tennis

Page 44

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THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017 / RAMADAN 6, 1438 AH emergency number 112 NO. 16482 44 PAGES 150 FILS

QATAR AMIR ARRIVES AS KUWAIT OFFERS MEDIATION

Gulf row rattles Trump anti-Iran axis
Great danger
DUBAI/DOHA, May

Expat now a dirty word? 31, (Agencies): Just 10

days after President
Donald Trump called
on Muslim countries
to stand united against
By Nejoud Al-Yagout are entitled to it. My question is: Who Iran, a public feud be-
put it there? Have we ever wondered? tween Qatar and some
T he word expat is a dirty word. There are only travelers
in the vast expanse. Unfortunately, we live in a world of
borders and nations, so if we are going to assign a term for
It is this greed we have that has sent
our men and women to war. It is this
of its Gulf Arab neigh-
greed that has forced us to create in- bours is jolting his at-
those living within these boundaries, let us call them locals. tempt to tip the region-
This way there will be no divide. Because we are so good at stitutions to protect ourselves. From
dividing, and we come up with millions of excuses to justify what? From lions? No, from other hu- al balance of power
our behavior. This is not just about Kuwait, but regarding man beings. We build walls, we uti- against Tehran.
countries all around the world. All over the globe, locals and lize passwords, we wear longer cloth- Saudi Arabia and the Unit-
expats, those who are entitled and minorities, the rich and ing, we keep secrets: all to protect ed Arab Emirates (UAE) are
the poor, and so on and so forth ad innitum. When will our ourselves from human beings. From incensed by Qatars concil-
Al-Yagout
hearts break so we can nally see? When we are close to a young age, we are taught that we be- iatory line on Iran, their re-
a world war, when natural disasters threaten our existence? long to one nation, one ideology, one way, our way. And we gional archrival, and its sup-
What will it take for us to awaken from this stupor of separa- wonder why the world is lled with so much violence. We are port for Islamist groups, in
tion? so misaligned with our essence. And this is why we use dirty particular the Muslim Broth- KUNA photo
It is time. This is the shift. Technology has brought us so words such as expats, minorities, and all the other derogatory erhood, which they regard as HH the Amir welcoming his Qatari counterpart as the latter arrives
close to one another. We can travel. And we rave about our terms to label those we consider beneath us. We hide behind a dangerous political enemy. in Kuwait for a visit.
visits to other countries. Yet only as long as the nationals of our beliefs, because it is the strongest defender of our very The bickering among the
the countries we visit stay in their countries, we feel safe. Be- own prejudices. Sunni states erupted after
cause we do not want to share our resources with anyone. We Time to awaken. Time to ascend. Continued on Page 37
Other Voices

Believers ... infidels

US$/KD 0.30350/60
Euro/KD 0.3413
Yen/KD 0.0027
British /KD 0.3913
KSE +58.5 pts at closing May 31
See Page 35
Dow -54.98 pts at 21:25 May 31
See Page 36
Nasdaq -26.86 pts at 21:25 May 31
FTSE -6.56 pts at closing May 31
Nikkei -27.28 pts at closing May 31
Gold $1,266.20 per oz (London)
NYMEX crude $48.40 pb
Brent crude $50.86 pb
3-month $ LIBOR rate 1.20178%
Newswatch
WASHINGTON: US Sec-
retary of State Rex Till-
erson has authorized the
State Department to notify
Congress of the Trump ad-
ministrations sale of pre-
cision-guided munitions
for Saudi Arabia to use
in its Yemen campaign, a
senior US diplomat said on
Tuesday.
The notication is one
of the last steps in the arms
sale process and triggers a
formal 30-day review to al-
low members of Congress to
attempt to pass legislation to
stop any sale.
US lawmakers intro-
duced legislation last week
seeking to block about
$500 million of a $110
billion arms sale to Saudi
Arabia, including the por-
tion on precision-guided
missiles and other offen-
sive weapons. (RTRS)
Continued on Page 37
Security forces inspect the site of a suicide attack where the German Embassy is located in
Kabul, Afghanistan on May 31. A massive explosion rocked a highly secure diplomatic area of
Kabul on Wednesday morning, causing casualties and sending a huge plume of smoke over
the Afghan capital. (AP)
Diplomatic area hit
Kabul truck bomb kills 90
KABUL, May 31, (Agencies): At least 90
people were killed and hundreds wounded
Wednesday when a massive truck bomb ripped
through Kabuls diplomatic quarter, bringing
carnage to the streets of the Afghan capital just
days into the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Bloodied corpses littered the scene and a
huge cloud of smoke rose from the highly-
fortied area which houses foreign embassies,
after the rush-hour attack tore a massive crater
in the ground and blew out windows several
miles away.
No group has so far claimed the powerful
blast, which ofcials said was caused by 1,500
kgs (1.6 US tons) of explosives hidden inside a
sewage tanker, in what appeared to be a major
intelligence failure.
Rescue workers were digging bodies from
the rubble hours after the explosion, many of
them disgured and charred, as anguished resi-
dents searched for missing relatives. Dozens of
mangled and upturned cars choked the roads as
wounded survivors and panicked schoolgirls
scrambled to safety.
The attack underscores spiralling insecurity
in Afghanistan, where the NATO-backed mili-
tary, beset by soaring casualties and desertions,
is struggling to beat back insurgents.
In this powerful attack 90 people have been
killed and 400 wounded, including many wom-
en and children, said the governments media
centre, with health ofcials warning the toll
could climb further.
President Ashraf Ghani slammed the attack
as a war crime.Afghanistans intelligence
agency blamed the Taleban-allied Haqqani
Network for the attack.
Continued on Page 37
By Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli
Former Minister of Oil
RECENTLY, some believers among Egyptian youths
killed more than 40 people, majority of them were children
and women; whereas the number of injured doubled the
number of those murdered in the early days of the month
of Ramadan.
At the end of the massacre, the believers among Egyptian
youths left a note saying, May your fast be accepted, in
the tourist bus which was transporting Egyptian Christians
who were visiting one of the Christian monasteries.
Then came Salman Al-Obeidi, their colleague in the
non-Islamic takri bloody bigotry creed, born and raised
in the United Kingdom but originally from Libya, who
went on to commit suicide to hellre, an evil abode
taking with him scores of children and youths, and leaving
behind a lot of injured in one of the theaters in Britains city
of Manchester during a simple musical concert.
All the killings which have been occurring for years in
a devilish manner are destructive, given that they are com-
mitted in the name of Islam and the Islamic creed; whereas
in reality, actual Islam and its doctrine are totally innocent.
Unfortunately, these atrocities are committed by our
brethren in faith without having any ofcial, religious,
educational, informative or awareness movement from
governments, institutions and religious groups with their
diversities to denounce such actions and to spread the spirit
of love and coexistence among humans belonging to a dif-
ferent race or religion.
This move which concurs with Chapter 49:13 of the
Holy Quran, O mankind, indeed We have created you
from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that
you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you
in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you
This is because, the nobility and piousness of these peo-
ple are the ones that misleading clerics have been propa-
gating in the dark historic era which this nation has gone
through, where unfortunately millions are living in
with twisted awareness which has never had any basis in
religion, doctrine or morality.
Meanwhile, as these pseudo-Muslims commit their
atrocities, just look at the actions of
our brethren proudly in human-
ity, who are being branded as indels
by our brethren in faith.
We will present two incidents in
which the heroes are adorned with
real spirit of humanity as ordained by
Our Creator, not the one advocated by
our extremists or their scholars.
Last week, two people were stabbed
to death in the city of Portland in the
US state of Oregon. The two were
Al-Baghli
stabbed as they attempted to stop their
attacker from bothering two Muslim women who were on
Continued on Page 37
Email: ali-albaghli@hotmail.com
Saudi school shooting kills 2
RIYADH, May 31, (AFP): A disgruntled ex-employee of a Saudi
private school shot dead two staff members and injured a third on
Wednesday, the schools chairman said, but no children were pres-
ent.
The rare shooting happened at Kingdom School, which is owned
by billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.
Continued on Page 37

Death to 7 in Kuwait case

KUWAIT CITY, May 31, (AFP): A Kuwaiti appeals
court on Wednesday sentenced seven young men to
death for the abduction and rape of a disabled 13-year-
old boy, the victims lawyer said.
Ibrahim al-Bathani told AFP that the court over-
turned a 10-year jail term handed in April by a lower
court against the seven accused.
He said the seven defendants, aged 18-23, abducted
Continued on Page 37

Ramadan Timings
Iftar ............................... Thursday .................. 18:43
Imsak ........................... Friday........................ 03:05

LOCAL
HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Wednesday received HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister
Ministry panel to probe alleged
question leakage, exam results
Waive aptitude test for students obtaining 95 pc for admission in medicine
Top & above: some photos from the awareness session organized by NSH GVH.
Many pledge not to consume tobacco anymore
NSH observes UNs No Tobacco Day
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: On the oc-
casion of the World No Tobacco Day,
NSH Global Village Harmony (NSH
GVH) held an awareness session,
which is part of a series of aware-
ness sessions conducted by NSH to
raise health awareness, change the
commonly-seen wrong practices and
reduce the morbidity rate among the
Indian community in Kuwait. The
session was delivered by Pani J. An-
thony.
According to a press release, the
decision to conduct these informative
sessions for the community members
was taken during a meeting of the
NSH Board chaired by its President
Sabu and in the presence of P.V. San-
thosh, Abdul Rahman, Dileep Kumar
and V.G. Nair.
Based on NSHs strategy of
medical care and health education
for the community in Kuwait, and
its vision to advance the health
conditions of members of the In-
dian community and improve their
personal hygiene, it conducted the
Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace.
sessions in different places includ-
ing work locations. During these
sessions, theoretical and practical
training was provided on ways to
observe personal hygiene stan-
dards and prevent health problems,
particularly those resultant from
smoking and use of tobacco.
The sessions were delivered by a
multilingual team in English, Hindi,
Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali
and Odiya languages. This was aimed
at ensuring clear and effective deliv-
ery of information.
The team affirmed that the health
education offered to the members
of the Indian community is ben-
eficial for the members and their
work.
During the recent session, the ef-
forts undertaken for the benet of the
community were commended, and
the volunteers were urged to continue
their good work with the moral sup-
port of the Indian Embassy.
At the end of the session, several
attendees came forward and pledged
over one and a half year.
they will stop smoking and using to-
bacco.
NSH urges other organizations
in Kuwait to carry out health edu-
cation programs for the members
involved in their projects, and se-
cure hygiene kits for them, in view
of its considerable health benefits.
This is in the best interest of
the beneficiary companies them-
selves, it added.
This extended program reects the
commitment of NSH for social devel-
opment and health promotion in the
Kuwaiti society.
With lower rates of illness particu-
larly among workers, there will be
less demand for health care services
and fewer sick leaves. This in turn
will reduce the rate of absenteeism
and lead to higher productivity.
NSH Global Village Harmony is a
voluntary organization registered un-
der the Indian Embassy in Kuwait. It
won the GCC Best CSR Gold Award
of 2017 and the National Excellent
CSR Award of 2016.
By Rana Salem
Al-Seyassah Staff
KUWAIT CITY, May 31:
After announcing results
of the secondary school
nal examinations in arts,
the sciences and religious
sections, Minister of Edu-
cation and Higher Edu-
cation Dr Mohammad
Abdul-Latef Al-Fares has
set up a committee to in-
vestigate suspicious ques-
tion leakage, examination
results, and list of names
submitted for retirement
in July.
In a related development,
education sector has been ex-
pecting the reform revolution
promised by Minister of Educa-
tion and Higher Education Dr
Mohammad Al-Fares upon as-
suming office.
They are excited about reform,
especially as theyve realized the
time specied for laying down the
comprehensive strategy to direct the
ministry in dealing decisively with
pending issues.
In this regard, the minister has
taken a decisive step to set up an
advisory council to provide opin-
ions in education plans but the
committee held only one meeting
in April.
Violations
Series of legal and administrative
violations are still happening in the
ministry.
One of such incidents is the re-
newal of tenure of an assistant un-
dersecretary by the Higher Educa-
tion Council, disregarding the fact
that the man has served for over 36
years.
This is in addition to late conr-
mation of some directors general
who worked in acting capacity for
Other raging issues include fail-
ure to announce the outcome of
investigations into fake certicates
at the Public Authority for Applied
Education and Training (PAAET),
and failure to review KD90 deduc-
tion from housing allowance of
expatriate teachers and retroactive
payment of the allowance to female
teachers, especially as the latter
issue was backed by a court judg-
ment.
Meanwhile, MP Faisal Al-
Kandari urged the Minister of
Education and Higher Education
to waive aptitude test for out-
standing students who obtained
95 percent and above to enable
them gain admission to the Fac-
ulty of Medicine without further
stress.
He observed there is no justi-
cation for making students sit for
another test, adding only applicants
who obtained foreign secondary
certicates should go through the
process.
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
Deputy FM Al-Jarallah meeting with Ambassador Abdawi.
Al-Jarallah meets Algerian envoy
Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister
Khaled Al-Jarallah met with Algerian
Ambassador to Kuwait Abdelhamid
Abdawi on Wednesday.
During the meeting, they discussed
bilateral relations and the latest re-
An old wooden boat undergoing maintenance. (Ghazi Qafaf KUNA)
News in Brief
Bid to rationalize expenses: Ministry
of Finance has reviewed a number of stud-
ies to rationalize expenditure for the cur-
rent scal year, reports Al-Shahed daily.
The daily quoting sources said the
total public expenditure of 2017/2018
budget went up by 5.3 percent compared
to 2016/2017 budget. They explained the
overall expenditure was KD 19.9 billion
divided into 8 items, with the cost of
commodities and services in each item
reaching KD 2.9 billion. They noted
a difference of KD 457 million was
recorded in commodities and services
for the current year compared to KD 2.5
billion in the previous year.
They added salaries item constituted
34.6 percent of the total expenditure
that reached KD 6.9 billion (4.5
percent more than the previous year)
with salaries of Kuwaiti personnel con-
stituting KD 4.3 billion and those of
expatriates KD 600 million, while KD
1.6 billion was allotted for the Army.
et from them in order to ease trafc
Property deals down 42 pc: Residen-
tial property deals in Kuwait declined by
42 percent in April compared to March
due to sluggish market activity, with re-
covery depending on oil price rise, Kuwait
International Bank said on Tuesday.
A total of 305 deals worth KD 89
million [$293.15m] were registered in
April, compared to 528 deals, valued at
KD 51 million, in March. Average deal
value fell by 27 percent compared to
last month, reaching KD 291,000 per
deal, the bank said.
Sales in investment sector fell by
42 percent quarter-on-quarter and 51
2
KUNA photos
KUNA photo
gional and international develop-
ments.
The meeting was attended by As-
sistant Foreign Minister for the Deputy
Foreign Ministers Affairs Ambassa-
dor Ayham Al-Omar. (KUNA)
percent compared to the previous year,
reaching KD 42m. The sector regis-
tered 60 deals compared to 81 deals the
month prior, with average deal value
falling to KD 706,000 per deal. On the
other hand, the commercial sector wit-
nessed only four deals worth KD 13m.
Although moving at a slow pace,
prices continued to decline, as a result of
economic uncertainty, and demand/sup-
ply levels in the market, the report said.
Bid to complete projects: Assis-
tant Undersecretary for Road Sector at
Ministry of Public Works Eng Ahmad
Al-Hassan says the new contractors
will soon commence work for execu-
tion of the projects (Project 238) for
development of Al-Bidaa Roundabout
and development of Sabah Al-Ahmad
City-Wafra Road (Project 222), reports
Aljarida daily.
He stressed the keenness of the
ministry to nish the projects and ben-
movement in those areas.
Eng Al-Hassan afrmed that the
infrastructural project in East Jahra
area (Project 192) and the project for
construction of Ministries Complex
in South Surra area (Project 256) will
also commence soon, as the relevant
contracts were signed recently.
He added that the Road Sector mid-
June will inaugurate the 1.25km bridge
afliated to contract Project 213 in
the west part of Jamal Abdul Nasser
Road towards Kuwait City as well as a
service road under the bridge heading
towards East Sulaibikhat Roundabout.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

LOCAL 3

Legal Eagle

Well-being of a child a must to maintain custody

Child custody reward can be contested

By Atyab Alshatti, Esq. daily life and chances of losing the custody. the custodial parent neglects the or fullling their daily needs), hit- is reason to petition the custody.
activities, Common Reasons For Losing childs health care needs (e.g., fails ting or abusing the child, and/ or The child must be in the care of an
T he grant of child custody to
a parent following a divorce
judgment does not mean such cus-
child custody
is based upon
Child Custody
1. Neglecting childs health.
to take the child to a doctor, fails to
provide the child with medication,
encouraging the child to misbe-
have, this is a reason to petition the
able adult that makes sure the child
is safe and provided with all his or
the actions the Having the child being sick with- etc.) then this is a valid reason for a custody. her needs.
tody reward cannot be contested by While many parents may feel that
the non-custodial parent at a later custodial parent out providing him or her with the petition to be led against the par- 3. Illness. When the custodial
takes and the proper health care or taking him ent. parent falls ill with a condition that the battle is over once they have
time. If certain actions, which are been granted custody, they should
deemed detrimental to the childs behavior they or her to the hospital. It does not 2. Bad behavior. If the custodial makes them unable to take care of
exhibit in their mean that any time the child gets parent is having an inappropriate the child. Even if they had this con- be aware they must be committed
well-being are committed by the
custodial parent, a petition can be life. The more sick the custodial parent will lose romantic relationship or leaving the dition when the custody was ini- to the well-being of their child(ren)
led to terminate their custody and responsible and custody because that will not be ra- house all night for partying, and as tially granted, but if the condition to maintain such custody.
Alshatti
have it granted to the other spouse. committed the tional. Many kids catch a cold, u a result become careless about the worsens that prohibits the parent
Since child custody is closely custodial parent is to his or her or rash because it is a common oc- childs needs (e.g. not preparing the from properly caring for himself Email: LawyerAtyabalshatti@
related to the custodial parents children, then such parent faces less currence as human beings but once childs meals, washing their clothes or herself and the child, then this gmail.com

Eating healthy food, jogging after

breaking the fast ideal in Ramadan
Avoid consuming artificial drinks: Dr Bu-Hamad
KUWAIT CITY, May
31, (KUNA): People tend,
during the holy month
of Ramadan, to spend
hefty amounts of money
to purchase all kinds of
food, paving way for con-
sumption all the way to
Sohoor (pre-dawn meal
prior to fasting).
This would cause weight in-
crease due to eating unhealthy
food during such holy occasion,
like food heavily cooked with oil,
articial juices that contain arti-
cial sugar.
KUNA magazine Al-Derisha
(Kuwaiti dialect for window) in-
terviewed Family Doctor Jaber Bu-
Hamad to discuss the issue, and the
main mistakes committed by fast-
ing people during Ramadan.
Dr Bu-Hamad said one of the
main wrong habits people incline
to make is consume articial drinks
that contain manufactured sugar,
along with sweets, which lets those
who fast feel numb and tired after a
short period of Iftar, in addition to
low energy and high sugar levels in
the body, which would take more
KUNA photos time to get rid of.
Top & above: People jog, walk, ride cycles after breaking of the fast during
Ramadan. Harm
He noted that deep-fried food
and pastries also harm the stomach
Kuwait Today after having a relatively long period
of empty stomach, which also caus-
es increase of weight, adding that
the best solution is to follow Proph-
Prayer Timings Umm Al-Maradem 33 30 - 8ft SE
et Mohammad (PBUH) teaching of
Sea Island Buoy - - - - -
Fajr .................................................... 03:16 Salmiyah 38 32 - 8ft SE having some dates, water at break-
Sunrise ............................................... 04:49
Zohr .................................................... 11:46 4 days forecast - Marine ing the fast and then go to prayer
Asr ........................................................15:20 Thursday, June 01 time, and later eating salad and
Maghrib ............................................. 18:43
Isha .................................................... 20:13 Expected weather ..............................Hot + rising dust soup, followed by a small portion
Sea state ....................................... Moderate to rough of the main course.
Wave height.........................................................3-7 ft
Weather Max Temp............................................................. 42C Bu-Hamad said other dishes,
Expected weather for the next 24 hours: Min Temp.............................................................. 32C which contains more oil, could be
By Night: Dust will subside gradually with moder- Wind Direction .......................................................NW delayed three hours or more to al- KUNA photos
ate to fresh north westerly wind, with speed of 25-50 Wind Speed ...............................................25-50 km/h Eating of healthy food during breaking of the fast ideal in Ramadan.
km/h. Friday, June 02 low the stomach consume the al-
By Day: Dusty with fresh to strong north westerly Expected weather .................................................. Hot ready eaten food and to be prepared
Sea state ........................................Slight to moderate
wind, with speed of 50-60 km/h.
Wave height.........................................................2-5 ft for another meal.
Station Max Min
Max Temp............................................................. 41C As for sport, the doctor said prac-
Kuwait City
Exp
44
Rec
33 Min Temp.............................................................. 30C
Wind Direction .......................................................NW
ticing sport after Iftar within one or Iftar among projects aim to support needy people: IHRS
Kuwait Airport 44 33 two hours is the best time for those
Abdaly 43 31 Wind Speed ...............................................15-38 km/h
Bubyan 44 30 Saturday, June 03 who fast, noting that little and bal-
Jahra
Failaka Island
Salmiyah
42
41
38
33
30
32
Expected weather .................................................. Hot
Sea state ........................................Slight to moderate
Wave height.........................................................2-5 ft
ance jogging is better for the body.
In conclusion, the doctor also Al-Ajmi reveals about directives for firemen
Ahmadi 39 35 Max Temp............................................................. 42C cautioned diabetics prior to fast-
Nuwaisib
Wafra
Salmy
44
43
42
31
31
28
Min Temp.............................................................. 31C
Wind Direction ................................................... NW-N
Wind Speed ...............................................12-35 km/h
ing to reduce eating sugary food
and drinking a lot of water during
to break their fast while performing duties
Sunday, June 04 Iftar.
4 days forecast - Weather Expected weather .................................................. Hot Bu-Hamad also called on Thy- KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Head
Sea state ........................................Slight to moderate
Thursday, June 01 Wave height.........................................................2-5 ft roid patients to abide by their of the labor union at Kuwait Fire
Expected weather ..............................Hot + rising dust
Max Temp............................................................. 42C
Max Temp............................................................. 43C daily medical dose provided by Service Directorate (KFSD)
Min Temp.............................................................. 30C
Min Temp.............................................................. 32C Wind Direction .......................................................NW their doctors prior fasting and Khalid Al-Ajmi revealed about
Wind Direction .......................................................NW after.
Wind Speed ...............................................25-50 km/h
Wind Speed ...............................................15-35 km/h directives for reghters to
Friday, June 02 Tide times at Shuwaikh Port break their fast in the midst of
Expected weather .................................................. Hot performing their duties of re
1st high tide: .......................................................15:45
Photography
Max Temp............................................................. 41C
Min Temp.............................................................. 30C 2nd high tide: ......................................................05:35 extinguishing and rescue opera-
Wind Direction .......................................................NW 1st low tide:.........................................................09:52
Wind Speed ...............................................15-38 km/h 2nd low tide: .......................................................22:44 tions at the incident sites during
Sunrise: ..............................................................04:49 the month of Ramadan, reports
Saturday, June 03
Expected weather .................................................. Hot
Max Temp............................................................. 42C
Min Temp.............................................................. 31C
Sunset: ...............................................................18:42
Recorded yesterday at Kuwait Airport
dept of KSC Al-Rai daily.
In an interview, he explained
Wind Direction ................................................... NW-N
Wind Speed ...............................................12-35 km/h
Sunday, June 04
Expected weather .................................................. Hot
Max temp .............................................................. 47C
Min temp ............................................................... 34C
Max Rh .................................................................21%
wins top spot that these directives are based
on a religious fatwa intended
Max Temp............................................................. 43C
Min Rh ..................................................................07%
Max Wind.................................................... N 57 km/h KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Mem- to spare firemen from the se-
Min Temp.............................................................. 30C Total Rainfall in 24 hrs ........................................0 mm bers of the Photography Depart- rious harms they sustain as
Wind Direction .......................................................NW a result of their hard and ex-
Wind Speed ...............................................15-35 km/h Recorded yesterday at South Dolphin ment at Kuwait Science Club won
Min/Max/ Air Temp .......................................... 31/39C top place in the 6th Sharjah Arab hausting efforts under the hot
Marine Forecast Min/Max Rel Hum ............................................24/53% sun for many hours. Such kind
Station Max Min Sea Todays Wind Direction/Wind Speed........................ N/44 km/h
Photography Award, which was
Rec Exp Surf Waves Prev Wave Dir/Max Wave Ht ........................... SW/3 ft recently organized in Sharjah, the of work might result in symp-
Ht Dirn Min/Max Sea Surface Temp .................................-/- C United Arab Emirates by the Un- toms such as loss of balance
South Dolphin 38 31 28 8ft SE Sea Current ......................................End of Upwelling
Umm Mudayrah 35 30 - 8ft SE ion of Arab Photographers under and concentration, dizziness,
Beacon M28 - - - 8ft SE Directorate General of Civil the patronage and in the presence loss of consciousness, faint-
Beacon N6 39 30 - 8ft SE
Qaruh Island 33 30 - 8ft SE Aviation, Meteorological Dept. of the Supreme Council member ing, rash, headaches and pain Iftar project carried out by the East Asia Committee at IHRS.
and Ruler of Sharjah Emirate His in the body.
deaths Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin
Mohammad Al-Qasmi, reports
These are mainly caused by other sectors such as the oil poor.
Fatima Abdullah Habib Al Hamdan, 69 years old, buried on Wednesday. Con- sunstroke, which is the most sector in consideration of the Al-Hashash said the commit-
dolences: (Men) Fintas, Block 2, Street 13, Diwan Al- Hamdan, Tel: 99011450. Al-Qabas daily. serious of all symptoms result-
Secretary General of Kuwait high salaries, rewards and less tee has carried out charitable ac-
(Women) Fintas, Block 2, Street 19, House 7; Shareefa Habib Ghloom Ali, wife ant from exposure to extreme exposure to danger compared to tivities in many countries such
of Mohammad Akbar Taqi, 64 years old, buried on Wednesday. Condolence: Science Club Ali Al-Jumaa ex- heat.
(Men) Mishref, Al-Wazzan Mosque, Tel: 99299282. (Women) Jabriya, Block 12, plained that this years competi- KFSD. as Indonesia, the Philippines,
Husainiyat umm Talal Al-Habib; Ahmad Hashim Bader Al-Gharabali, 33 years
Al-Ajmi afrmed that re-
tion had four categories - por- ghters can break their fast by Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia,
old, buried on Wednesday. Condolence: (Men) Shamiya, Diwan Al-Gharabali, trait, reportage, natural and slow
Tel: 99754599. (Women) Mishref, Block 2, Street 2, House 36; Mutha Rashed consuming necessary liquids Head of East Asia Commit- Vietnam and Laos.
Zewayed Al-Mutairi, wife of Khaled Mitlaq Al-Mutairi, 38 years old, buried on shutter. Photographer Abdulaziz such as water and juices to com- tee at the Islamic Heritage Re- The projects include estab-
Wednesday. Condolence: Riqqa, Block 2, Street 16, House 328, Tel: 99779758- Al-Asousi won rst place in the lishment of mosques, wells,
66139945; Seta Hasan Said Al Ajmi, wife of Saad Salman Al-Hamada, 68 natural category, and photogra- pensate for the loss of uids vival Society (IHRS) Jamal Al-
years old, buried on Wednesday. Condolence: At Sabhan cemetery only, Tel: from their bodies due to their Hashash has said Iftar Project schools, hospitals and distri-
pher Ahmad Al-Essa came sec-
99888736; Hessa Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman Al-Saloom, widow of Ahmad ond position in the slow shutter exposure to high temperatures. is among the projects aimed at bution of copies of the Holy
Abdullah Al-Mijel, 95 years old, to be buried on Thursday after Asr prayers.
category. He indicated that work in supporting needy people in the Quran in different languages.
Condolence: (Men) Rawda, Diwan Al-Mijel, Block 1, Damascus Street, Tel: KFSD has become very difcult The committee also provided
22560733 (Women) Surrah, Block 5, Street 5, House 15, Tel: 25345436. Participants in the competi- region and its carried out inside
tion were from 21 Arab and Gulf especially after many reght- the mosques established by Ku- shelter and nancial support to
May 31, 2017 countries. ers left the sector and joined waiti donors to bring joy to the orphans.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

LOCAL 4

KUNA photos
Left: His Highness the Crown Prince with Sheikh Nasser (left) with the Prime Minister (center) and Defense Minister (right).

His Highness Crown Prince receives senior officials

His Highness the Crown Prince Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad His Highness the Crown Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al- then met Deputy Premier and De- Deputy Premier and Interior Minis-
Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace on Prince also received His High- Sabah. fense Minister Sheikh Mohammad ter Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sa-
Al-Sabah met His Highness Sheikh Wednesday. ness the Prime Minister Sheikh His Highness the Crown Prince Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and bah. (KUNA)

Kuwait public spending highest

in the Gulf region based on GDP
Large portion goes in paying public employees salaries
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: According to a statistic pre- on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reports Al-Qabas
pared by the Central Bank of Kuwait, the countrys daily.
public spending is the highest in the Gulf region based The statistic was prepared in the form of a graph which was pre-
Aviation Technology college to receive graduates
Deputy Dean and Board of Trus-
tees Member of the College of Avi-
ation Technology Eng Marzouq Al-
Shari announced that the college
will receive graduates from the
Letters Department in the second-
ary stage starting from the coming
academic year 2017/2018.
He said the Letters Department
graduates will be allowed to join
the technician departments, par-
ticularly aircraft maintenance. He
disclosed the college offers two
Students in action
major elds of specialization
aircraft mechanic and aircraft en-
gineering. He added the aircraft
mechanic graduates can work as
maintenance engineers in the eld
of engine and electronics.
He pointed out those interested
in pursuing the aircraft mechanic
course must have a minimum
grade of 65 percent in Science
during the secondary stage. He
afrmed this specialization is part
of the internal scholarship program
of the Ministry of Education and
Higher Education.
Talking about the aircraft engi-
neering specialization, Al-Shari
said the college accepts graduates
from the Letters and Science de-
partments in the secondary stage
with minimum grade of 60 percent
for this specialization. He clari-
ed the students who pursue this
specialization bear the cost of their
studies as it is not included in the
internal scholarship program.
sented along with the govern-
ments work agenda and then
referred to the parliament.
As per the statistic, Kuwaits
spending rate is 56.4 percent
of the GDP, which is very high
compared to that of Oman (51.5
percent), Qatar (42.7 percent),
Saudi Arabia (36.2 percent) and
the United Arab Emirates (30
percent).
The statistic compared these
gures with the international g-
ures issued by the Eurostat the
statistical ofce of the European
Union. It was discovered after
comparison that Kuwaits ex-
penditure rate based on the GDP
is higher than Europes average
rate of 47 percent, the United
States of Americas 32.5 percent,
Japans 36.8 percent, Canadas
40.8 percent and Britains 39.4
percent.
According to analysts, this rate
of public spending reects the
extent of governmental interven-
tion in the national economy. It
also indicates the ongoing spend-
ing and consumption ination,
which poses a burden on the na-
tional budget.
The public spending in Kuwait
reached more than KD 19 billion
in the current scal year, with a
large proportion being allocated
for paying public employees sal-
aries and other nancial benets.
However, the analysts and
rating agencies afrm difculty
in control and rationalization
because there is a natural an-
nual increase in the salary cap, as
well as in the current spending of
several ministries and authorities
which are not adhering to the ra-
tionalization principle.
It is worth mentioning that Ku-
waits public spending rate based
on the GDP increased after the
sharp fall in the nominal GDP
which was affected by the drop
in oil prices.
His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah with
Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled.
Govt center part of corruption
MPW to exempt factories from
dealing with government center
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: The Ministry
of Public Works is contemplating on
the exemption of factories that produce
asphalt mixtures from dealing with the
governmental center concerned with
developing and manufacturing asphalt
mixtures, reports Al-Shahid daily quot-
ing sources.
Sources disclosed this action
was taken after giving these fac-
tories two months to produce the
mixture to solve the flying peb-
bles issue. Sources pointed out
the ministrys decision to contract
with new factories for asphalt
mixtures is a manifestation of
the failure of factories tasked ear-
lier to develop asphalt mixtures
and lack of supervision. Sources
said factories contracting with the
governmental center are part of
the corruption which caused the
flying pebbles problem.
Sources added the exemption of facto-
ries without accounting is useless while
contracting with new factories will only
result in delays and burden the State with
more nancial losses.
An Egyptian, a Jordanian and a
Chadian topped in Kuwaits high
school diploma exams as girls, once
more, outperformed boys in academic
achievements.
Wafa Saeed Hassan, from Egypt,
topped the 37,217 students who sat for the
exams with a near perfect score of 99.94
KUNA photos
per cent in the science stream. She was
followed closely by Muneera Mubarak
Gareeb, the top Kuwaiti achiever, who
had a score of 99.77 per cent.
In the literary section, Raghd Aburya,
from Jordan, came rst with a score of
99.38 per cent while Hessa Khalid Al
Aseemi was the top Kuwaiti student with
99.29 per cent.
In the religious studies, Ali Othman
Ali, from Chad, topped the students
with 99.20 per cent whereas Shayma
Dawood Al Asoosi was the top scorer
among Kuwaitis with a score of 97.84
per cent.
Ali was the only boy to reach one of the
three highest honours and the three Ku-
waiti top achievers are girls.
Education Minister Mohammad Fares
congratulated the successful students as
he announced the much-anticipated re-
sults, Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassah reported
on Tuesday.
He said that 29,078 passed the high
school diploma exams and the success
rate was 78.13 per cent, a drop by nine
per cent (around 3,000 students) over last
years scores.
The minister said that 19,280 students
took the science section exams and that
15,491 passed them, a success rate of
80.35 per cent.
In the literary section, the success rate
was 75.06 per cent after 12,652 students
out of 16,701 passed.
In the religious section, 1,236 took the
exams and 953 secured their diplomas, a
success rate of 75.65 per cent.

News in Brief

German embassy advice to visitors: Consul

General at the German Embassy Marsha Kolimbherg
advised those planning to visit Germany with valid
Schengen visa on their old passports to bring the old
passports along with the new electronic passports and
to ensure their names are the same in both passports,
reports Al-Qabas daily.
She said the German Embassy welcomes those whose
Schengen visas are on their old passports, urging them to
visit the embassy to put the visa
in the new passports and cancel
the old one. She added they
must submit a written request
stating their desire to obtain a
new visa together with the old
and new passports. Once the
application is received, the em-
bassy will look into the reason
for obtaining the visa which is
issued if proven the reason does
not violate German laws. Those
who intend to spend their vaca-
tion in Germany should apply Kolimbherg
for visa early, not a few days
before the travel date in order to avoid any problem, she
explained.

Al-Subaie lauds decision: Chairman of Board
of Directors of the Union of Investment Companies
(UIC) Bader Nasser Al-Subaie commended the
decision No. 6/2017 taken by the Public Investment
Authority in response to the requests of the union.
The decision included cancelation of pre-censor-
ship, giving an opportunity for suggestions to be
discussed again.
He highlighted the positive impact of the decision
which prevent delay in holding the general meetings
of the investment companies, the matter that led to
exposing the companies to bans including halting the
circulation of their shares in the stock exchange.

MoH allocates budget: The Ministry of Health has
allocated a budget of KD 2.970 million for the import of
emergency generators and to supply hospitals and health
centers with refrigerators for storing dead bodies and
plasmas, regular refrigerators, air conditioning units, mi-
crowaves, central air conditioning system and elevators,
reports Al-Rai daily quoting sources.

LOCAL
Kuwaits Ambassador Al-Yahya and Moroccan Minister Alami.
Kuwait, Morocco discuss fostering ties
Means of promoting bilateral relations
was the focus of a meeting between Ku-
waits Ambassador to Morocco Abdul-
latif Al-Yahya and the Moroccan Min-
ister of Youth and Sports Rachid Talbi
Alami on Wednesday. In a statement
to KUNA following the meeting, the Ku-
waiti envoy lauded the Kingdoms good
organization of the celebrations of Mo-
rocco Capital of Arab Youth for 2016.
The celebrations, organized as part
of the Arab League, constitute a frame-
work for boosting cooperation and com-
munication amongst the Arab youth, Al-
Admission capacity at PAAET is 9,877 seats
KU allocates 100 seats for Bedoun
students who score 90 pc & above
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Dean of Ad-
mission and Registration at Kuwait Uni-
versity Dr Adel Malallah disclosed that
100 seats in the upcoming academic
year 2017/2018 have been allocated for
Bedoun students who scored 90 percent
and above, reports Aljarida daily.
He afrmed that their admission is
conditional with the approval of Central
System for Remedying the Status of Il-
legal Residents (CSRSIR), according to
the decision taken during the University
Council meeting regarding the university
admission policy.
Dr Al-Malallah said the deanship will
convene several meetings with the Infor-
mation Center to organize the mechanism
of admission, assuring that there are no
technical problems in the registration
portal system and that the enrollment
process is moving smoothly without any
problems.
He stressed that the deanship is work-
ing on overcoming all obstacles that
could face the applicants, indicating that
KUNA photo
Yahya said.
Kuwait was named Capital of Arab
Youth for 2017 and will carry out on
Moroccos path with a renewed and dis-
tinct spirit that bolsters the role of Arab
youth, he added.
For his part, the Moroccan minis-
ter extolled the bilateral ties, voicing
his countrys support for sports in Ku-
wait, a country highly respected on the
Arab, regional and international scenes,
thanks to excellent performances of
Kuwaiti athletes in different contests.
(KUNA)
the registration hall and staff are ready to
receive the applicants who are invited to
visit the deanship.
Dr Al-Malallah wished success to eve-
ryone.
In another similar development, Dean
of Admission and Registration at Pub-
lic Authority for Applied Teaching and
Training (PAAET) Dr Rabah Al-Najada
announced the allocation of not more
than ve percent of seats for all catego-
ries of non-Kuwaitis including children
of military men to the admission capacity
of Kuwaitis.
She said the Bedoun applicants will
be treated like citizens in the admission
process.
Dr Al-Najada revealed that the ad-
mission capacity for the rst semester
is 9,877 seats, assuring that there are no
technical problems in the portal registra-
tion.
She afrmed that the deanship coor-
dinated with the IT Center to verify and
carry out maintenance of the portal.
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
5
Parliament discusses budgets and
final accounts of several govt bodies
Session adjourned until June 5 to deliberate on budgets
By Abubakar A. Ibrahim
Arab Times Staff
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: The Parliament,
in its special session on Wednesday, dis-
cussed the nal accounts and budgets of
several government institutions including
the Direct Investment Promotion Author-
ity, National Fund for the Support and
Development of Small and Medium Enter-
prises, Anti-Corruption Public Authority,
Public Authority for Food and Nutrition,
Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK), Environ-
ment Public Authority (EPA), Public Au-
thority for Compensation, Kuwait News
Agency (KUNA), Public Authority for Ap-
plied Education and Training (PAAET),
and Public Authority for Youth and Sports.
After the discussion, the Parliament approved the
budget of KUNA for scal 2017/2018 and rejected
its nal accounts for 2015/2016. It also approved
the 2015/2016 nal accounts and 2017/2018 budgets
of PAAET and the Public Authority for Youth and
Sports.
The Parliament approved as well the 2015/2016 nal ac-
counts of the following government agencies: Direct Invest-
ment Promotion Authority, National Fund for the Support
and Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, Anti-
Corruption Public Authority, Public Authority for Food and
Nutrition, CBK, EPA and Public Authority for Compensa-
tion.
It decided to return reports of the Budgets and Final Ac-
counts Committee, which rejected the budgets of Kuwait
Institute for Scientic Research (KISR) and the Public Au-
thority for Social Security (PASS), to the government to
pave way for submission of new draft bills on the budgets of
these institutions.
Parliament Secretary MP Auda Al-Ruwaei adjourned the
session until June 5, 2017 to continue deliberations on the
budgets.
Earlier, in its regular session on Wednesday last week, the
Parliament approved the nal accounts and budgets of the
Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources
(PAAAFR), Public Authority for Manpower (PAM), Public
Authority for Civil Information (PACI), Kuwait Municipal-
ity, Zakat House, Public-Private Partnership Authority, Pub-
lic Authority for Industry (PAI), Capital Markets Authority,
Credit Bank of Kuwait and Kuwaiti Fund for Development
while it rejected the nal accounts and budgets of KISR and
PASS. It also approved the budget of Kuwait Ports Author-
ity (KPA) but rejected the nal account.
Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim announced then
that he would call for special sessions to discuss the nal ac-
counts and budgets of other government agencies according
to Article 85 of the Constitution. He stressed the need for
special sessions to complete discussions on reports of the
Budgets and Final Accounts Committee before setting the
date for the closing session of the current legislative round.
This is in line with Article 85 of the Constitution, stating that
the National Assembly has an annual session of not less
than eight months. The said session may not be prorogued
before the budget is approved.

LOCAL
Local banks are safe from any
form of hacking, assures CBK
Panel to review basic systems of societies
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: As the spate of global hack-
ing continues unabated at government websites, hospi-
tals and big companies with the most recent of such
deadly viruses being Ransomeware, the Central Bank of
Kuwait has allayed fears of the general public saying in-
Al-Ghanim poses with guests in a group photo
KCCI chairman receives Al-Nasrallah
Chairman of Kuwait Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (KCCI)
Mohammad Thunaiyan Al-Ghanim
Wednesday received in his ofce
the Board Chairman of Kuwait Pub-
lic Relations Society Jamal Jassem
Al-Nasrallah and some members of
the board.
Al-Ghanim welcomed his guests
No intention to submit new budgets
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: The gov-
ernment has no intention to submit
new budgets for the Public Authority
for Social Security (PASS) and Ku-
wait Institute for Scientic Research
(KISR) to the Parliament, reports Al-
Jareda daily.
Sources revealed the government
will submit the same budgets that the
Parliament rejected earlier, clarify-
ing the rejection of MPs was not due
formation systems of the local banks are safe from any
form of hacking, reports Al-Nahar daily.
experienced a minor anonymous attempt of illegitimate access,
but it was not considered to be hacking of automation system.
and then eulogized the society for
playing a vital role through initia-
tives for improving and developing
the talents of youths in the aspect of
media.
He said the society has been en-
couraging Kuwaiti youth to seek em-
ployment in the private sector and
entrepreneurship in various elds.
to technical objections to the inserted
numbers but the remarks of monitor-
ing authorities.
Sources pointed out the parlia-
mentary objections are related to
certain job appointments and admin-
istrative procedures.
Sources added the government
has no reason to change the budget
gures, indicating the previous dis-
cussion in the Parliament was about
According to the Central Bank of Kuwait, only one local bank
In response, Al-Nasrallah thanked
the host and expressed delight in
visiting KCCI.
He declared that the visit would in-
terpret consistent support of KCCI to
the society and assistance in sever-
al activities that will help the society
actualize its objectives in all spheres
of growth and development.
the nal accounts of PASS and KISR
but since voting for or against the
budgets was done as one, the result
was rejection of the budgets of both
institutions.
Meanwhile, MP Riyad Al-Adasani
warned the government against sub-
mitting new budgets with the same
gures as this will be considered a
futile action.
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
6
A team of representatives from
the Central Bank of Kuwait and
other local banks has taken nec-
essary preventive measures to
avert further expansion of ille-
gitimate incursion and made sure
the action is of no effect. The
systems have been declared safe
and strong enough to protect the KUNA photo
electronic network. His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah
see off Bahrains Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
In the meantime, the local
banks have been instructed to
liaise with Online Banking Ser- Bahrains PM leaves Kuwait after visit
vices Company (K-net) to im-
plement further procedures by Bahrains Prime Minister Prince His Highness the Amir Sheikh
Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and an Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
sending SMS containing unsta- accompanying delegation on Tuesday received Prince Khalifa and his dele-
ble password to each customer left Kuwait after a short friendly visit. gation earlier.
to make it impossible for any in- Prince Khalifa was seen off by His The two sides exchanged friendly
truder to operate a banking trans- Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh talks amid an atmosphere of warm
action in any account. Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad sentiments that reflected the deep-
Meanwhile, Ministry of So- Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Amiri rooted ties between the leaders and
cial Affairs and Labor Under- Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah the peoples of the two countries, as
secretary Dr Matar Al-Mutairi Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and well as the sincere efforts to enhance
issued administrative Decision Defense Minister Sheikh Mohammad them on all levels, within the frame-
No. A/2291/2017 to form a Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, work of the historical relations among
committee which will review Deputy Prime Minister and Interior the member states of the Gulf
the basic systems of ofcially Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Cooperation Council (GCC).
recognized societies according Al-Sabah, a host of Sheikhs, minis- His Highness the Crown Prince
ters and advisors and senior officials Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber
to Law No. 24/196, reports Al- from the Premiers Diwan, and Al-Sabah was present at the recep-
Jareda daily.
The daily obtained a copy of
ambassadors of the two countries. tion. (KUNA)
the decision stating that the com-
mittee will work for one year un-
der the leadership of the assistant Total cost KD 3.253 billion
undersecretary for legal affairs
with the assistant undersecretary
for social development, director
of Charitable Societies Depart-
ment and a number of ministry
MPW development plan
employees as members.
The target of the committee is
to ensure that the basic systems
contains seven projects
follow related laws, Cabinet and
administrative decisions. It must
submit a memorandum to the un-
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Ministry of
Public Works development plan for the
current scal year contains seven projects
north, such as South Mutlaa, Sabiyyah
and Abdali. It is noteworthy the northern
regional road is part of the international
dersecretary; mentioning names
of societies whose basic systems at a total cost of KD 3.253 billion, and KD road networks for Arab countries being
329.1 million has already been allocated upgraded under the integration program
violate such laws and decisions,
suggestions to rectify violations for projects in the current annual budget, for regional land transportation networks.
reports Al-Qabas daily. The projects also include four construc-
and address the erring societies.
The committee is required to An ofcial source said two of the pro- tion projects, notably Kuwait International
submit a report to the undersec- jects are for Road Sector, and they Sheikh Airport Terminal 2, while remaining three
Jaber Bridge and northern part of the re- projects are health related covering the
retary every three months and it
is authorized to ask for the help gional road (phase 2). The latter will ac- Police, Maternity and Pediatrics hospitals.
experts who will attend its meet- commodate the anticipated increase in The projects will enhance expansion of the
ings but they will not participate population, in addition to movement of healthcare system in line with the growing
vehicles from new residential areas in the population and residential expansion.
in the voting process.

LOCAL
First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah in talks with UN General Assemblys
President Peter Thomson.
Kuwait role in achieving
2030 SDGs wins UN praise
Boost in ties with ILO sought
Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah and his team talking to UK Ambassador to UN
Matthew Rycroft.
FM meets UKs UN envoy
Kuwait First Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah
Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah held
talks in New York late Tuesday with
British Ambassador to UN Matthew
Rycroft.
The meeting was held on the side-
lines of the UNGAs session to elect
Other Voices
Why go to unbelievers ?
Solace found in West
By Ahmad Al-Sarraf
T his article is an extract from an
article written by the Syrian col-
league Mohammad Al-Bawadi and
posted on the Phoenix website.
Many people, intelligent, igno-
rant or ordinary, say the same thing
about us being backward. They say
the reason is we are nowhere near
Islam. However, did Japan, the
United States, Europe, China and
even Russia progress because they
are close to Islam or any
other religion?
Is adherence to Sharia or
religion the secret of their
stability? What is the rela-
tionship between religion
and manufacturers of air-
craft, intercontinental bal-
listic missiles, laboratory
experiments, development
and discoveries?
Why do our govern-
Al-Sarraf
ments allow thousands of
clerics to curse the infidels
from the pulpits of their mosques
and call them descendants of mon-
keys and pigs; that they will burn in
the fires of hell, but no sooner some-
one is sick the person takes the
first available flight to the country
of the infidels for treatment. Not just
that, their children attend the best
universities in the country of the
infidels to receive the best educa-
tion.
Can someone tell us why we
abandon our herbs and other medi-
cines when we fall sick and accept
the medicines manufactured by the
infidels and receive treatment in
their hospitals at the hands of their
doctors? Why when the poor are
forced to leave their homelands,
they find only the unbelievers to
receive them with open arms,
receive shelter in their houses of
worship and even the heads of
churches to wash their feet?
When our countries are struck by
natural calamities such as famine
and others, why do we seek assis-
tance from the countries of the infi-
dels in the form of food and clothing
to our children? Why do we deposit
our money, bonds, shares and real
estate into the banks of the infidels,
is it not for the sake of safe keeping?
And if we want a fair, impartial and
KUNA photo
non-permanent members of the UN
Security Council (UNSC) for 2018-19.
It also touched on historic rela-
tions between the two countries, as
well as underlining ongoing cooper-
ation and coordination regarding
issues tabled at UN or Security
Council. (KUNA)
Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim
correct opinion, we resort to the infi-
dels for advice. If we want to protect
our borders and our very existence
from our brothers in the doctrine, ori-
gin and language, we find no one to
support us except the infidel.
If we want to get the correct
information, we only find sources
and documents from the infidels?
When we want to increase the food
production we use the seeds of the
infidels. When we are tired of wash-
ing clothes with our hands with
water from the sea,
when we want clean
drinking water, we
import desalination
plants, and we import
washing machines
and means of trans-
port, air conditioners
for offices and
homes, lipsticks,
deodorants, shaving
cream, toothpaste,
and even straw
brooms from the infidels.
In the land of infidels, a citizen is
not arrested because he attacked a
cleric. In our countries punishment
awaits us.
In the land of the infidels, women
do not hide behind a veil, nor do
they judge the man with the length
of his beard and shortness of his
garment. In their countries, they do
not allow fatwas to control their
lives, the Constitution is stable and
the laws are clear.
Yes, we want a secular, demo-
cratic, free and beautiful homeland
like the homes of the infidels, a
homeland in which the scientist, the
doctor, the university professor, and
the teacher are given the same
respect as the cleric. We want a
homeland that does not differentiate
between a Hindu, a Christian, a
Shiite or a Sunni.
Will we ever be able to this type
Kuwaiti Municipality that the
of a country, or will we continue to
curse the infidel West and suffice
with the dream of imitating it, its
system, its laws and its style of life
either in public and sometimes in
secret -- to enjoy its benefits and
relax in its justice and beauty of its
nature?
email: habibi.enta1@gmail.com
KUNA photo
NEW YORK, May 31,
(KUNA): UN General
Assemblys President
Peter Thomson praised
on Tuesday Kuwaits
support for the UNGA
in general and in con-
tributing to achieving
the 2030 Sustainable
Development Goals
(SDGs).
Thomson made the remarks
during a meeting with visiting
Kuwait First Deputy Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister
Sheikh Sabah Khaled
Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
The meeting took place on the
sidelines of the UNGAs session
to elect non-permanent members
of the UN Security Council
(UNSC) for 2018-19.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled reit-
erated Kuwaits commitment to
achieving the 2030 SDGs.
The meeting was attended by
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaleds office
Director Ambassador Sheikh Dr
Ahmad Nasser Al-Sabah,
Kuwaits Permanent representa-
tive to the UN Mansour Al-Otaibi
and Deputy Assistant Foreign
Minister for International
Organizations Nasser Al-Hayyen.
Meanwhile, Kuwait looks for-
ward to establishing closer ties with
the International Labor Organization
(ILO) in the Middle East, a Kuwaiti
diplomat said on Wednesday.
Kuwaits Permanent Delegate
to the United Nations (UN)
made the remarks in a meeting
with ILO Director General Guy
Ryder, where the two officials dis-
cussed issues of mutual concern.
Moreover, he said that
Kuwaits support of the ILO is
needed given the increasingly
turbulent situation in the region,
as he heaped praise on the ILO
for its commitment to sort out the
Palestinian labor crisis.
On the meeting with Ryder,
Al-Ghunaim said it also tackled
the agenda of the ILOs forth-
coming annual conference on
June 5th, which features such
pressing issues as youth unem-
ployment and efforts to fight
child labor, amongst others.
The Kuwaiti diplomat under-
scored Kuwaits eagerness to
adhere to ILO guidelines and
laws, saying better relations with
the ILO can only enhance labor
productivity in his country.
crisis at official level between Doha and both Riyadh
Kuwait First Deputy Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister
Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad
Al-Sabah met in New York late
Tuesday Cote dIvoires Foreign
Minister Marcel Amon-Tanoh.
The meeting was held on the
sidelines of the UNGAs session
to elect non-permanent members
of the UN Security Council
(UNSC) for 2018-19.
Sheikh Sabah Khaled
Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also held
talks in New York Tuesday with
French Ambassador to UN
Francois Delattre, on need of
coordination and cooperation
over issues discussed by the UN
and Security Council.
Waste collecting
timings changed
KUWAIT CITY, May 31:
Director-General of Kuwait
Municipality Engineer Ahmad
Al-Manfouhi said he has called
upon all cleaning companies
which have a contract with the
cleaning of the streets and col-
lecting garbage should be done
after breaking the fast in the eve-
ning during the month of
Ramadan, reports Al-Rai daily.
He told the daily, this is done
to protect the workers who are
fasting and have to work under
the direct heat of the sun.
minds and the hearts of the journalists.
He added, this decision should
be welcomed by the cleaning
companies.
DIWANIYA
A DIGEST OF PUBLIC OPINION
Israel legitimacy point to ponder
Wars ruin Arab identity
THE British magazine The Economist wants to
remind the entire world and the Arabs about what hap-
pened fifty years ago the defeat of Arabs during its
war with Israel on June 5, 1967 and for that reason the
magazine has chosen the topic of this war for its cover
story, columnist Dr Hamed Al-Humoud wrote for
Al-Qabas daily Wednesday.
In its analysis the magazine has referred to the
psychological effect of the victory achieved by Israel
during this said war. The Jews have depicted this vic-
tory as Divine. The magazine wonders if this is just a
victory or a Divine test.
However, prior to the analysis by The Economist
and immediately after the Arabs tasted the June
defeat, the founder of Israeli State and former prime
minister David Ben Gurion, had actually put the same
question and he had called on the then Israeli govern-
ment to withdraw from all Arab territories which had
been occupied by Israel during the June 1967 war
except the City of Jerusalem.
Moreover, Ben Gurion had warned the Jewish
religious currents about their religious tendencies that
had become rampant in Israel in the aftermath of the
victory against the Arabs in that war because they
promoted the idea that the victory
by the Jews over the Arabs signi-
fied that they were the chosen
people of God.
But Ben Gurion according to
the book written by Arthur
Hertzberg who is also professor at
the Brown University in the United
States of America under the title
Fate of Zionism, had highlighted
the then sudden religious tendency
that had surfaced among the Jews
Al-Humoud
to such an extent, Ben Gurion had
shown his resentment against the
configuration of the Jews near what they call the
Wailing Wall after the Israeli occupation of East
Jerusalem stressing Zionism represents a secular
movement.
However, if the magazine wants to remind us of
the defeat, then we would like to tell the British maga-
zine that a majority of the Arabs have forgotten this
date, because over the past fifty years, the Arabs have
faced a lot of defeats, losses and civil wars and more-
over, this period was full of defeats.
In other words, we have not forgotten not only the
June 5, 1967 date, but the importance of the Palestinian
cause which took a back seat during this period to
such an extent this cause no longer is seen as the Arab
central cause, because as many as nine million Syrians
have become refugees and hundreds of thousands of
Palestinian refugees who were living in Syria have
been reluctant to leave that country to seek another
refuge and this has resulted in the Palestinian cause
losing its centralization in the Arab world.
Meanwhile, we say in the wake of shock June
1967 defeat, the Arabs attributed this to the fact that
they had failed to realize the extent of backwardness
of their ruling regimes and their political, economic
and educational systems compared to that of Israel.
This was also attributed to the fragile intellectual state
of the Arabs prior to this defeat.
In this context, we say while the Jews believed that
their victory on June 5, 1967, was Divine satisfaction,
the Arabs started believing their defeat in this war was
Divine punishment because of their non commitment
to Islam. This happened under the military and dicta-
torial regimes which had introduced themselves as
secular and democratic.
However, this phenomenon of intellectual extrem-
ism was boosted by the success of the Iranian Islamic
Revolution of 1979 and the involvement of the then
Iraqi president Saddam Hussein with a bloody war
with Iran which claimed the lives of hundreds of thou-
sands of Iranians and Iraqis.
In the meantime, we have observed that the US
invasion of Iraq in 2003 aggravated both extremism
and sectarianism in that country and this invasion
marginalized the role of the Sunni sect and gave birth
to the Islamic State or the so-called DAESH in Iraq.
In conclusion, we say although 50 years have
passed since this defeat of the Arabs by Israel in June
1967 which is gone down in history as the six-day-war
we have observed that we have yet to understand the
political roots which created Israel but we are still
arguing over trivial issues such as normalization or
non-normalization of ties with Israel, ignoring the fact
that we have lost Syria as a result of the Arab-Arab
infighting and Arab civil wars.
Also:
The Gulf-Qatari crisis looks more of an informa-
tional aspect only and this means there is no political
and Abu Dhabi, because the official channels of the
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member States have
not referred to any differences among these States,
rather this difference has been fanned by the media
and this means discussing the motives of behind this
and who stands to benefit from such differences,
columnist Nasser Khamees Al-Mutairi wrote for
Annahar daily Wednesday.
It is obvious and it is unfortunate that some of the
Gulf media have taken the role of crises makers and
this is against the rules and regulations of successful
media because these media have contaminated the
Gulf arena by spreading poison, which shall only help
promote sedition and differences among the GCC
governments and the peoples.
As a matter of fact, it not only the Qatar News
Agency which spread the breaking news through the
alleged statements but the real breakthrough came
from the satellite TV channels based in the GCC coun-
tries and some e-websites in addition to tweets and
freak voices which harbor nothing good for the Gulf
nation.
In this context, we say all Arab countries except
the GCC nations at the moment are suffering from
wars and crises. We infer some people are currently
striving to tear apart the unity of the GCC member
States by sowing seeds of conflicts among these States
by using the media as a weapon.
Such being the case, we suggest both the Arab and
the Gulf media are currently in need of a dire and
urgent treatment. These media are in an imperative
need of an objective, serious and effective method
capable of managing the crises instead of creating
them or helping the media run out of control which
can be done with wisdom and objective study far away
from the fabricated agitation and illusions which will
serve only the foes of the nation.
Consequently, we suggest all the media institu-
tions in the region should abide by the rules and mor-
als of the media profession and ingrain the same in the
In the meantime, we call for building the much-
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
7
needed press institutions and create professional jour-
nalists who are capable of putting across the proper
media message.
In conclusion, we would like to send a message to
the GCC capitals concerning the current crisis among
the relevant member States that it should not last long.
Not only the crisis but also the official silence should
not last long because this silence is likely to open the
door for baseless rumors and pollute the GCC atmo-
sphere.
In other words, the concerned officials should deal
with the crisis transparently and hasten to dot the is
and cross the ts and contain the differences if any
on the basis of goodwill as well as on the keenness
to protect the GCC entity and foil the attempts that
may be exerted by the foes of the nation who harbor
ill for this part of the world.
If you do good, you do good for yourself; and if
you do evil, [you do it] for yourself. Then when the
final promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden
your faces and to enter the temple in Jerusalem, as
they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they
had taken over with [total] destruction, (Al-Isra, Ayat
7), columnist, the representative of the State of
Kuwait to the Gulf Cooperation Councils Advisory
Committee and former MP Dr Abdulmohsen Jamal
wrote for Al-Qabas daily.
This is one of the Quranic verses that talk about
incessant conflicts among groups of mankind, includ-
ing Muslims and Jews, and how the conflicts will
persist till end of the journey of life. The Al-Aqsa
Mosque, where the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
went on the night journey, is regarded as one of the
holy lands of Muslims. The Israelis are trying to
occupy the land, destroy it and build the Solomon
Temple on its debris!
Their current efforts indicate they want to exploit
the weaknesses and cracks within the Arab and
Muslim worlds. One of the miracles of Islam is the
foretelling of another assemblage of Jews within the
Palestinian territory making efforts to destroy and
commit heinous acts against innocent civilians by
evicting land owners from their homes and territo-
ries.
An incident occurred last Saturday in the Portland
City, which is the largest city in the American State of
Oregon located at the confluence of River Willamette
and River Colombia, Abdulaziz Khuraibet wrote for
Al-Shahed daily.
Two young women including a veiled Muslim
boarded a train at the Hollywood Station. Their pres-
ence caught the attention of a Christian man who
approached them and uttered some racial statements
such as All Muslims should die as well as insults.
According to the official spokesperson of Portland
Police, the suspect was making a lot of noise and mur-
muring some words, many of which were regarded as
hate-filled and racist.
Three men approached in defense of the women.
One of them was quoted saying, You cant deal with
them that way as you can see they are young girls.
However, this Christian criminal shifted the aggres-
sion on the men who were trying to defend the ladies.
According to Sergeant Simpson, Eyewitnesses
revealed that the man was shouting while attacking the
men who were protecting the ladies. Two of them died
in the attack while the third one sustained injuries.
The attacker had stabbed Namkai-Mech and Ricky
John Best, a 53-year old father of four. He was arrest-
ed after he stabbed the third victim Micah David-Cole
Fletcher, who is still receiving treatment in a hospital.
Portlands Mayor commended the three victims,
saying other people should emulate their action. He
stressed that the current political atmosphere encour-
ages racism.
Namkai-Mechs mother wrote on her Facebook
page that she is proud of her child and he will forever
remain a hero for protecting the young women.
The verdict issued by Court of Cassation on the
so-called Al-Fintas Group case is deemed as an
unprecedented verdict in the history of Kuwaiti judi-
ciary. Three sons of the top ruling family were issued
with sentences reaching up to five-year imprison-
ment, Dr Wael Al-Hassawi wrote for Al-Rai daily.
I do not know the background of the crime com-
mitted by these individuals against Kuwait. I do not
think the verdicts were in favor of any big families
that are against them. However, what I consider the
most important is that Kuwaiti people have always
been asking why they do not see verdicts being issued
or executed against the top or high-ranking officials of
the country, while ordinary citizens are jailed and
persecuted just because of tweets or some state-
ments.
Today, the issuance of such a judgment broke the
barrier, as to see top people being given penalties like
ordinary people.
A state of justice and equality cannot be estab-
lished without applying the true criteria of justice
advocated by our Islamic religion. When we look at
various countries around us in the East and West, we
find there is progress and development in these coun-
tries because they apply clear standards in their societ-
ies.
Kuwait is one among the top countries in the
region in terms of care, sponsorship, and preservation
of the holy book, Abdulrahman Al-Awwad wrote for
Al-Sabah daily.
Every person can clearly see the interest of Kuwait
in this aspect from the weekly, monthly and yearly
competitions being organized by the highest authority
in the country under the patronage of His Highness the
Amir of the State of Kuwait. In addition, contests are
regularly held in schools to uphold the interest of chil-
dren in the Holy Quran.
Kuwait shows lot of care to the holy book and its
sciences, particularly during the month of Ramadan
when efforts are increased to distribute copies of the
Quran and teach its sciences.
The international contest held by Kuwait for mem-
orization and recitation of Quran is among the best
religious contests. It is always held under the sponsor-
ship of His Highness the Amir, which indicates the
interest of the State in holding such contests.
Such an interest of the country in Quranic sciences
is not new. It has long experience in serving and car-
ing for the Quran on its land. Hundreds of Quranic
contests have been held to reflect its civilized position,
originality of its kind people and its leading place in
this important field, all of which we are very proud
of.
Compiled by Zaki Taleb
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

LOCAL 8

Court Cases/Crime

Maid attempts suicide

Bedoun inmate acquitted

of trading in hash, heroin
By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah Staff and Agencies
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: The First
Circuit of the Criminal Court acquit-
ted a Bedoun prisoner at the Central
Jail of trading in hashish, heroin and
intoxicants.
An officer from the Drug Con-
trol General Department (DCGD)
disclosed the friend of the accused
possessed the drugs and intoxicants
for personal consumption and trad-
ing. A secret agent approached him
to make a deal. After ending the
deal, the friend
was arrested in
front of his house
with the marked
money in his pos-
session. He later
told investigators
that the money
and drugs belong
to his friend who
is a prisoner at
the Central Jail.
Lawyer for Haider
Bedoun prisoner,
Attorney Imaam Haidar, pointed out
loopholes in the statements of her cli-
ents friend. She said her client was
in the jail when the crime was com-
mitted while stressing there is no con-
nection between the conscated drugs
and her client. She added the lawsuit
documents do not present any evi-
dence against her client.
ries, as was indicated in the medical
report.
The defense counsel Lawyer
Thamer Al-Azmi stressed that his cli-
ent had denied the charges from the
onset of the investigations and that
the other suspects were the ones who
attacked his client. He said his client
sustained serious injuries in the hands
of the attackers, which was afrmed
in the medical report.
Woman robbed: An unknown man
stole KD 330 cash and jewelry worth
KD 2,000 from the house of a Kuwaiti
woman in Qosur area, says Al-Seyas-
sah.
When the Operations Room of
Ministry of Interior received infor-
mation about the burglary which oc-
curred when the woman stepped out
of the house with her family members KUNA photo
to take Iftar meal, securitymen rushed
to the location along with ofcers Visibility took a hit as dust prevailed throughout the day in Kuwait.
from the General Department for
Criminal Evidences. Air traffic normal despite dusty weather
Evidences were collected and n-
gerprints were lifted to determine the Flights at Kuwait International General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) gation has not been affected by partment has warned of minimal
identity of the burglar. A case was Airport are operating as normal announced Wednesday. the weather, DGCA spokesman visibility as a result of northwest-
registered and investigations are on- despite dusty weather conditions Current visibility is at 1,400 Mansour Al-Hashmi told KUNA. erly gusts at a speed of 70 kms
going. in the country, the Directorate square meters and ight navi- Kuwaits meteorological de- per hour. (KUNA)
Meanwhile, two unknown indi-
viduals stole 20 dozen cigarette packs
from a mobile grocery shop alongside
Rahiya Road and escaped without
getting caught. Securitymen are car-
rying out investigations to nd and
arrest the suspects.
Kuwaiti riddled with bullets,

another bludgeoned to death

Ruling overturned: The Appellate
Circuit of the Misdemeanor Court
overturned the verdict issued by
the Court of First Instance which
imposed a fine of KD 100 each on
three Syrians for engaging in a pub-
lic brawl near a known roundabout
in Jleeb Al Shuyoukh area. The
court instead acquitted the third sus-
pect.
The Public Prosecution had charged
the three Syrians of exchanging blows
with the rst and second suspects and
unidentied others on one side and
the third suspect and an unidentied
person on the other. In the ght, the
third suspect sustained serious inju-
Body of the Asian expatriate found hanging from the tree.
2 drug peddlers held
Maid attempts suicide: A Nepalese
maid who attempted to commit sui-
cide by consuming detergent inside
her sponsors house, has been referred
to the intensive care unit of the Adan
Hospital for treatment, reports Al-Rai
daily.
As soon as the Operations Room of
Interior Ministry received a call from
the sponsor police and paramedics
rushed to the house and took the maid
to the hospital.
A case has been registered at the
Sabahiya Police Station. Police are
investigating why the maid wanted to
end her life.
MoI photo
New visa ban puts families in serious crisis
By Meshal Al-Sanousi
Al-Seyassah Staff and
Agencies
KUWAIT CITY, May
31: A 21-year-old Ku-
waiti citizen was shot
dead inside his house in
Waha, Jahra area. The
identity of the murder-
er is yet unknown but
intensive investigations
are ongoing to nd the
culprit.
According to security
sources, when the Operations
Room of Ministry of Interior
received a distress call from a
Kuwaiti citizen who reported
nding his sons corpse inside
his house, securitymen, ofc-
ers from the General Depart-
ment of Criminal Evidences
and an ambulance were dis-
patched to the location.
They found a Kuwaiti youth
lying dead with three bullet
wounds in his head and two bul-
let wounds in his abdomen.
The victims father informed
securitymen that he last saw his
son alive when the latter took the
Suhoor meal and went to his
bedroom to sleep. He said he has
no knowledge of whether his son

Lankan commits suicide had any problems or issues with

By Meshal Al-Sanousi
Al-Seyassah Staff
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: A Sri Lankan
expatriate committed suicide by hang-
ing himself from a tree in Ardiya area.
According to security sources, when
the Operations Room of Ministry of
Interior received information about the
incident, securitymen rushed to the lo-
cation and found the man hanging from
the tree with a rope noosed around his
neck. The corpse was pulled down with
the help of ofcers from the General
Department of Criminal Evidences, and
referred to the Forensics Department.
The details of the deceased were
checked to discover he is a Sri Lankan
expatriate. Necessary action was taken.
Forensics Department for autop-
Drug peddlers held: Criminal Se-
curity Men arrested two Kuwaitis for
peddling in illicit drugs and seized 200
grams of heroin and Shabu in their pos-
session.
A security source said ofcers from
Criminal Security Sector received re-
port about the activities of two citizens
who peddled in narcotics and placed
them under surveillance.
Guarded by search and arrest warrant,
security operatives raided the apartments
of the two suspects after conrming valid-
ity of the report and recovered 120 grams
of heroin and 80 grams of Shabu respec-
tively. They admitted selling the contra-
band to clients.
anyone.
The corpse was referred to the
sy. Securitymen led a case and
launched investigations to nd and
arrest the murderer of the youth.
Meanwhile, a former ofcer
of Ministry of Defense murdered
a 1975-born Kuwaiti citizen in
broad daylight.
According to security sourc-
es, the victim was walking to a
mosque noontime for prayers
when the suspect drove towards
him and intentionally knocked
him down on the road. He then
stepped out of his vehicle, took
a brick, and hit the victim on the
head with the brick, thereby kill-
ing him. This incident occurred
in front of several passersby, who
tried to stop the suspect; howev-
er, the latter managed to escape
after committing the murder.
Securitymen eventually man-
aged to nd and arrest him. When
they questioned him, he explained
that he has been in a dispute with
the deceased since childhood. With
the intention of murdering him, he
observed the victim for three days
before committing the murder.
Visa ban crisis: The recent de-
cision announced by the Ministry
of Interior banning the renewal
of family visa for parents, sib-
lings and other relatives of ex-
patriate workers, except children
and spouses, has caused serious
crisis among expatriate families,
reports Al-Jarida daily.
The daily quoting a source said
the problem is more overwhelming
on some expatriates who served
Kuwait diligently for several dec-
ades before retirement, and later
transferred their residence on chil-
dren who were born and bred in
the country. He said the decision,
which was issued last Thursday
and became effective the follow-
ing Sunday, led to congestion at
various residency departments in
all six governorates.
Top and above: Municipality inspectors during a raid at various stores issuing citations for violations.
Municipality issues citations in massive raids
Emergency Team A afliated
to the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Mu-
nicipality recently embarked on
an intensive campaign at Qurain
Markets, factories in Subhan,
and cooperative society stores
to ascertain the level at which
the shops and restaurants abide
by Kuwait Municipality regula-
tions.
The campaigns led to the issu-
ance of 131 citations for various
violations. 15 citations were is-
sued over failure to use signposts
to indicate activities and 48 cita-
GMRP cuts cash for 1,652 Kuwaitis
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: The Gov-
ernment Manpower Restructuring
Program (GMRP) has stopped the
disbursement of labor support for
1,652 Kuwaiti male and female em-
ployees in May out of the 57,633 af-
ter ending their work permits in the
private sector, who were paid KD
38.522 million, reports Al-Rai daily.
The Secretary-General of the pro-
gram Fawzi Al-Majdali told the daily
the decision of the Council of Minis-
ters No. 613 of 2015 obliged all na-
tional manpower to register with the
General Authority for Manpower and
get a valid work permit to benet from
the support allocated by the State.
Al-Majdali pointed out the work
permit creates a database whereby
private sector employees are excluded
tions for conducting activities be-
fore obtaining license.
Meanwhile, ofcials of the
Farwaniya Municipality went on
an inspection tour of some ware-
houses, restaurants, shops,
kitchens and supermarkets in
Ardiya Industrial Area, and is-
sued 61 citations for various vio-
lations.
Jahra Municipality ofcials also
conducted campaigns at some
shops and restaurants within the
governorate and cited 14 viola-
tions in some markets there.
and who are actually beneciaries of
the support provided by the state as per
the decision issued by the Council of
Ministers regarding the disbursement
of the social allowance and the allow-
ance for children to professionals and
craftsmen and employees of non-gov-
ernmental organizations.
Al-Majdali has called on everyone
working in the private sector and who
benet from the employment support
to renew his/her work permit a month
before it ends, so as not to put himself/
herself in an unenviable position.
He also called on the licensees to
renew their commercial licenses well
in advance in order to continue get-
ting the support for the employees
from the state.
Al-Majdali revealed the GMRP
Kuwait Municipalitys Pub-
lic Relations Department stated
the campaign coincided with
the launch of a media aware-
ness campaign of the Municipal-
ity dubbed Your Health is Trust
aimed at exhibiting readiness
of the monitoring authorities in
various branches of the Munici-
pality to intensify campaigns in-
side cooperative societies, the
warehouses of food companies,
wholesale foodstuff markets, as
well as shops and restaurants
during and after Ramadan.
and the manpower authority are fully
linked so the transaction will be au-
tomatically terminated in case of any
discrepancy.
Indian nabbed: An Indian expa-
triate was arrested for impersonat-
ing a woman by wearing niqab
and abaya and sitting in front of
a mosque in Salmiya area to beg for
money from worshippers, says Al-
Seyassah.
According to security sources, se-
curitymen were on their regular pa-
trol around mosques and commercial
complexes when they noticed a wom-
an sitting in front of the entrance of a
mosque in Salmiya area and holding
a carton to collect money.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

LOCAL/GULF 9

Introduction of taxation seems inevitable

VAT implementation poses challenge for GCC insurers: A.M. Best

LONDON, May 31: Uncertainty
persists as to when precisely
Value Added Tax (VAT) will be
introduced in the member states
of the Gulf Cooperation Coun-
cil (GCC), and the process sur-
rounding a roll-out.
However, given the fiscal
pressures in the region, the in-
troduction of taxation seems
inevitable and could cause
short-term cash-flow issues for
insurers.
The GCC member states of
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia and the United
Arab Emirates (the UAE) are in
the process of establishing sepa-
rate national legislation to simul-
taneously adopt taxation on 1
January, 2018.
Laws for the implementa-
tion of VAT under the uni-
fied Gulf Cooperation Coun-
cil (GCC) Value Added Tax
(VAT) Framework Agreement
are still to be passed in most
GCC member states, but should
the deadline remain, this could
mean that companies and mar-
kets may have to rush towards
implementation.
In a news brieng, VAT Im-
plementation Poses Signicant
Challenges for GCC Insurers,
A.M. Best states that as imple-
mentation laws have yet to be
passed, this has resulted in a de-
bate as to whether the target date
is achievable.
Whilst there may be some
delay, in A.M. Bests opinion,
VAT likely is to be introduced
as quickly as possible. Public -
nancing across the GCC has be-
come more restrained in recent
years, reecting the decrease in
revenue from the sharp fall in
the oil price. As a result, the in-
troduction of VAT at a standard
rate of 5% appears inevitable as
governments seek to bolster their
inward receipts.
Aneela Mather-Khan, associ-
ate nancial analyst, said: A.M.
Best notes that the implementa-
tion of the VAT rules will in-
crease the cost of doing busi-
ness for insurers in the GCC as
VAT will be applied to almost all
goods and services in the value
chain, including outsourced ser-
vices.
The briefing also notes that
few insurers appear to be pre-
pared for the change in legisla-
tion, with some assuming that
any impact would be limited.
Salman Siddiqui, associate
director, added: A.M. Best
believes that insurers should
consider the implementation of
VAT as part of their risk man-
agement framework, paying
particular attention to the cor-
rect classification of all busi-
ness transactions.
With regards to the credit
quality of insurers, A.M. Best
believes that there likely is to
be an adjustment period, where
insurers will have to take a hit
to move in-line with the re-
quirements.
This could affect operating
performance and capitalisation,
although this would likely be a
short-term effect, while compa-
nies adjust pricing as policies
renew.

Kuwait registers estimated

Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Planning and Developing, Dr Kha-
lid Mahdi during a press conference to announce the annual results of the fol-
lowing report for the developing plan.
A view of the celebrations
Exports to ME AUD$ 2.8 bln last year
Victoria celebrates twenty years
of commitment to MENA region
DUBAI, May 31: The State Govern-
ment of Victoria is celebrating 20 years
of trade, tourism and investment links
with the Middle East region.
The Australian state set up its Vic-
torian Government Business Ofce
(VGBO) in 1997 to drive trade and in-
vestment links with the region, which
two decades later has seen Victorias
annual exports to the Middle East and
North Africa (MENA) region grow to
AUD$2.49 billion (US$1.85 billion).
Over a 10 year-long period (2006-
2016), Victorias total exports into
the MENA region was valued at
AUD$29.34 billion (US$21.76 bil-
lion).
Victoria has had a long-standing
and ongoing commitment to the
MENA region which has been estab-
lished through a sense of deep trust
and a mutually benecial relationship
that has been harnessed for 20 years,
said John Butler, Commissioner for
the State Government of Victoria in
the Middle East, Africa and Turkey.
There are many countries in the
MENA region that have played a vital
role in the Victorian economy as both a
source of imports and as an export des-
tination. We can only see our relation-
ship strengthening further as we grow
even closer together and develop the
successful two-way collaboration be-
tween Victoria and the region.
Through a variety of programs
and business initiatives, the VGBO
has assisted Victorian exporters and
provided assistance to Middle East,
African and Turkish companies and
organizations to source products and
services, business introductions and
investment opportunities with Vic-
toria.
Exports
The Victorian food and beverage
sector is a key component of the Vic-
torian economy and the industry has
built a well-established relationship
with the MENA region. Each year,
up to 100 of Victorias top F&B com-
panies attend the annual Gulfood ex-
hibition in Dubai, joining a Victorian
Minister who leads the delegation of
the states high performing companies
to the region.
During the period 2006-2016, Vic-
toria exported AUD$10.24 billion
(US$7.6 billion) worth of food and
agriculture products into the MENA
region.
In the UAE alone, Victorias food
exports were doubled over the past
10 years (2006-2016). During this
period, Victoria exported AUD$2.84
billion (US$2.1 billion) worth of food
and agriculture products to the UAE.
The UAE consists of 24 percent of
Victorias total exports and 35 percent
of Victorias total food export into the
MENA region.
Victoria is a leading exporter of
superior food and beverage products
with an ongoing commitment to the
highest international standards of
quality management, food safety and
Halal accreditation, said Butler.
The MENA region is also an im-
portant export region for Victorian
service providers, particularly in
the building and construction sector
where companies have established
ofces in the UAE and beyond.
Education is another important ex-
port sector with organizations offering
in-country courses and over 6,300 stu-
dents from the MENA region enroll-
ing in Victorian education institutes
last year. Victoria is the most popular
Australian study destination for Saudi
Arabian students, who account for the
largest cohort of MENA students in the
state (around 2,900 in 2016).
Tourism
Tourism and aviation links be-
tween Victoria and the region have
been enhanced over the years, with
Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways
and Qatar Airways all ying daily to
Melbourne.
Emirates Airline has a long-term rela-
tionship with Melbourne, having spon-
sored the famous Collingwood Football
Club and the Emirates Melbourne Cup,
the agships among a portfolio of key
partnerships in the state.
Etihad Airways also has a strong
connection with Melbourne, which
is home to Australias Etihad Stadium
and has seen the UAEs national car-
rier become the lead sponsor of Mel-
bourne City Football Club.
With a vibrant arts scene, a passion
for great food and Australias leading
sporting events, its no surprise that
Victoria is known for its amazing
tourism experiences, said Butler.
Investment
Victoria also offers a highly-skilled
and innovative workforce across a
range of industries, including world-
class capabilities in biotechnology and
life sciences, carbon trading, automo-
tive, aerospace, defense and ICT.
Equally, Victoria is a signicant
destination for MENA exporters and
investors, added Butler, With direct
daily ights into our capital city Mel-
bourne, and a reputation for leader-
ship in Islamic banking, Victoria is
an attractive destination for prospec-
tive investors into our great state.
Melbournes attractiveness to live and
work is underpinned by its position as
one of the top cities in the world, as
voted by the Economist Intelligence
Units annual Global Liveability Report,
which consistently ranks the Victorian
capital as number one.
The city is also the fastest grow-
ing in Australia, forecast to overtake
Sydneys population as early as 2030.
Melbournes population has grown
more quickly than any other Austra-
lian city over the past 10 years.
fiscal deficit of -3.6% in 16
PwC issues first quarterly economic bulletin on ME
DUBAI, May 31: PwC
issued today the rst
in a series of regular
economic bulletins on
the Middle East. The
report, which builds on
a range of similar pub-
lications published by
the rm globally, looks
at the dominant themes
driving Middle Eastern
economies and the op-
portunities and chal-
lenges ahead for the
region.
Key ndings
2016 was probably the low
point for oil exporters. Ac-
cording to PwC economists,
economic prospected in 2017
should improve, helped by
stronger oil prices over the
year. The monthly Purchas-
ing Managers Indices (PMIs),
support this outlook with all
showing an ongoing upswing
in Jan-Apr 2017, indicat-
ing better growth prospects
ahead.
Nevertheless, oil prices still
remain well below break-even
levels for most oil exporters and
scal reform and decit nanc-
ing will continue to be key policy
priorities in 2017 and beyond.
PwC stressed three key chal-
lenges for the regions economies:
First, low oil prices resulted
in large scal decits for oil pro-
ducing countries that now need
to be reined in. GCC govern-
ments collectively registered a
decit of around -11.1% of GDP
in 2016, ranging from an estimat-
ed -3.6% in Kuwait to a burden-
some -20.6% for Oman
Second, scal reforms are hard
to do and even harder to sustain:
energy subsidies were cut across
the board (resulting in a GCC
average of 2.8% ination); popu-
lar backlash against rising petrol
prices has caused some govern- Kuwaits Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim and ILO Director-General Guy Ryder shakes hands after signing the
ments to reconsider this policy agreement.
and yet many more difcult re-
forms are in the pipeline Bid to promote decent work for Palestinians
And nally, the issue of hidden
costs for oil importing countries
manifested in sizable structural
decits in countries like Egypt Kuwait grants $0.5 mln to support ILO
and indirectly, negatively affecting
countries that heavily rely on remit- BEIRUT, May 31: Kuwait pledged women and men and their families in prove livelihoods, and it barely trans-
tances and exports from the GCC $0.5 million to support the ILOs De- the occupied Arab territories, the In- lates into employment gains.
But is there cause for con- cent Work Agenda in the occupied ternational Labour Organization (ILO) Perhaps no other indicators mirror
cern? Palestinian territory (OPT), during says in a new report. the vulnerable situation of Palestinian
Whilst this environment cre- a signing ceremony at the ILO head- The 2017 edition of The situation livelihoods as dramatically as those re-
ates challenges for business, such quarters in Geneva. of workers of the occupied Arab ter- lated to the labour market, the report
Jamal Al-Ghunaim, Ambassador ritories cites stringent constraints on states.
as managing new taxes, the re-
port identied a growing number and Permanent Representative of the movement and economic activity, a Unemployment in the Occupied Pal-
State of Kuwait to the United Nations longstanding blockade of the Gaza estinian Territory remains pervasive,
of opportunities, particularly as
the major Gulf economies look Ofce and other International Organi- Strip, and a stalled peace process cou- higher than in any other country in
for alternative sources of nanc- zations in Geneva, made over the con- pled with intensifying Israeli settle- the Middle East and North Africa, and
ing. This includes the debt mar- tribution to ILO Partnerships and Field ment activity as critical determinants more than twice the regional average.
kets and privatisation initiatives. Support Department Director Juan of continued deterioration in the occu- More than a quarter of the Palestinian
Richard Boxshall, PwC Mid- Felipe Hunt, in the presence of ILO pied territories. labour force is unemployed; joblessness
dle Easts Economist echoed Director-General Guy Ryder. Examines among youth remains above 40 per cent.
Kuwaits contributions since 2009 Fewer than half of Palestinians above 15
the positive sentiment for the re-
gions economic outlook: account for 85 per cent of funding for The Director-Generals annual re- years of age are economically active, and
ILO programmes in the OPT. The new port, submitted to the ILOs Interna- two thirds of youth now remain outside
The urry of activity in debt
markets, privatisation and PPPs funding brings Kuwaits total con- tional Labour Conference in June, ex- the labour force. Less than one in ve
has only just got started and should tributions to the ILOs promotion of amines employment and labour market women work.
generate interesting business op- Decent Work and social justice in the conditions and rights of workers in the The situation is particularly dire
West Bank, including East Jerusalem,
portunities in the next few years. Arab States region to $US 4.5 million for the 2 million Palestinians living
Investors can expect to see GCC since 2009. Gaza and the occupied Syrian Golan. in Gaza, which has been sealed off by
economies make increasing use of Kuwait has been always keen to The harsh reality facing all efforts land, air and sea for the past decade.
international debt markets and to support ILO and its interventions in to strengthen the Palestinian labour Unemployment here remains well
work harder to attract foreign direct the OPT, said Jamal Al-Ghunaim. market is the control that the occupa- above 40 per cent, and the majority of
investment in the next few years. We praise ILOs work and achieve- tion exercises over the Palestinian bor- economically active youth 60 per
He added: Foreign investors ments in Palestine. I refer in particular ders and the access to land, water and cent are jobless. Among graduates,
natural resources, ILO Director-Gen-
will want to see that govern- to the adoption in 2016 of the social joblessness is almost universal. Ga-
security law for workers in the private eral, Guy Ryder, says in his foreword zans remain unable to move for work
ments have credible and commit-
ted plans to control the public - sector which will contribute to achiev- to the report. elsewhere. The overall economic and
ing better livelihoods for the Palestin- The space for opportunities to labour market situation is suffocating,
nances. Introduction of VAT and
excise tax in the GCC is an early ian people, he added. work, farm, produce and create jobs the ILO Director-General adds.
opportunity for GCC govern- The Director-General and the Am- in the occupied territories remains se- In the West Bank, the restrictions on
ments to signal to international bassador of Kuwait agreed on the im- verely constrained, Ryder says. movement and economic activity and
investors their commitment to portance of mobilizing for additional re- The report calls for the reanimation the overbearing presence of Israeli set-
scal reforms. sources that would secure more funding of the peace process with a view to tlements have fragmented the labour
The issue also highlights the for the ILO project on social security. achieving the two-state solution. market and impeded the development
As I indicate in my Report to the One of the aims of the Oslo agree- of a viable and vibrant Palestinian
growth potential of Egypt and Saudi
Arabia, viewed by PwC as pockets upcoming ILC: the Palestinian Au- ments was to establish well-function- economy, the report stresses.
thority and indeed a viable Palestinian ing labour markets for both Israel and The effect of working in Israel and
of opportunity in the region.
state cannot stand on their own nan- the Palestinians. This remains little the settlements
cially, Ryder said. more than a distant aspiration, Ryder The report also notes that a lack of
At PwC, our purpose is to From his side, the Ambassador of continues. The promotion and ap- alternatives has obliged an increasing
build trust in society and solve Kuwait indicated that his countrys plication of social justice and decent number of Palestinian men and women
important problems. Were a latest contribution could be used to work must continue as vital corner- to seek work in Israel and the settle-
network of rms in 157 countries support the building of a social secu- stones of the peace effort, he says. ments. Average wages of Palestinians
with more than 223,000 people rity institution in OPT and promised to Economic growth does take place working in Israel are more than twice
who are committed to delivering work with the ILO for the mobilization in both the West Bank and Gaza, but as high as in the West Bank. About one
quality in assurance, advisory of additional funds. the ILO mission that travelled to the quarter of the total wages earned by
and tax services. Find out more A multitude of obstacles arising out region to document the report found Palestinians of the West Bank comes
and tell us what matters to you by of 50 years of Israeli occupation domi- that it remains well below its potential. from employment in Israel or Israeli
visiting us at www.pwc.com. nate the everyday reality of working Current growth is not enough to im- settlements in the West Bank.

INTERNATIONAL
World News Roundup
Immirgation
Contrary to values
Deportation order
inhumane judge
SAN FRANCISCO, May 31, (AP): A Trump admin-
istration order to deport a man who entered the coun-
try illegally nearly three decades ago and became a
respected businessman in Hawaii was inhumane
and contrary to the values of the country and its legal
system, a federal judge wrote Tuesday in an unusu-
ally impassioned opinion.
President Trump has claimed that his immigration
policies would target the bad hombres, 9th US
Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt
said. The governments decision to remove Magana
Ortiz shows that even the good hombres are not
safe.
Reinhardt said the 9th Circuit lacked authority to
block the March order to
deport Ortiz to Mexico. Still,
he said it was difficult to see
how the order was consistent
with President Donald Trumps
promise of an immigration sys-
tem with heart.
Reinhardt said Ortiz, who
came to the US in 1989, was
well-established in Hawaiis
coffee farming industry, paid
his taxes and had three US citi-
zen children from whom he
Reinhardt would be torn away.
Nicole Navas, a US Department of Justice spokes-
woman, said the agency declined comment on the
case.
Reinhardt is considered to be one of the most lib-
eral judges on the 9th Circuit and his rulings often
place him on the side of immigrants and prisoners.
Reinhardt wrote a 2012 opinion striking down
Californias gay marriage ban.
He also wrote a 1996 opinion that struck down a
Washington state law that prohibited doctors from
prescribing medication to help terminally ill patients
die.
Appeals
Reinhold joined the nations largest federal appeals
court in 1980 after being nominated by President
Jimmy Carter.
His opinion in the Ortiz case came as the US
Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with a Mexican
immigrant who faced deportation after he was con-
victed of having consensual sex with his underage
girlfriend.
The justices ruled unanimously that Juan Esquivel-
Quintana had committed a crime under California
law, but his conduct did not violate federal immigra-
tion law.
Also Tuesday, a divided 11-judge panel of the 9th
Circuit upheld a law that bars people who are in the
country illegally from avoiding deportation if they are
habitual drunks. The law holds that those people do
not have good moral character.
The ruling overturned a decision by a smaller 9th
Circuit panel that included Reinhardt that said alco-
holism is an illness, not a moral defect.
The rulings come against a backdrop of stepped up
immigration enforcement by the Trump administra-
tion. US immigration arrests increased nearly 40 per-
cent in early 2017 from a comparable period last year,
according to figures provided by immigration offi-
cials. However, actual deportations were down from
late January to late April compared with a year ago.
Ortiz, 43, won a reprieve from deportation in 2014
and was seeking legal status on the basis that his wife
and children are US citizens when the government
without any explanation ordered him in March to
report for removal the next month, according to
Reinhardt.
Ortiz has at least one conviction for driving under
the influence, but Reinhardt said that was not the basis
for his removal order.
Ortiz appealed to the 9th Circuit in an effort to
block the removal order. Now, he will be returned to
Mexico and face a 10-year bar on his return, the judge
said.
A student originally from Mexico, Eric Cruz
Lopez was among the most visible immigration activ-
ists on the University of Connecticut campus up
until he was charged with spray-painting expletives
about President Donald Trump on the walls of
school buildings.
Now his arrest is hurting the push for a bill that
would allow students without legal immigration status
at the states public colleges and universities access to
financial aid.
Cruz, who had testified himself in favor of the leg-
islation, was charged on May 7 with more than 100
counts of misdemeanor vandalism. Police said he
gave a statement admitting to the vandalism and offer-
ing to discuss restitution. He did not respond to
requests for comment.
The case led state House leaders to postpone a
planned vote last week on legislation that would open
up $165 million in institutional financial aid to stu-
dents without legal status at public colleges and uni-
versities. Those students are studying under an
Obama-era executive order known as the Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals, which grants them
special visas.
State Sen Beth Bye, a West Hartford Democrat and
co-chair of the legislatures Higher Education
Committee, said shes still hopeful lawmakers will
look past the arrest and to the bigger picture.
Its frustrating to see this one persons action, in a
moment in time, hurt the hopes and dreams of hun-
dreds of Connecticut college students, putting their
hopes and dreams out of reach, she said. His actions
are not indicative at all of who these students are.
Connecticut Students for a Dream, for which Cruz
worked as an organizer, wrote to lawmakers distanc-
ing themselves from his actions.
The group plans a rally at the state Capitol on
Wednesday to make another push for the legislation.
For four years, we have marched, rallied, and
organized for these proposals, said Camila
Bortolleto, a spokeswoman for the group. Weve
won support from all of Connecticuts higher educa-
tion institutions, dozens of community groups, labor
unions, and legislators in both parties. ... Its resound-
ingly clear: Our state supports these proposals.
But some conservatives, including commentator
Ann Coulter, have latched on to Cruz Lopezs arrest
as an example of why they say the students dont
deserve support.
Cruz led a protest march on campus in November
following the presidential election and appeared
before the Board of Trustees in December to demand
the school codify protections for the students after
Trump said he planned to reverse the previous admin-
istrations executive order.
Brooklyn College graduates listen during commencement ceremony where Sen Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, delivered the
keynote address on May 30 in New York. The former Democratic presidential candidate, who hails from Brooklyn and
attended the school for a year, urged graduates to stand together and not let demagogues divide the country. (Inset):
Brooklyn College humanities and social sciences graduate Ameera Badamasi (center), from Nigeria, hugs a student after
the colleges commencement ceremony. (AP)
Votive candles bearing the photos of
two men who were fatally stabbed on
a Portland, Oregon, light-train while
trying to stop another man from
harassing two young women with an
anti-Muslim tirade, sit on a rain-
soaked memorial on May 30 in
Portland. Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-
Meche, 23, and Ricky Best, 53, died
in the attack. (AP)
America
Suspect yells slogans: A murder sus-
pect accused of killing two men during an
anti-Muslim rant against two girls on board
a train in Oregon appeared in court on
Tuesday, shouting slogans and defending
his act as patriotism.
Jeremy Joseph Christian, 35, did not
enter a plea during his brief arraignment on
charges including two counts of aggravated
murder, which carry the death penalty.
Get out if you dont like free speech
and You call it terrorism, I call it patriot-
ism. You hear me? Die, he shouted in the
courtroom, anked by two deputies.
Death to the enemies of America.
Leave this country if you hate our free-
dom, he added. Christian is due back in
court on June 7.
Attending the hearing on Tuesday was
Micah Fletcher, who was wounded as he
tried to defend a black 16-year-old and her
Muslim friend as they rode on a crowded
train on Friday.
Christian allegedly targeted the teens,
one of whom wore a hijab, with racial and
religious insults.
Two other men who tried to intervene
were fatally stabbed.
Fletcher told the local NBC station on
Tuesday that he was trying to come to
terms with the tragedy. I got stabbed in
the neck on my way to work, randomly, by
a stranger I dont know, for trying to just be
a nice person, said the 21-year-old univer-
sity student. Like, I dont know what to do
after that, you know.
Im healing. Thats what Im doing. As Cleveland Division of Police, shot Tamir
much as I can, in whatever way I can.
According to reports, Christian was a
known white supremacist and had appeared
at an alt-right rally in Oregon in April
during which he had yelled racist slurs
while giving a Nazi salute. (AFP)
Policeman who shot Rice fired:
An Ohio police ofcer who fatally shot a
black 12-year-old boy in 2014 was red
on Tuesday after an internal investigation
found he provided inaccurate information
on his application to join the police, city
ofcials said.
Timothy Loehmann, a rookie with the
Justice
Critics slam purging voter lists
SC to hear voter case
WASHINGTON, May 31, (Agencies):
The US Supreme Court on Tuesday
agreed to hear a case over voting
rights that is part of a long-running
dispute between Republicans and
Democrats.
The court said it would consider an
appeal from the Republican-controlled
state of Ohio after a lower court
blocked a policy to purge voter-regis-
tration lists of people who do not vote
regularly, saying it violated federal
law.
The states officials argue that
canceling the registration of voters
who had appeared inactive for six
years helped keep voting rolls current
and accurate.
But critics say that purging voter
lists was aimed at removing minori-
ties, poor voters and others who tend
to support the Democratic Party.
An appellate court ruled in
September last year that the Ohio
authorities had violated the National
Voter Registration Act, passed by
Congress in 1993 to make it easier to
register to vote.
The Supreme Courts decision to
hear the case represents a victory for
the Ohio authorities.
Critics condemned the move.
The right to vote is not a use-it-or-
lose-it right, said Demos, a liberal
think-tank.
Lists
Ohio removed hundreds of thou-
sands of people from voter-registra-
tion lists in 2015, civil rights groups
say.
The majority of those purged voted
Democratic, including a high propor-
tion of African Americans and
Hispanics, they say.
As we have seen time and time
again, homeless voters and other mar-
ginalized voters have to fight to make
their voices heard in the electoral pro-
cess, said Brian Davis of the
Northeast Ohio Coalition for the
Homeless (NEOCH).
Rules governing voting rights are
the source of many legal disputes in
the United States.
Republicans say new restrictions
are needed to crack down on voter
fraud. Most Democrats say that prob-
of killings that fueled protests against use
Rice as he played in a playground with a
toy gun that red pellets, one of a string
Christian Rice
lem is negligible and really used to
justify suppressing the Democratic
vote.
Last week, the Supreme Court
found Republican lawmakers in North
Carolina guilty of illegally using race
to draw up congressional districts that
would dilute the strength of African-
American voters.
The Supreme Court will be critical
in determining whether such policies
are lawful, already acting in some
cases and considering taking up
more.
Sued
The American Civil Liberties
Union last year sued Ohio Secretary
of State Jon Husted, arguing that the
state was violating the 1993 law,
which prohibits states from striking
registered voters by reason of the
persons failure to vote. The 6th
Circuit agreed.
Husted called the Supreme Courts
decision to hear his states appeal
encouraging. Maintaining the integ-
rity of the voter rolls is essential to
conducting an election with efficiency
and integrity, Husted said in a state-
ment.
Under Ohios policy, if registered
voters miss voting for two years, they
are sent registration confirmation
notices. If they do not respond and do
not vote over the following four
years, they are removed from the
rolls.
Husted has said Ohios policy has
been in place since the 1990s under
both Republican and Democratic sec-
retaries of state.
Freda Levenson, legal director of
the ACLU of Ohio, expressed confi-
dence that the Supreme Court would
uphold the 6th Circuit ruling. Ohios
purge of eligible voters has served as
a powerful mechanism of voter sup-
pression, Levenson said in a state-
ment.
Husted said he has made maintain-
ing accurate voter rolls a priority in
order to increase election integrity and
voter confidence, including removing
nearly 560,000 dead people from the
rolls and resolving instances of more
than 1.65 million voters who were
registered more than once.
long-term operation and cancel 2019 fuel
by US police of deadly force, particularly
against minorities.
Patrol Ofcer Loehmann had been
charged with rule violations concerning his
application process to be considered a cadet
with the division of police, specically
answers he had provided on his personal
history statement, Cleveland Director of
Public Safety Michael McGrath said at a
news conference.
Those violations had been conrmed
during an investigation that included a dis-
ciplinary hearing on May 2, McGrath said.
Frank Garmback, a second ofcer
involved in the shooting, will be suspended
for 10 days for improper tactics and receive
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
10
additional tactical training, McGrath said.
(RTRS)
Lawmaker assails Trump moves: Te-
resa Alonso Leon envisioned a better life
in a promised land when she was brought
from Mexico to America as a young
girl. Instead, her family wound up in an
unheated house in Oregon with no indoor
plumbing, eking out a living by picking
strawberries.
It is all the more remarkable, then, that
Alonso Leon became one of the rst people
brought to the US illegally to become a
lawmaker in America when she was elected
last November to Oregons Legislature.
Alonso Leons victory shows that
human potential does not know immigra-
tion status, and that among Americas
immigrants, especially those who have
come here as children and beneted from
the right to education,
their potential offers
leadership for the
country, said Arturo
Vargas, executive
director of the Na-
tional Association of
Latino Elected and
Appointed Ofcials.
The irony that
Alonso Leon was
elected the same day
that Donald Trump
beat Hillary Clinton Leon
is not lost on her.
We didnt get our woman president that
we were hoping for, but they got me as a
legislator, Alonso Leon said with a laugh
in her small ofce in the Oregon Capitol.
Alonso Leon, a Democrat, became a US
citizen in 2012. Now, with Trump stepping
up immigration enforcement, she sees
herself as a defender of her constituents.
Her district is centered around the predomi-
nantly Latino town of Woodburn, 30 miles
(48 kms) south of Portland.
US Customs and Immigration Enforce-
ment, known by its acronym as ICE,
already has focused on the town, stopping
two vans loaded with workers in February
and taking several people away. Alonso
Leon is a former Woodburn City Council
member. (AP)
Town probed over mosque denial:
The US Department of Justice has opened
an investigation on a New Jersey citys
rejection of a planned mosque, a spokes-
man conrmed on Tuesday.
The US Attorneys ofce in New
Jersey, in conjunction with members of
the departments civil rights headquarters
in Washington, DC, is examining whether
ofcials in Bayonne, New Jersey, properly
denied plans to build a mosque, according
to Matthew Reilly, a spokesman for the
New Jersey ofce.
The Bayonne Muslims, the group seek-
ing to construct the mosque, led a federal
lawsuit against the city last week.
News of the federal probe came on
the same day that another New Jersey
municipality, Bernards Township, agreed
to pay $3.25 million to resolve allegations
by the US government and a Muslim group
that the town illegally rejected plans for a
mosque.
The agreement between Bernards, which
is located about 30 miles (48 km) west of
New York City, and the US Department
of Justice will allow the Islamic Society of
Basking Ridge to build a new prayer facility.
Federal law prohibits local governments
from imposing an undue burden on reli-
gious exercise through land use regulations.
Bayonne ofcials could not immediately
be reached for comment late on Tuesday.
(RTRS)
US Army discharges soldier: The US
Army has discharged an American-French
dual citizen who had enlisted despite hav-
ing fought with Russia-backed separatists
in eastern Ukraine, ofcials said Tuesday.
Guillaume Cuvelier, 29, was able to
join the Army this year even though he
had espoused extreme right-wing French
nationalist views and had fought for the
Kremlin-backed Donetsk Peoples Repub-
lic in 2014.
Private First Class Guilluame Cuvelier
was discharged from the US Army on May
24, 2017, Army spokeswoman Valerie
Mongello said in a statement, without giv-
ing a reason for the move.
Cuveliers case was rst reported by The
Washington Post, prompting the Army to
launch an investigation into whether any
recruitment procedures were violated when
Cuvelier signed up. A March 2014 execu-
tive order bars US citizens from assisting
the Donetsk Peoples Republic by way of
funds, goods or services.
According to his large digital footprint,
Cuvelier also spent time ghting with the
Kurdish peshmerga in northern Iraq before
heading to America. (AFP)
Pennsylvanias N-plant to close:
The Three Mile Island Generating Station
in Pennsylvania, the site of the worst
nuclear accident in the United States four
decades ago, announced on Tuesday that it
would close in 2019 pending major policy
reforms.
Exelon Corporation, which operates the
plant south of Harrisburg, said it plans to
close the station around September 2019.
President and CEO Chris Crane called it a
difcult day for the plants 675 employ-
ees, their families and customers.
Staff are expected to start transitioning
out within six months of the nal shut-
down, the Chicago-based corporation said.
Exelon said it would make shutdown
notications to the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission within 30 days, terminate
capital investment projects required for
purchases and outage planning.
Still, the corporation held the door open
to preserving the plant, saying reforms to
Pennsylvania state energy policy to support
nuclear power could provide one of many
potential solutions.
Exelon said it is committed to nding
the best solution, saying nuclear energy
contributes $2 billion a year to Pennsylva-
nias economy and supports 16,000 direct
and indirect jobs in the state.
But a recent slide in energy prices, with
natural gas sinking 64 percent over a dec-
ade, has left nuclear energy at a disadvan-
tage. It remains expensive and offers few
opportunities to cut overhead costs. (AFP)

INTERNATIONAL
People tie ribbons at the base of the last pillar to stand at Ground Zero during a ceremony for the 15th anniversary of the end of the nine month recovery effort at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum on May 30, in New York City. The
event honored rescue and recovery workers and the sacrices they made. It was announced today by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, 9/11 Memorial Board Chair and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, and
Board Member and former Daily Show host Jon Stewart that plans are underway for a permanent dedication at the 9/11 Memorial to honor rescue and recovery workers at Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks. (AFP)
Intelligence
Wider WH overhaul expected
Trump blasts probe,
urges Page testimony
WASHINGTON, May 31, (Agencies): US President
Donald Trump sought to insert himself into congres-
sional probes on Russia on Wednesday, urging lawmak-
ers to hear from one of his former advisers, Carter Page,
to counter testimony by directors of the FBI and CIA.
Trump has been dismissive of probes by the FBI and
several congressional panels into alleged Russian med-
dling in the 2016 presidential election and potential col-
lusion by the Trump campaign. In a series of morning
tweets, the Republican president quoted a Monday let-
ter from Page in which he asked to address the House
Intelligence Committee promptly and referred to faulty
testimony from US intelligence ofcials.
Trump accused Democrats of blocking Pages testi-
mony, without citing evidence but referring to an uni-
dentied report.
So now it is reported that the
Democrats, who have excoriated
Carter Page about Russia, dont
want him to testify. He blows
away their case against him &
now wants to clear his name by
showing the false or mislead-
ing testimony by James Comey,
John Brennan ... Witch Hunt!
Trump wrote on Twitter, refer-
ring to the former directors of
the FBI and CIA. Trumps early
Trump morning tweets came as his ad-
visers are planning to establish a
war room to combat mounting questions about com-
munication between Russia and his presidential cam-
paign before and after Novembers election.
However, the presidents penchant for tweeting could
complicate White House efforts to tamp down the scan-
dal if the messages appear to address the investigations.
Pages letter was reported by the Washington Exam-
iner. Reuters has not veried the contents of the letter. A
House Intelligence Committee staffer said on Wednes-
day the panel does not make public its communications.
Dominate
Page, who advised Trump during his presidential
campaign, is one of several Trump associates of interest
to congressional investigators in the Russia probes that
have begun to dominate his 4-month-old presidency.
Moscow has denied US intelligence agencies conclu-
sion that Moscow interfered in the election campaign to
try to tilt the vote in Trumps favor. Trump has denied
any collusion.
Meanwhile, a top communications aide to Trump has
resigned, in what many inside and outside the White
House see as the rst exit before a wider overhaul.
Fresh off Trumps rst ofcial trip abroad, his admin-
istration is looking for ways to respond more aggressive-
ly to allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election
and revelations of possible ties between Trumps cam-
paign and Moscow. White House communications direc-
tor Michael Dubke announced his resignation Tuesday.
Dubke said in a statement it had been an honor to serve
Trump and my distinct pleasure to work side by side,
day by day with the staff of the communications and
press departments. However, Trump has privately and
publicly pinned much of the blame for his administra-
tions woes on the communications effort.
In terms of messaging, I would give myself a C or a C
plus, Trump said in an interview on Fox News Channel
early in his term. In terms of achievement, I think Id
give myself an A. Because I think Ive done great things,
but I dont think I have I and my people, I dont think as they criticized the ongoing US scrutiny
weve explained it well enough to the American public.
Trump has long believed that he is his most effec-
tive spokesperson and has groused about supporters and
aides not defending him vigorously enough. At the same
time, he often undermines his staffers, contradicting their
public statements and sending inammatory tweets that
derail their efforts to stay on topic.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer pushed back
Tuesday on the idea that a broader reorganization was
imminent, but he acknowledged the president is frustrat-
ed with news stories that are absolutely false, that are
not based in fact. That is troubling.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi,
of Calif, speaks at The Common-
wealth Club in San Francisco, May
30. (AP)
America
Trumps covfefe tweet: A midnight
tweet by Donald Trump unleashed a wave
of sometimes mocking speculation by
Internet users wondering what the US
president meant by writing covfefe in
an apparently unnished Twitter post that
lingered online for hours.
At 12:06 am ET (0406 GMT), Trump
wrote: Despite the constant negative press
covfefe.
The post, since deleted, was followed
by a Trump message at 6:09 am ET (1009
GMT) that sought to put a playful tone on
the misre, saying, Who can gure out the
true meaning of covfefe ??? Enjoy!
The original message, which seemed to
have been the start of a Trump complaint
about media coverage, soon became a top
trend on Twitter.
Some users sought clarication from
dictionary company Merriam-Webster.
They did not get a denition but did draw
a response.
Wakes up. Checks Twitter... Uh....
Lookups fo(r)... Regrets checking Twitter.
Goes back to bed, @MerriamWebster
wrote after Trumps rst tweet ignited a
slew of possible denitions and jokes, as
well as defenses of the president.
Covfefe also made its way into the
Urban Dictionary, a website that collates
online word submissions. (RTRS)
Flynn to provide some docus: Former
National Security Adviser Michael Flynn
will provide documents to the Senate intel-
ligence committee as part of its probe into
Russias meddling in the 2016 election,
The Associated Press has learned.
Flynns decision Tuesday came as
President Donald Trumps personal at-
torney, Michael Cohen, rejected a House
intelligence committee request for informa-
tion, and former White House staffer Boris
Epshteyn conrmed he has been contacted
for information as part of the House inves-
tigation.
Meanwhile, Trump and Russian Presi-
dent Vladimir Putin sounded similar tones
of Russias attempts to sway the presiden-
tial election.
Flynns cooperation was the rst signal
that he and the Senate panel have found
common ground. Congressional investiga-
tors continue to press for key documents in
the ongoing investigation, and the retired
lieutenant general is trying to limit damag-
ing disclosures that hostile Democratic
lawmakers could use against him.
Flynn had previously invoked his Fifth
Amendment protection against self-incrim-
ination in declining an earlier subpoena
from the committee, which sought a wide
HealthCare
Medicare plans to replace Social Security numbers on cards
Iowa GOP sens doubt repeal
ALTOONA, Iowa, May 31, (AP): Low-
ering expectations, Iowas two Repub-
lican senators say the long-promised
repeal of Obamacare is unlikely, and
any nal agreement with the Republi-
can-controlled House is uncertain.
The comments Tuesday by Sens.
Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst come as
the Republican-controlled Senate moves
forward on its work to dismantle the
2010 health care bill while facing con-
icting demands within their own party
and lockstep Democratic opposition.
Both senators are active players in the
health care debate.
You cant repeal it in its entirety,
Ernst told reporters after a joint appear-
ance with Grassley in suburban Des
Moines.
It was a frank admission from loyal
conservatives representing a state Re-
publican Donald Trump carried in No-
vember. The Senates libuster rule
means that Republicans who control
the Senate with 52 seats cant repeal
the entire law.
Youve got to have 60 votes and we
dont have 60 votes at this point, Grass-
ley said.
Grassley, in his seventh term, is a sen-
ior member of the Finance Committee,
which oversees the laws tax and Med-
icaid provisions. Ernst, elected in 2014,
says she has been part of an informal
GOP health care working groups dis-
cussions.
As much as Id love to go back and lic concerned that the GOPs American
scrap the whole darn thing, were simply
unable to do that, Ernst said.
Other Senate rules permit the GOP
majority to repeal portions of Obamac-
are without Democratic support but ren-
der other parts of the law off limits.
That just allows us to tinker around
the edges, Ernst earlier told Eric Bor-
seth, an Altoona, Iowa, businessman
who implored her to get rid of that
monstrosity.
Divisions
What Grassley and Ernst did not men-
tion are divisions within the Republican
caucus in the Senate. Getting every Re-
publican on board is proving arduous.
House Republicans passed a measure
May 4 axing major parts of the 2010 Af-
fordable Care Act, including hundreds of
billions in extra Medicaid money that 31
states now receive for expanding to cov-
er more lower-income Americans under
the federal insurance program.
Such provisions, as well as the non-
partisan Congressional Budget Ofces
estimate that 23 million Americans
would lose health insurance, make the
House bill a non-starter with several Re-
publican senators.
Erasing Obamas health care law was
a top promise of Donald Trump dur-
array of documents and information related
to his contacts with Russia. Flynns attor-
neys had argued the request was too broad
and would have required Flynn to turn
over information that could have been used
against him.
In response, the Senate panel narrowed
the scope of its request. It also issued
subpoenas seeking records from Flynns
businesses.
One of the businesses, Flynn Intel Group
ing his presidential campaign, and by
congressional GOP candidates since its
2010 enactment.
But writing legislation that can pass
with only Republican votes has proven
agonizing.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.,
canceled a March vote after opposition
from party conservatives and moderates
would have sealed its defeat, and the two
wings of the GOP spent weeks blam-
ing each other for the bills demise. The
House subsequently passed it by a nar-
row margin.
Ernst says the Senate will be able to
make individual changes to Obamas
law where only a simple majority vote
is required.
For instance, she mentioned changing
mandatory health care benets required
by insurers as ripe for Senate action.
Ernst stopped short of saying whether
any legislation passed in the Senate
would be accepted by the House.
We will be working with the House,
she said.
Promises
Meanwhile, President Trump has
called the House-passed health care bill
a great plan, but a new poll nds that
three out of four Americans do not be-
lieve it fullls most of his promises.
The poll out Wednesday from the
nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation
also found a growing share of the pub-
Health Care Act will have negative
consequences for them personally by in-
creasing their costs, making it harder to
get and keep health insurance, or reduc-
ing quality.
There is nothing in this poll, that if
you were in the Senate, would cause you
to rush out and pass the House bill, said
Drew Altman, president of the founda-
tion, a clearinghouse for health system
information. It was the latest in an ongo-
ing series of Kaiser polls on health care.
Senators are on recess this week, back
in their home states sounding out constit-
uents. In Washington, staffers are work-
ing on a legislative framework that can
get 51 votes. In the poll, only 8 percent
said the Senate should pass the House
bill as it is.
The House-passed AHCA would
eventually lead to 23 million fewer
people covered, according to a recent
Congressional Budget Ofce estimate.
While it would reduce average premi-
ums over time, it could also destabilize
coverage for people with health prob-
lems in some states.
The GOP bill would eliminate former
President Barack Obamas Medicaid ex-
pansion and limit future federal nanc-
ing for that safety net program. It would
repeal the unpopular requirement that
Flynn Putin
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
11
most people get covered or risk nes. It
would continue to provide subsidies for
private health insurance, but at a reduced
level. And it would cut taxes on upper-
income people that Democrats raised to
nance their Affordable Care Act.
Improve
As a candidate and as president,
Trump has made reassuring promises
about health care. While offering few
details, hes vowed to improve cover-
age and cut costs. Days ago the president
tweeted, I suggest that we add more
dollars to Healthcare and make it the
best anywhere. ObamaCare is dead - the
Republicans will do much better!
However, both the House GOP bill
and Trumps own budget would make
big cuts across a range of health care
programs, from insurance to medical
research.
In the poll, three-in-four said they
dont think the narrowly-passed House
bill fullls most of Trumps promises.
Thirty-ve percent it fullled none of his
promises, while 40 percent said the bill
fullls some Trump promises.
Only 4 percent said the GOP bill
fullled all of the presidents promises,
while another 10 percent said it deliv-
ered on most of his promises.
WASHINGTON: Old Medicare cards will
be going in the shredder.
Ofcials said Tuesday the govern-
ment is on track to meet a 2019 deadline
for replacing Social Security numbers
on Medicare cards with randomly gener-
ated digits and letters to protect seniors
against identity theft. Planning for the
massive transition has been underway
for years.
Beneciaries and their families
should start seeing changes next April,
Medicare announced Tuesday. Thats
when the agency will begin mailing out
new cards to more than 57 million elder-
ly and disabled beneciaries. Theyll be
instructed to destroy their old cards after
they get the new one. New cards may be
used right away.
Health care transitions can be noto-
riously tricky for the government. Re-
member the Obamacare computer
system that didnt work at rst? Or the
Medicare drug program rollout, when
millions of low-income beneciaries
couldnt get their prescriptions lled
initially?
In a statement Tuesday, Medicare
chief Seema Verma said the Trump ad-
ministration is aiming for a seamless
transition over a 21-month period that
will involve coordination with bene-
ciaries, family members, hospitals, doc-
tors, insurance companies, pharmacies
and state governments.
Inc., did consulting work for a Turkish
businessman that required Flynn to register
with the Justice Department as a foreign
agent earlier this year. The other, Flynn
Intel Group LLC, was used to accept
money from Flynns paid speeches. Among
the payments was more than $33,000
Flynn received from RT, the Russian
state-sponsored television network that
US intelligence ofcials have branded as a
propaganda arm of the Kremlin. (AP)
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

INTERNATIONAL 12

World News Roundup

Scottish First Minister and Leader of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon, acknowledges the applause after unvelling the Scottish National Partys (SNP) election manifesto in Perth, south-east Scotland on May 30, as campaigning
continues in the build up to the general election on June 8. (AFP)

Scottish nationalists to seek independence vote, Brexit seat

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
said Tuesday that she would demand a
new independence referendum and a seat
at the Brexit negotiating table if her party
wins the most seats in Scotland in the Brit-
ish election.
Presenting the Scottish National Partys
manifesto for the vote, Sturgeon pledged
to pursue her plan to take Scotland out of
the United Kingdom and back into the Eu-
ropean Union.
Scotland must have a choice about our
future a choice between following the
UK down the Brexit path or becoming an
independent country, she told hundreds of
SNP activists in Perth.
Sturgeon conrmed that she wants a re-
run of the SNPs failed 2014 independence
bid in late 2018 or early 2019, but said she
could extend that timetable if there was not
sufcient clarity about the consequences
of Brexit, with Britain due to leave the EU
in March 2019.
The SNP hopes to hold a referendum
before the current term of the semi-autono-
mous Scottish Parliament runs out in 2021,
while still giving party leaders enough time
to convince a sceptical electorate.
A series of polls have shown that support
for independence is holding steady at about
45 percent, the same result as in 2014.
British Prime Minister Theresa May has
said now is not the time for another ref-
erendum, and Scotlands unionist parties,
including Mays Tories, oppose another
referendum.
Sturgeon said she wanted an indepen-
dence referendum towards the end of the
Brexit negotiations, so that voters can
make a genuinely informed choice about
the future of our country.
The SNP goes into the June 8 general
election defending 54 of the 59 Scottish
seats in the 650-member British parlia-
ment. (AFP)

Britain Britain

Attacker bought parts himself June 8 election battle tightens

UK police release
3 bomb suspects
LONDON, May 31, (Agencies): British police say
three of the 14 people arrested over the Manchester
arena suicide bombing have been released without
charge, and the investigation so far has found bomber
Salman Abedi acted largely
alone as he assembled his
deadly device.
Russ Jackson, head of the
police Northwest Counterter-
rorism Unit, said analysis of
surveillance camera footage
and other evidence had shown
that Abedi himself made most
of the purchases of the core
components of the bomb.
Many of his movements
Abedi and actions have been carried
out alone during the four days
from him landing in the country (to) committing this
awful attack, Jackson said.
The bombing killed 22 people and injured more
than 100 after a show by American singer Ariana
Grande at Manchester Arena. Grande announced
Tuesday that she and other top stars including Jus-
tin Bieber, Coldplay and Miley Cyrus will return
to the city to perform at a benet concert on Sunday.
Meanwhile, police trying to unmask a possible net-
work around Abedi searched a property in Wigan, 20
miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Manchester, briey
evacuating neighbors as the bomb squad was called in.
The house is one of more than a dozen searched in
Manchester and beyond since the May 22 attack in an
investigation that has involved 1,000 police ofcers.
Police say Abedi returned to Britain from Libya,
his parents homeland, on May 18. They are trying to
re-create his movements before he detonated a bomb
hidden in a knapsack at the concert and are trying to
track a blue suitcase he was seen with in closed-circuit
TV footage.
Rule
Jackson said police could not rule out the existence
of a wider network around Abedi. Eleven men remain
in custody on suspicion of terrorism offenses, but
Jackson said three men a 20-year-old, a 24 year old
and a 37-year-old were released Tuesday without
charge.
The arrested suspects have not been identied or
charged. Abedis older brother Ismail is reported to be
among them, and his father and younger brother have
been detained in Libya.
Also Tuesday, Londons Metropolitan Police said
military backup for police, brought in after the bomb-
ing, was gradually being reduced now that the U.K.s
ofcial threat level from terrorism had been lowered
from critical to severe.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said mili-
tary personnel will remain in readiness to support the
police, should it be necessary.
Ofcials also said extra police stafng that had been
added to protect public gatherings over the holiday
weekend would be reduced.
The railway station next to Manchester Arena,
which had been shut since the blast, reopened Tues-
day, easing transport woes for residents.
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Transport
Secretary Chris Grayling were among those who laid
wreaths at Victoria Station, which also suffered dam-
age in the concert blast.
Burnham said the city had pulled together through
what has been our darkest week.
Meanwhile, former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher
paid homage to the victims of a suicide bombing in his
home town, telling the crowd Manchester I love you
on a stage lit up by 22 candles, British media reported.
Britains worst militant attack in 12 years targetted
an Ariana Grande pop concert in the northern English
city last week.
Britains Prime Minister Theresa May
visits Simon Jersey, a business uni-
form supplier in the constituency of
Hyndburn in Accrington, Lancashire
country on May 30. (AFP)
Britain
Spotlight on old IT systems, cuts:
The catastrophic IT failure at British
Airways that ruined travel plans for
75,000 people has raised questions about
some older airlines focus on costs to the
detriment of investment in new computer
systems.
As British Airways resumed full service
Tuesday, shares in its parent company,
International Airlines Group, dropped 3
percent as investors appeared to worry that
the companys quality of service may have
been undermined by recent efforts to save
money.
Disaster struck on Saturday, when the
companys computer systems went down
and there was no functioning back-up. The
airline cancelled all ights and only man-
aged to resume full service on Tuesday.
Although cost cutting has been good
for the share price in the last year, it will
come back to bite IAG if it stops them
from doing what they are supposed to do:
Fly passengers to their destinations, said
Kathleen Brooks, the research director at
City Index. (AP)
Scotland Yard hires detectives: Fans
of dark dramas about London crime-ght-
ers will get their chance to become real-life
detectives with a new recruitment drive
launched Wednesday by the Metropolitan
Police better known as Scotland Yard.
In a rst for British policing, detectives
will no longer need to have served as patrol
ofcers in uniform, as police chiefs aim to
nd greater diversity and specialist skills
such as dealing with cyber crime.
London continues to change and so do
its criminals, Detective Chief Superinten-
dent Stephen Clayman, head of the re-
cruitment programme, said in a statement.
Complex crimes such as cyber-crimi-
nality and the pressing need to protect vul-
nerable people mean our investigators need
to develop new expertise, Clayman said,
adding that he wanted to see more recruits
who look and feel like the Londoners we
serve. (AFP)
Harris walks free: Veteran childrens
entertainer Rolf Harris, convicted of a
string of sex attacks on women and girls,
walked free from a British court on Tues-
day after a jury could not reach a verdict on
further charges.
The 87-year-old Australian, an artist and
television presenter who also topped the
music charts in both Britain and Australia,
had been on trial for allegedly abusing girls
as young as 13 between 1971 and 1983.
Harris had denied the four charges
against him.
Whilst Im pleased that this is nally all
over, I feel no sense of victory, only relief,
PM May could lose majority
LONDON, May 31, (Agencies): Prime
Minister Theresa May could lose con-
trol of parliament in Britains June 8
election, according to a projection by
polling company YouGov, raising the
prospect of political deadlock just as
formal Brexit talks begin.
In stark contrast to opinion polls that
have until the past week shown May
on course for a big win in the snap
election she called, the YouGov model
suggested May would lose 20 seats
and her 17-seat working majority in
the 650-seat British parliament.
The YouGov constituency projec-
tion, based on 50,000 interviews over
the course of a week, showed May
would win 310 seats, down from the
331 seats won by her predecessor Da-
vid Cameron in 2015.
The opposition Labour Party could
win 257 seats, up from 232 seats in
2015, YouGov said. Smaller parties,
including the Scottish National Party
and Northern Irish parties, could win
83 seats, The Times newspaper quoted
YouGov as predicting.
If the YouGov model turns out to be
accurate, May would be well short of
the 326 seats needed to form a govern-
ment in June, when formal Brexit ne-
gotiations are due to begin.
May called the snap election in a
bid to strengthen her hand in negotia-
tions on Britains exit from the Euro-
pean Union, to win more time to deal
with the impact of the divorce and to
strengthen her grip on the Conserva-
tive Party.
But if she does not handsomely beat
the 12-seat majority Cameron won in
2015, her electoral gamble will have
failed and her authority could be un-
dermined just as she tries to deliver
what she has told voters will be a suc-
cessful Brexit.
Sterling traded half a percent lower
against the US dollar after the YouGov
data was published. It was trading at
$1.2800 early on Wednesday.
When May stunned politicians and
nancial markets on April 18 with her
call for a snap election, opinion polls
suggested she could emulate Margaret
Thatchers 1983 majority of 144 seats
or even threaten Tony Blairs 1997 La-
bour majority of 179 seats.
But polls had shown Mays rating
slipping over the past month and they
fell sharply after she set out plans on
May 18 to make some elderly people
pay a greater share of their care costs,
a proposal dubbed the dementia tax
by opponents.
A total of seven polls carried out
since the May 22 Manchester suicide
Harris said in a statement read out by his
lawyer outside the London court.
Im 87 years old, my wife is in ill-
health and we simply want to spend our
remaining time together in peace, he said.
(AFP)
4 jailed for trafficking: A British court
jailed four men on Tuesday for their in-
volvement in trafcking Polish workers into
EU fears London could veto
18 budget over Brexit talks
BRUSSELS, May 30, (AFP): The EU
fears Britain could veto the EUs 2018
budget during the Brexit negotiations set
to start after the British elections on June
8, a top ofcial said Tuesday.
Germanys Gunther Oettinger, the
European Unions budget commis-
sioner, said the picture would become
clearer after the vote as the European
Commission, the EU executive, un-
veiled its 2018 draft EU budget of 161
billion euros ($180 billion).
Oettinger told a press conference
the British government has said that for
solely formal reasons it cannot take a
big decision on the budget during the
election campaign.
He said that based on the principle of
probability and predictability Britain was
unlikely to veto the budget.
But elections are elections. We have
to wait and see who will be governing.
There is sort of a residual risk in there,
Oettinger said.
If after the elections there were to be
a different position on the part of the UK
government ... in such a case we would
have to change our draft, he added.
Some additional expenses such as
credits for youth employment, would be
threatened, a commission ofcial said.
It would be necessary then to dip into
agriculture funds to nance security and
migration projects.
Both British and EU ofcials in Brus-
sels expect Britains exit bill to be the
most sensitive aspect of the negotia-
tions with one estimate at 40-60 billion
euros ($42-65 billion), which mainly cov-
attack have shown Mays lead over the
Labour Party narrowing, with some
suggesting she might not win the land-
slide predicted just a month ago.
The polls painted a complicated
picture of public opinion, with voting
intentions being inuenced by both the
deadly Manchester attack and Mays
unpopular social care proposals.
In contrast to YouGovs model, oth-
er projections suggested May would
win soundly. The Electoral Calculus
website, which predicts the results
based on polls and electoral geogra-
phy, said May would win 371 seats and
Labour 205 seats.
Betting markets give a more than
80-percent probability of May win-
ning an overall majority, though bet-
ting markets were wrong ahead of the
unexpected Brexit result in the June 23
referendum.
The Times said YouGov acknowl-
Clayman Harris
ers nancial commitments made by the
bloc while Britain was a member.
The 2018 draft calls for 161 billion
euros in commmitments, or funds set
aside for programmes that could exceed
a year -- an increase of 1.4 percent over
the 2017 budget.
A total of 55.4 billion euros is pro-
posed for structural and investment
funds in the bloc, while another 59.6 bil-
lion euros is earmarked for agriculture
and rural development.
The commissions proposal will now
be discussed by the European Parlia-
ment and member states.
Meanwhile, Britains healthcare sys-
tem faces spiralling costs if expat pen-
sioners living in other parts of the Euro-
pean Union return after Britain leaves
the bloc, a study by an independent
health charity warned on Wednesday.
Some 190,000 British pensioners
are currently receiving healthcare in dif-
ferent EU countries at a cost of around
500 million a year for Britains state-run
National Health Service (NHS).
But the Nufeld Trust study said this
could rise to 1 billion (1.1 billion euros,
$1.3 billion) if the pensioners returned
due to higher health costs in Britain com-
pared to other EU countries.
If the NHS needed to host people cur-
rently receiving care abroad it would also
have to create additional bed spaces
the equivalent of two extra hospitals.
Under a reciprocal scheme, British
pensioners have the right to go to any
EU member state and receive the same
health rights as the local population.
edged that its predictions were contro-
versial and allowed for a wide margin
of error.
YouGov Chief Executive Stephan
Shakespeare told The Times that the
model had been tested during the run-
up to the EU referendum last year and
that it had consistently put the Leave
campaign in the lead.
The YouGov research allowed for
big variations in the outcome of the
election, ranging from as high as 345
seats for the Conservatives, 15 more
than their current number, to as low as
274, The Times said.
The model allowed YouGov to as-
sess the intention of every type of vot-
er, from where they live to how they
voted on Brexit, their age and social
background, in order to weight the re-
sults.
Shakespeare said the gures could
change dramatically before June 8.
the UK, tricking them into low-paid jobs and
taking their wages, prosecutors said.
The four men, Sabastian Mandzik, 40,
Robert Majewski, 45, Pawel Majewski, 27,
and Seweryn Szymt, 20, were convicted
at Newcastle Crown Court for transport-
ing people for exploitation, conspiring to
force people into labour and conspiring to
conceal criminal property.
The sentences ranged from ve to 12
years imprisonment. (RTRS)

INTERNATIONAL
Extremism
Warning to IS recruits
Former Gitmo inmate
among six detained
PARIS, May 31, (Agencies): A former Guantanamo
Bay inmate is among six people from an alleged ji-
hadi recruiting network linked to the Islamic State
group who were detained on Tuesday, a French ju-
dicial source said.
Among the suspects arrested was Sabir Mahfouz
Lahmar, who was freed from the US detention center
in Cuba in 2009 after France agreed to accept him,
said the ofcial, who spoke on condition of anonym-
ity to discuss the case.
Lahmar was one of six Algerians detained in
Bosnia in 2001 on suspicion
of plotting to bomb the US
embassy in Sarajevo. The Jus-
tice Department later backed
off the allegations, but held
the men at Guantanamo for
years. Former French Presi-
dent Nicolas Sarkozy agreed
to take him in April 2009, and
Lahmar moved to Bordeaux
later that year.
The French ofcial said
Lamar, at 48, is the oldest of
Macron
the four men and two women
who were arrested and said that there were no indica-
tions the group was plotting an attack.
Five of the suspects were detained in Bordeaux,
one in Paris.
Meanwhile, Frances new government has issued
a thinly-veiled warning that its citizens who become
ghters for the Islamic State group could be killed.
Asked Wednesday about a report that French
forces are involved in targeted killings of French IS
militants in Iraq, government spokesman Christophe
Castaner neither conrmed nor denied The Wall
Street Journals ndings.
He simply replied: I say to all ghters who join
the Islamic State group and then go abroad to wage
war: waging war brings risks, and they must assume
those risks.
Elected
President Emmanuel Macron, elected May 7,
says crushing IS is a top priority.
Citing Iraqi ofcers and current and former French
ofcials, the Journal said French special forces have
enlisted Iraqi soldiers to hunt and kill French nation-
als who have joined ISIS senior ranks.
In related news, rights group Amnesty Internation-
al accused France on Wednesday of using emergen-
cy powers to ght terrorism as a pretext for clamping
down on peaceful protests, including over sensitive
environmental and labour issues.
The report comes just days after President Macron
said his government would ask parliament to extend
by several months the emergency powers introduced
in 2015 to counter the threat of militant attacks.
Emergency rules giving French police wider
search and arrest powers were introduced after Is-
lamist gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 peo-
ple in and around Paris in November 2015.
Amnesty said that between November 2015 and 5
May 2017, authorities had used their powers to issue
155 decrees prohibiting public gatherings.
It also said 639 measures preventing specic indi-
viduals participating in public assemblies had been
imposed, including 574 that targeted labour law re-
forms protesters.
The new government has said that following last
weeks Manchester attacks claimed by Islamic State,
the emergency measures should run beyond mid-
July to Nov 1.
Emergency laws intended to protect the French
people from the threat of terrorism are instead being
used to restrict their rights to protest peacefully, said
Amnesty International researcher Marco Perolini.
Under the cover of the state of emergency, rights
to protest have been stripped away with hundreds of
activists, environmentalists, and labour rights cam-
paigners unjustiably banned from participating in
protests.
Macron, who reviewed national security with de-
fence chiefs on Wednesday, said security measures
for the summer period would be reinforced taking
into consideration the state of emergencys planned
extension.
Obviously there is no question of diverting what
is a state of emergency to ght terrorism ... in any
way whatsoever, government spokesman Chris-
tophe Castaner said.
He added that anti-terrorism legislation presented
in the summer would look at resolving any issues re-
lated to the state of emergency.
Amnesty said the current measures included pow-
ers to ban demonstrations on vague grounds and pre-
vent individuals attending protests.
With Macron expected to push through new eco-
nomic reforms in the coming months, there is poten-
tial for more widespread demonstrations across the
country.
In the run-up to the election, Emmanuel Macron
promised to protect the right to protest in France.
Now he is President, he must turn his words into ac-
tion, said Perolini.
With the battle lines already being drawn be-
tween the new president and the unions on labour
law reform, President Macron must stop the misuse
of anti-terrorism powers to restrict peaceful protest
and end Frances dangerous and dizzying spiral to-
wards a permanent state of emergency.
Also:
BERLIN: German state police were questioning a
17-year-old asylum-seeker Tuesday after a tactical
unit took him into custody on suspicion that he was
planning a suicide attack in Berlin.
Police in Brandenburg state said the teenager
was detained Tuesday in the village of Gerswalde,
100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Berlin, after
they learned he had sent a farewell message to fam-
ily members and told them that he had joined the
jihad, or holy war.
The WhatsApp message talking about jihad to the
suspects family was sent within the last week and
Brandenburg authorities were told of it late Monday
night by two other German states, Brandenburg po-
lice spokesman Torsten Herbst told The Associated
Press.
He said police were investigating and the teen was
still being questioned but so far police had no evi-
dence that a concrete attack was planned.
The federal Interior Ministry said it had no indica-
tions that an attack had been imminent.
The state Interior Ministrys ofce identied the
suspect as Syrian, but Herbst said investigators were
checking to see whether he falsely registered as a
Syrian but was actually from a North African coun-
try.
Pope Francis kisses a young child as he arrives for his weekly general audience, in St Peters Square, at the Vatican on
A mourner pays her respects at the coffin of the late Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis at Athens Cathedral on May 31.
The government declared four days of official mourning following the death of the former prime minister at age 98. (AP)
Serbias newly re-elected President
Aleksandar Vucic waves during an
inauguration ceremony, in Belgrade,
Serbia on May 31. Vucic has been
sworn in as Serbias president, telling
his supporters that he will work on
peace and stability in the Balkans. (AP)
Europe
Navalny loses defamation case:
Multi-billionaire Alisher Usmanov has won
a defamation lawsuit against Russian opposi-
tion leader Alexei Navalny.
The judge at Moscows Lyublinsky district
court on Wednesday ordered Navalny to
remove his YouTube documentary about
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedevs alleged
wealth from the web and publish a retraction.
Usmanov has sued Navalny over the ndings.
Navalny said he would appeal the ruling.
Navalny, who made his name with a blog
exposing ofcial corruption, has published le-
gal documents showing that Usmanov, along
with several other Russian billionaires, trans-
ferred lucrative assets to a charity foundation
run by Medvedevs former classmate.
Medvedev has denied any connection to
the property while Usmanov has insisted that
the transfer of the ownership of a luxurious
mansion to the charity foundation was a bona
de business deal. (AP)
Russian meddling fiction: Russias
President Vladimir Putin has dismissed alle-
gations of Russian meddling in last years US
presidential election as ction invented by
Democrats to divert the blame for their defeat.
In an interview with French newspaper Le
Figaro released Tuesday, Putin reafrmed his
strong denial of Russias involvement in the
hacking of Democratic National Committee
emails that yielded disclosures that proved
embarrassing for Hillary Clintons campaign.
The claims of Russian interference were
driven by the desire of those who lost the
US elections to improve their standing,
Putin said in the interview recorded during
his Monday visit to France.
They want to explain to themselves and
prove to others that they had nothing to do
with it, their policy was right, they have
done everything well, but someone from
the outside cheated them, he continued.
Its not so. They simply lost, and they must
acknowledge it.
The people who lost the vote hate to
acknowledge that they indeed lost because
the person who won was closer to the people
and had a better understanding of what
people wanted, the Russian leader said in a
reference to President Donald Trump.
Russias hopes for a new detente under
Trump have been shattered by congres-
sional and FBI investigations of the Trump
campaigns ties to Russia. In the Le Figaro
interview, Putin said the accusations of
meddling leveled at Russia have destabilized
May 31. (AP)
Europe
Standing up to Trump
Europe gets mojo back
BERLIN, May 31, (RTRS): If Presi-
dent Donald Trump wanted to make
an impression with his rst visit to
Europe last week, he unquestionably
succeeded.
In their own ways, German Chan-
cellor Angela Merkel and new French
President Emmanuel Macron this
weekend signaled just how little con-
dence they now have in American
global leadership. It seemed a direct
response to Trumps performance at
the NATO summit and G7 meetings.
Both leaders are playing to their
own domestic audiences. Merkel
who faces German national elec-
tions in September received a full
minute of applause for her widely
reported Sunday comments that the
United States and UK could no longer
be relied upon. Macron is fresh from
his own election victory, keen to lock
in a reputation as a strong centrist
force who can stand up to Trump and
Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Caught in the middle is Britain,
with Prime Minister Theresa Mays
government appearing badly out of
step with the European mood as it ne-
gotiates Brexit.
Game
Having been widely seen as match-
ing Trump at his own game in a ma-
cho series of competitive handshakes,
Macron this weekend threw himself
into a public face-off with the Russian
leader. As Putin stood next to him at
a press conference outside Paris, the
French president lambasted Kremlin-
linked news outlets and Moscows ac-
tions in Ukraine, the Middle East and
beyond. He also threatened French
military action in the event of further
chemical strikes in Syria.
The speed with which Europes
new centrist duo the established
Merkel and freshly minted Macron
have demonstrated their newly
muscular self-condence is striking.
Only recently, both France and Ger-
many looked as though they might
fall to the far right. That they have
not done so appears to have given the
political establishment a boost.
Economically, the euro zone is in
international affairs. (AP)
Prince Charles visits Transylvania:
Britains Prince Charles has stepped into
Putin Prince Charles
the best shape it has been for almost
a decade, its growth outpacing Amer-
icas in the rst quarter of this year.
The migration crisis has somewhat
eased, and with it the political fallout
from recent militant attacks. All of
these problems as well as Europes
far right may well return. But for
now, the political energy seems to be
with the center. Merkel and Macron
are determined to take advantage of it.
Picture
For the United States, this is a
mixed picture at best. Successive
US leaders particularly Trump
have long tried to persuade Europe to
stand up for itself, to take more re-
sponsibility for its own defense and
other issues. The manner in which it
is now happening, however, will feel
like a slap in the face. Indeed, it is
supposed to.
In more normal times, Merkel
and Macron both natural Atlanti-
cists would likely prefer to bolster
ties with Washington and London.
With Brexit and Trump, they feel
the United States and UK have taken
stunningly wrong turns and they
intend to be seen lling the gap.
This has been supercharged by
Trumps behavior at the NATO sum-
mit last week. The US president quite
literally shoved another leader aside,
failed to make an expected pledge
to honor the Article Five mutual de-
fense clause and still does not seem
to understand how alliance members
fund defense. We dont know what
happened behind closed doors but
Merkel and Macrons actions this
weekend suggest it wasnt pretty.
In many respects not that much
will change. The NATO alliance
will remain a central plank of Euro-
pean defense, and that will depend on
US military muscle. Links between
the US and European militaries will
probably continue to deepen, despite
diplomatic rhetoric to the contrary.
But major European states appear
to have now made a decision to take
more into their own hands, ready for
the day when Washington proves ab-
sent.
the Transylvanian countryside, meeting local
producers of cheese, jam and salami during a
private visit.
He met Wednesday with locals in Viscri,
where he owns a house. He also is expected
to tour three medieval churches that have
been vandalized, with a view to restore them.
The region has 250 medieval Saxon
churches that belonged to Saxons or ethnic
Germans. Romania has fewer than 15,000
Saxons, down from a quarter of a million in
1990.
Charles received an honorary degree for
his devotion to Romania on Monday. He
said he was enticed by the hilly, woody and
fertile landscape he encountered in Transyl-
vania 20 years ago. (AP)
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
13
Balladur probed over kickbacks:
Former French prime minister Edouard
Balladur has been placed under formal
investigation over allegations that possible
kickbacks may have helped nance his 1995
presidential election campaign, a judicial
source said on Tuesday.
In the so-called Karachi Affair, judges
are trying to unravel a series of nebulous
dealings by middle-
men and possible
kickbacks linked to
the sale of Agosta
class submarines by
the French govern-
ment to Pakistan in
the 1990s.
Balladurs of-
ce said he would
contest the decision
in Frances highest
appeals court. Balladur
There is no
evidence in the les seen by lawyers that
he personally participated in his capacity
as prime minister in setting up a system of
kickbacks to nance his election campaign
in 1995, the statement from his ofce said.
Ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, who was
budget minister at the time, has rejected
media speculation that he might have
known of the payments as he was also
spokesman for Balladur when he was run-
ning for the presidency. (RTRS)
Probe opens of 19 French MPs: The
Paris prosecutors ofce says it has opened
an investigation into 19 French members
of the European Parliament after a col-
league claimed they used aides for political
activity in France while they were on the
parliaments payroll.
The ofce said Tuesday that, in addition
to the lawmakers, more than 20 parliamen-
tary aides are under investigation for alleg-
edly receiving money through an alleged
breach of trust.
The ofce would not name any of the
targets of the probe. It conrmed that
French Minister for European Affairs
Marielle de Sarnez has led a slander
complaint against the European Parliament
member who made the claims and belongs
to Frances far-right National Front party.
Several National Front members have
been under a similar investigation for alleg-
edly cheating the European Parliament out
of about 300,000 euros ($336,000) paid to
aides. (AP)
Vucic sworn in as Serbia prez:
Aleksandar Vucic was sworn in as Serbias
president on Wednesday, pledging to work
for peace and stability in the war-weary
Balkans while strengthening the countrys
armed forces.
Vucic, a former ultranationalist turned
self-declared pro-European Union
reformer, formally stepped down on
Wednesday from his prime ministers post
after winning the presidential election by a
landslide in April.
The opposition, which has alleged ir-
regularities during the election campaign
including muzzling the media, plans
protests later Wednesday against Vucics
autocratic rule.
We must create a region where differ-
ences are an advantage and not the basis for
clashes, Vucic said in his inaugural speech
in parliament.
There have been enough burials in
the Balkans, it is time to give birth, he
added, referring to the wars in the southern
European region in the 1990s in which
he took an active role as a supporter of
expanding Serbias borders at the expense
of its neighbors.
While we have to talk to everyone, we
also have to strengthen our defense capac-
ity, Vucic said. (AP)
Mitsotakis mourned: Hundreds of
mourners gathered in central Athens
Wednesday to pay their respects to Con-
stantine Mitsotakis, the former conservative
prime minister who died this week aged 98.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras,
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, and
Greeces 76-year-old former king, Con-
stantine, were among mourners ling past
his cofn at Athens Cathedral on the eve of
his funeral on the island of Crete.
Mitsotakis served as prime minister be-
tween 1990 and 1993. Although he was con-
sidered by some of his political opponents to
have been a divisive gure, the government
declared four days of ofcial mourning.
Supporters credit him with advocating
scal restraint years before Greece was hit
by severe nancial crisis, but critics said
he contributed to a highly charged political
atmosphere in the late 1980s.
Mitsotakis son, conservative opposi-
tion leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was at the
cathedral to receive condolences. (AP)
Armstrong wins top award: British
scholar Karen Armstrong on Wednesday
won Spains Princess of Asturias award
for social sciences in recognition of her
investigations into world religions.
Organizers described Armstrong as
an international reference point for her
comparative studies of Islam, Christianity
and Judaism.
A holder of the Order of the British
Empire title, Armstrongs works include
the bestselling The Battle for God: Fun-
damentalism in Judaism, Christianity and
Islam and Holy War: The Crusades and
Their Impact on Todays World.
Armstrong, 72, said she was moved at
having won the prize.
Speaking to The Associated Press by
telephone, she said she began writing about
religion not out of peace or love, but because
she saw fear and what people with prejudice
and hatred were capable of doing.(AP)
$75 mln appeal for Libya: The United
Nations on Tuesday launched a $75.5-mil-
lion (67.5-million-euro) appeal to tackle a
swelling humanitarian and migration crisis
in Libya.
The UNs High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) said the funds would
go toward providing essential services for
displaced people, refugees and asylum-
seekers.
The appeal is in partnership with the
UNs International Organization for Migra-
tion (IOM).
We have urgent work to do in Libya
and can only do it together, said UNHCR
head Filippo Grandi in a statement. We
are going the extra mile in trying to make
a difference for hundreds of thousands of
people. (AFP)

INTERNATIONAL
World News Roundup
Mideast
Haley to visit Israel
Israeli rule cause of
Palestinian hardship
JERUSALEM, May 31, (Agencies): Fifty years after
Israel occupied the Palestinian territories, its policies
in the West Bank and Gaza are at the root of
Palestinian hardship, the United Nations said
Wednesday.
Occupation policies and practices remain the key
cause of humanitarian needs in the occupied
Palestinian territories, the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said
in a report.
West Bank and Gaza residents suffer from a lack
of basic security, it said, adding that the split between
President Mahmud Abbas West Bank-based
administration and the rival Islamist movement
Hamas in Gaza also restricts
humanitarian work.
At its heart, the crisis is
one of a lack of protection for
Palestinian civilians -- from
violence, from displacement,
from restrictions on access to
services and livelihoods, and
from other rights violations.
Israel occupied the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip dur-
ing the 1967 Six-Day War.
Abbas Repeated efforts to negotiate a
solution to the conflict and
establish an independent Palestinian state alongside
Israel have stalled.
A wave of unrest that broke out in October 2015
has claimed the lives of 266 Palestinians, 41 Israelis,
two Americans, two Jordanians, an Eritrean, a
Sudanese and a Briton, according to an AFP tally.
Israeli authorities say most of the Palestinians
killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming
attacks.
Protests
Others were shot dead during protests or clashes,
while some were killed in Israeli air strikes on the
Gaza Strip.
OCHAs 15-page Humanitarian Overview for
2016 notes a sharp fall in bloodshed over the year
compared to 2015.
Palestinian fatalities from conflict-related vio-
lence in the occupied Palestinian territories and
Israel declined by 37 percent compared with 2015,
it said.
The decline in Israeli fatalities was 48 percent.
However, Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes
in the West Bank, including annexed east Jerusalem,
had peaked, it said.
In the West Bank, more Palestinians were dis-
placed in 2016 (1,601, including 759 children) due to
demolitions of their homes by the Israeli authorities
than in any year since OCHA began recording the
phenomenon in 2009, it said.
In the Gaza Strip, where unemployment is among
the highest in the world, a strict Israeli blockade has
been in force for over a decade.
Israeli restrictions on the entry of national staff of
aid organisations to and from Gaza intensified in
2016, with 31 percent of permit applications to enter
or exit Gaza denied, OCHA said.
That is up from an average of four percent in 2015,
it added.
It said humanitarian operations in Gaza were
impeded by restrictions imposed by the Hamas
authorities, donors blocking contact with them, the
ongoing closure of the Rafah crossing with Egypt
and the internal Palestinian divide.
Haley to travel to Israel: US Ambassador Nikki
Haley, who has accused the United Nations of anti-
Israel bias, will travel to Israel next week and deliver
an address to the UN Human Rights Council in
Geneva.
Haley will be the first US ambassador to address
the rights council, speaking at a session on June 6
that will be followed by a speech on the US role at
the council, the US mission said.
The former governor of South Carolina has criti-
cized the UN rights body as corrupt and the US
administration has been weighing a withdrawal from
the council.
We havent made a decision yet, Haley told
reporters when asked if the United States would quit
the council.
Possible
Haley said she would discuss possible reforms at
the council and then we will make a decision after
that.
From June 7 to 9, Haley will hold meetings with
Israeli and Palestinian leaders during her visit to
Israel and visit a UN peacekeeping mission in the
region. Haley said she was hoping to meet with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, but that these
meetings had yet to be confirmed.
Gaza faces power cuts: When Gazas 2 million
residents break their dawn-to-dusk fast during the
Muslim holy month of Ramadan, much of the terri-
tory is engulfed by darkness and homes have to rely
on generators or batteries for the post-sundown fam-
ily meals.
Rolling power cuts, a mainstay of life in a decade
of Hamas rule in the blockaded Gaza Strip, have
never been worse.
Power is only on for four hours at a time, followed
by 14 to 18 hours of outage and the blackouts
could grow even longer amid an escalating struggle
for dominance between the Islamic militant Hamas
and its West Bank-based rival, the Palestinian
Authority of internationally backed President
Mahmoud Abbas.
Abbas, whose government pays Israel for the elec-
tricity, has stepped up financial pressure on Hamas
in recent weeks by threatening to reduce its funding
in hopes of forcing his rivals to cede ground.
But in a new twist, Israels energy minister said he
would block any additional electricity cuts until fur-
ther review. Yuval Steinitz argued that Israel should
not be drawn into an internal Palestinian problem, a
decision that also effectively shields Hamas, Israels
enemy, against Abbas.
Gazas residents have adapted to worsening hard-
ships with ingenuity and stoicism.
In some apartment buildings, residents have
pooled resources to buy communal generators. Most
Gazans buy food daily because they can no longer
use refrigerators.
Demonstrators hold pictures of Nasser Zafzafi, leader of the Rif regions protest movement, during a demonstration against corruption, repression and unemploy-
Thousands rally in Morocco for release of protest leader
Several thousand people took to the
streets in Morocco after dark on
Tuesday to demand the release of the
leader of months of protests in the
neglected northern Rif region.
The region has been shaken by
social unrest since the death in October
of fishmonger Mouhcine Fikri, 31, who
was crushed in a rubbish truck in the
fishing port of Al-Hoceima as he pro-
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut
Cavusoglu (left), welcomes Slovenias
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Karl Erjavec (right), at
his official residence in Ankara, on
May 31. (AFP)
Rouhani Raisi
Mideast
Rouhani win certified: Irans election
watchdog certified President Hassan
Rouhanis reelection as fair on Tuesday,
dismissing claims by the defeated hardline
candidate who had asked for investigation
into alleged widespread fraud.
The Guardian Council confirmed
Tuesday in a letter the results of the 12th
presidential election in Iran, Salman
Samani, the spokesman of the interior min-
istry, was quoted as saying by the state
media.
Rouhani easily secured reelection for a
second term in the May 19 vote, winning
more than 57 percent of the vote. His main
challenger, hardline judge Ebrahim Raisi,
received 38 percent.
Raisi has accused Rouhani of inappro-
priately using state media and government
offices for campaign purposes.
He also protested against the voting proce-
dure, accusing the interior ministry of not
sending enough ballot papers to cities and
villages where he had the most support.
The ministry has denied the allegations,
saying that long queues affected all cities
and millions of people could not cast their
votes despite standing in line for hours.
Some reports on violations were not
valid, and some were referred to the judi-
ciary, Guardian Council spokesman
Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei told state television.
The Guardian Councils announcement
came as no surprise as its influential chair-
man, Ahmad Jannati, said last week that he
could confirm the validity of the election
despite violations.
Protests against the presidential election
results in 2009 rocked Tehran and other
cities for months, marking the biggest chal-
lenge to the Iranian authorities in the last
two decades. (RTRS)
UN urges to help Syrians: The UN
refugee agency on Tuesday urged Morocco
and Algeria to provide safe passage for
dozens of Syrian refugees trapped in no-
mans land between the two countries.
Prompt action by both governments is
needed in facilitating the immediate and
safe passage of the forty-one vulnerable
ment in the northern city of al-Hoceima on May 30. (AFP)
tested against the seizure of swordfish
caught out of season.
Nasser Zefzafi, who has emerged
as the head of the grassroots Popular
Movement, was arrested on Monday
after three days on the run.
Demonstrators came out near the
centre of Al-Hoceima for a fifth straight
night at around 10 pm (2200 GMT),
after the breaking of the daytime fast
Diplomacy
Gabriel, Cavusoglu to meet over airbase row
Putin lifts restrictions on Turks
MOSCOW, May 31, (Agencies):
Russias President Vladimir Putin has
lifted restrictions on hiring Turkish
workers and on Turkish firms operat-
ing in Russia, the Kremlin said on
Wednesday, under a deal to mend rela-
tions hurt by Turkeys downing of a
Russian jet in 2015.
Putin also partially restored a mutu-
al agreement on the movement of each
countrys citizens that was suspended
after Turkey shot down the plane near
the Syrian border, the Kremlin added.
The Russian leader agreed to lift
some of the restrictions after meeting
his Turkish counterpart Tayyip
Erdogan in early May.
Proposal
Russia is still keeping a ban on
Turkish tomato imports, in the face of
a Turkish proposal to lift the bar out-
side the Russian growing season.
In response, Ankara imposed pro-
hibitively high import tariffs on
Russian wheat from mid-March, but
resumed purchases after the presi-
dents meeting on May 3.
Germanys Foreign Minister Sigmar
Gabriel will fly to Turkey for talks
next week over the thorny issue of
access to the Incirlik military air base
near Syria, his Turkish counterpart
Mevlut Cavusoglu said Tuesday.
We will discuss the question of
Incirlik, Cavusoglu told a televised
press conference of the meeting
planned for Monday.
The airbase in southern Turkey has
been at the centre of a bilateral row
since Ankara earlier this month
blocked a visit there by German parlia-
Syrian refugees, said the UNHCR.
We urge Algeria and Morocco to work
with us on ending this dangerous and unten-
able situation for these stranded desperate
Syrian refugees, it said in a statement.
File photo shows a Palestinian family warm themselves by a fire outside their
makeshift house during a power cut in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip.
Gazas 2 million people endure daily electricity cuts of 14 to 18 hours at a time
and now face even longer blackouts because of an escalating power struggle
between Palestinian governments. (AP)
observed by Muslims during the holy
month of Ramadan.
The protesters shouted slogans
including We are all Zefzafi and
End militarisation, with hundreds of
them brandishing photographs of the
detained leader.
Anti-riot police attempted to dis-
perse the protest, but pulled back fol-
lowing a tense but non-violent stand-
mentarians to the base which is used
by the international coalition fighting
the Islamic State group.
The relationship with Turkey is
one of Germanys most important
outside Europe, in part due to its
three-million-strong ethnic Turkish
population, the legacy of a massive
guest worker programme in the
1960s and 1970s.
However, ties between the NATO
allies have been strained especially
since a failed coup in Turkey last year,
and have worsened over multiple
issues including a referendum cam-
paign to expand President Recep
Tayyip Erdogans powers.
Relations plunged further after
Turkey imprisoned Deniz Yucel, a
German-Turkish journalist with Die
Welt, on terror charges earlier this year
while Germany granted political asy-
lum to some Turkish military officers
accused of involvement in the attempt-
ed putsch.
Missions
Berlin has warned it could move its
250 military personnel stationed at the
Incirlik base, flying Tornado surveil-
lance missions over Syria and refuel-
ling flights for partner nations battling
IS jihadists, to another location in the
region, likely Jordan.
Turkey justified preventing the
German parliamentary group from vis-
iting the air facility by accusing Berlin
of having offered political asylum to
Turkish nationals who took part in the
July 2016 attempted coup.
At the moment, it is impossible for
us to open Incirlik to German depu-
ties, Cavusoglu said Tuesday.
If (the Germans) make positive
The group includes children, babies
and women -- including at least one preg-
nant woman reportedly in need of urgent
Caesarean section, the statement said.
The Syrians have been stranded in the
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
14
off with the demonstrators.
A similar demonstration took place
in the neighbouring town of Imzouren,
with a strong police presence, images
on social media showed.
Smaller protests were held in the
capital Rabat and the commercial
capital Casablanca but were broken
up by police, Moroccan media report-
ed. (AFP)
steps in future then we will reconsid-
er.
Turkeys foreign minister earlier
said on Tuesday it is not possible to
allow German lawmakers to visit
troops stationed at Turkeys Incirlik
air base now, although Ankara might
reconsider if it saw positive steps
from Berlin.
Turkey has prevented German law-
makers from visiting the roughly 250
troops stationed at Incirlik as part of
the US-led coalition against Islamic
State, saying that Berlin needs to
improve its attitude first.
Three Turkish soldiers were killed
in clashes with Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK) militants in the southeast-
ern province of Diyarbakir, security
sources said on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, the army said
arplanes had killed two PKK militants
in the Lice district of Diyarbakir.
Turkeys largely Kurdish southeast
has been rocked by violence following
the collapse of a 2-1/2-year ceasefire
between the state and the PKK in
2015.
A Turkish court on Tuesday acquit-
ted two Turkish men who were
charged with aiding and abetting their
younger brother in the 2005 shooting
death of their sister in Germany.
Hatun Surucu, a 23-year-old
divorced mother, was killed by three
shots to the head in Berlin by her
youngest brother in what prosecutors
described as an honor killing
meant to punish her for her Western
lifestyle.
area exposed to the elements and the seri-
ous threat of scorpions and snakes since
April 17, it added.
At the time, Morocco accused its neigh-
bour of expelling the refugees to sow
trouble and generate an uncontrollable
flow of migrants.
Algeria categorically rejected the alle-
gations as false.
It sparked a diplomatic spat, with each
country summoning the others ambassa-
dor.
The land zone between the two coun-
tries has been closed since 1994. The
North African rivals have very difficult
relations, especially over the question of
Western Sahara. (AFP)
AI slams Egypt law: A new law rati-
fied by Egypts president that imposes
unprecedentedly harsh restrictions on
NGOs could be a death sentence for
human rights groups in the country, rights
group Amnesty International said Tuesday.
In a statement, it called the law, signed
by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi a day
earlier, a catastrophic blow for human
rights groups working in Egypt.
The severity of the restrictions imposed
by this law threatens to annihilate NGOs in
the country, at a time when the authorities
escalating crackdown on dissent makes
their work more important than ever, said
Najia Bounaim, the groups North Africa
campaign director. (AP)

INTERNATIONAL
China
Men probing brands held
Taiwan backlash over
Emirates ban on flag
TAIPEI, May 31, (Agencies): Emirates, the Middle
Easts largest airline, faced erce criticism in Tai-
wan Wednesday after it reportedly banned cabin
crew from wearing the islands ag on their uni-
forms due to pressure from China.
Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had
lodged protests with Emirates in both Dubai and
Taipei.
The airlines cabin crew traditionally wear the
ag pin of their own country on their uniforms.
But a leaked internal email, apparently from an
Emirates manager and circulated by local media,
ordered Taiwanese Emirates staff to replace the is-
lands ag pin with a Chinese one.
We have been instructed by the Chinese Gov-
ernment that with immedi-
ate effect, Emirates airline
cabin crew are to follow
the One China policy, the
email read.
China still sees self-
ruling Taiwan as part of its
territory waiting to be re-
unied. Tensions have rap-
idly worsened since Beijing-
sceptic Taiwanese president
Tsai Ing-wen took ofce last
Ma year.
Beijing has stopped all
ofcial communication with Taipei, increased mili-
tary drills and sought to isolate the island interna-
tionally.
Beijing says Taiwan is part of one China, but
Tsai refuses to acknowledge that concept.
Her Beijing-friendly predecessor Ma Ying-jeou
recognised the policy, which led to an unprecedent-
ed cross-strait rapprochement.
The foreign ministry said it cannot accept Emir-
ates decision. China is sparing no effort to sup-
press us on the international stage, it added.
Taiwanese Emirates workers were outraged by
the move.
My initial reaction was shock, indignation, and
anger, an employee at the airline told news website
Taiwan Sentinel.
Apple Daily cited an unnamed staff member who
believed the decision was made because Emirates
was seeking to add more Asia routes, especially in
China.
in California on May 30. The
Men probing Ivanka brands held: A man inves-
tigating working conditions at a Chinese company
that produces Ivanka Trump-brand shoes has been
arrested and two others are missing, the arrested
mans wife and an advocacy group said Tuesday.
Hua Haifeng was accused of illegal surveillance,
according to his wife, Deng Guilian, who said the
police called her Tuesday afternoon. Deng said the
caller told her she didnt need to know the details,
only that she would not be able to see, speak with
or receive money from her husband, the familys
breadwinner.
China Labor Watch Executive Director Li Qiang
said he lost contact with Hua Haifeng and the other
two men, Li Zhao and Su Heng, over the weekend.
By Tuesday, after dozens of unanswered calls, he
had concluded: They must be held either by the
factory or the police to be unreachable.
China Labor Watch, a New York-based nonprot,
was planning to publish a report next month alleging
low pay, excessive overtime and the possible misuse
of student interns. It is unclear whether the under-
cover investigative methods used by the advocacy
group are legal in China.
Answers on trademarks sought: A group of
Senate Democrats has sent a letter to US President
Donald Trump requesting information about a raft of
trademark approvals from China this year that they
say may violate the US Constitutions ban on gifts
from foreign governments.
Chinas rapid approvals after years of court bat-
tles have raised questions as to whether the trade-
marks will prevent you from standing up to China on
behalf of American workers and their businesses,
the eight senators, led by Michigan Democrat Deb-
bie Stabenow and Connecticut Democrat Richard
Blumenthal, wrote in the letter Tuesday.
Chinas most recent nod for a Trump trademark,
covering clothing, came on May 6, bringing to 40
the number of marks China has granted or provision-
ally granted to the president and a related company,
DTTM Operations LLC, since his inauguration. If
there are no objections, provisional approvals are
formally registered after 90 days. China has also re-
jected or partially rejected nine Trump trademarks
since the inauguration.
in a report last week, when the
China postpones part of cyber law: China has
postponed enforcement of part of a cybersecurity
law that companies warn violates Beijings free-
trade pledges but says most of it will take effect
Thursday as planned.
Communist authorities say the measures are
needed to prevent crime and terrorism and to protect
privacy. Companies and foreign governments com-
plain the law will hamper market access and is being
rushed into force before Beijing has told companies
how to comply. This certainly will be a huge im-
pact, said Michael Chang, a vice president of the
European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.
The situation is still a lot of uncertainty and un-
claried terms, Chang said. We still see a lack of
tangible rules for business to follow.
The latest version of measures sent to companies
on regulation of cross-border movement of data says
they take effect Thursday but enforcement is post-
poned for 18 months to Dec 31, 2018.
Rasputin for her strong inuence
Ex-statistics chief jailed for life: Chinas ex-
statistics chief was jailed for life on Wednesday for
accepting 153 million yuan ($22.4 million) worth of
bribes, becoming the latest senior ofcial to be con-
victed in a sweeping anti-corruption campaign.
Wang Baoan, the former head of the National
Bureau of Statistics, was also found guilty of using
his position to help others with such things as loan
applications, project approvals and employment, ac-
cording to a court in the northern province of Hebei.
He is the latest in a long line of ofcials to be
brought down by President Xi Jinpings unprec-
edented anti-corruption drive started more than four
years ago.
Former China Telecom boss Chang Xiaobing was
also sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison and
ned 500,000 yuan for graft.
Chinas State Councillor Yang Jiechi (left), meets with Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (right), at Abes ofcial residence in Tokyo on May 31. (AFP)
A rocket designed to inter-
cept an intercontinental bal-
listic missile is launched from
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Pentagon says it has shot
down a mock warhead over
the Pacic in a success for
Americas missile defense
program. The test was the
rst of its kind in nearly three
years. And it was the rst test
ever targeting an interconti-
nental-range missile like North
Korea is developing. (AP)
Chung Moon
Asia
THAAD units dropped:
South Koreas Defence Ministry
intentionally dropped mentioning
that four more launchers had been
deployed for the controversial US
THAAD anti-missile system in a re-
port to President Moon Jae-ins top
aides, his ofce said on Wednesday.
Moon has ordered a probe at
the defence ministry, saying it was
very shocking the launchers had
been brought in without being re-
ported to the new government or to
the public, presidential Blue House
spokesman Yoon Young-chan said
on Tuesday.
The Defence Ministry intention-
ally omitted details about the Ter-
minal High Altitude Area Defence
(THAAD) system battery (THAAD)
new government was preparing for
Moons summit with US President
Donald Trump next month, Yoon
told a brieng. (RTRS)
Chois daughter returns:
The equestrian daughter of South
Koreas Rasputin, whose lavish
lifestyle in Europe was allegedly
funded by millions of dollars in
bribes, returned home Wednesday
to face questioning by prosecutors
investigating an inuence-peddling
scandal that has rocked the country.
Chung Yoo-Ra is the daughter
of Choi Soon-Sil, the close con-
dante of impeached ex-president
Park Geun-Hye and the woman at
the heart of the scandal which top-
pled Park.
Choi dubbed the female
over Park is on trial along with
the ex-president.
Prosecutors say cash for Chungs
equestrian training came from
electronics giant Samsung, which
had handed over the money as part
of an attempt to curry favour with
her powerful mother. (AFP)
2 victims of foul play: Two
Filipino seamen who mysteriously
disappeared or died in separate
incidents on a Japanese coal ship
in Australian waters were killed, a
coroner ruled Wednesday.
In 2012 Cesar Llanto, 42, chief
chef on the Sage Sagittarius, van-
ished as it steamed to Newcastle
on Australias east coast. Some 15
North Korea
Why Pyongyang clings to its nukes
PYONGYANG, North Korea, May 31,
(AP): Early one winter morning, North Ko-
rean leader Kim Jong Un stood at an obser-
vation post overlooking a valley of rice pad-
dies near the Chinese border. Minutes later,
four projectiles plunged into the sea off the
Japanese coast.
North Korea had just run its rst simu-
lation of a nuclear attack on a US military
base.
North Korea, which is testing ballistic
missiles faster than ever, is rapidly becom-
ing a better equipped and more formidable
adversary. Some experts believe it might be
able to build missiles advanced enough to
reach the United States in two to three years.
And that poses a game-changing problem
for the US, which for its part is also esca-
lating, successfully shooting down a target
ICBM launched from a Pacic island with
a California-based interceptor missile on
Tuesday.
If North Korea launches a pre-emptive
nuclear strike on an American military base
in Asia, would the US recoil and retreat?
Would it strike back, and risk losing Wash-
ington in a second wave of attacks?
Accompanied
In the March launch, North Korea sent
four Scuds into the ocean 300 to 350 kms
(185 to 220 miles) off Japans coast. State
media called it a drill of troops who will
strike the bases of the US imperialist ag-
gressor forces in Japan in a contingency.
They said Kim was accompanied at the
launch by nuclear weapons specialists.
Analyst Jeffrey Lewis and his col-
leagues at the Center for Nonproliferation
Studies in Monterey, California, quickly
realized the Scuds were on a trajectory
that, with a southerly tweak, would have
sent them raining onto Marine Corps Air
Station, Iwakuni, on the southern tip of Ja-
pans main island.
Before the simulation, US and South
Korean forces were conducting joint mili-
tary drills involving F-35 ghters based at
Iwakuni, home to some 10,000 US and Jap-
anese personnel. The F-35s had reportedly
trained for a decapitation strike on Kim
Jong Un and his top lieutenants.
Kim, apparently, was practicing how to
take them out rst.
The Cold War concept of mutually as-
sured destruction works when each side them detonates, downing a few commercial
is convinced neither would survive. North
Korea isnt likely to reach that stalemate
level. If it succeeds in building nuclear-
tipped ICBMs that can reach the US main-
land, the dynamic could be much more
volatile.
days later, chief engineer Hector overboard or killed on the MV Sage
Collado, 55, fell to his death from Sagittarius and his body disposed of
a deck. at a later time, by a person or per-
The New South Wales state sons unknown, said coroner Sharon
Coroners Court found they were Freund. (AFP)
victims of foul play, following an
18-month inquest.
Mr Llanto was either thrown Plane overshoots runway: A
This photo taken and released by Papuakini.co on May 31,
shows rescue team members and airport ofcials conducting an
evacuation after a Boeing aircraft operated by domestic carrier
Sriwijaya Air overshot the wet runway at the airport in Manok-
wari, in Indonesias eastern Papua region on May 31. (AFP)
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
15
A new balance of terror
US tests ICBM defense system
WASHINGTON, May 31, (AFP): The Though it succeeded in the last test
US military said Tuesday it had inter- in 2014, it failed during the three prior
cepted a mock-up of an intercontinental attempts against slower-moving, non-
ballistic missile in a rst-of-its-kind test ICBM missiles.
that comes amid concerns over North The intercept of a complex, threat-
Koreas weapons program. representative ICBM target is an in-
A ground-based interceptor launched credible accomplishment for the GMD
from Vandenberg Air Force Base in system and a critical milestone for this
California successfully intercepted an program, Syring said.
intercontinental ballistic missile target The success of Tuesdays test is a
red from the Reagan Test Site in the watershed moment for the US mili-
Marshall Islands, the military said in a tarys effort to establish an effective
statement. though limited ground-based de-
The test saw a rocket from the fense against ICBMs.
Ground-based Midcourse Defense It came a day after North Korea test-
(GMD) system blast into space and red yet another ballistic missile, the
then deploy its exo-atmospheric kill latest in a series of launches that have
vehicle, which smashed into the dum- ratcheted up tensions over Pyong-
my ICBM, destroying it in a direct col- yangs quest to develop weapons ca-
lision. pable of hitting the United States.
This system is vitally important to Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain
the defense of our homeland, and this Jeff Davis said Tuesdays trial was not
test demonstrates that we have a ca- timed specically in response to ten-
pable, credible deterrent against a very sions with Pyongyang but that in a
real threat, Vice Admiral Jim Syring, broad sense, North Korea is one of the
director of the US Missile Defense reasons why we have this capability.
Agency, was quoted as saying. They continue to conduct test
The exercise marked a signicant launches, as we saw this weekend,
step for the GMD system, which has while also using dangerous rhetoric
had a checkered record in previous that suggests they would strike the
tests. United States homeland, Davis said.
Bruce Bennett, a North Korea expert and War breaks out on the Korean Peninsula.
defense analyst with the RAND Corpora- North Korea launches an ICBM that ap-
tion, offers these scenarios: pears to be coming down short, well west of
North Korea has a stockpile of nuclear California. But on the way down it bursts in
warheads and the ability to launch them a nuclear explosion, possibly causing some
from submarines or remote, hard-to-detect damage to US territory. Pyongyang then
sites on land. Fearing an attack from the US, threatens more serious damage to the Unit-
it launches a pre-emptive nuclear strike on ed States if there is any nuclear retaliation or
the South Korean port of Busan and tells the US intervention in the conict, raising the
United States that if there is any nuclear re- risk of millions of people dead.
taliation, it will re nuclear weapons at US With the weight of history on his shoul-
cities. ders, how would a US president respond?
Would President Donald Trump, or who- Bennett asks. How should he respond?
ever succeeds him, risk losing Los Angeles, On April 15, Kim Jong Un watched mili-
or Chicago, to defend Americas allies? tary units from his million-man armed forc-
North Korea tries another ballistic mis- es goose-step by, and then applauded at the
sile launch like the one on March 6. But most varied array of missiles and transport
just before the missiles hit the water near vehicles the North has ever displayed.
Japan, a nuclear weapon on one or more of The message of this years military pa-
rade was clear. North Korea is, or is nearly,
aircraft or sinking some cargo ships. This able to strike pre-emptively against a re-
would convince the world that Kim Jong gional target. It is preparing to withstand a
Un has a real nuclear arsenal and isnt shy retaliatory attack if it does, and it is building
about using it. the arsenal it needs to then launch a second
Would Trump react with a nuclear attack wave of strikes, this time at the US main-
on North Korea? land.
Indonesian passenger plane carrying Sriwijaya Air overshot the wet
146 people skidded off the runway runway at the airport in Manokwari
city, said transport ministry spokes-
as it landed in the eastern Papua
region Wednesday, an ofcial said, man J. Adravida Barata.
TV footage showed people being
the latest mishap to hit the countrys
evacuated from the plane, as it
aviation sector.
rested on its belly on grass next to
No one was hurt after the Boeing
the runway.
aircraft operated by domestic carrier
The airport will be closed for
several hours so that the plane can
be removed, Barata added. (AFP)
Parliament approves
Moons PM pick Lee
Vietnam condemns 6 to death:
SEOUL, May 31, (RTRS): Courts in Vietnam have sentenced
South Koreas parliament six men to death for drug-related
approved President Moon offenses in two separate cases.
State-run Tuoi Tre newspaper
Jae-ins selection of Lee reported a court in central Nghe An
Nak-yon as prime minister
province on Tuesday convicted ring
on Wednesday, backing leader Phan Dinh Tuan and four
the former lawmaker and other men on charges of trafcking
governor of South Jeolla 102 kgs (224 pounds) of heroin.
Tuan was found guilty of
Province to become the rst
conrmed cabinet nominee masterminding parts of the rings
under the new leader. operations from his prison cell with
a smuggled cellphone.
Moon nominated Lee af- Meanwhile a court in southern
ter winning elections earlier Dong Nai province sentenced an-
this month to replace for- other man to death for transporting
mer president Park Geun- 14 kgs (31 pounds) of metham-
hye, who was impeached phetamine.
after a corruption scandal. Court ofcials are unavailable for
comment Wednesday. (AP)

INTERNATIONAL
World News Roundup
Subcontinent
Refugees face acute crisis
India rejects an Australian
request to join naval drills
NEW DELHI, May 31, (Agen-
cies): India has rejected an Aus-
tralian request to take part in
joint naval exercises with the
United States and Japan for fear
of antagonising China, which has
warned against expanding the
drills, navy ofcials and diplo-
mats said.
Australia formally wrote to the
Indian defence ministry in Janu-
ary asking if it could send naval
ships to join the July wargames
as an observer, in what military
experts saw as a step toward
eventual full participation.
Four of-
cials from In-
dia, Australia
and Japan told
Reuters India
blocked the
proposal and
suggested that
Canberra send
ofcers to
watch the ex-
ercises in the
Bay of Bengal Modi
from the decks of the three par-
ticipating countries warships,
instead.
China has also been con-
cerned that Prime Minister
Narendra Modis avowedly
nationalist government has
stepped up public engagement
of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan
spiritual leader who lives in ex-
ile in India and whom it regards
as a splittist.
Refugees face crisis: Aid
workers warned Wednesday of
an acute crisis in Bangladesh
after a cyclone destroyed thou-
sands of homes and devastated
camps housing Rohingya refu-
gees, leaving many without food
or shelter.
Hundreds of thousands of Ro-
hingya live in the overcrowded
camps on the southeast coast af-
ter eeing violence in neighbour-
ing Myanmar.
Cyclone Mora battered the
coastal area of Coxs Bazar on
Tuesday, killing six people, de-
stroying 20,000 homes and forc-
ing the evacuation of 600,000
residents.
Indias Navy said it had pulled
27 Bangladeshis from the water
in the Bay of Bengal Wednesday
during search and rescue opera-
tions following the cyclone.
Meanwhile, an Indian navy
ship has plucked 33 people and a
body from rough seas off Bang-
ladesh, ofcials said Wednesday,
a day after Cyclone Mora bat-
tered coastal areas with violent
winds and rain that left six dead.
Eight die after church feast:
At least eight people have died
and hundreds remain hospital-
ised after suspected food poison-
ing at a church feast in a remote
northeastern Indian state, police
said Tuesday.
Hundreds of worshippers vom-
ited and complained of stomach
ache after they ate rice and meat
after mass in Ri-Bhoi district of
Meghalaya state on Sunday.
Seven children are among
those to have died.
Authorities say they suspect
the food served to nearly 2,000
people at the Nongkya village
church was stale.
Lanka flood toll over 200:
International aid arrived into
Sri Lanka on Wednesday as the
death toll from the islands worst
oods and landslides in well over
a decade climbed to 202.
Foreign Minister Ravi Karu-
nanayake said 16 countries had
rushed relief supplies and medi-
cine to assist more than 600,000
people driven from their homes
following Fridays monsoon del-
uge.
We also have a lot of enquir-
ies from other countries and or-
ganisations wanting to know our
immediate needs. We are moved
by the spontaneous response,
Karunanayake told reporters in
Colombo.
Philippine troops escort rescued civilians at a village on the outskirts of Marawi on the southern island of Mind-
anao on May 31, Philippine troops have killed 89 Islamist militants during more than a week of urban battles but
a nal showdown is expected to be erce as the gunmen protect their leaders and hold hostages, authorities
Philippines
Lower house OKs tax reform bill
89 militants killed in urban battle
MARAWI, Philippines, May 31,
(Agencies): Philippine troops have
killed 89 Islamist militants during
more than a week of urban battles
but a final showdown is expected
to be fierce as the gunmen protect
their leaders and hold hostages,
authorities said Wednesday.
Attack helicopters fired rockets
on Wednesday morning into parts
of Marawi, a Muslim city in the
south of the mainly Catholic
Philippines, that were still con-
trolled by the militants fighting
under the black flag of the Islamic
State (IS) group.
President Rodrigo Duterte
declared martial law across the
entire southern region of Mindanao
in response to the crisis, which he
described as the start of a major
campaign by IS to establish a foot-
hold in the Philippines.
Eighty-nine militants had been
killed in the fighting and the
amount of territory in the city that
the remaining gunmen controlled
had been cut to just 10 percent,
said. (AFP)
military spokesman Brigadier-
General Restituto Padilla said
Wednesday.
However Padilla warned of
more intense battles ahead, with
the military believing three of the
militants main leaders were likely
still in the city.
That 10 percent is most likely
the area that is heavily guarded
and defended by any armed men if
they are protecting any individual
of high value, Padilla said. much as 8 percent before his six-
The militants are also holding an
unknown number of civilians hos-
tage, according to Padilla and other
authorities. They initially took a
priest and up to 14 other people
hostage at the start of the crisis.
Also:
MANILA: The lower house of
Congress in the Philippines passed
a much-anticipated tax reform bill
on Wednesday, aimed at generating
revenue to fund a multi-billion dol-
lar infrastructure program key to the
governments economic agenda.
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
The bill, yet to be published and
which still needs Senate approval,
is expected to be a leaner version
of an initial draft that drew opposi-
tion from some lawmakers to mea-
sures deemed to burden low-
income families.
The tax reform measure is criti-
cal to President Rodrigo Dutertes
economic program, which focuses
on infrastructure spending and fis-
cal efficiency to lift growth to as
a wave of anti-government protests
year term ends in 2022.
MANILA: Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday
denounced the daughter of former
US president Bill Clinton for crit-
icising him over a joke about rape,
and questioned whether she was
just as outraged by her fathers
affair with a White House intern.
Duterte was incensed by
Chelsea Clinton tweeting at the
weekend that he was a murderous
thug with no regard for human
rights.
16
Lat/Am
Body of Noriega cremated: The
body of former Panamanian dictator
Manuel Noriega was cremated on
Tuesday, a day after the 83-year-old
died in a Panama City hospital, a
friend of the family told reporters.
The private ceremony was attended
by only a handful of relatives
among them his
three daughters
and friends at
a crematorium in
the capital.
His ashes
were given to his
widow.
It was a
farewell as the
family wished.
The ashes will be
held by his wife
Felicidad, said Noriega
Ruben Murgas, a
friend of Noriegas and a former direc-
tor of state radio during the strong-
mans reign. (AFP)
Brazil floods displace 50K: Floods
and landslides in northeastern Brazil
have killed six people and driven
50,000 people from their homes,
authorities said Tuesday.
Heavy rain swelled rivers, causing
mud slides, felling trees and harming
water supplies, they said.
The number forced to ee in
Pernambuco and Alagoas states rose
from an earlier estimate of 30,000, the
regional governments said.
Both states declared emergencies af-
ter the ooding, which left two dead in
Pernambuco and four dead in Alagoas.
President Michel Temer, who is
ghting for his political future amid a
corruption crisis, briey abandoned the
capital Brasilia to y over the disaster
zone on Sunday. AFP)
3K arrested in Venezuela: Ven-
ezuelan police have arrested nearly
3,000 people in the two months since
erupted, a judicial campaign group said
on Tuesday.
President Nicolas Maduros op-
ponents accuse him of repressing
protesters who are calling for elections
to remove him from ofce. He accuses
them of plotting a coup against him.
Foro Penal (the Criminal Justice
Forum) has counted 2,977 people
arrested during the deadly unrest, of
whom 1,351 are still in detention,
director Alfredo Romero told a news
conference.
Of those, 197 have been jailed after
being sentenced by military courts,
said a lawyer working for the group,
Alonso Medina. (AFP)
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

INTERNATIONAL 18

World News Roundup

This undated handout photograph received from Museums Victoria in Melbourne on May 31, shows a dragon- This undated handout photograph received from Museums Victoria in Melbourne on May 31, shows a faceless
sh, one of many species hauled up from the deep waters off Australia during a scientic voyage studying parts sh, which has only been recorded once before by the pioneering scientic crew of HMS Challenger off Papua
of the ocean never explored before. (AFP) New Guinea in 1873, one of many species hauled up from the deep waters off Australia during a scientic voy-
age studying parts of the ocean never explored before. (AFP)

Faceless fish among weird deep sea Australian finds

Faceless sh and other weird and won-
derful creatures, many of them new spe-
cies, have been hauled up from the deep
waters off Australia during a scientic
voyage studying parts of the ocean never
explored before.
The month-long journey off the coun-
trys eastern seaboard has been survey-
ing life lurking in a dark and cold abyss
that plunges four kilometres (2.5 miles)
below the surface, using nets, sonar and
deep-sea cameras.
Chief scientist on board The Investiga-
tor Tim OHara from Museums Victoria
told AFP Wednesday the search area
was the most unexplored environment
on earth.
Bright red spiky rock crabs, puffed-up
cofnsh, blind sea spiders and deep sea
eels have been collected since the scien-
tists began their voyage from Launces-
ton in Tasmania north towards the Coral
Sea on May 15.
They also came across an unusual
faceless sh, which has only been re-
corded once before by the pioneering sci-
entic crew of HMS Challenger off Papua
New Guinea in 1873.
It hasnt got any eyes or a visible nose
and its mouth is underneath, OHara
said from the ship.
At such huge depths, it is so dark that
creatures often have no eyes or produce
their own light through bioluminescence,
he added.
Another nd was carnivorous sponges
that wield lethal spicules made of silicon,
effectively glass. They get small crusta-
ceans hooked on their Velcro-like spines,
to be slowly digested in-situ.
This technique differs from most deep-
sea sponges, which feed on bacteria and
other single-celled organisms ltered from
passing currents.
Weve got 27 scientists on board who
are leaders in their elds and they tell me
that around one-third of what weve found
are new species, said OHara, with sev-
eral thousand specimens so far retrieved
and two weeks of the trip still to go.
Life at such depths is one of crushing
pressures, no light, little food and freez-
ing temperatures, with animals that call
it home evolving unique ways to survive.
(AFP)

Science Space

Ethically disputed
Doctor is pioneering
three-parent babies
KIEV, May 31, (AFP): A 34-year-old woman tried to
have a baby for 15 years before she turned to a pio-
neering doctor in Ukraine and a groundbreaking but
ethically disputed three-parent procedure.
She became the mother of
a healthy baby boy in January
at a private clinic in Kiev us-
ing a process called pronuclear
transfer that inserts the cou-
ples genes into a donors egg.
The procedure had been pre-
viously used to treat serious
genetic diseases.
But doctor Valeriy Zukin
become the rst to use it to
Zukin
help two separate infertile cou-
ples have children in this way.
There are patients whom we cannot help to have
their own genetically-related baby unless we use this
method, the 60-year-old told AFP at his Nadiya clin-
ic. Some two million women across the globe use in
vitro fertilisation (IVF) to get pregnant every year.
But Zukins treatment targets a tiny percentage of
women whose embryos suffer from a disorder called em-
bryo arrest that can either stunt development or kill them.
The difference in the method Zukin uses is that
a womans egg is rst fertilised with her partners
sperm.
Then its nucleus is transferred to a donors egg that
has been stripped of its own nucleus.
The egg is thus almost entirely made up of genetic
material from the couple plus a tiny amount (about
0.15 percent) from the female donors DNA.
Not everyone however shares Zukins enthusiasm.
Ukraines conservative clerics argue that the tech-
nique breaches ethical norms.
A child can only have two parents and the presence of
a third person and especially the DNA of a third per-
son is morally unacceptable, Father Feodosiy of the
dominant Ukrainian Orthodox Church told AFP.
It violates the sanctity of the marriage between
woman and man.
Other religions have also weighed in on the issue
with the Roman Catholic Church opposing the move
because it would involve the destruction of human
embryos as part of the process. The Church of Eng-
land has said ethical concerns have not been suf-
ciently addressed.
Even some scientists have reservations.
They warn against jumping to early conclusions
about how successful the method would be if it were
to be applied to the general population.
We cannot talk about its wide use yet, Larysa Tu-
manova, a professor at Kievs Institute of Pediatrics,
Obstetrics and Gynaecology, told AFP.
First, we have to monitor the newborns health un-
til they turn at least three, she said.
Other experts point out that the three-parent tech-
nique a different form of which has also produced a
baby in Mexico was initially being developed for those
at very high risk of passing on serious genetic diseases.
Zukin strongly defends the work at his clinic.
We explain the essence of the method to each pa-
tient, he says. We report possible risks.
And there is currently a line of hopeful mothers
ready to pay the 12,000 euros ($13,100) it takes to un-
dergo the pronuclear transfer procedure.
We have patients from Poland, the Netherlands,
Denmark, France, Israel, Portugal and Brazil, he
says.
Zukin thinks between 10,000 and 20,000 women
a year could potentially be candidates for using the
method to conceive a gure large enough to seek
out a foreign partnership that could study how best to
use this technique.
His health centre is now working with Chinas
Shanghai University to determine the genetic causes
of abnormalities in embryo development at an early
stage.
I hope that through joint efforts, we will be able to
nd in a more targeted way those whom this method
will help, Zukin says.
This NASA photo obtained May 31,
2017 shows inside the Space Sta-
tion Processing Facility high bay at
NASAs Kennedy Space Center in
Florida, as technicians prepare the
Neutron star Interior Composition
Explorer, or NICER, payload for nal
packaging on April 6, 2017. (AFP)
Trump Obama
Discovery
Trump keeps world guessing: Donald
Trump has decided to pull the United
States out of the Paris climate accord,
US media reported Wednesday, as the
president kept the world guessing saying
an announcement will come in the next
few days.
An American pullout would deal a dev-
astating blow to global efforts to combat
climate change less than 18 months after
the historic 196-nation pact was signed
in Paris, fruit of a hard-fought agreement
between Beijing and Washington under
Barack Obamas leadership.
Trump said early Wednesday an an-
nouncement was imminent on whether the
United States will remain part of the land-
mark deal on cutting carbon emissions.
I will be announcing my decision
on the Paris Accord over the next few
days. Make America Great Again! the
president tweeted, as several US media
reported he had made up his mind to quit
the accord.
The Axios website was rst to report
Trumps decision was made, citing two
sources with knowledge of the matter,
while other media including CNN, CBS,
ABC and Politico reported the White
House was expected to announce a with-
drawal once details of the process have
been worked out.
The United States is the worlds second
biggest carbon emitter, after China.
Under Obama, Washington had pledged
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26-
28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.
Under Trump, who once called climate
change a hoax, the country has resisted
intense pressure from its partners to com-
mit to respecting the global accord.
Since taking ofce on Jan 20, however,
Trump has sent contradictory signals on the
Paris deal reecting the different cur-
rents within his administration, on climate
change but also on the wider issue of the
United States role in the world and their
relation to multilateralism.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer,
asked on Tuesday whether Trump believes
human activity is contributing to climate
change, told reporters, Honestly, I havent
asked him that. I can get back to you.
(AFP)
Caspian Sea and Kazakhstan following the undocking of the two spacecraft.
Ancient Egypt genetics unwrapped:
DNA from mummies found at a site once
known for its cult to the Egyptian god
Iran cancels project for sending human into space
Space junk could hurt economies
SYDNEY, May 31, (Agencies): The
growing amount of fast-moving space
debris orbiting the Earth could lead to
catastrophic collisions with satellites,
hurting economies, researchers warned
Wednesday ahead of a summit to coor-
dinate efforts to remove the junk.
There are an estimated 170 million
pieces of so-called space junk left
behind after missions that can be as big
as spent rocket stages or as small as
paint akes in orbit alongside some
$700 billion of space infrastructure.
But only 22,000 are tracked, and
with the fragments able to travel at
speeds above 27,000 kmh (16,777
mph), even tiny pieces could seriously
damage or destroy satellites.
The space junk problem has
been getting worse every year, Ben
Greene, head of Australias Space
Environment Research Centre which
is hosting the two-day conference of
international space environment scien-
tists in Canberra, told AFP.
Were losing three or four satellites
a year now to space debris collision.
Were very close, NASA estimates, of
within ve to 10 years of losing every-
thing.
Greene added in a statement that a
catastrophic avalanche of collisions
which could quickly destroy all orbit-
ing satellites is now possible, noting
that more collisions were creating ex-
tra debris.
With society heavily dependent on
satellites for communication and navi-
gation, and powering key industries
such as transport, nance and energy,
the growing cosmic junkyard could
threaten economies.
The Australian economy is entirely
dependent on space, Greene said.
Were a big country with few people
and the only way we can service it,
whether its with surveillance, safety
or search-and-rescue, is from space.
The barriers to entry for building
spacecraft were also falling, making it
easier for rms to launch their own ob-
of the afterlife is unwrapping intriguing
insight into the people of ancient Egypt,
including a surprise discovery that they had
scant genetic ties to sub-Saharan Africa.
This le handout image from NASA taken from the Space Shuttle Discovery
on Aug 6, 2005, shows the International Space Station ying over the North
The growing number of fast-moving space debris orbiting the Earth could lead
to catastrophic collisions with satellites, hurting economies, researchers warned
on May 31, ahead of a summit to coordinate efforts to remove the junk. (AFP)
jects, said space debris expert Moriba
Jah from the University of Texas, who
is at the conference.
I believe that we are certainly on
a path to what I call a tragedy of the
commons, he told the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation, adding
that a major collision was inevitable
without action to tackle the problem.
Youve driven on the roads here
when you have a lot of mist or fog, and
you have to go really slow, and you
just dont know whats really around
you. Thats the perfect analogy to
space right now, Jah said.
Greene said scientists were develop-
ing technologies set to be operational
in 18 months to track all debris so
spacecraft could move around them.
Another idea in the works was
Earth-based high-powered lasers that
could be red into space to push the
debris around a little bit, with the pro-
gramme 75 percent ready, he added.
Also:
TEHRAN, Iran: Irans semi-ofcial
ILNA news agency is reporting that
the countrys space organization is
cancelling a project to explore sending
humans into space.
Iran sent a monkey into space in
January 2013 and it had announced a
goal of sending a person by 2018. But
Wednesdays report quotes Moham-
mad Homayoun Sadr, deputy head
of the space organization, as saying the
cost was judged to be prohibitive an
estimated $15 to $20 billion over 15
years.
Iran has long held the goal of de-
veloping a space program, generating
unease among the United States and
other countries concerned about Teh-
rans ballistic missile programs.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida: A
NASA spacecraft will aim straight for
the sun next year.
The space agency announced the
red-hot mission Wednesday at the Uni-
Scientists on Tuesday said they exam-
ined genome data from 90 mummies from
the Abusir el-Malek archaeological site,
located about 70 miles (115 kms) south
versity of Chicago.
Scheduled to launch in summer
2018, the Solar Probe Plus will y
within 4 million miles of the suns sur-
face right into the solar atmosphere.
It will be subjected to brutal heat and
radiation like no other man-made
structure before.
The purpose is to study the suns
outer atmosphere and better under-
stand how stars like ours work.
The announcement came during a
ceremony honoring astrophysicist Eu-
gene Parker, professor emeritus at the
University of Chicago.
MIAMI: SpaceX is poised to blast off
its next delivery of food, supplies and
science experiments to the astronauts
living at the International Space Sta-
tion on Thursday.
The launch of SpaceXs 11th com-
mercial resupply mission aboard an
unmanned Dragon cargo ship is sched-
uled for 5:55 pm (2155 GMT) on June
1, and will be broadcast live on NA-
SAs website.
If all goes as planned, a Falcon 9
rocket will propel the Dragon into low-
Earth orbit, where it will eventually
connect with the space station, circling
the Earth at a height of some 250 miles
(400 kilometers).
The cargo ship should arrive Sunday
at 8:30 am (1230 GMT).
It is packed with almost 6,000
pounds (2,700 kilograms) of science
research, crew supplies and hardware.
The supplies for special experiments
include live mice to study the effects of
osteoporosis and fruit ies for research
on microgravitys impact on the heart.
The spacecraft is also loaded with
solar panels and equipment to study
neutron stars.
The weather forecast for Thurs-
days launch was 70 percent favorable,
NASA said.
If the launch is postponed for any rea-
son, another opportunity opens at 5:07
pm (2107 GMT) Saturday, June 3.
of Cairo, in the most sophisticated genetic
study of ancient Egyptians ever conducted.
The DNA was extracted from the teeth
and bones of mummies from a vast burial
ground associated with the green-skinned
god Osiris. The oldest were from about
1388 BC during the New Kingdom, a high
point in ancient Egyptian inuence and
culture. The most recent were from about
426 AD, centuries after Egypt had become
a Roman Empire province.
There has been much discussion about
the genetic ancestry of ancient Egyptians,
said archeogeneticist Johannes Krause of
the Max Planck Institute for the Science of
Human History in Germany, who led the
study published in the journal Nature Com-
munications.
Are modern Egyptians direct descen-
dants of ancient Egyptians? Was there
genetic continuity in Egypt through time?
Did foreign invaders change the genetic
makeup: for example, did Egyptians be-
come more European after Alexander the
Great conquered Egypt? Krause added.
Ancient DNA can address those ques-
tions.
The genomes showed that, unlike mod-
ern Egyptians, ancient Egyptians had little
to no genetic kinship with sub-Saharan
populations, some of which like ancient
Ethiopia were known to have had signi-
cant interactions with Egypt. (RTRS)
 Okja, Cars 3 in Edinburgh Fest lineup attendance

Amerika Square, Son of Sofia bookend LA Greek Fest

LOS ANGELES, May 31, (RTRS): The Los Angeles Greek Film Festi-
val will open with the West Coast premiere of Amerika Square Yan-
nis Sakaridis tragic story set in modern Greece as the country copes
with dual crises of nancial collapse and overwhelming immigration.
The fest takes place June 7-11 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
It will showcase 13 features, 22 shorts, and 15 documentaries from the
US, France, the UK, Germany, Cyprus and Greece. This years pro-
gram includes a record 40 premieres: 19 US, 10 West Coast, seven Los
Angeles and four world premieres.
We carefully selected a program that embodies the 2017 festival
theme, Building Bridges, says LAGFF head Aris Katopodis. Each
title represents creating a bridge - whether it is between relationships,
Film
ca Film Festival in April.
Psykous lm is a dark fairy tale featuring 11-year-old Misha, a
young Russian boy who, brought to live in Athens by his mother, is
surprised to learn she has remarried. Mishas imagination soon takes
over to protect him from his new life.
The fest will also screen Nikos Koundouros The Ogre Of Athens,
voted number-one lm of all time by the Hellenic Film Critics As-
sociation. It marks a departure role for comic actor Dinos Iliopoulos,
who plays a timid man embroiled in a life-and-death situation. The
screening is LAGFFs homage to the director and his works following
his passing in February at age 90.
Other lm include: Petros Charalambous Boy On The Bridge, a
and Francis Fisher, which will screen with the US premiere of Sotiris
Tsafoulias feature crime thriller The Other Me.
Documentary screenings include the premiere of Frozen Ambro-
sia, from sports lmmaker Constantine Papanicolaou, about his skiing
adventure on Greeces Mount Olympus; and the premiere of George
Lagdaris With the Hoes and the Terrarium Forks.
Also:
LOS ANGELES: The Edinburgh International Film Festival will open
and close with British lms Gods Own Country and England Is
Mine,and show Netixs Okja, which recently caused a stir as an
ofcial selection in Cannes.

races or countries, and the problems and triumphs encountered in
reaching the goal.
Amerika Square, which won the Fipresci award at the 2016 Thes-
saloniki Film Festival, centers on an ensemble of characters: Nakos, a
racist bent on harming the thousands of refugees in his Athens neigh-
borhood, the lms titular Amerika Square; Tarek, a Syrian ex-military
doctor looking to smuggle himself and his daughter out of Greece; and
Billy, a tattoo artist at the lms center who falls in love with Tereza,
an African singer also looking to escape. As time runs out, the three
stories merge.
The festival close on Sunday evening will feature the West Coast
premiere of Elina Psykous drama Son of Soa, which took the best
picture prize in the international narrative feature category at the Tribe-
drama based on a novel by Eve Makis; Michele Poulos documentary
A Late Style Of Fire: Larry Levis, American Poet; Babis Tsokas
documentary Our Own Maria Callas; and the L.A. premiere of writ-
er-director Clio Fanourakis rst feature, Xamou.
In addition, fest-goers will be able to see Swing Away, starring
John OHurley and Shannon Elizabeth, and Soa Exarchous new fea-
ture Park, set in Athens Olympic Village ten years after the Games,
where wilding youths, injured retired athletes and stray dogs roam
among the ruins and decaying sports venues.
Shorts at LAGFF include Daphne Matziarakis Academy Award-
nominated 4.1 Miles, Giannis Ziogkases Ethnophbia, the west
coast premiere of Phedon Papamichaels dramatic short A Beautiful
Day, written by Angeliki Giannakopoulos and starring James Brolin
Disneys Cars 3 will have its UK premiere amid the festivals 151
feature lms, which include titles from US independents and a docu-
mentary section.
Having focused on Finland and Mexico in recent years, the interna-
tional spotlight falls on Poland this year and includes the international
premiere of Katarzyna Adamiks thriller Amok.
There is no overriding theme to the EIFF, with the organizers prefer-
ring to include a selection that spans UK, European, US, and interna-
tional lms and docs across all genres.
Its a large lm festival, said artistic director Mark Adams. We
have the prestigious Award for Best British Feature Film, American
independents, an international section, and doc awards. It means we
can nd a reason to include a wide range of lms.

Variety
Features

In this image released by Disney, Geoffrey Rush portrays Barbossa (left), and Johnny Depp portrays Captain Jack Sparrow in a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. The
movie earned $326 million worldwide. (AP)

Film

Family dysfunction in Aprils Daughter

LOS ANGELES: Disneys Pirates

of the Caribbean sequel sailed to
the top of the North American box
ofce during the four-day Memo-
rial Day weekend, raking in nearly
$78.5 million, industry gures
showed Tuesday.
Dead Men Tell No Tales,
the fth installment in the wildly
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
Closeness heavy-hearted period drama
By Jessica Kiang girl. The tone is merry, but one family member seems the press notes, that the director was confronted with
more ambivalent. Ilana (extraordinary rst-timer Darya death, that I saw someone die slowly. So its inclusion
IKantemir
ts relatively rare that the business of lm review-
ing confronts us with a genuine ethical dilemma. But
Balagovs debut feature, which played in the
Zhovner), Davids tomboy sister who works alongside
their mechanic father, Avi (Artem Tsypin), is curiously
is part of Balagovs authorial intent to insert his own
experiences into his lm, but the disingenuous way he
removed from the event and uncomfortably feminized does it makes it feel like a betrayal.
Cannes Un Certain Regard sidebar and is, even without
its most controversial segment, a demanding, difcult
in a dress insisted on by her stern mother, Adina (Olga
Dragunova). Later, she changes back into her overalls
watch, presents an unavoidable one. At the lms ap- If April and her daughter Valeria were guests on

popular franchise starring Johnny
Depp, sunk another major new
studio movie Baywatch
which came in third place and only
managed to bring in a disappoint-
ing $23.1 million in ticket sales,
Exhibitor Relations said.
Another Disney offering,
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,
placed second with $27.2 million
in its fourth week out.
The lighthearted story of a
band of mist space adventur-
ers played by Chris Pratt,
Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper
and Vin Diesel has taken in
$340.5 million domestically since
it opened on May 5. (AFP)
LOS ANGELES: While the
domestic box ofce is experienc-
ing a major slump, Disney stands
out as the studio with the mostest
as of Tuesday morning, Disney
crossed the $3 billion mark in
global box ofce.
About two thirds of those ticket
sales have from from the inter-
national box ofce, $1.9 billion,
while domestic grosses account for
$1.1 billion.
The movie to push the studio
past the milestone was Pirates of
the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No
Tales, the fth installment in the
franchise starring Johnny Depp
that becomes increasingly depend-
ent on international sales, but man-
ages to make bank regardless. By
Tuesday morning the movie had
earned $326 million worldwide,
$247.8 million of which have
come from overseas markets.
China alone has accounted for
$92.3 million in sales, which is
more than the $78.2 it has made in
the US (RTRS)
LOS ANGELES: Gabrielle Union
will star in and produce the home-
invasion drama Breaking In with
shooting starting in July in Los
Angeles.
V for Vendetta director
James McTeigue is on board to
proximate midpoint, occasioning a urry of walkouts
during its Cannes press screening, a group of characters
are shown watching a scratchy and degraded VHS tape
on which plays footage of anti-Semitic Islamist violence
and murder. Fuzzy and diffuse as it is, the sequence
goes on for a long time, and even though the lm is
set in 1998, the images it presents are realistically ren-
dered, a triumphalist, hate-lled aesthetic made familiar
by recent phenomena: Islamic State recruitment videos,
terrorist propaganda, and hostage executions. The very
major issue is, its not just realistic; according to the
press notes, its real.
Closeness is a tough-minded, rigorously composed,
quite brilliantly acted story of the challenges of everyday
religious prejudice and ethnic divides in the bleak heart
of Russias North Caucasus, and in many ways Balagovs
uncompromising but stylized social realism rewards as
much as it punishes. But in including this real video es-
sentially a snuff movie within a ction narrative and not
announcing it as such, a line is crossed.
Its not as though Balagov doesnt create the perfect op-
portunity to warn the viewer: In a somewhat unnecessary
ourish the lm is signed by the director, featuring brief
titles at the beginning and the end in which he introduces
himself as a native of Nalchik, the town depicted, and tells
us that the narrative is based on the true story of a kidnap-
ping that occurred there in the late 1990s. Certainly there
is in general a fraught and combative relationship with the
truth (Alexander Sokurovs producers credit seems oddly
appropriate in this regard): In Balagovs retelling, a grimy
little local news story becomes a tale of love across the
barricades, in which duty to family and tribe is weighed
against the desires of the individual heart. But this is not
Romeo and Juliet, and there is precious little pining be-
neath balconies.
Unfolding in boxily appropriate 4:3 format, which
forces subjects into close proximity to t in the frame, it
starts with a celebration: A Jewish family that has rela-
tively recently settled in Nalchik celebrates the engage-
ment of the son David (Venjamin Katz) to a local Jewish
direct from a script by Ryan En-
gle, based on a pitch from Jaime
Primak Sullivan about a woman
ghting to protect her family dur-
ing a home invasion.
Union will produce with Will
Packer through his Will Packer
Productions along with James
Lopez, and Practical Pictures
Craig Perry and Sheila Taylor.
Jaime Primak Sullivan, Valerie Saldana
and sneaks out to meet her burly lover Zalim (Nazir
Zhukov), who is of Kabardian background, a local eth- The Jerry Springer Show or the trashy talk shows
south-of-the-border equivalent, Jose Luis the episode
nicity that has its own language and customs. Ilana and
Zalims relationship has earned Ilanas mothers deep- might conceivably be called, First my mom stole my
est disapproval, and Ilanas Jewishness is a secret from kid, then she took my baby daddy! Such outrageous
tabloid behavior is almost too extreme to be believed,
Zalims friends. They meet clandestinely. and yet Aprils Daughter director Michel Franco
Stability displays an almost maddening sense of restraint when
The familys general stability is abruptly overturned, reenacting exactly that kind of family dysfunction, re-
peating (without necessarily advancing) the style of his
however, when David and his ancee are kidnapped 2012 success After Lucia, which also premiered in
and a ruinous ransom is issued. Even the sale of Avis
Cannes Un Certain Regard section.
workshop will not raise the amount necessary, and Although the Mexican directors odd, arms-length ap-
while the Jewish community rally round, the decision proach may be celebrated in a festival context (Aprils
is made that most of their charity must go to secure the Daughter won this years UCR Jury Prize), its too cold
return of the ancee. Increasingly desperate, Ilanas and disengaged for most moviegoers, which severely
parents make a deal whereby a local Jewish family will limits the audience for a story that, if told in more con-
supply the rest of the ransom if Ilana marries their son. ventional terms, would have no trouble attracting interest.
But Ilanas willful, independent heart is set on Zalim, Likewise, those who connected with the incredible depth
despite his occasional brutality. of Spanish actress Emma Suarez in Pedro Almodovars
The plot is perhaps overly schematic, but the lmmak-
Julieta (particularly in those scenes when the character
ing compensates, with DP Artem Yemelyanovs inven- worries about the whereabouts of her missing daughter)
tive, often subjectively woozy camerawork particularly
will have a hard time adjusting to her role as April, whos
valuable in tying us in to Ilanas perspective. Zhovner is a more competitive than maternal toward her two kids,
real discovery: The closeness of the title also tells in how dowdy Clara (Joanna Larequi) and skinny 17-year-old
close-up-heavy the photography is, but even with nowhere Valeria (Ana Valeria Becerril).
to hide, she makes Ilana a riveting, complex, frequently The pair look nothing like sisters, and Franco does little
unlikable but very real character, whom we watch in un- to help us puzzle out the fact that they are so related.
blinking shots as druggedness or drunkenness or anger or Frankly, its anybody guess why characters do what
self-pity suffuses the strong-jawed beauty of her face. they do in Aprils Daughter, which may be both real-
So the grittily inspired craft darkly illuminates a story istic and admirably nonjudgmental on Francos part, but
whose value lies in how authentically it mines the spec- it makes for a confusing and at times clinical moviegoing
icity of its arcane setting. But can any of that excuse experience, as the director applies his detached Michael
the lapse in judgment that is the inclusion of that video, Haneke-like style to material that begs a certain amount
rather than a restaged or offscreen version of it? This of clarication. When April arrives a few scenes into the
is not a snowakes plea for a trigger warning: Peo- movie, she looks young and beautiful enough to be Clara
ple dying for real on-screen is one of the most basic and Valerias sister an incorrect assumption that she
taboos we have, and it is not for anyone else to make
openly encourages. April is a fascinating character, play-
the decision as to whether you are comfortable breaking ing the role of mother when it suits her, yet ercely jealous
it. Apparently, the tape was one that Balagov and his of her two daughters, and too blind to recognize the rivalry
friends found as teenagers, and it was the rst time, per or the damage it can do. (RTRS)
Bleth Sharp, and Jeff Morrone Nate Parkers Birth of a Na- A security ofcial said a formal
are executive producing. tion. (RTRS) request for a ban has not yet been
Union is the star and executive received.
producer of BETs Being Mary A ban would require a recom-
Jane. Will Packer Prods. is one BEIRUT: Lebanon is seeking to mendation from a six-member
of the production companies on ban the new Wonder Woman committee from the Ministry of
the series. movie because its lead actress, Gal Economy, a process that has not
Unions lm credits include the Gadot, is an Israeli a reection yet began, the ofcial said, speak-
two Think Like a Man movies, of how the decades-old animosity ing on condition of anonymity
Almost Christmas, Top Five, between the two neighbors is also because he was not authorized to
Union Bad Boys II, Sleepless, and infused in the cultural scene. talk to reporters. (AP)

NEWS/FEATURES
People & Places
Film
Uplifting drama
Megan Leavey a
wartime romance
LOS ANGELES, May 31, (RTRS): Megan
Leavey is a wartime romance, the twist being
that its of the platonic interspecies variety. Ga-
briela Cowperthwaites based-on-a-true-story
drama recounts the deep bond shared by a Marine
and her German Shepherd, which was forged in
training, strengthened in combat, and cemented in
retirement. Often too clunky for its own good, and
(ahem) doggedly apolitical throughout, this ear-
nest feel-good tale nonetheless manages to pull on
the heartstrings with sufcient gentleness. Aided
by a charismatic lead turn from star Kate Mara
(and her canine sidekick as well), it should receive
a warm, if perhaps not heroic, welcome from the-
atrical audiences.
Her life going nowhere
fast in 2003, Megan
(Mara) nds it untenable
to continue living at home
in Valley Cottage, New
York, with her shrill di-
vorced mother (Edie Fal-
co), whos now shacked up
with the man (Will Patton)
for whom she left Megans
father (Bradley Whitford).
Thus, for reasons only
Mara briey sketched, Megan
hops aboard a bus headed straight for a military
base where, a short basic-training montage later,
shes a full-edged Marine. Still, her course re-
mains wayward, and upon being caught urinating
in public after a night out on the town, shes sad-
dled with a most dishonorable duty: cleaning the
kennels of the regiments bomb-snifng dogs.
Watching her comrades work with the animals
motivates Megan to do likewise, and she gets her
chance when a particularly unruly pooch named
Rex bites the hand of his human partner, shatter-
ing it in six places. Though shes initially terried
of Rex, Megan heeding the advice of her tough
but kind superior (Common), as well as a fellow
handler (Tom Felton) whos recently returned
from Iraq soon learns to project condence and
compassion in equal measure to her four-legged
companion. Before long, theyre an inseparable
pair, whether running drills or hanging out togeth-
er on Megans bed.
Making a relatively smooth transition into
ction after her acclaimed 2013 documentary
Blacksh, director Cowperthwaite doesnt
linger too long on any of these early getting-to-
know-you sequences, preferring to paint in clear,
bold lines and colors so that the pace doesnt lag.
As a result, the proceedings feel distinct if not
particularly deep, a shallowness thats also at-
tributable to cinematographer Lorenzo Senatores
visuals, which are a cut above competent but still
overly enamored with shaky-cam compositions
that wobble whether the action is anxious or se-
date. Yet its a functional style that proves most
suited to the lms centerpiece, in which Megan
and Rex having been deployed to Iraq must
identify homemade bombs (IEDs) along a barren
desert road; suspense is generated via a combina-
tion of shrewd plotting and aesthetic in-the-mo-
ment bedlam.
Megan eventually strikes up an affair with
fellow Marine Matt Morales (Ramon Rodri-
guez), despite the fact that he prefers the Mets
to her beloved Yankees. But its Rex who con-
tinues to be the true object of her affection, and
Megan Leavey is at its best when focusing on
the shared trust and love that underscore their
partnership. While Mara lacks the sort of rough-
and-tumble grit one might expect to nd in a
Marine like Megan, her performance is rich and
nuanced even in those (frequent) moments when
platitudes and stilted dialogue threaten to under-
mine authenticity. As it details the aftermath of
a battleeld trauma that leaves both its protago-
nists scarred and alone, Cowperthwaites lm
segues into a more predictable uplifting mode.
Yet even at its most schematic and schmaltzy,
its a cut above likeminded efforts such as Max
and Army Dog, and represents a reasonably
moving tribute to an unlikely, and unbreakable,
friendship.
East meets West, and the two gingerly fall in
love through art in Charles de Meauxs The
Lady in the Portrait, a period yarn evoking the
unique rapport between a French missionary and
the Manchurian Empress whose portrait hes or-
dered to paint. Exquisitely-costumed and voluptu-
ously shot, the lm evokes life in the Qing Dynas-
ty court with studied elegance and rare intimacy
that make it more than just another Bertolucci or
Zhang Yimou wannabe. Added last minute to the
Cannes ofcial selection as a tribute to Chinese
diva Fan Bingbing, whos serving on the jury,
the lm will denitely pique art-house interest in
Europe, but isnt likely to make a dent in Chinas
commercially driven market.
If anything, the story itself serves as an allegory
of Chinese-Western co-productions, in which
both sides are simultaneously turned on and put
off by each others values and working methods.
However, the narrative is too languorous and low-
key to fully convey its motif of cultural collision
or to analyze the aesthetic impulses behind Orien-
talism with any depth.
The Emperor Qianlong (who lived from 1711-
1799) reigned over what many historians consid-
ered the Golden Age of the Qing Dynasty, the
Manchurian conquest of China. He enlisted Eu-
ropean missionaries to introduce Western knowl-
edge and art into his court, with Italian Jesuit Gi-
useppe Castiglione wielding the most inuence.
The story takes place circa 1755, when French
missionary-painter Jean Denis Attiret (Melvil
Poupaud) catches the eye of the emperor (Huang
Jue) for his drawing of exotic European ora and
fauna.
Fan, at perhaps her most imperious and brittle,
plays the beautiful Ulanara, second empress to
Qianlong. Not only is she jealous about the em-
perors favors to other consorts, but she is deeply
insecure about his undying love for his late wife.
When she sees (or imagines) his longing at the
sight of the portrait of the late Empress Xiaoxian
drawn by Castiglione, she entreats Qianlong to
commission one of herself as well. She hopes the
painting will arouse the same desire in him a
commentary on the power of the image and the
cultural differences between the East and the West
regarding arts purpose, whether to interpret or re-
produce reality.
Left to right: David Hasselhoff, Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron pose for photographers during a photocall to promote the premiere of Baywatch on May 30 in Berlin.
Indian Bollywood actors Vivek
Oberoi (left), and Neetu Chan-
dra pose for a photograph
during a promotional event in
Mumbai on May 30. (AP)
Chopra Grifn
Variety
LOS ANGELES: With her ABC
show Quantico on summer hia-
tus, Priyanka Chopra is making
waves on the big screen.
Sources tell Variety that the
Baywatch star is in negotiations
to join the indie drama A Kid
Like Jake, starring Jim Parsons
and Claire Danes, and is also in
talks to board the New Line com-
edy Isnt It Romantic opposite
Rebel Wilson.
Chopra will shoot A Kid Like
Jake in June and then immedi-
ately begin production on Isnt It
Romantic in July before returning
to Quantico this fall.
Meanwhile, Chopra hit back at
critics Wednesday for trying to
shame her over a dress she wore
during a meeting with Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The actress was accused of
disrespecting the prime minister
by wearing a knee-length dress
revealing her lower legs during
an audience with Modi in Berlin.
(Agencies)
ble Giving Foundation with a $1
WASHINGTON: President Donald
Trump says celebrity Kathy Grifn
should be ashamed of herself for
appearing in a video holding what
looked like Trumps bloody head.
In a post on his Twitter account
Wednesday morning, the president
says, My children, especially my
11-year-old son, Barron, are hav-
ing a hard time with this. Sick!
Grifn, who helped with CNNs
New Years Eve coverage, has
apologized, saying that the brief
video was too disturbing and
wasnt funny.
I went too far, she says
in a second video. I sincerely
apologize.
Many people online called for
Grifn to be jailed.
The rst video showed a
straight-faced Grifn slowly
lifting the bloody head. She origi-
nally described the project with
photographer Tyler Shields as an
artsy fartsy statement mocking
the commander in chief. (AP)
Keri Russell poses at a ceremony honoring her with a star on the
LOS ANGELES: The estate of
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
20
(AFP)
Film
Actor about to become a published author
Hart wants to be Oprah of Comedy
By Brent Lang of the City of Brotherly Love. His father, Henry Witherspoon,
missed much of Harts childhood. He was in and out of jail, and an
S top trying to get Kevin Hart to eat another french fry!
It was an impulse order. Hart tried to change to a kale salad,
only to be sweet-talked into indulging by the waitress at the Mata-
addict. The drugs, and escalating parental screw-ups, such as the
time Witherspoon dropped Hart off at the wrong school, caused his
mom to limit his visits.
dor Room, one of those chic Miami eateries where the walls are We come from a situation, says Robert Hart, Kevins older
alabaster and the trellises adorned with climbing bougainvillea.
brother. We come from the worst living conditions.
After inhaling four or ve stfuls of golden fries, Hart insists hes When Hart performs stand-up, he treats his father as a jester, ar-
done. He hands the plate to the bodyguard sitting at a nearby table,
riving coked up to cheer his son at spelling bees or giving his kids
but each time the waitress walks by, she plops more savory pota- another familys dog when they wanted a puppy. But there was a
toes in front of him. darker side to Witherspoon. In the book, Hart recounts how his
Dont bring them back over here, Hart cries in mock exaspera- father broke into his mothers house to steal money. Another time,
tion. Finally, he grabs a glass of water and dumps it on the fries. he robbed Robert Harts barbershop and crashed his car.
Thats how you stop yourself, he declares. Then turning to his He didnt escape any of it jail, drugs, addictions, ruining
bodyguard, Hart points to the bowl of drowning fries your family to a point where my mom didnt want me and my
Hart is a man of discipline. If you track his movements on social brother to be around him, Hart says. Seeing the stuff rsthand.
media and with 32.7 million Twitter followers and 51.5 mil- Seeing the reality behind drugs and addiction, and what it can re-
lion Instagram fans, many do you know hes a physical tness ally do to a person, thats why I dont do drugs. I learned what I
junkie. He rises every morning at 5:30 to hit the gym, and last shouldnt be doing from what my dad did.
August he ran 35 miles in a relay that took him from Mount Hood Hart says his father is now sober and the two have reconciled.
to the Oregon coast. He routinely shares pictures of himself in mid- At some point, Hart decided it was important for his two young
crunch or hoisting barbells in the air. children, Heaven and Hendrix, to know their grandfather.
You cant expect to give 100% if youre not in a physical place It takes too much time and energy to keep hate alive, Hart
to give 100%, says Hart, 37. says. In return, Witherspoon makes an effort with the children.
Right now, the actor and comedian is arguably the hardest- Hes as good as he can be, Hart says. Hes very much in their
working person in show business. Hes appeared in nearly a dozen lives. He talks to them. He sends them messages. He Facetimes.
movies since 2013, many of them in leading roles and most of them Hes serious about making his presence felt.
box ofce hits. Thats to say nothing of the grueling stand-up tours
that put him on the road for weeks at a time. The animated lm
If Hart has conicted feelings about his father, theres no am-
biguity in his love for his mother. It was she, Hart says, who gave
Captain Underpants, featuring Harts voice, debuts in theaters him his work ethic. A computer analyst at the University of Penn-
June 2, and in December he headlines Jumanji: Welcome to the sylvania, she told her sons to set goals and achieve them. And she
Jungle alongside Dwayne Johnson and Jack Black. He recently lived out her maxim.
wrapped Untouchable, a dramatic comedy with Bryan Cranston She was forever in school, Hart remembers. She was always
that will open in 2018. trying to get a new level within her education a new masters
Working with Hart on the Jumanji sequel motivated Black to or a new degree. She was constantly pushing to be the best version
step up his own acting. I raised my game a couple of notches out of herself.
of the intimidation factor, says Black. Hes a king of the indus- When Hart decided he wanted to do stand-up, his mother agreed
try. Ive done a lot of movies, but when someone is on re, at the to pay his rent for a year as he worked to get noticed. Hed com-
peak of their powers, you feel like you have to earn your spot. mute daily from Philadelphia to the comedy clubs in New York,
As if he didnt have enough going on, Hart is also about to be- hitching rides or taking the bus from his home in the afternoon
come a published author. I Cant Make This Up: Life Lessons, and returning at four in the morning. As he opened up about his
his rst book, hits stores June 6. In his stand-up act, Harts comedy personal life, he could feel the audience leaning in and responding.
draws from personal experiences, delving into the cheating that In the beginning, I was trying to be versions of what I saw or
torpedoed his rst marriage or his hardscrabble youth growing up what other people were doing, he remembers. It was all, Whats
in North Philadelphia. Onstage, stories about his alcoholic and the new shtick? Oh, man, everyones coming onstage and theyre
drug-addicted father are played for laughs. using music. I need to give them some music or I need to be loud.
In print, Hart gets real. The rst piece that clicked centered on a ght hed had with his
People get to see the comedic persona, but theres more to me, girlfriend.
Hart says. This is a story that can be told, and I chose to tell it. Its Think comedic Oprah, Becky says.
funny, but there are serious components to it. Hes going to build companies and invest in companies and do
Kevin Darnell Hart was born on July 6, 1979 to Nancy Hart, the things that Oprah and LeBron James do, where they dont just
a single mother, and brought up in one of the toughest sections do their craft they create industries. (RTRS)
Sam Simon, comedy writer and of animals and a supporter of cess to education and employment was 77.
co-creator of The Simpsons, has underprivileged communities. in underserved communities in the Comeback star Lisa Kudrow
launched the Sam Simon Charita- The majority of the founda- Los Angeles region. (RTRS) conrmed the news on Twitter,
tions efforts will be directed at adding, He left us with many
wonderful gifts. Most importantly,
million donation to People for the improving the welfare and treat-
Ethical Treatment of Animals. ment of animals, particularly those LOS ANGELES: Actor Robert an example of what a truly good
Simon, who died at age 59 in captivity. It will also focus on Michael Morris, known for play- soul looks like. A cause of death
has not yet been reported.
in March 2015, was a strong programs that provide pathways ing Mickey Deane in HBOs The
advocate of the humane treatment out of poverty through creating ac- Comeback, died on Tuesday. He Morris was a high school and
college teacher before shifting
to the entertainment industry in
2005. His former student Michael
Patrick King wrote the part of
Russell gets a Mickey in The Comeback for
Morris. (RTRS)
Hollywood star
LOS ANGELES, May 31, LOS ANGELES: Maggie Gyl-
(RTRS): Keri Russell, a for- lenhaal has come on board to
mer Mouseketeer who later star in and produce the independ-
starred in the coming of age ent drama The Kindergarten
TV drama Felicity and Teacher, with lming starting on
currently plays a Russian July 10 in New York.
spy in The Americans, has Maven Pictures is producing
received a star on the Holly- the lm, based on Nadav Lapids
wood Walk of Fame. Israeli lm of the same name. Pro-
Russell, 41, rst appeared ducers on the lm are Maven Pic-
tures co-founders Trudie Styler
on television in the 1990s on
Disney Channels All New and Celine Rattray, Gyllenhaal,
Mickey Mouse Club, with and Talia Kleinhendler.
castmates including Justin Sara Colangelo is directing
Timberlake, Britney Spears from her own adapted screenplay.
Jenny Halper brought the project
and Christina Aguilera.
Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 30 in Los Angeles. (AP) to Maven. (RTRS)

NEWS/FEATURES
Music
Concert for pope
Youth musicians
escape violence
RIO DE JANEIRO, May 31, (Agencies): Just rehears-
ing could get them shot. But for the youth musicians
of one of Rio de Janeiros most violent slums, their
bravery will pay off Saturday with a concert in front
of the pope.
Twenty-six amateur musicians aged between 14
and 19 will perform for Pope
Francis and an audience also
including 400 children brought
from areas of central Italy dev-
astated in earthquakes.
It will fulll a dream for the
young Brazilians. Their Or-
chestra of Tomorrows Mare,
named for the Mare favela
(slum), had been scheduled to
play during the popes visit for
World Youth Day in 2013, but
Pope Francis the performance was cancelled
in heavy rain.
We were really sad because we had prepared spe-
cial pieces for him, said cellist Debora Santos, 18,
up at Rios towering statue of Christ the Redeemer,
where the original concert was meant to have taken
place.
Its really gratifying to see all our efforts rewarded
four years later, Santos said.
The road to Rome is long from the Mare, a crowd-
ed warren of alleys and small streets where heavily
armed drug dealers hold sway.
Clashes during aggressive police raids result in
frequent episodes of stray bullets injuring and killing
bystanders.
The Mare Networks group, a non-governmental
organization, said there have been 18 violent deaths
in the favela between January and April this year
more than in all of 2016.
A police operation meant that on Monday, two of
the musicians were unable to join the rest of the or-
chestra for a farewell Catholic Mass up by Christ the
Redeemer on the Corcovado.
Weve had to cancel many rehearsals because of
the violence, said double bassist Bruno Costa, 16.
He also has a very unique problem with his enor-
mous instrument: Its very complicated for me to get
around, because of its huge size. The drug trafckers
think Im carrying a weapon or even a body!
The orchestra was founded by Carlos Eduardo
Prazeres in 2010 as a way of rebuilding his life after
the murder in 1999 of his father, a famous conductor
called Armando Prazeres. His blood-stained car was
found in the Mare.
Seven years later the project is active in all the
Mares schools and has taught 2,200 children.
Many of them are prisoners of their surroundings,
with very limited horizons. But today our young musi-
cians dream of studying in Vienna and playing in great
orchestras, Prazeres said.
Santos, the cellist, said she fell in love with classi-
cal music and the instrument when she heard Bach on
the internet. Im sure I can go far if I work hard. My
dream is to play for the Berlin Philharmonic.
In Rome, the pope will get a smattering of tradi-
tional Brazilian music but also two tangos from his
Argentine homeland.
Pope Francis will be given a white violin signed by
students and be asked to autograph another that the
musicians will bring back to their friends in the Mare.
They only dream of getting out of the Mare, Praz-
eres said. I wanted to change that, to show that peace
is possible.
Jagged Little Pill, the blockbuster 1995 feminist
rock album by Alanis Morissette, will take on a new
form next year as a musical.
The piece will turn the albums music into a story
about a modern and multi-generational family and
their complex dynamics, touching on issues of gender
identity and race, producers said in a statement.
The Jagged Little Pill musical is set to open in
May 2018 at the American Repertory Theater at Har-
vard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The musical will be directed by Diane Paulus, the
theaters artistic director who led Broadway revivals
of Hair and Pippin, with a script by Diablo Cody,
who wrote the breakaway 2007 movie hit Juno
about teen pregnancy.
Morissette hailed the chemistry with Paulus and
Cody and called the project my musical theater
dream come true.
The director and writer are already taking these
deeply personal songs that are part of my souls mar-
row to a whole other level of hope, freedom and com-
plexity, Morissette said in a statement.
Empowerment
With hit songs such as You Oughta Know, You
Learn and Hand in My Pocket, the album was
considered a declaration of female empowerment as
Morissette brought an assertive rock voice to tales of
modern living and relationship angst.
She won the Grammy for Album of the Year for
Jagged Little Pill when she was 21, making her the
youngest artist ever at the time to win the prestigious
award.
The albums songs will be worked into stage form
by Tom Kitt, who also worked on the musical adapta-
tion of Green Days American Idiot.
The musical plans for Jagged Little Pill had been
announced several years ago without details.
Morissette recently reappeared in the news when
her former business manager was sentenced to six
years in prison for stealing nearly $5 million from her.
The musical On Your Feet! on the lives of Cu-
ban-American crossover sensations Gloria and Emil-
io Estefan will close on Broadway after a respectable
run of nearly two years, the production said Tuesday.
The musical, which traces the lives of the husband-
wife music team set to hits such as Conga and
Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, will close August 20,
the Marquis Theatre said.
But On Your Feet! will quickly have a new life
in October, with both a previously announced US
tour starting in Miami, the Estefans home, and an
international production to open in the Dutch city
of Utrecht.
Gloria and Emilio Estefan, who were both born in
Cuba, became international stars with Miami Sound
Machine as the couple discovered a new audience by
infusing pop songs with Latin rhythms.
The musical charts the professional rise of the
couple as well as off-stage drama, including Glorias
mothers initial reluctance to accept Emilio, and a
1990 bus crash that seriously injured Gloria and raised
fears she would never perform again.
In this Sept 4, 2016 le photo, Chris Martin of Coldplay performs at The Budweiser Made In America Festival in Philadelphia. Coldplay will join Ariana Grande at a charity
concert called One Love Manchester in Manchester, England on June 3, 2017, two weeks after a bomber killed 22 people at Grandes concert in Manchester. (AP)
This le photo taken on Nov 22, 2015
shows singer Alanis Morissette at-
tending the 2015 American Music
Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los
Angeles, California. Jagged Little
Pill, the blockbuster 1995 feminist
rock album by Alanis Morissette, will
take on a new form next year as a mu-
sical. (AFP)
John Allman
Variety
LOS ANGELES: Grease actress and
singer Olivia Newton-John said on Tues-
day that her breast cancer has returned and
spread to her lower back.
Newton-John, 68, who became an advo-
cate for healthy living and medical research
after her rst bout with breast cancer in
1992, will undergo radiation treatment and
is condent of returning to work later this
year, her representatives said in a state-
ment.
I decided on my direction of therapies
after consultation with my doctors and
natural therapists and the medical team at
my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Well-
ness and Research Centre in Melbourne,
Australia, Newton-John said.
The statement said the Physical singer
was postponing her June US and Canadian
tours.
The back pain that initially caused her
to postpone the rst half of her concert
tour, has turned out to be breast cancer that
has metastasized to the sacrum, Tuesdays
statement said. (RTRS)
LOS ANGELES: Apple plans to premiere
Carpool Karaoke: The Series, an original
series based on the viral sketch bit from
CBSs The Late Late Show with James
Corden, on Aug 8 four months after
the tech giant previously expected.
Eddy Cue, Apples senior VP of internet
software and services, announced the date
in a tweet Tuesday.
The series will be available to subscrib-
ers of Apple Music, the tech giants music
subscription service regularly priced at
$9.99 per month. Carpool Karaoke: The
Series, produced by CBS Television Stu-
dios and Fulwell 73, will feature a unique
pairing of celebrities in each episode, such
as John Legend with Alicia Keys and
Billy Eichner with Metallica.
Corden appears in at least two episodes,
alongside Will Smith and LeBron James.
The trailer for the show shows Corden and
Smith in a helicopter for a singalong to R.
Kellys I Believe I Can Fly.
Apple Music will debut a new install-
ment of the 16-episode series each Tues-
day. Other celebrity pairings will include
Miley, Noah, Billy Ray and the entire
Cyrus family; Shakira and Trevor Noah;
Shaquille ONeal and WWE star John
Cena; Game of Thrones stars Sophie
Turner and Maisie Williams; Queen
Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith; and
John Legend, Alicia Keys and Taraji P.
Henson. (RTRS)
LOS ANGELES: A private funeral for
singer Gregg Allman will be held in his
Music
One Love Manchester to honor, raise funds for victims
Bieber to join Grande at concert
NEW YORK, May 31, (Agencies):
Justin Bieber, Coldplay and Katy
Perry will join Ariana Grande at a
charity concert in Manchester, Eng-
land, on Sunday.
Grande announced Tuesday that
the One Love Manchester show
will be held at the citys Old Traf-
ford cricket ground just under two
weeks after a bomber killed 22 peo-
ple at the pop singers concert in
Manchester.
Other performers will include
Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus,
Usher, Niall Horan and Take That.
Proceeds will go to an emergency
fund set up by the city of Manches-
ter and the British Red Cross.
Tickets go on sale Thursday.
We will not quit or operate in
fear. We wont let this divide us.
We wont let hate win, Grande
said in a statement. Our response
to this violence must be to come
closer together, to help each other,
to love more, to sing louder and to
live more kindly and generously
than we did before.
The singer added: Music is
meant to heal us, to bring us togeth-
er, to make us happy. So that is what
it will continue to do for us.
The benet will take place at
the Old Trafford cricket ground.
Proceeds will benet victims of
last weeks suicide bombing at
Grandes show at another venue in
the northern English city, the Man-
chester Arena.
Islamic State claimed credit for
the bombing, which killed 22 peo-
ple and took place moments after
Grande nished playing.
All proceeds from Sundays One
Love Manchester concert will go
to the We Love Manchester Emer-
gency Fund which was set up by the
Manchester City Council in partner-
ship with the British Red Cross.
The fund has already raised more
than 5 million pounds ($6.4 mil-
lion), organizers say.
Grande, 23, is offering free tick-
ets to the charity concert to all of
those who were at her Manchester
show on May 22.
hometown of Macon, Ga., on Saturday.
The ceremony, which will be closed to
the public, is scheduled for 1 pm at Snows
Memorial Chapel in downtown Macon, the
Macon Telegraph reported.
After the ceremony, Allman will be
buried at Macons Rose Hill Cemetery. His
late brother, Duane, and fellow band mate
Berry Oakley are buried there as well.
In this April 22, 2017 photo, British singer-songwriter Paolo Nutini performs during
his debut concert in Mexico City. A trip to Mexicos Caribbean coast inspired Nu-
tini to do his rst tour in Mexico and South America. The Scotland-born musician
mixes the inuences of the 1970s, Prince and Sixto Rodriguez in his work. (AP)
The suicide bombing injured
more than 100, many of them
members of Grandes large, young
female fan base. Grande was un-
harmed but she later canceled sev-
eral concerts scheduled in London
and Europe through June 5.
Sundays show will be broadcast
live by BBC television and radio,
Tuesdays statement said.
Grande said in an open letter on
her social media accounts last week
that There is nothing I or anyone
can do to take away the pain you
(her fans) are feeling or to make this
better. However, I extend my hand
and heart and everything I possibly
can give to you and yours, should
you want or need my help in any
way.
Also:
NASHVILLE, Tenn: George Strait,
Dolly Parton, Kelsea Ballerini,
Eric Church, Reba McEntire,
Toby Keith, Willie Nelson and
Shel Silverstein will be honored by
the Academy of Country Music dur-
ing a television special.
ACM announced Tuesday the
special award honorees for the
ACM Honors show, to be held in
Nashville on Aug. 23 and broadcast
at a later date on CBS.
Strait will receive the Clife
Stone Icon Award and Parton
will receive the Gary Haber Lift-
ing Lives Award. The Gene Weed
Milestone Award will go to Bal-
lerini, while Church will receive
the Merle Haggard Spirit Award.
McEntire and radio DJ Bob King-
sley will receive the Mae Boren
Axton Service Award, while Keith,
Nelson and Silverstein will get the
Poets Award.
The TV show Nashville will
receive the Tex Ritter Film Award.
LOS ANGELES: California rock
band Linkin Park scored its 6th
No.1 Billboard album on Tuesday
with One More Light, according
to data from Nielsen SoundScan on
Tuesday.
The studio album sold more than
Fans hoping to pay their respects are
asked to form a motorcade route between
the funeral home and the Rose Hill Cem-
etery.
The Southern rocker from the Allman
Brothers died this past Saturday at the age
of 69 due to complications of liver cancer.
His longtime manager, Michael Lehman,
said Allmans liver cancer resurfaced
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
21
111,000 units for the week, knock-
ing One Direction member Harry
Styles solo self-titled album off the
top place and into the No. 3 spot on
the Billboard 200 after just a week.
Rapper Kendrick Lamars
Damn. moved back into second
place with another 97,000 units sold
in its sixth week of release.
The Billboard 200 album chart
tallies units from album sales,
song sales (10 songs equal one al-
bum) and streaming activity (1,500
streams equal one album).
On the digital songs chart, which
measures online single sales, Puerto
Rican singer Luis Fonsis Despac-
ito featuring Justin Bieber held
onto the top spot for a third week
with another 137,000 copies sold.
LOS ANGELES: Country music art-
ist Clay Walker has signed with
United Talent Agency (UTA) for
worldwide representation in music,
the agency announced on May 30.
A 25-year veteran of the country
music scene, the Texas native re-
leased his self-titled debut album in
1993. Eleven No. 1 country singles
followed, including Whats It to
You, If I Could Make a Living,
This Woman and This Man, and
Rumor Has It, along with sales
of 11 million albums, according to
the agency. His rst studio release
since 2010s She Wont Be Lonely
Long is due out later this year.
Walker, who was diagnosed with
Multiple Sclerosis in 1996, founded
the Band Against MS foundation.
Since 2003, the artist has helped the
foundation raise more than $5 mil-
lion through various charity events.
Said UTAs Nick Meinema in an-
nouncing the signing: Were ex-
cited to have Clay as a new client.
His world-class voice, performance
style and commitment to philan-
thropy makes him an artist that we
are thrilled to represent. We look for-
ward to working with him on some
innovative new opportunities.
Walker is managed by the Irv
Woolsey Company.
around ve years ago, although the singer
didnt publicize the news.
Allman had canceled many scheduled
tour dates in recent months due to health
concerns including an irregular heartbeat, a
respiratory infection, and a hernia. (RTRS)
LOS ANGELES: SoundCloud announced
Tuesday that its chief content ofcer, Ste-
phen Bryan, will be leaving the company
at the end of the month.
Bryan joined SoundCloud three years
ago and, as a press release states, played
a critical role in closing key label and
publishing deals for SoundCloud, which
enabled the launch of both SoundCloud
Go+ and the Companys new mid-priced
subscription plan, SoundCloud Go.
He is the fourth major executive to leave
the company this year, following COO
Marc Strigel, nance director Markus
Harder and general counsel Neil Miller.
In a statement, the company said that
Bryans direct reports will assume his core
responsibilities, and will report directly to
SoundClouds executive leadership team.
The company does not have immediate
plans to replace Bryan.
Stephens ability to negotiate favorable
deals for SoundCloud with key industry
players was instrumental in getting us
to where we are today, and we wish him
the best, said Alex Ljung, SoundCloud
co-founder and CEO. Under Stephens
leadership, our world-class content, strat-
egy, and creator products teams established
pivotal industry partnerships that prepared
us for our next phase of growth. (RTRS)

Covered-up chic: Big brands wake up to modest fashion
LONDON, May 31, (AP): When
Ruba Zai uploaded her rst video
online, the Netherlands-based Afghan
student just wanted to share with
other Muslim girls and women how
she styled her headscarf. She had no
idea her hijab tutorials would be an
internet hit, watched by hundreds of
thousands worldwide.
The 23-year-old now blogs full
time, sharing ideas for how to look
fashionable yet covered-up with a
million Instagram followers. Zai had
tapped into a fast-growing market for
so-called modest fashion, fueled by
young, style-savvy Muslim women
from London to Malaysia who have
long felt their needs ignored by main-
stream designers.
I just couldnt relate at all to the
clothes you see in the mainstream
brands, Zai said from her home in
Rotterdam. When we rst started
talking about our style on social
media, there was no interest in the
fashion world in this group of people:
Theyre just Muslims, why should
we target them?
Big brands are waking up to that
Rickshaws hit
Life is a struggle
for China drivers
BEIJING, May 31, (AFP): The
makeshift red-canopied vehicles are
ubiquitous in Beijing: rickshaws
traversing narrow alleyways and
skyscraper-lined avenues alike.
A historic mode of transport, they
have survived Chinas modernisation,
and remain an integral part of city liv-
ing but for the drivers, life remains
a struggle.
Near the lofty Forbidden City,
where emperors once lived, a man
surnamed Guo has worked as a rick-
shaw driver for 10 hours every day for
the last 30 years.
The boom of cars, electric scooters,
and, more recently, shared bikes, has
not managed to kill his business.
It hasnt changed anything, Guo
said with a smile.
Appearing in China at the end of
the 19th century, rickshaws originally
had two wheels and were pulled by
their driver on foot, with passengers
seated at the back.
Today, most of the vehicles are
tricycles. Some still have pedals and
are propelled by physical force, but
the majority are equipped with electric
or gas engines.
The drivers must be licensed and
operate within government-dened
zones, mainly around scenic down-
town lakes.
But others tinker with their own
vehicles and work illegally, without
licenses. They are targeted by police
ofcers who accuse them of danger-
ous driving, trafc disruptions, and
tourist scams.
Li Wei is among them. A young
father hailing from the impoverished
central Henan province, he drives
from 8:00 pm until dawn.
Working in constant fear of being
caught by the trafc police, Li speeds
up when he sees a uniformed ofcer.
Caught
The 29-year-old has been caught
six times in four years, each time hav-
ing to pay a ne of 1,000 yuan ($145).
Unlicensed work also carries the
risk of having the rickshaw worth
2,000 yuan ($290) conscated.
But for Li the rewards are worth the
gamble. On weekends, he takes home
partygoers spilling out of bars, earn-
ing 500 yuan ($73) a night.
Though this is a hefty sum in China
and his wife also works she is an
assistant at a clothing store but
they can still only afford a tiny, dilapi-
dated apartment in Beijing.
His father, also a rickshaw driver,
lives with them.
It has been four years since Li rst
took the job, and he confesses he is
already tired of earning a living this
way.
But having worked in factories and
restaurants in Shanghai, he concedes
that driving for a living is far better.
Asked what he would do instead,
if he could, he shrugs his shoulders in
defeat.
He explains: I have no idea how I
would make a living otherwise.
click
Alcoholics Anonymous: If you
know someone who cant stop drink-
ing and would like to help them please
check us out and we promise to try to
help at www.aaarabia.org There are no
fees. This is a genuine public service.
surprised to discover that the United
Drinking problem?: Friends of
Bill W. are available to help. Totally
condential. Email: rohsecretary@
gmail.com
funds to get the project off the ground.
Narcotics Anonymous: NA can
help with addiction problems. Totally
confidential: 94087800 English/Arabic.
Cancer online support group: If
you are Cancer patient or family mem-
ber ghting with this deadly disease,
come join our online support group.
Best way of dealing with this disease
is providing support and share our ex-
perience with each other. There are lot
of things which even doctors cant tell
so be member of this website and start
sharing your experiences which may
help others. October is recognized
A member of the staff poses for a picture at the Aab boutiq store at Upton
Park, in London. (AP)
call, and covered-up chic is a niche
thats slowly making its way into
mainstream fashion. From exclusive
designers to fast-fashion chains,
retailers are trying to court millions
Museum
A timeline representing 500 years of American literary history greets visitors at the American Writers Museum in Chicago. (AFP)
Museum puts modern spin on literary history
CHICAGO, May 31, (AFP): At
Chicagos newly-opened American
Writers Museum, Jack Kerouacs
biographer tells an audience how the
Beat Generations bible was inspired
by the authors deep affection for his
country.
On the Road is a love letter to
America, says Dennis McNally,
standing just steps from the 120-foot
(36.5-meter) scroll on which Kerouac
typed out his best-known book.
He loved being an American and
he romanticized it, he said of the
novel depicting a post-World War II
generation looking to break out of the
societal constraints of the 1950s.
The rst-of-its-kind museum is
dedicated to writers who helped shape
Americas history and culture -- from
Ernest Hemingway to chef Julia Child
to rapper Tupac Shakur.
The theme of the museum is to
really look at American writing and
American writers, and celebrate them
in the way that we celebrate all kinds
of people, like sports heroes and
movie stars, said museum president
Carey Cranston.
This museum is in fact the brain-
child of an Irish immigrant. Malcolm
OHagan, a retired businessman, was
Native American life. It concludes
States had no institution dedicated to
its authors.
It took seven and a half years to
make plans and raise the necessary
I think it took someone with an
outsider perspective, said Cranston,
adding that Chicago was chosen for
its rich literary past and tourist draw.
The museums exhibits breeze
through hundreds of years of Ameri-
can literature, culture and history,
as National Breast Cancer Aware-
ness Month (NBCAM). The primary
purpose is to promote self examina-
tion and screening mammography as
the most effective way to save lives by
detecting breast cancer at early stage.
For more information visit: http://
ghtingwithcancer.webs.com/
Young, style-savvy Muslim women
of Muslim consumers especially
around the month of Ramadan,
which started last week, when many
Muslims buy new clothes and dress
up. In 2014, US fashion house
Da Vinci contraptions brought to life in Bruges exhibition
Visitors examine an exhibit of Chicago writers at the American Writers Mu-
seum in Chicago. (AFP)
offering quick glimpses into the
works of writers in various genres and
media.
Concludes
A timeline exhibit begins with
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, born in
1490, who penned a memoir depicting
and poverty.
500 years later with Oscar Hijuelos,
the son of Cuban immigrants, who
wrote about assimilating into Ameri-
can culture.
To see the ways in which the
words of so many people have moved
populations throughout time, I think
its really inspiring, said Nura
Mazmabi, 38, who was visiting the
museum with members of her writing
group.
The museum also includes a sur-
Latest
Bangladesh embassy notice:
The Embassy of the Peoples Repub-
lica of Bangladesh in Kuwait will fol-
low the following ofce hours during
the Holy month of Ramadan. Sunday
to Thursday 09:30 am to 3:30
DKNY was one of the rst Western
brands to launch a Ramadan collec-
tion aimed at wealthy Arab shoppers
in the Gulf.
Since then, several others have
followed suit. Dolce&Gabbana has
been selling a luxury collection
of abayas long, loose robe-like
dresses and matching heads-
carves since last year in the Middle
East, Paris and London. At the more
affordable end of the market, Span-
ish chain Mango is also promoting
a Ramadan collection of tunics,
kaftans and maxi dresses for the
second year.
Earlier this year, Nike became the
rst major brand to launch a pro
hijab, a headscarf made in high-
tech fabrics aimed at female Muslim
athletes. Even Marks and Spencer,
that stalwart British department store
known for cardigans and practical
shoes, launched a $64 burkini a
full-body swimsuit last summer in
the UK.
But perhaps the most visible
sign yet that mainstream fashion is
embracing the Muslim market was
prise bookshelf -- an interactive wall
that reveals morsels of information
about authors through video, sound
or text.
The late rapper Shakur is featured
for the lyrics to his 1995 song Dear
Mama, exploring, as the exhibit puts
it, the realities of addiction, violence
Nearby is a tribute to Harper Lee,
author of To Kill a Mockingbird,
the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel deal-
ing with race inequality.
Even though a lot of people are
suppressed at some point in their lives
or at some point in our history, their
words are still out there, and we cel-
ebrate their words. And, I think thats
what makes it American, said visitor
Alex Messina-Schultheis, 25.
One thing conspicuously understat-
pm; Friday and Saturday Weekly
holidays.
Chess coaching, round robin:
Registrations are open for chess
coaching and the summer round robin
Challenger Series. Send your name
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
when design houses Max Mara and
Alberta Ferretti starred hijab-wearing
Somali-American model Halima Aden
on their catwalks for Milan Fashion
Week, one of the industrys most
prestigious events.
Mainstream fashion is now talking
about modest fashion as a thing. Ten
years ago, if you were a brand coming
from a religious background and tried
to sell it in department stores, calling
it a modest or Muslim brand would
be a kiss of death, said Reina Lewis,
a professor at the London College of
Fashion who has written two books
about the topic.
While the majority of those inter-
ested in covered-up fashion are young,
cosmopolitan Muslim women, the
term modesty emerged in the niche
market as a useful one because its not
faith-specic, Lewis added.
Nazmin Alim, a designer who
founded the London-based modest
fashion brand Aab a decade ago, says
she used to have to buy fabric herself
and visit a tailor to get work wear that
still adhered to her faiths modesty
edicts.
ed are books themselves, as museum
organizers wanted to avoid replicating
a library.
While there are rooms with books
and places to read, the space is domi-
nated by touch screens, multimedia
exhibits and interactive elements such
as manual typewriters on which visi-
tors can hammer out a few sentences.
When you think American writ-
ing museum, you think: Ill just be
reading a wall of text. But, its very
interactive, said Jennifer Depoorter,
24, who was playing a word game on
a touchscreen table.
Also inconspicuous is the museum
itself, which occupies the second oor
of a nondescript downtown Chicago
ofce building, marked by only one
sign.
Also:
BRUGES: Leonardo da Vincis
bird-like ying machine and portable
bridge have been brought to life in a
new exhibition opening on Thursday
in the Belgian city of Bruges.
One hundred machines invented or
enhanced by the Italian Renaissance
mastermind have been realised, by
using plans he drew himself. They
will be on display in Bruges for six
months, before embarking on a world
tour over 10 years.
Some of the 500-year-old designs,
including the bird-like aeroplane, have
been created at full life-size scale.
Others are scale models made of wood ment and cited concerns that it may
and other materials of the age.
Although others have turned
drawings by the painter of the Mona
Lisa into three-dimensional reality,
organisers say this is the biggest such
exhibition of its kind.
The highlight of this exhibition is
Civil ID no., mobile number, age,
rating to saviosgomes@gmail.com
with CCR in the e-mail subject. No
entry fee.
Invitation to Grand Mosque: The
Visits Department is pleased to invite
22
Also:
FLORENCE, Italy: Alessandro
Micheles midseason Cruise 2018
collection was as artistically ec-
centric as the portraits hanging in the
Medicis private Vasari Corridor that
guests took to arrive at the exclusive
runway show Monday evening at the
Pitti Palace venue.
It was a night of Renaissance in-
dulgence for the Gucci crowd, with
celebrity guests including Elton
John, Kirsten Dunst, Jared Leto,
Dakota Johnson, accompanied by
sisters Stella Banderas and Grace
Johnson.
Before they runway show, guests
were treated to private time with
Botticellis masterpieces in the
Ufzi Gallery and a guided walk
along the Vasari Corridor built by
the Medicis to connect the Ufzi
with the Pitti Palace that is other-
wise closed to the public for renova-
tions.
The evening concluded with a per-
formance by singer-songwriter Beth
Ditto in a private garden.
principally the quantity of works that
is presented, covering a big variety of
instruments, machines, war machines,
and other objects in the same place,
said technical designer Vincent
Damseaux.
You see the technique he was
designing in that period and you still
nd a correlation with what you have
today, he added. The gear box - that
is something youll nd on your bikes
today - but it was already invented at
that time.
Leonardos designs were varied
and pioneering. Though he was not
the rst to conceive of each design,
he made signicant improvements
to many. The exhibition shows
weaponry was a common theme in his
work, with gruesome bladed war con-
traptions envisaged. He also imagined
the helicopter, plane, submarine and
bridges ahead of his time.
DALLAS: Heritage Auctions has
halted the planned offering of a guitar
purported to have been played by Jimi
Hendrix at the 1967 Monterey Pop
Festival amid concerns its not that
particular instrument.
Dallas-based Heritage on Tuesday
announced the guitar, originally esti-
mated to bring up to $750,000, will no
longer be up for sale on June 17.
A Heritage statement says auction
house experts examined the instru-
not be the same guitar Hendrix played
at the Monterey, California, event.
Heritage previously announced the
Fender Stratocaster would be offered
for sale in Beverly Hills, California,
via a private collector from the United
Kingdom.
you to visit the Grand Mosque, which
is one of Kuwaits most treasured
religious and cultural landmarks to
discover the beauty of Islamic arts
and architecture. Free guided tours are
available all year round on ofcial
Continued on Page 23
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

23

Overheard in the Souk

The heat is on and its for real! Everyone
is trying to escape the heat this Ramadan
but how? Classes are still on and those
working in ofces cant just call the day
off. Some are planning to y out soon and
checking on some budget airlines. But be
wary when booking for future ights with
some budget airlines.
Make sure that the budget airline that
you have chosen is still ying high when
its time for you to y. Take the case of
one of the budget airlines that has re-
cently announced the suspension of its
ight as the company deemed it not vi-
able and sustainable anymore. What
do you expect when you sell your tick-
ets like hot cheap pancakes? Now the
dilemma of those who have bought low
fare tickets last year and who are ying
next month.
They have two options, either they re-
fund the ticket or rebook it to another air-
line. Chances are, youll pay more than
save more. What a hassle! Well as they
say, you get what you pay for!
Finding a spot in a malls parking lot
at peak times of the evening in Ramadan
can be a very taxing ordeal. Often, driv-
ers endlessly orbit the space endlessly,
a primal sport almost. Those with a more
predatory colouring stalk shoppers leav-
ing the malls and follow them back to
their parking spots and the most ruthless
of the lot turn their blinkers on even as
the hapless party hastily put their bags
in the car.
But there are always people more hei-
nous, in this case it is those who position
themselves at the end of an aisle and wait
for a space to open up even as they see a
the grapevine
long line of cars begining to pile up. Maybe
the tedious waiting will encourage all of us
to walk where we can and leave the cars
at home.
stroke and possibly dying from dehydra-
Fasting 30 days of Ramadan during
summer season with high temperature
ranging between 40 to 50 degrees would
not be an easy task for Muslim worship-
pers. No doubt the heat wave at this time
is so scary and deadly especially to those
who fast and working in open spaces at
the same time.
The government, as usual, has issued
a decision prohibiting people to work in
open spaces when temperature is very
high. This is to prevent them from heat-
tion. This decision will benet majority of
Muslims who fast in this country.
People would agree the importance of
taking this advice from the government
because there are reports people die from
heat wave. So, now the question remains
whether people will pay heed to this gov-
ernment ban and save their lives or will
they defy it and risk their lives?

Tongues Way
Events

Flyers from the events.

click
Latest
Continued from Page 22
working days between (9-11 am)
and (5-7 pm), within a special tour
program designed to cater to the needs
of different age groups. The program
is as follows:
Reception; Auditorium show; (ac-
cording to age group); Touring the
Mosque; Q & A; Art workshops; (ac-
cording to age group between 5 and
18 years old); Snack break; Distribu-
tion of the Grand Mosque publications
and souvenirs; End of tour.
According to these age groups:
Age group: 5 to 9 years old: Morn-
ing: 60 visitors max; Evening: 20; 10
to 15 years: Morning: 100 visitors max;
Evening: 45; 16 and above: Morning:
140 visitors max, Evening: 105:
Tour language: Arabic- English-
French; Arabic (English upon prior
request); Arabic- English- French;
Arabic (English upon prior request);
Arabic- English- French: Arabic (Eng-
lish upon prior request)
Rules and Regulations:
Please arrive in time for your visit.
All visitors are kindly required to
abide by the mosques dress code.
Male visitors should wear long pants.
Shorts and sleeveless shirts are not
allowed. Female visitors: should wear
head cover and long loose clothing
(available at the mosque).
Foods and drinks are not allowed
inside the prayer halls.
For school visits, teachers are
responsible for their students and are
required to cooperate with the staff
members of the Grand Mosque.
Photography is allowed inside the
Grand Mosque (please note that disre-
spectful poses are strictly prohibited).
If you would like to book a tour,
please contact us:
Tel: 22980813/ 22980815/
22980812
Email: gmvisits@gmail.com
Fax: 22473708
June 5
TIES Ramadan breakfast: The
TIES Center will be hosting Ramadan
iftars, providing appetizers, the main
course and drinks. Bring your favorite
side dish or dessert to share with
friends and family. Pre-registration
appreciated.
Monday, June 5 and Wednesdays,
June 7, 14 and 21 @ 6:30pm
Contact address: Villa No 67, Street
413, Block 4, Shuhada Area, Kuwait
Phone: +(965) 25231015; Email:
info@tiescenter.net
July 1
IMA summer classes: Indian Mus-
lim Association (IMA) announces its
much awaited Summer Islamic classes
this year immediately after Eid ul Fitr.
The classes were launched in 1994
when it was widely felt by the parents
that there was a need to impart fuller
knowledge to students when compared
to that imparted in their regular schools
This year IMA (Indian Muslim As-
sociation, Kuwait) with the coordination
of IPC, opens the doors of its well-
known 2-month long, Summer Islamic
Classes program to students in Kuwait
from LKG up to 12th standard. Offering
a syllabus with a wide range of Islamic
subjects such as Quran reading/under-
standing/memorization, Prophets Life
and Day to day Jurisprudence. Apart
from this, teachers work on Personality
Development of the students and also
engage them in various activities includ-
ing eld visits. Competitions are held on
Islamic Quiz, Recitation of Quran and
Elocution
Date: July 1 to Aug 24; Timings:
4:00 to 6:30 pm; Venue: Indian
Community School, Junior Branch;
Salmiya, Kuwait.
General
Share your story with Amricani:
Do you or any of your family mem-
bers, acquaintances or friends happen
to have a story with the American
Missionary hospital in Kuwait
Continued on Page 24
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

24

BBS

Dr Al Anoud Al Sharekh Gustav Gropp, Ahmad Bassam, Jihad Sadeddin Jihad Sadeddin, Sara Al Kidim, Gustav Gropp

BBS graduated 98 students this year

Al Bayan Bilingual School celebrates graduating class 2017

Under the patronage of Dr Al
Anoud Al Sharekh, a researcher,
academic and activist focused on
youth and gender demographics,
GCC security, bi-cultural trends
and is currently a Research As-
sociate at the London Middle East
Institute. She lectures in institutions
in the region and abroad, and has
published numerous books and ar-
ticles focusing on political identity,
cultural politics, gender and kinship
policies in the Arabian Gulf.

KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Al Bayan
Bilingual School (BBS) today ofcially
graduated 98 students of the class of
2017, who are prepared to leave school
behind and begin a new chapter in
their academic life. Held in the Arraya
Ballroom at the Courtyard Marriott, the
ceremony commenced with the Kuwaiti
national anthem followed by a recita-
tion of the Holy Quran.
This years ceremony was attended
by the honorary guest Speaker Dr Al
Anoud Al Sharekh, school owners and
members of the board of trustees, BBS
parents, the BBS Acting Director, High
School staff and teachers and other
members of the school community.
Once students were seated, Master
of Ceremony and High School Princi-
pal, Jihad Sadeddin, welcomed guests
and invited BBS Director, Gustav
Gropp to the podium.
In his opening remarks, Gustav
Gropp congratulated both students
and their parents on this signicant
accomplishment and said: Gradua-
tion, by denition, inspires in us the
anticipation of open roads, open hearts
and open minds. Auspicious as this
graduation may appear, it only marks
the point in time at which ones world
exponentially bigger.
What message do we send out to
the world from BBS via our lives?
The question is rather simple, yet
profoundly relevant. I encourage you
to step out be who you are, keep the
BBS values we so cherish. We are
proudly waiting in anticipation of
your successes he ended.
High School Principal, Sadeddin,
later introduced keynote speaker,
Dr Al Anoud Al Sharekh to deliver
her speech. During her speech Ms.
Al Anoud expressed her happiness
to be sharing this moment with BBS
graduates and said: 40 years ago my
mother chose to enroll me in a school
that is called Al Bayan, in its rst lo-
cation in Al Yarmouk Area, now and
after 40 years I am honored to be the
rst former BBS student that stands
here as a graduation guest speaker,
what is more beautiful about this
graduation ceremony is my daughter
who is BBS class of 2017.
Fawzia Al Sultan created a smart
solution for education in Kuwait and
collaborated with all entities to build
this cultural edice. And as many of
people, that believed in her, supported
her dream I am sure that you will nd
us 98 creative solutions for many
deciencies that we face today and
you will make a positive change that
will leave an important trail like this
school that you are graduating from.
Later during the ceremony, class
valedictorian Ahmad Bassam and
salutatorian Sara Al Kidim were hon-
ored for their high academic achieve-
ments. In order to qualify for these
two awards, students must achieve the
highest and second to highest cumula- Photos from the graduates.
tive GPA throughout High School.
Several other students were awarded
for their outstanding achievements in
academics, athletics and community ofcial period of offering medical services in Kuwait? living in Kuwait informed President Saifudheen Nalakath in a
service including the Council of Interna- Please share with us your story or your memory during those press release. For more details contact: 55062071 or email at
old days by writing the event and sending it to the following email kiffkuwait@gmail.com.
tional Schools (CIS) Award, the Senior
Project Award, the Student Government
address: Mystory@darmuseum.org.kw
Notes: 1. Please send your story only to the above mentioned
Award and the Al Mufarrej Award that email. Story shared in Instagram, Facebook or Twitter will not be NYF offers free yoga classes: NYF Kuwait offers free yoga,
is given annually to an 10th or 11th considered. breathing, meditation and reiki classes by a well-experienced female
grade student. The ceremony concluded 2. Please write your story or memory and sign it with your full yoga teacher for all age groups. Classes are given on the basis of dif-
with the traditional presentation of diplo- name, and your contact number. ferent health problems, stress and other problems by different tech-
mas by Keynote Speaker, Dr Al Anoud 3. It will be great if you send us your personal photos or those of niques. Contact: 99315825.
Al Sharekh, Chairperson and Board of the place related to the story (optional).
Trustees, Dr Martha Thompson, BBS
Your story will be part of a new book to be published by DAI.
Director, Gustav Gropp, and High I am condent that your contributions will be an essential part of Leadership Excellence Course: The Leadership Excellence
School Principal, Jihad Sadeddin. the history of Amricani. Share with us! Course (LEC) is a course modeled on the Seerah of Rasoolullah who
About Al Bayan Bilingual School is the best model of leadership for all mankind. The LEC focuses on
(BBS): the lessons that we can learn from the Seerah of Rasoolullah and see
The Al Bayan Bilingual School KIFF anti-drugs campaign: As part of the Fraternity fest, how we can apply them in our lives to become winners in this world
(BBS), is a non-prot Arabic-Eng- Kuwait India Fraternity Forum (KIFF) is conducting Anti-Drugs and the next.
Campaign among Indians living in Kuwait. According to the The objectives of the course are 1. Understand what leadership
lish university preparatory educa-
tional institution, which fosters an click available statistics of Indian Embassy, 60% of the convicted is from the Seerah of Rasoolullah and how to apply it in our lives
environment for students to de- Indians in Kuwaiti Jails are arrested on drug-related cases. The today 2. Understand the purpose of our lives and learn to live that
velop the intellectual qualities, ethi- recent cases of death and captives of Indian drug abusers is purpose with condence 3. Understand the importance of connect-
cal values, and positive attitudes General a threatening news. To defend and to campaign against such ing to Allah and learn how to do it 4. Understand how to leverage
required for effective participation social crisis by protecting individuals as well as the society has your strengths and overcome weaknesses 5. Understand how to
and leadership in the overall devel- Continued from Page 23 become obligatory. In this current situation, Kuwait India Fra- articulate your life goal and create a road map to achieve it.
opment of Kuwait and the rapidly ternity Forum is conducting campaign by distributing handouts, For more information please visit www.leckuwait.com or call
changing world. (Mustashfa Lemraicani) during the years from 1914-1967, the conducting counseling, seminars etc. to educate the Indians 99514995 / 66363310.

For train and transportation buffs, NYs a paradise
By Melanie Carroll
Iis afoneyoure a rail fan or happen to have
in your family, New York City
great place to visit. Arguably the
most transit-friendly city in America,
New York dazzled my 8-year-old son,
not only with its ubiquitous subway
lines but also with various train-
related destinations. During our urban
adventure, we visited the best-known
train terminal in the nation, crossed
the East River on an aerial tram and
strolled through vintage passenger
cars.
Simply riding the subway, at $2.75
a pop, was a treat for us. On our way
to the New York Transit Museum in
downtown Brooklyn, we took the Q
train, which runs over the Manhattan
Bridge. Despite stormy skies, we had
a good view of the Brooklyn Bridge
across the way, the East River below
and lower Manhattan from the last
car. We walked several blocks and
eventually found the museum in the
decommissioned Court Street subway
Travel
In this May 11, 2016 le photo, a No. 7 subway train rides the rails in the Queens borough of New York. If youre a transportation buff, New York City is the perfect destination. (AP)
Route 66, US Mother Road revs back to life
LOS ANGELES, May 31, (AFP):
For decades, Route 66 captured the
imagination of travelers the world
over, offering a glimpse of a bygone
era of American history, when people
hit the road in search of adventure and
a better life.
The two-lane highway established
in 1926 and coined the Mother
Road by John Steinbeck seemed to
encompass the essence of America,
threading through eight states from
Chicago to Santa Monica.
But after it was decommissioned in
the 1980s in favor of larger and faster
thoroughfares, Route 66 appeared
headed for the dustbin of history
as the mom and pop stores, kitschy
motels, diners and petrol stations that
lined the road gradually shut down.
Entire towns folded up and what
had been a 2,400-mile (4,000 kilome-
ter) carnival became to a large extent
a 2,400-mile ghost town, explained
David Knudson, founder and execu-
tive director of the non-prot National
Historic Route 66 Federation.
In recent years, however, the iconic
road that has been immortalized
in countless books, movies, music
(Get your kicks on Route 66), and
a TV series has been experiencing a
nostalgia-driven revival that is attract-
ing tourists from around the globe.
Foreigners come to travel the
road because it gives them a chance
to experience America before we
became generic, said Michael Wallis,
a historian and author of Route 66:
The Mother Road.
Its still the road of adventure
because nothing on Route 66 is
predictable, he added. I often say,
You know what you are going to get
at McDonalds ... but if you are on an
old two-lane such as Route 66, you
could go into a cafe, a greasy spoon, a
pie place, a diner and you dont know
what youre going to get.
station. The street entrance can be
deceiving: It looks and feels like an
actual subway station because it once
was, although now its got museum
signs on it. You even have to go down
two ights of stairs below street level,
just like you would for a real subway
station, to enter.
Inside, my son loved the old-fash-
ioned wooden subway turnstiles from
the last century. But the old passenger
cars on the platform level really got
his attention. He pretended that one
of the cars, once used in an elevated
train in Brooklyn, was rolling down
the tracks and he was running after it
to get on. The beautiful lightweight
wooden body coach was made in
Newark, Ohio, in 1907 for the Brook-
lyn Rapid Transit Company, or BRT.
The car was in service in New York
between 1908 and 1969 before its
restoration in 1979, according to the
New York Transit Museum.
I was fascinated by the old advertise-
ments and announcements posted
inside the 20 retired passenger cars.
The End of the Trail for Route 66
sign is seen at Santa Monica pier in
Santa Monica, California. (AFP)
Wallis said the fastest growing
groups of tourists on Route 66 are
Chinese and Brazilians, as well as Eu-
ropeans drawn by the idea of the open
space and the road trip of a lifetime.
I have clients in their 20s and 70s
who are fascinated by this road and
everyone is looking for convertible
Mustangs and Harley Davidsons to
experience it, said Zsolt Nagy, who
twice a year organizes Route 66 road
trips that cost up to $8,000 per person.
Business is booming, the roads are
better, the signs are better, its coming
back to life, said Zsolt, who is from
Hungary and who fell in love with the
open road about 10 years ago when
he traveled it. I think the legend is
growing like crazy.
Bob Russell, the mayor of Pontiac,
about two hours southwest of Chica-
go, said his small community of about
12,000 people is a prime example of
the resurgent interest in the road.
Most transit-friendly city in America
There was a World War II-era message
telling riders to observe meatless days,
wheatless days and porkless days to
help win the war. An undated ad for
Lux laundry soap informs women
donning pantyhose to expect runs un-
less they use their product after each
wearing. One of my favorite ads, from
1912, addressed onboard heating regu-
lations. It decreed that between Oct 15
through April 15, passenger cars would
be equipped with suitable heating
apparatus to heat the cars between 40
and 65 degrees F, except when a storm,
accident or emergency caused the heat-
ing system to fail. Sounds downright
chilly, right?
Iconic
Leaving Brooklyn, our next stop
was the iconic Grand Central Ter-
minal , which 82 million passengers
ow through each year. The massive
station, built 104 years ago, is still
captivating. In the main concourse,
my son peered up at the green ceiling,
famous for a depiction of the zodiac,
Road of adventure
Moscow metro mixes Lenin, Wifi & selfie spots
Indonesian rainbow village net sensation
SEMARANG, Indonesia, May 31,
(Agencies): An Indonesian hamlet
dubbed the rainbow village after
being given a makeover in a ka-
leidoscope of colours is attracting
hordes of visitors and has become
an internet sensation.
The collection of about 200 mod-
est homes on a hillside above a riv-
er used to be a typical, low-income
Indonesian neighbourhood that
was lthy and gloomy.
But residents of the Wonosari
community in Semarang decided
an extreme makeover was needed,
and received money from the local
government and several compa-
nies to carry out the project.
The houses were re-painted in
a dizzying array of colours during
a month-long overhaul which cost
about $200,000, and the polluted
river nearby was also cleaned up.
The local mayor opened the
newly decorated hamlet on Java
island to the public in mid-April and
the community quickly became a
local landmark known as the rain-
bow village.
The buildings many of which
are decorated with art such as pic-
It has been an amazing transfor-
mation, he said of the town which
boasts four museums, 27 large murals
and is considered one of the jewels of
Route 66.
There is a special aura for Route
66 to the overseas people because it
represents freedom, the open road,
your scarf around your neck and your
hair blowing in the wind. towns that echo Steinbecks epic
and his jaw nearly dropped. It features
12 constellations painted in gold
leaf and 2,500 stars, 59 of which are
illuminated by LEDs. We talked with
a friendly, informative attendant at
the information booth beneath the sta-
tions famous four-faced clock, who
told us where to nd the nearby New
York Transit Museum Gallery Annex
& Store in Grand Central. Its a good
place to buy train-related books, toys
and memorabilia. If you dont feel
like trekking to the exhaustive mu-
seum in Brooklyn, this smaller space
may do the trick.
Our next stop was the Roosevelt
Island aerial tramway , which offers
stellar views as it rises as high as
230 feet (70 meters) to cross the
East River. The nearly three-minute
ride between Manhattan and tiny
Roosevelt Island is a steal for $2.75.
(Just like the subway, it requires the
use of a prepaid MetroCard, which
riders swipe at the turnstile to enter.)
The windowed cabins are suspended
on cables and carry up to 109 pas-
tures of angels wings and whales
can be seen for miles around,
climbing up the hillside like a gigan-
tic staircase.
Domestic and foreign visitors
have been ocking to the village
to snap pictures, which have been
rapidly spreading on Instagram and
Facebook.
This is very special, extremely
creative, Maya Susanti, an Indo-
nesian visitor who came to the vil-
lage with her friends told AFP.
The village used to look plain
but now there are so many good
spots for taking pictures.
Community leader Yosep Tri Pr-
awoko added: Every single alley-
way has become a favourite spot
for a photoshoot, its great.
Villagers are enjoying the tourism
boom sparked by the makeover.
Surani, a local ower seller who
like many Indonesians goes by one
name, said local people were feel-
ing the benets: I hope our liveli-
hoods keep on getting better.
The makeover and ow of visi-
tors has also encouraged residents
to keep the community clean, and
rubbish bins have been put up
Driving today along stretches of
the fabled highway 85 percent of
which can still be traveled one can
see renovated motels with blazing
neon signs, newly opened museums,
quirky sights and souvenir shops
galore.
There are also half-abandoned
communities and crumbling ghost
more sinister side for black travelers.
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
This June 10, 2016 photo shows
the interior of Grand Central Termi-
nal in New York with the constella-
tions from the zodiac designed into
the ceiling. (AP)
around the hamlet.
Also:
MOSCOW: Rub a dogs nose for
luck. Look back to Russias 1917
Bolshevik revolution. Marvel at a
mosaic spaceman. Maybe even
watch a ballet.
Moscows metro is one of the
busiest and most visually stunning
underground systems in the world.
It is a tourist site in its own right.
Created as a showcase for the
Soviet Union, its elaborate, spa-
cious stations are adorned with mo-
saics, marble statues and stained
glass that tell the story of the com-
munist state.
When it opened in 1935, the
metro had just 11 stations and at-
tracted 285,000 curious riders on
the rst day. Today there are 206
stations and up to nine million pas-
sengers a day.
The Moscow metros immacu-
late stations are a mix of old and
new. Get off at Ploshchad Revo-
lutsii (Revolution Square) and you
will see passengers going up to a
statue of a border guard and rub-
bing his dogs nose for luck.
1930s novel of the great depression,
The Grapes of Wrath, the story of
a family that embarks on a journey
along Route 66, eeing the Oklahoma
dustbowl for California.
And while the road for many may
evoke images of a more innocent
America, as encapsulated in Norman
Rockwells paintings, Route 66 had a
sometimes.
25
sengers about three-fths of a mile
(1 kilometer), at up to 17 mph (27
kph). There are cool views of the
island, Manhattan and the Ed Koch
Queensboro Bridge, but my slight fear
of heights prevented me from enjoy-
ing it as much as I could have. I was
relieved to soon be on rm Roosevelt
Island ground. We briey checked
out the 2-mile-long island (3.2-kms),
named for Franklin Delano Roosevelt,
before heading back to Manhattan on
the tram though you can also take a
subway back under the river.
But in New York, transporta-
tion buffs dont have to hunt down
the tram, Transit Museum or even
Grand Central to get their kicks. Just
grab a subway map free from the
manned station kiosks or down-
load one on your phone, and go for
a ride. Whether you encounter rush
hour commuters, a mariachi band, a
preacher or a panhandler, its bound
to be colorful but it also happens to
be the cheapest and most efcient way
to traverse the city. (AP)
New tie breaker
Contest features
youngest player
WASHINGTON, May 31, (Agen-
cies): The 291 word whizzes vying
on Wednesday in the 90th Scripps
National Spelling Bee will include the
contests youngest-ever competitor,
and new tiebreaking rules are aimed at
avoiding the dead-heat endings of the
last three years.
Competing for a $40,000 rst-
place cash prize, spelling virtuosos
ranging in age from 6 to 15 will face
off at Gaylord National Resort and
Convention Center. The contest con-
cludes with nals on Thursday at the
Washington-area resort.
The contestants include Edith
Fuller of Tulsa, Oklahoma, who
recently turned 6 and is the youngest
participant to qualify for the national
spelling bee. Her smiling face and
blonde curls appear in a photograph
on spellingbee.com, where she is
identied as Speller No. 290.
She is one of more than 11 million
youths who competed in earlier spelling
bees in all 50 US states, US territories
from Puerto Rico to Guam, and several
nations from Jamaica to Japan, contest
ofcials said in a news release.
New rules this year are aimed at
preventing tie endings like last years,
when joint winners both got $40,000
cash prizes.
Bee ofcials will administer a
Tiebreaker Test to all spellers in the
competition at 6 pm (2200 GMT) on
Thursday. The test will consist of 12
spelling words, which contestants will
handwrite, and 12 multiple-choice
vocabulary questions.
If it is mathematically impossible
for one champion to emerge through
25 rounds, Bee ofcials will declare
the speller with the highest tiebreaker
score the winner. If there is a tie on
the test, judges will declare co-cham-
pions.
Challenging
A worldwide audience tunes into
the increasingly challenging Bee,
which is broadcast live on ESPN.
The competition started in 1925,
when 11-year-old Frank Neuhauser
correctly spelled the ower gladi-
olus to become the rst national
champion.
This year is the 90th national Bee,
after nals were suspended due to
World War Two from 1943-1945,
according to contest ofcials.
What started as a quaint contest
with nine students has ourished into
a national treasure where hard work is
recognized and rewarded, and the les-
sons learned can last a lifetime, said
the Bees executive director, Paige
Kimble.
Shaheer Imam never thought it
would take so long to get back to the
National Spelling Bee.
The 13-year-old from Catonsville,
Maryland, made his rst appearance
during Barack Obamas rst term
as president. Shaheer was just eight
years old, and he spelled capri-
cious and quinzaine correctly on
stage.
The following year, he went to a
new school that didnt participate in
the Scripps bee program. In 5th grade,
he was home-schooled and lost a
regional bee for home-schoolers to
his older sister. In 6th grade he won
his school and nished second at his
regional bee. In 7th grade he nished
third at regionals.
This year, he nally made it back
by winning his regional bee over a
friend from school and his 9-year-old
brother. On Tuesday morning, he took
his place among 290 other spellers at
a convention center outside Washing-
ton as the 90th Scripps National Spell-
ing Bee began with a written spelling
and vocabulary test.
In a year when the bee is welcom-
ing its youngest-ever participant,
6-year-old Edith Fuller, Shaheer is
setting a more unusual record, for the
longest gap ve years between
appearances. His frustrating wait
shows just how tough it can be to
emerge from a eld of 11 million
spellers in the US and abroad.
Every year I would make the goal
that I would come back and I would
try to come as far as I could. If it
didnt happen, then I would say that
next year I will improve more upon
my vocabulary and then I would make
it back, Shaheer said. But each year,
it didnt happen. I came really close

Zain signs groundbreaking Smart Meters deal with MEW
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Zain, the
leading telecommunications company
in Kuwait, announces signing a devel-
opment, management, and operation
agreement with the Ministry of Elec-
tricity and Water (MEW) in Kuwait for
the development of interconnectivity
support of the Smart Meters System
Project. The signing ceremony took
place at MEWs main headquarters
in the presence of His Excellency
the Minister of Oil and Minister of
Electricity and Water, Engineer Essam
Abdulmohsen Al Marzouq, and Zain
Kuwaits Chief Executive Ofcer, Ea-
man Al Roudhan.
Zain won the ofcial bid to become
the strategic partner to MEW with
respect to managing the smart metering
components of the project for a period
of seven years. As part of the agree-
ment, Zain will manage the systems
of smart electricity and water reading
meters in Kuwait. The projects initial
capacity will include 880,000 smart
meters, with the possibility of a future
expansion to 1.2 million in total. As
part of MEWs plan, the rst batch of
smart meters will be utilized in proper-
ties within the investment, industrial,
and agricultural sectors, then followed
by residential properties. Zain will
manage and operate the smart meters
project in collaboration with a number
of global strategic partners, including
E&Y and Ericsson. The project is set to
Zain volunteers at the Iftar hall in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh.
Zain holds Ramadan
Iftar meals initiative
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Zain, the
leading telecommunications company
in Kuwait, held its annual Iftar Al
Saem initiative to provide fasting in-
dividuals with Iftar meals as part of its
extensive Corporate Sustainability and
Social Responsibility program dur-
ing the Holy Month of Ramadan. The
company distributes daily Iftar meals
throughout the Holy Month in two dif-
ferent Iftar halls in Jleeb Al Shuyoukh
and Khaitan.
Zains campaign is part of its grow-
ing support for charitable and social
oriented programs, and is a reection
of its Corporate Sustainability and So-
cial Responsibility strategy. One such
program Zain organized before the
start of the Holy Month featured the
distribution of Machla Boxes to un-
derprivileged families.
Zains annual Iftar Al Saem ini-
tiative, which comes for the twelfth
consecutive time this year, is consid-
ered a main pillar of the companys
comprehensive CSSR campaign dur-
Offer valid till Sept 15, 17
Etihad Airways offers free stopovers
to Economy Class guests from ME
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Etihad Air-
ways, the national airline of the United
Arab Emirates, will offer one nights
free accommodation at the Radisson
Blu hotel on Abu Dhabis Yas Island
to all guests travelling in Economy
Class from the Middle East, Africa and
Pakistan, and stopping over in the na-
tional capital. The offer is valid from
now until Sept 15, 2017.
Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad
Airways Executive Vice-President
Commercial, said: Etihad Airways is
delighted to invite guests to experience
Abu Dhabi for themselves. The capi-
tal of the United Arab Emirates has so
much to offer all types of travellers,
whether they are after culture, a beach
break or sports and adventure.
As the national airline, Etihad Air-
ways is an integral part of this incred-
ible city and those who transit through
Abu Dhabi should be encouraged by
us to experience it. This offer is for
guests to make time to explore the
many attractions Abu Dhabi has to of-
fer during their stopover. The beautiful
desert; a visit to the spectacular Sheikh
Zayed Grand Mosque among the
worlds biggest; a tour of the many
attractions on Yas Island, or sampling
the emirates world class hotels and
restaurants are all part of the Abu Dha-
Al Marzouq and Al Roudhan signing the agreement.
revolutionize the process of obtaining
electricity and water readings, which
will be taken automatically and can
be tracked in real-time. The massive
project costs KD 22 million, and will
see Zain building and installing the
meters over the next two years, and
then managing and operating them for
the subsequent ve years.
Eaman Al Roudhan, Zain Kuwaits
CEO said, Todays agreement with
MEW is an extension of previous
partnerships and mutual cooperation
that Zain has enjoyed with various
Ministries and public authorities in
ing the Holy Month. The Iftar meal
banquets are supervised by Zains
volunteers team and are spread in
two main halls in Kuwait as part of a
strategy to cover the most populated
areas of Kuwait in order to assure the
maximum amount of individuals If-
tar needs are covered.
Ramadan presents a special occa-
sion for Zain to communicate and in-
teract with the Kuwaiti community it
operates in through its extensive CSSR
campaign. Zains team started pre-
paring for the Iftar campaign prior to
the coming of Ramadan to assure the
process of distributing more meals to
a larger geographical footprint goes
smoothly.
Zain afrmed that its social and
CSSR campaign during the Holy
Month of Ramadan will include an
extensive array of initiatives and pro-
grams that will focus on helping less
fortunate people to enjoy Ramadan
happily, as well as celebrating the true
spirit the Holy month brings.
bi experience.
More than 4.4 million guest arrivals
were recorded in Abu Dhabi in 2016,
proving that the emirate is becoming a
favourite hub for stopovers. Guests can
take advantage of world-famous lei-
sure and business attractions, include
miles of beautiful white sand beaches,
theme parks such as Yas Waterworld
and Ferrari World, unforgettable des-
ert safari expeditions, arts and cultural
institutions such as Manarat Al Saadi-
yat and the soon-to-be-opened Louvre
Museum, exquisite local and interna-
tional dining, world-class golf, and the
Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi
Grand Prix and its race track, Yas Ma-
rina Circuit.
Abu Dhabi also offers a wide range
of shopping opportunities to suit all
tastes with a large choice of popular
outlets and brands. The city boasts a
selection of spacious high-end shop-
ping malls such as Yas Mall, Abu Dha-
bi Mall, Marina Mall, and The Galleria
one of the worlds most luxurious
shopping centres.
Etihad Airways has been running
stopover programmes since 2011, and
offering guests a variety of services in-
cluding airport meet & assist, transpor-
tation, accommodation, tours, and visa
processing services.
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
26
Project one of the largest in Kuwaits ICT sector
Al Marzouq and Al Roudhan with Zain and MEW ofcials.
Kuwait to a more strategic level. We forms part of Zains strategic plans to reected across society. Zain is set to introduce utility pay-
are very pleased with this development, expand smart cities solutions in Kuwait Zain will supply and install 5,000 ment systems where residents will be
and given that the smart meters project as we look to transform into an inclusive smart meters that meet with interna- able to pay electricity and water bills
is one of the largest in Kuwaits ICT digital telecommunications provider. One tional standards. The company will also through prepaid or postpaid plans.
sector, we are proud to be a central part such plan was Zains strategic investment manage the smart meters operating Zain will also offer its own payment
of its deployment and management. in neXgen, a leading smart city advisory systems, including the development channels as an option, including the
The implementation of a project of this and consulting services provider. The and management of a massive database companys website, branches, kiosk
scale is a testament to the countrys execution of such a signicant project specially developed for this project, and machines, and more. The smart meters
efforts to catalyze the uptake of e- is a crucial step in harnessing the power training MEWs call center staff to ser- project aims to eliminate the require-
government services, and embodies of our digital infrastructure in order vice consumers around the clock. Zain ment for a manual process to obtain
the public sectors interest in beneting to develop truly connected, intelligent will also introduce a secure e-payment meter readings, replaced instead by a
from the private sectors experience in environments. Technology continues to system through MEWs ofcial website state-of-the-art electronic platform that
areas such as customer care. This proj- play a vital role in all aspects of life, and and through a mobile app where con- automatically collects meter readings,
ect stands as a huge boost to Kuwaits as Zain is the leading provider of mobile sumers can monitor their smart meters while also being able to inform MEWs
public-private partnership program. technology innovations in, we are totally readings in real-time and receive bill support team of any failures within the
Al Roudhan continued, This project committed to having these competencies reminder notications and more. system in real-time.
Event attended by more than 100 media representatives
Marriott Hotels holds Iftar for local media
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Marriott
Hotels in Kuwait organized a Ramadan
Iftar for the local media on Sunday May
28, at Al Thuraya Ramadan Tent at the
JW Marriott Kuwait City. The event
was attended by more than 100 media
representatives from different newspa-
pers and magazines in Kuwait.
The Iftar was a great opportunity for
Marriott Hotels to raise awareness about
the different offers and promotions
available throughout the holy month
of Ramadan. The JW Marriott Kuwait
invites guests to enjoy the perfect
Ramadan experience at the breathtak-
ing Al Thuraya Tent. The tent offers
traditional settings complemented by
live cooking stations, scrumptious
seasonal specials and breathtaking
ambience. Al Thuraya embodies the
special occasion, accompanied by stun-
ning Ramadan decoration and soothing
live oud music, all combined to create
the perfect invitation into a comfortable
homely setting.
Photo by Iehab Qurtal
Guests will also stand the chance to
win valuable prizes every week, includ- Photo from the event
ing free airline tickets from KLM-Air
France, vouchers from Sama Dental the stunning oriental decoration and Ramadan in style at the Blendz on behalf of Marriott Hotels Kuwait
Centre, gift bags from Sebamed and
facial treatments from Amana Clinic.
Moreover, the Courtyard by Marriott
tent-like surroundings as well as the
weekly rafe draw to win valuable
prizes, makes The Atrium the perfect
Ramadan venue to enjoy unforgettable
restaurant at Residence Inn by Marriott
Kuwait. Blendz offers sumptuous
Iftar and Ghabka buffets featuring a va-
riety of oriental and international dishes.
management and associates, I would
like to wish Kuwaits nationals and
residents Ramadan Mubarak.
Aoun added Marriott Hotels in
Kuwait welcomes guests throughout the
holy month of Ramadan at the Atrium
Restaurant. Courtyard Kuwait offers
a generous Arabian feasts featuring
time with friends and family. It will
leave guests mesmerized, not only by
the lavish buffets but by the warm and
Arraya Ballroom also offers a wide
range of buffets for Iftar and Ghabka,
perfect for corporate events.
Kuwait always try to offer their guests
exceptional Ramadan experiences,
including rich Iftar and Ghabka buffets,
delicious Ramadan dishes, live cooking inviting atmosphere. George Aoun, Cluster General Man- live entertainment and valuable prizes at
stations and live music. In addition, Furthermore, guests can celebrate ager at Marriott Hotels in Kuwait, said competitive prices.
Food stations, live music and good ambience
Marina Hotel hosts Ramadan Ghabqa for local media
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Reinforcing
its relationship with the local media,
Marina Hotel Kuwait celebrated the be-
ginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan
by hosting an exclusive Ghabqa. This
informal annual event was organized
in honor of the members of the press to
thank them for their continuous support
on all activities undertaken by the hotel.
The evening witnessed a host of
guests who all gathered at the Kamar
Al Marina Tent to enjoy the distinctive
hospitality of the special event. Guests
were welcomed by the entire manage-
ment team and greeted upon arrival.
Nabil Hammoud, General Manager of
Marina Hotel Kuwait wished the guests
a Ramadan Kareem while inviting them
to an evening of Oriental hospitality.
A diverse range of sumptuous buffet
lled with superb Arab delicacies and
cuisines from the live cooking stations
was arranged for the guests. The special
Ghabqa buffet comprised of a large
array of delicious food, in addition to
seafood meals and a choice between
Photo from the event.
shawrama, pasta and mixed grills, Ra-
madan drinks, mouth-watering desserts
and avored Shisha. The evening was tude to AirFrance/KLM, for sponsoring cially prepared every Ramadan with Iftar experience as well as for private
further enhanced by the sounds of soft the Kamar Al Marina Tent. new selective decorations, and Oriental functions and corporate events, Salwa
oriental music. The highlight of the evening was the music to reect the traditional feel of Sabah Al Ahmed Theatre and Hall of-
Hammoud expressed his apprecia- exciting Rafe Draw which granted a the Holy month. With a capacity to fers personalized attention and can ac-
tion to the media for their ongoing sup- range of fabulous prizes adding more accommodate up to 200 guests. Kamar commodate up to 500 guests at a time.
port saying We organize this annual joy to the evening. The Ghabqa lasted Al Marina tent has proven to be the It also offers a selection of different
event as a sincere token of appreciation till after midnight and Marina Hotel favorite venue for companies and indi- menus for Iftar and Sohour at exclusive
towards the members of the local me- ensured that each and every guest had a viduals to host their own private Iftars prices and is fully equipped to cater for
dia. We continuously strive to honor the truly memorable evening lled with fun or Ghabqas during the whole month of groups and organizations.
media and value them as our strategic and exceptional delight. Ramadan. For more information, please visit
partner. He further extended his grati- The Kamar Al Marina tent is spe- For larger groups seeking a unique our website: www.marinahotel.com
Etihad Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

27

h o
By Jacqueline Bigar
Happy birthday for Thursday, June 1, 2017:
This year you might say something but then act
in an inconsistent manner. Others are often
confused when relating to you. The mixed mes-
sages coming from you could be the source of
a problem. If you are single, after September
you might meet someone who knocks your
socks off. Be willing to open up with this per-
son. If you are attached, your sweetie might not
know which voice of yours to listen to at times.
Open up a conversation. VIRGO is intrigued
by your devil-may-care attitude.
The Stars Show the Kind of Day Youll
Have: 5-Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average;
2-So-so; 1-Difficult
Capricorn - (Dec 22 - Jan 19)
**** Reach out to someone who often gives
you good advice and offers a unique perspec-
tive. Your sixth sense comes through at odd
r o
times. You seem to know who is calling before
the phone even rings. Start documenting your
psychic abilities. Tonight: Make fun weekend
plans.
Aquarius - (Jan 20 - Feb 18)
***** You might be in a position where you
would like to head in a certain direction but the
other party involved wants to stop you in your
tracks. Try to talk this person into looking at
the matter from your perspective. Tonight:
Make plans to visit with a special loved one.
Pisces - (Feb 19 - Mar 20)
**** You might be quite idealistic in your
views and goals; an associate is nearly the
opposite. You could disagree with this per-
son, but note that you both want the same
results from the situation. Perhaps you can
try each of your suggestions. Tonight: Go
with the flow.
s c
Aries - (Mar 21 - Apr 19)
**** You could feel as if you are running
around in circles trying to handle different
issues. Take an overview in order to see what is
going on and what needs tending immediately.
Confirm important requests and/or demands.
Tonight: You can say no to someones
manipulation.
Taurus - (Apr 20 - May 20)
***** Your creativity emerges when an
associate decides to rain on your parade. You
might want to separate yourself from this per-
son. You need to accomplish what you want. A
friend who can be flaky at times adds his or her
unique energy to your plans. Tonight: Fun and
games!
Gemini - (May 21 - June 20)
**** You might feel pressured by a family
member. You have a desire to accomplish an
important goal and impress a higher-up. If you
slow down the pace, exhaustion could occur or
perhaps a desire to lighten up the moment will
take over. Tonight: Home is where your heart is.
Cancer - (June 21 - July 22)
**** Confusion seems to surround commu-
nication. A misunderstanding between you and
someone else is likely to develop. Do not allow
this to happen in the future. Learn to confirm
key details and facts with this person. Tonight:
Head to a favorite haunt with favorite people.
Leo - (July 23 - Aug 22)
*** Observe your financial inclinations, and
be willing to say no. A friend or loved one
knows how to move you into the realm of
indulgence with ease. Try to resist being
coaxed into saying yes and creating more
o p
pressure for you in your life. Tonight: Let
someone else treat.
Virgo - (Aug 23 - Sept 22):
**** Someone close to you could be unduly
negative. Trust this person to change his or her
mood when he or she is ready, and not a minute
sooner. Understand your responsibility when
dealing with someone who isnt being realistic.
Tonight: Avoid a controlling friend.
Libra - (Sept 23 - Oct 22)
*** A lot is going on around you, and you
can sense the energy. Finding out what is going
on behind the scenes might be more challeng-
ing than you originally had thought. Be aware
of others moods. Know that time is on your
side. Tonight: Get as much R and R as possible.
Scorpio - (Oct 23 - Nov 21)
e
**** Listen to what is happening with some
friends or associates. Those around you seem
to be very straightforward and direct right now.
A loved one could be rather obtuse at best. Ask
questions, if need be. Enjoy some downtime
with a partner. Tonight: Where your friends
are.
Sagittarius - (Nov 22 - Dec 21)
**** Honor an authority figures request.
You might notice an element of chaos that sur-
rounds you on the personal and/or domestic
front. Juggling the different factors involved
could prove somewhat challenging. Avoid hav-
ing a knee-jerk reaction. Tonight: Could go till
the wee hours.
Born today: Comedian Amy Schumer
(1981), actress Marilyn Monroe (1926), actor
Morgan Freeman (1937)

home decor indoor gardening beauty tips taste buds

keep colors light and soft cyclamen walnuts onion rings

Pastel furnishings, white walls, and a light neu-
tral area rug make this living room feel lighter and
brighter and therefore larger. The chair offers com-
fortable seating, but exposed legs, they consume
less visual space than a club chair would.
Cyclamen an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous
plant, both in foliage and owers. While this plant
can be nicky, its big, bright blooms pop up in the
dead of winter, making a little extra effort truly
worthwhile.
Even though it looks tropical, cyclamen prefer
cool temperatures and indirect light.
A north-facing windowsill that stays around 50
to 60 degrees Fahrenheit is also suitable.Its a
heavy drinker, says Moore, so keep the soil moist
(but not wet) and check often.
These are the only type of nut that have a signi-
cant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Theyre also
rich in biotin and vitamin E, which helps protect
your cells from DNA damage. Since your hair rarely
gets much shielding from the sun, this is especially
great. Too little biotin can lead to hair loss. Walnuts
also have copper, a mineral that helps keep your
natural hair color rich and lustrous
Ingredients: Several large onions; 1 cup all-pur-
pose our; 1 teaspoon salt; 1-1/2 teaspoons baking
powder; 1 egg, separated; 3/4 cup milk; 1 table-
spoon vegetable oil; Peanut oil.
Method: Slice onions into rings. In 1 bowl, mix
together our, salt and baking powder. In another
bowl, beat egg yolk, then stir in milk and vegeta-
ble oil. Combine wet and dry ingredients, stir until
smooth. In a third bowl, beat egg white until soft
peaks form, then fold into egg-our mixture, stirring
until smooth. Dip onion rings into batter and deep
fry.

Dear Abby
Man doesnt share wife
dreams of seeing world
By Abigail Van Buren
Dear Abby: Ill be retiring next year. My husband
is already retired. When I do, I want to travel in the
U.S. and internationally. We are healthy, able to
travel and we have the funds to do it.
The problem is, my husband isnt crazy about trav-
eling. Hell go if I book it, but he fusses the whole Photos from the event.
time until we go. Its not like he has to do anything.
I do all the booking and packing.
All he has to do is show up.
IMA Kuwait organizes Welcome Ramadan events
I told him one of my bucket
list items was to live in Mexico Under the patronage of Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and Masjid Al-Kabir, topic Muslim Personal Law and modern challenges.
for a month. Because I hate cold Indian Muslim Association (IMA) English Unit in coordination with IMA Salmiya unit Event was well managed by members of Salmiya Unit. Event started with the
weather, I want to live somewhere organized a public event in English on Welcome Ramadan on May 19 at Masjid Al- Quranic recitation and translation in English by Master Faiz Zafar Khazi, Bashar
warm. Muzaini, Salmiya. Khan convened the event while event was concluded with vote of thanks by Fahim
Can you give me some advice Guest Speaker Muhammed Naqwi, Katheeb and TV presenter spoke on the Sub- Ahmed. Dinner packets were served at the end of the event.
ject Ramadan and Taqwa, quoting from Quranic verse, he said that purpose of IMA also conducted similar programs in Abbasiya, Abu Halifa and City units
on this matter? Help me change fasting is to attain Taqwa (Peity). to welcome Ramadan where different scholars were invited to address the gath-
his mind about seeing the world Another speaker of the day Sharafuddin Soo, a well known speaker spoke on the ering.
before we are no longer able to. Or
Abigail Van Buren do you think I need to nd a travel

companion?
Bucket list in Virginia
Dear B.L.: You may need to do exactly that,
and the way to change your husbands mind
about travel might be to say it. Not everyone
has wanderlust. If hes a conrmed homebody
who regards travel as a punishment instead
of a privilege, you should not have to suffer
for it.
Dear Abby: My doctor prescribed medication
to control my migraines, but I have to take the pills
four times a day at breakfast, lunch, dinner and
bedtime. Although Im not ashamed, I dont want to
have to explain why I am taking the medication be-
cause Im afraid there may be a stigma attached to it.
I dont know what to do. If I try to vary the times, I
end up forgetting to take a pill. What should I do?
Prescribed in San Antonio
Dear prescribed: Take the medication on
time as instructed by your physician. If you
need a reminder, program it into your cell-
phone. Theres no more stigma attached to
taking medication to prevent headaches than
there is in taking it for any other medical rea-
son. If you prefer not to be questioned about
it, excuse yourself and do it in the restroom.
rebranding and entrepreneurship.
Dear Abby: Hi. I have a problem. My best friend
is moving away to a different state this summer.
School is ending soon. She is my only friend, and
Im currently dating her brother. Hes the only boy
I like, and she is my only friend. I dont know what
to do.
Ill be in ninth grade in a couple of months, which
means Ill have to start high school without a best
friend or a boyfriend. What should I do? Ill be all
alone.
Savannah in Colorado
Dear Savannah: Not quite! A lot of changes
occur when students leave the lower grades
and start high school. Even established
friendships can change. When school begins,
many of your classmates will be in exactly the
same position as you. If you are friendly, Im
sure youll nd others who will be open to be-
ing friendly to you.
the works in Blue Nights contain or are
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also
known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by
her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby
at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los
Angeles, CA 90069.
(Source: Universal Uclick)
whats on today
Site for checking travel ban www.kuwaitcourts.gov.kw/mojweb/NGeneral/Main.jsp
THURSDAY
AUK Graphic Design Capstone Exhi-
bition: The American University of Ku-
wait (AUK) cordially invites you to visit the
10th Annual Graphic Design 2017 Cap-
stone Exhibition taking place from May
22 until June 1 at the Promenade Cul-
ture Centre located at The Promenade
Mall, 3rd Ring Road, Opposite Qadsiya.
The exhibition will be open according
to the following schedule:
May 27-June 1; 9-11 pm
The AUK Graphic Design Capstone
represents an opportunity for senior stu-
dents to fully incorporate their design
strengths and learning into a focused,
extended process of research and visual
expression. The diversity of projects and
resolutions are wide-ranging, from social
activism campaigns to corporate identity
Science for Adults.
Blue Nights at Sultan Gallery: DEAN
PROJECT is pleased to announce the
opening of its next exhibition, Blue
Nights, which features the work of eleven
contemporary artists. Curated by Mark
Dean, this group show of contemporary
pop art is a continuation of the Miami-
based gallerys biannual collaboration
with the historical Sultan Gallery in Ku-
wait. It will be on view from May 16 to
June 15, 2017
The exhibitions title takes its name
from Joan Didions memoir, Blue Nights,
originally published in 2011. Much like
Didion a writer known for exploring the
cultural values and experiences of Ameri-
can life the works in this group show
comment on contemporary pop culture
and the current global mood. Visually, all
-a- side rink tie breaker tournament;
the color blue. Similar to Didions titular
reference to the nal lingering hours of
daylight in summer, the blues used in the
show warn of darkness, though simul-
taneously seem to suggest that it may
never come. Figurative and abstract, the
exhibited works are executed in diverse
media, yet cohesively come together to
speak about the universal contemporary
human experience and to export these
ideas from the United States to Kuwait.
DEAN PROJECTs rst exhibition in
Kuwait was ten years ago, and for the
gallery, this project marks the passage
of time and an anniversary. Blue Nights
brings together diverse artists working
across disciplines to address contempo-
rary issues of our existence and to share
these experiences with a broader, more
global audience.
Artists featured in the show: Lluis
Barba, Vincent Beaurin, Tim Berg & Re-
bekah Myers, Carlos Betancourt, Mel
Bochner, Max Steven Grossman, Brad
Howe, Hendrik Kerstens, Robert Polidori,
Hunt Slonem, and Donald Sultan.
Experience Science for Adults:
Registration is now open for Experience
Why should kids have all the fun?!
The ve week programme will be held
on Saturday from 10:00 am-11:30 am at
the Yarmouk Cultural Centre.
Registration is limited to 16. You may
register at either the Amricani Cultural
Centre, Sunday to Thursday 10:00-3:00
or the Yarmouk Cultural Centre, Sunday
to Thursday 10:00-6:00.
For more information, please
email:education@darmuseum.org.kw
Ramadan Sports Mania 2017: Don
Bosco Oratory Kuwait is once again
pleased to announce its Ramadan
Sports Mania for the Indian Community
in Kuwait.
The event will conclude the follow-
ing indoor sports: 4-a- side rink foot-
ball tournament (mens and ladies); 3
7-a-side mens, ladies and mixed box
cricket tournament; open carom (single/
doubles) tournament.
The tournaments will be played on a
league cum knockout basis during the
Holy month of Ramadan at the IEAS
Quadrangle (Don Bosco) in Salmiya.
For registration and more information:
emergency number 112
Contact 60477786.
TIES Center classes: TIES Center
is conducting a series of classes about
some of the Prophets and Messengers
of God who strove very hard to spread
monotheism and teach their respective
peoples how to worship God. Their mes-
sage was not only spiritual; they also
taught people how to conduct their daily
lives and develop the living conditions on
earth.
In this series, we will focus on the fol-
lowing prophets: Adam, Nouh (Noah),
Ibrahim (Abraham), Ayoub (Job), Yousuf
(Joseph), Mousa (Moses), and Eisa (Je-
sus) may peace, mercy and blessings
of Allah (to Whom all might and majesty
is ascribed) be upon them all.
We will not only focus on historical
facts, but will also deduce some impor-
tant lessons whose application in our
daily interactions and chores determine
our success and salvation.
Join us every Thursday at 7 pm to
learn about the life and times of those
messengers of rm resolve.
The TIES Center is the social and
educational hub for English Speaking
Muslims in Kuwait. For more information,
please call 25231015 or e-mail info@ti-
escenter.net or visit www.tiescenter.net.
FRIDAY
FBC tournament: Filipino Badminton
Committee (FBC) is inviting all badmin-
ton enthusiast in Kuwait to join their regu-
lar badminton tournament being held
every Friday from 8 am to 7 pm at Ku-
wait Disabled Sports Club, Bin Khaldoun
Hawalli. Over 10 badminton courts are
now available for badminton practices
and tournament and it is open for all na-
tionalities and from different badminton
organizations. Exclusive-private court
are also available on per hour rental. For
more information, please contact Dr Chie
Umandap 97197268
Civil ID info: 1889988
Arnis/Eskrima training: Eskrimador-
Kuwait a member of Cacoy Doce Pares
World Federation now opens a new
batch of training. Learn the Philippine
national sports, which is Arnis/Eskrima
with the authentic style and techniques.
Training schedule will be every Friday
from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm @ Kaifan
Sports Complex-Karate Gym. Text or call
#50292148-Herms.
Free IFRA coaching classes: Indian
Football Referees Association (IFRA)
will be starting free refresher/coaching
classes for existing referees, new re-
cruits, those aspiring to be referees and
even those who would like to learn about
the laws of the game at IEAS Salmiya
(Don Bosco).
Classes will be from 9:00 am to 12:00
pm every Friday.
Those interested may call 99519439 or
get in touch with any IFRA member for
registration.
IPC Arabic Course: IPC Rawdah La-
dies Section will commence the Arabic
Conversation Course. The students must
have successfully completed at least 3
levels of Arabic. Placement test will be
taken by those who took Arabic class
outside IPC.
Class is every Friday from 9-11 am.
IPC Rawdah-22512257
Tagalog Khutba for Filipinos: The
Ministry of Awqaf, Islam Presentation
Committee, & Kuwait Philippine Cultural
Center (KPC Center) invites all Filipino
Muslim & Muslima to hear Khutba
(Sermon) in Tagalog every Friday at
Marzouq Al-Badr Mosque, Abu Bakr
Al-Siddeeq St (at the back of Ambassador
Supermarket and SM Supermarket, near
Salhiya Police Station & Kuwait Airways
Bldg) in Kuwait City. There will be a com-
munity started and lunch after Friday
prayers at KPC Center in Farwaniya. For
further information, please call KPC
Center, Tel 4712574.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

28

Couch slouch
Kelly newsmagazine features Putin

Kahl & Sherman takes CBS

reins as Glenn Geller departs
LOS ANGELES, May 31, (RTRS): Glenn
Geller is stepping down from his role as CBS
Entertainment president, two months after
suffering a mild heart attack. CBS has opted
to recongure its entertainment leadership,
with plans to promote longtime scheduling
chief Kelly Kahl and recruit Thom Sherman
from the CW.
Kahl, a 21-year CBS veteran who is one
of CBS Corp chief Leslie Moonves most
trusted lieutenants, has been named the new
president of CBS Entertainment. Sherman,
who has been with CW since 2006 and has
been a key architect of its recent success with
superhero actioners and offbeat dramedies,
will be senior executive vice president
of programming for CBS. The network
announced the new roles for Kahl and Sher-
man Tuesday afternoon. News of Gellers
departure and Kahl and Shermans ascension
rst broke Tuesday morning in Variety and
other outlets.
Kahl impressed the industry when he
was tapped to handle a big portion of CBS
May 17 upfront presentation to advertis-
ers at Carnegie Hall. Kahl has been CBS
scheduling chief for nearly 20 years, but he
had never handled the rundown of CBS
new schedule on the big stage, until this year
when he was needed to ll in for Geller.
Kahls condence on stage sparked immedi-
ate speculation that he was in line for an ex-
panded role given Gellers health concerns.
Sherman has a deep background in
creative development, having served as
president of J.J. Abrams Bad Robot banner
and as an ABC drama development exec
before his CW tenure. Kahl has been a
longtime steward of the CBS programming
brand with an innate sense of what works and
what doesnt on the broadcast platform. Hes
also been a CW board member, represent-
ing CBS interest in the joint venture with
Warner Bros., for years.
This is a dynamic, talented and very
experienced executive team to lead a divi-
sion that will create the next generation
of hits for CBS, said Moonves. Kelly
has been part of my team since he was an
intern at Lorimar 27 years ago, added
Moonves. He has a brilliant programming
mind, sharp business acumen and great
analytical skills for our evolving television
audience. He is also highly respected by
his colleagues at CBS and our key external
stakeholders, and he knows how to make
all parts of the network work together to
form a winning team.
Moonves added, Through our work at
The CW, Ive had a front-row seat to see
Thoms outstanding creative instincts and
programming vision in action, continued
Moonves. He has developed and nurtured
an incredible roster of critically acclaimed,
commercially successful and fan favorite
shows for The CW and other companies. He
also has strong relationships across the com-
munity, a deft creative touch and a desire for
making shows that create a passionate bond
with the audience.
Megyn Kellys debut on NBC News this
Sunday is a real-life cliffhanger involving
Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The former Fox News Channel personal-
ity is in Russia to participate in an onstage
question-and-answer session with Putin on
Friday at the St. Petersburg International
Economic Forum. She also is pushing for an
offstage interview that would be featured on
the rst episode of NBCs Sunday Night
with Megyn Kelly.
No matter what, the newsmagazine will
feature a Putin story. But a one-on-one inter-
view carries a lot more juice and newsmak-
ing potential than a public presentation that
happened two days earlier.
Sunday Night will air at 7 p.m. Eastern
opposite CBS 60 Minutes and is the rst
of NBCs stated plans for Kelly when the
network lured her from Fox. The second part,
and nancially the most important, is her 9
am weekday talk show that starts in the fall.
Kelly interviewed several people each
night on her Fox show, but usually it was
only for a couple of minutes with a stranger.
The centerpiece of Sunday Night will be
in-depth interviews that require more time to
get to know her subject better.
Fortunately, its not brain surgery, she
said. No ones going to die if I dont get it
perfectly on the rst try. But Im enjoying
this. Its nice, after 12 years in the business,
to be learning a new skill.
Vanessa Hudgens will join the judges
panel on So You Think You Can Dance
this summer, Variety has learned.
The High School Musical alum becomes
the third judge for Season 14, alongside
Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy, who will
return after a long hiatus from the Fox show.
Last season, Paula Abdul and Jason
DeRulo served as judges with Lythgoe, and
departed ahead of this upcoming season. Cat
Deeley will return as host.
Hudgens will make her debut on the June
12 season premiere, which will showcase the
Los Angeles auditions for the long-running
dance competition series.
I am so excited for Vanessa to join Mary
and me on the judging panel for the 14th
season of So You Think You Can Dance.
There was instant chemistry in the audition
rounds, and I know the SYTYCD fans will
love her as much as we do. Vanessa is an
accomplished artist and brings her own brand
of enthusiasm and energy to our panel, said
Lythgoe, who in addition to serving as a
judge is executive producer.
Financial-services rm USAA said it
will allow its ads to run again in Fox News
Channels Hannity after pulling them out
due to controversy surrounding the networks
popular anchor.
The San Antonio, Texas, company,
which offers nancial products and insur-
ance to veterans and their families, indicat-
ed last week that it would take its commer-
cials out of rotation in what it considered
to be opinion shows on cable-news
program in the wake of Hannitys remarks.
A handful of smaller advertisers said they
would cease advertising on Fox News
Channels Hannity after the programs
popular host, Sean Hannity, over several
broadcasts promoted an unproven theory
about the murder of a Democratic National
Committee staffer, then said he would halt
discussion of it for the time being out of
concern for the victims family.
We heard concerns from many members
who watch and listen to these programs,
USAA said in a statement released on
Tuesday. Our goal in advertising has always
been to reach members of the military com-
munity who would benet from USAAs
well-known commitment to service. Today,
the lines between news and editorial are
increasingly blurred.
Asia gets up to speed with VR
Android software creator unveils new phone
SAN FRANCISCO, May 31, (Agencies): A
creator of the Android software powering
smartphones around the world steps into the
hardware market with a handset that promises
to tackle the clutter, complexity and rapid
obsolescence of current devices.
Andy Rubin said in an online post that he is
issuing a high-quality phone called Essential
that includes accessories such as a 360-camera
that can be attached magnetically.
For all the good Android has done to
help bring technology to nearly everyone, it
has also helped create this weird new world
where people are forced to ght with the very
technology that was supposed to simplify their
lives, he said.
The Essential smartphones will rst be
released in the United States, where they can
be reserved at the website www.essential.com
for $699. The 360-camera can be ordered for
an additional $50.
Rubin expects Essential phones, which are
powered by Android software, to begin ship-
ping in about 30 days.
Rubin said he created the company behind
Essential to use 21st-century methods to build
products for the way people want to live in the
21st century.
That mission includes letting people decide
what features they want on phones, keeping
products simple, using premium materials
and enabling devices to evolve so they dont
become outdated every year.
Googles abandoned Project Ara dabbled
with the idea that smartphones users could
customize their devices with modular com-
ponents. Motorola however recently began
to sell its own Android-powered modular
smartphone.
Rubin was a co-founder of Android, which
Google bought in 2005.
Google makes Android software which
powers most of the worlds smartphones
available free to device makers.
But Rubin left the company about three
years ago to launch a fund devoted to cultivat-
ing hardware technology startups.
The Essential will have to compete in a
crowded eld.
Andy Rubin has quite a reputation and
anything he launches will be accorded a fair
measure of respect, Jackdaw Research analyst
Jan Dawson said.
Skeptical
Im extremely skeptical that this phone will
do any better than any other recent attempt to
change the smartphone market.
Rubin showed off the Essential phone dur-
ing an on-stage interview at a Code Confer-
ence in California late Tuesday. He said that
his company is also working on a digital as-
sistant device along the lines of Google Home
or Amazon Echo.
Essential is creating a new Ambient
operating system to power the home assistant.
Rubin said the goal is to make it capable of
interacting with the broad array of smart appli-
ances or household gadgets no matter which
company makes them.
Building bridges is the way we are thinking
about this home device.
The Essential home assistant will have
a touch screen as well as voice-command
capabilities. Rubin wants the device to be
able to synch with digital assistant software
made by Amazon, Apple, Google and oth-
ers.
I want to be inclusive, Rubin said at Code.
The premise is that consumers dont want
just one companys products in the living
room. We have to inter-operate.
Rubin is chief executive of Essential, which
is the rst company spun out of a design studio
at the venture fund he founded after leaving
Google.
Essential also launched a household as-
sistant called Home that looks like an angled
hockey puck with a screen. The device will
compete against the Amazon.com Echo and
Alphabets Google Home speaker, which are
powered by the Alexa and the Google Assis-
tant voice services respectively.
Also:
LOS ANGELES: Picture this: you are the only
male student at an all-female university and
the most sought-after bachelor among some
100 model-looking female students. You are
free to choose to date whoever you want. If
you play your cards right, not only will you get
yourself a perfect date.
The plot of Crush Academy, a virtual
reality (VR) game in-the-making developed
by Hong Kong company Go VR Immersive.
Starring real models and actresses and shot
on location, the VR game is the companys
next ambitious move following its production
of Infernal Affairs, a VR mini-series with
Media Asia and iQiyi adapted from the iconic
2003 Hong Kong crime thriller lm of the
same title.
The plot is similar to some dating games
available in the market, but we will star
real actresses and shoot on real locations
instead of computer generated visuals. It is
an immersive, interactive drama targeting
a pan-Asian audience, says Howard Tian,
co-founder of Go VR Immersive, which is
still in the process of raising funds for the
VR game.
SAN FRANCISCO: Nest Labs is adding
Googles facial recognition technology to a
high-resolution home-security camera. The
device offers a glimpse of a future in which
increasingly intelligent, internet-connected
computers can see and understand whats go-
ing on in peoples homes.
The Nest Cam IQ, unveiled Wednesday,
will be Nests rst device to draw upon the
same human-like skills that Google has
been programming into its computers for
instance, to identify people in images via its
widely used photo app.
The camera costs almost $300, but owners
will also need to pay an additional $10 per
month for a plan that includes the facial recog-
nition technology.

tv highlights
Cinema
Cinema programme from Thursday 01/06/2017 to Wednesday 07/06/2017

Abu Shanab Football Match (Madrid vs 360 4 00:05 The Boss Baby Dobaara: See Your Evil (Hindi) Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 01:30 pm
Juventus) Humpback Whales 3D 03:30 pm, 06:30 pm
Avenues 9 22:00 Minions Avenues 3 22:30 (No Sat) Ajial 3 22:00, 00:15
Secret Ocean 3D 07:30 pm
Sharqia 1 23:15 Sharqia 2 21:45 (Sat) Avenues 1 21:30 360 11 22:00, 00:05 Sachin: A Billion Dreams (Hindi)
Muhalab 1 21:45 Fanar 2 21:45 (Sat) Avenues 2 22:00 Bairaq 1 23:45 Wednesday
Fanar 2 23:30 (No Sat) Fanar 1 22:00
Fanar 4 21:45 (Sat) Fanar 2 21:30 (No Sat) Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am
The Exception 360 6 22:00
00:30 (Sat) Avenues 3 21:45 (Sat) Bairaq 1 21:45 Flying Monsters 3D 10:30 am
Plaza 00:05
Marina 1 00:30 360 1 21:45 (Sat) Avenues 10 21:45 05:30 pm
360 4 22:00 Ajial 2 21:45, 00:30
360 7 00:45 360 8 21:45 (Sat) 360 15 21:30 Sharqia 2 23:00 (No Sat) A Beautiful Planet 3D 11:30 am
Al-Kout 1 00:15 (No Sat) Al-Kout 1 21:45 (Sat) Laila 22:00 Muhalab 3 22:00 Godha (Malayalam) 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm
00:30 (Sat) Fanar 4 22:15 (No Sat) Humpback Whales 3D 12:30 pm
Gifted Safra 5 Njoom (Kuwaiti)
Plaza 21:30
Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 07:30 pm
Al Feran (Kuwaiti) 00:30 Ajial 1 21:30, 00:05
Avenues 9 00:15 Avenues 4 00:45 Marina 3 23:45 Journey to Space 3D 08:30 pm
Avenues 6 22:15, 23:45 360 8 00:15 (No Sat) Rarandoi Veduka Chuddam
Avenues 10 00:05 360 2 22:15, 00:45 Thursday
Sharqia 2 21:30, 01:15 (No Sat) 00:30 (Sat) (Telugu)
360 7 22:30 Al-Kout 1 22:00 (No Sat)
00:30 (Sat) Ajial 4 21:30, 00:15 Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am
Al-Kout 4 23:00, 01:00 A Beautiful Planet 3D 10:30 am
Muhalab 2 23:00, 00:30 Hasan wa Boqloz (Arabic)
Fanar 5 22:15, 23:45, 01:15 07:30 pm
360 3 21:30, 23:00, 00:30
Avenues 7 23:00
How to find us IMAX Flying Monsters 3D 11:30 am
Muhalab 3 00:15 Imax film programme at The Scientific
Al-Kout 2 21:45, 23:15, 00:45 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm
Marina 2 23:00, 01:00 1. 360 Zahraa Area, South Surra, 6th Ring Road, corner of Center Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 12:30 pm
Bairaq 3 00:05 360 8 22:15 (No Sat) King Faisal Highway
Sunday Journey to Space 3D 05:30 pm
Laila 00:05 Al-Kout 3 22:15 2. Ajial Ajial Complex, Fahaheel Humpback Whales 3D 08:30 pm
Alien: Covenant Here Alone 3. Al Bairaq Between Jaber Al Ali East & Al Agalia West Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am
4. Al Fanar Al Fanar Complex, Salem Al Mubarak Street, near Flying Monsters 3D 10:30 am Friday
Avenues 1 23:30 Avenues 3 00:30 07:30 pm
360 5 23:15 360 6 01:00 Sultan Center, Salmiya A Beautiful Planet 3D 02:30 pm, 06:30 pm,
5. Al Kout Al-Kout Complex, at the end of the Coastal Road, A Beautiful Planet 3D 11:30 am 09:30 pm
360 13 22:00
Jurassic World Fahaheel 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 03:30 pm
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long 360 14 21:45, 00:15 6. Al Muhalab Al Muhalab Complex, Behind Hawally Clinic, Hawally
Journey to Space 3D 12:30 pm Humpback Whales 3D 04:30 pm
Haul Humpback Whales 3D 05:30 pm Secret Ocean 3D 05:30 pm
360 15 23:30 7. Al Sharqiya Arabian Gulf Street, Souq Sharq, near the Amiri Hospital
Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 08:30 pm
Marina 3 21:45 8. Laila Gallery Salem Al Mubarak Street, near Sultan Center, Salmiya Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 07:30 pm
Avenues 8 22:15
King Arthur: Legend Of The 9. Marina Marina Mall, Between Salem Al Mubarak Street & Monday Flying Monsters 3D 08:30 pm
360 12 21:45, 23:45 Sword Arabian Gulf Street, Salmiya Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Saturday
Bairaq 2 23:30 Sharqia 3 22:00 10. Metro Metro Complex, Farwaniya, near Crowne Plaza Hotel & A Beautiful Planet 3D 10:30 am Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am
Laila 21:45 Muhalab 1 00:05 Farwaniya Garden 05:30 pm, 07:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 10:30 am
Fanar 3 23:15 11. Plaza Salem Al Mubarak Street, near Sultan Center, Salmiya Humpback Whales 3D 11:30 am 05:30 pm, 07:30 pm
Fast & Furious 8 Marina 1 22:00 12. The Avenues The Avenues Mall, Al Reggai near Al Rai, 5th Ring 09:30 pm A Beautiful Planet 3D 11:30 am
360 13 00:30 Avenues 2 00:05 Road & Ghazali Road Intersection Flying Monsters 3D 12:30 pm, 06:30 pm 03:30 pm, 08:30 pm
Fireman Sam: Alien Alert! Avenues 11 22:00, 00:30 NB: Friday no show before 1:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 08:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 12:30 pm, 06:30 pm,
360 1 21:45 (No Sat) Regular show KD3:000; 3D-Digital KD3.500; VIP show 09:30 pm
Sharqia 1 21:45 00:30 Tuesday
KD6.000. On Monday, price is KD1.500 except Digital movies. Humpback Whales 3D 01:30 pm
Muhalab 2 21:30 Al-Kout 3 00:30 Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am
Cinescape cinema movies inquiries and Fax Back hotline 1803456 Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 02:30 pm
Fanar 3 21:45 Bairaq 3 21:30 Journey to Space 3D 10:30 am Secret Ocean 3D 04:30 pm
Marina 2 21:30 13. The Scientific Center IMAX Opp Holiday Inn, Salmiya, Gulf Road 04:30 pm Notes: All lms are in Arabic.
Avenues 7 21:30 Mantaqh Mahzourah Flying Monsters 3D 11:30 am For English, headsets are avail-
360 5 21:45 Sharqia 3 00:30
14. Grand Al-Hamra Grand Al-Hamra, tel: 22270333, www.grand cinemas.com
09:30 pm able upon request. Film schedule is
Al-Kout 4 21:30 Fanar 1 00:45 15. Grand Gate Grand Gate, tel: 22056464, www.grandcinemas.com A Beautiful Planet 3D 12:30 pm, 02:30 pm, subject to changes without notice.
Bairaq 2 22:00 Avenues 8 00:30 05:30 pm, 08:30 pm For information call 1 848 888 or visit

HEALTH
China struggles to kick world-leading cigarette habit
BEIJING, May 31, (Agencies): Most
smokers in China, the worlds largest
tobacco consumer, have no intention
of kicking the habit and remain un-
aware of some of its most damaging
health effects, Chinese health ofcials
and outside researchers said Wednes-
day.
An estimated 316 million people
smoke in China, almost a quarter of the
population, and concerns are growing
about the long-term effects on public
health and the economy.
The vast majority of smokers are
men, of whom 59 percent told survey-
ors that they have no plans to quit, ac-
cording to a decade-long study by the
Chinese Center for Disease Control
and Prevention and Canadian research-
ers with the International Tobacco
Control project.
Such numbers have prompted ef-
forts to restrict the formerly ubiqui-
tous practice. Major cities including
Beijing and Shanghai having recently
moved to ban public smoking, with
Shanghais prohibition going into ef-
fect in March. In 2015, the central
government approved a modest nation-
wide cigarette tax increase.
But Chinese and international health
ofcials argue that more is needed, in-
cluding a nationwide public smoking
ban, higher cigarette taxes and more
aggressive health warnings. Such ac-
tions are critically important, Yuan
Jiang, director of tobacco control for
the Chinese Center for Disease Con-
trol, said in a statement released with
Wednesdays study.
A public smoking ban appeared
imminent last year. The government
health ministry said in December that
Czech Republic enforces smoking ban after years of debate
In this Dec 2, 2016 photo, a man smokes near a no-smoking sign outside
an ofce building in Beijing. (AP)
it would happen by the end of 2016,
but that has yet to materialize.
They have to gure out whats
important as a health policy, said
Geoffrey Fong of Canadas Univer-
sity of Waterloo, one of the authors of
Wednesdays study. Every third man
that you pass on the street in China will
die of cigarettes. When you have
cheap cigarettes, people will smoke
them.
In line with global trends, smok-
ing rates among Chinese have fallen
slowly over the past 25 years, by about
1 percent annually among men and 2.6
percent among women, according to a
separate study published in April in the
medical journal The Lancet.
Yet because of Chinas population
growth 1.37 billion people at last
count the actual number of smokers
has continued to increase. Rising pros-
perity means cigarettes have become
more affordable, while low taxes keep
the cost of some brands at less than $1
a pack.
Sixty percent of Chinese smok-
ers were unaware that cigarettes can
lead to strokes and almost 40 percent
werent aware that smoking causes
heart disease, according to the study,
which was released on World No To-
bacco Day, when the World Health Or-
ganization and others highlight health
risks associated with tobacco use.
The Czech Republic is enforcing a
smoking ban in bars, restaurants and
cafes, putting to an end to the coun-
UK backs 1st-line use of Keytruda
Meet to provide clues on immunotherapy combos
WASHINGTON, May 31, (RTRS):
As a wider range of drugs that
enlist the bodys immune system
to ght cancer become available,
clues about which combinations
will prove most effective are ex-
pected at the upcoming meeting
of the American Society of Clinical
Oncology.
The ASCO meeting, which starts
Friday in Chicago, draws tens
of thousands of specialists from
around the world. This year it will
feature more than 250 presenta-
tions involving immune-system-
boosting drugs known as check-
point inhibitors, with the lions share
of research focused on drugs that
target a protein called PD-1, includ-
ing Merck & Co Incs Keytruda, Janssen division. To get from 20-
Bristol-Myers Squibb Cos Opdivo
and Roche Holding AGs Tecentriq.
The drugs work by releasing mo-
lecular brakes, or checkpoints, that
tumors use to avoid the bodys im-
trys status as one of the last havens
for tobacco smokers in Europe.
The ban, which applies to inside
areas of bars and restaurants as well
as public places like cinemas, was ap-
proved by Parliament following years
of heated debate and signed by Presi-
dent Milos Zeman, a chain smoker.
Unlike most of Europe, Czechs
had remained tolerant of smoking up
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
mune system. That allows the im-
mune cells to recognize and attack
cancer cells the same way they
ght infections caused by bacte-
ria or viruses. For certain cancers,
like melanoma, the treatments can
mean long-term survival for around
20 percent of patients. Researchers
and drugmakers are now focused on
testing whether these new drugs can
become more powerful, and treat
more people, in combination.
We need to probably add to
those regimens to have the best
chance of eradicating all of the
clones that lead to (drug) resis-
tance, said Craig Tendler, head of
late development and global medi-
cal affairs at Johnson & Johnsons
use within the Cancer Drugs Fund,
25 percent of patients up to 50 per-
cent and beyond is going to require
other approaches.
In some cases, researchers are
combining different types of check-
till now and it was up to restaurant
owners to decide whether to allow it in
their establishments.
Also:
WASHINGTON: British drugmaker
Indivior Plc said on Tuesday it applied
for a new drug application to the US
Food and Drug Administration to mar-
ket its drug to treat opioid use disorder
29
point inhibitors. They are also test-
ing the new treatments with older
drugs like chemotherapy.
Also:
LONDON: Britains cost-effective-
ness agency NICE has decided that
Merck & Cos immunotherapy drug
Keytruda can be used in previously
untreated lung cancer patients un-
der special funding arrangements.
The National Institute for Health
and Care Excellence (NICE) said on
Wednesday that it could not recom-
mend routine use of the medicine in
newly diagnosed patients, given the
drugs high cost and uncertainties
about overall survival benets.
But the agency backed Keytruda
signalling that it had the potential to
satisfy the criteria for routine use on
the National Health Service (NHS)
for this group of patients but needs
more investigation.
(OUD).
The drug, RBP-6000, is a monthly
injectable opioid, used to treat OUD as
a part of a treatment plan that includes
counselling and psychological support,
Indivior said.
OUD is characterized by a compul-
sive use of opioid substances, when
they are taken in excessive amounts,
often serving no medical purpose.
 SABB picks Goldman for Alawwal merger
Saudi British Bank (SABB) has ap- SABB and Goldman Sachs de-
pointed US investment bank Gold- clined to comment on Wednesday.
man Sachs to advise on a proposed Alawwal, which is 40 percent
merger with fellow Saudi Arabian owned by Royal Bank of Scotland
lender Alawwal Bank, sources fa- , has selected JPMorgan as its ad-
miliar with the matter said. viser on the deal, Reuters reported
SABB, which is 40 percent on May 29.
owned by HSBC Holdings, and Goldman Sachs, which is seek-
Alawwal said on April 25 they had ing a licence to trade Saudi stocks,
agreed to start talks on a merger has worked on six merger and ac-
that could create the kingdoms quisition deals in the kingdom since
third biggest bank with assets of 2007 prior to the bank merger, ac-
nearly $80 billion. cording to Thomson Reuters data.
Most recently it advised Rowan
Companies in 2016 on the forma-
tion of a joint venture with Saudi
Arabian state oil giant Saudi Ara-
mco to own, operate and manage
offshore drilling rigs in the country.
Although the time frame for the
bank merger has yet to be agreed,
one of the sources told Reuters on
May 29 that the accounts of the two
banks could be consolidated by the
end of 2017, though the merger
would take longer. (RTRS)
QP will study raising production capacity
State-run Qatar Petroleum is
considering whether to raise the
production capacity of its lique-
ed natural gas trains, in order to
process additional gas that will be
produced at its planned new North
Field project, the company said on
Wednesday.
Qatar Petroleum said it had
signed an agreement with Japans
Chiyoda Corp to conduct a de-
tailed study of modications that
would be needed to remove bot-
tlenecks from the trains, located in
Ras Laffan Industrial City.
The study is expected to be
completed before the end of this
year, allowing Qatar Petroleum
to begin work on the expansion
early next year if it chooses that
option.
This agreement provides Qa-
tar Petroleum with the option of
increasing its LNG production with
minimum investment... company
president Saad Sherida al-Kaabi
said in a statement.
Qatar Petroleum is determined
to continue its lead position in the
gas industry with its expansion
plans, both inside and outside the
State of Qatar.
In April, Qatar Petroleum an-
nounced its intention to develop
a new gas project in the south-
ern sector of the North Field
with a capacity of about 2 billion
cubic feet per day for export.
(RTRS)

Market Movements 31-05-2017

Business
Change Closing pts Change Closing pts
AUSTRALIA - All Ordinaries +5.30 5,761.30 INDIA - Sensex -13.60 31,145.80
GERMANY - DAX +16.38 12,615.06 HONG KONG - Hang Seng -40.98 25,660.65
S. KOREA - KRX 100 -1.77 4,737.61
PHILIPPINES - All Shares -5.28 4,685.50
JAPAN - Nikkei -27.28 19,650.57
EUROPE - Euro Stoxx 50 -6.63 3,554.59
FRANCE - CAC 40 -22.31 5,283.63

Moodys affirms ratings on two Kuwaiti banks

Move follows affirmation of Kuwait govt issuer rating with stable outlook
LIMASSOL, May 31:
Moodys Investors Service
(Moodys) has afrmed
National Bank of Kuwait
S.A.K.P.s (NBK) Aa3 and
Kuwait Finance House
K.S.C.P.s (KFH) A1 long-
term deposit ratings, and
changed the outlook on
these ratings to stable from
negative.
The rating action follows
Moodys decision to afrm and
change the outlook on Kuwaits
Aa2 government issuer rating to sta-
ble from negative, as announced on
26 May 2017. Please see Moodys
changes outlook on Government of
Kuwaits Aa2 rating to stable from
negative; afrms rating.
Ratings Rationale
Moodys afrmation and change
in outlook to stable from negative on
the banks long-term deposit ratings is
driven by the afrmation and change in
outlook to stable from negative on the
Kuwait governments Aa2 issuer rating.
The banks long-term deposit ratings ben-
et from uplift resulting from Moodys
expectation of a very high likelihood of
government support and are therefore
sensitive to changes in the creditworthi-
ness of the Kuwaiti sovereign.
NBKs Aa3 long-term deposit ratings
and the (P)Aa3 senior unsecured rating
of its funding subsidiary (NBK SPC
Limited) benet from three notches of
government support uplift, from the
banks a3 standalone baseline credit as-
sessment (BCA). KFHS A1 long-term
deposit ratings benet from six notches
of uplift from the banks ba1 BCA.
Moodys support assumptions take
into account the capacity and willing-
ness of the government to provide ex-
traordinary support to banks in case of
need. The afrmation of the sovereign
rating with a stable outlook indicates
that this capacity is expected to remain
unchanged. In addition, in terms of
willingness to support, Moodys main-
tains a very high probability of support
in case of need for the two banks, given
the Kuwaiti authorities track record in
supporting all banks encountering dif-
culties and NBKs and KFHs high im-
portance to the countrys banking sys-
tem, as the two largest Kuwaiti banks
by assets and deposits. In addition,
KFH is 49% owned by various Kuwaiti
government entities.
What could change the ratings up/
down
According to Moodys, upward rat-
ing pressure on the banks ratings could
develop following sustained improve-
ment in operating conditions for banks
in Kuwait.
NBKs ratings could also come un-
der upwards pressure if the bank mate-
rially enhances its regional and global
franchise and develops cross-border
synergies, while controlling host coun-
try risks, and reducing balance sheet
concentrations.
Additionally, positive pressure on
KFHs ratings could develop as a result
of improvements in its nancial perfor-
mance and a successful execution of its
restructuring plan to address legacy is-
sues and reduce complexity.
Downwards pressure on the banks
ratings could develop from a signicant
deterioration of domestic operating con-
ditions, as captured in Moodys Macro
Prole for the country. Asset quality de-
terioration, beyond the banks historical
through the cycle performance, arising
either from the banks regional expo-
sures or from the weakening credit pro-
le of large domestic customers, and/
or a material deterioration in the banks
capitalisation, protability and liquidity
because of intrinsic fact0ors would also
exert negative rating pressure.
Lowering of Moodys government
support assumptions would also place
negative pressure on the banks ratings.
Supported ratings that are closer to the
government level and benet from a
high degree of support, such as NBKs
and KFHs deposit ratings, are particu-
larly sensitive to changes in these as-
sumptions.
Cut-exempt Nigeria, Libya pump more
OPEC oil output rises in May: survey
LONDON/DUBAI, May 31, (RTRS):
OPEC oil output rose in May, the rst
monthly increase this year, a Reu-
ters survey found on Wednesday, as
higher supply from two OPEC states
exempt from a production-cutting
deal, Nigeria and Libya, offset im-
proved compliance with the accord
by others.
A drop in output in Angola and Iraq
and continued high compliance from
Gulf producers Saudi Arabia and Ku-
wait helped lift OPECs adherence
with the supply cut deal to 95 percent
from 90 percent in April, according to
Reuters surveys.
The Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries pledged to re-
duce output by about 1.2 million bar-
rels per day (bpd) for six months from
Jan. 1 as part of a deal with Russia
and other non-members.
Oil prices has gained some ground
but an inventory glut and rising sup- according to the International Energy
ply by outside producers has kept
prices below the $60 a barrel that
Saudi Arabia wants. A sustained out-
put rise from Libya and Nigeria poses
further challenges.
To provide additional support for
prices, the producers decided at a
meeting last week to prolong the deal
until March 2018. They discussed
whether to include Nigeria in the out- with Mays increase, the total curb
put cap but decided against for now,
OPEC delegates said.
Nigeria and Libya were exempt-
ed because their output has been
curbed by conict. However, supplies
from both nations staged a partial re-
covery in May, lifting overall OPEC
output by 250,000 bpd to 32.22 mil-
lion bpd.
The biggest increase came from Ni-
geria, where the Forcados production
stream began loading cargoes for ex-
port. The Forcados pipeline had been
mostly shut since it was bombed by
militants in February 2016.
In Libya, the state oil rm said
output had reached 827,000 bpd on
Wednesday, around levels last seen
in 2014. But production is still half the
1.60 million bpd Libya pumped be-
fore the 2011 civil war.
While the exempt nations pumped
more, those bound by output targets
boosted compliance. Adherence by
OPEC with the deal has been higher
than in the past, reaching a record
Agency and other analysts.
Angolan supply showed the larg-
est decline due to fewer scheduled
exports after a jump in April. Iraq
exported slightly less crude from its
southern terminals, the survey found.
Saudi Arabia pumped more al-
though its compliance was the
second-highest in OPEC. Even
sources, Thomson Reuters ows
achieved by OPECs top producer
Saudi Arabia is 564,000 bpd, well
above the target cut of 486,000 bpd.
Output in Iran and the United Arab
Emirates was steady. Iran was al-
lowed a small increase in the OPEC
agreement and, having sold the oil it
had held in oating storage, appears
to have reached a short-term peak.
The UAE, with lower compliance
than other Gulf producers, has said
suggestions that it is failing to com-
ply fully can be explained by the gap
between its own gures and those
estimated by the secondary sources
that OPEC uses to track compliance.
OPEC announced a production tar-
get of 32.50 million bpd at its Nov. 30
meeting, which was based on low g-
ures for Libya and Nigeria and includ-
ed Indonesia, which has since left.
No new target was announced last
week to reect this change or the ad-
dition of Equatorial Guinea, which
OPEC said on May 25 joined the
group with immediate effect. The
country will be added to the Reuters
survey from June.
The Libyan and Nigerian increases
mean OPEC output in May averaged
32.22 million bpd, about 470,000 bpd
above its supply target, adjusted to
remove Indonesia and not including
Equatorial Guinea.
The Reuters survey is based on
shipping data provided by external
data, and information provided by
sources at oil companies, OPEC and
consulting rms.

Targets to bring down inventories to 5-yr average

Poor volumes eclipse valuations

ME funds turn bearish OPEC, non-OPEC committed to cut inventories

MOSCOW, May 31, (RTRS): OPEC

towards UAE equities and non-OPEC countries are com-

DUBAI, May 31, (RTRS): Mid-
dle East fund managers have
turned bearish towards equities in
the United Arab Emirates for the
rst time in more than two years
because of low trading volumes
and nancial pressure on some
companies, a monthly Reuters
poll showed on Wednesday.
Six out of 13 leading portfolio
managers (46 percent) polled in
the last week expect to cut alloca-
tions to UAE stocks over the next
three months, while only three (23
percent) plan to raise them the
most negative balance towards the
market since July 2014.
In the previous poll a month
ago, 31 percent of the surveyed
managers expected to reduce allo-
cations and 38 percent to increase
them. (For the full results, click
on)
Fund managers have tradition-
ally praised the UAE for its di-
verse economy, which has helped
the country ride out the slump in
oil prices. With an average trail-
ing price-to-earnings ratio of 9.3
times, Dubai stocks are cheaper
than equities in most other region-
al and emerging markets.
But the poor performance of
the Dubai stock index is starting
to affect funds decisions, at least
for now. The index is up just 1
percent over the last 12 months,
underperforming other major
bourses in the Gulf and MSCIs
emerging market index, which is
up 25 percent.
This performance has de-
pressed trading volumes in Dubai,
making it less attractive for insti-
tutions. Meanwhile, a few com-
panies such as Drake & Scull and
Arabtec have seen their share pric-
es plunge this year, partly because
of plans to raise fresh capital.
Negative
Another negative for Dubai
has been a soft real estate mar-
ket; many major stocks, including
banks and blue-chip developer
Emaar Properties, are heavily ex-
posed to property prices.
Tremendous value remains in
a number of UAE stocks. How-
ever, sentiment on the ground has
been hurt badly by tight liquidity,
some high-prole corporate bal-
ance sheets needing rehabilitation,
and the drip feed of corporate and
government cost-cutting, said
Akber Khan, head of asset man-
agement at Doha-based Al Rayan
Investment.
Many managers cited valua-
tions as a factor that could change
their approach to UAE equities in
a positive direction late this year.
The discount valuation of
UAE markets to emerging mar-
kets makes their blue chips very
attractive on a fundamental basis
for the medium term, said Mo-
hammed Ali Yasin, chief execu-
tive of Abu Dhabis NBAD Se-
curities.
We believe that after Septem-
ber, the share prices of these com-
panies will improve and reect
more their fair value compared to
peers in the region.
The latest poll also showed
fund managers had become more
negative toward equities in Qatar,
where 54 percent now expect to
cut their allocations and none to
increase them. Last month, the ra-
tios were 38 percent and zero.
Several managers said uncer-
tainty about oil prices, after global
producers agreed last week to ex-
tend output cuts for nine months
but shied away from stronger ac-
tion to prop up prices, was weigh-
ing on the outlook for Gulf equi-
ties in general.
Outlook
The fragile outlook for oil
prices, which failed to rally de-
spite the nine-month extension,
continues to weigh on regional
multiples, said Mohamed el Ja-
mal, managing director of capital
markets at Abu Dhabis Waha
Capital.
This month only 23 percent of
funds anticipate increasing their
allocations to Middle Eastern eq-
uities and 8 percent expect to re-
duce them; last month, the ratios
were 38 percent and 15 percent.
But managers remain positive
towards the regions most oil-
sensitive market, Saudi Arabia,
with 46 percent planning to raise
their allocations and none to re-
duce them.
That is because international
index compiler MSCI will de-
cide on June 20 whether to study
the possibility of including Saudi
Arabia in its emerging market in-
dex, while FTSE has said it will
decide this September whether to
raise Saudi Arabia to the status of
a secondary emerging market.
This has been keeping Saudi
shares on asset managers radar
since the start of the year, as they
slowly start to build positions
in anticipation of entry into the
MSCI index.
Managers are slightly more
positive on Egyptian shares, with
46 percent expecting to increase
their exposure and only 8 percent
to cut it.
This month Egypts central
bank unexpectedly raised inter-
est rates by 2 percentage points
to combat high ination. The
stock market initially tumbled in
response, but many institutional
funds said this created an oppor-
tunity to buy.
The Pioneering Spirit vessel crosses the Bosphorus
Strait in Istanbul on May 31. The strait was closed
to trafc and ferry lines have also been suspended
Wednesday due to the transiting of the 382-meter-long
and 124-meter-wide vessel, which will carry out the
construction of the Turkish Stream natural gas pipe-
To build Gulfs biggest shipyard
Saudi Aramco-Hyundai in $5.2bn deal
KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia, May 31,
(RTRS): Saudi Aramco plans to
build the Gulfs largest shipyard
through a joint venture with three
companies that it announced on
Wednesday, a $5.2 billion project
aimed at helping reduce the econo-
mys reliance on oil.
Low oil prices have drastically
slowed Saudi Arabias economy so
it is trying to create manufacturing
jobs and produce goods and services
which traditionally it has imported.
Its strategy is to use large amounts
of government money and the pro-
curement budgets of big state-run
enterprises, such as national oil rm
Aramco, to attract foreign expertise
to develop strategic industries.
Aramco said it had signed a share-
holder agreement with National
Shipping Co of Saudi Arabia (Bah-
ri), a state-controlled rm which
ships oil for Aramco, London-listed
United Arab Emirates engineering
rm Lamprell Plc, and South Ko-
Investments in Egyptian govt securities jump 13%
CAIRO, May 31, (RTRS): Foreign
investment in Egyptian government
securities rose 13 percent in the past
week to hit 136 billion Egyptian
pounds ($7.53 billion), the head of
public debt at Egypts Finance Min-
istry, Sami Khallaf, said on Wednes-
day.
It was at 120 billion pounds a
week earlier.
lines offshore section. Ofcials from the Swiss-owned
company told state-run Anadolu Agency, the Maltese-
agged ship vessels nal destination would be Anapa
on the northern Black Sea coast in Russia, where the
rst pipe-laying for the Turkish Stream project will start.
(AP)
reas Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.
The 4.3 square kilometre (1.7
square mile) shipyard will be located
at Ras Al Khair on Saudi Arabias
east coast.
The directors expect that the
Maritime Yard will be the largest in
the Arabian Gulf in terms of produc-
tion capacity and scale, Lamprell
said in a statement.
Major production is expected to
start in 2019 with the yard hitting
full capacity by 2022.
It will be able to work on four off-
shore rigs and over 40 vessels a year
including three very large crude car-
riers (VLCCs), Aramco said.
The government will cover about
$3.5 billion of the total cost, with
the remainder funded by the joint
venture, said Lamprell, which will
invest up to $140 million and own
20 percent of the venture.
Aramco will own 50.1 percent,
investing as much as $351 million.
Bahri will invest up to $139 mil-
Egypt used to attract higher in-
ows into government bonds and
bills before the 2011 uprising drove
off foreign investors.
The central bank ditched its for-
eign exchange peg of 8.8 pounds
per dollar in early November, and to
help stabilise the newly oated cur-
rency it raised interest rates by 300
basis points.
hang and balance the market.
lion for a 19.9 percent stake and
Hyundai up to $70 million for 10
percent. The governments Saudi
Industrial Development Fund has
agreed to provide a debt facility
worth about $1 billion.
As part of the deal, Saudi Aram-
cos parent rm will buy 20 jack-up
drilling rigs as well as offshore sup-
port vessels and services from the
joint venture, Lamprell said.
Lamprell shares jumped 13 per-
cent after the announcement.
Bahri will buy at least 75 percent
of its commercial vessel require-
ments over 10 years from the ven-
ture - a minimum of 52 commer-
cial vessels including a signicant
number of VLCCs, Lamprell said.
U.S. oileld services and equip-
ment provider McDermott Interna-
tional has said it will build a fab-
rication yard at the Ras Al Khair
complex and move some of its oper-
ations gradually from Dubai to Ras
Al Khair by the mid-2020s.
The central bank raised its key
interest rates once again by 200 ba-
sis points on May 21 in an attempt
to curb soaring ination of over 30
percent.
Central Bank Governor Tarek
Amer has said nearly $1 billion
in new foreign investment entered
the country following the last rate
hike.
mitted to bringing global oil inven-
tories down to the industrys ve-
year average, Saudi Energy Minister
Khalid al-Falih said on Wednes-
day, adding he saw the target being
reached in the very near future.
Speaking in Moscow after a
meeting between OPEC and Russia,
Falih and his Russian counterpart
Alexander Novak also said they
saw their cooperation in oil markets
lasting after the current joint oil
output agreement expires in March
next year.
Our joint declaration with Russia
concluded that while the rebalancing
goal is on its way to being achieved,
more needed to be done to draw in-
ventories towards the ve-year aver-
age, Falih said.
Falih reiterated his countrys posi-
tion to do whatever it takes along
with Russia to help stabilise the oil
market, signalling an open-ended
policy to reduce the inventory over-
Agreement
It is necessary to work out new
framework principles for continued
steady cooperation between OPEC
and non-OPEC even after the expi-
ration of the Vienna agreements,
Novak said on Wednesday.
Last December, Russia and 10
other non-OPEC nations agreed
to join OPECs output cuts for the
first time in 15 years. Last week,
OPEC and non-members led by
Moscow agreed to extend cuts in
output by a further nine months to
March 2018.
Oil prices dropped more than
4 percent after the decision as the
market had been hoping oil produc-
ers could reach a last-minute deal
to deepen the cuts or extend them
further, until mid-2018. On Wednes-
day, global benchmark Brent crude
futures were down 52 cents at $51.32
a barrel by 0838 GMT.
Both Moscow and Riyadh said
cooperation would continue beyond
the current agreement as both coun-
tries were still trying to nd ways to
co-exist with US shale oil producers,
which are not part of the global out-
put reduction deal.
I attended a meeting of the Saudi
and Russian leadership at the Krem-
lin during which both our nations
renewed their determination to re-
balance the global crude oil market
in the interest of greater market sta-
bility and restated our commitment
to doing whatever it takes to attain
those goals, Falih said.
President Vladimir Putin met with
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman on Tuesday in Moscow
where both hailed their growing
partnership in oil markets and dia-
logue on Syria in a departure from
past hostilities between the top glob-
al producers and major players in the
Middle East.

BUSINESS
NYC becomes latest city to cut back on ties with Wells
New York City is cutting back its
ties with Wells Fargo, making it the
latest major city or state govern-
ment to suspend its business rela-
tionship with the bank following its
sales practices scandal.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and
Comptroller Scott Stringer said
Wednesday they will vote as
members of the citys Banking
Commission to bar city agen-
cies from renewing or expanding
existing contracts with the bank.
Wells currently holds $227 million
Global funds raise eurozone equities, cut UK assets
LONDON, May 31, (RTRS): Global
investors raised their eurozone equity
holdings in May, betting the rally has
further to run, but cut their exposure to
UK assets, reecting uncertainty around
the outcome of a snap general election, a
Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.
The Reuters monthly asset allocation
survey of 47 fund managers and chief in-
vestment ofcers in Europe, the United
States, Britain and Japan was carried
out between May 15 and 30, after an
emphatic win for pro-European Union
(EU) candidate Emmanuel Macron in
the French presidential elections.
This triggered a relief rally in Euro-
pean equities, which pushed towards a
two-year high, as the threat to the EU
from far-right candidate Marine Le Pen
was neutralised. It also encouraged fund
managers to raise their eurozone stocks
exposure around 1 percentage point to
18.7 percent of their global equity port-
folios, the highest level since August
2016, the survey showed.
Peter van der Welle, a strategist at
Robeco, acknowledged that the bar for
European equities had been raised given
the huge inows and the fact that the
Macron victory was discounted by the
market. But he remained overweight
eurozone equities saying: In our view
(the) eurozones economic growth mo-
mentum has further to run.
Political risk is rising again, however,
as over the weekend Italys 5-Star move-
ment voted in favour of a proportional
electoral system, raising the chances of
an autumn general election.
Investors were less bullish on the
outlook for UK assets, cutting their ex-
posure to UK stocks by 1 percentage
Begin saving now
Ways homebuyers can leap
down the payment hurdle
LOS ANGELES, May 31, (AP):
Saving up for a down payment is the
biggest hurdle for many would-be
homebuyers, particularly those look-
ing to make the leap from renting to
owning.
More than two-thirds of renters
consider setting aside money for a
down payment the No. 1 obstacle to
buying a home, according to a recent
survey by real estate data provider
Zillow. That edged out other con-
cerns, including job security and a
thin supply of homes on the market.
While there are home loans that
require as little as 3 percent down,
rising home prices, especially in ex-
pensive coastal states, keep driving
up the amount of money buyers need
to come up with for a down payment.
Even so, many rst-time buyers
are managing to save enough on their
own. Some 76 percent used their sav-
ings to fund their down payment last
year, according to the National As-
sociation of Realtors. Here are some
tips to consider when working to-
ward that down payment on a home:
Start soon
Begin saving now. Renters may
want to calculate what their extra
monthly costs would be as a home-
owner and then set aside that amount,
minus rent and utilities. This accom-
plishes two goals: Saving money for
a down payment and getting you ac-
customed to the nancial constraints
of living with the costs of homeown-
ership.
Another strategy that may help:
open a separate savings account just
for your down payment. That will
help lessen the temptation of using
the funds for something else.
Youll also have to set aside
money for closing costs, which can
run into the hundreds or thousands of
dollars.
Weigh loan options
The type of home loan you get may
determine how much of a down pay-
ment you need. For many years, buy-
ers sought to put down 20 percent of
the purchase price. That would lower
their monthly mortgage payment and
allow them to avoid having to pay for
private mortgage insurance, or PMI.
But as home prices have risen, that
trend has waned. Loans that require
as little as 3 percent up front have
become more common. As a result,
the median US down payment has
declined to 10 percent the past four
years, according to the NAR. The
housing market is not a matter of 20
percent down payment or bust, said
Greg McBride, chief nancial analyst
at Bankrate.com. You can get into a
house with a low down payment, but
youre going to have to come up with
the money for closing costs.
Lenders offer loans backed by
government mortgage companies
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that
require only a 3 percent down pay-
ment. Borrowers can ask to have
their PMI waived once the equity in
their home reaches 20 percent.
Borrowers with less-than-sterling
credit may have a better shot qualify-
ing for loans backed by the Federal
Housing Administration. The FHAs
program requires 3.5 percent down,
in city deposits.
I encourage Wells Fargo to
quickly clean up its act and do right
by the millions of customers who
trust the bank with their savings.
Until then, we will not be entering
new contracts with the bank, de
Blasio said in a statement.
More importantly, the two said
they will vote to end Wells Fargos
role as senior book runner for the
citys general obligation bond sales
as well as book runner for the New
York City Transitional Finance
Equity holdings up at 46.9%, bonds rise to 39.9 pct
Consumer price data could add to debate ahead of ECB meeting
Eurozone bond yields bounce on inflation miss
LONDON, May 31, (RTRS): Euro zone
government bond yields briey fell on
Wednesday after data showed ination
dropping well below the European Cen-
tral Banks target ahead of a meeting of
policymakers next week. Ination in the
single currency bloc fell below expecta-
tions to 1.4 percent in May, according to
early estimates, well below the ECBs
target of just below 2 percent and com-
pared to 1.9 percent in April.
This supports the widespread view
-- one put forward by ECB President
Mario Draghi on Monday -- that the cen-
tral bank should keep its current ultra-
loose monetary policy stance in place.
The yields on government debt from
Italy and Portugal, countries seen ben-
eting the most from ECB stimulus, fell
point to 9.2 percent of their global equity
portfolios. They also trimmed their UK
bond holdings by 1 percentage point to
8.9 percent of their global xed income
portfolios.
Prime Minister Theresa Mays deci-
sion to call a snap general election for
June 8 has added to the uncertain outlook
for UK assets, which are still overshad-
owed by the prospect of Britains nego-
tiations to leave the European Union.
May called the election in a bid to
strengthen her hand in the Brexit nego-
tiations by increasing her majority.
but borrowers have to renance once
their equity grows above 20 percent
in order to get out of paying PMI.
Until then, PMI is tax-deductible.
Buyers may not need to save for
a down payment at all if they are US
military veterans, servicemembers or
residents of certain rural areas. The
Department of Veterans Affairs and
the US Department of Agriculture
have zero-down payment loan pro-
grams for qualied borrowers.
Explore other options
Saving for a down payment some-
times takes more than cutting back
on dining out or travel. A quarter of
rst-time homebuyers in 2016 used
gift money from relatives or friends
to round out their down payment,
according to the NAR. And more
than 10 percent tapped their retire-
ment savings without the usual hefty
penalties for an early withdrawal. Of
course, before withdrawing money
from your 401(k) or IRA accounts
consider that a big withdrawal will
mean your retirement savings wont
grow as swiftly. Borrowers with low
or moderate income, and teachers,
reghters or other public service job
holders may also qualify for down
payment assistance through thou-
sands of federal, state or local pro-
grams aimed at helping homebuyers.
There are more than 2,100 funded
programs, many of which help cover
the down payment and closing costs
through loans that can sometimes be
forgiven over time, or paid back only
once the buyer sells the home, ac-
cording to Down Payment Resource,
a tracker of homebuyer assistance
programs.
Consider using home equity
A newer approach to coming up
with a down payment involves let-
ting investors put up some of the
money in exchange for a slice of the
potential value in the home.
San Francisco-based Unison now
has a program available in 12 states
and the District of Columbia that of-
fers to match up to half of a 20 per-
cent down payment on a home. The
match isnt a loan, in that the buyer
doesnt have to make payments, but
still benets from the lower cost of
making a 20 percent down payment.
There are several payback scenar-
ios, but essentially the company col-
lects a 35 percent share of the gain, if
any, in the sale of the home. Should
the home decline in value, the com-
pany also shares in the loss, poten-
tially receiving less money back on
its original investment.
If the homeowner hasnt sold the
home after 30 years, a property ap-
praisal is used to determine how
much Unison gets paid. The home-
owner also has the option to buy out
Unison any time after their third year
in the home. Unison also doesnt
share in the equity that the home-
buyer builds as they pay down their
mortgage or from investments, like a
kitchen remodel.
Theres a very clear trade off here
in that you are surrendering future
equity, said McBride, noting that
home equity is increasingly becom-
ing Americans principal way to fund
their retirement.
Authority, a city agency used to -
nance major capital improvements.
Being a lead bookrunner allows
banks like Wells to be the main
bank when a city agency needs to
issue fresh debt.
New York City is one of the
largest bond issuers in in the
country, issuing more than $7.1
billion in bonds for general obli-
gations as well as Transitional
Finance Authority bonds in 2016
alone. The ban will be effective
for one year. (AP)
the most. At one point they were down
as much as 2-4 basis points, outperform-
ing the rest of the euro zone market.
Most other euro zone government
bond yields were little changed as Eu-
ropean trading drew to a close, having
been lower for most of the day.
The ination numbers havent been
superb, but the overall bigger picture is
that weve moved away from the dea-
tion risk and we are moving steadily to-
wards the ECB target, said ING strate-
gist Padhraic Garvey.
Also, the core ination rate has been
fairly steady around 1 percent.
Ination excluding energy and unpro-
cessed food -- known in markets as core
ination because it strips out the effect
of factors such as oil prices -- was at 1
But a projection by polling company
YouGov suggested May could lose her
majority in parliament, raising the pros-
pect of political deadlock as formal Brexit
talks begin. The prospect of a hung par-
liament pushed sterling lower, towards a
one-month low touched on Friday, before
the currency recovered somewhat.
A 68 percent majority of poll partici-
pants who answered a question on ster-
ling thought the pound would rise in the
event of an increased majority for the
Conservative party, but several thought
gains would be modest.
US pending home sales fall
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (front, center left), and Spanish Premier Mariano Rajoy (front, center right),
pose with businessmen at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, May 31. Narendra Modi is on an ofcial visit to
Modi urges Spanish firms to invest in India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Wednesday urged Span-
ish rms to invest in India, saying
the fast-growing country offered
many opportunities in areas rang-
ing from tourism to energy.
India is an enormous country
and it offers many opportunities
to Spanish rms in all sectors,
he said in Hindi as he arrived at
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano
Rajoys ofcial residence in Madrid
for talks.
I invite Spanish rms to partici-
pate in our development, he add-
Economy buoyed by business and household spending
Canada Q1 economic growth leaps to 3.7%
OTTAWA, May 31, (AFP): Canadas
economy roared back to life in the rst
three months of this year, as more busi-
ness and household spending pushed
growth to 3.7 percent, the govern-
ments statistical agency announced
Wednesday.
The gross domestic product (GDP)
was in line with expectations after an
annualized 2.7 percent uptick in the
nal months of 2016 placing Cana-
das growth ahead of its G7 peers.
By comparison, US GDP grew 1.2
percent in the quarter.
Purchases of passengers cars and
trucks led the increase in consumer
spending, according to Statistics Can-
ada.
Spending on housing, water, elec-
tricity, gas and other fuels, recreation
and culture, and clothing and footwear
US fines Deutsche Bank $41mn over money laundering violations
The US Federal Reserve on Tues-
day ned German nancial giant
Deutsche Bank $41 million over fail-
ures to screen billions of dollars in
potentially suspicions transactions.
The penalty was only the latest
in a string of legal woes the bank
faces in the United States. Last
month, Deutsche Bank paid more
than $150 million for unsafe and
unsound foreign exchange prac-
tices and lax oversight.
In the latest incident, the Federal
Reserve said that between 2011
percent compared to 1.2 percent in April.
High-grade euro zone bond yields have
dropped in recent days on below-forecast
ination numbers from Germany and
Spain. Draghi said on Monday that even
though risks to euro zone growth have de-
clined, he was convinced that an extraor-
dinary amount of monetary policy sup-
port was still necessary. Ination numbers
are under particular scrutiny ahead of an
ECB meeting next week.
Policymakers are divided on the is-
sue although they are set to take a more
benign view of the economy when they
meet on June 8 and will even discuss
dropping some of their pledges to ramp
up stimulus if needed, four sources with
direct knowledge of the discussions told
Reuters.
Overall, equities edged up from last
months 46.8 percent to 46.9 percent of
global balanced portfolios, the highest
since January 2016. Bond holdings rose
to 39.9 percent, the highest since Febru-
ary.
Trevor Greetham, head of multi-asset
at Royal London Asset Management
(RLAM), expressed some caution:
Global growth is coming off the boil
and ination pressures are easing. This is
good for bonds but stocks may not take
bad news kindly and we have taken prof-
its after a good run.
Housing market recovery intact
Spain. (AP)
ed.
Modi, who arrived in Spain late
on Tuesday from Germany, his rst
stop on a four-nation Europe tour,
was scheduled to meet with King
Felipe VI later on Wednesday.
He was also to meet Spanish
business leaders as part of his push
to drum up more foreign investment
in India, the worlds fastest-growing
major economy.
Spanish rms are global lead-
ers in sectors that are a priority
for us. We want to attract tourism,
infrastructure, energy and defence
also increased, the agency said.
Housing growth was largely due to
strong resale activity in the Toronto
area, as well as more home renova-
tions. Business investment in equip-
ment and machinery, meanwhile, re-
bounded following declines in four of
the previous ve quarters.
The increased investment was con-
centrated in industrial machinery and
equipment, computers, and medium
and heavy trucks, buses and other ve-
hicles.
Mineral exploration also rose sharp-
ly following eight consecutive quar-
ters of decline, as oil and gas activity
picked up.
However, exports edged down.
Although the data signaled an end to
a long period of stagnant growth, the
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
and 2015, a New York unit of the
bank, Deutsche Bank Trust Com-
pany Americas, processed billions
of dollars in potentially suspicious
transactions for European afliates
without proper screening.
In addition to the ne, Deutsche
Bank will be required to improve in-
ternal anti-money laundering con-
trols, which regulators at the Fed
found to be decient.
The Justice Department report-
edly also is investigating Deutsche
Banks actions in Russia and so-
Green mutual funds rebound
after Trump-induced retreat
BOSTON, May 31, (RTRS): After
US President Donald Trumps elec-
tion last November, investors pulled
nearly $68 million from so-called
green mutual funds, reecting fear
that his pro-coal agenda would hurt
renewable energy rms.
But now investors are pouring
money back in, boosting net deposits
in 22 green funds to nearly $83 mil-
lion in the rst four months of 2017,
according to data from Thomson Reu-
ters Lipper unit.
Investors renewed faith in the
funds reects a growing belief the
president will not succeed in reviving
the coal industry and will not target
the government subsidies that under-
pin renewable power, which have bi-
partisan support.
It also sends a positive sign for
the wind, solar and energy efciency
rms and make up a large portion of
the green-fund portfolios.
The coal industry faces problems
in the marketplace that are too big for
any government to solve, said Mur-
ray Rosenblith, a portfolio manager
for the $209 million New Alternatives
Fund , among the US green funds see-
ing investor inows. Trump cant
bring back coal, he said. Theres
nothing that can bring it back.
A Reuters survey of some 32 utili-
ties in Republican states last month
rms, Modi said in an interview
published in Spanish business daily
Expansion.
Spain is Indias seventh largest
trading partner in the European
Union.
Two-way trade totalled 4.72 bil-
lion euros ($5.27 billion) in 2016, an
8.5 percent increase over the previ-
ous year, of which Spanish exports
made up nearly 1.26 billion euros.
The number of Spanish rms that
operate in India has risen to over
230 currently from just 70 in 2008.
(AFP)
raised concerns about the durability
of the Canadian recovery.
It noted the rise in Canadian con-
sumer spending in a report Wednes-
day, but said business investment re-
mained relatively weak.
Non-energy exports, meanwhile,
continue to underperform and hous-
ing imbalances have risen, the IMF
said.
The IMF upped its 2017 growth
forecast for Canada to 2.5 percent
(from 1.9 percent), followed by 1.9
percent in 2018 (from 2.0 percent).
But it said: Canadas traditional en-
gines of growth have slowed, hobbled
by longstanding structural problems
of low labor productivity growth and
population aging that have affected the
ability of Canadian rms to compete
globally and create jobs.
31
called mirror trades in which bank
clients disguised the movement of
money out of that country.
The bank settled with New York
and British authorities over the
matter in January, agreeing to pay
nearly $630 million.
Deutsche Bank has been thrust
into the US political spotlight in re-
cent months, because it is a credi-
tor to President Donald Trump and
his businesses, causing critics to
accuse the administration of con-
icts of interest. (AFP)
showed that none plan to increase coal
use as a result of Trumps policies.
Many planned to continue a shift to
cheaper and cleaner alternatives, in-
cluding wind and solar.
A White House ofcial did not
respond to a request for comment
about the administrations efforts
to boost coal or its position on wind
and solar subsidies. Lipper classies
green funds as those with screen-
ing or investment strategies that are
based solely on environmental crite-
ria. Many make it a point to avoid pur-
chasing shares of traditional oil, gas or
mining companies.
For a graphic showing the turna-
round in green-fund investments, see:
http://tmsnrt.rs/2qPISl4
The funds, while still an investment
niche, have become increasingly pop-
ular over the past decade amid rising
worries about climate change. They
tend to draw younger and more envi-
ronmentally minded investors who see
prots in the burgeoning renewable
power industry.
Solar and wind power are creat-
ing a lot of jobs. There is a long-term
secular trend taking place, said Joe
Keefe, Chief Executive of Pax World
Management LLC, whose $418 mil-
lion Pax Global Environmental Mar-
kets fund is one of the biggest in the
green fund sector.
WASHINGTON, May 31,
(RTRS): Contracts to buy
previously owned US homes
fell for a second straight
month in April amid a sup-
ply squeeze, but the housing
market recovery remains
supported by a strong labor
market.
The National Association of Real-
tors said on Wednesday its Pending
Home Sales Index, based on con-
tracts signed last month, dropped 1.3
percent to 109.8. Contracts fell in the
Northeast, Midwest and South, but
surged 5.8 percent in the West.
Coming on the heels of recent data
showing a drop in home building and
sales of both new and previously owned
homes, the decrease in contracts sug-
gests a moderation in housing activity.
Still, housing is expected to contribute to
gross domestic product this year.
We think that the housing recovery
will continue over time based on favora-
ble fundamentals in the market, but we
have seen some weakening in a number
of home sale measures lately, said Dan-
iel Silver, an economist at JPMorgan in
New York.
For now, we think the recent soften-
ing in sales is a pause in a broader up-
ward trend.
Drop
Economists had forecast pending
home sales, which become sales after
a month or two, rising 0.5 percent last
month. They fell 3.3 percent from a year
ago. That is the rst year-on-year drop
since last December and the largest since
June 2014.
The PHLX housing index was little
changed amid a broadly weaker stock
market. The dollar fell against a basket
of currencies, while US Treasury prices
were trading higher.
Demand for housing is being driven
by a tight labor market, marked by a
4.4 percent unemployment rate, which
is generating wage increases and boost-
ing employment opportunities for young
Americans.
The housing market remains support-
ed by historically low mortgage rates,
with the 30-year xed mortgage rate
averaging 3.95 percent, the lowest level
since last November.
Sales activity, however, remains con-
strained by tight inventories, which are
driving up home prices. Housing inven-
tory has dropped for 23 straight months
on a year-on-year basis.
Home resales declined 2.3 percent in
April and could decrease in May as an-
other report on Wednesday showed ap-
plications for loans to buy a home fell for
a third straight week last week.
The large declines in the Northeast
and Midwest suggest seasonal factors
exaggerated the recent slide in pending
home sales, said Mark Vitner, a senior
economist at Wells Fargo Securities in
Charlotte, North Carolina. Mortgage
applications add a note of caution, how-
ever.
A third report showed manufacturing
activity in the Midwest region acceler-
ated to a 2-1/2-year high in May.

BUSINESS
A yer of Burgan Banks sum-
mer campaign.
In historic deal advised by NBK Capital, KNPC signs $6.2bn facility
Bank among 50 most powerful listed companies in Kuwait
KIB recognized by Forbes Middle East
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Kuwait
International Bank (KIB) was re-
cently recognized by Forbes Mid-
dle East as one of the top 50 listed
companies in Kuwait at the Cel-
ebrating Kuwaits Success awards
ceremony. Organized by Forbes
Middle East, this annual ceremony
was held to honor companies and
individuals that have made signi-
cant contributions towards the de-
velopment and continuous progress
of Kuwait.
As part of the ceremony, the top
50 listed Kuwaiti companies were
recognized for their inuential lead-
ership within the local market, as
well as their strong, robust nancial
performance and impressive growth.
Additionally, among those honored
during the ceremony were a number
of the largest and most inuential pri-
vate companies in the region, and the
Part of banks initiative to enhance e-payment methods
KFH launches Visa Checkout service
A yer of KFH Visa Checkout service.
Gulf Bank announces exclusive
automotive offers during Ramadan
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Rein-
forcing its keenness to provide
convenient and added value ser-
vices to its customers, Gulf Bank
recently announced exclusive au-
tomotive offers for its customers
during the Holy Month of Rama-
dan, in cooperation with top car
dealers in Kuwait. Gulf banks
customers can benet from these
offers when vis-
iting the cars
showrooms and
meeting the
banks repre-
sentatives to -
nance their new car through Gulf
Bank.
The top car dealers in Kuwait in
cooperation with Gulf bank are:
Lexus, Toyota, BMW, Ford, In-
niti, KIA, Nissan, Honda, Chev-
rolet and Cadillac. The exclusive
offers are valid until June 30, 2017.
Watani Investment Co remains committed to supporting Kuwaits public sector: Al-Hamad
Photo from the event.
strongest businesswomen across the
country.
Minister of State for Cabinet
Affairs and Acting Minister of
Information, Sheikh Mohammed
Al Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sa-
bah, and President of Arab Pub-
lisher House and Publisher of
Forbes Middle East, Dr Nasser
Bin Aqeel Al Tayyar, presented
the prestigious award to Acting
Chief Executive Officer at KIB,
Mohamed Said El Saka. This
exclusive ceremony brought to-
gether heads of the regions top
public and private companies, as
well as local and regional diplo-
matic entities.
On this occasion, El Saka ex-
pressed his delight at receiving
this prestigious award on behalf of
KIB, placing the Bank on the list
of the most prominent listed nan-
Gulf Bank representatives are
available at all car dealers across
Kuwait, to present the best services
and facilities to the banks custom-
ers and non-customers when pur-
chasing their dream car.
Gulf Bank will continue to
embark on collaborations with
car dealers to present the best
offers to its customers through-
out the year,
in its effort to
cater to its cus-
tomers various
needs while
offering the
best services.
To nd out more about Gulf
Banks promotions and offers, cus-
tomers can visit one of Gulf Banks
56 branches; contact the Customer
Contact Centre on 1805805, or log
on to the Banks bilingual website
at www.e-gulfbank.com.
Burgan Bank recently launched a
new summer promotion offering
its cardholders the chance to win
back their spending when using
their cards locally and internation-
ally.
The summer promotion is de-
signed as a three month campaign
starting from June 1st to Aug 31st
2017, creating opportunities for more
winners, where ve winners will be
announced every month who will
be refunded with their transactions
cial institutions in Kuwait. He also
stressed that this accolade is a clear
reection of KIBs important role
in the local banking sector, as it
continuously contributes to the de-
velopment and advancement of the
nation through greater economic
diversication.
He added that KIB is a rm be-
liever that private institutions play
a key role in supporting the growth
and stability of Kuwaits economy.
Accordingly, the Bank constantly
works to innovate and develop its
banking solutions to suit the di-
verse needs of the market, doing so
while strictly adhering to Shariah
law. He concluded by congratulat-
ing all companies, as well as indi-
viduals, who were honored during
the ceremony, and wished them
many more successes and achieve-
ments in the future.
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Kuwait
Finance House (KFH), in association
with Visa, is the rst bank in Kuwait
to launch Visa Checkout (VCO), a
service, which enables quick, safe
and secure online payment.
Group General Manager Retail
Banking at KFH, Fadi Chalouhi
said that this innovative service is
offered to KFHs credit and prepaid
cardholders as part of the banks
initiative to enhance e-payment
methods.
For consumers and online retail-
ers, Visa Checkout offers an easy
and secure way to pay online. En-
rolling in Visa Checkout is intuitive
and simple, and customers can use
any KFH Visa credit or prepaid card
or even other KFH branded cards to
make purchases from a desktop, lap-
top, tablet or mobile device. Once
enrolled, customers simply provide
their username and password to
complete the payment process with-
out ever having to leave the mer-
chants website.
He added that KFH customers can
visit KFH.com, click Enroll Now
on the Visa Checkout page and fol-
low the simple steps to add a KFH
credit or prepaid card, and enjoy the
quick, easy and more convenient pay-
ment method for customers in a very
secure manner.
Chalouhi indicated that KFH strat-
egy focuses on offering innovative
banking services and products to its
customers, while continuously keep-
ing abreast with latest banking tech-
nology in order to meet the aspiration
of its customers and maintain the
banks pioneering position as a world
leading Islamic nancial institution.
Visa Checkout now has more than
20 million consumer accounts, hun-
dreds of thousands of large and small
merchants across 26 countries includ-
ing the UAE in the region.
Fadi Chalouhi
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
32
Burgan Bank offers cardholders chances to win cash back
amount at a maximum refund of KD transactions only.
1,000. Burgan Bank ATM and credit
Customers who spend more will cards accommodate customers
have higher chances of winning. As different needs with exibility and
such, with every international trans- convenience for all nancial trans-
action, they will receive two chances actions. For more information on
to enter the draw while every local Burgan Bank products or services,
transaction provides them with one customers can contact the personal
such opportunity. All credit card hold- banking executive at the branch, or
ers who make local or international contact the call center on 1804080.
transactions will be eligible to partici- For more information, customers can
pate in the draw, while ATM cardhold- also log onto the banks website on
ers will be eligible with international www.burgan.com.
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Watani In-
vestment Company K.S.C.C (NBK
CAPITAL) is pleased to announce
Kuwait National Petroleum Compa-
nys (KNPC) signing of $6.2bn (KD
2.0bn) Export Credit Agency (ECA)
backed corporate borrowing to fund
the completion of the Clean Fuels Pro-
ject (CFP).
Following the signing of the KD
1.2bn ($4bn) corporate loan facility in
April 2016, NBK CAPITAL continued
to carry out its role, as the Exclusive Fi-
nancial Advisor to KNPC, by securing
the second tranche of KNPCs external
debt nancing geared towards funding
the completion of the CFP. KNPCs
solid credit standing and strategic im-
portance to the State of Kuwait, facili-
tated the transactions success. Faisal Al-Hamad Rani Selwanes
Supported by a regionally unri-
valed credit, the transaction involved Chief Executive Ofcer of NBK CAP- tion of seven ECAs located in Japan,
the following ECAs; Her Britannic ITAL said: The NBK Group, along South Korea, Italy, Netherlands, and
Majestys Secretary of State acting with NBK CAPITAL, are delighted the United Kingdom and 11 global
through the Export Credits Guarantee to have been able to support KNPC banking institutions.
Department (operating as UK Export in the planning and execution of this On NBK CAPITALs Investment
Finance UKEF), Korea Trade In- landmark and historic transaction. I am Banking Services, Selwanes added
surance Corporation (K-sure), The also extremely proud of the quality and Proven by NBK CAPITALs regional
Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEX- effort of our transaction team. track record and unmatched interna-
IM), SACE S.p.A (SACE), Japan Al-Hamad added, This is an impor- tional experience, we will continue to
Bank For International Cooperation tant milestone and a major step forward support the government needs includ-
(JBIC), Nippon Export and Invest- for the oil sector and we hope to witness ing, but not limited to, arranging senior
ment Insurance (NEXI) and Atradi- its continued success and evolution. bank nancing, debt capital market is-
us Dutch State Business (Atradius).
Notwithstanding the rapidly uc-
tuating market conditions, KNPC se-
NBK CAPITAL remain committed
to supporting Kuwaits public sector,
whether at the sovereign or quasi-sov-
suances (bonds and sukuk), and other
nancial advisory services.
By way of background, Clean Fuels
cured long tenor borrowings composed ereign level for their future strategic ini- Project is one of the strategic projects
of a combination of direct and covered/ tiatives that require NBK CAPITALs of Kuwait National Petroleum Com-
insured facilities. The covered/insured specialized advisory services. pany and Kuwait at large, which is
facilities had an overwhelming de- Furthermore, Rani Selwanes Man- aimed at upgrading and expanding the
mand from various nancial institu- aging Director and Head of Invest- existing KNPC two reneries at Mina
tions located regionally and interna- ment Banking Group concluded in Abdulla and Mina Al-Ahmadi. The
tionally. saying, This is the largest corporate project will help increase conversion
On the successful signing of the nance transaction under ECA cover. of fuel oil to higher value products in
Common Terms Agreement and the The successful signing was achieved order to meet expected market demand
Loan Agreement, Faisal Al-Hamad through the engagement and coopera- and tighter specications.
Sheikh Dr Khaled Al-Mathkoor during a seminar.
AUB Ramadan TV ad AUB staff visiting the hospital.
Bank offering charitable, religious, social welfare activities during Ramadan
AUB launches unique social program
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Ahli such as issuing the Imsakiya prior AUB added: In line with AUBs
United Bank (AUB) announced the
launch of its social program dur-
to Ramadan, as well as driving an
employee religious seminar under
commitment towards charity work
that is in line with the Holy Month
ing the Holy Month of Ramadan, the name How do we get ready for of Ramadan, the Banks social pro-
through which it offers a number
of charitable, cultural, religious and
Ramadan?, delivered by Sheikh Dr.
Khaled Al-Mathkoor, AUBs Chair-
gram includes a number of social ini-
tiatives which include visits by staff
social welfare activities, in order to man of the Fatwa and Shariah Su- to children in hospitals, distributing
play an active role in serving the pervisory Board. Many employees gifts with an objective of easing their
community. attended the seminar. pain, and bringing more joy and hap-
Ahli United Bank declared its The Bank has organized its Rama- piness to them throughout the month.
keenness to develop its social pro- dan Quran Recitation Competition, The Bank also encourages its em-
gram for the month of Ramadan, which is being held for the third con- ployees who are interested in volun-
year after year, to ensure the best ac- secutive year. This year, the compe- teering to participate, in such social
tivities that t the nature of the Holy tition has been developed to include work.
Month and deepen the Banks asso- four primary categories: male and AUB, in collaboration with social
ciation with the community. female employees, staff members volunteering groups, will hold a num-
This year, the Bank has launched a children and the public, for children ber of activities that include distribut-
TV commercial to celebrate the Holy whose ages range between 6 to four- ing food and clothes to less fortunate
Month of Ramadan, carrying a wel- teen years old. families along with a number of visits
come message, Ramadan is here, In an effort to promote and encour- to the elderly in homes and distribut-
The message focuses on the values age religious awareness through me- ing gifts and Girgean.
that unite us in Ramadan, such as vis- dia, AUB will support the prominent AUB concluded, We believe
iting family and relatives, celebrat- Hadith program Ahadith Wa Ebar, in the importance of social giving,
ing with children on the occasion of which is broadcasted on Al Rai TV and as a leading nancial institution
Girgean, as well as exchanging greet- throughout the month of Ramadan, that operates in line with the Islamic
ings, congratulations, and spreading and is presented by Sheikh Dr. Ab- Shariah, we are committed to inter-
joy and happiness in the hearts of all. dulaziz Al Qassar, a member of acting with our local community and
AUB said in a press release: Our AUBs Fatwa and Shariah Super- supporting its well-being throughout
social program throughout the month visory Board. The program aims to the month of Ramadan, a time when
of Ramadan includes an extensive thoroughly address a chosen number good deeds are expected, and to help
array of activities and initiatives of Hadiths. people in need.

BUSINESS
Bridges quits
UK-based nancial broker NEX
Group said its nance head, Stuart
Bridges, had stepped down from
the board and would leave the com-
pany later in the year.
Samantha Wren, currently the
chief commercial ofcer for NEX
Markets, has been appointed to the
role of chief nancial ofcer, NEX
Group said. Bridges, who joined
NEX Group in 2009 when it was
known as ICAP, took on the role of
CFO in September 2015. (RTRS)
China factories hum in shadow of debt risk
Moodys raises global outlook
HONG KONG, May 31,
(RTRS): Chinas industrial
engine cranked up again
in May, reassuring inves-
tors worried about slow-
ing growth in the worlds
second-biggest economy as
it grappled with debt risks
and tried to shake off a
stinging ratings downgrade
from Moodys Investors
Service.
Moodys sees an improving
global outlook even as it warned
of a slowdown in China later in the
year as liquidity-tightening mea-
sures take effect.
The ratings agency said the biggest
risks to global growth, including pro-
tectionism and European Union exits,
seemed to have subsided, although an
opinion poll in Britain pointed to the
danger of a hung parliament in elec-
tions next week.
Moodys expects 2017 growth for
China at 6.6 percent, in line with the
ofcial target of at least 6.5 percent.
Chinas ofcial Purchasing Manag-
ers Index (PMI) eased worries about a
sudden slowdown after a run of weak
readings of April data. The PMI was at
51.2 in May, steady from Aprils 51.2
70% of phase 1 and 2 of the project has been sold out
Sobha Hartland adopts green city standards
DUBAI, May 31: Sobha Group, the
leading premium real estate devel-
oper has adopted the norms of sus-
tainability and green city standards
within Sobha Hartland the only
fully integrated freehold commu-
nity on the Dubai Water Canal. The
resort-style luxury housing project,
encompasses 8 million square feet
of freehold community in Mohamed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum City and is a
$4 bn mixed-use development strate-
gically located in the heart of Dubai.
Surrounded by 2.4 million square
feet (30%) of greenery and set along
the Dubai Water Canal, Sobha Hart-
land encompass a limited collection
of ultra-contemporary villas, town-
houses, modern mid & high-rise
apartments. The development offers
a range of luxury products cater-
ing to both individuals and families
alike looking for the ideal homes in
Dubai. The development has com-
menced with the launch of Hartland
Greens, Hartland Townhouses and
Hartland Estates.
Each offering in Sobha Hart-
land are Smart Home enabled. The
Hartland Estates villas are inbuilt
with infrastructure required to make
your villa fully automated. All
controls of the villa like AC, light,
music, curtains can be controlled
by an ipad. The villas also offer full
variable lighting option wherein an
end-user can choose the scene set-
TIIP: US open to resuming talks with EU
WASHINGTON, May 31, (AFP):
The United States is open to re-
suming talks with the European
Union on the Transatlantic Trade
and Investment Partnership, a se-
nior US ofcial said Tuesday.
It makes sense to continue TTIP
negotiations and to work towards a
solution that increases overall trade
while reducing our trade decit,
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur
Ross said on CNBC.
ABK holds its 56th weekly draw
Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) held
its 56th Double Your Salary weekly
draw on May 23, 2017 at the Banks
Head Ofce in the presence of a
representative from the Ministry of
Commerce, announcing the names
of the winners. The promotion in-
cludes weekly draws, with two win-
ners per draw. The campaign will
run until 27th June, 2017.
The winners were:
Ibrahim Amara Sulaiman Ibrahim,
Farwaniya Branch
and up versus forecasts of 51.0 in a Re-
uters poll.
The latest ofcial PMI readings
add to broader evidence that down-
ward pressure on growth has eased
lately, said Julian Evans-Pritchard,
China Economist at Capital Econom-
ics.
Looking ahead, however, we sus-
pect that the current stability ... will
prove temporary. With the regula-
tory crackdown on nancial risks still
weighing on credit growth, it will be
difcult to avoid a further slowdown in
the coming months.
Private surveys on factory activity
for most Asian economies will be re-
leased on Thursday.
Chinese stocks, edged higher and
the onshore yuan hit a four-month high
against the dollar.
Activity in Chinas steel indus-
try grew at the fastest pace in a year
in May, supported by an increase in
new orders. The steel sector PMI rose
to 54.8 from 49.1 in April, climbing
above the 50-point mark that separates
growth from contraction.
Trade headwinds remain a risk, with
US President Donald Trumps admin-
istration keen to tackle what it regards
as Chinas unfair and illegal sales of how far Chinese authorities will go in
underpriced steel.
The steel sector helped drive Chi-
nas strong rst-quarter growth, but the
reliance on the investment-led model
has raised questions about whether
Hartland Estates villas
PNC Menon, Chairman, Sobha
Group
ting in each room by either using full
brightness or minimum dim lighting.
Both investors and end-users look-
ing at investing in Sobha Hartland
will also have added options to avail
of L-shaped villas which provide
maximum privacy from neighboring
units with spacious private gardens
and large decks and pool. Clear glass
is used in all the villas where the
Visual Light Transmission (VLT)
percentage is higher to maintain the
inow of natural light inside but at
Its no mistake that, while we
withdrew from TPP (the Trans-
Pacic Partnership trade deal with
Pacic Rim economies) we did not
withdraw from TTIP, Ross said.
The remarks marked a shift for the
administration of President Donald
Trump and come as the United States
and Germany clash on policies includ-
ing diplomacy and trade.
Launched in 2013, negotiations
on the TTIP, which would set up a
Ahmad Abduljaleel Ibrahim Abu
Zayed, Sharq Branch
New customers who transfer their
salary to ABK receive KD 100 and
will automatically be entered into the
weekly draws to double their salaries.
Existing customers who are already
transferring their salary to ABK are
entered into a separate draw.
For more information about Al
Ahli Bank of Kuwait please visit eah-
li.com or contact a customer service
agent via Ahlan Ahli at 1899899.
China still treats foreign firms unfairly, says EU lobby group
BEIJING, May 31, (AFP): Doing
business in China remains difcult
for many European companies and
most are still being treated unfairly,
a lobby group said Wednesday,
undermining Beijings claims that it
welcomes foreign investment.
China is facing growing pressure
to provide a level playing eld and
increase market access for over-
seas rms who have long com-
plained about the countrys hostile
and biased business environment.
The survey comes ahead of
an EU-China talks in Brussels on
Thursday where two-way invest-
ment and trade will be high on the
agenda.
In recent months Chinese lead-
ers have taken the mantle to de-
it will be sustainable given ofcial
pledges to cut debt levels of nearly 300
percent of GDP.
In cutting Chinas sovereign rating
for the rst time in nearly 30 years last
week, Moodys cited the contradiction
between using stimulus to meet growth
targets and trying to reduce debt in the
economy.
The big question for investors is
six years, taking production to its high-
their attempts to curb bubble risks.
Most analysts argue that Beijing will
tread carefully for fear of knocking the
economy hard, though investors worry
that a signicant credit contraction in
the same time also helps in blocking
the heat. VLT refers to the amount
of visible light that passes through a
glazing system, in this case the glass
panels used in the villa.
70% of phase 1 & 2 in Sobha Hart-
land have been sold out. The devel-
opment will provide both investors
and end-users with natural panoram-
ic views, world-class amenities and
Dubais top attractions like the Burj
Khalifa, Meydan Mall, Downtown
etc are just 3km away. The commu-
nity also includes a country club, two
international schools (one of which
is now operational), three boutique
hotels, premium restaurants, retail
outlets and leisure activities.
Phase 3 of the project will be
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ment and villas are ready and avail-
able for viewing at the Hartland
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PNC Menon, Founder and Chair-
man, Sobha Group, said, With a
legacy of 41 years in the region the
brand is synonymous to quality and
this propels us to introduce higher
standard of living and smarter tech-
nologies in our homes. As one of the
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tage of having a residential develop-
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setting right in the heart of the city.
huge free trade area on both sides
of the Atlantic, screeched to a halt
when Trump was elected on a cam-
paign that went heavy on protec-
tionist talk and policies.
One of Trumps earliest such
moves was to back the US with-
drawal from another free trade
agreement, the TPP, which had been
signed by the United States with 11
countries in the Asia-Pacic region,
including Japan and Australia.
fend free trade and denounce
protectionism as the United States
retreats into America First policies
under Donald Trump.
But the results of the latest busi-
ness condence survey by the
European Union Chamber of Com-
merce in China suggest Beijing has
a long way to go before its rhetoric
matches reality.
Forty-nine percent of the 570 re-
spondents said operating in China
became more difcult in 2016, a
slight pick-up from the previous
years reading of 56 percent.
But 45 percent said conditions
were about the same, up from 38
percent a year earlier.
A steady six percent said there
had been an improvement.
China will reverberate through nan-
cial markets and the global economy.
Moodys said it expected G20 econo-
mies, which account for 78 percent of the
global economy, to collectively grow at
an annual rate of 3.1 percent this year and
next, from 2.6 percent in 2016.
In a positive sign, factory output in
Japan, the worlds third-biggest econ-
omy, grew at the fastest pace in almost
est level since 2008.
South Koreas industrial output de-
clined unexpectedly, however, adding
an element of uncertainty for the cen-
tral bank, which plans to upgrade its
Still the fastest rate of growth of any major economy
Indias annual growth slows to 7.1%
NEW DELHI, May 31, (AFP): In-
dias growth slowed to 7.1 percent
last year, according to ofcial data
released Wednesday, weaker than
analysts expected but still the fastest
rate of growth of any major economy.
GDP growth for the 12 months end-
ed March 31 was well below a revised
gure of eight percent for the previous
year, and follows the governments
shock move last November to ban most
of the currency in circulation.
This is a sharper deterioration than
what I expected, Ashutosh Datar,
economist at IIFL Institutional Equi-
ties, told AFP.
The fourth quarter (6.1 percent) is
a bit weaker than what I expected.
However the country of 1.25 billion
is still reporting faster growth than ri-
val China, at 6.7 percent in 2016.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
defended his move to remove all 500
(around $7.50) and 1,000 rupee notes
from circulation as a necessary strike
against corruption.
The government argues it will
Lucky winners bag KD 1,000 prize each for week May 21-25
Gulf Bank names winners of Al Danah draws
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Gulf Bank
held its Al Danah daily draws on 28
May 2017 announcing the names of
its winners for the week of May 21
25, 2017. The Al Danah daily draws
include draws every working day for
two prizes of KD 1,000 per winner.
The winners were: (Sunday 21/5):
Sameer AbdulQader Naji Bedair,
Haitham Abdulredha Abdulla Ka-
kooli; (Monday 22/5): Latifa Moham-
med Bader Al-Bader, Bader Fallah
Abdulkarim Abdulkarim; (Tuesday
23/5): Mohsen Abdulkareem Edrees
Al-Mansour, Esraa Sayed Mahmoud
Sayed Al-Zelzelah; (Wednesday
24/5): Raghad Sulaiman Khaleel
Al-Kurdi, Dunia Mahmoud Odeh;
(Thursday 25/5): Dana Ali Ibraheem
Al-Ghareeb, Amira Abdulsaheb Has-
san.
Gulf Banks Al Danah 2017 draw
lineup includes daily draws (2 win-
ners per working day and each re-
ceive KD 1,000). Al Danahs 2nd
Quarterly draw for the prize of KD
250,000 will be held on 29 June and
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
And 54 percent said foreign-in-
vested companies were treated un-
fairly compared with their Chinese than 10 years, half said they felt
competitors, little changed from
previous years.
That was particularly obvious in
environmental regulation, with the
vast majority of European compa-
nies saying foreign rms were sub-
jected to far more stringent enforce-
ment than Chinese enterprises.
More than half said there had
been no increase in market access
in their industry, unchanged from
the previous survey.
European companies are not
afraid of competition, they just want
to compete on a level playing eld,
said Mats Harborn, president of the
lobby group.
2017 growth outlook from the current
2.6 percent.
One factor Moodys said had im-
proved the outlook was the election of
Emmanuel Macron as French Presi-
dent, which reduced the risk of a Eu-
ropean Union exit by a major country.
In Britain, which is negotiating its
exit from the bloc, a new constituency-
by-constituency modelling by YouGov
showed the Conservative Party might President Mario Draghi said euro zone
lose 20 of the 330 seats it holds while
the opposition Labour Party could gain
nearly 30 seats.
The news came after a string of opin-
ion polls showed a narrowing lead for
boost revenues by dissuading people
from using cash, which makes it easi-
er to avoid tax.
The move hit cash-dependent sec-
tors like real estate, jewellry and ag-
riculture, and triggered massive lines
outside banks in the weeks afterwards
as authorities struggled to print re-
placement notes fast enough.
Indias chief statistician, however,
rebuffed claims that the slowdown in
growth was a result of the note ban.
The argument that the number has
turned out low or it is a consequences
of the policy, those are statements I
would be much more cautious about
making, Indias chief statician TCA
Anant told reporters.
The economy is growing reason-
ably well ... these are relatively high
growth rates, he added.
While the full impact of the note ban
is still not known, analysts had expected
a pick-up in the fourth quarter as con-
sumers who had held back in the weeks
after the cash ban stepped up spending.
[The fourth quarter] clearly shows
A yer of Gulf Banks Al Danah weekly draws
the 3rd Quarterly Draw for the prize
of KD 500,000 will be held on Sept
28. The nal Al Danah draw for 1
Million Kuwaiti Dinars will be held
on Jan 11, 2018 whereby the Al Da-
nah Millionaire will be announced.
Five reasons why the Al Danah ac-
count is the Best:
1) Kuwaits single biggest yearly
cash prize of KD 1 Million
2) Kuwaits biggest quarterly cash
prizes, up to KD 500,000
3) Two winners of KD 1,000 every
working day
4) The most chances to win
5) Only Bank that transfers your
chances to win from the previous year
to the current year
Only Al Danah Makes Million-
aires.
Al Danah also offers a number of
unique services including: the Al Da-
nah Deposit Only ATM card which
helps account holders deposit their
money at their convenience; as well
as the Al Danah calculator to help
customers calculate their chances of
33
A yer of ABKs Double
Your Salary campaign.
Of the companies polled, most of
whom have been in China for more
less welcome than when they rst
entered the Chinese market.
Competition is also intensifying
with 60 percent of European compa-
nies expecting Chinese rms to close
the innovation gap by around 2020.
Chinese rms are catching up,
said Harborn.
The Chinese government
should feel comfortable that it does
not need to protect its industries.
Looking beyond 2017 European
companies are largely pessimistic,
with only 15 percent expecting reg-
ulatory obstacles to decrease and
40 percent expecting the situation
to worsen.
Theresa Mays Conservatives, shaking
investors condence that May would
easily win a majority in next weeks
national election.
Moodys singled out Britain as one
of the advanced economies that shows
signs of slowing, as Brexit-related un-
certainty weighs on consumer spend-
ing and investment.
On Monday, European Central Bank
growth may be improving but ination
remains subdued, arguing that the ex-
traordinary monetary policy support
was still needed to raise ination back
to the banks 2 percent target.
that demonetisation has had an impact
on the overall growth for the econo-
my, Sunil Sinha, principal economist
at Fitch India told AFP.
Now that cash is by and large back
in place, that condence is back with
consumers that they no longer have
to stand in queues and that cash will
be available when they need it, he
added.
In a report published earlier this
week the World Bank said the funda-
mentals of Indias economy remained
strong and predicted an uptick in the
economy with a national goods and
services tax due to be introduced on
July 1.
The move will likely yield sub-
stantial growth dividends from higher
efciencies and increase state rev-
enues in the long term, the bank re-
ported.
However, Aditi Nayar, principal
analyst at ratings rm ICRA, predict-
ed a muted pick up in growth with
GDP growth likely to increase by 10-
20 basispoints in FY 2017.
becoming an Al Danah winner.
Gulf Banks Al Danah account is
open to Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti
residents of Kuwait. Customers re-
quire a minimum of KD200 to open
an account and the same amount must
be maintained as for customers to be
eligible for the upcoming Al Danah
draws. If the customers account bal-
ance falls below KD200 at any given
time, a KD2 charge will be made on
a monthly basis to the account until
the minimum balance is met. Cus-
tomers who open an account and/ or
deposit more will enter the daily draw
within two days. To take part in the
Al Danah 2017 upcoming quarterly
and yearly draws, customers must
meet the required hold period for
each draw; customers can visit one
of Gulf Banks 56 branches, transfer
on line, or call the Customer Contact
Center on 1805805 for assistance and
guidance. Customers can also log on
to www.e-gulfbank.com/aldanahwin-
ners, to nd out more about Al Danah
and its winners.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
BUSINESS 34

Australia probes leak Name: Kuwait Sharia Bloomberg Todays Todays closing Prev closing % 1-week 3-month YTD 12-month 24-month
Index name ticker value as of value value change change change change change change
Compatible Indices Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Composite AMIC May 31, 2017 177.23 175.52 0.97% 1.62% -4.92% 6.20% 17.48% -2.37%
Australias corporate regulator said on Wednesday it is Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Kuwait Only AMIC May 31, 2017 169.47 167.74 1.03% 1.73% -3.98% 6.05% 15.68% -3.96%
investigating how details of a A$6.2 billion ($4.63 billion) Providers: Al Madar Finance Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Active
Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Banking Sector
AMIC
AMIC
May 31, 2017
May 31, 2017
83.21
261.12
82.89
258.57
0.39%
0.99%
-2.23%
0.69%
-17.55%
-12.77%
4.85%
-1.88%
19.25%
7.86%
-13.49%
-17.54%
banking levy were leaked, a disclosure that triggered a Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Investment Sector AMIC May 31, 2017 51.46 51.26 0.39% -1.75% -11.78% 9.53% 10.34% -20.57%
sell-down in the stocks of the countrys ve biggest banks. & Investment Co. Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Insurance Sector AMIC May 31, 2017 22.66 23.06 -1.73% -3.00% 3.52% 43.71% 39.27% -18.39%
We think this is important to market integrity, which Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Real Estate Sector AMIC May 31, 2017 49.93 49.60 0.67% -0.11% -6.61% 2.42% 7.87% -8.58%
goes to the heart of the Australian market, Australian
Description: Index of Sharia Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Industrial Sector AMIC May 31, 2017 144.64 143.45 0.83% 1.87% -4.11% 19.34% 20.08% 2.97%
Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Services Sector AMIC May 31, 2017 226.86 223.11 1.68% 4.37% 7.72% 14.92% 29.01% 12.44%
Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) Chairman compatible companies traded Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Food Sector AMIC May 31, 2017 388.83 388.92 -0.02% 0.40% 0.84% 2.29% 12.22% -1.41%
Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Islamic Sector AMIC May 31, 2017 132.33 131.52 0.62% 1.03% -11.80% 2.58% 15.96% -9.09%
Greg Medcraft told a parliamentary hearing in Canberra. Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Non Kuwaiti Sector AMIC May 31, 2017 489.17 489.14 0.01% -0.19% -18.53% 10.33% 68.86% 55.79%
The governments plans to slap a 6-basis point tax on on the KSE Kuwait Stock Exchange Index - Price KWSEIDX May 31, 2017 6,785.37 6,726.87 0.87% 1.23% 0.27% 18.05% 25.65% 7.83%
the banks liabilities were leaked to the media before the S&P 500 SPX May 30, 2017 2,412.91 2,415.82 -0.12% 0.60% 0.71% 7.78% 14.95% 14.50%
ofcial announcement on May 9. (RTRS) Website: www.almadar-fi.com DJ Islamic Index. DJIM May 30, 2017 3,276.03 3,271.18 0.15% 0.67% 5.48% 12.71% 14.68% 9.77%

Company facing 18 lawsuits in Japan for investment damages

Toshibas future imperiled on nuclear woes, dubious ethics

TOKYO, May 31, (AP): The future of
Toshiba Corp is imperiled over bal-
looning costs at its US nuclear unit
Westinghouse, which led for bank-
ruptcy protection last month. Behind
a great Japanese brands fall from
grace is a fateful decision to bank on
an expensive overseas purchase. And
no one had calculated on a nuclear ca-
tastrophe.
Price drops in oil and natural gas,
as well as beefed up safety regulations
that kicked in after the 2011 Fukushi-
ma disaster, are chipping away at the
appeal of nuclear power.
But perhaps more fateful was
Toshibas corporate culture of chas-
ing big money at the cost of ethics
and governance, already brewing
as it headed to the 2006 purchase of
Westinghouse, according to former
employees and observers.
In an embarrassingly unprecedent-
ed move, the Tokyo-based company,
long synonymous with Japans mod-
ernization, reported nancial results
this month without an audit. It had
earlier delayed it twice. It projected
a 1.01 trillion yen ($9.2 billion) loss
for the scal year ended in March, and
warned of substantial doubt about the
companys ability to continue as a go-
ing concern.
It was rst in the little things that Mu-
neo Morokuzu noticed signs of what he
saw as an erosion of accountability at
Toshiba. It hadnt always been that way.
During the early decades after he joined
Toshiba in 1970, he had been proud of
what he called a spirit of humanity
among the workers.
Toshibas history goes back nearly
a century and a half, rooted in tel-
egraphs and lamps. Its US history
spans more than 50 years. One of the
company founders, Ichisuke Fujioka,
a samurais son, brought the incandes-
cent light bulb to Japan, forging an al-
liance with General Electric, and came
to be known as the Thomas Edison
of Japan.
People at Toshiba, like Morokuzu,
were the chosen of Japan.
But Morokuzu began to see things
he found disturbing like packs of
company black limousines during out-
ings to golf courses. He didnt approve
of the use of company money for such
personal pleasure. He was aghast,
watching managers waving from their
limousine windows to the other work-
ers.
Its a problem when the border
between your own purse and the com-
pany purse becomes blurred, Mo-
rokuzu, who specialized in the nuclear
fuel cycle, and retired in 2006, told
The Associated Press.
He still believes nuclear power is vi-
able, if operated with smaller reactors
criticized as inefcient and expensive
but, he believes, are easier to control,
given the lessons of Chernobyl, Three
Mile and Fukushima.
Toshibas strategy of setting ambi-
tious prot targets, under the banner of
chuh-ren-jeeh, or challenge, came
in the years around the 2006 Westing-
house deal, Morokuzu recalled.
I feel so sad. The brand has been
tarnished. I hope Toshiba can pull to-
gether, he said.
In 2015, Toshiba acknowledged it
had systematically doctored its books
from 2008, spanning the rule of three
presidents. Inating prots was car-
ried out not only on one or two pro-
jects but across the board, according
to an investigation of the scandal by a
panel of outsiders set up by the com-
pany.
It had been with great fanfare that
Atsutoshi Nishida, Toshibas then
chief executive, announced the $5.4
billion acquisition of Westinghouse
from British Nuclear Fuels in 2006.
Other high-prole Japanese buyouts
in the United States, like Sony Corp.s
purchase of Columbia Pictures and
Mitsubishi Estate Co.s snapping up
Rockefeller Center, in those days had
gone sour, raising questions about the
ability of Japanese managers to deal
with overseas businesses.
The Westinghouse deal was imme-
diately criticized by analysts and the
local media as overpriced.
Id like to make this the rst suc-
cess story, Nishida condently told
reporters then.
Meanwhile, Toshiba was strug-
gling to differentiate its products in
consumer electronics. The television
business faced stiff competition from
low-cost Chinese manufacturers and
high-end Korean brands. Demand for
its personal computers fell in the face
of formidable Dell, Apple and Hewl-
ett-Packard of the US, Acer of Taiwan
and Chinas Lenovo.
Last year, Toshiba sold off its
household appliance business to
Midea Group of China, although the
Toshiba brand has continued. It is now
looking for a buyer of its mainstay
memory-chip business.
If Toshiba survives, it will likely
be left with infrastructure operations,
such as railways, power systems and
factory automation and ironically
nuclear power as it still needs to main-
tain and decommission reactors.
Toshiba has been involved in the
design of 17 reactors in Japan, includ-
ing two at Fukushima Dai-ichi plant,
whose reactors sank into meltdowns
after the March 2011 tsunami in north-
eastern Japan.
Auditors questioned its reporting
on the acquisition of CB&I Stone &
Webster by Toshibas US nuclear unit
Westinghouse. Four nuclear reactors
Westinghouse is helping to build in
South Carolina and Georgia are be-
hind schedule and billions of dollars
over budget.
Koichi Okamoto, professor of so-
ciology at Toyo Eiwa University
and governance expert, who has re-
searched Toshibas problems, believes
its downfall came mainly because of
misguided management, including
practices he says verged on power
harassment. The goals had become
unrealistic, and no one was stressing
ethics, he said.
If leaders at the top start violat-
ing compliance, then no one can stop
them. So bosses shouldnt talk about
prot too much because that is al-
ready understood, he said, noting that
Toshiba had become obsessed with
putting up the numbers. Big or small,
companies like that will eventually go
down.
The best workers began to quit
Toshiba, adding to the lack of govern-
ance, as only those who went along re-
mained, said Okamoto, who believes
nuclear power can be a good business
with proper leadership.
Toshiba now faces 18 lawsuits in
Japan, led by banks, individuals,
overseas investors and other parties
for investment damages stemming
from faulty management and account-
ing, totaling 32 billion yen ($290 mil-
lion).
Toshiba, in turn, is suing Nishida
and two subsequent presidents, for
damages over their responsibility in
the scandal. There has been no ruling.
One former Toshiba engineer, who
spoke to AP on condition of anonym-
ity because of his continued involve-
ment in the nuclear business, said his
colleagues had been skeptical about
the Westinghouse deal, seeing it as a
dangerous bet.
Nishidas background was not in
nuclear engineering but he was too
condent, he said, when the deal in
fact carried huge pitfalls, especially at
the acquisitions exorbitant price.
Once the costs started mounting,
management kept getting more des-
perate, trying to force a success and
things spiraled out of control, he said.

Layoffs rile Indias IT sector

Japans factory output rises
TOKYO, May 31, (AFP):
Japans factory output
in April rose at its fastest
pace in six years, govern-
ment data showed Wednes-
day, in the latest sign that
the economy is gathering
steam.
Industrial production expanded
4.0 percent, rebounding from a
decline in March and rising at its
quickest rate since June 2011 when
it grew 4.2 percent.
The gures come a day after sepa-
rate data showed consumer demand
remains weak despite years of govern-
ment efforts to boost spending.
Still, the latest output numbers are
good news for Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe, who swept to power in late 2012 on
a pledge to reignite Japans once-boom-
ing economy with a policy blitz compris-
ing massive monetary easing, stimulus
spending and structural reforms.
The gures show that produc-
tion will be strong in the April-June
quarter, underpinning the view that
Ultra-low jobless rate masks grim reality
the economy is on a recovery path,
Yoshiki Shinke, chief economist at
Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, told
AFP.
Japans prospects have been im-
proving on the back of strong exports,
with investment linked to the Tokyo
2020 Olympics also giving the worlds
number three economy a shot in the
arm.
Japans GDP notched up its fth
straight expansion in the rst quarter,
the longest string of gains since 2006.
The labour market is tight as sepa-
rate data on Tuesday showed the na-
tions jobless rate stayed at 2.8 percent
in April, the lowest in more than two
decades.
But private consumption, which ac-
counts for more than a half of Japans
GDP, remains lacklustre as cash-rich
rms have been reluctant to usher in
big pay hikes.
Japan has been struggling to defeat
years of on-off deation and slow
growth that followed the collapse of an
equity and property market bubble in
the early 1990s.
The Bank of Japan has struggled to
lift ination despite years of aggres-
sive monetary easing.
Ination data released last week
showed consumer prices rose for the
fourth straight month in April but it
was due largely to higher energy bills.
The rise, which came in at 0.3 per-
cent, was still way off the BoJs 2.0
percent ination target -- seen as cru-
cial to conquering deation blamed
for holding back the once-booming
economy.
Meanwhile, Japanese employers are
scrambling to nd staff, unemploy-
ment is at its lowest level in more than
two decades and the labour market
is tighter than it was during Japans
booming bubble economy years.
This should be great news for the
worlds number three economy, but
analysts are warning not to pop the
champagne quite yet because it is
mostly due to a shrinking labour force.
And many jobs are temporary and pay
very little.
Japan tied with Iceland in 2016 for
the lowest annual unemployment rate
-- 3.1 percent -- among 35 member
nations of the Organisation for Eco-
nomic Co-operation and Development
(OECD).
MUMBAI, May 31, (AFP): Ex-
perienced Indian techie Raghu
Narayanaswamy lost his job re-
cently and fears he may not get
another, as analysts warn of mas-
sive layoffs across the countrys
This week Japanese government multi-billion-dollar information
technology sector.
gures showed the jobless rate at 2.8
percent in April for the third consecu- IT outsourcing has long been
tive month and the lowest since 1994. one of Indias agship industries
but experts say automation, a
Another key labour market meas-
failure to keep up with new tech-
urement -- the ratio of job offers to job
seekers -- hit 1.48, meaning there were nologies and US President Donald
148 positions available for every 100 Trumps clampdown on visas is
creating industry-wide upheaval.
job hunters.
Indias business dailies have
This is the strongest level in 43
years and is higher than before Japans reported that major IT rms are
once-booming economy collapsed gradually laying off thousands of
from a stock and real estate price bub- staff while research has claimed
ble in the early nineties. that hundreds of thousands of jobs
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may could disappear in the next four
claim Japans employment picture as a years, although the companies
win for his Abenomics growth policy themselves have refused to com-
-- the jobless rate was 4.4 percent in ment on numbers.
2012, the year he swept to power on a Narayanaswamy was caught up
ticket to reignite the laggard economy. in the turmoil in March when he
But analysts are not convinced. was let go from one of Indias top
Low unemployment is not an IT companies after 11 years of ser-
achievement of Abenomics, said Ivan vice. He says his future prospects
Tselichtchev, an economics professor appear bleak.
at Japans University of Niigata. I have been nding it extreme-
It is a structural phenomena and, ly difcult to nd a job these past
unlike most other developed countries few months, the 40-year-old, who
it looks quite independent, or autono- is based in Indias commercial
mous from the business cycle and eco- capital Mumbai, told AFP.
nomic growth rates.
Indias IT sector boomed for
more than two decades as West-
ern companies subcontracted work
to rms like Infosys, Wipro and
Tech Mahindra, taking advantage
of their skilled English-speaking
workforce.
The industry employs nearly
four million Indians and rakes in
revenues of move than $150 bil-
lion, according to the trade body
National Association of Software
and Services Companies (Nass-
com).
Although layoffs are not un-
common in the industry, particu-
larly in the nal quarter of the -
nancial year, union chiefs say staff
are being made redundant in un-
precedented numbers this year as
rms deal with narrowing prots.
Companies are unwilling to
talk about the layoffs or how many
techies have been served notice to
leave as part of their annual apprais-
al, J.S.R. Prasad, chairman of the
National Confederation of Unions
of IT Employees, told AFP.
Indias top IT companies have
been complaining for a while
about the difculty of picking up
new clients as businesses explore
automation, robotics and innova-
tive technologies such as cloud
computing.

investment funds
Funds Fund Manager Valuation
Net Asset Prev NAV Valued date
Prev NAV Dated Currency Funds Fund Manager Valuation
Net Asset Prev NAV Valued date
Prev NAV Dated Currency
Value (NAV) Value (NAV)

National Bank of Kuwait Index Funds GCC Large Cap Index Fund Global Weekly April 26, 2017 KD 1.152 1.191 April 13, 2017
Equity Funds Al-Mamoun Fund A Global Weekly April 26, 2017 KD 0.635 0.652 April 13, 2017
Money Market Funds
Watani KD Money Market Fund II NBK Capital Weekly May 23, 2017 KD 1.026 1.024 April 11, 2017 Al-Mamoun Fund B Global Weekly April 26, 2017 KD 0.635 0.652 April 13, 2017
Watani USD Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly March 23, 2017 USD 10.210 10.202 April 11,, 2017 GCC Large Cap Fund Global Bi-weekly April 25, 2017 USD 144.980 146.310 April 11, 2017
Watani KD Money Market Fund (Acc Al-Noor Fund Global Bi-weekly Jan 31, 2017 SAR 197.090 197.090 Jan 24, 2017
to Islamic Shariah principles) II NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly March 23, 2017 KD 1.024 1.023 April 11, 2017 Global Saudi Equity Fund Global Bi-weekly April 25, 2017 SAR 206.000 208.630 April 11, 2017
Watani USD Money Market Fund (Acc Money Market Funds Global Money Market Fund Global Weekly Nov 20, 2016 USD 1.160
to Islamic Shariah principles) II NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly March 23, 2017 USD 10.070 10.070 April 11, 2017 Sectoral Funds EPADI Fund Global Weekly April 25, 2017 USD 107.150 108.510 April 11, 2017
NBK Kuwait Equity Fund Watani Investment Co. Weekly March 18, 2017 KD 0.644 0.670 March 23, 2017 Islamic Funds Global GCC Islamic Fund Global Weekly April 25, 2017 USD 98.360 100.140 April 11, 2017
Gulf Equity Investment Fund Watani Investment Co. Weekly March 18, 2017 USD 11.080 10.105 March 23, 2017 Al-Durra Islamic Fund Global Monthly April 26, 2017 KD 1.169 1.197 April 13, 2017

Gulf Bank Kuwait Finance & Investment Co (KFIC)
Al Bashaer GCC Equity Fund Kwt. Fin. & Inv. Co. & Gulf Fin. House Monthly April 30, 2017 USD 6.973 7.037 March 28, 2017 Al Wasm Fund KFIC Weekly March 16, 2017 KD 0.420 0.421 Feb 15, 2017
Coast Fund Coast Investment & Dev. Co. Monthly March 28, 2017 KD 0.666 0.672 Feb 28, 2017 Al Bashaer GCC Equity Fund KFIC Monthly Feb 28, 2017 USD 7.073 6.853 Dec 31, 2016
Sanaya Dow Jones Kuwait Index Fund Industrial & Financial Investment Co. Weekly Jan 26, 2017 KD 0.561 0.561 Dec 30, 2016
Markaz Capital Preservation Program 1 Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD 0.912 0.917 Dec 31, 2016
Markaz Capital Preservation Program 2 Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD 0.942 0.940 Dec 31, 2016
KAMCO
KAMCO Investment Fund KAMCO Monthly Jan 31, 2017 KD 1.065 0.889 Nov 30, 2016
Markaz Gulf Real Estate Fund Bi-annual Feb 28, 2017 KD 1.417 1.418 Jan 31, 2017
KAMCO GCC Opportunities Fund KAMCO Monthly July 31, 2016 USD 115.890 114.380 Feb 29, 2016

KAMCO MENA Plus Fixed Income Fund KAMCO March 31, 2017 USD 11.840 12.551 Jan 31, 2017
Al Ahli Bank KAMCO Real Estate Yield Fund KAMCO March 31, 2017 USD 10.320 10.220 Jan 31, 2017
Al Ahli Gulf Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 0.901 0.894 March 31, 2017 Kuwait Education Fund KAMCO Quartely Sept 30, 2016 KD 1.457
Al Ahli Kuwaiti Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 0.802 0.812 March 31, 2017

Wafra International Investment Co.

Burgan Bank Wafra Equity Fund Wafra Co. Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 0.891 0.902 Feb 28, 2017
Burgan Equity Fund Burgan Bank Monthly April 23, 2017 KD 1.772 1.809 March 26, 2017 Wafra Bond Fund Wafra Co. Monthly March 30, 2017 KD 1.037 1.034 Feb 28, 2017
Masaref Investment Fund ISKAN Weekly April 30, 2017 KD 0.817 0.816 Feb 28, 2017
Fajir Islamic Fund Wafra Co. Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 0.659 0.675 Feb 28, 2017
Boubyan Bank
Boubyan KD Money Market Fund Boubyan Bank Weekly May 2, 2017 KD 1.062 1.062 April 25, 2017
Boubyan KD Money Market Fund II Boubyan Bank Weekly May 2, 2017 KD 1.008 1.008 April 25, 2017 Shuaa Capital Co.
Emirates Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Weekly Feb 7, 2017 AED 15.110 15.070 Jan 31, 2017
The Arab Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Weekly Feb 7, 2017 USD 28.160 29.040 Jan 31, 2017
Boubyan Capital Investment Co.
Boubyan USD Liquidity Fund Boubyan Capital Investment Co May 2, 2017 USD 10.200 10.200 April 25, 2017
Boubyan Multi-Asset Holding Fund Boubyan Bank April 30, 2017 USD 10.530 10.530 April 25, 2017 Al Aman Investment
Al Aman Islamic Fund Al Aman Investment Weekly April 30, 2017 KD 0.341 0.342 Dec 31, 2016

Kuwait Investment Co.
Local Fund Al Raed Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly May 18, 2017 KD 0.985 0.982 May 14, 2017 Tharwa Investment Co.
Kuwait Investment Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly April 30, 2017 KD 0.688 0.694 March 30, 2017 Tharwa Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Weekly May 5, 2017 KD 1.391 1.379 March 13, 2017
Al Hilal Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 0.540 0.540 April 29, 2017 Tharwa Arab Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Bi-weekly July 31, 2016 USD 1.977 2.251 June 30, 2016
Al Atheer Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly April 30, 2017 KD 1.095 1.095 March 31, 2017 Tharwa World Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly March 31, 2016 USD 1.024 0.986 March 15, 2016
International Global Bond Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly May 17, 2017 USD 25.050 24.840 April 26, 2017 Tharwa Islamic Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly May 5, 2017 KD 0.573 0.571 March 13, 2017
Diversified Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly May 17, 2017 USD 19.370 19.280 May 10, 2017
European Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly April 28, 2017 Euro 21.530 20.800 April 26, 2017 Bank Al-Bilad
Pacific Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly May 17, 2017 USD 30.650 30.430 May 10, 2017 Al Seef Fund Bank Al-Bilad Daily May 21, 2017 KD 0.400 0.403 May 7, 2017
North American Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Tw. Monthly April 28, 2017 USD 18.370 18.260 March 31, 2017

Commercial International Bank

National Investment Co. (NIC) CIB Money Market Fund (Osoul) CI Asset Management Weekly May 31, 2017 EGP 291.050 290.960 May 25, 2017
Al-Wataniya Fund NIC Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 0.604 0.613 Feb 28, 2017
CIB II Equity (Isthethmar) CI Asset Management Weekly May 31, 2017 EGP 145.350 142.050 May 25, 2017
Al-Darij Fund NIC Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 0.353 0.355 Feb 28, 2017
CIB and Faisal Islamic Al Aman CI Asset Management Weekly May 31, 2017 EGP 81.440 79.450 May 25, 2017
Mawarid Fund NIC Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 0.506 0.513 Feb 28, 2017
Hemaya CI Asset Management Weekly May 2, 2017 EGP 172.900 172.460 April 2, 2017
Zajil Fund NIC Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 0.752 0.744 Feb 28, 2017
Thabat CI Asset Management Weekly May 31, 2017 EGP 172.900 171.660 May 25, 2017
Al Mada Investment Fund NIC Weekly April 30, 2017 USD 0.766 0.773 Feb 28, 2017
Takamol CI Asset Management Weekly May 31, 2017 EGP 139.630 137.670 May 25, 2017

Misr El Mostakbel CI Asset Management Weekly May 28, 2017 EGP 24.580 24.370 May 21, 2017
Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz)
Mumtaz Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly May 18, 2017 KD 3 .912 4.045 April 13, 2017
MIDAF Kuwait Financial Center Weekly May 18, 2017 KD 2.993 3.086 April 13, 2017
Noor Financial Investment Co.
Noor Islamic Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly Feb 29, 2016 KD 0.613 0.645 Dec 31, 2015
Islamic Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly May 18, 2017 KD 1.547 1.596 April 13, 2017

Markaz Arabian Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Nov 10, 2016 KD 2.990 2.920 Nov 3, 2016
FORSA Financial Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly March 31, 2017 KD 0.954 0.972 Feb 28, 2017 Al Zumorroda Investment Co.
Real Estate Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly March 31, 2017 KD 1.415 1.412 April 13, 2017 Zumorroda GCC Fund Al Zumorroda Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2016 KD 0.481 0.543 Dec 31, 2015
Markaz Fixed Income Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly May 18, 2017 USD 11.570 10.970 April 13, 2017
Mawazeen International Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly March 26, 2017 USD 9.050 9.140 March 19, 2017 KFH Capital Investment Co.
Markaz MENA Islamic Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly May 18, 2017 USD 10.660 10.640 April 13, 2017 Muthanna Islamic Index Fund (MUDX) KFH Capital Investment Company Daily Feb 28, 2017 KD 0.357 0.354 Jan 31, 2017
Muthanna GCC Islamic Banks Fund KFH Capital Investment Company Daily Feb 28, 2017 KD 0.683 0.673 Jan 31, 2017
Kuwait & Middle East Financial & Inv. Co. Baitak GCC Fund KFH Capital Investment Company Weekly Feb 28, 2017 KD 0.916 0.957 Jan 31, 2017
Al Rouyah Fund KMEFIC Monthly April 30, 2017 KD 1.371 1.386 March 31, 2017
Gulf Gate Fund KMEFIC Monthly Oct 31, 2016 KD 0.944 0.918 Sept 30, 2016 CapCorp Investment Co.
CapCorp Local Fund CapCorp Investment Company Weekly March 30, 2017 KD 0.926 0.941 Feb 28, 2017
Global Investment House

BUSINESS
Gazprom says bottom line burned by weak gas prices
Russian gas giant Gazprom on
Wednesday announced a drop
in first-quarter profits on the back
of weaker gas prices in Europe,
but the damage for the energy
mammoth was less than expect-
ed.
Between January and March,
the state-owned behemoth saw
net profits fall by eight percent
compared to the same period a
year ago to 333 billion rubles
($5.87 billion, 5.3 billion euros).
Kuwait ends month with
strong gains; volume up
Boubyan Bank climbs 16 fils; Americana flat
By John Mathews
Arab Times Staff
KUWAIT CITY, May 31:
Kuwait stocks rallied on
Wednesday to wind up the
month on a solid note. The
price index climbed 58.5
points to 6,785.35 pts
extending the gains to third
straight session. Some of
the counters saw renewed
buying even as the heavy-
weights closed mixed.
The KSX 15 gauge rose 1.9 pts
to 915.82 points while weighted
index was up 2.36 pts at 404.46
points. The volume turnover
meanwhile rebounded from the
multi-month lows plumbed in the
previous session. 81.16 million
shares changed hands a 242.8
pct surge from the day before.
The sectors closed mostly in green.
Consumer goods outperformed the
rest with 4.74 pct gain whereas tele-
communications shed 1.35 pct, the
biggest loser of the day. In terms of
volume, real estate mustered the
highest market share of 27 percent
while financial services followed
with 25.3 pct contribution.
Among notable movers,
Commercial Bank of Kuwait rose 4
fils to 345 fils while Boubyan Bank
gained 16 fils to end at 420 fils.
National Investment Co added 3 fils
and Humansoft Holding, the highest
priced stock in the bourse, soared 260
fils to KD 4.180.
Zain fell 3 fils to 426 fils after
trading 1.7 million shares and
Ooredoo jumped 40 fils to KD
1.260. Logistics major Agility
climbed 19 fils to 725 fils and
Kuwait Telecommunications Co
(VIVA) dipped 14 fils to 835 fils
National Bank of Kuwait was flat
at 880 fils and Gulf Bank ticked 1 fils
into red. The bank has posted a 6.7
pct increase in first quarter profit in
to KD 9.36 million from KD 8.77
million in Q1 of 2016. The net oper-
ating profit rose by 6.8% to KD 9.8
million.
The market opened firm and
moved higher in early trade. The
main index seesawed before heading
further north half way into the ses-
sion to peaked at 6808.5 pts. It
retreated thereafter and traded flat in
the final hour before closing with
strong gains.
Top gainer of the day, Eyas scaled
Mideast Stocks
Ezdan spooks Qatar bourse; Dana jumps
DUBAI, May 31, (RTRS): A sharp
drop in property developer Ezdan
Holding rippled across Qatars stock
market on Wednesday while profit-
taking in blue chips dragged Abu
Dhabi lower, although Dana Gas
jumped on hopes for payments from
the Kurdistan Regional Government
(KRG).
Shares in Ezdan, Qatars largest
listed developer, tumbled by a further
9.3 percent. They have plunged since
the end of last week, when sharehold-
ers gave preliminary approval for the
company to delist.
The exchange said it had removed
Ezdan from the QSE index after
Mondays close because of the deci-
sion, but the steep drop soured senti-
ment toward other stocks.
Investors are fed up as a result of
the inaction of the regulatory authori-
ties, the fact they did not reject the
delisting of such a major company,
said one regional investor. Qatars
stock index lost 1.6 percent.
Abu Dhabis Dana Gas jumped 5.1
percent and was the most heavily trad-
ed share on the bourse.
An article on the website of Pearl
Petroleum said Pearl, Dana and
Crescent Petroleum had applied to a
US District Court for recognition and
enforcement of awards made at the
London Court of International
Arbitration against the KRG.
The article said that documents
associated with the US court filing
revealed Pearl was seeking another
$26.5 billion in damages through a
final phase of arbitration, which was
expected to begin in September.
In a statement, the KRG said it
would continue vigorously to pursue
Analysts quizzed by the
Interfax news agency had pre-
dicted a steeper fall in profits.
Overall sales meanwhile grew
by four percent to 1.815 trillion
rubles ($32 billion, 28.7 billion
euros), mainly on the back of an
increase in sales of crude oil and
refined products, the company
said.
The total value of gas sales
to the key markets of Europe
and Turkey fell by 10 percent,
19.97 pct to close at 721 fils while
Madar Finance rallied 16.6 percent to
stand next. Educational Holding Co
slumped 17 pct, the steepest decliner
of the day and Ahli United Bank
topped the volume with 8.9 million
shares.
Mirroring the days upswing, the
winners outnumbered the losers. 53
stocks advanced whereas 35 closed
flat. Of the 113 counters active on
Wednesday, 25 closed flat. 2,806
deals worth KD 16.6 million were
transacted a 225 percent surge in
value from the day before.
National Industries Group fell 2
fils to 111 fils taking months losses
to 9 fils and Gulf Cable followed suit.
Heavy Engineering Industries and
Shipbuilding Co slipped 7 fils to 217
fils while Marine and Contracting
Shipbuilding Co inched 1 fils into
red.
Kuwait Food Co (Americana)
paused at KD 2.670 and has rallied
270 fils during the month while
Kuwait Foundry Co was up 3 fils at
295 fils. Boubyan Petrochemical Co
stood pat at 579 fils and Al Qurain
Petrochemical gained 4 fils.
Profits
Jazeera Airways was unchanged at
474 fils and ALAFCO clipped 2 fils.
The company has posted a 83.3%
surge in profits to KD 5.59 million
for the quarter ending 31 March 2017
from year before period .
Combined Group Contracting Co
was flat at 595 fils and Equipment
Holding inched 0.5 fils lower. The
companys first quarter losses nar-
rowed by 12.4 percent to KD 354,460
from KD 404,490 in Q1 of 2016.
KGL Logistics Co took in 0.5 fils
to close at 54.5 fils while Metal and
Recycling Co held ground at 85
fils. NICBM jumped 24 fils to 226
fils. Al Rai Media Group Co took in
2 fils .
Automated Systems Co climbed
10 fils to 290 fils and Yiaco Medical
followed suit to wind up a 240 fils.
Zimah Holding dialed up 0.7 pts
whereas Mezzan Holding dipped 10
fils to 980 fils.
In the banking sector, Kuwait
Finance House seesawed narrowly
before closing flat at 488 fils with a
volume of over 5 million while
Kuwait International Bank and Ahli
United Bank rose 4 fils each to 249
fils and 439 fils respectively.
Burgan Bank eased 1 fils to 327
fils and Warba Bank eased 1 fils to
246 fils. Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait was
not traded during the session.
KIPCO fell 1 fils to 350 fils with a
MSCI shares lift Egypt
its rights and defend its position. It
has resisted legal efforts to make it pay
Pearl for years, and it is not clear if the
latest legal action will have a different
result.
Profit-taking hit most Abu Dhabi
blue chip shares, taking the index
down 1.7 percent. First Abu Dhabi
Bank retreated 3.7 percent, its biggest
single-day decline since it was formed
by a merger on April 1.
The Dubai index was almost flat as
12 shares gained ground and 19
declined. Small and mid-sized compa-
nies generally outperformed again,
with Islamic Arab Insurance jumping
6.0 percent.
DAMAC Properties climbed 3.5
percent. It will be included in the
MSCI emerging market index on
Thursday, so passive index-linked
funds were expected to flow into it on
Wednesday.
In Saudi Arabia, large-cap banks
outperformed with Banque Saudi
Fransi adding 2.6 percent. The Saudi
index was flat.
Oil shipper National Shipping Co
(Bahri) rose 0.3 percent on news it had
signed a joint venture agreement with
state oil giant Aramco, London-listed
Lamprell and South Koreas Hyundai
Heavy Industries to build and operate
a shipyard on the kingdoms east
coast.
Petrochemical shares lagged as
Brent oil futures continued a sharp
decline, falling below $51 a barrel to a
three-week low. Saudi Basic Industries
lost 1.3 percent.
In Egypt, constituents of the MSCI
emerging market index buoyed the
local blue chip index, which climbed
0.8 percent. Commercial International
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
35
as a drop in price of 20 percent
was partially made up by a
13-percent increase in the vol-
ume sold.
Meanwhile, sales to the for-
mer Soviet region fell by 13
percent.
Gazproms gas exports hit a
record high last year, despite
Europe looking to diversify its
supply in the face of frosty rela-
tions with Moscow over the crisis
in Ukraine. (AFP)
volume of over 2 million and
International Financial Advisors
inched 0.1 fils into green. Coast
Investment Co dialed up 1.3 fils and
Securities House Co inched 0.1 fils
into red.
Bayan Investment Co dialed up 0.6
fils on back of over 3 million shares
while Ektittab Holding and Arzan
Investment paused at 35.1 fils and 35
fils respectively.
Noor Financial Investment Co
inched 0.1 fils higher to 53 fils and Al
Imtiaz stagnated at 158 fils. Al Salam
took in 2 fils before settling at 52 fils.
National Real Estate Co climbed 5
fils to 115 fils whereas Mabanee Co
and Tamdeen Real Estate Co paused
at 780 fils and 410 fils respectively.
Kuwait Real Estate Co added 0.8 fils
and Mazaya Holding dialed up 2 fils
to close at 114 fils.
The market has been largely upbeat
so far during the week and has gained
96 points pts in last four sessions. It
has slid 60 points from start of the
month and is trading 18 pct higher
year-to-date. KSE, with 208 listed
companies, is the second largest
bourse in the region.
In the bourse related news, Kuwait
Finance and Investment (KFIC)
rebounded to post a net profit of KD
146,350 in the first three months of
2017, from KD 255,510 loss in first
quarter of 2016. Operating income
grew 76% year-on-year to reach KD
1.65 million.
Aayan Real Estate has recorded a
164.7 percent jump in its profits to
KD 536,890 for the first quarter of
2017 from same period in the year
before. During 2016, the profit saw a
1.5% uptick to KD 2.75 million in
2016 from the previous year.
Ooredoo Kuwait has posted 26.6
pct jump in profits during the first
quarter of 2017 to KD 12.93 million
from KD 10.21 million in same peri-
od last year. It had recorded a growth
of 75% in profits to KD 46.67 million
during 2016.
Mowasat Healthcare has registered
a 40.2% increase in net profits in the
first quarter of 2017, to reach KD
1.92 million as compared to KD 1.37
million in the year before period.
Al Ahleia Insurance s first quar-
ter net profit dropped by 14.5% in
the first to KD 2.88 million from
KD 3.37 million in Q1 of 2016.
Operational income dipped 39.6 pct
to KD 1.58 million National Ranges
Companys (Mayadeen) losses
shrank by 18.2 pct in the first quar-
ter of 2017 to KD 642,620 from
about KD 785,610 in same period
of 2016.
Bank advanced 3.9 percent and Global
Telecom Holding rose 1.4 percent.
Real estate developer Talaat
Mostafa Group rose 2.7 percent and
investment bank EFG Hermes, which
will replace it in MSCIs emerging
market index on Thursday, fell 1.9
percent. EFG had gained sharply and
Talaat Mostafa had dropped since the
index change was announced in mid-
May.
Saudi Arabia
The index was unchanged at
6,871 points.
Dubai
The index edged down 0.03 per-
cent to 3,339 points.
Abu Dhabi
The index lost 1.7 percent to
4,427 points.
Qatar
The index fell 1.6 percent to
9,901 points.
Egypt
The index rose 0.8 percent to
13,340 points.
Kuwait
The index added 0.9 percent to
6,785 points.
Bahrain
The index was flat at 1,320
points.
Oman
The index rose 0.4 percent to
5,422 points.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

BUSINESS 36

UK space firms may need EU units after Brexit
British companies may need to
set up subsidiaries in continen-
tal Europe to take part in multi-
billion-euro space programmes
funded by the European Union
after Britain leaves the EU, the
head of Europes space agency
told the Financial Times.
We have a tremendous prob-
lem with Brexit because it means
that UK companies ... are not eligi-
ble to have a contract directly, the
newspaper quoted Jan Woerner
as saying in an interview published
on its website on Wednesday.
The European Space Agency
(ESA) is an intergovernmental
organisation with 22 European
member states, not an EU agen-
cy. But it manages some major
EU-funded space programmes
such as Galileo, Europes 10 bil-
lion euro ($11.2 billion) satellite
navigation project, and Earth ob-
servation programme Copernicus.
The UK, which has made the
Uber fires engineer at center of trade secret suit
space sector a priority in its indus- Uber on Tuesday conrmed that to the litigation, according to an San Francisco-based Uber
trial strategy, remains a full partner it has red an engineer accused Uber spokesperson who asked said it pressed Levandowski for
on such EU-funded programmes in a trade secrets suit involving not to be named. months to help with the investi-
until 2019, but the industry needed les he purportedly purloined The case stems from a lawsuit gation, and did not want to wait
to prepare for the years beyond, from Alphabets self-driving car led in February by Waymo, for- until the matter made its way
ESAs Woerner told the FT. unit Waymo. merly known as the Google self- through the courts to decide
He said it was urgent that Brit- The ring of Anthony Levan- driving car unit, which claimed whether to let him go.
ain and the EU come to an agree- dowski came just ahead of a former manager Levandowski In mid-May, US District Court
ment on continued participation date set by a judge for Uber to took a trove of technical data Judge William Alsup issued a par-
in EU-funded programmes. If return les taken from Waymo. with him when he left to launch tial injunction that fell short of the
not, a short-term solution could Levandowski missed a com- a competing venture that went complete shutdown of Ubers self-
be for British companies to set pany deadline for assisting with on to become Otto and was later driving car efforts that Alphabet
up EU subsidiaries. (RTRS) an internal investigation related acquired by Uber. lawyers had requested. (AFP)

the bottomline Global stocks retreat, shave May

DALLAS: Exxon Mobil shareholders
Wednesday pushed the company to re-
port and disclose whether regulations
designed to reduce climate change
will hurt the oil giants business.
Investors holding 62 percent of
shares voted at the companys annual
meeting favored more disclosure
around the impact of global policies
aimed at limiting global warming to 2
degrees Centigrade.
The vote is a defeat for the com-
pany and a victory for environmental-
ists and shareholder activists, who saw
support for their proposal grow from
38 percent a year ago. (AP)
NEW YORK: Michael Kors Holdings
plans to close up to 125 stores over
the next two years with continued
weak sales at its luxury stores.
The London company also issues
a weak outlook and comparable store
sales were disappointing, sending
shares down 7 percent before the
opening bell Wednesday.
The retailer lost $26.8 million, or
17 cents per share, after reporting
a prot in the same period a year
earlier. Earnings, adjusted for asset
impairment costs, were 73 cents per
share. The results topped Wall Street
expectations by 3 cents, according
to a survey by Zacks Investment
Research. (AP)
Noonan in a statement issued late
NEW YORK: The New York Times
said Wednesday it was offering
buyouts to its newsroom employees in
a move aimed at eliminating multiple
layers of editing, to focus more on
reporting.
A memo to staff cited by the news-
paper said an unspecied number of
buyouts would be offered to the news-
room staff, with the savings used to
hire as many as 100 new journalists.
The Times newsroom was estimated
at around 1,300 last year before an ear-
lier round of buyouts offered. (AFP)
WASHINGTON: The Federal
Aviation Administration is seeking
a $435,000 penalty against United
Airlines, saying the carrier failed to
inspect a repair job before putting a
plane back into service.
The FAA said Tuesday that United
mechanics replaced a fuel pump pres-
sure switch on a Boeing 787 in 2014,
and the plane was used on 23 ights
before the required inspection was per-
formed. The FAA said United used the
plane on two ights after being told the
inspection had been skipped. (AP)
NEW YORK: Put off by what they
see as exorbitant pay for Mylan ex-
ecutives, some big pension funds are
attempting to block the re-election of
a number of board members, includ-
ing Chairman and former CEO Robert
Coury, who received $100 million
last year.
Put off by what they see as exorbi-
tant pay for Mylan executives, some
big pension funds are attempting to
block the re-election of a number of
board members, including Chairman
and former CEO Robert Coury, who
received $100 million last year.
They say huge paychecks were
awarded to executives as backlash
from consumers and the US govern-
ment escalated over prices Mylan
charged for its EpiPen emergency
allergy treatment. (AP)
Euronews, based in the eastern French
LONDON: IG Group Holdings Plc,
a British online trading company, said
it expected full-year pretax prot and
earnings to be modestly ahead of
last year, with full-year revenue seen
rising about 7 percent.
The company, which provides on-
line stockbroking and trading services
to retail investors, said that despite a
quiet fourth quarter in nancial mar-
kets, IGs revenue in the nal quarter
of the year ending May 31 was higher
than in the same period a year ago.
In March the company had said its
fourth quarter had seen a better start
and client recruitment was strong.
(RTRS)
book moderate gains for
LONDON: Irelands government has
announced that it will oat a quarter
of troubled lender Allied Irish Banks,
which was nationalised during the
nancial crisis.
Dublin owns a 99.9-percent stake in
the bank after rescuing it with almost
21 billion euros ($23 billion) of tax-
payers cash seven years ago.
The bank, which collapsed under a
crushing weight of bad debts, returned
to protability in 2014.
The governments long-held
policy is that the state should exit its
banking investments in a measured
and prudent manner, returning owner-
ship to the private sector over time,
said Irish Finance minister Michael
Tuesday. (AFP)
FRANKFURT AM MAIN: Deutsche
Bank, Germanys biggest lender,
said Wednesday it would support
three billion dollars worth of devel-
opment projects in partnership with
China Development Bank (CDB).
CDB and Deutsche Bank agreed to
work together over the next ve years
with an aim of supporting projects
worth $3.0 billion, the group said
in a statement, published as Chinese
premier Li Keqiang visits Berlin.
The two banks signed a memo-
randum of understanding expressing
interest in promoting the renminbis
internationalisation and in nancing
economic cooperation between China,
Germany and other Belt and Road
Initiative countries, the statement
read. (AFP)
FRANKFURT AM MAIN: German
car parts supplier Continental and
Chinese internet giant Baidu will col-
laborate on technology for self-driving
and connected cars, the two rms said
Wednesday.
Both partners intend to develop
technologies, products and business
models ... for automated driving,
connected vehicles and intelligent
mobility services, the company said
in a statement, as Chinese Premier Li
Keqiang was due to arrive in the Ger-
man capital later Wednesday. (AFP)
LYON: NBC News has nalised its
deal to take a 25 percent stake in
Euronews as it seeks to compete on
a more global scale, the European
broadcaster said on Wednesday.
NBC will pay 25 million euros
($28.1 million) for the stake and its
familiar peacock tail will feature
in the logo of the newly renamed
EuronewsNBC channel.
The US company, a unit of
Comcasts NBCUniversal, will bring
resources and know-how to help
city of Lyon, revamp its production
model from top to bottom. (AFP)
gains, oil prices hit 3-week lows
NEW YORK, May 31,
(Agencies): Major stock
markets around the
globe fell on Wednes-
day but were on track to
May, while the sterling
fell as conicting poll
results stoked worries
whether the ruling Con-
servatives could lose
seats in next weeks UK
general election.
MSCIs global equity index,
which tracks 45 stock mar-
kets, fell nearly 0.1 percent on
Wednesday, paring its month-
to-date gain to 1.8 percent. The
index was on course for seven
months of gains, which would
be its longest monthly winning
streak in over a decade.
The diminished appeal of stocks on
Wednesday stoked safe-haven bids
for gold and low-risk US and German
government bonds.
Oil prices declined to a three-week
low as news of a rebound in Libyan
production exacerbated worries about
a global oversupply despite OPECs
pact to extend output cuts last week.
In late US morning trade, the Dow
Jones Industrial Average fell 18.21
points, or 0.09 percent, to 21,011.26,
the S&P 500 lost 2.35 points, or 0.10
percent, to 2,410.56 and the Nasdaq
Composite dropped 12.05 points, or
0.19 percent, to 6,191.14.
On the other hand, Europes broad
FTSEurorst 300 index edged up 0.25
percent, at 1,537.42 after a sharp fall in
euro zone ination led investors to be-
lieve the European Central Bank will
not be quite as hawkish at its policy
meeting next week than had originally
been expected.
The biggest mover in currencies was
sterling, which shed as much as 0.5 per-
cent after a YouGov poll showed the rul-
ing Conservative Party might lose 20 of
the 330 seats it holds while the opposi-
tion Labour Party could gain nearly 30
seats in a national election on June 8.
Sterling fell to a six-week low
of $1.2770 before recovering some
ground to $1.2838. It also slipped to
0.8749 pound per euro, near Fridays
eight-week low of 0.8750.
The dollar fell 0.3 percent against a
basket of currencies following weaker-
than-forecast data on pending home sales.
Meanwhile, the yuan jumped to its
strongest in more than 6 months on bets
the Chinese central bank is now less in-
clined to allow the currency to weaken
markedly against the greenback.
In commodities, Brent crude was
last down $1.94, or 3.74 percent, at
$49.90 a barrel. US crude was last
down $1.83, or 3.69 percent, at $47.83
per barrel.
Spot gold prices rose $4.45 or 0.35
percent, to $1,267.16 an ounce.
Sterling dips on conflicting poll results
US
US stocks were down on Wednesday
as nancials tumbled after JPMorgan
and Bank of America hinted at revenue
weakness in the current quarter and oil
prices fell to a three-week low.
JPMorgan blamed lower volatility
for the decline in trading revenue, while
Bank of America said trading revenue in
the second quarter was on track to be 10-
12 percent lower than last year.
Measures of market volatility are
at rock-bottom, hitting trading desks
at big banks. The US stock markets
main gauge of investor anxiety closed
at its lowest level in over two decades
on May 8.
Financials, which have largely out-
performed the broader market on bets
of scal stimulus and simpler banking
regulations under President Donald
Trump, are on track to decline 0.7 per-
cent so far this year.
JPMorgan was down 2 percent on
Wednesday. Goldman Sachs fell 3 per-
cent and was the biggest drag on the
Dow. Bank of America was down 2.5
percent.
Adding to the pressure, oil prices
fell as rising Libyan production fueled
concerns that OPEC-led output cuts
are being undermined by several coun-
tries that are excluded from the deal.
Seven of the 11 major S&P sectors
were lower, with the nancial indexs
1.13 percent fall leading the decliners.
At 12:31 am ET, the Dow Jones
Industrial Average was down 30.8
points, or 0.15 percent, at 20,998.67,
the S&P 500 was down 5.1 points, or
0.21 percent, at 2,407.81 and the Nas-
daq Composite index was down 16.44
points, or 0.26 percent, at 6,186.75.
Shares of Michael Kors fell 9.9 per-
cent to $32.69 after the luxury fashion
retailer gave a bleak full-year forecast
and said it would shut more than 100
full-price retail stores in the next two
years.
Mallinckrodt was down 1.4 percent
at $43.04, after sources said the drug-
maker is exploring a sale of its generic
drug unit, in a deal that could fetch as
much as $2 billion.
Analog Devices rose 2.5 percent to
$86.91 after the chipmakers quarterly
results came in above expectations.
Europe
European shares posted their fourth
straight month of gains on Wednesday
though fresh political worries and the
lack of new catalysts following a sur-
prisingly strong earnings season spurred
investors to lock in some prots in banks
and commodities-related stocks.
The pan-European STOXX 600 in-
dex ended the day little changed and
up 0.9 percent in May, the slimmest
rise since the streak of monthly gains
began in February.
Robust corporate prots, relatively
cheap valuations and diminishing po-
litical risks have lured investors back
into regional stocks.
However, with valuations now back
above historical averages, jitters over
early autumn elections in Italy and the
looming election in Britain has soured
sentiment.
Deutsche Bank shares ended the
day down more than 3.4 percent as
warnings from US bellwethers JPMor-
gan and Bank of America on revenue
weakness hit European peers.
The STOXX 600 has fallen 1.4 per-
cent from its 21-month high hit earlier
in May which much of the retreat seen
in the latter half of the month.
In Britain, the FTSE ended the day
little changed but posted its best month
of the year, helped by a weaker pound.
Italian stocks, which suffered a
heavy sell-off earlier this week on
growing expectations the euro zone
country may hold early elections, re-
mained under pressures and fell XXX
percent dragged lower primarily by
banks.
The local banking index, hit by con-
cerns over the rescue of two regional
lenders, fell 0.7 percent, and touched
its lowest levels in more than a month.
Among Italian lenders, Carige fell
6.5 percent as a row over the com-
panys management fuelled worries
that its recapitalisation plans could be
delayed.
On the broader market, the Basic
Resources index, where major mining
companies are listed, was the biggest
sectoral faller, slumped 2 percent, fol-
lowing iron ore prices sharpest rout of
the year on fears of a supply glut.
Asia
Asian markets mostly rose Wednes-
day after forecast-beating Chinese fac-
tory data raised hopes for the worlds
number two economy, but gains were
limited following soft leads from Wall
Street and Europe.
China said Wednesday that its pur-
chasing managers index of manufac-
turing activity held up in May, beating
expectations for a decline.
Shanghai, which was closed Mon-
day and Tuesday for a holiday, ended
up 0.2 percent, Sydney added 0.1 per-
cent and Seoul was 0.2 percent higher.
Singapore put on 0.2 percent and Ja-
karta gained 0.2 percent.
However, Tokyo ended 0.1 percent
lower and Hong Kong shed 0.2 percent
after a one-day break.
n Key gures around 0815 GMT
Tokyo Nikkei 225: Down 0.1
percent at 19,650.57 (close)
Hong Kong Hang Seng: Down
0.2 percent at 25,660.65 (close)
Shanghai Composite: Up 0.2 per-
cent at 3,117.18 (close)
Dollar/yen: Up at 110.95 yen from
110.76 yen
Oil
Oil prices fell to a three-week low
on Wednesday on news that Libyan
output was recovering from an oileld
technical issue, fuelling concerns that
OPEC-led output cuts to reduce global
inventories were being undermined by
producers outside the deal.
Benchmark Brent oil was down
$1.63, or 3.1 percent, at $50.21 a barrel
by 1341 GMT, after earlier touching
$50.12 a barrel, the weakest since May
10. US light crude traded at $48.31,
down $1.35, or 2.7 percent.
Both contracts were on track for
their third straight monthly loss.
Unless some bullish news stops
this, prices will fall further in particu-
lar now with Brent trading below the
post-OPEC low and approaching $50 a
barrel, said Carsten Fritsch, commod-
ity analyst at Commerzbank.
The Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries and other produc-
ers, including Russia, agreed last week
to extend a deal to cut production by
about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd)
until the end of March 2018.
Traders covered short positions
ahead of OPEC and some of these have
now been re-established, said Ole
Hansen, head of commodities strategy
at Saxo Bank.
OPEC members Libya and Nigeria
are exempt from the cuts, while US
shale oil producers are not part of the
agreement and have been ramping up
production.
Libyas oil production has risen to
827,000 bpd, climbing above a three-
year peak of 800,000 bpd reached ear-
lier in May, the National Oil Corpora-
tion said, after a technical issue that hit
Sharara oileld was resolved.
Shipping data on Thomson Reuters
Eikon shows that, excluding pipeline
exports, Libya shipped an average of
500,000 bpd of oil so far this year, com-
pared with 300,000 bpd average for 2016.
Gold
Gold edged higher on Wednesday as
the dollar dipped and simmering geo-
political tensions lent support, though
the metal was heading for its rst
monthly drop since December amid an
increased chance of a US interest rate
rise next month.
The dollar dipped versus a currency
basket, with sterling recovering after a
poll showed the Britains ruling Con-
servative party still in the lead, over-
riding a previous projection of a hung
parliament in elections next week.
Still the dollars losses were limited
given US consumer spending and ina-
tion data published on Tuesday which
pointed to improved domestic demand
that should allow the Federal Reserve
to raise interest rates next month.
Higher rates reduce demand for
non-interest bearing bullion and boost
the US dollar, making dollar-priced
gold costlier for non-US investors.
The market has been over-enthu-
siastic in terms of the weakness (seen
in gold). Once the rate hike happens,
people will focus on political uncer-
tainty and on the physical support (for
gold), said Hamza Khan, head of
commodities strategy at ING.
Fundamentally we favour the
upside. We see prices at $1,350 (an
ounce) for the third quarter, and $1,250
for the second quarter.
Spot gold edged up 0.2 percent to
$1,264.81 per ounce at 1346 GMT. It
closed 0.3 percent lower on Tuesday
after rising to a one-month high of
$1,270.47. For the month, bullion is
down 0.2 percent.

exchange rates May 31

US dollar Sterling pound Euro Japanese yen Swiss franc Canadian dollar Swedish krona Saudi riyal UAE dirham Bahraini dinar Omani riyal
Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer
BEC Buy .300300 .302050 .302050 .383176 .381645 .381645 .334871 .334324 .334324 .002658 .025574 .025574 .305471 .306215 .306215 .220892 .218656 .218656 .030844 .307630 .307630 .080087 .080586 .080586 .081452 .084107 .084107 .800857 .800356 .800356 .784229 .778728 .778728
Sell .304700 .304400 .304400 .393176 .391214 .391214 .343871 .341424 .341424 .002808 .028374 .028374 .315471 .313215 .313215 .229592 .228658 .228658 .035844 .357630 .357630 .081387 .081226 .081226 .083152 .082903 .082903 .809357 .808856 .808856 .789909 .789728 .789728
Muzaini Sell .304400 .304400 .304400 .391760 .391760 .342450 .342450 .002735 .002735 .314790 .314790 .227500 .227500 .081227 .081227 .082877 .082877 .808820 .808820 .791060 .791060
Dollarco Sell .304400 .304400 .304400 .391610 .391610 .391610 .342150 .342150 .342150 .002745 .002745 .002745 .313810 .313810 .313810 .226990 .226990 .226990 .081227 .081227 .081227 .082931 .082931 .082931 .808820 .808820 .808820
Commercial Bank Buy .301000 .302250 .302250 .387000 .387908 .387908 .338000 .338973 .338973 .002729 .002729 .310000 .311309 .311309 .224000 .224263 .224263 .034726 .034726 .079000 .080617 .080617 .082244 .082321 .082321 .801279 .802256 .802256 .785521 .785371 .785371
Sell .306100 .305850 .305850 .394000 .392528 .392528 .345000 .343011 .343011 .002761 .002761 .319000 .315017 .315017 .231000 .226934 .226934 .035140 .035140 .083000 .081577 .081577 .083071 .083302 .083302 .809332 .811812 .811812 .793416 .794725 .794725
Gulf Bank Buy .303000 .303000 .303000 .038623 .038623 .038623 .033705 .033705 .033705 .000272 .000272 .000272 .030958 .030958 .030958 .022390 .022390 .022390 .003462 .003462 .003462 .080650 .080650 .080650 .082300 .082300 .082300 .080018 .080018 .080018 .078650 .078650 .078650
Sell .305100 .305100 .305100 .039404 .039404 .039404 .034384 .034384 .034384 .000277 .000277 .000277 .031588 .031588 .031588 .022847 .022847 .022847 .003500 .003500 .003500 .081760 .081760 .081760 .083320 .083320 .083320 .081141 .081141 .081141 .079653 .079653 .079653
NBK Buy .303250 .303250 .390500 .390500 .333780 .333780 .002708 .002708 .306020 .306020 .218030 .218030 .034390 .034390 .080720 .080720 .082440 .082440 .080297 .080297 .786500 .786500
Sell .305600 .305600 .401380 .401380 .343620 .343620 .002788 .002788 .315870 .315870 .045910 .045910 .034980 .034980 .081430 .081430 .083120 .083120 .080993 .080993 .793090 .793090
Burgan Bank Buy .302000 .302000 .381888 .381888 .333628 .333628 .002683 .002683 .306249 .306249 .221085 .221085 .341663 .341663 .079231 .079231 .080894 .080894 .788229 .788229 .771820 .771820
Sell .306100 .306100 .402858 .402858 .351967 .351967 .002831 .002831 .323106 .323106 .233221 .233221 .360407 .360407 .083772 .083772 .085535 .085535 .833395 .833395 .816001 .816001
ABK Buy .300650 .303150 .303150 .384530 .387980 .387980 .333720 .336710 .336710 .027314 .027314 .308910 .308910 .224700 .224700 .034700 .034700 .082130 .080120 .080120 .082244 .082070 .082070 .797170 .797170 .783570 .783570
Sell .306750 .305250 .305250 .394790 .392530 .392530 .342950 .340990 .340990 .027649 .027649 .313140 .313140 .227270 .227270 .035470 .035470 .080120 .081650 .081650 .083071 .083440 .083440 .812290 .812290 .796450 .796450
KFH Buy .301290 .302000 .302000 .372696 .378104 .378104 .325002 .330297 .330297 .002666 .002666 .304068 .304068 .221229 .221229 .034411 .034411 .080190 .080418 .080418 .081875 .082108 .082108 .795065 .800636 .800636 .766641 .783907 .783907
Sell .306820 .305100 .305100 .408715 .400322 .400322 .358642 .349004 .349004 .002818 .002818 .320181 .320181 .230264 .230264 .035096 .035096 .081956 .081464 .081464 .083680 .083177 .083177 .817533 .809713 .809713 .793637 .792879 .792879
KBE Sell .304300 .304300 .380900 .380900 .332100 .332100 .082810 .082810 .806500 .806500
Danish krone Indian rupee Pakistani rupee Sri Lanka rupee Bangladesh taka Philippine peso Australian dollar Hong Kong dollar Singapore dollar Jordanian dinar Egyptian pound
Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer
BEC Buy .041673 .416109 .416109 .004125 .046493 .046493 .002701 .028696 .028696 .001631 .019480 .019480 .003387 .003735 .003735 .005995 .055631 .055631 .218378 .216317 .216317 .036994 .036498 .036498 .214627 .215531 .215531 .423975 .423661 .423661 .014004 .016311 .016311
Sell .046673 .466109 .466109 .004813 .047253 .047253 .002991 .029018 .029018 .002211 .019900 .019900 .003971 .003779 .003779 .006295 .051300 .051300 .230378 .229317 .229317 .039744 .039596 .039596 .224627 .221531 .221531 .432976 .431061 .431061 .019912 .017150 .017150
Muzaini Sell .004713 .004713 .002901 .002901 .001987 .001987 .003766 .003766 .006112 .006112 .039066 .039066 .220740 .220740 .429340 .429340 .019300 .016754 .016754
Dollarco Sell .004760 .004737 .004737 .003050 .002916 .002916 .002270 .002014 .002014 .004000 .003819 .003819 .006350 .006158 .006158 .433500 .431140 .431140 .020000 .017031 .017031
Commercial Bank Buy .045566 .045566 .004000 .002000 .005000 .225000 .225509 .225509 .038792 .038792 .218641 .218641 .420000 .012000
Sell .046108 .046108 .006500 .004752 .004752 .002922 .002922 .003500 .002004 .002004 .003797 .003797 .007900 .006161 .006161 .233000 .228195 .228195 .039254 .039254 .221246 .221246 .436000 .432511 .432511 .020000 .017427 .017427
Gulf Bank Buy .004544 .004544 .004544 .225290 .225290 .225290 .038680 .038680 .038680 .021859 .021859 .021859
Sell .004603 .004603 .004603 .004790 .004790 .004790 .002950 .002950 .002950 .002020 .002020 .002020 .003830 .003830 .003830 .006200 .006200 .006200 .228250 .228250 .228250 .039460 .039460 .039460 .022103 .022103 .022103 .433550 .433550 .433550 .017040 .017040 .017040
NBK Buy .045070 .045070 .004690 .004690 .001940 .001940 .005930 .005930 .222040 .222040 .217140 .217140 .042546 .042546 .016610 .016610
Sell .045910 .045910 .004731 .004731 .002950 .002950 .002020 .002020 .006110 .006110 .230730 .230730 .219840 .219840 .043286 .043286 .017780 .017780
Burgan Bank Buy .448429 .448429 .004598 .004598 .028287 .028287 .001944 .001944 .036697 .036697 .005956 .005956 .221888 .221888 .215131 .215131 .418771 .418771 .016393 .016393
Sell .473082 .473082 .004879 .004879 .030028 .030028 .002056 .002056 .038985 .038985 .006319 .006319 .234137 .234137 .229868 .229868 .442840 .442840 .017382 .017382
ABK Buy .042900 .042900 .004650 .004650 .225020 .225020 .038840 .038840 .218110 .218110 .426650 .426650
Sell .046500 .046500 .004761 .004761 .002991 .002991 .002123 .002123 .006655 .006655 .227890 .227890 .039290 .039290 .220610 .220610 .433890 .433890 .018210 .018210
KFH Buy .045139 .045139 .004626 .004626 .002860 .002860 .001965 .001965 .003689 .003689 .005976 .005976 .219071 .219071 .216736 .222182 .424873 .424873 .016557 .016557
Sell .046161 .046161 .004784 .004784 .002932 .002932 .002011 .002011 .003828 .003828 .006224 .006224 .233676 .233676 .730811 .430811 .016912 .016912
KBE Sell .004694 .004694 .004694 .004694 .001984 .001984 .003778 .003778 .006060 .006060 .016990 .016990
Cyprus pound Yemeni riyal Thai baht South African rand Korean won Syrian pound Iranian Riyal Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Indonesian rupiah New Zealand dollar
Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer
BEC Buy .009890 .011643 .011643 .008574 .085192 .085192 .017245 .000262 .001290 .004994 .004994 .000084 .000151 .001864 .001864 .067041 .660077 .660077 .000018 .000178 .000178 .209718 .207368 .207368
Sell .001069 .012643 .012643 .009124 .089342 .089342 .025745 .000277 .001510 .007194 .007194 .000086 .000251 .002064 .002064 .073041 .730077 .730077 .000024 .000245 .000245 .219218 .218358 .218358
Muzaini Sell .001223 .001223 .008947 .008947 .002170 .002170 .002029 .002029 .068947 .068947
Dollarco Sell .695000 .168730 .168730 .009000 .009820 .009820 .000750 .002425 .002425 .069800 .069775 .069775
Gulf Bank Buy .214130 .214130 .214130
Sell .023570 .023570 .023570 .000020 .000020 .000020 .218580 .218580 .218580
ABK Buy .213100 .213100
Sell .216700 .216700
KFH Buy .001970 .001970 .008738 .008738 .000197 .000197 .069859 .069859
Sell .002300 .002300 .009099 .009099 .000206 .000206 .071975 .071975
KBE Sell .001550 .001550 .002395 .002395

travellers cheques US dollar Sterling Euro local gold Gold 999 kg Gold 999 10 tola Gold ounce Gold gm 22k Gold gm 21k Gold gm 18k 100 gm 999 10 gm 999
BEC .3044000 .3925508 .3428514 BEC All rates in KD per unit of
Commercial Bank .3022500 .3925280 .3430110 Muzaini Exchange 12,484.770 1,475.890 398.765 11.460 10.940 9.370 131.675
.3051000 .3892300 .3441100
foreign currency
Gulf Bank
Al-Ahli Bank .3052500 .3925300 .3131400

INTERNATIONAL
UAE-backed forces gain control over Aden airport
SANAA, Yemen, May 31, (AP):
Forces backed by the United Arab
Emirates have taken over the airport
in the southern city of Aden, according
to Yemeni security ofcials, further
fueling tension between internation-
ally recognized President Abed Rabbo
Mansour Hadi and the UAE.
The ofcials said that one soldier
from among the forces guarding the
airport died in clashes Wednesday
morning. The ofcials spoke anony-
mously as they were not authorized to
brief the media.
The UAE contributed forces to the
Saudi-led coalition that secured Hadis
return to the country following his ex-
ile in 2014. Hadi was originally forced
to ee the capital, Sanaa, when it was
Believers
Continued from Page 1
board a train in the city.
It all started when the assailant be-
gan chanting religious and racist in-
sults towards the two Muslim women,
which prompted three men to intervene
in a bid to stop the assailant from hurt-
ing the two women, and it was when
they got stabbed.
Two of them succumbed to their in-
juries and died while defending people
who were complete strangers to them.
But to them, they were fullling their
sincere conviction and high moral
standard in the name of brothers in
humanity.
The second incident took place in
Munich, Germany; where one of the
famous sports club, Bayern Munich,
decided to establish a mosque inside
the fence of its club for Muslims to
practice their religion freely.
This idea was sparked by only one
of its players who wanted to perform
his daily prayers. In respect of others
religion, the club designated a place
where its Muslim players, spectators
and even visitors could go and perform
their obligatory prayers easily and
freely.
How excellent and high their moral-
ity is, wishing at least for some of it,
even if in small pieces, to fall into our
blotted out nation; the nation which
was described in the Holy Quran as
the best nation that ever existed
among humanity
Death to
Continued from Page 1
the victim in September last year to a
chalet where they sexually assaulted
him.
The victim is a Kuwaiti citizen suf-
fering from partial mental disability,
the lawyer said.
This is a historic verdict, Bathani
said.
The convicts, four Kuwaitis, a Yem-
eni, an Iraqi and a stateless person,
lmed part of the rape and threatened
to post it on social media if the boy
spoke of his ordeal, Bathani said.
Prosecutors found the videos on the
phones of some of the defendants.
The ruling is not nal as the case
must go to the Kuwaiti supreme court
whose verdicts are nal.
The death penalty in Kuwait is car-
ried out by hanging.
Gulf row
Continued from Page 1
Trump attended a summit of Muslim
leaders in Saudi Arabia where he de-
nounced Shiite Irans destablising
interventions in Arab lands, where
Tehran is locked in a tussle with Ri-
yadh for inuence.
The spat shows no sign of abating,
raising the prospect of a long breach
between Doha and its closest allies
that could have repercussions around
the Middle East.
Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin
Hamad al-Thani arrived Kuwait on
Wednesday for talks with his counter-
part HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-
Sabah that are expected to address the
rift. Kuwait, a past mediator between
Gulf states, has offered to help ease
tensions.
But few expect an early end to what
is not their rst feud. Three years ago
Saudi Arabia and the UAE withdrew
their ambassadors from Doha for simi-
lar reasons, although they returned af-
ter less than a year.
Analysts point to the unusual will-
ingness of Qatari state-backed media
on one side, and Saudi and Emirati
media on the other, to trade rhetorical
broadsides in public.
This suggests that point-scoring is
taking priority over displays of unity
among some members of the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC), a Saudi-
dominated club of states that presents
itself as an outpost of stability in a tur-
bulent region.
In the Gulfs tightly-controlled me-
dia scene, attacks made by news out-
lets tend to be authorised by govern-
ments.
The GCC could harm it own inter-
ests in this ght and is at risk of be-
coming more vulnerable to Iranian en-
croachment, said a Western diplomat
based in Doha.
The spats immediate cause was a
purported Qatari state media report
that the Amir had cautioned against
confrontation with Iran, as well as de-
fending the Palestinian group Hamas
and Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite
movement allied to Tehran.
Qatar denied the report, saying its
news agency had been hacked, but
Saudi Arabia and the UAE allowed
their state-backed media to continue
running it, angering Doha.
The squabble revives old accusa-
tions that Qatar backs the Brother-
hood, which is present across most of
the Muslim world and whose political
UN warns Yemen conflict is leading to countrys collapse
seized by Shiite rebels, and Aden be-
came his temporary seat of power.
However, tensions have grown be-
tween Hadi and the UAE over control
of Adens airport, the main gateway to
Yemens second largest city. UAE-led
forces have made several previous un-
successful attempts to seize the airport.
Hadis supporters accuse the UAE
of aiding groups attempting to cre-
ate an independent government in the
south of Yemen, which would allow
the leading economic power in the re-
gion to maintain a permanent presence
in the south with its strategic ports.
Conicts over the airport started in
February when the head of airport se-
curity Saleh al-Emeiry, an ally of the
UAE, refused to allow Hadis plane
DAESH fighters seal off Mosul
mosque preparing for last stand
Australian girl on vacation killed in Baghdad blast
BAGHDAD, May 31,
(Agencies): Islamic State
militants have closed the
streets around Mosuls
Grand al-Nuri Mosque,
residents said, apparently
in preparation for a -
nal showdown in the bat-
tle over their last major
stronghold in Iraq.
Dozens of ghters were seen by
residents taking up positions in the
past 48 hours around the medieval
mosque, the site where Islamic
State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
declared an Islamist caliphate in
July 2014.
Islamic States black ag has been
ying from the mosque since the
militants captured Mosul and seized
swathes of Iraq and Syria in the sum-
mer of 2014.
US-backed Iraqi government forces
retook eastern Mosul in January and
began a new push on Saturday to cap-
ture the groups remaining enclave in
western Mosul, comprising of the Old
City center where the mosque is located,
and three adjacent districts alongside the
western bank of the River Tigris.
The fall of the city would, in effect,
mark the end of the Iraqi half of the
self-styled caliphate. Meanwhile in
Syria, Kurdish forces backed by US-
air strikes are beseiging Islamic State
forces in the city of Raqqa, the mili-
tants de facto capital in that country.
Up to 200,000 people still live in
harrowing conditions behind Islamic
State lines in Mosul, running low on
food, water and medicine, and with
difcult access to hospitals, the United
Nations said on Sunday.
The Grand al-Nuri Mosque has
become a symbolic focus of the cam-
paign, with Iraqi commanders pri-
vately saying they hope to capture it
during Ramadan, the Muslim fasting
month which started over the weekend
in Iraq.
Daeshs ghters know that the
mosque is the most important target
and they are preparing for a major bat-
tle there, said Hisham al-Hashemi,
who advises several Middle East gov-
ernment including Iraqs on Islamic
State affairs.
But a battle in or near the mosque
would put the building and its famed
leaning minaret at risk, experts have
said.
The minaret, several feet off the per-
pendicular and standing on humid soil,
ideology challenges the principle of
dynastic rule. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi
also suspect Doha is complacent about
Iranian expansionism.
Some analysts speculate Riyadh and
Abu Dhabi felt condent to authorise
criticisms of Qatar by their deepening
friendship with Trump, condent that
his opposition to Iran and all Islamist
armed groups reects their views more
than Qatars.
When Trump gave fulsome support
in Riyadh and said, lets isolate Iran
that sent a signal to the UAE and Sau-
di, which felt emboldened and said:
lets let loose everything we have on
Qatar, said Gerd Nonneman, profes-
sor of International Relations and Gulf
Studies at Georgetown University in
Qatar.
Acknowledging the tensions, the
UAE minister of state for foreign af-
fairs, Anwar Gargash, wrote on Twit-
ter on Sunday that the GCC countries
are passing through a new sharp crisis
that carries within it a great danger.
Gulf ofcials and commentators
outside Qatar said it did not matter
whether the remarks were fake be-
cause they reected Qatars sympa-
thies anyway.
Dohas insistence in denying the
issue is marginal because in reality, on
the ground, Qatar conrms it adopts
the policies that it is now trying to
deny, an editorial in Saudi-owned
newspaper Al-Hayat on Monday said.
A Gulf Arab ofcial said patience
had run out. What is certain is the
Gulf states led by Riyadh are not likely
to tolerate such a deviation, if inten-
tional, especially at this junction in our
relationship with our hostile neighbour
Iran.
Al Raya, a government-owned Qa-
tari daily, hit back at Emirati reports
on Friday by publishing pictures on its
front page of UAE journalists it called
mercenaries.
to land in Aden. Hadi ordered Emeiry
red and clashes broke out when
armed Hadi loyalists arrived at the air-
port to enforce his decree. Since then
control of the airport had remained
split between UAE-backed forces and
Hadi supporters.
In May Hadi two senior ofcials
from the south who allegedly support-
ed the separation and had ties to the
UAE. The move was met with protests
in the south and fueled further calls for
separation.
Meanwhile, The United Nations en-
voy for Yemen said on Tuesday that
the cholera outbreak in the war-ravaged
country has killed over 500 people since
the disease reemerged last month.
Ismael Ould Cheikh Ahmed said at
Russian jets halt advance on desert outpost: Syrian rebels
Strike kills IS propaganda agency founder
BEIRUT, May 31, (Agencies): A
US-led coalition air strike on east-
ern Syria has killed a founder of
the Islamic State groups notori-
ous Amaq propaganda agency,
Syrian opposition activists said on
Wednesday.
Rayan Mashaal, also known as
Baraa Kadek, was reportedly killed
in coalition bombardment on the IS-
held town of Mayadeen, near Syr-
ias border with Iraq, on Monday.
Several Syrian activist Facebook
pages, including the prominent
media collective Eye on the Home-
land, shared the news of his death.
Mashaal was one of the found-
ers of Daeshs Amaq news agen-
cy, Eye on the Homeland said, us-
ing the Arabic acronym for IS.
He and his daughter were killed
in a coalition air strike on Mayadeen
in Deir Ezzor province, the collec-
tive wrote.
A Facebook post reportedly writ-
ten by Mashaals brother was also
being circulated as conrmation of
his death.
Neither the US-led coalition nor
the Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights monitoring group could im-
mediately conrm the news.
Mohammad Khaled, the executive
director of opposition news network
Aleppo24, told AFP that Mashaal,
31, had been a well-known media
activist before joining IS.
I met him in 2012. Baraa
(Mashaal) was one of the old revo-
lutionaries of Aleppo, he said.
According to Khaled, Mashaal
worked as a media activist in Aleppo
until late 2013, when he announced
is particularly vulnerable as it has not
been renovated since 1970. Its tilt gave
the landmark its popular name al-
Hadba, or the hunchback.
The Mosul offensive, now in its
eighth month, has taken much more
time than expected as Islamic State is
ghting in the middle of civilians and
using them as human shields.
Over the past few days, the militants
ordered dozens of families living in
the Zanjili district to move into the Old
City to prevent them from escaping to-
ward the Iraqi forces trying to advance
from the northern side, a resident said.
Government forces have been drop-
ping leaets over the districts telling
Such animosities can have rami-
cations across the Middle East, where
Gulf states have used their nancial
and political clout to inuence events
in Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Yem-
en amid upheaval caused by the Arab
Spring.
Nonneman said Kuwait and Oman
clearly did not want a major rift. Its
not in the interests of anyone for this to
grow into a clash beyond a media cam-
paign but sometimes these things
take on a life of their own, he said. pher observed only one police car en-
Iran, which denies Arab accusa-
tions that it is engaged in subversion of
Arab countries, appears to be gloating.
Kayhan, a newspaper closely associ-
ated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, said on Tuesday the
rift reected Saudi Arabias inability
to form an alliance against Tehran.
Saudi school
Continued from Page 1
Police were hunting a suspect of Ira-
qi origin, a security source told AFP,
describing the suspect as a teacher.
The man who was dismissed from
the school four years ago on the basis
of anger issues and an unstable person-
ality opened re at the administration leading to an American diploma.
ofces, Talal Al Maiman, the school
chairman, said in a statement.
Maiman gave no further details of
the victims or suspect but called the
gunman disgruntled.
The security source identied the
victims as a Saudi and a person of Pal-
estinian heritage.
A teacher took a gun and then he
went to the school room and he killed
the assistant school principal and one
of the employees, said the source
who asked not to be identied because
a formal statement would come later
from Riyadh police.
a Security Council brieng that there
are 60 thousand suspected cases of the
cholera in its second outbreak in Yem-
en in six months.
The UN envoy said that Yemens
collapsing medical sector contributed
to the rapid outbreak, noting that less
than 45 percent of medical facilities
are functioning and only half of Yem-
enis have access to clean water.
The World Health Organization said
in its latest update on Monday that the
disease continues to spread but at a slow-
er pace, putting the death toll at 471.
A Saudi-led coalition has been bat-
tling Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen
since March 2015, in a war that has
killed more than 10,000 civilians.
Meanwhile, the UN humanitarian
he was moving to the land of the ca-
liphate in IS-held Al-Bab.
He went on to move to ISs Syrian
bastion Raqa, but ed to Mayadeen
four months ago as the US-backed
Syrian Democratic Forces drew near
to the northern city, Khaled said.
We knew that he was founding
this (Amaq) agency in 2014 be-
cause he invited all the activists in
Aleppo to join him, Khaled said.
Amaq is ISs self-styled news
outlet. Its channels on social me-
dia application Telegram are often
the rst place that IS publishes its
claims of responsibility for attacks
around the world.
The US-led coalition has been
bombing IS targets in Syria since
September 2014 and has been
heavily bombing Mayadeen since
last week.
The Britain-based Observatory
said on Friday that at least 80 rela-
tives of IS ghters were killed in
coalition strikes on the town.
More than 320,000 people have
been killed and millions displaced
by Syrias conict, which erupted in
March 2011 with protests against
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Meanwahile, Western-backed
Syrian rebels said on Wednesday
that Russian jets attacked them as
they tried to advance against Iran-
backed militias in a region of Syrias
southeastern desert.
They said six jets bombed their
positions as they moved towards
Zaza checkpoint near Sabaa Biyar,
a small town near the Damascus-
Baghdad highway and the borders
with Iraq and Jordan.
families to ee but the intensity of the
ghting has prevented people from es-
caping.
The militants been countering the
offensive with suicide car and motor-
bike bombs, snipers, booby-traps and
mortar re.
About 700,000 people, about a third
of the pre-war citys population, have
already ed, seeking refuge either with
friends and relatives or in camps.
Meanwhile, the death of an Aus-
tralian girl in a Baghdad bombing un-
derscored why Australia was ghting
Islamic State militants in the Middle
East, the Australian foreign minister
said Wednesday.
Investigators were treating the case
as a criminal matter and not a terrorist
incident, the source said.
Saudi media spoke of disagree-
ments between the suspect and victims.
There has been a shooting at King-
dom School in Riyadh, the US em-
bassy said in a Twitter post, urging
people to avoid the area.
School (is) closed, no children pre-
sent, it added.
By late afternoon an AFP photogra-
tering the school grounds, which were
quiet.
Most schools in Saudi Arabia are on
holiday.
Nobody answered the schools main
phone line, and mobile numbers listed
in the school handbook were either off
or unanswered.
Kingdom School is part of a group
owned by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal,
chairman of Kingdom Holding Co
whose diversied investments include
Citigroup and Time Warner.
The school, which has several build-
ings, opened in 2000 and offers boys
and girls education from kindergarten
to high school, according to its web-
site.
The school has both a Saudi curricu-
lum and an international programme
Kingdom Holding says on its web-
site that the schools group has more
than 4,000 students and 300 teachers at
various locations in Riyadh.
Since 2014 the Islamic State group
has claimed bombings and shootings
that killed dozens in Saudi Arabia, tar-
geting minority Shiites and members
of the security forces.
But criminal shootings with multi-
ple victims are unusual.
In February last year a teacher re-
portedly killed six people at an educa-
tion department ofce in the southern
region of Jazan.
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
chief warned Tuesday that civil war
is causing Yemen to spiral toward to-
tal collapse with the threat of famine
increasing and over 55,000 suspected
cholera cases since late April.
Stephen OBrien told the UN Secu-
rity Council that Yemen now has the
ignominy of being the worlds largest
food security crisis. More than 17
million people desperately need food,
including 6.8 million who are one
step away from famine, he said.
The people of Yemen are being
subjected to deprivation, disease and
death as the world watches, OBrien
warned.
He said the countrys spiral down-
wards towards a total social, economic
and institutional collapse is a direct
They identied them as Russian
because they ew in formation and
at higher altitude than Syrian jets.
A sortie of Russian jets bombed
us to repel our advance after we
broke the rst lines of defence of
the Iranian militia and took over
advanced positions near the Zaza
checkpoint, Saad al Haj, a spokes-
man for Jaish Osoud al-Sharqiya,
one of the main groups in the area
told Reuters.
The southeast of the Syrian de-
sert, known as the Badia, has be-
come an important front in Syrias
civil war between President Bashar
al-Assad, backed by Iran and
Shiite militias, and rebels seeking
to oust him.
They are competing to capture
land held by Islamic State, which
is retreating as it comes under in-
tense attack in Iraq and along Syr-
ias Euphrates basin.
Haj said none of their ghters
were killed. Another FSA ofcial,
Said Seif from the Ahmed Abdo
Martyrs group, also said Russian
planes hit the rebels when they be-
gan storming militia defences.
The army and allied militias cap-
tured Zaza checkpoint and Sabaa
Biyar this month to stop Western
backed Free Syria Army groups
taking strategic ground vacated by
Islamic State.
Jets from a US-led coalition
against Islamic State hit pro-gov-
ernment Iran-backed militias on
May 18 as they tried to advance
south of Zaza towards Tanf, a base
on the Syria-Jordan border where
US troops are training FSA rebels.
Zynab Al-Harbiya, 12, from Mel-
bourne, went with her family to Bagh-
dad to visit her sick grandfather when
she was killed early Tuesday local
time when a car bomb exploded out-
side a popular ice cream shop, Foreign
Minister Julie Bishop said.
More than 30 others were killed, Aus-
tralian ofcial Frances Adamson said.
Dozens more were injured, including
Al-Harbiyas mother and an uncle, ac-
cording to lawmaker Bill Shorten.
The Islamic State group claimed re-
sponsibility for the attack, which Iraqi
ofcials said involved apparently re-
motely detonated explosives inside a
parked car.
Kabul truck
Continued from Page 1
The Taleban currently in the
midst of their annual spring offen-
sive denied they were involved,
while strongly condemning the blast.
The insurgent group rarely claims re-
sponsibility for attacks that kill large
numbers of civilians.
The Islamic State group has claimed
responsibility for several recent bomb-
ings in the Afghan capital, including a
powerful blast targeting a NATO con-
voy that killed eight people earlier this
month.
The sound of the bomb, which went
off near Kabuls busy Zanbaq Square,
reverberated across the Afghan capi-
tal, with residents comparing it to an
earthquake. Most victims appear to be
civilians.
The vigilance and courage of Af-
ghan security forces prevented the
VBIED (vehicle-borne improvised
explosive device) from gaining entry
to the Green Zone, but the explosion
caused civilian casualties, NATO
said in a statement.
The BBC said its Afghan driver Mo-
hammed Nazir was killed and four of
their journalists wounded. Local TV
channel Tolo TV also tweeted that a
staff member, Aziz Navin, was killed.
The explosion damaged several em-
bassies in the area, which houses dip-
lomatic and government buildings and
is a maze of concrete blast walls, vehi-
cle barriers and armed security guards.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar
Gabriel said the despicable attack
killed an Afghan guard from the Ger-
man embassy, and added that some
employees had been injured, though
he did not give further details.
He said the bomb had gone off in
the immediate vicinity of the German
embassy.
37
consequence of actions by ghters
loyal to the former president and Shiite
Houthi rebels and their supporters.
But it is also, sadly, a result of in-
action whether due to inability or
indifference by the international
community, he said.
OBrien called for urgent action to
stem the suffering in the Arab worlds
poorest nation, stressing that if there was
no conict there would be no descent
into famine, misery, disease and death.
But the UN envoy for Yemen, Is-
mail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, told the
council that serious negotiations on the
rst steps to a cessation of hostilities
have been slow and the key parties are
reluctant to even discuss the conces-
sions needed for peace.
France, India, Turkey, Japan, the
United Arab Emirates and Bulgaria
similarly reported damage to their em-
bassies, including shattered windows,
as the blast drew an avalanche of inter-
national condemnation.
The White House issued a scathing
statement condemning the atrocious
attack.
That this attack would occur dur-
ing the holy month of Ramadan un-
derscores the senseless and barbaric
nature of this attack, a White House
spokesman said.
Newswatch
Continued from Page 1
DUBAI: A Bahraini court on
Wednesday ordered the dissolu-
tion of the main secular Waad op-
position group and the seizure of
its assets, Waad said on its Twitter
account.
The ruling is part of a wider
crackdown by the Western-allied
government that has included out-
lawing opposition groups, impris-
oning and trying prominent rights
campaigners and revoking the citi-
zenship of a religious leader.
It followed a Justice Ministry
petition led in March accusing the
National Democratic Action So-
ciety, known as Waad, of serious
violations targeting the principle
of respecting the rule of law, sup-
porting terrorism and sanctioning
violence. (RTRS)
GENEVA: Donald Trump may
be lighting up Twitter with strange
new words and attacks on allies but
in the battle for most attention per
tweet the US president is losing.
The world leader whose original
tweets generate the most retweets
is Saudi Arabias King Salman,
according the latest Twiplomacy
study by communications rm Bur-
son-Martsteller.
In terms of output, there is no
contest: the Saudi king only tweet-
ed 10 times during the period cov-
ered by the study April 2016 to
May 20 of this year.
But those 10 tweets were each
retweeted more than 147,000 times
on average, dwarng Trumps
13,100 average retweets per tweet,
said the study, the sixth of its kind
by Burson-Martsteller. (AFP)
CAIRO: Three army ofcers and
a soldier were killed in an explo-
sion in Egypts Western Desert on
Wednesday after a clash with mili-
tants, the military said.
The incident comes days after Is-
lamic State group jihadists gunned
down 29 Christians in an attack
southwest of the capital.
The army said air strikes hit ter-
rorists who had been detected in
the Western Desert, destroying two
of their vehicles.
When land forces combed the
area, an explosives vest went off as
the ofcers dealt with items left
behind by the militants, killing the
three ofcers and the conscript.
The incident took place near the
town of El-Bawiti, east of the site
of Fridays attack on the Christians
who had been on their way to a
monastery. (AFP)
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysia
Airlines ight from Melbourne to
Kuala Lumpur returned to the Aus-
tralian airport shortly after take off
late on Wednesday after a passen-
ger attempted to enter the cockpit,
the airline said.
The plane landed safely and the
passenger was apprehended by
airport security, Malaysia Airlines
said in a statement, stressing that
the ight had not at any point been
hijacked.
Flight MH128 returned to Mel-
bournes Tullamarine Airport after
the operating captain was alerted
by a cabin crew of a passenger at-
tempting to enter the cockpit, the
statement said. It had departed at
11:11 pm Melbourne time and re-
turned at 11:41 pm. (RTRS)
WASHINGTON: A man armed with
a semi-automatic rie was arrested
in the early hours of Wednesday at
Trump International Hotel in the
US capital, averting what police
called a potential disaster.
Alerted by authorities in Penn-
sylvania, ofcers of the Metro-
politan Police Department detained
a man from the state, identied as
Brian Moles, 43, at around 1 am at
the hotel a short distance from the
White House.
In his car, they recovered an
AR-15 semi-automatic assault style
rie, a handgun and ammunition,
police chief Peter Newsham told a
news conference. Moles was arrest-
ed for illegal possession of rearms.
The ofcers and our federal
partners ... averted a potential dis-
aster in the nations capital, News-
ham said. (AFP)
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

LEISURE 38

Shermans Lagoon By J.P. Toomey

N E W Y O R K T I M E S CROSSWORD

Book of
Mormon

Mutts By Patrick McDonnell

Hagar The Horrible By Chris Browne

Expression

Beetle Bailey By Mort Walker

Scratch pad

odds n ends
RHENEN, Netherlands: Cau-
tiously at rst and then with
mounting curiosity, two giant
pandas stepped outside into
their new open-air enclosure at
a Dutch zoo on Tuesday, met
by a barrage of cameras and
Garfield By Jim Davis squeals of delight.
Female Wu Wen (Beautiful
Powerful Cloud) and her male
companion Xing Ya (Elegant
Star) were making their public
debut, marking the culmination
of a 16-year dream for the zoo
and Dutch ofcials.
The pair are now going on
show at Ouwehands Dier-
enpark zoo in central Rhenen,
housed in an imposing, pago-
da-style enclosure specially
built at a cost of seven million
euros ($7.4 million).
They arrived in The Neth-
erlands on April 13, after an
8,000-kilometre (5,000-mile)
journey from China and after
Baby Blues By Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott years of negotiations in what
has been dubbed panda di-
plomacy.
But despite mounting panda-
mania here the two pandas
were rst given a few weeks of
quarantine and a chance to ac-
climatise to their new surround-
ings before going on show.
In the wild, pandas are soli-
tary creatures and the pair are
being housed separately and
will be brought together when
the female is on heat.
They will stay in the zoo for
some 15 years, and the hope
is that they will breed and help
replenish global panda num-
bers.
While pandas remain en-
Conceptis Sudoku Challenger Giant female Panda Wu Wen discovers her new enclosure during an ofcial unveil-
dangered, conservation work
and an increased awareness
ing ceremony at Ouwehands Zoo on May 30 in Rhenen. Wu Wen and male panda of their plight has led to a rise
The grid must be so completed that every row, column Xing Ya have been in quarantine for six weeks after their arrival from China and in numbers.
and 3x3 box has every digit from 1 to 9 inclusive were for the rst time introduced to their new living environment and invited guests. Some 1,864 pandas remain
(AFP) in the wild in China, an increase
DIRECTIONS: from around 1,000 in the late
1970s, according to the envi-
Fill each square
with a number, one
through nine.
contract bridge ronmental group WWF.
And just over 400 pandas
live in zoos around the world,
Horizontal By Steve Becker in conservation projects set up
squares should with Beijing. (AFP)
add to totals on
right. NEW YORK: A New York City
Vertical squares carriage horse is safely back
should add to in its stable after breaking free
totals on bottom. and running wild through rush
hour trafc.
Diagonal The horse, a 12-year-old
squares through mare named Goldie, broke
center should add Yesterdays solution free on Tuesday while being
to total in upper taken back to her stable in the
and lower right. Hells Kitchen neighborhood
of Manhattan. Witnesses say
THERE MAY BE Goldie soon went into a full
MORE THAN ONE gallop, cutting off cars and run-
ning across streets.
SOLUTION. After running eleven blocks,
Goldie returned to her stable
Todays Challenge on her own. She was not in-
Time 5 Minutes jured.
Answer to yesterdays puzzle 37 Seconds A carriage driver says it
Your Working wasnt that big of a deal and tells
Time __ Minutes WNBC-TV that Goldie probably
wanted some exercise after a
__ Seconds slow day at work. (AP)

Word by Word

Waters Miyah
Still waters run deep.
Al miyah al hadeah ameeqat al ghoor.

Numbers

7571 Seven thousand five hundred

seventy one
Sabat alaf wa khamso maah
wa wahed wa saboun
Tomorrow: Triumph of mind over matter

SPORTS
King Pirates upset Tribal 140-135 in triple overtime
By Kathrina Perea
Special to the Arab Times
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: It took
140 points for King Pirates to come
away with an important victory in the
PBLK 7th Season 58 Division A
held at the Hawally Disabled Sports
Club on Friday.
In a matchup of epic proportions,
King Pirates outlasted Tribal at 140-
135 in triple overtime for the leagues
longest game this season.
Santillan delivered 39 points for
King Pirates to bring home the Best
3 approved
IAAF rejects 28
Russians to play
MOSCOW, May 31, (AP): The
IAAF rejected bids from 28
Russians to compete as neutral
athletes on Wednesday and ap-
proved only three.
Russia was banned from all in-
ternational track and eld compe-
tition in 2015 amid allegations of
widespread doping and a cover-
up orchestrated by government
ofcials.
Former European javelin
champion Vera Rebrik, who com-
peted for Ukraine until 2014, was
approved to compete Wednesday
along with 400-meter runner Kse-
nia Aksyonova and hurdler Vera
Rudakova.
A total of 15 Russians have
now been cleared to compete in-
ternationally as neutrals, while
the IAAF
has rejected
45 others.
Im grate-
ful to the
members
of the Dop-
ing Review
Board for the
dedication
and diligence
they are giv-
ing to this on- Coe
going review
process, IAAF president Sebas-
tian Coe said in a statement. The
importance of this huge task should
not be underestimated. There can
be no time constraints or deadlines
when the protection of clean ath-
letes everywhere is at stake.
Those already approved in-
ATHLETICS
clude high jump world champion
Maria Lasitskene, 110-meter
hurdles world champion Sergei
Shubenkov and doping whistle-
blower Yulia Stepanova, an
800-meter runner.
Lasitskene recorded the big-
gest win yet for a neutral athlete
at last weeks Diamond League
meet in Eugene, Oregon, leaping
2.03 meters to take rst place in
the high jump.
The Russian track federation
published a list of the 28 athletes
who were rejected Wednesday.
Tokyo organizers reach agreement on allocation of 2020 costs
TOKYO, May 31, (Agencies): Or-
ganizers of the Tokyo Olympics
reached a broad agreement Wednes-
day on the allocation of costs for the
2020 Games with the metropolitan,
national and local governments of the
seven prefectures and four other cit-
ies hosting events.
Governments outside Tokyo that are
to host competitions agreed on basic
principles concerning cost sharing.
Yoshiro Mori, the head of the organ-
izing committee, said the agreement
was a step forward.
I think our preparation has been at
least one year behind, Mori said. We
want to speed up the process now so
that we can catch up.
The seven prefectures hosting events
are Hokkaido, Miyagi, Fukushima,
Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa and Shi-
zuoka. The four other cities are Sap-
poro, Saitama, Chiba and Yokohama.
Representatives from seven prefec-
tures expressed satisfaction that the
organizing committee and Tokyo Met-
ropolitan Government will pay for ex-
penditures to build temporary facilities
for venues outside the capital.
Local governments had previously
objected to the idea that they would
have to shoulder part of the costs to
build temporary facilities.
King Pirates (left), Tribal team (right) pose for group photo during the PBLK 7th Season 58 Division A in Hawally.
Santillan scores 39 points to claim Best Player of the Game honor
Player of the Game honors. Mag-
banua added 25 points, while Fajardo
and Antonio chipped in with 17 points
apiece for the team.
Tribal countered with impressive
numbers as well, with two players
scoring more than 30 points each.
Player #12 nished with 35 points
followed by Niegas with 32 points.
James and Tacasan also made it to the
scoreboard in double gures with 15
and 14 points, respectively.
If the rst three quarters of the
game were an indication, Tribal was
more favored to win as they outscored
King Pirates comfortably only let-
ting the other team lead by 2 points in
the rst quarter. Tribal led by 8 points
heading into the fourth, 68-60.
The fourth quarter saw King Pi-
rates ll the 8-point gap behind im-
portant shots by Santillan that put the
game into a deadlock at the end of
regulation, 95-95. Santillan scored 12
of his 39 points in this quarter.
Santillan went on to score 10 of the
teams 14 points in the rst overtime.
Tribal countered with 14 combined
points from James, Niegas, Cutler,
Briones, Cristobal, and Tacasan, to
BASKETBALL
even the score at 109.
An aggressive second overtime
followed with most of the points
scored by both teams coming from
foul shots. Santillan could only score
5 points off free throws before sitting
out the rest of the game. The teams
were tied at 121 heading into the third
and nal overtime.
With Santillan on the bench, Mag-
banua stepped up opening the round
with two big three-pointers. Tribal
fought back with 14 points from Ros-
ta, Niegas, and Cutler, but fell to the
Magbanua-led squad in the waning
seconds of the game. Magbanua went
on to make 15 of the teams 19 points
in the third overtime to seal the win,
140-135.
With the victory, King Pirates
maintain the eighth spot in the PBLK
7th Season 58 Division A stand-
ings with 11 wins and 5 losses. Tribal
drops to the fth spot with 11 wins
and 4 losses.
Meanwhile, Bad Bananas picked
up a win against Hashtag, 101-66, to
hold on to the rst spot in the 58 Di-
vision A standings with 13 wins and
1 loss. Hashtag dropped to #9 with 9
wins and 6 losses.
58 Division B saw Cabalen and
Furuya each pick up a win to close
eliminations. Both teams are on
standby for the crossover semi-nals
against Division A leaders.
The PBLK 7th Season Inter-com-
pany Division continues with FIL-
ASEAK, Trampo, and Banta each
nabbing a win over Kuwait Engi-
neers, HEISCO, and Burger King B-
Blades respectively.
In the 35+ Super Fathers Division,
JC Nets/Bad Bananas beat Man-
daragit, 101-91, to wrap up Fridays
games.
Catch more PBLK action every
Friday at the Hawally Disabled
Sports Club. For more information,
please contact Alan Compuesto at
96681557.
6 track athletes handed doping bans after Olympic retests
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said
the broad agreement was a big step
forward that would allow stakehold-
ers to accelerate preparations toward
staging a successful Olympics in 2020.
With the games coming up in three
years, we have to rush our prepara-
tion, Koike said.
All the parties additionally agreed
to set up a management committee
for collaborative projects which aims
to further reduce
costs. The com-
mittee will regu-
larly review the
specic tasks
related to games
preparation and
operation.
Organizers
announced in
December
rough estimate
Mori for the total cost
of hosting the
games of between 1.6 and 1.8 trillion
yen ($13-$15 billion).
Meanwhile, six Russian and Ukrainian
track athletes were handed doping bans
Wednesday after retests found they had
doped at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
The IAAF said Russian sprinter Yulia
Chermoshanskaya, who won 4x100-
Ainslie gets badly needed
victory in AmCup qualifiers
In this photo provided by the Americas Cup Event Authority, Great Britains Land Rover BAR competes in the
Americas Cup qualifying on the Great Sound in Bermuda on May 30. (AP)
Spectators advised to get to sporting events early
England, Bdesh aim to banish batting blues
LONDON, May 31, (AFP): Spec-
tators have long been advised to
get to sporting events early and
they could miss the key part of
Thursdays Champions Trophy
opener between England and
Bangladesh at the Oval if they
arent in on time.
Even in June, early morning
cloud cover that aids swing is of-
ten a key part of English cricket
conditions.
The proof came as recently as
Monday when, across London at
Lords, England collapsed to 20 for
six in ve overs the worst start
in one-day international history
against the South Africa new-ball
duo of Kagiso Rabada and Wayne
Parnell.
A green-tinged pitch did not
nd favour with England captain
Eoin Morgan but even on more
placid surfaces the issue of how
best to bat under grey skies,
which can often set in all day
meter relay gold in 2008, was banned for
two years. Two Ukrainians, javelin silver
medalist Oleksandr Pyatnytsya and pole
vault bronze medalist Denys Yurchenko,
were also banned for two years.
They had already been stripped of
their Olympic medals last year by the
International Olympic Committee.
There were also two-year bans
for Ukrainian athletes Vita Palamar,
Marharyta Tverdohlib and Maksym
Mazuryk, who competed at the Olym-
pics but were not medalists.
The IAAF also announced an eight-
OLYMPICS
year sanction for Natalia Lupu, who
was the 800-meter European indoor
champion in 2013.
a The IAAF said the Ukrainian failed a
test in July, her second offense, so she
could be disqualied from last years
Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she
reached the seminals of the 800.
Australian Olympic Committee me-
dia and communications director Mike
Tancred was found to have exhibited
disreputable conduct in his dealings
with a former executive, but an inde-
Oracle Team USA lead with six points
in England, as many a cold fan
knows, remains.
Bangladesh highlighted the is-
sue in dramatic style by collapsing
to 84 all out in reply to Champions
Trophy title-holders Indias 324 for
seven in their nal warm-up match
at the Oval on Tuesday.
Defeat by 240 runs was certainly
not want Bangladesh wanted any
more than England, a much-im-
CRICKET
proved one-day side since the Ti-
gers knocked them out of the 2015
World Cup, wished to see their top
order suffer such a spectacular
slump against South Africa, even
if they were already 2-0 up in the
three-match series.
Yet it says something about
Englands current white-ball ap-
proach that Jonny Bairstow, their
only batsman to make a fty at
pendent review panel has ruled that he
was not guilty of bullying.
The AOC said in a statement
Wednesday that the independent panel,
comprising three senior judges, rec-
ommended Tancred be severely rep-
rimanded for his conduct, which will
In this July 31, 2010 le photo,
Russias Yulia Chermoshanskaya
competes in a Womens 4x100m
heat during the European Athlet-
ics Championships, in Barcelona,
Spain. (AP)
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
Lords, may not play at the Oval if
all-rounders Ben Stokes and Chris
Woakes are fully t.
Bangladesh collapsed to 22 for
six in 7.3 overs against India, not
as bad as England on Monday, but
concerning all the same.
But Mehedi Hasan, who top-
scored for the Tigers with 24, said
they still believed they could beat
England
Bangladesh coach Chandika
Hathurusingha tried to minimise
the impact of Tuesdays reverse
by saying: Obviously it affects the
condence a little bit, but this is a
practice game.
The Champions Trophy opener
is set to feature several survivors
on both sides from Bangladeshs
2015 World Cup win over Eng-
land, when a hundred from Mah-
mudullah and aggressive seam
bowling propelled the Tigers to
a memorable success at the Ad-
elaide Oval.
form part of his employment record,
for his dealings with former AOC chief
executive Fiona de Jong.
In the lead-up to an election for AOC
president on May 6 which IOC vice
president John Coates easily won, de
Jong said she had been bullied by Tan-
cred while she was still employed there.
Tancred, who denied the allegations,
stood aside from his position pending
the independent investigations.
Pole vault star Yelena Isinbayeva
on Wednesday quit as head of the
supervisory council at Russias anti-
doping agency, a step demanded by
international ofcials as Moscow seeks
to get its suspension lifted.
Russian sports bosses agreed earlier
this month that Isinbayeva would leave
in line with a request from the World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), one
of a raft of criteria the country needs
to fulll in order to get its drug-testing
body RUSADA reinstated.
Press reports, however, said that
Isinbayeva would remain as a member
of RUSADAs supervisory board.
RUSADA has been suspended since
2015 in the wake of the report by Rich-
ard McLaren which uncovered wide-
spread doping in Russian sport.
39
HAMILTON, Bermuda,
May 31, (AP): Sir Ben Ain-
slie regained his sea legs
after a few rough days in
the Americas Cup quali-
ers on Bermudas Great
Sound.
Sir Ben Ainslie regained his sea
legs after a few rough days in the
Americas Cup qualiers on Ber-
mudas Great Sound.
Ainslie steered Britains Land
Rover BAR to a badly needed victo-
ry Tuesday after four straight losses,
leading the whole way to beat Swe-
dens Artemis Racing by 30 seconds
on the opening day of the second
round robin.
We needed that one, said Ainslie,
who has struggled with speed and col-
lisions aboard his foiling 50-foot cata-
maran this spring. We had a couple
of really tough days and we really
needed to turn that around. We had to
have some pretty frank conversations
last night about how were sailing and
the setup of our boat and were able to
SAILING
improve our performance markedly.
Land Rover BAR had been strug-
gling since Saturday, when it smashed
into SoftBank Team Japan during the
prestart, punching a hole in its port
hull. It lost badly and nearly sank as it
returned to the dock. The British crew
lost to two-time defending champion
Oracle Team USA and Emirates Team
New Zealand on Sunday before an
eye-opening loss to Groupama Team
France on Monday.
There are huge expectations back
home in England, which has failed for
166 years to win back the silver trophy
it lost to the schooner America in 1851.
It would be unfathomable if the rst
team eliminated was led by Ainslie,
who was knighted several months after
winning his fourth straight Olympic
gold medal, in home waters in 2012.
Ainslie helped Oracle Team USA rally
to defend the Americas Cup in 2013
before starting his own campaign,
which has the backing of the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge.
Oracle Team USA leads with six
points, followed by Emirates Team
New Zealand with ve and Land Rov-
er BAR with four.
Ainslie has been propped up by two
bonus points earned from leading the
standings after preliminary regattas the
last two years. If not for those points,
hed be tied at the bottom of the eet
with Artemis, SoftBank Team Japan
and Groupama Team France, all with
two points.
We hoped we wouldnt need them,
but certainly coming into this event its
well-documented that were struggling
for straight-
line speed and
thankfully our
performance in
the Americas
Cup World Se-
ries was very
strong, Ainslie
said. It was a
target for the
team for the
points, but also
Ainslie as a new team in
the Americas
Cup to prove that we can race and win
at this level.
In one of the many radical depar-
tures from tradition, this is the rst
time the defender has sailed against
challengers in the preliminaries. If Or-
acle wins the qualiers, it will carry a
one-point bonus into the rst-of-seven
Americas Cup match beginning June
17. If a challenger wins the qualiers
and then reaches the match, it will get
the bonus point.
After the second round robin, one
challenger will be eliminated and Ora-
cle will practice on its own while the
challengers sail their seminals and
nals.
Not only has Ainslie struggled with
speed, but hes had three collisions. He
hit the dock coming back from training
in March and then slammed into the
back of Emirates Team New Zealand
during a practice race, causing dam-
age that took the Kiwis three days to
repair.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

SPORTS 40

Branded goods inspired by iconic cars of the past

Land Rover launches stunning new collection of merchandise for 2017

KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Land Rover has
launched their premium lifestyle ranges of
clothing and merchandise for 2017, including
an all-new Heritage Collection inspired by
iconic cars of the past.
The collection has been carefully designed
and selected with the same meticulous atten-
tion to detail that goes into designing and
developing its range of vehicles. Overseen by
design directors Gerry McGovern and Ian
Callum, the brand DNA runs throughout the
Collections in the same way as it does the
vehicles themselves.
The 2017 Land Rover Collection features
an extended range of new products, includ-
ing 2-in-1 waterproof jackets, new T-shirt
styles and designs for men, women and
children, high-quality leather phone and
tablet cases, an all-new luggage set, a new
chronograph watch and a significantly
enhanced range of childrens products
including sweatshirts, hoodies, caps, books,
toys, rucksacks, pencil cases and lunch
boxes, not forgetting of course Adventure
Bear, offering up perfect ideas for Ramadan
and Eid gifts. Additionally an extended
range of replica car models from the Land
Rover family are also available.
Hannah Naji, Brand Director for Jaguar
Land Rover MENA says: The Jaguar and
Land Rover Collections combine exceptional
design and originality with outstanding qual-
ity. In addition to a stunning range of heri-
tage-inspired products, we have also created
new core and lifestyle ranges which continue
to be stylish and relevant for all the family.
Land Rover Collection highlights
Land Rovers Heritage Collection epito-
Land Rover branded goods collections for 2017.
mises the brands adventurous spirit and the
designers of this new Collection have drawn
inspiration from the two Range Rover crews
that conquered the Americas in 1971, which
included the infamous Darin Gap expedi-
tion.
The Land Rover Heritage Collection is a
premium range of clothing, gifts and acces-
sories, inspired by the all-conquering spirit of
perseverance. The navy and gold colours of
those original Range Rovers stand out across
the Collection, while technical graphics, route
map designs and accounts of the Darin Gap
crossing bring the legendary British trans-
Americas expedition to life.
One highlight in the new Land Rover
Collection is the Heritage Trunk. Made in col-
laboration with renowned luxury luggage
makers, Globe-Trotter, this sturdy case has
Tan leather handles and straps with a printed
cotton weave interior displaying the Overland
Expedition route map.
Woods needs our help
Nicklaus laments how easy
it is for players to withdraw
DUBLIN, Ohio, May 31, (Agencies): Rory
McIlroy isnt playing the Memorial to make
sure a rib injury is fully healed before the US
Open. Justin Rose cited a sore back in pulling
out of the tournament where he earned his first
PGA Tour victory. Paul Casey was another
withdrawal because of a foot injury that has
plagued him before.
Jack Nicklaus said McIlroy texted him to
explain what was going on.
But a question about McIlroy led Nicklaus
to lament how easy it is for players to with-
draw from tournaments, especially as he con-
sidered his era with Arnold Palmer and Gary
GOLF
Player.
He said he shared his concerns with PGA
Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.
You think I had any injuries when I played?
Do you think Arnold had any injuries when he
played? Do you think Gary had any injuries
when he played? How many tournaments do
you think that we entered that we withdrew
from during the course of our career? Nicklaus
said.
He put his forefinger to his thumb to signal
zero.
Never entered if I wasnt going to play,
Nicklaus said.
He attributed some of it to money and said
he understood withdrawals
because its pretty much
the norm today.
Would they withdraw
back 30 years ago?
Probably not, because that
wasnt the norm, Nicklaus
said. We played through
it. We had a ton of injuries
and I played through it.
But thats sort of the norm
today.
Nicklaus And the guys ... I made
my own decisions. I didnt
have an entourage. I didnt have a fitness
trainer. I didnt have a nutritionist, whatever
you all have, somebody to cut my toenails in
the morning. I didnt have any of that. I did that
myself.
Meanwhile, Nicklaus says Tiger Woods
needs all of our help after he was arrested on
a charge of driving under the influence early on
Monday.

NSW rock Maroons with

big win in Origin opener
Maloney scores try and kicks 4 goals
BRISBANE, Australia,
May 31, (AFP): New
South Wales posted their
biggest win in Brisbane
with a commanding 28-4
victory over holders
Queensland in the State
of Origin rugby league
series-opener on
Wednesday.
The Blues got the jump on
the Maroons, winners of 10 of
the last 11 interstate series, to
seize the early momentum in
the three-match contest.
RUGBY
NSW, with fullback James
Tedesco and prop Andrew Fifita
outstanding, outscored the
Maroons five tries to one and
kicked away in the second half
after leading 12-4 at half-time.
It was the Blues biggest win
in 53 games at Suncorp Stadium,
eclipsing their 22-point winning
margin in the third game of the
2005 series.
We had a good preparation
and we knew we were in for a
good showing. Our forward pack
was enormous and they had it
over them for most of the time,
said stand-off James Maloney,
who scored a try and kicked four
goals.
Queensland, missing injured
stars Johnathan Thurston, Greg
Inglis and Matt Scott, must now
Frances Zakaria El Fakir (center)
is tackled by a South Africas player
during their 2017 World Rugby U20
Championship match at Tbilisis
Avchala Stadium on May 31. (AFP)
regroup to keep the series alive
in the second match in Sydney
on June 21.
Its very disappointing. The
Blues played with a lot of energy
and you cant afford to give away
cheap points like we did tonight.
They scored a couple of easy
tries towards the end, said cap-
tain Cameron Smith, who made a
record 40th Origin appearance
for Queensland.
In a breathless opening half
with hardly a stoppage in play,
the Blues struck first when
Maloney backed up a surging
burst and off-load from Fifita to
score under the crossbar in the
sixth minute.
NSW had the better of the
exchanges, with scrum-half
Mitchell Pearce constantly in the
play, before the Maroons hit
back with a spectacular try min-
utes before the interval.
Dane Gagai took the ball deep
into the Blues half before he
was tackled and from the next
play scrum-half Cooper Cronk
aimed a high kick towards the
left corner.
Winger Corey Oates out- The new Jaguar XE SV Project 8
jumped Blake Ferguson to pluck
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But NSW finished the half Sports sedan offers supercar performance
with a try started and finished by
Pearce after Wade Graham and
Tedesco combined in the lead-up
play.
SVO unleashed Jaguar XE SV Project 8
Maloneys conversion gave KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Jaguar SVO, following the successful thrilled by the F-TYPE Project
the Blues a 12-4 lead at half- Land Rover Special Vehicle launch of Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7. The new XE SV Project 8
time. Operations (SVO) today 7 in 2014. No more than 300 takes aerodynamics and perfor-
Pearce was forced off after tak- announces the most powerful, cars, all hand-assembled at mance engineering to another
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Blues hit back with three tries in Jaguar: the new XE SV Project 8. Coventry, will be created for sale enthusiasts and the most dis-
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cerning collectors.
the match during the second half. Jaguar sports sedan offering John Edwards, Managing The price for such an extreme
Tedesco took three defenders supercar performance has now Director of Jaguar Land Rover
over with him to score, while performance sports car available
undertaken its debut test at the Special Operations said: The
Fifita scooped up a dropped pass gruelling Nrburgring time is right for SVO to produce in strictly limited numbers will
near the Queensland try-line to Nordschleife, adorned with an the most extreme performance reflect that.
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over for the killer try on the hour. SVO Design. The SVO team is possessed by Jaguar XE SV Project 8 will be
The Blues protected their try- With the most highly tuned the spirit of performance and revealed at www.Jaguar.com on
line with resolute defence as version of Jaguar Land Rovers committed to creating the most 28 June 2017, ahead of its world
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contest in the final quarter. Collectors Edition vehicle from Our clients worldwide were in the UK on 30 June.

Star search Karam, Kuwait Capital draw

USOC on board
scouting camp Al-Roumi and Blues
DENVER, May 31, (AP): Americas
got talent, and the leaders at the US
Olympic Committee are turning on the
TV cameras to find it.
claim slim victories
The quest for gold and Americas KUWAIT CITY, May 31: The sport as a hobby.
insatiable appetite for reality television matches on the fourth day of the 38th The second game finished with-
are merging this summer with an Late Abdullah Meshari Al-Rawdhan out either of the teams - Late Ali
Olympic scouting camp that will ulti- Ramadan Futsal Tournament did not Karam and Kuwait Capital - scor-
mately be packaged as a one-episode witness a torrent of goals like the ing a goal. Both teams were cau-
reality show. Instead of earning a final previous three days. tious in the method of approach,
rose, eight athletes from an original The Late Ahmad Al-Roumi team making them goal shy until the last
cast of 100 will find themselves com- defeated the Late Abdullah Al-Medlij whistle.
peting for spots on future US Olympic team by 1-0 score. The blues In the third match, the Blues over-
teams. came attacks from the Late Musaed
Lest we all start jumping off the Al-Mailam team to emerge victorious
couch and warming up, there are a few FUTSOL when footballer Najib Al-Ali saw the
caveats: back of the net.
In the first phase of the project, defeated the Late Musaed Al-Mailam In the matches slated for Thursday,
the USOC is looking only for athletes team by the same goal margin. The the teams of Atom Sporting and
for cycling, rugby and the sliding Late Ali Karam Team reached a goal- Fawaz Refrigeration will face each
sports of bobsled and skeleton. less draw in their match with the other in the first match while the sec-
The USOC is in search of elite Kuwait Capital team. ond match will be between Dar
athletes, and is focusing much of its In the first game, footballer Al-Muhammadiyyah and Late Essa
attention toward college rosters. Nasser Al-Alban scored the lone teams, and the third between Kuwait
The individual sports have lofty
requirements to even be considered for goal which had helped the Late Steel and Al-Medhmar teams.
the initial tryout roster of 50 men and Ahmad Al-Roumi team defeat the Meanwhile, the spectators were
50 women: For example, a rugby Late Abdullah Al-Medlij team in enthusiastic about participating in a
hopeful would need to squat around the dying minutes. competition sponsored by the major
two times his or her weight for three Scintillating performance of the sponsor of the tournament - Zain
repetitions; a man trying out for bob- Al-Medlij team had surprised the Telecommunications Company. The
sled or skeleton would need to broad spectators, as they did not include participants were made to play
jump nearly 11 feet (at most NFL players who are professionals in towards four circles and those who
scouting combines, about a dozen indoor games. The team instead struck the target won Samsung
players reach that distance). Top and above: photos taken during the Ramadan Futsal Tournament. depended on players who take the phones and air tickets.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

SPORTS 41

Sale makes shaky return to

Chicago; Bosox rout Chisox
Dodgers win 6th straight with 9-4 victory over Cardinals
CHICAGO, May 31, (AP):
Chris Sale made a shaky
Logan Forsythe #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers breaks his bat but knocks return to his former home,
in a run against the St Louis Cardinals in the fth inning at Busch Stadium but Deven Marrero hit two
on May 30, St Louis, Missouri. (AFP) of Bostons season-high six
home runs and the Red Sox
MLB Scoreboard beat the Chicago White
Sox 13-7 on Tuesday night.
Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr,
WASHINGTON, May 31, (Agencies): Re- J.Barnes (8), Knebel (9), W.Peralta (11) Xander Bogaerts and Mitch More-
sults from the MLB games on Tuesday. and Bandy, Pina; Pill, Salas (6), Blevins land also went deep. The Red Sox
Washington 6 San Francisco 3 (7), Edgin (8), Reed (9), Smoker (10) and
San Diego 6 Chicago Cubs 2 T.dArnaud. W_Smoker 1-2. L_W.Peralta
won for the seventh time in nine
LA Angels 9 Atlanta 3 5-4. HRs_New York, Duda. games after an anticipated duel be-
Kansas City 1 Detroit 0 Chicago 010 010 0002 6 1 tween aces never materialized.
Boston 13 Chicago White Sox 7 San Diego 020 040 00x6 8 0
Houston 7 Minnesota 2 Butler, Duensing (5), Strop (6), Ed-
Sale (6-2) got a warm reception
Texas 9 Tampa Bay 5 wards (7), Rondon (8) and Contreras; from the crowd and a rude welcome
NY Mets 5 Milwaukee 4 Lamet, J.Torres (6), Quackenbush (6), from his old team. The ve-time All-
Miami 7 Philadelphia 2 Yates (8) and Hedges. W_Lamet 2-0. L_ Star gave up six runs and 10 hits both
Seattle 10 Colorado 4 Butler 2-1. HRs_Chicago, Schwarber. San season highs over ve innings in his
Toronto 6 Cincinnati 4 Diego, Hedges.
Arizona 3 Pittsburgh 0 Washington 210 030 0006 14 0 rst appearance against the White Sox.
LA Dodgers 9 St Louis 4 San Francisco 020 000 1003 9 2 Chicago left-hander Jose Quintana
NY Yankees 8 Baltimore 3 G.Gonzalez, Albers (7), Glover (9) and (2-7) got pounded for seven runs and
Cleveland 9 Oakland 4 Wieters; Samardzija, Morris (5), Gearrin 10 hits in 2-2/3 innings. It was his
MLB Standings (6), Law (7), Osich (8) and Posey, Hund-
American League ley. W_G.Gonzalez 4-1. L_Samardzija shortest outing since he lasted one in-
Eastern Division 1-7. Sv_Glover (7). ning against the New York Yankees on
W L PCT GB MLB Leaders Sept 2, 2013.
NY Yankees 30 19 .612 - American League
Boston 28 23 .549 3 BATTING: Dickerson, Tampa Bay, Angels 9, Braves 3
Baltimore 26 24 .520 4-1/2 .346; Segura, Seattle, .345; Bogaerts, In Anaheim, California, Albert Pu-
Tampa Bay 28 27 .509 5 Boston, .339; Trout, Los Angeles, .337; jols hit his 599th career homer during
Toronto 25 27 .481 6-1/2 Garcia, Chicago, .328; Judge, New the Angels nine-run third inning.
Central Division York, .323; Castro, New York, .322;
W L PCT GB Altuve, Houston, .320; Correa, Houston, Pujols moved to the brink of his lat-
Minnesota 26 22 .542 - .309; Brantley, Cleveland, .307; 1 tied est milestone with a three-run shot off
Cleveland 27 23 .540 - at .299. Bartolo Colon (2-6) early in Los Ange-
Chicago White Sox24 27 .471 3-1/2 RUNS: Dickerson, Tampa Bay, 39; les biggest inning of the season.
Detroit 24 28 .462 4 Judge, New York, 39; Bautista, Toronto,
Kansas City 22 29 .431 5-1/2 36; Gallo, Texas, 36; Trout, Los Angeles,
The 37-year-old slugger has hom-
Western Division 36; Lindor, Cleveland, 35; Springer, Hou- ered in back-to-back games for the
W L PCT GB ston, 35; Altuve, Houston, 34; Castro, New rst time this year. He can become the
Houston 37 16 .698 - York, 34; Gardner, New York, 34; 3 tied ninth player in baseball history, and
LA Angels 27 28 .491 11 at 33. fourth-youngest, to reach 600 homers
Texas 26 27 .491 11 RBI: Cruz, Seattle, 42; Sano, Min-
Seattle 24 29 .453 13 nesota, 39; Garcia, Chicago, 37; Judge, with his next shot.
Oakland 22 29 .431 14 New York, 37; Trout, Los Angeles, 36; Parker Bridwell (1-0) earned his
National League Mazara, Texas, 35; Morrison, Tampa rst major league win, pitching six-hit
Eastern Division Bay, 35; Pujols, Los Angeles, 35; Cano, ball into the seventh inning.
W L PCT GB Seattle, 34; Smoak, Toronto, 34; 1 tied
Washington 32 19 .627 - at 33. Dodgers 9, Cardinals 4
NY Mets 23 27 .460 8-1/2 HITS: Dickerson, Tampa Bay, 72; In St Louis, Chase Utley, Logan
Atlanta 22 28 .440 9-1/2 Altuve, Houston, 64; Castro, New York, Forsythe and Chris Taylor combined Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning at Guaran-
Miami 20 30 .400 11-1/2 64; Bogaerts, Boston, 62; Garcia, Chi- teed Rate Field on May 30, in Chicago, Illinois. (AFP)
Philadelphia 17 33 .340 14-1/2 cago, 61; Segura, Seattle, 61; Andrus, to reach base 11 times and totaled six
Central Division Texas, 60; Abreu, Chicago, 59; Hosmer, runs, helping the Dodgers rally for
W L PCT GB Kansas City, 58; Pillar, Toronto, 57; 3 their sixth straight win. out an AL-best 14 in seven innings,
leading Cleveland to the win.
Milwaukee 27 25 .519
Chicago Cubs 25 26 .490 1-1/2
- tied at 56.
DOUBLES: Travis, Toronto, 18;
Utley nished a homer shy of the
cycle. Forsythe reached ve times, Bauers career-best strikeout total NFL Roundup
St Louis 24 25 .490 1-1/2 Betts, Boston, 16; Dickerson, Tampa was one shy of this seasons major
Cincinnati 24 27 .471 2-1/2 Bay, 16; Lowrie, Oakland, 16; Moreland, including three walks, and Taylor
Pittsburgh 24 29 .453 3-1/2 Boston, 16; CSantana, Cleveland, 15; reached three times. league-high of 15 by Washingtons
Western Division Lindor, Cleveland, 14; Schoop, Balti- Adrian Gonzalezs sacrice y and Stephen Strasburg against San Diego
LA Dodgers
W L PCT
33 20 .623
GB
-
more, 14; Trout, Los Angeles, 14; 5 tied
at 13.
Utleys RBI double started the Dodg- on Saturday. Cowboys CB Carroll arrested
ers comeback in the third. Enrique Bauer (5-4) allowed three runs and
Colorado 33 21 .611 0-1/2 TRIPLES: Bogaerts, Boston, 4; Cas- seven hits with one walk. Four Cleve-
Arizona 32 22 .593
San Francisco 22 32 .407 11-1/2
San Diego 21 33 .389 12-1/2
1-1/2 tellanos, Detroit, 3; Garcia, Chicago, 3;
Miller, Tampa Bay, 3; Sanchez, Chicago,
3; 18 tied at 2.
Hernandez tied it at 3 with a single,
and Paul DeJongs throwing error on
the same play scored Utley to give the
land pitchers combined to strike out
19, tying a franchise record for a nine-
Browns sign LB Kirksey to
MLB Linescores HOME RUNS: Judge, New York, 17; inning game.
Oakland
American League
010 200 0104 10 0
Davis, Oakland, 16; Gallo, Texas, 16;
Trout, Los Angeles, 16; Alonso, Oakland,
Dodgers a 4-3 lead.
Yankees 8, Orioles 3 $38 mln, four-yr extension
Cleveland 000 430 02x9 11 1 14; Morrison, Tampa Bay, 14; Moustakas, In Baltimore, Brett Gardner and
Gray, Montas (5), J.Smith (8) and Kansas City, 13; 4 tied at 12. BASEBALL Matt Holliday each homered twice, CLEVELAND, May 31, (RTRS): Jail at about 7:50 am.
Phegley; Bauer, B.Shaw (8), Miller (8), STOLEN BASES: Dyson, Seattle, 14; The Cleveland Browns reward-
Goody (9) and R.Perez. W_Bauer 5-4. Maybin, Los Angeles, 13; Andrus, Texas,
Aaron Judge drove in two runs and the
Nationals 6, Giants 3 Yankees received a solid pitching per- ed linebacker Christian Kirksey
L_Gray 2-2. HRs_Cleveland, Kipnis, 12; Cain, Kansas City, 12; Altuve, Hou- Seattle Seahawks wide re-
Zimmer. ston, 10; Trout, Los Angeles, 10; Kier- In San Francisco, Gio Gonzalez formance from Luis Severino. with a four-year, $38 million
contract ex- ceiver Doug Baldwin said he is
New York 212 300 0008 14 1 maier, Tampa Bay, 9; 7 tied at 8. pitched into the seventh inning to win Gardner set the tone for the AL East unsure if Seahawks coach Pete
Baltimore 000 001 0203 9 1 PITCHING: Keuchel, Houston, 8-0; ES- for the rst time since April 27 as tension on
Severino, Layne (7), Warren (7), antana, Minnesota, 7-2; Bundy, Baltimore,
leaders by connecting on the third Tuesday. Carroll is holding star quarter-
Mitchell (8), Clippard (8) and G.Sanchez; 6-3; McCullers, Houston, 6-1; Pineda, New Washington beat San Francisco. pitch from Chris Tillman (1-2), who back Russell Wilson accountable
Kirksey led
Tillman, Verrett (3), Hart (6), Givens (8), York, 6-2; Sale, Boston, 6-2; Stroman, To- Daniel Murphy and Trea Turner had not allowed a home run in his pre- the Browns in response to an ESPN story cit-
Bleier (9) and Castillo. W_Severino 4-2. ronto, 6-2; Vargas, Kansas City, 6-3; 12 had three hits apiece for the NL East vious four starts this season. with 148 ing friction inside the locker room.
L_Tillman 1-2. HRs_New York, Gardner tied at 5-4. leaders, who won their fourth in ve Holliday went deep in the rst in- On an interview with 710
2, Holliday 2. ERA: ESantana, Minnesota, 1.75; tackles last
Detroit 000 000 0000 3 0 Keuchel, Houston, 1.81; Holland, Chicago,
games. Jayson Werth added two hits ning and again in the third for his 22nd season, third- ESPNs Brock and Salk, Bald-
Kansas City 000 001 00x1 7 0 2.37; Vargas, Kansas City, 2.39; McCull- and a bases-loaded walk, and Michael career multihomer game. Gardners most in the win admitted he did not read
Verlander, Wilson (8) and J.Hicks; Sko- ers, Houston, 2.48; Triggs, Oakland, 2.64; A. Taylor had two RBIs. second solo shot sparked a three-run NFL. He was the entire article but praised
glund, Moylan (7), Minor (8), K.Herrera (9) Fulmer, Detroit, 2.65; Rodriguez, Boston, One night after a bench-clearing fourth that made it 8-0. scheduled Carroll for the job he has done
and S.Perez. W_Skoglund 1-0. L_Verland- 2.77; Sale, Boston, 2.77; Bundy, Balti- brawl that resulted in suspensions for to become managing personalities.
er 4-4. Sv_K.Herrera (12). more, 2.89; 1 tied at 2.89. Mets 5, Brewers 4, 12 Innings Kirksey
Houston 001 120 1027 10 0 STRIKEOUTS: Sale, Boston, 110; Nationals outelder Bryce Harper In New York, Jay Bruce lined a a free agent
Minnesota 200 000 0002 7 1 Archer, Tampa Bay, 88; Estrada, Toronto, (four games) and Giants reliever Hunt- after the 2017 season.
game-ending single in the 12th in- Tony Romos familiar locker
Fiers, Devenski (7), M.Feliz (9) and Mc- 78; Bauer, Cleveland, 73; McCullers, Hou- er Strickland (six games), the teams ning as the Mets rebounded to beat the and his No. 9 jersey are unclaimed
Cann; Berrios, Boshers (6), Wheeler (8) ston, 73; Salazar, Cleveland, 73; Darvish, played without incident. Each player
and J.Castro. W_Fiers 2-2. L_Berrios 3-1. Texas, 72; Severino, New York, 69; Por- Brewers 5-4 after shortstop Asdrubal Chicago Bears backup at the Dallas Cowboys training
appealed his penalty. Cabrera allowed the tying runs to score facility in Frisco, Texas. And there
HRs_Houston, Bregman. cello, Boston, 68; Pineda, New York, 66; quarterback Mark Sanchez
Tampa Bay 004 010 0005 10 0 2 tied at 65. Astros 7, Twins 2 in the seventh when he ubbed a bas- injured his left knee during an is no denitive meaning.
Texas 200 000 34x9 11 0 National League In Minneapolis, Jose Altuve had organized team activity workout Romo is not ofcially retired
Andriese, Hunter (5), Farquhar (7), BATTING: JTurner, Los Angeles, .379; es-loaded popup with two outs.
Whitley (7), H.Wood (8) and Sucre; Zimmerman, Washington, .374; Cozart, four hits and two RBIs, Mike Fiers Wily Peralta (5-4) pitched a perfect and will be sidelined until the from the NFL, a process that
N.Martinez, Gee (5), Kela (8), Bush Cincinnati, .350; Kemp, Atlanta, .341; struck out eight over six innings in 11th in his fourth relief outing since he start of training camp. requires submitting paperwork
(9) and Lucroy, Chirinos. W_Kela 2-1. Freeman, Atlanta, .341; Posey, San Fran- his bid to retain a spot in Houstons was dropped from Milwaukees rota- The nature of Sanchezs in- through the league ofce. But
L_Whitley 1-1. HRs_Tampa Bay, Souza cisco, .340; Harper, Washington, .331; banged-up rotation, and the major tion in mid-May, but then allowed a jury wasnt detailed in initial re- owner Jerry Jones said last
Jr., Kiermaier, Robertson. Texas, Choo, Blackmon, Colorado, .327; Murphy, Wash-
league-leading Astros earned their single to pinch hitter T.J. Rivera lead- ports. Training camp begins on month he felt the process would
Andrus. ington, .319; Conforto, New York, .318; 1 July 27. be nalized after June 1.
Boston 043 030 01213 16 1 tied at .316. sixth straight victory. ing off the 12th. Michael Conforto
Chicago 031 200 0107 14 0 RUNS: Goldschmidt, Arizona, 44; Alex Bregman homered and drove walked and Jose Reyes grounded into
Sale, Hembree (6), Boyer (8), Kimbrel Harper, Washington, 44; Thames, Milwau- in two runs, providing further support a forceout that left runners at the cor-
(8) and Leon; Quintana, Ynoa (3), Jen- kee, 40; Blackmon, Colorado, 39; Votto, Dallas Cowboys cornerback The Detroit Lions signed run-
nings (5), Minaya (9) and K.Smith. W_Sale Cincinnati, 38; Hamilton, Cincinnati, 37;
for Fiers (2-2) in his best of 10 starts ners. Nolan Carroll was arrested ning back Matt Asiata and offen-
6-2. L_Quintana 2-7. Sv_Kimbrel (14). Arenado, Colorado, 36; Conforto, New this season. Marlins 7, Phillies 2 early Monday in Dallas on sus- sive lineman Connor Bozick and
HRs_Boston, Betts, Bogaerts, Marrero 2, York, 36; Seager, Los Angeles, 36; 3 tied Fiers fell behind 2-0 in the rst when In Miami, Giancarlo Stanton hit his picion of driving while intoxi- waived fullback Michael Burton
Bradley Jr., Moreland. Chicago, Frazier, at 35. Eddie Rosario drew a bases-loaded third homer since moving into the No. cated, multiple media outlets and injured linebacker Brandon
Anderson. RBI: Blackmon, Colorado, 46; Duvall, walk and Byron Buxton followed with reported Monday. Chubb, the team announced.
Interleague Cincinnati, 45; Reynolds, Colorado, 44; 2 spot in the batting order, a change Carroll was pulled over at Asiata, 29, spent the rst
Cincinnati 200 010 1004 8 0 Lamb, Arizona, 43; Harper, Washington, an ineld single, but Astros hacked
that has revived Miami, which won its approximately 2:15 am for an ve seasons of his career with
Toronto 000 400 02x6 7 1 41; Votto, Cincinnati, 40; Zimmerman, their way back against Jose Berrios
third game in a row. unspecified traffic violation, the Minnesota Vikings from
Wojciechowski, Lorenzen (5), Washington, 40; Goldschmidt, Arizona, 38; (3-1).
B.Wood (8) and Mesoraco; J.Happ, Stanton, Miami, 37; 2 tied at 36. Marcell Ozuna also homered for the and he was arrested at that 2012-16. He rushed for 402
D.Barnes (5), Tepera (7), Loup (8), HITS: Blackmon, Colorado, 72; Zim- Padres 6, Cubs 2 Marlins, whose modest winning streak time. He posted bond Mon- yards and six touchdowns in 16
Joe Smith (8), R.Osuna (9) and Martin. merman, Washington, 65; Inciarte, Atlanta, In San Diego, Austin Hedges hom- is their longest since mid-April. day afternoon after he was games (six starts) with Minne-
W_Joe Smith 1-0. L_B.Wood 0-3. Sv_R. 62; Ozuna, Miami, 60; Arenado, Colorado, ered and drove in four runs, and the Stanton hit a two-run homer, his
Osuna (10). HRs_Cincinnati, Cozart 2, 58; Goldschmidt, Arizona, 58; Harrison, booked into Dallas County sota last season.
Votto. Toronto, Donaldson, Martin, Bau- Pittsburgh, 58; LeMahieu, Colorado, 58;
Padres handed the Cubs their fth 14th, in a ve-run third. Since he
tista, Morales. Murphy, Washington, 58; Owings, Arizona, straight loss. moved up to the No. 2 spot, Stanton
Seattle 033 000 10310 19 0 58; 5 tied at 57. Hedges hit a two-run homer and a is 12 for 29 (.414) with three homers and threw 115 pitches. The left-hander NL West, dropping a half-game behind
Colorado 000 020 0114 7 2 DOUBLES: Arenado, Colorado, 17; two-run double as the Padres clinched and seven RBIs in seven games, and set a career high by winning his third the streaking Dodgers.
Miranda, Lawrence (6), Zych (8), Zimmerman, Washington, 16; Kemp, At- the three-game series against the strug- straight start and has pitched 23-2/3
Rzepczynski (8), Altavilla (9) and Zunino; lanta, 15; Shaw, Milwaukee, 15; Grandal, the Marlins are 5-2 while outscoring Rangers 9, Rays 5
Ty.Anderson, Oberg (6), Dunn (7), Qualls Los Angeles, 14; Grichuk, St Louis, 14; gling Cubs. Rookie Dinelson Lamet opponents 48-22. scoreless innings during that run, all on In Arlington, Texas, Elvis Andrus
(8), Estevez (9) and Hanigan, Wolters. Hernandez, Los Angeles, 14; Murphy, (2-0), one of San Diegos top pros- the road, while also beating the San Di-
W_Miranda 5-2. L_Ty.Anderson 3-5. Washington, 14; 8 tied at 13. pects, struck out eight while pitching Diamondbacks 3, Pirates 0 had a career-high ve RBIs for Texas,
In Pittsburgh, Arizona left-hander ego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers. including a tying three-run homer in
HRs_Seattle, Seager, Cano. TRIPLES: Blackmon, Colorado, 8; Coz- ve innings of two-run ball. Chris Owings snapped a scoreless
Atlanta 002 000 1003 7 3 art, Cincinnati, 4; Fowler, St Louis, 4; Ham- Robbie Ray pitched a four-hitter in his the seventh inning.
Los Angeles 009 000 00x9 10 1 ilton, Cincinnati, 4; 9 tied at 3. Indians 9, Athletics 4 rst career complete game. tie with a double in the sixth inning, Andrus two-out drive deep into the
Colon, Jackson (3), Freeman (6), Motte HOME RUNS: Harper, Washington, 15; In Cleveland, Trevor Bauer struck Ray (5-3) struck out 10, walked none and the Diamondbacks ended a three- visiting bullpen ended a stretch of ve
(7), Krol (8) and Flowers; Bridwell, Guerra Schebler, Cincinnati, 15; Duvall, Cincin- game losing streak.
(7), Hernandez (8) and Graterol. W_Brid- nati, 14; Freeman, Atlanta, 14; Lamb, Ari- scoreless innings from the Tampa Bay
well 1-0. L_Colon 2-6. HRs_Atlanta, Flow- zona, 14; Stanton, Miami, 14; Zimmerman, Royals 1, Tigers 0 bullpen after Matt Andriese left in the
ers, Kemp. Los Angeles, Pujols. Washington, 14; 8 tied at 13. In Kansas City, Missouri, Eric Sk- second with a mild groin strain.
National League STOLEN BASES: Hamilton, Cincin-
Arizona 000 001 2003 7 0 nati, 28; Gordon, Miami, 15; Nunez, San
oglund pitched 6-1/3 innings of two- Jared Hoyings liner off the top of
Pittsburgh 000 000 0000 4 0 Francisco, 13; Goldschmidt, Arizona, 12; hit ball in his major league debut, help- the wall in right came with the bases
Ray and Herrmann; Nova, Hudson Peraza, Cincinnati, 12; Villar, Milwaukee, ing the Royals beat Justin Verlander loaded and one out in a four-run eighth
(8), LeBlanc (9) and Cervelli. W_Ray 5-3. 12; Pollock, Arizona, 11; TTurner, Wash- and the Tigers. against Chase Whitley (1-1), break-
L_Nova 5-4. ington, 11; Broxton, Milwaukee, 10; 2 tied
Philadelphia 000 100 0102 2 2 at 9. Skoglund, a 2014 third-round draft ing a 5-5 tie. After a sacrice y from
Miami 025 000 00x7 10 2 PITCHING: Kershaw, Los Angeles, pick out of Central Florida, struck out Shin-Soo Choo, Andrus single to left
Velasquez, Leiter Jr (2), Rodriguez (3), 7-2; Senzatela, Colorado, 7-1; Greinke, ve and walked one. The left-hander scored two more.
L.Garcia (4), Ramos (6), Neris (8) and Arizona, 6-3; Strasburg, Washington, 6-1; was promoted from Triple-A Omaha
Rupp; Nicolino, McGowan (4), Ellington Wood, Los Angeles, 6-0; 13 tied at 5-3. Blue Jays 6, Reds 4
(7), Wittgren (8), Worley (9) and Real- ERA: Leake, St Louis, 2.24; Ker- when the Royals placed Danny Duffy In Toronto, Kendrys Morales hit
muto. W_McGowan 2-0. L_Velasquez shaw, Los Angeles, 2.37; Scherzer, on the disabled list Monday with an a tiebreaking homer in the eighth in-
2-5. HRs_Philadelphia, Kendrick. Miami, Washington, 2.77; Gonzalez, Washing- oblique strain. ning for Toronto, and Josh Donaldson
Ozuna, Stanton. ton, 2.90; Nova, Pittsburgh, 2.92; Lynn,
Los Angeles 004 030 0029 11 3 St Louis, 2.93; Strasburg, Washington, Mariners 10, Rockies 4 belted an upper-deck drive.
St. Louis 300 000 0104 8 1 2.94; Ray, Arizona, 3.00; Senzatela, In Denver, Kyle Seager homered All six Toronto runs came on hom-
Maeda, Morrow (5), Romo (6), Libera- Colorado, 3.19; deGrom, New York, and drove in four runs for Seattle, and ers. Jose Bautista and Russell Martin
tore (7), Baez (7), Hatcher (8), Jansen (9) 3.23; 1 tied at 3.24.
and Grandal; Wacha, Lyons (4), Brebbia STRIKEOUTS: Scherzer, Washing- Robinson Cano also connected. also connected for the Blue Jays, who
(5), Cecil (7), Siegrist (8), J.Broxton (9) ton, 89; deGrom, New York, 86; Greinke, Jean Segura had four hits and Ariel have hit 47 homers in May.
and Molina. W_Morrow 1-0. L_Wacha 2-3. Arizona, 84; Ray, Arizona, 84; Sa- Miranda (5-2) pitched ve solid in- Cincinnatis Zack Cozart hit two
HRs_St. Louis, Molina. mardzija, San Francisco, 79; Kershaw, nings to help the Mariners sweep two solo home runs and Joey Votto had a
Milwaukee 100 000 300 0004 10 0 Los Angeles, 78; Strasburg, Washing-
New York 000 022 000 0015 13 1 ton, 74; Martinez, St Louis, 71; Cueto, games in Denver. It was just the Rock- third.
(12 innings) San Francisco, 68; Lester, Chicago, 67; Nick Markakis #22 of the Atlanta Braves is caught trying to score as he is tagged ies third loss in 17 series and rst Morales broke a 4-all tie with a two-
Davies, C.Torres (6), N.Feliz (7), 1 tied at 64. out by Juan Graterol #59 of the Los Angeles Angels during the rst inning at since April 24-27 against Washington. run blast off Blake Wood (0-3), his
Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 30, in Anaheim, California. (AFP) They also fell out of rst place in the 10th.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017

SPORTS 42

Arsene is the best person to help us win major trophies

Long-serving Arsenal manager Wenger signs new deal

LONDON, May 31, (AFP): Long-serving Arsenal
manager Arsene Wenger has signed a new two-year
contract, the club announced on Wednesday, ending
months of speculation about his future.
Wenger has presided over a gruelling season, which
saw his team fail to qualify for the Champions League,
but masterminded a stunning FA Cup nal win over
Chelsea last weekend.
The 67-year-old Frenchmans new deal, which will
take his tenure up to 23 years, is believed to have been
rubber-stamped during a board meeting on Tuesday.
I love this club and I am looking forward to the
future with optimism and excitement. We are looking
at what we do well and how we can be stronger every-
where, Wenger told Arsenals website.
This is a strong group of players and with some ad-
ditions we can be even more successful.
Arsenal said Wenger and chief executive Ivan
Gazidis had conducted a full review of our on and
off-the-pitch activities to identify areas for improve-
ment in view of a title challenge.
American majority shareholder Stan Kroenke said:
Our ambition is to win the Premier League and other
major trophies in Europe.
Its what the fans, players, staff, manager and
board expect and we wont rest until that is achieved.
Arsene is the best person to help us make that hap-
pen. He has a fantastic track record and has our full
backing.
Wengers new contract brings to an end the most
traumatic season of his near 21-year Arsenal ten-
ure.
Arsenal missed out on Champions League qualica-
tion for the rst time in 20 years and were thrashed
10-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich in the Champi-
ons League last 16.
Wenger has come under greater pressure from sup-
porters than ever before, with fans holding Wenger
Out placards, boycotting home games and chartering
planes to trail banners calling for him to go.
The dissent reached a crescendo during a run of
seven defeats in 12 games between late January and
early April.
Wengers switch to a back three enabled Arsenal
to end the season in style, winning seven of their last
eight league games before toppling Chelsea in last
SOCCER
Sundays FA Cup nal.
But he has been deeply hurt by the criticism he has
received, branding the conduct of some supporters a
disgrace and saying it created a horrendous atmos-
phere around the team.
In an interview on Arsenals website, Wenger ap-
pealed to fans: Lets be together to support our play-
ers, to support the club and all give our absolute best
to be at the level that we want to be.
Arsenals Wembley win against Chelsea gave them
a third FA Cup in four seasons and made Wenger the
rst manager in history to have won the tournament
seven times.
It is now 13 years since the last of his three Premier
League title wins, however, while he has presided
over a remarkable seven successive last 16 exits in the
Champions League.
His key objectives for the close season will be to
tie star duo Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil to new
contracts and strengthen his squad for the rigours of a
Europa League campaign.
Wenger said Arsenal would only look to sign top,
top quality players and said having a very heavy
squad meant we might lose some players.
Were committed to mounting a sustained league
challenge and that will be our focus this summer and
next season, he added.
I am grateful to have the support of the board and
Stan in doing everything we can to win more trophies.
Its what we all want and I know its what our fans
around the world demand.

Soccer Roundup

FIFA announces Chinese sponsor Vivo for 2018, 2022 WCups

1860 Munich relegated to 3rd division amid fan trouble

In this May 27, 2017 le photo, Arsenal team manager Arsene Wenger cel-
ebrates with the trophy after winning the English FA Cup nal soccer match
between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London. Wenger will
stay on as Arsenal manager, earing a new two-year contract on May 31,
despite missing out on Champions League qualication. (AP)
James property vandalized
LOS ANGELES, May 31, (Agencies):
Basketball superstar LeBron James
Los Angeles home was vandalized with
a racial slur, police said on Wednesday,
one day before the Cleveland Cavaliers
player was set to take the court in the
rst game of the NBA Finals.
The grafti was spray-painted on the
front gate of James house and investi-
gators are looking for any possible sus-
pect involved in the vandalism, said Los
Angeles police spokeswoman Norma
Eisenman.
Eisenman declined to say what racial
slur was used in the grafti. It was dis-
covered shortly after dawn on Wednes-
day and has since been painted over, she
said.
James, 32, was not at the west Los
Angeles residence at the time of the
vandalism, Eisenman said by phone.
James, the three-time NBA champion,
is an African American.
He is the National Basketball As-
sociations most prolic playoff scorer
and has been named the leagues Most
Valuable Player four times. The Cava-
liers are scheduled to face off on Thurs-
day against the Golden State Warriors
in Oakland, California.
LeBron James has the Cleveland
Cavaliers poised for a championship
repeat in his seventh consecutive NBA
Finals while Kevin Durant has sparked
a historic Golden State playoff run in
search of his rst title.
The epic squads collide in an unprec-
edented third consecutive NBA Finals
starting Thursday at Oakland, with the
host Warriors an oddsmakers favorite
in the hotly anticipated best-of-seven
showdown against a Cleveland team
that made the greatest comeback in Fi-
nals history to defeat them a year ago.
They are a great team. They are the
champs, Warriors coach Steve Kerr
said. Were trying to take what they
took from us last year.
The Warriors spoiled James fair-
ytale return to Cleveland from Miami
by downing an injury-hit Cavaliers
squad for the 2015 crown, their rst in
40 years.
Golden State then won a record 73
regular-season games and seized a 3-1
nals lead before James sparked Cleve-
land to victory in the nal three games
to claim the title, leading every major
statistical category in an unprecedented,
Herculean feat.
MUNICH, May 31, (Agencies):
Former Bundesliga champion 1860
Munich was relegated from Germanys
second division on Tuesday in a game
that was held up for 15 minutes toward
the end because of violence from its
angry fans.
1860 lost the second leg of its rele-
gation/promotion playoff 2-0 at home
to Bavarian rival Jahn Regensburg, a
team that finished third in the third
division and secured second-tier foot-
ball at the Munich-based clubs
expense with a 3-1 win on aggregate.
Jahn gained promotion at the first
attempt, one season after promotion
from the fourth tier.
Kolja Pusch and Marc Lais scored
the goals in the first half for Jahn, but
the game was overshadowed by the
scenes that unfolded 10 minutes before
full-time, when 1860 fans began
throwing objects including seats onto
the pitch and riot police lined up to
prevent the situation escalating.
Were fed up, the home sides
fans shouted.
Play was suspended for some 15
minutes, though more objects were
thrown onto the pitch after it resumed.
1860, which won the Bundesliga in
1966 and had played in the top flight
as recently as 2004, returned to the
third level for the first time in 24 years.
The club announced later that chief
executive Ian Ayre, a former chief
executive of Liverpool in the English
Premier League who only took up the
position in April, had tendered his
resignation before the game. Club
president Peter Cassalette resigned
after the match.
1860 is backed by Jordanian inves-
tor Hasan Abdullah Ismaik, who hired
former Porto coach Vitor Pereira last
December and promised to lead the
side to the top levels of European foot-
ball.
Only Stuttgart and Hannover, which
both secured their return to the
Bundesliga, had squads that cost more
than 1860s in the second division.
Unfortunately it wasnt enough to
hit the targets. It pains me immensely
that the project failed, said Pereira,
who thanked co-workers, the players
and journalists at the post-game news
conference. My conscience is clear
that I did all I could.
$489 million loss in 2017 but then
Global soccer body FIFA
announced another Chinese sponsor
on Wednesday, saying that smart-
phone maker
Vivo will be a
backer for the
2018 and 2022
World Cups.
FIFA is try-
ing to recover
from the worst
corruption
scandal in its
history and
has been
Pusch
struggling to
sign up sponsors since several dozen
soccer officials, including several in
senior FIFA positions, were indicted
in the United States in 2015 on corrup-
tion-related charges.
Vivo follows consumer electronics
maker Hisense Electric Co Ltd, which
signed as a 2018 World Cup sponsor
in April, and real estate and media
conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group,
which became a FIFA partner last
year. The Vivo logo will appear dur-
ing every match on pitch advertising
boards, match tickets, media releases
and other key promotional platforms,
FIFA said in a statement.
FIFA needs sponsorship to help
reach its target of a $100 million sur-
plus for the four-yearly cycle ending at
the 2018 World Cup.
It is also under pressure to increase
its revenue after president Gianni
Infantino, elected last year, promised
to increase payouts to its 211 member
federations to develop the sport.
FIFA made a loss of $391 million in
2016, which it blamed partly on
increased legal costs following a cor-
ruption scandal, and has forecast a
wont stand in his clients way if they
expects to turn a $1.07 billion profit in
2018 when the World Cup is held in
Russia.
FIFA says it was inappropriate
for people in blackface apparently rep-
resenting Cameroons national soccer
team to march in a parade in Sochi.
Two people in blackface wearing
African clothing and carrying bananas
marched in a government-backed
parade on Saturday in the southern
champions Guangzhou Evergrande
Russian city, where Cameroon will
play Germany at next month in the
Confederations Cup.
FIFA says the displays ... are inap-
propriate, adding that blackening of
faces is considered discriminatory and
will not be tolerated inside the stadi-
ums.
The parade was led by Sochis
mayor and included groups marching
for all the teams that will play in Sochi.
The Sochi city government said
Tuesday it did not intend any insult.
Romelu Lukakus agent claims
Everton have promised the Belgium
striker he will be allowed to leave if
certain clubs make a bid during the
transfer window.
Lukaku has refused to accept
Evertons offer of a new contract
which would make him the highest-
paid player in the Premier League
clubs history. The 24-year-old has
two years left on his current deal but
has spoken about his desire to play in
the Champions League, an ambition
which Everton have so far been unable
to fulfil.
With Lukakus former club Chelsea
and Manchester United both linked
with a move for the forward, his agent
Mino Raiola has suggested Everton
get a suitable offer from any of several
unnamed clubs.
Japanese champions Kashima
Antlers have sacked Masatada Ishii,
the coach who steered the club to the
domestic title and the runners-up posi-
tion at the FIFA Club World Cup last
year, following their elimination from
the Asian Champions League.
Kashima defeated two-time Asian
at Kashima Soccer Stadium on
Tuesday evening but were eliminat-
ed on the away goals rule after the
pair shared a 2-2 aggregate draw
over the two legs.
The club announced on its official
website on Wednesday that Ishii
would be replaced by Go Oiwa, who
has worked as an assistant coach at the
club.
Ishii, who played for Kashima
before being appointed head coach
ahead of the 2015 season, won the J
League title last season as Antlers
defeated Urawa Red Diamonds in the
championship playoff.
Kashima also reached the final of
the FIFA Club World Cup under Ishii,
where they lost in extra-time to Real
Madrid, the best performance ever by
an Asian club in the competition.

SPORTS
Shanghai SIPGs Elkeson (center),
fights for the ball against Jiangsu
Suning FCs Wu Xi (right), during
the AFC Champions League
Round of 16 football match
Shanghai SIPG against Jiangsu
Suning FC in Nanjing on May 31.
(AFP)
Not Mourinhos
call on Rashford
BURTON-ON-TRENT, United
Kingdom, May 31, (AFP): Man-
chester United manager Jose
Mourinho had no inuence over
the decision to excuse Marcus
Rashford from duty at the Un-
der-21 European Championship,
England manager Gareth South-
gate said on Tuesday.
Southgate has frequently un-
derlined the importance of giving
young players tournament ex-
perience, but he called Rashford
into his senior squad, rather than
let him play at next months Un-
der-21 Euro in Poland.
Mourinho had expressed reser-
vations about Rashford going to
Poland, but Southgate said the de-
cision to call the 19-year-old up
for Englands forthcoming games
against Scotland and France was
his and his alone.
I didnt speak to him (Mour-
inho) about it, Southgate, the
former England Under-21 manag-
er, told journalists at St Georges
Park in Burton-on-Trent, central
England.
Marcuss evolution this sea-
son has been clear in terms of
the responsibility hes had at his
club.
And when Ive watched
matches like the game away at
Chelsea in the cup when he was
playing on his own (up front)
for long periods of the game,
the game against Chelsea at Old
Trafford, the European matches
quarter-nals, semi-nals
where he had such a big impact
in big games, he should be in our
squad. The only decision for me
was, do we send him to both?
Southgate added: The key
for us is not the relationship with
Jose; its the relationship with
Marcus.
And making sure that he sens-
es that were not just plonking
him somewhere to try to achieve
an objective that ticks a box for
us.
Decisive Ramos is Real Madrids insatiable leader
MADRID, May 31, (Agencies):
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos
has broken Atletico Madrid hearts
and silenced fans of Napoli and Bar-
celona so few people would be sur-
prised if he cements his reputation
on the biggest stage in Saturdays
Champions League nal against Ju-
ventus.
Striking a balance between the
glamour of David Beckham and the
never-say-die warrior spirit of the
late Juanito, central defender Ramos
is Madrids spiritual leader, a colos-
sal force in both boxes yet also prone
to moments of madness.
Ramos has threatened to cost his
team almost as often as he has saved
them, holding the record of 22 red
cards at Real, almost double the
tally of nearest challenger Fernando
Hierro.
His tally of dismissals is rarely
pored over for long, though, such is
his habit of getting Real out of jail.
His most famous last-gasp strike
SOCCER
was a 93rd minute equaliser in
the 2014 Champions League nal
against Atletico which led to Reals
extra-time triumph, while Sevilla,
Barca, Deportivo La Coruna and
Real Betis have been his unlucky
victims this season.
Ramos represents the values
of Real Madrid, the spirit of doing
anything to win, coach Zinedine Zi-
dane has said.
For me those values are commit-
ment, battling and ghting until the
last minute. This club has taught me
that and as our captain Sergio repre-
sents this. Hes a noble player.
Ramoss self condence can be
traced as far back as 2005 when he
signed for a Real Madrid side con-
taining Beckham, Luis Figo and
Zidane for 27 million euros ($30.21
million), a record for a Spanish teen-
ager, and said he wanted to captain
the club.
Even though he is one of Reals
highest paid players, and has a ce-
lebrity girlfriend in television pre-
senter Pilar Rubio, Ramos likes to
talk about his humble roots in the
working class town of Camas out-
SIPG win all-Chinese showdown
Urawa into quarters
SHANGHAI, May 31,
(AFP): Brazilian striker
Elkeson scored once and
forced an own goal as
Shanghai SIPG downed
Chinese rivals Jiangsu
Suning 3-2 to reach the
AFC Champions League
quarter-nals on Wednes-
day.
Elkeson proted from some ka-
mikaze rst-half defending from
Hong Jeong-Ho, who gifted him
the opening goal, and Yang Xiao-
tian, who diverted a shot into his
own net.
Hong and Wu Xi scored late head-
ers to stir faint hopes for Jiangsu, be-
fore Brazils Hulk rolled in his fth
goal of the campaign to leave the
scores at 5-3 on aggregate.
Andre Villas-Boass SIPG, who won
last weeks rst leg 2-1, are into the last
eight for the second straight year after
dominating a tie between two of the
most expensive teams ever seen in Asia.
Elsewhere Ryota Moriwaki scored
in extra time as Urawa Red Diamonds
pulled off a stunning comeback by
beating 10-man Jeju United 3-0 to
book their quarter-nal spot.
In Nanjing, Jiangsus Alex Teix-
eira was everywhere early on and in
the sixth minute, a rebound from the
Brazilians corner fell to Wu who vol-
leyed straight at the keeper.
Another Teixeira corner found cen-
tral defender Hong, who rst saw his
header saved on the line and then hit
the post as the ball came back to him.
SOCCER
The unlucky moment was perhaps
a bad omen for the South Korean,
who was at fault for the opening goal
when he failed to deal with a through-
ball to Elkeson on 34 minutes.
As Hong checked his run, expect-
ing goalkeeper Zhang Sipeng to gath-
er, Elkeson rushed in and prodded
home his nish, making it 1-0 on the
night and 3-1 on aggregate.
Nine minutes later and Jiangsu
suffered another
howler when El-
kesons shot was
blocked by the
backpedalling
Yang, who can-
noned it straight
into the net.
It was almost a
lost cause for Ji-
angsu but they at-
tacked relentlessly
in the second half Boas
with Ramires and Teixeira, who beat
three defenders before ring over,
both coming close.
Substitute Ge Wei hit the post with
Injury-ravaged season clouds Bales homecoming
side Seville.
Last month when the Champions
League semi-nal tie between Real
and Atletico was being billed as the
haves versus the have nots, Ramos
took offence.
Playing in a Champions League
nal in his home city was beyond
Gareth Bales dreams as a youngster,
but Saturdays Cardiff showpiece
catches the Welshman at a career
crossroads.
Real Madrid can make history by
becoming the rst team to retain the
Champions League and complete a
rst La Liga and Champions League
double in 59 years in the process.
Yet, the fact most of the road to
Cardiff has been travelled without an
injured Bale this season and that there
is little desire in Madrid for him to be
rushed back to face Juventus shows
how his fortunes have changed over
the past year.
It is massively special for me
personally, as it is where I was born,
where I grew up, said Bale on his
impending return to Wales.
Any Champions League nal is
special, but obviously this is a little
bit extra special.
I always dreamed Id play a
Champions League nal, but never in
my home town.
At the time there was not a sta-
In this May 2, 2017 file photo, Real Madrid players pose for a photo ahead
of the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Real
Madrid and Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid,
Spain. Real Madrid meet Juventus in the Champions League final in
Cardiff on June 3, 2017. (AP)
Urawa Reds midfielder Takahiro Sekine (center), and Jeju Uniteds forward Ahn Hyun-beom compete for the ball during the AFC Champions League
Round of 16 second leg football match between Japans Urawa Reds and South Koreas Jeju United in Saitama on May 31. (AFP)
a header and had another saved on the
line before Hong redeemed himself
by scoring with his head on 75 min-
utes.
Wus looping header in the third
added minute made it 3-4 on aggre-
gate but just a minute later, Hulks
strong run and nish put the result
beyond doubt.
Earlier in Saitama, Jeju looked
nearly home and dry after last weeks
2-0 win but Urawa had other ideas
and Shinzo Korokis headed goal on
18 minutes brought the tie to life.
Fifteen minutes later Tadanari lev-
elled the aggregate scores at 2-2, and
as extra time loomed, Jejus hopes
were dealt a blow when Cho Yong-
Hyung received a second yellow card.
And just six minutes before penal-
ties, Moriwaki got on the end of Toki-
yushi Takagis cross to smash home
the vital winner for a 3-2 aggregate
victory.
dium big enough I dont think.
Nearly 75,000 will cram into the
Millenium Stadium on Saturday, but
those coming for a closer look at the
hometown hero may be disappointed.
Bale hasnt played since April 23
when he suffered the latest of a series
of calf injuries that have blighted his
four years in Madrid.
However, it is ankle ligament dam-
age followed by an operation in No-
vember that has been the root cause
of an injury-ravaged campaign just
when Bale looked set to fully stamp
his authority on this Madrid side.
He was one of the best players at
the start of the season, said Madrid
midelder Luka Modric.
Bale led Madrid to the Champions
League last year by ending the season
in the form of his life.
He then carried Wales to the Euro
2016 seminals and his burgeoning
status within the Real squad was re-
warded with a huge contract renewal
to 2022 in October.
However, since then he has had to
endure long days in the gym and on
the treatment table, even admitting
to taking pain killers to get through
matches after initially making his re-
turn from surgery in February.
There have been moments when
I have had to consider other things
with my ankle, he added.
ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
43
United ranked as Europes most valuable club
LONDON, May 31, (AFP): Manchester seasons on the pitch between 2014 and In a statement, KPMGs global head
United have been rated as Europes most 2016, Uniteds value surged clear of of sports Andrea Sartori said: The ag-
valuable club by a new report into the Real Madrid and Barcelona last year, gregate value of Europes leading foot-
nancial muscle of the continents top becoming the rst club to break the three ball clubs suggests that the overall value
teams. billion euros (2.7 billion, $3.4 billion) of football, as an industry, has grown.
The report by professional services mark for enterprise value. While this is partially explained
rm KPMG looked at the nances of 39 by footballs broadcasting boom, the
clubs based on their popularity on social internationalisation of the clubs com-
media channels, revenues for the 2014- SOCCER mercial operations, their investment into
15 and 2015-16 seasons, and success in privately owned and modern facilities,
European competitions. Bayern Munich remain in fourth and overall more sustainable manage-
The clubs were then ranked by enter- place, while Manchester City edge past ment practices are also key reasons for
prise value, an accounting measure used this growth.
to assess how much it would cost to buy Arsenal to take fth spot, both with en- In terms of media rights value, the
any given club or company as it includes terprise values of just under 1.7 billion. English Premier League sits comfortably
a businesss total debt, with KPMG us- Chelsea, Liverpool, Juventus and at the top of European leagues, although
ing its own formula to reach these valu- Spurs ll the next four positions, which other major leagues have outlined well-
ations. means six of the 10 are from the Premier dened strategies to compete for the at-
Despite two relatively disappointing League. tention of global fans.
Higuain gets chance to end final hoodoo
Juve success founded on uncompromising defence
MILAN, May 31, (RTRS): There is something delight-
fully old-fashioned about the defence which has provid-
ed the foundation for Juventus to advance to the Cham-
pions League nal in Cardiff.
Although not essentially a defensive team, there are
times when coach Massimiliano Allegri decides Juve
have to batten down the hatches and when that hap-
pens, nobody does it quite like the Serie A champions.
Juventus have conceded just three goals in 12 games
on their way to Saturdays nal against Real Madrid, at
one point keeping six clean sheets in a row.
That record has been bettered only twice, by Arsenal
and Ajax who conceded just two each on their way to
reaching the 2006 and 1996 nals respectively, although
the Dutch side played two games less.
Critics have complained that modern football places
too much emphasis on the ability of defenders to play Juventus forward Paulo Dybala from Argentina
the ball out, rather than their tackling. (left), midfielders Claudio Marchisio (center), and
But that criticism cannot be levelled at Juventus cen- Tomas Rincon from Venezuela (right), attend the
tral defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, training session during the Media Day prior to the
UEFA Champions League football match final
whose game is based on strength, positioning, telepathic
understanding and a ruthless streak. Juventus vs Real Madrid on May 29, at the Juventus
Once described as a swine on the pitch by former Stadium in Turin. (AFP)
team mate Albin Ekdal, Chiellini has reached the peak a show but, as far as Im concerned, if you want to see a
of his game at the age of 33.
show, you should go to the circus.
An insight into his competitive nature was unwitting- Committing fouls and winning aerial battles are also
ly offered by FIFA when they tested video technology
very important.
during a match between Italy and France last year. A rst reunion with Real Madrid in the Champions
Referee Bjorn Kuipers, describing an incident re-
League nal is Gonzalo Higuains chance to get his own
viewed by the technology, said that Chiellini came rush-
back at his former club for never truly appreciating him
ing over to demand a red card for an opponent just and an opportunity to shake his reputation as a big game
four minutes into a friendly. bottler.
Juves defence was at its nest in the quarter-nal The combative Argentine striker became the most ex-
against Barcelona when the kept clean sheets in both pensive player ever in Italian football when he swapped
legs of a 3-0 aggregate win.
Napoli for Juventus last year in an acrimonious transfer
In each game, they were given valuable help by which left fans who felt betrayed burning replicas of his
forwards Juan Cuadrado and Mario Mandzukic, who
number nine shirt.
tracked back tirelessly the Croatian in particular often His 90 million euro ($100.56 million) price tag,
popping up at left back.
meanwhile, had many observers scratching their heads
at the thought of Juve paying so much for a player re-
SOCCER nowned for failing to put away the simplest of chances
when it mattered most.
When a wayward header from Germanys Toni Kroos
We have crazy work rate on the anks, both offen- bounced into Higuains path in the 2014 World Cup -
sive and defensively, and midelders who guarantee the nal, the Argentina striker raked the ball wide of the far
balance of our team, Chiellini told France Football. post.
If we dont concede many goals, its a collective suc- In the 2015 Copa America nal against Chile Higuain
cess. slid a rolling pass from Ezequiel Lavezzi into the side
Allegri has repeatedly stressed the importance of nd- netting and later ballooned his penalty over the bar in
ing the right balance and often berated his team for chas- the shootout.
ing late winners in matches where a point was sufcient. History repeated itself in the 2016 Copa America
Theres no shame in being good at defending. In fact, Centenario nal with Chile when Higuain missed a third
its just as beautiful as a great attacking move, he said. chance in a third consecutive nal, collecting a third
I am very happy for those who can turn football into straight runners-up medal with his country.
 ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017 44
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The nalists pose with ofcials

ABR, Al Dashti qualify for final

The 21st Jabriya Martyrs Ramadan Futsal Tourna-
ment will kick off today in the Hall of Mohammad
Ismail Al-Ghanim School. The tournament is being
organized by Jabriya Cooperative Society under
the sponsorship of its Board Chairperson Hussein
Mahmoud Dashti.
The rst day of the match will witness four matches
in the rst round of the tournament. Martyr Mohammad
Sofri team will face Martyr Jassem Dashti team at 4 pm,
which will be followed by a match between the teams of
Martyr Essa Dashti and Martyr Musa Ashkanani at 4:30
pm. At 5 pm, the Martyr Mohammad Al-Durra team will
face Martyr Abbas Al-Foudri team. The last match of
the day will be between the teams of Martyr Ahmad Al-
Hattab and Martyr Ahmad Qabrazad.
Meanwhile, the 1st Jabriya Martyrs Ramadan Volley-
ball Tournament is ongoing in the Hall of Fahad Al-Du-
weiri School with the teams of ABR and Abdulsamad
Al-Dashti qualifying for the nals.
The ABR team qualied after they defeated the team
of Dashti Diwaniya by 2-0 sets (25-21, 25-19). In addi-
tion, Abdulsamad Al-Dashti team qualied by defeating
Sarkhou team by 2-0 sets (25-14, 25-14).
Both seminal matches were characterized by strong
performance. The players as well as the spectators are
anticipating a much stronger performance in the rst
nal match of the tournament.
On the sidelines of the matches, several spectators
were given instant prizes through a draw organized by
the supreme organizing committee of the tournament.
The prizes were handed out by the Board Chairperson
of Jabriya Cooperative Society Hussein Dashti.

Nadal, Djokovic storm into last 32
Muguruza survives
PARIS, May 31, (AFP):
French Open title rivals
Rafael Nadal and Novak
Djokovic stormed into
the last 32 on Wednesday,
while womens defending
champion Garbine Mugu-
ruza survived a second-
round scare.
Nadal outclassed Dutchman
Robin Haase 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 in one
hour and 49 minutes on Court
Philippe Chatrier to continue his
quest for an incredible 10th Roland
Garros triumph.
I was more or less under control
during the whole match, so Im very
happy. Winning in straight sets is al-
ways good news, said Nadal.
I think I did a lot of things well this
afternoon.
The Spaniard will face Nikoloz
Basilashvili for a place in round four
after the Georgian matched his best
ever run at a Grand Slam.
Defending champion Djokovic bat-
tered Portugals Joao Sousa 6-1, 6-4,
6-3 to make it four wins in as many
meetings with the world number 59.
The second seed plays Argentinas
Diego Schwartzman for a place in the
last 16.
I think the rst two sets went very
well, the third was was more difcult,
said Djokovic.
Generally, I felt better than the rst
round, so thats exactly what I want-
ed.
Sixth seed Dominic Thiem charged
into round three with a routine win
over Simone Bolelli, sweeping the Ital-
ian aside 7-5, 6-1, 6-3.
The Austrian, who is the only player
to defeat Nadal on clay this season,
will meet American 25th seed Steve
Tunisias Ons Jabeur returns the
ball to Slovakias Dominika Cibulk-
ova during their tennis match at the
Roland Garros 2017 French Open
on May 31, in Paris. (AFP)
Johnson next as he looks to build on attack in December. Venus Williams Williams, the 2002 runner-up who Caroline Wozniacki dished out a
last years run to the semi-nals. shook off a slow start to ease into the turns 37 next month, will play Bel- chastening 6-0, 6-0 thrashing to Cana-
Grigor Dimitrov and David Gof- third round with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over giums Elise Mertens in the third dian qualier Francoise Abanda in just
n sailed through, but French hopes Japans Kurumi Nara. round. 52 minutes.
suffered a huge blow as 12th seed Jo-
Wilfried Tsonga crashed out to Renzo
Olivo in his opening match.
Serving to stay in the contest when
darkness halted their tie on Tuesday,
Tsonga was broken immediately when
play resumed as the Argentine world
number 91 wrapped up a 7-5, 6-4, 6-7
(6/8), 6-4 win.
Reigning champion Muguruza sur-
vived another tough examination from
53rd-ranked Anett Kontaveit, who beat
the Spaniard in Stuttgart last month.
TENNIS
Muguruza has endured a difcult
2017 and again found herself in trou-
ble after falling a set and a break be-
hind against the Estonian.
But the fourth seed recovered to
claw out a 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-2 win and
book a third-round clash with Yulia
Putintseva of Kazakhstan.
I have a different spirit here, Im
going to ght for every ball to try and
win, she added.
American qualier Bethanie Mat-
tek-Sands halted Petra Kvitovas
comeback, defeating the popular
Czech 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5) in her rst
tournament since a horrifying knife

England advance
as Germany fall
SEOUL, South Korea, May
31, (AP): England made it
through. Germany didnt.
Ademola Lookman scored
both goals to put England in
the quarter-nals of the Un-
der-20 World Cup with a
2-1 win over Costa Rica on
Wednesday. The Germans,
however, lost to Zambia 4-3
in extra time after equalizing
with a pair of late goals.
Lookman gave England
the lead in the 35th minute,
scoring from Jonjoe Kellys
cross. He made it 2-0 in the
63rd after Everton teammate
Dominic Calvert-Lewin broke
free down the left and found
Lookman inside the area. The
striker turned past a defender
and poked the ball in with the
outside of his right foot.
Randal Leal pulled a goal
back for Costa Rica in the
89th at Jeonju World Cup
Stadium. England will face
either Senegal or Mexico on
Tuesday.
In Jeju, Suat Serdar scored
for Germany in the 89th
minute and substitute Jo-
nas Arweiler added another
deep in injury time to make
it 3-3 against Zambia. But
Shemmy Mayembe scored
the winner in the 107th.
Zambia will face either
France or Italy in the quar-
ter-nals. Also, Uruguay
advanced by beating Saudi
Arabia 1-0. Nicolas De La
Cruz scored from the penalty
spot in the 50th minute.

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