March 11, 2016

On Top Of The News Email:news@arubatoday.com website: www.arubatoday.com Tel:+297 582-7800 Friday, March 11, 2016

TWO OF A KIND

President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walk out together before their joint news conference, Thursday, March 10, 2016, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Obama, Trudeau Show Mutual Values in White House Visit ROB GILLIES KEVIN FREKING Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — One is leaving office soon, the other just starting, but President Barack Obama and

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau basked in mutual affection Thursday over all the things they share, emphasizing common ground on trade and combating climate

change.

Trudeau’s official visit to the United States was the first by a Canadian leader in nearly two decades. He and Obama announced new efforts to curb global

warming and to make it easier for the two countries to trade with one another.

They also appeared to enjoy each other’s company, with Obama playing the role of elder statesman and

Trudeau sounding a youthful “hope and change” theme like the one Obama campaigned on seven years ago.

Continued on Page 3

A2 UP

Friday 11 March 2016

FRONT

VP Biden says defeating Islamic State will ‘take long time’

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, left, visits a joint Jordanian-American training center at Zarqa, northeast of Amman, Jordan, Thursday, March 10, 2016.

(AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)

KARIN LAUB Associated Press ZARQA, Jordan (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday told U.S. troops who are training the Jordanian military that Islamic State extremists are “already on their heels” but defeating them will take a long time.

Biden also told the U.S. military instructors that Islamic State militants don’t pose an existential threat to the United States.

The vice president arrived in Jordan earlier Thursday.

In the capital of Amman, he met with King Abdullah II, a key Western military ally.

Washington has scaled up military aid to Jordan in recent months in line with the kingdom’s central role in the fight against IS, which controls large areas of neighboring Syria and Iraq.

After lunch, the vice president and the king flew by helicopter to the Joint Training Center, a military compound near the town of Zarqa.

They viewed a flyover that

included two F-16s and eight helicopters, among them Blackhawks and Cobras.

Biden then addressed U.S. troops at a separate event in a mess hall in the compound.

“We are going to defeat ISIL,” Biden told the soldiers, referring to the group by one of its acronyms.

“They are already on their heels,” he said of the extremists. “It’s going to take a long time, going to take a long time. They are no existential threat to the United States because we’ve got you and the people you are training (and) the finest military tactics in the world.”

As part of the deepening military cooperation, the U.S. last week gave Jordan eight Blackhawk helicopters to help boost border protection. An additional eight Blackhawks are in the pipeline.

Jordan is Biden’s last stop on a Mideast swing that also included the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the Palestinian territories.q

US turns over Islamic State leader to control of the Iraq government ROBERT BURNS AP National Security Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Thursday transferred the Islamic State leader captured last month to the control of Iraq’s government after using information he provided to conduct several airstrikes against the group’s chemical weapons production facilities.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook told reporters that Sulayman Dawud al-Bakkar was transferred to Iraqi control. He is also known as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari and was the head of the Islamic State group’s chemical weapons development unit.

U.S. special forces captured him in a raid last month in northern Iraq, according to Iraqi and U.S. officials. The special commando unit was deployed to Iraq to conduct raids and collect intelligence on the ground. The U.S. held him and questioned him

for several weeks but said he would eventually be turned over to the Iraqis.

Cook said the airstrikes conducted as a result of al-Bakkar’s capture “disrupted and degraded” the group’s chemical weapons capabilities but did not necessarily eliminate the problem.

“We feel good about the damage we’ve done to the program,” he said.

Cook declined to provide details of the strikes but said the information they’ve received will allow the U.S. to conduct additional strikes.

Al-Bakkar worked for the late President Saddam Hussein’s now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority, where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. Iraqi intelligence officials said he is about 50 years old and headed the Islamic State group’s recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons.q

U.S. NEWS A3

Friday 11 March 2016

Obama, Trudeau show like-minded values in White House visit Continued from front

“From my perspective, what’s not to like?” Obama said.

The 44-year-old Trudeau, son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, won last October’s election borrowing the theme of optimism and said he’s learned a lot from 54-year-old Obama.

“He’s somebody with a big heart, but also a big brain,” Trudeau said. “And for me to be able to count on a friend who has lived through many of the things that I’m about to encounter on the political stage, on the international stage, it’s a great comfort to me.”

Beginning with an ornate arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, Obama and his wife, Michelle, welcomed Trudeau, his wife, Sophie Gregoire, and their three children.

The leaders found time for some levity before heading into an Oval Office meeting, with a state dinner to come in the evening.

The president hit on a topic of national pride for Canadians: hockey.

“Where’s the Stanley Cup right now?” Obama joked, before answering his own question — the Chicago Blackhawks won it last season.

Trudeau tried to match Obama’s trash talk, noting that three of the Blackhawks’ best players are from Canada. Still, the young prime minister’s remarks were largely earnest. He linked his agenda to that of the Obama administration and said the two governments “share and are working on the exact same objectives.”

“There is no relationship in the entire world like the Canada-U.S. relationship,” Trudeau said. “We grew up together.”

Despite that close geographical and political alliance, no Canadian prime minister had made an official visit since 1997, a fact that Obama noted.

“It’s about time, eh?”

Obama said, playing up the Canadian colloquial-

ism.

The leaders also sought to show progress on common areas of concern. Obama said they had instructed aides to work on efforts that would make it easier for goods and people to move back and forth between the two nation’s borders. Canada is the United States’ largest trading partner, with more than $2 billion worth of goods and services crossing the President Barack Obama smiles during his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Thursday, March 10, 2016, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

border every day. About 75 percent of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. And to start the day off, they announced efforts to reduce methane emissions from gas and oil production. They committed to reducing methane emissions by 40 percent to 45 percent from 2012 levels over the coming decade.

“I’m confident that by working together, we’ll get there sooner than we think,” Trudeau said.

Methane is the second most prevalent greenhouse gas emitted in the U.S. from human activities and is much more efficient at trapping radiation than carbon dioxide.

They also announced Obama will address Canada’s Parliament in June.

Trudeau’s father swept into power in 1968 and, with a short interruption, served until 1984. He was often compared to President John F. Kennedy and remains one of the few Canadian politicians known in America.

Tall and fit, Justin Trudeau channels the charisma of his father. He aims to restore his father’s legacy as leader of the Liberal Party, which was under siege during 10 years of Conservative rule under Stephen Harper, Trudeau’s predecessor.

A4 U.S.

Friday 11 March 2016

NEWS

Group asks Trump to apologize for saying ‘Islam hates us’ JILL COLVIN Associated Press FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina (AP) — A leading Muslim civil rights group is calling on Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump to apologize for his claim that “Islam hates us.”

In an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper that aired Wednesday night, Trump was asked whether he thinks Islam is at war with the West.

“I think Islam hates us,” Trump responded. “There’s a tremendous hatred. We have to get to the bottom of it. There is an unbelievable hatred of us.”

The statement drew swift condemnation from the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations, which called on Trump to apologize for the comment, as it has in response to other comments Trump has made.

“Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric does not reflect leadership, but instead reflects a bigoted mindset that only serves to divide

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pauses as a protester interrupts him during a campaign rally in Fayetteville, N.C., Wednesday, March 9, 2016.

(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

our nation and the world,” Nihad Awad, the group’s national executive director said in a statement. The group suggested Trump could do so at Thursday evening’s Republican debate.

Trump’s statement also became an issue for Florida’s

Republican Governor, Rick Scott, who repeatedly sidestepped questions in an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” Scott, who says he will not endorse in the primary but is friends with Trump, was asked whether he thinks “Muslims in the state of Florida hate

America.”

Scott instead shifted his answer to more general themes, calling Florida “the best melting pot in the world” and saying: “We love everybody coming to our state.” The avoidance prompted host Mika Brzezinski to suggest ending the

interview early.

The questions come as Trump continues to dominate the Republican presidential contest, locking up delegates, despite a series of controversial statements.

Trump has called for a temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the U.S. and has advocated “going after” the wives and children of suspected Islamic jihadists in the wake of the Paris and San Bernardino attacks.

Critics have argued that Trump’s plans would only exacerbate problems by alienating more moderate Muslims.

Trump and other Republicans have criticized President Obama and the Democratic candidates for failing to usethe term “radical Islamic” when referring to Muslim jihadists or attacks by them.

Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton once explained she avoids the term because it “sounds like we are declaring war against a religion.”q

US rebuts Apple claim on password reset in iPhone case ERIC TUCKER TAMI ABDOLLAH Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A decision to reset the password on an iCloud account tied to one of the San Bernardino attackers did not effectively thwart the investigation into the shooting, FBI

officials said in a court filing Thursday as part of the Justice Department’s ongoing encryption dispute with Apple Inc. FBI Director James Comey testified before Congress last week that “there was a mistake” made when the FBI asked San Bernardi-

no County, which owned the phone, to reset the password for an account tied to Syed Farook, who along with his wife killed 14 people in the December 2 shootings.

But in a sworn declaration Thursday, Chris Pluhar, an FBI agent involved in pro-

cessing the evidence, said the password reset did not make a difference.

Farook’s iPhone had the iCloud backups turned off for his mail, photos and notes, and aren’t believed to be complete, Pluhar said.

The statement is aimed at rebutting earlier claims from Apple that said that if the FBI had not changed the iCloud password, its engineers could have helped investigators use a known — and therefore trusted — wireless connection to trick the iPhone from automatically backing up to iCloud.

The statement was part of a broader Justice Depart-

ment filing aimed at encouraging a federal magistrate to affirm her decision last month to force Apple Inc. to help the FBI gain access to Farook’s phone.

In it, federal prosecutors argued that the phone likely holds evidence of the eventual attack, and the government and community “need to know” what is on the device.

“There is probable cause to believe there is evidence of a terrorist attack on that phone, and our legal system gives this Court the authority to see that it can be searched pursuant to a lawful warrant,” the filing states.q

U.S. NEWS A5

Friday 11 March 2016

Timeline, 911 tapes portray quick action amid wild rampage ROXANA HEGEMAN Associated Press WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A police chief who rushed without backup into a Kansas lawnmower factory amid a shooting rampage fatally shot the gunman about five minutes after he arrived, while emergency dispatchers fielded a deluge of 911 calls from workers fleeing the plant or barricaded inside, according to a timeline and 911 recordings released Thursday.

About 300 people were working at Excel Industries in Hesston on Feb. 25 when Cedric L. Ford barged in armed with an assaulttype rifle and a pistol and opened fire. Ford shot two people en route to the factory and an additional 15 at the plant, three of whom died.

Authorities released the timeline and 911 recordings in response to open records requests from various media outlets, including The Associated Press.

The calls were redacted to remove any identifying information. The plant had been closed since the shootings and the release came the same day that it resumed operations.

The detailed timeline prepared by authorities indicates Ford was served with a protection from abuse order at 3:33 p.m. at the Excel plant, where he worked. He apparently left the plant at some point. His first victim was shot at 4:57 p.m. in Newton while he was returning to the plant.

A second person was wounded along the way at 4:59 p.m.

Gunmen worked as team to kill 6 at cookout

Allegheny County detectives look over the scene of a shooting on Thursday, March 10, 2016 in Wilkinsburg, Pa. Police say multiple people were killed in the shooting late Wednesday and several were injured in suburban Pittsburgh.

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

WILKINSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Two gunmen working as a team fatally shot five people including a pregnant woman and critically wounded two others at a backyard cookout, with one attacker using a rifle to shoot the victims in the head as they were driven in his direction, a prosecutor said Thursday.

“The murders were planned. They were calculated, brutal,” District Attorney Stephen Zappala said of the Wednesday nighttime shootings.

The medical examiner officially ruled the death of the fetus a homicide Thursday afternoon, bringing the fatalities in the late Wednesday night ambush attack

to six.

The gunmen appeared to have targeted one or two of the victims, said Zappala, who added that they hadn’t ruled out drugs as a motive.

Police said they have no suspects. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald urged witnesses to step forward, saying that “can be

our first step to stopping the violence in our communities.”

“As a community, we must say enough is enough,” he said.

Four women, one of them eight months’ pregnant, and a man were killed as they rushed toward the back porch to seek cover as a gunman fired a .40-caliber pistol at as many as 15 adults who were playing cards and having a late-night cookout.

That steered the victims toward the rear porch and door of the house, where an accomplice armed with a 7.62 mm rifle similar to an AK-47 shot them from behind a chain-link fence less than 10 feet from the porch, Zappala said.

Neither weapon has been found.

The man with the rifle aimed high throughout the barrage of bullets.

Four of the dead were found on the tiny back porch.

“They were all head shots,” Zappala said.

Rain soaks Louisiana; 3 dead in severe weather GERALD HERBERT CHEVEL JOHNSON Associated Press ELM GROVE, La. (AP) — Huge military trucks rumbled through neighborhoods in northern Louisiana on Thursday in search of families trapped by days of relentless rain, while men in rain gear waded through floodwaters up to their chests to rescue stranded animals.

The process repeated itself throughout the day and similar rescues were possible later Thursday in the southern part of the state,

which also braced for heavy rain.

Davyon Hill, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s office in Shreveport, said skies have cleared in the region, but the area is not yet out of the woods.

“It’s not over with,” he said.

“There’s still part of a low pressure system that’s in Central Texas that is moving this way and overnight it will likely bring another bout of rain to the region.”

State officials said a 6-yearold girl was among three people killed in Louisiana

during two days of severe weather that has left roads covered in water and sent more than 1,000 people fleeing their homes.

Docia Winters hugged her 20-year-old son, Ryan Ficca, when he got off the back of a big truck Thursday morning.

She said she and her husband and daughter evacuated their trailer on Wednesday, but Ficca had stayed behind to look after their 11 cats.

She said the water rose so fast, however, that Ficca was forced to leave with-

out the cats.

“We don’t know if they went under the trailer or where they are,” she said.

Sixteen Louisiana parishes have declared a state of emergency, and the National Guard was sent in to help.

Guard spokesman Rebekah Malone said the Guard has evacuated 361 people from homes in Bossier, Ouachita and Morehouse parishes since Wednesday morning, using trucks that can travel though water 20 to 30 inches deep.

A6 U.S.

Friday 11 March 2016

NEWS

Flash funding highlighting online philanthropy’s role in classroom C. THOMPSON Associated Press Attention Mrs. Mills at Von Tobel Middle School in Las Vegas, the new library furniture your school needs is on the way! And Mr. Sutherland’s class at Hillcrest Elementary in Gillette, Wyoming, that music keyboard’s coming! Mrs.

website as of midnight Wednesday.

It is the latest effort underscoring the use of online philanthropy to bridge the gap between what school budgets provide and what teachers say they need.

Educators, many of whom report spending an average of $500 from their own

those things offer, “but it will certainly be another tool for organizations and people to use in the future.”

Before Thursday, DonorsChoose.org said more than $400 million had been raised on its site to fund nearly 700,000 education projects posted by about

Charles Best, right, CEO of DonorsChoose.org, and Rakey Drammeh, CEO assistant, work near a large graphics monitor displaying realtime donations trending around the country for teacher’s projects in New York. Wish lists posted on the education philanthropy website DonorsChoose.org are being fulfilled in a “flash funding” effort involving actors, pro athletes, tech titans and others.

(AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

D at Public School No. 81 in Buffalo, clear a space for your new foam carpet and therapy balls! Wish lists posted by teachers on the education philanthropy website DonorsChoose.org are being fulfilled Thursday in a “flash funding” effort involving actors, pro athletes, tech titans and others, each of whom will fund all the projects in a specific city, region or entire state.

“My head might explode.

It really might explode from joy. Or my heart,” said “Community” actress Yvette Nicole Brown, who is covering DonorsChoose. org projects in her hometown of East Cleveland, Ohio, in the #BestSchoolDay initiative. In all, 58 celebrity philanthropists — including Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson and Serena Williams — have pledged $14.2 million to fund nearly 12,000 projects in 47 states plus Washington, D.C., that were listed on the DonorsChoose.org

pockets to equip students, have secured millions of dollars for books and supplies by floating requests in cyberspace instead of before the school board.

Also this week, the crowdfunding site GoFundMe. com announced a new concentration on education fundraising, beginning with a contest that will award a needy public school with 100 computers. Like DonorsChoose. org, the site lets a teacher or school post a funding request for a specific item and then watch as donors contribute a few dollars at a time. In the last year, GoFundMe.com took in $60 million for education campaigns from 777,000 donations, the company said.

Association of Fundraising Professionals spokesman Michael Nilsen said online philanthropy will not replace spaghetti dinners or bake sales anytime soon because of the power in the personal connections

280,000 teachers.

The celebrity givers in Thursday’s campaign hope to inspire others to pitch in and get all the pending projects funded. Google co-founder Sergey Brin and WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton will match $3.2 million in citizen donations.

The benefactors include other actors (Ashton Kutcher, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick), athletes (Carmelo Anthony, Torrey Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Dwight Howard), and business and foundation leaders (Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen; Bill and Melinda Gates; the chief executives of Zappos, LinkedIn and Yelp; Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg).

The idea was inspired by Stephen Colbert, “The Late Show” host and a DonorsChoose.org board member who surprised teachers in his home state of South Carolina by funding all the classroom projects in one day in May.

In Iowa, regulators unanimously approve Bakken pipeline permit DAVID PITT Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The last state permit needed for a pipeline that will carry a half-million barrels of crude oil daily from North Dakota to Illinois was approved Thursday

by Iowa utilities regulators, who also gave the Texasbased company authority to use eminent domain for land that property owners are unwilling to voluntarily provide. The Iowa Utilities Board voted unanimously to approve a hazardous pipeline permit for the Dakota Access pipeline, called Bakken pipeline because it will stretch 346 miles from Bakken oil fields in North Dakota to Illinois, crossing through 18 Iowa counties and 1,300 parcels of land. “Together we weighed all the issues presented by the parties and found the issues of safety, economic benefits, environmental factors and landowners’ rights to merit the most significant weight in reaching our decision,” board member Elizabeth Jacobs said. The board decided that the pipeline met the requirements of Iowa law, which authorizes approval of a permit only if it “will promote the public convenience and necessity.” After the vote, about a dozen people in the audience stood one by one and stated, “I am an Iowan and I vote no.”

Board members quickly left the room without further comment. Outside of the building, opponents of the pipeline held a rally; at least one woman cried.

An appeal is likely from opponents, including individual landowners and a coalition of environmental and property rights groups who have voiced concerns about pipeline leaks that could harm farmland, rivers and streams. Some farmers also oppose the pipeline, complaining it will decrease land values, disrupt productivity and damage timber areas.

“While the ruling is certainly a setback and dis-

appointing landowners will assess how to move forward on appeal and they are going through that process,” said John Murray, a Storm Lake attorney who represents the Northwest Iowa Landowners Association. “We need to read the entire ruling to fully inform ourselves.”

Lawsuits also are expected to challenge whether the board has the authority to grant eminent domain authority to a company building a pipeline for profit. Such authority is frequently given to publicly owned utilities, but not often to for-profit companies, like Dakota Access, which is owned by publicly traded companies Phillips 66 and Energy Transfer Partners. Owners of 296 parcels of land have refused to sign easements allowing the pipeline to go through their property.

In addition to an overall legal challenge, those people may fight land condemnation proceedings at the county level and appeal their individual cases to district court.

The pipeline has been in the works since 2014, after North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple urged industry and government officials to build more pipelines to keep pace with North Dakota’s rapid oil production and reduce truck and oil train traffic. North Dakota is the nation’s No. 2 oil producer behind Texas.

Energy Transfer Partners, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday, had set a completion date for the pipeline late this year. It already has begun stockpiling steel pipe in anticipation of getting the needed permits. “This is fantastic and certainly a big step in getting Bakken barrels to quality markets and further displacing foreign barrels,” said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, which represents hundreds of companies working in the state’s oil patch.

U.S. NEWS A7

Friday 11 March 2016

US Financial Front:

Higher stock prices, home values lift US household wealth C. S. RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans’ household wealth jumped in the final three months of last year, pushed higher by rising stock prices and greater home values. That leaves many households, particularly wealthy ones, with more money to spend — a potential boost to economic growth.

The Federal Reserve said Thursday that U.S. household net worth increased 1.9 percent in the fourth quarter to $86.8 trillion, up from $85.2 trillion in the third quarter. Americans’ stock and mutual fund portfolios grew $758 billion. Home values rose $458 billion.

The overall increase in wealth masks large disparities between richer and less well-off households. And the Fed’s figures aren’t adjusted for population growth or inflation.

Household wealth, or net worth, reflects the value of homes, stocks and other assets minus mortgages, credit card debt and other

borrowing.

Some of the gains have likely reversed in the past couple of months. The stock market, as measured by the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, closed Wednesday 2.7 percent below its level at the beginning of the year. Home prices, however, have continued to rise.

The figures show that Americans, on average, were in decent financial shape when 2016 began. The ratio of household debt to income — a key measure of whether consumers are borrowing too much — stood at 106.8 percent in the fourth quarter. That’s down 1.2 percentage points from a year earlier.

Just before the financial crisis and Great Recession, that figure had ballooned to about 135 percent.

Greater household wealth can trigger more consumer spending, a key fuel for the U.S. economy. The strong dollar is dragging down exports of manufactured goods by making them more expensive overseas,

A woman pays for merchandise at a Kohl’s department store in Sherwood, Ark. On Thursday, March 10, 2016, the Federal Reserve reported on household wealth for the October-December quarter.

(AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

while new home sales and construction may level off this year. Businesses have also held back on buying new machinery and other equipment.

That leaves the consumer as a crucial source of economic growth. In January, Americans bolstered their spending by the most in eight months.

Higher stock and home prices can make consumers feel richer, a phenomenon economists call the “wealth effect.” Some analysts estimate that each dollar of additional wealth can lead to 3 cents to 5 cents of additional spending.

Yet the wealth effect may have diminished in the

aftermath of the recession, economists say. After watching home values and financial markets plunge, more Americans likely see those gains as temporary, and may be more reluctant to spend them right away.

In addition, household wealth is distributed more unequally.

Applications for US unemployment aid fall to 5-month low C. S. RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid fell last week to the lowest level since October, evidence that employers are confident enough in the economy to hold onto their staffs.

THE NUMBERS: Weekly unemployment benefit applications fell 18,000 to a seasonally adjusted 259,000.

The four-week average, a less volatile measure,

dropped 2,500 to 267,500, the lowest reading since the week of Oct. 31. And the number of people actually receiving benefits also declined, falling 4,500 to 2.25 million. That’s down 6 percent from a year ago.

THE TAKEAWAY: Applications are a proxy for layoffs, so the figures indicate that employers are cutting fewer jobs. Any reading below 300,000 is historically low. When unemployment claims are this low, it also

typically means businesses are hiring at a steady pace.

The data comes after last week’s jobs report, which was mostly positive. It showed employers added 242,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate stayed at an eightyear low of 4.9 percent.

While hiring slipped a bit in January, overall job gains have remained solid since last fall, despite sharp swings in the financial mar-

kets that reflect worries about slowing overseas growth.

KEY DRIVERS: Consumers are spending at a healthy pace, offsetting the drags from weak economies in China, Europe, Japan and many developing countries.Americans are seeing some signs of higher incomes and are spending more at restaurants and at online retailers. Low gas prices have also left more money to spend on other

items. Consumer spending rose in January at the fastest pace in eight months.

Consumers are also confident enough to purchase big-ticket items like homes and cars. That has led to the creation of more construction jobs, though manufacturing jobs have lagged. Many factories have cut output because the strong dollar has made U.S. goods more expensive overseas, reducing U.S. exports.

A8

Friday 11 March 2016

WORLD NEWS

Iraq’s military falls short on logistics in fight against IS SUSANNAH GEORGE SALAHUDDIN, Iraq (AP) — Iraq’s military is once again trying to dislodge Islamic State group fighters from the vast Samarra desert, which stretches between newly recaptured territory in Anbar province and the IS-held northern city of Mosul. Yet, as operations move further away from the capital, government forces are increasingly plagued by logistical shortcomings.

Iraq’s minister of defense Khalid al-Obeidi on Wednesday toured Camp Speicher, a military base 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of the capital, Baghdad.

Surrounded by a crowd of assistants and military officials, he carefully asked commanders about food supplies, weapons deliveries and training.

“He’s very detail-oriented, during the previous administration the Iraqi military had a lot of issues with troops not being fed, in addition to, you know, the larger payroll issues,” said an official from the minister’s office.

He was referring euphemistically to the entrenched corruption in the Iraqi military, which was exposed in the summer of 2014 when the army all but collapsed and Islamic State group fighters captured Mosul.

In addition to the tens of

thousands of troops who fled in the face of the IS assault, more than 50,000 troops were later revealed to be ghost soldiers — nonexistent troops whose pay was pocketed by senior commanders.

more. Earlier this month, Iraqi troops pushed to retake territory northwest of Samarra, 60 miles (95 kilometers) from Baghdad, and cut IS supply lines in advance of an eventual push on Mosul. Iraqi officials

but also involved the Iraqi military. The ground troops were backed by both coalition and Iraqi air strikes.

Past attempts to retake the same area have failed, partly because the open terrain left Iraqi troops in-

Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi’s convoy tours the front line in their fight against Islamic State group militants in the Samarra desert, on the border between Anbar and Salahuddin provinces, Iraq. Iraqi forces are again trying to clear Islamic State group fighters from the sprawling deserts that stand between recent territorial gains in Anbar province and the IS-held city of Mosul to the north.

(AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

The ministry of defense official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the press.

Following millions of dollars of investment, Iraq’s military is being tested once

say the fight was led by the Popular Mobilization Forces, the government-sanctioned coalition of mostly Shiite militia groups — who have proved to be one of the most effective fighting forces on the ground —

creasingly vulnerable to IS counter-attacks as they advanced.

The Samarra operation is intended to build on gains in the west of the country.

Continued on page 27

Saudi Arabia concludes 20-nation anti-terror drill

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Heads of state from across the Muslim world gathered in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for the conclusion of a nearly three-weeklong counter-terrorism military exercise that included 20 participating countries.

Saudi state television carried images of tanks firing missiles and helicopters circling overhead in what local media have called the largest exercise ever held in the Middle East in terms of the number of countries taking part.

The military drills, dubbed “Northern Thunder”, took place in an area near Saudi Arabia’s northeastern border with Iraq and Kuwait. The training focused

on how to coordinate combat operations and guerrilla warfare tactics among the Muslim-majority countries that are members of a larger counter-terrorism alliance announced by the kingdom in December.

The exercise comes amid heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and its regional rival Iran as they back opposite sides of the wars in Syria and Yemen.

Also on Thursday, state media reported Saudi Arabia is building a new airbase to protect the kingdom’s airspace in Hafr al-Batin, where the military exercises took place.

Analysts on state-run Saudi TV said the military exercises are a show of force

by the kingdom against its foes and send a strategic message to Iran and extremist Sunni groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The drills included troops from Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Jordan, Sudan and the sixnation Gulf Cooperation Council. Other countries that contributed include Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. At the final military show, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman was shown seated between Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah and Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

Saudi Arabia’s official news agency reported

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, as well as a number of other African leaders, and senior royals from neighboring Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman were also in attendance Thursday.

There has been no official announcement on how many troops were involved in the exercises. According to IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly Middle East and Africa editor Jermey Binnie, the exercise appears to have been smaller in troop size than the “Bright Star 2000” held in Egypt in 1999, which involved 73,000 troops from 11 countries.

Yemeni rebels ask partner Iran to stop exploiting civil war AHMED AL-HAJ Associated Press SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A top leader of Yemen’s Shiite rebels issued a harsh rebuke of ally Iran on Thursday, calling on Tehran to back away from the crisis in Yemen.

Youssef al-Fishi, a top military commander of the rebels known as Houthis, asked Iranian officials to “remain silent” and “stop exploiting” the Yemeni civil war for their own interests.

The remarks, posted on al-Fishi’s Facebook page, underscore how the formerly firm Houthi-Tehran alliance may be faltering after a year-long Saudi-led air campaign targeting the rebels. The violence has left Yemen’s infrastructure in ruins, killed more than 6200, and forcibly displaced 2.4 million people.

They were made against a backdrop of a slight cooling in the conflict between the Houthis and Iran’s regional rival Saudi Arabia, which recently negotiated a prisoner exchange with the rebels.

The rebuke came a day after Iranian deputy chief of staff Gen. Masoud Jazayer was quoted by Iran’s Tasnim news agency as saying that the Islamic Republic is ready to help Yemeni people “in any possible level.” The comment was in response to a question about whether Iran is ready to send military advisors to Yemen as it did in Syria.

The level of Houthi-Iranian cooperation remains unclear, as is the extent of the relationship between ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh — whose forces are fighting alongside the Houthis — and Iran.

The Houthis have been accused of receiving weapons from Iran. A report by the United Nations panel of experts on Yemen released in February and obtained by The Associated Press said that the panel is investigating the alleged transfer of anti-tank guided missiles from Iran to the Houthis.

WORLD NEWS 9

Friday 11 March 2016

Migrants stuck at closed borders, others seeking new routes ELENA BECATOROS GEORGE JAHN Associated Press IDOMENI, Greece (AP) — Desperate migrants and refugees piled up Thursday in fetid fields of mud at a closed border crossing as officials warned that a welltrodden route to Europe used by hundreds of thousands in the past year was no longer available.

With the closure of the migrant trail through the Balkans from Greece to more prosperous countries, concern also mounted that people desperate for sanctuary or jobs in Europe are already turning to smugglers to find other pathways.

Government ministers and experts say that Albania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania could become alternate tracks, and officials Spain are in contact with Algeria and Morocco to try to stop new routes from opening there.

At the same time, the flow continued to the Greek islands by boat from Turkey, either by those who have not heard the GreeceMacedonia crossings are no longer open, or by oth-

ers who hope the closure is temporary. Some didn’t make it. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency said five people, including a 3-month-old, drowned when their speedboat sank Thursday off Turkey’s western coast en route to the Greek island of Lesbos.

Nine people were rescued from the boat, which was carrying Afghans and Iranians, the agency said.

NATO stepped up its operations to try to stop the smugglers, deploying five ships in the Aegean Sea, with plans to send more in the coming days to monitor the area near the Greek island of Lesbos and areas farther south, said Jens Stoltenberg, the secretarygeneral of the alliance.

Meanwhile, Greek police said 81 economic migrants from Pakistan and north Africa who had entered the country illegally were deported back to Turkey.

Nearly 42,000 people are stranded in Greece, including 14,000 camped in the mud near the Idomeni crossing with Macedonia.

Nearly three days of rain finally ended, but that did

Children wait in line for food handouts during a rainfall at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Thursday, March 10, 2016. After nearly three days of rain, conditions in the refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian where about 14,000 people are stranded have deteriorated significantly, with many of its residents struggling to re-pitch their small camping tents in slightly drier patches.

(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

little to lift the misery for those staying in donated pup tents in nearby fields and along railway tracks.

Long lines formed for sandwiches, tea and soup at the Idomeni camp, which long ago surpassed its capacity. Others warmed themselves at fires using what dry wood they could find, or they poured oil on

sodden logs to get them to burn. The fields have grown increasingly fetid, with pools of water and deep mud that sucks the shoes off children. People dragged their muddy tents to new locations, looking for a dry patch of ground.

Many people who have spent days at the camp in chilly temperatures were

coughing heavily.

A crowd formed at a truck of donated goods, with men tossing bags of diapers, toilet paper, bottled water, yogurt and prepared meals to the cheering crowd. Dozens of packaged meals ended up falling to the ground, with cooked pasta and yogurt splattering in the mud.

European Central Bank surprises with broad stimulus action DAVID McHUGH AP Business Writer FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — European Central Bank launched an unexpectedly broad array of stimulus measures Thursday aimed at boosting a modest economic recovery in the 19 countries that use the euro and nudging up dangerously low inflation.

The steps, which ranged from interest rate cuts to cheap loans to banks, included several measures many analysts hadn’t an-

ticipated, such as expanding its monthly bond-buying stimulus program to include corporate bonds.

The ECB, the monetary authority for the euro countries, is struggling to raise inflation from a worryingly low annual rate of minus 0.2 percent toward its goal of just under 2 percent, considered healthiest for the economy.

ECB President Mario Draghi said the bank’s decisions at the meeting of its 25-member governing council were

the best answer to recent questions about whether central banks were reaching the limits of what they can do.

“We don’t give up in our fight to bring inflation back to our objective,” Draghi said. He added that the steps to increase bank lending would “reinforce the momentum of the euro area’s economic recovery and accelerate the return of inflation to levels below, but close to, 2 percent.”

The market’s reaction was

volatile. The Stoxx Europe 50 blue chip index ended 1.8 percent lower after spiking higher earlier. The euro rose 1.5 percent to around $1.11 — though it usually falls in response to more stimulus.

Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at stockbrokers Hargreaves Lansdown, said the use of ever more unusual stimulus measures was hard to see as positive.

He said the fact the ECB is “still pursuing such extreme monetary policy paints a

depressing picture of the European economy.” Investors, he adds, “are beginning to question what central banks have left in the locker if the global economy slips back towards recession.”

More economic malaise in Europe is the last thing the global economy needs.

The region is a key market for major companies, from automakers Ford and General Motors to technology companies Apple and Samsung.

A10 WORLD

Friday 11 March 2016

NEWS

North Korea to liquidate South Korean assets; fires missiles FOSTER KLUG HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea responded Thursday to new sanctions from South Korea by firing short-range ballistic missiles into the sea in a show of defiance and vowing to

between the Koreas that began in January when detonated NorthKorea what it said was an “Hbomb of justice,” its fourth nuclear test. Since then, the North has launched a long-range rocket and the South has shut a jointly run factory park, slapped

rea and the U.S. mainland.

The missile firing Thursday came a day after North Korean media printed photos of what appeared to be a mock-up of a nuclear warhead.

The North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a

A South Korean Army K-1 tank moves during the annual exercise with their U.S. counterparts in Paju, near the border with North Korea, Thursday, March 10, 2016. North Korea fired two shortrange ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, South Korea’s military said, a likely show of anger at continuing springtime war games by rivals Washington and Seoul and another ratcheting up of hostility on the already anxious Korean Peninsula.

(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

“liquidate” all remaining South Korean assets at former cooperative projects in the North.

The moves are the latest in an escalating standoff

sanctions on the North, and begun large-scale war games with the United States. North Korea responded by threatening nuclear strikes on South Ko-

statement Thursday that North Koreawill “liquidate” South Korean assets at the closed factory park in the North Korean border town of Kaesong and at

a scrapped tourism resort at Diamond Mountain. In a continuation of bellicose rhetoric that has spiked in recent weeks, it said North Korea will also impose “lethal” military, political and economic blows on the South Korean government to accelerate its “pitiable demise.”

South Korea’s government called the North Korean statement a “provocative act” and warned the North not to damage any South Korean assets.

North Korea didn’t say what exactly it would do with the South Korean assets. Observers said it could move the remaining manufacturing equipment at Kaesong to other industrial areas or convert it to military use, and use the South Korean-owned facilities at Diamond Mountain for its own tourism project.

The South Korean assets at Kaesong include buildings, manufacturing equipment and finished products. The assets at the resort are a hotel, a spa, a golf course and a building used for occasional reunions of Korean families separated by war. The assets are worth about 1.4 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in total, according to Seoul’s Unification Ministry.

The North Korean statement called the new South Korean sanctions “laughable, unsightly,” and referred to South Korea’s female president, Park Geunhye, as an “American prostitute,” the latest in a series of sexist attacks on her.

All of this has ratcheted up hostility on the already anxious Korean Peninsula. But, so far, analysts don’t see the possibility of things spinning out of control. Some of the North’s rhetoric is intended for a domestic audience to display government strength ahead of a major meeting of the ruling party in May. A spokesman said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon was “gravely concerned” and called on North Korea to cease destabilizing acts like the missile launch. “We reaffirm the Secretary-General’s commitment to work for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” Stephane Dujarric said. The missiles fired by North Korea on Thursday flew about 500 kilometers (310 miles) before falling into the ocean off the country’s east coast, Seoul’s Defense Ministry said. They were believed to be Scud-type missiles, ministry spokesman Moon Sang Gyun said.

enheit), the NDRC said this week.

It was rolled out in Ahmadabad in 2013, three years after some 1,200 people died from heat-related causes in the western city.

Last year, after introducing sevenday weather forecasts, extra water supplies and cool-air shelters, only 20 people died in the city from the heat.

But altogether, the cities involved cover only about 11 million people — not even 1 percent of the country’s population.

“If you want to save lives you have to be prepared,” Jaiswal said, calling on other Indian cities and regions to also adopt heat wave plans.

“When it comes to protecting communities and people, it takes leadership.”

India to launch heat wave programs in vulnerable cities KATY DAIGLE Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian officials are launching a program to protect people from extreme heat in two high-risk regions, after a devastating heat wave killed at least 2,500 people across the country last year.

Already, India experiences severe heat waves almost every year. With climate change bringing higher

temperatures, the country and its 1.25 billion people are bracing for even more challenging summers that will dry up forests, destroy crops, wipe out farm animals and kill hundreds if not thousands of people if they are not prepared.

“India is getting hotter, and it is killing people,” said Anjali Jaiswal, India director for the New York-based

Natural Resources Defense Council, which is helping local leaders and officials adopt the program.

It will be launched over the next week in Bhubaneshwar and three other cities in the eastern state of Orissa, as well as in the western temple town of Nagpur and four nearby cities where temperatures last year hit a sweltering 47 degrees Celsius (117 Fahr-

WORLD NEWS A11

Friday 11 March 2016

OAS concerned by barring of presidential candidates in Peru FRANKLIN BRICENO Associated Press LIMA, Peru (AP) — The Organization of American States expressed concern Thursday over the timing of the disqualification of candidates from Peru’s presidential race and said it was sending an observer mission for the election, in which the daughter of jailed strongman Alberto Fujimori is the front-runner.

The decision by Peru’s electoral board to bar Keiko Fujimori’s main rival on a technicality just one month ahead of the April 10 vote has sparked charges of political chicanery and a vow by economist Julio Guzman to fight his disqualification.

The board voided Guzman’s candidacy on a 3-2 vote Wednesday, claiming the mechanism by which his party chose him violated its own internal rules.

Analysts called the ruling petty, noting that never before in Peruvian history had a candidate been so stricken from a presidential race.

Others wondered why no one found fault with how Guzman was chosen until it

became clear that he had become the lone serious challenger to Fujimori.

“While the system of challenges laid out in electoral legislation upholds the right to a hearing and judicial appeal, the timeframe set for the presentation of motions to disqualify candidates leads to uncertainty in both the electorate and the candidates themselves,” the OAS said in a statement.

It said it would send an observer mission to Peru on Monday to follow up on preparations for the vote and to meet with election officials, political organizations and representatives of civic groups.

Guzman wasn’t the only presidential candidate disqualified Wednesday. The board also found Cesar Acuna, a private university entrepreneur, broke the law by handing out cash at a campaign event. He had recently been running a distant fourth in polls.

Guzman’s party said it would file an “extraordinary appeal” to the top electoral court against his disqualification. q

Venezuela’s congress debates bill to recall President Maduro

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s oppositioncontrolled Congress has given preliminary approval to a bill that would put the country on the road to a presidential recall referendum.

During the floor debate Thursday, opposition lawmakers said they hope the initiative leads to a peaceful transition of power this year.

Members of the ruling socialist party, which controls the presidency and most state institutions, said the legislation amounted to an

attempted coup.

Congress is expected to give the bill final approval later this month.

A recall is one of several strategies the opposition is pursuing to remove President Nicolas Maduro from office. They blame him for the widespread shortages, deep recession and raging inflation plaguing Venezuela.

The opposition is also calling for street protests starting this Saturday and a constitutional amendment that would shorten Maduro’s term.q

Presidential candidate Julio Guzman answers a question during a press conference in Lima, Peru, Thursday, March 10, 2016. Peru’s electoral council on Wednesday barred Guzman, the main challenger to front-runner Keiko Fujimori from the country’s April 10 presidential election on a technicality.

(AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

A12 WORLD

Friday 11 March 2016

NEWS

Brazil prosecutors file charges against former president S. LEHMAN M. SAVARESE Associated Press SAO PAULO (AP) — Sao Paulo state prosecutors said Thursday they filed money laundering and criminal misrepresentation charges

sold apartments at cost.

The case against Silva hinges around a triplex in one of the residential towers built by the cooperative, which prosecutors allege was destined for the former leader and his family.

is biased against the former president.

Conserino and the other prosecutors at Thursday’s news conference insisted they are neutral and just following the letter of the law.

State prosecutors Jose Carlos Blat, left, Cassio Roberto Conserino, center, and Fernando Henrique de Moraes Araujo, responsible for the charges against Brazil’s former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, arrive for a press conference at the Attorneys General office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, March 10, 2016. The state prosecutors have filed charges against the former President in a money laundering investigation, putting further scrutiny on one of Brazil’s towering political figures who is being hounded by corruption allegations.

(AP Photo/Andre Penner)

against former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva because of evidence he and his family unduly benefited from a real estate scheme that adversely affected thousands of Brazilian families.

Lead prosecutor Cassio Conserino said the former president and his family were swept up in a yearslong investigation into wrongdoing at a failed cooperative in Sao Paulo that

“While thousands of families lost their apartments and saw their dreams of becoming homeowners shattered, one of those investigated received a triplex,” Conserino said at a news conference.

Silva has denied any wrongdoing and said he is not the owner of the apartment in the coastal city of Guaruja.

In a statement Wednesday, his not-for-profit Instituto Lula suggested Conserino

“The investigation is sustained with procedural and documental evidence,” Coserino said.

The state public prosecutors’ office brought the charges against Silva, as well as money laundering charges against his wife and one of his sons, late Wednesday. For Silva himself, conviction on the two charges could carry a maximum sentence of 13 years in prison.

The judge in the case must now decide whether to accept the charges and move forward with the case.

Conserino said he had no idea when that might happen, suggesting that due to the sheer volume of the case it might take some time.

Conserino declined to respond to repeated questions of whether prosecutors had asked that Silva be provisionally detained.

But Finance Minister Nelson Barbosa told reporters the Sao Paulo prosecutors had indeed made such a request, which would also have to be signed off on by the judge in the case.

“This request is totally baseless,” Barbosa told reporters gathered at a Sao Paulo hotel where the Insituto Lula was holding a debate about the economy. Barbosa added that “this polarization is doing much harm to the Brazilian economy.”

The Sao Paulo case is only part of Silva’s legal woes.

Last Friday, federal investigators said they were looking into whether renovations at the Guaruja beachfront apartment and another project at a country house used by Silva and his family constituted favors in exchange for political benefit.

Both places have undergone major renovations paid for by construction companies that for decades have had contracts with the federal government.

Venezuela withdraws top diplomat in Washington CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Nicolas Maduro this week announced that Venezuela’s top diplomat in Washington would be called back to Caracas to protest the decision to renew a U.S. decree imposing sanctions on several top officials from the South American country.

The two nations haven’t exchanged ambassadors since 2010 and Maximilien Sanchez Arvelaiz had been Venezuela’s acting charge d’affaires in the U.S. capital.

“We don’t accept impositions or aggressions,” Maduro said in a televised address announcing that the Venezuelan diplomat was being recalled. “Enough of the arrogance.”

In March of 2015, President Barack Obama slapped sanctions on seven Venezuelan officials, accusing them of perpetrating human rights violations and public corruption in the socialist-governed country.

The individuals all came from the top echelon of the state security appa-

ratus that was responsible for cracking down on antigovernment protests that rocked Venezuela in 2104 and for pursuing charges against leading opponents.

The sanctions come after the U.S. Congress passed legislation authorizing penalties that would freeze the assets and ban visas for anyone accused of carrying out acts of violence or violating the human rights of those opposing Venezuela’s government.On Wednesday, Venezuelan

officials said that Obama had sent a letter to leaders of the U.S. legislatures saying the sanctions would be renewed because the situation in Venezuela had not improved.

Maduro said the renewal “is a stain for Obama because he had plenty of opportunities to rectify the situation but imposed arrogance.”

The countries have had stormy relations since the late Hugo Chavez became president of Venezuela in 1999

Mexico orders US man held for trial in girlfriend death GABRIEL ALCOCER Associated Press CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — A judge in Mexico has ordered a U.S. man to stand trial in the death of his American girlfriend in the Caribbean resort city of Playa del Carmen.

A prosecutor’s office employee said Thursday the judge ordered John Loveless to stand trial for allegedly killing Tamra Turpin.

The employee was not authorized to be quoted by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Turpin, 36, of the St. Louis, Missouri suburb of Union, was found dead last week in a condo the couple had rented.

A forensic examination concluded she died of asphyxia by strangulation.

But Turpin’s oldest sister, Jodi Mills, said Thursday by telephone in Missouri that her family has learned through an attorney they hired in Mexico that a judge there refused to allow as evidence a second autopsy Loveless had requested on Turpin, using an American pathologist.

Mills, of Mexico, Missouri, said she was unaware of what that secondary autopsy found.

Loveless told Mills that Turpin overdosed on prescription medications during a suicide attempt after an argument.

Mills said she has continued to keep an open mind about Loveless.

“I’m still in shock,” she said.

“I don’t know what evidence they have, but I just want to get to the bottom of this and get all the facts.

I still have lots of questions, and I don’t think it’s fair (for me) to accuse John if I don’t have all the facts.”

“I know the facts that I’ve received makes me puzzled and question (Loveless),” she added. “But I don’t want to wrongfully accuse someone. He’s got family in this, too.

Can you imagine being on the other side? I try to be a fair person, and it’s not my right to judge.”

LOCAL A13

Friday 11 March 2016

Exclusive at the Tropicana Casino Aruba:

Tropicana’s Amazing Vacation Villa Raffle, on March 18, 2016!

EAGLE BEACH - The Tropicana Casino Aruba will be raffling a special lifetime vacation villa ownership on Dia di Hymno Y Bandera, this year.

Imagine winning a Tropicana Aruba Vacation Villa which is valued at US$23,500! The exciting promotion is open to the public with one condition, participants must become

members of the Trop Club & Casino Advantage Club, or have an existing membership.

Members earn a free entry to the “Tropicana Vacation Villa Raffle,” for every 25 points accumulated, and each 25 points earned equals 1 raffle entry. No redemption required, and all Advantage Club rules/ regulations apply.

“ We’re inviting, our Trop Advantage Members to accumulate as many entries as possible during the promotional period of February 1st, 10am through March 18, 10pm, 2016,” says Wilfred Trimon, Casino Director. “They will earn free entries to the grand prize drawing for every 25 points, and the casino will draw a raffle every hour on

the hour, on March 18th, for a total of 10 winners.”

The drawing for the “Tropicana Vacation Villa Raffle” starts at 8pm.

All players must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to participate, and winners will have one (1) minute after being announced by the announcer, to collect their prize or the prize will be forfeited.

We are excited about the promotion, says Trimon, Tropicana Aruba Resort & Casino, it’s a fun, exciting prize which no other casino in Aruba can offers.

Only Tropicana Entertainment with its network of casinos in Nevada, New Jersey, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana and Aruba can pull off a promotion of this kind. q

A14 LOCAL

Friday 11 March 2016

Loyal Guests Honored at the La Cabana Beach Resort EAGLE BEACH - Recently the Aruba Tourism Authority had the great pleasure of honoring a very loyal group of guests as Distinguished Visitors and Goodwill Ambassadors at the La Cabana Beach Resort. The symbolic honorary titles are presented in the name of the Minister of Tourism as tokens of appreciation to guests who visit Aruba for 10-to-19 and 20-to-34 consecutive years.

The honorees for Distinguished Visitor were Mr. Gerry and Mrs. Susan Mutty, together with Mr. Jacques and Mrs. Wendy Sampon. The honorees for Goodwill Ambassador were Mr. Howard and Mrs. Barbara Gordon, Mr. Mel and Mrs. Judy Davidson, Mr. Pat Ranucci, Mr. Don and Mrs. Peg Di Fronzo, Mr. Richard and Mrs. Pamela Leatherman, and Mr. John and Mrs. Rose Monteith.

All of these guests are loyal members of La Ca-

bana and they love Aruba very much because of the friendly people, the climate, beaches, restau-

rants, relaxation and being on Aruba and staying at La Cabana is like being home for them. The certificates

were presented by Mr. Jonathan Boekhoudt representing the Aruba Tourism Authority together with

family and friends of the honorees and associates from the La Cabana Beach Resort.q

A16 LOCAL

Friday 11 March 2016

Developing a Lifelong Love of Travel RAINER JENSS President & Founder Family Travel Association (FTA) - Think back to your very first memory. Got it?

If you’re like most – 62%, in fact – that remembrance will be from a time spent on vacation. I happily fall into that majority.

As a child, I had the good fortune of having traveled early and often. During my school years, my parents often took my sister and me on a cruise to the Caribbean, sometimes even missing a few days of school to do so. Sure, the ships were fun, but mainly, we fell in love with the tropical climate, white sandy beaches and unique culture found only in the islands.

Looking back, I guess it’s no surprise that my honeymoon included a romantic getaway in St. Lucia, the same destination (and resort) my wife and I would

revisit twenty years later with our teenage boys to go scuba diving.

It’s safe to say that the holidays I spent in the Caribbean were a major influence on my love for travel and why I ultimately helped launch the Family Travel Association, an organization bringing the industry together to inspire more families to travel. After all, travel’s power to transform children’s lives is something we can all certainly appreciate.

With family and multigenerational travel now one of the hottest and fastestgrowing segments of the entire tourism industry, some might wonder why investing in the growth of this sector is even necessary.

After all, at a time when a record number of families are traveling, shouldn’t the industry focus its attention on other emerging categories?

There are several reasons why I believe that today, right now, is precisely the time to double down on

family travel, especially for destinations like the Caribbean.

For one, our research con-

firms that parents feel very strongly that once they find a destination they like, they’ll return to it. That can really make a significant difference in charting a path for future generations of travelers we need to cultivate. Furthermore, there is greater opportunity in promoting travel to multigenerational groups because their large party size makes them much more profitable.

Finally, if consumers have easier access to information, get more inspired by all the wonderful opportunities available to them, learn more about why travel with children is so beneficial and can be transformational – not just recreational – and the industry helps simplify the process of planning/booking family travel, then this segment of the industry will continue to grow and expand in the years to come.

Oranjestad-Benjamin Petrocchi a true native Aruban started the newest export product of Aruba, locally produced hand rolled cigars called “Aruhiba”. These cigars are produced and cultivated in Aruba. Petrocchi always had interest in the cigar business and has also sold Premium Cuban cigars, and now he is growing his own tobacco crops.

After many attempt and trips to Santo Domingo and Cuba, he started his own production and cultivation of Aruhiba Cigars in Aruba. The whole process took him 10 years to perfect.

Petrocchi dedication to the cigars is important for the molding and process of making a perfect cigar which takes a long time. Their handmade cigar box is specially designed with their “Aruhiba” logo.Petrocchi considers Aruhiba as a promotion for Aruba trough its fine cigars .The company sells Aruhiba to the international market as well.

Visit their retail store located in front of the Historic Dutch Windmill in front of Riu Hotel, with purchase of $20 and up you receive a free “Aruhiba” cigars or ask for their gift box of cigars get 1 FREE for only $37.We are open from Monday to Saturday from 9 till 6.30 pm and on Saturdays from 10 to 4 pm. Aruhiba cigars are now available at the gift stores in your resort and at well-known cigar stores. For their complete selection and attractive by the box prices visit our retail stores. Tours are also available to the Tobacco Farm, where our cigars are grown and rolled.

Make an Aruba Tour including a stop at Aruhiba Factory call 739-2000. Winner of the best of Aruba.

The best local product Cigars in tubes Arubian design.

For a group or private tour call 586-7833/593-6177 or send us a email to aruhibacigars@gmail.com www.aruhibacigars.com

SPORTS A17

Friday 11 March 2016

DUKING IT OUT

Bradley, Duke, Howell III tied for Valspar lead Ken Duke putts on the 17th hole during the first round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament Thursday, March 10, 2016, in Palm Harbor, Fla. Associated Press Page 19

A18 SPORTS

Friday 11 March 2016

Broncos hurting, Panthers healing in early free agency BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer The Super Bowl champions, the Denver Broncos, lost their second quarterback in less than a week when the NFL free agency began on Wednesday.

With Peyton Manning retired, his supposed successor Brock Osweiler headed to Houston. Broncos defensive end Malik Jackson went to Jacksonville and linebacker Danny Trevathan to Chicago.

Denver clearly has been weakened although at least Super Bowl MVP Von Miller was franchise tagged and won’t be going anywhere.

“We’ve stayed true to our philosophy of building a team of players who want to be Denver Broncos and want to be here.

That’s been a successful approach for us,” general manager John Elway said.

“While we did offer a very competitive and fair longterm contract to Brock, we ultimately had to remain disciplined while continuing to assemble a roster that can compete for championships.”

Tennessee Titans running back DeMarco Murray, left, speaks at a news conference with head coach Mike Mularkey Thursday, March 10, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. The Titans acquired Murray in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Associated Press

Osweiler started the last seven games of the regular season when Manning was injured, but was benched in the playoffs when Manning returned.

“It was very difficult,” Osweiler said about leaving Denver. “I’d be lying to

you if I said anything else.

I had a tremendous four seasons there in Denver and those are four years that I’ll always hold close to my heart. But bottom line coming to Houston was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”

The Carolina Panthers, which fell 24-10 to Denver in the Super Bowl, retained All-Pro fullback Mike Tolbert and re-signed defensive end Charles Johnson to a lower salary.

Among other moves, All-Pro running back Doug Martin re-signed with Tampa Bay for five years, while center Alex Mack chose Atlanta over Cleveland.

DeMarco Murray, the 2014 Offensive Player of the Year

with Dallas, spent a fruitless season in Philadelphia and was traded to Tennessee.

Carolina’s Charles Johnson, cut last week, received a one-year contract worth $3 million to return to the NFC champions, according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

He said Johnson turned down an offer in excess of $6 million from another team. “My heart was in Carolina,” Johnson said.

“Once you put all that energy into it, I feel like I would have been wasting all that work had I gone somewhere else for some dollars.

I’d rather be happy doing what I’m doing around people that I know and I’m comfortable with. I can’t wait to get back to work.”

Tampa Bay’s Martin, the top running back on the market, will get more than $35 million, with $15 million guaranteed, from the Buccaneers. Martin has had two outstanding seasons with the Buccaneers and two injury-filled years.

“I’ve always saw myself as a Buc. I didn’t think I was going anywhere else,” Martin said.

Indianapolis released veteran receiver Andre Johnson.

Johnson was a mainstay in Houston for 12 years, making two All-Pro teams, but was a disappointment with the Colts in his only season in Indy with 41 catches for 503 yards and four touchdowns.

Mack opted out of his deal with Cleveland and gets five years from the Atlanta Falcons, who have had instability at center since longtime starter Todd McClure retired following the 2012 season.

Headed to Miami was defensive end Mario Williams and his signing after being released by Buffalo led to the Dolphins removing the transition tag from Olivier Vernon, who then agreed to terms with the Giants.

The transition tag was for $12.734 million; Williams got $17 million over two years from Miami.

The 2006 No. 1 overall pick struggled last season in Rex Ryan’s defense with Buffalo and even criticized how he was used.

The Dolphins released cornerback Brent Grimes and finalized a trade to acquire cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso from the Eagles.q

SPORTS A19

Friday 11 March 2016

Charles Howell III shares the lead; Spieth stumbles to 76 DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — Charles Howell III saw a news blurb that the Masters is a month away, and the Augusta native played Thursday like he wants to be there.

In strong gusts that didn’t subside until the final few hours of daylight, Howell played bogey-free and picked up two big birdies on his way to a 4-under 67 and a share of the lead with Keegan Bradley and Ken Duke in the Valspar Championship.

“I was impressed I got away with no bogeys,” Howell said. “It was nice to get off to a good start here on a place like this. I’m not sure what the rest of the week will hold, but to actually play a nice round on a tough golf course is good for my confidence.”

Jordan Spieth wasn’t sure what to make of his day.

The defending champion had to get up-and-down to save bogey four times on his opening seven holes, and he never recovered.

Spieth made only one birdie, played the final 11 holes with 10 pars and a bogey and wound up with a 76.

He was nine shots behind and in danger of missing the cut for the second time in three tournaments.

“I got off to a poor start and I was behind the eight ball with gusty winds on a tough golf course,” Spieth said.

Duke also played bogeyfree and made birdies on the two par 3s on the back nine that were into the wind and over the water.

Bradley was the only player to reach 5 under on a day that featured 25 mph gusts, which seem stronger because the Copperhead course at Innisbrook is demanding in no wind at all.

Howell was in the penultimate group, and the wind laid down for most of the back nine.

His play was solid throughout, however, particularly the 4-iron into a left pin that settled a foot from the cup on the par-3 eighth.

He picked up another bonus birdie on the par-5 11th with a 45-foot putt.

Howell, perhaps more than any other player from the Augusta area, is linked to the Masters.

He hasn’t played the Masters since he tied for 19th in 2012, and Georgia is on his mind as the first major of the year gets closer.

“Always this time of the year, the Masters’ carrot looms,” Howell said. “When April comes around it has a different feel — at least for me — than the other majors. So when the Masters comes around and I’m not in it, then it’s a bit of a wake-up call or a kick in the rear to somehow make one last push to try to get in it.”

It’s not his desire alone, and Howell realizes that.

He was happy to see Augusta resident Vaughn Taylor qualify by winning at Pebble Beach, and Kevin Kisner (Aiken, South Carolina) qualify through a sensational 2015.

He knows that the Masters means as much to Scott Brown (Aiken) as him.

“It’s not like it’s more special to me than anyone else. Everyone feels that way about it, ” Howell said. “But yeah, it’s such a great event. It would be nice to somehow find a way to get there.”

Howell likely would have to win a tournament because he is No. 128 in the world, though he did consider one alternate route.

“I may send my application in for the Drive, Chip and Putt,” he said with a laugh. “Maybe I can find a spot in Tampa to try to qualify. Just to get on the grounds with golf clubs in my hands would be great.”

Bradley also needed a round like this.

He has missed the cut in four of his five starts this year, and recently switched to a new swing coach.

Bradley’s last victory was at Firestone in August 2012.

He has fallen to No. 88 in the world.

“It’s been tough,” Bradley said. “It’s no fun playing

poorly out here. I see all my buddies up t here doing well and it feels not fun to feel like you’re on the outside looking in.

So I’ve been working the hardest in my career.”

It was hard work at Innisbrook, especially in the morning when the wind was at its strongest and only four out of 72 players managed to break 70. Several players took advantage of calmer conditions late in the day.

Chesson Hadley was one shot behind with a 68.

Chez Reavie was bogeyfree and joined Charley Hoffman and Greg Yates in the group at 69, while Martin Kaymer and Henrik Stenson were among those at 70.

Only two dozen players broke par, while five players failed to break 80.

Jordan Spieth hits back onto the fairway on the 11th hole during the first round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament Thursday, March 10, 2016, in Palm Harbor, Fla. Associated Press

20 SPORTS

Friday 11 March 2016

Kings win in OT to top Pacific Division LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jeff Carter scored with 2:10 left in overtime and the Los Angeles Kings blew a threegoal lead in the third period before rallying for a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.

Vincent Lecavalier, Jake Muzzin and Milan Lucic scored in a dominant first period for the Kings, who reclaimed the Pacific Division lead from Anaheim with their seventh victory in nine games.

T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom and Dmitry Orlov scored in the third for the NHL-leading Capitals, who awoke from two somnolent periods for a furious finish. Braden Holtby stopped 26 shots in Washington’s second loss in six games.

After both teams had golden overtime chances, Carter scored on an exceptional cross-ice pass from Lucic to end a thriller between two Stanley Cup contenders.

AVALANCHE 3, DUCKS 0 DENVER (AP) — Semyon Varlamov stopped 37 shots, Nathan MacKinnon got his 21st goal and Colorado beat Anaheim 3-0 Wednesday night to end the Ducks’ 14-game point streak.

Andreas Martinsen and Shawn Matthias also scored to help the Avalanche earn a critical win.

They’re in a heated race with Minnesota for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

The Ducks have now dropped two straight for

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, front, scores a goal against Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson in the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 9, 2016, in Denver.

Associated Press

the first time since December and ended a six-game road winning streak.

Anaheim goaltender John Gibson had a rare off night.

He entered tied for the league-lead with a 2.04 goals-against average, but stopped just 23 of 26 shots.

Colorado has outscored Anaheim 6-0 in two meetings this season.

BLUES 3, BLACKHAWKS 2, SO ST. LOUIS (AP) — Kevin Shattenkirk scored the decisive goal in the sixth round of the shootout to lift St. Louis over Chicago for its fourth straight win.

David Backes and Troy Brouwer scored in the third

period for the Blues and Jake Allen stopped 33 shots through overtime to earn his 22nd win of the season.

Patrik Berglund and Troy Brouwer also had goals in the tiebreaker.

Andrew Ladd scored in the second period and Artemi Panarin tied it late in the third for the Blackhawks, who fell to 32-0-3 win leading after two periods. Corey Crawford had 28 saves.

Panarin and Artem Anisimov scored in the shootout for the Chicago.

Chicago pulled into a tie with Dallas for first place in the Central Division, though the Blackhawks have the tiebreaker with 40 regula-

tion and overtime wins. The Blues are a point behind.

FLAMES 3, PREDATORS 2, OT CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Johnny Gaudreau scored twice 10 seconds apart in the first period, then set up Mikael Backlund’s winner in overtime to lead Calgary over Nashville.

Joni Ortio finished with 24 saves for the Flames, who improved to 1-0-1 on a sixgame homestand.

Anthony Bitetto got his first career goal and Mike Fisher also scored for Nashville.

Carter Hutton stopped 31 shots.

Gaudreau has a careerhigh 66 points, including

23 goals and 25 assists at home.

MAPLE LEAFS 4, ISLANDERS 3, SO TORONTO (AP) — William Nylander scored the tying goal late in regulation and Nikita Soshnikov had the only goal of the shootout to lift Toronto past the New York Islanders.

Zach Hyman and Morgan Rielly also scored in regulation and Garret Sparks stopped 24 shots for the Maple Leafs, who had lost six straight (0-5-1) — including the last five by one goal.

John Tavares, Nick Leddy, and Ryan Strome scored for the Islanders, and Thomas Greiss finished with 33 saves. New York snapped a four-game winning streak and fell to 11-22 in its last 15.

Strome gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead with 5:19 remaining in the third period.

Nylander, who scored his second goal in only his sixth NHL game, knocked in a rebound past Greiss for the tying goal with 1:13 left in regulation.

CANUCKS 3, COYOTES 2, OT VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Markus Granlund scored 1:42 into overtime to help Vancouver beat Arizona.

Radim Vrbata and Luca Sbisa also scored for the Canucks. Jacob Markstrom stopped 32 shots for Vancouver.

Kevin Connauton and Tobias Rieder scored for the Coyotes, who have lost nine of their last 10 games.

Louis Domingue made 28 saves.

SPORTS A21

Friday 11 March 2016

NBA Capsules

Westbrook’s huge triple-double leads Thunder past Clippers The Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Russell Westbrook had 25 points, a career-high 20 assists and 11 rebounds to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-108 on Wednesday night.

According to STATS, it was the first triple-double with at least 20 points and 20 assists since Rod Strickland did it for the Washington Wizards in 1998.

It was the 30th triple-double of Westbrook’s career and his 11th this season. The Thunder are unbeaten this season when Westbrook gets a triple-double.

Kevin Durant had 30 points and 12 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka added 15 points for Oklahoma City. Jeff Green scored 23 points, J.J. Redick had 22 and Chris Paul added 12 points and 16 assists for the Clippers.

WARRIORS 115, JAZZ 94 OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry made a zippy crossover to shed his defender then banked in a 55-footer at the halftime buzzer, and Golden State beat Utah to extend its record regular-season home winning streak to 46.

Klay Thompson scored 23

points, and Curry wound up with 12 points and 10 assists on a quiet night in which he struggled to find his stroke early. Draymond Green added 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists as Golden State (576) improved to 28-0 at Oracle Arena this season.

Trey Burke led the Jazz with 18 points.

CAVALIERS 120, KINGS 111 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Love converted a four-point play with 1:32 remaining, Kyrie Irving scored 30 points and Cleveland hung on to beat Sacramento.

LeBron James had 25 points and 11 rebounds. Tristan Thompson added 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Love finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

DeMarcus Cousins had 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings. They trailed 109100 with under 5 minutes to play before using an 8-0 run to close within one.

CELTICS 116, GRIZZLIES 96 Isaiah Thomas scored 16 of his 22 points in the third quarter as Boston turned a three-point deficit into a 16-point lead before coasting to their 14th straight home victory, over Memphis.

The Celtics have not lost in

Boston in more than two months, a span that has seen them climb from ninth in the East into the conference’s No. 3 seed.

Two nights after surprising East-leading Cleveland — despite being without four starters — Memphis sustained a collapse that was exacerbated by the loss of guard Mario Chalmers in the third quarter to what the team called a right foot injury. Chalmers did not appear to sustain any contact before pulling up and then needing assistance off the court, unable to put any weight on his leg.

JaMychal Green had 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies.

HORNETS 122, PELICANS 113 CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (AP) — Kemba Walker scored 35 points as Charlotte held off New Orleans for its 11th victory in 13 games.

Walker shot 9 of 18 from the field and had five 3-pointers for his fourth-straight 30-point game. He also added seven assists and seven rebounds for Charlotte.

Courtney Lee had 16 points and Nicolas Batum added 15 as all five Charlotte starters reached double figures

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, center, shoots between Los Angeles Clippers forward Wesley Johnson (33), center DeAndre Jordan, rear, and guard Austin Rivers (25) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, March 9, 2016.

Associated Press

in scoring midway through the third quarter.

Anthony Davis had 40 points and 13 rebounds and Jure Holiday scored a season-high 38 points for New Orleans. The injuryplagued Pelicans fell to 7-24 on the road.

PISTONS 102, MAVERICKS 96 DALLAS (AP) — Marcus Morris scored 20 points, including two 3-pointers during a

decisive fourth-quarter run, and Andre Drummond had 25 points and 17 rebounds in Detroit’s victory over Dallas.

Drummond leads the NBA with 54 double-doubles. Tobias Harris added 19 points for Detroit.

Chandler Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki each scored 25 points for Dallas. The Mavericks have lost a seasonhigh four straight games.q

U.S. rallies to beat Germany 2-1 to win SheBelieves Cup WALTER VILLA Associated Press BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Alex Morgan and Samantha Mewis scored and the United States rallied to beat Germany 2-1 on Wednesday night to win the SheBelieves Cup. The World Cup champion Americans were 3-0-0 in the four-team event. Germany (2-1-0) finished second.

“You put two great teams on a small pitch, and the intensity was fantastic,” U.S. coach Jill Ellis said. “This tournament was essential for us to continue to grow.”

In front of 13,501 fans at FAU Stadium, Germany opened

the scoring in the 29th minute when Anja Mittag beat goalkeeper Hope Solo with a low, hard shot to the left corner of the net. It was the first goal allowed by the Americans since a 1-0 loss to China on Dec. 16.

The Americans, who have won all nine of their matches this year, tied it on Morgan’s goal in the 35th minute, and Mewis added the winner in the 41st minute on a shot that deflected off a defender’s leg. It was just the second goal for Mewis in eight career games with the national team.

“She can operate in tight spaces and has tremen-

dous technical ability,” Ellis said about Mewis. “Her physical dimension was very good. I wanted to see if she could handle the top teams.”

Morgan said her goal, which came on the left wing after a pass from Meghan Klingenberg, was special.

“It ranks up there especially the fact that we were down 1-0 and we were able to come back so quickly and win our first domestic tournament,” Morgan said. “It was pretty big for me.”

Morgan was named the Woman of the Match and

also won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards for the tournament.

“With Alex, we started to see it in January in training,” Ellis said. “She’s fit.

She’s healthy.”

For the tournament, Solo earned the Golden Glove award given to the top goalie.

The teams met for the first time since the Americans’ 2-0 victory in Montreal last year in the World Cup semifinals. The U.S. is 8-05 against Germany since 2003.

They could meet again soon in the Olympics in Brazil. Of the 22 players who

United States’ goalkeeper Hope Solo (1) poses with the golden glove award after the SheBelieves Cup, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, in Boca Raton, Fla. The US defeated Germany 2-1 to win the SheBelieve Cup. Associated Press

were part of Wednesday’s game for the U.S., 19 are on the Olympic roster.q

A22

Friday 11 March 2016

SPORTS

After Trump endorsement, NASCAR leader faces the fallout JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (AP) — When Brian France endorsed Donald Trump for U.S. president, the chairman and chief executive of NASCAR thought of it as nothing more than a “routine endorsement.”

He’s been dealing with the fallout ever since.

France’s decision to personally back the frontrunner for the Republican nomination has roiled a sport his family built from the ground up. It’s threatened a decade of work to broaden NASCAR’s appeal among minorities, upset one of the most powerful teams in the sport and risked a break with corporate sponsors.

“I was frankly, very surprised, that my diversity efforts for my whole career would have been called into question, over this, in my view, a routine endorsement,” France said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press.

France acknowledged he’s had to have conversations with sponsors since making the endorsement, which came as NASCAR is seeking a new main sponsor for its top series.

“I made a few phone calls and clarified some things,” he said. “That kind of goes with the territory.”

France’s appearance at a Trump rally last week fits with the sport’s history of occasionally blending politics with the action at

In this Feb. 29, 2016 file photo, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France, right, speaks at a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at Valdosta State University in Valdosta,

Ga. Associated Press

the track. France’s grandfather, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., endorsed George Wallace for president. Its all-time most successful driver, Richard Petty, celebrated his 200th victory with President Ronald Reagan and ran for statewide office in North Carolina in the 1990s.

France told the AP on Wednesday he backed Barack Obama in 2008 and actively participated in the campaign, shifting his support to Mitt Romney four years later.

“I supported Obama. I went to his rallies. I parted with my hard-earned mon-

ey. There was a movement going on, and I was really thrilled with the idea of the first African-American president,” he said. “I did the same for Mitt Romney. In both of those cases, I have never agreed with all of their policies.”

But Trump is a candidate that strongly divides opinions, with his policies to restrict immigration from Mexico and the Muslim world.

“I don’t even know all their policies, truthfully,” France said.

He said he likes Trump’s “business approach”, his status as a Washington out-

sider and a friendship with one of Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. that dates back nearly two decades.

“I’m not supporting him for all of his views, or his immigration views,” France said.

“I happen to be very enamored by the excitement he’s brought and the voter turnout that it is creating.”

France’s efforts to quell criticism over a “personal and private” decision have also been complicated by Trump’s continued mentioning of how he’s received “NASCAR’s endorsement.”

On Monday, at a North Carolina campaign rally

not far from Charlotte Motor Speedway and the headquarters of many top NASCAR teams, Trump was ebullient in describing his backing from the sport.

“I just had a visitor backstage. NASCAR endorsed Trump, can you believe that?” he asked the crowd.

Except it wasn’t NASCAR that made the endorsement. It was France.

“We talked to the campaign about the endorsement that I made, versus the sport, and it’s hard to get that perfectly right all the time,” France said.

Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Trump’s campaign, said in a statement that he spoke broadly because the “endorsement is from the great Brian France, in addition to several NASCAR drivers.”

In a company-wide email sent last week to all his employees, France reiterated that NASCAR has never had a policy prohibiting employees or competitors from participating in politics, but said that could change in the future.

He told the AP on Wednesday he understands that his endorsement can be viewed as one that comes from NASCAR itself.

“I understand that the family is closely linked with NASCAR. ... We’ve just always, you’ve seen politicians come to tracks, and it varies, some Democrats, some are Republicans, all have policies we do and don’t agree with,” he said.

Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni wins stage 4 of Paris-Nice race

Cofidis’ Nacer Bouhanni of France celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the fourth stage of the Paris Nice cycling race between Julienas and Romans sur Isere, central France, Thursday, March 10, 2016.

Associated Press

ROMANS-SUR-ISERE, France (AP) — French rider Nacer Bouhanni outpaced his rivals in a sprint finish to win the fourth stage of the Paris-Nice race on Thursday, while Australian Michael Matthews retained the overall lead.

Matthews beat Bouhanni in controversial circumstances on Tuesday’s second stage when Bouhanni was penalized for deviating from his line in the final sprint.

“This time there’s no controversy, I won,” Bouhanni said. “Of course I was a bit revengeful, what happened in Tuesday’s sprint upset me, and I slept badly that night. It consumed a lot of my energy and I wanted this win to forget all of that.”

Bouhanni held off Belgian rider Edward Theuns and Andre Greipel of Germany to win the 195.5-kilometer (121-mile) trek from Julienas to Romans-sur-Isere

at the foot of the Vercors mountain range in the Alps of southeastern France.

Matthews leads Tom Dumoulin of the Netherlands by 14 seconds overall, with Patrick Bevin of New Zealand 19 seconds back in third place.

The standings are set for a shakeup on Friday, when Stage 5 takes the peloton up the famed Mont Ventoux, one of the most feared climbs on the Tour de France.

TECHNOLOGY A23

Friday 11 March 2016

Review: The Samsung S7’s camera now rivals the iPhone ANICK JESDANUN AP Technology Writer NEW YORK (AP) — It’s difficult to justify paying for a high-priced, top-end smartphone these days — unless, that is, you want to take good pictures.

In this Age of Instagram, a great camera is one of the few reasons to pay $650 or more for the latest smartphone, instead of $200 or $300 for a budget phone that does texting, Facebook and Web surfing just as well.

Samsung’s phone cameras have shown tremendous improvement in just a few years. The new Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge phones take much better pictures than last year’s S6 models.

In fact, they’re now basically neck and neck with Apple’s iPhones, meaning that you no longer have to compromise on picture quality if you prefer Android.

I took more than 2,000 still shots and a few videos using 10 smartphones from Samsung, Apple, LG, Huawei and Motorola.

To make the comparison clearer, I focused on indoor and night settings, such as museums, bars and New York’s Central Park at night. Even budget phones can take great shots in good light, but only great phones take good shots in poor light. ___

In this Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016, file photo, a Samsung Galaxy S7, left, and S7 Edge are displayed during the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2016 event on the eve of the Mobile World Congress wireless show, in Barcelona, Spain.

Associated Pres

BETTER LIGHTING, BETTER FOCUS I was impressed with the S7’s ability to capture Central Park’s unlighted Bethesda Fountain at night. Shots from most other phones appear pitch black, save for a faint outline of the fountain’s statue and some distant light from building windows.The S7 was also more likely to get the focus right on its own, without having to choose a focus area first by touching the phone screen. Even with touching, focusing sometimes takes a second or two on other cameras. I don’t get that

lag with the S7, meaning fewer missed action shots.

The lens and image sensors on the S7 aren’t large enough to match the capabilities of full-bodied SLR cameras, but the phones borrow some of the focus and light-capturing technologies found on more sophisticated shooters.

These technologies combined result in brighter, sharper images in low light. ___ UPGRADING THE S6 The S7 also has a widerangle lens than last year’s S6 models, one that now matches iPhone hardware.

It captures more of what’s in front of you. Among other things, people don’t have to squeeze together as tightly for group shots.

Samsung also corrected some design deficiencies in earlier models. The S7’s camera lens no longer protrudes awkwardly, as it did on the S6. Its screen turns into a flash for low-light selfies, just like the latest iPhones. (That means my selfies now look awful because of their subject and not the low light.)

The S7 also takes photos in a standard 4-by-3 rectangle, not the wider 16-by-9

frame of the S6. While overall megapixel count is lower on the S7, that’s entirely a consequence of the narrower width, which yields a photo like an S6 shot with its far edges chopped off. ___ A FEW QUIBBLES Many indoor shots come out yellowish, possibly reflecting the yellowish nature of indoor lighting.

On the S7, books look as though they’ve yellowed from being out in the sun too long. Egg whites on a burger don’t look so white (though bacon comes out brighter, with more detail).

Faces are more orange than usual.

Odd colors can make pictures look better, but they often don’t seem natural. ___ COMPARISONS Of all of the phones I tested, the S7 and iPhone 6S produced the most consistent low-light photos. The S7 shots typically had better focus, while the iPhone pictures looked more natural, with colors typically mirroring how you see things.

The S7 has also cloned Apple’s Live Photos feature, in which the camera captures short video clips as it’s taking still photos. The feature is on by default on the iPhone, but you need to turn it on with the S7. Unlike the iPhone version, Samsung’s Motion Photo has no sound.

Human Go champion ‘speechless’ after 2nd loss to machine YOUKYUNG LEE AP Technology Writer SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The human Go champion said he was left “speechless” after his second straight loss to Google’s Go-playing machine on Thursday in a highly-anticipated human versus machine face-off.

Lee Sedol, one of the best Go players in the world with 18 world championships, was grim and ashen after the game, which lasted more than four hours.

“I’m quite speechless,” he said at the press confer-

ence that was livestreamed on YouTube. “It was a clear loss on my part. From the beginning there was no moment I thought I was leading.”

The latest victory by AlphaGo over South Korea’s Lee puts Google’s AlphaGo team one victory away from claiming the $1 million prize.

If AlphaGo wins, the prize money is to be donated to UNICEF, Go organizations and charities.

AlphaGo’s first win against Lee, on Wednesday, shook the Go-playing world,

marking a milestone in the development of artificial intelligence.

Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans, even those who do not play the popular board game, followed the games on live TV and on YouTube. All major local newspapers reported Lee’s loss on their front pages.

“2-year-old artificial intelligence masters 5,000-yearold human Go,” said a headline in the Chosun Ilbo, South Korea’s most circulated daily newspaper.

Many had believed it would take another decade for

South Korean professional Go player Lee Sedol appears on the screen during the second match of the Google DeepMind Challenge Match against Google’s artificial intelligence program, AlphaGo at the media room in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 10, 2016.

Associated Press

computers to conquer the ancient Chinese board game, one of the most creative games ever devised

and the only board game left to conquer after chess was mastered by computers in 1997.

A24 BUSINESS

Friday 11 March 2016

Great Harvest Bread sues Panera Bread over trademark JIM SALTER Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — One restaurant chain that made its name off fresh bakery products is suing another, alleging federal trademark infringement for use of what it calls a confusingly similar advertising slogan.

Great Harvest Bread Co. filed suit Thursday in federal court in Charlotte, North Carolina, against Panera Bread. The suit, filed on

behalf of Great Harvest’s more than 200 owneroperated stores, claims the company received a trademark in October 2014 for its mantra, “Bread. The Way it ought to be.”

The lawsuit says suburban St. Louis-based Panera debuted its “Food as it should be” advertising campaign just eight months later, in June 2015. Great Harvest, based in Dillon, Montana, says the Panera campaign

intentionally causes confusion.

“We need to protect the investment being made by our individual small business owners from being drowned out or overrun by a multi-million dollar national advertising campaign,” Great Harvest president Eric Keshin said in a statement.

Great Harvest said it asked Panera to suspend advertising and promotion that

used the phrase, but to no avail. Panera has since sought a trademark for “Food as it should be,” and Great Harvest has formally opposed it, Great Harvest said.

The Associated Press left messages seeking comment from Panera representatives on Thursday.

A spokeswoman for Great Harvest says the suit was filed in North Carolina because franchisees there

are especially concerned about the alleged infringement.

Great Harvest says it specializes in handcrafted breads with whole wheat purchased from familyowned farms.

Panera operates nearly 2,000 bakery-cafes in 46 states and Ontario, Canada, under the Panera Bread, St. Louis Bread Co. and Paradise Bakery & Cafe names.q

An early rally fades, leaving US stocks mostly flat BERNARD CONDON AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks swung between gains and losses on Thursday, then ended right back where they started.

With seconds to close, the Standard and Poor’s 500 eked out a gain, finishing just 0.02 percent higher.

Stocks rose at the open of trading, echoing a surge in markets in Europe, where the central bank announced a series of moves to jolt the region’s economy to faster growth.

Then, as central bank chief Mario Draghi spoke at a news conference, investors started having second thoughts and stocks there sank, as did U.S. markets.

The S&P 500 edged up 0.31 points to end at 1,989.57.

The Dow Jones industrial average gave up 5.23 points, less than 0.1 percent, to 16,995.13. It was up as much as 130 points earlier. The Nasdaq composite gave up 12.22 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,662.16.

Trader Andrew Silverman works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stocks swung between gains and losses on Thursday, then ended right back where they started.

(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

The new European Central Bank moves included a cut in interest rates, cheap loans to banks and several new measures, such as targeting corporate bonds in its bond-buying program.

The interest rate paid to commercial banks to store money at the central bank was cut further into negative territory, to minus 0.4 percent from minus 0.3 percent. The aim is to get

banks to remove the money and use it to make loans, but it’s an unprecedented and controversial policy.

“The central bank came out all guns blazing,” said Craig Erlam, senior market

analyst at currency trader OANDA. The bank’s efforts also underlined the weakness of the 19-country eurozone and the desperation by monetary authorities to do something about it. The policy announcements ended up rattling investors more than reassuring them.

“The effectiveness of central bank policy has become less and less,” said Ernie Cecilia, chief investment officer of Bryn Mawr Trust. “There really isn’t a lot of growth to show. Europe is really struggling.”

In the U.S., several companies lost ground after releasing disappointing earnings and outlooks. Canadian Solar sank 13 percent and Vail Resorts lost 4 percent.

With nearly all companies out with fourth-quarter results, earnings per share for the S&P 500 are now estimated to have fallen 4.2 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to S&P Capital IQ.q

US budget deficit running lower this year than in 2015 MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government recorded a budget deficit in February only slightly larger than a year ago. For the first five months of this budget year, the deficit is running below the pace set last year.

The Treasury Department says the deficit in February totaled $192.6 billion, up 0.1 percent from a year ago.

So far this budget year, the deficit stands at $353 billion, down 8.7 percent from the same period in 2015.

That improvement is not expected to last. Both the Obama administration and the Congressional Budget Office are forecasting deficits for the full year that will be significantly higher than last year’s $439.1 billion deficit, the lowest annual deficit in eight years.

The CBO sees the deficit

climbing by 24 percent to $544 billion this year. The administration is even more pessimistic, forecasting the deficit will climb to $616 billion this year.

In December, Congress approved a budget package that increased spending by $1.14 trillion this year and will provide $680 billion in tax cuts over the coming decade. The agreement was part of a compromise between Republicans and

the Obama administration.

The measured included many of the domestic spending increases that President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress had been seeking.

Meanwhile, Republicans won greater funding for the military and permanent tax cuts for business investment.

Both CBO and the administration see the deficit worsening over the next

decade, driven higher by rising costs for Social Security and Medicare, which will come under pressure as millions of baby boomers retire.

For the current 2016 budget year, which began on Oct. 1, the government has collected $1.25 trillion in revenue, an increase of 5.3 percent from a year ago.

Government spending has totaled $1.6 trillion, up 1.9 percent from a year ago.q

BUSINESS A25

Friday 11 March 2016

Automakers post healthy February US sales gains

This photo shows the front of a 2016 Dodge Ram 3500 Heavy Duty pickup at a Fiat Chrysler dealership in Doral, Fla. Industry analysts saw February sales bounce back after a slight decline in January. All automakers reported their monthly sales figures last week.

(AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

]TOM KRISHER DEE DURBIN AP Auto Writers DETROIT (AP) — Automakers posted big U.S. sales gains last month as consumers — giddy from Super Bowl ads — returned to showrooms after a snowy January.

Ford’s sales rose 20 percent over last February, boosted in part by higher sales to rental car fleets. Honda’s sales were up 13 percent and Fiat Chrysler’s rose 12 percent. Nissan’s sales rose nearly 11 percent and Toyota’s were up 4 percent.

Hyundai’s sales rose 1 per-

cent.

General Motors said its sales fell 1.5 percent, partly due to a 39-percent cut in rental sales. Volkswagen, still stinging from its diesel cheating scandal, saw its U.S. sales drop 13 percent.

Consulting firm LMC Automotive consulting firm predicts an 8.1 percent increase over a year ago to 1.36 million new vehicles.

With an annual selling rate of 17.7 million cars and trucks, last month would be the best February in 16 years. Automakers reported monthly sales figures

last week.

Industry analysts had expected February sales to bounce back after a slight decline in January. One factor: Super Bowl ads. On Super Bowl Sunday, which was Feb. 7, Website visits per dealership were four times higher than any other Sunday in all of 2015, according to Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst with Autotrader.com. Credit applications also hit single-day records last month.

Ford Chief Economist Emily Kolinski Morris said improving job and income

China’s auto sales rise 5.1% in Jan-Feb JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — China’s auto sales growth decelerated to 5.1 percent in January and February as demand for lower-priced domestic brand SUVs soared but sedan purchases contracted, an industry group reported Thursday.

Sales of sedans, SUVs and minivans in the biggest auto market by number of vehicles sold totaled 3.6 million in the two-month period, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Sales for the first two months are reported together to factor out the impact of the Lunar New Year holiday, a two-week slowdown that occurs at different times during that period each year.

SUV sales soared 54.8 percent in January and Feb-

ruary from a year earlier while sedan sales fell 12.5 percent, according to the CAAM. Chinese brands accounted for 60 percent of the SUV market.

Total vehicle sales, including trucks and buses, rose 4.4 percent to 4.1 million in January and February.

Auto sales suffered an unexpectedly sharp contraction from June through August, rattling a global industry that is counting

on China to drive revenue.

Demand rebounded in September after Beijing cut sales taxes on vehicles with smaller engines.

China’s auto market has been cooling since growth peaked at 45 percent in 2009. Sales have been dented by measures imposed by Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities to curb smog and congestion by limiting new vehicle registrations.

growth, as well as low gas prices and low interest rates, are outweighing stock market volatility in consumers’ minds. Buyers are confident, which is key for auto sales.

Proof of that confidence is everywhere. Sales of the Cadillac Escalade, an SUV that starts at $73,000, were up 22 percent over last February. Sales of Nissan’s $30,000 Murano SUV nearly doubled; so did sales of the $89,000 Lexus LX SUV. Ford said it was the best February for van sales since 1979.

LMC is predicting sales of 17.8 million new vehicles this year, up from 17.46 million last year. But the growth rate is slowing from previous years and many are expecting a plateau as U.S. demand peaks.

GM said its Chevrolet and GMC brands saw declines in February but sales improved at Cadillac and Buick. GM’s best seller, the Chevrolet Silverado pickup, saw a 5-percent sales decline. GM sold 227,825 cars and trucks last month.

GM said it’s trying to lower its reliance on rental sales, which are less profitable

and can hurt vehicle resale values. The company said its sales to commercial and government fleets are up so far this year, but it has sold 30,000 fewer vehicles to rental fleets. Around 21 percent of the company’s February sales went to fleets rather than individual buyers.

It was a different story at Ford. Ford’s U.S. sales chief Mark LaNeve said Ford expects heavier fleet sales in the first four months of this year before they taper off.

Thirty-six percent of Ford’s U.S. sales went to fleets in February.

LaNeve defended that percentage, which is unusually high. At Toyota, for example, 16.5 percent of February sales went to fleets.

“We like this business. It’s profitable for us and we manage it very well,” he said.Ford’s luxury Lincoln brand saw sales jump 30 percent after sales of its new MKX SUV more than doubled over last February. Sales of Ford’s best seller, the F-Series pickup, were up 10 percent. Ford sold 217,192 vehicles.

A26 COMICS

Friday 11 March 2016

Mutts

Conceptis Sudoku

6 Chix

Blondie

Mother Goose & Grimm

Baby Blues

Zits

Yesterday’s puzzle answer

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

CLASSIFIED A27

Friday 11 March 2016

Continued from page 8 Last month, Iraqi and coalition forces declared the western city of Ramadi fully-liberated. Afterward, Iraqi forces continued to clear villages in the area, most recently Zangura and Qariya Asriya northwest of the provincial capital. Iraqi forces this week evacuated more than a thousand people from the two villages being held as hostages

by IS. Defense Minister Khalid alObeidi took office just over a year ago in the wake of Mosul’s fall. Since then, a U.S.-led coalition has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on training and equipment for Iraq’s military. Yet, despite putting more than 18,500 troops through training, few of these troops are

Classifieds

on the front lines. Previous victories have been led by Shiite militia forces or Iraq’s elite counterterrorism forces.

At Camp Speicher troops greeted al-Obeidi in tight formations on the tarmac, wearing neat uniforms. Yet as the minister’s convoy headed toward front lines in the Samarra desert, the order broke down.

At checkpoints along the road that runs north to Bayji — and onwards in the direction of Mosul — Shiite flags began to outnumber Iraqi national ones.

Along the Samarra desert frontline members of the Popular Mobilization Forces — young men in sandals, mismatched tee-shirts and fatigues — were the ones holding the hard-fought recent gains.q

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A28 SCIENCE

Friday 11 March 2016

Feds: Still hope for El Nino drenching Southern California

BY SETH BORENSTEIN AP SCIENCE WRITER WASHINGTON (AP) -- Even though Southern California hasn’t gotten the droughtbusting rainy windfall some might have expected from El Nino, federal scientists hold out hope for the next several weeks.

Central and Northern California have gotten more heavy rain, especially in recent weeks. Southern California hasn’t quite been so soaked. But National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists say their turn may still yet come.

Traditionally Southern California gets its downpours from El Ninos later, in the spring, said NOAA research scientist Martin Hoerling. El Nino is the natural warming of parts of the equatorial Pacific that changes weather worldwide, including often bringing more rain to California, where it is needed after four years of drought.

In the Southern California spring during an El Nino, “the odds of being very wet double,” Hoerling said

caused snow to melt early, hurting water storage even more. And statewide reservoirs are at 72 percent of average.

Still, Southern California gets much of its water from the north, where some mountain ranges are full of snow and some reservoirs are well above normal, Hoerling said.

In this March 2, 2016 photo, Ed Heinlein works on his property to prevent possible rain flooding at the back of his suburban home in Azusa, Calif. El Nino has so far left much of California in the dust, failing to bring the legendary storms linked to the periodic ocean-warming phenomenon.

in a NOAA webinar. So the absence of lots of rain in the region “shouldn’t be overly alarming.”

There’s still six to eight more weeks, Hoerling said.

“We’re still holding out hope” for late snow to add to melting and diminished snow packs that are crucial

for water storage, added NOAA scientist Sarah Kapnick.

But some of the numbers aren’t too hopeful. Water managers judge a season by how much is water available from snowpack on April 1, and after a drought like California has been

through, it is best to be more than 100 percent of what is needed to get the region through the summer and fall. Northern California has 86 percent. Statewide, the snowpack average is 79 percent.

Making matters worse, she said, record warmth has

But they both said this strong El Nino hasn’t quite measured up to past big ones when it comes to providing rain and snow. And the precipitation is needed more than ever because California suffered through a record, four-year drought, they said.

Each El Nino is different and “while it shifts the odds (in favor of lots of rain) it doesn’t guarantee an outcome,” Hoerling said.

Some forecasts are calling for El Nino to end in coming months with the possibility of a flip side, a La Nina, in the fall. Historically, that has meant snow in California decreases and it increases further north, Kapnick said.

PEOPLE & ARTS A29

Friday 11 March 2016

Pavone’s stellar Peter Frampton on that writing carries the crazy summer 40 years ago day in ‘The Travelers’

This book cover image released by Crown shows “The Travelers,” by Chris Pavone.

Associated Press

JEFF AYERS Associated Pres Chris Pavone’s latest novel, “The Travelers,” showcases international locales with reluctant spies.

Writer Will Rhodes works for Travelers magazine, and his duties take him around the world. He’s married to Chloe, who deserves better since Will utilizes his charm to get the story and enjoys being in the company of beautiful women.

Surprisingly, even though his marriage is starting to crumble, he hasn’t cheated. Yet. Temptation wins when Will meets Elle, an Australian fashion model. The next morning he discovers he’s been set up.

Ellie isn’t a model, and their passionate night was a lie. To insure that Chloe doesn’t find out, Will must now utilize his job to spy for

the CIA. And keeping his missions secret from his wife will strain their marriage.

The first quarter of “The Travelers” has too many characters and situations to resolve, and Will Rhodes and the other characters are a bit hard to like.

Pavone finally kicks up the narrative when Will is forced to become a spy — and things become interesting.

Even with all of the unpredictability, reliance on coincidence and strained credulity after Will is recruited, the ending is telegraphed from a mile away, hinting at possible future stories.

However, despite all the issues surrounding the story, nobody brings the human aspect of the spy world into focus better than Pavone, and his stellar writing carries the day.q

MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — It’s been 40 years since Peter Frampton’s life was turned upside down — in a good, crazy way.

The former Humble Pie member was enjoying some modest success as a solo artist when he followed the then-conventional wisdom and followed up his four studio albums with a double live album.

That’s when all hell broke loose.

“Be careful what you wish for,” says Frampton now with a rueful smile.

Within a month of its January 1976 release, the album “Frampton Comes Alive!” was in the Top 10 and getting stronger as the weather warmed. He spent a record 17 weeks at the top of the charts, thanks to the singles “Show Me the Way,” ‘’Baby, I Love Your Way” and the 14-minute “Do You Feel Like We Do,” with its distinctive distorted vocal effect.

One day, his manager called and asked if he was sitting down.

“I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Well, you’ve just made history. It’s the biggest-selling album of all time. You’ve just beaten Carole King’s ‘Tapestry’ record,’” Frampton said.

“That’s when I got nervous and a little bit anxious because to have the No. 1 album was unbelievable. I mean, I never, ever thought that I could approach that. But then to hear that, that’s sort of surreal.”

The English-born Frampton, now 65, is celebrating that crazy summer with a new release, “Acoustic Classics,” a CD of strippeddown versions of his bestknown songs that includes one new tune, “All Down to Me.” He wanted his beloved songs to sound fresh and intimate, as if they were written the night before.

“I was very pleased that the songs held up,” said the singer-guitarist. “Very

In this Feb. 25, 2016 photo, musician Peter Frampton poses for a portrait in New York.

Associated Press

early on, I learned that you can have a great band, you can have a great producer, great studio, everything can be right, but if you don’t have great songs, you’ve got nothing.”

After the monster success of the 1976 live album, the singer’s big hair and good looks led his record company to repackage him as a pop star. His next album was rushed, against his objections, and didn’t do as well. Nothing could.

“I’ve learned that a pop star’s career is about 18 months but a musician’s career lasts a lifetime. I kind of morphed — as quickly as I could — into a musician,” he said. “It was a crazy period.”

Gordon Kennedy, a Nashville, Tennessee-based songwriter and musician who has written songs for Eric Clapton, Garth Brooks and Ricky Skaggs, has worked with Frampton for 16 years. He calls him “above everything else, this ferocious musician.”

“He is a guy who, in some ways, had to overcome his own image. And it wasn’t an image that he necessarily created,” said Kennedy. “All the while, he’s just wanting to play guitar.”

Over the years, Frampton acted a little — he had a part in “Almost Famous” and mocked himself in Geico ads — and worked

with George Harrison and toured with old friend David Bowie, whom he had known since he was 12.

Bowie, who invited Frampton on his Glass Spider Tour, was a mentor. “For all of us, we’ve lost a genius, a oneof-a-kind.

He taught so many people how to redirect your career — including me,” Frampton said.

Redemption came in 2007 when Frampton’s instrumental album “Fingerprints” won a Grammy Award, his first. “I was speechless at that time because it meant so much to me to get that vote of confidence as a player,” he said.

“Over the last few years — since ‘Fingerprints’ — things kind of sped up. There’s more demand for me out there live. I’ve been working really well every year.

It’s fantastic because I love to play live.”

Frampton these days lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and is father to four kids, the youngest a college student at 19. He’s come to terms with the album that defined his career.

“When I kick the bucket, the first sentence will be, ‘known for the live album ‘Frampton Comes Alive!’

I know that,” he said. He also knows how beloved his songs are, especially “Baby, I Love Your Way.” q

A30 PEOPLE

Friday 11 March 2016

& ARTS

With songwriting, actress Rita Wilson finds a new voice MESFIN FEKADU AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — “Crying, Crying,” the second track on Rita Wilson’s new album, describes the complexity the actress-singer faced last year after learning she had breast cancer.

“I’m going to all these doctor’s appointments in the morning, but at night I’m going off and doing this comedy,” she said of starring in “Fish in the Dark” with Larry David on Broad-

way. “It’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m out here, I’m doing a comedy, I’m laughing!’ But you go home and you’re thinking about what’s going to happen in your life and are you going to be OK?” “Crying, Crying,” which features Wilson singing honest lyrics over a fun beat, is one of many tunes she co-wrote — a first for the performer — for “Rita Wilson,” to be released Friday.

She’s found a new voice in songwriting and collabo-

This Feb. 29, 2016 image taken from video shows actress-singer and producer Rita Wilson during an interview in New York to promote her self-titled album, out Friday, March 11.

Associated Press

rated with a number of well-known producers and writers to craft a countrypop record that’s cohesive throughout the 15 tracks.

The album was co-written with Dan Wilson, who had in hand in writing iconic songs like Adele’s “Someone Like You” and the Dixie Chicks’ “Not Ready to Make Nice.” Other collaborators include Babyface (Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton), Stephan Moccio (The Weeknd, Miley Cyrus), Sugarland’s Kristian Bush, Ron Aniello (Bruce Springsteen) and Nathan Chapman, who was a producer on all five Taylor Swift albums.

After her first album, 2012’s “AM/FM,” Wilson was encouraged to write songs by her friend Kara DioGuardi, the popular songwriter who has worked with Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson. “(She asked), ‘Do you have anything you want to say?’

And I said, ‘Yes,’” Wilson recalled.

That’s when they wrote “Grateful.” And Wilson cried.

“This is exactly what I want-

ed to do,” she said of writing a song that captured her emotions. “’Grateful’ has a very special place in my heart ... because it’s reflective of what I’ve been through in the last few years in my life.”

After creating 30 songs in Los Angeles and Nashville, Tennessee, Wilson realized she had a full album of new material.

Not all of the tracks on “Rita Wilson” are based personal experiences, but some hit home: “Still Gone” is about “losing my dad and my two girlfriends in a very short period of time,” and “Girls Night In” describes a night during which Wilson and her girlfriends trade their stilettos for sweatpants.

“I got all my girlfriends together and we rented a small studio in the neighborhood and we had a choreographer come in and teach us all the dance moves for Janet Jackson’s ‘All for You,’” she said with a laugh.

Wilson, who has appeared in a number of films and TV shows and is married to Tom Hanks, recently per-

formed a number of shows at the Cafe Carlyle in New York City. She will launch a tour March 29 in Solana Beach, California, to support the album.

She’ll combine her film and music worlds with the upcoming “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2,” a film she produced, has a role in and wrote music for. She sings on the track, “Even More Mine,” which appears at the end of the movie.

“Strong Tonight,” from her new album, will be covered by Connie Britton’s character on the TV series “Nashville.”

The 59-year-old performer said she was afraid to tackle music in the beginning.

“We all, I think, are really scared to take chances and to try new things, and ... we put ourselves in boxes and we just say, ‘I can’t do this,’” she said.

“I think to be able to have music right now at this point in my life is such a huge blessing, but ... I had to get over whatever judgment you feel is going to come at you. I’m not 25 years old, so hopefully people will be buying this.”q

PEOPLE & ARTS

A31

Friday 11 March 2016

AP NewsBreak: Remnick and Wideman elected to Academy of Arts HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — When John Edgar Wideman learned he had been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, his response was to welcome the news and to think about what it means.

“Yes, it’s great for me, but how does this recognition function in a larger society, how does it work?” the author of such acclaimed books as the memoir “Brothers and Keepers” and the novel “Philadelphia Fire” told The Associated Press during a recent interview.

The academy announced 12 inductees Thursday, among them photographer Robert Frank, former U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins and author, journalist and New Yorker editor David Remnick.

Other inductees include novelist Peter Carey, pioneering multimedia artist Joan Jonas and electronic music composer Paul Lansky, the academy told The Associated Press. The academy also elected the painter, stage designer and printmaker David Salle; artist Pat Steir; and composers Sebastian Currier and David Rakowski.

Two honorary foreign members were added: British author Julian Barnes and the German photographer Thomas Struth.

Founded in 1898, the academy is an honor society with 250 core members, divided among literature, music and the visual arts. Toni Morrison, Stephen Sondheim and Jasper Johns are among the current members. Inductees have no obligations beyond agreeing to join, although many serve on prize committees, for which they are paid a stipend.

Wideman says he read a history of the academy — sent to him by the academy. He noted the early record of excluding blacks (and almost anyone who wasn’t a male, white Chris-

In this Aug. 6, 2015 file photo, Lin-Manuel Miranda appears at the curtain call following the opening night performance of “Hamilton” in New York.

Associated Press

Cast of Broadway hit ‘Hamilton’ to perform at White House In this Jan. 28, 2016, file photo, photographer and filmmaker Robert Frank appears at the opening of the exhibition featuring his work, “Robert Frank: Books and Films, 1947–2016,” at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in New York.

Associated Press

tian) and cited Richard Wright and Zora Neale Hurston as among the writers never elected.

“Isn’t that something, what would American literature be without those people?” he said.

W.E.B. Du Bois was the first black inducted, in 1944. Former members also include James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison and Langston Hughes, while Morrison, poet Rita Dove and novelist Ernest J. Gaines are in the academy now. Current members nominate candidates, and Wideman would like to see authors Ishmael Reed and Paule Marshall among others voted in.

“They have to represent something special. That’s what matters to me,” he said. “It’s always about the art.”

Wideman pointed out that he is close to the same age, 74, as Du Bois was when he joined the academy, although Wideman is far from the oldest member of the class of 2016. Frank, one of the world’s most influential photographers, renowned for his landmark collection “The Americans” from the 1950s, turned 91 last fall. His election comes a year after the academy

voted in the essayist and baseball writer Roger Angell of The New Yorker at age 94.

The new list includes another longtime New Yorker staff writer, Jane Kramer, who specializes in European culture and politics, and Remnick, who has edited the magazine since 1998 and won a Pulitzer Prize four years earlier for “Lenin’s Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire.”

“I am absolutely sure this (election to the academy) is some kind of mistake,” Remnick wrote in an email to the AP. “But in a year in which Donald Trump is winning primary after primary, maybe anything is possible.”

Collins is one of the country’s most popular poets and served as poet laureate from 2001-2003. The Australian-born Carey won the Booker Prize for his novels “Oscar and Lucinda” and “True History of the Kelly Gang.”

Openings in the academy occur after a member dies.

Ornette Coleman, novelist Robert Stone and poet Philip Levine are among those who passed away in 2015.q

MARK KENNEDY AP Drama Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The cast of the mega-hit Broadway show “Hamilton” will make a quick trip to the White House on Monday to perform songs from the show for the first family and answer questions from school children.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show’s writer and star, announced the invitation during his weekly video series Wednesday.

The musical tells the true story of Alexander Hamilton, the nation’s first treasury secretary. It is told by a young African-American and Latino cast and has a varied score that ranges from pop ballads to sexy R&B to rap battles.

The Obamas have been big boosters of the show.

President Barack Obama took daughters Sasha and Malia to see it last year after first lady Michelle Obama caught it last spring.q

Steven Spielberg picked to give Harvard commencement address CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been chosen to give Harvard’s 2016 commencement speech.

The three-time Academy Award winner is scheduled to address students May 26 at the Ivy League campus.

Harvard President Drew Faust said in a statement Thursday that Spielberg’s creativity has fueled countless imaginations and that his films underscore what it is to be human.

Spielberg has won Oscars

for best picture and best director for “Schindler’s List,” and best director for “Saving Private Ryan.”

In 2002, he earned a degree from California State University, Long Beach, where he had attended in the 1960s but dropped out.

Spielberg follows others from Hollywood picked to give marquee commencement addresses this year. Actor Matt Damon is scheduled to speak June 3 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.q

A32 FEATURE

Friday 11 March 2016

‘Spring Break for nerds’ kicks off Friday in Austin, Texas MAE ANDERSON AP Technology Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The smell of BBQ is in the air and talk about virtual reality, online privacy and the latest hot apps is on everyone’s minds. It’s time again for South by Southwest Interactive, an annual tech festival dubbed “Spring Break for nerds.”

The five-day festival, which kicks off Friday in Austin, Texas, is more freewheeling than other tech conferences like CES in Las Vegas and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

It’s where St. Bernards delivering Mophie smartphone chargers to festival goers — as the charger maker arranged last year — can garner as much buzz as the apps brought to fame there, including Foursquare in 2009 and Twitter in 2007.

“It’s an interesting place to see what types of things are bubbling up in technology,” said Ryan Hoover, founder of Product Hunt, a service for people to rate new tech products. “It has this mixture or collision of technology and entertainment. When different types of minds and people are connecting together, newideas come out.”

The festival has grown larger and more corporate over the years, with sponsors including McDonald’s and Samsung, but it still draws an eclectic crowd of movers and shakers in the tech industry each year.

This year’s sessions include one on a futuristic transportation system, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, which aims to move people in a capsule inside an enclosed tube track at 760 miles per hour — faster than commercial airliners.

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone will discuss the evolution of online search, while “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams and “The Jinx” director Andrew Jarecki will tout Jarecki’s new app for vid-

Ethan Kurzweil, a Bessemer venture capitalist who has attended the festival for eight years, said that while South by Southwest Interactive is no longer the little-known yet influential festival it once was, “you can still hear people talking about the very-bleeding-edge consumer tech trends.”

South by Southwest Interactive is part of the larger SXSW festival, which also features sections for movies, music and games over 10 days. The interactive conference drew 33,825 registrants from more than 80 countries last year; the combined festival had about 80,000.

In this Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015, file photo, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 45th Annual Legislative Conference Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington. The president and first lady will make an appearance at the 2016 South by Southwest interactive and music five-day festival which kicks off Friday, March 11, 2016, in Austin, Texas. The appearances mark the first time a sitting president and first lady have spoken at the annual gathering, a group of conferences on tech, music and film which drew more than 80,000 attendees in 2015. And it comes in the midst of a tumultuous election year.

Associated Press

In this Saturday, March 14, 2015, file photo, JJ Castillo, from left, Vanessa Cottingham, and Pamela Ledbetter, wave at a Koceto Jo prototype 360-degree view video camera during the SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas. At South by Southwest Interactive, an annual tech festival dubbed “Spring Break for nerds,” eyes are on virtual reality, online privacy and, of course, the latest hot apps. The five-day festival kicks off Friday, March 11, 2016, in Austin, Texas.

Associated Press

eo editing and sharing, KnowMe. Even President Obama will make an appearance, the

first for a U.S. president at the festival. He plans to talk about civic engagement with the editor-in-chief of

The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit news outlet based in Austin.

Organizers drew criticism several months ago when, faced with threats, they canceled two panels on harassment in online video games. In response, the festival will hold a daylong “online harassment summit” on Saturday, with a slate of panels examining the problem of online harassment.

Another hot topic will be the U.S. government’s demands that Apple create a software program to bypass security features in an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino mass shooters. One panel will focus on ways to improve the relationship between the government and the tech industry, while preserving privacy and security.

And virtual reality will continue to garner buzz, particularly as many systems such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Sony Playstation VR are expected to hit the market this year.

Some sessions will be part of the SXSW gaming festival, which runs March 17 to 19. But the interactive festival will have such panels as “Holy light field! Creating lifelike presence in VR.” And Samsung will show off VR chairs that offer motion simulation as people wear Samsung’s $100 VR headset, Gear VR.q