April 3. 2012

TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

@alwatandaily

Issue No. 1393

20 PAGES

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Syria agrees to April 10 peace plan deadline

• Russia urges Al-Assad to start troop pullout, rejects deadline • Violence continues to rage despite diplomacy CAPITALS: Syria has agreed to a April 10 deadline to begin implementing a six-point peace plan, UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has said, according to diplomats. The plan calls for a UNsupervised ceasefire by all parties, withdrawal of soldiers and heavy weapons from cities, and delivery of humanitarian aid. Annan was briefing the UN Security Council in closed session.

On Monday, more than 70 countries, including the United States, pledged to send millions of dollars and communications equipment to opposition groups inside Syria, signaling a growing belief that diplomacy and sanctions alone will not end the repression and push Syrian President Bashar AlAssad from power. Participants at an international diplomatic conference in Istanbul on Sunday said

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are creating a fund to pay Syrian rebels fighters known as the Free Syrian Army and soldiers who defect from the regime. One delegate described the fund as a “pot of gold” to undermine Al-Assad’s army.

Participants confirmed the Gulf plan on condition of anonymity because details were still being worked out. One said the fund would involve several million dollars a month. It is said to be earmarked for salaries, but it was not clear whether there would be any effort to prevent the money from being used to buy arms, an issue that could prompt stronger accusations of military meddling.

Anti-regime activists inside Syria welcomed the news, while worrying that the aid would be too little, too late. “This is what we have been asking

Its attacks on opposition areas have continued unabated. The opposition has also rejected dialogue with the regime, saying it has killed too many people to be part of a solution to the crisis.

While international condemnation of Al-Assad’s crackdown has grown, Russia and China have stood by Al-Assad, twice protecting his regime from censure by the UN Security Council. Neither country accepted invitations to Sunday’s conference, dubbed “Friends of the Syrian People.” Syria blasted the conference, saying in an editorial in the state-run Al-Baath newspaper that the conference sought to “blow up and derail” Annan’s mission.

Russia on Monday rejected Arab and Western calls for a deadline to be set for the Syrian regime’s implementation of the peace plan put forward by

Annan. “Ultimatums and artificial deadlines rarely help matters,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said while on a visit to the former Soviet nation of Armenia. Lavrov added that only the UN Security Council on which Russia wields veto power could put any time restrictions on Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s compliance with the six-point initiative.

“Annan has a Security Council mandate and it is up to the UN Security Council to decide who is complying with this plan and how,” he said. The so-called “Friends of Syria” meeting of Arab and Western nations in Istanbul agreed this weekend to ask the United Nations to give Al-Assad a deadline to cooperate with Annan’s solution to the year-long CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 conflict.

Majority bloc postpones interpellation motions

Euro unemployment spikes to record 10.8%

LONDON: The number of people looking for work in the 17 countries that use the euro hit its highest level since the currency was introduced back in 1999, official figures showed Monday, adding to fears that the region is in recession. Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics office, said unemployment in the eurozone rose to 10.8 percent in February from 10.7 percent the previous month.

The number of unemployed totaled 17.1 million, nearly 1.5 million higher than the same month a year ago. Of the 17 countries in the eurozone, seven countries had unemployment rates of above 10 percent. The figures stand in marked contrast to the US - with an unemployment rate of 8.3 percent - which has recorded solid increases in the number of people finding work over the past few months. The eighth straight month of rising unemployment will likely reinforce concerns that the eurozone is in recession just as many countries pursue austerity measures to get a handle on their More on 10 crippling debt loads.

for, but if they had decided to do this months ago, we could have avoided a large number of martyrs,” said Fadi Al-Yassin from the northern province of Idlib. “We know that there is no way to topple the regime without force.”

As the joint UN-Arab League envoy,Annan has been pushing a six-point plan to end the country’s crisis that includes an immediate daily two-hour halt to fighting so aid can reach suffering civilians.

It also calls for an overall cease-fire so all parties can discuss a political solution.

Annan is scheduled to brief the UN Security Council in New York on his progress Monday.

The Syrian government has said it accepts his plan while rejecting some of the steps it requires, like withdrawing its troops from towns and cities.

Staff Writers

KUWAIT: A number of lawmakers within the majority bloc reversed their plans to file interpellation motions that aim at questioning the ministers of Awqaf, Interior and Finance.

The interpellations were to be submitted during the month of April.

A parliamentary source stated that the Member of Parliaments (MPs), who were planning to submit their motions, gave the government and the concerned ministers a grace period until the end of the month in order to address the issues they have raised, which include the resignation of the Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali.

The source further indicated that a group

of moderate and veteran lawmakers swiftly moved to defuse tension over a range of contentious issues, such as the burning of the Iranian flag and the monitoring of Shiite’s places of worship. These MPs have expressed concerns over the Parliament’s plunge in a predicament that can undermine national unity, amid warnings by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah against rivalry and call for unity to avert unrest.

It has been agreed that the majority bloc will focus on issues of consensus that serve the best interest of the country and help foster unity among members of the bloc. Additionally, they will desist from controversial issues and work toward filling any legislative shortMore on 2 falls.

Afghan market bombs injure 24, mostly children

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Mali sanctions loom, rebels seize north

Police officers stand near the tailplane of a French-Italian made ATR-72 passenger plane of private Russian airline UTair, at the plane crash site, some 45 km, from the western Siberian city of Tyumen. (AFP) More on 5

Sandler sets worst-movie record with Razzies sweep

Kony 2012 sequel out today

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JOHANNESBURG: The activist group behind the Kony 2012 viral video has said it will launch a sequel on Tuesday (today). The California-based group Invisible Children promised that its new film would give more details and context than the first, which urged grassroots campaigners to pressure politicians and the military to hunt the notorious Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony.

The half-hour film broke records with more than 100 million views in less than a week, but provoked fierce debate and criticism over its slick style and simplification of the issues. It caused anger in northern Uganda, where a public screening descended into scuffles and stone-throwing.

Jedidiah Jenkins, Invisible Children’s director of ideology, told Reuters a Kony 2012 Part II video was expected to be released on Tuesday. It had been designed for an international audience with more details on Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and more voices from the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the LRA was currently based, he said. Kony 2012 was accused of implying that the warlord was still menacing Uganda. The sequel would also include an update about the “Cover the Night” awareness-raising events scheduled for 20 April, according to a blogpost by Invisible Children.

Around 40 film directors, producers and actors - including the Law and Order actor Sam Waterston, Star Trek’s Zachary Quinto and The Usual Suspects director, Bryan Singer - gathered in the home of the Independence Day director, Roland Emmerich, on Saturday evening for the dinner party, according to the Reuters news agency.

Moreno-Ocampo introduced attendees to Jenkins and encouraged them to support online video activism. “Their video is making a huge change in stopping Joseph Kony, I believe.”

In an interview, the prosecutor said: “The Invisible Children movie is adding social interest that institutions need to achieve results. Invisible Children will, I think, produce the arrest of Joseph Kony this year.” -Agencies

BAMAKO: West African leaders will decide on Monday whether to impose sanctions on Mali after leaders of a military coup said they would return power to civilians in a bid to avert diplomatic and economic isolation.

A 72-hour deadline, set by West African bloc ECOWAS, for soldiers to start returning to barracks expired overnight as northern separatist rebels said they had completed a lightning push south, seizing three regional capitals in as many days as Mali’s army units retreated.

A senior ECOWAS official accused the junta of “buying time” with the promises but said a decision over sanctions would only be taken at a summit held on Dakar on Monday on the sidelines of the swearing-in of Senegal’s new president, Macky Sall.

Last month’s coup, weeks before President Amadou Toumani Toure was due to step down for elections, shattered the international reputation of stability and democracy that Africa’s No. 3 gold producer had previously enjoyed.

The push by rebels, whose ranks were swelled by fighters returning from the Libyan conflict, has also deepened

insecurity across the Sahara-Sahel band, already awash with Islamists, traffickers and bandits. France and Britain have advised their citizens to leave the country due to the insecurity.

“Captain Amadou Sanogo and his group are just buying time,” Remi Ajibewa, head of political affairs and international cooperation at ECOWAS, told Reuters after the coup leader pledged to reinstate the constitution and all state institutions before holding an election.

“Apart from announcing the restoration of the 1992 Constitution they have not set out any timetable to hand over power to a democratically elected government in Mali,” he added.

ECOWAS has threatened the closure of trade borders, diplomatic isolation and a freeze in funding from the regional central bank. However there was no sign early on Monday of moves to implement the measures.

The threat of sanctions underlines how seriously Mali’s neighbors take a coup which they fear could trigger similar attempts in their own countries which have been blighted by decades of civil war and power grabs. -Reuters

Jewelry industry workers shout anti-government slogans as they urge the government to roll back a spate of taxes introduced on jewelry products including higher excise duties at a rally in New Delhi, India, Monday, April 2, 2012. The placard reads: “Roll back excise duty.” (AP)

Egypt’s Coptic church to boycott constitutional panel

CAIRO: Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox church has decided to boycott a Islamistdominated panel charged with drafting the future constitution, the official MENA news agency reported on Monday.

The official MENA news agency reported that the decision was taken unanimously by the 20 members of the Holy Synod to remove the two church officials who sit on the committee.

The church “considers it inappropriate to continue to be represented given the reservations of various political forces on how the constitutional commission was composed,” the report said.

The commission comprises of 100

members selected by the parliament, but is mainly made up of members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi fundamentalists who also are the majority among lawmakers.

Several parties and secular figures in recent days have withdrawn from the panel, saying their presence was used only as a collateral for the Islamists to draft a basic law that reflects their political-religious ideologies. Al-Azhar, the key reference institution in Sunni Islam, also announced its withdrawal, distancing its ideology of moderate Islam from that of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi funMore on 4 damentalists.

Skin cancer on the rise among young adults: Study

WASHINGTON: Skin cancer is on the rise among young adults; according to a US study published Monday that suggests indoor tanning beds and childhood sunburns may be to blame.

Between 1970 and 2009, the rate of melanoma among women increased eightfold and quadrupled among men, according to the research by Mayo Clinic experts who studied all medical records for a county in Minnesota over that time span.

However, death rates from melanoma fell during the same period, suggesting that early interventions may be helping to save some lives, said the researchers.

Still, lead investigator Jerry Brewer, a Mayo Clinic dermatologist, sounded the alarm about what he called a ‘dramatic rise in women in their 20s and 30s’.

“We anticipated we d find rising rates, as other studies are suggesting, but we found an even higher incidence than the National Cancer Institute had reported,” he said.

Although the current study did not focus on reasons for the increase, Brewer said other researchers have found that people who use indoor tanning beds are 74 percent more likely to get melanoma than non-tanners.

Jennifer Stein, a dermatologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, agreed that indoor tanning beds are a likely culprit. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

People at the highest risk are those with light hair and green or More on 15 blue eyes.

An artist impression released by the SPDO show SKA mid frequency aperture arrays of the future Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope. South African science minister Naledi Pandor said last week she remains confident on her country’s bid to host the world’s most powerful radio telescope, ahead of a crucial meeting on April 3, 2012. Scientists hope the Square Kilometer Array, or SKA, will shed new light on fundamental questions about the universe, including how it began, why it is expanding and whether it contains life beyond our planet. (AFP)

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ALWATAN DAILY

kuwait

tuesDAY, april 3, 2012

Amir receives Warba Bank’s Chairman, Board members KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah received on Monday at Sief Palace Chairman and Managing Director of Warba Bank Jassar Dakheel AlJassar and members of the Board of Directors. Al-Jassar and members of his delegation briefed the Amir about the most important achievements at this stage and future plans of the bank.

HH the Amir praised efforts of the bank’s personnel and wished them continued success. The meeting was attended by Advisor at the Amiri Diwan Mohammad Dhaifallah Sharar. After the meeting, Al-Jassar said in a statement that he had the honor to meet HH the Amir, adding that Warba Bank is just the product of the fruitful cooperation between the parliament and the government.

Al-Jassar added that 75 percent of the bank’s shares have been distributed equally to all the Kuwaiti people, pointing out that “The Amir directed us to put interest of Kuwaiti people as a priority”.

Meanwhile, the Amir is to sponsor and attend the ceremony to honor the members of the Constituent Constitutional Council and the organizers of the National Operetta “Protector of the Constitution”, on Tuesday. The ceremony is to be held at 10:30 A.M. at Bayan Palace theatre. -KUNA

Al-Milaifi’s sentence to be issued on Monday

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah received on Monday, April 2, 2012 at Sief Palace Chairman and Managing Director of Warba Bank Jassar Dakheel Al-Jassar and members of the Board of Directors. (KUNA)

Majority bloc postpones interpellation motions Mohammed Al-Salman, Mohammed Al-Khaldi, Osama Al-Qatari and Ahmed Al-Shemmari

KUWAIT: A number of lawmakers within the majority bloc reversed their plans to file interpellation motions that aim at questioning the ministers of Awqaf, Interior and Finance. The interpellations were to be submitted during the month of April.

A parliamentary source stated that the Member of Parliaments (MPs), who were planning to submit their motions, gave the government and the concerned ministers a grace period until the end of the month in order to address the issues they have raised, which include the resignation of the Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali.

The source further indicated that a group of moderate and veteran lawmakers swiftly moved to defuse tension over a range of contentious issues, such as the burning of the Iranian flag and the monitoring of Shiite’s places of worship. These MPs have expressed concerns over the Parliament’s plunge in a predicament that can undermine national unity, amid warnings

by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah against rivalry and call for unity to avert unrest.

It has been agreed that the majority bloc will focus on issues of consensus that serve the best interest of the country and help foster unity among members of the bloc. Additionally, they will desist from controversial issues and work toward filling any legislative shortfalls.

Moreover, the source pointed out that the bulk majority of the bloc do not entertain any views that can incite tension.

In this context, MP Badr Al-Dahoum asserted that each and every MP is entitled to question any minister who does not fulfill their obligations, but stressed that there should be coordination with the majority bloc. Regarding the Justice Bloc’s intention to interpolate the Minister of Awqaf Jamal Shehab, the MP said that the bloc reserves the right to file an interpellation motion.

He however noted that the Justice Bloc is committed to considering the standpoint of the majority.

For his part, the Chairman of the Interior and Defense Committee MP Nayef Al-Medras asserted that the MPs condemn any abusive action against Nahar Al-Hajeri, a Kuwaiti national accused of burning the Iranian flag. He noted that captured images as well as eye witness corroborate this version. “Tehran did not take strong action

Room view of Parliament meeting on Saturday, March 31, 2012. (Al Watan)

when our diplomats were attacked there,” the MP argued. He therefore urged the release of the citizen, saying that there have been no charges against him.

In the meantime, MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaie hinted that he may file an interpellation against the Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah for the backdrop of the detention of Al-Hajeri.

The Development and Reform Bloc spokesperson Dr. Faisal Al-Mislem stated that Al-Tabtabaie remains an active member of the Development Bloc, adding that the latter has proposed the interpellation to the bloc. Al-Mislem further disclosed that the bloc met on Monday to discuss the matter. “The message we want to relay is that the minister of interior and the government have to understand the meaning of human freedom ...We don’t interfere in the investigation process, but remand measures have become a disciplinary detention or retaliatory at times,’ the outspoken lawmaker was quoted as saying.

Al-Milslem further asked, “Is Iran a hostile country or not? It was Iran that sent spy networks and was indicted by the courts for being involved in espionage. However we do urge youth not to violate the law.”

In the same vein, MP Khaled Shukhair stated that burning the flag was collectively committed and was not an individual act, adding that this raises questions about the detention of Al-Hajeri for 21 days pending investigations.

The MP cautioned the interior minister against changing the case to a felony, since the accused person only exercised his free-

dom of expression and he should therefore be immediately released.

With regards to the interpellation that MP Hussein Al-Qallafs submitted against the Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, which has been included in Parliament’s April 10 agenda, the minister stressed that he will deal with the motion in accordance with the Parliament’s Standing Order.

Minister Al-Mubarak made the comments as he emerged from a meeting with members of the Parliament’s Education Committee to discuss the extent to which his ministry has been reinforcing the AudioVisual law. In the meantime, the committee rapporteur Badr Al-Dahoum affirmed that the minister has demonstrated cooperation with the committee on the issue. “We are for the application of law, particularly since certain media houses have not adhered to the provisions of the law,” the MP remarked.

In another development, MP Faisal AlMislem stated that the investigation committee concerned with the alleged illicit financial transfers and multimillion issue has listened to the testimony of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait Sheikh Salem Abdul-Aziz Al-Sabah. The lawmaker praised the former CBK Governor’s sense of transparency and clarity.

The MP further revealed that the committee extended invitations to a number of officials for the same purpose, adding that the committee will meet the former Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah on Sunday.

Information Minister says will deal with grilling motion according to parliament’s bylaw KUWAIT: Information Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah said here on Monday that he would deal with the grilling motion submitted by one of the Members of Parliament (MPs) according to parliament’s bylaw, without deviating from its framework.

This came in a press statement by the Minister after attending a meeting of the Committee on Education, Culture and Guidance in response to a parliamentary question on the motion submitted to him from MP Hussein Al-Qallaf.

He said that attending this meeting “Was based on my desire, which blended with the views of committee members who are assigned by the House to discuss the extent of the Ministry of Information’s adherence to the implementation of the Audio-Visual law.”

He said he was keen to deal transparently with the parliament’s various committees, expressing his willingness to attend all relevant meetings. -KUNA

KD 46 million to erect three bridges on Jahra Road Mervat Abdul Dayem Staff Writer

Staff Writers

Photo of Information Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah (right) during a recent Parliament session held March 29, 2012. (Al Watan)

KUWAIT: Criminal Court said in a released statement on Monday that it adjourned the sentence of Mohammad Al-Milaifi to Monday. AlMilaifi was accused of releasing false news on the internal circumstances in Kuwait, which include ethnic and religious conflicts amongst the members of society, in addition to accusing some Kuwaiti people of being loyal to other countries than Kuwait. Al-Milaifi is facing another accusation of scolding the Shiite doctrine and its rituals as well as describing an MP that he belongs to Iraqi origin. On his part, Al-Milaifi denied all those accusations and described what he has published on his special account on Twitter as an analysis to the electoral process on the first electoral constituency. Al-Milaifi was released by bail three weeks ago and said that the sentence will be an important one in terms of Kuwait political and democratic history, adding that he suffered too much from being summoned to the court every now and then in addition to detaining him for about 40 days

by State Security Department just because he expressed his opinion and analyzed the electoral process.

KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Planning and Development Affairs Fadhel Safar signed a contract concerning the construction and maintenance of roads and intersections at Jahra Road with a total cost of 45.797 million Kuwaiti dinars. The contract includes the erection of three bridges, developing the main road, adding two lanes to the existing six lane road, and paving the way for a two lane services road on each side.

He also signed a contract to setup, operate and maintain the control and supervision center for Kuwait’s sewage network with a total cost of KD 16.385 million. This project includes constructing three administrative buildings over a 110,000 square-meters piece of land.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Works Assistant Undersecretary for the Roads Sector Saoud Al-Naqi announced that there will be temporary developments regarding the Fourth Ring Road. He also revealed that this project is being designed and will be executed during this year. He explained that the Fourth Ring Road is challenging to be developed, due

to its narrowness. He added that there are weekly meetings held by the committee that consists of the ministries of Interior and Public Works, in addition to Kuwait Municipality and Kuwait University, in order to find temporary solutions to overcome traffic congestions until road development can be executed on a wider scale. He revealed that the traffic congestion issue will be solved by 80 percent through the execution of the current projects, and noted that the total budget for executing road projects during the coming five years is four billion dinars. He elaborated by saying that the first phase of development includes constructing some intersections to overcome traffic congestion, such as the Fahaheel and Fourth Ring Road intersection, and the Fifth Ring Road and Airport Road.

Moreover, he stated that the projects that should be executed soon include the development of Damascus, Second and Third Ring Roads, where most traffic lights will be replaced with bridges. He added that after the First Ring Road project is completed, the traffic congestion in Kuwait City will be mild. He also explained that many drivers are forced to drive into Kuwait City to reach other areas, and revealed that Kuwait City will have multiple entries.

Public Prosecutor toughens charges against citizen accused of slandering Prophet Mohammed

Photo of protesters holding banners during demonstration held in objection to the slandering of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), his wives, and his companions on Wednesday, March 28, 2012. (Al Watan)

Lawyers call for release of suspect accused of burning Iranian flag Compiled by Al Watan Daily

KUWAIT: Regarding the latest developments concerning the Shiite citizen accused of slandering Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), his wives, and his companions, the Public Prosecutor toughened the charges from misdemeanor to felony. It is worth noting that the expected penalty for such a crime is execution.

The suspect is still in custody.

Lawyers Dowaim Al-Muweiziri and Adel Abdul Hadi filed a complaint against the suspect, and asked the prosecutor to toughen the charges, since this is a State Security crime, which stipulates capital punishment. The prosecutor approved the complaint and toughened the charges.

The Shiite, identified in media reports as Hamad Al-Naqi, was in custody pending further investigation amid frenzy of condemnation by Sunni preachers and MPs, some of them demanding the death penalty for the man.

Shiite MPs also condemned the alleged insults.

The suspect is accused of contempt for religion and prophets. The lawyers called for the execution of the suspect, in order to set an example to others.

In more detail, following the slandering of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), his wives, and his companions, a protest was staged on Wednesday

night by Sunni activists and several MPs a day after authorities arrested the Shiite alleged to have made remarks on the micro-blogging Web site Twitter that were deemed offensive to the Prophet, his wife Aisha and some companions. As a result, Nahar Al-Hajeri was arrested for allegedly burning the Iranian Flag in protest during the demonstrations held.

Dozens of activists led by Sunni Islamist MPs gathered outside the offices of the secret service police where Al-Hajeri had been detained, demanding his release.

Concerning Al-Hajiri who is accused of burning Iranian flag, his lawyers called for his release, and expressed their dismay for not being able to meet with the manager of the General Investigations Department to explain their case. They added that the suspect does not deserve to be detained, which prompted him to begin a hunger strike that led to the deterioration of his health.

It is worth noting that the lawyers headed to the Central Prison to meet their client, but were shocked when their request was declined because they had no official authorization. The lawyers explained that they have verbal authorization from the detainee, and wondered how a detained suspect can issue official authorization papers.

In addition, there are daily sit-ins held at the State Security building to support the suspect. Sectarian tensions have flared in Kuwait between the Sunni majority and Shiites, who form about a third of the native population of 1.17 million, reflecting rising regional tensions between the two Islamic sects.

ALWATAN DAILY

KUWAIT

TUESdAY, april 3, 2012

Food bylaw receives nod: Municipality Council Shabeeb Al-Ajmi Staff Writer

KUWAIT: The Municipality Council has approved in its last meeting, held Monday, the new Food Bylaw and subsequent clauses.

The Municipality Council has also refused to license a memorial planned to be set up in the middle of the Determination Square. Furthermore, several applications were returned to different departments as they were incomplete and fell short from meeting the requirements.

As for the development plans projects, the Municipality Council has approved on the benefit of several ministries and state departments.

Monday’s meeting began by voting over the Food Bylaw. Vice-President Jassar Al-Jassar urged the members to finalize the issue as previously the issue was not completed. The vote was specific on Articles 33 to 41.

Municipality Council member Mohammed Al-Hadya asked that the matter would be referred to the Legal and Financial Committees for further discussion including needed amendments, but such suggestion was rejected by the rest of the members.

Al-Jassar replied that the issue had been postponed enough and that it was time to be finalized once and for all. The Council moved on to discuss Article 33 in the Council’s Bylaw which states that the General Manager has the right to issue written orders by which shops violating any of the rules and regulations can be closed down temporary or until court order gives its final ruling.

Municipality Council member Musa AlSarraf said that the closure of businesses should be based on the type of violation, adding that certain items in the rules and regulations are somewhat overlapping and this may influence

the decision.

On his part, Council member Abdullah Fahad said that the penalty and punishment should be logical and appropriate and above all executable “rather than severe, impractical penalties which cannot be applied or executed.”

On her part the Legal Advisor to the Municipal Council Wedad Al-Mikhled argued that the issue of the General Manager’s rights to issue a penalty is legally a matter of authorization rather than executing the order. “Article 33 is not a penalty per se but discusses punishment and thus the issue is purely precautionary. I believe that the General Manager should maintain and exercise such rights,” she remarked.

Al-Mikhled went on to say that the penalty should not severe at once and that she favors a gradual punishment.

The Municipality Council agreed to cancel

Parliamentary committee for housing affairs approves amending housing law

The Parliamentary Committee for Housing Affairs are seen during meeting held on Monday, April 2, 2012. (KUNA)

KUWAIT: The Parliamentary Committee for Housing Affairs approved a housing draft law that was submitted by the Cabinet recently for the purpose of amending certain items of the Public Authority for Housing Welfare law no. 47/1993. The draft was then referred to the National Assembly.

The Head of the committee Ahmad Mutee pointed out that the amendment included an item which stipulates that the authority has the right to buy public build-

ings, houses and apartments; as such step contributes in facilitating housing projects and meeting the rapid increase of housing requests.

He added saying that the committee discussed the municipality’s rejection to providing licenses in Sabah Al-Ahmad area since it is not provided with electricity service till now. The committee asked the Minister of Municipality to solve this problem as soon as possible.

-KUNA

International Islamic Charitable Organization pursues aiding stricken Syrians Nafel Al-Humaidan Staff Writer

KUWAIT: The Head of the Relief Team of the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) Salah Al-Jarrallah affirmed that the organization feels the great suffering of the Syrian people, therefore it launched its campaign “Syria needs your help.” The campaign was supported by a donation from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah worth five million US dollars besides to collecting seven million dollars from donators.

He said in a press statement that the organization exerted all possible efforts to relief the stricken Syr-

ian emigrants, indicating that the organization has sent delegations to Jordan and Turkey to check the needs of the Syrian emigrants where it sent afterwards its relief campaigns. Al-Jarrallah noted that statistics indicate that the number of Syrian emigrants to Jordan since the start of the Syrian revolution has reached up to 93,000 where most of the emigrants are children and women. He disclosed that the campaign submitted health and educational aids besides to blankets, sheets, gas cylinders, foodstuffs and money to families in need.

The number of families who benefited from the aids is estimated to be 1,100 families. Also, the delegation visited some wounded Syrian citizens in Jordanian hospitals as well.

Article 34 in the rules and regulations but approved that all items in the Council Bylaw 35 and 41 and approved all subsequent amendments. The Council then moved to discuss a letter sent by the General Manager related to Mona BuResli in which it deals with environmental protection through the use of recycling treated water instead of disposing the water.

The issue was discarded by the Council because it stressed that such matter does not lie within its jurisdiction.

However, BuResli argued by saying that such matter is part of the major functions of the Municipality Council. She demanded that the issue would re-open for discussion.

The Municipality Council also turned down an application by the Ministry of Interior to transfer the Al-Siddiq School into a permanent Police Support Department within the Governorate of the City.

Education Ministry receives Bedoun job applications

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The Municipality Council also refused an application made by the Ministry of Finance pertaining to the eight commercial blocks. The ministry sought to redistribute the eight blocks on Abdullah Al-Ahmad Street in Al-Sharq area and make of them three blocks only each on 3,960 square meters and then to be handed to one of the local banks.

The members approved such suggestion where the Municipality Council decided that such delicate matters should be referred to the Technical Committee who in turn would provide the Council with the technical recommendations. As for a memorial in the city of Hattin, as proposed by the Ministry of Social Affairs lying on the roundabout opposite Al-Dhahiya Center, it was fully approved, but the Municipality Council added that terms and conditions related to memorials should be strictly observed and applied.

11 draft laws, amendments submitted by Ministry of Commerce to Parliament, Cabinet Tareq Orabi Staff Writer

Abdulaziz Al-Fadhli Staff Writer

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Education has started receiving on Monday applications of Bedoun (Stateless Arabs) who would like to work for it at the visitors hall in the headquarters of the ministry.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) addressed the undersecretary of the Ministry of Education saying that the electronic system made for receiving the applications of Bedoun, who hold the official census of 1965, has been working at the different government authorities since March 26.

In the meantime, the ministry rejected a number of applications requesting teaching positions for kindergarten or administrative employees.

However, the ministry has vacant positions for teaching Arabic, English, Computer, Islamic Studies and Math.

KUWAIT: Ministry of Commerce and Industry has submitted 11 draft laws and amendments to the National Assembly and Cabinet in various fields of economy and commerce. Those laws amend current laws that are part of the government’s development plan. Sources noted that the law of commercial companies tops the list of laws that will be amended, since this law is of great importance to the local market, and local and foreign companies working in it. However, this law is still being deliberated by the financial and economy committees at the National Assembly that has accomplished 50 articles of the new law.

Moreover, the ministry submitted amendments to the Fatwa and Legislation Department concerning the importation law, in addition to making amendments on the patency and industrial models laws. Those laws were approved by the financial and economy committees at the National Assembly. The ministry has also submitted amendments regarding the supervision of commodities and the determination of their prices, which are still being deliberated by the National Assembly; in addition to the electronic commerce law and the amendments of the law that governs foreign capital investments in Kuwait.

Furthermore, the ministry is considering the establishment of a public tourism authority.

Minister Al-Rujaib: Kuwait effectives participates at Arab Labor Conference KUWAIT: The Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Ahmad Al-Rujaib noted that he will spare no effort in creating an enabling environment for workers.

The minister made the remarks on the sidelines of the 39th Arab Labor Conference in Cairo, where he also noted that Kuwait’s participation enhances the concept of joint Arab action on various fronts.

He added that the State of Kuwait is extremely keen on effective engagement in all Arab, regional and international forums and conferences, particularly in relation to labor and workforce issues.

Further, Al-Rujaib underscored the importance of the regular conference being organized by the Arab Labor Organization and its positive impact on Arab labor sector.

The official equally pointed out that Kuwait takes part with representatives from the government business community and labor to discuss pertinent issues.

Responding to a question as to whether the conference will deal with the unemployment issue, the minister said, “This is one of the important matters to be addressed by the conference, given that it is a chronic issue.” -KUNA

Photo of Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Ahmad Al-Rujaib (center) during the 39th Arab Labor Conference in Cairo on Monday, April 2, 2012. (KUNA)

20 cooperative societies approve halting price hike KISR receives American

National Institute of Health delegation KUWAIT: Members of the American National Institute of Health, who are currently visiting Kuwait, have held a meeting with a number of researchers from Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) at Hayat Regency Hotel. This was announced in a press release issued Monday. During the meeting, they discussed how to fight obesity and diabetes wherein a conference in this concern will be held

FILE - A picture obtained from online shows Jabriya’s co-op society. Twenty co-ops said that they support ending price increases on products during a forum held on Sunday, April 1, 2012.

Hamed Al-Sayed Staff Writer

KUWAIT: Twenty cooperative societies voiced their support to halting price hikes during the 2nd Cooperative Societies Forum that was held in the Diwaniya of Abdullah Al-Ansari on Sunday evening.

The coordinator of the forum, the Director of Yarmouk Cooperative Society, Faisal Al-Ansari affirmed that directors of societies asked Ministry of Commerce and Industry to activate its role. The directors also plan to hold a meeting with the minister soon, wherein the minister will get acquainted on the suggestions of direc-

tors. He disclosed that the Head of Price Observation Committee will invite the directors of societies to hold a meeting in order to enforce a charter stipulates rejecting any price hike requests unless if it was referred to the, as well as approving penalizing societies that don`t adhere to the items of the charter.

On his part, the Director of Shuhada Cooperative Society Saleh Al-Qataifi asked for establishing stores for Cooperative Societies Union as such step contributes in setting aside the different commodities, adding that he supports re-restructuring the price committee and encouraging direct import to halt any monopoly attempts.

later on. Furthermore, obesity represents one of the challenges that people around the world counter therefore the relevant departments in Kuwait plan to hold a conference regarding that soon they went on to say. The conference will be organized under the supervision of KISR which will also prepare a timetable for conducting several joint researches with the American institute.

The members of KISR and the American institute are discussing some initiatives and procedures for fighting obesity in Kuwait especially since a huge number of people in Kuwait, estimated about 71 percent of the population, suffer from obesity. The plan includes preparing a detailed analytical study about the obesity phenomenon and its side effects on health.

Group Photo of members of KISR and the American National Institute of Health on Monday, April 2, 2012.

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ALWATAN DAILY

regional

Abo Ismail’s posters

By Hossam Fathi Staff Writer

KUWAIT: After the posters of Sheikh Hazem Abo Ismail invaded every inch in Egypt, one of the attendees attending his forum asked him why his friend did not find his poster on the walls of any apartment he had rent. Abo Ismail laughed, and told him that maybe this happened two hours ago, but if he looks again now, he will surely find the poster! This proves that Abo Ismail is very popular in Egypt and is highly supported by those who want to see him the president.

Abo Ismail has a strong sense of humor, but I disagree with him for remaining silent for a long time in response to the claims made about his late mother Nawal Abdul Aziz, regarding whether she is an American citizen or not. Why did it take him so much time to clarify the fact that his mother only held the Green Card?

There is nothing wrong with being an American citizen, since thousands of Egyptians were forced to leave Egypt during the past 60 years and settle elsewhere. I believe that being the citizen of another country should be an obstacle in running for presidency. hossam@alwatan.com.kw Twitter:@hossamfathy66

Iran vows to stick to nuclear ‘path’

TEHRAN: Iran declared on Monday it will not be swayed from its nuclear “path” by sanctions, a week before talks with world powers that are increasingly seen as a last chance for diplomacy in its showdown with the West.

“The sanctions may have caused us small problems but we will continue our path,” Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi vowed in an interview with the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

“We do not underestimate any enemy, no matter how tiny and lowly they are. The regime’s officials - the supreme leader, the president, the army, the (Revolutionary) Guards and Basij (militia) - are completely vigilant. And the nation is prepared to defend the achievements of Islamic Iran,” he said.

The defiant words came after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Saturday that the talks between Iran and the world powers would take place April 13 and 14 in Istanbul. She and US President Barack Obama have both publicly said that the window for diplomacy in the standoff over Iran’s nuclear program is closing.

“Our policy is one of prevention, not containment,” Clinton said in Saudi Arabia after talks with her Gulf Arab counterparts. It is up to Iran to engage in the talks “with an effort to obtain concrete results,” Clinton said.

Israel - the sole if undeclared nuclear weapons state in the Middle East - and the United States have threatened military strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities if diplomacy and sanctions fail to curb the Islamic republic’s nuclear ambitions.

The UN Security Council has imposed four sets of sanctions on Iran because of suspicions over its nuclear program, which the United States and its allies believe includes a drive to develop atomic weapons capability.

The West has imposed its own unilateral economic sanctions on Iran. But Iran’s oil minister, Rostam Qasemi, told the Mehr news agency on Monday that the West’s efforts to curb Iranian oil exports “have been a failure”.

“We have seen off what they describe as ‘rigorous sanctions’ against the oil industry,” he said.

Iran denies any military dimension to its nuclear activities. Its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called nuclear weapons a “sin”. But he has also refused to bow to sanctions, and warned Iran would retaliate in kind if attacked. Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said in an interview with the Fars news agency that Iran considered the talk of war to be a “psychological” gambit “to affect the Iranian nation, to lower the support of the people for the system.”

But, he said, “Our readiness (to ward off any threat) is at its peak. We take any threat, even those with a low probability of happening, seriously.

“If any practical action, either surgical or long-lasting, is taken, we will respond decisively.”

The talks between Iran and the P5+1 group - the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany - are seen as an opportunity to defuse the tense situation. EU officials in Brussels said that, despite Clinton’s affirmation, Istanbul had not yet been fully confirmed as the venue.-AFP

France warns pro-Palestinian activists against West Bank trip

PARIS: France urged pro-Palestinian activists, who plan to visit Bethlehem this month in solidarity for residents of the occupied West Bank, to avoid joining the operation given there was a high risk of being detained or turned back by Israeli authorities.

About 1,200 Palestinian supporters throughout Europe have bought plane tickets for the visit on April 15 to help open an international school and a museum at the request of a local organization called “Welcome to Palestine”. A similar, though smaller, operation last year led to a few hundred activists being blocked at European airports.

Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said on Monday that while Paris wanted foreigners to travel freely to the West Bank, Israel had made it clear it would not allow anybody who threatened public order to enter the country.

“France is concerned by the risk of incidents ... as part of ‘Welcome to Palestine’ operation” he said. “For this reason, we advise our citizens to not take part in this initiative given the risk of being turned away or being detained.”

The West Bank has been occupied by Israel since a war in 1967. Some 2.5 million Palestinians and about 500,000 Israelis live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Palestinians, who want to create their own state together with the Gaza Strip, object to illegal Jewish settlements, trade restrictions and scant water supply, and their limited autonomy. “Our goal is to show, unlike our politicians, there are women and men and many people in the world that are upset about this situation, that care about Palestinians,” Olivia Zemor, coordinator of the French contingent, told Reuters. “We are coming to show the world we are not prepared to give up human rights and international law,” added Zemor. -Reuters

tuesDAY, april 3, 2012

Syria agrees to April 10 peace plan deadline CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Lavrov said the peace plan would not work unless rebel forces also agreed to halt fire. “The demands should be put to all sides of the barricades,” Lavrov said.

“We intend to be friends with both sides in Syria,” he added in reference to Russia’s past support for Al-Assad. The Russian foreign ministry had earlier issued a statement saying the “Friends of Syria” meet contradicted the objective of reaching a peaceful settlement by openly siding with the opposition.

“The promises and intentions to deliver direct military and logistical support to the armed... opposition that were voiced in Istanbul unquestionably contradict the goals of a peaceful settlement to the civil conflict in Syria,” the foreign ministry statement said. Russia has been under mounting international pressure to break its Soviet-era ties with the Damascus leadership and call on Al-Assad to step down.

Moscow has in recent weeks stepped up criticism of the

Syrian strongman and accused the Damascus government of failing to follow Russia’s advice on ways out of the conflict.

Yet it has also accused the West of breaking international law by issuing unilateral calls for Assad’s ouster.

Lavrov said Monday that the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) that the Istanbul meeting recognized as the “legitimate representative” of all Syrians reflected the views of only a fraction of the country’s people.

“When decisions are made to call one group the legitimate representatives of the Syrian people, one might jump to the conclusion that the other Syrians - both organizations and the authorities - are not legitimate,” Lavrov said.

“I think this approach is dangerous and works against the efforts being put forward by Kofi Annan.”

Meanwhile, violence continued in Syria Monday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said three civilians, five rebels and one government soldier

Iraq wants Qatar to hand over fugitive VP

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s deputy prime minister called on Qatar Monday to hand over the nation’s fugitive Sunni vice president to face terror charges in Baghdad, in a move which is likely to further strain ties between Shiite-led Iraq and Gulf Arab states.

Hussain Al-Shahristani said at a news conference in Baghdad that Qatar’s decision to host Tariq Al-Hashemi, the top Sunni official in Iraq’s government, was “unacceptable.” “Qatar should review its position and send Al-Hashemi back to Iraq so that he stands trial,” he said.

The visit marks Al-Hashemi’s first foreign trip since he fled to Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region to avoid an arrest warrant issued in December. Iraqi officials accused Al-Hashem of running death squads against Shiite pilgrims, government officials and security forces. He denies the charges, which he says are politically motivated.

The self-ruled Kurdish region has its own security forces, which means Al-Hashemi was effectively out of reach from police controlled by the central government in Baghdad. Kurdish officials have repeatedly rejected Baghdad’s requests to

turn in Al-Hashemi.

The Interior Ministry last month demanded that Kurdish leaders arrest Al-Hashemi before he could flee the country. The Kurds’ refusal to do so is another point of contention between Baghdad and the regional government, who are also at odds over the north’s oil resources.Al-Shahristani blasted Kurdish leaders for ignoring the nationwide arrest warrant and letting Al-Hashemi leave through Irbil airport. “To allow Al-Hashemi to leave in this way represents a clear challenge to the Iraqi law,” he added.

Al-Hashemi’s trip to Qatar is likely to deepen tensions between Iraq’s government and the Sunni monarchies of the Gulf. Qatar has criticized what it calls the marginalization of Iraqi Sunnis.

The strained relations are also linked to Baghdad’s close ties with Iran and its ambivalent stand on Syria’s one-year conflict. The frosty relations were on display at an Arab League summit hosted by Iraq last week. The rulers of Sunni-led Gulf states including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates stayed away, snubbing Iraq by sending lower-level officials in their place. -AP

were killed in clashes in the northern Idlib province.

In the northern city of Aleppo, explosives stashed in a kiosk blew up, killing one person, the group said, while rebels in the south killed two soldiers at a checkpoint.

Government forces stormed the southern town of Dael, raiding activist homes and setting some on fire, the Observatory said. Another group, the Local Coordination Committees, said more than 20 homes had been damaged.

Residents could not be reached for comment and activists’ claims could not be independently verified. The Syrian government rarely comments on specific incidents and bars most media from working inside the country.

Syria’s uprising began in March 2011 as part of the Arab Spring with peaceful protests calling for political reforms. Assad’s regime sent tanks, snipers and thugs to try to quash the revolt, and many in the opposition have taken up arms to defend themselves and attack government troops. -Agencies

Egypt’s Coptic church to boycott constitutional panel CAIRO: Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox church has decided to boycott a Islamistdominated panel charged with drafting the future constitution, the official MENA news agency reported on Monday.

The official MENA news agency reported that the decision was taken unanimously by the 20 members of the Holy Synod to remove the two church officials who sit on the committee.

The church “considers it inappropriate to continue to be represented given the reservations of various political forces on how the constitutional commission was composed,” the report said.

The commission comprises of 100 members selected by the parliament, but is mainly made up of members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi fundamentalists who also are the majority among lawmakers.

Several parties and secular figures in recent days have withdrawn from the panel, saying their presence was used only as a collateral for the Islamists to

draft a basic law that reflects their political-religious ideologies.

Al-Azhar, the key reference institution in Sunni Islam, also announced its withdrawal, distancing its ideology of moderate Islam from that of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi fundamentalists.

The Copts or Egyptian Christians constitute six to 10 percent of the country’s population of about 82 million.

Their patriarch, Shenouda III, an ardent defender of his community, died March 17 at age 88 and has not yet been replaced.

The church’s decision to boycott the panel comes after the Brotherhood said Saturday it was nominating a candidate for the presidential election on May 23, breaking its earlier promise of not contesting.

The decision to nominate the group’s deputy leader Khairat Al-Shater - a business tycoon and the group’s main financier – has sent shock waves through political circles. -AFP

South Sudan says Sudan still bombing, will not be dragged to war

Palestinian mourners carry the bodies of three children who died the previous day in a domestic fire during their funeral in Deir A-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on April 02, 2012. The three Palestinian children, aged two, five and six, all members of the Bashir family, were found dead on April 1 in a fire in their room caused by a candle being used due to lack of electricity in Gaza, according to an emergency services official as the Gaza Strip’s sole power station shuddered to a halt a week ago, running out of fuel just 48 hours after some 450,000 liters were delivered to the coastal strip from Israel. (AFP)

Clashes near Libya’s Tunisia border TRIPOLI: A Libyan police brigade moved to quell clashes that broke out between two rival towns on Monday, brokering a cease-fire and securing the release of hostages, a local tribal chief said.

The intervention by a force of exrebels answering to the country’s Interior Ministry to stop fighting between two towns near the Tunisian border was an unusually quick response from the weak central government, which has been accused of moving too slowly to stop bloody local conflicts that have broken out in the wake of last year’s ouster of dictator Muammar Gadhafi.

The battle between Ragdalein and Zwara, about 110 kilometers (70 miles) from the capital Tripoli, was the latest in a series of local rivalries that threatened to divide Libya along tribal and regional lines.

The fighting erupted after fighters from Ragdalein said they took 34 brigade men hostage from the neighboring town of Zwara on Sunday. Ragdalein spokesman Rami Kanaan said the men were returning from the border with Tunisia, where the Zwara brigade helps support

newly-trained border guards.

He said the move came after months of abuses by the Zwara brigade, including the looting of property.

“Everyday they attack us, steal from us and it’s becoming more frequent. We are fed up with that and so we took action and captured these men,” Kanaan said.

The head of Zwara’s local council, Abo-Bakr Taloa, said 21 of his men had been captured. In retaliation, he said, the Zwara brigade stopped three families from Ragdalein traveling along a main road and took them hostage hours later.

The conflict that evening escalated into battles involving automatic rifles and tanks, according to both sides. There was no immediate word of casualties.

Zwara tribal leader Eissa al-Haneezy said that the Interior Ministry’s force, known as the Supreme Security Committee, traveled from the capital Tripoli to western Libya on Monday to quell the violence. Zwara, a town of 45,000 people, is less than 10 kilometers (six miles) from Ragdalein, which is double that in population.

The conflict is one of many local

rivalries stemming from Gadhafi’s 40 years of divide-and-rule policies and the eight-month civil war that eventually overthrew him.

Zwara residents were quick to join the uprising last year that led to the capture and killing of Gadhafi in October.

The Berber Amazigh tribe there complained of discrimination under Gadhafi, saying his regime often neglected them and barred them from high-level posts.

Ragdalein, whose residents are mostly Arab tribes, was a hub for Gadhafi loyalists and was heavily armed by his regime during the country’s civil war.

Residents of Zwara, themselves well armed by rebels during the uprising, say that Ragdalein’s fighters raped women, looted property and attacked residents last year for opposing Gadhafi’s regime.

Zwara’s residents say they are now being blocked by Ragdalein’s tribes from reaching their farms south of the city.

Several such rivalries have erupted into violence in the last year. Fighting in the remote desert oasis of Sabha between Arab tribes and an anti-Gadhafi African tribe killed around 150 people and left hundreds displaced last week. -AP

NAIROBI: South Sudan said on Monday Sudanese forces were still bombing regions in the oil-producing area straddling their border, but insisted it would not be dragged into war.

South Sudan’s Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin accused Khartoum of wanting to deter investment in the crucial oil sector of the country that split from the north in July.

Western nations fear the latest border clashes could escalate to a full-blown civil war between the mainly Muslim north and the South where most have either Christian or animist beliefs.

“For the last month, the Republic of Sudan in Khartoum has been bombing mostly the Unity state and our oil fields. For the last month, they’ve been bombing villages and small towns and as we speak today they are still continuing bombing some of these areas,” Benjamin told reporters in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. “They are still continuing at random all over Unity State, of course the purpose also is (to) sabotage the investment in oil,” he said. Sudan’s army spokesman has denied allegations made by South Sudan that it had attacked Manga and Panakuach in Unity State. South Sudan became independent from the north under a 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war which killed 2 million people.

Benjamin said South Sudanese President Salva Kiir was adamant the country would not be dragged back into conflict.

“We will not be dragged into the war ... but we will defend the territorial integrity of our country,” Benjamin told reporters.

“We will not cross into the Republic of Sudan but we will protect our territorial integrity.” Benjamin said the government in Juba was confident outstanding issues, including a border dispute and a row over citizenship could be resolved through peaceful dialogue using the African Union and other international organizations. The two governments were expected to resume delayed negotiations later on Monday, members of an African Union panel mediating the talks told Reuters. “They (talks) are still continuing, but while they are continuing, they are bombing us,” Benjamin said, adding that Sudan’s defense and foreign ministers should be in the Ethiopian capital by now. The two sides also need to decide how much landlocked South Sudan must pay to export its crude oil through Sudan. Juba has shut down its entire oil production to stop Khartoum seizing oil as compensation for what Khartoum calls unpaid transit fees. South Sudan has said it is prepared to pay up to 1 US dollar per barrel in transit fees - well below the $36 Benjamin said Khartoum has been demanding. In the meantime Benjamin said South Sudan had signed contracts with an American company and a Chinese company to build two refineries. “These refineries are for the time being to meet some local needs and needs in the region,” he said, adding the US company was from Texas while the Chinese company was already on the ground. He gave no further details. -Reuters

South Sudan Minister of Information, Barnaba Marial Benjamin speaks to journalists in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 2, 2012.

The government of South Sudan says it is not satisfied with the mediation role of the African Union in resolving its disputes with Sudan. (AP)

ALWATAN DAILY

WORLD

tuesdAY, april 3, 2012

Russian plane crash kills 31, 12 survive MOSCOW: A Russian passenger plane crashed and burst into flames after takeoff in an oil-producing region of Siberia on Monday, killing at least 31 of the 43 people on board, emergency officials said.

Thirteen survivors were pulled from the wreckage and rushed to hospital by helicopter but one later died. Television footage showed the plane, which had broken in two, lying in a snowy field. Only the tail and rear part of the fuselage were visible.

It was not immediately clear what caused the UTair airlines ATR 72 to crash with 39 passengers and four crew on board, the latest air disaster to blight Russia’s safety record.

“There are no explanations yet,” Yuri Alekhin, head of the regional branch of the Emergencies Ministry, told Russian television from the scene of the crash.

He said the “black box” flight recorder had been found and added: “Contact was lost with the plane just over three minutes after take-off.”

UTair said on its website that the twin-engine, turbo-prop plane had been trying to make an emergency landing when it came down 1.5 km (one mile) from the airport in the western Siberian city of Tyumen en route to Surgut, an oil town to the northeast.

At least five of the survivors were in critical condition, RIA news agency quoted hospital officials as saying in Tyumen, some 1,720 km (1,070 miles) east of Moscow.

UTair has three ATR-72 craft made by the French-Italian manufacturer ATR, according to the Russian airline’s website www.utair.ru. ATR is an equal partnership between two major European aeronautics players, Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, and EADS. The crash was the deadliest air disaster in Russia since a Yak42 plane slammed into a riverbank near the city of Yaroslavl after takeoff on September 7, 2011, killing 44 people and wiping out the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team.

President Dmitry Medvedev called for a reduction in the number of Russian airlines and improvements in crew training

France advises nationals to leave Mali

Pakistan jails bin Laden’s family for illegal stay

Emergency service workers investigate the wreckage of the UTair airlines ATR 72 passenger plane that crashed near the Siberian city of Tyumen, April 2. (Reuters)

after that crash, which followed a June crash that killed 47 people including a navigator who had been drinking.

The International Air Transport Association said in December that global airline safety rates had improved in 2011 but that in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, which groups former Soviet republics, the rate had risen.

Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi receives flowers as she addresses supporters and reporters from behind the gates of the National League for Democracy (NLD) office in Yangon April 2. (Reuters)

of the global community that believed that Myanmar could pursue this democratization track effectively”.

The European Union has indicated it is looking at easing sanctions imposed on Myanmar in the mid-1990s over the regime’s long history of human rights abuses, and foreign investors are lining up to do business in the country.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking to reporters in Turkey, said Sunday the elections were “heartening” but urged the government to improve transparency and deal with polling irregularities.

“It is too early to know what the progress of recent months means and whether it will be sustained,” she said.

Suu Kyi herself said ahead of the polls that they could not be considered genuinely democratic due to widespread problems such as intimidation of voters.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambo-

dia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - a grouping of nearly 600 million people of hugely disparate economic, development and political systems.

Del Rosario said the ministers spoke with one voice against North Korea’s planned rocket launch, which Pyongyang describes as a bid to send a satellite into orbit but which the United States and others see as a missile test.

The Philippines - which lies beneath the rocket’s proposed flight path - has lodged formal protests with Pyongyang’s representatives at the United Nations, in China and at ASEAN. “I think the countries that spoke on the topic... were all of the opinion that we should be discouraging (North Korea) from undertaking that launch,” Del Rosario said.

ASEAN’s two-day summit begins Tuesday. -AFP

Afghan market bombs injure 24, mostly children KABUL: Twin bomb blasts tore through a market in northern Afghani-

NEWS IN BRIEF

PARIS: France has advised its nationals “whose presence is not essential” to leave Mali as Tuareg rebels sweep across the north of the country in the wake of a military coup. “It is recommended not to travel to Mali until further notice,” said a statement on the French foreign ministry’s travel advice website after the rebels last week seized several towns in the north, including Timbuktu. “Given the instability of the security situation currently prevailing in the country, notably in Bamako, it is recommended that our compatriots whose presence is not essential temporarily leave the country,” the statement said. -AFP

ASEAN welcomes Myanmar vote ahead of summit CAMBODIA: Asian foreign ministers on Monday welcomed Myanmar’s “orderly” elections as they met ahead of a regional summit that will also be dominated

by North Korea’s planned rocket launch and maritime disputes.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers held talks in Phnom Penh after historic byelections in Myanmar appeared to give opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi her first seat in parliament.

Poll observers from ASEAN’s current chair Cambodia said the vote was “conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner”.

“Despite complaints of irregularities and intimidation, this delegation did not observe any incidents that might have affected the process or the results of the byelections,” they said in a statement.

ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said the vote should contribute to the “reintegration of Myanmar into the global community”, a reference to the possible lifting of Western sanctions.

During the foreign ministers’ meeting, Myanmar’s Wunna Maung Lwin told his counterparts the vote had “gone rather smoothly” and should help the country normalise its international relations, Surin said.

Suu Kyi hailed a “victory of the people” but warned against triumphalism after her apparent win in elections seen as a test of the regime’s reforms.

Over the past 12 months Myanmar’s quasi-civilian government, led by President Thein Sein, has freed hundreds of political prisoners, eased media restrictions and welcomed the opposition back to the political fold.

At the last ASEAN summit in November, the country was rewarded for its efforts by being promised the bloc’s chairmanship in 2014.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa welcomed the by-elections as “an opportunity for Myanmar to make the reform process even more irreversible”.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said they were a “vindication

5

stan’s Baghlan province on Monday, wounding two dozen people, just over

Police help their colleague who was injured in twin bomb blasts as they rush him to a hospital for medical treatment at a local hospital in Baghlan, Afghanistan, April 2. (Reuters)

half of them school children, officials said.

“Overall we have 24 admitted to the hospital, 17 civilians, 13 of them are school students,” said Abdul Qahar Qanit, a doctor in the local hospital.

He said seven security personnel, including two senior district police officials, were also among the casualties.

The explosions occurred one after another, with the second coming after security forces arrived to investigate the first blast, local administration chief Amir Gul told AFP. “There was a blast in Sher Market in Baghlan-i-Markazi. The first blast occurred and wounded some civilians, the second one followed shortly after the first one,” he said.

He earlier told AFP that 18 people, five of them members of the Afghan security forces, had been injured, adding that the explosions were from improvised explosive devices rather than suicide bombers.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the blasts were similar to attacks carried out by the Taliban as part of their insurgency against President Hamid Karzai’s government and his Western allies. -AFP

Gunther Matschnigg, IATA senior vice-president for safety, said a key problem in Russia was that pilots and ground technicians were having to adapt to a growing number of a highly sophisticated aircraft.

He said Russian aviation officials and political leaders had accepted that pilot training needed rapid improvement. -Reuters

Tensions high on 30th anniversary of Falklands war

LONDON: Britain and Argentina on Monday marked 30 years since the invasion of the Falkland Islands triggered a 74day war, with diplomatic tensions still running high.

In a statement to mark the anniversary, Prime Minister David Cameron described the invasion as a “profound wrong” and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to upholding the right of Falkland islanders to determine their own future.

“Thirty years ago today the people of the Falkland Islands suffered an act of aggression that sought to rob them of their freedom and their way of life,” Cameron said. The brief but bloody war ended in defeat for Argentina, costing the lives of 649 of its troops, after Britain sent a task force to the islands to reclaim the territory which it has ruled since 1833.

Britain lost 255 servicemen in the hostilities and three local Falkland islanders also died.

But the human toll has in recent years been overshadowed by fresh Argentine claims of sovereignty and a battle to exploit offshore oil deposits.

Argentine President Cristina Kirchner, who has denounced British rule of the islands as an “anachronism”, will unveil a monument and eternal flame to the country’s dead servicemen in the southern city of Ushuaia.

Ushuaia, where commemorations began Sunday, is in Tierra del Fuego province, the closest Argentine territory to the Falklands, and Kirchner will deliver a speech there to veterans of the conflict.

In Britain, there will be a remembrance ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, eastern England, where a “Falklands flame” will be lit for 74 days.

The Falklands - population around 3,000 - are located some 400 nautical miles from Argentina, which calls the islands the Malvinas.

The April 2, 1982 invasion ordered by the then-ruling military junta in Argentina caught the Foreign Office off guard and initially there was skepticism on whether military action in the far-off territory was worthwhile.

Then prime minister Margaret Thatcher, however, resolutely vowed to reclaim the islands and once the war was won she basked in her reputation as “The Iron Lady,” to win re-election in 1983, and again in 1987.

Tensions between London and Buenos Aires have flared anew since 2010, when Britain authorized oil companies to explore in Falklands waters, and Argentina has accused Britain of militarizing the seas around the windswept islands, taking its claims to the United Nations.

The island’s oil reserves, which remain untapped until now but which analysts predict could be worth tens of billions of dollars, have been a major bone of contention between the two countries since their discovery in 1998.

London is today facing a united Latin American front led by Brazil - the region’s dominant power that displaced Britain in December as the world’s sixth largest economy - over Argentina’s territorial claims.

During the conflict, Chile - then under the rule of the late Augusto Pinochet - gave covert support to Britain, and the only regional country to provide true aid to Argentina was Peru, which sent weapons and Mirage jets.

Latin American countries now depend more on each other and are less dependent on Europe and the United States as they seek to assert a common identity. -AFP

Hungary president resigns after plagiarism row BUDAPEST: Hungarian President Pal Schmitt, who was stripped of his doctorate last week in a plagiarism row, announced on Monday that he will resign from his post.

“Based on Hungary’s constitution, which I have signed, the president expresses the unity of the nation,” he told parliament.

“The provision means that in this situation when my personal issue divides my beloved nation rather than unites it, is my duty to end my service and resign my mandate as president,” he said. -Reuters

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court charged former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s three widows and two daughters with illegally staying in the country and sentenced them to 45 days in jail, their lawyers said. In practice, that means 14 days in prison because they have already been in detention. Bin Laden’s family members will eventually be deported to their home countries, the lawyers said. Al-Qaeda leader bin Laden was shot and killed in May last year by US Special Forces who stormed his house in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad after a decadelong manhunt. -Reuters

Cross-border attack kills four soldiers PESHAWAR: The Pakistani military says dozens of Taliban militants coming from Afghanistan attacked border posts in the northwest, killing four paramilitary soldiers. The paramilitary Frontier Corps says Monday’s attack occurred in Olai, part of the Mohmand tribal area. It said soldiers retaliated, killing 15 militants.

The military said the attacking force included around 60 militants. The information could not be independently confirmed because the area is off-limits to most journalists. -AP

Bomb kills Afghan police officer KABUL: Afghan police say a motorcycle bomb has killed one police officer and wounded two others in a southern city.

Kandahar provincial police chief Gen. Abdul Razaq says the motorcycle was parked outside a police station in Kandahar city when it exploded on Monday.The governor in the northern Baghlan province says twin bomb blasts in the city of New Baghlan on Monday wounded 23 people, including eight police officers. Governor Abdul Majid said the bombs exploded near a market selling computer equipment. -AP

Flood-ravaged Fiji struggles as cyclone bears down SUVA: Fiji struggled Monday with devastating floods that have brought the country and its tourist industry to a standstill as authorities warned that conditions could worsen with a cyclone bearing down. Cyclone Daphne is expected to compound the damage in the South Pacific nation, where a state of emergency is in force and flash floods have claimed at least three lives and forced 8,000 people to seek refuge in evacuation centers. Fiji has “had a bashing”, permanent secretary of information Sharon Smith Johns said, with water and power supplies cut in most areas, many roads closed and food supplies dwindling. -AFP

Ukraine allows Tymoshenko’s treatment outside jail KIEV: Jailed former premier Yulia Tymoshenko will be allowed to leave prison to be treated for a back condition at a Ukrainian hospital, prosecutors said Monday as the government appeared to bow to Western pressure. The 51-year-old opposition leader is serving a seven-year sentence after being convicted in October of abusing her office while negotiating a natural gas supply contract with Russia in 2009. The case has strained Ukraine’s ties with the West, which condemned it as politically motivated. -Reuters

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ALWATAN DAILY

OPINION

tuesDAY, april 3, 2012

You are so vain Prime Minister Fuad Al-Hashem

T

he Head of the Third Reich Adolf Hitler swamped through European thrones one after the other as if they were sand castles. The Germans successfully managed to reach the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow. It was then when the Russian dictator Stalin took hold of the state radio and began to cry urging his countrymen and people to fight with all that they can muster; gavels, chisels and knives.

Meanwhile, the first king of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan King Abdullah I whose kingdom had been newly formed announced that he was standing by the Allies in their war against the Axis. It was during that time when the Iraqi radio presenter Yunus Bahri who was working in Berlin Radio presenting a radio show known then as “Arab Quarters”. He was the Arabic mouthpiece of Nazi Germany.

Soon Yunus Bahri found out that King Abdullah I of Jordan had declared war on Berlin. Yunis couldn’t keep himself away from sarcasm and shouted on the radio: “Woe to Germany if King Abdullah deployed his barrages in the River Jordan.” The point here is that River Jordan can be crossed by a 10 year old boy if he wishes to because it is so shallow.

I myself never heard King Abdullah I declaring war on Nazi Germany in 1942 as I was not born yet. But A similar incident had taken place at a time not very long ago. It was last Sunday when the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki in a press conference announced that Assad’s regime will not fall and Iraq will not allow it either.

The announcement was fully supported by the Al-Manar

As if this is not enough, several choppers are hovering over him making a fantastic cloudy scene for his own protection. channel praising the Iraqi prime minister’s announcement.

It is ironic that Al-Maliki of all people should make such an announcement when he can’t leave the Green Zone in Baghdad without being accompanied by three thousand security officers derived mainly from the country’s special forces who happened to be three times better than a normal soldier in terms of military training and knowledge.

As if this is not enough, several choppers are hovering over him making a fantastic cloudy scene for his own protection.

As for the types of arms and weapons used to protect the Iraqi prime minister, they would be more than sufficient to invade the Iranian city of Al-Muhammara within a few hours. However, the man and despite all of this is determined rather boldly that he would not allow the downfall of Assad’s regime.

It is worth noting that currently the Al-Nasseriya Governorate is seeing a horrible clash between the supporters of Mahmoud Al-Sarkhi and supporters of Ayatollah AlSistani. The two are Shiite groups and armed to the teeth and yet the Iraqi prime minister is incapable of interfering

to stop the bloodshed. In fact, there were instances where members of the security forces were involved in the war.

Some are siding with one group while others supporting the other group. Then the man announces that he would not permit the toppling of Al-Assad’s regime.

It is not a secret that the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki and half of his government are merely staff employees for the Syrian General Mohammad Nasif Khayr Beg known by the agnomen Abu Wael.

This General Abu Wael is the Security Advisor to the dim-witted Bashar Al-Assad whose name has recently been marked on the black list of the European Union.

Abu Wael was also occupying the same position during the time of the father of the dim-witted Bashar.

To prove this link between the two, the MP and close ally of the Iraqi Prime Minister Ezzat Al-Shahbandar, who is known as the Red Light District Coordinator within the Green Zone, is in reality an agent for General Abu Wael under the cover of airlines, oil and alcohol businesses as well as of course the attractive Ukrainian girls in Baghdad.

Al-Maliki seriously needs to reflect on his sayings and speeches. His utterances are not well thought of. If he

finds it difficult to do so, my advice to him is to seek the shrine of former president Saddam Hussein and discuss with him his future plans.

Former Lebanese minister and strong supporter of the dim-witted Bashar Al-Assad Mr. Wiam Wahab had disclosed to a number of people in his inner circle that he met secretly with the dim-witted Bashar and that the latter had promised him that once he is finished crushing the opposition and the revolution of the people, he would turn his attention to two things: the Lebanese Druze leader Waleed Junblatt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. For Junbulatt, he would be immediately eliminated. As for the two Gulf states, they would be taught a lesson they would never forget the rest of their lives.

Meanwhile, a prominent senior Gulf official said that the Iranians would never have the slightest chance to be part of any Syrian settlement. “The minute you give them an inch, they ask for a mile.”

Moving on to local issues, I was held back by a very nice and interesting proposal made by the Destruction and Devastation Bloc, aka Reform and development Bloc, declaring that the best way to save electricity in the country is by reducing the working hours suggesting that the one o’clock end of working hours would be reduced to 12 noon.

I believe I have a better suggestion than that one advanced by the Destruction and Devastation Bloc. It would be most fitting to save even more electricity if we arrange for all government employees to get married to four wives and that way they would be busy with them for months to come. This will surely save a lot of electricity!

We reject both tribalism and sectarianism Dr. Shamlan Yusif Al-Esa

T

hrough yesterday’s article we rejected the suggestions of the MP Mohammad Hayef Al-Metairie and some other MPs as such suggestions might contribute in stirring sectarian sedition. Some people question why the MPs representing political Islam verbally attack Shiites knowing that undermines national and social unity. Hayef asked the Minister of Awqaf to observe Husainiya “Shiite mosques” but the MP did not talk about the other mosques and the imams who verbally attack Shiites. Apparently, the MP did not know the Kuwaiti people well enough, who lived with each other peacefully for a long time even when the Kuwaiti people were suffering from poverty and other difficult circumstances.

The Kuwaiti people used to demonstrate a real interest in national unity. How have the changes occurred in Kuwait? especially after the Iraqi invasion?! Why have some persons attempted to stir sedition deliberately!

There are many reasons behind that and we cannot mention all the reasons in this article but we attempt to highlight some. Following the deterioration of progressive thinking which followed the defeat by Israel in 1967, the extremists of political Islam appeared and then began attempting to reach power even if such a goal undermines national unity. Political Islam movements both Sunni and Shiite do not believe in democracy and both sides own dictatorial mentalities. In the mean time, these movements have already suffered from the dictatorship, tyranny and terrorism of the military states that used to suppress anybody opposing the regime.

At the present time after toppling the dictator regimes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, Political Islam movements like the Muslim Brotherhood Movement and the Salafi movement looked confused and unable to administrate those countries because the movements don’t have clear rational programs for rule and the sole success that they achieved is dominating the political arena and excluded liberal and patriotic movements. They also started fighting the other minorities. What happens in Kuwait nowadays is similar to what happens in those states.

The Arabian governments and societies failed to spread tolerance and respect of values as well as keeping the rights of all people. We are not exaggerating while saying that the government can be considered as one of the reasons behind the spread of tribal and sectarian concepts in society. The other political movements are also responsible for this problem. The government did not exert any effective efforts for supporting the concept of the civil state or the state of law where all people are subject to the authority of the law and constitution. The government has been involved in the case of purchasing of political support from both Shiites and tribes.

The patriotic and liberal movements have not confronted with the religious movements for a long time because they focus on opposing certain government practices but such steps affected the freedom of people. The liberal parties did not concentrate on internal solidarity and they did not deal with the case of minorities through civilized principles that respect all people and call them to contribute in building the country.

The government and its supporters who belong to the Majority Bloc are wrong if they believe that they can solve the sectarian and tribal problems through legislation, the issue of new laws or toughening penalties.

Such an issue is an urban one that requires radical changes to be included in the school curriculum, government institutions and dealing with others because these steps boost the concept of state of law and the civil state as well. What we need most is respecting minorities and defending them particularly if the majority attempts to trespass on any of their rights.

A daring decision Ahmad Mohammad Al-Fahad

D

uring a TV interview the cleric Ahmad Al-Kubaisi said that the disputes between the fourth Caliphate Ali Bin Abi Taleb and Caliphate Muawiya Bin Abi Sufyan had occurred because of Jews!? During the very interview the cleric answered a phone call by an Emirati woman asking about the very subject and how some people insult some companions of the Prophet peace be upon him. Through the call, the cleric said to the woman “may God help me to join Ali- in Hashr Day- and help

you to join Muawaya”!!

Meanwhile, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashed ordered for halting all the TV interviews of the cleric. I know well that the United Arab Emirates seriously respects the cleric. Therefore, the decision of halting all programs that broadcast his interviews is a daring and wise one.

The dangerous aspect in the answer of the cleric is that he might mean that Muawaya will go to hell, although such a matter should be avoided by the ordinary people in general and clerics in particular

because the decision of heaven is God`s decision and all people are not allowed to intervene in such matters.

We have clear Hadiths of the Prophet peace be upon him about certain people who will get to heaven and other certain persons who will get to hell. So, we can`t claim that any other people will either get to heaven or hell.

The cleric Ali Al-Ameen talked about disputes that occurred among the companions of the prophet saying that such disputes were ended before 1,400 years, then why should we revive them now!

He also mentioned the verse of the holy Quran no. 134 of Surat Al-Baqara “That was a nation which has passed on. It will have [the consequence of] what it earned and you will have what you have earned.

And you will not be asked about what they used to do”. So, we have to avoid being involved in such cases.

The cleric Al-Habib Al-Jafri said attacking the cleric Al-Kubaisi violates the Islamic manners. We just want to ask him whether attacking companions of the prophet complies with the Islamic manners or not!!

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tuesDAY, april 3, 2012

The anti-fragile life of the economy

By allowing some individual entities to stand out from the crowd, antifragility improves the fate of a population under a challenging situation.

Antoine Danchin Project Syndicate

B

iology and economics face similar challenges: both seek to explain survival and innovation in an unpredictable world. For example, Nassim Taleb, famous for his prescient identification of rare “black swan” events that are correlated with economic catastrophes, recently proposed the notion of “anti-fragility” as a way to conceptualize the reproduction of markets and output in the face of such events. In fact, anti-fragile structures and processes are all around us - suffusing life itself.

To define anti-fragility, Taleb asks what would be the true opposite of “fragile.”

Starting with the Sword of Damocles, he chooses as its opposite not the robustness of the Phoenix rising from the ashes, but the inventiveness of the Hydra, who sprouts two heads whenever one is cut off.

Can we think of entities that not only resist the ravages of time, but that, through the creation and recombination of novel components, become able to cope with an unpredictable future?

The inevitability of death might seem to suggest that life is not constructed to be antifragile. But consider King Mithridates VI of Pontus, who took a tiny daily dose of poison to protect himself from poisoning by his enemies. The idea that better fitness results when systems are challenged by a low level of toxic or other dangerous influences is at the root of an ongoing heated debate about whether low-level radiation benefits, rather than harms, humans.

The problem is the lack of unambiguous evidence of Mithridatism. We know that exercise, for example, will change muscle strength and bone mass and structure, but is this what we are looking for when seeking anti-fragility’s essence?

Anti-fragility, as defined by Taleb, seems less biologically disputable than Mithridatism. Indeed, anti-fragility appears to be a general quality of evolving systems. It does not correspond to isolated objects, but to populations. And here we do indeed observe Hydra-like behavior in the evolution of living beings: in the course of time, natural selection will use genetic mutations in populations to split their progeny into two or more distinct species.

Living organisms are always composite.

They are made of populations of molecules, cells, or individuals that are not identical, but

Visitors observe a preserved human body on display at an exhibition in Budapest’s Vam Design Center April 2, 2012. (Reuters)

that are similar to one another.When we think of anti-fragility in living organisms, we do not think that specific aging structures improve when confronted with low-level challenges, but rather that there is an in-built genetically-encoded process that uses time-dependent accidents to make the organism as a whole better adapted to its environment. While the components of the organism keep aging, as an ensemble they improve over time, forming a collection of specific individual instances, before they suffer the inevitable decay of senescence.

This implies that, as it ages, the organism extracts and uses information from its environment in order to respond to that environment’s unpredictable challenges. Life measures and memorizes: it uses the built-in variety in its otherwise similar components to store memory of past events so that they can be used to react to a novel situation.

The basic memory of an organism’s heredity is not composed of identical components, but rather is what the physicist Erwin Schrödinger in his famous book What is Life called an “aperiodic crystal” - a concept that

Playing the blame game in Haiti Felix Salmon Reuters

I

’m not a big fan of Deborah Sontag’s massive 6,000-word NYT story about cholera in Haiti: it seems to me that if you’re going to be writing about something at that kind of length, you ought at some point to zoom back out and look at the big picture. Instead, Sontag seems to miss the forest for the trees, or at least the woods.

There’s no doubt that Haiti’s cholera epidemic was massive and tragic, and that the response to it could have been better, in an ideal world. But Sontag barely attempts to address the question of why the response was suboptimal.

And insofar as she does, she waves vaguely at “financial concerns”, as though the main weakness in the response was that the amount of money spent was insufficient, and that the main way in which the response could have been improved was simply by increasing it.

Rather, Sontag spends a huge amount of effort tracking down, on the one hand, purely anecdotal stories of individual Haitians who were exposed to the disease, and on the other hand, the detailed story of whether and how the outbreak could be traced back to a group of Nepalese peacekeepers on the island.

(Incidentally, although the article does include a handful of pro-forma links to the home pages of various NGOs mentioned in the article, it does not link to the key study on the origins of the outbreak, despite explicitly saying that the study was “published in the C.D.C.’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal”.)

It’s standard journalistic practice, of course, to lead with an anecdote which illustrates the bigger story you’re writing about. But this story does much more than lead with an anecdote - it refers back to it at great length, and adds in many others as well, as if the best way to understand the response to the Haitian cholera epidemic is to talk to lots of Haitians who either got the disease or know someone who did.Which is most of the country, in truth.

One problem is that when Sontag quotes an official UN report (also not linked to) as saying that “the introduction of this cholera strain as a result of environmental contamination with feces could not have been the source of such an outbreak without simultaneous water and sanitation and health care system deficiencies,” she treats that statement as an attempt by the UN to avoid blame, rather than an important truth about the woeful state of Haiti’s infrastructure even before the earthquake hit.

And when she says that in the immediate aftermath of the outbreak, two smallish NGOs - Doctors Without Borders and the Cuban medical brigades - were handling 80 percent of the cholera cases, that’s meant as - and is - an indictment of what she calls the “health cluster”.

That cluster, which includes the CDC and Partners In Health, did in fact respond relatively slowly to the outbreak, but elsewhere in the article Sontag presents PIH as the good guys, pushing for a maximalist response to the emergency.

The obvious - and true - conclusion is that this story does not lend itself easily to good-guy/bad-guy distinctions and dichotomies.

But that doesn’t stop Sontag from trying. The victims, of course, are the innocent; meanwhile, the guilty, in this telling, would seem to include the CDC, the UN, and especially the Nepalese peacekeepers. And that does a huge disservice to all of those organizations.

The cost of responding to the cholera response has totaled some 230 million US dollars to date; to put that number in context, it’s roughly half the country’s total annual

7

It’s standard journalistic practice, of course, to lead with an anecdote which illustrates the bigger story you’re writing about. exports. And the cholera response is just one small part of the much larger international response to the 2010 earthquake. The biggest problem in Haiti isn’t a lack of money; it’s the problems inherent in trying to spend so much money in an economy which is in large part incapable of absorbing it, as Janet Reitman showed in a fantastic Rolling Stone article last year.

This is not exactly news within what’s known as the Republic of NGOs. But it seems to be news to Sontag, who never so much as broaches the subject.

The biggest weakness with her article is that she makes it sound as though things would have been much better if more money had been spent, and that the optimal outcome was foiled by penny-pinching bureaucrats who mainly wanted to minimize their outlays.

In reality, there’s almost nobody in Haiti with an interest in minimizing outlays. And on top of that, a huge amount of the necessary cholera response was the kind of thing which had to be done anyway, as part of the broader post-earthquake crisis response: the construction of a sanitation infrastructure with sewerage systems and access to clean water.

All Haitians need that regardless of whether there’s a cholera outbreak or not.

If the money’s going to get spent in any case, the marginal extra cost of spending it quickly is unlikely to cause a cholera-eradication expenditure to be vetoed.

So the story of cholera in Haiti is a fantastic opportunity to delve into the complexities of aid and disaster response in Haiti, and how even the best and most well-intentioned organizations, like Partners In Health, find themselves stymied through no real fault of their own.

It’s an article of faith in the US that if there’s a problem somewhere in the world, then the application of sufficient cash will solve that problem.

Haiti is the most salient counterexample to that article of faith that the world has. And yet somehow Deborah Sontag went to Haiti and came back with 6,000 words which seem to say that the problem in Haiti was that there wasn’t enough money, and that it wasn’t spent fast enough.

She doesn’t even dwell on the central irony in her piece, which is that it was precisely the disaster-responders - the Nepalese peacekeepers - who seem to have triggered the cholera outbreak in the first place.

Would it have been better had there been no peacekeepers at all? Of course not. But failed states like Haiti are hard to fix. And that’s the central problem with the way the NYT is treating the country - as though it’s a fixable problem, as opposed to a much more intractable one.Victims can be identified, and cholera epidemics traced back to a single source.

But when the NYT runs this story under a headline blaming “Global Failures”, that implies a baseline of success which is frankly impossible to achieve.

Felix Salmon is the finance blogger at Reuters. The views expressed are his own.

gave rise to molecular biology.

The concept, most importantly, implies a lack of permanent accurate identity: the organism reproduces (it keeps being similar to itself), rather than replicating (its progeny are not an exact copy of itself). This means that no general grand design or unique hierarchy, but rather a collection of smaller entities of similar design, cooperate to generate the global behavior of the organism.

Much of the memory in our brain, for example, is dispersed among a huge number of contacts between many neurons. These con-

tacts are not identical in different individuals or in different memories. Before the catastrophic decline of real senescence occurs, the way these contacts evolve improves over time: the capacity for collecting new memories may be slowly declining as a process, but memory as a whole increases.

This is the paradox of what scientists call the “growth advantage in stationary phase”: when old and young microbial cultures are forced to compete, the old one, contrary to intuition, wins the contest.

By allowing some individual entities to stand out from the crowd, anti-fragility improves the fate of a population under a challenging situation. The number of candidates for anti-fragile behavior among biological structures is enormous. Cells are essentially made of macromolecules, which, even when coded from the same gene, are never entirely identical to one another. The very process of macromolecular biosynthesis is tied to the structure of the environment. No two cells are the same.

This remarkable variety, deployed within a strict genetic envelope that limits its range, roots life in anti-fragility. This is an essential point that biology should retain. And, as the global economy responds to the unpredictable challenges of economy crisis and recovery, it is a point that economists, too, should bear in mind.

Antoine Danchin is an honorary professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong and President of AMAbiotics SAS.

Euro zone should beware the “F” word Hugo Dixon Reuters

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eware the “F” word. The European Central Bank and, to a lesser extent, the zone’s political leaders have bought the time needed to resolve the euro crisis. But there are signs of fatigue.

A renewed sense of danger may be needed to spur politicians to address underlying problems. It would be far better if they got ahead of the curve.

The big time-buying exercise was the ECB’s injection of one trillion euros of super-cheap three-year money into the region’s banks. A smaller breathing space was won last week when governments agreed to expand the ceiling on the region’s bailout funds from 500 to 700 billion euros.

These moves have taken the heat out of the crisis - both by easing fears that banks could go bust and by making it easier for troubled governments, especially Italy’s and Spain’s, to fund themselves. Data from the ECB last week shows how much of the easy money has been recycled from banks into government bonds. In February, Italian lenders increased their purchases of euro zone government bonds by a record 23 billion euros. Spanish banks, meanwhile, increased their purchases by 15.7 billion euros following a record 23 billion euro spending spree in January. The risk is that, as the short-term funding pressure comes off, governments’ determination to push through unpopular reforms will flag. If that happens, the time that has been bought will be wasted - and, when crisis rears its ugly head again, the authorities won’t have the tools to fight it.

Early signs of such fatigue are emerging. One is the tendency of politicians - most recently, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti - to say that the worst of the crisis is over. They may wish to take credit for their crisis-fighting skills or relax. But it is too early to declare victory.

Italy is a case in point. Monti should have pushed through crucial reforms to the labor market earlier, while his popularity was high and the electorate was afraid that Italy would be engulfed by the crisis. He did not. And although he has now come up with a good package, his honeymoon period as the unassailable technocratic prime minister is nearing its end.

His popularity fell to 44 percent from 62 percent in early March, according to a poll published last week

by ISPO. Two-thirds of Italians oppose his labor reforms.

It’s a similar story in Spain. Mariano Rajoy, the incoming prime minister, should have cracked on earlier with a budget to bring the government’s finances into balance. To be fair, his administration did publish plans last Friday to curb its deficit - though it won’t be possible to judge how credible these are until Madrid explains how the health and education spending of Spain’s free-wheeling regional governments is to be reined in. Meanwhile, Rajoy’s honeymoon is also over. Last week, he failed to win the regional election in Andalucia and faced his first general strike.

Both Monti and Rajoy are still in strong positions.

Although Italy’s political parties could theoretically kick Monti out, they are even less popular than him.

A fudge will probably be found that adds a protocol to the treaty which emphasizes the importance of growth as well as discipline.

Meanwhile, the Spanish prime minister has a sound majority in parliament. But as each month passes, it will get harder to push through reforms. Both men must hold their nerve and implement their full programs while they can, without compromise.

Further afield, the appetite for austerity is also flagging - sometimes in unexpected places. The Dutch government, one of the high priests of fiscal rectitude, is finding it difficult to cut its own deficit. The ruling coalition may even collapse under the strain. There is also increasing unhappiness about the fiscal discipline treaty Germany rammed through in December.

Francois Hollande, the French socialist who is the front-runner to be France’s next president, wants to add a growth component to it. So do Germany’s social democrats, whose support is needed to ratify the treaty even though they are in opposition.

A fudge will probably be found that adds a protocol to the treaty which emphasizes the importance of growth as well as discipline. Indeed, that would be no bad thing: too much austerity can be self-defeating as severe budget squeezes can crush an economy and make it even harder to raise taxes and cut deficits.

However, governments can’t ease up on shortterm austerity and do nothing. What is needed is a vigorous programme of long-term structural reforms such as freeing up labor markets and introducing more competition into services industries. This could ultimately boost GDP by about 15 percent in large euro countries such as France, Italy and Spain, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Even Germany, whose services markets are sclerotic, could benefit by about 13 percent of GDP. Such a program would make the euro zone’s economies fit enough to stand on their own feet when the anesthetic of cheap money fades. But do governments have the will to make these changes given that the cheap money is lulling them and their people into believing the worst of the crisis is over?

A prod from the markets may be what is required.

There are indications that this is beginning to happen. Spanish 10-year bond yields briefly reached 5.5 percent last week. The art, though, will be in the calibration. If markets move too little the politicians will be complacent. If there is too much, the euro zone will slip back into full-blown crisis.

Hugo Dixon is the founder and editor of Reuters Breakingviews. The views expressed are his own.

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Iraq’s Kurds halt oil exports over payment row

BUSINESS

TUESdAY, APRIL 3, 2012

m ar ket watc h KUWAIT 0.4% 6189

DUBAI 0.4% 1654

QATAR

OMAN

0.0% 8849

1.0% 5777

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s self-ruled Kurdish region has halted oil exports over a payment row with the central government in Baghdad, causing further deterioration in relations between the two administrations. The Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq has unilaterally struck scores of deals with oil companies in recent years, even though Baghdad says it has no right to do so. The two sides struck a tentative deal in 2011 by which the Kurds send the oil to Baghdad, which sells it, and each side then takes 50 percent of the revenues. In a statement issued late Sunday, the region’s Ministry of Natural Resources said Baghdad failed to send any money since May, even though it had been exporting 50,000 barrels per day.

See page 10

OIL MARKETS

ABU DHABI

BAHRAIN

0.3% 2560

0.1% 1151

EGYPT 0.2% 4959

SAUDI

0.1% 7904

US Crude $103.20 $0.18 London Brent $122.44 $0.44 Kuwait Crude $121.21 $0.09 Information Courtesy: KAMCO

CURRENCIES US Dollar

British Pound

Saudi Riyal

Qatari Riyal

Indian Rupee

Euro

Japanese Yen

UAE Dirham

Bahraini Dinar

Philippine Peso

Buy 0.2774 Sell 0.2781 Buy 0.3696 Sell 0.3706

KFH achieves KD 10.190 million in profits from selling 20 pieces of land Compiled by Al Watan Daily

KUWAIT: Kuwait Finance House (KFH), whose shares were suspended on Monday, said it had sold 20 plots of land for 10.19 million Kuwaiti dinars (36.7 million US dollars). Kuwait’s bourse said earlier on Monday it had suspended trading in the company’s shares pending an announcement. The shares last traded at 780 Kuwaiti fils ($2.81) according to Reuters data. Meanwhile, local Real estate

Department Manager at Kuwait Finance House (KFH) Salah Al-Khamees said that the profits are expected to be included in KFH’s budget for the second quarter (Q2) of this year. He explained that the pieces of land were bought by individuals and companies, and that their areas ranged from 500-1000 square meters. The auction witnessed a crowd of citizens and real estate investors.

In a press statement, Al-Khamees mentioned that the restructuring process

that was approved by the board will highlight the roles played by various sectors and departments, such as the Local Real Estate Department, in order to achieve better performance in light of the market’s developments. He added that this approach will further cement KFH’s leading status among the markets.

Moreover, Al-Khamees stated that the auction was transparent and was announced in the newspapers before it took place. This cemented KFH’s credibility

and status in the real estate market, and accomplished all sales objectives. He went on to say that the pieces of land have premium locations and infrastructure, which make them suitable for immediate construction. The spaces also vary, which allowed several segments of citizens to select what is convenient for them. Al-Khamees applauded the department’s role at KFH, Al-Enma Real estate Company, and official authorities for organizing this auction.

KPC announces LNG prices for April

KUWAIT: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) declared on Monday prices of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), propane and butane, for April.

KPC said in a statement propane would be sold for 990 US dollars per metric ton in the current month, a decrease of $240 compared to March’s $1,230 per metric ton. Butane will be sold for $995 per metric ton during April, with a fall of $185 compared to $1,180 per metric ton last month. The prices of propane and butane are affected by international oil prices and rates of the major currencies, namely the US dollar. Rates of the gas are also influenced with political and security upheavals throughout the world, namely events in the Middle East, amid fears over possible shortages of crude supplies from the region to the world markets. Propane and butane are used for cooking, heating and production of petrochemical substances. -KUNA

KSE indices rise on closing, gains 24.9 points

KUWAIT: Main indices of Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) rose at closing of Monday’s session with the price index gaining 24.9 points, reaching 6,189 points.Weighted index increased 0.6 points to the level of 417.87 points. Number of trades reached 4,154, value of traded stocks stood at 32,252,660 Kuwaiti dinars and volume of deals 340,347,500.

Trading began at Kuwait Stock Exchange, Monday, in green with the price index at 6,165.5 points up with 1.4 points, while the weighted index came to 418.3 points, up 1.03 points. Trades came to 1,340 transactions by the time with value of KD 10.1 million and involving 112.3 million shares. -KUNA

Saudi growth to slow to 6% in 2012, says minister

CAPITALS: Current indicators suggest Saudi Arabia’s economic growth will slow to six percent in 2012, the kingdom’s Economy and Planning Minister Mohammed Al-Jasser said on Sunday.

“Of course we’re still at the beginning, but the signs... are that it will be six percent if the indicators remain as they now are,” Jasser told reporters in Riyadh. The world’s top oil exporter recorded growth of 6.8 percent last year amid soaring oil prices.

Although global energy markets are still buoyant, with crude breaking 128 US dollars a barrel earlier this year, economic growth is slowing in China, Saudi Arabia’s largest customer.

“If it becomes pervasive then it will affect the global economy and that could affect the demand for our oil and products, but a soft landing seems to be in the offing in China so I’m not worried,” he said. -Reuters

A worker counts Myanmar’s kyat banknotes at the office of a local bank in Yangon April 2, 2012. On Monday, Myanmar’s dysfunctional banking system took a big step into the 21st century with the floating of the kyat, the most dramatic economic reform yet by a one-year-old civilian government and one that promises to transform trade, banking and public finances at a critical time. It coincides with a scramble at Myanmar’s long-isolated banks to prepare for what many see as inevitable: a wave of foreign investment and the lifting of Western sanctions after Sunday’s historic by-election catapulted pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament. (Reuters)

Dubai shipbuilder turns to court on debt deal

DUBAI: Dubai’s shipyard operator DryDocks World has filed a claim with a special tribunal in the city-state in an effort to drive through a 2.2 billion US dollar debt restructuring backed by most of its lenders.

By turning to the tribunal, DryDocks World is trying to secure legal cover for its turnaround effort despite the objections of some creditors. “We take this step to protect the interests of the vast majority of the group’s syndicated lenders, the clients, suppliers and wider stakeholders who continue to support the business,” Chairman Khamis Juma Buamim said in a statement.

Lawyers for the company presented their case Monday before the tribunal’s head judge in a dark wood-paneled courtroom at the emirate’s Dubai International Financial Center. The company is seeking protection under Decree No. 57, a law issued by Dubai’s ruler in 2009. The company made the filing Sunday.

The legislation allows subsidiaries of state conglomerate Dubai World, such as DryDocks World, to apply for protection from creditors through the court. It also includes a provision that a restructuring plan approved by two-thirds of lenders can become binding on all creditors.

On Saturday, the company said a “significant majority” - but not all - of its creditors had signed on to the debt re-

structuring plan.

DryDocks World has been wrangling with lenders for months to hammer out new terms on the debt. The negotiations have been complicated by a lawsuit by one of its creditors, Monarch Alternative Capital, which was seeking about $45 million. A British court ruled in Monarch’s favor earlier this year.

Buamim said Saturday he is confident the lack of support from a minority of creditors will not affect the restructuring effort.

DryDocks World operates the Middle East’s largest shipyard in Dubai, where it builds and repairs ships and oil drilling rigs. It also owns shipyards in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as a fleet more than 100 vessels, including tankers, cargo ships, tugboats and barges.

Its parent company, Dubai World, sent markets reeling in 2009 when it acknowledged it couldn’t pay back billions it owed. It signed an agreement to restructure some $25 billion in debt last March, but DryDocks World was excluded from that process.

A panel of three judges from Britain and Singapore presides over the Dubai World Tribunal, which was set up in 2009 to handle cases involving the finances of the debtladen conglomerate. -AP

NBK raises 2012 GDP forecast from 3.8 to 4.4%

KUWAIT: A local report raised its real gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for 2012 from 3.8 percent to 4.4 percent, based on expectations of higher oil output. “Although there are uncertainties, oil markets are expected to remain firm in 2013.” Non-oil growth is set to be stable at around four percent, supported by expansionary fiscal policy, strong consumer spending and the wealth effect from higher oil prices, the report by the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) added.

Further economic reforms are needed to push the economy onto a higher growth path, however, the performance of other macroeconomic variables looks solid. Inflation has decelerated to below four percent.

Meanwhile, strong oil revenues are expected to generate further huge budget surpluses.

The performance of the Kuwaiti economy continues to be a mixed bag. Surging oil revenues are once again generating spectacular budget and trade surpluses, while providing a degree of stability as other parts of the world are savaged by debt crises and austerity.

On the other hand, however, a combination of structural weaknesses and legacy issues from the fi-

nancial crisis are holding the economy back. Growth will likely be sustained at a reasonable pace over the next couple of years.

Crude oil output has jumped over the past year or so and stood close to a modern day high of 2.7 million barrels per day (bpd) in recent months.The increase reflects partly the reversal of the deep cuts seen in 20082009. More recently, it has been driven by the need (in conjunction with other members Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) to supply more crude to offset the loss of Libyan output. Kuwait’s total oil production capacity stands somewhere close to 3.2 million bpd. However, owing to production of noncrude liquids, current oil production is likely closer to capacity than the crude production figures imply.

On the non-oil economy, the report highlighted three standout factors that continue in its support.

These include, fiscal policy: while over the past two years, this has provided immense support to the economy, though perhaps not in the area that it was most needed - investment. Headline government spending is estimated to have increased by an average of 26 per-

cent per year between 2009-2010 and 2011-2012.

Consumer spending: Government spending measures have provided an important boost to consumer incomes over the past two years, helping to keep consumer spending growth strong. Measures have included the Amiri grant of 1,000 Kuwaiti dinars per Kuwaiti in February 2011 and a generous round of public sector pay increases in fiscal year (FY) 2011-2012.

Together, these measures alone may have been worth KD 1.7 billion, equivalent to four percent of 2011 non-oil GDP. Further increases in wages and salaries look likely for FY 2012-2013.

Confidence boost from higher oil prices: A more complex, but still valuable form of support for the non-oil economy comes from the impact of higher oil prices. Since Kuwait is a massive net oil exporter, a rise in oil prices does more than just provide a direct boost to GDP. It fundamentally alters Kuwait’s terms of trade with the rest of the world. Under our oil price projections, the size of the Kuwaiti economy should reach close to 200 billion US dollars by 2013, having nearly doubled in seven years. -KUNA

Buy 0.4445 Sell 0.4457

Buy 0.00336 Sell 0.00337

Buy 0.074 Sell 0.0742

Buy 0.07558 Sell 0.07572

Buy 0.07639 Sell 0.07624 Buy 0.7364 Sell 0.73776

Buy 0.005473 Sell 0.005462 Buy 0.006515 Sell 0.006499

Prices in Kuwaiti fils As of April 2, 2012 Courtesy: KAMCO

In focus

Custo undo Savio s. Gomes Exclusive to Al Watan Daily

K

UWAIT: The workshop of the world, the British Midlands, is finding new ways to recover lost ground and compete with low cost Asian manufacturers. A weaker Sterling pound and slowly rising wages in South East Asia have helped the recovery. Long distance supply chains have also been affected by natural disasters. Support networks such as Supply Chain 21 help to spread around best practices, raising efficiencies, lowering costs and improving quality.

Business networks such as Made in the Midlands supports members by sharing knowledge and solving problems. Employment in the Midland is up, although the UK continues to steadily lose manufacturing jobs.

UK is turning off wind farm electricity. Plenty is not good when it comes to wind power. National Grid paid out over 12 million pounds in compensation to wind farm operators. High-speed winds overload power grids and wind powered turbines are switched off. UK’s grids have struggled to receive and channel power generated by wind farms and the networks are often overloaded with wind power. The alternative technologies (tidal, wind and solar) and energy sources are available, the problem being that the write offs in traditional power generation systems (from fossil fuels) would be huge. Similarly, automobile companies have the technology to produce economical, environmentally clean vehicles. But then, what will they do with the investments in gas guzzling engines?

Brazil’s gross domestic product grew by less than three percent in 2011. The problems of the EU (Brazil’s key trading partner), have directly impacted the economy. Brazil, however, is now the world’s sixth largest economy, ahead of the UK. The government continues to struggle with balancing inflation, lending rates, growth rates, pension reform, reducing levels of corruption, rationalizing the tax regime and government spending. The sharp rise in the currency has also damaged commodity and manufacturing exports. Government spending flows mainly into state payrolls and this limits the capacity to fund developments in infrastructure, education and health. The cost of doing business (‘Custo Brasil’) in Brazil is high, taxation and welfare policies do not help.

Lenovo, the world’s second largest maker of computers, following its purchase of the IBM line, recently reported growth in sales by over 40 percent. Lenovo’s share price has risen by over 35 percent in the past year and sales in mature markets grew by 80 percent. Its market share of China’s personal computer market is over thirty percent. Lenovo’s price to earnings multiple is twice that of global leader HP, higher than both Dell and even Apple. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Yang now has the pockets to take on development losses as Lenovo attempts to expand into smart phones, tablets and smart TVs. Demand for laptops is facing a fierce onslaught from tablets and the PC market no longer looks secure.

HP, meanwhile, faces tough times ahead. In recently reported results, a majority of HPs large operating segments showed earnings decline by at least 30 percent. HP has lost significant market share in both PC and server segments, and is grappling with the dilemma of short term profits versus spending on innovation (only 2.5 percent of revenues) and marketing to ensure long term sales growth. Unlike IBM and Dell, HP’s transformation does not have a rebuild model. IBM shifted focus to software and services and Dell moved to corporate computing and services.

The Bank of France will book a profit of nearly 500 million euros thanks to citizens who hoarded the franc and did not swap them for euros or not having paid taxes on their income just did not cough up their francs. The French franc was effectively discontinued recently, and the currency created for Jean “le Bon” in 1360 (as his ransom after a defeat in 1356) is no longer legal tender. Real world business does not often have an ‘undo’ button.

The views expressed above are the writer’s own and do not necessarily represent those of Al Watan Daily and its staff. Savio is a financial and management advisor with a background in economics. He has carried out consulting and management intervention projects in several countries such as USA, UK, Australia, Kenya, Armenia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia etc. The writer may be contacted on saviosgomes@ gmail.com.

UK fund launches groundbreaking equity Sukuk

DUBAI: London-based Ethical Asset Management has launched what it calls the world’s first ‘investment Sukuk’, aiming to resolve a major area of controversy in Islamic finance by treating the vehicle as an equity instrument rather than as a bond.

The firm aims to raise 200 million Sterling pounds (318 million US dollars) through the Sukuk in the next 12 to 18 months, with 50 million pounds required to start buying the assets which will back the instrument. The initial tranche will buy between two and four assets, Ethical Asset’s founder and chief executive Saadat Khan told Reuters. The Sukuk is a closed-end private placement fund, structured as a Jersey property unit trust. Traditional Sukuk, often described as “Islamic bonds”, have been criticized by a number of Islamic scholars and investors for resembling conventional debt products; payments on them can be seen as akin to interest payments, which are banned under Sharia principles. Instead, Ethical Asset will invest money raised by the Sukuk in income-generating student housing in Britain, projecting annual net returns of four to six percent, and give investors ownership of those assets - which it says will make the instrument closer to an equity product than debt.

Ethical “will provide investors with full ownership, which includes exposure to the risk/reward that is integral in a Sharia transaction,” Khan said. -Reuters

10

ALWATAN DAILY

BUSINESS

tuesDAY, april 3, 2012

Euro unemployment spikes to record 10.8% LONDON: The number of people looking for work in the 17 countries that use the euro hit its highest level since the currency was introduced back in 1999, official figures showed Monday, adding to fears that the region is in recession.

Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics office, said unemployment in the eurozone rose to 10.8 percent in February from 10.7 percent the previous month. The number of unemployed totaled 17.1 million, nearly 1.5 million higher than the same month a year ago. Of the 17 countries in the eurozone, seven countries had unemployment rates of above 10 percent.

The figures stand in marked contrast to the US - with an unemployment rate of 8.3 percent - which has recorded solid increases in the number of people finding work over the past few months.

The eighth straight month of rising unemployment will likely reinforce concerns that the eurozone is in recession just as many countries pursue austerity measures to get a handle on their crippling debt loads.

Spain, whose government announced another raft of austerity measures last Friday, had the highest unemployment rate in the eurozone of 23.6 percent, with youth unemployment - those under 25 years of age - standing at 50.5 percent. The lowest rate among the euro countries was Austria’s 4.2 percent. Greece, Portugal and Ireland - the three countries that have already received a debt bailout - had unemployment rates of 21 percent, 15 percent and 14.7 percent respectively.

With unemployment rising at a time of austerity, consumers have been reluctant to spend and that’s been holding back the eurozone economy despite signs of life elsewhere, notably in the US and in emerging markets.

“Soaring unemployment is clearly adding to the pres-

A man smokes outside an unemployment office in Madrid, on Thursday, March 1, 2012. Eurozone unemployment hits 10.7 percent in January, highest since euro established in 1999. (AP)

sure on household incomes from aggressive fiscal tightening in the region’s periphery,” said Jennifer McKeown, senior European economist at Capital Economics.

She warned that the situation is likely to get worse and that even in Germany, where unemployment held at 5.7 percent, “survey measures of hiring point to a downturn

Iraq’s Kurds halt oil exports over payment row BAGHDAD: Iraq’s self-ruled Kurdish region has halted oil exports over a payment row with the central government in Baghdad, causing further deterioration in relations between the two administrations.

The Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq has unilaterally struck scores of deals with oil companies in recent years, even though Baghdad says it has no right to do so. The two sides struck a tentative deal in 2011 by which the Kurds send the oil to Baghdad, which sells it, and each side then takes 50 percent of the revenues.

In a statement issued late Sunday, the region’s Ministry of Natural Resources said Baghdad failed to send any money since May, even though it had been exporting 50,000 barrels per day. They said only two payments of 514 million US dollars have been made with the last made in May 2011.

“After consultation with the producing companies, the Ministry has reluctantly decided to halt exports until further notice,” the statement said.

“There have been no payments for 10 months, nor any indication from federal authorities that payments are forthcoming.”

It added that oil exports will be resumed once payment issue is resolved, adding that the production will be diverted to the local market for processing and refining to generate an alternate source of cash flow for the producing companies.

On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Hussain

Al-Shahristani said the Kurds’ decision to halt oil exports will affect the federal budget for 2012. He also accused Kurdish authorities of smuggling huge amounts of oil to neighboring countries, mainly Iran, or selling it on the local market.

The Kurds, he charged, were withholding about $5.65 billion in revenues generated from unreported oil sales since 2010. “Where the money went, I don’t know,” he said.

Last week, Iraq’s Finance Minister Rafia AlIssawi said Baghdad already approved payment of $560 million to oil producers in the Kurdish region but it was awaiting final audits.

The Kurds are at odds with the Baghdad government on a host of issues, ranging from the development of oil resources in the autonomous Kurdish region to the status of disputed areas, including the oil hub of Kirkuk.

Tensions between the two have increased since last November when the Kurds announced that US giant Exxon Mobil signed a deal to explore for oil in the region. Baghdad warned Exxon could risk existing agreements with Baghdad.

Another point of contention is Iraq’s fugitive Vice President Tariq Al-Hashemi. Al-Hashemi, the highest ranking Sunni Arab official in Iraq, is wanted by the Shiite-led government who claim he ran death squads and fled into exile in the Kurdish region.

Iraq’s Interior Ministry last month demanded

that Kurdish leaders arrest Al-Hashemi before he could flee the country, but the vice president traveled to Qatar Sunday on what he said was an official visit to several countries.

The Kurdish move came as the Iraqi Oil Ministry reported the highest oil exports in March since 1989, thanks to a new offshore export terminal in the Gulf.

Ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said Monday that March oil exports averaged 2.317 million barrels a day that generated $8,475 billion.

February’s oil exports averaged 2.0137 million barrels per day, down from an average of 2.107 million barrels per day in January. February’s sales grossed $6.595 billion.

Although Iraq sits atop the world’s fourth largest proven reserves of conventional crude, about 143.1 billion barrels, decades of sanctions, war, sabotage and neglect have battered the sector.

Since 2008, Iraq has awarded 15 oil and gas deals to international energy companies, the first major investments in the country’s energy industry in more than three decades.

Baghdad aims to raise daily output to 12 million barrels by 2017, a level that would put it nearly on par with Saudi Arabia’s current production capacity. Many analysts say that target is unrealistic, because of the degraded state of the industry’s infrastructure after wars and an international embargo that lasted more than a decade. -AP

to come.”

Figures earlier indicating a bigger-than-anticipated downturn in manufacturing only added to the gloom surrounding the eurozone economy. Financial information company Markit said its purchasing managers index - a gauge of business activity - fell to a three-month low of 47.7 in March from the previous month’s 49 - anything below 50 indicates a contraction.

Markit said Germany and France, the eurozone’s two powerhouse economies, saw activity levels deteriorate.

France, in particular, fared worse with activity at a 33-month low of 46.7. Only Austria and Ireland saw output increase during the month.

Across the eurozone, Markit said, new orders contracted at a faster rate than in February and that led to further job losses.

The manufacturing sector is vital for Europe’s economic growth at a time when many countries are implementing austerity measures to get a handle on their debts.

Following a 0.3 percent quarterly contraction in the eurozone’s economy in the fourth quarter of 2011, analysts said the manufacturing data show that the region is more likely to fall back into recession - technically defined as two quarters of negative growth.

“It looks odds-on that eurozone gross domestic product (GDP) contracted again in the first quarter of 2012 .... thereby moving into recession,” said Howard Archer, chief European economist at IHS Global Insight. “And the prospects for the second quarter of 2012 currently hardly look rosy.”

Markets across Europe Monday gave up their early gains on the news of the two reports with the Stoxx 50 of leading European shares down 0.2 percent, having opened moderately higher on upbeat data from China. -AP

Japan’s new car sales jump 78.2%

TOKYO: Japan’s domestic sales of new vehicles surged 78.2 percent from a year earlier in March for the seventh consecutive monthly increase, data released by an industry body showed Monday. Sales totaled 497,959 vehicles last month following a 31.9 percent growth in February and marked the highest level for the month of March since 2006, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said. Of the total, 443,727 passenger cars were sold in the reporting month, up 82.0 percent from a year earlier. The figures don’t include sales of mini cars.

Japan’s new car sales plunged last year following the March 11 magnitude 9.0-earthquake and tsunami, as the twin natural disasters disrupted manufacturing operations at automakers, causing supply shortages nationwide.

But production recovered to the pre-disaster level within several months, and resumption of government subsidies for fuel-efficient cars from late December has helped push sales. -KUNA

Oil eases below $123 after first-quarter rally

Some Japan firms to skip Iran crude buying in April CAPITALS: At least three Japanese firms including two oil refiners will not lift any Iranian crude in April as the third-biggest buyer of Iranian oil comes under pressure from the United States to curtail purchases, industry sources said on Monday.

Japan has been cutting Iran imports even as its imports have been rising on demand related to reconstruction and the switching off of all but one of its nuclear reactors following the March 2011 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The cut in Iranian crude imports comes at a time of lower demand in Asia as refiners shut their units for maintenance in the second quarter.

Japan’s third-biggest refiner, Idemitsu Kosan Co, which lifted about 7,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iran crude up to the end of March, is seen as one of the refiners that could cut the purchases as it has not yet renewed its annual contract with Iran, sources familiar with the matter said.

Another Japanese refiner plans to cease Iranian crude lifting in April and May and it has all but

completed procuring alternative crude, the sources said.

Another headache for Japanese buyers is worry over insurance problems as a widely expected ban on European insurance cover for Iranian oil exports from July 1 is threatening to curtail shipments and raise costs for major buyers such as Japan and South Korea.

The European Union last month allowed some insurance on Iranian shipments headed for destinations other than Europe to be exempted from its sanctions only until July 1.

Japan and South Korea have lobbied for exemptions, but insurance and shipping executives say a complete ban now looks likely.

The EU move has forced India and other Asian shipowners dependent on European insurance to look for replacement coverage elsewhere, such as in China, Russia and the Middle East.

Lifting but lower volume Japan’s crude oil imports from Iran fell 32.7

percent in February from a year earlier to 1.41 million kilolitres (305,800 barrels per day), Trade Ministry data showed on Friday.

The Japanese government is believed to want Idemitsu Kosan to continue cutting Iranian crude imports as it has been, which is by 10 to 20 percent a year, the oil refiner’s chairman said last month.

Showa Shell Sekiyu, the nation’s top buyer of Iranian crude, will lift some Iranian barrels this month, but the volume will be lower than last year’s average of about 100,000 bpd, to comply with the US sanctions, industry sources said.

Another big lifter, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp, which media reports say is likely to cut imports from Iran by 10,000 bpd to about 80,000 bpd this year, is likely to lift some Iran oil this month, the sources said.

The United States is pushing sanctions to pressure Iran to curb its nuclear program, which the West suspects is a cover to develop atomic weapons but which Iran says is purely for civilian use.

-Reuters

New refinery, clean fuel projects boost Kuwait’s development: ChevronLummus

CLG participants in GPCE 2012 with a report on oil industry developments

CAPITALS: Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) underscored the important role played by the refinery sector in boosting the economy of the State of Kuwait and to resuscitate it, while supporting the development process. This is especially the case with the new refinery project and clean fuel projects. This was mentioned in a press release on Monday.

In a press release on the occasion of its participation in the Gulf Petroleum Conference and Exhibition - GPCE 2012, organized by the

Investors Group on April 9, CLG said that it is involved in many refinery and clean fuel projects in the region.

It added that its interests are driven by investments in the region, which are growing. It noted that “the risks appear to be largely political in nature and even recent upheavals in the Middle East appear to suggest that even though the nearterm many be uncertain, the developments favor a better investment climate in the future.”

With regard to the downstream sector, CLG said that newer refining technologies and catalysts promise more yield with less capital, and the region is fully taking advantage of these trends.

It added that the company’s view tends to support the notion that oil and gas will continue to dominate the energy sector for the next halfcentury and to that end, the Arab States will be the key drivers both from the point of view of

providing the necessary oil and gas resources and demand for clean fuels, lubricants and petrochemicals globally.

CLG hoped that the GPCE 2012 will be a success, noting that it brings together important stakeholders and decision makers from the Arab States’ energy sectors so that the investment climate and risks associated with the region can be better assessed by those investing in the region.

The GPCE 2012, organized by the Investors Group, will take place on April 9 and 10, 2012.

Under the slogan, “Gulf Petroleum Integration .. Prospects and Challenges”, the event will be held under the auspices of Minister of Oil, and Chairman of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation Hani A. Hussain. The event will see the participation of large companies operating in the oil and gas sector, as well as a host of global experts.

FILE- A driver waits to pay while getting petrol for his vehicle at a gas station in Taipei April 2, 2012. Oil slipped below 123 US dollars a barrel on Monday, following a 14 percent rise in the first quarter, as economic contraction in Europe outweighed a brighter outlook in China and global supply concerns. (Reuters)

Russian oil firm seeks Libyan crude to Croatian port

LONDON: Oil slipped below 123 US dollars a barrel on Monday, following a 14 percent rise in the first quarter, as economic contraction in Europe outweighed a brighter outlook in China and global supply concerns.

The euro zone’s manufacturing sector shrank for an eighth month in March, according to Markit’s Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index.

In contrast, China’s official Purchasing Managers’ Index hit an 11-month high in March. Brent crude slipped 44 US cents to $122.44 a barrel by 1040 GMT. It ended the first quarter up 14.3 percent, its biggest quarterly rise since the first quarter of 2011.

US crude fell by 53 cents to $102.49.

“We had some slightly positive Chinese data. The market is drifting in this broad sideways range, but Iran will keep it above $120,” said Christopher Bellew, a broker at Jefferies Bache in London.

Brent has fallen from its 2012 high of $128.40 reached on March 1, and analysts said there were signs of waning investor enthusiasm. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission said on Friday speculators trimmed net long US crude and options positions in the week to March 27.

“Financial investors, who were one of the driving factors behind the rise in oil prices in the first two months of this year, would appear to (be) becoming more

sceptical,” said analysts at Commerzbank in a report. Following the Chinese PMI figures, investors will be keeping an eye on US manufacturing data - the ISM index - for signs of economic health in the world’s biggest oil user. Oil was supported by the prospect of supply disruptions. US President Barack Obama said on Friday there was enough oil in the market to allow countries to cut imports from Iran, OPEC’s second-largest producer.

In his decision, Obama said increased production by some countries as well as “the existence of strategic reserves” helped him come to the conclusion that sanctions can advance. Iran and six world powers will meet in Turkey on April 13-14 for a round of talks over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Saturday.

While threats to Iranian supply are the main worry for oil markets, actual supply has been cut in Syria, Yemen and South Sudan. On Sunday, Sudan and South Sudan accused each other of launching attacks in the oil-producing area straddling their border.

Top global exporter Saudi Arabia is pumping almost 10 million barrels per day, the highest in decades, and insists there is no shortage of supply. OPEC production overall is at the highest since 2008, according to a Reuters survey.

Russian state-controlled oil firm Zarubezhneft has issued a rare tender to buy Libyan crude for early May delivery, traders said on Monday.

Zarubezhneft is looking for Es Sider crude to be delivered to the Croatian port of Rijeka, they said. This is the first time the company has issued such a tender in five years, the traders said. -Reuters

BUSINESS

ALWATAN DAILY

/ 2012 DTD -0.40% -0.47%

MTD -1.55% -1.50%

YTD -1.55% -1.50%

Div. Yield

Annual Close High Low

P/E

1,120 490 770 640 840 246 460 870 580

1,140 495 780 660 850 248 465 880 590

3.6% 0.0% 1.9% 3.1% 1.6% 0.0% 0.0% 2.3% 0.0% 2.0%

1,120 510 790 660 850 255 475 900 590 319.54

1,100 490 770 640 790 248 460 880 590 318.41

14.74 33.95 88.62 17.34 29.68 23.59 12.26 25.07 112.24 18.61

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

102 260 40 168 295 12.5 51 106 27.0 108 49 21 31.0 64.0 26.0 118.0 18.0 16.0 38.5 156 63 52 124.0

106 265 40 172 300 13.0 52 33.5 110 29.5 110 50 24 32.5 238 54 27.0 120.0 39.0 20.0 16.5 39.0 160 270 27 73 53 61 47 69 128.0

0.0% 8.5% 0.0% 0.0% 6.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 9.3% 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% 0.0% 0.0% % 3.8% 5.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 10.8% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2.4%

106 265 42 174 305 13.5 54 25.0 130 36.0 230 102 116 50 44.0 52 74 28.5 112 51 23 71 31.5 48.5 68.0 20.5 26.0 244 94 51 36 51 27.5 75 120.0 41.5 19.0 17.0 39.0 29.0 162 255 114 28 68 55 60 47 64 42.5 132.0 76.32

106 260 40 170 295 12.5 52 25.0 130 31.0 230 102 108 50 44.0 52 74 28.5 108 49 22 71 31.0 48.5 68.0 20.5 26.0 244 94 51 36 51 26.5 75 99.0 19.5 19.0 16.5 38.0 29.0 156 255 114 26 68 53 60 47 64 42.5 128.0 75.90

40.56 12.09

0 0

300 510 460 108 -

325 610 500 114 110 43.0

6.2% 4.5% 5.2% 9.1% 2.7% 0.0% 0.0% 4.7%

325 560 520 118 220 134 40.5 44.80

325 560 485 110 220 114 40.5 43.43

16.97 12.90 9.91 17.37 296.83

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

48 99 122 200 110 112 95 860 71 11.5 35.5 77 53 13.5 90 30.0 70 116 28.0 23.5 25.0 24.5 15.5 29 218 55 290

49 100 126 202 37.5 224 130 85 31.5 118 98 870 76 12.0 37.0 79 65 54 91 40.5 60 14.5 94 33.5 57 74 126 28.5 25.0 25.5 28.0 16.0 130 32 57 295

0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 10.0% 0.0% 4.5% 0.0% 6.1% 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% 5.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1.1%

49 100 128 208 37.5 234 130 82 30.5 108 100 860 76 12.5 38.0 78 75 55 90 38.0 63 14.5 91 17.5 31.0 59 78 48.5 144 29.0 24.5 26.0 28.5 16.5 134 32 220 60 295 49.86

48 99 120 200 37.5 224 120 82 30.0 108 96 840 73 11.5 38.0 77 65 54 90 38.0 59 14.0 91 17.5 31.0 59 70 48.5 124 28.0 23.5 25.5 27.0 15.5 134 32 220 57 270 49.73

37.20 12.83 22.21 17.83

0 0 0 0 0 0 -

122 455 150 1,420 310 710 178 104 435

232 130 465 1,440 340 216 720 190 108 -

0.0% 0.0% 2.2% 3.3% 4.6% 3.0% 2.4% 13.9% 5.6% 0.0% 4.3%

260 130 470 158 1,460 340 222 740 180 116 460

232 128 450 150 1,420 335 212 710 180 104 460

70.58

Last Bid

Last Ask

88.93 12.13 1.33 0.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 32.31 0.00 0.00 116.80 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.00 8.28 22.77 11.92 43.00

0.00 5.19 10.01

12.60

16.20 5.29 15.28 39.65 21.70 0.00 14.56 26.32

4.15 19.44 11.37 0.00 5.38 27.28

23.07 18.82 0.00 0.00 16.27

18.38 6.49 8.02 193.84 96.15 10.91 23.15 26.77

KUWAIT: March trading activity further contributed more gains to the KSE during the first quarter of 2012. The trading activity during the month of March supported the market through the positive performance of leading stocks, while smaller stocks continued to move higher.

The month of March was busy, scheduled with general assembly meetings of listed companies. More than 35 AGMs took place during March through which more than 257 million Kuwaiti dinars cash dividends were distributed by 6 local banks to their shareholders. Market trading activity rose to a new record in terms of traded value (KD 936.54 million), unprecedented since June of 2009.

Global General index, which measures the performance of the market based on market-weight method, has increased by 1.24 percent by the end of March as the index closed at 183.20 points. During the Q1 2012, the index rose by 2.17 percent. Buying interest was observed on the counter of blue chip stocks. The blue chips’ barometer, Global Large Cap. Index added 2.05 percent in March. At the same time mid-cap and small-cap managed to eke out gains on the back of a solid performance by real estate sector stocks. KSE price index recorded an increase of 0.62 percent to close at 6,165 points. During the Q1 2012, the index gain rose by 6.03 percent. The market capitalization of Kuwait Stock Exchange amounted to KD 29.81 billion by the end of March 29, 2012, recording an increase of 1.24 percent from the end of February 2012. On the broader market for equities, advancing stocks outnumbered declining stocks by a ratio of 80 to 75, while 50 stocks remained unchanged.

Trading volume of shares traded on the exchange dropped by 5.6 percent reaching 10.3 billion shares changing hands at a total value of KD 936.5 million (an increase of 8.7 percent from last month). High volume was seen on the investment stocks with the sector accounting for 30.4percent of the total traded volume this month with 3.1 billion shares traded. On the other hand, the services sector dominated the market with KD 28.9 million traded on the sector, ac-

0.1140

Al Safat investment Co. Source: Kuwait Stock Exchange Company

Price (KD )

Abyaar Real Estate Development Co.

Gulf Finance House Company

International Financial (IFA)Co. Kuwait Business TownAdvisors Real Estate Al Safwa Group Holding Investors Holding Group Company

0.0435 Top Five Decliners 0.0720 Price (KD ) 0.0520 0.0175 0.0225 0.0125

Hits Holding (Nibras Holding Co.) ArabTelecom Real Estate Company Source: Kuwait Stock Exchange Al-Aman Investment Co.

Al-Ahlia Holding Company Source: Kuwait Stock Exchange

Company

Ÿ

High

Low

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

1,080

1,060 450 600 810 255 415 770 530

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.

106 285 168 340 114 102 140 54 38.0 40.5 -

455 640 820 260 425 790 540

Global Index - Banking

Taiba Kuwaiti Holding

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

Ÿ

68.0 176 305 67 52 132

106 285 166 335 114 102 138 53 36.0 39.0 250.0 100.0 65.0 174 255 67 52 128

-

-

265.0 106.0

Global Index - Investment

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

-

Global Index - Insurance

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

-

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

ŷ ŷ

ŷ ŷ ŷ

74 60.0 90 59 71 74 83 18.5 38.0 46.5 35.5 21.0 52 360

238 124 450 305 860 108 370

230 120 450 305 860 108 360

1,080

Ÿ ŷ ŷ ź ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ

Ÿ

57 114 124 238 240 35.5 98 1,060 73 57.0 90 58 69 74 77 18.0 37.0 44.0 33.5 20.5 51 350

59 116 128 246 244 37.5 99

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

Ÿ ŷ ŷ ź Ÿ ŷ ź Ÿ Ÿ

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

1080 455 790 600 820 255 420 780 540 320.37

106 285 52 166 340 13.0 55 25.0 130 25.0 230 99 114 102 52 26.0 138 53 26.5 71 36.0 48.5 64 26.0 242 52 38.5 51 40.5 100 265.0 106.0 22.0 22.5 68.0 29.0 176 290 114 28.50 80 67 56 52 64 42.50 132 83.58 300 560 520 148 220 122 40.50 44.67

59 116 126 246 32.5 244 118 91 37.5 110 99 1,080 74 12.5 60.0 90 59 70 74 36.0 83 18.5 87 17.5 38.0 57 80 174 44.5 28.5 35.5 17.5 21.0 134 134 220 52 360 57.93

238 122 450 126 1,360 305 158 860 216 108 360

1060 455 790 650 810 255 425 770 530 318.83 104 285 52 168 340 13.0 55 25.0 130 25.0 230 99 114 50 52 26.0 140 54 26.5 71 36.5 48.5 64 26.0 242 52 38.5 51 38.0 100 265.0 100.0 22.0 22.5 63.0 29.0 178.0 255 114 28.50 80 66 56 52 64 42.50 128 83.25

centNational of total volume shares traded on Bank ofofKuwait the bourse this month. The scrip closed Zain down 4.40 percent at KD 0.0435. EquipmentKuwait Holding Company was to top gainFinance House er for the month, adding 61.8 percent to Gulfmonth Bank share price and closed at its last KD Commercial 0.110. Al-Salam Company BankHolding of Kuwait followed, adding 54.07 percent.

Boubyansector Bank indices ended the Market month on a positive note. Global Real Estate Sector Index was the biggest

300 560 520 148 220 122 40.50 44.67 58 114 132 236 32.5 248 118 91 35.0 110 98 1,060 73 12.5 58.0 90 58 71 79 36.0 78 18.5 87 17.5 37.0 57 80 174 45.5 28.5 33.0 17.5 20.5 134 134 220 51 355 57.34 230 126 455 126 1,360 305 158 860 216 108 355

DTD 0.13% 0.40%

Last Bid

Last Ask

MTD YTD -1.54% 0.59% 6.45% 0.39% Div. Annual Close High Low P/E Yield

1,080 455 640 820 260 420 540

3.7% 0.0% 1.9% 3.3% 1.7% 0.0% 0.0% 2.6% 0.0% 2.0%

1,220 510 800 680 920 260 480 900 590 326.42

1,060 450 700 600 790 236 420 770 530 317.17

15.63 32.77 90.92 17.07 30.07 24.25 11.76 24.00 102.73 18.79

2 -2 -

20,000 300,000 1,060,000 270,000 20,000 20,000 6,240,000 2,640,000 640,000 6,160,000 1,710,000 6,280,000 9,280,000 340,000 70 000 70,000 1,440,000 360,000 3,120,000 39,970,000

1 4 32 11 1 1 49 29 7 58 83 120 144 10 3 18 9 70 650

2,120 85,500 176,000 90,650 2,280 2,040 861,520 140,880 23,320 245,440 441,300 642,040 622,160 59,640 20 400 20,400 96,480 18,720 405,360 3,935,850

106 280 164 335 114 138 52 35.5 62.0 40.0 260.0 104.0 68.0 174 29 67 52 130.0

108 285 166 340 230 116 96 140 53 36.5 69.0 40.5 265.0 106.0 176 290 31 85 68 56 53 132.0

0.0% 7.7% 0.0% 0.0% 5.9% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 8.8% 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% 3.4% 4 5% 4.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 9.6% 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 35.5 140 65 35 71 44.0 48.5 70.0 26.0 244 62 39 51 47.5 104 270.0 130.0 25.0 33.5 96.0 29.0 190 290 114 32 89 73 60 59 64 42.5 140.0 85.99

104 255 40 158 295 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 42.5 112.0 74.96

40.56 13.26

-

-

-

260 530 500 28.0

300 580 530 146 43.0

6.7% 4.5% 4.8% 6.8% 2.7% 0.0% 0.0% 4.6%

325 610 540 148 220 134 40.5 44.91

280 550 450 102 220 102 40.5 42.22

15.67 12.90 10.62 23.37 296.83

1 3,360,000 2 420,000 -6 2,540,000 10 3,780,000 340,000 4.02.5 2,000,000 1 200,000 20 227,500 1,080,000 1 2.0 37,240,000 640,000 120,000 1 240,000 -1 200,000 -5 5 480,000 2,880,000 1.0 4,320,000 -1 65,920,000 2.5 1,200,000 4,640,000 0.5 160,000 1 5 310,000 0.59 132,297,500

35 7 69 104 5 24 4 15 26 297 4 3 4 1 12 32 44 352 12 32 4 22

58 114 126 246 238 114 90 37.5 99 1,060 74 59.0 89 58 69 83 18.5 87 37.5 75 166 44.0 35.5 21.0 31 51 355

59 116 128 246 138 100 1,080 75 60.0 90 59 70 19.0 97 38.0 184 44.5 21.5 130 34 53 360

0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 8.1% 0.0% 4.1% 0.0% 5.5% 0.0% 6.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 5.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 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 94 75 73 90 38.0 92 23.0 91 17.5 45.0 59 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

45.72 14.88 22.57 21.93

1,108

194,640 48,600 317,840 920,680 81,680 73,760 19,760 245,100 79,880 2,192,480 57,600 7,040 16,800 14,800 39,360 52,680 161,400 2,974,760 41,960 96,800 8,280 109,900 7,755,800

7,040,000 460,000 10,000 20,000 15,000 40,000 40,000

81 16 1 2 2 2 3

1,639,480 55,800 4,500 6,100 12,900 4,320 14,650

236 120 445 126 1,340 300 860 108 355

238 124 455 132 1,360 310 156 870 216 110 360

0.0% 0.0% 2.2% 4.0% 4.8% 3.3% 3.2% 11.6% 4.6% 0.0% 5.6%

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

214 120 415 126 1,360 305 146 660 180 102 355

-

-2 -1 -1

2.5 6.0 5.0 2.035 0 35.0 1 4 0.33 Ex-D Ex-D Ex-D -

8 -4 -5 5

0.0130

-23.53%

652,000,000 Volume 485,480,000 1,600,000 477,360,000 223,280,000 437,040,000 107,160,000

-23.53%

17,120,000

322,480,000

of Kuwait of Kuwait saw 5.88%and Al-Ahli Bank30,200,000 their share prices increasing by 11.27 per68,010,000 cent2.35% and 6.56 percent, respectively.

On the other side, Global40,315,000 Non Kuwaiti 5.41% Sector Index was the biggest loser, shed16,110,000 ding0.00% 6.38 percent. Arab Insurance Group (ARIG) was a major loser 10,935,000 in the sector, 11.27% with its share price ending the month -3.57% 15,725,000 down by 22.7 percent followed by a 15.5 percent retreat in the share price of Fujairah Cement Industries Co.

Date of Closing Prices:

1,060 450 600 810 255 415 530

-

904,200,000

0.00% %Change -20.00% -35.19%

05 / 01 / 2012

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

2,084,300 108,650 73,500 45,000 1,609,100 508,600 959,050 61,250 5,449,450

New stock

-4.40%

Trading Prices of Kuwait Stock Exchange Date of Closig Prices: 2/04/2012

71 9 17 7 33 19 72 14 242

-

Volume

0.00% -32.43% 0.00% -31.00%

up by 15.6 percent at KD 1.040. its high1.0800 est level since October 22, 2008. In the same sector, Kuwait Business0.8700 Town Real Estate Company led the stocks in terms 0.7800 of price retreat as it lost 35.2 of its price and closed at KD 0.0175 with0.4600 1.6 million shares being traded.

0.7900 Global Services Sector Index was the second biggest gainer, adding0.5400 2.33 percent to its value, in line with 2.35 percent increase in the share price of the second

1,930,000 240,000 120,000 55,000 6,310,000 1,220,000 1,230,000 115,000 11,220,000

-

124,360,000

%Change

0.0260

20 -50 10 -5 10 10 1.54

-

29.87%

0.0850 0.0345 Value Leaders

1,160,000

counting for 28.9 percent of the total gainer this month, adding 5.93 percent. biggest company in KSE, Mobile Telemarket traded value. Mobile TelecommuTwo of the real estate companies were communication Co. (ZAIN). On March nication Co. (ZAIN) was the most traded seen among the top five gainers list. 31, 2012, the company AGM and EGM stock with KD 58.7 million traded.

Alargan International Real Estate Comapproved the distribution of 65 percent Company wise, selling pressure was pany and A’ayan Real Estate Company cash dividends for the year ended Deobserved on the counter of Abyaar Real added 47.5 percent and 16.9 percent to cember 31, 2011.

Global Banking Sector Index was anEstate Development Company. The Performance comtheir share pricesCap respectively.

Mabanee of Large Companies in March 2012 other notable gainer, adding 1.57 percent pany witnessed 904 million of its shares Company reported 11.3 percent jump in Company ) %Change Volume to its value this month. Commercial Bank changing hands, accounting for 8.8 per2011 annual earnings. ThePrice scrip (KD closed

Previous Close Change 180.13 0.23 24.90 6,164.10 Trading Activity Tran. Value(KD) Chng Volume

-

32.56%

0.1000

Volume Leaders

For more Information please contact "Global" at (+965) 180 42 42 or www.globalinv.net Last Close 180.37 6,189.00 Last Prev.

Close Close

KUWAIT: It’s no secret that measurability is the key to success. Calling upon 12 years of Middle East job market data, Bayt.com has created an intuitive set of career-building tools for its website, giving jobseekers and employers alike access to vital statistics that will streamline - and significantly improve - both sides of the recruitment process. With 7.25 million jobseekers and more than 40,000 employers registered on Bayt.com, the jobsite’s measurability it certainly substantial. This was stated in a press release on Monday.

Tapping into the extensive information stored in the Bayt.com datacenter, the newly refurbished jobsite features functions inspired by recruitment trends and career statistics from across the region. The data, collected from information gathered from millions of people in the Middle East, has been used to empower members of Bayt.com to make better decisions, allowing them to get ahead in the recruitment process.

“With 12 years of operations under its belt, Bayt.com is now taking the successes of its past and translating them into the future. By addressing the professional, personal and market requirements of jobseekers and employers, we have created a next-generation brand that is at the vanguard of the employment revolution,” said RabeaAtaya, CEO, Bayt. com. “We have created a brand that will become an indispensable extension of peoples’ lives, empowering them to create the lifestyle that they desire by utilizing our state-ofthe-art functionalities to find the careers they desire. At the same time, we are presenting them with the opportunity to carve out their online footprint, which is an increasingly essential component to the employment market.”

Included amongst the tools are CV Visibility Charts, keyword tools, a Career Map and more, all of which display relevant data in a way that is most useful to the jobseeking process. Whether a candidate is looking to relocate, continue their education or switch their career path, Bayt. com now gives them access to trends and more to expose the way their peers fare in similar situations; how they make the same moves, based on industry, city, years of experience, education and more. The CV Visibility Charts provide essential information on the number of views received in recent months, including the keywords being used by employers to find relevant candidates, and the skills that are in demand.

Armed with these indicators, candidates are able to tailor their CV to better improve their employability.

Members of Bayt.com have access to the answer that will empower them to find the career they desire, by giving them unprecedented access to data that allows for a fully customized experience and career trajectory, as opposed to merely a generic figure.

Gainers Company wise, selling pressure was observed onTop theFive counter of Abyaar Real Estate Development Company. The Company Price %Change Volume company witnessed 904 million of its shares changing hands, accounting for(KD 8.8 )percent of total volume of shares traded onEquipment the bourseHolding this month.

The scrip closed down 4.40 percent at KD 0.0435.

Equipment Holding Company was to top Company 0.1100 61.76% 29,260,000 gainer for the month, adding 61.8 percent to its last month share price and closed at KD 0.110. Al-Salam Holding Al-Salamfollowed, Group Holding Co. percent.

0.2650 54.07% 141,240,000 Company adding 54.07 Alargan International Real Estate Co. 0.1740 47.46% 8,820,000

Date of Closing Prices: 02 / 04 / 2012 For more information please contact “Global” at (+965) 180 42 42 or www.globalinv.net Ÿ

Bayt.com empowers careers through simplifying big data

Transactions ▲ 125,430 121,943 2.86% On the other side, Global Non Kuwaiti Sector Index was the biggest loser, shedding 6.38 percent. Arab Insurance Group Market Cap. (KD ) ▲ 29,814,802,759 29,449,943,218 (ARIG) was a major loser in the sector, with its share price ending the month down by 22.7 percent followed 1.24% by a 15.5 Source: retreat Kuwait in Stock percent the Exchange share price of Fujairah Cement Industries Co.

Trading Prices of Kuwait Exchange Trading Prices of Kuwait StockStock Exchange

Global General Index KSE Price Index

Data speaks the truth: Bayt. com helps members listen to it

Volume Traded ▼ 10,292,267,500 -5.57% Global Banking Sector Index was another notable gainer, adding 1.57 percent to10,899,697,500 its value this month. Commercial Bank of Value Traded (KD ) Bank of Kuwait saw their▲ Kuwait and Al-Ahli share prices increasing by 11.27 percent and 6.56 percent, respectively.

936,541,990 861,800,330 8.67%

Palms Agro Production Co.

11

TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

KSE market capitalization increases by 1.67% in Q1, 2012

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

)

index closed at 183.20 points. During the Q1 2012, the index rose by 2.17 percent. Advancers 80 Gulf Finance 0.00% 40,438,680 blue chips’ Buying interest House was observed on the counter of blue chip stocks. The0.0720 Decliners 75 barometer, Global Large (Nibras Cap. Index added 2.05 percent in March. At the same time Hits Telecom Holding Holding Co.) 0.0850 0.00% 39,739,200 50 mid-cap and small-cap managed to eke out gains on the back of a solid Unchanged National Bank of Kuwait 5.88% 34,030,550 performance by real estate sector stocks. KSE price index recorded an1.0800 increase of Traded 168 Source: Kuwait Exchange 0.62 percent to Stock close at 6,165 points. During the Q1 2012, the index gain rose by Total listed Co.’s 205 6.03 percent. The market capitalization of Kuwait Stock Exchange amounted to KD Market sector indices ended the month on a positive note.

Global Real Estate Sector Index was the biggest gainer 29.81 billion by the end of March 29, 2012, recording an increase of 1.24 percent from the end of February 2012. On the this month, percent.advancing Two of the real outnumbered estate companies were seenbyamong top tofive list.stocks Alargan broader adding market 5.93 for equities, stocks declining stocks a ratiothe of 80 75,gainers while 50 International Real Estate Company and A'ayan Real Estate Company added 47.5 percent and 16.9 percent to their share remained unchanged. prices respectively. Mabanee Company reported 11.3 percent jump in 2011 annual earnings. The scrip closed up by 15.6 percent at KD 1.040. its traded highestonlevel since October 22, by 2008.

In the same sector, Business Town hands Real Estate Trading volume of shares the exchange dropped 5.6 percent reaching 10.3Kuwait billion shares changing at Company ledofthe terms(an of price retreat as percent it lost 35.2 of last its price andHigh closed at KDwas 0.0175 1.6 investment million shares a total value KDstocks 936.5 inmillion increase of 8.7 from month). volume seenwith on the being stockstraded. with the sector accounting for 30.4percent of the total traded volume this month with 3.1 billion shares traded. On the other hand, the services sector dominated the market with KD 28.9 million traded on the sector, accounting for 28.9 Global Sector Index wasvalue. the second gainer, adding percent to most its value, in stock line with percent percentServices of the total market traded Mobile biggest Telecommunication Co. 2.33 (ZAIN) was the traded with2.35 KD 58.7 increase in the share price of the second biggest company in KSE, Mobile Telecommunication Co. (ZAIN). On March 31, million traded.

2012, the company AGM and EGM approved the distribution of 65 percent cash dividends for the year ended December 31, 2011.

March- 2012 Feb- 2012 % Change

86.84 13.75 1.39 0.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 30.41 0.00 119.09 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.00 9.23 25 89 25.89 11.92 50.59

0.00 5.36 13.97

12.98

17.65 5.87 15.57 40.46 27.25 0.00 16.80 34.11

5.48 23.83 12.99 7.55 44.98

23.07 18.82 0.00 0.00 19.46 72.40 18.38 6.21 7.30 144.46 114.85 13.09 24.04 20.95

Last Close 216 214 Ÿ źŸ 89 176.5388 6205,726.90 610 źŸ 1,100 1,100 Gulf Glass ŷ Last Prev.

216 216 HilalCompany Cement ŷ Close Close High 340 340 Al Kout Ind. Project ŷ 1,140 1120 1120 National ŷ 275 275 K-PAK Bank ŷ 495 495 Gulf BankMaterial 495 ŷ 224 224 Building 770 770 Commercial 770 ŷ 300 300 Nat. Ind.Co.Bank ŷ 640 660 Ahli Bank 640 ź 108 108 Equipment Holding 112 ŷ 800 850 Ahli United Bank 850 Ÿ 33 33 Mena Holding ŷ 248 248 International Bank 248 ŷ 102 102 Consumer Industries ŷ 460 465 460 Burgan Bank ź 128 128 Kuwait Gypsum 890 880 890 Kw Finance House ź 214 212 216 Qurain Bank Ÿ 590 590 Boubyan 590 ŷ 44 44 Salbookh Trading ŷ 319.37 319.54 ź Global Index - Banking 208 208 IKARUS 208 ŷ 106 106 Kw Investment ŷ 75 74 Boubyan Int'L Ind. 75 Ÿ 260 265 260 źŸ 265 Commercial Facilit.

169.64 168.48 Global Index - Industrial 40 41 41 40 ź Int'L Financial Adv. 960 960 NationalInvest.

Cinema 960 źŷ 960 170 172 170 174 National 280 280 KwProjects Hotels 300 295 300 - Ÿŷ Kw 300 405 405 12.5 12.5 400 ŷŷ Agility 405 12.5 Ahlia Holding 13.5 52 53 52 52 Coast Invest.

53 52 - źŷ Market Complexes 25.0 25.0 -770 ŷź -790 Int'L Investor 770 790 ZAIN 130 130 - ŷŸ Securities House 76.0 75.0 76.0 75.0 Safat Energy 31.0 31.0 Ind. & Fin. Inv.Group 110 110 Educational - ŷŷ 230 230 -- - ŷŷ Securities Group 340 340 Indep. Petroleum 102 102 Int'L Finance ŷ 144 148 National Cleaning 148 142 Ÿ 108 112 108 110 MARKAZ 106 110 106 Sultan Center 102 ŷź 50 50 - ŷŷ KMIFIC 110 110 110 Arabi Group 106 44.0 44.0 Int'L Inv. Group 550 550 City Group - ŷŷ 52 52 Aref Inv. Group - ŷ 2,200 2,220 2,260 2,220 Ÿ Wataniya Tele.

74 74 Investment Dar - ŷ 110 106 110 Kw Gulf Link 106 Ÿ 28.5 28.5 Al AMAN Inv. ŷ 63 63 Kw Cable 108 108 108 - ŷŷ ALOLA Inv.Vision 110 300 300 Automated System ŷ 49 49.5 49 ź ALMAL Inv. 50 370 370 NAPESCO 23 23 - - ŷŷ -Gulf Inv. House 285 285 KCPC Leasing 285 285 71 71 - ŷŷ A'ayan 255 255 K.S.HInv. 31.0 31.0 32.5 - 31.0 - ŷŷ Bayan 260 260 Eyas - ŷŷ 48.5 48.5 GLOBAL Inv. 108 106 Hits Telecom 68 68 -108 -100 ŷŸ Osoul Inv. 18.0 17.5 Al Safwa Holding 18.5 20.5 20.5 GULFINVEST -17.0 ŷŸ 270 270 26.0 26.0 - ŷŷ KFIC Human Soft 244 244 KAMCO - ŷŷ 80 80 79 Privatization Holding 81 94 94 Int'l Leasing & Inv. -- - ŷŷ 91 91 Nafaaes Holding 51 51 - - ŷŷ Nat. Int'l Holding -154 154 National Slaughter 36 36 - ŷŷ Housing Finance 110 110 110 112 Aref energy 51 51 MADAR -- - ŷŷ 600 600 Safwan 26.5 26.5 26.5 Al Deera Holding 71.0 71.0 69.0 ŷŷ 71.0 26.5 Gulf Petroleum 75 75 Al Safat Inv. - ŷŸ 22.5 21.5 22.0 Gulf Franchising 22.5 122.0 120.0 112.0 Al Salam 120 120 Credit & Group Collection - 114.0 - Ÿŷ 39.5 41.5 41.0 Ekttitab Holding 39.0 ź 15.0 15.0 National Ranges ŷ 19.0 19.0 Al Qurain Holding ŷ 260 260 - ŷ Burgan Well Drilling 16.5 16.5 16.5 Sokouk Holding 16.5 ŷ 400 425 420 38.5 400 ź IFA H&R 39.0 38.5 Al-Madina Finance 40.0 ź 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,580 Combinted Group ź 29.0 29.0 NOOR ŷ 80 85 80 80 Jeeran Holding ź 160 158 Tamdeen Inv. 160 158 ź 124 116 124 118 Palms 255 255 KW BH Agro Int'l Exch.

- ŷŸ 75.0 74.0 74.0 75.0 Safat TEC Ÿ 114 114 Taiba Kuwaiti Holding - ŷ 90 88 90 88 Mushrif Trading 26.00 26.00 Kuwait Syrian - ŷŸ 335 335 UPAC 68 68 -Strategia - - ŷŷ 305 305 ALAFCO 305 305 53 53 53 53 ŷŷ Kuwait China Inv. 160 160 60 60 Al-Muwasat -- - ŷŷ Manafae Inv. 46.5 46.5 Gulf NorthHolding Africa - ŷŷ 270 270 Mashaer 270 265 64 64 Amwal - ŷŷ 275 275 Oula Fuel 285 275 42.50 42.50 Al MasarComm.

285 285 - ŷŷ Future 128 130 124 Al-Imtiaz 132 87 82 82 źŸ Hayat Comm.

87 76.02 62 61 Global Index - Investment 62 61 źŸ 75.90 Mubarrad Transport 54.0 52.0 54.0 KuwaitInsurance Resorts 50.0 325 325 Kuwait - ŷŸ 740 690 740 Advanced Technolgy 740 Ÿ 560 560 - ŷ Gulf Insurance 370 370 370 370 Yiaco Medical 485 485 - ŷŷ Ahlia Insurance 470 470 Al Jazeera Airways 470 460 źŷ 118 110 112 108 Warba Insurance 246 246 Al Soor Fuel 220 220 --- ŷ Kuwait Re-Ins. 114 114 98 98 First Takaful -- - ŷŷ Future Kid Ins. 40.50 40.50 Wethaq -285 -280 ŷŸ 285 280 K G L Insurance 92 92 Al Nawadi - źŷ 43.43 43.63 Global Index - Insurance 118 114 Alrai Media 116 118 49 48 48 źŸ Kuwait R.E. 48 96 94 94 Zima Holding 94 Ÿź 100 99 100 United R.E. 100 ACICO

216

Global General Index 89 United Industries Boubyan Petroch.

630 KSE Price Index

216 89 620 Low 1,120 490 770 640 108 800 248 455 880 214 580 208 75

Global R.E. Index - Services 118 National 126 200 Salhia R.E. Trans.

204 LiveStock 184 184 - 97 Pearl - 98 DanaR.E. Al-Safat 224 224 Tamdeen R.E. United Poultry Ajial R.E. Kw FoodStuff Massaleh R.E. United Food Arab R.E. 30.0 30.0 Kout Food Union R.E. Global Index Food 98 96 ERESCO 860 840 Mabani Sharjah Cement 75 74 INJAZZAT RE Gulf Cement Inv. 70 11.5 70 UmHolding QuwainGrp Cement 12.0 Int'L Resorts Fujaira Cement 78 77 Commercial R.E 120 Ras AlKheimah 120 70 65 Sanam R.E. ARIG 112 112 54 53 Aa'yan R.E United Gulf Bank 202 198 Aqar Egypt R.E Kw Holding Kuwait Holding Bahrain Kw Ins. AL Mazaya 60 59 Gulf Fin. House 67.0 64.0 Al Dar National R.E 14.0 14.0 59 Inovest Int'L Holding 64 Themar Grand R.E Projects -172 -172 Ahli United Bank Tijara & R.E Invest -25.5 Ithmaar Bank 27.5 Al Tameer Global Index - Non-Kuwaiti Arkan Al-Kuwait R.E 70 70 Markaz Real Estate Safat Global Al Argan Int'L Funds Investment Abyaar 28.5 28.0 Al-Bareeq Holding 23.5 Munshaat 23.5 AFAQ 25.5 First Dubai 26.0 Al-Shamel KBT 27.0 27.0 Al-Safat Real Estate 16.5 Manazel 15.5 31 31 Ajwan Real Estate REAM Specialities Group 400 390 Mena Real Estate Masaken -Al Moudon Inter.

Intl. R.E -Dulaqan R.EEstate Markaz Real 57 56 Eid Food Kuwait Remal R.E 295 285 Maidan Index Clinic - Real Estate Global Flex

-

-

-

232 Nationl Ind. Group Dar Al-Thuraya Real E 242 Pipes Ind. & Oil 128 126 Kw Medical Services Kuwait Cement 455 450 Amar For Fin. & Leas.

-Refrigeration Ind. 1,420 1,420 Total Parallel Market Gulf Cables & Elec.

Heavy eng. & Ship.

Total Services Market Marine 720 Portland 720 Global Cement Special Indices Shuaiba Industrial Global Index - Kuwaiti Co.'s 104 Metal Collecting 110 Global Index - 10 Large- Cap. Kuwait Foundry

Global Index - Islamic

Ÿź źŷ ŷ ŷ ź ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ ź ŷ ŷ źŷ Ÿŷ Ÿŷ źŷ ŷ ŷ Ÿ ŷ ź Ÿ ź ź ŷ ŷ ŷ ź źŸ Ÿ ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ Ÿ ŷ Ÿ ź ŷ ŷ ŷ ź ŷ ź ŷ ź ŷ ŷ ź ŷ ŷ Ÿ ŷ ŷ ŷ źŷ Ÿŷ źŷ ź ŷ ŷ ŷ ź

ŷ ŷ ź ŷ ŷ ŷ ŷ ź ŷ

742.49 124

200 184 37.5 98 224 130 120 1,440 82 340 30.0 580 108 351.42 97 860 86 75 99 11.5 70 38.0 93 78 120 65 112 54 198 90 300 38.0 455 59 66.0 14.0 91 63 17.5 172 31.0 27.5 59 43.41 70 122 48.5 124 28.0 144 23.5 106 25.5 250 27.0 22.0 15.5 31 134 395 134 51 220 345 57 106 295 2,260 49.73

40.5

232 93.0 128 65 450 60 150 1,420 335 212 720 180 Ÿ 104 ź 460 Ÿ

750.06 120

204 184 37.5 98 234 130 120 1,440 82 340 30.5 580 108 351.42 98 850 86 73 99 12.0 70 38.0 93 77 120 70 102 55 208 90 300 38.0 455 63 63.0 14.5 91 59 17.5 172 31.025.5 59 43.29 74 122 48.5 124 28.5 144 24.5 106 26.0 250 27.0 22.0 16.5 31 134 390 134 51 220 345 58 106 290 2,260 49.75

40.5

Previous Close 2 60,000 177.24 1 40,000 2,535,000 10 5,754.20

- Ex-D - -20 50 -5 Ex-D -10 -2 0.17-1 -5 1.16

Chng

-1 -2 5 -

-1 - -20 1.0 --4.0 --4 - 20 4 - -1 - - - 2 1 - - - - - - 1.0 8.0 2.0-25 0.5- -25 -5 2.08 1.0 2.0 -- - - - - -5.0 2 0.12-1 2.0 50.0 - -8 Ex-D - -5 0.19- -1 4 1-2 7.584 -

-4 - 10.0Ex-D 0.5--1 10 2 0.5- 1 -5 10 -1 -10 Ex-D -4 3 0.54 2 0.12 -4 0.5- 1.00.5Ex-D 1.05 -1 5 0.02- -

Ex-D

DTD MTD YTD 1 Change 12,960 4.6% 224 196 24.91 216 218 -0.40% -1.55% -0.70 3,560 -1.55% 1 88 0.0% 102 88 32.35 89 1,584,250 46 -27.30 620 5.6% 620 550 88.41 -1.50% -0.47% 630 -1.50% 1,400 1,100 16.54 3.6% Trading Activity Div. Annual Close Last Last 216 206 11.21 4.6% Volume Tran. Value(KD) Bid Ask Yield High Low P/E 350 340 7.54 5.9% 365 3,796,050 - 1,120 69 3,377,500 1,140 - 3.6% 1,120 14.74 300 1,100 275 13.23 7.3% 250 20 830,000 407,950 490 495 - 0.0% 510 490 33.95 228 224 27.09 0.0% 10,000 1 7,700 770 780 790 770 88.62 325 260 19.25 300 310 1.9% 2.7% 249 6,400 10,000 640 660 660 64051 17.34 148,920 1,360,000 110 51.76 108 110 3.1% 0.0% 350,000 23 282,700 840 850 1.6% 850 790 29.68 33 33 0.00 0.0% 16 700,000 173,600 246 248 0.0% 255 248 23.59 102 93 0.0% 500,000 10 229,750 460 465 0.0% 475 460 12.26 128 128 17.06 9.4% 1,280,000 66 1,127,050 880 2.3% 870 900 880 25.07 1,780,000 380,960 222 210 112.24 8.63 216 0.0% 0.0% 214 1,035,000 3333 607,850 590 580 590 590 51 41 0.0% 8,092,500 6,639,050 2.0% 319.54 318.41 18.61 240 160,000 5 33,280 204 214 162 12.21 208 0.0% -4 10274 10675 0.0% 10688 10670 40.56 160,000 12,000 0.0% 250,000 14 65,750 260 265 8.5% 265 260 12.09 13,720,000 246 3,913,680 174.76 163.04 10.79 2.7%

1,680,000 13 5,000 1,040,000 20 1 110,000 5 1,020,000 7,040,000 4638 1,280,000 22 66 1,235,000 28 2,000,000 - - - - 63 4,120,000 680,000 18 123 3,440,000 280,000 13 11 45,000 40 1,520,000 14 500,000 320,000 4 - - 30,000 -3 1,840,000 22 - - 24,140,000 356 23,280,000 136 - - 3,920,000 65 - - - - 32 820,000 - - 286 240,000 5,920,000 -2 160,000 11,180,000 - 212 24 1,920,000 5 480,000 130,000 13 10,640,000 93 30,000 -7 40,000 80,000 41 11 220,000 160,000 -4 27 1,600,000 - 100,000 200,000 22 - - -4 240,000 -6 80,000 - - 1,240,000 3811 600,000 40,720,000 960,000 55819

10 440,000 5,000 -1 10,000 -1 110,000 120,000 66 - - - - 48 1,060,000 120,000 6 60,000 13 80,000 80,000 91 920,000 1,238 77,860,000 105 3,100,000 12 520,000 1 20,000 -6 360,000 3 100,000 1 80,000 380,000 87 320,000

57 1,935,000 2 120,000 15 8 2,000,000 600,000 - - 3 240,000 20,000 1 17 1,000,000 100,000 4 4 200,000 140,000 7 - 11 440,000 36,040,000 359 1 80,000 173 14,960,000 -5 160,000 12,880,000 106 64,900,000 663 320,000 2 - - - - 12 2,720,000 1 80,000 240,000 3 35,040,000 4 1,200,000 8 160,000 2 570,000 27 - - 240,000 6 47 2,110,000 53,085,000 - 332 -

-

-

242 -10 13,220,000 93.0 - 154 128 140,000 6 65 470 -20 50,000 2 60 150 - - - 730,000 1,460 -40 2,500 129 335 4,154 212 - 340,347,500720 Close 230,000 19 Prev Close Prev.

180 190.04 189.81 106 -2 80,000 3 185.00 460 184.85 -

560.82

554.83

67,160 40 4,800 910 177,720 168 33,000 295 411,900 90,920 405 12.5 67,280 51 - 770 960,950 150,720 75.0 - - 320 593,440 146 73,920 106 356,720 106 30,520 110 100,250 2,200 165,040 108 27.0 54,920 108 285 15,840 49 350 - 21 8,550 280 58,760 31.0 - 2,490,480 106 64.0 416,720 -18.0 - -79 313,320 - -86 - - 91,240 110 - 550 6,360 26.0 412,560 70.0 3,560 22.0 1,305,280 - 118.0 77,080 18.0 7,920 16.0 52,400 419,440 38.5 47,850 1,580 3,200 80 12,680 156 26,520 120 11,920 74.0 143,360 -89 320 - 63 30,500 305 10,600 52 - - 63,650 265 22,550 275 - - 260 157,920 50,840 124.087 2,702,550 58,880 61

22,840 3,700 3,700 50,850 13,200 - - 296,950 13,200 7,040 3,840 7,520 92,000 7,415,040 383,920

104,680 3,680 35,080 22,400 2,400 38,760 31,160 1,656,950 8,960 23,960 42,000 - 18,520 2,400 67,400 11,200 10,720 27,920 - 26,160 2,365,880 1,120 925,080 27,520 342,080 3,744,080 22,400 - - 76,880 1,880 6,160 946,080 19,240 4,880 225,450 - 13,520 610,850 4,151,200 -

-

52.0 300 510 360 460 460 108 242 - - 280 87 118 48 99 -

122 200 182 - 98 126 110 1,460 530 112 95 86084 7184 11.596 35.569 77 120 53 102 300 13.5 9065 - 63 30.0 170.0 70 116 28.0 23.5 25.0 24.5 15.5 -31 390 29 218 55 290 -

-

-

3,111,120 -17,800 122 22,550 455 - 15055 230,330 3,550 1,420 310 32,252,660 165,600 Change 710 178 0.23 8,480 104 -0.15 435

5.99

40

0.0%

4.2% 1,000 172 0.0% 0.0% 300 - 6.7% 410 0.0% 9.9% 13.0 52 - 0.0% 0.0% - 780 0.0% 26.0% 0.0% 0.0% 76.0 33.5 - 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 345 8.8% 0.0% 148 0.0% 110 108 9.3% 0.0% 112 0.0% 0.0% 550 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2,220 2.3% 0.0% 110 0.0% 29.5 0.0% 0.0% 11065 0.0% 320 0.0% 8.3% 50 5.4% 24 - 0.0% 285 1.8% 0.0% 6.1% 32.5 - 0.0% - 0.0% 3.8% 0.0% - 108 0.0% 0.0% -18.5 0.0% - 0.0% 0.0% 23880 0.0% 0.0% -96 0.0% 0.0% 54 184 0.0% 5.2% 0.0% 112 0.0% 0.0% 590 3.7% 27.0 0.0% 71.0 0.0% 0.0% 23.0 0.0% 120.0 130 0.0% 0.0% 39.0 0.0% 0.0% 20.0 0.0% 270 0.0% 16.5 0.0% 0.0% 420 0.0% 39.0 4.4% 1,600 0.0% % 0.0% 16087 3.8% 126 5.1% 6.5% 270 0.0% 75.0 0.0% 0.0% 2791 0.0% 9 0% 335 0.0% 9.0% 73 3.3% 310 0.0% 53 170 0.0% 4.4% 61 47 270 10.8% 0.0% 69 285 0.0% 0.0% - 285 0.0% 8.8% 128.0 - 0.0% 11.5% 63 2.4% 0.0% 54.0 6.2% 0.0% 325 730 0.0% 4.5% 610 2.7% 370 5.2% 500 470 9.1% 0.0% 114 246 0.0% 2.7% 110 106 0.0% 0.0% 43.0 285 0.0% 1.8% 92 4.7% 5.4% 120 0.0% 0.0% 49 0.0% 10096 0.0% 12.2% 126 0.0% 202 186 10.0% 0.0% 37.599 0.0% 5.1% 224 - 4.5% 0.0% 0.0% 130 1,480 4.5% 6.1% 85 365 1.5% 0.0% 31.5 3.4% 580 6.5% 118 4.0% 0.0% 98 87086 0.0% 5.8% 7686 0.0% 10.1% 12.098 0.0% 0.0% 37.070 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 79 93 8.3% 0.0% 65 122 6.7% 0.0% 54 0.0% 0.0% 91 198 10.0% 0.0% 40.5 320 0.0% 7.7% 60 0.0% 14.5 0.0% 0.0% 9466 5.5% - 64 0.0% 5.8% 33.5 172.0 0.0% 0.0% 57 0.0% 4.2% 74 0.0% - 0.0% 126 0.0% 28.5 - 0.0% 0.0% 25.0 0.0% 0.0% 25.5 0.0% 3.2% 28.0 0.0% 0.0% 22.5 0.0% 16.0 0.0% 33 3.7% 130 395 0.0% 1.8% 32 50 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 57 - 0.0% 99 0.0% 0.0% 295 - 1.1% 0.0%

43.0

232 93.0 130 70 465 -65 1,440 340 216 720 DTD 190 0.12% 108 -0.08% -

1.08%

0.0%

0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2.2% 8.3% 3.3% 0.7% 4.6% 3.0% 4.70% 2.4% 13.9% 5.6% 0.0% 4.3%

42 40 960 1,120 174 170 280 280 305 295 430 340 13.5 12.5 5465 5241 25.0 25.0 900 770 130 130 81.0 45.0 36.0 31.0 110 110 230 230 295 345 102 102 152 110 116 108 106 136 50 5084 110 44.0 44.0 530 550 52 52 1,920 2,280 74 74 95 126 28.5 28.5 11268 10863 230 350 51 49 340 395 23 22 260 305 71 71 255 260 31.5 31.0 260 260 48.5 48.5 132 68.0 68.054 14.0 23.5 20.5 20.5 26.0 26.0 270 280 24484 24461 94 9490 104 51 51 154 154 36 3691 120 51 51 520 710 27.5 26.5 30.0 74.0 75 75 16.0 28.5 120.0 99.0 120 140 41.5 19.5 19.5 12.0 19.0 19.0 275 198 17.0 16.5 490 395 39.0 38.0 1,620 1,500 29.0 29.0 89 15673 162 124 25586 255 78.0 57.0 114 114 104 2680 28 340 270 68 68 280 315 53 55 130 160 60 60 47 47 172 280 64 64 305 265 42.5 42.5 300 265 132.089 128.070 76.32 72 75.90 51

44.0 62.0 325 325 740 640 560 560 345 390 520 485 410 485 118 110 270 236 220 220 134 11498 114 40.5 40.5 295 218 44.80 92 43.43 80

114 156 49 48 110 100 9994 791.90 742.49 120 128 200 208 182 222 37.5 37.590 114 234 224 126 130 130 120 1,420 1,500 82 82 340 390 30.5 30.0 500 610 108 108 365.22 345.74 100 96 86095 84044 76 7355 108 12.573 11.543 38.0 38.0 122 46 77 78 126 118 75 65 132 102 54 55 232 188 90 90 330 250 38.0 38.0 455 455 63 59 74.0 40.5 14.5 14.0 91 91 17.5 17.5 31.0 31.0 59 59 47.16 40.74 78 70 1,220 1,220 48.5 48.5 144 124 29.0 28.0 24.5 23.5 26.0 25.5 28.5 27.0 16.5 15.5 134 134 32 32 220 220 57 60 295 270 49.8649.73-

-

232 260 130 128 470 450 158 150 1,460 1,420 340 335 212 222 710 740 MTD 180 -1.62% 180 104 116 -2.85% 460 460

0.21%

16.44 88.93 12.13 13.48 1.33 0.00 11.79

23.89 0.00 19.93 0.00 27.19 0.00 55.09 0.00 14.37 0.00 0.00 0.00

14.98 7.04 9.92 0.00 11.74 9.19 398.75 32.31 0.00 13.80

13.13

0.00 116.80 9.60 0.00 0.00 14.91

6.54

0.00

0.00 73.05 87.26 17.50 0.00 3.31 8.28 10.60 22.77 11.92

10.16

62 41 62.41 43.00

5.09 9.60 8.91 23.31 0.00 17.39

5.19 10.01

3.78 16.97 28.97 12.90 11.90 9.91 8.38 17.37 17.18 296.83 10.92 7.52

6.61 12.60

10.54 37.20 12.83 11.82 22.21 17.83 16.20

5.72 11.40 22.14 10.76 15.28 11.20 39.65 5.29

21.70

0.00 14.56

9.60

26.32

30.94 6.82 8.10 43.94 4.15 9.21

19.44 86.44

9.73

11.37 0.00 5.38 27.28

20.67 9.93 23.07

13.56

18.82 63.06 0.00 11.03 0.00 16.27

16.24

70.58 18.38

12.81 6.49 8.02 14.53 193.84 96.15 YTD 10.91 0.26% 23.15 -2.76% 26.77

-0.21%

STOCKS WITH NBK CAPITAL

12

ALWATAN DAILY tuesday, april 3, 2012

April 21, 2009 April 02, 2012

2% 6%

2% 6% Oman

1%

Qatar

2%

Oman

95

Kuwait

Saudi Bahrain

Bahrain

-4%

Abu Dhabi

-1%

Dubai

-6%

-1%

100

90

GCC Best Performers

Saudi

95 2-Jan-12 85

2-Feb-12

2-Mar-12

MENA Best Performers

-2%

2-Apr-12

-6% -2

S&P Pan 3-Feb-09 Arab Large/ 18-Feb-09 Mid Composite GCC Large/ Mid Composite 19-Jan-09 5-Mar-09 S&P 20-Mar-09 4-Apr-09 19-Apr-0

1 Period's Liquidity 1 Ratio (PLR x)

-1

MENA Indices Highlights Country (Index)

Index Level

% Chg.

YTD

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

Index 7,904 Level

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

2,560 5,250

-0.3% -4.0%

QaUAUAE Qatar (DSM Index) (ADSM Index)

8,849 2,695

0.0% 0.6%

Ku Kuwait (KSE Weighted Index)

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

OmOman UAE(MSM (DFMIndex) Index)

418

1,654 406

5,777 1,745

BaQa Bahrain Qatar (BSE (DSMIndex) Index)

1,151 5,590

Jo Jordan (Amman General Index)

1,995

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) * Market Closed

4,959

5,478

1,681

10,913

463

1,225

2,825 488

10,621

4,850

1,094 546

Tu TunisiaClosed (Tunis SE Index)* * Market

3,282

%-0.1% Chg.

3.0%

5.1% 0.4%

0.0%

-

2.2%

0.6%

-

-

0.9% -

Turnover 3,244 USD million

Mkt.413,050 Cap. USD million

117

PE

13.88

8,071 2,137

86 122

126,957 69,783

11.78 7.29

0.6% -18.8%

1,419 12,627

1,129 4,230

0 196

17,091 65,352

9.20 8.85

1,754 787

6,406 5,860

36.9%

5,628

0.7%

12,109

0.1%

2,246

-6.8%

2,903

-1.9%

8.5%

18 305

3,587

52

4,224

2,551

513

328

465

14,635 4,845

4,091

23.6%

739

407

-7.2%

2,119

13.6%

3,418

-

1,164

-3.3%

1.9%

18,030 37,413

9,406

-

1,043

-

2,837

-

4

13.82

63,640

7.67

18,727

0

33,782

3

9,812

2

1.63

1.29

3.47

1.56

6.53

0.88

12.71

2,561

2.15

9.58

59,990

1.20

18.36

3.95

14.91

8,507

2

1.68

16.13

10,852

67

1.36

8.07

60,047

1.70

6.47

2,079

0.86

8.67

6,576

MENA Worst Performers

2.50

13.85

1.92

SAUDI ARABIA *Market Closed

125

KWD 0.126 SAR 22.95

225 Saudi Industrial Inv. Grp.

101 Riyad Bank

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price

SAR 24.70

-6.4%

115

161,915,043

152,438,645

201 Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (KSA)

343,553,085 145,071,215 119,955,261 82,222,776

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

97,126,838

NBKNational Bank of Kuwait (KUW)

1,549,062,766

Market Cap. (SAR '000)

88,742,222

20Saudi Basic Industries Corp.

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

544,060,576

1 Alinma Bank

2-Apr-12

55.75

50.50

1060.SSE SABB

36.80

2310.SSE Saudi International Petrochemical Co.

Turnover (SAR) 864,447,633 1030.SSE Saudi Investment Bank 607,229,986 3050.SSE Southern Province Cement Co. 571,690,652 1150.SSE Alinma Bank

70Zain - Saudi Arabia

2-Mar-12

Close

% Chg.

1.8%

1.8%

25.20

0.8%

0.6%

24.05

0.4%

Worst Performers

23Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co.

2-Feb-12

64,280,166

2060.SSE National Industrialization Co.

Highest Turnover

105

-6.8%

Turnover (USD)

201 Basic Industries 115Saudi Alinma Bank (KSA) Corp. (KSA)

12,165,283

Turnover (SAR '000)

-4.6% -8.9%

230,500,929

703 Zain - Saudi Arabia (KSA)

7,907 / 5,916 2250.SSE Saudi Industrial Investment Grp.

Tadawul Index 52 week High / Low

117

-7.7%

Turnover (USD)

MENA Highest Turnover

0.50

% Chg.

-3.6% -8.6%

235 Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. (KSA)

93% 2290.SSE Yanbu National Petrochemicals Co.

Advance/Decline Ratio

2.8%

8.0%

KWD 0.106 SAR 48.00

SAR 13.70

GCC Highest Turnover

7,904 (-0.1%)

Tadawul Index (% Chg.)

124

3.5% 8.6%

QAR 16.73 -13.1% -4.9% KWD 0.265

EMAEmaar Properties (UAE) Best Performers

Summary

3.5% 8.8%

KWD 0.400% Chg. -5.9% Close

KFI Kuwait Finance House (KUW)

Rebased Performance

95 2-Jan-12

KWD 0.600

IFA IFA Hotels & Resorts

4.2% 9.8%

8.0%

Close

ABKAl Ahli Bank of Kuwait

0.88 201 SULSultan Center Food Products 1.74 Saudi Basic Industries Corp. Co.

9.50

27,554

OMR 0.720

GCC Worst Performers

1.92 FAC AHC Aamal Co. Facilities Co. 1.37 Commercial 1.57 NR National Real Estate Co. 0.88 238 Rabigh Petrochem.

9.70

15,024

7

1.06 1.77

10.57 6.87

57,689

10

1,572

5,044

1,414

2.4%

34,965 98,547

46

1,921

10,785

2.4%

51 718

5,419 1,433

12,203

1,033

4.1%

1,301 316

2.14

0.79 1.52

8,892 5,148

QAR 21.60

BKMBankMuscat

PB

10.79 9.99

0.9% 12.8%

OMR 0.557

QGTQatar Gas Transport Co.

PB1.42

8.96 10.24

OMR 0.600 QAR 6.35

OC Oman Cement Co.

PE 14.14

67,623 264,263

KWD 0.238 OMR 0.703

RNSRenaissance Services KCB Al Khaliji Commercial Bank

Trailing

101,436

KWD5.60 0.246 SAR

NINNational Industries&Grp. Holding GEC Galfar Engineering Contracting

Trailing

16 2,183

1.4% 6.6%

0.3%

396

Mkt. Cap. USD million

2,293 4,130

1.0% 1.9% 0.2%

525,916 Wk Low

Turnover USD million

2,775 10,090

22.2% -0.2%

-0.1% 3.9%

467

52 Wk Low

6.5% 9.3%

-0.4% 1.8%

-0.3%

52 Wk 7,907 High

23.2% YTD

0.1%

-0.3%

52 Wk High

% Chg.

USD 0.095% Chg. 5.6% Close

SRE Salhia Real Estate 3 428 Kingdom Hldg.

Co. Co.

Period's Liquidity Ratio (PLR x)*

MENA Indices Highlights

Close

4 ITH Ithmaar Bank

Abu Dhabi

0%

105

0%

-2%

Tunisia Abu Dhabi

Qatar

Abu Dhabi

0%

100

0%

Kuwait

Palestine Palestine

Return DailyDaily Return (%)(%)

Dubai

Saudi Dubai Dubai

105

110

Qatar Saudi

1%

Qatar Oman

111 115

4%

Morocco

115110

Lebanon Oman

117 113

Kuwait Kuwait

113

DailyIndex Index Performance Snapshot Daily Performance Snapshot

Egypt Jordan Jordan

120115

Bull/Bear Indicator Bull/Bear Indicator

Bahrain Bahrain

Rebased RebasedPerformance Performance

308,360,076

43Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Dev. Co.

4220.SSE Emaar the Economic City 7030.SSE Zain - Saudi Arabia

Close

20.35

% Chg.

91.50

15.25

12.80 10.40

-1.7% -1.6% -1.6%

-1.5% -1.4%

Saudi SE

Quotes Company Name 1 Al Rajhi Bank

1 Alinma Bank 2 Almarai Co.

1 Arab National Bank 1 Bank AlBilad

1 Bank Al Jazira

Close 82.00

% Chg.

0.0%

15.25

-1.6%

33.50

-0.6%

114.00 29.10

29.70

Daily High

82.50

15.60

Low

Turnover (SAR '000)

81.50

123,905

15.15

544,061

33.00

4,266

0.2%

114.50

113.25

22,422

0.3%

29.10

28.40

22,555 7,176

-1.3%

33.60

30.40

29.00

39,787

12.60

308,360

65.00

130,628

1 Banque Saudi Fransi

49.80

-0.4%

50.00

49.00

4 Emaar the Economic City

12.80

-1.5%

13.00

12.65

129,573

19.40

58,332

12.15

14,529

4 Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Dev. Co. 7 Etihad Etisalat Co.

4 Jabal Omar Development Co. 4 Jarir Marketing Co.

4 Kingdom Holding Co.

2 National Industrialization Co.

12.75

68.50

-1.0%

12.15

-1.2%

153.00 50.50

26.70

1 Samba Financial Grp.

56.25

2 Saudi Arabian Fertilizer Co.

1 Saudi Arabian Mining Co.

2 Saudi Basic Industries Corp.

3 Saudi Cement Co.

5 Saudi Electricity Co.

1 Saudi Hollandi Bank

22 Saudi Industrial Investment Grp.

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

0.4%

19.50

2 Rabigh Refining & Petrochemical Co.

1 Riyad Bank

-1.2%

13.00

69.00

19.75

-0.2%

155.25

153.00

40,394

1.8%

51.50

48.00

112,618 5,748

-0.7%

12.35

27.00

26.50

93,219

56.00

24,533

25.80

-0.4%

26.00

25.00

192.00

0.3%

192.75

190.00

26,264

-0.4%

36.00

-0.3%

86.50

0.3%

56.75

36.50

35.80

80,196

0.0%

110.00

108.00

571,691

15.70

-1.3%

15.90

15.70

115,143

25.20

0.8%

25.00

69,366

20.35

16,033

109.75

29.30 24.05

20.35

0.0% 0.4%

-1.7%

20.85

-1.2%

35.30

-0.6%

41.30

0.0%

91.50

-1.6%

50.00

-0.5%

10.40

-1.4%

36.80

55.75

0.6%

1.8%

87.50

29.40 25.50 24.10

20.85

21.20

41.50

36.30

93.00

36.90

51.75

57.75

10.70

84.00

29.00

16,008

1,176

23.80

91,882

20.00

864,448

34.00

60,691

36.00

8,608

40.00

41,838

90.50

24,075

49.80

50,820

52.00

10.35

289,636 607,230

Volume ('000) 1,512

35,533

52-Week

High

82.75

16.25

Low

67.25 9.05

on high

0.0%

0.0%

% Change YTD

0.0%

0.0%

12 mths

123,000,000 26,220,000

23.0

8,730,000

26.7

0.0%

114.50

83.75

-0.4%

15.2%

18.4%

783

29.10

17.20

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

1,341

34.90

30.10

26.60

15.75

-4.0%

0.0%

21.8% 0.0%

145

50.00

37.50

-0.4%

18.3%

10,128

13.60

6.20

-5.9%

74.2%

24,185

1,919

2,986

13.85

68.50

50.00

-7.9%

0.0%

20.15

11.10

-3.2%

13.10

7.05

-7.3%

263

155.00

2,236

50.50

1,187

6.05

95.33 33.60

-1.3%

0.0%

9.9%

46.6%

10.7%

-2.6%

0.0%

0.0%

-10.4%

14.8%

436

56.75

42.40

-0.9%

20.7%

137

192.75

5,212

112.50

7,289

16.30

2,222 185

40

36.10

165.00

-4.1%

0.0%

34.3%

24.1%

21.20

23.10

59.4%

98.00

52.50

-11.7%

20.1%

60.9%

29.30

21.42

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

87.75

12.85

0.0%

-3.7%

0.0%

13.0%

47,950,000

17.9

10.1

28,150,138

11.5

2.6

38,700,000

12.3

48,000,000

11.7

45,026,470

33,300,000

0.0%

329,250,000

11.7%

65,415,523

1.6

31,275,000

nmf

2.1

0.0%

0.0%

11,192,500

6.2%

82,600,000

1,014

41.30

264

106.75

1,003

83.25

1,709 235

5,165

57,677

35.50

46.30

55.75

11.50

23.70

0.0%

33.00

0.0%

60.75

-14.3%

47.50 5.25

34.20

41.60

10.6%

0.0%

0.0%

22.2% 6.4%

48.8%

-39.9%

-28.6%

-7.4%

-9.6%

87.4%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

26.7%

0.0%

11.7%

49.6%

2.4

12.5

0.0%

19.8%

2.0

8,818,333

15.55

-2.1%

11.3

1.8

5.8

1.6

21.00

15.50

nmf

1.3

11.5

781

21.30

11.8

2.9

11,629,170

11,340,000

41,346

nmf

1.8

4.0

2.6% 6.9%

nmf

2.0

15.9

32.6% 22.1%

nmf

13,234,500

-7.4% -1.6%

1.5

9,180,000

18,123,300

18.55 17.75

nmf

1.8

2.6

27.20 24.45

12.4

9.4

2,744 3,832

1.7

2.6

0.9

50,625,000

42.9%

3.9

12.7

-0.9%

42.3%

1.4

13,770,000

23,389,200

-0.3%

13.1

3.7

1.9

9.0%

24.25

nmf

PB

32.9

10,880,000

43.6%

16.7

8,910,000

85.5%

29.9%

37.3%

28,475,000

36,016,072

30.5%

29.80

26.90

0.0%

22,875,000

1.2%

31.4%

3,486 224

-3.7%

75.9%

60.5%

Trailing

PE

0.0%

197

128

Market Cap. (SAR '000)

17,650,000

12,810,000

36,800,000

29.4

21.5

15.8

10.8

14.8

14.3

12.7

10,125,000

13.8

14,560,000

nmf

31,359,375

9.9

1.3

1.9 1.3

1.8

2.3

4.8

2.1

3.0

3.0

3.4

STOCKS WITH NBK CAPITAL

13

ALWATAN DAILY tuesday, april 3, 2012

KUWAIT Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 6,189 (0.4%)

KSE General Index (% Chg.)

120

418 (0.1%)

KSE Weighted Index (% Chg.)

115

48%

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price

117

KSE General Index 52 week High / Low

Highest Turnover Turnover (KWD) 2,084,300

N National Industries Grp. Holding

1,639,480

B Boubyan Petrochemical Co.

1,584,250

1,609,100

K Kuwait International Bank

2-Feb-12

2-Mar-12

2-Apr-12

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

4.2%

0.238

3.5%

1.080

1.9%

1.080

1.9%

0.540

1.9%

Worst Performers

N National Bank of Kuwait

100

% Chg.

28,188,931

Market Cap. (KWD '000)

95 2-Jan-12

NIND.KSE National Industries Grp. Holding

32,463

Turnover (KWD '000)

104

0.246

467 / 396 BOUBYAN. Boubyan Bank

KSE Weighted Index 52 week High / Low

105

Close

Salhia Real Estate Co.

1.00 MABANEE. Mabanee Co. 6,523 / 5,694 NBK.KSE National Bank of Kuwait

Advance/Decline Ratio

110

SRE.KSE

960,950

ZA Zain Kuwait

ABK.KSE

Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait

NRE.KSE

National Real Estate Co.

Close

0.600

IFAHR.KSEIFA Hotels & Resorts

% Chg.

-7.7%

0.400

-5.9%

0.106

-3.6%

0.126

SULTAN.KSSultan Center Food Products Co. ZAIN.KSE Zain Kuwait

-4.6%

0.770

-2.5%

KSE Weighted Index

Quotes Company Name

Close

A Agility

0.405

T Al Themar Intl. Holding Co.

0.087

A AREF Energy Holding Co.

0.110

A Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait

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

B Boubyan Petrochemical Co.

0.305

31

0.540

1.9%

0.540

0.530

61

0.0% 1.6%

1,584

-

-

-

-

0.285

0.285

0.455

0.0%

0.455

0.400

-5.9%

0.420

JAJazeera Airways

-

-

-

0.425 -

-

-16.3%

-3.2%

-12.9%

237,830

115

0.620

0.530

-12.9%

-8.5%

-3.6%

944,047

820

0.126

2,535

0.620

-

0.420

1,220

0.085 0.500

0.524

-12.7%

34.3

-38.1%

22.6%

-44.7%

54,503

26.7

-16.0%

0.0%

-7.1%

0.400

52

130

0.495

0.285

-19.2%

-15.8%

0.096

-59.1%

-2.9%

0.236

-16.6%

0.450

-1.1%

-

0.450

-

0.055

-

0.019

1.700

1.360

33

160

0.214

0.136

51

110

0.485

0.118

-

0.242

-

5

0.290

10

0.630

0.415

-10.9% -20.0% -2.8% -3.1%

-28.6%

1.3%

-12.9%

9.6%

-24.0%

1,198,055

39.1

2.8

-15.8%

181,553

nmf

64,309

1.9

nmf

285,507

3.1

298.3%

103,400

9.8

4.0

-61.2%

-0.8%

79,485

-15.1%

-2.2%

7.9

286,945

3.8

nmf

63,719

-22.5%

1.6

0.7

nmf

0.8

20.8

2.1

1.019

0.759

-23.5%

-6.4%

-20.5%

2,265,248

37.6

1.2

0.255

0.0%

0.260

0.255

1,609

6,310

0.350

0.236

-27.1%

0.0%

-17.7%

264,518

24.4

1.3

0.340

0.0%

0.340

0.335

91

270

0.425

0.295

-20.0%

11.5%

-4.2%

432,795

14.4

-

0.860

0.0%

-

-

0.860

-

0.860

13

-

1.620

15

1.420

1.580

0.660

-11.1%

-2.7%

58.8%

600,076

28.9

4.1

-5.7%

6.1%

4.2%

4,701,777

15.5

2.2

-6.7%

308,234

nmf

0.8

2,084

1,930

1.145

0.909

N National Industries Grp. Holding

0.238

3.5%

0.238

0.230

1,639

7,040

0.285

0.192

-16.5%

-8.5%

N National Real Estate Co.

0.126

-4.6%

0.128

0.124

318

2,540

0.168

0.056

-25.0%

-1.6%

0.214

0.9%

0.214

381

1,780

0.226

0.176

-5.3%

0.0%

0.102

357 58

0.300 0.166 0.275 0.246

-

-1.2%

-

-

-

0.168

176 23

0.285

0.275

4.2%

0.246

0.238

-1.6%

0.244

0.240

0.106

-3.6%

0.090

0.0%

0.090

0.090

0.9%

2.260

2.220

0.244 0.130

2.220 0.770

-

-2.5%

0.106

-

-

0.790

0.770

-

-

0.166

0.0%

0.216

-

-

0.158

0.360

0.265

3,780

0.246

0.200

340

0.270

0.216

3,440

0.136

0.0%

-11.8%

-43.7%

-23.6% 0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

7.1%

-9.1%

-3.5%

-39.6%

-8.3%

-14.9%

18.3%

103,861

-

0.8 0.1

36.2

1.3

nmf

0.8

nmf

0.5

90,667

22.3

2.1

4.2%

126,130

17.6

1.0

-4.3%

91,041

18.4

23.0%

-22.1%

-11.7%

-15.9%

6.1%

1.2

2.3

145,451

21.2%

0.093

-9.6%

21,780

30.8

235,400 61,356

13.0

1.1

nmf

0.9 0.9

640

0.094

0.067

-4.3%

16.9%

20.0%

165,133

15.7

0.7

45

2.280

1.760

-2.6%

14.4%

26.1%

1,118,953

3.1

1.4

-

100 961

0.260

0.295

80

82

-

0.340

1,060

921

-

-

78,178

2.0

25.6%

1.060

-40.9%

12.1

0.0%

1.080

-

578,883

21.1%

1.9%

-

-2.7%

-45.6%

1.080

Z Zain Kuwait

-6.4%

nmf

1,230

0.033

N Wataniya

0.9

19.5%

3.3%

0.680

S The Securities House

10.8

1.0

1.080

A The Commercial Real Estate Co.

152,978

1,004,898

18.5

228

T Tamdeen Real Estate Co.

4.2

156,000

245

S Sultan Center Food Products Co.

19.4

52.9%

1.060

S Salhia Real Estate Co.

1.0

154,609

22.4%

1.080

A Qurain Petrochemicals Industries Co.

1.5

-12.8%

1.9%

O Oula Fuel Marketing Co.

12.8

-4.2%

1.080

N National Investments Company

4.2

1.2

959

K Kuwait Projects Co. (Holding)

N National Industries Co.

1.2

0.770

1.440

N National Bank of Kuwait

1.0

1.6

0.790

K Kuwait International Bank

M Mena Holding

648,886

-16.0%

0.0%

1.8

1.3%

0.780

M Mabanee Co.

-7.1%

0.5

nmf

300,762

-19.8%

0.700

nmf

24.0%

-6.4%

0.940

82,500

10.7%

-17.6%

-

-5.2%

PB

nmf

0.0%

0.419

0.198

3.8%

0.448

-

6.0

-19.7%

0.552

-

88,088

nmf

18.0

0.280

240

-

-14.7%

PE

907,944

0.380

109 -

423,969

100

0.450

-

8.0%

3.3%

-4.4%

-27.8%

0.460

0.450

0.079

-4.6%

0.255

0.470 -

0.104

-8.7%

0.395

0.0% -

-

0.581

Trailing

Market Cap. (KWD '000)

12 mths

8.0%

300

0.470

0.242

0.657

-6.9%

YTD

86

-

-

120

0.248

% Change

-17.7%

0.208

-

0.435

on high

1.300

0.208

0.099

Low

1.945

-

-

52-Week

High

30

0.0%

K Kuwait Finance House

P Kuwait Portland Cement Co.

0.620

0.0%

0.285

0.208

F Kuwait Food Co.

91

48

IK Ikarus Petroleum Industries Co.

K Kuwait Cement Co.

0.630

0.110

1.580

0.0%

1.360

K KIPCO Asset Management Co.

0.112

-

1.600

1.600

C Gulf Cable and Electrical Industries Co.

IF International Finance Co.

-

509

-1.2%

0.049

IF IFA Hotels & Resorts

-

0.415

0.420

0.790

G Gulf Bank

0.600

1,020

74

0.305

-

0.640

Volume ('000)

412

0.0%

C Commercial Bank of Kuwait G Global Investment House

0.400

Turnover (KWD '000)

0.305

0.260

F Commercial Facilities Co.

0.405

Low

-7.7%

A Burgan Co. for Well Drilling

C Combined Grp Contracting Co.

0.0%

High

0.600

0.620

B Burgan Bank

Daily

% Chg.

-

1,235

-

1.380

0.770

0.0%

-44.2%

0.0%

0.0%

-14.4%

88,400

-41.7%

3,316,802

nmf

7.0

11.6

1.6

UAE Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 1,654 (-0.4%)

DFM Index (% Chg.)

2,560 (-0.3%)

ADSM Index (% Chg.)

Advance/Decline Ratio

120

124

DFM Index 52 week High / Low

117

Turnover (AED '000)

2,775 / 2,293 DU.DFM

ADSM Index 52 week High / Low

248,416

Highest Turnover

107 100

A ALDAR Properties

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

2-Mar-12

S Sorouh Real Estate Co.

2-Apr-12

Abu Dhabi SE

1.1%

1.34

0.8%

3.13

du

0.3%

3.21

Turnover (AED) 30,199,845 SOROUH.A Sorouh Real Estate Co. 20,279,800 ALDAR.AD ALDAR Properties 14,965,533 ARKAN.AD Arkan Building Materials Co. 12,111,459 DFM.DFM Dubai Financial Market

D Dubai Financial Market

2-Feb-12

1.1%

0.72

0.3%

Worst Performers

E Emaar Properties

90 2-Jan-12

% Chg.

405,589,609

Market Cap. (AED '000)

110

1.79

77% AIRARABIA Air Arabia 0.38 TAQA.ADS Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. 1,754 / 1,301 UNB.ADSM Union National Bank

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price

130

Close

ARMX.DFM Aramex

10,719,529

A Arabtec Holding

DIB.DFM

Close

1.15

% Chg.

-3.3%

1.16

-1.7%

1.00

Dubai Islamic Bank

-3.4%

1.18

2.07

-2.9% -1.4%

Dubai FM

Quotes Company Name

Close

A Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank

3.23

T Abu Dhabi National Energy Co.

1.34

A Air Arabia

0.72

A Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

A Abu Dhabi National Hotels A ALDAR Properties

3.43

2.19

Daily

% Chg.

0.0%

-0.9%

0.71

1,908

2,659

D Dana Gas

0.50

0.0%

D Deyaar Development Co. D du

0.43

3.21

-

1.1%

D Dubai Islamic Bank

2.07

-1.4%

E Emirates NBD

3.06

-1.0%

9.72

-0.4%

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

8.86

1.13

91.45

1.78

-

0.94

-

-

-17.4%

88.7%

121.9%

1.01

1.00

225

225

1.77

0.71

-43.5%

-1.0%

0.51

0.49

4,045

8,081

0.71

0.34

-29.6%

11.1%

1.83

3.25

1.79

2.80 0.43

3.20

417 564

5,091 2,153

1.88

-10.4%

2.65

-33.9%

6,062

9.70

2,043

-

-

8.81

9,114

-

-

4,125

-

-

-

-

-

-

3.11

628

U United Arab Bank

3.70

1.23 0.44 -

1.20

5,636

0.42

3,862

-

-2.7%

2.31

30,200

8.68

2.80

-5.7%

2,661

3.05

-

3.30

0.20

-13.5%

5,551

3.10

8.75

667

0.46

2.76

-8.7%

-20.5%

3.06

-

11,849

3.24

1.69

0.0%

0.68

2.07

-

201

1.96

-

1.46

2.10

-

232

-

17,418

1.15

9.79

-

20,280

1.18

3.15

* Closing Prices, Turnover and Market Cap. in USD

2,190,000

-5.3%

1.24

0.3% -

12.5

-19.5%

3.63

3.13

-1.4%

3,360,024

-0.5%

3,559

-

U Union National Bank

0.43

12.8

10,720

-

12,111

U Union Properties

8,341,500

8,110,941

3.00

-

1.14

-0.8%

-9.5%

6.5%

3.05

1.18

1.22

18,073,780

4,820,452

-3.4%

T Tamweel

22.9%

-25.5%

-

9,789

1,978 1,029

210 -

3.49

4.63

2.41

11.20

8.64

1.56

0.67

10.75

6.98

-

102.00

74.70

-

4.70

2.91

-

1.02

0.80

474 -

9.00

2.39

7.22

1,750,000

nmf

-23.1%

3,301,001

-2.0%

5,707,386

12.4

2,478,762

nmf

0.6

1.6%

14,674,286

13.4

2.4

-11.5% -6.8%

9,280,000

7,859,902

nmf

7.8

927,839

nmf

7.3%

20.6%

33,708,658

-1.7%

-11.0%

2,848,000

35.3%

-12.9%

8.3%

7.2%

7,811,306

-34.5%

3,686,685

-3.3%

-4.0%

0.67

-25.3%

-7.8%

-19.7%

5.30

3.28

-30.2%

-9.9%

-0.9%

11.9%

-18.1%

102.3%

-13.3%

66.3% 1.6%

0.4

78.8%

-12.4%

-10.3%

1.4

1.1

0.9

6.5

59.2%

-27.6%

1.1

6.9

12.0

-25.5%

0.24

-39.4%

2,620,739

70,048,400

25.8%

0.6

1.5

-0.6%

nmf

-15.6%

-9.6%

0.3

17.6

1,530,000

-3.0%

4.1%

1.2

1.1

4,485,000

0.0%

-20.9%

2.82

0.50

6.7%

0.8

0.7

10.4

3.90

-

11.1%

38.1%

PB

7.5

18,700,102

200

9,038

101.4%

8.7

-5.0%

1.63

0.53

1.4%

7.0

19.5%

1.54

1.49

-0.6%

6.0

-12.0%

10,505 4,628

0.0%

PE

29.7%

-22.4%

1.15

S Sorouh Real Estate Co.

-6.6%

2.02

Trailing

Market Cap. (AED '000)

28.3%

8.90

0.0%

4.51

11.7%

2.94

0.57

8.5%

-17.8%

-

0.77

16.2%

12 mths

-29.8%

-0.6%

8.70

1.14

-3.4%

YTD

0.76

3.11

-

1.63

2.92

-2.7%

% Change

1.68

0.0%

-

3.55

2.52

on high

12,711

0.43

0.3%

-

3.32

Low

14,966

-0.2%

-1.7%

-

52-Week

High

1.15

1.22

2.80

1.16

3.07

-

0.0%

D Dubai Financial Market

E Emaar Properties

29

0.72

-

-2.9%

2.80

98

1.1%

1.00

C Commercial Bank of Dubai

3.41

1,128 470

A Arkan Building Materials Co.

1.79

3,647 630

-1.0%

A Aramex

3.20

Volume ('000)

1.32

3.00

1.02

3.50

Turnover (AED '000)

1.34

-3.3%

A Arabtec Holding

3.30

Low

0.8%

1.18

A Amlak Finance

High

-7.6%

21.5% 22.4% 3.7%

17,006,791

29,160,000 -

0.5

7.9

1.1

18.8 9.1

17.7

8.0%

2,279,970

9.1

23.2%

1,220,000

12.0

41.1%

1,444,382

0.9

0.6

6.7

4,961,000

3,018,750

1.2

8.9 9.0

1.8

0.7

1.3

1.3

2.4

0.9

0.5

0.5

0.5

5.2

0.7

11.2

1.8

nmf

0.6

STOCKS WITH NBK CAPITAL

14

ALWATAN DAILY tuesday, april 3, 2012

QATAR Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 8,849 (0.0%)

DSM Index (% Chg.)

120

DSM 52 week High / Low

44% QEWS.DSMQatar Electricity & Water Co. 1.33 QGTS.DSMQatar Gas Transport Co. 8,892 / 8,071 BRES.DSMBarwa Real Estate Co.

Market Cap. (QAR '000)

462,302,688

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price

117

Advance/Decline Ratio

313,607

Turnover (QAR '000)

110

MMasraf Al Rayan

2-Mar-12

18,387,927

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

17,550,711

IQIndustries Qatar

2-Apr-12

2.5%

17.90

1.1%

75.50

0.7%

28.65

DHBK.DSMDoha Bank

0.9%

61.40

Turnover (QAR) 24,005,378 AHCS.DSMAamal Co. 20,875,595 QTEL.DSM Qatar Telecom

B Barwa Real Estate Co. 2-Feb-12

% Chg.

0.7%

Worst Performers

Q Qatar Gas Transport Co.

90 2-Jan-12

147.60

QNNS.DSMQatar Navigation

Highest Turnover

101

100

Close

14,059,102

Q Qatar National Bank

Close

16.73

ERES.DSMEzdan Real Estate Co.

QIIK.DSM Qatar International Islamic Bank IQCD.DSM Industries Qatar

% Chg.

-4.9%

132.50

-1.8%

50.80

-0.4%

19.81

-1.0%

141.60

-0.2%

Doha SM

Quotes Company Name

Close

A Aamal Co.

16.73

Daily

% Chg.

-4.9%

Low

17.21

3,218

28.30

18,388

60.30

3,124

C The Commercial Bank of Qatar

77.30

0.0%

77.50

76.90

10,004

E Ezdan Real Estate Co.

19.81

-1.0%

19.99

19.70

197

D Doha Bank

61.40

0.9% 0.7%

16.40

28.70 61.40

IQIndustries Qatar

141.60

-0.2%

142.80

141.50

17,551

Q Qatar Electricity & Water Co.

147.60

2.5%

147.60

144.00

7,911

-0.4%

51.00

50.50

1,100

M Masraf Al Rayan

27.75

Q Qatar Gas Transport Co.

17.90

Q Qatar International Islamic Bank

50.80

Q Qatar Islamic Bank

77.40

Q Qatar National Bank

137.50

Q Qatar Telecom

132.50

Q Qatar Navigation

75.50

V Vodafone Qatar

7.53

0.5%

1.1%

-0.1%

27.80

17.95

77.90

12,888

16.06

35.90

28.00

YTD

5.2%

12 mths

8,281,350

-20.1%

11,148,421

-9.6%

-8.0%

0.4%

19,127,605

10.2

52,545,960

nmf

-4.3%

22.50

-1.2%

-0.4%

24.4%

16.59

-8.6%

2.2%

-2.6%

76.30

-9.3%

124

148.50

118.80

54

153.50

129.50

22

56.20

45.20

28.10

19.58

85.30

103

141.73

116.55

97

168.50

132.50

58

250

87.50 8.12

15.4

-12.7%

-15.7%

50.00

PE

-3.9%

-20.2% -8.4%

-4.6%

-3.8% -9.6% -3.0%

-4.2%

6.5% 5.7%

-5.9% -8.2%

-0.5%

4.6%

77,880,000

7.0%

14,760,000

PB

1.5

12.2

1.1

9.2

0.9

10.2

1.8

1.3

1.9

9.8

3.0

20,812,500

14.8

9,913,808

11.9

6.8

-4.4%

18,289,094

13.4

1.6

8,646,653

12.3

0.8

6,365,862

nmf

1.0

12.9%

7,689,532

18.1%

-13.7%

-1.3%

-12.4%

7.24

-7.3%

-0.3%

-2.3%

-5.9%

12,691,245

3.2%

69.90

-21.4%

5,940,000

Trailing

-13.1%

-10.8%

67.00

Market Cap. (QAR '000)

-5.1%

-20.7%

755

1,879

7.47

18.99

-30.6%

18.60

118

132.40

on high

15.40

24.97

9,098

135.00

Low

10

76.90

-1.8%

24.09

68.00

51

4,376

High

% Change

85.50

1,342

75.00

52-Week

129

24,005

136.00

7.53

644

17.70

137.50

0.3%

295

20,876

0.4%

75.70

191

27.55

14,059

0.7%

Volume ('000)

4,848

16.50

28.65

16.50

16.60

K Al Khalij Commercial Bank B Barwa Real Estate Co.

0.0%

High

Turnover (QAR '000)

96,212,798

-2.4%

30,316,000

2.4

11.4

4.9

11.8

1.6

12.8

2.3

11.8

1.4

OMAN Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 5,777 (1.0%)

MSM Index (% Chg.)

120

37% RNSS.MSMRenaissance Services

% of stocks trading above 1yr avg. price

117

5.00

Advance/Decline Ratio Turnover (OMR '000)

6,941,500

Market Cap (OMR '000)

218,685

O Oman Cement Co. 2-Mar-12

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

197,172

O Oman Telecommunications Co.

2-Apr-12

2.8%

0.96

2.7%

0.29

0.3%

1.30

Turnover (OMR) 551,476 BKMB.MSMBank Muscat 398,912 OTEL.MSMOman Telecommunications Co.

R Renaissance Services

2-Feb-12

3.5%

0.3%

Worst Performers

B Bank Muscat

90 2-Jan-12

% Chg.

0.56

OTEL.MSMOman Telecommunications Co.

Highest Turnover

101

100

0.60

OCOI.MSM Oman Cement Co.

6,406 / 5,419 RCCI.MSM Raysut Cement Co. 6,959 NBOB.MSMNational Bank of Oman

MSM 52 week High / Low

110

Close

133,581

N National Bank of Oman

Close

0.62

% Chg.

-0.3%

1.30

NBOB.MSMNational Bank of Oman RCCI.MSM Raysut Cement Co.

0.3%

0.29

0.3%

0.56

2.8%

0.96

OCOI.MSM Oman Cement Co.

2.7%

Muscat SM

Quotes Company Name

Close

B Bank Dhofar

0.439

N National Bank of Oman

0.293

O Oman Telecommunications Co.

1.299

R Renaissance Services

0.600

B Bank Muscat

O Oman Cement Co.

R Raysut Cement Co.

% Chg.

Daily -

0.620

-0.3%

0.557

2.8%

0.961

High

Turnover (OMR '000)

Low

-

-

0.622

0.292

-9.6%

152

1.425

1.041

-8.8%

134

0.3%

1.300

1.297

197

0.589

399

0.969 0.605

on high

0.324

0.292

3.5%

Low

456

0.295

2.7%

High

-

551

0.619

52-Week

-

0.3%

0.561

Volume ('000)

0.545

219

0.958

21

889 393 22

665

0.552

0.423

0.679

-20.5%

0.572

0.608

-8.7%

0.416

1.099

0.711

1.094

0.458

% Change YTD

-3.5%

-6.9%

-20.5%

184,296

14.4

192,200

12.8

18.1%

26.4% 10.1%

12.0

-2.3%

-0.8%

-12.6%

PE

1,114,012

-5.8%

28.9%

482,951

Trailing

3.9%

-6.1%

-8.4%

-45.2%

12 mths

Market Cap. (OMR '000)

324,651

974,250

-11.8% -39.0%

169,257

PB

2.1

9.5

1.3

9.5

1.2

8.7

2.0

1.2

1.9

nmf

1.0

BAHRAIN Rebased Performance

Summary

Best Performers 1,151 (-0.1%)

BSE Index (% Chg.)

120 117

Advance/Decline Ratio

1,419 / 1,129

BSE 52 week High / Low

93

Turnover (BHD '000)

110

6,443,278

Market Cap. (BHD '000)

100

2-Mar-12

#

#N/A

#

#N/A

#

2-Apr-12

S&P GCC Large/Mid Composite

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

Bahrain SE

% Chg.

5.6%

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

Turnover (BHD) 18,351 ITHMR.BSE Ithmaar Bank AUB.BSE Ahli United Bank

IT Ithmaar Bank

2-Feb-12

#N/A

0.10

#N/A

Worst Performers

A Ahli United Bank

90 2-Jan-12

#N/A

Highest Turnover

101

Close

32% ITHMR.BSE Ithmaar Bank #N/A #N/A

% of stocks trading above 1 yr avg. price

#N/A #N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

Close

0.10

% Chg.

0.60 -

#N/A

5.6%

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

#N/A

Quotes Company Name

Close

A Ahli United Bank*

0.603

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 0.090

0.434

0.420 797

% Chg.

Daily -

0.095

5.6%

0.304

-

0.570

-

High -

Low -

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

0.095

0.095

-

-

-

Turnover (BHD '000)

-

Volume ('000) -

49

-

52-Week

High

0.680 1.089 0.570 0.116 0.492 0.436 797

Low

0.599 0.857 0.420 0.082 0.380 0.390 797

on high

-11.3% -14.6% -26.3% -22.4% -11.8% -3.7%

0.0%

% Change YTD

0.0%

1,306,200

-10.7%

624,960

-30.0%

637,560

-22.4%

1.4%

0.0%

-9.5%

46.2%

-

0.424

0.270

-28.3%

1.3%

-9.5%

-26.3%

0.0%

10.7%

0.065

0.560

3,155,834

-14.6%

0.0%

0.105

0.630

-7.1%

-0.4%

511 -

12 mths

-0.9%

Market Cap. (BHD '000)

-6.7%

-17.4%

-13.0%

-27.6%

943,462

Trailing

PE

10.2 8.0 6.4

84,571

nmf

357,570

11.2

254,388

nmf

487,555

253,707

PB

1.2

0.8 0.4

0.8

7.8

1.2

4.5

0.6

10.7

1.8

nmf

1.5 0.4

1.2

LIFE

Caring for Stitches

You may need stitches to help close an open wound and help reduce scarring. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to care for stitches: •Wait one to three days before getting the area wet. •Gently wash off any crust that forms and accumulating dirt. •If the wound seeps clear yellow fluid, you may need to apply a bandage. •Apply antibiotic ointment if your doctor recommends doing so. •If your doctor approves, wash and rebandage the area after 24 hours. •Keep the area raised above your heart to help reduce pain and swelling.

TUESDAY, april 3, 2012

Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City: Born of Kuwait’s passion for the sea

Panoramic view of the lagoon system created at the Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City

‘Over 200 km of beach will be created by completion of this pioneering project’ Onilda Fernandes Staff Writer

KUWAIT: Miles away from the hustle bustle of civilization; a new city is being born! Envisioned by the late Khalid Yousuf Al-Marzouq and named ‘Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City’

by His Highness, the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad-AlSabah in 2009, the unused marshlands of Khiran in south Kuwait, located near the Saudi Arabian border have been transfigured into a project which will be larger than Manhattan when it is created and thus be home to over 100,000 people.

Surprisingly, none of this will take place at the expense of the environment. Unlike many other coastal projects in the Gulf where millions of tons of material have been tipped offshore, to reclaim land for development and in the process impacted the marine breeding grounds, Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City is working the other way. They have brought the sea into the land. “We have excavated up to seven kilometers into low lying, hyper-saline, environmentally impoverished salt flats creating lagoons and islands, some 9.5 million square meters of water to date. The whole of this massive waterway network is self flushing using only the power of the tides. All of the materials excavated from the lagoons are used to raise the remaining land well above any predicted sea level change. Amazingly, since the opening of the waterways of the first two phases, we have recorded over 1000 species of marine macro biota, with over 100 species of fish and shellfish, including one new to science.And this is in just over 8 years!” shared the Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City Project Director, Ian Williams with Al Watan Daily.

Inception

This being an ambitious water front development project, and certainly a world first, a lot of time elapsed between

its conception in the mid 80’s by the late visionary Kuwaiti businessman Al-Marzouq and its execution. “Invasion, liberation, Gulf wars, and economic uncertainty kept delaying the project. It took the concerted efforts and determination of Al-Marzouk’s son Fawaz Khalid Al-Marzouq to get final approval for project. Work eventually commenced on this mega project in early 2003,” explained Williams, who insists that whole idea of building a massive marine city was to meet the local demand for living by the sea. “Kuwaitis are passionate about the sea. Unfortunately, very little of Kuwait’s sandy coastline remains undeveloped. It wasn’t cheap to do this and certainly not easy but Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City will eventually almost double the length of the existing sandy shoreline within the project. Well over 200 kms of beach will be created by completion of this pioneering project. To date, more than 84 kms of beach has already been completed.”

Definitely, this project by no means falls short of being impressive. The team of engineers and scientists has worked around challenges from building on sabkha to dealing with environmentally impoverished land, with scientific hypothesis’ taking a number of years to show successful results.

“Sabkha is very low lying salt encrusted land, prone to flooding and sustaining very little flora or fauna. With sea level change over the millennia much of the subsoil was saturated silts and fine sands, making it virtually impossible to build on. And with average predicted sea level change of 50 cm this century, most of this land would be lost to the sea,” stated Williams adding that whilst the majority of the site was environmentally impoverished with little or no flora or fauna, there were two intertidal creeks that provided a home for a hundred or so species of macro fauna. “All the evidence showed that the new intertidal waterways would more than compensate for any losses in the existing creeks; however, in order to ensure that the few species that were particular to this muddier estuarine environment would not be greatly affected, additional habitats were identified. An initial Environmental Impact Assessment recommended the creation of a series of self sustaining islands in the lagoon

Oceans started warming 135 years ago, study suggests NEW YORK: The world’s oceans have been warming for more than 100 years, twice as long as previously believed, new research suggests according to LiveScience. The findings could help scientists better understand the Earth’s record of sea-level rise, which is partly due to the expansion of water that happens as it heats up, researchers added. “Temperature is one of the most fundamental descriptors of the physical state of the ocean,” said the study’s lead author,Dean Roemmich, an oceanographer at the University of California, San Diego. “Beyond simply knowing that the oceans are warming, [the results] will help us answer a few climate questions.” From 1872 to 1876, the HMS Challenger sailed the world’s oceans along a 69,000nautical-mile track, crossing the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. During the voyage, scientists among the 200-person crew took 300 ocean-temperature profiles, or measurements at several depths in each spot, with pressure-protected thermometers.

Roemmich and his colleagues compared Challenger temperatures with data from the modern-day Argo project, which uses 3,500 free-drifting floats to measure the temperature and salinity, or salt content, of the world’s oceans every 10 days. The comparison showed a 1.1-degree Fahrenheit (0.59-degree Celsius) temperature increase at the ocean’s surface over the last 135 years, a result corroborated by a large body of sea-surface temperature data that goes back more than

100 years. “That is a substantial amount of warming,” Roemmich told LiveScience.

Ocean warming has been previously linked to glacial melting and mass coral bleaching. The team also looked at subsurface temperature differences between Challenger and Argo, taking into account several sources of error in the Challenger readings. One issue with the Challenger data, Roemmich explained, is that the vessel’s scientists didn’t directly measure the depth of their thermometers; they measured only the length of the line extending the instruments into the water. Because of ocean currents, it’s nearly impossible to get a line to be completely vertical in the water, resulting in an actual depth that is a little less than the full length of the line.

Accounting for these issues, Roemmich and his team found that, on average, global ocean temperatures increased by 0.59 degrees F (0.33 degrees C) in the upper ocean down to about 2,300 feet (700 meters).

This global temperature change is twice what scientists have observed for the past 50 years, suggesting that the oceans have been warming for much longer than just a few decades.

Given that thermal expansion is believed to be a major contributor to sea-level rise, Roemmich believes that the results of the study will help scientists better understand the historical record of the rising sea levels, which have been increasing since the 19th century.

Skin cancer on the rise among young adults: Study PARIS: Skin cancer is on the rise among young adults, according to a US study published Monday that suggests indoor tanning beds and childhood sunburns may be to blame. Between 1970 and 2009, the rate of melanoma among women increased eightfold and quadrupled among men, according to the research by Mayo Clinic experts who studied all medical records for a county in Minnesota over that timespan. However, death rates from melanoma fell during the same period, suggesting that early interventions may be helping to save some lives, said the researchers.

Still, lead investigator Jerry Brewer, M.D., a Mayo Clinic dermatologist, sounded the alarm about what he called a “dramatic rise in women in their 20s and 30s.”

“We anticipated we’d find rising rates, as other studies are suggesting, but we found an even higher incidence than the National Cancer Institute had reported,” he said. Although the current study did not focus on reasons for the increase, Brewer said other researchers

Satellite image captured on Feb. 2, 2012 of the Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City.

have found that people who use indoor tanning beds are 74 percent more likely to get melanoma than nontanners Jennifer Stein, a dermatologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, agreed that indoor tanning beds are a likely culprit.

“One possible explanation for this rapid increase in cases of melanoma may be the use of indoor tanning beds in teens and young adults, which has become so popular in recent years,” said Stein, who was not involved with the study.

“It’s important for people to protect their skin from ultraviolet exposure, and to check their skin for new or changing moles, which can be a sign of melanoma. The key to surviving melanoma is early detection.”

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

People at the highest risk are those with light hair and green or blue eyes. Spending a lot of time in the sun and having had one or more blistering sunburns in youth also boost the risk. -AFP

system, to provide extensive habitat for some of the threatened species.”

Impediments

Another major highlight for the team at Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City was the solution for the effective circulation of water throughout the extensive network of canals.

“Whilst near shore, flushing was easily obtained; flushing and water exchange deep into the project was a major challenge. Without proper flushing and water exchange, the waterways would soon become hyper saline, devoid of oxygen and susceptible to any pollutant that may be accidentally introduced. This would lead to a stagnant body of water unable to sustain a wide ranging eco system,” said Williams.

The design team thought that tidally powered gates were possibly the solution. Stated Williams, “the introduction of a series of gates into the system would force the tide to circulate around the project rather than just in and out.

The computer models showed that this would lead to an exchange of 90% of all of the water in the system within 10 days. However, these gates would be very big. Specialist hydraulic designers identified that six gates, each 50 square meters in area and over 10 tons in weight would be needed.

The gates were manufactured in the UK and built into specially designed culverts towards the end of 2010.”

Williams insists that water quality monitoring is carried out on a daily basis, even though the team is very confident of the results, and rightfully so. To date, water quality and environmental conditions on the project have exceeded all expectations. “Such a rigorous regime of testing is able to demonstrate that at all locations within the site; the water quality is equal to that of the external waters of the Gulf.

The litmus test of course being marine life wouldn’t flourish in poor environment.”

Innovations

Being a water front development project, each of these lagoons is split into a series of plots that are currently being sold to people to build villas on. Unfortunately, all the suit-

able sand that was available for beaches contained too many fine particles. This sand would not allow water to easily pass through it resulting in a mud like condition. “Therefore, either suitable sand had to be imported or the available sand treated. Importation of such huge quantities of sand was not an option; therefore, treating site material was the only solution. Large sand washing plants, eight of them in total, were installed and the sand was washed up to four times,” said Williams.

An additional challenge was how to deliver the excavated material, used to create the building platform. This material had to be in a compacted and dense condition, otherwise buildings would settle. “If this had been done using conventional roller compactors, schedules could not have been met. The decision was made to use a seldom used technique called ‘dynamic compaction’. In this method a 100 ton crane drops a 15 ton weight from a height of 10 meters onto the ground,” explains Williams. This mammoth venture, apart from having staggering figures attached to it also has a record number of firsts beyond the ones already mentioned above --132 cables have been laid underwater in Kuwait, the entire venue uses fiber optic network, there will be the largest marina in Kuwait, when it is completed, it has the longest detached break water in Kuwait (over 1.1 kilometer) and it houses a sewage treatment plant that does not return the water into the sea. Of course it comes as no surprise that Discovery Channel aired an episode of ‘Building the Impossible’ that featured the Sabah Al-Ahmad Sea City, while the project has also garnered popularity from its local media, with EEK! Expats published blog constantly updating their readers on its progress.

With such a massive project underway, which utilizes 1000 labor beside an additional 500-1000sub contractors, it is difficult to pen a date as to when it will be deemed accomplished but for now, on blue print are four marinas, electric substations (the fifth one is currently being built) commercial areas, mosques, schools, fire station, cooperatives, hospitals, villas, basically everything one would expect in a luxurious city.

A look at the groundbreaking SKA telescope

South Africa and Australia are fighting for the right to host what will be the world’s most powerful radio telescope, a device called the Square Kilometer Array (SKA).

Here are some key facts about the SKA: • It will use 3,000 antennas and receptors to detect radio frequency signals from deep space that are then processed by a super computer.

• The SKA will be 50 times more sensitive and 10,000 times faster than any other telescope on the planet.

• The name comes from the surface area of all the receptors, which will total one square kilometer. The antennas will be arranged in five spiral arms extending to distances of at least 3,000 km (1,870 miles).

• The antennas and receptors will be located in as remote a location as possible, free from radio and seismic interference.

• The SKA will generate enough raw data to fill 15 mil-

lion 64-GB iPods daily.

• It will expand research relating to questions such as how galaxies evolve, what is dark energy, is there extra-terrestrial life and how black holes were formed.

• The project will be funded by international agencies as well as partner countries including Australia, China, South Africa, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Netherlands.

• Construction is expected to begin in 2016 and it is expected to be fully operational around 2024.

• Australia’s bid would be centered at the Murchison Radio Astronomy Observatory (MRO) in the mid-west region of Western Australia and stretch to New Zealand.

• The South African bid would be centered in the Karoo desert in the south-central part of the country and extend to partners Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Zambia, Kenya and Ghana.

16

ALWATAN DAILY

CULTURE

tuesDAY, april 3, 2012

Embassy of Malaysia showcases authentic and traditional cuisines Ricky Laxa Staff Writer

Group photo taken of The Malaysian Ambassador to Kuwait Dato’ Adnan Othman and wife Datin Azlinda Rosli with Malaysian nationals and embassy staff before the opening of the food bazaar.

deed very grateful for the support,” concluded the wife of the Malaysian Ambassador.

Members of the diplomatic community who graced the occasion were much impressed with the huge turnout of guests who came and sampled the dishes. Prominent Kuwaiti businessmen and personalities arrived to give their support to the auspicious occasion and among them was Kuwait’s most celebrated artist Thuraya Al-Baqsami. “This is a great day not only for the Malaysian community but for the whole Asian region as Malaysia represents the totality of the Asian dishes. The country has a special place in my heart and I have fond admiration to their handicrafts and colorful Batik,” commented Al-Baqsami.

She added that the Malaysian community must be lauded for their initiative to raise funds for charitable organizations in Malaysia.

“I urge other organizations to be inspired by such activity and bring joy to less fortunate and distressed,” stated Al-Baqsami.

Ambassador of Bangladesh to Kuwait Syed Shahed Reza lauded the Malaysian Ambassador and his wife for the occasion and hoped that an Asian food bazaar that will include all Asian countries will be organized

someday. Ambassadors of Russia Nepal Pakistan, Laos, Cambodia and other members of the diplomatic corps also arrived to grace the occasion.

Flavors and aroma of Malaysian cuisine Among some of the dishes offered during the bazaar was Malaysia’s “Satay”. Satay or little skewers of meat grilled with peanut sauce and “Ketupa” or Malay rice cake. This is a very popular dish in Malaysia served as one of country’s staple food. Satay is not only popularly loved across Southeast Asia, (A common belief that Satay is the region’s distant cousin to the Middle-Eastern kebabs, brought about by the spice route and the culinary influence of the early Arab traders.)

However each country has its own interpretation of Satay, influenced by its own unique food culture and distinct palate.

“Nasi Lemak” or Fat Rice, a popular dish in Malaysia, loved by the locals and served in different versions. Nasi (Rice) and Lemak (Coconut Milk) is a plate of white rice cooked in coconut milk. Accompanying it on the plate is Sambal, a chili paste mixed with salted anchovies or Ikan Bilis (Crispy small dried fish).

Originating from Malaysia but renowned

Kuwait, Polish archaeologists present survey findings

Michael A. Kolarov

Staff Writer

Dr. Franciszek Pawlicki from the University of Warsaw, Polish Ambassador to Kuwait Janusz Szwedo, Counsellor Roman Strzemiecki and Lukasz Rutkowski from the University of Warsaw presenting the archaeological survey findings to the local media at the Polish Embassy on April 2, 2012.

were dated to the Islamic period; they include settlements, villages, farms, and other structures yet to be identified. The sites were all mapped by GPS coordinates for future study.

The team discovered some remnants of a fishing community, with their fishing net emplacements still just off the coast. Their discovered included 52 stone structures, a wide assortment of late Islamic era pottery. The team collected hundreds of pieces and every piece was documented by photography and drawings for further study. Further excavations on Failaka will be done next season in the fall.

Summing up the results of the survey con-

ducted by the joint Kuwaiti-Polish Archaeological Mission, team leaders took a moment to stress the importance of recognizing the archaeological evidence on Failaka and AsSabbiya.

Team leaders emphasized the need for protection and salvaging of these sites, preserving Kuwait’s cultural heritage, what has been discovered, and what is yet to be discovered. By the team’s recommendation, the regions of As-Sabbahiya, Um ad-Dakhan, Matitah, Kharib el-Dest and Mourghy should be excluded from any modernization program of Failaka Island, at least until the research is fully completed.

Jakartans walk the walk to regain their pavement JAKARTA: Car and motorbike sales in Indonesia’s chaotic capital far outpace the building of new roads, meaning traffic in Jakarta soon grinds to a halt - leaving motorists to battle it out among themselves for what few shortcuts can be found. During rush hours especially, rules go out of the window as cars constantly beep horns and switch lanes. Motorbikes play a game of chicken with pedestrians on the crumbling pavements.

But one group of pedestrians has decided enough is enough. Koalisi Pejalan Kaki, or Pedestrian Coalition, is a direct action group that was established last July in an attempt to reclaim sidewalks from motorbikes and street vendors.

“Our first action was inspired by my daughter, who asked me ‘why are the motorcyclists passing through the sidewalk, daddy?’” said group coordinator Anthony Ladjar. “I won’t let them negatively educate my daughter, so we started a movement.” Each Friday, the group of 20 to 30 people pick an area in Jakarta where motorcyclists and food vendors can be seen using pavements and forcing pedestrians onto the roads. For an hour they gather on a pavement to stage silent protests with placards reading “Sidewalks for pedestrians” or “Sidewalks are not for motorbikes.” During the first protest in Jakarta’s Kota district, Ladjar blocked the pave-

Selection of traditional rice cakes and snacks of Malaysia.

internationally Malaysia’s “Teh Tarik” is comprised of black tea, sugar, and condensed milk mixed to perfection. Malaysians know that pouring a proper cup of teh tarik is an art re-

quiring years to master. The tea and milk are poured through the air between two cups until it reaches a rich, frothy texture skilled teh tarik artists never spill a drop.

Workers restoring Russian mansion find treasure

Michael A. Kolarov

KUWAIT: A press conference was held yesterday by the Polish Embassy after two teams of Kuwaiti and Polish archaeologists concluded their spring season surveys of sites on Failaka Island and the As-Sabbiya region in the north of Kuwait. According to information supplied by the Kuiwaiti-Polish Archaeological Mission (KPAM), on Failaka Island the team conducted a survey over two months and investigated over 180 sites. Archaeologists uncovered a variety of stone structures, pottery assemblages, farms, enclosures, and desert wells. The As-Sabbiya team uncovered many tumulus grave chambers along with a variety of Bronze Age tools, pottery, and adornments made from semiprecious materials, each of which was identified, registered, documented and inserted into the map of Kuwait’s archaeological sites.

Archaeological investigations in the AsSabbiya region (North Kuwait) were headed

by Lukasz Rutknowski of the University of Warsaw, Poland. The first campaign, initiated

by Shehab A.H. Shehab, the Director of the Department of Antiquities and Museums of the State of Kuwait, took place in 2007. Since that time, four research projects have been formulated: 1. surveying and cataloging grave sites and other stone structures, 2. Exploration of chosen grave sites, especially those endangered by construction work, 3. investigating old desert well networks, 4. exploration of a prehistoric settlement from the period of the Chalcolithic Ubaid culture dating back to the 6-5th millennium BC. On Failaka Island, the team was headed

by Dr. Franciszek Pawlicki of the University of Warsaw, Poland. According to his presentation, most of the sites the team uncovered

Nasi Lemak stall displays samples of the dish.

(Photos courtesy of The Morning Talk)

KUWAIT: Beef Rendang, Satay, Assam Laksa and Nasi Lemak were among the authentic dishes showcased during the “Malaysian Food Bazaar” held at the embassy grounds Saturday afternoon. The event, which was hosted by the Ambassador of Malaysia to Kuwait, Dato’ Adnan Haji Othman and wife, featured varied dishes from different regions in Malaysia with limited handicraft, “batek” print dresses for women and tourism handouts, at the inner courtyard of the embassy.

In an exclusive interview with Al Watan Daily, the Malaysian envoy expressed his gratitude for the generous support the people have shared by coming to the occasion and sampling the authentic dishes of Malaysia. The envoy added that the intention to hold a food bazaar was to not only introduce the food but other exciting facets of the country. “This is a good opportunity for us to invite our Kuwaiti friends and expat community to taste the food and entice them to discover more the country, a reminder for those who have been to Malaysia and an invitation to visit,” commented Ambassador Othman. To add, the envoy added that he plans to introduce the same occasion in February, when weather is at its best.

The envoy joked “Guests asked as to where they can purchase our “Satay” (Malaysian BBQ chicken and beef). Unfortunately we do not have a restaurant here in Kuwait but maybe it will be a good opportunity for our nationals to start taking orders”.

As for wife of the Ambassador Othman Datin Azlinda Rosli, who spearheaded the collaboration with the Malaysian Ladies Association of Kuwait and organized the successful event, she told Al Watan Daily that after months of planning, the food bazaar finally turned out to be beyond success. She added that the food bazaar was a good way to promote the country and expressed her gratitude to the Malaysian community in Kuwait for their tremendous initiative and tireless effort to ensure the success of the occasion. She commented “We are so blessed to have such community in Kuwait.

The food stalls showcased our dishes perfectly and variety of choices impressed the guests. Although the showroom inside the embassy courtyard featured limited items but it was well visited by the guests and we are in-

ment by lying on the ground. “Some people said that I am a nut, but others said they respected my action,” he said. “Things are going all right and nobody seems to attack us.” “We hope that thousands of motorcyclists and drivers see our action and become more educated and respect our rights.” A long-awaited land acquisition law was passed by Indonesian lawmakers in December last year, allowing the country to accelerate road, port and airport projects.

But like Jakarta’s traffic, progress is slow.

A planned monorail in the city isn’t set to be completed until late 2016. In the meantime, the TransJakarta bus service, the city’s main bus ser-

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia: For years, kopek-pinching Soviets sat down in a cheap restaurant in a former mansion of the nobility for plain meals, unaware of the treasure secreted nearby. Workers restoring the building this week finally found it, unexpectedly, in a storage space hidden between two floors - more than 1,000 pieces of jewelry, silver service sets stamped with the name of one of Russia’s most prominent noble families, mirrors and brushes in silver frames. Many of them were wrapped in newspapers dated from the early months of 1917, as Russia careened toward the Bolshevik Revolution that ended life as the nobles had known it. Friday’s announcement of the find by the Intarsia Company, which is performing the restoration work, excited the news media and sparked arguments over who can claim the valuables. The find is so new that experts haven’t had time to inspect the goods and estimate their value.

The treasure tale touches on two of Russia’s most renowned and romantic figures: Peter the Great and Alexander Pushkin.

The mansion was purchased in 1875 by Duke Vasily Naryshkin, whose family included Nataliya Naryshkina, the second wife of Czar Alexis and the mother of Peter the Great. The mansion had been put together by connecting two 18-century houses, one of which belonged to Pushkin’s African grandfather Abram Gannibal.After the Bolsheviks nationalized private property, part of the mansion was turned into a stolovaya, a canteen-like restaurant serving utilitarian meals, according to Russian news reports. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the building housed apartment, became private apartments, then was purchased

by Intarsia to be turned into a conference and cultural center. Intarsia said it would like to display the treasures for public view in the cultural center once it’s completed; for now, they’re in custody of the city’s committee for

vice, suffers from limited routes and huge overcrowding at peak times, pushing more and more residents into buying motorbikes. According to police and government figures, Jakarta’s 25 million residents are riding some 11.36 million vehicles, including more than 8 million motorbikes, and the love affair with transport continues unabated. But the coalition has still achieved some modest success. After similar action in Yogyakarta, Java’s cultural capital, the mayor signed a memorandum of understanding and agreed to work with authorities to become more pedestrian-friendly.The coalition has also developed links with similar groups across the globe,

historical preservation. But who has the final claim to them hasn’t been resolved. Sergei Malinkovich, head of a regional Communist organization, told the Rosbalt news agency that his group will apply for ownership of the items on the grounds that the group is the successor to the Communists who nationalized state property. “The essential thing here is that at the moment of the creation of the hiding-place, the treasure was no longer property of the Naryshkins,” he said. The state news agency, meanwhile, cited Ivan Artsishevsky, chairman of the House of Romanov in Russia, as saying it appears the closest relative to the Naryshkins who occupied the house lives in France, but that it was unclear if this person would seek the valuables. -AP

In this Wednesday, March 28, 2012 handout photo provided by Intarsia Company on Friday, March 30, 2012, pieces of treasure discovered in secret place in a 19thcentury mansion under restoration are on display in St. Petersburg, Russia. (AP)

including Germany’s Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities.

“This demonstration is a very good action,” said Yansen Sitorus, a 30-year old worker at an international oil company.

Not all observers are fans, though.

“These people are weird,” said Asep, a 50year old street vendor who watched a Pedestrian Coalition demonstration. “They are not right in the head.” But Ladjar remains undaunted, vowing to press on.

“We won’t stop until the city administration responds to our pleas,” he said. -Reuters

ALWATAN DAILY

entertainment Song Of The Day

tuesDAY, april 3, 2012

17

Lambert, Shelton big winners at country awards

Fahad AlSabah Staff Writer

Song: Can I Stay Artist: Ray LaMontagne Album: Till the Sun Turns Black Genre: Folk In short: Ray LaMontagne’s coarse, raspy voice is unmatched by any other artist; listening to his music is all the therapy one might need, sometimes. The charming “Can I Stay” sums up his music in 3 minutes and 41 seconds.

To listen to the song visit www.alwatandaily.com E-mail your feedback to falsabah@alwatandaily.com

The Buzz Ashton Kutcher to portray Steve Jobs in movie Ashton Kutcher will play Steve Jobs in a movie about the late Apple co-founder from his early days as a “wayward hippie” up through to his technology ventures, according to show business publication Variety. The independent film “Jobs” is based on a script by Matt Whiteley and will be directed

by Joshua Michael Stern (“Swing Vote”). A separate movie project about Jobs, based on the 2011 biography by Walter Isaacson, is being developed at Sony Pictures Studios. Kutcher, who replaced Charlie Sheen on the long-running television sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” is scheduled to shoot the movie during that TV series’ production hiatus. -Reuters

MLB to launch concert series at Fan Cave in NYC Pop group Far East Movement will help celebrate opening day for the 2012 Major League Baseball season with a performance at the MLB Fan Cave in New York City on Wednesday. The MLB Fan Cave is located in the former Tower Records store in New York’s Greenwich Village section. MLB is launching a concert series there that will also include The Fray on April 13 and Daughtry on April 26. Aaron Lewis, the lead singer of Staind, will also perform Wednesday. The baseball season kicks off Wednesday night when defending champion St. Louis plays at Miami in the first official game at the Marlins’ new stadium. MLB says it plans more performances at its Fan Cave this season. Fans can get access through MLB’s Facebook page and Twitter account. -AP

Avengers arrives early for Facebook fans Facebook fans are getting an early shot to see the all-star superhero tale “The Avengers.” Disney’s Marvel Studios announced Monday that it will offer advance screenings around the world in cities where “The Avengers” has gained the most fans on Facebook. Early screenings will start with shows in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Houston and Miami on April 14, nearly three weeks before the film’s May 4 US debut.

Admission will be free, first-come, first-served. Marvel plans another round of early screenings in five more cities. Fans can lobby for their city on “The Avengers” Facebook page. -AP

Bruce Willis welcomes baby girl Bruce Willis and his wife, Emma Heming Willis, welcomed their first child into the world yesterday in Los Angeles after three years of marriage, according to Willis’ representative; reported ET Online. The couple have named their 9-pound-1 -ounce daughter Mabel Ray Willis and are “overjoyed” about their newborn baby girl. Both Mabel Ray and her mother are reported as being healthy after birth. This makes Mabel Ray Willis’ fourth daughter, as the 57-year-old actor has three daughters from his previous marriage to Demi Moore.

Sarah Palin to co-host NBC’s Today on Tuesday NBC’s “Today” show is bringing Sarah Palin on board as a cohost - for one morning, this Tuesday. The announcement was posted Sunday on NBC’s website. It says the former Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential candidate will “reveal a different side” than viewers have seen before. The booking is clearly an attempt to blunt the impact of “Today” alumna Katie Couric’s weeklong return to morning TV as a guest host on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Couric joined ABC last year and was co-host of longtime ratings leader “Today” for 15 years before leaving for CBS in 2006. Besides Palin’s surprise star turn on “Today,” Tuesday’s edition will also include “a big NBC announcement” by Ryan Seacrest. -AP

Killers, Black Keys to play music festival in Delware The Killers, the Black Keys, Jack White and more than 30 other acts are set hit the stage for the Firefly Music Festival in Delaware. The two-day festival kicks off July 20 and ends July 22 at the Woodlands of Dover International Speedway.

Also to perform are John Legend, Death Cab for Cutie and Lupe Fiasco. Other featured acts include Passion Pit, OK Go, Tinie Tempah and Young the Giant. Tickets are set to go on sale Thursday. -AP

Chris Brown enters UK chart at number one Singer Chris Brown soared straight to the top of the British singles charts on Sunday, the latest twist in an unlikely return to mainstream success following his 2009 conviction for assaulting former girlfriend Rihanna. Brown’s “Turn up the Music” dislodged “Part of Me” by compatriot Katy Perry, which fell to the fourth slot, according to the Official UK Charts Company. -Reuters

Taylor Swift, (right) presents the award for male vocalist of the year to Blake Shelton at the 47th Academy of Country Music Awards on April 1, 2012 in Las Vegas. (AP)

LAS VEGAS: It was a night for married couples at the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday as husband and wife Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert won several honors and a couple of country music fans married during the show.

The show spanned the years of country music with 22year-old sensation Taylor Swift winning the top honor, entertainer of the year, and audience members paying tribute to bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs, who died last week in Nashville at age 88.

“I am so amazed that the fans keep doing such incredibly nice things for me. I just want to hug them all the time and thank them for everything - it really blows my mind,” Swift told reporters backstage about the award, which fans vote for.

But Shelton and Lambert, who married last year, were the big winners, taking home three trophies between them including best male vocalist for him and two trophies for her, female vocalist and album of the year for “Four the Record.”

Shelton, who co-hosted the program, seemed genuinely surprised, saying he’d been waiting in the wings and hadn’t even been thinking of the award when his name was called. “I didn’t see that coming, at all,” he said. “It’s amazing.”

Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson also walked off with two awards, single record of the year and vocal event of the year for their duet “Don’t You Wanna Stay.”

Lady Antebellum, fresh off their smash hit “Need You Now,” was named best vocal group - the fourth time it had won the award in recent years. The Eli Young Band took song of the year honors with “Crazy Girl.”

Former “American Idol” contestant Scotty McCreery, 19, who recorded the hit single “Water Tower Town,” was named best new artist. Among honors announced backstage, video of the year went to Toby Keith for his popular party song, “Red Solo Cup.” Keith had one of the night’s memorable performances singing the song in the packed MGM Grand Arena while audience members swayed to the music and held red cups in the air.

‘Marry Me’

Hosted by Shelton and Reba McEntire, the Academy of Country Music Awards is among the biggest events in country music.

Toward the end of the show, a pair of country music fans got married on stage, in what was billed as the first live wedding on a televised awards show.

Iconic Aboriginal musician Jimmy Little dies at 75 SYDNEY: Jimmy Little, one of Australia’s most famous Aboriginal musicians, died Monday after a long illness, his family said.

He was 75.

The iconic artist died at his home in the city of Dubbo, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of Sydney, after a long struggle with diabetes, kidney problems and a heart condition, his family said in a statement.

Little was one of the first indigenous artists to win mainstream success in Australia, playing everything from country to reggae across a nearly 60-year career.

“He was a true pioneer,” said his manager, Graham “Buzz” Bidstrup, recalling the days in the late 1950s and early 1960s when Little was often forced by nightclub owners to use the back door of a venue because of his dark skin. Very often, Bidstrup said, the white musicians would stand up for Little and refuse to play until he was allowed through the front door.

Little strongly supported Aboriginal education and served as a mentor for many indigenous children. The Jimmy Little Foundation works to combat high rates of kidney disease and diabetes in Aboriginal communities.

Little’s family said his love for music never wavered, and that he began taking piano lessons at age 75.

A public vote dubbed him a National Living Treasure in 2004. Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin called Little a role model for Aboriginal youth, and a “tireless advocate” for improvements to indigenous health.

Little is survived by his daughter, Frances Claire Peters-Little, and his grandson, James Henry Little. -AP

Ashton Kutcher, (left) presents the award for female vocalist of the year to Miranda Lambert at the 47th Academy of Country Music Awards on April 1, 2012 in Las Vegas. (AP)

From left, Reverend Phil York marries Frank Tucci and Christina Davidson as Martina McBride and Pat Monahan perform onstage at the 47th Academy of Country Music Awards on April 1, 2012 in Las Vegas. (AP)

Christina Davidson, 31, and Frank Tucci, 33, exchanged vows while Martina McBride and Train’s Pat Monahan sang a duet of the hit song, “Marry Me.” Davidson lost her husband Paul in a drowning accident in 2009, and later founded a support group for young widows and widowers in New Jersey, where she met Tucci, whose wife lost her life to cancer.

The show featured numerous performances. Carrie Underwood started off the program with her rocking song “Good Girl,” and Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw belted out “Feel Like a Rock Star.”

Not to be outdone, Keith Urban put on an electric guitar show with “For You,” and in keeping with tradition, the Academy of Country Music invited stars from other musical genres to appear, including U2 singer Bono and the members of KISS. But the old days of country were not forgotten, either. In perhaps the most poignant moment of the night, the star-filled audience gave a standing ovation for banjo picker Earl Scruggs, whose funeral was held in Nashville on Sunday. -Reuters

Winners at the Academy of Country Music Awards Entertainer of the year: Taylor Swift Top male vocalist: Blake Shelton Top female vocalist: Miranda Lambert Top vocal group: Lady Antebellum Top vocal duo: Thompson Square Top new artist: Scotty McCreery Album of the year: “Four the Record,” Miranda Lambert Single record of the year: “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson Song of the year: “Crazy Girl,” Eli Young Band Video of the year: “Red Solo Cup,” Toby Keith Vocal event of the year: “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson

Sandler sets worst-movie record with Razzies sweep LOS ANGELES: Adam Sandler and friends have scored a new high - or low among voters of the Razzies, an Academy Awards spoof that presents prizes for the year’s worst movies.

Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” managed a Razzies first on Sunday, claiming 10 awards to sweep every single category. Along with the movie’s worst-picture award, Sandler won for both worst actor and actress for his dual roles in “Jack and Jill,” in which he plays a family man and his own pesky twin sister.

“He didn’t play triplets, but he couldn’t have won more awards if he had,” said Razzies founder John Wilson.

Sandler also shared the “Jack and Jill” Razzies for worst ensemble, worst screen couple opposite either himself or co-stars Al Pacino or Katie Holmes and worst screenplay as a co-writer on the movie.

Pacino won as worst supporting actor for playing himself in “Jack and Jill,” while Sandler pal David Spade was named worst supporting actress for his own cross-dressing role in the movie.

It’s the only movie in the 32-year history of the Razzies to win every prize.

But the Razzies did not overlook Sandler’s other starring role from last year.

Sandler’s worst-actor prize came for both “Jack and Jill” and his earlier comedy

John Wilson and Kelie McIver announce the movie “Jack and Jill” as the winner of the “Worst Picture” award, on stage at the 32 annual Golden Raspberry or Razzies Awards, April 1, 2012 in Santa Monica, California. (AFP)

“Just Go With It.” Dennis Dugan, the filmmaker behind both comedies, was named worst director for both flicks.

“Jack and Jill” also was picked as worst remake, rip-off or sequel, billed by Razzies voters as a remake or rip-off of Ed Wood’s cross-dressing cult favorite “Glen or Glenda?”

Despite the usual bad reviews Sandler receives, “Just Go With It” was a $100 million hit like most of his comedies. But even Sandler fans had second thoughts about “Jack and Jill,” which took in only $74 million, one of the worst results among his mainstream comedies.

“Adam Sandler has a pretty much basic attitude of, ‘No matter how dumb I make it, my fans are going to pay to see it,’” Wilson said. “I guess it’s more about the complete lack of any genuine effort or concern or pride. An attitude of this is good enough, but when you consider what they’re charging for movie tickets today, it wasn’t good enough.

“It was good enough to get our attention. If you work with the attitude that you’re just going to be good enough, then you’re probably good enough for the Razzies.”

The awards were announced at a gag ceremony Sunday night at a magic shop in Santa Monica, Calif. Razzie winners usually are announced the night before the Oscars, but organizers this time decided to move out of Hollywood’s busy awards season and do their show on April Fool’s Day. But it could be a one-time experiment.

Wilson said he got feedback from voters of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, which anyone can join for a membership fee, that they prefer handing out their prizes around Oscar time. “I think our members prefer the faux glamor of having it be Oscar eve,” Wilson said. -AP

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ALWATAN DAILY

AROUND TOWN / TIME OUT

TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

If you have an event you wish to include, please email: aroundtown@alwatandaily.com

Feature o f

graffiti

the day

moderately confused

NES sixth formers meet Kuwaiti explorer

Sudoku

Elementary

KUWAIT: Zaid Al-Refai is the first Arab to summit Everest and the first to complete the seven summits as well. Zaid spoke to NES students about his battle to conquer Everest and his near death experience whilst attempting to reach the summit. Zaid, a Kuwaiti national born on Oct. 28, 1966, was educated in Finland and

Month a t

Advanced

Intermediate

attended university in the US. With the seven summits now behind him, Al-Refai will now turn his attention to creating the first ‘Arabian Mountaineering Club’, which most likely will be based in Dubai. The club is envisaged to bring the ‘lonely’ sport of mountaineering to the youth in the Middle East.

General A n n o u n c e m e n t s

a glance ic narrative of life experiences on luminous and luxurious enamel weaves.

Diwaniya presentation April 3/ 7 p.m. / AWARE Center: The AWARE Center cordially invites you to its diwaniya presentation next Tuesday entitled, “Similarities and differences between Arabs and Westerners,” by Iman Martin. Westerners visiting Kuwait or the Middle East for the first time find many cultural differences in the society, at work and within the local customs. Culture shock, to some degree, will be experienced by all. In this Diwaniya, we would like to share the similarities and differences between Arabs and Westerners. For more information, call 25335260/80

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

Golden era club Kuwaiti cuisine March 15-April 5/6 p.m. - 8 p.m./TIES Center: TIES Ladies Club invites you to our Kuwaiti cuisine classes which will start soon. Join us for a one month cooking program where you will learn to cook real Kuwaiti food. All ladies are invited to join our classes and let your family enjoy the mouth watering Kuwaiti cuisine. For more information/registration, contact 25231015/6.

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 purpose- business, basic communication, as a second language or simply as a hobby. For more information/registration, contact 97228860/97793440.

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-calligraph-

April 13/ 5 p.m. -7 p.m. /Rumaithiya: Join the Golden Era club for a fascinating Earth Day activity. Come armed with old newspapers, a pair of scissors and a bottle of glue. You also get to join Dr. Leos on a fascinating journey through a jewel nestled in central Europe, ranking high in human development. Seniors (60+) don’t miss out on the adventure! Venue- House #34, next to Abu-Tammam Intermediate School for Boys, Sate Alhusari St., Block 2, Rumaithiya. For details call 97172788/ 66208183 or drop a line to goldenera60@yahoo.com

Mario is a gentle and affectionate 6-years-young Spitz male. This friendly boy does great with people and dogs of all ages.

New Toastmasters Club

South African Embassy closure

Second and fourth Tuesday/ 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. / Jabriya: A new Toastmasters Club is being formed and encouraging new members to join. Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. It is a non-profit international organization dedicated to improve member’s communication and leadership skills by attending and participating toastmasters meetings. For more information, please contact Khaled Al-Hashem at 65588824.

On the occasion of Easter Sunday, the South African Embassy will be closed from Sunday, April 8, 2012 to Monday, April 9, 2012. The Embassy will resume its normal working hours on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, from Sunday to Thursday. Please note that the working hours will be from 8h00 to 16h00 and the Consular Section operation hours will from 8h30 to 12h30.

Brainbang session

The Embassy of India will remain closed on April 5, 2012 on account of “Mahavir Jayanti”.

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

Embassy of India

Embassy of Korea The Embassy of the Republic of Korea wishes to inform that it has moved to Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6. Contact: 25378621/2/3/4/5. The embassy also wishes to inform that it will be opened to the public on the following office hours: Morning: 8 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Lunch break: 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m. Afternoon: 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Nancy

Horoscopes Aries: March 21 - April 19

Your thinking is solid and clear today, Aries, but other people could challenge your mental power.

Don’t let others put seeds of doubt in your head about the way you approach a problem. Keep your mind open to alternative solutions, but don’t beat yourself up for your current mental track. You might need to modify your strategy, but don’t sacrifice your principles or values.

Taurus: April 20 - May 20

You could get the feeling that something is wrong today when it isn’t, Taurus. It’s probably just your perspective that needs some adjusting. Pull out your binoculars and focus a bit more so you can stand back yet have the power to examine the details closely. Don’t automatically assume there’s a clear distinction between right and wrong. There are likely a great many shades of gray, too.

Gemini: May 21- June 21

Your sensitive nature is likely to pick up a disturbance in your thinking today, Gemini. Suddenly, a blast of unexpected information could come your way and throw a monkey wrench in your mental process.Try not to get thrown off balance by the sudden jolt.You’ll find that you can incorporate some of this new knowledge.

Cancer: June 22 - July 22

Love matters could appear to be moving far more slowly than you’d like, Cancer. Both you and your romantic interest may be overloaded with responsibilities now and unable to see each other much. It’s frustrating, but you’ll get through it. In the meantime, don’t let your insecurities get the better of you. Just because your friend is busy doesn’t mean that your relationship is on the rocks. Be patient!

Leo: July 23 - August 22

It could be difficult for you to think straight today, Leo. Your brain is probably working in short, erratic bursts that keep you guessing about which way to proceed. Avoid confusion during the day by periodically centering and separating yourself and your feelings from the drama around you. Don’t pretend you understand something if you don’t. If a situation doesn’t make sense, go ahead and question it.

Virgo: August 23 - September 22

Freedom is a key aspect of life today, Virgo. You might find that your brain wants to break free and pursue more independent ways of thinking. Don’t worry if such ways of thinking lead you into unknown territory. This is a sign that this is probably where you need to be.

Libra: September 23 - October 22

People are apt to be as stubborn as you in their thinking today, Libra. This could be a recipe for disaster if you aren’t careful. Open the floodgates a bit wider and take in more of the opinions of others. Don’t automatically assume that other people have to conform to your viewpoint to resolve an issue. More than likely, there needs to be some give and take from all involved.

Scorpio: October 23 - November 21

You could find yourself staring at a stranger for just one extra second as you pass on the street today, Scorpio. Your tendency toward the new and bizarre is stronger than usual, and you’re being pulled into different mental directions. Go ahead and introduce yourself to that stranger. Perhaps he or she will become a business partner or new best friend. You never know until you ask.

Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21

As you work slowly and steadily toward your goals, realize that there are apt to be unexpected obstacles along the way, Sagittarius. You can’t possibly plan for everything, so don’t get discouraged today when some crazy variable pops out of nowhere.Your mental process may be thrown for a loop, and you might find that you go into a frenzy.

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19

It’s generally quite clear that you aren’t afraid to tell people what you think, Capricorn. Maybe it’s time to be more expressive about how you feel. It could be that your mental process is a bit off today, jolted by an unexpected situation or person. Make sure you incorporate some of your instincts and emotions into your reaction to the situation. Don’t rely on your brain alone to have all the answers.

Aquarius: January 20 - February 18

Today could be filled with unexpected twists, turns, and bends in the road that you may not be prepared for, Aquarius. Apparently someone forgot to install the sign that warns of sharp curves ahead.

Be on the lookout for unexpected forks in the road.When you get to them, take them, to coin a phrase. Your brain could receive a jolt from an outside source that reminds you to keep things real.

Pisces: February 19 - March 20

You could be thinking some bizarre thoughts today, Pisces. They might lead you in a direction that doesn’t quite pertain to your current situation.

Don’t be afraid to explore these strange realms, because they could give you some important insight that you wouldn’t have realized otherwise.

ALWATAN DAILY

SPORTS

tuesDAY, april 3, 2012

19

Tennis

Djokovic downs Murray to win Miami Masters KEY BISCAYNE, Florida: World number one Novak Djokovic defeated Britain’s Andy Murray 6-1, 7-6 to win the Sony Ericsson Open for the second consecutive year on Sunday.

Djokovic’s victory was his third at Miami, avenged his 2009 loss to Murray here at Crandon Park and confirmed his status as the top player in the men’s game.

Djokovic always looked to have the edge and converted two of his eight break point chances and won 70 percent of his service points.

The Serb got a grip on the match, breaking in a long and compelling fourth game when world number four Murray twice made unforced errors on his backhand on two game point chances.

The Scot responded positively and had break point on the next service game from Djokovic but his opponent turned on the power to hold.

Murray’s backhand let him down again in the next game and two shots into the net allowed the Serb to break and serve out to take the set comfortably.

The second set was tighter but Murray had to work much harder to hold his serves and failed to get a break point against the confident 24 year old.

Nonetheless there were some entertaining baseline rallies and plenty for the crowd, basking

in the sun under the palm trees, to enjoy in a 90minute set which featured four games that reached deuce.

Djokovic ran out 7-4 winner in the tie-break to follow up his Australian Open title with his second win of the year.

“I didn’t return well today, which is normally one of the best parts of my game. That was the difference, in my opinion,” said a disappointed Murray, who fell to 5-8 against Djokovic.

In a strange week, the Scotsman had two walkovers, including the semi-final when Rafa Nadal withdrew with a knee injury, but he said he was ready for the final.

“No question about that. It could have taken me whenever, a couple of games to get used to sort of the pace of the rallies and stuff, but, yeah, I was up for it,” he said.

Djokovic’s victory over Murray marked his third consecutive match clinched in a second set tie-break after beating Spain’s David Ferrer in the quarter-final and Argentina’s Juan Monaco in the semi-final.

“I didn’t drop a set, which is very impressive,” said Djokovic. “I’m really happy with the way I played last three matches against three very good opponents and top players, so this is a very positive thing for continuation of the season.” -Reuters

Variety is the spice for Radwanska KEY BISCAYNE: Agnieszka Radwanska said her ability to ‘mix it up’ was the key to her rise to the top four in women’s tennis, a position she strengthened with her victory over Maria Sharapova in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open on Saturday.

The 23-year-old from Krakow, already by far the most successful Polish women’s player ever, has yet to win a grand slam event but with nine WTA titles to her name that seems only a matter of time.

“It’s a great feeling to win a tournament like this here in Miami. It’s the biggest tournament after grand slams, especially with all the top players here. You have to play six very good matches to win this tournament.

So I’m just extremely happy,” added Radwanska, who also won a top level event earlier this year in Beijing.

Radwanska, who didn’t lose a set in the tournament, beat Sharapova by making her work hard and think hard by using a variety of strokes that clearly frustrated the Russian. That approach has become her trademark.

What Radwanska lacks in terms of a big serve, she more than makes up for in intelligent positional play and crafty variations of speed and spin.

While she plays down her progress, in beating world number two Sharapova, who she had lost to seven times in the previous eight meetings, Radwanska highlighted the improvements she has made in the past 12 months.

“I really played well today, you know, from the beginning until the end. I was really focusing on my serve, and I’m very happy I didn’t lose my serve. It was actually I think the key in this match. “But it’s just a great feeling to beat those kind of players, especially in the final and playing great tennis,” she said. -Reuters

Agnieszka Radwanska celebrates winning the first set against Maria Sharapova during the final of the Sony Ericsson Open at the Crandon Park Tennis Center, March 31, 2012. (AFP)

Cricket

Strauss ready to come out fighting in second test COLOMBO: England captain Andrew Strauss, who has been under attack in the media for his lack of form with the bat, came out fighting on the eve of the second and final test against Sri Lanka. The visitors have lost four tests in a row, having been whitewashed 3-0 by Pakistan in their previous series in the Middle East, and Strauss is without a test century since 2010.

“Obviously I want to score some runs,” the opening batsman told reporters on Monday. “One of the real challenges of leadership is that it is easy when it’s going well, everyone is buoyant and happy and patting each other on the back. But when times are tough that’s when it’s important you stand up and lead and shape your team in the right direction. I like that sort of challenge.”

England, beaten by 75 runs in the opening test in Galle last week, will lose their world number one ranking to South Africa if they are defeated again in Colombo.

“When you get to the last match and you need to win to get something out of the series, in that sense there’s a bit more on this game,” said Strauss. “When you look at the last four tests we have played, there have been quite a few opportunities for us to win and there have been some outstanding individual performances.

We have now got one final chance to salvage something out of the English winter and go into the summer with

England captain Andrew Strauss looks at the wicket during the England nets session at the P Sara Stadium, April 2, 2012 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (AFP)

some momentum. I am very confident we have the ability and skill in our side to do that,” added Strauss. “It hasn’t gone our way so far but I retain absolute faith in our players that they will turn it around.”

England’s bowlers have been firing on all cylinders against Sri Lanka and Pakistan and it is the batsmen who have let the side down with a series of indifferent displays. All-rounder Stuart Broad will miss the second test because of an ankle injury and the visitors must decide whether paceman Steve Finn or seamer Tim Bresnan replaces him.

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene said his side would not sit back to defend their 1-0 lead.

“We need to try and win the series 2-0,” he said.

“Playing a team like England you have to be aggressive.

You need to play to win from ball one and look to get in front of them. That’s what we will try to do. England are a very strong team and will come at us very strong tomorrow. We have to make sure we are prepared for that and play some really good cricket.”

Jayawardene hit 180 in the first innings but most of Sri Lanka’s top-order batsmen failed in the opening test.

“Not everyone is going to get runs,” he said. “But everyone is batting really well in the nets and hopefully they will take that form into tomorrow’s match.” -Reuters

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his win over Andy Murray of Great Britain during the final of the Sony Ericsson Open at the Crandon Park Tennis Center, April 1, 2012.

(AFP)

Basketball

Rondo has triple-double as Celtics rout Heat 91-72 BOSTON: Rajon Rondo got his pregame orders from Doc Rivers. The Celtics coach wanted his point guard to concentrate on scoring. He finished with 16 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds, and Boston handed Miami its biggest loss of the season, pulling away with a dominant third quarter for a 91-72 win over the Heat on Sunday.

Rondo had eight assists in that period when the Celtics outscored the Heat 31-12, turning a 49-44 halftime lead into an 80-56 advantage. They stayed ahead by at least 19 the rest of the way for their fifth straight win.

He also had 10 points in the first quarter. Not bad for a sometimes shaky shooter who hadn’t scored more than seven points in any of his previous five games.

He reached the triple-double mark for the fifth time this season with 8 1/2 minutes to play. It was his 13th consecutive game with at least 10 assists and another outstanding performance in a marquee game on national television, a scenario in which he seems to thrive.

The Heat were far from that, making just 34.8 percent of their shots. And LeBron James failed to get an assist for just the second time in his career.

The loss continued a couple of disturbing trends for the Heat-seven losses in their last 10 road games and three consecutive setbacks of at least 15 points. Their previous worst defeat of the season came just one week earlier, 103-87 at Oklahoma City, and their last loss of more than 19 points came on March 4, 2011 at San Antonio, 125-95.

Miami has the fewest home losses in the league at 21-2 but is only 16-12 on the road.

The Heat, playing their third game in four days, were led by James with 23 points and Dwyane Wade with 15.

Chris Bosh, the other member of Miami’s “Big 3”, scored the Heat’s first four points but didn’t score again. The Celtics, combining tenacious defense with outstanding play in transition, increased their Atlantic Division lead to

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo (9) passes under pressure from Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) and forward Chris Bosh during an NBA basketball game in Boston, April 1, 2012. (AP)

one game over idle Philadelphia. Paul Pierce scored 23 points, and Brandon Bass added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Boston.

Miami scored two of the first three baskets of the third quarter, cutting the lead to 51-48. Then the Celtics outscored the Heat 29-8 the rest of the period, hitting 14 of 23 shots while Miami made only 5 of 19.

It was 55-50 when Rondo’s layup began a 17-2 run in which the Heat’s only points were two free throws by Wade.

James finally hit a field goal, making it 72-54, but the Celtics scored eight of the remaining 10 points in the quarter.

And they kept up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter.

The Celtics led 29-19 after one, led

by Rondo’s 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. They stretched that to 34-23, then went cold offensively while the Heat scored the next 10 points, closing the gap to 34-33.

Bass stopped the drought with a shot from the top of the key with 4:57 left in the first half, Boston’s first points in 4:08.With the score tied at 40, the Celtics got the next five points on a jumper

by Kevin Garnett and a three-point play from Pierce to take a five-point lead.

-AP

Aldridge leads Blazers to 119-106 win over Wolves

PORTLAND: LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26 points in his return after missing one game with a sore left elbow, leading the Portland Trail Blazers to a 119-106 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night.

Nicolas Batum added 24 points for Portland, which is 5-5 since interim coach Kaleb Canales replaced the fired Nate McMillan.

Oregon native Kevin Love had 26 points and nine rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost eight of their last 10 games. Minnesota used just nine players.

Both teams have been struggling to remain in the playoff picture. The Timberwolves have had injuries, including the loss of rookie Ricky Rubio for the season, while the Blazers have been adjusting to the dismissal of McMillan and the trade of starters Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace at the deadline.

Minnesota guard J.J. Barea was out for the fifth straight game with a bruised right quadriceps and forward Michael Beasley missed his third game with a sprained big toe on his left foot.

Center Nikola Pekovic, who has missed six games with bone spurs in his right ankle, was with the team on it short two-game road trip to Portland and Sacramento, but coach Rick Adelman said before the game that he would not play The game was tied at 27 at the end of the first quarter, but

when Love rested early in the second, Portland took a 37-31 lead on Jamal Crawford’s pull-up jumper. Portland stretched the lead to 49-42 on another Crawford jumper and the Blazers led 57-50 at the half. Love had 18 points at the break.

Batum’s 3-pointer and free throw gave the Blazers a 7968 lead with 4:13 left. Batum blocked Luke Ridnour on the other end to pave the way for Aldridge’s fast-break dunk, giving Portland its biggest lead of the game.

Ridnour made a 3 to narrow it to 86-82 for the Timberwolves late in the third quarter, but Luke Babbitt made a layup at the buzzer.

Crawford’s long jumper put the Blazers up 105-89 midway through the final quarter.

In the Timberwolves’ previous visit to the Rose Garden on March 3, Love finished with 42 points, one shy of his career high, and Minnesota won 122-110.

Love grew up just south of the Rose Garden in Lake Oswego. At Lake Oswego High, he was half of a spectacular prep class in the state of Oregon with Kyle Singler of Medford. Love went on to play at UCLA while Singler played at Duke.

Love’s performance in March was helping preserve the Timberwolves’ playoff aspirations. He averaged a leaguebest 30.7 points, 13.9 rebounds and shot 48 percent from 3-point range. -AP

tuesdAY, april 3, 2012

Sports Editors Highlight

SPORTS

BAGHDAD: The Iraqi Football Association will ask FIFA to lift the ban on home international matches at stadiums across the country. Officials will travel to Zurich this month to meet with FIFA executives. “The delegation will seek approval to lift the ban on holding official matches in our stadiums,” federation member Abdul-Khaliq Massoud said Monday. “We hope that the FIFA officials will reply positively to our request.” Massoud said they will present FIFA with evidence that Iraq is safe and capable of hosting international matches. FIFA banned Iraq from playing home qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup and 2012 Olympics after a power outage in a stadium in the Kurdish city of Irbil during Iraq’s World Cup qualifier against Jordan in September. The match was suspended for more than five minutes.

Football

Dalglish calls for Liverpool unity Milan stands in way of Barca’s Champions progress LONDON: Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has called for his players to pull together and avoid selfpity as the club seek to avert a crisis in the wake of Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League defeat at Newcastle United.

The loss was the Merseysiders’ sixth in seven Premier League games and left them eighth in the table, a point behind local rivals Everton. They have not finished outside of the top 10 since being promoted to the top flight under Bill Shankly in 1962.

Liverpool, winners of the League Cup in February, have taken only eight points from their last 12 games, falling out of contention for a place in the Champions League. Their current run of form is the second worst in the league with only bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers suffering more.

Dalglish, whose first spell as manager ended with his resignation in 1991, will not quit or be sacked, according to former Liverpool team mate Mark Lawrenson.

Liverpool play Aston Villa next week, followed by an away trip to Blackburn Rovers and an FA Cup semifinal against Everton.

They will be without goalkeeper Pepe Reina for all three games following his red card in the final minutes after appearing to aim a butt at Newcastle defender

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (center) escapes AC Milan’s players during the Champions League quarterfinals first leg football match AC Milan vs FC Barcelona, March 28, 2012. (AFP)

LONDON: The clash between European nobles Barcelona and AC Milan looks the only wide-open Champions League quarter-final second leg this week with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich all but through and Chelsea in good shape.

Holders Barca drew 0-0 in Milan in the first match last week and Pep Guardiola’s side remain favorites to advance but a score draw for the Serie A champions on Tuesday would cause a right royal upset.

Fellow European gentry Bayern will be highly confident of progressing on Tuesday against Olympique Marseille having won 2-0 in France last week while possible semi-final opponents Real welcome APOEL Nicosia on Wednesday holding a 3-0 lead.

Chelsea are 1-0 up with a home game to come against Benfica on Wednesday and the London team’s improvement under interim coach Roberto Di Matteo,

with even Fernando Torres creating and scoring goals, suggests they ought to go through.

Most eyes are therefore focused on the Nou Camp where Barca - lauded by many pundits as the greatest club side of all - take on seven-times European champions Milan and former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Milan looked like the away side for much of last week’s game at the San Siro but they kept Barca and World Player of the Year Lionel Messi at bay while also going close through Ibrahimovic and Brazilian Robinho.

Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri vowed to attack Barca last week but it did not turn out that way as the old Italian defensive traits shone through.

He said they should go for goals in the second leg and with the prospect of Barca drawing a blank in two straight Champions League games unthinkable, Allegri’s

assertion makes sense if his side listen to him this time and do not try for a 0-0 result and penalties.

Sweden striker Ibrahimovic would dearly love to score at the Nou Camp and eliminate his former team having left Barca under a cloud 18 months ago when falling out with Guardiola.

Torres looked to have fallen out with football after an extended spell of poor form but he expertly set up Salomon Kalou for the winner at Benfica and then scored in the weekend Premier League triumph at Aston Villa.

The Spaniard hopes to keep his place on Wednesday with Didier Drogba troubled by a foot problem. Former Benfica defender David Luiz is also a doubt.

Benfica must believe they can turn the tie around but Marseille and Cypriot underdogs APOEL, overwhelmed just to have reached this stage, are ready to kiss the competition goodnight. -Reuters

Bayern Munich out to finish job against Marseille

Marseille’s Rod Fanni (left) vies with Bayern Munich’s striker Mario Gomez (center) during the UEFA Champions League quarter final football match Marseille vs. Bayern Munich, March 28, 2012. (AFP)

MUNICH: With a comfortable 2-0 cushion from the first leg, Bayern Munich is looking to finish off Marseille and advance to the Champions League semifinals. The four-time champions have won 12 of their last 13 games at home in the competition, and have also won seven straight as they maintain their push for three trophies.

Marseille, meanwhile, has lost eight of its last nine games in all competitions. The French side drew the other game in that run and has not won a game since a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan on Feb. 22. Goals from Arjen Robben and the 11th of the competition for Mario Gomez in Marseille leave Bayern ideally placed to take another step toward reaching the final in its stadium on May 19.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for a club that appeared to be in crisis a month ago when a 2-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen left it seven points behind Bundesliga leader Borussia Dortmund, while Champions League ambitions were on hold after a 1-0 defeat at FC Basel in the first leg of their round of 16 tie. Bayern bounced back from the Leverkusen defeat with 20 goals in three games, including seven against Basel in the return leg as the German side posted the biggest winning margin in a knockout

game of the Champions League.

Saturday’s 1-0 win at Nuremberg in the 184th Bavarian derby cut the gap with Dortmund to three points, and Bayern will also face the Bundesliga leader in the German Cup final on May 12.

Marseille will take some heart from its 3-2 win in Dortmund during the group stages. Its weekend game against French league leader Montpellier was postponed to allow it to prepare for what would be a mammoth upset. The French side will need goals to qualify and will be looking to Ghana winger Andre Ayew and France forward Loic Remy to provide them.

Remy is the club’s top scorer in the league with 10 goals while Ayew has seven, but former Marseille and Bayern striker Jean-Pierre Papin warned against an overdependence on them. Marseille will welcome back goalkeeper Steve Mandanda from suspension, while Bayern picked up five yellow cards in the first leg, including one for Bastian Schweinsteiger which rules him out on Tuesday. The winner will likely face Real Madrid in the semifinal. The Spanish league leader holds a 3-0 cushion over unheralded Cypriot team APOEL Nicosia on the other side of the draw. -AP

James Perch.

“The frustration and disappointment resulted in the actions Pepe took when he got a deserved red card,” Dalglish added.

Former Newcastle striker Andy Carroll, the most expensive English player after his 35 million pounds ($55.92 million US dollars)transfer last January, appeared to swear at Dalglish as he left the field having been substituted.

Carroll, who has scored only three Premier League goals for Liverpool this season, gave vent to his frustration, pulling his shirt off and walking straight down the tunnel to the dressing rooms.

He had endured a miserable return to Newcastle.

He was booed throughout by the home fans, booked for diving and saw his successor in Newcastle’s number nine shirt Papiss Cisse score both goals.

“He was frustrated with the way the game had gone,” Dalglish told reporters. “Not just for himself but for the team. We have not got a problem with people showing desperation or disappointment or frustration, but we need to channel it better. We will try to remain calm and sort out the problems that we have.”

Newcastle are sixth level on 53 points with fifthplaced Chelsea. -Reuters

Referee Martin Atkinson shows a red card to Pepe Reina of Liverpool during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at Sports Direct Arena, April 1, 2012. (AFP)

Rooney is key to United title charge, says Fergie LONDON: Sir Alex Ferguson believes a more mature Wayne Rooney is key for Manchester United as the champions look to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League against Blackburn on Monday.

An intense title battle with Manchester City looks to have swung United’s way after their local rivals were held to a 3-3 draw by Sunderland at Eastlands on Saturday.

United have a two-point lead at the top and can take what may prove a decisive five-point advantage if they win at Ewood Park.

The home meeting with struggling Rovers on New Year’s Eve saw Blackburn record a stunning 3-2 victory over a United side from which Rooney was missing, having been dropped for breaking a club curfew over the holiday period.

But, whatever the England striker’s disagreement with Ferguson at that point, his form in 2012 has been little short of stunning and 17 goals in as many appearances suggest Rooney will be a pivotal figure if the Reds are to hold onto their crown.

Ferguson will come face to face with fellow Scotsman Steve Kean at Ewood on Monday and

FILE - Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney takes part in a training session at San Mames stadium in Bilbao, March 14, 2012. (AFP)

has paid tribute to the job carried out by the Blackburn manager in the face of long-term criti-

cism, and even protests against him, from Rovers supporters.

“You know how things can change? Because you dig in and don’t let them get to you,” said Ferguson.

“Now no-one talks about those fans having protests, marches and all the rest of it. He’s held his dignity very, very well and he deserves absolute 100 per cent praise from everyone, including his own supporters who, I’m sure, a lot of them will be saying to themselves, ‘I wish I hadn’t done that’. Because he’s certainly shown his mettle in those times when it was difficult for him.”

Meanwhile, Morten Gamst Pedersen has revealed Blackburn are not frightened of facing inform United as Rovers look to pull off a double over the Premier League title chasers.

“We are facing a team who are doing well at the moment,” the Rovers winger said. “They caught up loads of points on City so the machine is starting to go for United. It is going to be a very tough game. If you are going to be frightened you have lost before the game has started. It is always going to be a tough game. -AFP

Redknapp ready for Champions League place battle LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is expecting the battle for Champions League places to go right to the end of the English Premier League season. Tottenham’s 3-1 win at home to Swansea left them level on points with third-placed local rivals Arsenal and occupying the fourth and final spot on offer to English clubs.

Tottenham Hotspur soccer manager Harry Redknapp leaves Southwark Crown Court in London, Feb. 8, 2012. (Reuters)

Importantly, Sunday’s victory at White Hart Lane also saw them pull five points clear of nearest pursuers Chelsea and Newcastle with seven games left. Tottenham were 1-0 up at half-time thanks to Rafael van der Vaart’s early opener before Gylfi Sigurdsson, on loan from German club Hoffenheim, equalized for Swansea. But Spurs secured a first league win in six games thanks to late headers from striker Emmanuel Adebayor, on loan from title contenders Manchester City.

“I thought we were fantastic first half,” said Redknapp. “The players did everything we asked - pressed and closed and had all the chances really.

Swansea started well, the first 10 minutes, and then we got after them all over the park and broke their game up. They’re a good side, they play fantastic football but I don’t think we really let them play in the first half.”

Wales winger Gareth Bale proved a thorn in Swansea’s side, as he’s been to so many opposition teams this season, and Redknapp said: “He’s just an amazing talent, an amazing player. He’s got the ability to run all day, to beat people, to dribble, shoot, to head it, he’s a unique player, a special talent.

Everybody today I thought was on their game. We defended well, got blocks in, the midfielders all pressed well and obviously Manny (Adebayor) getting two goals as well was great for him.”

Victory completed a successful week for Tottenham following a goalless draw with Chelsea and a 3-1 FA Cup quarter-final win over Bolton.

“We’ve been playing well,” Redknapp said. “It’s been a good week. We went to Chelsea last week and played ever so well. I felt we could have won the game, which is never easy going to Stamford Bridge and getting a result like that. “We came back home and played well against Bolton in midweek, and today again so it’s been a good week.” -AFP