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TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 / RAMADAN 1, 1442 AH emergency number 112 NO. 17662 16 PAGES 150 FILS Ramadan Kareem

ACTION UNLIKELY TO IMPEDE BIDEN BID TO ENGAGE TEHRAN Iran pins Natanz sabotage on Israel

Pentagon chief declares ‘ironclad’ US commitment to Israel

DUBAI, April 12, (AP): Iran blamed Israel on Monday for a sabotage attack on its un- set off a fire while a spokesman mentioned a “possible minor explosion.” The attack further strains relations between the US, which under President Joe Biden is now negotiating in Vienna to re- derground Natanz nuclear facility that damaged its centrifuges, an assault that imperils enter the nuclear accord, and Israel, whose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to stop the deal at all costs. ongoing talks over Tehran’s tattered nuclear deal and brings a shadow war between the Netanyahu met Monday with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, whose arrival in Israel coincided with the first word of two countries into the light. the attack. The two spoke briefly to journalists but took no questions. “My policy as prime minister of Israel is clear: I will never allow Iran to obtain the nuclear capability to carry out its Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack. It rarely does for operations carried out by its secret military genocidal goal of eliminating Israel,” Netanyahu said. “And Israel will continue to defend itself against Iran’s aggression and units or its Mossad intelligence agency. However, Israeli media widely reported that the country had orchestrated terrorism.” a devastating cyberattack that caused a blackout at the nuclear facility. At an earlier news conference at Israel’s Nevatim air base Monday, Austin declined to say whether the Natanz attack could While nature of the attack and the extent of the damage at Natanz remains unclear, a former Iranian official said the attack impede the Biden administration’s efforts to re-engage with Iran in its nuclear program. “Those efforts will continue,” Austin said. The previous Ameri- can administration under Donald Trump had pulled out of the Opinion nuclear deal with world powers, leading Iran to begin abandoning its limits. Details remained scarce about what happened early Sun- Dismantle terror day at the facility. The event was initially described only as a blackout in the electrical grid reactors in Iran feeding above-ground work- shops and underground enrich- ment halls - but later Iranian officials began referring to it as By Ahmed Al-Jarallah an attack. Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times A former chief of Iran’s para- THE recent incident that transpired in Iran’s military Revolutionary Guard nuclear facility proves right the warnings is- said the attack had also set off sued in the past years regarding the fragil- a fire at the site and called for ity of its security and safety systems. This improvements in security. In a tweet, Gen Mohsen Rezaei said raises serious concerns about how disastrous that the second attack at Natanz it would be for both human beings and the in a year signaled “the serious- environment of the region if a serious acci- ness of the infiltration phenom- dent occurs in this facility. enon.” Rezaei did not say where The Mullahs’ persistence on challenging he got his information. the international community by continu- “The answer for Natanz is to ing its nuclear program is in fact terrorism take revenge against Israel,” Iran against humanity and human existence, not Foreign Ministry spokesman just a challenge or a peaceful program as Saeed Khatibzadeh said. “Israel claimed by the leaders of the peacock vanity will receive its answer through in Iran. its own path.” He did not elabo- There is no doubt that the admission of rate. the Head of the Atomic Energy Organiza- Khatibzadeh acknowledged tion Ali Akbar Salehi that, “The mysterious that IR-1 centrifuges, the first- incident that occurred on Sunday morning generation workhorse of Iran’s at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility uranium enrichment, had been was intentional. It was an outrageous move damaged in the attack, but did and we condemn nuclear terrorism” affirms not elaborate. State television what all international organizations have has yet to show images from the been warning about. site. In case of any accident, there is no doubt Disarray that its effect will be more devastating than In this April 10, 2021 file photo, Muslims perform evening prayers at the Sunni shrine of Abdul-Qadir al-Gailani, ahead of the upcoming Muslim However, the facility seemed Ukraine’s Chernobyl incident. That is be- fasting month of Ramadan, in Baghdad, Iraq. Muslims are facing their second Ramadan in the shadow of the pandemic. Many Muslim majority to be in such disarray that, fol- cause the Iranian facilities are old, not sub- countries have been hit by an intense new coronavirus wave. (AP) lowing the attack, a prominent ject to the supervision of international orga- nuclear spokesman Behrouz Ka- nizations, and do not conform to acceptable malvandi walking above ground scientific and legal standards. Al-Suwait warns Speaker at the site fell 7 meters (23 feet) For this reason, a nuclear agreement be- through an open ventilation shaft tween Iran and the international community covered by aluminum debris, is no longer required based on the premise breaking both his legs and hurt- of submission to the international organiza- ing his head. tion. Rather, what is required is a complete MP urges PM to submit to grilling “A possible minor explosion dismantling of this program under the super- had scattered debris,” Kamalvan- vision of the United Nations. di said, without elaborating. In addition, such an international agree- By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh it does not serve its purpose. Iranian Foreign Minister Mo- Arab Times Staff He argued HH the Prime hammad Javad Zarif warned Na- ment should also ensure the cessation of all Minister was wrong when he Iranian research in this regard, especially KUWAIT CITY, April 12: MP tanz would be reconstructed with described himself as someone Day by Day more advanced machines. That since the policy pursued by the Mullahs Ahmed Mutei Al-Azmi urged who is not after senior posi- regime for 41 years has been based on the His Highness the Prime Minister would allow Iran to more quickly tions, considering the premier enrich uranium, complicating the principle of expansionism through terror- Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid to stand remained in his office although OH, the Prime Minister of the ratio- tions by the Covid-19 pandemic. ism force, and the stirring of sectarian and on the grilling podium in order to nuclear talks. 38 MPs signed a no confidence nal government, I mean the govern- Your Highness, the Prime Minister, “The Zionists wanted to take creedal strife in the region, which, in other defend himself and reply to the ment of Kuwait, not the government do not justify your actions by referring motion against him and 31 MPs revenge against the Iranian peo- words, is tantamount to another hundred grilling motions filed against him. announced later that they do not of the ‘Wak-Wak’. Just look at what to the Constitution, the National As- Al-Azmi reminded HH the Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and all sembly, or the social media. It will be ple for their success on the path years of war sought by this backward re- want him to continue in his post. of lifting sanctions,” Iran’s state- gime. Prime Minister about his prom- He wondered about HH the other Gulf states, with the exception you alone who one day will be held ise to refrain from postponing the of Kuwait, of course, have done to accountable, and it will be then much run IRNA news agency quoted Undoubtedly, the first victim of the poli- Prime Minister’s justification for Zairf as saying. “But we do not cies of the political prostitution regime that grilling motions, requesting dis- save their economies. more severe than what is now. postponing the grilling motions Also look at what the whole world … Yet, tomorrow is just another allow (it), and we will take re- has prevailed for four decades is the Iranian cussion of the motions in a closed- for almost one and a half year as door session and referring the mo- has done to avoid or rather over- day. venge for this action against the people. It has reached the level where ac- the latter asserted that he is care- come the damage done to their na- Zahed Matar Zionists.” ceptance of its comeback to the international tions to the Constitutional Court ful about the citizens’ time. He or the parliamentary Legislative Officials launched an effort arena would mean acceptance of global ter- argued that if HH the Prime Min- Monday to provide emergency rorism, undermining of all agreements and and Legal Affairs Committee. ister is really careful about the He also affirmed support for power to Natanz, said Ali Ak- treaties, and encouragement for other rogue citizens’ time, he should not have bar Salehi, the head of Iran’s ci- the grilling motions against HH suspended the work of the execu- states to practice this type of destructive the Prime Minister, as well as Newswatch vilian nuclear program. He said policies. the motions which will be filed tive and legislative authorities for the sabotage had not stopped In confirmation, we note that the current against any minister. three months. He added the pre- enrichment there, without elab- direct and indirect negotiations between He called on his colleagues to mier is the last one in Kuwait to orating. talk about the value of time. KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s Ministry congratulate him on advent of the the United States of America and Iran are listen carefully to his presentation month of Ramadhan. Also: ongoing in a vicious circle, as the two sides He also addressed Al-Ghanim: of Health has confi rmed recording on the grilling of Health Minister 1,390 new coronavirus infections Sheikh Tamim wished Kuwait TEL AVIV: US hardly reach any agreement until the Iranian Dr Basel Al-Sabah, asserting that “If you do not adhere to the Con- Defense Secre- stitution and law, we will not and four related deaths in the past enjoyed progress and prosperity tary Lloyd Austin on Sunday negotiator imposes impossible conditions he is sure his colleagues will find 24 hours. under His Highness wise leader- on his American counterpart that derails the out the minister is a loser once submit to your hammer.” declared an “enduring and iron- The new fi gures take the total ship. clad” American commitment to talks. they hear the latter’s response. In another development, MP His Highness the Amir thanked cases up to 247,094 and deaths to Israel, reinforcing support at a Therefore, if the goal is to ensure some On the other hand, MP Thamer Ali Al-Qattan submitted a pro- 1,407 respectively, noted the min- Sheikh Tamim for his warm ges- Al-Suwait said Kuwait witnessed posal to develop the local tour- ture that embodied the historical tense time in Israeli politics and form of restriction on Iran’s nuclear pro- istry’s spokesman Dr. Abdullah amid questions about the Biden gram or ballistic missiles, it will be similar three coup attempts targeting the ism sector; such that it becomes Al-Sanad. and distinguished bonds between Constitution in 1976, 1986 and a major source of income. He pointed out that some 1,394 the two countries and wished Qa- administration’s efforts to revive to the Munich Agreement in 1938, which nuclear negotiations with Isra- allowed Hitler to commit the most horrific on March 30, 2021. He explained the proposal is more people had been cured of the tar more progress and prosperity. (KUNA) el’s archenemy, Iran. crimes against humanity. This will not be He pointed out the latest coup aimed at obligating the ministries virus over the past day, raising the and other public institutions to total of those to have overcome the ❑ ❑ ❑ Austin’s first talks in Israel allowed not only by the countries of the re- was committed by the new plotters led by National Assembly Speaker contribute to laying down a strat- disease to 231,240. since he became Pentagon chief gion, but also the countries of the civilized egy to put Kuwait on the regional He added that the number of KUWAIT CITY: Chairman of the in January come as the United Marzouq Al-Ghanim and HH the Municipal Council, Engineer Osa- world. Therefore, dismantling of terror reac- and international touristic map. people hospitalized with the virus States seeks to leverage Middle tors in Iran has become a necessity for all Prime Minister with the same ob- ma Al-Otaibi, addressed a ques- jectives as the previous coup at- He made clear that such a strategy currently stands at 14,447, with East diplomatic progress made humanity. 225 of them in intensive care units. tion to the Minister of State for by the Trump administration, tempts – deliberate disruption of must include the improvement of Municipal Affairs and the Minister the hotel Industry and activating (KUNA) which brokered a deal normaliz- Email: [email protected] the work of the executive authority ❑ ❑ ❑ of State for Housing and Urban and depriving the executive au- the Kuwaiti role in hosting sports ing relations between Israel and Follow me on: Development Shaya Al-Shaya re- several Arab states. thority of a chance to progress. activities, exposés and confer- KUWAIT CITY: His Highness the garding the violation of the Munici- He quoted the late Kuwaiti ences. He called for improvement Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad pal Council’s decision to develop constitutional expert Dr Othman of transportation, communication, Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received Mon- the Mubarakiya heritage area and Ramadan Timings traditional handcrafts and whole- day a call from Qatari Amir Sheikh agreeing on the provisions and [email protected] Abdulmalik Al-Saleh as saying that the Constitution must be en- sale trading as part of the tourism Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to tasks not provided by its clauses. Iftar ...... Tuesday ...... 18:13 forced in its entirety; otherwise, sector’s development. Imsak .... Wednesday ...03:49 ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 2

End-April deadline for Global Water Award

he Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award continues technologies. In addition, Suqia added the new ‘Innovative Crisis Solutions Jan Riedel from Germany, the winner of the second cycle’s ‘Innovative In- Tits mission of inspiring companies, research centres and institutes, innova- Award’ to the three existing categories to allow the participation of more re- dividual Award – Youth’ category, shared that, after winning, he was able to tors and young people from around the world to present their most innovative search institutions and individuals. implement three projects which provide safe drinking water to three schools solutions that can sustainably provide potable water to the deprived, needy The winners saw the Award as an opportunity to show their projects they de- in Tanzania. Riedel is eyeing to roll out three new projects this 2021. He and afflicted people in any parts of the world. signed to make a difference in more communities around the world. Through aspires to invest his prize in supporting innovation in Tanzania by providing HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime the initiative, they were given a chance to develop more efficient technologies students with simple equipment such as pipes and small pumps to allow them Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Award, which is or- at a lower cost with more efficiency, improve their skills and that of their team to create new projects and technologies. Riedel is looking forward to partici- ganised by the UAE Water Aid Corporation (Suqia), under the umbrella of the members and enhance innovation in their work environments. pating in the third cycle of the Award, especially with its expansion to include Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation. Dr Hamed Beheshti, Co-Founder and CEO of Boreal Light GmbH (Ger- renewable energy such as wind energy. All companies, research centres and institutes, innovators and youths from many), commended the Award’s worthy mission to help address the global Alfredo Zolezzi, Founder and CEO of Plasma Waters also commented all over the world who have innovative technologies that can provide solu- water crisis through innovation and development of advanced technologies. on how the Award had helped the company after winning the ‘Innovation tions to water scarcity can register to the Award’s third cycle until April 30, Boreal Light GmbH won second place in the second cycle’s ‘Innovative Proj- Research & Development Award - Global Institutions’ category during the 2021 via https://www.suqia.ae/ar/awards ects Award - Small Projects’ category. second cycle. In the previous two cycles, pioneering projects, which used the latest sus- “The Award had allowed us expand the scope of our projects, which ini- “After receiving the award, many potential clients had expressed inter- tainable innovations in the areas of reverse osmosis, solar power and solar tially involved implementing the largest number of solar-powered desalina- est in our technology. Aiming to install the units that we developed for our thermal power, and those using technologies to convert liquids into plasma, tion plants in Africa, and opened doors for us to reach new countries such Kenya project in cooperation with Airbus Foundation and succeeded in dou- have dominated the Award. as Indonesia and the Philippines. Through the Award, new investors were bling the number of our projects in the country. As a result, we successfully HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at introduced to our innovative technologies, and we were able to improve the provided safe water to thousands of deprived Kenyan children. We are cur- Suqia UAE, confirmed that the Award’s scope was expanded to include new capacity of our human resources. With the expansion of the Award’s scope to rently working on projects to install seven units in Chile and three units in technologies that produce, distribute, store, monitor, desalinate and purify wa- include renewable energy, we are looking forward to participating in its third the Indian city of Pune, India. We also received the support from Siemens ter using renewable energy. Suqia made its decision after seeing the Award’s cycle and highlighting our capability in finding a sustainable solution to help Caring Hands, which funded one unit to help combat the coronavirus pan- vital contribution to the development and innovation of new and leading the poor gain access to safe and potable water,” said Beheshti. demic,” said Zolezzi.

On 15 March 2021, at about 7:40 UTC the Emirates eXploration Imager (EXI) captured a monochromatic image of the Elysium and Tharsis volcanic systems. However, the formation and history of these large scars remain some- the Cerberus Fossae with a spatial scale of approximately 180 meters/pixel. The image was taken near periapsis what enigmatic. Some have proposed they may have been the source for catastrophic releases of groundwater, on one of the fi nal transition orbits between Hope’s capture orbit and science orbit, and so is one of the highest perhaps triggered by volcanic activity. More recently NASA’s Insight lander has identifi ed Mars quakes originating spatial resolution images that EXI will take. Following the successful transition to the science orbit, Hope will al- in the Cerberus Fossae fracture system that indicates a tectonically and, perhaps recently, volcanically active ways be higher above the surface of Mars. Cerberus Fossae is a fracture system that stretches for more than 1,000 system. Evidence for modern-day processes is abundant as erosional wind streaks can be seen behind the large km across the Martian surface. The origin of the fractures themselves may be related to nearby features such as craters in the center of the image. Hope Probe transitions to science orbit Bid to build fi rst complete picture of Mars’ atmospheric dynamics

he Emirates Mars Mission, the first interplanetary exploration under- curate and efficient management of the measurements from the spacecraft’s give us a holistic, powerful and unique picture of Mars’ atmosphere that we Ttaken by an Arab nation, has commenced its transition from its capture three instruments. The mission’s two-year science data collection will for- hope will answer many, many questions we have about the planet and our orbit to its science orbit with the successful completion of a 510 second mally commence on 23 May 2021, with data being made available globally theories regarding its atmospheric loss,” said Al Matroushi. (8.36 minutes) burn of its thrusters. Barring the requirement for a minor in October. The Hope probe carries three science instruments: course correction, the spacecraft is now in its final orbit of Mars and ready “Once we have established our stable science orbit and deployed our instru- EXI — The Emirates eXploration Imager is a 12 megapixel digital camera for its two-year science data gathering phase — the core aim of the mis- ments, we can start building datasets and testing our systems with the live that captures high-resolution images of Mars along with measuring water ice sion. data,” said Hessa Al Matroushi, EMM Science Lead. “This is the data we will and ozone in the lower atmosphere through the UV bands. “Although the Hope probe is a huge achievement and a source of great be processing, formatting and sharing with the world’s science and academic EMIRS — The Emirates Mars InfraRed Spectrometer collects information national pride, its core objective, defined right from day one of this mission, communities openly through our website.” on surface and atmospheric temperatures and measures the global distribution is to build the first complete picture of Mars’ atmospheric dynamics.” Said The painstaking process of science data gathering consists of making re- of dust, ice cloud, and water vapor in the Martian lower atmosphere. Omran Sharaf, EMM Project Director. “The TSM manoeuvre was critically peated ‘passes’ around Mars and mapping each set of measurements to build a EMUS — The Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer measures oxygen important and I can say was the last truly scary moment for the mission be- dynamic picture of the movement of dust, ice and water vapour throughout the and carbon monoxide in the thermosphere and the variability of hydrogen and cause there was a very real risk of losing the spacecraft during this last burn. planet’s atmospheric layers. As well as measuring Hydrogen, Oxygen, Car- oxygen in the exosphere. We’re now assessing the results of that burn, but I can say we are confident bon Monoxide and Ozone, the probe will capture variations in temperature. EMM and the Hope probe are the culmination of an international collabora- that we will not need a further large correction manoeuvre.” The unique elliptical 25-degree orbit of the Hope probe enables a planet-wide, tion, knowledge transfer and development effort. The spacecraft and its in- The transition saw the Hope probe move from its 1,063 by 42,461 cap- high resolution sample to be taken each 225 hours (9.5 days). struments were designed and developed by MBRSC engineers working with ture orbit to a 20,000 by 43,000 science orbit. The manoeuvre was the last “If you imagine spinning a basketball on your finger and then wrapping it academic partners, including LASP at the University of Colorado, Boulder; scheduled ‘big burn’ in the spacecraft’s journey from its launch on the 20th with wool as it spins, you get an idea of how Hope covers the whole planet Arizona State University and the University of California, Berkeley. July 2020. The science phase will commence on 14 April with a number of over consecutive orbits. While we’re doing that, we’re constantly measuring The Hope Probe’s historic journey to the Red Planet coincides with a year calibration and test runs that aim to establish a sound baseline for the ac- with two spectrometers and an imager. These three data streams combine to of celebrations to mark the UAE’s Golden Jubilee.

editor’s choice ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 3

Weather Expected weather for the next moderate north easterly wind to Bubyan - - Prayer Timings 24 hours: north westerly wind with speeds Jahra 34 20 By Day: Rather hot with light of 12-35 km/h and some scat- Failaka Island - - Fajr ...... 04:02 Asr ...... 15:23 to moderate freshening at times tered clouds will appear. Salmiyah 31 21 Sunrise .. 05:26 Maghrib .. 18:12 north westerly wind to north east- Station Max Exp Min Rec Ahmadi 30 22 Zohr ...... 11:49 Isha ...... 19:32 erly wind with speeds of 12-40 Kuwait City 32 21 Nuwaisib 38 20 km/h. Kuwait Airport 33 21 Wafra 34 20 By Night: Fair with light to Abdaly 35 18 Salmy 35 17

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

KFH slides 10 fils, National Industries Group gains Kuwait market retreats as profit booking dents sentiment By John Mathews ■ UUS$/KDS$/KD 0.30175/850.30175/85 Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Kuwait stocks ▲ Euro/KD 0.3593 retreated on Monday, snapping the four- day winning spree. The All Shares Index ■ Yen/KD 0.0027 dropped 23.78 points in a volatile session to 5,958 pts as profi t booking weighed on ▲ British £/KD 0.4148 trading fl oor sentiment. The Premier Market slid 28.98 points ■ Indian Rs/KD 0.0040 to 6,542.17 pts paring the month’s gains to 218 pts while Main Market shed 12.42 ■ Philippines Peso/KD 0.0062 points. The BK Main 50 was down 13.10 points at 4,983.92 pts. The volume turnover meanwhile receded after hitting a multi- ▼ FTSE -20.92 pts at 13:25 hr, April 12 month high in the pervious session. Over 390 million shares changed hands – down 4 pct from the Sunday. ▼ Nikkei -229.33 pts at closing April 12 The sectors closed mixed. Insurance sec- tor outshone the rest with 0.82 percent gain ▼ Gold 1741.55 per oz (London) whereas Technology skidded 3.35 percent, the steepest decliner of the day. Volume wise, Financial Services topped the volume ▲ NYMEX crude $59.71 per barrel with 187.3 million shares and Banking sec- tor dominated the value with KD 23.7 mil- ▲ Brent crude $63.46 per barrel lion. Among the notable losers, Kuwait Fi- LIBOR rate 0.18750% nance House slid 10 fi ls to 727 fi ls after trading over 9 million shares while sector bellwether National Bank of Kuwait gave up ema Co closed 9 fi ls in red. KCPC erased 8 4 fi ls partly erasing last session’s gains and fi ls and Automated Systems Co gave up 3 the counter saw 7.8 million shares change fi ls. Kuwait Cement Co climbed 7 fi ls to 237 hands. Boursa Kuwait Securities skidded 41 fi ls whereas Kuwait Portland Cement held fi ls to KD 1.108. ground at 888 fi ls. Zain was unchanged at 606 fi ls after In the banking sector, Gulf Bank was un- pushing over 5 million shares while Oore- changed at 215 fi ls after moving 7.8 million doo gave up 4 fi ls to end at 643 fi ls. stc tum- shares while Burgan Bank ticked 1 fi l into bled 46 fi ls to 902 fi ls and logistics major red. Kuwait International Bank fell 3 fi ls to KUNA photos Agility scaled 7 fi ls to 764 fi ls taking the 206 fi ls whereas Boubyan Bank was up 4 The meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council to seek the Crescent of the holy month of Ramadan. month-to-date gains to 38 fi ls. Humansoft fi ls at 634 fi ls. Holding clipped 2 fi ls and Mezzan Holding Ahli United Bank BSC fell 2 fi ls to 211 added 2 fi ls to close at 527 fi ls. Mabanee Co fi ls with brisk trading whereas Warba Bank rose 3 fi ls to 723 fi ls. took in 1 fi l on back of 4.6 million shares. National Industries Group rose 4 fi ls to Commercial Bank and Ahli United Bank 199 fi ls on back of 14.5 million shares and Kuwait stood pat at 500 fi ls and 314 fi ls ‘Open airport, let in farmers’ Gulf Cable was up 3 fi ls at 848 fi ls. Integrat- respectively. Al Ahli Bank fell 2 fi ls to 202 ed Holding fell 5 fi ls to 414 fi ls whereas fi ls. Aznour stood pat at 267 fi ls. Boubyan Pet- KIPCO dialed down 2 fi ls and National rochemical Co gave up 3 fi ls to settle at 890 Investment Co eased 1 fi l after pushing 1.7 3,000 driving licenses to be withdrawn fi ls and Al Qurain Petrochemical Co paused million shares. Al Imtiaz Investment was at 402 fi ls. YIACO Medial shed 24 fi ls. unchanged at 115 fi ls whereas Kuwait In- The market opened fi rm and ticked up in vestment Co scaled 5 fi ls on back of over 3 KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Chairman of early trading. The main index pulled back million shares. International Financial Advi- Shamal Az-Zour Al-Oula Power & Water the Kuwait Farmers Union Abdullah Al- briefl y before heading north again to scale sors took in 1 fi l and KMEFIC sprinted 9 fi ls Damak has called for the reopening of the the day’s highest level of 5,985 pts almost to 135 fi ls. an hour into the session. It retreated there- Noor Financial Investment rallied 13 fi ls company holds yearly general meeting airport in order to allow the entry of farm after amid selling pressure and bottomed at to 228 fi ls extending Sunday’s gains while 5,956 poits in the fi nal minutes before clos- Tamdeen Investment gave up 8 fi ls. Bayan KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Today, Sha- The company’s shareholders also ap- workers as soon as possible, reports Alja- rida daily. ing with moderate losses. Investment clipped 1.2 fi ls after moving mal Az-Zour Al-Oula Power and Water proved that board remuneration payments Top gainer of the day, Munshaat soared 16.6 million shares and KFIC scaled 4 fi ls. Company K.S.C. (Public) held its Annual will not be made to the Board of Directors In a press statement, he explained that the local agri- 10 pct to 79.2 fi ls while KMEFIC climbed KAMCO fell 1.3 fi ls to 85.7 fi ls whereas General Meeting (AGM) for the fi scal year- with respect to the year 2020, and approved cultural production is suffering from severe paralysis. 7.14 pct to stand next. UPAC skidded 10.22 Arzan stood pat at 108 fi ls and the coun- end on 31 December 2020. The company’s the Board of Directors’ recommendation of The scarcity of manpower may led to suspension of percent, the steepest decliner of the day ter saw 20.8 million shares change hands. shareholders approved the Board of Direc- a 10% transfer, equivalent to KD 1,262,736 while ALOLA topped the volume with Kuwait Financial Centre ( Markaz) eased tors’ recommendation to distribute a cash from the net profi t to the statutory reserve several agricultural activities in the coming period. 32.5 million shares. 0.4 fi ls to 88.1 fi l whereas First Investment dividend of 12 fi ls per share, totaling KD in relation to the fi scal year-end on 31 De- This will have negative impacts on productive farmers Refl ecting the day’s losses the losers added 2.4 fi ls with brisk trading. 13,200,000 (thirteen million two hundred cember 2020. and the prices of agricultural products. Al-Damak appealed to the Cabinet to create a mechanism outnumbered the winners. 51 stocks ad- Amwal International inched 1 fi l lower thousand Kuwaiti Dinars) from retained In August 2020, Shamal Az-Zour Al-Ou- to 19.7 fi ls whereas Kuwait Insurance Co earnings and profi t to shareholders regis- la Power and Water Company K.S.C. was to allow the return of farm workers to the country and to vanced whereas 63 closed lower. Of the 136 jumped 20 fi ls. National Real Estate and tered in the company’s records. listed on Boursa Kuwait’s Premier Market. allow them to be quarantined inside the farms, as well as counters active on Sunday, 22 closed fl at. Shareholders also elected Eyad A J Al The company is the fi rst power generation allocate a medical team to vaccinate them. 14,530 deals worth KD 63 million were Salhia Real Estate trimmed 1 fi l each while Falah as the independent member of the and water desalination company to list on He stressed that a specifi c method must be in place to en- transacted during the session. Tamdeen Real Estate dialed up 2 fi ls. Board of Directors. No candidate was the exchange. The listing followed the sure the farmers are saved from the huge losses they incur. Jazeera Airways slipped 9 fi ls to 692 fi ls The market has been mixed so far during elected for the non-independent member. successful distribution of 50% of the com- Al-Damak revealed that the total number of workers in extending Sunday’s drop while ALAFCO the week, adding 33 points in last two ses- An ordinary general meeting will be held pany’s shares to Kuwaiti citizens in Novem- the agricultural sector has reached 500,000 but 75 percent of dialed down 2 fi ls. United Projects Co slid sions. It has rallied 183 points from start of at a later date to elect the seventh board ber 2019. The remaining 50% of shares are them, which is approximately 375,000 workers, are outside 23 fi ls to 202 fi ls and Kuwait National Cin- the month and is up 286 points year-to-date. member. Shareholders also approved the owned by different public and private enti- the country, and there is no clear vision about their return. re-appointment of the Company’s Auditor ties and is as follows: 40% is owned by a He went on to explain that the agricultural areas are usu- Mobile units in action (KPMG – Safi Al Mutawa & Partners) for private investor, Azour North One Holding ally remote sites far away from the city center and residen- the fi scal year-end on 31 December 2021 Company K.S.C.C., which is owned by a tial areas. This contributes to the application of the health who are included in the authorized audit list consortium comprising ENGIE, Sumitomo requirements especially not mixing with the general popula- of the Capital Markets Authority taking into Corporation, and A.H. Al Sagar & Brothers; tion. Vaccination in co-ops, mosques consideration the mandatory compliance pe- 5% is owned by the Kuwait Investment Au- The agricultural sector is entering into losses that cannot riod for Auditors and authorizing the Board thority and 5% by the Public Institution for be estimated as a result of a matter that can be resolved by By Marwa Al-Bahrawi istry of Health after a hiatus of about ten of Directors to determine their fees. Social Security. setting a timetable that does not exceed two weeks. days. The crisis of labor scarcity has led to the existence of a Al-Seyassah Staff The sources pointed out that many units black market, a rise in transfer rates or the assignment of have doubled their working hours, point- labor registered on farms, in addition to the high wages. KUWAIT CITY, April 12: The Ministry Al-Damak added that, “During normal times before the ing out that most units would work in two of Health is racing against time to com- shifts, from nine in the morning to one in COVID-19 pandemic, it would take four to six months to plete vaccinating the largest number of ensure workers from abroad would reach Kuwait. Under the the afternoon and from two in the after- current global conditions due to the COVID-19 crisis, this citizens and expatriates before the end of noon to six in the evening, and during the matter could take much longer than that”. the current year, by intensifying vaccina- month of Ramadan from nine in the morn- Meanwhile, around 3,000 driving licenses issued to per- tion campaigns by pressing into service ing to two in the evening and from 8:00 in sons holding disability certifi cates have been placed under mobile vaccination units which will target the evening until midnight. the administrative withdrawal clause, reports Al-Jarida daily the cooperative societies and various in- According to the global immunization quoting sources from the General Traffi c Department in the stitutions, in addition to resuming work in indicators, the Ministry of Health has Interior Ministry. the hospital’s vaccination units. broken the barrier by vaccinating 17.55% Sources disclosed the General Traffi c Department, in co- The Ministry of Health announced of the country’s population, and with the ordination with the Public Authority for Handicapped Af- yesterday the launch of the mobile units apparent increase in the frequency of vac- fairs (PAHA), checks the driving licenses granted to people service to vaccinate workers of various cination in the country, sources of im- who have fi les in the authority and receive cash allowances nationalities in cooperative societies, munization expect to vaccinate a quarter for the private driver and the vehicle. mosques, and some commercial activi- of Kuwait’s population to break the fi rst Sources clarifi ed these licenses were placed under the ad- ties and service-providing activities in million barrier at the end of the fi rst week ministrative withdrawal clause upon renewal request based residential areas in all governorates of the of Ramadan. on the fact that it is not permissible to grant driving licenses country. In the event the supply of vaccines con- to people with severe disabilities; but if their disability is minor and they are allowed to obtain a driving license, then Informed health sources told Al-Seyas- tinues without delay, it is expected that Checking on Bneid Al-Gar violations. there is no justifi cation for receiving the driver’s allowance. sah daily the units have resumed work in 50% of the Kuwaiti population will be Sources stated that the General Traffi c Department asked hospitals and centers affi liated to the Min- vaccinated in the second half of next May. 127 building violations removed those covered by this administrative withdrawal clause to visit PAHA and present evidence that they do not receive The Governor of the Capital, Sheikh Talal Sharq region, reports Al-Seyassah daily. allowances for the driver and vehicle of the disabled. Al-Khaled, confirmed 127 building viola- He pointed out 134 warnings have also On auditing the driving licenses, sources confi rmed there tions have been removed, including 74 in been issued for those who have violated have been contacts with the Psychiatric Hospital to identify the suburb of Bneid Al-Qar and 53 in the the real estate laws in the two areas. people suffering from severe mental illness with the aim of withdrawing their licenses if they hold one or prevent- ing them from obtaining licenses unless their mental health 3 categories in mechanism condition improves. ‘Citizens, expats rewards same’ MoH inks KD 30 million KUWAIT CITY, April 12: According to re- ward is calculated by multiplying the one- deal to buy equipment liable sources, the mechanism for awarding day wage by 2 by 25 percent, and the av- COVID-19 front-line bonuses to workers erage risk is calculated by the employee’s KUWAIT CITY, April 12: The Ministry of Health has from the government sector who were as- daily wage by 1.5 by 25 percent. signed a contract to purchase and maintain 15,000 X-ray signed to work on confronting the spread of The sources said the main factors that and sterilization equipment, at a cost of 30 million dinars, the virus is the same for both citizens and doubled the value of the reward for the reports Al-Anba daily. expatriates, reports Al-Anba daily. front-liners are the high-risk group, those An offi cial document, a copy of which has been ob- They explained that the mechanism will directly dealing with infected patients, tained by the daily, shows the Central Tenders Commit- be according to three categories, each of working in the fi eld during the total curfew tee (CTC) has approved the Ministry of Health’s request which has two groups. For the high-risk in summer, the number of actual work days, for direct contracting with a number of companies to pur- segment of the fi rst category, each working and the infection of some among them in the day will be multiplied by 2 of the total sal- line of duty. chase and maintain medical devices, worth 29.97 million ary. For the average-risk segment, it will be In response to a question about the ben- dinars during fi scal 2021/2022, which starts on April 1, calculated by multiplying each work day’s efit for the workers who were infected 2021 and ends on March 31, 2022. wage by 1.5. with COVID-19 in the line of duty, the The document shows the devices to be maintained In the second category, the calculation for sources said, “Workers covered by any of include X-ray and sterilization devices (including spare the high-risk segment involves multiplica- the three categories who contracted CO- parts). tion of each day’s wage by 2 by 50 percent. VID-19 because of work are given double The number of contracts to be signed by direct order For the average risk, the bonus will be cal- the total salary or KD 8,000, whichever is has reached 51 contracts, for the purchase of 14,966 new culated as the daily wage multiplied by 1.5 more. The deceased Kuwaitis are consid- medical devices. The document indicated that the compa- by 50 percent. ered as work martyrs, and their names are nies contracted by the Ministry of Health varied between For the third category, the high-risk re- referred to the Cabinet”. local and foreign. ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 LOCAL 4 ‘MoE in need of both male, female teachers for ’21/22 academic year’ Public Education Sector to hold interviews soon

KUWAIT CITY, April 12: The Technical Fol- low-up Section of the Department of Coordi- nation and Follow-up KUNA photo of Public Education has Part of the ceremony for signing the agreement to renovate 4 schools in Yemen. identifi ed the need of the Ministry of Education for male and female teachers Kuwait relief society initials deal to locally, and the required specializations in order to reconstruct four schools in Yemen fi ll the shortage in schools KUWAIT CITY, April 12, (KUNA): fi eld in Yemen, including reconstruct- during the 2021/2022 Kuwait Society for Relief and Yemen’s ing many schools, providing caravans academic year. The offi - education ministry signed an agreement to serve as temporary classrooms and cial announcement is ex- to reconstruct and provide furniture to aiding in printing of school books. pected to be made by the four schools in southern Yemen, as part On his part, deputy head of the soci- Administrative Affairs of the (Kuwait Besides You) campaign. ety’s offi ce in Yemen Dr Adel Bashin Sector after the month During the signing ceremony on Sun- said the project is part of Kuwait’s ef- of Ramadan, reports Al- day, the ministry’s Undersecretary Dr forts to revive the educational fi eld in Qabas daily. Mohammad Basleem hailed Kuwait’s Yemen, which had been badly affected The Public Education Sec- continuous support to the educational by the war. tor addressed the Acting Un- dersecretary of the Ministry of Education Faisal Al-Maqsid regarding the need for non- Other Voices Kuwaiti teachers. The num- ber of specializations required from local contracts for the Ambassador lighting the traditional lamp before the inauguration ceremony. next year is eight - English, When a thinker admires a tyrant French, mathematics, chemis- Ambassador launches Sanskrit learning App ‘Little Guru’ try, physics, biology, geology By Ahmad alsarraf Mussolini, Hitler, Nasser, Omar and music education. al-Bashir, Nimeiri, Gaddafi , and The Coordination Depart- yrants in any part of the world dozens of other dictators ‘demand- Thave not reached the degree of ed’ prestige, and they owned the ment has determined the love, deifi cation and power over a Indian Embassy celebrates ICCR Day number of teachers to be con- media, so in the end what did the long period of time except in our people benefi t from them? What did tracted for each specialty. The Arab region. We are not satisfi ed KUWAIT CITY, April 12: The Indi- cial place occupied by Sanskrit; and Group, Sudheer KP (Coordinator of total number of the required they leave behind for their people? an Embassy in Kuwait celebrated the also expounded on its eternal and in- Samskritbharati Kuwait). with falling into What did their countries reap from 592 teachers (317 male teach- their fantasies Indian Council for Cultural Relations clusive role as a common heritage of This app will help people who are ers and 275 female teachers) their prestige and their ‘electricity’? (ICCR) Foundation Day and launched all Indians. already learning Sanskrit or those as history has If we compare the personalities for all specializations may proven but rath- the Sanskrit Learning App ‘Little The event included video mes- who are desirous to learn Sanskrit increase or decrease accord- of these tyrants with the likes of Guru’ at the embassy auditorium. sages from Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, to do so in an easy manner based on er we sought to Lee Kuan Yew, Chancellor Angela ing to the variables and the create them if In his inaugural remarks, the Am- President of ICCR and Dinesh Pat- games, competition, rewards, peer to existing requests as well as Merkel, Nelson Mandela, Kamal bassador of India to Kuwait, HE Sibi naik, Director-General of ICCR and peer interactions, etc. their appearance Ataturk, Mahathir Mohammed the nominations of the Civil was delayed. George spoke about India’s rich cul- special testimonial videos from three This unique App combines edu- Service Commission (CSC) and Indira Gandhi, and Mahatma tural heritage and its rich and splen- ICCR Alumni, on their experiences cation with entertainment thereby Abdullah Gandhi before them, and dozens of for Kuwaiti teachers in these Al-Nafi si, who did diversity and remembered Maul- in India, were also shown during the helping keep attention of the learner subjects. other reformers, we will fi nd that ana Abul Kalam Azad, India’s fi rst event. as well as encourage him/her to ad- is called an in- they did not possess that electric- The Public Education Sec- tellectual and education minister, and his invalu- To promote the Sanskrit language vance further. alsarraf ity or the media, however they able contributions which included among students, scholars, Indolo- This App would help create aware- tor has decided to start con- academician, achieved miracles for their people, the establishment of Indian Council gists, historians across the world, ness not only about language but also ducting interviews with ap- says in describing Saddam Hussein: and history will remember them for Cultural Relations. a specialized app for learning San- open the doors for people to access plicants locally as soon as the “Despite the disadvantages of his forever. regime, he was a (blessing) for the The ambassador also gave a brief skrit in a simple and effi cient man- the rich cultural heritage of India. Administrative Affairs Sector The dictator believes that he is fi nishes the announcement and Arabs because he was the strategic above accountability, and does not and succinct account of the Sanskrit ner called ‘Little Guru’ has been de- The event witnessed enthusiastic fence against Iranian ambitions.” language and recounted some of its signed by the ICCR. response with people from different verifi cation of applications. remain committed to any societal Oh Abdullah, but what about the values or morals. Usually, he is essential elements including a brief The app was launched by the am- walks of life in Kuwait participating Announce millions of Arabs who were dis- synopsis of its literary journey, con- bassador along with Rajpal Tyagi virtually. For more details about the domineering and ready to get rid of It is expected that the min- placed, killed, became victims of his opponents mercilessly. Hence, tributions from a number of colossal (PBS Awardee), Ms Muna Al-Faraz, event, please visit the website and so- istry will offi cially announce bloodshed, and millions displaced, fi gures of Indian literature, the spe- Vice-Chairman of Alarfaz holding cial media handles of the embassy. the electricity that Al-Nafi si talked its needs for the functions of their dignity trampled for more than about may have come in one of his the educational body after the three decades, and wealth of his interviews. month of Ramadan, specifi - people waste? Do not all these trag- The dictator hates those who cally in May. edies deserve a pause from you? oppose him, doubts everyone, and Based on the data obtained What did Iraq and the Arabs gain lives a luxurious life because he from the Public Education from his stand against Iran while in- feels that his survival may not be Sector, the ministry stressed ternal and external damage to these prolonged, and spends too much the need to adhere to the ex- countries was many times greater because he believes that he owns perience requirement when than can be imagined. the state, so how do these thinkers accepting applications from In another interview, he said: admire and praise the dictators? teachers of all subjects, with Saddam was completely humble in The tyrants are not born like that the exception of female teach- culture, but he ruled with mastery but they are made by people because ers for music education. The because he had the prestige and of their fear and suspicious behav- was charismatic and when walked iors. The character of the tyrant experience requirement is in the street, he felt the electric cur- about three years of experi- usually does not emerge and grow rent passing through him. Half of except in an environment of igno- ence for those with non-ed- the rule was tinted with prestige ucational qualifi cations, and rance, laziness, and dependence on while the other half was created by others, that is why the peoples of the two years of experience for media, so whoever has no prestige educational qualifi cations. tyrannical region replaced the tyrant is not competent rule, but Al-Nafi si by another and this makes them un- The ministry also exempted did not ask about the source of this PhD holders with grade of able to be free from tyranny as long electricity, and why did it not have as there are those who glorify them no less than “very good” in the stunning effect on the American the university qualifi cation, and consider them as defence fences soldier who dragged him from the despite all their crimes against their holders of a master’s degree rat hole? with no less than “Excellent” people and others, their sabotage of How miserable these analysts the minds of generations, and their grade in university qualifi ca- are and the humility of understand- tion, graduates of the Kuwait dangerous role in eliminating all ing the feelings of the peoples who manifestations of pride and dignity University’s College of Edu- follow them, admire them, listen among their peoples. cation, graduates of the Col- to them, and cite them, just as they ❑ ❑ ❑ lege of Basic Education in the blindly walk behind everyone who Public Authority for Applied was is rowdier than others. email: [email protected] Education and Training, and all other government colleges in the country, from the condi- tion of experience. While the acceptance of non-Kuwaiti teachers was limited to passing a personal interview and no case or spe- cialization is excluded from this, the ministry stressed that the priority of appointment should be for the children of Kuwaiti women, Bedoun resi- dents, the children of the Gulf Cooperation Council coun- tries, and then expatriates in that order after the acceptance of all Kuwaitis for the required A photo from the General Assembly meeting specializations. The ministry has also set Commercial Facilities Company holds other conditions that must be met by the applicants such as meeting of its General Assembly for ’20 no employment application shall be accepted without the KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Commercial the period of lockdown and the delay of availability of all required Facilities Company held the meeting of its installments of customers for a period documents in accordance with Ordinary General Assembly for the fi nan- of three months. And the company has the announcement, and appli- cial year ended on December 31, 2020 on made every effort to reduce the effects of cations from those with visit Thursday morning, corresponding April 8, this disruption and delay by undertaking 2021 with attendance percentage of 87.5%. marketing campaigns and collection cam- visas will not be accepted. The meeting was chaired by Abdullah Saud paigns that motivate customers to pay, so Upon receiving the appli- Al-Humaidhi, Vice Chairman & CEO. that installments do not accumulate on cations, the academic quali- At the beginning of the meeting, Al- them, and they had a positive effect in re- fi cations and the transcript Humaidhi welcomed the attendees and ducing the loss. must be certifi ed by the of- thanked them for their attendance despite The General Assembly has also decid- fi cial authorities and by the the diffi cult circumstances that we are ed to distribute cash dividends at the rate cultural offi ces of Kuwait in experiencing and the whole world is go- of 10% (i.e. ten fi ls per share) to share- the country of graduation. ing through, as the spread of COVID-19 holders registered on the due date corre- The governmental experience epidemic had a negative impact on all sponding May 2, 2021. These dividends certifi cate for appointment is aspects of life, and the world has not wit- will be deducted from the retained earn- received only and not by the nessed what it is witnessing now of the ings, which amounted to 7,485 thousand quota and wage system. It is repercussions on all activities. Kuwaiti Dinars. documented by the offi cial The General Assembly has approved The Board of Directors looks forward the fi nancial statements for the year 2020, to the year 2021 with a positive attitude, authorities, as well as the as the company’s losses amounted to 640 as it has approved the plan of the year equivalence of the Supreme thousand Kuwaiti Dinars, and this is the with a growth in the volume of business Council of Private Universi- fi rst time in the history of the company and reduction of allocations, which will ties for certifi cates issued by that it has a loss as a result of the disrup- achieve positive results that will return the private universities. tion of the company’s business during company to its normal position. ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 LOCAL 5 REMEMBER WHEN

Local Architecture The ruler’s place, known as Seif Pal- where a brackish water well or a fresh- ace, was built by Sheikh Mubarak in water cistern stood. In daytime, there 1907 over his stables at the water- would be plenty of sunshine through- Photograph courtesy front. The design of the palace, noted out the house. Invariably, a few stairs of The Center for Re- for its beauty and sense of propor- led to the roof, a much preferred place search and Studies on tion, as well as the materials used to for sleeping during hot summer nights. build it, were all imported. Close to the house stood the diwaniya, Kuwait and the work The architecture in old Kuwait is or men’s meeting place, with its pri- of Dr Yacoub Al- characterized by its success in “trans- vate entrance and coffee-hearth in the forming the local values and way of center. It was there that the men of the Hijji in the book Old- life into architectural terms,” as stated house would entertain their guests. Kuwait: Memories by a contemporary architect of Ku- In nearby villages, however, hous- wait. The Kuwaiti master builder, es were less sophisticated and blend- in Photographs fi rst known locally as ustad, drew no plans ed beautifully with the surrounding published in 1996. on papers; he fi gured the proportions environment. Some were fi shermen’s and made the plan in his mind. His homes; others, such as the romantic success, however, in using traditional kubar, were retreats that belonged to techniques with locally available ma- city dwellers. They resided there in terials such as mud, gypsum, coral and the spring when the desert bloomed mangrove poles, is all too evident. after the winter rains. (From the book A house or a mosque in old Kuwait ‘Old Kuwait: Memories in Photo- was always built around a courtyard graphs’) Courtesy of The Center for Research and Studies on Kuwait © N.M.M. diwaniya A DIGEST OF PUBLIC OPINION

With corruption prevailing in society ... have we run into a wall? “THE most diffi cult question on my mind these days is ‘Where are we heading’ “Poor, Kuwait! Yes, poor, because God has affl icted her with those who love did not succeed to elect him, so they accused some of them of treachery. Then or more precisely, ‘In which direction is Kuwait heading?’ Everything seems to their private interests at the expense of the public interest, which is achieved they fought over the validity of holding the sessions without the presence of the have come to a standstill. No effective development, no benefi cial education, no by stirring up an atmosphere charged with gossip, screaming, accusations and ministers, so they clashed with the constitution and precedents, and then they good health, no clean environment, no healthy economy, no realistic policy, no rumors and stirring up strife and hatred among the social components which turned away, and questioned the ability of the parliament to postpone interro- effective democracy and no productive human being, neither the government, has crippled us.” gations or hold them in secret sessions, or to refer them to the ‘legislative’ or nor the National Assembly, nor the Municipal Council, Also: constitutional terms of reference and fi nally they shamefully remained mum. nor the political currents, nor economic actors, nor pop- “All this happens because of an alleged majority that can change the political ular groups, nor civil organizations, nor the university, “When I heard some opposition MPs were in consultations or working to get reality if they strive in the interest of the people and if they work together in nor even a cooperative society, nor others, in whom we rid of the Speaker, I thought it was a joke, and that the opinions they exchanged the interest of the voters and serve their legitimate national interests and do not put hope to lay out a road map for this country which during their meetings indicated the level of frustration that some of them had repeat the actions of the previous majority, which led to the dissolution of the has become a prisoner of confl ict and corruption’ based reached without achieving anything tangible from their high-ceiling aspirations National Assembly. on tendencies of fear and hesitation,” columnist Dr Ali they presented as their election manifesto,” columnist Abdulmohsen Jamal “The situation today must be reformed, but it is in the hands of wise men and Al-Zuabi wrote for Al-Shahed daily. wrote for Al-Qabas daily. people of good opinion, not in the hands of the ignorant. Attend the sessions “Yes, we are all captivated by this fear and hesitation, “It is but only a human habit that to accuse others that they are the reason for and discuss with logic, evidence, and proofs.” to the extent that the fear and hesitation have become what happened, and here they fi nd the Speaker the obstacle in front of them, so ❑ ❑ ❑ two features of this society and we have reached a point he must be removed by any means. This is the height of frustration. that cannot be seen or that has lost its own features. “When I saw that their demand was written, stamped with their names, sig- “Tvhe ‘New Kuwait’ became a short slogan printed on books and publi- natures and seals, I said that the situation has become completely unnatural. Is cations in ministries and other government agencies. Undoubtedly, this gives “All of this is a result of ambiguity with which the Dr Al-Zuabi government operates, and the personal interest in which it conceivable that the opposition which comprises of professors of law, politics hope for everyone who deals with these books and publications regardless of parliamentarians work and most of all it is a result of the abhorrent dependency and constitution experts with parliamentary experience make this simple mis- the content and its importance,” columnist Hind Alchoumar wrote for Al- that the people enjoy. take, which cannot he expected of even a fi rst-year law or political student, let Anba daily. “The Kuwaiti triangle -- the government, the parliament and the people -- is alone the leaders and thinkers of the political scene? “It is logical for any official who deals with these books to have a vision consistent feeble and we cannot expect a glimmer of hope from it to reform the Kuwaiti “The strange thing is that they have cited the articles of the constitution that show with the ‘New Kuwait’ slogan, which includes integrity, equal opportunities, equal- case, some of which have become hopeless about their recovery at a time when how the Speaker should be elected in the event that his seat becomes vacant due to ity, justice and desire to be a realistic example for achieving this vision by closing the we fi nd the rational people distancing themselves and their commitment to ab- death or resignation, and it does not apply from near or far to the issue of impeach- sources of corruption, fighting favoritism and ensuring justice for. solute silence about what is happening. ment, which the constitution has not dealt with in any of its articles. “Whenever the slogan ‘New Kuwait’ shines on any letter or government “The coalition of corruption and self-interests has prevailed in society to the “For example, is it possible for some voters after the elections to demand transaction, this means a written commitment from all State agencies to take point this coalition has now come to the conclusion that it is above the law, dismissal of a deputy because they do not like him and that they miscalculated, care of the people’s interests in all decisions and transactions. above society and above people. or that those who elected him are their competitors and not them? “It also includes disclosing with full transparency that all State agencies and “In light of such a situation, in the midst of shouting, lying and fabricating “Did they not know that when they elected him, that was for a period of four ministries are aware of their constitutional and moral responsibilities and du- accusations have become the established practice and behavior of the politi- years, which is the age of the parliament, and also when the MP elected the ties to achieve a new Kuwait in all fields and at all times and seek to enable cians and the public while the unhealthy and socially destructive confl ict be- president, it was for the term of the parliament, which is also four years and that the citizens to obtain their legitimate rights in sustainable development in its comes the accepted and agreed upon phenomenon, whereas the country, its fate, there is a legal rule that everyone knows, not to mention the specialists that who economic, social, human, health and environmental dimensions in accordance its future, and the future of future generations, have become secondary issues. is ignorant of the law cannot be excused. with plans and programs based on scientific studies. It takes into account the as- “The society inches towards the unseen – a dark and gloomy corridor but in “So is it possible for this ignorant person, if any, or for those who want re- pirations and priorities of citizens and the country, away from personal whims the false belief that at the end of the road there may be some glimmer of hope, venge even at the expense of the reputation of the nation, or for those who want and narrow visions. but we end up entering into a dark tunnel, deeper and darker than what we have to distract the nation with foolish issues to take the lead in the political scene “On the foreground of the basic human rights are the rights to expression, left behind. even by stirring up trivial matters or by wasting time of the assembly sessions freedom of opinion, health, education, and privacy as a constitutional right that “Given this situation our ship is caught up in a spiral. The problem is every- and preoccupying in gossip and frequent interrogations similar to arguments transcends other rights enshrined in the Constitution and international charters one is aware of what is happening and tries to benefi t from the situation as much whether chicken or the egg came fi rst. and agreements.” as possible sometimes for the benefi t of class, sect or group. “They (the so-called opposition) said that their president was ready, and they — Compiled by Ahmad Al-Shazli

Bid to expedite transactions Co-worker kills Indian PAMA set to launch several e-services Two Indians commit suicide By Abdel Nasser Al-Aslami Al-Roumi to honor 760 outstand- safe environment, which has re- ing students which were under its sulted in making profi ts for invest- Al-Seyassah Staff sponsorship at all academic levels ment returns for the year 2019. By Munif Nayef ders – two were reported earlier from KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Depu- for the year ‘2019-2020’. Al-Roumi added PAMA con- Al-Seyassah Staff Khaitan and Kabad and the last on Artal ty Prime Minister, Minister of Jus- Al-Roumi indicated the author- tinues it’s social and humanitarian tice, Minister of State for Integrity ity is keen to continue the process mission and provides 250,000 di- KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Over the past Road near Ahmadi. Promotion, Chairman of the Board of developing the capabilities and nars to support the state’s efforts six days Kuwait has reported three mur- In the latest incident the Operations Room of the of Directors of the Public Author- skills of national cadres while ad- in combating the Corona virus, in Ministry of Interior re- ity for Minors Affairs (PAMA), hering to the precautionary mea- addition to another 250,000 dinars ceived a report on the Abdullah Al-Roumi, said in the sures. for some families covered by the incident police and para- near future many electronic ser- He mentioned during the past authority, stressing that the govern- medics rushed to the spot vices will be launched and the year, despite the exceptional and ment is keen to provide everything and discovered the death technology will be used to achieve diffi cult challenges, PAMA has necessary to serve our minors -- of an Indian. more rapid and effective commu- made many achievements, most sons and daughters -- and take care He was allegedly stabbed nication with the visitors to the notably the development of mi- of them within the framework of in the chest by his colleague ministry. nors’ funds by taking advantage the directives of His Highness the at work because of differ- This came during the virtual of the opportunities available to Prime Minister and the patronage ences between them which ceremony organized by PAMA) achieve the highest possible re- of His Highness the Amir and His started with an argument. under the patronage of Minister turns in the investment fi eld in a Highness the Crown Prince. The source added that the victim’s body has been re- ferred to forensic medicine ‘Return Umrah trips’ and the accused referred to the Public Prosecution Of- fice and charged with pre- meditated murder. Co-ops’ profits cut 2% It is noteworthy to mention over the weekend murders By Faris Al-Abdan The suspects and the booze seized by the police. happened in which an Egyp- Al-Seyassah Staff tian was killed by a compa- triot in Khaitan, and a young KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Informed sources told 4 held in liquor factory raid bedoun stabbed to death his Al-Seyassah daily that there was an agreement be- Kuwaiti friend in Kabad. tween the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Federa- The Ahmadi police acting on a tip-off Asians and seized hundreds of bottles ❑ ❑ ❑ tion of Cooperative Societies to reduce the gover- from secret agent raided an apartment filled with booze ready for sale. 2 kill themselves: For norate’s share of societies’ profits to 2% instead of in Khairan and discovered the place had The bootleggers and the booze have the current 5%. been turned into a liquor factory, reports been referred to the General Depart- some or the other reason Al-Seyassah daily. ment for Drugs and Alcohol Control residents continue to end The same sources said, there is consensus on During the raid police arrested four (GDDC). their lives either by hanging amending the Decision No. 16/2016 on organizing or consuming ‘poison’. cooperative work after several meetings were held In the latest incident an In- between the two sides recently, explaining that there All queries of ‘Audit’ answered: MEW dian allegedly ended his life is a reduction in the percentage of employment in by hanging himself from a cooperative societies to 6% of the sales value in- By Muhammad Ghanem fi ed of the work of the investigation commit- tree in an open area opposite stead of 7%. tees periodically. In a memorandum that it sent Al-Seyassah Staff one of the commercial com- The sources confirmed that these amendments will recently to the National Assembly, in response plexes in Fahaheel. see the light of day very soon. They indicated that the KUWAIT CITY, April 12: The Ministry of to a parliamentary question by MP Dr. Saleh Yet another Indian ended Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Al-Mutairi, the Ministry stated that the pro- his life also by hanging in- representatives of the coops demanded the return of confi rmed the State Audit Bureau (SAB) has cedures followed in the event of violations or side his residence in Jleeb Umrah trips that were organized for the shareholders made observations and cited violations dur- remarks from the Audit Bureau are carried out Al-Shuyoukh. The remains on an ongoing basis, and were suspended due to recent ing the years 2015 up to 2020 and said they in coordination with the concerned authorities of two victims have been re- decisions, indicating that it is possible to return them were what he called ‘answered’. to follow up on these observations by forming ferred to Forensics. Police are according to the new amendments so that there will be The ministry pointed out the Bureau is noti- committees to avoid them in the future. investigating the incidents. strict control over them. ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 LOCAL 6 Proposed latest tax laws ‘stir’ parliamentary concerns again ‘Recover Kuwait’s money stolen by embezzlers’

KUWAIT CITY, April 12: The Ministry of Finance’s 2024, and referred to the National Assembly, has move, in proposing an integrated tax management stirred parliamentary and popular concerns again, system and electronic services “ITAS”, coincided with about government action during the coming period to the government’s work program for years 2021 to approve new taxes, especially with the work stipulated in the program to approve 3 tax laws during the coming period, including A photo from the Regional Networking event. selective taxes, value added, and unified B2B Regional Speed Networking held tax procedures, reports Al-Rai daily. for ABCK-AmCham Kuwait members, Informed financial sourc- es told the daily that ‘ITAS’ US Chamber of Comm affiliates in GCC is an integrated system that contributes to modernizing KUWAIT CITY, April 12: ABCK- AmChams in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, tax administration, pointing AmCham Kuwait in collaboration with Dubai, KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, and out that any new tax law will the GCC AmChams held their first Oman represent over 1,000 member not see the light except with ever Regional Speed Networking companies and millions of dollars of the approval of the National event, to foster new relationships Assembly. U.S. investment in the region. They are One of the MPs said he among member companies throughout the go-to organizations in each country totally rejects this govern- the network of U.S. Chamber of for anything U.S. trade-related. ment approach to impose Commerce affiliates in the GCC Covid-19 has strengthened regional taxes, calling on the govern- (AmChams). collaboration between all AmChams, ment to recover Kuwait’s Seven affiliates of the U.S. Chamber and we are extremely excited to intro- money stolen by the embez- of Commerce in the GCC invited their duce ABCK-AmCham Kuwait mem- zlers from the citizens. member companies to participate in the MP Muhalhal Al-Mudhaf bers to other AmCham members within event, which facilitated fast-moving the GCC. said he is against approving brief networking sessions for business any kind of taxes on citizens, As the official affiliate of the U.S. and it will be an impenetra- owners and executives. Attendees were Chamber of Commerce in Kuwait, the ble dam in dealing with this placed into rooms with a few other ABCK-AmCham Kuwait is devoted to matter. individuals, for 4 minutes at a time. supporting the development of com- Each attendee got to meet dozens of Popularly, the govern- mercial relations between Kuwait and ment’s approach was met other professionals in the GCC and with a big “no” and a loud were given many chances to share their the U.S., but also focuses heavily on voice by citizens who have own business profiles with others. networking Kuwait’s business commu- firmly expressed their refus- To close the event, the AmChams in nity through unique events and pro- al to apply taxes, asserting the GCC did a raffle for the partici- grams year-round. that it will not be correct to pants, in which Del Monte MENA ABCK-AmCham Kuwait: A non- provide money without profit organization operating since remuneration or taxes while provided 3 winners with fruit baskets the environment is fertile for or a box of dates (based on the country 1985 and composed of 500 corpora- corruption. of residence). tions, small and medium sized compa- Citizens said taxation is The event also highlighted the launch nies, and prominent business leaders rejected altogether saying of an exclusive LinkedIn group called: and entrepreneurs, both American and people will not accept it until “Members of AmChams in the GCC”. Kuwaiti. ABCK-AmCham Kuwait has it becomes evident that the This group will serve as a professional acted as an advocate for American government is serious about interest in the state of Kuwait. For ending corruption and recov- development and networking group ering people’s money from where current AmCham members may More Information, please visit our the thieves who have escaped post articles, questions, opportunities, website at www.amchamkuwait.org or from the country after loot- promotions, job postings, and discus- follow us on social media channels at ing the money of citizens. sion topics. @abck1985 Issue of stranded teachers remains unsolved KUWAIT CITY, April 12: The cur- recently contacted the Corona Supreme are unable to resume work, especially rent school year will end soon with Committee regarding these teachers; since the ministry rejected the idea of some educational stages ending in explaining that the last contact was about conducting lessons from abroad using mid-May; but the stranded teachers the stranded teachers who stopped work- the distance education platform. issue remains unsolved as more than ing after traveling to spend the mid-year Sources added the ministry is hoping 2,000 teachers are still in their home vacation in their countries. that the issue will be discussed by the countries due to the closure of air and Sources said the number of stranded competent authorities in order to find an land ports and the ban on the entry of teachers who traveled during the mid- appropriate solution and to take deci- non-Kuwaitis due to the corona epi- year vacation exceeded 1,100 in vari- sions that are in the interest of work; demic, reports Al-Jarida daily. ous disciplines; in addition to the 1,000 considering the academic staff shortage In this context, highly reliable sources previously stranded teachers who left in some specializations such as Arabic from the educational sector revealed to the country last summer, bringing the language, mathematics, Chemistry, the daily that the Ministry of Education total to more than 2,000 teachers who Physics and other major subjects. ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 INTERNATIONAL 7

Diplomacy

Gather more clout Leaders of Russia & China ‘tighten’ grips MOSCOW, April 12, (AP): They’re not leaders for life – not technically, at least. But in political reality, the powerful tenures of China’s Xi Jinping and, as of this week, Russia’s Vladimir Putin are looking as if they will extend much deeper into the 21st cen- tury – even as the two superpowers whose destinies they steer gather more clout with each passing year. What’s more, as they consolidate political control at home, sometimes with harsh measures, they’re working together more substantively than ever in a growing challenge to the West and the world’s other superpower, the United States, which elects its leader every four years. Recently, Putin signed a law allowing him to po- tentially hold onto power until 2036. The 68-year- old Russian president, who has been in power for more than two decades – longer than any other Krem- lin leader since Soviet dic- tator Josef Stalin – pushed through a constitutional vote last year allowing him to run again in 2024 when his cur- rent six-year term ends. He has overseen a systematic crackdown on dissent. In China, Xi, who came to power in 2012, has imposed even tighter controls on the Putin already repressive political scene, emerging as one of his nation’s most power- ful leaders in the seven decades of Communist Party rule that began with Mao Zedong’s often-brutal re- gime. Under Xi, the government has rounded up, imprisoned or silenced intellectuals, legal activists and other voices, cracked down on Hong Kong’s A protester confronts police in front of the Brooklyn Center Police station on April 11, in Brooklyn Center, Minn. The family of Daunte Wright, 20, told a crowd that he was shot opposition and used security forces to suppress by police Sunday before getting back into his car and driving away, then crashing the vehicle several blocks away. The family said Wright was later pronounced dead. (AP) calls for minority rights in Xinjiang, Tibet and Inner Mongolia. White House issuing reports on states’ infrastructure needs Xi has sidelined rivals, locked up critics and tightened the party’s control over information. An ongoing crackdown against corruption has won popular support while also keeping potential com- petitors in line. Man killed during Minn traffi c stop sparks unrest His steady consolidation of power led to the re- moval of term limits on the Chinese presidency in BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn, April 12, (AP): Crowds of Katie Wright, Daunte’s mother, huddled with loved ones reau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate. 2018, demolishing a convention the party had estab- mourners and protesters gathered in a Minnesota city where near the scene and pleaded for her son’s body to be removed The trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis of- lished to prevent a repeat of the abuse produced by the family of a 20-year-old man say he was shot by police from the street, the Star Tribune reported. She said her son fi cer charged in George Floyd’s death, was slated to contin- Mao’s one-person rule. Xi further telegraphed his before getting back into his car and driving away, then crash- had called her when he was getting pulled over, and she ue Monday. Harrington said more National Guard members intention to remain in power by breaking from tradi- ing several blocks away. The family of Daunte Wright said heard scuffl ing before the call ended. When she called back, would be deployed around the city and in Brooklyn Center. tion and not indicating a preferred successor. One he was later pronounced dead. she said his girlfriend told her Daunte had been shot. Meanwhile, the Biden White House is amplifying the who appeared eager to take on the role, Sun Zheng- The death sparked protests in Brooklyn Center into the Carolyn Hanson lives near the crash scene and told the push for its $2.3 trillion infrastructure package with the cai, was brought down in 2017 and sentenced to life early hours of Monday morning as Minneapolis was already newspaper that she saw offi cers pull the man out of the car release of state-by-state breakdowns that show the dire in prison on corruption charges. on edge and midway through the trial of the fi rst of four po- and perform CPR. Hanson said a passenger who got out was shape of roads, bridges, the power grid and housing af- lice offi cers in George Floyd’s death. Brooklyn Center is a covered in blood. fordability. Nationalist city of about 30,000 people located on the northwest border The fi gures in the state summaries, obtained by The Asso- Gathered And in Russia, Putin’s most outspoken critic, of Minneapolis. ciated Press, paint a decidedly bleak outlook for the world’s Alexei Navalny, was arrested in January upon his Minnesota Gov Tim Walz tweeted he was praying for Demonstrators gathered shortly after the shooting and largest economy after years of repairs being deferred and return from Germany, where he spent fi ve months Wright’s family “as our state mourns another life of a Black crash, with some jumping on top of police cars and confront- delayed. They suggest that too much infrastructure is unsafe recovering from a nerve-agent poisoning that he man taken by law enforcement.” ing offi cers. Marchers also descended upon the Brooklyn for vehicles at any speed, while highlighting the costs of ex- blames on the Kremlin – an accusation Russian Police didn’t immediately identify Wright or disclose his Center police department building where rocks and other treme weather events that have become more frequent with authorities have denied. In February, Navalny was race, but some protesters who gathered near the scene waved objects were thrown at offi cers, Minnesota Department of climate change as well as dead spots for broadband and a sentenced to 2½ years in prison. fl ags and signs reading “Black Lives Matter.” Others walked Public Safety commissioner John Harrington said at a news dearth of child care options. In defying the West, Putin and Xi both have peacefully with their hands held up. On one street, written in conference. The protesters had largely dispersed by 1:15 President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet Monday after- tapped nationalist feelings. Russia’s 2014 annexa- multi-colored chalk: “Justice for Daunte Wright.” a.m. Monday, he said. noon with Republican and Democratic lawmakers and can tion of Ukraine’s Crimea propelled Putin’s approval Brooklyn Center police said in a statement that offi cers Harrington added that about 20 businesses had been bro- use the state summaries to show that his plan would help ratings to nearly 90% before they slackened amid had stopped an individual shortly before 2 pm Sunday. After ken into at the city’s Shingle Creek shopping center. He said meet the needs of their constituents. economic woes and unpopular pensions reform. determining the driver had an outstanding warrant, police law enforcement agencies were coordinating to tame the un- Drawn from an array of private and public data, the re- But the impact of Putin’s and Xi’s enduring reten- tried to arrest the driver. The driver reentered the vehicle rest, and the National Guard was activated. ports show there are 7,300 miles (11,748 kilometers) of tion of power hardly ends at their respective nations’ and drove away. An offi cer fi red at the vehicle, striking the Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott announced a curfew highway in Michigan alone that are in poor condition. Dam- borders. It ripples outward into the geopolitical bal- driver. Police said the vehicle traveled several blocks before in the city until 6 a.m. Monday. In a tweet he said, “We want aged streets in North Carolina impose an average yearly cost ance of power in countless ways. striking another vehicle. to make sure everyone is safe. Please be safe and please go of $500 on motorists. Iowa has 4,571 bridges in need of re- As Moscow’s relations with the West sank to Police said the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Of- home.” pair. There is a roughly 4-in-10 chance that a public transit post-Cold War lows amid accusations of election fi ce will release the person’s name following a preliminary Police said Brooklyn Center offi cers wear body-worn vehicle in Indiana might be ready for the scrap yard. Penn- meddling and hacking attacks, Putin has increasing- autopsy and family notifi cation. A female passenger sus- cameras and they also believe dash cameras were activated sylvania’s schools are short $1.4 billion for maintenance and ly sought to strengthen ties with China. And while tained non-life-threatening injuries during the crash. during the incident. The department said it has asked the Bu- upgrades. China so far has avoided a showdown with the West like Russia’s, it is coming under growing pressure from Washington and its allies over Beijing’s hu- man rights record in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and the South China Sea. US President Joe Biden has taken an increasingly tough line with both leaders, recently describing Pu- tin as a “killer” and having his top national security aides excoriate China for a litany of issues. Such approaches suggest that Moscow and Beijing will have incentives to build an even stronger alliance. Like their nations, the two leaders themselves have fostered a closer relationship, too. Putin and Xi have developed strong personal ties to bolster a “strategic partnership” between the two former Communist rivals as they vie with the West for infl uence. And even though Moscow and Beijing in the past rejected the possibility of forging a mili- tary alliance, Putin said last fall that such a prospect can’t be ruled out entirely. While both Putin and Xi each appear to be fi rmly entrenched, numerous challenges persist. The pan- demic, for one, posed a major challenge for both rulers, and they took a similarly cautious approach when it struck. Putin responded last spring by introducing a sweeping six-week lockdown that severely hurt the already weak Russian economy. His approval rating plummeted to a historic low of 59%. Later, the gov- ernment eased restrictions and steered clear from new lockdowns, helping reduce economic damage and shore up Putin’s ratings. Xi remained out of the public eye in the fi rst uncertain weeks, possibly fearing that any misstep could have given rivals a chance to topple him. In the end, China controlled the pandemic better than many other places, enhancing Xi’s position as lead- er. Xi must also fi gure out how to satisfy ambitious young politicians who may see their careers being stymied by his lengthy tenure. And he has to dem- onstrate that his extended rule will not lead to the excesses of the Mao years, especially the disastrous and deeply traumatic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. Paradox “Xi has to manage an essential paradox. He vener- ates Mao and is building the same cult of personality and centrality of the party,” said Daniel Blumenthal, director of Asian Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. “But he knows his people fear and loathe Maoism so he has to also pretend he is not Mao. For now, he is an unchallenged strong leader, deal- ing with cracks and fi ssures in the party and society through Maoist-style campaigns and purges.” Putin faces even more daunting challenges. Russia’s economy is a fraction of China’s, and its overwhelming reliance on exports of oil and gas and other raw materials makes it vulnerable to mar- ket fl uctuations. Western economic and fi nancial sanctions have cut Moscow’s access to Western technologies and capital markets, slowing down the economy and impeding modernization efforts. Stagnant living standards and falling incomes have fueled growing discontent. Russia’s increasingly close ties with China are part of its strategy to offset Western sanctions. Chi- nese companies provided substitutes for missing Western technologies, helped with major infrastruc- ture projects like energy supplies to Crimea and channeled cash fl ows to ease the burden from sanc- tions on Kremlin-connected tycoons. 2 South Korea firms reach US electric vehicle battery deal

Two big South Korean electric novation ended the need for and South Korea and not as- the EV battery supply chain in vehicle battery makers said Biden to intervene. He had sert new claims for 10 years. the US and support the Biden South Korean President Sunday they have settled a until Sunday night to make a “We have decided to settle administration’s efforts to ad- Moon Jae-in speaks long-running trade dispute decision, following a ruling in and to compete in an amica- vance clean energy policies, during a meeting of his that will allow one company February by a trade commis- ble way, all for the future of the including electric vehicles. senior secretaries at the to move ahead with plans sion. US and South Korean electric The US International Trade presidential Blue House to manufacture batteries in The companies said in a in Seoul, South Korea on vehicle battery industries,” Commission had decided in April 12, 2021. (AP) Georgia. President Joe Biden joint statement that SK will said Jun Kim, CEO and presi- February that SK stole 22 called it “a win for American provide LG Energy with a total dent of SK, and Jong Hyun trade secrets from LG Energy, workers and the American of $1.8 billion and an undis- Kim, CEO and president of LG and that SK should be barred auto industry.” closed royalty. They agreed Energy. from importing, making or The agreement between LG to withdraw all pending trade The companies pledged to selling batteries in the United Energy Solution and SK In- disputes in the United States work together to strengthen States for 10 years. (AP)

Market Movements 12-04-2021 Change Closing pts Change Closing pts S. KOREA - KRX 100 +4.43 6,730.88 AUSTRALIA - All Ordinaries -27.01 7,225.24 JAPAN - Nikkei -229.33 29,538.73 PHILIPPINES - PSEi -26.53 6,518.64 INDIA - Sensex -1,707.94 47,883.38 PAKISTAN - KSE 100 -208.43 44,978.05 CHINA - Shanghai SE -37.73 3,412.95 Business Fed’s Powell sees US boom ahead COVID still a risk So many unknowns overhang shift toward greener energy WASHINGTON, April 12, (AP): The U.S. economy is Can Biden add energy jobs? Hope mixes with doubt poised for an extended period NEW YORK, April 12, (AP): Good-paying jobs – many of of strong growth and hiring, them. the chair of the Federal Reserve That’s the seductive idea around which President Joe said in an interview broadcast Global chip ‘shortage’ forces Biden is proposing a vast transformation of the energy sec- tor, with the promise of making it far more energy-effi cient Sunday, though the coronavi- and environmentally friendly. As Biden portrays it, his plan rus still poses some risk. production cuts by GM, Ford to invest in infrastructure - and accelerate a shift to renewable Chair Jerome Powell, speaking to energy and electric vehicles, to more effi cient homes and up- In this fi le photo, Federal Reserve Chair DETROIT, April 12, (AP): The global that are starting to look like computers grades to the power grid - would produce jobs at least as good CBS’ “60 Minutes,” also said that he Jerome Powell listens during a Senate doesn’t expect to raise the Fed’s bench- shortage of semiconductors has forced on wheels. The problem was recently as the ones that might be lost in the process. Banking Committee hearing on Capitol General Motors and Ford to further cut compounded by a grounded container His plans call for 100% renewable energy in the power mark interest rate, currently pegged at Hill in Washington. During an interview sector by 2035. To people who have devoted careers to the nearly zero, this year. And he down- broadcast Sunday, April 11, 2021, on production at their North American fac- ship that blocked the Suez Canal for tories as chip supplies seem to be grow- nearly a week, choking off chips headed the fossil fuel industries, those plans may look more like a played the risk of higher infl ation stem- CBS’ ‘60 Minutes,’ Powell said the US dire threat. To the president, though, out-of-work oil workers economy is poised for an extended pe- ing tighter. from Asia to Europe. ming from sharp increases in government The shutdowns likely will crimp dealer These snags are likely to frustrate could be shifted to other jobs - plugging uncapped oil wells, spending and expanding budget defi cits. riod of strong growth and hiring, though for example - and thousands more positions would be created the coronavirus still poses some risk. (AP) inventory of vehicles made at the plants. consumers who can’t find the vehicle “We feel like we’re at a place where the GM says it has managed to keep they want and sometimes find them- to help string power lines and build electric vehicles and their economy’s about to start growing much more in Washington. humming factories that make hot-sell- selves settling for a lower-end models components. quickly and job creation coming in much “There’s a lot of suffering out there still,” ing and very profitable full-size pickup without as many fancy electronic fea- “We think that’s a lot of jobs to fi ll, and one of the key more quickly,” Powell said. “This growth he said. “And I think it’s important that, just trucks and SUVs. tures. And it threatens to leave a big questions is: How do we build the right skill base that can that we’re expecting in the second half of this as a country, we stay and help those people. “GM continues to leverage every dent in the auto industry, which by some help fi ll those jobs?” said Matt Sigelman, CEO of Burning year is going to be very strong. And job crea- The economy that we’re going back to is go- available semiconductor to build and estimates stands to lose $60 billion in Glass Technologies, a labor market analytics fi rm. tion, I would expect to be very strong.” ing to be different from the one that we had.” ship our most popular and in-demand sales during the first half of his year. The outlook for the energy industry’s coming decades, as In the wide-ranging interview, Powell said Powell also said the primary risk to the Biden’s plan would have it, includes good wages and good that the Fed is closely studying the develop- products,” the company said Thursday GM said that the cuts will take place economy remains the pandemic and a break- in a statement. at its Spring Hill, Tennessee; Ramos benefi ts, reinforced by a revival of labor unions. ment of a digital dollar, but hasn’t yet made a down in precautions that Americans have “I’m a union guy,” he said at a union training center in decision on whether to proceed. Powell said The chip shortage has already been Arizpe, Mexico; Ingersoll, Ontario; largely taken for the past year. rippling through various markets since Fairfax, Kansas; Lansing, Michigan, Pittsburgh. “I support unions, unions built the middle class, last month that the central bank wouldn’t is- and it’s about time they started to get a piece of the action.” The risk ”is that we will reopen too quick- last summer. It has made it difficult for Delta Township; and Lansing, Michi- sue a digital currency without approval from ly, people will too quickly return to their A speedier transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy Congress. old practices, and we’ll see another spike in schools to buy enough laptops for stu- gan, Grand River factories. would hardly be as simple as longtime wildcatters transform- Powell noted that roughly a million jobs cases,” he said. “The economy should move dents forced to learn from home, de- Spring Hill, which makes the Cadillac ing themselves into solar installers. So many unknowns over- were added in March, when revisions to jobs ahead. But it can move ahead more quickly layed the release of popular products XT5, XT6 and GMC Acadia SUVs, will hang the shift toward greener energy that no one knows how data in January and February are included. to the extent we keep the spread of COVID such as the iPhone 12 and created mad shut down the weeks of April 12 and the industries and its jobs will evolve in the coming years. The unemployment rate fell to 6% from 6.2%. under control.” scrambles to find the latest video game 19. Production of the Chevrolet Blazer For one thing, many experts say the transition to electric “We would like to see a string of months Separately, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi consoles, such as the PlayStation 5. at Ramos Arizpe will stop for a week vehicles will likely mean fewer factory workers than are like that,” he said. “That is certainly in the was asked Sunday whether Powell’s bull- But things have been getting even on April 19, while the Lansing Grand now employed in producing internal combustion engines and range of possibility.” ish comments about the economy meant worse in recent weeks, particularly in River plant, which makes the Chevro- complex transmissions. EVs have 30% to 40% fewer moving Still, there are about 8.4 million fewer that additional government support for the the auto industry, where factories are let Camaro and Cadillac CT4 and CT5 parts than vehicles that run on petroleum. jobs than before the pandemic, and Powell economy, such as President Joe Biden’s $2.3 shutting down because there aren’t sedans, will stay shut down through the Yet economists have warned that climate change poses such acknowledged that he regularly sees a home- trillion infrastructure proposal, was no longer enough chips to finish building vehicles week of April 26. a grave threat that the United States must accelerate its transi- less encampment near the Fed’s headquarters needed. tion to renewable energy to ensure its economic security. Could green-energy jobs really replace lost fossil-fuel jobs? Even with favorable policies, it can take generations to create jobs in individual industries. During his presidency, for example, Barack Obama encouraged tax incentives for the development of solar and wind energy. That effort did achieve some progress. Yet solar and wind remain to this day small sectors of the overall energy industry. “If you’re thinking about incentives and disincentives, it’s easy to kill something; it’s hard to create something,” said Rob Sentz, chief innovation offi cer at Emsi, a data analytics fi rm. The renewable energy industry employed about 410,000 people in 2019, including those in the solar, wind, geother- mal, hydroelectric, biomass and biofuels industries, accord- ing to Burning Glass. By comparison, employment for oil and gas alone in 2020 was 516,000 counting extraction, pipe- lines, refi ning and other elements of the industry. An addi- tional 485,000 people were working at gas stations, though gas station jobs are technically classifi ed as retail, according to Burning Glass. “It’s a pipe dream to imagine that we’re going to achieve full decarbonization in a short period of time,” Sigelman said. “Jobs in the carbon economy will continue in great numbers for some time to come.” That said, Sigelman estimates that the renewable energy industry could grow up to 22% over the next fi ve years to a total of 465,000 jobs. What about pay? It depends on the type of job - and whom you ask. Many in the oil and gas industry say they fear that their wages would shrink if they transitioned to a job in renewable energy. But many economists say incomes might be comparable, whether a worker is laboring in an oil fi eld or a wind farm. The median annual pay of solar installers was about $44,650 in 2020, according to Emsi. For wind turbine service technicians it was about $52,100. In the oil industry, derrick operators, rotary drill operators, service unit operators and excavating and loading machine operators earned median annual pay ranging from $44,700 to $55,000, Emsi says. The median for roustabouts and extrac- tion work helpers was $37,000 to $39,000. Oil and gas fi eld service technicians earn a median of about $39,000 a year, Sigelman said. Those workers could, in theory, transition into such areas as electrical technician work, which pays roughly $25,000 more a year, or construc- tion foreman jobs, whose median is about $27,000 more per year. Some jobs span the divide One point often missed in any debate over green energy vs. fossil fuel jobs is that the line between the two can blur. To install wind turbines, for example, you need truckers, electri- cians and mechanics. “It’s the same people doing the work,” Sentz said. “You call it green, but it’s still a trucker.” Likewise, jobs involved in installing or repairing power and transmission lines are critical to both the renewable en- ergy and fossil fuel industries. The renewables growth that Biden envisions will need a massive buildout of transmission and power lines to deliver electricity from the solar farms and wind farms on sunny plains to energy-gulping coasts. Wheth- er for fossil fuel or renewable projects, electrical workers who string the lines are already in demand. The number of advertisements for job postings in the elec- tric power distribution industry grew 35% in the past two years, Emsi says, and the number for jobs in power and com- munication line construction rose 63%. “They’re having a hard time fi nding the people they need for the jobs they’re doing,” Sentz said. Power line installers, in demand everywhere, earn around $72,000 a year, higher than some others in the energy sector, according to Emsi. “Every county in the country needs them,” Sentz said. An electrician who spent 20 years working on transmis- sion lines for coal-fi red power plants will be in high-demand when building infrastructure for renewable energy projects, and those tend to be union jobs, said Bob Keefe, executive director of E2, a nonpartisan group that advocates for policies that serve the economy and the environment. “Stringing power lines is stringing power lines,” Keefe said. “We’re just doing it better and more effi ciently and hooking them up to the right places that need it to move some of the renewable energy that we’re producing now where it needs to be.” ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 BUSINESS 9

In this fi le photo, Chief Huawei, HSBC agree on document deal for extradition case Financial Offi cer of Huawei, Meng Wanzhou, Chinese telecommunications the last two years as the U.S. in Iran. proceedings for document returns to British Colum- equipment fi rm Huawei said seeks to extradite her over al- An earlier request by Meng’s production and an order has bia Supreme Court after a Monday that it has reached legations of bank fraud and legal team for documents from been approved by the court,” break from her extradition an agreement with HSBC in violations of sanctions against HSBC was rejected by a court Huawei said in a statement on hearing, in Vancouver, Hong Kong to obtain docu- Iran. in Britain. Monday. British Columbia. Chinese ments that its chief fi nancial The U.S. accuses Huawei In a court hearing Monday, It is not clear which docu- telecommunications offi ce Meng Wanzhou hopes of using a Hong Kong shell equipment fi rm Huawei Hong Kong High Court judge ments Huawei has obtained said that it has reached will help prevent her extradi- company called Skycom to Linda Chan approved the or what the scope of the an agreement with HSBC tion to the U.S. sell equipment to Iran in viola- document-sharing agreement agreement covers. Meng’s in Hong Kong to obtain Meng, who was detained in tion of U.S. sanctions. It says between Huawei and HSBC. team have sought internal documents that its chief Canada in 2018 at the behest Meng committed fraud by “An agreement has been compliance documents per- fi nancial offi ce hopes will of U.S. authorities, has been misleading HSBC about the reached with HSBC in rela- taining to Huawei and Sky- help prevent her extradi- fi ghting a legal battle over company’s business dealings tion to the Hong Kong legal com. (AP) tion to the US. (AP) Asian shares dip on vaccine, virus worries Crude oil prices rebound, dollar weakens vs yen Feds charge 3 BANGKOK, April 12, (AP): Asian shares were more in ‘fraud’ lower on Monday, as in- SACRAMENTO, Calif, April 12, vestors grew wary over the (AP): Federal prosecutors said that they have charged three Southern recent surge in coronavirus California women with using prison cases in many places while inmates’ names to bilk a state agency vaccination efforts are out of a combined nearly $1.25 million in coronavirus-related unemployment making scant headway. benefi ts, the latest allegations in an on- Shares fell in Tokyo, Shanghai, going scandal that has cost hundreds of Hong Kong and Sydney. millions of dollars. The declines followed a strong The three are among a dozen end last week on Wall Street, where charged just in the greater Los An- gains in technology and health geles area and among 150 charged cares stocks pushed the S&P 500 federally nationwide with exploiting and Dow Jones Industrial Average federal benefi ts that were supposed to to fresh record highs. aid those who lost their jobs during the pandemic. A moderation in bond yields has Much of that fraud has been in Cali- helped restore confi dence that the fornia, where state auditors in January Federal Reserve will move soon to said the troubled Employment Devel- raise interest rates to keep infl ation opment Department approved at least in check as the economy recovers $810 million in the names of roughly from the shocks of the pandemic. 45,000 inmates, some of them on death But in Asia a resurgence of infec- row. Inmates are not eligible for the tions is undermining confi dence in benefi ts. that trajectory. Each of the Southern California China’s top disease control of- women separately faces charges of fi cial said during the weekend that fraud in connection with emergency benefi ts and wire fraud. The fi rst car- the effectiveness of Chinese coro- ries a maximum sentence of 30 years navirus vaccines was low and the in federal prison, the second up to 20 government is considering mixing years. them to get a boost. It was a rare Sequoia Edwards, 35, of Moreno admission and comes as the country Valley, was arrested Friday on allega- continues to battle outbreaks of the tions that she fi led at least 27 bogus virus that fi rst was reported in the unemployment claims last summer, central Chinese city of Wuhan. at least six including information on Japan is struggling to get infec- prison inmates that she received from tions under control as it prepares an incarcerated cousin. An FBI raid in February recovered debit cards and to host the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. $45,000 in cash from her home, part Thai health offi cials are warning the of at least $455,000 she received in daily rate of new infections could benefi ts, prosecutors said. top 28,000 if urgent measures are People walk past a bank’s electronic board showing the Hong Kong share index at Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Hong Kong, Monday, April 12, 2021. Her attorney, Mark Daniel Melnick, not taken to counter the country’s Asian shares were lower on Monday, as investors grew wary over the recent surge in coronavirus cases in many places while vaccinations are making did not respond to telephone and email worst outbreak so far. scant headway. (AP) requests for comment. “The vaccine rollout remains Mireya Ramos, 42, of Colton, was slow in Asia, but what is more con- virus outbreaks have come roaring havior. The penalty was lower than per barrel. covery, especially in the US, where arrested Thursday on charges that she cerning is a renewed divergence in back, outpacing progress in inocu- feared, coming as the ruling Com- The US dollar bought 109.46 vaccine distribution as been ramp- was issued at least $353,532 in unem- virus caseloads, with second waves lating its 1.4 billion people. munist Party tightens control over Japanese yen, down from 109.71 ing up and President Joe Biden has ployment benefi ts on at least 37 fraud- taking hold in India, the Philippines Shares in South Korea’s SK In- fast-growing technology industries. yen on Friday. The euro slipped to advanced the deadline for states to ulent claims. Most were in the name of and now Thailand,” Stephen Innes novation Co jumped 12% after it Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 0.6% to $1.1885 from $1.1899. make doses available to all adults to inmates and most said they were bar- reached a settlement in a trade dis- 6,872.56. Germany’s DAX edged Small company stocks, which April 19. bers who were out of work because of of Axi said in a report. That “con- the pandemic, prosecutors said. They tinues to sully the global travel out- pute with rival LG Energy Solution. 0.1% lower to 15,220.38 and the have outgained the broader market Investors are turning their atten- said she obtained the inmates’ identi- look,” he said. The companies pledged to work CAC 40 in Paris gave up 0.3% to this year, lagged behind on Friday. tion to quarterly results as earnings fying information from her boyfriend, In early trading Monday, the together to strengthen the EV bat- 6,153.79. The future contracts for The Russell 2000 index of smaller season gets underway. The major who is serving a life sentence in Cali- Nikkei 225 in Tokyo lost 0.8% to tery supply chain in the US, mov- the S&P 500 and Dow industrials companies inched up less than banks are among the fi rst to report patria State Prison. 29,538.73 and South Korea’s Kospi ing ahead with plans to manufacture were 0.3% lower. 0.1%, to 2,243.47. their results, including JPMorgan, On Wednesday, authorities arrested edged 0.1% higher to 3,135.59. In batteries in Georgia in what Presi- In other trading, US benchmark The yield on the 10-year US Wells Fargo and Bank of America. Paris Thomas, 33, of San Bernardino, Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index dent Joe Biden called “a win for crude oil rebounded, gaining 10 Treasury note, which infl uences in- Analysts polled by FactSet have on allegations she obtained more than dropped 1% to 28,411.50. Austral- American workers and the Ameri- cents to $59.42 per barrel in elec- terest rates on mortgages and other hiked their profi t forecasts during $440,000 by fi ling about 49 bogus ia’s S&P/ASX 200 gave up 0.3% to can auto industry.” tronic trading on the New York loans, was steady at 1.65%. It ended the quarter. They expect growth of claims, at least 15 in the names of state and federal prisons and county jails. 6,974.00 and the Shanghai Compos- Chinese e-commerce giant Ali- Mercantile Exchange. It lost 28 Friday at 1.66% and had been as just over 24%, compared with the An FBI search of her house in Febru- ite index sank 1.1% to 3,407.34. baba’s shares were 7.7% higher cents to $59.32 per barrel on Fri- high as 1.75% last Monday. view back in September that com- ary found debit cards and a notebook India’s Sensex dropped 3.5% to after the company said it was fi ned day. Brent crude, the international Investors are showing cautious panies in the S&P 500 would see with application information for more 47,884.90. The country’s corona- $2.8 billion for anti-competitive be- standard, added 24 cents to $63.19 optimism about the economic re- 13% growth. than 40 people, prosecutors said. ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 BUSINESS 10

GameStop nominates Chewy founder Cohen as chairman In this file photo, a GameStop sign is seen above a GameStop says it’s nominating stock’s meteoric rise. Shares period of time. against it and small investors store, in Chewy founder Ryan Cohen as have given up some of their over- GameStop’s business has trying to prop it up. That has Urbandale, Iowa. chairman of the board at its the-moon gains since the big been floundering over the past caused GameStop’s share GameStop says annual shareholders’ meeting runup in late January, but are still decade with the rapid shift price to soar despite the shaky it’s nominating on June 9. The current board up more than 800% this year. toward downloading games. financials underneath. Chewy founder chair is Kathy P. Vrabeck. Earlier this week, the That shift threatened the exis- Other new directors up for Ryan Cohen as In mid-January, GameStop Grapevine, Texas-based video tence of GameStop and its election to the board at the chairman of the Corp. added Cohen and two of retailer said that it will sell up to shares had been more than shareholders’ meeting are board at its annual his former colleagues from 3.5 million of its shares. The halved, to $20 each, by the Yang Xu, senior vice president shareholders’ Chewy to its board after Cohen shares will be sold through an beginning of this year. But of global finance and treasury meeting on June had pressed the retailer to “at-the-market” offering, which GameStop has been swept up at Kraft Heinz Co. and Larry 9. (AP) focus on its online operations. allows companies to place their in a battle between big-mon- Cheng, who was the first inves- That move contributed to the stock on the market over a eyed hedge funds betting tor in Chewy. (AP)

Pandemic to permanently reshape demand for office and retail space Property market sees signs of improvement this year: expert LOS ANGELES, April 12, (AP): After a horrible 2020 that saw many tenants fall behind on rent or go belly up, commercial property landlords are seeing signs of improvement this year, including a jump in hiring by restaurants, bars and retailers. Even with pretax profits, many Still, the work-from-home and online shopping trends are expected to permanently reshape demand for office and retail space, says Hessam Nadji, CEO of Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate financing and advi- sory company. Nadji recently spoke to The Associated Press about the state of the commercial real estate industry and its pros- big companies pay zero US tax pects for a comeback as the economy slowly emerges from the pandemic. Question: 2020 was a rough year for commercial real estate, especially retail. How is that sector looking now? Tax system needs to raise more tax revenue: group Answer: We’ve seen a big surge in retail related con- fidence, both in what landlords are reporting in rent col- lections as well as buyers, who are now willing to look at NEW YORK, April 12, (AP): the authors of the report, Wamhoff and shopping centers they weren’t willing to look at before. Just as President Joe Biden is Matthew Gardner, wrote. “But now, with So retail is seeing this more immediate kind of pop in three years of data published on the confidence and reopening benefits, especially when it pushing to raise taxes on com- effective tax rates paid by publicly traded comes to restaurants, bars and entertainment. Retail is panies to help pay for his infra- companies, it is clear that the Trump law feeling the healing cycle begin and it’s very encouraging. structure plan, a report from a has not meaningfully curtailed corporate Q: Will the surge in online shopping be a drag on retail tax avoidance and may even be encour- space demand? Washington policy group is A: The e-commerce adoption and e-commerce preva- highlighting how many firms aging it.” lence has permanently been boosted by the pandemic. pay zero despite making big Corporations altogether paid nearly Experiential retail -- movie theaters, fitness related retail, $243 billion in total tax receipts in 2019, yoga -- those were the best performing parts of retail, pretax profits. down 30% from five years earlier. pre-pandemic. And post-pandemic, experiential retail is More than 50 of the largest US com- One of every three corporations with going to have a big boost because people are tired of panies paid nothing in federal income more than $1 billion in assets paid zero in being at home. Where you’re really going to feel the pain taxes last year, with many getting federal income taxes from 2013 through are things like furniture, department stores and other rebates, even though they reported 2017, according to a report prepared last commodity goods that are so much easier to obtain almost $40.5 billion in pretax profits as year by the staff of the House of through e-commerce. a group, according to the Institute on Representatives’ joint committee on tax- Q: Are employers going to need less office space now Taxation and Economic Policy. The ation. For smaller companies, with less that many employees have shown they can work well group believes the tax system needs to than $1 billion in assets, two out of three from home? raise more tax revenue. In this file photo, the Internal Revenue Service Headquarters (IRS) building is seen A: Office is probably impacted on a longer-term basis in Washington. (AP) companies have zero federal income tax The 55 companies named in the report liability in a given year. more than any other property type because companies have learned you can manage a workforce remotely, and issued Friday cross many industries, through wind facilities, for example. That pretax income of $2.9 billion for the year. In 2019, corporate taxes made up 3.9% from agriculture to high tech, and they of total US tax revenue, according to the people have learned they don’t have to commute to work and other credits helped the Charlotte, Officials at Nike, which is based in every single day. On both the worker side and the include such big names as Nike and Duke North Carolina-based company net a Beaverton, Oregon, could not be immedi- Tax Foundation, a group that wants tax Energy. The report says the companies employer side there’s an embracing of at least a partial $281 million rebate for federal income ately reached for comment. policies that lead to greater economic virtual solution to employment. Is it going to be 50-50? took advantage of breaks that were pre- taxes last year, after reporting $826 mil- “Most CEOs of large, publicly trade growth. That compares with an average served or expanded under president Is it going to be 70% in office, 30% virtual? That’s any- lion in pretax US income from continu- corporations are not going to risk prison of 9.6% across the economies in the body’s guess. My speculation would be 70% to 80% Donald Trump’s 2017 overhaul of the tax ing operations. to get out of paying taxes when Congress Organization for Economic Cooperation code, as well as the economic rescue favoring coming into the office, but 20% to 30% becom- “Lawmakers developed these tax poli- provides them with so many legal ways and Development. ing a permanent, virtual component of how we manage package that Washington passed last cies to encourage corporate taxpayers to to do so,” said Steve Wamhoff, director That figure could rise if Biden can spring. ourselves and our companies. make investments in economic growth, of federal tax policy at the Institute on push through the changes to corporate Q: How soon will we see this take shape and be Under the 2017 tax cut, the rate on infrastructure and renewables,” Duke Taxation and Economic Policy. taxes he’s suggested to help pay for his reflected in vacancy rates? corporate profits is 21%. But companies spokesperson Catherine Butler said. The $2.2 trillion rescue package that A: In the next four or five years as current leases roll can use many tools to avoid taxes, such $2.3 trillion plan to renew the nation’s She said federal tax rules allowed Washington approved last spring to infrastructure. over, that’s when that’s going to show up. I don’t think as writing off expenses related to the Duke to delay some cash payments for ease the pain caused by the pandemic there’ll be a massive change in the dynamics of office stock options they give their CEOs and A proposal to raise the corporate tax taxes into the future, but not eliminate opened more avenues for companies to rate to 28% may not make much of a dif- spaces five, six years from now, but I do think there’s a other executives. them. The company had about $9 billion limit their federal tax bills. The law ference for the companies using tax cred- permanent effect for those who lived through the pan- Companies can also use a suite of in deferred tax liabilities at the end of allowed corporations to takes losses demic and learned from it. available tax credits by making invest- 2020, which Butler said will become reported in 2018 through 2020 and use its and other tools to avoid paying any tax. But Biden’s plan to enact a 15% Q: How has the pandemic affected your company? ments that the US government is trying to future tax payments over time. them to reduce tax liabilities from ear- A: Commercial real estate was in great shape, pre- encourage, similar to how individuals Nike, meanwhile, used a federal tax lier years, even ones where income was minimum tax on the income that corpora- pandemic. So it was all about the shock the pandemic can get tax breaks for saving in a retire- credit meant to encourage corporate taxed at higher rates. tions report to their investors, known as created by the occupancies, especially in retail and ment fund or making their home more research and development. The athletic “When President Trump signaled his book income, could force some zero-tax hotels, plummeting and therefore investors really pulling energy efficient. apparel giant also took tax benefits relat- intention to cut corporate taxes in 2017, corporations to start paying, depending back to see how bad it was going to get. We saw confi- At Duke Energy, one of the nation’s ed to share-based compensation for its he and Congress had an opportunity to on how it’s done. dence return fairly quickly in the third quarter of last year largest utility owners, the company fiscal year that ended on May 31. pare back the many loopholes that have Republicans in Congress have also and then really build up to, for us, a record fourth quarter. recorded $110 million in tax credits last Altogether, it received $109 million in allowed companies to avoid tax on much already resisted corporate tax increases, Q: How are some of the other commercial property year for producing renewable energy federal tax rebates after reporting total of their income since the early 1980s,” saying they would hurt the US economy. categories doing? A: Fundamentals are holding up very solidly in self- storage. There’s strength in the industrial market, because of the modern warehouse distribution needs that major online retailers have and a lot of the old industrial prod- uct became functionally obsolete. So, there’s been a lot of new building that’s being absorbed very rapidly. Industrial vacancies are very low and rent growth is very high, despite the fact that we’ve built a record amount of new business in industrial. We’re seeing the most pain of course in hotels, shopping centers. Senior housing is going to take a while to recover as well, because of all the health issues and concerns people have putting their elderly parents now in care facilities. Q: Do you expect the outlook for commercial real estate to improve now that the economy is reopening? A: I’m fairly confident that unless there are additional waves or bad experiences that really take the wind out of the vaccination and normalization of the economy, improvement is not only going to continue it’s going to gain a lot of steam as we go into the second half of the year. US Fed’s pandemic response likened to British at Dunkirk WASHINGTON, April 12, (AP): Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell compared the actions taken by the central bank early in the pandemic as the economy barreled toward a recession to British efforts in World War II to evacuate troops at Dunkirk. Asked in an NPR interview whether he would have any- thing different back in March 2020 if given the chance, Powell said, “We almost certainly didn’t do everything right but we knew at the very beginning that we should use all of our tools and use them as aggressively and extensively as we needed to.” The Fed slashed its key benchmark lending rate to a record low of 0% to 0.25%, created a number of emergency lending programs to shore up a financial system in crisis and began buying billions of dollars in bonds to keep long-term interest rates low. “We knew that we would never be able to explain in such an emergency situation why we hadn’t used our tools in that way,” Powell said. “So we did.” In that environment, with the US economy facing peril on multiple fronts, Powell compared the urgency with which the Fed acted to the way the British deployed an impromptu regatta to evacuate thousands of its troops from Dunkirk in France that were surrounded by German forces. “It was time to get in the boats and protect the people, not check the inspection records,” Powell said. “Just get in the boats and go. And that’s what we did.” Powell said there may have been things the Fed could have done differently, or not done at all in hindsight, but that overall the effort was a success. “It served its purpose in staving off what could have been far worse outcomes,” Powell said. He credited Congress with quickly passing the CARES Act in the first step of what eventually became more than $4 trillion in government sup- port to prevent the economy from sliding into a deeper recession. ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 SCIENCE 11

Coronavirus

India overtakes Brazil Tokyo adopts tough rules to curb spread

TOKYO, April 12, (AP): Tokyo adopted tougher measures against the coronavirus Monday as it struggles to curb the rapid spread of a more contagious variant ahead of the Olym- pics in a country where less than 1% of people have been vaccinated. Japan started its vaccination drive with medical workers and expanded Monday to older residents, with the fi rst shots being given in about 120 selected places around the country. The tougher COVID-19 rules, just three weeks after a state of emergency ended in the capital, allow Tokyo’s governor to mandate shorter opening hours for bars and restaurants, pun- ish violators and compensate those who comply. The meas- ures remain through May 11. The status was also raised for Kyoto in western Japan and the southern island prefecture of Okinawa, where cases have surged in recent weeks. The near-emergency status there is to continue through May 5, the end of Japan’s “Golden Week” holidays, to discourage traveling. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike has asked residents to avoid nonessen- tial trips and practice social distanc- ing. She asked bars and restaurants in many areas of the prefecture to close at 8 p.m. Koike An elder care home in downtown Tokyo was among the locations where vaccines were being administered Monday. But Koike urged residents to buckle up and be cautious An elderly woman receives her first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic in Kitaaiki village, Nagano prefecture, central Japan, April 12. Japan started its vac- while vaccinations are in an early stage. cination drive with medical workers and expanded Monday to older residents, with the first shots being given in about 120 selected places around the country. (AP) “We are still unarmed as we fi ght against the resurgence of the infections,” Koike said. “Please follow the guidelines.” Health offi cials also will patrol bars and restaurants to ensure safety measures are observed, and testing will be in- Coronavirus creased at elderly care facilities. The alert status had been raised a week ago for pats of western prefectures of Osaka and Hyogo, as well as Miyagi in the north. Fifteen cities in the six prefectures, including US hopes to achieve herd immunity on campus downtown Tokyo, are now under elevated virus measures. Emergency The non-binding emergency ended in the Tokyo area on Mandatory student jabs divide colleges March 21. Tokyo’s return to the alert status Monday under- scores the diffi culty of balancing anti-virus measures and the BOSTON, April 12, (AP): US colleges to take coronavirus tests that are ap- honest and forthright about any attes- economy. Suga’s government has been criticized for being hoping for a return to normalcy next proved under the same FDA emergen- tation they make to the university,” too slow in enacting anti-virus measures out of a reluctance fall are weighing how far they should cy authorization. But there’s also no Henderson said. to further damage the pandemic-hit economy. go in urging students to get the COV- federal guidance explicitly permitting Northeastern student Tyler Lee said Japan has managed the pandemic better than the United ID-19 vaccine, including whether they vaccination mandates. he thinks requiring vaccinations is the States and many countries in Europe, but not so well com- should - or legally can - require it. The biggest clashes could come in right move because it will help stop pared to other Asian countries and vaccinations have largely Universities including Rutgers, states taking a stance against vaccina- the virus’ spread and protect the com- lagged behind due to limited supplies of the Pfi zer vaccine, Brown, Cornell and Northeastern re- tion requirements, he said. munity around the downtown Boston which is the only one approved in Japan which so far entirely cently told students they must get vac- In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis this campus. There has been some push- relies on imports. cinated before returning to campus month banned all businesses from re- back from parents, but little from stu- In Hachioji city in western Japan, a fi rst group of elderly This photo taken on April 8, provided next fall. They hope to achieve herd quiring customers to show proof of dents, he said. residents had their fi rst shots Monday. But offi cials are ex- by The Marine Mammal Center shows immunity on campus, which they say vaccination. The order raises questions “It’s Northeastern’s decision,” said pecting a slow start due to limited shipment at the beginning. a subadult male gray whale on Angel would allow them to loosen spacing about Nova Southeastern University’s Lee, a senior who is awaiting his sec- It will be the end of June when Japan will have enough vac- Island State Park via San Francisco restrictions in classrooms and dorms. plan to require students and staff to get ond shot. “If I didn’t like it, I would cine to cover the elderly population of 36 million, offi cials Bay, Berkeley Marina cause of death But some colleges are leaving the vaccinated. The college’s president transfer. And that’s what most students said. was undetermined. Four dead gray decision to students, and others be- said he’s still confi dent in the plan, but feel.” Just over 1 million people in Japan have received the fi rst whales have washed ashore San lieve they can’t legally require vac- he also promised to “respect the laws Ariana Palomo, an incoming fresh- of two vaccine doses, and the surge in cases may cause fur- Francisco Bay Area beaches in the cinations. At Virginia Tech, offi cials of our state and all federal directives.” man at Brown, said the university’s ther cancellations of Olympic-related events. last nine days and experts said April determined that they can’t because the The governor of Texas, the coun- mandate sends the message that it’s 9, one was struck by a ship. They US Food and Drug Administration has try’s second-largest state, issued a serious about keeping students safe. Inoculations started in mid-February for medical work- were trying to determine how the oth- ers, and the campaign will focus on older people through late er three died. ‘It’s alarming to respond only allowed the emergency use of the similar order. She was “happy and relieved” when June. The rest of the population is likely to have to wait until to four dead gray whales in just over vaccines and hasn’t given them its full There’s a parallel debate about she heard about it, she said. about July, making it almost impossible for Japan to reach a week because it really puts into per- approval. whether to require vaccination for fac- “I know that I’m going to feel so so-called herd immunity before the Tokyo Olympics begin spective the current challenges faced The question looms large as more ulty and staff, an issue that employers much safer on campus,” said Palomo, on July 23. by this species,’ says Dr Pádraig colleges plan to shift back from re- across the nation are grappling with. 18. “This is the next step in protecting Meanwhile, India reported another record daily surge in Duignan, Director of Pathology at The mote to in-person instruction. Many At the University of Notre Dame, one one another and preventing more lives coronavirus infections Monday to overtake Brazil as the sec- Marine Mammal Center. (AP) schools have launched vaccination of the latest schools to require student from being lost.” ond-worst hit country. blitzes to get students immunized be- vaccinations, shots are still optional Schools expect some pushback, and The 168,912 cases added in the last 24 hours pushed In- fore they leave for the summer. At for workers. Northeastern is consider- Republican student groups on some dia’s total to 13.5 million, while Brazil has 13.4 million, ac- some schools, the added requirement ing whether to extend its mandate to campuses have opposed mandates, cording to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. is meant to encourage holdouts and to employees. saying it should be a choice. build confi dence that students and fac- Colleges are also grappling with India also reported 904 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking Exemption its total to 170,179, which is the fourth highest toll, behind ulty will be safe on campus. what to expect of international stu- “It takes away any ambiguity about Even at schools making shots man- dents, who may not have access to the United States, Brazil and Mexico. whether individuals should be vacci- datory, there are exemptions. Federal vaccines in their home countries or India is experiencing its worst surge of the pandemic, with nated,” said Kenneth Henderson, the law requires colleges to provide ac- who may get shots that are not used in a seven-day rolling average of more than 130,000 cases per chancellor of Northeastern University commodations to students who refuse the United States. Some colleges say day. Hospitals across the country are becoming overwhelmed in Boston. “It also provides a level of a vaccine for medical reasons, and they’re planning to develop arrange- with patients, and experts worry the worst is yet to come. confi dence for the entire commu- most schools are also offering exemp- ments to make shots available for in- The latest surge also coincides with the shortage of vac- nity that we are taking all appropriate tions for religious reasons. ternational students when they arrive. cines in some Indian states, including western Maharashtra Gonsalves Vujovic measures.” At Brown, students who forgo shots Other colleges are using a lighter state, home to fi nancial capital Mumbai, which is the worst Northeastern and other colleges re- and have no valid exemption must fi le touch to promote shots, including at hit state and has recorded nearly half of the country’s new quiring shots believe they’re on solid a petition to study remotely or take a Dickinson State University in North infections in the past two weeks. legal ground. It’s not unusual for col- leave of absence next fall, the school’s Dakota, which is exempting students The hard-hit Philippine capital and four nearby provinces Environment leges to require students to be vacci- president, Christina Paxson, told stu- from a campus mask mandate two were placed under a lighter coronavirus lockdown Monday nated for other types of diseases, and dents in a letter last week. weeks after they are fully vaccinated. to avoid further damage to an already battered economy de- a California court last year upheld a fl u But enforcing vaccine mandates will Many others are hoping a word of spite a continuing surge in infections and deaths. Presidential More fl ee volcano: More people fl ed shot requirement at the University of bring its own challenges. Cornell and encouragement will be enough. Cam- spokesman Harry Roque said Metropolitan Manila and the their homes on the eastern Caribbean island California system. Northeastern say students will be asked pus offi cials at Bowdoin College in provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, a region of St. Vincent on Sunday as La Soufrière But legal scholars say the COV- to show proof of vaccination, but there Maine said it’s their “hope and expec- of more than 25 million people, would remain under lighter volcano rumbled loudly for a third day ID-19 vaccines’ emergency use status is no widely accepted vaccine credential. tation” that all students will get shots. quarantine restrictions up to the end of April after a two-week and the heavy weight of its ashfall dam- moves the issue to a legal gray area Cornell told students they can provide Harvard University offi cials “strongly hard lockdown. “Our emerging strategy is to increase our bed aged some buildings. Residents reported that’s likely to be challenged in court, the card given out at their vaccination recommend” that students get vac- capacities instead of closing the economy,” said Roque, who widespread power failures early in the day, and some colleges may take a more site, but card formats vary and generally cinated but have stopped short of a though authorities restored electricity to seem like they would be easy to forge. spoke in a televised news briefi ng from a Manila hospital most of the island by late afternoon. cautious approach to avoid litigation. mandate. after contracting COVID-19 like many Cabinet members. The eruption Friday of La Soufrière Harvard Law professor Glenn Co- At Northeastern, offi cials are still Some, including Dartmouth Col- The Philippines has long been a Southeast Asian coronavirus prompted many people to evacuate their hen, who teaches health law and bio- deciding whether students will have to lege, are waiting for shots to become hotspot, with about 865,000 confi rmed infections and nearly homes, and others who had remained in ethics, said there’s no legal reason col- provide a medical record proving they more widely available before making 15,000 deaths. place sought shelter elsewhere Sunday. leges wouldn’t be allowed to require were vaccinated or whether they will a decision. Diana Lawrence, a spokes- Alternative The volcano’s rumbles were heard in COVID-19 vaccinations. It makes no be allowed to attest to having been im- person for Dartmouth, said offi cials the capital of Kingstown, about 20 miles difference that the shots haven’t been munized - essentially taking their word “cannot make a determination regard- New Zealand is requiring that all border workers be vacci- (32 kilometers) south. given full approval, he said, noting that for it. ing required vaccination until vaccines nated against the coronavirus by the end of the month. Prime “I’m just here wondering when it’s many colleges already require students “We would expect students to be are accessible for all students.” Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday that beginning imme- going to calm down,” resident Kalique diately, employers would need to consider alternative options Sutherland said. for any of their employees who haven’t been vaccinated. That The eruption could continue for some could mean those workers are redeployed to roles away from time, said Richard Robertson, the lead ing that the government protect the envi- the capital of Belgrade for an “ecological that include poor garbage management the border or fi red. Ardern had previously set April as a dead- scientist at the University of the West In- ronment in a Balkan nation that has seen uprising” against what organizers say is a and high air pollution caused by the use line for vaccinating frontline workers but on Monday talked dies Seismic Research Center. record levels of air pollution and scores of widespread environmental devastation in of poor-quality coal and other pollutants. about it in stronger terms after three workers at a quarantine “It’s likely that at some point it would other ecological problems following dec- the nation aspiring to join the European Rivers have been polluted by toxic indus- quiet down and hopefully we would have ades of neglect. Union. Some wore face masks to ward off trial waste and many cities, including Bel- facility caught the virus. New Zealand has stamped out the a break so that we could recover a little bit Several thousand people gathered out- coronavirus but not all. grade, lack good sewage and waste water spread of the virus within the community, so returning travel- more, but don’t be surprised if after the break systems. ers who may have caught COVID-19 abroad are considered it picks up like this again,” Robertson said. side the Serbian parliament building in Serbia has faced mounting problems “We came to say ‘No!’ to those who the biggest vulnerability. Elford Lewis, a 56-year-old farmer who jeopardize our rivers and our nature every Bhutan’s COVID-19 vaccination drive was fast from the evacuated his home on Sunday morning, day,” said Aleksandar Jovanovic, who be- start. As other countries rolled out their vaccination cam- said the ongoing eruption is worse than longs to a movement opposed to building paigns over months, Bhutan is nearly done just 16 days after the last big one in 1979. small hydropower plants on Serbia’s rivers. it started. The tiny Himalayan kingdom has vaccinated nearly “This one is more serious,’’ said Lewis, Protesters carried banners reading “Cut 93% of its adults. Its small population helped Bhutan move who witnessed the big eruption decades ago. corruption and crime, not forests!” or fast, but dedicated volunteers and the use of cold chain stor- An eruption of the 4,003-foot “Water is life” and “Plant a tree!” - refer- age from earlier vaccination drives are credited as well. Bhu- (1,220-meter) volcano in 1902 killed ring to shrinking green areas in the cities, tan distributed the shots to coincide with auspicious dates in roughly 1,600 people. particularly in Belgrade, where huge con- About 16,000 people have had to fl ee crete residential areas have sprung up in Buddhist astrology and the recipient and provider of the fi rst their ash-covered communities with as shot were women born in the Year of the Monkey. recent years. “I think this is the most im- many belongings as they could stuff into portant topic in our lives,” said protester The new mayor of South Korea’s capital demanded swift suitcases and backpacks. However, there approval of coronavirus self-testing kits, saying that his Bojana Jovanovic. have been no reports of anyone being The protesters demanded a ban on city urgently needs more tools to fi ght the pandemic and killed or injured by the initial blast or building small hydroelectric plants, better keep struggling businesses open. Oh Se-hoon spoke Mon- those that followed. environmental education, greener urban day as Seoul and nearby metropolitan towns shut down Ralph Gonsalves, the prime minister areas and cleaner air. International studies hostess bars, night clubs and other high-risk entertainment of the 32 islands that make up the coun- have suggested that air pollution is short- venues to slow transmissions. Similar businesses were also try of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has said people should remain calm and ening the lifespans of people living in the shut down in the southern port city of Busan. The Korea Western Balkans. Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 350 of the keep trying to protect themselves from the coronavirus. He said offi cials were Hours before the rally, the Serbian country’s 587 new cases were from the greater Seoul area. trying to fi gure out the best way to collect Environment Ministry said that Serbia’s Kwon Jun-wook, director of South Korea’s National Health and dispose of the ash, which covered an many problems are not new and insisted Institute, said earlier this month that authorities are review- airport runway near Kingstown, and fell the government has launched projects ing whether to approve rapid home tests. But the review as far away as Barbados, about 120 miles aimed at fi nding long-term solutions to has proceeded slowly with some experts saying such tests (190 kilometers) to the east. (AP) Kent State University student Regan Raeth of Hudson, Ohio, looks at her vac- pollution. Environment Minister Irena would do more harm than good because they are less accu- ❑ ❑ ❑ cination bandage as she waits for 15 minutes after her shot in Kent, Ohio, April Vujovic later described the protest as po- rate than standard laboratory tests. 8. US colleges hoping for a return to normalcy next fall are weighing how far they litical, saying organizers wanted to make Call to protect environment: Pro- should go in urging students to get the COVID-19 vaccine, including whether “quick political gains” rather than work to testers in Serbia rallied Saturday demand- they should — or legally can — require it. (AP) solve problems. (AP) Film TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 FFeatureseatures per death ofGrammy-nominated rap- died Wednesdayatage74. team,” ShustersaidofBeatts,who good atediting.Itwasa on Ted Kennedy Volkswagen adthatmockedSen. and giftforparody,notablya dark humor,disciplinedapproach Lampoon stafferknownforher paired withaformerNational Night Live,” team forwhatbecame“Saturday was puttingtogetherawriting Nerds —snivelly most lastingcreationwasthe perverse Henry ter UncleRoy(playedby sketches asthecreepybabysit- Shuster workedonsuchrecurring dice thatwomencan’tbefunny. easy rebuttaltotheundyingpreju- she wasapioneer,force,andan ers andperformerswhofollowed, her peers,andgenerationsofwrit- taught comedywriting.Butamong at ChapmanUniversity,whereshe fi public andcouldbereachedinher Beatts wasn’twidelyknowntothe Beatts andShusterwrotefor, Radner ing,” Shustersaid. bashing themagainsttheglassceil- to lefttheirheadsscarred“from getting theirideasevenlistened writers wererareatthetime,and times infuriating.Femalecomedy exhausting, hilariousandsome- death. phone interviewfollowingBeatts’ told TheAssociatedPressduringa and Gildawasfabulous,”Shuster Radner andMurray. ever-changing romancebetween often playedagainstthereal-life, fi sitcom “SquarePegs,”bothidenti- created thegroundbreakingteen Shuster andBeatts,wholater were anact,andakindofdiary. Muca (Radner) andsnotty work init.(AP) Downey off asketchshewrotewith Shuster deliberatelylefthername to materialwrittenbywomenthat Beatts andShuster,wassoresistant who wasotherwisefriendlywith nal yearssimplybyemailingher ed asnerdsandtheirwriting LOS ANGELES: NEW YORK: Awards. Zhao tooktophonorsatthe73rdannualDirectorsGuildAssociation ued itstourofdominancethroughawardsseasonSaturdaynight,when LOS ANGELES,April12,(AP):ChloéZhao’s“Nomadland”contin- Chloé Zhaobecomes1stwomanofcolortowintopDGAhonor at theTorontoInternationalFilmFestival,GoldenGlobeforbest Golden LionattheVeniceFilmFestival,People’sChoiceaward starring FrancesMcDormandstarteditsawardsjourneywinningthe Thomas Vinterbergisfor“AnotherRound.” the OscarslineupisthatSorkinnotamongnominees—instead, for “Minari”andDavidFincher“Mank.”Theonlydifferencein an,” AaronSorkinfor“TheTrialoftheChicago7,”LeeIsaacChung and thentheOscarwentto“Parasite”directorBongJoonHo. rare exceptionwhentheGuildhonored“1917”directorSamMendes to takethebestdirectorprizeatAcademyAwards.Lastyearwasa ballroom ceremonyinBeverlyHills. over zoomcallsfromaroundtheworld,inlieuoftypicalhotel on April25. And itallbutsolidifi color todoso.KathrynBigelowwasthefi Frances McDormand,(left),andSwankieappearinascenefrom‘Nomadland.’‘Nomadland’haswonfourprizes,includingbestpict “ Unlike “She waswitty,andshe Anne Beatts From 1975-80,Beattsand The writing process itself was The writingprocessitselfwas “The dynamicbetweenBilly Chappaquiddick Island She isthesecondwomantoearnhonorandfi Zhao’s lyricalfi Zhao wasupagainstEmeraldFennellfor“PromisingYoungWom- Only seventimesinhistoryhastheDGAwinnerevernotgoneon The untelevisedeventwasheldvirtuallywithnomineesaccepting Earl Simmons DMX ( ) andAykroyd’sequally Bill Murray andothercastmembers to ensure the actor would toensuretheactorwould ❑ Fred Garvin whodiedFridayat 50. Dan Aykroyd,Gilda Rosie Shuster As ’s notoriouscarride . Reaction tothe Lorne Michaels Lisa Loopne John Belushi wasawonder- lm abouttransientworkersintheAmericanWest ). TheNerds Todd DiLa- es herfrontrunnerstatusleadinguptotheOscars . Buttheir Buck James James was . r ,

statement. executive atDefJam, saidina and silly,” at DefJamwhenrap becamesoft me theinspirationtokeepgoing to fi amok, tormentedandstruggling Dark ManXtookoverandran thoughtful man.Unfortunately, ful, caringfather,andasensitive, “DMXis alegend,”saidhip- as asociety,andweneedtodobetter,”shesaid. erously welcomedusintotheirlives.” the fi of hervanandpickingupshort-termwork. woman whotravelstheAmericanWestwhilelivingout ing roominatuxedo. sensation ofacceptingtheawardwhilesittinginhisliv- prize forhisfi them on. motely, andtherewasnoblack-tieaudiencetocheer Albert Hall,butrecipientsacceptedtheirhonorsre- nounced thewinnersfromstageofLondon’sRoyal Gugu Mbatha-RawandPriyankaChopraJonasan- who wastheacademy’sfi father. TheceremonyopenedwithatributetoPhilip, academy, wasabsentfollowingthedeathofhisgrand- make aspeechinhisroleaspresidentofBritain’sfi a long-timepatronoftheBritishfi Friday ofPrincePhilip,husbandQueenElizabethII, gave theeveningapoignanttone,asdiddeathon down measures,withitsmovietheatersstillclosed, Yuh-Jung Youn. teenager in“Rocks”—andveteranKoreanactress newcomer BukkyBakray—whoshoneasaLondon of talents,includingBlackBritishstarDanielKaluuya, the label#BAFTAsSoWhiterewardedadiversegroup ther.” for playingamangrapplingwithdementiain“TheFa- best actortrophywentto83-year-oldAnthonyHopkins Young Woman”wasnamedbestBritishfi the cinematographyprize. mand wasnamedbestactress.“Nomadland”alsotook the BAFTAforbestdirector,andstarFrancesMcDor- the secondwoman,andfi that recognizedadiversearrayofscreentalent. were handedoutduringapandetmic-curbedceremony on SundayattheBritishAcademyFilmAwards,which “Nomadland” wonfourprizesincludingbestpicture LONDON, April12,(AP):Gig-economyWestern ‘Nomadland’ rulesBAFTAs with4wins nd thelight....DMXgave The onlypreviousfemaledirectingwinnerwasKath- “How wetreatourelderssaysalotaboutwhoare Zhao, wholivedamongrealAmericantravelersfor “Nomadland” starsMcDormandasamiddle-aged Director RemiWeekes,whowontheBritishdebut Presenters includingHughGrant,TomHiddleston, Prince William,whohadbeenduetoattendand The factthatBritainremainsundercoronaviruslock- An eventthatwascriticizedintherecentpastwith Emerald Fennell’srevengecomedy“Promising “Nomadland” fi rst for“TheHurtLocker.” Variety lm, thanked“thenomadiccommunitywhosogen- Lyor Cohen rst feature,“HisHouse,”notedthesurreal rst womanof lmmaker ChloeZhaobecameonly Helen Mirrenfi , aformer rst presidentin1959. rst womanofcolor,towin Awards fornia Hackford to stickwithus.” ies. “Iloveit...Ihopeelementsofourquarantinelockdownaregoing bought aringlightforZooms,balancingherlaptopontwodictionar- demic. LONDON: She’s savoringslowdinnerswithherhusband,thedirector Working fromhome?“Muchmoreconvenient,”shesaid.She ‘Promising Young Woman’ namedbestBritishfi lm academy. Gambit.” Frank wasrecognizedfordirectingthelimitedseries“TheQueen’s “In CaseofEmergency”episode“TheFlightAttendant”andScott sode “PrisonersofWar,”SusannaFogeltookthecomedyhonorfor Guild alsocelebratesachievementsintelevisiondirecting. rare whiteAlbatruffl which followsagroupofoldermenwhoseekouttheexpensiveand en toGregoryKershawandMichaelDweckfor“TheTruffl has severe,traumatichearingloss.Anddocumentarydirectingwasgiv- Metal,” hisinnovativeexplorationofwhathappenswhenadrummer drama andbestdirectorthetophonorfromProducer’sGuild. DMX Shuster ’s LakeTahoeformuchofthelastyear. Lesli LinkaGlatterwonthedramaticprizeforher“Homeland”epi- The fi . They’vebeenlivingtogetherinthemountainsnear lm, while the Helen Mirrenhas rst-time directingprizewenttoDariusMarderfor“Soundof nds brightsideduringthepandemic lm e intheforestsofPiedmont,Italy.TheDirectors fi fi Hardy andJohnBoyega. vious winnersincludeKaluuya,KristinStewart,Tom clarifi the Britishas“verysnobbishpeople.”But,shelater The Koreanperformersaidshehadalwaysthoughtof prize forKorean-Americanfamilydrama“Minari.” Black Messiah.” Black PantherleaderFredHamptonin“Judasandthe come,” shesaid. progress, butIamreallypleasedwithhowfarwehave academy was“determinedtomakechange.” ful.” like megettolivetheirdreams,thenIfeelverygrate- women infi portant awards-seasonstagingpost.Thisyear,boththe before theAcademyAwardsandhavebecomeanim- ever imagine,”hesaid. you, BAFTAvoters,meansmoretousthanyoucould crash atthestartofshoot. had beenduetoappearinthefi guage. VinterbergpaidtributetohisdaughterIda,who Round” wasnamedbestfi lm, max.” lmed‘Rocks,’Ithought100peoplewouldwatchthis “I don’tknowhowtofeel,”shesaid.“Whenwe Bakray, 19,wontheRisingStaraward,whosepre- Youn appearedastonishedtowinthebest-actress Kaluuya wasnamedbestsupportingactorforplaying “We arenotthereyet,thisisdefi BAFTA chiefexecutiveAmandaBerrysaidthe Asked whatherdirectingprizemeantforAsian The Britishawardsareusuallyheldaweekortwo “We madethismovieforher,sothehonorgrantedby Danish directorThomasVinterberg’s“Another ingly morediverse,andfourofthesixfi voters, thisyear’sslateofactingnomineeswasstrik- watching alllonglistedfi lead andsupportingperformercategorieswerewhite. a seventhconsecutiveyear,andall20nomineesinthe In 2020,nowomenwerenominatedasbestdirectorfor address aglaringlackofdiversityinthenominations. bership andshookupitsruleslastyearinanattemptto Jasmila Zbanic(“QuoVadis,Aida?”). Gavron (“Rocks”),ShannonMurphy(“Babyteeth”)and nominated forbestdirectorwerewomen:Zhao,Sarah ryn Bigelowin2010for“TheHurtLocker.” ed, “notinabadway.” been fi Under newrulesthat,amongotherthings,made The Britishfi Also: nding thebrightsideofpan- lm, Zhaosaid:“Ifthismeansmorepeople because I knowit’sarealthing stuff. AndIjusthave empathy weird hand,Ithink, withthedrug part of.Buthewas dealtsucha and allthegreatstuff thathewas hospitalized. “Youthinkof‘Belly’ Wednesday whiletherapperwas his journey,”FlyingLotussaidon and notfeelempathyforhimin Flying Lotust.“Youcan’tbeafan hop andelectronicmusicproducer lm academyexpandeditsvotingmem- Progress lm notintheEnglishlan- lms compulsoryforacademy lm anddiedinacar nitely stillaworkin e Hunters,” Taylor Cali- ure, attheBritishAcademyFilmAwardsonSunday,April11.(AP) lmmakers “just notsomuchfun”astheyusedtobe. but saidsocialdistancingandfacecoveringsmakefi Gielen sort ofrathersurprisedormovedaffectedbythat,”Mirrensaid. walk onstageanddoShakespeareabsolutelyfl actor friendsofminewhohavequiteaseverestutteroff-stageandcan raising galainNewYork. has beenanadvocateandambassadorforyears,hostingSAY’sfund- documentary examinestheirtimeatCampSAY. their confi due tohowtheyspeak,andlooksatthecharityhelpsthemwith profi tiful Stutter,”whichlooksattheworkof going here,there....Soit’sbeenfabulousjusttobeanormalperson.” each nightandhaddinnertogether.Normallywe’regettingonplanes, time inallofour30yearstogetherthatwe’vesatdownatthetable normal everydayway,whichhasbeenfantastic.Itisactuallythefi Mirren, meanwhile,hasrestartedactingunderCOVID-19protocols, SAY founder “I haveknownpeoplewho,aswesayinEngland,stammerorstutter, Mirren wasintroducedtothecharitybyfriend The Discovery+fi The 75-year-oldBritishstarisbackingthedocumentary“MyBeau- “It’s givenmetheopportunitytobewithmyhusbandinasortof coming out ofmyhoteland DMX shows withhim.One dayIwas ber touringandbeing onalotof from hisuniquestyle. 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dence. Thechildrenmeetotherswhostutter,andmuchofthe Academy Fellowship: Documentary: British ShortFilm: Animated Film: Makeup andHair: Visual Effects: Casting: Sound: Costume Design: Production Design: Editing: ■ ■ Round” ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Black Messiah” ■ ■ ■ ■ fi iting andsound),“PromisingYoungWoman”(British actor andadaptedscreenplay),“SoundofMetal”(ed- tume designandhairmakeup. “Ma Rainey’sBlackBottom”wontwoprizes,forcos- handed outinaseparateceremonyonSaturday,when demic. usual Februaryberthsbecauseofthecoronaviruspan- BAFTAs andtheOscarswerepostponedfromtheir ■ ■ that neverbelieveditcouldhappentothem.” cating itto“myyoungBlackboysandgirlsoutthere outstanding Britishcontributiontocinemaaward,dedi- honor, theBAFTAFellowship. and musicalscore). British ShortAnimation: Outstanding BritishContributiontoCinema: lm andoriginalscreenplay) and“Soul”(animatedfi

Other doublewinnersincluded“TheFather”(best BAFTAs incraftandbackstagecategorieswere Winners ofthe2021BritishAcademyFilmAwards: Actor, writeranddirectorNoelClarkereceivedthe Director AngLeewasawardedtheacademy’stop Cinematography: Musical Score: Adapted Screenplay: Original Screenplay: British Debut: Rising Star: Supporting Actress: Actress: Actor: Director: British Film: Film: Supporting Actor: Film NotintheEnglishLanguage: Taro Alexander “Nomadland” “Sound ofMetal” “Sound ofMetal” AnthonyHopkins,“TheFather” “Rocks” lm lm followsfi Frances McDormand,“Nomadland” Chloe Zhao,“Nomadland” “Tenet” “PromisingYoungWoman” “My OctopusTeacher” Bukky Bakray “Soul” Director RemiWeekes,“HisHouse” “MaRainey’sBlackBottom” “Soul” “ThePresent” “MaRainey’sBlackBottom” “Mank” “Nomadland” DanielKaluuya,“Judasandthe AngLee ve childrenwhohavebeenbullied calledthefi “PromisingYoungWoman” Yuh-Jung Youn,“Minari” “TheFather” “TheOwlandthePus- Chingy we ranintoeachother,” rapper love andwealways talkedwhen before him.Healways showedme an issuebecausehe knewitwas that buthewascool.Itnever date hischild’smomandheknew that timefortheladies.Iusedto Me Back’wasmylatestrecordat mother pullingmeback?’‘Pulling saw meandasked,‘washischild’s New YorkCity uently. And I was always uently. AndIwasalways lm, directed by directed lm, saidina statement. (AP) Kelli O’Hara lm productions lm “Another -based non- lm

Ryan , and rst ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

People

There mostly crickets H’wood responds to Rudin abuse exposé NEW YORK, April 12, (AP): How have Hollywood and Broadway responded to an exposé detailing rou- tine abuse and bullying by producer Scott Rudin? Mostly, with crickets. The Hollywood Reporter’s cover story last week on Rudin was, undoubtedly, a must-read for anyone in the film, television and theater businesses. Sto - ries about a Hollywood heavyweight throwing glass bowls, staples and baked potatoes at underlings are hard to put down. The trade publication spoke to four former employ- ees who agreed to be named on the record to detail stories about the toxic work environment, in addition to some who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution. One former employee describes how Ru- din was irate after an assistant couldn’t get him a seat on a sold-out flight. He allegedly smashed a computer monitor down on the assistant’s hand hard enough to send the as- sistant to the hospital. Another described a glass bowl be- ing thrown near an employee, prompting a panic attack from a human resources staffer. A former executive coordinator alleges she was fired for hav- Rudin ing Type 1 Diabetes, and didn’t sue for fear of being blacklisted. Rudin, one of the most successful and powerful producers, with a heap of Oscars and Tonys to show for it, has long been known for torturous treatment of In this image released by Netflix, Olivia Colman plays Queen Elizabeth II and Tobias Menzies portrays Prince Philip in a scene from the third season of ‘The Crown.’ an ever-churning parade of assistants — 119 in a five- Britain’s Prince Philip stood loyally behind behind Queen Elizabeth, as his character does on Netflix’s ‘The Crown.’ But how closely does the TV character match year span, he once said. Such behavior has long been the real prince, who died April 9, 2021 at 99? (AP) engrained — and sometimes even celebrated — in show business going back to the likes of MGM head Louis B. Mayer and, more recently, Broadway pro- ducer David Merrick. The overbearing, pugnacious People producer is a type, one that Rudin, according to this report and others, epitomizes. For some, surviving Rudin appears to be a rite of passage — an intensely demanding crucible that has been a training ground for some of the business’s top executives. Fact and fi ction “The thin-skinned guys don’t like it,” Rudin told The Wall Street Journal in 2005. “The thick-skinned people... understand that I’m working as hard as them.” Prince Philip vs Philip of ‘The Crown’ Allegations By Lynn Elber But if Hollywood has taken steps to reform follow- ing a #MeToo upheaval that began with sexual abuse n “The Crown,” a dishy naval officer Andrew says Prince Philip’s death allegations against another much-rewarded New York Icaptures the heart of a future queen. uber-producer, Harvey Weinstein, the initial response But he chafes at playing royal sec- to The Hollywood Reporter’s story on Rudin suggests ond fiddle and crosses the boundaries has left ‘huge void’ in queen’s life the industry is less eager to curb cultures of verbal of decorum and, maybe, fidelity. He abuse and workplace toxicity. eventually finds his way as a trusted LONDON, April 12, (AP): The death ther of the nation,” he said. “And I “I’m astonished given what’s happened in the last partner and family patriarch. of Prince Philip has left a “huge feel very sorry and supportive of my few years that have been so revolutionary and mean- How does the Netfl ix drama’s por- void” in Queen Elizabeth II’s life, mother, who’s feeling it probably ingful and important,” Anthony Rapp, who starred in trayal of Prince Philip, who died at age their son Prince Andrew said Sun- more than everybody else.” “Rent” on Broadway and in “Star Trek: Discovery” on 99 on Friday, compare with the man day, as Princess Anne paid tribute His younger brother, Prince Ed- to her father as “my teacher, my ward, called Philip’s death a “dread- TV, told The Associated Press on Friday. “It’s not ex- Actress Phoebe Dynevor poses for himself and the life he lived with Brit- actly controversial to say that abuse shouldn’t be tol- ain’s Queen Elizabeth II? supporter and my critic.” ful shock” but said the 94-year-old photographers upon arrival at the As hundreds well-wishers contin- queen was “bearing up.” erated. That’s like the least someone can do, and that Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Prince Philip dwelled in his wife’s almost no one has done it is sad and infuriating to me.” ued to leave fl oral tributes outside Edward’s wife, Sophie, Countess April 11 2021. (AP) shadow, and the same goes for Philip the gates of royal residences in of Wessex said the monarch was No studio that has regularly done business with in “The Crown,” as the title makes Rudin has commented on the article, nor have any memory of the monarch’s husband, “thinking of others before herself.” plain. But some episodes take a fuller Anne - Philip and the queen’s only She said Philip’s death at Wind- of the A-list names that Rudin has helped propel to measure of the man, or at least the daughter - said her father “leaves sor Castle, which came three more than 150 Oscar nominations and 17 Tonys. Last Variety character (played in succession by a legacy which can inspire us all.” weeks after he was discharged Thursday, his latest film - the anticipated Netflix ad- Matt Smith and Tobias Menzies, with “You know it’s going to happen from a month-long hospital stay, aptation of “The Woman in the Window” — went Jonathan Pryce in the wings). but you are never really ready,” was “peaceful.” forward with a virtual trailer release attended by the Peter Morgan, creator of the series Anne said of Philip’s death on Fri- “It was right for him and it was film’s starry cast, including Amy Adams, Anthony LONDON: The UK’s national broadcaster switched instantly into mourning mode that’s in a lull before its fi fth and pe- day, at the age of 99. so gentle. It was just like someone Mackie, Julianne Moore and Wyatt Russell. Rudin, when Prince Philip’s death was an- nultimate season arrives in 2022, has In a message released by Buck- took him by the hand and off he himself, hasn’t responded to the article or the AP’s nounced Friday. said “The Crown” is the product of his- ingham Palace, Anne praised Phil- went,” Sophie told well-wishers. “It request for comment. The BBC canceled its regular torical research and imagination, and ip’s “ability to treat every person as was very, very peaceful and that’s Not everyone was been quiet. The most prominent programming and aired special cover- includes scenes not to be taken as fact. an individual in their own right with all you want for somebody, isn’t it?” power player to raise her voice was Megan Ellison, age hosted by black-clad news anchors Barring a tell-all from the parties their own skills,” a nod to the many Prince Charles, the queen and Phil- the Annapurna Pictures founder who was executive throughout the day. Popular prime-time involved, for instance, we don’t know charities and other organizations ip’s eldest son. paid his own tribute to producer on the Rudin-produced “True Grit,” by Joel shows such as the cooking contest if Philip was as rigid in his approach he was involved with. his “dear Papa” on Saturday, and said and Ethan Coen. In 2014, hackers struck Sony Pic- “MasterChef” were supplanted, and the to parenting son Charles as he was “I would like to emphasize how he “would have been amazed by the tures and released confidential documents and emails. network’s music radio stations played sensitive with daughter Anne, as “The much the family appreciate the mes- reaction and the touching things that One of the emails involved a dispute over the “Steve instrumentals and somber tunes. Crown” has it. Or what to make of the sages and memories of so many peo- have been said about him.” Jobs” film and captured Rudin calling Ellison “a bipo- Some Britons saw the BBC’s actions drama’s dainty hints of marital infi del- ple whose lives he also touched,” she Both palace and government of- lar 28-year-old lunatic.” as a fi tting mark of respect. For others, it ity by Philip. said. “We will miss him, but he leaves fi cials urged people not to come in “This piece barely scratches the surface of Scott was a bit much. a legacy which can inspire us all.” person to pay their respects be- The series thus far has brought Philip Andrew, the third of Philip and cause of coronavirus restrictions on Rudin’s abusive, racist, and sexist behavior,” Ellison The broadcaster received so many to middle age, covering only half of the said on Twitter. “Similarly to Harvey, too many are complaints alleging its reporting was the queen’s four children, attended social mixing. But hundreds of peo- real royal’s nearly 100 years. Also ab- church at the Royal Chapel of All ple on Sunday brought notes, cards afraid to speak out. I support and applaud those who excessive that it set up a special website page for viewers to register objections if sent from “The Crown” is Philip’s una- Saints in Windsor Castle along with and fl owers to the gates of Windsor did.” they felt there was “too much TV cover- pologetic fondness for demeaning one- other members of the royal family. Castle, located 20 miles (32 kilom- The Sony hack also also revealed an email ex- age of the death of HRH Prince Philip, liners about women and people of color. Andrew said his mother “described eters) west of London, while others change between Rudin and then-Sony Pictures chief Duke of Edinburgh.” It didn’t disclose But there are aspects of the Greek- it as having left a huge void in her life.” laid tributes outside Buckingham executive Amy Pascal in which he joked about then- how many people had complained by born prince’s life that warrant com- “We’ve lost, almost, the grandfa- Palace in the British capital. President Barack Obama’s taste in movies, referenc- Saturday. parison to the fi ctional version, whom ing “12 Years a Slave” and Kevin Hart projects. At the Simon McCoy, a long-time BBC “The Crown” depicts in a mostly fl at- time, Rudin apologized for remarks that he acknowl- news presenter who recently left the tering light: A bold and restless spirit, Under protest or not, Philip knelt be- fi rst lieutenant in the Royal Navy. edged were “thoughtless and insensitive — and not network, suggested the wall-to-wall one bound to the end by duty and de- fore the newly crowned queen in 1952 While he carried out a full schedule funny at all.” coverage was inordinate. votion to queen and country. and pledged to become her “liege man of royal duties and headed hundreds The 62-year-old Rudin, a Long Island native, has “BBC1 and BBC2 showing the same Domestic Strife of life and limb, and of earthly worship.” of charities, he learned to fl y in the produced some of the most acclaimed films of the last thing. And presumably the News Chan- “The Crown”: Reluctant to surren- On their 50th wedding anniversary, 1950s and was an avid polo player and few decades, including “No Country for Old Men,” nel, too. Why? I know this is a huge der traditional male privilege, Philip Elizabeth called him “my strength and yachtsman, as well as painter and art “The Social Network,” “The Truman Show,” “Fenc- event. But surely the public deserve a wants their children to carry his last stay.” collector. Still driving at 97, he fl ipped es” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” His Broadway choice of programming?” McCoy said name (Mountbatten), not hers (Wind- Man of Action his Land Rover in a crash. hits include “The Book of Mormon” and “To Kill a on Twitter. sor). The answer is no. Man of Faith The publicly funded BBC often fi nds “The Crown”: In 1969, Philip is Mockingbird.” In the past, he’s defended his work- When the death of Elizabeth’s father, immersed in TV coverage of the fi rst “The Crown”: Philip is asked to al- place environment as part of a tough business. itself under fi re from all sides for its treatment of major national events. When King George VI, brings her to the throne, moon landing and faults his life in low a spiritual retreat to be created on Celebrities the Queen Mother Elizabeth died in Philip leaves military service for the role comparison. After prosaic royal en- Windsor Castle’s grounds for clergy 2002, the broadcaster received criticism of consort. Quarrels with Elizabeth fol- gagements at dental and textile facili- in need of midlife inspiration. He ridi- On Broadway, Rudin has a reputation for producing because the announcer who delivered the low, including over his reluctance to ties, the trained fl ier has the opportu- cules the plan as “hot air” but agrees high-profile and prestigious works and often stocking news did not wear a black tie. kneel to her during her coronation. nity to take the controls of a private jet. to it, and ends up fi nding solace in its them with A-list celebrities like Sally Field, Philip Britain’s other TV stations also gave They fi nd a balance, with Philip a He pushes the plane toward the edge version of a men’s therapy group. Seymour Hoffman, Nathan Lane, Jeff Daniels, Jim extensive coverage to Philip’s death at worthy half of an affectionate mar- of space and, as the pilot protests that “’How’s your faith?’” he recalls his Parsons, Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Daniel age 99 and after 73 years of marriage riage. the trembling aircraft is at its limit, mother asking him with concern, then Craig and Denzel Washington. to Queen Elizabeth II. Commercial In reality: When Philip lost his bid to Philip responds: “Perhaps. But look, tells the gathering and its dean, ”I’m In the days after the Hollywood Reporter story, network ITV aired news coverage and use Mountbatten as the family name, we’ve also lived. Just for a minute.” here to admit to you I’ve lost it ... I many rank-and-file actors have expressed frustration tribute programs all day Friday in place according to Gyles Brandreth’s “Philip Meeting with the U.S. astronauts come to say, ‘Help.’” that the allegations have been mostly met with silence of scheduled programming. (AP) and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Mar- when they visit England as part of a In reality: Robin Woods, the then- by those Broadway figures in positions of power — ❑ ❑ ❑ riage,” he complained, “I am nothing victory lap, Philip tells them his posi- dean of Windsor, proposed the found- and therefore likely to be tapped by Rudin one day NEW YORK: Scott Tufts believes the but a bloody amoeba,” a man barred tion and marriage kept him from “the ing of St. George’s House in 1966 and again. media world is not complete without from giving his children his name. things I would’ve liked to, as a man, as Philip became its co-founder and an “A lot of times, unless you’re like a super A-list Court TV. If he’s ever going to prove his Eight years later, it was decided the an adventurer.” enthusiastic fundraiser, according to star, job security is not something you can feel is point, now is the time. couple’s descendants would use a hy- In reality: During World War II, a companion book to “The Crown” by always there for you,” said Rapp, who has cham- The television executive is behind phenated surname — as in Archie Har- Philip saw action while serving on bat- historian Robert Lacey. The center fos- pioned the #MeToo movement and accused Kevin the network’s 2019 revival and, since rison Mountbatten-Windsor, the son of tleships and destroyers, was decorated ters discussion of contemporary issues, Spacey of sexual assaults. “So it’s understandable if he began working last fall to convince Harry and Meghan. and, at age 21, achieved the rank of its website says. (AP) people are afraid of sticking their necks out. I mean, Minnesota authorities to televise Derek that is how dictators have always maintained their Chauvin’s trial, has seen the case as an power.” opportunity to let more people know that Rudin is a very hands-on theater producer, show- Court TV is back. ing up repeatedly at often tedious show rehearsals Early returns are encouraging: The Originally started by journalist Ste- CNN’s “Burden of Proof” in the 1990s, and monitoring every aspect of a production. His network says the number of live streams of Court TV programming during the ven Brill in 1991, Court TV became believed owners gave up too soon. mercurial side was well-known in the theater com- known for coverage of sensational He never lost faith in Court TV as a munity. He has been known to fire a public relations fi rst week of the former Minneapolis police offi cer’s trial for the murder of trials involving O.J. Simpson and the concept and tried to convince me- agency in the middle of a show’s rollout or shut Menendez brothers. But then-corporate dia companies to bring it back. Katz down a production if everything was not perfect, George Floyd was 20 times what it was pre-trial. owner Time Warner changed it to Tru Broadcasting, a subsidiary of the E.W. as he did when Audra McDonald took maternity “When you say Court TV, everyone TV in 2008, believing a broader-based Scripps Co., agreed to try. leave from “Shuffle Along.” The show was closed knows who you are,” said Tufts, the net- entertainment network would have Similarly, some of the people who even though it was selling nearly a million dollars work’s senior vice president. “But when more appeal. worked on Court TV yearned for their in tickets a week. you launch a new network, people have Tufts, who has been involved in own chance to return, said Michael to fi nd you.” legal programming since producing Floyd McCoy Ayala. (AP) ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 SPORTS 14

Berry gets 1st career Xfi nity victory Truex outlasts teammate Hamlin to win again at Martinsville MARTINSVILLE, Va., April 12, (AP): Martin Truex Jr won a stirring, laps-long duel for the lead with team- mate Denny Hamlin in the delayed NASCAR Cup Series race at Martin- Cavani inspires Man United sville Speedway. Truex, who nudged Hamlin repeat- edly in the turns and tried to get to his inside on the straightaways without success, fi nally made the pass with 15 laps to go, ducking underneath Ham- return in win at Tottenham lin coming out of the second turn. He sailed off to victory without another challenge as Hamlin and Chase Elliott battled the rest of the way for second. Truex won for the third time in the last four races on the 0.526-mile oval, and became the fi rst repeat winner this season. The race was rained out after 42 laps Josh Berry (8) celebrates winning Saturday night, and was completed as the rain delayed NASCAR Xfi n- the second part of a doubleheader that ity Series auto race at Martinsville started with the completion of the rain- Speedway in Martinsville, Va, on delayed Xfi nity Series race from Fri- April 11. (AP) day night. Elliott, who won here last fall on others because of a major pileup on his way to winning the series cham- the backstretch involving more than a pionship, held off Hamlin for second. dozen cars on Lap 387. Bowman had Hamlin was third, followed by William gotten as high as second before getting Byron and Kyle Larson. caught up in the mess that ended his day, and Keselowski, a two-time win- ner at Martinsville, also had to call it a CAR RACING day after the wreck. The accident started when Kyle Busch and Chris Buescher got together “That was a lot of fun there at the exiting Turn 2. end, racing with Denny,” Truex said Daniel Saurez also was involved, about his Joe Gibbs Racing team-mate. and rode around the oval to the en- “We raced clean and we were able to trance to Turn 1, climbed out of his car come out on top.” when it caught fi re and walked away as The outcome was not only disap- it burst into fl ames. pointing for Hamlin, who had a domi- Meanwhile, Josh Berry has worked nant car and led 276 laps, but also for for several years as a coach for JR Mo- Ryan Blaney, who won the fi rst two torsports, working with up-and-coming stages and led 157 laps but dragged an drivers and enjoying their success as air gun out of his pit after the fi nal stop their careers developed. and was sent back to 19th in the fi eld. On Sunday, he showed he can do Earlier, he and Hamlin were domi- what he tells his pupils to do. Berry nant. passed star rookie Ty Gibbs with 28 Blaney passed Hamlin for the lead laps to go at Martinsville Speedway on Lap 75 and cruised to victory in the and earned his fi rst career NASCAR 130-lap Stage 1, and Stage 2 played out Xfi nity Series victory in the comple- much the same. Hamlin was fast early tion of a race that started Friday night. in the run, pulling comfortable ahead, “It’s unbelievable, man. It really is,” Manchester United’s Edinson Cavani in action during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at but Blaney eventually ran him down to Berry said, adding that his familiarity the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on April 11. (AP) win that stage, too. with the track from his short-track ca- The race featured several drastic reer was a source of confi dence. “It’s changes in fortunes, perhaps none big- really going to take a while to soak this ger than for Joey Logano. He was in in.” Arsenal ease to 3-0 victory at last-place Sheffi eld United danger of being lapped at the end of the That was true for Berry, and also for fi rst stage, but gambled with others by his boss, Dale Earnhardt Jr, who said staying on the track to gain track posi- on a postrace Zoom call that he was LONDON, April 12, (AP): tion when most of the leaders pitted. watching the race at home but, “with Edinson Cavani set up It worked because another caution about 20 to go, I got to where I couldn’t Fred’s equalizer before scor- Kudermetova wins 1st WTA title on clay fl ew shortly thereafter, allowing him to watch it anymore. ... I’ve never been so ing with a diving header as CHARLESTON, S.C., April 12, championship trophy up high. only other appearance in Charles- pit for the fresh tires most other teams nervous about a fi nish.” (AP): Veronika Kudermetova of The tournament was closed ton was fi rst-round loss in 2019 and already had and stayed near the front Earnhardt said he did peek at the Manchester United beat Russia won her fi rst WTA title, com- to the general public because of she wasn’t sure how she’d perform the rest of the way. TV as the fi nal laps wound down, and Tottenham 3-1, strengthen- ing up strong on the big points to the coronavirus pandemic. It was on the slower surface. Logano fi nished sixth. once he saw Berry take the white fl ag ing its grip on second place beat Danka Kovinic 6-4, 6-2 at the canceled last year. On Saturday night, Kudermetova Misfortune was the case for Alex with a pretty nice lead, “We cried some Volvo Car Open. Matches were had trouble calming her nerves at Bowman, Brad Keselowski and several happy, happy tears.” in the Premier League and The 23-year-old Kudermetova also shuffl ed to a the prospect of her fi rst tournament dealing a further blow to did not drop a set in six matches secondary court crown. on the way to the championship at with the main When she stepped on the court, former manager Jose Mour- stadium undergo- though, she channeled her perfor- inho’s Champions League ing a $50 million mances of the past week to take qualifi cation hopes. renovation. control against Kovinic. TENNIS None of that “It’s an amazing week for me,” Cavani’s euphoria at scoring mattered to Ku- she said. “I played really well. I was clear as he roared in celebra- the season’s fi rst clay-court tour- dermetova, who’ll think I deserved this trophy.” tion at the empty north London nament - a feat last accomplished cherish this win Kudermetova, the 15th seed, re- stadium after what would have here by Serena Williams in 2012. as if she played in lied on her serve and forehand to been an opener was ruled out for Kovinic, also seeking her fi rst ti- Kudermetova a full house. push past Kovinic, of Montenegro, Son Heung-min falling after being tle, sailed a forehand long on match “Of course, it who had defeated three seeded point, making the fi fth fi rst-time win- means a lot,” Kudermetova said. players to advance to the fi nal. caught by Scott McTominay in the ner this season on the WTA. “I’m really happy and proud of my- Trailing 3-2 in the opening set, buildup. “I really enjoyed the play here,” self at my fi rst title.” Kudermetova fought off three break Even more irritating for United was Kudermetova said to the few dozen Kudermetova didn’t feel confi - points to hold serve, then took three Son then beating Dean Henderson at people watching as she held the dent when the week began. Her of the fi nal four games. the goalkeeper’s near-post to put Tot- tenham in front in the 40th minute. win in the sixth minute of stoppage While United is locking down sec- stuck to the bottom of the table. A time by scoring after Paul Pogba and ond place, Tottenham has fallen six third straight defeat for interim boss SOCCER Cavani combined to set up the Eng- points from fourth place with seven Paul Heckingbottom - a second in the Martin Truex Jr. (19) celebrates with the winners’ trophy after winning the lish forward for a shot that Lloris got a games remaining in an erratic season league - leaves the club 18 points from NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, that saw a brief title bid disintegrate. Va., on April 11. (AP) touch to but couldn’t keep out. safety with seven games to go. But United’s comeback began in the The Premier League trophy seems 57th when Fred teed up Cavani for a out of reach for United with Man- shot that was parried by Hugo Lloris chester City 11 points ahead, but Ole and the Brazilian followed up with his Gunnar Solskjaer is still on course to Kolkata starts IPL campaign with victory fi rst Premier League goal since 2018. deliver the team’s highest fi nish since Having denied Bruno Fernandes, being runners-up three years ago under CHENNAI, India, April 12, (AP): 40 balls, and Pandey had raised Hy- for just fi ve to fi nish with impressive Lloris was beaten again in the 79th Mourinho. Kolkata Knight Riders started its In- derabad’s hopes with a 92-run stand fi gures of 2-24. Nabi (2-32) then dealt when the Portugal midfi elder’s nutmeg Meanwhile, Arsenal eased to a dian Premier League campaign with a for the third wicket, but Australian fast two vital blows off successive deliv- helped to set up Mason Greenwood 3-0 win at Bramall Lane as Sheffi eld 10-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. bowler Pat Cummins brought Kolkata eries in the 18th over. Rana sliced an for a cross that Cavani got on the end United’s relegation from the Premier Half centuries from Nitish Rana (80) back into the game when he removed easy catch at long on after hitting nine of with a header. “Fantastic perfor- League edged ever closer. and Rahul Tripathi (53) formed the core Bairstow. fours and four sixes, and Morgan was mance, we are awaiting his decision if A wonderful team goal scored by Al- of Kolkata’s 187-6, after being put into Earlier, Rana and Tripathi featured caught at deep backward square leg. he wants to stay or wants to move on,” exandre Lacazette gave the visitors the bat, despite Hyderabad making a strong in a 93-run stand for the second wicket Hyderabad’s reply had early set- United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer halftime lead before Gabriel Martinelli comeback in the last fi ve overs by claim- backs when Wriddhiman Saha (7) and said of Cavani. “A performance like marked his recall with a goal in the 71st. ing fi ve wickets for 42 runs. captain David Warner (3) fell cheaply today we as a club have missed for a Lacazette struck again late on for his 50th Manish Pandey’s unbeaten 61 off 44 CRICKET against Bangladesh left-arm spin- few years, we have not had that num- league goal for the Gunners. balls went in vain as Kolkata restricted ner Shakib Al Hasan and fast bowler ber nine for a long, long spell. Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette cel- It was Arsenal’s fi rst clean sheet Hyderabad to 177-5 in its 20 overs. Prasidh Krishna, respectively, with “Edinson has been working so hard ebrates after scoring his side’s third in 14 matches in all competitions and “Really happy with the start,” Kol- before Afghanistan spin duo of Rashid only 10 runs on the board. Pandey and to get fi t and we can see the boys played goal during the English Premier the three points moved Mikel Arteta’s kata skipper Eoin Morgan said. “We Khan and Mohammad Nabi put the Bairstow threatened to chase down to his strengths as well. We have had League soccer match between team up to ninth, seven points behind were very happy with our score, we brakes on Kolkata’s run spree. the target, but Bairstow was caught open and honest meetings and it’s no Sheffi eld United and Arsenal at the sixth-place Liverpool. thought if we bowled half decently Rashid, who had already clean by Rana at backward point in the 13th secret we want to keep him.” Bramall Lane Stadium in Sheffi eld, For the Blades, it was a 25th league well, we should get over the line.” bowled Shubman Gill, had danger- over and Krishna returned to claim the Greenwood put further gloss on the England, on April 11. (AP) loss of the season and they remain Jonny Bairstow, who made 55 off man Andre Russell caught in the deep wicket of Nabi to fi nish with 2-35. ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 SPORTS 15

Kershaw barely outduels Scherzer, Dodgers sweep Nationals Martinez hits 3 HRs in return from COVID list, Bosox top O’s BALTIMORE, April 12, (AP): J.D. Martinez came off the COVID-19 list and hit three home runs, powering the Boston Red Sox past the Baltimore Orioles 14-9 for their sixth straight win. Fleury ties Belfour for 4th on NHL Martinez got a chance at a record- tying fourth homer in the ninth inning and struck out swinging. He is the last of 18 major leaguers to homer four times in a game, doing it in Sep- tember 2017 for wins list as Knights blank Coyotes Arizona. The 33-year- old Martinez went 4 for 6 with Caps roll 8-1 in Chara’s 1st game in front of Bruins fans four RBIs and four runs, one day after being LAS VEGAS, April 12, (AP): Marc-Andre Fleury tied Ed Belfour for touch pass into the slot for Nosek and he beat Adin Hill with a wrist shot. Hill made 28 saves, placed on the fourth in NHL history with 484 wins, making 14 saves in the Vegas Gold- two nights after being benched after spotting Vegas a 5-0 lead in a 7-4 loss. COVID-19 in- Martinez jured list because en Knights’ 1-0 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Capitals 8, Bruins 1 of cold symp- Fleury also moved into a tie for 15th with Patrick Roy with 66 shutouts. He snapped a In Boston, T.J. Oshie scored one of his two goals in Washington’s three-goal fi rst-period and toms. season-high three-game losing streak and improved to 3-0 against Arizona this season. former Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara played his fi rst game in front of Boston’s fans in the Rafael Devers homered twice and Tomas Nosek scored midway through the third period. Jonathan Marchessault backhanded a Capitals’ blowout victory. Alex Verdugo added a three-run shot The 44-year-old Chara was the to fi nish the three-game sweep. Nick Pivetta (2-0) allowed four runs and Bruins’ captain for his 14 seasons seven hits in six innings. with the club. Jorge López (0-2) allowed eight Conor Sheary and Lars Eller each runs and seven hits over four innings. also scored twice, and Tom Wilson Dodgers 3, Nationals 0 and Nic Dowd each had one of the In Los Angeles, Clayton Kershaw season-high goals scored by the pitched six innings of fi ve-hit ball to Capitals in their fi rst victory in reg- win an outstanding duel with Max ulation against Boston this season. Scherzer as the Dodgers fi nished a Rookie Vitek Vanecek stopped three-game sweep over Washington. 34 shots, but lost a chance for his Rookie Zach McKinstry homered second shutout when Craig Smith and drove in all three runs for the de- scored a power-play goal in the fending World Series champion Dodg- third. ers, who are off to a major league-best start of 8-2 despite playing this series Avalanche 4, Ducks 1 without injured former MVP outfi eld- In Anaheim, California, Nathan ers Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger. MacKinnon had a goal and an as- Kershaw (2-1) struck out six with sist to extend his points streak to no walks. Scherzer (0-1) also went six nine games and help Colorado beat innings and allowed one run on three Anaheim. hits. Gabriel Landeskog had a goal Kenley Jansen pitched a fl awless and two assists to reach 500 career ninth for his second save. points, Ryan Graves and Andre Diamondbacks 7, Reds 0 Burakovsky also scored, and Jonas In Phoenix, Luke Weaver retired Johansson made 24 saves. The Av- the fi rst 17 batters he faced and Edu- alanche have won seven of eight, ardo Escobar homered for the fourth They went 6-1-1 in the season se- straight game for Arizona. ries against Anaheim. Jamie Drysdale scored for the BASEBALL Ducks. They are 1-4-1 in their past Arizona Coyotes left wing Dryden Hunt (28) shoots against Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (7) during the third period of an NHL six. The 27-year-old Weaver (1-0) took hockey game, on April 11, in Las Vegas. (AP) Islanders 3, Rangers 2, OT a no-hitter into the seventh inning be- In Uniondale, N.Y., Ryan Pulock fore giving up a broken-bat single to Ledecky ‘dominates’ scored 1:13 into overtime to lift and Eugenio Suárez, whose groundball MLB Results/Standings ‘Super Fan’ prepares for Tokyo the New York Islanders beat the found a hole up the middle. Cincinnati 1,500-meter freestyle went into the game batting .312 as a Rangers. team, tops in the majors. MISSION VIEJO, Calif., April Olympics without foreign fans Rookie Matt Peacock pitched the WASHINGTON, April 12, (AP): Re- 12, (AP): Katie Ledecky won sults and standings from the MLB TOKYO, April 12, (AP): Kyoko When I stepped into the venue and ICE HOCKEY fi nal two innings to complete the two- games on Sunday. the 1,500-meter freestyle at the hitter. Cleveland 5 Detroit 2 Pro Swim Series meet with the Ishikawa was a back-packing Japa- looked around, I got a shock as if José De León (0-1) allowed six runs Boston 14 Baltimore 9 world’s fastest time this year. nese student in Barcelona in 1992 struck by lightning.” Kyle Palmieri and Jean-Gabriel NY Yankees 8 Tampa Bay (10 innings) 4 The rest, as they say, is history. over 4 1/3 innings. Seattle 8 Minnesota 6 when she says a “miracle happened.” Pageau scored in the fi rst period Yankees 8, Rays 4 San Diego 2 Texas 0 SWIMMING She managed to buy a ticket to the Ishikawa, who is president of an IT for the Islanders, who have won Kansas City 4 Chic. Wht Sox (10 innings) 3 opening ceremony of Spain’s historic company, has attended every Sum- eight of 11 and are 18-2-2 at home. In St. Petersburg, Florida, Rougned Pittsburgh 7 Chicago Cubs 1 Odor snapped a 10th-inning tie with Olympics. mer Olympics since then, becoming Mathew Barzal had two assists, and Milwaukee 9 St Louis 3 She touched in 15 minutes, his fi rst hit as a Yankee, Gio Urshela LA Dodgers 3 Washington 0 She said she had only “pocket famous as an unoffi cial “International Ilya Sorokin stopped 24 shots to homered and drove in three runs, and Arizona 7 Cincinnati 0 40.55 seconds in the outdoor pool money” with her - maybe $50 - when Olympic Cheerleader.” She relishes San Francisco 4 Colorado 0 improve to 11-3-1 this season. New York rallied to avoid a weekend on Sunday. Ashley Twichell fi n- joining in with fans from everywhere Philadelphia 7 Atlanta 6 ished second in 16:06.68. some local men offered her a ticket Libor Hajek and Brendan Smith sweep. American League to cheer for their athletes. Ledecky’s time was 17 sec- for that price. The real price might scored in the second period for the Odor went 0 for 4 before singling East Division have been 10 times that much, she Her cheering style at Olympic W L Pct GB onds quicker than the second- venues is well-known among the Rangers. in his fi rst game since the Yankees Boston 6 3 .667 _ isn’t sure. fastest swimmer, Simona Japanese. She wears the traditional Penguins 5, Devils 2 acquired him from Texas. Urshela hit Baltimore 4 5 .444 2 “You came all the way from Japan, New York 4 5 .444 2 Quadarella who swam 15:57.03 Japanese costume for festivals and a In Newark, N.J., Colton Sceviour a two-run homer in the third inning at the recent Italian Olympic so have fun,” she recalled them say- and had four hits, including a two-out Tampa Bay 4 5 .444 2 headband that says “Victory” written scored two, quick goals just hours Toronto 4 5 .444 2 trials. Ledecky set the world re- ing. single in the 10th off Collin McHugh in Japanese. In her hands she holds Central Division cord of 15:20.48 in 2018. “I immediately grabbed that ticket after coming off waivers and Pitts- (0-1). W L Pct GB folding fans emblazoned with the burgh rolled past New Jersey. Aroldis Chapman (1-0) pitched a Cleveland 5 3 .625 _ and ran straight into the stadium. Japanese fl ag. Kansas City 4 3 .571 -1/2 Bryan Rust scored a controver- scoreless ninth and Albert Abreu got Minnesota 5 4 .556 -1/2 But Tokyo will be very different. sial goal and Jake Guenzel added three outs. Chicago 4 5 .444 1-1/2 There will be no fans from abroad two late ones as the Penguins won Indians 5, Tigers 2 Detroit 3 6 .333 2-1/2 to entertain: Local organizers have West Division barred tourists because of the COV- their third straight and improved to In Cleveland, Logan Allen (1-1) re- W L Pct GB 9-2-1 in their last 12. Tristan Jarry covered from a bumpy fi rst inning to Houston 6 3 .667 _ ID-19 pandemic. Local residents are Los Angeles 6 3 .667 _ expected to be allowed into venues, made 28 saves. get his fi rst win with the Indians, al- Seattle 5 4 .556 1 Miles Wood and P.K. Subban lowing one run and two hits in fi ve in- Texas 3 6 .333 3 but in limited numbers. nings as Cleveland completed a three- Oakland 3 7 .300 3-1/2 Naotoshi Yamada, who was known scored for the Devils. National League in Japan as “Uncle Olympics,” died in game sweep. East Division Sabres 5, Flyers 3 Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera was W L Pct GB 2019. He had attended every Summer In Philadelphia, Rasmus placed on the 10-day injured list before Philadelphia 6 3 .667 _ Olympics since 1964, easily identifi - Asplund and Jeff Skinner scored the game with a left biceps strain. Atlanta 4 5 .444 2 able as the cheering face of Japan. New York 2 3 .400 2 25 seconds apart late in the third Emmanuel Clase, throwing over Miami 2 6 .250 3-1/2 period to help Buffalo beat Phila- 100 mph on nearly every pitch, worked Washington 1 5 .167 3-1/2 OLYMPICS delphia. the ninth for his second save. Central Division Jake Bauers and César Hernández W L Pct GB Arttu Ruotsalainen, Sam Re- Cincinnati 6 3 .667 _ inhart and Casey Mittelstadt also drove in early runs against José Ureña Milwaukee 5 4 .556 1 Ishikawa said she fi rst met Yamada (0-2), who has given up nine walks in St Louis 5 4 .556 1 at a baseball game in Barcelona and scored, and Linus Ullmark made 40 Chicago 4 5 .444 2 saves. The NHL-worst Sabres im- 7 2/3 innings this season. Pittsburgh 3 6 .333 3 served as his “deputy” ever since. Pirates 7, Cubs 1 West Division Now she is on her own, and in very proved to 10-25-6. W L Pct GB Olympic fan Kyoko Ishikawa shows her cheering at her home, on April 10, unusual circumstances. But her mis- Oskar Lindblom, Shayne Gostis- In Pittsburgh, JT Brubaker (1-0) al- Los Angeles 8 2 .800 _ lowed one run and four hits in 5 1/3 San Diego 7 3 .700 1 in Tokyo. (AP) sion will be the same: to cheer for behere and Joel Farabee scored for innings and had the fi rst three RBIs. San Francisco 6 3 .667 1-1/2 athletes from around the world on the Flyers. His two-run single down the right-fi eld Arizona 4 6 .400 4 behalf of fans who could not attend. Colorado 3 7 .300 5 his second save. misplayed Andrew Benintendi’s bunt Predators 3, Stars 2, SO line capped a three-run second inning Jose Alvarado (2-0) pitched the in the 10th for Chicago’s second error She said she views the Olympics In Nashville, Tenn., Ryan Jo- and gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead. eighth to earn the win. Smith (0-2) of the day and ninth in nine games this as a way “for children and young hansen was the lone scorer in the Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds had Will Smith to begin the ninth, advanced took the loss. Ronald Acuña Jr., Fred- season. people to experience the importance of diversity and identity.” She said shootout, lighting Nashville past the third four-hit game of his career. to third on a bunt and scored to make it die Freeman and Ozzie Albies hom- Greg Holland (1-1) pitched two Dallas. Trevor Williams (1-1) was hit hard 7-6 on Gregorius’ fl y to shallow left. ered to power the Braves. scoreless innings, and Kyle Zimmer that was her initial impression when in his return to Pittsburgh, where he she fi rst entered Barcelona’s Olympic Ryan Ellis and Yakov Trenin Marcell Ozuna’s throw bounced twice Brewers 9, Cardinals 3 worked a perfect 10th for his fi rst ca- scored in regulation for Nashville, spent the fi rst fi ve seasons of his career before Bohm was initially called safe - reer save. stadium and saw “the energy created before being released in November. He even though it appeared he didn’t get his In St. Louis, Avisaíl García hom- by the melting pot” of many different and Juuse Saros made 24 saves. ered for the second day in a row, this Chicago had won 17 straight games was tagged for fi ve runs and 10 hits in foot on the plate against catcher Travis when its opponent started a left-hand- people. The Predators have won four of 3 1/3 innings. d’Arnaud’s tag attempt. time off Daniel Ponce de Leon (1-1) in ed pitcher, one shy of the major league “The opportunity to have that ex- fi ve. The play was reviewed and upheld, a four-run fi rst, and Travis Shaw and record set by Atlanta from 2004-05. perience will be gone this time,” she Roope Hintz and Jamie Oleksiak Phillies 7, Braves 6 Manny Piña also connected. In Atlanta, Didi Gregorius hit a prompting fans at Truist Park to throw Padres 2, Rangers 0 said. “I feel very disappointed.” scored for Dallas. debris into the outfi eld and causing the Brett Anderson (1-1) allowed one three-run homer in Philadelphia’s run and four hits in fi ve innings for In Arlington, Texas, Trent Grish- four-run fourth inning and had the go- grounds crew to come out to pick up Milwaukee, which has won four of am homered in the fourth off Mike ahead sacrifi ce fl y in the ninth to help the trash. fi ve. Foltynewicz (0-2),and Manny Mach- NHL Results/Standings the Phillies snap Atlanta’s four-game Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins ado in the ninth against Ian Kennedy winning streak. homered for the Phillies. Héctor Neris Austin Dean had a two-run double for the Cardinals, who have lost two as San Diego completed a three-game Alec Bohm doubled off Braves closer faced the minimum in the ninth to earn sweep. in a row after a four-game winning WASHINGTON, April 12, (AP): Results and standings from the NHL games on streak. Craig Stammen (1-1) allowed one Sunday. hit in 3 1/3 scoreless innings to lead six Mariners 8, Twins 6 relievers after starter Adrian Morejon Buffalo 5 Philadelphia 3 Pittsburgh 5 New Jersey 2 In Minneapolis, Kyle Seager hit his Vegas 1 Arizona 0 Washington 8 Boston 1 left after two outs because of an elbow/ Colorado 4 Anaheim 1 Nashville 3 Dallas SO 2 second homer of the game, a three-run forearm strain. NY Islanders 3 NY Rangers OT 2 drive in the ninth off Alex Colomé Taylor Williams, Tim Hill, Austin (0-1) as Seattle overcame a 6-0, sixth- East Division West Division Adams, Emilio Pagan and Mark Mel- GP W L OT Pts GF GA GP W L OT Pts GF GA inning defi cit. ancon followed Stammen as the Padres Washington 42 27 11 4 58 146 126 Seager had four hits and Taylor NY Islanders 42 27 11 4 58 125 98 Colorado 41 28 9 4 60 146 96 held Texas to fi ve hits, three walks and Pittsburgh 42 27 13 2 56 146 118 Vegas 40 27 11 2 56 128 92 Trammell also homered for Seattle, two hit batters while striking out 10. Boston 39 21 12 6 48 109 104 Minnesota 40 24 13 3 51 119 109 which won a road series for the fi rst Melancon is 5 for 5 in save chances. NY Rangers 41 19 16 6 44 133 112 St Louis 41 19 16 6 44 119 128 time since Sept. 11-13, 2019, at Arizo- Philadelphia 41 19 16 6 44 122 148 Arizona 42 19 18 5 43 114 130 na. Colomé blew a save for the second Giants 4, Rockies 0 New Jersey 40 14 20 6 34 103 132 San Jose 40 18 18 4 40 113 133 In San Francisco, Anthony DeScla- Buffalo 41 10 25 6 26 98 144 Los Angeles 40 16 18 6 38 110 117 time in four chances. Anaheim 42 12 23 7 31 93 137 fani and three relievers combined to Central Division Drew Steckenrider (1-1) pitched a GP W L OT Pts GF GA scatter eight hits as San Francisco Gi- North Division scoreless eighth, and Rafael Montero Carolina 40 27 9 4 58 132 99 GP W L OT Pts GF GA ants swept Colorado. Tampa Bay 41 28 11 2 58 141 101 earned his second save in with a 1-2- Toronto 41 28 10 3 59 139 105 DeSclafani (1-0) struck out eight Florida 42 26 12 4 56 133 115 Winnipeg 41 25 13 3 53 134 109 3 ninth. Byron Buxton has eight hits and gave up six hits in six innings. Nashville 43 23 19 1 47 112 121 Edmonton 42 25 15 2 52 134 120 in three games to increase his batting Chicago 42 19 18 5 43 118 132 Montreal 38 17 12 9 43 118 108 Brandon Belt homered for the fi rst Dallas 40 15 14 11 41 111 104 average to .500. His 1.231 slugging Calgary 41 17 21 3 37 108 124 time this season and Alex Dickerson Columbus 43 15 20 8 38 109 141 Vancouver 37 16 18 3 35 100 120 percentage is tops in the majors. also connected for the Giants. Evan Detroit 43 14 23 6 34 96 139 Ottawa 42 13 25 4 30 112 159 Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw celebrates after Royals 4, White Sox 3 Longoria had two hits and two RBIs. Note: Two points for a win one point for overtime loss. The top four teams in striking out Washington Nationals’ Jordy Mercer to end the top of the sixth In Chicago, Michael A. Taylor Germán Márquez (0-1) allowed each division will qualify for playoffs under this season’s temporary realignment. inning of a baseball game, on April 11, in Los Angeles. (AP) scored when Garrett Crochet (0-1) three runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 16

Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon (7) drives against Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Memphis, Tenn. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Spurs avoiding season sweep by Mavericks Celtics have 31-3 run in comeback victory over Nuggets DENVER, April 12, (AP): Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown fueled a 31-3 run that helped the Boston Celt- ics put the skids on the NBA’s hottest team with a 105-87 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. The Nuggets looked well on their Matsuyama makes history for way to their ninth straight victory when they took a 79-65 lead in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Facun- do Campazzo. Boston outscored the Nuggets 40-8 the rest of the way. The Celtics had been held to 16 fi rst-quarter points Japan with Masters ‘triumph’ and trailed by 14 early on. Brown started the epic run with a nifty bucket and Tatum provided the biggest highlights, including eight Zalatoris’ debut ends with a shot back straight points on a trio of free throws, a jumper and a 3-pointer. Tatum fi nished with 28 points AUGUSTA, Ga., April two days after a career-best 53-point 12, (AP): Hideki Matsuy- performance against Minnesota, and Brown had 20. Tatum (illness) and ama almost turned down Brown (sore left knee) starred despite his fi rst chance to play the being listed as questionable before Masters. It was a month tip-off. after a devastating earth- Michael Porter Jr. led Denver with 20 points. Nikola Jokic had 17 points, quake and tsunami in Ja- 11 assists and 10 rebounds. pan, disasters that killed Pelicans 116, Cavaliers109 thousands and destroyed In Cleveland, Zion Williamson much of the region he scored 38 points and Brandon Ingram called home in March 2011. had 27 points and eight assists in ral- He decided to play a month later, lying New Orleans past Cleveland. only because he thought it would Williamson fell one shy of his ca- reer best of 39 set March 26 against lift spirits. Denver. He made 16 of 22 fi eld goal A decade later, he lifted his country again - becoming Japan’s fi rst man to attempts and had nine rebounds as win a golf major. Matsuyama’s one- New Orleans pulled within one game shot victory over Will Zalatoris at Au- of the fi nal play-in tournament spot in gusta National made him the Masters the West. champion, easily the biggest moment Dean Wade scored a career-high 21 for the sport in his golf-crazed home- points for Cleveland. land. Bucks 124, Magic 87 “I can’t say I’m the greatest,” Mat- In Orlando, Fla., Khris Middleton suyama said. “However, I’m the fi rst scored 21 points, Bobby Portis added to win a major, and if that’s the bar, 16 points -making four 3-pointers - then I’ve set it.” and 10 rebounds and Milwaukee beat He was the greatest this week at the Orlando to end a three-game losing Masters, bar none. streak. History will say he won the tourna- ment with a fi nal-round 73, but really, Milwaukee was again without star he won it on Saturday with a blister- Giannis Antetokounmpo because of a ing fi nish that put him atop the leader- sore left knee, but it mattered little as Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, celebrates during champion’s green jacket ceremony after winning the Masters golf tournament on April 11, in Augusta, Ga. (AP) board for good. He went 6-under on a Middleton shot 8 of 13 from the fi eld seven-hole stretch of the back nine in and added eight rebounds and fi ve as- the third round, the decisive spurt that sists. nobody could match. Even the fi nal Mo Bamba scored a career-best 21 City travel to Dortmund margin on Sunday was perhaps a bit points for Orlando. misleading; it only tightened up when Spurs 119, Mavericks 117 Matsuyama made three bogeys in his In Dallas, DeMar DeRozan hit the fi nal four holes, though the lead never tiebreaking jumper with 0.5 seconds Bayern, Liverpool need comebacks left, giving him 27 of his 33 points in GOLF the second half and lifting San Anto- nio past Dallas. to reach Champions League semis seemed threatened. Dejounte Murray scored 25 points Matsuyama fi nished at 10-under, as the Spurs stopped a season-long LONDON April 12, (AP): The Cham- 278. Zalatoris was at 9 under, Jordan fi ve-game losing streak while avoid- Spieth and Xander Schauffele were ing the fi rst season sweep by their pions League talking points ahead of the Tuesday and Wednesday second- tied for third at 7 under, and Jon Rahm Texas rival in the 41-year history of leg matches in the quarter-fi nals: Atlético stumble again and Marc Leishman tied for fi fth at 6 the Dallas franchise. The Mavericks Will Zalatoris tees off on the third PSG vs Bayern (3-2) under. Justin Rose, who jumped out in won the fi rst two meetings. hole during the fi nal round of the Bayern head to Paris as a team of BARCELONA, Spain April 12, Diego Simeone’s team has struggled front Thursday with a 65, fi nished sev- Luka Doncic scored 29 points, in- Masters golf tournament at Augus- walking wounded, while PSG are like- (AP): Atlético Madrid stumbled in 2021, winning just two of their enth, fi ve shots back. cluding a basket for the 10th tie with ta National, on April 11, in Augusta, ly to be without its best defender Mar- again in their bid to win a first last six league matches They now “It’s thrilling to think that there are 19 seconds left in a game that also had Ga. (AP) quinhos and waiting to see if key mid- Spanish league title in seven sea- can’t afford any further setbacks a lot of youngsters in Japan watching 12 lead changes. fi elder Marco Verratti has recovered sons after drawing 1-1 at Real Be- over the fi nal eight rounds of the today,” Matsuyama said. “Hopefully Kristaps Porzingis had 31 points in time from coronavirus. Marquinhos tis, leaving them narrowly ahead season. in fi ve, 10 years, when they get a lit- and 15 rebounds before fouling out NBA Results/Standings sustained an adductor injury in the of second-place Real Madrid and “We started the season strong, tle older, hopefully some of them will for Dallas. fi rst leg and is likely to be missing at Barcelona. while Madrid and Barcelona had be competing on the world stage. But Heat 107, Trail Blazers 98 Parc des Princes. But Bayern’s con- Yannick Carrasco put Atlético troubles. Now we are struggling I still have a lot of years left, so they ahead fi ve minutes into the match while Madrid is coming on strong are going to have to compete against In Portland, Ore., Bam Adebayo cerns are worse. Coach Hansi Flick’s WASHINGTON, April 12, (AP): NBA re- side are running on low fuel after this in Seville. But Cristian Tello struck after its big win, and Barcelona is me still.” scored 22 points and Jimmy Butler sults and standings on Sunday. back for Betis in the 20th, and the right there,” Simeone said. “I love Message to those kids: Good luck. added 20 to lead Miami past Portland. Atlanta 105 Charlotte 101 weekend’s 1-1 draw with Union Ber- Boston 105 Denver 87 struggling front-runners needed this stage of the season. It is deci- Matsuyama is only 29. The Heat have won six of their last Milwaukee 124 Orlando 87 goalkeeper Jan Oblak to make sev- sive, it is exciting. We wanted to be He moved from No. 25 to No. 14 in seven games. New Orleans 116 Cleveland 109 SOCCER eral saves to protect a point. here at the top, fi ghting against the the world rankings, and will be wel- CJ McCollum and Norman Powell Indiana 132 Memphis 125 Diego Simeone’s side edged one best.” Atlético went into the match San Antonio 119 Dallas 117 comed back to Augusta National for each had with 17 points for the Trail Minnesota 121 Chicago 117 point ahead of defending champion without Luis Suárez, their top scor- Masters week for the rest of his life - Blazers. Damian Lillard had just 12 New York 102 Toronto 96 lin, where Flick tried to rest some fi rst- Real Madrid, which had gone top - er, and versatile midfi elder Marcos one of the many perks that come once on an off night when he made just Miami 107 Portland 98 choice players. Goal-scoring winger on the head-to-head tiebreaker with Llorente. They were both suspend- someone claims a green jacket. three shots from the fi eld, all 3-point- LA Clippers 131 Detroit 124 Atlético – after it beat Barcelona ed after picking up a fi fth booking Eastern Conference Serge Gnabry won’t return from iso- “I think it’s really good for the game ers. Atlantic Division lation in time to face PSG after his 2-1. Barcelona are in third place, a in last round’s 1-0 loss at Sevilla. of golf globally,” Spieth said. “He’s a Hawks 105, Hornets 101 W L Pct GB positive test for the virus. Former PSG further point behind. Backup striker Moussa Dembélé great young player who inevitably was Philadelphia 36 17 .679 - Atlético had led Madrid by 11 was still unavailable after he lost going to win major championships, in In Charlotte, N.C., Bogdan Brooklyn 36 17 .679 - striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is points at one stage after its very consciousness in training two weeks my opinion.” Bogdanovic scored 32 points on a ca- Boston 28 26 .519 8-1/2 still deputizing for the prolifi c Robert New York 27 27 .500 9-1/2 strong fi rst half of the season. But ago. It turned out to be a Masters fi nish reer-high eight 3-pointers and Atlanta Lewandowski, who was sorely missed Toronto 21 33 .389 15-1/2 when chances galore were wasted last like none other, capping a week that rallied to beat Charlotte without Trae Southeast Division was memorable for who was there, Young. W L Pct GB week in Bayern’s loss to PSG. But have shaken off a sore knee from Sat- Tuchel, the London club are in fi fth indications are that left back Lucas urday. who wasn’t there for long and who Clint Capela added 20 points and Atlanta 29 25 .537 - place in the Premier League even after Miami 28 25 .528 -1/2 Hernandez, midfi elder Leon Goretzka Chelsea vs Porto (2-0) an emphatic 4-1 win at Crystal Palace couldn’t be there at all. 15 rebounds for the surging Hawks. Charlotte 27 25 .519 1 and winger Kingsley Coman could be Winning the Champions League Lee Elder - the fi rst Black player in They have won six of seven to take Washington 19 33 .365 9 on Saturday. Coronavirus travel re- Orlando 17 36 .321 11-1/2 ready in time. Flick badly needs a fi t might be the only path back into the strictions mean the second leg is be- the Masters when he broke the tourna- sole possession of fourth place in the Coman, who scored the winner in last competition next season for Chelsea. ment’s color barrier in 1975 - joined Eastern Conference. Central Division ing played in Seville, Spain, just like W L Pct GB year’s fi nal against PSG and looks to For all the progress under Thomas the fi rst leg last week. This counts as Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player for The Hawks won despite Young Milwaukee 33 20 .623 - the ceremonial tournament-opening (left calf contusion) and reserve Da- Indiana 25 27 .481 7-1/2 Porto’s away game. They have won Chicago 22 30 .423 10-1/2 to beat Toronto after blowing an fi ve in a row in all competitions, the tee shots on Thursday morning. By nilo Gallinari (right foot soreness) Cleveland 19 34 .358 14 the time nightfall arrived Friday, de- sitting out along with John Collins, 18-point lead, latest against Tondela in the Portu- Detroit 16 38 .296 17-1/2 guese league on Saturday keeping the fending champion Dustin Johnson De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, Western Conference RJ Barrett added 19 points to help was done after missing the cut by two Southwest Division team second. The defending Portu- Tony Snell and Kris Dunn. W L Pct GB the Knicks get back to .500 at 27-27 strokes. And fi ve-time Masters winner Miles Bridges led the Hornets with with their second straight victory, guese champion are seeking their fi rst Tiger Woods wasn’t at Augusta Na- Dallas 29 23 .558 - semifi nal appearance since 2004, when 23 points. Memphis 26 25 .510 2-1/2 Gary Trent Jr. had 23 points for tional to play or even take part in the San Antonio 25 26 .490 3-1/2 José Mourinho guided the club to their Champions dinner, his recovery from Pacers 132, Grizzlies 125 New Orleans 24 29 .453 5-1/2 Toronto. second European Cup. Porto, however, Houston 14 39 .264 15-1/2 a car crash in Los Angeles ongoing at In Memphis, Tenn., Caris LeVert Northwest Division Timberwolves 121, Bulls 117 have lost their last six matches with his Florida home. scored 34 points, Malcolm Brogdon English clubs. Their leading scorer in W L Pct GB In Minneapolis, Karl-Anthony Woods wasn’t seen. Not long after and Domantas Sabonis fell just short Utah 40 13 .755 - the competition Denver 34 19 .642 6 Towns had 27 points and 12 re- Matsuyama won, he was heard, or at of triple-doubles and Indiana held off Dortmund vs Man City (1-2) least read. Portland 31 22 .585 9 bounds, D’Angelo Russell scored 27 Memphis. Oklahoma City 20 33 .377 20 Reaching the semifi nals would be “Making Japan proud Hideki,” Brogdon had 29 points, matched Minnesota 14 40 .259 26-1/2 points and Minnesota beat Chicago. a huge achievement for Dortmund, Woods wrote on Twitter. “Congratula- his season-high with 11 assists and Pacifi c Division Ricky Rubio connected on fi ve of which are not on course to qualify W L Pct GB tions on such a huge accomplishment had nine rebounds. Sabonis fi nished Phoenix 37 15 .712 - his six 3-point attempts and scored 17 for next season’s Champions League for you and your country. This histori- with 18 points, 15 rebounds and nine LA Clippers 37 18 .673 1-1/2 points. while seven points outside of the Bun- cal (at)TheMasters win will impact the assists, part of the Pacers grabbing a LA Lakers 33 20 .623 4-1/2 Two days after his fi rst 50-point desliga’s top four. That will make it entire golf world.” season-high 53 rebounds en route to Golden State 25 28 .472 12-1/2 very hard to keep star striker Erling Sacramento 22 31 .415 15-1/2 game, Zach LaVine scored 21 of his He’s not wrong. Japan is already their third straight victory. Los Angeles Clippers’ Ivica Zubac Haaland in the face of interest from set to play host to the Olympics this Memphis center Jonas Valanciu- 30 points in the second half as Chica- Europe’s biggest clubs. However, summer, delayed a year because of the Knicks 102, Raptors 96 goes up for a basket during the fi rst nas matched his career high with 34 go tried to mount a comeback. LaVine half of an NBA basketball game sporting director Michael Zorc has said coronavirus and still a thorny subject points and his season high with 22 re- In New York, Julius Randle scored was 13 of 28 from the fi eld and 4 of 12 against the Detroit Pistons in Los the club is planning to start next season for many in that country who wonder if bounds. Ja Morant had 23 points. 26 points and New York recovered from 3-point territory. Angeles. (AP) with the Norwegian in the squad. the Tokyo Games should be held at all.

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