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200 FilsSaturday, February 17 , 2018 Issue No. 7660 Today’s Weather

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Unite Nations

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio

Guterres appointed former British diplomat Martin Griffiths as his new envoy charged with trying to broker peace in Yemen, the U.N. announced yesterday. Guterres notified the U.N. Security Council of his intention to appoint Griffiths earlier this week and the 15-member council approved his choice on Thursday.

U.N. chief appoints ex-UK diplomat as Yemen envoy

P03

Kingdom, UNIDO join handsto promote renewable energy

P24

Atletico storm back

United Nations

US Ambassador Nikki Haley has said that it was

“time for the Security Council to act” following the release of a report by UN experts concluding that Iran had violated the arms embargo on Yemen.

The report found that Tehran had failed to block supplies to Yemen’s Huthi rebels of ballistic missiles that

were fired at Saudi Arabia.“This report highlights

what we’ve been saying for months: Iran has been illegally transferring weapons in violation of multiple Security Council resolutions,” Haley said in a statement.

The ambassador added that “the world cannot continue to allow these blatant violations to go unanswered” and that Tehran must face

“consequences.”“It’s time for the Security

Council to act.”Iran has strongly denied

arming the Huthis and has accused Haley of presenting “fabricated” evidence that a November 4 missile fired at Riyadh airport was Iranian-made.Diplomats said the Iranian violations are likely to be addressed in a draft resolution renewing sanctions

on Yemen that the council is set to adopt later this month.

It remains unclear however if Russia will back any move that punishes Iran.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia last month cast doubt over the report’s findings, which AFP first reported on in January when the document was confidentially sent to the Security Council.

While the report found that Iran had violated the 2015 embargo, the panel of UN experts said they were not able to identify the supplier.

Russia has the power to block sanctions by using its veto power it enjoys as one of the five permanent Security Council members, along with Britain, China, France and the United States. -AFP

(See also Page 5)

Time for UN to act against Iran: US

Iran has violated a UN arms

embargo by failing to block

missile supplies to Yemen’s

Houthi rebels, according to

a UN expert’s report

Grief and anger as Florida prepares to bury victims 8P 06

Family grieves maid founddead in Kuwait 8P 07

2 Saturday, February 17, 2018

In the presence of His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy Chairman of the High Committee of the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club, His Highness Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa, His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Ali bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Highness Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Highness Shaikh Hashim bin Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Highness Shaikh Nader bin Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa, Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club yesterday organised the sixteenth race of this season, which was held on the cups of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Ali bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Isa Al Khalifa, AlNawayef Cup and the Bahrain Olympic Committee Cup at the club in Raffa Al Sakhir.

3Saturday, February 17, 2018

Kingdom, UNIDO join hands to promote renewable energyDT News NetworkManama

Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr.

Abdulrahman Mirza yesterday received United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) head of the Investment Promotion Programme Dr. Hashim Hussein and several officials.

The two sides discussed means of enhancing bilateral cooperation between UNIDO and the Sustainable Energy

Unit in all programmes related to promoting the use of renewable energy in homes and establishments

and to achieve national goals for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Dr. Hussein expressed the organization’s readiness to provide training programmes for those wishing to establish small projects in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The visitors thanked the minister and officials for the welcome and the hospitality and for the minister’s efforts to strengthen relations between the two sides.

The two sides discussed means of

enhancing bilateral

cooperation

Social Responsibility Award for Youth and Sports Affairs MinistryDT News NetworkManama

The Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry received the

Social Responsibility Award for MYS Locator project. The award was granted at Meet ICT Conference and the Bahrain International Technology Exhibition (BITEX).

Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs Hisham bin Mohammed Al Jowder received the award in a ceremony held under the patronage of Transportation and Telecommunication Minister Kamal Ahmed at the Gulf Hotel’s Gulf Exhibition and Convention Centre.

The project is an initiative by the Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry to provide

an important database for the websites under its supervision. The system is the first of its kind in the

youth and sports affairs field in Bahrain and provides data on an interactive map divided according to the governorates.

The system also comprises other details including general information and photos about the establishment.

Pakistan to deploy troops in Saudi ArabiaIslamabad

In a major policy shift, Pakistan has decided

to deploy troops in Saudi Arabia under bilateral security cooperation with the Kingdom.

The Pakistan Army announced the decision after a meeting between Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Saudi ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Al-Maliki, at army headquarters in Rawalpindi yesterday.

“In continuation of the ongoing Pak-Saudi bilateral security cooperation, a Pakistan Army contingent is being sent to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on training and advise mission. These or

troops already there will not be employed outside KSA,” the army said.

It also said the army “maintains bilateral security cooperation with many other Gulf/regional countries”.

About the meeting of the ambassador with Bajwa, it said that matters of mutual interest including regional security

situation were discussed during the meeting.

Already around 1,000 Pakistani troops are deployed in Saudi Arabia in various advisory and training roles, according to officials

There was no official word on the number of additional troops being sent to Kingdom but the Dawn newspaper

quoted “multiple sources” hinting that it might be the size of a composite brigade.

It also quoted army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor that the new deployment would be much lesser than a division, and that he would give details later.

Bajwa earlier this month visited Saudi Arabia for three days and met officials including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Commander of Ground Forces Lt Gen Prince Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz.

It was his second visit to the kingdom in two months and reportedly played a role in Pakistan’s decision to deploy troops.- PTI

The Pakistan Army announced the decision after a meeting between Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Saudi ambassador to

Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Al-Maliki in Rawalpindi yesterday

Tatarstan President lauds HM’s policiesDT News NetworkMoscow

President of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan

Rustam Nurgaliyevich Minnikhanov lauded the wise policy of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to foster relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and Russia, in cooperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

At a meeting yesterday with Bahrain’s Ambassador to Russia Dr. Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Sa’ati, the President of Tatarstan called to hold the next meetings this year of the Bahraini-Russian government committee for commercial, economic,

scientific and technological cooperation in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan.

He also called on Bahrain to participate in Kazan Economic Forum next May and in the Strategic Vision Group-Russia and the Islamic World conference later this year, being the group’s Board Chairman.

Terror bombings in Algeria condemnedDT News NetworkManama

Bahrain strongly condemned the

terrorist bombing that took place in Tébessa in the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, leaving several soldiers dead and injured.

The Foreign Ministry e x p r e s s e d d e e p condolences to the victims’ families, wishing the wounded a speedy recovery.

It affirmed Bahrain’s position with Algeria in

its fight against violence, extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The ministry urged intensified international cooperation at all levels to confront and eradicate this dangerous scourge.

A government-level meeting

will be held in Kazan this

year

Several died in the terror

attack in Tebessa

Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs Hisham bin Mohammed Al Jowder receiving the award at a ceremony held at Gulf Hotel

Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr. Abdulrahman Mirza with UNIDO officials

The residents in Bahrain and other neighbouring gulf countries often witness many dust storms during winter

as well as in summer with the surrounding is being blanketed by thick dust haze due to adverse meteorological conditions. The last week dust haze on Wednesday 14th February was serious. The dust also considerably reduces the visibility affecting flights at the Bahrain International Airport as well as cause difficulty in driving on highways and roads causing serious accidents. However, the major health impact is due to dust inhalation by people which adversely affects their health.

Dust is a general name for minute solid particles with diameters less than 500 micrometers often referred to as the Particulate Matter (PM) as it describes the range of particles that exists in the air we breathe. PM 10 includes all particles smaller than 10 μm in diameter (smaller than 1/7th of a hair width). Particulate levels in the air are measured by the weight (micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3). One (μg/m3) equals

one millionth of a gram in a cubic meter of air. PM exists naturally in the atmosphere and is usually enhanced due to human activities such as vehicle exhaust, industrial processes, power station emissions, mining, farming, construction, earth works and reclamation.

The human body’s respiratory system has a number of defense mechanisms to protect against the harmful effects of PM. The dust is often trapped in sticky mucus on the walls of the airways and can be removed by cilia, small hair-like objects which line the surface of the airways. This mucus once generated can either be swallowed or coughed out. Generally, it is thought that fine particles below 2.5 μm in diameter may be of a greater health concern than larger particles as they can reach the air sacs deep in the lungs.

Particles in the atmosphere arise from various sources such as soil dust which is lifted up by wind and pollution. Particles are also generated when wind blows over bare ground and on different types of soil stockpiles. The external or airborne dust is the main cause of increase in allergies, asthma and other respiratory ailments in the country. People who are more susceptible to the health effects of fine and coarse particles are infants, children and adolescents, elderly, people with respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema, heart disease and diabetes. High levels of dust also cause coughing, sneezing and sore eyes.

The dust once blown is often suspended in the air which later accumulates and settles on the ground aggravating the existing natural dust situation. This dust once fallen on the ground is moved, agitated and re-suspended mainly by traffic and vehicles on road and other open surfaces. It is to be noted that the dust generated by vehicles traveling on

roads contributes to around 33% of air pollution. Road dust consists of deposition of vehicle exhausts, industrial exhausts, tire and brake wears, dust from paved roads and construction sites. Control of road dust is a significant challenge in urban areas due to number of vehicles using the road system. Road dust needs to be controlled and suppressed by mechanical methods like road sweeping vehicles with water sprayers. The open areas generating dust needs to be stabilized and landscaped.

Dust management at individual and at community level is now become a necessity to avoid any adverse health impacts. The occupational safety lies in better control and taking precautionary measures. Wearing a filter mask restrict human exposure to dust. Use of glasses and goggles and body covering are other aspects to be adhered to. Face washing and nasal cleansing are other occupational health remedies. Showers and baths further help in combating the dust pollution problem.

Other measures we need to take include frequently washing our face, nose and mouth to prevent any dust from entering our lungs. Try to inhale some water through your nose in order to clean the nose of dust particles. Place a dust mask or put a wet towel or tissue on the nose and mouth while being in outside surrounding. Drink plenty of water, juice and fluids. Close windows and doors tightly and cap up the small holes and openings that may be around windows and doors. Stay safe and healthy.

* Head of Waste Disposal Unit, Supreme Council for Environment, Bahrain. (rahmed@sce.gov.bh)

4 Saturday, February 17, 2018

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of this newspaper.)

Dust Prevention and Management

Ankara

The United States and Turkey agreed yesterday

to try to rescue a strategic relationship that Washington acknowledged had reached a crisis point, with Turkey proposing a joint deployment in Syria if a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia leaves a border area.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met President Tayyip Erdogan during a two-day visit that followed weeks of escalating anti-American rhetoric from the Turkish government.

“We find ourselves at a bit of a crisis point in the relationship,” Tillerson told a news conference after meeting with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday morning. He had met with Erdogan for a more than three-hour discussion on Thursday night.

“We’re going to act together from this point forward. We’re going to lock arms. We’re going to work through the issues that are causing difficulties for us and we’re going to resolve them.”

US, Turkey agree to mend ties

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

5Saturday, February 17, 2018

May says shares US concerns about

Iran role in ME

Berlin

Prime Minister Theresa May said yesterday that

Britain shared the concerns of the United States about Iranian activities in the Middle East and was ready to take further action against Tehran.

During a trip to Berlin, May said she and German leader Angela Merkel had reaffirmed their commitment to Iran’s nuclear deal and the need for full implementation.

“And we agreed that as we continue to work to

preserve the deal we also share the U.S. concerns about Iran’s destabilising activity in the Middle East, and we stand ready to take further appropriate measures to tackle these issues,” May told reporters.

British foreign minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that London was concerned at Iran’s role after anti-aircraft fire on Saturday downed an Israeli warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions.

The world’s tallest hotel has officially opened its doors in Dubai -- scaling

the clouds and towering above the city below.

The  Gevora Hotel  is a new offering in the UAE hotspot’s financial district -- topping out at an incredible 356 meters high (1,168 feet).

Travelers with a head for heights will know already that Gevora’s tower just barely trounces another Dubai sleeping spot -- the JW Marriott Marquis, which is just a meter shorter and was formerly the world’s tallest hotel.

The luxurious Gevora is decked out in gold and includes a health club, sauna, pool and five glitzy restaurants.

The Art Deco-style design accommodates 528 rooms -- with accommodation falling into three categories: Deluxe Room (46 square meters), One-Bedroom Deluxe (62 square

meters) and Two-Bedroom Suite (85 square meters).

The four-star Gevora is designed to cater to business and leisure needs -- there’s a pool with a view and a cafe and bake shop -- but also a business center and boardroom.

There are plenty of culinary delights too -- Gevora Kitchen will offer all-day dining, whilst Highest View Restaurant promises panoramic views from the hotel rooftop.

Despite the dizzy heights at Gevora -- the building isn’t the world’s highest hotel.

That honor goes to  The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong -- a five-star hotel which sits way up on the 102nd to 118th floors of the 488-meter International Commerce Centre. The Gevora Hotel has been officially recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest hotel -- and with that honor in hand, it’s open for bookings. (CNN)

Oil near one-week highLondon/Tokyo

Oil prices stood near a one-week high yesterday as

global equities headed for their biggest weekly gain in six years as the dollar slipped to a three-year low.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for March delivery CLc1 was down 20 cents at $61.15 a barrel by 1410 GMT, having touched a one-week high of $61.89. Activity was subdued, with many Asian markets closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.

The U.S. crude contract has risen by about 3 percent on the week after losing nearly 10 percent last week.

London Brent crude LCOc1 was up 5 cents at $64.38. Brent is up nearly 3 percent for the week after a decline of more than 8 percent last week.

“Oil is getting support from a rebound in global stock markets and a weak dollar, but the upside is limited due to a projection for rising U.S. production,” said Tomomichi Akuta, senior economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting in Tokyo.

The dollar slipped to a three-year low against a basket of currencies on Friday but later regained some ground .DXY to trade 0.5 percent up, limiting gains in the oil market. A

weaker dollar often boosts oil and other dollar-denominated commodities. [USD/]

World shares were set to post their best week of gains in six years after two consecutive weeks in the red.

Also supporting oil prices was a statement from the United Arab Emirates energy minister late on Thursday saying oil producers led by Saudi Arabia and Russia aimed to draft an agreement on a long-term alliance by the end of the year.

OPEC and some non-OPEC producers including Russia have been restraining production by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) to prop up prices. The arrangement expires at the end of 2018.

However, surging U.S. production is offsetting those efforts. U.S. crude output hit a record 10.27 million bpd last week, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday, making it a bigger producer than Saudi Arabia.

“Drilling activity in the U.S. continues to pick up ... Adding to this, producers appear to be more efficient than they were mid last year,” ING said in a note, adding that rising U.S. supplies and the liquidation of speculative longs were likely to keep oil prices under pressure. (Reuters)

Dubai opens world’s tallest hotel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May address a news conference after talks in Berlin, Germany

Parkland

As families prepared yesterday to bury victims of another U.S.

mass shooting, grief mixed with anger amid signs of possible lapses in school security and indications that law enforcement may have missed clues about the suspected gunman’s plans.

One distraught mother who said she had just spent two hours making funeral preparations for her 14-year-old child expressed disbelief that a gunman could just stroll into school and open fire, and she appealed to President Donald Trump to take action.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, identified as a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, who had been expelled for disciplinary problems, walked into the school on Wednesday and opened fire with an assault rifle, killing 17 students and facility members and injuring 15 others, police said.

The shooting has raised questions among anguished parents about the adequacy of school security measures

and renewed a national debate on

Capitol Hill and elsewhere about the epidemic of gun violence in American schools.

“How do we allow a gunman to come into our children’s school? How did they get through security? What security is there?” Lori Alhadeff shouted into the camera in an emotionally raw appearance on CNN.

“The gunman, the crazy person, just walks right into the school, knocks down the window to my child’s door and starts shooting, shooting her ...,” cried Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa was among the dead.

Cruz, charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, made a brief initial court appearance on Thursday, in which he was ordered held without bond.

“He’s a broken human being,” his lawyer, public defender Melissa McNeill, told reporters. “He’s sad, he’s mournful, he’s remorseful.”

“PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL SHOOTER”Cruz may have foreshadowed the attack in a comment on

YouTube, investigated by the FBI. The Federal Bureau of Investigation disclosed it received a tip in September about the message that read: “I‘m going to be a professional school shooter,” by a user named Nikolas Cruz.

However, FBI agents had no information pointing to the “time, location or true identity” of the person behind the message, Robert Lasky, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Jacksonville office, told reporters.

YouTube ultimately removed the material in question, and the FBI’s inquiry was dropped until the name Nikolas Cruz surfaced again in connection with Wednesday’s massacre.

Authorities say Cruz, identified as a former student at Stoneman Douglas High who had been expelled for disciplinary problems, walked into the school shortly before dismissal time, pulled a fire alarm and opened fire as students and teachers streamed out of classrooms into the halls.

T h e s h e r i f f

said Cruz arrived at the school by way of the Uber ride-sharing service and left the scene on foot, mixing in “with a group that were running away, fearing for their lives.”

He walked into a Walmart, bought a beverage at a Subway outlet inside the store, then visited a McDonald’s before he was spotted and detained by a police officer in the adjacent town of Coconut Creek, Israel said.

Former classmates have described Cruz as a social outcast with a reputation as a trouble-maker, as well as someone who was “crazy about guns.” The sheriff has said some of the online and social media activity Cruz engaged in was “very, very disturbing.”

Wednesday’s shooting ranks as the greatest loss of life from school gun violence after the 2012 shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 20 first-graders and six adult educators dead.

“It is not enough to simply take actions that make us feel like we are making a difference,” Trump said at the White House in a speech that emphasized school safety and mental health while avoiding any mention of gun policy. “We must actually make that difference.”

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives criticized the Republican leadership on Wednesday for refusing to take up legislation on tightening background checks for prospective gun buyers.

Some gun control proponents and legal experts said Wednesday’s shooting might have been averted if Florida were among the handful

of U.S. states with laws allowing police and family members to obtain restraining orders barring people suspected of being a threat from possessing guns.

Cruz had recently moved in with another family after his mother’s November death, said Jim Lewis, a lawyer representing the family, bringing his AR-15 along with other belongings.

The family believed Cruz was depressed, but attributed that to his mother’s death, not mental illness, Lewis said. (Reuters)

6 Saturday, February 17, 2018

Grief and anger as Florida prepares to bury victims

The shooting has raised questions

among anguished parents about

the adequacy of school security and renewed a national

debate about gun violence

People attend a candlelight vigil

People attend a candlelight vigil for victims of the shooting at nearby Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida

A young student walks under the seventeen cross-es placed on a fence for the victims of yes-terday’s shoot-ing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School attend a memorial

7Saturday, February 17, 2018

© GRAPHIC NEWSSources: Fontanka, MBH Media, Syria Live Map Picture: Channel One Russia

Vladimir Putin’s secret armyA shadowy mercenary group called “ChVK Wagner” has come to

play a crucial role in Russian operations in Syria. The actions of Wagnercoincided with the Kremlin’s intervention in Syria in September 2015

Damascus

S Y R I ADeiral-Zour

Raqqa

Me

dit

err

an

ea

n S

ea

HomsPalmyra

Hasakah

Deraa

HamaLatakia

AleppoIdlib

LEBA

NON

ISRAELJ O R D A N

T U R K E Y

I R A Q

AREAS OF CONTROL (Feb 2018)

Syrian rebel forcesTurkish-backed rebel forces

Syrian army and allies

U.S.-backed Kurdish groupsSo-called Islamic State

TartusRussiannavalbase

KhmeimimAir Base

Founded by formerspecial forces officerDmitry Utkin

ChVK WAGNER

1 Oct 2015: Wagnerpersonnel fly fromGRU* training facilityin southern Russia,to Khmeimim Air Base

Dec 2016: Utkin and deputyAndrei Troshev are guests ofPresident Vladimir Putin at Kremlinfor Heroes Day ceremony

2017: Wagner’s role is expandedto include seizing IS-held gas and oilfacilities for Russian companyEvro Polis, linked to friend of Putin3 Jul: Wagner personnel fightalongside Syrian army to recaptureShaer gas field from IS4

5

Sep-Nov: Wagner takes partin liberation of Deir al-Zour fromIS control

2 Mar 2016: Wagnerians, supportedby Russian airstrikes, serve as“shock troops” – attacking so-calledIslamic State fighters – paving wayfor Syrian Army to liberatePalmyra

1

23

4 5

*GRU: Russia’s main intelligence directorateEuphrates River de-confliction line:Russia’s area of operations to west,U.S.-led coalition to east

60 miles100km

Feb 7, 2018:5th assaultdetachment –Wagner armouredgroup and artilleryunit – destroyedby U.S. airstrikes

Khusham

Shaergas field

Putin’s private armyA shadowy mercenary group known as “ChVK Wagner” has come to

play a crucial role in Russian operations in Syria. The actions of Wagner coincided with the Kremlin’s intervention in Syria in September 2015.

While Russia was expanding its military presence in Syria, security con-tractor Wagner was recruiting hundreds of ex-soldiers online, posting advertisements in military-themed chat rooms, according to Fontanka.ru, a St Petersburg-based independent news site.

Training and selection took place at Molkino in southern Russia, home to the Spetsnaz GRU — the special forces of the foreign military intelligence agency. The first units flew to Russia’s newly completed Khmeimim Air Base in Syria in October 2015.

Wagner personnel were paid 240,000 rubles/month (€3,300, $4,100) and figured heavily in operations against so-called Islamic State (IS) around Palmyra in 2016. They served as “shock troops” alongside the Syrian army, says Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russian security at the Institute of International Relations in Prague.

Although the Russian constitution bans private security contractors Wagner’s commanding officer, Dmitry Utkin, a former Spetsnaz lieuten-ant colonel and his deputy, Andrei Troshev, attended a Kremlin reception hosted by President Vladimir Putin in December 2016.

In 2017 Wagner’s role was expanded to include seizing IS-held gas and oil facilities for Evro Polis -- a Russian company linked to St. Petersburg entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close friend of Putin.

Wagner’s Syrian operations suffered their worst blow on February 7 dur-ing an attack to seize an oil refinery at Khusham from U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). U.S. warplanes, including F-22 Raptors and an AC-130 Spectre ground-attack gunship, responded with air strikes.

Russian MBH Media, quoting former Defence Minister Igor Strelkov, reported the destruction of Wagner’s 5th assault detachment -- an armoured group and an artil-lery unit.

Maria Zakharova, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, said five men, “apparently Russian citizens”, died in the attack on February 7 and an unspecified number of Russians were injured. She declined to provide further details.

While the official number of Russian military personnel killed in Syria stands at 46, more than 200 Russians, including hundreds of Wagnerians, are believed to have lost their lives since 2015.

Family grieves maid found

dead in Kuwait

Manila

The body of a Philippine maid found stuffed in a freezer in

Kuwait arrived home to a tearful welcome yesterday, just days after Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte barred his nationals from working in the Gulf state.

Joanna Demafelis, 29, was found earlier this month after her employers, a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife, disappeared in 2016.

Her death triggered a diplomatic row between Kuwait and Manila, which announced a “total ban” on new employment for Filipinos in the oil-rich country and flew home hundreds of others, a move condemned in the Middle East.

The victim’s wailing sister threw herself at her sibling’s coffin after it was unloaded at Manila airport on Friday, while her stunned brother Joejet Demafelis tried to comfort her.

“This is a huge loss for us. Her dream, she told my mother, is that she was leaving only because she wanted to help our parents and our youngest sibling,” the brother told reporters at the cargo terminal.

“My parents can’t accept this. Every so often, they start weeping,” he added.

“I hope they can find those who killed my sister”.

Authorities say 252,000 Filipinos work in Kuwait, many as maids.

Kuwaiti police believe Demafelis had been hired by a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife who later left

the country, according to local media reports citing police for the information. Authorities found her body when they raided the apartment over an eviction notice.

Domestic workers in the country are not covered by ordinary labour legislation, and accounts of Filipinos being subjected to abuse and exploitation in the Middle East have long circulated.

A fiery Duterte lashed out at Kuwait after Demafelis’ death, alleging that Arab employers routinely rape their Filipina workers, force them to work 21 hours each day and feed them scraps.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Friday the Kuwaiti ambassador had assured him his government was “outraged” over the killing and determined to find those responsible.

Duterte said last week he did not want a quarrel with Kuwait, but he warned he may resort to drastic steps, such as a complete ban on the deployment of Filipino workers, if Kuwait and other governments fail to safeguard Filipinos.

Duterte said 82 Filipino workers died in Kuwait in 2016 and that number rose to 103 last year, though he didn’t specify the cause of death.

“What are you doing to my countrymen? And if I were to do it to your citizens here, would you be happy?” asked the volatile Philippine leader.

Cayetano said while the death was tragic it would be a “rallying point” for governments to work harder to protect Filipinos overseas, while conceding that Philippine-Kuwaiti relations were going through a “very rocky period”.

He said only about three to five percent of Filipino labourers in Kuwait were having problems but acknowledged the government needed to do more.

His department said Monday authorities were repatriating 10,000 Filipinos who had overstayed their visas in Kuwait, with more than 700 flown home already under an amnesty programme announced recently by the Kuwaiti government.

Some 10 million Filipinos work abroad and the money they remit back is a lifeline of the Philippine economy.(Agencies)

The sister of a Filipina worker whose body was found inside a freezer in Kuwait, throws herself at her sibling’s coffin (AFP)

Joanna Demafelis, 29, was found

earlier this month after her

employers, a Lebanese man and

his Syrian wife, disappeared in

2016

8 Saturday, February 17, 2018

Some 2,000 years ago, perhaps, ancient artists in the Arabian

desert climbed tall rock outcrops and carved life-size camels into the stone.

Now, archaeologists exploring a site in northwest Saudi Arabia have discovered about a dozen of the humped sculptures. Although camel art has been found in other parts of the Arabian Peninsula, the newly uncovered engravings at the so-called “Camel Site” are stylistically unique.

The findings, which were reported Tuesday, could help provide insight into the history and development of rock art on the Arabian Peninsula.

“This is a major new discovery and in some ways a completely new type of rock art in Saudi Arabia,” said  Maria Guagnin, an archaeologist from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History who was not involved in the study. “The naturalistic, almost three-dimensional depictions are unlike anything else I’ve seen before and highlight the skills of their prehistoric engravers.”

Though much of the artwork is damaged from erosion or vandalism, the parts still visible suggest careful attention to detail. Sometimes the camels were carved alongside other beasts of burden, like donkeys.

In one rock panel there is a camel lying on the ground with its head tilted toward a donkey that is on its feet. The two are nearly touching.

“It raises its head to the head of the donkey, like Michelangelo in the Vatican — it’s the connection of two species,” said  Guillaume Charloux, an archaeologist  at the French National Center for Scientific Research and lead author on the paper, which  appeared in the journal Antiquity. “To me, it’s a real piece of art.”

Dr. Charloux along with Hussain al-Khalifah from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage, led a team to explore the site in Al Jawf.

“When we arrived at the site, we were astonished,” said Dr. Charloux. The team conducted three short visits in 2016 and 2017. They found 11 camels, two donkeys and one unknown horse-like animal.

Despite their detailed artwork, the ancient artists left very few inscriptions or pieces of writing behind unlike at many other rock art locations.

That left the team with many unanswered questions, like who carved the sculptures? How did they carve them? And why camels?

Dr. Charloux suspects the engravers were influenced by

Nabatean art, which came from an ancient nomadic people in the area, as well as the Parthians from what is now Iran. The Camel Site, he said, may have served as a border that signalled the edge of the Nabatean territory. It also could have been a rest stop for caravans crossing the desert to trade, or a spot to worship.

Dr. Charloux said based on its similarities to other works, it most likely dated to about 2,000 years ago. But the site is currently on private land that has been damaged by bulldozers, and it is difficult to scientifically date.

Laila Nehme, an archaeologist also from the French National Center for Scientific Research but not involved in the paper, said the work was unique because it was carved in relief, but added that she wasn’t ready to associate the work with the Nabateans or any other group in the region.

Peter Magee, an archaeologist  from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania said the finding shows the ingenuity of those who lived in ancient Arabia. But he pointed out that without scientific dating, the findings were tentative.

“An even earlier date for these amazing sculptures cannot be ruled out,” Dr. Magee said. (nytimes)

9Saturday, February 17 , 2018

Washington

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s U.S. unit said it would recall about 228,508 trucks in the United States, Canada,

Mexico and some other markets. The brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI) may overheat on some vehicles, FCA US LLC said, adding that it would cause the shifter to be repositioned without brake-pedal application, or the presence of a key in the ignition.

Washington

U.S. homebuilding increased to more than a one-year high in January, boosted by a rebound in the construction

of single-family housing units, and further gains are likely as building permits soared to their highest level since 2007. Housing starts jumped 9.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.326 million units, the Commerce Department said on Friday. 

-Mitt Romney,

Fiat Chrysler to recall 228,508 trucks I’ve decided to run for United States Senate because I’ve decided I can help bring Utah’s values and Utah’s lessons to Washington. Utah has a lot to teach the politicians in Washington,”

US housing starts rebound

Former Republican presidential candidate, who is seeking to replace retiring Senator Orrin Hatch

Citigroup ups CEO pay 48pcto $23 million

© GRAPHIC NEWSSources: ENEC, Institute for Policy and Strategy, World Nuclear Association

UAE to open Arab world’s first nuclear plantThe United Arab Emirates is preparing to commission its first nuclear

power station, setting a unique precedent for the Arab Gulf regionExpected to

come online in 2018.Other reactors

due to startby 2020

Reactor 1

Reactor 2

Reactor 3

Reactor 4

Transmissionlines

BARAKAH NUCLEARENERGY PLANTFour 1,400MW advancedpressurised waterreactors built bySouth Korea’sKEPCO

Combinedouput: 5,600MW.Will supply up to25 percent of UAE’selectricity needs

APR-1400 REACTORContainment building

Fabrication of reactor fuel totake place in South Korea

Auxiliarybuilding

Turbinebuilding

Saudi Arabia

2030 – site not selected

UAE

2018-2020

Sudan

2030 – sitenot selected

Egypt

Due to beoperationalby 2025

El DabaaEl Dabaa

SUNNI ARAB STATESGOING NUCLEAR

Numberof reactors

Riyadh

QasrAmra

Barakah

Cairo

Khartoum

500km300 miles

Jordan

2023-2025

© GRAPHIC NEWSSources: ENEC, Institute for Policy and Strategy, World Nuclear Association

UAE to open Arab world’s first nuclear plantThe United Arab Emirates is preparing to commission its first nuclear

power station, setting a unique precedent for the Arab Gulf regionExpected to

come online in 2018.Other reactors

due to startby 2020

Reactor 1

Reactor 2

Reactor 3

Reactor 4

Transmissionlines

BARAKAH NUCLEARENERGY PLANTFour 1,400MW advancedpressurised waterreactors built bySouth Korea’sKEPCO

Combinedouput: 5,600MW.Will supply up to25 percent of UAE’selectricity needs

APR-1400 REACTORContainment building

Fabrication of reactor fuel totake place in South Korea

Auxiliarybuilding

Turbinebuilding

Saudi Arabia

2030 – site not selected

UAE

2018-2020

Sudan

2030 – sitenot selected

Egypt

Due to beoperationalby 2025

El DabaaEl Dabaa

SUNNI ARAB STATESGOING NUCLEAR

Numberof reactors

Riyadh

QasrAmra

Barakah

Cairo

Khartoum

500km300 miles

Jordan

2023-2025

New York

Citigroup Inc raised Chief Executive Officer

Michael Corbat’s annual compensation by 48 percent to $23 million for 2017, a year in which the bank made more money from operations but still fell short of earlier targets.

Directors considered recent progress toward new targets when setting Corbat’s pay, according to a public filing on Friday.

A year earlier, Corbat’s annual compensation was cut 6 percent to $15.5 million after the bank missed financial performance targets and saw one-third of its voting shareholders disapprove of his prior pay.

After that vote, the company made changes to its pay plan, which was then endorsed by 97 percent of voting shareholders at its annual meeting in April.

In July, Citigroup recast targets set in 2013 as new goals for 2020.

In 2017, Citigroup stock jumped 25 percent and its profit rose 4 percent, excluding a charge for the impact of the U.S. tax law change on the value of its deferred tax assets.

Corbat, 57, has been CEO since 2012. Citigroup is the fourth biggest U.S. bank by assets.

The change in Corbat’s pay compares with annual raises of 5 to 20 percent for some other Wall Street executives. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co, the biggest U.S. bank, was paid $29.5 million, a 5.4 percent increase. Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman’s compensation was raised 20 percent to $27 million.

Lloyd Blankfein, chief executive of Goldman Sachs Group Inc received

a 9 percent raise to $22 million, the company said on Friday. Bank of America Corp CEO Brian Moynihan was paid $23 million, up 15 percent.

Citigroup made additional disclosures on Friday which indicate that other senior executives received approximately these amounts of compensation in 2017:

James Forese, president and chief executive of Citi’s Institutional Clients Group received $20 million, up 31 percent from 2016.

John Gerspach, chief financial officer, got $11 million, up 22 percent.

Stephen Bird, chief executive of global consumer banking, received $10.5 million, up 17 percent.

Jane Fraser, chief executive for Latin America, received $8.5 million, up 8 percent. (Reuters)

UAE to open Arab world’s first nuclear power plant

The United Arab Emirates is due to commission the Arab world’s first nuclear power station in 2018. The Barakah plant’s four reactors are expected to supply up to 25 percent of the UAE’s electricity needs by 2020.

The UAE is just one of several countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, that have announced plans to build nuclear power plants over the next decade.

Those countries have justified their pursuit of nuclear energy

in the desire to meet rising demands for electricity, but

the reactor-building spree can also be viewed as a response to

Iran’s nuclear programme.

Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat

BUSINESS Saturday, February 17, 201810

COUNTRY/CURRENCIES SELLBUY

Rates are for indication purpose only. For firm rates or for currencies not listed above please call Bahrain Financing Company. Telephone: 17228888, Website: www.bfc.com.bh

COUNTRY 1 US DLR 1 UK STG 1 SFR 100 YEN

BAHRAIN 0.3770 0.5738 0.4026 0.3472

KUWAIT 0.2855 30.9967 0.3049 0.2630

OMAN 0.3849 0.3605 0.4110 0.3545

QATAR 3.6420 3.4107 3.8889 3.3545

UAE 3.6730 3.4398 3.9221 3.3831

SAUDI 3.7500 3.5119 4.0043 3.4540

AUSTRALIA 0.3020 0.2996BANGLADESH 0.00479 0.00453CANADA 0.3062 0.3029DENMARK 0.0653 EGYPT 0.0237 0.0219EURO 0.4693 0.4668HONGKONG 0.04967 0.04927INDIA 0.00596 0.00591INDONESIA 0.00003016 0.00002832IRAN TUMAN 0.00010959 IRAQI DINAR 0.000317 JAPAN 0.00363 0.003560JORDAN 0.5359 0.5351KOREA 0.00039788 KUWAIT 1.261 1.261MALAYSIA 0.0991 0.0982NEW ZEALAND 0.2773 0.2774NORWAY 0.0496 NEPAL 0.00395 0.00367OMAN 0.98168 0.98301PAKISTAN 0.00353 0.00341PHILIPPINES 0.00763 0.00733QATAR 0.10381 0.10397SAUDI ARABIA 0.1006 0.10066SINGAPORE 0.2888 0.2868SOUTH AFRICA 0.03290 0.03280SRI LANKA 0.00283 0.00244SWEDISH 0.0498 SWITZERLAND 0.4106 0.4074SYRIA 0.001740 0.0017TAIWAN 0.013600 THAILAND 0.012090 0.012080TURKEY 0.1044 UNITED KINGDOM 0.5304 0.5275UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 0.102850 0.102870UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 0.37790 0.37800YUAN 0.056800 0.056800

New Delhi/Mumbai

Investors may have been shocked when one

of India’s biggest banks disclosed a $1.77 billion fraud by  billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi, but the central bank has recorded data that shows the problem runs far deeper and wider.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, which a Reuters reporter obtained through a right-to-information request, shows state-run banks have reported 8,670 “loan fraud” cases totalling 612.6 billion rupees ($9.58 billion) over the last five financial years up to March 31, 2017.

In India, loan frauds typically refer to cases where the borrower intentionally tries to deceive the lending bank and does not repay the loan.

The figures expose the magnitude of the problem in a banking sector already under pressure after years of poor lending practices. Bad loans surged to a record peak of nearly $149 billion last year.

Bank loan frauds have steadily increased as well, reaching 176.34 billion rupees in the latest financial year from 63.57 billion rupees in 2012-13, according to the data, which doesn’t include the PNB case.

Punjab National Bank, India’s second-largest state lender, said on Wednesday two junior officers at a single branch had  illegally steered

$1.77 billion in fraudulent loans  to companies, most of them controlled by billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi. It was India’s biggest fraud ever.

“This might be the tip of the iceberg or the middle, and that is the worry,” said Pratibha Jain, partner at law firm Nishith Desai Associates, who advises on bankruptcy cases.

“The fact is we don’t know what else is out there.”

Bank Disclosures The RBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But in June 2017 the central bank, in its Financial Stability Report, called frauds in banks and financial institutions “one of the emerging risks to the financial sector”.

“In a number of large value frauds, serious gaps in credit underwriting standards were evident,” the RBI said, adding that some of the gaps include lack of continuous monitoring of cash flows and cash profits, diversion of funds, double financing and general credit governance issues in banks.

The RBI has been commended for forcing Indian banks to fully disclose its bad loans, speed up their recovery, and stop hiding fraud cases as non-performing assets.

Yet to some critics, the RBI has, at the same time, been too guarded about publicly

sharing data on loan defaults or fraudulent loans. This is partly due to legal constraints on disclosing individual cases and worries investors would pummel the affected banks, making loan recovery even harder.

In fact, the numbers of loan fraud cases across India could be even higher since they only include cases reported to the RBI, which involve only loans of 100,000 rupees or more.

In its right-to-information request, Reuters sought data from 20 of India’s 21 state-run lenders and obtained 15 replies.

PNB topped the list with 389 cases totalling 65.62 billion rupees ($1.03 billion) over the last five financial years, in terms of the total amounts involved.

Reuters was unable to obtain a detailed breakdown on the exact nature and method of the loan frauds the banks reported to RBI over the last five financial years.

After PNB, Bank of Baroda had the highest amount of loan fraud reported, with 44.73 billion rupees from 389 cases and Bank of India ranked third, with loan frauds totalling 40.5 billion rupees from 231 cases over the same period, the data shows.

India’s biggest lender, State Bank of India reported 1,069 loan fraud cases in the last five financial years but did not disclose the amount.

It was also unclear how much has been recovered by

the banks over the years.

Wholesale reformsThe magnitude of the bad debt in India forced the government last year to bail out the sector by pledging to inject $32 billion over this financial year and next.

Yet analysts and credit rating agencies have long warned that solving the bad debt at India’s banking sector needs to also involve wholesale reforms of the lending practices that led to the surge in bad loans.

Bankers have been blamed for steering funds to politically connected business tycoons, such as Vijay Mallya, without due diligence, or after being pressed by government officials to steer funds to sectors it wanted to promote, such as infrastructure.

Mallya stands accused in India of fraudulently palming off losses from his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines onto banks by taking out loans he had no intention of repaying, an allegation he denies.

Nirav Modi, the jeweller accused in the PNB fraud case, posed for pictures with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he was part of India’s delegation of corporate leaders.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has denied any link with Nirav Modi, who is not related to India’s Prime Minister. (Reuters)

‘Loan fraud’ is much bigger

A man talks on a phone as he walks past a Nirav Modi showroom dur-ing a raid by the Enforcement Directorate, a government agen-cy that fights financial crime

The World, a 300-island chain laid out in the

shape of world’s continents,

has only been partly developed

11Saturday, February 17, 2018

back!The World

A multi-billion pound vision for an archipelago

of ‘countries’ in Dubai with artificial, celebrity-owned fantasy islands has been resurrected - ten years after it was abandoned due to the financial crash.

The World, a 300-island chain laid out in the shape of the world’s continents and made out of sand dredged from the Gulf, has only been partially developed after the lavish project ground to a halt in 2008.

But construction work on the sprawling site, surrounded by a 20-mile breakwater, is underway once more with lofty plans afoot for the likes of a ‘Floating Venice’ complete with gondolas and canals, an Ibiza-themed resort and luxurious floating ‘Sea Horse’ hotels costing up to £2.9million.

Work on the 5,000-hectare cluster of man-made islands began in 2003 in a plan unveiled by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. An estimated $14 billion was sunk into the project.

Built using 320 million cubic metres of sand dredged from Dubai’s shallow coastal waters as well as 25 million tonnes of rock, the islands lie 4km off the shore of Jumeirah.

In 2008 master developer Nakheel, effectively owned by the government, boasted that 70 per cent of the islands had

already been sold. Developers, financiers,

global banks, building giants and investors flooded in. But within months of the emirate suffering the brunt of the worldwide economic crisis, all that could be seen was emptiness and desolation and instead of a millionaire’s playground there were 299 mounds of bare sand sweltering in the 40 degrees centigrade heat.

The region found itself $100billion in debt after enjoying years of excessive and exuberant spending, leaving deep-pocketed investors hesitant to pile money into its many development projects.

However, enthusiasm for the project was rekindled and construction teams can once again be seen at work on the islands with a decadent ‘Heart

of Europe’ development progressing and plans to finish a luxury 100-villa resort on one of the South America islands by the end of this year.

In a bizarre twist, Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan revealed last month that she is also designing her own island - giving it the name ‘Lohan Island’.

The islands were marketed as a playground for the rich and famous with people invited to ‘own the world’ and snap up their own territory for up to £36million.

Richard Branson was pictured in a Union Jack suit planting a Union flag in ‘Britain’ in 2006 while Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Anjelina Jolie were also rumoured to have snapped up Dubai’s version of Ethiopia.

There were plans to create a Giant’s Causeway in ‘Ireland’, while a Chinese tycoon had unveiled a vision to recreate

Shanghai’s skyline.But in the end, only Dubai’s

version of Lebanon was opened to the public - it is now a party destination hosting fashion and corporate events.

Among the new plans is a cluster of six islands to form a Heart of Europe development.

Within this there will be a ‘Floating Venice’, billed as the world’s first five-star floating destination aiming to bring ‘the charm, serenity and culture of Venice to the tranquil shores of Dubai’.

A Portofino hotel is being built on Italy island while the groundwork is being prepared for an Alpine complex on Switzerland.

Developed Kleindienst aims to make ‘St Petersburg’

a honeymoon island while a main Europe island will feature an Ibiza-themed resort as well as city hotels representing Munich, London, Amsterdam and Scandinavia - all connected by a circular swimming pool, according to the Guardian’s Oliver Wainwright.

Sweden will feature ten ‘palaces’ as one of the most exclusive resorts while Germany will also be reserved for top-end customers.

Dubai’s ruling family is eager to put return the city to its former state of prosperity by hosting the 2020 World Expo, which will bring about an estimated $25billion economic boost. (MailOnline)

The Floating Seahorse luxury villa.

Michael Schumacher’s house on an island in The World

Developer Nakheel’s 2006 rendering of The World

An underwater bed-room on the Floating Seahorse villa in 2018.

The World, right, and its fellow artificial archi-pelago the Palm Jumeirah, seen from space.

Saturday, February 17, 201812

A distribution Ceremony of the Medal of BDF was held at Shaikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Khalifa hall at BDF Hospital under the patronage of Commander of the Royal Medical Services Major General Prof. Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa. The Royal Medical Services Com-mander presented the medal to senior officers of the BDF Hospital and the field medical battalion.

Bahrain Defence Force held a gradua-tion ceremony for a specialised military session at the Royal Bahrain Air Force (RBAF), in the pres-ence of RBAF Com-mander Air Vice-Mar-shal Shaikh Hamad bin Abdulla Al Khali-fa. After a briefing on the session’s theo-retical and practical programmes, the RBAF Commander presented the gradu-ates with their certifi-cates, thanking them and the trainees for the efforts made dur-ing the session.

Ambassador of Bahrain to Jordan Ahmed Yousef Al Rowaie has presented his credentials to Jordan’s Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Zaid Al Lozi. They reviewed the historic fraternal ties, praising the constant progress of these ties in various fields.

President of the Supreme Council for Health Lt-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khal-ifa has patronized the Occupational Medicine Conference held at the Royal University for Women in collaboration with West Virginia University. The event was attended by renowned speakers in the medical field in addition to a number of representatives from the health, industry and business sec-tors in the Kingdom of Bahrain, North America and the GCC.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa received the ICT Personality of the Year Public Sector Award from the ICT Conference and the Bahrain International Technology exhibition (BITEX) in its eighth edition. The exhibition was held un-der the patronage of the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Kamal Ahmed. On behalf of Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Assistant Undersecretary for Consular Affairs, Resources and Information Ambassador Khalil Yaqoob Al Khayat received the award.

Algeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdelkader Messahel has received a copy of the credentials of Bahrain’s Ambassador-Designate to Algeria Fuad Sadiq Al-Baharna. The ambassador conveyed the greetings of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khal-ifa to his Algerian counterpart.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia Khemaies Jhinaoui received a copy of credentials from the newly-appointed Ambassador of Bahrain Ibrahim Mahmood Ahmed Abdulla. The Ambassador expressed his pride and appre-ciation for the strong brotherly ties between Bahrain and Tunisia.

Saturday, February 17, 2018 13

Bahrain’s embassy to the United States of America organised a series of athletic activities for its members in Washington to celebrate Bahrain Sports Day.

A distribution Ceremony of the Medal of BDF was held at Shaikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Khalifa hall at BDF Hospital under the patronage of Commander of the Royal Medical Services Major General Prof. Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa. The Royal Medical Services Com-mander presented the medal to senior officers of the BDF Hospital and the field medical battalion.

Under the patronage of the Commander-in-Chief of BDF Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khali-fa the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the second phase of the Wadi Al-Sail Housing Project benefit-ing BDF affiliates was held. The commander-in-chief deputised Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Dhiyab bin Saqr Al-Nuaimi to attend the ceremony.

Bahrain’s embassy in Japan organised sports activities for its mem-bers in Tokyo in celebration of the Bahrain Sports Day. Sports activities varied from walking, jogging and cycling starting from the embassy and heading towards the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower.

The Director of Staff of the National Guard Major-General Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Saud Al Khalifa received member of Parliament (MP) Khalifa Al-Ghanim. The meeting reviewed the current cooperation as well as various issues of shared interest

President of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Nurgaliyevich Minnikhanov met Bahraini Ambassador to Russia Dr. Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Sa’ati. Tatarstan President called to hold the next meetings of the Bahraini-Russian government committee for commercial, economic, scientific and technological cooperation this year in Kazan, the capital city of Tatarstan.

Algeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdelkader Messahel has received a copy of the credentials of Bahrain’s Ambassador-Designate to Algeria Fuad Sadiq Al-Baharna. The ambassador conveyed the greetings of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khal-ifa to his Algerian counterpart.

Los Angeles

Singer Shirley Manson says winning awards doesn’t

matter in the “long term” and that having a long and successful career is more important than collecting awards.

“I always think award shows are a weird amalgamation of love and being in the right place at the right time, and the right people vote for you. I don’t really think it means that much in the long term,” Manson told BANG Showbiz.

She added: “It’s wonderful to win something, but it doesn’t mean anything in the long term. The thing that matters is that you have a long and enduring career and you get to be creative for the rest of your life, that is the prize.” (IANS)

Ellen DeGeneres @TheEllenShow

I can’t stop thinking about it. We should be working to

protect our kids. Our voice is our vote. We can vote

people in and we can vote people out.

14 Saturday, February 17, 2018

Son of Babylon, directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji, is a

tough, tender, hugely moving work of mourning for all those Iraqi men and women who have disappeared since the Gulf War.

Set in 2003, it follows a young boy Ahmed (Yasser Talib) and his grandmother (Shazada Hussein, also a first-time performer) as they travel through the dusty, battered roads of northern Iraq in search of their missing father/son, a jailed former soldier.

This is a travel journey through a militarised nation still in the throes of unstable reconstruction.

The landscapes they pass are lonely and vehicle-scarred. The pair squabble, grieve, look after each other.

They have to: they’re Kurds and few of the Iraqis they meet along the way can understand what they’re saying. When they do find a fellow speaker, he turns out to be a former member of the murderous Republican

Guard. It’s at moments like these

that the film evokes the challenges that would face any kind of truth-and-reconciliation commission in the country.

On and on Ahmed and his grandmother travel. Some of the things they’re looking for they find. Others they don’t. All the while we discover many things – about keening love, unfathomable despair, human endurance – that are hard to forget. (telegraph.co.uk)

Son of Babylon

London

Actor Daniel Craig, who has played secret agent

James Bond in four films, will sell his personal Aston Martin numbered 007, at a Christie’s auction in April.

“The bespoke, midnight-blue 2014 Centenary Edition

Vanquish - numbered 007 - will be offered on 20 April in New York. Sale proceeds will benefit The Opportunity Network, which helps young people with career development,” the auction house said in a statement, reported Efe.

The automobile, worth an estimated $400,000 to $600,000, is being sold under Christie’s The Exceptional Sale, described by the auction house as “a highly selective, tightly curated auction of decorative arts masterpieces and significant cultural icons.” (IANS)

February 17, 1991

Ed Sheeran

Singer/songwriter who first gained attention for his hit 2011 song “The A Team,” which went 4x platinum. His 2014 single “Thinking Out Loud” earned him two Grammy Awards.

Actor Robert Pattinson has joined William Dafoe

in fantasy horror film ‘The Lighthouse’.

According to reports, Robert Eggers is directing the project from his own script.

The film, which is scheduled to go on floors this year, is set in the world of old sea-faring myths, taking place in Nova Scotia in the early 20th century and centring on an aging lighthouse keeper (Dafoe).

Rodrigo Teixeira and Lourenco Sant’ Anna will produce via their Brazil-based production house.

The project hails from an entertainment company, which recently worked with Pattinson on ‘Good Time’ and Dafoe on ‘The Florida Project’. (PTI)

Los Angeles

Actress Jennifer Aniston and her actor husband Justin Theroux are going their separate ways

after two years of marriage.“In an effort to reduce any further

speculation, we have decided to announce our separation. This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year. We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship,” the couple said in a joint statement to eonline.com.

“Normally we would do this privately, but given that the gossip industry cannot resist an opportunity to speculate and invent, we wanted to convey the truth directly. (IANS)

Saturday, February 17, 2018 15

Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. In 1991, at the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo The B.G.’z, alongside fellow New Orleans-based rapper Lil’ Doogie. In 1996, Lil Wayne joined the southern hip hop group Hot Boys, with his Cash Money label-mates Juvenile, Young Turk and Lil’ Doogie (who now goes by B.G.). Hot Boys debuted with Get It How U Live!, that same year. Most of the group’s success came with their platinum-selling album Guerrilla Warfare (1999).

Lil Wayne

Something old, something new, something borrowed

and something out of the blue - Amy Schumer has tied the knot with chef Chris Fischer. The 36-year-old comedian took to her Instagram page to share photos from the event under the caption, “Yup.”

In her second post, she cleared up rumours and

addressed requests to send gifts, writing, “2 things. No I’m not pregnant.

And no gifts but thank you for asking. Instead please consider donation to Everytown for Gun Safety. Thought of Mayce and Jillian a lot yesterday and sending love to everyone who has been affected by gun violence.” (ANI)

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SCENAMADREDate: 27 March - 27 May 2018, 8:00am - 8:00pmVenue: Bahrain National Theatre In celebration of the World Theatre Day, the Bahrain National Theatre hosts SCENAMADRE , an exhibition curated by the Accademia Albertina Di Belle Arte in Torino, Italy. The dis-play features a collection of models that illustrate the history of theatre set design and highlights the story of scenic architecture in the world of theatre, scenography and stage design.

MUSIC AND MIRRORS BY JAMAL ABDULRAHIMDate: 4 - 30 April 2018, 9:00am - 8:00pmVenue: Art CentreBahraini Artist, Jamal Abdulrahim, has been presenting abstract and experimental art throughout his 30 years of works. Such works were representations of his continuous studies and research of lines, colours and compositions. In this upcoming solo exhibition, Music and Mirrors, Jamal Abdulrahim revisits the Realism school of art and presents his newly developed approach to this classic school.

AFTER WORK BARBEQUE @ OASISDate: Every Thursday Venue: Ramada Bahrain Adliya Bring your colleagues and friends and start your weekend with us! Enjoy unlimited Food and Beverage for only BD 14++. Every Thursday from 5:30 PM until 9:00 PM. See you!!! For more information, please call +973 17742000 or visit our website: www.ramadabahrain.com

BAHRAINI FARMER’S MARKETDate: till 31st March 2018Venue: Budaiya Botanical Gardens

Bahrain Farmers Market targets promoting Bahrain’s agricultural products and highlight-ing the development taking place in Bahrain’s agricultural sector. It also aims to contribute to improving the Bahraini farmers’ income through a marketing system prepared by the Agriculture and Marine Resources to assist in meeting the farmers’ aspirations.

FOOD IS CULTURE IIIDate: 21 January - 25 February 2018, 7:00-9:00pmVenue: Bahrain National MuseumFood is Culture is a creative experimental project that aims to bridge together the mediums of art and food. Running in parallel with the Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition, this experiment sheds light on creative processes that take place when two individuals (from different creative disciplines) collaborate. Every year five artists and five chefs get together and work to produce a creative product; be it a painting, installation, video, cake, drink, all or something completely different. The result of their two months’ work, which is documented in a short film and a publication, will be presented during the course of the week, where they share and display their collective creations.

MOVENPICK HOTEL Date: Every Monday Venue: Silk’s restaurant Time: 7.00 pm to 11.00pmSeafood Night – The freshest catch of the dayExperience a unique medley of super succulent seafood delicacies and taste the freshest catch every Monday on Seafood Night at Silk’s res-taurant. What makes it an ideal night out for seafood lovers? The best selection of popular and traditional seafood dishes. On the buffet table

is a vast range of aquatic delicacies, from sushi, sashimi, seafood dim sum, tempura, oysters, slipper lobster and tiger prawns, to popular fish such as grouper and red snapper. Our talented team of chefs will prepare your favourite catch, just the way you like it. Seafood Night is priced at BD 24 net and BHD 29 net per person including unlimited selected wines, beers and soft drinks from 7.00 pm to 11.00 pm. For more informa-tion, call +973 17 460017 or email hotel.bahrain.fb@movenpick.com.

KABABNA Date: Every TuesdayVenue: Silk’s restaurant Time: 7.00pm to 11.00pmGrilled to perfection at Silk’s restaurant . Embark on a delicious journey of kebabs every Tuesday evening. Join us for dinner at Silk‘s restaurant and bite into succulent grilled kebabs with your choice from 16 different marinades. We‘ll turn, char and cook them to mouth-watering perfec-tion. Try our signature Arabic Salad Island, a carefully prepared selection for guests to enjoy, complimented by freshly squeezed refreshments at only BHD 18 net or BD 30 including unlim-ited selected wine and beer . Call +973 17460017 or email hotel.bahrain.fb@movenpick.com for bookings.

THURSDAY NIGHT OUT Date: Every Thursday Venue: Gallery lobby and Silk’s restaurantTime: 7.00pm to 11.00pmRelish prime US beef, unlimited exotic cocktails, beers, wines and gourmet food cooked to per-fection every Thursday at Silk’s restaurant from 7.00 pm to 11.00 pm. To set the perfect mood for an eventful night, our resident DJ will be playing tunes as guests dine for only BHD 32.00 net per person, including unlimited beverages. Call +973 17460017 or email hotel.bahrain.fb@movenpick.com for bookings.

SWISS FONDUE Date: Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday Venue: Silk’s restaurant and Outdoor ter-raceTime: 7 pm onwardsCome fondue with us this winter! Dip into the divine cheesy sensation and celebrate the clas-sic Gruyere cheese fondue with dipping bread breads and dip-ables, as we offer a wide selection of authentic, freshly prepared cheese fondue spe-cials. There’s even a chocolate fondue to finish when you chose set menu at BD 22.00++!Price starts BHD15++ per fondue and served in Silks restaurant and outdoor terrace on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday. Set menu available upon request. Call +973 17460017 or email us at hotel.bahrain.fb@movenpick.comuest.

THE BEST FRIDAY BRUNCH IN TOWN Date: Every FridayVenue: Gallery lobby, Silk’s restaurant and Flamingo bar Time: 12.30 PM to 4.00pmGet ready to spoil yourself with our award-win-ning, international, savoury and mouth-watering brunch every Friday. Whether you want to relax or recover, this is the place to be. Our expert chefs showcase their talent in cooking to amaze you, and a live cooking station along with margarita, mojito, Irish coffee, and unlimited wine and beer spread all over the hotel. Kids can also enjoy the “play and draw” corner with delicious and healthy kids’ menu, face painting and entertain-ment. You can book in advance for St. Patrick’s Day on 16 March to enjoy Irish breakfast, Irish stew, Guinness pie and many more. Don’t miss the Easter-themed brunch on 30 March 2018. Friday brunch is priced at BHD 36 net per person including unlimited beverages.To book a seat, call +973 17460017 or email us at hotel.bahrain.fb@movenpik.com.

SHONEEZ MOTORS

Contact us on : 17556862- 39668636Address: Al Burhama , Rakan Center

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We offer you the strongest offers for the New Year 2018 with the latest models of new and old cars.

Visit us and get your cars at the best prices and offers from BCFC.

Visit us and get the chance to be one of the lucky winners with our latest promotions!

HOW TO REACH US “Out & About’, a ready reckoner for the eventstaking place on the island, is published from Friday to Tuesday. To be included, please send the matter to the followingemail ID : news@dt.bh

SALOON FOR SALE Near Lulu Hypermarket, Riffa. Contact : 35604890, 36089800

CASIO TONE BANK, KEY BOARDMT T50 with Stand , Black Color, Contact :33335690

MULTI GYMRarely Used- in Good condition ,Contact: 38950916

FOR SALEVarious used Household/Kids items for sale in Isa town, Contact: 33458800

TOYOTA YARIS2012 Model , 55000 KM , In mint condition,Contact : 32317671

TOYOTA COROLLA2009 model, White Color, 138000 KMS, Passing until 2019,In good condition for BHD 1850Contact: 33830591

TOYOTA YARIS-Green Color.148000k KM, Passing until 2019 in good condition. 2nd Owner- B H D 1 5 5 0 .Contact : 38185155

TOYOTA YARISManual Shift, White Color, 120000KM, Passing until 31-05-2018.Good condition BHD 1150.Contact: 36294798

HONDA CIVICBlue Color, 200000KM, Passing until 31-08-2018.Good condition, BHD 750.Contact: 38185155

TOYOTA ECHOManual Gear, White Color, 200000 KM, Passing until 31-08-2018 in good condition B H D 7 0 0 .Contact :33830591

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SHONEEZ MOTORS LEXUS LX570 (2018) = BHD39,999.000 , GAC- GS8 (2018) = BHD9,500.000 , SUZUKI VITARA = BHD8,150.000, TOYOTA TRD 86 = BHD11,500.000, CHEVROLET SPARK = BHD4,499.000 , And much more favorable offers at the showroom!Contact us on :39668636 -17556862, Address: Al Burhama , Rakan Center, Kingdom of Bahrain.Block 354, Road 5447, Bldg 1974, Shop 18

SPECIAL COACHING FOR MATHEMATICS, STATISTICS, PHYSICS & CHEMISTRY for All Bachelors & Masters Programs including Engineering & Poly Technic for More details & Admission Please Contact: Indian Excellent Educational Centre W.L.L ,Villa 855, Road 3315, Block 333, Um Al Hassam, Phone: 32332709, 32332746, 17344971, Website: www. ieecbahra in .comEmai l : in fo@i e e c b a h r a i n . c o m

SAT, JEE &NEET PREPARATION IN BAHRAIN Regular NEET & IIT-JEE Coaching for XI & XII, Medical and Engineering Entrance Program Crash

Course March-April18, NEET/JEE Intensive Training. Starts immediately after 12th Board Exam SAT-I & SAT-II Preparations .For more details & Admission Please Contact: Indian Excellent Educational Centre W.L.L .Villa 855, Road 3315, Block 333, Um Al Hassam, Phone: 32332709, 32332746, 17344971Website: www.ieecbahrain.com Email: info@ieecbahrain.com

INDIAN INSTITUTE FOR PERFORMING ARTS(IIPA)the pioneering and legally acclaimed Institution of its kind in Bahrain offers systematic classes in C a r n a t i c / H i n d u s t a n i ,vocal , Bharathanatyam,M o h i n i y a t t a m , K u c h i p u d i , K a t h a k , Violin, Keyboard, Guitar, Piano, Drawing/Painting. Transportaion available.For Details call: 17231717,Email:iipa@batelco.com.bh

INDIAN MUSIC AND ARTS CENTRE BAHRAIN ,IMAC pioneers in the field of Music,Dance and Art trainings for a decade in the island ,offers a wide range of coaching classes for Music,Classical Dance, Cinematic dance,Western dance,For details contact- 77001508

WE DO OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY @ REASONABLE PRICE WITH HIGH QUALITY HD CAMERA BY PROFESSIONAL TEAM.For more Information Contact us: Lensmagic Digital Studio

Shop 10 Block 326Ozama Bin Zaid AvenueAdliya Tel:17179172/ 1 7 6 2 1 0 7 0 / 1 7 7 4 5 9 8 3M o b : 3 9 9 4 3 1 1 6

WHITE DRAGON PEST CONTROLfor eliminating Bed Bugs , Cockroaches, Contact : 39404821 , 17246181

HIGH BUILDING GATE CONSTRUCTION S.P.C (HBGC) Interior Design and Construction Company – Interior Decoration,Gypsum Plasterboard & Gypsum Decorative ceilings,Metal and ineral Fiber Ceilings,GRG Ceilings , Aluminum Ceilings Gypsum Partitions,Thermal

Insulations, Wall Claddings and Parquet Flooring ,Building Maintenance, Civil, Painting and Electrical works.Contact : 17540231 ,33477793 , E m a i l : h b g c s p c @g m a i l . c o m .

SHONEEZ MOTORSWe offer you the strongest offers for the New Year 2018 with the latest models of new and old cars. Visit us and get your cars at the best prices and offers from BCFC. Visit us and get the chance to be one of the lucky winners with our latest promotions! Contact us on: 39668636 -17556862,Address: Al Burhama , Rakan Center, Kingdom of Bahrain. Block 354, Road 5447, Bldg 1974, Shop 18

ROSE PETALSdesigner ladies boutique with unique collection for women such as Kurtis , ethnic wears, western designer gowns, branded leggings, patiala, palazzo pants also has a wide range of fabrics and custom made stitching for ladies and kids available. for more info contact 77334499

DEVES GATE CAR SERVICECar washing, lubricants change, all kinds of repairs, computer diagnostic, BG services. Al hajjiyath, Riffa :17760042

DEVES GATE CAR SERVICESCar detailing, window tinting, seat upholstery, paint protection film, A/C works, Al hajjiyath, Riffa 17009275

ROHITH CAR SERVICES Car washing, all kinds of lubricants, flushing service . Mameer, Sitra road1 7 7 0 0 5 6 6

AL TAHALIF CONTRACTINGAll kinds of Civil works includes Electrical , Mechanical and Plumbing. Contact : 39656092

MAGNUM IMPRINT W.L.L. Large format digital printing. All kind of sign boards, graphic designs, exhibition works, branding, screen printing, and vinyl graphics .Contact 33856330, 39887088Blue Sea International Company W.L.L. Our Services: Air / Sea / Land Freight. Contact : 35907141

FILTER AQUAPRO BAHRAIN TRADING W.L.L Direct wholesale of factory tools and commodities for the first time in Bahrain, Authorized Factory outlet in Bahrain. Branch office of Aquapro Taiwan . For more info contact - 38852025, 17326744

CONVEX CORPORATE EVENTS COMPANY. Light, Sound , LED, Event Permissions . Mob. 39887068

NEW OPTICAL HOUSEEYE TESTING AVAILABLE, QUALITY EYE WEARS, SUN GLASSES AND P R E S C R I P T I O N EYE GLASSES AT UNBEATABLE P R I C E . . ! ! ! W O R K I N G HOURS 9 AM -12.30 PM 4PM -8.00 PM

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LOOKING FOR corporate office space for Group of Companies with 8 CR, 100sq-mtr each.Contact : 17579918FOR RENTWarehouses, Stores, Workshops, Factories, Restaurants, Office Flats, Villas, Labour & Staff accommodation, Family flats, apartments and Villas - for inquiries call or Whatsapp 39802442

AVAILABLE FOR RENTSemi, Full and un furnished flats, villas, apartments and commercial properties in um Al Hassam, Adliya, Mahooz, Segaya, Gufool, Juffair, Hoora - call or Whatsapp 39802442

GEETHANJALI 4WALLS Sq Feet 6,500 + 3,250 tile area- Tress Work completed- Electricity and water connection taken- Roca company furnished- Build inn cupboards - 15,000 liter rain water storage- Place kangarapady near medical college, Kakkanad, KochiContact :Bahrain- +97338444687India- +91 98461 44280

LOOKING FOR LABORstaff accommodation. Housing for executive staff. Semi and Fully furnished flats and villas for families. Contact 38251219.ELECTRICAL SUPERVISOR with GCC experience required. For further details call 39462527.

HIAB DRIVER Required With 3-5 years’ experience for a leading Building Materials company in Bahrain with attractive salary + accommodation. Contact : 36560055

ADMIN ASSISTANT REQUIRED for a Leading company in Bahrain. Female candidate’s preferred.Minimum3 years’ experience & good communication skills

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LOOKING FORSales Executive , Van Salesman , Merchandiser and Driver .Preferably all below 28 years of age.Send CV on packaging.bahrain@gmail.com

LEADING EXCHANGE COMPANY REQUIRES : 1) Cashier/Counter Staff - graduates having pleasing personality, good English communication. 2) Marketing Executive - graduates with Bahrain Driving License,experience preferred. Submit your CV to hr.exchange2016@gmail.com

LOOKING FORa keralite experienced AC technician with added experience in Auto Technics OR Auto technician with added experience in AC Technics. Contact : 39997696 , 36997471

CAR SHOW ROOM IS LOOKING FOR SECURITY MANwith experience .Send CV to suitablejobforme@gmail.com

CASHIERSWAITING STAFFACCOUNTANTSrequired for leading hotel group in Bahrain.For Details Email : job_101@habaragroup.com

LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED AC TECHNICIAN with added experience in Auto Technics OR Auto Technician with added experience in AC Technics. Contact : 39997696, 36997471

URGENTLY REQUIRED FOR NEWLY OPENED BEAUTY SALOON AND SPA • 4 experienced beauticians • Massage therapist • Hair dresser • experience in giving Moroccan bath • experience in giving manicure and pedicure. For more details please contact 36639812 Saloon next to MAX shopping mall , Segaya

TILING AND PLASTERINGcontractor for two 7,700 sq m jobs, urgently needed. Contact James 17728340

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Classifieds Reaching the right audience

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18 Saturday, February 17, 2018

CROSSWORDYESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

Your star today

Across Down

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

How to play: Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

(Mar 21st - Apr 20th)

(Apr 21st - May 21st)

(May 22nd - Jun 21st)

(June 22nd - July 23rd)

(July 24th - Aug 23rd)

(Aug 24th - Sep 23rd)

(Sep 24th - Oct 23rd)

(Oct 24th - Nov 22nd)

(Nov 23rd - Dec 21st)

(Dec 22nd- Jan 20th)

(Jan 21st - Feb 19th)

(Feb 20th - Mar 20th)

Today, you might find yourself getting more irritated than you usually would at the quirks of friends, colleagues, partners, and children. Nerves could be frayed and tempers around you frazzled. At times like this it’s best to remain centered and make the effort to be your usual warm and friendly self.

Temporary difficulties at home might cause you to want to stay and resolve them rather than go to work or anywhere else. However, career matters may also be pressing, so you’re likely to be in a bit of a quandary. At this time, the wisest decision is likely to be to take care of your personal life first. Professional matters will still be waiting for you tomorrow.

Some rather unsettling communications could come your way today, perhaps from out of state. This isn’t likely to be anything serious, but it could be enough to put your nose a little out of joint. Changes in your neighborhood might interfere with your daily routine. A neighbour or relative could be ill and you might feel obligated to help them out a little. This is fine as long as you don’t commit to too much.Some minor money matters may need to be handled today and you might find this irritating as you probably have other things you’d rather do. The situation could cause some petty friction with family members. However, you’ll be able to muster all your innate skills and get the money matters handled, which will leave the rest of the day to do what you want.

The healing of a temporary rift with your partner is likely to take place today, with a lot of honest communication and more apologies than are necessary. You might find that a lot of issues have come out in the open and that there is a new understanding between the two of you. A move could be coming up.The desire to go off by yourself and enjoy a little solitude is likely to be in conflict with the reality of your obligations today. You could find yourself spacing out at times and unable to concentrate on any tasks at hand, so try to stay focused. Some irritating letters or phone calls could come your way, but nothing that you can’t deal with. See an exciting movie tonight.

Don’t expect any creative projects to go smoothly today. You could experience mental blocks that you find difficult to get beyond. Don’t let it get to you. The blocks will pass. Just put the project aside and get back to it later. A phone call from a friend might bring some disconcerting news that could cause you to want to pass it on to others.

Obligations to others could incline you toward staying home today, but important career issues could pull you in to work. This could cause some inner conflict, and you may have to face a choice. Only you can make that choice, but take care to be objective and take all the facts into consideration. Don’t get yourself all emotionally worked up.

You might wake up this morning feeling a little less than your usual self, and you might not be able to figure out why. There could be some sort of minor physical imbalance or you might be suffering from eyestrain. This could put you a little out of sorts with yourself and everyone else, particularly if you’re stressed about work responsibilities. Avoid computers, if possible.

Today you’re likely to feel torn in two different directions. A part of you could want to sequester yourself somewhere and read, while another part of you feels that you should get out, go somewhere, and do something. You may be more impatient than usual with squabbles between colleagues or family. It might be a good idea to do some exercise during the day to work off the inner tensions.

Minor difficulties over money could put you in a state of frustration. The problems aren’t Earthshaking, but they still need to be handled and could take up a lot of time that you’d rather spend doing something else. Giving in to your frustration could waste more time than simply handling the situation and moving on, however. Try to keep your cool.

An argument with your partner could have you feeling very disheartened and somewhat depressed today. Yet you probably are too shaken up to feel like discussing it with him or her. Spend the day keeping yourself busy and working off your frustration. Forget about it for a while, Aquarius. This should enable you to see the situation more objectively.

1 Sister of Venus; 7 Pig; 10 Yonder thing; 14 Equilibrium; 15 Lacto ___ vegetarian; 16 A Chaplin; 17 Exam taker; 18 Norma ___; 19 Atop; 20 Peculiarity; 23 Rocky debris; 26 “Fancy that!”; 27 Capital of Crete; 28 Composer Khachaturian; 29 Cpl.’s superior; 30 Monetary unit of Japan; 31 Ammunition chest; 33 Sleep stage; 34 Conscription org.; 37 Apt. divisions; 38 Family card game; 39 Doc bloc; 40 Ginger ___; 41 Peer Gynt’s mother; 42 Large; 43 Advantage; 45 Tampa Bay play-er, for short; 46 ___ Saud; 47 Art ___; 48 Fall flower; 51 Slugger’s stat;52 Femme fatale; 53 A person undergoing rehabilitation; 56 Equestrian’s control; 57 The Crystals’ “___ a Rebel”; 58 Secular; 62 Longfellow’s bell town; 63 Sugar suffix; 64 Intro; 65 Boot bottom; 66 Letter addenda; 67 Out of it;

1 Fast flier; 2 Parisian season; 3 ___ Tafari (Haile Selassie); 4 Values highly; 5 Bridget Fonda, to Jane; 6 Just ___!; 7 Large stinging wasp; 8 Like Humpty Dumpty; 9 Attendee; 10 Bird having a very large bill; 11 Driver’s invitation; 12 Make ___ of (write down); 13 Country singer Tucker; 21 Milk and egg drink; 22 Person with a cool job?; 23 Pelvic bones; 24 Packs tightly; 25 Bluffer’s ploy; 29 ___ boom; 30 Arabian republic; 32 District adjacent to a city; 33 Burrowing lagomorph; 34 More secure; 35 Pizzeria order; 36 Attack; 44 Version; 45 Skullcap; 46 Nile waders; 48 Tapestry; 49 Take care of; 50 Pierce; 51 Like non oyster months; 52 Entrap; 54 Breakfast chain, for short; 55 Swiss peaks; 59 Second century date; 60 Earthlink competitor; 61 T shirt size;

BEETLE BAILEY R

a #PollToday

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Saturday, February 17, 2018 19

Manila

China and the Philippines are discussing joint

mineral exploration in the South China Sea despite an ongoing territorial conflict over the strategic waterway, Manila’s foreign secretary said yesterday.

The two countries, long embroiled in a dispute over their competing claims to the area, are hoping talks will open the door for them to jointly tap its resources, Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said.

“We are pushing it

aggressively because we need it,” Cayetano told reporters, adding the countries would each form a working group to explore options for joint exploration.

“Then we will find a framework under our constitution that will allow us... joint exploration,” he said.

“We both want it.”The South China Sea is

a major trading route and fishing ground believed to have vast mineral resources, and is also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. (AFP)

Paris

French police shot and injured a robber who

held up a bank just off the Champs-Elysees in Paris yesterday.

The foiled robbery took place at a BNP bank branch, 400 metres (1,300 feet) from the Arc de Triomphe monument, one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions which commemorates the country’s military victories and war dead.

A 24-year-old man burst into the bank on Avenue de la

Grande Armee shortly after it opened. The alarm was raised and the police were waiting for the man when he came out brandishing a gun.

The officers fired at the man, injuring him in the leg and chest. He was taken to hospital.

The police said he was a known criminal, with a history of armed robbery.

Paris has been the scene of several spectacular robberies in recent years, mostly involving jewels. (AFP)

London

More than 100,000 critically endangered

orangutans have been killed in Borneo since 1999, a research revealed yesterday.

Scientists who carried out the 16-year research on the island described the figure as “mind-boggling”, reports the BBC. Deforestation driven by logging, oil palm, mining and paper mills continues to be the main culprit.

But the research, published in the journal Current Biology, also revealed that animals were “disappearing”

from areas that remained forested.

This implied large numbers of orangutans were simply being slaughtered, said lead researcher Maria Voigt of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany.

Serge Wich from Liverpool John Moores University, also part of the team, told BBC: “We didn’t expect the losses to be so large in standing forest, so these (studies) confirm that hunting is a major issue. (IANS)

Do you think India’s loan fraud problems can be minimised if the banking regulations are strengthened?

7 killed at Mexican Valentine’s dance At least seven people were shot dead at a Valentine’s Day dance in a Mexican town.

A Japanese and an American astronaut floated outside the International Space Station on a spacewalk to repair the orbiting outpost’s robotic arm and move some equipment into storage.

At least four persons were killed and five injured in a fireworks explosion in China’s Yunnan province.

Morocco’s interior ministry has said that it has arrested three “dangerous supporters” of the Islamic State.

Astronauts spacewalkto fix robotic arm

Four killed in China fireworks explosion

Three IS supporters arrested in Morocco

“Many of us are concerned today by the length and scope of the ongoing state of emergency in Turkey. It is important to look forward to a time when the emergency law is lifted and normality is restored”

Council of Europe chief Thorbjorn Jagland

Yes No Cant Say

Philippines, China eye joint exploration in disputed waters

Bank robber shot during hold-up off Paris Champs-Elysees

100000 orangutans killed in Borneo in last 16 yearsNew York

A former New York City high school teacher and

his twin brother were charged Thursday with attempting to make explosives, in part by paying students to extract gunpowder from fireworks, officials said.

Christian and Tyler Toro, both 28 years old, had been gathering material to make a bomb since at least October, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI and the New York police announced the charges Thursday evening.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said there is no evidence to suggest an ongoing threat to the city or its schools now that the two have been arrested, but he said agents are still investigating.

“We get daily reminders of the threats arrayed against us, but what we’re seeing here in this case already is, some good people stepped forward with information,” de Blasio said.

Christian Toro taught at a high school in Harlem

but resigned shortly after a student called in a Dec. 4 bomb threat, according to the complaint. A student was arrested for making that threat, but the incident sparked a broader investigation into Christian Toro, officials said.

Shortly after the threat was made, Christian Toro resigned his teaching job. After the resignation, Tyler Toro returned his brother’s school-issued laptop, and a technician found a book about explosives on the computer. Authorities were alerted, but Christian Toro told them he hadn’t meant to download the manual, and he’d discovered it while researching the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.

On Jan. 31, Christian Toro was arrested on charges of raping a minor, authorities said. On Wednesday, FBI agents interviewed several students at his former school and discovered the teacher had paid at least two of them $50 an hour to dismantle fireworks and retain the gunpowder, the complaint states.

With that new information, authorities searched his apartment and found bombmaking material, including 20 pounds of iron oxide, and other things that could be used to make a bomb — including metal spheres that could be used as projectiles, according to the complaint.

Agents also found a diary, the complaint said, which appeared to belong to Tyler Toro and contained statements including, “We are twin Toros strike us now, we will return with nano thermite,” according to court papers. Agents also found an index card on which was written: “Under the full moon the small ones will know terror.”

NYPD deputy commissioner John Miller said investigators are still working to understand “the full breadth of what the materials mean.”

Neither suspect was known to counterterrorism investigators prior to the probe that began in December, Miller said. (washingtonpost)

NY twins arrested for bomb making

Berlin

“Car nation” Germany has surprised neighbours with a radical proposal to reduce road traffic

by making public transport free, as Berlin scrambles to meet EU air pollution targets and avoid big fines.

The move comes just over two years after Volkswagen’s devastating “dieselgate” emissions cheating scandal unleashed a wave of anger at the auto industry, a keystone of German prosperity.

“We are considering public transport free of charge in order to reduce the number of private cars,” three ministers including the environment minister, Barbara Hendricks, wrote to EU environment commissioner Karmenu Vella in the letter seen by AFP Tuesday.(theguardian)

Germany to offer free public transport in polluted cities

Bomb-making materials were found in an a p a r t m e n t on Matthews Avenue, Bronx.

Representational image

Representational image

Saturday, February 17, 2018 SPORTS20

Kohli hits 35th ODI century, 13th as captain of India

India wallop South Africa

Centurion

After an impressive bowling display,

skipper Virat Kohli led from the front with the bat to help India beat South Africa by eight wickets in the sixth one-day international at the SuperSport Park in Centurion yesterday. Dominant India wrapped up the six-match series 5-1.

Kohli continued his great form in the series, scoring his 35th ODI century in 82 balls, as he helped India chase down the 205-run target in 32.1 overs with eight wickets

in hand.Kohli remained

unbeaten on 129 off 96 balls, which included two sixes and 19 fours. And when he reached 71, Kohli became the first batsman ever to score 500 or more runs in a bilateral ODI series. Kohli finished the series with 558 runs with three centuries, a record for

an Indian batsman, and one fifty in six innings. Kohli’s five innings in the series before today are - 112, 46*, 160*, 75, 36.

Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane (34 not out) took India home with an unbroken 126-run stand for the third wicket. Rahane played the second fiddle perfectly, hitting three fours in his 50-ball knock.

Chasing the modest target, India lost Rohit Sharma (15) early in the fourth over to Lungi Ngidi. But Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan added 61 runs for the

second wicket in nine overs while keeping the scoring rate high. Dhawan, after a watchful 18 off 34 balls, became the second wicket of Ngidi in the 13th over.

India though reached 100-run mark in 14.3 overs. And Kohli soon raced to his 47th ODI fifty in just 36 balls, hitting nine boundaries. Kohli and Rahane made sure that there were no more hiccups in the chase.

Earlier, Indian bowlers proved Kohli’s decision to field right as they bowled out South Africa for 204 in 46.5 overs. (TOI)

BRIEF SCOREIndia 206 for 2 (Kohli 129*, Rahane 34*) beat South Africa 204 (Zondo 54, Thakur 4-52) by eight wickets

Australia crush New ZealandAuckland

D’Arcy Short anchored a high-powered Australian

batting order to produce the highest successful run chase in Twenty20 international cricket to beat New Zealand by five wickets in their tri-series clash at Eden Park yesterday.

Short, who started his innings with several edges and false shots that went for boundaries at the small ground, scored 76 from 44 balls as the Australians reached 245 for five with seven deliveries remaining.

The run chase eclipsed the 236 for six West Indies achieved in beating South Africa in Johannesburg in 2015.

New Zealand had scored 243 for six in their 20 overs after Martin Guptill (105) and Colin Munro (76) had produced a blistering 132-run opening partnership in 10.4 overs.

Short and captain David Warner (59), however, put on 121 runs in 8.3 overs to give the visitors the ideal start before Glenn Maxwell, who scored 31 from 14 balls, and Aaron Finch (36 not out) ensured they got home.

Having won their previous three matches before Friday, Australia had already qualified for the final of the tri-series, that also includes England, at

the same ground on February 21.

New Zealand had been strong favourites to join them in the final at the innings

break after Guptill and Munro scored at more than 12 runs an over, exploiting the short boundaries down the ground. (Reuters)

BRIEF SCOREAustralia 245 for 5 (Short 76, Warner 59) beat New Zealand 243 for 6 (Guptill 105, Munro 76) by five wickets

Liam Plunkett ruled out of England’s T20I, ODI seriesLondon

Liam Plunkett will miss the remainder of England’s Twenty20 tri-series against New Zealand and

Australia with a hamstring injury.The Yorkshire bowler is also out of the five-

match one-day international series against New Zealand, starting on 25 February in Hamilton.

Plunkett, 32, suffered a recurrence of a hamstring tear in Tuesday’s tri-series defeat by the Black Caps.

He had already missed the final two ODIs against Australia in January.

England have yet to pick up a point after three straight defeats in the ongoing T20 tri-series, which ends on 21 February.

Australia are already through to the final after winning four games out of four.

Plunkett greeted team-mate Ben Stokes as he landed in Auckland to join up with the England squad, following his appearance at Bristol Magistrates Court on Tuesday on a charge of affray.

The Durham all-rounder has not played international cricket since an i n c i d e n t outside a Bristol nightclub in September. (BBC)

Liam Plunkett (file pic)

Australia’ s players celebrate

Virat Kohli in action (Pic courtesy: BCCI)

Saturday, February 17, 2018 21SPORTS

Country Gold Silver Bronze Total

MEDAL TABLE1. Germany 9 2 4 15

2. Norway 6 8 5 19

3. Netherlands 6 5 2 13

4. United States 5 1 2 8

5. Canada 4 5 4 13

Dario Cologna makes historyPyeongchang

Britain’s Andrew Musgrave finished 28th as

Switzerland’s Dario Cologna made Winter Olympic history by winning the men’s 15km cross country skiing.

Cologna, 31, became the first cross-country skier to win the same individual event three times in a row.

Norway’s Simen Hegstad Krueger won silver and Denis

Spitsov, an Olympic Athlete from Russia, bronze.

Scot Musgrave, 27, was an outside chance to win Britain’s first Olympic cross country medal.

He finished in 35 minutes 51 seconds, 2:07 behind Cologna.

Britons Andrew Young and Callum Smith finished 57th and 75th respectively.

Musgrave and Young are

expected to compete in the team sprint on Wednesday.

Musgrave won his maiden World Cup medal with bronze in December, and finished seventh in the skiathlon - the best performance by a British cross country skier - on Sunday.

Musgrave said his performance in the skiathlon would give him confidence for his preferred 15km event,

and that he would be in “the fight for victory”.

However, a steady start meant he was only 45th out of 119 competitors at the 1.5km checkpoint.

He moved into the top 20 around halfway, but slipped back in the later stages.

“I went out at an even pace, but it was shocking and I felt a bit heavy all the way round,” said Musgrave. (BBC)

Mayer claims super G gold

Yun grabs second gold for S. Korea

Pyeongchang

Austria’s Matthias Mayer produced a brilliant run

to win the men’s super G and claim his second Winter Olympics alpine skiing gold medal.

Mayer, the downhill champion in Sochi in 2014, won in a time of one minute 24.44 seconds, with Beat Feuz of Switzerland second and defending champion Kjetil Jansrud of Norway third.

Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal could only manage

fifth meaning he missed out on a historic ‘speed double’, a day after winning the downhill.

Mayer’s father is former alpine ski racer Helmut Mayer, who won Olympic silver in this event in Caglary 1988 Mayer’s win breaks Norway’s dominance in men’s Olympic super G, which stretches back to 2002.

Hermann Maier of Austria was the last man from outside Norway to win the event, at Nagano in 1998. (BBC)

Pyeongchang

South Korea’s Yun Sung-bin claimed the home

nation’s second gold medal of the Pyeongchang Games with victory in the men’s skeleton.

Yun, 23, won by a massive 1.63 seconds ahead of Nikita Tregubov, an Olympic

Athlete from Russia, and Great Britain’s Dom Parsons who won bronze.

He becomes the first athlete from outside Europe and North America to win an Olympic sliding medal.

Yun was fastest in all four runs and set a track record on his final run.

“Getting the gold medal in any Olympics is a very great result but getting the gold here in my home country is a very great honour, much bigger than that,” Yun said.

“I was a little worried about racing on the morning of the lunar new year,” he added. (BBC)

PyeongChang

Dom Parsons has secured Britain’s first medal of the

2018 Winter Olympics after claiming bronze in a dramatic finish to the men’s skeleton.

After recording a combined time of three minutes 22.20 seconds, the 30-year-old finished just 0.11 seconds

ahead of Latvia’s Martins Dukurs. South Korea’s Yun Sungbin won the gold medal ahead of Nikita Tregubov, an Olympic athlete from Russia.

Parsons is the first British man to win an Olympic skeleton medal since John Crammond in 1948. (theweek.co.uk)

Bronze for GB’s Parsons

Huskova clinches aerials goldPyeongchang

Hanna Huskova won Belarus’ first medal of the 2018 Winter

Olympics with victory in the women’s aerials.

The 25-year-old was one of only two of the six finalists to land their jumps cleanly in Pyeongchang.

Huskova scored 96.14, while China’s Zhang Xin took silver with 95.52 and compatriot Kong Fanyu bronze with 70.14.

Defending champion Alla Tsuper of Belarus fell as she landed in the final round.

(BBC)

Pyeongchang

Italian Michela Moioli won a thrilling final to take gold in the women’s snowboard cross in

Pyeongchang.All six finalists were in contention for much

of the race but Moioli pulled clear late on to win.Two athletes crashed on the finish line but

French 16-year-old Julia Pereira de Sousa Mabileau won silver and Czech Eva Samkova bronze. American Lindsey Jacobellis who crashed on the finish line to miss out on 2006 Olympic gold only managed fourth.

Moioli wins thrilling snowboard cross

Dario Cologna (C), Simen Hegstad Krueger (L) and Denis Spitsov pose (Pic courtesy: Xinhua)

Hanna Huskova reacts (Pic courtesy: Xinhua)

Michela Moioli

Matthias Mayer reacts (Pic courtesy: Xinhua)

Yun Sungbin

Dom Parsons

Saturday, February 17, 2018 21SPORTS

Country Gold Silver Bronze Total

MEDAL TABLE1. Germany 9 2 4 15

2. Norway 6 8 5 19

3. Netherlands 6 5 2 13

4. United States 5 1 2 8

5. Canada 4 5 4 13

Dario Cologna makes historyPyeongchang

Britain’s Andrew Musgrave finished 28th as

Switzerland’s Dario Cologna made Winter Olympic history by winning the men’s 15km cross country skiing.

Cologna, 31, became the first cross-country skier to win the same individual event three times in a row.

Norway’s Simen Hegstad Krueger won silver and Denis

Spitsov, an Olympic Athlete from Russia, bronze.

Scot Musgrave, 27, was an outside chance to win Britain’s first Olympic cross country medal.

He finished in 35 minutes 51 seconds, 2:07 behind Cologna.

Britons Andrew Young and Callum Smith finished 57th and 75th respectively.

Musgrave and Young are

expected to compete in the team sprint on Wednesday.

Musgrave won his maiden World Cup medal with bronze in December, and finished seventh in the skiathlon - the best performance by a British cross country skier - on Sunday.

Musgrave said his performance in the skiathlon would give him confidence for his preferred 15km event,

and that he would be in “the fight for victory”.

However, a steady start meant he was only 45th out of 119 competitors at the 1.5km checkpoint.

He moved into the top 20 around halfway, but slipped back in the later stages.

“I went out at an even pace, but it was shocking and I felt a bit heavy all the way round,” said Musgrave. (BBC)

Mayer claims super G gold

Yun grabs second gold for S. Korea

Pyeongchang

Austria’s Matthias Mayer produced a brilliant run

to win the men’s super G and claim his second Winter Olympics alpine skiing gold medal.

Mayer, the downhill champion in Sochi in 2014, won in a time of one minute 24.44 seconds, with Beat Feuz of Switzerland second and defending champion Kjetil Jansrud of Norway third.

Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal could only manage

fifth meaning he missed out on a historic ‘speed double’, a day after winning the downhill.

Mayer’s father is former alpine ski racer Helmut Mayer, who won Olympic silver in this event in Caglary 1988 Mayer’s win breaks Norway’s dominance in men’s Olympic super G, which stretches back to 2002.

Hermann Maier of Austria was the last man from outside Norway to win the event, at Nagano in 1998. (BBC)

Pyeongchang

South Korea’s Yun Sung-bin claimed the home

nation’s second gold medal of the Pyeongchang Games with victory in the men’s skeleton.

Yun, 23, won by a massive 1.63 seconds ahead of Nikita Tregubov, an Olympic

Athlete from Russia, and Great Britain’s Dom Parsons who won bronze.

He becomes the first athlete from outside Europe and North America to win an Olympic sliding medal.

Yun was fastest in all four runs and set a track record on his final run.

“Getting the gold medal in any Olympics is a very great result but getting the gold here in my home country is a very great honour, much bigger than that,” Yun said.

“I was a little worried about racing on the morning of the lunar new year,” he added. (BBC)

PyeongChang

Dom Parsons has secured Britain’s first medal of the

2018 Winter Olympics after claiming bronze in a dramatic finish to the men’s skeleton.

After recording a combined time of three minutes 22.20 seconds, the 30-year-old finished just 0.11 seconds

ahead of Latvia’s Martins Dukurs. South Korea’s Yun Sungbin won the gold medal ahead of Nikita Tregubov, an Olympic athlete from Russia.

Parsons is the first British man to win an Olympic skeleton medal since John Crammond in 1948. (theweek.co.uk)

Bronze for GB’s Parsons

Huskova clinches aerials goldPyeongchang

Hanna Huskova won Belarus’ first medal of the 2018 Winter

Olympics with victory in the women’s aerials.

The 25-year-old was one of only two of the six finalists to land their jumps cleanly in Pyeongchang.

Huskova scored 96.14, while China’s Zhang Xin took silver with 95.52 and compatriot Kong Fanyu bronze with 70.14.

Defending champion Alla Tsuper of Belarus fell as she landed in the final round.

(BBC)

Pyeongchang

Italian Michela Moioli won a thrilling final to take gold in the women’s snowboard cross in

Pyeongchang.All six finalists were in contention for much

of the race but Moioli pulled clear late on to win.Two athletes crashed on the finish line but

French 16-year-old Julia Pereira de Sousa Mabileau won silver and Czech Eva Samkova bronze. American Lindsey Jacobellis who crashed on the finish line to miss out on 2006 Olympic gold only managed fourth.

Moioli wins thrilling snowboard cross

Dario Cologna (C), Simen Hegstad Krueger (L) and Denis Spitsov pose (Pic courtesy: Xinhua)

Hanna Huskova reacts (Pic courtesy: Xinhua)

Michela Moioli

Matthias Mayer reacts (Pic courtesy: Xinhua)

Yun Sungbin

Dom Parsons

London

Williams say Russian rookie Sergey Sirotkin has earned

his place at the Formula One team on merit and is likely to surprise people this season.

The 22-year-old will partner Canadian Lance Stroll, still only 19, at the former world champions after replacing retired Brazilian Felipe Massa. The Russian was previously a Renault reserve and finished third overall in the GP2 support series in 2015 and 2016.

A product of the SMP young driver programme established

by Russian oligarch Boris Rotenberg, Sirotkin’s rise has raised questions about how much it has been accelerated by his financial backing.

“I think probably Sergey is one of those drivers you haven’t heard of as much as maybe some other new talents who come into the sport, for whatever reason that may be,” said deputy team principal Claire Williams at a team launch. (Reuters)

Paul Pogba exit rumours are lies, says Jose Mourinho

London

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says reports midfielder Paul Pogba

regrets joining the club and could leave this summer are

“lies”.Pogba was said to

be irritated at not being employed more offensively, but Mourinho

said that was not true.He also criticised

“the biggest pundit industry” and said he

“doesn’t have to speak about

conversations with players”.But he added that Pogba “accepts he has not

been playing well”.When asked for his thoughts on ‘speculation’

in the media, Mourinho replied: “I think you are nice with your words - because when you say lot of speculation you should say a lot of lies. Don’t be nice, be objective and say lies.

“It’s a big lie that our relation is not good, it’s a big lie that we don’t communicate, a big lie that we don’t agree with his positions and his involvement in the dynamic of the team.

“It’s easy and honest and objective to say Paul didn’t play well against Newcastle but some of the guys they are paid millions, don’t

let people read things that are not true.“It’s my problem and Paul’s problem to

improve his performance level, you don’t need to be a liar.” (BBC)

Saturday, February 17, 2018 SPORTS22

Arsenal cruise past Ostersunds, 3-0London

Arsenal made light work of sub-zero temperatures

and an artificial pitch to secure a comfortable Europa League victory over Ostersunds.

The first leg of this round-of-32 tie was played in Ostersunds’ Jamtkraft Arena, surrounded by snow drifts and furnished with an unfamiliar 4G surface -- but a strong Arsenal side overcame trying conditions to win 3-0.

Arsene Wenger got out of the group stages by largely utilising his fringe players and young prospects but, now sitting eight points off the top four, winning the Europa League arguably presents the Gunners with their best shot of returning to the Champions League next season.

That explains why the likes of Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were included here and it was the former who rounded off a straightforward win after a Nacho Monreal effort and a Sotirios Papagiannopoulos own goal had set Arsenal on their way, with Ostersunds missing a last-gasp penalty.

Ostersunds -- under Englishman Graham Potter -- had not been able to get hold of the ball and when they did, they gifted Arsenal the best chance of the opening exchanges as goalkeeper Aly

Keita passed out of his box to Papagiannopoulos.

The Sweden international dallied and was robbed by Ozil, who then burst through on goal with Keita blocking his path and Mkhitaryan’s resulting shot being blocked behind.

Moments later and the visitors were in front, Alex Iwobi getting in a low shot which Keita could only shovel in the direction of the onrushing Monreal, who swept home his third goal in his last

six appearances.Mkhitaryan stung the palms

of Keita as Arsenal continued to dominate, with the inevitable second coming at the midway point of the half.

Papagiannopoulos was the unwitting party, turning Mkhitaryan’s driven cross into his own goal from close-range after Ostersunds were again caught in possession inside their own box.

Potter’s side finally broke into the Arsenal half but

Abdulllhi Gero could only head tamely at David Ospina.

Ospina, the Arsenal captain for the night, was soon forced into more noteworthy action turning Saman Ghoddos’ dipping effort over the crossbar as the hosts enjoyed a spell of pressure.

Ken Sema’s well-struck free-kick was straight at Ospina, while Samuel Mensah fired a shot wide as Ostersunds looked to get back into the game before the interval. (PA Sport)

Sergio Aguero named Player of the MonthLondon

Sergio Aguero has been named as the Premier

League’s Player of the Month for the fifth time in his career.

The Manchester City striker claimed the prize for January after scoring five times in four PL games.

He started 2018 by netting once in a 3-1 win over Watford, before claiming an assist as City lost 4-3 at Liverpool.

A perfect hat-trick got City and Aguero back on track with a 3-1 victory against Newcastle, then he added a stoppage-time strike as West Brom were defeated 3-0.

Aguero joins Wayne Rooney

and Robin van Persie on a list of PL stars to win five Player of the Month awards

Only Harry Kane and Steven Gerrard, with six each, have won more.

Aguero topped a poll — with a panel of experts, Premier League captains and fans casting their votes — ahead of fellow nominees Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen, Eden Hazard, Jan Vertonghen and Callum Wilson.

T w e n t y - n i n e - y e a r - o l d Aguero is already a front-runner for the February prize, having scored four goals in City’s 5-1 win over Leicester last weekend. (dailymail.co.uk)

Sergio Aguero

SergeySirotkin

will surprise: Williams

Paul Pogba (file pic)

Henrikh Mkhitaryan crosses the ball under pressure from Ken Sema of Östersund (Pic courtesy: theguardian)

Sergey Sirotkin (file pic)

Doha

World number one Caroline Wozniacki

has complained about Monica Niculescu’s “disturbing” grunting after beating her in the third round at the Qatar Open.

The Australian Open champion won 7-5 6-1 but accused the Romanian of making too much noise and spoke to the umpire.

Wozniacki, 27, continued her criticism off-court, calling Niculescu “a player that tries to get into your head”.

The WTA has said umpires can act on grunting if it is deemed to affect an opponent through a ‘deliberate act’.

“I just tried to let him [the umpire] know to pay attention to her grunting because she’ll hit the ball and two seconds later when the ball is on my side and I’m right about to hit, she’ll start grunting and make a noise, and she’ll change the grunt according to what she feels like,” Wozniacki claimed.

“It’s disturbing. It’s in the rules that they’re not supposed to do that so I was just making sure the umpire was paying attention to that. And she stopped doing that after.” (BBC)

Doha

Angelique Kerber came back from a set down to edge past

Johanna Konta 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 and book a quarterfinal clash with World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki at the Qatar Total Open.

“I think in the first set I was not playing my tennis and needed a bit of time to find my rhythm,” Kerber said in her on-court interview.

“From the second set I was trying to play my game, playing point by point. It’s always tough to play against Johanna, she’s such a good player so I was

trying to go for it in the third set.”

The German’s victory against the No.11-ranked Konta extends her 2018 record against Top 20 players to 4-1, after notching wins over No.5 Venus Williams and No.19 Ashleigh Barty en route to lifting the trophy in Sydney and beating No.20 Madison Keys during her Australian Open semifinal run.

Her opponent, No.10 seed Konta, was making her Doha tournament debut this year and competing in her first

event since her Australian Open second round exit.

She came into the matchup trailing 1-2 in the pair’s head-to-head record, with Kerber winning both of their previous two hardcourt matches but bolstered by a win in their most recent clash in 2017 Eastbourne. (Wtatennis)

Saturday, February 17, 2018 23SPORTS

Cort sprints to victoryBahrain-Merida’s Giovanni Visconti clinches second place

Muscat

Magnus Cort (Astana) sprinted to victory on stage 4 of the Tour of Oman, beating Bahrain-Merida’s Giovanni Visconti and Alberto Bettiol (BMC) to the line at the Ministry of

Tourism.The stage included three laps over the stiff climb of Al Jabal Street, which meant that a

reduced peloton contested the sprint finish.Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo) led the race by 30 seconds on the approach to the final ascent

of Al Jabal Street, having dropped his breakaway companion Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (Dimension Data), but the searing pace in the bunch behind meant that the American was brought to heel before the summit.

Bahrain-Merida’s leader Vincenzo Nibali was among the riders to accelerate on the final time up the climb, but Astana’s pace-making meant that it was difficult for any rider to go clear.

Gorka Izagirre led Astana’s Alexey Lutsenko and Miguel Angel Lopez over the top, but the Basque was unable to get away.

On the run-in to the line, both Astana and the BMC team of race leader Greg Van Avermaet worked to ensure the 26-strong leading group came to the finish together.

Cort, who performed so well at the Dubai Tour last week, delivered a powerful sprint to claim the stage honours, while Visconti beat Bettiol to second.

Van Avermaet retains the red jersey after placing fourth ahead of Rui Costa (UAE-Team Emirates) and stage 2 winner Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin). (Cyclingnews)

ResultsStage four: Yiti (Al Sifah) to Ministry of Tourism, 117.5km1. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Astana, in 2 hrs 57 min 36 secs2. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida3. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) BMC Racing4. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing5. Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates6. Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin7. Mark Christian (GBr) Aqua Blue Sport8. Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension Data9. Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Wanty-Groupe Gobert10. Jesus Herrada (Esp) Cofidis, all same timeGeneral classification1. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing, in 15 hrs 54 min 20 secs2. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana, at 9 secs3. Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin, at 13 secs4. Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida, at 19 secs5. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana, at 24 secs

Kerber fends off Konta to round out Doha q’finals

I’m still not at my best’: Froome

Andalusia

Chris Froome says that he is still not at his best coming into the 2018 season with the ongoing investigation into his adverse

analytical finding at the Vuelta a España.Team Sky‘s star, even if not at his best, still managed to ride to

seventh on the summit finish stage in the Ruta del Sol yesterday in Andalusia, Spain. In addition, team-mate Wout Poels won and took the race lead.

In Portugal a few hours later at the Volta ao Algarve, Sky’s Michal Kwiatkowski won stage two and Geraint Thomas, finishing third, donned the leader’s jersey.

Attention, however, was on four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome’s season debut in Spain, his first race since news of the UCI anti-doping investigation into his test at the Vuelta a España broke in December. He won this five-day stage race in 2015, launching a season that included his second Tour title.

“I called it pretty early,” Froome explained. “I said to the guys, ‘We need to get behind Wout here.’ I’m not feeling my absolute best and obviously it’s my first race.” (Cyclingweekly)

Wozniacki complains about opponent’s grunting

Chris Froome (file pic)

Angelique Kerber serves (Pic courtesy: Xinhua)

Caroline Wozniaki of Denmark hits a return

Magnus Cort celebrates(Pic courtesy: Velonews)

SPORTS

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2424 Saturday, February 17, 2018

P23 Cort sprints to victory

backAtletico stormDenmark

In a snowy night in Denmark, Atletico Madrid overturned FC

Copenhagen’s goal to win 1-4 with Saúl Ñíguez, Kevin Gameiro, Antoine Griezmann and

Vitolo’s goals.Atlético started off strongly and had

numerous chances in the first minutes of the match. Antoine Griezmann had the best

opportunities to score, but Copenhagen’s goalkeeper made brilliant saves to deny our

Frenchman. With their first attack of the match, the

Danish side scored the first goal of the night. Viktor Fischer sent the ball to the back of the

net. After conceding, Atletico’s lads stepped on the accelerator and kept creating chances.

Saúl scored the equalizer following a corner kick and 15 minutes later, Kevin Gameiro scored the second. A beautiful triangulation between Griezmann, Lucas Fernández and Gameiro created the second goal, one that was completely made in France.

The second half was similar to the first. Atletico’s lads dominated possession and created chance after chance. Yannick Carrasco came on in the 59th minute for Ángel Correa and immediately had an impact as he nearly scored in the 64th minute.

Just seven minutes later, he laid off a great ball to Griezmann for our third goal of the night. Vitolo came on in the 69th minute and scored

the fourth in the 77th minute.Gabi was Atletico’s final sub of the

match and after playing in the Telia Parken Stadion, he became the player

with the most UEFA appearances for Atletico Madrid.

With this win, Atletico side is one step closer to the Europa

League Round of 16. (atleticodemadrid)

Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann celebrates