May 11, 2019

Saturday

May 11, 2019 T: 582-7800 | F: 582-7044 www.arubatoday.com

Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper

U.S.-China talks break up after U.S. raises tariffs

By PAUL WISEMAN and KEVIN FREKING The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Trade talks between the U.S. and China broke up Friday with no agreement, hours after President Donald Trump more than doubled tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports. Trump asserted on Twitter that there was “no need to rush” to get a deal between the world’s two biggest economies and later added that the tariffs “may or may not be removed depending on what happens with respect to future negotiations.”

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, confirmed that the talks had concluded for the day but could not say when they would resume.

Continued on Page 3

Money Talks

A bulk carrier ship is loaded, Friday, May 10, 2019, at the Temco grain terminal at the Port of Tacoma in Tacoma, Wash. U.S. and Chinese negotiators resumed trade talks Friday under increasing pressure after President Donald Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods and Beijing promised to retaliate.

Associated Press

A2 UP

Saturday 11 May 2019

FRONT

House passes $19B disaster aid bill over Trump opposition

By ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Friday passed a $19 billion disaster aid bill that would deliver long-sought relief to farmers, victims of hurricanes and floods, and rebuild southern military bases, as Democrats try to dislodge the legislation from a Senate logjam over aid to hurricane-slammed Puerto Rico.

The measure passed by a 257-150 vote over the opposition of most Republicans, who said it should also include the Trump administration’s $4.5 billion request for stepped up humanitarian aid and law enforcement along the U.S.Mexico border, which is facing a wave of migrants fleeing violence in Central America.

The House had passed an earlier $14 billion version of the measure in January, but the legislation has been held up in the Sen-

ate amid a fight between President Donald Trump and Democrats over aid to Puerto Rico. Trump is feuding with Democratic officials on the island and falsely claims that Puerto Rico has already received $91 billion in aid.

Trump took to Twitter on Thursday to urge Republicans to vote against the bill.

“House Republicans should not vote for the BAD DEMOCRAT Disaster Supplemental Bill which hurts our States, Farmers & Border Security,” Trump tweeted.

“We want to do much better than this. All sides keep working and send a good BILL for immediate signing!”After the vote, Trump tweeted in praise of GOP solidarity, although 34 Republicans broke with his position and supported the disaster aid. “Great Republican vote today on Disaster Relief Bill. We will now work out a bipartisan solution that gets relief for our

This June 18, 2018, file photo shows an aerial view of the Amelia neighborhood in the municipality of Catano, east of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Associated Press

great States and Farmers.

Thank you to all. Get me a Bill that I can quickly sign!”

Some of the Republicans who broke with Trump were from areas hit by the disasters, like Texas and Florida, and others were more moderate Republicans from the Northeast.

Disaster aid measures are usually among the few reliably bipartisan pieces of legislation left in an increasingly partisan Washington.

But the pending measure faces several obstacles in addition to the battle over Puerto Rico, including an attempt by powerful Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., to boost Army Corps of Engineers harbor dredging efforts, of which the Port of Mobile in his state would be a major beneficiary. Shelby’s relationship with White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney also appears strained.

Since the House measure originally passed, Midwestern floods have added billions of dollars to the government’s roster of disaster needs, while a rising wave of Central American migrants seeking refuge from violence in their countries is requiring additional billions of dollars to house and care for thousands of migrants.

“The bill languished for months in the Senate over assistance for Puerto Rico.

And as it sat there, floods battered the Midwest and tornadoes swept the South,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y. “This legislation attempts to meet the needs of all of America’s disaster-stricken communities — whether in Puerto Rico or the Midwest, California or the Carolinas.”

Republicans on Thursday delivered a new offer to Democrats in hopes of finally breaking the legislation free, adding money for Puerto Rico and flooded Midwestern states. Lawmakers had hoped to have the legislation enacted into law by now but are now eying Memorial Day as an informal deadline.

“I’ve spoken to the president. I’ve spoken to the leader on the Senate side.

I believe we can solve this all by next week,” said top House Republican Kevin McCarthy of California.

“Let’s do this together. Let’s show America that when it comes to a time of need that we all put partisanship aside.”

Democrats regard the offer in a positive light.

“The Republicans are finally starting to realize they can’t leave Puerto Rico behind, and that’s a step in the right direction,” said a spokesman for top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York. “Conversations continue.”

The White House and some

Republicans want to add Trump’s border request to the measure.

“We should provide much needed relief to communities recovering from hurricanes, floods, wildfires and tornadoes. But we cannot turn our backs on a border crisis that is growing worse by the day,” said top Appropriations Committee Republican Kay Granger of Texas. “Law enforcement and humanitarian relief organizations are being pushed to the limit, and we must act now.”

Democrats have resisted the idea of merging the border and disaster measures, saying that would delay the aid measure and complicate its passage.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., however, said in a brief interview that “there may be some pieces” of Trump’s border request that could be added to the disaster aid measure in endgame negotiations.

“We’ll see.”

Friday’s measure originally added $3 billion to the earlier House bill to help Midwest states such as Iowa and Nebraska recover from this spring’s floods — but then was successfully amended on the floor numerous times by lawmakers in both parties, who added $1.9 billion to the measure, chiefly to rebuild military bases in Nebraska and Florida and deliver more flood aid for the Midwest.q

U.S. NEWS A3

Saturday 11 May 2019

U.S.-China talks break up after U.S. raises tariffs Continued from Front

Hours earlier, the Trump administration hiked tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports to 25% from 10%, escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington. China’s Commerce Ministry vowed to impose “necessary countermeasures” but gave no details.

The tariff increase went ahead even after American and Chinese negotiators briefly met in Washington on Thursday and again on Friday, seeking to end a dispute that has disrupted billions of dollars in trade and shaken global financial markets. After a short session on Friday, the lead Chinese negotiator, Vice Premier Liu He, left the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative about midday.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin shook hands with Liu as he left.

In the afternoon, a motorcade of sport-utility vehicles and a police escort, both with lights flashing, carried the Chinese delegation away from their lodgings at the Willard InterContinental Hotel .

Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Chinese newspaper Global Times, citing “an authoritative source,” tweeted that “talks didn’t break down. Both sides think that the talks are constructive and will continue consultations. The two sides agree to meet again in Beijing in the future.”

Still, the Trump administration escalated the confrontation again after the Chi-

nese delegation left town.

Lighthizer announced Friday evening that he was preparing to impose tariffs on the $300 billion in Chinese imports that haven’t already been targeted.

The government will have to get public comment before it can target more Chinese goods.

On Wall Street, stocks fell initially Friday but turned positive on optimism over future talks.

Earlier, Trump asserted in a tweet that his tariffs “will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our Country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind. Also, much easier & quicker to do.”

In fact, tariffs are taxes paid

by U.S. importers and often passed along to consumers and companies that rely on imported components.

American officials accuse Beijing of backtracking on commitments made in earlier rounds of negotiations.

“China deeply regrets that it will have to take necessary countermeasures,” a Commerce Ministry statement said.

U.S. business groups appealed for a settlement that will resolve chronic complaints about Chinese market barriers, subsidies to state companies and a regulatory system they say is rigged against foreign companies.

The latest increase extends 25% duties to a total of $250 billion of Chinese imports, including $50 billion worth that were already being taxed at 25%. Trump has said he is planning to expand penalties to all Chinese goods shipped to the

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, second from left, and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, right, speak with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, left, as he departs the Office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington, Friday, May 10, 2019.

Associated Press

United States.

Beijing retaliated for previous tariff hikes by raising duties on $110 billion of American imports. But regulators are running out of U.S. goods for penalties due to the lopsided trade balance.

Ford spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said the carmaker is most concerned about any retaliatory tariffs China might impose.

The Dearborn, Michiganbased company says 80% of the vehicles it assembles in the U.S. are sold domestically, but it does export some vehicles to China.

“While most of the vehicles we sell in China are built in China, Ford does export a number of vehicles to China from the U.S.,” McCleery said. “Our biggest concerns are impacts retaliatory tariffs would have

on our exports and our expanding customer base in China.”

Chinese officials have targeted operations of American companies in China by slowing customs clearance for them and stepping up regulatory scrutiny that can hamper operations.

The latest U.S. increase might hit American consumers harder, said Jake Parker, vice president of the U.S.-China Business Council, an industry group.

He said the earlier 10% increase was absorbed by companies and offset by a weakening of the Chinese currency’s exchange rate.

A 25% hike “needs to be passed on to the consumer,” Parker said. “It is just too big to dilute with those other factors.”

Despite the public acrimony, local Chinese of-

ficials who want to attract American investment have tried to reassure companies there is “minimal retaliation,” he said. “We’ve actually seen an increased sensitivity to U.S. companies at the local level,” he added.

The higher U.S. import taxes don’t apply to Chinese goods shipped before Friday. Shipments take about three weeks to cross the Pacific Ocean by sea, giving negotiators more time to reach a settlement before importers may have to pay the increased charges.Liu, speaking to Chinese state TV upon his arrival Thursday in Washington, said he “came with sincerity.” He appealed to Washington to avoid more tariff hikes, saying they are “not a solution” and would harm the world.q

A4 U.S.

Saturday 11 May 2019

NEWS

House Democrat issues subpoenas for Trump tax returns

By ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A top House Democrat on Friday issued subpoenas for six years of President Donald Trump’s tax returns, giving Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig a deadline of next Friday to deliver them.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., issued the subpoenas days after Mnuchin refused to comply with demands to turn over Trump’s returns. Mnuchin told the panel he wouldn’t provide Trump’s tax records because the panel’s request “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose,” as Supreme Court precedent requires.

Neal reminded the two Trump appointees in a Friday letter that federal law states that the IRS “shall furnish” the tax returns of any individual upon the request of the chairmen of Congress’ tax-writing committees and that Ways and Means “has never been denied” a request.

The White House and the Democratic-controlled House are waging a multifront battle over investigations into Trump and the administration has been refusing to comply across the board, refusing to comply with subpoenas for the unredacted report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and documents related to the testimony by former White House Counsel Donald McGahn.

If Mnuchin and Rettig refuse to comply with the subpoe-

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., is joined at right by Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., at a hearing on taxpayer noncompliance on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 9, 2019.

Associated Press

nas, Neal is likely to file a lawsuit in federal court. He indicated earlier this week that he was leaning toward filing a court case immediately but changed course after meeting with lawyers for the House.

Neal originally demanded access to Trump’s tax returns in early April. He maintains that the committee is looking into the effectiveness of IRS mandatory audits of tax returns of all sitting presidents, a way to justify his claim that the panel has a potential legislative purpose.

Democrats are confident in their legal justification and say Trump is stalling in an attempt to punt the issue past the 2020 election.

In rejecting Neal’s request earlier this week, Mnuchin

said he relied on the advice of the Justice Department. He concluded that the Treasury Department is “not authorized to disclose the requested returns and return information.”

Mnuchin has also said that Neal’s request would potentially weaponize private tax returns for political purposes. Republicans say Neal is using the arcane 1924 law that empowers him to obtain any individual’s tax filing to play politics with Trump.

Democrats also want to probe into Trump’s business dealings, particularly his business relationships with foreigners and to see who he owes money to.

“Your request is merely a means to access and make public the tax returns of a

single individual for purely political purposes,” said ranking Ways and Means panel Republican Kevin Brady, R-Texas.

“While I do not take this step lightly, I believe this action gives us the best opportunity to succeed and obtain the requested material,” Neal said in a statement.

Trump has privately made clear he has no intention of turning over the muchcoveted records.

He is the first president since Watergate to decline to make his tax returns public, often claiming that he would release them if he was not under audit.

“What’s unprecedented is this secretary refusing to comply with our lawful ... request. What’s unprec-

edented is a Justice Department that again sees its role as being bodyguard to the executive and not the rule of law,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J. “What’s unprecedented is an entire federal government working in concert to shield a corrupt president from legal accountability.”

But the president has told those close to him that the attempt to get his returns was an invasion of his privacy and a further example of what he calls the Democrat-led “witch hunt” — like Mueller’s Russia probe — meant to damage him.

Trump has repeatedly asked aides as to the status of the House request and has not signaled a willing to cooperate with Democrats, according to a White House official and two Republicans close to the White House.

He has linked the effort to the myriad House probes into his administration and has urged his team to stonewall all requests. He also has inquired about the “loyalty” of the top officials at the IRS, according to one of his advisers.

Trump has long told confidants that he was under audit and therefore could not release his taxes. But in recent weeks, he has added to the argument, telling advisers that the American people elected him once without seeing his taxes and would do so again, according to the three officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations and spoke on condition of anonymity.q

U.S. NEWS A5

Saturday 11 May 2019

U.S. moving Patriot missile battery to Mideast to counter Iran

By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will move a Patriot missile battery into the Middle East to counter threats from Iran, the Pentagon said Friday, reflecting ongoing concerns that Tehran may be planning to attack America forces or interests in the region.

The Defense Department released a statement about the move but provided no details. An official said the decision comes after intelligence showed that the Iranians have loaded military equipment and missiles onto small boats controlled by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The official was not authorized to discuss the information publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Officials had said earlier this week that sending a Patriot battery to the area was under discussion and was part of the initial request made by the Pentagon’s U.S. Central Command. They said it took a few days to get final approval for the Patriot, a long-range, all-weather air defense system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft.

The U.S. removed Patriot missile batteries from Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan late last year. It was not clear if the battery would go back to one of those countries.

U.S. officials announced Sunday that they would rush an aircraft carrier strike group and bombers to the region.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying ships have passed through the Suez Canal and are now in the Red Sea. Officials had initially indicated that the military moves were based in part on indications that Iran had moved short-range ballistic missiles onto small boats called dhows along its shore.

Officials would not say if the intelligence showed that the boats have mobile launchers on them. But a notice to mariners in the region has warned of potential threats to commercial maritime traffic.

John Bolton, the national security adviser, announced the initial moves on Sunday, citing “troubling and escalatory indications and warnings” but did not explain what they were.

On Friday, a defense official said the Iranian threats also include potential attacks by Iranian proxies, such as Shia militias in Iraq.

Several officials said they have not yet seen any tangible move by Iran in reaction to the U.S. military shifts in the area. But they also noted there have been no attacks.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a quick visit Tuesday to Baghdad to meet with top leaders and underscore Iraq’s need to protect Americans in their country.

The Pentagon also said Friday that the USS Arlington, an amphibious transport ship, will move to the Middle East region earlier than planned. The ship is in Europe and will be replacing the USS McHenry, which is scheduled to leave.q

Worshippers chant slogans against the United States and Israel during a rally after Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran, Friday, May 10, 2019.

Associated Press

A6 U.S.

Saturday 11 May 2019

NEWS

‘Run, Hide, Fight’ mindset making way into U.S. schools

By CAROLYN THOMPSON and MICHAEL MELIA Associated Press BALTIMORE (AP) — The actions of students who died tackling gunmen at two U.S. campuses a week apart have been hailed as heroic. At a growing number of schools around the country, they also reflect guidance to students, at least in some situations, to do what they can to disrupt shootings.

A majority of school districts have now embraced such an approach, with experts saying educators need to give staff and students as many options as possible in the worst-case scenario.

“In all honesty, I don’t know of another strategy,” said teacher Kelly Chavis, whose Rock Hill, South Carolina, school endorses a strategy known as Avoid, Deny, Defend. “What else would you do if you did not try to get away in a situation?”

Many schools have stuck with the traditional approach of locking down classrooms and letting law enforcement confront the shooter, especially in grade-school settings. Encouraging students or faculty to do otherwise, critics say, could make them

In this March 15, 2013, file photo, participants rush out of the cafeteria after hearing gun shots during a lockdown exercise at Milford High School in Milford, Mass.

Associated Press

more of a target.

At the STEM School Highlands Ranch in suburban Denver, where student Kendrick Castillo was killed while confronting a gunman on Tuesday, the school uses a “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” protocol, according to spokesman Gil Rudawsky. He declined to say whether any of the school’s training for students addresses whether they should fight an intruder.

But Brendan Bialy had

thought about it on his own. He lunged with Castillo toward the gunman and wrestled the gun from his hand.

“I don’t like the idea of running and hiding,” he told reporters Wednesday.

“There’s certain situations if you got to get out of it, you got to get out of it, but like, I’m not going to say, like, cower or move out of the way for somebody who’s right in front of me. ... Somebody like that, I’m going to fight them there.”

Riley Howell, 21, died thwarting a shooter last week at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Alert messages at that campus advised students to “Run, Hide, Fight.”

There always have been students willing to take action, said Greg Crane, who founded the for-profit ALICE Institute, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. He said he created it in 2001 based on what had already been done by students including

Jake Ryker, who tackled a shooter at Thurston High School in Oregon in 1998 despite being shot in the chest. Many people have a “warrior mindset, a hero mindset,” Crane said. “It’s just, have we cultivated them with some information and with some training so that when they are the first one to stand up and start moving to do something, maybe they’re not alone?” Educators from over 5,000 school districts have received the program’s training, often from certified law enforcement officers, Crane said. He said the program does not teach fighting strategies.

Rather, it encourages people to make noise, create distractions and confuse the attacker.

Baltimore County Public Schools adopted ALICE this school year.

If an assailant gets too close, students are told to grab anything and throw it and scream, with the idea being to create enough chaos to escape. No young students are told to tackle or otherwise try to make physical contact, but staff members and older students have that option, Superintendent George Roberts said.q

Company comes to aid of students offered jelly sandwiches

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The yogurt company Chobani plans to pay the school lunch debts of lowincome families with students attending a district that made headlines by announcing children who owe money would get cold sunflower butter and jelly sandwiches instead of a hot meal, the mayor’s office confirmed Friday.

The office of Warwick Mayor Joseph Solomon said it is coordinating with Chobani to accept nearly $50,000, the amount owed by lowincome families with children in Warwick Public Schools.

Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya tweeted Thursday that as a parent,

In this Jan. 16, 2018 file photo, Hamdi Ulukaya, founder, chairman and CEO of Chobani, speaks at the National Retail Federation conference in New York.

Associated Press

the news broke his heart.

Access to nutritious food should be a right, not a privilege, he said.

Chobani was but one of the businesses and organi-

zations that offered to donate money to the district, officials said.

Warwick Public Schools had said it was owed $77,000 and couldn’t as-

sume more debt, sparking a public backlash and upsetting the mayor, who asked the school committee to reconsider. It later reversed the decision .

The district includes 19 schools.

About 1,650 students owed money as of last Friday, and about 70% of those students are not enrolled in the program for free or reduced price lunches, according to the school committee.

The mayor’s office is trying to plan an event to accept the donation formally, spokeswoman Courtney Marciano said, and there has been an outpouring of support from across the country.

School leaders are working with attorneys on a way to

accept donations to help settle lunch debt, after a local restaurant owner said the district twice turned down his offer to donate $4,000, school board Chairwoman Karen Bachus said.

Leaders are trying to find a balance between being fiscally responsible and ensuring all students get a healthy, nutritious lunch, she said.

Chobani, based in Norwich, New York, said the company is also looking to donate yogurt to the schools, a spokesman said.

Solomon and state Rep. Joseph Shekarchi, majority leader of the Rhode Island House, said they want to work with Chobani to bring attention to food insecurity among students nationally.q

U.S. NEWS A7

Saturday 11 May 2019

Farrakhan delivers insult while denying he’s anti-Semitic

By HERBERT G. McCANN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan referenced “Satanic Jews” in a speech denying allegations of anti-Semitism, misogyny and homophobia after Facebook banned him from the social media platform.

During the speech Thursday at a Roman Catholic church on Chicago’s South Side, Farrakhan asserted people shouldn’t be angry with him if “I stand on God’s word,” also saying that he knows “the truth,” and “separate the good Jews from the Satanic Jews.”

Farrakhan was invited to speak at the church by the Rev. Michael Pfleger after Facebook banned Farrakhan, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and conservative personality Milo Yiannopoulos, saying they violated its ban on “dangerous individuals.”

Farrakhan, who turns 86 this weekend, said those who think he is a hater don’t

know him and have never had a conversation with him. He added those who hated him before and got to know him came to love him. He went on to say Facebook’s contention that he is dangerous is true because what he says can be researched by his listeners.

“Social media you met me tonight. I plead with the rulers, let the truth be taught,” he said.

The Archdiocese of Chicago distanced itself from Pfleger’s decision to invite Farrakhan to St. Sabina Catholic Church, saying Pfleger did not consult with Cardinal Blase Cupich or other diocese officials before extending the invitation.

“There is no place in American life for discriminatory rhetoric of any kind,” the archdiocese said in a statement. “At a time when hate crimes are on the rise, when religious believers are murdered in their places of worship, we cannot coun-

tenance any speech that dehumanizes persons on the basis of ethnicity, religious belief, economic status or country of origin.”

Farrakhan noted Cupich’s predecessor, Cardinal Francis George, visited him in his home and had dinner with him, and he met with Chicago Cardinal Joseph Bernardin.

“For those angry about me about coming to St. Sabina, how many would be angry with me meeting with Cardinal George and with the previous cardinal,” he said. “That kind of hatred is insanity.”

Pfleger, one of Chicago’s most prominent activists, defended his invitation, saying he was responding to the Facebook ban as a defender of free speech.

Hours before Farrakhan was scheduled to speak, officials of the Illinois Holocaust Museum spoke out against Pfleger for “giving hatred a platform.”

Museum president and Holocaust survivor Fritzie Frit-

No Archie in top U.S. baby names, but Meghan is rising fast WASHINGTON (AP) — Archie doesn’t make the Top 10 boys’ names in U.S., but don’t count it out in the future.

Social Security released its annual list of top baby names on Friday. For 2018, Emma and Liam were again the most popular names. It’s the second year in a row for Liam, the fifth for Emma.

Of course, the United Kingdom’s newest royal, Archie Harrison MountbattenWindsor, was only born Monday. But Social Security says his mom — Meghan Markle, now Duchess of Sussex — seems to have already influenced U.S. parents.

Meghan was the fastest rising girl’s name for 2018, moving from number 1,404 in 2017 to 703. The American actress married Brit-

Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, during a photocall with their newborn son, in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, Windsor, south England, Wednesday May 8, 2019.

Associated Press

ain’s Prince Harry last year.

The entire list of baby names can be viewed on

Social Security’s website at www.socialsecurity.gov/ babynames/.q

Father Michael Pfleger sits next to Minister Louis Farrakhan, of the Nation of Islam, before they both speak at Saint Sabina Church, Thursday night, May 9, 2019, in Chicago.

Associated Press

zshall said when community leaders like Pfleger provide a platform for bigotry and anti-Semitism, “it increases the threat against all of humanity.”

Critics point to Farrakhan’s characterization of Judaism as a “gutter religion’ as evidence of anti-Semitism. And perhaps, most famously, in the 1980s, he came under intense criticism for what was seen as

praise for Adolf Hitler. Widely quoted for calling Hitler a “great man,” Farrakhan said the reports weren’t accurate, and that he’d actually called the Nazi leader “wickedly great.”

His allegedly anti-Semitic, anti-white and anti-gay comments have prompted the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center to label him an extremist.q

A8 WORLD

Saturday 11 May 2019

NEWS

EU elections primer: How they work, what could happen

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — About 400 million Europeans from 28 countries will head to the polls May 23-26 to choose lawmakers to represent them at the European Parliament for the next five years. Here’s a look at that massive exercise in democracy, a multi-national ballot by the European Union’s only democratically elected institution. ___ WHO, WHEN, WHAT ON THE EU VOTE? Europe’s voting marathon kicks off on May 23 in the Netherlands and in Britain — if, as seems likely, the U.K. is still an EU member by then. Voters in Ireland turn out the following day.

Those in the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta and Slovakia vote on May 25 and the remaining 21 EU nations cast their ballots on May 26.

Voters in each EU nation choose some of the 751 lawmakers in the European Parliament, which sits in both Brussels and Strasbourg, France. (This number would be reduced to 705 seats should Britain approve its Brexit divorce deal before the elections start).

Seats in the European Parliament are doled out proportionally based on a nation’s population. Cyprus, Luxembourg and Malta have the fewest seats with six each, while the EU’s most populous member, Germany, has 96 seats.

The results from every nation will be released on May 26 after the last polling station in the continent is closed. ___

European Union leaders pose for a group photo at an EU summit in Sibiu, Romania, Thursday, May 9, 2019.

Associated Press

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT? The assembly’s powers are slowly growing. It’s helped to improve air flight safety in Europe, cut down plastics use, end mobile telephone roaming charges within the bloc, boost data privacy, set climate change ambitions and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cars.

The assembly also has a say in treaties ranging from trade talks to Brexit.

The EU’s powerful executive arm, the European Commission, proposes laws while EU lawmakers amend and negotiate their content with national governments, which are the real font of European power and are represented by the EU Council.

Often, the big impact of these EU elections is on the domestic politics of individual EU nations, like support in Britain for the anti-Europe

U.K. Independence Party in 2014 or the massive gains in France by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Front party, which has now rebranded as the National Rally.

The polls are often used by disgruntled citizens to cast protest votes against their own national governments. ___ WHAT ARE THE ISSUES IN THE EU ELECTION? There are no “European citizens” as such, so voters tend to respond to national interests.

How Europe handles migration is a very significant concern for voters in Italy, Hungary, Poland and elsewhere. Economic concerns often influence voters, and Britain’s future in the EU looks like being a factor again.

An EU survey of public sentiment in April found that voters were most concerned about the economy, un-

employment, immigration, the environment and climate change, terrorism and promoting human rights, democracy and social welfare. ___ WHO’S LIKELY TO WIN WHAT? The most recent projections from April 18 suggest that the center-right European People’s Party will remain the biggest bloc in the European Parliament with an estimated 180 seats, dropping from 217 seats in 2014.

The center-left Socialists and Democrats group is also expected to lose ground, sliding from 186 seats to 149.

Among other mainstream parties, the liberal ALDE alliance is expected to capture 76 seats, eight more than in 2014, while the Greens could rank fourth with some 57 seats, up from 52. However, the liberals

now appear set to create a new group with French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party.

As for the far-right and nationalists, the Europe of Nations and Freedom group, which combines parties like Italy’s League, Britain’s UKIP and France’s far-right National Rally, is predicted to win 62 seats, compared to 37 currently.

New parties such the Brexit Party in Britain are listed as “other” in a mixed bunch that is forecast to expand from 21 seats to 62. ___ HOW WILL THE VOTE CHANGE EUROPE? Europe’s mainstream political groups appear set to hold control over the assembly but, depending on the results, they could be pressured into uncomfortable compromises or awkward alliances in order to pass EU legislation.

Populist and nationalist parties have found rising support in national elections in many EU countries, but their pan-European impact would depend on whether they can form a strong political group in Brussels. That certainly is their goal. Italy’s hard-line interior minister, Matteo Salvini, head of the League party, is trying to put together a populist group of national parties that he says aims to fundamentally shake up EU politics. Forming such a group is not easy — 25 lawmakers are required, with at least one-quarter of the EU’s 28 nations represented — but it’s important because it opens up valuable access to EU funds and political influence.q

30 migrants arrive in Italy, minister sequesters aid ship

Rescued migrants desembark from the Mare Jonio rescue ship of the Italian NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans as it docked at the port of the Italian island of Lampedusa, southern Italy, Friday, May 10, 2019.

Associated Press

Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italy’s interior minister says an Italian-flagged migrant rescue ship has been sequestered after it brought 30 migrants to Italy who had been rescued at sea.

The head of the Mediterranea Saving Humans group, Luca Casarini, said he hadn’t received any notification that the Mare Jonio had been seized by authorities after its 30 migrants came ashore Friday on the southern Italian island of

Lampedusa. The migrants included two pregnant women and a small child. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini declared in a tweet that it was the “last trip” for the ship, saying it had been “blocked and sequestered.” Salvini, head of the rightwing League party, has declared Italy’s ports closed to aid groups that rescue migrants at sea. His hard-line campaign has greatly reduced the number of people arriving in Italy this year.q

WORLD NEWS A9

Saturday 11 May 2019

2 French commandos killed freeing hostages in West Africa Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Two French special forces officers were killed Friday in a military operation in the West African nation of Burkina Faso that freed four people from the United States, France and South Korea who were kidnapped in neighboring Benin, French officials.

Four “terrorists” also were killed during the pre-dawn operation in northern Burkina Faso that was carried out to free the two French tourists, French Defense Minister Florence Parly said.

It was “an operation of rare difficulty” that grew more complex with the discovery of the American and South Korean hostages being held with the French citizens, Parly said.

Despite careful planning and American and Burkina support, “no one had any knowledge” of the presence of an American and

This photo provided Friday May 10, 2019 by the French army shows navy soldiers Cédric de Pierrepont, left, and Alain Bertoncello.

Associated Press

a South Korean, she said at a news conference.

Contacts with the United States and South Korea “show that these countries

were probably not aware of the presence of their two nationals on Burkina Faso territory,” she added.

Parly said the four freed

hostages were in a “safe place.”

French President Emmanuel Macron plans to welcome home the French cit-

izens and the South Korean citizen at a military airport outside Paris on Saturday evening, his office said. The American, whom Parly said was a woman, was expected to be repatriated separately.

The two French tourists failed to return from a visit last week to the Pendjari National Park wildlife reserve in Benin. Their guide was later found dead.

It was not immediately known when and where the American and South Korean were kidnapped.

In a statement Friday, Macron expressed condolences over the deaths of the two Marine commandos participating in France’s Barkhane Operation, which has been working to root out terrorists roaming the Sahel region.

A military ceremony for the commandos is planned for next week.q

Voters to pick successor of Lithuania’s popular ‘Iron Lady’

By LIUDAS DAPKUS Associated Press VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Nine candidates are vying in an election Sunday to become Lithuania’s next president, including a wellknown economist, a former finance minister and the incumbent prime minister.

Term limits require the Baltic country’s current head of state, President Dalia Grybauskaite, to step down after two five-year terms.

The election to choose the popular Grybauskaite’s successor could go to a second-round vote.

The campaign has focused

Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite speaks to the members of press at a polling station during the advance presidential elections in Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, May 7, 2019.

Associated Press

on domestic issues such as the economy, corrup-

tion and social welfare, even though foreign pol-

icy and defense are two of the presidency’s main purviews. The leading candidates include Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, 48; former banking economist Gitanas Nauseda, 54; and former Finance Minister Ingrida Simonyte, 44.

In recent public opinion polls, Simonyte has been in front with support from more than 26% of likely voters, but Nauseda and Skvernelis aren’t far behind.

Along with picking their president, voters on Sunday face a referendum on a constitutional amendment to allow dual citizenship for

hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians living abroad.

A presidential runoff would be held May 26, the same day Lithuanians vote for their EU parliament representatives and another referendum on reducing the number of lawmakers in the 141-seat Seimas assembly.

Skvernelis, who was a police officer before he entered politics, has suggested opening a dialogue with Russia, a departure from the recent governments in Vilnius, and floated the idea of moving the Lithuanian Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.q

A10 WORLD

Saturday 11 May 2019

NEWS

UN says more displaced likely if Syria violence mounts

By SARAH EL DEEB Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — The U.N. food agency warned Friday of a worsening humanitarian situation in Syria’s last rebel stronghold in the country’s northwest as rebel groups battled government forces to regain territory they lost earlier this week.

The latest wave of fighting, which began 10 days ago, is the most serious challenge to a cease-fire brokered by Russia and Turkey last September. Already, some 150,000 people have been displaced inside the enclave, which is home to 3 million people and spans most of Idlib province and part of Hama in the country’s northwest corner.

The U.N. Security Council was to meet later Friday to discuss the violence.

“The situation inside Idlib and northwest Syria is dire and should escalation in violence continue, more desperate families will be displaced,” said Marwa Awad, spokeswoman for the World Food Program in Syria.

The agency was already forced to suspend aid delivery in the last few days to about 47,000 people of a total of 580,000 it had been reaching before the violence. Dozens of the newly

In this Friday, May 3, 2019 file photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows smoke rising after Syrian government and Russian airstrikes hit the town of al-Habeet, southern Idlib, Syria.

Associated Press

displaced, many uprooted by violence several times before, are living out in the open in olive groves, unable to afford transportation to camps further north, Awad said.

The violence escalated in the last few days as government forces advanced on the southern edge of the rebel stronghold — gaining control since Wednesday of a couple of villages and towns there.

On Friday, rebel groups launched a counterof-

fensive to reclaim Kfar Nabudah, a village some described as the first line of defense for Idlib, which was captured by the government Wednesday. Its capture enabled government troops to advance to the east, regaining control of the town Qalaat Madiq.

Syria state al-Ikhbariya TV claimed troops repelled the insurgent attacks against Kfar Nabudah village.

But the Britain-based war monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human

Rights said the insurgents, led by al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, advanced into the village, sparking intense clashes and government airstrikes.

A spokesman for the rebel umbrella group National Front for Liberation, Naji alMustafa, said clashes are ongoing and the government has suffered losses.

The rebel stronghold is the last pocket of anti-government opposition in the eight-year civil war. Multiple foreign powers have inter-

vened in the conflict, with Russia and Iran backing the government and Turkey supporting rebel factions.

The U.S. backs Kurdish-led fighters in the east.

Late on Thursday, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and requested that the attacks on Idlib stop.

According to Anadolu, Lavrov told Cavusoglu that the government’s attacks on Idlib had been halted.

A readout of the call posted on Russia’s Foreign Ministry website, however, did not mention a Russian pledge to stop the attacks.

It only said that the two ministers discussed Idlib and the importance of “fighting against the terrorist threat on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.”

On Friday, Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar accused the Syrian government of trying to expand its field of control in Idlib in violation of the cease-fire.

Akar called for the government attacks to be halted.

He made the comments during a visit to Turkey’s border with Syria where he inspected troops, together with the country’s top military commanders.q

As Lebanon leaders talk austerity, protesters cry ‘thieves!’

By SARAH EL DEEB Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — Dozens of Lebanese military and security veterans burned tires and shouted angrily outside government offices on Friday, their second protest in less than two weeks amid fears a proposed austerity budget may affect their pensions and benefits.

The protesters gathered in downtown Beirut as ministers met to discuss a budget bill that aims to cut public spending and tackle a national debt that stands at more than 150% of GDP. They denounced leaked reports of cuts to their pensions, calling on the government to address corruption instead.

“Thieves. Thieves. They are

Lebanese retired soldiers protest in front of the government building during a cabinet meeting to discuss an austerity budget, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, May 10, 2019.

Associated Press

all thieves,” the protesters chanted. One protester said they were burning tires to draw the ministers’ attention to their warnings.

“If they can’t see us, may-

be they can smell,” the unnamed protester told Lebanese station MTV. Some protesters scuffled outside the Cabinet meeting with security personnel

who tried to prevent them from burning tires.

“We are back today to tell this government to beware: our pensions and our family rights are a red line,” said retired Gen. Sami Rammah. “We are waiting for the decisions of the government meeting. If it is good, then all good and well. If it is evil, we will let them know about evil.”

He warned of escalating protests around Lebanon.

The government’s planned budget cuts have unleashed a wave of public discontent that has widened.

Local media reported the planned cuts target public wages, chipping away at end of service and social benefits of civil ser-

vants and reducing early retirement compensation.

Senior officials would also see their salaries cut and capped. Income taxes on the highest brackets, along with taxes on interest from bank deposits, are expected to be raised, according to a leaked budget proposal. Another measure that might also meet resistance is a debt swap with local banks.

Thousands of civil servants and staff of the Central Bank held brief strikes to pressure the government to spare them cuts.

On Friday, professors in the state-owned Lebanese University also protested potential cuts to their wages and the learning institution’s budget.q

WORLD NEWS A11

Saturday 11 May 2019

South Africa’s ruling ANC coasting to win in national vote

By ANDREW MELDRUM MOGOMOTSI MAGOME Associated Press PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — The ruling African National Congress was on course to win South Africa’s presidential and parliamentary elections by a comfortable margin with almost all votes counted Friday, but the tally showed the party lost support from five years earlier amid deep anger over corruption.

The ANC, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, had 57% of the vote in Wednesday’s election, according to results announced by South Africa’s electoral commission after 95% of votes were counted. In 2014, the party received 62% of the total vote.

The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, had 20% of the vote as of Friday, down from the 22% it received in the last election. On Friday, 35 smaller parties jointly lodged a complaint with the electoral commission, complaining of irregularities and calling for an audit of the vote

Mmusi Maimane, leader of the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, speaks to the media as he visits the Independent Electoral Commission Results Center in Pretoria, South Africa Friday, May 10, 2019.

Associated Press

and a possible rerun of the election.

The ANC’s lead, despite its reduced margin, was seen by many as a mandate for Ramaphosa to keep working to clean up corruption within the party that inspired South Africa under

Nelson Mandela’s leadership.

Another former ANC leader, Jacob Zuma, resigned as president last year amid numerous corruption allegations.

“It’s now up to Ramaphosa to clean up the ANC, to

stop the looting in government,” said commentator Barney Mthombothi. “He can argue that the ANC lost its share of the vote because of the rampant corruption under the previous Zuma leadership.”

In the campaign, Rama-

phosa acknowledged the problem of graft in the party, which has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid 25 years ago.

He vowed not to have any corrupt members in his Cabinet.

“After he voted in Soweto, Ramaphosa pledged to root out corruption,” said Mthombothi. “He will have to deliver decisively on those words.”

The results will embolden Ramaphosa, as the party probably would have performed worse if he was not at the helm, said political analyst Karima Brown.

“He has positioned himself as a president who is focused on rooting corruption out of government,” said Brown. “The fact of the matter is that he is more popular than the ANC, and that has shown in this election.” She cited the example of the Western Cape province where people split their vote by voting nationally for Ramaphosa but for provincial elections, voting for the opposition Democratic Alliance.q

Student who shared BBC story about Thai king freed from jail Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — A student activist who was imprisoned for sharing a BBC article about Thailand’s king on Facebook was released Friday under a royal pardon.

Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, also known as Pai Dao Din, was sentenced in August 2017 to 2 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty on charges of insulting the monarchy. He had been due to complete his sentence on June 19.

He was arrested in December 2016 for sharing a profile by the BBC’s Thailanguage service of King

In this Aug 3, 2017, file image taken from a video, Thai activist law student Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, also known as Pai Dao Din, charged with Lese majeste, or insulting the monarchy, poses for a photo with his father Viboon Boonpattararaksa and mother Prim Boonpattararaksa at a courthouse in Khon Kaen, northeast of Bangkok, Thailand.

Associated Press

Maha Vajiralongkorn, who took the throne after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The profile included mentions of the king’s past personal life that are not openly discussed in Thailand.

A crowd of family and friends greeted Jatupat as he was released from the prison in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen.

Friends sang songs and clapped along as they posed for photos with him.

Five members of Thailand’s royalist Yellow Shirt movement who led a takeover of the prime minister’s office in 2008 were also re-

leased Friday under the same amnesty, which was announced April 21 to mark Vajiralongkorn’s formal coronation on May 4.

Jatupat’s arrest was the first under Thailand’s strict lese majeste law, which prohibits criticism of the monarchy, after Vajiralongkorn succeeded his late father.

Critics of the law, which carries a punishment of up to 15 years’ imprisonment per incident, say it is used to silence political dissidents.

Jatupat was initially given a five-year sentence, but because he pleaded guilty it was halved, a standard procedure in Thai courts.q

A12 WORLD

Saturday 11 May 2019

NEWS

Mexico’s prized beaches threatened by smelly algae invasion

By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tourists looking for sun and sand in Mexican resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum have been disgusted by foul-smelling mounds of sargassum — a seaweedlike algae — piling up on beaches and turning turquoise waters brown, and experts are warning that it may be the new normal.

Mexico’s Riviera Maya Caribbean coast provides half the country’s tourism revenues and very little sargassum reached it prior to 2014. But a possible combination of climate change, pollution from fertilizers and ocean flows and currents carrying the algae mats to the Caribbean has caused the problem to explode.

While it may not have the global impact of melting of polar ice, the vast mats of sargassum filling the Caribbean could be one of the more visible climatechange events because of the sheer number of people who visit the region’s popular tourist beaches, some officials say.

“This is one of the biggest challenges that climate change has caused for the world,” said the government of Mexico’s resortstudded coastal state of Quintana Roo. “This challenge requires a joint, multinational effort and a global commitment.”

While tourist arrivals at the Cancun airport were up 3.3% in March over the same month last year, many fear this will not last long with the sargassum befouling white sand beaches and blue waters, as well as the air — sargassum decomposes with a rotten egg smell. As it decays and sinks to the bottom, it can also smother the coral the Caribbean is known for, and accumulations on beaches can make it harder for sea turtles to nest.

“In my humble opinion it’s a disaster that will eventually cripple the tourism, the businesses and, sad to say, destroy the local economy,” said Jef A. Gardner, a frequent visitor to Playa

Sargassum seaweed covers the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019.

Associated Press

del Carmen from Knoxville, Tennessee. “This is a Caribbean problem on the east coast that goes from Cancun all the way past Ambergris Caye in Belize.”

The concerns may not be hyperbole: the sargassum mats appear even worse along parts of Mexico’s coast than they did last year. And the problem affects almost all the islands and mainland beaches in the Caribbean to an extent. The U.S. Gulf coast got hit in 2014 and the east coast of Florida is getting sargassum this year.

The algae flooding into the Caribbean is coming from an unexpected source: the tropical Atlantic waters beyond the mouth of the Amazon River.

Chuanmin Hu, a professor of oceanography at South Florida University’s College of Marine Science, says the sargassum mats appear to be the result of increased nutrient flows and ocean water upwelling that brings nutrients up from the bottom. Prevailing ocean currents carry the algae into the Caribbean, where it can grow further.

He says the cycle is not likely to stop anytime soon.

“Because of global climate change we may have increased upwelling, increased air deposition, or increased nutrient source

from rivers, so all three may have increased the recent large amounts of sargassum,” said Hu. While he says additional research is needed before definitively linking it all to human activity, he pointed to evidence of “increased use of fertilizer and increased deforestation” as possible culprits, at least as far as the Amazon is concerned.

Warming ocean waters are likely to play only a minor role since the area — the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean — has always been pretty warm.

Meanwhile, business owners in Mexico’s glitzy beach resorts are desperate for solutions.

“What you have to do is stop it before it even reaches the beaches,” said Adrian Lopez, the president of Quintana Roo’s employers’ federation.

Contention lines of floating plastic booms can be anchored offshore to catch the incoming mats of algae, but as Lopez notes, some resorts have very shallow coral reefs located right offshore so the booms would be less of a solution.

And Hu warns that such a solution would be expensive. The tons of sargassum building up behind the booms has to be gathered up, put aboard boats and

taken away in what would amount to hundreds of trips every day.

Scientists have set up sargassum tracking systems that detect the amount of algae heading for shores in the Caribbean, but it’s hard to predict when or where it will land.

Extracting it at sea risks the species that use the floating mats as cover for their young. But shoveling or bulldozing up sargassum once it washes up on shore is also a herculean task that can put at risk sea turtles’ nesting sites.

“You can clean up a beach, get it clean, imagine starting at 6 a.m. and

by 11 a.m. you don’t have any algae, and by 7 p.m. when the sun sets, it’s full again,” said Lopez.

This all makes people nostalgic for the days before 2014 when sargassum “was very little, very manageable, not a problem, not a risk, just barely a line” in the sand.

Now, some novel ideas for what to do with collected sargassum are springing up, such as using it as an additive for making bricks.

But its usefulness as a fertilizer or animal feed is limited by the chemicals it contains, like salt, iodine and arsenic.

Tourists come to Mexico’s Caribbean coast for the sun, sand, snorkeling and turquoise waters. While there are other things to do on the coast, like visiting sinkhole lakes known as cenotes, Mayan ruins and the jungle, the beach remains the prize attraction.

And tourists are unlikely to accept brown, algae-filled water.

Local hotel owners and tourism industry workers — which is just about everybody to some extent in Quintana Roo — are feeling abandoned by the federal government, which is planning a fancy tourist train to connect the coast with Mayan ruin sites inland.

“With Sargassum, there is No Mayan Train,” said a slogan launched by local businesses.q

4 dead in explosion at house in Colombia’s capital Associated Press BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Four people are dead and at least eight injured after an explosion in Bogota at what may have been an underground gunpowder store.

Firefighter Cmdr. Pedro Monasalva said the blast happened at a home shortly before 1 p.m. local time in the western part of Colombia’s capital.

The loud explosion tore through two levels of the small brick building and also damaged several nearby cars and a preschool.

Investigators do not believe the incident is terror-related and are looking into a possible cause.

Authorities are also investigating whether the property was being used for the fabrication of gunpowder for use in the popular game of “tejo.”

The centuries-old pastime is played by hurling a metal disc at little packets of gunpowder.q

A13

Saturday 11 May 2019

Mothers & Nurses

ORANJESTAD — Mothers care, nurses care. A mother is a kind of nurse too in a daily sense taking care of her children. The nurse who is comforting a sick hospitalized child is like a mother-figure at that moment. In common they share the art of caring and compassion, the will to make it right for you. All mothers in the world are honored this Sunday, May 12th as also all nurses are celebrated during this International Nurses Day. Give them the spotlight they deserve and care for her especially on this particular day.

On this day we honor the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. This is also a perfect opportunity to enjoy a day with the family and spend quality time together. On Aruba many restaurants offer specials on Mother’s Day, check our newspaper of today and the past days for some great tips and deals.

International Nurses Day (IND) is set aside to honor and note the many contributions nurses make to society.

Nurses care for our loved ones at some of the most challenging times of their lives. They may run short of time, but not compassion. In Aruba this day is part of a week-long celebration, referred to as National Nurses Week.

“A Life not Lived for Others is Not a Life ~ Mother Teresa”q

A14 LOCAL

Saturday 11 May 2019

CATA 2019:

Honoring of Miriam Dabian and focussing on the power of data and its influence ORANJESTAD – The 29th edition of the annual tourism conference took place at the prestigious Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort, Spa & Casino. The minister of Tourism, Dangui Oduber, was also present at the opening ceremony. CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority, Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes, conducted the opening speech. Also present were the president of the Parlaimant, Mr. Juan Thijsen, and members of the Parlaiment Louisette ChristiaansYarzagaray, Rocco Tjon, Edgar Vrolijk, Endy Croes y Shailiny Tromp-Lee. The CEO of the Aruba Airport Authority James Fazio and the General Manager di Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort, Spa & Casino Gabriel Castrillon welcomed all the particpants. The night continued with different presentations.

The theme of this year’s CATA conference was ‘Power of Data and its influence’. “When it’s time to take strategic and pratical desicions the Aruba Tourism Authority depends completely on Data. ‘The data we are able to collect

bia and Venezuela since 2007. At the beginning of this month, under her management with a different take on strategic marketing, the office of A.T.A. Latin America received a very important prize. The IAB MIXX 2019.

from this database, which consists of 16 million registered vistors, permits us to adjust our contents, refine the recommendations and messages to our vistors, prior to and after their trip’, says Tjin Asjoe-Croes.

Positive results In her speech the CEO of A.T.A. elaborated that the results observed of last year are drastical. During the period of 2011-2018 there was an increase of 4% annually of total visitors to our island. Consequently this lead to a positive increase of 5% to the economy of

Aruba to Me ORANJESTAD – We would like a portrait of you! By inviting you to send us your favorite vacation picture while enjoying our Happy Island. Complete the following sentence: Aruba to me is ……. Send your picture with that text (including your name and where you are from) to: news@arubatoday. com and we will publish your vacation memory. Isn’t that a special way to keep your best moments alive?

Please note: By submitting photos, text or any other materials, you give permission to The Aruba Today Newspaper, Caribbean Speed Printers and any of its affiliated companies to use said materials, as well as names, likeness, etc. for promotional purposes without compensation.

Last but not least: check out our website and Facebook page! Thank you for supporting our newspaper, we strive to make you a happy reader every day again.q

Aruba during this period of time. For the RevPar there was an yearly increase of 7%.

Honoring of Miriam Dabian For the Aruba Tourism Authority it is very essential to honor the perseverance and dedication of its team members. Every two years the A.T.A. honors her members at their event called ‘YOU’ by presenting them with a special medal for their years of service. At the opening ceremony of the CATA 2019 the CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes

surprised Miriam Dabian, Director of A.T.A. for the Latin American Continent by addressing her with words of appreciation and by praising her for 35 years work anniversary.

Dabian has ample experience in the tourism market.

She has been working at A.T.A. for 36 years and her act of leadership at the Latin American market was fundamental for the growing of such mentioned continent. Dabian has been Director of A.T.A. for the Latin American Continent, focusing mainly on Colom-

Commitment with the Latin American market Aruba Tourism Authority is completely commited to the Latin American market and can assure that with the startegy and focus together with the support of their partners they will be able to have a succesfull 2019-2020.This conference gives the opportunity to the Latin American partners to relate and communicate with key tourism partners of our island but also serves to show them the latest developments taking place on Aruba. The team of A.T.A. and also the Minister of Tourism would like to thank AHATA, Aruba Airport Authority N.V., Avianca, Copa Airlines, A.T.A. LatAm and all local and international particpants for the effort and support for the succesful opening of the 29th edition of CATA 2019.q

For today’s newspaper we’ve received a wonderful photo from Marge Wiener from NY! She wrote to us:

“ Aruba to me is ...Good Times with Good Friends on the beach from far and wide.

This picture was taken on the beach at the Divi Phoenix where most of us have been coming for over 20 years. It includes myself and my husband Don from New York and friends from Canada, Delaware and Ohio. I am Marge Wiener from NY. I am the one in front on left with the colorful sundress!”

LOCAL A15

Saturday 11 May 2019

The Aruba Tourism Authority honor loyal visitors on the island EAGLE BEACH ― Recently, Jonathan Boekhoudt of the Aruba Tourism Authority had the great pleasure to honor Aruba’s loyal and friendly visitors as Distinguished Visitor and Goodwill Ambassador. The Distinguished Visitor certificate is presented on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, as a token of appreciation to the guests who visit Aruba 10 years and more consecutively.

The Goodwill Ambassador is presented on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, as a token of appreciation to the guests who visit Aruba 20 years and more consecutively.

The honorees were Levi and Deborah Patrutz recognized as Distinguished Visitors of Aruba.

The Goodwill Ambassador certificates went to Richard and Anne Chretien, Joseph and Mary Ramondetta, and Rocco and Linda Pesce.

These lovely people stated that they love the island very much, especially for its year-round sunny weather, nice sandy beaches, delicious variety of foods, safety, and Aruba’s warm and friendly people Ms. Richardson together with the representatives of the Costa Linda Beach Resort presented the certificates to the honorees, and also handed over some presents and thanked them for choosing Aruba as their favorite vacation destination and as their home away from home.q

A16 LOCAL

Saturday 11 May 2019

Celebrate Moms Day at Bugaloe!

PALM BEACH — Your mom would do anything for you, and now it's time to do something nice for her! Treat your mom to great food, tasty drinks, and a fun atmosphere at Bugaloe this Mother's Day. Bugaloe will be celebrating all the best moms out there on Sunday, May 12th, so come down to the best party on the pier and bring your mom!

Bugaloe will be open for breakfast between 7:30am and 10:30am. Later that evening, there will be live music from the Travel Session Band from 7-10pm. Don't worry if you and your mom can't stay out all dayBugaloe also has Happy Hours from 5-6pm and again from 1011pm! Take your mom out for breakfast or an evening out at Bugaloe this Sunday!

Bugaloe is located on the De Palm Pier between the Hilton Resort and the RIU Hotel. For reservations and more information, please call 00297-586-2233 or email Bugaloe at info@bugaloe.com.q

A17

Saturday 11 May 2019

RBI 2K Sung Kang reacts after sinking a putt on the 18th green during the second round of the Byron Nelson golf tournament at Trinity Forest on Friday, May 10, 2019, in Dallas.

Associated Press

Sung Kang matches course with 61 to take Byron Nelson lead

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer DALLAS (AP) — Sung Kang and his caddie did some calculations on the driving range before the second round of the Byron Nelson on an unseasonably cool day with some breezy conditions. “The biggest thing was we needed to figure how shorter the ball is going to fly,” Sung said. “So we just trusted the number ... just hit it, and then worked out good.”

Kang was pretty much right on, matching the Trinity Forest course record with a 10-under 61 on Friday to take the lead at 16 under.

He led by four strokes over playing partner Matt Every, who had his second consecutive round of 65, and Tyler Duncan (66).

Brooks Koepka, the world’s No. 3-ranked player who goes to next week’s PGA Championship as defending champion, was fourth at 11 under after a 66.

Continued on Page 18

Albert Pujols collects 2,000th RBI with solo homer Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit, Thursday, May 9, 2019.

The home run was his 2,000th career RBI. Associated Press Page 19

A18 SPORTS

Saturday 11 May 2019

Byron Nelson Continued from Page 17

He overcame two early bogeys with six birdies in an 11-hole stretch that included four in a row late.

“Solid round, just trying to keep pace,” Koepka said.

“I would like to have been in the lead. But I mean, hey 61 today was pretty darn impressive.”

Koepka was a stroke ahead of Rory Sabbatini, who had a bogey-free 65.

With temperatures in the low 50s, Kang opened with a 9-foot birdie on the par-5 No. 1 hole. His approach to within a foot of the cup at the 311-yard No. 5 set up a string of six birdies in a row.

“I don’t know what the guys are talking about.

Perfect and awesome and nice conditions for the course,” Kang said jokingly after getting a post-round fist pump from Jordan Spieth, a member at Trinity Forest who shot 67 to get to 7 under.

Kang had three more birdies in four holes on the back nine. His only par in that stretch was at the 441-yard par-4 15th — where the 31-year-old South Korean who lives in North Texas had his putter raised in the air in anticipation of another birdie. The 21-foot chance instead lipped the cup.

“My 67 doesn’t look so good,” the beanie-wearing Spieth said, comparing his to Kang’s score. “But going out today, if you had offered me 4 under, I would have taken it.”

First-round leader Denny McCarthy followed his opening 63 with a 77.

Tony Romo, the CBS NFL analyst and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and also a Trinity Forest member, was 8 over after a 74.

He missed the cut, like he did in two other PGA Tour starts in the Dominican Republic, and tied for 148th in the event that began with 156 players.

The only bogey for Every came at the 606-yard 14th hole, where his tee shot settled in the lip of a fairway bunker. Every slung away the rake that was by the bunker when he got there.

He then hit the ball, which didn’t go nearly as far as the helicoptering club that he then threw in disgust.

“Nothing I can do about it except get mad and complain, which I did,” he said.

“Other than that, it was good.”

At the par-3 17th, Every’s tee shot landed on the green in a good position, but rolled off and down the hill into some rough. He saved par after hitting to 8

Tony Romo watches a shot to the ninth green during the second round of the Byron Nelson golf tournament Friday, May 10, 2019, in Dallas.

Associated Press

feet. While Every didn’t get as much as he would have wanted out of those two tee shots that he called his best shots of the day, he still had an impressive round “drafting off of Sung all day, really.”

After his near miss at No. 15, Kang’s tee shot at the 382yard 16th went into a bunker, but he blasted to 11 feet and made birdie. He just missed a 24-foot birdie chance at the par-3 17th, and finished with a 14-foot par to match the 61 Marc Leishman had last year in the first Nelson round played at Trinity Forest af-

ter the tournament moved from Four Seasons.

Spieth again got off to a solid start before making his turn off a double bogey — at No. 9 during his opening 68 and at the 494-yard 18th on Friday, when he had an approach shot roll back down a swale toward him.

He then birdied No. 1, and had three more birdies the last five holes.

“It was nice to bounce back,” said Spieth, without a top-20 finish this season and without a win since the 2017 British Open. “That’s nice as you go into a weekend. Good momentum.”

Romo, the only amateur in the Nelson, played on a sponsor exemption. He plans to compete in a U.S. Open local qualifying tournament next week.

After an opening 76 with a chip-in eagle, Romo had three birdies Friday that were countered by four bogeys and a double bogey. “I think more than anything, I got a sense to be able to hit a lot of highquality shots under what is a pressure situation for me,” Romo said. “That’s encouraging and shows that the work you’re doing holds up when it counts.”q

Stricker takes Regions Tradition lead with 2nd-round 64 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — That 4:30 a.m. wakeup call didn’t slow down Steve Stricker. Stricker completed a 4-under 68 in the delayed first round and shot a season-best 64 in the second Friday to take a twostroke lead in the Regions Tradition, the first of five PGA Tour Champions majors. Stricker, a three-time winner on the 50-and-over tour after winning 12 times on the PGA Tour, had five holes left Thursday when play was suspended because of storms.

David Toms was second after his second bogey-free 67 on Greystone’s Founders Course .

Most players had to finish the first round in the morning after bad weather halted play at midday Thursday, leading to the early start.

“It’s a little uncomfortable because we’re usually not doing that on the Champions Tour,” said Stricker, who had five birdies on his first nine holes. “It’s usually those 11 (a.m.) to 1 (p.m.) tee times, somewhere in there. So those early mornings are not fun sometimes.”

This one might have been an exception, for Stricker at least. He has only competed in four other senior events this year while splitting time on the PGA Tour. He tied for second at Tradition last year and it’s the only senior major championship he has played in.

His best finish in a PGA Tour major was second to Vijay Singh in the 1998 PGA Championship.

Toms birdied five of his last nine holes. He and Stricker both started on No. 10 and Toms was even par at the turn after a bogey and birdie.

The 2018 U.S. Senior Open winner got plenty of chances to observe Stricker’s putting.

“I was watching. We played slow enough that I saw at least every putt that he made,” Toms said. “We didn’t see too many shots into the greens, so I knew he was playing well. I figured they were out there if he was doing it, so I just tried to stay close. I rallied my last nine holes, made five birdies and got within striking distance anyway.”

First-round leader Glen Day followed his opening 64 with an even-par 72 to drop four strokes back.

Billy Andrade was three strokes behind Stricker and two-time champion Bernhard Langer matched Day at four back. Andrade and Day both shot second-round 67s.

An eagle on No. 15 highlighted Scott Parel’s 66 that moved him within five shots from the lead.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez was six shots back after a 70. They’ll have an early two-tee start against Saturday with the leaders teeing off at 9 a.m.

Andrade was among those who was off the course before Thursday’s round was stopped.

“I thought it was amazing how dry it was (Friday),” he said. “I thought that for sure it was going to have a lot more casual water, kind of like last week in Houston where you’re dropping, trying to find dry land. This place has drained unbelievably. I couldn’t believe it.”q

SPORTS A19

Saturday 11 May 2019

Albert Pujols reaches 2,000 RBIs and Angels rout Tigers 13-0

By The Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — Albert Pujols became the third player with 2,000 career RBIs, hitting a solo homer in the third inning in Los Angeles’ rout of Detroit.

Pujols, Hank Aaron (2,297) and Alex Rodriguez (2,086) are the only players to reach the milestone since 1920. Babe Ruth is credited with 1,992 RBIs. Baseball’s official records don’t count the runs he drove in with Boston from 1914 through 1919.

Ryan Carpenter (0-1) threw Pujols a fastball and the slugger sent the 2-0 pitch deep into the right-field seats.

Angels starter Luke Bard pitched one inning, allowing two hits. Felix Pena (2-1) followed, giving up three hits and striking out seven.

Shohei Ohtani ended his 0-for-7 start with an RBI single in the two-run first. He finished 2 for 4.

Tommy La Stella hit his first of two homers, a two-run shot in the three-run second inning. Kole Calhoun hit a solo homer in the sixth inning.

YANKEES 3, MARINERS 1 NEW YORK (AP) — J.A. Happ and four relievers combined on a two-hitter, Cameron Maybin contributed with his bat and glove, and New York beat Seattle.

The Yankees won for the fourth time in five games and headed to Tampa Bay to play the AL East-leading Rays for the first time this year.

Domingo Santana homered with two outs in the ninth inning for Seattle, which has dropped nine

Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit, Thursday, May 9, 2019. The home run was his 2,000th career RBI. Associated Press

of 11. The Mariners also lost second baseman Dee Gordon, who exited early after being hit around the right wrist by Happ’s pitch.

Happ (2-3) gave up one hit, a single by Tom Murphy in the fifth, and struck out seven. Aroldis Chapman got his eighth save in nine chances.

Mike Leake (2-4) allowed six hits in seven effective innings.

REDS 3, ATHLETICS 0 OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Derek Dietrich hit his fifth homer in six games, and Cincinnati snapped a 10game interleague losing

streak with a win over Oakland.

Tanner Roark and three relievers combined on a six-hitter to help the Reds avoid being swept by the A’s for the first time since 2004.

Eugenio Suárez homered and doubled twice for the Reds.

Roark (3-1) allowed three hits over six innings and got the A’s to hit into a pair of double plays while winning his third consecutive start.

Roark walked two and struck out three.

Amir Garrett retired two batters, David Hernandez

set down four and Raisel Iglesias pitched through a shaky ninth for his seventh save in nine tries.

A’s starter Chris Bassitt (1-1) allowed three runs, walked one and had nine strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.

INDIANS 5, WHITE SOX 0, 5 INNINGS CLEVELAND (AP) — Carlos Carrasco held Chicago to two hits, Jordan Luplow hit his first two home runs of the season and Cleveland won in a game called after five innings following a rain delay of 2 hours, 34 minutes.

Chicago right fielder Charlie Tilson slipped and fell on

the wet grass in the fifth as he camped under a fly ball hit by Francisco Lindor that landed for an RBI double.

The play capped a threerun inning and the game was stopped a few minutes later. Carrasco (3-3) struck out six and didn’t walk a batter. He gave up an infield hit to José Abreu in the first before retiring the next nine hitters. Yonder Alonso doubled with two outs in the fourth, but Carrasco struck out James McCann to end an 11-pitch at-bat.

Luplow hit solo homers in the second and fifth off Manny Banuelos (2-2) as Cleveland split the fourgame series.

ASTROS 4, RANGERS 2 HOUSTON (AP) — Josh Reddick hit the tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth inning and preserved the lead with a leaping grab over the wall in right field in the ninth, and Wade Miley struck out seven as Houston beat Texas for its fifth victory in six games.

The Rangers led off the ninth with a walk by ShinSoo Choo, followed by a single from Elvis Andrus. Roberto Osuna struck out Nomar Mazara and Reddick robbed Hunter Pence of a possible go-ahead home run with a leaping grab over wall. Osuna struck out Joey Gallo to earn his ninth save.

Springer hit a solo homer in the third and Pence had a two-run shot in the fourth.

Miley (3-2) allowed two runs on two hits in six innings.

Mike Minor (3-3) gave up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in five innings.q

A20 SPORTS

Saturday 11 May 2019

Rockies rally to beat Giants 12-11 at wintry Coors Field

By The Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado homered among his three hits and Chris Iannetta hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning to lead the Colorado Rockies over the San Francisco Giants 12-11 on Thursday on a cold, sometimes wintry day at Coors Field.

Arenado reached base five times, starting with his 10th home run. Ian Desmond and Mark Reynolds also homered.

The announced temperature at first pitch was 39 degrees and a steady snow fell in the first inning.

Colorado won despite two home runs and a careerbest six RBIs by Giants first baseman Tyler Austin. He hit a two-run homer in the third inning and a three-run shot in the sixth off Bryan Shaw (2-0) to tie the game at eight.

Iannetta put Colorado back in front against reliever Tyler Beede (0-1) in the sixth, and pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy singled off Austin’s glove to put the Rockies ahead 11-8.

Both teams scored a run in the eighth and the Giants got two more in the ninth off Wade Davis before he struck out Stephen Volt for his sixth save.

CUBS 4, MARLINS 1 CHICAGO (AP) — Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo homered and Chicago beat Miami for its 10th win in 11 games.

Bryant sparked a two-run first with his sixth homer in 12 games. Rizzo connected for the sixth time in 11 games with a two-run drive in the fifth against Trevor Richards.

The Cubs overcame another shaky outing by Yu Darvish, who walked six n just four innings. Though he allowed just one run and one hit, only 50 of his 97 pitches were strikes.

Mike Montgomery (1-0) threw three-hit ball over five scoreless innings in his return from a strained lat muscle and the NL Centralleading Cubs headed into a weekend series against second-place Milwaukee on a winning note.

The major league-worst

Colorado Rockies’ Chris Iannetta watches his two-run double off San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Mark Melancon during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Denver.

Associated Press

Marlins lost for the 10th time in 12 games, and Richards (0-5) remained winless in eight starts. The right-hander gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings.

CARDINALS 17, PIRATES 4 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcell Ozuna drove in four runs and Dexter Fowler had three RBIs, leading St. Louis to a rout of Pittsburgh.

Paul Goldschmidt reached base four times and had three hits and two RBIs for the Cardinals, who managed just one run in their previous 21 innings but bounced back with 16 hits and recorded a season high in runs.

St. Louis, which won for just the second time in eight games, sent nine or more batters to the plate three

times over the first six innings. The 17-run output is the most for the Cardinals since an 18-5 win over the Chicago Cubs on July 20, 2018.

Gregory Polanco homered and drove in three runs for the Pirates, who lost their second in a row.

Michael Wacha (3-0) allowed four runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. Joe Musgrove (1-4) lasted just three innings for Pirates, giving up eight runs and six hits.

NATIONALS 6, DODGERS 0 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Patrick Corbin shut down the Dodgers’ powerful lineup again, pitching the Washington Nationals to a victory in the opener of a fourgame series.

Corbin fired seven smooth innings and Howie Kendrick homered in the first as the Nationals ended a fourgame slide and stopped the Dodgers’ 10-game home winning streak. The left-hander entered with a 3.59 career ERA against the

Dodgers, but posted a 0.77 mark in four starts last year with Arizona. In two starts at Los Angeles last season, he gave up one earned run over 10 innings with 14 strikeouts.

Freese had two of the three hits against Corbin (2-1), who walked four and struck out eight. Max Muncy struck out four times for the Dodgers and left five runners on base. Rich Hill (0-1) took the loss after allowing three runs in five innings.

DIAMONDBACKS 3, BRAVES 2, 10 INNINGS PHOENIX (AP) — David Peralta hit a tying homer with two outs in the ninth inning and Ketel Marte singled home the winning run in the 10th for Arizona.

Josh Donaldson put the Braves ahead 2-1 with a leadoff homer against Greg Holland in the top of the ninth. Luke Jackson retired the first two batters in the bottom half before Peralta sent a drive over the right field fence. Jackson had held opponents scoreless over his past 15 innings and converted his previous two save chances.

Nick Ahmed drew a leadoff walk from A.J. Minter (0-4) in the 10th and went to third on Carson Kelly’s single. With the infield playing in, Marte won it with a blooper that fell between two Braves in shallow right field for his second career walk-off hit.

Arizona right fielder Adam Jones took a potential two-run homer away from Ronald Acuña Jr. in the sixth. Called up from TripleA Reno before the game, Jon DuPlantier (1-0) worked a scoreless inning for his first major league win.q

SPORTS A21

Saturday 11 May 2019

Blazers force Game 7 with 119-108 victory over Denver

By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The shots were finally falling for Damian Lillard.

Lillard had 32 points, including 17 in the third quarter, and the Portland Trail Blazers staved off elimination to force a decisive Game 7 in their series with Denver with a 119-108 victory on Thursday night.

Lillard had been fairly quiet for the previous two games in the semifinal series, both Portland losses.

“I think over the course of the series, at least after Game 1, I just haven’t seen the ball go in consistently enough,” Lillard said. “My job is to stay aggressive, keep doing what I do, and tonight, shots fell.”

The series now shifts to Denver, where the Nuggets will have a chance to make it to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2009. Denver has been to the conference finals three times in franchise history.

The winner of Sunday’s game will face the winner of the series between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. The defending NBA champion Warriors have a 3-2 advantage in the series after a 104-99 victory on Wednesday night. Game 6 is set for Friday in Houston.

CJ McCollum added 30 points for the Blazers, who

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, left, shoots over Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris, center, and center Nikola Jokic, right, during the second half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Portland, Ore. Associated Press

haven’t advanced to the conference finals since the 2000 playoffs. Rodney Hood came off the bench with a career playoff-high 25 points and fans at the Moda Center drowned out his postgame on-court interview by chanting “Rodney! Rodney!”

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while Jamal Murray added 24 points and 10 rebounds.

“We’ll go back home, regroup, like we did for San Antonio, come back with energy and just be ready to play,” Murray said.

Seth Curry’s 3-pointer gave the Blazers a 101-88 lead with 7:24 left. Things got heated midway through the final period after Jokic was called for an offensive foul and the players got into a shoving match and had to be separated.

After a review, there were offsetting technicals involving Denver’s Will Barton and Torrey Craig, and Curry and Zach Collins for Portland.

Lillard hit an off-balance jumper that put Portland up 106-93. The Nuggets got within 113-103 with 1:04 left, but Craig and Jokic fouled

out and Portland closed out the win.

The Nuggets were in this situation before: They lost on the road to San Antonio in Game 6 in the opening round, forcing that series to return to Denver for the deciding game.

After Portland won the quadruple-overtime marathon of Game 3, Denver beat Portland at home to even the series. Then Paul Millsap had 24 points to spark Denver’s 124-98 blowout of the Blazers on Tuesday night — and put Portland on the verge of elimination.”I thought our Game 6 here

in Portland was better than our Game 6 in San Antonio,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “Now we go home and have the best home-court advantage in the NBA.” Denver led by as many as 10 points in the opening quarter but Portland went on an 11-4 run to start the second quarter that closed the gap to 38-37.

After his 3-pointer gave Portland the lead, Lillard added a layup to extend it and Portland led 58-54 at halftime after outscoring the Nuggets 32-20.

Jokic’s third-quarter 3-pointer briefly gave the Nuggets a 76-75 lead, but Lillard answered with his own 3 to reclaim it.

Lillard’s sixth 3-pointer of the game put Portland up 83-78. He had 17 points in the third quarter alone and the Blazers led 87-80 going into the fourth.

Lillard was reminded after the game that he’s never played in a Game 7 in his career.

“It’s basically a game where only one team is going to make it out,” he said.

“It’s your last opportunity to play, so facing elimination is what it is to me, and that’s going to be my approach, just like it was tonight. The only thing is that it’s going to be on the road.

It’s for our season. All the marbles.”q

NCAA committee proposes moving 3s to international line INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA men’s basketball rules committee is proposing moving the 3-point line to the international distance and resetting the shot clock to 20 seconds following offensive rebounds.

Both rules could take effect next season in Division I. College basketball’s other two divisions would wait until 2020-21 to move the 3-point line because of the cost.

The Playing Rules Oversight Panel will vote on the recommendations June 5.

Rules committee members made their proposals after receiving feedback from the coaches who competed in the NIT each of the past two years, which used the international line on an experimental basis.

The international 3-point distance is 22 feet, 1.75 inches, a little more than a foot back from the current college line.

“Freedom of movement in the game remains important, and we feel this will open up the game,” said Colorado coach Tad Boyle,

the committee’s chairman.

“We believe this will remove some of the congestion on the way to the basket.”

The line moved out a foot to 20 feet, 9 inches before the 2008-09 season. The NCAA said the 3-point percentage dipped from 35.2% in 2007-08 to 34.4% in 2008-09 with that change, though it eventually climbed back to 35.2% in Division I by the 2017-18 season.

The proposal for the shotclock change was designed to improve the pace of the game, with the

In this April 4, 2019, file photo, NCAA President Mark Emmert answers questions at a news conference at the Final Four college basketball tournament in Minneapolis.

Associated Press

NCAA stating the committee believes the full 30-second clock isn’t needed when the offensive team securing the rebound already is in the front court.

As with the current rule, the clock reset would take

place only when a shot has hit the rim.

The committee also proposed: — Assessing Flagrant 2 fouls, which include ejections, if derogatory epithets are used. q

A22

Saturday 11 May 2019

sports

Butler does it, leads 76ers past Raptors to force Game 7

Philadelphia 76ers’ Jimmy Butler, left, tries to get past Toronto Raptors’ Patrick McCaw during the first half of Game 6 of a secondround NBA basketball playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Philadelphia.

Associated Press

Auction to feature baseball signed by 11 original HOFers NEW YORK (AP) — A baseball signed by all 11 members of the inaugural induction class of the Baseball Hall of Fame headlines the Lelands Spring Classic Auction.

The ball features the signatures of George Sisler, Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Eddie Collins, Connie Mack, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson, Larry Lajoie, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner. All were inducted in 1939.

The autographs were collected on inauguration day

by Eddie Rommel, a star pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1920s and early 1930s and later an American League umpire.

Other items among the 42 up for bid include: a 1914 Baltimore Orioles team photo featuring 19-yearold rookie pitcher Babe

Ruth; a 1924 New York Yankees team baseball signed by rookie Lou Gehrig; the jersey worn by former New York Knicks star Walt Frazier in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, when he finished with 36 points, 19 assists and seven rebounds; a Bobby Orr game jersey from around 1972; Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis’s last game-worn jersey, from the 1962 Coaches All-America Game; and Pittsburgh Steelers game jerseys from the team’s archive worn by Lynn Swann, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount and Jack Ham. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Steelers jerseys will be donated to the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research.

The auction runs through June 7.q

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jimmy Butler lived up to his Jimmy Buckets nickname.

With “Jimmy!

Butler!” chants ringing from the rafters, he helped Philadelphia force a seventh game against Toronto in the Eastern Conference semifinals, hitting big baskets in bunches and scoring 25 points in the 76ers’ 112-101 victory over the Raptors on Thursday night.

“I play to win,” Butler said.

“Right now, this is what I have to do in order to give us a great chance at winning.”

Kawhi Leonard, who scored 30-plus points in the first four games in the series, was finally tied up early by the Sixers and hit 29 points well after the game was out of hand.

Leonard and the Raptors had no answers for Butler and All-Star guard Ben Simmons.

Simmons broke through and scored 21 points —

more than his combined total of Games 4 and 5 — and helped show the Sixers still had some fight after a brutal Game 5 loss.

“It was amazing focus. Everybody was locked in,” Simmons said. “We knew what was at stake.”

Joel Embiid had played through a bad left knee and a stomach bug for most of the playoffs and the entire team had reason to be ill after the Raptors crushed the Sixers by 36 in Game 5.

“I knew I had to come in with high spirits,” Embiid said.

“If I’ve got to play 45 minutes and push myself out there, that’s what I’ll do.”

Embiid had a burst of energy late in the third when he blocked a driving Leonard, and Simmons capitalized with a basket for an 18-point cushion.

Embiid, who gingerly walked into the postgame press conference with his left knee packaged in ice, had 17 points and 12 re-

bounds in 35 minutes.

Embiid didn’t do much early in Game 6, but Butler and Simmons built some needed separation.

Butler about did it all, and showed in the first half why the free agent will command a max contract — $188 million over five years — in the offseason.

Butler, disgruntled in Minnesota before he was traded to Philadelphia in November, scored 19 points in the half and all of them seemed worthy of the highlight reel.

He took a bit of a trick shot when he rebounded his own missed jumper and was fouled by Kyle Lowry on an off-balance attempt.

The basket was good and so was the free throw.

Butler stole the ball from Leonard and capped the half with a fast-break dunk for a 58-43 lead.

“Game is simple. I shoot the ball when I’m open,” Butler said. “Sometimes I shoot it when I’m not open.”

He forced his way open in the first half, making 9 of 15 shots in the first and he gave the Sixers the confidence they needed to know another game wasn’t going to turn into a rout.

“He was all over that game,” coach Brett Brown said. “The mood in the locker room, you could sense the serious side. They got the moment and I think he got it as much as anybody and led us.”

Simmons was called out

by Butler about the need to attack the basket and play more off screens to become the triple-double threat he was in the regular season and not the nonfactor he was against the Raptors.

Simmons did it all early (eight points, five assists in the first quarter) and the Sixers got the outside shots to fall — an early domination that happened even as Embiid was held scoreless until he hit a 3 early in the second quarter.

Simmons had no turnovers and six assists in 34 minutes.

“What he did today was lot of the reasons he was an NBA All-Star at age 22,” Brown said.q

SPORTS A23

Saturday 11 May 2019

Bruins’ score 4 goals in 3rd, beat ‘Canes 5-2 in Game 1

By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer BOSTON (AP) — The door to the visiting team’s penalty box had scarcely slammed shut before the official was opening it again for another Carolina Hurricanes player to serve his punishment.

Penalty. Goal.

Penalty. Goal.

Twenty-eight seconds apart, Marcus Johansson and Patrice Bergeron scored on power plays during a four-goal outburst as Boston rallied from a thirdperiod deficit to beat Carolina 5-2 on Thursday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

“We took advantage of our power plays early, and that’s huge,” said Bruins forward Charlie Wagner, who skated in alone on Petr Mrazek with 2:02 left to clinch it. “We tied it up pretty quick there, and I think we kept our foot on the gas for the most part.”

Boston trailed 2-1 before capitalizing on back-toback power plays about three minutes into the third period. With about three minutes left in the game, the Bruins scored two more: One on Brandon Carlo’s deflected, slow-rolling empty netter, and then 11 seconds later on Wagner’s unassisted goal that made

Boston Bruins’ Marcus Johansson (90), of Sweden, beats Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Petr Mrazek (34), of the Czech Republic, for a goal during the third period in Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Boston.

Associated Press

it 5-2. “We were fortunate to only be down one goal, and then when you get those chances on the power play, you’ve got to make them pay,” said Tuukka Rask, who stopped 29 shots. “Today, we did.”

Back in the net for the first time since Game 2 of the second-round series against the Islanders, Mrazek made 23 saves for the Hurricanes. Curtis McElhinney finished off New York, but coach Rod Brind’Amour went back to Mrazek when he was clear by doctors after the five-

day break between series.

“Petr was fine,” Brind’Amour said. “We left him out to dry there at the end.”

Steven Kampfer, starting for suspended defenseman Charlie McAvoy, also scored for Boston — his first career postseason goal — with about three minutes gone in the game. Sebastian Aho and Greg McKegg scored for Carolina.

It was still 2-1 when Jordan Staal was sent off for roughing in the opening minute of the third period. Johansson slammed home a rebound of Brad Marchand’s shot to

tie it, and just 15 seconds later the Bruins were back on the power play when Dougie Hamilton was given 2 minutes for roughing.

Boston set up in the Hurricane’s zone, Jake DeBrusk sent the puck across the ice to Marchand, who tipped it back into the slot for Bergeron, and he slid it through Mrazek’s pads to make it 3-1.

Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour called his timeout to settle things down. But Hamilton, a former Boston first-round draft pick picked up another

penalty less than three minutes later.

The Bruins failed to score, but the crowd taunted the former Bruin.

“I don’t really care,” he said. “They’ve chanted my name before, so for me it is what it is. Obviously, it was unfortunate I was in the box and taking those penalties.”

THE BIGGER THEY ARE Bruins captain Zdeno Chara took a wrist shot from Aho off the right foot late in the first period and left for the locker room, but he was back in the second.

The shot hit Chara on the outside of his right foot and the 6-foot-9 defenseman buckled over and went to the ice. He struggled to make it to the bench, and once he got there he was in obvious pain. He missed the rest of the first period but returned for the start of the second.

Boston was already without Chara’s defense partner, with McAvoy suspended one game for a shoulder to the head of Columbus forward Josh Anderson.

McAvoy was averaging a team-high 24:26 ice time, and Chara was third.

Chara finished with 19:24, third-most for Boston in the game. He did not appear to be limping when he left the arena.q

Federer loses to Thiem in Madrid Open quarterfinals

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Roger Federer’s return to clay lasted only three matches.

A day after saving two match points at the Madrid Open, Federer squandered two match points himself in the quarterfinals against Dominic Thiem on Friday, losing 3-6, 7-6 (11), 6-4.

It may have ended his first appearance at a claycourt tournament in three years, but Federer wasn’t leaving the Spanish capital too disappointed.

“I feel very good about my game. I thought I had some good matches here,” Fe-

derer said. “I feel good on the clay right now. It’s been a good week. Frustrating, clearly. Losing with match points is the worst, so that’s how I feel. But nevertheless, if I take a step back, it’s all good.” Federer skipped the clay swing the past two years to remain fit for the rest of the season. He decided to return this year in preparation for his first French Open appearance since 2015.

The fifth-seeded Thiem, runner-up in Madrid the last two seasons, will next face top-ranked Novak Djokovic, who didn’t have to play his quarterfinal after Marin

Cilic withdrew because of food poisoning. Thiem has a chance to win his third title of the year after victories in Barcelona and Indian Wells, where he defeated Federer in a three-set final.

“Facing him, it always requires my absolute best game and also a little bit luck, which I both had in Indian Wells and also here, and that’s why I won these two matches,” Thiem said.

The fourth-seeded Federer was trying to win his third Madrid title, and first since 2012. He has already won hard-court titles this season in Dubai and Miami.

On the women’s side, Si-

Dominic Thiem, from Austria, returns the ball to Roger Federer, from Switzerland, during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Friday, May 10, 2019.

Associated Press

mona Halep made it back to the Madrid final for the first time since 2017 with a 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-0 win over unseeded Belinda Bencic.

The French Open champion can surpass Naomi Osaka for the No. 1 ranking if she wins Saturday’s final.

“I don’t want to think about that. For me, it is more important to win the trophy here than being No. 1,” the third-ranked Halep said. “I prefer titles than numbers and rankings. So this is my goal, to play finals and to win trophies.” q

A24 TECHNOLOGY

Saturday 11 May 2019

Free video streaming offers some gems - if you can find them

This Nov. 16, 2016, photo shows Xiaomi’s Mi Box, left, the Roku Premiere, center, and the Amazon Fire TV streaming TV devices in New York.

Associated Press

By TALI ARBEL AP Technology Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Free services let you watch thousands of movies and TV shows online, but using them feels like wandering through a low-rent, digital version of Blockbuster (RIP).

Reality TV, long-forgotten “classics” and movies that never made it to theaters — these are the types of lackluster shows and movies you’ll find for free. But finding gems in the junk, like the original “Roseanne,” can give you a treasurehunting rush.

Unfortunately, websites and apps for many of the services have poor designs and search capabilities — not conducive to finding those gems.

An outside search aid such as Roku, Reelgood, Decider and JustWatch can help scan multiple services to see which ones have the titles you want.

Once you find something to watch, you’ll have to put up with commercials.

You’ll get fewer ads compared with traditional TV channels. But online ad breaks sometimes interrupt people speaking, which is super annoying. And these services may also track you to target ads.

But as entertainment costs rise — especially as AT&T, Disney and Apple introduce new video subscriptions — free is hard to turn down.

Here’s a look at some of the best-known: CRACKLE What’s on: “Classic” movies and TV shows, along with some originals — although the best-known, Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” is now on Netflix instead. You can browse movies by broad categories like “action” and “drama.”

How odd: An “up next” feature plays something else after you’re done watching. But instead of bringing up the next “Who’s the Boss” episode after finishing the pilot, it landed on the movie “Ali.” And despite what the search results tell you, Julia Roberts is not in “El Mariachi.”

PLUTO On demand: The original nine-season run of “Roseanne” (but not the recent reboot) and some appealing movies from the past few decades like “Election,” ‘’Short Term 12” and “Heathers.”

Live TV: Pluto is unusual in that it also offers dozens of channels with “live” video.

Though some of these are pretty niche, dedicated to Minecraft or cats, the service is owned by Viacom, so you also get shows from well-known Viacom networks like MTV and Comedy Central. There’s an entire channel dedicated to MTV’s “The Hills.”

Finding video: Good luck.

There’s no search tool, though Pluto says it’s coming.

How odd: The TV guide only shows what’s on in the next 90 minutes, and you can’t pause, rewind or fast-forward the video.

TUBI What’s on: Fun retro stuff (I do love “Problem Child”), prestige films from past decades and some old hits. A tenth of the library changes every month.

Finding video: Movies and TV shows are organized into useful categories, some with cheeky themes like “Cult Classics” or “Not on Netflix.”

Ad interruptions: It’s great that I can fast-forward through scenes without being forced to watch an ad.

Other free services often show ads when you jump ahead.

TV episodes that I watched only had ads before the show, not during it, but that

doesn’t mean the same will happen for you.

How odd: A third of the movies brought up by searching actor John Ritter came out after he died. His ghost is not in them.

VUDU What’s on: The Walmartowned service sells shows and movies, just like Apple’s iTunes and Google Play, but there’s also plenty of free TV shows and movies, with such categories like “Westerns,” ‘’Anime” and “Kids TV.” Vudu will also introduce original content this summer.

Those ads: Though ads will break up movies, they didn’t interrupt the TV shows I watched. Rather, as with Tubi, the ads were all shown before the episodes.

How odd: Different seasons of TV shows each get their own tile, making me scroll more to find different shows.

BEYOND THAT There are many, many other free services, including ones that focus just on children’s video (PBS Kids) or local news (NewsON). Here are a few that will have broader appeal: — YOUTUBE is the world’s largest free video site, but it’s not the best place to

find full versions of traditional movies and TV series for adults. Its selection of free movies is small and uninteresting (Find them by searching for “movies” and looking for the “free with ads” tag). YouTube also streams live events and plans to make its original shows free.

— HOOPLA and KANOPY technically charge for viewing videos, but it’s your public library that pays for it. It’s free for you with a library card. The movie selection is noticeably better, particularly Kanopy, with recent critical favorites, though don’t expect the latest Marvel or “Star Wars” blockbusters. No ads, but libraries limit how many you can watch each month.

— YAHOO VIEW is Hulu’s old free business, with a few recent episodes of broadcast-network shows. You can watch only on a traditional computer, not a mobile or streaming device.

— The ROKU CHANNEL with live channels and on-demand movies and shows.

It works on computers and mobile, so you don’t need to own a Roku streaming device.

— Amazon-owned IMDB FREEDIVE has on-demand movies and shows, but not as extensive as what you get with an Amazon Prime membership.

— LOCAST streams overthe-air stations for ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, PBS and others in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington.

Ads asking for donations interrupt what’s on TV. — Facebook has a WATCH tab with cult favorite “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and Jada Pinkett Smith’s talk show, but it isn’t easy to use or tell what’s available.q

BUSINESS A25

Saturday 11 May 2019

Uber begins trading nearly 7% below its IPO price

By CATHY BUSSEWITZ MICHAEL LIEDTKE TOM KRISHER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — With a ring of the opening bell, Uber began picking up passengers as a newly minted public company Friday and investors waited to bet on a service with huge potential, but a long way from turning a profit.

Shares in the ride-hailing giant were sold in an initial public offering for $45 each, raising $8.1 billion, but it will take several hours for new investors to show how much they’re interested. Officials expect trading to start around 11:30 a.m.

CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and other company officials stood on a balcony above the New York Stock Exchange and clapped as the bell rang to signal the start of the day’s trading.

The IPO price on Thursday came in at the lower end of Uber’s targeted price range of $44 to $50 per share.

The caution may have been driven by escalating doubts about the ability of ride-hailing services to make money since Uber’s main rival, Lyft, went public six weeks ago.

Jitters about an intensifying U.S. trade war with China have also contributed to the caution. Stocks opened broadly lower on Wall Street after the two countries failed to reach a deal on trade before Friday’s tariff deadline.

Even at the tamped-down price, Uber now has a market value of $82 billion — five times more than Lyft’s.

A black Uber logo was hanging over exchange floor and bright green Uber Eats trucks were parked outside. Men in black Tshirts and hats with the Uber Eats logo handed out drinks and snacks on the trading floor while photos of sedans, helicopters and Jump bikes were shown on screens above.

No matter how Uber’s stock swings Friday, the IPO has to be considered a triumph for the company most closely associated with an industry that has changed

the way millions of people get around. That while also transforming the way mil-

of reaching the $120 billion market value that many observers believed its IPO

vis Kalanick, as CEO nearly two years ago.

The self-inflicted wounds in-

The statue of Fearless Girl stands in front of the New York Stock Exchange before Uber, the world’s largest ride-hailing service, holds its initial public offering, Friday, May 10, 2019.

Associated Press

lions of more people earn a living in the gig economy.

Before the opening bell, Khosrowshahi tried to tamp down expectations for the first day of trading. “We’re going to be measuring success in three to five to 10 years, not in one day,” he said in an interview with CNBC. He said the company is dealing with a potential $12 trillion market so “it makes sense to lean forward.”

Austin Geidt, one of Uber’s first employees, rang the opening bell. She joined the company nine years ago and is now head of strategy for the Advanced Technologies Group, working on autonomous vehicles.

Over the years, she helped to lead its expansion in hundreds of new cities and countries.

Uber’s IPO raised another $8.1 billion as the company it tries to fend off Lyft in the U.S. and help cover the cost of giving rides to passengers at unprofitable prices.

The San Francisco company already has lost about $9 billion since its inception and acknowledges it could still be years before it turns a profit.

That sobering reality is one reason that Uber fell short

might attain.

Another factor working against Uber is the cold shoulder investors have been giving Lyft’s stock after an initial run-up. Lyft’s shares closed Thursday 23% below its April IPO price of $72.

Uber “clearly learned from its ‘little brother’ Lyft, and the experience it has gone through,” Wedbush Securities analysts Ygal Arounian and Daniel Ives wrote late Thursday.

Despite all that, Uber’s IPO is the biggest since Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group debuted with a value of $167.6 billion in 2014.

“For the market to give you the value, you’ve either got to have a lot of profits or potential for huge growth,” said Sam Abuelsamid, principal analyst at Navigant Research.

Uber boasts growth galore.

Its revenue last year surged 42% to $11.3 billion while its cars completed 5.2 billion trips around the world either giving rides to 91 million passengers or delivering food.

Uber might be even more popular if not for a series of revelations about unsavory behavior that sullied its image and resulted in the ouster of its co-founder, Tra-

cluded complaints about rampant internal sexual harassment , accusations that it stole self-driving car technology, and a coverup of a computer break-in that stole personal information about its passengers. What’s more, some Uber drivers have been accused of assaulting passengers, and one of its selfdriving test vehicles struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona last year while a backup driver was behind the wheel.

Uber hired Khosrowshahi as CEO to replace Kalanick and clean up the mess, something that analysts say has been able to do to some extent, although Lyft seized upon the scandals to gain market share.

Kalanick remains on Uber’s board, although he isn’t expected to be on the podium to help ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to herald the company’s debut Friday.

Instead, he will be left standing on the sidelines while the spotlight shines on other Uber executives, although Kalanick can still savor his newfound wealth.

At $45 per share, his stake in Uber will be worth $5.3 billion.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of other Uber employees are expected to become millionaires in the IPO. Meanwhile, scores of Uber drivers say they have been mistreated by the company as they work long hours and wear out their cars picking up passengers as they struggle to make ends meet.

On Wednesday, some of them participated in strikes across the United States to highlight their unhappiness ahead of Uber’s IPO but barely caused a ripple.

A similar strike was organized ahead of Lyft’s IPO to the same effect.

In its latest attempt to make amends, Uber disclosed Thursday that it reached a settlement with tens of thousands of drivers who alleged they had been improperly classified as contractors. The company said the settlement covering most of the 60,000 drivers making claims will cost $146 million to $170 million.

Now, Uber will focus on winning over Wall Street.

Uber may be able to avoid Lyft’s post-IPO stock decline because it has a different story to tell than just the potential for growth in ride-hailing, says Alejandro Ortiz, principal analyst with SharesPost. Uber, he said, has plans to be more than a ride-hailing company by being all things transportation to users of its app, offering deliveries, scooters, bicycles and links to other modes of transportation including public mass transit systems.

“Whether or not that pitch will work kind of remains to be seen. It’s nearly impossible to tell now,” he said.

“Obviously the risk to the company now is they have a lot more shareholders that they have to convince.”q

A26 COMICS

Saturday 11 May 2019

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

Saturday 11 May 2019

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In this Jan. 9, 2019 photo, guests watch a show near a statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse in front of the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, part of the Orlando area in Fla. Associated Press

Still most visited place, Orlando had 75 million visitors

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Orlando had 75 million visitors last year as the theme park mecca continued to be the most visited destination in the United States, tourism officials said Thursday.

Orlando in 2018 had 68.5 million domestic visitors, a year-to-year increase of 4.1%, and almost 6.5 million international visitors, a yearto-year increase of 5.4%.

The overall 4.2% increase over 2017 figures was slightly smaller than the previous year-to-year increase of 5%. But there was a robust return of international visitors, a segment that had softened in previous years.

The international improvement was driven by Latin American visitors, especially from Brazil and Mexico, said George Aguel, CEO of Visit Orlando, the area’s

tourism marketing agency.

“When folks are thinking about what they can and can’t do, we try to market why this is a good place for them to come. We focus on the feeling you get when you come here,” Aguel said. “There really is no place in the country ... where you have the ability to make a connection emotionally. We play a lot on the memories we create.” Orlando has been in the middle of a years-long expansion of rides and hotel rooms.

Accommodation expansion is at a 20-year high.

The metro area already has more than 120,000 hotel rooms, the second highest in the nation behind only Las Vegas.

Additionally, attractions at the area’s theme parks are opening at a break-neck pace.q

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A28 SCIENCE

Saturday 11 May 2019

California to ban pesticide it says hurts babies’ brains

By BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — The nation’s most productive agricultural state moved Wednesday to ban a controversial pesticide widely used to control a range of insects but blamed for harming brain development in babies.

The move cheered by environmentalists would outlaw chlorpyrifos after scientists deemed it a toxic air contaminant and discovered it to be more dangerous than previously thought.

California Environmental Secretary Jared Blumenfeld said it’s the first time the state has sought to ban a pesticide and the move was overdue.

“This pesticide is a neurotoxin, and it was first put on the market in 1965,” Blumenfeld said. “So it’s been on the shelf a long time, and it’s past its sell-by date.”

The decision comes after regulators in several states have taken steps in recent years to restrict the pesticide used on about 60 different crops in California, including grapes, almonds and oranges. Hawaii banned it last year, and New York lawmakers recently sent a measure to the governor outlawing use of the pesticide.

DowDuPont, which produces the pesticide, said it was disappointed with the decision and that farmers who rely on the pesticide say it will hurt their ability to control insects.

“It’s a very important part of the crop protection tool box,” said Casey Creamer, president of California Citrus Mutual, which represents 5,000 growers. “We’re fighting for our lives here trying to protect ourselves from deadly diseases, and

In this July 21, 2015, file photo, a nearly ready-to-harvest almond is seen in an orchard in Newman, Calif.

Associated Press

we keep losing tools.”

Creamer questioned the scientific studies behind the decision and said removing the pesticide could hurt efforts to prevent a pest like the Asian citrus psyllid from decimating the citrus industry in California like it did in much of Florida. The pest infects citrus trees with a fatal disease.

Blumenfeld said California took action in part because the federal government allowed the pesticide to be used after the Obama administration tried to phase it out.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Donald Trump reversed that effort after reevaluating the science.

Environmental groups and farmworkers challenged that decision, and a federal appeals court last month ordered the EPA to decide

by July whether to ban the pesticide.

“This is a historic victory for California’s agricultural communities and for children nationwide,” said Miriam Rotkin-Ellman of the

Natural Resources Defense Council.

“The science clearly shows that chlorpyrifos is too dangerous to use in our fields. Since California uses more chlorpyrifos than any other state, this ban will not only protect kids who live here, but kids who eat the fruits and veggies grown here.”

The pesticide is in a class of organophosphates chemically similar to a nerve gas developed by Nazi Germany before World War

II. Its heavy use has often left traces in drinking water sources. A 2012 study by the University of California, Berkeley, found that 87% of umbilical-cord blood samples tested from newborn babies contained detectable levels of the pesticide.

Dr. Gina Solomon, a medical professor at the University of California, San Francisco, and former deputy secretary of Cal-EPA, said chlorpyrifos is unusual in that it’s one of the best

understood pesticides because it’s been so extensively studied.

“We know a lot about what it does to developing children, and that science is the bedrock of the action that Cal-EPA is announcing,” she said. “Many pesticides have been studied well in lab rats, but in this case, we actually know what it does to people.”

Studies in cities where the pesticide was once used to kill cockroaches before it was banned for indoor use in 2000 and in rural farmworker communities showed it harmed brain development in fetuses and affected reading ability, IQ and led to hyperactivity in children, Solomon said. Even head sizes were smaller in children whose mothers were exposed to the pesticide.

While the ban — technically known as a cancellation — could take up to two years to take effect, the state Department of Pesticide Regulation has recommended that county agriculture commissioners adopt stricter rules on where and how the chemical can be applied, including larger buffer zones.q

UN: Plastic waste pact approved with U.S. among few holdouts GENEVA (AP) — Almost every country in the world has agreed on a legally binding framework for reducing polluting plastic waste, with the United States a notable exception, United Nations environmental officials said Friday. An agreement on tracking thousands of types of plastic waste emerged at the end of a two-week meeting of U.N.-backed conventions on plastic waste and toxic, hazardous chemicals.

Discarded plastic clutters pristine land, floats in huge masses in oceans and entangles wildlife, sometimes with deadly results. Rolph Payet of the United Nations Environment Program said the “historic” agreement linked to the 186-country, U.N.-supported Basel Con-

In this Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016 file photo, a man guides a raft through a polluted canal littered with plastic bags and other garbage in Mumbai, India.

Associated Press

vention means countries will have to monitor and track movements of plastic waste outside their borders.

“It’s sending a very strong political signal to the rest of the world — to the private

sector, to the consumer market — that we need to do something,” Payet said.

“Countries have decided to do something which will translate into real action on the ground.”q

PEOPLE & ARTS A29

Saturday 11 May 2019

Rihanna to launch groundbreaking new fashion label with LVMH

By MESFIN FEKADU Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Rihanna certified her status as a cultural fashion icon with her groundbreaking new deal with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s largest luxury group.

The pop star, born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, announced Friday that she will debut a line called Fenty this spring through LVMH. Her luxury house will be based in Paris.

The 31-year-old singer becomes the first person since 1987 to launch a new house with LVMH (the last person was Christian LaCroix). Rihanna is also reportedly the first woman to create an original brand at LVMH and the first woman of color at the top of an LVMH maison.

“Designing a line like this with LVMH is an incredibly special moment for us,” Rihanna said in a statement.

She added that Bernard Arnault, the chairman and CEO of LVMH, “has given me a unique opportunity to develop a fashion house in the luxury sector, with no artistic limits. I couldn’t imagine a better partner both

In this Sept. 13, 2018 file photo, singer Rihanna attends the 4th annual Diamond Ball at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.

Associated Press

creatively and businesswise, and I’m ready for the world to see what we have built together.”

LVMH’s leather and goods division includes Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior Couture, Celine, Kenzo, Givenchy, Fendi, Marc Jacobs and more, while its wine and spirts includes Moët &

Chandon and Dom Pérignon. The company has also backed Rihanna’s ultra-successful cosmetics brand, Fenty Beauty.

Arnault said “everybody knows Rihanna as a wonderful singer, but through our partnership at Fenty Beauty, I discovered a true entrepreneur, a real CEO

and a terrific leader.” Fashion has been synonymous with Rihanna’s name since the Grammy-winning superstar launched her music career in 2005. She has collaborated with brands like Armani, Puma, Dior and more to launch products and lines, and she debuted her lingerie line, Savage X Fenty, last year. Her Fenty Beauty collection disrupted the beauty industry when it launched in 2017, offering 40 foundation shades and bringing in more than $500 million by the end of last year. The success of it forced other cosmetic brands to be more inclusive and launch more foundation color shades, while Fenty even extended to 50 shades. A release date for Rihanna’s new Fenty line with LVMH was not announced, but a website where consumers can eventually purchase the line launched Friday. The new line “is centered on Rihanna, developed by her, and takes shape with her vision in terms of ready to wear, shoes and accessories, including commercial-

ity and communication of the brand,” according to a press release. “Celebrity fashion brands have been around a long time and led by singers, but in the past they’ve tended to be done via licensing, wholesale distribution and often more with mass retailers or department stores. What’s different about this Rihanna project is her partner, which is the world’s largest luxury group, which has expertise across a range of leather goods, perfumes, fashion, beauty — so it really raises the bar for celebrity-led fashion brands,” Miles Socha, editor-in-chief of WDD, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Rihanna, a native of Barbados, expressed her excitement about the epic new deal in an Instagram post Friday. “Big day for the culture,” she wrote. “Thank you Mr. Arnault for believing in this little girl from the left side of an island, and for giving me the opportunity to grow with you at @LVMH. This is proof that nothing is impossible. Glory be to God.”q

‘Game of Thrones’ is a family affair for Priyanka Chopra

By JOHN CARUCCI Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Priyanka Chopra finds watching “Game of Thrones” a family affair.

Not just because of the huge gatherings she often joins to watch each episode, but because her sister-in-law, Sophie Turner, is “so amazing.”

“I’m married to a ‘Game of Thrones’ family, I guess,” Chopra said.

Turner, who recently married Joe Jonas, plays Sansa Stark on the HBO series.

“The last episode, I wasn’t in town, but I think everyone else in the family got together, like 50 people, and watched the episode. My husband is a huge, huge fan,” Chopra said during an interview while promoting a new campaign to celebrate diversity.

Chopra, who has lobbied for more inclusion in the entertainment industry, re-

Actress Priyanka Chopra attends the Vineyard Vines for Target launch event at Brookfield Place on Thursday, May 9, 2019, in New York.

Associated Press

cently partnered with global skin care brand Obagi as an ambassador for the Skinclusion initiative.

The heart of its mission centers on creating dialogue for inclusion and raising awareness of unconscious bias.

That’s something Chopra saw first-hand as a young girl growing up in India as the daughter of two physicians.

While she grew up comfortably, her parents would provide medical care in smaller, impoverished villages. That provided a glimpse into a different way of life. She recalls not understanding the different set of rules for girls from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and how that treatment was normalized.

“I’ve been told that I can have whatever job I want and be successful at it if I have an aptitude. Whereas these girls were being told that your life has been de-

cided for you,” Chopra said.

When Chopra came to the United States, she was a victim of bigotry, and that had an impact on her.

In high school, she “was called Brownie, Curry, go back on the elephant you came on, and that really affected me when I was a kid. It affected my self-esteem,” Chopra said.

But instead of withering, the actress and former Miss World said she was not going to be a victim, and she was going to make sure others didn’t feel that way either.

Chopra dreams of a better world when she’s ready to start a family with her husband, Nick Jonas.

“I do want to create a world for my future kids where they don’t have to think about diversity, where they’re not talking about it because it’s normal,” Chopra said.q

A30 PEOPLE

Saturday 11 May 2019

& ARTS In ‘Parabellum,’ John Wick is on the run again

This image released by Lionsgate shows Keanu Reeves in a scene from “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.”

Associated Press

By JAKE COYLE Associated Press Movies can be blessedly simple. As the first “John Wick” showed, all you really need is a car, a gun, a dead dog and Keanu Reeves. Who needs “kiss kiss” when you’ve got plenty of “bang bang”?

Alas, nothing in today’s movie-land stays minorkey. Chad Stahelski’s “John Wick” has quickly spouted into a three-and-counting series, the latest of which is “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum.” What was once a taut, minimalist action movie with an appeal predicated on low-expectations and leanness has grown into a franchise with a typically overcooked subtitle and de-rigueur world-building (the film’s press notes reference “the Wickian universe”).

“Parabellum” finds Stahelski, Reeves’ former stunt double who has directed all three films, moving further beyond Wick’s hardboiled origins and into a more extravagant action thriller. In its ever-expanding fictional realm, “Parabellum” isn’t so dissimilar from a superhero movie, only one with way more blood, a much higher body count and, yes, righteously better action scenes.

It starts right where we left off with Reeves’ uberhitman. He’s on the run in New York having violated the fiercely enforced rules of the High Table, an international assassin’s guild that sets combat protocol for a vast criminal netherworld, including that no “business” should be conducted in the Continental, the Manhattan hotel presided over with panache by its manager, Winston (Ian McShane).

Ruthless as the world of John Wick is, it’s a rigidly ordered one, full of slavish fidelity to a warrior code that’s part samurai, part magician. There’s a $14 million bounty on Wick’s head, just posted by the High Table, which has begun a soon-to-conclude countdown to make Wick

“excommunicado.” For every other bounty hunter, it’s open-season on John Wick.

And in these films, one lurks down every alley; the ratio of regular person to hitman is, like, 2 to 1.

From the get-go, the visual landscape of “Parabellum” — a nighttime New York downpour with dashes of neon all around — is vivid, nearly turning Time’s Square into Hong Kong.

With little time to go, Wick heads to where all hitmen go in times of need: the library.

Beginning with the Rose Main Reading Room at the New York Public Library (where Wick, wielding a tome pulled from the stacks, fights a giant played by 76ers backup center Boban Marjanovic), “Parabellum” excels in its New York locations. Cinematography Dan Laustsen (“The Shape of Water”) and production designer Kevin Kavanaugh (“The Dark Knight Rises”) are the movie’s most potent weapons.

With pursuers all around, Wick stealthily seeks out old associates for help, including Anjelica Huston, as a kind of ballet-and-wrestling instructor, and Halle Berry, who has a fiefdom in Casablanca and a few lethal dogs that severely test the bounds of “good boy.” He appeals to them on the basis of old bonds that, he hopes, supersede the decrees of the High Table.

Along with returning costars Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick and McShane, “Parabellum” is well-stocked in top-flight character actors. No movie that includes Fishburne bellowing “I am the Bowery!” isn’t without its acting pleasures — including Reeves, himself, who has found in Wick a comfortable match for his spare style and powerfully still physical presence. Also added to the mix here is Asia Kate Dillon (“Billions”), as the Adjudicator, sent to arbitrate violators of the High Table’s code.

But most come to the

“John Wick” films for the hyperkinetic videogame action sequences. With a seamless mix of CGI and stunt work, Stahelski fluidly choreographs ballets of bullets and endless violent encounters across a grim cityscape. In some sequences, the action is clever, stylish and syncopated with the camera in motion.

There are sleek showdowns surrounded by reflective glass; inventive weapon selections, when assailants corner Wick in a corridor of antique knives; and chases on horse, under an elevated subway, and by motorcycle, in a blur across a bridge. In one moment, a tussle plunges underwater and the action takes on a slow-motion beauty.

There is no doubt that these sequences are quite easily, in form and execution, a cut above what most any other action film is currently doing. But “Parabellum” often squanders its finesse by resorting, countless times, to execution-like killings.

As the body count swells, the relentless sound of gun blasts, and the occasional knife stuck in a skull, begins to pulverize. Fans will surely eat it all up, but the “John Wick” films have nothing to say about gun violence despite its absurd abundance.

As laudable as the filmmaking is here, it’s an abdication — and one that’s hard to fathom, given the parade of shootings today — that sullies the whole enterprise.

You could say, well, it’s just a movie. That’s true. No one would confuse “the Wickian universe” for our own. But not because of all the gunplay. Because everyone plays by the rules.

“John Wick 3,” a Lionsgate release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for pervasive strong violence, and some language. Running time: 131 minutes. Three stars out of four.

MPAA definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.q

PEOPLE & ARTS A31

Saturday 11 May 2019

Woodstock 50 concert organizers sue investor that backed out

By JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A dispute over the future of the Woodstock 50 festival has spiraled into a court fight, with organizers suing and at least temporarily silencing a former investor that sought to call off the anniversary show.

Woodstock 50 organizers are accusing ex-partner Dentsu Aegis Network of verbally and financially sabotaging the big-name event that organizers insist will still unfold Aug. 16-18 in Watkins Glen, New York.

Denstu Aegis, meanwhile, has pulled out of the concert and raised concerns about safety. And the two sides are clashing over nearly $18 million that the organizers say their ex-investor withdrew from the festival bank account.

“Dentsu’s actions have caused a worldwide uproar over its efforts to kill the festival’s commemoration of one of the most iconic cultural events of the 20th century,” Woodstock 50 LLC’s lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, wrote in a lawsuit filed in

This Aug. 15, 2009 file photo shows a crowd on the lawn during the Heros of Woodstock concert at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, N.Y. Associated Press

Manhattan this week.

The suit seeks the return of the bank account money.

Woodstock 50 also wants an order barring Dentsu, an international marketing company, from talking about the festival with the media, performers or oth-

ers.

A Manhattan judge on Thursday temporarily granted the gag order, at least until a hearing set for Monday, court records show.

There were no immediate responses to requests for comment sent Thursday to

London-based Dentsu Aegis and its Japanese parent, Dentsu.

Woodstock 50 and Dentsu’s Amplifi Live LLC arm inked a deal in November to produce the anniversary show, planned at Watkins Glen International racetrack.

More than 75 performers have been announced, including Jay-Z, Dead & Company and the Killers as headliners. Others include John Fogerty, Miley Cyrus, Santana, Imagine Dragons, Chance the Rapper and Janelle Monae.

Behind the scenes, trouble began brewing between the organizers and their chief investor about six weeks ago, according to the lawsuit. It says Dentsu started to slow-walk payments and accused Woodstock 50 of violating their agreement — allegations that the lawsuit denies without detailing.

Then, on April 29, Dentsu announced it was canceling the event.

“We don’t believe the production of the festival can be executed as an event worthy of the Woodstock brand name while also ensuring the health and safety of the artists, partners and attendees,” the company said in a statement at the time. “As difficult as it is, we believe this is the most prudent decision for all parties involved.” q

Tembi Locke’s ‘From Scratch’ is a gorgeous read

By KIM CURTIS Associated Press “From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home” (Simon & Schuster), by Tembi Locke Not interested in yet another memoir of moving to Italy, discovering great food and falling crazy in love with the man of your dreams? Me neither. But don’t let that stop you from picking up “From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home” by Tembi Locke.

Yes, the literary debut from the Houston-born actress is the no-longer-unique combination of travelogue, recipe book and love story.

And, yes, it’s primarily set in Sicily.

But “From Scratch” manages to elevate itself with a few key additional elements.

First, Locke is a black American actress forging

a career in Hollywood. She meets Saro, a Sicilian chef, when she’s 20. Their interracial, intercultural relationship is shocking enough that his parents boycott the wedding. Then Saro is diagnosed with a rare cancer and dies early in the narrative.

The writing in “From Scratch” is sublime. Locke allows her readers to revel in the sensory experiences of Sicily. She offers a peek into her deeply satisfying relationship with her daughter, her husband and their family.

When she compares cheese-making to grief, describing how both need “time, labor and attention,” she offers a new perspective on an age-old emotion. Even her description of the classic Los Angeles fog feels fresh: “A haze always hung over the city, separating the lives we led

from the open sky.”

Because of her obvious writing skills, readers get lost in her prose, which leads to some confusion and unanswered questions. For example, the book glosses over Saro’s cancer diagnosis, lengthy treatments and Locke’s 10 years as his caregiver. And while readers understand that they were each other’s great love, we’re not sure how or why that became true.

Her characters, too, are presented in broad strokes and feel two-dimensional. Zoela as a typical kid is whiny and impatient at times, but she’s also smart, kind and wise beyond her years. Saro is handsome, supportive, understanding and great in the bedroom as well as the kitchen. And Locke herself, despite sharing stories of her love, family and grief, keeps a safe distance.q

This book cover image released by Simon & Schuster shows “From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home,” by Tembi Locke.

Associated Press