Minister Nestor Reverol calledher “another victim of the Terrorist Right,which is full of hatred.” “We will not restuntil we capture those responsible forthis repugnant crime,” he added.

The opposition has said it will use themomentum to keep taking to the streetsdemanding elections and pushing forthe release of political prisoners.Thursday marked one of the most violentdays in the latest wave of protests, withthe Caracas neighborhood of El Valle thescene of shootings, looting and pitchedbattles between demonstrators andpolice officers, who forced the evacua-tion of a maternity ward. —AFP

Venezuela protesters plan nationwide road blocks

NEW YORK: President Donald Trump vowed towipe out anti-Semitism in a message to markIsrael’s annual Holocaust Remembrance Dayafter his administration was criticized for paststatements about the genocide. In a four-minute taped video played to the World JewishCongress in New York, the US leader called theHolocaust “the darkest chapter of human his-tory” and pledged “never again” would suchhorror occur.

“Six million Jews, two-thirds of the Jews inEurope, murdered by the Nazi genocide. Theywere murdered by an evil that words cannotdescribe, and that the human heart cannot bear,”he said. The Republican commander-in-chiefwent on to pay tribute to Israel and Jewish per-

severance, condemning anti-Semitism.”We muststamp out prejudice and anti-Semitism every-where it is found. We must defeat terrorism, andwe must not ignore the threats of a regime thattalks openly of Israel’s destruction,” he said.

“We cannot let that ever even be thought of,”he said, adding “America stands strong with theState of Israel.”The White House raised eyebrowson International Holocaust Remembrance Day inJanuary by issuing a statement that made nomention of the six million Jews killed in the Nazigenocide. In February, Trump drew fire forremaining silent for several days over a spate ofanti-Semitic threats against Jewish communitycenters, before condemning them as “horrible”and “painful.”

When asked by an Orthodox Jewish reporterat a White House news conference about thepost-election surge in anti-Semitic incidents,Trump reacted defensively, telling his questionerto “sit down.” Earlier this month, White Housespokesman Sean Spicer sparked outrage aroundthe world after minimizing the atrocities of AdolfHitler in comments on Syria.

Critics and political opponents in the UnitedStates say Trump’s rise to the White House hasemboldened extreme right, neo-Nazi groups.One of Trump’s closest advisors is son-in-lawJared Kushner, the Orthodox Jewish grandson ofHolocaust survivors. His daughter Ivanka, who isalso an unpaid White House advisor, convertedto Judaism in 2009.—AFP

Trump denounces anti-Semitism on Israel’s annual Holocaust day

Trump calls Holocaust darkest chapter of human history

NEW YORK: Guests watch video messages from US President Trump as they attend the World Jewish Congress in New York.—AFP

NEW YORK: Investigators are scouring forclues about what sparked a deadly, fast-moving house fire that killed five people,including three children, on a sunny springafternoon. The fire broke out Sunday after-noon, on a street full of single-familyhomes in the middle class neighborhood ofQueens Village, a neighborhood nearBelmont Park, which hosts the BelmontStakes, the final leg in horse racing’s TripleCrown. Television news footage showedflames chewing through the roof of the two-story home and roaring in upstairs rooms ofthe house as smoke poured from it.

“It was a fire that moved very, veryquickly, and the loss was horrendous,” saidMayor Bill de Blasio. “This is the devastationof a family,” he said, adding: “There’s a lotwe need to know about what happenedhere.” There was no immediate theory onwhat started the blaze. A burned-out carwas found behind one of the homes, andwitnesses reported hearing loud booms,but Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said itdidn’t appear there was an explosion.

Nigro said a passing motorist sawsomeone tumble from a window as smokebillowed, and called the fire department.The victim, a roughly 46-year-old man, fellonto a porch roof and then a lawn and sur-vived, Nigro said. The wood-frame homeburned rapidly and was already engulfedin flames by the time firefighters arrived.They struggled to reach some of the vic-tims who were as high up as the attic, a“super-human” task for firefighters to reachpeople in a home engulfed by such a mas-sive fire, Nigro said.

Deadly fireThey managed to bring a 2-year-old and

someone else from the attic where theyhad been trapped, he said. But they weretoo late to save them. Officials were still try-

ing to piece together who the victims were,and how or if they were all related. Policesaid the victims ranged in age from 2 to 20.They said the man who escaped the fire isin the hospital and is expected to survive. Aneighboring home also caught fire and wasbadly damaged, but no one was inside atthe time. Four firefighters suffered minorinjuries; no other people were injured.

Neighbor Dorothy Murray told reportersthat when she looked out her door and sawthe fire, “I could have fainted.” “The fire wasso intense - there’s no way in the worldnobody could go over there to savenobody,” said Murray. She said she babysatsometimes for one of the children - “cutelittle fellow,” she said. “He’s adorable.” First-responders carried a limp child from thewreckage. “It was the worst thing I’ve everseen in my life,” neighbor Foster McPhee,67, told the New York Post.

“The guy who was carrying the babyout, you could just see the stress on hisface. I’m just emotional about it becauseI’m a grandfather and I have kids, too.”Firefighters tried to save the family even asthe rescuers mourned one of their own,firefighter William Tolley, who diedThursday after falling five stories while bat-tling a blaze in Queens. The fire was thedeadliest in the nation’s biggest city sinceMarch 2015, when a house fire in Brooklynkilled seven children, all siblings. That firewas touched off by a hot plate.

By nightfall Sunday, neighbors who’dbeen standing in horror outside had goneback into their homes, and first respondershad blocked off the street as they contin-ued to investigate. Brenda Lewis, who livessix houses down the fire scene, said shewas still in shock. With her iPad in hand, shestood in the evening cold, showing theneighbors the videos she took earlier in theday. “It was something,” she said.—AP

NYC house fire kills five, including three children

NEW YORK: In this photo provided by the New York City Fire Department, firefighterswork to put out a deadly house fire in the Queens Village neighborhood of theQueens borough of New York. —AP

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa: US VicePresident Mike Pence thanked American servicemembers based in American Samoa, citing“challenging times” for the military in the Asia-Pacific. Completing a visit to the region and enroute back to the United States, Penceaddressed some 200 soldiers during a refuelingstop in Pago Pago. He told the troops the Trumpadministration was seeking a large increase inmilitary funding.

During his stop, Pence also dedicated a signthat will greet visitors at a veteran’s clinic. Hemet with American Samoan officials and troopsand then flew to Hawaii at the last stop on atour that included a visit to the DemilitarizedZone separating North and South Korea. Thetrip offered evidence that Pence has becomeone of President Donald Trump’s chief emis-saries on the world stage, patching up relations,reassuring allies still wondering what to expectfrom Trump and diving into international criseslike North Korea.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that the vice pres-ident was shortening his stay in Hawaii to a fewhours so that he could fly back to Washington inwhat promises to be a very busy week for theadministration and Congress. Pence’s office saidhe would depart Hawaii on Monday afternoonafter meeting with US Pacific Command leadersand troops stationed in Honolulu. Plans fortoday’s visit to the USS Arizona in Pearl Harborhave been postponed, Pence’s office said.

Pence’s trip to Asia was planned weeks ago.But it dropped him in South Korea just in timeto deliver North Korea a stern warning from theUS: that “all options are on the table” when itcomes to curbing the North’s nuclear ambi-tions, and that the Trump administration willseek suppor t from its al l ies to pressurePyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons andballistic missile programs.

His foray into the DMZ and his meetings withSouth Korean and Japanese leaders allowedPence to shape a key American foreign policyissue, presenting a new challenge for a politician

whose prior foreign policy experience was limit-ed to trips to the Middle East as a congressmanand trade missions to Japan, China, Israel andEurope as Indiana’s governor.

Greetings Pence’s early foreign travel schedule contrasts

sharply with a mostly homebound Trump, who isnot scheduled to travel overseas until late Mayfor NATO meetings in Belgium and a gatheringof the Group of Seven major industrial nations inItaly. Pence partly covered that ground when hevisited Germany and Belgium in February.Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, had visitednine countries by late April 2009, his first threemonths in office, checking in with allies such asCanada, Britain and Germany.

The last first-term president to wait until Mayto take his first foreign trip was Jimmy Carter in1977. Enter Pence, whose still-evolving diplo-

matic playbook includes several components, allsteeped in humility, personal ties and his reli-gious faith. In some ways, Pence is the advanceteam: His earlier trip to Europe and his Asia tripthat ends today are partly laying the foundationfor journeys being planned for Trump. In otherways, Pence is the face of reassurance, offeringin-person outreach to world leaders Trump hasclashed with or who have doubted Trump’s com-mitment to them at the start of his presidency.

In meetings with his counterparts, Pence fre-quently passed along “greetings” from Trumpand told his hosts how much America valuedtheir alliance, language that’s commonplace indiplomacy but understated compared to themore free-wheeling Trump. On Thursday, forexample, Pence told Indonesian President Joko“Jokowi” Widodo how “proud” he and Trumpwere to partner with him and spoke of theirhopes of working together.—AP

Pence cites challenging times to troops in American Samoa

PAGO PAGO: Vice President Mike Pence stands with his wife Karen as they pose for a photo withofficials and US service members during a refueling stop in Pago Pago, American Samoa. —AP


RIO DE JANEIRO: Nine men, including anEvangelical pastor, massacred in a remotepart of western Brazil were knifed and shotto death, police said Sunday after releasingthe bodies for burial. No arrests wereannounced in the slayings which tookplace Thursday in a hard-to-access settle-ment in Mato Grosso state. A human rightsgroup said the killings were part of a pat-tern of brutal pressure from rich landown-

ers to displace small-scale farmers fromlucrative territories.

The state’s security service said in astatement Sunday that the victims, all men,ranged in age from 23 to 57. They werereported to be inhabitants of GlebaTaquarucu do Norte, which is near the bor-der with Bolivia and only reachable on footor by boat, with no cell phone coverage.One was a pastor from the popular

Assembly of God church, police said.“Preliminary information is that the victimsshowed signs of stabbings and gunshots,”the police statement said.

CBN radio and other Brazilian mediareported that some of the dead had beenfound decapitated, while Globo news sitesaid there were signs of torture and thatsome victims had been tied up. Contactedby AFP, a police spokeswoman would not

confirm or deny this. Earlier, policedescribed the raid as the work of “hoodedattackers.” Globo reported that the victimshad been starting to work on unauthorizedplots of land and that they were killedinside the huts they’d erected at the site.

The Pastoral Land Commission, which islinked to the Roman Catholic church, andacts on behalf of the rural poor, described anetwork of armed gangs employed by

ranchers using “terror to get the small pro-ducers to leave the area.” “Gleba has beensubjected to conflicts and violence formore than 10 years.

Other murders and attacks have alreadytaken place there,” the commission said.According to the CPT ’s latest annualreport, 61 people were killed in land con-flicts in Brazil last year, the highest numbersince 2003. — AFP

Nine killed in Brazil massacre were shot, stabbed to death

CAPE TOWN: In a case that has gripped SouthAfrica, the 22-year-old son of a wealthy familypleaded not guilty yesterday to slaughtering hisparents and brother in a frenzied axe attack. Thetrial, which opened in Cape Town after severaldelays, has attracted international interest aspolice failed to arrest anyone for the grislykillings until Henri van Breda handed himself into police.

Van Breda is alleged to have killed his brotherRudi and parents Martin and Teresa, and left hissister Marli struggling with near-fatal injuries toher head, neck and throat. The events took placeon January 27, 2015 at the family’s luxury homeat an exclusive golf estate in Stellenbosch out-side Cape Town, where they lived after returningfrom several years in Australia. At the WesternCape High Court, van Breda, dressed in a suitand tie, quietly said “not guilty” to three countsof murder and one of attempted murder.

In a statement read out by his lawyer PieterBotha, van Breda said that a masked intruder hadentered the house and attacked his family withan axe in the early hours of the morning. Theaccused said he could “make out the silhouetteof somebody” attacking his brother in the high-security property.

“I shouted for help, shouting to attract atten-tion,” he said. Van Breda said his father came intothe room “trying to tackle the attacker.” “Myfather was struck as he lunged towards theattacker. He was hit a number of times... I also

recall the attacker was laughing.” Van Breda saidhe heard his mother’s voice, and then the attack-er left the room. According to media reports,Rudi, a 21-year-old engineering student, wasfound on a blood-soaked bed next to his father,54. Both were killed by savage blows from theaxe. His mother, 55, was found with a gapinghead wound on the bedroom’s balcony.

Disarmed attacker Marli, then 16, was left in a coma after the

attack and suffered memory loss, but she maygive evidence during the trial. Van Breda himselfhad only minor bruises and scratches, whichexperts say may have been self-inflicted.

Yesterday, he said in his statement that he hadpassed out after disarming the attacker, whothen fled the house. “I later woke lying on thestairs. I was unsure how long I was uncon-scious... I could see it was light. I then saw Marlimoving. I could also hear what sounded likeRudi making gurgling sounds,” he said. In aleaked tape of his call to emergency services,van Breda said his family members were “bleed-ing from the head” before he appeared to gig-gle briefly. Van Breda in his statement said hewas in the toilet playing games on his phonewhen the intruder broke in.

He described his family as “fairly close-knit”who enjoyed boating and shark cage divingtogether. Before the attack, they had spent theevening watching a Star Wars movie, while theirmother spoke on the phone. The run-up to the tri-al generated fevered interest over a privileged sonallegedly unleashing a savage attack on his family,whose fortune has been estimated at $16 million.

There is a continuing legal battle overwhether the trial can be broadcast live on televi-sion. Local reports suggested van Breda hadspent time in drug rehabilitation before thedeaths. He was enrolled as a science undergrad-uate at the time. He handed himself in to a localpolice station 18 months after the attack, duringwhich time the police had made no arrests.Since being arrested, he has been on $8,000 bailwhile living with his girlfriend. The trial contin-ued yesterday. — AFP

South African pleads not guilty

to slaying his wealthy family

CAPE TOWN: Henri Van Breda arrives at the HighCourt in Cape Town, South Africa, yesterday. — AP

PARIS: A “drubbing” suffered by the Socialistcandidate in France’s presidential election onSunday dealt a devastating blow to the century-old party, analysts said. Benoit Hamon, 49, whotook up the Socialist mantle after the deeplyunpopular Francois Hollande decided againstseeking re-election, crashed out in fifth place inSunday’s first round of the two-stage vote,according to projections.

It was the first time the Socialists have lost inthe first round since 2002, when Lionel Jospinfell at the first hurdle behind then far-rightleader Jean-Marie Le Pen. And it is the first timein modern history that neither of France’s main-stream parties have made it past the first roundof a presidential election. “Symbolically, the factthat the Socialist Party (PS) is not in the top threeand not even the leading leftist party is a disas-ter,” said political scientist Remi Lefebvre of thenorthern city of Lille.

The left is not deadScoring just 6.2 percent according to the pro-

jections, Hamon fared worse than Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon, who was set to fin-ish fourth behind scandal-scarred conservativecandidate Francois Fillon.

Hamon tried to put a brave face on what headmitted was a “historic drubbing” on Sunday.“The left is not dead,” he said. “The fight contin-ues... with the parliamentary elections.” After thesecond round of the presidential election,

French voters return to the polls to elect a newparliament on June 11 and June 18.

PS chief Jean-Christophe Cambadelis saidFriday that the party will be fielding candidatesin all 577 of France’s parliamentary districts,adding: “The party still has good days in front ofit.”Hamon proved unable to sustain the magicthat won him the Socialist primary in January,ahead of former prime minister Manuel Valls,with proposals such as a universal basic income.Key Socialist stalwarts deserted him, led by Valls,who last month threw his weight behindEmmanuel Macron, the centrist former Socialistwho came out on top in Sunday’s vote.

Hamon’s poll numbers went into a steadyslide from a high of around 17 percent as thecharismatic Melenchon steadfastly refused tojoin forces and Macron also siphoned off sup-port. Melenchon, who enjoyed a late surge inthe race after strong debate performances,scored 19 to 20 percent on Sunday.

“Melenchon’s political goal, which was tobeat the PS, was unimaginable just a fewyears ago,” Lefebvre said. The party foundedin 1905, which first came to power in 1981with Francois Mitterrand, fell from a greatheight since Hollande’s 2012 victory broughtthe left back to power after three rightwingpresidencies in a row.

Then, the Socialists were riding high, with ahuge majority of France’s regions and even amajority in the Senate for the first time. Five

years on, after Hollande failed to turn around amoribund economy and the country suffered astring of terror attacks, the PS heads just five ofFrance’s 13 regions, and 26 of its 101 depart-ments. The worst defeat was to come in 2014when the PS lost municipal elections in morethan 150 cities of at least 9,000 inhabitants.

Parties don’t just disappear As this year ’s campaign wore on, party

infighting turned into open warfare betweendiehard leftists and the more centrist, economi-cally liberal wing represented by Valls. The partyfailed to find a “third way... between social liber-alism and the radical left,” said Thibaut Rioufreyt,a political scientist based in the central city ofLyon. “They broadly abandoned the intellectualwork.” The PS joins the ranks of other social-democratic forces in Europe that have recentlysuffered deep losses, such as in Greece, Austria,Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands.

“The problem with social democracy is that itdoes not have the answers to new changes inmodern society such as globalization, the digitalrevolution and the ecological transition,”Rioufreyt said.

But the June parliamentary elections holdout some hope for France’s Socialists, Lefebvresaid. “Political parties don’t disappear just likethat. The PS has been around for 100 years,(with) an organizational structure, elected offi-cials, activists, a tradition and a memory.” — AFP

France’s Socialists on rocks

after historic drubbing

‘Socialist Party not in the top three is a disaster’

PARIS: French presidential election candidate for the left-wing French Socialist (PS) party Benoit Hamon reacts after delivering a speech at theMaison de la Mutualite in Paris after the first round of the Presidential election. — AFP

MOSCOW: The top diplomats from Russiaand the European Union struggled yester-day to overcome deep rifts that haveplunged ties to a post-Cold War low despitecalling for closer cooperation. In her firstofficial visit to Russia, EU foreign affairschief Federica Mogherini insisted thatcooperation between the sides was “notfrozen” but said that progress was ham-pered by profound disagreements on sub-jects including Ukraine and Syria.

“It would be quite surreal to consider our-selves as strategic partners and to haverespective sanctions,” Mogherini said aftertalks with Russian Foreign Minister SergeiLavrov. “We share the interest to make ourrelations better,” she added. The EU imposedsanctions on Russia for its annexation of

Crimea in 2014 and support for east Ukrainianrebels. Moscow responded with an embargoon agricultural products from the West.

Mogherini said the EU’s sanctionsagainst Russia were “not an objective inthemselves” but were meant to help endthe crisis in Ukraine, which has claimedmore than 10,000 lives since it erupted in2014. Lavrov meanwhile said the two sideshad reiterated the need to fulfill the stalledEuropean-brokered Minsk peace agree-ments to end the conflict in easternUkraine. He also called for a “thorough,quick and transparent” investigation afteran American monitor with the Organizationfor Security and Cooperation in Europe waskilled Sunday when a patrol vehicle hit alandmine in the rebel-held east. — AFP

Russia, EU fail to mask

divisions on Mogherini visit

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, shakes hands with FedericaMogherini, the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs andsecurity policy, after a joint press conference following their meeting in Moscow yes-terday. — AFP

BERLIN: Germany recorded a sharp rise inpolitically motivated crimes by foreignersincluding jihadists and Kurdish militantslast year, a trend branded “unacceptable”by Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziereyesterday. Some 3,372 such cases wererecorded last year, up 66.5 percent from2015, according to the latest crime statis-tics unveiled by de Maiziere. They include“criminal offences carried out in the nameof foreign extremists of the so-called IS, orthe (outlawed Kurdish militants) PKK”, saidthe interior minister.

Germany was hit by a string of jihadist

attacks last year, with the deadliest being lastDecember’s assault on a Christmas market inBerlin. A Tunisian suspect had rammed atruck into the crowded market in the attackclaimed by the Islamic State organizationthat killed 12. But beyond jihadist attacks,Germany has also seen a rise in violence pit-ting its sizeable minority communities ofTurks and Kurds, as Turkey was increasinglysplit over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’srule. Overall, the number of politically drivencrimes was also up in Germany, reaching41,549 such offences in 2016, 6.6 percentmore than a year ago. — AFP

Germany sees rise in

crimes by foreigners

ITALY: Gabriele Del Grande, left, is flanked by his partner Alexandra D‚ after landingat the Bologna airport, Italy, yesterday. — AP

ROME: An Italian journalist arrested inTurkey while researching refugees near theSyrian border has been freed after twoweeks in detention, Italy’s foreign ministrysaid yesterday.

Gabriele Del Grande, 34, was expectedto arrive at Bologna airport in Italy yester-day and be met by his parents and ForeignMinister Angelino Alfano. “I spoke to himjust now and he’s on his way back to Italy. Ihad the great joy of telling his family. Weare waiting for him,” Alfano said.

Del Grande was handcuffed by Turkishpolice on April 9 as he was interviewing

people who had fled the war-torn neigh-boring country for a book he is writing onthe conflict and the birth of the IslamicState group. The blogger, writer andhuman rights activist began a hunger strikelast week after claiming he had no accessto a lawyer and had been “interrogated” onthe content of his research.

Del Grande, who comes from Lucca inTuscany, was a co-author and co-director ofa documentary on Syrian and Palestinianrefugees, “Io sto con la sposa” (“On theBride’s Side”), that was presented at theVenice Film Festival in 2014. — AFP

Italian reporter

freed in Turkey


I N T E R N AT I O N A L

DHAKA: Bangladeshi activists chant slogans as they mark the fourthanniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse at the site where the build-ing once stood in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, yesterday. —AFP

SAVAR, Bangladesh: Thousands ofBangladeshi garment workers staged a tear-ful demonstration yesterday to mark theanniversary of a factory disaster that killed1,138 people, demanding justice for the vic-tims and better pay. Four years later, no onehas yet been convicted over the collapse ofthe Rana Plaza factory complex in one of theworld’s worst industrial tragedies.

Another 2,000 people were wounded inthe disaster, which sent shockwaves acrossthe world and highlighted the failure ofmany top Western fashion brands to pro-tect workers in the poor developing coun-tries where their goods are manufactured.“If four years are not enough to punish theculprits, bring them to us: we will find jus-tice for ourselves,” said Marium Akter,whose daughter Shieuly died in the disas-ter, as she laid a wreath at the site. “I don’tneed any compensation any more. I wantSohel Rana to be hanged,” she said, refer-ring to the owner of the factory complexwho has been charged with murder.

A court last year ordered that Rana and40 others, including factory officials andgovernment inspectors, should face trial formurder. They are accused of falsely certify-ing the factory complex as safe. Thousandsof textile workers were forced to enter thebuilding to start shifts even though someexpressed fears after noticing cracks in thestructure. Bangladesh has 4,500 textile fac-tories, shipping some $30 billion worth ofgarments-the second largest exporter afterChina-but only a few hundred of thesehave been certified as safe.

Authorities have provided compensa-tion for the 3,000 victims, including theinjured and families of the dead, but many

survivors say it is not enough. “I wouldrather die than live like this,” said NilufaBegum, who was rescued 10 hours afterthe factory collapsed and sti l l needscrutches. “I want to live like a normalhuman being,” said the 37-year-old, addingshe had spent 450,000 taka ($5,700) ontreatment. Many survivors were in tears asthey protested at Savar on the outskirts ofDhaka, and at a state-run graveyard wheremany of the workers were buried.

Worst paid in the worldSecurity was tight, with hundreds of

police and water cannon deployed. “Whydo they have a water cannon? We camehere to honor our departed brothers andsisters,” said one angry garment worker.Some shouted slogans demanding anincrease in the basic monthly wage of $68for the country’s four million garmentworkers. “Bangladeshi workers are theworst paid in the world. We want minimummonthly wages of $200 to have a decentliving,” Saiful Islam, a union leader, said.

A survey last week by global charityAction Aid of more than 1,400 Rana Plazasurvivors found nearly half were still job-less while roughly 31 percent were tootraumatized to work. In the wake of thedisaster, authorities pledged to improveworking conditions at factories but acci-dents are still commonplace. Even as work-ers rallied for safer conditions on Monday aboiler explosion at a factory in the westerndistrict of Kushtia killed two workers, saidlocal police chief ShahabuddinChowdhury. In September a fire at factoryjust miles from Rana Plaza claimed 34lives.—AFP

Bangladeshi workers mark four

years since factory collapse

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinpingurged “restraint” over North Korea in aphone call with Donald Trump yesterday,as Japan joined exercises with an Americansuper carrier heading to the Korean penin-sula. The US leader has repeatedly called

on China, the North’s sole major ally, to domore to rein in Pyongyang, as tensions inthe region soar amid speculation it willconduct another nuclear test. “(China)hopes that the relevant parties can main-tain restraint and avoid actions that would

increase tensions in the Korean peninsula,”Xi said, according to the foreign ministry.

“The only way to realize denucleariza-tion in the Korean peninsula and quicklyresolve North Korea’s nuclear problem is foreach relevant party to fulfill its duties.”Theconversation-the second since their sum-mit at Trump’s luxury resort in Florida earlythis month-highlights rising concern inBeijing that tensions between Washingtonand Pyongyang could spiral into militaryconflict. “The international situation is rap-idly changing, it is essential that China andthe US maintain a close contact andexchange opinions on important matters ina timely manner,” Xi told Trump.

Trump also spoke to Japanese PrimeMinister Shinzo Abe yesterday, discussingthe joint drills under way between the UScarrier Carl Vinson and Japan’s MaritimeSelf-Defense Force. “We completely agreedthat we strongly demand restraint byNorth Korea, which has repeatedly takendangerous provocative actions,” Abe toldreporters after the call. Tensions havesoared in recent months as North Koreanmissile tests have brought ever-more belli-cose warnings from Trump’s administra-tion-and repeated demands for China domore to help.

Despite its longstanding ties with theNorth, China has stepped up pressure,announcing in February that it was halting

all imports of coal from North Korea-a cru-cial earner for Pyongyang-for the rest ofthe year. It also issued a stern warning ear-lier this month that a conflict over NorthKorea could break out “at any moment”.The comments came ahead of a failed mis-sile test a day after the 105th anniversaryof the birth of North Korea’s founder Kim Il-Sung. Missile and nuclear tests are oftentimed around major dates and speculationis now focused on today’s anniversary ofthe founding of its military.

China can do more US Vice President Mike Pence said

Saturday that the Vinson and its strikegroup would arrive in the Sea of Japan(East Sea) — which sits between theKorean peninsula and Japan-”in a matter ofdays”. South Korea also said it was consid-ering drills with the carrier group, which iscurrently conducting joint exercises withJapan in the Philippine Sea. Confusion hadclouded the carrier’s whereabouts afterTrump earlier indicated the “armada” wassteaming towards North Korea when infact it was heading south and was pho-tographed off Java.

The North’s ruling party newspaper yes-terday called the Vinson’s deployment“undisguised military blackmail”. “Suchthreat may startle a jellyfish, but can neverwork on the DPRK,” it said, using the coun-

try’s official name. A separate editorial onthe North’s propaganda websiteUriminzokkiri said the dispatch of the CarlVinson signaled “that an invasion of theNorth is nearing day by day”.

In the event of an attack, it said, “Theworld will witness how Washington’s rashnuclear aircraft carriers are turned into ahuge pile of steel and buried at sea andhow a country called America is wiped outfrom the Earth.” Pyongyang has alsodetained a US citizen-Kim Sang-Duk, orTony Kim, who was lecturing at a foreign-funded university in Pyongyang, the uni-versity said yesterday. Two other US citi-zens-college student Otto Warmbier andKorean-American pastor Kim Dong-Chul-are currently being held in the North aftersentenced to long prison terms.

North Korea has arrested and jailed sev-eral US citizens in the past decade, oftenreleasing them only after high-profile visitsby current or former US officials or formerUS presidents. The new US president hasindicated he will not allow North Korea toachieve its goal of developing an intercon-tinental ballistic missile capable of deliver-ing a nuclear warhead to the westernUnited States. Pyongyang insists it needs apowerful arsenal-including atomicweapons to protect itself from what it saysis the ever-present threat of invasion byhostile US forces.—AFP

Xi urges restraint over North Korea as US carrier approaches

China, US maintain close contact, exchange opinions

KABUL: US Defense Secretary JimMattis arrived in Afghanistan on anunannounced visit yesterday, hoursafter his Afghan counterpartresigned over a deadly Talebanattack that triggered anger and leftembattled security forces facingdisarray. Mattis, making his first visitto Afghanistan as Pentagon chief,was due to meet top officialsincluding President Ashraf Ghaniless than two weeks after the USdropped its largest non-nuclearbomb on Islamic State hideouts in

the country’s east.He arrived asAfghan security forces, already pay-ing a heavy price against the resur-gent Taleban ahead of the springfighting season, faced chaos withthe resignations of defense ministerAbdullah Habibi and army chiefQadam Shah Shaheem. The resigna-

tions, along with the announce-ment of a corps commandersreshuffle, came amid fury over theTaleban assault on an army baseoutside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday.

Gunmen in soldiers’ uniforms andarmed with suicide vests enteredthe base in army trucks and openedfire at unarmed troops in themosque and dining hall in potential-ly the deadliest-ever Taleban attackon an Afghan military target. Afghanofficials have so far ignored calls to

break down the toll it has given ofmore than 100 soldiers killed orwounded. They have been known tominimize casualties in such attacksin the past.

The US has said that at least 50soldiers were killed, and some localofficials have put the number of

dead as high as 130. The raid, thelatest in a series of brazen Talebanassaults, underscores the insurgents’growing strength more than 15years since they were ousted frompower by the US invasion of 2001.

Afghans slammed the govern-ment for its inability to counter theattack, though Habibi said at a pressconference in Kabul yesterday thathis resignation was voluntary, com-paring himself to “a soldier who sac-rifices in battle”. “Nobody in theworld has been able to prevent such

attacks,” he said of the base assault.“It is an intelligence war and a waron terrorism. It is very difficult.” Herepeated that an investigation wasongoing and more informationabout the death toll would be givenwhen it is complete, though headmitted the casualties were “high.”

Afghan security forces targeted Mattis’ visit also comes after the US

dropped a GBU-43/B Massive OrdnanceAir Blast, dubbed the “Mother of AllBombs”, on Islamic State hideouts ineastern Nangarhar province, killingnearly 100 militants, according to unver-ified figures from Afghan officials. Theattack triggered global shockwaves,with some condemning the use ofAfghanistan as what they called a test-ing ground for the weapon, and againsta militant group that is not consideredas big a threat as the Taleban. Mattis,who has previously served with the USmilitary in Afghanistan, has said he iscompiling an assessment for PresidentDonald Trump on the brutal and seem-ingly intractable conflict. The Afghanwar is the longest in US history butTrump has scarcely given it a passingmention-other than to call the MOABstrike a success-while campaigning orsince entering office.

Mattis said in February his com-mander-in-chief had been “rightfullyreticent” on the matter, as he was wait-ing for input from his generals. ThePentagon chief, who is on a tour of theMiddle East and Africa, is the secondsenior US security official to visitAfghanistan this month: NationalSecurity Advisor General HR McMasterarrived in Kabul days after the MOABwas dropped. The US has around 8,400troops in the country with aboutanother 5,000 from NATO allies assist-ing a much larger Afghan force in thewar against the Taleban and otherIslamist militants.

Afghan security forces, beset bykillings and desertions, have beenstruggling to beat back insurgents sinceUS-led NATO troops ended their com-bat mission in December 2014.According to US watchdog SIGAR, casu-alties among Afghan security forcessoared by 35 percent in 2016, with6,800 soldiers and police killed. Morethan a third of Afghanistan is outsidegovernment control and many regionsare fiercely contested by various insur-gent groups, as Kabul’s repeated bids tolaunch peace negotiations with theTaleban have failed. —AFP

Pentagon chief visits Afghanistan

after deadly Taleban attack

Afghan army chief, defense minister resign

KABUL: US Defense Secretary James Mattis, 3rd right, is met by US Army Command SergeantMajor David Clark, left, and General Christopher Haas, 2nd right, as he arrives at ResoluteSupport headquarters in the Afghan capital Kabul yesterday. —AFP

NEW DELHI: An Indian politician who attempted tocover a dam in sheets of polystyrene has been leftred-faced after his bizarre water-saving scheme back-fired. Tamil Nadu state minister Sellur K Raju wadedinto the dam with dozens of sheets of polystyrene,convinced they could help reduce water evaporationin the drought-stricken state. But the noble yet puz-zling effort went belly-up almost immediately asstrong winds lifted the lightweight sheets into the air,tossing them across the surface of the water.

Footage of last Friday’s incident showed officialsin rowing boats pursuing the airborne sheets,while others used rocks to try and keep them inplace. Elsewhere broken chunks of the white poly-mer plastic, stuck together with colored tape, wereseen washed up on the dam banks. The ministerdefended the hare-brained scheme-which report-edly cost one million rupees ($15,500) — saying hehad been told “thermocol technology” couldreduce water evaporation.

“I learnt about this (technology) from a source,”he told reporters, without elaborating. Images of theminister flailing waist-deep in water with theunwieldy sheets attracted widespread scorn onsocial media, where Indians blasted the botchedexperiment as a waste of public money. “Instead ofusing thermocol sheets to cover the entire dam,how about using a huge tarpaulin sheet to cover thesun. Problem solved,” one Twitter user wrote sarcasti-cally. “Tamil Nadu’s Next project, putting sunglassesto the Sun!” said another. —AFP

Indian minister ridiculed as

bizarre drought plot backfires

FLORIDA: In this file photo, US President Donald Trump, left, andChinese President Xi Jinping pause for photographs at Mar-a-Lago inPalm Beach, Florida. —AP

SRINAGAR: Police fired into a crowd ofstone-throwing students in Kashmir yester-day, as violence in the disputed regionintensified. Hundreds of student protestersshouted “We want freedom” and “Go India,go back” as they fought with governmentforces after taking to the streets of the maincity Srinagar. An AFP reporter saw police firelive rounds as well as tear gas and watercanon to try to disperse the protestors.

The violence broke out as colleges in thecity reopened following clashes last weekbetween students and government forces.“A few students were detained. Three photo-journalists and eight policemen wereinjured with stones,” a police officer said oncondition of anonymity. Nearly 100 studentsand around the same number of policewere wounded in last week’s disturbances,which prompted authorities to temporarilyshut down schools and universities.

The students were angered by a raidearlier this month on a college in thesouthern district of Pulwama in which

police attempted to detain the allegedring-leaders of earlier protests.Government forces are not supposed toenter college or university premises with-out special permission. Indian-adminis-tered Kashmir has been tense since April 9,when eight people were killed by policeand paramilitary troops during electionday violence.

Footage apparently showing a civiliantied to the front of an army jeep to deterprotesters from throwing stones at the vehi-cle has also caused outrage after it was cir-culated on social media. Kashmir has beendivided between India and Pakistan sincethe end of British rule in 1947. Both claimthe territory in its entirety. Armed encoun-ters between rebels fighting Indian rule andgovernment forces have become more fre-quent since the killing of a popular rebelleader by security forces last July sparkedwidespread unrest. Police and army officialssay dozens of local youths have joined therebel ranks since then. —AFP

Police fire at student

protesters in Kashmir

MADURAI: In this photograph, Co-operatives Minister for the Indian state of TamilNadu Sellur K Raju, center, government officials and civic workers use thermocol poly-styrene sheets to attempt to cover the reservoir at the Vaigai Dam in Madurai. —AFP

N E W STUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

Continued from Page 1

at the law school. “What I’m con-vinced is that... the single most importantthing I can do is to help in any way I canto prepare the next generation of leader-ship to take up the baton and to taketheir own crack at changing the world.”

Until yesterday, Donald Trump’sDemocratic predecessor had not givena public speech or an interview sinceleaving the White House on Jan 20. Hehas tweeted a few times and issued afew statements through a spokesman,notably to defend his signaturedomestic policy achievement, health-care reform - which Trump’sRepublicans are now hoping to dis-mantle. Obama also spoke up whenhis billionaire successor accused him ofpersonally ordering the wiretapping ofTrump Tower during the 2016 presi-dential campaign.

But for now, he has abstained fromany substantive commentary on howTrump is doing, in keeping with presi-dential protocol which dictates thatpast residents of the White House donot step on the toes of the currentoccupant. That silence comes in theface of accusations by Trump on every-thing from Syria, with the Republicanall but accusing Obama of bearingresponsibility for chemical weaponsattacks by the Damascus regime, togang violence in America.

Youth civic engagement andcommunity organizing are at theheart of the mission of the ObamaCenter, which is located onChicago’s South Side, where Obamastarted his career as a communityactivist. On Sunday, America’s firstblack president privately met with

at-risk youth from the South Side todiscuss gang violence, jobs andtraining, according to The ChicagoTribune.

The Obamas are currently renting ahouse in Washington, where theiryoungest daughter Sasha is finishinghigh school. Since leaving office,Obama has gone kitesurfing in theCaribbean with British billionaireRichard Branson. He then spent nearlya month in French Polynesia, where hevacationed on media mogul David

Geffen’s yacht - and was reportedlyworking on his book.

But after yesterday, his public sched-ule will pick up pace. On May 7, he willreceive the 2017 Profile in Courageaward from the John F Kennedy LibraryFoundation in Boston. He will give a pri-vate paid speech during a visit to Italy.And then on May 25, he will deliver aspeech at a Protestant church gather-ing at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin,with Chancellor Angela Merkel at hisside. — AFP

Obama says ready to train new leader...


Baker, whose carrier is offering free laptops to premi-um passengers in response to the ban, said QatarAirways has faced some drop in business to US destina-tions. “There was some decline. Something manage-able. We did not have massive declines,” he said. “We stillhave robust business in the United States... and we willcontinue our expansion,” he added. Baker announcedSan Fransisco as a new route to be added to its 10 USdestinations early next year. A route to Las Vegas will belaunched in the second quarter of 2018, he said.

A pressure group called The Partnership for Openand Fair Skies - which includes American Airlines,Delta Air Lines and United Airlines - said the plannedSan Francisco expansion represents “another subsi-dized route into the United States”. “Qatar Airwaysreceives billions of dollars in illegal subsidies from itsgovernment in order to fly to our country and trashAmerican jobs,” said the group’s spokesperson JillZuckman in a statement.

The blunt and plain-spoken CEO described the UScompetition as “wicked” for the way their passengersare treated and said they operate in cities where they“can swindle their customers”. In a further dig, Baker

quipped that if a flight was full, he would travel on ajump seat where cabin crew often sit because the air-line’s policy is not to remove passengers. He was refer-ring to an incident in which a United Airlines passengerwas filmed being dragged off an airplane by airportsecurity officers on an overbooked flight.

“We would never offload a passenger in QatarAirways even if it is the CEO of the airline that wants totravel,” he said. “We would not drag out people out of anairplane.” He said Qatar Airways has plans to expand to26 new global destinations, adding: “The United Statesis not the entire world.” The airline, he said, also hasplans to apply with Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund for alicense to operate a new domestic Indian carrier.

Emirates, the Middle East’s largest carrier, said lastweek it was reducing flights to the United States inresponse to “weakened travel demand”. The US banwent into effect on March 25 on nine airlines in Turkey,Morocco, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait andthe United Arab Emirates. Britain followed with a similarban from five countries from the Middle East, northernAfrica and Turkey. The fast-growing Gulf carriers haveturned their home airports into major hubs for interna-tional travellers, capturing a sizable chunk of travelbetween the West and Asia and Australasia. — Agencies

Qatar Airways slams ‘bullying’


United States in uncongested areas” under US fed-eral regulations for ultralight aircraft. No pilot’s licenseis required, and two hours’ training is said to be allthat is needed.

The website offered few details about the company,but several reports in recent months have said Page haspoured millions of dollars into Kitty Hawk and anotherelectric car startup. Kitty Hawk president SebastianThrun, a Stanford University computer science professorwho has been called the father of Google’s self-drivingcar, tweeted: “Changing the future of personal trans-portation. Join us @kittyhawkcorp to get informationabout #theFlyer prototype.” The company announced itwas offering three-year “memberships” for $100 to be

placed on a waiting list and to get a discount on theprice of the new transporter. The price is to beannounced later this year.

The startup offered only limited details about thecompany. An email response to an AFP query said thelead engineers were Cameron Robertson and ToddReichert, who created a startup called Aerovelo whichaims to produce the fastest human-powered vehicle.Kitty Hawk said the flyer going on sale later this year willhave a different design than the prototype.

A blog post by writer Cimeron Morrissey, who tookthe flyer for a test run, offered some clues on how itfeels. “The prototype looks and feels a lot like a flyingmotorcycle. You mount the seat and lean forward, justlike you would on a bike,” she wrote. “I feel light andecstatic and utterly free.

‘Flying machine’ maker plans deliveries


“These sweeping sanctions target the scientific supportcenter for Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad’s horrific chemi-cal weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women, andchildren,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. “TheUnited States is sending a strong message with this actionthat we will hold the entire Assad regime accountable forthese blatant human rights violations in order to deter thespread of these types of barbaric chemical weapons.”

The Treasury’s action followed the US military’s firing59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on April 7to punish the government and set a warning against anyfurther chemical weapons attacks. “These sanctions areintended to hold the Assad regime and those who sup-port it - directly or indirectly - accountable for the regime’sblatant violations of the Chemical Weapons Conventionand UN Security Council Resolution 2118,” Mnuchin said.

The attack on Khan Sheikhoun was also debated in theUN Security Council. But Russia, a close ally of Assad,

vetoed a resolution on April 12 demanding the Syriangovernment cooperate with an investigation of theattack. Assad has denied the attack, branding it a “fabrica-tion” by the West. The US Treasury already had imposedsanctions against 18 Syrian officials in January. The sanc-tions effectively aim to shut those targeted out of globalfinancial networks, making it difficult for them to do busi-ness or even travel. Mnuchin said the administration “willrelentlessly pursue and shut down the financial networksof all individuals involved with the production of chemical

weapons used to commit these atrocities”. The US has gradually been expanding its sanctions

program against Syria since 2004, when it issued sanc-tions targeting Syria for a range of offenses, including itssupport of terrorism, as well as its occupation of Lebanon,efforts to undermine stability in Iraq and pursuit ofweapons of mass destruction. More recently, sanctionswere expanded in connection with its civil war, now in itssixth year, to target offenses linked to the ongoing vio-lence and human rights abuses. — AFP

US blacklists 271 Syrian chemists over sarin attack

CHICAGO: Former US President Barack Obama smiles as he hosts a con-versation on civic engagement and community organizing yesterday atthe University of Chicago. —AP

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Focus

Pence clean-up act in Trump’s first 100 days

Mike Pence has spent many of his first 100days as US vice president ironing outTrump-induced problems at home and

abroad, but he’s also been steadily building politicalcapital of his own. Whether it’s on an isolated run-way in the South Pacific or in a hotel ballroom state-side, a positive meeting or a challenging, Seoul orSydney, Mike Pence is always “honored” to be there.The 57-year-old former Indiana governor and con-gressman has spent much of the last 100 days shut-tling around Washington and the world, happily rep-resenting an administration that seems to staggerfrom one crisis to the next.

On his travels, Pence is almost always carrying thepolitical equivalent of a mop and bucket. His latesttrip - a grueling nine-day swing through the Asia-Pacific - saw Pence try to reassure panicky allies thatDonald Trump is not about to rip up decades-oldmutual defense pacts that underpin the globalorder. “His job has been to clean up messes, try toassure foreign leaders and members of Congressand to present the image of governance in times ofturbulence,” Julian Zelizer, a political expert atPrinceton University, told AFP. “He is trying to be thebetter half of this relationship.”

At home, that task has meant trying to rescueTrump’s healthcare and tax reforms from the legisla-tive shoals. “He’s been willing to do the shuttlediplomacy it takes to get things done in Congress,”one Republican told AFP, pointing to Pence’s talkswith moderates in the so-called “Tuesday Group”and the hardline Freedom Caucus. “It’s not uncom-mon to see Pence and his entourage making theirway from one end of the Capitol to the otherbetween meetings with House and Senate leaders.Members seem to like and trust him,” the Republicansource added.

Style and substance In many ways, Pence is an unlikely messenger for

Trump. A dyed-in-the-wool conservative, Pence is asdown-at-home Midwestern nice as his trash-talkingNew York boss is brash. He rarely eats out, regularlygoes to church and only has the odd sip of wine dur-ing a toast. While Trump loves action movies, Pencecompels staff, Secret Service agents and travelingjournalists on Air Force Two to watch “Hoosiers” - thetale of an underdog Indiana farm-boy basketballteam made good.

While Trump’s family has opted not to join him inthe White House, Pence frequently brings his wifeKaren and college-aged daughters Charlotte andAudrey on official trips. Many of his staff haveworked for him for years, and show none of thestresses and strains from the back-biting thatplagues their West Wing counterparts. Mostnotably, while Trump revels in saying what he reallythinks - consequences be damned - Pence is almostpainfully scripted.

His stock speech changes little from event toevent, country to country - aides can recite it almostverbatim - yet the teleprompter often comes out forthe most perfunctory remarks. During his travels,Pence has studiously worked not to eclipse the bossor show any hint of difference with him. “I bring yougreetings from the President of the United States ofAmerica,” he often says, stressing he is only therebecause Trump asked him to be.

If there is political daylight between the two men,then Pence and his staff do their best to make sure itis never seen in public. “The vice president’s role,other than being the president of the Senate, is 100percent defined by the president,” said a senioradministration official and aide. “I think you’ve seenup to this point that the two of them have built avery close relationship - they work very well togeth-er,” the official said. “The president and the vice pres-ident are constantly talking about what messagethey want to be conveyed and while their styles maybe a little bit different in how they do that, the mes-sage is the same.”

And yet, there is a lingering sense in Washingtonthat Pence’s deference may mask a burning politicalambition. After all, at just 57 years old, Pence is just aheartbeat away from the presidency. When the timecomes, Pence’s caution and hard work wooing alliesmay help him more than Trump can. — AFP

Maria Sharapova returns after a 15-month dop-ing ban Wednesday, desperate to rediscoverthe glory which brought her five Grand Slams,

the world’s top ranking and a spectacular multi-milliondollar lifestyle. The poster girl of women’s tennis won’tnecessarily be welcomed back with open arms by rivalswho were already suspicious of the towering Russian’sice-cold detachment even before her fall from grace.However, Sharapova isn’t losing any sleep as the 30-year-old prepares for her first match since being defeat-ed by Serena Williams in the 2016 Australian Openquarter-finals

“That is the least of my concerns. I know that I amrespected in my field. I see it in how my opponents playagainst me,” said Sharapova who was controversiallyhanded a wild card into this week’s Stuttgart event, aclay court tournament sponsored by Porsche, one ofher headline backers. She was even given a Wednesdaystart as that’s the day her ban - imposed for testing pos-itive for meldonium at last year’s Australian Open -comes to an end.

Sharapova, who starts her Stuttgart campaign againstItalian veteran Roberta Vinci, had been taking the over-the-counter cardiac supplement when it was within therules, but was later reclassified as a prohibited drug. Farfrom being remorseful, Sharapova recently hit out at ten-nis authorities for failing to give her sufficient warningthat meldonium had become a banned substance. TheRussian will step onto center court at 1830 (1630GMT) on Wednesday and could not have picked abetter tournament for her return, having won theStuttgart title three times, and suffering just one defeat.

If she gets through her opener, she could facePoland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, one of her fiercest critics,in the second round. Radwanska, the sixth-seed inStuttgart, expects a “fierce” return from the Russian, butsays Sharapova should have had to qualify on meritrather than being given a free pass on a wild card.

‘Journeyman’ rivals “This kind of entry into the tournament should apply

to players who dropped in the ranking because of injury,

illness or some other random event. Not for those sus-pended for doping,” said Radwanska. Sharapova’s agentMax Eisenbud believes his client’s rivals are motivatedsolely by jealousy especially with Sharapova battling alsofor a French Open wild card. “All those ‘journeyman’ play-ers like Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki who havenever won a slam and the next generation passing them.They are smart to try to keep Maria out of Paris,”Eisenbud said. “NO Serena, NO Maria, NO Vika, NO Petra,it’s their last chance to win a slam,” he added, a nod tothe absence of pregnant Serena Williams, Petra Kvitovaand Victoria Azarenka, expected to return in July afterhaving a baby.

Sharapova can expect plenty of support from theStuttgart organizers as her return is the highlight in thetournament’s 40th anniversary celebrations. As anambassador for Porsche, she is sure of a warm wel-come. Her confectionary brand - Sugarpova - will havea stand in the tournament’s retail village. Tournamentdirector Markus Guenthardt knows her presence will

boost ticket sales. “Her return in the Porsche Arena is afabulous present for our fantastic spectators and is cer-tain to be one of the sporting and emotional highlightsof our anniversary tournament,” he said.

As well as Radwanska, many of her other potentialStuttgart rivals have made it clear they disapprove of her

getting a helping hand into the main draw. Germany’sAngelique Kerber, this year’s top seed and the onlyplayer to have beaten Sharapova in Stuttgart, saidher place should have gone to local talent. “It’s aGerman tournament, and we (have) so many good

German players, so this is also a little bit strange,”said Kerber. “It’s also strange for the players, that she

can walk on site on Wednesday and she can play onWednesday.”

Dominika Cibulkova, seeded third but who was forcedto withdraw from the tournament yesterday due to awrist injury, claims Sharapova is benefiting from unfairtreatment. “It’s not about her, but everyone who wasdoping should start from zero,” said the Slovakian whosespot was taken by Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, thereigning Roland Garros champion. — AFP

Sharapova back in business, like it or not

When France last put a Le Pen ontothe threshold of the presidentialElysee Palace, one step from pow-

er, it could write off the 2002 election shockas a mere accident. Jean-Marie Le Pensqueezed into the winner-takes-all runoffagainst Jacques Chirac with just 17 percentof the vote, a record low. Ashamed andstunned by the ultra-right leader’s break-through, French voters of all political per-suasions regrouped for round two, fillingthe streets in protest and rallying at theballot box to hand Le Pen a humiliatingdefeat from which his sulfurous politicalcareer never recovered.

This time, the presidential election suc-cess of another Le Pen, Jean-Marie’sdaughter, Marine, was anything but acci-dental. Voters propelled her Sunday intothe decisive May 7 duel against EmmanuelMacron with their eyes wide open. Theentire political establishment and everypoll had forewarned and foretold of LePen’s first-round breakthrough. That voterspulled the trigger anyway - giving her 1.2million more votes than in 2012 and, with21.5 percent of the total, the best score in apresidential race for a Le Pen - showedhow ingrained her brand of anti-establish-ment “French-first” nationalism hasbecome in areas most bruised by and fear-ful of globalization’s blows.

A less divisive and more polished politi-cian than her father, the mother of threehas made voting for the National Frontparty that Jean-Marie founded in 1972

more socially acceptable than ever. Manyof his voters kept their far-right politicalsympathies to themselves, afraid of beinglabelled racists and anti-Semites by associ-ation with the ex-Foreign Legionnaire con-victed for describing Nazi gas chambers asa “detail of history”.

Marine Le Pen’s backers are far lessinhibited. Although older voters on the leftstill sniff that the National Front remains aredoubt of “fachos” - or fascists - she haspartially punctured that argument bysidelining much of the party’s old guard,including her father in 2015. By consistent-ly hammering on her populist themes thatthe European Union is straightjacketingand impoverishing France, that open bor-ders are open doors for job-taking migrantsand murderous extremism, and that theFrench political elite is guilty in all this andmore, Marine Le Pen is more on-messagethan her father.

Sharp-tongued like him, she also jumpsthe tracks of respectability from time totime - for instance, with her denial earlierthis month that France was responsible forrounding up more than 13,000 Jews at aParis cycle track to be sent to Nazi deathcamps during the Holocaust. Overall, how-ever, she is better packaged and moremedia-savvy than the cantankerous Jean-Marie ever was.

Macron quickly agreed to share thestage with Le Pen in the traditional tele-vised debate between rounds one and two.That showed how she and her expanding

electorate are becoming an increasinglyunavoidable force and feature on the land-scape, however unsavory that reality is tomainstream politicians who immediatelyappealed for a repeat of the “all against LePen” second-round unity of 2002.

Unchartered Territory By refusing to debate Jean-Marie Le Pen

in 2002, Chirac cast his opponent as apariah and himself as a champion ofFrench democracy. That Macron couldn’tdo likewise without looking undemocrat-ic is another measure of how Marine LePen is fighting her way into France’s politi-cal inner circle. By stopping both themainstream right and left from reachingthe second round - a first for modernFrance - Le Pen and the centrist, pro-EUMacron are redrawing the contours ofthat circle and taking the country intounchartered territory.

Fifteen years ago, Jean-Marie Le Pen’squalification to the runoff provoked mas-sive street protests - voters’ way of makingamends for not turning out in sufficientnumbers to keep him out in round one.There were scattered protests in Paris onSunday night, with police reporting 29arrests. But it appears less likely this timethat more than 1 million people will take tostreets across France on Monday’s May Dayholiday as they did against Jean-Marie LePen in 2002.

With slow but sure gains at the ballotbox since she assumed leadership of the

National Front in 2011, Le Pen is plantingever-deeper roots into a broader spectrumof voters - including 18- to 24-year-olds hithardest by chronic unemployment and,despite her plans to roll back some of theirrights, among gays. Those groups largelywouldn’t have been seen dead voting forher father.

Sunday’s outcome shows a France splitalmost down the middle. Le Pen outper-formed Macron in National Front strong-holds along the Mediterranean coast, onthe front lines of Europe’s efforts to controlmigration from Africa and the Middle Eastthat she rails against, and in the east andnortheast, with rust-belt pockets ofdespairing working-class voters who seesuccor in “French first” economic and socialprotectionism. Le Pen is their whip to sanc-tion the French and EU political establish-ment - even among some voters who don’totherwise share her politics.

As in 2002, voters probably will cometogether in sufficient numbers to keep a LePen from power. After election setbacks forrightwing populists in the Netherlands andAustria, a Le Pen defeat will signal a halting- at least for now - of the populist wave thatcrashed over the EU with Britain’s Brexitvote last year to leave the bloc and, acrossthe Atlantic, helped put Donald Trump inthe White House. But polls suggest Le Penwon’t suffer a beating as severe as thatendured by her father. At 48, she still hastime and, with each passing vote, perhapsa little bit more of France on her side.— AP

A Le Pen wins more acceptance than ever


LONDON: Brisbane-born forward Chris McQueen has been called up byEngland’s Australian coach Wayne Bennett for the mid-season interna-tional against Samoa in Sydney on May 6, it was announced yesterday.The 29-year-old McQueen, currently with the Gold Coast Titans but set

to join Wests Tigers for the 2018 season in Australia’s NRL, wasamong a 20-man England squad named by Bennett. McQueen,

who has made six State of Origin appearances, qualifiesthrough his England-born father. His selection came just

days after another former Queensland player, theAuckland-born Ben Te’o, was included in the British andIrish Lions rugby union squad for their upcoming tour ofNew Zealand. McQueen previously turned down theopportunity to play for England at the 2013 World Cup.

He was one of three uncapped players named in asquad that will be captained by Wigan’s Sean

O’Loughlin, who missed the 2016 FourNations tournament through injury. —AFP

COLOMBO: Angelo Mathews will return as Sri Lanka skipper for theChampions Trophy after missing the ODI series against South Africa, thetour of Australia and the home series against Bangladesh. Sri LankaCricket yesterday announced a 15-member squad led byMathews, who cut short his tour of South Africa after twist-ing his ankle in January. “I am 100 percent fit now and Ialso hope to be able to bowl,” said the all-rounder who willturn 30 on June 2, a day after the ODI tournament beginsin England. He said he was “very happy” with the squadchosen for the tournament and hopeful of making a goodimpression. “I have got the best squad.” he said. “We can dowell with this team. I am very happy. I have a lot of confi-dence. We have an opportunity to bring an ICC trophyto Sri Lanka.” Chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya saidLasith Malinga was also being inducted into the squadafter nearly two years and was fully fit to play inEngland. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Spain’s Marc Marquez captured his fifth consecutive MotoGrand Prix of the Americas on Sunday, remaining perfect at the US race afterbeating Italy’s Valentino Rossi by 3.069 seconds. Honda rider Marquez,whose Americas wins have all come from the pole, won in 43min 58.770secwith Yamaha star Rossi second in his best-ever finish at the Texas track.Spanish Honda rider Dani Pedrosa was third in his third podium finish overthe 5.513km, 20-turn layout in Austin. Marquez, who has won 11 starts in arow on US tracks, rebounded from an early crash out two weeks ago atArgentina as he tries to jump start his bid for a fourth world championshipin five years and second in a row. “This was a crucial race because afterArgentina it was important to come back in the best way, so we are reallyhappy with this result,” Marquez said. “Although I won, it was difficult,because the temperature was much higher than yesterday. Five minutesbefore the start, I said to my chief mechanic, ‘OK, let’s use the hard tire’because I knew that I would push the medium front tire a lot. SpaniardMaverick Vinales, the early season points leader after winning the first tworaces at Qatar and Argentina, crashed out on his Yamaha early and lost thepoints edge to teammate Rossi, who stands on 56 to 50 for Vinales andMarquez jumping to third overall on 38. —AFP

Marquez wins 5th Grand Prix of the Americas

S P O RT S

Mathews leads Sri Lanka at ICC champions trophy

Australia-born McQueen in England squad for Samoa

BALTIMORE: A tempestuous three-game seriesbetween the Red Sox and Baltimore wound upwith Matt Barnes being ejected for throwing afastball behind the head of Orioles star MannyMachado in Boston’s 6-2 victory Sunday. Barnes’ejection was the latest facet of this tense rivalrybetween AL East contenders. His high, veryinside pitch came two days after Machado tookout Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroiawith a spikes-high slide.

Pedroia watched from the dugout for a sec-ond straight day with knee and ankle injuries.Machado apologized with a text message onFriday night, but that evidently wasn’t the end ofit. Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez homered onsuccessive pitches in a four-run first inning, andAndrew Benintendi had a career-high five hits tohelp Boston avert a three-game sweep. EduardoRodriguez (1-1) pitched six effective innings forthe win. Machado ended up making the last out,hitting a two-out popup on a pitch from CraigKimbrel, who got his seventh save. Baltimoreright-hander Kevin Gausman (1-2) allowed fiveruns in 5 1/3 innings.

NATIONALS 6, METS 3Daniel Murphy hit a grand slam against his

former team, Max Scherzer pitched eight fieryinnings and the Nationals earned their seventhstraight victory. Ryan Zimmerman added a two-run homer for the Nationals, who completed athree-game sweep of the short-handed Mets inthe first series this season between the NL Eastrivals. Missing slugger Yoenis Cespedes and twoother injured starters, New York (8-11) has lostfour in a row and eight of nine to fall 5 1/2 gamesbehind the Nationals, who own the best recordin the majors at 13-5. Scherzer (3-1) struck outnine. Koda Glover got three outs for his secondmajor league save. Michael Conforto and NeilWalker homered for New York. Zack Wheeler (1-2) got the loss.

RANGERS 5, ROYALS 2Yu Darvish pitched eight innings in his longest

outing since elbow surgery two years ago andthe Rangers scored the tying and go-ahead runswithout a hit, completing a four-game sweep. TheJapanese right-hander retired 15 of 16 battersafter giving up three consecutive hits in the third.Two of those were back-to-back drives from MikeMoustakas and Jorge Bonifacio, whose first bigleague homer came two innings after he singledfor his first career hit. Darvish (2-2) struck outeight as the Rangers finished their second four-game sweep of Kansas City in as many seasons.The Royals have lost five of six since a four-gamewinning streak. Matt Bush pitched a perfect ninthfor his first save this season. Kansas City’s JasonHammel (0-2) pitched three-plus innings and wascharged with three runs.

ROCKIES 8, GIANTS 0Kyle Freeland scattered six hits over seven

sharp innings, Gerardo Parra hit a two-runhomer and the Rockies finished off their firstthree-game sweep of the Giants at Coors Fieldsince 2002. Freeland (2-1) mixed a wicked sinkerwith a two-seam fastball to get 12 groundoutsand three strikeouts. The Denver native alsoshattered three bats on a day when the Giantschanged their lineup to try to break out of a hit-ting funk. It didn’t work as they lost for the sixthtime in seven games. At 6-13, they’re off to theirworst start since 1983. Jeff Samardzija (0-4)remains winless after going 5 1/3 innings andsurrendering seven runs. Colorado leads the NLWest with a 13-6 mark. It’s tied for the second-best start in franchise history.

BLUE JAYS 6, ANGELS 2Marcus Stroman pitched a seven-hitter for

Toronto, and Devon Travis hit a go-ahead, two-run homer during a four-run eighth inning.Stroman (2-2) survived a rocky ninth by inducinga game-ending double play in his third careercomplete game - and his second in 12 days.Albert Pujols delivered a run-scoring single forthe Angels in the third inning shortly afterToronto manager John Gibbons’ ejection. LosAngeles has lost 10 of 12 with an injury-plaguedpitching staff. The Angels clung to a 1-0 leaduntil Travis connected on a high cutter fromDeolis Guerra (0-1) for his first homer.

MARINERS 11, ATHLETICS 1Nelson Cruz homered and drove in five runs

for Seattle, and Taylor Motter hit his first careergrand slam. Yovani Gallardo (1-2) pitched intothe seventh for his first win with the Mariners,who ended a three-game losing streak andwon for only the second time in 11 road games.Oakland had won five in a row. Motter drove a1-0 pitch from Andrew Triggs (3-1) over thewall in left-center in the third. It was Motter’ssecond homer in four games and No. 5 this sea-son overall.

REDS 7, CUBS 5Bronson Arroyo pitched six innings of three-

hit ball, and Cincinnati salvaged the finale of theweekend set. The 40-year-old Arroyo (2-2)allowed Anthony Rizzo’s two-run homer - histhird of the series - and struck out seven battersfor the first time since May 13, 2014. The lankyright-hander has needed more than two years torecover from Tommy John surgery. Raisel Iglesiasgave up a pair of runs in the ninth before finish-ing off the Reds’ 3-7 homestand. PatrickKivlehan’s bases-loaded double highlighted afour-run sixth inning off John Lackey (13) anddecided a matchup of up-in-years starters. The38-year-old Lackey and Arroyo have combinedfor 793 starts in the majors. Despite the loss, the

defending World Series champions took two ofthree in the series and moved back into firstplace in the NL Central.

DODGERS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 2Brandon McCarthy gave Los Angeles a much-

needed strong start, Yasmani Grandal homered ina six-run fifth inning and the Dodgers averted asweep. After scoring 24 runs in the first two gamesof the series, the Diamondbacks managed only atwo-run homer for Paul Goldschmidt in the first.McCarthy (3-0) allowed five hits in seven innings.Arizona’s Shelby Miller (2-2) threw four shutoutinnings before walking the first two batters andgiving up an RBI double to Corey Seager in thefifth. He threw one more pitch and left after a visitto the mound by the Arizona trainer. Miller hadtightness in his right forearm.

ASTROS 6, RAYS 4 Brian McCann and Yuli Gurriel hit RBI singles

in the 10th inning, and Houston rallied for theroad win. Carlos Beltran opened the 10th bydrawing a walk from Ryan Garton (0-1). Headvanced to second on Jose Altuve’s single andreached third on Carlos Correa’s fly to center.McCann then singled him home, and Gurriel’stwo-out single made it 6-4 Astros. LukeGregerson (1-1) pitched the ninth for the win andKen Giles got three outs for his fifth save. TheAstros tied it at 4 on pinch-hitter Evan Gattis’ sac-rifice fly off closer Alex Colome in the ninth.Colome was trying for a two-inning save.

PHILLIES 5, BRAVES 2Cesar Hernandez, Aaron Altherr and Odubel

Herrera hit consecutive homers in the eighth,helping Philadelphia complete a three-gamesweep. Joey Rodriguez (1-0) got two outs in theeighth to earn the win and Hector Neris finishedwith a shaky ninth. Neris allowed one run andleft the bases loaded. The Phillies have won fiveof six to even their record at 9-9. Matt Kempwent deep for the Braves, who have dropped sixin a row after winning five straight. ArodysVizcaino (1-1) got the loss.

PIRATES 2, YANKEES 1Pittsburgh’s Ivan Nova gained a measure of

revenge over his old team, limiting the Yankeesto just four hits over seven innings. Nova (2-2)struck out a season-high seven and walked justone, his lone mistake a home run by JacobyEllsbury in the seventh. Tony Watson picked uphis sixth save after working out of a basesloaded, one-out jam in the ninth. AndrewMcCutchen reached base twice and scored on adouble by Gregory Polanco off New York’s JordanMontgomery (1-1). David Freese added a sacri-fice fly for Pittsburgh, which won despite goingjust 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

WHITE SOX 6, INDIANS 2Melky Cabrera drove in a pair of runs, Derek

Holland tossed six strong innings and theWhite Sox busted out of an offensive funk.Avisail Garcia and Leury Garcia each added run-scoring hits for Chicago, which managed a totalof six hits in the first two games of the series.The win snapped a three-game skid. FranciscoLindor homered for Cleveland, which had wonfive in a row. Danny Salazar (1-2) allowed fourruns and seven hits in five innings. Holland (2-2) improved to 7-1 with a 2.27 ERA againstCleveland in his career. He was charged withone run and three hits.

TIGERS 13, TWINS 4John Hicks had three hits, including his first

career homer, and drove in five runs to leadMichael Fulmer and Detroit to the road win. Oneday after the benches cleared when Tigers starterMatthew Boyd threw behind slugger MiguelSano in retaliation for teammate JaCoby Jonesbeing hit in the face, there was no sign of linger-ing hard feelings. Fulmer (2-1) allowed two runsin seven innings, striking out seven. Jim Adducihad three hits and two RBIs on the day he arrivedfrom Triple-A Toledo and Alex Avila hit a two-runhomer for the Tigers. Kyle Gibson (0-3) gave upseven runs in just 2 2/3 innings for the Twins,who went 2-7 on the homestand against AL

Central opponents.

CARDINALS 6, BREWERS 4Mike Leake pitched six effective innings and

drove in two runs, leading St. Louis to its sixth winin seven games. Leake (3-1) gave up two runs andthree hits. He scored in the third inning and histwo-run single capped a three-run fourth. TheCardinals took advantage of six walks by JimmyNelson (1-1) and an error by the Brewers for theirfirst four runs. Manny Pina opened the ninthinning for Milwaukee with his first homer andJonathan Villar added an RBI single. Seung-HwanOh got three outs for his fifth save.

MARLINS 7, PADRES 3Justin Bour capped Miami’s six-run sixth

inning with a three-run homer. The first sixMarlins batters reached and scored in the sixth,helping Tom Koehler (1-1) to his first win of theseason. San Diego’s Luis Perdomo came off thedisabled list and shut down the Marlins throughfive before hitting the wall in the sixth. MartinPrado hit a leadoff single, Christian Yelich walkedand Giancarlo Stanton hit an RBI single to chasePerdomo. Craig Stammen (0-1) came on andallowed Marcell Ozuna’s RBI double just past theglove of first baseman Wil Myers and JTRealmuto’s RBI single to left before Bour hit a no-doubter to right. — AP

Barnes ejected as Boston beats Baltimore 6-2BALTIMORE: Vidal Nuno #52 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. — AFP/AP photos

COLORADO: USA Swimming executive direc-tor Chuck Wielgus, who led a federation thatbrought home 156 Olympic medals duringhis 20 years at the helm, died Sunday. He was67. USA Swimming said Wielgus died inColorado Springs, Colorado, of complicationsfrom colon cancer. The cancer was first diag-nosed in 2006 and Wielgus underwent regu-lar chemotherapy while leading USASwimming to record growth. He was due toretire in August. He had announced hisplanned retirement in early January on thesame day he learned he’d been approved touse a new cancer drug that’s in clinical trial.

“Chuck fought a long and hard battlewith amazing grace and optimism, and willbe missed,” US Olympic Committee CEOScott Blackmun said. Wielgus was thelongest-tenured leader among US Olympicorganizations. The 156 medals representabout one-third of America’s overall totalfrom the last five Olympics. During his twodecades, USA Swimming’s revenue

increased by about 600 percent, and its four-year, Olympic-cycle budget grew from $35million to nearly $160 million. Membershipmore than doubled, to 400,000-plus, andWielgus helped turn swimming’s Olympictrials into a showcase event. The 2016 trialssold out more than 200,000 tickets.

Wielgus came under fire in recent years forhis handling of numerous sexual-abuse casesagainst the organization, with some callingfor his resignation. After saying he had donenothing wrong in a defiant TV interview in2010, he apologized four years later, writingin a blog: “I wish my eyes had been moreopen to the individual stories of the horrorsof sexual abuse. I wish I had known more soperhaps I could have done more.”

The national governing body said currentassistant executive director Mike Unger willserve as interim executive director. Unger hastaken an active role in helping run the organi-zation while Wielgus was dealing with his ill-ness in recent years.— AP

Wielgus, head of USA Swimming dies at 67

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S P O RT STUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

TORONTO: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals stops Tyler Bozak #42 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime in Game Six of theEastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre. —AFP

TORONTO: On paper, it looked as if theWashington Capitals could cruise past theToronto Maple Leafs as the Pittsburgh Penguinsand Columbus Blue Jackets beat each other upon the other side of the bracket. On the ice, theseries could not have been more different.Hardly looking as good as they did in the regularseason, the Capitals needed six one-goal games- five of which went to overtime - to eliminatethe up-and-coming Maple Leafs.

“Give them credit, they battled hard,” AlexOvechkin said after a series that was decided bytwo total goals and two shots separated theteams. “They’re young, but they’re strong. Theyhave a very good future.” The Capitals’ future is arematch against the defending Stanley Cupchampion Penguins, who dispatched the BlueJackets in five and have been waiting sinceThursday night.

After Washington finished off Toronto in over-time Sunday night on Marcus Johansson’s sec-ond goal of Game 6, it’s all set. The Capitals andPenguins will meet in the second round for thesecond consecutive year with the winner againconsidered the favorite to come out of theEastern Conference. It’s a showdown of the toptwo teams in the NHL this season after theCapitals won the Presidents’ Trophy with 118points and the Penguins had 111. “We knowhow good they are,” Washington coach BarryTrotz said. “They knocked us out last year, so weget a chance to go back at them again.”

Much like a year ago, the Capitals were tested

in the first round - though this time it was moreToronto’s speed than Philadelphia’s physicality.The Capitals scored 18 goals to the Maple Leafs’16 and had one fewer shot (213-212) over thecourse of the series. “They gave us everythingthey had, and we had to work hard for it and wehad to stick with it for a long time,” saidJohansson, who was one of the best Capitalsplayers in the series but didn’t score until Game6. “We’re ready (to face the Penguins). We’reexcited. We can’t wait to get going. We’veworked hard for it. We’ve worked all year and allsummer to get back into this position, and nowwe’re here.”

Meanwhile, those Penguins again gotthrough the first round in five games largelyunscathed because even goaltender MattMurray’s lower-body injury has been shuffled tothe back of concerns by the play of Marc-AndreFleury. Mid-series, Holtby worked on body con-trol and bounced back to allow just two goals inthe final two games of the series. “You always sayexpect the unexpected and you really have toreiterate it in those circumstances to just react,”Holtby said. “Don’t guess, just react.”

Senators survive OT to advance After five extra periods in four overtime

games, the Ottawa Senators will get a chance torest before meeting the New York Rangers in thesecond round of the NHL playoffs. They’ll needit. The Senators eliminated Boston with a 3-2 vic-tory in Game 6 of their first-round series on

Sunday, finishing off the Bruins after six straightone-goal games - four of them in sudden death.

“It was quite a fight,” Ottawa coach GuyBoucher said after Clarke MacArthur scored apower-play goal 6:30 into overtime to help theSenators advance to the Eastern Conferencesemifinals against the Rangers. “In overtime, themessage was clear - we’re not going to play onour heels. We didn’t work all year just to sit backand hope things turn out our way,” Boucher said.“I thought we played great in the overtime, andinstead of being scared to lose, we were hungryto win.”

And no one was hungrier than MacArthur.The Senators forward sustained a concussion onOct. 14, 2015 - Game 4 of last season - andmissed 156 games before he finally passed abaseline test in the last weeks of this season andwas cleared to return. He played in only fourgames this year, without recording a point.“You’ve been off for a couple of years and you’rethinking, ‘Yeah, I should make this play,’ or, ‘Ishould be able to do that,’” he said. “I’ve justbeen trying to stick with it and be patient, andyou know it’s slowly coming.”

MacArthur scored in Game 2 against Boston,and then got past David Pastrnak on his way intothe Bruins’ zone in overtime, tempting theBoston forward into pulling him down frombehind. Just 36 seconds into the power play,MacArthur grabbed a puck that deflected offgoalie Tuukka Rask and beat him on therebound for the series-winner. —AP

Caps win series over Leafs,Senators survive OT again

LONDON: Defending champion Mark Selbylooks comfortably placed to reach thequarter-finals of this year ’s WorldChampionships needing just three framesyesterday to see off Chinese opponent XiaoGuodong. The 33-year-old Englishmanleads Xiao 10-6 after Sunday’s second ses-sion which saw them share the eightframes on offer with the Chinese cuemanlanding the final two blows of the session.

For Xiao it was a markedly better displaythan the first session where he was out-played and trailed 6-2. The winner will playeither Australia’s former world championNeil Robertson or Hong Kong veteranMarco Fu, who were embroiled in anengrossing battle. Neither would yield aninch-like the first session, where Fu lookingall at sea at 4-1 down, had suddenly crack-led into life to win three frames in a rowincluding a break of 118 — and shared the

opening two frames of the evening.Robertson, who revealed last week his

form had suffered in past years because ofan addiction to computer games, edgedback in front to lead 8-7 but 39-year-old Futook the final one to send them to bed tiedat 8-8. Giantkiller Rory McLeod’s progresscame to an abrupt end as the conqueror ofchampionship favorite Judd Trump wasgiven a salutary lesson with a 13-3 hum-bling by Stephen Maguire. Maguire, whowill be making his first appearance in thelast eight since 2012, will play the winner ofthe second round clash between GraemeDott and Barry Hawkins. Hawkins looked tohave been energized by his 38th birthdayin taking a 9-3 lead but the champagnewas put on ice as the ever resilient Dotttook three consecutive frames. Hawkinswon the last frame of the evening to lead10-6 heading to the final session. — AFP

Snooker: Champion Selby edges towards last eight

CHICAGO: Isaiah Thomas has endured anemotional and difficult week following therecent death of his sister, but he has stillmanaged to elevate his game in the play-offs. Speaking for the first time since his sis-ter, Chyna, died on April 15 in a single-vehi-cle car crash, the Boston Celtics star said heis thankful for the support of his team-mates. “Mentally and emotionally, I’m nothere, so I just feed off what the guys giveme,” Thomas said on Sunday.

Thomas delivered 33 points and sevenassists as the Celtics drew even in their first-round playoff series with a 104-95 victoryover the Chicago Bulls. “(My teammates)give me a lot of confidence. I can’t do itwithout those guys. They believe in me,”Thomas said. “Being here is what makesme, I guess, sane. It makes me feel some-what normal through these tough times.”Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he is in aweof how Thomas is handling himself both onand off the court.

“I can’t believe it,” said Stevens. “I tried tosay that earlier this week. But what he’sbeen through and the day-to-day, it’s beenunfathomable the way that he’s performedon the court. “It’s been really incredible.And it didn’t go our way in Boston, but theguys were resilient enough to come backand tie this up. What he has done has beenremarkable.” But when it comes to basket-ball not everyone is willing to cut Thomassome slack this week.

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg is takingexception to Thomas’s offensive style andclaimed that Thomas regularly gets awaywith carrying the basketball. “He had a hellof a game tonight. But when you’reallowed to discontinue your dribble onever y possession, he’s impossible toguard,” Hoiberg said. “He’s impossible toguard when you’re able to put your handunderneath the ball and take two or threesteps and put it back down. It’s impossibleto guard him in those situations.” Askedabout Hoiberg’s comments, Thomas saidhe has no plans to change his style of play.“That’s not the reason I’m an impossiblecover. I guess (Hoiberg) is just going tocontinue to say it. I’ve been dribbling thatway my whole life.” — AFP

Emotional Thomas feeds Off his teammates’ love

Jazz beat clippers 105-98 to even riveting series

SALT LAKE CITY: Joe Johnson saved the UtahJazz - again. “Iso Joe” has become a major prob-lem for the Los Angeles Clippers. Johnsonscored 28 points, and the Jazz beat the Clippers105-98 on Sunday night to tie their first-roundplayoff series at 2-all. It was Utah’s first homeplayoff win since 2010. “He’s so sure with theball,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. “It’s not oftenyou find a guy that has that combination of skill,as far as his ability to handle the ball and makeplays. And the strength to get to spots on thefloor. “The thing that really takes us to a uniqueplace is he’s such a willing passer. He basicallyeither scored or assisted on every basket (downthe stretch). ... We knew this is who he is and heknows it’s playoff time.”

Johnson, who hit the winning shot in Game1, scored 11 straight Jazz points during a crucialstretch in the fourth quarter, including a pull-upjumper for a 91-90 lead with 3:55 remainingafter Utah trailed by seven with 7:37 left. TheClippers never led again after controlling thegame for most of the night. “Just trying to beaggressive and make plays,” Johnson said. “Wehad to get stops, which kind of fueled ouroffense. ... We were getting into the teeth of thedefense, whether we had layups, dunks or kick-outs for 3s, thought we did a good job of mak-ing the right decision.”

Rodney Hood and Joe Ingles, who had acareer-high 11 assists, also hit huge baskets forUtah down the stretch. The Jazz needed all thehelp they could get after Gordon Hayward leftwith food poisoning. The series returns to LosAngeles for Game 5 on Tuesday night. ChrisPaul had 27 points, 12 assists and ninerebounds for Los Angeles, which played with-out Blake Griffin after he suffered a toe injury inGame 3. Griffin has been ruled out for the restof the postseason, increasing the pressure onthe rest of the Clippers.

“We let that one slip away,” Paul said. “It was87-80, and that’s on me. Being the point guard, Ihave to manage the game better and make surewe get good shots. “We came here to get backhome court. Had an opportunity to get two, butit is what it is.” Jamal Crawford scored 25 points,and DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and 10rebounds. But Los Angeles shot 44 percent fromthe field, compared to 54.1 percent for Utah.

ROCKETS 113, THUNDER 109Nene scored 28 points on perfect shooting

from the field, and Houston grabbed a 3-1 lead in

its first-round playoff series against OklahomaCity. Nene made all 12 of his shots and had 10rebounds. He helped the Rockets overcome an offnight by James Harden, who finished with 16points on 5-for-16 shooting. Eric Gordon and LouWilliams each scored 18 points for the Rockets.Game 5 is Tuesday night in Houston. OklahomaCity star Russell Westbrook had a triple-double byhalftime and finished with 35 points, 14 reboundsand 14 assists. The Thunder said Westbrook joinedWilt Chamberlain as the only players to claimthree consecutive playoff triple-doubles. StevenAdams scored 18 points and Victor Oladipo added15 for the Thunder.

CELTICS 104, BULLS 95Isaiah Thomas scored 33 points, and the

Celtics beat the Bulls to tie their first-round play-off series at 2-all. Boston blew a 20-point lead,but Thomas keyed a third-quarter run that putthe Celtics back on top after Chicago brieflywent ahead. Gerald Green made four 3-pointerson his way to 18 points, helping the top-seededCeltics return the favor in Chicago after drop-ping the first two games at home. Al Horfordadded 15 points and 12 rebounds. Game 5 isWednesday in Boston. Jimmy Butler carried theBulls with 33 points and nine assists. — AP

SALT LAKE CITY: Joe Johnson #6 of the Utah Jazz goes up for a shot over Jamal Crawford #11 ofthe Los Angeles Clippers in the first half in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinalsduring the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena. — AFP

Isaiah Thomas

Chappell edges Koepka by 1 stroke to win Texas Open

SAN ANTONIO: Kevin Chappell made an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win theValero Texas Open by one stroke onSunday. Chappell had a 4-under 68 in thefinal round to finish at 12 under for thetournament, edging Brooks Koepka at TPCSan Antonio to earn his first PGA Tour victo-ry in his 180th career start.

“A big relief,” the 30-year-old Chappellsaid. “There’s been quite the monkey on myback for some time now about getting thatfirst win. And to take that off and not haveto answer those questions anymore is nice.”Koepka, a member of the US Ryder Cupteam last year, was aiming for his secondPGA Tour win. He had the best round of theday at 65. Before Chappell came down the18th hole, Koepka had birdied the hole witha 3-foot putt to tie him. “It’s hard to win outhere - everybody knows that,” Koepka said.“I’m knocking on the door to get my secondwin. It’s nice for Kevin to get his first win.That’s pretty cool.” Second-round co-leaderTony Finau got in a position to tie Koepkawhen he birdied four of five holes on theback nine. But his par-bogey finish left himto settle for 69 and a share of third placewith Kevin Tway (69) at 9 under.

‘Pulling the reins back’ Australian Aaron Baddeley fired 68 to

finish fourth at 8 under. Brian Gay (70),Sung Kang (68), Ryan Palmer (71) andCameron Smith (71) were a shot further

back tied for sixth. Koepka, trailingChappell by a shot coming up the 18th,took a 3-metal out of his bag and consid-ered taking a crack at reaching the 606-yard par-5 in two. But he had 293 yards leftwith a slight uphill shot into the wind witha creek fronting the green.

“I really wanted to go for it - I reallywanted to,” Koepka said. “But my caddy waskind of pulling the reins back and he want-ed me to lay up, and it was probably agood thing that we did.” He put the clubback in his bag and laid up to create a 90-wedge approach. He stuck that to aboutthree feet and made the birdie to go intothe clubhouse tied with Chappell. Chappellhad almost the same distance for hisapproach on 18, and he landed it past thehole to set up the winning putt.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” saidChappell, who had been runner-up sixtimes in his career. “Brooks kept me honestout there today. He made me had to do itthe right way. There wasn’t any question Iwas going to make 4 (birdie) and win thegolf tournament.” Finau closed with birdieson four of five holes coming to the 17th. Hewas just a shot behind Chappell’s lead, buthe parred there and drove next to a cactusbush on the 18th. He punched out to thefairway, removed cactus needles from hisleg, then put his approach into the creek.He took a penalty drop, and his bogey end-ed his chances. — AP

SAN ANTONIO: Kevin Chappell hits into the wind on the 9th tee during the thirdround of the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio Oaks Course. — AP


KINGSTON: Pakistan’s batsman Younis Khan leaves the field after being dismissed on day three of the first Test match between West Indies andPakistan at the Sabina Park. —AFP

KINGSTON: Younis Khan became the firstPakistan player to complete 10,000 Test runs ashis team reached 201 for four in reply to theWest Indies first innings total of 286 at stumpson the third day of the rain-affected first Test atSabina Park on Sunday. Younis moved on from apainfully slow start to get to 58 while BabarAzam stroked 72 in dominating a 131-run third-wicket partnership with the former captain togive the tourists the ascendancy into the finalsession of the day.

However, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel dis-missed both in the space of three deliveries tolimit Pakistan’s progress and leaving captainMisbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq to continue theworkmanlike effort heading into the fourth day.

Having confirmed this series as the lastbefore he retires from international cricket, 39-year-old Younis played with exaggerated care atthe start of his innings. In contrast, Azam dis-played much more aggression and purposealthough he once again fell short of a maidenTest century. Possibly mindful of his proximityto the landmark when he started his innings 23runs away from the cherished goal, Younis took47 minutes to get off the mark while Azamattempted to keep the scoreboard ticking overat the other end.

Oldest player to break barrier Playing his first Test in the Caribbean after

missing the 2011 tour due to the death of hisbrother, the former captain eventually startedto creep towards his 10,000th run, triggeringthe celebrations when he swept a deliveryfrom off-spinner Roston Chase in the first overafter tea to the backward square-leg bound-ary to become just the 13th player overall-andthe oldest-in the history of the game to scalethat summit.

“I thought about bowing out of internationalcricket three years ago but one of the motivat-ing factors for me to stay was to get to ten thou-

sand runs,” Khan said at the end of the day. “I amfinished after the series, no matter how manyruns I score, but I just hope I have been able tomake a useful contribution as a player and alsohelp the younger ones to do as well as I have, oreven better.”

Hailed as a potential successor to Younis asthe permanent occupant of the number threebatting position, Azam enjoyed a moment ofluck just after lunch when West Indies captainJason Holder failed to hold on to a caught-and-bowled chance with the batsman on 12. Yet justas it looked as if their partnership would contin-ue until the close of play, Gabriel broke through.

Younis mistimed an off-drive to give to becaught at extra-cover and become the fastbowler’s 50th Test wicket. Then in his next overa tentative Azam played on to spark further cel-ebrations among the West Indian players.Earlier, Holder finished unbeaten on 57 after the

delayed start to another rain-affected day asMohammad Amir completed his best Testinnings figures to wrap up the home side’sinnings after they resumed at the overnightposition of 278 for nine.

He bowled last man Gabriel to finish with sixfor 44, an effort which improved on his previousbest of six for 84 against England at Lord’s in2010. Play started 90 minutes later than sched-uled due to the continuing effects of heavy, tor-rential rain on a damp outfield which reducedplay to just 55 minutes on the second day.Pakistan started their reply brightly with AzharAli looking ominous before he chased a widedelivery from Alzarri Joseph to give a catch towicketkeeper Shane Dowrich. Ahmed Shehzad,playing his first Test for almost two years, alsoopened brightly with a flurry of shots, includingfive boundaries in 31 only to be trapped leg-before on the back foot by Holder. — AFP

Younis hits 10,000-runs as Pakistan builds reply

West Indies 1st Innings (overnight 278 for 9)K. Brathwaite c Khan b Abbas 0K. Powell c Khan b Amir 33S. Hetmyer b Amir 11S. Hope b Amir 2V. Singh c Ali b Riaz 9R. Chase c Riaz b Shah 63S. Dowrich b Shah 56J. Holder not out 57D. Bishoo c Ahmed b Amir 28A. Joseph b Amir 0S. Gabriel b Amir 5Extras (b4, lb18) 22Total (all out, 95 overs) 286Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Brathwaite), 2-23 (Hetmyer), 3-32(Hope), 4-53 (Singh), 5-71 (Powell), 6-189 (Chase), 7-189(Dowrich), 8-264 (Bishoo), 9-274 (Joseph), 10-286(Gabriel).

Bowling: Amir 26-11-44-6, Abbas 22-4-63-1, Riaz 23-6-66-1, Shah 24-5-91-2.

Pakistan 1st InningsA. Ali c Dowrich b Joseph 15A. Shehzad lbw b Holder 31B. Azam b Gabriel 72Y. Khan c Brathwaite b Gabriel 58Misbah-ul-Haq not out 5A. Shafiq not out 5Extras (b4, lb3, nb8) 15Total (4 wkts, 78.2 overs) 201To bat: S. Ahmed, M. Amir, W. Riaz, Y. Shah, M. AbbasFall of wickets: 1-23 (Ali), 2-54 (Shehzad), 3-185 (Khan),4-186 (Azam)Bowling: Gabriel 16-5-37-2 (3nb), Joseph 16.2-5-35-1(2nb), J. Holder 18-3-40-1 (3nb), Bishoo 15-1-35-0, Chase6-1-25-0, Brathwaite 7-1-22-0.

SCOREBOARD

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Scoreboard at stumps on the third day of the first Test between the West Indies and Pakistanat Sabina Park in Jamaica on Sunday.

LOS ANGELES: US tennis great SerenaWilliams yesterday marked her fiance’sbirthday and her return to the world num-ber one ranking by posting an emotionalmessage to her unborn baby on Instagram.Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian turned34 yesterday, the day that Williams alsorecaptured the women’s top ranking.Williams’ social media post showed the 35-year-old sitting on a beach lounger in ablack two-piece swimsuit that revealed hergrowing baby bump.

“My Dearest Baby, You gave me thestrength I didn’t know I had,” Williams wroteon her Instagram account, as she hintedthat she expects to be back playing nextyear. “You taught me the true meaning ofserenity and peace. I can’t wait to meet you.I can’t wait for you to join the players boxnext year. But most importantly, I am sohappy to share being number one in theworld with you.... once again today. On

@alexisohanian bday... from the world’soldest number one to the world’s youngestnumber one. -Your Mommy.”

Williams is due to give birth inSeptember, the month she turns 36 yearsold. In December, Williams announced herengagement to tech entrepreneur Ohanianand last week revealed she is expecting herfirst child and will not play again this year.She was already expecting when she wonher record-setting 23rd Grand Slam title atthe Australian Open in January-where shebeat her elder sister Venus in the final. KellyBush Novak, Williams’ publicist, had saidthis week that the US star “looks forward toreturning in 2018” and that was echoed byher coach Patrick Mouratoglou. OvertakingAustralia’s Margaret Court for the all-timerecord of 24 Grand Slam singles crowns-Williams is on 23 — is also “a determiningfactor” in her motivation to plough on, theFrenchman said. —AFP

Serena posts heartfelt baby message on fiance’s birthday

NEW DELHI: Skipper Virat Kohli said “it real-ly hurts” after Royal Challengers Bangaloreslumped to a record low score of 49 againstKolkata Knight Riders in the Indian PremierLeague. Chasing a modest 132, theBangalore batsmen-including Kohli, ChrisGayle and AB de Villiers-crashed in just 9.4overs to mark a new low for the Twenty20tournament, now in its 10th edition.Opener Kohli’s first-ball duck started the rotfor Bangalore, as none of their batsmenreached double digits and Kedar Jadhavtop-scored with nine at Kolkata’s EdenGardens. It set an unwanted new IPL recordafter Rajasthan Royals, currently barredover a spot-fixing scandal, totaled just 58against Bangalore in 2009.

“Our worst batting performance, it reallyhurts,” a disappointed Kohli said on Sunday,as Bangalore stayed bottom of the eight-

team IPL table. “There’s nothing to reviewanything about the second half, it wasthat bad. We need to forget it and moveforward. We’re a much better team,” headded. Kolkata bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile, who was man of the match for his 3-21, had Kohli caught by Manish Pandey inthe very first over to trigger the rout oflast year ’s runners-up. England’s ChrisWoakes and New Zealand fast bowlerColin de Grandhomme returned figures of3-6 and 3-4 as Bangalore lost their last sixwickets for only nine runs. “I’m sure wewon’t bat like that again in the tourna-ment... We’ve got back-to-back games,need to try and win those to get somemomentum,” said Kohli. For Kolkata, theWest Indies’ Sunil Narine top-scored withhis 17-ball 34 while opening the inningsfor the home side. —AFP

The maleficent seven: Drug users in tennisSTUTTGART: Former world number one andfive-time major winner Maria Sharapova returnsto tennis in Stuttgart tomorrow after a 15-monthdoping ban. Take a look at seven other high-profile suspensions in the sport:

Mariano PuertaIn 2003, Argentina’s Puerta, who was to reach

number nine in the world, received a two-yearsuspension after testing positive for clenbuterolbut the ban was cut to nine months after heargued the substance was in an asthma treat-ment. Two years later, he was banned again afterfailing a drugs test following his 2005 FrenchOpen final defeat to Rafael Nadal. He wasbanned for eight years but the sanction was cutagain to two years when he claimed the sub-stance etilefrine was ingested accidentally afterit was in a glass used by his wife. Last played ontour in 2009 on the Challenger level.

Wayne OdesnikAmerican Odesnik was banned for 15 years in

2015 after a second doping violation havingtested positive for steroids. He had already beensuspended in 2010 after being caught withhuman growth hormone. That was later reducedto 12 months after he had co-operated withinvestigations.

Sesil KaratantchevaAs a precocious 15-year-old, the Bulgarian

reached the French Open quarter-finals in 2005,knocking out Venus Williams on the way and end-ing the year at 35 in the world. However, inJanuary 2006 she was banned for two years aftertesting positive for nandrolone. Karatantchevaclaimed her positive result had been caused bypregnancy but tests showed this not to be thecase. She lost her appeal and did not play at all in2006 and 2007. Karatantcheva has struggled eversince with her ranking now at 216 forcing her toscratch out a living on the second-tier ITF Tour.

Martina HingisThe former world number one, now 36, had

already stepped back from the tour in 2003 after acareer which saw her claim five Grand Slam singlestitles. Returned in 2005 before announcing in 2007that she had tested positive for a small amount ofcocaine at Wimbledon. “I have tested positive but Ihave never taken drugs and I feel 100 per centinnocent,” she said. Hingis was banned for two

years but returned to the sport in 2013 and hassince built a successful doubles career.

Richard GasquetThe French player tested positive for cocaine

in 2009 but was banned for just two and a halfmonths after he successfully argued that he hadaccidentally ingested the drug when he kissed agirl at a Miami nightclub. “We have found theplayer to be a person who is shy and reserved,honest and truthful and a man of integrity andgood character,” the tribunal which cleared himsaid in its ruling. “He is neither a cheat nor a userof drugs for recreational purposes.”

Viktor TroickiTroicki, the hero of Serbia’s 2010 Davis Cup

triumph, was banned for 18 months in 2013after failing to provide a blood sample at the

Monte Carlo Masters, claiming he had felt unwelland had a long-standing fears of needles. He didhowever provide a urine sample. “Despite themisunderstanding between the player and thedoping control officer, there was no suggestionthat Mr. Troicki intended to evade the detectionof a banned substance in his system,” said theCourt of Arbitration for Sport who cut his ban to12 months.

Marin CilicBefore he went on to become a US Open

champion, Croatia’s Cilic was banned for ninemonths for testing positive for the banned stim-ulant nikethamide at the 2013 Munich tourna-ment. Cilic claimed the substance was in anover-the-counter glucose product purchasedfrom a pharmacy. His ban was eventuallyreduced to four months on appeal. —AFP

MINSK: Martina Hingis, of Switzerland, left, returns a ball as partner Belinda Bencic followsplay during their Fed Cup World Group semifinal tennis match against Vera Lapko and OlgaGovortsova, of Belaru. —AP

Kohli pain after RCB sets new low in IPL

KOLKATA: Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli reacts after losing hiswicket during the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match betweenKolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore at The Eden Gardens CricketStadium. —AFP

Merritt heads US dominanceNASSAU: American veteran Lashawn Merrittshowed all his experience to bag a third suc-cessive 4x400m gold at the IAAF WorldRelays on Sunday, as Canadian Andre deGrasse underlined his credentials as UsainBolt’s most likely successor.

The all-powerful US team followed up onvictories on Saturday in the women’s4x800m and men’s 4x100m relays by clinch-ing gold in both the men and women’s4x400m and men’s 4x800m to easily top themedals table. Merritt, whose first seniorrelay gold dates back to the Helsinki worldsin 2005, had teammates David Verburg,Tony McQuay and Kyle Clemons to thank forputting him out in front.

But he hadn’t counted on 18-year-oldBotswanan sensation Karabo Sibando, whocaught the 30-year-old American up beforeMerritt battled down the home stretch tohold on for a nerve-racking win in 3min02.13sec from the Africans, Jamaica takingbronze. “We have a great group of guyshere tonight,” said Merritt. “They did whatthey had to do and I did what I do best,that’s ‘bring it home,’ my third time hereand third gold!”

On the rise Canadian De Grasse, who won three

medals at last year’s Rio Olympics, under-lined his coming of age as Jamaican legendBolt’s own tip as world sprinting’s next domi-nant figure by laying down a startling thirdleg in the 4x200m relay. It was enough towrest back control for Canada, teammate

Aaron Brown holding off American AmeerWebb for a scintillating victory in the 4x200mrelay, Jamaica taking bronze.

Canada’s victory, with Gavin Smellie andBrendon Rodney running the first two legs,was the first time a country other than the USor Jamaica had won a sprint relay and madeup for the disappointment of not finishingthe 4x100m. “It was a great run by all of us,”said De Grasse, 22. “We came together collec-tively, we just wanted to keep the stickaround. We told ourselves to trust each otherand be patient.”

Canada’s win was followed by anotherupset as Germany picked up an unexpectedgold in the women’s 4x100m, AlexandraBurghardt, Lisa Mayer, Tatjana Pinto andRebekka Haase combining to outpaceJamaica with their winning time of 42.84sec.

The US presence in the race came to anabrupt halt after first leg Tianna Bartolettatumbled nastily to the floor before batonpassover. But otherwise, the US team shone,with self-proclaimed ‘relay queen’ NatashaHastings adding yet another gold to her tro-phy cabinet as she ran in the anchor leg inthe 4x400m in the footprints of teammatesPhyllis Francis, Ashley Spencer and QuaneraHayes for victory in 3min 24.36sec, Polandtaking silver ahead of Jamaica.

And Olympic bronze medallist ClaytonMurphy bolted with 150 metres to run in atactical men’s 4x800m to claim an impressivewin for the US team also including BrannonKidder, Erik Sowinski and Casimir Loxsomover a strong Kenyan quartet. —AFP

NASSAU: LaShawn Merritt of the USA and Karabo Sibanda of Botswana run to thefinishline in the Men’s 4x400 Metres Relay Final during the IAAF/BTC World RelaysBahamas 2017 at Thomas Robinson Stadium. — AFP


By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: Kuwait Ice Hockey Nationalteam came one step closer to winningthe title after defeating India with thescore of 8-5 in their second match. Indiascored three unanswered goals, beforeKuwait’s players came back strongly andscored four goals. Oman defeated Macao2-1 in the previous match.

Kuwait National team player Fahad Al-Hunaidi said the win against India waspossible because of the fighting spiritthat distinguished all team members andthe strong determination to win and getcloser to grabbing the title. He said themost difficult stage of the match was

when the Indian team was leading withthe score of 3-0, but our determinationalong with our coach’s instructionsenabled us to come back. Al-Hunaidi saidthe final match with Oman will be anopportunity to win the title, and solidifyKuwait’s Ice Hockey supremacy which isevidently moving in the right direction.

The 2017 Ice Hockey Challenge Cupof Asia will be concluded today as Kuwaitmeets Oman at 8:00 pm. Kuwait onlyrequires a draw to win the cup for thesecond time as they won its first twomatches, while Oman needs to win by alarge margin while hoping that India los-es to Macao in the match that will beheld at 4:30 pm.

Kuwait comes from behind to beat India

Atletico Madrid to fight transfer ban

LAUSANNE: Atletico Madrid officials were at sport’shighest court yesterday to challenge a FIFA transferban that prevents the club from signing any players inthe coming offseason. The Court of Arbitration forSport is hearing the appeal, but said a verdict is notexpected immediately. Atletico and FIFA previouslyagreed to seek a CAS verdict by June, before the sum-mer trading period opens. FIFA imposed a one-yearban on registering new players as punishment forAtletico breaking rules introduced to prevent childtrafficking and luring youngsters from their homecountry. Atletico denies wrongdoing, though it agreednot to sign players in January while its appeal wentahead. By appealing to FIFA against the original banlast year, Atletico was able to delay it taking effect lastoffseason when the club completed the signings offorward Fernando Torres and Kevin Gameiro, and mid-fielder Nicolas Gaitan. Spain’s soccer federation hasbeen criticized for its role in player registrations, withBarcelona and Real Madrid also having served FIFAtransfer bans.

Toure ‘mocks’ referees LONDON: Yaya Toure has said he would “prefer”Thursday’s Manchester derby to go ahead without a ref-eree after claiming his City side had been on the wrongend of decisions in their FA Cup semi-final loss toArsenal. Referee Craig Pawson was in the spotlight afterCity were denied what appeared to be a legitimate goalbefore losing 2-1 to the Gunners at Wembley Stadiumon Sunday. Sergio Aguero had a goal disallowed afterthe officials ruled Leroy Sane’s cross had gone out ofplay before reaching the City striker, a decision whichreplays indicated was wrong and Toure said his side hadbeen denied an early penalty as well. “I think the refer-ees have to stop this. I am very disappointed,” said Toure.“It is not the first time, there have been a couple oftimes.” Asked if the ball had stayed in play, Toure was inno doubt: “Definitely, and it was a penalty and some-thing more. “But what can we do? If (we) talk about thereferee the FA is going to come in for the punishment ifwe think like that, but I think I need to sleep and restand forget this game.” — Agencies

NewsI n b r i e f

Giant smoke bombs interrupt PSV v Ajax

EINDHOVEN: Thick black fumes from smoke bombsengulfed stands at PSV Eindhoven’s crunch home gameagainst Ajax on Sunday, interrupting the match and leav-ing several fans with breathing and eye problems. Dozensof people scattered to take refuge as black smoke billowedthrough the Philips Stadion, forcing the referee to suspendplay five minutes into the second half. Ten fans, four securi-ty guards and a steward suffered respiratory or eye prob-lems, according to the Dutch press agency ANP. A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of letting off thedevices, it added. The game resumed shortly after theinterruption but photos and videos of the huge cloud ofsmoke, spewing out from behind advertising hoardingsnear the touchline, were shared widely on social media.Players from both teams stood on the pitch watching thesmoke cloud after referee Kevin Blom brought the game toa halt. Jurgen Locadia scored the only goal after 25 min-utes as defending Eredivisie champions PSV won 1-0, deal-ing a blow to 33-time winners Ajax who are bidding fortheir first title since 2014.

4 arrested over Bastia violence

BASTIA: Four people were arrested in Bastia yesterday aspart of an investigation into violence which marred theCorsican team’s match against French Ligue 1 rivals Lyon,judicial sources said. A hardcore section of home fans atBastia’s Armand Cesari stadium targeted Lyon’s players asthey warmed up before the game on April 16, causing it tobe delayed by more than 50 minutes, and then again asthe two sides went in for the break. Two Lyon playersAnthony Lopes and Mathieu Gorgelin have filed policecomplaints after being attacked by Bastia fans during thegame. Bastia’s next home game against Rennes on April 29will be played at a neutral ground with no fans allowed.Other disciplinary measures against the club who arealready bottom of Ligue 1 and facing relegation next sea-son could follow on May 4. The violence followed crowdtrouble several days earlier at Lyon who hosted Turkishteam Besiktas in the Europa League quarter-final.

Ban reversal of Kuwait Shooting

recognized by global federations

By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: Kuwait Shooting Sport Clubannounced the organization of the lateSheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah tournament at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex onThursday 27/4 and will continue untilSaturday. The tournament will includeskeet, trap, double trap, 10m air pistol andrifle, 50m rifle in addition to Olympicarchery. The closing ceremony of the tour-nament will be held on Sunday at the clubpremises. Secretary General of Kuwait and

Arab Shooting Federations Obaid Al-Osaimi said the late Sheikh Sabah Al-SalemAl-Humoud Al-Sabah Cup is one of themost important tournaments for shooters.It is also a great opportunity for juniorshooters to gain experience by participat-ing and learning from more experiencedcontestants.

Al-Osaimi said the club always com-memorates those who had served thecountry and those who supported andcared for the sport of shooting, which is anintegral part of Kuwaiti heritage. He addedthat the late Sheikh was one of the pioneers

of the sport and contributed to laying itsfoundation in the country.

Meanwhile, President of Kuwait andArab Shooting Federations Eng Duaij KhalafAl-Otaibi received several congratulatorycalls and letters for the ruling to lift the sus-pension of Kuwait Shooting from interna-tional events. A letter was received from thePresident of Asian Shooting ConfederationSheikh Ali Abdullah Al-Khalifa who congrat-ulated HH the Amir and all the people ofKuwait and recognized the importance ofKSF’s role in all international, continentaland Arab levels.

President of Egyptian and AfricanShooting Federations Brig Hazim Hosni alsoexpressed his pleasure towards the rulingagainst the ISSF and recognized Kuwait’simportant role in the sport. President of theEuropean Shooting Confederation, ISSFVice-president Vladimir Lisin congratulatedKuwait Shooting and invited KSF to partici-pate in the World Championship to be heldin Moscow in August. ISSF Vice-presidentand President of the Italian ShootingFederation Senator spoke to Eng Duaij Al-Otaibi over the phone and congratulatedKSF on the CAS ruling.

Shooter Abdallah Al-Raheedi Eng Duaij Al-OtaibiObaid Al-Osaimi

PARIS: Teenage sensation KylianMbappe produced another stylishwinning goal as Monaco climbed backto the top of Ligue 1 with a 2-1 victoryat Lyon on Sunday. A seventh straightleague win leaves Monaco level withParis Saint Germain on 80 points butwith a game in hand on the champi-ons and a far superior goal difference.

PSG had climbed provisionally topfor the very first time this season aftertheir own 2-0 win over Montpellier onSaturday, serving a challenge that theChampions League semi-finalistsMonaco rose to with gusto in Lyon.Colombian striker Radamel Falcaopounced on a loose ball for his 19thleague goal of the campaign to breakthe deadlock in the 31st minute of afrantic first-half.

The opener came straight afterMemphis Depay had fluffed a chanceto give the hosts the lead as theEuropa League semi-finalists threweverything at Monaco. Battling mid-fielder Bernardo Silva then hit thecrossbar for Monaco as they floodedforward and the hosts hardly had timeto breathe before the outstandingMbappe made it 2-0. With a brilliantlytimed run into the box, the 18-year-old’s slick flick rounded off anotherlightning break from LeonardoJardim’s side, for whom the striker hasemerged, mainly in the second half ofthe campaign, with 13 league goals sofar. Lyon’s Lucas Tousart however pro-duced a thundering header on 50minutes to convert a corner and pegMonaco back to 2-1 and ensure atense struggle all the way to the finalwhistle. Monaco are looking for a firstFrench title since 2000 and have fivematches remaining in a tight racewith PSG. “Everything can change

from one game to the next so it ’sstraight back to work for us to preparefor our next game with Toulouse,”Mbappe told French television afterthe game. Next weekend, third-placedNice host PSG, while in the followingmidweek Monaco play Juventus in apotentially draining ChampionsLeague semi-final first leg. EarlierSunday, Mario Balotelli started on thebench as Nice’s own faint title hopes

were all but extinguished in a 1-1draw at mid-table Toulouse. Fired bythe goals of Balotelli, Nice had beenthe early pacesetters in the Frenchleague but they have drawn too manygames-the stalemate at Toulouse wastheir 11th of the season-and Balotelli’sform has dipped. A goal apiece fromEdinson Cavani and Angel di Mariagave Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 winover Montpellier on Saturday. — AFP

Masterful Mbappe leads

Monaco to Ligue summit

RHONE: Monaco’s French forward Kylian Mbappe Lottin (L) vies with Lyon’sdefender Mouctar Diakhaby (R) during the French L1 football matchbetween Olympique Lyonnais and AS Monaco. — AFP

LONDON: Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City will bea far more formidable force next season after their FACup semi-final defeat to Arsenal left the Spaniard emp-ty-handed for the first season in his glittering career.Guardiola’s side wasted their chance to reach the final aspoor finishing and sloppy defending allowed Arsenal tocome from behind and snatch a 2-1 victory in extra-timeon Sunday.

With City trailing 11 points behind Premier Leagueleaders Chelsea, their last realistic chance of silverwarevanished at Wembley, leaving Guardiola to face theuncomfortable reality that he has failed to provide thetrophies expected from him when he arrived last year.

Having dominated in the Spanish and Germanleagues with Barcelona and then Bayern Munich, whilealso winning two Champions League titles, Guardiolahas found life much harder in the cutthroat world of thePremier League. The Spaniard admits this season hasbeen a learning process and, with his ego clearlybruised, Guardiola promised City would be muchimproved next term once he has time to make changesto an underachieving squad.

“We will improve next season. We will be strong,especially in the games away against the PremierLeague teams,” he said. “For what I have done in my pastthe pressure will be on my shoulders for the rest of mycareer. “Always in my life and always in the rest of my lifeI try to be better. That is all. “Some players will stay andsome will come in. I will try to be proactive. “That is whatI want to do. I’m not a guy who complains.” After leadingCity to 10 successive wins at the start of the season, Cityhave gradually fallen back into the bad habits thatprompted the club’s Abu Dhabi-based owners to axeManuel Pellegrini and bring in Guardiola.

FRESH INDIGNITY While City are always capable of dominating posses-

sion, too often poor finishing and a lack of killer instinctmeans that control doesn’t bring enough goals, openingthe door for a leaky defence to be fatally breached. City’s4-0 thrashing at Everton in January was the heaviestleague defeat suffered by Guardiola in his managerialcareer, while their Champions League last 16 exit againstMonaco was the earliest he had bowed out of that tour-nament. Losing to Arsenal was a fresh indignity andGuardiola is left with little time to pick up the pieceswith City facing a vital derby against Manchester Unitedon Thursday. —AFP

City will be stronger next

season vows Guardiola


BERLIN: Thomas Tuchel’s BorussiaDortmund hope to add to BayernMunich’s recent woes in tomorrow’scrunch German Cup semi-final to endCarlo Ancelotti’s bid for the domesticdouble. Both Bayern and Dortmund hadtheir Champions League campaignsended last week by Real Madrid andMonaco respectively in the quarter-finals, but they meet at the Allianz Arenafor a place in Berlin’s cup final on May 27.

Bayern are runway leaders in theGerman league and had been hopingfor a place in the Champions League’ssemi-finals before a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Real thwarted their ambitions. Ascompensation, Ancelotti is hoping tofinish his first season as Bayern coach

with the league and cup double.However, first Dortmund must be over-come in a repeat of last year’s final whichBayern won 4-3 on penalties after agoalless draw in Berlin.

“Now we want to spoil Bayern’s sea-son a little bit more,” quipped Tuchelafter Dortmund’s 3-2 comeback win atMoechengladbach on Saturday to gothird in Germany’s top flight. The victorycame the day after police arrested a sus-pect for the April 11 bomb attack on theDortmund team bus which left defenderMarc Bartra needing wrist surgery. “Thevictory put the wind in our sails andgives confidence for Wednesday,” saidDortmund’s director of sport MichaelZorc after Raphael Guerreiro’s late head-

er sealed the win in Gladbach. “I ’mproud of the character of this team.”

While Dortmund picked up a morale-boosting victory, Bayern had to twicecome from behind as they labored to a2-2 draw at home to relegation-threat-ened Mainz. “Of course, the gameagainst Real is still bothering us, even ifit shouldn’t. We’re professionals, butwe’re also human,” said Bayern’s stand-incaptain Thomas Mueller. “As well as theleague title, reaching the Berlin final isour biggest goal, so that means, puff outyour chest and show that we deserve tobe there!”

SELF-CONFIDENCE IN THE TANK However, Bayern are winless in their

last four games and picked up their onlyvictory in their last six games, whenthey romped to a 4-1 win overDortmund in the league three weeksago. Bayern’s top-scorer RobertLewandowski scored twice in thethumping home win, but Dortmundhave Marco Reus back and the Germanywinger has scored in each of his threegames after six weeks sidelined by ahamstring injury. Reus is predicting adifferent type of game when the teamsmeet again at the Allianz Arena.

“It will be totally different, I see ourchance as 50-50. We have a lot of self-confidence in the tank after our win inGladbach,” said Reus. Both teams haveinjury concerns. Bayern are already with-

out Germany’s goalkeeper ManuelNeuer, who has a foot fracture, for therest of the season and Sven Ulreich willagain deputize. Austria defender DavidAlaba is doubtful with a knee injury hav-ing limped off early in Saturday’s drawagainst Mainz, but Ancelotti hopes tohave centre-backs Jerome Boateng(groin) and Mats Hummels (ankle) fitagain. Tuchel is hoping defender SokratisPapastathopoulos overcomes a legknock, while Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahinis out with suspected torn ankle liga-ments. Today, BorussiaMoenchengladbach host EintrachtFrankfurt in the other semi with bothteams chasing their first final appearancein more than a decade. — AFP

Dortmund hope to end Bayern’s double dream

MADRID: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi is tackled by Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid andBarcelona, dubbed ‘el clasico’, at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. — AP

MADRID: Lionel Messi took off his shirt and lifted ithigh in front of him, boldly displaying his name andnumber to the stunned crowd at the SantiagoBernabeu Stadium. He stood there for a few seconds,staring at the fans, as if making sure they knew whowas really in charge. Messi had just scored a last-minute goal that gave Barcelona a crucial 3-2 come-from-behind victory against Real Madrid, putting theCatalan club back in the Spanish league title race andadding to his dominance in the “clasico.”

There’s been no one better than Messi when thetwo Spanish powerhouses meet. He now has 23 goalsin games between the two clubs, five more thanMadrid great Alfredo Di Stefano and eight more thanCristiano Ronaldo. While Ronaldo faltered throughoutSunday’s game at the Bernabeu, failing to score goalsthat could have given his team a commanding leadover its rival in the league standings, Messi camethrough for Barcelona once again.

He also scored the team’s first goal, helped set upthe second by Ivan Rakitic and drew the foul that ledto a red card for Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, lead-ing Barcelona to a victory that reignited its chances ofwinning a third straight league trophy. “Leo’s great-ness is that he keeps surprising us,” Barcelona captainAndres Iniesta said. “After years and years, he contin-ues to be decisive. For us, it’s an honor to play withhim. And for the club, it’s a blessing. We have to try tokeep up with him as much as possible so we can allplay well and stay in contention in La Liga, which iswide open.”

Messi’s late winner allowed Barcelona to tie Madridon 75 points at the top of the Spanish league stand-ings with five rounds to go. Barcelona has the lead onthe head-to-head tiebreaker, but Madrid still has agame in hand, at Celta Vigo. “Messi was decisive, asalways he always is,” Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andreter Stegen said. “He makes the difference. There is nota lot to talk about him. He is a very special player.”

SPECIAL PLAYER Messi is enjoying another remarkable season, with

47 goals in 46 games. He has scored 14 goals in hislast 10 Spanish league games, and is the competi-tion’s leading scorer with 31 goals, seven more thanteammate Luis Suarez and 12 more than Ronaldo.Messi had been going through a scoring drought inthe “clasico”, unable to find the net in six straightgames. The last time he had scored against Madridwas with a hat trick at the Bernabeu in a 4 -3 win inthe league in 2014.

Playing with a bloodied mouth after a collisionwith Madrid left back Marcelo, Messi ended thedrought by clearing two defenders with a run insidethe area before sending a low shot past Madridgoalkeeper Keylor Navas in the first half at theBernabeu. His second goal decided the game, a left-footed shot from the top of the area with 12 secondsleft in stoppage time after a low pass by Jordi Alba.

Messi’s celebration, parading his shirt, sparked afierce reaction from many Madrid fans on the standsbehind the goal, where only a few people wearingBarcelona colors could be seen. The visitors’ sectionwas behind that same goal, but in the opposite sideof where Messi ran to celebrate. Messi eventuallywas shown a yellow card for taking off his shirt. Thetwo goals on Sunday gave the 29-year-old Messi atotal of 500 for his career with Barcelona, the most ofany other player who has ever played for the club.“Leo’s 500th goal had to be special, just like he is,”Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said. “I hope he willonly retire several years from now.” —AP

Messi shows who’s in charge

at ‘El clasico’ against Madrid

Bonucci on target as

Juventus go 11 clear

TURIN: Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci celebrates after scoring a goal during the ItalianSeria A soccer match between Juventus and Genoa at the Juventus stadium. — AP

BURNLEY: Jose Mourinho admitted itwill be “really hard” for veteran strikerZlatan Ibrahimovic to recover from hisseason-ending knee ligament injury. TheManchester United manager was talkingafter his side had recorded an impressive2-0 victory at Burnley just three daysafter Ibrahimovic and defender MarcosRojo suffered knee injuries which requiresurgery during a midweek EuropaLeague win over Anderlecht.

“Everyone is very sad. We were think-ing about them. They have to be strong,”said Mourinho. “Unfortunately theywon’t be the first or last players to get animportant injury. “No player deserves tobe injured but I think in this case it’s evenmore sad because Zlatan, in this stage ofhis career it’s really, really hard. “AndMarcos probably at this moment in hiscareer is playing very well for us and alsofinally getting a position as centraldefender in the international team, sowe’re really sad for them.”

Reports have suggested that, givenhis age, Ibrahimovic may not play at thetop level again-his United contract is upat the end of the season-although hismanager did not want to becomeinvolved in such speculation. “Yeah Iknow but I think it ’s for the medicaldepartment to be more specific and toevaluate over the next few days to seekan expert’s opinion and we have to waitand see for that,” he said.

‘CRAZY MENTALITY’ “I don’t care about it in this moment, I

just want the player to recover the besthe can and we’ll see about it. Honestly,I’m not sad for the team, I’m not worriedabout the impact of not having them. “Idon’t care about it, I just think aboutthem, and like everybody I’m really sad.”United’s win at Burnley came with goalsfrom Anthony Martial and WayneRooney with the former responding well

to midweek comments from his manag-er that questioned his work ethic.

“Yes,” said Mourinho when asked ifMartial had responded as he wished. “Ofcourse, it was a very good performanceby him-with the ball, without the ball, indefence, matched in the middle againsttwo strong central defenders and with-out anyone just behind him supportinghim.” The win sets up an intriguingManchester derby trip to City onThursday in which a United victorywould lift them above their rivals,although Mourinho admitted he will restplayers with an eye on the EuropaLeague semi-final with Celta Vigo. “I willrotate players again, rest some playersagain,” he said. “And let’s see what we cando. “Of course it’s important to play inthe Champions League but this clubwants trophies. We have a 25 percentchance to win the Europa League andhave to put everything into it we can.”

Paul Pogba, who limped out of thegame in injury-time with a muscle injury,is l ikely to be rested against City.Mourinho also issued a challenge to PhilJones and Chris Smalling to return frominjuries and give in-form Eric Bailly abreak. “If I was Smalling or Jones, I wouldplay Thursday with everything. I wouldn’taccept one guy to play nine matches in arow,” he said. “If they have a crazy men-tality like I have, they would play.

“If they’re safe-thinking and surround-ed by people with the same mentality asthey have, they will be more cautiousand it would be more time. If it was me,nobody would stop me playing.” Defeatleaves Burnley in real danger of beingdragged into the relegation picture atthe foot of the table in the final weeks ofthe season, although manager SeanDyche remained confident. “For us thechallenge is getting points on the boardand we’re still in good shape, despite allthe odds,” he said. — AFP

LONDON: Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kantehas been voted the player of the year by hisfellow professionals, collecting the awardat a ceremony on Sunday that honoredDavid Beckham’s contribution to Englishfootball. The 26-year-old Kante has someway to go to match Beckham’s six PremierLeague titles with Manchester United buthe is closing in on the rare achievement ofcollecting England’s top prize with two dif-ferent clubs.

Kante, a 5-foot-6 (1.70-meter) force inmidfield, secured his move to Chelsea lastJuly after his tackles, interceptions and tire-less box-to-box running helped 5,000-1outsider Leicester win the title for the firsttime. Chelsea has also benefited fromKante running its midfield, with theLondon side four points out in front withsix games remaining.

Chelsea is being pushed for the title byTottenham, which was also recognized atthe Professional Footballers’ Association

ceremony when Dele Alli won the youngplayer of the year vote for a second straightyear. Alli was a surprise omission from theshortlist for the main award, given the 21-year-old midfielder’s 16 goals and fiveassists in the league alone. That’s the mostgoals for a player who isn’t recognized as aforward.

Instead, Kante topped the PFA pollahead of Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard,the 2015 recipient and a quartet of strikers:Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, Everton’s RomeluLukaku, Manchester United’s ZlatanIbrahimovic and Tottenham’s Harry Kane.Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze topped thevoting for women’s player of the year forthe second time and Birmingham’s JessCarter won the young player accolade.Beckham won the PFA merit award after acareer that saw Beckham representEngland 115 times and also win titles withReal Madrid, the Los Angeles Galaxy andParis Saint-Germain. —AP

Chelsea’s Kante voted

England’s player of year

LONDON: Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante, center, competes for the ball with TottenhamHotspur’s Mousa Dembele, left, during the English FA Cup semifinal soccer matchbetween Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley stadium. — AP

MILAN: Premier League target LeonardoBonucci scored an impressive goal asJuventus moved 11 points clear at the top ofSerie A with a comprehensive 4-0 win overGenoa on Sunday. Bonucci, a former targetfor Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, hasbeen linked in recent days with a big-moneymove to Manchester City.

And the Italy centre-back underlined hisall-round class with a great finish in the 64thminute of a one-sided encounter in Turinthat saw Massimiliano Allegri’s men takeanother step towards a record sixth consec-utive ‘scudetto’. Genoa had stunnedJuventus 3-1 at the Luigi Ferraris lastSeptember. But days after holding Barcelonato a scoreless draw to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League 3-0 onaggregate, Juve were never likely to buckle.A bright start saw the hosts in front by 17minutes, when Ezequiel Munoz scored anown goal past his own ‘keeper EugenioLamanna after Claudio Marchisio had gotthe slightest of touches to Gonzalo Higuain’sdelivery in deep from midfield. But ifGenoa’s fans were aggrieved, they couldhave little argument two minutes later.

Paolo Dybala, the architect of Juve’s quar-ter-final tie against Barcelona when he scoreda first-leg brace-turned on the class to beatLamanna with a crisp shot from the edge ofthe area. When Mario Mandzukic picked up his

own rebound four minutes before the interval,the Croatian striker pounced from the left ofthe area to curl a superb shot past the out-stretched hands of Lamanna at the far post.

Bonucci had the ball in the net 10 min-utes after the restart when he volleyedhome a Dybala free kick at the far post,although it was ruled out for a Mandzukicfoul. Barely 10 minutes later, Genoa’sdefence stood off as Bonucci burst throughto hit a shot that appeared to take a slightdeflection before looping over Lamannafrom 20 yards out.

Juve should have had a fifth but hit thewoodwork three times. Marchisio’s drivecame off the crossbar 20 minutes from theend and when Higuain pounced on therebound, the ball then came off the post.Seven minutes later, Ghanaian midfielderKwadwo Asamoah’s 25-yard drive also cameoff the upright. Roma face basement sidePescara on Monday but even with a win thecapital club will struggle to close an eight-point gap over the remaining five games.

“It was a good performance in bothattacking and defensive terms,” Allegri toldMediaset Premium. “Coming a few days afterBarcelona, we could have suffered a dip. Butthe lads really kept their level high. “I don’twant to talk about the scudetto, becausemathematically nothing’s guaranteed. Todaywe simply had to go out and win.” — AFP

Ibrahimovic recovery will

be very hard: Mourinho

MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic reactsafter falling awkwardly during the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second legfootball match between Manchester United and Anderlecht at Old Trafford. —AFP

19Messi shows who’s in charge at ‘El clasico’


Younis hits 10,000runs as Pakistan builds reply

Caps win series over Leafs Page 16

INDIANAPOLIS: Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James (23) shoots against Indiana Pacers’ Thaddeus Young during the first half in Game 4. —AP

INDIANAPOLIS: LeBron James stuck tothe old script Sunday.Again, he bailedout the Cleveland Cavaliers. And again,he sent the Indiana Pacers home forvacation. On yet another milestone dayfor basketball’s king, James’ crowningachievement was making the go-ahead3-pointer with 1:08 to play and helpingthe defending champions hold on for aseries-clinching 106-102 victory atIndiana.

“You have to mentally challengeyourself every year and go out and tryto do what’s right - putting your bodyon the line, putting your team on theline and trying to be successful,” Jamessaid. “It’s very hard.” But the four-timeMVP makes it look easy. He finished with

33 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, foursteals and two blocks.

MILESTONES GALORE By winning his 21st consecutive first-

round game, James broke a tie withMichael Cooper, Magic Johnson andJames Worthy for the longest streakunder the NBA’s current playoff format.By sweeping a series for the 10th time,James broke a tie with Tim Duncan forthe most in a career, according to EliasSports Bureau. By going 13 of 25 fromthe field, he pulled into a tie with KobeBryant for the fourth highest postsea-son field goal total with 2,014.

And by holding on for the win, Jamesimproved to 52-0 in the playoffs when

his team takes a double-digit lead intothe fourth quarter. James consideredthe milestones a footnote on a day theCavs blew a 13-point lead and allowedthe Pacers to come all the way back andtake a 102-100 lead with 1:31 to go.“They were giving it all they had,” Jamessaid. “Obviously, a loss would have end-ed their season. We just had to weatherthe storm once again.”

Of course that’s when James tookthe cue and came to the rescue. Hemade the long 3 to give Cleveland thelead, poked the ball away from Youngon the next possession, grabbed therebound when Paul George missed a 3with 1.9 seconds to go that could haveforced overtime and, of course, made 1

of 2 free throws to seal the win. NowCleveland takes a seven-game winningstreak into the conference semifinalsagainst either Milwaukee or Toronto.

CHAPTER OF TORMENT For Indiana, it will go down as yet

another tormenting chapter in theirrivalry with James. James’ teams haveeliminated the Pacers four times in sixyears and completed the first-four gamesweep in Indiana’s NBA history.Cleveland finished the season 7-1against the Pacers, winning the last fourwith a defensive stand, a rare 25-pointgame from three players, the largestsecond-half comeback in playoff historyand now James’ knockout punch. Lance

Stephenson led the Pacers with 22points. George had a series-low 15. “It’sreal frustrating to continue on losing tothe same team or same person,” Georgesaid. “Ultimately, he (James) is who I’malways going to have to see and face.”The Pacers sure didn’t make it easy,though. They charged back from a 96-83deficit with a 7-0 spurt early in the in thefourth quarter. Then they methodicallycontinued chipping away until Youngtied the score at 100 and then gavethem the lead. But James answered withthe go-ahead 3.

Now the Pacers’ attention turns tothe future of George, the 26-year-oldAll-Star who can become a free agent in2018. He didn’t drop any hints about

which way he’s leaning after the gameand there has been rampant specula-tion he could be traded this summer.“I’m not at that point yet. Next question,”George said.

Things got physical and painfulSunday. James stayed down on oneknee after taking a shot to the head inthe first half. George was writing inpain after taking a knee to the groin.Teague also remained on the groundbriefly when he got hit in the head,too. Al l three f inished the game.Cleveland now gets some extra restbefore finding out who it will play inthe second round. Indiana embarks ona crucial offseason that could dictatethe franchise’s future. —AP

James helps Cavs sweep past Pacers

AUCKLAND: With a jaunty victory dance, 101-year-old Man Kaur celebrated winning the 100 meterssprint at the World Masters Games in Auckland yes-terday, the 17th gold medal in the Indian athlete’sremarkable late-blooming career. Kaur clocked oneminute 14 seconds as a small crowd cheered heron-ending a mere 64.42 seconds off Usain Bolt’s100m world record set in 2009.

In truth her dash became more of a gentle amblethe closer the diminutive centenarian came to thefinish line, with more energy spent beaming at spec-tators than running. But Kaur was guaranteed victo-ry as the only participant in the 100-years-and-overcategory at the New Zealand event, which hasattracted 25,000 competitors. Participation, not rac-ing the clock, is the priority for Kaur, who has beendubbed the “miracle from Chandigarh” in NewZealand media. “I enjoyed it and am very, very hap-py,” she told reporters via a Punjabi interpreter. “I’mgoing to run again, I’m not going to give up. I willparticipate, there’s no full stop.”

Late bloomer Kaur only took up athletics eight years ago, at

the tender age of 93. She had no prior sportingexperience before her son Gurdev Singh suggestedshe join him in competing on the internationalmasters games circuit. After a medical check-upshe was given the all-clear and since then motherand son have taken part in dozens of masters ath-letics meets around the globe.

Kaur already has a swag of gold medals thatwould rival Michael Phelps’ haul and also plans tocompete in the 200m sprint, two kilogram shot putand 400 gram javelin in Auckland, taking her tallyto 20. Her son told the Indian Weekender newspa-per that Kaur was on a strict diet that includedwheat grass juice and a daily glass of kefir (fer-mented milk).

World Masters Games 2017 chief executiveJennah Wootten said the Auckland organiserswere delighted to host such an inspiration. “ManKaur truly personifies the ‘sport for all’ philoso-

phy which World Masters Games is all about andwe are thrilled to have her here,” she told AFP. “Ihave no doubt that she and many of the other24,905 athletes competing in these games areinspiring others to lead more active lifestylesand take up a sport.”

While Kaur was the only 100-plus athlete tocompete in Auckland, there are a surprising num-ber of spritely centenarians still on the sportingstage. Japan’s Hidekichi Miyazaki, 106, holds the100m record in the category with a time of 29.83,earning him the nickname “Golden Bolt” after theJamaican Flyer. Miyazaki, who credits his daugh-ter’s tangerine jam for his age-defying exploits,even mimics Bolt’s signature victory pose and iskeen to race against the Olympic superstar.Frenchman Robert Marchand, 105, set a cyclingrecord for his age in January, riding 22.547 kilome-ters in one hour. Afterwards, the former firemansaid he was not even tired and said he could havegone faster. — AFP

India’s inspirational

centenarian wins gold

AUCKLAND: 101-year-old Man Kaur from India celebrates after competing in the 100m sprintin the 100+ age category at the World Masters Games at Trusts Arena. —AFP

BusinessTUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

Stocks, euro surge on hopes of Macron win

Page 24

Ageing German population to sap growth: Bundesbank

Page 25

Kuwait’s credit growth picks up pace in FebPage 22

VIVA and Huawei launch Huawei P10 and P10 Plus

Page 27

KUWAIT: National Mobile TelecommunicationsCompany K.S.C.P - Ticker: OOREDOO, a member ofOoredoo Group, announced yesterday its financialresults for the quarter ended 31 March 2017:

Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser Al-Thani, Chairman ofthe Board of Directors commented: “Despite ahighly competitive environment, Ooredooincreased the customer base by 5 percent to

reach 25 million, testament to the company’saward-winning network, a wide range of com-petitive products and good customer service.Ooredoo grew profitability levels during Q12017, with Net Profit increasing by 27 percent toreach KD 13 million. Growth for the period wasmainly supported by our per formance in

Ooredoo Algeria and Ooredoo Maldives. “Driven by improved efficiency and cost opti-

mization initiatives, Ooredoo increased EBITDAby 14 percent to reach KD 65 million and main-tained a healthy EBITDA margin of 38 percent forthe quarter ended 31 March 2017.

“Capitalizing on last year’s launch of 4G andfurther expansion of the 3G network, OoredooAlgeria increased its customer base to almost 14million customers up by 5 percent over Q1 2016.Ooredoo Algeria also maintained a good graspon operational efficiencies, increasing EBITDA by14 percent to reach KD 33.4 million.

“Ooredoo Maldives delivered a strong set ofresults, increasing Revenues by 14 percent toreach KD 9.5 million and showed significantgrowth in profitability, with EBITDA up 20 per-cent to KD 5.6 million in Q1 2017. OoredooMaldives is well positioned to continue deliver-ing growth as it is preparing to list on the localstock exchange at the end of this month.”

Review of operationsThe Group’s operational performance can be

summarized as follows:

Ooredoo - KuwaitOoredoo’s customer base in Kuwait stood at

2.3 million at the end of Q1 2017, representing a2 percent decrease compared to the same periodin 2016. Revenues for Q1 2017 were KD 47.8 mil-lion, a decrease of 4 percent compared to KWD50.0 million in 2016. EBITDA was KD 12.4 millionversus EBITDA for Q1 2016 of KD 10.2 million.

Ooredoo - TunisiaOoredoo’s Tunisia customer base stood at 8.0

million at the end of Q1 2017, an increase of 6percent compared to the same period in 2016.

Revenues for Q1 2017 were KD 31.8 million com-pared to KWD 33.8 million in Q1 2016. However,in local currency terms revenue increased by 5percent. EBITDA was KD 12.1 million comparedto KD 11.4 million for the same period in 2016.

Ooredoo - AlgeriaOoredoo’s customer base in Algeria increased

to 13.9 million customers in Q1 2017, up by 5percent compared with the same period in 2016.Revenues for Q1 2017 were KD 73.8 million com-pared to revenues of KD 76.9 million for thesame period in 2016. EBITDA for Q1 2017 stoodat KD 33.4 million, an increase of 14 percent onKD 29.2 million in Q1 2016.

Wataniya - PalestineThe total customer base for Wataniya Mobile

Palestine at the end of Q1 2017 was 0.8 million,an increase of 10 percent from the same periodin 2016. Revenues for Q1 2017 stood at KD 6.2

million, in line with the same quarter last year.EBITDA for Q1 2017 was KD 1.5 million comparedto an EBITDA of KD 1.8 million for the same peri-od in 2016.

Ooredoo - MaldivesAt the end of Q1 2017 Maldives total customer

base was 0.4 million, an increase of 11 percentfrom the same period in 2016. Revenues for Q12017 were KD 9.5 million, an increase of 14 per-cent compared to KD 8.3 million for the same peri-od in 2016. EBITDA for Q1 2017 was KD 5.6 million,an increase of 20 percent compared to an EBITDAof KD 4.7 million for the same period in 2016.

Ooredoo reports 27% rise in net profit for Q1 2017Customer base up by 5% to reach 25 million

DUBAI: Emirati and Malaysian officials saidyesterday they reached a deal to resolve alegal dispute over the indebted and troubledMalaysian investment fund 1MDB, with theUnited Arab Emirates set to receive $1.2 billionover this year. The deal, which still would needto be approved by an arbitration panel inLondon, resolves merely one part of thesprawling, worldwide investigation into 1MDB.Money from the fund, which was to developMalaysia’s economy, instead found itself fun-neled through a global embezzlement andmoney-laundering scheme involving peopleclose to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak,luxury properties and the production of the2013 film “The Wolf of Wall Street,” US investi-gators allege.

In 2016, the Abu Dhabi-based InternationalPetroleum Investment Co alleged 1MDBdefaulted on more than $1.1 billion in debt itowed to the sovereign wealth fund and itssubsidiary, Aabar Investments. It filed a caseagainst the fund in the London Court ofInternational Arbitration.

A filing yesterday on the London StockExchange said Malaysian officials agreed topay the wealth fund $1.2 billion this year, with

half being due by July 31 and the other half byDec. 31. The filing said Malaysian officials alsohave agreed “to assume responsibility for allfuture interest and principal payments” on two$1.75 billion bonds. The agreement is contin-gent on the arbitration panel making a con-sent award on May 31, the filing said.

1MDB released a short statement yester-day saying it was “pleased” by the agreement,saying it “represents the resolution of a signif-icant challenge.” Officials with theInternational Petroleum Investment Co.,known as IPIC, could not be immediatelyreached for comment.

The resolution comes as 1MDB remains thetarget of investigators in Singapore,Switzerland, Luxembourg and the USAmerican investigators allege officials at thefund diverted more than $3.5 billion through aweb of shell companies and bank accounts.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak start-ed the fund shortly after taking office in 2009to promote economic development projects,but the fund accumulated billions in debt.Najib has denied any wrongdoing, but thescandal sparked a mass rally in Novemberagainst his government. — AP

Emiratis, Malaysians reach deal over troubled fund FRANKFURT AM MAIN: Germany’s blue-

chip share index, the DAX, hit an all-timehigh yesterday, as stock markets acrossEurope reacted with relief to pro-businessFrench presidential candidate EmmanuelMacron’s first-round success. The index of 30leading stocks flirted with levels just below12,400 points. It briefly touched 12,399.91,only slightly higher than the previous recordof 12,391 reached in April 2015.

By 0915 GMT, it had fallen back to around12,390 points, up 2.85 percent since tradingopened in Frankfurt. “We don’t expect a sus-tained jump above the old record,” com-mented Wolfgang Albrecht of LBBW bank.“May is being seen as an especially weakmonth for markets and that could negativelyimpact investors’ appetite for risk.” Withgains for almost all the major firms listed onthe index, the biggest winners were lenderCommerzbank, which gained 9.32 percentby 0915 GMT to trade at 9.09 euros ($9.88),while bigger rival Deutsche Bank added 7.39percent to reach 16.72 euros.

Stock markets across Europe shot up yes-terday after pro-business outsider Macronreached pole position in the first round ofpresidential voting in France, quieting fears

that the continent’s second-largest economycould quit the EU and the euro single cur-rency. While leftwing anti-EU firebrand Jean-

Luc Melenchon is now out of the race,Macron must still face far-right candidateMarine Le Pen in a runoff on May 7. — AFP

German DAX index hits all-time high

FRANKFURT: The DAX curve on the display panel of the stock exchange is on a recordhigh of 12417,09 points in Frankfurt yesterday. — AP

Sheikh Saud bin Naser Al-Thani

BEIJING: A man rides past a China Mobile store in an alley in Beijing Yesterday. The International Monetary Fund on April 18 raised its economic growth forecast for China for this year and next but warned of serious longer-term prob-lems unless it reduces its reliance on credit. —AFP

B U S I N E S STUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

EXCHANGE RATES

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

ASIAN COUNTRIESJapanese Yen 2.772Indian Rupees 4.730Pkistani Rupees 2.908Srilankan Rupees 2.004Nepali Rupees 2.964Singapore Dollar 219.690Hongkong Dollar 39.243Bangladesh Taka 3.716Philippine Peso 6.128Thai Baht 8.891

GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 81.428Qatari Riyal 83.867Omani Riyal 793.009Bahraini Dinar 810.810UAE Dirham 83.136

ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 19.150Egyptian Pound - Transfer 16.777Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.226Tunisian Dinar 133.540Jordanian Dinar 430.030Lebanese Lira/for 1000 2.034Syrian Lira 2.176Morocco Dirham 30.823

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 305.150Euro 332.310Sterling Pound 391.510Canadian dollar 227.130Turkish lira 85.240

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

BAHRAIN EXCHANGE COMPANY WLL

Swiss Franc 308.230Australian Dollar 232.220US Dollar Buying 303.950

GOLD20 Gram 260.99010 Gram 133.4105 Gram 67.550

Rate for Transfr Selling Rate

US Dollar 304.800Canadian Dolla 226.525Sterling Pound 392.135Euro 328.485Swiss Frank 305.110Bahrain Dinar 808.430UAE Dirhams 83.380Qatari Riyals 84.605Saudi Riyals 82.175Jordanian Dinar 429.815Egyptian Pound 16.978Sri Lankan Rupees 2.005Indian Rupees 4.728Pakistani Rupees 2.907Bangladesh Taka 3.742Philippines Pesso 6.121Cyprus pound 168.208Japanese Yen 3.795Syrian Pound 2.420Nepalese Rupees 3.950Malaysian Ringgit 70.185

CURRENCY BUY SELL

Europe

British Pound 0.383340 0.393340Czech Korune 0.004321 0.016321Danish Krone 0.040485 0.045485Euro 0. 325889 0.334889Norwegian Krone 0.031665 0.036865Romanian Leu 0.073011 0.073011Slovakia 0.009130 0.019130Swedish Krona 0.030477 0.035477Swiss Franc 0.299342 0.310342Turkish Lira 0.078977 0.089277

Australasia

Australian Dollar 0.222210 0.234210New Zealand Dollar 0.208110 0.217610

America

Canadian Dollar 0.220906 0.229905Georgina Lari 0.137777 0.137777US Dollars 0.300950 0.305350US Dollars Mint 0.301450 0.305350

Asia

Bangladesh Taka 0.003419 0.004003Chinese Yuan 0.042801 0.046301Hong Kong Dollar 0.037132 0.039882Indian Rupee 0.004272 0.004960

Indonesian Rupiah 0.000018 0.000024Japanese Yen 0.002682 0.002862Kenyan Shilling 0.002945 0.002945Korean Won 0.000259 0.000274Malaysian Ringgit 0.065645 0.071645Nepalese Rupee 0.003014 0.003184Pakistan Rupee 0.002692 0.002982Philippine Peso 0.006009 0.006309Sierra Leone 0.000038 0.000044Singapore Dollar 0.213235 0.223235South African Rand 0.017413 0.025913Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001636 0.002216Taiwan 0.009958 0.010138Thai Baht 0.008510 0.009060

Arab

Bahraini Dinar 0.802580 0.811080Egyptian Pound 0.014043 0.019951Iranian Riyal 0.000084 0.000086Iraqi Dinar 0.000195 0.000255Jordanian Dinar 0.4248948 0.433894Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000Lebanese Pound 0.000152 0.00252Moroccan Dirhams 0.020378 0.044378Nigerian Naira 0.000396 0.001031Omani Riyal 0.785917 0.791597Qatar Riyal 0.082978 0.084428Saudi Riyal 0.080260 0.081580Syrian Pound 0.001293 0.001513Tunisian Dinar 0.124511 0.132511Turkish Lira 0.078977 0.089277UAE Dirhams 0.081629 0.083329Yemeni Riyal 0.000992 0.001072

Chinese Yuan Renminbi 44.745Thai Bhat 9.860Turkish Lira 84.130

KUWAIT: Credit growth picked up pace inFebruary, with the month seeing a healthyincrease in outstanding loans. Growth rose to3.3 percent year-on-year (y/y), on a monthlygain of KD 165 million. The strongest gainswere in the business sector, dominated by theoil and gas sector. Private deposits also rose inFebruary, though growth remained weak.Rates were mostly steady in February but havesince picked up following March’s discountrate hike by the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK).

Household lending was weaker inFebruary, though this could have been due toseasonal factors. The sector saw a relativelymodest gain of KD 40 million coming exclu-sively from installment loans. Growth slippedto 6.7 percent y/y.

Lending to nonbank financial companiessaw a second consecutive month of decline.Nonbank credit fell by KD 61 million, withgrowth easing to 2.3 percent y/y. The sector’sborrowing has been seeing positive growthover the last year following several years of con-traction in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

Business credit rose by a healthy KD 186million, with growth improving to 1.6 percenty/y. Gains were largely in the oil and gas sectorwhich added KD 126 million in new loans.Construction and real estate were also up KD30 million and KD 19 million, respectively.

Industry remained the exception, with a KD 44million decline, as the sector continued to seea contraction in credit by 8.8 percent y/y.

The business sector has been draggeddown by the real estate sector and lending forthe purchase of securities. Outside these twosectors, business credit growth has beenstronger, accelerating to a robust 8.6 percenty/y, though a large part of that has come fromstrong growth in the oil and gas sector. Privatedeposits rose in February, though a drop ingovernment deposits offset some of that.Despite the increase, broad M2 money supplygrowth slipped to 1.4 percent y/y, thoughgrowth in the narrower M1 improved to 3.2percent y/y. The gains were in KD deposits, ledby time deposits which saw inflows of KD 167million; savings and sight deposits also rose.Meanwhile, foreign currency depositsdeclined by KD 67 million. A drop in govern-ment deposits by KD 88 million offset some ofthe gains in private deposits, with growthslowing to 15 percent y/y.

Banking system liquidity edged lower inFebruary. Bank reserves (cash, deposits withthe CBK, and CBK bonds) lost KD 171 million to

reach KD 4.6 billion or 7.6 percent of total bankassets, the lowest level in six years. The govern-ment continued to tap bank liquidity throughissuance of domestic bonds; outstandingdomestic public debt instruments (PDIs) roseby KD 252 million during February to KD 3.8billion or an estimated 10 percent of GDP.

Interest rates moved slightly higher inFebruary. The 1-month and 12-month inter-bank rates were up by 2-4 basis points to 1.19percent and 2.06 percent, respectively. The 3-month and 6-month rates were steady.Customer deposit rates were mostlyunchanged, with rates on longer maturitiesedging up 1-2 basis points.

More recently, rates have been increasingsteadily following the CBK’s policy rate hike.The discount rate was raised by 25 basis pointseffective 16 March to 2.75 percent in tandemwith the US Fed’s rate hike. The move ensuresthe CBK policy rate maintains a spread to theUS federal funds rate target of 1.75 percent,which is in line with the historic spreadbetween the two rates and helps stave off out-flows that could pressure the dinar’s peg to abasket of major currencies.

Kuwait’s credit growth picks up pace in FebNBK ECONOMIC REPORT

COLOMBO: Long lines formed at gaso-line stations across Sri Lanka yesterday asworkers from a state-run petroleumcompany went on strike to protest thegovernment’s plan to lease out oil tanksto neighboring India. D J Rajakaruna,secretary of the Ceylon PetroleumCommon Workers Union, said workersstopped releasing fuel from 12 storagefacilities on Sunday night. He said theywould stop work entirely at the state-runrefinery if the government fails to haltsplans to transfer oil tank operations toIndia, saying such an agreement wouldbenefit only Indian companies.

Rajakaruna said the tanks are a primeasset of the country and that the workerswill continue to strike until their demandis met. There are 99 tanks at the site inthe eastern port city of Trincomalee. Thetanks, built by the British during WorldWar II, were unused until some of themwere given to Lanka IOC, a unit of IndianOil Corporation, in 2002 as part of a pri-vatization deal, giving Indians a presenceat the strategic port. Rajakaruna said thegovernment is now trying to lease out 14of the 99 tanks to Indian companies andto have a joint venture for the othertanks. He said such a move wouldseverely affect Sri Lanka’s economy andsovereignty.

Anura Kithsiri, a spokesman for theMinistry of Petroleum ResourcesDevelopment, said the agreement hasnot yet been finalized. He said Ministerof Petroleum Resources DevelopmentChandima Weerakkody was to meet withtrade union leaders yesterday.—AP

DUBAI: Aircraft leasing company DubaiAerospace Enterprise has agreed to buyrival AWAS, more than tripling the size of itsfleet. DAE said yesterday it agreed to buythe Dublin-based company from fundsmanaged by its shareholders, Terra FirmaCapital Partners and the Canadian PensionPlan Investment Board. It did not disclosethe purchase price, but said the combinedcompany would have an owned, managed

and committed aircraft fleet of 394 aircraftworth more than $14 billion.

DAE is majority-owned by the Dubaigovernment holding companyInvestment Corporation of Dubai, whichalso controls the parent company ofDubai airline Emirates. DAE reported hav-ing a portfolio of 112 aircraft earlier thismonth. Aircraft lessors lease planes toairlines and other aircraft operators. —AP

ATHENS: Representatives of Greece’sbailout creditors are due in Athens torestart talks on further cutbacks, Europeanofficials said yesterday, as they confirmedthat the country last year vastly exceededits budget targets.

Commission spokesman MargaritisSchinas said the negotiations are expectedto start today and should last several days,with the objective of reaching an agree-ment “as soon as possible.”

That would clear the way for furthertalks on easing Greece’s debt burden, cur-rently at 179 percent of GDP. Followinglong delays in the negotiations, Greece hasalready agreed to further slash pensions in2019 and drastically expand the tax base in2020 by reducing the current tax-freethreshold.

The forthcoming talks are expected tofocus on the final details of these measures,which will be worth about 3.6 billion euros($3.85 billion). Schinas also noted thatEurostat, the European Union’s statisticalauthority, has confirmed Greece’s 2016budget figures, which far exceeded forecasts.

The primary budget surplus - which

excludes debt servicing costs - reached 3.9percent of annual output, according to thesystem of calculations used by Greece’s sta-tistical authority. According to the terms ofthe country’s bailout, the surplus was 4.2percent. Either way, it far overshot the ini-tial target of 0.5 percent of GDP.

Schinas said the surplus, which is sub-ject to final verification, “confirms thetrends which we at the Commission havebeen reporting for a while,” and expressedconfidence the country can meet its budg-et targets in 2017 and 2018.

Greeks have suffered seven years ofrepeated income cuts and tax hikes afterthe public finances imploded in 2010, forc-ing the country to rely on internationalbailouts. To secure the rescue loans, succes-sive governments imposed harsh cutbacks,amid a rapidly shrinking economy that haslost a quarter of its pre-crisis value, andrecord-high unemployment. The current,third bailout signed by the left-led govern-ment in 2015 runs until mid-2018 - afterwhich the country is expected to be in aposition to start borrowing again frominternational bond markets.—AP

Oil workers’ strike triggers gasoline lines in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan auto rickshaw drivers and motorists wait to pump gasoline during a strike inColombo yesterday. — AP

DAE buys aircraft leasing firm AWAS

Greece, creditors to resume talks in Athens, seek swift deal


B U S I N E S S

MANILA: The Philippine National Police Civil Disturbance Unit prepares toreinforce other police officers near the entrance to the PhilippineInternational Convention Center, the venue for the 30th ASEAN leaders’summit in Manila yesterday. The Philippines hosts the summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations with the theme:“Partnering for Change, Engaging the World,” slated for April 26-29. —AP

WASHINGTON: The professional socialnetwork LinkedIn said yesterday its mem-bership had swelled to 500 million, as itsuser base showed steady growth followingits acquisition last year by Microsoft.

“We recently crossed an important andexciting milestone,” LinkedIn vice presidentAatif Awan said in a blog post. “We nowhave half a billion members in 200 coun-tries connecting, and engaging with oneanother in professional conversations andfinding opportunities through these con-nections on LinkedIn.”

Microsoft’s $26 billion acquisition ofLinkedIn which was completed inDecember was the biggest-ever deal for a

social media company. At the time of theannouncement last June, LinkedIn had 433million registered users. The acquisitionaims to position the former tech sectorleader as a Facebook-like entity oriented tobusiness, with an array of services centeredaround cloud computing.

Awan said LinkedIn has some 10 millionactive job listings, access to nine millioncompanies, and more than 100,000 articlespublished every week. “A professional com-munity of this size has never existed untilnow,” he wrote. “The impact of half a billionprofessionals connecting and communicat-ing is very real, and very accessible to any-one who wants to take part today.” —AFP

LinkedIn membership reaches half a billion

ZURICH: French-Swiss cement makerLafargeHolcim said yesterday its chiefexecutive Eric Olsen is steppingdown following an internal investiga-tion into the company’s activities inSyria. His resignation will be effectiveon July 15, LafargeHolcim said in astatement, adding that its board hadagreed to his departure even thoughan internal probe had determined hewas not responsible for any wrong-doings. Olsen’s departure follows aninquiry into the indirect financing byLafarge of armed groups in civil war-ravaged Syria to keep one of itscement plants operational.

“My decision is driven by my con-viction that it will contribute toaddressing strong tensions thathave recently arisen around theSyria case,” said Olsen. “While I wasabsolutely not involved in, nor evenaware of, any wrongdoing I believemy departure will contribute tobringing back serenity to a companythat has been exposed for monthson this case,” he added.

‘Unacceptable practices’ Last month, LafargeHolcim admit-

ted that it had resorted to “unaccept-able practices” to continue opera-tions at one of its now-closed facto-ries in Syria, and yesterday it said aninternal probe had confirmed thatfinding. The admission came aftersources close to the case told AFP inJanuary that the French governmenthad filed a legal complaint againstLafarge for buying oil in Syria to pow-er the Jalabiya factory, in violation ofsanctions.

French cement maker Lafargebought the factory in 2007 andinvested some $680 million to get itworking by 2010, representing thebiggest foreign investment in thecountry outside the petroleum sec-tor. The plant, located in northernSyria some 150 kilometres (95 miles)northeast of Aleppo, was finally evac-uated in 2014, and closed downbefore Lafarge merged with its Swisscompetitor Holcim in 2015. Lafarge issuspected of sourcing oil locally tooperate the factory in defiance of a2012 EU ban on purchases of Syrian

oil as part of a sanctions package tar-geting the regime of Syrian PresidentBashar al-Assad.

According to an investigativepiece published in French daily LeMonde last June, Lafarge enteredinto deals with armed groups inSyria, including the Islamic Stategroup, to protect its business inter-ests there.

Yesterday, LafargeHolcim pub-lished findings from an independent,internal investigation into the plant,commissioned by its board. “A num-ber of measures taken to continue

safe operations at the Syrian plantwere unacceptable, and significanterrors of judgement were made thatcontravened the applicable code ofconduct,” it said.

“The findings also confirm that,although these measures were insti-gated by local and regional man-

agement, selected members ofgroup management were aware ofcircumstances indicating that viola-tions of Lafarge’s established stan-dards of business conduct had tak-en place,” it added.

It stressed though that its internalinvestigation had “concluded thatEric Olsen was not responsible for,nor thought to be aware of, anywrongdoings that have been identi-fied as part of its review.”

Never again The company, which said it

would begin searching for Olsen’ssuccessor “immediately”, said it hadtaken “remedial measures”, includingthe creation of an “Ethics, Integrityand Risk Committe” to strengthenand enhance compliance with itsethics rules. Chairman ofLafargeHolcim’s board Beat Hess,

who is set to temporarily take overthe chief executive seat after Olsen’sdeparture, stressed yesterday that“we are absolutely committed toensuring that events like those thatoccurred in Syria must never hap-pen again at LafargeHolcim.”Vontobel analyst Bernd Pomrehnmeanwhile described Olsen’s depar-ture in a research note as “extremelydisappointing” at a time when therecently merged company was“gaining traction and delivering ontargeted synergies.”

But, he said, his departure “high-

lights that especially companiesbeing active in politically challengingregions such as Syria have to followstrict code of standard practices.”

“LafargeHolcim’s decision to cre-ate an Ethics, Integrity and Risks com-mittee following the Syria issue cameprobably too late,” he said. —AFP

LafargeHolcim CEO to step down over Syria probe

Olsen departure expected to ‘restore serenity to company’

ZURICH: In this March 2, 2017 file photo Eric Olsen, CEO of Cement group LafargeHolcim, speaksduring a press conference in Zurich, on the company’s activities in Syria. —AP

LONDON: Britain has reclaimed its place as oneof the top five countries that firms look to makedeals in, just six months after dropping off thelist in the wake of the country’s surprise to leavethe European Union, according to a surveyreleased yesterday.

In its half-yearly report of business execu-tives, consulting firm EY said Britain hasrebounded to be the third most attractive desti-nation for mergers and acquisitions, behind theU.S. and China. Last October, in the wake of theBrexit vote, it had slumped to seventh and outof the top five for the first time in EY’s seven-year history of assessing deal intentions.

Steve Krouskos, EY’s global head of transac-tions, said that irrespective of the Brexit vote,Britain remains a “major force in the globaleconomy and a center of deal-making activity.”In the City of London, Britain has the most com-prehensive financial sector in Europe and mostcommentators think the government, whoeverwins the upcoming general election, will seekto retain that status in the Brexit discussionsand that Britain will remain an open and trans-parent place to do business.

Last month, before she called the generalelection for June 8, Prime Minister Theresa Mayformally triggered the two-year process bywhich Britain will leave the EU. There’s nowgrowing talk that whoever wins the election willbe in a better position to get a transitional dealwith the EU that might last around three years.

In all, Krouskos thinks that elections canhave a short-term impact on the appetite forcorporate deals, but that longer-term issuessuch as rapid technological change are whatreally drive firms.

“Geopolitical and policy uncertainty is a per-manent feature of the boardroom, but technol-ogy-enabled disruption poses a greater chal-lenge to many business models,” he said. “Theexponential pace of disruption and transforma-tion is compelling executives to engage in M&A.Companies need to innovate to follow rapidlychanging customer preferences and buyingassets can be the fastest way to radicallyreshape their business for future growth.”

As a result, the interest in deals remains high.According to EY’s survey of 2,300 executivesacross 43 countries, the majority of whom areCEOs, 56 percent of companies expect toactively pursue deals in the next 12 months.That’s down a percentage point from October,but six points higher than a year ago and wayabove the survey’s long-run average.

“Executives recognize that staying on thedeal sidelines could mean they are sidelinedfrom securing future-proofing assets,” Krouskossaid. EY’s findings echo those of specialistMergermarket, which this month found thatglobal deal-making has remained resilient thisyear in the face of uncertainties, with dealsworth $678.5 billion announced in the first quar-ter, 8.9 percent up on the previous year’s value.

Already this year, Johnson & Johnson, theworld’s biggest maker of health care products,has announced its largest-ever acquisition - thepending $30 billion purchase of Swiss biophar-maceutical company Actelion. And BritishAmerican Tobacco has offered $49 billion bidfor the nearly 58 percent of rival Reynolds itdoesn’t already own.

Getting deals through isn’t always easyand this year has shown that. Recent failuresinclude the proposed $30 bil l ion tie -upbetween the London Stock Exchange andDeutsche Boerse and most dramaticallyUnilever’s rebuff of a $143 billion approachfrom Kraft Heinz. And Rupert Murdoch’sattempt to consolidate his media empire withTwenty-First Centur y Fox ’s purchase ofBritain-based Sky is no done deal followingthe British government’s decision to give reg-ulators more time to weigh the matterbecause of the election.

One concern that’s risen in the wake of theBrexit vote and the election of Donald Trump asUS president is that the global economy isheading for a period of increasing protection-ism. However, despite speculation about tradebarriers, Krouskos said cross-border M&A hasalready been a hallmark of 2017, with a resur-gence of deals between the United States andWestern Europe. According to the survey, only36 percent of companies now plan to focus ondomestic deals in the next 12 months. —AP

Britain back in favor for corporate deals despite Brexit

KUWAIT: The National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) launchedits first smart branch in Khaitan recently, the first of itskind in Kuwait in terms of the technology it uses. Theopening ceremony was held in the presence of

Farwaniya Governor Sheikh Faisal Al-Humoud Al-MalikAl-Sabah, NBK CEO Essam Jassem Al-Sager, NBK’sPersonal Banking General Manager Suresh Pajpai and hisDeputy Mohammed Al-Othman.

Speaking on the occasion, Al-Sager stated that thisstep comes within the bank’s constant efforts to facili-tate better services to its clients through its presencein important areas across the country, especially the

most-densely populated ones. Al-Othman stressed thatmodern technology is used in the new branch wheretablets are made available to customers to carry outtransactions.

NBK opens smart branch in Khaitan

KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its Al-Danah dailydraws on 23 April 2017 announcing thenames of its winners for the week of 16April - 20 April 2017. The Al-Danah dailydraws include draws every working day fortwo prizes of KD 1,000 per winner.

The winners are: (Sunday 16/4): Ali Ismail Al-Houli,

Rashed Abdullah Al-Rahmani(Monday 17/4): Zahra Najaf Ramadan

Mohammed Shah, Khaled Fahad Khaled Al-Otaibi

( Tuesday 18/4): Mona Abbas Ali Al-Hazeem, Bader Ali Mousa Mohammed

( Wednesday 19/4): Meshaal IssaMohammed Al-Qattan, Hameed AhmadMohammad Al-Rasheed

(Thursday 20/4): Mervat Naser IbrahimAl-Tuwaijri, Suaad Abdullah Mohammad Al-Failakawi

Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah 2017 draw lineupincludes daily draws (2 winners per work-ing day and each receive KD1,000). Al-Danah’s 2nd Quarterly draw for the prizeof KD 250,000 will be held on 29 June andthe 3rd quarterly draw for the prize of KD500,000 will be held on 28 September.The final Al-Danah draw for KD1 millionwill be held on 11 January, 2018 wherebythe Al-Danah mil l ionaire wil l beannounced.

Five reasons why the Al-Danah account is the Best:

1) Kuwait’s single biggest yearly cashprize of KD 1 million

2) Kuwait’s biggest quarterly cash prizes,up to KD 500,000

3) Two winners of KD 1,000 every work-ing day

4) The most chances to win5) Only Bank that transfers your chances

to win from year to yearOnly Al-Danah makes millionaires. Al-Danah also offers a number of

unique services including: the Al-DanahDeposit Only ATM card which helpsaccount holders deposit their money attheir convenience; as well as the Al-Danahcalculator to help customers calculatetheir chances of becoming an Al-Danahwinner.

Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah account is opento Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti residents ofKuwait. Customers who open an accountand/ or deposit more will enter the drawwithin two days. To take part in the Al-Danah 2017 upcoming quarterly andyearly draws, customers must have an Al-Danah account containing at least KD200; customers can vis it one of GulfBank’s 56 branches. For assistance andguidance.

Gulf Bank announces winners of Al-Danah daily draws


LONDON: Europe’s stock markets and the eurosurged yesterday after moderate candidateEmmanuel Macron won the first round of France’spresidential election and looked set to triumph in therun-off against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen nextmonth. Germany’s blue-chip share index, the DAX, hitan all-time high as stock markets across Europe andAsia breathed easier after pro-business French presi-dential candidate Emmanuel Macron’s first-roundsuccess. The Frankfurt index of 30 leading stocksbriefly touched 12,428.62 points, compared with theprevious record of 12,391 reached in April 2015.

‘Relief’ is the word Wall Street also posted healthy gains as trad-

ing got under way in New York. “Relief. That isthe word that basically describes the sharpmoves in the markets today,” said FawadRazaqzada, a market analyst at Forex.com. Theeuro shot higher to trade above $1.09 at onepoint, compared with $1.0726 on Friday.“European markets are in a buoyant mood...after the French pollsters got it near enoughspot on,” said Joshua Mahony, market analyst atIG trading group. “The move back into risk assetsmeans the chief losers have been the likes ofgold and the Japanese yen, with stock marketsmoving sharply higher.”

The price of gold fell by nearly 1.5 percent onthe day. Investors globally had been fearful that

a wave of populism, which swept Donald Trumpto the White House and saw Britain vote to leavethe EU, could lead to a win for the anti-EuropeanLe Pen and put the future of the bloc in doubt.

However, Macron is widely expected to gallopto victory over the divisive Front National leaderand traders gave a huge thumbs-up. “Markets arehappy to buy what they see as the fact-that 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron will be confirmed asthe next president of the French republic in twoweeks’ time,” Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy atNational Australia Bank, said in a commentary.

The bulls are back Some cautioned that the party mood may fizzle

out by the time of the second election roundin two weeks’ time, but in the meantimeenthusiasm was rampant. “Bullishness hasreturned to equities,” said Mike van Dulken,Head of Research at Accendo Markets.

The surge in optimism drove down theyen-considered a safe bet in times of uncer-tainty-which in turn lifted Japanese exporters.Tokyo’s Nikkei ended up 1.3 percent, Sydneyadded 0.3 percent, Seoul gained 0.4 percentand Wellington put on 0.4 percent.

Hong Kong closed 0.4 percent higher butShanghai sank 1.4 percent, extending arecent sell-off fuelled by profit-taking, liquid-ity concerns and regulatory plans. The gainsin Asia extended Friday’s rally that was builton comments from US Treasury SecretarySteven Mnuchin, who promised that a taxreform plan would be unveiled soon.

That was followed by Trump saying

Friday that there would be “a bigannouncement on Wednesday having todo with tax reform”. Eyes are now onWashington, where lawmakers have justfour days to agree a funding bill to avoid apainful government shutdown that wouldcost the economy billions of dollars. Thereare fears Trump will refuse to sign anythingthat does not contain spending for his con-troversial Mexican border wall, withDemocrats saying they will not back any-thing that does include such provisions.

Oil had another volatile day as investorsmulled the chances of OPEC extending anoutput cut agreement beyond June. After afirmer start, the oil price fell back into nega-tive territory by the European afternoon onselling by traders doubting that any exten-sion, if agreed, would actually soak up thecurrent glut on oil markets. —AFP

Stocks, euro surge on hopes of Macron win

TOKYO: A man walks past an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo yes-terday. Asian stocks were mixed yesterday as investors weighed the results of thefirst round of the French presidential election. —AP

NEW YORK: The phone call came as RaymondMurray neared the bottom of his luck. His wifehad died, his career had been ended by injuries,and struggling to get by on his disability check,he had scraped together just enough to pay alawyer to avoid imminent foreclosure on hismodest Brooklyn home.

The voice on the line offered a godsend: Nomore attorney fees, no more foreclosure, a lowermonthly mortgage, and all this help for free.Murray was soon picked up by a black Mercedes-Benz, off to meet the man on the phone. Notlong after, he was back at the office again, prop-erty deed in hand and a ring of people around aconference room table, finalizing the supposedfix to keep him in the home he hoped to die in.

Eventually, the blessing Murray thought hehad found was revealed as a curse. Amid unful-filled promises, unreturned calls and unwelcomevisitors at his door, the truth became clear: Thisaging immigrant, who thought he’d realized anAmerican dream, was scammed out of his home.

Around the US, deed theft has emerged asone of the most sophisticated and devastatingfrauds ever to menace homeowners. Foreclosure“rescue” scams that have stolen thousands ofdollars from individual homeowners in the yearssince the housing collapse have been pushed bysavvy perpetrators to their limit. They use lies toconvince the desperate to sign over their title,then force them into homelessness or a years-long legal battle.

“The scammers are no longer content withstealing $5,000. Now they want the wholehouse,” said Dina Levy, who heads theHomeowner Protection Program in the New Yorkattorney general’s office, which has spread wordabout deed theft and prosecuted culprits.

Although there are no firm numbers on howmany cases of deed theft have occurred, theyhave been reported around the US, particularlyin markets that have rebounded from the hous-ing crisis or in neighborhoods that are gentrify-ing. “It’s growing, absolutely,” said Kristen Clarke,who heads the Lawyers’ Committee for CivilRights Under Law, a nonprofit that hasresearched foreclosure-related fraud. “We’rebeginning to see these scammers operate in a farmore bold way.”

* In San Diego, federal prosecutors netted aguilty plea and a six-year prison sentence lastyear for a man who forged deeds on at least 15homes, and then quickly sold them to the sur-prise of unwitting owners. The ringleader of whatinvestigators called a “tangled web of deceit”netted about $2.2 million in the scheme. Buyerscoaxed into purchasing the homes were left withworthless claims to titles.

* In Detroit, the Wayne County Register ofDeeds is looking to expand its mortgage anddeed fraud unit to deal with a crush of cases. Theproblem is so severe the office runs a round-the-clock property fraud hotline and has a markeddeed-theft patrol car used by investigators fol-lowing up on tips.

Investors in Kuwait, Australia and the UnitedKingdom looking to capitalize on Detroit’s resur-gence are among those who have been caughtup in scams.

* In Indianapolis, Crystal Francis, an attorneywith Indiana Legal Services, tells of deed theftcases sprinkled throughout the area in recentyears, with elderly people the preferred targets.One woman victimized by a scam while in thethroes of a liver problem and dialysis treatmentwas overcome with shame. She couldn’t musterthe strength for a protracted legal fight, choosingto simply walk away from her longtime home andmove in with a friend. “She was so discouraged,”Francis said. “She just concluded it was too much.”

Gravest problemThe problem has been gravest in New York,

particularly the ever-pricier neighborhoods ofBrooklyn. The New York sheriff’s office has takena lead on the cases and since 2014, the office hasamassed more than 1,700 complaints, with hun-dreds under investigation, and some 32 arrestsalready tallied. The cases can take investigatorsyears to solve. Sheriff Joseph Fucito points to agraphic of a single case, a snare of lines repre-senting the three partners at the center of theprobe, and their ties to 110 different companiesand 189 properties. In this case, like many others,Fucito said the perpetrators did a mix of above-board and fraudulent business through a seriesof limited-liability companies, leaving it to detec-tives to pinpoint victims.

“Some of it’s legitimate, some of it’s not legiti-mate, and we have to pick through it,” Fucitosaid. “But all of it smells funny.” The sheriff ticksoff the ways the thefts happen, from oppor-tunists cobbling together documents on vacantproperties to those transferring the home of anunwitting family member into their name, tofake housing assistance businesses that prey onthose in financial crisis.

Cases in that final category are the hardest toprove, and the toughest to undo. Companies usemisrepresentations to get a home signed over tothem and often use licensed professionals tonotarize and file legal documents.

“You can just wake up,” Fucito said, “and ithappened on a piece of paper.” Murray came toNew York in 1989 from his native Guyana, anddove into long days at work - as a telephonetechnician sometimes chased by dogs, and lateras a police traffic control agent dodging iratemotorists. He and his wife Desrie, a teacher, livedin a relative’s basement, then rented a homebefore saving enough to buy. It wasn’t much - atwo-story brick house with a white metal gate,on a quiet, tree-lined Brooklyn street - but he feltlike he finally could see what he’d been workingfor. “It was an American dream,” the 67-year-oldsays. After two on-the-job accidents, Murray wasforced into retirement. Money became tighter,and the couple refinanced their mortgage for$388,000 in 2006 and took out another $21,800loan a year later to stay afloat. After Murray’s wife

died suddenly of ovarian cancer in early 2009,the real financial pinch set in. He cut back onfood, kept the house darkened and found otherways to scrimp.

“I tried and I tried and I tried and I tried withmy little savings,” Murray said. Before long, hissavings were nearly gone and he was fallingshort on the mortgage, and in time, a defaultnotice alerted him that he was being referred forforeclosure. Turning to an attorney to try torestructure his debt, he spent $5,000.

Then came that chance call in January 2014,from a man named Mario Alvarenga whosepromises, Murray said, were exactly what heneeded to hear. He was impressed by the blackMercedes that picked him up, by the politenessof the woman at the Homeowner AssistanceServices office, and by the Alvarenga’s profes-sionalism. “These people have class,” he thought.

Murray left the office that day with a sense ofhope he hadn’t felt in years. He said Alvarengatold him his mortgage could be restructured tofit his income. It wouldn’t even cost anything, solong as Murray fired his attorney.

Because of his poor credit, Murray said he wastold, his home would need to go in the name ofanother company Alvarenga was tied to, LaunchDevelopment, for 90 days; then the loan modifi-cation would be finalized and the property couldbe put in the name of one of his children or, ashe’d remarried, his new wife.

‘Something is funny’When Murray returned to Alvarenga’s confer-

ence room, it was full of people - a man he wastold was his new attorney, a real estate agent, anotary public and others. Murray, whose visionwas blurred by cataracts, struggled to read stacksof documents presented for his signature -papers he said he was assured would keep him

in his home. After signing, Murray left that dayawash in relief. That feeling was short-lived.Alvarenga phoned to tell him the loan modifica-tion wasn’t approved, but pleaded for him to bepatient. As Murray grew worried and suspicious,he tried several times to reach Alvarenga, eachtime turned away by a receptionist, he said.“Well, what do I have to do, call the FBI?” heremembered saying. “Something is funny.”

It all climaxed with Murray finding a man onhis property taking pictures and informing himthe house now belonged to him. An evictionnotice was soon posted on the door, orderinghim to vacate.

The chilling realization dawned: “They stolemy home from me.” In many cases, a deed theftdoes not become evident to the homeowneruntil months or even years after it happened.

Francis, the Indiana lawyer, said some of her

elderly clients became aware when strange mailstarted arriving in their box or when receiving aneviction notice. Deed theft victims are often old-er, or have some other perceived vulnerability,such as difficulty with English or a limited graspof finances. “People will say things like, ‘I’m reallystupid.’ They’re embarrassed,” Francis said.“Having your trust broken is so harsh.”Sometimes, the fraud takes place entirely onpaper. Bernard Youngblood, the register of deedsin Wayne County, Michigan, tells of a case in hisoffice, when a man came to file a quitclaim deedtransferring ownership on a property. A clerk rec-ognized the address and went to a co-workerwith a question. “Are you selling your house tothat guy?” she asked.

She wasn’t. Youngblood said he faked a com-puter outage, leaving the would-be fraudsterwaiting at the counter. It bought enough time toget deputies to respond and make an arrest.

Today, Youngblood’s office has an eight-per-

son “war room” dedicated to fighting deed theft,with representatives of his office working along-side prosecutors and deputies. They’ve raisedawareness for police more used to dealing withstolen purses or cars. “They had never heard ofstolen houses,” he said.

Undoing deed theft damage can take her-culean efforts. Linda Fisher, a law professor atSeton Hall University who runs a legal clinic thatfrequently litigates mortgage fraud cases, saysdeed theft typically takes two to three years toresolve. Her first case, she said, took eight years.

While cases are often complicated, they arewinnable, said Amy Mix, an attorney with LegalCounsel for the Elderly, a Washington-based affil-iate of AARP. Homes are frequently returned totheir rightful owners. And since it’s often “theonly asset of any real value that they have,” it’s aworthy fight, she said.

After finding the eviction notice on his door,Murray got help from attorneys at JASA LegalServices for the Elderly in Queens, who found avast paper trail they believe was part of the ruseto make the transaction look legitimate. A realestate agent had even posted Murray’s home onthe multiple-listing service. (“Property sold ‘as is,’”it said, in a listing detailing the brick construc-tion, steam heat and $170,000 asking price.)

RestructuringWhat Murray believed was a mortgage

restructuring was actually a sale, meticulouslydocumented in the paperwork, making the fightto undo it a legal challenge. A judge initiallyruled against Murray on his eviction, but hisattorneys got a stay of that order. There is no res-olution yet, but Murray has been allowed toremain in the house even as, on paper, he is nolonger the owner. Murray sees the whole ordealas a battle between good and evil. When hereceived the call from one of his lawyers, RobertSeewald, telling him Alvarenga and others hadbeen arrested and faced federal charges in thescheme, he says he felt as if he had seen anangel. “These defendants manipulated and tookadvantage of vulnerable people,” then-U.S. attor-ney Preet Bharara said in announcing thecharges. In court papers, Alvarenga’s attorneysdismissed Murray’s story, saying he had “simplyconspired a plan to live for free, for as long aspossible.” But Alvarenga later pleaded guilty toconspiracy. He awaits sentencing. Six others alsoface federal charges in the case, two of whomhave pleaded guilty.

Jim Druker, one of Alvarenga’s attorneys, said,“Mario is just a nice guy who got caught up insomething,” and that it went “from overzealoussalesmanship into the criminal arena.”

Murray’s lawyers are still fighting in court forthe return of the title to his home. Meantime, heworries his neighbors will learn he was scammedand he says it’s hard to trust people now, after hisbitter experience with those who targeted him.“They see that I was desperate, that I was in need,”he said. “But I can see justice coming.” — AP

Scams push foreclosure fraud to limit Investors from Kuwait, Australia and UK caught up in scams

DETROIT: Bernard Youngblood, Wayne County Register of Deeds, poses with an old deedregistry book in Detroit. — AP


FRANKFURT AM MAIN: Germany’s ageing popu-lation will undermine potential economic growthby the middle of the next decade as more of thebaby boomer generation heads for retirement,the country’s central bank predicted yesterday.

“In the medium term, falling population andthe ageing of the workforce in Germany will sig-nificantly reduce economic growth,” economistsfrom the Bundesbank in Frankfurt wrote in theirmonthly report for April. Based on current trends,the number of people of working age in 2025 willbe the same as in 2016, the experts predict-mean-ing that potential growth will fall to “significantlybelow 1.0 percent” from the almost 1.25 percentseen between 2011 and 2016.

Germany, once known as the “sick man ofEurope”, has become the continent’s economicpowerhouse in recent years, recording 1.9 per-cent growth in 2016. Meanwhile, the country’sunemployment rate is at its lowest since reunifi-cation in 1990, at 5.8 percent.

Early-2000s labor market reforms broughtmany of Germany’s jobless back into work, whilea high proportion of women are in employmentcompared to other advanced economies. Butthe coming years will see the number of

Germans in the 60- to 75-year-old cohort growby more than 3.0 million, as people born duringthe baby boom lasting until the late 1960s reachretirement age.

Meanwhile, the number of German-bornpeople aged between 45 and 54 will fall by 3.5million, and there will be 2.5 million fewerbetween 15 and 29 years old. Relatively high lev-els of immigration and higher productivityamong older workers, who have more experi-ence and training and higher rates of participa-tion in the economy, are expected to compen-sate for the effects of ageing for a time.

But the number of people available for thelabor force will begin falling by 2025 at the lat-est-even in a very high immigration scenariowith some 300,000 new arrivals per year.

Confidence upMenwhi, German businesses felt more confi-

dent in April but were cautious about the futureeconomic outlook, a monthly survey from theMunich-based Ifo institute showed yesterday. Ifo’sclosely-watched business confidence indexclimbed to 112.9 points from 112.4 points inMarch, beating analyst expectations to reach its

highest level since July 2011. Businesses weremuch more confident about the present econom-ic situation but slightly gloomier about the futureoutlook, the survey of around 7,000 firms showed.

“ The mood in German boardrooms hasimproved again,” commented Ifo presidentClemens Fuest, noting that “the German econo-my is growing powerfully,” despite the slightlyless positive expectations for the comingmonths. Looking to different sectors, manufac-turers were less upbeat than in March, whileretailers, wholesalers and construction firms allsaw the mood improve.

“The German economy seems to have enteredan almost endless positive cycle,” said analystCarsten Brzeski of ING Diba bank, pointing to “ear-lier reforms, low interest rates, a weak euro andstrong private and public consumption.”

“Not only the German economy, but the entireeurozone economy could become the positivegrowth surprise of 2017,” Brzeski went on. JenniferMcKeown of Capital Economics cautioned that“expectations softened slightly, perhaps suggest-ing that growth may be nearing a peak”. But sheallowed that “upside risks” to the economic fore-casts seemed more likely. — Agencies

Ageing German population

to sap growth: Bundesbank German business confidence edges up in April

LAWRENCE: In this March 3, 2017, photo, a woman works with fabric at 99DegreesCustom, an apparel manufacturer specializing in sewn and bonded sports andactivewear, in Lawrence, Mass. — AP

Survey of US economists finds

optimism about economyWASHINGTON: Business economists aregenerally optimistic about the US economywith most expecting stronger growth thanlast year’s poor performance.

Economists surveyed by the NationalAssociation for Business Economics alsoexpect improved or unchanged sales andprofits at their companies in the secondquarter, with most reporting no changes inhiring or investment in response to policychanges expected after the November elec-tion. Nearly two-thirds of economists in thepoll released yesterday expect gross domes-tic product growth of 2.1 percent to 3 percentin the next four quarters. That would be a sig-nificant improvement from anemic growth of1.6 percent in 2016, the weakest showing infive years. Since the Great Recession ended in

June 2009, the economy has averaged annu-al GDP growth of just 2.1 percent, the slowestrecovery since the end of World War II. Only 1percent of the economists expected nogrowth or a decline in GDP during the nextyear. President Donald Trump has pledged toboost GDP growth to 4 percent or better,though private economists are doubtful hecan achieve that goal given the headwindsthe economy faces from an aging workforceand disappointing productivity growth.

The survey also found that 91 percent ofthose polled expect rising or unchangedinflation-adjusted sales in the second quar-ter. That’s down slightly from the results inJanuary. Fifty-three percent expected salesto rise, down four percentage points fromJanuary’s survey. — AP

KUWAIT: Kuwait InternationalBank (KIB) announced that theperformance indicators for itsArzaq Investment Depositachieved outstanding returnsduring the first quarter of 2017in Kuwaiti Dinar, as the depositrecorded an annualized grossprofit rate of 2.65% by end ofthe quarter.

Ramy Khalifa, AssistantGeneral Manager - Retail Distribution SalesServices at KIB, said, “We are always lookingto offer the most competitive returns in themarket across all our investment products,which is why we are proud to say that ourArzaq Deposit achieved one of the highestreturns nationwide during the year 2016and in the first quarter of this current year.”

Khalifa further added: “Our investment

offerings are designed to meetthe diverse needs of both retailand corporate customers, as weare fully aware that customersdo not only look for highreturns on their investments,but also seek flexible solutionsthat cater to their specificrequirements.”

The Arzaq InvestmentDeposit operates in accordance

with the Mudarabah principle, and hasbeen designed to offer customers safe,short-term investments available in KuwaitiDinar as well as three major foreign curren-cies (USD, Euro, GBP). The deposit alsooffers flexible deposit period options, rang-ing from one month to one year. Uponcompletion of the tenure, the investmentaccount can be automatically renewed.

Ramy Khalifa

Outstanding returns for KIB’s

Arzaq Deposit in Q1 2017

BEIJING: Two women walk past shops in a mall in Beijing yesterday. — AFP


KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways, the official national carrierof the State of Kuwait, has announced that Viennaand Sharm El-Sheikh have been added to its interna-tional network, for the IATA Summer Season (26March - 28 October). These seasonal additions takethe airline’s total number of destinations up to 38.

Having recently announced a 16 percentincrease in frequencies across its network for theSummer Season, the additional routes are inresponse to Kuwait Airways’ increasing passengernumbers and market share, within its domesticmarket and with transit passengers.

“Vienna has long been a cultural capital, withinEurope, and has proven to be a popular destinationduring the Summer Season. Kuwait Airways ispleased to resume this service for both our loyalpassengers and an ever-increasing number of newpassengers who are flying with us,” said Shorouk Al-Awadhi, Director of Network Planning and Strategy,Kuwait Airways. “Sharm El-Sheikh is a renownedregional holiday destination and popular withKuwaitis, GCC nationals and many other nationali-ties. It is a route that has been served by KuwaitAirways before and, because it continues to proveto be in seasonal demand, it is a commercially-viable route that makes a welcome return to ourinternational network,” Al-Awadhi added.

Established in 1953 as a private company, the air-line was initially 50 percent owned by the Kuwaitigovernment; In 1962, the government assumed 100

percent ownership, making it the longest serving,official single-state carrier operating from theArabian Gulf region.

In 2016, Kuwait Airways announced a five-yeartransformation strategy with a mandate of reassert-ing the official national carrier of Kuwait’s proudlegacy and status within the regional aviation mar-ket, while also reclaiming the position as the “pre-ferred airline linking Kuwait to the world”.

A member of the Arab Air Carriers Organizationand employing over 4,800 people, Kuwait Airways’head office is situated in the heart of Kuwait City, closeto Kuwait International Airport. The airline currentlyprovides regular scheduled services to 38 internation-al destinations in the Far East, Middle East, Europe andNorth America. In 2017, the airline is expected to crossthe milestone of serving over three million passen-gers, per year (TTM). Kuwait Airways’ fleet of 25 aircraftcurrently consists of: 6 x B777-300ER; 7 x A320-200CEO (completed delivery Q2 2015); 5 x A330s(completed delivery Q4 2015); 4 x A340-300s; 2 xBoeing 777-200; and 1 x Boeing 747-400.

In December 2016, Kuwait Airways received thefirst of 10 Boeing 777-300ERs, with expected com-pletion of delivery of the final aircraft in Q3 2017.Fur ther additions to the fleet wil l include 15A320neo’s and 10 A350s (delivery to start in 2019).

Once the delivery of these 35 new aircraft are con-cluded, Kuwait Airways will boast the youngestcommercial airline fleet in the world.

Kuwait Airways adds 2 routes to its network for summer KAC adds Vienna and Sharm El-Sheikh as international destinations reach 38

KUWAIT: Mohamed Naser Al-Sayer & Sons Co(MNSS) Group Spare Parts Division, one of theAl-Sayer Group Holding Companies, held 1st raf-fle on Wednesday 19 April 2017 at their CanadaDry outlet, to select the winners of the first drawof Toyota Genuine Parts special promotion in thepresence of Abdulaziz Ashkanani from Ministryof Consumer Protection Affairs, MohamedNasimi Senior Manager After Sales Marketing,Xavier Yesudas Manager Parts and AccessoriesSales, Oommen Philip Deputy Parts MarketingManager along with the members from GroupParts and Marketing.

Be a Winner with Toyota Genuine Spare Parts

Customers will be entitled to enter one drawevery month for three months upon every KD 5spent on Toyota Genuine Parts to win excitingprizes. The offer is only available at Toyota Al-Sayer parts outlets and service centers for allinvoices issued between 19 March and 18 June2017. Four lucky winners will be selected in eachmonthly draw who will be presented with cashprizes in total of KD 2,500. In addition to cashprizes all customers will also have a chance to win2017 Toyota Yaris through the grand prize draw.

Names of the winners of the first raffle andthe prizes won are as follows:

Names of first draw winnersFirst prize-Shaheen Abdullah Mohammed Al -Husseini - KD 1000, Second Prize:Othman Abdullah Al-Othman - KD 750,

Third Prize:Bassel Ahmed Al-Khatib - KD 500, Fourth Prize:Mohamed Haidar Aghaz - KD 250.

Show genuine love for your Toyota by takingcare of it with Genuine Toyota Parts

Toyota Genuine Spare Parts reputationand trust among customers are grounded ontheir highest standards of quality, durabilityand performance. They are designed to fit

Toyota vehicle’s exact specifications. Eachpart will fit perfectly and meet the high qual-ity standards of Toyota.

All the winners can collect their prizes fromAl-Sayer Group Head Quarters at Kuwait FreeTrade Zone by presenting the official letterfrom Ministry. Last date to enter the draw willbe the 18th of each month. The remainingdraws of this promotion will be held on 21 Mayand 20 June 2017 respectively.

Toyota Genuine Parts brings exciting special promotion

Al-Sayer announces winners of the first raffle

ALGIERS: GE is collaborating with SonelgazSPE, a subsidiary of Sonelgaz, in a landmarkdeal that highlights its Fleet360 total plantsolutions capabilities. The largest services con-tract in GE Power’s history, the agreement willlead the digital industrial transformation ofSonelgaz’s plants throughout Algeria andstrengthen local industrial capabilities.

The landmark collaboration includes long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) serv-ices for 10 Sonelgaz plants throughout thecountry that generate 11 gigawatts of power,a capacity building system for EnergyEfficiency that will deliver more than 420megawatts of additional power with greaterfuel efficiency, and the introduction of GE’sdigital solutions. Together, these capabilitieswill strengthen the operational efficiency andproductivity of the plants. They will also helpsave up to $2 billion in gas that can be madeavailable for sale in international markets.

“The Algerian government and Sonelgazhave a clear vision for the future of the coun-try’s power sector,” Steve Bolze, president andCEO of GE Power said. “The emphasis on build-ing industrial capacity and the focus on thedigital transformation of power plant assetsare long-term investments in the future of thecountry. GE is honored to strengthen our col-laboration with Sonelgaz and help create avibrant local ecosystem for the power sectorthat will help meet the needs of people andvarious industries across Algeria.”

Joint ventureThe agreement was signed by president

and CEO of Sonelgaz SPE, Sabri Lezhari; andpresident and CEO of GE Northwest Africa,Touffik Fredj, in the presence of the PrimeMinister of Algeria, HE Abdelmalek Sellal; theMinister of Energy, HE Noureddine Boutarfa;the CEO of Sonelgaz, M Mustapha Guitouni;president and CEO of GE Power, Steve Bolze;president and CEO of GE Middle East, NorthAfrica and Turkey, Nabil Habayeb; presidentand CEO of GE’s Power Services business in theMiddle East and Africa (MEA), Joseph Anis;General Manager Sales of GE’s Power Servicesbusiness in MEA, Adel Omrani and other high-level GE and government representatives.

The signing ceremony took place at the GEAlgeria Turbines (GEAT) plant in Ain Yagout, ajoint venture created in 2014 by GE andSonelgaz, which will manufacture gas turbinesand steam turbines for Sonelgaz’s power gen-eration needs.

The Ain Yagout site in Batna, covering anarea of 20 hectares, was chosen by both part-ners to house this industrial complex, whichwill annually be able to manufacture equip-ment with the capacity to generate up to 1.5GW of power.

GEAT will employ between 300 and 350people and its construction will create about600 additional indirect jobs. It will also offeropportunities to develop a local supply chain.GEAT will draw on GE’s globally recognized

programs to train its workers, technicians, andengineers, and thus contribute to the develop-ment of local expertise and Algerian talent.

Activities began at GEAT a few months agoafter Sonelgaz placed the first order of 4 gasturbines and 2 steam turbines. The equipmentwill be delivered between 2019 and 2020 andwill be connected to the national grid by 2021.

Top prioritySpeaking at the occasion, the Minister of

Energy, HE Noureddine Boutarfa said, “Thegovernment’s top priority is to strengthenpower generation in the country through ahighly efficient, sustainable, and productiveinfrastructure. The new GEAT facility, whichmanufactures high-end equipment for thepower sector, and the development of theMaintenance Des Equipements Industriels(MEI) shop to manufacture spare parts are astrong value-add to the economy as they willboost our exports, enhance the efficiency ofour power plants and create new jobs forAlgerian youth. Further, the digital transforma-tion of the power plants will enable us to opti-mize the use of our natural resources, and inturn, create added value for the economy. GE’sexpertise in digital industrial technologies willcontribute to enhancing the efficiency of thepower sector, as well as the skills of Algerianprofessionals through knowledge sharing andhands-on training.” The collaboration withSonelgaz also includes one of the largest

Industrial Internet software deals to date for GEPower. Sonelgaz has selected GE’s AssetPerformance Management and OperationsOptimization software applications to monitorand analyze data drawn from thousands ofsensors throughout its power plants.

The software leverages advanced data ana-lytics to predict and eliminate unplanneddowntime, and improve power plant produc-tivity. GE’s software is built on Predix, a dataplatform purpose-designed for the scale andcomplexity of industrial data. “Algeria isfocused on building a diversified economy andstrengthening the operational efficiency of itspower sector and natural gas generation anddistribution assets,” said Mustapha Guitouni,president and CEO of Sonelgaz. “The openingof GEAT and the digital industrial transforma-tion of our plants are significant steps forwardin achieving our economic vision of industrialdiversification, boosting productivity, and max-imizing asset utilization. GE’s advanced suite ofdigital technologies will help transform ourpower plants, build local talent, and strength-en the culture of localization.”

In a significant contribution to the Algerianeconomy, the new agreement will drive thedevelopment of a local supply chain with MEI,an affiliate of Sonelgaz, to manufacture spareparts for GE’s turbines in Algeria. The ‘Made inAlgeria’ initiative will be a part of GE’s interna-tional supply chain, and create up to 300 hightechnology engineering jobs for Algerians.

Furthermore, GE will work with AlgerianEngineering Services Company’s (ALGESCO)engineers to repair its 9FA gas turbine technol-ogy locally, creating more than 100 new engi-neering jobs and building a local center ofexcellence for turbine repairs. First establishedin 1993, ALGESCO is a joint venture of GE withSonatrach and Sonelgaz. GE will also train upto 1,000 Sonelgaz field engineers and opera-tors on industry best practices to strengthentheir expertise and competitiveness, which willpotentially enable Sonelgaz to collaborate withGE on future O&M projects in Africa.

This agreement builds on GE’s long termpresence in Algeria. In 2013, GE signed threemajor contracts to supply heavy-duty gas tur-bine and aeroderivative gas turbine technologyfor nine power plants throughout the country.

With over 40 years of presence in the country,GE is a strategic partner supporting Algeria’sgrowth aspirations. Today, GE Power’s technolo-gies generate nearly 70 percent of the electricitydistributed across the country, GE Aviation’s jetengines power approximately 70 percent ofdomestic aircrafts and up to 3,000 advancedsolutions from GE Healthcare are deployed inhealthcare facilities across the country. GE hasfour offices and two facilities in Algeria and over700 employees. Focused on strengthening theskills of its employees and nurturing businessleadership skills, GE also provides several trainingprograms in line with the government’s vision topromote human capital development.

KUWAIT: Gulf Bank announced yesterday thatit is providing an exclusive offer for its PriorityBanking customers from Fauchon Boutiques.The new offer will run for one month only,starting 22nd April until 21st May 2017.

Gulf Bank’s Priority Banking customersare provided with 15 percent discount onall retail items from Fauchon Boutiqueslocated in Prestige - The Avenues, SalhiyaPlaza, and Crowne Plaza - Al-Thuraya City.By only using their premium credit cardsincluding Visa Infinite, MasterCard World,Visa Signature, Visa Platinum andMasterCard Platinum, customers can bene-fit from the wide selection of premiumchocolate gift items. The offer does notinclude dine-ins.

Gulf Bank is committed to offering itsPriority Banking customers with a wide

selection of privileges that match theirlifestyle as well providing access to PeacockConcierge’s renowned local concierge serv-ices. With Gulf Bank Priority Banking, cus-tomers enjoy personalized and preferentialtreatment coupled with a suite of Bankingand Investment products and servicesdesigned to meet their financial goals. Adedicated Relationship Manager isassigned to manage customers bankingrequirements in the comfort of dedicatedprivate floors.

In addition, they will receive a brandedATM card that recognizes their status acrossGulf Bank Network, premium credit cardswith exclusive privileges, discounted feesand waivers on banking transactions andadded-value benefits through the Bank’spremium partner merchants.

Gulf Bank’s exclusive offer for priority customers

from Fauchon Boutiques

KUWAIT: Dubai-based flydubai wasnamed “Best Low-Cost Airline serving theMiddle East” at the 2017 BusinessTraveller Middle East Awards held inDubai on 23 April. Voted by readers ofthe magazine, the distinction reflects fly-dubai’s comprehensive regional network,evolving business model and its role in

creating trade and tourism flows in previ-ously underserved markets. flydubai cur-rently has a network of 93 destinations in44 countries, and carried 10.4 millionpassengers in 2016.

Ken Gile, Chief Operating Officer at fly-dubai, represented flydubai at the awardsceremony and is pictured with the award.

Flydubai wins at 2017 Business Traveller Middle East Awards

GE tie-up with Sonelgaz to boost Algeria’s power sector

t e c h n o l o g yTUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

In this April 12, 2017 photo, Taiwan’s ‘digital minister’ Audrey Tang speaksduring an interview in Seoul. —AP

SEOUL: Taiwan’s “digital minister ”Audrey Tang, a computer prodigy andentrepreneur who taught herself pro-gramming at age 8, says she’s a “civichacker,” who like a locksmith uses spe-cialized skills to help rather than harm.

Appointed by leaders hoping to bet-ter connect with young voters whohelped sweep independence-leaningPresident Tsai Ing-wen into office lastyear, 35-year-old Tang is using herexpertise to more directly involve thepublic in policymaking, and to counter“fake news.”

“Just by getting people to listen tothe ideas that they don’t like, basically,develops their immune systems,” Tangsaid in an interview with The AssociatedPress while visiting Seoul for the annualCodegate international hacking compe-tition. “If people have already consid-ered carefully even the position of peo-ple they don’t agree with, they alreadyhave some kind of inoculation in theirmind, so that they will not fall victim torumors,” she said.

Keeping the public engaged is cru-cial given Taiwan’s status as a self-ruleddemocracy of 23 million people thatseparated from the Chinese mainlandamid civil war in 1949.

Communist-ruled Beijing insists thetwo sides are part of a single Chinesenation. Public opinion on the issue isdivided. One of Tang’s initiatives is anartificial intelligence-powered systemcalled Pol is that aggregates and sharespublic views on policy issues to helpdetermine the exact degree of supportfor a particular position. The govern-ment can use that data, for example, innegotiations over regulating Uber andother taxi services, Tang says.

The approach reflects an effort toencourage deep thinking and listeningon a mass scale, unlike the fragmentedand “half-baked” ideas often found insocial media posts, said Ming-YehRawnsley, a research associate at Centreof Taiwan Studies, SOAS University ofLondon.

“It is important that Taiwanese gov-ernment is thinking about practicingdeliberative democracy,” said Rawnsley.“While the explosion of social mediaplatforms creates many exciting oppor-tunities for public expression and massparticipation, it also leads to a phenom-enon where everyone wants to talk, butfew care to listen.”

Tang’s digital-fr iendly stanceincludes allowing top-level computergame players in Taiwan to serve analternative form of the island’s compul-sory military service. That gives profes-sional e-sports “League of Legend” play-ers the same opportunities an Olympicsmedalist would get.

Next year, she plans to introduceclasses on “information technology andmedia literacy” for all school years tohelp students learn to dist inguishrumors and falsehoods from facts.

“The idea is not about spotting ‘fakenews’ but about being able to makedecisions ... so that people don’t getswayed in one way or another based onrumors,” Tang said.

Taiwanese are keen on online forumslike Twitter, whose 140-character limitfor posts favors writ ing in Chineseideograms that often can say more withfewer characters than in English.

Tang objec ts to the term “fakenews,” saying it’s unfair to journalists.But she says she finds US PresidentDonald Trump’s enthusiastic use ofTwitter “refreshing.” Trump’s short dec-larations, though often surprising,leave little leeway for misinterpreta-tion, she contends.

“If I make all my messages self-con-tained and short, then there’s no dan-ger of being taken out of context. That’sthe basic thing I’ve learned,” Tang said.“@realDonaldTrump uses Twitter ... theway it is meant to be (used),” she said.

Tang is Taiwan’s first transgendergovernment minister, a rarity especiallyin East Asia, where outspoken conser-vative groups often publicly condemnsexual minorities.

Not so in Taiwan, she says. “I wouldsay I’m just post-gender or post-genre,meaning that I don’t think there shouldbe things that only one gender shoulddo,” said Tang, who early on showed shehas a mind of her own.

Seeking ways to streamline math cal-culations, she taught herself computerprogramming while only 8. Shedropped out of school by the time shewas 14. By the time she was 20 she hadalready started a software company inSilicon Valley.

A dry wit, she quips that sometimespeople mistake her height, 180 cen-timeters, for her apparently genius-lev-el IQ. Tang’s involvement in politics tookoff during Taiwan’s Sunflower move-ment of 2014, when she became wellknown for helping officials interact withcitizens using the internet during theprotests against a trade agreementwith Beijing.

Given the ever-present risk of cyber-attacks, as digital minister one of thefirst things Tang did after joining theCabinet was to make government infor-mation systems more secure and thenrigorously test them for loopholes.

“The utmost importance is to getpeople to still see the internet as asecure place ... so that people can stillform communities where it is still possi-ble to talk with strangers, to learn fromstrangers,” she said. “Basically, if wedon’t do our job right on security onthe internet, it becomes a fragmentingforce instead of a community force.”

The risk is that the online worldwould become a place where peoplel ive “essential ly in their own real i-ties, and that is as undemocratic andas non-humane as we can imagine,”she said. —AP

Taiwan’s ‘hacker minister’ reshaping digital democracy

DUBAI: Sophos, a global leader in network and end-point security, yesterday announced, that its next-gen-eration anti-ransomware CryptoGuard technology is

now available with itsSophosServer Protectionproducts. With this opti-mization, Sophos ServerProtection now has sig-nature-less detectioncapabilities to combatransomware - similar toSophos Intercept X forendpoints. In September2016, Sophos launchedSophosIntercept X withCryptoGuard, which stopthe spontaneous encryp-tion of data by ran-

somware within seconds of detection. By adding CryptoGuard to server security,

Sophos is closing a critical gap by preventing ran-somware attacks that could come in throughrogue, guest or remote access users or other weak-nesses in a company’s network. For example, if acompany allows bring-your-own-laptops on thenetwork, remote access for employees or is victim-ized by an insider cyber threat, servers becomehighly susceptible to ransomware. Additionally,network shares on servers are high-value targets as

they contain proprietary financials, personally iden-tifiable information and other key data, and shouldbe protected as such.

“Servers are considered the jackpot for cyber-criminals, since they can store confidential corpo-rate and employee information, medical recordswith social security numbers or private customerdocuments. It would be devastating for organiza-tions to lose this kind of sensitive data to ran-somware,” said Dan Schiappa, senior vice presidentand general manager of Sophos’ Enduser andNetwork Security Groups. “Most organizations back-up their data, but recovery from a backup is notalways easy. Businesses, schools or hospitals do notwant the liability, hassle and operational disruptionrequired to restore from a backup. Anti-ransomwaretechnology is a critical layer for the protection andongoing accessibility of the information that resideson servers. Sophos has optimized its ServerProtection products with CryptoGuard, addinganother layer of next-gen protection to block thispervasive and highly-damaging cyber threat.”

Sophos has also expanded SynchronizedSecurity by adding Sophos Security Heartbeatcapabilities to Sophos Central Server ProtectionAdvanced. By adding Security Heartbeat to servers,an IT administrator can now leverage Sophos XGFirewall to automatically isolate infected serversand endpoints to identify and respond to the

source of compromises faster. Sophos CentralServer Protection also includes Malicious TrafficDetection, which monitors for traffic to Commandand Control servers and application white listingwith one-click Server Lockdown, which securesservers in a safe state and prevents unauthorizedapplications from running.

Sophos Server Protection products withCryptoGuard capabilities now includes CentralServer Protection Advanced on the cloud-basedSophos Central platform and Sophos ServerProtection Enterprise, which is managed with a tra-ditional on-premise console.

Partner and Customer Feedback “Protection for servers is especially critical for our

customers who allow remote desktop connectionsor have weak desktop credentials, which is a knownvulnerability for ransomware attacks. Even our cus-tomers who have put every safeguard in placecould still have an exposed server, due to that onerogue laptop someone connects into the network.Just one click on a tainted email could encryptevery file with ransomware. We’ve seen this happenwith a customer, so from a technical standpoint, it’sexciting to have anti-ransomware capabilities at theserver level,” said Dan Russell, chief information offi-cer, Pine Cove Consulting, a Sophos channel partnerbased in Bozeman, Montana. “Sophos also designed

its server protection to be ‘lightweight.’ Many of ourcustomers are educational institutions with oldercomputers, so having an anti-ransomware capabili-ty that doesn’t impact server performance - no mat-ter how old or new - is a must. The evolution of ran-somware is a reality our customers need to dealwith right now. We are focused on selling SophosCentral Server Protection Advanced and SophosIntercept X to guard against ransomware threats.”

“At Lifeways, our userslog into servers to accesstheir email and websites, so we definitely need asolution that prevents ransomware. Already, we useSophos Central Server Protection Advanced forapproximately 100 servers. We also have SophosIntercept X running on roughly 600 endpoints orabout 50 percent our estate so far. With Intercept X’sroot cause analysis feature, we have a holistic viewof breaches and the ability to investigate everynode that’s been infected. We can also reverse ran-somware attacks on the endpoints, which is huge,”said Andy Pitcher, group infrastructure manager atLifeways, a Sophos customer in London, England.“Lifeways has been hit by ransomware in the pastand it was not fun. The attack came in through anend point and hit the serveras well. We were able torestore quickly, but our business did come to a haltfor a while. Sophos Server Protectionand SophosIntercept X are critical defenses for us, and we planto use them throughout our entire estate.”

Sophos introduces new anti-ransomware CryptoGuard Technology

KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most developed tele-com operator, and Huawei Kuwait,launched Huawei P10 and P10 Plusdevices, during a ceremony atRadisson Blu Hotel.

Commenting on this launch, EngSlaman bin Abdulaziz Al-Badran,VIVA’s CEO said: “We are proud of ourconcrete partnership with Huawei,and joint efforts between VIVA’steam and Huawei’s team led toannounce about those significantdevices. This achievement is yet amilestone in VIVA’s track record.”

“At Huawei, we’re always inspiredby people’s lives and experiences. Intoday’s fast-paced life, it’s hard toalways be in the moment; taking pic-tures helps us document and pre-serve our best moments and memo-ries. It also helps us express ourselvescreatively and tell our stories better.With the HUAWEI P10 and HUAWEIP10 Plus, our ambition is to offerpeople a compelling photographyexperience by putting the power ofa photography studio in their pock-et, together with standout featuresthat redefine portrait photography”,said Peter Wu, Director Of ConsumerBG at Huawei Kuwait.

The new Huawei P10 and P10Plus set a new benchmark in styleand craftsmanship. Customers nowcan enjoy their many exciting fea-tures including the new Leica DualCamera 2.0 Pro edition that pro-duces stunning artistic portrait shotswith 20x12 MP. In addition to 3Dfacial detection for stunning por-traits, ultra-memory for higherspeed, double download speed andaccurate GPS with 4X4 MIMO LTE &Wi-Fi antenna.

As well as redefining portraitphotography, the HUAWEI P10 andHUAWEI P10 Plus boast remarkabletechnology and design features byintroducing the powerful Kirin 960processor, an all-new EMUI 5.1, aswell as a fingerprint sensor on thefront. With 3,200 for the HUAWEI P10and 3750 mAh battery for theHUAWEI P10 Plus, both smartphonessupport HUAWEI SuperCharge tech-nology. The low voltage, low temper-ature fast charging solution comeswith a super safe 5-gate protectionmechanism, which offers real-timevoltage, current and temperaturemonitoring to make charging notonly fast but safe.

Postpaid customers are now eligi-ble to own those two devices avail-able in different colors, upon signingtwo years commitments with one ofVIVA’s postpaid packages: KD 15, KD20 and KD 30, and enjoy local callsand internet.

9 reasons why you need to getyour hands on the HUAWEI P10 Plus& experience amazing portrait pho-tography: Whether you’re a photog-raphy amateur, an enthusiast

Instagrammer, blogger or just some-one who loves to capture preciousmoments, you deserve the HUAWEIP10 Plus that gives you amazing por-traits like no other! Check out 9 rea-sons why the HUAWEI P10 Plus is theideal smartphone for your portraits!

1. Rear and front cameras co-engineered with Leica:

Not all smartphone cameras arecreated equal. The HUAWEI P10 Plusis the world’s first smartphone with arear Leica dual-camera Pro-Edition2.0 and a Leica front camera co-engi-neered with the camera giant Leica.The Leica Dual-Camera Pro Edition2.0 features a 12MP sensor and a20MP monochrome with fusionalgorithm that captures detailedfacial features and improves imagequality; it also carries a new high-class SUMMILUX-H Leica lensesand a 4-in-1 Hybrid Autofocus sys-tem with a larger F/1.8 aperture tocapture more light in low-light sit-uations.

2. Intelligent 3D facial detection:The HUAWEI P10 Plus boasts an

all-new intelligent facial recognitionsystem that features over 190detailed nodes and enables quicker,more accurate identification of facialfeatures.

3. Hybrid Zoom 2x:The HUAWEI P10 Plus offers an

additional new feature that allowsyou to focus in on specific areas of animage while still keeping the sharp-ness of image quality. It improves thesmoothness, clarify and simplicity ofportrait photography.

4. Studio-like PortraitEnhancements:

The artistic imaging algorithm inthe HUAWEI P10 Plus is based on theextensive research of various differ-ent face shapes and skin colors. Byunderstanding the relative positionof each facial feature and the unique-ness of skin type, the portraitenhancements can be applied in acustomized and more natural way.

5. Dynamic Illumination:The HUAWEI P10 Plus includes an

auto-sensing algorithm that tracksenvironment lighting changes andautomatically adjusts the shootingconfiguration, including the AWB,shutter speed, and more, to add artis-tic flair and glow to your portrait shots.

6. Front Camera Sensor:The HUAWEI P10 Plus is equipped

with an all-new front camera sensorthat captures twice more light toimprove picture quality in low-lightconditions.

7. Natural Color and Monochrome Bokeh:

HUAWEI P10 Plus’ Leica Dual-Camera 2.0 enables wide aperturephotography to produce stunningartistic portraits with natural bokeheffect. Coupled with its depth-of-fieldalgorithm, you can capture sharper,clearer edges and vivid color in everyshot, while the background remainsblurred or out-of-focus.

8. Highlights:The HUAWEI P10 Plus includes

Highlights, which create dynamicslideshows of your photos based ontime, location, and shooting mode.

9. Embedded ISP:Huawei’s Kirin 960 with embedded

ISP enables real-time viewing of depth-of-field changes and facial features.

VIVA and Huawei launch Huawei P10 and P10 PlusAnother milestone in Viva’s track record: Al-Badran

SEOUL: Electronics giant Samsung willthis week offer an unusually early soft-ware update for its newly-released GalaxyS8 phone, it said yesterday after somec o n s u m e r s c o m p l a i n e d o f r e d - t i n t e dscreens.

The launch of the device is a key stepfor the South Korean tech firm as it seeksto move on from last year ’s humiliatingwithdrawal of the G alax y Note 7 overexploding batteries, which hammered thefirm’s once-stellar reputation. The GalaxyS8 started over-the-counter sales in theUS and its home market but South Korean

users who pre-ordered the phones com-plained their screens displayed an unusu-ally reddish hue.

Online images of their phones wentviral on social media but Samsung denieda h a rd w a re f l aw a n d m a i n t a i n e d t h a tusers could manually adjust the colourrange according to their preferences.

As more users voiced doubts, Samsungs a i d M o n d a y t h a t a s o f t w a r e u p d a t ewould fix the problem by allowing themto readjust colours over a wider rangethan at present.

“Samsung.. . has decided to release a

software update starting from this weekwhich will provide consumers with a fur-ther enhanced ability to adjust the coloursetting to their preference,” it said in astatement. Samsung-the world’s largestmaker of smar tphones-has p inned i tsh o p e s o n t h e G a l a x y S 8 t o c o m p e t eagainst archrival Apple’s iPhone after lastyear’s Note 7 disaster.

The recall debacle cost Samsung bil-lions of dollars in lost profits and ham-mered its global credibility, forcing it toapologise to consumers and postponethe S8 launch. —AFP

Samsung to update software over ‘red screen’ smartphone

Dan Schiappa

H E A LT H & S C I E N C ETUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

NAIROBI: A new malaria vaccine will betested on a large scale in Kenya, Ghana andMalawi, the World Health Organization saidyesterday, with 360,000 children to be vac-cinated between 2018 and 2020. Theinjectable vaccine RTS,S could provide lim-ited protection against a disease that killed429,000 people worldwide in 2015, with 92percent of victims in Africa and two-thirdsof them children under five. “The prospectof a malaria vaccine is great news.Information gathered in the pilot will helpus make decisions on the wider use of thisvaccine,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, theWHO’s regional director for Africa.

The vaccine should be used alongsideother preventative measures such as bednets, insecticides, repellents and anti-malari-al drugs, the WHO said. “Combined withexisting malaria interventions, such a vac-cine would have the potential to save tensof thousands of lives in Africa,” Moeti said.“This vaccine is a weapon amongst others, itis one of the tools at our disposal,” sheadded. The vaccine, also known asMosquirix, has been developed by theBritish pharmaceutical giantGlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in partnership withthe PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, and thelarge-scale three-country pilot will test it onchildren aged five to 17 months. The drugpassed previous scientific testing-includinga phase three clinical trial between 2009 and2014 — and was approved for the pilot pro-gram in 2015.

‘Huge impact’ The aim of the trial is to assess the effec-

tiveness of the vaccine as well the feasibili-ty of its delivery to populations at risk as

four successive doses must be given on astrict timetable. The immunization cycle isnot in sync with routine childhood inocula-tions against diseases such as hepatitis,measles and meningitis, with injectionsrequired at five months, six months, sevenmonths and two years. Symptoms of malar-ia include fever, muscle pain and headacheas well as vomiting and diarrhea. WhileRTS,S does not promise full protectionagainst the mosquito-borne disease it isthe most effective potential vaccine so fardeveloped reducing the number of hospi-talizations and blood transfusions.

Malaria episodes reduced by 40 percentin tests on 15,000 people in seven coun-tries over five years of clinical trials, andcould therefore save hundreds of thou-sands of lives. “It’s an efficacy rate which isquite low, but given the amount of affectedpeople, the impact will be huge,” said MaryHamel, who is coordinating the vaccine’simplementation program. “There will beother vaccines and they’ll be more efficient,but in the meantime, this will have a signifi-cant influence.”

Moeti emphasized that while the dreamis “a vaccine that replaces everything”,insecticide-treated bed nets remain themost effective protection against malaria,which remain, “at the moment, ourstrongest preventive weapon”. Kenya,Ghana and Malawi were selected for the tri-al because malaria rates are high and theyhave a long history of use of bed nets andother interventions. The large-scale pilot isthe latest step in decades of work seekingto eradicate malaria with the numbersdying falling nearly two-thirds since theturn of the century.—AFP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida: President DonaldTrump made a very long distance phone call tothe International Space Station, to congratulateits commander on breaking the record for themost time spent in space of any American astro-naut. The president spoke yesterday with PeggyWhitson, commander of the International SpaceStation, and fellow astronaut Jack Fischer.Whitson, the first woman to command theInternational Space Station, surpassed therecord of 534 days, two hours and 48 minutesfor most accumulated time in orbit by an

American. That record was set last year byJeffrey Williams.

Trump joked that the call was possiblebecause of “great American equipment thatworks, and that is not easy.” He said he’s moreimpressed by the astronauts than by any of thepoliticians he deals with in Washington. Trump’sdaughter and close adviser, Ivanka Trump, andNASA astronaut Kate Rubins, joined him in theOval Office during the call. Whitson says it’s a“huge honor to break a record like this,” and thatit would not have been possible without the

support of NASA. Last month, Trump signed newlegislation adding human exploration of Mars toNASA’s mission. Whitson said she’s excited aboutthe new legislation and said there is equipmentbeing made now in preparation for the launch.

Whitson already was the world’s most experi-enced spacewoman and female spacewalkerand, at 57, the oldest woman in space. By thetime she returns to Earth in September, she’llhave logged 666 days in orbit over three flights.The world record - 879 days - is held by RussianGennady Padalka.—AP

Trump calls US astronaut who broke record for time in space

First large-scale malariavaccine trials for Africa

KIRYANDONGO, Uganda: A patient rests on a bed after being discharged from themalaria ward at Panyadoli Health Center III in Kiryandongo refugee settlement,northwestern Uganda, on April 11, 2017.—AP

BUDUDA, Uganda: An elderly woman gets tested for Malaria at FIMRC Health CenterIII in Bududa district, eastern Uganda.—AFP

SPACE: In this Jan 13, 2017 file photo made available by NASA, astronaut Peggy Whitson, center, floats inside the Quest airlock of theInternational Space Station with Thomas Pesquet, left, and Shane Kimbrough before their spacewalk.—AP photos

WELLINGTON, New Zealand: AWisconsin heart surgeon who was vaca-tioning in New Zealand when he caused ahighway accident that killed two peopleand injured four others was ordered yes-terday to make reparation payments butavoided jail time. A district court judgeordered Kenneth Wolnak to pay a total of165,000 New Zealand dollars ($116,000)to the victims or their families. Lastmonth, the 63-year-old pleaded guilty tosix charges of careless driving afterattempting a U-turn on a coastal highwaynear the town of Nelson. Several vehicleswere involved in the ensuing accident.

According to a police summary offacts, Wolnak and his wife, Elizabeth,arrived in New Zealand in mid-February.

They rented an SUV and traveled exten-sively around the South Island before theFeb. 27 accident. Wolnak’s lawyer TonyBamford said his client suffered a concus-sion and has no memory of the accident.According to Bamford, the son of one ofthe victims who died read a statement incourt that said: “I hope you are able tocontinue saving lives and making a realdifference in the world. That’s what Dadwould have wanted, too.”

As part of a legal process in NewZealand known as restorative justice,Wolnak met with some of the victims andtheir families. He also agreed at therequest of a woman whose husband diedin the accident to participate in an inter-view with Radio New Zealand. — AP

SYDNEY: A man who accidently snorkeledheadfirst into a crocodile in northernAustralia escaped with minor injuries aswildlife officers yesterday worked to trackdown the reptile. The croc, measuring up totwo meters (6.5 feet), “reacted defensively”when the swimmer “inadvertently” swuminto it on Sunday near popular Lizard Islandin Queensland state. “The man sufferedminor cuts and abrasions to his head andwas treated for his non-life threateninginjuries on the island,” a department of envi-ronment spokesperson said. “Wildlife offi-cers are travelling to the area and will searchthe area for the crocodile responsible.”

The waters surrounding Lizard Island area known hotspot for crocs with signs in thearea cautioning swimmers of the threat. Ina separate incident Sunday, a crocodile wasfound decapitated near Innisfail inQueensland, prompting authorities to warn

it was illegal to kill the reptiles. “Based onan initial inspection, the four meter animalappears to have been deceased for sometime,” the department spokesperson said.

“(The Queensland Department ofEnvironment and Heritage Protection) wouldlike to remind the public that it is illegal todeliberately interfere with, harm or kill croco-diles without authorization.” Last month a fish-erman was killed by a crocodile near Innisfailwhile a teenager was lucky to escape withonly two broken bones when a croc latchedonto his arm after he jumped into a river inthe area. Repeated attacks have lead to callsfrom some parts of the community for a cullof the animals, but the state government hasso far resisted, saying it would have little effecton the animals’ behavior and give people afalse sense of security. People can be fined upto Aus$27,425 (US$20,700) for killing a croco-dile, which are protected.—AFP

WASHINGTON: Global warming’smilder winters will likely nudgeAmericans off the couch more inthe future, a rare, small benefit ofclimate change, a new study finds.With less chilly winters, Americanswil l be more l ikely to get out-doors, increasing their physicalactivity by as much as 2.5 percentby the end of the century, accord-ing to a new study in yesterday’sedit ion of the journal NatureHuman Behavior.

Places like North Dakota,Minnesota and Maine are likely tosee the most dramatic increases,usually the result of more walking.But that good global warming sideeffect is not likely to extend to thedeep south and especially thedesert southwest because hottersummer days may keep peopleinside. Arizona, southern Nevadaand southeastern California are like-

ly to see activity drop off the mostby the year 2099, the study found.

“It’s a small little tiny silver liningamid a series of very bad, veryunfortunate events that are likely tooccur,” said study lead author NickObradovich , who studies the socialimpacts of climate change at bothHarvard’s Kennedy School ofGovernment and MIT. Global warm-ing “almost certainly will be verycostly on net for humanity.” Anyoverall benefit for Americans as awhole will probably be far out-weighed by many other ways thatclimate change hurts health, saidboth Obradovich and outsidehealth experts. For example, deathsfrom heat waves are expected toincrease, allergies are likely to wors-en and infectious diseases will bemore easily spread, said Dr. HowardFrumkin, a University ofWashington environmental health

professor. Obradovich said he gotthe idea to look about what climatechange will do to people’s activitiesa few Octobers ago when he wasliving in San Diego and runningregularly in the afternoon. Therewas a heat wave, temperaturesbroke 100, and he stayed home.Obradovich looked at governmentsurveys about health activityhabits, daily weather data fromwhen they were interviewed andsimulations of future climate condi-tions. The warmer it gets, the morepeople go outside, which he saidmakes sense. Until it gets too hot.At about 82 to 84 degrees (28 to 29degrees Celsius) people start to goout less. For most of America formost of the year, the daily highdoes not hit 84, so the net effectnationwide is more exercise.

But the affect varies by monthand location. Nearly all the country is

likely to be less physically active inJuly, August and September by theend of the century, but a similarmajority would also likely exercisemore in November, December,January, February, March and evenApril in the year 2099, the study finds.

Dr Jonathan Patz, director of theGlobal Health Institute at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison,faulted the study for not taking intoaccount people who have jobs thatrequire lots of physical activity northe growing popularity of wintersports. Other outside experts saidthe study made sense, but the big-ger picture is more important.“While milder winters will permitmore exercise - a good thing - it’simportant to put the results of thepaper in that broader context,”Frumkin said in an email, emphasiz-ing “climate change threatens farmore than it benefits.”—AP

LONDON: The British government is seeking topostpone the publication of its keenly-awaitedair-pollution plan due to elections, raising theprospect a legal challenge. The High Court haddemanded ministers come up with a plan totackle illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide pollu-tion, largely caused by diesel emissions, by3:00 pm (1400 GMT ) yesterday. But theDowning Street office of Prime MinisterTheresa May said yesterday it had applied tothe courts “to publish this plan by 15September” to allow for local election cam-

paigning, and then for general election cam-paigning ahead of the nationwide June 8 vote.“Following advice from the Cabinet Office, wesought a short extension to the publication ofthe draft plans” in order to comply with elec-tion rules, said a Downing Street spokesman.

“We remain firmly committed to furtherimproving air quality,” he added. ClientEarth,the environmental law firm which brought theoriginal case, said it was considering a legalchallenge to the extension. “The unacceptablelast minute nature of the government’s appli-

cation late on Friday night, after the court hadclosed, has meant that we have spent theweekend considering our response,” said chiefexecutive James Thornton. “We are still exam-ining our next steps.

This is a question of public health and notof politics and for that reason we believe thatthe plans should be put in place without delay.”Air pollution contributes to the death of morethan 40,000 people per year in Britain, accord-ing to official figures, with nitrogen dioxide aparticular problem.—AFP

At least global warming may getAmericans off the couch more

UK could face legal battle over air pollution delay

CALIFORNIA: In this file photo, a man carries a young boy over his shoulder as he walks among beach goers enjoying unusually warm wintertemperatures in Encinitas, Calif.—AP

Man lucky to escape croc clutches in Australia

New Zealand: US doctor must payreparations for deadly crash

GUATEMALA CITY: Rodrigo Tot, a 60-year-old farmer and activist, was awardedthe prestigious Goldman EnvironmentalPrize yesterday for work in his Guatemalahomeland, an honor that comes after twoprevious Latin American winners weremurdered in the last year. The diminutive,soft-spoken evangelical pastor was rec-ognized for defending his indigenousQ’eqchi community’s lands against a min-ing company and the government. In astatement, Goldman praised Tot for “intre-pid leadership of his people and defenseof their ancestral land” and noted his fighthas come at great personal cost: In 2012,one of his sons was shot to death in “anassassination that was passed off as arobbery.”

In an interview with The AssociatedPress, Tot said he was grateful for thehonor but remains the same leader andperson as before. “I think this could be astimulus for the work we do,” he said,adding that he considered the award allto be recognition for “the struggle,because we are fighting hard for ourland and our natural resources.” LatinAmerica is one of the most dangerousregions for environmental activists, withmore than 450 of them murderedbetween 2010 and 2014, according tothe London-based group Global Witness.

In March 2016, Goldman honoreeBerta Caceres of Honduras was killed byarmed men who invaded her home. Andin January 2017, Mexican indigenousleader Isidro Baldenegro, another recipi-ent of the prize, was slain in Mexico’snorthern state of Chihuahua. Tot, leaderof the Agua Caliente “Lote 9” communityin El Estor in Guatemala’s eastern depart-ment of Izabal, has fought for decades totry to make the government recognizelocals’ right to fertile farmlands that arealso coveted by mining interests for nick-

el and gold deposits that lie beneath.The struggle began in 1974 in responseto a new law requiring landholders topay about $4,500 to receive propertytitles. In 1985 a provisional title wasgranted to Tot and 63 other indigenousfarmers in the community while theycompleted payment.

But three years later, records of thecommunity’s ownership of the land mys-teriously disappeared. And when the lastpayment was made in 2002, the govern-ment refused to hand over the legal title.In 2004, the Mines and Energy Ministrygranted a mining license for a regioncovering 16 Maya communities includ-ing Agua Caliente, and those rights laterpassed to Compania Guatemalteca deNiquel. “ That is why we defend it,because there are lots of naturalresources,” Tot said. “There are 10 springsthat supply lots of communities. We arepreserving the mountain because if itdies, there will no longer be any water.”He and the community have fought inthe courts to block mining on their land,arguing it poses environmental risks toforests and streams.

Many disappearances“Tot indefinitely delayed mining in

Agua Caliente,” Goldman said in itsstatement. Mining companies havebeen accused of using violence againstthose who oppose their projects inGuatemala, often in poor and marginal-ized indigenous communities. Otherlawsuits allege abuses including rapeand forcibly removing farmers fromtheir terrain. According to Calas, aGuatemalan environmental and sociallaw nonprofit group, in every casewhere indigenous communities haveopposed mining projects, the govern-ment has backed the companies. — AP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C ETUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

FRANKFORT, Kentucky: The little girl was 11,living in a foster care group home, when sheended up playing tag in a Louisville park withthe daughters of a wealthy investment managerwho would one day be Kentucky’s governor.Matt Bevin said he and his wife, Glenna, noticedhow the girl attached herself to their daughters,“like she was just one of the kids.” Moved by hersituation, the Bevins started the process of try-ing to adopt her from Kentucky’s child-welfaresystem. They had their fingerprints taken, tookparenting classes, had their fingerprints takenagain, opened their home to an inspection, andwere fingerprinted a third time.

The state ultimately rejected their applicationbecause, the Bevins said, they had five childrenand officials worried the girl wouldn’t getenough attention. So the Bevins “gave up” andwent to Ethiopia to adopt four children, a processthey called simpler and cheaper. That was eightyears ago, before Bevin became well-known forhis failed challenge to US Sen Mitch McConnell inthe Republican primary and his surprising come-back win in the 2015 gubernatorial election.

Unnecessary requirementsNow Bevin’s in charge of the system he says

failed them and the girl, an experience shapingone of his most ambitious initiatives: An overhaulof Kentucky’s child-welfare system. A formerstate official said privacy rules prevent staff fromcommenting on the Bevins’ case. Health andFamily Services Cabinet Secretary Vickie YatesBrown Glisson, appointed by Bevin in 2015, saidhis “firsthand knowledge of the burdensomebureaucracy and unnecessary requirements” ofthe system is why it’s being transformed. TheBevins and their children split time between theirLouisville home and the governor’s mansion inFrankfort, where he and his wife sat down withThe Associated Press for an interview last month.

Bevin said he wants to “rethink the entire sys-tem,” a process that - excluding a small raise forstate social workers he signed in 2016 - willcome without a significant increase in spending.That puts him at odds with many child-welfareadvocates who say the program suffers fromunderfunding and inadequate staffing. “That’sjust impossible,” said Democratic state Rep. JoniJenkins, co-chairwoman of a committee study-ing child-welfare system changes. He’s alsopicked a fight with family court judges, sayingsome “genuinely, I’m convinced, don’t even care.”“The judges should not have the latitude to

make the decisions that they are making.Because some of them are making terrible, terri-ble decisions,” Bevin said. “They are not lookingat what is best for the child.”

It’s unclear what a governor could do to alterjudicial decision-making in child-welfare cases,which Bevin acknowledges would be difficult.He said he’s asked his general counsel to “startlooking at this.” The strategy dovetails withBevin’s broader plans to shake up government,including his aggressive use of executive orders,many of which have been challenged and, insome cases, struck down in court.

Legislative leaders are pursuing their ownreview of foster-care and adoption policies.Republican House Speaker Jeff Hoover said he’dencourage the Bevin administration “to under-stand, it is the legislative body that makes thepolicy.” Chief Justice John Minton said he’s confi-dent family court judges are qualified and dedi-cated, and said he and the governor should “pro-vide positive leadership and encouragement.”The latest federal review of Kentucky’s child-wel-fare system found the state didn’t meet govern-ment standards, including ones requiring that“children are, first and foremost, protected fromabuse and neglect.” — AP

BERLIN: Decades’ worth of man-made junk iscluttering up Earth’s orbit, posing a threat tospaceflight and the satellites we rely on forweather reports, air travel and global communi-cations. More than 750,000 fragments largerthan a centimeter are already thought to orbitEarth, and each one could badly damage oreven destroy a satellite. Last year, a tiny piece ofdebris punched a gaping hole in the solar panelof Copernicus Sentinel-1A, an observation satel-lite operated by the European Space Agency, orESA. A solar array brought back from the HubbleTelescope in 1993 showed hundreds of tinyholes caused by dust-sized debris.

Experts meeting in Germany this week saidthe problem could get worse as private compa-nies such as SpaceX, Google and Arlington,Virginia-based OneWeb send a flurry of new

satellites into space over the coming years. Theysaid steps should be taken to reduce spacedebris. Getting all national space agencies andprivate companies to comply with internationalguidelines designed to prevent further junk inorbit would be a first step. At the moment thoserules - which can be costly to implement - aren’tlegally binding. ESA’s director-general, JanWoerner, told The Associated Press on Fridaythat so-called mega-constellations planned byprivate companies should have a maximumorbital lifetime of 25 years. After that, the satel-lite constellations would need to move out ofthe way, either by going into a so-called ‘grave-yard orbit’ or returning to Earth.

That’s because dead satellites pose a doubledanger: they can collide with other spacecraft orbe hit by debris themselves, potentially breaking

up into tiny pieces that become a hazard in theirown right. The nightmare scenario would be anever-growing cascade of collisions resulting inwhat’s called a Kessler syndrome - named afterthe NASA scientist who first warned about it fourdecades ago - that could render near-Earthorbits unusable to future generations.

“Without satellites, you don’t have weatherreports, live broadcasts from the other side of theplanet, stock market, air travel, online shopping,sat-nav in your car,” Rolf Densing, ESA’s director ofoperations, said. “You might as well move into amuseum if all the satellites are switched off.” Evenif future launches adhere to the guidelines,though, there’s the question of what to do withall of the debris already in orbit. “We have toclean the vacuum, which means we need a vacu-um cleaner,” Woerner said. — AP

Guatemalan land activist winsprestigious Goldman prize

FRANKFORT, Kentucky: In this undated photo released by Kentucky Gov Matt Bevin, Bevin takes a self-portrait of his family.—AP

Inspired by own family, Kentucky gov tackles foster system

‘This was never the state’s job. This job belonged to the church’

As orbit becomes more crowded, risk from space debris grows

GERMANY: In this undated photo provided by the European Space Agency, ESA, ana-lysts at work in the space debris facility located at ESA’s ESOC mission control centre,Darmstadt, Germany.—AP

GUATEMALA: In this April 18, 2017 photo, Maya Q’eqchi leader Rodrigo Tot pos-es for photos during an interview in Guatemala City.—AP

W H AT ’ S ONTUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel and Spa,Kuwait's idyllic resort is continuing to hostits popular Turkish Nights in Garden Cafe as

part of the restaurant's widely-admired monthlythemed nights. Guests are welcome to relish theessence of traditional Turkish cuisine expertlyprepared by the resort's seasoned Turkish Chefs.

Every Friday, Garden Cafe features numeroustraditional home-style Turkish dishes with live-cooking stations of grilled meats offering anexpansive selection of delights, including themouth-watering 48-hour braised lamb, bakedrice with chicken and almonds, and Turkishspiced kebabs in different combinations such aspistachio, aubergine, adana and lamb.

Specialties also include Lahmacun and assort-ed Pides. For desserts, aromatic stations coverthe signature Nutella flavored Baklava andCezerye from Southern Turkey, made of

caramelized carrots and enriched with roastedwalnuts, hazelnuts and shredded coconut.

The extensive buffet features cuisine from allTurkish regions, cooked by expert Turkish chefsusing ingredients imported from their homecountry and combined with local flavors toenhance the taste for curious diners. The menualso features dishes inspired by the OttomanEmpire, such as dolma - a dish of stuffed vegeta-bles - with five different options available.

Diners are welcomed with a traditionalTurkish sherbet drink, while the night is roundedoff with a serving of either a special blend ofTurkish tea or freshly baked Turkish coffee. Withmore than 24 cold dishes, 34 hot and 24 delec-table desserts there's something to suit alltastes. Turkish Nights are scheduled for everyFriday from 7 pm to 11 pm for KWD 15 per per-son and offer indoor and outdoor seating.

Authentic Turkish culinary experience in Garden Cafe

Gulf University for Science andTechnology announced this week that ithas just received its fifth international

accreditation, this time for its MassCommunication and Media (MCM) Departmentfrom the American CommunicationsAssociation (ACA), at a press conference on itscampus in West Mishref. Accreditation not onlyconfirms the strength of the program to poten-tial employers, but also distinguishes GUST as arespected, leading institution in the region andbeyond.

In addition, the accreditation process itselfprovides very constructive guidance on how

the Department can improve for students, fac-ulty, the whole University, and for HigherEducation in Kuwait. The ACA is US-based on-profit professional association, committed toenabling the effective use of new and evolvingtechnologies to facilitate communicationinstruction, research, criticism, and offer a tech-nologically supportive venue for all who studyhowhumans communicate. The GUST MCMDepartment is the first communication andmedia department in Kuwait, and one of onlyseven worldwide to receive an internationalaccreditation of this kind.

Professor Donald Bates, GUST President,said, "As a university, our ambition to establish astrong reputation is clear. In 15 short years wehave earned four full accreditations, and a rank-ing that places us as the 73rd university out of971 in the Arab region, which translates intoGUST being the number one private universityin Kuwait. Our mission is to go from strength tostrength, and continue to provide our studentswith the best educational experience possible."This accreditation is a demonstration of theinternational standards at which the depart-ment operates.

As a testament to the department's efforts, ithas grown from approximately 380 students in2013 to over 500 today, and faculty numbershave increased correspondingly. During thistime, GUST students have broken a worldrecord for charitable donation collections, vol-unteered in international aid work tripsthroughout Asia, won second place worldwidein an anti-extremism campaign judged byFacebook Inc. and the US State Department,conducted three national-level student-faculty

collaborative conferences, the most recent ofwhich raised over USD$60,000 for local chil-dren's charities, and have attended numerousnational and international events to hone theirskills and demonstrate their talents.

Dr Ali Ansari, Dean of the College of Arts andSciences, said, "Accreditation not only confirmsthe strength of the program to potentialemployers, but also distinguishes GUST as arespected, leading institution in the region andbeyond. In addition, the accreditation processitself provides very constructive guidance onhow the Department can improve for students,

faculty, the whole University, and for HigherEducation in Kuwait."

In addition to the new ACA accreditation,GUST also holds accreditations from theCommission on English Language ProgramAccreditation (CEA) for its English FoundationProgram, the College Reading & LearningAssociation (CRLA) for its Student SuccessCenter, the Accreditation Board for Engineeringand Technology (ABET ) for its ComputerScience Program, and the AACSB-Internationalaccreditation for its College ofBusiness Administration.

ABK announcesworking hours during Al Israaand Al-Mearaj

Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) announced that dur-ing the occasion of Al-Israa and Al-Mearaj, itsbranches and the Head Office will be closed on

April 27, 2017, in line with the timing set by the KuwaitBanking Association (KBA). The Bank will resume its reg-ular working hours on April 30, 2017.

ABK's online services and Call Center will be avail-able 24 hours a day during the holiday and can bereached by contacting a customer service agent via'Ahlan Ahli' at 1899899. On the occasion of Al-Israa andAl-Mearaj, ABK would like to extend its warmest wishesto the Amir of the State of Kuwait, His Highness SheikhSabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the CrownPrince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and toKuwait and its people.

Linden EducationServices Graduate Fair

The Linden US University Graduate Fair will be held at theMarine Museum at the Radisson Blu Hotel tomorrow.The fair will take place from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Prior to the

fair, university representatives will give free, brief presenta-tions from 4:00 - 5:30 pm on graduate study in the fields ofcomputer science, business and engineering as well as on 'ThePath to Graduate Admissions.'

The fair, organized by Linden Education Services in con-junction with the US Embassy, will host representatives fromseveral universities throughout the United States. TheEmbassy Educational Adviser will be present to answer ques-tions about applying to American universities. US EmbassyConsular Officers will answer questions about the student visaprocess and will offer a presentation at 7.15 pm. Participatinguniversities include: Ball State University (Indiana), St John'sUniversity (New York), University of Minnesota and Universityof Missouri-Kansas City. The Linden University Fair givesKuwaiti students a chance to meet with representatives fromaccredited US institutions to explore the possibilities of highereducation in the United States.

Gulf University for Science and Technology receives fifth prestigious accreditation

Friends of Kannur Expats Association Kuwait(FOKE) Vanithavedi, an organization formed bythe residents of Kannur currently in Kuwait

conducted 'Vanitha Fest 2017' on April 21, 2017from 9 am to 4 pm in United Indian School,Abbassiya. Several competitions including cookerycontest and a variety of cultural programs wereheld providing an opportunity for Indians in Kuwaitto prove their skills. The winners of the event were

honored and prizes were distributed at the closingceremony which was inaugurated by Dr ReeniKorah MBBS, DVD, Metro Medical Care.

The function was chaired by FOKE VanithavediChairperson Bindu Radhakrishnan. In her speech,she mentioned that Vanithavedi conducted manyprograms for the welfare of women back home andin Kuwait and the Fest 2017 was organized for acharity purpose. Vanithavedi, Gen Convener, AdvRema Sudheer, gave a welcome speech and VanithaFest Program Committee Convener Leena Sabu pro-posed a vote of thanks.

The entire function was under the leadership ofFOKE Program Committee Gen Convener Jithesh MP and Unit Committee members. Hamza Payanuur,FOKE Vice President Xaviour Antony, FOKE GenSecretary Saleem MN, FOKE Patron N Jayashanker,and FOKE Vanithavedi Treasurer Bindu Rajeevaddressed the audience. Peravoor MLA SunnyJoseph and Shiny Frank, social worker and patron ofVIVID Kerala-Kuwait chapter took part in the func-tion and greeted the audience.

FOKE Vanithavedi holds 'Vanitha Fest 2017'

W H AT ’ S ONTUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

Every couple wants their big day tobe perfect, special, and truly memo-rable. What better place to cele-

brate this special occasion than at ArrayaBallroom - the epitome of elegance andbreathtaking beauty. Located in the heartof the city close to Courtyard by MarriottKuwait, Arraya Ballroom is one of themost popular wedding venues in thecountry.

Its idyllic location, aesthetic appealand picture perfect grounds make it idealfor a regal wedding, leaving a lastingimpression on you and your guests. Thedecor is superlative with mood lights thatexude aura and create a serene and ele-gant ambience. The pre-function area,corridors and banquet lobby- all havebeen designed to offer a perfect settingfor your wedding ceremonies.

Before and throughout your big day,

the professional wedding planners atArraya Ballroom will guide you throughevery step to ensure your special day istruly unforgettable. From stunning flower

arrangements and customized weddingcakes tocutting-edge audio-visual tech-nology andhigh speed internet, ArrayaBallroom offers a choice of packages and

options that will surpass everything youhave ever imagined. When it comes tocuisine, we satisfy every taste with a widerange of buffet menus designed by ourworld class chefs.

To ease the stress and take care ofevery single detail, we offer tailor-madepackages that can be individuallydesigned to suit your special needs. Thespecial wedding package includes a com-plimentary night in one of the deluxerooms at Courtyard by Marriott Kuwait, afree use of the bridal suite, a customizedwedding cake, an upgraded menu featur-ing an elegant buffet, free parking and alot more. Whether you dream of an inti-mate gathering or a grand gala, our expe-rienced team will craft the perfect cele-bration, allowing you and your guests torelax and enjoy the experience.

Enjoy the memorable perfect wedding at Arraya Ballroom

Under auspices of the Jordanian ambassador toKuwait and the community's honorary chairman,Mohammed Al-Kayed, the Jordanian community

in Kuwait recently held its 'Jordanian Family Dinner' atPescado restaurant at the Costa Del Sol Hotel. The dinner

banquet was also attended by embassy staff, the commu-nity secretary general, Ghassan Deyab and a large num-ber of the community members of whom were honoredfor their efforts in serving the Jordanian community inKuwait.

Jordanian community Kuwait holds 'Jordanian Family Dinner'

Burgan Bank's airport branch to serveits customers on Al-Isra' Wal Miraj

Burgan Bank takes the opportunity of Al-Isara' Wal Miraj to extent its best wishes to all its customers celebrat-ing the Islamic Holiday and announces that its airport branch will remain open on April 27, 2017 in an effortto accommodate the banking requirements of regular customers and travelers during the Al Isra' wal Miraj

holiday. The branch will be commencing operations from 08:00 am to 10:30 pm to ensure that it provides theutmost care to its customers.

06:00 Gravity Falls06:25 Star vs The Forces Of Evil06:50 Penn Zero: Part Time Hero07:15 Milo Murphyʼs Law07:25 The 7D07:40 Supa Strikas08:05 Two More Eggs08:10 K.C. Undercover08:35 Counterfeit Cat09:00 Lab Rats: Bionic Island09:25 Lab Rats: Bionic Island09:50 Future-Worm!10:15 Two More Eggs10:20 Pair Of Kings10:45 Pair Of Kings11:10 Danger Mouse11:35 Supa Strikas

12:00 Supa Strikas12:30 Gravity Falls12:55 Annedroids13:20 Atomic Puppet13:45 Star vs The Forces Of Evil14:10 Disney Mickey Mouse14:15 Mighty Med14:40 Disney Cookabout15:05 Lab Rats15:30 Gamerʼs Guide To PrettyMuch Everything15:55 Right Now Kapow16:25 K.C. Undercover16:50 Walk The Prank17:15 Mech-X417:40 Milo Murphyʼs Law18:05 Disney Mickey Mouse18:10 Gravity Falls18:35 Mighty Med19:00 Atomic Puppet19:25 Gamerʼs Guide To PrettyMuch Everything19:55 K.C. Undercover20:20 Mech-X420:45 Mighty Med21:10 Walk The Prank21:40 Disney Mickey Mouse21:45 Marvelʼs Avengers: UltronRevolution22:10 Ultimate Spider-Man22:35 Boyster

00:00 Henry Hugglemonster00:15 Calimero00:30 Art Attack00:55 Zou01:05 Loopdidoo01:20 Henry Hugglemonster01:35 Calimero01:50 Zou02:05 Art Attack02:30 The Hive02:40 Loopdidoo02:55 Henry Hugglemonster03:10 Art Attack03:35 Loopdidoo03:50 Calimero04:05 Art Attack04:30 Henry Hugglemonster

04:45 Zou05:00 Art Attack05:30 Henry Hugglemonster05:45 Loopdidoo06:00 Zou06:15 Calimero06:30 Loopdidoo06:45 Henry Hugglemonster07:00 My Friends Tigger & Pooh07:25 Sofia The First07:50 The Lion Guard08:15 PJ Masks08:40 Jake And The Never LandPirates09:05 Goldie & Bear09:30 Minnieʼs Bow-Toons09:35 The Lion Guard10:00 Sofia The First10:30 Doc McStuffins10:55 Miles From Tomorrow11:20 My Friends Tigger & Pooh11:50 Sheriff Callieʼs Wild West12:15 Gummi Bears12:40 Miles From Tomorrow13:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse13:35 PJ Masks14:00 My Friends Tigger & Pooh14:30 The Lion Guard15:00 Sofia The First15:30 Doc McStuffins15:55 Goldie & Bear16:20 Miles From Tomorrow16:50 PJ Masks17:15 Sofia The First17:40 Doc McStuffins18:05 Jake And The Never LandPirates18:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse19:00 Goldie & Bear19:25 Goldie & Bear19:50 Doc McStuffins20:05 Goldie & Bear20:35 My Friends Tigger & Pooh21:00 Gummi Bears21:30 Miles From Tomorrow22:00 PJ Masks22:25 PJ Masks22:55 PJ Masks23:20 Henry Hugglemonster

T V PR O G R A M STUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

RISE OF THE LEGEND ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD

QUANTUM OF SOLACE ON OSN MOVIES HD

00:30 V/H/S Viral02:00 Reign Over Me04:30 Air Force One07:00 Quantum Of Solace09:00 10 Things I Hate About You11:00 Air Force One13:30 The Chronicles Of Narnia:Voyage Of The Dawn...15:30 Skyfall18:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles19:45 Erin Brockovich22:00 Indecent Proposal

00:10 Scam City01:00 Lawless Island02:00 Primal Survivor03:00 Reinventing Seoul: SmartCity On The Rise04:00 Scam City05:00 Worldʼs Toughest Fixes06:00 River Quest07:00 Alaska Fish Wars

I AM BOLT ON OSN MOVIES FESTIVAL

00:00 Top Five02:00 All About Christmas Eve04:00 The Beautician And TheBeast06:00 Turbo Kid08:00 All About Christmas Eve10:00 The Beautician And TheBeast12:00 Turbo Kid14:00 Outside Bet16:00 The Butcherʼs Wife18:00 Perfect Match20:00 Hit By Lightning22:00 Afternoon Delight

00:15 Moonwalkers02:00 Changeling04:30 The Better Angels06:15 I Believe In Miracles08:00 I Am Bolt10:00 Jappeloup12:15 2001: A Space Odyssey14:30 Ordinary People16:30 5 Flights Up18:15 Rio, I Love You20:00 The Lobster22:00 A Clockwork Orange

00:15 Snake Sheila00:45 Bondi Vet01:40 Gibbons: Back In The Swing02:35 Tanked03:25 North America04:15 Gator Boys05:02 Snake Sheila05:49 Gibbons: Back In The Swing06:36 Swamp Brothers07:25 Pit Bulls & Parolees08:15 Gibbons: Back In The Swing09:10 North America10:05 Tanked11:00 Pit Bulls & Parolees11:55 Bondi Vet12:50 Gibbons: Back In The Swing13:45 Gator Boys14:40 North America15:35 Penguins On A Plane: GreatAnimal Moves16:30 Snake Sheila17:25 Meet The Penguins18:20 Pit Bulls & Parolees19:15 Wildlife SOS20:10 Wildest Islands21:05 Meet The Penguins22:00 Pit Bulls & Parolees22:55 Gator Boys

00:00 Killers: Behind The Myth01:00 Measuring Evil: BritainʼsWorst Killers02:00 Homicide Hunter03:00 Crimes That Shook Australia04:00 Killers: Behind The Myth05:00 Measuring Evil: BritainʼsWorst Killers06:00 My Crazy Ex08:00 Evil Up Close09:00 It Takes A Killer10:00 Robbie Coltraneʼs CriticalEvidence11:00 The First 4813:00 My Crazy Ex14:00 Evil Up Close15:00 Robbie Coltraneʼs CriticalEvidence16:00 It Takes A Killer17:00 The First 4819:00 Evil Up Close20:00 Gangs Of Britain With GaryAnd Martin Kemp21:00 Robbie Coltraneʼs CriticalEvidence22:00 Crime Stories

00:20 Betty White Goes Wild!01:10 Hunter Hunted02:00 Jaguar: Catching The Cat02:50 Animals Gone Wild03:45 Africaʼs Deadliest04:40 Ultimate Animal Countdown05:35 Jaguar: Catching The Cat06:30 Animals Gone Wild07:25 Africaʼs Deadliest08:20 Ultimate Animal Countdown09:15 Animals Gone WildCompilations10:10 Man And The Wild11:05 Africaʼs Deadliest12:00 Shark Men12:55 Asiaʼs Deadliest Snakes13:50 Animals Gone Wild14:45 A Penguinʼs Life15:40 Jobs That Bite!16:35 Animals Gone WildCompilations17:30 Man And The Wild18:25 Man V. Monster19:20 A Penguinʼs Life20:10 Jobs That Bite!21:00 Animals Gone WildCompilations21:50 Man And The Wild22:40 Man V. Monster

00:00 The Night Crew02:00 Rise Of The Legend04:15 Jurassic Hunters06:00 Insurgent08:00 Beverly Hills Cop 310:00 Bad Company12:00 Age Of Tomorrow14:00 Insurgent16:00 Rivers Nine18:00 Escape20:00 The Transporter: Refueled22:00 Wild Card

00:20 Street Outlaws01:10 Gold Rush: Parkerʼs Trail02:00 Idris Elba: No Limits02:50 Killing Fields B-Story03:40 Fast Nʼ Loud04:30 Storage Hunters05:00 How Do They Do It?05:30 How Do They Do It?06:00 Railroad Australia06:50 Street Outlaws07:40 Fast Nʼ Loud08:30 Marooned With Ed Stafford09:20 Storage Hunters09:45 How Do They Do It?10:10 How Do They Do It?10:35 Gold Rush: Parkerʼs Trail11:25 Idris Elba: No Limits12:15 Alaska: The Last Frontier13:05 How Do They Do It?13:30 Storage Hunters13:55 Storage Hunters14:20 Gold Rush15:10 Marooned With Ed Stafford16:00 Railroad Australia16:50 Fast Nʼ Loud17:40 Street Outlaws18:30 How Do They Do It?18:55 How Do They Do It?19:20 Marooned With Ed Stafford20:10 Storage Hunters20:35 Storage Hunters21:00 The Wheel: Survival Games

0:00 Binny And The Ghost00:25 Hank Zipzer00:45 The Hive00:50 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch01:40 Hank Zipzer02:05 Binny And The Ghost02:55 Hank Zipzer03:15 The Hive03:20 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch04:10 Hank Zipzer04:35 Binny And The Ghost05:25 Hank Zipzer05:45 The Hive05:50 The 7D06:00 Jessie06:25 Jessie06:50 Tsum Tsum Shorts06:55 The Zhuzhus07:20 Elena Of Avalor07:45 Bunkʼd08:10 Stuck In The Middle08:35 Bizaardvark09:00 Shake It Up09:50 Thatʼs So Raven10:15 Thatʼs So Raven10:40 Sonny With A Chance11:30 Good Luck Charlie11:55 Disney Mickey Mouse12:00 Welcome To The Ronks12:15 Gravity Falls12:40 Hank Zipzer13:05 Star Darlings13:10 Austin & Ally13:35 Jessie14:00 Bunkʼd14:25 Kirby Buckets14:50 Sunny Bunnies14:55 The Zhuzhus15:20 Miraculous Tales Of LadybugAnd Cat Noir15:45 Elena Of Avalor16:10 Liv And Maddie16:35 Descendants Wicked World16:40 Girl Meets World17:05 Stuck In The Middle17:30 Bunkʼd17:55 Bizaardvark18:20 Disney Mickey Mouse18:25 Alex & Co.18:50 Jessie19:15 Tsum Tsum Shorts19:20 Backstage19:45 Austin & Ally20:10 The Next Step20:35 Cracke20:40 Disney The Lodge21:05 Girl Meets World21:30 Thatʼs So Raven21:55 Star Darlings22:00 Good Luck Charlie22:25 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch

00:30 Blood Relatives01:20 Deadline: Crime With TamronHall02:10 The Grim Sleeper: PeopleMagazine Investigates03:00 Pandoraʼs Box: UnleashingEvil03:48 I Almost Got Away With It04:36 Young, Hot & Crooked05:24 A Crime To Remember06:12 Evil Online07:00 Iʼd Kill For You

00:15 Food Loverʼs Guide To ThePlanet00:40 The Game Chef01:05 Raw Travel01:30 Dog Whisperer02:20 Living Free With Kimi Werner03:10 Charlie Luxtonʼs Homes ByThe Med04:00 Patisserie With Michel RouxJr04:50 Places We Go05:20 Lyndey Milan - Taste OfAustralia05:45 My Restaurant In India06:15 Chasing The Sun07:10 Raw Travel07:35 Dog Whisperer08:30 Living Free With Kimi Werner09:25 Charlie Luxtonʼs Homes ByThe Med10:20 Patisserie With Michel RouxJr11:15 Places We Go11:45 Lyndey Milan - Taste OfAustralia12:10 My Restaurant In India12:40 Raw Travel13:05 Dog Whisperer14:00 Living Free With Kimi Werner14:55 Places We Go15:25 Lyndey Milan - Taste OfAustralia15:50 Chocolate Perfection WithMichel‚Ä¶16:45 Croatiaʼs Finest17:40 My Restaurant In India18:10 Chasing The Sun19:05 Places We Go19:30 Lyndey Milan - Taste OfAustralia20:00 Chocolate Perfection WithMichel‚Ä¶20:55 Croatiaʼs Finest21:45 My Restaurant In India22:10 Chasing The Sun

00:00 StartUp01:00 American Crime02:00 Code Black03:00 Mistresses04:00 Pitch05:00 Good Morning America07:00 The Chew08:00 The View09:00 Notorious10:00 Pitch11:00 Rosewood12:00 The Chew13:00 The View14:00 Live Good Morning America16:00 Notorious17:00 Pitch18:00 The Voice20:00 24: Legacy21:00 Quantico22:00 Supergirl23:00 Better Call Saul

00:30 How Do They Do It?00:55 Food Factory01:20 How The Universe Works02:10 Invisible Worlds03:00 Prototype This03:48 Mythbusters04:36 How Do They Do It?05:00 Food Factory05:24 How The Universe Works06:12 Invisible Worlds07:00 How Do They Do It?07:26 Prototype This08:14 Mythbusters09:02 Ecopolis09:50 How Do They Do It?10:14 Food Factory10:38 How The Universe Works11:26 Prototype This12:14 Mythbusters13:02 How Do They Do It?13:26 Food Factory13:50 Invisible Worlds14:38 Prototype This15:26 How The Universe Works16:14 Mythbusters17:02 Invisible Worlds17:50 Nextworld

01:00 Big Baby02:45 Hey Arnold! The Movie04:15 Daddy Iʼm A Zombie06:00 Rugrats Go Wild07:45 Worms09:15 Rugrats In Paris: The Movie10:45 Big Baby12:30 Hey Arnold! The Movie14:00 Dixie And The ZombieRebellion16:00 Rugrats In Paris: The Movie18:00 The Nutcracker Sweet20:00 Cher Ami21:45 Dixie And The ZombieRebellion23:30 Worms

00:10 The Chase01:00 Emmerdale01:30 Coronation Street02:00 Coronation Street02:30 Guess This House03:25 Vera05:15 Come Date With MeAustralia06:10 The Chase07:05 Guess This House08:00 Vera09:35 Ginoʼs Italian Escape10:00 Come Date With MeAustralia10:55 The Chase11:50 Guess This House12:45 Emmerdale13:15 Coronation Street13:45 Coronation Street14:15 The Chase15:10 Guess This House16:00 The Moorside17:00 Doctor Thorne17:50 Come Date With MeAustralia18:20 Come Date With MeAustralia18:45 Emmerdale19:15 Coronation Street19:45 Coronation Street20:10 Guess This House21:00 The Moorside22:00 Doctor Thorne22:50 Emmerdale

00:20 Married By Mum And Dad01:10 Return To Amish02:00 My Big Fat Fabulous Life02:50 Love, Lust Or Run03:15 Cake Boss03:35 Promzillas04:20 Little People, Big World04:45 Little People, Big World05:10 Toddlers & Tiaras06:00 Say Yes To The Dress: TheBig Day06:50 Say Yes To The Dress07:40 Randy To The Rescue08:30 Little People, Big World08:55 Little People, Big World09:20 Sister Wives10:10 Love, Lust Or Run10:35 Cake Boss11:00 My Big Fat Fabulous Life11:50 Say Yes To The Dress: TheBig Day12:40 Promzillas

00:30 Redesign My Brain01:20 Kids Do The Craziest Things02:10 Pick A Puppy03:00 Destroyed In Seconds03:50 Beyond Survival With LesStroud04:40 How Itʼs Made05:30 Dirty Jobs06:20 Mythbusters07:00 Doki07:25 Kids vs Film07:50 Bad Dog08:40 How Itʼs Made09:30 Redesign My Brain10:20 Mythbusters11:10 Bad Dog12:00 Beyond Survival With LesStroud12:50 How Itʼs Made13:40 Dirty Jobs14:30 Doki

14:55 Kids vs Film15:20 Mythbusters16:10 Redesign My Brain17:00 React To That17:50 Now Thatʼs Funny18:40 Destroyed In Seconds19:30 How Itʼs Made20:20 Mythbusters21:10 React To That22:00 Worldʼs Funniest Fails22:50 Destroyed In Seconds23:15 Destroyed In Seconds

21:50 Running Wild With BearGrylls22:40 Running Wild With BearGrylls And President...

00:05 Keeping Up With TheKardashians01:50 Botched02:50 Celebrity Style Story03:50 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills05:30 Celebrity Style Story06:00 Just Jillian06:55 E! News07:10 La Clippers Dance Squad08:10 E! News09:10 Rob & Chyna12:00 E! News12:15 Revenge Body With KhloeKardashian15:00 E! News15:15 Botched19:00 E! News20:00 Hollywood Medium WithTyler Henry21:00 Hollywood Medium WithTyler Henry22:00 Hollywood Medium WithTyler Henry23:00 E! News23:15 Botched

00:00 The Goldbergs00:30 Two And A Half Men01:00 Two And A Half Men01:30 Baskets02:00 Difficult People02:30 Ballers03:00 Scrubs03:30 Scrubs04:00 Breaking In04:30 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon05:30 The Mindy Project06:00 Til Death06:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers07:30 Dr. Ken08:00 Breaking In08:30 Scrubs09:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show10:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers11:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon12:00 Til Death12:30 Breaking In13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show14:00 Scrubs14:30 Dr. Ken15:00 The Mindy Project15:30 Two And A Half Men16:00 Two And A Half Men16:30 Til Death17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show18:00 Scrubs18:30 Gary Unmarried19:00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine19:30 New Girl20:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon21:00 Two And A Half Men21:30 Two And A Half Men22:00 Family Guy22:30 Bordertown23:00 Better Things23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers

07:50 I Almost Got Away With It08:40 Young, Hot & Crooked09:05 Young, Hot & Crooked09:30 A Crime To Remember10:20 Evil Online11:10 Nightmare Next Door12:00 Iʼd Kill For You12:50 I Almost Got Away With It13:40 Young, Hot & Crooked14:05 Young, Hot & Crooked14:30 A Crime To Remember15:20 Evil Online16:10 Vanity Fair Confidential17:00 Iʼd Kill For You17:50 I Almost Got Away With It18:40 Bad Blood19:05 Bad Blood19:30 A Crime To Remember20:20 Evil Online21:10 Killer Instinct With ChrisHansen22:00 The Darkest Of Nights:People Magazine...22:50 March To Justice23:40 A Crime To Remember

00:00 Restaurant: Impossible01:00 Mystery Diners02:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives03:00 Man Fire Food03:30 Man Fire Food04:00 Chopped05:00 Guyʼs Grocery Games06:00 Barefoot Contessa06:30 Barefoot Contessa

07:00 The Kitchen08:00 The Pioneer Woman09:00 Cooking For Real10:00 Sibaʼs Table11:00 The Kitchen12:00 The Pioneer Woman13:00 Sibaʼs Table14:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives15:00 Chopped16:00 The Kitchen17:00 Cooking For Real18:00 Chopped19:00 Chopped Junior20:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives21:00 Man Finds Food21:30 Man Finds Food22:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

08:00 Lawless Island09:00 Worldʼs Toughest Fixes10:00 Monster Fish11:00 Wicked Tuna12:00 Air Crash Investigation13:00 Genius14:25 Brain Games15:00 Alaska Fish Wars16:00 Monster Fish17:00 Wicked Tuna18:00 Air Crash Investigation19:00 Alaska Fish Wars20:00 Monster Fish20:50 Wicked Tuna21:40 Air Crash Investigation22:30 Alaska Fish Wars23:20 Chinaʼs Grand Canal: APhotographerʼs Journey

01:00 James And The Giant Peach03:00 One Christmas Eve05:00 Beverly Hills Chihuahua07:00 Brother Bear09:00 The Land Before Time:Journey Of The Brave11:00 Beverly Hills Chihuahua13:00 Atlantis: The Lost Empire15:00 Turner & Hooch17:00 Eight Below19:00 K-9 Adventures: Legend OfThe Lost Gold21:00 Hocus Pocus23:00 Turner & Hooch

23:35 The Hive23:45 Loopdidoo

00:20 The Curse Of Oak Island01:10 The Curse Of Oak Island02:00 Mummies Alive02:50 Storage Wars03:15 American Pickers04:05 Pawn Stars04:30 Pawn Stars05:00 Mountain Men06:00 Ultimate Wheels06:50 Ice Road Truckers07:40 Counting Cars08:05 Counting Cars08:30 Pawn Stars08:55 Pawn Stars09:20 Storage Wars09:45 Storage Wars10:10 American Pickers11:00 Time Team11:50 Billion Dollar Wreck12:40 Swamp People13:30 Ax Men14:20 Mountain Men15:10 Alaska Off-Road Warriors16:00 Ultimate Wheels16:50 Pawn Stars17:15 Pawn Stars17:40 The Curse Of Oak Island18:30 The Curse Of Oak Island19:20 Mountain Men20:10 American Pickers21:00 Ice Road Truckers21:50 Fifth Gear22:40 Swamp People23:30 American Pickers

ClassifiedsTUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY(20/04/2017 TO 26/04/2017)

SHARQIA-1GHOST IN THE SHELL 1:15 PMTHE BOSS BABY 1:30 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 3:30 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 5:45 PMUNFORGETTABLE 8:00 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 10:15 PMUNFORGETTABLE 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-2FAST & FURIOUS 8 12:30 PMTHE BOSS BABY 3:15 PMTHE BOSS BABY 5:15 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 7:15 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 10:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 12:45 AM

SHARQIA-3BISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 12:15 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 2:30 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 5:00 PMTHE BOSS BABY 7:30 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 9:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 11:45 PM

MUHALAB-1GHOST IN THE SHELL 12:45 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 3:00 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 5:15 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 7:30 PMUNFORGETTABLE 9:45 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 12:05 AM

MUHALAB-2BISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 1:15 PMTHE BOSS BABY 1:30 PMCOLOSSAL 3:30 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 5:45 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 8:00 PMCOLOSSAL 10:15 PMCOLOSSAL 12:30 AM

MUHALAB-3THE BOSS BABY 12:45 PMTHE BOSS BABY 2:45 PMTHE BOSS BABY 4:45 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 6:45 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 9:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 12:15 AM

FANAR-1BISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 12:45 PMMINE 3:00 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 5:15 PMMINE 7:30 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 10:00 PM

BISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 12:15 AM

FANAR-2THE BOSS BABY 11:30 AMTHE BOSS BABY 1:30 PMTHE BOSS BABY 3:30 PMTHE BOSS BABY 5:30 PMTHE BOSS BABY 7:30 PMUNFORGETTABLE 9:30 PMReal Madrid Vs Barcelona - Live Game 9:45 PMUNFORGETTABLE 12:05 AM

FANAR-3COLOSSAL 11:30 AMSMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE 1:45 PMCOLOSSAL 3:45 PMCOLOSSAL 6:00 PMCOLOSSAL 8:15 PMCOLOSSAL 10:30 PMCOLOSSAL 12:45 AM

FANAR-4THE BOSS BABY 11:30 AMFAST & FURIOUS 8 1:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 4:15 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 7:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 9:45 PMReal Madrid Vs Barcelona - Live Game 9:45 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 12:30 AM

FANAR-5GHOST IN THE SHELL 11:45 AMGHOST IN THE SHELL 2:00 PMSMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE 4:15 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 6:15 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 8:30 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 10:45 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 1:00 AM

MARINA-1BISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 1:15 PMSMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE 1:30 PMSMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE 3:30 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 5:30 PMCOLOSSAL 7:45 PMCOLOSSAL 10:00 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 12:15 AM

MARINA-2FAST & FURIOUS 8 1:00 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 1:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 3:45 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 6:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 9:15 PM

FAST & FURIOUS 8 12:05 AM

MARINA-3GHOST IN THE SHELL 11:45 AMTHE BOSS BABY 2:00 PMTHE BOSS BABY 4:00 PMTHE BOSS BABY 6:00 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 8:00 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 10:15 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 12:30 AM

AVENUES-1UNFORGETTABLE 12:00 PMUNFORGETTABLE 2:15 PMUNFORGETTABLE 4:30 PMSAFRA 5 NJOOM 6:45 PMUNFORGETTABLE 9:00 PMUNFORGETTABLE 11:15 PM

AVENUES-2THE BOSS BABY -3D-4DX 11:45 AMTHE BOSS BABY -3D-4DX 2:00 PMTHE BOSS BABY -3D-4DX 4:15 PMTHE BOSS BABY -3D-4DX 6:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8-2D-4DX 9:15 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8-2D-4DX 12:05 AM

AVENUES-3COLOSSAL 1:00 PMCOLOSSAL 3:15 PMCOLOSSAL 5:30 PMCOLOSSAL 7:45 PMCOLOSSAL 10:00 PMCOLOSSAL 12:15 AM

AVENUES-4FAST & FURIOUS 8 1:30 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 4:15 PMSpecial Show “THE BOSS BABY” 4:45 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 7:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 9:45 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 12:30 AM

360º- 1THE BOSS BABY 11:30 AMTHE BOSS BABY -3D 1:45 PMTHE BOSS BABY 4:00 PMTHE BOSS BABY -3D 6:15 PMTHE BOSS BABY 8:30 PMTHE BOSS BABY 10:45 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 1:00 AM

360º- 2COLOSSAL 12:15 PMCOLOSSAL 2:30 PMCOLOSSAL 4:45 PM

COLOSSAL 7:00 PMCOLOSSAL 9:15 PMCOLOSSAL 11:30 PM

360º- 3BISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 1:15 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 3:30 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 5:45 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 8:00 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 10:15 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.1FAST & FURIOUS 8 11:30 AMFAST & FURIOUS 8 2:15 PMSMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE 5:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 7:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 9:45 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.2BISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 1:00 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 3:15 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 5:30 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 7:45 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 10:00 PMBISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 12:15 AM

AL-KOUT.3GHOST IN THE SHELL 11:45 AMGHOST IN THE SHELL 2:00 PMTHE BOSS BABY 4:15 PMTHE BOSS BABY 6:15 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 8:15 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 10:30 PMGHOST IN THE SHELL 12:45 AM

AL-KOUT.4COLOSSAL 12:30 PMCOLOSSAL 2:45 PMUNFORGETTABLE 5:00 PMCOLOSSAL 7:15 PMCOLOSSAL 9:30 PMUNFORGETTABLE 11:45 PM

BAIRAQ-1FAST & FURIOUS 8 12:15 PMTHE BOSS BABY 3:00 PMTHE BOSS BABY -3D 5:00 PMTHE BOSS BABY 7:00 PMTHE BOSS BABY 9:00 PMFAST & FURIOUS 8 11:00 PM

BAIRAQ-2BISTERI RAJEL - Arabic 11:45 AMFAST & FURIOUS 8 2:00 PM

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 25/4/2017Airlines Flt Route Time

THY 772 Istanbul 00:10SVA 502 Jeddah 00:20SVA 514 Riyadh 00:25KAC 786 Jeddah 00:30MSC 411 Asyut 00:30JZR 267 Beirut 00:35RJA 642 Amman 00:45KAC 102 London 00:55DLH 635 Doha 01:00JZR 539 Cairo 01:25UAE 853 Dubai 01:40ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:50KKK 6506 Istanbul 01:55AXB 395 Kozhikode 02:00KLM 446 Bahrain 02:05KAC 358 Kochi 04:50KAC 784 Jeddah 05:00FEG 953 Asyut 05:00THY 6376 Istanbul 05:05THY 770 Istanbul 05:05DHX 170 Bahrain 05:10KAC 414 Bangkok 05:20KAC 332 Trivandrum 05:40BAW 157 London 06:05KAC 284 Dhaka 06:35KAC 206 Islamabad 06:40KAC 302 Mumbai 06:55KAC 354 Bangalore 07:50FDB 053 Dubai 07:50KAC 384 Delhi 08:00UAE 855 Dubai 08:25ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 08:55ABY 125 Sharjah 09:00QTR 1070 Doha 09:20FDB 055 Dubai 09:40IRA 675 Lar 09:40SVA 512 Riyadh 10:00GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40MEA 404 Beirut 10:55PAL 668 Manila 11:00JZR 561 Sohag 11:10KAC 614 Bahrain 11:15MSC 403 Asyut 11:15KAC 742 Dammam 11:45JZR 165 Dubai 11:50JZR 1331 Al Najaf 12:20UAE 871 Dubai 12:45THY 766 Istanbul 12:50FEG 933 Sohag 12:55MSR 610 Cairo 13:00AXB 393 Kozhikode 13:10KAC 672 Dubai 13:55KAC 692 Muscat 13:55QTR 1078 Doha 14:05KAC 364 Colombo 14:15GFA 221 Bahrain 14:15KAC 618 Doha 14:20FDB 059 Dubai 14:20QTR 8511 Doha 14:40

SVA 500 Jeddah 14:45KAC 788 Jeddah 14:55KNE 529 Jeddah 14:55JAD 301 Amman 15:00ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 15:05KAC 562 Amman 15:10OMA 645 Muscat 15:10KAC 502 Beirut 15:25KAC 412 Bangkok 15:30ABY 127 Sharjah 15:35UAE 857 Dubai 15:45RJA 640 Amman 16:00FDK 801 Damascus 16:00JZR 325 Al Najaf 16:15FDB 051 Dubai 16:15QTR 1072 Doha 16:15JZR 125 Bahrain 16:25NIA 361 Alexandria 16:50KAC 118 New York 16:55KAC 542 Cairo 17:05SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30JZR 777 Jeddah 17:35JZR 177 Dubai 17:45QTR 1080 Doha 18:05MSR 620 Cairo 18:30JZR 483 Istanbul 18:30UAE 875 Dubai 19:05GFA 217 Bahrain 19:05KAC 776 Riyadh 19:05FDB 063 Dubai 19:10ABY 123 Sharjah 19:20KAC 154 Istanbul 19:30KAC 674 Dubai 19:40KAC 616 Bahrain 19:40FDB 057 Dubai 19:50KAC 620 Doha 19:50OMA 647 Muscat 20:05DLH 634 Frankfurt 20:15MEA 402 Beirut 20:15QTR 1088 Doha 20:35KAC 164 Rome 20:55KAC 564 Amman 21:00KAC 172 Frankfurt 21:05KAC 168 Paris 21:05ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:10KLM 445 Amsterdam 21:15ALK 229 Colombo 21:15UAE 859 Dubai 21:15GFA 219 Bahrain 21:50QTR 1082 Doha 22:00NIA 0161 Cairo 22:10ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:10AIC 987 Chennai/Hyderabad 22:25PIA 239 Sialkot 22:35JZR 241 Amman 22:55JZR 185 Dubai 22:55JAI 574 Mumbai 23:00MSC 405 Sohag 23:30FDB 071 Dubai 23:35ICV 675 Luxembourg 23:35THY 764 Istanbul 23:45

Departure Flights on Tuesday 25/4/2017Airlines Flt Route TimeAIC 982 Ahmedabad/Chennai 00:05BBC 044 Dhaka 00:10JAI 573 Mumbai 00:30FDB 072 Dubai 00:30PIA 206 Lahore 01:00THY 773 Istanbul 01:40KAC 363 Colombo 01:55DLH 635 Frankfurt 02:00PGT 859 Istanbul 02:35THY 765 Istanbul 02:50ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:50KKK 6505 Istanbul 02:55KAC 351 Kochi 03:05UAE 854 Dubai 03:30OMA 644 Muscat 04:05QTR 1087 Doha 04:10ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:10MSR 613 Cairo 04:15KAC 417 Manila 04:20PGT 861 Istanbul 04:25JZR 560 Sohag 04:45CEB 019 Manila 05:30QTR 1077 Doha 05:35UAE 874 Dubai 06:15RJA 643 Amman 06:25THY 771 Istanbul 06:25GFA 212 Bahrain 06:50FDB 070 Dubai 07:05JZR 164 Dubai 07:15KAC 167 Paris 07:15KAC 501 Beirut 07:50KAC 613 Bahrain 07:55BAW 156 London 08:20FDB 054 Dubai 08:30KAC 511 Mashhad 08:35KAC 773 Riyadh 08:35KAC 117 New York 09:00KAC 161 Geneva 09:10KAC 787 Jeddah 09:15KAC 671 Dubai 09:15KAC 165 Rome 09:20KAC 691 Muscat 09:30JZR 482 Istanbul 09:35ABY 126 Sharjah 09:40KAC 101 London 09:45UAE 856 Dubai 09:50KAC 561 Amman 09:55ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:00KAC 541 Cairo 10:00IRA 666 Esfahan 10:15KAC 153 Istanbul 10:30QTR 1071 Doha 10:35FDB 056 Dubai 10:35GFA 214 Bahrain 11:35MEA 405 Beirut 11:55JZR 776 Jeddah 12:00AXB 890 Mangalore 12:05KAC 413 Bangkok 13:05JZR 176 Dubai 13:10JZR 124 Bahrain 13:30MSC 402 Alexandria 13:30THY 767 Istanbul 13:45

MSR 611 Cairo 14:00KAC 513 Tehran 14:10UAE 872 Dubai 14:15KAC 673 Dubai 15:00KNE 382 Taif 15:00GFA 222 Bahrain 15:00KAC 775 Riyadh 15:00FDB 060 Dubai 15:05QTR 1079 Doha 15:15SVA 501 Jeddah 15:45KNE 530 Jeddah 15:55KAC 661 Abu Dhabi 15:55KAC 743 Dammam 16:00KAC 619 Doha 16:00OMA 646 Muscat 16:10ABY 128 Sharjah 16:15ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 16:20KAC 563 Amman 16:25KAC 615 Bahrain 16:30SAW 706 Damascus 16:50FDK 802 Damascus 16:55RJA 641 Amman 16:55FDB 052 Dubai 17:05JZR 266 Beirut 17:15QTR 1073 Doha 17:25JZR 240 Amman 17:30UAE 858 Dubai 17:40KAC 357 Kochi 17:40KAC 381 Delhi 17:50KAC 331 Trivandrum 17:55KAC 283 Dhaka 18:00SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20JZR 184 Dubai 18:20JZR 538 Cairo 18:35KAC 785 Jeddah 18:45QTR 1081 Doha 19:15KAC 345 Ahmedabad 19:20MSR 621 Cairo 19:30GFA 218 Bahrain 19:50FDB 064 Dubai 19:50ABY 124 Sharjah 20:00FDB 058 Dubai 20:30UAE 876 Dubai 20:35KAC 353 Bangalore 20:55DLH 634 Doha 21:00OMA 648 Muscat 21:05KNE 232 Riyadh 21:10MEA 403 Beirut 21:15KAC 543 Cairo 21:30KAC 301 Mumbai 21:40QTR 1089 Doha 21:45DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50KAC 205 Islamabad 21:55ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:00ALK 230 Colombo 22:20KLM 445 Bahrain 22:25UAE 860 Dubai 22:35KAC 383 Delhi 22:35GFA 220 Bahrain 22:50ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:00KAC 783 Jeddah 23:10QTR 1083 Doha 23:20KAC 411 Bangkok 23:35

PRAYER TIMINGS

Automated enquiryabout the

Civil ID card is1889988

Fajr: 03:48Shorook: 05:11Duhr: 11:46Asr: 15:21Maghrib: 18:20Isha: 19:42

FOR SALE

LOST CHANGE OF NAME

112

Toyota Prado 2003 - goldencolor, 4 doors, 4 clr, in excel-lent condition. KD 1700.Mob: 50994848. (C 5302)24-4-2017

I, Abdullah Abdur Rashid s/oAbdul Rashid, holder ofIndian Passport No. J5395474and Civil ID No.273022102554 has changedmy name to Abdullah Shaikh,hereinafter in all my dealingsand documents. (C 5301)

I, Mario Costa R/o H.No.1310, Cuncolim VoddiSalcete, Goa, hereby changemy name from Mario PedroCosta to Mario Costa, here-after in all my dealings anddocuments I will be known asMario Costa. (C 5300)23-4-2017

Civil ID (No. 278051605719),Kuwait driving license, ATMcard, name of Jogi PratapReddy, has been lost inKhaitan area. If anyonefound please contact:51310611.25-4-2017


Someone near you this morning has a tendency to use hidden messagesfor self-expression but a customer or new co-worker cuts through to the facts. You areimpressed and right away will make quick friends with this new person. You aim toimprove your life in all sorts of ways and enjoy people that you can have in your life as amentor or guide. Get ready-this new person in your life may find things about you fromwhich this person will learn. Practical, effective ideas are the ones that make the mostsense now-putting them to good use is a focus for you. You may find yourself analyzingyour life situation and surroundings. You have luck with residential matters at this time.Buying or selling property now will get you a good price.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

STAR TRACK

Effective decisions are important and with your leadership status, you willbe able to show off your talents in a most extraordinary way this year. You do not standalone in your company and whether you own a company or you work for a company,this is the year your talents will be acknowledged. You not only use your talents to bene-fit the company you own or for which you work, you encourage others to do the samething. This lends itself to good teamwork and dependable, reliable team employees. Anold friend appears to you before your day is over and in no time at all a party is formed;you are the guest of honor. You have a lot of things to be grateful for and one of them isyourself. Enjoy the celebration of life.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Communication exchanges with others might lead you toward a teachingcareer in some way. This could be lecturing, part-time or full-time teaching,

tutoring, career guidance, etc. Whatever the case, this new venture will keep you busy aswell as satisfied intellectually, financially and socially. You may find you already have theeducation that is necessary to qualify for an education profession. There is a good feelingabout some new ideas you have. You are looking forward to talking over these ideaswith a loved one. Tonight may be a good time to have dinner away from home. Tonightis the time you and your mate may also enjoy a bit of shopping. You may finally find aparticular item for which you have been searching for a long time.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

You push to solve a work problem but some key information may be miss-ing. You will find the answer soon-pace yourself. After you have found what

is needed, you may want to take a break from the tension and do a little exercise and havea little refreshment. This afternoon the trend for solving problems seems to continue andyou encourage and raise the spirit of a depressed person through the art of listening. Youhave a positive attitude and can usually spread joy wherever you go. There is nothing thatpleases you quite so much as work or volunteer service that can make a difference insomebody else’s life. You may find a friend or family member joining you or helping you

with a worthwhile project. Tonight is for relaxation and perhaps a good book.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Time will work out most difficulties, particularly if you remain respectful.There is optimism and you take few risks when approaching difficult people. You have acertain way of winning over the most difficult personality and are pleased with the resultsyou discover. Just remember, steer into calm waters and take them with you as you makeyour presentations. Professional people recommend you because you consistently suc-ceed in your endeavors. This afternoon, at home, is a different atmosphere as you findfriends gather to gain your attention. There is a chance to help a friend shop for babyclothes this afternoon; there is an indication this child will come early. This might be agood time to plan the baby shower or at least check and see if one is in the works.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Personal and romantic feelings may interfere greatly with your ability towork well. However, once involved in the process of your profession you forget thosebothering personal thoughts. This period will bring about good conditions and communi-cation among co-workers. You could be most persuasive with others and charismatic inyour communication. You gain your confidence as you process through your day. You willalso be confident when you express your viewpoint. Don’t always be the last one to leaveyour place of work; others may take advantage of you. You cannot afford to neglect your-self. This evening the romantic frustrations have been solved and you are more clearhead-ed and able to know what you want.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Your ability to concentrate is better than usual. Technical problems are easi-er for you to solve as you have learned to be more patient with yourself and feel betterabout taking more time to decipher the instructions or to do particular research. You suc-cessfully ignore the one who keeps telling you to hurry and you come through the daywith more results, answers, progress and discoveries than ever before. You will find theperson who wants you to hurry will calm eventually and the work atmosphere will buildinto a more beneficial one in the future. Endurance and patience with yourself is theanswer toward your progress. Close relationships on the home front become deeper. Youand a loved one laugh together and enjoy the evening.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

In your professional life, it is ideas that count, much more than narrowlypersonal concerns. A business will honor the employee that works to

improve, enhance and help the business move forward. Intimate ties and business part-nerships get the green light today. Business deals and superiors, as you know, can be han-dled best with tact. Progress is good. An understanding for all the people in your life isadmirable and may be one of the reasons you are usually called on to help out in somecause. You might consider ways to help those that are homebound and may have a diffi-cult time in seeing. Perhaps some recorded stories, biographies, etc., would bring muchpleasure to those who can no longer drive or read. Music is most relaxing this evening.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

You are likely to find yourself tuning into some pretty amazing things if youlet your visionary side really wake up. This is not a great time for career or vocational deci-sions, but your creative ideas will bring about motivation for others. Some of your moti-vating ideas will be beneficial to you in a roundabout way. You seem to take the fluctua-tion of the day with a grain of salt and a bit of humor. You work with a good focus and arehappy not to have any more responsibilities than you have. You are intuitively aware ofany adjustments that are needed today, whether it is in the work you do or in how youcommunicate with the people around you. The need to adapt to the game of work, poli-

tics and performing on a personal level is satisfied.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

All indications lead to your being extremely busy in the workplace today.There may be many instances where you will have to supply a solution to a particularproblem. Be prepared to work quickly and take your allocated breaks when you can. Youwill bring an excellent idea to higher-ups as you write out a plan to adjust a routine oreliminate a step that has slowed a work process. Focus into your day by finding out whereyour energies can be best applied. You are good at expressing your authority with a sensi-tivity that many supervisors do not have. In-depth discussions and probing conversationsfind you at your mental best. The subject of adoption is of some interest to you thisevening and you may find yourself attracted to the concept.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

CROSSWORD 1589

ACROSS1. The sign language used in the UnitedStates.4. Genus of North American and eastAsian perennial herbs.11. Tropical woody herb with showy yel-low flowers and flat pods.15. Aircraft landing in bad weather inwhich the pilot is talked down by groundcontrol using precision approach radar.16. Abbreviation of a word by omittingthe final sound or sounds.17. Cancel, annul, or reverse an action orits effect.18. An ugly evil-looking old woman.19. A second-rate prize fighter.20. A strong post (as on a wharf or quayor ship for attaching mooring lines).21. The blood group whose red cells car-ry both the A and B antigens.23. German poet (born in Austria) whoseimagery and mystic lyricism influenced20-th century German literature (1875-1926).25. The sciences concerned with gather-ing and manipulating and storing andretrieving and classifying recorded infor-mation.27. A doctor's degree in religion.28. (Old Testament) The eldest son ofIsaac who would have inherited theCovenant that God made with Abrahamand that Abraham passed on to Isaac.30. Kneading and rubbing parts of thebody to increase circulation and promoterelaxation v 1.34. By chance.38. A covered passageway.39. A soft silver-white ductile metallic ele-ment (liquid at normal temperatures).41. That is to say.42. The money risked on a gamble.43. The father of your father or mother.44. The seed-producing cone of a pinetree.47. A cruel and brutal fellow.48. An associate degree in nursing.50. Type genus of the family Arcidae.51. A French abbot.54. A column of light (as from a beacon).57. With respect to the face.60. The ball-shaped capsule containingthe vertebrate eye.61. Having facets.68. Jewish republic in southwestern Asiaat eastern end of Mediterranean.71. Electrical conduction through a gas inan applied electric field.72. The federal agency that insures resi-dential mortgages.73. One of four subclasses or superordersof Monocotyledones.75. A decree that prohibits something.76. A graphical record of electrical activi-ty of the brain.77. Widespread genus or herbs or soft-wooded arborescent shrubs cultivatedfor their showy flowers.78. (Hawaiian) A small guitar having fourstrings.

DOWN1. Title for a civil or military leader (espe-cially in Turkey).2. Someone who works (or providesworkers) during a strike.3. The act of slowing down or fallingbehind.

4. A period of time spent sleeping.5. South American armadillo with threebands of bony plates.6. An especially luminous meteor (some-times exploding).7. (archaic) Of persons.8. The expression on a person's face.9. Activity involved in maintaining some-thing in good working order.10. Relating to or characteristic of oroccurring on the sea or ships.11. 43rd President of the United States.12. A blue dye obtained from plants ormade synthetically.13. A television system that has morethan the usual number of lines per frameso its pictures show more detail.14. A globular water bottle used in Asia.22. The seventh month of the civil year.24. A dress worn primarily by Hinduwomen.26. A genus of Ploceidae.29. A French river that flows through theheart of Paris and then northward intothe English Channel.31. A unit of weight used in someSpanish speaking countries.32. Covered with scabs.33. Wild or seedling sweet cherry used asstock for grafting.35. (anatomy) Opposite to or away fromthe mouth.36. A thin cylindrical pointed writingimplement.37. Hot or warm and humid.40. A composition that imitates some-body's style in a humorous way.45. Any tree or shrub of the genus Ingahaving pinnate leaves and showy usuallywhite flowers.46. West Indian tree having racemes offragrant white flowers and yielding adurable timber and resinous juice.49. 1/10 gram.52. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.53. Enchanter's nightshade.55. Render verbally, "recite a poem".56. Any of various deciduous or ever-green ornamental shrubs of the genusAbelia having opposite simple leaves andcymes of small white or pink or purplishflowers.58. Large American feline resembling alion.59. Large brownish-green New Zealandparrot.62. United States tennis player who wasthe first Black to win United States andEnglish singles championships (1943-1993).63. A steep rugged rock or cliff.64. Remove with or as if with a ladle.65. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agri-culture and patron of scribes andschools.66. A republic in the Middle East in west-ern Asia.67. An inflammatory disease involvingthe sebaceous glands of the skin.69. An independent agency of the UnitedStates government responsible for col-lecting and coordinating intelligence andcounterintelligence activities abroad inthe national interest.70. A successful stroke in an athletic con-test (especially in baseball).74. Being five more than fifty.

Yesterday’s Solution


34s t a r s

Daily SuDoku

Wordsearch Puzzle

Practical, workable ideas are the ones that make the most sense now-putting them to good use is a focus for you. There are optimism, faith and a tendency totake chances. Today you will be able to stretch your talents farther than usual as you tack-le tasks that require real discipline. You could find yourself working successfully-with theflow of energy and being productive. You may have some serious or contemplativemoments that help you communicate well with higher-ups. There may be a need forrelaxation during the noon meal but you might find a leisure walk beneficial. Opt forsome quiet time alone this afternoon and then you will be ready for more interaction inthe business world. This evening you share some quiet time with a loved one.

This may be a challenging day in that you will need to become moreabsorbed in your work. There seems to be a time element that is important

today. You are very enterprising and can encourage others to perform well. Creatively, youneed to focus on completing projects and seeing things through to a successful conclu-sion. Mental stimulation is important after work and you seek to find a new game, newmusic, new restaurant, etc. If you are involved in a relationship you will find all sorts ofimprovements as your attention is focused on pleasing others. If you are looking for a rela-tionship, the thrill of the chase might be most of the fun for now. This is a successful andprogressive day. Your focus brings many rewards.


inf or m at ionTUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

Ahmadi Sama Safwan Fahaeel Makka St 23915883Abu Halaifa Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd 23715414Danat Al-Sultan Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd 23726558

Jahra Modern Jahra Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 24575518Madina Munawara Jahra-Block 92 24566622

Capital Ahlam Fahad Al-Salem St 22436184Khaldiya Coop Khaldiya Coop 24833967

Farwaniya New Shifa Farwaniya Block 40 24734000Ferdous Coop Ferdous Coop 24881201Modern Safwan Old Kheitan Block 11 24726638

Hawally Tariq Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25726265Hana Salmiya-Amman St 25647075Ikhlas Hawally-Beirut St 22625999Hawally & Rawdha Hawally & Rawdha Coop 22564549Ghadeer Jabriya-Block 1A 25340559Kindy Jabriya-Block 3B 25326554Ibn Al-Nafis Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25721264Mishrif Coop Mishrif Coop 25380581Salwa Coop Salwa Coop 25628241

Ophthalmologists

Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444

Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222

Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171

Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999

Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700

Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223

Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)

Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510

Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660

Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478

Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996

Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988

Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166

Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426

General Practitioners

Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123

Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312

Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920

Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465

Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528

Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781

Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501

Urologists

Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534

Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955

Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660

Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120

Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

For labor-related inquiries and complaints:

Call MSAL hotline 128

Sabah Hospital 24812000

Amiri Hospital 22450005

Maternity Hospital 24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700

Chest Hospital 24849400

Farwaniya Hospital 24892010

Adan Hospital 23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300

Al-Razi Hospital 24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9

Kaizen center 25716707

Rawda 22517733

Adaliya 22517144

Khaldiya 24848075

Kaifan 24849807

Shamiya 24848913

Shuwaikh 24814507

Abdullah Salem 22549134

Nuzha 22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764

Qadsiya 22515088

Dasmah 22532265

Bneid Al-Gar 22531908

Shaab 22518752

Qibla 22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla 22451082

Mirqab 22456536

Sharq 22465401

Salmiya 25746401

Jabriya 25316254

Maidan Hawally 25623444

Bayan 25388462

Mishref 25381200

W Hawally 22630786

Sabah 24810221

Jahra 24770319

New Jahra 24575755

West Jahra 24772608

South Jahra 24775066

North Jahra 24775992

North Jleeb 24311795

Ardhiya 24884079

Firdous 24892674

Omariya 24719048

N Khaitan 24710044

Fintas 23900322

GOVERNORATE PHARMACY ADDRESS PHONE

Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari 22617700

Dr. Abdel Quttainah 25625030/60

Family Doctor

Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists

Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians

DrAdrian arbe 23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272

Dr. Salem soso 22618787

General Surgeons

Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart

Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3

Paediatricians

Dr. Khaled Hamadi 25665898

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard 25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar 22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof 25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare 23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew 24334282

Dermatology

Dr. Mohammed Salam Bern University 23845955

Dentists

Dr Anil Thomas 3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar 22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed 22562226

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer 22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan 22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash 22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan 25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari 25620111

Neurologists

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan 25345875

Gastrologists

Dr. Sami Aman 22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali 22633135

Endocrinologist

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924

Physiotherapists & VD

Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288

Rheumatologists:

Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart

DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital 25339667

Consultant Cardiologist

Dr. Farida Al-Habib 2611555-2622555 MD, PH.D, FACC

Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Soor CenterTel: 2290-1677Fax: 2290 1688

[email protected]

Psychologists/Psychotherapists

PRIVATE CLINICS

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Kaizen center25716707

Noor Clinic23845955

INTERNATIONALCALLS

Afghanistan 0093

Albania 00355

Algeria 00213

Andorra 00376

Angola 00244

Anguilla 001264

Antiga 001268

Argentina 0054

Armenia 00374

Australia 0061

Austria 0043

Azerbaijan 00994

Bahamas 001242

Bahrain 00973

Bangladesh 00880

Barbados 001246

Belarus 00375

Belgium 0032

Belize 00501

Benin 00229

Bermuda 001441

Bhutan 00975

Bolivia 00591

Bosnia 00387

Botswana 00267

Brazil 0055

Brunei 00673

Bulgaria 00359

Burkina 00226

Burundi 00257

Cambodia 00855

Cameroon 00237

Canada 001

Cape Verde 00238

Cayman Islands 001345

Central African 00236

Chad 00235

Chile 0056

China 0086

Colombia 0057

Comoros 00269

Congo 00242

Cook Islands 00682

Costa Rica 00506

Croatia 00385

Cuba 0053

Cyprus 00357

Cyprus (Northern) 0090392

Czech Republic 00420

Denmark 0045

Diego Garcia 00246

Djibouti 00253

Dominica 001767

Dominican Republic 001809

Ecuador 00593

Egypt 0020

El Salvador 00503

England (UK) 0044

Equatorial Guinea 00240

Eritrea 00291

Estonia 00372

Ethiopia 00251

Falkland Islands 00500

Faroe Islands 00298

Fiji 00679

Finland 00358

France 0033

French Guiana 00594

French Polynesia 00689

Gabon 00241

Gambia 00220

Georgia 00995

Germany 0049

Ghana 00233

Gibraltar 00350

Greece 0030

Greenland 00299

Grenada 001473

Guadeloupe 00590

Guam 001671

Guatemala 00502

Guinea 00224

Guyana 00592

Haiti 00509

Holland (Netherlands) 0031

Honduras 00504

Hong Kong 00852

Hungary 0036

Ibiza (Spain) 0034

Iceland 00354

India 0091

Indian Ocean 00873

Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098

Iraq 00964

Ireland 00353

Italy 0039

Ivory Coast 00225

Jamaica 001876

Japan 0081

Jordan 00962

Kazakhstan 007

Kenya 00254

Kiribati 00686

Kuwait 00965

Kyrgyzstan 00996

Laos 00856

Latvia 00371

Lebanon 00961

Liberia 00231

Libya 00218

Lesotho 00266

Lithuania 00370

Luxembourg 00352

Macau 00853

Macedonia 00389

Madagascar 00261

Majorca 0034

Malawi 00265

Malaysia 0060

Maldives 00960

Mali 00223

Malta 00356

Marshall Islands 00692

Martinique 00596

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l if e s t y l eG O S S I P

Noel Gallagher says his new album is scheduled to be released inNovember. The former Oasis rocker has been working with produc-er David Holmes at the music maestro's home in Belfast, Northern

Ireland, and at his private studio at his house in London and he has spilledthat it will be out by November. Appearing on his close friend RussellBrand's Radio X show, he was quizzed by the comedian as to when fanscan expect to hear his next batch of songs. He replied: "I believe it's slatedfor a November release." When pushed for a song title, he said: "There'sone just called instrumental number three." Noel, 49, previously revealedthat he expected the third High Flying Birds LP - the follow-up to 2015's'Chasing Yesterday' - to be finished by June before he makes his annualtrip to Glastonbury with his wife Sara MacDonald. And the 'AKA... What aLife!' hitmaker admitted he is very excited about unveiling the album tothe world because Holmes - who is famous for his movie soundtrack work- got him to record in a totally different way for him. In a 2016 interviewwith BBC Radio 6, he said: "I think we're into the home straight now. I'vebeen given the deadline which is to have everything finished - mastered,

artwork, videos, the lot done by the time I go to Glastonbury in June". "Allthe songs that I was writing towards making a record have not been usedbecause when we decided to make a record with David Holmes the wayhe works is that all the writing gets done in the studio. So I started thisrecord at his house in Belfast. The process is the complete opposite to theway that I've always worked. With this, you have no idea what you've gotuntil it's there, and the end results are great because they're constantlyevolving." Noel's younger brother and former Oasis bandmate LiamGallagher is also putting the finishing touches to his own album. The 44-year-old singer is releasing his debut solo LP, titled 'As You Were', and thewild rocker has previously told the band's fans to expect 2017 to be "theyear of the face off" between him and Noel - who he has barely spoken tosince the guitarist quit Oasis in 2009 following a backstage fight betweenthe siblings. In a Twitter rant, Liam posted: "2017 the year of the face offWright vs wrong Real Vs fake Love vs Hate as you were LFUKING x "He's notthe messiahs he's a vet NORTY boy ... Chilli putter Carlo void man (sic)"

Gallagher's new album set for November release

Lady Gagais always tryingto 'expand' her creative bubble

Lady Gaga never stops trying to "expand herbubble" creatively, according to her visualdirector Richy Jackson. The pair started work-

ing together back in 2011 when Richy became herlead choreographer and he has been responsible forhelping the pop megastar create some of her mosticonic moments, including her unforgettable'Telephone' video with BeyoncÈ, her Super Bowl half-time show and her headline performances at thisyear's Coachella Festival. Richy, 38, says the greatestthing about working with Gaga, is that she neverwants to stall as an artist and is always determined topush herself and everyone who is part of her team. Inan interview with Billboard, he said: "I think we'velearned to continue pushing our creative bubbles.She'll challenge me to try this or go with that. I'll say,'OK, how do we make it faster or slower? How do weturn it another way?' I always think about wherewe've come from and where we're going on. Forinstance, for 'John Wayne', I knew that was about herintense relationships with men, so I wanted thedance to feel rougher. I loved the couple section Icreated for her where she's hopping on the guy'sback and still dancing and singing. That's the beautyof our organic, creative relationship: we both keeptrying to expand each other's bubble." Richy - whohas also worked with Usher, Will Smith, Katy Perry,Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliot and *NSYNC among manymore big names - is very proud of the stage show heand Gaga created for Coachella. The dance expertwas delighted when their rock vision for the annualevent - which is held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio,California - was realized fully by Gaga for her fans. Hesaid: "What we decided to do with this show[Coachella] is play with the many genres within [LadyGaga]. She can go from a pop vibe to a rock style. Wefound a way to mix all her vibes with the set. Whenwe performed 'Just Dance' it was more of her and theband, and she remixed it a bit at the top. Normally,we have her with all the dancers. It's usually more ofa pop visual, as opposed to Coachella where [wemade it] more of a rock visual that allows the band tosoar." And Richy is excited for the rest of 2017 whichwill see Gaga take her 'Joanne World Tour' aroundthe globe. He said: "With Lady Gaga, it's going to bethe 'Joanne Tour', I'm really excited about that. It'sgoing to be fun to bring that album to life, so peoplecan see the vision. I love going on tour and seeing allthe fans in different cities. They're so excited and wel-coming."

Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff arereuniting to headline theLIVEWIRE Festival this summer.

The 48-year-old actor-and-rapper is gettingback on stage with his long-time friend -whom he performed with under the nameDJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, a nod tohis TV series 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' - totop the bill at the music event in Blackpool,England, which will be held over the week-end of August 25 to August 27. Not onlywill festival-goers see the pair performtheir biggest hits, such as 'Summertime'and 'Boom! Shake the Room', but they willalso be able to watch The Jacksons andsome of the biggest pop hits of the 1980sas part of Pete Waterman's Hit Factoryincluding the producer himself as well asJason Donovan. A LIVEWIRE spokespersonsaid: "This is LIVEWIRE Festival's first yearand we are thrilled to be launching thisfabulous weekend of music. We can't waitto bring Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, TheJacksons, Jason Donovan and more toBlackpool, the best location in the UK for

entertainment." The festival will be held atthe Blackpool Headland Arena and ticketsgo on sale on Tuesday at 10am fromlivewirefestival.co.uk. Jeff, 51, is a regularon the festival circuit and has made nosecret of his wish to get his friend Will backon stage with him. Jeff's dream would befor the duo to bring their brand of hip hopto the world famous Glastonbury Festival.Speaking to BANG Showbiz previously, hesaid: "We've had interest in Glastonbury,whenever the decision comes down, I'mthere. The hardest part of us doing this[reuniting] is the clearing of the schedule. Itour about 180 days out of the year but hemakes movies so it's more on his side ofhaving to clear a schedule for us to be ableto rehearse and go on the road. Sometimesit gets a little hard with him being one ofthe biggest movie stars in the world to freeup his time. But he absolutely, positivelywants to do this."

Will Smith to join DJ JazzyJeff for UK festival

Ed Sheeran is rumored to quit themusic industry to pursue a "morenormal life". The 26-year-old

vocalist made his comeback earlier thisyear when he released two new singles'Shape of You' and 'Castle On The Hill'from his 'Divide' album after taking aone-year hiatus, but it has been report-ed the flame-haired musician is contem-plating taking a more permanent breakbecause he has "achieved everythingthere is to achieve". Speaking about theaward-winning artist - who picked upthe gong for Song of the Year at the2016 Grammy Awards of 'Thinking OutLoud' - a source told the Daily Starnewspaper: "Ed has pretty muchachieved everything there is to achievein music. "He absolutely loves what hedoes and is riding the wave of his suc-cess at the moment, but at the sametime he wants a more normal life." Andit has been reported the 'A Team' hit-

maker, who is currently dating CherrySeaborn, would gladly put his career onhold for his partner if their relationshipwas to progress on to the next step andhe was to marry and start a family. Theinsider continued: "When or if he getsmarried he wants to put his wife andkids first and not his career. If thatmeans going AWOL for years then so beit." Ed is set to headline Glastonbury fes-tival this year, and he is also travellingaround the UK as part of his latest tour,but it is rumored his busy work sched-ule will be a "big test" for him and hisgirlfriend because "every day" for thenext 12 months he is believed to be"practically full". The source said: "Thebig test is if the relationship survivesthis album and the tour, "When they gottogether Ed was on his year off butevery day in his schedule for the nextyear is practically full."

Ed Sheeran is rumored to

quit the music industry

Lupita Nyong'o and

Rihanna want to star

in a movie together

Lupita Nyong'o and Rihanna want to star in a movietogether. An old photograph of the '12 Years A Slave'star and the singer and part-time actress sat next to

each other at a 2014 Miu Miu fashion show resurfaced onSunday prompting Twitter users to inventing a plotline fora potential heist movie featuring the pair. But the hysteriathe imaginary project created on Twitter - with 79,000 likesand 28,000 re-tweets - has prompted the two stars toaccept the invitation. Nyong'o, 34, tweeted: "I'm down ifyou are @rihanna (sic)" And Rihanna - who was mostrecently seen in TV show 'Bates Motel' as Marion Crane, thecharacter who is murdered in the shower by Norman Bates- agreed to get on board for the film too. The 29-year-oldBajan beauty tweeted: "I'm in Pit'z (sic)" One Twitter userset the project in motion by tweeting the picture with thecaption: "Rihanna looks like she scams rich white men andlupita is the computer smart best friend that helps plan thescans (sic)." Many fans responded with potential plot andscript lines, and even 'Whiplash' producer Helen Estabrookwaded in on the filmmaking. She offered to produce, bytweeting: ".@Lupita_Nyongo @rihanna I will more thanhappily produce this movie". But fans will have to watchthis space to see if anything comes of it.

Jon Favreau goes swimming withhis kids if one of his films is a flop.The 50-year-old actor-and-direc-

tor's last project was working on theremake of Disney classic 'The JungleBook', a critical and box office success,but he accepts that not every moviehe puts out will do so well. If theresponse to one of his projects is notwhat he was hoping for, then Favreautakes some time out with his threekids - son Max, 15, and two daughters,Madeleine, 14, and nine-year-oldBrighton Rose, aged nine - and hiswife Joya Tillem to get into a differenthead space. Speaking during a Q&Asession at the Tribeca Film Festivalwhere actress Scarlett Johansson wasthe interviewer, Favreau revealed thatevery time he "would start to getbummed out" by the reaction to his2011 sci-fi film 'Cowboys and Aliens'he'd go swimming with his kids as adistraction. Favreau said: "By the endof the summer, I was so tanned. Iwould look in the mirror and I'd say,'I'm going out to the pool a lot.' "'Cowboys and Aliens' - which starredDaniel Craig, Olivia Wilde andHarrison Ford - was considered to be afinancial disappointment, after it tookjust $174.8 million at the box office,despite costing $163 million to make.It received mixed reviews, with criticspraising the acting and productionbut panning some inconsistencies inthe plot. But when he does take thedirectors' seat for a film, Favreauadmits he gets "completelyimmersed" in the project. Heexplained: "When you direct it, youhave to love it, especially one of thosethat takes like two or three years to

do. Love it to the point of obsession.So there are things that I might wantto see or be involved with or act inbut that's a lot different than I have tolive, breathe, sleep it, dream it. If I'mgoing to do my best work, I have tobe completely immersed." Favreau hasbeen entrusted by Walt Disney

Pictures to helm the remake of 'TheLion King', which stars the likes ofDonald Glover as Simba and JamesEarl Jones as Mufasa, and he admitshe feels the pressure for his work tolive up to fans' "expectations" whenre-working these Disney animatedclassics. He said: "What I'm trying todo is honor what was there ... Thereare certain expectations people have.'The Jungle Book' was 50 years ago;'Lion King' was 20, and people grewup with it in an age of video wherethey're watching it over and over

again. So, I have to really examine allof those plot points. Also, the mythsare very strong in that, so you're hit-ting something even deeper than themovie sometimes." And in order to tapinto the viewers' best loved moviemoments, Favreau said he tries torecall his own memories. He said: "I

remember Mowgli and the snake. Iremember the snake's eyes. I remem-ber Baloo going down the river andMowgli riding on him like a raft. Imade a big list, and I said those arethe images we definitely need ... It'sabout the audience having the expe-rience they're hoping they have, and ifyou can surprise them along the way,they'll enjoy it even more, but yougotta live up to what they want, soyou get greater pressure with thesebeloved stories."

Jon Favreau goes swimmingwith his kids if his films flop


M U S I C & M O V I E S

l if e s t y l e

Liang Shanshan considers herself a mother of two: onechild is her biological son, the other is a 16-year-oldChinese teen pop star she has never met. She is a "moth-

er fan" and part of a group of women in their mid-20s to 60swhose maternal instincts are set off by China's boy band sen-sation TFBoys("The Fighting Boys"). The band has won millionsof Chinese followers since their 2013 debut, rapidly amassinga following ardent enough to buy a giant ad in New York'sTimes Square for a band member's birthday. Liang insists herfeelings are no fleeting fancy: Just like a real mother, her devo-tion to TFBoys' singer Roy Wang (Wang Yuan) is unwavering.

"Our fandom isn't shallow," she explains, adding: "I intendto follow him through his entire career." While tween fans areattracted to the teenagers' boyish good looks, Liang and herfriends are drawn to their cherubic personas and wholesomevalues, with songs that explore the trials of growing up("Practise Book for Youth," "Imperfect Kid"). Some, like 24-year-old Yang Andan, even make annual pilgrimages to Wang'shometown of Chongqing in southern Sichuan province. "Themore I learn about (Wang), the more I like him," Yang said.

Empty nest Liang's family has embraced her fandom. Her four-year-old

refers to TFBoys as his "big brothers," and her husband accom-panies her to concerts to see Wang, describing him as their"kid". Anthony Fung, a Chinese University of Hong Kong profes-sor who studies pop culture, said this trend of mothers who"worship young idols" began with teen stars of Korean dramas,which are hugely popular in China. TFBoys are "quite Korean inaesthetic", he pointed out, adding that so-called mother fansare "repeating the same kind of relationship where they willfollow an idol... from the beginning to the end".

"They love that kind of healthy, cute boy image," heexplained. Nearly a quarter of TFBoys fans are at least 30 yearsold-double the band members' age, according to a survey byChinese media giant Sina. Fung says in some cases the obses-sion with TFBoys is a symptom of empty nest syndrome. "Theolder fans may have kids who are grown up, so now they'relooking for someone else to be at the centre of their atten-tion," he said. Affluent Chinese women, many of whom have

only one child to spoil thanks to decades of the one-child poli-cy, are more than happy to splash out on their celebrity kids.

To celebrate the birthday of TFBoys member Jackson Yi(Yiyang Qianxi) in November, fans flew a cake-shaped hot airballoon over New York and held a party on a cruise ship inShanghai. Sometimes, their loyalty is rewarded. On his 15thbirthday, Wang debuted a song dedicated to his fans called"Because I Met You."

'My heart hurts' A recent university graduate who works at a Beijing-based

Internet company, Yang said she has learned a lot from thesinger nearly ten years her junior. Every year, she gathers withfans in Chongqing to coat the streets with TFBoys posters in

celebration of Wang's birthday, spending several sleeplessnights on enormous decorations. She has even seen her idolin person a handful of times, at meet-and-greets and as partof airport welcoming parties. "Every time I see him I feel like Ihaven't seen enough," Yang said. "But my heart hurts thinkingabout how hard he works. I hope he'll have more time to rest."

Aside from his entertainment career, Wang also works withseveral charities and represented China earlier this year at theUnited Nations Youth Forum in New York. The schedule does-n't leave him much time for his real family, which the star isonly able to see a handful of times a year. "My dream hasalways been to make enough money to buy my parents andgrandparents a house," Wang said during a TV interview inFebruary.

Yang and Liang, who addressed each other by their fanaliases ("Mushroom" and "Goldfish," respectively), both vowedto remain loyal to Wang, whom they firmly believe is more tal-ented and a better person than the other TFBoys. Even whenher childlike icon is a child no more, Liang said-in an echo of aTFBoys song-they can indulge in the "very joyful process ofgrowing up together." Like young people everywhere, howev-er, TFBoys's more traditional teenybopper fans are not alwayshappy to share their idols with people of their parents' gener-ation. "A girl at one of the concerts said my husband was tooold to be there," Liang said with a shrug. — AFP

For Chinese fans, popular teen band are mama's boys

A woman having her hair done during an event for fans of China's boy band sensation TFBoys "The Fighting Boys" at auniversity in Beijing. — AFP photos

A woman holding her mobile phone carrying a picture of Roy Wang from China's boy band sensation TFBoys "TheFighting Boys" during an event.

Woman handing out leaflets during an event for fans of China's boy band sensationTFBoys "The Fighting Boys".

A group of women reacting as a poster of Roy Wang from China's boy band sensationTFBoys "The Fighting Boys" blows over during an event for fans.

AGerman court ruled yesterday that 10people will face trial accused of negli-gently causing a catastrophic stam-

pede at a 2010 "Love Parade" techno musicfestival that killed 21 people. Overturning ayear-old ruling, the court decided that fourevent organizers and six officials of the cityof Duisburg will face charges including neg-ligent manslaughter and causing bodilyharm. Prosecutors, victims' relatives and sur-vivors have pointed to chaotic crowd man-agement as the cause of the disaster inwhich revelers were crushed, trampled todeath and suffocated.

More than 650 people were injured in themass panic as pressure from a heaving sea ofhundreds of thousands of young peoplesquashed the victims against fences andwalls. A Duisburg court a year ago dismissedthe criminal case, casting doubt on an expertreport on the disaster, in a ruling thatangered victims' groups. But now, after anappeal, a higher panel in Duesseldorf over-turned that ruling, saying there was a "suffi-ciently" high chance of convicting thoseresponsible. It said in a statement there was"cause to believe" that shortcomings inorganizers' duty of care caused the deathsand injuries.

The court did not set a starting date forthe trial. Negligent manslaughter carries upto five years in prison. Prosecutors blamedserious planning errors for the July 24, 2010tragedy at the site, a former cargo rail depotin the western industrial city. Eight men and13 women were killed-included seven for-eigners, from Australia, China, Italy, theNetherlands and Spain. The city mayor at thetime, Adolf Sauerland, became the prime tar-get of public anger, accused of havingignored warnings that the summer festivalwas a disaster waiting to happen, and wasforced to resign by a 2012 city referendum.

The Love Parade started as an under-ground event in the former West Berlin in1989 and was held there most years until2006, at times drawing over one million peo-ple. Following wrangling over permits andarguments over the mountains of trash leftbehind, the festival moved from Berlin tocities in western Germany's industrial Ruhrregion until the tragedy of 2010. The deadlydisaster led organizers to declare that theLove Parade would never be held again "outof respect for the victims". — AFP

Paco Sery was a kibanging on tin cans before ajob at a Club Med in Ivory Coast opened theway to drumming for Congo's rumba king

Papa Wemba as well as Nina Simone and other jazzgreats. The Ivorian drummer has performed withManu Dibango and Dee Dee Bridgewater, display-ing a talent and fervor that could only lead to Paris,a European hub for mixing and merging globalstyles. French jazzman Eddy Louiss, a genius of theHammond organ, took him on for a tour. "That wasamazing. People made me listen to all the greatmusicians. I also found myself playing in front ofthem," recalls Sery, now nearly 61 years old.

In his music career Sery became a core memberof Sixun, an experimental jazz fusion band that sawthe light of day in 1984 and made a dozen recordsby 2010, while the musicians also nurtured side-projects. He befriended Jaco Pastorius and WayneShorter, famed US members of the pioneering jazz-rock fusion band Weather Report founded by thelate Austrian keyboard wizard Joe Zawinul."Zawinul was a great guy," Sery says. "We playedtogether often." He became drummer in theZawinul Syndicate, an international ensemblewhose release "My People" was nominated for a1997 Grammy Award for Best World Music album.

In 2009, a live double album by Zawinul's band,called "75" and featuring Sery, won a Grammy forBest Contemporary Jazz Album. Born into a familyof 18 children in Divo, a small town 180 kilometres(112 miles) west of Abidjan, Sery would accompanyolder sister Lucie to local dance contests. "She wonlittle things, a bit of money, and I immersed myselfin the music. I wanted to do everything like her,"Paco recalls, but he was mostly infatuated with theglistening drums.

"In the end, I built myself a kit with boxes for the

bass drum, large cans of tomatoes for tom toms, lidsfor cymbals. I even made a pedal out of wood andelastic for the bass drum." From such makeshiftbeginnings, Paco was totally self-taught. "I watchedthe drummers, their movements, the way they didthings and later I imitated them."

'Give it a try!' The racket infuriated his father. "Every afternoon,

since I couldn't play at my dad's, I went to play at myaunt's. That was fun for her with her alloco (friedplantain) business. She sold allocos with that!" Pacowas just 10 when he tried his luck at a dance hall. "Imanaged to sneak into the hall and during thebreak, I asked the bandleader, who was also thedrummer and the singer, if I could have a go. 'You'rea child, you've got a cheek,' he said. 'Give it a try!' So

I did. All the musicians were surprised. 'We'll hireyou,' the bandleader said."

"I told myself that it wasn't worth asking myfather and went off with them at the age of 10. Wewent to Dabou and I earned 30,000 CFA francs (45euros) a month as well as board. In those days, thatwas enormous," he added. The child wonder fre-quented night clubs, concert venues and dances,and he was invited to perform on television. Heplayed with artists of all kinds, from the stars ofIvorian pop to rumba musicians and singers cover-ing American and French hits.

"These are super memories because everysinger I played with was a new experience. That'show I got my musical training. When I was young, Ididn't want to get stuck in a rut. I wanted to takeeverything in, discover and play it all. All styles. Thathasn't changed. Today I still want to play everything:jazz, coupe-decale, hip-hop, rumba, rock, popmusic, rap... it doesn't matter," the musician laughs.

Composing by ear In the 1970s at Club Med Sery was a "drummer-

DJ at the nightclub" and "water-skiing instructor byday", incidentally gaining a part in the cult 1978French comedy film "Les Bronzes". He remained inIvory Coast for another half-dozen years before try-ing his luck in Europe. He frequented the mostrenowned jazz dens of Paris from the Chapelle desLombards to the River Bop and Le Chat qui Peche.Once he was established, he had a hand in launch-ing the Sunset-Sunside club in the heart oftown.While with Sixun, Sery toured with Pastoriusand gained a painful insight into self-destructionwith drugs. —AFP

James Gunn to write,

direct 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'

Marvel's continuing space opera "Guardians of theGalaxy Vol. 2" has yet to hit theaters, but plans arealready in the works for the third installment.

Yesterday, James Gunn announced on Facebook that hewould be returning to write and direct "Guardians of theGalaxy Vol. 3." Gunn also wrote and directed the first and sec-ond "Guardians" films. The franchise stars Chris Pratt, ZoeSaldana, Dave Bautista and features the voices of BradleyCooper and Vin Diesel. In his post, Gunn said that "Guardians3" will come after 2018's "Avengers: Infinity War" and concludethe story of this iteration of Guardians of the Galaxy, helpingto launch Marvel's next 10 years. "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2" hits theaters on May 5. — AP

German court allows trial

over Love Parade disaster

In This file photo candles sit near the site where 21 people died and some 500 wereinjured in a stampede during the Love Parade in Duisburg, western Germany. — AP

Ivorian drummer boy turned globetrotting virtuoso

This image released by Disney-Marvel shows Zoe Saldana, from left, Karen Gillan, ChrisPratt, Dave Bautista and Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper, in a scene from, "GuardiansOf The Galaxy Vol. 2." — AP

This file photo shows Ivorian jazz drummerPaco Sery performing on a stage during anhommage to the victims of March 13, 2016 ter-ror attack at the resort of Grand Bassam, eastof Abidjan. — AFP


l if e s t y l eF E A T U R E S

Alia Adi, founder of YouTube cooking channel BasmatyWorld, poses with her YouTube award at her studio inDubai, United Arab Emirates. — AP photos

Alia Adi works at her studio in Dubai, United ArabEmirates.

Alia Adi works at her studio in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

By Faten Omar

We all look forward to our yearly holi-day, as it gives us the chance torelax, put our feet up and spend

some quality time with our families. Butchoosing the right hotel is a trying task, andwith the number of promotions and deals outthere, it can be overwhelming.

Surrounding yourself with luxury and betreated like celebrities is part of the spoils atAtlantis, The Palm, the luxury hotel resort inthe United Arab Emirates. "Atlantis, The Palmis a world full of luxury that everyone seeks. Itoffers adventure, diving, a water park, malland hospitality services for families to enjoy,"said Linda Abdul Hay, Director, PublicRelations of Atlantis, The Palm.

Under the umbrella of KerznerInternational Holdings Limited, a leadinginternational developer and operator of desti-nation resorts, Atlantis, The Palm is in Kuwaitto meet travel and tourism agencies to dis-cuss the needs of Kuwaiti citizens."'Understand your customer' is our motto topromote Atlantis, The Palm. Travel andtourism companies are communicating withKuwaitis on a daily basis - they are our ambas-sadors in Kuwait who will give us a view ofKuwaitis' priorities," Linda said.

Designed with the theme of the Lost Cityof Atlantis, The Palm Atlantis Hotel has anunderwater tunnel, which is a profound expe-rience. Underwater sights such as ruins of lostcivilizations and shipwrecks make it an amaz-

ing and memorable experience. Hotel Atlantisprovides more than 1,539 rooms and suites,including seven signature suites. Every roomoffers a spectacular view of the artificialisland.

Hotel visitors can also take advantage ofAquaventure Water Park, one of the top waterparks in the Middle East and Europe. TheAquaventure Water Park consists of rides withcascades, tidal waves and rapids, and theMesopotamian-styled The Tower of NeptuneTemple, reaching over 30 m into the sky andfeaturing seven heart-throbbing water slides -two of which catapult riders through shark-filled lagoons. "At Atlantis we have a vet andspecialist nutritionist and professionaltrainees to deal with marine organisms,"Linda added.

The Ambassador Lagoon and The LostChambers Aquarium combined are home toover 65,000 marine animals and more than250 species of fish at Atlantis. More than 100team members care for marine animals atAtlantis. They include aquarists, water qualitytechnicians, veterinarians and even chefs. TheAmbassador Lagoon is an 11-million-litermarine habitat and one of the top 10 largestaquariums in the world.

It is also the largest open air aquarium inAfrica and the Middle East at just over threemillion gallons. The fish in The AmbassadorLagoon have their favorite dishes. The babywhite tip reef sharks love milkfish, angelfishdevour romaine lettuce and bowmouth gui-tar sharks love blue crab.

With many different species of rays in TheAmbassador Lagoon, they are a firm favoritewith guests. Rays are amongst the oldest sur-viving group of jawed vertebrates, firstappearing in the fossil record during theLower Jurassic (about 150 million years ago)and during the Ancient Greek times, dentistsused the venom from the stingray's spine asan anesthetic.

Since Dive Atlantis opened in July 2015,dive teams certified 159 divers in 2015 and205 divers in 2016. The number of people thatsnorkel in The Ambassador Lagoon averagesabout 40 guests per day. On average, 20guests are lucky enough to dive in TheAmbassador Lagoon every week. In order totrain, the divers log 110 hours of dives everymonth.

It is also a place to attract celebrities andimportant activities such as Redbull's water-slide skateboarding at Aquaventure.Shahrukh Khan, the king of Bollywood, hadan amazing experience shooting 'Happy NewYear' at the Atlantis. In 2016, three episodes of"The Real Housewives of Melbourne" werebased at the Palm Atlantis and "Housewivesof Beverly Hills" was also filmed here. KimKardashian West has also been known to stayat the hotel and this year filmed two episodesof "Keeping up with the Kardashians".

Atlantis, The Palm: A world full of luxury

The psychedelic clouds in EdvardMunch's iconic "The Scream" havealternatively been interpreted as a

metaphor for mental anguish or a literaldepiction of volcanic fallout. Yesterday,scientists hypothesized that theNorwegian painter's inspiration may infact have been rare clouds which form incold places at high altitude. The first ver-sion of "The Scream" was released in1893. It depicts a dark humanlike figureclutching its head in apparent horroragainst the backdrop of a swirling, red-orange sky. In 2004, Americanastronomers theorized that Munch hadpainted a sky brightly coloured by parti-cle pollution from the 1883 Krakatoavolcanic eruption.

But the new paper, presented at ameeting of the European GeosciencesUnion in Vienna, said he more likelydepicted a rare sighting of "mother-of-pearl" clouds over Oslo. A volcanic out-burst does not account for the "wavi-ness" of Munch's clouds, Helene Muri, aresearcher at the University of Oslo, toldjournalists in Vienna.

Furthermore, volcano-tinted sunsetstend to be common for several yearsafter an outburst, "whereas Munch'sscary vision was seemingly a one-timeexperience, the way he described it inhis journal," she said. In his diar y,Munch wrote of the sky turning sud-denly blood red. Mother-of-pearl or"nacreous" clouds, require unusual con-

ditions to form-very cold temperaturesin the atmosphere, in a high altitudeband of about 20-30 kilometers (12-19miles). They tend to appear at high lati-tudes in winter. Because they are thin,these clouds are typically not visibleduring daytime, but before sunrise orafter sunset.

"We do know that there were moth-er-of-pearl clouds in the Oslo area in thelate 19th century," said Muri. At least onescientist documented the phenomenonand wrote "they are so beautiful youcould believe you are in another world",she added. Similar sightings of nacreousclouds over southeast Norway in 2014,and their strik ing resemblance toMunch's painting, is what sparked thelatest research.

"Edvard Munch could well have beenterrified when the sky all of a suddenturned 'bloodish red'," the researchersconcluded. "Hence, there is a high prob-ability that it was an event of mother-of-pearl clouds which was the backgroundfor Munch's experience in nature, andfor his iconic Scream." Muri concededthe latest was but "another hypothesis"."There are other hypotheses. But ofcourse, we are natural scientists, wetend to look for answers in nature, whilstthe psychologists have suggested it wasinner torment that made Munch paint'The Scream'." — AFP

Weird clouds may haveinspired 'The Scream'

For Syrian cook and entrepreneur AliaAdi, the kitchen is also a filming set.Here, she creates Arabic-language

recipe videos, cooking food ranging fromMiddle Eastern specialties to all-aroundfavorites like brownies and ice cream. Adi isthe founder and CEO of Basmaty World, anArabic-language cooking channel onYouTube that she is transforming into a net-work that brings cooks from across theregion under one brand. Basmaty generatesaround 1 mil l ion views per month onYouTube and has more than 300,000 follow-ers on Facebook.

She is part of a growing group of entre-preneurs who have chosen Dubai as aground for growing their business. Two ofthe region's biggest success stories arebased in Dubai. Valued at some $1 billion,ride-hailing app Careem and Souq.com,which was acquired by Amazon last month,have given the local entrepreneurship scenea boost. Adi started her business in 2011 inher hometown of Damascus, Syria, workingwith a small team of videographers andSyrian chefs, known in the Middle East forproducing some of the most complex anddelicious Mediterranean dishes.

"As I was searching for recipes in Arabic, Isaw that there was a gap, there was notmuch out there, so the idea emerged thisway, "she said. "I decided why don't I do awebsite that provides reliable and high-quality recipes in Arabic to serve the MENA(Middle East and North Africa) region." Soonafter the war erupted in Syria that same year,Adi left Damascus. To keep her business run-ning, she quickly taught herself how toshoot and edit videos featuring herself as apassionate cook. For Adi, cooking meanspotentially big business with lucrative deals.In 2014, Japan's recipe portal Cookpad

acquired Lebanese cooking site Shahiya for areported $13.5 million.

Adi's videos take hard work behind thescenes, including collaborating with brandsfor recipe creation and product placement.She spends hours shooting video and photosof her recipe creations, before editing andposting the mouth-watering final results forher more than 180,000 subscribers onYouTube. On this particular shoot, Adi whipsup a popular Levantine dip called lebnah,made fresh from yoghurt she strainedovernight. She chops pistachios and apricotsbefore drizzling honey on one lebnah dish.On another, she adds chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes drenched in olive oil, andmore olive oil for good measure.

Adi says she has saved thousands of dol-lars in licensing fees and other government-related costs for her business thanks to helpfrom In5, a government-backed incubatorthat assists entrepreneurs. In5 also offersDubai-based entrepreneurs access to workspace, training and mentorship programs,networking events and investors. "I think oneof the major challenges for young entrepre-neurs here is related to funding... becauseideas, there are a lot of ideas. There's a lot ofcreativity," she said. Adi initially relocated toLondon after leaving Syria, but despite itbeing easier and cheaper to establish herbusiness there, she settled on Dubai to becloser to her customers and clients. "Dubai forme was the best location to do that. It's thecountry that provides most value for me, as astartup," she said. "Leaving Syria, I was look-ing for somewhere stable where I could con-tinue and grow my business so Dubai wasdefinitely the number one option." — AP

From a Syrian kitchen to TV CEO:

An entrepreneur's story

Linda Abdul Hay, DirectorPublic Relations of Atlantis,The Palm.

This file photo taken on May 23, 2008 shows a visitor viewing Edvard Munch'spainting "The Scream" at the Munch Museum in Oslo.— AFP


l if e s t y l eF E A T U R E

After fleeing war in Syria and arriving in America withher family four months ago, for one day Mona Hafezis not a refugee. She is a tourist seeing the sights of

New York. "Coming to the park was really fun. Riding thesubway was awesome. I love all of New York City," says the10-year-old, words tumbling out of her mouth in delight.Hafez was one of 150 refugees last week treated to freetours of the US cultural capital, complete with a pizzalunch, in a charity drive organized by a New York guidedesperate to make refugees feel welcome at a time whenPresident Donald Trump wants them banned.

So ugly and so polarized is today's US debate aroundimmigration that organizer Luke Miller received deaththreats on Facebook while raising money to cover the costof the day-long tours. "People wrote just really vitriolic,nasty, nasty things," said the 48-year-old, who owns familybusiness Real New York Tours. "Overall the response hasjust been incredible."

For five days over spring break, he took mostly Syriansbut also some Iraqis around the city, treating groups ofchildren, teenagers and parents to stories about New York'shistory, fun facts and indelible memories.

For one day, the refugees could put aside worries aboutovercoming the language barrier and finding work, andjust enjoy themselves after years of living in fear anduncertainty. The tour took in Madison Square Garden,Times Square-where a spot on the Marriott Marquis bill-board costs $2.5 million a month to rent, Miller tells theflabbergasted group-then Central Park to see the sea lionsand ride the carousel, ironically operated by the TrumpOrganization.

'Wonderful' Then it's back on the subway to head downtown to

Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty across the harborand eat pizza. "You guys want to see something cool?" asksMiller, inviting the group to crane their necks up to theEmpire State Building shrouded in cloud. He whips out pic-tures of King Kong clambering up the side in the 1933movie to laughs and tells stories of construction workerslaboring at dizzying heights who died in days of relaxedsafety standards. Passers-by drop in to listen. Miller doesmagic tricks to put the children at ease. Five Arabic transla-tors make sure everyone understands. Another volunteerhas a bag of snacks-fruit, nuts, cookies and chips-to keepthe children energized.

Strolling through Central Park, past lush grass, tulipsand blossoms, a busker played "Somewhere Over theRainbow" on the saxophone, and the children pose at thebronze Balto dog statue. Their parents filmed or took pic-tures on their phones or selfie sticks. Teenagers werealready chomping on gum, US-style. "This has been themost wonderful day I've spent in America. It's been beauti-ful, it's been amazing," says Mona's mother Rawda, beam-

ing under a white headscarf and dressed in a sweater tofend off the April chill. The family lived through the firstyear of the war in Homs before fleeing to Damascus andonto Jordan where they lived for four years before theirvisas came through for the United States.

Trump carousel In Syria her husband owned a shoe store. But like other

refugees in the group they have yet to find jobs, first tryingto learn English. But the children are flourishing. Mona, abeautiful child with long brown hair tucked into a bun,loves math and science at school in New Jersey. She wantsto be a doctor when she grows up. "Now that they're pick-ing up more and more of the language, I get very happywhen they're able to communicate," says her proud moth-er. None of the refugees who spoke to AFP said they hadexperienced any prejudice in the United States. They live inElizabeth, a diverse New Jersey town in the shadow ofNewark Liberty International Airport.

Miller calls it "divine justice" that Trump's companyoperates the carousel, saying he did not know that beforedrafting the itinerary. Certainly the refugees don't care. "Myfamily's happy and my children are happy, so I'm very hap-py," says Ammar Ahmed, 45, a father of four and account-ant who fled war in Iraq by going to Syria, only to moveback to Iraq to escape war in Syria. "It's my dream!" he saidof living in America. Increasingly confident in English, hisnext task is to find a job. — AFP

A group of mostly Syrian but some Iraqi refugee families take selfies in Times Square during a tour of Manhattanin New York. — AFP photos

Refugee families take photos as they walk toward Times Square.

Syrian refugees are NewYork tourists for the day'My family's happy and my children are happy, so I'm very happy'

Refugee families gather outside Madison Square Garden for a tour of Manhattan.

Tour guide Luke Miller talks to refugee families gathered outside Madison SquareGarden.

A group of mostly Syrian but some Iraqi refugee families ride the subways.

One of the members of refugee families taking selfie nearMadison Square Garden.

Tour guide Luke Miller shows a picture of King Kong on the Empire State Building as hetalks to the refugee families gathered outside Madison Square Garden for a tour ofManhattan.

Refugee families take selfies in Times Square.

Refugee families walk through Central Park.

39TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

Syrian refugees areNew York tourists

for the day

Christian Borle, center, and cast appear on stage for the Broadway opening night curtain call of Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater on Sunday in New York. — AP

Talk about fluid tunes: A group of innovativeDanish musicians submerged like fish in anaquarium have created an underwater con-

certo with instruments specially adapted to res-onate in a silent world. In the central Danish townof Aarhus, a Godsbanen center concert hall looksmore like a fish farm than a music set, with its jum-ble of water tanks, canisters, tubes, pipes and retro-futuristic objects. One after the other, the fivemembers of the Between Music band-Laila,Robert, Morten, Dea Maria and Nanna-descendinto their own individual glass-paned water tanksfor their latest project AquaSonic, where they playthe violin, cymbals, bells, a crystallophone with apedal, and a kind of hurdy gurdy with a long neck.

Hydrophones, or special microphones that pickup the sound of the music in the water, amplify thesoundwaves, producing music that resembles thesounds whales make. A pioneer in the field ofaquatic music, Laila Skovmand wears several hatswith the ensemble: She is artistic director, musicand lyrics writer, and vocalist. She sings bothunderwater and at the water's surface. Like a siren,her lips at water level, Skovmand releases a capti-vating chant. "I'm an educated singer and I wantedto explore new songs. I got the idea that if I sanginto the surface of the water I might get some oth-er timbre, some delays, so I tried that," she explains.

The group collaborates with engineers andmakers of musical instruments to develop water-resistant instruments whose sounds respect theharmonies composed by Skovmand. "There are alot of musical limitations. There are so many thingswe can't play because of the struggle with thewater, the struggle with the sound, but I think thatwhat the water gives is that special kind of timbrethat you can't get in air," she says.

Pink Floyd in slow motion The resulting effect is a sound closer to an

accompaniment for Tibetan meditation than it is tochamber music. And it's far from other well-knowntributes to water such as Maurice Ravel's"Fountains" or Luciano Berio's "Water Piano". Whilethe water transports the sound, it also stifles it andslows it down considerably: The effect is a bit likeplaying Pink Floyd or Jean-Michel Jarre in slowmotion. Musician and producer Robert Karlssonplays the violin-made of carbon fibre-and the crys-tallophone, a distant relative of the glass harmoni-ca invented by Benjamin Franklin. Nanna Bech per-forms the rotacorda, an instrument inspired by atraditional Byzantine hurdy gurdy. It has six stain-less steel strings which can make sound either witha sustained pulling of the string or when fingered."It's the only one in the world so I don't even have ateacher. And that's a shame!," she jokes.

Skovmand also plays the hydraulophone, a typeof underwater organ. "We want to show that theimpossible is possible, to discover a new elementwith live music," says Karlsson. The band spendsthe entire performance under water, surfacing reg-ularly as part of the choreography to take breathsof air. Ahead of the recent Aarhus concert, theensemble spent almost six hours in the tanks inone afternoon to prepare for that night's 50-minute performance.

The water is kept at 37 degrees Celsius (98.6Fahrenheit). "We do some diving training, practic-ing to hold our breath under water," Bech explains.And she has developed a special technique to singunder water. "I can't let the air bubbles get out ofmy mouth, because they will become bubbles (inthe water) and that makes a lot of noise underwater. So I can only make short notes." For Karlsson,making music in water has a magical effect on him."I'm actually not very fond of water personally. I

can feel claustrophobic in a bathtub. But somehowwhen I get into this tank and am playing an instru-ment, I get calm and really secure," he says.Between Music is currently performing AquaSonicacross Europe. After a world premiere in Rotterdamlast year, the band is now touring Denmark, andwill take part in the International Diaghilev Festivalin Perm, Russia in May. — AFP

Musicians in aquariums makesounds in a silent world

A member of the Between Music band perform-ing with a violin and a custom-made instrumentin a glass water tank during a rehearsal.

A member of the Between Music band singing ina glass water tank during a rehearsal.

A member of the Between Music band performing with a custom-made instrument in a glass watertank during a rehearsal.

These file photos show the members of the Between Music band performing with a cus-tom-made instrument in a glass water tank during a rehearsal ahead of the AquaSonicunderwater concert in Aarhus, Denmark. — AFP photos

Members of the Between Music band performing with custom-made instruments in glasswater tank.

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