trump’s decision on iran deal today · m king hamad bin isa al khalifa has issued three royal...

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200 FilsTuesday, May 8, 2018 Issue No. 7740

HH Shaikh Khalid 2018 initiatives announced

8P 03

Putin begins fourth term

8P 19

HM, Jordan King discuss joint ties

Bahrain condemns assassination bid

Manama

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa

held a phone call with King Abdulla II ibn Al-Hussein. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and ways of boosting joint ties, in addition to regional developments.

Manama

Bahrain has strongly condemned the armed

attack targeting Pakistan’s Minister of Interior Ahsan Iqbal, wishing him speedy recovery. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed Bahrain’s solidarity with Pakistan in all its efforts to combat violence, extremism and terrorism in order to establish security and peace throughout the country.

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Telecom masts to be regulated

Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would

announce a decision on the future of the Iran nuclear deal today as European countries piled pressure on Washington to remain in the 2015 agreement.

Trump has threatened to withdraw from the deal, which provided Iran with relief from economic sanctions in exchange for limiting its uranium enrichment capacity, unless European signatories to the accord fix what he has called its shortcomings.

“I will be announcing my decision on the Iran Deal tomorrow from the White House at 2:00pm,” Trump said in a Twitter post yesterday

Trump has until May 12 to decide whether to reintroduce U.S. sanctions on Iran, which would deal a heavy blow to the agreement.

Under the agreement with

the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Iran strictly limited uranium enrichment capacity to try to show that it was not trying to develop atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from economic sanctions.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hinted yesterday that Iran could remain in the nuclear accord even if the United States dropped out, but said that Tehran would fiercely resist U.S. pressure to limit its influence in the Middle East.

Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord and, in an effort to address U.S. complaints, want to open talks on Iran’s ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when pivotal provisions of the deal expire - and its role in the wars in Syria and Yemen.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, in Washington

for talks this week, said the deal had weaknesses but these could be remedied.

“At this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump

administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are,” he said in a commentary in the New York Times.- Reuters

Trump’s decision on Iran deal today

8P 02

Britain, Germany, France remain committed to deal

HM makes key appointmentsDT News NetworkManama

HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has issued

three royal decrees 26, 27, 28/2018.

Decree 26 stipulates the renewal of the appointment of Osama Ahmed Khalaf Al-Asfour as Deputy Secretary General of the Ombudsman’s Office at the Ministry of Interior with the rank of Assistant Undersecretary for a period of five years.

Decree 27 stipulates the appointment of Ahmed Mohammed Abdulkareem Al Mannai as Director General of Bahrain News Agency (BNA) at the Ministry of Information Affairs with the rank of Assistant Undersecretary.

Decree 28 stipulates the appointment of Assistant Undersecretar ies a t the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning:

Shaikh Mishal bin Mohammed Al Khalifa as Assistant Undersecretary for Construction and Maintenance Projects, Wael Nasser Mohammed Al-Mubarrak as Assistant Undersecretary for Joint Municipal Services and Mohammed Saad Mohammed Hilal Al Sihli as Assistant Undersecretary for Resources and Information.

Donald Trump

2 Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Telecom masts to be regulatedPM stresses the need to assess emissions levels, evaluate health hazards

Strike comes hours after Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis

DT News NetworkManama

The cabinet meeting chaired by His Royal

Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa at the Gudaibiya Palace yesterday gave instructions to put tight regulations on telecommunications masts, and to rectify violations as soon as possible, stressing the need to rely on international companies to assess the levels of emissions by these towers, evaluate their health and environmental impact and verify whether they are established in accordance with international standards.

HRH Premier also requested the authorities to continue conducting periodic analysis through specialised inspection teams to ensure that the masts do not violate international standards.

HRH Prime Minister requested the Urban Planning Authority to locate sites for telecommunications towers, and both the Transportation and Telecommunications Minister and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) to submit a plan on the implementation of his directives

Criteria for Press awardsHRH Prime Minister has requested the Information Affairs Ministry to develop new criteria for the “Khalifa bin Salman Press Award” to give it a regional dimension. This can be done through re-categorising the participation eligibility criteria so as to cover Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Arab newspapers issued in Arabic and English,” HRH Prime Minister said.

Chairing the regular weekly

Cabinet session, the Prime Minister extended thanks to the officials of award-distribution ceremony of the third edition of the “Khalifa bin Salman Press Award”, held under his patronage, congratulating the prestigious award winners.

Investment regulationsHRH Premier have given directives to verify investment projects’ in villages and

residential areas as well as their social impacts on the residents through setting specific regulations regarding the height and sites of the buildings of these projects. The matter has been referred to the Higher Urban Planning Committee to study the regulations.

Tacking development issues, HRH Premier affirmed the importance of field visits by ministers to regions in

order to assess the level of services in them, make sure that the performance levels of municipal services are commensurate with the government’s aspiration, and to complete any shortcomings, if there are any. Directives have been given to take the necessary steps regarding the issues raised during the field visit carried out by the Minister of Works, Municipalities

Affairs and Urban Planning to Hidd recently, and to put forward a timetable for the implementation process.

Social allowance doubledHRH Premier ordered to

double the social allowance for 15,500 families who receive social insurance benefits, and the disability allowance benefitting 11,000 people with disabilities marking the holy month of

Ramadan. The kind gesture aims to ease the living burdens for low-income families regarding the requirements of the holy month. Labour and Social Development Minister was requested to take the necessary procedures to implement the Premier’s directives, in accordance with the laws and regulations in force, including the Social Insurance Law.

1. While reviewing the memoranda on its agenda, the cabinet approved the Kingdom’s

ratification of the Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), accession to which does not affect Bahraini citizens. The move is in line with Bahrain’s keenness to affirm its full and permanent commitment to the highest degrees of transparency in the field of taxation, as well as to international cooperation in this regard, and desire to ensure that international companies do not evade the payment of their taxes. The session requested the relevant authorities to put in place the requirements of the Inclusive Framework on BEPS project, and

to take the necessary technical and legislative procedures to implement it later this year, based on a recommendation by the Ministerial Committee for Financial Affairs and Expenditure Rationalisation, which was highlighted in a presentation by the Deputy Premier and Committee chairman.

2. The cabinet approved an agreement with India on the exemption from visa requirements for the

holders of diplomatic, private and service passports. It also endorsed two memoranda of understanding with India. The first is on cooperation in education, and the second is on cooperation between Bahrain’s Supreme Council for

Environment and Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

3. A cooperation agreement between Bahrain’s National Health Regulatory Authority

(NHRA), and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties for cooperation was also approved during the session. Under the agreement, the two parties will cooperate in health professions’ licenses, procedures and examinations.

4. The cabinet discussed adding a new article to the Labour Law for the Private Sector,

stipulating the prohibition of

discrimination among workers subject to its provisions because of gender, origin, language, religion or creed, as outlined in a memorandum presented by the Labour and Social Development Minister. The Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs was requested to study a draft law in this regard.

5. The session discussed three proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives, and

approved the government’s replies to them. These included sports psychology courses for national trainers, training and employment of people with special needs, and private rooms’ fees at King Hamad University Hospital.

Coalition strikes presidential office in Houthi-held capitalSanaa

An air strike targeted the office of the presidency

in Yemen’s rebel-held capital Sanaa yesterday.

The strike came hours after Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis that targeted the south of the kingdom, coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki said.

He said the rockets were launched from northern Yemen toward “populated areas” of Saudi Arabia, but were intercepted overnight without

any casualties or damage.“This hostile act... proves

the continued involvement

of the Iranian regime in supporting the Huthi militia with qualitative capabilities,”

Malki added. Since November of last year, the Iran-backed insurgents have intensified

missile attacks into neighboring Saudi Arabia. Colonel Al Maliki said that the two missiles shot down on Monday were en route to the city of Najran where they would have targeted civilian areas. Saudi Royal Air Defense forces intercepted both missiles, causing fragments of the projectiles to fall on residential neighbourhoods. No injuries or damage have been reported.

Al Maliki said this latest attack pointed to Iran’s continuing role in supporting the Houthis with weapons. “It’s a clear violation of UN Security

Council resolutions 2216 and 2231,” said the spokesman of the Arab coalition, referring to UN’s demands to end violence in Yemen and for Iran to stop supplying the Houthis with missiles. “The firing of missiles at populated cities and villages is contrary to international humanitarian law.”

The Saudi-led coalition launched a military intervention in Yemen in 2015 with the goal of rolling back the Houthis and restoring the internationally-recognized government to power. –

Al Arabia/AFP

HRH Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa during the Cabinet meetig held at the Gudaibiya Palace yesterday

The Saudi-led coalition launched the military intervention in Yemen in 2015

3Tuesday, May 8, 2018

HH Shaikh Khalid 2018initiatives announcedDT News NetworkManama

His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al

Khalifa, Supreme Council for Youth Sports First Deputy President, Bahrain Athletic Association President and Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation Honourary President, has announced the 2018 initiatives dedicated to the youth and people with disabilities.

The announcement was made at a press conference held yesterday.

These include the seventh edition of Khalid Bin Hamad Futsal League for National Clubs, Youth Centres, People with Disabilities and Girls in addition to the fourth edition of Khalid Bin Hamad Theatre Festival for National Clubs, Youth Centres and People with Disabilities. Both initiatives are annually organised in cooperation with the Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry.

Speaking at the conference were HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Media Office Head Omar Bukamal, Youth Centres Director in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs Nawar Al Muttawa and heads and members of the organising committees of both events.

The conference was attended by Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry officials, heads and members of national clubs and youth centres, representatives of societies for people with disabilities and members of the participating teams.

Bukamal announced during the conference that this year’s edition of the futsal league

will be organised in July and August, and will include an addition of 24 teams and two new categories, which are ministries and expatriate communities.

He explained that the new categories will include teams representing the Moroccan, Egyptian, Palestinian, Ghanaian and Palestinian communities, in addition to a number of ministries such as Health, Interior and Youth and Sports Affairs, adding that 168 matches will played by 83 teams during the two-month long league.

Al Muttawa told DT News on the sidelines of the conference that the league will also include the Emirati Super Cup competition, which is organised for the first time outside the UAE. The opening match of the competition will be between champions of the local leagues in Bahrain and Emirates, Muharraq and

Sharjah clubs. The draw of the five tournaments of the league was held by the end of the conference by League Director Ali Al Arabi, a representative of disabled athletes and the league’s mascot.

Initiatives hailedOn the occasion, Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Hesham bin Mohammed Al Jowder has emphasised that the initiatives of HH

Shaikh Khalid began reaping magnificent results and are achieving the goals they’re set for. The minister highlighted the positive impact of such activities on the Bahraini youth and sports movement, at the same time he affirmed that the ministry will spare no effort in supporting such noble initiatives launched by HH Shaikh Khalid.

He commented, “The sustainability of Khalid Bin

Hamad Futsal League and Theatre Festival reflects the concern of HH Shaikh Khalid of the youth and sports sector. It contributes to improving their skills and innovation, and encouraging them to be engaged more in the fields of sports, culture and arts. Including people with disabilities and girls in the futsal league meets His Highness’s aspirations and concerns about them.”

BCCI committees restructuredDT News NetworkManama

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has been

restructured its committees. BCCI Chairman Sameer Abdulla Nass announced the new-look format as part of efforts to enhance committees’ work, achieve present objectives and plans and reach out to the trade community.

In a statement issued yesterday, he said that some committees have been merged and new ones to meet the effective needs of the market as part of efforts to bolster non-oil economy in Bahrain. The restructured chamber will include ten committees in charge of industry and energy; real estate and construction; transportation and logistics services; health; finance, insurance and taxation; food resources; technology; hospitality and services and markets.

BCCI chairman said that new procedures will be enforced and committees subjected to assessment as part of commitment to carry out the board of directors’ strategy and meet the aspirations of the private sector.

He thanked the committees’ restructuring panel which included board member Sonia Janahi as chairperson, in addition to members Basem Al-Sae, Shaikh Hend bint Salman Al-Khalifa, Dr. Mohammed Jamaan, Khalid Al-Qaoud, Faisal Ali Redha, Yacoub Al-Awadhi and Ala’a Aljar. He unveiled plans to hold an annual forum which would focus on key business issues set by different BCCI panels, stressing commitment to transparency standards and keenness on engaging all members in assessing and rectifying the BCCI path.

He stressed the importance of turning restructuring panels under the first 100-day strategy which aims at turning Beit El-Tejjar into a modern digital platform to serve the trading community and the national economy and contributing to transforming Bahrain into financial and business hub in the Middle and Near East and North Africa.

HH Shaikh Khalid Ali Al Arabi announcing the names of the teams during the draw

From right, Bukamal and Al Mutawa during the event

Ministry plea to reconsider capital punishment rulingDT News NetworkManama

Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and

Endowments, Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, has requested the Court of Cassation to reconsider death sentence ruling in the murder of a police officer and attempted murder of other officers in a terrorist bombing.

Justice Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa on Monday said that the decision to apply for a reconsideration of the verdict

was taken following a proposal presented by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) to the ministry.

“A decision was made to apply to the President of the Court of Cassation to reconsider the death sentences. The decision is subject to the privileges granted under the Court of Cassation Law that allow the Minister of Justice to request a reconsideration of sentences under certain circumstances,” the minister said.

Shaikh Khalid pointed

out that such an application is made under the authority vested in the Minister of Justice to ensure that justice is served after exhausting all legal avenues to the maximum extent possible in order to uncover the truth, subject to Court of Cassation Law.

He said that the decision was within the privileges granted under the Court of Cassation Law that allow the Minister of Justice to request the reconsideration of sentences under certain circumstances.

“The Court of Cassation has absolute discretion, based on the investigations carried out by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and the new documents filed in respect of evidence in the case against the convicts,” he said.

The minister underscored Bahrain’s deep commitment to safeguarding the legal rights guaranteed by its legislature to ensure that justice is served to the fullest extent of the law.

The request to reconsider the ruling was prompted by the findings of the

Ministry of Interior Ombudsman as he reviewed the case.

The Ministry of Interior Ombudsman had reviewed the case and notified the SIU of their findings.

The SIU had in turn investigated the case and proposed a reconsideration of the sentences against the two convicts in light of uncovering new documents which were not presented to the Court that issued the sentences.

In March, Advocate General Ali Al Buainain said that he

received a note from the SIU suggesting a retrial of the two defendants.

The SIU said that it was in possession of medical reports by Ministry of Interior doctors that were not available during the initial investigation of the defendants and throughout the stages of the trial.

The SIU said that, given the new documents and for the sake of full justice, it asked the justice minister to ask the Court of Cassation to reconsider its verdict.

DTNN/Gulf News

Tournament for innovation inartificial intelligence launched


The tournament will create the sense of challenge among students by presenting the best projects

Winner of Best Idea Award will participate in the finals of Imagination World Cup Tournament in USA in July

The idea is to diversify the teaching resources and enhance the innovation culture among students


HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy President of the Supreme

Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS), President of Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA), has launched, for first time in the Middle East, a tournament for students about innovating in the field of Artificial Intelligence, under the slogan of #Let_us_innovate_future.

The tournament will be organized by Bahrain Polytechnic, in partnership with Microsoft Company and HHSK Media Office, as one of initiatives aimed at supporting students in the scientific field under the theme “Khalid bin Hamad Tournament of Innovation in Artificial Intelligence.”

The initiative aims to qualify students to use technology tools and applications in serving community and meeting the labour market needs as part of Bahrain Vision 2030.

It aims also to attract global companies to invest in Bahrain and honing students’ scientific skills and knowhow alongside their academic study, in addition to opening new businesses and companies.

Workshops will be organized by Technology Experts from Microsoft. The winner of Best Idea Award will represent Bahrain at the USA

Tournament, in addition to a cash reward. The top three schools and universities will

be awarded BD1500, BD1000 and BD500, respectively.

Twenty students will have the chance to be trained under the program of “My Chance” to get Microsoft Professional Certificates (Cloud Computing – Web App Builder), and one of the teams will get the chance of attending the first training of Flat6Labs of leading business.

HH Shaikh Khalid with logo, (top); The audience, bottom

HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa during the launch

The logo of the tournament

Leadership can be the defining factor between

whether a senior manager makes the leap into a c-level position. Understanding what type of leader you are and other types you can apply in certain situations can be a useful tool to help you stand out to your boss.

Find out what type of leadership style fits you and your company best, so you can begin to cultivate it and gain unprecedented results and gratification for that promotion you’ve been longing for.

AUTOCRATIC

An autocratic leader leads solely on the authority they assumed from their position. They control the efforts of their team and monitor their performance under close scrutiny.

Made famous in the early ages and ancient empires, autocratic leadership styles have fallen out of favour in the training manuals of today but it can still be found amongst some organisations today.

COMMAND AND CONTROLSimilar to the autocratic style of leadership, this leader is a stern task maker using disciplinary repercussions

when tasks are not met or to an unsatisfactory level.

Although the leader will follow the rules they set, they will have complete control over when, why and how tasks are completed. This style is most effective in times of real urgency or when safety is at stake (such as a fire evacuation).

DEMOCRATIC Democratic leadership style is the most common in the 21st Century. The input from its employees and management is valued and discussed together with a decision being made only when a high majority agree upon it.

It is effective as it boosts employee morale as they feel like a valued member of the organisation, having been part of the decision making process. It helps the change process become implemented easier, moreso than other leadership styles, as employees have been a

part of the conclusion.

AFFILIATEDThis type of leadership style places emphasis on creating harmony among their leaders followers. It is this harmony that will enable problems and conflicts to be solved as everyone works together.

The leaders praise their employees often to build this culture, however a key drawback about this style is that often times poor performance tends to be swept under the rug. This can be harmful when the company is dwindling and a stronger more autocratic approach may be necessary.

PACE-SETTERThis leader as you probably could have assumed leads by example. They follow the high performance standards set by themselves and expects the same of their team.

The challenges this style faces is usually it is in a

subject area the leader is passion about. If you have employees who share a similar passion, great, however an imbalance of passion may mean the high pace the leader sets is not sustainable and employees burn out from the workload.

LAISSEZ-FAIREThe Laissez-Faire leader tends to have a hands off approach in their leadership methods, relying and trusting the word of the employee to get what they have been told to get done. With no supervision or leadership development, this often works for highly skilled and individual employees but not for those needing such oversight. If you wrongly categorize your employee as the former, you can see poor production and efficiency costs creep in.

VISIONARYA visionary leader has an idea and inspires others around

them to follow them in the needed direction. They lead through inspiration and motivation, giving positive thoughts into believing that this vision is best for the greater good.

Arguably the most famous visionary leader was Dr. Martin Luther King and his racial equality movement.

COACHINGThis type of leader helps the development of its employees for future growth. One of the most prevalent leadership styles among senior managers today, this type of leader is very effective in settings where performance or results need improvement, but not complete re-structuring.

Placing higher values on the skills already possessed by their employees and developing their weaknesses, this is an effective means of leadership as the leader makes the decision, yet communication is two-way.


Licensed as an Islamic Retail Bank by the Central Bank of Bahrain

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME For the three months ended 31 March 2018

31 March2018

31 March2017

BD’000(reviewed)

BD’000(reviewed)

INCOMEIncome from financing 10,522 9,207Income from investment in Sukuk 2,590 1,405

Total income from jointly financed assets 13,112 10,612

Return on equity of investment accountholders (9,277) (7,004)

Group’s share as Mudarib 5,766 5,142

Net return on equity of investment accountholders (3,511) (1,862)

Group’s share of income from jointly financed assets (both as mudarib and investor) 9,601 8,750Expense on placements from financial institutions (278) (453)Expense on borrowings from financial institutions (1,002) (124)Fee and commission income 1,798 2,054 Income from investment securities 93 318Income from investment in real estate (232) 96Share of results of associates, net 4 (1,298)

Other income 181 418

Total income 10,165 9,761

EXPENSESStaff costs 2,973 3,572Depreciation 406 378Other expenses 2,572 2,433

Total expenses 5,951 6,383

Profit before impairment allowances 4,214 3,378

Impairment allowance, net (2,062) (2,795)

PROFIT FOR THE PERIOD 2,152 583

BASIC AND DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE (fils) 2.05 0.56

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN OWNERS’ EQUITYFor the three months ended 31 March 2018

31 March 2018

31 March 2017

BD’000(reviewed)

BD’000(reviewed)

Balance at 1 January 122,270 116,472Impact of adopting FAS 30 (13,943) -Impact of adopting FAS 30 by associate (350) -Restated balance at 1 January 107,977 116,472Profit for the period 2,152 583Cash dividends - (5,051)Zakah approved (265) (137)Donations approved (200) -Shares allocated duing the period 198 148Purchase of treasury shares - (301)Net movement in investments securities fair value reserve - 29Balance at 31 March 109,862 111,743

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITIONAs at 31 March 2018

31 March

201831 December

2017

BD’000(reviewed)

BD’000(audited)

ASSETS

Cash and balances with banks and Central Bank 78,965 69,666Placements with financial institutions 50,108 80,845Financing assets 561,227 561,822Investment securities 267,569 258,399Ijarah Muntahia Bittamleek 168,448 164,397Ijarah rental receivables 10,846 14,483Investment in associates 22,791 23,739Investment in real estate 27,786 29,831Property and equipment 14,004 14,270Other assets 10,977 11,195TOTAL ASSETS 1,212,721 1,228,647

LIABILITIES, EQUITY OF INVESTMENT ACCOUNTHOLDERS AND OWNERS’ EQUITY

LiabilitiesPlacements from financial institutions 113,148 67,872Borrowings from financial institutions 88,364 101,576Customers’ current accounts 144,385 131,666Other liabilities 13,656 11,507Total Liabilities 359,553 312,621 Equity of Investment Accountholders 743,306 793,756

Owners’ EquityShare capital 106,405 101,339Treasury shares (892) (864)Shares under employee share incentive scheme (391) (498)Share premium 120 98Reserves 4,620 22,195Total Owners’ Equity 109,862 122,270

TOTAL LIABILITIES, EQUITY OF INVESTMENT ACCOUNTHOLDERS AND OWNERS’ EQUITY 1,212,721 1,228,647

This condensed consolidated interim financial information has been approved by the Board of Directors on 7 May 2018 and has been reviewed by KPMG.

Dr. Esam Abdulla Fakhro Brig. Ebrahim Abdulla Al Mahmood Hassan Amin Jarrar Chairman Vice Chairman Chief Executive Officer

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWSFor the three months ended 31 March 2018

31 March2018

31 March 2017

BD’000(reviewed)

BD’000(reviewed)

OPERATING ACTIVITIESProfit for the period 2,152 583Adjustments for non-cash items: Depreciation 406 378 Impairment allowance, net 2,062 2,795 Amortization of gain on sale of investment in real estate (5) - Loss on sale of investment in real estate 292 Gain on foreign exchange revaluation (46) - Share of result of associates, net (4) 1,298

Operating profit before changes in operating assets and liabilities 4,857 5,054

Working capital adjustments:

Mandatory reserve with Central Bank of Bahrain 905 (1,410) Financing assets (13,592) (28,037) Ijarah Muntahia Bittamleek (1,177) (10,048) Other assets 90 (458) Customers’ current accounts 12,719 28,852 Other liabilities 1,895 8,655 Placements from financial institutions 45,276 19,420 Equity of investment accountholders (50,450) 45,248

Net cash from operating activities 523 67,276

INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Disposal of investment in real estate 1,753 -Purchase of property and equipment (140) (159)Purchase of investment securities (27,279) (8,913)Proceeds from disposal of investment securtities 17,829 3,607Net cash used in investing activities (7,837) (5,465)

FINANCING ACTIVITIESBorrowings from financial institutions (13,212) -Dividends paid (8) (5,051)Net cash used in financing activities (13,220) (5,051)NET (DECREASE)/ INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (20,534) 56,760Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January 112,794 90,736

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT 31 MARCH 92,260 147,496

Cash and cash equivalents comprise of:Cash on hand 11,570 13,239Balances with CBB, excluding mandatory reserve deposits 24,105 8,109Balances with banks and other financial institutions excluding restricted balancesPlacements with financial institutions with original maturities less than 90 days 50,108

92,260

9,100

117,048

147,496

-

6,477

Dr. Jassim Haji

By Invitation

Styles of leadership

(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.)


Beirut

Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah claimed victory

yesterday after elections it said legitimised its military branch, leaving Prime Minister Saad Hariri as the main loser.

The two main protagonists of the country’s first legislative polls in almost a decade did not wait for official results to comment on the implications of a vote which was also marked by low turnout.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called the vote “a great political and moral victory for the resistance option that protects the sovereignty of the country.”

The Iran-backed Shiite movement and its allies look set to secure a parliament bloc large enough to thwart attempts for it to disarm, a longstanding demand of its political enemies.

“The make-up of the new legislative chamber represents a guarantee and a great strength to protect this strategic choice and to protect the golden equation -- the army, the people and the resistance,” Nasrallah said.

The man who has led calls internally for Hezbollah to lay down its arms is Hariri, whose

Sunni-dominated Future Movement lost a third of its seats.

Hariri told reporters his party had won 21 seats, a drop from the 33 it controlled in the outgoing legislature.

“We were betting on a better result,” the premier said.

Swing vote The number of Hezbollah

lawmakers in the 128-seat parliament may not increase

from the current 13 but astute pre-electoral tactics have secured it enough allies to withstand challenges on strategic issues.

“Hariri’s loss will be the distinguishing mark of these elections, which will have consequences on the battle to form a new government,” the pro-Hezbollah Al-Akhbar daily wrote earlier yesterday.

Hezbollah, which was created in the 1980s to fight against

Israel and currently battles in Syria alongside regime forces, is listed as a terror organisation by the United States.

The group, whose arsenal outguns the army’s does not derive its dominant status on the Lebanese scene from the ballot box but the new breakdown of parliament will increase its political legitimacy.

Lebanon’s unique brand of sectarian-driven, power-sharing politics mean rival

factions often end up in the same government, as is the case now where Hezbollah is represented in Hariri’s cabinet.

The constitution stipulates that parliament is equally split between Muslims and Christians, whose biggest party, led by President Michel Aoun has been a Hezbollah ally.

“The biggest swing vote will be President Aoun’s group,

which will move among the other blocs. Hezbollah will benefit from the lack of a broad coalition against it,” political analyst Imad Salamey said.

Lawmakers had extended their own mandate three times since 2009, ostensibly over security concerns linked to the war in neighbouring Syria and political divisions that led to long and crippling institutional crises. (AFP)

Lebanon’s Hezbollah claims ‘great victory’ after elections

Lebanese officials count votes at a polling centre in Beirut

Jerusalem

U.S. Embassy road signs went up in Jerusalem

yesterday ahead of next week’s opening of the mission in accordance with President Donald Trump’s recognition of the city as Israel’s capital.

Trump says he is making good on U.S. legislation and presidential pledges dating back decades. Other world powers have not done so, sidestepping one of the thorniest disputes between Israel and the Palestinians, who want their own state with East Jerusalem as the capital.

Workmen installed the black-and-white signs, in English, Hebrew and Arabic, along roads leading to a U.S. consulate building in south Jerusalem that will be remodelled as the embassy when it is formally relocated from Tel Aviv on May 14.

“This is not a dream. It is

reality. I am proud and moved to have hung this morning the first new signs that were prepared for the U.S. Embassy,” Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat

wrote on Twitter.Israel captured East

Jerusalem from Jordanian control in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in a move

not recognised internationally. The last round of peace talks on a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip collapsed in 2014. (Reuters)

Jerusalem gets road sign ahead of planned opening of U.S. Embassy

Berlin

Germany and France yesterday vowed to stand

by the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers even if the United States pulls out, with the German foreign minister saying the world would be less safe without it.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to retreat from the deal by not extending sanctions waivers when they expire on May 12, unless European signatories of the accord fix what he calls its “flaws”.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said it was clear that the agreement made the world securer and there was a risk of escalation were it to be cancelled.

“We don’t think there is any justifiable reason to pull out of this agreement and we continue to make the case for it to our American friends,” Maas said during a joint news conference with visiting French

Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

“We’ll deal with the (U.S.) decision but like Jean-Yves said, we want to adhere to this agreement,” Maas added.

Le Drian said France, Britain and Germany would keep to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran irrespective of the United States’ decision later this week because it is the best way to avoid nuclear proliferation.

“We are determined to save this deal because this accord safeguards against nuclear proliferation and is the right way to stop Iran getting a nuclear weapon,” Le Drian said.

France, Germany and Britain have for weeks been campaigning to keep the deal alive and have been negotiating since January with the U.S. to find ways to convince Trump to keep to the accord.

Maas said “good proposals” had been made in recent weeks. (Reuters)

Germany, France vow to stick to Iran deal

A worker hangs a road sign directing to the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem


New global forum, Gateway Gulf, will bring together a select group of 500 global investors and CEOs to unlock opportunities across the GCC The event will take place from 8 to 10 May at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bahrain Bay

The event provides a direct route into accessing the GCC market by showcasing major investment-ready projects

Gateway Gulf to showcase projects worth $26 billion Manama

The region’s economic transformation and

investment opportunities will be the highlight of the first Gateway Gulf in Bahrain this week under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Chairman of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB).

The event, which will take place from 8 to 10 May at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bahrain Bay, brings together over 500 global investors and business leaders to explore ways of unlocking the opportunities being created by the economic transformation in the GCC. The event provides a direct route into accessing the GCC market by showcasing major regional investment-ready projects worth USD $18billion, with projects in the planning phase driving up the value of the project pipeline to USD $26 billion. The event also offers an opportunity to match funding with large-scale infrastructure projects in Bahrain.

Bahrain is also fast-tracking substantial public and private sector investment projects worth over USD $32 billion

across the manufacturing, logistics, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and tourism sectors, supporting the Kingdom’s goal of long-term, sustainable economic growth.

Ahead of the event, Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chief Executive, Bahrain Economic Development Board, commented: “A key part of our role at the EDB is to talk to international investors and we have found that they are very excited about the potential to enter and expand in the Gulf market. However, they would like to know more about how to unlock those opportunities – which is why we have created Gateway Gulf.”

The event will include high-level plenary sessions led by key business leaders across strategic growth sectors, including manufacturing, tourism, real estate, power, water and energy, and will address some of the key business issues currently facing the region as it opens up new investment opportunities to the private sector.

“Bahrain was the fastest growing economy in the GCC in 2017, a trend the IMF expects to continue into 2018. This strong growth momentum, paired with the Kingdom’s strategic location, supportive and cost-

effective business environment and talented workforce, offers international companies a powerful launch pad to access growth across the region,” Khalid Al Rumaihi added.

Highlights of the event include a panel session titled ‘Aligning Fiscal Policy with Economic Growth’, which will discuss ways in which policy makers can meet the challenges of achieving economic growth and creating a sound fiscal policy. The session will feature Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance, Bahrain;

Dr. Nayef Falah Al Hajraf, Minister of Finance, Kuwait; Mohamed Boussaid, Minister of Economy and Finance, Morocco; Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim, Vice Minister of Economy & Planning, Saudi Arabia; and Michèle Lamarche, Lazard Frères.

Another panel session titled ‘Unlocking the FDI Puzzle’ will include speakers such as Stuart Jones, Bechtel; Anil Kumar, Ransat Group; Fadi Ghandour, Wamda Group & Aramex; Yusuf Ali, Lulu Group; Shaikh Dr. Meshaal bin Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, KDIPA; and Khalid Al Rumaihi, who will discuss efforts the GCC countries should undertake to enable investors to tap into the opportunities the region presents.

Other sessions at Gateway Gulf will shed light on Cloud Computing, FinTech, Blockchain, and Oil and Gas with a list of high-profile speakers including Dr Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, Minister of Commerce and Investment, Saudi Arabia; Khaled Nasser Abdullah Al-Roudan, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Kuwait; and Zayed Al Zayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Bahrain

Manama

Fintech Consortium announced the launch of its global fintech

investment platform, InQvest Partners, which has also established a presence at Bahrain Fintech Bay, further committing to the Kingdom.

InQvest Partners will pursue investments and deploy capital through its debut investment vehicle, InQvest Fintech Holdings, as well as its US$100 million Global Fintech Fund, which is backed by regional and international institutions and investor groups, including local institutional partners in Bahrain.

InQvest Partners, through Fintech Consortium’s global presence in Singapore, New York and Bahrain, is focused on investing in Fintech opportunities in the United States and Europe, as well as the fast-growing markets of South-East Asia and the GCC. It offers a unique proposition that would support its investments in financial technology and facilitates their growth and deployment across markets.

Gerben Visser, Founder of

Fintech Consortium and CEO of InQvest Partners said “We believe that InQvest Partners is very well positioned to leverage on the network, domain expertise and operational capabilities that FinTech Consortium has developed over recent years. Furthermore, we have been fortunate to work along-side bright, talented and driven FinTech entrepreneurs, assist them in the early stages of their growth journey, and through InQvest Partners to add growth capital to compliment those relationships is tremendously exciting and rewarding.”

Maissan Al Maskati, Chairman of Fintech Consortium Bahrain and InQvest Partners said “We are pleased to make this announcement today and build on the success Fintech Consortium has had in supporting and nurturing Fintech innovation. Through a dedicated and global fintech investment platform we will be able to further the offering of our hub network across North America, Asia and the Middle East, and accelerate Fintech firms through their next phase of growth”

InQvest Partners launched in Bahrain RUW honours competition winners

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal University

for Women met with the winning team of Injaz Bahrain competition, in the category “Best Company” for universities, which was organized by Injaz Bahrain under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO of Injaz Bahrain. In addition, he met with the winning team of TradeQuest Challange Which was organized by Bahrain Bourse in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Tourism, where the Royal University

of Bahrain won second place in this competition.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal University for Women, Fahad Al-Zamil, praised the girls’ academic and professional excellence and the pioneering role played by the academic staff in preparing and training the students. “We are working at the Royal University for Women to provide our students with the necessary intellect, skills and knowledge to cope with various challenges, We have made this through the achievements of our students in all

forums, and we are fully confident that the students of the Royal University for Women have exceeded the concepts of excellence and leadership. “

The President of the Royal University for Women, Professor Mazin Jumaa, expressed his pride for the students’ victory in the competition. He said: “This achievement is an effective translation of the University’s efforts in providing and developing the best ways of education, knowledge and abilities in the field of business administration and in the various majors taught by the University”.

Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

RUW Chairman with the winners


An increase of 267pc compared to last year

Report was published by Startup Genome and Global Entrepreneurship Network

Income for period ended 31 March 2018 is BD 10.2m

BisB achieves BD 2.2m net profit in first quarter of 2018Manama

Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB) announced that it has

achieved a net profit of BD 2.2 million for the period ending on 31st March 2018 compared to a net profit of BD 0.6m for the same period last year, an increase of 267 per cent.

The Bank also achieved a profit before impairment allowances of BD 4.2m for the period ending on 31st March 2018 compared to BD 3.4m for the same period last year.

The Board has approved the Bank’s financial results in its meeting held yesterday, where the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Esam Abdulla Fakhro, announced the Board’s approval for the Bank’s financial statements for the period ended on 31st March 2018, expressing the Board’s satisfaction with the excellent results, which reflected the Bank’s strong financial performance and the effectiveness of its strategy and work plan during this period.

Dr. Esam Abdulla Fakhro, Chairman of the Board of Directors, confirmed the Bank recorded a total income of BD 10.2m for the period ended 31st March 2018 compared to BD 9.8m for the same period last year. Earnings per share have

also increased to 2.05 fils for the period ending on 31st March 2018 compared to 0.56 fils for the same period last year, an increase of 266pc. The Bank recorded a total owners’ equity BD 109.9m as of 31st March 2018 compared to BD 122.3m as of 31st December 2017, a decrease of 10.1pc due to the impact of adopting FAS 30.

The Chairman went on to confirm that the Bank has maintained a strong portfolio during the first quarter of 2018 with a liquid assets to total assets ratio of 10.6pc, in addition, the Bank continues to limit its exposure of its real estate portfolio during the first quarter of 2018, cementing the Bank’s keenness to continue to follow a prudent and conservative work policy across various transactions and financing.

The Board revealed their continued satisfaction with implementation of the Bank’s strategy “Ishraq – Back to Basics” whilst streamlining their operations, resulting in a positive results achieved enabling the Bank to enjoy a comfortable financial position.

Hassan Jarrar, BisB Chief Executive Officer, revealed his appreciation: “The positive results of this period of the

year reflect the strong financial position and continuous improvement in the Bank’s various business sectors. The Bank also heavily relies on revenues and fees from finances and other major activities as well as ongoing efforts to expand the customer base as a result of the Bank’s unique services presented to all its customers.”

Jarrar also explained that the total assets decreased to BD 1,212.7m compared to BD 1,228.6m as of 31 December 2017 by 1.3pc, while the financing and investment in Sukuk portfolio has increased

to BD 977.6m compared to BD 968.6m as of 31 December 2017 by 0.9pc. In line with the Bank’s strategy to focus on the core banking activities, the other investments have decreased to BD 81.1m compared to BD 84.1m as of 31 December 2017 by 3.6pc. Customer accounts have decreased to BD 887.7m compared to BD 925.4m as of 31 December 2017 by 4.1pc.

Jarrar explained that current accounts increased to BD 144.4m as of 31 March 2018 compared to BD 131.7m as of 31 December 2017, an increase of 10pc. In addition, placements and borrowings

from financial institutions increased to BD 201.5m as of 31 March 2018 compared to BD 169.4m as of 31st December 2017, an increase of 19pc.

Total expenses were declared at BD 6m, a decrease of 6.3pc over the same period last year which was equal to BD 6.4m. The Board of Directors has specified net impairment allowance for the same period in the amount of BD 2.1m compared to BD 2.8m for the same period last year.

Hassan Jarrar assured that the Retail Banking sector witnessed a launch of revamped products and services, including the

launch of Tejoori Al Islami savings account promotional campaign, which offers big and attractive financial prizes to customers. In addition, the Bank introduced the Visa Credit Card campaign, which offered two packages to attend the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia semi-finals, and a Grand Sale campaign in February included discounts on all its financial products and cash backs.

“Our Corporate Banking witnessed the official launch of BisB Corporate Digital comprising an enhanced online platform and powerful mobile application at the ePay Summit, which the Bank has recently sponsored” said Jarrar.

Adding, “As for Human Resources, the Bank has launched a number of tailored training programs, including the “Women in Leadership” Program, which aims to further develop the leadership skills of female staff and the “Leadership Development Program” which trains the Bank’s managerial and the supervisory level of employees with the overall objective of enhancing their soft skills, developing increased productivity and time management skills.

Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2018 launchedManama

Startup Genome and the Global Entrepreneurship

Network (GEN) has recently published the Global Startup Ecosystems Report (GSER) 2018, which featured strategic startup, investment and policy insights from over 45 cities around the world. This year’s report was revealed during the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) being held during the period from 15th to 19th April, in Istanbul, Turkey.

In Bahrain’s ecosystem in particular, GSER provides a detailed look at the following subsectors, which are supported by the Labour Fund “Tamkeen”, including: Bahrain Fintech, Cloud Computing and the Gaming Sub-Sector.

The publication of this report comes in light of the visions ranging from the

fast-growing dominance of ICT focused companies to the filling of critical gaps in Success Factors for both funding agencies and startups, the GSER 2018 continues to present thought-leadership and knowledge building driven by the world’s largest primary ecosystem research initiative, Voice of the Entrepreneur. This is where we find out what it takes to build dynamic startup ecosystems with both local and global resonance and which cities around the world are doing it best.

Tamkeen Chief Executive Dr Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi stressed the value of GSER report in shaping a clear and comprehensive vision towards the development of ecosystems in general, and startup ecosystem in particular, among countries:

“This report benchmarks the global performance levels as well as requirements needed by the different cities and countries around the word, to enhance sustainability in the different economic activities, for a promising economic and developmental vision,” Dr

Janahi said. “We’ve now entered the

Third Wave of innovation - where our global startup community is disrupting industries by combining technology with deep industry expertise. This is creating a potentially game-changing

opportunity for smaller, less mature startup ecosystems that can now build out competitive advantage at a global level by focusing on their DNA and legacy strengths,” shares Startup Genome CEO and co-founder JF Gauthier.

A fitting occasion for the launch of this collaborative report, the Global Entrepreneurship Congress gathers thousands of entrepreneurs, investors,

researchers, policymakers and other startup champions from all countries to identify new ways of helping founders start and scale new ventures around the world.

Bahrain has also recently been announced to host the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in 2019, which is aiming to attract thousands of participants from over than 170 countries around the world.

This year, the report takes a close look at key sub-sectors around the world which are in focus points towards imminent entrepreneurial revolutions such as Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics, Agtech, A.I., Big Data & Analytics, Life Sciences and Cybersecurity, as well as new technologies in education, health, advertising and finance.

Released at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress

(GEC) in Istanbul, GSER 2018 features strategic

startup, investment and policy insights from over

10,000 founders in 45 cities – including Bahrain.

Dr Esam Abdullah Fakhroo Hasan Jarrar

The report being presented at GEC

BUSINESS 9Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Batelco splits into 2 entities

Ariston Thermo inaugurates new plantManama

Under the patronage of the Minister of Industry,

Commerce and Tourism, Ariston Thermo inaugurated a new production plant at the Bahrain International Investment Park. The ceremony was attended by Domenico Bellato, Ambassador of Italy to the Kingdom of Bahrain and Dr. Carlo Andreatini, Ariston Thermo Rapid Development Countries and Americas Director.

Zayed R. Alzayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism said, “This project was an important one for Bahrain as it met several key objectives, enabling the growth and diversification of

Bahrain’s economy, as well as creating quality skilled jobs for Bahrainis in the fields of engineering and business. The Ministry and Ariston are partners for the long-haul and the Ministry will do everything in its capacity to provide the right support to facilitate the company’s success.”

Commenting on the inauguration, Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, said: “The plant’s opening is a clear indication of the vast potential and advantages that the manufacturing industry in Bahrain provides, and further reinforces the Kingdom’s position as the ideal hub

to meet growing regional demand.”

The new plant, located in a total area of 7,000 square meters and employing 50 people, will manufacture storage electric water heaters branded Ariston that will be mainly marketed in the Middle East and North Africa. The new plant provides a maximum annual production capacity of up to 250,000 electric water heaters.

The new production site in Bahrain will be in line with the sustainable model of the Group, at the forefront of innovation and in respect of the environment.

Carlo Andreatini, Ariston Thermo Rapid Development

Countries and Americas Director said, “With this new production site in Bahrain we aim to strengthen our presence in this area, where Ariston

brand is already leading the water heating category for many years. Keeping production close to the most important markets is indeed

a key pillar of our Group’s growth strategy that allows us to better and promptly respond to the specific needs of our customers.”

Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Zayed R. Alzayani, inaugurates the plant

Manama

Batelco’s Board of Directors held a meeting on May

3rd 2018 in which they approved the administrative and operational structure of Batelco’s two separate entities, one of which will focus on retail services and the other focused on wholesale services.

During the meeting, the Board also agreed that the new wholesale company responsible for the National Broadband Network will be operating from the Batelco Commercial Center in Manama as its headquarters.

This is the first step towards achieving a successful split in line with the Fourth National Telecommunications Plan which was approved by the Council of Ministers back in May 2016.

The Batelco Commercial Center marks the establishment of Batelco in 1981, and was chosen once again as the headquarters for the new wholesale company, witnessing yet another national achievement for the Telecommunications sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Among the strategic decisions agreed upon during the meeting was an approval on the security and cyber security strategy in regards to the separation process. Additionally, the Executive Management presented a detailed strategic plan in which security was highlighted as a top priority in all steps related to the split into two

entities. The Board of Directors

also directed the Executive Management to develop the brand identities for the two entities to represent the new phase and enhance the company’s vision to provide unsurpassed services to its customers in both the retail and wholesale sector.

In addition, the Board has requested to have come to an agreement that a specialized firm shall perform an audit of the company’s assets to ensure a smooth separation process.

Batelco Chairman, Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa expressed his delight in achieving this strategic step which will serve the Kingdom’s Telecommunications sector in line with the Kingdom’s Economic Vision 2030.

He stressed that the separation will become a beneficial to all parties, as this new chapter will create a healthy competitive environment that aims to increase efficiency and productivity and the level of

service offered to customers, as well as strengthening the Kingdom’s position on the global communications map.

Batelco Bahrain Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Bubashait, expressed the Company’s pride in achieving this strategic step, which is a major leap for Telecommunications in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

“Over the past few months, we have been focusing our efforts on implementing a comprehensive action plan to translate the vision into reality, as we consider the separation a pure national mission which put set at the top of our priority. The next phase is the most important in the process of separation and requires the solidarity of all parties and coordination of efforts to achieve success and the strategic national goals for the telecommunications sector in the Kingdom” he added.

Batelco Chairman, Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa

Batelco Bahrain CEO, Mohamed Bubashait

Left to Right: Mohamed Kaleem Ulla, Regional Director, Lulu, Ameer Nasralla, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Product Development Content & Digital, Batelco, Juzer Rupawala, Director, Lulu Group, B. Chandrasekhar, CEO, AFS, Shiraz Ali, Director of Frictionless Payments Business, AFS and Stuart, Operations Manager, Lulu

bwallet users will simply scan a QR code at Lulu checkout counters and complete purchases.

“We are proud of our partnership with Lulu Hypermarket and will

continue to strive in providing our bwallet

customers with the best in class experience

& great offers.”

“We are pleased to have one of the largest

hypermarket chains onboard with us and

look forward to offer a seamless experience for

our customers.”

“bwallet is a great fintech payment solution that will enable customers to move with the times in their commercial transactions. Lulu Hypermarket has always been quick to embrace change and modern solutions and we are very happy to partner with bwallet for our customers.”

B Chandrasekhar AFS CEO,

Abderrahmane MounirChief Marketing Officer of

Batelco Bahrain

Juzer RupawalaDirector of Lulu Group

bwallet, the first wallet in Bahrain to provide peer-to-peer money transfer, was launched earlier this year by AFS, the region’s leading FinTech enabler, in partnership with Batelco, Bahrain’s leading digital solutions provider.

bwallet service will be available across all Lulu Hypermarkets starting 9th of May 2018.

Users will get a 5% cash-back on all purchases at any Lulu Hypermarket across Bahrain.

BUSINESS Tuesday, May 8, 201810

COUNTRY/CURRENCIES SELLBUY

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

COUNTRY 1 US DLR 1 UK STG 1 SFR 100 YEN

BAHRAIN 0.3770 0.5738 0.3774 0.3448

KUWAIT 0.2855 31.2166 0.2858 0.2611

OMAN 0.3849 0.3845 0.3853 0.3520

QATAR 3.6420 3.6380 3.6460 3.3309

UAE 3.6730 3.6690 3.6770 3.3592

SAUDI 3.7500 3.7459 3.7541 3.4297

AUSTRALIA 0.2922 0.2898 BANGLADESH 0.00471 0.00452 CANADA 0.3001 0.2969 DENMARK 0.0637 EGYPT 0.0237 0.0219 EURO 0.4588 0.4563 HONGKONG 0.04967 0.04927 INDIA 0.00571 0.00569 INDONESIA 0.00002911 0.00002768 IRAN TUMAN 0.00010959 IRAQI DINAR 0.000317 JAPAN 0.00362 0.003550 JORDAN 0.5359 0.5351 KOREA 0.00040082 KUWAIT 1.263 1.264 MALAYSIA 0.0982 0.0981 NEW ZEALAND 0.2696 0.2696 NORWAY 0.0489 NEPAL 0.00387 0.00354 OMAN 0.98168 0.98301 PAKISTAN 0.00345 0.00327 PHILIPPINES 0.00743 0.00731 QATAR 0.10381 0.10404 SAUDI ARABIA 0.1006 0.10067 SINGAPORE 0.2879 0.2859 SOUTH AFRICA 0.03160 0.03150 SRI LANKA 0.00273 0.00240 SWEDISH 0.0459 SWITZERLAND 0.3860 0.3829 SYRIA 0.001740 0.0017 TAIWAN 0.013600 THAILAND 0.012120 0.012070 TURKEY 0.0955 UNITED KINGDOM 0.5196 0.5167 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 0.102850 0.102870 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 0.37790 0.37800 YUAN 0.056800 0.056800

The Looney Toons Golden Collection DVDs have a disclaimer at the beginning given by Whoopi

Goldberg explaining that the cartoons are a product of their time and contain ethnic stereotypes that

have not been censored because editing them would be the same as denying the stereotypes ever existed.

Manama

Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) announced that its Line

6 Smelter exceeded more than 10 million work-hours without a single Lost Time Injury (LTI), a major Safety Milestone, by mid-April 2018.

Commenting on this record achievement, Alba’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Murray said,

“Safety is our best insurance policy. This milestone is truly a remarkable achievement by our Line 6 Smelter team (over 6,000 employees and contractors) and is a testament to the workers and contractors’ commitment to Alba’s Safety standards.”

Alba has won international accolades for its strict adherence to local and international Safety standards, rigorous Safety training initiatives and employee Safety and Health programmes.

Alba Line 6 Smelter Exceeds 10m work-hours without LTI

ALBA officials celebrate he achievement

Dubai

Markets in the Gulf were sluggish yesterday as a

surge in oil prices to more than three-year highs failed to lift stocks.

The rise helped boost some Saudi Arabian petrochemical stocks. Yanbu National Petrochemicals rose 1.3 per cent.

But the Saudi benchmark index closed flat after reversing earlier losses.

Saudi Arabia’s largest food products company, Savola Group was one of the biggest gainers after it said late on Sunday it had purchased a 51pc stake in Al Kabeer Group of Companies for 565.5 million riyals ($150.8 million). The

impact of the deal on Savola’s results would be positive once the deal is completed during the second half of the year, it said.

National Commercial Bank, the kingdom’s largest bank, closed 1.2pc up. The bank last week reported a 10.5pc rise in first-quarter net profit, above analysts’ forecasts as bad debt charges fell and fees rose.

In Dubai, the index was down 0.1pc, hurt by a 3.2pc dip in index bellwether Emaar Properties.

Dubai Investments fell 1.6pc despite the company reporting a rise in first-quarter profit to 362 million dirhams ($98.6 million), up from 289 million

dirhams in the year earlier period.

The Abu Dhabi index was down 0.4pc. One of the weights on the index was Aldar Properties, down 1.4pc. Earlier on Monday, the

developer said it had reached a deal with Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) to acquire real estate assets worth 3.7 billion dirhams. (Reuters)

Markets sluggish despite oil gains

Closing BellSAUDI ARABIA edged up 0.04pc to 8,117 points.

DUBAI slipped 0.3pc to 2,963 points.

ABU DHABI ticked down 0.4pc to 4,541 points.

QATAR went up 0.9pc to 8,984 points.

KUWAIT gained 0.2pc to 4,796 points.

BAHRAIN gained 0.2pc to 1,279 points.

OMAN shed 0.1pc to 4,712 points.

EGYPT lost 0.5pc to 17,523 points.

Side-by-side ATVs can be pretty handy off-road. So

much so that military and law-enforcement agencies have been known to use them as light-attack vehicles or for border patrol duty. The problem is that they’re completely open, and offer no protection from hostile forces. Enter the Yagu.

The armoured-up Arctic Cat Wildcat is the work of Plasan, an Israeli military-equipment manufacturer based near the Lebanese border. The company also makes carbon fibre

components in the US for high-performance American sports cars, like the Chevy Corvette and Dodge Viper.

Typically focused on larger, heavier machinery, Plasan’s new Yagu is an ultralight special-ops armoured vehicle. It has room for a three-man crew, and offers B6+ composite armour protection to keep its occupants safe from anything up to and including high-powered rifle rounds.

The Wildcat, as standard, is powered by a 951-cc

v-twin motorcycle engine. In stock form, it weighs about 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms). Performance is largely dependent on payload.

And while the lightweight composite armour doesn’t weigh as much as heavier steel plating, the extra pounds are sure to slow it down some. The bottom line is that it won’t be outrunning Ford Raptors, but it may very well run circles around Humvees. Especially heavily armoured ones.

More to the point, though,

it offers the protection that typical ATVs can’t. With a machine gun turret on the roof, it may be the quickest, most effective way to get personnel and firepower to where they’re needed. And it’ll look pretty badass doing it, too. (carscoops)

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 11In its attempt to achieve a critical mass of connected

vehicles able to positively impact overall traffic safety, Volvo’s cars and trucks are teaming up over the cloud. Volvo Trucks is now officially the first-ever company to receive shared safety data from Volvo Cars.

Starting this year, live and anonymized data will be shared between certain Volvo trucks sold in Sweden and Norway, with the company’s passengers cars equipped with Hazard Light Alert system.

This technology is the first of its kind in the automotive industry. (carscoops)

Elon Musk has revealed that the Tesla Model Y will arrive in early 2020, rescheduling initial plans to bring

the next member of the Tesla line-up to market at some stage in 2019. Revealed during a heated investor’s earnings

call during which the firm’s record £523m loss set the tone, Musk stated that Model Y production

would start around 24 months from now, confirming “2020 is a more likely

prospect for Model Y.” (autoexpress)

Tesla Model Y SUV production rescheduled Volvo vehicles to talk to each other

Cheaper and easier to run than

a full-on armoured vehicle.

Perfect for school-run

Russian President Vladimir Putin glided across the

Kremlin square in a boxy black Russian-made limousine ahead of Monday’s inauguration, making a break with previous ceremonies when he used a Mercedes.

The new model called the Senate Limousine marks a return to the Soviet-era practice of the country’s leaders riding in domestically made ceremonial cars.

Soviet leaders rode in ZIL limousines, while lower-ranking officials had chauffeured Chaikas, or seagulls.

RIA Novosti state news agency quoted a guest at the ceremony as saying that the new car “is cooler than Trump’s,” with the US President riding in a Cadillac.

“This is the main automobile intrigue of the last five years,” raved a reporter on Rossiya 24 television, boasting that the car is “made in Russia, made with Russian components and made by the hands of Russian specialists.”

Nevertheless the new Senate Limousine model also benefited from “international experience”, the reporter said,

since its engine was developed with the help of engineers from Porsche.

The limousine has been in development since 2013, TASS reported, with the project allocated 12.4 billion rubles ($197 million) in state funds. Initial production began last year.

Putin rode in a Mercedes Pullman at his previous three inaugurations.

The new limo, measuring just over 6 metres (around 20 feet), is part of a range called Aurus that will also include a sedan simply called Senate and an MPV called Arsenal, Russian television reported, saying the names were taken from Kremlin towers.

The range will also go on sale commercially and will compete in terms of specifications and price with Mercedes-Maybach, Bentley and Rolls-Royce vehicles, TASS reported.

Russian leaders have long enjoyed making an entrance with their showy cars.

Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin took over the cars of the former royal family and rode in a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost while Stalin’s favourite car was a Packard. (AFP)

Tuesday, May 8, 201812

Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa assigned Shaikh Khalifa bin Rashid Al-Khalifa and Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Khalifa to attend a ceremony during which Rear Admiral Scott Stearney took over from his outgoing predecessor Vice Admiral John C Aquilino as Commander of the 5th Fleet, the U.S. Naval Forces in Central Command and commander of the Combined Maritime Forces. During the ceremony which was held at the US military base in Juffair, Shaikh Khalifa bin Rashid Al-Khalifa and Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Khalifa conveyed greetings and congratulations from HRH the Premier to Rear Admiral Scott Stearney, wishing him every success in his new position.

President of Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa received Hong Kong Honorary Consul General Oscar Chow and discussed with him bilateral cooperation in the cultural field. She also briefed him on the cultural movement in Bahrain, BACA’s programmes and the kingdom’s hosting of the 42nd meeting of the World Heritage Committee which is presided by Bahrain.

Shura Council and Representatives Council Affairs Minister Ghanim bin Fadhil Al-Buainain has received the newly appointed UAE Shaikh Sultan bin Hamadan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. The minister praised the fraternal relations binding the two countries highlighted by keenness of both leaderships to constantly promote them in various fields.

Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr. Abdulhussain Mirza received a high-level delegation from JLanka Technology Company, led by its CEO Dr. Mayura Jayasoma. The minister said that JLanka has been contracted to provide a training workshop for contractors and consultants to obtain a certificate in the instal-lation of solar energy systems.

Oil Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa received the newly appointed UAE Ambassador Shaikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. The minister wished the ambassador success in boosting cooperation between the two states in various fields, chiefly in oil, gas and petrochemical areas.

Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa met at Gudaibiya Palace with Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa yesterday. They stressed Bahrain’s keenness to boost cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries and maximise benefiting from it at the economic and investment level.

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 13

Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) representatives Maryam Mardana and Maryam Al Madhi attended the Olympic Solidarity (OS)/OlympicCouncil of Asia (OCA) Regional Forum in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan recently. This two-day Olympic forum was for National Olympic Committeesfrom three of the OCA’s five zones – South Asia, South East Asia and East Asia, with more than 25 national Olympic committee in attendance. On the sidelines of the forum, the Bahraini pair met with the organizing committee of the 18th Asian Games, to be held in Jakarta in August, and discussed registration process and latest preparations in regards to the games

Senior staff members from Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) attended the 13th Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition, which took place in Narita, Japan. BAC Vice President of Human Resources Hind Mahmood attended the Regional Human Resources Committee meeting as the Second Vice Chair and BAC Security Director Duaij Alkowari attended the Regional Aviation Security Committee meeting.

Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa assigned Shaikh Khalifa bin Rashid Al-Khalifa and Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Khalifa to attend a ceremony during which Rear Admiral Scott Stearney took over from his outgoing predecessor Vice Admiral John C Aquilino as Commander of the 5th Fleet, the U.S. Naval Forces in Central Command and commander of the Combined Maritime Forces. During the ceremony which was held at the US military base in Juffair, Shaikh Khalifa bin Rashid Al-Khalifa and Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Khalifa conveyed greetings and congratulations from HRH the Premier to Rear Admiral Scott Stearney, wishing him every success in his new position.

Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa deputised his advisor HH Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa to attend a ceremony marking Italy’s National Day. Italian Ambassador Domenico Bellato hosted the ceremony at the Gulf Hotel, in the presence of members of diplomatic corps accredited to Bahrain and invitees. HH Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa conveyed greetings from HRH the Premier to the leadership and people of Italy on the national occasion.

Shura Council and Representatives Council Affairs Minister Ghanim bin Fadhil Al-Buainain has received the newly appointed UAE Shaikh Sultan bin Hamadan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. The minister praised the fraternal relations binding the two countries highlighted by keenness of both leaderships to constantly promote them in various fields.

Information Minister Ali bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi received members of the ministry personnel on the occasion of Bahrain Radio winning of the first place in the interactive programmes competition and Bahrain TV clinching of the second place in the awareness flashes category in the 19th Arab Radio and TV Festival which was organised by the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) in Tunisia. The minister voiced the ministry’s appreciation of the national media and artistic competencies and their contribution to preserving the national identity and culture.

Oil Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa received the newly appointed UAE Ambassador Shaikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. The minister wished the ambassador success in boosting cooperation between the two states in various fields, chiefly in oil, gas and petrochemical areas.

jimmy fallon @jimmyfallonTonight on the show: Michael Shannon is here, @AndrewRannells

stops by, and Father John Misty performs! #FallonTonight


Los Angeles

Singer Adele celebrated her 30th birthday in style with a

Titanic-themed party that she described as “the best

night of my life”.Adele, who turned 30 on May 5,

shared three photographs on

her Instagram page. She

w a s d r e s s e d

in a

glittering gown with her hair curled into tight ringlets, reminiscent of actress Kate Winslet’s character Rose in the epic 1997 romance-disaster film, reports billboard.com.

“Dirty 30! I’m not sure what I’m going to do for the next 30 years as I’ve been blessed beyond words in my life so far,” Adele wrote with the post.

“Thank you to everyone for coming along for the ride the last 11 years with me. My family and friends for entertaining my super fandom of the ‘Titanic’ movie. Last night was the best night of my life,” she added. (IANS)

Los Angeles

“The Crown” actress Vanessa Kirby says it is better to

focus on real life rather than on social life.

“I have Twitter. I think I have an Instagram account but rarely use it. It is probably better to focus on

real life than social,” Kirby said.Kirby’s tryst with showbiz

started with theatre. She then made her TV debut in 2011 with BBC’s “The Hour”, following up her act with the role of Estrella in the BBC adaptation of “Great Expectations”.

She got popular with Peter Morgan’s Netflix series “The Crown”, in which she stars as Princess Margaret.She has also been nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the series. (IANS)

Los Angeles

Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone is working on the fifth installment of “Rambo”.

The 71-year-old actor first played the Vietnam veteran in 1982.

He is said to be working on a script for the new movie with his “Expendables” collaborator Avi Lerner on board as a producer, reports deadline.com.

Lerner’s Millennium Films is launching sales on the project in Cannes with a tentative shoot date set for September of this year.

In the fifth episode of the franchise, when the daughter of one of his friends is kidnapped, Rambo, who has been working on a ranch, crosses the US-Mexican border and quickly finds himself up against the full might of one of Mexico’s most violent cartels. (IANS)

May 8, 1963

Anthony Field

Founding member of the children’s musical group The Wiggles who was named the 1999 Bachelor of the Year by Cleo Magazine.

jimmy fallon @jimmyfallonTonight on the show: Michael Shannon is here, @AndrewRannells

stops by, and Father John Misty performs! #FallonTonight


Los Angeles

Singer Adele celebrated her 30th birthday in style with a

Titanic-themed party that she described as “the best

night of my life”.Adele, who turned 30 on May 5,

shared three photographs on

her Instagram page. She

w a s d r e s s e d

in a

glittering gown with her hair curled into tight ringlets, reminiscent of actress Kate Winslet’s character Rose in the epic 1997 romance-disaster film, reports billboard.com.

“Dirty 30! I’m not sure what I’m going to do for the next 30 years as I’ve been blessed beyond words in my life so far,” Adele wrote with the post.

“Thank you to everyone for coming along for the ride the last 11 years with me. My family and friends for entertaining my super fandom of the ‘Titanic’ movie. Last night was the best night of my life,” she added. (IANS)

Los Angeles

“The Crown” actress Vanessa Kirby says it is better to

focus on real life rather than on social life.

“I have Twitter. I think I have an Instagram account but rarely use it. It is probably better to focus on

real life than social,” Kirby said.Kirby’s tryst with showbiz

started with theatre. She then made her TV debut in 2011 with BBC’s “The Hour”, following up her act with the role of Estrella in the BBC adaptation of “Great Expectations”.

She got popular with Peter Morgan’s Netflix series “The Crown”, in which she stars as Princess Margaret.She has also been nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the series. (IANS)

Los Angeles

Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone is working on the fifth installment of “Rambo”.

The 71-year-old actor first played the Vietnam veteran in 1982.

He is said to be working on a script for the new movie with his “Expendables” collaborator Avi Lerner on board as a producer, reports deadline.com.

Lerner’s Millennium Films is launching sales on the project in Cannes with a tentative shoot date set for September of this year.

In the fifth episode of the franchise, when the daughter of one of his friends is kidnapped, Rambo, who has been working on a ranch, crosses the US-Mexican border and quickly finds himself up against the full might of one of Mexico’s most violent cartels. (IANS)

May 8, 1963

Anthony Field

Founding member of the children’s musical group The Wiggles who was named the 1999 Bachelor of the Year by Cleo Magazine.


Life of the Party Revenge Beast Class RankBreaking In

MOVIES... COMING SOON... this week

(www.imdb.com)

Director: Ben FalconeStars: Gillian Jacobs, Melissa McCarthy, Debby Ryan, Adria Arjona

Director: Coralie FargeatStars: Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe, Guillaume Bouchède

Director: Michael PearceStars: Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn, Geraldine James, Trystan Gravelle

Director: Eric StoltzStars: Skyler Gisondo, Olivia Holt, Kristin Chenoweth, Bruce Dern

Director: James McTeigueStars: Gabrielle Union, Billy Burke, Richard Cabral, Ajiona Alexus

New York

Hollywood star Richard Gere and his new wife Alejandra Silva threw a wedding party with family and close friends on May

5 to celebrate their marriage. He reportedly welcomed several Tibetan monks to the celebration.

The intimate gathering was held at Gere’s estate here, reports people.com.

Richard is a Buddhist, and is considered one of Dalai Lama’s most high-profile followers. Silva also converted to

the religion after hitting it off with the “Pretty Woman” star.

Actress Saundra Santiago was also in attendance for the celebrations and praised the bride in a sweet Instagram post. A source had earlier told people.com that Gere and Silva tied the knot “weeks and weeks ago” in a civil ceremony. (IANS)

Cannes

Actor Bruce Willis is set to play famed boxing trainer

Cus DAmato in the new drama “Cornerman”, about discovering boxing legend Mike Tyson.

The cast was announced on Monday just before the kickoff of the 71st Cannes Film Festival, reports variety.com.

The film will be made by “Homeland” actor Rupert Friend, marking his debut in the director’s chair.

“Cornerman” is set in the 1980s New York, as it chronicles how D’Amato went from training some of the boxing world’s biggest champions to finding a 13-year-

old Tyson. That role has not yet been cast.

The movie will start shooting in the fall.

“Ultimately, this is a story about a deep love between two ferocious talents, each brave

enough to admit their fears to the other,

and so spur one another to g r e a t n e s s , ” Friend said. (IANS)

Tuesday, May 8, 201816 Classifieds

HOW TO REACH US “Out & About’, a ready reckoner for the eventstaking place on the island.To be included, please send the matter to the followingemail ID : [email protected]

Seef DistrictOpening Soon

Call +973 17364999 | +973 17728699

NIGHT OF ARABIC CLASSIC FILMS: DALILA (1956)Date: 10 May 2018, 7:00pmVenue: Bahrain Fort Museum

Egyptian film, starring Abdulhalim Hafez and Shadya. The film tells the story of a poor electraion who is passionate about music. The guy falls in love with his orphan roomate, only to find out later that she is ill but can’t afford the treatment.

IFTAR IN BLU AT THE DIPLOMAT RADISSON BLU HOTEL!Date : 16th May 2018 to 14th June 2018Venue: The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa

The sumptuous spread of Iftar buffets at Bahrain’s five-star hotels are served on daily bases starting from sundown to 8:30pm! Special Group package are available for 10 guests!

RAMADAN IFTARDate :16th May 2018 to 14th June 2018Venue : Lobby Level, 25N 50 Eatery, The Grove Hotel and Conference Centre

Join us throughout the holy month of Ramadan at 25N 50 Eatery, Savor the exquisite array of tradi-tional specialties and delicious Bahraini Ramadan favorites with your friends and family at our daily Iftar buffet.

SURF AND TURF Date : 17th April 2018 to 16th May 2018Venue : The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Indulge in a sumptuous Bahraini-inspired com-bination of prime steak and seafood served with freshly made side dish. Price: a la carte. Timings: April 17 to May 16, 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.

FRIDAY - GULF GRAND BRUNCHDate: FridayVenue: Al Waha Gulf Hotel Friday - Gulf Grand Brunch from 12.30 pm to 4 pm with a live band, a dedicated kids play area, swimming pool access, after party at Typhoon lounge and lots more fun for the entire family.

CHINA GARDEN, CHINESE RESTAURANTDate: Open from Monday to Saturday.Venue: Gulf Hotel Mainland China brought to your plate. The res-taurant, which is designed in a modern oriental style, offers a varied selection of food influenced by distinct Chinese regions creating Cantonese, Szechuan and Peking specialties. Signature dishes, including Chinese dim sum and Peking duck, are traditionally prepared by a team of renowned Chinese Chefs under leadership of Chef Ding to bring the tastes of mainland China to the Gulf hotel. China Garden is rumored to have been one of Michael Jackson’s favourite restaurants when he lived in Bahrain. Voted as Best Chinese restaurant

by FACT Awards and Time Out. China Garden caters for 105 covers for lunch and dinner. Two private dining rooms are also available.

SATO, JAPANESE RESTAURANTDate: Open DailyVenue: Gulf Hotel BahrainThe Gulf Hotel’s distinguished Sato restaurant has earned itself a reputation for serving the absolute best in Japanese cuisine .It is favored by guests who are said to love its peaceful Zen-like surround-ings and exquisite features, including Teppanyaki rooms and a sushi bar with a smoking section.A popular á la carte menu is also available and fea-tures a wide range of traditional noodle dishes and bento.Sato makes the perfect location for those looking for a genuine insight into Japanese cuisine and culture.For an intimate experience, two private dining rooms are also available.

RASOI BY VINEETDate: Open daily Sun to Thur’s 12 noon to 3pmVenue: Gulf HotelRasoi by Vineet is the first fine-dining restaurant in Bahrain operated by a Michelin starred chef. Renowned chef-restaurateur Vineet Bhatia, three times awarded a Michelin star, takes you on a delectable Michelin-style journey into the world of contemporary Indian cuisine.To complement the innovative cuisine, enjoy our equally imaginative decor.Offering a modern interpretation of tradi-tional Indian style, the décor uses vibrant colours,

imaginative artworks and sparkling crystals to cre-ate a dramatic interior overlooked by a team of Indian chef’s creating the finest Indian food from the show-kitchen.Rasoi By Vineet caters for 130 covers for lunch and dinner and features a private Chef’s Table dining room.

THE AMERICAN WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION: HEART OF THE OCEAN Date: May 8, 11am to 1pmVenue: Swiss-Belhotel Seef Our goal is to address the issue of plastic pollution and how it impacts our waters, sea life and humans. All our tickets are sold out and we expect to gather an important group of ladies from the Bahraini community, members and non-members of AWA. The panelists will be: Kate - Environment Arabia, Kai Miethig - Tariq Faqeeh Engineering, Mary McGinnis - Exec. Director American Chamber of Commerce and AWA member Ruqaya - CleanUp Bahrain. The movie No Water, No Life, No Blue, No Green - A Plastic Ocean , an adventure docu-mentary that brings to light the consequences of our global disposable lifestyle, will be screened. It was filmed in 20 locations.The core aim of the ini-tiative is to raise environmental awareness within the Bahraini society and how people can actively participate in the events of CleanUp Bahrain for a greener and cleaner Kingdom of Bahrain in cooperation with Tariq Faqeeh Engineering under the umbrella of the German Embassy Bahrain with the support of Supreme Council for Environment.

TOYOTA COROLLA2009 model, White Color, 150000 KMS,In good condition.Contact: 36104315

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

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

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

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

SAT, JEE &NEET PREPARATION IN BAHRAIN Regular NEET & IIT-JEE Coaching for XI & XII, Medical and Engineering Entrance Program Crash Course March-April18, NEET/JEE Intensive Training. Starts immediately after 12th Board Exam SAT-I & SAT-II Preparations .For more details & Admission Please Contact: Indian Excellent Educational Centre W.L.L .Villa 855, Road 3315, Block 333, Um Al Hassam, Phone: 32332709, 32332746, 17344971Website: www.ieecbahrain.com Email: [email protected]

SMARTKIDS

Everything we do is focused on your child’s well being

Drawing and paintingArt & Craft Handwriting ImprovementCalligraphyAbacusVedic mathKinder ClubHenna DesigningPhonics TuitionMusic class - guitar / keyboard/ Flute

Painting class for adults : watercoloring / oil painting / acrylic painting / warli / madhubani / Tanjore painting / reverse glass painting / 3D art / ceramic work / pot embossing / coffee painting / kerala mural

Follow us https://www.facebook.com/smartkidsatbahrain/https:// instagram.com/smartkids_academy

Further details please contact :33433595

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

WE DO OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY @ REASONABLE PRICE WITH HIGH QUALITY HD CAMERA BY PROFESSIONAL TEAM.For more Information Contact us: Lensmagic Digital StudioShop 10 Block 326Ozama Bin Zaid AvenueAdliya Tel:17179172/ 1 7 6 2 1 0 7 0 / 1 7 7 4 5 9 8 3M o b : 3 9 9 4 3 1 1 6

WHITE DRAGON PEST CONTROLfor eliminating Bed Bugs , Cockroaches, Contact : 39404821 , 17246181HIGH BUILDING GATE CONSTRUCTION S.P.C (HBGC) Interior Design and Construction Company – Interior Decoration,Gypsum Plasterboard & Gypsum Decorative ceilings,Metal and ineral Fiber Ceilings,GRG Ceilings , Aluminum Ceilings Gypsum Partitions,Thermal Insulations, Wall Claddings and Parquet Flooring ,Building Maintenance, Civil, Painting and Electrical works.Contact : 17540231 ,33477793 , E m a i l : h b g c s p c @g m a i l . c o m .

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

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

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

DEVES GATE CAR SERVICESCar detailing, window tinting, seat upholstery, paint

protection film, A/C works, Al hajjiyath, Riffa 17009275

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

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

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

FILTER AQUAPRO BAHRAIN TRADING W.L.L Direct wholesale of factory tools and commodities for the first time in Bahrain, Authorized Factory outlet in Bahrain. Branch office of Aquapro Taiwan . For more info contact - 38852025, 17326744NEW OPTICAL HOUSEEYE TESTING AVAILABLE, QUALITY EYE WEARS, SUN GLASSES AND P R E S C R I P T I O N EYE GLASSES AT UNBEATABLE P R I C E . . ! ! ! W O R K I N G HOURS 9 AM -12.30 PM 4PM -8.00 PMC o n t a c t : 39870066 ,17210977 ,Email: newopticalhouse@y a h o o . c o m

FULL BUILDING AVALIABLE FOR STAFF / LABOR ACCOMADATION in various parts of bahrain. The building can be given as fully furnished, semi-furnished and unfurnished. Also we help clients to get housing furnished semi-furnishedor unfurnished flats according to their budget. For further information plz call 38251219.

LOOKING FOR corporate office space for Group of Companies with 8 CR, 100sq-mtr each.

Contact : 17579918FOR RENTWarehouses, Stores, Workshops, Factories, Restaurants, Office Flats, Villas, Labour & Staff accommodation, Family flats, apartments and Villas - for inquiries call or Whatsapp 39802442

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

CAR SHOW ROOM IS LOOKING FOR SECURITY MANwith experience .Send CV to [email protected]

CASHIERSWAITING STAFFACCOUNTANTSrequired for leading hotel group in Bahrain.For Details Email : [email protected]

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

URGENTLY REQUIRED FOR NEWLY OPENED BEAUTY SALOON• Hair Stylist• General Makeup Artist (Nail, Eyebrows, Facial)• Manicure and pedicure . Preferably Filipinos.Attracted Salary , Accomadation &Visa will be provided.For more details please contact 33490557, 33428841

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

URGENTLY REQUIREDan experianced Play school teacher.Any NationalityContact: 66639630396214785

Looking for an experienced staff for our laundry shop. Contact-33199221

SALES &MARKETING PROFESSIONAL – LUBRICANTS& GREASE

Location: OmanRequirement: 1no.Qualification: Graduate in Business Management/MarketingExperience:- Should have 6-8years’ experience in Sales & Marketing of Automotive & Industrial Lubricants.- Should be capable of maintaining right inventory levels, stock/sales ratio, adding new clients on regular basis.- Young, dynamic and willing to take up tough challenges to achieve success in highly competitive market.- Middle East work experience will be advantageous but not mandatory.Salary& benefits: Remuneration will commensurate as per experience.Contact NO: +91 85890 96697, email:[email protected]

JOB TITLE: SERVICE MANAGER - PUMPS, GENSETS, TANKS & ALLIED EQUIPMENTDEPARTMENT:FLUID ENGINEERING

Reporting to: HODEducation: Electrical/Mechanical Engineering backgroundRequirement: 1 no.Age: 35-40 yearsLocation: Muscat, OmanExperience:Minimum 6-8 years in Managerial role, Must have hands-on experience on testing/commissioning/trouble shooting/servicing/repairs of small/medium/large pump sets of various types in Water/Wastewater field. Should be capable of effectively leading a large

team of Service engineers/Technicians/Supervisors/Work-shop. Should have high aptitude for customer service & ability to win over the clients by effective after sales service. Hands-on experience on Gensets would be added advantage.Oman/GCC experience & driving license would also be added advantage.Salary:R.O 750 – 850/- CAccommodation + Family status + Annual tickets + Medical + Gratuity etc as per the rules of the country.

Contact NO: +91 85890 96697, email:[email protected]

WANTED Experienced ACCA Trainer (Full/Part time) for a reputed institute. Please send your CV at [email protected]

WANTED Experienced Tutors for All subjects (CBSE / British Curriculum). Please send your CV at [email protected]

WANTED Experienced Faculty for All India Entrance Exams (NEET, JEE, CAT, CMAT, Medical etc ). Competitive package & visa. Please send your CV at [email protected]

APPLICATIONS ARE INVITED FOR THE FOLLOWING POSTS: (i). Social Secretary cum translator for Arabic to English and vice-versa. Urdu will be added qualification. (ii) Assistant with strong IT background with good written & spoken skills in English/ Urdu. Candidates having relevant work experience will be preferred. Send CVs along with valid Bahraini CPR and RP to: email: [email protected] till 13.05.2018.

Classifieds Reaching the right audience

[email protected]

3844469217579914

Tuesday, January 30, 201816

Classifieds Reaching the right audience

[email protected]

3844469217579914


LINEAGE300 fils per wordper day (Minimum 10 words)

DISPLAY COLOURBD 12/- per singlecolumn centimetre(minimum 4cm)

DISPLAY B & WBD 6/- per singlecolumn centimetre(Minimum 4cm)

DEADLINELineage 11amDisplay 9amCancellation 12pm

WORKING HOURSSaturday to Thursday8 am - 6 pm

SERIES DISCOUNT 4 for the Price of 3


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)

Matters of the heart are likely to get a bit sticky. Perhaps you feel as if someone is shutting off from you and being very stubborn about it. Perhaps this person is giving you the cold shoulder and refusing to acknowledge you until you crawl back with an apology. The problem is that your pride is stubborn, and your view on the matter is equally so, making any resolution difficult.

Your warm, loving, romantic nature is noticed whether you realize it or not. Perhaps you sometimes feel like there isn’t enough excitement in your life - especially your love life. Don’t think this means you need to change in order to please others. Your stable, quiet nature is comforting to those who understand and appreciate it.

When it comes to romance in your life, there may be a great deal of talk but not enough action. Perhaps you’re a terrific flirt who can keep things moving at a quick pace intellectually, but nothing really comes of it when you have to take concrete action and manifest those words in a romantic setting.

Things are coming to a dramatic climax for you in matters of love and romance. Perhaps you’ve been nurturing a relationship. You’ve put a lot of passion and soul into building a strong connection. This is a time of reckoning in which you take a step back and see what you’ve gained from it all.

For you, Leo, love is like an adventure, crazy sport, or some sort of video arcade game. Lately, you may have been too caught up in the fantasy aspect of it without taking into account the practical nature and nitty-gritty of what it takes to keep a relationship afloat. You might need to take a more realistic view of it now.

Love and romance should be going well for you now. However, today you could find that things get a bit uneasy when either you or your partner suspects something isn’t true or is suspicious about the situation at hand. Someone may get caught in a difficult predicament when the veil of deception is suddenly lifted and the truth revealed.

The notion of truth could get shot down today due to someone who knows you better than most. It won’t take a long, drawn-out conversation or deep explanation to reveal the fact that there is a bit of deception that has been covering the truth. Don’t try to hide from loved ones who are only trying to do what’s best for you.

Do what you can to stabilize your emotions. Romance should be on a slow, steady path as long as you’re honest with yourself and others about how you feel. Perhaps you’re so caught up in your fantasy world that you fail to see that things are actually moving in your favour. Conflict that arises today may be uncomfortable, but ultimately it will shed more light on the truth of the situation.

Love is very real to you. You’re apt to take it very seriously, perhaps even too seriously. This is one of those emotions that eventually takes over your brain and leaves no room for rational thoughts on the topic. The good news is that matters regarding love and romance should be stabilizing at this time, giving you the opportunity to face this area of your life from a rational perspective.

You need to slow down in matters of love and romance. You’re likely acting on the assumption that things are fine and you can continue moving at lightning speed even though you long ago lost your road map. There’s a degree of fantasy in your world. It doesn’t take into account the fact that there are areas where you need to be more sensitive to your partner.

Issues of love and romance should be going well for you, and you’ll find that regardless of where you are in your relationships, you’re right where you need to be. There’s an element of fantasy at work today that’s making you much more susceptible to romantic dreams and ideas. The good news is that you have the power to put these dreams into motion. Manifest your wildest fantasies with a loved one tonight.Things are coming to a difficult stalemate regarding the love in your life. Perhaps you’ve felt like everything was going fine and you had nothing to worry about. In reality, this notion of “fine” was just your self-denial hard at work making you think that you could continue on your path without really considering how your actions affected others.

1 General ___ chicken; 5 Actor’s parts; 10 Afternoon affairs; 14 Pressure; 15 Last letter of the Greek alphabet; 16 Social standing; 17 Predecessor; 19 Harper’s Bazaar illustrator; 20 Japanese immigrant; 21 Lizard; 23 Anonymous John; 25 Consumers; 26 Sun. speeches; 29 Trent of the Senate; 31 Constructed; 35 Year abroad; 36 ...___ forgive our debtors; 37 Immature insects; 38 I’ve been framed!; 40 Below; 41 Monster’s nickname; 42 Caesar’s wings; 43 Word used to precede a woman’s maiden name; 44 Instant; 45 Concordes; 46 Be bold; 47 China’s Zhou ___; 49 Yo!; 51 Kitchen vessel; 54 Acquired relative; 58 Highly ranked competitor in sporting events; 59 Small rattlesnake; 63 Nagy of Hungary; 64 Act badly; 65 Ladies of Spain: Abbr.; 66 Footless animal; 67 Ravi Shankar’s instrument; 68 New Ager John;

1 Bangkok native; 2 Chamber workers: Abbr.; 3 Cereal grain; 4 Spirited horses; 5 Wade opponent; 6 Mantra sounds; 7 ___ Misérables; 8 Self-centered person; 9 Beetle Bailey’s boss; 10 Cherish; 11 Make money; 12 Opposed; 13 Timetable, for short; 18 AFL partner; 22 Suave; 24 Borden’s spokescow; 25 U of U athlete; 26 Person of exceptional holiness; 27 Computer key; 28 Martini’s partner; 30 Be in the red; 32 The Donald’s first; 33 “See ya!”; 34 Little laugh; 36 1986 sci fi sequel; 37 Strap; 39 Climbed; 40 Diner order; 42 ___ live and breathe!; 45 Italian sausage; 46 Potentate; 48 Green citrus fruits; 50 Sue Grafton’s “___ for Evidence”; 51 Voice of America org.; 52 Office fill in; 53 Eliel Saarinen’s son; 55 Decoy; 56 Turkish titles; 57 Laundry; 60 Drunkard; 61 RR stop; 62 ___ Lingus (Irish carrier);

BEETLE BAILEYR

a #PollToday

For more, catch us online at: www.newsofbahrain.com

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Tuesday, May 8, 2018 19

Seoul

US President Donald Trump and North

Korea’s Kim Jong Un are likely to meet in Singapore next month, reports said yesterday, as anticipation builds for unprecedented talks between the mercurial leaders.

Trump said at the weekend that the two sides had settled on a date and location for the summit -- the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader -- without providing details.

“We’ll be announcing it soon,” Trump told reporters.

The landmark summit will take place in “mid-June”, South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo daily reported yesterday, citing diplomatic sources who quoted Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton.

The newspaper suggested that the possibility of Singapore hosting the landmark meeting had “increased greatly”, after a decision by Trump to host South Korean president Moon Jae-in at the White House later this month, without giving further explanation. (AFP)

Singapore likely to host Trump-Kim summit in June

Pakistan minister recovering after attack

Pakistan’s interior minister was recovering in hospital after being shot in a sus-pected assassination attempt possibly linked to blasphemy, with the attack seen as an ominous sign for security ahead of nationwide elec-tions.

Australia unveiled a US$34 million plan to help bring its koala population back from the brink, following a rapid decline in the furry marsu-pial’s fortunes.

A candidate in the fray for Iraq’s May 12 parliamentary elections was stabbed to death near Mosul city.

Troops from the Philippines and the US began a series of 12-day joint annual “Balikatan 2018” military drills.

Australia pledges cash to help save the koala

Iraqi parliamentary poll candidate killed

Philippines, US troops begin drills

“Iran nuclear agreement has weaknesses, certainly, but I am convinced they can be remedied. Indeed at this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are.”

Boris JohnsonBritish Foreign Secretary

Do you think Trump’s pick, Gina Haspel will become the next CIA Director?

Yes No Cant Say

Trump defends CIA pick, calls on her to ‘win’

Hawaii volcano destroys dozens of homes

Wellington

A new sinkhole on a North Island farm as deep as

four double-decker buses and almost the length of two football fields has grabbed the attention of New Zealand volcanologists.

The chasm appeared after heavy rainfall near the town of Rotorua and left a jagged scar on the landscape, exposing rock deposits from 60,000 years ago.

Experts believe rain dissolved underground limestone over thousands of years, eventually causing the ground to collapse and create the canyon.

“This is pretty spectacular, it’s a lot bigger than the ones I’d normally see,” volcanologist Brad Scott said of the chasm

measuring 20 metres (66 foot) deep and 200 metres (660 feet) long.

Scott said the dairy farm where the fissure appeared lay on the crater of a long-dormant

volcano.“What I see in the bottom

of the hole is the original 60,000-year-old volcanic deposit that came out of this crater,” he told TVNZ. (AFP)

NZ sinkhole reveals glimpse into 60,000-year-old volcano

Moscow

Vladimir Putin yesterday launched his fourth term

as president with an ambitious call to vault Russia into the top five global economies by developing its technological products and agricultural exports.

Putin, who has sought to restore Russia’s military and diplomatic prominence on the world stage, focused almost entirely on domestic issues in his speech after taking the oath of office in a vast, vaulted Kremlin hall glittering with gold leaf.

Improving the economy following a recession partly linked to international sanctions will be a primary goal of his next six-year term, Putin said.

“Russia should be modern and dynamic, it should be ready

to accept the call of the times,” he said in his inauguration speech to thousands of guests standing in three halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Putin later issued an extensive decree calling for “acceleration of the technological development of the Russian Federation” and “creation of a high-performance export-oriented sector in the basic sectors of the economy, primarily in manufacturing and the agro-industrial sector.”

The 65-year-old former KGB agent, who has led Russia for all of the 21st century either as president or prime minister, has been criticized for inadequate efforts to diversify the economy from its dependence on oil and gas exports or develop the manufacturing sector.

Russia’s economy was hit

hard by low world oil prices and sanctions connected to Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and military involvement in the separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine, with the ruble losing half its value between 2014 and 2016.

The country recorded an anemic improvement in 2017, with gross domestic product rising 1.5 percent and the ruble recovering some of its value. But the currency dropped about 8 percent again last month after new U.S. sanctions.

In the decree, he foresaw Russia becoming one of the world’s top five economies by the end of his term in 2024. That would require boosting GDP by some 50 percent; Russia currently places about 12th in rankings of world economies. (AP)

Putin begins fourth term

The sinkhole that appeared on a dairy farm near Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island

Vladimir Putin walks during his inauguration ceremony as new Russia’s president in the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia

Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday

defended his pick to run the CIA after U.S. media reports surfaced that she had sought to withdraw from the nomination over concerns about her involvement in the agency’s interrogation program.

Gina Haspel is expected to face a brutal confirmation hearing in the Senate

Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, and the Washington Post reported this weekend that she had offered to withdraw her nomination for fear the hearing would damage CIA.

“My highly respected nominee for CIA Director, Gina Haspel, has come under fire because she was too tough on Terrorists ... Win Gina!” Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. (Reuters)

Pahoa, Hawaii

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano destroyed 26 homes

and spewed lava hundreds of feet into the air, leaving evacuated residents unsure how long they might be displaced.

In revised figures Sunday, Hawaii County officials said another four unspecified structures were covered by lava.

Hawaii officials said the decimated homes were in the Leilani Estates subdivision, where molten rock, toxic gas and steam have been bursting through openings

in the ground created by the volcano.

Some of the more than 1,700 residents who have been evacuated were allowed to briefly return to gather medicine, pets, and other necessities.

Officials say residents would be able to do so each day until further notice as authorities monitor which areas are safe.

Amber Makuakane Kane, 37, a teacher and single mother of two, said her three-bedroom house in Leilani Estates was destroyed by lava. (AP)

A fissure within the Leilani Estates subdivision, on the east rift zone of the Kilauea volcano, threatens homes.


If a Russian state-owned company has its way, remote

regions of the world will soon see giant, floating nuclear reactors pumping power to port cities and drilling platforms in a real-life version of the Soviet reversal joke: In Russia, 70-megawatt nuclear reactor comes to you.

The reactor in question is called Akademic Lomonosov. Once the barge is wired into the electrical grid in the Arctic town of Pevek in 2019, it will be the world’s northernmost nuclear reactor, capable of powering a town of 100,000 people with what its manufacturer, Rosatom, calls “a great margin of safety” that is “invincible for tsunamis and natural disaster.”

But environmental groups have other names for the barge: “Nuclear Titanic” is one. Another is “Floating Chernobyl.”

Critics say that pretty much the worst thing you can do to

a nuclear reactor is expose it to the high waves and fierce winds of the Arctic Ocean. Jan Haverkamp, a nuclear expert for Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe, called it a “shockingly obvious threat to a fragile environment.”

The world will see who is right sometime next year.

The Lomonosov, named after an 18th-century Russian scientist and poet, was towed out of the St Petersburg shipyard on Saturday for its meandering, year-long journey.

“The floating energy plant has incorporated all the best qualities of traditional nuclear plants,” Vitaly Trunev, the head of Rosenergoatom, a nuclear power station subsidiary of Rosatom, told Reuters during the launch, addressing the most obvious question. “It is protected from all kinds of natural and technical harms.”

There are sceptics, including 11,000 people who have signed a petition hoping to sink plans

to launch the vessel.And, for a time, the vessel

made a sizeable chunk of St Petersburg nervous. The barge was supposed to be equipped with nuclear fuel at the city’s shipyard, Rosatom said, but city leaders thought better of fuelling a first-of-its-kind nuclear reactor in the middle of a city of nearly 5.3 million people.

And Russia’s Baltic Sea neighbours worried about what would happen if a nuclear reactor en route encountered bad weather or technical issues too close to their fjords.

So the ship – sans nuclear fuel – will be pulled through the Baltic Sea, around the northern tip of Norway to Murmansk, a Russian city of more than 300,000 residents, where it will be fuelled.

It will ultimately be anchored at the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Arctic, northwest of Russia, and moored off the coast of Pevek, where it will replace an

ageing reactor.By 2019, the first-of-its-kind

rig will provide power for the port town and for oil rigs.

For Rosatom, it is buoyant proof of concept that a floating sea-based reactor can work. Rosatom is already in talks with potential buyers in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa, according to Russian television station RT, which estimates that 15 countries have shown interest in the floating plants.

Greenpeace has several concerns about the plan, Haverkamp said. It has written reports about what it calls Rosatom’s checkered past and criticised the company’s plans to use its latest venture to power-drill for fossil fuels. Rosatom, a conglomeration of nuclear-related industries under the Russian government, produces nearly 20 per cent of Russia’s electricity, according to its website. Among other things, the company also mines uranium.

But Greenpeace says Rosatom’s latest venture, the floating nuclear barge, is dicey.

For land-based nuclear power plants, “there are thousands and thousand of measures that have been taken in order to prevent things from going really wrong,” Haverkamp said. “If you look at the possibilities of a barge … the possibilities are a lot more limited. Most of the lessons of the land-based reactors cannot be adapted to this small space. You’re limited to what you can do if things go wrong.”

But Rosatom insists that the nuclear barge and the concept are safe and “meet all requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency and do not pose any threat to the environment.”

And there are, of course, dozens of nuclear-powered vessels that spend almost their entire life at sea. According to the World Nuclear Association, about 140 atomic-powered

ships – mostly submarines, but also icebreakers and aircraft carriers – prowl the world’s oceans. The first nuclear-powered submarine was launched in 1955.

That could be a point for either side: There are nuclear-powered submarines, some of which have been in service for years. But there have also been accidents involving nuclear-powered submarines.

One was an explosion that killed 10 and injured 49 in 1985 on Russia’s Pacific Coast, according to the Maritime Executive: “Two thousand people were involved in the ensuing clean-up, 290 of which were exposed to high levels of radiation. It was later discovered that the nuclear fuel had rocketed out of the Echo II class submarine and onto neighbouring vessels, further onto the shore and into the water. Portions of the seabed are still contaminated even now.” (The Washington Post)

Russia says nuclear barge is safe. Critics call it

‘Floating Chernobyl’Manufacturer claims barge to power remote Arctic community is ‘invincible’ to tsunamis or other natural disasters

Tugs maneuver Akademik Lomonosov as it begins its voyage in Saint Petersburg.

The floating nuclear power plant is towed out of the St. Petersburg shipyard where it was constructed

the Akademik Lomonosov, the world’s first floating nuclear power station, under tow and leaving St Petersburg, Russia

The Akademik Lomonosov at the shipyard in St Petersburg, during construction

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 21SPORTS

Arsenal outclass Burnley 5-0 as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang grabs a braceArsenal give Wenger farewell

London

Arsenal gave Arsene Wenger a memorable

Emirates Stadium send-off as the outgoing boss saw his side thrash Burnley.

The Gunners were too strong for a side who could have easily spoilt Wenger’s final home game in charge, with his tenure as Arsenal manager coming to a close at the end of the campaign.

Instead, they outclassed Burnley and ran out comfortable 5-0 winners as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang grabbed a brace, with Alexandre Lacazette, Sead Kolasinac and Alex Iwobi also getting their names on the scoresheet.

The most recent meetings between these two sides have been close-fought affairs

and, with just three points separating the pair heading into this game, it looked set to be a similar story.

But Wenger’s players rose to the occasions and gave their long-serving boss a fond farewell to a stadium built in his image.

The mere fact the club are battling with Sean Dyche’s men for sixth in the Premier League and have no chance of silverware in Wenger’s final campaign is clearly one of the reasons a new man will be sought to bring success.

But whomever is named as Wenger’s replacement will be buoyed by the attacking performances of Lacazette, Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, with Mesut Ozil not featuring due to a back injury.

The trio were too strong for the visitors as the on-field display matched the effort made by the club to toast Wenger’s departure -- free T-shirts for every supporter, a commemorative programme and a guard of honour before the game giving the day a special feeling.

Arsenal needed less than 15 minutes to get Wenger out of his seat and celebrating the opening goal.

Lacazette exchanged passes with Iwobi before firing across goal, where Aubameyang slid in to put the Gunners ahead.

With majority owner Stan Kroenke in attendance, Arsenal were fairly at ease as Burnley’s task was made more difficult following a shoulder injury to Ashley Barnes which forced him off. (Espn)

Real Madrid draw with BarcaMadrid

Gareth Bale’s equaliser helped Real Madrid rally for a 2-2 draw against 10-man

Barcelona in a combative affair on Sunday night at the Camp Nou.

With Barcelona having wrapped up the league and Real preparing to play in the Champions League final later in the month, the Clasico lacked some of the hype that normally precedes it, but the match was thrilling encounter across the 90 minutes.

Barcelona were on the front foot from the off and found their opener on 10 minutes when Luis Suarez smashed a first-time volley from an inch-perfect Sergi Roberto cross past Keylor Navas.

But Real struck back before the quarter-hour through Cristiano Ronaldo, who tapped home a headed Karim Benzema pass from close range after some nice build-up play from Zinedine Zidane’s team.

The strike from Ronaldo put the Portuguese level with Real legend Alfredo Di Stefano for the second-most Clasico goals of all-time at 18. Lionel Messi has the most with 25.

The match grew testy as the first half wore on, with Messi handed a yellow card for a hard tackle on Sergio Ramos and Roberto being shown straight red for violent conduct after throwing a punch at Marcelo before half-time.

In between those two cards, Bale escaped punishment after a late tackle on Samuel Umtiti that had the Barcelona dugout crying foul. (Espn)

London

Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery has signed

a one-year contract extension with the Bundesliga side.

T h e 3 5 - y e a r - o l d Frenchman had been linked with a move away from the German champions in the summer.

He has scored 117 goals in 385 appearances and won the

Bundesliga eight times with Bayern since joining them in 2007 from Marseille.

“I’m very proud to have another year here - Munich has become a home for me and my family,” Ribery said.

Bayern, who are 16 points clear at the top of the table, play their final game of the season on Saturday, 12 May when they host Stuttgart. (BBC)

Ribery signs one-year contract extension

Franck Ribery (file pic)

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (R) fights for the ball (Pic courtesy: Xinhua )

Arsenal team celebrate victory

Arsène Wenger greets fans after the game (Pic courtesy: theguardian)

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 SPORTS22

Madrid

World number two Caroline Wozniacki

survived a scare from Ashleigh Barty yesterday, edging the Australian 6-2 4-6 6-4 to reach the last-16 of the Madrid Open.

Wozniacki found herself on the brink of defeat as she trailed 4-2 in the final set, but the Dane

roared back to claim the last four games to seal the victory.

The 22-year-old Barty was ultimately let down by her groundstrokes in crucial stages of decider as she finished with 54 unforced errors for the match.

Wozniacki will next face former French Open semi-finalist Kiki Bertens, who

stunned 15th seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-1 6-4 in the second round.

Former world number one Maria Sharapova’s revival on clay is gathering pace as she overcame a tense opening set to beat Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu 7-5 6-1.

The 31-year-old Russian,

who entered the tournament on the back of four consecutive defeats, rallied from 3-1 down before snatching the opening set with a ferocious forehand.

With momentum on her side, Sharapova won 20 of the last 22 points to secure a spot in the last-16.

“Although I didn’t play at

my best level in the first set, I pulled it through,” the five-time grand slam champion told a news conference.

“I played some really tough points. I hung in there especially in that final game. Then I really set up a good opportunity for me to step up.

“I thought I did a really good

job of that, especially in the last six games. I was very aggressive, played deep, returned a lot better. That will certainly help me moving forward.”

Unseeded Sharapova will next face last year’s finalist Kristina Mladenovic, who edged China’s Zhang Shuai 6-4 4-6 6-3. (Reuters)

Madrid Open

Wozniacki, Sharapova advanceThe Danish player will next face former French Open semi-finalist Kiki Bertens

Caroline WozniackiMaria Sharapova

London

Juan Martin Del Potro has admitted Rafael Nadal will

be the man to beat at the Madrid Open.

Del Potro is making his return to the Madrid Open after skipping last year and making just one appearance since 2012.

The Argentine made a blistering start to the year winning 15 of his 16 matches on the ATP Tour.

Added to that, he claimed his first Masters 1000 title with victory over Roger Federer at Indian Wells.

After being plagued by wrist injuries, Del Potro is back inside the world’s top 10.

And he insists that Nadal, who he could face in the semi-finals, will take some beating.

“I’m happy to be able to come back to Madrid after a few years,” Del Potro said.

“The tournament each year is improving. I have a really nice time here when I come to

Madrid.“It’s a really tough

tournament with really good players, especially one player who is above all of the others.

“I’m talking about Rafa.“I want to do great. I’m

trying to get through the first few rounds.

“It’s going to be a tough clay tournament.

“I think that maybe at the beginning it’s going to be a little bit difficult for me, but I also think it’s going to be something positive looking towards Roland Garros.” (Express.co.uk)

Del Potro delivers Nadal verdict

Estoril

Britain’s Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie claimed

the first ATP Tour doubles title of their careers by winning the Estoril Open.

The pair beat New Zealand’s Artem Sitak and Dutchman Wesley Koolhof 6-4 6-2.

Elsewhere, Britain’s Dominic Inglot and Croatia’s Franko Skugor won the men’s doubles at the Hungarian Open.

The duo registered a 6-7 (8-10) 6-1 10-8 win over Dutchman Matwe Middelkoop and Andres Molteni of

Argentina in Budapest on Sunday.

Inglot and Skugor had won the Budapest doubles title the previous week.

Inglot paired with Skugor after his regular doubles partner Marcus Daniell picked up a wrist injury. (BBC)

Edmund, Norrie clinch doubles title

Edmund, Norrie celebrate


Kids enjoyed an array of free-kick soccer competition on the second

day of the First Bahrain Baby Olympics, being organised by the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC).

Hundreds of youngsters, aged from 4 to 5 years, were engaged in a two-hour free-kick contests at the Bahrain Sports Federation for People with Disabilities Hall, located at Isa Sports City in Riffa.

Coming from different schools across Bahrain, the kids had challenging moments as they tipped against each other in one of the largest sporting events for babies.

Each contestant had five shooting attempts while being guided by representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and BOC.

At the end of the competition, all the participants were presented with commemorative bronze medals from organizing committee chairman Lounes Madene and Public Relations manager Mohammed Al Beloshi.

The participants then posed with their families for a round of photo sessions on this memorable occasion.

The event, which continues until May 10, features four sports in total – athletics, gymnastics, basketball and football and is open to 3 to 5 years old babies in an attempt to promote sports as a way of life within the community at a very young age.

It is being held under the patronage of HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa,

Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Chairman, and BOC President.

Action in the First Bahrain Baby Games continues today with competition in athletics and gymnastics, both of which will take place at the same venue.

The athletics and gymnastics events will see contests for 3-year- old nursery kids as well as kindergarten youngsters aged 4 to 5 years old.

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 23SPORTS

Kids celebrate free-kick soccercompetition

Alonso hopes Spain upgrades falter

London

Fernando Alonso hopes McLaren’s Formula 1 rivals “don’t deliver” what

they expect in the next round of major updates for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

McLaren has had a tougher than expected start to the 2018 season after admitting it missed its initial development targets. The team’s racing director Eric Boullier then declared the Spanish GP, traditionally the first time teams can produce significant revisions to their cars for that season, as the place to see McLaren’s “real” 2018 car.

McLaren has downplayed its

expectations for the upgrades since then, but Alonso said: “In Barcelona there is a new aero package coming, but I think 95% of the paddock is bringing a new aero package to Barcelona.

“So, maybe the gap remains as it is, or we just recover a little bit, or we lose more ground. Who knows? I think it is up to us to make that package work to expectations and hopefully some others, they don’t deliver. That is our hope.”

Alonso finished seventh at the last race in Azerbaijan despite keeping up McLaren’s unwanted run of qualifying outside of the top 10 for every GP this season so far. (Autosport)

Hundreds of children, aged from 4 to 5 years, were engaged in a two-hour free-kick contests

Johann Zarco tops post-Spanish GP testJerez

Tech3 Yamaha rider Johann Zarco topped MotoGP’s post-Spanish

Grand Prix test at Jerez with a time less than a tenth away from Cal Crutchlow’s lap record.

As well as Zarco, all Honda and KTM riders, the works Yamahas, Pramac Ducati’s Jack Miller, Nieto’s Alvaro Bautista and Avintia pair Tito Rabat and Xavier Simeon took part in the test.

Rabat, Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales took turns at the head of the times during the first two of the test’s eight hours, before Crutchlow took over at the top with a 1m37.006s lap.

The Briton improved again on his next effort but he was narrowly outpaced by

Zarco, who set a time of 1m37.937s.The top two remained the same for

the rest of the test - which also offered riders the opportunity to sample a brand new soft rear tyre supplied by Michelin - although Zarco did lower the benchmark before the end of the session.

He finished the day with a best time of 1m37.730s - 0.077 seconds adrift of the record-breaking pole time Crutchlow set in qualifying on Saturday.

Dani Pedrosa was third on his factory Honda, just 0.033s slower than Crutchlow. Vinales was fourth and the fastest of the factory Yamahas, separating Pedrosa from team-mate Marquez as the Sunday race winner made it three Hondas in the top five. (Autosport)

Officials with the participants

Highlights from the event

Fernando Alonso (file pic)

Johann Zarco rides


Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, one of the most famous and

sought-after coaches in Russia, will be present during Brave 12: KHK Legacy hosted in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The veteran coach brought up a huge number of titled fighters, including the current UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov.

He had trained Eldar Eldarov and will be at the corner of the KHK MMA fighter.

Eldarov will be facing Brian Hooi from Netherlands in the main event of the fight night. Eldarov is among the selected athletes who are trained by Nurmagomedov early in his career.

Previously Nurmagomedov had joined Eldar Eldarov during Brave 6 hosted in Almaty, Kazakhstan

where he faced Henrique Gomes from Brazil.

Eldarov won the bout in the very first round by way of elbow strikes. The event will take place at 06:30 PM on 11th May at the Balai Sarbini Hall in Jakarta, Indonesia.


Brave Combat Federation has signed a multi-fight

agreement with the top rated French super prospect, Abdoul Abdouraguimov.

Abdouraguimov has recently won his third regional title at the SHC 12 after defeating UFC veteran Viscadi Andrade by way of decision (3-1 UFC, 19-6 MMA).

Abdouraguimov has a career record of 7 victories and a no-contest.

Having fought against some of the stiffest competition in the European Circuit, his only non-victory came by way of ‘no contest’ against Georges Eid in a

fight for the European Beatdown Welterweight title.

Abdouraguimov dominated from start to finish until an accidental strike to the back of the head resulted in the no contest.

With the addition of Abdouraguimov, the Brave welterweight division has more depth and competition making it one among the best in the world of mixed martial arts.

Currently, the formidable line up consists of global stars including as Jarrah Al Selawe, David Bear, Karl Amoussou, Mehdi Baghdad, Carlston Harris, Mohammad Fakhreddine, Tahar Hadbi, Sidney Wheeler and Carl Booth.

SPORTS

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P23 Kids celebratefree-kick soccercompetition

Abdoul Abdouraguimov

has a career record of 7 victories and a

no-contest

Super prospect signs with Brave

Nurmagomedov makes his presence at Brave 12

Abdoul Abdouraguimov

Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov

trump’s decision on iran deal today · m king hamad bin isa al khalifa has issued three royal...

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