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WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 / SHAWWAL 14, 1442 AH emergency number 112 NO. 17697 16 PAGES 150 FILS US will reopen Jerusalem consulate Palestine ‘up’ Opinion Heads up ... new spook heads Mossad JERUSALEM, May JERUSALEM, May 25, (AP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Earlier this month, Cohen visited Bahrain and met with the 25, (AP): Secretary of Netanyahu announced Monday the appointment of David Bar- heads of the Gulf state’s intelligence agency to discuss regional nea as the new head of the country’s spy agency, the Mossad. security. State Antony Blinken Eject the enemies of Barnea, a former longtime Mossad operative, will succeed On his watch, Israel’s storied intelligence agency succeed- has announced the re- Yossi Cohen as head of Israel’s intelligence agency on June 1. ed in seizing a large archive of Iranian nuclear documents opening of the US Con- Cohen has served as Israel’s spymaster since taking office in in 2018. Netanyahu claimed they proved that Iranian lead- 2016. ers covered up a nuclear weapons program before signing a sulate General in Jeru- joy, regain solemnity Netanyahu said Barnea’s appointment will allow “the Mossad deal with world powers in 2015. Numerous other operations salem — a move that and the state of Israel to continue in the path of accomplishments against Iran’s nuclear facilities and scientists have also been restores ties with the to ensure the security of Israel,” adding that the “top mission” is attributed to Israel. preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. At a ceremony Monday, Cohen said the Mossad executes “in- Palestinians that had By Ahmed Al-Jarallah Outgoing Mossad chief Cohen has acted as Netanyahu’s close numerable operations” that “bring essential intelligence to the been downgraded by Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times confidant and informal envoy. He helped orchestrate the normal- state of Israel, thwart unconventional weapons, thwart terrorism the Trump administra- ization agreements Israel signed with Bahrain, the United Arab and espionage, and blaze new paths to peace and regional coop- DAY after day, the horizon is getting darker and darker. Darkness cov- Emirates, Sudan and Morocco last year. eration.” tion. ers the national will that seeks to find a solution that will stop this po- The consulate long served litical dust storm, which is heavy on the nation’s lungs and has nearly as an autonomous office in afflicted it with a chronic disease. charge of diplomatic relations This disease can only be avoided by reviewing the democratic expe- with the Palestinians. But for- rience of the past six decades to the present day, and benefiting from the lessons of the crises this country suffered. This is because each team mer president Donald Trump is entrenched behind the illusions of victory when in reality the actual downgraded its operations losers are the common citizens as well as Kuwait. This means more and placed them under the crises that will remain unsolved because the intentions are not pure. authority of his ambassador When the Constituent Assembly began preparing the constitution, to Israel when he moved the the members sought to strip the ruling family of most of its powers embassy to Jerusalem. and privileges, and besiege the government within specific frameworks The move infuriated the Pal- that could not enable it to exercise its correct role. This led to an imbal- estinians, who view east Jerusa- ance between the two shoulders in managing the country, and resulted lem as occupied territory and the eventually in the 1963 crisis. The problems between the legislative au- capital of their future state. thority and its executive counterpart followed, sparking the 1967 elec- Blinken announced the move tion crisis, which was followed by another one in 1976 in which the Tuesday during a visit to the re- National Assembly was dissolved in an unconstitutional manner. gion to shore up the Gaza cease- However, the suspension of some articles of the constitution was fire. not sufficient to reorganize and restructure the relations between the He vowed Tuesday to “rally two decision-making wings (the government and the parliament) such international support” to aid Gaza that the government collided again with the opposition and it led to the following a devastating war there dissolution of the legislative authority in 1986. while keeping any assistance out This scene is similar to what we are experiencing today with the of the hands of its militant Hamas parliament shelling out interpellations against the Prime Minister and rulers, as he began a regional tour his team without taking into consideration the least amount of risks to shore up last week’s cease-fire. experienced in any of the past crises. The 11-day war between Israel Conceding and Hamas killed more than 250 people, mostly Palestinians, and In all these stations, the government was conceding more and more caused widespread destruction in to the enemies of joy - the Muslim Brotherhood Group and others who the impoverished coastal territo- stubbornly sought to impose their will on the nation - until they were ry. The truce that came into effect able to form a representative majority in more than one parliament. Friday has so far held, but it did They were able to control the financial, economic, political and social not address any of the underlying joints of the state. They continue to have the upper hand in the invest- issues in the Israeli-Palestinian ments that they direct for their interests, and so they have enacted laws conflict, something Blinken ac- that shape the society according to their desires. knowledged after meeting with The government was unable to confront them, despite their deviation Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin from the proper course of decision making, which led to the current Netanyahu. situation that has worsened with the failure to address the COVID-19 pandemic and its financial and economic repercussions. Violence The state seems unable to cushion its people at a time when donations “We know that to prevent a and loans are being distributed to 170 countries. It continues to announce the return to violence, we have to provision of aid to the Palestinians and the organizations in Gaza and take use the space created to address extreme political positions in this regard in contrast to the global political a larger set of underlying issues mood, while it is miserly towards the Kuwaiti citizens. It seems as if it is a and challenges. And that begins spring that nourishes those who are far while those close to it die of thirst. Yemen’s Mayun Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and mainland Yemen are seen in this May 8, 2021, satellite photograph with tackling the grave humani- Unfortunately, this policy is the natural result of the enemies of joy from Planet Labs Inc. A mysterious air base is being built on Yemen’s volcanic Mayun Island in one of the world’s crucial tarian situation in Gaza and start- controlling the joints of the state, while the government keeps on jus- maritime chokepoints for both energy shipments and commercial cargo. (AP) ing to rebuild,” he said. tifying its position with a single chorus - “The parliament did not ap- “The United States will work prove those laws and decisions that stimulate the national economy”. to rally international support The fact that they spend generously abroad increases the popular re- Permanent presence seen around that effort while also sentment against the executive authority. making our own significant con- In conclusion, what we are witnessing today is the natural result of all tributions.” He added that the these piled-up unresolved issues. If the state does not take the initiative to U.S. would work with its part- solve the internal dilemma, the popular anger will expand further. ners “to ensure that Hamas does I believe that the first steps in the solution are to reconsider the con- Secret airbase in Yemen play not benefit from the reconstruc- stitution, reform the relationship between the two authorities, and re- tion assistance.” store prestige to the ruling family. Blinken will not be meeting Last but not the least, the state should suspend the financial generos- DUBAI, May 25, (AP): A mysterious air base is being built on a volcanic island off Yemen that with Hamas, which does not rec- ity it shows abroad and instead turn inward, as Kuwait has much good ognize Israel’s right to exist and in it but it is not unable to help its own people. sits in one of the world’s crucial maritime choke- Qatar, Egypt points for both energy shipments and commercial which Israel and the U.S. consid- Email: [email protected] cargo. er a terrorist organization. While no country has claimed the Mayun Is- Blinken addressed the larger Follow me on: readjust ties land air base in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, ship- conflict, saying “we believe that ping traffic associated with a prior attempt to Palestinians and Israelis equally CAIRO, May 25, (AP): Egypt’s build a massive runway across the 5.6-kilometer deserve to live safely and se- top diplomat met Tuesday with his (3.5 mile)-long island years ago links back to the curely, to enjoy equal measures [email protected] Qatari counterpart as ties between United Arab Emirates. of freedom, opportunity and de- the two nations gradually improve Officials in Yemen’s internationally recognized mocracy, to be treated with dig- since Egypt and three Gulf nations government now say the Emiratis are behind this nity.” ended their dispute with the ener- latest effort as well, even though the UAE an- But the top U.S. diplomat fac- gy-rich country earlier this year. nounced in 2019 it was withdrawing its troops es the same obstacles that have Newswatch Foreign Minister Sameh from a Saudi-led military campaign battling Ye- stifled a wider peace process for Shukry and Qatar’s top diplo- men’s Houthi rebels. more than a decade, including a mat and Deputy Prime Minister “This does seem to be a longer-term strate- hawkish Israeli leadership, Pales- Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al gic aim to establish a relatively permanent pres- tinian divisions and deeply root- WASHINGTON: The Biden administration says many American citi- Thani met in Cairo and discussed ence,” said Jeremy Binnie, the Mideast editor at ed tensions surrounding Jerusa- zens holding recently expired US passports will be allowed to return “the positive development” in the open-source intelligence company Janes who lem and its holy sites. The Biden home from abroad on that document until the end of year. ties between the two countries, has followed construction on Mayun for years. administration had initially Citing delays in passport renewals caused by the coronavirus pan- according to a statement by It’s “possibly not just about the Yemen war and hoped to avoid being drawn into demic, the State Department said certain passports that expired on or Egypt’s Foreign Ministry. you’ve got to see the shipping situation as fairly the intractable conflict and focus after Jan 1, 2021, will be honored for reentry into the United States A January declaration put an key there.” on other foreign policy priorities until Dec 31. That’s because the pandemic forced the department and end to a diplomatic crisis that be- Emirati officials in Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s before the violence broke out. most embassies and consulates to close down or signifi cantly reduce gan in 2017 with a rift between Embassy in Washington did not respond to re- Netanyahu, meanwhile, is passport services. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United fighting for his political life after “US Customs and Border Protection offi cers will accept for admis- quests for comment. Arab Emirates and Bahrain on The runway on Mayun Island allows whoever a fourth inconclusive election in sion certain expired US passports, thereby assisting US citizens who two years. He faces mounting have been affected by appointment backlogs at embassies and consu- one side and Qatar on the other. controls it to project power into the strait and eas- lates overseas caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the department The four countries had jointly ily launch airstrikes into mainland Yemen, con- criticism from Israelis who say said in a notice issued late Monday. boycotted Qatar and hoped an em- vulsed by a yearslong bloody war. It also provides he ended the offensive prema- The closures resulted in waiting times of more than two months in bargo and media blitz would pres- a base for any operations into the Red Sea, the turely, without forcibly halting some cases for processing passport renewals, and a signifi cant backlog sure it to end its close relations Gulf of Aden and nearby East Africa. rocket attacks or dealing a heavi- of applications remains. with Turkey and Iran. Egypt and Satellite images from Planet Labs Inc. obtained er blow to Hamas. The department cautioned, though, that recently expired passports the UAE view the support by Qa- by The Associated Press showed dump trucks and Netanyahu hardly mentioned aren’t valid for international travel from the United States or for travel tar and Turkey of Islamist groups graders building a 1.85 kilometer (6,070-foot) the Palestinians in his remarks, in between third countries that is not directly linked to return travel to the like the Muslim Brotherhood as a The national flag of Georgia is seen runway on the island on April 11. By May 18, which he warned of a “very pow- US. (AP) security threat. Saudi Arabia and near the iconic Kuwait Towers. Geor- that work appeared complete, with three hangars erful” response if Hamas breaks ❑ ❑ ❑ Bahrain were primarily concerned gia celebrates its 30 years of Indepen- constructed on a tarmac just south of the runway. the cease-fire. about Qatar’s ties with Iran. dence on May 26. — See Page 2 A runway of that length can accommodate at- Netanyahu spoke of “build- KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait on Monday tallied 1,240 new cases of coro- The countries accused Qatar of tack, surveillance and transport aircraft. An ear- ing economic growth” in the navirus over the past 24 hours to up the total to 300,455, while seven cozying up to Iran and financing ex- lier effort begun toward the end of 2016 and later occupied West Bank, but said fatalities pushed its death toll from the outbreak to 1,741, the health tremist groups in the region, though abandoned had workers try to build an even-larger there will be no peace until the ministry said. Doha denied the charges. Qatar- Palestinians recognize Israel as a Some 1,081 more people had recovered from the virus in the same Day by Day runway over 3 kilometers (9,800 feet) long, which period to raise the total of those to have overcome the respiratory illness based Al-Jazeera was at the center would allow for the heaviest bombers. “Jewish state.” The Palestinians to 286,199, which equates to a national recovery rate of 95.26 percent, of the dispute. The four nations Military officials with Yemen’s internation- have long objected to that lan- ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said. demanded its closure among other ally recognized government, which the Saudi-led guage, saying it undermines the IT is unfortunate that the government rights of Israel’s own Palestinian The number of people hospitalized with the virus stands at 12,515, measures, which Qatar rejected. makes wrong decisions. It is equally coalition has backed since 2015, say the UAE is with 145 of them in intensive care units, he revealed, adding that Tuesday’s statement said the unfortunate when the government re- building the runway. The officials, speaking to minority. some 9,386 swab tests were conducted over the last day out of a total ministers discussed taking fur- tracts its wrong decisions in secret as the AP on condition of anonymity as they didn’t The war was triggered by 2,535,029 so far. ther measures that aim at promot- if ashamed to own the mistake or as have authorization to brief journalists, say Emirati weeks of clashes in Jerusalem The spokesman went on to urge citizens and expatriates alike that ing “the positive atmosphere” in if it wants to say let bygones be by- ships transported military weapons, equipment between Israeli police and Pal- abiding by health precautions, mainly, following social distancing their bilateral ties. It did not elab- gones. and troops to Mayun Island in recent weeks. estinian protesters in and around rules, is the only way to halt the spread of the virus. (KUNA) orate on details. This behavior confuses everyone The military officials said recent tension be- the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, ❑ ❑ ❑ The two diplomats also dis- because people don’t get answers to tween the UAE and Yemeni President Abed Rab- a site revered by Jews and Mus- cussed other regional topics, their questions and the reason is gov- bo Mansour Hadi came in part from an Emirati lims that has seen several out- KUWAIT CITY: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad including a decade-long dispute ernment decisions are inconsistent demand for his government to sign a 20-year lease breaks of Israeli-Palestinian vio- Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable of condolences on Tuesday to Saudi between Egypt, Sudan and Ethio- with reality. agreement for Mayun. Emirati officials have not lence over the years. The protests King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud over the demise of Princess Al- pia over a massive dam Ethiopia It seems the government of ‘con- acknowledged any disagreement. were directed at Israel’s policing Jawhara Bint Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. is building on the main tributary stant wrong decisions’ does not know The initial, failed construction project came of the area during the Muslim His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al- of the Nile River, the statement that there are laws that are difficult to after Emirati and allied forces retook the island holy month of Ramadan and the Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah implement, but help ignite revolutions. Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent similar cables. (KUNA) added. Egypt and Sudan deem from Iranian-backed Houthi militants in 2015. By threatened eviction of dozens of the Ethiopian dam a major threat ... Yet, tomorrow is another day. late 2016, satellite images showed construction Palestinian families by Jewish to their water security. Zahed Matar underway there. settlers. ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 2

Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia Culture, legacy … roots & Rustaveli

Nationhood Nurtured in the vineyard of hope HE Konstantin Zhgenti Ambassador of Georgia to the State of Kuwait

ay 26 is the Day of Independence of Georgia. tural heritage, and is famed for its traditions of hospital- Georgian government announced that in 2024 Georgia M Georgia — “Sakartvelo — in Georgian Lan- ity and cuisine. The roots of the Georgian people extend will officially present its desire to become the member of guage” — is the country of the South Caucasus, located deep in history; their cultural heritage is equally ancient the European Union. at the eastern end of the Black Sea. and rich. The fabled wealth of Colchis became known The diplomatic relations between Georgia and Kuwait, It is bounded on the north and northeast by Russia, on quite early to the Greeks and found symbolic expression was established in 1992 and the Embassy of Georgia to the east and southeast by Azerbaijan, on the south by Ar- in the legend of Medea and the Golden Fleece. the State of Kuwait was opened in 2007. Beginning from menia and Turkey, and on the west by the Black Sea. Georgia embraced Christianity about the year 330. that period friendly and prosperous Political cooperation Georgia includes three ethnic enclaves: Abkhazia, in During the next three centuries, Georgia was involved in is being developed on a bilateral basis in addition to be- the northwest (principal city Sokhumi); Ajara, in the the conflict between Rome—and its successor state, the ing promoted in the framework of International Organi- southwest (principal city Batumi); and Byzantine Empire—and the Persian S‘s‘nian zations. South Ossetia, in the north (principal city dynasty. The zenith of Georgia’s power In the economic field, Georgia and Kuwait have been Tskhinvali). The capital of Georgia is Tbili- and prestige was reached during the reign preparing favorable conditions for investment. This in- si (Tiflis). (1184–1213) of Queen Tamar, whose realm cludes the strengthening of the legal basis, in particular The Georgian language is a member of stretched from Azerbaijan to the borders of relating to issues of double taxation and investment pro- the Kartvelian family of languages. It has Cherkessia (now in southern Russia) and tection as well as the enhancing of commercial relations its own alphabet, which is evolved about from Erzurum (in modern Turkey) to Ganja based on a free trade agreement. the 5th century, and there are three dialects. (modern Gäncä, Azerbaijan), forming a pan- The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development The national genius was demonstrated most Caucasian empire. (KFAED), the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) and clearly in Vepkhistkaosani (The Knight in The invasions of Transcaucasia by the the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce are main partners and the Panther’s Skin), the epic masterpiece Mongols from 1220 onward, however, counterparts in the development of Georgian-Kuwaiti of the 12th-century poet Shota Rustaveli brought Georgia’s golden age to an end. economic relations. Among the successful projects ini- which is translated in more than 50 lan- HE Konstantin Zhgenti The fall of Constantinople (modern Is- tiated in recent years is the Tbilisi Road rehabilitation guages, including Arabic. tanbul, Turkey) to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 isolated scheme, financed by KFAED, as well as other infrastruc- Most of Georgians are members of the Georgian Ortho- Georgia from western Christendom. After a long period ture development projects like the upgrading of highways dox Church, an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church. of Turkish and Persian domination, Georgia was annexed and the Namahvan hydro-electric station. In addition, In addition, there are Muslim, Russian Orthodox, Arme- by the Russian Empire in the 19th century. After the col- projects targeting the tourism infrastructure have been nian Apostolic, Catholic, and Jewish communities. lapse of Russian Empire in 1917, an independent Geor- launched. The Georgians are a proud people with an ancient cul- gian state – Republic of Georgia, existed from 1918 to Since 2007 a simplified visa regime has been in force ture. They have through the ages been noted as warriors 1921. Refused entry into the League of Nations, Geor- between Georgia and Kuwait, allowing citizens of both as well as for their hospitality, love of life, lively intel- gia gained de jure recognition from the Allies in Janu- countries to receive entry permits upon arrival as opposed ligence and sense of humor. The ancient culture of the ary 1921. In 1921 Georgia was occupied by Russian Red to requiring the issuing of visas prior to traveling. republic is reflected in the large number of architectural Army, annexed and incorporated into the Soviet Union. ‘The Knight in the Panther’s Skin’ In 2017, the direct flights began from Kuwait to Tbilisi. monuments, including many monasteries and churches; After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia declared The flights are conducting by “Jazeera” and “Kuwait Air- The vineyards and the winemaking tradition of Georgia independence on April 9, 1991. Up until today Russia is refusing to follow the Cease- ways”. This helped to develop farther the relations be- constitute one of the oldest and most important features The 1990s were a period of instability and civil unrest fire Agreement of 2008 and to withdraw its military forc- tween two countries. From the beginning of flights, more of Georgian identity and perhaps the best loved. Geor- in Georgia, as separatist movements emerged in South es from occupied Abkhazia and so named South Ossetia, than 30000 people from Kuwait visited Georgia. gian winemaking dates to 300 BCE. Historically Georgia Ossetia and Abkhazia. which are recognized by it as “independent states”. No We are sure, that the two sides believe — after the produced more than 500 varieties of grapes. Georgia became a member of the United Nations and other international organization and the vast majority of overcoming the problems connected with the spread of Tbilisi, the capital, an ancient city with many archi- the OSCE in 1992 and the Council of Europe in 1999. world states are following Russia in this. Covid-19, friendly and prosperous relations between our tectural monuments mingling with modern buildings, lies Russia was against Georgia’s independent and west- Georgia has enjoyed a close relationship with the countries will develop. in eastern Georgia, partly in a scenic gorge of the Mt- ern-oriented policy from the beginning and tense rela- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Euro- We wish the State and the people of Kuwait further kvari River. Other major centres are K‘ut‘aisi, Rust‘avi, tions with Russia have been further exacerbated by Mos- pean Union. Especially with the EU, because Georgia progress and prosperity under the wise leadership of His Sokhumi, and Bat‘umi. cow’s support for the separatist regions of Abkhazia and historically and culturally considers itself a natural part Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al-Sabah, Situated at the strategically important crossroads where so named South Ossetia, leading to a brief war in August of the European Civilization. In 2014 Georgia signed the Amir of the State of Kuwait, and His Highness Crown Europe meets Asia, Georgia has a unique and ancient cul- 2008. The Association Agreement with the EU and in 2021 the Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

editor’s choice ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 3

Weather Expected weather for the next to moderate north westerly wind Bubyan - - Prayer Timings 24 hours: to light variable wind with speeds Jahra 47 33 By Day: Hot and partly cloudy of 08-28 km/h and some scat- Failaka Island - - Fajr ...... 03:19 Asr ...... 15:20 with light variable wind to light tered clouds will appear. Salmiyah 38 32 Sunrise .. 04:51 Maghrib .. 18:39 to moderate north westerly wind Ahmadi 37 34 Zohr ...... 11:45 Isha ...... 20:07 Station Max Exp Min Rec with speeds of 10-38 km/h with a Kuwait City 44 38 Nuwaisib 40 29 chance for carried dust. Kuwait Airport 46 33 Wafra 46 31 By Night: Rather hot with light Abdaly 47 33 Salmy 45 31

VACCINE REGISTRATION WEBSITE: https://cov19vaccine.moh.gov.kw/SPCMS/CVD_19_Vaccine_Registration.aspx

Boubyan Bank scales 11 fi ls, Mabanee Co drops Kuwait market treads water, volume extends retreat By John Mathews Arab Times Staff ▼ UUS$/KDS$/KD 0.30055/650.30055/65 KUWAIT CITY, May 25: Kuwait stocks ▲ Euro/KD 0.3681 trod water on Tuesday following last ses- sion pullback. The All Shares Market, after ■ Yen/KD 0.0027 a volatile start, traded range bound for most part of the session to close 1.5 points up at ▼ British £/KD 0.4248 6,271.15 pts helped by some of the heavy weights. Indian Rs/KD 0.0041 The Premier Market climbed 13.21 ■ points to 6,812.10 pts taking the month’s gains to 189 points while Main Market shed ■ Philippines Peso/KD 0.0062 25.76 pts. The BK Main 50 was down 19.96 points at 5,443.90 pts. The volume turnover ▼ FTSE -21.80 pts at 19:00 May 25 meanwhile dipped below the 400 mln mark for the fi rst time during the month. Over 370 million shares changed hands – down ▲ Nikkei +189.37 pts at closing May 25 9 percent from Monday. The sectors closed mostly in red turf. Consumer Services outshone the rest with ▲ Gold 1882.80 per oz (London) 0.60 percent gain whereas Basic Materials dipped 0.99 pct, the worst performer of the ▲ NYMEX crude $66.22 per barrel day. Volume wise, Financial Services con- tinued to top the volume with 138 million ▲ Brent crude $68.63 per barrel shares and Banking sector was ahead in value KD 21.5 million. LIBOR rate 0.14088% Among the standout performers, sector bellwether National Bank of Kuwait ral- lied 5 fi ls to 837 fi ls on back of 2.7 million 147 counters active on Tuesday, 31 closed shares while Boubyan Bank scaled 11 fi ls to fl at. 15,190 deals worth KD 64 million was end at 678 fi ls. Mabanee Co shed 10 fi ls ex- traded during the session. tending last session’s losses and is up 31 fi ls In the banking sector, Gulf Bank was month-to-date whereas NAPESCO climbed unchanged at 222 fi ls after pushing 9.4 mil- 19 fi ls. Humansoft Holding was down 10 lion whereas Kuwait International Bank fi ls a KD 3.626. trimmed 1 fi l. Burgan Bank rose 2 fi ls to Zain slipped 6 fi ls to 589 fi ls after push- 230 fi ls and Kuwait Finance House fol- ing over 7 million shares while Ooredoo lowed suit to end at 747 fi ls and the counter was unchanged at 643 fi ls. stc dropped 20 saw 11.5 million shares change hands. fi ls to 830 fi ls whereas Agility paced 9 fi ls Warba Bank was unchanged at 251fi ls on back of 7.2 million shares to close at KD and Ahli United Bank BSC took in 1 fi l on KUNA photo 1.05. Mezzan Holding was up 4 fi ls at 653 back of 15.8 million shares. Commercial His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives credentials of the newly-assigned Ambassador of the Vatican fi ls whereas Integrated Holding gave up 6 Bank and Al Ahli Bank stood pat at 500 Eugene Martin Nugent. fi ls. KIPCO tripped 1 fi l after moving over a fi ls and 205 fi ls respectively whereas Ahli million shares and National Investment Co United Bank Kuwait trimmed 1 fi l. dialed down 2 fi ls. Kuwait Investment Co dialed up 2 fi ls National Industries Group eased 1 fi l to with razor thin trading whereas International 233 fi ls after moving 3.8 million shares and Financial Advisors paused at 118 fi ls. Coast ‘Strict eye on Covid-era crimes’ Gulf Cable dived 40 fi ls to 827 fi ls. Bou- Investment Co paced 5.7 fi ls and The Securi- byan Petrochemical Co slipped 5 fi ls to 915 ties House inched 0.2 fi l up. Arzan Financial fi ls and Al Qurain Petrochemical Co gave Group dialed down 2 fi ls after moving 13.3 up 7 fi ls before settling at 407 fi ls. Jazeera million shares and KMEFIC gained 9 fi ls. Difference in test approach seen ‘Rumors rampant’ Airways dropped 10 fi ls to 660 fi ls while Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) rallied ALAFCO clipped 2 fi ls. United Projects 6 fi ls to 137 fi ls and Aayan Leasing gave up KUWAIT CITY, May 25, (KUNA): Interior Co shed 18 fi ls with thin trading amd YI- 4 fi ls. Bayan Investment was unchanged at Dual treatment by MoE protested ACO Medical was down 27 fi ls at 550 fi ls. 53.5 fi ls whereas Osoul Investment clipped Minister Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Al-Sa- The market opened fi rm and pulled 2.7 fi ls. KFIC added 2 fi ls while KAMCO higher in early trade. The main index scaled eased 0.5 fi l to 100.5 fi ls. Ministry of Health continues to record more lem Al-Sabah has affi rmed the security es- By Abdulrahman Al-Shimmari tablishment’s keenness to deal with the new the day’s highest level of 6299 points and Gulf Insurance Group fell 5 fi ls to 795 fi ls Al-Seyassah Staff than 1,000 infection cases every day. headed south as sentiment turned weak. It whereas Aheia Insurance Co scled 14 fi ls. He added, 51,000 students and thousands conditions imposed by the coronavirus pan- KUWAIT CITY, May 25: In spite of high traded range bound past the mid-session Warba Insurance Co gained 6 fi ls whereas of observers, visitors, correctors, and teach- and bottomed at 6,260 points in the fi nal Kuwait Reinsurance Co skidded 17 fi ls to temperatures yesterday morning, a num- ers to conduct this educational process, will demic and the consequent rise in crime rates ber of parents of Twelfth Grade students around the world. minutes before clawing back into the posi- 200 fi ls with thin trading. be at risk and will only add to worsen the tive region at close. National Real Estate Co was fl at at 171 demonstrated in front of the General Of- health situation. The Kuwaiti minister made his remarks in a speech fi ce of the Ministry of Education to express Top gainer of the day, National Shooting fi ls with a volume of 4.4 million and Salhia Another parliamentarian said the oppor- at the international scientifi c conference held yesterday Range shot 13.33 pct higher while Coast In- Real Estate too did not budge from its ear- their dissatisfaction about different treat- tunity is still available for the Minister of evening via the virtual platform Zoom entitled ‘The phe- ment meted out to private and government vestment climbed 8.7 percent to stand next. lier close of 519 fi ls. Tamdeen Real Estate Education to backtrack from the paper-test nomenon of the spread of crimes in the time of the coro- NCCI skidded 15.64 percent, the steepest fell 5 fi ls to 260 fi ls. schools students. decision in light of the exacerbation of the They say the Ministry of Education al- navirus pandemic’. decliner of the day and AAN topped the The market has been largely positive so Coronavirus pandemic and the absence of The conference was organized by the Kuwaiti Journalists volume with 35.2 million shares. far during the week, gaining 22 points in lows some foreign schools to perform their justice to apply it to public education stu- exams electronically, while strictly requir- Association under the auspices of the Minister of Interior. Despite the day’s tame fi nish, the losers last three sessions. It has rallied 157 points dents exclusively, indicating that the minis- Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali said the Ministry of Interior has mon- vastly outnumbered the winners. 42 stocks from start of the month and is up 724 points ing public education students to take paper ter will bear the responsibility for this deci- itored and addressed new crimes of various forms, including advanced whereas 74 closed lower. Of the year-to-date. tests, and demanded equality and fairness sion. in dealing with decisions that apply to stu- For their part, the parents of the students violent crimes and cyber-crimes, in addition to crimes related dents in private and government sectors told the Al-Seyassah daily they did not hesi- to fraud, forgery and spreading rumors. schools keeping in mind the safety of their tate for a moment to think about the health He stressed on importance of spreading prevention and Confusion over funds disbursal children. of their children, who were prevented from protection methods to avert crime, as well as signifi cance of MP Osama Al-Shaheen, speaking to re- leaving their respective homes for a entire activating role of the security media to spread awareness and porters in front of the Ministry of Education year, fearing for their health, and hoping address psychological and social effects of the pandemic. building spoke in support of the demonstra- that the epidemic will pass without any He affi rmed the political leadership’s keenness to address all No bonus for some ‘front-liners’ tors. harm affl icting them, and now the Ministry crimes related to the pandemic. He indicated that from the scientifi c point of Education with its decision wants to put For his part, the Director General of the General Depart- KUWAIT CITY, May 25: The percentage pared of those who were from working and of view, imposing paper exams at the end the lives of these students in danger by ap- ment of Security Relations and Information at the Ministry of of government employees entitled for ex- the same will be submitted to the adminis- of an entire electronic year is academically, proving paper tests in schools claiming that Interior, Brigadier Tawheed Al-Kandari, said in similar speech cellence rewards has signifi cantly increased trative affairs sectors to exclude them from educational and scientifi cally unacceptable, these schools are safe and there is no fear for that the most prominent thing that was monitored by the secu- this year compared to previous years, espe- the reward. indicating that the second reason, which them to attend, but the report of the Ministry rity services during the pandemic period was spreading and cially after the Civil Service Commission Over the next few days, the Ministry of is no less important and dangerous, is the of Health refutes their claims and revealed following rumors, despite the offi cial state agencies efforts in exempted some employees from working Health will open the Kuwait Center for Vac- health aspect especially since to this day the that they are not safe. commenting on these rumors and denying them. in government institutions, reports Al-Rai cination Against “COVID-19” in vehicles Al-Kandari explained that staying at home for long periods daily. stationed on the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad during the total or partial curfew has negatively contributed to The sources pointed out that ‘in recent Bridge. It is said the center will vaccinate raising the rates of cyber crimes and contributed positively to years, some employees were not able to more than 5,000 people daily, and that 80 reducing the violent crimes and theft crimes. obtain the ‘degree of excellence’ because vehicles can be accommodated at the same At the conclusion of its activities, the conference called for they were absent from work and the period time, reports Al-Anba daily. a number of recommendations, including the Ministry of Inte- of absence exceeded the period specifi ed in On the other hand, the Ministry of Health rior to continuously monitor the crimes that occurred during the decision of the CSC for those eligible to plans to pay ‘infection-risk’ allowances to the Corona pandemic, analyzing them and providing executive receive excellence rewards. all workers in hospitals, specialized medical recommendations to the relevant offi cial bodies in cooperation The daily added, some of these institu- centers, quarantines, vaccination centers, with specialists in criminology, psychology, sociology, educa- tions asked the Ministry of Finance to in- laboratories and all facilities in affi liated tion, and law at Kuwait University. crease the amount of bonus allocated to to COVID-19 service during the pandemic, The recommendations stressed the need for the Ministry of their respective institutions to disburse the similar to that of Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital Education to adopt awareness programs to protect students, money to the benefi ciaries, but the Ministry and the fi eld hospital. faculty members, and workers from crimes developed due to of Finance has rejected their requests. The Minitry of Health is studying the the Corona pandemic. The sources revealed that the approval response to the Civil Service Commission It also called for working on spreading and strengthening of the CSC to consider some to exempt inquiries in this regard, as the Ministry will the concept of social responsibility, implanting the values of from work is not a condition for the pay- prepare a detailed statement on the number citizenship, whether for institutions, individuals or civil soci- ment of the reward to them, even if they of workers who will be granted allowances, ety institutions. have they belong to the ‘excellence re- job titles, the most important work centers A group of specialists in the psychological, social, legal, ward’ category. and businesses in which they are exposed to media, cultural, educational and legal fi elds from various The sources indicated lists are being pre- infection. countries of the world participated in the conference.

KUNA photo Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Majdi Al-Dhafi ri meets the Saudi Ambassador Delay in 2nd ‘Astra’ dose to Kuwait Prince Sultan bin Sa’ad Al-Saud. may have complications Strategy 2021-2026 launched By Marwa Al-Bahrawi Al-Seyassah Staff KUWAIT CITY, May 25: Dr. Ghanem Al-Hujailan, a con- Plan to upgrade govt media sultant for internal and epidemiological diseases at the Adan Hospital, warned of the emergence of strains resistant to COV- KUWAIT CITY, May 25, (KUNA): Min- developing human resources in the min- ID-19 vaccination due to the delay in administering the second ister of Information, Culture and Minister istry by supporting cadres, competencies dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which for some has of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman and talents by providing them with the lat- exceeded more than three months since their fi rst dose. Al-Mutairi on Monday said that the Min- est technologies and modern devices. This is in relation to the plan prepared by the Ministry of istry of Information intends to develop the Al-Mutairi mentioned that this strategy Health to vaccinate those waiting for the second dose of the governmental media body to become a seeks to improve the identity of the minis- Oxford vaccine within the coming two weeks after receiving main source of knowledge. try and the departments that are associated lab effi cacy tests of the Oxford-AstraZeneca shipment that has This came in a statement by the minister with it, the fi nancial aspects, marketing arrived in Kuwait. during a ceremony of launching the new and production. In addition, creating a me- In a press statement, Dr. Al-Hujailan said, “Many of these people were infected with the virus during this period. This media strategy for the years (2021-2026) dia production city. foreshadows the emergence of vaccine-resistant strains. A sin- that was held at Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad He affi rmed that this strategy will abide gle dose does not give complete protection for the body.” Cultural Center (JACC). The minister said by Kuwaiti Customs and traditions; de- He revealed that the number of those vaccinated with the that this strategy was built to become an rived from the Islamic religion. Oxford vaccine in Kuwait as of March 22 is about 500,000, actual step towards development. He pointed out that this strategy took and these people could be infected with COVID-19 virus as a He noted that this strategy has the vision 120 hours to complete, in addition to 41 result of decrease in the immunity to the virus over time. to build a sustainable media body that pio- discussion circles with the participation Dr. Al-Hujailan reassured that there are no cases of black neers in purposeful content creation that of more than 550 people, with the use of fungus in Kuwait, explaining that this fungus is opportunistic combines between originality with moder- Arab and international expertise in the me- in nature, as it takes advantage of the patient’s long periods of nity and refl ects diversity. dia sector, in addition to conducting more stay in the intensive care unit, and their consumption of large He also said that this strategy focuses on than 200 fi eld studies. quantities of antibiotics and cortisone over long periods. ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 LOCAL 4 KOC awards its largest environ project for more than KD1 bln

Local and int’l companies offered polluted soil cleaning project

KUWAIT CITY, May 25: Kuwait Oil Compa- ny (KOC) has awarded its largest environmen- tal project for cleaning polluted soil at a total cost of more than KD1 billion to various lo- KUNA photo cal and international HH the Amir with HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed. companies, reports HH Amir receives HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Anba daily quoting sources. His Highness the Amir Sheikh day His Highness Sheikh Nasser Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. KUNA photos Sources revealed the received at Bayan Palace on Tues- (KUNA) FM Sheikh Dr Ahmed Nasser with the S. Korean ambassador (left), and the ambassador of Bhutan. Central Agency for Pub- lic Tenders (CAPT) has FM receives outgoing ambassadors of S. Korea, Bhutan agreed to award five stages Condolences sent to Congo president of the project -- which is Minister of Foreign Affairs and the occasion of ending his tenure in Sheikh Dr Ahmad Al-Nasser Minister of State for Cabinet Af- Kuwait. also received Tuesday Ambassa- considered one of the larg- fairs Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser The foreign minister thanked him dor of Bhutan to Kuwait Tshering est in the world -- to local HH the Amir ‘congratulates’ Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah received for the efforts and contributions to Gyaltshen Penjor on the occasion and international compa- Tuesday South Korean Ambassa- boost bilateral ties between both of ending his tenure in Kuwait. nies; affirming the con- Jordan King on National Day dor to Kuwait Dr Hong Youngki on nations. (KUNA) tracts will be signed within the next two weeks. KUWAIT CITY, May 25, (KUNA): His Condolences: His Highness the Amir Customers hope govt will soon allow shisha to be served Sources told the daily that Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ah- Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber the North Kuwait Drilling, mad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent on Tuesday Al-Sabah sent on Tuesday a cable of Transport and Processing a congratulatory cable to Jordanian King condolences to the Congolese Presi- Abdullah II, on the occasion of the Na- dent Felix Tshisekedi over the victims Restaurants, café owners breathe sigh of relief Project is divided into two tional Day of the Kingdom. sites with a total value of of the erupted volcano in the City of By Najeh Bilal His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Goma. $381.58 million. Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Al-Seyassah Staff Indian Embassy organizes contest on IDY The first site (Zone One) and His Highness the Prime Minister Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was awarded to the alliance KUWAIT CITY, May 25: Cafés and KUWAIT CITY, May 25: On the oc- Google Drive or Dropbox. The Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sa- and His Highness the Prime Minister restaurants owners and visitors alike casion of International Day of Yoga of Khaled Ali Al-Kharafi bah sent similar cables. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sa- last date for receiving the entries is ❑ ❑ ❑ have expressed their satisfaction at (IDY)-2021” which the Embassy of June 10, 2021. The Embassy may and Brothers for Construc- bah sent similar cables. the government decision to relax the India, Kuwait will celebrate on June publish these entries on its social tion Contracting and Lam- activities of these joints after three 18, 2021, the embassy invites entries media handles. The copyright of or Corporation as per the months of partial curfew which was for two contests – a photo contest the entries should be assigned to terms and specifications for necessitated in the face of the epide- under the theme ‘Be With Yoga, Be the Embassy of India in Kuwait by a total amount of $193.58 at Home’ and ‘My Family and Yoga miological situation, but they hope the respective participants. million. Time’ video blogging contest, ac- The second site (Zone the government will soon allow the cording to a press release issued by An undertaking to this effect cafés and restaurants to serve hoo- may be attached with the entries Two) was awarded to Ku- the embassy. waiti Company for Plant kah. The contest is open to all Indi- along with details such as name, Some of the owners who spoke to ans and friends of India in Kuwait. nationality, passport number, date Construction and Contract- Al-Seyassah daily recounted their The entries must be sent to edu. of birth, contact phone numbers ing and Environmental losses due to Covid-19 pandemic [email protected] with links of and email IDs. Technology Management which they said have exceeded all Company for a total amount limits especially since the real estate pointing out that he prefers sheesha cafés are primarily a refuge for ‘sin- of $188 million. owners have remained adamant and to be allowed to be served and called gle workers’, where they spend some Awarded insisted on lessees paying the entire a café “the spirit of the hookah”. time until late evening to put behind Meanwhile, the South Ku- rent money. Muhammad Atef pointed out that, them the daytime work uneasiness. wait Drilling, Transport and Kuwaiti Faisal Al-Kandari says as a permanent customer of cafés, he Sharaf al-Din Muhammad said he most young Kuwaitis prefer to sit Processing was awarded as was very happy with the reopening spends some time with his friends follows: in cafés, especially in the evening, of cafés, saying he can now meet his every day in cafés, hoping that the which is like a Diwaniya for them, friends over a ‘cup of tea’. government will soon allow shisha Zone One to the alliance where they discuss their conditions, Mohamed Abdel-Tawab believes to be served. of Khaled Ali Al-Kharafi and Brothers for Construction KUNA photo Contracting and Lamor Cor- Deputy FM Al-Dhafiri during his meeting with British Minister of State for the poration valued at $196.53 Middle East and North Africa James Cleverley. million. Zone Two to the Heavy En- gineering Industries and Ship- Deputy FM receives British official building Company in alliance Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassa- toric relations between the two coun- with Zaopin St Co Ltd valued dor Majdi Al-Dhafiri met on Tuesday tries and expressed satisfaction at ac- at $185.23 million. James Cleverly, the Minister for Mid- complishments of the Joint Guidance Zone Three to the alli- dle East and North Africa at the For- Committee. ance of Al-Sayer Construc- eign, Commonwealth and Develop- The Kuwaiti British commission was tion Company for General ment Office (FCDO), currently on a set up in 2012 with the aim of cement- Trading and Contracting visit to the country along with an ac- ing the bilateral relations. companying delegation. Moreover, the two sides discussed and Water & Soil Remedia- The Deputy Foreign Minister and developments on the regional and in- tion valued at $250.6 mil- the British official discussed the his- ternational arenas. (KUNA) lion. KOC worked hard to de- velop a comprehensive envi- Speaker announces next session June 8, 9 ronmental program entitled, “Comprehensive Rehabilita- tion Solutions,” at a cost of $2 Parliament ‘cancels’ ordinary billion. This includes several projects for soil rehabilitation and environmental reclama- session due to govt’s absence tion, covering all affected By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh seats allocated for the ministers is a areas and sectors within the Arab Times Staff peaceful message and it is not consid- company’s scope of work and ered instigation of chaos as the front these projects are expected to KUWAIT CITY, May 25: The Na- seats are not made especially for min- be implemented within a de- tional Assembly cancelled its ordi- isters. He concluded that Kuwait de- cade. nary session on Tuesday after Speak- serves something better. By awarding the tenders er Marzouq Al-Ghanim received MP-elect Obaid Al-Wasmi argued for soil rehabilitation, the information that the government will that cancelling the session in the pres- company is moving towards not attend the session, because sev- ence of 40 MPs is a violation of the achieving its strategic objec- eral MPs occupied the front seats al- Constitution and a deviation from tives regarding environmental located for the ministers. normal political attitude. He asserted affairs through the application Al-Ghanim announced that the next the Assembly is not a committee or of environmental initiatives ordinary session will be held on June 8 subsidiary of the Cabinet. and standards. and 9. He then distributed invitations to Meanwhile, the MPs who met on These projects are known the MPs and government to the special Monday in the house of MP Musaed as drilling, transport and treat- session slated for Thursday. Al-Ardi to unify their position on the ment in North Kuwait; as well He disclosed the agenda of the spe- cancelled session formed the 30 MPs as the South Kuwait Explora- cial session includes the following: bloc. They also formed a coordinative tion, Transport and Process- 1. Oath taking of MP-elect Obaid committee with MPs Hassan Jawhar, ing Project that is expected Al-Wasmi as per Article 91 of the Marzouq Al-Khalifa, Muhammad Al- to treat approximately 13 Constitution, Mutair, Abdulaziz Al-Saqaabi, Al- million cubic meters of oil- 2. Proposal of the government to Saifi Mubarak Al-Saifi and Mutei Al- contaminated soil. allocate additional budget for the in- Azmi as members. Former MP Bader This is related to soil dam- centive of frontline employees deal- Al-Dahoum was appointed as General age, including lakes, moist ing with the Covid-19 crisis to be Coordinator of the committee. and dry oil and oil-contami- included in the State budget for fi scal On the other hand, 25 MPs submit- nated piles. The region cov- 2020/ 2021, ted a proposal to hold a special ses- ers 114 square kilometers of 3. Proposal to discuss the Israeli sion on May 30 to discuss the recom- land contaminated with crude attacks on Palestinian people and mendation of MP Al- Saifi Mubarak oil as a result of the destruc- report of the parliamentary Foreign Al-Saifi to amend the National As- tion of about 700 oil wells in Affairs Committee on the bill about sembly Decree in order to allow the Kuwait. the amendment of law number 21/ MPs to dismiss the speaker. The projects, which are part 1964 on confronting attempts to In addition, MP Osama Al- of the environmental treat- normalize relations between Ku- Menawer submitted a bill on ment program, have been wait and Israel. amending Infectious Diseases Law subjected to signifi cant delays Al-Ghanim added the National As- number 8/ 1969. The bill obligates and cancellations. In 2019, sembly Offi ce will meet soon to spec- the State to shoulder the cost of KOC canceled a tender for ify the dates for the proposed special vaccines against all infectious dis- a contract to clean 200,000 sessions. eases for citizens, as well as other to 300,000 square meters of In a related development, MPs expenses such as institutional quar- contaminated soil. It is be- Khalid Al-Otaibi, Fares Al-Otaibi, antine and plane tickets for citizens lieved that the cancellation Mubarak Al-Hajraf, Abdulkareem who are abroad. was due to the failure of the Al-Kandari, Thamer Al-Suwait, Soud Also, MP Marzouq Al-Khalifa for- contractor to clarify the speci- Bu Sleeb, Marzouq Al-Khalifa and warded queries to Minister of Health fi cations ; particularly the use Musaed Al-Ardi occupied the chairs Dr Basel Al-Sabah about the Astra- of biological treatment tech- allocated for the ministers. Zeneca-Oxford vaccine procured by niques, instead of burying the MP Saleh Ziab Al-Mutairi raised a local agent. He wants to know the contaminated soil. However, a piece of paper with the phrase “get source of the vaccine and if it meets it was found out later that the out”, addressing His Highness the the criteria and quality standards contract was canceled for le- Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al- set by Work Health Organization gal reasons. Khalid. He said that occupying the (WHO). ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 LOCAL 5 diwaniya A DIGEST OF PUBLIC OPINION The inspiring Mohammad bin Salman and our ‘rational’ government “THERE is no doubt that the big sister country, the Kingdom of Saudi Also: which senior officials were exposed by international reports and prevented Arabia, has made huge leaps in development and progress since its inception “In the era of Kuwaiti renaissance, the legislative term or four years passed from engaging in their matter locally! until recently but the fact is, and this is confirmed, over the past four years without witnessing a single interrogation and the story of MP Mohammad al- “It is a sincere message that wishes for change to bring progress and prosper- the Kingdom has taken almost unprecedented steps at the regional and Rashed is known to everyone when he announced his desire to interrogate ity for this country, as only about 14 years left to reach Kuwait’s vision for the global level due to the enlightened thought of the inspiring young Crown Minister Abdullah Al-Sumait, so the Minister invited him to his office in the year 2035, which is found on the newkuwait.gov.kw website and defines long- Prince Mohammad bin Salman,” columnist Oweid Al-Sulaili wrote for presence of the entire Ministry staff and asked him to present what he had and term priorities for development.” Al-Shahed daily. if the answers did not convince him, he can continue with his grilling request ❑ ❑ ❑ “The qualitative shift of the sisterly country can be explained and analyzed and the matter ended to the satisfaction of the MP to explanations he heard and “Article Eight of the Constitution says: The State safeguards the pillars of through what Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman he did not waste the time of the Assembly on what was not useful,” columnist said in a recent television interview. He drew my atten- society and guarantees security, tranquility and equal opportunities for citi- Sami Al-Nisf wrote for Annahar daily. zens,” columnist Mohammad Sadiq Behbehani wrote for Al-Rai daily. tion when he said after he assumed his position, 80% of “One of the most important reasons for Kuwait’s backwardness is the mali- the ministers, undersecretaries and senior officials were “His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah -- may God cious theatrical interrogations based on the identity of the minister and not on protect him -- said in one of his speeches: ‘Young people are the wealth of this found to be incompetent and there was no government the issue of the public interest , which on the one hand is to get rid of some team to support the decision, and most officials were nation and the driving energy of all developed societies. We must use their competent and honest ministers as they do not pass illegal transactions and energies and talents in the service of their homeland and their Islamic nation.’ doing routine work. turning a blind eye to some unscrupulous ministers who violate the law and “He added the strategic work and planning were “His Highness was also quoted as saying, ‘Our most important priority at this satisfy the deputies through financial and administrative corruption, and those stage is to take care of this promising generation of our youths, harness their missing, which was the Kingdom’s biggest challenge malicious interrogations have brought instability in the ministries and such and that was to change those bureaucrats and bring in energies to be full of vitality and devotion, and open future prospects for them. ministers makes matters worse for Kuwait’s revival. “So, did the Council of Ministers, the ministers and their affiliates abide by efficient, farsighted leaders capable of strategic work “At last, the malicious interrogations are one of the causes of backwardness. and planning and this is what he has done which helped the constitutional texts and the noble directives of His Highness the Amir? Kuwait has lived twice for ten years without a National Assembly, without “It is no secret that the Cabinet as a whole, and the ministers separately, do this rapid renaissance of Saudi Arabia. Al-Sulaili interrogations and it did not advance or develop because of the other side of “In Kuwait, although we have always been influ- not adhere to the principles of equal opportunities, as well as the principles of backwardness, which is the lack of choice of the competent, honest and prom- giving young people a chance and pushing them to assume leadership posi- enced by our Gulf surroundings, the amazing development led by the young inent officials, and the continuation of the approach for appointments to satisfy Prince Mohammad bin Salman has not echoed on us, and the evidence is the tions, except within narrow limits!” some even in the absence of the National Assembly and the failure to hold ❑ ❑ ❑ recent government appointments in senior positions in the most vital govern- officials accountable for their failures and sometimes even reverse account- ment institutions. All those who are holding these positions are elderly people ability and punish those who work honestly and reward the negligent.” “The government is still stuck to the habit and tradition that exclude intel- and have been in government service for several years, and have given all their ❑ ❑ ❑ lectual, cultural or even economic revival!” columnist Dr Naji Al-Zaid wrote expertise. for Al-Jarida daily. “This is strange and the country has not seen change in appointments who “Voters in the Fifth Constituency sent a resounding message to the govern- “Why the insistence on re-installing and appointing the same ministerial are either former ministers on undersecretaries. ment through Dr Obaid Al-Wasmi obtaining more than 43,000 votes in the faces or some previous leaders in entities and ministries, as if the country is “The government’s insistence to ignore the competent youth and shy away 2021 supplementary elections,” columnist Iman Jawhar Hayat wrote for devoid of young, glowing, administrative and scientific competencies? The from giving them the opportunity confirms that the criterion of appointments Al-Qabas daily. government neglected these youths, relying on a ‘book’ containing outdated in senior positions is based on the quotas and influence, and the insistence to “Failure to read this message well mars the desired changes in the State’s names who took more than one opportunity. Was the performance not distin- continue to transform those government agencies into private estates monopo- administrative approach to commit to democracy, eradicate corruption, fairly guished or full of achievements?! lized by families, sects and tribes at the expense of the higher interest of the apply the law on everyone without discrimination or exception, respect inter- “Most new appointments involve ruminating over the same names and country. national charters and treaties, and carry out the necessary political, economic whether to change names or not ... Are these positions reserved for them?! “The state cannot move one step forward and appointments to senior posi- and human rights reforms that will lead this country to the path of stability. “Or is it a practice to maintain some of our outdated customs and traditions tions are made through grants and donations without competence and profes- “Kuwait is facing a bumpy and dangerous turning point, which requires the that do not reward the expert and has ambition towards the advancement of sionalism, which requires His Highness the Prime Minister to play a decisive executive and legislative authorities to realize the volatile situation regionally State institutions, instead of remaining static and undeveloped! role in determining the government’s general policy in selecting people for and internationally, and work diligently to establish local stability, which can- “Why the same faces? If the government is really convinced that these senior positions without leaving that choice to individual ministers who have not be achieved by muzzling voices, as it should be done by raising the ceiling people are competent, why it did not retain them in their previous positions as their own agendas that harms the country’s interest, progress and prosperity. of freedoms and accepting pluralism and differences of opinion. ministers or other leadership posts?!” “So, shall we see a serious move to bring matters to normal, or are there no “The message of the Fifth Constituency is that of discontent and anger ears for those who give advice.” towards the government’s performance regarding many corruption cases, in — Compiled by Ahmad Al-Shazli

Call for awareness-raising Other Voices moves in ‘anti-drug’ battle O Palestinians ... your blood Rise seen in drug-related crimes, violence is cheapest & takers missing By Marwa Al-Bahrawi of young people to build their country, so drug abuse consti- By Ahmad alsarraf Saddam (Hussein of Iraq) are indications of how weak Al-Seyassah Staff tutes the greatest danger to development of Kuwait and and helpless these leaders are. directly affects the largest segment of the Kuwaiti people. THERE is no more meanness than in attitudes of those Consequently, it is imperative to go back in order to He stressed the events of recent months show the Gulf who send others to war, unconcerned about what will learn the lessons of history and finally find a way out for KUWAIT CITY, May 25: The Secretary- Cooperation Council countries have been targeted for the befall them – loss of lives, disabilities, the destruction of the legitimate owners of the land and an end to this con- spread these drugs among the younger generation. property, power outages, and demolition of schools and flict for the benefit of millions of Palestinians who have General of the Arab Union for the places of worship while they enjoy the comfort of their Prevention of Addiction, Dr. Khaled He said, “The drug smuggling activities have taken differ- been deprived of their homeland, identity and human ent form and shape in our countries, and that manufactured air-conditioned homes. dignity. Al-Saleh, affirmed that awareness-raising narcotic substances, especially hallucinogens and Captagon, The issue becomes even more nauseating when the What I write represents a personal point of view that and anti-drug programs in Kuwait have have become the materials that are popular which causes advocates and clerics call on the Palestinians to resist bears the error more than it bears the right, I am not a neu- and tweeters call for non-acceptance tral party nor a researcher or a scientist in the case but I am decreased by 50 percent and called for very serious health, mental and behavioral damage.” of half-solutions while yet others As a result of this the young people and their families a reader concerned with the matter since I was ten years old activating awareness-raising activities in lure them to teach the Zionist enemy and I lived and sympathized with the Palestinians, and I suffer from social, security and economic problems that a lesson so that either all of Palestine the field of drug control. harm society in general, and the health of individuals and have been doing this for more than 65 years. is regained or death awaits them. They are part of my being and my culture, and I reject In a press statement yesterday he said he was not their families. These advocates return to their safe He made a mention of the National Anti-Narcotics the idea of sitting on the sidewalk or under the air con- surprised by the information revealed by the Ministry homes after pushing the Palestinians ditioner of the house and say to the legitimate owners of of Interior in Kuwait regarding the increase in the Committee, which has achieved great successes in the past. to the verge of death and destruction. Dr. Al-Saleh, the General Secretariat of the Arab Union for the case: ‘Go with your families and fight your enemy, number of people arrested for drug peddling and drug Hamas and others launch thou- we are waiting here for your victory’. the Prevention of Addiction, as well as the Kuwaiti Committee sands of poorly made rockets at abuse, pointing out that the statistics showed most of for Drug Control, has in its membership a group of specialists It is clear that there is no military solution to the issue, Israel and the latter responded by neither in the foreseeable future nor beyond that time. the abusers and traffickers are unfortunately the citi- in drug control, and seeks to take the opportunity of the destroying the homes of the innocent zens. International Drug Control Month in June, approved by the There is nothing wrong with resorting to a peaceful people with their fighter planes, alsarraf solution and this cannot be achieved on the ground with- He added in recent times the country has seen an increase United Nations to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking to keep the leaders alive, burn homes in the number of crimes and violence related to drug use. activate drug control awareness activities. out a Palestinian unity. and hearts, leave behind widows, orphans, the wounded As long as the Palestinians remain fragmented, the He indicated Kuwait is one of the countries where young He called on all interested and concerned parties to par- and the hungry to the point people will be pushed more people make up the largest proportion, and it is a country in ticipate in this campaign and said a workshop will be held Israeli brutality will continue and the blood of the backward to face more starvation. Palestinians will continue to spill. They will be impov- the process of growth and progress and needs all the efforts virtually on June 26 to combat drugs. The reactions on the ground are only denunciation, erished, kept ignorant with disrupted education, tor- trading in the issue continues, the Arab condemnation tured, and their homes and infrastructure will continue continues and so the burning of the Israeli flag. to be destroyed. There is no doubt Israel’s crimes are unacceptable, “It is illogical to have two Palestinian forces on the given the violation of human rights but are we more mer- ground, each with its own leadership, goals, ambitions ciful to ourselves than our enemy? There are many of us and greed and we expect that there will be the possibil- who were killed by our unclean hands than those of us at ity of concluding a peace agreement with the other side, the hands of our enemies but this is another story. the one with clear goals and one voice. Some repeat, stupidly or with bad intention that the The Arab conflict, or rather, the Palestinian-Israeli Zionists are the most coward and some have believed the conflict is a civilizational conflict, which was not like that saying which may be true or otherwise but what matters is in its beginnings but the gap widened with the increasing the results. These ignorant people do not know that calling interest of Israelis in science and the migration of thou- the enemy ‘coward’ does not favor our cause. sands of brains to the ‘Promised Land’, while in the How could cowards – as we describe them – humiliate meantime the reluctance of the owners of the land, as is our armies, conquer us, and expel us from our homes the custom of us all, from the issues of research in diffi- while we are many times more in population than them? cult matters and our lack of interest, perhaps even today, What would they do to us if they were, for example, less in the importance of modern science. coward … ? One usually praises the courage of the one The Israelis succeeded and innovated where we failed who defeated him, and does not demean him and this is and they insisted and worked to preserve the dignity of also another story. their citizens and their right to life, and this is what we The number of Arabs, let alone Muslims, is approxi- never knew no less than half of the components of our mately 400 million, of who 350 million do not know societies have no dignity or rights other than crumbs. where Palestine is located and are not interested to know The Jews, who were behind the renaissance of Israel because they are busy looking for a livelihood. and its scientific advancement had previously lived in a As for the rest, they know but often do not care. secular environment, often not religious, and Judaism Groups of people are scattered all over the place, some of was more an identity than a religion. them know and the majority of them think they know and The vast majority of them are believers in Western each of them has their own perceptions and ideas with The Bangladeshi Military Contingent and Kuwait Army personnel at the ceremony. democracy that sanctifies knowledge and mankind, at a tinted with differences on the issue, however a majority time when our societies have remained captive of their believes that the weak point in the issue lies in the multi- religious culture which rejects modernity and adheres to BMC marks 30 years in Kuwait plicity of leaderships, the corruption of some of them and heritage, so they kept pace with time and creativity and their insistence at the same time to keep the issue stagnant we stood still and went backwards. Bangladesh Military Contingent Headquarters (BMC tions. Brigadier General Md Abdul Majid, ndc, psc, G, without union while continuing to demand an influx of Moreover, their dreams which we reject necessitate HQ) celebrated its 30th Raising Anniversary with limit- Commander BMC, a large number of senior officers of financial and moral support from Arab brothers. that they extend their control over the entire Promised ed festivity on May 25, 2021. The festival started with Kuwait Armed Forces, officers from Bangladesh With the semi-neutralization of the Arab and Islamic sides Land, while forgetting that our beliefs require us to the national flag-raising ceremony. Embassy, and BMC members attended the pro- in the issue, we find that the confrontation has become con- extend our control over the whole world, and then we Special prayer was conducted after Dhuhr prayer. A gramme. fined to the Palestinians and the Israelis and since the bal- denounce others’ rejection of it. scrumptious lunch and a cake cutting ceremony were All invited guests expressed their deep felicitation for ance of power between the two parties is not in the interest Our legacies also made us feel superior to others, and this arranged at BMC HQ, Subhan camp in presence of BMC and congratulated the contingent on the occasion of the Palestinians, what is the way out? contributed to our lack of innovation, so why do we have to distinguished guests, maintaining all health precau- of Raising Anniversary. Only an ignorant and deficient person denies the enor- do that while we believe that we are the best nation? mity of the suffering that the Palestinians are subjected to While the elderly European Jews thought of the most and their right to a free and independent homeland. This important matters and sought to establish a modern More aid ships from Kuwait reach India right should not change the fact that some Jews of Israel, Western style Hebrew university in 1925, this danger- regardless of their number had been living in Palestine for ous civilizational event met only with Palestinian indif- NEW DELHI, May 25, (KUNA): Kuwait Ambassador to chant ship had set off from the Shuwaikh and the Shuwaiba ports thousands of years. The dispute is not with them but with ference and it took thirty years sufficient enough to India Jassem Al-Najem said on Tuesday another shipload of with 215 metric tons of liquid oxygen and 2,600 metric tons of aid. the millions that came next and took possession of the uproot the scientific gap between the two sides and the relief supplies has arrived in Indian port as part of the sea Kuwait is in the forefront of world countries providing houses, the land and the grove for themselves. Palestinians discovered later the need for a university, The Palestinians and the weakest local forces that bridge and that more ships are arriving in Indian ports loaded large quantities of oxygen to India. so they established the ‘Bir Zeit’ but the train of prog- stood behind them lost and the Jews who were behind ress had already left the station. with medical oxygen to fight the spread of Coronavirus. The first stage of the sea bridge witnessed the arrival of them the most powerful international powers won. They Ambassador al-Najem told Kuwait News Agency three military ships and a merchant ship that set off from Above all, to achieve peace with Israel requires a took the land, made use of time and formed a state rec- single secular national leadership that is not linked to (KUNA) on arrival of the Indian navy ship carrying 210 tons Shuwaikh and Shuaiba Ports carrying 215 metric tons of ognized by the world while a majority of Palestinians of oxygen and 1,200 oxygen cylinders that the second stage liquid oxygen and 2,600 metric tons of aid. any political or religious side and that it is chosen by all remained displaced and tortured because of the fatal components of the Palestinian people under direct inter- of aid supply from Kuwait is to fill the deficit in shortage of Al-Najem added that the sea and air bridge that carries the mistakes committed over the decades by their few inex- national supervision. medical supplies in India in wake of the second wave of huge empty oxygen tanks to Kuwait aims to transport a total perienced leaders who rejected all compromises and ❑ ❑ ❑ COVID-19 pandemic and to help lessen the suffering of the of 1,400 metric tons of liquid medical oxygen, making Hamas’s alliance with the regime in Iran and previously friendly Indian people. Kuwait one of the countries in the world supplying highest with the likes of (Muammar) Gaddafi (of Libya) and email: [email protected] In the first stage of the sea bridge, three military ships and a mer- quantity of oxygen to India. ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 LOCAL 6

Bank’s support of initiative falls under ‘ENGAGE’ community program Burgan Bank donates musical instruments to KACCH and BACCH KUWAIT CITY, May 25: Reiterat- nancing opportunities in the UAE. ing its support to the Kuwait Associa- The Bank has continuously im- tion for Care of Children in Hospital proved its performance over the years (KACCH) and Bayt Abdullah Chil- through an expanded revenue struc- dren’s Hospice (BACCH), Burgan ture, diversifi ed funding sources, and Bank presented the children with dif- a strong capital base. The adoption of ferent musical instruments. The initia- state-of-the-art services and technol- tive falls within the Bank’s corporate ogy has positioned it as a trendsetter social responsibility framework to in the domestic market and within the help alleviate suffering and provide MENA region. Burgan Bank’s brand optimal care to families of children has been created on a foundation of with cancer. real values – of trust, commitment, ex- Each year, Burgan Bank attempts to cellence and progression, to remind us create a positive experience to the chil- of the high standards to which we as- dren of KACCH & BACCH with new pire. ‘People come fi rst’ is the founda- and innovative gifts. The musical in- tion on which its products and services struments will be used to enhance and are developed. improve the quality of life of patients The bank also obtained the prestig- and their families and to enjoy last- ious ISO/IEC 27001: 2013 Informa- ing memories with each other as they tion Security Management Systems navigate through their complex medical Left: Ms. Hessa Hussain Al-Najadah, Manager - Public Relations & Ms. Leena Al Bassam, Offi cer - Public Relations at Burgan Bank with Ms. Banafsheh certifi cate (ISMS), ensuring continu- journeys. Each instrument will be part of Azizi, Chief Operating Offi cer at Children in Hospital (KACCH) and Bayt Abdullah Children’s Hospice (BACCH). Right: The musical Instruments donated ous business resilience and in com- therapeutic sessions to meet the needs of by Burgan Bank. pliance with regulatory obligations to each child to build self-esteem and ex- support the highest standard of infor- plore new ways of communicating with of music, which has proved its effec- families going through diffi cult health- Burgan Bank’s support of this initia- nifi cant focus on the corporate and mation and data security. In addition, one another. tiveness in treating many diseases and care experiences. It helps them to express tive falls under its full-fl edged commu- fi nancial institutions sectors, as well the bank has been re-certifi ed with On this occasion, Ms. Hessa Hus- relieving pain. Burgan Bank’s contri- themselves, builds their self-esteem, pro- nity program entitled ‘ENGAGE’ – To- as having a growing retail, and private Payment Card Industry Data Security sain Al-Najadah, Manager - Public butions have helped support child life vides new ways of communicating with gether to be the change. This program bank customer base, Burgan Bank has Standard (PCI-DSS) Version 3.2.1 Relations said: “For over two dec- and pediatric psycho-social services one another, and creates new and last- sheds light on important aspects affect- majority owned subsidiaries in the for the 2nd consecutive year, enabling ades, Burgan Bank has been a strong in hospitals where Kuwait Associa- ing memories as a family. We are privi- ing every segment of the society by MENAT region supported by one of the organizations in the card payment supporter for the Kuwait Associa- tion for Care of Children in Hospi- leged to have our own music therapist in promoting social welfare through edu- the largest regional branch networks industry to reduce fraudulent transac- tion for Care of Children in Hospital tal (KACCH) is operating as well as KACCH & BACCH who provides op- cational, environmental, cultural, social which include Gulf Bank Algeria - tions and increase payment protection (KACCH) and Bayt Abdullah Chil- Bayt Abdullah’s Children Hospice portunities for our children to work with and health initiatives. Burgan Bank’s AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad - for cardholders. dren’s Hospice (BACCH). Each year, (BACCH) where children with life- her to explore and create each child’s approach to ‘ENGAGE’ begins with a BOB (Iraq & Lebanon),Tunis Interna- The Bank also has to its credit the Burgan Bank seeks to draw a smile on limiting and life-threatening condi- own musical preferences. We greatly ap- vital principle that as a Kuwaiti fi nan- tional Bank – TIB (Tunisia), and fully distinction of being the only Bank in children’s faces through many initia- tions are receiving pediatric palliative preciate Burgan Bank’s recognition of cial institution, its conduct and policies owned Burgan Bank – Turkey, (col- Kuwait to have won the JP Morgan tives as part of its social responsibility. and psycho-social services. the benefi cial outcomes of music therapy should be aligned with the needs and lectively known as the “Burgan Bank Chase Quality Recognition Award To ensure the children’s wellbeing, Commenting on Burgan Bank’s do- by donating all of the musical instruments interests of the society. Group”). Furthermore, Burgan Bank for twelve consecutive years. Burgan this year’s choice of gifts was meant nation, Dr. Hilal Al-Sayer, President of on our wish list. Many thanks for your ❑ ❑ ❑ has a presence in the UAE through its Bank, a subsidiary of KIPCO (Kuwait to inspire growth of new talent and KACCH & BACCH, said: “International continued support for our mission to im- corporate offi ce (“Burgan Financial Projects Company), is a strongly po- develop freedom of artistic expres- research demonstrates the positive effects prove the quality of life of all our children About Burgan Bank Services Limited) which had helped sitioned regional Bank in the MENA sion to enrich their lives with the gift of music therapy on children and their in hospitals and Bayt Abdullah.” Established in 1977, with a sig- the bank to participate in multiple fi - region. Continue taking precautions amid drop in daily COVID cases: Cabinet

Govt applauds Gaza truce accord

KUWAIT CITY, May 25, government approved a bill with re- spect of funding private housing, and (KUNA): The Cabinet held submitted it to His Highness the Amir its weekly session at Seif pending referral to the National As- Palace on Monday under sembly. chairmanship of His High- Later during the session, the ex- ecutives listened to statements by ness the Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister and Minis- Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al- ter of Justice and Minister of State KUNA photo Hamad Al-Sabah. for Integrity (Nazaha) Enhancement A child who had undergone open-heart surgery benefi ts from KRCS initia- Following the session, Foreign Abdullah Al-Roumi and Interior tive. Minister and Minister of State for Minister Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr. Ah- Al-Salem Al-Sabah about the by- mad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al- election that ended with Dr. Obaid Al-Mutairi winning the vacant seat KRCS to pay for heart ops Sabah stated that he briefed the in parliament. ministers about his participation The ministers expressed satisfac- in the 75th session of the United tion at the efforts done by the minis- of 14 children in Lebanon Nations General Assembly, dur- tries of justice, interior, information, ing which participants discussed education and health for ensuring a BEIRUT, May 25, (KUNA): between six months and 12 years. events in the occupied Palestinian sound election. Kuwait Red Crescent Society Those who are down on their luck territories. In other news, the Kuwaiti Govern- (KRCS) announced, Tuesday, that and cannot afford surgery will be During the UNGA session, the for- ment on Monday praised the Gaza it would handle the expenses of prioritized, he added. eign minister, head of the State of Ku- cease-fi re agreement that had been open-heart surgeries for 14 chil- Reflecting Lebanon’s gratitude, waiti delegation, affi rmed full support worked out between the Israelis and dren in Lebanon. head of Rachaya government hos- for Arab, Islamic and international KUNA photo Palestinians. Deputy chairman of KRCS, pital Dr. Yassir Ammar commend- efforts to halt the Israeli aggression, Kuwait’s Foreign Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr. In a statement declared after the Anwar Al-Hasawi told KUNA that ed Kuwait’s contributions to his revive the peace process and negotia- Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah held talks on Monday with British Foreign Offi ce weekly session, the Cabinet lauded Lebanese and Syrian refugees chil- country. tions in line with international refer- Minister for the Middle East and North Africa James Cleverly, which cen- the good-will efforts that had been tered on bilateral relations.The talks also touched on global happenings dren would be the main benefac- The current initiative to handle ences in a manner that would enable and the latest regional developments. (KUNA) exerted by Egyptian President Abdul tors of the initiative. the expenses of open-heart surgery the Palestinian people attain their full Fattah Al-Sisi resulting in the truce He affirmed that Kuwait was is another great contribution by legitimate rights. accord. keen on helping those in need, say- KRCS and the state of Kuwait, he For his part, Minister of Health daily casualties. ming spread of the contagion. The Cabinet affi rmed the State of Sheikh Dr. Bassel Al-Humoud Al- Kuwait unwavering stance on side ing that KRCS will continue its affirmed. Sabah informed the ministers about In this vein, the Cabinet urged anew Keen on executing the state strat- of the brotherly Palestinian people so humanitarian mission in Lebanon KRCS announced yesterday that latest developments related to the citizens and residents of the country to egy of tackling the housing issue, in they may be able to establish the in- and elsewhere. it would provide USD 500,000 to coronavirus at the local, regional continue taking precautions, namely addition to the funding offered by the dependent Palestinian state with East On his part, head of KRCS’s the Lebanese Health Ministry to and global levels, noting that the averting crowds, seek to take vaccina- Kuwait Credit Bank and local banks Jerusalem as its capital according the mission in Lebanon Dr. Musa’ad fund for coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery rate was recorded at up tions against the virus to pave way for for supporting the sector as well en- international legitimacy resolutions Al-Enizi revealed that the surger- vaccines for the people of Lebanon to 95.3 percent along with drop of attaining the aspired objectives, stem- suring relevant legal insurances, the and the Arab peace initiative. ies carried out on children aged and the refugee community. Organization acts as bridge ‘TGS’ features AWL President Khraibut KUWAIT CITY, May 25: This Thursday, The Guest Show (TGS) on Radio Kuwait will host Pamela Khrai- but, President of the American Women’s League (AWL), the oldest expat women’s group in Kuwait. AWL has a history that refl ects the social development of Kuwait. The organization acts as a bridge and helps members, many of them married to Kuwaitis assimilate with the local culture. The AWL played a signifi cant role dur- ing the Iraqi invasion and continued to do so even after liberation. After a quiet few years, the AWL was resur- rected some years back to take its rightful place as a vibrant and active organization. On the Guest Show, Pamela Khraibut speaks about all of this and about her journey of discovery in her adopted homeland. Tune in.

TGS poster ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 INTERNATIONAL 7

In this photo provided by the Chester County Sheriff’s Offi ce, Tyler Terry is arrested in South Carolina on Monday, May 24. A weeklong manhunt for Terry, a suspect wanted in the killings of four people, ended without another shot fi red as hundreds of offi cers surrounded him, authorities said. (AP)

Week on the run America News in Brief

2 teeth lost in assault: A Southwest Man wanted in 4 killings captured Airlines fl ight attendant was assaulted US-Russia tensions by a passenger and lost two teeth in COLUMBIA, May 25, (AP): A week- shooting in York in early May, the kill- Terry with killing Eugene Simpson, the attack last weekend, according to long manhunt for a suspect wanted in ing in Great Falls of the estranged hus- from whom she had been separated for a union president, who complained to the killings of four people ended without band of the woman who drove the car several years. An arrest warrant said she the airline’s CEO about unruly pas- another shot fi red Monday morning as as he fi red at offi cers, and the deaths of confessed that both she and Terry shot sengers. hundreds of offi cers surrounded him in two other people in Missouri on May 15 the father of her children, and that she Biden to meet Putin “Unfortunately, this is just one of South Carolina, authorities said. during robberies in the St. Louis sub- helped dump his body in a ditch. Neither Tyler Terry nor the more than urbs, authorities said. Arrest warrants Simpson, who had a black eye in her many occurrences,” said the union 300 offi cers searching for him were hurt list Terry’s address as Great Falls. booking photo, was the victim when president, Lyn Montgomery. She said during his arrest, the Chester County Sometime overnight, Terry was spot- Terry was arrested on a fi rst-degree for Geneva summit there were 477 incidents of “miscon- Sheriff’s Offi ce posted on Twitter. The ted wearing no shoes and all black cloth- criminal domestic violence charge a duct” by passengers on Southwest manhunt fi nally ended after at least four ing. Hundreds of offi cers surrounded the year ago. Terry hit his girlfriend so hard WASHINGTON, May 25, (AP): and his subsequent jailing. Nav- planes between April 8 and May 15. confi rmed sightings of Terry since he area in eastern Chester County as the sun that she lost hearing in one ear and an President Joe Biden will hold a lany returned to Russia days before Montgomery did not provide de- ran from a wrecked car after fi ring on rose Monday. eye swelled shut, according to an arrest tails about the assault in the letter she Chester County deputies on May 17. warrant from Chester. Police in Myrtle summit with Russian President Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration and Highway Vladimir Putin next month in Ge- was quickly arrested. sent Monday to Southwest CEO Gary Deputies released photos of Terry’s Beach also charged Terry with domestic neva, a face-to-face meeting be- Last month, the administration Kelly. The airline did not immediately arrest showing an offi cer giving him The main highway through that part violence after he hurt Simpson’s hand tween the two leaders that comes announced it was expelling 10 respond to a request for comment. a bottle of sports drink as he sat on a of the county was closed to only one lane and broke her phone in a March 31 argu- amid escalating tensions between Russian diplomats and sanction- The Federal Aviation Administra- pickup tailgate with his hands cuffed be- of traffi c. Other roads were closed, too. ment, according to a police report. the US and Russia in the fi rst ing dozens of Russia companies tion said Monday that airlines have hind him. Terry was wearing dirty pants, Deputies urged people to stay inside, Simpson’s mother, who said she months of the Biden administra- and individuals in response to the reported 2,500 incidents of unruly socks with no shoes and a T-shirt ripped lock their doors and call 911 for any- spoke with her after her arrest, said Ter- passengers this year, including 1,900 nearly in half. thing suspicious. ry was physically and mentally abusive tion. SolarWinds hack and election in- Investigators didn’t think Terry was and her daughter was scared of him but The White House confi rmed terference allegations. cases in which passengers refused to The search grew from about 100 of- wear face masks, which are required getting help from anyone but broke into fi cers last week to 300 offi cers Monday. also loved him and thought he would details of the summit on Tuesday. But even as Biden moved for- vehicles - or possibly barns and sheds - The seven-day manhunt in the same area change. The couple was together in Mis- The two leaders’ meeting, set for ward with the latest round of sanc- by federal rule. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑ and lived off the land. He managed to for a suspect is one of the longest in re- souri, where she was charged as an ac- June 16, is being tacked on to the tions, he acknowledged that he held steal a gun, water, shirt and shoes from cent memory in South Carolina. cessory after the fact in the York killing. end of Biden’s back on taking tougher action - an Lawsuit against EU: Human rights an unlocked work truck last week, au- “He’s been homeless for some time “I pray that he is caught. And I pray fi rst inter- attempt to send the message to Pu- lawyers said Tuesday that they have thorities said. “I imagine he is pretty and may have spent long periods of time that he comes out alive so he can face national trip tin that he still held hope that the launched legal action against the Eu- hungry. He’s probably pretty thirsty living in the woods. I’m not saying he justice. And I pray Adrienne is cooperat- as president US and Russia could come to an ropean Union’s border and coast guard and if he has been drinking water out of is Superman, but that could help explain ing with law enforcement. Which I know next month understanding for the rules of the agency at the bloc’s top court, accus- the creek, he probably isn’t feeling too some things,” Suskin said, she will serve serious time for her part in when he vis- game in their adversarial relation- ing Frontex of violating the rights of well,” Chester County Sheriff’s spokes- The woman driving Terry was ar- it. But she don’t need to take the fall for its Britain ship. people trying to seek asylum and other person Grant Suskin said. rested after wrecking the car. Adrienne all of it,” Carol DeWitt told WBTV-TV for a meeting Terry, 26, is charged with murder in a Simpson, 34, is charged along with in Charlotte, North Carolina. Summit breaches of international law. of Group of The case was fi led at the European Seven leaders In fact, he brought up the idea of Court of Justice by Front-Lex, a legal and Brussels holding a third-country summit in hub challenging EU migration poli- for the NATO an April 13 call in which he noti- cies. It concerns a woman from Burun- summit. Biden fi ed Putin that a second round of di and a Congolese teenager who tried “The lead- sanctions was coming. to apply for international protection on ers will discuss the full range of During his campaign for the the Greek island of Lesbos last year. pressing issues, as we seek to re- White House, Biden described The lawyers said it’s the fi rst time store predictability and stability to Russia as the “biggest threat” to that Frontex has been taken before the the US-Russia relationship,” White US security and alliances, and he Luxembourg-based ECJ in its 17 years House press secretary Jen Psaki disparaged his predecessor Presi- of operations, and that they plan to said in a statement announcing the dent Donald Trump for his cozy hold the agency to account and “rein- summit. relationship with Putin. state the rule of law over EU borders. Biden fi rst proposed a summit Trump avoided direct confron- (AP) in a call with Putin in April as his tation with Putin and often sought ❑ ❑ ❑ administration prepared to levy to downplay the Russian leader’s sanctions against Russian offi cials malign actions. Their sole sum- Cocaine in garbage bins: Staff at a for the second time during the fi rst mit, held in July 2018 in Helsinki, logistics company in Germany threw three months of his presidency. was marked by Trump’s refusal to cocaine with a street value of up to White House offi cials said earli- side with US intelligences agencies 1 million euros ($1.2 million) in the er this week that they were ironing over Putin’s denials of Russian in- trash, not realizing that the packages out details for the summit. National terference in the 2016 election. they’d found inside banana crates were security adviser Jake Sullivan dis- Weeks into his presidency, drugs, customs offi cials said Tuesday. cussed details of the meeting when Biden said in an address before Authorities said that a fruit logis- he met with his Russian counter- State Department employees that tics company in Erding, near Munich, part, Nikolay Patrushev. he told Putin in their fi rst call that called police on May 10 to report that The Kremlin, in its own state- he would be taking a radically workers had discovered at least 4.5 ment announcing the meeting, said different approach to Russia than kilograms (almost 10 pounds) of co- that the presidents will discuss “the Trump. caine in organic waste bins on their current state and prospects of the “I made it clear to President premises. Russian-US relations, strategic sta- Putin, in a manner very differ- Police determined that the drugs had bility issues and the acute problems ent from my predecessor, that the been dumped there a day earlier by on the international agenda, includ- days of the United States roll- subcontractors who gave no thought ing interaction in dealing with the ing over in the face of Russia’s to the “foreign objects” they found coronavirus pandemic and settle- aggressive actions - interfering wrapped in tape inside the banana ment of regional confl icts.” with our election, cyber attacks, crates before discarding them. (AP) poisoning its citizens - are over,” ❑ ❑ ❑ Seeking said Biden, who last week spoke Floyd family meets Biden: Presi- The White House has repeated- to Putin in what White House dent Joe Biden will meet with the ly said it is seeking a “stable and officials called a tense first ex- family of George Floyd at the White predictable” relationship with the change. “We will not hesitate to House Tuesday on the one year anni- Russians, while also calling out raise the cost on Russia and de- versary of his death. Putin on allegations that the Rus- fend our vital interests and our But beyond the meeting, Biden has sians interfered in last year’s US people.” yet to offer concrete action for the fam- presidential election and that the In March, Biden in an ABC ily of the man whose death at the hands Kremlin was behind a hacking News interview responded affi rma- of a white Min- campaign - commonly referred tively when asked by interviewer neapolis police to as the SolarWinds breach - in George Stephanopoulos whether offi cer sparked which Russian hackers infected he thought Putin was “a killer.” a global reckon- widely used software with mali- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry ing over systemic cious code, enabling them to ac- Peskov said that Biden’s comment racism and move- cess the networks of at least nine demonstrated he “defi nitely does ment for police US agencies. not want to improve relations” with reform. The path The Biden administration has Russia and that relations between forward on Capi- also criticized Russia for the ar- the countries were “very bad.” tol Hill for Floyd’s rest and jailing of opposition lead- Geneva, a rich, if mid-size, city namesake bill, the er Alexei Navalny and publicly on the banks of Lake Geneva, of- George Floyd Jus- acknowledged that it has low to fers bucolic vistas of the Mont George Floyd tice in Policing moderate confi dence that Russian Blanc peak - the highest in Western Act, remains un- agents were offering bounties to Europe - and a reputation as both clear, but negotiators say they’ve made the Taliban to attack US troops in a hub for international institutions progress and expressed optimism this Afghanistan. and an icon of Switzerland’s much week about its prospects. The Biden administration an- ballyhooed neutrality. It’s a high-profi le legislative fi ght nounced sanctions in March against Geneva became a leading cross- where Biden has notably taken a back- several mid-level and senior Rus- roads of diplomacy in the postwar seat, preferring to leave the work of sian offi cials, along with more than years of Cold War intrigue, an in- hammering out a compromise to law- a dozen businesses and other enti- tersection where the Soviet-domi- makers on Capitol Hill, in contrast to ties, over a nearly fatal nerve-agent nated Eastern bloc met the Amer- his fevered advocacy, both public and attack on Navalny in August 2020 ican-styled capitalist West. private, for his infrastructure bill and the COVID-19 relief package. (AP) Peloton plans to build first US factory in Ohio, add 2K jobs

Peloton plans to spend about it plans to break ground on the demand during the pandemic. “While we will continue to in- In this fi le photo, the $400 million to build its fi rst site in Troy Township over the It reported that revenue in the vest in our Asian manufacturing Peloton logo is displayed U.S. factory in Ohio. summer. The company antici- fi rst three months of the year footprint as well as our exist- on the company’s station- The exercise equipment pates adding more than 2,000 more than doubled on strong ing facilities in the U.S. via our ary bicycle in New York. maker said Monday that the jobs in Ohio over the next subscription growth. Last De- Precor sites, the new Peloton Peloton plans to spend Peloton Output Park will make few years. Positions will span cember, the company spent Output Park gives us a massive about $400 million to build the Peloton Bike, Bike+ and corporate, manufacturing, as- $420 million to acquire Precor, strategic lever to make sure its fi rst US factory in Ohio. Peloton Tread starting in 2023. sembly and quality assurance a company whose fi tness ma- we have capacity, quality, and (AP) It will have more than 200 functions. chines populate hundreds of economies of scale in our bike acres and more than 1 million The New York-based com- commercial and hotel gyms. and tread product lines, to sup- square feet of manufacturing, pany employs about 3,700 That deal gave Peloton its fi rst port our continued growth for offi ce and amenities space. people, according to FactSet. manufacturing capacity in the years and years to come,” said Peloton Interactive Inc. said Peloton has faced surging U.S. Peloton CEO John Foley. (AP)

Market Movements 25-05-2021 Change Closing pts Change Closing pts AUSTRALIA - All Ordinaries +73.05 7,349.06 INDIA - Sensex -14.37 50,637.53 JAPAN - Nikkei +189.37 28,553.98 FRANCE - CAC 40 -18.22 6,390.27 GERMANY - DAX +27.58 15,465.09 EUROPE - Euro Stoxx 50 +0.46 4,036.04 S. KOREA - KRX 100 +60.05 6,660.62 PHILIPPINES - PSEi +31.82 6,196.71 Business MultiBank Group posts record-breaking fi nancial fi gures for 2020 Co reports annual turnover of over $5 trillion

HONG KONG, May 25, (Agencies): The MultiBank Group through Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, MultiBank Group, World’s number 1 its subsidiaries are the most heavily Philippines, Vietnam, British Virgin Forex and CFD broker, reveals record regulated Group through 5 continents Islands, Cayman Islands and Vanuatu. fi nancial fi gures for 2020. The award- with 11 regulators worldwide, setting Naser Taher, Chairman of Multi- winning fi nancial services company a high standard for the industry and Bank Group, says: “2020 was a mon- announced gross profi t of over US$ ensuring unprecedented transparency umental year to say the least, and I am 139 million for the year, making an for its clients. The Group has con- so proud of these record-breaking fi - impressive 62% increase from 2019’s tinued to see growth across its key nancial fi gures. The results are a testa- result of over US$ 85 million. metrics year on year which has been ment to our commitment to providing Remarkably, MultiBank Group’s underpinned by exceptional perfor- our clients with award winning tech- annual turnover for 2020 was record- mance across its key areas of strategic nologies, platforms, and services, and ed at over US$ 5 trillion, marking a focus and the dexterity of technology of course to our fantastic team. The record-breaking year for the global infrastructure. results from 2020 give us continued giant. With fi gures such as these and The MultiBank Group maintains motivation to keep pushing forward consistently robust growth, it is no 25 branches worldwide, in Australia, to maintain our strong position in the wonder that MultiBank Group is one Germany, Austria, Spain, Cyprus, market. We have high hopes for 2021 of the largest fi nancial derivatives USA, Mexico, UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, and are excited to continue growing providers worldwide. Turkey, South Africa, Nigeria, China, as a company.” US new home sales drop 5.9 pct in April Consumer confidence ticks down in May

WASHINGTON, May 25, (AP): Sales of Economists see the declines as temporary setbacks with strong demand and low inventories expected to keep pushing new homes fell 5.9% in April, suffering a sales higher this year. setback after sales had surged in March. March U.S. home prices jumped by the most in more than Sales dropped to a seasonally adjusted annual rate seven years as an increasing number of would-be buyers of 863,000 last month, the Commerce Department re- compete for a dwindling supply of houses. ported Tuesday. That followed a revised sales pace of The March S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home 917,000 in March. price index, released Tuesday, rose 13.3% from a year ear- The median price of a new home sold last month was lier, the biggest gain since December 2013. That increase fol- $372,400, up from $310,100 in April 2020. lowed a surge of 12% in February. The report on new home sales follows a report last week The large gains suggest that the pandemic has spurred that sales of existing homes fell for a third straight month in more Americans to seek out the extra room provided by a April, dropping 2.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of single-family home. Yet at the same time, COVID-19 has 5.85 million units. discouraged many homeowners from selling and opening up their homes to would-be buyers. As a result, the number of homes for sale fell 21% in April compared with a year earlier, to just 1.16 million, near a re- cord low on records dating back to 1982, according to the National Association of Realtors. That has pushed buyers into a near-frenzy. Properties were on the market for just 17 days in April, and 88% of homes sold were on the market for less than a month, the NAR said. The resulting bidding wars raised the price of the typical, or median, house to $341,600 last month, the NAR said, a record high. Some of the year-over-year gain likely refl ects slower sales and reduced demand a year ago at the onset of the pan- demic. All 20 cities in the Case-Shiller index reported faster price gains in March than in February. Increase The largest increase was in Phoenix for the 22nd straight month, where prices rose 20% compared with a year ago. A home is shown for sale, Thursday, March 18, 2021, San Diego saw the next largest gain, at 19.1%, followed by in Surfside, Florida. (AP) Seattle, with 18.3%. The housing market has gotten so out of whack that nearly half of all homes are now selling for above the seller’s ask- ing price, according to real estate brokerage fi rm Redfi n, the highest in the decade the company has tracked such data. That’s up from roughly a quarter of sales in April 2019, the year before the pandemic. Still, the market may cool off in the coming months. With vaccinations spreading and COVID-19 waning, more sellers may be willing to list their homes. And Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfi n, said many Americans are likely to start spending more money on services, such as vacations, dining out, and other entertain- ment, and focus less on new homes. The number of people signing contracts to buy homes dropped in May, and fewer people are applying for mort- gages. “At a certain point, buyers just back off and you get more stable price growth,” Fairweather said. “I think this is the peak, but it’s going to be hot for a long time. It’s more like a plateau.” In a separate report, consumer confi dence ticked down slightly in May but remains nearly as high as its been since the pandemic began. The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confi dence index fell to 117.2 from April’s 117.5 reading. The present situation index, based on consumers assess- ment of current business and labor market conditions, rose to 144.3 from 131.9. The expectations index, based on con- sumers’ short-term views for income, business and the job market, fell to 99.1 in May, from 107.9 in April. Consumers expectations for the future may be less bright be- cause the tailwind from Americans spending their $1,400 stim- ulus checks may be fading. Earlier this month, the Commerce Department reported that retail sales in the U.S. fl attened out in April after soaring in March, when many Americans received those government checks and boosted their spending. Economists have said that rising confi dence should bolster overall economic growth as consumers, who account for 70% of economic activity, spend more as lockdown restrictions are eased or abandoned altogether in many places.

A customer walks out of a Zara store, Thursday, March 25, 2021, in New York. (AP) ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 BUSINESS 9

Mexico to buy Shell share of Texas refi nery for $600 million In this fi le photo, a Mexico said it will buy Shell’s 50% share in Chemical LP will continue to operate its refi nery does process 340,000 barrels of fl ame burns at the the jointly owned Deer Park refi nery near 100% owned Deer Park Chemicals facility crude per day, much of that Mexican crude. Shell Deer Park oil Houston for about $600 million. located adjacent to the site.” The state-owned Pemex oil company refi nery in Deer Park, The move comes as part of President An- “Shell did not plan to market its inter- pledged to operate the plant in an environ- drés Manuel López Obrador’s central policy est in the Deer Park refi nery,” said Huibert mentally responsible way. Texas. Mexico’s Pres- to build, acquire or renovate oil refi neries, Vigeveno, Shell’s Downstream Director. López Obrador sees the oil industry as ident Andres Manuel in an era when most countries are trying to “However, following an unsolicited offer key to both the nation’s sovereignty and Lopez Obrador said reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. from Pemex, we have reached an agree- its economic future, and has enacted rules on May 24, that it will “We are going to stop buying fuel abroad ment to transfer our interest in the partner- limiting renewable energies like wind and buy Shell’s 50% share ... we will become self suffi cient by 2023,” ship to them.” The Mexican president had solar power. Critics say it is a nostalgic in the jointly owned said López Obrador, who is spending about complained recently that Deer Park had not position that hearkens back to the 1970s, Deer Park refi nery. $9 billion to build a similar-size new refi nery yielded any benefi ts for Mexico since 1993, when oil was king in the Gulf coast state (AP) in his home state of Tabasco. apparently because most of the profi ts had of Tabasco, and makes little sense with the In a statement, Shell wrote that “Shell been reinvested. But he acknowledged the world’s growing shift to renewables. (AP) US stocks rise as homebuilders, tech shine S&P 500 on track for 0.4% monthly gain as earnings season nears end Italy, EU vow to NEW YORK, May 25, support Tunisia (AP): Stocks were moder- TUNIS, Tunisia, May 25, (AP): Italy ately higher in early trad- and the European Union promised to ing on Wall Street, nudging support Tunisia’s economy as part of their efforts to stem migration across the S&P 500 a bit closer the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe. to the record high level Italian Interior Minister Luciana it reached just over two Lamorgese and EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson visited weeks ago. The benchmark Tunisia for talks with President Kais index was up 0.3% early Saied and Prime Minister Hichem Tuesday, with more help Mechichi. More than 67 migrants drowned or from technology compa- disappeared off the coast of Tunisia in nies, including chipmakers. recent days after their boats sank. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Saied called for a “global approach on migration issues that goes beyond rose 0.5%. security solutions...to treat the deep Homebuilders were also among roots of the phenomena via fi ghting the winners in early trading fol- poverty and unemployment and sup- lowing a report that US home porting development policies in the prices jumped in March by the countries of origin,” according to a most in more than seven years as statement from the Tunisian presi- an increasing number of would-be dency. Italy committed to support Tunisia buyers compete for a dwindling though increased investment and by supply of houses. Energy prices helping to create jobs for the youth, the and Treasury yields held steady. statement said. London and Frankfurt rose in early Both countries stressed “their de- trading. Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong termination to fight against crimi- Kong closed higher. nal human trafficking networks,” it Investors worry a global economic added. recovery might be hampered if rising Lamorgese and Johansson said Italy infl ation prompts governments and and the EU were ready to help Tunisia central banks to withdraw stimulus. overcome its economic and social dif- But a Federal Reserve offi cial helped fi culties, exacerbated by the impact of to allay some of those fears when he the COVID-19 pandemic. said the US central bank shouldn’t Lamorgese also called for more co- look at changing policy in the midst of operation to accelerate the return of the coronavirus pandemic. migrants to their country of origin after “The buy-everything trade is in full they arrive illegally in Italy. swing in Asia today after Wall Street In this photo provided by the New York Stock Exchange, trader Ashley Lara works on the trading fl oor, Tuesday, May 25, 2021. Stocks were slightly higher Johansson stressed the need to pro- decided overnight that infl ation wasn’t in early trading Tuesday, adding to gains from the day before as technology companies and homebuilders helped push the market higher. (AP) vide opportunities for young Tunisians a concern,” said Jeffrey Halley of Oan- to come to Europe legally. da in a report. Nikkei 225 in Tokyo gained 0.7% to Bullard, told Yahoo Finance infl a- on direct consumer spending made tion, instead of the consumer price in- “We have more than 1 million Tu- The FTSE 100 in London rose less 28,553.98. The Hang Seng in Hong tion was “not really a surprise” and gains, while sectors that are viewed as dex released earlier in the month. nisians who are working in European than 0.% to 7,053.42 and Frankfurt’s Kong advanced 1.8% to 28,910.86. it wasn’t time to rethink monetary safe havens such as utilities lagged. Economists surveyed by FactSet countries, and we are ready to wel- DAX gained 0.8% to 15,556.60. The The Kospi in Seoul was 0.9% higher policy. Nvidia rose 4.1%, while Micron expect Core PCE to be up 3% from a come more” to contribute to the bloc’s CAC in Paris was up less than 0.1% at 3,171.32 and the S&P-ASX 200 in Fed offi cials said earlier the US Technology added 2.7%. Among com- year ago, which would be above the economy, she said. at 6,410.86. Sydney added 1% to 7,115.20. economy would be allowed to “run munication stocks, Facebook gained Fed target. The Tunisian Forum for Social and On Wall Street, futures for the India’s Sensex was off less than hot,” with infl ation above the central 2.7% and Twitter jumped 4.8%. In energy markets, benchmark U.S. Economic Rights, a non-governmental benchmark S&P 500 and for the Dow 0.1% at 50,615.37. New Zealand de- bank’s 2% target, to ensure a recovery Bond yields, or the difference be- crude lost 34 cents to $65.71 per barrel organization, issued a statement de- Jones Industrial Average were up clined while Southeast Asian markets is established. tween the market price and the payout in electronic trading on the New York nouncing “Italian and European pres- 0.3%. advanced. “I think there will come a time when at maturity, fell as prices rose. That of- Mercantile Exchange. The contract sure on Tunisia” to make it “accept an On Monday, the S&P rose 1%, re- U.S. stocks hit a record high May we can talk more about changing the ten is taken as a sign investors are less rose $2.47 to $66.05 on Monday. Brent unfair cooperation that is infringing on covering about half of last week’s 7 and then fell amid growing concern parameters of monetary policy,” Bul- concerned about infl ation, which can crude, the price basis for international the country’s sovereignty and on mi- losses. Gains were led by tech stocks. higher infl ation as economies revive lard said. “I don’t think we should do erode the value of that payout. oils, sank 30 cents to $68.07 per barrel grants’ human rights.” The Dow added 0.5% while the would disrupt commerce or prompt it when we’re still in the pandemic.” On Friday, the Commerce De- in London. It added $2.02 the previous The organization also criticized Tu- tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained governments to roll back stimulus The S&P 500 is on track for a 0.4% partment releases one of its infl ation session to $68.46. nisian authorities for doing the police 1.4%. spending and easy credit. monthly gain as the latest quarterly gauges, the personal consumption and The dollar declined to 108.74 yen work of Europe in the Mediterranean In Asia, the Shanghai Composite In- On Monday, the president of the St profi t-reporting season nears an end. expenditures index, or Core PCE. The from Monday’s 108.79 yen. The euro Sea instead on focusing on other pri- dex surged 2.4% to 3,581.34 and the Louis Federal Reserve Bank, James Tech stocks and companies that rely Fed prefers that tool to measure infl a- rose to $1.2260 from $1.2213. orities. Life goes on: Lam says Hong Kong still good for businesses HONG KONG, May 25, (AP): Hong Kong earlier this month found that and concerns about Hong Kong’s com- “We have not seen any signifi cant said the pandemic and travel restric- Kong leader Carrie Lam on Tuesday 42% of expatriates polled were petitiveness and the quality of educa- outfl ow of capital, the securities mar- tions were the main reasons he decided defended Hong Kong as an attractive planning or considering leaving the tion for their children under the new kets are doing very well, the banking to return home to Australia after three place for businesses, after a recent sur- city. security situation. sector is very stable and generally, life years. vey found foreigners were considering More than half saying they were un- Lam said Tuesday during a regular goes on.” However, Hong Kong’s deteriorat- leaving the longtime Asian business comfortable with the city’s national se- news conference that while surveys Lam said that in her meetings with ing political situation was also consid- hub. curity law, which took effect last year provide some reference, one has to business chambers in Hong Kong and ered. Hong Kong has long been seen as and is widely seen as a tool for Beijing look at “what is actually happening on overseas, the “initial concern and anxi- “It made me worry and question one of the best places to do business and local authorities to suppress dis- the ground.” ety” about the national security law what the future would look like for globally, highly regarded for its skilled sent in the city after months of anti- “We have 9,000 mainland and over- have subsided, and that there was in- Hong Kong, and whether it would workforce, business-friendly legal sys- government protests in 2019. seas companies based in Hong Kong, terest in policies that could making do- still have the same feel that it had Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie tem and ease of movement. Other factors cited by those looking including many of them which are us- ing business easier. in the past,” he said. “I value inde- Lam listens to reporters’ questions However, a survey by The Ameri- to leave included Hong Kong’s strict ing Hong Kong as a regional headquar- Sam Cochrane, a fi nance profes- pendent journalism and democratic during a press conference in Hong can Chamber of Commerce in Hong quarantine measures for COVID-19 ters and regional offi ces,” she said. sional who left Hong Kong this month, processes.” Kong, Tuesday, May 25. (AP) ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 BUSINESS 10

Andersen Global expands practice in Turkey ex-CBS CEO Moonves won’t get $120m severance

Andersen Global strengthens PhD, who possesses more than ent satisfaction are critical aspects ViacomCBS said that former CBS million severance was set aside when he took over as entertain- its presence in Turkey through 15 years of experience working at of our business,” Celal said. “To CEO Les Moonves will not get his until the matter could be resolved. ment chief in 1995. He had been a Collaboration Agreement with the Turkey Ministry of Finance and maintain best-in-class solutions for $120 million severance package On Friday, New York-based Vi- one of the highest-paid executives tax firm ECC Denetim, add- more than 15 years of experience our clients, we dedicate ourselves from his firing in 2018, ending a acomCBS said in a filing with the in the nation, making about $70 ing dimension to the organiza- in private practice. The firm pro- to stewardship while ensuring all long dispute over the money. Securities and Exchange Com- million a year at the end of his run tion’s presence in the country vides tax and advisory services, matters are handled with transpar- Moonves was ousted in 2018 mission that the matter had been with the company. and building upon its strategy to assisting domestic and foreign ency and attention to detail. Our after a company investigation into resolved, the arbitration dismissed, He was ousted after allegations provide a full suite of integrated clients with tax matters, due dili- collaboration with Andersen Glob- allegations of sexual misconduct and the $120 million would be go- from women who said he subject- services through its member and gence, VAT, VAT return, manage- al allows our clients to continue spanning three decades found ing back to ViacomCBS in its en- ed them to mistreatment including collaborating firms globally. ment advisory, establishments and working with their trusted advisors Moonves violated company policy tirety. It give no further details. forced oral sex, groping and retali- The Istanbul-based firm was restructuring of companies, and while having access to compre- and did not cooperate with the Moonves was one of television’s ation if they resisted. Moonves has established in 2020 by founder navigating labor legislation. hensive, integrated solutions glob- investigation. But Moonves chal- most influential figures, credited for denied any allegations of non-con- and Managing Partner Celal Çelik, “The quality of service and cli- ally.” (Agencies) lenged the decision and his $120 turning around the fortunes of CBS sensual sex. (AP) Court isn’t likely to issue a decision until this summer Judge digs into Apple app store policies as Epic trial ends SAN RAMON, California, May 25, (AP): The judge who the iPhone and its other mobile products to rival app stores. create a particular type of ecosystem that is incredibly attrac- The judge revisited the issue during Monday’s session. will decide a case challenging Apple’s stranglehold on its Those alternatives would include Epic’s still-unprofi table tive to purchasers, to its consumers. So if those consumers At one point, she wondered aloud whether Apple could just iPhone app store indicated on Monday she would like to pro- app store, which charges a commission of just 12%. choose to enter into an ecosystem … that’s what you know allow apps to insert a notice reminding consumers that pay- mote more competition but without dismantling a commis- Apple’s app store, in contrast, has become far more profi table you’re buying into.” ments can made in web browsers, without posting a direct sion system that reaps billions of dollars for the technology than its late co-founder, Steve Jobs, ever envisioned when he Bornstein countered that most consumers don’t under- link to the checkout stand. That sort of notice, she mused, powerhouse. opened it 13 years ago. Precisely how profi table wasn’t revealed stand the extent they will be locked into Apple’s ecosystem wouldn’t be much different than a merchant’s display of the U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers isn’t like- in the trial, although an Apple executive conceded the company and often pay scant attention to the costs of in-app purchases different credit cards - Visa, Mastercard, America Express ly to issue a decision until this summer. But she opened a had brought in at least $20 billion as of June 2017. that are tiny compared to the price of an iPhone. or Discover - that has long been a staple at cash registers. window into her thoughts during a three-hour session with Gonzalez Rogers doesn’t seem to believe the fees are un- That still didn’t seem to convince Gonzalez Rogers that Ap- During the course of their closing arguments, the lawyers lawyers for Apple and its adversary, Epic Games, during the reasonable, let alone illegal. That’s in part because because ple is running on monopoly, but other statements made it clear for Epic and Apple each made dramatic pitches in an attempt fi nal day of a three-week trial in Oakland, California. Apple’s commissions mirror those charged on in-app com- she still might fi nd the company is engaging in anticompetitive to get Gonzalez Rogers to see things their respective ways. Gonzalez Rogers’ line of questioning suggested she sides missions by the app store feeding about 3 billion devices behavior. During some points in the trial, she has seemed trou- Bornstein repeatedly asserted that Apple is trying to paint with much of the defense that Apple has mounted to justify the powered by Google’s Android software, as well as those im- bled by a provision in Apple stores that forbids in-app notices itself as a “benevolent overlord” acting in the best interests 15% to 30% commissions it collects for in-app transactions on posed by major video game consoles - Sony’s PlayStation, that purchases can also be made through web browsers and other of consumers and the developers of the 1.8 million apps now the iPhone to help pay for the technology powering its devices. Microsoft ’s Xbox and Nintendo’s Switch. means that evade Apple’s commissions. in the store, up from just 500 in 2008. “But it’s not enough Epic Games, the maker of the popular videogame Fort- The judge also seemed to support Apple’s right to main- Apple contends allowing in-app links to other payment op- to say, ‘We’re a great company, we’re doing well, and we’re nite, has been trying to prove the fees are the price-gouging tain a rigidly controlled ecosystem of products that has won tions besides its own would expose iPhones and other mobile a nice guy,’” Bornstein argued. tool of a monopoly hatched within the “walled garden” Ap- over consumers around the world, including many who pay devices to security and privacy threats. When facing some tough Apple lawyer Richard Doren reminded the judge that open- ple has built around the iPhone, the app store, its software more than $1,000 to buy an iPhone. questioning from Gonzalez Rogers during his four-hour appear- ing the iPhone to other app stores would weaken a security sys- and other devices such as the iPad and iPod. “Your formulation seems to ignore the reality that cus- ance on the witness stand Friday, Apple CEO Tim Cook also tem that protects consumers and developers alike. Epic “wants To loosen Apple’s tight-fi sted control, Epic wants Gonza- tomers choose an ecosystem,” Gonzalez Rogers told Epic conceded that allowing links within apps to other payment op- Apple to drop its gloves, stand in the middle of the arena and lez Rogers to issue an order that would require Apple to open lawyer Gary Bornstein. “It is Apple’s business strategy to tions would undercut the company’s profi ts. take malware attacks through unreviewed apps,” Doren argued. German GDP slumps but optimism rising

Pace of vaccinations increases

BERLIN, May 25, (AP): Germany’s economy con- tracted more than expected in the first quarter amid coronavirus lockdown measures, according to sta- tistics released Tuesday, but a leading indicator showed that businesses’ op- timism is rising as the pace of vaccinations increases. The Federal Statistical Office said that the first quarter gross do- mestic product in Germany, Eu- rope’s largest economy, dropped by 1.8% over the fourth quarter of 2020, according to figures adjusted for price, seasonal and calendar In this file photo, a man walks past the Euro sculpture in Frankfurt, Ger- factors. The office’s preliminary many. The ECB is warning that some parts of the eurozone economy could estimate had been a drop of 1.7%. face financial disruption from the ongoing pandemic. (AP) GDP was down 3.4% over the same quarter last year, when the pandemic was its vaccination campaign gathers pace. business situations as well as more opti- just starting to take hold, according to According to the closely-watched mistic for the coming months, Ifo said. price adjusted fi gures, and 3.1% when ad- monthly survey from Munich’s Ifo in- “The fi nally accelerating vaccination justed for both price and calendar factors. stitute, sentiment among German man- rollout, as well as fi rst steps in the reopen- Many facets of the economy were agers has followed with a considerable ing of the economy, have clearly boosted shut down in the fi rst quarter of 2021 improvement. optimism,” ING economist Carsten Brz- as Germany grappled with rising coro- The agency’s index of business cli- eski said. He cautioned that new variants navirus infection fi gures. mate rose to 99.2 points in May from of the coronavirus could cause a setback, The country has recently been grad- 96.6 points in April, its highest value and that supply chain disruptions could ually moving to open up more areas since May 2019. harm the manufacturing sector, but that of public life, however, as the latest According to its sub indices, compa- the “general outlook for the German wave of virus infections subsides and nies were more satisfi ed with their current economy is improving.” Lawmakers quiz Boeing, FAA about airline issues WASHINGTON, May 25, (AP): Two key members of Con- gress are seeking records from Boeing and the Federal Avia- tion Administration about production problems with two of the company’s most popular airliners. The lawmakers are focusing on the Boeing 737 Max and a larger plane, the 787, which Boeing calls the Dreamliner. House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said Tuesday there are “new and ongoing issues (at Boe- ing) that point to problems in maintaining quality control and appropriate FAA oversight of production issues.” DeFazio was joined in the records request by Rick Larsen, D-Wash., chairman of the committee’s aviation subcommittee. Chicago-based Boeing and the FAA said they were re- viewing the request. About 100 Max jets were idled last month because of improper electrical grounding that affected cockpit instru- ments. Last week the FAA approved a Boeing fi x for the planes, which are built near Seattle. All Max jets around the world were grounded for nearly two years after two crashes that killed 346 people. Boeing made changes to a fl ight-control system after the crashes, and the FAA cleared the plane to resume fl ying late last year. DeFazio’s committee spent 18 months investigating Boe- ing and the FAA’s certifi cation of the Max. The panel con- cluded in a blistering report last year that the Max suffered from design fl aws that Boeing failed to fi x, and that the FAA did a poor job monitoring the company. More recently, Boeing halted deliveries of 787s for fi ve months after discovering a fl aw that left tiny gaps between sections of the planes’ carbon-fi ber fuselage near the tail. Boeing is consolidating production of the 787 in South Caro- lina. Deliveries resumed in March.

In this fi le photo, a worker uses a fl ashlight to inspect an engine on a Boeing 737 Max 8 built for Southwest Airlines at Renton Municipal Airport in Renton, Wash- ington. (AP) ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 SCIENCE 11

Health

India virus toll tops 300K Merkel and Macron back efforts to improve WHO

GENEVA, May 25, (AP): French President Emmanuel Ma- cron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday were among leaders rallying around efforts to strengthen the World Health Organization and the world’s ability to prepare for and defend against pandemics. It came as the UN health agency opened its annual assem- bly, with a draft resolution in the works that acknowledges missteps in the response to COVID-19. The sweeping propos- al would seek to boost pandemic response, stabilize WHO’s funding and ensure greater access to health care - including to vaccines, tests and treatments linked to the coronavirus. The 27-nation European Union, US, Canada, UK, Philip- pines, Dominican Republic, Rwanda and Vanuatu were among the countries behind the resolution, which was to be consid- ered during the eight-day assembly. It would create a work- ing group on strengthening WHO’s readiness and response to health emergencies. “We have to have institutions that are up to the task, that meet our ambitions,” Macron said by video during the mostly virtual meeting. WHO, he said, must be “robust” and “fl exible” in times of emergency and crisis. “And it must be completely transparent to make sure that people trust the organization.” “There must not be any political pressure and there must not be any suspicion of pressure that has been ex- Merkel erted,” he added. Merkel threw her backing behind the idea of a “global health threat council” and said leaders should provide WHO with “lasting fi nancial and personal support.” “We have been talking about this for years, but now it is all the more important to act,” she said. The resolution — a copy of which was obtained by The As- This undated illustration provided by Blue Origin shows the capsule that the company aims to take tourists into space. Jeff Bezos’ rocket company is already calling its future clients ‘astronauts.’ One seat is up for grabs on the New Shepard rocket’s debut passenger flight scheduled for July 2021; an online auction is underway. (AP) sociated Press — cites COVID-19 two dozen times. It breaks little new ground and aims mostly to garner consensus and commonality of purpose in the aftermath of the economic and human devastation wreaked by the pandemic. The resolution, which would set up a six-person working Space group to report to the assembly next year, acknowledged “seri- ous shortcomings” in the world’s ability to prepare, prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies. Emergencies Private spacefl ight picks up speed The text, if approved, would ask WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to make “concrete sugges- tions” for levels of alert in times of health emergencies, “with clear criteria and practical implications for countries.” Who gets to be called an astronaut? Diplomats behind the measure said they hoped it could gar- ner consensus among WHO’s 194 member states. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 25, The WHO chief, after leading a round of applause for health (AP): As more companies start sell- care workers who have battled the pandemic in often-agoniz- ing tickets to space, a question looms: Cosmic two-for-one show: Total lunar ing conditions, said the world remains in a “very dangerous Who gets to call themselves an astro- situation” - and that while he was speaking 400 people would naut? eclipse combines with a supermoon die of COVID-19. It’s already a complicated issue and He reiterated his concerns about unequal access to vaccines, about to get more so as the wealthy snap up spacecraft seats and even en- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 25, tor the moon, Petro said. saying that over 75%of vaccines have been administered in 10 This Oct 25, 1985 photo made avail- (AP): The first total lunar eclipse in The moon will be setting and countries. He called for a “massive push” to ensure the vac- able by NASA shows US Rep Bill tire fl ights for themselves and their entourages. more than two years coincides with the sun rising along the US East cination of 10% of the population of all countries by the end of Nelson of Florida, STS 61-C payload a supermoon this week for quite a Coast, leaving skygazers - Petro in September — and at least 30% percent by year end. specialist. In a May 2021 interview, Astronauts? Amateur astronauts? cosmic show. Virginia included - pretty much out “There is no diplomatic way to say it: A small group of Nelson, NASA’s new boss, doesn’t Space tourists? Space sightseers? This super “blood” moon will be of luck. Europe, Africa and western countries that make and buy the majority of the world’s vac- consider himself an astronaut, even Rocket riders? Or as the Russians have visible Wednesday across the Pa- Asia will miss everything. There will cines control the fate of the rest of the world,” he said. though he spent six days orbiting said for decades, spacefl ight partici- cific - offering the best viewing - as be livestreams available. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Earth in 1986 aboard space shuttle pants? well as the western half of North Everyone everywhere, though, Monday called for global solidarity to stem spread of the coro- Columbia — as a congressman. (AP) NASA’s new boss Bill Nelson America, bottom of South America can still soak in the brighter than navirus. doesn’t consider himself an astronaut and eastern Asia. usual moon, weather permitting. Guterres, addressing General Assembly of the WHO, said even though he spent six days orbiting Better look quick: The total The moon will be more than the fi rst tangible step in the fi rm response to the pathogen Earth in 1986 aboard space shuttle Co- eclipse will last about 15 minutes 220,000 miles (357,460 kilometers) should be with funding the Covax system for fair distribution lumbia — as a congressman. as Earth passes directly between away at its fullest. It’s this proxim- “I reserve that term for my profes- the moon and the sun. But the ity, combined with a full moon, that of the anti-virus vaccines and aiding poor nations for facing entire show will last five hours, as qualifies it as a supermoon, making the pandemic. sional colleagues,” Nelson recently told The Associated Press. Earth’s shadow gradually covers it appear slightly bigger and more The world is at war with this virus, thus there must activa- the moon, then starts to ebb. The brilliant in the sky. tion of the “the economy of war to enhance our arms’ capac- Computer game developer Richard Garriott — who paid his way to the In- reddish-orange color is the result Last month’s supermoon, by ity,” he said. of all the sunrises and sunsets in contrast, was 96 miles (155 kilome- He called on G20 states to form a team comprising all coun- ternational Space Station in 2008 with Earth’s atmosphere projected onto ters) more distant. tries with ability to produce the vaccines for enhancing pros- the Russians — hates the space tourist the surface of the eclipsed moon. Unlike a solar eclipse, there’s pects of making the vaccines with technology and fl exibility in label. “I am an astronaut,” he declared “Hawaii has the best seat in the no harm in looking at an eclipsed property rights, he said. in an email, explaining that he trained house and then short of that will moon. Guterres called for boosting primary health systems and Baker Huynh for two years for the mission. be California and the Pacific North- More lunar shows are on the ho- health comprehensive coverage to facilitate the fi ght against “If you go to space, you’re an as- west,” said NASA’s Noah Petro, rizon. COVID-19. tronaut,” said Axiom Space’s Mi- project scientist for the Lunar Re- “For people who might feel like The World Health Organization (WHO) must remain ready Discovery chael Lopez-Alegria, a former NASA connaissance Orbiter. New Zea- we’re missing out, set your calen- to face epidemics at the global level, however WHO needs sus- astronaut who will accompany three land and Australia also will have dars for Nov. 19 of this year,” Pet- tainable resources, the UN chief added. businessmen to the space station prime viewing. ro said. This will be a nearly total in January, fl ying SpaceX. His $55 Circling the moon for 12 years, eclipse where the moon dims but The coronavirus has caused a “tsunami of hardships” with the orbiter will measure tempera- doesn’t turn red. death of 3.4 million people, Guterres said in metaphoric terms, ‘Plan threat to turtles’: A federal million-a-seat clients plan to conduct judge ordered an immediate halt to plans research up there, he stressed, and do tures changes on the lunar surface The next total lunar eclipse will also noting that nearly 500 million jobs have been lost and tril- during the eclipse. Telescopes atop be May 2022. The last one was lions of dollars have been wasted. to dredge a shipping channel on the Geor- not consider themselves space tour- gia coast, citing a threat to sea turtles nest- ists. Hawaii’s Mauna Kea also will moni- January 2019. Meanwhile, India crossed another grim milestone Monday ing on nearby beaches. with more than 300,000 people lost to the coronavirus, while There’s something enchanting The injunction by US District Judge R. about the word: Astronaut comes a devastating surge of infections appeared to be easing in big tude, “you’re not an astronaut.” Perhaps even more important, where Stan Baker delivered an initial setback to from the Greek words for star and cities but was swamping the poorer countryside. the Army Corps of Engineers. The agency It remains a coveted assignment. does space begin? The milestone, as recorded by India’s Health Ministry, sailor. And swashbuckling images of is trying to end a policy that for 30 years “The Right Stuff” and NASA’s origi- More than 12,000 applied for NASA’s The Federal Aviation Administra- comes as slowed vaccine deliveries have marred the country’s limited to the winter months the dredging upcoming class of astronauts; a lucky tion limits its commercial astronaut fi ght against the pandemic, forcing many to miss their shots, of accumulated sand and mud in harbors nal Mercury 7 astronauts make for great marketing. dozen or so will be selected in Decem- wings to fl ight crews. The minimum and a rare but fatal fungal infection affecting COVID-19 pa- from the Carolinas to Florida. ber. altitude is 50 miles (80 kilometers). tients has worried doctors. The seasonal limits were enacted to Jeff Bezos’ rocket company, Blue Origin, is already calling its future cli- But what about passengers who are It’s awarded seven so far; recipients India’s death toll is the third-highest reported in the world protect sea turtles from being killed and along for the ride, like the Russian ac- include the two pilots for Richard after the US and Brazil, accounting for 8.6% of the nearly 34.7 maimed by the vacuum-like suction ents “astronauts.” It’s auctioning off pumps of hopper dredges, and conser- one seat on its fi rst spacefl ight with tress and movie director who will fl y Branson’s Virgin Galactic who made million coronavirus fatalities globally, though the true num- to the space station in October? Or Ja- another test fl ight of the company’s bers are thought to be signifi cantly greater. vationists credit that policy with helping people on board, targeted for July. threatened and endangered turtles species NASA even has a new acronym: PAM pan’s moonstruck billionaire who will rocket ship Saturday. Fatalities begin to rebound. for Private Astronaut Mission. follow them from Kazakhstan in De- Others defi ne space as beginning at Giant loggerhead sea turtles, protected Retired NASA astronaut Mike Mul- cember with his production assistant an even 100 kilometers, or 62 miles The Health Ministry on Monday reported 4,454 new deaths tagging along to document everything? above sea level. in the last 24 hours, bringing India’s total fatalities to 303,720. as a federally threatened species, nest lane didn’t consider himself an astro- during the spring and summer months on In each case, a professional cosmonaut Blue Origin’s capsules are designed It also reported 222,315 new infections, which raised the over- naut until his fi rst space shuttle fl ight beaches from North Carolina to Florida. in 1984, six years after his selection by will be in charge of the Soyuz capsule. to reach that threshold and provide a all total to nearly 27 million since the pandemic began. Both Smaller numbers of endangered green and are almost certainly undercounts. NASA. SpaceX’s high tech capsules are few minutes of weightlessness before Kemp’s ridley sea turtles lay eggs in the “It doesn’t matter if you buy a ride completely automated, as are Blue Ori- returning to Earth, By contrast, it takes From the remote Himalayan villages in the north, through region as well. the vast humid central plains and to the sandy beaches in the or you’re assigned to a ride,” said Mul- gin’s. So should rich riders and their 1 1/2 hours to circle the world. The As- The Army Corps now says the seasonal guests be called astronauts even if they sociation of Space Explorers requires south, the pandemic has swamped India’s underfunded health dredging limits are no longer necessary, lane, whose 2006 autobiography is ti- care system after spreading quickly across the country. citing a report last year by federal gov- tled “Riding Rockets.” Until you strap learn the ropes in case they need to in- at least one orbit of Earth — in a space- In the capital, New Delhi, residents have died at home with ernment scientists who found sea turtles into a rocket and reach a certain alti- tervene in an emergency? craft - for membership. no oxygen as hospitals exhausted limited supplies. In Mumbai, could endure roughly 150 deaths per COVID-19 patients have died in crowded hospital corridors. year from dredging. The agency hired a In rural villages, fever and breathlessness took people before contractor to start dredging the shipping Those killed Monday died from inhal- of Goma, Celestin Kasereka Mahinda, half-mile) wide, he said. they were even tested for coronavirus. channel in Brunswick, Georgia, on May ing toxic gas when they were walking told The Associated Press. “The population of Goma must avoid 28 while loggerhead sea turtles were nest- While the megacities have seen signs of improvement in across a wide expanse of the cooling lava They were traveling on the road be- unnecessary travel, but also not visit recent days, the virus isn’t fi nished with India by any means. ing on nearby beaches. places that have been hit by lava from the The conservation group One Hundred near the eastern city of Goma, the scien- tween Kibati and Goma that was cut off It appears to have already taken a ghastly toll in the country’s tifi c director of the Volcanic Observatory by a fl ow of lava 1,000 meters (about a volcano because these lavas are toxic and vast rural areas, where a majority of the people live and where Miles fi led suit in federal court over the harmful,” he said. proposed shift to year-round dredging. With little warning Mount Nyiragongo health care is limited. Citing a threat of immediate and irrepa- In recent weeks, hundreds of bodies have washed up on the turned the dark sky fi ery red on Saturday rable harm, the group asked the judge to night and then spewed torrents of lava banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh state. Many oth- stop the 20-day project while the lawsuit ers have been found buried in shallow graves along its sandy into villages, killing at least 15 people and moves ahead. destroying more than 500 homes, offi cials banks. It has prompted concerns that they’re the remains of “There is a strong likelihood that a sub- COVID-19 victims. stantial and appreciable number of those and survivors said. India’s vaccination drive has also slowed recently, and many turtles would be killed by hopper dredg- On Monday residents searched for states say they don’t have enough vaccines to administer. ing during those months,” the judge said missing loved ones amid their destroyed The world’s largest vaccine-producing nation has fully as he ruled in the environmental group’s homes on the outskirts of Goma, where favor at the close of a hearing. light aftershocks were detected following vaccinated just over 41.6 million people, or only 3.8% of its the weekend eruption. Fumes rose from nearly 1.4 billion people. On Monday, the federal government The judge ordered the Brunswick dredging project be put on hold until De- the cooling lava that covered part of the enabled walk-in registration at government-run vaccination Nyiragongo region. centers for those aged between 18 to 44 to “minimize vaccine cember, unless the Corps can use a differ- ent type of dredge that poses far less risk Grief, disbelief and fear hung over the wastage.” area as a delegation of government min- The fi rst known COVID-19 death in India happened on to sea turtles. Megan Huynh, an attorney for the isters, including Congo’s health minister, March 12, 2020, in southern Karnataka state. It took seven Southern Environmental Law Center, visited Goma after fl ying in from neigh- months to reach the fi rst 100,000 dead. The offi cial toll hit said an increase in sea turtles killed and boring Rwanda. 200,000 deaths in late April. The next 100,000 deaths were re- mangled by dredges would be a devastat- Scientists at the volcano observatory corded in just 27 days after new infections tore through dense ing blow for conservationists who have weren’t able to adequately warn the pub- cities and rural areas alike and overwhelmed health care sys- volunteered for decades to assist their re- lic of the eruption because of a funding tems on the brink of collapse. covery. (AP) cut, Mahinda said. Average daily deaths and cases have slightly decreased in ❑ ❑ ❑ “The observatory no longer has the the past few weeks and the government on Sunday said it is support of the central government or of Lava emits toxic gas: Seven more external donors, which explains why the conducting the highest number of COVID-19 tests, with more A health worker takes a nasal swab sample of an Indian police man in plain than 2.1 million samples tested in the previous 24 hours. people have died as a result of the recent volcanic eruption was such a surprise,” volcano eruption in eastern Congo, in- clothes to test for COVID-19 inside a park in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kash- Mahinda told The Associated Press. creasing the death toll to 22. mir, May 25. (AP) (AP) Television WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 FFeatureseatures a newlyfi has beenscheduledforJune15on being convictedin NewYorkCity locked upsincelast springafter the Hollywoodproducer hasbeen tional Facilitynear Buffalo,where week fromtheWendeCorrec- to betransferredasearlynext attorney confi issues raisedbyhislawyer,the further delaysoverpaperwork and sexualassaultchargesfaces York stein statement said. fairly affectedtheband,”EBU the outcomeofeventandun- has overshadowedthespiritand speculation leadingtofakenews popular votesweretallied. came insecondplaceafterthe tender fortheEurovisionvictory, France echo inmainstreamFrenchmedia. broken aglass. over becausehisguitaristhad uses drugsandthathewasleaning rejected theclaim,sayinghenever broadcast. Davidimmediately over atableduringtheliveTV he wasseenleaningawkwardly David hadsnortedcocainewhen rovision newsconference—that media —andwereraisedataEu- ily drugtest. singer the negativeresultsofManeskin broadcast Saturdaynightandsaw the availablefootageofTV conclusion afteritreviewedall song festival,saidinastatement. Union, whichproducestheannual closed,” theEuropeanBrodcasting band’s victory. speculation thathadtarnishedthe for druguse,puttingtoanend song contestsbegan.(AP) back totheplacewhereEuropean will bringnextyear’scompetition worst hitbythecoronavirusand ful yearasoneofthecountries sorely neededboostafteradread- band lead singerofItalianglamrock organizers saidMondaythatthe BUFFALO, NY: ROME: needs deeply,”hesaid.“It’sareleasethathasbeenpentupinthena- in theenthusiasmofthoseonscene,”Cartersaid. regular programming,buttotheaudienceathomewhocanshareabit ebrated —notjustforhimandtheotherhostswhocannowresume their material,hesaid. formers, whodependupontherhythmofaudience’sresponseto current documentaryseries,“TheStoryofLateNight.” ference forperformers,saidBillCarter,executiveproducerofCNN’s aren’t justwatching,theyareparticipantsineventsthatmakeabigdif- audiences thispastweekendwasareminderthatthoseinattendance watching. executive producer,stagemanagerandoccasionallyColbert’swife studio attheSullivanTheateroffi the bathtubofhisSouthCarolinahome.InAugust,hemovedtoasmall 205 episodeswithoutaliveaudience,tapinghisfi Ed SullivanTheater.Facemaskswillbeoptional. vaccinated againstCOVID-19beforeattendingshowsatNewYork’s show willreturnonJune14toepisodeswithafullstudioaudience. tertainment world,CBSsaidMondaythatStephenColbert’slate-night NEW YORK,May25,(AP):Inonemoresteptowardareopeneden- sayshe’sStephen Colbert goingbackbefore liveaudiences Weinstein hadbeenscheduled Norman Effman Maneskin’s wingave “We arealarmedthatinaccurate The claimsfoundaparticular Rumors hadswirledonsocial EBU saiditcametothe “We considerthematter The returnofentertainmentaudiences“issomethingthecountry “Colbert bringingbackarealliveaudienceismomenttobecel- Telling jokesintoavoidhasbeenespeciallyhardforlate-nightper- Watching NBAplayoffgamesand“SaturdayNightLive”before Since theCOVIDshutdowninMarch2020,Colberthasproduced Audience memberswillhavetoprovideproofthattheybeen ’s extraditionfrom to Maneskin Damiano David , whichwasaleadingcon- EurovisionSongContest California ❑ led challenge. rmed Monday. testednegative Harvey Wein- tofacerape saidahearing ’s voluntar- New Italy a ces, usuallyonlywiththeshow’s activity wasconsensual. cence andcontends thatanysexual erly Hills women inLosAngelesand tried onchargesofassaultingfi to bringhimCaliforniabe degree rape. of acriminalsexactandthird- Weinstein maintains hisinno- Los Angelesprosecutorswant release forafi Asians” directorknowstheimportanceofaglobal streaming platformlastsummer.The“CrazyRich a theatricalreleaseinsteadofpushingitouton convince Mirandathatitwasworthtowaitfor boot (Aug.27). “Jungle Cruise”(July30)andthe“Candyman”re- Emily BluntandDwayneJohnsonactionadventure Widow” (July9)starringScarlettJohansson,the rious” movie,“F9”(June25),Marvel’s“Black “In theHeights”(June11),ninth“Fast&Fu- (May 28),Lin-ManuelMiranda’sTony-winning cluding JohnKrasinski’s“AQuietPlacePartII” leases weresupposedtocomeoutayearago,in- of lastsummer.Manythemostanticipatedre- demic. habits havechangedirrevocablyduringthepan- this summerwillbeanimportantgaugeonwhether Theaters havebeengearingupforthismomentand ings were$176million,down96%from2019. 40% oftheyear’sgrosses.Lastyear,summerearn- for over$4billioninrevenueandmakesuparound from MaythroughLaborDay,regularlyaccounts ment toosoon. living room. the-art soundcouldbeawelcomerespitefromthe corn, sodafountains,60-footscreensandstate-of- audiences, thepromiseofairconditioning,pop- the fi stream ofblockbusterspopulatingmultiplexesfor Squad” and“BlackWidow,”therewillbeasteady A Blockbuster moviemakesacomeback “In theHeights”directorJonM.Chuhadto In someways,thecalendarlookslikeado-over The modernsummermovieseason,whichruns For beleagueredmovietheaters,it’snotamo- From “F9”and“IntheHeights”to“TheSuicide “We hadbigdreamsforthis,”Chusaid. Variety rst timesincelastMarch.Forstreaming-weary spectacles, Hollywoodisreadytodazzleagain. fter morethanayearofbenchingitsbiggest This imagereleasedbyUniversalPicturesshowsJohnCena,(left),andCharlizeTheroninascenefrom‘F9.’(AP) from 2004to2013. rstmonologuefrom Disney Juniorseriesaimstogiveakid’s-eye viewofrace lm ledbyanunderrepresented group. By LindseyBahr Bev- ve ers, iscomingtoDisneyJunior. senting theconceptsofrace,racismandsocialjusticetoyoungview- Film LOS ANGELES: enti David Weinstein and touch,”Colbertsaid. Monday sendsaclearmessage. during theepidemic,withasmallaudienceofabout15people. home whenitreturnsonJune7,aspokeswomansaid. Currently onhiatus,theshowplanstokeepoperatingfromNoah’s versions of“TheDailyShow”fromhishomewithoutanaudience. many andwhotheyare. studio, andatleastsomepeoplearewatchinghim,butitisn’tclearhow fully vaccinated,inearlyJune. March 22.NBCsaidMondaythatFallonplanstohaveafullaudience, dio audienceofabout40percentcapacityatRockefellerCentersince late-night hostbackbeforeafullhouse. erating.” tion’s long-abusedpsycheforsolong.Ofcourseit’sgoingtofeellib- Hollywood ready todazzleagainthissummer “I lookforwardtoonceagaindoingshowforanaudienceIcansmell Colbert isthetop-ratedlate-nightperformer,andhisannouncement Fox NewsChannel’sGregGutfeldstartedalate-nightcomedyshow Comedy Central’sTrevorNoahhasbeenrecordingsociallydistant ABC’s JimmyKimmelhasbeendoingshowsbackinhisregular Jimmy FallonhastapedNBC’s“Tonight”showbeforeapartialstu- Despite Colbert’sannouncementonMonday,hemaynotbethefi “RiseUp,SingOut,”ananimatedshortsseriespre- Green Knight”(July30). Patel-led takeonaclassicArthurianlegend,“The “Free Guy”(Aug.13).There’sevenanepicDev “The Hitman’sWife’sBodyguard”(June16)and (July 23).RyanReynoldsisintwoactionflicks, (June 18)andthefourth“HotelTransylvania” Beatles, andfamilyfilms,like“PeterRabbit2” mentaries aboutAnthonyBourdainandThe horror movies,likeathird“Conjuring,”docu- Dirty Dozen”forinspiration. maker. Gunnlookedto1960swarcaperslike“The perman forHarleyQuinn,BloodsportandPeace- had hispickofDCcharactersandturneddownSu- grade supervillains”of“TheSuicideSquad.”He Galaxy” directorJamesGunnhasthis“misfi There aremanyotheroptionstoo,including For amoreR-ratedadventure,“Guardiansofthe Looney Toonscharacters. has LeBronJamessharingthescreenwithclassic movie.” Thesequeltothe1996MichaelJordanpic D. Leecalledhisfi watch athome. theaters, especiallyifsomethingisalsoavailableto of an“eventfi a ritual.Nowit’swildcardwhetherthepromise or cheeringtogether,itismagical.” “When thatmomenthitsandeveryone’slaughing with abunchofstrangers,”saiddirectorJustinLin. money togothemoviessharethatexperience member asakidinthesummersavingenough talking abouttheplot...butfeeling.Ijustre- everybody tomakethesemovies,we’renoteven also sendscarsintospace. brings backafanfavorite—SungKang’sHanit creating afuntheatricalexperience.“F9”notonly “Space Jam:ANewLegacy”directorMalcom Before thepandemic,summermoviegoingwas “Whenever IgettogetherwithVin(Diesel)and The “Fast&Furious”serieshasalsobeenabout Also: referred arequest for commentto said byphone. agreement ondetainers,” Effman with themandatesofinterstate Angeles Countydoesnotcomply that thepaperworkfi custody, basedonourallegation California’s requestfortemporary lm” willmotivateaudiencesbackto Los Angelesprosecutors “This isachallengeto Adventure lm “Theepitomeofapopcorn led byLos rst Latoya Raveneau Thought” Trotter include musicby to equityandpromotinghealthyracialidentitydevelopmentinyouth.” Conscious Kid,describedonitswebsiteasanorganization“dedicated said inastatement. appropriate mannerthroughmusicandrelatablekidexperiences,”he to addresstheseimportanttopicswiththeirpreschoolersinanage- D’Ambrosia lies arestrugglingtodiscuss“sensitiveissuesaroundrace,”said of feelingsaroundwhat’shappeninginourworldtoday”andthatfami- announced. Disney Juniorplatformsincludingthechannelandapp.Adatewasn’t studio LionForgeAnimation(“HairLove”),willdebutthisyearon in thewayweknowbest,throughmusic.” Trotter saidinajointstatementlastweek. tools tonavigatereal-worldissuesofracialinjustice,”Thompsonand nize andcelebrateourdifferencesashumanbeingswhilelearningthe t, Z- t, Designed forchildrenages2to7andtheirfamilies,theserieswill A viewingguideforparentsisbeingdevelopedbyThe The shortsareintendedtogivefamilies“thetoolsandknowledge Disney Juniorrecognizesthatchildrenare“experiencingamultitude “Rise Up,SingOut,”producedincollaborationwithOscar-winning They saidtheirhopeisto“empowerandupliftthefuturegenerations “We hopetheseshortswillencouragetheyoungaudiencetorecog- Weinstein’s transfer thatcould Case prosecutors, Judge on April30.Atthe requestof Erie Countycourt,virtually, respond totheclaimitself. a hearinghadbeensetbutdidnot ney’s offi the Weinstein lastappearedin Erie County starteda30-day clock on might fi But everyoneisfeelingemotionalthatmoviegoing taneous releaseintheatersandonAppleTV+. the Sundancebreakout“CODA”isgettingasimul- though “Luca”isgoingstraighttoDisney+).And in theatersandonDisney+asapremiumrental(al- “Black Widow”and“JungleCruise”areopening Disney movies,including“Cruella”(May28), simultaneously intheatersandonHBOMax.Most atrical windows.AllWarnerBros.titleswilldebut either uniquehybridreleaseplansorshortenedthe- and itsKevinHartpic“Fatherhood”toNetfl its CamillaCabello“Cinderella”toAmazonPrime still sellingtitlestostreamingservices.Sonysold waiting untillaterintheyear.Andsomestudiosare and thenewJamesBond,“NoTimeToDie,”are summer-ready titles,like“TopGun:Maverick” dates, delaysandmulti-platformreleases.Some it’s alsobecomehardtokeeptabsonevershifting opening weekendforatentpole. ly. Inanormalsummer,$100millionmightbean shy ofcrackingthe$100millionmarkdomestical- vs. Kong.”Butaftersevenweeks,eventhatisstill bigger fi big screen.” ally exciting,especiallyafterayearawayfromthe cinema withotherpeopleisgoingtobereally,re- think thattheideaofhavingexperienceina rector DavidLowery.“It’sastrangemovieandI it onthebigscreen,”said“TheGreenKnight”di- little boy.”(AP) cal spaceformeandhasbeensinceIwasavery watch fi wait tositinatheaterwithgroupofpeopleand ce, whichconfi For theatersandstudios,theunknownsaremany. Moviegoing haschangedandforconsumers Some studioshavebeencautiouslyrollingout “I reallyIwantaudiencestogetachancesee “I thinkaboutitallthetime,”saidGunn.can’t Even thefi , itsgeneralmanagerandaseniorvicepresident. Ahmir “Questlove”Thompson nally becomenormalagain. lms again.Itisatruejoyinlife.It’smagi- . lms todecentresultslately,like“Godzilla DistrictAttor- of TheRoots,whoareexecutiveproducerswith Kenneth lms with theatricaldebutswillhave rmed that would fi from thegovernor. from Weinsteinoranobjection be stoppedonlybyachallenge cal issueswasdenied. (AP) tion toattendhis multiplemedi- already pandemic-delayed extradi- manitarian” delay of Weinstein’s Effman saidatthetimehe An earlierrequestfora“hu- le anobjection. and Tariq “Black ix. Joe ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

Books

Abrams has book deal Rockwell offers guide to his ‘creative world’ NEW YORK, May 25, (AP): The COVID-19 pan- demic cut the connections between people and emp- tied the spaces they met. For award-winning architect and theater designer David Rockwell, it struck at the very heart of his work. From designing KAOS Nightclub in Las Vegas to transforming Los Angeles’s historic Union Station at the Oscars, creating spaces where people gather has always been the focus. Now that idea was actually dangerous. During his fi rst Zoom meeting with newly remote members of his 250-person staff, Rockwell began with some grim humor against a backdrop of a fright- ened, locked-down city. “I opened up by saying, ‘Well, here’s the good news: At least we don’t depend on cre- ating experiences to bring peo- ple together for a living.’ There was a sort of silence and I said, ‘I’m joking. Actually, that is what we do. So we need to fi gure out ways we can do that.’” As the nation gingerly emerges from quarantine, Rockwell is offering exactly that in book form: “Drama” - a kind of mood board for the way Rockwell sees the world Rockwell and many ideas for what a new post-COVID-19 world could look like. “Drama” is fi rmly at the intersection of theater and architecture, using examples from inside and outside the fi rm to tease out six fundamental concepts both This image released by AMC+ shows Denise Gough in a scene from ‘Too Close,’ debuted last Thursday. (AP) disciplines share: Audience, ensemble, worlds, story, journey and impermanence. “I’ve been thinking about this for sort of my whole adult life because I’ve never seen a boundary between Television architecture and theater,” Rockwell says. “It’s been more of a feedback loop for me.” The book, written with Bruce Mau and published by Phaidon, is full of arresting images to explain the ideas. Like how his work designing the restaurant Two women probe each other’s weaknesses Nobu Downtown found creative ways around archi- tectural restrictions or how the Spanish Steps in Rome are designed to pull the eye toward the sacred. He ‘Too Close’ bonds friends Watson, Salaman writes: “For me, design is about bringing people to- gether and making them feel something.” NEW YORK, May 25, (AP): There Salaman said she is drawn to cally compelling, brilliantly scripted Inspiration was a very good chance that Oscar- mothers who kill their own. “I’ve whydunnit.” and Emmy-nominated Emily Wat- always been absolutely fascinated Watson is quick to credit Gough - Count no less than Frank Gehry as a fan. “David son would end up in the new mini- by women who do it and thinking, whose stage work includes “People, is a great leader and a great inspiration in the fi eld of series “Too Close.” After all, one of ‘Well, what has to be going on in Places and Things” and “Angels in architecture, design, theater design, and, well, you name it,” he said. “He is a voracious creator, but he her oldest friends wrote it. your head that you think the best op- America” - as an “intense talent” is an equally great listener with boundless curiosity. Watson has known actor-turned- tion is to kill your children?’” she able to capture damage and explo- ‘Drama’ shows you all sides of this great talent.” author Clara Salaman since both said. “So then I just sort of worked siveness. “It was amazing to go onto Infused throughout the book is a relentlessly op- were 5 years old. Now, in their 50s, backwards.” the dance fl oor with somebody like timistic view that life can be made better and more Dave Bayley, (in front), and Drew they’ve fi nally collaborated on their Salaman’s screenplay crack- that,” Watson said. beautiful if we start by simply designing better spaces, MacFarlane, of Glass Animals, per- fi rst project and even COVID-19 les with great lines. In one scene, She and Salaman have known especially where people meet. form at the Billboard Music Awards lockdown couldn’t stop them. Watson gets a bit bossy, triggering each other since nursery school and “The act of making something is such a life-affi rm- on May 23, at the Microsoft Theater in “It’s amazing, isn’t it? It’s just this observation from the suspect. through their teens as both pursued ing thing,” says Rockwell, who is donating his share Los Angeles. (AP) gives me such joy that it all worked “You’re being very assertive today. acting careers. They both starred as of the royalties from the book to The Actors Fund. out because it’s such a precarious Very Helen Mirren. It’s quite sexy.” 13-year-olds in a production of “As “One of the things designers can do is actually help universe trying to put things togeth- Over time, both women begin to You Like It,” with Salaman as Ro- build a solution.” er,” Watson said. understand each other and share salind and Watson as Celia. The Rockwell Group designs everything from ca- “Too Close,” a three-part harrow- searing moments of pain and guilt. Salaman, who appeared on “The fes to theater sets. Rockwell’s fi rst Broadway show ing series on AMC+ which debuted “We are the wrecked people,” the Bill” from 1999 to 2001 before turn- was “The Rocky Horror Show” in 2000, and the cred- Thursday, aired earlier this year in inmate says to her psychiatrist. ing to writing, handed over the man- its started piling up: “Hairspray,” “Legally Blonde,” Britain to rapturous reviews. It’s uscript of “Too Close” to Watson The Normal Heart” and “Tootsie,” among them. He based on Salaman’s novel, which Humanized even before it was published, telling won a Tony Award for “She Loves Me.” she wrote under the pseudonym Na- “As an acting exercise, it was very her friend it might make a good TV His architecture affects his sets and vice versa. talie Daniels. much about two people unpeeling piece. When he was designing JetBlue’s $800 million termi- Watson plays a buttoned-down, each other. The psychiatrist is not It was then that it dawned on the nal in New York City, Rockwell convinced the airline no-nonsense forensic psychiatrist the composed, together professional author that having Watson consider to consult with Tony-winning director-choreographer Frank Lowe trying to assess the mental state of a that she likes to think that she is,” a part in it made a great deal of sense. Jerry Mitchell to improve passenger movement. said Watson. The book illustrates a ranging, multi-disciplinary criminal suspect who drove her car “I said, ‘You can read it.’ Then I over a bridge with two kids inside, The Yummy Mummy Monster is went, ‘Actually, Emily, you’d be mind, including interviews with architect Daniel deeply humanized and the psychia- Libeskind, music producer and composer Quincy Variety including her daughter. brilliant in either part.’” Jones, museum director and curator Thelma Golden, The suspect, played by a ferocious trist - once dubbed “Little Miss Mary Watson, who has earned Oscar playwright and actor Anna Deavere Smith, chef and Denise Gough, has been dubbed the Poppins” by the suspect - must face nods for “Breaking the Waves” and humanitarian José Andrés, and Oscar-winning pro- NEW YORK: Dan Frank, a revered and “Yummy Mummy Monster” by the her own imperfections. Viewers may “Hilary and Jackie” and an Emmy duction designer Adam Stockhausen. longtime editor at Pantheon Books who British tabloids and claims not to re- even shockingly start identifying nomination for “Chernobyl,” shot Rockwell has been thinking a lot about how we will worked with such prize-winning authors member anything about the incident. with the suspect. the series during the pandemic, with emerge from lockdown and perhaps redefi ne what our as Cormac McCarthy, Oliver Sacks She is facing 30 years or a lifetime in “It draws a very sympathetic por- masks required, COVID-19 tests public spaces mean, especially our open-plan offi ces. and Jill Lepore, died Monday at age 67. a psychiatric hospital. trait of the person in that situation three times a week and the cast and “Post-COVID, I think movement patterns - cho- Frank had been Pantheon’s editorial The two - a broken, angry woman and or really makes us try to under- crew consigned to different bubbles. reography, understanding how people move, under- director since 1996 and his death was an- facing life behind bars and a sup- stand how somebody gets that,” said Salaman visited the set a few times standing adaptability - is going to be important for nounced by Reagan Arthur, executive posed cool professional - begin a sort Watson. “We’re all one step away and watched the dailies, but the two cities,” he says. “We’re in a period of redefi nition. So vice president and publisher of Knopf, from doing something desperate.” Pantheon, and Schocken, who noted that of mental cat-and-mouse game, each old friends are looking forward to a what we’re going to do in offi ces, why we need to go probing the other’s weaknesses. The series was a critical hit in time when they can get together and there, I think is all ripe for reinvention.” Frank was so identifi ed with the imprint it was known to some as “Dantheon.” “Underneath that chilly veneer, I Britain, with The Independent say- celebrate. Rockwell sees the continued need for Zoom meet- He died in Manhattan, but the cause of reckon you’ve got quite a temper. ing “You won’t see more blatant “Emily and I know each other ings as one thing that will endure after the pandemic, death was not immediately available. What are you so angry about?” the awards fodder this year, but that so thoroughly, so bonded, from so but is still a fan of in-person meetings, which can trig- “For decades, Dan has been the public suspect asks the psychiatrist, who doesn’t mean ‘Too Close’ won’t win young. And our moms, both dead, ger collaborations and fresh ideas. face of Pantheon, setting the tone for the responds: “Don’t talk to me like you them, or that they’ll be undeserved.” will be looking down, just loving it,” “All the planning that you put into designing some- house and overseeing the list,” Arthur know me. You do not know me.” The Guardian called it ”a fantasti- said Salaman. thing is to hopefully allow some spontaneous activi- wrote in a company memo shared with ties to happen,” he says. “It’s the 15 minutes in be- The Associated Press. “He had an insa- tween meetings when you’re running into someone tiable curiosity about life and, indeed, getting a cup of coffee where you may have an idea that curiosity informed many of his and took a rifl e and a diamond-encrusted The Stafford brothers were rap artists reported Sunday. that’s not going to come from Zoom.” acquisitions. As important as the books pendant the necklace, detectives said. with Duced Out Records, a Kansas City- The turbulent beginnings of the zoo he published and the authors he edited, Another person got in the car with based record company. (AP) were the subject of the fi nal episode Flexibility Dan served as a mentor to younger col- Stafford’s body and drove away while ❑ ❑ ❑ of the Netfl ix true-crime series “Tiger He sees fl exibility in the nation’s future, like the gi- leagues, endlessly generous with his time Taylor followed in the second car, detec- King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.” ant blue foam blocks he created as playground equip- and expertise.” tives said. They later the car with Staf- THACKERVILLE, Okla: Federal offi cials Zookeeper Jeff Lowe moved the cats to ment that puts the power of creation and collaboration Lepore, the historian and New Yorker ford’s body where police found it. have removed the last of the 68 big cats a Thackerville property after the August in the hands of kids. The Rockwell Group has helped staff writer, wrote in an email to The As- Detectives later learned Taylor pawned from the private zoo in Oklahoma that had shutdown of the Greater Wynnewood sociated Press that Frank was “the fi nest the pendant he took from Stafford. been the center of the “Tiger King” saga. Exotic Animal Park. restaurants during the pandemic by designing modular of men, and the best of editors. He found outdoor eating spaces and dreaming up portable stag- The month before Stafford’s brother, A jaguar was among the last cat The US Justice Department on delight in ideas and beauty in prose, and Arthur Stafford Jr, 22, was found fatally removed from Tiger King Park in Thack- Thursday announced the seizure of the ing for theater companies. he helped put them there.” federally protected lions, tigers, lion-tiger “There is opportunities for new creative ideas to shot a month before Dominique Stafford erville, a few miles north of Oklahoma’s Survivors include Frank’s wife, Patty; was killed, The Kansas City Star reported. border with Texas, The Oklahoman hybrids and a jaguar as part of a court- come to market,” he says. “There are spaces that are three sons and a grandson. approved agreement to resolve a federal only used for three or four hours a day. Are there other Frank’s books at Pantheon and its complaint against Lowe and his wife, uses we can use those for?” sister imprint Alfred A. Knopf ranged Lauren Lowe, over the animals’ care. Rockwell recently showed his fl exibility and style from McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize winning The civil complaint, fi led in Novem- by creating an intimate cocktail lounge and gardens “The Road” to Cynthia Ozick’s most re- ber, accused the Lowes of recurring inhu- for the Oscar telecast, somehow managing to keep it cent novel, “Antiquities.” He worked on mane treatment and improper handling socially distant but also elegant and keeping in tune Revolutionary War history by Joseph El- of animals protected by the Endangered with the earliest Oscars. lis and several scientifi c books by Oliver Species Act. The couple received numer- Sacks, including “Hallucinations” and ous citations for failing to properly care Also: “Musicophilia.” He had a special interest for the animals following three inspec- NEW YORK: Nearly 20 years after her fi rst novels in comics and graphic books, including tions of the Tiger King Park in Thacker- were published, Stacey Abrams is hitting full stride Marjane Satrapi’s acclaimed memoir ville since December 2020. as a writer. “Persepolis,” which Frank was able to During a hearing two weeks ago, The voting rights activist, grassroots organizer and acquire for the US market because he a judge found the couple in contempt could read it in its original French. (AP) for failing to comply with court orders former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate ❑ ❑ ❑ has a deal for two political thrillers, Doubleday and to employ a qualifi ed veterinarian and Anchor Books has announced recently. The new nov- KANSAS CITY, Mo: A man was establish a program of veterinary care for els will bring back the gifted and intrepid law clerk sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday the animals. Daniel Card, an attorney Avery Keene from Abrams’ current work, “While after he admitted that he shot and killed a for the couple, told a federal judge that Justice Sleeps,” which came out last week and is al- Kansas City rapper in 2015. the Lowes “want out completely.” ready a No. 1 New York Times bestseller with more Derius Taylor, 32, of Kansas City, Jeff Lowe was a central fi gure in than 100,000 copies in print. pleaded guilty to second-degree murder “Tiger King” that featured a mullet- “I am thrilled to continue the story of Avery Keene and armed criminal action in the death wearing zookeeper named Joe Exotic and of 20-year-old Dominique Stafford, the became a cultural phenomenon last year. - an exciting and brilliant protagonist - with Double- Joe Exotic, a pseudonym for Joseph day,” Abrams said in a statement. “Avery began her Jackson County Prosecutor’s Offi ce said. Stafford’s body was found inside a car Maldonado-Passage, is serving a 22- adventures in ‘While Justice Sleeps,’ and now we can in eastern Kansas City on April 23, 2015. year sentence in federal prison in Texas follow her as she discovers what’s next for her and Taylor arranged to buy drugs from This image released by Paramount Pictures shows director John Krasinski, for his 2020 conviction on charges that those she loves in the years ahead.” Stafford but actually intended to rob him. (left), with Noah Jupe and Emily Blunt on the set of ‘A Quiet Place Part II.’ ‘A he participated in a murder-for-hire plot Taylor got into Stafford’s car, shot him Quiet Place Part II’ will released in the US on May 28. (AP) and violated federal wildlife laws. (AP) ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 SPORTS 14 Rays outlast Blue Jays for 11th win in row Padres rally in 9th vs Brewers stalls, 9-game win streak ends Kuwait top DUNEDIN, Florida, May five of their past six to close within one game of the NL East-leading New 25, (AP): Francisco Mejía York Mets. hit a tiebreaking, two-run Miami rookie Trevor Rogers Mauritania single during a seven-run allowed three hits and two runs, one earned, in five innings, which CAIRO, May 25, (KUNA): Kuwait’s burst in the 11th inning increased his ERA to 1.75. Adam national soccer team have defeated and the Tampa Bay Rays Cimber (1-1) pitched a scoreless sixth, their Mauritanian rivals 8-1 at the won their 11th straight and Dylan Floro retired the only batter 2021 Arab Futsal Cup championship he faced for his first career save. currently organized by Egypt and will game, outlasting the To- Zach Eflin (2-4) allowed four runs, run until May 30. ronto Blue Jays 14-8. three earned, in six innings. Despite the victory, the Kuwaiti Tampa Bay moved within one Rockies 3, Mets 2 team couldn’t cruise into the next win of the team record for con- In New York, Austin Gomber round. secutive victories. In 2004, playing pitched two-hit ball through eight as the Devil Rays, they won 12 in innings, Ryan McMahon and Elias FUTSAL a row under manager Lou Piniella. Díaz hit second-inning home runs off After both teams scored twice in the David Peterson (1-4) and Colorado beat 10th to make it 7-all, the Rays broke the banged-up New York Mets for just The match was held as part of the loose. its third win in 20 road games this year. last round of Group A, which also fea- Mejía’s hit came off Joel Payamps Garrett Hampson boosted the lead to tures Egypt and Bahrain. (0-2) with the bases loaded. Randy 3-0 with an RBI triple in the fourth that The Egyptian team have beaten Arozarena doubled home a run, Austin sent rookie Johneshwy Fargas crashing Bahrain 1-0, topping the fi rst place. Meadows had an RBI grounder, into the outfield wall in an unsuccessful The two teams have qualifi ed for the Manuel Margot knocked in two with a attempt to make the catch. Fargas, the semi-fi nals with seven points and six triple and Mike Brosseau added an Mets’ fourth-string center fielder after points respectively. RBI single against Tim Mayza. injuries to Brandon Nimmo, Kevin Joey Wendle hit a grand slam as Pillar and Albert Almora Jr., sprained Tampa Bay took a 5-0 lead in the first. the AC joint in his left shoulder. MLB Results/Standings The Rays wound up with a four-game NL East-leading New York already sweep and took over sole possession had a major league-high 16 players on of first place in the AL East. the injured list and said right-hander WASHINGTON, May 25, (AP): Re- Milwaukee Brewers’ Josh Hader pitches during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Jordan Yamamoto was set to be added sults and standings from the MLB on May 24, in Milwaukee. (AP) on Tuesday. games on Monday. BASEBALL Tampa Bay 14 Toronto (11 innings) 8 Gomber (3-4) gave up Jonathan Cleveland 6 Detroit 5 Villar’s single leading off the fourth Minnesota 8 Baltimore 3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two of Torrence, Hight and Hartford win at NHRA’s SpringNationals and James McCann’s two-out homer Chic. White Sox 5 St Louis 1 in the seventh. Pitching into the ninth Seattle 4 Oakland 2 Toronto’s five home runs. The Blue Colorado 3 NY Mets 2 Jays lost their sixth in a row. BAYTOWN, Texas, May 25, (AP): ings. It was his third win in the fi rst Hight laid down a solid 3.916 in his inning for the first time, he allowed Miami 9 Philadelphia 6 Tampa Bay scored twice in the Texas-based Steve Torrence beat fi ve races of the season and fi rst in Camaro. The win was Hight’s fi rst pinch-hitter Brandon Drury’s first Milwaukee 5 San Diego 3 Doug Kalitta in the Top Fuel fi nal Texas. since the 2019 fall Charlotte event Mets home run leading off and Patrick American League 10th, but Marcus Semien tied it with a East Division two-run homer off Jeffrey Springs at the rain-delayed Mopar Express Robert Hight, who raced just and 52nd overall. Mazeika’s single. W L Pct GB (4-1). Lane NHRA SpringNationals at twice in 2020 and was sidelined in In Pro Stock, Matt Hartford won in Carlos Estévez got three straight Tampa Bay 30 19 .612 _ Guerrero’s second shot was a two- Houston Raceway Park. February due to the COVID-19 pan- Houston for the second time in his outs for his second save. Boston 29 19 .604 -1/2 run drive in the eighth off Ryan Torrence needed just a 4.00 to career, besting Deric Kramer in the Twins 8, Orioles 3 New York 28 19 .596 1 earn career win No. 43 after Kalit- fi nal round for his fourth career vic- Toronto 23 23 .500 5-1/2 Thompson to tie it at 5. DRAG RACING In Minneapolis, Mitch Garver hit a Baltimore 17 30 .362 12 Lourdes Gurriel Jr and Teoscar ta’s Mobil 1/TRD dragster smoked tory. Hartford went 7.660 at 145.11 two-run double and short-handed Central Division the tires early. Torrence has lost in his Camaro to win for the fi rst Minnesota used a six-run eighth inning W L Pct GB Hernández also homered for the Blue just two rounds this season and has demic, defeated Ron Capps in the time in 2021. Chicago 27 19 .587 _ Jays, who played their final game at to beat Baltimore. Cleveland 25 20 .556 1-1/2 14 round wins to extend his lead in Funny Car fi nal. Capps also smoked Rain washed out most of the fi nal DJ Stewart hit a two-run homer for TD Ballpark. Toronto dropped seven the Camping World Top Fuel stand- the tires on the NAPA Dodge while eliminations Sunday. Kansas City 22 23 .489 4-1/2 of 10 on the final homestand and fin- a 3-2 Orioles lead as the first batter Detroit 18 29 .383 9-1/2 Minnesota 18 29 .383 9-1/2 ished 10-11 at its spring training facil- following a 45-minute rain delay in the West Division ity. Wong’s two-out, two-run single later Indians 6, Tigers 5 liner to right field with the bases load- eighth inning. But the Twins rallied W L Pct GB The Blue Jays will now relocate to in the inning finished Blake Snell In Detroit, Jordan Luplow made a ed, preserving Cleveland’s victory with six straight two-out hits in the Oakland 28 21 .571 _ diving catch on Eric Haase’s sinking bottom half. Houston 26 21 .553 1 Buffalo, New York, as COVID-19 (1-1), who allowed a season-high five over Detroit. Seattle 22 26 .458 5-1/2 restrictions in Canada prevent them earned runs. Luplow, who entered as a defensive Jorge Alcala (1-1), who returned to Texas 22 27 .449 6 from playing in Toronto. White Sox 5, Cardinals 1 replacement an inning earlier, made the the mound after the delay, allowed two Los Angeles 20 27 .426 7 Brewers 5, Padres 3 runs and two hits in an inning for the National League In Chicago, White Sox manager clutch grab for the final out to help East Division In Milwaukee, Brewers closer Josh Tony La Russa wound up a winner in closer Emmanuel Clase escape with his Twins. W L Pct GB Hader stopped San Diego’s rally in the his first game against the team that eighth save in nine chances. Trevor Larnach and Kyle Garlick New York 21 20 .512 _ ninth inning, and the Padres’ nine- ensured his Hall of Fame induction as Spencer Turnbull allowed three runs homered for Minnesota, which had Atlanta 23 24 .489 1 four starters active but not available to Miami 23 24 .489 1 game winning streak ended with a loss Chicago beat St. Louis behind Lance in six innings for the Tigers in his first Philadelphia 23 25 .479 1-1/2 to Milwaukee. Lynn’s arm and Andrew Vaughn’s bat. game since pitching a no-hitter at start the game due to injury. Washington 20 23 .465 2 Fresh off sweeping a nine-game The victory ended a three-game skid Seattle last week. The teams opened the three-game Central Division homestand, the Padres trailed 5-0 for the AL Central leaders, who were Cleveland scored three unearned series with matching 17-29 records, W L Pct GB St Louis 26 21 .553 _ going into the ninth. swept at Yankee Stadium after winning runs in the seventh to take a 6-3 lead. the worst in the majors. Baltimore has Chicago 24 22 .522 1-1/2 Tommy Pham hit a two-run homer 10 of 13. The NL Central-leading Willi Castro hit a two-run homer in the lost seven in a row and 14 of 16. Milwaukee 24 23 .511 2 off Angel Perdomo. Hader relieved Cardinals dropped their second bottom half. Mariners 4, Athletics 2 Cincinnati 20 25 .444 5 with a runner on first and no outs, and In Oakland, California, Kyle Lewis Pittsburgh 18 28 .391 7-1/2 straight. A wild pitch by Bryan Garcia (0-1) West Division gave up Eric Hosmer’s RBI double Lynn (5-1) held the Cardinals hitless put the Indians up 4-3. homered and made a diving catch in W L Pct GB with one out and then a walk. for 5 1/3 innings. Vaughn hit a go- Jean Carlos Mejía (1-0) pitched a center field, Yusei Kikuchi pitched six San Diego 30 18 .625 _ Hader settled down to retire Austin ahead, two-run homer off Kwang Hyun scoreless sixth for his first major smooth innings before leaving with a Los Angeles 29 18 .617 -1/2 San Francisco 28 19 .596 1-1/2 Nola on a popup and Ha-Seong Kim Kim (1-2) in the sixth. Tim Anderson league win. possible back injury, and Seattle ended Colorado 19 29 .396 11 on a lineout for his 11th save of the added a two-run double against reliev- Marlins 9, Phillies 6 a six-game losing streak by beating Arizona 18 30 .375 12 season. er Daniel Ponce de Leon. In Miami, Adam Duvall hit a three- Oakland. Brandon Woodruff (3-2) gave up After winning a World Series in run homer and Jesús Aguilar drove in Jarred Kelenic also went deep for three hits over seven innings against a Oakland, La Russa guided the Tampa Bay Rays’ Joey Wendle two runs with a double and a single to the Mariners, and Ty France doubled innings but allowed four runs and six Padres team that had won 12 of 13. He Cardinals to two World Series champi- connects for a grand slam off To- help Miami beat Philadelphia. in his return from the injured list. hits. struck out eight and walked none. onships, three pennants and nine post- ronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Corey Dickerson hit a tiebreaking Mitch Haniger added an RBI double. Kikuchi (2-3) scattered four hits Manny Pina hit an early two-run season appearances from 1996-2011. Trent Thornton during the fi rst in- two-run triple in the sixth, and Garrett Mark Canha hit his 10th home run and gave up one run. Keynan homer. Avisail Garcia led off the He left the team as its all-time leader in ning of a baseball game on May 24, Cooper had two hits and an RBI off the for the Athletics. Frankie Montas (5-4) Middleton pitched the ninth for his fourth with a homer and Kolten wins and games managed. in Dunedin, Florida. (AP) bench for the Marlins. They’ve won had a season-high 11 strikeouts in six third save. ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 SPORTS 15

Latvia blank Italy Canada lose to Germany RIGA, Latvia, May 25, (AP): Germany beat Canada 3-1 at the hockey world championship to remain undefeated through three games. Arizona Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill allowed two goals on 24 shots as Canada fell to 0-3-0. Ottawa Senators forward Nick Paul’s goal was just Canada’s second of the tournament. “We’re beating everyone but the goal- ie,” said Canada’s Connor Brown, who plays for Ottawa. “We just need a little bit of poise in the scoring areas. We’re a little jolty to get it off, we just have to take that extra second in the scoring area, pick the corner and put it home.”

ICE HOCKEY

Stefan Loibl and Matthias Plachta scored and ex-NHL defenseman Korbinian Holzer added an empty-net goal for Germany, which is atop the Group B standings with Canada tied for last. Canada outshot Germany 40-25. “That’s three straight losses from Canada – you don’t expect that,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “We’ve played good hockey so far. We just haven’t gotten the results.” Host Latvia beat Italy 3-0 to improve to 2-1-0. Martins Karsmus, who played 24 NHL games more than a decade ago, scored twice for Latvia, which got the tournament after the IIHF moved it from nearby Belarus. Chicago Blackhawks forward Dominik Kubalik scored the overtime winner for the Czech Republic, which beat Belarus 3-2. Detroit’s Filip Zadina also scored for the Czech Republic, and New Jersey’s Yegor Pittsburgh Penguins’ Jason Zucker, (right), can’t get off a shot in front of New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) with Scott Mayfield (24) defending during the second period in Game Sharangovich had a goal for Belarus. 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Pittsburgh, on May 24. (AP) NFL Roundup Islanders stun Penguins in Stafford’s thumb fine Green Bay QB Rodgers doesn’t attend Packers’ 1st day of OTAs 2OT to take 3-2 series lead NEW YORK, May 25, (AP): and going against our defense a Green Bay Packers quarterback little bit. Just above-the-neck stuff, Aaron Rodgers wasn’t present for being able to work the mental PGA apologizes to Mickelson, the first day of organized team aspect of the game. So that part of activities Monday, and his future it has been great for me. ... I feel with the team remains uncertain. like everybody is figuring out what Koepka for fans on final hole Rodgers confirmed in an ESPN works best for them as an organi- KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C., May security. interview that he wasn’t at zation, and I feel like we’ve 25, (AP): PGA of America The 50-year-old Mickelson Monday’s session. Although these accomplished that.” OTAs are vol- ❑ ❑ ❑ CEO Seth Waugh has apolo- finished off the victory, becom- untary, gized to winner Phil Mickelson ing the oldest player to win a Rodgers gener- Wide receiver Julio Jones says and Brooks Koepka for fans major title. Koepka tied for ally has partici- he’s ready to leave the Atlanta rushing onto the 18th hole at second with Louis Oosthuizen. pated in them Falcons. the PGA Championship on The 32-year-old star told FS1 Mickelson said the scene in the past. Sunday. “was a little bit unnerving, but Rodgers’ “Undisputed” host Shannon decision to stay Sharpe via telephone that “I’m it was exceptionally awesome, away comes outta there” in a brief interview. GOLF too.” amid reports Falcons general manager Terry Koepka said his surgically that the reign- Fontenot has been reportedly repaired right knee got hit by ing MVP wants entertaining trade offers for Jones After Mickelson’s approach people as he tried to break since last month. Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) skates with the puck as landed on the 18th green, spec- out of Green Rodgers through the crowd. Bay, where he When asked where he wants to Florida Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman (6) gives chase during the tators rushed past the ropes, has spent his play, Jones replied, “Right now, I first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff Koepka wondered if some- series, on May 24, in Sunrise, Florida. (AP) marshals and security at the entire NFL career. Rodgers was wanna win.” Ocean Course, quickly swarm- one purposely tried to hurt him. noncommittal about his future dur- It was unclear if Jones knew he “I don’t know, it felt somebody was live on TV. An assistant to ing the competitors as they ing his ESPN interview, but did played the 72nd hole. tried to ...” he said, cutting off detail some of his frustrations. Jimmy Sexton, Jones’ agent, told Panthers top Lightning 4-1 his thought. “I don’t know “I think sometimes people forget The Associated Press that Sexton Waugh said Monday the was unavailable. A message was organization regretted that the what the deal was, but it’s what what really makes an organiza- it is.” tion,” Rodgers said. “History is left seeking comment from Fox PITTSBURGH, May 25, The Lightning still lead the scene “made two players and important, the legacy of so many Sports. (AP): Josh Bailey took best-of-seven series 3-2 and host their caddies feel vulnerable.” Waugh said player safety is a people who’ve come before you. Jones was the sixth overall pick Game 6 on Wednesday night. Waugh’s statement, released chief goal and he was glad But the people, that’s the most in 2011 and has spent all 10 sea- advantage of a sloppy give- on social media, said the charge order was restored. Fans cir- important thing. People make an sons with the Falcons and is the But Knight - the third different away by goaltender Tristan goalie to start for Florida in this came from “a moment of high cled the final green and cele- organization. People make a busi- franchise’s leader in receptions brated when Mickelson fin- with 848 and yards receiving with Jarry, sending the puck series - stymied the reigning elation and pent-up emotion by ness, and sometimes that gets for- spectators” and overwhelmed ished off the win. gotten. Culture is built brick by 12,896. He has 60 touchdown into the wide-open net 51 Stanley Cup champions. brick, the foundation of it by the catches. He’s been selected to the seconds into the second Mason Marchment and Patric people, not by the organization, not Pro Bowl seven times and has overtime to give the New Hornqvist scored for the by the building, not by the corpora- been an All-Pro twice. tion. It’s built by the people.” ❑ ❑ ❑ York Islanders a 3-2 victo- Panthers, and Frank Vatrano Stanford freshman Rachel Heck ❑ ❑ ❑ added an empty-netter with 14.6 The NFL plans to review ry over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5. seconds left. Aleksander Barkov Matthew Stafford says his off- Eugene Chung’s allegations that a had a pair of assists. claims women’s NCAA golf title season thumb surgery isn’t an team official made discriminatory Jarry ventured out of Pittsburgh’s impediment to anything he wants comments during his interview for net to handle a loose puck and Ross Colton had Tampa Bay’s SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, May 25, to do during his first offseason a coaching position. instead fed it right to Bailey, who goal, and Andrei Vasilevskiy (AP): Rachel Heck became the workouts with the Los Angeles Chung, a 1992 first-round pick gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead in the stopped 34 shots. ninth freshman to win the women’s Rams. by New England who played five best-of-seven series with the easi- Maple Leafs 2, Canadiens 1 NCAA individual title with a one- Learning a new offense and get- seasons in the league and served as est of his three goals of the play- shot victory at Grayhawk Golf ting to know every player in the an assistant coach for a decade, offs. In Montreal, Morgan Rielly Club. Rams’ locker room present more told The Boston Globe he was told scored the go-ahead goal in the he was “not the right minority” by Heck finished the four-round than enough challenges for the vet- second period, Jack Campbell tournament at 8 under, becoming eran passer, but he’s confident he an interviewer. Chung, who is ICE HOCKEY made 28 saves and Toronto has enough time to get everything Korean American, didn’t identify Stanford’s first individual champi- done. the team. edged Montreal to take a 2-1 on in program history. She also And after the NFL missed out “We will review the matter,” Game 6 is in New York on lead in their first-round playoff joined Annie Park and Marisa on most offseason team work last NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy Wednesday. series. Baena as the only women to win spring due to the coronavirus pan- said in a statement. “That comment Ilya Sorokin stopped 48 shots William Nylander scored his Division I conference, regional and demic, Stafford is grateful he is completely inappropriate and third goal in as many games for national individual titles in the picked this year to switch teams. contrary to league values and work- - a franchise playoff record for a same season. “Selfishly, I’m liking these place policies. The NFL and its rookie goaltender - and kept the Toronto, which hasn’t won a times,” Stafford said Monday in clubs are committed to providing Islanders in the game during a playoff series since 2004 and can his first public comments since the equal employment opportunities to regulation the Penguins con- go up 3-1 in Game 4 back at the GOLF start of the Rams’ offseason pro- all personnel in a manner that is trolled from nearly start to finish. Bell Centre on Tuesday night. gram. “It’s giving me the chance to consistent with our commitment to Nick Suzuki had the lone goal be on the field and calling plays diversity, equity and inclusion.” Anthony Beauvillier scored in Heck began the day with a five- the first period on a brilliant rush for Montreal, and Carey Price shot lead. She made the turn with and Jordan Eberle beat an out-of- stopped 27 shots. Winnipeg Jets’ Blake Wheeler (26) two birdies and two bogeys. She The Maple Leafs remained celebrates a goal by Mark Scheifele position Jarry midway through during the third period of an NHL bogeyed two of the first three holes the third period to pull New York without captain John Tavares, hockey Stanley Cup playoff game to start the back nine, but made par even. who’s expected to miss at least against the Edmonton Oilers, on the rest of the way. Evgeni Malkin scored his first two weeks with a concussion and May 24, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “I dreamed about (winning the postseason goal in more than two knee injury suffered during a (AP) title) but realistically, I didn’t years for the Penguins. Bryan scary collision in Game 1. Nick know. There are 140 amazing play- Foligno also sat out the game Vegas, which was looking to ers here and four days anything can Rust added his second of the happen,” Heck said. “I’m just at a series. Pittsburgh captain Sidney with a lower-body injury. close out a playoff series at home for the first time, leads the series loss for words right now, I just got Crosby picked up assist on Rust’s Wild 4, Golden Knights 2 done and my heart is beating really tally to move past Hall of Famer 3-2. Game 6 is scheduled for fast.” In Las Vegas, Cam Talbot Wednesday in St. Paul, Brett Hull and into seventh-place made 37 saves and Minnesota UCLA sophomore Emma Spitz on the NHL’s career playoff beat Vegas despite having only Minnesota. shot a 4-under 68 and finished sec- scoring list. 14 shots on goal to stave off Mark Stone and Alec Martinez ond. Stanford sophomore Angelina Panthers 4, Lightning 1 scored for the Golden Knights. Ye was third at 6 under for the elimination in their opening- tournament. In Sunrise, Florida, rookie round playoff series. Marc-Andre Fleury, who allowed four goals in the first four games, Stanford, defending champion Spencer Knight stopped 36 shots, Jordan Greenway’s second- Duke, Oklahoma State, Mississippi, In this Jan 3, 2021 file photo, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew MacKenzie Weegar had a goal period goal was the winner for made 10 saves. It marked the Texas, Auburn, Arizona State and Stafford throws during the first half of an NFL football game against and an assist, and Florida beat the Wild, who also got goals first time Fleury allowed more Arizona advanced to the eight-team the Minnesota Vikings in Detroit. (AP) Tampa Bay in Game 5 of their from Kirill Kaprizov, Zach than two goals in a game in 14 portion of match play starting on Central Division playoff series. Parise, and Nico Sturm. contests. Tuesday. ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021 16

Atletico Madrid players celebrate with the trophy at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain. Atletico Madrid survived a dramatic fi nal round to clinch their fi rst Spanish league title since 2014 with a 2-1 come- from-behind win at Valladolid on Saturday. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Nuggets rout Blazers to even series Bucks capitalize on hot start to roll past Heat

DENVER, May 25, (AP): Nikola Jokic and the Den- ver Nuggets played with an unspoken sense of urgency. So no talk, just a much more physical mentality. Jokic scored 38 points to overcome a 3-point shooting barrage from Dami- an Lillard and the Nuggets evened the fi rst-round series by beating the Port- land Trail Blazers 128-109 on Monday night in a chippy Game 2. Jokic also had eight rebounds and fi ve assists, which was four more than he dished out in Game 1 when the Blazers made sure the big man didn’t beat him with his pinpoint passing. The third-seeded Nuggets had few answers for Lillard early on as the dynamic playmaker scored 32 of his 42 points in the fi rst half. His eight 3-pointers before intermission tied an NBA playoff record for most in a half. Lillard fi nished 9 of 16 from 3-point range. A change of plans at halftime helped slow down Lillard. Denver put the 6-foot-9 Aaron Gordon on the 6-2 guard. Lillard’s already thinking ahead to Game 3 in Portland on Thursday and what he will do to counteract Gordon’s defensive tenacity. BASKETBALL

It was a physical affair, with four technical fouls being issued (three on Denver, including one on Jokic) and two fl agrant-1 calls (CJ McCollum and Carmelo Anthony). Up by 20 points midway through the fourth quarter, the Nuggets withstood a mini-rally from Portland before Fac- undo Campazzo sealed the win with a 3-pointer. Monte Morris also had a big block on Lillard. Michael Porter Jr. found his rhythm Lille players pose with the trophy in Camphin en Pevele, northern France, May 24, to celebrate winning the French League One Soccer. Victory gave Lille a fourth French crown and stopped and fi nished with 18 points. He was PSG from sealing a record-equaling 10th to join Marseille and Saint-Etienne. (AP) 3-of-6 from 3-point range after going 1-of-10 from long distance in Game 1. nearly as much notice as some other The usually sure-handed Blazers moves. Australia to play Kuwait on June 3 committed 21 turnovers. They also Looks pretty good right now. were outscored 54-32 in the paint, Forbes made six 3-pointers on his 16-4 in fast-break points and 21-4 in way to 22 points, and the Milwaukee After 18 months, Socceroos second-chance points. Bucks routed the Miami Heat 132-98 While Lillard lit it up - and McCol- for a 2-0 lead in their fi rst-round play- lum added 21 - the Nuggets kept An- off series. thony (fi ve points) and Anfernee Simons The 27-year-old Forbes spent his ‘assemble’ for WC qualifiers (three) in check. They hurt the Nuggets fi rst four seasons with San Antonio, BRISBANE, Australia, May 25, coming off the bench in the series opener but he signed with Milwaukee in free with a combined 32 points. (AP): After 18 months without agency in November. a game, the gathering of Austra- The game turned physical early in Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 the fi rst, with Jusuf Nurkic and Jokic points, 13 rebounds and six assists for lian players in Dubai ahead of next getting tangled up and Jokic falling the Bucks, who were eliminated by the month’s World Cup qualifi ers feels to the fl oor. At the next timeout, the Heat in the second round of last year’s like a family reunion for head coach teams started jawing near midcourt, playoffs. Graham Arnold. leading to technical on Porter and Port- Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is “The culture I believe in the most land assistant coach Nate Tibbetts. Thursday in Miami. is a family culture within the Soc- The tempers escalated as Anthony Milwaukee shot 22 of 53 from ceroos,” he said in a video news con- pushed Jokic down and drew a fl a- 3-point range - including 15 of 29 in ference. “The coaching staff are my grant-1 foul. Just when things began to the fi rst half - and never trailed while brothers, the players are my kids.” settle down, Morris picked up a techni- leading by as many as 36 points. The Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton, (center), fights for the ball In that case, they’ve been very cal right after the halftime horn. Lillard Bucks’ 22 3-pointers were their high- against Miami Heat forwards Nemanja Bjelica (70) and Andre Iguodala (28) distant relatives, scattered across shot the free throw to start the second est total ever in a playoff game. during the second half of Game 2 of their NBA basketball first-round playoff four continents with the likes of Mat half. Milwaukee’s two victories in this series in Milwaukee. (AP) Ryan at Arsenal, Brad Smith with Bucks 132, Heat 98 series couldn’t have looked more dif- 109-107 victory in Game 1. Milwau- “They made a lot of shots, but we the Seattle Sounders and Adam Tag- In Milwaukee, when the Milwaukee ferent. gart in Osaka, Japan. Bucks conducted a roster makeover in The Bucks needed Khris Middle- kee essentially put away Game 2 in didn’t make anything diffi cult on them the wake of an early playoff exit, the ton’s tiebreaking jumper with 0.5 the fi rst quarter when its 3-point attack or take anything away,” said Miami’s addition of Bryn Forbes didn’t earn seconds left in overtime to pull out a went from fi zzling to sizzling. Jimmy Butler, who scored 10 points. SOCCER

Arnold announced a squad of 31 Tampa Bay Rays’ Ryan Yarbrough ‘It’s quite a tough situation, a tough format’ players Tuesday, drafting them in pitches to the Toronto Blue Jays from 14 countries for a series of four during the first inning of a baseball games in 13 days in Kuwait. Austra- game in Dunedin, Fla. Rays score 7 in 11th to beat Blue Jays 14-8. Virus poses financial, logistical challenges for Euro ’20 lia resume the second round of Asian (AP) – See Page 14 qualifying with a match against Ku- LONDON, May 25, (AP): A tourna- ber associations staging games was tions aren’t imposed. But not all sup- charest with fans from those countries wait on June 3. ment intended to be a celebration of dwindled down from 13 to 11 after porters will be able to travel to games, in attendance. The Australians will then play gered arrivals in Dubai until the European soccer will instead refl ect Belgium was cut before the pandemic impacting atmosphere and UEFA’s “This is very sad news but we have Taiwan on June 7, Nepal June 11 and squad leaves for Kuwait on May many of the uncertainties that have and Dublin lost its games more recent- revenue streams. what we have,” Ukraine goalkeeper An- Jordan on June 15. 31. The Australians are missing out beset the sport during the coronavirus ly because Ireland isn’t able to guaran- driy Pyatov said. “We should be stronger Arnold’s squad scored 16 goals on three home games in the second pandemic. tee having fans. than before and play for our fans. They and conceded one to lead Group B stage after the remaining Group B Just completing the European The event should still be the fi rst SOCCER have cut our ’12th man’ in the Nether- games were all switched to Kuwait. Championship a year later than lands. We should show them how we are in November 2019 with four straight chance for the widespread return of wins. But that was before the CO- The rapid proximity of Australia’s planned - with teams fl ying around Eu- Ukraine, for instance, will play its strong.” Travel conditions could change last four games in the second stage rope to play games - will be a triumph fans to stadiums around Europe since mid-tournament, however. VID-19 pandemic disrupted every- March 2020, assuming new restric- group matches in Amsterdam and Bu- thing. will help “get rid of the ring rust,” on a continent trying to supress new Playing the delayed tournament is es- Arnold said. “To be able to play four coronavirus variants. sential for UEFA’s cash fl ow, with about While most teams in the top 50 UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin 2 billion euros ($2.5 billion) of revenue in the world rankings have played games in a short amount of time and inherited a complex plan from Michel on the line after already incurring costs of matches since the global shutdown get ourselves ready for the third phase Platini that he has long held reserva- 300 million euros ($367 million) because started to ease, the Socceroos haven’t of World Cup qualifi ers is important.” tions about, even before the corona- of the delay. The governing body also re- assembled since a 1-0 win over Jor- The top team in the group are virus outbreak added to the logistical leased more than 235 million euros ($288 dan in Amman in November 2019. guaranteed a spot in the third round complexities. million) to help its 55 member associa- Domestic and international bor- of Asian qualifying for Qatar 2022. “It’s quite a tough situation, a tough tions cope with the pandemic. der restrictions have made selec- Australia, aiming to qualify for a fi fth format by itself, and with COVID it’s In a hosting plan that has posed so tion tricky for Arnold. Australia’s consecutive World Cup, lead the group even tougher,” Ceferin told The Asso- many challenges, selecting London A-League is still running, meaning with 12 points, two clear of Kuwait and ciated Press. “So it’s not easy but now for the climax is looking fortuitous be- some players were unavailable for Jordan but with a game in hand. it looks OK and I can’t imagine that cause Britain has delivered the fastest the national team, and veterans such Australia Squad: Behich, Brandon this crisis will be worse.” vaccine rollout in Europe. There is still as Shanghai-based Aaron Mooy and Borrello, Martin Boyle, Milos De- The risk of coronavirus infections a hope that by the time the semifi nals Celtic midfi elder Tom Rogic have genek, Kenneth Dougall, Mitchell is increased the more travel for the 24 and fi nal are played at Wembley Sta- withdrawn from selection because of Duke, Denis Genreau, Apostolos teams there is, as well as adding to the dium all 90,000 seats could be fi lled, family and injury reasons. Giannou, Curtis Good, Rhyan Grant, workload on players after a pandemic- helping a sport where billions of dol- James Holland, Ajdin Hrustic, Chris congested season. lars have been lost amid the pandemic. “The way that the world is at the “It actually makes it harder, because “The whole football ecosystem, at pro- moment with the quarantine side of Ikonomidis, Jackson Irvine, Fran you have more travel, less recovery fessional, amateur and youth levels, has things and COVID around, it’s down Karacic, Mathew Leckie, Awer etc.,” said Jonas Baer-Hoffmann, the been heavily disrupted by the pandemic,” to the individual. It’s a very strong Mabil, Jamie MacLaren, Ryan Mc- general secretary of world players’ In this Thursday, Feb 11, 2021 filer, a view of the Saint-Petersburg Arena Ceferin wrote in UEFA’s recent report squad, we’ve got great depth in ev- Gowan, Riley McGree, Connor Met- union FIFPRO. “We have seen that in St Petersburg, Russia. With coronavirus restrictions eased to allow fans assessing the state of European soccer ery position and I’m excited about calfe, Andrew Redmayne, Nikita travel is a substantial risk factor to any back into stadiums, there at least will be some atmosphere at the tourna- fi nances. “This requires concerted efforts the players coming here.” Rukavystya, Mathew Ryan, Trent of the COVID protocols that profes- ment after months of games being played without any. Budapest wants all and a coordinated response throughout the He said the homecoming formali- Sainsbury, Brad Smith, Harry Sout- sional sports have undertaken.” fans to come, while Saint Petersburg and Baku hope to use 50% of stadium football pyramid. Solidarity, not self-inter- ties would have to be quick, with tar, Adam Taggart, Lawrence Thom- At least the number of UEFA mem- capacity. (AP) est, must prevail and will win the day.” players joining the coaches in stag- as, Ruon Tongyik, Danny Vukovic.

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