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200 FilsSaturday, June 10, 2017 Issue No. 7408

P 05BTEA bansAl Jazeerachannels

P 02Qatar ‘end’ its funding of terrorism, says Trump

x

Trump commits US to NATO’s Article Five

Washington

US President Donald Trump said yesterday

that the United States is committed to the NATO treaty’s crucial Article Five mutual defence pledge.

Amid worries by European allies that the US leader had not fully bought in to the Atlantic treaty, Trump told reporters “I’m committing the United States to Article Five. Certainly we are there to protect.”

Today’s WeatherMax Min

41°C 28°C

@bobinglis

Comey is right: This is about America. Rs need to be ready to put coun-try above party. Did so with Nixon. Need to do so now. #comeyday

Qatarisplaced on newterror

DT News NetworkManama

Hardening their stance against Qatar and its policies, Bahrain,

Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE jointly placed a number of Qatari and Doha-based organisations on a “terror list”.

The list includes as many as 59 individuals and 12 entities, including members of Qatar’s royal family and a former minister.

Also named were Doha-based Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yousuf Al Qaradawi and Qatari-funded charities.

Following the announcement, the four countries in a joint statement said, “the list will be updated”.

The move follows “continued violation by the authorities in Doha of its signed commitments and agreements that include a pledge not to support or harbour elements or organisations that threaten the security of states,” the joint statement said.

The statement accused Qatar of

ignoring repeated calls to honour the Riyadh Agreement and executive mechanism signed in 2013 and a complementary agreement in 2014.

“Such attitudes put the national security of the four countries target for sabotage and chaos by terrorist organisations that Qatar either hosts or supports.”

The statement also lashed double-standard policy adopted by the Qatar. Qatar “announces fighting terrorism on one hand and finances and supports and hosts different terrorist organisations on the other hand”.

“This list is connected to Qatar and serves suspicious agendas in an indication of the duality of Qatar policies,” said the statement.

Reaffirming commitment to consolidating all efforts to combat terrorism and to strengthen security and stability in the region, the statement reaffirmed relentless will in pursuing the individuals and groups on the list. (More on page 2)

Cairo

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

yesterday wrapped up a visit to Egypt, where he held talks with President Abel Fattah El-Sisi on enhancing bilateral relations and latest regional and global developments.

During the visit, HM the King stressed that the Egyptian President’s accurate diagnosis of the current situation and his call for joint Pan-Arab action

will have a deep impact in overcoming the dangers and challenges faced by the Arab Nations.

“This reflects President El-Sisi’s honest fraternal feelings of which we are proud, and affirms the robust fraternal relations between our countries and brotherly people,” HM the King said.

King Hamad also sent a cable to the Egyptian President expressing thanks

and appreciation for the gracious welcome and hospitality accorded to him throughout his stay.

HM King Hamad was seen off at the airport by President El-Sisi, Interior Minister and Head of the Royal Convoy of Honour, Mohammed Yahya Rashid, Bahrain’s Ambassador to Egypt, Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa and staff of the Kingdom’s Embassy in Cairo.

King Hamad hails Egypt’s call for joint action

blacklistBanned individuals : Qatar 1) Khalifa Mohammed Turki Al Subai, 2) Ibrahim IsaAl Hajji Mohammed Al Baker, 3) Abdulaziz bin Khalifa Al Attiya, 4) Salem Hasan Khalifa Rashid Al Kawari, 5) Abdullah Ghanim Musallam Al Khawar, 6) Saeed bin Saad Mohammed Al Kaabi,7) Abdullateef bin Abdullah Al Kawari,8) Mohammed Saeed bin Halwan Al Saqtari,

9) Abdulrahman bin Omair Al Nuaimi,10) Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Rabban,11) Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani, 12) Abdulraheem Ahmed Al Haram,13) Mubarak Mohammed Al Aji,14) Jaber bin Nasser Al Merri,15) Mohammed Jassem Al Sulaiti, 16) Ali bin Abdullah Al Suwaidi, 17) Hashem Saleh Abdullah Al Awadhi, 18) Hamad Abdullaj Al Fatees Al Merri

Bahrain 1) Murtadha Majeed Al Sindi, 2) Ahmed Al Hassan Al Daaski

59 individuals, 12 groups with Qatar links on ‘terror list’

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Saudi 1) Abdullah Mohammed Sulaiman Al Muhaisni 2) Hakem Abaisan Al Humaidi Al Mutairi – Saudi / Kuwaiti

Bahrain 1) Murtadha Majeed Al Sindi 2) Ahmed Al Hassan Al Daaski

Jordan1) Abdulmalik Mohammed Yousuf Abdulsalam2) Ashraf Mohammed Yousuf Othman Abdulsalam

Kuwait 1) Hajjaj bin Fahad Hajjaj Mohammed Al Ajmi 2) Hamed Abdullaj Ahmed Al Ali

UAE1) Hassan Ahmed Hassan Mohammed Al Daqi Al Hooti

Egypt 1) Yousuf Abdullah Al Qaradawi2) Mohammed Ahmed

Shawqi Al Islambouli 3) Tariq Abdulmawjood Ibrahim Al Zemr 4 ) M o h a m m e d Abdulmaqsood Mohammed Afifi 5) Mohammed Al Sagheer Abdulraheem Mohammed 6) Wajdi Abdulhameed Mohammed Ghaim 7) Ayman Ahmed Abdulghani Husainain8) Asem Abdulmajed Mohammed Madhi 9) Yahya Aqeel Saalman Aqeel 10) Mohammed Hamada Al Sayyed Ibrahim 11) Abdulrahman Mohammed Shokri Abdulrahman 12) Hussain Mohammed Ridha Ibrhim Yousuf13) Ahmed Abdulhafedh Mahmood Abdulhadi 14) Muslim Fuad Tarfan15) Ayman Mahmood Sadiq Riffat 16) Mohammed Saad Abdulnaim Ahmed 17) Mohammed Saad Abdulmuttalib Abdah Al

Razqi18) Ahmed Fuad Ahmed Jad Baltaji19) Ahmed Rajab Rajab Sulaiman 20) Kareem Mohammed Mohammed Abdulaziz 21) Ali Zaki Mohammed Ali 22) Naji Ibrahim Al Azooli 23) Shahata Fathi Hafedh Mohammed Sulaiman 24) Mohammed Muharram Fahmi Abuzaid 25) Amr Abdulnasser Abdulhaq Abdulbari 26) Ali Hassan Ibrahim Abdul DHaher

Libya 1) Ali Mohammed Mohammed Al Salabi 2) Abdulhakim Belhaj 3) Al Mahdi Harati 4) Ismail Mohammed Mohammed Al Salabi 5) Al Sadiq Abdulrahman Ali Al Gharyani

Yemen 1) Abdulwahab Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Humaiqani

Banned individuals:

Banned Groups:Qatar/Libya1) Qatar Centre for Volunteer Work2) Doha Apple Company (Internet and IT support)3) Qatar Charity4) Shaikh Eid Al Thani Charity Foundation 5) Shaikh Thani bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services 6) Benghazi Defence Brigade - Libya

Bahrain 1) Saraya Al Ashtar 2) February 14 Coalition 3) The Resistance Brigades 4) Hezbollah Bahrain 5) Al Mukhtar Brigade6) Bahrain Freedom Movement

of terrorism, says TrumpWashington,

US President Donald Trump yesterday called

out Qatar as a historic supporter of “terrorism,” urging both the Gulf emirate and its regional neighbours to do more to combat

extremism.“The nation of Qatar,

unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level,” Trump told a press conference at the White House. “They have to end that funding.” 

“We ask Qatar and other nations in the region to do more and do it faster.”

Trump’s comments came after his top diplomat Rex Tillerson urged Saudi Arabia and its regional allies to ease their blockade

imposed on Qatar -- while urging Doha to do more to crack down on support for terrorism.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, “We call on Qatar to be responsive to the concerns of its neighbours,”

he said, speaking shortly after Saudi Arabia placed members of Qatar’s royal family on a “terror list.”

“Qatar has a history of supporting groups that have spanned the spectrum of political expression from

activism to violence,” Tillerson said.

“The emir of Qatar has made progress in halting financial support and expelling terrorists from his country, but he must do more and he must do it more quickly.” (AFP)

Qatar ‘end’its funding

US President Donald Trump

Continued from page 1

3Saturday, June 10, 2017

Pending construction workers’ salaryManama

An agreement has been reached to pay

the pending salaries of a construction company workers in Bahrain soon, said Labour and Social

Development Minister, Jameel Humaidan, yesterday.

The move follows the directives of Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to clear the workers’ salary arrears immediately.

“Following HRH Premier’s directives, the Labour and Social Development Ministry intensified its efforts and

coordinated with the relevant parties to end the problem,” the minister said, explaining that an agreement has been

reached with the construction company to pay the workers’ salary arrears within days.

The minister also revealed that immediate cash payments were made to the workers, ahead of their arrears payment, as agreed by the company.

The issue received public attention when close to hundred workers marched on the Estiqlal Highway recently in Sanad to the Ministry of Labour and Social Development demanding to release their pending salaries for up to five months. Labour Ministry

Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Affairs, Dr Mohammed Ali Al Ansari, at that time told DT News that the ministry would resolve the issue in a few days time.

The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU), one of the top labour unions in Bahrain also strongly criticising the company for not complying with the cabinet directives to settle the workers’ pending salaries. The employees from the same company also protested in March over the same issue.

File picture showing the workers’ protest

Jameel Humaidan

4 Saturday, June 10, 2017

(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.)

AVOID FOOD WASTAGES

AT IFTARIn the holy month of Ramadan, Iftar or opening of

fast becomes our main attention due to fasting for a duration of about 15 hours. The Iftars are either taken at home alone or with the family and relatives or at Iftar buffets at hotels and restaurants. The other option usually for the bachelors and less privileged people are to open the fast at mosques and at community centers whereby the iftar and dinner is provided for free organized by the rich, philanthropists, charitable organizations and mosque committees.

It is a common sight that at Iftar, people do not respect the food and drinks that are provided to them and leave it partly eaten/ consumed. At home, food which is cooked and provided is often ben consumed and left overs are kept and re-utilized. At mosques, Iftar plates or boxes are commonly being made which include date, fruit pieces, samosa, pakoras, biryani and some sweet. If open food is served in dishes and plates, it is often being shared between 4-6 people who partly eat the portions they like. Thus, huge quantity of expensive freshly cooked food provided free by sponsors becomes waste which is conveniently disposed of in the nearest communal bin. The waste also include water bottles, containers, packaging, cardboards, Styrofoam and plastic plates, sheets, disposable cutlery and tissue papers.

The Iftar buffets at restaurants and hotels are no different than at mosques, where Iftar and dinner packages are being offered. In such cases also, there is huge wastage of food, as eating capability of the individuals are limited. The great variety of iftar and dinner items tend to make people take more than required in their plates which later is thrown in waste bins. Restaurants and hotels provide buffets beyond our imagination, with an ‘all-you-can-eat’ spirit. If people knew what ‘all they could eat’, maybe less food would have been wasted.

It is difficult to see that the food quantity run out. At joint iftar/ dinner gatherings at mosques, clubs and halls, more food is being provided irrespective of the number of people expected. At hotels and restaurants, food is amply being cooked for the fear that it may be fully consumed and where food availability contributes to the hotels’ reputation as running out of a specific dish would be every F& B manager’s worst nightmare. Thus, higher quantities of food/ dishes are being made. Irony of the fact is that the leftover food is not allowed to be consumed by the hotel staff or given to charity and has to make its way to the garbage bins.

The view of waste containers full of fresh and valuable food is very depressing especially for a country where most of the food items are imported and is expensive.

Wastage of food is a sin and a violation of the very concept of Ramadan. The act of throwing away food is a complete contradiction to the philosophy behind fasting. Quran says food waste must be prevented and mention, “Eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.”

So let us not waste the food. If surplus food is remaining, it should be packed and send/given to deserving people. We also need to make sure the quality and safety of the donated food. Another viable option to reduce food wastage is by recycling.

Let us be more vigilant and not waste any food waste or drinks. We need to think twice before putting any food waste to the garbage bin. Each individual’s contribution counts. Let us save our environment.

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

Ministers reach out to citizens in Duraz

Identifies villagers’ needsManama

The government, under the leadership of His Royal

Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, allocates great importance to the needs of the Duraz and its neighbouring villages, Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, Essam Khalaf, and Minister of Housing, Bassim Al Hamar said.

While paying a field visit to the Duraz village on Thursday, the ministers stressed the government’s keenness on reaching out to the needs of the citizens and translating them into work programmes.

The inspection visit follows HRH the Prime Minister’s directives to meet the local villagers and to be informed directly about their needs concerning service development projects.

Northern Governor, MPs, Northern Municipal Council Chairman and members, representatives of the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, and the Ministry of Housing, as well as dignitaries of the Duraz village, accompanied the ministers.

The inspection visit covered Duraz Port, the Traditional Market project on the coast of Abu Sobh and the Northern City project.

Commenting on the move, Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister said that the visit aims to identify the needs of the Duraz and its neighbouring villages and to

include them in the Ministry’s upcoming projects.

“The first sewage network was established in the Duraz village, and the Abu Sobh coast is the oldest of its kind in the region,” said the minister noting that the Ministry will complete all projects and shortcomings highlighted by the citizens.

He also revealed that work on the Budaiya Highway revamp project will commence soon.

On the Duraz Port, the minister said the government plans to set up a fully-equipped and integrated central port that serves all the villages in the Northern Governorate.

Housing Minister, on his part, affirmed that the visit provided an opportunity to identify the housing needs of Duraz and its neighbouring villages, and

to prepare necessary plans to meet the needs of the local citizens within the currently-implemented projects, particularly the Northern City project.

He also stressed that a comprehensive report will be submitted to the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, Northern Governor, Ali bin Al-Shaikh Abdul-Hussein Al-Asfoor stressed the importance of giving priority to urban development projects, which, he said, “requires linking development projects to the Master Plan and the Government Action Plan.”

“Duraz village really needs greater attention due to its high population density,” he said adding that the Northern Governorate had prepared a report in this regard.

The report highlights the

need to establish gates for open areas, allocating a lot for the “Village Centre”, revamping the sea front of the Bu Sobh Port for fishermen, establishing a traditional market, revamping the Duraz Park and removing slums.

He also stressed that the inspection visit should be followed up with a clear work plan and schedule to implement the projects, highlighting the importance of speeding up the on going projects.

He said that the Northern Governorate would continue following up on the villagers’ needs through the “We Are All Partners in Peace” Initiative.

MP Jalal Kadhim Al-Mahfoudh said that the visits of the two ministers strengthens the local citizens’ confidence in the officials.

The inspection visit follows HRH the Prime Minister’s directives to meet the local villagers

The ministers with other officials during the visit

4 Saturday, June 10, 2017

(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.)

AVOID FOOD WASTAGES

AT IFTARIn the holy month of Ramadan, Iftar or opening of

fast becomes our main attention due to fasting for a duration of about 15 hours. The Iftars are either taken at home alone or with the family and relatives or at Iftar buffets at hotels and restaurants. The other option usually for the bachelors and less privileged people are to open the fast at mosques and at community centers whereby the iftar and dinner is provided for free organized by the rich, philanthropists, charitable organizations and mosque committees.

It is a common sight that at Iftar, people do not respect the food and drinks that are provided to them and leave it partly eaten/ consumed. At home, food which is cooked and provided is often ben consumed and left overs are kept and re-utilized. At mosques, Iftar plates or boxes are commonly being made which include date, fruit pieces, samosa, pakoras, biryani and some sweet. If open food is served in dishes and plates, it is often being shared between 4-6 people who partly eat the portions they like. Thus, huge quantity of expensive freshly cooked food provided free by sponsors becomes waste which is conveniently disposed of in the nearest communal bin. The waste also include water bottles, containers, packaging, cardboards, Styrofoam and plastic plates, sheets, disposable cutlery and tissue papers.

The Iftar buffets at restaurants and hotels are no different than at mosques, where Iftar and dinner packages are being offered. In such cases also, there is huge wastage of food, as eating capability of the individuals are limited. The great variety of iftar and dinner items tend to make people take more than required in their plates which later is thrown in waste bins. Restaurants and hotels provide buffets beyond our imagination, with an ‘all-you-can-eat’ spirit. If people knew what ‘all they could eat’, maybe less food would have been wasted.

It is difficult to see that the food quantity run out. At joint iftar/ dinner gatherings at mosques, clubs and halls, more food is being provided irrespective of the number of people expected. At hotels and restaurants, food is amply being cooked for the fear that it may be fully consumed and where food availability contributes to the hotels’ reputation as running out of a specific dish would be every F& B manager’s worst nightmare. Thus, higher quantities of food/ dishes are being made. Irony of the fact is that the leftover food is not allowed to be consumed by the hotel staff or given to charity and has to make its way to the garbage bins.

The view of waste containers full of fresh and valuable food is very depressing especially for a country where most of the food items are imported and is expensive.

Wastage of food is a sin and a violation of the very concept of Ramadan. The act of throwing away food is a complete contradiction to the philosophy behind fasting. Quran says food waste must be prevented and mention, “Eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.”

So let us not waste the food. If surplus food is remaining, it should be packed and send/given to deserving people. We also need to make sure the quality and safety of the donated food. Another viable option to reduce food wastage is by recycling.

Let us be more vigilant and not waste any food waste or drinks. We need to think twice before putting any food waste to the garbage bin. Each individual’s contribution counts. Let us save our environment.

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

Ministers reach out to citizens in Duraz

Identifies villagers’ needsManama

The government, under the leadership of His Royal

Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, allocates great importance to the needs of the Duraz and its neighbouring villages, Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, Essam Khalaf, and Minister of Housing, Bassim Al Hamar said.

While paying a field visit to the Duraz village on Thursday, the ministers stressed the government’s keenness on reaching out to the needs of the citizens and translating them into work programmes.

The inspection visit follows HRH the Prime Minister’s directives to meet the local villagers and to be informed directly about their needs concerning service development projects.

Northern Governor, MPs, Northern Municipal Council Chairman and members, representatives of the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, and the Ministry of Housing, as well as dignitaries of the Duraz village, accompanied the ministers.

The inspection visit covered Duraz Port, the Traditional Market project on the coast of Abu Sobh and the Northern City project.

Commenting on the move, Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister said that the visit aims to identify the needs of the Duraz and its neighbouring villages and to

include them in the Ministry’s upcoming projects.

“The first sewage network was established in the Duraz village, and the Abu Sobh coast is the oldest of its kind in the region,” said the minister noting that the Ministry will complete all projects and shortcomings highlighted by the citizens.

He also revealed that work on the Budaiya Highway revamp project will commence soon.

On the Duraz Port, the minister said the government plans to set up a fully-equipped and integrated central port that serves all the villages in the Northern Governorate.

Housing Minister, on his part, affirmed that the visit provided an opportunity to identify the housing needs of Duraz and its neighbouring villages, and

to prepare necessary plans to meet the needs of the local citizens within the currently-implemented projects, particularly the Northern City project.

He also stressed that a comprehensive report will be submitted to the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, Northern Governor, Ali bin Al-Shaikh Abdul-Hussein Al-Asfoor stressed the importance of giving priority to urban development projects, which, he said, “requires linking development projects to the Master Plan and the Government Action Plan.”

“Duraz village really needs greater attention due to its high population density,” he said adding that the Northern Governorate had prepared a report in this regard.

The report highlights the

need to establish gates for open areas, allocating a lot for the “Village Centre”, revamping the sea front of the Bu Sobh Port for fishermen, establishing a traditional market, revamping the Duraz Park and removing slums.

He also stressed that the inspection visit should be followed up with a clear work plan and schedule to implement the projects, highlighting the importance of speeding up the on going projects.

He said that the Northern Governorate would continue following up on the villagers’ needs through the “We Are All Partners in Peace” Initiative.

MP Jalal Kadhim Al-Mahfoudh said that the visits of the two ministers strengthens the local citizens’ confidence in the officials.

The inspection visit follows HRH the Prime Minister’s directives to meet the local villagers

The ministers with other officials during the visit

5Saturday, June 10, 2017

BTEA bans Al JazeerachannelsManama

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority

(BTEA) yesterday issued a circular banning all tourism establishments operating in Bahrain from airing any of the channels aired by the Al Jazeera network.

The circular also warned that facilities failing to comply “will face closure and their tourism licence will be revoked

immediately.”“The violation of this

circular is punishable by law either by imprisonment, fine or both,” BTEA said.

The circular mandates all tourism establishments operating in the Kingdom, including hotels and restaurants, to reprogramme television receivers “to remove all channels related to Al Jazeera Network.”

“Tourism facilities running such channels will be penalised with fines including imprisonment and the revoking of licences,” the circular said.

In the circular, BTEA stressed the importance of removing all channels running under Al Jazeera Network from the list of channels available in the hotel rooms and all other similar facilities.

Foreign minister to visit TurkeyAnkara

Bahrain’s foreign minister will on Saturday visit

Turkey, announced the Turkish foreign ministry in a statement.

Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa will meet with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, as well as Erdogan to discuss the “latest developments in the region”, the ministry said in a statement.

The announcement came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ratified on Friday a bill approved by Turkish lawmakers to deploy troops to a Turkish base in Qatar.

Bahrain joined Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and other states this week in cutting ties with Qatar over emirate’s role in

financing of extremist groups and its ties to Iran.

The Arab countries closed air, sea and land links with Qatar, barred the emirate’s planes from their airspace and ordered Qatari citizens out

within 14 days.The crisis escalated further

after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain released a list of 59 Qatari and Doha-based people and entities linked to “terrorism”. (AFP)

Manama

Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs

and Urban Planning Essam Khalaf yesterday stressed the ministry’s support to improve seafronts, which are significant in making the Kingdom an important touristic destination.

The minister said this while

meeting the Chief Executive to Bahrain Bay Company Ghaghan Suri, Bahrain Bay Development Director Ken Sweeni and Bahrain Bay Associate Manager Shaima Noor Al Dein. Chairman of the Central Planning Office Dominic Mc Polin was also present. The meeting reviewed

various seafront plans in Bahrain and shed light on the Bahrain Bay Company’s development plans.

Khalaf stated that the Ministry continues to support the development of Bahrain Bay out of its belief in the importance of partnership with the private sector.

Seafronts key to tourism

Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Essam Khalaf during discussion

Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa (file)

6 Saturday, June 10, 2017

Washington

The Pentagon credited Russia yesterday for

helping calm tensions in southern Syria after a US jet shot down a pro-regime combat drone that had fired at coalition forces.

In the first incident of its type, the pro-regime drone fired what turned out to be a dud bomb at US-led coalition forces close to the coalition’s At-Tanaf garrison near the Jordanian border.

The Pentagon has not said who was operating the drone or where it came from, but the At-Tanaf area has seen a surge in activity of Iran-backed troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Iran makes an armed drone similar in description to the one shot down.

Russia is fighting for Assad and has considerable sway over the various forces on the battlefield.

Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said

any escalation in hostilities between the coalition and the pro-regime forces had been avoided thanks mainly to Russia’s influence.

“Russia has been very helpful and I think that the calm we see today is largely due to their efforts,” Davis said.

“They are trying to get the other parties, the pro-regime, the Iranian-backed militias to do the right thing and to prevent them from taking actions that are destabilizing.”

It was an unusual statement for the Pentagon, which in the past has roundly criticised Russian operations in Syria.

The Russian and US militaries have set up a special hotline to communicate about troop and plane movements over a crowded battle space, and the two sides regularly talk to avoid mishaps and ensure they are not operating in each others’ space.

Davis said there had been multiple military contacts

over the At-Tanaf situation, both on the hotline and at “senior military levels.”

The Russians “have helped to pass messages and calm the situation there, and we hope that continues,” he said.

Tensions around the

At-Tanaf garrison, where US and British commandos train local forces fighting the Islamic State group, have surged as pro-regime troops look to expand their influence.

Apart from the drone shootdown, the US has in

recent weeks conducted three strikes against pro-regime forces it deemed to be threatening At-Tanaf.

But Davis said the coalition’s single goal was defeating IS and it sought to avoid getting drawn into the

broader Syria conflict.“We are only going to take

action if we see things that they are doing that threaten us,” he said.

“Our only role there is to fight ISIS and that’s what we are doing.” (AFP)

© GRAPHIC NEWSSources: The Intercept, Associated Press

Russia’s military intelligence agency attempted to hack the computersof U.S. voting officials in the days before the 2016 presidential election,

according to a leaked National Security Agency (NSA) report

ADVERSARY SPACE

VICTIM SPACE

NEUTRALSPACE

Seven email accounts at U.S. election software firm targeted – at leastone likely compromised. Not known if hacking affected election results

Creates new emailaccount using datafrom “cyber espionageoperations” againsttargeted company

Clicks link andenters credentialsVictim also givesphone number andGoogle verificationcode if two-factorauthentication(2FA) is enabled

ANATOMY OF SPEAR-PHISHING ATTACK

Crafts fake email

Sendsemail

Operationalinfrastructure

Targetedcompanysystems

Steals data of interest

Gatherscredentials

Credentialsgive hackeropportunityto access

Email mimicsGoogle Alert,relating topurported issuewith targetedemployee’saccount

Employeeenticed toclick onmalicious linkwithin email

Hacker-controlledwebsite closelyresembling Googlewebmail page

Hackerallegedlyaffiliated withRussia’s MainIntelligenceDirectorate

1

56

7

4

2

3

‘Very helpful’ Russia in southern Syria: Pentagon

Trump counterattack Comey testimonyWashington

US President Donald Trump punched back yesterday

against James Comey and his dramatic Capitol Hill testimony, claiming “complete vindication” and slamming the ousted FBI director for leaking documents about their private conversations.

In his first response to Comey’s blunt remarks, Trump offered a window into how the White House may try to contain the controversy that has dogged his administration for months -- accusations that his campaign team colluded with Moscow to tilt the 2016 election in his favour.

The Republican leader zeroed in on Comey’s confirmation that he personally was not under investigation over his ties to Russia.

But he left aside scathing testimony by Comey, whom he fired in early May, that Trump had tried to derail a probe into onetime national security advisor Michael Flynn -- at best, a political miscalculation by a tradition-shredding president, and at worst, a criminal obstruction of justice.

“Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication... and WOW, Comey is a leaker!” Trump tweeted after an unusually lengthy silence on the social

media platform.Trump has an opportunity

to directly address the issue

Friday when he holds a press conference alongside the visiting Romanian president after 2:30 pm (1830 GMT).

Trump diligently stayed on message at a Department of Transportation appearance, where he discussed his administration’s infrastructure plans and his goal of taking a buzz saw to Washington’s “dense thicket of rules, regulations and red tape.”

But Washington continued digesting the Comey testimony and the sprawling issue of Russia and possible connections to the Trump administration.

Trump lawyer rejects Comey testimony, hints at prosecutionWashington

President Donald Trump’s private lawyer denied

allegations made by the sacked FBI director James Comey, suggesting he should be prosecuted for leaking “privileged information.”

The president “never told Mr Comey ‘I need loyalty, I expect loyalty’ in form or substance,” attorney Marc Kasowitz said, rejecting a key allegation made by the former FBI director before a Senate panel.

Dismissing key parts of Comey’s

damning testimony while claiming others as a win for the president, Kasowitz also suggested Comey may face prosecution.

“Today, Mr Comey admitted that he leaked to friends his purported memos of these privileged conversations, one of which he testified was classified,” the lawyer said.

“We will leave it the appropriate authorities to determine whether this leak should be investigated along with all those others being investigated.”

Smoke billows following a reported air strike on a rebel-held area in the southern Syrian city of Daraa

US President Donald Trump

6 Saturday, June 10, 2017

Washington

The Pentagon credited Russia yesterday for

helping calm tensions in southern Syria after a US jet shot down a pro-regime combat drone that had fired at coalition forces.

In the first incident of its type, the pro-regime drone fired what turned out to be a dud bomb at US-led coalition forces close to the coalition’s At-Tanaf garrison near the Jordanian border.

The Pentagon has not said who was operating the drone or where it came from, but the At-Tanaf area has seen a surge in activity of Iran-backed troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Iran makes an armed drone similar in description to the one shot down.

Russia is fighting for Assad and has considerable sway over the various forces on the battlefield.

Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said

any escalation in hostilities between the coalition and the pro-regime forces had been avoided thanks mainly to Russia’s influence.

“Russia has been very helpful and I think that the calm we see today is largely due to their efforts,” Davis said.

“They are trying to get the other parties, the pro-regime, the Iranian-backed militias to do the right thing and to prevent them from taking actions that are destabilizing.”

It was an unusual statement for the Pentagon, which in the past has roundly criticised Russian operations in Syria.

The Russian and US militaries have set up a special hotline to communicate about troop and plane movements over a crowded battle space, and the two sides regularly talk to avoid mishaps and ensure they are not operating in each others’ space.

Davis said there had been multiple military contacts

over the At-Tanaf situation, both on the hotline and at “senior military levels.”

The Russians “have helped to pass messages and calm the situation there, and we hope that continues,” he said.

Tensions around the

At-Tanaf garrison, where US and British commandos train local forces fighting the Islamic State group, have surged as pro-regime troops look to expand their influence.

Apart from the drone shootdown, the US has in

recent weeks conducted three strikes against pro-regime forces it deemed to be threatening At-Tanaf.

But Davis said the coalition’s single goal was defeating IS and it sought to avoid getting drawn into the

broader Syria conflict.“We are only going to take

action if we see things that they are doing that threaten us,” he said.

“Our only role there is to fight ISIS and that’s what we are doing.” (AFP)

© GRAPHIC NEWSSources: The Intercept, Associated Press

Russia’s military intelligence agency attempted to hack the computersof U.S. voting officials in the days before the 2016 presidential election,

according to a leaked National Security Agency (NSA) report

ADVERSARY SPACE

VICTIM SPACE

NEUTRALSPACE

Seven email accounts at U.S. election software firm targeted – at leastone likely compromised. Not known if hacking affected election results

Creates new emailaccount using datafrom “cyber espionageoperations” againsttargeted company

Clicks link andenters credentialsVictim also givesphone number andGoogle verificationcode if two-factorauthentication(2FA) is enabled

ANATOMY OF SPEAR-PHISHING ATTACK

Crafts fake email

Sendsemail

Operationalinfrastructure

Targetedcompanysystems

Steals data of interest

Gatherscredentials

Credentialsgive hackeropportunityto access

Email mimicsGoogle Alert,relating topurported issuewith targetedemployee’saccount

Employeeenticed toclick onmalicious linkwithin email

Hacker-controlledwebsite closelyresembling Googlewebmail page

Hackerallegedlyaffiliated withRussia’s MainIntelligenceDirectorate

1

56

7

4

2

3

‘Very helpful’ Russia in southern Syria: Pentagon

Trump counterattack Comey testimonyWashington

US President Donald Trump punched back yesterday

against James Comey and his dramatic Capitol Hill testimony, claiming “complete vindication” and slamming the ousted FBI director for leaking documents about their private conversations.

In his first response to Comey’s blunt remarks, Trump offered a window into how the White House may try to contain the controversy that has dogged his administration for months -- accusations that his campaign team colluded with Moscow to tilt the 2016 election in his favour.

The Republican leader zeroed in on Comey’s confirmation that he personally was not under investigation over his ties to Russia.

But he left aside scathing testimony by Comey, whom he fired in early May, that Trump had tried to derail a probe into onetime national security advisor Michael Flynn -- at best, a political miscalculation by a tradition-shredding president, and at worst, a criminal obstruction of justice.

“Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication... and WOW, Comey is a leaker!” Trump tweeted after an unusually lengthy silence on the social

media platform.Trump has an opportunity

to directly address the issue

Friday when he holds a press conference alongside the visiting Romanian president after 2:30 pm (1830 GMT).

Trump diligently stayed on message at a Department of Transportation appearance, where he discussed his administration’s infrastructure plans and his goal of taking a buzz saw to Washington’s “dense thicket of rules, regulations and red tape.”

But Washington continued digesting the Comey testimony and the sprawling issue of Russia and possible connections to the Trump administration.

Trump lawyer rejects Comey testimony, hints at prosecutionWashington

President Donald Trump’s private lawyer denied

allegations made by the sacked FBI director James Comey, suggesting he should be prosecuted for leaking “privileged information.”

The president “never told Mr Comey ‘I need loyalty, I expect loyalty’ in form or substance,” attorney Marc Kasowitz said, rejecting a key allegation made by the former FBI director before a Senate panel.

Dismissing key parts of Comey’s

damning testimony while claiming others as a win for the president, Kasowitz also suggested Comey may face prosecution.

“Today, Mr Comey admitted that he leaked to friends his purported memos of these privileged conversations, one of which he testified was classified,” the lawyer said.

“We will leave it the appropriate authorities to determine whether this leak should be investigated along with all those others being investigated.”

Smoke billows following a reported air strike on a rebel-held area in the southern Syrian city of Daraa

US President Donald Trump

7Saturday, June 10, 2017

Iran arrests dozens of IS ‘agents’

Turkey to deport detained French photographer: RSF

Syria sees first polio cases in three years: WHO

Teheran

Dozens of suspected “agents” of the Islamic State group have been arrested following the deadly attacks in Tehran, Iran’s

intelligence ministry and a website close to the judiciary said.The jihadist group claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s

attacks that killed 17 people.The intelligence ministry said 41 suspects were arrested in

Tehran, in the northwestern provinces of Kermanshah and Kurdistan, and in West Azerbaijan, near the borders with Iraq and Turkey.

It described the suspects as “agents of Daesh”, an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group, and said they included “operational teams”.

Documents and equipment “for carrying out terrorist operations” were also seized, the ministry said in a statement.

Geneva

Three new cases of polio have been recorded in Syria in the first outbreak of the virus in the country since 2014, the

World Health Organization and a partner initiative said.The new cases were registered in the oil-rich province Deir

Ezzor, the majority of which is controlled by the Islamic State group and where a siege of the capital has restricted access to basic goods for some of the population.

An outbreak hit the province in 2013-2014, when 36 cases were reported, according to the Polio Global Irradication Initiative.

WHO spokeswoman Sona Bari said on Thursday that the new cases are from a different strain of the virus.

The current form of the virus mutated from strains in the oral polio vaccine, the initiative said, as opposed to the “wild” polio which caused the last outbreak and led to the vaccination of millions of children in the Middle East.

3 UN Peacekeepers Killed in Mali Attack

Istanbul

Turkish authorities were yesterday set to deport a French photojournalist who has been held near the Syrian border for

a month, a press advocacy group said. “The procedure of Mathias Depardon’s deportation is in

progress. He’s on a plane from Gaziantep (in the southeast) to Istanbul and should return to Paris tonight,” Christophe Deloire, secretary-general of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said.

The French presidency also confirmed the journalist’s release. French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday asked

his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to ensure the journalist’s return to France “as soon as possible.”

The deportation comes a day after the 37-year-old journalist received a visit from his mother for the first time at the detention centre in Gaziantep.

Mother of French photographer Mathias Depardon, Daniele Van de Lanotte (R) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontiees, RSF) general secretary Christophe Deloire

Bamako

A powerful Al-Qaeda-linked group yesterday claimed

an attack on a United Nations camp that killed three Guinean peacekeepers in Kidal in Mali’s troubled north.

The Group to Support Islam and Muslims, a fusion of three Malian jihadist groups with previous Al-Qaeda links, posted a statement on its Telegram channel saying it had targeted the UN base “with a set of mortar shells”, wounding soldiers and causing significant material damage, the SITE extremism monitor reported.

The UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, said yesterday its Kidal camp “came under heavy rocket/mortar fire” and “a little later a position nearby was

attacked” outside their base, killing three peacekeepers and wounding eight more.

The Group to Support Islam and Muslims, also known as Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen in Arabic, is a fusion of three Malian jihadist groups with previous Al-Qaeda links formed in March.

Led by the Malian jihadist Iyad Ag Ghaly, a former leader of the Ansar Dine Islamists, the group has claimed multiple attacks on domestic and foreign forces since its formation.

The UN mission said it “condemned in the strongest terms these cowardly attacks against its personnel and the danger they cause for the civilian population.”

The Guinean government

said “terrorist attacks” had killed “three valiant soldiers (and) wounded three others” at a checkpoint just outside the camp, adding that one of its contingent remained unaccounted for.

The attack is just the latest to target the 12,000-strong UN force in the west African nation.

Guinean and Chadian soldiers make up the majority of troops stationed at the Kidal camp, where seven Guineans were killed in February 2016 by suicide bombers.

MINUSMA began work in 2013, providing security and assisting Malian troops struggling to keep the country safe. It has been targeted constantly by jihadists, with

dozens of peacekeepers killed.Northern Mali fell to jihadist

groups linked to Al-Qaeda in March 2012, including Ansar Dine, and although these forces were driven out of key towns by a French-led military intervention the following year, the Islamists have now spread further south.

Since 2015, jihadists have targeted Mali’s centre and their activities have spilled over into neighbouring countries including Niger and Burkina Faso.

The Group to Support Islam and Muslims killed two peacekeepers on May 23 near Aguelhok, close to the border with Algeria, while a Liberian peacekeeper was killed earlier in May close to Timbuktu. (AFP)

Austria to ban burqas from OctoberVienna

New Austrian legislation came into force that will

ban the full-face Islamic veil in public places from October 1.

The outlawing of the burqa or other clothing concealing the face follows similar moves in other countries in the European Union, starting with France in 2011.

In Austria, people who break the new law could be fined up to 150 euros ($168), according to the legislation approved by parliament in May and signed into law by the president this week.

Other measures include a clampdown on distributing

extremist material, and immigrants being obliged to sign an “integration contract”.

A 12-month “integration programme” will include courses in “values” and the

German language. Failure to attend can result in cuts to social security payments.

The legislation was hammered out by the centrist government amid strong support for the far-right and the arrival of 90,000 asylum-seekers since 2015.

The “grand coalition” under Chancellor Christian Kern collapsed last month and early elections were called for October 15.

The far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), whose candidate came close to winning the largely ceremonial presidency last year, is riding high in opinion polls ahead of the vote.

A soldier of the United Nations mission to Mali MINUSMA standing guard near a UN vehicle after it drove over an explosive device near Kidal (file photo)

Representational image

Iranians march during the funeral of the victims of the attacks on Tehran

8 Saturday, June 10, 2017

May stays, for now

“What the country needs more than ever is certainty... it is clear that only the Conservative and Unionist Party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that.”

- Theresa May

326 seats neededto form majority

Scotland

NorthWest

West Midlands

Wales

SouthWest

NorthEast

NorthernIreland

Yorkshire &Humberside

Eastern

EastMidlands

London

SouthEast

Turnout:68.7%Electorate:46,843,896

NET CHANGEIN SEATS (2015-17)

CON LAB

-12 +29

Results at a glance

CON318

LAB261

Lib Dem12

SNP35

DUP10 Sinn Fein

7Plaid

Cymru4

Other2

To bedeclared

1

Source: Press Association © GRAPHIC NEWS

326 seats neededto form majority

Scotland

NorthWest

West Midlands

Wales

SouthWest

NorthEast

NorthernIreland

Yorkshire &Humberside

Eastern

EastMidlands

London

SouthEast

Turnout:68.7%Electorate:46,843,896

NET CHANGEIN SEATS (2015-17)

CON LAB

-12 +29CON318

LAB261

Lib Dem12

SNP35

DUP10 Sinn Fein

7Plaid

Cymru4

Other2

To bedeclared

1

Source: Press Association

Voted out

NICK CLEGG -- The former deputy PM and ex-Liberal Democrat leader

lost his seat to Labour. “You live by the sword and you die by the sword,” he said.

ALEX SALMOND -- The former Scottish first minister and Scottish National Party leader lost his seat as the Conservatives made dramatic gains in the north.

ANGUS ROBERTSON -- The SNP’s leader in the British parliament also fell to the Conservative surge in Scotland. “There’s a lot of change going on,” he said.

SIMON DANCZUK -- A fierce opponent of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership. The tabloid favourite was barred from standing for Labour and quit the party in disgust, but defended his seat as an independent. He got 1.8pc of the vote.

BEN GUMMER -- He wrote the Conservative manifesto and was thought to be a rising star in the party, but lost his seat by less than 1,000 votes.

Voted back in

ZAC GOLDSMITH -- The former London mayoral candidate quit as

an MP when the Conservatives backed expanding Heathrow Airport. As an independent, he lost a by-election to the Liberal Democrats. Back in the Conservative fold, he won by just 45 votes.

VINCE CABLE -- A former business secretary and Liberal Democrat deputy leader, he lost his seat in the Lib Dem bloodbath of 2015 but returned with 53 percent of the vote.

KEN CLARKE -- The 1990s finance minister is the “father of the house” -- the longest continually-serving MP, having entered the Commons in 1970. The Conservative grandee is a rare pro-EU figure in his party.

DENNIS SKINNER -- The left-wing firebrand and so-called “Beast of Bolsover” is parliament’s oldest MP, aged 85. He won another five-year mandate.

Stood down

GEORGE OSBORNE -- The Conservative former finance

minister has become the editor of the London Evening Standard newspaper. He has lambasted May for blowing the Conservative majority.

DOUGLAS CARSWELL -- UKIP’s only MP quit the party after Britain signed its intention to leave the EU and did not defend his seat, saying Brexit meant his mission was accomplished. 

GISELA STUART -- German-born Stuart chaired the Vote Leave campaign to success in the Brexit referendum but stood down after 20 years as a Labour MP.

ANDY BURNHAM -- Labour’s former health minister stood down to contest the Greater Manchester mayoralty and won with 63 percent of the vote. He played a key role in the aftermath of last month’s terror attack in the city.

London

A defiant Prime Minister Theresa May vowed

yesterday to form a new government to lead Britain out of the EU despite losing her majority in a snap general election and facing calls to resign.

“What the country needs more than ever is certainty,” May said after the shock outcome of Thursday’s vote.

The Conservative leader had called the election in a bid to extend her majority and strengthen her hand in the looming Brexit negotiations,

but her gamble backfired spectacularly. 

Although winning the most seats, her centre-right party lost its majority in parliament, meaning it will now rely on support from Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Sterling plunged against the dollar and the euro on Friday as the election result created even more uncertainty over the whole Brexit process.

But May vowed to “fulfil the promise of Brexit”, in a statement outside her Downing Street office after

seeking permission from the head of state Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government.

“It is clear that only the Conservative and Unionist Party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that,” she said.

“This will allow us to come together as a country and

channel our energies towards a successful Brexit deal.”

May made no reference to her party’s damaging losses, leading the Evening Standard, edited by former Tory finance minister George Osborne, to splash the front-page headline “Queen of Denial”. (AFP)

“The mandate she’s got is lost Conservative seats, lost votes, lost support and lost confi-dence. I would have thought that’s enough to go.”

The Conservatives “have lost their majority and the prime minister has lost all authority and credibility”

May “is in a very difficult place... she now has to obviously consider her position”.

“She put her party before her country. She has been found out. She should be ashamed. Theresa May promised strong and stable

leadership. She has brought weakness and uncertainty. If she has an ounce of self-respect, she will resign.”

-Jeremy Corbyn main opposition Labour leader

-Nicola Sturgeon Scottish First Minister

-Anna Soubry Conservative MP and former minister

-Tim Farron Liberal Democrat leader

8 Saturday, June 10, 2017

May stays, for now

“What the country needs more than ever is certainty... it is clear that only the Conservative and Unionist Party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that.”

- Theresa May

326 seats neededto form majority

Scotland

NorthWest

West Midlands

Wales

SouthWest

NorthEast

NorthernIreland

Yorkshire &Humberside

Eastern

EastMidlands

London

SouthEast

Turnout:68.7%Electorate:46,843,896

NET CHANGEIN SEATS (2015-17)

CON LAB

-12 +29

Results at a glance

CON318

LAB261

Lib Dem12

SNP35

DUP10 Sinn Fein

7Plaid

Cymru4

Other2

To bedeclared

1

Source: Press Association © GRAPHIC NEWS

326 seats neededto form majority

Scotland

NorthWest

West Midlands

Wales

SouthWest

NorthEast

NorthernIreland

Yorkshire &Humberside

Eastern

EastMidlands

London

SouthEast

Turnout:68.7%Electorate:46,843,896

NET CHANGEIN SEATS (2015-17)

CON LAB

-12 +29CON318

LAB261

Lib Dem12

SNP35

DUP10 Sinn Fein

7Plaid

Cymru4

Other2

To bedeclared

1

Source: Press Association

Voted out

NICK CLEGG -- The former deputy PM and ex-Liberal Democrat leader

lost his seat to Labour. “You live by the sword and you die by the sword,” he said.

ALEX SALMOND -- The former Scottish first minister and Scottish National Party leader lost his seat as the Conservatives made dramatic gains in the north.

ANGUS ROBERTSON -- The SNP’s leader in the British parliament also fell to the Conservative surge in Scotland. “There’s a lot of change going on,” he said.

SIMON DANCZUK -- A fierce opponent of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership. The tabloid favourite was barred from standing for Labour and quit the party in disgust, but defended his seat as an independent. He got 1.8pc of the vote.

BEN GUMMER -- He wrote the Conservative manifesto and was thought to be a rising star in the party, but lost his seat by less than 1,000 votes.

Voted back in

ZAC GOLDSMITH -- The former London mayoral candidate quit as

an MP when the Conservatives backed expanding Heathrow Airport. As an independent, he lost a by-election to the Liberal Democrats. Back in the Conservative fold, he won by just 45 votes.

VINCE CABLE -- A former business secretary and Liberal Democrat deputy leader, he lost his seat in the Lib Dem bloodbath of 2015 but returned with 53 percent of the vote.

KEN CLARKE -- The 1990s finance minister is the “father of the house” -- the longest continually-serving MP, having entered the Commons in 1970. The Conservative grandee is a rare pro-EU figure in his party.

DENNIS SKINNER -- The left-wing firebrand and so-called “Beast of Bolsover” is parliament’s oldest MP, aged 85. He won another five-year mandate.

Stood down

GEORGE OSBORNE -- The Conservative former finance

minister has become the editor of the London Evening Standard newspaper. He has lambasted May for blowing the Conservative majority.

DOUGLAS CARSWELL -- UKIP’s only MP quit the party after Britain signed its intention to leave the EU and did not defend his seat, saying Brexit meant his mission was accomplished. 

GISELA STUART -- German-born Stuart chaired the Vote Leave campaign to success in the Brexit referendum but stood down after 20 years as a Labour MP.

ANDY BURNHAM -- Labour’s former health minister stood down to contest the Greater Manchester mayoralty and won with 63 percent of the vote. He played a key role in the aftermath of last month’s terror attack in the city.

London

A defiant Prime Minister Theresa May vowed

yesterday to form a new government to lead Britain out of the EU despite losing her majority in a snap general election and facing calls to resign.

“What the country needs more than ever is certainty,” May said after the shock outcome of Thursday’s vote.

The Conservative leader had called the election in a bid to extend her majority and strengthen her hand in the looming Brexit negotiations,

but her gamble backfired spectacularly. 

Although winning the most seats, her centre-right party lost its majority in parliament, meaning it will now rely on support from Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Sterling plunged against the dollar and the euro on Friday as the election result created even more uncertainty over the whole Brexit process.

But May vowed to “fulfil the promise of Brexit”, in a statement outside her Downing Street office after

seeking permission from the head of state Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government.

“It is clear that only the Conservative and Unionist Party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that,” she said.

“This will allow us to come together as a country and

channel our energies towards a successful Brexit deal.”

May made no reference to her party’s damaging losses, leading the Evening Standard, edited by former Tory finance minister George Osborne, to splash the front-page headline “Queen of Denial”. (AFP)

“The mandate she’s got is lost Conservative seats, lost votes, lost support and lost confi-dence. I would have thought that’s enough to go.”

The Conservatives “have lost their majority and the prime minister has lost all authority and credibility”

May “is in a very difficult place... she now has to obviously consider her position”.

“She put her party before her country. She has been found out. She should be ashamed. Theresa May promised strong and stable

leadership. She has brought weakness and uncertainty. If she has an ounce of self-respect, she will resign.”

-Jeremy Corbyn main opposition Labour leader

-Nicola Sturgeon Scottish First Minister

-Anna Soubry Conservative MP and former minister

-Tim Farron Liberal Democrat leader

© GRAPHIC NEWSSources: Aviation Week, Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is working on a successor to the U.S. Air Force’slong-retired SR-71 spy plane. Dubbed “son of Blackbird”, the SR-72

would be capable of reaching Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound

Strike andreconnaissanceOptionallymannedCombinedcycle (x2)Mach 6(7,400km/h)Test flight 2023Operational 2030(projected)

Lockheed Martin SR-72StrategicreconnaissanceTwo (pilot andsystems operator)Turbojet(x2)Mach 3.3(4,075km/h)First flight1964Retired 1999

Lockheed SR-71 BlackbirdRole

Crew

Propulsion

MaximumspeedHistory

LOCKHEED MARTIN SR-72: Construction of scaled demonstrator vehiclewith single engine could begin as early as 2018

COMBINED CYCLE PROPULSION: Merges turbojet and ramjet enginesTurbojet: Provides thrust up to andbeyond Mach 3, when ramjet takes over

Commonexhaustnozzle

Common inlet feeds air toboth engines, reducing drag

Dual-mode ramjet: Air and fuel are fedinto combustion chamber and ignited,accelerating vehicle to Mach 6

Splitter rotatesto direct airflowto required engine

AIRFLOW

© GRAPHIC NEWSSource: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

India has launched its most powerful homegrown rocket to date – the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III)

SatelliteLaunchVehicle-3(SLV-3)First flight1980 1987 1993 2001

Jun 52017

AugmentedSLV

Height22m

44m

24m

EVOLUTION OF INDIA’SSPACE LAUNCHERS

49m 43m

PolarSLV

GSLVMk II

GSLVMk III

GSLVMk IIIWeight:640tonnes

First stage: Two strap-on solid rocket boosters,each with 205 tonnes of propellant. Separationoccurs about 140 seconds after lift-off

Second stage: 4m diameter, carries 110 tonnesof liquid propellant. Powered by two Vikas enginesthat ignite 114 seconds after lift-off

Third stage: Powered byCE-20 cryogenic engine,carries 28 tonnes of fuel

Payload fairingWill carry 3,136kgGSAT-19 communicationssatellite – heaviest liftedby Indian rocket to date –to altitude of 179kmin just over 16 minutes Bay of

Bengal

INDIA

CHINA

Mumbai

SriharikotaLaunch site

New Delhi

BUSINESSSaturday, June 10, 2017 9

Ottawa

Canada’s unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage points to 6.6 per cent in May, despite a surge in full-time

work. There was a net 54,500 new jobs created in the month, including 77,000 full-time jobs -- beating analysts’ expectations, which were five times lower, after a near-decade low unemployment rate was posted the previous month.

Beijing

Prices for goods at the factory gate in China missed expectations in May, the government said yesterday. The

producer price index (PPI) rose 5.5 per cent year-on-year. China’s consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.5pc year-on-year in the month, up from a 1.2pc increase in April. China’s economy expanded 6.7pc for all of last year.

Jean-Claude Juncker,

Canada jobless rate rises to 6.6% China factory gate inflation slows in May The protection of Europe can no longer be outsourced. Over the past decade, it has become crystal clear that our American partners consider that they are shouldering too much of the burden for their wealthy European allies,”

European Commission chief

Astana

India and Pakistan yesterday formally joined

the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a security bloc spearheaded by China and Russia, despite bilateral tensions bubbling over Kashmir. 

Leaders of the largely symbolic body -- including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping -- formally signed off on the sub-continent duo’s accession at the  annual SCO summit in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi reportedly shook hands and exchanged greetings late Thursday at the opening of the SCO meeting, although New Delhi said that no formal bilateral meeting between the two was planned. 

Modi yesterday hailed India’s accession as a  “landmark moment in the journey of the SCO” and pledged India would play a

“constructive and active role” in the organisation that also includes ex-Soviet states Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Sharif thanked the founding members for their “staunch support” for his country’s entry into the organisation, which he hailed as “an anchor of stability in the region”.

But both Moscow and Beijing expressed optimism that the two neighbours’ entry into the SCO could strengthen prospects for peace across the region.

Founded in 1996, the SCO is viewed as a vehicle for managing competing Chinese and Russia political, economic and military interests   in the strategic region.  

India, Pak join China, Russia-led security bloc

EU slaps anti-dumping duties on ChinaBrussels

The European Union imposed new anti-

dumping duties on steel products from China yesterday, as it broadens its campaign to protect struggling steel manufacturers in Europe.

The EU took the latest action against China, which makes more than half the world’s steel, for allegedly flooding global markets in violation of international trade agreements.

The European Commission, the EU executive, said it imposed duties of up to 35.9 percent on Chinese hot-rolled flat steel used in shipbuilding, gas containers, pressure vessels,

tubes and energy pipelines.EU Trade Commissioner

Cecilia Malmstroem said the commission is trying to level the “playing field” with China and stop the damage to European producers.

“We are continuing to act, when necessary, against unfair trading conditions in the steel sector, and against foreign dumping,” Malmstroem said in a statement.

In January, the commission slapped anti-dumping duties on stainless steel tube and pipe butt-welding fittings, which are used to join steel pipes and tubes. 

They are commonly used

in industries such as food processing and shipbuilding as well as energy and construction.

The EU has had a series of trade disputes with China, its second-largest trading partner, but is also seeking to resolve the stand-off over steel with Beijing through the OECD, the Paris-based group of developed economies.

The commission said its investigation found that Chinese industry benefits from preferential lending, tax rebates and other financial help that allow for exports to the 28-nation bloc at artificially low prices.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit

BUSINESS Saturday, June 10, 201710

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 #REF! 0.3908 0.3450

KUWAIT 0.2855 31.1966 0.2959 0.2613

OMAN 0.3849 0.3714 0.3989 0.3522

QATAR 3.6420 3.5138 3.7749 3.3330

UAE 3.6730 3.5437 3.8070 3.3614

SAUDI 3.7500 3.6180 3.8868 3.4319

AUSTRALIA 0.2918 0.2894BANGLADESH 0.00491 0.00469CANADA 0.2865 0.2833DENMARK 0.0603 EGYPT 0.0234 0.0217EURO 0.4295 0.4274HONGKONG 0.04985 0.04945INDIA 0.00603 0.00594INDONESIA 0.00003019 0.00002904IRAN TUMAN 0.000323 IRAQI DINAR 0.000304 JAPAN 0.00361 0.003540JORDAN 0.5350 0.5351KOREA 0.00038585 KUWAIT 1.249 1.249MALAYSIA 0.0907 0.0907NEW ZEALAND 0.2757 0.2758NORWAY 0.0467 NEPAL 0.00388 0.00367OMAN 0.97962 0.98262PAKISTAN 0.00373 0.00360PHILIPPINES 0.00785 0.00764QATAR 0.10381 0.10376SAUDI ARABIA 0.10058 0.10066SINGAPORE 0.2779 0.2759SOUTH AFRICA 0.03080 0.03070SRI LANKA 0.00270 0.00248SWEDISH 0.0466 SWITZERLAND 0.3976 0.3968SYRIA 0.001740 0.0017TAIWAN 0.012700 THAILAND 0.011300 0.011300TURKEY 0.1134 UNITED KINGDOM 0.4951 0.4922UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 0.102810 0.102810UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 0.37780 0.37800YUAN 0.056800 0.056800

London

The pound plunged yesterday as Prime

Minister Theresa May’s Conservatives lost their parliamentary majority in Britain’s general election, fuelling political uncertainty just days before the start of Brexit talks.

Sterling slumped to a seven-week low of $1.2636, while the euro hit a seven-month peak at 88.59 pence.

However, that propelled the London stock market higher as the weaker pound boosts multinational companies that earn in currencies other than sterling. Investors also brushed off news of a monthly rise in industrial output.

May had called Thursday’s

snap vote in a bid to boost her Conservative party’s hold over parliament and give her a stronger hand in upcoming talks with EU leaders over the country’s detachment from the bloc.

However, leftist Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party slashed the Conservatives’ lead, leaving the country with a hung parliament.

That means that no single party has the 326 seats required for an absolute majority. May’s Conservatives will now rely on the support of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) for a working majority.

The election outcome throws Britain once again into upheaval less than a year after

the country’s decision to leave the EU, which had already led the pound to collapse about 15 percent against the dollar between June and October 2016.

Elsewhere on Friday, French and German equities also advanced after a broadly positive session in Asia.

No ‘smoking gun’Wall Street enjoyed overnight gains as investors shrugged off dramatic political events. It added to those gains at the opening bell on Friday.

Testimony from sacked FBI boss James Comey on Thursday that President Donald Trump asked him to drop a probe into former national security advisor

Mike Flynn had little effect on sentiment. 

“While it may have made uncomfortable hearing for the US President, there did not appear to be any smoking gun,” noted CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson.

Washington nevertheless buzzed with new questions after Comey  accused Trump of lies and defamation, in a gripping testimony that undermined an already troubled White House.

However, Trump on Friday claimed “total and complete vindication” after Comey revealed he was not personally under investigation in a probe into Russian interference in last year’s US election. (AFP)

Toulouse

Airbus yesterday said it expects the market for

large passenger planes to more than double in the next 20 years driven by growth from Asian markets.

Raising its previous forecasts for the next two decades, the European aircraft maker also said a slowdown in orders over the past several months did not signal a drop in the market.

“The trend is positive,” said Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier.

The planemaker predicts the need for 35,000 new

planes worth $5.3 trillion over the next two decades, an increase from last

year’s estimates. The number of aircraft

worldwide that count over 100

seats should reach more than 40,000 while airline traffic will increase by 4.4 percent per year over the time period, according to the Airbus estimates released Friday. 

This means hundreds of thousands of new jobs, the planemaker said, estimating the need for 530,000 more pilots and 550,000 new maintenance engineers.

Emerging markets in China and India as well as other parts of Asia and Latin America are growing nearly twice as fast as North America and Western Europe.

Passenger plane market to double: Airbus

Pound tumbles as election gamble fails

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2724 from $1.2950 at 2100 GMT on Thursday

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1173 from $1.1215 

Dollar/yen: UP at 110.75 yen from 109.80 yen

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.8 percent at 7,510.39 points

Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.6 percent at 5,296.24

Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.6 percent at 12,788.44

EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.5 percent at 3,580.86

New York - Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 21,227.72

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.5 percent at 20,013.26 (close) 

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 0.1 percent at 26,030.29 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.3 percent at 3,158.40 (close)

Oil - Brent North Sea: DOWN 2 cents at $47.84 per barrel

Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP 4 cents at $45.68

Key figures Demonstrator wears a mask depict-ing Britain’s Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May, poses with a mock gravestone bearing the words “Hard Brexit, RIP”

Part of the aircraft body for an Airbus is pictured in Voreppe, eastern France,

Jerusalem, Undefined

As a boy, Ramzi Aburedwan found

himself caught up in the first Palestinian uprising, a well-known photo at the time showing him holding stones to throw at Israeli soldiers.

He has since become a respected musician and composer, who gives back to children from Palestinian refugee camps, like himself.

Today, he provides musical training to around 2,000 of them through his project called Al-Kamandjati, or The Violinist, in Arabic.

Aburedwan, now 38 and who grew up in Al-Amari camp in the occupied West Bank’s Ramallah area, says he hopes to create a “strong future generation capable of expressing itself” through such projects.

H e l a u n c h e d Al-Kamandjati in 2002,

wanting to offer youngsters from the camps and other poor children access to expensive musical instruments and music theory classes.

The violinist, who studied music in Angers in western France, began by collecting instruments donated by various institutions across Europe.

On his return to Ramallah, he extended the project in 2008 to Beirut’s Shatila refugee camp as well as the Bourj el-Barajneh camp in Lebanon.

Aburedwan’s project now counts eight music schools and more than 2,000 students aged between five and 18. In March, Palestinian officials named him cultural figure of the year.

The composer, with a neatly trimmed beard, thinks

back with pride to the old photo of

himself as a child in a red jacket with stones in hand, taken in 1988.

At the time, “we had to protect our camp from the soldiers”, he said of Al-Amari, one of the refugee camps set up to house Palestinians displaced by the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.

With another mass exodus caused by the Six-Day War of 1967, almost eight million Palestinians are considered refugees, with most of them living in camps across the Middle East.

Luck and hard workThe future is bleak for many who grow up in poverty, and that could have been the case for Aburedwan had fortune not smiled upon him.

As a teenager, he worked odd jobs to earn money w h e r e h e c o u l d ,

hawking newspapers and doing gardening work for families in Ramallah.

One of the women who hired him “heard something about a scholarship to learn music in France”, he said.

“She proposed my name and I landed in France, where I learned music before starting Al-Kamandjati,” said Aburedwan.

Recently, a group of music students from the Qalandia refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, were training along with musicians teaching violin and cello as part of Aburedwan’s programme.

“ I s t a r t e d t o

learn music in the Qalandia camp with the Kamandjati group when I was seven,” said Tayib al-Hamouz, 16.

Teacher Montasser Jibreen, 25, started to learn music in 2005 with Kamandjati.

“I played clarinet and after I finished school I got a grant for music at Angers University and was the conductor in the orchestra,” he said.

Beyond teaching music, Aburedwan decided to spend this year inviting musicians from abroad to perform for Palestinians.

P e r f o r m a n c e s have been planned for c a m p s , a u d i t o r i u m s , the ruins

of ancient palaces in the West Bank, the blockaded

Gaza Strip and Jerusalem.Dozens of performances

were held over 18 days at the ruins of Hisham’s Palace in the West Bank city of Jericho, including Rajasthan gypsy dancers with their colourful dresses.

At the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem, the Jerusalem holy site that includes the Al-Aqsa mosque compound and the Dome of the Rock, whirling dervish dancers performed.

However, Sufi music and dance did not please everyone: Aburedwan and other artists were escorted away from the site by offended worshippers.

But it takes more than that to discourage the kid from the refugee camp.

A few hours later, dozens of people applauded the Turkish dancers at another location on the outskirts of Jerusalem’s Old City. (AFP)

Saturday, June 10, 2017 11

Palestinian violinist

to young refugees

brings music

A Palestinian actor per-forms in front of school-children during a festival organized by musician Ramzi Aburedwan in East Jerusalem

Ramzi Aburedwan with his violin

Saturday, June 10, 201712His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa left Cairo yesterday, wrapping up a visit to Egypt. HM the King was seen off by President Abel Fattah El Sisi, Interior Minister and Head of the Royal Convoy of Honour, Mo-hammed Yahya Rashid, Bah-rain’s Ambas-sador to Egypt, Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulrah-man Al Khalifa, and staff of the Kingdom’s Em-bassy in Cairo

President of Customs, Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Saudi Director General of Customs, Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Haqbani visited Khalifa bin Salman Port and discussed ex-isting customs cooperation be-tween the two countries and means to enhance customs work and traffic flow through King Fa-had Causeway. During the visit, they oversaw work flow and cus-toms clearance steps, in addition to visiting the joint office to li-cence chemical substances to fa-cilitate imports and exports. They also visited the Customs Opera-tions room at the Customs Affairs

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa returned to Bahrain yesterday after a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. HM the King was welcomed on arrival at Sakhir Air Base by Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Minister of Housing Bassim Alhamer and Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Essam Khalaf visited Duraz village yesterday. The inspection visit follows Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa’s directives to identify the needs of the Duraz and its neighbouring villages. The visit was attended by the Northern Governor, MPs, Northern Municipal Council Chairman and members, representatives of the ministries as well as dignitaries of the Duraz village.

The US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Aimee Cutrona hosted a Ghabga for ladies to celebrate Ramadan and the friendship between the Bahrain and the United States. During the ceremony, Cutrona paid tribute to the vital role that women play in Bahraini society and thanked her guests for coming together to celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan. Female government officials, academics, journalists, exchange programme participants, and NGO representatives attended the event

In celebration of the Holy Month of Ramadan and with the presence of the top media figures, Intercontinental Regency Bahrain hosted a memorable iftar gathering for all the media representatives from newspapers, lifestyle magazines and so-cial media influencers at Selections restaurant. The invitees were welcomed by Jan Ifcic the hotel General Manager, Ahmed Hisham the Director of Sales and Marketing, Anan El Kady the Marketing & Communications Manager and Sawsan Shaker the Marketing & Communications Executive

Saturday, June 10, 201712His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa left Cairo yesterday, wrapping up a visit to Egypt. HM the King was seen off by President Abel Fattah El Sisi, Interior Minister and Head of the Royal Convoy of Honour, Mo-hammed Yahya Rashid, Bah-rain’s Ambas-sador to Egypt, Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulrah-man Al Khalifa, and staff of the Kingdom’s Em-bassy in Cairo

President of Customs, Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Saudi Director General of Customs, Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Haqbani visited Khalifa bin Salman Port and discussed ex-isting customs cooperation be-tween the two countries and means to enhance customs work and traffic flow through King Fa-had Causeway. During the visit, they oversaw work flow and cus-toms clearance steps, in addition to visiting the joint office to li-cence chemical substances to fa-cilitate imports and exports. They also visited the Customs Opera-tions room at the Customs Affairs

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa returned to Bahrain yesterday after a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. HM the King was welcomed on arrival at Sakhir Air Base by Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Minister of Housing Bassim Alhamer and Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Essam Khalaf visited Duraz village yesterday. The inspection visit follows Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa’s directives to identify the needs of the Duraz and its neighbouring villages. The visit was attended by the Northern Governor, MPs, Northern Municipal Council Chairman and members, representatives of the ministries as well as dignitaries of the Duraz village.

The US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Aimee Cutrona hosted a Ghabga for ladies to celebrate Ramadan and the friendship between the Bahrain and the United States. During the ceremony, Cutrona paid tribute to the vital role that women play in Bahraini society and thanked her guests for coming together to celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan. Female government officials, academics, journalists, exchange programme participants, and NGO representatives attended the event

In celebration of the Holy Month of Ramadan and with the presence of the top media figures, Intercontinental Regency Bahrain hosted a memorable iftar gathering for all the media representatives from newspapers, lifestyle magazines and so-cial media influencers at Selections restaurant. The invitees were welcomed by Jan Ifcic the hotel General Manager, Ahmed Hisham the Director of Sales and Marketing, Anan El Kady the Marketing & Communications Manager and Sawsan Shaker the Marketing & Communications Executive

Saturday, June 10, 2017 13

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa returned to Bahrain yesterday after a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. HM the King was welcomed on arrival at Sakhir Air Base by Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Minister of Interior Lt General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa received newly-appointed Malay-sian Ambassador Ajus Salim Haji Yusof yesterday. The Minister welcomed the new envoy and wished him success in his assignment. The Minister also praised the excellent ties between the two countries and the coordination and cooperation, especially in the field of security

Minister of Housing Bassim Alhamer and Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Essam Khalaf visited Duraz village yesterday. The inspection visit follows Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa’s directives to identify the needs of the Duraz and its neighbouring villages. The visit was attended by the Northern Governor, MPs, Northern Municipal Council Chairman and members, representatives of the ministries as well as dignitaries of the Duraz village.

Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Essam Khalaf met with the Chief Executive to Bahrain Bay Company Ghaghan Suri, Bahrain Bay De-velopment Director Ken Sweeni and Bahrain Bay Associate Manager Shaima Noor Al Dein. Chairman of the Central Planning Office Dominic Mc Polin was also pres-ent during the meeting. The meeting reviewed sea front plans, which are signifi-cant in making Bahrain an important touristic destination

Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr. Abdulhussain Mirza received Dr. Shai-kh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Centre for Strategic and International Energy Studies (Derasat). The minister praised the centre’s advanced scientific additions in the field of stud-ies. He also pointed to the importance of the role played by the centre as a Bahraini intellectual institution that works to study and analyze ideas and vi-sions in the strategic, international and energy fields

The US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Aimee Cutrona hosted a Ghabga for ladies to celebrate Ramadan and the friendship between the Bahrain and the United States. During the ceremony, Cutrona paid tribute to the vital role that women play in Bahraini society and thanked her guests for coming together to celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan. Female government officials, academics, journalists, exchange programme participants, and NGO representatives attended the event Ibdar Bank held a Gabgha for its staff at The Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay

In celebration of the Holy Month of Ramadan and with the presence of the top media figures, Intercontinental Regency Bahrain hosted a memorable iftar gathering for all the media representatives from newspapers, lifestyle magazines and so-cial media influencers at Selections restaurant. The invitees were welcomed by Jan Ifcic the hotel General Manager, Ahmed Hisham the Director of Sales and Marketing, Anan El Kady the Marketing & Communications Manager and Sawsan Shaker the Marketing & Communications Executive

General Directorate of Traffic has started Ramadan awareness campaigns before Iftar in association with the fast breaking campaigns by a number of NGOs to ensure traffic safety and near places of worship and residential areas to avoid wrong parking in a way that hinder traffic. The department distributed awareness publications and enhance awareness of violators to stop traffic offences

Paris Hilton‏ @ParisHilton

Happy #NationalOceanDay Please respect these

beautiful blue waters & keep our oceans clean!

14 Saturday, June 10, 2017

Natalie Portman is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was in the 1994 action thriller Léon: The Professional, opposite Jean Reno. She was later cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Born in Jerusalem to an Israeli father and American mother, Portman grew up in the eastern United States from the age of three. She studied dancing and acting in New York, and starred in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

Los Angeles

Actress Melissa McCarthy has been roped in to star in the upcoming

family musical “Margie Claus”.Directed by McCarthy’s husband

Ben Falcone, “Margie Claus” will mark McCarthy’s musical debut and will feature her as Santa Claus’s sweet wife Margie Claus, reports aceshowbiz.com.

Besides directing, Falcone will co-write the “Margie Claus” script with Damon Jones. He will also produce the musical with McCarthy through their On the Day banner.

The musical will centre on Margie Claus. Her husband goes missing while delivering gifts on Christmas Eve and she’s got to leave the North Pole for the first time to save both him and Christmas. The musical is expected to have the same vibe and success as Will Ferrell-starrer “Elf”. (IANS)

Los Angeles

Actor Jared Leto, best known for essaying arch villain Joker, has stated that he has very few

friends and no desire to start a family.Leto counts Gucci’s Alessandro Michele and

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio among his only friends.

The Oscar-winner, 45, opened up to the latest issue of ES Magazine about his small social circle and his views on starting a family, reports dailymail.co.uk.

“Leo is really funny. I’ve known him for a very long time. But he’s usually busy. There are people I’m really enamoured with but it’s hard to find time to spend with them,” Leto said.

The actor is happily single and has no plans to become a father.

“I think it’s really important to be present if you have children. I have a lot of... things to take care of,” he cryptically said of his lack of desire to start

a family. (IANS)

He rose to fame for his acting in Once and Again and A Walk to Remember. He also played Dr. Ray in ER and Darby Crash in What We Do Is Secret and in 2015, he began playing John Alden on the WGN series Salem.

June 10, 1978

Los Angeles

Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez has reportedly refused to believe that her boyfriend, baseball player Alex

Rodriguez, cheated on her with a model named Lauren Hunter.

“Jennifer is completely delusional right now,” a friend of Lopez told radaronline.com.

The source said Lopez “reached out to her friends after the news of Alex and his mistress broke.”

“She wanted to make sure to tell all of her friends not to believe any of the stories that they are reading right now,” the source added.

It has been further claimed that the 47-year-old s i n g e r believed that some jealous friends were

planning to “sabotage my happiness.”

“She is so blinded by love that she will believe anything that he tells her right now,” the source said. (IANS)

Shane West

Paris Hilton‏ @ParisHilton

Happy #NationalOceanDay Please respect these

beautiful blue waters & keep our oceans clean!

14 Saturday, June 10, 2017

Natalie Portman is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was in the 1994 action thriller Léon: The Professional, opposite Jean Reno. She was later cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Born in Jerusalem to an Israeli father and American mother, Portman grew up in the eastern United States from the age of three. She studied dancing and acting in New York, and starred in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

Los Angeles

Actress Melissa McCarthy has been roped in to star in the upcoming

family musical “Margie Claus”.Directed by McCarthy’s husband

Ben Falcone, “Margie Claus” will mark McCarthy’s musical debut and will feature her as Santa Claus’s sweet wife Margie Claus, reports aceshowbiz.com.

Besides directing, Falcone will co-write the “Margie Claus” script with Damon Jones. He will also produce the musical with McCarthy through their On the Day banner.

The musical will centre on Margie Claus. Her husband goes missing while delivering gifts on Christmas Eve and she’s got to leave the North Pole for the first time to save both him and Christmas. The musical is expected to have the same vibe and success as Will Ferrell-starrer “Elf”. (IANS)

Los Angeles

Actor Jared Leto, best known for essaying arch villain Joker, has stated that he has very few

friends and no desire to start a family.Leto counts Gucci’s Alessandro Michele and

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio among his only friends.

The Oscar-winner, 45, opened up to the latest issue of ES Magazine about his small social circle and his views on starting a family, reports dailymail.co.uk.

“Leo is really funny. I’ve known him for a very long time. But he’s usually busy. There are people I’m really enamoured with but it’s hard to find time to spend with them,” Leto said.

The actor is happily single and has no plans to become a father.

“I think it’s really important to be present if you have children. I have a lot of... things to take care of,” he cryptically said of his lack of desire to start

a family. (IANS)

He rose to fame for his acting in Once and Again and A Walk to Remember. He also played Dr. Ray in ER and Darby Crash in What We Do Is Secret and in 2015, he began playing John Alden on the WGN series Salem.

June 10, 1978

Los Angeles

Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez has reportedly refused to believe that her boyfriend, baseball player Alex

Rodriguez, cheated on her with a model named Lauren Hunter.

“Jennifer is completely delusional right now,” a friend of Lopez told radaronline.com.

The source said Lopez “reached out to her friends after the news of Alex and his mistress broke.”

“She wanted to make sure to tell all of her friends not to believe any of the stories that they are reading right now,” the source added.

It has been further claimed that the 47-year-old s i n g e r believed that some jealous friends were

planning to “sabotage my happiness.”

“She is so blinded by love that she will believe anything that he tells her right now,” the source said. (IANS)

Shane West

Saturday, June 10, 2017 15

“Hidalgo” is the kind of movie Hollywood has almost become too jaundiced to make

anymore. Bold, exuberant and swashbuckling, it has the purity and simplicity of something Douglas Fairbanks or Errol Flynn might have bounded through. Modern movies that attempt the adventure genre usually feel they have to tart it up, so in “Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl,” which once would have been played straight, we get animated cadavers and Johnny Depp channelling Keith Richards. Well, OK, “Pirates” was fun, but “Hidalgo” is a throwback to a more innocent time when heroes and their horses risked everything just because life was so damned boring in the slow lane.

The movie is a completely fictionalized version of the life of a real cowboy named Frank T. Hopkins; a moment’s research on the Web will suggest that an accurate portrait of his life would have been much more brief and very depressing. But never mind. Let us assume, as the movie does, that Hopkins was a half-Indian cowboy who bonded with an uncommonly talented mustang pony named Hidalgo. And that after he grew drunk and morose while labouring in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, he risked everything to travel to the Saudi desert and enter the “Ocean of Fire,” a legendary race across the sands for a $10,000 prize.

Hopkins is played by Viggo Mortensen, fresh from “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” as a bronzed, lean loner who enters the race as much for the sake of his horse as for the prize. He respects and loves Hidalgo, especially after the scornful Arab riders scoff at the notion that a mixed-breed mustang could challenge their desert stallions with their ancient lineages. Of course Hopkins is a half-breed, too, and so we’re dealing with issues here.

The race is so gruelling that many men and horses die, and some are murdered by their rivals. Hopkins functions in this world like a duck in a shooting gallery. (rogerebert.com)

Elaine Tuttle (L) and Damon Marks perform onstage at The Traveling Guitar Foundation event at Manalapan High School yesterday in Manalapan, New Jersey (AFP)

Los Angeles

Oscar winning composer A.R. Rahman says he is looking forward to regale music lovers with his July

8 concert in London, which has been hit by two terror attacks.

“Friends and music lovers in the UK, looking forward to being amongst you and performing with my entire team,” Rahman posted on his Facebook page late Thursday night.

Organised by BTOS Productions, the concert will celebrate 25 years of Rahman’s musical journey from “Roja” to “Kaatru Veliyidai”.

It will also feature names like Benny Dayal, Neeti Mohan, Haricharan, Jonita Gandhi, Ranjit Barot and Javed Ali.

They will perform at The SSE Arena, Wembley, read the official Facebook page of BTOS Productions. (IANS)

Los Angeles

Singer Katy Perry has lashed out at Taylor Swift, accusing her of

character assassination.Perry, who opened up about

their feud for the first time on TV host James Corden’s show last week, has now gone into more detail about their past by cursing Swift’s popular single “Bad

blood”, reports mirror.co.uk.“Well, James Corden makes me

and the whole world feel very safe. No one has asked me about my side of the story, and there are three sides of every story: one, two and the truth,” Perry told NME magazine. She added that she wishes she could “turn the other cheek”, but said she lets things get to her. (IANS)

IFTAR AND GABGAH AT THE KAIMAT AL KHALEEJ TENTDate: Till June 24 Venue: The Gulf Hotel Bahrain Iftar BD 19++ per personGabgah BD 17++ per person Weekends: BD 19++ per personTakht Jamsheed Persian Restaurant Iftar BD 19++ per person. Outlets Schedule during Ramadan

La Pergola Italian Restaurant: Breakfast buffet from 6:00 am to 10:30 am BD 10++ per personLunch from 12 pm till 3pm, serving Salad and Soup Buffet, Main Course will be at Al Waha Restaurant a la carte menu. BD13++ per person. Dinner: from Iftar Time till 11:00pmServing regular La Pergola a la carte menu.

Sato Japanese Restaurant:Open Daily for Lunch: 12pm – 3pm Dinner from Iftar time – 11pm Serving regular Sato a la carte menu.

Takkht Jamsheed Persian Restaurant. Open daily from Iftar till 9:00pm. Iftar Buffet BD 19++ per person.

Café Delice Open Daily form 7:00 AM till 7:00PMAndalus Lounge:Open Daily from Iftar time till 11:00pm Waterside CaféOpen daily from 10am till 8pm

EID AL FITR CELEBRATION

Date: During Eid Al FitrVenue: The Gulf Hotel

Zahle Restaurant: Our Lebanese restaurant Zahle will launch its new exclusive entertainment program in EID. Famous belly dancer - “The Flaming Duo” with accompanied celebrated Arabic singers for daily live-entertainment. An exclusive dinner set menu will be offered to the guests for dinner during this 3 days celebration. Price: BD 26++Al Waha Restaurant: Special EID buffets will be served for 3 days in Al Waha for both lunch and dinner with live entertainment by the new in house band - “QBA Inside”. Price: BD 19++Takht Jamsheed Restaurant : Talented all Iranian team will set the stage for a perfect Eid lunch buffet for 3 days, taking inspiration from Persia’s Royal place, Takht Jamsheed. Price: BD 19++

Rasoi by Vineet : Celebrate EID this year at Bahrainis Award winning res-taurant with an exclusively designed set menu by Michelin Starred Chef Vineet Bhatia. Price: BD 22.000++

ROYAL THAI: THAI FRIDAY NIGHTS Thai culinary Nights with live cooking counters serving, papaya salad, satays, carvings and selection of main courses with an all you can eat menu.-Price @ BD15 NET per person inclu-sive of 2 selected beveragesThe Art of Cooking Classes. The famous art of cooking class will begin on 8th of July every Saturday onwards The Art of Cooking Classes begins with China Garden’s Chef Ding, featuring exotic Chinese delicacies. About the Art of Cooking Classes at The Gulf Hotel Bahrain: The Art of Cooking Class is design for home cooks with busy lifestyles who have a passion for food, we offer intimate hands-on and demonstration classes, from the building blocks of cooking to delicious and exclusive mouthwatering menus, led by our professional chef instructors. There will be an exclusive Cooking Class on the 29th featuring an exclusive opportunity for Parents with their child to learn together with our Pastry Chef Daniel!

KCA ORGANIZES EID FAMILY PROGRAMMESDate: June 13 Venue: KCA KCA is organizing colourful Eid pro-grammes in the month of June. As the month of June is filled with sacred observation of fasting and prayers, all the programmes will be organized after 7:00 pm.A professional hand decoration Programme named, as ‘Mylanji Rav’ will be organized on Tuesday, 13 June 2017 at 7:30 pm. It is for the women and children. Skilled professionals will handle the decoration with mehndi. This programme is organized by the KCA Ladies Wing. On the 14th June, Dr John Panackal will lead a session for the parents and chil-dren on the topic of transfer of children from abroad to India for higher studies and relocating. There are innumerable adjustment problems- emotional, intel-lectual, social, and cultural problems when the children are transferred to our home country after long period of stay in abroad. The session will cover all the topics. The session will start at 8:30 pm. On the same day, i.e., the 14th June there will be a drawing competition for children aged 4 to 17. Attractive prices will be given for the participant. The competitions will start at 7:30 pm. Those who are willing to participate in the competitions could register their names at KCA. It is an open event. Mrs Juliet Thomas (39205405) will be the Chief Coordinator of the Programmes along with Mr Joyal Jose (37242494).

For more information the coordinators can be contacted.

PLUMSDate : 1st June 2017 to 30th June 2017Venue : The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain

Brief description: Plums combines refined dining with innovative cuisine. With the specialty being premium beef and fresh, top quality seafood, it pro-vides guests with the ultimate in dining pleasure! As paint colors bring vibrancy to the room, an array of flavorful and diverse sauces brings excitement to prime steaks. Designed to be cosmopol-itan and inviting, Plums is considered a Bahrain hot spot. Housing the city’s most popular dining room will match the already incomparable reputation the hotel has in Manama.Price: a la carteTimings: Daily, 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Closed on SundaysContact details for more information: (+973) 1758 6499 or email rc.bahrz.res-taurant.reservations@ritzcarlton.com

FOUR SEASONS RAMADAN TENT

Main venue: Al Bahrain Ballroom includes the main dining area and shisha lounge overlooking the Arabian Gulf, all dressed up in a modern Arabesque theme.The buffet: Features a wide selection of traditional Bahraini fare as well as Lebanese, Moroccan, Indian, Turkish and global cuisine with a number of live cooking stations.For Ghabga:We will offer an array of Arabic and internationally inspired dishes and des-serts.Pricing:Iftar = BHD 26++ (including bever-ages: still or sparkling water, soft drinks, chilled juice, Arabic coffee pass around)Ghabga = BHD 28++ (including bever-ages available at the buffet only)Shisha = BHD 8++Kids below 5 years = FreeKids between 6 years and 12 years = BHD 12.5++ From 13 years and above = Full priceFor groups: (minimum 30 pax)Iftar = BHD 23++ (including bever-

ages) Ghabga = BHD 25++ (excluding beverages)Timing:Iftar: Sunset till 8 pm Ghabga from 9 pm till 2 amDuring the holy month, a professional live band will be playing mellow tra-ditional tunes (Oud) in the Ramadan tent.A Ramadan tent will add to the holy celebrations.Reservations:17115500

Kids For All Seasons Ramadan Tent

Complimentary access for Iftar and Ghabga guests . A large tent connected to the ballroom will feature the kids club with great number of fun activities.Gergaoun Celebration: on June 10th the Kids for All Seasons Club has arranged many fun activities such as spreading candies, singing traditional songs and storytelling.Reservations:973017115500

Bay View Lounge

Bay View Lounge is open nightly after sunset during the month of Ramadan. Guests can replenish and reenergise by enjoying their first cup of freshly brewed coffee or linger over a fragrant cup of aromatic tea.

Re/ Asian Cuisine by Wolfgang Puck

re/Asian Cuisine is presenting an a la carte menu for breakfast as well as a special dim sum style cuisine for lunch and dinner during the holy month of Ramadan. Breakfast: 7:00am – 11:00amLunch: 12:30pm – 3:30pm Dinner:Weekdays: sunset – 11:00pm Weekends: sunset – 11:30pmRestaurant will be closed on Mondays.Reservations:17115046

Eid AlFitr

Eid Brunch at Bahrain Bay KitchenFestivities will commence in Bahrain Bay Kitchen with 3 days brunch buffet, live cooking stations and a vibrant fam-ily atmosphere.Pricing:BHD 27++ (including soft beverages) BHD 37++ (including beverages)Reservations:17115500

Spa : Ramadan Specials This Ramadan, dip into a sanctuary of calm and rejuvenate your mind and body with one of our specialoffers. Book any of the following 30-minute spa tapas of your choice for BHD 40.Back Tension Reliever Express FacialDetoxifying Body Scrub Shoulder and Neck Massage Foot Massage

16 Saturday, June 10, 2017

HOW TO REACH US “Out & About’, a

ready reckoner for the events taking place

on the island, is published from Friday to Tuesday. To be

included, pleasesend the matter to the

following email ID: news@dt.bh

IFTAR & GHABGADate: During Ramadan Venue: AL QASR TENT Al Areen Palace & Spa will create a memorable event dur-ing the Holy Month of Ramadan this year, with a 1001 Arabian Nights theme at Al Qasr tent.The festivities will have an Arabic atrium setting, offering a medley of spaces for families, friends, corpo-rate guests and VIPs. Discover our exquisite Iftar and Ghabga buffet of Arabic and International cui-sine with live cooking stations for everyone’s delight as you gather around for this joyous celebration. It will also include various live counters and BBQ stations.

Iftar Buffet:Weekdays BD 15++ Weekends BD 17++ (Thursday and Friday)

Daily – from Sundown to 9:00PM

Ghabga Buffet:Weekdays BD 13.5++ Weekends BD 15++ (Thursday and Friday)

Daily – from 9:30PM to 2:00AM

Price per person inclusive of lav-ish buffet, Arabic sweets and Ramadan juices.Live entertainment.

Eid Al Fitr Brunch:BD 15++Enjoy a family-friendly Eid Brunch including Arabic and International dishes plus live cooking stations at Al Qasr Tent in Al Areen Palace & Spa from 12.30PM – 4.00PM. There will be live entertainment from our band, face painting, henna, mascot, kids’ corner, and many more. Diners will have access to the swimming pool during the period of brunch and a ticket to The Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park. You can also stand a chance to win from our Grand Raffle Draw. Served on the second day of Eid.

Price per person inclusive of lav-ish buffet, Arabic sweets and Ramadan juices.Live entertainment.

17Saturday, June 10, 2017

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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)

Your self-esteem should be strong these days, helping you build more confidence in yourself every day. There may be a glitch in the action today, however, as someone with an extreme perspective on things suddenly steps into the picture. Your emotions may suddenly swing from one end of the spectrum to the other. Do your best to stay calm.

A ray of sunshine is likely to shine on you. Things may have been cloudy lately, making it harder for you to maintain a positive disposition. Today’s news will be uplifting, and you will likely be reminded of all the good times in store for you. Others may feel a bit of stress, but you should be able to see through this and appreciate the benefits of the situation.Recent hesitation on your part may have suddenly put you in a bind. It may feel like you’ve reached gridlock and your choices are limited. You can no longer get a solid handle on things. Instead of trying to make a move now, you may have to wait until the dust settles and you can see clearly again.

There are powerful forces operating now. Whether you realize it or not, you have tremendous control over the direction of these energies. Take control of the situation instead of letting someone else do it for you. You will find that other people are more malleable than usual, making them quite willing to move forward in whatever direction you point them.

If conflict arises in your world, you must keep in mind that there is no one else to blame except you. Keeping your sights set on one goal is useful as you concentrate all your energy toward that one thing. At the same time, you may be losing perspective on what’s going on around you. Make sure you continue to be a team player by keeping an eye out for the people in the wings.

Life may seem like a great train ride. You have your own little compartment that you’re striving to keep comfortable and neat. The company you keep is important, as is your proximity to the food car. Be careful that you don’t get so wrapped up in your own little world that you neglect to pay heed to where the train is headed.

You need to learn an important lesson in follow-through. As you strive for perfection, you may get the feeling that nothing is ever fully completed. Try not to be so hard on yourself. The work you’ve finished so far is more than likely much better than what most people could ever accomplish. Put the final touches on whatever you’re doing and move on.

Be careful about being driven so strongly that you fail to take into consideration the changing environment. Things have probably changed quite a bit since you first set out on this mission. You may have packed for sunshine and suddenly it looks like rain. Put away your sunglasses and take out your umbrella.

You may be in a difficult position, as a critical part of a pending decision. Your first reaction may be to throw up your hands and leave the decision to someone else. Making a choice is too tough, so you find that you’d rather not have to make it at all. Unfortunately, it looks like everyone else has the same idea. Deep down, you have an opinion that needs to be heard.

You may be hit with some extreme circumstances that cause you to feel uneasy about continuing along your path. Use this jolt as a reminder that nothing is set in stone. An element of the unexpected can always creep up on you. Deep down, you probably had a feeling that this difficult situation was bound to happen eventually.

You may feel like you’re on a road to adventure and excited about the frontiers you’re encountering. Unfortunately, it seems that not everyone is as excited about this path as you are. Blows to your ego are apt to hit hard, but try not to let this deter you. This is more than likely a result of other people’s jealousy of your incredible strength and bravery.

There’s a tremendously sensitive side to your personality that’s tender and extremely vulnerable. Be careful about putting too much of yourself out there now. By opening yourself up so much, you’re inviting in trouble. Others might not be that aware of how sensitive you are. Those with strong, boisterous spirits are likely to be abrasive, so protect your emotions.

1- Yogi;; 6- Smack;; 10- Basilica area;; 14- Sheeplike;; 15- A Chaplin;; 16- Poses;; 17- Finger next to the little finger;; 19- Meadowlands;; 20- Wise;; 21- “My Heart Will Go On” singer;; 22- It comes from the heart;; 23- Catchall abbr.;; 24- Predatory mammal;; 26- Bullfighter;; 28- Spirited horses;; 29- Steamed;; 30- Kind of ticket;; 33- Living quar-ters and meals;; 38- Extinct bird;; 39- Complains;; 42- Donny or Marie;; 47- Cling;; 48- Pertaining to philosophy;; 52- Was in session;; 53- Sea eagles;; 54- Glass ornament;; 55- Be that ___ may...;; 56- Moreno of “West Side Story”;; 57- Twill-weave woolen cloth;; 59- Work without ___;; 60- ___ buco (veal dish);; 61- Uncanny;; 62- Shrivelled, without moisture;; 63- Hammer part;; 64- Donkeys;;

1- Norse god;; 2- Pilot;; 3- Dangerous catch;; 4- “Splendor in the Grass” screenwriter;; 5- TKO caller;; 6- Actress Braga;; 7- Corporate symbols;; 8- Concerning;; 9- Acceptable score for a professional golfer;; 10- Slanted;; 11- Capital of South Dakota;; 12- Declared;; 13- Compositions;; 18- Prefix with logical;; 22- Fore’s partner;; 24- Raised;; 25- Capital of Norway;; 27- Parisian season;; 30- 6, on a phone;; 31- Actor Byrnes;; 32- Blood- typing letters;; 34- Tacks on;; 35- Electrically versatile;; 36- College cheer;; 37- Kitchen sideboards;; 40- Tract of grassland;; 41- Lounges;; 42- Musical dramas;; 43- Reliquary;; 44- Moneyer;; 45- Soap ingredient;; 46- Figs.;; 47- West Wing worker;; 49- Corpulent;; 50- As such;; 51- Is wearing;; 55- Iowa city;; 57- Keystone ___;; 58- Verily;;

BEETLE BAILEY R

z #PollToday

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A Korean Air flight carrying more than 150 passengers landed safely at a Japanese airport yesterday shortly after pilots reported seeing smoke in the cockpit, officials said.

Saturday, June 10, 2017 19

New Delhi

The leaders of rivals India and Pakistan

have met for the first time in 17 months, at a summit in Kazakhstan, officials said, despite renewed tensions over Kashmir.

Indian premier Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif shook hands and exchanged greetings late Thursday at the opening of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting

in Astana.Modi and Sharif last

met on the sidelines of the Paris climate summit in December 2015 before Modi surprised the world with an impromptu visit to Pakistan the same month.

An Indian foreign ministry official said that as it was the first contact between the leaders since Sharif underwent surgery, Modi enquired about the Pakistani leader’s health.

Bangkok

A Thai man was jailed for 35 years yesterday

for Facebook posts deemed insulting to the royal family, a watchdog said, in one of the harshest sentences handed down for a crime that insulates Thailand’s ultra-rich monarchy from criticism.

A Bangkok military court convicted the 34-year-old of 10 counts of lese majeste for posting pictures, videos and comments concerning the royal family on a Facebook account that purported to belong to a different user.

Wichai, whose last name

was withheld to protect his relatives from ostracisation, was accused of using the account to slander a former friend, said iLaw, a group that tracks royal defamation cases.

“The court punished him with seven years per count. Altogether he was given 70 years, but it was reduced in half because he confessed,” said Yingcheep Atchanont from iLaw.

Use of the draconian defamation law has surged under the royalist junta that grabbed power in 2014, with more than 100 people charged since the coup.

Manila

The Philippine military yesterday asked Facebook

to close dozens of accounts linked to Islamist militants who attacked a southern city, saying they were being used for propaganda.

Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera said the armed forces’ social media unit uncovered 63 Facebook accounts belonging to the jihadists and their supporters.

“These 63 accounts are spreading malicious informat ion and misinformation that affect the information landscape and the mindset of every Filipino,” Herrera told a news conference in the southern city of Marawi.

The military has asked Facebook Philippines “to conduct necessary measures to take down these fake accounts,” Herrera said.

Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindica-tion... and WOW, Comey is a leaker!”

Kurdish referendum may distract IS fight: US

Zika birth defects in 5pc of infected women in US

Costa Rica and Mexico busted a ring that used a modelling agency to force girls to pose for child pornography, police said.

Five per cent of women in the US territories who were infected with the Zika virus while pregnant had fetus or babies with defects, including microcephaly, reports said.

Thai man jailed for 35 years for ‘defaming’ royals on Fb

Philippines asks Facebook to close jihadist accounts

Korean Air flight lands safely after smoke in cockpit scare

The United States warned that a decision by Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region to hold an independence ref-erendum could distract from the fight against the Islamic State group.

Theresa May’s snap election backfired. Do you think she should continue as the Prime Minister of Britain despite her failure?

Yes No Cant Say

Indian, Pakistan PMs exchange greetings

Donald Trump,US President

Child pornography ring busted in Central America

Washington

In her first interview since being released from a top-

security US military prison, WikiLeaks source Chelsea Manning says justice “has been served.”

Manning, a former army intelligence analyst who served seven years for one of the largest dumps of classified documents in US history, acknowledged responsibility for leaking the material.

“ I ’ve accepted responsibility,” Manning, 29, told ABC in an interview broadcast Friday. “No one told me to do this. Nobody directed me to do this. This is me. It’s on me.”

Manning -- who was 22 years old and known as Bradley at the time -- said that she was deeply affected the information that she was receiving from the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as reports of civilian deaths.

“Getting all this

information, death, destruction, mayhem and eventually you stop -- I stopped seeing just statistics and information and I started seeing people,” the transgender soldier told ABC’s “Nightline.”

“ C o u n t e r i n s u r g e n c y warfare is not a simple thing. It’s not as simple as good guys versus bad guys. It’s a mess.”

An excerpt of the interview aired on the network’s morning show. (AFP)

WikiLeaks source Manning: ‘justice has been served’

Tokyo

Japan’s parliament passed a law that clears the way for

its ageing Emperor Akihito to step down, in what would be the first imperial abdication in more than two centuries.

The popular 83-year-old monarch shocked the country last summer when he signalled his desire to take a back seat after nearly three decades on the Chrysanthemum Throne, citing his age and health problems.

The unexpected move presented a challenge since there was no law to deal with an emperor retiring from what is usually a job for life -- and it reignited debate about allowing women to ascend the male-only throne.

The one-off rule was passed

in the last-stage upper house on Friday in a unanimous decision after the lower chamber gave its stamp of approval last week.

The abdication must take place within three years -- and it only applies to Akihito.

Tokyo is eyeing the end of

2018 as a likely timeline for his retirement, Japanese media said.

The status of the emperor is sensitive in Japan given its 20th century history of war waged in the name of Akihito’s father Hirohito, who died in 1989.

Japan clears way for abdication of emperor

Philippine marines walk next to their V-300 light wheeled armoured vehicle after engaging Islamist militants at in Marawi

Japan’s Emperor Akihito

Chelsea Manning

SPORTSSaturday, June 10, 201720

DT News NetworkManama

Shows displaying special moves in gymnastic and

self-defence sports were held in Seef Mall on Thursday as part of the 3rd Nasser bin Hamad Sports Games “Nasser 10” which was witnessed by a large number of spectators who warmly applauded the performances showcased.

The event began with performances in gymnastic using various devices with the participation of 12 male and 6 female performers. The event was held in collaboration between the Bahrain Gymnastic Association and the Bahrain Self-Defence Federation. The self-defence sports included Taekwondo, Karate, Jodo, Jiu-jitsu and Aikido, featuring 60 players from both genders, who were representing local clubs and national teams.

President of the Bahrain Gymnastic Association (BGA) Abdullah Al Dosari expressed his appreciation for the efforts being made by HH

Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of Bahrain Olympic Committee to lay the foundation for all sports people to excel in their respected fields. Al Dosari explained that the gymnastic shows that were performed in a modern fashion and considered among the most successful events.

“The event represented a great opportunity for the participants to showcase their skills in one of the most respected tournaments in the region that carry noble goals,” Al Dosari said.

Ahmed Al Khayat, President of Bahrain Self-Defence Federation, praised the efforts being made by Shaikh Nasser and initiatives launched to develop the sports and youth movements in Bahrain.

Al Khayat affirmed that Shaikh Nasser has drawn up

the developmental strategy for all games in order to raise their levels in line with the interest of upgrading the national clubs to form

national teams capable of accomplishing more achievements in various regional and international competitions.

Gymnastic, self-defence

shows held

Nass

er 10

Mixed Doubles tennis final tonightDT News NetworkManama

Abdulla Abdulnabi and Malak Fardan are set to

take on Fuad Al Rowaie and Nazli Nader in the final tonight at 8.30pm of the Seef Dental Ramadan Mixed Doubles Championship 2017, organised by Bahrain Tennis Federation (BTF) at the Bahrain Tennis Federation at the Bahrain Polytechnic campus in Isa Town.

Meanwhile, Bahrain Tennis Federation (BTF) has held its first meeting under the Presidency of HH Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa for the electoral cycle 2016-2020.

The meeting discussed developing facilities and

promoting tennis in Bahrain and paying particular attention to attracting more young players through the Ministry of Education, clubs and private schools.

BTF also stressed the need to further enhance relations with regional, continental and the world body of tennis;

The BTF board comprises, Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohamed bin Salman Al Khalifa (President), Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa (Vice-President), Fuad Mohammed Al.Rowaie ( S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l ) , Waleed Eshaq Saffy (Treasurer), Ahmed Esa Al

Eid (Memeber), Abdul Jalil Mohamed Humidan (Head of Technical), Mohammed Ali Salman (National Tennis Teams Director), Adnan Abdul Latif Kamal (Head of the Genereal Tennis League Committee), Nadia Hussain Haji (Head of Ladies Activity Committee).

Tour of Slovenia beginsDT News NetworkManama

The 24th edition of Tour of Slovenia will take

place from June 15-18, with many Slovene riders and staff members of the Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team looking forward to the top cycling event in Slovenia.

Head of Sports Directors, Gorazd Štangelj, who comes from Novo Mesto, the city where the fourth and final stage will end, said about the goals for this Tour: “We would like to win at least one stage with Colbrelli but most important is that he prepares

for the Tour. Domen Novak will be fighting for top five in General Classification (GC). Also Visconti and Suitsou will be chasing stage wins and we expect the same from Pibernik, Božič and Per that will be also in the assisting role, considering the strong roster for this race.”

Domen Novak expressed his expectations for the race: “I will fight for the white jersey and for the best possible position in GC. We have a strong team and I think we can win a stage. Sonny will be there and also the rest of the team is well prepared so I think we can get really high also in team classification.”

Endurance team back to racesDT News NetworkManama

Daniela Ryf of the Bahrain Endurance 13 team

is making a comeback to racing this weekend after spending the past few months recovering from a back injury. She is happy to test her fitness at Rapperswill, Switzerland one of her favourite races and one she has won three times consecutively. “So I want to participate even when I’m not at my best. I want to support those that have supported me,” Ryf said. “I’ve been injured the last three months and happy things are finally getting better. I’ve been training at altitude in St. Moritz for a week now,” she added.

Alistair Brownlee sealed a hometown win in Leeds last year on his way to defending his Olympic gold medal. After three half distance races, the dual Olympic champion is changing gears to mix it up over the short distance once again. “It was the perfect result for me in 2016 to win in my home city and I’ll be doing all I can to repeat it this year,” Brownlee said.

Holly Lawrence will take on the historic Escape from Alcatraz. She won here last year against Olympic medal contenders in her lead-up to her breakout win at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.

“Racing the course is the only way to prepare for this race. I hope that my experience

last year on the course will help me line up against this year’s fierce competition,” Lawrence said.

Fredrik Croneborg is back in action at Ironman 70.3 Japan where he is a frequent podium fixture. The Swede took fifth in Chita last year after a bike crash ten days prior, but with good fitness backing up from a second place finish at the Pattaya Triathlon last weekend, he will definitely once again be a podium contender.

David Plese is building up to his next race, Ironman Austria, in a bid to qualify for the Ironman World Championship.

Side of the gymnastic shows in Seef Mall

BTF Board Members

Daniela Ryf

Russia rally for a 1-1 draw with Chile

Saturday, June 10, 2017 21SPORTS

Andorra 1 Hungary 0Belarus 2 Bulgari 1Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 Greece 0Estonia 0 Belgium 2Faroe Islands 0 Switzerland 2Gibraltar 1 Cyprus 2Latvia 0 Portugal 3 Netherlands 5 Luxembourg 0Sweden 2 France 1

2018 World Cup qualifying results:

Melbourne

Argentina gained a confidence-boosting 1-0 win

over Brazil in their Superclasico in Melbourne yesterday ahead of their make-or-break World Cup qualifiers later in the year.

A goal from Sevilla defender Gabriel Mercado right on half-time proved the eventual winner as Argentina matched the world’s number one ranked Brazilians before 95,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The two-time world champions and second ranked team

are struggling outside the automatic qualifying positions in fifth spot in the South American group with four

games left while Brazil have already qualified for the World Cup finals in Russia next year.

Argentina have a friendly in Singapore next week ahead of their crucial next qualifier against Uruguay in Montevideo on August 31.

In manager Jorge Sampaoli’s first game in charge Argentina weathered a second-half fightback from Brazil with Gabriel Jesus and Willian hitting either posts in one flurry on goal.

Argentina’s superstar and skipper Lionel Messi was largely contained by the Brazilian defence, but thrilled the crowd with his touches, flicks and darting runs in his much-anticipated appearance in Australia.

“I really rate the performance of our players today, even when they were not in the most comfortable situations,” Sampaoli told reporters. “I think that some of our preparation wasn’t the best, but in the game the team played well and defended the Argentina shirt.

“It’s a very important win for us –- it wasn’t just another game.”

Mercado put Argentina ahead just on half-time with a tap in after Nicolas Otamendi’s header came off the upright into his path.

The Argentines had more of the play with Paris Saint-Germain’s Angel Di Maria a constant threat on the left.

Brazil’s best chance came midway through the opening half when Chelsea’s Willian was set free and he found Liverpool’s lively Philippe Coutinho in Argentina’s penalty area.

Coutinho checked inside and lined up a shot but a diving tackle by Otamendi smothered the scoring chance.

Juventus midfielder Paulo Dybala linked up well with Messi behind striker Gonzalo Higuain and fired just wide moments before Mercado’s goal.

Brazil had several chances to score in the second half with Manchester City’s Jesus and Willian both hitting either post in a flurry in Argentina’s

goal-mouth in the 62nd minute.“It’s easier to analyse a game when

we win,” Brazilian manager Tite said.“The team played well, but we had

some trouble marking their top players in the first half, and they were playing faster than us. “In the second half, we had more possession and played better.

“We had the effort and the formation we wanted but we need more of the players performing at a higher level.”

The flying Willian was a constant threat and one of his pinpoint crosses almost led to another goal chance for Jesus.

Messi was sent tumbling by a robust Rafinha challenge late in the game which earned the Brazilian substitute a yellow card.

Jesus failed to finish the match when he was carried off and taken to hospital for observation after collecting an elbow in the face in an aerial challenge in the final minutes. (AFP)

Argentina down

‘Superclasico’Brazil in

Moscow

Confederations Cup hosts Russia and Copa

America holders Chile played out a 1-1 draw here yesterday

in a first ever meeting between the sides in the post-Soviet era.Mauricio Isla of Cagliari was on

target for the South Americans, while CSKA Moscow full back Viktor Vasin

fired his side level.Russia started in a lively fashion

looking for an early opener but the attempts of Spartak Moscow midfielders

Denis Glushakov and Dmitry Kombarov lacked accuracy. Chile replied positively and

Isla forced Russia’s goalie Igor Akinfeev into a diving save in the 13th minute.Arturo Vidal sent the ball home with a header

with six minutes remaining before the break but his goal was ruled off as the Bayern midfielder had fouled Fedor Kudryashov just before scoring.

In the 56th minute second-half substitute Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal chipped the ball into the area to the unmarked Isla and he kept his cool to send it into the bottom left corner.

Russia poured forward in attack seeking an equaliser and Vasin pulled the scores level 11

minutes later with an eight-yard header off a

well-served corner by Kombarov.Herrera also have to produce an impressive

diving save with five minutes to go to deny an overhead attempt by Glushakov from 12 yards out. Russia, who are in Confederations Cup Group A, will face New Zealand, European champions Portugal and Mexico, while Chile will clash with World Cup holders Germany, Australia and Cameroon in Group B.

Russia will stage the Confed Cup in four cities: Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi from June 17. (AFP)

Kane to captain England against ScotlandGlasgow

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane will

captain England in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Scotland in Glasgow, manager Gareth Southgate announced yesterday.

With Wayne Rooney having again been overlooked, England do not currently have a permanent captain and Southgate said Kane, 23, would wear the armband at Hampden Park.

“Harry Kane will captain the side tomorrow,” Southgate told

reporters at Hampden.“I’ve shared the leadership

around and that’s been important for us as a team. People said there were a lack of leaders. I don’t think that’s the case. “Harry’s one of a number of people I could have given the opportunity to. A couple of others have already done it and I wanted to give him that boost for tomorrow’s game.”

Kane will be making his first appearance under Southgate, having missed England’s last six games due to various injuries. (AFP)

Argentina’s Gabriel Mercado (C) heads the ball

Russia’s midfielder Denis Glushakov (L) and Chile’s midfielder Charles Aranguiz vie for the ball

Bangladesh keep hopes alive

SPORTSSaturday, June 10, 201722

Cardiff

Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah both made hundreds as Bangladesh kept their hopes of a Champions

Trophy semi-final alive with a stunning five-wicket win over

New Zealand at Cardiff yesterday.

Bangladesh, chasing a modest 266 for victory, had collapsed to 12 for three when left-hander Shakib (114) came in.

And they were not much better off when Mahmudullah (102 not out) walked out at 33 for four.

B u t their fifth-w i c k e t

partnership of 224 --

B a n g l a d e s h ’ s highest-ever one-day

international stand -- transformed the

match. Shakib fell just before the finish but when Mosaddek Hossain, who’d earlier justified his recall with three wickets, edged Adam Milne for a four, the Tigers had finished on 268 for five and won with 16 balls to spare.

This defeat ended New Zealand’s hopes of reaching the last four.

This was the latest upset in a week of surprises at the Champions Trophy, a tournament featuring the world’s top eight ODI sides, after Pakistan’s win over top-ranked South Africa and Sri Lanka’s defeat of title-holders India.

It was also another memorable Bangladesh triumph in Cardiff following their shock 2005 ODI win over Australia on this ground.

But despite this sensational success they still need already-qualified England to beat Australia at Edgbaston on Saturday or hope that the match ends -- as both Australia’s previous Group A fixtures have done -- in a no result if they are to reach the

semi-finals. Bangladesh’s run chase suffered a dreadful start when Tamim Iqbal, fresh from scores of 128 and 95 against England and Australia respectively, was lbw for a second ball duck to Tim Southee.

Southee then had Sabbir Rahman edging to wicket-keeper Luke Ronchi.

And Soumya Sarkar was lbw to Southee, Bangaladesh were 12 for three.

The 28-year-old Southee had then taken three wickets for 10 runs in 16 balls.

Bangladesh lost another key batsmen cheaply when the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim (14) was bowled by Milne.

Bangladesh were now 33 for four in the 12th over but, importantly, still had plenty of overs left in which to chase down their target.

Mahmudullah got the Bangladesh fans in a sparse crowd cheering

when he pulled Jimmy Neesham for a six and a four off successive deliveries. (AFP)

SCOR

EBOA

RD

New ZealandM. Guptill lbw b Rubel Hossain 33L. Ronchi c M. Rahman b T. Ahmed 16K. Williamson run out 57R. Taylor c M. Rahman b T. Ahmed 63N. Broom c T. Iqbal b M. Hossain 36J. Neesham st M. Rahim b M. Hossain23C. Anderson lbw b M. Hossain 0M. Santner not out 14A. Milne b Mustafizur Rahman 7T. Southee not out 10Extras (w6) 6Total (8 wkts, 50 overs) 265BangladeshTamim Iqbal lbw b Southee 0Soumya Sarkar lbw b Southee 3Sabbir Rahman c Ronchi b Southee 8Mushfiqur Rahim b Milne 14Shakib Al Hasan b Boult 114Mahmudullah not out 102Mosaddek Hossain not out 7Extras (lb2, w18) 20Total (5 wkts, 47.2 overs) 268

Ibrah future at United up in the air Paddon roars into Sardinia lead

Paris

Hayden Paddon opened up an 8.2-second lead on nearest

challenger and Hyundai teammate Thierry Neuville after some blistering early pace at the Rally of Italy in Sardinia yesterday.

Neuville -- second in the overall standings after wins in France and Argentina -- had led overnight but Paddon sped into a 20-seconds lead in the morning before the Belgian clawed back in the late specials as Paddon struggled with a damaged suspension.

“It’s been very difficult. The priority

today was getting a good road position for tomorrow. And that’s mission accomplished,” beamed New Zealander Patton.

“I love tomorrow’s stages - they suit me and they suit the car. It would be rude if we didn’t give it a try.”

Champion and current leader Sebastien Ogier was feeling pessimistic as he trails in seventh 41sec adrift in his Ford Focus.

“It won’t get any easier tomorrow because there’ll be a big gap to the other guys. But that’s WRC,” the French driver said. (AFP)

London

Swedish star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s future at

Manchester United is in some doubt after he was listed as being released by the club on an official list published by the Premier League yesterday.

The 35-year-old -- who starred for United last season scoring 28 goals in 46 matches before a knee ligament injury ended his campaign prematurely -- could still be retained by United should they decide to renew his contract which is up on June 30th.

“Premier League clubs from the 2016/17 season have submitted the lists of players they will be keeping in their squads, and the ones they will be releasing,” read the EPL statement.

“Premier League rules require all clubs to submit their retained and released lists to the Premier League by the third Saturday in May, unless the circumstances set out in Rule U.33 apply.

“Please note that players signified as a “free transfer” or released by a club on the expiry of their contract on 30 June 2017, could still remain there next season and so this list should not be seen as definitive for players leaving their club.”

Ibrahimovic, who scored twice as United beat Southampton in the League Cup final but was injured

by the time they lifted the Europa League, underwent an operation on the knee ligament in the United States in early May.

Once he returns to full fitness, which is forecast for 2018, one of the two surgeons who performed the operation predicted Ibrahimovic playing on for many years to come.

“He’s so healthy, so strong,

biologically, bone morphology, everything, is absolutely very healthy,”, Freddie Fu, chairman of the department of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, told the South China Morning Post.

“He can still play for many years,” added the Hong Kong-born Fu. (AFP)

Rally of Italy standings 1. Hayden Paddon-Seb Marshall (NZL-GBR/Hyundai i20) 1:31:02.62. Thierry Neuville-Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL/Hyundai i20) at 8.2sec3. Ott Tänak-Martin Järveoja (EST/Ford Fiesta RS) 9.54. Jari-Matti Latvala-Miikka Anttila (FIN/Toyota Yaris) 9.8

5. Mads Ostberg-Ola Floene (NOR/Ford Fiesta) 14.76. Johu Hänninen-Kaj Lindstrom (FIN/Toyota) 38.07. Sébastien Ogier-Julien Ingrassia (FRA/Ford Fiesta RS) 41.08. Esapekka Lappi-Janne Ferm (FIN/Toyota) 1:05.39. Andreas Mikkelsen-Anders Jaeger Synnevaag (NOR/Citroën C3) 1:57.9

Mahmudullah celebrates victory

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (file pic)

New Zealand’s driver Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard, steer their Hyundai N i20 Coupe WRC at Monte Olia near Monti village

Saturday, June 10, 2017 23SPORTS

Montreal

Kimi Raikkonen topped the times ahead of Lewis

Hamilton as Ferrari edged in front in a close scrap with champions Mercedes in yesterday afternoon’s second free practice for the Canadian Grand Prix.

The Finn, who finished a disappointed and controversial second in Ferrari’s one-two triumph at last month’s Monaco Grand Prix, clocked a best lap in one minute and 12,935 seconds to outpace the Briton, who was fastest in the morning’s opening session, by 0.215 seconds.

Championship leader and four-time champion German Sebastian Vettel was third fastest in the second Ferrari ahead of Finn Valtteri Bottas, who was fourth in the second Mercedes.

The top four were separated by only 0.375 seconds at the end of a closely-contested session that ended with Vettel complaining that three-time champion Hamilton was slowing him down as he followed him.

“He keeps making mistakes and backing off,”

said Vettel on the Ferrari team radio, a charge that could not be levelled at 2007 champion Raikkonen who was in scorching form.

Dutchman Max Verstappen was fifth for Red Bull, before he pulled up in the closing stages with gearbox problems, ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa of Williams and two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who posted an excellent late

lap for McLaren Honda to go seventh. Frenchman Esteban Ocon and his Force India team-mate Mexican Sergio

Perez were eighth and 10th either side of Russian Daniil Kvyat in his Toro Rosso. (AFP)

Raikkonen on top ahead of

HamiltonRe

sults

1. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) 1:12.9352. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:13.1503. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:13.2004. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:13.3105. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-TAG Heuer) 1:13.388, 6. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams-Mercedes) 1:14.0637. Fernando Alonso (ESP/McLaren-Honda) 1:14.2458. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Force India-Mercedes) 1:14.299, 9. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso-Renault) 1:14.46110. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Force India-Mercedes) 1:14.501

Richie Porte in Dauphine yellowLa Motte-Servolex

Australian Richie Porte of the BMC team took the

race leader’s yellow jersey of the Criterium du Dauphine after yesterday’s sixth stage won by Astana’s Danish rider Jakob Fuglsang.

Fulgsang, Porte and overall favourite Chris Froome came through the line in a photo-finish after the descent of the beyond category mountain Mont du Chat at the end of the 147.5km stage.

Former teammates Porte and Froome built up a healthy lead on their rivals -- Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde

and Romain Bardet -- on the mountain’s punishing climb of 8.7km at more than 10 percent gradient.

Fuglsang, a silver medallist in the road race event at last year’s Rio Olympics, stayed with the high-profile duo for the technical descent and was adjudged victor at La Motte-Servolex. Porte now enjoys a 39-second lead over Froome in the general standings, with Fuglsang at 1min 15sec.

Saturday’s seventh stage is a challenging 168km ride from Aosta to the epic Alpe d’Huez climb and summit finish via the col de Sarenne. (AFP)

Results and standings after the sixth stage of the Criterium du Dauphine a 147km run to La Motte-Servolex:Stage 1. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN/AST) 3hrs 41min 48sec2. Richie Porte (AUS/BMC) same time3. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) s.t.4. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) s.t.5. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) at 506. Dan Martin (IRL/QST) 507. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 508. Olivier Naesen (BEL/ALM) 1min 06sec9. Alberto Contador (ESP/TRE) 1:0610. Emanuel Buchmann (GER/BOR) 1:14.

Overall1. Richie Porte (AUS/BMC) 20hrs 52min 34sec2. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) at 393. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN/AST) 1:154. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 1:205. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) 1:246. Alberto Contador (ESP/TRE) 1:477. Dan Martin (IRL/QST) 2:148. Emanuel Buchmann (GER/BOR) 2:309. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 2:4910. Rafael Valls (ESP/LOT) 3:16.

Montmeló

Defending world champion Marc Marquez of Honda

hit overdrive yesterday, dominating free practice at the redesigned Montmelo track at the Catalunya MotoGP as a raft of his rivals struggled.

The Spaniard has won just one of six MotoGPs so far this season but set his fans a pacey marker following his safely played sixth place finish at the Italian GP last weekend.

The Montmelo track has been redesigned after the death last year here of Luis Salom in the Moto2, and the riders also had to deal with rain in the

morning session. Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo was second fastest at 0.405sec with German rookie Jonas Folger of Yamaha third 0.544sec.

Winner at Mugello last Sunday and second in the world standings Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati was fourth fastest at 0.588.

Still feeling the pain from a motorcross crash two weeks ago, Italian superstar Valentino Rossi was way down in 10th at 0.823 as his Yamaha teammate and championship leader Maverick Vinales was way off the pace, 1.5sec down in 16th.

On Saturday there is a

third practice session ahead of qualifying in the afternoon. (AFP)

Marquez fastest on new Catalan track

1. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) 1min 44.295sec

2. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Ducati) at 0.405

3. Jonas Folger (GER/Yamaha Tech3) 0.544

4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 0.588

5. Danilo Petrucci (ITA/Ducati Pramac) 0.595

6. Tito Rabat (ESP/Honda Marc VDS) 0.627

7. Johann Zarco (FRA/Yamaha Tech3) 0.768

8. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 0.803

9. Alvaro Bautista (ESP/Ducati Apsar) 0.821

10. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 0.823

Selected:

16. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Yamaha) 1.515

Free Practice times

Repsol Honda Team’s Spanish rider Marc Marquez takes a chicane

Australia’s Richie Porte celebrates his overall leader yel-low jersey on the podium

Kimi Raikkonen of Finland driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H on track

Canadian GP

SPORTS

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2424 Saturday, June 10, 2017

P23 Raikkonen on top ahead of Hamilton

Paris

Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal marched into a record 10th

French Open final after outclassing Austrian sixth seed Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 yesterday.

The Spaniard will face 2015 Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka for the title after the 32-year-old Swiss defeated Andy Murray in a five-set epic to become the oldest finalist in Paris since 1973.

Nadal, who won the last of his French Opens in 2014, is bidding to become the first man to win 10 titles at a single Grand Slam.

He leads the head-to-head with Wawrinka 15-3, but the Swiss stunned an injury-hit Nadal three years ago to claim the Australian Open crown.

“I have been playing a great event. But Stan is playing unbelievable,” said Nadal.

“It will be a super hard final and I will need to play at my very best.”

Thiem broke Nadal in the opening game, but the Spaniard swiftly countered with four games to

subdue the Austrian pretender and run away with the first set.

Nadal erased two more break points early in the second set as Thiem again threatened, but the sixth seed promptly lost his own serve to hand his opponent the initiative once more.

With Nadal locked in, the Spaniard calmly converted the first of three set points with a confident volley to leave Thiem staring into the abyss.

The 14-time major champion was in total control after Thiem meekly surrendered serve to start the third set, Nadal responding with a routine hold for a 2-0 cushion.

Thiem’s hopes of becoming just the second Austrian -- after 1995 French Open winner Thomas Muster -- to reach a Slam final subsided with a whimper as Nadal raced to victory in just over two h o u r s . (AFP)

Fren

ch O

pen

Spain’s Rafael Nadal

Britain’s Andy Murray reacts

Britain’s Andy Murray

Nadal sets up Wawrinka final

Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka