April 16, 2012

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012

@alwatandaily

Issue No. 1406

20 PAGES

www.alwatandaily.com

150 Fils with IHT

Immunity to be lifted off Parliament stormers

Staff Writers

KUWAIT: During its scheduled session on Tuesday, the National Assembly will vote on a request to lift the immunity of lawmakers accused of storming the Parliament building.

On Sunday, the Parliamentary Legislative Committee agreed to lift the parliamentary immunity of nine members of Parliament (MPs) charged with breaking and entering the National Assembly. The decision was unanimous.

The Legislative Committee Rappoteur MP Mohammed Al-Dallal said that the lawmakers looked into several requests related to lifting the immunity, including one made by the office of Public Prosecution. Several MPs, accused of storming the Parliament, attended the meeting.

The accused lawmakers have regarded their entry into the Parliament as a triumphant day, saying it restored people’s dignity and challenged the committee to lift their immunity in order to prove their vindication.

“The committee unanimously agreed to lift the immunity off of all MPs charged with breaking and entering the National Assembly. They include Musallam Al-Barrak, Mohammed AlKhalifa, Salem Al-Namlan, Khaled Al-Tahous, Dr. Faisal Al-Mislem, Dr. Jamaan Al-Harbash, Falah Al-Sawwagh, Mubarak Al-Waalan and Dr. Waleed Al-Tabatabaei,” he explained, adding at the same time that some of the requests submitted suffer legal discrepancies given that some had in their requests accusations which have not been proven to be accurate. He added that while committee members expressed their reservation against certain points in the requests, they all agreed on the nature of the case as it contains some political dimension as well as the presence of some young men who happen to be not part of the parliamentary scene, coupled with the fact that the MPs themselves have asked for such motion, as it has become increasingly necessary that lifting the immunity should be made.

Al-Dallal added that one of the requests made

was pertinent to MP Mohammed Al-Juwaihel.

MP Al-Juwaihel is facing a lawsuit by one of the businesses in the private sector. The committee, after deliberation, refused to accept the request, but approved another against MP Al-Juwaihel.

There was also another request related to a different issue against MP Dr. Waleed Al-Tabatabaei but the committee demanded it was not valid and consequently disapproved the request.

Al-Dallal also said that there was a request on the part of the Ministry of Interior against the MP Dr. Faisal Al-Mislem. He said that the committee had previously explained the unlawful nature of the request and therefore it was turned down. For his part, MP Salem Al-Namlan said that he asked the committee to lift his immunity, adding that when he entered the Parliament, he was feeling proud. He added that he accepted such motion because some MPs are trying to take advantage of the situation and therefore it would be ideal just to lift the immunity.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

National Assembly committee extends regular session to Aug. 2

A giant national flag is seen above supporters of France’s opposition Socialist Party (PS) presidential candidate take part in a campaign meeting on April 15, 2012 in front of the Chateau de Vincennes, outside Paris. (AFP) More on 5

New North Korean leader makes first public speech

PYONGYANG: North Korea’s new leader addressed his nation and the world for the first time Sunday, vowing to place top priority on his impoverished country’s military, which promptly unveiled a new long-range missile.

The speech was the culmination of two weeks of celebrations marking the centenary of the birth of his grandfather, national founder Kim Il Sung - festivities that were marred by a failed launch Friday of a rocket that generated international condemnation and cost North Korea a food aid-for-nuclear-freeze deal with Washington.

Kim Jong Un’s speech took North Koreans gathered at Kim Il Sung Square and around televisions across the country by surprise. His father, late leader Kim Jong Il, addressed the public only once in his lifetime. Appearing calm and measured

as he read the 20-minute speech, Kim Jong Un covered a wide range of topics, from foreign policy to the economy.

His speech, and a military parade that followed, capped the carefully choreographed festivities commemorating Kim Il Sung’s birthday, which included a massive fireworks display.

It was the best look yet the outside world has had of the young Kim, who is believed to be in his late 20s.

Punctuating Kim’s message that the North will continue to pour funds into its military, the parade culminated with the unveiling of a new long-range missile, though it’s not clear how powerful or significant the addition to the North Korean arsenal is.

Some analysts suggested it might have been a dummy designed to dupe outside observers. -AFP

KUWAIT: Members of the National Assembly’s committee convened a regular meeting, on Sunday, under the chairmanship of the Parliament’s Speaker Ahmad Al-Sadoun. Secretary of the National Assembly Abdullah Al-Barghash told the press that the members of the office agreed to extend its current regular session until August 2.

Al-Bargash said that the caucus received a letter from the parliamentary human rights committee requesting sending a delegation of MPs and family members of Guantanamo detainees, Fayez Al-Kandari and Fouzi Al-Awadah, in addition to a group of doctors to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. He added that the Foreign Ministry will be addressed regarding this matter soon. The National Assembly’s committee also approved a request from the nuclear and environment affairs committee to seek help from the committee’s consultants, the MP added. The Caucus also discussed a letter addressed to the International Islamic Parliamentarians Forum regarding their upcoming visit to More on 2 the state of Kuwait.

Militants attack Pakistan prison, nearly 400 escape

KUWAIT: Former Kuwaiti footballer Sameer Saeed passed away Sunday evening from injuries sustained from a car accident. Saeed was hospitalized in a critical condition after he was hit by a speeding vehicle in Nuwaiseeb. He was diagnosed with brain and liver hemorrhages, and compound fractures at Adan Hospital where he was admitted late Thursday night. His condition was reported unstable.

Many supporters and officials gathered at the hospital when they heard the news of the accident and offered to donate blood.

The former national team goalkeeper was reportedly jogging with a friend when he was hit by a speeding vehicle. Paramedics recognized Saeed on the scene before he was taken in an ambulance. The speeding driver reportedly turned himself in to the police and is in custody for further investigation. Saeed played in the Kuwait national team from 1984 to 1992; his last game played was in the Gulf Cup 1992, when he himself scored four goals.

Sameer Saeed

Syrian violence continues as UN observers arrive

BEIRUT: Syrian troops shelled residential neighborhoods dominated by rebels in the central city of Homs Sunday, activists said, hours before the first batch of United Nations observers were to arrive in Damascus to shore up a shaky truce. A spokesman for international envoy Kofi Annan said the group of six observers were due to arrive Sunday night and will be “on the ground in blue helmets tomorrow.”

Ahmad Fawzi told The Associated Press the six “will be quickly augmented by up to 25 to 30 from the region and elsewhere.” The observers took off soon after the UN Security Council in New York voted Saturday to authorize an advance team of observers to help maintain Syria’s cease-fire.

The reported shelling in Homs is threatening the truce to which President Bashar Al-Assad and rebels fighting to topple him had agreed. Both sides accuse each other of violating the truce at the center of Annan’s peace plan. “What cease-fire? There’s an explo-

sion every five to six minutes,” said Yazan, a Homsbased activist, contacted by Skype.

“I can also hear the sound of a reconnaissance plane. It’s flying very low.” In an amateur video posted on the Internet by activists Sunday, explosions and gunfire can be heard echoing as Khaldiyeh’s skyline is engulfed in gray smoke. Homs-based activists said other districts including Bayada, Jouret el-Shayah, Qarabees and Qusour were also being bombarded.

“If you saw Homs right now you wouldn’t recognize it,” said Yazan, describing rubble-strewn roads and badly damaged apartment blocs. “You walk around and it’s not unusual to find dead people in cars on the street,” he said, giving only his first name for fear of retribution. The Local Coordination Committees activist network said the day started with a barrage of shells that fell at the rate of six each minute, shaking the neighborhood of Khaldiyeh for the second More on 4 consecutive day.

Power connection to reach Sabah Al-Ahmad City within 20 months

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ISLAMABAD: Some 384 prisoners including militants escaped early Sunday from a jail in northwestern Pakistan after an attack by insurgents armed with guns, grenades and rockets, according to officials.

More than 150 militants stormed the central prison outside the restive northwestern town of Bannu bordering the lawless tribal regions where Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants are active.

The attack started at around 1:00 am (2000 GMT) and continued for two hours, with militants in cars and pick-up trucks shooting and lobbing grenades to force their way into the prison, a senior security official told AFP. “Some 384 prisoners, including some hardcore militants, have escaped during the attack,” the official said.

“Preliminary information suggests that there were some 944 prisoners in the jail according to the tally late More on 5 Saturday,” he said.

Prayers and silence mark Titanic centenary

ABOARD MS BALMORAL: Cruise ship passengers and crew said prayers Sunday at the spot in the North Atlantic where the Titanic sank 100 years ago with the loss of more than 1,500 lives. Passengers lined the decks of MS Balmoral, which has been retracing the route of the doomed voyage. After a moment of silence, three floral wreaths were cast onto the waves as the ship’s whistle sounded in the dark.

Jane Allen from Devon in southwest England, whose greatuncle perished on the Titanic, said the moment had vividly reminded her of the horror of the disaster.

“All you could hear was the swell splashing against the side of the ship.

You could see the white breakers stretching out to sea,” she told the BBC. “You are in the middle of nowhere. And then you look down over the side of the ship and you realize that every man and every woman who didn’t make it into a lifeboat had to make that decision, of when to jump or stay on the ship as the lights went out.”

Another cruise ship, Journey, which has traveled from New York, also held a service at the site of the disaster, 400 miles off More on 16 the coast of Newfoundland.

Damage from an apparent tornado is seen in Thurman, Iowa. The storms were part of a massive system that affected areas from Northern Nebraska south through Oklahoma. (AFP)

Kuwaiti footballer Sameer Saeed passes away

Cleveland’s Rock Hall 17 welcomes new class

An Afghan National Army soldier keeps watch near the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) as a NATO helicopter flies over the site of an attack in Jalalabad province April 15, 2012. Gunmen launched multiple attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, assaulting Western embassies in the heavily guarded, central diplomatic area and at the parliament in the west, witnesses and officials said. Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for the assault, one of the boldest on the capital since U.S.-backed Afghan forces removed the group from power in 2001. (Reuters)

A Simple Life sweeps Hong Kong Film Awards

HONG KONG: A heart-warming drama film depicting the relationship between an elderly loyal servant and her young master swept all the major categories of the Hong Kong Film Awards on Sunday.

“A Simple Life” scooped five gongs for best film, director, screenplay, actor and actress at the star-studded event considered Hong Kong’s equivalent of the Oscars.

“I would like to thank Hong Kong,” Ann Hui said after grabbing the best director award.

“I grew up here and I received my education here.

This city has given me a lot of inspirations,” she said during the glitzy ceremony held at the harbor front Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

The best actor and best actress honor went to the film’s lead characters played by Andy Lau and Deanie Ip. Ip, 64, played a servant who wants to move into

a nursing home after suffering a stroke in “A Simple Life”, a role that also won her the best actress award at the Venice film festival and Asian Film Awards. “I only won this award in my 60s – this could be the first and last time,” she said in an emotional speech.

The annual Hong Kong Film Awards – celebrating its 31st edition this year -- is one of the two Chinese film’s industry most prestigious events, alongside Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards. The southern Chinese city which became an international movie powerhouse in the 1970s remains a rich source of film talent, with its stars enjoying huge popularity across Asia. There have been increasing collaborations between Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland filmmakers in recent years to tap the lucrative market of movie-goers in China, one of the fastest rising markets. -AFP

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ALWATAN DAILY

kuwait

monDAY, april 16, 2012

Cabinet congratulates Info Minister for overcoming interpellation motion KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Cabinet held Sunday its weekly meeting at Seif Palace here, under the chairmanship of His Highness Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Following the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah made a statement on the meeting’s deliberations and outcome. At the onset of the meeting, the Cabinet was also apprised of four letters sent to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah from Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Beninese President Thomas Yayi Boni, Bangladeshi President Zillur Rahman and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Percy Rajapaksa.

The letters focused on bilateral relations and means to strengthen cooperation in all domains. The Cabinet was also informed about a letter sent to the Amir from Jacques Chirac, ex-president of France and head of Chirac Foundation for Peace.

The letter focused on the development and humanitarian activities of Chirac Foundation over the past four years.

On the other hand, the Cabinet welcomed the expected visit of Omani Sultan

Qaboos bin Said Al Said to Kuwait which will start Monday. The Cabinet congratulated Information Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah on overcoming the grilling motion filed against him in the National Assembly and hailed his good refutation of the Members’ of Parliament (MPs) claims. The ministers approved a recommendation from the public service committee to law No. 25 of 1995 which deprives singles from living in buildings allocated for families only.

The Cabinet approved an amendment to article 63 of law No. 23 of 1968 of the police force, a bill on encouraging investment and bilateral trade between Kuwait and Djibouti, bill on cooperation between Kuwait and Sudan in basic and higher education, and a draft law of the statute of Gulf Cooperation Council center for crisis management.

The approved bills and recommendations were referred to the Amir for final approval. The Cabinet discussed the main issues to be debated by the National Assembly this week. Finally, the Cabinet reviewed the political affairs in light of the reports related to the overall political developments at the Arab and international levels. -KUNA

Photo of Sunday’s Cabinet meeting headed

by His Highness Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah (center) April 15, 2012. (KUNA)

National Assembly Rows over Shiite Hussaniyas continue, committee extends regular session to Aug. 2 Al-Shehab meets with clergymen KUWAIT: Members of the National Assembly’s committee convened a regular meeting, on Sunday, under the chairmanship of the Parliament’s Speaker Ahmad Al-Sadoun.

Secretary of the National Assembly Abdullah AlBarghash told the press that the members of the office agreed to extend its current regular session until August 2.

Al-Bargash said that the caucus received a letter from the parliamentary human rights committee requesting sending a delegation of MPs and family members of Guantanamo detainees, Fayez Al-Kandari and Fouzi Al-Awadah, in addition to a group of doctors to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. He added that the Foreign Ministry will be

addressed regarding this matter soon. The National Assembly’s committee also approved a request from the nuclear and environment affairs committee to seek help from the committee’s consultants, the MP added.

The Caucus also discussed a letter addressed to the International Islamic Parliamentarians Forum regarding their upcoming visit to the state of Kuwait.

The session also addressed the latest updates on the new building of members of the parliament, which is being under construction.

Al-Bargash finally added that some of the parliament’s secretary general administration-related matters were tackled during the session. -KUNA

Parliament’s Speaker Ahmad Al-Sadoun chairing Members of Parliament committee meeting on Sunday, April 15, 2012. (KUNA)

Al-Kandari’s father asked to not repeat American Embassy sit-in Ahmad Zakariya Staff Writer

KUWAIT: The lawyer Adel Abdulhadi, the legal attorney of Guantanamo detainee Fayez Al-Kandari, announced that security individuals asked Al-Kandari’s father, who sat-in before the headquarters of the American embassy, to not repeat the incident again.

The lawyer disclosed that the father staged a peaceful sit-in to express his rejection against detaining his son for about ten years without referring him to court. The father

affirmed that he will sit-in again.

The security said that Al-Kandari’s father sat on the floor in front of the embassy until security individuals in charge of protecting the embassy asked the father to accompany them to their office. They then photocopied his civil ID and asked him to leave.

Meanwhile, the lawyer asked the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs to exert further efforts in the field of coordination with its American counterpart in order to speed up releasing the two Kuwaiti detainees Fayez Al-Kandari and Fouzi Al-Awadah.

Dialogue sole avenue for tackling Bahrain’s problems: Kuwaiti ambassador MANAMA: Violent incidents in the Kingdom of Bahrain “would not serve” positive atmosphere that was created by the national conciliation, affirmed the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Kingdom.

Kuwait has condemned, in strong terms, any terrorist act that may target Bahrain because it considers any attack on the country as an assault on Kuwait as well, stressed Sheikh Azzam Mubarak Al-Sabah in an interview, published by the daily Bahraini newspaper, Al-Ayyam, on Sunday.

The diplomat was alluding to a “terrorist attack” that targeted government security personnel, last week Whoever exploits freedoms to execute acts of violence, certainly, has misconceptions regarding democratic practices because there is no avenue to reach solutions other than the political settlement, sufficient to tackle all kinds of issues, and not through terrorism or violence, Sheikh Azzam said, stressing necessity that dialogue and peaceful means be adopted to resolve any problems.

The Bahraini society is tolerant and does not accept

such acts, and radical thoughts will not last among the tolerant peoples of the Gulf states, Sheikh Azzam opined further. “I believe that the Gulf society has strong immunity vis a vis such diseases that cannot spread in the Gulf region,” he re-emphasized.

Affirming that conditions in the Kingdom have remained normal, Sheikh Azzam confirmed that the international Formula-1 race would be held, as scheduled, in the end of the week.

Bahrain’s hosting of the race is a success for all Arab Gulf states, he said, noting that the sports event would contribute in boosting the positive image of Bahrain, as well as the image of all the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

Kuwait and Bahrain, members of the six-seat GCC, have maintained close and distinctive ties. The regional bloc was founded in the 80s with the aim of enhancing cooperation among the regional countries at various levels. It also includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. -KUNA

Sheikha Fariha criticized for supporting establishment of Armenian Church

Jameel W. Karaki, Michael A. Kolarov and Nafel Al-Humaidan Staff Writers

KUWAIT: In a recent row in Parliament, lawmaker Mohammad Hayef demanded that the government should begin supervising Hussainiyas (Shiite Diwaniyas) as is the case with Sunni mosques. The lawmaker had threatened to file an interpellation against the Minister of Awqaf Jamal Al-Shehab if he fails to monitor the Shiite mosques. However, the MP deferred his quizzing request for the meantime after Friday prayer sermons were no longer recorded as of April 13.

On Sunday, the minister met with a delegation of Shiites imams, where he discussed with them means of cooperation in order to reach a mechanism that would well serve the Shiite mosques and establish coordination amongst them. He announced the formation of a committee of imams in Shiites mosques, which will act as a mediator between the Shiites in Kuwait and the ministry; thus allowing them to inform the ministry of any needs or requirements concerning maintenance and cleanliness. The mediator will be responsible for abiding by the instructions of the ministry concerning the mosques.

Al-Shehab called for following the guidelines set by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah that aim to cement national unity. He stressed the importance of cooperation, unity, and mercy among people living in Kuwait, in order to avoid any issues that might cause sedition or tarnish the relationships that bind the citizens.

Moreover, the minister listened to the remarks made by the imams, and the meeting was friendly and productive.

The attendees stressed that Kuwait’s security is of paramount importance and that this responsibility must be shouldered collectively by the people. He also mentioned the violations committed by Shiites mosques and called for taking them into consideration.

Meanwhile, the Shiites imams applauded the friendly meeting, and lauded the concept of forming a committee that seeks Kuwait’s interest and abides by the laws and regulations.

They asserted that Shiites are keen to abide by laws and to work with others for the welfare of Kuwait.

On this issue, Al Watan Daily spoke to Sheikh Rajab Ali Rajab, a mosque Imam, who explained that monitoring Hussainiyat is a governmental role, given that a Hussainiya is not under the authority of the Ministry of Awqaf and is rather considered as a private Diwaniya that opens its door for everyone. “The history of Hussainiyas in Kuwait is well known in educating the society, encouraging people to respect the state institutions, and it never incites violence and terrorism,” added Rajab. Another Shiite clergyman, who asked to remain anonymous, told Al Watan Daily on a phone interview that the existence of Hussainiyat or Churches is related to the freedom of belief for the citizen or those who live in the country. However, he said that there are some parties that incite terrorism in mosques.

“There are a number of people in the National Assembly

who do not want the good of Kuwait, for instance when His Highness the Amir, may God grant him long life, visited Iraq they criticized the visit because they don’t want for Kuwait to communicate and enjoy good relations with its neighboring countries,” the clergyman said.

The Clergyman explained that in Islam, the Christians and Jews have the right to practice their rituals, he cited a saying of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) “who hurts a dhimmi, he hurts me”.

“Islam, according to these people, is unfortunately about a long dishdasha and a beard, and not the Islam of tolerance.”

He concluded.

Regarding freedom of religion, Article 35 of the Kuwaiti constitution states “Freedom of belief is absolute. The State protects the freedom of practicing religion in accordance with established customs, provided that it does not conflict with public policy or morals.”

Meanwhile, and on a different topic, Sheikha Fariha AlAhmad Al-Sabah, head of the Kuwaiti Association for the Ideal Family declared, during a visit to the Armenian Orthodox diocese in Salmiya, her support for Armenians living in Kuwait to obtain a plot of land for a church.

For this she came under harsh criticism from Islamist MPs who stated that the issue “should not be left for personal and political courtesies.” and further stated that she was not in any official position that would allow her to issue such a statement or “to make promises.” During an interview with Al Watan Sheikha Fariha stated that she has the right to express her opinions and beliefs as a citizen of Kuwait. (Arabic illiteracy prevents me from double checking what she said exactly.)

In March, a member of parliament called for the demolishing of all churches from Kuwait, however, he later claimed he was misquoted, and that he actually meant that no further churches should be built in Kuwait.

Reverend Emmanuel Gharib, Pastor of the National Evangelical Church said in a statement to the press that “Kuwait is one of the most tolerant countries in the world” Gharib said those behind the proposal should issue a public apology, pointing out the most disappointing aspect is that the calls coincided with the 50th anniversary of the issuance of the Constitution and initiated by a Kuwaiti who wants to settle scores with a compatriot due to differences in beliefs. He warned this move might make outsiders think that Kuwait is against freedom to practice one’s own religion.

The position of Islamist MP’s was reinforced by a recent visit to Saudi Arabia by the Kuwait-based ‘Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage’ to meet with Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia. During their meeting, they were told by the Grand Mufti that it is “necessary to destroy all the churches of the region,” because on his deathbed, the prophet Mohammed had decreed that “there are not to be two religions in the Arabian Peninsula” which he has taken to mean that no religion but Islam should be allowed anywhere in the Arabian Peninsula.The Mufti emphasized that because Kuwait is part of the Arabian Peninsula, it would be necessary to destroy all churches in the country.

Immunity to be lifted off Parliament stormers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

In another development, at least 31 lawmakers led

by MP Mohammad Hayef are expected to introduce an amendment to Article 79 of the Constitution whereby no law will be passed unless it is approved by Parliament, ratified by the Amir and is consistent with the Islamic law (Sharia). The existing constitutional provision stipulates that “No law may be promulgated unless it has been passed by the National Assembly and sanctioned by the Amir.”

MP Dr. Mohammad Al-Hatlani, a member of the Justice Bloc, asserted that the amendment of Article 79 does not undo demands for Article 2 of the Constitution to be amended so that Islamic law becomes the sole source of legislation.

The lawmaker added that the amendment of the said article represent an Islamist inclination among members of the majority. Al-Hatlani added that there has been misconception with regard to the islamization of laws

and the application of Sharia.

“It’s high time that the Islamic law became the main and sole source of legislation after it had been restricted for decades to personal status and inheritance laws,” the legislator was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the Rapporteur for the parliamentary committee charged with probing alleged multimillion deposits Mohammad Al-Dallal stated that constitutional law professors informed the committee that the issue of confidentiality which has been contained in the Constitutional Court’s decisions are not applicable to parliamentary investigatory committees. According to him, the committee is entitled to be privy to all the documents and data within the domain of government institutions, particularly the Central Bank of Kuwait.

Moreover, MP Musallam Al-Barrak announced his intention to make his planned interpellation against the Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shamali available to the Parliamentary Majority during a scheduled meeting on Sunday.

ALWATAN DAILY

KUWAIT

mondAY, april 16, 2012

Power connection to reach Sabah Al-Ahmad City within 20 months Khaled Al-Otaibi Staff Writer

KUWAIT: Minister of Electricity and Water and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim signed infrastructure contracts regarding the connection of power to Sabah Al-Ahmad City, installment of eight main power stations with a power of 132/11 kilovolts. The contracts are expected to be executed in a maximum period of 20 months, in order to provide the city with power; especially that the ministry works relentlessly to cover the power requirements of citizens, in light of the current development that Kuwait witnesses.

Meanwhile, the ministry managed to

collect around 50 million Kuwaiti dinars from citizens and non-Kuwaitis in return for their power and water consumption during the past six months. Sources at the ministry revealed that the ministry managed to collect its money from consumers after preparing lists of those who are indebted, and following a precise plan to collect those debts; especially that Law 48 for year 2005 has specified the mechanism followed in collecting debts from consumers.

Sources went on to say that the coordination among all sectors and governorate supervisors has led to an increase in amount of collected debts.

Instructions were given to the departments to follow the law and not to differentiate between one consumer and the

other. A campaign will be launched by the ministry employees to read all power and water meters in all governorates, in order to be able to collect consumption fees and to avoid mistakes made in the past by some senior ministerial officials. Such mistakes led to the accumulation of debts.

Moreover, sources mentioned that those who are reluctant to pay their power and water bills will be subject to power disconnection, while the owners of chalets and other residential or investment facilities will be handed repetitive warnings.

Sources applauded the Ministries of Defense, Awqaf and Interior for paying their power and water consumption bills, and asked other ministries and governmental authorities to pay their due bills.

Kuwait hosts chemistry convention, calls for strategies for alternative energy

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Minister Safar signs KD 14.4 million water storage, repair contracts

KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works, Minister of State for Planning and Development Fadhil Safar signed Sunday a 14.4 million Kuwaiti dinar contract for establishing and maintaining a water treatment network and treated water silos.

The 1825-day contract provides for setting up and maintenance of a water treatment net-

work and implementation of 14 treated water reservoirs, as well as establishing a number of lines of water treatment at a distance ranging between 400 and 1200 millimeters with a length of 56 kilometers.

It also includes an information control center in linking networks of treated water, which is located within the project area. -KUNA

Health Minister presides over first meeting of new consultants’ board

KUWAIT: Minister of Health Dr. Ali Saad AlObeidi presided over the first meeting of the new consultants board, at the ministry’s diwan Saturday night, and stressed the board is to function as the focal center for decision making when it comes to implementing and developing health policy, and also when it comes to planning readiness and response capabilities for emergencies and disasters.

The meeting was attended by Health Undersecretary Dr. Ibrahim Al-Abdelhadi, Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Affairs Dr. Khalid Al-Sahlawi, Assistant Undersecretary for Quality and Planning Dr. Walid Al-Falah, in addition to Head of the Technical Department Dr. Majdah Al-Qattan and heads of the specialized medical boards.

The minister started with review of a long list of topics to be covered by subsequent meetings and also read out proposals presented by board members to help shape ministry policy.

This first meeting was meanwhile set for discussion of the agreements of the ministry with interna-

tional universities and organizations, including the Memo of Understanding signed with McGill University, as an initial step to assess benefit of these agreements and to evaluate implementation of the clauses of these agreements.

There would also be assessment of effect of implementation on the development of technical and administrative performance and the quality of service received by patients.

The minister had in particular urged attention to the issue of malpractice, and called for an all-inclusive overview of the issue on both technical and legal levels. He stressed this is a vital issue, and failure to address it means losing citizens’ confidence in the ministry’s services.

The officials also discussed the policies of the medical warehouses, and mechanisms for requesting equipment to guarantee smoother service to the public and better management to provide each specialized department with what it needs for adequate service. -KUNA

Kuwait to attend Doha meeting on Syrian crisis Tuesday

His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (center) representing His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during the Second Kuwait Conference of Chemistry and the 16th Arab Chemists Conference on Sunday, April 15, 2012. (KUNA)

KUWAIT: Second Kuwait Conference of Chemistry and the 16th Arab Chemists Conference got underway on Sunday under patronization of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, with key statements calling for higher awareness of necessity of strategic planning for securing energy resources other than crude oil.

Attending the broad convention were His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, representing His Highness the Amir, the sponsor of the event, along with sheikhs, ministers, Chairman of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Thuanyyan AlGhanem, senior officials of the State and Diwan of the Prime Minister, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the Senegalese Ambassador, and the participating delegations.

Dr. Faiza Al-Kharafi, the head of the conference higher committee, welcomed the conferees on behalf of the Kuwait Chemical Society, the host of the convention, noting that planners for the gathering were keen on securing presence of scientists and researchers, renowned for substantial experience in the realm of alternative energy from various states, in addition to young figures.

Dr. Kharafi boasted that the event drew more than 200 specialists representing various scientific and academic establishments. The participants would discuss

35 papers on renewable and alternative energy.

Asserting that the holding of the conference in the country depicted Kuwait’s distinguished international scientific status, she added, “What makes us more proud is participation of distinguished scientists who have flocked to the country from 20 states to discuss the topics of the conference.” After noting that Arab chemists were the first to produce kerosene, she expressed deep gratitude to His Highness the Amir for his sponsorship and care for sciences and scientists.

Dr. Haidar Behbehani, the head of the steering committee, said in his keynote speech that the convention was being held under the theme, “resources of alternative energy,” affirming that the conferees would hold debates and discussions on the future sources of energy. He confirmed that among the topics of the conference were nuclear and solar energy and environmental impact from usage of alternative resources of energy.

“We are emphasizing role of the Kuwaiti researcher in chemistry, for he (she) possesses necessary scientific potentials, thus up to 100 Kuwaiti chemists will take part in the activities of the convention,” said Dr. Behbehani, expressing gratitude to the prime minister for attending the gathering on behalf of the Amir.

Statement of the Union of Arab Chem-

ists was read by the Secretary General, Dr. Ahmad Al-Ghamdi, who expressed pleasure for holding this conference again “in the State of Kuwait, the pearl of the Gulf and land of giving, under fatherly sponsorship of His Highness the Amir.” He affirmed that the issue of alternative energy resources has become pre-occupation for strategists of many nations, considering soaring prices of oil, mounting environmental pollution and prospects that resources of fossil of fuel may eventually dry up. “Arabs may bid farewell to glorious days and stand upon ruins of dried (oil) fields some day,” he warned, reciting poetic verses of the eminent Egyptian poet Ibrahim Al-Yazeji.

Stressing that the oil-rich Gulf countries must think strategically and start devising plans for upcoming hard times, he underscored necessity of finding alternative resources for producing energy noting that even gigantic oil companies, such as British Petroleum, have begun investing in technology of alternative energy, such as solar energy. “Arab governments must examine such pioneer experiences and try to diversify the resources of energy,” he stressed.

In conclusion, Dr. Al-Ghamdi declared two awards sponsored by the Arab union; the Arab chemistry award for all segments and the Arab chemistry award for youth. -KUNA

CAIRO: Permanent representative of the State of Kuwait to the Arab League Ambassador Jamal Mohammed Al-Ghoneim said here on Sunday that Kuwait will take part in the Arab Ministerial Committee meeting on the Syrian crisis, which will be held on Tuesday in the Qatari capital Doha.

Al-Ghoneim told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah will head the Kuwaiti delegation to the meeting given that Kuwait is the current President of the Arab League Council at the foreign ministerial level.

He added that Kuwait’s participation in this meeting comes from its eagerness to push forward the joint UN-Arab plan masterminded by UN-Arab Envoy for Syria Kofi Annan and sup-

Photo of Permanent representative of the State of Kuwait to the Arab League Ambassador Jamal Mohammed Al-Ghoneim. (KUNA)

Tunisian official hails Kuwaiti support for his country’s progress VIENNA: A visiting senior Tunisian official hailed on Sunday bilateral ties between Kuwait and his country highlighting Kuwaiti contributions in support of development of Tunisia during the last four decades. Tunisian people owe deep respect to Kuwait because of its strong support for the post-revolution democratic reforms in the country, said State Secretariat in charge of European Affairs in the Tunisia Foreign Ministry Dr. Al-Touhami Al-Abdouli, to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), on sidelines of an official visit to Austria.

Al-Abdoli hailed political and economic roles Kuwait play in the Arab world and its keenness on enhancing joint Arab action, besides supporting Arab causes and developmental issues in various parts of the world. Kuwait occupies a leading position for care and finance it offers to the cultural issues, like issuing a number of cultural magazines including Al-Arabi and Alam Al-Ma’refa. “Those periodicals contribute in spreading awareness among Arab youth of our heritage,” he affirmed.

Head of Foundation of Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain’s Prize for Poetic Creativity Abdulaziz Al-Babtain, lately, visited Tunisia and met President Mounsef Almarzogi and Chairman of the National Constituent Assembly Mustapha Ben Jaafar. Al-Babatian handed Al-Marzogi a letter from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, carrying an official invitation to the Tunisian president to visit Kuwait by the end of this month, following a scheduled visit by the top leader of the North African Arab country to Qatar. Tunisia will host, next June, an event organized

by Al-Babtain Foundation, and would be attended by European politicians - under auspices of the Tunisian president, he added. Al-Babtain prepared a busy program for the Tunisian president visit to Kuwait, including meeting a number of Kuwaiti businessmen to discuss issues supporting Kuwaiti investments in Tunisia.

Al-Abdouli said the two nations share deep-rooted ties and Kuwait has been a pioneer among the other GCC countries in

sharing economic relations with Tunisia.

The Kuwaiti investments in Tunisia include financing Abu-Nawas series of hotels, the Kuwaiti-Tunisian Bank, building highways, besides the loan the Bank of Kuwait and the Arab World to Tunisia, valued at KD 285 million, with very low interest rates. Kuwait is considered as the first Arab democratic country, where the first Shura council was elected in 1921, and first parliamentary election took place in late 1940s, Al-Abdouli stated. He considered the Kuwaiti democratic experience as a model in the Arab World, and post-revolution Tunisia has a lot to learn from this practice. Kuwaiti, since its independence in 1960s, has been a pioneer in the field of freedoms and political openness in the region, he added.

Influential political activities by the Kuwaiti parliament are result of the democratic experience in the country, he said Kuwait has witnessed a number of grilling of government’ ministers, which is a practice commonly known in the Western

ported by the UN Security Council.

He explained that the meeting will also discuss the latest developments in Syria in light of the recent UN Security Council resolution to send international observers there, in addition to discussing the humanitarian situation in Syria.

He noted that the State of Kuwait made its pledges to support Syrian refugees with some USD 23 million, both from the government or charities in Kuwait.

He concluded by saying that Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid will head the Kuwaiti delegation to the emergency meeting of ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Wednesday in Riyadh, which was called for by the United Arab Emirates to discuss the issue of the three UAE islands occupied by Iran. -KUNA

democracies, he affirmed. Those factors have contributed in sparing Kuwait public revolts and ramifications of the so-called “the Arab Spring,” he added.

Moreover, Kuwait has succeeded in establishing a democratic system despite abundant oil resources, unlike other nations where the petroleum “proved to be a curse,” he opined, alluding to some wealthy countries where corruption is rampant. Kuwaiti businessmen can invest in various sectors in Tunisia including construction, tourism and energy, he said.

Expected visits by Kuwaiti businessmen to Tunisia would enhance and boost economic ties between the two countries, said, adding that the Arab and Kuwaiti investors would enjoy special treatment, besides offering them facilities and incentives to invest in the country. The investments’ atmosphere in Tunisia is currently oriented and fruitful, following a number of reforms, and new legislations to fight corruption and protect rights of investors, he added. -KUNA

4

ALWATAN DAILY

regional

There is something wrong!

By Hossam Fathi Staff Writer

KUWAIT: I don’t believe that excluding certain candidates from the presidential election campaign is a mere legal procedure! Is it possible that the large number of employees and law figures supporting the Major General could not accurately count the number of required signatures and documents during the process leading up to the presidential election?!

I hope my suspicions will not ring true and I hope all assistants and supporters of the major general really had made an honest mistake. I also hope the Elections Supreme Committee adhered to all established laws while dealing with such a sensitive issue.

However, the next few hours might lead to some shockers, especially in view of the disqualified candidates’ appeals before the committee, but the question is “Will the committee accept the appeals of candidates or not?!” In the meantime, some sources of the Muslim Brotherhood party announced that their fielded candidate Khairat Al-Shater was in possession of effective evidence, which he has submitted to the committee!

The most dangerous thing at the present time is the reactions of the different parties, but we wish Egypt all the best in overcoming obstacles at this critical juncture. I would like to tell the other candidates - who might believe that they are slowly approaching the presidential chair - to think well before doing or saying anything, because the case of disqualification of the ten candidates is not over yet, and the decision of the committee might be changed after consideration of the appeals. hossam@alwatan.com.kw Twitter:@hossamfathy66

Iraq frees last Saddam WMD scientist

BAGHDAD: The last Iraqi scientist implicated in late dictator Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program is to be released, Deputy Justice Minister Busho Ibrahim told AFP on Sunday.

“The judicial authorities have decided to free Mahmud Faraj Bilal Al-Samarrai,” he said. His lawyer, Badie Aref, said Al-Samarrai was “the last scientist still held, as all of the others have already been released.”

In a letter to the US Central Intelligence Agency in 2006 made public by his lawyer, the former head of research and development at the military industries ministry recalled that he had given himself up to the CIA on March 2, 2003.

US-led forces bombed Iraq on March 20 that year and then invaded the country, alleging that Saddam was building weapons of mass destruction.

“I have admitted working on the chemical weapons program, which employed another 1,000 people. All of them are free, retired, found new jobs or left for abroad -- all except me still languishing in jail,” his letter said.

Samarrai said his immediate superior, General Faez Abdullah Shahin, was never jailed and Saddam scientific adviser General Hammudi Al-Saadi was freed in 2005, as was deputy premier and military industries minister Abdel Tawab Mullah Hawaish. In related news, the head of Iraq’s electoral commission, Faraj Al-Haidari, said he and another of the body’s members, who had been detained on suspicion of corruption, were freed on bail on Sunday.

“Now, I am outside of the (police) station,” Al-Haidari told AFP by telephone, adding that Karim Al-Tamimi, another member of the Independent High Electoral Commission, had also been released. “The judge decided to free us on bail of 15 million Iraqi dinars (about 12,500 US dollars) each,” Al-Haidari said. Asked if the court case was continuing, AlHaidari said “I think so, it depends on the judge.

Al-Haidari’s arrest sparked condemnation from a number of leading politicians, who accused Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki of orchestrating a slide away from the electoral process and towards dictatorship. Also Sunday, unknown attackers blew up a house north of the Iraqi capital, killing three members of a family including a five-year-old boy and also wounding a two-year-old girl, an interior ministry official said.

The bombs exploded at about 4:00 am (0100 GMT), the official said, adding that a two-year-old girl survived but was wounded and taken to hospital. -AFP

monDAY, april 16, 2012

Syrian city shelled, UN truce observers to arrive BEIRUT: Syrian troops shelled residential neighborhoods dominated by rebels in the central city of Homs Sunday, activists said, hours before the first batch of United Nations observers were to arrive in Damascus to shore up a shaky truce.

A spokesman for international envoy Kofi Annan said the group of six observers were due to arrive Sunday night and will be “on the ground in blue helmets tomorrow.”

Ahmad Fawzi told The Associated Press the six “will be quickly augmented by up to 25 to 30 from the region and elsewhere.” The observers took off soon after the UN Security Council in New York voted Saturday to authorize an advance team of observers to help maintain Syria’s cease-fire.

The reported shelling in Homs is threatening the truce to which President Bashar Al-Assad and rebels fighting to topple him had agreed. Both sides accuse each other of violating the truce at the center of Annan’s peace plan.

“What cease-fire? There’s an explosion every five to six minutes,” said Yazan, a Homs-based activist, contacted by Skype.

“I can also hear the sound of a reconnaissance plane. It’s flying very low.”

In an amateur video posted on the Internet by activists Sunday, explosions and gunfire can be heard echoing as Khaldiyeh’s skyline is engulfed in gray smoke. Homs-based activists said other districts including Bayada, Jouret el-Shayah, Qarabees and Qusour were also being bombarded.

“If you saw Homs right now you wouldn’t recognize it,” said Yazan, describing rubble-strewn roads and badly damaged apartment blocs. “You walk around and it’s not unusual to find dead people in cars on the street,” he said, giving only his first name for fear of retribution. The Local Coordination Committees activist network said the day started with a barrage of shells that fell at the rate of six each minute, shaking the neighborhood of Khaldiyeh for the second consecutive day. There was no immediate word on casualties.

Syrian troops shelled residential neighborhoods of Homs Saturday in the first use of heavy weapons since the cease-fire officially took effect Thursday, activists said. They say five were killed, among them Samir Shalab al-Sham, 26, a photographer and father of two who had been documenting the destruction.

He had been live-streaming the shelling on Jouret El-Shayah and Qarabees, they said. He was on the top floor of a destroyed building filming a tank when a shell struck next to him, spraying him with shrapnel, activists said.

Rebels were reported by the state media to have fired rocket-

A handout picture released by Sham News Network allegedly shows an anti-regime demonstration in the early hours of April 15, 2012 in the southern city of Deraa, where the uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad began in March 2011. (AFP)

propelled grenades. The regime restricts access of foreign observers, including journalists, making it difficult to verify reports of violence independently.

Saturday’s resolution gave the 15-nation Security Council its first united front since the uprising against President Bashar AlAssad began 13 months ago. It called for immediate deployment of up to 30 monitors, to be followed by a larger contingent of up to 250 once the situation has stabilized.

Fawzi said the council will be asked to approve a full mission of about 250 observers - assuming the cease-fire holds - based on a report by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon next week.

Emphasizing that both sides must halt the violence that has killed more than 9,000, the council called on Syria to pull soldiers and heavy weapons out of towns and cities - a truce provision Al-

Egypt ruler, political heads meet on poll turmoil

CAIRO: Egypt’s political leaders met on Sunday after next month’s presidential election was thrown into turmoil with key candidates disqualified and the fate of a new constitution hanging in limbo.

Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi met the heads of 17 political parties and groups and MPs to discuss major developments ahead of the first presidential poll since a popular uprising ousted long-time leader Hosni Mubarak last year.

According to a military source, the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, whose candidate Khairat Al-Shater was barred from running for office, attended the meeting as well as AlNur party, which represents the more conservative brand of Salafi Islam.

On Saturday, Egypt’s election commission said that 10 of the 23 registered presidential candidates had been barred from the race, including ex-spy chief Omar Suleiman, AlShater and popular Salafist politician Hazem Abu Ismail. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) headed by Tantawi, that took power when Mubarak was ousted, also examined a law passed by parliament that would ban members of the former regime from standing for office.

If approved, the law could also see Ahmed Shafiq - Mubarak’s last prime minister - excluded from the May 23-24 election. A military source told AFP that the SCAF hinted that the law is unconstitutional and would have to be referred to the Supreme Constitutional Court for discussion. The military council also discussed a court ruling suspending a constituent assembly picked by the Islamist-dominated parliament, tasked with drafting the country’s new constitution.

“There was a suggestion to hold another joint session of the upper and lower house of parliaments and to choose new members for the panel, all from outside parliament,” a military source told AFP. Saturday’s round of candidacy eliminations will boost former Arab League chief Amr Mussa and former Brotherhood member Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, who are both still

in the race.

Suleiman’s registration had infuriated the political forces at the forefront of last year’s revolt, with many regarding his candidacy as proof that promises of a transition to democracy were merely cosmetic.

Secular groups were furious over Al-Shater’s candidacy, accusing the Muslim Brotherhood of monopolizing politics after dominating parliament and the constituent assembly.

The powerful Islamist group had repeatedly vowed not to present a member for the top job, but in a dramatic U-turn it put forward Al-Shater, as well as party chairman Mohammed Mursi as a back-up candidate.

Commission official Tarek Abul Atta told AFP on Saturday that Suleiman had been disqualified because he failed to garner enough endorsements from all 15 provinces as required under the law.

Al-Shater, who was released from prison in March last year, was barred because of a law stating that candidates can only run in elections six years after being released or pardoned, Abul Atta said.

Abu Ismail is out of the race because his mother holds a foreign nationality, violating election rules which state that all candidates, their parents and their wives must have only Egyptian citizenship.

Another hopeful who has been disqualified is Ayman Nur, who caught the world’s attention when he challenged Mubarak in a 2005 presidential election.

Nur was imprisoned shortly after those elections and released on health grounds in 2009. He was banned under the same rule as Al-Shater. The candidates have two days to appeal the decision and the commission will issue a final list of approved candidates on April 26.

In a statement on Facebook, Al-Shater said: “We will continue working through all legal channels.”

His campaign argued he could not be disqualified because of an “unjust” conviction under Mubarak, criticizing the move as “political, not legal.” -AFP

Egypt in push to end Sudan confrontation over oil KHARTOUM/CAIRO: Egypt is mounting a diplomatic offensive to defuse tensions between Sudan and South Sudan that have raised fears the two former civil war foes could return to a fullblown conflict.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr arrived at Khartoum airport on Sunday for talks after the two countries clashed during the past week for control of an oil field.

“Egypt will make every possible effort to try to bridge the gap in viewpoints between Sudan and South Sudan and contain the existing border tensions between them after the occupation of Heglig,” Egypt’s state news agency MENA reported.

Tensions have run high between Khartoum and Juba since South Sudan seized control of the disputed Heglig oilfield on Tuesday.

Sudan has vowed to recapture the region, which produced about half of the country’s 115,000-barrel-a-day oil output.

The fighting, which has halted production at the field, has been the worst since South Sudan declared independence in July.

On Saturday, the South said Sudanese warplanes had bombed Heglig town while the Sudanese army said it entered the Heglig region - something South Sudan’s army (SPLA) denied, saying the north’s troops were further away.

Both sides regularly make conflicting claims about the fighting, and limited access to the remote region makes it difficult to independently verify their statements.

The armed forces spokesmen from both sides were not immediately available to comment on Sunday.

Global powers have widely condemned South

Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir meets with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr (left) in Khartoum on April 15, 2012. (AFP)

Sudan’s seizure of Heglig and urged the two sides to stop fighting and return to negotiations. South Sudan says Heglig, which many southerners refer to as Panthou, is its rightful territory.

The escalating border fighting comes as Sudan is battling armed insurgencies in its western Darfur region as well as its border states of South Kordo-

fan and Blue Nile.

Khartoum accuses South Sudan of supporting the rebels in those areas, which Juba denies.

Both countries also face severe economic strain from the loss of oil revenues, including high inflation and currencies depreciating in the black market. -Reuters

Assad’s regime has ignored. It also demanded urgent compliance with Annan’s six-point plan intended to lead to talks between the regime and the opposition on Syria’s political future.

The plan is widely seen as the only remaining chance for diplomacy, mainly because it has the backing of Syria allies Russia and China that shielded Al-Assad from Security Council condemnation in the past.

Annan said in Geneva that he was “very relieved and happy” about the council vote.

Ban also welcomed the resolution.

“I will make sure that this advanced observer mission will be dispatched as soon as possible and try to make concrete proposals by eighteenth of April for an official observer mission,” he said. -AP

Militants kill 2 Egyptian policemen in Sinai

EL-ARISH, Egypt: Islamist militants driving vehicles mounted with machine guns opened fire on a police checkpoint in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, killing two policemen and injuring a third in a daring attack early Sunday, security officials said.

The policemen opened fire at the attackers, but failed to stop them. The gunmen fled the site of the attack south of the airport of the city of el-Arish, leaving two policemen dead, one hit in the chest and another in the head, the officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Militants have stepped up their activity in Sinai, taking advantage of a security vacuum caused by a thin police presence following the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak last year.

The lawlessness in the peninsula has also been complicated by sour relations between the local Bedouin tribes and the security agencies, who were accused of mistreating them in the Mubarak era, rounding up hundreds following several terrorist attacks in Sinai in the last decade. In the past months, disgruntled Bedouins have protested, blocking roads and sometimes kidnapping tourists, to push for demands including freeing prisoners.

In the nearby port city of Suez, one person died and 24 were injured during a fire that raged for nearly 20 hours in the storage facilities of an oil company, local police chief Adel Refaat said. Bashir Saad Bashir, 32, was driving a fire truck to help with putting out the fire when he was caught in the blaze. Firefighters backed by army helicopters failed to put out the flames, but they eventually died out, apparently because the oil was fully consumed. Investigation is under way to determine the cause of the fire, which according to company officials burned up about 10,000 tons of crude oil, or 20 percent of the company’s capacity. -AP

Israel bans ‘flytilla’ activists but scores left in Europe

TEL AVIV: Hundreds of police were on the lookout for pro-Palestinian activists flying in to Israel’s main airport on Sunday, as Europe’s main airlines faced passenger fury after cancelling scores of tickets.

By early afternoon, there was little visible movement inside Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, although police said they had detained nine passengers for questioning on suspicion of being part of the “Welcome to Palestine” fly-in campaign, better known as the “flytilla.”

Six of them were to be deported, while another three were granted permission to stay, police spokeswoman Luba Samri told AFP. Organizers of the campaign, now in its third year, had been expecting to welcome up to 1,500 people, more than a third of them from France.

But Israel vowed to prevent their entry, warning foreign airlines they would be forced to foot the bill for the activists’ immediate return home in a move which saw many carriers toeing the line, prompting a furious response from passengers. Throughout the morning, scores of angry activists staged angry demonstrations at airports in several European capitals after being prevented from boarding flights for which they had bought tickets.

French carrier Air France and British low-fares airline Jet2.com also said they had cancelled an unspecified number of passengers’ tickets to Tel Aviv.

Despite the success of its diplomatic campaign to pressure European carriers not to allow activists to board flights bound for Tel Aviv, Israel was taking no chances and deployed hundreds of police at its main international airport.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday advised activists to concentrate on solving “real problems” in the region, such as Syria and Iran.

“We appreciate your choosing to make Israel the object of your humanitarian concerns,” he said in a statement released by his office.

“We know there were many other worthy choices. You could have chosen to protest the Syrian regime’s daily savagery against its own people, which has claimed thousands of lives.

“We therefore suggest that you first solve the real problems of the region, and then come back and share with us your experience,” Netanyahu said.

“Have a nice flight,” he added. -AFP

ALWATAN DAILY

WORLD

mondAY, april 16, 2012

Nearly 400 escape in NW Pakistan jailbreak, say officials Gunmen attack embassies, parliament in Afghan capital

ISLAMABAD: Some 384 prisoners including militants escaped early Sunday from a jail in northwestern Pakistan after an attack by insurgents armed with guns, grenades and rockets, according to officials.

More than 150 militants stormed the central prison outside the restive northwestern town of Bannu bordering the lawless tribal regions where Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants are active.

The attack started at around 1:00 am (2000 GMT) and continued for two hours, with militants in cars and pick-up trucks shooting and lobbing grenades to force their way into the prison, a senior security official told AFP. “Some 384 prisoners, including some hardcore militants, have escaped during the attack,” the official said.

“Preliminary information suggests that there were some 944 prisoners in the jail according to the tally late Saturday,” he said.

A large number of militants had recently been moved to the jail from neighboring Kohat and Lakki Marwat prisons, which are being converted into internment centers to rehabilitate former insurgents, the official said.

A former member of the airforce sentenced to death for an attack on former president Per-

Pakistani security officials gather at the damaged main entrance of a prison following an attack by armed militants in Bannu on April 15. (AFP)

vez Musharraf was among the escaped militants, he said.

Police confirmed the attack but did not give any figures for the escapees, saying they were still investigating.

“There was an attack on the central jail and

some prisoners escaped,” senior Bannu police official Iftikhar Khan told AFP. “At least three police officials were wounded in the attack,” he said.

The attackers outnumbered the security forces at the prison and militants fled before

Scandal mars Obama’s wooing of Latin America CARTAGENA: A prostitution scandal involving US security personnel in Colombia and an unprecedented regional push to end the isolation of Cuba threatened on Sunday to eclipse President Barack Obama’s charm offensive to Latin America.

In a major embarrassment for Washington at the Summit of the Americas attended by more than 30 heads of state, 11 US Secret Service agents were sent home and five military servicemen grounded over “misconduct” allegations in a hotel.

Prostitutes were taken to the hotel, according to a Colombian police source.

The widening controversy was overshadowing a host of weightier topics at the two-day summit that began on Saturday.

“I had a breakfast meeting to discuss trade and drugs, but the only thing the other delegates wanted to talk about was the story of the agents and the hookers,” chuckled one Latin American diplomat in the historic city of Cartagena.

Locals were upset about the bad publicity for their city, and the scandal was raising eyebrows around the region.

“Obama’s guards expelled in Colombia over prostitution - shame the gringos think that Latin America is a brothel and they act like it too,” commented left-leaning Venezuelan political commentator Nicmer Evans via Twitter.

Obama’s rapprochement with the region already undermined by the titillating headlines from Cartagena - also faces a rare display of unity among both leftist and conservative-run nations in Latin America in allowing commu-

A prostitution scandal involving US security personnel (in picture with Obama) in Colombia, threatened on April 15, to eclipse President Barack Obama’s charm offensive to Latin America. (Reuters)

nist-run Cuba at the next summit.

Argentina’s foreign minister said the final summit declaration was stalled over the issue of Cuba, with 32 nations supporting its inclusion in the next Summit of the Americas, but the United States vetoing that.

“We have decided not to participate in future ‘Summits of the Americas’ without the presence of Cuba,” said the leftist ALBA block of nations, founded by Venezuela’s theatrically anti-US president, Hugo Chavez.

Unlike at previous summits, backing for Cuba has also come from Colombia, Washington’s strongest ally in South America.

Sunday’s proceedings will add to strain on the Washington-dominated system of hemispheric diplomacy that is built around the Organization of American States but is struggling to evolve with changes in the region.

From Havana, Cuba’s former president, Fidel Castro, weighed in with a withering newspaper column about the OAS and its “guayab-

reinforcements reached the jail.

Shafiq Ahmed, another police official said that security forces had imposed a cordon and a search operation was launched in the area.

“We have arrested four of the escaped prisoners,” Ahmed told AFP. Earlier reported, gunmen launched multiple attacks on Sunday, assaulting Western embassies in the heavily guarded, central diplomatic area and at the parliament in the west, witnesses and officials said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying their main targets were the German and British embassies and the headquarters of Afghanistan’s NATO-led force.

Taliban fighters had also launched assaults in two provinces, a spokesman for the insurgents said.

“We claim responsibility for these attacks,” said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

Attackers fired a rocket-propelled grenade into a house used by British diplomats in the city center and smoke billowed from the building after the blast, a Reuters witness said.

Two rockets hit a British Embassy guard tower near the Reuters office in the city.

Three others hit a supermarket near the German Embassy popular with foreigners, Reuters witnesses said. Women scurried for cover as crackling gunfire was heard above.

As the gunfire continued, US army convoys could be seen coming to the area accompanied

by Afghan police in flak jackets. There was no word on any casualties. -Agencies

A general view taken on April 15, shows the Place de la Concorde in Paris prior to a campaign meeting of France’s incumbent President and UMP ruling party’s candidate for the 2012 presidential election. (AFP)

era summit” - a reference to the loose-fitting Caribbean shirts being worn by many heads of state in Cartagena.

Making no reference to the scandal, Obama tackled head-on accusations he had neglected Latin America while dealing with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and other faraway priorities.

“We’ve never been more excited about the prospect of working as equal partners with our brothers and sisters in Latin America and the Caribbean,” he told business officials.

Obama also hailed the potential to boost trade between the “nearly a billion consumers” of North and South America.

The reality, though, is different: China has taken advantage of perceived US neglect and is now the main trade partner for various countries, including regional powerhouse Brazil.

Running for re-election in November, Obama is also under pressure from domestic voters to show his foreign policies give priority to trade that creates American jobs.

Latin American leaders are also pressuring the United States for an overhaul of anti-drug policies, including possible narcotics legalization as a way to take profits out of the trade.

“Sometimes those controversies date back to before I was born,” Obama said wryly.

“And sometimes I feel as if in some of these discussions, or at least the press reports, we’re caught in a time warp, going back to the 1950s and gunboat diplomacy and Yankees and the Cold War, and this and that and the other.”

-Reuters

by between 9 and 14 points.

While Hollande’s team seems visibly relaxed, Sarkozy’s aides are fretting that what started as a high-impact campaign has lost its vim. After pushing a hard-right stance on immigration and trade protection to try and vacuum up far-right votes, Sarkozy is now insisting he stands for voters of all stripes.

“The Place de la Concorde has been touched by all of France’s history, it’s not about the left or the right,” Sarkozy’s campaign spokeswoman Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet told Reuters this week, as Sarkozy urged his supporters to come out in droves.

“It’s a place where all French people can gather,” she said of the square, which is nonetheless known as being the place conservatives traditionally celebrate election victories.

Hollande, whose aides have hit out at the conservatives for scheduling an outdoor rally to clash with theirs, indicated his choice of venue reflected his less combative campaign style.

“I am in front of an esplanade and I am not asking for a head to be cut off, I am simply asking for another one to be chosen,” Hollande said ahead of his rally. -AFP

Japan may be ‘momentarily’ without nuclear power TOKYO: Japan may go “momentarily” without nuclear power next month when the only one reactor still in operation shuts down for maintenance work, the country’s industry minister warned Sunday.

Yukio Edano made the comment as the government prepared to restart two offline nuclear reactors amid criticism from media and environmental groups skeptical over the safety of atomic power after the Fukushima accident.

“The number of nuclear reactors operating across the country may go down to zero, perhaps momentarily, from May 6,” he said in a seminar in Tokushima, western Japan.

The government of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced on Friday that it was safe and necessary to restart the reactors at the Oi nuclear power plant in western Japan, which could help prevent power shortages in the summer months.

Only one of Japan’s 54 reactors -- in northernmost Hokkaido -- is in operation at present, but it is scheduled to be shut down for maintenance work on May 5.

But it was not certain if and when the government could gain approval from regional authorities around the Oi plant for the reactors to be restarted amid persistent

public distrust.

“Without nuclear reactors, it is understandable that there will be considerable strain on many areas in this summer,” Edano added.

Edano on Saturday called on the governor of Fukui, where the Oi plant is located. The governor, Issei Nishikawa, did not give an immediate response to his request for approval of the plan.

But the major daily Mainichi Shimbun said Sunday: “It is hard to understand why the government is in such a haste to restart the reactors.”

It added in an editorial that more thorough checks were needed to ensure safety.

“Independent studies show that there will be no power shortages,” said Wakao Hanaoka, the Japan campaign manager for the environment watchdog Greenpeace.

A massive earthquake and tsunami in March last year caused reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

None of reactors shut for regular checks before the disaster have resumed operation amid safety concerns.

“The nuclear industry and the government were totally unprepared for the disaster at Fukushima Daiichi and now they are trying to pretend they can call Oi safe without

NEWS IN BRIEF Ex-Thai PM Thaksin plans early return from exile BANGKOK: Exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra celebrated Thailand’s most important holiday in neighboring Cambodia this weekend, telling thousands of fervent supporters who crossed the border to meet him that he intends to return home soon on his own terms. Thaksin, ousted by a 2006 military coup after being accused of abuse of power and disrespect for the monarchy, led a song-filled rally to mark Songkran, the Thai New Year. Between appearances on stage, he worked the crowd in a manner recalling his past political campaigning.

Thaksin - by far Thailand’s most divisive politician - has said in the last few days that his return will be “in the next three to four months,” ‘’not so long,” and when “everything is stable.” -AP

Voting picks up in Delhi civic polls NEW DELHI: Voting for the trifurcated Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections picked up as the day progressed Sunday with around 30 percent voters turning up to exercise their franchise till afternoon. Delhi saw an average 12 to 15 percent polling during the first three hours, but people started stepping out of their homes as the day progressed. Voting touched 30 percent till 2 p.m., an official said. Voting for the 272 seats began at 8 a.m. amid tight security. -AFP

Indonesia arrests two suspected terrorists

French presidential rivals hold dueling Paris rallies PARIS: Presidential rivals Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande staged competing rallies in Paris on Sunday in a last ditch battle for votes, just a week before elections that could propel the left into power after 17 years of conservative leaders. Conservative incumbent Sarkozy addressed supporters in the Place de la Concorde, the city’s biggest outdoor square famous for being the site where King Louis XVI was guillotined during the bloody aftermath of the 1789 Revolution.

Socialist Hollande, favorite to win the election, simultaneously addressed his supporters on a vast esplanade in front of the Chateau de Vincennes, a royal castle on the city’s eastern edge which a mob of workers tried to raze in 1791.

The open-air contest, a week before the first of two election rounds on April 22, comes as Sarkozy is struggling to overcome a tide of resentment over the sickly economy as well as a deep dislike among many voters of his presidential style.

A rash of opinion polls this week suggested Sarkozy’s reelection hopes are crumbling as a recent spurt in support appears to evaporate. Latest voter surveys show Hollande regaining momentum for the first round and winning a May 6 runoff

5

improving safety or emergency measures,” Hanaoka said.

The government set criteria nine days ago for restarting nuclear reactors included measures to prevent a nuclear accident even if reactors are hit by natural disasters as severe as those that ravaged the Fukushima plant.

“It is uncertain if the plan will ever gain an understanding of communities which have raised objections to the resumption of the reactors,” the Asahi Shimbun reported Sunday.

The influential daily criticized the Noda administration for being “inconsistent” over its nuclear power policy.

Before Noda took office last September, he promised to follow his predecessor Naoto Kan in ridding Japan of nuclear power, Asahi said.

But he backtracked last January when he said in a policy speech that the resources-poor country would reduce its dependence on nuclear power “as much as possible on a medium- and long-term basis”.

Striking a more positive tone, the conservative daily Sankei Shimbun called on Noda to visit Fukui himself and “speak clearly in his own words about his government’s energy policy and why it is necessary to restart reactors”.

-AFP

JAKARTA: Police in eastern Indonesia have arrested two suspected terrorists allegedly involved in bank robberies to fund their activities, the national police spokesman said Sunday. “They were riding a motorcycle on a street when an anti-terror police squad arrested them on Friday” in the town of Bima in West Nusa Tenggara province, Saud Usman Nasution told AFP. He said the suspects were part of a terror group that killed a police officer in a 2010 bank robbery in the north Sumatra town of Medan, allegedly to fund terrorist activities. -AFP

North Korea shows off new missile at military parade PYONGYANG: North Korea on Sunday unveiled what appeared to be a new missile at a military parade in Pyongyang.

The missile, displayed during celebrations for the centennial of the birth of late North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, appears to add to an arsenal that has raised international worries heightened by the country’s simultaneous development of nuclear weapons.

The celebrations come two days after North Korea fired a rocket widely viewed abroad as a provocative test of missile technology. The rocket failed about a minute after liftoff.

Military analysts in Japan and South Korea said the missile on display Sunday appeared to be something newer - and possibly bigger - than what had previously been displayed.

But they said further examination would be required to tell whether it was an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, that North Korea has reportedly had in the works for quite some time.

A number of North Koreans at the parade said it was the first time they had seen the new missile. The exact design could not immediately be confirmed by military officials. “It looked like more than a mock-up, and like it could be intended as an ICBM, but it is very hard to tell at this point,” said Isaku Okabe, a private Japanese military specialist. Sohn Young-hwan, a South Korean rocket scientist who heads the privately funded Institute of Technology and Management Analysis in Seoul, said the missile was possibly an intermediate-range ballistic missile, but not an ICBM. -Reuters

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ALWATAN DAILY

OPINION

monDAY, april 16, 2012

When corrupt regimes master the art of absolute thievery Fuad Al-Hashem

W

hen the Libyan revolutionaries breached and entered the Bab Al-Aziziya compound where the insane pathetic Colonel Gadhafi used to live in the fortuitous castle for many decades, they went into one particular room and they were aghast at what they saw.

A water tanker truck was stationed inside the room with 5000 water capacity. They searched the vehicle and instead they found boxes of stacks of millions of US dollars, Euros, Japanese Yens, and even old currency Drachma of Greece which became disused as Greece became a member in the European Market and signed for the single currency. Remarkably, there were also stacks of millions of Kuwaiti dinars and they were in pristine condition and unquestionably genuine.

This was evident for the fighters that Colonel Gadhafi was overwhelmed with the money that he didn’t even bother to change the old currency. He didn’t even bother to make use of those stacks of money at least for the benefit of his own people.

Libya produces what they local Libyans call Sweet Oil because their oil is of the light quality which is always on demand. This light oil is the most expensive of all types and Colonel Gadhafi used to export more than a million and a half barrels.

Colonel Gadhafi found it more beneficial and productive to stack huge amounts of money not to be used for the service of his country and his people but for the convenience of African leaders and officials in the African Union as well as Lebanese editors and writers to propagate for him.

Agreeing on certain points and disagreeing on others

It is sad to remember that the Libyans lived in abject poverty when the country is considered a rich one.

Meanwhile, former Head of the Israeli Intelligence Meir Dagan had tears in his eyes some weeks ago as he was packing up his stuff from his office inside the Intelligence Building in Tel Aviv. It was not that Dagan was about to cry because he was leaving office and a new head was appointed. It was because of the eight million and 300, 000 US dollars which he received in gifts from various people including Arabs!

The kind of gifts Meir Dagan received were the classical gold and silver daggers, frames studded with pearls as well as gold watches with diamonds. The Israeli ministry of finance reportedly said that while such gifts were given to Meir Dagan as head of the Israeli Intelligence, he has no right to take them with him home. They argue that such booty is not for him but for the generations to come of the House of David.

It is true that the value of the gifts is not minuscule by any stretch of imagination. But if we compare it with the deserted stacks of money left in a water tank truck by Colonel Gadhafi it would most certainly never be the size of one single box found in that room. It is sad to remember that the Libyans lived in abject poverty when the country is considered a rich one. It is also catastrophic to know that while he was depriving his own people from the fruits of the country’s natural resources, he was at the same time

hammering them down and bombarding them with the latest missile technologies and Russian tanks.

Perhaps some of us have a year in and a year out wondered how the Arab States never managed to defeat the State of Israel. A tale of two cities one in Bab Al-Aziziya and the other in Tel Aviv should furnish the reader with the answer.

Moving to some local news and this time related to the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah who had me laugh over one particular comment he cared to make over the release of a Kuwaiti citizen from the Iraqi jails. The Kuwaiti citizen had been jailed in Iraqi prisons for the past eight years and only lately the Iraqis decided to release him. The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister immediately announced that the release of the prisoner reflects the strong relationship between Kuwait and Iraq. Now, allow me to ask this question here: If releasing someone after being detained for eight consecutive years is a reflection of the strong relations between the two countries; how many decades should pass so one would describe the relations as meek and weak?

To continue with some local news and this time related to MP Khalid Shakheer Al-Mutairi who demanded from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a statement explaining “reports related to physical abuse of the Kuwaiti students

studying in Jordan and that immediate action should be taken against such aggression.”

On my part, I’d say to the MP Shakheer “Yavash!

Yavash! as our Turkish friends would say for “hang on”.

The matter is not what appears to be. Basically, the Kuwaiti students in question were heading towards a city called Jubaiha where girls of despicable disrepute gather for business.

The locals have for some time been complaining against the sudden rise of this trade and decided to stone any car which would curb in the early hours of the morning as it would be obvious for them that the intention of the passenger is not innocent in the early hours of the morning.

Our Kuwaiti students after consuming all types of alcohol decided to try their luck in that area. They were bombarded by the neighborhood vigilantes.

Now let us move to the Syrian news. A senior Syrian intelligence officer informed some Western intelligence sources that the money, gifts, jewelry donated by those who visit the Mausoleum of Zainab in Damascus is collected every three months only to be distributed to all the state departments and ministries as well as senior officers in the army and intelligence. One particular minister Mohammad Nidhal Al-Shaar made full use of the donation and completed his three million US dollar villa. To get a simple calculation of the approximate amount of the booty gained by the senior officials, one needs to realize that the minister’s salary in the land of “One Arab Nation with an Immortal Message”, the infamous slogan propagated by the Baathist regime for many decades, doesn’t exceed 1, 500 US dollars.

BU QUTADA & BU NABIL Bu Qutada...

Where are you going?

The ministry should never get involved in suing media sources about personal issues that concern certain persons or individuals!

I am going to donate my blood

Donating for whom?

For someone loved by all Kuwaitis, be they Sunnis or Shiites, urban or Bedouin..

They all like him.

Hassan Ali Karam

I

agree with those who believe that the interpellation motion- which was filed against the Minister of Information Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah by the MP Hussein AlQallaf- is a weak motion and I also agree with the minister Al-Sabah who said that the motion was not written by the MP Al-Qallaf himself. Anyway, if we agree with the other people about these two points then the agreement doesn`t mean that the motion is ineffective or irrelevant because ministry of information used to intervene in issues which don`t concern the ministry and the very issues are under the umbrella of other ministries or government institutions. Such an interference did not occur during the period of the current minister but it happened during the era of former information ministers. We hope that would not take place again.

The efforts of the ministry of information should focus on protecting social peace and principles of the state as when newspapers or media sources insult ordinary people they can visit the court to sue the media source and therefore the ministry can`t play the role of judge to sue such media sources. If the ministry can`t stop attacking media sources by angry citizens then the ministry at least has to condemn such practices because all media sources work according to licenses given to media sources by the ministry itself. We wonder why the ministry remains silent about such attacks.

Scope satellite channel was attacked twice during the last stage and attackers damaged some objects of the channel. AlWatan satellite channel was also attacked as well as many publishing houses as a result we as journalists and media figuresare now afraid of further attacks because we might face more terrorist attacks!!! We expect that because some people who have different opinions from us become angry with us and they then attack the channel or the newspaper to damage its premises!! They do that because they feel that laws will never be applied on them. They might also feel that they are above laws! Our peaceful society has turned into a chaotic one that loves hostility and impacting the interests of others and the very society is out of the umbrella of law. All such bad results came to surface because of the bad outputs of the parliamentary elections and the parliaments which did not prioritize protecting the public interests. The MPs had already contributed in storming the headquarters of national assembly in addition to defending the citizens who broke into the building!!

If the information ministry has the right to file case against the different media means then such a right can be practiced in order to defend the interests of the state and the senior figures beside society. The ministry should never get involved in suing media sources about personal issues that concern certain persons or individuals! Defending such individuals or ordinary people make the very people occupy prominent social status because the ministry is expected to intervene just to defend the very prominent or senior figures!

The minister of information has to focus on the significant issues such as the fact that our official media sources don`t play any important role in society and the official media is rated as backward. Moreover, extremist figures control these media sources including official radio and TVs! The ministry of information in the meantime plays an effective role in some issues which don`t come under the umbrella of the ministry of information therefore it should avoid that to focus on strengthening the real role of the ministry in the field of information.

But why do they like him???

My dear, the guy defended the National Team and raised the Kuwaiti flag high.

You must be referring to Sameer Saeed. What can we do for him? He deserves all the best.

He only needs your prayers. We wish him a speedy recovery

Mohmmed Thallab

mthallab@alwatan.com.kw

The Islamic Movements are responsible for the future of Egypt Dr. Waleed Al-Tabtabaie

E

gypt undergoes a very critical juncture and the political and urban future role of Egypt as well as its regional role depends on the way of finalizing the coming presidential election. It is clear that the former regime still dominates the sensitive sectors and institutions of the country and it will exert all possible efforts to maintain such sectors and institutions through reproducing the regime by different ways including the possibility of forging the results of the presidential elections.

According to the recent parliamentary elections two thirds of the Egyptian people trust Islamists either the Muslim Brotherhood Movement or the Salafist one. Such trust indicates that the two movements have a great responsibility towards the Egyptian people as well as the Arab and Muslim Nations therefore Arabs follow up what is happening in Egypt and they are worried about some points such as the lack of coordination between the Islamic movements even if the movements could avoid clashes between each others as they could not agree or coordinates well with each oth-

er about the presidential candidates.

The second point is that the military institution which contributed in ousting the former president still dominates the country and it is supported by the West, Israel and some Arab governments.

The third point is that the campaigns which were launched to make people fear Islamists had succeeded for unifying dealers, liberals and some other factions. The fourth point revolves around the nomination of Omar Sulaiman- the former deputy president who- proves that hard local and international efforts for supporting the followers of Muba-

rak. The fifth point is the weakness of the Egyptian economy and such a point might be exploited by the West through threatening to halt their financial support to Egypt.

However, these factors urge the Egyptian Islamic Movements to unify their stances and decisions to regain the trust of the Egyptian people. They also have to agree on a single candidate in addition to issuing a clear declaration to persuade the Egyptian people that they will pursue their hard efforts until eradicating every single corrupt official of the former regime.

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views

monDAY, April 16, 2012

As elections approach, France contemplates a bonfire

It’s the other 30 percent of the electorate where the fascination, and maybe the fear of moderates, lies.

John Lloyd Reuters

I

t’s too early to hear the sound of the tumbrils rolling, or the excited click-clack of spectators’ knitting needles as the aristos are taken to the guillotine, but don’t bet that a modern bonfire of the pretensions of the very rich won’t happen, and maybe soon. Peacefully, I hope: Revolutions are mostly horrible affairs.

The French allusion occurs because the presidential election campaign opened officially there earlier this week, and the first round of the two-stage voting process will take place on Sunday April 22. From the results of that first pass for the French people, we should see something of central interest and concern to our times, with an import far beyond France.We’ll see how mad people are, and how deeply or not they feel they shouldn’t take it anymore.

The smart money remains on one of the two front-runners in the race: President Nicolas Sarkozy, the candidate of the right, who’s campaigning as if his life depended on it; and François Hollande, of the Socialist Party, an altogether more laid-back man whose travel-to-work transport was, until recently, a scooter, the kind with a motor - modesty has its limits. They both have been hovering below 30 percent in the polls, while 10 percent is taken by François Bayrou, a veteran campaigner and a liberal, centrist, sensible sort of man, who is trying to pump up votes for a job that is unlikely ever to be his. It’s the other 30 percent of the electorate where the fascination, and maybe the fear of moderates, lies. The woman who, it was once thought, might emerge as the real challenger to Sarkozy, Marine Le Pen of the antiimmigrant Front National, has faded from a high of near 20 percent to around 15 percent - perhaps because Sarkozy has stolen many of her garments, promising in some stump speeches something akin to a fortress France, keeping out cheap goods and immigrants alike.

Yet in a poll midweek for Le Monde, just over a quarter

of 18 to 24-year-olds said they would vote for her. Commenting on the poll, Ms. Le Pen said the surge in youthful support was because of her criticism of the current economic model, which had been “massively rejected by the youth, who are shocked by the cynicism of the political elite.”

Now in an increasingly impressive third place, with over 15 percent of the votes and rising, is Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a former Socialist minister who left office and the party in disgust at its refusal to be radical and who has gathered together what remained of the Communist Party, together with other leftists, and created the Front de Gauche (the Left Front). He preaches “civil insurrection” at enthusiastic rallies and also thinks the current economic model stinks. He, too, is enjoying a large boost from the disaffected young, seeing support in the 18-to-24-year-old range jump from five percent at the end of last year to 16 percent today.

Young men and women, in France as elsewhere in Europe, bear the brunt of the jobs crisis, with nearly a quarter unemployed. Both Mr. Sarkozy and Mr. Hollande have promised to help - the former with a young entrepreneurs’ bank, the latter with 60,000 new university enrollment spots and eased rules on hiring young workers. But the far right and far left seem at once more exciting and less compromised by the “model” Mr. Mélenchon hates.

Over the past several decades, aside from a blip or two here and there, the Western world hasn’t got poorer and large parts of it have got considerably richer. The rich, of course, have got very considerably richer. But a rising tide lifts all yachts, and there was enough work, consumption, and promise of more to make the calls for even mild redistribution seem cranky and old-fashioned, like something out of old socialist pamphlets. It’s different now. It isn’t just resistance to mass immigration, and above all to Muslim immigration (the sentiment that got Ms. Le Pen’s father through

the first round of a presidential election a decade ago). A malaise has spread much more widely through the working and middle classes, as once secure jobs vanish and once thriving small businesses collapse.

A new trend has emerged: economic suicide. In Greece especially, but in other Mediterranean countries as well, some men (especially) and women appear to have reached the limits of their ability to tolerate a life with no work, or no business, and with an apparently endless vista of dependence on a state that can hardly afford dependents.

On April fourth, a Greek pensioner in his seventies, Dmitris Christoulas, shot himself near Constitution Square in Athens, prompting further riots, demonstrations and a wave of sympathy through the country. The suicide - there have been others - is now seen as more of a potent, contemporary symbol of the stricken state than the Parthenon. Unequal societies get by because most members of them get by, and can mostly say that they live better than their parents and certainly their grandparents did. No more. When that stops happening, people look at the yachts and the Ferraris and the golden, nine-digit goodbye packages (in 2006 Exxon Mobil gave its retiring chief executive, Lee Raymond, a package worth 400 million US dollars) - and cease to say: One day for me? They begin, instead, to mutter: Never for me, and what have they done to deserve it anyway.

They mutter the more, because the promise is shrinking. The United States had been among the most upwardly mobile countries in the world, where hard work and talent could transform modest beginnings to immodest wealth.

Now, it lags way behind in that league. There, as elsewhere, the rich dig in and reproduce wealthy children; the comfortable cling to their jobs and benefits; the outsiders, increasingly young, see unscalable walls. President Obama gave a speech in Boca Raton, Florida earlier this week to note that

Fox mole hunting

7

the share of the national income taken by the richest one percent was now at 1920s levels and that “the folks who benefit from this are paying tax at one of the lowest rates in 50 years.” Democratic, centrist politicians of the right and the left are struggling to show their egalitarian bona fides.

They can see that there’s a gathering tide - one can see it in authoritarian China and in semi-authoritarian Russia as well as in the democratic countries of the West - that begins to resent wealth and corruption (the two tend to be close friends) more bitterly, with less inclination than in the past to shrug and say: Oh well, nothing to be done. One can see it in the rising number of demonstrations and strikes that made the departing Chinese prime minister, Wen Jiabao, call for democratic reform while there was still time; in the rallies in the cities of Russia that mobilize the active young against both the political and financial corruption of their leaders. And now one can perhaps see it in the growth of extremism among the youth of Europe, as the mainstream alternatives seem too much entangled in webs of compromise and doublespeak, unable to address the manifest unfairness of the times, dependent on the rich, pandering to the media barons, careful most of all for their own comfort.

It’s a delicate, even perilous, moment. It may pass as the hot summers of the late sixties have passed, leaving behind aging leftists who either rail impotently against opportunity lost, or more often have adapted and carried on with their lives. Or it may be deeper, with less of that well-founded hope for better times that kept the bulk of working people off the streets in the sixties and seventies, in the reasonable belief that the system would serve them better than the would-be revolutionaries ever would.

These days Mr. Mélenchon’s “civil insurrection” may look more inviting - a communal response, better at least than lonely futility ending in such desperation that death seems better than life. Come April 22, when France - which still sees itself as the world’s weather vane, first through the door of the future - gives its first vote, we’ll get some indication of how bitter people feel. * John Lloyd co-founded the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, where he is Director of Journalism.

Jack Shafer

A new Great Rotation?

A

James Saft

Reuters

Fox News Channel employee has turned mole at the behest of Gawker and has now filed two dispatches from the House that Roger Ailes Built.

In the first, published on Monday, the Fox Mole describes the misery of working for the channel: He (we don’t know for certain it’s a man, but it seems a reasonable assumption) hoped that his Fox gig would help him find “a new job that didn’t make me cringe every morning when I looked in the mirror.” He also leaked a moderately amusing pre-broadcast chat between Mitt Romney and Sean Hannity.

The second, published today, portrays the “soul-crushing” material conditions of working at Fox News. “The basement newsroom is dreary, with no windows, fluorescent lighting, and constant worrying about an infestation from bedbugs, mice or some other vermin,” the Mole writes. He also complains about having to work on ancient computers, about the poor reception that desktop TVs receive, about malfunctioning printers and other office injustices.

If this is the work of a media mole, Gawker should think about replacing him with a hippo, which the site may have the opportunity to do soon if, as an unnamed Fox News spokesman told Mediaite, the channel has already identified him.

The problem with smoking media moles out is that they’re like Spartacus - there’s always another wise guy willing to risk his job to tell tales on his bosses. As one who reported on the secret doings inside other media organizations for many years, I can tell you that finding a newsroom asset who will spill the beans on his bosses, leak embarrassing documents and otherwise rat his organization out is as easy as placing a phone call.

Journalists don’t necessarily leak to other journalists about their workplace because they’re inherently untrustworthy. Leaking comes naturally to them because they spend so much time drilling for their own liquid assets, because they’re in the information-trading racket, because they thrill at the sight of transparency, and because they love to defy authority, especially when the authorities are the ones who sign their paychecks.

When I wrote regularly about Washington media for Washington City Paper back in the 1990s, I received - without asking - potentially embarrassing confidential memos from inside the Washington Post, the Washington Times, the wire services and the TV network bureaus, as well as provocative emails and edit trails that documented how editors had twisted a story. One time, a Postie leaked me the 5,000-word-plus internal critique of the Washington Post Style section, which I published. Another time, a Washington Times reporter sent me the novel-in-progress the newspaper’s executive editor was idiotically composing on the paper’s computer system. One Posteditor got so peeved at the frequency with which I published memos from his publication that he announced plans inside the paper to create counterfeit memos to fool me. That subterfuge was compromised when a Post reporter leaked it to me.

Leaks to alternative weeklies kept editors and producers on their toes for a couple of decades.

Then the Web happened. Or should I say Jim Romenesko happened. Newsroom renegades forwarded every newsworthy interoffice memo written by their editors to Romenesko for inclusion in his blog with such regularity that the editors might as well have cc:ed him on all of their correspondence.

Thanks to Romenesko and other journo-leak gatherers, news organizations operate in near-fishbowl environments. If a boss starts his chat to staff with, “I’d better not read this in Romenesko or Gawker,” he only doubles the chances that it will land there. The salutary effect has been a reduction in overt boss-to-employee cruelty, but probably an increase in covert boss-to-employee cruelty. Still, the current status quo operates to the benefit of the staff, which can undermine transgressing bosses with unprecedented speed and accuracy.

Rarely are leaks or reports from media moles

Reuters

The best strategy may well be to try to be a little late and a little smart rather than be the genius who calls the turn.

O

FILE- Comedian Jeff Foxworthy (left), talks to Sean Hannity after a live segment of Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” which is on the road celebrating the network’s 15th anniversary, held at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011. (AP)

The problem with smoking media moles out is that they’re like Spartacus - there’s always another wise guy willing to risk his job to tell tales on his bosses. half as interesting as the leakers or moles think they are. Morale is low inside the Daily Bugle?

A top editor is shagging an intern? Johnny Deadline is getting demoted to obits? Who cares! Leaks matter most when wrapped inside of context or delivered with some sort of art. The vocoder through which Spy magazine’s pseudonymous J.J. Hunsecker warbled about doings at the New York Times proved endlessly entertaining, demystifying the stuffed-up place. (Still, I can’t remember a single entry off the top of my head, except for J.J.’s observation that one of the editors at the Sunday magazine had a habit of not washing his hands after making night soil in the bathroom.)

Likewise, I’d have more affection for the Fox Mole if he could write more like Moe Tkacik, Alex Pareene, Choire Sicha or any of the other

acid pens to have scribbled under Nick Denton.

Doesn’t Gawker have a rewrite desk?

Here’s hoping that reports of the Fox Mole’s capture are exaggerated and that he’ll start filing dispatches that tell us more about the editorial practices at Fox News and less about the condition of Fox News bathrooms (unless he catches somebody coming out of one without washing his hands). The toughest part of serving as the Fox News Mole is this: Practically nothing he overhears in the newsroom, pinches from the email threads or purloins from the video stream can be half as outrageous as what Fox News broadcasts every day. * Jack Shafer is a Reuters columnist covering the press and politics. The opinions expressed are his own.

ne of these days, and it might start soon, investors are going to begin to reverse their multi-year rotation out of stocks and into bonds.

We are now fully 30 years into perhaps the greatest bond bull market in history, as interest rates have slid from the high teens to a level that feels like it’s change for a Coke. As well, equities have returned virtually nothing for a decade for most investors. To make matters for equity bulls worse, these lousy returns have come along with huge volatility as the market worked its way through first the dotcom bubble then the housing bubble and now very possibly the social media bubble.

The last 30 years have been marked by two related trends. Inflation has fallen, benignly at first but painfully after the bursting of the housing bubble.

At the same time debt levels surged, first in private hands before the crash and now in public ones.

This has all combined to entice, and sometimes force, investors to move money from stocks into bonds, a trend which itself has helped to reinforce the underlying fundamental forces of falling inflation and growing debt levels.

Michael Hartnett and Kate Moore, equity strategists at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, call the coming move to stocks “The Great Rotation” and argue it will affect profoundly what does well and what poorly. Thinking in five-year increments they argue that the rotation, when it comes, will largely up-end where the winners in markets can be found. Rather than creditors, debtors should outperform while equity will outperform credit and cash do better than gold.

The huge question is when does it start and what will be the signals?

“The Great Rotation argues for a complete shift into the assets that have underperformed in recent years, a move that would clearly compromise the leadership of growth, yield and quality,” they write in a note to clients.

For now, the catalysts for such a rotation are missing: an end to the era of deleveraging and a normalization of real estate, labor, and monetary policy (i.e., no QE3 and a Fed rate hike), the strategists wrote.

“Only if the Fed is willing and able to raise rates in the next 12 months should investors consider radically altering their asset allocation, in our view,” the note said.

In some ways, this is all no more than wondering when the great recession will actually end, and there lies the danger. It is absolutely true that should we find ourselves in a position where housing is doing well again and the Fed is ready to raise interest rates, then of course equities will outperform bonds and of course investors will begin to shift asset classes.

The difficulty of the situation is that it is extremely difficult to know how long it will take housing to right itself and when an improving jobs picture will actually spark inflation. For a lesson on how easy it is to get this wrong in a balance-sheet recession, one characterized by the destruction of debt, just look at Japan. There have been any number of false dawns over Tokyo in the past 20 years and each one of them has burned investors who turned prematurely bullish.

To be sure, the Great Rotation will be a powerful trend once it is established, and like the move out of stocks will be self-reinforcing.

A look at the size of the move out of stocks gives a flavor of exactly how powerful the trend will be.

Bonds and bond funds held in portfolios of US individual investors have grown markedly, especially in recent years. Bond allocations have gone from a low of seven percent in August of 2000 up to 19 percent today, according to data from the American Association of Individual Investors.

Over the same period equity allocations have decreased to 61 percent from 71 percent. Allocations among state and local government pension funds show a similar move, with especially sharp moves into bonds and out of stocks in recent years. As well, a lot of the institutional money that has gone into hedge funds in recent years has come out of equity long-only holdings. Some of that will have gone back into equities but much ended up in credit- and debt-based hedge funds.

Given that pension fund assets are 73 percent of GDP, a reversal of this trend will be both powerful and, very likely, slow moving.

The best strategy may well be to try to be a little late and a little smart rather than be the genius who calls the turn. Let others take the big early gains, and be satisfied with joining in once the trend is well established. * James Saft is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

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Tanker of Syrian oil drops anchor off Iran

BUSINESS

MONdAY, APRIL 16, 2012

mar ket watc h KUWAIT 0.46% 6217

DUBAI: The MT Tour tanker carrying Syrian crude oil dropped anchor in the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas over the weekend, AIS Live ship tracking data on Reuters showed on Sunday.

Syria, a small exporter at 109,000 barrels per day in 2010, used to sell most of its crude to Europe until European Union sanctions on oil trade with President Bashar Al-Assad’s government stopped those sales last year.

DUBAI

QATAR

0.2% 1675

0.5% 8739

OMAN

ABU DHABI

OIL M A RKE TS BAHRAIN

EGYPT

0.2% 1138

0.0% 4735

0.4% 2512

0.4% 6003

SAUDI

2.3% 7348

US Crude $102.84 $0.01 London Brent $121.83 $0.11 Kuwait Crude $116.32 $0.00 Information Courtesy: KAMCO

CURRE NCIE S US Dollar

British Pound

Saudi Riyal

Qatari Riyal

Indian Rupee

Euro

Japanese Yen

UAE Dirham

Bahraini Dinar

Philippine Peso

Buy 0.2783 Sell 0.2784 Buy 0.3639 Sell 0.3641

Warba Bank signs two agreements with Standard Chartered Compiled by Al Watan Daily

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Warba Bank has signed two agreements with the British bank Standard Chartered to facilitate transactions in Asia in light of mounting trade between the Middle Eastern and North Africa (MENA) with Asia in general and China in particular, the bank said in a statement issued on Sunday.

Warba Bank joined Standard Chartered’s ‘Asia Express Guaranteed Payments Program’ which ensures delivery of funds to beneficiaries in Asia, on the same day or next day. The program also removes much of the uncertainty faced by clients effecting US dollars payments to Asian Destinations by leveraging its strong footprint across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The Kuwaiti bank also signed ‘China Renminbi Clearing Services agreement’ to provide its clients with an access to the internationalization of renminbi.

China’s projected annual Renminbi trade settlement volume was around 175 billion US dollars in 2011. It was forecast to reach $756 billion by 2014 and $1, 000 billion by 2015.

This comes in light of shift of economic power from West to East, internationalization of the RMB and emerging trade corridors between Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Commenting on the agreements, Hosam Nasser Al-Muzaiel, Investment Manager of Warba Bank

KSE ends trading in green, gains 28.4 points

KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) closed Sunday in the green zone.The price index read 6,217.3 points at a gain of 28.4 points, while the weighted index came to 413.06 points, an increase of 0.63 points.

Trades came to 4,316 transactions, worth 30,974,700 Kuwaiti dinars, and volume reached 325,625,000 shares. Within the sectors, the top gainer was services sector with a hike of 128.1 points.

Gainer share of the day was Metal and Recycling Company, while the biggest loser was Arkan Al-Kuwait Real Estate Company.The top volume stock went to National Ranges Company.

Trading at Kuwait Stock Exchange starts the week a drop of 6.6 points, reading 6,182.3 points at 9:31 a.m. Sunday, while the weighted index came to 410.84 points, a drop of 1.59 points.

Trades came to 900 spot transactions, valued at six million dinars and with 86 million shares changing hands. -KUNA

FILE - A man walks by Standard Chartered branch in this undated file photo.

Kuwait’s Warba Bank has signed two agreements with the British bank Standard Chartered to facilitate transactions in Asia in light of mounting trade between the Middle Eastern and North Africa (MENA) with Asia in general and China in particular, the bank said in a statement issued on Sunday, April 15, 2012. (AP)

said the bank was committed to providing clients with best in class financial services. “During a time of ever closer economic ties between the Middle East and Asia, this partnership with Standard Chartered will strengthen our ability

to meet evolving needs of customers, many of whom have interests in the two regions,” he added.

Commenting on the agreements, Motasim Iqbal, Regional Head of Transaction Banking, Banks Segment,

Standard Chartered Bank said, “Our partnership with Warba Bank is a clear indication of the increased demand from MENA based Corporate and Financial Institutions for Transaction Banking in Asia in general and China in particular.

With our strong footprint across Asia, Africa and the Middle East and continuous efforts to enhance our services and to develop our human resources and technology, we are ideally positioned to provide our corporate and financial institutions clients with innovative and competitive clearing and settlement services. We are glad to partner with Warba Bank and look forward to working closely with them.”

Warba Bank, an Islamic Bank established by virtue of an Amiri Decree, was officially registered in the Central Bank of Kuwaits list of Islamic Banks on April 5, 2010. The State of Kuwait, represented by Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), owns 24 percent shares of the bank while the remaining 76 percent of the sakes have been subscribed by the government and allocated equally among Kuwaiti nationals.

Standard Chartered is a British multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in London. It operates a network of over 1,700 branches and outlets across more than 70 countries. It has operations in consumer, corporate and institutional banking and treasury services.

CFC announces profit of KD 14.2 million at general assembly Nancy Oteifa Staff Writer

KUWAIT: Commercial Facilities Company (CFC) held their annual general assembly to announce their profit of 14.2 million Kuwaiti dinars for the year 2011. The event took place at Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

At the General Assembly the Board Members had reviewed and approved the audited financial statements for the year 2011. CFC’s growth of the company’s assets is 3.2 percent for 2011 which was released recently according to its 33rd annual report.

CFC Chairman and Managing Director Abdullah Al-Humaidhi said, “In spite of fluctuations in the economic and political situation and the weak performance of the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) as well as the continuation of the low interest on the dinar last year, CFC has achieved a net profit of KD 14.2 million.”

Based on the realized profits of the year the Board of Directors proposed to

the General Assembly the distribution of a cash dividend of 22 percent (22 Kuwaiti fils per share), the General Assembly has consented this recommendation.

Al-Humaidhi added, “Our strong performance in a challenging business environment is a reflection of the company’s resilience and strength. Despite the market challenges, we have been able to achieve the plan and 2011 has been another good year for CFC. He went on saying “We are constantly endeavoring to improve and innovate our product offerings in line with the demands and expectations of the market.We will continue, as a team, to strive towards achieving our corporate goals to ensure quality service to our customers and create value for our shareholders.”

“The company’s financing operations during the year included a bonds issue amounting to KD 50 million, with an interest rate of CBK discount rate plus 1.4 percent payable quarterly in arrears. The bonds will be redeemed in eight quarterly installments from March 14, 2014 to Dec.

KIC earns KD 3.5 million in 2011 KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Investment Company (KIC) earned a total of 3.5 million Kuwaiti dinars in 2011, at a rate of 6.4 Kuwaiti fils per stock, compared to KD three million worth of losses, at 5.5 fils per share, incurred in 2010, said KIC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bader Al-Subaiee.

Addressing the annual general assembly of the company, on Sunday, Al-Subaiee said the company approved financial report of the fiscal year that expired on Dec. 31, 2011.

Elaborating, he said total assets of the company amounted to KD 243 million in December 2011, compared to KD 257 million in the same month of 2010.The company’s liabilities reached KD 122 million in 2011 in contrast to KD 138 million in 2010, he said, assuring attending shareholders that the company worked out new investment strategies and restructuring plans, noting that prudent planning had spared the company heavy losses at peak of the world financial crisis. -KUNA

QNB buys 49% stake in Libyan bank DOHA: Qatar National Bank (QNB), the Gulf state’s largest bank, has acquired a 49 percent stake in Libya’s Bank of Commerce and Development as part of the Qatari lender’s aggressive expansion strategy.

The Benghazi-based bank approved QNB as a strategic partner, according to a memorandum of understanding signed by the two institutions, a statement from QNB late on Thursday said.Bank of Commerce and Development, which employs around 820 people, has total assets of two billion US dollars and a network of 32 branches, the statement said.

No other financial details of the transaction were disclosed.

The deal “comes in line with QNB’s strategic plan of international expansion in se-

lected and promising markets,” QNB Group Chief Executive Officer Ali Shareef Al-Emadi said in the statement. QNB is also said to be in negotiations to acquire Turkey’s Denizbank, the fast-growing Turkish arm of euro zone debt casualty Dexia.

Last week sources said QNB had made a higher bid after earlier talks stalled over price.

The bank is 50-percent owned by sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority and has operations in Syria, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Switzerland. Qatar was a major supporter of Libya’s NATO-backed rebels, providing funds, arms and troops and was instrumental in helping overthrow former leader Muammar Gadhafi. -Reuters

See page 10

14, 2015. In addition, the company arranged for Kuwaiti dinar loans amounting to KD 17 million and US dollar loans amounting to 95 million US dollars, he commented.”

CFC was established in 1977 as the first Kuwaiti closed shareholding company specializing in offering consumer loans in Kuwait. It has developed its business to become the leading specialist provider of consumer credit in its local market, and is also the largest consumer finance company in Kuwait.

He concluded, “CFC started with an initial capital of KD 3.8million ($12.7million). It specialized in providing installment credit facilities to finance consumer and commercial products. CFC plays a major role in the development of the financial and consumer goods industry. It is one of the leading companies in offering installment credit facilities, car financing, and personal cash loans. Branching out in strategic locations, CFC has over 200 employees across its 5 branches and 21 representation offices.”

Buy 0.441 Sell 0.4413

Buy 0.003437 Sell 0.003442

Buy 0.0742 Sell 0.0742

Buy 0.07577 Sell 0.07582

Buy 0.07646 Sell 0.07642 Buy 0.7382 Sell 0.7385

Buy 0.005402 Sell 0.005398 Buy 0.006542 Sell 0.006527

Prices in Kuwaiti fils As of April 15, 2012 Courtesy: KAMCO

BUSINESS MATTERS

Capture and keep the ‘right’ customers Dr. John P. Hayes Exclusive to Al Watan Daily

KUWAIT: Today’s column concludes an 11-part series about the importance of capturing and keeping customers.

You can read the series (it began Feb. 6) in the archives at alwatandaily.com. If you own or manage a business, you know there are ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ customers, and ‘wrong’ customers deliver the least value. When business people tell me they’re too busy ‘putting out fires,’ I know what they mean. They’ve got a whole lot of the ‘wrong’ customers.

Be careful of expert advice!

Keep that in mind as you read this message about how to spot a “great franchise marketing system,” as promoted by a franchise blog: Customers are brought in the doors. This is what every business boils down to in the end, whether or not the marketing system brings in the customers. After all, that is where you make your profits.

The express train to bankruptcy

I read that and said: Or that is where the wrong customers set your business on fire and you head into bankruptcy!

It’s not enough to drive customers into your business.

You’ve got to attract the ‘right’ customers! Most businesses, and many marketing systems, do not fulfill that objective.

And that’s a major reason why businesses struggle and fail.

Franchise promoters want you to believe that a franchise comes with a marketing system that attracts the customers who will buy your products and ultimately turn you into a millionaire. Be careful, because many of these systems do not work. Many franchisors do not know how to attract the “right” customers. If they did, they’d have more successful franchisees. (Franchisees are a franchisor’s customers).

Who are your stars?

Research demonstrates that not all customers are created equal. Some spend more money than others, and some never complain. Those aren’t just “right” customers, those are stars! Your job is to find out who they are, reward them, and find more just like them. But unfortunately, business owners and managers are often too busy putting out fires to do what’s really going to make them money.

And that’s where you make your profit. A graduate student recently told me, “Making a profit isn’t the only reason to own a business.” I agree, but if your business doesn’t make money, you better have enough money to lose until it does. I’ve yet to meet any business owner who enjoyed losing money, but I’ve met a bunch who were tired of putting out fires. Which means they were losing money.

Capture and keep the right customers, and your business will be profitable and satisfying.

How can you improve your business? Dr. John Hayes will help you discover points of opportunity. Free analysis for qualifying businesses. Send a paragraph describing your business; selected businesses may be featured in Business Matters. Dr. Hayes has worked with franchisors, franchisees and small business owners internationally. He is a professor in the College of Business at GUST. Contact him at questions@hayesworldwide.com, or via Twitter @drjohnhayes.

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions presented in the column are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of Al Watan Daily and its staff.

Kuwait, US discuss prospects of economic cooperation KUWAIT: Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Saleh discussed here on Sunday with the US Ambassador to Kuwait Matthew H. Tuller ways of promoting bilateral economic and trade relations between the two countries.

The ministry said in a press statement that the minister discussed with the ambassador a number of issues of common interest that will improve the level of trade and economic cooperation and investment between Kuwait and the United States.

It added that during the meeting, they discussed strengthening investment relations between the two countries at both the governmental and private sectors, particularly with regard to the exchange of investment opportunities available in both countries. -KUNA

Iraq dinar hit by fallout from sanctions next door BAGHDAD: At Alaa Radhi’s currency exchange shop in central Baghdad, a board showing the rate of Iraqi dinars to the dollar has three question marks next to the price.

For weeks now, Iraqi businesses say they have been struggling as the dinar has become increasingly volatile due to fallout from sanctions imposed on neighboring Iran and Syria and to Iraq’s own political turmoil.

“The price keeps changing so quickly,” Radhi says, counting a wad of dinars at the counter of his exchange. “That’s why I can’t write a fixed price.” The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) this month imposed new measures to curb demand for the dollar after a spike at its daily auctions as local traders bought greenbacks to sell them on to Iran and Syria.

In a bid to stem the flow of dollars from Iraq, the bank tightened regulations over who can participate in auctions and sent a message that it was still in control of the market by revaluing the auction price of the dinar slightly higher to

1,166 per US dollar from 1,170.

Merchants participating in currency auctions are now required to be members of the Iraqi Chamber of Commerce, which means they have to register business more formally, and have to obtain licenses from the trade ministry.

But the bank’s crackdown has pushed up the value of the US currency in the local market, throttling local businesses who rely on dollars to purchase foreign imports.

“This the first time it has increased this much ... it definitely affects citizens because people deal in dollars,” said civil servant Abu Mohammed, who sold $300 dollars at a rate of 1,280 dinars per dollar at an exchange shop.

He had bought dollars at a rate of 1,240 dinars per dollar less than a month ago.

Currency traders say the market is at a standstill.

“It’s stagnated because people say they won’t sell (the dollar) as it may keep increasing, while others say they won’t buy it as the value

may drop,” Radhi said.

Iraq is recovering from decades of war and sanctions, and its economy is still very centralized, which is a chief complaint of foreign investors starting to do business in the country.

Oil accounts for 95 percent of government revenues.

With Iran and Syria under Western sanctions, Iraq is becoming an important source of dollars for them as residents and businesses in both countries seek hard currency to escape their weakening local money.

The central bank says Iraq’s large foreign reserves, which have risen to a record $60 billion on the back of high oil prices, will shield its financial system from damage.

But it says its recent measures were needed to bring more discipline to the local market.

“We intervene in the market with this auction to stabilize the Iraqi dinar and to keep the exchange rate stable ...The main thing is to make the Iraqi dinar safe. That’s a priority.” -Reuters

10

ALWATAN DAILY

BUSINESS

monDAY, april 16, 2012

Tanker carrying Syrian oil drops anchor off Iran DUBAI: The MT Tour tanker carrying Syrian crude oil dropped anchor in the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas over the weekend, AIS Live ship tracking data on Reuters showed on Sunday.

Syria, a small exporter at 109,000 barrels per day in 2010, used to sell most of its crude to Europe until European Union sanctions on oil trade with President Bashar Al-Assad’s government stopped those sales last year.

The MT Tour is owned by ISIM Tour Limited, a shipper identified by the United States as an Iranian government front company set up to evade sanctions.

It loaded Syrian light crude in the Mediterranean in late March before sailing through the Suez Canal and then heading east.

Iran sent the tanker to pick up the crude, estimated to be worth about 84 million US dollars to its sanctions-hit Syrian ally, and a source told Reuters last month the cargo was destined for China.

It is not clear why the MT Tour has now dropped anchor off Iran, which as one of the world’s biggest crude producers has no reason to import more.

Tehran is finding it difficult enough to find buyers for its own oil as European and Asian customers cut back imports due to sanctions, forcing it to store millions of barrels of its own crude in oil tankers.

The MT Tour is one of the few Iranian oil tankers whose location is still visible on AIS, while most have apparently switched off their onboard tracking systems.

Of those still visible, a fully loaded Iranian very large crude carrier (VLCC) called the MT Nabi was heading north on Sunday in the Red Sea towards the off-loading port for the Sumed pipeline,

FILE - Ships are seen in the Strait of Hormuz at Khasab area on Jan. 14, 2011. The MT Tour tanker carrying Syrian crude oil dropped anchor in the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas over the weekend, AIS Live ship tracking data on Reuters showed on Sunday, April 15, 2012. (AFP)

which crosses Egypt carrying oil from the Gulf to the Mediterranean.

Fully loaded VLCCs cannot sail through the Suez Canal, but the MT Nabi can send its cargo through Sumed for it to be reloaded at the other end and shipped to Europe or the Americas.

Although many buyers in Europe

GMC sales in Middle East grow by 44% in Q1 of 2012 DUBAI: GMC confirmed its popularity among Middle East automotive consumers by recording 44 percent sales growth in the first quarter (Q1) of 2012. This was mentioned in a press release on Sunday.

GMC sold 10,790 vehicles in the Middle East, which represented the brand’s highest first quarter sales period in the region since 2008 due to growing demand for its popular line-up of crossovers, SUVs and pickups.

Sales were driven in first quarter by the recently launched GMC Terrain crossover, which achieved its highest ever sales month in March since its introduction in early 2011.

The Yukon and Yukon XL full-size SUVs also recorded strong sales growth, up 38 percent and 25 percent respectively. The Acadia crossover registered a 22 percent sales gain, while the Sierra full-size pickup achieved a 67 percent year-over-year sales increase.

The GMC Denali range, which repre-

have already sharply reduced or stopped importing Iranian oil, a European Union ban on Iranian oil imports does not come into force until July 1.

Another Iranian VLCC called the Delvar is three days from its delivery destination of Dalian, China, while a VLCC called Dena was still showing as off Dur-

sents GMC’s premium offering, registered 31 percent sales growth driven by the Sierra Denali, which more than doubled its sales in the first quarter, and the newly introduced Acadia Denali.

The impressive sales figures come at the start of the year when GMC will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the brand.

The GMC emblem was first unveiled to the public at the New York International Auto Show in 1912.

“GMC remains one of the most respected and best-loved automotive brands in the Middle East, which is reflected with strong sales during first quarter of 2012,” said Fadi Ghosn, Chief Marketing Officer at General Motors Middle East Operations.

“We are confident that GMC can maintain this impressive sales growth throughout 2012 with the introduction of the GMC Terrain in Saudi Arabia in May, and the launch of special Heritage Editions later this year to celebrate the brand’s centennial.”

ban, South Africa, where it has been anchored since early March. Its position in the water indicates the Dena is no longer fully loaded with oil.

Two smaller Iranian oil tankers, the Abadan and Amol, were also anchored near Bandar Abbas on Sunday, AIS Live ship tracking data shows. -Reuters

Aluminum Bahrain production rises 2% in Q1 ABU DHABI: Aluminum Bahrain’s output rose two percent in the first quarter of 2012, while sales were steady despite sluggish growth in Europe slowdown, Alba said on Sunday.

Production at one of the world’s largest aluminum smelters was 220,738 tons in the first quarter of 2012, compared to 216,792 tons in the same period a year ago. Sales were unchanged at 135,104 tons, Alba said in a statement.

Bahrain’s state-run energy supplier raised Alba’s gas supply costs by 0.75 US dollars per million British thermal units (mmbtu) to $2.25 mmbtu on Jan. 1, but Alba still enjoys cheaper fuel than many of its competitors.

The company plans to increase its production capacity from 881,000 tons to 1.28 million tons a year with the addition of a new production line in 2015. -Reuters

Iraq buys 250 megawatts per day from UAE to boost power supply

BAGHDAD: Iraq has signed a contract to buy 250 megawatts (MW) of electricity per day from United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Oilfield Services Co., the electricity ministry said on Sunday, to help reduce power shortages as it heads into the heat of the summer months.

In the nine years since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, successive Iraqi governments have failed to address chronic power disruptions in a country where temperatures can top 50 degrees Celsius in the summer.

Electricity shortages are a major complaint among Iraqis, many of whom face power cuts for up to 20 hours a day during periods of peak demand. Frustrations mount in summer and often spark street protests.

The ministry said the two-year contract was based on a price of 7.5 US cents per kilowatt hour and included two power plants, which will be docked on ships and connected to the national grid.

The ships are expected to reach the port in Iraq’s oil-rich southern city of Basra within a few weeks, and the plants will be connected to the grid by July 31, the ministry said.

There are already three Turkish ships docked at the port in Basra, which supply 270 MW per day to the national grid.

Iraqi demand for electricity peaked at 15,000 MW last year, but the oil-producing nation managed to provide less than half of that.

Its national grid has supplied only a few hours of power a day since its supplies collapsed following the invasion, when power plants were looted or went without maintenance.

Iraq plans to boost the national grid’s capacity by about 1,500 MW in the next few months, Salam Qazaz, a deputy electricity minister said in February. -Reuters

Abdulaziz Al-Ghurair appointed as Chairman of DIFC Authority’s Board of Directors DUBAI: Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the financial and business hub connecting the region’s emerging markets with the developed markets of Europe, Asia and the Americas, announced today that His Excellency Abdul Aziz Al-Ghurair has been appointed as Chairman of DIFC Authority Board of Directors by a decision issued by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and President of DIFC. This was stated in a press release on Sunday. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, President of DIFC, said, “Abdul Aziz Al-Ghurair is one of the founders of UAE’s (United Arab Emirates) banking industry, and his business acumen is matched by very few in the region. I am confident that his extensive experience will help DIFC successfully execute its strategy, and further strengthen its position as a global hub of business and finance.” Commenting on his appointment, Abdul Aziz Al-Ghurair, Chairman, DIFC Authority said, “It gives me great pride to be entrusted by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, to take

China currency move nails hard landing risk coffin BEIJING: China’s weekend reform of its currency regime nails shut the coffin on the last remains of doubt about whether the world’s second biggest economy has successfully steered a course past a hard economic landing.

Investors were questioning whether the worst sequential slowdown in China’s economy since the 2008-2009 global financial crisis could enter a sixth quarter after data on Friday revealed the weakest three months of annual growth in three years and a run rate below the official 7.5 percent 2012 target.

Shifting the Chinese yuan trading rules is about the strongest signal Beijing could give that growth downside has diminished and potential pitfalls are manageable. Few reforms are as replete with risk as tinkering with the currency because faith in its soundness directly correlates to economic stability.

“For everybody who thought China was heading for a hard landing, it’s over. This move says they are comfortable with the direction the economy is moving in,” Paul Markowski, president of New York-based MES Advisers and a long-time investment adviser to China’s monetary authorities, told Reuters.

International investors are certainly in need of something to calm concerns about the health of the global economy after asset markets worldwide were rattled on Friday by a combination of below-par Chinese growth data and renewed fears of contagion risks in the debt-plagued euro zone.

Timing, politics and diplomacy are all in focus after Saturday’s milestone step towards turning the yuan into a global currency that doubled the size of its trading band against the dollar to one percent.

But the economics of the move, predicted by a Reuters poll four weeks ago, are the most crucial for the 200 million or so jobs in China’s vast factory sector that analysts estimate directly depend on foreign trade.

Comfortable confidence

Reform says Beijing is comfortable with the yuan’s value and that exporters have sufficient strength to cope with the government relaxing its grip. As the financial crisis deepened in 2008, China squeezed tightly on the yuan to shield the economy as international trade ground to a halt.

It implies confidence that rebounding March indicators in the first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data - such as a jump in steel production, vehicle output, machinery and cement production and a recovery in sales of household electronic appliances - suggest that the floor in economic activity has broad foundations.

Different values of China’s yuan banknotes are placed on a window sill as Shanghai’s skyscrapers are seen in the background, in this photo illustration taken in Shanghai April 15, 2012. China’s weekend reform of its currency regime nails shut the coffin on the last remains of doubt about whether the world’s second biggest economy has successfully steered a course past a hard economic landing. (Reuters)

So does a huge bounce in new bank lending in March - 25 percent ahead of economists’ forecasts at 1.01 trillion yuan - that signals monetary easing since the autumn, creating an estimated 800 billion yuan of new credit, is being put to work.

Bear in mind that the last time growth was this low, in the second quarter of 2009, Beijing was busy rolling out 4 trillion yuan (635 billion US dollars) of stimulus to support the ailing economy and encouraging local authorities to go on a borrowing binge.

The lessons from that episode though have been hard learned, requiring a two-year policy tightening campaign to fight the inflationary effects of the stimulus and creating a 10.7 trillion yuan legacy of local government debt to be cleaned up.

This time Beijing is taking a different route to stability.

“This is all about creating macroeconomic flexibility in

an economy that, by the end of the decade, is likely to be on a growth trajectory down towards 5 percent and where that flexibility is going to be needed even more,” Markowski said.

Unsustainable without reform

Economists believe that a tightly-controlled export and investment-driven growth model that has delivered three decades of double digit expansion, lifted 600 million people out of poverty, and turned China into the world’s single biggest source of economic growth and the Number 1 exporter, is unsustainable.

So too does the government, wary that a wealth gap is widening, asset bubbles are inflating and foreign demand for goods from China’s vast factory sector is becoming less reliable, fuelling economic risks that undermine the social stability on which the Communist Party claims the right to

Abdulaziz Al-Ghurair

on this challenging role. Under his leadership, DIFC Authority has taken substantial strides to position DIFC as a global financial hub, and I look forward to working with the board of directors and management team to build on these achievements.” Al Ghurair brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from his current and former appointments on several major boards in the public and private sectors.

rule. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) hailed Saturday’s move as underlining China’s commitment to rebalance the economy towards domestic consumption and giving market forces more freedom.

Premier Wen Jiabao last month staked his political legacy on the need for structural reforms to rebalance China’s economy, while Li Keqiang, widely expected to succeed Wen early next year, told a forum last month that reforms cannot be delayed.

Beijing is actively pursuing a slower growth strategy to deliver them, with an official target at an eight-year low to create room for structural policy shifts, particularly on prices it sets, without sparking a surge in inflation.

Economic stability is the most crucial part of the plan.

“The move may partially help clear away the doubt on whether China could manage to steer a soft landing and make global investors more clear about China’s reform roadmap,” said Dong Xian’an, chief economist at Peking First Advisory in Beijing.

The fundamentals of China’s economy have shifted, particularly with respect to its huge accumulation of foreign capital over the last decade that has given it the world’s largest store of foreign reserves, worth $3.3 trillion.

China’s current account surplus dropped from about 10 percent of GDP in 2007 to 2.7 percent in 2011 and is likely to remain subdued while its two biggest trading partners - the European Union and the United States - struggle respectively with recession risks and anemic growth.

A surplus between 2.5 and 4 percent of GDP is, according to a model backed by the influential Peterson Institute for International Economics, an indication that a currency has reached its fair, or equilibrium, value. China’s top officials have used that term a lot recently.

That only serves to reinforce the view that Beijing is satisfied it has the policies in place to ensure that even if annual growth in 2012 does end up being its slowest in a decade, it sets the scene for better quality growth in the decade ahead.

And it implies confidence that the incremental introduction of more currency flexibility will not knock economic activity off track near term as the risk of a hard landing has gone.

“As long as the current modest easing is carried out with the budget deficit increasing by almost 1 percent of GDP and new bank lending reaching at least eight trillion - we think growth will rebound in the second quarter (Q2) sequentially and average 8.5 percent for 2012 as a whole,” analysts at UBS said in a note to clients. -Reuters

ALWATAN DAILY

BUSINESS

11

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012

Bedrock of society - Understanding, growing MENA middle class Results of Booz & Company’s regional survey exposes trends, feelings about key lifestyle factors

a Senior Partner with Booz & Company.

These issues present a majorchallenge for policymakers in the Arab world. They must work to expand the middle class, through social, economic, and political reforms that empower the private sector.

Shediac added, “Before they can tailor such reforms, however, policymakers must develop a better understanding of the middle class. To that end, the survey results shed significant light on this group - their aspirations, concerns, and anxieties. We also have some clear policy recommendations for government reforms that help address the current concerns of the middle class and help this demographic segment take its rightful place as an engine of future growth in the MENA region.”

Richard Shediac, Senior Partner Samer Bohsali, Partner Hatem Samman, Director of the Ideation Center Booz & Company

KUWAIT: In developing countries worldwide, the middle class is often the catalyst for positive change, yet, in the Middle East, this substantial segment of the population is not enjoying thesame opportunity. In fact, the Middle East’s middle class has become overly reliant on governments for jobs and services, which, when combined with weak social and economic infrastructures, has prevented this societal strata from advancing in a way that will help national economies become stronger.

Experts from global management consulting firm Booz & Company, analyse recent survey results of 1,450+ middle class people in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco to expose the issue, and determine how the situation can progress.

Current economic outlook

Overall, middle-class respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their current economic prospects. However, respondents voiced general optimism about the future state of the economy. This perhaps reflects anticipation from several already-announced government spending initiatives and reforms in those countries, some of which have been spurred by events of the ‘Arab Spring’.

Job market concerns

The reliance on public-sector jobs shows up in answers about the criteria that middle-class respondents assess when choosing an occupation. Job security ranks most importantly, followed by a good salary. The fact that respondents seem to value job security over money by a two to one margin and, at the same time, do not value as much prospects of entering new business ventures or pursuing their professional dreams reflects either a sense of uncertainty about the future job market or - more likely - a tendency to avoid taking risks with one’s career.

“This is one of the fundamental challenges to the MENA region’s future growth. An overreliance on the public sector creates problems that are self-perpetuating: Economic volatility and structural unemployment become exacerbated by an oversized public sector, creating an economically constrained middle class,” said Samer Bohsali, a Partner with Booz & Company.

“However that situation is unlikely to change as long as people prefer safe govern-

The middle class serves a key function in society

The creation and nurturing of a vibrant and sustainable middle class is critical to the future of nations in the MENA region. Itssuccess is in essencethe success of a nation, and its advancement brings ancillary benefits for social and economic groups, such as the poor.

Key challenges for the region’s middle class

The demographic segment in the MENA region differs from that in other parts of the world in one key way, as it is not a significant source of gross domestic product (GDP) generation or innovation.

“The middle class is a bellwether for a nation’s overall prospects, and its confidence in the economy can determine the future direction of that economy. Its trust in government and public institutions can serveas societal ballast during periods of disruption, just as a lack of trust in these institutions can trigger instability and social upheavals,” said Richard Shediac,

ment positions to more lucrative (but potentially riskier) positions in the private sector, or - even better - launching their own company to fulfil their personal dreams.”

Cutting back on spending, and struggling to save

In terms of meeting basic expenses, an average of 57 percent stated that their salary covers such expenses with a little left over for extras.

Another 13 percent stated that they live comfortably. However, of the remaining 30 percent, 27 percent stated that they are barely able to make ends meet, while three percent expressed an inability to do even that.

Entrepreneurs are feeling the pain

More unsettling findings come from those who identify themselves as entrepreneurs, meaning they are self-employed or own a business. “About 25 percent have gotten out of business or had to relocate their company because of economic difficulties, and 21 percent experienced a decline in their real income, as a result of high inflation. Roughly a third expects to experience similar financial hardships in the future,” said Hatem Samman, Director of the Ideation Center, Booz & Company’s thinktank in the Middle East.

Food Inflation Is a Potential Threat to Stability

Respondents spend 30 percent of their monthly household income on food, beverages, tobacco, and personal care. Although this may reflect certain cultural and/or culinary aspects of the region, it also has greater relevance given recent increases in food prices that have ravaged the world-and MENA countries in particular-over the past several years.

Consumer Housing Is Stable, but Shortages Loom

Home ownership remains a bedrock desire among the middle class. A majority of respondents (62 percent) own their place of residence.

However, the MENA regionis experiencing increased housing demand from growing populations and rising urbanization, even as the supply of new housing has been constrained by limited access to capital and a lack of suitable land for construction. These factors have pushed up home prices, directly affecting lowand middle-income households.

Trading Prices of Kuwait Stock Exchange Trading Prices of Kuwait Stock Exchange

Company

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High

Low

National Bank Gulf Bank Commercial Bank Ahli Bank Ahli United Bank International Bank Burgan Bank Kw Finance House Boubyan Bank

1,080

1,040 425 830 270 415 750 570

Kw Investment Commercial Facilit.

Int'L Financial Adv. National Invest.

Kw Projects Ahlia Holding Coast Invest.

Int'L Investor Securities House Ind. & Fin. Inv. Securities Group Int'L Finance MARKAZ KMIFIC Aref Inv. Group Al AMAN Inv. ALOLA Inv. ALMAL Inv. Gulf Inv. House A'ayan Leasing Bayan Inv. GLOBAL Inv. Osoul Inv. KFIC KAMCO Nat. Int'l Holding Housing Finance MADAR Al Deera Holding Al Safat Inv. Al Salam Group Ekttitab Holding Al Qurain Holding Sokouk Holding Al-Madina Finance NOOR Tamdeen Inv. Int'll Exch KW BH Int Exch.

285 150 305 60 102 112 148 53 35.0 65 40.0 -

425 860 280 425 760 590

Global Index - Banking

Taiba Kuwaiti Holding

Kuwait Syrian Strategia Kuwait China Inv. Manafae Inv. Gulf North Africa Amwal Al Masar Al-Imtiaz

ź

80.0 65 51 112

280 144 305 59 100 112 146 51 34.5 65 38.0 234.0 106.0 77.0 65 51 110

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242.0 108.0

Global Index - Investment

Kuwait Insurance Gulf Insurance Ahlia Insurance Warba Insurance Kuwait Re-Ins. First Takaful Ins. Wethaq Insurance

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Kuwait R.E. United R.E. National R.E. Salhia R.E. Pearl R.E. Tamdeen R.E. Ajial R.E. Massaleh R.E. Arab R.E. Union R.E. ERESCO Mabani INJAZZAT RE Inv. Holding Grp Int'L Resorts Commercial R.E Sanam R.E. Aa'yan R.E Aqar Kuwait R.E Holding AL Mazaya Al Dar National R.E Themar Int'L Holding Grand R.E Projects Tijara & R.E Invest Al Tameer Arkan Al-Kuwait R.E Al Argan Int'L Abyaar Munshaat First Dubai KBT Manazel REAM Mena Real Estate Al Moudon Intl. R.E Markaz Real Estate Kuwait Remal R.E

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230 120 -

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295 890 116 360

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55 110 122 226 234 35.0 95 980 74 15.0 61.0 94 56 66 74 36.0 84 18.0 40.0 75 40.0 36.0 20.5 52 325

1,260

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56 112 126 234 234 36.0 96 990 76 15.5 64.0 96 58 66 74 36.0 85 19.0 41.5 75 40.5 40.0 21.5 54 340

Global Index - Real Estate

Nationl Ind. Group Pipes Ind. & Oil Kuwait Cement Refrigeration Ind. Gulf Cables & Elec.

Heavy eng. & Ship.

Marine Services Portland Cement Shuaiba Industrial Metal Collecting Kuwait Foundry

ŷ ź ŷ ŷ Ÿ ŷ ŷ ź Ÿ

ŷ ŷ ŷ Ÿ ŷ Ÿ ŷ ŷ ź ŷ ź ŷ ź ź ŷ ź ź ź ź ŷ ŷ Ÿ ŷ ŷ Ÿ ŷ ź ŷ Ÿ ŷ Ÿ ŷ Ÿ ŷ ŷ Ÿ ŷ ź ź Ÿ ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ Ÿ ŷ Ÿ Ÿ

Last Close 177.91 6,217.30 Last Prev.

Close Close 1060 425 790 610 860 275 425 750 590 318.51

106 280 52 150 305 13.0 60 25.0 130 25.0 230 100 112 102 52 26.0 146 52 26.5 71 34.5 48.5 64 26.0 270 65 38.5 51 38.5 100 236.0 106.0 22.0 22.5 78.0 29.0 178 285 114 28.00 75 65 54 51 64 42.50 110 81.48 300 520 500 148 220 122 40.50 43.82

55 110 124 234 32.5 234 118 91 35.5 110 95 990 74 15.0 63.0 95 57 66 74 36.0 85 19.0 87 17.5 41.5 69 75 160 40.5 28.5 38.5 17.5 21.0 134 134 220 53 340 57.51

224 120 450 122 1,260 295 140 890 216 116 360

1060 430 790 610 850 275 425 760 580 318.83 106 280 52 144 310 13.0 55 25.0 130 25.0 230 99 112 102 52 26.0 146 50 26.5 71 35.0 48.5 64 26.0 270 61 38.5 51 39.0 100 244.0 110.0 22.0 22.5 78.0 29.0 178.0 285 114 28.00 75 65 54 50 64 42.50 112 81.52

Previous Close Change 177.67 0.25 28.40 6,188.90 Trading Activity Chng Volume Tran. Value(KD) -5 10 -10 10 0.32-

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6 -5 5 1 2 -1

4 0.58.04.01 -2 0.04-

300 520 500 148 220 122 40.50 43.82

Ex-D Ex-D Ex-D Ex-D -

55 110 124 226 32.5 232 118 91 36.0 110 96 990 77 15.5 63.0 97 58 67 77 36.0 85 18.0 87 17.5 39.5 69 80 160 40.0 28.5 37.5 17.5 20.5 134 134 220 52 340 57.52

8 2.0 0.5-1 -3 0.5-2 -1 -1 -3 1.0 2.0 -5 1 1.0 0.5 Ex-D 1 0.01-

230 118 450 122 1,260 295 140 880 216 106 345

-6 2 10 10 15

Healthcare

Although the Arab world has significantly improved its healthcare systems over the last 30 years, the changing dynamics (reflected in an aging population, poor lifestyle choices and dietary habits, and increases in the prevalence of chronic diseases including diabetes and cancer) have put governments in a perpetual state of catch-up, as the demand for healthcare services has escalated.

Dreams and Aspirations

Principally, the middle class want a safe and secure country, with a strong and developing economy, and stability. Beyond that, they dream of excellent educational opportunities (for themselves and their children) and enjoying a happy life with family. “There has never been a more critical time for policymakers in the Middle East to focus on empowering the region’s sizable-and politically significant-middle class. Recent protests by masses from all walks of life across Arab countries point to a common challenge: There is a dire need for change, via a set of economic, social, and political policies aimed at developing a large, dynamic, and sustainable middle class. Progress in the region will always be limited if half the population do not feel they have sufficient opportunities to succeed,” concluded Bohsali.

In tailoring these policies, governments cannot focus solely on economic issues. They must keep in mind the inextricable links between cultural advancements and economic progress. For example, when trust in government runs out, social disorder can ensue.

Leaders should also ensure that any changes in the region create expanding opportunities for all residents, including women and youth.

The strategic agenda most likely to succeed and build a healthy nation is one that balances development across economic, social, and cultural parameters-and meets the expectations of the middle class in order to earn their trust.

Social Protection

A system of social protection-including a retirement pension scheme, unemployment insurance, and social safety nets-is essential for the middle classes worldwide, yet for many residents in the MENA region this is either lacking or economically unsustainable Survey responses regarding middle-class culture in the Middle East fall into four principal categories: trust in public institutions, the evolving role of women in the region, entertainment preferences, and the dreams and aspirations of the middle class.

Trust in Public Institutions

In the Middle East, trust in government is low. Less than 30 percent of the middle class rate the government well on key trust attributes, such as disclosing adequate and accurate information, fighting corruption, and having a fair and open court system.

Women’s Rights

In Arab countries in general, and the countries surveyed in particular, women’s rights have improved in education, the job market, and appointments to government offices. However, these changes have been slow in coming.

Despite the conservative nature of the middle classes across the region, with 80 percent be-

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions presented in the column are the company’s own and do not necessarily represent those of Al Watan Daily and its staff.

Date of Closing Prices:

410,000 620,000 205,000 4,150,000 330,000 875,000 2,915,000 9,505,000

31 14 7 55 15 57 50 229

434,400 263,500 172,900 1,141,200 138,600 656,400 1,693,700 4,500,700

480,000 5,100,000 40,000 6,840,000 100,000 860,000 8,020,000 12,440,000 560,000 40,000 5,280,000 5,040,000 11,680,000 14,680,000 320,000 160,000 2,280,000 73,920,000

15 121 3 82 3 12 131 156 6 1 51 124 199 195 6 4 51

-

DTD 0.14% 0.46%

Last Bid

05 / 01 / 2012

For more Information please contact "Global" at (+965) 180 42 42 or www.globalinv.net

For more Information please contact "Global" at (+965) 180 42 42 or www.globalinv.net Ÿ

Entertainment Preferences

Visiting shopping malls and going out to restaurants are at the top of the social agenda.

Amusement and theme parks are also frequent options. Entertainment options that promote information and education, however, do not feature heavily in the entertainment profile of the middle classes in the MENA region.

Trading Prices of Kuwait Stock Exchange Date of Closig Prices: 15/04/2012

Date of Closing Prices: 15 / 04 / 2012 For more information please contact “Global” at (+965) 180 42 42 or www.globalinv.net Global General Index KSE Price Index

lieving that the women’s primary responsibilities are at home, some 80 percent say that women should have a career or professional advancement ‘if they want to’. In other words, women should have the right to choose their path, not be forced into it.

Education

More than 50 percent of respondents think that the region’s education system does not provide opportunities for them or for their children, in terms of finding jobs. While middle Class Saudis seemed overly satisfied with Saudi Arabia’s educational opportunities with 72 percent expressinghigh or normal satisfaction, the middle classes in Egypt and Morocco werefar less content, with only 18 percent of Egyptians expressing satisfaction with educational opportunities provided by the government, and less than 10 percent of Moroccans.

Last Ask

MTD YTD -2.88% -0.78% 6.93% 0.85% Div. Annual Close Low P/E Yield High

1,060 425 610 860 270 420 750 580

1,080 430 620 870 275 425 760 590

3.8% 0.0% 0.0% 2.5% 1.8% 1.8% 2.4% 2.0% 0.0% 2.0%

1,220 510 800 680 920 285 480 900 590 326.42

1,040 425 700 600 790 236 410 720 530 314.20

15.26 36.98 1240.61 18.34 31.88 26.31 12.99 27.47 126.35 19.45

104 280 148 300 60 97 112 146 51 34.5 60.0 270 38.0 234.0 104.0 77.0 178 28 74 64 50 108.0

106 285 150 305 230 100 114 102 148 52 35.0 69.0 280 60 39.0 236.0 106.0 78.0 180 295 31 80 65 54 51 110.0

0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 6.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.9% 3 9% 3.9% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2.4%

112 285 67 182 345 18.5 69 25.0 130 36.0 230 122 120 102 52 35.5 146 65 35 71 44.0 48.5 70.0 26.0 280 65 39 51 47.5 104 270.0 130.0 25.0 33.5 96.0 29.0 190 310 114 32 89 73 60 59 64 42.5 140.0 85.99

104 255 40 144 295 11.5 50 25.0 130 21.0 230 99 102 50 52 24.0 106 47 21 71 28.5 48.5 64.0 26.0 242 51 36 51 26.0 61 99.0 19.5 19.0 16.0 38.0 29.0 154 255 114 26 58 50 51 47 64 42.5 110.0 74.96

16.47 10.59 0.00

1,160

136,350 761,280 12,200 408,600 10,040 96,320 1,176,280 649,000 19,440 2,600 205,360 1,199,320 1,249,880 1,146,760 20,800 8,160 250,880 7,353,270

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255 485 480 134 30.0

300 510 540 150 43.0

6.7% 3.8% 5.0% 3.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 4.7%

325 610 540 148 220 134 40.5 44.91

280 520 450 102 220 102 40.5 42.22

3,520,000 1,060,000 320,000 860,000 20,000 1,360,000 320,000 50,000 160,000 4,560,000 14,720,000 7,880,000 1,720,000 640,000 40,000 80,000 3,920,000 4,320,000 7,440,000 80,000 6,560,000 5,200,000 8,480,000 840,000 1,410,000 75,560,000

34 17 11 18 1 17 8 6 4 32 147 66 36 8 1 1 61 36 62 1 43 41 81 20 62 814

194,560 116,960 39,640 199,040 4,680 48,440 30,440 49,100 12,000 68,880 918,840 751,160 98,160 42,240 2,960 2,880 331,000 81,000 305,120 6,000 264,160 203,080 178,040 45,080 466,500 4,459,960

55 110 124 230 230 108 87 35.5 95 980 74 15.0 61.0 94 56 65 73 84 18.5 87 41.0 158 40.0 38.5 20.5 31 52 335

56 112 126 236 234 134 36.0 96 990 75 15.5 63.0 95 57 66 81 37.5 85 19.0 89 41.5 68 81 168 40.5 39.5 21.0 130 34 54 340

0.0% 4.5% 0.0% 6.6% 0.0% 3.4% 0.0% 7.7% 0.0% 6.4% 0.0% 1.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 5.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 6.3% 6.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1.0%

63 118 152 246 37.5 250 130 100 52.0 120 104 1,080 85 20.0 67.0 97 75 73 90 38.0 92 23.0 91 17.5 45.0 70 80 174 52.0 39.5 39.0 28.5 25.5 134 34 220 70 480 57.93

47 97 108 200 32.5 224 114 77 27.0 108 94 840 62 11.0 35.0 77 56 52 74 33.0 59 13.5 87 17.5 31.0 57 64 116 27.5 22.0 25.0 17.5 15.0 134 31 220 49 270 49.06

2,340,000 660,000 30,000 60,000 5,000 140,000 30,000

50 30 10 3 1 6 3

530,720 79,120 37,800 17,700 4,450 15,680 10,650

224 118 440 122 1,260 290 134 880 110 345

226 120 455 132 1,280 295 144 900 116 360

0.0% 0.0% 3.3% 0.0% 5.8% 3.4% 0.0% 7.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

260 136 470 158 1,480 345 222 920 216 120 495

214 116 415 122 1,260 295 140 660 180 102 315

13.79 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 46.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 67.72 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 14.47 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.77 22 52 22.52 16.18 573.07

0.00 0.00 5.59 14.23 13.38 13.67 11.92 24.07 63.13 64711.96 13.50

49.42 12.93 15.77 0.00 22.64 9.61 15.16 24.12 29.12 0.00 16.91 393.14

99.98 0.00 14.66 8.00 172.51 0.00 0.00 26.88 439.41 0.00 0.00 19.25

20.11 7.29 13.30 17.53 31.52 12.59

-

ACICO

Global 80 United General IndustriesIndex 630 Boubyan KSE PricePetroch.

Index

Gulf Glass Hilal Cement Company High Al Kout Ind. Project 1,140 National K-PAK Bank Gulf Bank Material 495 Building Commercial Bank 770 Nat. Ind.Co. Ahli Bank 640 124 Equipment Holding Ahli United Bank 850 Mena Holding International Bank 248 Consumer Industries 460 Burgan Bank Kuwait Gypsum 890 Kw Finance House 216 Qurain Boubyan Bank 590 Salbookh Trading Global Index - Banking194 IKARUS Kw Investment 76 Boubyan Int'L Ind.

79 620 Low 1,120 490 770 640 114 800 248 455 880 216 580 194 72

ŷ źŸ źŸ ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷŷ ŷ ŷŷ źŸ Ÿŷ ŷ ŷ ź

ź ŷ ŷ ŷ ź Ÿ ŷŸ 265 260 źŸ Commercial Facilit.

Global Index - Industrial 41 40 ź Int'L Financial Adv. National Cinema 174 - 170 - źŷ National Invest.

Kw Hotels Kw Projects 300 - 300 - Ÿŷ 400 12.5 395 ŷŷ Agility Ahlia Holding 13.5 Market Complexes Coast Invest.

53 52 - źŷ ZAIN - 740 - 720 ŷŷ Int'L Investor Securities House - ŷŸ 75.0 73.0 Safat Energy Ind. & Fin. Inv. Group Educational - ŷŷ Securities Group - ŷŸ 345 Indep. Petroleum 350 Int'L Finance - ŷŸ 156 150 National Cleaning 110 MARKAZ 106 108 Sultan Center 106 ŷŷ KMIFIC - ŷŷ 110 Arabi Group 108 Int'L Group CityInv. Group - ŷŷ Aref Inv. Group 2,280 2,280 ŷŸ Wataniya Tele.

Investment Dar 120 Kw Gulf Link 114 ŷŸ Al AMAN Inv. ŷ Kw Cable Vision - ŷ ALOLA Inv. 110 108 ŷ - ŷ Automated System ALMAL Inv. 50 49 ź NAPESCO - Gulf Inv. House - -ŷ 300 KCPCLeasing 295 - ŷŸ A'ayan K.S.HInv. 32.5 - 31.0 - ŷŷ Bayan - ŷŷ Eyas GLOBAL Inv. Hits Telecom - 114 - 110 ŷŸ Osoul Inv. Al Safwa Holding -17.5 ŷŸ GULFINVEST -18.5 Human Soft - ŷŷ KFIC Privatization Holding 76 75 KAMCO - ŷź Int'l Leasing & Inv. - - - ŷŷ Nafaaes Holding - - ŷŷ Nat. Int'l Holding - National Slaughter - ŷŸ Housing Finance 120 Aref energy 112 MADAR - ŷŷ 600 Safwan 600 26.5 AlGulf Deera Holding 76.0 26.5 Petroleum 74.0 ŷź AlGulf Safat Inv. - ŷŷ 24.0 Franchising 24.0 AlCredit Salam&Group Collection 122.0 - 114.0 - Ÿŷ 41.0 Ekttitab Holding National Ranges 21.5 39.0 20.5 źŸ Al Qurain Holding Burgan Well Drilling - ŷŷ 16.5 Sokouk Holding 16.5 ŷ IFA H&R - ŷ Al-Madina Finance 40.0 38.5 ź 1,700 1,680 ŷ Combinted Group NOOR ŷ 83 81 Jeeran Holding Tamdeen Inv. 160 158 źŸ 114 114 Palms Agro KW BH Int'l Exch.

- ŷź 72.0 Safat TEC Holding 72.0 Taiba Kuwaiti - ŷź 87 86 Mushrif Trading Kuwait Syrian - ŷŷ UPAC Strategia - - ŷŷ ALAFCO 295 ŷŸ 300 53 53 Kuwait China Inv. Al-Muwasat - - - ŷŷ Manafae Inv. Mashaer Holding 300 295 Gulf North Africa - ŷź Amwal - - - ŷŷ Oula Fuel AlFuture MasarComm.

- ŷŷ Al-Imtiaz 132 Hayat Comm.

104 źŷ 106 124 Mubarrad Transport 63 62 źŸ Global Index - Investment Kuwait Resorts --- ŷŷ Kuwait Insurance Advanced Technolgy - - ŷŷ Gulf Insurance - Yiaco Medical - - - ŷŷ Ahlia Insurance Al Jazeera Airways 455 455 112 108 źŸ Warba Insurance Al Soor Fuel 242 240 ŷ Kuwait Re-Ins. Future Kid Ins. First Takaful - - - ŷŷ K G L Insurance Wethaq - 295 - 290 ŷŸ - źŷ Al Nawadi Global Index - Insurance Alrai Media - ŷ 48 ź Kuwait R.E. 48 - 100 - ŷ Zima Holding United R.E. 100 Ÿ GlobalR.E. Index - Services 118 ŸŸ National 126 200 Salhia R.E. 204 LiveStock Trans.

- źŷ - 94 ŷŸ Pearl R.E. - 95 Dana Al-Safat 224 224 Tamdeen R.E. - źŷ United Poultry Ajial - ŷŷ 1,360 Kw R.E. FoodStuff 1,360 - ŷ Massaleh R.E. United Food - ŷ Arab R.E. 30.0 30.0 ź Kout Food - ŷ - ŷ Union R.E. Global Index Food 98 96 źŸ ERESCO 860 - 840 - Ÿ Mabani Sharjah Cement 7597 7493 Ÿź INJAZZAT RE Gulf Cement Inv. Holding Grp Um Quwain Cement 12.073 11.569 źŸ Int'L Resorts Fujaira Cement - ŷŷ 78 77 Commercial R.E 124 Ras AlKheimah 124 Ÿŷ 70 65 Sanam R.E. - źŷ ARIG 54 53 ź Aa'yan R.E United Gulf Bank 178 172 Ÿ - ŷ Aqar - ŷ Egypt Kw Holding Kuwait R.E Holding ŷ Bahrain Kw Ins. 59 ź AL Mazaya 60 Gulf Fin. House 57.0 56.0 14.0 źŷ Al Dar National R.E 14.0 InovestInt'L Holding 67 65 - ŷŸ Themar

- 168 Grand R.E Projects - 170 Ahli United Bank -27.0 Tijara & R.E Invest -28.0 Ithmaar Bank AlGlobal TameerIndex - Non-Kuwaiti Arkan Al-Kuwait R.E 70 70 Markaz Real Estate Safat Global AlInvestment Argan Int'L Funds 28.5 28.0 Abyaar Al-Bareeq Holding 23.5 - 23.5 Munshaat AFAQ First Dubai 26.0 Al-Shamel - 25.5 KBT 27.0 27.0 Al-Safat Real Estate Manazel 16.5 15.5 33 Ajwan Real Estate 32 REAM Specialities Group 450 465 Mena Real Estate Masaken Inter.

Al Moudon Intl. R.E - Dulaqan R.E Markaz Real Estate 57 56 Eid Food Kuwait Remal R.E 295 285 -

MaidanIndex Clinic - Real Estate Global Flex

-

-

-

ŷŸ ŷź ŷŸ ź ŷŷ ŷ źŷ ź ŷ ź ŷ ŷ ź Ÿ ŷ Ÿ ŷ ŷ ŷ źŷ Ÿŷ źŷ

Last Close Previous Close DTD 218 218 - Change 216 222 -0.40% 177.24 -0.7047,680 80 176.5379 1 600,000 15 80 79 10 5,754.20 6305,726.90 340,100 620 545,000 8 -27.30 620 -0.47% 630 1,100 1,100 Last Prev.

Trading Activity Last Last 216 216 Close Close Ask Chng - Volume -Tran. - Value(KD) - Bid 415 415 3,796,050 - 1,120 - 1120 1120 69 3,377,500 1,140 275 275 300 20 495 495 830,000 407,950 490 495 224 224 Ex-D 770 770 10,000 1 7,700 - 770 780 300 300 300 310 640 -2010 2 6,400 660 10,000 640 660 124 919,760 114 7,640,000 164 124 800 50 850 350,000 23 282,700 840 850 33 33 16 248 248 - 700,000 173,600 246 248 102 102 460 465 -5 500,000 10 229,750 460 465 128 Ex-D 128 890 -10 880 1,280,000 66 1,127,050 880 870 21 280,800 216 1,300,000 216 218 214 590 590 607,850 1,035,000 33 590 580 44 44 319.37 319.54 8,092,500 6,639,050 0.17240 20,000 1 194 4 3,880 190 192 194 106 106 -3 -3 102 106 73 120,000 76 8,880 75 73 260 265 -5 250,000 14 65,750 260 265 13,490,000 315 166.94 166.40 2,297,220 0.55 40 960 170 280 300 400 12.5 52 52 730 25.0 130 75.0 31.0 110 230 350 102 156 108 106 50 108 44.0 550 52 2,280 74 118 28.5 58 108 300 49 355 23 300 71 255 31.0 260 48.5 112 68 18.0 20.5 270 26.0 75 244 94 84 51 154 36 120 51 600 26.5 74.0 75 24.0 120.0 120 39.5 20.5 19.0 260 16.5 400 38.5 1,700 29.0 83 158 114 255 72.0 114 86 26.00 340 68 295 53 168 60 295 46.5 64 275 42.50 285 128 104 62 75.90

48.5 325 770 560 370 485 455 110 242 220 98 114 290 40.50 81 43.43 122

48 98 100 729.78 124 200 184 37.5 95 224 136 120 1,360 82 340 30.0 580 108 335.56 97 860 85 75 93 11.5 72 38.0 90 78 124 65 112 54 178 90 280 38.0 455 59 57.0 14.0 67 91 17.5 170 31.0 27.0 59 41.99 70 122 48.5 124 28.0 144 23.5 106 25.5 250 27.0 22.0 15.5 32 134 455 134 51 220 345 57 106 295 2,260 49.73

40.5

232 Nationl Ind. GroupReal E242 232 źŷ 88.0 Dar Al-Thuraya 128 Pipes Ind. & Oil 65 Kw Medical Services 128 - 126 - ŷŷ 450 Kuwait Cement 455 450 ź Amar For Fin. & Leas.

55 ŷ 150 - ŷ Refrigeration Ind. Total Parallel Market 1,420 1,420 1,420 ź Gulf Cables & Elec.

335 - ŷ Heavy eng. & Ship.

Total Market 212 Marine Services - ŷ 720 720 ŷ Portland 720 GlobalCement Special Indices 180 - ŷ Shuaiba Ÿ GlobalIndustrial Index - Kuwaiti Co.'s 104 104 ź Metal Collecting 110 Ÿ Cap. Global Index 10 Large 460 - ŷ Kuwait Foundry -

Global Index - Islamic

Ÿ

41 960 172 280 295 400 12.5 52 53 730 25.0 130 74.0 31.0 110 230 340 102 150 112 106 50 108 44.0 550 52 2,240 74 114 28.5 58 108 300 49.5 355 23 295 71 255 31.0 260 48.5 110 68 17.5 20.5 270 26.0 77 244 94 84 51 154 36 112 51 600 26.5 76.0 75 24.0 112.0 120 41.5 20.0 19.0 260 16.5 400 39.0 1,700 29.0 80 160 116 255 73.0 114 86 26.00 340 68 290 53 168 60 305 46.5 64 275 42.50 285 130 104 76.02 60

48.5 325 770 560 370 485 450 118 242 220 98 114 285 40.50 81 43.63

122 49 98 99 726.02 120

204 184 37.5 94 234 136 120 1,360 82 340 30.5 580 108 335.42 98 850 85 7395 12.0 69 38.0 90 77 124 70 112 55 172 90 280 38.0 455 63 57.0 14.5 9166 17.5 168 31.028.0 59 41.71 74 122 48.5 124 28.5 144 24.5 106 26.0 250 27.0 22.0 16.5 32 134 445 134 51 220 345 58 106 290 2,260 49.75

40.5

1,680,000 13 1,040,000 20 110,000 5 330,000 7,040,000 4623 1,280,000 22 -1 2,680,000 111 2,280,000 31 1.0 - - --3 40,000 10.0 5,520,000 101 6.0 - 680,000 1822 700,000 - 31 800,000 - - -40 230,000 14 3,980,000 90 4 14 500,000 -1 320,000 4 Ex-D - - 170,000 12 -5 1,840,000 22 - - 28,320,000 344 2 1 8,320,000 60 - - 1,600,000 27 --2 - - - - - - -8 27 860,000 -1 - 5,000 253 - 2.0240,000 4,000,000 -1 80,000 -8.0 - 11,180,000 - 212 2.024 1,920,000 325 56,560,000 0.5 5 480,000 0.510,640,000 93 25,000 2 3 3 160,000 2.080,000 4 20,000 - -2 -1 1.040,000 -1 -320,000 -8 -- 260,000 -5 200,000 28 - -10 1,070,000 26 - - - - - - --2 1,240,000 3845 1,060,000 0.12-2 40,720,000 680,000 55815 -1 -2 5 -

---

- -8 5 Ex-D - -5 0.19- -

-1 1 3.76 4

-4 -1 10.0- - 0.50.14 -1 10 Ex-D 2-2 0.5-3 1 -5 -1 6 Ex-D -4 0.5- 1 2 - -1 0.28 -4 0.5- 1.0- 0.5Ex-D 1.01 - 10 - -1 5 0.02- -

Ex-D

- - - 60,000 120,000 40,000 - 960,000 120,000 -

- - - 62 -2 - 39 6 -

1 80,000 9 920,000 1,428 121,170,000 105 3,100,000 12 520,000 -5 200,000 3 100,000 180,000 11 1 80,000 380,000 320,000 816

1,935,000 57 242 120,000 1,880,000 1555 2,000,000 5,960,000 - - 32 240,000 180,000 17 1,000,000 4 200,000 40,000 2 11 440,000 14,720,000 147 1 80,000 2,600,000 33 300,000 12 5,920,000 61 31,600,000 354 320,000 2 - - - - 12 2,720,000 80,000 1 240,000 3 35,040,000 4 1,200,000 8 3 240,000 270,000 19 - - 240,000 6 47 2,110,000 53,085,000 - 332 -

-

-

242 -10 13,220,000 - 154 88.0 128 140,000 6 65 470 -20 50,000 2 55 150 - - - 510,000 1,460 -40 2,500 122 335 325,625,000 4,316 212 720 Close 230,000 19 Prev Close Prev.

180 187.68 187.48 106 80,000 182.28-2 182.203 460 -

566.05

565.78

67,160 40 910 177,720 168 33,000 295 130,800 395 90,920 12.5 67,280 51 1,938,950 - 720 167,640 74.0 - 13,900 345 848,000 154 73,920 106 74,200 106 87,200 106 - 524,400 2,260 471,960 116 27.0 54,920 108 285 15,840 49 - 21 50,950 300 58,760 31.0 3,149,680 110 64.0 149,720 -18.0 - 121,080 75 - - - - 100,640 118 3,000 520 6,360 26.0 299,040 73.0 1,920 21.5 1,305,280 - 118.0 77,080 -20.0 1,168,160 18.0 7,920 16.0 375 419,440 38.5 42,100 1,680 13,120 82 12,680 156 2,280 112 2,880 72.0 27,560 85 320 - 63 76,750 295 10,600 52 - - 317,950 295 - 265 - - 250 157,920 111,120 124.0 102 42,200 2,702,550 61 - - - 27,300 13,200 9,640 - 280,050 13,200 -

3,840 92,000 10,254,190 383,920

104,680 18,840 22,400 244,800 2,400 263,640 31,160 1,656,950 8,960 177,400 23,960 425,240 - 18,520 22,320 67,400 10,720 7,000 26,160 828,640 1,120 171,320 50,480 163,320 1,845,720 22,400 - - 76,880 1,880 6,160 946,080 19,240 7,800 122,850 - 13,520 610,850 4,151,200 -

-

300 510 350 460 450 108 238 - - 290

78 116 48 99

122 200 - 94 126 110 1,360 540 112 95 860 80 71 80 11.5 93 35.5 71 77 86 124 53 102 172 285 13.5 56 90 - 66 30.0 168.0 70 116 28.0 23.5 25.0 24.5 15.5 31 450 29 218 55 80 290

-

-

3,111,120 83.0 17,800 122 22,550 455 - 150 130,650 3,550 1,420 310 30,974,700 165,600 Change 710 178 0.20 8,480 0.08 104 435

0.28

40

1,020 172 300 400 13.0 52 - 730 75.0 33.5 355 156 110 108 108 - 530 2,280 118 29.5 56 110 325 50 380 24 305 32.5 - 112 -18.5 76 238 89 54 184 120 600 27.0 74.0 24.5 120.0 130 39.0 20.5 20.0 275 16.5 400 39.0 1,700 85 160 118 270 73.0 87 27 340 73 300 53 178 61 300 47 69 275 - 275 128.0 106 62 49.0 325 750 610 390 500 455 114 244 110 295 43.0 86 120 49 106 100

126 202 37.5 95 224 130 1,380 85 350 31.5 600 118 98 870 81 76 81 12.0 94 37.0 72 79 89 65 126 54 120 91 180 40.5 300 60 14.5 57 94 - 67 33.5 170.0 57 74 126 28.5 25.0 25.5 28.0 24.5 16.0 33 130 460 32 50 57 295 -

43.0

MTD YTD 27.06 2.3% 224 196 -1.55% 102 -1.55% 0.0% 79 32.34 0.0% 550 88.41 -1.50% -1.50% 630 3.6% 1,400 1,100 17.40 Div. Annual Close 6.9% 216 206 12.38 Yield High Low P/E9.94 8.4% 415 340 3.6% 1,120 14.74 0.0% 300 1,100 275 5.20 0.0% 510 490 33.95 2.2% 228 224 35.32 1.9% 790 770 88.62 3.3% 260 325 24.52 3.1% 660 640 17.34 0.0% 124 51 1.6% 850 790 29.68 0.0% 33 33 0.00 0.0% 255 248 23.59 102 93 0.0% 0.0% 475 460 12.26 128 18.88 128 5.5% 2.3% 900 880 25.07 222 210 13.15 0.0% 0.0% 590 590 112.24 51 41 0.00 0.0% 2.0% 319.54 318.41 18.61 214 162 16.94 4.2% 0.0% 106 106 40.56 0.0% 88 70 8.5% 265 260 12.09 174.76 163.04 13.69 2.8%

0.0% 4.4% 0.0% 0.0% 6.7% 7.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 8.9% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.3% 9.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 8.3% 0.0% 7.0% 0.0% 3.4% 0.0% 7.1% 0.0% 7.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 6.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 4.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 4.1% 0.0% % 0.0% 3.8% 8.6% 5.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 8 8% 8.8% 0.0% 3.4% 0.0% 6.0% 0.0% 4.3% 10.8% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2.4% 0.0%

0.0% 6.2% 1.9% 4.5% 4.1% 5.2% 0.0% 9.1% 0.0% 2.7% 5.1% 0.0% 7.0% 0.0% 8.6% 4.7% 0.0%

0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 12.5% 0.0% 10.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 4.5% 3.7% 0.0% 4.8% 6.1% 1.5% 0.0% 5.2% 6.5% 4.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 10.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 8.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 7.1% 0.0% 5.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 5.5% 0.0% 7.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 4.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 4.7% 0.0% 6.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.7% 6.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1.1%

0.0%

232 92.0 0.0% 0.0% 130 70 0.0% 0.0% 465 2.2% 0.0% 3.3% 0.6% 1,440 4.6% 340 3.0% 4.77% 216 2.4% 720 DTD 13.9% 190 5.6% 0.11% 108 0.0% 0.04% 4.3%

0.05%

42

40

910 1,120 174 170 280 280 305 295 430 340 13.5 12.5 65 41 54 52 900 690 25.0 25.0 130 130 81.0 45.0 36.0 31.0 110 110 230 230 295 350 102 102 156 110 116 108 102 136 50 50 84 110 44.0 44.0 530 550 52 52 1,920 2,280 74 74 95 126 28.5 28.5 68 58 112 108 230 350 51 49 340 395 23 22 260 305 71 71 260 255 31.5 31.0 260 260 48.5 48.5 54 132 68.0 68.0 23.5 14.0 20.5 20.5 280 270 26.0 26.0 61 84 244 244 94 94 84 104 51 51 154 154 36 36 120 91 51 51 520 710 26.5 27.5 30.0 78.0 75 75 28.5 16.0 99.0 120.0 140 120 19.5 41.5 20.5 12.0 19.0 19.0 198 275 17.0 16.5 490 380 39.0 38.0 1,740 1,500 29.0 29.0 89 73 156 162 124 86 255 255 78.0 57.0 114 114 80 104 26 28 340 270 68 68 280 315 53 55 130 168 60 60 172 305 47 47 64 64 265 305 42.5 42.5 300 265 132.0 108 128.0 70 76.3272 75.9051 44.0 62.0 325 325 770 640 560 560 345 390 520 485 410 485 118 110 270 236 220 220 98 114 134 114 300 218 40.5 40.5 44.8092 43.4377 114 156 49 48 94 110 100 99 791.90 705.36 120 128 208 222 37.5 114 234 136 130 1,500 82 390 30.5 610 108 365.22 100 860 95 76 108 12.5 73 38.0 122 78 126 75 132 55 232 90 330 38.0 455 63 74.0 14.5 91 17.5 31.0 59 47.16 78 1,220 48.5 144 29.0 24.5 26.0 28.5 16.5 134 32 220 60 295 49.86

-

200 182 37.5 90 224 126 120 1,360 82 340 30.0 500 108 335.42 96 840 44 73 55 11.5 43 38.0 46 77 118 65 102 54 172 90 250 38.0 455 59 40.5 14.0 91 17.5 31.0 59 40.74 70 1,220 48.5 124 28.0 23.5 25.5 27.0 15.5 134 32 220 57 270 49.73

-

232 260 130 128 470 450 158 150 1,460 1,420 340 335 212 222 710 740 MTD 180 180 -2.84% 104 116 -4.20% 460 460

1.15%

18.02 88.93 12.13 15.48 1.33 0.00

11.00 0.00 58.86 0.00 19.17 0.00 9.12 0.00 0.00 11.69 0.00 0.00 0.00

22.18 8.75 10.08 0.00 12.82 4.79 362.53 32.31 12.91 0.00 13.63

0.00 116.80 9.95 0.00 0.00 14.57

11.80

0.00

0.00 42.66 87.26 16.18 0.00 5.31 8.28 13.45 22.77 11.92

0.00

12 34 12.34 43.00

3.79 7.71 10.85 22.34 0.00 20.02

5.19 10.01

21.12 16.97 31.91 12.90 12.13 9.91 9.38 17.37 17.80 296.83 13.53 8.72

7.03 12.60 22.69

37.20 12.83 11.09 22.21 17.83 15.27 16.20 6.02

11.38 44.60 10.40 15.28 11.40 39.65 5.29

21.70

0.00 32.06 14.56 11.12 26.32

374.65 6.24 0.00 541.46 4.15 9.27

19.44

8.60

11.37 0.00 5.38 27.28

5.03 13.99 23.07

14.28

18.82 816.78 0.00 9.98 0.00 16.27

22.75

70.58 18.38

13.10 6.49 8.02 14.57 193.84 96.15 YTD 10.91 -0.98% 23.15 -4.11% 26.77

0.72%

STOCKS WITH NBK CAPITAL

12

ALWATAN DAILY monday, april 16, 2012

April 21, 2009 April 15, 2012

3% 6%

1% 6% Oman

113 111

-1%

95 15-Jan-12 85

15-Feb-12

15-Mar-12

-3%

15-Apr-12

-6% -2

S&P Pan3-Feb-09 Arab Large/18-Feb-09 Mid Composite GCC Large/ Mid Composite 19-Jan-09 5-Mar-09S&P20-Mar-09 4-Apr-09 19-Apr-0

GCC Best Performers

Saudi

Saudi

MENA Best Performers

1

MENA Indices Highlights Country (Index)

Index Level

% Chg.

YTD

Sa Saudi Arabia (Tadawul All Share Index) Country (Index)

Index 7,348 Level

UASa UAE (ADX Index) Saudi Arabia (Tadawul All Share Index)

2,512 5,250

-0.4% -4.0%

QaUAUAE Qatar (DSM Index) (ADSM Index)

8,739 2,695

-0.5% 0.6%

BaQa Bahrain Qatar (BSE (DSMIndex) Index)

1,138 5,590

0.2% 3.9%

Jo Jordan (Amman General Index)

2,028

Ku Kuwait (KSE Weighted Index)

UAE (DFM(KSE Index) Ku Kuwait Weighted Index)

OmOman UAE(MSM (DFMIndex) Index)

413

1,675 406

6,003 1,745

Eg Egypt (EGX 30 Index)

OmOman (MSM Index)

Ba Bahrain (BSE Index)

M Morocco (Casa All Shares Index)*

Eg Egypt (Hermes Egypt Index (HFI))*

Le Lebanon (Beirut SE Index)*

Jo Jordan (Amman General Index)

Pa Palestine (Al-Quds Index)

M Morocco (Casa All Shares Index)*

Tu Tunisia (Tunis SE Index)*

Le Lebanon (Beirut SE Index)* *Market Closed

Pa Palestine (Al-Quds Index)

4,735

5,478

1,681

10,233

463

1,189

2,825 468

10,621

5,065

1,094 546

Tu TunisiaClosed (Tunis SE Index)* * Market

3,282

52 Wk High

%-2.3% Chg.

0.2%

1.8%

0.4% -

-

2.2%

-0.3% -

-

-

0.9% -

112

Trailing

12.76

100,137

0.80 1.52

8,892 5,148

8,071 2,137

65 122

126,061 69,783

11.51 7.29

0 196

17,079 65,352

9.19 8.85

1,754 787

6,406 5,860

-0.5% -18.8%

30.7%

0.7%

-6.8%

8.5%

1.1%

4,224

10,233

5,044

2,551

513

5,065

4,091

23.6%

739

407

-7.2%

2,119

13.6%

3,418

-

465

14,635

18,420 37,413

9,406

-

-

1,043

-

2,837

-

14.97

33,782

12.71

1.29

3.19

1.56

6.31

2,503

0.85

2.15

9.13

59,990

1.14

18.36

9,997

3.95

15.64

8,507

2

1.62

7.67

10,571

1

1.68

8.07

55,831

63,640

67

1.31

13.81

18,727

1.78

6.47

2,079

0.86

8.67

6,576

2.50

13.85

1.92

SAUDI ARABIA *Market Closed

OMR 0.720

GCC Worst Performers

MENA Worst Performers 430 Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Dev. Co.

101 Riyad Bank

SAR 24.70

-6.4%

115

193,338,671 163,490,788

201 Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (KSA)

Turnover (USD)

127,667,441

425 Jabal Omar Development Co. (KSA)

343,553,085 124,246,305

201 Industries Corp. (KSA) 235Saudi SaudiBasic Kayan Petrochemical Co. (KSA)

119,955,261 95,977,763

115 430Alinma Dar AlBank Arkan(KSA) Real Estate Dev. Co. (KSA)

97,126,838

NBKNational Bank of Kuwait (KUW)

1,422,925,069

Market Cap. (SAR '000)

113

88,742,222

42Jabal Omar Development Co.

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

465,960,916

23Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co.

15-Apr-12

% Chg.

88.50

24.90

2250.SSE Saudi Industrial Investment Grp.

22.50

#N/A

1060.SSE SABB

Turnover (SAR) 725,078,019 7030.SSE Zain - Saudi Arabia 613,139,504 4300.SSE Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Dev. Co. 478,791,203 2350.SSE Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co.

1 Alinma Bank

15-Mar-12

Close

0.3%

0.0%

#N/A

#N/A

-0.4%

36.70

-0.5%

Worst Performers

20Saudi Basic Industries Corp.

15-Feb-12

64,280,166

1010.SSE Riyad Bank

Highest Turnover

105

-6.8%

Turnover (USD)

MENA Highest Turnover

#N/A

-4.6% -8.9%

-4.6% -8.6%

115 Alinma Bank (KSA)

11,556,767

Turnover (SAR '000)

116

-8.2%

SAR 12.35 SAR 48.00

SAR 13.70

GCC Highest Turnover

7,931 / 5,916

Tadawul Index 52 week High / Low

% Chg.

QAR 8.65 SAR 22.95

225 Saudi Industrial Inv. Grp.

0.03

Advance/Decline Ratio

4.2%

8.0%

SAR 17.40 -13.1% -6.5% KWD 0.265

80% 3030.SSE Saudi Cement Co.

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price

4.6% 8.6%

SAR 11.10% Chg. -7.5% Close

7,348 (-2.3%)

Tadawul Index (% Chg.)

125

7.1% 8.8%

SAR 8.40

EMAEmaar Properties (UAE) Best Performers

Summary

8.3% 9.8%

8.0%

Close

703 Zain - Saudi Arabia

KFI Kuwait Finance House (KUW)

Rebased Performance

95 15-Jan-12

QAR 21.60

0.88 201 422Saudi Emaar the Economic City 1.74 Basic Industries Corp.

9.50

27,783

KWD 0.150

OMR 0.617 QAR 6.35

1.91 FAC 235Commercial Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. 1.37 Facilities Co. 1.62 ### Vodafone Qatar 0.88 238 Rabigh Petrochem.

9.37

15,024

4

1.04 1.77

10.87 6.87

55,767

28

-

1,164

-3.3%

6.4%

-

328

8.77 10.24

35,334 98,547

46

1,572

12,203 1,403

2.4%

75

1,921

1,033

-1.8%

3,587

2,216

2,903

-8.0%

15 305

1,129 4,230

12,109

65 718

5,419 1,433

1,407 12,627 5,628

1.7%

1,301 316

1.96

10.94 9.99

-0.4% 12.8%

NINNational Investments Company

BKMBankMuscat

PB

PB1.41

66,358 264,263

KWD 0.120 OMR 0.703

QGTQatar Gas Transport Co.

PE 14.12

17 2,183

5.4% 6.6%

5.1%

Mkt.379,416 Cap. USD million

PE

2,293 4,130

0.4% 1.9%

-0.3%

396

Turnover 3,082 USD million

AED 1.43 SAR 5.60

ARE AREFEngineering Energy Holding Co. GEC Galfar & Contracting RNSRenaissance Services KCB Al Khaliji Commercial Bank

Trailing

Mkt. Cap. USD million

2,775 10,090

23.8% -0.2%

0.0%

467

525,916 Wk Low

Turnover USD million

4.5% 9.3%

-0.2% 1.8%

-

52 Wk 7,931 High

14.5% YTD

52 Wk Low

% Chg.

AED 3.63% Chg. 14.5% Close

TamweelHldg. Co. TAM 3 428 Kingdom

Period's Liquidity Ratio (PLR x)*

MENA Indices Highlights

Close

4 DU du

Period's Liquidity 1 Ratio (PLR x)

-1

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi

90

-3%

-6%

Palestine

100

-4%

Abu Dhabi

Qatar

-1%

95

Bahrain

Dubai

Dubai

0%

105

-2% -2%

Kuwait

Palestine

100

Bahrain

Abu Dhabi

Kuwait

Oman

Saudi Dubai

Return DailyDaily Return (%)(%)

Dubai

0%

Qatar Saudi

1%

110

2%

Oman Qatar

110

0%

Qatar

113

105

4%

Kuwait Oman

115110

Jordan Kuwait

113

DailyIndex Index Performance Snapshot Daily Performance Snapshot

Jordan Egypt

120115

Bull/Bear Indicator Bull/Bear Indicator

Bahrain Bahrain

Rebased RebasedPerformance Performance

359,945,405

43Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Dev. Co.

4220.SSE Emaar the Economic City 7020.SSE Etihad Etisalat Co.

Close

% Chg.

8.40

11.10

17.40 12.35

65.25

-8.2%

-7.5% -6.5%

-4.6%

-1.1%

Saudi SE

Quotes Company Name 1 Al Rajhi Bank

Close 76.25

Daily % Chg. -1.6%

High 77.50

Low

Turnover (SAR '000)

76.00

120,370

62.50

32,296

28.90

89,154 5,297

1 Alinma Bank

14.60

-2.0%

15.10

14.55

725,078

1 Arab National Bank

30.50

-2.6%

31.30

30.40

17,433

27.10

44,544

11.00

359,945

64.75

56,602

2 Almarai Co.

1 Bank AlBilad

1 Bank Al Jazira

62.75

29.00

27.40

-1.6%

-2.7%

-3.5%

64.25

30.00

28.20

Volume ('000) 1,579

67.25

515

114.50

63.75

3,074

32.90

17.20

49,663 572

1,626

38.20

-2.1%

39.00

38.00

4 Emaar the Economic City

12.35

-4.6%

13.00

12.25

283,156

19.20

478,791

11.80

15,046

1,275

24.30

52,594

2,160

52.50

14,328

7 Etihad Etisalat Co.

4 Jabal Omar Development Co. 4 Jarir Marketing Co.

4 Kingdom Holding Co.

2 National Industrialization Co.

11.10

65.25

19.50

150.00 11.80

36.80

-7.5%

-1.1%

-1.8%

-1.3%

-2.5%

-2.7%

2 Rabigh Refining & Petrochemical Co.

24.35

-2.4%

1 Samba Financial Grp.

53.00

-1.4%

1 Riyad Bank

2 Saudi Arabian Fertilizer Co.

1 Saudi Arabian Mining Co.

24.90

178.50

178.00

73,944

-3.9%

100.25

98.75

613,140

-1.8%

14.00

13.75

118,219

21.70

70,460

18.90

3,162

28.80

2 1 Saudi Investment Bank 2 Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. 7 Saudi Telecom Co. 2

21.90

Savola Group Co. 0 3 Southern Province Cement Co. 0 1 SABB 3 Yamama Saudi Cement Co.

2 Yanbu National Petrochemicals Co. 7 Zain - Saudi Arabia

53.25

33.60

32.50

71,782 23,382

91.75

88.25

0.0%

28.80

28.50

-2.7%

22.35

21.90

34,109

17.20

465,961

33.30

22,286

36.20

4,291

22.50

-0.4%

19.00

-1.6%

17.40

36.60

37,433

185.50

1 Saudi Hollandi Bank

Saudi International Petrochemical Co.

37.90

24.80

4,635

-2.5%

0.3%

22 Saudi Industrial Investment Grp.

12.00

150.00

22,860

88.50

13.85

152.00

24.90

3 Saudi Cement Co.

5 Saudi Electricity Co.

20.45

25.20

-2.7%

99.25

66.00

0.0%

32.80

2 Saudi Basic Industries Corp.

11.95

-6.5%

22.50 19.20

17.70

636

38.80

-3.2%

40.10

38.70

55,457

94.25

-2.6%

96.00

94.25

2,967

49.60

-1.8%

50.50

49.40

29,481

8.35

342,379

33.40 36.70

49.90 8.40

-1.8%

-0.5%

-1.7%

-8.2%

34.20

36.80

51.00 9.00

49.80

44,551

% Change

Low

82.75

1 Banque Saudi Fransi

4 Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Dev. Co.

52-Week High 16.25

33.70

31.90

-10.2%

26.60

-9.5%

-4.4%

24.3%

25.5%

155.50

101.83

20.15

13.10

11.10

7.7%

48.3%

4.7%

42.40

-6.6%

13.7%

24.25

-12.5%

29.6%

31.5%

98.00

54.75

-9.7%

22.9%

64.7%

29.30

21.42

-1.7%

16.0%

11.5%

24.45

17.75

11.2%

-4.8%

8,536

16.30

56.75

37.50

3,132

27.20

166

21.00

21.30

18.4%

15.55

-9.5%

17.6%

15.50

106.75

61.25

594

83.25

47.50

23.70

34.20

41.60 5.25

-10.4% -18.3%

-0.4%

0.0%

-6.1%

14.8%

-11.7%

9.6%

-5.9%

-20.7%

16.4%

43,729,411

20,513,368

nmf

17.5 nmf

8.4

nmf

1.4

2.5

2.0

9.9

1.7

1.9

2.6

44,625,000

10.9

5.4

-8.7%

297,750,000

10.2

2.2

5.7%

57,707,324

30,340,000

11.1 nmf

1.7

1.8

13,540,500

16.3

4.1

11,430,720

11.3

1.5

26.0

1.1

-8.4%

10,125,000

19.2

1.7

-4.5%

10,450,000

14.8

1.2

-3.9%

8,030,000

26,100,000

11.4 nmf

1.4

1.7

0.0%

77,600,000

10.2

1.7

50.8%

13,195,000

14.7

5.0

23.2%

-6.3%

51.4%

9,000,000

9.0

1.2

13.4%

-27.0%

-10.9%

18,123,300

nmf

1.8

11.9

-18.3%

-29.1%

45,675,000

11.9

37,350,000

-9.8%

-40.4%

0.8

47,700,000

3.0%

3.1%

11.0

-3.6%

1.4%

-17.3%

31

11.50

-11.8%

11,988,000

21,330,600

-4.2%

18.55

33.00

56.00

-10.8%

4.2%

1.6

2.5

1.7

1.2%

6.9%

-15.0%

41.30

46.30

-7.4%

-9.6%

12.85

1,429

35.50

-27.5%

29.7%

11.9

1.4

30.4

10,497,500

41.7%

nmf

8,220,000

80.3%

-18.3%

35.10

87.75

40,759

-3.5%

60.5%

25,925,000

34,533,483

21.20

50.75

112.50

893

-3.2%

68.0%

21,900,000

0.1%

33.3%

6,178

117

-9.2%

13.4%

-9.9%

29.80

7.05

165.00

667

51.0%

50.00

200.00

26,779

26.6

46.1%

68.25

414

1,557

8,700,000

-11.9%

16.8%

23.10

22

2.0

-9.0%

53.1%

26.90

264

12.6

-19.9%

13.85

918

2,188

14,432,500

-32.9%

6.05

6.20

270

3.5

43.8%

-36.6%

-4.5%

PB

15.5

-45.2%

10.9%

Trailing PE

114,375,000

39.4%

13.60

1,017

56.2%

Market Cap. (SAR '000)

0.0%

61.7%

22,928

31

9.7%

12 mths

-14.1%

30.00

24,553

YTD

15.75

40.00

867

-7.9%

9.05

139

32,428

on high

-9.4%

20.0%

16,700,000

36,700,000

14.0

12.7

10,044,000

13.7

11,760,000

nmf

28,068,750

8.8

2.2

2.1

3.0

2.7

2.7

STOCKS WITH NBK CAPITAL

13

ALWATAN DAILY monday, april 16, 2012

KUWAIT Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 6,217 (0.5%)

KSE General Index (% Chg.)

120

413 (0.2%)

KSE Weighted Index (% Chg.)

51%

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price

2.40

Advance/Decline Ratio

115

Highest Turnover

103

Turnover (KWD) 1,938,950 1,693,700

B Boubyan Bank

1,141,200

K Kuwait International Bank

15-Feb-12

15-Mar-12

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

761,280

N National Investments Company

15-Apr-12

0.234

3.5%

2.280

1.8%

4.2%

0.194

2.1%

Worst Performers

Zain Kuwait ZA

100

7.1%

27,848,068

Market Cap. (KWD '000)

95 15-Jan-12

Salhia Real Estate Co.

31,069

Turnover (KWD '000)

105

SRE.KSE

% Chg.

0.120

0.150

467 / 396 NMTC.KSE Wataniya

KSE Weighted Index 52 week High / Low

110

NINV.KSE National Investments Company

6,523 / 5,694 IKARUS.KSIkarus Petroleum Industries Co.

KSE General Index 52 week High / Low

113

Close AREFENRGAREF Energy Holding Co.

751,160

A The Commercial Real Estate Co.

Close NIND.KSE National Industries Grp. Holding

0.224

KPROJ.KSEKuwait Projects Co. (Holding)

0.305

ALTIJARIA The Commercial Real Estate Co.

-2.6%

0.095

KFIN.KSE Kuwait Finance House GBK.KSE

% Chg. -2.1%

-1.6%

0.750

Gulf Bank

-1.3%

0.425

-1.2%

KSE Weighted Index

Quotes Company Name

Close

Daily % Chg.

High

A Agility

0.400

0.0%

T Al Themar Intl. Holding Co.

0.087

-

A AREF Energy Holding Co.

0.120

A Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait

0.610

A Alafco Aviation Lease and Fin. Co. B Boubyan Bank

B Boubyan Petrochemical Co. B Burgan Bank

-

-

1.6%

0.425

0.0% -

-

139

330

0.524

0.410

-18.9%

42

0.280

0.0%

0.285

0.280

0.425

-1.2%

0.425

0.425

0.400

-

-

-

-

1.260

IK Ikarus Petroleum Industries Co.

0.194

2.1%

0.194

0.194

JAJazeera Airways

0.455

1.1%

0.455

0.455

IF International Finance Co.

K KIPCO Asset Management Co.

K Kuwait Cement Co.

0.0%

0.100

1.0%

0.270

0.450

-

-

K Kuwait Finance House

0.750

-1.3%

K Kuwait International Bank

0.275

0.0%

K Kuwait Projects Co. (Holding)

0.305

-1.6%

F Kuwait Food Co.

1.360

P Kuwait Portland Cement Co. M Mabanee Co.

0.890

1.1%

1.260

0.102 -

-

0.760

1.360

0.280 0.890

A Qurain Petrochemicals Industries Co. S Salhia Real Estate Co.

S Sultan Center Food Products Co. T Tamdeen Real Estate Co.

A The Commercial Real Estate Co. S The Securities House N Wataniya

Z Zain Kuwait

-

0.216

0.0%

38 4

10

-

44.1%

0.236

-5.3%

-6.2%

-16.0%

-26.4%

0.236

-21.4%

0.281

-24.7%

14.1%

71,091

9.5

nmf

3.9

-2.2%

-25.0%

286,945

20.1

1.9

-8.1%

-8.1%

546,723

11.4

1.9

-60.8%

10.7%

-10.0%

-25.0%

2,178,123

7.8%

-14.1%

285,265

5.2%

-21.0%

0.0%

26.6%

-7.4%

-41.4%

4.1%

-2.8%

4,614,707

15.2

2.1

290,102

nmf

-26.2%

-3.1%

19.2%

-

0.216

-

0.216

281

0.106

74

0.106 0.096

0.094

751

-

2.280

524

-

2.280

0.740

0.720

-

0.360

0.226

0.186

700

0.136

0.093

-22.1%

0.067

0.246

20

0.200

0.270

7,880

0.097

230

2.280

-

1,939

-23.6%

1,300 860

-

0.265

0.216

-

2,680

-

1.880

1.200

0.690

-4.4%

0.0%

407,655

0.0%

7.1%

21,780

-9.1%

-12.8%

103,861

-49.2%

-8.3%

-12.4%

12.5%

6.4%

-

90,667

237,600

-11.7%

-13.1%

61,356

-2.1%

23.4%

31.9%

174,307

0.0%

17.5%

21.3%

1,149,195

-13.3% 0.0%

-39.2%

0.9%

1.7%

119,977

-6.4%

0.0%

0.0%

-18.9%

13.6

-39.2%

0.1

24.5

1.3

nmf

0.7

0.7

nmf

0.6

22.3

2.1

13.1

1.1

16.7

0.9

nmf

87,310

22.8

88,400

nmf

3,144,500

0.7

2.3

131,432

12.5%

-4.9%

1.4

4.1

0.056

-

26.3

29.1

0.168

-49.2%

1.2

605,077

320

0.144

36.2

51.1%

40

0.295

0.9

1.3

0.122

5,100

0.7

31.9

0.126

761

nmf

80,905

-17.0%

0.144

80,288

0.0%

-13.8%

0.150

3.7

100,100

25.4%

-11.8%

1.5

279.2%

-21.4%

0.260

7.3

0.0%

-2.0%

-43.7%

0.0%

264,513

3.1

1.0

0.192

0.340

nmf

17.3

0.285

-

2.6

1.9

145,500

2,340

-

-

0.9

nmf

36.6%

531

-

-

10.6

nmf

1.360

-

150,294

181,553

-9.3%

1.0

4.1

64,309

-25.0%

1.5

16.6

-12.1%

-11.3%

1.2

164,272

-15.8%

1.620

0.405

37.2

-19.2%

-25.0%

180

40

54,503

1.3

13.0

36.5

-58.7%

0.660

34.9

1,119,062

-28.6%

1.580

0.0%

4.2

nmf

305,613

1,004,898

-29.1%

nmf

-17.3%

0.415

0.350

-15.1%

7.7%

1.0

1.5

-12.6%

0.630

5

-6.5%

1.9

5.8

-23.0%

0.096

0.720

7.6%

-44.7%

0.224

-

5

0.0%

-10.9%

-

1.019

656,611

0.5

18.3

90,000

14.5%

0.230

0.234

0.730

0.285

-12.6%

0.909

0.234

1.8%

0.118

0.242

-6.0%

1.145

0.9%

2.280

0.485

1,031,459

410

-

0.234

-

60

0.0%

-1.6%

434

-

199

0.130

0.138

0.0%

1.040

-

0.226

-2.1%

0.214

230,033

0.664

0.234

0.095

20

0.285

-21.3%

0.990

3.5% 0.0%

1.260

0.495

4,150

4

0.425

1.680

875

245

0.019

30

100

27

0.234 0.106

0.055

923,076

-6.3%

50

0.0%

0.275

-

-

nmf

3.4%

49

0.124

O Oula Fuel Marketing Co.

-

12

N National Real Estate Co.

4.2%

0.552

0.305

-2.6%

0.150

620

-

88,088

0.0%

264

0.700

-13.0%

-16.0% -26.3%

0.940

-4.4%

-3.0%

22.6%

0.255

-

PB

15.5

-38.1%

0.380

1,141

0.224

N National Investments Company

0.198

PE

418,735

12.5%

480

-

0.270

N National Industries Grp. Holding

-

0.420

Trailing

Market Cap. (KWD '000)

5.3%

0.0%

136

656

1.080

0.300

0.530

12 mths

6.7%

13.2%

-12.6%

-

0.0%

N National Industries Co.

-

0.630

YTD

-3.2%

1.300

0.750

1.060

-

545

0.085

1.945

0.890

0.305

0.124

25

-

0.980

0.033

-

-

1.360

860

340

-

0.990

N National Bank of Kuwait

101

0.100

0.0%

M Mena Holding

0.990

0.0%

1.260

-16.3%

0.415

C Gulf Cable and Electrical Industries Co.

IF IFA Hotels & Resorts

0.079

-7.2%

-4.8%

1.680

-

0.104

0.590

0.530

1.700

-

-

0.657

0.620

0.0%

0.049

-8.0%

2,915

-

-

0.248

1,694

1.700

-

0.435

0.570

0.620

0.425

330 -

-

on high

-22.4%

0.112

0.630

-

% Change

Low

0.280

0.590

0.630

131

High

0.380

1.7%

0.120

52-Week

Volume ('000)

260

0.590

7.1%

Turnover (KWD '000)

77

0.295

0.790

G Gulf Bank

-

-

0.300

C Commercial Bank of Kuwait G Global Investment House

0.395

1.7%

0.260

F Commercial Facilities Co.

0.400

0.295

A Burgan Co. for Well Drilling

C Combined Grp Contracting Co.

-

Low

0.9

0.9

16.6

0.7

7.0

3.2

1.4

11.0

1.5

UAE Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 1,675 (-0.2%)

DFM Index (% Chg.)

135

2,512 (-0.4%)

ADSM Index (% Chg.)

125

Advance/Decline Ratio

DFM Index 52 week High / Low

Highest Turnover

E Emaar Properties

A Arabtec Holding 15-Feb-12 S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

15-Mar-12

D Dubai Financial Market

15-Apr-12

Abu Dhabi SE

0.4%

1.36

Turnover (AED) 81,431,143 ARTC.DFM Arabtec Holding 40,600,945 UPP.DFM Union Properties 19,501,547 SOROUH.A Sorouh Real Estate Co. 16,723,035 DFM.DFM Dubai Financial Market

TATamweel

95 15-Jan-12

1.8%

2.88

0.0%

Worst Performers

107

105

8.3%

2.80

402,137,114

Market Cap. (AED '000)

113

14.5%

1.43

302,367

Turnover (AED '000)

% Chg.

3.63

2,775 / 2,293 TAQA.ADS Abu Dhabi National Energy Co.

ADSM Index 52 week High / Low 115

du

68% TAMWEEL Tamweel 0.22 CBD.DFM Commercial Bank of Dubai 1,754 / 1,301 EMIRATES Emirates NBD

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price

127

Close DU.DFM

15,711,303

A ALDAR Properties

Close

% Chg.

3.35

-2.9%

1.15

-2.5%

1.80

-2.2%

0.47 1.16

ARMX.DFM Aramex

-2.7% -2.5%

Dubai FM

Quotes Company Name

Close

Daily % Chg.

High

Low

Turnover (AED '000)

A Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank

3.21

-1.5%

3.24

3.20

617

T Abu Dhabi National Energy Co.

1.36

0.0%

1.36

1.35

A Air Arabia

0.72

-1.5%

0.73

0.72

A Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

A Abu Dhabi National Hotels A ALDAR Properties A Amlak Finance

3.18

2.19

1.16 1.02

-0.6% -

-1.7% -

3.19 -

1.18 -

3.18 -

Volume ('000)

52-Week High

% Change

Low

on high

192

3.32

2.60

351

258

1.63

1.14

7,134

9,866

85

-

27

3.55

2.92

Trailing

Market Cap. (AED '000)

PE

23.0%

17,961,868

5.9

0.8

-16.6%

13.3%

-12.3%

8,466,000

13.0

1.1

-6.7%

22.7%

-5.1%

3,355,357

12.5

-10.4%

2.02

-25.5%

0.6%

-0.5%

4.6%

7,519,765

-21.8%

2,190,000

1.14

15,711

13,562

1.68

0.76

-31.0%

26.1%

-28.8%

4,738,750

5,764

3.63

1.24

-7.7%

110.7%

117.5%

-

-

-

-

-

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

1.7

nmf

19,502

A Arkan Building Materials Co.

0.98

0.0%

0.98

0.93

117

120

1.68

0.71

-41.7%

-3.0%

-39.5%

1,715,000

D Dana Gas

0.48

-2.0%

0.49

0.48

5,361

0.39

1,202

11,109

0.71

0.34

-32.4%

6.7%

-28.4%

3,168,961

3.10

12,063

C Commercial Bank of Dubai D Deyaar Development Co. D du

2.80

1.8%

0.40

-0.8%

1.82

2.80

0.41

2.75

D Dubai Financial Market

1.16

3.63

14.5% -2.5%

1.19

1.15

D Dubai Islamic Bank

2.00

-1.5%

2.03

1.99

E Emirates NBD

2.88

0.4%

2.90

2.88

E Emaar Properties E Etisalat

F First Gulf Bank

G Gulf Cement Co. M Mashreq

N National Bank of Abu Dhabi N National Bank of Fujairah

N National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain S Sharjah Islamic Bank

S Sorouh Real Estate Co. T Tamweel

3.17

-1.6%

8.57

-0.4%

9.39

-0.1%

91.45

-

1.13

0.0%

8.67

-0.2%

1.78

-

4.51 0.89 1.15 1.43

-

-1.1% -2.5%

8.3%

U Union National Bank

3.00

-0.3%

U United Arab Bank

3.95

-

U Union Properties

* Closing Prices, Turnover and Market Cap. in USD

0.47

-2.7%

3.63

1.80

3.25

8.63

9.40

1.13 -

8.75 -

286 109

16,723 1,688

843

3.63

1.46

2.31

0.20 2.80

-13.5%

-12.3% 0.0%

0.68

-20.5%

1.88

-13.4%

2.65

-37.8%

0.0%

1.4%

87.3% 25.6%

-2.0%

-22.2%

6.4%

1,488

11.20

8.57

509

10.75

6.98

-12.7%

21.6%

-

102.00

74.70

-10.3%

-9.9%

-

4.70

3.00

148

1.02

0.80

9.33

4,785

1.13

228

8.60

1,300

-

-

-

-

131

81,431

0.46

1,598

1.14

11,625

3.00

30

-

-

202

150 -

1.56

9.00

2.34

0.67

7.38

-9.2%

23.3%

-23.5%

-6.1%

-27.6% -3.7%

-4.0%

-23.1%

3.28

-21.0%

-

0.50

5.00

0.24

-4.0%

137.1%

-5.9%

80.6% 8.5%

0.6

16,594,286

15.1

9,280,000

7,594,108

nmf

7.5

0.4

2.7

1.2 0.8

1.7

28,170,000

7.6

1.1

18.8

1.3

-22.1%

22.4%

16,006,391

927,839 -

3.6%

33,592,421 2,848,000

28.1%

-3.8%

2.82

0.53

nmf

11.6

3.8%

3.90

2,305,422

67,755,620

-19.0%

10

0.9

6.3

-17.6%

35.3%

-25.3%

6.0%

6.9

0.6

-25.5%

-12.7%

1.4

1.1

10.8

-1.7%

0.67

3,435

6.9%

-0.9%

5,707,386

12.5

1.1

19,309,226

-23.9%

1.54 1.49

59.2%

2,635,380

nmf

-5.7%

1.63

10,099 57,826

14.2%

-8.3%

12,761

4.63

37.1%

3.1%

8.51

399

1.4%

-14.7%

2.41

1,155

-5.8%

38.1%

3.49

1.34

-

3,773

14,285

0.46

2.75

-8.2%

12,726

1.45 0.48

3,030

3.24

1.69

40,601

0.87

3.00

39

1.96

3.15

0.91 1.18

158

0.6

19.7

3.34

-2.2%

0.3

5,008,250

1,530,000

3.45

1.80

8.7

1.1

0.7

-2.9%

A Aramex

6.5

7.4

3.35

A Arabtec Holding

PB

15.5%

2.94

0.57

12 mths

-3.3%

-

0.77

YTD

1.1%

6.3

nmf

1.3

8.9

0.9

17.7

2,158,695

8.6

9.0

44.4%

1,430,000

14.0

23.3%

1,568,955

nmf

-25.5%

7,486,875

3,935,785

0.7

9.1

4,961,000

3,018,750

0.5

5.0

11.9

2.4

0.5

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.7

1.9

STOCKS WITH NBK CAPITAL

14

ALWATAN DAILY monday, april 16, 2012

QATAR Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 8,739 (-0.5%)

DSM Index (% Chg.)

120

DSM 52 week High / Low

56% QGTS.DSMQatar Gas Transport Co. 0.22 QTEL.DSM Qatar Telecom 8,892 / 8,071 AHCS.DSMAamal Co.

Market Cap. (QAR '000)

459,038,772

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price

Advance/Decline Ratio 113 110

13,279,344

Q Qatar National Bank 15-Mar-12

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

12,634,166

V Vodafone Qatar

15-Apr-12

0.5%

0.1%

18.50

0.0%

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

Turnover (QAR) 30,436,984 VFQS.DSM Vodafone Qatar 17,956,576 IQCD.DSM Industries Qatar

Q Qatar Gas Transport Co.

15-Feb-12

17.84

127.80

#N/A

#N/A

% Chg.

#N/A

Worst Performers

IQIndustries Qatar

90 15-Jan-12

#N/A

Highest Turnover

101

100

236,755

Turnover (QAR '000)

Close

11,915,061

MMasraf Al Rayan

Close

% Chg.

8.65

-4.6%

75.00

-1.2%

138.60

CBQK.DSMThe Commercial Bank of Qatar QEWS.DSMQatar Electricity & Water Co.

QIIK.DSM Qatar International Islamic Bank

-2.1%

143.00

-1.0%

51.50

-0.6%

Doha SM

Quotes Company Name

Close

A Aamal Co.

Daily % Chg.

High

0.0%

18.95

18.19

1,117

28.25

-0.5%

28.40

28.20

8,293

16.60

C The Commercial Bank of Qatar

75.00

-1.2%

E Ezdan Real Estate Co.

19.80

0.0%

D Doha Bank

Low

18.50

K Al Khalij Commercial Bank B Barwa Real Estate Co.

Turnover (QAR '000)

59.60

0.0%

0.0%

16.70

75.60

74.60

2,187

19.80

19.80

33

60.60

59.60

975

IQIndustries Qatar

138.60

-2.1%

141.50

138.60

30,437

Q Qatar Electricity & Water Co.

143.00

-1.0%

143.00

140.60

502

51.50

-0.6%

52.00

51.50

1,043

Q Qatar National Bank

134.20

-0.1%

134.90

134.10

13,279

Q Qatar Telecom

127.80

0.1%

128.00

125.60

1,933

M Masraf Al Rayan

27.20

Q Qatar Gas Transport Co.

17.84

Q Qatar International Islamic Bank Q Qatar Islamic Bank

77.40

Q Qatar Navigation

75.50

V Vodafone Qatar

8.65

-0.6% 0.5%

-0.3% -

-4.6%

27.25

17.95

77.90 -

8.96

27.05

11,915

17.80

17,957

77.00

3,866

on high

YTD

15.40

-23.2%

16.4%

293

34.20

28.00

-17.4%

-5.7%

27

18.73

16.06

Trailing PE

PB

4.4%

9,157,500

18.6

-18.5%

10,992,771

9.1

5,976,000

-11.2%

12.3

4.9%

18,558,478

9.9

1.3

1.9

68.00

-12.3%

-10.7%

2

24.97

18.60

-20.7%

-10.8%

-18.2%

52,519,435

nmf

22.50

-3.2%

-2.3%

12.8%

20,400,000

14.5

67.00

50.00

148.50

118.80

4

150.00

129.50

20

56.20

45.50

439

1,004 50

28.10

18.63

85.30

-4.7%

-4.2%

76.30

-9.3%

141.73

122.73

15

168.50

127.70

1,447

-6.7%

16.59

99

87.50

-11.0%

69.90

9.22

14.0%

4.2% 2.4%

1.9%

76,230,000

-6.8%

14,300,000 7,795,491

-8.8%

10.8%

-5.3%

-2.9%

5.5%

-6.2%

12,319,189

-6.0%

-4.6%

-13.7%

7.24

-7.0%

-8.4%

-24.2%

1.6

-3.3%

85.50

219

-

-11.4%

12 mths

Market Cap. (QAR '000)

29 16

12,634

8.62

Low

24.09

-

-

High

% Change

61

454

16.45

52-Week

Volume ('000)

-8.2%

-4.7%

-1.3%

14.6%

1.7

9.6

2.9

11.0

4.7

2.4

6.8

18,289,094

12.8

1.7

29,240,640

7.7%

9.9

11.9

8,646,653

-15.5%

0.9

9,880,577

93,903,691

-9.8%

-9.2%

1.1

7,312,710

11.9

1.6

12.0

2.3

12.3

0.8

11.3

1.4

nmf

1.1

OMAN Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 6,003 (0.4%)

MSM Index (% Chg.)

120

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price Advance/Decline Ratio Turnover (OMR '000)

110

7,091,733

Market Cap (OMR '000)

#N/A

% Chg.

0.62

4.6%

1.08

6,406 / 5,419 OTEL.MSMOman Telecommunications Co. 5,669 BKMB.MSMBank Muscat

MSM 52 week High / Low

113

Close

58% RNSS.MSMRenaissance Services 1.50 RCCI.MSM Raysut Cement Co.

3.5%

1.28

0.2%

0.64

#N/A

0.0%

#N/A

#N/A

106

Highest Turnover

100

Worst Performers Turnover (OMR) 980,565 BKDB.MSMBank Dhofar 468,027 OCOI.MSM Oman Cement Co.

R Renaissance Services

B Bank Muscat

403,475

R Raysut Cement Co.

90 15-Jan-12

15-Feb-12

15-Mar-12

15-Apr-12

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

185,677

O Oman Cement Co.

94,381

O Oman Telecommunications Co.

#N/A

Close

% Chg.

0.49

-1.4%

0.62

#N/A

-1.0%

#N/A

BKMB.MSMBank Muscat

#N/A

0.64

OTEL.MSMOman Telecommunications Co.

0.0%

1.28

0.2%

Muscat SM

Quotes Company Name

Close

Daily % Chg.

High

B Bank Dhofar

0.487

-1.4%

N National Bank of Oman

0.296

0.0%

O Oman Telecommunications Co.

1.283

R Renaissance Services

0.617

B Bank Muscat

R Raysut Cement Co.

Low

0.495

44

0.482

0.0%

0.635

0.632

0.616

-1.0%

0.622

0.612

186

1.079

3.5%

1.046

403

0.296

0.2%

1.290

1.278

4.6%

0.629

0.590

1.092

High

90

60

0.296

52-Week

Volume ('000)

468

0.635

O Oman Cement Co.

Turnover (OMR '000)

on high

0.423

-11.3%

0.291

-8.6%

737

0.679

0.572

301

0.622

0.416

0.324

-5.1%

-1.3%

42.6%

-1.6%

42.0%

-10.0%

1,588

1.084

0.458

-43.1%

0.711

-10.0%

-1.0%

1.041

12 mths

7.0%

-4.7%

1.425 1.097

YTD

-6.5%

74

374

981

Low

0.549

202

94

% Change

Market Cap. (OMR '000)

Trailing PE

PB

535,757

13.4

327,975

9.6

-6.2%

1,140,964

4.9%

203,818

15.9

215,800

14.4

-2.0%

16.0%

962,250

13.2%

-43.6%

174,052

-1.5%

2.3

9.7

1.3

1.2

1.4

8.6

1.9

2.1

nmf

1.0

BAHRAIN Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 1,138 (0.2%)

BSE Index (% Chg.)

120

26% AUB.BSE #N/A

% of stocks trading above 1 yr avg. price Advance/Decline Ratio

1,407 / 1,129

BSE 52 week High / Low

113

123

Turnover (BHD '000)

110

6,438,853

Market Cap. (BHD '000)

A Ahli United Bank

15-Mar-12

B Albaraka Banking Grp.

15-Apr-12

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

#

#N/A #N/A

0.0%

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A #N/A

#N/A

#N/A

Turnover (BHD) 2,247 AUB.BSE Ahli United Bank 1,134 BARKA.BS Albaraka Banking Grp. 761 #N/A #N/A

B Bahrain Islamic Bank 15-Feb-12

#N/A

% Chg.

0.60

#N/A

Worst Performers

B Bahrain Telecommunications Co.

90 15-Jan-12

#N/A

Highest Turnover

100

100

#N/A

Close Ahli United Bank

#N/A

#N/A

-

#N/A

#N/A

Close

% Chg.

0.60

0.93 #N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

0.0% #N/A

#N/A

#N/A

Bahrain SE

Quotes Company Name

Close

A Ahli United Bank*

0.600

A Arab Banking Corp.*

0.420

B Albaraka Banking Grp.* B Bahrain Islamic Bank

B Bahrain Telecommunications Co. B BBK

IN Investcorp Bank* IT Ithmaar Bank*

N National Bank of Bahrain U United Gulf Bank

* Closing Prices, Turnover and Market Cap. in USD

0.930

Daily % Chg.

High

0.0% -

0.090

0.0%

0.400

-

0.456 797

0.095

0.550

0.304

0.0% -

-

0.600 -

Low 0.600 -

Turnover (BHD '000) -

0.090

0.090

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

0.456

0.456

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

52-Week

Volume ('000) 3 1

-

2 -

-

High 5

9 5

% Change

Low

0.680

0.599

0.530

0.420

1.089

0.116 0.490

0.428 797

on high -11.8%

YTD -0.5%

-26.3%

1,306,200

-0.4%

-14.6%

0.082

-22.4%

0.0%

-22.4%

0.380

0.8

340,542

10.7

637,560

-4.3%

-8.3%

470,448

-9.5%

46.2%

-

0.424

0.270

-28.3%

1.3%

0.550

-8.3%

-9.5%

-25.1%

1.2

nmf

-30.0%

0.065

10.1

84,571

0.0%

-4.8%

PB 0.8

0.0%

-3.4%

Trailing PE 8.0

16.3%

-6.5%

-7.3%

943,462

-6.9%

0.390 797

0.0%

0.105

0.600

3,140,133

-14.6% -20.8%

Market Cap. (BHD '000)

-10.6%

0.857

-

-

12 mths

656,640

254,388 253,707

6.4

0.4

8.2

1.3

4.5

0.6

10.3

1.7

nmf

nmf

1.4 0.4 1.2

LIFE

Symptoms of computer strain Frequent computer use -- especially when it involves poor posture or keystroke repetition -- can damage nerves, muscles, tendons or ligaments. Common symptoms of computer-related injury are subtle and easily misunderstood. Signs like numbness of the fingers, pain or soreness in the lower back, neck, shoulders or wrists, headaches and dryness, redness and soreness of the eyes, or blurred vision. Make sure you are seated properly and to take breaks from the computer often by standing and moving at the very least.

MONday, april 16, 2012

Mystery of how stars shed major pounds may be solved WASHINGTON: When middleweight stars near the end of their cosmic lives, they shrug off their outer layers, shedding up to half their mass.

But just how the stars manage to dispel so much material has been a mystery, though a new study may hold clues to closing the case according to SPACE. Astronomers sifting through new observations have found that dust grains in the outer layers of atmospheres of near-death stars are surprisingly large. The process, researchers say, allows the star dust to deflect light and skim out of the way, transporting their mass into space.

The revelation helps fill in the details on an important process that shapes the evolution of galaxies. When the first stars were born, they were made almost exclusively of hydrogen and helium, the two lightest elements. Inside the cores of these stars, these elements fused to form heavy elements such as carbon and oxygen.

Then, as the stars got older, they expelled these elements into space as they lost mass, ultimately seeding the galaxy with the raw materials for new stars.The new stars were then born with heavier elements, which allowed them to create ever heavier elements through fusion inside their cores. And the cycle continued.

“We wanted to know, how does it happen, how does the star eject most of its mass into the interstellar medium?” said Sylvestre Lacour of the Observatoire de Paris, one of the researchers behind the new study. “We were trying to look very close to the star to see what is the engine pushing all this matter out?”

Star metamorphosis

During what’s called the red giant phase, which can last 10,000 years, stars lose so much mass that all that remains are their leftover cores. They are also extremely bright during this time, releasing copious amounts of light in the form of photons that zoom outward in all directions. Astronomers reasoned that this light must be pushing mass, in the form of grains of dust, out of the star, but didn’t understand how that could be.

On the one hand, such intense light would seem likely to destroy dust grains in a star’s atmosphere.

On the other, the dust grains might be transparent to light, allowing them to survive, but then how would they get pushed out into space? [Video: Red Giant Star Rotation] The researchers, led by Barnaby Norris of the University of Sydney in Australia, used the Very Large Telescope in Chile to observe the dust shells around three red giant stars.

“We found there’s lots of dust, much more than we expected,” Lacour told SPACE. “It looks like the grains are transparent enough so they are not destroyed, but they deviate the light.”

The dust grains were larger than expected, with an average radius of about 300 nanometers (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter, or about one ten-thousandth the width of a human hair).

“It sounds small, but in fact it’s quite big” in such an extreme environment, Lacour said.

FILE - This image of Type Ia Supernova Remnant 0509-67.5 was made by combining data from two of NASA’s Great Observatories. The result shows soft green and blue hues of heated material from the X-ray data surrounded by the glowing pink optical shell, which shows the ambient gas being shocked by the expanding blast wave from the supernova.

In fact, the dust grains seemed to be of a size close to the wavelength of the light pouring through the stars. This allowed them to resist being hit head-on by the photons, but instead caused the photons to dodge by, and through the interaction, push the dust grains on a new course outward.

“For the first time we have a new way to push the grain,” Lacour said. “The grains are not pushed because a photon is hitting the grain, and pushing it. The grain is pushed because it deviates the light and through this deviation there’s some transfer of energy that pushes it away. That’s how the grain can survive.”

Dust grains forming in the atmosphere of a cool luminous star are accelerated away (white arrow)

from the star through absorption and emission or scattering of stellar photons. By subsequently colliding with molecules in the surrounding gas, the grains accelerate the molecules, make them collide with other gas molecules and trigger an outflow of gas, or stellar wind. Norris and colleagues’ study of the immediate vicinity of several cool giant stars provides information on the sizes and material properties of the grains that drive stellar winds.

The discovery was enabled by measurements taken in polarized light, which uses a filter to look for light waves oriented in certain directions. This process revealed different images of the stars in different polarizations, hinting at the size and behavior of the dust grains relative to the light.

Modestly overweight pregnant women have heavier babies NEW YORK: Pregnant women who are only modestly overweight and have moderately elevated blood sugar levels may be at a higher risk for pregnancy complications than thought, a new study says according to LiveScience.

The researchers found that mothers who were overweight and had slightly elevated blood sugar tended to have babies that weighed more than babies of healthier mothers.

Babies born to moms who were obese and had gestational diabetes weighed about 12 ounces more, on average, compared with babies whose moms were of normal weight and had healthy blood sugar levels.

But babies born to mothers who were overweight (but not obese) and had above-average blood sugar levels (but not gestational diabetes) had babies that weighed 7.5 ounces more than the healthy moms.

“These are women who have not been on our radar because they don’t have gestational diabetes and aren’t obese, but our study shows if you are one step away from each of those, you carry some significant risks,” said study researcher Dr. Boyd Metzger, a professor of medicine-endocrinology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “We need to address the

combination of overweight and blood sugar of these women as urgently as we do for women who are obese or have gestational diabetes.”

Large babies increase the risk of injury to the baby during vaginal delivery, increasing the likelihood of a needing a Caesarean section delivery, the researchers said. Among women in the study, about 6 percent fell into the category of being overweight and having modestly elevated blood sugar. About 13 percent of women in the study were obese, 16 percent had gestational diabetes.

The findings are based on data from 23,000 women in nine countries.

When pregnant women have elevated blood sugar levels and weight, their newborns may also have higher insulin and lower blood sugar levels. In turn, these effects may eventually trigger obesity and diabetes, perhaps as early as childhood, the researchers said.

Ongoing studies are looking at ways to treat obese pregnant women, and those with gestational diabetes.

Until more is known, the researchers said, “avoidance of excessive gestational weight gain, moderate exercise, and a prudent diet are reasonable recommendations for obese pregnant women.”

Even young teens show signs of sun damage

CONNECTICUT: In a new study that used a special type of photography to unveil hidden signs of sun damage, middle schoolers showed evidence of levels of UV exposure that could raise their risk for melanoma later in life according to HealthDay News. Not only can the technology spot who is most vulnerable to the ravages of too much time spent tanning, the researchers noted, but it could also be used as a powerful deterrent to teenagers who think basking in UV rays is a healthy habit.

“There’s two issues here,” explained study co-author Dr. Robert Dellavalle, from the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Denver. “One is that there’s nothing better for keeping teenagers out of the tanning booth than showing these pics. What we didn’t know before was if these ugly pics were just ugly pics that scare people, or if they actually correlated with skin cancer. Now we’ve found that they do.When you have lots of moles, have blue eyes or are a redhead -- all things we know are associated with greater melanoma risk -- you have uglier UV photos,” he said.

“And another surprising thing,” Dellavalle added, “is that at age 12 and 13 we’re already seeing a lot of sun damage. And because seeing this damage in UV photo form is sort of like meeting your inner zombie, this could be a great tool in getting kids to think about sun safety in a more personal way.”

Dr. Ryan Gamble, who conducted the study while a postdoctoral researcher in Dellavalle’s lab and who is now a dermatology resident at the university, and colleagues released their findings online in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Gamble pointed out that one in 50 Americans will face a melanoma diagnosis in their lifetime. UV photography makes visible so-called “mottled pigmentation,” dark spots and freckling that indicate sun damage that is otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

The authors noted that the technology has already been used to focus attention on sun safety and the dangers of overexposure among college students and middle schoolers.

However, only one small study of just eight children has explored how the sun damage revealed in such photos correlates with known risk factors (having fair skin, blue eyes, red hair, and/or visible facial freckling) for melanoma.

In this latest study, the researchers focused on 585 boys and girls who were born in 1998, and were 11 or 12 at the study’s start. Almost 80 percent were non-Hispanic white youths.

The faces of all the children were photographed with eyes closed and without sunscreen, make-up or moisturizer in three formats: standard photography; so-called cross-polarized photography (using filters to block unwanted light reflection); and UV photography.

At the same time, full-body skin exams were conducted by a team comprised of a dermatologist, pediatrician, medical student and pediatric nurse. Eye color was noted, alongside indications of freckling, and skin and hair color assessments. The results: sun damage severity revealed in the UV photographs was found to line up very closely with factors that have long been linked to a higher melanoma risk. In other words, boys and girls who had light-colored skin, blue eyes, red hair, and/or freckles did indeed show more skin damage on the UV photographs than those who did not.

This, the researchers said, means that UV photography does not lie: the more damage the technology highlights, the greater the cancer risk.

“We hope that our research will help make the use of these photographs more mainstream, whether in a clinic setting or as a public health intervention,” said Gamble. “With greater awareness of melanoma and increased use of sun prevention and early detection strategies, much of the occurrence of the disease and its complications can be prevented.”

Dr. David Leffell, a professor of dermatology and otolaryngology and plastic surgery at the Yale School of Medicine, said that if it were priced right, the technology could indeed help “lead to a recognition that sun protection is important.” Currently, such systems cost about $20,000.

“It is true that the appearance of sun-damaged skin in these images is frightening, and patient response is often shock,” Leffell noted. “The pediatric population of course is especially important to communicate this message to, and the photographs -- if the price can be brought down -- is a good idea.”

But, for the time being, price remains an issue, said Dr. David Pariser, past president of the American Academy of Dermatology Association and a professor of dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va.

Space pictures pick up lots more penguins

Emperor penguins are seen in Dumont d’Urville, Antarctica April 10, 2012.

(Reuters)

Goodnight, Irene! Destructive hurricane’s name retired

NEWYORK: The name “Irene” has been retired from the list of Atlantic Basin hurricane names, because of the damage Hurricane Irene caused when it hit the Caribbean and US East Coast last year, the World Meteorological Organization announced over the weekend according to LiveScience.

Storm names are decided on by the WMO and run on a seven-year cycle (so the list of names used in 2011 will be used again in 2017) in the Atlantic Basin and eastern North Pacific Basin, unless retired for causing a considerable amount of casualties or damage. Irene is the 76th hurricane name to be retired from the Atlantic list since 1954, according to a statement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Irene will be replaced on the list with “Irma.”

Irene became a hurricane on Aug. 22, 2011, and intensified to a Category 3 hurricane on the SaffirSimpson scale of hurricane strength on Aug. 24 while positioned between Mayaguana and Grand Inagua in the Bahamas. It then gradually weakened and made landfall in North Carolina on Aug. 27 as

a Category 1 hurricane. Irene was the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States in three years.

Irene then drifted back out over the ocean and made a second landfall the following day near Atlantic City, N.J. Later that day, the center of the storm, now much weakened, moved over Coney Island and Manhattan in New York.

Irene caused widespread damage, both in North Carolina and across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast as its rains caused catastrophic inland flooding in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Vermont.

Irene was directly responsible for five death in the Dominican Republic, three in Haiti, and 41 in the United States. For the United States, six deaths are attributed to storm surge/waves or rip currents, 15 to wind, including falling trees, and 21 to rainfall-induced floods, according to NOAA. Including flood losses, damage in the United States is estimated to be $15.8 billion. It was one of 14 billion-dollar disasters that hit the United States last year, a record number.

LONDON: Scientists counting emperor penguins from space have found twice as many of the birds in Antarctica as expected. The discovery is reassuring for a species seen as under threat from global warming and will provide researchers with a benchmark for monitoring the giants of the penguin world in years to come.

Using high-resolution satellite images to study each of 44 colonies around the coastline of Antarctica, experts said on Friday they put the total emperor penguin population at 595,000, or roughly double previous estimates of 270,000 to 350,000.

“It’s good news,” team leader Peter Fretwell of the British Antarctic Survey said in an interview. “It gives us a bit more confidence not only that there are lots of emperor penguins out there but that we

can actually keep track of them as well.”

Seven of the colonies studied had never been seen before. A key advantage of satellites is that they can capture multiple images in one go, whereas visiting dozens of remote colonies in temperatures as low as -50 degrees Celsius (-58 degrees Fahrenheit) would be hugely expensive and time-consuming.

Still, conducting a penguin roll-call from space is not simple. It took a special technique known as pan-sharpening to increase the resolution of the satellite images to differentiate between birds, shadows and penguin poo, or guano.

While some images remained tricky to analyze, Fretwell believes the overall population figure is correct to within a 10-12 percent margin of error.

Scientists are concerned that emperor penguins will be badly affected by climate

change, since they form large colonies on the sea-ice, which is fragile and vulnerable to earlier spring warming. Their more northerly colonies are particularly at risk.

The study by Fretwell and colleagues marks the first time that researchers have counted the entire population of any species by satellite in a single season.

In future, the same technique could also be use to tot up numbers of other wild animals that stand out clearly against their natural habitat, such as flamingos or reindeer.

Counting other types of penguins from space, however, may not be so easy.

While emperors are large and contrast sharply against the white snow and ice on which they stand, other species are smaller and tend to breed on dark-colored rock. -Reuters

16

ALWATAN DAILY

CULTURE

monDAY, april 16, 2012

Prayers and silence mark Titanic centenary

Belgian quintet Grupetto perform during a service of remembrance aboard the Titanic Memorial Cruise, over the site of the Titanic disaster in the western Atlantic Ocean April 15, 2012. (Reuters)

ABOARD MS BALMORAL: Cruise ship passengers and crew said prayers Sunday at the spot in the North Atlantic where the Titanic sank 100 years ago with the loss of more than 1,500 lives.

Passengers lined the decks of MS Balmoral, which has been retracing the route of the doomed voyage. After a moment of silence, three floral wreaths were cast onto the waves as the ship’s whistle sounded in the dark.

Jane Allen from Devon in southwest England, whose great-uncle perished on the Titanic, said the moment had vividly reminded her of the horror of the disaster.

“All you could hear was the swell splashing against the side of the ship. You could see the white breakers stretching out to sea,” she told the BBC. “You are in the middle of nowhere. And then you look down over the side of the ship and you realize that every man and every woman who didn’t make it into a lifeboat had to make that decision, of when to jump or stay on the ship as the lights went out.”

Another cruise ship, Journey, which has traveled from New York, also held a service at the site of the disaster, 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.

The Titanic, the world’s largest and most luxurious ocean liner, was traveling from England to New York when

Jack Martin (right), distant relative of a Titanic passenger unveils the plaque of 1,512 names of those who died from the Titanic during the 100th anniversary commemorations and memorial dedication of the Titanic disaster in Belfast, Northern Ireland on April 15, 2012. (AFP)

it struck an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912. It sank less than three hours later, with the loss of all but 700 of the 2,208 passengers and crew.

A century on, events around the globe are marking a tragedy that retains its grip on the world’s imagination.

In Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the Titanic was built, a memorial monument was unveiled Sunday at a ceremony attended by local dignitaries, relatives of the dead and explorer Robert Ballard, who discovered the wreck of the Titanic on the ocean floor in 1985.

A brass band played as the granite plinth which bears bronze plaques was uncovered beside Belfast City Hall. Officials say it is the first Titanic memorial to list all victims alphabetically, with no distinction between passengers and crew members, or between first- and third-class travelers.

After a minute’s silence, a choir sang “Nearer My God To Thee” - the hymn Titanic’s band is reported to have played as the ship went down.

Belfast spent decades scarred by its link to the disaster, but has come to take pride in the feats of engineering and industry involved in building the Titanic.

On Saturday, thousands attended a memorial concert in Belfast featuring performances by Bryan Ferry and soul

singer Joss Stone. At St. Anne’s Cathedral in the city, a performance of composer Philip Hammond’s “The Requiem for the Lost Souls of the Titanic” was followed by a torch-lit procession to the Titanic Memorial in the grounds of city hall.

The requiem - performed by male choristers dressed as ship’s crew and female performers in black - also included words by Belfast novelist Glenn Patterson, who imagined the victims reflecting on all they had missed in the last 100 years.

“We passed instead into myth, launched a library full of books, enough film to cross the Atlantic three times over, more conspiracy theories than Kennedy, 97 million web pages, a tourist industry, a requiem or two,” Patterson said.

“We will live longer than every one of you.”

Remembrance ceremonies also were being held in the ship’s departure port of Southampton, southern England - home to hundreds of Titanic crew who perished - and in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where more than 100 victims of the tragedy are buried.

The most famous maritime disaster in history was being marked even in places without direct links to it.

Venues in Las Vegas, San Diego, Houston and Singapore

Korean Embassy hosts third Korean Culture Diwaniya

Korean ladies demonstrate the method of cooking authentic Korean dishes.

Ricky Laxa Staff Writer

KUWAIT: The Embassy of the Republic of Korea hosted the third meeting of the Korean Culture Diwaniya on Wednesday. The main theme of the event was about Korean dishes prepared by participants themselves with the assistance of the Korean nationals. The event was both educational and entertaining on preparation and cooking of traditional and popular Korean fares.

The activities included presentation of a short video clip featuring Korean food and brief talks by some participants on popular dishes of Korea and Kuwait. Participants enjoyed the cooking classes prepared by the “Envoys for the Korean Culture Promotion”, who are highly skilled Korean nation-

Kuwaiti corner that served traditional coffee and tea with freshly baked pastries.

als that presented preparations of tasty and delicious dishes. Some recipes were Korean style pancake (Buchimgae), beef barbeque (Bulgogi) and stir-fried rice cake (Tokpokki,). Participants were treated to the making of Kimchi, a popular, delicious, healthy, tasty and nutritious dish in Korea.

Some popular Korean sweets and desserts were also exhibited during the event along with short explanations on their cooking methods, which the guests appreciated.

Part of the event was allocated to the Kuwaiti food and a lot of Kuwaiti participants offered information about the Kuwaiti recipes, bring various Kuwaiti traditional dishes, desserts, sweets and drinks. A small Kuwaiti traditional corner was also prepared by some participants, which became one of the popular activities. Everyone enjoyed the

excitement and remarkable evening dedicated in sharing information, knowledge and experience about Korean and Kuwaiti food.

The Korean Culture Diwaniya launched on the second of February, is a one year project that intends to share Korean culture with locals and also learn about local culture. For the next meeting, the Korean Embassy and the Korean Culture Diwaniya will host “Korea Week” from May 8 to 11.

Various cultural activities will be prepared.

The Embassy hopes that such events would contribute greatly to increasing the awareness of Kuwaiti people about the Korean culture and traditions and look forward to holding more useful and exciting meetings so as to deepen cultural ties and boost bilateral relations between Korea and Kuwait.

Dr Jekyll and a not so wicked Mr Hyde: How a portrait of evil was toned down LONDON: Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ is one of English literature’s most famous stories: the enduring classic of a man’s transformation into a monster, first published in 1886. Now the manuscript for the novella is to go on show, revealing its transformation as Stevenson toned down his more explicit ideas, reports The Guardian.

The most complete draft of the novella - Stevenson burned a first draft because his wife was so alarmed by it - is covered with corrections.

Reading between its chaotic lines shows how Stevenson deleted details such as the sexual connotations of Jekyll becoming “in secret the slave of certain appetites”.

It is one of two historic manuscripts whose loans have been secured from the US by the British Library. The other is an installment of Charles Dickens’s ‘Our Mutual Friend’, which the author himself rescued from the wreckage of a train crash. The manuscripts will get pride of place at the library in ‘Writing Britain: Wastelands to Wonderlands’, the UK’s biggest literary

exhibition this summer.

Stevenson’s novella explores the psychopathology of the split personality in Dr Jekyll, whose development of a potion to separate good from evil transforms him into the murderous Mr Hyde.

It was written at feverish speed after Stevenson woke from a dream. He produced a draft that he showed to his wife who, it is thought, prompted him to burn it, though he brought it back to life, rewriting it twice in six weeks.

The 1885 manuscript which will go to the British Library reflects his obsessiveness. As ideas flowed, so did his pen, ignoring occasional grammatical and spelling mistakes as he struggled to get it all down.

Jamie Andrews, the exhibition’s co-curator, said: “This is an incredibly interesting active draft. There’s a sense of it stemming from a dream, the depths of the self. So the idea of this primal eruption of text is certainly there in the story, but then to publish something Stevenson really had to work it through to make it into that

Passengers sing hymns during a religious service of remembrance aboard the Titanic Memorial Cruise, over the site of the Titanic disaster in the western Atlantic Ocean April 15, 2012. (Reuters)

final version.” Andrews believes that explicit references to Hyde’s sexual “vices” might have concerned Stevenson’s wife because of his reputation as a writer of children’s novels.

Andrews said of this draft: “It’s a lot darker than the final version. This is the great psychological novel about a divided city and a divided self.” He added that, because Stevenson was hard up, it was suggested that he should write a chilling shocker, as they called them.

Commenting on Stevenson’s softening of his original ideas, Andrews said that sometimes individual words, lines or paragraphs were deleted. “There’s a sense of bits being too sensitive to be published.” For example, Stevenson deleted the following line: “From an early age, however, I became in secret the slave of certain appetites.” He replaced it with: “And indeed the worst of my faults was a certain impatient gaiety of disposition... hard to reconcile with my imperious desire to carry my head high, and wear a more than commonly grave countenance before the public.”

are hosting Titanic exhibitions that include artifacts recovered from the site of the wreck. Among the items: bottles of perfume, porcelain dishes, and a 17-foot piece of hull.

The centenary of the disaster has been marked with a global outpouring of commemoration and commerce.

Events have ranged from the opening of a glossy new tourist attraction telling the ship’s story in Belfast to a 3-D re-release of James Cameron’s 1997 romantic weepie “Titanic,” which awakened a new generation’s interest in the disaster.

Helen Edwards, one of 1,309 passengers on memorial cruise aboard the liner Balmoral who have spent the past week steeped in the Titanic’s history and symbolism, said the story’s continuing appeal was due to its strong mixture of romance and tragedy, history and fate. “(There are) all the factors that came together for the ship to be right there, then, to hit that iceberg. All the stories of the passengers who ended up on the ship,” said Edwards, a 62-year-old retiree from Silver Spring, Maryland. “It’s just a microcosm of social history, personal histories, nautical histories.

“Romance is an appropriate word right up until the time of the tragedy - the band playing, the clothes. And then there’s the tragedy.” -AP

Doctor-clown in Nicaragua helps kids face cancer with laughter

MANAGUA: A man wearing a green hat and large, striped shoes barges into the Haematology-Oncology room shouting: “Hello, ladies and gentlemen!” Half a dozen children connected to serum pouches stare in amazement.

The white doctor’s robe barely hides the multi-colored costume that psychologist Roberto Aguirre donned just minutes earlier after he jumped off a bus in front of the La Mascota children’s hospital in Managua, to turn into “Doctor KeloKura.” In Spanish, the name is a double play on words: “Dr. Kelo-Kura” means: “The Doctor Who Cures It”, and also “Dr. ‘What Madness’”.

Doctor Kelo-Locura pulls out a pink balloon from his physician’s case. He inflates the balloon and it becomes a heart that he gives to the oldest girl lying on her hospital bed with faded sheets over her legs. The patient is 17-year-old Maria Mercedes Gaitan and she is exhausted after a chemotherapy session. Gaitan arrived at the hospital five months ago afflicted with a sarcoma in one of her feet.

The clown kisses her hand, hugs her and tells her a joke that makes her laugh.

“One minute of laughter is equivalent to 45 minutes of relaxation and 70 minutes of exercise,” Aguirre tells dpa in an interview. He refers to medical studies that have proven that laughter boosts the cardiovascular system, stimulating skin, muscles, cardiac rate and blood pressure.

Aguirre is a theatre director, dancer and circus clown trainer. Following in the steps of US physician Hunter “Patch” Adams who uses humor to help patients (and the subject of a 1998 movie starring actor Robin Williams), Aguirre started dressing up as clown for child cancer patients when the director of the La Mascota hospital asked him to in 2005.

“I believe that God put this task in my heart,” says Aguirre, a fervent Protestant and member of the Christian Church in Nicaragua. He is convinced that an angel whispered the name: “Dr. That Cures

It” or “Dr. What Madness” in his ear one night as he lay sleeping.

Just like “Patch” Adams, Aguirre, 57, uses laughter “as a technique to release tensions from the body and charge it with energy and positive attitudes.” Laughter therapy is an ancient form of treating disease. “Court jesters in the Middle Ages also made kings laugh to improve their digestion, and in India there are still sacred temples where people can practice laughter,” doctor “Kelo-Kura” adds, with a serious expression.

“In other words, the idea is to cure by providing gaiety, giving love,” Aguirre says as he strokes the head of Velkis Juarez, a four-year-old girl farmer’s daughter from the countryside who arrived at “La Mascota” with an abdominal tumour.

She stretches her arms to take the blue balloon the madman hidden behind her bed is offering her. “My little girl only cheers up when doctor ‘Kelo-Kura’” arrives, says her mother.

In the next bed, a little boy called Wilmer Rios fails to find fun in Dr. Kelo-Kura’s jokes and he appears hostile toward the noisy clown. Aguirre has to make more of an effort to reach this boy who has begun to receive chemotherapy for a lymphoma in his neck.

Although there are no statistics on the healing power of laughter a recent study by students from the Central American University in Managua found that in 80 per cent of child cancer patients their mood and attitude to pain improved after playing with the clown. The same study found that 70 per cent of parents of cancer patients graded “Kelo-Kura” work as “excellent” and 100 per cent said laughter therapy helps children undergo conventional medical treatments.

“According to modern medicine any method or therapy that helps children’s health is valid. And I am certain that laughter can even mitigate the brutal effects of chemo or the pain from surgery,” Aguirre says. -dpa

Psychologist Roberto Aguirre, 57, helping a young patient, using laughter “as a technique to release tensions from the body and charge it with energy and positive attitudes.” (dpa)

ALWATAN DAILY

entertainment Song Of The Day

Fahad AlSabah Staff Writer

monDAY, april 16, 2012

17

Cleveland’s Rock Hall welcomes new class

Guns N’ Roses performs after being inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio April 14, 2012. (Reuters)

Flea speaks to the audience with members of The Red Hot Chili Peppers after their induction into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio April 14, 2012. (Reuters)

Kid Rock (right) performs with Black Thought (center) and Travie McCoy after the Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, April 14, 2012. (Reuters)

Ronnie Wood (center) holds up the induction award as the band The Small Faces are inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio April 14, 2012. (Reuters)

Song: Knees Of My Bees Artist: Alanis Morissette Album: So-Called Chaos Genre: Rock In short: “You are a gift renaissance with a wink / With tendencies for conversations that raise bars /You are a sage who is fueled by compassion / Comes to nooks and crannies as balm for all scars” Wit lyrics like these, how can anyone not love Alanis Morissette?

To listen to the song visit www.alwatandaily.com E-mail your feedback to falsabah@alwatandaily.com

The Buzz Matilda leads race for theater’s Olivier Awards Naughty-but-nice musical “Matilda” is the front-runner for British theater’s Olivier Awards with 10 nominations, including a joint best actress nod for the four children who share the title role. Based on Roald Dahl’s tale of an extraordinary little girl from an ordinary family, “Matilda” is nominated in every possible category for Sunday’s prizes, from set and lighting design to best new musical. The show, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, is due to open on Broadway next year. Comedies “The Ladykillers” and “One Man, Two Guvnors” lead the non-musical categories with five nominations apiece. The Olivier awards honor achievements in London theater, musicals, dance and opera. Winners in most categories are chosen by a panel of theater professionals and members of the public. -AP

Lionel Richie, Pamela Anderson among tax scofflaws Pamela Anderson and Lionel Richie owe the government money. California tax authorities said Anderson owes $524,241 in personal income taxes. The Franchise Tax Board included the “Baywatch” star on a list of the state’s 500 biggest income-tax delinquents posted Friday. Meanwhile, E! Online reports that Richie owes the federal government $1.1 million in unpaid taxes and that a lien has been issued warning that the singers’ assets may be seized if he doesn’t pay up in a timely manner. A message seeking comments from Richie’s publicist wasn’t immediately returned Saturday. A call to Anderson’s tax attorney, Robert Leonard, wasn’t immediately returned. California law requires tax authorities to update and publish the names and amounts owed by the state’s 500 biggest tax scofflaws twice a year. -AP

Police in NY’s Hamptons arrest man in Diddy’s home A New York man has been accused of breaking into rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’s East Hampton mansion. The New York Post reports Quamine Taylor of Queens was arrested at the home on April 1. He is being held in the Suffolk County Jail on trespassing and petit larceny charges.The unemployed 30-year-old has not posted $2,000 bail. East Hampton Town Police say they were called to the house after a caretaker found Taylor inside. A police spokesman did not immediately return a call on Friday. The Post said Combs’ spokeswoman declined comment. In 2010, a Florida woman claiming to be Combs’ wife was arrested in East Hampton. Authorities said she was found twice at a home she mistakenly thought was owned by Combs. -AP

Pauly D lawsuit reveals Jersey Shore pay “Jersey Shore” star Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio is being sued by International Creative Management, which claims it is owed a chunk of DelVecchio’s “Jersey Shore” pay – and as the lawsuit points out, that’s a boatload of money. The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, claims that DelVecchio and his company, Blowout Enterprises, entered into a representation agreement in January 2010 - shortly after “Jersey Shore” premiered on MTV. According to ICM, the agency negotiated increasingly large fees for DelVecchio as the popularity of “Jersey Shore” ballooned, in exchange for 10 percent of DelVecchio’s gross compensation. The suit says that the agreement worked out until season 4 of the show, when DelVecchio stopped paying the commission, the suit alleges. And given the numbers involved, that commission adds up to a pretty penny. The suit claims that, for Season 4 of “Jersey Shore,” Pauly D’s compensation was $100,000 for each of the 12 episodes, plus a $400,000 signing bonus, adding up to a cool $1.6 million – and that’s not including compensation for after-shows, a launch special, reunion show, merchandising and other compensation. (According to the complaint, DelVecchio received $200,000 as a “thank you” bonus for Season 4.) And it gets even richer. ICM claims that for the upcoming Season 6 of “Jersey Shore,” DelVecchio will rake in $175,000 for each of 12 episodes – making for a total of $2.1 million. And again, that’s not including aftershows, etc. DelVecchio’s lawyer, Hillary H. Hughes, contends that the “Jersey Shore” star owes ICM nothing, and accuses ICM of trying to “take advantage” of its former association with Pauly D. The suit says that DelVecchio and ICM parted ways in May 2011, but that ICM is still due a 10 percent commission on any deals it put in play. The suit also calls for a written accounting of DelVecchio’s compensation, pre-judgment interest, costs of the suit, and “such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.” -Reuters

CLEVELAND: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony didn’t miss Axl Rose at all.

The rowdy celebration, which in past years has included awkward moments, touching tributes and unforgettable performances, rocked on without Rose, the Guns N’ Roses frontman who may one day regret skipping a night when 6,000 fans, 1,400 guests and many of music’s biggest stars partied in Public Hall with the class of 2012.

Hard rockers Guns N’ Roses - minus Rose - headlined this year’s eclectic group of inductees. Others being enshrined are the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys, folk icon Donovan, late singer-songwriter Laura Nyro and British bands the Small Faces and Faces.

Before the ceremony started with a blistering performance by Green Day, Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis said it was strange to be enshrined while on tour.

“We’re going somewhere,” Kiedis said.

“How can we stop and take an award when really we’re just halfway there? But it is nice to be together with people that we spent some incredible years along the way writing songs and playing shows in little theaters and sweaty little transvestite clubs and having the time of our lives.”

Guns N’ Roses

Green Day, which was scheduled to induct Guns N’ Roses, got things started by tearing into “Letterbomb” with Billie Joe Armstrong leading the sold-out room of fans and celebrities in a sing-a-along chorus.

The first mention of Rose’s name drew a smattering of boos that were soon drowned out by the music.

Rose, the screeching frontman and ringmaster of the Guns N’ Roses traveling circus of dysfunction for decades, said earlier this week that he didn’t want to be part of the ceremony because it “doesn’t appear to be somewhere I’m actually wanted or respected.”

He cited a continuing rift with his former band mates as the main reason for not attending. His decision disappointed fans and ended months of speculation about whether the original Guns N’ Roses lineup would unite for the first time since 1993 and perform any of their classic hits like “Welcome to the Jungle” or “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”

and Rod Stewart.

Stewart came down with the flu this week and couldn’t attend. Simply Red’s lead singer Mick Hucknall, a friend of the band, filled in for Stewart on “All Or Nothing,” ‘’Ooh La La,” and the crowd-pleasing classic “Stay With Me,” with Wood, previously inducted with the Rolling Stones, delivering an exquisite slide guitar.

Britain’s Donovan

Donovan performs after being inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio April 14, 2012. (Reuters) Red Hot Chili Peppers

Like Guns N’ Roses, the Red Hot Chili Peppers emerged from Los Angeles during the 1980s when Sunset Strip’s rock scene was dominated by “hair” bands more concerned with their tight lycra pants and eyeliner than their sound. Not the Chili Peppers, who found their unique groove by blending funky hooks and a punk ethos. While their lineup has undergone some changes - founding guitarist Hillel Slovak died of a heroin overdose in 1988 - Kiedis and bassist Flea have survived personal highs and lows and the band remains one of music’s top live acts. Kiedis said Slovak would have loved the honor.

“I think that he would have a good laugh,” Kiedis said. “Yeah, it would certainly mean something to him as he cared deeply about music and the love of the brotherhood of being in a band and being a creative force in the universe, which he is and always will be a brother in everything we do.”

Beastie Boys

The Beastie Boys, three white New York-

ers who helped bring rap music to the suburbs in the 1980s, have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Dismissed early on as beer-drinking frat boys, Adam “Ad-rock” Horovitz, Adam “MCA” Yauch and Michael “Mike D” Diamond debuted with songs like “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)!” but the Beasties eventually won over critics and fans with their sharp lyrics, samples and beats. Fellow rappers LL Cool J and Chuck D inducted the Beasties. Chuck D called the Beastie Boys “one of the greatest live acts in music” and said their impact cannot be measured.

Small Faces and The Faces

Stevie Van Zandt, one of Bruce Springsteen’s sidemen in the E Street Band, inducted the Small Faces and Faces, bands that included Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, two rock superstars.

Van Zandt credited the underrated bands for having a major influence on generations of rockers. He said both were blessed to have strong lead singers in the late Steve Marriott

Black Keys help conquer the cold at Coachella INDIO, California: Rain, strong winds and gloomy skies plagued the opening day of the Coachella music festival but failed to hamper the high spirits of festival-goers and bands such as Brit punkers James and headliners, The Black Keys.

“Howlin’ For You” opened The Black Keys set, and the rockers followed with a selection of older and newer hits including “I’ll Be Your Man,” “Tighten Up” and “Lonely Boy” that kept the crowd’s energy high throughout the cold Friday night.

On their set’s penultimate number, “Everlasting Light,” the pace slowed to highlight singer Dan Auerbach’s vocals while the closer, “I Got Mine,” took full advantage of drummer Patrick Carney’s pounding beat to end the show on a deafening high.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, three afternoons and evenings of live bands playing outdoors in the desert near Palm Springs, east of Los Angeles, is typically bathed in sunshine and warm spring weather in April. But this year’s opening day crowds, numbering in the tens of thousands, were caught off-guard by a Pacific storm that swept in.

Festival first-timer Ari Blos, 18, came unprepared for the chilly desert air that forced her to wrap up in a Snuggie blanket, but said the weather had little impact on the crowd.

Many festival-goers, typically in shorts and light shirts, layered up with jackets and draped blankets or sleeping bags around their shoulders. Campers on the festival’s grounds had to secure or take down tents against the strong desert winds.

The cool and damp weather was the topic of the day on the main stage, too, with Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker joking that it was brought by two Sheffield, England bands - his group and the Arctic Monkeys.

Brit-rock showed a strong presence when Coachella kicked off with ‘80s post-punkers James, from Manchester, preceding the Arctic Monkeys and Pulp.

Arctic Monkeys returned to this year’s festival after their debut here in 2007, and livened up the crowd with a selection of classics such as “I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor” and “The View From The Afternoon,” as well as newer songs including “Don’t Sit Down Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair.”

Alternative rockers Pulp made their Coachella debut with a raucous set of their best known singles like “Common People.”

Following The Black Keys, DJs Swedish House Mafia, took over to keep the festivities going late into the night. -Reuters

During a speech that was at times comical but heartfelt throughout, John Mellencamp inducted Donovan, a balladeer from the flower-power 1960s once labeled “the new Dylan.” Donovan Leitch had a string of hits in the ‘60s with “Sunshine Superman,” ‘’Hurdy Gurdy Man” and “Mellow Yellow.”

Mellencamp, sporting a healthy growth of gray whiskers, grabbed a few puffs on a cigarette as a video tribute of Donovan played on giant screens. During his remarks, Mellencamp raised the copy of Donovan’s “Fairy Tale” album he bought 47 years ago as a kid in Indiana. Instead of reading prepared notes, Donovan accepted his honor by reciting a poem - without using a script - inspired by his induction. It ended with the line: “I thank my fellow artists all.”

Other Inductions

Blues guitarist Freddie King was inducted first. Nicknamed “The Texas Cannonball,” the late King was one of the first bluesmen to be backed by a multi-racial band. He was welcomed into the hall by ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill. “Freddie taught us how to play like a group,” Gibbons said.

The influential Nyro, who died in 1997, never reached commercial success but wrote hits for other artists.

She was inducted by singer Bette Midler, who called the New York songstress “one of my favorite artists.”

Carole King inducted late rock promoter Don Kirchner, who helped launch the careers of Prince and the Eagles. Smokey Robinson inducted long-deserving backup bands for early rock artists. The groups included Buddy Holly’s The Crickets, James Brown’s The Famous Flames, Bill Hailey’s The Comets and Robinson’s The Miracles. -AP

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan visits Gulf Film Festival

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan with Abdulhamid Juma, Chairman of the Gulf Film Festival, and Nawaf Al-Janahi, Director of ‘Sea Shadow’.

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ALWATAN DAILY

AROUND TOWN / TIME OUT

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012

If you have an event you wish to include, please email: aroundtown@alwatandaily.com

Feature o f

graffiti

the day

moderately confused

Diet Care joins leading global food companies after being awarded HACCP certificate

KUWAIT: As a result of its implementation of best practice in food safety, Diet Care earned a Hazard Analysis and Critical Points (HACCP) certification, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), through Kuwait’s Society Generale De Surveillance (SGS Kuwait W.L.L.).

Diet Care was awarded in a ceremony attended by Diet Care Chairman, Ahmad Saleh Al-Abdali, SGS Middle East Manager, Sam McCullouch, SGS Manager (SCC), Mohammad Mosaib, as well as Diet Care management and employees.

HACCP is an international principle defining the requirements for effective control of food safety.

The HACCP system helps organizations focus on the hazards that affect food safety and hygiene, and systematically identifies them by setting up critical control limits at critical points during the food production process.

The certification encompasses core areas such as: analysis of food hazards, identification of critical and the establishment of critical control limits and preventive measures amongst others.

Through obtaining the HACCP

Month a t

certification, Diet Care demonstrates its commitment to food safety and customer satisfaction, as well as its continuous efforts to integrate the realities of a changing world and enhance its corporate image as a company committed to upholding the highest standards within the food industry.

Diet Care Chairman, Ahmad Saleh Al-Abdali stated: “it is our corporate philosophy at The Diet Care to ensure that we practice the highest standards in our food management system. Being an organization that prides itself on quality and healthy food, it is imperative

that our modus operandi is of high standards.

Therefore, we would like to thank SGS Kuwait W.L.L for positively reaffirming our operating procedures and awarding them with an HAACP certification.”

Established in 2005, The Diet Care is the leading provider of health and nutritional programs and services, and the only nutrition center accredited by the Arab Center for Nutrition in Kuwait.

The company’s core business offers nutritious diet plans and portion controlled meals delivered to the customers’ door on a daily basis.

Sudoku

Intermediate

Advanced

Elementary

General A n n o u n c e m e n t s

a glance are mundane encounters of beauty that sprouted from the ego and surrounding events, creating emotions which dissolved into aesthetic visual messages.

Arabic course March 11-April 19/ TIES Center: TIES Center is glad to announce the start of Arabic courses. We offer classes for all levels, from beginners to advance and also introduced new classes called Kuwait dialect. TIES Arabic classes are intended for all expatriates who wish to learn Arabic for whatever purposebusiness, basic communication, as a second language or simply as a hobby. For more information/registration, contact 97228860/97793440.

Marriage counseling session Diwaniya presentation April 17/ 7 p.m. / AWARE Center: The AWARE Center cordially invites interested expats to its diwaniya presentation entitled, “The Impact of Islamic civilization on the West,” by Bryn Barnard on Tuesday. Bryn Barnard will be discussing the impact of Islamic civilization on the West, the subject of his book ‘The Genius of Islam: How Muslims Made the Modern World’. This one hour illustrated PowerPoint talk will include aspects of Islamic philosophy, art, book arts, music, astronomy, medicine, engineering; a discussion of how Islamic civilization is presented in North American schools; and suggestions about why the deep historical connections between Islam and the West are not better known today.

Dar Al Funoon hosts artist Karim Ghidinelli April 2- 19/ 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. / Dar Al Funoon: Born in Italy in 1976, Karim spent his childhood in this city; he went to middle school and high school in African countries. His body of work consists of a central iconic image that of a finger imprint, within each thumb impression he has formulated a pseudo-calligraphic narrative of life experiences on luminous and luxurious enamel weaves.

Art exhibition April 15-26/ 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. / Gallery Tilal: Abdul Rasool Salman’s rhythms

K’S PATH invites applicants for the adoption of pets Sepp is a Domestic Long Haired (DLH) male cat. He will be 2-years-old April 2012. This friendly, laid-back boy loves a good cuddle and likes a high vantage point in a cat tree or ledge to look out from. He would do best in a home with children over 12 years of age.

To adopt, contact +965 67006122 or visit the website www.kspath.org

May 2/ 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. / TIES Center: TIES Ladies Club invites all ladies to a lecture on Marriage Institution by Joanne Hands (Psychologist, Licensed Counselor, Marriage & family Therapist). The lecture will cover on a brief introduction to the stages of marriage institution, a successful approach to the day to day marriage life, tricks of nourishing and improving your marriage relationships and techniques of overcoming the marriage challenges.

Refreshments will be served. For more information please contact us on 97228860/2523015/6 or emailinfo@tiescenter.net.

Mario is a gentle and affectionate 6-years-young Spitz male. This friendly boy does great with people and dogs of all ages.

Bread baking course April 19- May 10/ 6 p.m.-8 p.m. /TIES Center: TIES Ladies Club invites all ladies the unique course of preparing the ancient traditional food “The Bread Baking”. Baking of different kinds of breads will be demonstrated including Old English Toast, Italian Bread Stick, Strawberry Sweet Heart and many more. For more information please contact us on 97228860/2523015/6 or emailinfo@tiescenter.net.

Brainbang session October 7-April/ 11:45 a.m. -1:45 p.m. /Salmiya: BRAINBANG, the creative arm of Friends of CRY Club (FOCC) invites all students aged 11 and above, to join us fortnightly on Fridays.

The areas of development are: Creativity in learning, tools and techniques to empower your mind, profile based learning, activity, fun, games and worksheet based assignments, practical experiments, mind gymnastics and application of learning techniques to conventional study. E-mail: brainbang@focckwt.org or call 25660835/25618471/97677820.

Dilbert

Open House for Indian Citizens Ambassador of India would be holding an Open House for Indian citizens to address their problems\grievances on Wednesdays of the second and the fourth weeks of every month between 1500 hrs and 1600 hrs in the Embassy. In case Wednesday is an Embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day. To ensure timely action/follow-up by the Embassy, it is requested that, wherever possible, Indian citizens should exhaust the existing channels of interaction/grievance redressal and bring their problems/issues in writing with supporting documents.

Royal Thai Embassy The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait wishes to invite Kuwaiti companies that deal business with Thai companies or those agencies of Thai commercial companies to visit the Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant information to be part of the embassy’s business and trade database. The Royal Thai Embassy is located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14.

Nancy

Horoscopes Aries: March 21 - April 19

You could be invited on a last-minute adventure today, Aries. By all means, seize the chance! You’re certainly ready for a change, and this opportunity could turn out to be just what you’ve been hoping for. Adventure calls, and whether it’s a journey or a lecture, you’ll find it enlarges your world in just the way you’d hoped.

Today promises to be stimulating as well as fun. Enjoy it!

Taurus: April 20 - May 20

If you’ve been thinking about making a career change, Taurus, today is a good day to do some research on professions that interest you. It may be that you’re ready to take the leap and start a business of your own. Ideally, you’d have an able partner to help with the planning and execution. Get out your address book and college directory.

Gemini: May 21- June 21

Technology is going to play a big role in your life today and in the immediate future, Gemini. It could be that your office is upgrading its systems and you’re in charge of getting everyone up to speed on the new equipment. Or it’s possible that you’ll decide to take a class to increase your technical knowledge.

Cancer: June 22 - July 22

You might find yourself unexpectedly busy today, Cancer. It could be that you’d planned to spend the day tidying up and reorganizing your home. A change of plans could mean you spend most of the day at the office handling one crisis after another. Perhaps a friend calls in need of your help.You could find it difficult to switch gears, but by the end of the day you’ll be happy that you could help.

Leo: July 23 - August 22

It’s hard to imagine a world without computers, Leo. Technology has been key to your professional life, and it’s likely to be even more important in the future. Expect your income to increase dramatically this year as a result of a technological innovation. You could play a part in developing it, or more likely, find a creative use for it. Eat well and rest up, because you’ll need a lot of energy soon.

Virgo: August 23 - September 22

You might want to straighten up the house this morning, Virgo. Some unexpected visitors could drop by.

With no warning, you could be serving lunch or dinner to a group of ten! Don’t panic. Take-out was created for just such an occasion. Pull out the linens from the back of the closet, make a few calls to your favorite bakery or restaurant.

Libra: September 23 - October 22

Friends or work colleagues could introduce you to a field of study that captures your interest, Libra.

You’re ready for something new in your life, and the lecture series that has been suggested to you could turn out to provide just the stimulation that you need. Your creative juices are flowing and you’ll want to make good use of them.

Writing, painting, and photography are all good choices for today.

Scorpio: October 23 - November 21

Travel is in store today, Scorpio. It could be a spurof-the-moment trip with a friend. More likely, it will be a series of short trips closer to home. You could visit friends or take advantage of sales and do some shopping. Your active mind will pick up on all sorts of ideas for improving your home. Once the errands are done, go home and look at your space with a fresh eye.

Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21

You’re likely to receive news today that brightens your future outlook, Sagittarius. It could be that your boss calls you at home and hints at a pending promotion, or your partner could receive a raise or unusually large bonus. Whatever the news, know that your financial picture will begin to look dramatically better than it has been.

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19

You can expect your life to change in a fairly dramatic way today, Capricorn. The change could be subtle at first, but with time and distance you’re likely to look back on this day as pivotal. You could receive an intriguing piece of news that sets your head spinning with ideas. Perhaps you’ve been thinking of starting your own business, and today you have an idea.

Aquarius: January 20 - February 18

Today could have you itching for a change, Aquarius. The difficulty is figuring out what you really want to do with your life. A good first step would be to talk to people. Find out what they do and don’t like about their careers. Use the library and the Internet.

Take a profile test, such as Myers-Briggs, to see what types of careers mesh with your personality.

Pisces: February 19 - March 20

You’re going to be busy but happy today, Pisces. It’s likely that a project you’ve been working on for a long time suddenly yields positive results.You can’t help but be delighted, as this achievement comes at a time when you’ve been questioning your abilities. Questions no more. It’s clear that you’re right for this particular job.

ALWATAN DAILY

SPORTS

MONDAY, april 16, 2012

Formula one

Rosberg takes first win with Mercedes

19

Grosjean gets the point at last SHANGHAI: France’s Romain Grosjean finally scored his first points in Formula One on Sunday in a sweet and sour Chinese Grand Prix for Lotus.

After two retirements in a row, and only a handful of laps under his belt due to a combination of errors and bad luck, Grosjean made it all the way to the chequered flag in sixth place.

While the happy the 25-year-old could celebrate at last, his 2007 world champion team mate Kimi Raikkonen saw fistfuls of points slip from his grasp after going from second to 14th in the closing nine laps.

“It is getting more frustrating for us

as we are clearly very close to achieving a very good result,” said team principal Eric Boullier.

“Twelve laps before the end of today’s race we had one car in P2 (second) and one car in P5 (fifth) with no more pit stops to go. Unfortunately we were a little bit too aggressive with our strategy.”

Raikkonen, the former Ferrari driver making his comeback this season after two years in rallying, could do nothing to hold off the field behind as his tyres lost performance.

The Finn had taken a bold two-stop strategy, the same as Mercedes’ win-

ner Nico Rosberg, but - in only his third race on Pirelli tyres - may have been too rough on the unfamiliar rubber to make it work.

“Eight laps before the end of the race, Kimi’s tyres were nearing the end of their life and, unfortunately, he got on the marbles (tyre debris) when Vettel passed,” said Alan Permane, the team’s director of trackside operations. “That was the end of his race effectively as he lost 10 places over the course of a lap.”

The points enabled Lotus to stay sixth overall on 24 points to Williams’s 18.

-Reuters

Basketball

Clippers beat Warriors 112-104 for 3rd win in row

Mercedes Formula One driver Nico Rosberg celebrates with crew members after winning the Chinese F1 Grand Prix, April 15, 2012. (Reuters)

SHANGHAI: Nico Rosberg celebrated the first victory of his Formula One career - and the first in 57 years

by Mercedes - after a dominant performance from pole position to chequered flag in China on Sunday.

The German’s 111-race wait for a win ended in a joyous champagne drenching as he joined an elite club of F1 drivers who have followed in the tracks of their racing fathers as grand prix winners.

Britain’s Jenson Button finished a distant second for Mercedes-powered McLaren, 20.6 seconds behind, after a pitstop problem wrecked what could have been a winning strategy for the man who won the 2009 title with Brawn.

Team mate and compatriot Lewis Hamilton had to settle for third place for the third race in a row to take the championship lead. “It’s been the perfect weekend...it couldn’t be better,” declared the 102nd driver and seventh German to win a grand prix since the championship started in 1950.

Rosberg, whose Finnish father Keke won the 1982 world championship with Williams, let out a yell of jubilation almost as long as the pit straight as he crossed the line to deliver the first win for a Mercedes works team since 1955.

“Brilliant race, Nico. Just brilliant,” yelled team principal Ross Brawn over the radio.

Hamilton now has 45 points after three of the 20 rounds to Button’s 43. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, the double champion who had led before Shanghai, finished ninth and dropped to third overall with 37.

McLaren lead the constructors’ standings with 88 points to Red Bull’s 64. Hamilton, a friend and former team mate of Rosberg before entering Formula One, was quick to congratulate his Monaco neighbour after

a race won by the German without a single overtaking move for position after he rocketed away from pole.

Amid the jubilation, there was disappointment for Rosberg’s team mate and compatriot Michael Schumacher who had also started on the front row but became the sole retirement of the race when he pulled off on lap 13 with a wheel problem.

The seven-times world champion, winner of a record 91 races with the last coming in Shanghai in 2006, had hoped for a first podium appearance since that season with Ferrari but a botched pitstop put paid to that.

To the despair of the mechanic on the front right wheel, Schumacher was given the signal to go before the nut was attached properly.

“The front wheel got a bit loose, but I don’t know what happened. I feel a bit sorry for one of my boys, but that’s part of the game,” said Schumacher philosophically.

Button had looked like catching Rosberg in a grandstand finale but a problem with his car’s rear left cost him vital seconds, leaving him stuck in traffic at a crucial point and unable to get enough heat into his tires to close the distance.

Rosberg lapped at a steady pace as behind him a pack of cars jostled and scrapped wheel to wheel for points, with Finland’s 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen running in second place for Lotus before fading nine laps from the end with heavy tire wear.

Red Bull’s Australian Mark Webber won a battle for fourth with world champion team mate Sebastian Vettel despite a moment when his car hit a kerb and reared up with both front wheels off the ground. Vettel went from second to fifth in the closing laps after starting 11th in his lowest grid placing since 2009. -Reuters

Cricket

Bangladesh agree to tour Pakistan

LOS ANGELES: Chris Paul had 28 points and 13 assists, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors 112-104 on Saturday to close within a game of the Lakers for the Pacific Division lead. Blake Griffin added 20 points, DeAndre Jordan 18 and Mo Williams 14 in the Clippers’ third straight win and 11th in their last 13 games. They are also chasing the idle Lakers for the third seed in the Western Conference with six games remaining. The Clippers’ 36 wins are their most since they won 40 games in 200607. Reserve Nate Robinson led injuryriddled Golden State with 28 points, including four 3-pointers. Klay Thompson added 24 points, Dorell Wright scored 23 and Brandon Rush 22 in the Warriors’ third consecutive loss and 11th in their last 13 games. David Lee and Richard Jefferson have been sidelined since Friday with injuries, joining Andrew Bogut and Stephen Curry.

Golden State, the NBA’s leading 3-point shooting team, made 15 from long range - one off its season high. Wright and Thompson had four 3s each. The Warriors were 15 of 21 from the free-throw line, compared to 14 for 30 for the Clippers.

Without Lee down low to guard Griffin, the Clippers dominated the paint. But Golden State stayed in the game with its strong outside shooting.

Nick Young hit a timely 3-pointer that gave Los Angeles its only double-digit lead of the fourth. From there, the War-

Los Angeles Clippers point Eric Bledsoe,(center) drives though Golden State Warriors forward Dorell Wright and forward Dominic McGuire, April 14, 2012. (AP)

riors got within six several times, but the Clippers made a series of defensive stops in the closing minute. Paul hit a 3 with 9 seconds left to preserve the win, although Thompson ended the game with Golden State’s last 3.

The Warriors tied it twice in the third quarter but never managed to take the lead despite the Clippers’ missed free throws. They were 10 of 19 from the line in the period. Kenyon Martin finally made

a pair to send the Clippers into the fourth ahead 86-82.

The Clippers raced to a 24-5 lead to start the game, shooting 59 percent in the opening quarter when Paul and Jordan scored 12 points each. The Warriors hit seven 3-pointers in the second quarter to trail 59-58 at the break. Rush and Robinson made three apiece in the period as Golden State shot 61 percent from long range in the half. -AP

Spurs rout Suns to dampen Phoenix’s playoff chase

SAN ANTONIO: The San Antonio Spurs insist that being the No. 1 seed in the West isn’t important to them. They still might wind up with it. Simply making the playoffs is important to Phoenix. And this blowout won’t help.

Tim Duncan had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Tony Parker scored 14 before calling it an early night, and the Spurs made the Suns’ playoff pursuit that much harder with six games to go, coasting past Phoenix 105-91 on Saturday night. The Spurs officially clinched the Southwest Division, but more importantly, stayed neck-and-neck with Oklahoma City for the No. 1 playoff seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio remains a game behind the Thunder with eight games remaining.

Sebastian Telfair scored 21 points for Phoenix, which simply wants to make the postseason. Yet the Suns never looked ready to play from the start and slipped 1 1-2 games behind Denver and Houston for the West’s eighth and final playoff spot.

Phoenix trailed by 17 before the first quarter was even halfway finished, and Steve Nash and Grant Hill sat out the entire second half. Nash said he irritated his right hip socket in a loss to Memphis on Wednesday, and despite fighting through it in Friday’s win at Houston, he only lasted the

first 6 minutes.

The Spurs also didn’t needlessly wear out their stars in this blowout. Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili all sat out the fourth quarter and most of the second half, giving coach Gregg Popovich some bonus rest for his Big Three after he began the week by not even letting them on the plane to Utah.

Duncan got the rout going by hitting his first five shots, and quickly racked up 11 points and five rebounds by the time the stunned Suns found themselves down 21-4 just 6 minutes into the game.

That’s when Nash called it a night. The 38 year old played 34 minutes the night before in Houston, where the Suns squeaked out a big road win against one of the teams in front of them for the No. 8 seed.

Phoenix has six games left and the good news is that five of them are at home - where the Suns are 10-2 since the AllStar break - including hosting the Nuggets on Saturday.

But the Suns must also face the Thunder and finish the season against the Spurs. Popovich, however, will give serious thought to playing his stars in the final game even if the No. 1 seed is still on the line, especially after Ginobili got hurt in that very same situation last season. -AP

Bradley keys Celtics win over New Jersey Nets

Pakistan’s wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed reacts as Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal plays a shot during their Asia Cup final cricket match in Dhaka, , March 22, 2012. (AP)

BANGLADESH: Bangladesh have agreed to tour Pakistan for two matches later this month, the first full internationals in the country since March 2009 when Sri Lankan cricketers and officials were attacked by gunmen in Lahore. Foreign teams have shunned Pakistan since the attack, which killed six Pakistani policemen, meaning they have had to play their “home” matches at neutral venues.

Several Sri Lankan players were also wounded in the incident, which also led to matches at the 2011 World Cup being taken away from Pakistan.

As part of the short tour, Bangladesh will play one one-day international on April 29 and one Twenty20 international the next day in Lahore, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement on Sunday.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf thanked the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the government for their support for the tour.

“Since last year we have been trying our best to convince international teams to tour Pakistan. This tour by Bangladesh should eventually help us convince other boards that it is safe to play in Pakistan,” Ashraf told

Reuters. “The situation has gradually improved in Pakistan and we will provide the best security arrangements for the Bangladesh team with the cooperation of the government. The tour is of great importance to us.”

The ICC board has asked the PCB to immediately provide a comprehensive security plan. The ICC Anti Corruption and Security Unit will then commission a localised risk assessment to determine if the officials and staff are appropriately protected by the proposed security plan. Last month, cricket’s world governing body said it may waive its requirement for neutral match officials if the proposed series went ahead.

Under the ICC’s standard playing conditions for ODIs, one of the two on-field umpires and the match referee must be drawn from countries not taking part in a match.

“The public of Pakistan have been deprived of cricket and we felt that we needed to support them,” BCB president Mustafa Kamal was quoted as saying in the statement. “The reception we received when we toured Lahore and Karachi on our security visit was overwhelming.” -Reuters

NEWARK: Avery Bradley hit three straight 3-pointers and scored 11 of his 18 points in a game-deciding third quarter as the surging Boston Celtics defeated the New Jersey Nets 94-82 Saturday night.

Kevin Garnett had 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Celtics, who have won 10 of 13, and 20 of 28 to take over first place in the Atlantic Division.

Rajon Rondo added 15 assists, Brandon Bass had 18 points and Paul Pierce 17 for Boston, which limited New Jersey to 34 second-half points in beating the Nets for the third time in three games this season.

Gerald Green had 15 points to lead New Jersey, while rookie Jordan Williams had 12 points and career-best 14 rebounds in recording his first doubledouble.

Deron Williams had 12 points and 14 assists for the Nets, who had won six of their last nine in their best run of the season. MarShon Brooks added 13 points.

New Jersey was in position to add another win after tying the game at 48-all on a buzzer beater by Green at halftime.

The second half, however, was all Boston, much to the delight of the many green-clad fans in the sellout crowd of 18,711.

The third quarter decided the game

with the Celtics outscoring New Jersey 26-13. Bradley was the catalyst in a late 13-4 spurt in which he hit three straight 3s from the right corner, inches from the Nets’ bench.

New Jersey made 6 of 25 shots in the third quarter and didn’t do much better in the fourth, scoring one basket in the opening 4 minutes as the Celtics led by 17 points. -AP

Boston Celtics’ Kevin Garnett (5) tries to control the ball during an NBA basketball game against the New Jersey Nets in Newark, N.J., April 14, 2012. (AP)

MONday, april 16, 2012

SPORTS

Sports Editors Highlight MONTE CARLO: Former world number three Ivan Ljubicic retired from professional tennis with a whimper after he lost 6-0 6-3 to Ivan Dodig in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday. The 33-year-old Croatian, a Monaco resident, fell into his chair in tears after the defeat while the sparse crowd granted him a standing ovation. He was gifted a special award from ATP boss Brad Drewett and tournament director Zeljko Franulovic during a post-match ceremony on court.

Known for his ability to play on all surfaces, Ljubicic had his best year in 2005 when he reached two Masters series event finals and won the Davis Cup. He was ranked at three in 2006. -Reuters

Football

Brandao gives Marseille All eyes on Real as Bayern concede title race third straight League Cup

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (center) battles for the ball with Sporting Gijon’s defenders during their Spanish First Division soccer match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium, April 14, 2012.

(Reuters)

MADRID: Bayern Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger has said the focus is now on Real Madrid in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final as the Bavarians have thrown in the towel on the Bundesliga title race.

“Now we have to concentrate on Tuesday,” said the Germany star, who is working his way back to fitness after damaging ankle ligaments.

“It’s all or nothing on Tuesday. We have to go to the limits and beyond, but we can do it with our fans behind us. It won’t be easy, and it comes down to mental strength. I hope we show that mentality which is a Bayern trademark.”

Bayern’s goalless draw at home to Mainz on Saturday left them eight points behind defending champions Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga with three matches left.

“Regardless of the result (against Mainz), the cham-

pionship has been decided,” said Bayern’s director of sport Christian Nerlinger, whose team face Dortmund in the German Cup final in Berlin on May 12. “Our focus now is on the Champions League and the German Cup.” With Munich’s Allianz Arena hosting this year’s final on May 19, Bayern are bidding to become the first team to lift the Champions League title in their own stadium.

Inter Milan were the last team to lift the European Cup, under the tournaments previous guise, on their own ground when they beat Benfica 1-0 in the 1965 final at the San Siro.

Spanish league leaders Real warmed up for the trip to Munich with a 3-1 win at home to Sporting Gijon, second from bottom in La Liga, which saw Cristiano Ronaldo score his 41st goal of the season. -AFP

PARIS: An extra-time goal by substitute Brandao gave Marseille a 1-0 win over Lyon at Stade de France on Saturday that allowed them to claim the French League Cup for a record third successive season.

The Brazilian beat Hugo Lloris with a low shot in the 105th minute to settle a low-quality encounter and end a desperate run of form that had seen Marseille go 12 games without victory in all competitions. “It’s our sixth title in three years,” said OM coach Didier Deschamps, who has faced criticism from his club’s fans in recent weeks.

“That’s an average of two per year, for a club that hadn’t won anything in 17 years. It’s to the players’ credit. I also want to thank the technical staff and the medical staff. It’s a great source of pride for me. It doesn’t change the analysis of our season -- which hasn’t been good in the league -- but it’s a title and no-one can take that away from us.”

Having slumped to ninth in Ligue 1 and been swept out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich, victory over OL means Deschamps’ side can at least look forward to Europa League football next season.

Lyon’s four-year trophy drought continues, but they will start as strong favourites when they return to Stade de France to face third-tier Quevilly in the French Cup final in two weeks’ time. “Unfortunately, we’ve already had setbacks this season, but we’ve always bounced back,” said Lyon coach Remi Garde, whose side are also bidding to chase down thirdplaced Lille in Ligue 1.

“I have faith in my squad. I’ll try to find the words so that we can come back again and achieve our objectives.

We want that third place and we’ll be there.”

There was an early scare for Mar-

Olympique de Marseille’s players pose with the trophy after winning the French League Cup Final football match Lyon vs. Marseille at the Stade de France in SaintDenis, April 14, 2012. (AFP)

seille when Lisandro Lopez headed wide from an offside position but the initial exchanges were scrappy, typified by a miscued cross by Kim Kallstrom that sailed yards over the OM crossbar.

Lyon played narrowly, and invited Marseille to attack them, but the holders’ forward forays lacked penetration and at times the game’s tempo brought to mind an exhibition match.

Half-time arrived without either goalkeeping having been tested, although Anthony Reveillere had to be alert to thwart Loic Remy as he strode into the Lyon area in the 39th minute.

The capacity crowd had to wait until the hour for a shot on target, but Bafetimbi Gomis’ header was straight at

Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and again, the assistant referee’s flag was raised.

It stung Marseille into action and in the 65th minute Morgan Amalfitano came close to making the breakthrough when his header from Mathieu Valbuena’s left-wing cross was touched onto the post by Lloris.

The stadium came to life but the excitement was to prove short-lived as the play quickly regained the disjointed, soporific quality that had characterized the first period.

Lyon’s dejection was completed by a second yellow card shown to centre-back Dejan Lovren, apparently for dissent, in the closing stages. -AFP

Footballer death brings medical testing into focus

Gladbach closer to Champions League berth BERLIN: Borussia Moenchengladbach took a step closer to the Champions League on Sunday with a 3-0 home win over Cologne, who are heading towards a German league relegation play-off.

Goals by Venezuela striker Juan Arango, attacking midfielder Marco Reus and defender Tony Jantschke gave Gladbach their first Bundesliga win in six games, while Cologne suffered their fifth defeat in six league games.

With only three matches left, Gladbach remain fourth, seven points clear of fifth-placed VfB Stuttgart, and they will be able to book a place in the Champions League qualifying rounds if they hold their place.

They are just a point behind Schalke and third place in the Bundesliga means an automatic Champions League berth. In contrast, defeat leaves Cologne 16th and heading for a relegation play-off at the end of the season against the team that finish third in Germany’s second division.

Freiburg, who have pulled themselves clear of relegation danger, follow at the end of the month, before Cologne finish their season at home to Bavarian giants Bayern Munich on May 5.

Both Gladbach and Cologne are set to lose their star players at the end of the season, with Reus set to leave Gladach for defending champions Borussia Dort-

mund and Cologne’s Germany star Lukas Podolski tipped to join Arsenal.

Dortmund can cement their place as German league champions on Saturday if they beat Gladbach at home, after a 2-1 victory at Schalke left them eight points clear at the top of the table.

With second-placed Bayern being held to a goalless draw at home to Mainz on Saturday night, the Bavarians now have only a wafer-thin chance of denying Dortmund a second consecutive title.

“It feels good, but no, nothing has been decided yet,” insisted Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp, whose team set a new Bundesliga record of 25 games without defeat in a single season.

Kaiserslautern have no more than a mathematical chance of avoiding relegation after they were beaten 2-0 at home by Nuremberg, which kept them nine points from safety at the bottom of the table.

Ten-man Hertha Berlin remain second from bottom despite picking up a point in a dramatic 3-3 draw at Bayer Leverkusen, after they scored three goals in 15 second-half minutes.

Augsburg look to have escaped relegation after they poached a 2-1 win at 2009 champions Wolfsburg, which leaves them four points ahead of Cologne and the relegation places. -AFP

Tevez thanks team-mates for support LONDON: Carlos Tevez on Sunday thanked everybody at Manchester City for welcoming him back after a turbulent period of the season that saw him absent for several months.

The 28-year-old Argentina striker scored a hattrick in Saturday’s 6-1 hammering of Norwich City, leaving many to wonder what would have happened had he not fallen out with manager Roberto Mancini in September’s Champions League group match at Bayern Munich.

Tevez, who has scored four times since ending his exile, which saw him spend a long time in his native Argentina, said that coming back had not been easy for him.

“It wasn’t easy, coming back to training,” Tevez told City TV. “I want to say thank you to my colleagues for all the support they have given me since I arrived.”

Tevez said that the golf swing celebration he

produced when he completed his hat-trick indicated that he felt the split between him and the club was firmly behind them.

“It was an important goal, not just for me but it was important for the people, for the club and for the fans, for my colleagues, for Roberto,” said Tevez, who was filmed playing golf while he was in Argentina.

“We all went through some difficult times.

That’s why I celebrated the way I did because I have my feet on the floor and I am happy for everyone.”

Tevez, unlike Mancini, insisted that City could overtake his former side Manchester United and win their first league title since 1968.

“Of course we can still win the title,” said Tevez. “Obviously we have to put pressure on United.

We just need to continue to play the way we are and we will arrive at the top. Mathematically it’s not impossible.” -AFP

A moment of silence for Italian footballer Piermario Morosini before Toronto FC plays Chivas USA during MLS action at BMO Field, April 14, 2012. (AFP)

ITALY: After Fabrice Muamba collapsed and almost died while playing for BoltonWanderers a month ago, there were renewed calls for more stringent medical checks for professional athletes.

Those calls are only set to increase following the death of Italian footballer Piermario Morosini aged just 25 on Saturday after he suffered a heart-attack while playing for Livorno against Pescara.

There have been several high-profile cases of players dying while playing what is not just a sport but a form of entertainment.

Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe is the most high-profile casualty, collapsing during the Confederations Cup in 2003.

Ex-Spain defender Antonio Puerta and former Scotland international Phil O’Donnell died just four months apart in 2007.

In 2004, then Hungary international Miklos Feher and Brazilian defender Serginho both collapsed and died on a pitch.

While rare, such cases receive huge publicity due to the popularity and profile of football. And as ever with such tragedies there are calls to improve health and safety at sports events.

Such advancements happened after boxers Michael Watson, in 1991, and Gerald McClellan, four years later, were left paralyzed after suffering blood clots on their brains during title fights.

The calls for a health and safety review will be made in Italy now but this is a country where such things are already taken very seriously.

Back in 1969 forward Giuliano Taccola died of heart failure in the Cagliari dressing room while Perugia striker Renato Curi died of a heart-attack during a match against Juventus in 1977.

Italy learnt from those incidents and currently employs compulsory cardiac screening for young athletes in organised sport.

An adult cannot even join his local martial arts or boxing club without first getting a medical check-up.

Already back in 1989 the Italians were prepared for such eventualities as ex-international Lionello Manfredonia recounts.

He suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch in 1989 when playing for Roma against Bologna, an episode that ended his career.

“Professional sportsmen are always monitored, for Morosini it was a sad destiny,” said Manfredonia. “I remember my illness, there was an ambulance in the stadium and I was lucky enough to be saved, whereas Morosini didn’t have the same luck, although it seems to me that he didn’t have enough time. I was watching the game because I like Pescara and it was a similar episode to mine. I don’t know exactly what happened to me, they said it was an infarction but further tests

didn’t confirm that. Six months later I no longer had my playing license and maybe that was for the best.”

In October last year when AC Milan’s Antonio Cassano complained of feeling ill after a match against Roma, he was immediately taken to hospital and underwent tests over several days. It was discovered he’d suffered a minor stroke due to a heart defect.

He had heart surgery and spent months recovering before he was finally given the all clear to resume playing earlier this month.

But that wasn’t until he had passed a number of checks to demonstrate he was fit to undertake rigorous physical exercise that his license was restored.

Morosini’s youth team coach at Atalanta claimed there had never been any signs of a problem during the player’s formative years.

“There was never the slightest problem in the medical tests he took,” said Mino Favini. “We’re obliged to make annual controls and verifications and he never had a problem.”

However, the Minister for Tourism and Sport Piero Gnudi said more still needs to be done. “The recent repetition of this type of dramatic event must alert us to the need to do everything possible to guarantee accurate and frequent medical controls to limit in every way the possibility that similar episodes happen again,” he said. -AFP