tory inVadodarayesterday.—AFP terial candidateNarendraModi(inset)afterhisvic- ers cheerduringapublicrallybyBJPprimeminis- VADODARA: BharatiyaJanataParty(BJP)support- in election Kuwait vote Egyptians in Arabia andUnited ArabEmirates.He Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman,Qatar,Saudi Cooperation Council,which groups and detainees,”inthesix-nation Gulf 30,000 and40,000opinionprisoners Civil Societies,saidThursdaynight. Rasheed, headoftheGulfForum for ply expressingtheiropinion,”AnwarAl- who havebeenputbehindbarsforsim- the releaseofprisonersanddetainees easily landsomeoneinjail.“Wecallfor cal partiesandcriticismofrulerscan The Gulfmonarchiesdonotallowpoliti- Detainees Daytohighlighttheirplight. as itmarkedwhatcalledGulf of Conscienceintheoil-richGulfstates for thereleaseofthousandsPrisoners KUWAIT: GCC P SUBSCRIPTION Rasheed saidthereare“between riso A Gulfrightsgrouphascalled 4 150 Fils AUDY A 7 04 RJB1,13 HNo:16168 SATURDAY, 1435 AH MAY RAJAB 18, 17,2014 states New eraasModi sweeps topower n India’s Gandhidynastylosesitsallure ers o people havebeen strippedoftheir their terms.Inother instances,hesaid have remainedinjailevenafter serving even spokeofcasesinwhichprisoners others, accordingtothegroup.Rasheed liamentarians, activists,politicians and include doctors,teachers,writers, par- governments allowit.Thedetainees team tovisitprisonsinGulfstateswhen and theUnitedStatestoformalegal with anumberoflawyersfromEurope Rasheed saidhisgrouphasarranged lowed byBahrain,Rasheedsaid. prisoners areheldinSaudiArabiafol- groups. national organizationsandrights compiled byGulfrightsactivists,inter- said thenumbersarebasedondata The overwhelmingmajorityofthe u f r

fight inSyria Afghans to Iran recruiting C g o ed to 7 n women. —AFP 94 peoplewere tried,13ofthem ting tooverthrowtheregime.A totalof ple jailedfor15yearslastJuly for plot- risks torture.Rokenwasoneof 69 peo- Roken, wasinsolitaryconfinement and human rightslawyerMohammed Al- And thisweek,itsaidprominent UAE uprising wascrashedbysecurityforces. years afteramonth-longShiite-led Bahrain werestillbehindbarsthree said “prisonersofconscience”in over thepastfouryears.”ThisMarch,it trials, tortureandotherill-treatment “arbitrary arrestsanddetention,unfair International accusedSaudiArabiaof after theywerereleased. basic rights,includingabanontravel, s Last October,rightsgroupAmnesty c ie f nc ree e win. India’selectioncommissionisduetoreleasefinalresults. Pakistan’s PrimeMinisterNawazSharifallcongratulatedModionhis ruling Congressparty,BritishPrimeMinisterDavidCameronand sion channelNDTVsaid.SoniaGandhi,presidentofthebeleaguered showed. Anallianceledbythepartywasaheadin339seats,televi- mark neededforamajority,electioncommissiondataat1630GMT 282 seatsinIndia’slowerhouseofparliament,overthe272-seat home tolargeMuslimminorities.TheBJPhadwonorwasleadingin with theBJPsettowininhalfofIndianconstituenciesthatare Supreme Courtinquiryfoundnoevidencetoprosecutehim. explained whyhewasunabletostoptheviolence,althougha Gujarat in2002thatleftatleast1,000peopledead.Hehasnotfully outbreak ofreligiousviolenceonhiswatchaschiefminister be biasedagainstthem.ManyMuslimsstillmistrustModiduetoan among India’sMuslims,numberingsome175million,thathewould not leaveanystoneunturned.” wearing acheckedbeigeandwhitetunic.“Thisisouraim,Iwill stern Modisaid,flashingbroadsmilesthroughouthisaddressand that inletterandspiritIwilltakeallIndianswithme,”theusually waved orangescarvesfromrooftops.“IwanttotellmyfellowIndians A musictroupesangpatrioticsongsaspeoplefilledthestreetsand main squareofVadodara,Modi’sconstituencyandacityinGujarat. cial colorandashadeassociatedwithHinduism,packedintothe state ofGujarat. Mumbai inthewesttotropicaleastandModi’ssun-bakedhome broad swathesofthesubcontinent,fromfinancialcapital Muslim community.Celebratoryfirecrackersweresetoffacross cist viewsthatcouldalienateminoritiesincludingthesizeable country’s slowingeconomybutcriticsbelievehasHindusuprema- party haswonamajorityinIndia’sparliamentforthreedecades. Modi andhisBharatiyaJanataParty(BJP)wasthefirsttimeasingle scored aresoundinggeneralelectionwin.Thedramaticvictoryby the country’sprimeminister-elect,hoursafterhisoppositionparty he wouldworkforthegoodofallIndiansinhismaidenaddressas VADODARA: travel totheparty’sheadquarters.— Reuters(SeePage11) who hadlefthishomeinNoida,asatellite cityofDelhi,at6.30a.m.to drawn tohim,”saidSurendraTadi, a34-year-oldelectricalengineer hood. “Modiisagreatpersonality. Once youhearhimspeak,are car afterhevisitedhismother’shouse inaworkingclassneighbor- state capitalGandhinagar,where crowdsswarmedaroundModi’s where BJPflagsweremountedon toyaeroplanes,andinGujarat’s air. CelebrationsalsotookplaceinIndia’sfinancialcapitalMumbai, phants performedforhundredsofcheeringanddancingrevelers. leopard-print robes,circusperformersonstiltsandpaintedele- road outsidetheBJP’snationalofficeinNewDelhi,drummers in support ofeveryone,includingmyopponents.”Ontheleafymain heat anddustbehind,”Modisaidyesterday.“IhopeIwillgetthe fifth ofseats.“Theelectionperiodisoverandittimetoputthe port topasslawsintheupperhouse,whereitonlyhasaroundone allies toformagovernment,butitwillhavecallonoutsidesup- said hewouldworkwithoppositionparties.TheBJPwillnotneed ‘mistake’ World Cupa Qatar summer 48 Some Muslimsseemtohaveputthepastbehindthem,however, His commentsappearedtobeaimedatquellingconcerns Thousands ofpeopledressedinsaffronorange,theparty’soffi- Yet heisapolarizingfigure,whosupporterssaywillrevivethe Rows offirecrackersweresetoffandcoloredpowderfilledthe Modi alsostruckaconciliatorytonetowardpoliticalrivals,and Hindu nationalistleaderNarendraModisaidyesterday Drummers andelephants Min Max 23º 40º LOCAL SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

KUWAIT: Firemen rescue a four-member family from their house in Hitteen area after a fire broke out in the building. Assailants strike in Sulaibiya again KD1,100 in cash, KD700 worth recharge cards taken away

By Hanan Al-Saadoun Mubarak Al-Kabeer police stations about their two missing daugh- broke out in their house in Hitteen area, said security sources. The ters aged 19 and 17, said security sources. Two missing cases were fire started on the second floor of the building trapping the family, KUWAIT: Four unidentified robbers reportedly assaulted the cashier filed. including a senior citizen. of a Sulaibiya supermarket after spraying fire extinguisher foam on his face and took away the whole cash box containing KD 1100 and Pigeons stolen Citizen found dead KD 700 worth of mobile phone recharge cards, said security sources. A citizen reported that an unidentified robber had stolen 30 A 60-year-old citizen was found dead at his Abdali farm, said The cashier said that the robbers were wearing face masks and car- homing pigeons from his house roof, said security sources noting security sources. The man’s body was found by his nephew. Initial ried large stick and knives in their hands. that the man estimated the value of the pigeons at KD 6,000 each. medical examination showed that the man’s blood sugar was high, his eyes were widely open with secretions coming out of his mouth. Missing girls Four rescued from fire His clothes were found completely. Further forensic examinations Two Kuwaiti parents filed two reports at Um Al-Haiman and Firemen recently rescued a four-member family when a fire are underway to determine the cause of the death. Police bust robbery gang in capital governorate Thief flees country with stolen passport

KUWAIT: A citizen and a bedoon were arrested recently on Thief flees country where he had a fight with his wife that extended out of suspicion of being responsible for 11 robberies in the capital A thief stole a fancy vehicle and made use of the owner’s their hotel room into the corridors disturbing other guests, governorate through which they managed to loot KD civil ID and passport to leave the country through said security sources. The man was completely out of con- 130,000, said security sources. Following a recent jewelry Nuwaiseeb land border exit, said security sources. The car trol and that he was taken for further tests. robbery, detectives managed to get the license number of owner reported that his car was stolen from his building’s the robbers’ escape car from surveillance cameras. On arrest- parking lot and the police found out that the thief had Drugs racket busted ing the owner of the car, who was a citizen, the police found already left the country making use of the passport that was Two Asians were recently arrested with possession of that he possessed drugs and weapons. The first suspect con- inside the car. half-a-kilo of heroin, quarter kilo of ICE and 1500 psy- fessed to robbing the jewelry and led the police to his chotropic pills. Case papers indicate that narcotics detec- bedoon accomplice. Citizen wounded tives had been tipped off about one of the suspects’ A 20-year-old citizen sustained multiple wounds when he movements in selling drugs. The detectives raided his Bullying on road slipped and fell off from a water amusement park near house and found 200 grams of heroin, 50 grams of ICE and A citizen in her forties and her 25-year-old son were Kuwait Towers, said security sources noting that the man 500 pills. During interrogations, the suspect confessed and recently assaulted by three people who forced them pull received first aid treatment on site before he was rushed to led the police to one of his accomplices in whose house over their car along the fifth ring road to beat them, said the Amiri hospital for further treatment. detectives found 300 grams of heroin, 200 grams of ICE security sources. The man and his mother reported that while and 1000 pills. driving along the fifth ring road, they unintentionally took Woman hurt over a 4X4 vehicle without warning, making the driver, a A citizen in her forties fell off the stairs of her Fahaeel Drunk laborer held female, angry and chase them all the way to their house. She house sustaining spinal injuries, said security sources noting An Abdali farm owner recently reported that his laborer deliberately hit their vehicle and then called three people that the woman was rushed to Adan hospital for treatment. was found drunk, said security sources. The man reported giving them the address to come and finish ‘her job.’ The that he noticed that the farmer was behaving strangely. three men caught up with the mother and her son on their Attempted suicide Enquiring about the matter, he learned that he had been way to a police station to report what happened and A 22-year-old Indian attempted suicide by pouring hot drinking. The police arrived on the scene and arrested the stopped them in the middle of the road. A case was filed and water over him sustaining second degree burns, said securi- farmer. a search is on for the woman and the three ‘bullies.’ ty sources. Case papers indicate that the man poured boiling water all over his head at a bachelors’ residence in Amghara. Drug addicts held Egyptian hurt He was rushed to hospital for treatment. Two young men were recently arrested while a third A 29-year-old Egyptian sustained a forehead injury and managed to escape arrest for possession of drugs, a sword bruises after an argument with another person developed Drug dealers held and a knife, said security sources. Case papers indicate that into a fisticuff in Salhiya, said security sources. Two Sri Lankans were recently arrested in Fahaheel with a police patrol had stopped the suspects’ car and when the possession of 14 sacks of heroin, two bars of hashish and asked to step out for not carrying any identification, one of Ethiopian scuffle a dagger, said security sources. the three passengers ran off leaving some drugs on his seat. A 32-year-old female Ethiopian had a scuffle with an Asian Searching the other two, the police found further drugs, woman in Sawaber complex when she sustained several GCC national arrested rolling papers, a sword and a knife. A case was filed and a bruises all over her body. A GCC national was arrested recently in a Jahra hotel search is on for the runaway suspect. LOCAL SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

Cabinet to set by-election date

KUWAIT: The cabinet is expected to set by-elections within two months and the date of holding by-elections at its authorize the interior minister to call for weekly meeting on Monday. According elections. to sources the parliament would official- The sources explained that if the gov- ly inform the cabinet about accepting ernment wished to avoid holding the the resignation of five MPs and declare elections during the holy month of their seats vacant in the 2nd, third and Ramadan, it might reach a relevant deci- fourth constituencies. Accordingly, the sion by May 20 and set the by-elections cabinet would officially invite voters for date by June 21. —Al-Anbaa

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs, Maj General Abdul Fattah Al-Ali and Kuwait Science Club Chairman Eyad Al-Kharafi attends the club’s recently concluded 22nd Traffic Rules and Automobile Mechanism competition for high school students. Kuwait seeks positive cooperation with GCC, neighboring countries

MANAMA: Kuwait Dean of Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador to Bahrain Sheikh Azzam Al-Sabah underlined Kuwait’s keenness in finding positive cooperation to promote regional peace and security amongst the GCC and wider Middle East region. Sheikh Azzam hosted a reception here last night and dis- cussed bilateral relations with officials, ambassadors and mission representatives from the GCC, Iraq, Iran and Bahrain. He affirmed His Highness the Amir’s efforts in establishing good relations with these countries in order to achieve the best interests for the region. History and geography requires common interests between our countries and permanent cooperation to achieve a better future for the people in the region, Sheikh Azzam added.—KUNA LOCAL SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

KUWAIT: People line up outside the embassy to cast their votes. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat Egyptians in Kuwait vote in election Kuwait to support future Egyptian president

KUWAIT: Thousands of Egyptians continued to Arrangements flock to the headquarters of the Egyptian Speaking about the arrangements, Suleiman embassy in Kuwait in Daeya to cast their votes in said that upon the request from the embassy, 50 the presidential elections to choose between well-trained employees had been brought from two candidates; Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi and Cairo especially to execute the election process Hamdeen Sabbahi. and operate the special ID card readers side by Speaking to reporters on the first of a four- side with the embassy staff members. day election period on Thursday, the Egyptian Suleiman also urged Egyptians to take part in Ambassador Abdul Kareem Suleiman said that the elections regardless of the nominee they the embassy staff had started preparing for the intend voting for. “I know that the Egyptian com- elections a month in advance. “The number of munity members are a well-civilized community voters lining up to cast their votes from the very and that how they all are expected to act”, he first minute is unprecedented,” he said express- stressed noting that all forms of electoral propa- ing gratitude to the facilities the Egyptian ganda were banned around the ballot center in Supreme Elections Committee extended this the embassy and that voters are only allowed to time allowing all holders of the Egyptian carry Egyptian flags. National ID card to cast their votes. The voters lined up from 9 am onwards in Kuwait support several kilometer-long queues. “We expect that Kuwait will support the future President of voters will be three-time as much as those who Egypt to be chosen by the Egyptian people in took part in the referendum”, the ambassador the election, said Kuwaiti Information Minister underlined. Commenting on coordination and and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh cooperation with Kuwaiti authorities, Suleiman Salman Sabah Al-Humoud Al-Sabah here late on said the Kuwaiti authorities have been showing Thursday. KUWAIT: Egyptian Ambassador Abdul Kareem Suleiman supervising the preparations for utmost cooperation in securing the embassy Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud told the press voting at the Egyptian Embassy in Daeya. premises and helping voters in all previous elec- after the conclusion of the 45th ordinary session tions as well as this one. “I have met with Deputy of the Council of Arab Information Ministers that ering the Arab public opinion to world, Sheikh should unite and cooperate to face the global Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh it was important for Egyptians to execute their Salman said that the channel was to be launched challenges. The meeting for the Arab Mohammed Al-Khaled Al-Sabah to coordinate reformation roadmap for the country to move via the internet and not satellite service, indicat- Information Ministers called for promoting and with the government in making all necessary forward, noting that Kuwait will support every ing that the channel would provide video and reinforcing Arab media cooperation to meet arrangements”, he said expressing gratitude to step that brings peace and stability for Egyptians. radio broadcasting services. challenges the Arab region is facing amid recent the Kuwaiti authorities. In regards to the satellite project aimed at deliv- The minister said that Arab media outlets political changes. —Al-Anbaa, KUNA

KUWAIT: Egyptian voters flash victory signs as they stand before the polling booths.

Available at The Sultan Centre & Carrefour SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 ‘Don’t let ayatollahs win’ Mine tragedy piling China defiant as US Israeli PM tells US’ Hagel 8 pressure on Erdogan 9 warns over sea row 13

HOMS: Syrians head to the Khaled Ibn Al-Walid mosque in the Al-Khalidiyah neighborhood of Homs for the first Friday prayers to eb held at the mosque since fighting started in Syriaís central city three years ago. — AFP Iran recruiting Afghans to fight in Syria China arms giant denies exporting chlorine gas to Syria

WASHINGTON: Iran is recruiting Afghan refugees to fight in Syria, gas attack bore the arms giant’s name, “Norinco”. China North people, Syria’s state news agency reported. The battle for Syria’s the Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday. In exchange, Iran is Industries Group Corporation, or Norinco, said the logo printed on largest city has taken on new urgency as President Bashar Assad’s offering them stipends of $500 a month and residency permits, the canister was not the same as its standard engraving. It also said forces have seized the momentum with the fall of Homs and other the paper said, quoting Afghans and Western officials. Shiite it reserved the right to take legal action against anyone who areas around the capital, Damascus. Aleppo has been carved up Muslim Iran is a key ally of President Bashar Al-Assad in the three- issued false reports about its activities. into opposition- and government-held areas since the rebels year-old war against mainly Sunni Muslim insurgents seeking to “Norinco is greatly concerned about the incident of chlorine launched an offensive there in July 2012, capturing territory along oust him. Details of the recruitment drive by the elite gas attack in Syria as well as its aftermath and has since looked Syria’s northern border with Turkey. Revolutionary Guards were posted this week on a blog catering to into all our past contracts and historical files,” a statement said. State news agency SANA said the rocket attack in the northern Afghan refugees in Iran, the Journal said. “Norinco would hereby solemnly declare, based on our investiga- neighborhood of Achrafieh also wounded 17 people. The agency It said this was confirmed by the office of Grand Ayatollah tions, that we never exported any chlorine gas or its cylinders to said the attack was carried out by “terrorists,” the term the govern- Mohaghegh Kabuli, an Afghan religious leader in the Iranian Shiite Syria.” Opposition activists in the rebel-held village of Kfar Zeita in ment uses to refer to rebels. It said the shells also damaged two holy city of Qom. The paper quoted a Western official in Iran as the north of Syria’s Hama province uploaded a video of people houses in the area. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for saying recruiting Afghans was part of a strategy to send poor foot choking and being fed oxygen after what they said were bombs Human Rights, which has a network of activists around the coun- soldiers to the battle front. The aim was to reduce casualties dropped from helicopters on April 11 and 12. try, said the Achrafieh attack killed 10 people including three chil- among Iranian Guards personnel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, Further footage showed a partially exploded canister bearing dren. The attack came a day after similar shelling on the neighbor- a close Tehran ally, the official said. Tehran strongly denies its the chemical symbol for chlorine along with Norinco’s name. hood killed three people and wounded 20. forces are directly involved in the Syrian conflict but Hezbollah Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the Rocket attacks are common on residential neighborhood publicly acknowledged in April last year that it has been fighting videos. China’s Foreign Ministry has said that it believes Norinco around Syria. The rockets can be wildly inaccurate. The rocket alongside Assad’s troops. Like Hezbollah and most Iranians, the did not violate any international conventions. China has said it attack came shortly before a car bomb exploded outside a Afghan recruits are Shiites and support Assad, whose Alawite faith opposes both the production and use of chemical weapons, mosque in the northwestern town of Binnish, activists said. The is an offshoot of Shiite Islam, the Journal said. abides by its non-proliferation obligations and strictly controls Observatory and an activist who goes by the name of Mohammed experts of dual-use items including sensitive chemicals. Kanaan had no immediate word on casualties. Kanaan said the China arms giant blast occurred as worshippers were attending Friday prayers at the In another development, China’s biggest arms maker said yes- Rocket attack kills 13 Grand Mosque. The Local Coordination Committees, another terday it had never exported any chlorine gas or cylinders to Syria Also, rebels fired a rocket that struck a government-held neigh- opposition group, said the car bomb killed several people and after reports that chlorine gas cylinders used in a suspected toxic borhood yesterday in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, killing 13 wounded dozens more in Binnish.— Agencies INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Iran ballistic missile work complicates nuclear talks Tehran refuses to discuss ballistic missiles

VIENNA: Despite apparently reducing illicit pur- sile program and possible military dimensions of chases that breach UN sanctions, Iran is pursuing its past nuclear research. But in a sign of the wide development of ballistic missiles, a confidential divergence between the US and Iranian posi- UN report says, posing an acute challenge to six tions, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad powers negotiating with Tehran to rein in its Zarif merely laughed and ignored the remarks, nuclear program. On Sunday, Iranian Supreme according to an Iranian official present. An Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described as “stu- American official declined to comment but pid and idiotic” Western expectations for his referred to remarks from a senior U.S. official ear- country to curb its missile program. He decreed lier this week, who said “every issue” must be mass production of ballistic weapons, striking a resolved. defiant tone just before nuclear talks resumed on Wednesday in Vienna. Iranian deception The high-stakes negotiations aim for a deal Diplomats close to the talks say Britain, by a July 20 deadline to end a long stand-off that France and Germany agree with the US view. But has raised the risk of a wider Middle East war. Russia, which has engaged in missile-technology Tehran’s often repeated view that missiles trade with Iran, seems to disagree. Russian should not be part of the nuclear talks appears Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by to enjoy the support of Russia, one of the six Iranian media as saying that Tehran’s missile pro- global powers. But a senior US official made clear gram was not on the agenda. The Islamic this week that Tehran’s ballistic capabilities must Republic denies accusations that it is seeking the be addressed in the negotiations since UN capability to make nuclear weapons. It insists that Security Council resolutions on Iran “among its missiles are part of its conventional armed many other things, do say that any missile capa- forces and rules out including them on the agen- DJERBA: Tunisian Jewish children play after class outside the El-Hara school on the ble of delivering a nuclear weapon must be dealt da for the nuclear discussions. Speaking to Tunisian resort island of Djerba yesterday. Jewish pilgrims arrived in Djerba for with.” reporters at a meeting with US Defense Secretary their annual three-day pilgrimage at Tunisia’s Ghriba synagogue, the oldest in A ban on developing missiles suited to carry- Chuck Hagel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Africa. — AFP ing a nuclear warhead is included in a 2010 Netanyahu raised the UN panel’s report, saying it Security Council resolution, its fourth - and showed how Tehran works “to deceive the inter- toughest - imposed on the Islamic Republic for national community to continue to develop Tight security for pilgrims at defying council demands that it suspend urani- ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles). um enrichment and other nuclear activities of “As the talks continue, one thing that must ancient Tunisian synagogue potential use in bomb-making. The new report guide the international community and that is we DJERBA: Jewish pilgrims began arriving yester- people coming from France who have relatives by the UN Panel of Experts, seen by Reuters, said must not let the ayatollahs win, we mustn’t let day at Ghriba, Africa’s oldest synagogue, on the in Israel. They cancelled their plans because Iran’s overall attempts to procure materials for its the foremost terrorist state of our time, Iran, Tunisian resort island of Djerba for an annual they couldn’t come together,” he said. A group nuclear and missile programs appeared to have develop the capability to produce nuclear gathering taking place amid heavy security. of Tunisian politicians has argued that the slowed down as it pursues negotiations with weapons,” the right-wing premier said in Police and soldiers deployed along the main deputy interior minister for security, Ridha Sfar, world powers that it hopes will bring an end to Jerusalem. Hagel responded: “I want to assure road to Ghriba, with checkpoints set up to was effectively promoting “normalisation” with international sanctions. you of the United States’ commitment to ensur- search vehicles. The organizers hope to receive the Jewish state by allowing Israelis to visit But the same report makes clear that, apart ing Iran does not get a nuclear weapon - and that 2,000 people during the three-day event which Tunisia. from holding off on test-firing one type of rocket, America will do what we must to live up to that ends on Sunday, a representative of the small Like most other countries in the Arab world, Iran shows no sign of putting the brakes on the commitment - which is what President Obama Jewish community in Ghriba, Perez Trabelsi the North African nation does not recognize expansion of its missile program. “Iran is continu- said here in Israel last year.” said. Beginning 33 days after the start of the Israel, primarily out of solidarity with Palestinian ing development of its ballistic missile and space Netanyahu has long made clear he believes Jewish Passover festival, the Ghriba pilgrimage demands for a state of their own. Sfar and programs,” the experts said, citing the August talking with Iran is the wrong approach and has used to attract up to 8,000 pilgrims and tourists. Tourism Minister Amel Karboul were the target 2013 identification of a new missile launch site clashed with Obama over it, and Israel has threat- But attendance slumped after a suicide attack of unsuccessful censure motions last Friday, near Shahrud and a larger missile and satellite ened to bomb Iranian nuclear installations if it claimed by Al-Qaeda killed 21 people in April which were finally withdrawn shortly before launch complex at the Imam Khomeini Space deems diplomacy to have failed. Netanyahu 2002, most of them German tourists. lawmakers in the Islamist-dominated parlia- Center at Semnan believed to be near comple- described an interim deal that the global powers Following the attack, and before the 2011 ment were to vote on them. The annual pil- tion. The report also noted what it described as struck with Iran in November as “an historic mis- revolution that toppled long-time strongman grimage to Ghriba is central to the traditions of the June 2013 opening of the Imam Sadeq take”. However, Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the annual event Tunisia’s historic Jewish community, which Observation and Monitoring Center for monitor- Association, a Washington-based research and attracted around 3,000 visitors on average. It numbers around 1,500 now, compared with an ing space objects, including satellites. advocacy group, said that missiles should not takes place this year amid controversy sur- estimated 100,000 when the country gained The dispute over missiles has already sur- become a deal-breaker with the Iranians. “The rounding the authorization of Tunisian entry independence in 1956. According to legend, faced behind closed doors in Vienna. On best way to address Iran’s potential to exploit permits to Israeli visitors, which Trabelsi said the synagogue was founded in 586 BC by Jews Wednesday, the first day of the latest round of nuclear-capable missiles is to ensure that Iran’s had had a negative impact. “People are afraid, fleeing the destruction of the Temple of the nuclear talks, the US delegation made clear nuclear program is sufficiently limited and trans- and have cancelled their visit, including some Solomon in Jerusalem. — AFP that it wanted to discuss both Iran’s ballistic mis- parent,” he said.— Reuters ‘Don’t let ayatollahs win’, Israeli PM tells US

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US “America will do what we must to live up to that commitment,” he working to a July 20 target for an agreement. He said Washington Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel yesterday that world powers must added. The Pentagon chief’s visit to Israel came as the United States was continuing to cooperate closely with its Israeli ally on the Iran deny Iran any possibility of developing a nuclear weapon as the and other major powers pressed talks with Iran on a long-term issue, even while the negotiations go on. search for a deal intensifies. “I think that, while the talks with Iran are agreement to allay international concerns about its nuclear ambi- Hagel is on the last leg of a Middle East tour that also took him to going on, there is one thing that must guide the international com- tions. Saudi Arabia, which has its own concerns about the nuclear talks munity and that is not to let the ayatollahs win,” Netanyahu’s office Israel has strongly opposed the negotiations with its arch-ene- with its regional rival. “I’ve been in this complicated region for the quoted him as saying at the beginning of their meeting in my, and has said repeatedly that it is prepared to go it alone if nec- last week,” Hagel told Israeli President Shimon Peres during a meet- Jerusalem. essary with pre-emptive military action against Iran’s nuclear facili- ing yesterday. “It’s important that we stay very close to these events “We must not allow Iran, the foremost terrorist state of our time, ties. Netanyahu says that the diplomatic opening to the West over- to try to bridge, build and bring peace, stability and security to all to develop the ability to develop a nuclear weapon,” Netanyahu seen by President Hassan Rouhani since he took office last August is people,” he said in remarks broadcast on Israeli public radio. Peres said. Hagel said that Washington had the same goal. “I want to a charade as real power remains in the hands of Iran’s supreme said: “The president (Barack Obama) said that the United States assure you prime minister, and the people of Israel, of the United leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. At a meeting with Israeli Defense should not be the policeman of the world, I agree with him. “But the States’ continued commitment to assuring Iran does not get a Minister Moshe Yaalon on Thursday, Hagel said the negotiations United States must be the peacemaker of the world,” he added. “I nuclear weapon,” he said in video distributed by the US embassy. between the powers and Iran were not open-ended-the parties are don’t know any other country that can replace you.” — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 The story of Homs written in graffiti

HOMS: The writing is on the walls of Homs, telling the story of the siege of this central Syrian city once dubbed the “capital of the revolution” against President Bashar Al-Assad. In the devastated former- ly rebel-held Old City, graffiti scrawled by rebels adorns gutted storefronts and walls riddled with bul- lets. For two years, Assad’s forces bombarded insur- gents holed up inside the city before the siege was finally lifted at the beginning of May. The last rebel holdouts left the area under an evacuation deal that handed the Old City back to the government, granti- ng it a symbolic victory. In the early days of protests that became an upris- ing, the revolutionary spirit dominated, with demon- strators chanting anti-regime slogans before Assad’s security forces launched a bloody crackdown on dis- sent. Now his soldiers stroll indifferently past graffiti such as “Assad traitor”, “Free Homs” and “Long live a free Syria without Assad”. Old inscriptions honoring “eternal leader” Hafez al- Assad, the late president and Bashar’s father, overlap with “Down with the Assad regime” or “God damn your soul, Assad” a favored insult of regime critics. SOMA: People offer their prayers next to the graves of victims of the mine accident in Soma, Turkey yesterday. — AP More than two years of bombardment and fight- ing resulted in at least 2,200 people killed in the city’s Hamidiyeh, Jib Al-Jandali, Bab Dreib, Bustan Al- Diwan, Al-Safsafa and other districts. “Freedom is Mine tragedy piling won with the blood of martyrs,” reads one slogan. In a shelter where both anti-regime fighters and resi- dents had sought refuge, beside a pile of mattresses, pressure on Erdogan on a wall is written “Martyrdom or victory”. What is written reflects different beliefs and allegiances among the various rebel groups, labeled by the Turkey PM hurls anti-Israel slur at protester regime as “terrorists” financed mainly by Gulf states. Revolutionary slogans are painted alongside those SOMA: The operator of the Turkish mine Yerkel kicking a protester also sparked contradictory accounts as to whether put up by Islamist movements at the heart of the where an explosion killed at least 284 outrage on social media. Yerkel later apol- there were any safe room in the mine. insurrection. workers denied charges of negligence ogized, saying he was “not able to keep Chief executive Alp Gurkan said this was “Welcome to the people of jihad” proclaims one, yesterday, as the government faced a my calm in the face of all provocations, not mandatory. while others plainly state the aims of those who worsening political backlash from the insults and attacks”. Mine explosions and wrote them: “The advent of the Caliphate is at hand” country’s deadliest industrial accident cave-ins are a frequent occurrence in ‘No political repercussions’ and “We demand an Islamic state”. “The Islamic state ever. With the government warning that Turkey, but Tuesday’s disaster-one of the The disaster has added to the huge will stand against all” refers to the most radical the toll from the blast in the western town deadliest in modern history-has given political pressure on Erdogan, whose jihadist group fighting in Syria, the Islamic State of of Soma would likely top 300, Turkey’s fresh impetus to public anger against the Islamic-rooted party emerged tri- Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).Dreaded shabiha regime prime minister faced fresh criticism after government after a corruption scandal umphant from March 30 local elections. militiamen, accused of abuses against civilians and video emerged of him apparently shout- implicating Erdogan’s family and key “Protests are an indicator of growing ransacking areas retaken by the army, come in for ing an anti-Israel slur at angry protesters allies. Images of police firing tear gas and polarisation in Turkey,” said Sinan Ulgen, water cannon at thousands of protesters head of the Istanbul Centre for particular mention: “Shabiha we’ll meet you where during a visit Wednesday to the disaster site. in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir have also Economics and Foreign Policy Studies. you live.” “Why are you running away, Israeli revived memories of nationwide anti- “Today they are targeting the mine Treachery is not forgotten: “Free us from collabo- spawn?” Recep Tayyip Erdogan is heard government protests in 2013. catastrophe and tomorrow they will be rators” reads one plea about rebels suspected of yelling at a protester in video footage cir- against something else.” being in the pay of the regime. The human misery of culated by the opposition Sozcu newspa- ‘No negligence’ Erdogan’s government stands an extended siege results in the plaintive “The peo- per that AFP has not authenticated. The Mine operator Soma Komur, whose accused of failing to heed the warning ple are hungry”. Other slogans take the leaders of mine tragedy has sparked a wave of fury general manager is married to an AKP signs of a possible disaster in Soma, a rebel groups to task, accusing them of preventing against the government ahead of August member yesterday vehemently denied key centre for lignite coal mining that civilians from getting out of the areas under siege, or presidential elections which the embat- any allegations of negligence. “There is no has suffered accidents in the past. even of hoarding whatever rations there were for tled prime minister had been tipped to negligence on our part,” the company’s Ozgur Ozel, a local lawmaker from themselves. “Abu Rateb, Abu Azzam-let the families win. Erdogan has denied any government general director Akin Celik told reporters the main opposition Republican go” and “We want to eat, you thieves”. In the final culpability in the face of opposition law- at a press conference. “We have all People’s Party (CHP), said his request to days of the siege, some sought to justify the fact that makers’ claims that they raised concerns worked very hard. I have not seen such an investigate work-related accidents at they had finally accepted to pull out of their strong- over safety at the Soma mine in parlia- incident in 20 years.” Energy Minister coalmines in Soma had been turned holds. “We signed the deal so we could eat,” some- ment just weeks before the disaster. Taner Yildiz said 787 people were inside down by the ruling party in parliament. one wrote. But his comment that mining acci- the mine when the blast hit, causing a fire The government needs to “demonstrate But it is not just words left behind in the rubble: dents are in “the nature of the business” that is still raging out of control, with 363 the political will to comply with EU stan- makeshift graves can be seen in gardens and around have sparked furious accusations of indif- evacuated and 18 still unaccounted for. dards on work health and work safety in mosques. In the courtyard of the ravaged Al-Kamel ference to the victims. Erdogan was Most of the victims died of carbon order for this catastrophe not to mosque in Bustan Al-Diwan, a fly-covered hand booed when he visited the disaster site monoxide poisoning. become a political minefield,” Ulgen and had to take refuge in a shop from an However, there is widespread skepti- said. Turkey’s ministry of labor and pokes out of a pit amid a nauseating stench. An angry crowd shouting “prime minister, cism about the government figures, and social security said the Soma mine had improvised inscription gives the name of a deserter resign!” The premier, known for his out- earlier reports from rescue workers at the been inspected eight times in the last killed on April 29, in the very last days of the siege. bursts of anger, was accused of hitting a scene suggested the toll could be higher. four years, most recently on March 17, Close by, another sign reads “Cemetery of the hero relative of one of the dead miners during Soma Komur executives declined to com- and was found to comply with safety martyrs”. Despite the success of the regime’s mili- the visit-a charge that circulated widely in ment on the cause of the accident pend- regulations. Some banks launched a tary’s siege tactics, some slogan writers express their opposition media despite being denied ing an expert report. General manager campaign to clear debts of some miners, determination to return. “For two years we didn’t by his Justice and Development Party Ramazan Dogru denied allegations that a while the mine operator pledged to leave Homs. We’ll be back.” — AFP (AKP). transformer exploded, saying the disaster establish a fund to meet education Photographs of Erdogan aide Yusuf was a “coal dust explosion”. There were expenses of dead miners’ kids. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

Swiss direct democracy is nation’s bedrock

BERN: From buying fighter planes to rein- vote to restrict top executives’ bonuses ernment of this highly-federal country. The a means of finding solutions that’s differ- ing in bosses’ bonuses, capping immigra- saw the country lauded by the left. contrast is clear with the likes of highly-cen- ent from what you find in the framework tion or fixing a minimum wage, voters in “Direct democracy is what keeps politi- tralized France, where the president wields of a purely parliamentary system.” “It’s Switzerland can have their say on almost cians close to the people,” said lawmaker wide-ranging powers, or Britain, whose something tied very specifically to our his- any issue. As regular as a Swiss watch, the Ruedi Lustenberger, of the centre-right prime minister is the hub of power. “It’s tory,” she added. electorate is called out every quarter for Christian Democrats. “It’s the core of our something tied very specifically to our his- The modern Swiss confederation was plebiscites on issues ranging from heavy- system,” he said, standing beneath a vast tory,” said cabinet chief of staff Corina crafted in 1848, after a short civil war weight national affairs through to local- stone statue in parliament symbolizing the Casanova, explaining the country’s bottom- between its Protestant and Catholic level votes on whether to back building oath sworn in 1291 between three Alpine up politics. “We’re a nation of peasants, regions. Voters endorsed a federal consti- projects. regions that formed the nucleus of we’ve never had a monarch,” she joked. tution that aimed to temper the clout of On Sunday, voters will decide whether Switzerland. According to official data, of Under the Swiss system, parliament can the victorious Protestants, as well as that to introduce the world’s highest minimum the 1,645 referendums held worldwide call a referendum, or citizens themselves of the German-speaking majority over the wage, to back a multi-billion-dollar deal to since the French Revolution, 591 have can muster 100,000 signatures in order to French- and Italian-language minorities. buy fighter jets from Sweden, and ban been in Switzerland. Underlining the role put so-called popular initiatives to the “Direct democracy is a tool created as a pedophiles from working with children. In of people power, Lustenberger, a carpen- vote. The government sets out its position way to give minorities a means of protec- February, they narrowly approved meas- ter by training, is constitutionally the on the issue-and has won 75 percent of tion,” said Tobias Schnebli, a left-wing ures to roll back free access to the Swiss nation’s top politician by virtue of being plebiscites-but does not fall if voters ignore Geneva city councilor who makes boat labor market for citizens of the European speaker of parliament for a year. it. “Popular initiatives give the people the propellors for a living. “It’s especially been Union-Switzerland is not a member of the The Swiss president is lower down the last word on what’s going to be inscribed used by political movements outside the 28-nation bloc. That made Switzerland the pecking order, with the largely ceremonial in the constitution. Its up to the politicians, mainstream,” he added, as he took a break darling of right-wing eurosceptics across job rotating annually among the seven the government, to come up with propos- from campaigning against the fighter the continent, in the same way that a 2013 members of the cross-party national gov- als to implement that,” said Casanova. “It’s deal. — AFP 8 die as gunmen cross from Liberia, seize Ivorian village Latest of raids blamed on fallen Gbagbo’s backers ABIDJAN: Ivory Coast’s army launched a counter-attack yesterday against a group of gunmen accused of entering the country from Liberia and killing at least eight people in a raid on the village of Fetai, the parliamentarian repre- senting the region said. Gunmen from Liberia have staged several assaults on towns near the border in recent years that the government and United Nations have blamed on allies of former president Laurent Gbagbo. Fetai was last attacked in February. The world’s top cocoa-producing nation, Ivory Coast is recovering from a decade-long political crisis that culmi- nated in 2011 in a brief civil war after Gbagbo refused to accept his election defeat to Alassane Ouattara. Heavily armed fighters crossed the Cavally River, which forms the boundary between Liberia and Ivory Coast, and attacked the village of Fetai early on Thursday, officials said. “The information that I have for the moment is that five villagers were killed in Fetai,” MP Yaya Coulibaly told Reuters by telephone from Grabo, a town 10 km from Fetai. He said three Ivorian soldiers had also been killed. “The FRCI (Ivorian army) have launched a counter-offensive to retake the village from the insurgents. There is fighting with heavy weapons right now,” he said, adding that some 2,500 people had fled to Grabo from outlying villages for safety. Ouattara Do, who owns a cocoa plantation near Fetai, confirmed that five civilians were killed in the initial attack on the village and said army reinforcements were pouring into Grabo as the government sought to drive out the attackers. “The fighting (yesterday) was very heavy and ATHENS: People walk by pre-election posters by a Syriza candidate for municipal elections bearing a slogan “we change we think it will be even heavier today, because the arriving Athens” in central Athens. — AFP FRCI are well equipped, but the Liberian rebels are also well armed.” Gbagbo is currently awaiting trial at the International Greeks to vent austerity Criminal Court in The Hague for suspected crimes against humanity during the 2011 war, in which around 3,000 peo- ple died. Some 220,000 Ivorians fled into Liberia during the anger in EU elections post-election conflict and around 46,000 - among them former pro-Gbagbo militia fighters, remain there. A UN panel of experts charged with monitoring Ivory Coast’s ATHENS: Anti-austerity parties are expected to be among the which has pledged to scrap many of the austerity reforms adopt- arms embargo wrote in a report last month that, despite a beneficiaries when angry Greeks head to the ballot box for ed in the last four years. According to a poll by GPO for private general improvement in security in the country, Liberia- European Parliament elections this month. After years of swinge- channel Mega, nearly 40 percent of respondents said they plan based fighters remained a threat. ing austerity cuts that have pushed Greece’s unemployment to a to vote in the European elections in order to help topple the record high, cut the country’s economic output by a quarter and conservative-led coalition government. “The structure and military capacity (both in terms of pushed huge tracts of the population into poverty, many Greek “European elections mainly serve to send a national message, combatants, weapons and related materiel) of the merce- voters are expected to vent their anger in the elections on May and Greeks are no exception,” said political analyst Ilias naries in Liberia and the Ivorian militia remain highly oper- 25. “Europe has no idea what is happening here, this disaster, Nikolakopoulos. “Over 70 percent of Greeks wish to keep the ational.” The United Nations is gradually reducing its with children dying of hunger and homeless people eating out euro. But defiance towards European institutions is close to 80 peacekeeping force in Ivory Coast as it faces new crises in of the garbage,” said Dimitris, a 42-year-old taxi driver, who plans percent,” he adds. Polls have put Syriza just ahead of with New the region, notably in Mali and Central African Republic. to vote for the anti-EU Communist party. Democracy in the run up to the elections. A Kappa Research poll Ivory Coast asked the United Nations to consider deploy- The economic crisis shattered the power of the two parties in Sunday’s To Vima weekly gave the radical leftists 23 percent of ing drones along its border with Liberia to offset the that have ruled Greece for the last 40 years: the Pasok socialists the vote, ahead of the conservatives’ 21.7 percent. New centrist planned peacekeeper draw-down. However their deploy- and the New Democracy conservatives, who make up the cur- party To Potami is next with 9.0 percent, followed by the Golden ment has been put on hold thanks to improved security, rent, but weakened, ruling coalition. Instead, voters have turned Dawn neo-Nazis with 7.6 percent, the KKE Communists with 6.4 the world body said — Reuters to more anti-austerity parties, including radical leftist Syriza, percent and the socialists with 5.5 percent. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Poll drubbing leaves Gandhi dynasty fighting for future

NEW DELHI: India’s Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, the towering force of Indian politics for the best part of a century, faces a fight for its very survival after an election drubbing at the hands of opposition leader Narendra Modi. Often described as the country’s answer to a royal family, with the added tragic glamour of the Kennedys, the dynasty gave India its first prime minister, the empire-beating bar- rister Jawaharlal Nehru. His daughter, Indira Gandhi, and grandson, Rajiv, both held the post subsequently, and both were assassinated. Yesterday’s electoral humiliation risks consigning the fami- ly that has ruled India for most of its 67 years since inde- pendence to political oblivion, as Modi, who cast the Gandhis as elitist throughout his campaign, looks to side- line them for good. By some measures, the family was in decline long before the parliamentary election; it has not won a majority in decades. But the sheer scale of Modi’s victory this time around, dealing the Gandhis’ Congress party its worst elec- tion defeat ever, underlines how deeply that decay had spread. “The Congress has done pretty badly, there is a lot for us to think about. As vice president of the party I hold myself responsible,” said Nehru’s great-grandson Rahul Gandhi, who was consistently outshone by Modi on the campaign trail. Gandhi was flanked by his mother, Rajiv’s widow Sonia, who also delivered a brief concession speech, taking a swipe at Modi’s Hindu nationalist policies that she says are divisive. “We hope the government that will be formed in the NEW DELHI: India’s Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi (left) looks on as party Vice President Rahul Gandhi speaks dur- centre will not compromise the unity of Indian society and ing a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi yesterday.— AFP the interests of the country,” she said, while also shoulder- ing blame for the debacle. Shy scion Rahul’s bid to keep Congress in power for a India’s next PM has humble roots third consecutive term was called lacklustre even by allies, and his speeches at rallies up and down the country in recent months were a far cry from Nehru’s legendary rheto- Modi’s singular message on economy helps him fend off critics ric. Compare that with Modi’s electrifying campaign, during NEW DELHI: India’s next prime minister, playing up his folksy, common-man cre- extolled the merits of trickle-down eco- which he repeatedly derided Rahul, 43, and Sonia for keep- Narendra Modi, is the son of a poor tea dentials, the 63-year-old Modi is widely nomics through industrialization. ing India poor, and the house of Gandhi looked vulnerable. seller and has long set his sights on the seen as the darling of India’s corporate He also has maintained strong links Few would write off the clan completely. Sonia, the highest elected office in the world’s world and a decisive, 21st-century admin- with the conservative, paramilitary Hindu power behind the prime ministerial throne occupied by largest democracy. istrator expected to revive job creation nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Manmohan Singh, delivered Congress its worst result to The top official in Gujarat state for and economic growth. Modi’s singular Sangh, or RSS, which some describe as date in 1999. She then led the party to victory in the next over a decade, Modi often contrasted his message on the economy has helped him neo-fascist. two elections, and a year ago Forbes ranked her as the humble roots with the posh background ignore or beat back criticism of his per- The RSS “will have a substantial check world’s ninth-most-powerful woman. of his main rival, 43-year-old Rahul sonal life - including his strong links to a on Modi. He is not going to be entirely his The party faithful, while reeling as partial results on Gandhi, heir to India’s most powerful right-wing Hindu nationalist group, as own man,” said political analyst Kamal Friday showed Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata political dynasty. well as his four-decade marriage to a Mitra Chenoy of the Jawaharlal Nehru Party (BJP) led in more than six times as many seats as As the career politician led his retired school teacher he had never men- University in New Delhi. Congress, were quick to rally around the wounded Bharatiya Janata Party through a daz- tioned publicly until last month. Modi grew up in a poor village family, Gandhis. zling, high-tech election campaign, Modi Born in 1950, Modi will be India’s first helping his father sell tea. At 18, he was “Giving up on the Gandhis at this juncture would be the called voters’ attention to his mother rid- prime minister born after the country’s married to a girl his parents had chosen most stupid thing the Congress could do,” Mani Shankar ing a three-wheeled auto-rickshaw to violent 1947 partition and independence five years earlier. The union never stuck, Aiyar, a former minister and family loyalist, told Reuters. cast her ballot earlier this month. from imperial Britain. and Modi soon left to travel for several For those in the party looking for fresh blood, the search “I am the chief minister of a prosper- years before returning and joining the ends with Rahul’s charismatic sister, Priyanka, who had an ous state ... And my 90-year-old mother Paradigm shift RSS as a propagandist in his early 20s. He important backroom role in the campaign. “Party men goes to vote in an auto-rickshaw,” the His rise marks a paradigm shift for the and his wife never had children. Having would embrace her with both arms the moment she wants white-bearded Modi boasted, punching a secular democracy after decades of wel- studied political science in Indian univer- to join,” Aiyar said. fist through the air as he claimed his fare policies that have emphasized lifting sities, Modi formally entered politics in place by India’s poor masses. But despite the country’s impoverished. Modi has 1985 with the BJP, regarded as the politi- ‘He will defang them’ cal arm of the RSS. He quickly gained a Leaders of both Congress and Modi’s BJP said they reputation as a talented orator and a believed Modi would seek to loosen the dynasty’s grip on workaholic, campaigning for the BJP in India. They pointed to his home state of Gujarat, where he several elections before being chosen as has systematically purged rivals from institutions and won Gujarat’s highest elected official in 2001. three consecutive terms, capitalizing on his pro-business Modi and the BJP have been strategiz- policies. ing this campaign for years, launching “He will defang them politically. Look at what he did in Twitter accounts and promoting Gujarat’s Gujarat: he has just reduced the Congress to a non-player,” economy as one to emulate for develop- said Kanchan Gupta, member of the BJP’s national execu- ment and modernity, though several tive committee. Modi has questioned Sonia’s non-native Indian states topped Gujarat’s average roots - the widow of Rajiv was born in Italy. On Thursday, a annual growth of 8.68 percent from 2001 BJP ally called Rahul a “foreigner”, even though he was to 2010. Backed by enormous corporate born in New Delhi. During the election, Modi contrasted his wealth, Modi and the BJP ran an aggres- humble past as the low-caste son of a tea seller with sive, tech-savvy campaign, sending out Rahul’s privileged and cloistered life in plush districts of the dozens of daily messages on social media capital. sites and even having Modi appear virtu- In one recent newspaper interview, Modi said the fami- ally as a hologram at campaign events. ly’s leadership could come under threat if the party failed Indian media quickly gave him the to win 100 of parliament’s 543 seats. The party won just 42 celebrity-like nickname of “NaMo.” seats, according to trends on Friday afternoon. Congress “Wherever I went it was a delight to sources said they were worried Modi planned to drive the interact with local people. Social media family out of politics. “We’re assuming this will be one of NEW DELHI: A Sadhu or Hindu holy man holds a placard that reads “Narendra also helped me understand their senti- his priorities,” said a Congress strategist who is close to the Modi, Prime Minister of the government of India” as he stands in front of a giant ments,” he said in a Twitter message after Gandhis. “The family is not worried, but the party is,” he banner showing the image of Modi at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquar- balloting ended Monday.—AP said. — Reuters ters in New Delhi yesterday. —AFP

INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Armed men attack China defiant as US warns Thai villagers to get to goldmine over sea row with Vietnam BANGKOK: Hundreds of armed men descended on a village in Beijing accuses Hanoi of ‘connivance’ northern Thailand and overpowered residents blocking the road to a goldmine said by locals to have caused environmen- tal damage so that trucks could take ore away, villagers said BEIJING: An unrepentant China yesterday yesterday. Wearing black and white ski masks and armed with defended its actions in disputed Asian guns, knives and clubs, up to 400 men rounded up and beat 40 waters amid warnings of war with Vietnam, people, including women, in the Khao Luang district of Loei as Washington voiced “serious concern” province near the northern border with Laos. after riots left two Chinese workers dead Environmental activist group Ecological Alert and Recovery and more than 100 injured. Vietnam has - Thailand (EARTH) said at least 20 people were injured in the been shaken by its worst anti-China unrest attack on Thursday. The unidentified assailants left on Friday. “They covered villagers’ eyes, bound their ankles and wrists in decades following Beijing’s deployment and beat them black and blue. They treated us like we weren’t of an oil rig in contested South China Sea human,” one villager, Pauntip Hongchai, told Reuters by waters, which triggered ramming incidents phone. Residents of Khao Luang have for years contested the involving Vietnamese and Chinese vessels. mining operations of Tungkum Ltd, a subsidiary of Tongkah As tensions mounted, a top Chinese general Harbor Pcl. Villagers and activists say Tungkum has poisoned warned that Beijing “cannot afford to lose the creeks and waterways on which the communities rely for an inch” of what it considers its territory. irrigation and food. Many people have fallen ill, said Nicha China has accused Hanoi of “con- Rakpanichmanee, a research officer with EARTH. nivance” with protesters who have targeted “After years of complaints and no action from any govern- hundreds of foreign-owned factories in ment agency to stop the contamination - and villagers felt the Vietnam, as long-simmering enmity contamination was getting worse - the villagers set up a block- between the communist rivals boiled over. MANILA: Vietnamese protesters hold placards as they shout slogans during an ade late last year to block large trucks from entering or leaving Two Chinese citizens were killed and anti-China protest in front of the Chinese consulate in the financial district of the premises,” she said by phone. more than 100 injured, Beijing’s foreign Manila yesterday. — AFP The attackers used a company tractor to destroy the barri- ministry said, expressing “serious concern”. maritime standoff saw dozens of Chinese rule, has in the past alternated between tol- cade and then moved 13 trucks carrying ore out of the village, China’s state-run Global Times newspaper ships, including naval vessels, facing off erating anti-China rallies to send a message residents said. “People are ill,” said Wiraun Rujichaiwat, whose turned up the rhetoric with a strident edito- against Vietnamese ships near the contro- to Beijing, and violently breaking them up. husband was among those beaten. “There are chemicals in the rial supporting the use of “non-peaceful” versial oil rig. Whenever Chinese vessels food we grow around our homes. We don’t want them mining measures against Vietnam and the approached, the Vietnamese ships broad- Beijing ‘miscalculation’ here. We’re against them, and we want them to stop.” Wang Philippines. cast messages saying: “We are warning you- Beijing, which claims almost the whole Saphung district Police Lieutenant Suthot Waenthongchan “The South China Sea disputes should be you are entering Vietnamese sea waters, of the South China Sea, appears to have declined comment. Tongkah Harbour did not respond to an settled in a peaceful manner, but that does- violating our exclusive economic zone and “miscalculated” the reaction to the oil rig email requesting comment on the attack and no one answered n’t mean China can’t resort to non-peaceful the law of the sea.” At one point what deployment, said Bill Hayton, author of calls to phone numbers listed on its website. Tongkah measures in the face of provocation from appeared to be a Chinese surveillance plane “Vietnam: Rising Dragon”. “It has simultane- Harbour’s annual report for 2012 said Tungkhum mined six Vietnam and the Philippines,” it said. “Many flew overhead. On land, calm appeared to ously outraged Vietnamese public opinion, plots of land in Loei and planned to expand to 106 more spots people believe that a forced war would con- have returned to flashpoint industrial zones hardened attitudes in the Vietnamese gov- in the province. Tongkah Harbour faces delisting of its shares vince some countries of China’s sincerely across Vietnam on Friday after riot police ernment, revitalised the ‘China Threat’ nar- from the Stock Exchange of Thailand for failing to submit peaceful intentions,” the paper added. were deployed to restore order. Vietnam’s rative in Southeast Asia and made the financial statements. Its shares have been suspended since An AFP photographer who was taken by Communist regime, wary of public gather- region more receptive to the United States’ February 2012. — Reuters Vietnamese authorities to the scene of the ings that could threaten its authoritarian ‘pivot’ to Asia”, he said. —AP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

Homeless man turns in lost cash he found on street KINGSTON: Authorities say a homeless man who last year turned in a lost wallet stuffed with money has done it again. Police in the city of Kingston in New York’s Hudson Valley say 67-year-old Hassell “Junior” Barber approached an officer on May 9 and said he wanted to turn in a “wad” of cash he had found on the ground. Police aren’t saying how much money Barber found. They’re attempting to locate the owner. The money was found on the same street where Barber discovered a wallet containing $485 in cash last July. He turned it in to police, who tracked down the owner. Kingston police posted that story on the department’s Facebook page, leading to numerous calls from people offering to help Barber. He declined the offers. —AP Tears for relatives after fatal US hunger strike

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky: Hope Keown was reading the newspa- TAMPA: Julie Schenecker looks at her family members as she is escorted out of the courtroom after being found guilty of per in her kitchen when she noticed a face she hadn’t seen in two counts of first-degree murder at the George E Edgecomb Courthouse on Thursday in Tampa.—AP years. Staring up from the page was her estranged stepfather’s mug shot, next to a story about how he starved himself to death in a Kentucky prison. The story triggered tears, confusion and a Jury decided quickly to torrent of memories about James Kenneth Embry, the man she knew as “Kenny” and “Spider Red.” She recalled the good times, such as when a sober Embry helped with homework and folded convict mom in killings laundry. But there were also the drugs, alcohol and disappear- ances that lasted for days or weeks until he finally drifted away for good. When The AP exposed that Embry had died after a five- Schenecker apologizes for shooting her son and daughter week hunger strike, prison officials said no family had visited him in prison or claimed his remains. He was buried in a pauper’s TAMPA, Florida: Jurors in the murder trial year-old Beau and 16-year-old Calyx. a crying shame.” Pruner added his own grave. But within days of the AP story, Embry’s family finally of a mother who fatally shot her two opinion: “What does that tell you? It not found the man they lost touch with years earlier. teenage children had to decide between Bipolar disorder only tells you about the anger and resent- “We didn’t even know he was back in prison,” Keown said. She two scenarios: the prosecution’s argument If Parker Schenecker noticed that, he ment she has but it tells you, ironically, and her mother, 58-year-old Mae Embry, didn’t believe what they that Julie Schenecker knew what she was didn’t mention it when he talked to the that Parker Schenecker was probably safer were reading at first, then broke into tears as the reality set in. doing when she aimed a .38-caliber hand- news media in the courthouse following in the Middle East than he was in a bed They had trouble finding the words to tell other family and gun loaded with hollow-point bullets at the trial. “Today’s decision for many rea- next to her.” Parker Schenecker sat in the friends. “Kenny was very strong willed so it breaks my heart that her children’s heads; or the defense’s sons gives my family a great relief,” he courtroom for all of the testimony, and he resorted to starving himself,” Keown said. “I think he wanted explanation that the former military lin- said. Six expert witnesses for the defense testified twice - once for the prosecution to live the good life and be a family man. He just didn’t know how guist was legally insane at the time. had described Schenecker as a mentally ill and once for the defense. He showed little to shake his demons.” Embry, 57, died in January at the Kentucky After two weeks of lengthy testimony, woman with bipolar disorder, depression emotion throughout the trial, except for a State Penitentiary in Eddyville after the hunger strike that includ- it took the jury less than two hours to con- and psychotic episodes. few wan smiles when talking about ed a nine-day stretch in which he lost 32 pounds (14 kilograms) vict the 53-year-old former military linguist But prosecutor Jay Pruner spent his his children while on the witness stand. from his 6-foot (1.83- meter) frame, dropping down to just 138 and longtime Army officer’s wife of first- closing arguments describing a calculat- He sat next to his mother during the trial, pounds (62 kilograms). degree murder in the January 2011 ing woman who plotted to buy the gun, while Julie’s family sat on the other side of Embry’s death of dehydration and starvation, first reported by killings. She was sentenced soon after to waited three days for a background check the courtroom, behind the defense table. The AP, prompted an internal investigation by corrections offi- two life terms. and detailed her thoughts about the The couple, who had been married for 20 cials and a separate investigation by state police. The case Schenecker, dressed in a gray suit and killings in a journal beforehand. She killed years, divorced in 2011 following the exposed lapses in medical treatment and the handling of hunger pink button-down shirt, began to cry after the children, he said, because she was shootings. Both Pruner and defense attor- strikes, and the local prosecutor is considering whether a grand the verdict was announced. But before she angry at her husband, Parker Schenecker a ney Jennifer Spradley agreed that Julie jury should hear the case. was fingerprinted and led away, she career military man who was deployed in Schenecker intended on killing herself, but The state fired the prison’s lead doctor and is pursuing dis- turned to the courtroom to utter the only the Middle East when the killings took took too many pills and drank, then missals or disciplinary action against several other staff members. words the public would hear from her. “I place. Pruner said Schenecker was angry passed out before she could shoot herself. Embry had drifted in and out of jails since 1978, serving short apologize for what happened, what I did,” that her husband had left her in a rehab Spradley maintained that Schenecker sentences for drug offenses and assault. In 2010, he was finally hit she said, crying. “I take responsibility. I was facility over Thanksgiving and that he was suffering from a psychotic episode with a nine-year term for multiple drug crimes.—AP there. I know. I know I shot my son and wanted to curtail her drinking. around the time she bought the gun and daughter. I don’t know why but I have Throughout the trial, Pruner relied on shot her children. “If her thinking was time to try to understand that.” Schenecker’s journals as evidence of pre- rational and logical, she would have made In the rambling statement, there was one meditation. “I could have done this any- a different decision,” Spradley said during person Schenecker didn’t address specifical- time,” Schenecker wrote to her husband. her closing argument. “A healthy Julie ly or apologize to by name: her ex-husband “But luckily you weren’t here. I might have Schenecker would have never shot her Parker Schenecker, father of the slain 13- taken you out too. That would have been children.” —AP Firefighters battle raging San Diego wildfires

SAN DIEGO: California firefighters were the fires, which have scorched thou- locating the pair near a mall. They battling wind-whipped wildfires yester- sands of acres this week across Southern matched descriptions by witnesses of day, as some 125,000 people fled their California. But they had only a tenuous two people trying to set fires in the homes in the San Diego area and police grip on the so-called Cocos Fire, which South Escondido area. Authorities else- arrested at least two people on arson- was threatening the northern San Diego where were also investigating how so related charges. The cluster of fires county communities of San Marcos and many fires started about the same time comes as California enters its peak fire Escondido. and whether any were intentionally set. NEW YORK: A woman wipes away tears at the Ground Zero season amid its worst drought in Late on Thursday, Escondido Police “We all have suspicions, like the public memorial site while watching the dedication ceremony of decades. Officials worry it could be a said they had arrested two teens, ages does, when you have nine fires that the National September 11 Memorial Museum in New particularly dangerous year. 17 and a 19-year-old, identified as Isaiah started all over the county,” San Diego York on Thursday. —AP Crews made some progress against Silva, on arson-related charges after County Sheriff Bill Gore said.— Reuters Portugal exits 16 Is ‘Teflon Thailand’ 16Uneven global economy 20 Businessbailout poorer finally losing its sheen? a test for central banks SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Homeless and trapped in Taiwan’s wealth gap18

MUMBAI: Indians celebrate as they look at the display screen of the Bombay Stock Exchange yesterday. — AP India shares soar on Modi’s win

MUMBAI: India’s benchmark stock index soared Securities in Mumbai, told AFP. message of jobs, development and economic Gautam Adani, rose as much as 17 percent to over six percent to a record high yesterday after Even though Modi has won an impressively revival. His BJP ousted the left-leaning Congress 585.00 rupees. right-wing opposition leader Narendra Modi strong mandate, economic recovery is “likely to party, which has ruled India for a decade and The rupee surged 1.14 percent to 58.62 scored a landslide election victory, and then be protracted”, said HSBC economist Leif dominated the country’s politics for most of its against the dollar, building on gains in recent pulled back on profit-taking. The Bombay Stock Eskesen. The economist expects India’s growth post-independence history. weeks that have been fuelled by expectations Exchange index, known as the Sensex, climbed to pick up only marginally to 5.3 percent in the The influential Federation of Indian Chambers that a victorious Modi would introduce reforms 6.15 percent to 25,375.63 points as results current financial year from an estimated 4.9 per- of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) called Modi’s to turn around the economy. The rupee has now showed Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya cent last year half the rate notched up during “decisive mandate” a “positive for India”. “It is risen 17 percent since sinking to a record low of Janata Party (BJP) on track for a parliamentary India’s boom times. amply clear the country, especially the youth, 68.85 in August, when investors were worried majority after the marathon staggered poll. “The market will take a breather. Global eco- wants development and good governance,” said about a fiscal deficit crisis and waning foreign But the Sensex then gave up a big chunk of nomic signs are also not good,” Churiwala FICCI president Sidharth Birla, adding he hoped investor confidence as the government strug- its gains to close up just 0.90 percent at added. But Churiwala believes the undertone of Modi’s win would restore investor confidence in gled to boost growth. The stock market has risen 24,121.74 points. “The Sensex gave the election the Indian market is now bullish and the Sensex India. Shares in infrastructure and energy compa- five percent in the past week alone as optimism results a booming salute early on and then did could surge to a record 26,500 points in a few nies, particularly some of those whose propri- returned, despite low investment, weak growth, what markets usually do-which is to look at the months. etors are seen as close to the BJP, surged. Adani stubbornly high consumer inflation, and wide- road ahead,” Alok Churiwala, head of Churiwala Modi rode a wave of voter support with his Enterprises, controlled by stalwart BJP supporter spread corruption. — AFP BUSINESS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Is ‘Teflon Thailand’ finally losing its sheen?

BANGKOK: Thailand’s once-vibrant economy is buckling would shrink in the second, third and fourth quarters of warning that it might have to intervene to quell the vio- under the strain of months of political turmoil that has par- 2014. “It is possible that we will have neither a government lence. alyzed government policy, scared off tourists and spooked nor prime minister throughout this year,” he warned. Government supporters have warned of possible civil foreign investors, analysts warn. Long hailed as “Teflon war if demonstrators achieve their goal of appointing an Thailand” for its enviable record of economic resilience in Rudderless ship unelected premier following the recent removal of prime the face of political upheaval, the fallout from a six-month Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy has not had minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office in a controversial crisis that has left 28 people dead and hundreds wounded a fully functioning parliament or government since court ruling. Poll officials say a planned July 20 general is mounting. December, bringing major infrastructure projects to a halt election is now in jeopardy because of the risk of a repeat Official statistics due for release on Monday are expect- and disrupting wider state spending. Consumer confi- of the chaos seen in February when opposition demonstra- ed to show that the economy contracted in the first quar- dence is at the lowest level in 12 years while foreign tourist tors blocked voting. ter of 2014 from the previous quarter, and experts fear the arrivals have slumped and foreign investors are watching Thailand’s economic growth already slowed sharply poor performance will drag on until the deadlock is the saga unfold nervously. in the fourth quarter of 2013, to just 0.6 percent year- resolved. “When there is no government, people lack confi- International tourist arrivals were down by roughly on-year, from 2.7 percent in the previous quarter, dence to spend and invest because they fear constant eight and nine percent in February and March respectively according to official figures. In March the Thai central political chaos,” said Thanavath Phonvichai, director of the from a year earlier, according to government figures, but bank reduced its official interest rate to the lowest level Center for Economic and Business Forecasting at the have since shown signs of stabilizing. A grenade and gun in three years to boost the stumbling economy. The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. attack on anti-government protesters in Bangkok on same month the Bank of Thailand cut its growth fore- “Also foreigners will not dare to travel to Thailand.” Thursday that left three people dead has added to fears cast for 2014 to 2.7 percent, after a 2.9 percent expan- Thanavath said there was a high risk that the economy that the unrest could spiral, with the coup-prone army sion in 2013.—AFP

French Minister talks tough on foreign takeovers

PARIS: Minister Arnaud Montebourg declared yesterday, brushing off criticism from the European Union that his stance on foreign company takeovers bordered on protectionism. The government gave itself the power to block takeovers in “strate- gic” sectors on Thursday, throwing up a potential roadblock to U.S conglomerate General Electric’s $16.9 billion bid for Alstom’s power business. The decree swiftly drew a warning against “protectionism” from the EU official in charge of competition, and was called a “bad idea” by France’s main employers’ group. The govern- ment has criticized GE’s bid, which has the backing of the French engineer’s board, favoring an alliance between the companies rather than a straight sale that would leave Alstom with just its smaller transport business. It also wants Alstom to consider an alternative proposal for an energy and transport asset swap with Germany’s Siemens to create two strong “European champions”. “We are not for sale. France is not for sale,” Montebourg said, interviewed on RMC radio. “We favour alliances, not takeovers... We are not prey, LISBON: A woman looks at graffiti depicting Portugal’s Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho (fifth left) among other especially in such strategic areas.” Portuguese politicians and tycoons eating a piece of meat in the shape of the country. — AP “An alliance can be done with General Electric. It’s not the case right now, but that can evolve.” Montebourg said he would meet GE executives and Alstom union representatives Portugal exits bailout poorer next week to discuss the future of the company, which was bailed out by the French government a decade ago and has Economic growth remains sporadic, unemployment high strongly relied on state orders for its trains and power turbines. Alstom has given Siemens until the end of the month to LISBON: As Portugal’s government toasts its exit from an interna- Internal devaluation decide whether to make a formal rival offer before it enters tional bailout that imposed years of austerity on its citizens, small For those who have lost their jobs or seen their pensions or their exclusive talks with GE. Montebourg cited CFM, which makes business owner Alexandra Capelo is in no mood to join the celebra- salaries cut, life in a post-bailout world raises painful questions: Were jet engines and is co-owned by GE and Snecma, a unit of tions. From Lisbon’s poorer neighboring city of Almada across the the reforms worth it and will they ever deliver enough growth for jobs French aerospace group Safran, as an example of how a deal River Tagus, 42-year-old mother of two Capelo is one of the nearly and better living standards? Further south in the industrial city of could work, calling it “a brilliant French-American success”. 800,000 people, or 15 percent of the workforce, still unemployed as Setubal - one of Portugal’s poorest and plagued by high unemploy- GE has also been citing the venture’s success in an attempt the country takes back control of its finances. “Things have gotten ment - there is little evidence of the growth that, before stalling, had to convince French leaders of its goodwill. “Our strategy is no worse since last year, business and job-wise,” said Capelo, who has returned to the country in the second quarter of last year. to dismembering, yes to alliances,” Montebourg said, adding relied on a home-based sweets business to supplement her jobless “Levels of poverty keeps getting worse, especially among people he had explained this preference to GE Chief Executive Jeff benefits since being laid off as a graphic designer in January. aged 25-40 who lost their jobs,” said Constantino Alves, a priest who Immelt. He also pointed out that he had not stepped in last Today, Portugal becomes the second euro-zone state after Ireland runs a “Social Restaurant” charity for the poor. “We get young couples, year when French advertising company Publicis announced a to exit a bailout, having stuck to the European Union’s recipe of parents with children seeking meals and aid. There are various small merger of equals with US rival Omnicom. The Publicis- belt-tightening to beat the euro-zone crisis. entrepreneurs who had shops here and are now in utter poverty, eat- Omnicom deal has since collapsed due to a battle for control. The 78-billion-euro rescue program the EU and the ing here. Many have lost all faith to find jobs. It’s a crisis of confi- Montebourg said the government would not let domestic International Monetary Fund assembled in 2011 for the nearly dence,” he said. companies be “dismembered, chopped up into pieces and bankrupt country will formally conclude with Portugal’s budget in The problem, say economists, is that reforms already implemented devoured” and did not rule out taking a stake in Alstom as part much better shape and borrowing costs at eight-year lows. during three years of wrenching recession and austerity will only have of an effort to secure its future. But a shock 0.7 percent drop in its GDP in the first quarter points a delayed impact. “These are political economies that are very difficult He noted that French state lender BPI had 3,000 stakes in to the risks inherent in an economic recovery plan which, by focus- to reform. The only way to change is incrementally,” said Antonio companies and state fund APE had 71 stakes for a portfolio ing on fuelling export growth by cutting labor costs, has become Barroso, senior vice president at the Teneo Intelligence consultancy in worth 110 billion euros ($150.88 billion). “We are used to hav- dependent on volatile foreign demand. That data, released on London. The government has made it cheaper for firms to hire and ing a sovereign fund that intervenes in companies’ capital. Not Thursday, also illustrated how far the country is from a lasting eco- fire. That has lowered the cost of doing business and helped bring ruling that out is I think a good way of working,” he said. Steve nomic recovery. Portugal’s central bank highlighted the challenges, unemployment down from its 2013 peak of 17.5 percent. But many Bolze, the president of GE’s power unit, is among the execu- saying progress under the bailout was insufficient, and ensuring observers say that because austerity during the bailout focused over- tives set to meet Montebourg. A spokesman for GE France sustained growth and getting banks lending again would require whelmingly on cost-cutting - like public sector wages and pensions - declined to comment on what Montebourg said and what further reforms. But as a government no longer dependent on aid and tax hikes, deeper reforms that would have reduced the size of the would be discussed during the meeting. — Reuters looks anxiously ahead to an election in 2015, these may fail to state or made the economy even more export-oriented have not tak- materialize. en place. Business SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Pending reforms facing Modi’s new government BJP to reform labor laws, create new jobs

NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi is the next prime 4) SUBSIDIES minister of India. Hindu nationalist Modi has Modi’s government needs to examine how it promised to unblock stalled investments in pow- subsidizes basic commodities if it is to contain the er, road and rail projects to revive economic fiscal deficit and avoid a ratings downgrade. growth that has fallen to a decade low of below 5 Subsidies cost an estimated 2.2 percent of India’s percent. Here are 10 economic reform challenges GDP in 2013-14. The BJP in its manifesto said it will that would require urgent attention once Modi seek greater fiscal discipline without compromis- forms a new government: ing on the availability of funds for development.

1) GOODS AND SERVICES TAX (GST) 5) LABOR India’s most ambitious indirect tax reform The BJP wants to reform labor laws to boost would replace existing state and federal levies job-intensive manufacturing and create as many with a uniform tax, boosting revenue collection as 10 million jobs a year for young Indians enter- while cutting business transaction costs. GST, ing the workforce. Changing the law would be which could boost India’s economy by up to two politically tricky, though, and Modi may seek to percentage points, has so far faced resistance encourage competition between India’s states to from various states, including those governed by boost job creation. MUMBAI: Indian pedestrians watch as a digital broadcast presents the rolling share price the BJP who fear a loss of their fiscal powers. The information and national election results news coverage on the facade of the Bombay BJP aims to address state concerns and imple- 6) DEFENCE Stock Exchange (BSE) building yesterday. — AFP ment GST in an “appropriate timeframe”. The More foreign investment in defense would help Congress party would back the reform in opposi- India reduce imports, modernize weapons systems tion, a senior party member told Reuters earlier and speed up deliveries of hardware it needs for Global, local funds this month. The reform needs broad backing operations and training. India, the world’s biggest because it requires a change in the constitution. arms importer, now allows 26 percent foreign own- ership in defense, and propos- could drive next push als to exceed that limit are con- sidered only for state-of-the-art technology. The BJP has said it in Indian equity rally would allow some greater for- eign investment in defense LONDON/MUMBAI: With emerging equity funds ny earnings are weak, yet shares trade at 14 times industries. positioned for a business-friendly outcome to India’s forward earnings, in line with long-term averages. election, any further boost for the pumped-up stock One of many global investors that is neutral on 7) INSURANCE market may come from global funds whose India Indian equities is ING Investment Management. That Attempts to raise the cap allocation still has room to grow. Election results means it is holding allocations level with India’s share on foreign investment in were expected to reveal a strong mandate for the in equity indices - in the MSCI all-country index, India’s $45 billion insurance opposition BJP, seen as more pro-business than its which includes developed as well as emerging sector, to 49 percent from 26 rivals. Those expectations have fuelled year-to-date economies, India’s weight is a tiny 0.7 percent. percent, have met resistance stock market gains of 14 percent and a 4 percent rise “We need a very good result to get more upside, from employees at state-con- in the rupee’s exchange rate against the dollar. an environment where the BJP can push through all trolled insurers and their polit- Foreigners betting on a BJP victory have poured the reforms that are needed. I am not convinced,” ical backers. A BJP leader said more than $16 billion into Indian stocks and bonds in said Maarten-Jan Bakkum, investment strategist at in March the party had held the past six months and now hold over 22 percent of ING IM. Yet global funds’ assets dwarf the amounts talks with Congress to break Mumbai-listed equities - a stake estimated by managed by dedicated emerging funds - MSCI, the the deadlock. Morgan Stanley at almost $280 billion. most widely used index provider, has $8 trillion But does the market have room to rally further? benchmarked to its indices worldwide but only $1.3 8) BANKING The short-term answer is yes - a majority for the trillion of that tracks emerging indices. NEW DELHI: Chief Minister of the western Indian state of The next government will BJP, as indicated by this week’s exit polls, will bring So even a tiny allocation shift by global funds Gujarat Narendra Modi gestures as he delivers his speech need to help state-run lenders more gains. Societe Generale, for instance, predicts would bring billions of dollars into the market. during a session of the India Economic Forum. — AFP battling rising bad loans caused Mumbai stocks currently at 23,800 points will hit Meanwhile, Indian funds, suffering redemptions by by the slowing economy, rising 25,000 after a big BJP win materializes. Funds dedi- jittery retail investors, have dumped shares worth interest rates and project delays. Stressed loans in cated to emerging equities may be running out of 98.5 billion rupees ($1.67 billion) in 2014, the third 2) RESERVE BANK OF INDIA India - either bad and restructured - total $100 bil- room to extend positions, however - they currently year of outflows, regulatory data shows. That brings A Reserve Bank of India panel in January pro- lion, or about 10 percent of all loans. Fitch Ratings run a record 600 basis-point overweight on India, their share of the market to a six-year low, according posed key changes including targeting consumer expects that ratio to reach 14 percent by March Morgan Stanley estimates. to Mumbai-based Motilal Oswal brokerage. price inflation and making a committee responsi- 2015. Rising bad loans threaten to choke the grad- That means India comprises a much bigger share Goldman Sachs reckons a convincing opposition ble for monetary policy, and not the RBI governor ual recovery in Asia’s third-largest economy, in portfolios than its 6.8 percent weight in the MSCI win would bring in these buyers as well as more alone. This would require changes to the RBI Act. according to the OECD. The interim budget in emerging markets index. That is borne out by other globally oriented funds. “Global funds still have very The BJP top brass has not spoken widely on the February set aside 112 billion rupees ($1.89 billion) data. Bank of America/Merrill Lynch’s monthly survey low allocations in India, and we continue to see glob- issue, but it will likely be a tough sell for RBI to help the sector meet key capital ratios, but ana- showed India is the biggest overweight for emerging al funds and longer-term investors increasing their Governor Raghuram Rajan. lysts say more money is needed. market funds, while emerging equity funds tracked allocations in this market should fundamentals He has the backing of some global agencies by Boston-based EPFR Global have an average 9 per- improve as we expect,” analysts at the bank said. like the International Monetary Fund. Modi’s gov- 9) POWER cent allocation to Indian stocks. ernment may also look to eventually separate the A BJP-led government may implement the so- “Positioning is certainly a reason to be wary; the Reform debt management function from the RBI, on the called Gujarat model of distributing electricity marginal foreign buyer going forward will need to be Some may feel a sense of deja vu, however. gounds that debt management sometimes con- that has been widely praised for delivering reli- more global than Asian or emerging market dedicat- Indian stocks jumped 18 percent on May 18, 2009, flicts with the central bank’s monetary policy able 24-hour power supplies in the state. Modi ed portfolio managers,” Morgan Stanley said, advis- after the Congress-led alliance won enough parlia- stance. provided different power feeds to farmers, ing emerging market clients to stay neutral. Despite mentary seats to avoid a coalition with anti-reform households, and companies instead of a uniform predicting post-election gains, Societe Generale also parties. But that was their high point for years amid 3) PRIVATISATION feed in his home state. told clients this week to “rotate out of India” for what disappointing progress on reforms and a raft of cor- The new government is likely to focus on sell- it called more attractive opportunities elsewhere in ruption scandals. This time, markets may have priced ing its holdings in state-run firms that could raise 10) GAS PRICING Asia. not just a BJP election win but also swift reforms and much-needed revenues to trim India’s ballooning In January India notified the new gas pricing a return to double-digit growth. fiscal deficit and boost economic growth. The ris- formula that could double the prices of locally Global “The BJP may provide strong leadership, and a ing stock market helped New Delhi raise more produced gas from April 1, but the poll regulator But positioning by funds with a global rather strong prime minister is what India has been missing. than $3 billion via stake sales in the fiscal year to stopped the government from raising the prices than an emerging markets mandate is less extreme - But until roads and power capacity are built, we can’t March 31 - but that was only a third of the gov- until the elections are over. Reliance Industries Goldman Sachs calculates they hold a smaller 130 dream of 8 percent growth,” said Steve O’Hanlon, a ernment’s original target. and its partners BP and Niko Resources last week bps overweight on India. These funds, which have a fund manager at ACPI Investments. Indian markets The outgoing government announced plans issued a notice of arbitration to the government broader pool of stocks to choose from, have held off have room to rally, O’Hanlon reckons, but he bases to raise 569 billion rupees ($9.62 billion) seeking implementation of higher gas prices. The from buying into the India election story, possibly his view on the improved balance of payments through asset sales in 2014/15. This could help BJP-led government may review the formula on daunted by the scale of challenges facing the new deficit and trust in the new central bank governor to achieve a lower fiscal deficit target of 4.1 per- the lines suggested by a senior party leader last government and India’s poor track record on reform. bring down inflation. “I don’t think the story changes cent of GDP. These estimates may be revised by year and announce the date of implementation Valuations, too, are not alluring. Growth is well off that much (post-election), India has turned the cor- the next government. of new prices. — Reuters the 8-9 percent rates of some years ago, and compa- ner in terms of policies,” he said. — Reuters BUSINESS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 M&S’s 3-year plan to end with fall in profit

LONDON: British retailer Marks & Spencer is expected to report a 7.5 percent drop in annual profit on Wednesday, a third consecutive fall after a three-year investment plan failed to revive its underperforming non-food business. Over the last three years Chief Executive Marc Bolland has spent 2.3 billion pounds ($3.9 billion) addressing decades of under-investment to transform M&S into an international retailer reaching cus- tomers through stores, the web and mobile devices. Though he has spent heavily on redesigning products and stores and on overhauling logistics to complement a new Internet platform that went live in February, a new clothing team he set up in 2012 has so far failed to deliver a significant pick-up in sales. The 130-year-old firm, whose general mer- chandise division, made up of clothing, footwear and home- wares has posted eleven consecutive quarters of underlying sales decline, is forecast by analysts to report a year to March TAIPEI: A homeless man gets into a cardboard box shelter to sleep in the Wanhua district in Taipei. — AP 29 profit before tax and one-off items of 600-630 million pounds, with a consensus of 615 million pounds, according to a company poll. Homeless and trapped That compares with the 665 million pounds profit M&S made in 2012-13 and would fall below the annual profit made by faster-growing rival Next for the first time. Bolland, CEO in Taiwan’s wealth gap since 2010, is expected to repeat his mantra of “step by step” improvement at Britain’s biggest clothing retailer and empha- size that future sales growth will increasingly come from Manufacturing industries move to cheaper foreign countries online and overseas channels. M&S currently has over 750 UK TAIPEI: With an advertising sign in his a record level in 2011 as the wealthiest Tw$4.63 million earned by the top five stores and over 400 overseas. hands, Liao Chin-chang stands wearily families earned 96 times more than the percent in 2011, based on income tax Analysts also expect him to signal that M&S has significant at an intersection near a new luxury poorest. filings. Taiwan has made efforts to scope to improve gross profit margins in general merchandise apartment building in Taipei, trying to It has coincided with a slowing econ- address wealth inequality, while initiat- as it benefits from investment in its supply chain. With annual earn money as a walking billboard for omy, partly driven by the relocation of ing plans to rein in soaring property capital expenditure now set to fall at the end of the three-year the type of property most Taiwanese manufacturing industries to cheaper for- prices and hike taxes for the wealthy, investment plan, free cash flow will improve and there could a will never afford. The sight of homeless eign countries such as China and which has helped narrow the gap signal from the firm on what it intends to do with its spare people holding placards for elite proper- Vietnam, resulting in the loss of tens of between rich and poor since the 2011 capital. ties at street corners is becoming thousands of blue collar jobs. This has record. But the plight of the underclass Analysts expect the company to maintain a 17 pence a increasingly common in Taiwan’s capi- been compounded by limited retraining is becoming an increasingly frequent share dividend. The profit fall will likely impact Bolland’s per- tal, providing a harsh illustration of the opportunities and a low minimum wage theme in the media, including the formance-related annual bonus. He set a revised target in island’s gap between the haves and of less than Tw$20,000 per month, said recent story of an eight-year-old living 2012 to increase M&S’s total sales to 10.8-11.5 billion pounds have nots. Lin Wan-i, a professor at National Taiwan in a graveyard with her parents for in the 2013-14 year. Analysts are forecasting about 10.3 billion The 51-year-old former taxi driver, University’s Department of Social Work. over a year after they were kicked out pounds. who became homeless a decade ago, is Low taxes have meanwhile benefited by their landlord. Social workers even- M&S last month posted a 0.6 percent fourth quarter like- among the growing number of victims the wealthy while limiting the amount tually intervened. for-like sales rise for the clothing part of the general merchan- of a struggling economy, many of whom of revenue available for the government Observers have cited the wealth dise division, its best quarterly performance for three years, have been forced out of their homes to spend on social security, said Lin. gap as a factor driving recent anti-gov- and food showed an eighteenth straight quarter of growth. after losing their jobs. While the luxury ernment protests that occupied the But optimism was tempered by concerns over a deterioration apartment Liao advertises is expected to Rising anger parliament’s main chamber earlier this in clothing gross margin in a highly promotional market. M&S sell for more than Tw$100 million ($3.33 Social workers say the chances of year. Taiwan has moved to levy a so- million), property prices in general are Taiwan’s homeless getting back on called “rich man’s tax” on nearly 10,000 showcased its new autumn/winter clothing ranges to analysts beyond reach for many regular salary- their feet are slim, given the competi- of the island’s wealthiest people in a on Wednesday: “Overall we felt that M&S will not blow itself earners with an average monthly tion for long-hour, low-paying tempo- bid to narrow the income gap and ease up with this collection but neither will it be in any way trans- income of less than Tw$40,000. rary jobs. “People are fighting for every growing public anger. The proposal formational.” said Espirito Santo Investment Bank analyst For the likes of Liao, even renting a job opportunity during the economic passed an initial screening in parlia- Tony Shiret. room is out of the question. “I can’t even downturn,” said Li Ting-ting, PR direc- ment earlier this month. However, Shares in M&S closed Thursday at 461 pence, giving a mar- afford to pay the rent since I lost my job tor at Zenan Homeless Social Welfare Professor Lin warned that income dis- ket capitalization of 7.52 billion pounds. That share price is not 10 years ago. I’ve only saved Tw$4,000 Foundation. “There is competition with parity will widen further. “The gap will much higher than the 400 pence a share retail tycoon Philip from doing odd jobs all these years young people or housewives even for continue as the next generations Green proposed to pay for the retailer a decade ago. M&S, which is not enough to rent a small a temporary placard-holding job.” The inherit wealth while the poor have lit- however, says comparisons are unfair given 10 years of divi- room for one month,” said Liao. In bottom five percent of families report- tle chance to turn their situations dend payments, a 2004 tender offer and a 2007-08 share buy- recent years the gap between the rich ed an average annual income of around with less money for their chil- back. —Reuters and poor has widened rapidly, reaching Tw$48,000 ($1,600), compared with dren.” —AFP Job-seeking Italians don white gloves as butlers back in vogue

VERONA: Balancing a silver tray with a online to see what a butler does and vate estates around the world. Ferry, a for- bottle on the palm of his hand, butler doesn’t do.” Today, Tagliavia, a wiry man mer butler and author of a manual on Maurizio Tagliavia waited amid the vine- with receding hair and ready smile, is butlers and households managers, says yards for the helicopter that brings guests employed by Villa De Quar’s owner as the profession suffered after World War to the boutique hotel in the 15th century butler for the high-end guests who rent Two, because aristocratic families could Villa Del Quar. The 56-year-old engineer the master suite at the estate-turned- no longer afford to keep large staffs. Their and one-time Italian army parachutist had hotel on the outskirts of Verona. employees were pushed out into a world been unemployed since 2012, when he Butlers, the discreet mainstays of high where they found more opportunities and lost his job as sales director for a renew- society in the 19th and early 20th cen- better treatment. able energy firm. His break came in turies, are enjoying a renaissance. Steven But butlering began to re-emerge in CLERMONT-DERRAND: A giant Michelin man (Bibendum) February, when he was selected for an Ferry, founder and chairman of the the 1990s thanks in part to a rise in the appears as shareholders arrive to attend the general intensive course to become a modern-day International Institute of Modern Butlers, number of people who became wealthy shareholders’ meeting at the headquarters of the French butler. “Let’s see if there’s anything in estimates there could be nearly 40,000 during the dot-com bubble in the United tire-making group Michelin yesterday.— AFP this,” Tagliavia recalls thinking. “I went people in butler roles in hotels and pri- States, says Ferry. —Reuters BUSINESS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Canada trims Russia sanctions

OTTAWA/TORONTO: Canada broke with the United States and did not impose sanctions on two key allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin because the pair had Canadian business interests, according to sources familiar with the matter. The revelation puts into question the government’s tough line on Russia over the cri- sis in Ukraine. Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently compared Putin’s actions to those of Adolf Hitler in the run-up to World War Two. Canada, home to 1.2 million people of Ukrainian descent, has imposed sanctions on more than 80 Russian and Ukrainian offi- cials and businesses, compared to about 60 by the United States. But unlike the United States, Canada has not moved against Sergei Chemezov, who heads state-owned industrial and defense conglomerate Rostec, and Igor Sechin, CEO of oil giant Rosneft. Both men, who are close to Putin, have business ties to Canada. Rosneft owns some 30 percent of a Canadian oil field, while Rostec has an aircraft assembly joint venture lined up with Bombardier Inc. The venture is vital to the Canadian plane and train maker, as the fate of a roughly $3.4 billion aircraft sale deal is tied to it. Asked about the decision not to go after either Sechin or Chemezov, a Canadian government source familiar with Ottawa’s sanctions strategy told Reuters: “Our goal is to sanction Russia, it is not to go out of our way to sanction or penalize Canadian companies.” The comments appear to contrast with the official govern- ment approach. Harper, referring to the Ukraine crisis, said in DONETSK: Ukrainian troops stand guard at a checkpoint on the road near the eastern city of Izum, Donetsk region yes- March that “we will not shape our foreign policy to commercial terday. — AFP interests” and officials say that stance is still valid. Indeed, the Conservative government on Wednesday called on business executives not to attend events in Russia, like the St Petersburg International Economic Forum this month and the World Billionaire Akhmetov’s empire Petroleum Congress in Moscow in June. “We will continue to apply pressure to Russia, we will continue on frontline in Ukraine crisis to impose sanctions along with our allies, but we will also look out for Canada’s broader interests,” the government source said. Canada’s official opposition New Democrats said the failure to Separatist issue threatens business interests target Chemezov and Sechin undermined the case for sanctions. “It’s egregious. I think this is not consistent with what the govern- MARIUPOL/KIEV: In their overalls and prospect of the Donetsk region joining the interviews and public appearances. ment’s rhetoric is on getting tough with the Russians and getting hard hats, the latest additions to the likes of Moldova’s Transdniestria or But in a new departure for him on tough with Putin,” the party’s foreign affairs spokesman Paul heady mix of security forces in Ukraine are Georgia’s Abkhazia as largely unrecog- Wednesday, the usually camera-shy oli- Dewar said. the first tangible sign the rebel east’s rich- nized statelets, operating in a legal and garch made a four-minute video for In Europe, some leaders have also tempered their criticism of est son is entering the fray. Multi-billion- diplomatic limbo, can hardly sit well with a Ukrainian TV channels in which he Moscow, in a sign they, too, are worried about business ties with aire Rinat Akhmetov’s miners and metal- business empire built on exports. “No one declared: “I strongly believe that Donbass Russia, a major provider of oil and gas to the region. But Harper workers joined police on patrol on wants the Donetsk region to become some can be happy only in a united Ukraine”. He took a strong line from the start, castigating Putin and pushing Mariupol on Wednesday, cleared barri- kind of grey zone unrecognised by the threw his weight behind the Kiev govern- the effort to have Russia kicked out of the Group of Eight leading cades of tires and pallets with diggers and world. That would be very painful for us,” ment’s plan to devolve more powers to the industrialized nations. heavy loaders and swept the debris from said Yuriy Zinchenko, general director of regions to provide greater autonomy and the gutted City Hall, ending the turmoil Mariupol’s Ilyich Iron and Steel Works, part undercut separatist demands which Kiev CEO lobbies Ottawa unleashed by the armed takeover of much of Metinvest, majority-owned by fears will lead to the break-up of Ukraine. As Ottawa developed its sanctions policy, it was being lobbied of the region. Akhmetov’s System Capital Management. Soccer-mad, he owns the FC Shakhtar by top officials from Bombardier, which is one of Canada’s major The city seemed to return to normal; Metinvest supplies more than 100 club, with its flying saucer-like stadium and industrial players. The company last year signed a preliminary traffic flowed and the men in masks driven countries, he told Reuters, and export star-studded multinational squad. He deal to sell 100 short-haul aircraft in Russia and agreed to set up out by the army last weekend stayed away routes could be threatened if decisions made headlines three years ago by buying an assembly line for the planes in that country, in partnership as police teamed up with the unarmed about the future of the east were taken a $200-million London apartment. But in with Rostec. Bombardier also has other interests in Russia, workmen of Metinvest, the most powerful outside the law. “That’s clear not just to us, the violent upheaval of the past five including a long-standing joint venture in its rail business. company in the industrialized east. Though to our group, its leadership and individual months, the overthrow of his ally, Moscow- Canada’s official registry of lobbyists shows Bombardier CEO largely symbolic, the scene showed the companies, but to the workers too,” he backed President Viktor Yanukovich, the Pierre Beaudoin reported six meetings in March with government extent to which the crisis has come to said. “That’s more 300,000 employees and shooting dead of more than 100 people in officials, including Transport Minister Lisa Raitt and Industry threaten the interests of Ukraine’s richest their families - that’s a huge army.” It is an Kiev by police, Russia’s annexation of Minister James Moore. One source familiar with the discussions man and the lengths he will go to protect army both the pro-Russian rebels and the Crimea and now separatist rebellions in the said Bombardier did not specifically ask the government to keep them. government in Kiev would be rash to east, have made Akhmetov’s wealth and Chemezov off the sanctions list but stressed the ramifications Akhmetov, whose fortune is estimated ignore. status count for less. that punitive measures could have on its business interests in by Forbes magazine at $11.4 billion, has In the capital Kiev, well away from his Russia. Three of the meetings took place on March 4 and one on acquired almost feudal status in the indus- “Passive neutrality” eastern stronghold and the popularity it March 7. After Canada announced sanctions in mid-March, trial hub of Donetsk in the past 20 years - Independent analyst Volodymyr assures him of, Akhmetov has always had a Bombardier again met with senior officials on March 20 and 27. but the separatist rebellions there have Fesenko said Akhmetov has now recog- chequered reputation because of his past Bombardier declined to comment on the specifics of its lobbying altered the dynamics of power. As pro- nized that his earlier passive tactics did not support for Yanukovich. He is a persona efforts in Ottawa but said the discussions revolved around its Russian rebels declaring independence work in his favor as the rebellion has con- non grata on Kiev’s Maidan - extensive overseas interests, among other matters. seized public buildings across the steel and tinued to grip the region. “He has under- Independence Square - which was the cru- A spokeswoman said the firm remained hopeful about the coal belt which is the basis of his colossal stood that his tactic of passive neutrality cible of the mass action that drove joint venture with Rostec, but acknowledged the current political fortune, he issued repeated written state- no longer works. He will have to become Yanukovich from power and where pro- environment was likely to delay its timeline. The registry of lob- ments in support of a united Ukraine. an active intermediary between separatists testers still hold sway. Just recently, some byists showed no record of Rosneft representatives meeting with But the media-shy 47-year-old and the government,” Fesenko said. spray-painted windows of the Kiev head- the Canadian government in March. But a third well-placed Akhmetov, who has a workforce of 300,000 Sending unarmed workers from quarters of System Capital Management, source, familiar with sanctions planning, confirmed the decision people on his payroll in the Donbass, has Metinvest, Akhmetov’s main metals his holding company. to exclude both Chemezov and Sechin was made because of to tread carefully around local sensitivities exports and mining conglomerate, to join And anyone walking past the Kiev city Canada’s commercial interests. and has avoided specifically condemning patrols with police is not the only sign centre building site of a shopping mall Rosneft owns 30 percent of an Exxon Mobil Corp oil field in the action of the separatists. The rebels’ that the oligarch has decided to take a Akhmetov is renovating can still see the the western province of Alberta, where it is learning the horizon- ‘declaration’ of an independent Donetsk bolder line to protect the future of his shadowy outline of graffiti painted on tal drilling and fracturing techniques that have revolutionized the region on Monday, however, and their business empire. Akhmetov, who canvas. One piece of graffiti reads: “Rinat, North American oil industry. Canada coordinates sanctions close- appeal for Russian annexation pose a emerged as head of a private business are you with Ukraine or with the ly with the United States, which described Chemezov as a trusted major threat to Akhmetov’s holdings and empire out of violent gang wars in the Kremlin?” He has realized the time to act Putin ally and said Sechin “has shown utter loyalty” to the Russian his fortune. east in the 1990s after the collapse of the to re-establish himself is now - before it’s leader. —Reuters With no response from Moscow, the Soviet Union, normally shuns media too late.— Reuters BUSINESS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

Bitcoin Foundation hit by resignations

SAN FRANCISCO: As the most prominent trade group push- ing adoption of the electronic currency Bitcoin begins its annual conference yesterday, it is being roiled by controver- sy. At least 10 members of the nonprofit Bitcoin Foundation have resigned over last week’s election of onetime Disney child star and current Bitcoin entrepreneur and financier Brock Pierce as a new director, officials at the group said. Some of the members cited Pierce’s troubled past. That includes allegations in lawsuits from three employees of Pierce’s first company, bankrupt web video business Digital Entertainment Network, that he provided drugs and pres- sured them for sex when they were minors. Pierce has denied the accusations, which first surfaced in 2000. “The allegations against me are not true, and I have never had intimate or sexual contact with any of the people who made those allegations,” Pierce told Reuters via email. Court records show 33-year-old Pierce, who played the NEW YORK: In this photo, specialists Frank Masello (left) and John T O’Hara work on the trading floor of the New York title role in Disney’s “First Kid,” paid more than $21,000 to Stock Exchange shortly before the closing bell. — AP settle one employee suit, and he said others dropped their claims without money changing hands. While Bitcoin Foundation officials played down the defections, several Uneven global economy members who resigned from the Foundation assailed its governance track record. “The track record of prominent Bitcoin Foundation mem- bers has been abysmal,” said Patrick Alexander, a resigning a test for central banks Foundation member in a post on its discussion pages. “I no longer want to be associated with these people.” Attempts to reach him for additional comment were unsuccessful. Fewer people seeking unemployment benefits in US Though it is highly volatile, the value of the electronic currency in existence has skyrocketed into the billions of dol- lars as the number of businesses accepting it has increased WASHINGTON: The global economy is plodding ahead in fits and sumers and businesses aiming to beat a sales tax increase that took and investors have sought to create new ways for it to be starts as the largest countries struggle to achieve consistent growth. effect April 1. As that accelerated spending fades, analysts expect used. More than 1,000 Bitcoin investors, business people and Europe is faltering again. Japan is suddenly surging. China is cooling. Japan’s growth to slow. Since taking office in late 2012, Prime enthusiasts are expected to attend the conference in The US is strengthening. In the background, central banks are aiming to Minister Shinzo Abe has embarked on a plan to spark growth Amsterdam. administer just the right amount of stimulus - not too much, not too lit- through high government spending, an ultra-loose monetary policy The programming effort that governs how Bitcoin works tle. Their efforts have yet to benefit many ordinary people facing job and reforms to government regulation and labor policy. So far, is led by Gavin Andresen, who is chief scientist at the shortages and stagnant wages. The unevenness of the global recovery “Abenomics” is credited with helping Japan shed a longtime defla- Foundation and gets a salary from it. The Foundation also was thrown into sharp relief Thursday, when the 18 European nations tionary rut. But two key challenges lie ahead: The implementation of plays an important role for Bitcoin in lobbying on its behalf that use the euro reported unexpectedly weak growth for the year’s economic reforms could prove politically tough. And the govern- in various jurisdiction as authorities grapple with how to first three months. A separate report said Japan’s economy grew in that ment’s debt is now double the size of its economy, a situation that police the semi-anonymous currency. same quarter at the fastest pace in nearly three years. Fresh data from will require tight budgets. Analysts say Bank of Japan Governor the United States was mixed: Factory output declined. But fewer and Haruhiko Kuroda will face pressure to keep rates extremely low to Call to vet candidates fewer people are seeking unemployment benefits, a sign that solid hir- offset those challenges. The central bank has adopted a 2 percent Other members who resigned called on the board to ing should continue. In China, weaker trade and manufacturing have inflation target, up from the latest inflation reading of slightly above more carefully vet future candidates as well as remove Pierce reduced growth, and leaders there foresee a further slowdown. Most 1 percent. from the board. Bitcoin Foundation General Counsel Patrick economists expect the differing outcomes across the world’s major Murck said that his group had more than 1,500 members and economies to add up to a modest expansion this year. UNITED STATES would bounce back from the latest controversy. “Democracy “The global economy is strengthening, though not quite as fast as The US economy got off to a listless start this year as a harsh win- is messy sometimes,” Murck said. “If in the future members many of us would like,” said Jay Bryson, global economist at Wells Fargo ter depressed growth. But it’s been showing renewed strength. decide they want to have a vetting process, that’s great.” Securities. Bryson expects the world economy to accelerate to 3.5 per- Hiring has picked up. Americans have stepped up spending. Some Bitcoin Foundation members say they weren’t cent this year from 3 percent in 2013. Key central banks have pursued Inflation is rising toward 2 percent, the Fed’s target. Higher inflation aware of Pierce’s past until after the election, when others low-interest rate policies to try to induce companies and businesses to can be a sign of economic health because it usually reflects more circulated media accounts concerning the allegations. Pierce borrow and spend. Their actions have helped lift stock markets in the spending by consumers and businesses. was voted in by the Foundation’s industry members, who US and many European countries by inducing investors to shift money Employers added 288,000 jobs in April, the most in 21/2 years. pay higher dues, to fill one of two spots vacated by others out of low-yielding bonds and into stocks. Yet Japan’s Nikkei index and That hiring raised the average monthly job gain this year to 214,000 who had resigned: Mark Kapeles, chief executive of the bank- China’s Shanghai index have both declined over the past 12 months. from 194,000 in 2013. More jobs translate into more paychecks that rupt top Bitcoin exchange Mt Gox, and Charlie Shrem, who Here’s how major economies are shaping up: support more spending. Because of the severe winter, analysts esti- has been charged with conspiring to launder money for mate that the US economy shrank in the first three months of 2014 users of the shuttered Silk Road underground drug bazaar. EUROPE by up to 0.9 percent. They expect growth to rebound in the current Pierce has made a splash in the insular Bitcoin world by The 18-nation euro-zone economy eked out just 0.2 percent growth quarter to at least a 3.5 percent annual rate. With the economy pick- backing more than a dozen startups, speaking frequently at in the first quarter compared with the previous three months, just half ing up, the Fed under Chair Janet Yellen has begun to unwind some conferences, and leading a bid to buy Mt Gox for one Bitcoin, the rate analysts had expected. The sluggish figure masked significant of its stimulus. It’s cut its monthly bond purchases, which have been currently worth less than $500. Bitcoin startups have attract- disparities: While Germany posted a comparatively healthy 0.8 percent intended to lower long-term rates. The Fed says it will continue to ed investment from some venture capital firms and from gain, the Dutch economy shrank 1.4 percent. The overall bleak figures keep short-term rates low to support the economy even after its individuals through “crowdfunding,” in which many ama- raised pressure on Mario Draghi, president of the European Central bond purchases end, likely late this year. teurs support projects, often with small investments and Bank, to inject more stimulus into Europe’s economy. Draghi hinted last without the due diligence typically conducted by profession- week that the ECB could act as soon as next month to try to counter CHINA al investors. Pierce has been a major beneficiary of the trend, persistently low inflation and strengthen the recovery. Economist Growth has slowed in the world’s second-largest economy from garnering pledges of more than $700,000 for his investment Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight in London expects the ECB to cut the breakneck pace it sustained for over a decade. China’s economy syndicate on the crowdfunding site AngelList. its short-term rate to 0.15 percent from 0.25 percent. It could also expanded 7.4 percent in this year’s first quarter from the previous Cyan Banister, a startup CEO who made a nonbinding impose a negative interest rate for money that banks deposit at the year. That’s down from last year’s 7.7 percent growth, which tied pledge of $5,000 to Pierce’s investing syndicate, after learn- ECB, Archer said: The banks would essentially start paying for the privi- 2012 for the slowest since 1999. ing of the allegations said she would withdraw from his lege of parking their money at the central bank. Such a fee would likely China’s leaders are hardly panicking. President Xi Jinping says group. Phil Sanderson, an IDG Ventures investor in San spur the banks to lend more to households and businesses. China should get used to slower growth. The rulers are trying to Francisco who follows Bitcoin, said that the currency’s transition the economy to one that relies more on domestic con- growth was being hindered by the lack of effective public JAPAN sumption and less on exports and investment in buildings, homes faces. “Bitcoin hasn’t really had a strong, vocal leader with a The world’s third-largest economy expanded at a 5.9 percent and other structures. Many economists worry that Chinese banks great background,” he said. — Reuters annual rate in the first quarter, the fastest pace in nearly three years. have fueled excessive investment in real estate, potentially inflating But much of that gain was fueled by a surge in spending by con- a credit bubble. — AP West Bank exhibit gives

SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 MAY SATURDAY, Gaza artists rare showcase www.kuwaittimes.net Page 28

Fireworks light up the sky at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. — AFP

KellyKelly broughtbrought glamourglamour toto MonacoMonaco PAGE 22 SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Kelly brought glamour to Monaco

race Kelly can bring to mind several things: an Oscar- winning Hollywood actress, a mother, a princess and a ‘The Immigrant’ review: GNicole Kidman movie premiering at the Cannes Film Festival. But to many, she will always be one of the world’s greatest fashion icons. Kidman’s “Grace of Monaco” is bringing Marion Cotillard gets focus anew on Kelly’s stylish impact. The day the Hitchcock blonde married Monegasque Prince Rainier in April 1956, it forever sealed the links between Monaco, the French Riviera exploited at Ellis Island and glamour. In the wedding ceremony, attended by Ava Gardner, Cary Grant and David Niven, Kelly walked the aisle in a hand-sewn ivory dress made up of 300 yards of antique Brussels rose-point lace sent by MGM studios and shook up the staid royal family.

This photo released by the Weinstein Company shows Joaquin Phoenix, left, and Marion Cotillard in a scene from the film, ‘The Immigrant.’ — AP t may have been hard out there for a pimp in “Hustle & Flow,” but it’s even worse for single gals just off the boat in “The IImmigrant,” the new drama from director James Gray (“Two Lovers”). Ewa (Marion Cotillard) and her consumptive sister arrive at Ellis Island in 1921, when American women had the right to vote but were far from liberated. From the moment we see the unaccompanied Polish sisters, we get a strong sense of forebod- ing, and it only grow stronger when officials send sister Magda (Angela Sarafyan) to quarantine and enigmatic “traveler’s aide” Bruno (Joaquin Phoenix) comes ostensibly to Ewa’s rescue. Bruno spirits Ewa away from Ellis Island and slowly but surely eases her into a seedy world of vaudeville and prostitution. It mat- ters not that she had a relatively genteel background in Poland In this Jan 5, 1956 file photo, actress Grace Kelly and and can speak English: Her options in America are exceedingly Prince Rainier III of Monaco, sit arm-in-arm as they meet limited without benevolent male intervention or a lot of cash. the press in Philadelphia. — AP photos Especially if she wants to get Magda off Ellis Island. Gray, who co- wrote with the late Ric Menello, skillfully and simultaneously The Hermes saddlebag she carried to hide her royal preg- draws both Ewa and the audience into Bruno’s world. Bruno nancy bump was named after her and today the “Kelly bag” immediately comes off as a suspicious character, but it takes a still has one of the longest waiting lists in the world and while before we find out how justified are Ewa’s - and our - con- ensured that, in 1960, Princess Grace would become one of cerns about him. the only royals to enter the “International Best Dressed List.” The tension of their relationship relies just as much on the The “Grace Kelly Look” as Women’s Wear Daily branded it in performances by Cotillard and Phoenix, who convincingly por- the 1950s - a fresh, natural glamour - has lived on to this today tray a wary newcomer and initially opaque opportunist, respec- to influence the fashion world. And the power her legacy still tively, in the movie’s early scenes. Like many a manipulator, Bruno hones in on his mark’s vulnerability. He knows Ewa will do In this April 20, 1955 file photo, Designer Oleg Cassini wields to bring glamour to the French Riviera region will be anything to rescue her sister, even if it means subjugating her- stands with actress Grace Kelly at the world premiere of revisited Wednesday as celebrities throng to the world pre- self. “Your sister’s well-being is more important than your own,” ‘Strategic Air Comand’ in New York. miere “Grace of Monaco.” — AP he tells her at one point. Alas, Bruno’s motives get as muddied as the movie’s cinematography when he starts falling for Ewa. Other women under his “protection” became jealous, causing further hardship for the unlucky immigrant. As “The Immigrant” Cruise’s ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ could unfolds, we learn more horrifying details about Ewa’s boat ride to America and how even the suggestion of lascivious behavior could fatally ruin a woman’s reputation in America circa 1921. There are glimmers of light when Ewa seeks out her aunt, who be summer’s first big-budget bomb was supposed to meet her at Ellis Island, and when she meets he Tom Cruise sci-fi movie “Edge of Tomorrow” has a lot of million worldwide haul from abroad. Compounding the problem for Bruno’s charismatic cousin (Jeremy Renner). Emil, who goes by ground to make up if it’s going to avoid being summer’s first “Edge of Tomorrow” is that it’s opening against Fox’s “The Fault in the name Orlando the Magician, is as smitten as Bruno, only Tbig-budget box-office dud. The futuristic Warner Bros. action Our Stars.” The romantic drama starring Shailene Woodley came on more interested in loving Ewa than in using her. film is looking at a June 6 weekend debut in the $25 million-$30 mil- tracking as well Thursday - in the $25 million range as well. lion range, according to pre-release tracking that came online The adaptation of John Green’s bestselling young-adult novel Vulnerable newcomers Thursday morning. Emily Blunt co-stars in the film, which is directed about young cancer patients finding love only stands to gain For every seeming break in Ewa’s favor, however, there’s a by Doug Liman. Tracking, particularly early, is intended to be a mar- ground, because it has been a monster on social media - outstrip- setback. Throughout, she tries to survive soul-crushing circum- keting tool rather a gauge of box office potential and there is still ping many of the summer’s biggest movies - so it’s very likely to go stances, finding comfort in religion and even coming to care for time for the studio to build momentum. But “Edge of Tomorrow” at higher. Fox marketers have mobilized the book’s rabid young- Bruno, much like those prostitutes in “Hustle & Flow.” There’s an this point isn’t packing the domestic punch of “Oblivion,” another female readers with an aggressive multi-city screening campaign, uplifting ending of sorts, for those who haven’t been too beaten Cruise sci-fi film that opened to $37 million last April. and “Fault” fanatics are making big noise on social media. For the down by the seedy drama to savor it, but “The Immigrant” never That means “Edge of Tomorrow” will have to do a lot of business past week, Twitter mentions of “Fault” have outstripped those of sugarcoats the conditions for vulnerable newcomers, and espe- overseas if it hopes to make up its $175 million production budget “Godzilla,” Fox’s blockbuster-to-be “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” cially women, during that repressive time. Gray does show some and marketing costs. The studio has from the outset focused on for- “Neighbors” and Disney’s “Maleficent.” The first trailer from the film amusing facets of this world, such as prostitutes dressed up as eign with this film, and Cruise remains a major force at the interna- has been viewed 17 million times and “liked” on YouTube more society figures like the Rockefellers and Astors, for instance, but tional box office. “Oblivion” brought in nearly 70 percent of its $286 than any film in history. —Reuters mostly “The Immigrant” is a bleak affair. —AP SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Seacrest puts major money behind Jay-Z, Solange Knowles have YouTube concert series

yan Seacrest is mak- ‘moved on’ from elevator row ing a major invest- Rment in DigiTour Media as part of a partner- ship with Advance Publications (the parent company of Conde Nast). The company puts on mul- tiple DigiFests throughout the United States that fea- ture emerging talent from YouTube, including bands like Midnight Red, Fifth Harmony and many other internet sensations recent- ly profiled in a cover story by New York Magazine. Seacrest and Advance Publications are reportedly investing “less than $2 mil- Ryan Seacrest lion” in the concert promo- tion deal. More than 100,000 fans are expected to attend DigiTour events in Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York and Los Angeles. “I’m a huge believer in the next-generation of talent that is burgeoning from YouTube, Vine and other social platforms, ay-Z and his wife Beyonce’s sister say They both acknowledge their role in this restrain the clearly agitated 27-year-old and DigiTour has successfully translated these popular small they have apologized to each other private matter that has played out in the singer, whose 32-year-old megastar sister screen experiences into live, large-scale events that are fun, and agreed to “move forward” after an public. “They both have apologized to each stood largely in the corner alongside her accessible and brilliantly authentic,” said Seacrest. — Reuters J “unfortunate” fight in an elevator, which other and we have moved forward as a unit- 44-year-old husband of six years. became public with a leaked video. The ed family.” They also denied that Solange Solange, whose new album is due out celebrity couple and Solange Knowles had Knowles, who repeatedly hits and kicks out later this year, performed at the Coachella said nothing since a security video of her at Jay-Z despite the intervention of what music festival in California last month, Behind the scenes at the repeatedly attacking Jay-Z emerged last appears to be a bodyguard, was drunk or where Beyonce joined her on stage, week, triggering fevered online specula- otherwise intoxicated. “The reports of delighting fans. The Met Gala after-party Cannes Film Festival tion about what they were fighting about. Solange being intoxicated or displaying took place at the Standard’s exclusive A statement Thursday did not explain erratic behavior throughout the evening are rooftop Top of the Standard lounge-better little local difficulty: It’s usually drink, lobster and big-mon- exactly what the dispute was, but said simply false,” said the statement. known among New York night owls as “the ey deals all the way for industry movers and shakers on they both shared any blame and were Boom Boom Room.” Earlier Thursday the Atheir annual jolly to Cannes. Not this year. Instead movie determined to remain united as a fami- Boom Boom Room hotel said it had fired an employee over world bigwigs endured coffee from plastic cups, sandwiches and ly.”As a result of the public release of the “At the end of the day families have the leaked elevator video. In a statement grueling road trips as transport workers went on strike on elevator security footage... there has been problems and we’re no different. We love that did not name names, the Standard Thursday. Execs on their way to the French Riviera had flights a great deal of speculation about what each other and above all we are family. said it had identified the person responsi- cancelled or found themselves stranded in airport lounges mid- triggered the unfortunate incident,” they We’ve put this behind us and hope every- ble for breaching its security policies “and journey. Heroically, some resorted to wheeling and dealing of a different sort to get there. said in a joint Knowles-Carter family state- one else will do the same.” New York’s hip recording the confidential video.” “The One Cannes-bound CEO embarked on a 14-hour road journey ment to the Associated Press (AP) news Standard hotel launched an investigation Standard has already terminated the indi- while another who managed to get to the airport at Nice only agency. “But the most important thing is into how the surveillance video wound up vidual and will now be pursuing all avail- persuaded a taxi driver to pick him up by agreeing to lie flat in that our family has worked through it... Jay on an Internet gossip site, following a par- able civil and criminal remedies,” it said, the back so he wasn’t branded a scab by other cabbies. “We’re and Solange each assume their share of ty there after the glamorous Met Gala on adding that it would turn over “all available supposed to be in a meeting right now,” music rights boss Philip responsibility for what has occurred. May 5. A bodyguard is seen trying to information” to police. — AFP Moross told The Hollywood Reporter on his mobile from an autoroute somewhere in the middle of France. “We’re tying up a deal in the morning so we’re getting there by hook or by crook,” he said. A London film festival director, Foo Fighters’ Grohl directing Claire Stewart, bemoaned the perennial fly in the Cannes oint- ment. “There’s always something, some protest or strike during Cannes, but this year it’s really extreme. It’s affecting everyone,” she said. Cannes regular: When it comes to the Cannes Film doc series on band’s new album Festival, there are plenty of celebrity spotters and film buffs who hang around, but none have been as faithful and determined as he unusual writing and recording 97-year-old Simone Lancelot. The still-sprightly cinema lover has process that the Foo Fighters used to been to no less than 66 festivals and her life is intricately tied to Trecord its upcoming eighth album was the glitzy event, now in its 67th year. “The year I gave birth, there captured on camera by frontman Dave Grohl, was no festival. Everyone says that it was because I wasn’t there and will form the basis of a new documentary that they didn’t go ahead with it,” she joked, strolling along the series that will air on HBO. The band took a famed Croisette seaside promenade. road trip to eight different cities - Chicago, Austin, Nashville, Los Angeles, Seattle, New Goodbye to Language Orleans, Washington, DC and New York - to Her first festival was in 1947 and she points out that stars at write and record with local musical legends. the time-mainly French-would go up not 24 steps but just two to Every stop produced one new song, the lyrics the then festival hall, not far from the so-called Bunker where it for which Grohl wrote on the last day of the takes place now. She’s passionate about cinema, which she dis- session in each city. covered when she was eight by watching silent movies that fair- The band promises that each song will tap ground entertainers used to bring to her village. A cashier at a into the “experiences, interviews and person- cinema, an usherette, a program planner.... Lancelot has had all alities that became part of the process,” as well forms of jobs in the industry, and she also co-founded a French association that promotes art house films. This year, she wants as the history of each city. The documentary to see 83-year-old Swiss director Jean-Luc Godard win the top will also celebrate the Foo Fighters’ 20th Palme d’Or prize with his film “Goodbye to Language”. Her one anniversary. Grohl made his directorial debut regret? The lack of star-quality on the Croisette these days. “You last year with the documentary “Sound City,” used to see starlets more and even famous stars on the Croisette. about the famed titular Van Nuys, Calif, They didn’t need bodyguards then,” she said. —AP recording studio that housed legends such as Foo Fighters Nirvana, Neil Young, and Tom Petty. —Reuters SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Katzenberg celebrates Dream Works’ 20th anniversary at Cannes

From left, director Dean Deblois, actor Jay Baruchel, actress America Ferrera, actress Cate (From left) actor Jay Baruchel, actress Cate Blanchett, director Dean Deblois, actress Blanchett, actor Kit Harington, actor Dijmon Hounsou and a person dressed as a dragon America Ferrera and actor Kit Harington during a press conference for How to Train character pose for photographers during a photo call for How to Train Your Dragon 2 at Your Dragon 2 at the 67th international film festival, Cannes, southern France yester- the 67th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, yesterday. day. —AP photos

itting on the terrace of the Carlton Hotel on where it’s going. artists to digitally render in greater detail. But the growth. That’s not a growth industry or a growth the Cannes coastline, Jeffery Katzenberg “It feels pretty surreal because I don’t feel like it’s rocky box-office for DreamWorks has perhaps con- business. But there are so many opportunities Sgazes out at the teeming Croisette. It’s familiar 20 years,” says Katzenberg. “We’re so much a work- tributed to Katzenberg looking elsewhere for rev- around movies - which was the other point I made. territory. “We roll big here,” he says. “We’ve been in-progress it doesn’t feel like a milestone, in a way. enue. He recently made headlines for remarking at a Movies have never been seen by more people doing this a long time.” Katzenberg has been a If anything, it feels like the end of act one in a three- Beverly Hills corporate conference that movies are around the globe than they are right now.” Cannes Film Festival regular for two decades. He’s act play. We right now, more than any time, have so not a growth business. He suggested that in five DreamWorks has looked to expand into other frequently premiered DreamWorks’ summer releas- much opportunity ahead of us.” It hasn’t been easy years, studio films might only play in theaters for media realms. Last year it acquired the YouTube es here, held stunts to capture the attention of the going of late for DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., three weekends, and would then be sold at various network AwesomenessTV and signed a pact with international media, and preached the gospel of 3- which Katzenberg co-founded with Steven prices according to screen size and time after release. Netflix to supply 300 hours of exclusive program- D ahead of its resurgence to the gathered movie Spielberg and David Geffen in 1994. All of the major ming based on DreamWorks Animation characters. industry. He has felt the adulation and the sting of studios now have robust cartoon franchises, taking Giant changes Earlier this month, it launched DreamWorksTV, a Cannes’ passionate audiences. up more of the family audience pie. Three of That Katzenberg’s remarks stirred consternation YouTube channel for kids. “I have had both,” says Katzenberg with a smile. DreamWorks’ last four releases have flopped: the in an industry struggling with the rise of digital DreamWorks is also developing theme parks “I’ve never had an animation film booed. I’ve had recent time-traveling “Peabody & Sherman,” the entertainment and television’s newfound cachet. and pushing aggressively into China. Katzenberg live-action.” Yesterday, the Cannes Film Festival cel- holiday release “Rise of the Guardians” and 2013’s But they were also challenged by people like Time says he still believes strongly in the power and prof- ebrated the 20th anniversary of DreamWorks snail tale “Turbo.” In “Dragon 2,” Katzenberg hopes Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes, who pointed to interna- itability of the theatrical movie business, but “the Animation with the premiere of “How to Train Your he has a better chance after the Oscar-nominated tional box office as a big grower. “The movie busi- rest of the enterprise around movie watching is Dragon 2,” the upcoming 3-D sequel to the 2010 original grossed nearly $500 million worldwide. The ness is a very, very good business,” Katzenberg clari- going to go through giant, giant changes.” “The original about a Viking boy (Jay Baruchel) and his sequel, Katzenberg believes, benefits from what he fied. “The only point I was making is if you look at question is: What happens after movies leave the pet dragon, Toothless. In an interview, Katzenberg calls “a game-changer for animation” - a new, more the traditional side of movie theater and home movie theater?” he says. “We make our movies to reflected less on where DreamWorks has been, than intuitive animation tool dubbed Apollo that allows video, those businesses have been low single-digit be seen.” — AP Reynolds, Dawson paedophile ring thriller divides Cannes yan Reynolds and Rosario Dawson The paedophile network not only whole new class of freaks”. Dawson, who involved in her abduction. But she herself star in Cannes contender “The posts videos of the children’s abuse starred in “Sin City” and “Men in Black II”, becomes a target of the ring of well-con- RCaptive”, a Canadian thriller about a online, but also installs hidden cameras to plays the head of a police child victims nected sexual deviants, who want to stop powerful, technologically savvy pae- capture the suffering of their parents at unit trying to rescue Cassandra who long the investigation and exploit her own dophile ring which divided critics at the home, leading one cop to call them “a suspects her father may have been memories of childhood trauma. world’s top film festival yesterday. A keen- ly awaited press screening of the picture ‘Powerful territory’ by Atom Egoyan ahead of the red-carpet Egoyan, who was nominated for an premiere drew the first boos of the com- Oscar for his 1997 drama “The Sweet petition for what one critic called an “asi- Hereafter” about the impact of a tragic nine, risible plot”, but also a solid round of bus accident, also wrote the screenplay applause. for “The Captive”. He said the abduction “The Captive” stars Reynolds, best of a boy in his own hometown in Canada known for comic book hero roles in and the questions of responsibility it “Green Lantern”, “X-Men: Wolverine” and raised for everyone in the community had “Blade: Trinity”, as a father whose young given rise to the project “I put the viewer daughter is abducted and vanishes for into a place where you’re not sure how far eight years. The film, set in the frigid this goes, like how deep this goes, and expanses of rural Ontario, takes a page how implicated you are watching it as from the real-life ordeals of kidnap victims well,” he said. such as Natasha Kampusch and Jaycee “It’s a territory that I find really power- Lee Dugard held for years against their ful.” Reynolds said his own brother works will by sexual predators. Cassandra, now in a similar unit to the one Dawson leads seen in her teens, is held in a locked, win- (From left) Actress Rosario Dawson, director Atom Egoyan, actors Ryan in the film and was drawn to the script’s dowless cellar decorated as a little girl’s Reynolds, Scott Speedman, Mireille Enos and Kevin Durand pose for photog- examination of the pressures on those try- bedroom and forced by her captor to raphers during a photo call for Captives at the 67th international film festival, ing not to despair while confronting hor- appear in videos to lure fresh prey. Cannes, southern France yesterday. — AP rific crimes. —AFP SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Lupita, Kendall wow; Amy, MJ sell

lowing Oscar-winning actress Lupita ed as an actor, but it was very, very hard to portray.” Nyong’o shone bright at the Calvin Klein cel- The film premieres at Cannes on Tuesday. Gebration of Women In Film event in Cannes. She wore a shimmering blue Calvin Klein strapless Kendall Jenner wows dress with a slashed bodice styled with silver san- As France is electrified with buzz of a possible dals. To complement that look, the “12 Years a Kim Kardashian and Kanye West wedding in the Slave” star wore enviable teardrop cut out crystal country this month, sister of the bride-to-be Kendall earrings. During the exclusive event, she hung out Jenner has taken the other side of the country by with fellow WIF attendees Julianne Moore, Rooney storm in Cannes. The tall, raven-haired 18-year-old Maara and Naomi Watts. wowed crowds in the French Riviera, hitting the red carpet Wednesday for the “Grace of Monaco” pre- Paramount buys Adams sci-fi thriller miere in a black-and-white Chanel silk crepe dress One of the hottest properties in Cannes has from the cruise collection. The TV reality star and been acquired by Paramount Pictures. Paramount aspiring actress would conveniently be able to has purchased the North America and China distri- whizz up the country to attend if her more famous bution rights for “Story of Your Life,” a sci-fi thriller sister weds in Paris, as is rumored. to star Amy Adams. Directing is Denis Villeneuve, the Canadian filmmaker who made last year’s kid- napping thriller “Prisoners” and the 2010 Oscar- nominated, French-language mystery “Incendies.”

In this photo, Lupita Nyong’o poses for photographers as she arrives for the In this photo Naomi Watts poses for pho- Women In Film Party at the 67th interna- tographers as she arrives at the Women In tional film festival, Cannes, southern Film Party. France, Thursday. — AP photos

In this photo Rooney Mara poses for pho- tographers at the Women In Film Party.

Based on a short story by science-fiction writer Ted Chiang, “Story of Your Life” is about a linguist (to be played by Adams) recruited by the military to trans- late invading aliens. It’s being produced and financed by FilmNation Entertainment in partner- ship with Lava Bear Films. Paramount, which said it expects to release the film in 2016, paid $20 million for the rights to the film, according to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

Gong Li doubling up In this photo Julianne Moore poses for Gong Li is a participant at Cannes, but next photographers as she arrives at Women In month, she’ll have higher profile role at a film festi- Film Party. val closer to home. The Chinese actress will head up the jury at the 17th annual Shanghai Film Festival, Michael Jackson doc sold which begins June 14. She said she agreed to it A documentary chronicling Michael Jackson in (From right) Turkish actress Demet Akbag, director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, actor Haluk reluctantly because she fears she may get too emo- his last years has been acquired at the Cannes Film Bilginer and actress Melisa Sozen hold signs reading ‘Soma’ to pay their respects to the tional. “It is a respect to a film, to a piece of art work. Festival. “Michael: The Last Photo Shoots” follows 284 Turkish miners who died following an explosion, during a photocall for their film However, it can only be given to one person. So the late superstar as he prepared for his ill-fated ‘Winter Sleep’ at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, when you’re judging the award, you feel bad, comeback. It features interviews with his photogra- yesterday. — AFP because I, too, am in the business,” she said phers as well as stylists and friends. Renowned pho- Thursday. “So I hope when I’m the president of the tographer Bruce Weber photographed Jackson in jury, I can pull it together and not be so emotional.” 2007 for the re-release of “Thriller” on its 25th Here at Cannes, she won’t have to deal with such anniversary, and celebrity photographer Matthew Stars show solidarity with miners weighty matters. She is a L’Oreal ambassador and Rolston shot him the same year for Ebony maga- also has a film showing out of competition here. zine, his first US magazine interview in years. he stars of the Turkish film “Winter’s country’s worst mining accident. There has “Coming Home” reunites her with Chinese direc- Lightning Entertainment has acquired the interna- Sleep” are showing their solidarity for been an outcry of anger and protests from the tor Zhang Yimou, with whom she made some of tional sales rights. Its executive vice president, Ken Tthose affected by the mining tragedy in public, some of whom blame the government her most notable films like “Raise the Red Lantern,” Dubow, said in a statement Thursday that the docu- that country as they promote the film in for not taking action to correct alleged safety “The Story of Qiu Ju” and “To Live.” Gong plays an mentary will provide fans with “a rare behind-the- Cannes. The actors and director held up signs problems in Turkey’s mines. amnesia patient whose husband returns home after scenes look into his life.” Jackson died shortly with the hashtag Soma during their photo call “Winter’s Sleep,” by director Nuri Blige years of being away in prison. Gong said it was one before his London comeback concerts in 2009. yesterday for the movie. Ceylan, is a family drama starring Haluk Bilginer, of her most challenging roles: “If everyone can “Xscape,” a second posthumous album, was Soma is the Turkish city where at least 284 Demet Akbag and Melisa Sozen. All four held relate to this character, then I would have succeed- released this week. — AP people were killed in a fire in a coal mine, the the signs for photographers yesterday. — AP SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

This image This image released by released by Cannes Film Cannes Film Festival shows Festival shows Guy Pearce, Ryan left, and Reynolds, left, Robert and Mireille Pattinson in a Enos in a scene scene from from ‘The ‘The Rover.’ Captive.’ Daily schedule for Cannes Film festival

he Cannes Film Festival, which opened Wednesday Coverage of Bennett Miller’s “Foxcatcher.” with the premiere of “Grace of Monaco” with Nicole Coverage of David Cronenberg’s “Maps to the Stars.” TKidman as Grace Kelly, is much more than the height- ened contest for the Palme d’Or. It’s a Cote d’Azur crush of Tuesday, May 20: celebrity; the world’s largest movie marketplace, where Coverage of Ryan Gosling’s “Lost River.” countless films are bought and sold; and a sprawling cine- Coverage of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne’s “Two Days, ma event - the biggest in the world - that encompasses One Night.” several sidebar fests. Wednesday, May 21: Friday, May 16: Coverage of Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Search.” Coverage of Atom Egoyan’s “Captives.” Coverage of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Goodbye to Language.” Coverage of DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon 2.” Coverage of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s “Winter Sleep.” Thursday, May 22: Coverage of the annual amfAR gala and auction. Saturday, May 17: Coverage of Bertrand Bonello’s “Saint Laurent.” Coverage of Ken Loach’s “Jimmy Hall.”

Sunday, May 18: Friday, May 23: Coverage of Tommy Lee Jones’ “The Homesman.” Coverage of Olivier Assayas’ “Clouds of Sils Maria.” Coverage of David Michod’s “The Rover.” This image released by Cannes Film Festival shows Saturday, May 24: Berenice Bejo, right, in a scene from ‘The Search,’ a film Monday, May 19: Coverage of the closing ceremony and the awarding of the by Michel Hazanavicius. — AP photos A midway wrap of the festival. Palme d’Or. — AP

This image released by Cannes Film Festival shows Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly in a scene from ‘Grace of Monaco’. SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

This image released by Cannes Film Festival shows Grace Gummer, left, and Tommy Lee Jones in a scene from ‘The Homesman’.

Actress America Ferrera, left, and actor Jay Baruchel, sec- ond from left, pose for photographers with a model drag- on during a photo call for How to Train Your Dragon 2 at the 67th international film festival, Cannes.

This image released by Cannes Film Festival shows Steve Carell, right, and Channing This image released by Cannes Film Festival shows Kristen Stewart in a scene from Tatum in a scene from ‘Foxcatcher.’ ‘Clouds of Sils Maria.’

This image released by Cannes Film This image Festival released by shows Mia Cannes Film Wasikowska, Festival shows left, and Marion Julianne Cotillard in a Moore in a scene from scene from ‘Two Days, ‘Maps to One Night.’ the Stars.’ SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

This photo shows an oil on canvas painting by Palestinian artist This photo shows an acrylic on canvas painting by Palestinian artist Irina Naji, named Dream. Ashraf Sahwiel named Home Land, during an art exhibition ‘Traces, a testimony to memory,’ displaying over forty Palestinian artists work from Gaza, in the West Bank city of Ramallah. — AP photos West Bank exhibit gives Gaza artists rare showcase

he Gaza Strip is tough turf for artists. An Israeli-Egyptian bor- grandfather, and I start to imagine how my country looks and the Gaza’s isolation deepened after the 2007 takeover of the terri- der blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory keeps them away people’s daily habits, which I cannot reach and see,” he said. tory by the Islamic militant Hamas. In response, Israel and Egypt Tfrom an international audience and potential buyers, while Organizers of the exhibit said they hope it will give the artists enforced a border blockade that prevents most Gazans from leav- the local art market is close to nil. A new exhibit now offers them needed exposure. Samir Hleileh, the CEO of PADICO, said he ing their territory. Other sponsors of the Ramallah exhibit includ- a chance to showcase their work outside Gaza. Fifty-three paint- became aware of the Gaza artists’ difficulties during a trip to the ed a UN agency and the Artist Pension Trust, an international ings and two sculptures by 45 artists have gone on display in the territory. “Most of the artists could not leave Gaza to visit markets organization that allows selected artists to buy into a retirement West Bank city of Ramallah, said Haneen Qatamesh, a spokes- like Dubai or New York or London or even Ramallah,” he said. plan through their works, rather than money. woman for one of the sponsors, the Palestinian company PADICO. Since Saturday’s opening, 12 works have been sold for prices ranging from $850 to $9,000, she said. However, a majority of the artists were unable to attend their own show. Gaza and the West Bank lie on opposite sides of Israel, and since a Palestinian uprising in 2000, Israel has severely restricted travel between the two territories which the Palestinians hope will one day be part of their independent state, along with east Jerusalem. Israel captured the three areas in the 1967 Mideast war. Qatamesh said only 12 artists received Israeli travel permits to attend the exhibit, or less than half the number of artists who applied. Among those forced to stay home was Ismail Dahlan, a 36-year-old painter from the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya who has three works at the Ramallah show. His colorful paintings depict the characters, customs and daily life of a place he’s never been to - Hamama, a former Palestinian village in what is now Israel. Dahlan’s family fled to Gaza in the Mideast war over Israel’s 1948 creation. They were among more than 700,000 Palestinians who were uprooted during that war. Today, the refugees and their descendants number more than 5 million, most of them liv- ing in the West Bank, Gaza, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, according to the United Nations. Dahlan said his paintings are based on the stories his parents told him about their home village.

International exposure “I start to draw a picture in my mind of the towns that I cannot In this photo a woman carrying her child, stands in front of an oil on canvas painting named The Bitter and the reach, through information obtained from my parents and my Bitterness, by Palestinian artist Raouf Al-Ajouri. SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

In this photo Palestinian artist Maher Naji poses next to his acrylic on canvas painting In this photo a woman looks at acrylic on canvas paintings by Palestinian artist Shareef named The Remaining Memory. Sarhan named Remains of a Battle.

Palestinian artist Ismail Dahlan, 36, poses for a photo near his paintings at his studio in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip.

Some 2,000 artists from 75 countries have joined the fund in the past decade, spokeswoman Lidia Fabian said. Some of the Gaza artists are being considered for membership, but the vet- ting is ongoing, she said. “Our main focus is to give artists worldwide financial security and international exposure,” she said. “For artists from Gaza, it is difficult to have a door to the outside world. This exhibit will get them some more publicity.” Dahlan, the Gaza painter, said Gaza artists won’t have a future as long as they can’t travel. “The local market is not promising,” said Dahlan, a father of four who has sold four paintings so far and currently earns $300 a month painting sets and doing other jobs in a local theater. “We have many artists here and all of them are looking for a window to get out and show the world their talents.”— AP

In this photo a woman looks at a series of three acrylic on canvas paintings named Hamamah, by Palestinian artist Ismail Dahlan. TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Germany 3D Printing Fairs

GERMANY: The 3D print scanner Botscan3D scans a model at the stand of the German company Botspot.

GERMANY: Mario Huettenhofer, chief of the German company 3D Fab, presents his own face as 3d print during the international fairs FabCon 3.D and Rapid. Tech in Erfurt, Thursday, May 15, 2014. 130 exhibitors from all over the world present the entire world of 3D printing. The trade fairs are accompanied by specialist programs featuring 80 scientists, GERMANY: People practitioners and trend analysts from ten countries, who will explain the latest findings, stand behind a 3D trends and applications for additive processes in industry and for 3D printing in the private print of a titan cranial sector to newcomers, experts and consumers alike. — AP photos implant for a patient at the stand of the German company EOS GmbH (Electro Optical Systems).

GERMANY: A 3D print of a dinosaur’s head lies in a printer of the US company MakerBot of GERMANY: People stand behind 3D print figures at the stand of company ColorFabb of the New York. Netherlands. Google Glass resumes sales in the US

SAN FRANCISCO: Google is once again selling its Internet- Glass this time, although the company is emphasizing that connected eyewear to anyone in the US as the company fine the product remains in its test, or “Explorer,” phase. As has tunes a device that has sparked intrigue and disdain for its been the case since Google began selling Glass to a select potential to change the way people interact with technolo- group in 2012, the device costs $1,500. It’s only available on gy. The latest release of Google Glass comes a month after a Google’s website for now. — AP one-day sale gave US residents their first chance to buy the hottest accessory in geek fashion. SAN FRANCISCO: In this Wednesday, Feb 20, Google Inc. isn’t setting a time limit for people to buy 2013, file photo, Google co-founder Sergey Brin wears Google Glass. —AP TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Cars could drive themselves sooner than expected after European push

FRANKFURT: Cars could be driving them- ago. But moving from test drives to mar- selves down the world’s streets far sooner ketable products was held back by Article 8 of than expected, thanks to a change in a global the 1968 Convention on Road Traffic, which treaty backed by European countries. A little- stipulates: “Every driver shall at all times be noticed amendment to the United Nations able to control his vehicle or to guide his ani- Convention on Road Traffic agreed last month mals.” The amendment agreed last month by would let drivers take their hands off the the UN Working Party on Road Traffic Safety wheel of self-driving cars. It was pushed by would allow a car to drive itself, as long as the Germany, Italy and France, whose high-end system “can be overridden or switched off by carmakers believe they are ready to zoom the driver”. A driver must be present and able past American tech pioneers and bring the to take the wheel at any time. first “autonomous vehicles” to market. Provided the amendment clears all “Today I am only allowed to take my hands bureaucratic hurdles, all 72 countries that are off the wheel to a limited extent. Thankfully party to the convention would have to work the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic has the new rules into their laws. The convention been changed,” said Thomas Weber, head of covers the United States, Europe and most Group research at Daimler and head of devel- major car markets, although not China. opment at Mercedes-Benz. For years, so- called “autonomous vehicles” have been a Hope in Europe futuristic dream pioneered by silicon valley The amendment was submitted by the companies like Google. governments of Germany, Italy, France, But as the technology becomes more Germany, Belgium and Austria, according to affordable, Europe’s luxury automakers say the April 17 UN document - showing just how they are well placed to take advantage of it important the new technology is for Europe. because of their deeper experience in engi- Germany’s premium carmakers in particu- neering, manufacturing, marketing and sales. lar have business models that rely on leading There is no point in waiting while California the market in vehicles with the most sophisti- upstarts catch up. The US state of Nevada cated features available. They can’t afford to JAPAN: This picture taken on May 13, 2014 shows a prototype model of future driver’s passed a law in June 2011 to allow test drives fall behind. Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW as seat, using sensors, video cameras and tablet computers at a press preview of the compa- of autonomous vehicles there. Google tested well as auto suppliers Bosch and Continental, ny’s advanced technology exhibition in Tokyo. — AFP one in 2012. In August 2013, Mercedes-Benz are working on technologies for autonomous responded to the Google push by developing or semi-autonomous cars. now wants to introduce more automated updated - like an iPhone - to take advantage an S-class limousine which drove between Mercedes has developed technology driving features into its cars, such as automat- of new technical capabilities or changes in the Mannheim and Pforzheim without any driver which can scan the road ahead and behind ed parking, automatic stop-and-go driving in law. “We have developed a car that can drive input. The 103 kilometer stretch is known as with cameras and radar, and prompt a vehicle traffic and motorway driving functions. autonomously. Now the legal framework the Bertha Benz route, named after the driver to pull out and overtake a large truck without Eventually, it hopes to have cars with elabo- needs to follow suit,” a Daimler spokeswoman of the first ever motorcar more than 125 years a driver having to touch the steering wheel. It rate self-driving software that can be easily said. — Reuters TITAN THE ROBOT Some facts about net neutrality

NEW YORK: The Federal Communications Commission Internet service from companies such as Comcast Corp., has taken the first step toward adopting new regula- Time Warner Cable Inc. and Verizon Communications. tions that could create fast lanes for Internet traffic from Netflix released a statement Thursday saying that it websites that can afford to pay for the privilege. is still concerned that the proposed approach could Thursday’s recommendation, passed by a 3-2, vote, “legalize discrimination, harming innovation and pun- moves the proposed rules governing “net neutrality” ishing US consumers with a broadband experience into a formal public comment period. After the 120-day that’s worse than they already have.” period ends, the FCC will revise the proposal and vote Meanwhile, smaller companies say they can’t afford on a final set of rules. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has to pay. And conservatives don’t like the idea of addi- said he wants the rules in place by the end of this year. tional regulation over the Internet and the companies Here are some things to know about the proposed rules that provide it. Advocates for an open Internet are out- and net neutrality: raged. Some protested Thursday’s hearing, banging drums and holding signs calling for net neutrality. The What the rules call for American Civil Liberties Union released a statement Under the proposed rules, Internet providers would saying that the proposed rules would put individuals at be able to charge other companies for priority, high- the mercy of Internet providers, who would be able to speed, access to their users. A previous set of rules decide what is seen and how fast. The ACLU saw one adopted in 2010 was struck down by an appeals court ray of hope in Thursday’s developments, endorsing the in January after Verizon challenged them. The FCC says FCC’s willingness to consider reclassifying Internet the revised regulations now under consideration follow providers as common carriers. the blueprint set forth by that court decision. The com- mission also will consider the possibility of defining What others are saying Internet service providers as “common carriers,” like The White House released a statement saying that telephone companies, which are subject to greater reg- President Barack Obama strongly supports net neutrali- ulation than Internet providers, under Title II of the ty and an open Internet. But it added that the FCC is an Communications Act of 1934. If the FCC adopts the independent agency and that it will carefully review its common carrier option, then Internet service providers proposal. George Foote, a partner at the law firm would be required to treat all traffic on their networks Dorsey & Whitney who works with the FCC, argues that equally, just as telephone companies have had to do on the proposed rules don’t threaten the Internet, free their lines for decades. speech or capitalism. “Attempts to say otherwise are merely attempts to Why some oppose the proposed rules force the order into some self-serving narrative of disas- Internet companies such as Netflix that do a lot of ter,” Foote said in a statement. Meanwhile, Chris Riley, MOSCOW: Titan the Robot opens an interactive robotics exhibition on business online, and use a significant amount of data, senior policy engineer at Mozilla, the nonprofit that Wednesday May 14, 2014. The innovative robotic performer Titan don’t want to have to pay for reliable and fast delivery makes the Firefox browser, said he’s glad the FCC is danced for the audience, made jokes and even tried hitting on Russian of online video, music and other content. They contend considering the possibility of “real net neutrality,” women. Titan the robot is produced by a British company and gained that’s something consumers are already financing including the Mozilla-backed proposal to reclassify world recognition in pop videos dancing alongside such artists as when they pay $50 to $80 per month for high-speed Internet providers under Title II. — AP Will.i.am and Rihanna. — AP photos TV listings SATURDAY, MAY 17 , 2014

21:00 BBC World 03:15 E! Investigates 07:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The 06:00 Graceland 22:00 BBC World 04:10 E!ES Planets 07:00 Devious Maids 23:00 BBC World 05:05 Extreme Close-Up 08:00 Nat Geo’s Top 10 Photos 08:00 Zero Hour 05:30 Extreme Close-Up 09:00 Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey 09:00 Glee 06:00 THS 10:00 Among The Great Apes 10:00 American Idol 00:45 Monsters Inside Me 07:50 Style Star 11:00 Science of Stupid 11:00 Survivor: Cagayan 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 00:35 Four Weddings UK 08:20 E! News 11:30 Science of Stupid 12:00 Devious Maids 02:25 Wild Africa Rescue 01:30 Tom Daley Goes Global 09:15 Fashion Police 12:00 Situation Critical 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 02:50 Wild Africa Rescue 02:25 Blandings 09:45 The Fabulist 13:00 Doomsday Preppers 14:00 Zero Hour 03:15 Tanked 02:55 Emmerdale 10:15 E!ES 14:00 Doomsday Preppers 15:00 Graceland 04:05 Treehouse Masters 00:30 Fast N’ Loud 05:00 Coronation Street 11:10 Keeping Up With The 15:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The 16:00 Devious Maids 04:55 Animal Cops South Africa 01:20 Wheeler Dealers 07:15 Blandings Kardashians Planets 17:00 American Idol 05:45 Animal Clinic 02:10 Extreme Car Hoarders 08:00 Blandings 12:05 Keeping Up With The 16:00 Nat Geo’s Top 10 Photos 19:00 Bones 06:35 Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors 03:00 You Have Been Warned 08:25 Four Weddings UK Kardashians 17:00 Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey 20:00 Criminal Minds 07:00 Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors 03:50 Border Security 09:20 Tom Daley Goes Global 13:05 Keeping Up With The 18:00 Evolutions 21:00 Castle 07:25 My Cat From Hell 04:15 Baggage Battles 10:15 Vera Kardashians 19:00 Hard Time 22:00 Sons Of Anarchy 08:15 Too Cute! 04:40 Lost And Sold 12:00 Dirk Gently 14:05 Keeping Up With The 20:00 Inside Combat Rescue 23:00 Nip/Tuck 09:10 Gator Boys 05:05 How It’s Made 12:55 Come Dine With Me Ireland Kardashians 21:00 The Border 10:05 Call Of The Wildman 05:30 How Stuff’s Made 13:20 The Hungry Sailors 18:00 E! News 22:00 Sea Patrol 10:30 Swamp Brothers 06:00 Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell 14:10 The Jonathan Ross Show 19:00 Beyond Candid With Giuliana 23:00 Wild Russia 11:00 Tanked 07:00 You Have Been Warned 15:00 Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night 20:00 Fashion Police 11:55 Treehouse Masters 07:50 Treehouse Masters Takeaway 20:30 Keeping Up With The 12:50 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 08:40 Mythbusters 02:00 Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The 16:00 Tom Daley Goes Global Kardashians 13:45 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 09:30 Ed Stafford: Naked And Next Generation 16:50 Agatha Christie’s Poirot 21:30 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 14:40 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker Marooned 04:00 Beneath 18:30 Blandings 22:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 15:35 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 10:20 Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell 06:00 The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo 19:00 Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night 22:30 E! News 16:30 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 11:10 Dual Survival Drift Takeaway 23:30 The Soup 17:25 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 12:00 Wheeler Dealers: Top 5 20:00 Tom Daley Goes Global 08:00 Absolute Fear 00:20 Secret Life of Predators 10:00 Super Cyclone 18:20 Tanked 12:50 Wheeler Dealers: Top 5 20:50 Blandings 01:10 Ragged Tooth 19:15 Preposterous Pets 13:40 Wheeler Dealers: Top 5 21:25 Agatha Christie’s Poirot 11:45 Prometheus 02:00 Going Wild 14:00 Chinese Zodiac 20:10 Animal Maternity Ward 14:30 Wheeler Dealers: Top 5 23:15 Coronation Street 02:50 Outback Wrangler 21:05 Rogue Sharks 15:20 Wheeler Dealers: Top 5 16:00 Super Cyclone 03:45 Wild Gabon 18:00 The Tuxedo 22:00 Preposterous Pets 16:10 Wheeler Dealers: Top 5 04:40 World’s Weirdest 22:55 Animal Maternity Ward 17:00 Gold Rush 20:00 Chinese Zodiac 05:35 Hooked 22:00 Nothing Left To Fear 23:50 Untamed & Uncut 17:50 Klondike 00:00 Nat Geo’s Top 10 Photos 06:30 Hooked 18:40 Gold Divers 01:00 Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey 07:25 That Shouldn’t Fly 19:30 Ed Stafford: Naked And 02:00 Among The Great Apes 08:20 Animal Superpowers Marooned 03:00 Science of Stupid 09:15 Brilliant Beasts 00:00 Chelsea Lately 20:20 Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell 03:30 Science of Stupid 10:10 World’s Wildest Encounters 00:30 The Spin Crowd 21:10 Dual Survival 04:00 Situation Critical 11:05 Animals Gone Wild 00:55 The Spin Crowd 00:05 Doctors 22:00 The Liquidator 05:00 Doomsday Preppers 12:00 Hooked 22:25 Lost And Sold 01:25 THS 06:00 Doomsday Preppers 00:00 Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The 00:40 Casualty 12:55 Snow Leopard of Afghanistan Next Generation-18 01:30 Mad Dogs 13:50 Outback Wrangler 02:00 Beneath-PG15 02:15 Incredible Journeys With Steve 14:45 Wild Florida 04:00 The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Leonard 15:40 Nordic Wild Drift-PG15 03:05 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 16:35 Swamp Lions 06:00 Absolute Fear-PG15 03:50 Getting On 17:30 Planet Carnivore 08:00 Super Cyclone-PG15 04:20 The Weakest Link 18:25 Search For The Giant Octopus 09:45 Prometheus-PG15 05:00 Nuzzle & Scratch: Frock n Roll 19:20 Hooked 12:00 Chinese Zodiac-PG15 05:20 The Green Balloon Club 20:10 Snow Leopard of Afghanistan 14:00 Super Cyclone-PG15 05:45 Poetry Pie 21:00 Outback Wrangler 16:00 The Tuxedo-PG15 05:50 Nina And The Neurons: In The 21:50 Wild Florida 18:00 Chinese Zodiac-PG15 Lab 22:40 Nordic Wild 20:00 Nothing Left To Fear-18 06:05 Bobinogs 23:30 Swamp Lions 22:00 Abraham Lincoln: Vampire 06:15 Nuzzle & Scratch: Frock n Roll Hunter-18 06:35 The Green Balloon Club 07:00 Poetry Pie 07:05 Nina And The Neurons: In The Lab 07:20 The Weakest Link 08:05 Doctor Who 00:00 For A Good Time, Call-18 08:50 Rev. 02:00 Nick And Norah’s Infinite 09:25 Only Fools And Horses 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Playlist-PG15 09:55 Absolutely Fabulous 04:00 The New Guy-PG15 10:25 Lorna Doone 02:00 The League 06:00 Barnyard-PG 11:15 The Weakest Link 02:30 Weeds 12:05 Doctor Who 03:00 Last Man Standing 08:00 Mrs. Doubtfire-PG 12:50 Casualty 03:30 New Girl 10:15 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot- 13:45 Eastenders 04:00 Seinfeld PG15 14:15 Eastenders 04:30 The Tonight Show Starring 12:00 The New Guy-PG15 14:40 Eastenders Jimmy Fallon 13:45 Tin Cup-PG15 15:15 Eastenders 05:30 My Boys 16:00 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot- 15:45 Eastenders 06:00 The Goodwin Games PG15 16:10 Me & Mrs Jones 06:30 Friends 18:00 Dating Coach-PG15 16:40 Me & Mrs Jones 07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 20:00 Ted-18 08:00 Seinfeld 17:15 Me & Mrs Jones 22:00 Tough Guys-PG15 17:45 Me & Mrs Jones 08:30 My Boys 18:15 Doctor Who 09:00 Last Man Standing 19:00 Being Erica 09:30 Enlisted 19:45 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 10:00 The Michael J. Fox Show 20:30 Mad Dogs 10:30 Friends 11:00 The Tonight Show Starring 21:15 Pramface 01:00 Now Is Good 21:45 Threesome Jimmy Fallon 03:00 Hide Away 22:10 Me & Mrs Jones 12:00 The Goodwin Games 22:40 Ideal 12:30 Seinfeld 05:00 The Giant Mechanical Man 23:10 Incredible Journeys With Steve 13:00 My Boys 07:00 Red Lights Leonard 13:30 Friends 09:00 Now Is Good 14:00 New Girl 11:00 Dream House 14:30 Enlisted 13:00 The Woman In The Fifth 15:00 The Michael J. Fox Show 15:00 The Speed Of Thought 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 17:00 Dark Tide 16:30 The Goodwin Games 18:45 Anna Karenina 00:00 BBC World 17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 21:00 The Host 01:00 BBC World 18:00 Dads 23:15 Mad Bastards 02:00 BBC World 18:30 The Neighbors 03:00 BBC World 19:00 Cougar Town 04:00 BBC World 19:30 Melissa & Joey 05:00 BBC World 20:00 The Tonight Show Starring 06:00 BBC World Jimmy Fallon 07:00 BBC World 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 08:00 BBC World 22:00 Saturday Night Live 01:30 The Paperboy-18 09:00 BBC World 23:00 Weeds 03:15 A Dangerous Woman-18 10:00 BBC World 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers 05:00 Deadly Spa-PG15 11:00 BBC World 06:45 Ed Wood-PG15 12:00 BBC World 13:00 BBC World 09:00 Citizen Gangster-PG15 14:00 BBC World 10:45 Stomp The Yard-PG15 15:00 BBC World 00:00 Graceland 12:45 Hoosiers-PG 16:00 BBC World 01:00 The Client List 14:45 The Flowers Of War-PG15 17:00 BBC World 02:00 Survivor: Cagayan 17:15 Stomp The Yard-PG15 18:00 BBC World 03:00 Nip/Tuck 19:15 Timer-PG15 19:00 BBC World 04:00 American Idol 21:00 American Gangster-18 20:00 BBC World PROMETHEUS ON OSN MOVIES ACTION 05:00 Survivor: Cagayan 23:45 Night Train To Lisbon-18 TV listings SATURDAY, MAY 17 , 2014

04:15 Marvel’s The Invincible Iron Man 06:00 Super Buddies 08:00 Moonrise Kingdom Lil’ Kim asks fans 01:15 Gaturro 10:00 One Life 02:45 Beethoven 11:45 Jack Reacher 04:15 Luke And Lucy: The Texas to buy baby gifts 14:00 Ice Age: Continental Drift 02:00 ICC Cricket 360 Rangers 16:00 Moonrise Kingdom 02:30 IPL Highlights 06:00 Gaturro il’ Kim has asked her fans to buy her baby gifts. The 39-year-old rapper - who is expecting her 18:00 The Last Stand 03:30 IPL Highlights 08:00 Moomins And The Comet Chase first child with fellow musician Mr. Papers - got her assistant to post a message on Twitter list- 20:00 Taken 2 04:30 IPL Highlights L 10:00 Camp Nowhere 22:00 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded 05:30 IPL Highlights ing the stores where she is registered, including Tiffany & Co, Petit Tresor, Bel Bambini, Buy Buy 11:45 Angel’s Friends 06:30 ICC Cricket 360 Baby and Babies ‘R’ Us. Her PA wrote on the social networking site, “Please make sure they check 13:15 Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most 07:00 IPL Highlights Wanted off your gift from the registry after purchase. Thank u guys so much”, with an address of where to 08:00 IPL Highlights 15:00 The Adventures Of Don Quixote send the gifts. The items include a $500 Tiffany & Co sterling silver baby beaker and a more budg- 09:00 ICC Cricket 360 16:30 A Cat In Paris 09:30 IPL Highlights et-friendly Snow White bib and booties set, retailing at $9.99, according to RadarOnline.com. Kim’s 18:00 Camp Nowhere 02:00 Live NHL 10:30 IPL Highlights demands have been met with mixed reactions from fans, some of whom rushed to snap up items 20:00 Shrek 2 05:00 Super Rugby 11:30 IPL Highlights 22:00 The Adventures Of Don Quixote for her mini-me, while others criticized her “tacky” move. One wrote on Instagram: “Do you really 07:00 ICC Cricket 360 12:30 IPL Highlights 23:45 A Cat In Paris 07:30 Total Rugby need your fans to buy your baby shower gifts? Tacky.” The ‘Lady Marmalade’ singer also put on a 13:30 Live IPL display of “diva behavior” at her baby shower over the weekend, arriving fashionably late to the 08:00 Live NRL Premiership 17:00 ICC Cricket 360 10:00 Total Rugby 17:30 Live IPL New York City venue. A source told the site: “Kim was four hours late to her own baby shower! 10:30 Live Super Rugby 21:00 ICC Cricket 360 Guests were told to arrive at 4pm, [and] she got there at 8pm. Everyone was annoyed, but it was 12:30 Live Super Rugby 21:30 IPL expected of Kim to be so late.” 01:15 Gaturro 14:30 Trans World Sport 02:45 Beethoven 15:30 Total Rugby 04:15 Luke And Lucy: The Texas 16:00 Live Top 14 Rangers 18:00 Live Super Rugby Gordon-Levitt’s 06:00 Gaturro 20:00 Live Super Rugby 08:00 Moomins And The Comet Chase 22:00 Futbol Mundial 10:00 Camp Nowhere 22:30 Live Indy Car Series girlfriend revealed 11:45 Angel’s Friends 01:25 The Outfit 13:15 Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most 03:15 Sitting Target oseph Gordon-Levitt is dating the CEO of a robotics company. The 33-year-old actor - who pre- Wanted 04:45 The Hill-PG Jviously admitted to being in a relationship with a non-famous lady - stepped out in Los Angeles 15:00 The Adventures Of Don Quixote 07:00 The Band Wagon-FAM at the weekend with Tasha McCauley, the co-founder and CEO of Fellow Robots, which is based at 16:30 A Cat In Paris 08:50 Operation Crossbow-PG 00:00 Total Rugby 18:00 Camp Nowhere 10:45 TCM Presents Under...-PG NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley, California, People reports. Tasha - who speaks English, Arabic 00:30 Trans World Sport 20:00 Shrek 2 11:15 TCM Presents Under The...-PG and Spanish - has previously taught students about “rapidly accelerating technologies” at 01:30 Futbol Mundial 22:00 The Adventures Of Don Quixote 11:45 Ocean’s Eleven-PG 02:00 Bellator MMA Season 10 Singularity University in Silicon Valley, the establishment where she studied for a graduate certifi- 23:45 A Cat In Paris 13:50 The Hill-PG 04:00 Live Bellator MMA Season 10 cate in robotics, and also has an International Business Education and Research MBA from the 16:00 It Happened At The World’s Fair- 06:00 Trans World Sport FAM University of Southern California. Joseph previously admitted his girlfriend - who he met through 07:00 Live AFL Premiership 17:50 Ben-Hur-PG mutual friends - wanted to stay out of the spotlight. He said: “I have a girlfriend but I tend not to 10:00 ICC Cricket 360 21:30 TCM Presents Under The...-U really like to talk about it in public. “The girl that I’m with, she really doesn’t want to be a part of 10:30 Sevens World Series Highlights 22:00 Telefon-PG 00:00 That’s What She Said 11:00 Live HSBC Sevens World Series that.” The ‘Don Jon’ star has also confessed in the past to having a “phobia” of “getting attention 23:50 Westworld 02:00 Jack Reacher 20:30 Live PGA Tour from girls for “being famous”. Michelle Keegan announces fashion debut with Lipsy ichelle Keegan is launching a clothing line for Lipsy. The ‘Coronation Street’ actress has Mturned her hand to fashion design by creating a 30-piece autumn/winter 2014 range for the British high street retailer, following in the footsteps of former Lipsy collaborator Pixie Lott. Michelle said: “I have been wearing Lipsy since my teens. I have always admired their collections over their pieces are always bang on trend, are made who good quality materials, and I always feel wear Lipsy. “I have spent a lot of time over the last few months working closely with the Lipsy design team to make each piece in my collection is something I am excited about wearing, my collection is classic, unfussy in style, and I can’t wait for it to hit the high street in July!” The brunette is known for her sex appeal, having won the coveted ‘Sexiest Female’ gong at the British Soap Awards five times, so worked closely with the Lipsy design team to ensure each item was injected with her own personality and signature feminine style. The trend driven pieces - which include sophisticated dresses, jumpsuits, pencil skirts, pretty blouses and funky jackets - are per- fect for the everyday girl’s date evenings, casual lunches and glamorous nights out. The range will land in stores on July 3 as well as online at Lipsy.co.uk. Ellie Goulding dating a fitness instructor he ‘Burn’ hitmaker has reportedly been seeing fitness guru Sam Karl, a teacher at Barry’s TBootcamp in Miami Beach. The New York Post’s Page Six claims the British singer was spotted enjoying a date with Sam on a luxury yacht owned by none other than Justin Bieber last week. A spokesperson for Ellie - who previously dated electronic musician Skrillex and ‘War Horse’ actor Jeremy Irvine - has yet to comment. The 27-year-old star has been single since her brief romance with McBusted star Dougie Poynter ended earlier this year. Ellie was determined to stay solo after realising she was putting men before everything else in her life, but her resolution appears to have waned. She previously said: “I [used to] put men on a pedestal. I decided to remedy that, and that’s why I’m single now. “They’d be everything [but] I’ve realized I don’t need a guy. I’ve got amazing, awesome, stupid friends in the best way possible.” Ed Sheeran doesn’t sing for new girlfriend d Sheeran doesn’t sing for his new girlfriend because he thinks it would be “really creepy and Eweird”. The 23-year-old singer-songwriter has a new woman in his life, and although he’s reluctant to reveal her identity he’s admitted she is “nice” and “really cool”, but confessed he does- n’t like to sing for her. Speaking to Us Weekly, he said: “[I don’t sing to her in private] because that’s really creepy and weird. “If someone did that to you, like legitimately, if someone sat you down like, ‘hey baby, I’ll come play some...’ You’d be a bit awkward right?” While the ‘Sing’ hitmaker refuses to name his new beau, he’s revealed that she works in the food industry and as she’s Greek she’s great at cooking up “anything Greek”. He said: “[She] works for a food company. Well not a food company, she works for a chef.” The flame-haired star has already introduced his new girl- friend to good pal Taylor Swift, as the threesome dined at a London restaurant together, and he admitted she approves, saying “she likes her.” BENEATH ON OSN MOVIES HD ACTION WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

KFSD hosts lecture on fire safety

ithin its awareness programs, Kuwait Fire Services Directorate ( KFSD) recently lectured students at Abdul Aziz Qassem Hamada school on safety procedures in case of fire. The lecture was delivered by captain Ahmed Al-Rasheedi, sergeant Wmajor, Bader Al-Neaimi and sergeant Ali Al-Sarraf. WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

NAFO celebrates 11th anniversary

ational Forum (NAFO-Kuwait) on May NAFO HR wing coordinator, Vijaykrishnan, 9 celebrated its 11th anniversary fes- introduced Dr Sreedharan by reading his brief Ntivities with great pomp and show at profile highlighting his achievements and the American International School, Maidan honors. Hawally. The distinguished gathering includ- Dr Sreedharan’s keynote address was emo- ed NAFO member families, invited personali- tionally, proudly and respectfully seized by ties from all communities in Kuwait, NAFO the audience, especially by the younger well-wishers, sponsors and media personnel. crowd. He narrated about his pivotal roles Prayer song by NAFO Symphony was coordi- and experiences in successful implementa- nated by Ladies Wing. A brief audiovisual tion and completion of various iconic (metro documentary about NAFO’s recent socio-cul- rail) projects of India, such as Delhi Metro, tural and welfare activity achievements was Konkan Railway, and the ongoing Kochi displayed, which was applauded during the Metro. The whole crowd cheered when he event. NAFO General Secretary, Murali S Nair, mentioned about the progress and his per- welcomed the gathering and Dr Srikumar sonal role in Kochi Metro which is fast nearing delivered presidential address. Excellent com- completion. peering by Srilaxmi Murali mystically guided Dr Sreedharan was honored with a ponna- and enthralled the audience throughout the da and a memento. Jain was also honored event. Among other dignitaries present on with a ponnada and a NAFO memento. A col- the dais were Vijay Karayil, NAFO Patron, Dr orful and informative souvenir, as a celebra- Prasad Nair, NAFO Advisory Board member, T tion memoir, depicting NAFO’s recent event- K V Pradeepkumar, NAFO Treasurer, Krishnan ful socio-cultural and welfare activities was K Pillai, Program Convener Dr Gargi Jain and released by Dr T A Ramesh and K N S Das. Radha Sreedhar. Souvenir convener T Pramodkumar facilitated Indian Ambassador Sunil Jain inaugurated the releasing event. Program convener the event. The gracious presence of NAFO’s Krishnan K Pillai proposed a vote of thanks. Chief Guest, Padma Vibhushan Dr E After the conclusion of the formal official Sreedharan, a well-known Indian technocrat, inauguration ceremony, Thaikkudam Bridge added elegance which amazingly impelled music band performed. A 1,300-plus record the Ambassador to quote the event as the crowd wholeheartedly welcomed the musical most memorable day in his life in Kuwait. show.

ICSK Amman celebrates World Earth Day

CSK Amman Branch celebrated World Earth Day on and its importance, skit and a group song. The skit depict- thought of spreading greenery in the school campus April 21, 2014 with the theme ‘Save our Earth’. ed the qualities students should imbibe towards love for touched the heart of everyone. The program ended with a IStudents of Class 10 presented a special assembly on the environment to make it a better place for living. The special address by the principal. He highlighted on the this occasion. The highlight of the program included a special event of the day was distribution of plants by the necessity to save our planet and appreciated the effort put series of events giving the message of saving our earth principal, vice-principal and all the class teachers. This forth by the students. HEALTH SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Russian rocket falls back to Earth with super satellite

MOSCOW: A Russian rocket carrying its most advanced enced a string of problems that have threatened communication satellite to date fell back to Earth min- Russia’s reputation as a reliable but cost-effective alter- utes after lift-off yesterday in the latest blow to the coun- native to US and European rockets. The Proton-M was try’s once-proud space industry. Space officials said the last grounded in July 2013 when it crashed back to Proton’s control engine failed 545 seconds after its night- Earth with three Russian-made Glonass navigation time blastoff from the Baikonur space centre Moscow satellites. The incident dealt a black eye to the Kremlin leases in Kazakhstan. State television showed the carrier because it has touted the Glonass as a superior alterna- and its Express-AM4P satellite reported to be worth $29 tive to the US Global Positioning System (GSP) that was million (21 million euros) burning up in the upper layers unfurled years before the Russian project. of the atmosphere above China. A previous space commission said that failure was “We have an emergency situation,” Channel One tele- caused by the improper installation of three of the vision showed a Russian flight commentator as saying. Proton’s six angular velocity sensors. Russia also “The flight is over,” the commentator said. Russia’s grounded the Proton in August 2011 after the malfunc- Roscosmos federal space agency said it had formed a tion of an upper booster that is additionally employed commission “to analyze the telemetric data and discover in the launch of military satellites. Roscosmos said the the reasons for the emergency situation.” Channel One Proton had been scheduled for two more launches this said the satellite-built by Airbus Group’s Astrium corpo- year-one involving a new Glonass satellite and another ration-was meant to provide Internet access to far-flung to put up an “astrophysics craft” it failed to identify. Russian regions with poor access to communication. A space agency source told Interfax that the next The RIA Novosti state news agency described it as launch scheduled for June 20 would now almost cer- “Russia’s most powerful and advanced communication tainly be delayed. “Launches resumed only three satellite”. Roscosmos said it was grounding the Proton-a months after the last Proton accident,” the unnamed workhorse of Russia’s space industry that earns tens of industry source said. Moscow fetes its rockets and still millions of dollars a year by launching Western and Asian celebrates its ability to trump the United States during satellites-during the investigation. the Soviet-era space race by putting the first man in Russia sacked its previous Roscosmos chief in October orbit in 1961. 2013 after less than two years on the job because of a It is also a source of national pride that has featured string of failed launches and other embarrassing inci- prominently in Kremlin politics. The recent chill in East- dents to the country’s underfunded but historic space West relations set off by the crisis in Ukraine prompted industry. New Roscosmos head Oleg Ostapenko has Russia to warn that it may prohibit the United States been charged by President Vladimir Putin with overhaul- from using one of its newest rockets in the launch of its ing the entire sector with billions of dollars in extra state military satellites. Moscow also hinted that it may turn funding. down Washington’s request to extend the lifespan of KAZAKHSTAN: A picture taken on May 13, 2014, shows Russian Proton M rocket the International Space Station-a project that relies on with the Express-AM4P communication satellite, which crashed yesterday, rising History of problems the Soyuz system for manned launches-by four years at a launch pad in the Russian leased Kazakhstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome. — AFP The upgraded M version of the Proton has experi- through 2024. — AFP Lung cancer screening could cost Medicare billions

NEWYORK: Every person covered by Medicare would shell out Clinical Oncology conference later this month. Lung cancer is new health care law, cancer screenings recommended by the an additional $3 a month if the government agreed to pay to the world’s top cancer killer, mainly because it’s usually found task force are to be covered with no copays. screen certain current and former smokers for lung cancer, a too late for treatment to do much good. Most deaths involve However, Medicare makes its own coverage decisions and is new study estimates. It would cost Medicare $2 billion a year to Medicare-age people, and most are due to smoking. to announce one by November. The new study sought to peg follow recent advice to offer these lung scans - and fuel angst Recently, a major study found that annual CT scans, a type the fiscal impact and inform the debate. Researchers took into about rising health costs that are borne by everyone, not just of X-ray, could cut the chances of dying from lung cancer by up account the fact more people would get treatment for earlier- smokers, the study found. to 20 percent in those most at risk - people ages 55 through 79 stage cancers, yet the costs of late-stage treatment and end-of- Joshua Roth of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years or the life care would be reduced. They estimate that over five years, in Seattle said the researchers merely were tallying the cost of equivalent, such as two packs a day for 15 years. Based largely Medicare-covered screening would lead to: screening, and were not “judging value” or saying whether on that, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in December 11.2 million more lung scans, including 2 million false Medicare should pay it. He led the study, which was released recommended screening that group, about 10 million alarms. Wednesday and will be presented at an American Society of Americans. The scans cost $100 to as much as $400. Under the 54,900 more lung cancer cases detected. 32 percent of lung cancers being found at an early stage versus 15 percent now. $9.3 billion in new costs: $5.6 billion for scans, $1.1 billion for biopsies and other tests, and $2.6 billion more for cancer treatments. $3 more per month on Medicare premiums. The cancer drug company Genentech paid for the study. Independent experts praised the researchers but said more needs to be known about screening’s benefits. “The interesting question is what that three extra dollars per month buys you” in terms of extra healthy years of life, said Dr Harold Sox, a Dartmouth professor and former chairman of the government task force. The cost “seems like a pretty good use of resources” com- pared to many other things Medicare pays for, said Dr Peter Bach, a health policy expert at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and a former adviser to Medicare. Bach has petitioned Medicare to cover the lung scans. “I wasn’t particu- larly disturbed by the price tag. This is potentially an inroad into preventing a lot of cancer deaths,” he said. People may not understand the true costs of any type of cancer screening, which sometimes leads to unnecessary biop- sies, follow-up tests and even treatment of a certain number of cancers that would never have proved life-threatening. A previ- ous study of people in an insurance plan - not Medicare - esti- mated breast cancer screening with mammograms added NEW YORK: In this June 3, 2010, file photo, Dr Steven Birnbaum works with a patient in a CT scanner at Southern New Hampshire $2.50 to the cost of monthly premiums and colorectal screen- Medical Center in Nashua, NH. — AP ing, 95 cents per month. — AP HEALTH SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

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Arrival Flights on Saturday 17/5/2014 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15 KAC 521 Al Najaf 11:15 Airlines Flt Route Time UAL 982 IAD 17:25 KAC 671 Dubai 11:20 QTR 1084 Doha 00:05 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 KAC 541 Cairo 11:30 JZR 239 Amman 00:20 JZR 177 Dubai 17:45 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:35 JZR 267 Beirut 00:25 KAC 176 Geneva/Frankfurt 17:45 KAC 501 Beirut 11:40 JZR 539 Cairo 00:30 JZR 777 Jeddah 17:50 KAC 165 Rome/Paris 11:45 DLH 637 Dammam 00:35 IZG 4161 Mashhad 18:00 IAW 158 Al Najaf/Baghdad 12:00 PGT 858 Istanbul 01:25 KAC 542 Cairo 18:15 JZR 776 Jeddah 12:15 JZR 555 Alexandria 01:25 QTR 1080 Doha 18:25 MSC 402 Alexandria 12:20 SAI 441 Lahore 01:35 FDB 063 Dubai 18:35 SYR 342 Damascus 13:05 THY 764 Istanbul 01:40 KAC 104 London 18:45 JZR 176 Dubai 13:10 RJA 642 Amman 01:45 IRA 669 Mashhad 18:50 IRM 1189 Mashhad 13:15 GFA 211 Bahrain 01:55 CLX 732 Luxembourg 18:50 FDB 056 Dubai 13:20 UAE 853 Dubai 02:25 JAV 621 Amman 18:50 JZR 124 Bahrain 13:30 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 02:30 ABY 129 Sharjah 18:55 FDB 058 Dubai 13:45 JAI 576 Kochi/Abu Dhabi 02:35 KAC 618 Doha 19:00 MSR 580 Sohag 13:50 PIA 239 Lahore 03:05 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:05 MRJ 4814 Mashhad 13:55 FDB 5067 Dubai 03:05 KAC 774 Riyadh 19:15 MSR 611 Cairo 14:00 MSR 612 Cairo 03:15 KAC 502 Beirut 19:20 THY 767 Istanbul 14:10 OMA 643 Muscat 03:20 KAC 674 Dubai 19:25 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 QTR 1076 Doha 03:25 KAC 742 Dammam 19:30 IRM 1187 Tehran 14:40 MSC 401 Alexandria 04:00 JAI 572 Mumbai 19:35 KAC 561 Amman 14:45 THY 770 Istanbul 04:35 KAC 614 Bahrain 19:35 MSC 4402 HRG 14:50 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:10 OMA 647 Muscat 19:55 QTR 1079 Doha 14:55 KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 06:15 KNE 474 Jeddah 20:00 MSR 576 Sharm el-Sheikh 15:00 BAW 157 London 06:35 KAC 562 Amman 20:00 KAC 673 Dubai 15:05 JZR 529 Asyut 06:35 FDB 5061 Dubai 20:05 GFA 222 Bahrain 15:05 KAC 416 Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur 06:35 DLH 634 Frankfurt 20:15 KAC 617 Doha 15:30 FDB 053 Dubai 07:00 MEA 402 Beirut 20:15 IRC 527 Mashhad 15:30 KAC 382 Delhi 07:30 JZR 189 Dubai 20:25 KNE 473 Jeddah 15:35 MSR 618 Alexandria 20:30 KAC 204 Lahore 07:35 KAC 773 Riyadh 15:50 JZR 503 Luxor 07:40 KLM 415 Amsterdam 21:05 JZR 188 Dubai 15:50 KAC 206 Islamabad 07:50 ALK 229 Colombo 21:10 SVA 505 Jeddah 16:00 KAC 302 Mumbai 07:50 UAE 859 Dubai 21:15 QTR 1086 Doha 07:55 ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:30 ABY 128 Sharjah 16:15 KAC 352 Kochi 08:05 QTR 1074 Doha 21:30 KAC 741 Dammam 16:30 KAC 344 Chennai 08:20 FDB 059 Dubai 21:40 KNE 471 Jeddah 16:30 JZR 327 Al Najaf 08:25 GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45 KNE 463 Madinah 16:30 UAE 855 Dubai 08:25 KNE 480 Taif 22:00 KAC 613 Bahrain 16:35 KAC 362 Colombo 08:45 AIC 975 Chennai/Goa 22:25 KNE 481 Taif 16:40 ABY 125 Sharjah 08:50 KAC 786 Jeddah 22:40 RJA 641 Amman 16:55 KAC 284 Dhaka 08:55 UAL 981 Bahrain 22:40 SVA 9590 Jeddah 17:00 IRM 1186 Tehran 09:10 JZR 185 Dubai 22:55 KAC 785 Jeddah 17:00 ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:30 JAI 574 Mumbai 23:20 JZR 266 Beirut 17:05 FDB 5055 Dubai 09:35 THY 772 Istanbul 23:45 QTR 1073 Doha 17:20 QTR 1070 Doha 10:00 TBZ 5484 Mashhad 17:30 GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40 Departure Flights on Saturday 17/5/2014 JZR 538 Cairo 17:40 IAW 157 Baghdad/Al Najaf 11:00 Airlines Flt Route Time FDB 052 Dubai 17:40 MSC 405 Sohag 11:20 AIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05 ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 17:45 JZR 325 Al Najaf 11:25 JAI 573 Mumbai 00:20 UAE 858 Dubai 18:15 IRM 1188 Mashhad 11:50 KLM 413 Amsterdam 00:55 SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15 JZR 151 Dubai 11:50 JZR 502 Luxor 01:30 GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20 SYR 341 Damascus 12:05 DLH 637 Frankfurt 01:35 JZR 184 Dubai 18:20 FDB 055 Dubai 12:40 THY 773 Istanbul 02:20 UAL 982 Bahrain 18:40 JZR 241 Amman 12:40 SAI 442 Lahore 02:35 JZR 238 Amman 18:45 UAE 871 Dubai 12:45 PGT 859 Istanbul 02:55 IZG 4162 Mashhad 19:00 FDB 057 Dubai 12:55 FDB 5068 Dubai 03:45 QTR 1081 Doha 19:25 MRJ 4815 Mashhad 12:55 MSR 613 Cairo 04:15 KAC 287 Dhaka 19:30 MSR 610 Cairo 13:00 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:20 ABY 120 Sharjah 19:40 MSR 579 Sohag 13:05 OMA 644 Muscat 04:20 FDB 064 Dubai 19:50 THY 766 Istanbul 13:10 QTR 1077 Doha 04:25 GFA 218 Bahrain 19:50 IRM 1184 Shiraz 13:30 PIA 240 Sialkot/Islamabad 04:35 JAV 622 Amman 19:55 QTR 1078 Doha 13:45 MSC 406 Sohag 05:00 IRA 666 Esfahan 19:55 MSC 4401 HRG 13:50 JZR 326 Al Najaf 05:05 KAC 363 Colombo 20:05 MSR 575 Sharm el-Sheikh 14:15 QTR 1085 Doha 05:20 KAC 546 Alexandria 14:15 UAE 854 Dubai 05:30 CLX 732 Hong Kong 20:20 GFA 221 Bahrain 14:20 THY 765 Istanbul 06:00 JAI 571 Mumbai 20:35 JZR 779 Jeddah 14:20 JAI 575 Abu Dhabi/Kochi 06:30 KNE 475 Jeddah 20:45 SVA 500 Jeddah 14:30 RJA 643 Amman 06:35 FDB 5062 Dubai 20:50 IRC 526 Mashhad 14:30 THY 771 Istanbul 06:50 KAC 331 Trivandrum 20:50 KNE 472 Jeddah 14:40 GFA 212 Bahrain 07:00 OMA 648 Muscat 20:55 JZR 357 Mashhad 14:50 JZR 240 Amman 07:05 KAC 351 Kochi 21:05 KAC 522 Al Najaf 14:55 JZR 150 Dubai 07:15 MEA 403 Beirut 21:15 KAC 788 Jeddah 15:00 KAC 545 Alexandria 07:20 JZR 552 Alexandria 21:15 ABY 127 Sharjah 15:35 FDB 054 Dubai 07:50 MSR 607 Luxor 21:25 KNE 470 Jeddah 15:35 JZR 324 Al Najaf 08:05 KAC 543 Cairo 21:30 KNE 462 Madinah 15:45 BAW 156 London 08:25 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 TBZ 5483 Mashhad 15:50 JZR 778 Jeddah 08:45 KLM 415 Dammam/Amsterdam 22:05 SVA 2690 Jeddah 15:50 QTR 1087 Doha 08:55 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:15 RJA 640 Amman 15:55 JZR 356 Mashhad 09:00 ALK 230 Colombo 22:20 KNE 460 Riyadh 15:55 JZR 534 Cairo 09:15 UAE 860 Dubai 22:25 KAC 672 Dubai 16:00 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:30 KAC 381 Delhi 22:30 KAC 118 New York 16:00 KAC 787 Jeddah 09:35 QTR 1075 Doha 22:40 JZR 535 Cairo 16:05 UAE 856 Dubai 09:50 KAC 301 Mumbai 22:40 QTR 1072 Doha 16:15 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:15 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:45 JZR 125 Bahrain 16:25 FDB 5056 Dubai 10:15 KNE 461 Riyadh 22:50 FDB 051 Dubai 16:40 IRM 1185 Shiraz 10:20 FDB 060 Dubai 23:00 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:45 KAC 101 London/New York 10:25 KAC 205 Islamabad 23:35 UAE 857 Dubai 16:55 QTR 1071 Doha 11:00 KAC 411 Bangkok/Manila 23:40 Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw) SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

4. A member of the majority people of Punjab in northwestern India. 5. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens. CROSSWORD550 6. God of wealth and love. 7. Give a nickname to. 8. A member of the Siouan people inhabiting the valleys of the Platte and Missouri rivers in Nebraska. 9. Characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation. 10. (physics) The capacity of a physical system to do work. 11. A hard malleable ductile silvery metallic element that is resistant to corrosion. 12. Celebes megapode that lays eggs in holes in sandy beaches. 13. Speaking a Slavic language. 14. A village in eastern Ireland (northwest of Dublin). 19. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984). 21. (anatomy) Of or relating to a cavity or chamber in the body (especially one of the upper chambers of the heart). 23. A state in the western United States. 25. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal. 27. A chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints). 30. A long noosed rope used to catch animals. 33. An honorary degree in science. 34. English scholastic philosopher and assumed author of Occam's Razor (1285-1349). 35. An Indian tree of the family Combretaceae that is a source of timber and gum. 37. Stingless male bee in a colony of social bees (especially honeybees) whose sole function is to mate with the queen. 38. A federation of North American labor unions that merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1955. 39. Enlarged prostate. 40. Monotypic genus of palms of Australasia. 42. 32nd President of the United States. 43. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill. 46. Norwegian explorer of the Arctic and director of the League of Nations relief pro- gram for refugees of World War I (1861-1930). 47. Having help. ACROSS 49. Someone who operates an aircraft. 1. Preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home). 53. The great hall in ancient Persian palaces. 5. The region of the body of a vertebrate between the thorax and the pelvis. 54. Spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation. 12. Standard time in the 7th time zone west of Greenwich, reckoned at the 105th 56. An official prosecutor for a judicial district. meridian west. 59. The capital and largest city of Ghana with a deep-water port. 15. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism. 62. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element. 16. A native or inhabitant of Bhutan. 64. United States photographer remembered for her portraits of rural workers during 17. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism. the Depression (1895-1965). 18. Either of two large African antelopes of the genus Taurotragus having short spiral- 65. True firs. ly twisted horns in both sexes. 66. A city in northwestern Switzerland. 20. The address where a person lives. 68. Plant with an elongated head of broad stalked leaves resembling celery. 22. Capital of the People's Republic of China in the Hebei province in northeastern 70. Oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food. China. 73. 100 fen equal 1 yuan. 24. Tropical genus of small trees or shrubs. 74. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma. 26. Immature of its kind. 76. A unit of length of thread or yarn. 28. (informal British usage) Aggravation or aggression. 78. Informal terms for a mother. 29. A colorless and odorless inert gas. 79. A class of proteins produced in lymph tissue in vertebrates and that function as 31. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group. antibodies in the immune response. 32. Catch sight of. 36. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling). 41. (in golf) The standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or for the entire course. Yesterdayʼs Solution 44. A folded part (as a fold of skin or muscle). 45. (music) Characterized by avoidance of traditional Western tonality. 48. The syllable naming the sixth (submediant) note of a major or minor scale in solmization. 50. A clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped. Yesterday’s Solution 51. An island of central Hawaii. 52. Any competition. 55. Having come or been brought to a conclusion. 57. A kind of heavy jacket (`windcheater' is a British term). 58. Unknown god. 60. A toxic nonmetallic element related to sulfur and tellurium. 61. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey). 63. Divulge information or secrets. 67. (of complexion) Blemished by imperfections of the skin. 69. Chief port of Yemen. 71. A small cake leavened with yeast. 72. The act of scanning. 75. Semi-parasitic herb with purple or white or pink flowers. 77. Alsatian artist and poet who was cofounder of Dadaism in Zurich. 80. A colloid in a more solid form than a sol. 81. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots. 82. Moth whose larvae are flour moths. 83. The compass point midway between east and southeast.

DOWN 1. One of the common people. 2. A rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders). 3. (computer science) A system of world-wide electronic communication in which a computer user can compose a message at one terminal that is generated at the recipi- ent's terminal when he logs in.

Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution Sports SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout catches a fly ball hit by Tampa Bay Rays’ Logan Forsythe during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif. — AP Trout lifts Angels over Rays 6-5

ANAHEIM: Mike Trout greeted Brad Boxberger with a three-run 15 of Chicago White Sox rookie Jose Abreu. Cruz’s 35 RBIs are Gordon singled with one out. Darren O’Day replaced Chen and walkoff homer to cap a four-run ninth inning and give the Los tied for second in the AL. Wei-Yin Chen (5-2) limited the Royals struck out Danny Valencia and retried Johnny Giavotella on a fly Angeles Angels a 6-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday to one run and seven hits over 5 1-3 innings with one walk and to right. Royals rookie right-hander Yordano Ventura (2-3) struck night in the opener of a four-game series. Rays closer Grant Balfour one strikeout. Chen, who is 5-1 in his past seven starts, was out nine and walked one in 6 1-3 innings, allowing two runs and came on in the ninth to try and protect a 5-2 lead for Erik Bedard, but removed in the sixth after Salvador Perez walked and Alex seven hits.— AP walked his first two batters before giving up an RBI single by Collin Cowgill. Trout jumped on a 1-1 pitch from Boxberger (0-1) and drove it into the top tier of the double-decker bullpen in left field for his Padres thrash Reds; split doubleheader eighth homer. Fernando Salas (3-0) pitched a perfect inning to get the victory. Angels manager Mike Scioscia won two replay challenges CINCINNATI: Rene Rivera hit the first of San Diego’s three homers Ryan Braun led off the inning by singling to right before Melancon with his team at bat. Both were against second base umpire Jim and Tyson Ross allowed three hits in seven innings Thursday night, (1-2) walked the next two hitters to load the bases with nobody Reynolds on tag plays in the fifth and seventh innings, although the leading the Padres to a 6-1 victory and a split of their doubleheader out. Up came Davis, who smashed his broken-bat hit into short Angels didn’t score in either inning. with the Cincinnati Reds. Johnny Cueto pitched a three-hitter for center to drive in Braun and Jonathan Lucroy. Teammates show- his second shutout in the opener of the day-night doubleheader, a ered Davis with cups of water in the face in celebration after he TWINS 4, RED SOX 3 5-0 victory. The Padres won their first series on the road this sea- reached first. Reliever Rob Wooten (1-1) threw 1-1-3 scoreless Aaron Hicks delivered the game-winning single in the bottom of son, taking two of three. They have won five of their last six games, innings. The comeback spoiled the return of Pirates starter Wandy the 10th and Phil Hughes struck out eight in six innings to help their best stretch of the season. Ross (5-3) walked five batters - Rodriguez from the disabled list with right knee inflammation. Minnesota beat Boston in the series finale. All-Star closer Glen Perkins including three in the first inning - and struck out eight, including Rodriguez allowed solo homers to Rickie Weeks and Martin blew his second save of the season, giving up a two-run single to Will Joey Votto three times. Maldonado but struck out four in his first start since April 19. Gaby Middlebrooks with the bases loaded that tied the game in the ninth Rivera hit a two-run homer off left-hander Jeff Francis (0-1), who Sanchez’s solo homer off Yovani Gallardo in the sixth snapped a 2- inning. But Kurt Suzuki doubled down the left field line and Hicks, was called up to make his Reds debut. Francis gave up three runs 2 tie to give the Pirates the lead until Melancon broke down in the who entered the day hitting .161, lined a 3-2 pitch to left field off of in five innings. Everth Cabrera and Yonder Alonso hit solo shots off ninth. Subbing for injured closer Jason Grilli, Melancon had con- Andrew Miller (1-2) to win it. Mike Carp had two hits and an RBI for the Red Sox, but David Ortiz was a quiet 1 for 4 with a single after the bullpen, their first homers of the season. The three homers verted his four previous save opportunities. going deep twice in each of the first two games of the series. Hughes were San Diego’s season high. In the opener, Cueto extended his gave up five hits and no walks and Chris Parmelee hit a two-run season-opening streak of domination against a team that has been GIANTS 6, MARLINS 4 homer for the Twins, who took two of three from the defending shut out more than any other in the majors - seven times. Cueto is Buster Posey hit a go-ahead double as part of a three-run fifth champions. Suzuki and Eduardo Escobar each had three hits and the first Reds pitcher to go at least seven innings in each of his first inning and San Francisco held on to beat Miami. Mike Morse Brian Duensing (1-1) picked up the win. Clay Buchholz gave up three nine starts since Bucky Walters in 1944. Brandon Phillips homered homered for the second consecutive game and drove in three runs runs on 10 hits and struck out six in six innings for the Red Sox (20- off Ian Kennedy (2-5) and Zack Cozart singled home two runs, part while Hunter Pence added three hits and scored twice for the 20). of a three-hit game for the shortstop. Giants, who trailed by three runs before rallying to bail out strug- gling starter Matt Cain. Cain (1-3) earned his first win of the season BLUE JAYS 4, INDIANS 2 YANKEES 1, METS 0 despite another shaky outing at AT&T Park. The former San Edwin Encarnacion hit two home runs, Juan Francisco also con- Derek Jeter watched the last four outs of his final regular-sea- Francisco ace gave up two home runs and allowed all the Marlins’ nected and Toronto gave manager John Gibbons his 400th career son Subway Series game from the bench, pulled off the field dur- scoring in the first three innings before settling down to pitch into win. Encarnacion hit a solo homer in the second off Danny Salazar ing a double switch in the bottom of the eighth inning of Yankees’ the eighth. Garrett Jones hit his sixth home run for Miami. and added a two-run blast in the fifth off CC Lee. It was his second victory. Alfonso Soriano’s RBI double in the seventh broke up a multihomer game of the season and the 13th of his career. scoreless duel at Citi Field between pitchers making their major CARDINALS 5, CUBS 3 Encarnacion finished 3 for 4, adding a double in the third. Two bat- league debuts. Rookie reliever Dellin Betances struck out six in a Michael Wacha pitched seven innings and drove in two runs for ters after Encarnacion’s homer in the second, Francisco also went row as the Yankees earned a split of this year’s interleague series St Louis. Wacha (3-3) had lost his last three decisions since an April deep off Salazar (1-4), who lost for the fourth time in seven starts. between crosstown rivals with their second straight shutout. David 13 win over the Cubs. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed seven David Murphy homered for the Indians, whose streak of series victo- Robertson got David Wright to ground out to Jeter’s replacement hits, including a homer, but did not walk a batter. He struck out ries was snapped at three. Blue Jays left-hander JA Happ allowed one at shortstop, Brendan Ryan, with runners at the corners to end the run and six hits in a season-high six innings. Happ (2-1) walked two five. Trevor Rosenthal pitched 1 2-3 innings for his 11th save. and struck out four. eighth. Jeter left after an 0-for-4 night. The Yankees captain came Rosenthal, who blew a save Tuesday, inherited a one-out, bases- out when Robertson entered to face Wright. Robertson pitched a loaded situation and gave up a sacrifice fly, but closed out the ORIOLES 2, ROYALS 1 perfect ninth for his seventh save. inning and retired the side in the ninth. The Cubs have lost nine of Nelson Cruz homered and Baltimore snapped a four-game losing their last 11 and are off to the worst start in 39 games (13-26) since streak to remain first in the AL East. Cruz homered in thefourth BREWERS 4, PIRATES 3 2002. Chicago starter Jason Hammel (4-2) gave up five runs on five after Chris Davis drew a walk to lead off the inning. It was Cruz’s Khris Davis hit a game-ending two-run single and the hits and two walks in 5 1-3 innings, raising his ERA to 3.06. Hammel 12th home run, which is second in the American League to the Milwaukee Brewers rallied in the ninth off closer Mark Melancon. had six strikeouts.—AP SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

CALIFORNIA: Taylor Phinney of the BMC Racing Team rides during the Amgen Tour of California second stage individual time trial in Folsom, Calif. — AP Phinney wins 5th stage; Wiggins keeps the lead

LOS ANGELES: Taylor Phinney won the fifth stage of the Tour of California Thursday as Bradley Campbell-Brown returns after doping row Wiggins retained the overall lead after the 174-kilometer stage from SHANGHAI: Veronica Campbell-Brown will and Jamaica’s Asafa Powell hit with an 18- their magic after a poor season last year. Felix, Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara. take on world and Olympic 200m champion month suspension. Campbell-Brown turned 32 28, won the 200m Olympic title in 2012 but she BMC’s Phinney attacked on the Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Shanghai tomorrow on Thursday and but she will be getting no crashed out of the race at last year’s Moscow descent from the San Marcos Pass as she returns to the Diamond League circuit gifts on the track from compatriot Fraser-Pryce, world championships with a hamstring injury. climb to take a long-range solo vic- after her doping controversy. The Jamaican for- who comfortably won the 100m at the She will run the 400m in Shanghai. Merritt suf- tory 12 seconds ahead of his pur- mer Olympic champion spent 10 months on Diamond League season-opener in Doha. fered an injury scare last year in Shanghai, and suers led by Cannondale rider the sidelines before having a two-year ban Justin Gatlin, who came back from a four- the Olympic 110m hurdles gold-medallist Peter Sagan. Slovakia’s Sagan took overturned in February, and said she is still year doping ban in 2010, said he was hoping to placed only sixth in Moscow behind winner the sprint for second ahead of working her way back to full fitness. “I’m work- run 100m below 10 seconds for the first time David Oliver-whom he will face on Sunday. Orica rider Matthew Goss of ing on getting back into a competitive spirit this year as he takes aim at Gay’s US record of In the field events, France’s indoor world Australia. “I’m from Colorado, but I and getting race-sharp again,” Campbell- 9.69sec. “This is a down year in terms of there record pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie will com- spend a lot of time in Santa Brown said, according to the International being no world championships or Olympics, so pete in China for the first time as he launches Barbara and I’ve done that descent Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) I want to set the tempo as some opponents his campaign for a fifth straight Diamond race. many times,” Phinney, a former US website. “I just want to get better technically, take it easier, and then carry that dominance “I’m very happy to jump in Shanghai,” he said. time trial champion, told because it’s all about preparing myself for the on to the world championships in 2015 and “It will be my first time in China and I’m excited Cyclingnews.com. next two years... It’s good to be here in China Olympic year,” he said. “I believe as athletes we about that.” Olympic triple jump champion “It’s always special to win, but to with the world championships in Beijing next have a duty to train as hard as we can and look Christian Taylor said he was eyeing an attempt win like that is the best way.” year.” for opportunities to break records. Records that to become just the fourth man to break the 18 Wiggins, Britain’s 2012 Tour de Campbell-Brown was cleared because of stand for a long time put an event on pause. meters barrier, after France’s Teddy Tamgho France winner, went into the stage procedural breaches when her urine sample “For me, I want to go out and break the US achieved the feat to win the world title in with a 28-second lead over was collected by Jamaican authorities last May, record. That’s my focus for this year and the Moscow. “Before that the world record seemed Australian Rohan Dennis and a failing slammed as “deplorable” by the Court next.” unattainable, now it doesn’t. But it’s about tak- emerged with that lead intact after of Arbitration for Sport. Athletics has suffered Other big names on the track include ing baby steps towards it. Hopefully, I won’t he and his closest rivals finished in other high-profile doping cases recently with Olympic champions Aries Merritt and Allyson need too many before I can get the big one,” the chasing group. Team Sky US sprinter Tyson Gay handed a one-year ban Felix, who are both hoping to reclaim some of he said.—AFP sports director Servais Knaven told TeamSky.com that he was pleased with the performance in a stage on which temperatures again reached into the upper 30s Celsius. Super Dan lights up China’s record bid A six-man break was swept up on the early slopes of the first-cate- NEW DELHI: Semi-retired superstar Lin Dan will Long, Du Pengyu and Tian Houwei, but is widely and wrest back the title. World number one Lee gory ascent, with some 40 riders in return to the courts in a bid to create more bad- expected to be pushed ahead for the third sin- Chong Wei leads Malaysia’s Thomas Cup hopes, the bunch as they crossed the minton history as China go for a record sixth gles. India’s coach Pullela Gopichand said Lin’s but 13-time champions Indonesia, Japan and summit before Phinney made his straight Thomas Cup win in New Delhi from presence showed how seriously China were tak- Denmark are expected to be China’s main chal- brave move. “It was a pretty hard tomorrow. Dominant China are the overwhelm- ing the competition. “You take Lin lightly at your lengers. Fifth-ranked Tommy Sugiarto, Dionysius one, especially with the speed they ing favorites for both the men’s event and the own peril. Never write him off,” the former All- Hayom Rumbaka and Simon Santoso head went up it and a lot of guys got Uber Cup for women, which also takes place at England champion said. “That they have got him Indonesia’s singles squad, while reigning world dropped,” Knaven said, adding the Siri Fort complex in the Indian capital until to play shows how keen China are to win again.” champions Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra that he expected a similar scenario May 25. Lin, arguably the greatest player of all Looking for their 10th Thomas Cup title, the Setiawan could be unbeatable in the doubles. to unfold on Friday’s sixth stage, time with five world, two Olympic and five all- Chinese men have been drawn alongside Japan have one of the most balanced squads which takes the riders 152 kilome- England titles under his belt, enjoys cult status Taiwan, Russia and France in Group D, with two with world number four Kenichi Tago, Kento ters from Santa Clarita to Mountain despite his now-limited appearances on the cir- teams qualifying for the knock-out rounds. If the Momota and Sho Sasaki playing singles and the High in the San Gabriel Mountains cuit. The 30-year-old left-hander came out of an men are formidable, the Chinese women seem third-ranked pair of Hiroyuki Endo and Kenichi northeast of Los Angeles. “We’ll be eight-month lay-off to win the China Masters almost unassailable in the Uber Cup with the Hayakawa leading the doubles. Denmark, drawn looking to make sure Brad saves as and Asian titles last month, indicating his skills world’s top three singles players-Li Xuerui, Wang with Japan in group B and widely regarded as much energy as possible before had not diminished and he still remained the Shixian and Wang Yihan-in their ranks. China the best nation never to have won the Thomas riding hard on the long climb to man to beat. have won seven of the last eight Uber Cup com- Cup, appear strong with world number three the summit. He’s in great form at With China poised to surpass former power- petitions since 1998, the awe-inspiring Jan O Jorgensen in their ranks but will miss dou- the moment and we’re really house Indonesia’s five successive Cup wins sequence being broken only by South Korea’s bles specialist Mathias Boe due to injury. Both impressed with how he’s perform- between 1994 and 2002, Lin was picked for the stunning 3-1 win in the final in Kuala Lumpur in the Thomas and Uber Cup events this year have ing.” The race concludes tomorrow trip to New Delhi even though his ranking is a 2010. been expanded to 16 nations from 12 in previ- in Thousand Oaks, in rolling coun- lowly 58th. Lin has been entered as China’s The Chinese girls hit back to rout the Koreans ous years, with four preliminary groups sending tryside west of Los Angeles.— AFP fourth singles player behind number two Chen 3-0 in the final at home in Wuhan two years later two teams each into the quarter-finals.— AFP SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

Munoz and Highlanders Ernst share edge Hurricanes LPGA lead in Super Rugby

WILLIAMSBURG: Spain’s Azahara Munoz fired six WELLINGTON: Flyhalf Hayden Parker added a birdies in a flawless six-under-par 65 on Thursday dropped goal to a succession of five penalties to to share the first-round lead with American Austin propel the Highlanders to an 18-16 win over the Ernst at a blustery LPGA Tour’s Kingsmill Hurricanes yesterday, adding impetus to their bid Championship. Ernst’s blazing round included an for a playoff place in Super Rugby. Parker eagle at the par-five third hole along with five snapped his dropped goal from close range in the birdies and a bogey for her best round since she 64th minute to force the third lead change of a posted a 62 at the Safeway Classic last year. “Gave myself a lot of looks,” Ernst said. “Hit a lot tight match and give the Dunedin-based of greens and made it really easy on myself out Highlanders their first lead in 41 minutes. The there on a day when it was pretty windy and it Wellington-based Hurricanes scored the only try could kind of get away from you a little bit.” of the match through scrumhalf TJ Perenara in Munoz said the winds were “tricky,” even if they the 37th. Perenara had a second try, a potential didn’t seem to bother her. “The pins were some- match-winner, disallowed because of obstruction how accessible,” said Munoz. “Obviously the five minutes from fulltime. course is playing much shorter than normal Yesterday’s win, which lifted the Highlanders because it’s warmer and drier. The greens roll nice, into second place in the New Zealand conference so it’s really nice to putt. If you hit a good putt, it’s and into fourth place overall at the start of the going to go in.” tournament’s 14th round, significantly boosted Munoz said the closest she came to a bogey all day was at her second hole, the 11th. She was in a their playoff hopes. They came into the match in bunker and got up and down, draining a 10-footer seventh place, just below the sixth-place for par. The leading duo were one shot in front of Hurricanes with both teams equal on 30 champi- South Korean Park Hee-Young. It was a further onships points. The win allowed them to leapfrog stroke back to Thailand’s Thidapa Suwannapura the Hurricanes and, significantly, they have a and Americans Brittany Lang, Cristie Kerr, Kathleen match in hand as the regular season nears its end. Ekey, Danielle Kang, Lizette Salas and Lexi The Highlanders have a tough run toward the Thompson, all on 67. Park’s 66 was her best round playoffs with matches remaining against the sev- of the year, during which she has battled a painful en-time champion Crusaders, who they must play wrist. twice, the defending champion Chiefs, the 2011 She took eight days off after her last start at the champion Queensland Reds and the New South North Texas Shootout earlier this month and said physical therapy, acupuncture and ice treatment Wales Waratahs. have her feeling better. “Everything is pretty The Hurricanes have one match fewer to come good,” Park said. “I made a lot more putts. I prac- because of a bye in the last round and must play ticed a lot of long distance putts and I made quite the Chiefs twice, the Blues and the Crusaders in a bit of long putts.” Kerr, the defending champion, an equally difficult finish to the season. Their loss was determined to tee it up even after she had to yesterday in a match they were widely expected withdraw from Wednesday’s pro-am because of to win was severely damaging to their playoffs illness and ended up in hospital. She was diag- hopes. “I’m just trying to work out how we lost nosed with heat exhaustion and a possible infec- that,” Hurricanes captain Conrad Smith said. “It tion and received intravenous fluids. Even though was always going to be tight, I suppose, between her preparations were disrupted, Kerr coped two very good sides. “They’re a very good defen- admirably with the rising winds to put herself in sive side. It became really tight early on and I sup- contention. “I hung in there, made some good birdies and kind of got it going in the right direc- pose both sides began playing pretty conserva- tion after the 10th hole,” Kerr said.—AFP tively.” The Hurricanes had the better of a close first half and, with Perenara’s try, took a 13-9 lead to Raonic books halftime. They tried to play their traditional run- ning game but the Highlanders were effective in Rome semis slowing their ball at the breakdown and shutting down their options out wide. Perenara’s try was ROME: Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic contentious. He skirted a scrum five meters from moved into the semi-finals of the Rome Masters the Highlanders line, reached over when the ball with a commanding 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 quarter-final emerged and batted it out of the hands of Aaron win over Frenchman Jeremy Chardy on yester- Smith, then recovered the loose ball to score. day. Chardy had eliminated Swiss fourth seed Whether he should have been allowed to lean Federer on Wednesday 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6). But over a scrum was doubtful but he showed initia- after seeing the unseeded Frenchman fighting tive in creating the chance. All Blacks flyhalf back to level by winning a close second set, Beaden Barrett kicked two early penalties for the Chardy had little response in a one-sided third Hurricanes but he was forced to give up the goal- as Raonic regained control of the match. The kicking after an apparent leg injury midway Canadian, considered an outside bet for the French Open later this month, will now meet the through the first half. He finally left the field with winner of the quarter-final clash between sec- 20 minutes remaining. In his absence, fullback ond seed Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer, who Andre Taylor converted Perenara’s try and added is seeded fifth. a penalty, then missed two penalties, including a close-range effort in the 70th minute which was Injured Haas retires pivotal. Parker landed five consecutive penalties Meanwhile, Germany’s Tommy Haas, seeded for the Highlanders and made the shrewd deci- 15, retired from the Rome Masters after losing sion to take a dropped goal chance from broken the first set 6-2 in his quarter-final with Bulgarian play in the 64th minute, giving his team their final opponent Grigor Dimitrov yesterday. Haas, who 18-16 lead. Perenara dived through a ruck for appeared to be suffering from injury, lasted just what might have been the winning try in the 75th 35 minutes before informing officials he could minute but his effort was disallowed by the televi- no longer carry on and shaking Dimitrov’s hand sion match official, who ruled an obstruction on before leaving the Central Court at the Foro WILLIAMSBURG: Azahara Munoz of Spain putts for birdie on the second hole dur- Aaron Smith.—AP Italico.—Agencies ing the first round of the Kingsmill Championship in Williamsburg, Virginia. — AFP SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Canadiens face angers in unexpected East Final NEW YORK: The Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers will face off in an Eastern Conference Final that few would have predicted but the matchup of Original Six rivals could be the highlight of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The best-of- seven series, which begins Saturday in Montreal, is both rich in history and subplots, the most intriguing being the loom- ing goaltending duel between the Canadiens’ Carey Price and Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist. Nowhere in the world does passion for hockey burn hot- ter than Montreal, where one of the city’s universities offered a course called The Religion of the Canadiens and where fans are eager to see the team snap a title drought dating back to 1993. “I told the guys, moving on to the third round, you have no idea what (Montreal) is going to be like,” Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban said. “I feel sorry for the team that’s got to come into our building now.” But they also love their hockey in the Big Apple and it has been nearly as long since the Rangers were the toast of Broadway and paraded the Stanley Cup along Manhattan’s famous Canyon of Heroes in 1994 after ending a 54-year barren run. The starting goaltenders for the penultimate round of the playoffs represent a rematch from the gold medal game at the Sochi Olympics where Canada’s Price outplayed Sweden’s Lundqvist in a 3-0 win. Including the Olympic medal round in Sochi, Price is 5-0 in elimination games this year with a stellar .984 save percentage and will now be now counted on to anchor Montreal’s bid to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. “He’s a leader; he’s the guy on this team,” said Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty. “He spoke up and said something like, ‘Only live in the moment, don’t worry about the past.’ I don’t know if that’s the difference in his game this year from every other year, but I’m speechless with how he’s playing.” Rangers fans have also been searching for superlatives to describe Lundqvist’s post-season play after New York fought back from a 3-1 series deficit in the East semi-final to LOS ANGELES: Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder heads for the basket being chased by Blake Griffin, eliminate the favored Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games. Chris Paul (top), Darren Collison (right) and JJ Redick (#4) of the Los Angeles Clippers during game 6 of their NBA play- offs round two series. — AFP Lundqvist allowed just three goals over the final three games of the series and the Rangers’ 2-1 victory in Tuesday’s clincher gave him his fifth consecutive Game Seven win. Pacers set to battle Heat Entertaining hockey Both teams come into the East final battle tested. New York needed all seven games to get through both their pre- after banishing Wizards vious series against the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers while Montreal, who swept Tampa Bay in the first round, Thunder eliminate Clippers needed seven games to depose top-seeded Boston Bruins. The Canadiens and Rangers possess plenty speed and play a WASHINGTON: David West scored 29 stuck together and found ways to into foul trouble.Chris Paul finished with similar up-tempo style which should produce entertaining points, and the Indiana Pacers beat the win.”Oklahoma City moves on to face 25 points and 11 assists while Blake hockey. Washington Wizards 93-80 Thursday the top seeded San Antonio Spurs in Griffin scored 22 points for the Clippers Subban, a puck moving defenseman with a booming night to advance to the Eastern game one of their best-of-seven series who started strong but then saw their slap shot, has emerged as the most exciting and despised Conference finals for the second straight on Monday in Texas. The Spurs eliminat- offence begin to fizzle at the end of the player of the postseason in leading the Canadiens with 12 year. Lance Stephenson added 17 points ed the Portland Trail Blazers on second quarter. points while getting under the skin of the Bruins and their and eight assists for the Pacers, who won Wednesday. “It was the third quarter that changed fans. Austrian Thomas Vanek, a late season pickup, leads the series 4-2 over the Wizards. They will It was a heartbreaking season-ending the game,” said Clippers coach Doc Montreal with five goals while Lars Eller, feisty Brendan host Game 1 against the two-time loss for a Clipper club that has been rid- Rivers. “We never got our energy back. Gallagher and Rene Bourque each have four. Pacioretty, defending NBA champion Miami Heat ing a roller-coaster of emotions while We came out at the beginning with a lot meanwhile, looks to have rediscovered his touch after scor- tomorrow. Indiana took the Heat to sev- dealing with the Donald Sterling fiasco of emotion and I said to one of my ing the Game Seven winner against the Bruins. en games in the conference finals a year for the past month. League MVP Durant coaches ‘I hope we don’t hit a wall.’” The Rangers have also received contributions from all ago. The Wizards took a one-point lead had 16 rebounds and Russell Westbrook Rivers said the problems with their over their roster with 15 different players finding the back of with 81/2 minutes to play, but they struggled early but still managed 19 embattled owner Sterling wasn’t the rea- the net in the 2014 playoffs. Brad Richards and Martin St scored only two field goals the rest of points and 12 assists for the Thunder son they lost the series after coming off Louis, who led Tampa Bay to a Stanley Cup title in 2004, the way as the Pacers closed with a 20-6 who advanced to their third league their most successful regular season in have been reunited and rejuvenated in the Big Apple. St run. Marcin Gortat scored 19 points for semi-finals in four years. The Thunder franchise history. Louis set up Richards for the Game Seven winner against the Wizards, who ended their best play- won despite a slow start from Westbrook “We have gone through a lot of stuff the Penguins. The Rangers, however, are still looking for off run in decades. who didn’t hit his first field goal until the in the last three or four weeks. We Rick Nash, their leading goal scorer during the regular sea- third quarter. Durant carried the team on shouldn’t use that as an excuse,” Rivers son, to break out of his slump and finally get his first of the THUNDER 104, CLIPPERS 98 his shoulders like he has done all season said. The Sterling controversy began last playoffs. Kevin Durant scored 39 points as the long, especially when things looked bad month when the American gossip show Richards leads New York with nine points while St Oklahoma City Thunder advanced to the in the first quarter. TMZ released an audio of the owner Louis, who is playing with a heavy heart following the Western Conference final with a 104-98 telling his girlfriend that she should not win over the Los Angeles Clippers in ‘It is how you finish’ bring black people to Clipper games. In sudden death of his mother last week, has eight. The game six of their NBA playoff series. The “It is not how you start. It is how you the weeks that followed, the NBA Rangers, who will attend France St. Louis’ funeral in Thunder rallied from a 16-point first half finish. I just stuck with it,” Durant said. banned Sterling from the league and Montreal on Sunday, have rallied around their teammate, deficit to tie the contest on the last play Guard Reggie Jackson scored 14 points fined him $2.5 million. Last week the whose courage following the passing of his mother has of the third quarter then stepped it up in while New Zealand’s Steven Adams league appointed an interim chief exec- provided the team with inspiration. “Him showing up and the fourth to win the second-round came off the bench to score 10 points utive to run the Clippers. On Thursday, coming back for us was a real inspiration,” said Richards. “I series four games to two. “Tonight’s and grab 11 rebounds for the Thunder, Sports Illustrated reported that hate talking about it because he lost his mom. “We’d game is something we’ve done all year,” who also had to overcome a large deficit Sterling’s lawyers had sent a letter to the rather have her back and not rallied around that. It said Thunder coach Scott Brooks of to win game five. Backup centre Adams, league threatening to sue and telling deserves to be talked about it, but at the same time it’s Thursday’s game in front of a crowd of of Rotorua, had to come into the game them he didn’t plan to pay the $2.5 mil- still a tough time for their family.”—Reuters 19,565 at Staples Center arena. “We early after starter Kendrick Perkins got lion fine.—Agencies SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 ‘Supremacy’ at stake as Germany’s giants clash

BERLIN: Thomas Mueller admits Bayern Munich are aiming to maintain their status as Germany’s top side when the Bavarian giants clash with main rivals Borussia Dortmund in today’s German Cup final. “This is also about supremacy in Germany, it’s about showing our rivals,” said Germany star Mueller as Bayern prepare to play Dortmund for the fourth and final time this sea- son with Borussia leading the current ‘Der Klassiker’ series two wins to Munich’s one. Mueller insists Bayern start as favorites at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, but after Borussia have won eight of their final 10 matches this season, “the current trend (of results) has brought Dortmund a step closer to us”. “We can’t allow ourselves to give away reckless turnovers. If we do, Dortmund will be just waiting to counter-attack us.” Bayern are bidding to win the domestic double for the tenth time, having already secured the Bundesliga title in March with a record seven games to spare. In contrast, Dortmund are chasing their fourth cup final victo- ry having finished their league campaign second to their Bavarian rivals in the table. There are plenty of sub-plots to the final, not least Bayern’s Germany star Mario Goetze up against his former club having been raised in Dortmund. “It is definitely something special and emotional,” admitted the 21-year-old, who scored the opening goal in Bayern’s 3-0 win in Dortmund on his first return to Borussia’s Westfalenstadion in November. “My first game against Dortmund was the icing on the cake, but I have now been at Bayern for a year and we want to win the title, that’s all that counts.” Poland striker Robert Lewandowski will play his final match in the famous yellow-and-black jersey before joining Bayern and the 25-year-old has vowed to sign off his four years playing for LONDON: The Arsenal squad takes part in a training session at their London Colney training ground in north London, Dortmund by lifting the title. Bayern suffered at the hands of ahead of the FA Cup Final against Hull today. —AFP Lewandowski in the 2012 cup final when he netted a hat-trick in a 5-2 drubbing of the Bavarian giants.— AFP FA Cup could spark Matches on TV (Local Timings) success for Wenger ENGLAND FA CUP Arsenal v Hull City 19:00 SINGAPORE: The pressure is all on ings, I’m sure they will be closer.” Parlour, who made 466 appearances beIN SPORTS 9 HD Arsenal ahead of today’s FA Cup final Even if the club lose the final to Hull for Arsenal, instead eyeing Giroud’s against Hull City, but if they can end today Parlour said it would be the international team mate Karim GERMAN LEAGUE their nine-year trophy drought then wrong move to get rid of Wenger, Benzema of Real Madrid. good times lie ahead with Arsene talking up the need for stability and “Suarez, I think he has probably Borussia Dortmund v Bayern 21:00 Wenger at the helm, former midfield- pointing at how the constant chang- trebled in price, and I don’t think they beIN SPORTS 8 er Ray Parlour said. The future of the ing of managers at rivals Tottenham will ever sell him to Arsenal,” he said. beIN SPORTS 8 HD French manager has been called into Hotspur had held them back. “Benzema has been mentioned, he question this season with the club’s However, the 41-year-old, who would do a good job. There is one SPANISH LEAGUE Premier League title challenge fizzing retired from playing after a short stint thing with Arsenal, you always get Real Madrid v Espanyol 17:00 out once again as the wait for a first with Hull in 2007, said fourth-place lots of chances. “They need a fox in beIN SPORTS 6 trophy since the 2005 FA Cup goes finishes in the Premier League would the box, an Ian Wright back in the beIN SPORTS 6 HD on. not appease fans and players forever. day. An Ian Wright would be perfect. Barcelona v Atletico 19:00 The Frenchman’s contract expires “I know the supporters sometimes We will have to see who they get but I beIN SPORTS 2 in the coming weeks and while he has get frustrated with no trophy, fourth hope its another massive signing, it beIN SPORTS 2 HD dropped strong hints he will stay on, place every single season, which, if would be fantastic for Arsenal.” While Valencia v Celta de Vigo 23:00 no confirmation of a new deal has I’m being honest, if I finished my speculation on possible incomings beIN SPORTS 2 been released, with some fans career and they asked me what I continues, fullback Bacary Sagna is beIN SPORTS 2 HD becoming restless and calling for achieved and I said I came fourth expected to depart following the final change. Parlour acknowledged the place eight times running, it’s not after failing to agree a contract exten- FRENCH LEAGUE frustration but believed the club had good. “I want to be saying I won an sion with the club. made great strides this year under FA Cup, championships, so the play- Parlour said the French defender’s PSG v Montpellier 22:00 Wenger, who joined in 1996. Success ers now are no different to me. It’s not departure was “a big loss” but not in beIN SPORTS 5 in the Wembley showpiece would about money, it’s about winning tro- the same league as previous high- beIN SPORTS 5 HD spur the manager and a core group of phies.” profile exits such as midfielders Cesc Saint Etienne v Ajaccio 22:00 young players on to greater things. Fabregas and Samir Nasri, who left in beIN SPORTS 11 HD “All the pressure is on Arsenal, obvi- New striker their prime for Barcelona and Sochaux v Gaillard 22:00 ously. It’s a very important trophy for A new striker has long been ear- Manchester City in 2011. “How old is beIN SPORTS 1 Arsenal,” the former England mid- marked as an obvious way to he? 31? You don’t want 24, 25-year- beIN SPORTS 1 HD fielder said on the sidelines of the increase their chances of adding to olds leaving. Once you get up to 30, Marseille v Guingamp 22:00 Singapore Cricket Club’s soccer sixes their 13 English titles, with 31, they are always only going to beIN SPORTS 9 HD tournament. Frenchman Olivier Giroud leading give you a short contract,” he said of OGC Nice v Lyonnais 22:00 Parlour said Arsenal had a nucleus the forward line on his own for most Wenger’s one-year contract policy beIN SPORTS 12 HD of good young players and getting an of the campaign. Arsenal bid for for players over 30. “If you look at the AS Monaco v Girondins 22:00 FA Cup win under their belt could Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez last top young players now, they have all beIN SPORTS 8 drive them forward next season. “And season only to have their 40 million signed long-term contracts, beIN SPORTS 8 HD this first trophy, if they do win today, and one pounds ($67.18 million) offer (Laurent) Koscielny, (Aaron) Ramsey, Lorient v Lille OSC 22:00 the first one is always the hardest. If rejected by Liverpool. Suarez went (Santi) Cazorla, those are the ones beIN SPORTS 4 you can win that first one, it does give on to score 31 league goals for the you really need to tie down ... not beIN SPORTS 4 HD you massive confidence and belief for Anfield club this season, driving his the 30-31s who are looking for a last next season, and with the right sign- price up even further and leaving pay day.” — Reuters SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

Italian Serie A table Barca boosted by Neymar’s return

MILAN, Italy: Italian Serie A table before this weekend’s final round of MADRID: Barcelona were given a Spanish La Liga table matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): boost before today’s La Liga show- Juventus 37 32 3 2 77 2399 - cham- down against Atletico Madrid when MADRID: Spanish La Liga table ahead of this weekend’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, pions forward Neymar and defenders Gerard goals for, goals against, points): Roma 37 26 7 4 72 24 85 Pique and Jordi Alba were given the Atletico Madrid 37 28 5 4 76 25 89 Napoli 37 22 9 6 72 38 75 all-clear by medical staff yesterday. Barcelona 37 27 5 5 99 32 86 Fiorentina 37 19 7 11 63 42 64 Neymar and Alba have been out since Real Madrid 37 26 6 5 101 37 84 Inter Milan 37 15 15 7 61 37 60 suffering injuries in the King’s Cup Athletic Bilbao 37 20 9 8 66 39 69 Torino 37 15 11 11 56 46 56 defeat by Real Madrid on April 16, Sevilla 37 17 9 11 66 51 60 Parma 37 14 13 10 56 46 55 while Pique has not played since the Real Sociedad 37 16 11 10 61 53 59 AC Milan 37 15 9 13 55 48 54 Champions League quarter-final, first Villarreal 37 16 8 13 58 43 56 Verona 37 16 6 15 61 63 54 Celta Vigo 37 14 7 16 48 52 49 Lazio 37 14 11 12 53 54 53 leg against Atletico on April 1. Levante 37 12 12 13 35 42 48 Atalanta 37 15 5 17 42 49 50 “The three players have accelerated Valencia 37 12 10 15 49 52 46 Sampdoria 37 12 8 17 45 59 44 their recuperation from their respec- Rayo Vallecano 37 13 4 20 45 78 43 Udinese 37 12 7 18 43 54 43 tive injuries in the past week so that Espanyol 37 11 9 17 40 48 42 Genoa 37 10 11 16 40 50 41 they can be available to the coaching Malaga 37 11 9 17 38 46 42 Cagliari 37 9 12 16 34 50 39 staff for the Atletico game,” Barca said Elche 37 9 13 15 29 47 40 Sassuolo 37 9 7 21 42 70 34 on their website (www.fcbarcelona.es). Almeria 37 11 6 20 43 71 39 Chievo 37 9 6 22 32 53 33 “After a few days working on the Getafe 37 10 9 18 33 53 39 Catania 37 7 8 22 32 65 29 sidelines, Pique, Jordi Alba and Granada 37 11 5 21 31 56 38 Bologna 37 5 14 18 28 57 29 Osasuna 37 9 9 19 30 61 36 Livorno 37 6 7 24 39 75 25 Neymar joined the group again,” Valladolid 37 7 15 15 38 59 36 Top three qualify for Champions League. Fourth and fifth for Europa they added. Today’s clash at the Nou Real Betis 37 6 7 24 35 7625 - relegated League. Sixth also for Europa League after Italian Cup was won by Camp will be only the third “winner Notes: Top four teams qualify for next season’s Champions League; fifth to seventh place teams Napoli over Fiorentina. Bottom three are relegated. takes all” match on the final day of qualify for Europa League; bottom three teams relegated to Segunda Division. the campaign in La Liga history and the first since 1951. Atletico, seeking their first title since 1996, are top on A win or a draw would be enough for superior head-to-head record, used Juve look for more 89 points, with Barca, chasing their Atletico, while Barca need to beat the to separate teams if they finish level records as Milan fifth crown in six years, second on 86. Madrid club to triumph by virtue of a on points.—Reuters battle for Europe

ROME: Champions Juventus take aim at an all-time Serie A Quest for Europe spots points record tomorrow as a four-horse race which could see Milan coach Clarence Seedorf relieved of his duties ensues for the final Europa League place. Crowned champions with two drop climaxes in France games to spare, Antonio Conte’s side are looking to add another record to their impressive list by becoming the first PARIS: The curtain falls on the Ligue 1 sea- season, and the outgoing OM boss wants top division,” added the former Zambia champions with at least 100 points. Juve’s 32nd win of the son today but the stage is set for a thrilling to bow out on a high note. “We don’t have manager. Despite the tricky trip awaiting campaign last week was a record in itself and took the final weekend in France with European our destiny in our hands but hopefully our his players Evian boss Pascal Dupraz sound- Bianconeri’s tally to 99 - surpassing the previous record of 97 places and the fight against relegation still friends at Nice will get a result against ed confident of survival. by Inter in 2007. A draw at home to Cagliari tomorrow would to be settled. Lille have stuttered down the Lyon,” said Anigo. “We’re at home and we’ll “Don’t forget that we’re one point clear. be enough, but midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo told Sky Sport: stretch allowing Saint-Etienne, unbeaten in try to finish with a flourish. If we can do that “You don’t know the history of our club. I “We’ve got a chance to finish on 102 points, and we’re not eight matches, to claw to within just two it’ll be very nice for everyone.” do. I know what we’re made of. I know going to miss it.” points of the third and final Champions we’ll do it,” said Dupraz. Elsewhere, cham- Whether Juve’s domestic feats are enough to keep Conte League spot. Rene Girard’s side need a vic- Relegation shootout pions Paris Saint-Germain can establish a at the club remain to be seen. After crashing out of the tory at Lorient to assure themselves of a Sochaux and Evian meet at the Stade new record for most wins in a season Champions League and narrowly failing to make the Europea place in next season’s third qualifying Bonal in a straight shootout to avoid rele- should they beat Montpellier. Laurent League final, Conte is still waiting to hear just how much the round, but anything less would open the gation. 17th-placed Evian are one point Blanc is expected to rest several of his Turin giants will invest this summer as he looks to launch a door for Saint-Etienne, who host rock-bot- above their rivals but Sochaux are unbeat- World Cup-bound stars as PSG go in search fresh assault on Europe. In a report speculating on an antici- tom Ajaccio, to pip them at the post. “We en in seven matches and have turned their of win number 27, which would surpass pated managerial merry-go-round, La Gazzetta dello Sport know what we have to do today to finish in home ground into a fortress of late, taking the previous mark held by Reims, Monaco suggested Conte had a 60 percent chance of staying put, with third, a position we’ve occupied for a large 20 points from a possible 24. “We have no and Nantes. The Claudio Ranieri era at Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella given a 30 percent part of the season,” said Girard. “In the choice but to win,” said Sochaux coach Monaco is likely to draw to a close when chance of swapping Florence for Turin. event that we miss out on third, we could Herve Renard. “If we keep playing like we the principality side host Bordeaux with Former Juve striker Alessandro Del Piero, during a visit to Milan on Wednesday, meanwhile said he was “surprised” to talk about disappointment, but not failure, have in the last few games, we can make it. Sporting Lisbon coach Leonardo Jardim hear Conte could leave after three title-winning seasons, but because don’t forget that at the start of the “If we are not able to do it here, then it will hotly-tipped to replace the Italian at the added: “Maybe everything will be worked out as it was last season we weren’t forecasted to finish this mean that we don’t deserve to stay in the Stade Louis II. —AFP year. “In any case, I wish good luck to him, Juventus and high.” Italian football in general, which appears to need it.” With Saint-Etienne must beat Ajaccio and French Ligue 1 table Juve joined in the Champions League by Roma and Napoli hope Lille slip up if they’re to clinch their (qualifying stages), seven-time European champions Milan are highest finish since ending the 1981/92 PARIS: rench Ligue 1 table ahead of this weekend’s final round of matches (played, won, set to miss out on Europe altogether. season as runners-up. “The prospect of fin- drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Seedorf is expected to be replaced whether or not Milan ishing in third place is a source of extra Paris SG 37 26 8 3 80 23 86 - champions motivation. The stadium will be full, and Monaco 37 23 10 4 62 30 79 upset predictions and squeeze into sixth spot to claim a place Lille 37 19 11 7 42 25 68 in the Europa League. Despite being able to boast a superior the crowd will be our 12th man. We want to make sure we win so that there can be no Saint-Etienne 37 19 9 9 53 33 66 statistical record than predecessor Massimiliano Allegri, who Lyon 37 16 10 11 55 44 58 was shown the door in January, Seedorf has failed to win over regrets when we find out how Lille do away Marseille 37 15 12 10 52 40 57 club owner and president Silvio Berlusconi. If Milan are to to Lorient,” said striker Mevlut Erding, who Bordeaux 37 13 13 11 48 42 52 upset predictions, they need a win at home to Sassuolo, leads Les Verts with 11 goals this campaign. Lorient 37 13 10 14 47 49 49 Torino to lose at Fiorentina and for Parma to draw or lose Reims 37 12 12 13 43 49 48 Bastia 37 13 9 15 43 56 48 away to Napoli. Captain Riccardo Montolivo said: “We have to Race for Europa League Meanwhile, successive defeats for Lyon Toulouse 37 11 13 13 43 52 46 win for many reasons. We have a small chance of getting into Nantes 37 12 9 16 38 44 45 the Europa League but we have to fight for it. has paved the way for Marseille to poten- Rennes 37 10 13 14 44 44 43 “We don’t want to disappoint the fans. Sassuolo are safe tially snatch fifth place and a berth in the Montpellier 37 8 18 11 45 49 42 and maybe they’ll be a bit relaxed because of that. But they’re Europa League qualifying rounds. Remi Guingamp 37 11 9 17 34 41 42 a quality side and so we’ll have to focus if we’re to cause them Garde will take charge of Lyon for the final Nice 37 12 6 19 30 43 42 problems.” Serie A normally offers two spots for Europe’s sec- time in Nice having opted not to renew his Evian TG 37 10 11 16 36 51 41 expiring contract due to “family and per- Sochaux 37 10 10 17 37 58 40 ond-tier club competition to the fourth and fifth-placed finish- Valenciennes 37 7 8 22 36 62 29 - relegated ers, with the Italian Cup winners given the other. Napoli beat sonal reasons”, while Marseille host Ajaccio 37 4 11 22 36 69 23 - relegated Fiorentina 3-1 to win the Cup, and with both clubs already Guingamp needing to better Lyon’s result NB - Top two qualify automatically for Champions League group stage. Third goes into Champions qualified respectively for the Champions League and Europa to leapfrog OL. Jose Anigo is also on his League 3rd qualifying round. Fourth and fifth qualify for Europa League. Bottom three are relegat- League, for which fifth-placed Inter has already qualified, that way out at the Stade Velodrome with ed to Ligue 2. NB - Nantes’ 2-0 win against Bastia on the opening day of the season was overturned spot goes to the sixth place finisher.—AFP Marcelo Bielsa to take over at Marseille next and awarded as a win to Bastia after Nantes fielded the suspended Abdoulaye Toure in the game. SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 Nigeria out to avoid World Cup tantrums

LAGOS: African champions Nigeria have imposed a World Cup code of conduct on their players in a bid to halt the tantrums that saw them crash out of their last two finals in the first round. Wrangling over win bonuses and team selection have tainted recent campaigns but coach Stephen Keshi wants it to end. And the Nigerian Football Federation drew up the code of conduct to forestall any major row such as last year, when a pay dispute almost saw Nigeria miss the Confederations Cup. Nigeria has budgeted about $12 million for the World Cup, with each player guaranteed at least $100,000 if they win the competition. The authorities have also assured they are fully behind Keshi, despite the frequency with which the coach who guid- ed Nigeria through World Cup qualifying is sacked. The Brazil tournament in Brazil will be the second time the Super Eagles go into the World Cup as African champions. The last time was in 1994, when they reached the knock-out round and won admirers for their attacking football. The only other time they went past the first round was in France in 1998. In 2002 in Japan and South Korea, and in South Africa four years ago, PERNAMBUCO: Plainclothes police officers arrest suspects of looting in a low income neighborhood of Recife, state of they were eliminated in the group phase. In Brazil, Keshi’s side Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil during a strike of the city’s PM paramilitary police in demand of better wages. Recife is have been drawn against Argentina, Iran and Bosnia in Group one of the venues of the FIFA World Cup 2014. —AFP F. Nigeria have lost all three of their previous clashes with Argentina but have yet to meet Iran or Bosnia at full interna- tional level. Sanctions, shrinking socks No easy games Goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, who plays for French side Lille, warned there are “no easy games” at the World Cup hit Iran World Cup hopes finals. “All these teams are serious about getting results. “But we will see how it goes with the Super Eagles. We will do our TEHRAN: International sanctions over ranked 53rd in the world, in March did good results,” said Dejagah, who played best to progress from the group.” Keshi, who steered the side Iran’s nuclear program have cast a shad- not help Queiroz’s preparations. Queiroz in the Fulham side relegated from the to their African Cup of Nations triumph in South Africa last ow over Carlos Queiroz’s efforts to build demanded a greater effort then, but as English Premier League this month. “The year, is keeping secret his own World Cup target.”My employ- a team that can make a mark on the financial sanctions bite, the preparation players have been together a long time. ers the NFF (Nigerian Football Federation) didn’t set any tar- World Cup finals. The Portuguese coach and the target looks tougher. Ten of the We have a good team, players with gets for me to reach at Brazil 2014 but I have set a target for will need something special to motivate 30-man preliminary squad announced international experience. If we use the myself which is not meant for public consumption,” he said. his multi-national band of players to this week are based abroad-including time we have left we can achieve some- Keshi, who has faced repeated rumors that he will be take on global superstars Lionel Messi, Fulham midfielder Ashkan Dejageh and thing,” said the 27-year-old attacking replaced, is in charge of a much more settled and confident Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko when Charlton striker Reza Ghoochannejad. midfielder after the Guinea defeat. Born Nigeria team than the one he took over in November 2011. they confront Argentina, Nigeria and Last month, only 12 players attended a in Tehran, his family moved to Germany They will hope to use the experience of playing in Brazil at last Bosnia in Group F. Iranians sang and training camp in South Africa. The squad and he won the European under-21 year’s Confederations Cup, where they lost to world and danced in the streets of Tehran after is now in Austria preparing for friendly championship for Germany in 2009 and European champions Spain, as well as Uruguay. Joseph Yobo their side beat South Korea in June to games against Montenegro on May 26 then started playing for Iran in 2011. was recalled, as his experience will be vital in a defense that is clinch a place in the finals. Spiritual and Trinidad and Tobago on June 8. Star striker Ghoochannejhad, known widely regarded as the team’s weakest link. leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the “It’s true we have financial problems, as “Gucci” to Iranians, scored the goal The 33-year-old central defender has not played since the team had brought national “happiness”. but if Queiroz wants his camps we are that secured the finals place and who African Nations triumph. But he has been a key player for But Iran has suffered on and off the completely ready to organize them,” plays for Charlton in the English English Premier League side Norwich City and he looks on field in recent months. As the country is Iranian Football Federation President Ali Championship. The man with one of the track to secure a record century of international caps in Brazil. excluded from the banking system, Kafashian told the Mehr news agency in longest names in football moved to the But a major concern is that key stars like Chelsea midfielder Queiroz struggles each day to mount his March. The federation needs more than Netherlands as a child and played for his John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses, who is on loan to Liverpool, campaign for Brazil. This week Queiroz $6.5 million to finance World Cup prepa- adopted country up to under-23 level, have struggled at club level. “It’s unfortunate that Mikel, and some of his players complained that rations and to repay some debts, the before Queiroz gave him the call. The (Monaco defender) Elderson and Moses are not playing regu- not enough kit had been supplied by president added. Queiroz’s future is also coach has also brought in Daniel Davari larly for their clubs. But they are not kids who I need to teach Germany company Uhlsport and that in doubt. He has not yet announced of Germany’s Eintracht Braunschweig, how to play football,” said Keshi. “I would have loved them to the boots were too small and the socks whether to stay with Iran and the dis- another Iranian-German, and American- be playing regularly for their clubs but I can’t control that. I shrank. Uhlsport and the Iran federation putes over kit all reinforce rumors of his born right-back Steven Beitashour of watched Mikel against Arsenal when he came in, he was sharp denied the accusations, which have not departure. “My contract ends on July 31, San Jose Earthquakes. Iran could even and played well. “It’s difficult but they play good for the team helped relations with Queiroz. Iran will 2014 and I don’t think I am in the federa- have a Brazilian in their team. Former when they are here which is more important for our team. We be appearing in their fourth World Cup tion’s plans. Nobody has talked to me Vasco da Gama and Paraenense striker need them in the team and we all know their ability.” Nigeria finals-after 1978, 1998 (where they beat about it for the moment,” Queiroz told Eder Luciano, better known as Edinho, plan a warm-up against Scotland in London on May 28 as well the United States) and 2006 - but they AFP in February. moved to Iran in 2008 to play for Mes as matches against Greece and the United States. They will set have never got past the first round The players are trying hard to remain Kerman and secured Iranian nationality up a training camp in Houston, Texas, at the end of May, and groups. positive despite the morosity. “I think this year. He was not named in the 30- go to Brazil by the second week of June.— AFP A 2-1 defeat at home to Guinea, we can still go in a good state and get man squad.— AFP World Cup brings new Japan-S Korea rivalry

TOKYO: Japan and South Korea will need to cally clash in the last four in what would be a symbol of Japan’s militant past. The odds of the in their eighth straight World Cup finals, they produce something special to meet at the highly charged encounter as diplomatic rela- two teams meeting in Brazil may be slim but only qualified on goal difference. “If we con- World Cup, but expect a cut-throat battle for tions between the countries remain icy. they will be keen to leave South America as centrate on our game, the results should come,” bragging rights in one of international foot- Political tensions have spilled over in the recent Asia’s best-performing side, with both looking Zaccheroni told reporters earlier this week. “We ball’s fiercest rivalries. The tournament will also past. At the 2012 Olympics, a South Korea play- stronger on paper than Australia and Iran. Both go to Brazil fearing nobody.” As if to underline be tinged with emotion for both sides, with er inflamed a territorial row with Tokyo by wav- reached the same stage at the last World Cup in their coach’s sentiments, Japan will have the Japan playing for the victims of the deadly ing a political placard after the 2-0 win over 2010, after a Luis Suarez double for Uruguay slogan “Samurai, the time has come to fight!” tsunami in 2011 and the Koreans keen to pro- Japan in the bronze medal game. saw off South Korea in the last 16 and Japan lost emblazoned on their official Hyundai team bus. vide a measure of solace after last month’s ferry Relations between Japan and South Korea on penalties to Paraguay at the same stage. The irony of riding a Korean-made bus in Brazil tragedy. have soured further since Prime Minister Shinzo But while Japan have made strides under will not be lost on Japan, who have previously Asian champions Japan and South Korea, Abe came to power in December 2012, aggra- Italian Alberto Zaccheroni, South Korea have been left in the rear-view mirror by their neigh- World Cup semi-finalists in 2002, could theoreti- vated by his visit to a Tokyo shrine seen as a appeared to go backwards. Although they are bors in major competitions.—AFP Thunder eliminate Clippers as Pacers banish Wizards 44 SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 MAY SATURDAY, SportsSports

ZURICH: A file picture shows FIFA President Sepp Blatter holding up the name of Qatar during the official announcement of the 2022 World Cup host country. Blatter said it was a mistake to choose Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup because of the country’s searing summertime climate. — AFP Qatar summer World Cup a ‘mistake’

ZURICH: Awarding the 2022 soccer World Fahrenheit (40 Celsius). FIFA secretary gen- Cup to Qatar was a ‘mistake’ and the tourna- eral Jerome Valcke said in January that the ment will probably have to be held in the 2022 World Cup would not be played in the Protests, strikes rock winter because of the heat, FIFA president summer months but was likely to be held Sepp Blatter has said. “Of course, it was a between November and January. The soccer World Cup host Brazil mistake. You know, one comes across a lot body has said no decision will be taken until of mistakes in life,” he told Swiss television after this year’s World Cup finals in Brazil SAO PAULO: Brazil faced a test of its security prepara- against the masked demonstrators, dispersing the station RTS in an interview. “The Qatar tech- with all stakeholders and commercial part- tions for the World Cup on Thursday as demonstra- march into small groups. At least 20 protesters were nical report indicated clearly that it is too ners to be consulted. tors aghast at the cost of the event joined protests arrested in Sao Paulo, according to police. Local hot in summer, but the executive commit- Blatter was adamant oil and gas-rich and strikes in several major cities. Ongoing work stop- media said at least two photographers suffered minor tee with quite a big majority decided all the Qatar had not ‘bought’ the World Cup, how- pages by police and teachers and the threat of a injuries. In both Rio and the capital Brasilia, police same that the tournament would be in ever, and indicated political pressure from nationwide strike by federal police also raised fears of used pepper spray to disperse small groups as the Qatar,” he added. Asked whether the World France and Germany had played a part. “I chaos with just four weeks to go before the Cup kicks major protests winded down. In the northeastern city Cup was likely to be held in the European will never say they (Qatar) bought it,” he off. A total of 10,000 people took to the streets in Belo of Recife, youths earlier took advantage of a partial winter, the 78-year-old replied: “It’s proba- said. “We know full well that big French and Horizonte, Brasilia, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Rio and Sao strike by military police to loot stores and go on the ble, yes. In fact, it’s more than probable.” German companies work in Qatar, but they Paulo, according to police. In business hub Sao Paulo, rampage. A total of 170 people were arrested there FIFA launched an investigation last year don’t just work for the World Cup. The World about 5,000 members of the Homeless Workers’ over two days. After blocking off several streets, Sao into alleged corruption surrounding the vot- Cup is only a small part of what is going on Movement (MTST) set fire to car tires and marched to Paulo protesters held a rally about 300 meters (yards) ing procedure for the 2018 and 2022 World in Qatar.” Asked about his future at the helm the Corinthians Arena, which will host the opening from the stadium as they slammed a “World Cup Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar respec- of FIFA, Blatter again indicated he would match between Brazil and Croatia on June 12. without the people.” Former president Luiz Inacio tively. The choice of Qatar was particularly stand for a fifth term in next year’s election. Protesters also surrounded buses full of passengers Lula da Silva, at the forefront of efforts to win the controversial given that the small Arab “At the moment I say I want to finish my and smashed the glass of vehicles at a car dealership country’s hosting rights seven years ago, criticized the nation has little footballing culture and sum- mandate well. Of course I am willing to con- that is an official FIFA sponsor. Police used teargas “virulent” protests.—AFP mer temperatures can exceed 100 degrees tinue,” he said.—Reuters